enjoy. None of all which are any just ground of complaint against God, or any reason why we should not with all satisfaction acquiesce in his divine good pleasure; since all these things are only different distributions of such free gifts, as he, not being obliged to bestow on any man, may therefore, without controversy divide to every man in what measure and proportion he himself thinks fit: only this we may depend upon, that in such measure only will he exact our duty, as he enables us to perform it; and that to whom little is given, of him shall not be much required. And this brings all the seeming inequalities in the world to a real equality at last.

In all circumstances of life therefore, we are not to be uneasy that God has made us inferior to others; or, that he has set before us greater hardships and difficulties to go through; or that he has given us less abilities, and fewer opportunities, than others; but we are to apply ourselves wholly, with all resignation, to the proper duties of that station, or of those circumstances, wherein God has been pleased to place us. Even poverty is not an argument to envy the rich; but a strong obligation to study the duties of humility, contentment, and resignation; neither is ignorance and want of capacity, meanness of parts and want of instruction, a reason to murmur that God has not intrusted us with more talents; but an admonition to take care that we make a right improvement of those few that are given us. Weakness of body is not a just occasion to repine against God, for not giving us the strength and health wherewith he has blessed some others; but a continual argument to us to exercise and improve such virtues as are more peculiar to the mind. Lastly, the consideration of the uncertainty and shortness of life itself ought not to make us spend our time in fruitless complaints of the vanity and meanness of our state; but to cause us perpetually to consider that it is not of so great importance how long we live, as how well: and it ought to be a sufficient satisfaction to truly pious and religious persons, that God has reserved for them their portion in another life. Therefore we should be content in every state and condition of life, let whatever befall us, how contrary soever to our own inclinations, and how much so

ever they contradict those proposals of happiness and enjoyment, which we have framed within our own breasts.

Both which parts of christian humility are perfected by a contempt of the world. And the contempt of the world is shown by looking upon the best of our works to be full of infirmity and pollution; and on all worldly enjoyments as little and inconsiderable in comparison of the purity and perfection of God, and that happiness which God hath prepared for those that love him: in being content with that portion of the good things of this life, which the wise providence of God hath allotted to our share, without purchasing the enjoyment of them, by the committing of any wilful sin; without being anxiously concerned for the increase of them, or extremely depressed when they make themselves wings and fly away: in a moderate use of all those lawful pleasures which relate to the gratification of our senses and fleshly appetites; as becomes persons, who expect their portion, not in the pleasures of this world, but in the happiness of the next: in a low esteem of riches and honour, being ready to forsake them, whenever they come in competition with the performance of our duty to God: in bearing the afflictions and calamities of this life with patience and constancy; and looking unto Jesus, as the author and finisher of our faith.

Which humble, resigned, and depending frame of mind is the proper disposition for devotion, and the parent of religious fear. It is the seed-plot of all christian virtues. It makes us ready to receive the revelations of God's will to mankind, and as careful to practise what he enjoins. It restrains the immoderate desire of honour, by teaching us not to exalt ourselves, nor do any thing through strife or vainglory. It opposes self-love, which is planted in our nature, and when indulged, will be too apt to deceive us in the judgment we form concerning ourselves. It also makes us ready to believe what God reveals, and to pay our due obedience to him, from the sense of our own weakness and lais excellency; and by removing the great hinderance of our faith, which is a vanity to distinguish ourselves from the unthinking crowd. It makes us put our hope and confi

dence in God; because, being weak and miserable of ourselves, without him we can do nothing. It increases our love to God, by making us sensible how unworthy we are of the least of those many favours we receive from him. It teaches us to rejoice in the prosperity of our neighbour, for infusing the most favorable opinion of his worth. It disposes us to relieve those wants, and compassionate those afflictions, which we ourselves have deserved. It makes us patient under all the troubles and calamities of life; because we have provoked God by our sins. And therefore neither prayers nor fasts will find acceptance, unless they proceed from an humble mind; and our best works will stand us in little stead, if they are stained with pride and boasting of our own strength.

SUNDAY II.

