cern at all for the public exercise of our religion. Especially if they would observe and mark, first, with what earnest longings holy men desired to come to the public assemblies, when by any impediment they were kept from them; read Psal. lxxxiv. 1, 2. &c., and David's passionate breathings, xxvii. 4. "One thing have I desired of the Lord," &c. with what joyful hearts, they received all invitations to them; Psal. cxxii. 1, 2. "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem."

And second,

CHAPTER XX.

W

SOME OBJECTIONS REMOVED.

THEN I reflect upon the conclusion of the foregoing chapter, I cannot but fear that they are void of the love of God, or very defective in it, who have so little regard to His honour, as not to love the place where His "honour dwelleth," and where "praise waiteth for Him;" as the Psalmist speaks, in the place now named, that is, where His glorious majesty is extolled, His wonderful works are magnified; His benefits acknowledged; and psalms sung in honour of Him; which is the greatest business of our solemn assemblies. For men hear nothing more willingly than the praises of their parents; there they delight to be, and are never weary of their attendance there, where the noble acts of their ancestors are recited, with songs or speeches in their commendation.

And therefore with much more diligence should we run thither, without ceasing; “ Where men speak of the glorious honour of His majesty, and of the wondrous works of our heavenly Father" and declare the love of our blessed Saviour, "making known His mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His kingdom; uttering abundantly the memory of His great goodness, and singing of His righteousness." Though alas! "Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can shew forth all His praise ?" As the Psalmist speaks elsewhere. His benefits towards us are immensely great, and cannot worthily be praised by us, but it is our duty to do what we can, that we may pursue what we ought. And therefore, if we have any respect to God, let us say and sing again, with the Psalmist, nay, with our Saviour Christ, as I have before observed. "I will declare Thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee. Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him; all ye seed of Jacob glorify Him; and fear Him all ye seed of Israel. My praise shall be of Thee in the

great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear Him." Psal. xxii. 22, 23, 25. "I will praise Thee, O God, among the people: I will sing unto Thee among the nations. For Thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and Thy truth unto the clouds," Psal. lvii. 9, 10. " Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house they will be still praising Thee." Psal. lxxxiv. 4. "The dead praise not the Lord; neither any that go down into Thy silence. But we will bless the Lord, from this time forth, and for evermore. Praise the Lord." Psal. cxv. 17, 18.

Which last words teach us, that this is a piece of public service we do to God in this world, which we are incapable to perform, when we are gone from hence. Then the time is past of honouring God among men, by declaring the sense we have of His greatness, and speaking good of His name. For though the dead are not quite silent; yet what they say or do, signifies nothing to us in this world, where we must serve God while we live, or else not at all.

Which is a new consideration to quicken us

to this duty, and to silence all those objections which are apt to rise in our hearts against

it.

Yes, may some say, we like the thing you press, but are against the way of doing it, in this Church. In which some are distasted at all forms of Prayer; and others at that form, wherein we worship God, and Him alone.

Unto the first of these, I have this to say; that when there were no forms of Prayer left in this Church, they that destroyed them did not daily hold public assemblies, nor do they now make it their constant practice. Which gives us too much cause to think, they have not such a sense, as is to be wished, of their necessity. But, to let that pass, supposing some have, and that they only dislike a form of Prayer, it is something strange, that the same arguments which make them think daily public assemblies to be needful, should not also reconcile them to a form of Prayer. Which was constantly used by the ancient Jews in their assemblies, as hath been undeniably proved by many of our writers; and was pre