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the like evidences of grace; and, of their danger and of their dus ty? Certainly, are we friends to God and Chrift, we rejoice to meet with his church, and with them, fet our feal to the truth, that God is righteous.

the fame spirit of holinefs-that they love the fame things, feek the fame things, and entertain a like hope of eternal life, through faith in Chrift. In thefe things, they have fellowship with the Father, and the Son, and one with another: And fo, feel that they have one common intereft, and a near and dear relation. Thefe discoveries make communion fweet, and excite them to meet in focial worship, which enlightens the understanding, informs the judgment, invigorates faith, and warms the affections.

Thus, believers, the church of Chrift are a kind of repofitory of the gofpel doctrines. The Spirit imprints and feals gofpel truths on their hearts and affections; and they become fupporters of the truth, in oppofition to the errors and herefies, which wicked men utter against the holy religion of Jefus. And by bringing thefe truths into actual practice, they are lights in the world, holding forth the word of life; and ftand as monumental pillars of the truth, giving the lie to fcoffing infidels, and to all that oppofe the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift. They are witneffes for God, that he is good and gracious; and that if any perifh, it will be their own fault.

This, again, reminds me, that the public worship of God, is pleasant to all that love him. After a feafon of labor and toil, it is pleasant to retire to our closets, and meditate on spiritual and eternál things-to examine our title to the inheritance of faints; and to go, like Mofes, into the Mount, and take a view of the promised land. And while our affections were warm in heavenly meditation, would it not rejoice our hearts, to hear our neighbors fay, Come, let us go into the house of the Lord, to fee his beauty, and to inquire in bis temple?

The focial worship of faints, is a beginning of the employments, and a foretafle of the enjoyments of the kingdom of glory. Have we no pleasure in the worship of God, in his earthly temples; we have reason to fear, that we shall never join the fociety of saints, in his temple, which is above. Love to public worship, is an high evidence of love to God; and of a meetnefs for the fociety of faints and angels. Agreeably to which, David faid, Lord I have loved the balitation of thy boufe, and the place where thine honor dwelleth. Gather not my foul with finners. The fellowship of faints, in focial worfhip, warms the heart with love to God, and love to man; and fets their affections on things above, that they are ready to cry out, How amiable are thy taber

This confideration is a strong motive, with good men, to go into the houfe of the Lord.There are but two claffes of men in the world, friends and enemies of God. Is it not defirable to be among his friends, and to unite with them in prayer and praife to the God of our lives, and the giv-nacles, O Lord of bofts! Bleffed are er of all our mercies? Is it not de- they who dwell in thy houfe: they firable to ftand with them as a pil-will be fill praising thee. lar of the truth; and with one voice, and one heart, warn a finful world

And it is worthy of remark, further, that as public worship is

pleasant to all good men; fo is it, very acceptable to God.-This is evident from the confideration, that he appointed a focial worfhip, for the Jews, in the morning and evening facrifice-on the fabbath, and on numerous days of feating and fafting. So Chrift, his apoftles, and followers conftantly observed the fabbath; and often met, on other occafions, for focial worship.

And it is obfervable, that God, frequently, fignified his pleasure, on fuch occafions, by fhewing his glory in the tabernacle, or by a voice from the mercy-feat: And in the days of Christian worship, by various gifts and graces; and by the faving operations of his Holy Spirit.

And it is deferving of notice, that when God promifed any peculiar bleffings to his people, he, generally, added the privilege of his houfe. Thus, when he promised to increase his church, by the acceffion of the Gentiles, he faid, the flocks of Keder, and the rams of Nabaioth fhall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the houfe of my glory. So, again, fpeaking of the privilege of his houfe, God promifed it fhould be general without refpect of perfons, Bleed is the man that keepeth my fabbath from polluting it. The fons of the franger, that join themfelves to the Lord, to ferve him and to love the name of the Lord, to be his fervants, every one that keepeth the fabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant: even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in mine houfe of prayer: their burntofferings and their facrifices fhall be accepted on mine altar; for mine boufe fhall be called an houfe of prayer for all people.

I may also add, that the house

of the Lord, is a refuge in perilous times, and feafons of fpiritual darknefs. Nothing, in this world, will make hell tremble, and check the fcoffs of infidels, like the united prayer of God's people in his houfe. They are the falt of the earth. For their fake, God bears with the wicked and withholds his judgments, for a feafon. For their fake, he cuts off the enemies of the crofs, and punishes the wickednefs of the times. For this caufe, all good people love the house of the Lord, and delight in focial worship.

