DISCOURSE III. 881 VI. " Since there is no particular place appointed of God where christians must worship him ; then we cannot learn, where he has recorded his name any other way, butby the worship itself and its entire conformity to God's own ordinance and appoint- ment" God resides in the midst of his people, wheresoever his divine institutions are celebrated, according to his mind and will. Ps. lxviii. 18. compared with Eph. iv. 8. informs us, that when our Saviour ascended on high, he received giftsfor men, and he diffused those gifts to make pastors and teachers, to build up this church amongst the Gentile nations, who, at that time were called the rebellious ; and he did it for this reason, " That the Lord Godmight dwell amongst them, as he did in Sinai, as he did in Sion :' And where these pastors or teachers celebrate his own ordinances, in their purity, there the great God conde- scends to dwell, and records his name there. Time and places are necessary circumstances of all human actions, whether natural, civil, or religious. If God has ap- pointed the time, let us keep to his appointments, and let us wor- ship him one day in seven, according to his original institution ; and let that be on the first day of the week, when our Lord rose from the dead, and his apostles directed the churches to attend on their exalted Saviour in religious worship. But if he has not appointed the place, we are left to the best use of our reason and christian prudence, to raise our synagogues in the most con- venient ground, and to agreeupon our meetings or assembliesfor the worship of God, where it may best suit the conveniency of the church, or the greatest part of the worshippers. And since God has appointedno particular spot of ground, no special build- ing for this purpose, under the gospel, we may assure ourselves, that whosoever worships him in spirit and in truth, will find ac- ceptance in every nation, and in every place. The parts of natural worship, arealways thesame, through- out all ages, that is, to attend to what God speaks, both in the dictates of reason and in his word, read or explained ; to offer up our prayers to him for the mercies we want, and to celebrate his praises, and shewour thankfulness ; these are accepted of God in all places. And as for the two ceremonies of baptism, and the Lord's supper, since they are attached to no particular place by the appointment of our Saviour, let us perform these solemni- ties in any convenient place, according to his will, and there God will reside among his people. Wheresoever the children of men separate themselves from the wicked world, and devote them- selves to God in and through Jesus the Mediator, and practise pure and undefiled religion, there is Sion under the gospel ; there will he take up his habitation and his rest, for he hath desired it ; Ps. cxxxii. 13, 14. There is the templeof the living God, fur he hat said, I will dwell inthem, and walk among them, and I o o 3
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