GERM. XIII. HERE AND HEREAFTER. 2?g . or his mercy. It was for this purpose that Christ, at his departure from earth, engaged the promise of his pre- sence with his ministers in the preaching of his gospel : Lo I amwith you always even to the end of the world, Mat. xxviii. 20. And is not this sufficient ground for men to expect and hope to see God there?) Besides all this, have not christians enjoyed blessed experiences of the presence of God in his sanctuary, in the assemblies of his saints ? One can say, " I was all darkness and ignorance, and there I found divine light, discovering to me my sin and misery, and his sal- vation." Another can say,. I was dead in sin, and found my soul raised to a divine life there; "I was mourning and despairing, and there I found a word of support and holy joy, such as no-mere wordsof men could convey in- to me ; and I am forced to confess God was in this place ofa truth, 1 Cron xiv. 15. REMARKS on the first head. I. Howmuch should we guard against hypocrisyin di- vine worship, because it is an appearance beforeGod 2 We do then, in a solemn manner, set ourselves before God, and, as it were, humbly call God to look upon us, and take notice of our hearts. . Let us remember this, every one of us," when we go to public worship, we do in effect say to God, " O Lord, we are always in thy sight, but in a special manner we now come to shew thee our hearts, to acquaint thee humbly with our wants, our sor- rows, and our sins, our desires and hopes;" and God will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain: He is a jealous God, he will hot be mocked, Gal. vi. ¡. He is a Spirit, and he will be worshipped in spirit and in truth," John iv. 24. He is sharp-sighted, he sees through our souls, and knows the ends and designs of our conning, whether to see creatures, and be seen of them, or to see himself, our Creator: Whether to observe the modes, dress, and behaviour of our fellow-creatures on earth,- or to learn the will of God, and the mode- of heaven: Suppose Jesus Christ, in his human nature, were there, whose eyes are as a flame of fire, and through your countenances can discern the most secret thought of your souls, would you not stand in awe of his majes- ty ? Would not this glorious appearance fix the most vain and fluttering imagination in a pious solemnity ? Q3
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