226 .APPEARANCE BEFORE GOD, [SEAM.. Xri1. TWO SERMONS ON OUR APPEARANCE BEFORE GOD HERE AND HEREAFTER. Delivered in Sir Thomas Abney's Family at Theobald's, in Hertfordshire, at the Evening-worship, Nov. 25, andDec. 9, 17 16. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL SIR THOMAS ABNEY, KNT. AND ALDERMAN OF LONDON. WORTHY SIR, WHILE you were restrained by the laws of men from public worship in that way which you háve chosen, I also suffered the same re- straint, by the providence of God confining me to long sickness; during which time I enjoyed in your excellent family, many happy conveniences towards the ease Of myaffliction, and the recovery of mÿ health. I thought it therefore a necessarypiece of christian gratitude, that some of the first fruits of my labours should be devoted to your service; and with this view :I attempted such meditations as might be well suited to my own circumstances of confinement, as well as to your's; that I might speak more sensibly from the heart to yourspiritual advantage, and to the profit of all your houshold. Since that time it has pleased the providence of God to take off your restraint,entirely, by the repeal of that unrighteous law, and to give you the pleasures of hissanctuary; yet the review of thesediscourses, through the operation of the blessed Spirit, may renew some useful meditations, when offered from the press, as a testimony of public thankfulness, and in this new form proposed to your perusal, by, SIR, Your most affectionate And obedient servant, Under many obligations, THEOBALDS, I. WATTS. February I, 1720. SERMONXIII. APPEARANCE BEFORE GOD HERE AND HEREAFTER. PSALM sl i. 2. When shall I come and appear before God? 'rHE FIRST PART. THE holy Psalmist was now absent from his usual place of public worship, and restrained from coming near to the ark of God which was the token of the di- vine presence in the days of the Jewish church; and 5
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