hearts. In the temple of the Lord the amufements of life are fufpended for a feafon; our minds are awakened from the dream of folly ; our conduct is brought in review before us; our duty is prefented in all its extent and obFigations, and confcience, reftored to her tribunal, approves or condemns impartially according as our deeds have been.

Here the rich and the poor meet together; all external distinctions are forgotten, and the motives to mutual juftice and kindness occur with peculiar force, while we affemble ourfelves with the meaneft of our dependents in the prefence of that God, "who hath made "of one blood all kindreds and nations of "men."

Here we are called to contemplate ourselves as moral and accountable beings; as the fubjects of a righteous Ruler, who hath prescribed a law for our conduct, and who is the witness of all that we do; and every action, every word, every thought of our hearts, acquires an awful importance when confidered as a part of that probation on which our everlasting. happiness depends.

These are the interefting fubjects to which your attention is here directed: fubjects which amidst the gaiety of life are apt to vanish from your thoughts, but which, if you are defirous. to preserve your virtue, or to fecure the favour of your Maker, it will become you frequently to recall.

Though, therefore, we do not flatter you

with the hope of receiving any new information to gratify an idle curiofity, yet we truft that you will be fufficiently rewarded for a temporary interruption of your pleasures, if, by means of the inftitutions of religion, you are awakened to ferious thought, if your cha racters are thereby revealed to you, if you are admonished of the temptations that furround. you, and animated in thofe paths of holiness which lead to the habitation of God.

And imagine not, my friends, (when we thus admonish you to interrupt your amusements and pleafures), that we are influenced by that gloomy fpirit which condemns all human joy.. The pleafures which your conditions afford are the gifts of an indulgent Providence; which it becomes you to taste with chearfulne's, and which none but the ungenerous will envy you. We rejoice to behold the comforts that are fcattered fo liberally around you. We also would ministerto your joy, by opening to you thofe facred. confolations which religion is fitted to impart.. If you are alive to good impreffions, the exercifes in which we exhort you to mingle will prove a fource of the pureft delight; and you will return with exquifite relifh to enjoyments which you have interrupted for a feafon, when your fouls have afcended to that God from whom all your bleffings flow; when you have hallowed your earthly comforts by gratitude to the Giver of good, and confirmed yourfelves. in those virtuous habits which will adorn your

prefent profperity, while they fecure your eternal blifs.

Such is the foundation of the duty which the apoftle recommends. It is a duty which you owe to God; it is a duty which you owe to your brethren; it is a duty which you owe to yourselves; and though there were no exprefs commandment requiring you to "af"femble yourselves together," it is a duty of moral obligation which you could not innocently neglect.

But if the institutions of religion be of divine appointment; if the Sabbath be a day confecrated by God to commemorate the bleffings of creation and redemption; if the fanctuary be the place in which the Almighty reveals. himfelf moft graciously to his children; the duty recommended to you affumes a more folemn appearance, as being enforced by that high authority which all are bound to respect. Yes, the Almighty hath declared, that the infiitutions of religion are his appointment... Thefe are the facred channels in which his bleffings flow. "This is the day which he "Kath made ;" and the temple is the chofen fcene in which he reveals himfelf moft graciously to men.

Rejoice, then, when it is faid unto you, "Go ye up unto the house of God. When "he faith, Seek ye my face; let your hearts reply, Thy face, O Lord, will we feck. Come "to his houfe in company, with the voice of

"joy

"joy and gladnefs, with the multitude that "keep holy days. Strength is within his fanc"tuary, and there his glory thines. He loveth "the gates of Zion more than all the dwell"ings of Jacob." While here we affemble ourselves in his name, "He is in the midst of ❝us to bless us." From the place in which angels worship, he bends his ear to our prayers, and smiles in mercy on those who seek him where he hath promifed to be found. ← Surely the Lord is in this place! It is good " for us to be here. This is the house of "God. This is the gate of heaven.”

SERMON III.

On Jacob's Vifion at Bethel.

By JOHN JOHNSTONE, V. D. M. of Crofsmichael.

Preached at the celebration of the Lord's Supper.

GEN. XXviii. 16. 17.

And Jacob awaked out of his fleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and faid, How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of hea

ven.

AT fundry times, and in divers manners, the

Almighty hath made himfelf known to his. people. When he hath placed them in uncommon fituations, he hath used uncommon or miraculous means, to give them impreffions of his prefence, intimations of his will, or affu rances of his care and regard. Striking appearances have been made to their fenfes, or fecret operations have been felt on their fpirits. "On Sinai he descended amidst thun"ders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on. "the Mount, and the voice of a trumpet." He appointed the Shekinah to be the glory of the temple in which he was to be served and

adored.