cial spirit. These ordinances cannot but diffuse that spirit in a greater or less degree over those who witness them.

The tendency of assembling every week from all parts of a town, thus enabling the inhabitants to see each other face to face in the most interesting circumstances, is to make them adopt a certain union of feelings and of habits. A knowledge of human nature too, is thus generated, which could not be had in the retirement of a man's own farm. There is a different aspect here presented even of those who are crowded together in the population of a city, an aspect which teaches men much of the social feeling, and which tends to counteract that immersion in one's own affairs which is so liable to exist. Among the inhabitants of a city, it is found by observation that more of genuine good breeding exists in those who attend public worship than in those who do not. The former know more of the feelings of religious men, and are more inclined to respect them than the latter. There is more deference paid by the former than there is by the latter, to the benevolent institutions of the present age, even if they do not fall in with them, merely out of the principle of politeness. You will not be half so likely to receive abuse from them, if you happen to solicit their charity, as from others. And in the country all this holds true with increased emphasis. Men who attend public worship have usually far more public spirit than those who do not. Being accustomed to pay their proportion for the support of the gospel, and having felt somewhat of the social spirit which the ordinances of the sanctuary produce, and the various motives for enlarged benevolence which these ordinances enforce, their minds are more accessible to the demands of the public than if their sabbaths were spent at home, in selfish pursuits. He that uses his property for one public object is apt to acquire the habit of so doing; and he can therefore the more easily and naturally use it for another. But he who pays for nothing but that which he immediately receives for his own exclusive benefit, insensibly narrows down his vision till he can see no objects beyond himself. He is therefore startled when he is

solicited to pay for things of public utility, of which he shares the benefit not alone, but in company with others. There is a kindly influence, then, in this respect, over a whole community, arising from the habit of public worship. Men are thus drawn out from the dark caverns of selfishness, and raised to a sightly eminence whence they can take a larger view and a more extended prospect.

Public worship makes a community, more intelligent than they otherwise would be. In the cultivation of social feeling men learn of one another. He that lives alone, or sees few but his own family, or sees them only in the hurry of business, can learn nothing which is valuable. He is not half so likely to read as he would be, if he saw his fellow men in other circumstances than those to which he is accustomed. In the assembly of the saints are presented a thousand subjects of thought and of conversation. The gospel, in all its variety, lays open an immense field of intelligence, in which every man may range at his pleasure. The habit which is formed here of investigating religious truth, naturally leads to the investigation of other truth; and thus information is diffused and industry of every kind is cultivated. Hence the universal remark of observing men is, that where the people of a place are in the constant habit of going to church, farms look better, and every thing wears the appearance of neatness and order.

Public worship holds up the laws of the land and the arm of the magistrate in executing those laws. Moral obligation, such as is enforced by christianity, is the whole soul of human government. Take this away, and you break up the halls of justice and overthrow the very pillars of the state. When the French government gave up christianity, they sowed the seeds of their own destruction. Poor as the system of their church was, and inefficient as it was in bearing down upon the vices of men, the great principle of eternal retribution was not wholly lost sight of: and therefore something was done by it to build up the state. But let in all the motives to moral excellence which Protestant Christianity holds forth,

and you place a barrier to vice and disorder which nothing else can afford. In proof of this position, look at Connecticut and Massachusetts, states where the worship of God has been more generally supported than any where else in the Union. Much as they have both degenerated from the purity of our pilgrim fathers, the laws are probably more respected by the generality of their native population, than by the same proportion in any other parts of our country. Crimes are comparatively few; seldom does an execution for murder take place; and duelling, that miserable pretence of honour, is unknown. Now, does not the general respect which is paid in these states to the divine institution of which I speak, contribute more than any thing else to this delightful effect?

