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Christians ought to meet together for prayer and o ther acts of devotion. This is the will of Chrift, the King and Head of the church; and abfolutely neceffary for the honour of God, and for preserving a sense of religion in the world.

In thefe words we are alfo directed to the manner in which we ought to meet together for public worfhip. It is in the name of Chrift; that is, from a re gard to his authority, and in humble dependence on his righteoufnefs and grace; for he is the way, the truth, and the life; and no man cometh to the Fa ther but by him. The name of Chrift is that precious propitiating name, which, like the incenfe under the law, muft perfume our fpiritual facrifices, and render them acceptable to God.

And we have, laftly, an exprefs affurance of his prefence with us, as an encouragement to meet together in the name of Chrift: " Where two or "three," fays he," are gathered together, in my "( name, there am I in the midft of them." In this expreffion there feems to be an allufion to the custom in the Jewish affemblies of the prefident's fitting in the midft, where he might equally hear, and be heard by all. In like manner, fays our Saviour, will I be prefent, in the midst of my faints and people, when affembled together in my name. By which it is evident, we are not merely to underftand his ef fential presence as God, which equally extends to all places; but a promife of his special and gracious prefence with his church and people, in their religious affemblies.

In difcourfing farther on this fubject, we propofe, by Divine affiftance, Firft, To confider what this prefence of Chrift is, which is here promifed. Secondly, We shall endeavour to establish the truth of the doc trine, or fhow you, that Christ is really, though invifibly, prefent with his people in ordinances: And

then

then conclude with fome practical improvement.— We propose,

I. To confider what this prefence of Chrift is, which he promises fhall be with his people in his worship and ordinances.

And this prefence is nothing else but the inward and powerful operation of his Spirit, accompanying his word and ordinances, and rendering them effectual for quickening and fanctifying, ftrengthening and comforting the fouls of his people. There was a time when the church enjoyed the prefence of Chrift upon earth; when, as the evangelift expreffes it, he dwelt among them, and they beheld his glory; when they faw him with their eyes, and heard the gracious words that proceeded from his lips. This presence of Chrift was a fingular comfort to his difciples, and therefore they were greatly afflicted when it was to be taken away. But, having finished the work of redemption by his death, and given them the moft inconteftible proofs of his refurrection, it was no longer neceffary that it should be continued. Nay, as he himfelf tells his difciples, "it was expedient for "them that he thould go away (a)." Accordingly, he left the world, and afcended to the Father, where the heavens muft receive him, until the times of the reftitution of all things. But though Christ be now abfent in body, though he be now gone to minifter within the vail, and, as the exalted Head of his church, to take care of her interefts in the higher houfe; yet he has promifed, and fent the Spirit to fupply his place in the church; and by Him he is ftill graciously prefent with his people.

And what an invaluable mercy is this! what an endearing inftance of his care and affection for his people! For this prefence of Chrift by his Spirit, is that which gives the ordinances of the gofpel their beauty

(a) John xvi. 7.

beauty and glory, their power and efficacy, their stability and continuance.

1. Their beauty and glory. Hence we fo frequently read in fcripture of the beauty of the Lord, and his glory in the fanctuary. In thefe expreflions there is an evident allufion to the ark of the covenant, the fymbol of the Divine prefence in the days of the Jewish church. The prefence of Chrift is the fource from which his ordinances derive all that beauty and glory of which they are poffeffed. Of thefe qualities they are completely deprived by the removal of his Spirit. During the abfence of his Spirit, they refemble a body which the living principle ceases to animate. They retain their beauty no longer. In winter when the fun retires, the herbs wither, the trees east their leaves, and nature affumes a melancholy appearance. In like manner, when the Lord withdraws his prefence, the beauty of Zion departs from her. But when he returns in mercy, and pours out his Spirit upon his ordinances, there is a pleasant fpring of religion; and glory dwells in our land.

2. From this fpiritual prefence of Chrift, the ordinances of the gofpel likewife derive their power and efficacy.

As the waters of the pool of Bethesda were deftitute of their healing virtue, except when the angel defcended and troubled them; fo, when this miniftration of the Spirit is wanting, the word and facraments, those waters of the fanctuary, are wholly unproductive of any faving influence. Paul indeed may plant, Apollos may water, but God alone can give the increase. The ordinary means of grace may awaken your natural powers, and caufe a fhaking among the dry bones; but it is the Spirit of Chrift that must breathe into them the breath of life. And the reason of this is plain: Ordinances act not as natural and neceffary, but only as inftituted means, which

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are

are fuccefsful or not, according as Chrift by his Spirit operates with them.

Laftly, This fpiritual prefence of Chrift gives the ordinances of the gofpel their ftability and conti

nuance.

That God is in the midft of her, is not only in a peculiar manner the glory of Zion; it is likewise the foundation on which her ftability refts. Were the Spirit of God to be withdrawn from ordinances, in a little time the ordinances themselves would be likewife withdrawn. When the Lord of glory departed from between the Cherubims, when the difmal voice was heard in the temple, "Let us go "hence;" how foon was both the temple and city deftroyed! Or, if the ordinances fhould be fuffered to remain with a people, after the Spirit is withdrawn: their continuance, in that cafe, would be of no advantage; and instead of proving the happy means of quickening and converfion to finners, they would only retain a killing and hardening power, by which they would prove the favour of death unto death. Juftly, therefore, might the Lord fay to his ancient people, "Wo alfo to them, when I depart from "them (m)." How much reafon then have we to be afraid, left, by our unbelief and contempt of the gofpel, we banish the prefence of Chrift from amongst us, and provoke him at last to remove even our candlestick out of its place.-We proposed,

II. To confirm the truth of the doctrine, or fhow you, that Chrift is really, though invisibly, present with his people in ordinances.

This is a truth, which, however much difcredited by the enemies of religion, none, I hope, will deny, who acknowledge the authority of the holy fcriptures. It is evident from declarations in thefe feriptures, from the many precious promifes to this purpose,

(*) Hof. ix. 12.

from

from the conftant experience of the faints, and from the fupernatural effects which the ordinances produce on the fouls of men.

1. From exprefs fcripture declarations. In the book of Pfalms, God is faid to be in the midst of Zion; the Church is called his reft, his chofen habitation, and the place where his honour dwells. And in the fame book his prefence is compared to a river, the ftreams whereof make glad the city of God. When the Spouse, full of longing affection, defires to know where he may meet her Beloved, " Tell 86 me," fays he, "O thou whom my foul loveth, "where thou feedeft, where thou makeft thy flocks "to reft at noon;" he directs her to the public ordinances: "If thou knoweft not," fays he, "O "thou fairest among women, go thy ways forth by "the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids befide "the fhepherds tents (n)." Hence alfo, the Church is ftyled the place of his feet, in allufion to the ark, which is called God's footstool. And to mention no more, Chrift is defcribed in Revelations, as walking in the midst of the feven golden candlesticks, that is, in his churches, in the affemblies of his faints. Thither, therefore, the believer goes to meet with him, expecting the cleareft difcoveries of his glory, and the most delightful manifestations of his love.

2. From the precious promises to this purpofe recorded in facred fcripture. Many promises of this kind are inserted in the Old Testament, and they enrich and adorn the New. How exprefs and encouraging is that promife to the people of Ifrael. " In "all places where I record my name, I will come to "my people and bless them (i)." Has he not promifed, that he will be as the dew to Ifrael; that he will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; and that in confequence of this, his people fhall be willing in the day of his power?

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