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on cold dry rules of economy; every thing is done by weight and measure; and nothing is spent but that which can in no way be spared. But of old, church building was a delight, a luxury, a passion. "Then men of wealth would build some glorious fane from foundation to turret, and those whose means were less abundant would furnish a pillar, a transept, or a choir: each man felt a paternal interest in his work; while he lived, he delighted to visit it, and watch its progress: when he died, his mortal remains were laid beneath the roof which he had raised, in hope of His coming, whose promise had called forth his bounty. Thus did church architecture arise, and thus was it perfected."* Eagerly too do men cleave to any temporal perpetuity-gladly do they seize any means of protracting their identity, and entailing on any line whatever, so as it may seem another self, the property, the dignity and station, which they are forced to leave behind. But what freehold is so ancient as the Church's, the antiquity of whose material structures has by this time become an impressive type of our everlasting inheritance?

So far from there being any thing great or heroic in dedicating superfluous wealth to such a purpose as church building, we might rather suppose it the most obvious outlet of human creativeness, and of that natural desire of continuing to do good in the world, even when one's own days are numbered. But in addition to this craving of nature, the Christian lives in hope, and by his very vocation looks to the future rather than to the present. He stands on the rock of ages, and delights to lay thereon the foundations of the eternal city. He feels that his church is of the living, and of the dead, and of those that are yet unborn. He has ever before him the vision of that vast assembly, that shall stand before the judgment seat, made up not only of all kindreds, but of all generations. He therefore abhors what is transient; he dreads to connect the chief works of his life with the stream of temporal things, which shall pass away and their place be no where found; and he clings to that which shall still endure. Then what a gracious permission, what a blessed opportunity, what an incredible privilege it seems, that men may build a house of God, that they may open a gate to heaven, that they may draw the waters of life from the flinty rock.*

We have already given an illustration of the architecture of the exterior of one of our old churches; the following may be considered as a fair specimen of the modern style. It is the District Church of St. Paul, Islington (Ball's Pond), built from the designs of Mr. Barry, at the cost of £10, 947 16s. 6d., and will accommodate 1,750 persons.

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It is one of the most rural looking of all our suburban churches, and wants but a little discoloration and better planting about it to pass for a veritable country church.

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It is composed of a lofty nave lighted from above the roof of the aisles, a square substantial brick tower with angular buttresses surmounted by croketted pinnacles, and two aisles lighted by lancet-headed windows, which are separated by dwarf buttresses. The design is pure in taste, and drawn from the best sources of our English architecture. The gallery over the altar we consider contrary to ecclesiastical usage. It was consecrated by the Bishop of London, August 23, 1828.

We should ever remember, however, the great design for which these sacred temples are erected the public worship of Almighty God. This includes in it all that reverence, fear, love, and obedience, to which as our Creator, He is entitled, and which as His creatures we are bound to pay Him. It is a duty enforced and sanctioned by various precepts, promises, threatenings, and examples, both in the Old and New Testament. And whatever God appoints by special authority, He graciously engages to bless, provided it be attended with right dispositions and proper motives; "Thou meetest Him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember Thee in Thy ways." We are therefore deeply interested and obligated to form and maintain such devotional habits of preparation for the sanctuary, that its waters may be to us, from Sabbath to Sabbath, cleansing, healing, and refreshing. We find that David felt the necessity of this preparation of mind: "O send out Thy light and Thy truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to Thy holy hill, and to Thy tabernacle. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy." We also read that Ezra "prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord to do it;" in doing which, we may conclude, that he disengaged his mind from everything foreign to the spirit of religion.

Now if we wish to derive all that spiritual benefit from the instituted ordinances of religion which they are designed to convey, it becomes us to use those means which will prepare our minds for them.

1. We should attend upon them in the spirit of prayer. Previously to entering the house of God we should acquire a devout and serious frame of mind-freed from the cares of this world, and accompanied with earnest desires to God, that the services of His temple may be rendered truly profitable to our souls, and to the souls of others. The duties of the closet have the happiest tendency, by solemnizing and elevating the mind, to prepare it for those of the sanctuary.

2. We should especially seek the aid of the Holy Spirit. All the success that attends the services of religion, proceeds from the Divine operation of the Spirit of God. He quickens the soul that is dead in sin, and illuminates the dark understanding. He explains to the believer the truths of God, leads him in the way of holiness, and strengthens him for his warfare.

3. Faith should be in lively exercise. One great obstacle to spiritual improvement in hearing the Word of God is the want of faith. The apostle tells the Hebrew Christians" that the Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." This faith consists not so much in a mere intellectual assent to the truths of the Gospel, as in an inward digesting of the principles of religion. And it is only when this spirit is in lively exercise, that we shall desire the sincere milk of the word, that we may grow thereby.