But the greatest and best influence which the public worship of God exerts is its sanctifying efficacy. Compared with this all other benefits of it are cast into the shade. While this greatly increases all the other effects which have been mentioned, it stands by itself in all the benignity of wisdom and grace. It spreads over the whole subject, an immeasurable value, and tells us that the amazing interests of eternity are involved in it. If the preaching of the gospel is a matter of such importance as has been represented, and the repre sentation is drawn directly from the fountain of truth, who can estimate the influence which public worship exerts? If the soul is of such inestimable value as the Saviour declares, and yet, by the appointment of God, it is to be saved only by means of preaching, who can look through the ages of eternity, and see the influence which this ordinance shall have? how many, since the settlement of New England, have by the influence of preaching, been converted from the error of their way! How many souls who, but for this, would have groaned out a miserable existence in the pit below, are now filled with the joys of unspeakable benevolence, among the spirits of the just! And how many who are now in this present state of existence, but who will soon pass away like the shadows of the evening, are about to be gathered unto their fathers in peace, having drunk in the sweet influence of the

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assembly of the saints! Ah my brethren, eternity shall tell -eternity shall tell this influence.

Such then, is the authority for the public worship of God; such is the manner in which it should be performed; and such the influence which it exerts. It is clear, then, that nothing. but absolute physical inability, or some work of charity, can excuse a man from attending upon it. As well may he attempt to flee from the government of God, and plant himself in some other empire, as from the obligation of worshipping Him in the assembly of the saints. No man who loves God can wish to excuse himself. None of the travellers to the heavenly Jerusalem can fail of taking this refreshment by the way.

It is for the encouragement of men to this duty and their convenience in performing it, that this beautiful edifice is erected. I honour you, my brethren, and every man who loves the interests of religion, will honour you, for what you have done. By the convenience and beauty of this house many will be allured, from the ignorance and folly and guilt of refusing to assemble themselves together, and thus be put in the way of divine instruction. Such is human nature. Though the motive in these cases is wrong; yet you are not accountable for that. They will come hither-and some of them will be taught of God, and consequently obtain the blessedness of him whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sin is covered. There is something in the neatness and regularity of such a church which well accords with the spirit of the sabbath, and the assembly of the saints. There is nothing which contributes more powerfully to build up an ecclesiastical society than the common interest which every man feels in a house that is worth possessing. The expense you have incurred, instead of impoverishing, will greatly enrich you. With the blessing of God, you will go on stronger than ever in supporting the gospel; and the multitudes that will flock hither from the common interest they feel, will cheer you. You will be in far less danger than before of scattering; for no man will wish to surrender his right in this beautiful structure.

This house manifests a zeal for the honour of religion worthy of the descendants of the pilgrims; and this people can no longer feel the reproach of that exclamation of sacred writ, 'wo unto you who dwell in ceiled houses while the house of God lieth waste.'

But while you congratulate yourselves on obtaining such a house for public worship, you must always remember that you owe your disposition and your ability to build it, to God alone. To Him, therefore, you must dedicate it, not only now, but always.

If you neglect the privileges which these opening doors will hold out to you, you will perish with an aggravated condemnation. You will not be beaten with those few stripes which he that did not his master's will because he did not know it, received; for you will have the opportunity of knowing his will, and it is your own fault if you do not improve it. You will not fall into the company of them who did not read the character of God, and their obligations to obey him, in the broad manuscript of the heavens that was spread over their heads; nor of them who despised the messages of the prophets, more easily understood; but you will sink down to hell under the terrible condemnation of them who refused to hear Him that spoke from heaven, the Son of God himself; in the narrow limits too of " He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned," capable of being understood by a child!

And now, my brethren, with all the force of the duty we have been considering, lying upon, our consciences, and all the solemn responsibilities of this day pressing upon us, let us proceed to the purpose for which we are assembled. And may some of those ministering spirits, who are sent forth to minister to them who are heirs of salvation, be present, and witness our solemnity, and record it in heaven! And now, 0 Lord God of hosts, the God of our fathers, who didst drive out the heathen before them and plantedst them in this goodly land, if dust and ashes may speak unto thee, we desire to make mention of thy manifold goodness, which this day ex