O BV/ 4258 C48 Dr, C H A U N C Y's S E R M ON, DELIVERED at the FIRST CHURCH I N BOSTON, MARCH i3th, 1785, S E R M O N, DELIVERED at the FIRST CHURCH I N B O S O N, MARCH i3/, 1785 : OCCASIONED BY THE RETURN OF THE SOCIETY TQ THEIR HOUSE of WORSHIP, AFTER LONG ABSENCE, TO MAKE WAY FOR THE REPAIRS THAT WERE NECESSARY. Y CHALKS C H A U N C Y, D. D. And FELLOW of the AMERICAN ACADEMY of ARTS and SCIENCES, eftablifhed in the COM^ MON WEALTH of MASSACHUSETTS, BOSTON, Printed by GREENLEAF and FREEMAN, North fide tfce MARKET, M.DCC,LXXXV. 5 [ 5 ] SERMON. I. KINGS, viii, 27. But 'will God in very deed dwell on earth ? Behold the heaven, and heaven of heavens, cannot contain thee> how much lefs this houfe that I have built ? THE Jewifli nation were now alTem bled at Jerufalem, to devote the Temple they had built there to an obfervance of the public fervices of piety ; and king Solomon, in their name, and as their mouth, adores that glo rious being, whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain, humbly fupplicating that he would graci- oufly condefcend to hearken to the cry of his peo ple when they Ihould pray to him in this houfe : in imitation of ib pious an example, let us, upon our return to our houfe of worfhip, after long abfence, to make way for its being fo repaired as to be comfortable and convenient ; let us, I fay, make it our prayer, that the God who dwelleth on high would hearken to our fupplications when we pray in Mi 97 [ 6 J in this place* and that his ears may be open, both night and day, to hear in heaven, and do for us according to the greatnefs of his mercy in Chrift. And, as we are now afTembled to pay a religious regard to the public offices of piety, may it pleafe God to enable you, with an engaged ferioufnefs, to attend to what may now be offered to lead you, fo far as I am able, into an intelligible, though inadequate idea of the truth meant, when it is faid of God, in my text, that the heaven of heavens can not contain him, much lefs any houfe built 'with hands ;. and to mew you that this is a real truth. I fhall be as brief as poffible upon thefe points, that I may have time and ftrength to enlarge upon fuch re flections as are important in themfelves, and may be feafonable for us to confider and improve under prefent circumftances. ACCORDING to this method I would begin with faying, that, when God is reprefented as not con tained in the heaven of heavens, much lefs in any houfe built with hands, his OMNIPRESENCE is the truth intended to be conveyed. It would be a wrong fentiment of God, fhould we conceive of him as confined to heaven, or earth, or any particular place in thefe worlds ; for ne is, if I may fo fpeak, difFufed all over heaven and earth, yea, all parts of the univerfe , infomuch, that he is no where excluded, but as truly prefent in every place, as in any place at all. It may feem to us, as though the fpace that is occupied by created bodies and fpirits would exclude the prefcnce of God, at lead from thefe parts of fpace. But this is owing to our ignorance of God, our incapacity of conceiving juftly of the MANNER in which he [ 7 3 he exifts. He exifts in all other exigencies. His preience pervades their very ESSENCE. There is no fuch thing as pofiefiing exiftence where God is not prefent ; there is no going where he is not. To this purpofe is that beautifully ftriking language of the inspired David, in the J39th Pfalm, Whither Jhall I go from thy fpirit ? or whither Jhall I flee from thy pre fence ? Jf I afcend up into heaven, thou art there : if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there : if I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermofl parts of the fea, even there Jhall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand Jhall hold me. If I fay, furely the 'darknejs Jhall co ver me, even the night Jhall be light about me ; yea, the darknefs hideth not from thee, but the night Jhineth as the day : the daiknefs and the light are both alike to tbee." The prelence of God knows no bounds. It is not limited to this or any of the other worlds that conftitute the univerfe. Thofe, \ve have abundant reafon to believe, are vaftly nu merous, as well as large, taking up an inconceiva ble extent of fpace. But we may not think, that they are the boundaries or limits of the Deity's pretence. He not only fills thefe worlds, and every place in them, but that whole