I. Of the honour due to GOD, in his house or church. II. By reverencing and maintaining his ministers with tithes and offerings. III. By keeping the Lord's day. IV. By observing the feasts, and V. fasts of the church; whether public, private, or the fast of Lent. VI. In his word, the holy scriptures, or rule of faith; by catechising and preaching. VII. In his sacraments; by receiving baptism, and performing the vows and obligations thereof.

I. A Seventh duty to God is HONOUR. For as honour is a duty, which in the nature of things is owing to those that are in a superior relation to us; and as the very notion of it implies its being due to such; by how much therefore God is infinitely greater than those whom we ackowledge to be our superiors upon earth, by so much ought we to have a profounder regard and veneration for him. And they honour God, who serve him in spirit and in truth, in all the ways of his appointed worship, and due obedience to his laws; which command us not only to pay this honour immediately to himself, but to have a due esteem for his house, his ministers, his day, word, and sacraments, and for his name, as things that nearly relate or belong to him.

First, we must honour God in his house, that is, in the church, so called, upon the account of its peculiar relation to him, being solemnly dedicated and set apart for his public worship and service; and upon account of God's peculiar presence, in the administration of his word and sacraments. The dedication of it to sacred uses makes it properly his own, and the praying to him, praising him, and celebrating the holy mysteries, according to his appointment, are demonstrations of his peculiar presence. And consequently we ought to reverence God's house, by furnishing it with all decency for the worship of God; by repairing and adorning it; by keeping it from the profane and common use, and applying it wholly to the business of religion; by offering up our prayers in it with fervour and frequency; by hearing God's word with attention and resolutions of obeying it; by celebrating the holy mysteries with humility and devotion; and by using all such outward testimonies of respect as the church enjoins, and are established by the custom of the age we live in, as marks of honour and reverence. This bodily worship is recommended by Solomon, when he charges us to look to our feet when we go to the house of God.

This will correct any whispering or talking about worldly affairs, any negligence or light carriage: this will suppress any provocations to laughter, or any critical and nice observation of others. And on the contrary excite in us sincere intentions of glorifying God, and making his honour and praise known among men; acknowledging hereby our entire dependence upon his bounty, both for what we enjoy, and what we further expect: and promote hearty endeavours of performing his blessed will, and of being that in our lives and actions, which we beg to be made in our prayers: and teach us to govern our outward behaviour by such measures as the church prescribes, which is to kneel, stand, or sit, as the rubric hath enjoined to be complied with in public. And all these different postures ought to be used with such gravity and seriousness, as may show how intent we are when engaged in the worship of God, and yet avoiding such behaviour as may be apt to disturb

those that are near us, and to give occasion to others to suspect us of acting a formal hypocritical part.

If we come to church before service begins (which we should always endeavour to do) after we have performed our private devotions, we should recollect ourselves, and dispose our minds by serious thoughts to a due discharge of the ensuing duties: for the discoursing about news and business is improper upon such occasions, God's house being never designed for the carrying on of worldly concerns. And it is still more unbecoming, while we are at our prayers, to observe those rules of ceremony, which in other places are fit to be practised toward one another; because when we are offering our requests to the great God of heaven and earth, our attention should be so fixed, that we should have no leisure to regard any thing else. To this end, when we put our bodies into a praying posture, with which leaning and lolling seem very inconsistent, we should do well to fix our eyes downward, that we may not be diverted by any objects near us; and at the same time resolve not to suffer them to gaze about, whereby they do but fetch in matter for wandering thoughts. This attention will be much improved by silence; therefore we should never pray aloud with the minister but where it is enjoined, endeavouring to make his prayer our own by a hearty Amen. Great care must be taken not to repeat after the minister what peculiarly relates to his office; which I mention the rather, because I have frequently observed some people following him that officiates, in the exhortation and absolution, as well as the confession; this, if thoroughly considered, must be judged a very improper expression of the people's devotion, because those are distinguishing parts of the priest's office. Therefore the best preparation of mind for our joining in the public prayers is to abstract our thoughts as much as we can from worldly concerns, that we may call upon God with attention and application of soul: to keep our passions in subjection, that none of them may interrupt us when we approach the throne of grace: to possess our minds with such an awful sense of God's presence, that we may behave ourselves with gravity and reverence: to work in ourselves such a sense of our own