02 APPEARANCE BEFORE GOD {SER1S. XIII. When any of us have been at church, and waited in the sanctuary, let us examine what did we go thither to see ; a shadow of religion ? An outside of christian forms ? A graceful orator ? The figures and shapes of devotion ? Surely then we might with as much wisdom, and more innocence, lave gone to the wilderness to see a reed shaken with the wind. Can we say as the Greeks at the feast ; John xii. 21. We would see Jesus ? Or, as Absalom; 2 Sam. xiv. 52. It is to little purpose I am come to Jerusalem, if I maynot see the king's face. To little purpose we go to church, or attend on ordinances, ifwe seek not, if we see not God there. III. Remark. What everlasting thanks are due to 'our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath made way for our appear- ance before Godwith comfort and hope! You are called by the name of christians, you profess to believe in him, but you know little what you have to do with him, or what use his name is of in religion, ifyou can go daily to appear in the presence of God without him; you know not the nature of christianity, if you do not feel a want of Christ when you how yourselves before God. Consider a little what God is, and what you are, that you may have a due sense of the necessityof Christ; say to yourselves, " I am going to appear before the great and glorious God, a God of infinite perfection, and I am a little vesse] of mere imperfection and infirmity; what shall. I do to stand in his sight? He is a God of majesty and judgment, and I a traitor, a rebel by nature and action ; I want some person to introduceme into his favour. He is a God of spotless holiness, and I am de- filed with a thousand sins; who shall make me appear lovely in his sight ! he is a God of inflexible justice, and I a guiltywretch, a criminal, a malefactor, already con- demned ; who shall plead for me, and obtain a par- don?" O beg of Christ to introduce you with accept- ance ; in him alone can we appear well-pleasing to God : He is the beloved of the Father, and if we are ever ac- cepted, it must be in the beloved, Eph. i. 6. Christ appears now in the presence of God for us, in the virtue of his blood and spotless obedience, Heb. ix. 12, 24. He who once appeared with sin imputed, was made sin for us, and was treated as a sinner in the world for our sakes, now appears before God, without sin, in heaven,
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