merits of his death for the pardon of their sins, and the influences of his Holy Spirit for the sanctification of their disordered natures, and for their exaltation to the bliss of that heavenly kingdom of which they are made heirs. This is that holy society which, by its divinely appointed ministers, and sacraments, and ordinances, becomes the mean and the pledge to the penitent, and the humble, and the faithful, of those blessings of the Christian covenant, pardon, and grace, and immortal life, to which, sinful man by nature has no claim-which, merited for him only by the sufferings and death of the Son of God, he must accept on those conditions which his offended Maker prescribes, and receive through the channel of those ordinances which his divine Lord hath constituted.

The Almighty Lawgiver indeed is not restrained by his own institutions-which, however, are indispensably binding upon those on whom they are imposed. He may and will dispense with them in all cases where a compliance with them shall be found impracticable, or the neglect of them occasioned by involuntary error; for he is not a hard Master, reaping where he has not sown, and gathering where he has not strewed. But one thing appears absolutely and universally indispensable to salvation, which, the free gift of God in Christ, the benevolent heart delights to think he will confer on every man who, according to his abilities and opportunities, to the measure vouchsafed to him of external light or internal illumination, sincerely seeks to know and to do the will of the Being who made him-this is the essence of that faith which believes that God is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him; this alone is ab

solutely, in all cases, indispensable to salvation. Still, charity must not dispense with truth.

Our duty is to seek what are the institutions which God has prescribed as the means and pledges of his mercy and grace, and humbly and reverently to receive them. It is infinite condescension on his part, and demands our gratitude, that he bestows on us the visible tokens of his favour; that, through his power, simple and easy observances convey to the humble, and penitent, and believing such incalculable benefits. It is in the reverential and devout administration of the sacraments that the servant of the sanctuary is made the dispenser of the blessings of pardon, and of grace, and of life eternal. It is in the devout and humble reception of these sacraments that these blessings are assured to the faithful, that the declaration is verified, "The Lord is in this place."

May this declaration be verified to you, my reverend brother, the minister of this church, and you, the people of his charge--verified in your experience of the purifying, consoling, and exalting power of the word which is here to be preached, the worship which is here to be celebrated, and the sacraments and ministrations which are here to be dispensed. Past observation authorizes the strong and gratifying expectation, that the duties assigned to my valued presbyter who is here to officiate, will all be discharged under the awful impression of the conviction that involves every motive which can excite or awe, that "the Lord is in this place." We hope, we are confident, that the word of God will here be proclaimed with fidelity, his worship devoutly performed, and his ministrations and ordinances duly celebrated by him who has given VOL. II. 6

such full evidence that he knows his high duties, and that, through God's grace, he will perform them. But what if the people of his charge be not influenced by the same awakening and solemn sentiment? Alas! the word, the worship, the ordinances, and the ministrations of this temple will then only tend to their condemnation. Brethren, we hope better things of you. With most laudable zeal, and taste, and art, and singular liberality, worthy of the highest praise, and which we hold forth to imitation, you have erected an edifice which will be the pride of our church and the ornament of our city, in that grand, and imposing, and majestic style of architecture which is calculated to awaken and cherish the feelings of solemnity and awe. Let these feelings be heightened and confirmed by the consideration of the invisible Majesty which fills this sanctuary. "The Lord is in this place." Never enter this temple but with this conviction; never let its awful energy cease to operate on your minds. The Lord is present, to hear your confessions, to answer your supplications and intercessions, to accept your homage and your thanks. The Lord is here present, to bless to you his holy word, to make the ministrations and ordinances of this sanctuary the means and pledges to you of pardon, of holiness, of life eternal. Alas! when we contrast our imperfection and unworthiness with the majesty, and holiness, and justice of that God who here invisibly dwells, and who witnesses and will bring into judgment our sins, we are led to exclaim with the patriarch, under similar emotions-" How dreadful is this place!" But when we turn the strong vision of faith to the mercy-seat which is here invisibly erected, and behold the great

Mediator Jesus Christ sealing our pardon, and the divine Sanctifier, even the Holy Ghost, dispensing his all-powerful grace, the feelings of dread and of terror subside into the holy emotions of peace and of hope-we delight to visit this temple, to behold here the fair beauty of the Lord; and if our pardon be indeed secured by lively faith, and our souls be indeed renewed in righteousness, this "house of God" will prove to us the "gate of heaven"-the vestibule that opens to that celestial Zion, to which the Lord is an everlasting light, and God himself an eternal glory; and where, receiving continual accessions of truth, of holiness, of felicity from the infinite source of perfection and good, we shall exclaim, in the transports of grateful love and adoration-" Surely the Lord is in this place." God grant, my brethren, that, by the services of this earthly sanctuary, purified from sin and adorned with all the graces of the Spirit, we may meet and abide in that blest place, in the fruition of the divine glory, for ever and ever.

SERMON IV.

CONSECRATION OF A CHURCH.

PSALM XXIV.

The earth is the Lord's, and all that therein is; the compass of the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and prepared it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall rise up in his holy place? Even he that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; and that hath not lift up his mind unto vanity, nor sworn to deceive his neighbour. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him; even of them that seek thy face, O Jacob. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King of glory? it is the Lord strong and mighty, even the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King of glory? even the Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.-Prayer Book Trans.

THIS psalm, sublime in its sentiments, magnificent in its structure, and beautiful in its imagery, was composed by David, and sung by the priests and Levites, on the joyful event of carrying the ark of the Lord, which had hitherto wandered from place to place, to its settled habitation on Mount Zion. The whole nation of Israel, headed by their king, and by the priests and Levites, bore in splendid procession the ark of the Lord,-while this psalm, chanted in alternate strains by the sacred choirs, and accompanied by the triumphant and