I will now make some obfervations on the manner, in which, they will manifeft fuch love and refpect to the house of God.

They will feek a convenient place, and a decent houfe, for the habitation of the Lord of Hofts. Like David, they will be afhamed, that the Lord fhould be the laft and pooreft ferved.

They will, alfo, with much prayer and carefulness, provide fome one to minifter in holy things. They will look to it, that he come in by the door-that he be called as was Aaron and that, like Paul and Barnabas, he be fet apart to God's fervice, by prayer, fafting and laying on of the hands of the prefbytery. It is not every one that runs, but he who runs orderly, that God approves.-Our Saviour was pleased to appoint an order of priesthood in his church, and will never forfake it, Lo, faid he, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Whoever comes not in this order, refifleth the gospel of Chrift, and has no promife of the divine prefence and bleffing. The friends of God's houfe, therefore, will tako heed whom they receive, and to whom they bid God Speed.

They will alfo, maintain a pru

dent difcipline in the church; and provide all things neceffary, for a regular adminiftration of fpecial ordinances, that God may glorify the houfe of his glory. In a word, they will provide for, and fupport the gofpel miniftry in order and decency, for comfort and edification to themselves and others.

The friends of public worship, will live in expectation of fuch feafons, and meet them rejoicing. They pay the morning and evening facrifice in a focial worship, and meet the fabbath with delight. -When we expect the arrival of fome dear friend, we keep the time in mind, and ftand ready to receive him fo the friends of God's house, keep the fabbath in mind; and will not fuffer their fecular affairs to intrude on holy time. They endeavor, as far as in them lies, to fanctify to God, all feasons of focial worship, with out deceit and without hypocrify.

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my God, because a man has injured me? In vain we talk of our religion, while we act on fuch motives!

Yes, fays one, but I disapprove of our minifter-I am not edified by him-I can read better fermons at home.-Granted. But has not God, in his infinitely wife. providence, made this provifion? And is he not more likely to fend a bleffing on his ordinances, and in his own way, than in yours? And who fhall dare to refift him, or to prefcribe a better way?— Such excufes may harden the heart against God and religion, but are not to be juftified.

Those who love God, and are confcientious in his worship, abhor and deteft all fuch excufes and will endeavor, by conflant precept and example, to recommend the obfervance of the fabbath. As lights in the world, they will hold forth the word of life, that others may fee and glorify God.

I obferve this once more, that they who love the worship of God's houfe, will study after brotherly love and unity." A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. By this fhall all men know that ye are my difciples," Brotherly love is a Chriftian tem

Nor will any thing, fhort of works of neceffity and mercy, detain them from the place and employments they love. They will endeavor to be, where God and their eternal intereft call them. A flight indifpofition, a little rain, or, any thing that would not detain them from bufinefs and amufements, on a week-day, will appear a pitiful excufe, for detain-per: and they who love the houfe ing them from God's bufinefs, on the fabbath, or, on any convenient feafon of focial worship. '. Nor will an affront from a neighbor, or from any body of men, detain us from public worfhip and divine inftitutions, if we really love the houfe of God. The Chriftian temper is charity and forgiveness. And, perhaps, my neighbor did not intend to affront me: but if he did, muft I needs abuse him, because he abused me? mut I injure myfelf and infult

of the Lord, will manifeft it. The friends of Chrift are peacemakers; and endeavor to walk in the unity of the fpirit, in the bond of peace. They have fellowship with Chrift, and one with another: his caufe is their cause; and his intereft their intereft. Party fpirit and divifions in fociety, are grievous to good men they gender ftrife and debate, four the temper and unfit for God's service, in either party. Such things are the works of the flesh, and figns

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than others, even publicans and finners. If they be, indeed, children, they will not be eafy and contented in public worship, unlefs they feel the power of reli

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of the latter day herefies. We are commanded to avoid them, and to attend to the fure word of prophecy if any fay, lo, here; or lo, there, believe them not. We must try their fpirit by thegion, and fee the beauty of the word of God; and not by our Lord, as well, as inquire in his darkened reafon : Philofophy, will temple. Neglect of public wor never lead us unto God and eter- fhip, or inattenton in it, are dark nal life. figns and do, at least, argue fmall degrees of grace, and too great indifference, as, to further attainments. I fpeak here, of allowed neglect and inattention: for the most upright profeffor has seasons, in which, he has cause to cry, My leannefs, my leannefs. But if he can feel contented in any degree of spiritual attainments, fhort of perfection, he has but moderate love to God and divine things. Let profeffors think on this.

