judgments on the profanation of the sabbath, and a promise of His blessing on its conscientious observance. From all which it will most plainly appear, 1. that the religious observance of a sabbath has ever been most highly regarded by Almighty God; See below. 2. that it is our indispensable duty to be constant in our attendance on the public worship of God in His own house; p. 173. 3. that God is in a peculiar manner present in places duly appointed and set apart for religious worship: having promised that the prayers which are put up to Him there shall always meet with a more gracious and ready acceptance; and be rewarded with larger communications of his grace and bounty; p. 175. 4. that our frequenting the public ordinances of religion will by no means atone for viciousness or immorality of life; inasmuch as all the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord; and those made by them in His house, being only a more solemn mockery, will bring down a curse rather than a blessing; p. 177. 5. that besides the qualifications necessary to entitle our prayers generally to the favour and acceptance of God, (as set forth in the office of daily devotions, p. 1.) the particular qualifications to render our public devotions acceptable are a gravity and decency of behaviour suitable to the sacredness of the place, and an attentive, religious frame of mind, such as becomes the tremendous Presence we are in, and the important business we are about; p. 178. 1. Religious observance of a sabbath &c. YE shall keep My sabbaths, and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord'. 1 Lev. xxvi. 2. Hallow My sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God'. Every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer; their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon Mine altar; for My house shall be called an house of prayer for all people '. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words; then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it3. 2. Duty of attending public worship &c. TAKE heed to thyself, that thou offer not thy burntofferings in every place that thou seest *. But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put His Name there, even unto His habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come 3. And when all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God, in the place which He shall choose; thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men, women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, 1 Ezek. xx. 20. 2 Isa. lvi. 6, 7. * Deut. xii. 13. 3 Ibid. lviii. 13, 14. 5 Deut. xii. 5. that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law and that their children which have not known any thing may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as ye live'. And many people shall go and say, come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths 2. And it came to pass while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God". And all that believed were together. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And they continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart". Let us consider one another, to provoke unto love, and to good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is '. Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour3. Give thanks, O Israel, unto God the Lord in the congregations, from the ground of the heart'. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord 10. Let them exalt Him also in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the assembly of the elders". As for me, I will come into Thy house in the mul titude of Thy mercy; and in Thy fear will I worship toward Thy holy temple 1. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation 2. I will declare Thy Name unto my brethren; in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee 3. My praise shall be of Thee in the great congregation; I will pay my vows before them that fear Him *. 3. God peculiarly present in places of public worship &c. THE Lord spake unto Moses, saying, speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart, ye shall take my offering 3. And let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them 6. Thou in Thy mercy hast led forth the people which Thou hast redeemed; Thou hast guided them in Thy strength unto Thy holy habitation'. Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of Thine inheritance; in the place, O Lord, which Thou hast made for Thee to dwell in; in the sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have established". Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt-offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house 9. And the Lord appeared unto Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to Myself for an house of sacrifice. 1 Psalm v. 7. 2 Ibid. cxi. 1. 3 Ibid. xxii. 22. If I shut up heaven that there be no rain; or if I command the locusts to devour the land; or if I send pestilence among My people; if My people, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now Mine eyes shall be open, and Mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that My Name may be there for ever; and Mine eyes and Mine heart shall be there perpetually1. Jesus saith unto them, again, I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father Which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place 3. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost; and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance*. And the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls". The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God". For the Lord hath chosen Zion: He hath desired it for His habitation. This is My rest for ever; here will I dwell, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread. 1 2 Chron. vii. 12-16. 4 Ibid. ver. 4. 2 Matt. xviii. 19, 20. 3 Acts ii. 1. 5 Ibid. ver. 41. 6 Psalm lxxxvii. 2, 3. |