4. We should approach the sanctuary with feelings of reverence. God, says the Psalmist, "is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him." A profound sense of our unworthiness should ever accompany us in all our approaches to God, but more especially in those of His house. "Keep thy foot," says Solomon, "when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not what they do." The solitary bell which calls us to the house of God, and which chides our lingering steps if too late, and animates us forward, should remind us that we are about to enter more immediately into the solemn presence of Almighty God. Herbert forcibly expresses the state of mind which should accompany us into the sanctuary:

"When once thy foot enters the church, be bare.
God is more there than thou: for thou art there
Only by His permission. Then beware,

And make thyself all reverence and fear."

5. More particularly, whenever we go up to God's house, let us seek those very dispositions in the use of the Liturgy, which our Reformers exercised in the framing of it. All that is wanting, says the late Mr. Simeon, is a heart suited to the Liturgy. "Let us only suppose," says he, "that on any particular occasion there were in all of us such a state of mind as the Liturgy is suited to express; what glorious worship would ours be! and how certainly would God delight to hear and bless us ! We will not say, that he would come down and fill the house with His visible glory, as He did in the days of Moses and Solomon; but we will say, that He would come down and fill our souls with such a sense of His presence and love, as would transform us into His blessed image, and constitute a very heaven upon earth."

6. A diligent perusal of the Word of God will tend very much to prepare the mind for the sanctuary; more especially those portions appointed for the day. These may be considered as the daily bread provided by the Church for all her children. Especially would we recommend (when time will permit) the study of the scope and meaning of the Psalms of the day, and also the petitions contained in the Collect, and their agreement both in sentiment and language with God's Word, and also the general harmony which prevails between them and those portions of Scripture selected for the Gospel and Epistle. By this means we shall be enabled to enter upon the service of the church with the heart and with the understanding also; and our public worship will hereby become a spiritual and intelligent service, acceptable to the Lord.

In short, we should learn to worship as sinners-as those who are undeserving so high a privilege, as that of being permitted Sabbath after Sabbath to approach unto God in His holy temple. From week to week, from day to day, and from hour to hour, we transgress some precept of our God: not unreasonably then are we called upon to kneel before Him in His house, and publicly acknowledge our guiltiness-that our sins may be forgiven through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Islington. A CRYPTO-PILGRIM.

HORTATORY SERIES.

THE PROCLAMATION OF PEACE, AND ITS EFFECTS.

A SERMON BY THE REV. W. JAY.

PREACHED AT THE TABERNACLE, KINGSWOOD, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1839.

"I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him saith the Lord: and I will heal him."-Isaiah lvii. 19.

the "pearl of great price;" the "kingdom of heaven," and the "kingdom of God;" the Gospel of our salvation, "the glorious Gospel of the blessed God."

that is near, How few, my brethren, of the subBut " one thing is needful" and all jects, which continually demand our at- important. This regards God, and the tention, are really deserving of them! soul and eternity. This is what our We "walk in a vain show ;' we "dis-Saviour called the "leaven hid in the quiet ourselves in vain!" we "spend our meal;" the "treasure hid in the field;" money for that which is not bread, and our labour for that which satisfieth not;" and we return jaded from all our excursions of avarice and ambition and pleasure, with the old inquiry, "Who will show us any good?" And where is the person who will not, after a while, allow, that Solomon only speaks the words of truth and soberness, when he affirms, "Vanity, vanity, all is vanity and vexation of spirit ?"

Isaiah hails, with peculiar emotion, the introduction of this dispensation. He represents it under various images, to shadow forth a little of its claims and excellencies and blessedness; and it is of this he speaks in the name of Jehovah, in the words which I have now read.

"I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace, to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him."

Four things must pass under our review. The first regards the mercy of the proclamation; "Peace, peace!" The second regards the persons to whom it is addressed; "him that is far off, and him that is near,saith the Lord." The third regards the efficiency of its influence; “and I will heal him." And the fourth, the fruit that it is to produce; "I create the fruit of the lips.'