Those who love the houfe of God, will adhere to this rule; and by the fure word of prophecy will heal divifions, and deftroy the works of darkness; and fo, ftrenghten the brotherhood in knowledge, faith and love. They will not, willingly, leave or difturb a church and congregation, where they have unitedly ferved God: nor will they fuffer it in others. As living ftones, they are built up a fpiritual houfe, and will not be fcattered. As a chofen generation, they fhew forth the praifes of him, that called them out of darkness into his marvellous light, and therefore, follow after charity.

It will be perceived, that I have defignedly confined my obfervations to the religious benefit and pious pleafures of God's children, in public worship. Men of the world may refpect public worfhip for its moral and political influence on fociety; but good men do more, they love it for its own fake-for its religious benefits and pious pleasures.

Many useful remarks might be made on this fubject; but I must only obferve, that profeffors need clofely examine themselves, as to the ground, on which, they profefs to love the houfe of God. If they find not fuch views and feelings in public worship, and fuch expreffions of them, as recited above, they have reafon to fear they are no better, and do no more

Profeffors, by neglect of public worship, injure themselves and difhonor God. They see none of his divine honor, as difplayed in his houfe; nor bear any part in bestowing honor upon him-They publicly refufe to ftand as pillars of the truth; and to confefs Chrift before men-They turn their backs on the protection of God's houfe, which he offers them, against the world, the flefl and the devil-They lofe the pleafures and comforts, which God's people feel, when, with united hearts and voices, they addrefs the throne of grace-They practically, contemn God's authority; and virtually, deny their allegiance to Chrift, his king in Zion.

Thus they join with the wicked to difhonor God and religion--they fet a bad example before others and become abettors of infidelity and loose morals.-Many, not diftinguishing between principles, and the irregular walk

of profeffors, firft doubt of the re- and lift up a mighty standard aality of religion; and foon de-gainst infidelity. In this, God's nounce the whole a cheat.-In glory, and our happiness are unithis, they are awfully left of God ted. Let us then act in charac-they become fit fubjects for ter, and walk worthy of our vothe temptations of Satan-and he cation in the gofpel. And if we will not be idle. Having no good are faithful to God and ourselves, moral principles within, they lie at in public worship and focial praythe control of their paffions-rea- er, we may defy all the arts of fon is unheeded and confcience hell and earth to separate us from is filent-good is their evil and Chrift; or to diffolve order in foevil their good. ciety. But it muft not be forgotten, that in all these things, we are wholly dependent on the aids of the Holy Spirit, for light and ftrength. Let us, therefore, in every thing, by prayer and fupplication, with thanksgiving, make known our requefts unto GodHis grace will be fufficient for us. ISRAEL.

Thefe are the natural and actual confequences of the neglect and abufe of public worship and coming through the medium of God's children, they difhonor God and religion, much more than all that the enemies of the crofs could do without them.

This confideration calls loudly on us, as profeffors, to confider

tions in young converts.

E find in the bible many

our ways" to be watchful and On the imperfet ftate of holy affec ftrengthen the things which remain that are ready to die."-Do we reverence divine authorityare we wife to feek our own happiness, for time and eternity-and do we defire a plentiful outpouring of the Holy Spirit, on our churches and congregations, we fhall long to fee the beauty of the Lord, and inquire in his temple -we fhall conftantly take our families to the house of the Lord on his fabbath; and lead them daily to the throne of grace, in the morning and evening facrifice. This is our duty. And we have no reasonable excufe for neglect the means are eafy the work is pleafant-and the end will be glorious. In the exercife of focial worship, if not wanting to ourfelves, we shall meet with God learn our duty-obtain comfort-establish our hearts in the faith and mystery of the gofpel; and thus, grow more and more into the divine likenefs-we fhall fet a good example before others,

paffages, which speak of the kingdom of God, representing it as being exceedingly fmall in its origin, but increafing gradually, till it finally absorbs all others in itself. In one place it is compared to a stone cut out of the mountain without hands, which afterwards became a great mountain and filled the whole earth: In another, to a grain of muftard feed, which, it is faid, is the fmalleft of all feeds, but when it is fown, and is fprung up, it becomes a great tree, in the branches of which the fowls of the air may lodge. Although thefe reprefentations primarily respect the kingdom of our Redeemer in the world, yet we may doubtlefs with propriety confider them, as being equally applicable to the kingdom of grace in the heart of each individual member; and as fuggefting this general idea, that the

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