and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever 6"

Heb. xiii. 20, 21.

SERMON XVI.

THE ADVANTAGES OF PUBLIC WORSHIP.

Ps. cxxii. 1.

"I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."

"THUS saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?" Whereby it hath pleased his divine goodness to signify to us, that he lives and reigns on high, infinitely above all that we can think; and that the earth is at his foot, to do what he will with it, and with every thing that is in it, or upon it. So that the whole earth is full of his glory, and the heaven of heavens is not able to contain it. Where, then, shall we build an house, where shall we find a place for him, to dwell in? No where, certainly, so as that he should be included in it. Yet, nevertheless, as he is said to dwell in heaven, because he there unveils himself, and shines forth in all his glory, before those pure and holy creatures that dwell there, and are capable of beholding it; so he is said to dwell in such places upon earth, too, where he is graciously pleased to manifest himself, and discover any of his divine perfections in a more peculiar manner than

1 Isa. lxvi. 1.

he doth elsewhere; as he is often said to dwell between the cherubims over the mercy-seat, or covering of the ark, from whence he was pleased to manifest his glory, and make known his will unto his people: and wheresoever the ark was, there he was said to dwell: so long as it was in the tabernacle which Moses by his appointment made for it, that was called his "house," or "dwelling-place," because he there met with his people, and acquainted them with his pleasure; and when the ark was put into the temple which Solomon built for it upon mount Sion, that was called his "house," not only in the Old Testament, but in the New by Christ himself 2.

This, therefore, is that which the Psalmist here calls "the house of the Lord," even the place where the ark then was, and where the Lord had therefore promised to be in a special manner. Thither all the men in Israel were bound to go at least three times every year, though many of them lived about an hundred miles off. And some have thought that this Psalm was composed for that occasion, that the people might better express the joy and pleasure they had in that holy journey, saying, or singing, to one another as they went, “I was glad," or "rejoiced, when they said unto me, We will," or "Let us, go into the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is builded as a city that is at unity in itself; for thither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord, to testify unto Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord,' &c.

But it might serve as well for those who, living near it, went every day to the house of the Lord, to perform their devotions to him, and to receive his blessing; as all that were truly pious did. They took all opportunities they could get of going thither at the hours of prayer, and were glad when any put them in mind of it, and called upon them to go, saying, "Let us go into the house of the Lord." And so doubtless are all such

2 John ii. 16.

at this day. All that truly love, and fear, and honour God, are as glad to go into his house now, as they were then.

It is true, we have no such outward signs of his special presence in our churches, as they had of old in the tabernacle, and temple: but, howsoever, we cannot doubt but that he is as specially present with us in such places, as he was with them. For we have his own word for it; saying, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them 3." Whereby we are fully assured, that he doth not now presentiate himself only in one place, as he did under the law; but that wheresoever his faithful people meet together in his name, to serve and worship him, he is there with them, to assist them in what they do, and to bless and sanctify it to them. And, therefore, every such place dedicated to his service may as properly be called "the house of the Lord," as the temple was. And every pious and devout soul delights as much in going thither, as David did, and can as truly say, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."

to

This, therefore, is that which I shall now demonstrate you, and for that purpose shall consider, first, the persons who are always glad to go into the house of the Lord; and then, the reasons why they are so.

First, as to the persons: we must not think that all sorts of people delight in going to church, the house of God; for we see the contrary by daily experience: even that many, yea, most of these too who profess the faith of Christ, choose rather to go any where else than thither. Some had rather go to an ale-house, or tavern, or play-house, where they may please their flesh or their fancy. Others are for a shop, a warehouse, or the exchange, where they may buy, or sell, and get gain like those in the prophet, who said, "When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making

3 Matt. xviii. 20.

the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?" that is, in plain terms, they had rather be cheating their neighbours, than serving God. Nay, there are many, too many, who choose to sit still at home, and do nothing, rather than go to church, and do the work that is there required of them. Such as these are not glad, but sorry and troubled, when any say unto them, "Let us go into the house of the Lord;" and will look upon them as their enemies, for offering to make such an impertinent and troublesome motion to them.

And it is no wonder; for such people know not what to do at church, nor can take any pleasure in what is there done they care not for praying, or praising God; neither doth the word preached any way profit them, "not being mixed with faith in them that hear it." The church is no more to them than an ordinary house; and the whole service that is there performed seems to them an insipid business, which they can no way relish, or delight in. And the reason is, because their minds being taken up with the affairs of this life, they are altogether incapable of all things belonging to their everlasting peace; for, as the apostle observes, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned "." Hence it is, that such men, when they are at church, are restless and uneasy all the while, and long to be out again, that they may follow the business, or enjoy the pleasures, their hearts are set on: as for what is done there, they know not what to make of it; and therefore it is no wonder that they care not how seldom they come thither; and if they ever do, it is not a pleasure, but a grief and a trouble to them; which notwithstanding they are forced sometimes to bear with, to keep up their credit and reputation in the world; lest their neighbours should think them to be what they are,―mere natural and carnal men, that

Amos viii. 5.

5 Heb. iv. 2.

6 1 Cor. ii. 14.