we may

us with the means of procuring it; "Let us draw nigh with a true heart, in full affurance of faith ;"* and trufting in that merciful redemption, by which we have, on repentance, the forgiveness of fins ; "Let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need+." Thus will that fanctification of heart, and holinefs of life, be experienced, without which we are told "No man fhall fee the Lord;" and all will redound to the glory of God, who has fhown the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us, through Chrift Jefus."$

Heb. x. 22.

+ Heb. iv. 16,

Heb. xii. 14.

§ Ephef. ii. 7.

CHAPTER V.

ON DIVINE WORSHIP AND GOSPEL MINISTRY.

Worship an act of the Soul towards God.-Meetings for Worship may be held in filence.-Public Worship: an indifpenfable Duty, reafonable and beneficial.-Silent Worship adapted to all States.-Its Advantages.Scripture Arguments for it.-Prayer a neceffary Duty. -The qualifications of Minifters.-Human Learning: not effential to the Ministry.-No Individual has an exclufive right to affume the Exercise of it.-Women's Preaching.Preaching for Hire.---Tithes.

HAVING, in the preceding chapters, treated

on thofe fubjects in which we nearly agree with the generality of Christian profeffors, I come now to confider those points, in which we materially differ from them. Two of thefe, being nearly connected, are included in one chapter, though it will alfo be neceffary to confider them feparately. These are, Divine Worship and Gofpel Miniftry.

With respect to the firft, we confider that worfhip is an act of the foul towards God; that he is a Spirit; that the foul of man is spiritual; and therefore that, in the performance of the folemn duty of worship, words are not effentially neceffary; because He, who is a Spirit, understands the language of the Spirit. Neverthelefs, we do not disapprove the use of words in our religious meetings; whether in prayer, praises, or in the exer

cife of gospel ministry, when they are delivered under the influence of the Holy Spirit, which alone can, as we apprehend, rightly qualify for the performance of these important fervices. Hence, when we come to our places of religious worship, we think it right to fit down in filence, and wait therein upon God, for the affiftance of that Spirit which helpeth our infirmities, and without which we know not what to pray for as we ought. Here we may be favoured, at times, to feel the Spirit itself making interceffion for us; under the influence of which, we believe, a fecret figh or groan will afcend with more acceptance before the Father of fpirits, than any form of words which may be prepared for us; or that do not arife from a heart thus qualified for verbal expreffion.

Holding our meetings under thefe impreffions, it very frequently happens, that they are continu-ed throughout in filence; a state which, when at-tended with a right exercife of mind, we confider as beft adapted to the performance of the folemn duty of divine worship: før here, every individu- al, who feels his own condition and neceffities, can fecretly pour out his foul unto God, without diftraction or interruption; and here alfo we can freely partake of thofe divine influences upon the foul, which, when mercifully afforded, conftitute: the highest enjoyment of man upon earth.

But we are fenfible that these effects are not always experienced in our religious meetings. We fear that many who attend them, have not their minds rightly exercised; we know that divine good is not at our command; and we believe that the

.

fenfible enjoyment of it is often withheld for a feafon, and fometimes for a long feafon, from the truly exercised mind. "Verily, thou art a God that hideft thyself, O God of Ifrael, the Saviour." But, even in this fituation, we think it much fafer to wait in a state of paffive filence, than, by the activity of the creature, to rufh unprepared into thofe external acts of devotion, which we believe are no further acceptable, than as they come from a heart rightly prepared to offer them. A ftate of humble, filent waiting and dependence on divine help, is fo adapted to the relation in which man ftands to his great Creator, that we believe it peculiarly likely to meet with divine acceptance and regard. "Bleffed are thofe fervants, whom the Lord, when he cometh, fhall find watching." But to those who do not patiently abide in this ftate of mind, a very different confequence is fhown to refult. "Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks : walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This fhall ye have of mine hand; ye fhall lie down in forrow." And we ought by no means to forget the confequence under the law, of offering ftrange fire to the Lord.‡

We confider it an indifpenfable duty, publicly to meet together for the worship of God; and "not to forfake the affembling of ourselves toge ther, as the manner of fome is." It is not only a reasonable, but a beneficial duty; reafonable,

because it is a public acknowledgment of our de pendence on the Supreme Being; and beneficial, because we may, if rightly exercised in our minds, be favoured to draw nigh unto God, by the Spirit of his Son; and thus experience that communion, which is with the Father, and with his Son Christ Jefus; and which the true Christian travellers alfo have one with another in him.

In a filent travail of fpirit for this defirable experience, the fpiritual ftrength of thofe who are thus exercised, is increased; they become helpful one to another, in promoting the circulation of that life in which their fellowship confifts; and are, at times, fo united in feeling one for and with another, as to attain to an experience fimilar to that which the apostle defcribes: "Whether one member fuffer, all the members fuffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it."*

It may be fuppofed by fome, that although this mode of worship may be adapted to adults in religious experience, it is too refined an attainment for thofe who are in a state of infancy in religion; or who are much strangers to it. We, however, confider it as eminently adapted to every human being, who is defirous of being acceptable in the fight of his Creator. Where is the well difpofed mind, that has not occafion for an attention to that univerfal command, "What I fay unto you, I fay unto all, Watch ?" This fecret attention and exercife of mind is therefore neceffary for all; and as man is willing to be reduced into it, the weak and + Mark xiii. 37.

*I Cor. xii. 26.