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25.

experiments. And the Scripture is plain: "It is a snare," saith the Wise Man, "to devour that which is holy," or Prov. 20. dedicated to God, as all your tithes were before you were born; and God Himself calls it robbery, to withhold the tithes.

It is not for our own sakes that I have put you in mind of these things; for, as St. Paul saith, a dispensation is committed to us, and we must preach the Gospel, whether we live by it or not. But it is for your sakes we tell you these things, that God may bless your labours, as He has promised to do; and that you may not bring a moth and a canker-worm into your barns, which shall secretly devour your increase. "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump;" 1 Cor. 5. 6. a little ill-gotten goods will carry away a greater substance;

and "

a fire not blown shall consume them;" that is, they Job 20. 26. shall be consumed, and nobody shall know how.

In short, my brethren, the world is bad enough as it is, but it would be soon much worse, if the good providence of God had not appointed an order of men, and made it their indispensable duty, to preach the Gospel, to offer up the prayers and oblations of the faithful, to praise God for His mercies, and to intercede with Him when He is angry, to warn the unruly, to comfort the feeble-minded, to support the weak, and to be examples to their whole flock.

And because no man on earth is sufficient for these things without the assistance of the Holy Ghost, therefore are they set apart (after the example of the Apostles, and according Acts 13.2,3. to the order of the Holy Spirit) by solemn prayer, and by laying on of hands, that a greater grace may accompany them in the discharge of the several parts of their duty.

In one word: God hath appointed His own ministers, by whom He will give mankind those blessings which are necessary to fit them for heaven and happiness. And though of ourselves we are nothing, yet by the grace of God, who sends us, we may be instruments of great good to men.

To sum up what has been said in a few words, that you may remember the better if we are Christ's ministers, then we are accountable to Him, and to Him only, in things pertaining to God. He, and He only, can appoint His own ministers. If we are God's ministers, it behoves us, above

XC.

SERM. all men, to do nothing unworthy the holiness of our characters, that the ministry be not blamed. If we are the more immediate servants of God, then ought we not to seek to please men, nor to confer with flesh and blood, when our Master's service calls for us.

You have seen, Christians, what we bind ourselves to, when we become the ministers of Christ, "to watch for your souls as they that must give an account;" a consideration so dreadful, that it often makes our hearts to ache with fear and sorrow, when you least think of it.

Do not ye therefore add to our burden, (which is great enough, God knows, already,) do not add to our trouble, by despising our authority, which we have from Jesus Christ, for in doing so you will despise Jesus Christ, and God that sent Him. Do not slight our ministry, by which, if ever you are, you must be reconciled to God. Do not despise our persons, because we are weak men like yourselves, but [2 Cor. 12. remember the Lord's word to St. Paul: "My strength is made perfect in weakness."

9.]

Lastly; do not defraud us of what God has assigned us, lest yourselves be the greatest losers; but rather let both you and we strive in our several places to glorify God.

We, by always remembering the vows that are upon us, using the power which God hath given us for your edification and not for your destruction; and you readily obeying our godly admonitions; that both we and you may at last attain the end of our faith and labours, even the salvation of our souls. Which God grant, for Jesus Christ's sake.

To Whom, &c.

SERMON XCI.

AT THE DEDICATION OF THE NEW CHURCH IN KIRK LONAN.
MARCH 25, 1735.

2 CHRON. vi. 40.

We have in the prayer of KING SOLOMON, at the DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE, these words:-My God! I beseech Thee, let Thine eyes be open, and let Thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

2 CHRON. vii. 15. We have the gracious answer and promise of God to this petition, in these words: Mine eyes shall be open, See Heb. and Mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

We all know, that God is every where present to hear the prayers of such as call upon Him in sincerity; but then the holy Scripture teaches us, that He is, in an especial manner, present in the assemblies of the faithful.

10 25.

"The Lord give thee blessing out of Zion," saith the [Ps. 128.5.] Psalmist. Why out of Zion? Why because there was the temple, the house of God, where His holy angels attended, ascending from thence to carry the prayers of the devout worshippers to the throne of God, and descending to bring down blessings from God, as they are represented in a vision to Jacob at Bethel.

Now, what the temple of Jerusalem was to that nation, the same is every parish Church to us Christians, and it has a right to all the same gracious promises which God did make to the temple of Solomon.

Taking this for granted, we will proceed to consider some truths, which have relation to this subject, and which are not so well understood as they should be; such are these following:

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First; the great blessing of having convenient places for the public worship of God.

Secondly; the great sin of neglecting the public worship; as also the evils and judgments which generally follow such neglect.

Thirdly; the great regard and reverence which Christians ought to have for places dedicated to the honour and service of God.

Fourthly; what their behaviour should be in such holy places.

Fifthly; the great blessing of a regular, settled ministry. Sixthly; the command of God, that His ministers shall have all just encouragement to discharge their duty cheerfully and faithfully.

And lastly; the sin and punishment of those who go about to make void this gracious design of God for the good of His people, as well as for the support of His own ministers.

I. We will first consider, what a very great blessing it is to have convenient places for the public worship of God.

When God would shew His love and concern for His own people, He lets them know, that He will set His tabernacle amongst them; intimating, that He will always be near them, to hear their prayers, and to help them.

And when that people fell into sin, and into idolatry, to shew His great displeasure against them, He suffered His temple to be destroyed by heathens, as one of the greatest punishments which could be laid upon them. And so they found it and esteemed it, when once they came to feel the want of it.

Be assured of it, Christians, the public worship of God is an indispensable duty, both with respect to God's honour, and our own greatest interest.

With respect to the honour of God, it is by this duty that we profess, to all the world, that we are the servants of God; that, therefore, we profess ourselves bound to adore, to honour, and obey Him, after the best and most public manner we are able.

With respect to ourselves; as we live and depend upon God's blessing, for our life and health, and for all the good

things that we have or hope for in this world, or in the world to come, He expects that we should beg these blessings in the places dedicated to His honour, as appears plainly from the several promises He has made to Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple.

And our Saviour on His part hath promised, that where two or three are gathered together in His name, He will grant their requests,-much more will he answer the prayers which are made in the great congregation (as the Psalmist speaks).

They, therefore, who imagine and say, that they can serve God as well at home as at Church, have not considered what we mean by the public worship; that it is an open and public acknowledgment of God's glorious perfections, and of our dependence upon Him, of His power to help us, of His justice to punish us when we do evil, of His mercy and goodness to pity us.

It is owning to all the world, that we believe what He has revealed in His holy Word there read to us; that we expect to be judged by that Word at the great day; that therefore we fear God, and consequently we may expect that all men, with whom we have to do, may trust us as men fearing God's judgments if we do wrong.

And in good truth, they that seldom or never attend the public worship, can give no sure testimony to the world, that they either believe a God or fear His judgments; nor do they give any proof to men, that they can be honest upon any true principles of reason or religion.

II. But this is not all. The sin and evil of neglecting the public worship is very great, with respect to ourselves.

Christians do not consider, how very apt the very best of us are to forget the duty which we owe to God, to our neighbour, and to ourselves; and that the cares of the world will soon blot out all thoughts of duty.

It pleased God, therefore, from the creation; (for He knew what helps man would want to preserve in his mind the remembrance of his Maker ;) it pleased Him to appoint one day in seven to be kept holy; and the neglect of this, in all probability, was the occasion of that great wickedness which brought on the flood upon the world of the ungodly.

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