which we can be placed exempt us from the Performance of this Duty, whether in Prosperity or Adversity, in Sickness or Health, in Life or Death. "In the day of Prosperity be joyful, but in the day of Adversity consider."

HONOUR, REVERENCE, WORSHIP, ADORATION, PRAISE, THANKSGIVING, PRAYER, DEVOTION. Our Obligation to perform this Class of Duties, arises from the transcendent Attributes of God, and our Dependance upon Him; that is, from what He is in Himself, and from what He is to us. And we ought to honour, reverence, worship, and adore the Deity, as the only Self-Existent, Infinite, Almighty, Immutable, Omniscient, Incomprehensible Being, that is, for His physical Attributes. But we bless and praise, thank and pray to Him, as our Creator, our righteous Ruler, and Moral Governour, who orders all Things in Infinite Mercy and Goodness to the whole Creation, (and more especially for his Goodness to ourselves in particular;) and for all His other moral Perfections, as His Rectitude, Holiness, Wisdom, Justice, and Truth, which, as His Creatures, we are interested in; and which make Him the Object of our highest Love, Gratitude, Honour and Praise. Devotion is a lively Exercise and Expression of those Affections, which we owe to the Supreme Being; as Reverence, Grati

tude,

the most perfect Harmony between His physical and moral Attributes, and what further can we look for, or even wish? Resignation, therefore, to the Divine Will, is agreeable to the highest Reason.

DISHONOURING GOD, BY IRREVERENCE, NEGLECTING WORSHIP, PRAYER AND RELIGIOUS DUTIES, BY PROFANENESS, PERJURY, BLASPHEMY, &c. As there cannot be any Religion where God is not honoured, so positively to dishonour Him is a Dereliction of all Religion. No one can presume upon the Divine Favour, who habitually neglects his Worship, and all religious Duties, who never acknowledges His Providential Care, who never prays to, or adores Him. But much less can they have any Hope in His Mercy, who by Perjury, or by customary Profaneness (as Cursing and Swearing, to which there does not appear to be the least rational Inducement or Temptation,) or by gross Blasphemy, or other irreverent or criminal Conduct or Behaviour, throw Contempt upon Him, Who alone is worthy of all the Glory and Honour which his rational Creatures can pay.

But we ought to be upon our Guard, lest we trust to, or rest in Acts of Devotion, (however fervent they may be, or how often soever repeated,) as the Whole of our Duty; and remember that our Lord has told us, "that God will have Mercy, and

not

tude, Hope, Desire, Trust, and Resignation; all which, conspire to encourage and animate us in our Christian Duties, and ought, daily, to be religiously performed. That rational Creatures, who are continually receiving so many, and so great Favours, from the universal Parent, should make Him all the Returns of Gratitude in their Power, must certainly be a natural Sentiment; and we accordingly find the most savage and ignorant Nations show some Tokens of Religion, or use some method of expressing their Regards or Gratitude to their Gods, however uncouth or absurd they may appear to us. It then certainly becomes us, who are favoured with so much Knowledge of the Deity, and of that Worship, which is most acceptable to Him, daily and devoutly to adore and worship Him, in the Way which He has appointed. We ought, moreover, particularly to remember, that all our Prayers and Praises, and all our Addresses to the Deity, be offered in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom alone we have Access to God, and whom the Father always heareth.

"The Use of the Offices of Devotion is to excite the Feelings of Devotion; the Use of the Feelings of Devotion is to produce the Duties of Life."* Under the Term, Prayer to God, we commonly comprehend :

First, Praise and Adoration; for his physical

and

*Fawcett.

not Sacrifice." That is, He esteems the Performance of moral Duties, and Obedience to His Will, before the warmest and most seraphic Devotion that Man can pay. And this Caution is the more neces sary, as Mankind have, in all ages, been prone to substitute Faith and religious Observances, in the Room of Justice, Charity and Rectitude of moral Behaviour. "These Things we ought to do, and not to leave the others undone." Always remem bering, that we shall be judged according to our Works. "Not every one who saith unto me Lord! Lord! shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he who doeth the Will of my Father, who is in Heaven."

It has been objected against the Duty of Prayer, that as the Deity is in His Nature unchangeable, Prayer is so far from being a Duty, that it is an Affront to the Divine Majesty, as in every Act of Prayer, we hope or expect to produce a Change in Him, in whom we profess to believe there is no "Variableness or Shadow of Change," But the Objection is removed, when we consider that He has Himself directed us to pray to Him in all our Wants, and to make our Supplications to Him. And further, when we consider that although we cannot, by any Prayers we can offer, make any Change in the Deity, or in any of His Determinations, yet fervent Prayer may produce such a Change in the sincere Supplicant,

and moral Attributes; and for his Providence, exercised in the Government of the World.

Secondly, Prayer, properly so called; for spiritual Favours, as Faith, Repentance and Obedience, and especially for the Pardon of our Sins and Assistance of the holy Spirit; and for temporal Blessings, as Life, Health, Soundness of Mind and Body, competent Support, and generally, for every Blessing of Life.

Thirdly, Thanksgiving; for spiritual Favours, as the Light of the Gospel, for the Mission of Jesus Christ, the Means of Grace, Religious Education, &c.; and for all temporal Favours, as the Continuance of Life, Health, Friends, &c. &c.

Fourthly, Intercession; for all Mankind, our Nation, our Friends, all who are in Affliction, &c. but always with Submission and Resignation to the Divine Will.

ZEAL; or an earnest Endeavour to promote the Honour of God; to propagate the Knowledge of Him and His Will, among those who are ignorant of Him, is the Duty of every one. To vindicate His Laws and Providence, and to do, with Prudence, all in our Power to advance His Religion in the World, and in our own Hearts. Animated by that Love, Gratitude, and Reverence we owe to our greatest and best Benefactor, and the Charity

we