a prayerful, believing, and practical spirit; to each of which many promises are attached, and all of which are necessary qualifications for the profitable performance and improvement of the means of grace.

We do not merely need a spirit of prayer, in order to engage in the more devotional parts of divine service, it is equally needful in order to profit by hearing the word of God and the preaching of the Gospel; that we may make a prayerful application of the truth to ourselves, and that it may be carried home with divine power to our hearts, and rendered effectual through the mighty operation of the Holy Spirit.

The spirit of faith, too, is not only essential in order that we may draw nigh to God, and offer unto him an acceptable service of prayer and praise, but also to render the word of God profitable, "for the word preached cannot profit, unless mixed with faith in them that hear it."

A practical spirit, likewise, is of the utmost importance. Scripture strongly enjoins it; and our Lord submits his divine mission to this test,"If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God."-John vii. 17. Nor is this spirit merely necessary in order to understand the truth; but the truth, when known, is rendered effectual by being practised; therefore St. James exhorts us,-" Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves;" and, as has been well observed, "a ser

mon is not done with when it is preached, for it has yet to be practised."

Without further enlarging upon the spirit in which the services of the sanctuary ought to be attended, we would bring our subject to a practical conclusion, by adverting to a simple consideration, which is calculated to exercise over us a most salutary influence, and will supply us with abundant matter for our own private meditation. If the temple of God below is designed as a type of, as well as a preparation for, the temple of God above, surely we cannot have too enlarged views of its spiritual advantages, or anticipate too much pure and holy delight from engaging in its services. And the same motives which induce us to long to enter our heavenly inheritance, should constrain us to a diligent attendance upon the services of God's house. Above all, the spirit which fits and qualifies us for the enjoyment of heaven, will be our best preparation for engaging in the duties of the tabernacle below. Let us then, dear brethren, when we come to worship in God's holy temple, endeavour to acquire the spirit we would wish to be in if we were then to be translated to his temple above. And the spirit which would best fit us for the sanctuary above, we shall find our best preparation for the duties of the sanctuary below. This subject, we say, will afford abundant matter for most profitable meditation, and diligent self-examination. And so largely did the saints of old indulge in such reflections, that it is sometimes difficult to ascertain, whether they speak of the

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temple below or the temple above; for so exalted were their views of the former, that many have supposed them to be speaking of the latter, though, on examination, the context is found to be opposed to such an interpretation.

May we be enabled to entertain the same views of the advantages of public worship as the saints of old, and then we may expect as fully to participate in the blessings of the sanctuary as they did, and to engage in its services from the same motives, and in the same spirit, as those of David, when he said, “As for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy; and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple." Amen.

SERMON VI.

THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH RENDER AN ATTEND. ANCE UPON THE SERVICES OF THE SANCTUARY UNPROFITABLE.

MALACHI iii. 14.

"YE HAVE SAID, IT IS VAIN TO SERVE GOD; AND

WHAT PROFIT IS IT THAT WE HAVE KEPT HIS ORDINANCES, AND THAT WE HAVE WALKED MOURNFULLY BEFORE THE LORD OF HOSTS ?"

THAT the services of the sanctuary are frequently attended, and engaged in, without spiritual profit, cannot admit of reasonable doubt. To many of our public worshippers, with whom this is obviously the case, the subject is a matter of little concern, and no anxiety: to others, it is a subject of deep regret and painful solicitude, to see multitudes, some of whom may be near and dear to them, engaging in the public duties of religion without profit, or to feel that they themselves derive comparatively so little benefit from those services, which were designed to convey the richest spiritual blessings, and from which many derive the greatest advantage and find the greatest comfort.

This subject, which has been the complaint of the church in all ages, forms the burden of the prophecy of Malachi. The Lord, after strongly censuring the manner in which the services of his house were engaged in, and its duties performed, charges the people, in the words of our text, with saying, "It is in vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?" This fearful avowal on the part of man, respecting the service of God, is corroborated by the Lord himself, Matthew xv. 9-“In vain they do worship me." And he testifies of such worshippers, in the first chapter and tenth verse of this prophecy-"I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand." Again, in the thirteenth verse, we find the people declaring of the service of God-"Behold, what a weariness it is." And in the prophecies of Isaiah, i. 14, the Lord declares of their services, "They are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them." And does nothing similar to this exist in our day, and among ourselves? Observation and experience afford melancholy proof that many public worshippers find the service of God both unprofitable and unpleasant.

The circumstances, therefore, which render an attendance upon the services of the sanctuary unprofitable form an important subject of enquiry; and if entered upon in a proper spirit may, under the blessing of God, be productive of great prac