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of the law of God. Listen to that solemn Amen with which the people confirmed all the words of that law, and expressed their full sense and acknowledgment of the justice of the curse which it pronounced against transgressors. And then think that there is yet to come another day more awful even than that, another solemnity more full both of transporting joy and sickening terror. Read the twenty-fifth chapter of St. Matthew's gospel. There you will find that all nations will be gathered before the Son of Man when he appears in his glory, and all the holy angels with him; that as the different tribes of Israel stood on the two separate mountains, so these will be placed, some on his right hand and some on his left; that then the blessing will be pronounced to those on his right hand in these terms, "Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world," and the curse will be pronounced on those on his left hand in these terms, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels." Yes, Brethren,

and remember that while the blessing and the curse were spoken to Israel as warnings, this blessing and this curse will be pronounced as the final doom; for these last "shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal." Oh! how the heart of those who shall receive the blessing will leap with joy within them, as they follow their Saviour into everlasting bliss. Oh! how the hearts of those who shall receive the curse will turn cold as ice with terror and horror, as they are driven into the black and fiery abodes of an eternal hell! Oh! how a well grounded anticipation of the blessing may now sustain and rejoice the soul of the pardoned sinner, and faithful servant of the Lord! And oh! how the fearful expectation of the curse must dismay the soul of him who is conscious that it still rests upon him! I say to you, my present hearers, as Moses to the Israelites, "See, I have set before you this day life and death, and good and evil. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore

choose life, that ye may live." The curse of the law has been borne by Jesus Christ in his own body on the tree in behalf of all who believe in and obey him. Then he has

redeemed from the curse of the law, being made a curse in their stead." The unbelieving and disobedient can have no part in his sacrifice and atonement. They are still of the works of the law and are under its curse. Oh! then turn all of you to him who removes the curse and gives the blessing, that you may live and not die eternally.

SERMON XIX.

ONE PLACE OF WORSHIP FOR THE JEWS.

DEUT. XII. 5.

Unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come.

No one duty which man has to perform in his social state is of more importance than that of public worship. All his primary duties indeed are those which he owes to God. His first duty as an individual is to "love the Lord his God with all his heart and all his mind and all his soul and all his strength." His first duty as the master of a house is to set up a family altar in it, to rule his household for God, and to bring up his children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. His first duty as the

member of a community is to join with his fellow men in the public worship of the Lord of all, and to testify thus, in the view of others, the deep regard which he has to the divine Being, and the obligations under which he lies to render him both honour and service.

The fulfilment of this duty was enjoined, and provision made for its performance, under the Mosaic dispensation. The first recognition of it had been by the appointment of the Sabbath. In the wilderness Moses was directed to build the tabernacle, where alone their offerings were to be made, and their solemn services performed; and upon their permanent establishment in the land of Canaan, their worship was to have one permanently fixed place, as is enjoined in the text, and again in the tenth verse. Accordingly as soon as the Israelites were settled in Canaan under the conduct of Joshua, they set up the tabernacle in Shiloh, where it continued through all the time of the Judges and the reign of Saul, till it was removed by David to Jerusalem, and finally

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