were we intent on our duty, as we ought to be, his prefence, doubtlefs, would be very manifest in our worshipping affemblies. But, alas! our coldnefs and inattention, too often, difhonor him; and provoke him to hide his face from us.

in various gifts and graces. And | finners convinced, and born unto God; and faints edified and built. up in their holy faith. Here, we learn how the kingdoms of this. world become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. Here, we fee the church adorned, as a bride, for her nuptials to the Lord. Here, we fée Jefus crowned with honor and glory; and anointed with the oil of glad. nefs above his fellows

It is alfo to be remembered, that as the house of the Lord is a place of the divine prefence; fo is it of receiving divine honors from his people. The focial worfhip of faints confers fpecial honor on Chrift: It confeffes him before men, and acknowledges the grace of God in the redemp. tion of a loft world. And thus the houfe of the Lord is, in a fpecial fenfe, the place where his honor dwelleth.

How is it poffible for men, not to love the house of the Lord! How can they fhut their eyes against the furpaffing beauty, and glory, and honor of Chrift in his church! Had we a temper of love and obedience to God; or any conformity of heart to his character, we should rejoice to be where his honor dwelleth-we fhould long and thirst to see his power and glory, in the affemblies of his people.

An affembly of believers, in the act of folemn worship, give the most glorious difplay of God's honor that can be given by, mortals, on earth. They are redeemed by Christ-fanctified by his Spirit-fubjected to his will-and living monuments of his praife. As fuch, worshipping in fpirit and in truth, they difplay the honor and grace of God, beyond any thing to be feen, on this fide the employments of faints made perfect. As Aaron, in all his pontifical robes, led the tribes of Ifrael up to the tabernacle, and prefented their offerings to Jehovah; fo, Jefus Chrift, the Great High Priest of our profeffion, goes before his people, as a fun and fhield, in all their worship: And, adding his divine incenfe to their fpiritual facrifices, he pre-up into glory. Thefe are fundafents them to the eternal Father, for his acceptance.

Another reason, why good men love to go into the house of the Lord, is, that the church, with Chrift at its head, is a pillar and ground of the truth. The children of truth love to be in the way of truth. Believers know the mind of Christ, in an eminent manner and degree. They have an unction from the Holy One and know all things: His Spirit, in them, teftifies to the truth, as it is in Jefus; and they feel and know the truth of the gospel. We read, Great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifeft in the flefb, juftified in the Spirit, feen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received

In fuch acts of focial worship, all the attributes of deity are exhibited to us, and acknowledged and adored by us. Here, we fee

mental and diftinguifhing doctrines of Chriftianity: They are written on the heart, and brought into the practice of all God's children. By meeting and conferring together, they find they have

the like evidences of grace; and, of their danger and of their du

, the fame fpirit 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 these things, they have fellowship with the Father, and the Son, and one with another: And fo, feel that they have one common interest, and a near and dear relation. Thefe difcoveries make communion fweet, and excite them to meet in focial worship, which enlightens the understanding, informs the judgment, invigorates faith, and warms the affections.

A

Thus, believers, the church of Christ 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 opposition 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 oppose the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift. They are witneffes for God, that he is good and gracious; and that if any perish, it will be their own fault.

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.

This, again, reminds me, that the public worship of God, is pleasant to all that love him. After a feason of labor and toil, it is pleasant to retire to our closets, and meditate on fpiritual and eternal 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 say, Come, let us go into the house of the Lord, to fee his beauty, and to inquire in his temple?

The focial worship of faints, is a beginning of the employments, and a foretaste of the enjoyments of the kingdom of glory. Have we no pleasure in the worship of God, in his earthly temples; we have reafon to fear, that we shall never join the fociety of faints, 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 houfe, and the place where thine honor dwelleth. Gath er 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 ftrong motive, with good men, to go into the house of the Lord. There are but two claffes of men in the world, friends and enemies of God. Is it not desirable to be among his friends, and to unite with them in prayer and praise to the God of our lives, and the giv-nacles, O Lord of hofts! Blessed are er of all our mercies? Is it not de- they who dwell in thy houfe: they firable to stand with them as a pil-will be ftill praifing 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 obferved the fabbath; and often met, on other occasions, 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 Chriftian worship, by various gifts and graces; and by the faving operations of his Holy Spirit.

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

I will now make fome 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 house, for the

Like David, they will be afhamed, that the Lord fhould be the laft and poorest served.

And it is deferving of notice, that when God promised any pe-habitation of the Lord of Hofts. culiar 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 onmine altar; for mine houfe Shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

I may also add, that the house.

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 set 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 Sa viour was pleafed 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. ever comes not in this order, refifteth the gospel of Chrift, and has no promise of the divine prefence and bleffing. The friends of God's house, therefore, will take heed whom they receive, and to whom they bid God fpeed.

Who

They will alfo, maintain a pra

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 houfe, 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 feafons of focial worship, with out deceit and without hypocrify. 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.

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

Yes, fays one, but I disapprove of our minifter-I am not edified by him-I can read better sermons 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 shall dare to resist him, or to prescribe a better way?— Such excufes may harden the heart againft 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 conftant 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 ftudy after brotherly love and unity." A new commandment I give unto you, that A flight indifpofition, a little rain, ye love one another, as I have lovor, any thing that would not de- ed you. By this fhall all men tain them from bufinefs and know that ye are my difciples." amufements, on a week-day, will Brotherly love is a Chriftian temappear a pitiful excufe, for detain- per and they who love the house ing them from God's bufinefs, of the Lord, will manifeft it. on the fabbath, or, on any conThe friends of Chrift are peacevenient feafon of focial worship. makers; and endeavor to walk in Nor will an affront from a the unity of the fpirit, in the neighbor, or from any body of bond of peace. They have felmen, detain us from public wor- lowship with Chrift, and one with ship and divine inftitutions, if we another his cause is their caufe; really love the houfe of God. and his intereft their intereft. ParThe Chriftian temper is charity ty fpirit and divifions in fociety, and forgivenefs. And, perhaps, are grievous to good men: they my neighbor did not intend to af- gender frife and debate, four the front me: but if he did, muft I needs temper and unfit for God's fervice, abufe him, because he abufed me? mut I injure myself and infult

in either party. Such things are the works of the flesh, and figns

of the latter day herefies. We | 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 religion, and fee the beauty of the Lord, as well, as inquire in his temple. Neglect of public wor

nal life.

:

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 the word of God; and not by our darkened reafon Philofophy, will never lead us unto God and eter-fhip, or inattenton in it, are dark figns and do, at least, argue small degrees of grace, and too great indifference, as to further attainments. I fpeak here, of allowed neglect and inattention. for the moft upright profeffor has feafons, in which, he has cause to cry, My leanness, my leanness, But if he can feel contented in any degree of fpiritual attainments, fhort of perfection, he has but moderate love to God and divine things. Let profeffors think on this.

Those who love the house 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 house, and will not be scattered. As a chofen generation, they fhew forth the praises of him, that called them out of darkness into his marvellous light, and therefore, follow after charity.

Profeffors, by neglect of public worship, injure themfelves and difhonor God.-They fee 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

It will be perceived, that I have defignedly confined my obfervations to the religious benefit and pious pleasures of God's children, in public worship. Men of the world may refpect public wor-them, against the world, the flefh Thip 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 ufeful remarks might be made on this fubject; but I muft only obferve, that profeffors need clofely examine themselves, as to the ground, on which, they profefs to love the house of God. If they find not fuch views and feelings in public worship, and fuch expreffions of them, as recited above, they have reason to fear they are no better, and do no more

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 dishonor 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