extra mun dane fpace in which almighty power might dill be difplayedin makingncw worlds beyond the utmoft ilretch of the imagination of men or angels. THE fcriptures, it is true, fpeak of God as dwel ling in heaven, and coming down from heaven to earth. It reprefents him as having had his. reji- dence in the tabernacle creeled by Mofes ; and as leaving that, and taking up his abode in \httemplc that was built by Solomon, But thefe are figu rative C 8 ] rative modes of exprefllon, not intended to lead us into an apprehenfion, as though God was noc at all times equally prefent, in regard of his exift- ence, in all places whatfoever ; but to give us to UTiderftand that heaven is the place where he mod conftantly and glorioufiy makes it appear that he is prefent ; and that the tabernacle of Mofes, and the temple of Solomon, were for a while, and du ring the pleafure of God, the places from whence he law fie to make manifeft his prefence by com munications of mercy or judgement. He was as truly prefent in all other places of the earth, as in this tabernacle and temple ; though not to the fame purpofes of manifeftation. And he is now, and has all along been, as really prefent on earth, and in every part of it, as in heaven itfelf ; though heaven is the place where he makes it apparent, in the higheft and nobleft fenfe, that he is prefent : and he is accordingly faid, after the manner of fpeaking among men, to be there, to have his tbrvne there, and to live and dwell there. The plain truth is, notwithftanding the modes of fpeech which have been mentioned, which, though figurative, and borrowed from comparatively low il mili tudcs, are well adapted to human weaknefs ; I fay, that notwithftanding thefe modes of fpeak* icg, we muft conceive of God as abfolutely un- confined in the extent of his exiftence, as being at once prefent throughout the univcrfe, and be yond it, in all places, and in all fpace, without bounds and limits. And reafon concurs with re velation in leading us into this idea of God. WE are a flu red, from the regular cxercife of cur reafonable powers, that the God we believe in, I 9 3 in, and worfhip, is an infinitely perfect being; and if he is infinitely perfect, he mud be unlimited in the extent of his exiftence. Thefe ideas are infepa- fably connected with each other. We find,by expe rience, that we, who are the higheft order of beings in this lower world, are confined in our exiftence within a narrow fphere, not being able to be pre- fent but in one place at the iame time, and being equally unable to move from this place to that but within certain limits, and in certain periods of time : and from hence we certainly know, be- caufc w^e feel it to be true, that \ve po fiefs exift ence in an imperfect degree only, as it is thus bounded in its extent : and from hence alfo we cart readily perceive, that, by enlarging the extent of exiftence in our imaginations, we fhall have an idea of it as dill more perfect ; and by enlarging it to the utmoft of our capacky, and then, fuppo- fmg it ftill capable of enlargement beyond all bounds, we come as near as our intellectual pow ers will permit, to exiftence that is infinitely per fect. And fuch exiftence mull be attributed to God. He muft be fuppoied to fill heaven and earth, all worlds, all things, all place, all fpace with his boundlefs and unlimited prefence ; or his ex iftence will be lefs perfect than it might be, thac is, he will not be an abfolutely perfect being, or, in Other words, he will not be God. The argu ing, from natural realbn, is equally ftrong in proof of all the perfections of God. As he is a felf- cxiftent Being, without beginning to be, or deriv ing what he is from any other, there is the fame reafon to afcribe to him one perfection as another, and every perfection without limitation in degree. There is therefore, upon the foot of realbn, as B good [ io 3 good grounds to think, that he poflefles abfolnte- iy excenfive exiftence, as rhat he poflcfTesit at all. For what is there that fhould limit his exiftence, confining it within thefe or thofe b.ounds ? We know of nothing, we can conceive of nothing ; but are unavoidably led to think, from his having exiftence at all, that he is not confined within any iuppofable bounds, but is univerfally diiFufed, all worlds, all things, and all fpace. BUT the omniprefence of God is thedoftrine of revelation, as well as of