164 INVITATIONS ire Cnt7Aei-FELLOw6Ittt. bis soul lives. Hehas found the word of God accomplishing bis good pleasure and prospered thus far in the thing for which it was sent : Therefore he joins himself to the Lord, and takes up his place in his house, and takes holdon his covenant in a public profession ; he hopes, now he is " brought to God's holy moun- tain," that " he shall be made joyful in his house of prayer." He that has found the accomplishment of some promises, would put his soul directly under the influence of all of them. He has faith, and believesthat God is faithful and will fulfil all his rela- tions; he has trusted in several of the.relations which God has assumed, and found them already fulfilled, as a faithful creator, preserver, redeemer, &c. now he would put himself under his care as a Father of the family, and á master of the house, as the king of his church ; and when he enters into Zion, or joins him- self to a.christian church, lie humbly expects to find those pro- mises made good ; Psal. cxxxii. 15, 16. " I will abundantly bless her provision ; I will satisfy lier poor with bread. 1 will also clothe her priests with salvation, and het saints shall shout aloud for joy." And Psal. xcii. 13. " Those who are planted in the courts of Godshall flourish and he fruitful there." Now it is proper to put this question to our own souls : Do those of us who are joined in holy fellowship take pleasure in our station in the church, as it is an appointed means to increase grace in us, and to promote universal holiness both of heart and life? Do we wait upon God in the solemn ordinances of his church, with a humble faith in his promises, that he will meet and bless usbhere ? And as for those of us whoihave not yet taken up our places in the house of God, do we desire that holiness should increase in us ? And why then do we not breathe after the bless- ings of Sion, and an accomplishment of those promises which God has made to his church ? What sign or evidence can we have that we ever begun to receive grace from God, if we have no longing desires of soul to enjoy greater degrees of it ? And how can we pretend to long after growth in grace, if we refuse the appointed means of it III. He that iscaused to draw near to God in public Wor- ship, finds his soul softened by the approaches of divine grace, and feels the awful impression of divine commands to perform social worship."., He reads his duty plain by the light of nature, that thereought to be religious societies, and public honour paid to God : IIe reads it yet plainer in the word of scripture, that the original christians were wont to form themselves into churches, or sacredsocieties, to celebrate the institutions of their Lord, and are required by the apostle not to forsake those assemblies: His conscience feels the divine authority, and he cannot resist plain duty. It would be too large here to lay dowu half the reasons of
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