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We fhall, in the most devout and humble manner and posture, befeech him to pardon what is past, and to amend what is amifs in us for the time to come. We fhall adore the mercy of God, who fpares us when we deferve punishment: and in all the duties we perform, we shall fhew by our outward devout behaviour, that our hearts do really go along with our lips, in every thing we ask of God, or fay of him.

We fhall confider God as speaking to us by his word, and by his ministers; and we shall attend to what is spoken, and to our duty told us, with humility and patience.

And lastly; We shall receive the bleffing of God pronounced by his own minifter, with the greatest devotion and thankfulness, being affured by God himself, that his bleffing shall be upon them that do fo: They fhall put my name, faith God, upon the children of Ifrael, and I will bless them.

That I may leave a greater impreffion upon your minds of the value of fuch a bleffing, I will rehearse to you the manner of that people receiving it. You will find it in the fiftieth chapter of Ecclefiafticus, at the 21ft verse, in these words: When they had finished the fervice, then the priest went down, and lifted up his hands over the whole congregation, to give the bleffing of the Lord with his lips; and they bowed themfelves down to worship, that they might receive a bleffing from the Most High.

• Numb. vi.

With which bleffing I fhall conclude this whole difcourfe:-The Lord bless you, and keep you. The Lord make his face to fhine upon you, and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you, and give you peace evermore.

Now to Him be glory, dominion, and power, for ever and ever. Amen.

SERMON

SERMON XCII.

AT THE CONSECRATION OF DOUGLAS CHAPEL.

EXOD. XX. 24.

IN ALL PLACES WHERE I RECORD MY NAME, I WILL COME UNTO THEE, AND I WILL BLESS THEE.

W

HETHER we confider the honour we do to God in dedicating a place to his name, or the benefit we propose to ourfelves, in fetting fuch a decent place apart for God's fervice, where we hope he will vouchsafe us his more efpecial presence and bleffings; either of thefe confiderations is fufficient to make us very cheerful upon this occafion.

That which I have to fay upon this fubject shall be very far from leffening your joy; for I shall endeavour to fatisfy you in these following particulars:

It. That this ancient promise of God's efpecial prefence in all places where he records his name, belongs to us as well as to the Jews of old; and that God will meet us here and bless us.

2dly. I

2dły. I will endeavour to explain to you what we mean by God's efpecial prefence; when he is faid to come unto us to fuch places as are confecrated to his honour and fervice.

Laftly; I will fet before you the bleffings we may justly expect, from God's prefence in this place, and in all other places dedicated to his name.

I. Now, that this ancient promife belongs to us, as well as to the Jews, we have the word of God for it, which will ferve inftead of a thoufand reafons befides.

In Malachi' we have this exprefs prophecy, concerning the church of God in the days of the Meffiah: From the rifing of the fun even unto the going down of the fame, my name shall be great among the gentiles; and in every place incenfe (that is, holy prayers) shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering.

The meaning of which prophecy is this: The facrifices and fervice of the Jews, in whofe temple God had recorded his name, became at laft unacceptable unto God by reafon of their fins, as had been often told them by the prophets. Notwithstanding this, they depended upon God's favour and promises made unto their forefathers; they remembered the teftimony which God had given to their temple, when it was firft dedicated by Solomon; and by what providences he

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