reafon. The facred books that contain the revelations of God, it is true, do not enter upon a philofophical confider- ation of any of the divine attributes ; but treac of them principally in a way that is adapted to anfwer the ends of piety. And thus it fpeaks of the u preience" of God ; not concerning itfelf fo much about its ftrict philofophic notion, as to lead us into luch fentiments with reference to its extent, as may be of moil ufe to the purpofes -of religion. And it fufHciently gives us to under stand, that it is amazingly extenfive, not being confined to heaven, but dirfufing itfelf fo as to dill both heaven and earth. The language of the bible is emphatically ftrong to this purpofc. Says the prophet Jeremiah, perfonating the greac God himielf by commiflion from him, Do not I Jj!/ heaven, and earth ? The inJpired David, in the J30th Pialm, very ftronaly, as well as beautifully ddcribes the bleilcd God, as " prefent every u'he e, in heaven, in hell, in the uttermoft parts of the ica ," yea, as tc poffcfling our very reins." And the great apollle of the Grntiles, in making -kno\v;i the one true and living God, to the ido latrous htrous people at Athens, defcribes him to diemy A6ts xvii. 27, 28. Not as far from every one of us -, for in hi in we live* and move, and have our being. IT may not be unworthy of notice here, that the omnifcience and omniprefence of God involve- each other ; at lead, they are fo nearly and cloie- 3y connected, that we cannoc eafily, if at all, con ceive of the one without the other. Perhaps, they are infc-parable. It may be, God could noc be omnifcient, if he was not omniprefent. Now, the fcripture is full and exprefs in declaring the omnifcience of God, which is a contlrudlive proof of his omniprefence alfo. He is represented as knowing all things^ whether paft, prcfenc, or to come. He is laid to be well acquainted with even the hearts ef all the children of men, the devi ces, imaginations, purpofes, and mod fecret work ing ; yea, we are a flu red, that " miking is hid from his allfeeing eye" and that he has a molt clear, perfect, and certain knowledge of all things, not excepting the volitions, and determinations, of free intelligent agents, however, they may be fecreted from all other beings whatever. The infpired David, with equal propriety and ele gance, expre/Tes himfelr upon this matter, in the i39th Pfalm, Lord, thou baft fearcbedmt, and known me, thou knoweft my down fining, and mine up rifing, thou underjiandefl my thoughts afar off,. 1 hou compajjefl my path, and my lying down, and art . acquainted with ail my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but lo ! O Lord, thou kncwefl it altogether. Thou ha/i befet me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 1 c is obvious to per ceive, that, in elide words of the holy prophet, there I . 1 ihere is a connection between the knowledge and prefence of God. This is obfervablyconfpicuous in the gd verfe, Thou compafleft my patb> and my lying do'wn y and art acquainted with all my ways. And it fhpuld feem as though he had it in direct view to ground, the ornnifcienceof God, of which he had been fpeaking, upon his omniprefence, for he goes on, in the following verfe to tell us, ihere was n going from Ms prefence ; for he exift- ed in heaven, in hell, on earth, and even in the hearts of men. A mod marvellous truth this ; but yet, a mod certain one, as we have feen both from reafon and revelation. I NOW proceed to. what | had principally in view, in the choice of this lubject, to make the proper reflections which are deduciblefrom it. And, I. IF God is prefent every where, then he is equally the object of adoration and worfhip in all parts of the earth, and may reafonably be prayed to in this, or that, or the other place, ei ther on the fea, or the dry land. For, being omniprcfent, we can be in no place where his ear will not be open to our cry : and he can as well bear, and anfvyer our requelts in one place as another. IT is true, mould God be pleafed to fpecify any one place in diilinction from another, as the place \vhere he would be applied to, and from whence be would make the manifeftations of his prefence i.n the bcitowment of favours ; it would now be fit and reaibnable he mould be worihiped in this place in preference to, and difthi&ipn from, every other. C 13 ] other. And thus it was, refpe&ing the Jews of old. The