SERM. preffed the Majefty of the Ancient of days, VIII. the thousand thousands miniftred unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand flood before him*. And from hence, when our bleffed Lord is reprefented as coming to judgment in the glory of his Father, this glory is explained to confift in the attendance of his boly Angels. And, to fhew that he is present after the fame manner in the places of his publick worship, the Jewish Tabernacle was required to be adorned with painted and carved Cherubims, not as the objects of the people's worship, (the whole Jewish difpenfation was most averse from every thing of that kind!) but as the attendants of that great King, to whom alone their incenfe and facrifices were addreffed. Accordingly the Prophet Isaiah, in his memorable vifion, faw the Lord fitting on a throne, with a train that filled the temple, (his glory, or Shechinab, as both the Seventy and the Evangelift explain it) namely, a train of Seraphs and angelick Spirits (as may be gathered from what follows). anfwering each other, and celebrating the praises of their common Lord. From whence we may understand that expreffion of the Pfalmift, Before the Gods (where both the Seventy and the vulgar Latin, render it, Before the Angels) will I fing praife * Dan. vii. 10. + Matt. xvi. 27. Mark viii. 38. unto unto thee, I will worship towards thy holy SERM. Temple; and that other of the Preacher, VIII. where he is profeffedly treating of vows made in the house of God: neither fay thou before the Angel that it was an error. And left we should suppose all this to be peculiar to the old difpenfation, which is faid to have been given by the difpofition of Angels, and as fuch is opposed to the Gofpel which was fpoken by the Son of God himself; it may be obferved, that the ministration of Angels does not cease under the new Teftament, but they are still declared to be all ministring spirits, fent forth to minifter for them who shall be heirs of falvation. And more particularly, their attendance in the places of our publick wor ship,, is most reasonably thought to be intimated in that paffage of St. Paul, where he advises, that the woman should have power on her head, (i. e. a covering, in token of her husband's power) becaufe of the Angels, it being fit that all things fhould be orderly and decent where they are the immediate witnesses of our behaviour. Nay, and the fame has been collected from the Text which we are now confidering, where the Patriarch Jacob, long before the giving of the Law, in confequence of the Angels whom he saw af * Pf. cxxxviii. 1, 2. + Ecclef. v. 6. xi. 10. 1 Cor. cending SERM. cending and defcending, declares the fame VIII. place which was the boufe of God, to be the gate of heaven; alluding (fome have thought*) to the ancient practice of Magiftrates to pronounce judgment in their city-gates, with their guards and officers about them. But perhaps this Phrase might better be taken in another view, as furnishing occafion for the II. SECOND Observation which was made on the Text, viz. that these Places of God's special prefence are made the means of communion between God and men, wherein both he is pleased to manifest himself to Mankind, and they are allowed to addrefs themselves to him, and find an entrance into the glories of his kingdom: For, this fame place which is faid to be the house of God, is moreover declared to be the gate of heaven. There is no doubt, but every faithful member of the church will hold a peaceable communion and fellowship with God, even in the most private retirements. But fince the most ample promises are made to the joint and united devotions of his people, it must also be confeffed that their affembling in the gates appropriate for that purpofe, is a neceffary means of improving and maintaining fuch communion. "Tis * Mede ut fupra. there there he has appointed his Word to be both SER M• read and expounded; and in the execution VIII. of this minifterial office, Chrift promised to be with his Apoftles and their fucceffors always, even to the end of the world. So that the people, provided they attend with honeft and religious minds, and neglect not any other proper means of information, may promise themselves much better fuccefs from thefe publick and inftituted ordinances, than from any private ftudies and endeavours of their own, when ufed and applied to exclufively of these. For a Divine illumination may be well expected to follow their obedience to a Divine command, as it is faid of Lydia in the Acts, that the Lord opened her heart, that She attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul*. It is again in these religious Affemblies, that we offer up our united prayers at the throne of grace, by the miniftry of such perfons as our Lord has authorized, and in fuch way and method as he has promifed to accept. For, where two or three (fays he) are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. It is here that we make a religious representation and memorial before God, of that all-fufficient facrifice which Christ made upon the cross for fin, and continually reprefents before the + Matt. xviii. 20. * Acts xvi. 14. VOL. III. P throne ( SERM. throne in heaven, thereby for ever making VIII. interceffion for us. And what more folemn inftance of our communion with God, than this which exhibits the great foundation of all our privileges, and only ground of our acceptance? It is here therefore, let me add, laftly, that the graces of the Spirit are plentifully fhed abroad, and that illumination and affiftance of the Holy Ghoft, which is the confequence of our Redemption, and liberally dispensed to all the faithful and diligent attenders on the Word and Sacraments. For, the hearing of the word (let it be carefully obferved) and adminiftration of the facraments, are means of grace as well as inftances of duty, and the prefent privileges of the church militant, were meant but as the methods of conproper ducting us to the future glories of the church triumphant. Whilft we are taught our duty, we are enabled to perform it; and the fecret influences of the bleffed Spirit are vouchfafed to conquer the corrupt propenfities of nature, and to help its weakness and infirmity. From all this we perceive how juftly the church is termed the gate of heaven, not only for the defcending and afcending of the Holy Angels, but likewife as it opens us an entrance into that ftate where there is fulness of joy, and whofe pleasures shall en dure |