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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,

AND 2 CHRON. vii. 15,

We have the gracious answer and promise of God to this petition, in these words:

MINE EYES SHALL BE Open, and mINE EARS ATTENT UNTO THE PRAYER THAT IS MADE IN THIS PLACE,"

WE

E all know, that God is every where present to hear the prayers of fuch as call upon him in fincerity; but then the Holy Scriptures teach us, that he is in an especial manner present in the affemblies of the faithful.

The Lord give thee bleffing out of Sion, faith the pfalmift. Why out of Sion? Why; be

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cause there was the temple, the house of God, where his holy angels attended, afcending from thence to carry the prayers of the devout worshippers to the throne of God, and defcending to bring down bleffings from God, as they are reprefented in a vifion to Jacob at Bethel.

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

Taking this for granted; we will proceed to confider fome truths, which have relation to this fubject, and which are not so well understood as they fhould be; fuch are these following:

ft. The great bleffing of having convenient places for the publick worship of God.

2dly. The great fin of neglecting the publick worship; as alfo the evils and judgments which generally follow fuch neglect.

3dly. The great bleffing of a regular fettled ministry.

4thly. The command of God, that his miniftry fhall have all juft encouragement to discharge their duty cheerfully and faithfully.

5thly. The great regard and reverence, which Chriftians ought to have for places dedicated to the honour and fervice of God; and what their behaviour fhould be in fuch holy places. And

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Laftly.

Laftly. The fin and punishment of those who go about to make void this gracious defign of God, for the good of his people, as well as for the fupport of his own ministers.

I. We will firft confider, what a very great bleffing it is to have convenient places for the publick worship of God.

When God would fhew his love and concern for his own people, he lets them know, that he will fet 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 fin, and into idolatry, to fhew his great displeasure against them, he suffered his temple to be deftroyed by heathens, as one of the greatest punishments which could be laid upon them. And fo they found it and esteemed it, when once they came to feel the want of it.

Be affured of it, Chriftians, the publick worship of God is an indifpenfible duty, both with refpect to God's honour, and our own greateft interest.

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

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

have

have or hope for in this world, or in the world to come, he expects that we fhould beg these bleffings in the places dedicated to his honour, as appears plainly from the feveral 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 toge"ther in his name, he will grant their re

quefts," much more will he answer the prayers which are made in the great congregation, (as the Pfalmift fpeaks.)

They, therefore, who imagine and say, that they can ferve God as well at home as at church, have not confidered what we mean by the publick worship: That it is an open and publick acknowledgment of God's glorious perfections, and of our dependance upon him, of his power to help us, of his juftice to punifh 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 confequently we may expect that all men with whom we have to do, may truft us as men fearing God's judgments if we do wrong.

And in good truth, they that seldom or never attend the publick worship, can give no fure teftimony to the world that they either believe

believe a God, or fear his judgments; nor do ey give any proof to men, that they can be honeft upon any true principles of reafon or religion.

II. But this is not all. The fin and evil of neglecting the publick worship is very great with refpect to ourselves.

Chriftians do not confider, 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 foon blot out all thoughts of duty.

It pleafed God, therefore, from the crea tion, (for he knew what helps man would want to preferve in his mind the remembrance of his Maker) it pleased Him to appoint one day in feven to be kept holy; and the neglect of this, in all probability, was the occafion of that great wickednefs which brought on the flood upon the world of the ungodly.

The fame law continued after the flood; and yet, by the neglect of it, how many nations now are there, who, though they sprung from one man who taught his children the knowledge of the true God, yet have, at this day, no remembrance of the Creator of heaven and earth.

The fame law, as to the intent of it, is still in force, and the fad effects of neglecting it are, and will always be, the fame. Such as obferve it with any degree of seriousness live in the fear of God; while they that defpife

the

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