tabernacle, in the days of Moles, and forfeveral ages, was thefpecial place, where God had declared he would be prefent to the purpofes of manifefting himfelf in bleflings to his people. In this place therefore, rather than any other, and in diftin6tion from every other, it was their duty, as a nation, to pay their religious homage to him. The Divine preience, as to its mani- feftation, was removed, in the days of Solomon, from the tabernacle to the temple at Jerufalem. This became now the habitation of God, the place from whence he commanded the bluffing : and to this place it was that the tribes of Ifrael were obliged to, come, from all parts of Canaan^ to offer facriftce, and pay religious honour to the Deity. But the gofpcl of Chrift makes no dif ference between one place and another. The time has long fince come, when the command to, worlhip him at Jerufalem, or in any one place in diftinftion from another, is no more in. force ; but we may pay homage to our Maker in any place whatever. It is of no importance tvhere this is done : only, we mull " worfhip God in fpirit, and in truth." Men may, under; the influence of fuperdition, or to ferve their worldly ends, confecrate certain fpots of ground, and the buildings creeled on them \ calling them holy, as being, after their conlecration, the habi tations of God, the places where he is more pe culiarly prefent than in other places : but it ought to be icrioully realized, that no pried, bifhop, pope, or any power on earth, can confine the- preience of the immenfe Being, as to any re ligious purpqfe, to any bo.ufe built wiih hands \ t nor [ 14 ] nor are there any offices of divine woriBip, but may be as truly acceptable to God in any place, as in the bcft confederated temple, provided they are performed " with clean hands and a pure heart." IT is obfervable, we read, in the i acred books, that our Saviour fometimes preached from the fide of a fifhing ve(Tel,to thofe who itood on the more - y fometimes from the declining part of a mountain ; fometimes in the wilderneis , fometimes in a pri vate houfe , and fometimes in the open field : and he much oftener carried on the worihip of God, with his difciples and followers, in fuch places as thefe, than in the Jewifh fynagogues, or even the temple itielf j which furely he never would have done,if hi? gofpel had not taken away all diftindtion between one place and another ; infomuch, that where ever any meet together in his name, and to worfhip the father through his mediation, they may be fure of being accepted, if they lift up holy hands with a pure heart. NOT but that it is highly fit houfes mould be creeled for public worfhip ; for worfhipping God, in a public manner, is both a moral and in fit tut cd duty , and being fo, houfes muft be built for this purpofe ; otherwife people could not come to gether, at dated times, to join as one in paying homage to their Maker. IT was under the influence of thefe fentiments, that the fathers of this church, in ancient times, built the firft church for public worfbip in this town. It ilood at a fmail diftance from die fouth- caft [ 15 1 eaft corner of the prefent State Houfe. Here they met for public worlhip about nine or ten years. A larger and more commodious houfe was then buik in the place where we now worfbip. The firft fermon preached in it was on Auguft the 23d, 1640. If we reckon from this date, that houfe was made ufe of for the public fervices of religion feventy one years, when it was reduced to afhes by the moft extenfively defolating fire that was ever known in Bofton. By the belt accounts I have been able to get, about one hundred and ten families were forced out of their dwelling places, fome of which fuffered much in their worldly intereft, others were deprived of ail they had. A number of perfons alfoloft their lives, either by blowing up of houfes, or by venturing too far to quench the flames, or refcue endangered goods from deftrudti- on. Awfully diftrefiing indeed was this night, as alfo was the face of our defolate places the next day. I was myfelf, when a little boy, a fpedtator of the devouring flames, and the defo- lation occafioned by them. God grant we may never fee again iuch an awful fire. It was not judged convenient to rebuild with wood ; and the winter coming on, when brick work could noc be well engaged in, it was defered till the fpring* to which it was owing