* ed *.”

And the fame author tells us, "That princes and ftates who would pre"ferve themfelves, ought, above all things, "to maintain what belongs to religion in "the highest veneration; for there cannot "be a greater fign of the ruin of a state, "than to fee divine worship defpifed. "Those therefore who are in power, should "take care to keep public religion invio"lable; and this being done, it will be eafy "for them to keep the people religious, and "confequently virtuous and united." And with refpect to his own country, he fays, "That by the ill example of the court of "Rome, this province has loft all devotion "and religion, which draws after it num"berlefs inconveniencies and diforders; be"caufe, where religion is, there you may ex“pect every virtue; and where it is not, you Es may be fure of the contrary."

I am sensible, that what I have faid upon this head is fomewhat uncommon in a difcourfe from the pulpit; but as I undertook to prove, that the happiness of fociety depends upon the regard that is shown to public worship; and as abftract reasoning is not understood by fome, and is evaded by others; I thought the moft direct and convincing proof would be, an appeal to facts and authorities. And from thofe hints I have given, nay, from the whole history of mankind, it

• Machiavil. Difcorf. fopra Liv. cap. 11.

will appear, that a fociety cannot fubfift, where the worship of God comes to be neglected; and that our interefts and liberties, our happiness and safety, immediately depend pon it.

SERMON IV.

The Subject continued.

HEB. xiii. 15. 16. 17.

But

By him therefore let us offer the facrifice of praife to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. to do good, and to communicate, forget not; for with fuch facrifices God is well pleafed. Obey them that have the rule over you, and fubmit yourselves.

T remains now, in the third place, that we inquire, What regard is due to them who minister in the facred office.

I'

III.

But I am aware, that they who would be thought more wife than the rest of mankind, will reckon it great weakness, or great arrogance, to undertake the defence of a fet of men who are now every where spoken againft. The world is fo ftrangely changed within this laft age, that that character which has ever been held facred and venerable, is at last become the object of hatred and fcorn. The priests are reprefented as a nuifance to fociety, fpiritual tyrants, lording it over the confciences of men, and actuated by nothing but pride, and luft of power; and hence priestVOL. III. F craft,

craft, priestly pride and power, and fuch elegant terms of reproach, are thought fufficient anfwers to the moft folid reafons in defence of religion. Nay, they have again and again been brought upon the very ftage, and employed to furnish out the most ludicrous fcenes in our dramatic entertainments.

No doubt there have been bad and weak men in the priesthood, as well as among other orders; and it is a pity the vices of fuch hould not be punished with exemplary feverity. But is it just, for the faults of particular perfons, to throw contempt upon the whole, and even upon the office itfelf? Is magiftracy contemptible, because there have been wicked and foolish magiftrates? But I am not to contend for their power, nor even 10 infist upon that obedience which the apoftle in the text enjoins. All I defign is, to fhow, that this order, as it is both venerable in itself, and abfolutely neceffary in society, deserves honour and refpect.

And here again I own, it does not become us, either in prudence or duty, to feek honour from men: but as public worship neceffarily fuppofes fome to regulate and prefide in it; and if these are defpifed, worship cannot be honoured, nor have any good effect upon the worshippers; for thefe reafons, if we would rescue the one from contempt, we must refcue the other alfo; for they are every way infeparable.

If we allow public worship to be reasonable

in itself, and neceffary for the good of focie ty, (as I have endeavoured to prove it to be), we ought likewife to allow, that there muft be an order of men intrufted with the direc tion and management of it. The former as neceffarily infers the latter, as an action does an agent; and we may as well suppose, that government and the laws can be maintained without magiftrates, as that public worship can be performed without priefts. This therefore being felf-evident, we fhall not further infift upon it.

Now, as their chief bufinefs is, to offer up the fpiritual facrifice of praife and prayer for the people, and in their name, thus prefenting, as it were, their addreffes to Almighty God, one should think, that this employment, of all others, is the fartheft from being in itfelf contemptible. I will not mention the honourable names which upon this account have been given them, because the world is not now difpofed to allow them titles of respect; only I may be allowed to infinuate, that if thofe who ferve in a prince's household, and about his perfon, derive honour from their station, and are defpifed by none who have a regard for their master; they who are employed in facred things ought to be confidered, by all who have a due reverence for the Supreme Being, as more immediately belonging to him. And it cannot well be conceived how they fhould be defpised by any, unless by fuch as have a fecret averfion to the work in which

F 20

they