o the house of God." But,
above all, avoid that indecent practice of whispering and conversation
in the house of God. Before service commences, it unfits the mind for
the solemn employments in which you are about to engage. After the
congregation is dismissed, it dissipates the impression received. When
seated in the place of worship, set a watch over the senses, that your
eyes and ears may not cause your mind to wander upon forbidden objects.
There is great danger that the attraction of persons, characters and
dress, may dissipate every serious thought with which you entered the
sanctuary. By this means, you will lose the benefit of the means of
grace, and bring leanness upon your soul. Again; set a watch over your
imagination. This is a time when Satan is particularly busy in diverting
the fancy; and, unless you are doubly watchful, he will lead away your
mind, by some phantom of the imagination, before you are aware of it.
Keep these avenues of temptation guarded, and seek to bring yourself
into a prayerful frame of mind, that you may be suitably affected by the
various exercises of public worship.

4. _Unite in spirit with the devotional part of the service._ "God is a
Spirit; and they that worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."
Be particularly careful that you do not mock God in singing. This part
of worship, I fear, is too often performed in a heartless manner. Try to
sing with the _spirit_, as well as the understanding. And whenever you
come to anything in the language of the psalm or hymn which you cannot
adopt as your own, omit it. If you sing before him what you do not
_feel_, you lie to him in your heart. And you know, by the terrible
example of Ananias and Sapphira, how God regards this sin. In prayer,
_strive_ to follow, in your heart, the words of the person who leads,
applying the several parts of the prayer to yourself in particular, when
they suit your case, and yet bearing in mind the various subjects of
petition, which relate to the congregation and the world. In all the
exercises of public worship, labor and strive against wandering
thoughts. This is the time when Satan will beset you with all his fury.
Now you must be well armed, and fight manfully. Be not discouraged,
though you may be many times foiled. If you persevere in the strength of
Jesus, you will come off conqueror at last.

5. "Take heed _how_ you hear." (1.) Consider the speaker as the
ambassador of Christ, sent with a messag