that about one year and fe- ven months were completed before we could meec together in an houfe of our own to worfhip our maker. The nrfl fermon preached in this then new houfe was on May the 3d. 1713. Through the kind providence of him who is head over all for tbe good of the church^ no bad accidents, no evil occurrences, have wholly hindered our worfhip- ping God in this houfe, till, by the decays naturally arifing arilmg From a courfe of years, it became necelTa- ry it fhould be repaired. This has been done, thanks be to God, with remarkable harmony among yourfelves, and fafety to thofe who have been your workmen. Permit me to rejoice with you on this account, as a!fo, that, while your houfe was repairing, brotherly love lo pleafingly and confpicuoufly fubfifted between you, and the Sif ter Church with whom you united in your atten dance on gofpel institutions, and that we parted, not with divided hearts, but in the exercife of that mutual love which becometh the difciples of Je- fus. I CONGRATULATE you, my brethren in Chrift, not in a way of ceremonial compliment, but with that fincerity which is always proper, when a Gof pel Minifter is fpeaking from the facred defk ; I congratulate you upon your having repaired this houfe, adapting it with decency and convenience to the purpofe of your meeting together to pay homage to the fupreme Governour of the world. I doubt nor you entered into God's courts this morning with praife, making your Applications to the father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, in fome iuch language as that of the 24th Pfalm, uttered upon the Ark's being fixed in the temple of old, built by the fpecial direction of heaven, Lift up your heads> O ye gates, and be lifted up ye evcrlafting doorsjhat the King of glory may come in. You will not imagine, that the God of glory will come down to dwell in this houfe, as he dwelt in the tabernacle built by Mofes, or in the temple built afterwards by Solomon : But he may, and will, if it be not your own fault, dwell in- it in a 1 far higher and better t '7 1 better manner, in 'the fpiritual fenfe ; that is, to the purpoies of" fuch graces as mall prepare you for admiffion into his temple, in the Jerufalcm that is above, where you ihall give glory to God, and the Lamb in all perfeftion, and io as that you (hall be uninierrnptably happy forever. THE houfe you have repaired, and in which you begin this morning to pay homage to the De ity, is, as to external appearance, more convenient and beautiful, than in its former ftate. May the fpiritual glory of this latter houfe be greater than that of die former. The firft houfe, I have reafon to believe, had often the glory of the grace of God through Jefus Chrift, manifefted in it, by the converfion ot tinners, and edification of faints in faith, comfort and holintfs, until they were crowned with eternal life. May this glory of the Lord be more univerfally and confpicuoufly dif- played in this latter houfe, under the minidrations of your prefent paftors, and all fucceeding ones, that it may be faid of multitudes that they were born here, in the fpiritual fenfe, that they were nurtured here, and carried on from babes in Chrift, until they attained io the (latureof men, and were formed to a metenefs for heavenly glory. NEARLY fixty years, are now compleated, my beloved brethren, fince I have been with you in the fervice of the Gofpcl ; and my labours, I truit, have not been wholly in vain, notwithftanding my manifold infirmities and imperfections. Need I an epiftle of commendation from you ? Ye are yourielves, fome of you, I have abundant reafon to believe, my epiftle, yea rather the epiftle C of I i* 3 of Chrift, through a divine influence, accompany ing my minift rations, however unworthy, written not with ink, but with the fpirit of the living God ^ not in tables of ftone, but in fiefhy tables ot the heart. Such truft have I through Chrift, God- ward. And it is my joy now, and may it be my crown of rejoicing in the pretence of the Lord Jefus Chrift at his coming ! I AM now grown old, and unable^ through ma nifold infirmities, to go on with the work of the facred miniftry. Thanks be to God you have my fon in the goipel to fupply my place, and he will do it much to your advantage, as he is now in the prime of life, and fingularly qualified to ferve the intereft of Chrift among you. I am decreaf- ed, and fhall