Again, have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, and then you will imitate the example of Christ.

Of him it is said, that he was "holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners." "Follow me," was his own language; and we are told that he suffered, "leaving us an example, that we should tread in his steps." And surely it becomes us to grow up into Him who is our living Head in all things: to be made like unto Christ is an unspeakable blessing and honor. O, then, let that mind be in us, He had no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. Then let not us.

which was also in him.

Again, By a holy conduct and conversation you encourage your distressed brethren.

When a poor, doubting, weak believer, who is much afraid that he shall backslide from the truth, and disgrace his Master's cause, beholds your good conversation among the Gentiles, he will be comforted, and will reason thus: "There I behold an amiable christian, he walks circumspectly, redeeming the time, he puts to silence the ignorance of foolish men by his actions; now naturally he is no more able to do this than myself, he is assisted by divine grace; that grace also shall assist me, shall shield and guard me from the power of my foes, shall make me hold out to the end, shall be my staff when I pass over Jordan, and my song for ever and ever."

Once more, By avoiding the works of darkness, you comfort the ministers of the gospel.

Alas, they need comfort. Theirs is an arduous employment, it is a work to which angels are incompetent; they study, preach, and spend themselves for you, and will you refuse to comfort their minds? And you must not think that going to them, and telling them you were comfortable

under their ministry is enough, but let them see by your fruits that their labor is not in vain in the Lord, but that the truths they deliver have a blessed and lasting influence upon your life.

REFLECTIONS.

The man who yet works the works of darkness is in an awful condition.

The saints should cultivate fellowship among themselves, and with God, and with his Son.

The hypocritical professor will hereafter be discovered and condemned.

SERMON V.

DELIGHT IN GOD'S WORSHIP.

"Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee."-PSALM lxxxiv. 2.

THIS Psalm is generally supposed to have been penned by David at the time, when, by the ambitious and rebellious disposition and conduct of his son Absalom, he was driven from his city. The chief subject of it appears to be the sanctuary of God, and the ordinances of his house, for by their loss he had learned more highly to estimate their worth.

With the most animated language, the holy man expresses the amiableness, the loveliness of the tabernacles of the Lord of hosts; breaks out in ardent longings towards the courts of the Lord: represents his heart and his flesh crying out for the living God; envies the sparrow her house and the swallow her nest, because they were near the altars of his King and his God; and in the verse which we have selected as a text, pronounces a blessing upon those who dwell in his house. We are persuaded that this subject is highly interesting to every one in the divine presence, who is saying, "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house

of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple." From the text then we shall attempt to raise, illustrate, and confirm these three propositions:

I. That there is a place peculiarly distinguished as the house of God.

II. That there are persons who find an abiding residence in it.

III. That such characters are truly blessed.

We remark,

1. That there is a place peculiarly distinguished as the house of God.

He

The whole creation is the workmanship of God; for he is the Former of all things visible and invisible; for his pleasure they are and were created; to him all beings bow, angels and archangels; men and devils submit to his control, and are subject to his disposal. He is the sovereign of universal nature, and the Manager of all worlds. filleth all in all. This great God, in making known to us his mind and will, in order to suit our circumstances, and in compassion to our infirmities, has been pleased to represent the great things of his love in familiar language, and in terms with which we are well acquainted. Hence we read such language as our text, when mention is made of the house of God. The question then is,-What is intended by the expression, and what place is that which is so honored, as to be called Jehovah's house? For since "the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof," how can he be said to have any particular dwelling-place? The place of glorified spirits is in scripture called "a house;" hence, says our Lord, "In my Father's house are many

mansions;" and the apostle, contrasting the future with the present state, exclaims, "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." In that heavenly house, all the spirits of just men made perfect, all the angels of God, securely, happily rest and dwell; for that is a house which cannot be removed, but abideth for evermore. And justly may the words of the text be applied to its heavenly inhabitants; for they indeed are truly blessed, being for ever engaged in the worship, and employed in the service of a present Saviour. But to us, it does not appear, from the connection of the text, that heaven is here intended, but rather, reference is made to the house of God below, to the church militant, to the worshipping assemblies of the saints, to the tabernacles of the Most High. David refers evidently to the Jewish tabernacle, whither, no doubt, he constantly went up to worship, and the term, house of God, applies at large to the whole church, to every congregation of believers, and to every assembly of the people of God. The church of God, we say, is a house; it is called so in different passages of Scripture; thus, we read, that "wisdom. hath builded her house:" that the spouse was "brought to Christ's banqueting house, and his banner over her was love" that "Christ, as a Son, was faithful over his own house, whose house are we :" "that he was a High Priest over the house of God:" "that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it" that "holiness becometh the house of God.”

With respect to this house, be it observed, that Jesus Christ is the foundation on which it rests: for "other