ceived?" Surely not. To you, much more, for whose benefit, in this world and in the world to come, this House of God has been reared and consecrated, is the lesson addressed. See then that ye do not despise it. Count it not a common thing that all this region should be sanctified by the presence of a Church among you; that "The spire whose silent finger points to Heaven" will be an ever-present memento, that you are not an assemblage of isolated individuals, but, as having been" baptized into Christ "," thereby incorporated into one body, the Head of which has already ascended into that Heaven whither His true members shall shortly follow Him; that the holy building itself is consecrate, not to business, or to trade, but to the worship of our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier; that the ground around it is sacred to "Repose and hope amid eternal things"." Count it not a light thing, that in a district hitherto from its extent almost impracticable for pastoral superintendence, a minister of Christ is now fixed, to "watch for your souls"," to guard "the flock of God," to "feed His lambs "," to "preach the word; to reprove, to rebuke, to exhort with all longsuffer 66 ing and doctrine '." True, he must do these things as one "who must give account;" but at the same impartial tribunal must you also give your account whether you have "esteemed him very highly in love for his work's sake 2." While then you look with admiration on the material edifice, see that ye despise not him who has the name he bears as impersonating the Church's authority. "Let no man despise thy youth "," was the charge of the same Apostle who asked, " Despise ye the church of God?" Remember, therefore, whose person he represents, with what sanctions he comes; that it is the Lord of heaven and earth who has said, "He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me." And as on account of the office he bears, none may despise him, pray also that the grace of God may be so effectually with him, that no man may have reason to despise him. Knowing that the evil days are at hand, when "men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, traitors, heady, and highminded "," at the same time that he "speaks and exhorts with all authority," that none of these things may move him from patience, gentleness, and "meekness towards them that oppose themselves, if peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth "." 1 2 Tim. iv. 2. 2 1 Thess. v. 13. 3 1 Tim. iv. 12. 62 Tim. ii. 25. And for the truth's sake'," pray not for him alone, but for that Church also of which he is minister; that "HE that hath the key of David, HE that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; who knows her works, for she hath a little strength, and hath kept his word, and hath not denied his name, may also keep her from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, that she may have grace to hold fast that which she hath, and that no man may take her crown 3 " 7 2 John 2. THE END. 8 Rev. iii. 7, &c. GILBERT & RIVINGTON, Printers, St. John's Square, London. |