decreaie ftill more and more, but he will increale : God grant it may be in all fpiritual \vifdom and underftanding, that he may be more and more furnifhed for a mailer-workman in the kingdom of Chrift. God Almighty blefs him, and make him, and long continue him, a rich blef- fing to you and yours ; and may he be improved by heaven, as an inRrument of turning many to lighteoufnefs, that he may ihine as a ftar of the fir it magnitude, in the firmament of heaven, iorcver and ever. I SHALL now conclude with a few words of ad vice, which you may look upon as the lalt and dying, words of your aged paftor from this defk, as he does not expect to be much longer with you ; and my beloved fon in Chrift, will 1 doubt not, join with me in recommending them to you, [ '9 ] IN: the firfl place : As that day, which, from the Apoftle John, and in his (tile, we call the Lord's day y is eminently the day on which it is you? duty to appear in the courts of the Lord's houfe, be advifed to make it your delight to rejoice at its approach, and not to fuffer it to be a wea- rinefs to you. Be glad at every return of this appointed feafon to glorify God in the houfe of his glory. This was the temper of holy David, and inuft, in a good degree, be your's, or you will not carry in your breads, one of the ftrongeil proofs, that you are poflcffec! of that real piety, without which you cannot, upon afolid foundati on, hope for the falvation of God. Diftinguifh yourfelves from thofe multitudes, in this degena- rate age, who are made uneafy upon feeing the light of this day of God, and feel impatient until it is parted and gone ; and fet before their view fuch an example of pious regard to the Lord's day, as may happily tend to excite in them a care of imitation. BE advifed alfo to be fieady and conftant in- waiting upon God in the place where his honour dwells. Jt is amazing condefcention in the Ma- jeftv of heaven, that he will permit fuch worms of the dud as we are, to appear in any houfe we may build to meet in to worjliip him. He hum bles himfelf to take notice of the adoration of angels : and yet he readily bows the heavens, and comes down, that he may fill his houfes for worfbip with his glory. Will you not then re joice at opportunities of appearing in this houfe, where you may hope he will inanifeil his glory ? You cannot, in any way., do greater honour to yourfelves^ [ 20 ] yourfclves, or put yourfelves under greater ad vantages in order to your obtaining the bleffing, even live forever more. Do not fuffer yourfelves to be needlefsly abfent from the houfe of God, but attend there in a Heady, uniform courfe, on the inftitutions of divine worfhip. Content noc yourfelves wkb joining in prayer, and in hearing the preached word ; but pay all due honour ta the ordinance of the fupper. In obedience to the command of God's King in Zion, neglect not to eat bread, and drink wine, in remembrance of him who died for your fins, that, by making atonement for them, he might open a way for the difplay of God's mercy in their pardon. Breaking bread at the table of Chrift, is a plain, exprefs part of gofpel worlhip, and as proper and iuitable an one as any that has been appointed to be attended on in his houfe, and as neceffary an one, in point of obligation, to be regarded by all who call themfelves the difciples of Chrift. Let thofe among you who have hitherto been un mindful of their duty, in this fpecial inftance, be humbled in a fenfe of their pad neglect, and at Jength be perfuaded to come into the fteady con tinued practice of it, that the attendants at the gofpel lupper may be numerous, more fo in the latter houie than in the former. BE advifed again to come feafonably to this houie of worfhip, from fabbath to fabbath, fo as that no part of the publick devotion of the fanc- ruary may be carried on without your joining in it. You are fo fituated, in common with the other chriilian focieties in this town, that you ;n ay, with cafe, if it be not your own fault, aficmble [ 21 ] affemble together fo nearly at the fame time, as thac you may all unite as one in every exercife of publick piety towards God. And it is pity, thac any, through careleflhefs, or any worie cauie, fhould come Ib late t<) God's houfe, as to lofe the opportunity of bearing their part in beginning the worfhip of God, whether by prayer, reading his holy word, or tinging to his praife. Too common a fault