unto thy Father which is in fecret; and thy Father which feeth in fecret fhall reward thee openly.

Is this fuch a Faft as I have chofen, (faith the Lord) for a Man to bow down his Head as a Pulrufh, and to spread Sackcloth and Ashes under hm? Wilt thou call this a Fast, and an acceptable Day to the Lord? Is not this the Fast that I have chofen, to loofe the Bands of Wickedness, to undo the heavy Burdens, and to let the Oppreffed go free, and that ye break every Yoke? Is it not to deal thy Bread to the Hungry, and that thou bring the Poor that are caft out to thy Houfe? When thou feest the Naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyfelf from thine own Flesh? Then fhalt thou call, and the Lord will answer.

P Bleffed are they that mourn, for they fhall be comforted.

PUBLIC ASSEMBLIES for DIVINE WORSHIP.

When Jefus was taken up into Heaven, the Apoftles taught the People publickly, fhewing by the Scriptures that Jefus was Chrift. They frequently affembled themfelves with the Church, and taught much People: They were bold to fpeak the Word without Fear; and they ceafed not to teach and preach Jefus Chrift; fpeaking unto Men to Edification, and Exhortation, and Comfort.

And at first all that believed were together, continuing daily with one accord in the Temple.

P Mat. 5. 4.

Mat. 6. 18. • Ifa. 58. 5, 6, 7, 9. 9 Acts 1. 11. Acts 4. 2. Acts 20. 20. Acts 18. 28. Acts 11. 26. Phil. 1. 14. A&s 5. 42. 1 Cor. 14. 3. Acts 2. 44, 46.

Many

Many of them afterwards were gathered together in the Houfes of fome Difciples, and they often reforted to fuch Places where Prayer was wont to be made. And when they were prefent before God, to hear all Things commanded them of God; then did the Apofiles fpeak unto them, and tell them what they ought to do.

And they continued ftedfaftly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship, and in breaking of Bread, and in Prayers.

Having therefore, Brethren, Boldness to enter into the Holieft by the Blood of Jefus by a new and living Way, which he hath confecrated for us, through the Veil, that is to fay, his Flesh; and having an High Prieft over the Houfe of God; let us draw near with a true Heart, in full Affurance of Faith, having our Hearts fprinkled from an evil Confcience, and our Bodies washed with pure Water. And let us confider one another, to provoke unto Love and good Works, not forfaking the affembling of ourselves together, as the Manner of fome is.

"God is greatly to be feared in the Affembly of the Saints, and to be had in Reverence of all them that are about him; unto his Habitation fhall ye feek, and thither fhall ye come, ye and your Houfholds.

w Gather the People together, Men, and Women, and Children, that they may hear, and that they may learn and fear the Lord, and obferve to do all the Words of his Law; and that their Children, which have not known any Thing,

u Pfal. 89. 7.

Deut. 12. 5, 7.

Acts 10. 33, 34. Acts 16. 13. Heb. 10. 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25 w Deut. 31, 12, 130

may hear and learn to fear the Lord their God as long as they live.

How fhall Men call on him, in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? And how fhall they hear without a Preacher? Wherefore, my beloved Brethren, let every Man be swift to hear; but let us not, after our own Lufts, heap to ourselves Teachers, having itching Ears.

Let the Epiftles of Paul, as alfo the other Scriptures, be read unto all the Brethren.

2 Let us go up to the House of God, and he will teach us of his Ways.

* I will go to the Houfe of God, with the Voice of Joy and Praife, with a Multitude that keep Holiday. I will give thee Thanks, O Lord, in the great Congregation; I will praise thee among much People.

Ye fhall bring the Sacrifice of Praise into the Houfe of the Lord; and there fhall ye rehearse the righteous Acts of the Lord. In his Temple let every one fpeak of his Glory.

Thus faith the Lord, My Houfe fhall be called a Houfe of Prayer for all People.

And they that have finned against God, fhall confefs his Name, and pray, and make Supplicátion before him in his Houfe.

I will pay my Vows unto the Lord, in the Prefence of all his People; in the Courts of the Lord's Houfe:

Deut. 31. 13. 4.3.

z Ifa. 2. 3.

x Rom. 1o. 14. James 1. 19. 2 Tim. y 1 Theff. 5. 27. 2 Pet. 3. 16. b Pfal. 35. 18.

à Pfal. 42. 4.

5. II.

Pfal. 29. 9. d Ifa. 56. 1, 7.

Pfal. 116. 18, 19.

Jer. 33. II. Judges 1 Kings 8. 33.

In the Day when ye fhall keep a Feaft to the Lord, ye fhall have an holy Convocation; and ye fhall do no fervile Work therein.

h And on the Day when ye proclaim a Faft to afflict your Souls, ye fhall have an holy Convocation; and ye fhall do no Work in that fame Day.

i The Words of the Lord fhall be read in the Ears of the People, in the Lord's Houfe, upon the Fafting Day.

* When the whole Church is come together into one Place, let all Things be done decently and in Order; and let all Things be done to edifying: For God is not the Author of Confufion, but of Peace, in all Churches of the Saints.

Wherefore let us walk unto the Houfe of God in Company; and feek him after the due Order.

When ye come together into one Place to cat the Lord's Supper, tarry one for another; and if any Man hunger, let him eat at Home, that ye come not together to Condemnation. What! have ye not Houfes to eat and drink in? Or defpife ye the Church of God?

Keep thy Foot when thou goeft to the Houfe of God; and be more ready to hear than to give the Sacrifice of Fools: For they confider not that they do Evil.

• If any Man fpeak in an unknown Tongue, let one interpret; but if there be no Interpreter, let him keep Silence in the Church; and let him fpeak to himself and to God.

P Let your Women keep Silence in the Churches; for it is not permitted unto them to speak.

When ye come together in the Church, take Cure that there be no Divifions among you; left you should come together, not for the better, but for the worfe. For if any Man seem to be contentious, we have no fuch Custom, neither the Churches of God.

ever.

Holiness becometh thine House, O Lord, for

Thus fpake the Lord, faying, I will be fanctified in them that come nigh me; and before all the People I will be glorified. Ye shall reverence my Sanctuary.

Unto the Wicked God faith, What haft thou to do to declare my Statutes? or that thou fliouldst take my Covenant into thy Mouth? And who hath required this at thy Hand, to tread my Courts, feeing thou hateft Inftruction, and cafteft my Words behind thee?

"Will ye fteal, murder, and commit Adultery, and fwear falfely, and come and stand before me in this House, which is called by my Name? Is this Houfe, which is called by my Name, become a Den of Robbers in your Eyes? faith the Lord. Make not my Father's Houfe, (faith our Saviour) a House of Merchandize.