SERMON XVI.

CHRIST IN THE MIDST OF US.

MATT. 18. 20.

Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

How great is the inducement which our Lord in these words holds out, for a cordial union in all Christian communities! If we are but agreed amongst ourselves, then is He in the midst of us. How thankful should we be to think, that in our churches, at least, some such agreement has been, by God's grace, preserved! that we may apply these words, with something near to truth to such a Christian congregation as our own! that we are a company of believers, agreed touching what we shall ask, assembled in the name of Christ, and He

Others may

Himself in the midst of us! conduct the rites of worship with greater splendour, or with sacrifice more costly. The Christian has to bring devotion and faith, devotion and faith in the name of Christ; and then will that blessed Being, who is the express image of the Father, be present to the souls of his people, for their enlightening, and for their support. But though the essential characters of a Christian congregation are thus independent of all outward circumstances, it has been the universal practice of Christian communities, to set apart for the purposes of divine worship, distinct consecrated places; buildings whose goodly structure should express our reverence for the God we worship, and the honour due unto his name. Nor are we without direct instruction in the Scriptures, applicable to our conduct in this important particular.

In the Old Testament, we find it amongst the very first commands of Jehovah, through Moses, to the children of Israel, "Let them make me a sanc

tuary, that I may dwell among them." (Exod. 25. 8.) And after the tabernacle had served this purpose for a time, Solomon was instructed in the building of a temple "for the name of the Lord God of Israel." (1 Kings 8. 20.) Now the Jewish dispensation was, we know, in many things a type or figure of our own. Accordingly, the early believers, acting under the instruction of the apostles, set apart peculiar places for divine worship; at first, indeed, through poverty and persecution, places necessarily obscure and mean; but afterwards, the most beautiful their skill could devise, or their means accomplish. Less indeed than this would scarce fulfil the spirit of that apostolic precept, that "all things be done decently and in order.” (1 Cor. 14. 40.) For how can it be orderly or decent that we should allot for God's house either materials or workmanship less costly in proportion, than those which we employ in any buildings of our own? And how could the Christian worshipper else fail to experience the painful reflexion of David,

"See now I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth between curtains." (2 Sam. 7. 2.)

But will God, we may ask with the other of the inspired kings, "will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven, and heaven of heavens, cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded ?" (1 Kings 8. 27.) By Him the world itself was formed, and the heavens above created. Before his

presence bow all the powers therein.

Before his footstool kneel all nations that on earth do dwell. Within, without, around us, He is present every where. Yet here in his church is He more than

present. For here his presence signifies a readiness to bless his worshippers, to hear their prayers, and to accept their praise. Here, and in this sense, hath He promised, if we be gathered together in his name, that He, even Christ, is in the midst of us. May we not then well say with Jacob, "How dreadful is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!"

(Gen. 28. 17.) May we not well add with the Psalmist, "I was glad when they said unto me, We will go into the house of the Lord ?" (Ps. 122. 1.)

The church is awful, as being the place of worship of the great God and Father of us all. Awful, and yet most deeply interesting to us, as containing within and around it the bodies of those whom we loved in life, and amongst whom we expect our own to be laid in death. But awful it is above all, and above all most delightful also, if we do but rightly consider it, as being the place where He hath promised to be in the midst of us, He who is our Redeemer and our Judge. This should be the chief ground of our glorying, the animating principle of our behaviour. To know that He is here, who for our sakes died on the cross, He who with the Holy Spirit now enables us to lead a holy life, He who hereafter will pronounce our sentence for endless misery, or for endless joy; He is in the midst of us! Let none therefore resort to church, without remembering to whose presence they are

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