this, in all our churches, and ic were to be wifhed it might be generally amended. BE advifed yet further to take all due care, that the fervices of God's houfe be performed in a becoming manner. In order whereto, your out ward behaviour ihould be grave, ferious, and not, in any meafure, exprefTive of levity, carelefihefs, and indifferency, with rcfpect to thofe exercifes of piety,you meet together to unite in. I am not going to point one to you any particular geftures of body, whether kneeling, or itanding, or fitting, as molt decent j nor to fpeuk of any one gefture as fuited to one pare of worfhip, and another as better to another. I fhall leave this to thofe who are fond of ceremonial nicety, and imagine God is fo too. All I aim at faying is only this in general, thac you mould maintain zf care of appearing outward ly decent and reverent in the time of worfhip ; reftraining yourfeives from any thing, either in look, gcllure, or behaviour that is light, or vain, or in. any refpect unbecoming the pretence you are in, or the folemn duties you are to perform. BUT it is not enough that you behave in God's houfe \vich external decency ; but there muft be a lib the invvird reverence of your hearts, in all the afts [ 22 J afts of divine worfhip you engage in. Remem ber, there may be the former where there is not the latter. Your deportment in the houfe of the Lord may be vifibly ferious and devout, while yet your thoughts may he vainly wandering to the ends of the earth. You may come, and fit before God in his houfe, and all the while your hearts may be going after coveteoufnefs,pride, fenfuality, or fome luft or other. It is not there fore enough, that you are externally decent in the time of worfhip, but you mould revere and honour the God you adore, in your hearts , bearing it in mind, that he is a fpirit, and will be plealed with no worfhip but that which is performed in fpirit, and in truth. Whenever, therefore, you come to God's houfe to attend on the inftitutions of piety, look well to your inward frame of mind, and be above all things careful, that you yield to God the love of your hearts, and ferve him with true gofpel fincerity. For God looketh not at the out ward appearance, but the heart ; and will not therefore efleem himfelf fanffified by thcfe who come nigh him, unlels they ferve him with reverence and godly fear. The upright in their worfhip are thofe only his count f nance will behold with delight. FINALLY, be advifed to exhibit and maintain a cooftftent character; not imagining that your whole duty lies infanffuary devotion^ or that this will atone for the fins of your lives. It is afure truth, and you mould imprefs it on your minds as fuch, thac you will only trifle with God in the fervices of his houfe, if, when you go from it, you behave as men of the world^ whofe only portion is here. The whole tenor of your converlation fliould corrcfpond to [ 23 ] to the facred exercifes of the place 'where his honour dwells. You fhould make it appear to all you converfe with, that the love of God reigns in your hearts. And from love to him, and a principle of unfeigned faith in Jefus Chrift,a vein of true chrif- tian piety and goodnefs fhould run through your whole conduct in life. Holinefs to the Lord fhould be infcribed on all your employments and enjoyments. Whether you eat or drink, whether you buy or fell, or whatever you do, you fliould do all to the glory of God, and in the name of Chrift : fo may you hope, and upon juft and folid grounds, that your facrifices of prayer and praife, and all your acts of devotion, whether they are offered to God from your clofet, families, or his houfe of worfhip, will be acceptable to him , and that, from worfhipping and ferving him here on earth, you mall, in proper feafon, have entrance granted to you into the temple of God above, where you fhall join, with that innumerable company which have been fele&ed from the reft of mankind, in all ages, in finging HALLALUJAHS, TO HIM THAT SITTETH ON THE THRONE, AND TO THE LAMB, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN. I N I S. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY BERKELEY Return to desk from which borrowed. This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 27AP'54RC A pR 15 1954 LU 3LD AIOI/181962 J** STACKS LD 21-100m-ll,'49(B7146sl6)476 M180597 THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY