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12S
APPEARANCE r.EPORE
GOD
[SEAM XIIT.
in
heaven;
beside the many sweet
experiences
which
David
had
of
sensible discoveries
of God
in
counsel and
grace,
strength and consolation,
in his
public worship.
And
have
not
christians,
under
the
gospel, as
great
a
reason
to
expect
the special presence
of
God
among
them
in his
ordinances?
Are
they
not appointed
on
purpose
to
bring
God near
to
us,
and
to
bring
us
near
to
God?
llave
we
not
an express promise
of God
himself,
dwelling
in flesh,
:that
where
two
or three are
gathered
together
in
his
name,
he
will be
in
the midst
of
them,
2W(tt.'xviii.
2O.
and
is
not Christ
worthy
of
credit?
llave
we
not
his
word
there
published and preached
?
Doth
not
God
appear there
very eminently,
in
the glory
of
his
truth,,
in
the
heautyof
his
holiness, in the
purity
of,
his
commands,
in
the
terror
of
his
threatenings,
in
the
sweethess
of
his
promises, in
the wonders
of
his
wisdom
and
power,
and
more amazing works
of
his
grace
and
love?
Doth not
the
Lord
discover himself
there
in
the
majesty
of
his
government, in
the miracles
of
his
provi-
dence, and the divine glory
of
his
fore knowledge
in
Prophecies exactly
fwlfilled
?
Surely
that
man
must be
blind'
indeed,
who sees
not God
in
the
holy
scriptures.
Will
you
say,
" All
this may
be
seen
and read
at
home
in
private,
as well as in a
public assembly
?"
But you
inust
remember,
that
even the written word
of
God
was
communicated
to the
most
part of
mankind
only
in
pub
-
lic
worship,
for
some
thousands
of years:
for before
the
art
of
printing
was
invented, one bible
was
scarce
to
be
found
in
several
hundred
houses,
and
very
few
of
the
common people
were
capable
of
reading
;
nor
could they
know
the written
word
but
by
their attendance
on the
public
ministrations
of
it.
And
in
our
day, how
many
are there
who
either
do,
or
will
know very
little
of
reli-
gion,
but
what they
hear
at
church.
(
Besides
the
written
word
of God
.
is
given to be ex-
pounded
by
his
ministers,
that
the gospel being
preached
at
large,
and
the
truths
of
it
being particularly applied,
his presence
and
glory may
appear
therein. Many parts
of
scripture
are
so
obscure,
that God
stands,
as
it
were,
behind a
veil,
or a curtain,
till, in the ministry
of
the
word, the sense
is
explained,
the
veil removed,
and
God
stands
forth to
sight
in the open
glories,
of
his majesty,