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going to send His only begotten Son into the world to accomplish it? Why, we should have said, Surely He will not spare the guilty; surely He will come in flaming fire with His holy angels, taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey Him not. But His "thoughts are not our thoughts, nor His ways our ways." He therefore, we are told, sent His only begotten Son into the world, "not to condemn the world, but that the world, through Him, might be saved." He, Himself, comes forward arrayed as the God of love. There were difficulties in the way of I. Observe THE MERCY OF THE PRO- our reconciliation; He removes them. CLAMATION. Peace, peace." Now A ransom was necessary; He provides from this word the Gospel derives its it. A righteousness was requisite; He name and its quality; as it is written, furnishes it. He " spared not His own "How beautiful upon the mountains are Son, but delivered Him up for us all," the feet of them that preach the Gospel that we may have the assurance, that of peace!" There are some here, who with Him, He will also "freely give us would take the word here more gene- all things." And therefore it is not the rally; and it is well known, that among voice of war, it is not the voice of venthe Hebrews and the easterns the geance, that we hear. War! war!' word peace was frequently used to ex-no; but it is the voice of "Peace! press wealth, or happiness at large, or peace!" what we commonly mean by prosperity. You will observe, and remember, that Thus Joseph said to Pharaoh, "God God does not, in this dispensation, wait shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace." for our submission and our application; Thus Artaxerxes superscribed his letter He forms the plan Himself, and He ac-"And at such a time, peace." Thus complishes; and having "made peace David says, "Peace be within thy walls by the blood of the cross," and having and prosperity within thy palaces; opened "a new and living way into the where the latter expression is taken to holiest of all by the blood of Jesus," be explanatory of the former. But the He himself advances, He comes forterm is here to be taken in its more ward, He invites us, and He presses appropriate significancy, as intending to us to enter in. Hid, as we were, among convey to us the notion of reconciliation. the trees of the garden by fear, the Reconciliation with whom? Reconci- voice of thunder would only have driven liation with God, through the media- us in further among them; but the "still tion of Him, who died for us, and rose small voice" of "Peace" draws us forth, again; of which the apostle speaks, brings us to His dear feet, and encourages when he says, "God was in Christ re. us to pray, "Lord, I am Thine; save me ! conciling the world unto Himself, not Lord, I am Thine; employ me!" imputing their trespasses unto them, Too well, my brethren, do we know and hath committed unto us the Word the horrors and the alarms of war. of reconciliation; so then we are am- There is no creature, perhaps, which bassadors for God; as though God did has not the power to injure you when beseech you by us, we pray you, in it is provoked; but says Solomon, Christ's stead, be ye reconciled unto wrath of a king is as the roaring of a God." We had provoked Jehovah, and lion." What then must the wrath of GoD He could easily and righteously have be? "Who knoweth the power of His destroyed us; we lay entirely at His anger? Even according to His fear, so mercy, and we had no claim to His is His wrath." You are afraid of a pity. And what would have been the forebodings, of our conscience, if we had been informed that God was forming a purpose concerning us, and that He was

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creature. But a creature's rage, however violent, is necessarily limited. It is limited by time. You are afraid of man that shall die, and the son of man that shall

be made as grass. But here you fall into the hands of the living God. Man's rage is also limited by weakness. He may injure your reputation, or your business, or your substance, or your health; yea, he may destroy the body; but there is no more that he can do; the soul is beyond his reach. But God can strike immediately upon the spirit, and, after He has killed the body, can destroy the soul in hell. Oh! to be at war with God!

Is this the case with any of you? At war with God, who "is about your path, and your lying down, and is acquainted with all your ways?" At war with God, who is behind and before you? At war with God in whose hands your breath is, and whose are all your ways? At war with Him, whose look is annihilation ?-as Job says, "Thine eye is upon me, and I am not." Who has not tasted the bitterness of allenation? Who has not enjoyed the luxury of renewed and restored sentiments of friendship and tenderness? But what is peace with a friend, peace with a brother, peace with a father, compared with peace with God? In His favour is life, and His loving kindness is better than life. Who cau describe this calm after such a tremendous storm? It is a "peace which passeth all understanding." It is angels' food; it is more; as you have been singing

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"Never did angels taste above, Redeeming grace and dying love." Angels never knew what it was to have a "certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation" to be delivered from: they never felt the anguish of a wicked conscience, and therefore they never felt the sunshine of rising hope beaming upon their distressed spirit. But the Christian, by faith placing his arms around the cross, can say with the apostle, "We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement."

He can

join with the church of old and say, O Lord, I will praise Thee; though Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away and Thou comfortest me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation."

II. You are reminded of THE PERSONS

TO WHOM THIS PROCLAMATION OF PEACE IS ADDRESSED. Is it addressed to a few only? No, but to many. To many To all of one only? No, but to all. class only? No, but of every condition. "Peace, peace, to him that is far off, and to him that is near."

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Now this, my brethren, immediately regards the Jews and the Gentiles. We cannot be mistaken here; for we have the language of the apostle, who says, "He is our peace who hath made both one"-that is Jews and Gentiles-" and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; and came and preached peace by Jesus Christ to you who were afar off"-(ye Ephesians, Gentiles, heathens)" and to them that were nigh"-Jews. There was a remarkable difference, you will observe, between these. The Israelites were a people," it is said in the Psalms, "near unto Him;" because-(not as to His essential presence, but as to His spiritual, peculiar, gracious presence)-His residence was among them. There were His oracles; there were His ministers; there was His temple. On the other hand, the Gentiles were "far off;" because they were destitute of all this, living without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenant of promise, without hope, and without God with them in the world.

This distinction between Jews and Gentiles continued till the death of our Saviour; for you will observe, that when He was upon earth, He was the minister of the circumcision only. He said, as to His personal preaching, "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" and when He sent forth the twelve apostles, and the seventy disciples, you will remember that He forbad their going either among the Gentiles, or even among the Samaritans. This does not look like the nature or the language of the Gospel dispensation; but you will find, that, after His death, when He had "made peace by the blood of His cross," and when He was risen from the dead, then His language accorded with the nature of the dispensation which had now commenced-that is, the evangelical. He therefore said to His disciples. "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature."" Preach," said He, "repentance and remission of sins among all

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