^v OF pmcErS^

OCT 101988

BS 491 .5 .S5 1832 v. 4 Simeon, Charles, 1759-1836 Horae homileticae

THE

ENTIRE WORKS

REV. CHARLES SIMEON, M.A.

WITH COPIOUS INDEXES,

PREPARED BY THE REV.

THOMAS HARTWELL HORNE, B.D.

London;

PRINTED UY niCIIAUD CLAY, I!RE.\ D-STUEFT-II I l,L.

^f

J^ IxXU U

HOR^ HOMILETIC^:

DISCOURSES

(PRINCIPALLY IN THE FORM OF SKELETONS)

NOW FIRST DIGESTED INTO ONE CONTINUED SERIES, AND FORMING A COMMENTARY

UPON EVERY BOOK OF

THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT;

TO WHICH IS ANNEXED, AN IMPROVED EDITION OF A TltANSLATION OF

CLAUDE'S ESSAY ON THE COMPOSITION OF A SERMON.

IN TWENTY-ONE VOLUMES.

•

BY THE REV. CHARLES SIMEON, M.A.

SENIOR lEI.I.OW OF KING'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.

VOL. IV.

FIRST OF CHRONICLES TO JOB.

LONDON:

HOLDSWORTH AND BALL,

18, ST. Paul's ciiurcit-yard.

MDCCC XXXII.

CONTENTS TO VOL. IV.

Uisco,„.se.	Text.	Subject.	Page.
	1 CHRONICLES
383.	iv. 10.	The Prayer of Jabez	1
384.	xii. 32.	The Propriety of considering Times
		and Circumstances	4
385.	xvi. 7—15.	David's Thanksgiving at the carrying
		up of the Ark	9
380.	xvi. 43.	David's Attention to his Household .	14
387.	xvii. 24.	God's Relation to his People	16
388.	xxii. 9, 10.	Solomon a Type of Christ . . . .	23
389.	xxii. 19.	Seeking after God	28
390.	xxviii. 9.	David 's Advice to Solomon ....	31
391.	xxix. 2.	David 's Preparation for the Temple .	35
392.	xxix. 15.	Saints Strangers on Earth ....	39
393.	xxix. 17.	Uprightness of Heart required .	43
394.	xxix. 17, 18. 2 CHRONICLES	Liberality in God's Service commended	49
395.	V. 13, 14.	Use of Church Music	57
396.	vi. 7, 8.	God's Acceptance of David's good
		Desires	65
397.	vi. 18.	Condescension of God in becoming In-
		carnate	70
398.	vi. 41.	Dedication of the Temple ....	75
399.	vii. 15, 16.	God's Regard for his own House ,	79
400.	xi. 13, 16.	The Duty of Protestants	84
401.	xii. 7.	Humiliation the Means of Deliverance	88
402.	xii. 14.	The Evil of neglecting Prayer .	93
403.	xiii. 12.	Abijalis Remonstrance with Jeroboam	96
404.	XV. 2.	The Equity of the Divine Procedure .	100
405.	XV. 7, 8.	Encouragement to Exertion ....	103
406.	XV. 12—15.	Asa's Covenant with God ....	105
407.	xvi. 9.	God's Regard for his People . . .	112

VI

CONTENTS.

Tent.

408. 409.

410,

411.

412. 413. 414.

415.

416.

417.

418. 419.

420. 421. 422.

423. 424. 425. 426. 427. 428. 429. 430. 431. 432.

433. 434.

2 CHRONICLES

xvii. 9. xix. 2.

XX. 2 — 4.

XX. 20.

xxii. 3, 4.

xxiv. 2.

xxiv. 14.

xxv. 9.

XXV. 16.

xxvi. 5.

xxvi. 15, 16.

xxviii. 10.

xxviii. 22. xxix. 10, 11. xxix. 20—29.

xxix. 31. xxx. 1 — 11. XXX. 18—20. xxx. 22, 23. xxxi. 20, 21.

xxxii. 26.

xxxii. 31. xxxiii. 10 — 13.

xxxiv. 27. xxxvi. 15, 16.

EZRA

iii. 11—13. vi. 10.

The Royal Edict

Jehoshaphafs Connexion with Ahab re- proved

Prayer the best Means of defeating In- vasion

Faith the Means of National and Per- sonal Prosperity

The Danger of following evil Counsel

The Life and Character of Joash .

The Re-opening of the Temple by King Jehoash

Amaziah's Conflict between Duty and Interest

The Sin and Danger of despising God * Counsel

Connexion betiveen Diligence and Pros- perity

The bad Effects of Prosperity .

A Sense of Sinfulness a good corrective of evil Passions

The Conduct of Ahaz in his Distress .

The Use of covenanting with God .

Restoration of the Temple Worship by Hezekiali

After Confirmation

Hezekiah's Zeal for the Glory of God

God's Condescension to the Upright

Delight in Ordinances

Hezekiah's Character

Humiliation for the Sin of the Heart .

The Weakness and Depravity of Man

Manasseh's Repentance . . . . •

Josiah's Penitence

Forbearance of God brought to a Close

The Re-building of the Temple , Sermon on the King's Accession

Page.

116

127

132

137 140 146

151

155

160

166 167

171 177 181

185 190 193 197 203 206 211 214 218 222

226

230 236

W r

CONTENTS.

Diacoarse.	Text.	subject.	Page.
	EZRA
435.	vi. 14.	The Subserviency of a faithful Minis- try to the Erection of God's spiritual
		Temple	247
436.	vii. 23.	The Decree of Artaxerxes ....	250
437.	ix. 5, 6.	Ezra's Humiliation for the Sins of his
		People	256
438.	ix. 13, 11. NEHEMIAH	Use of God's diversified Dispensations	260
439.	ii. 20.	The Zeal of Nehemiah	264
440.	iv. 6.	The Efficacy of Zeal and Diligence .	267
441.	V. 15.	The Fear of God a Principle of Action	271
442.	vi. 3, 4,	Nehemiah's Firmness	275
443.	vi. 11.	Christian Firmness	278
444.	vi. 15.	The Expedition ivith which the Wall of
		Jerusalem was built	284
445.	viii. 5, 6.	Effect of Ezra's Preaching ....	289
446.	viii. 10. ESTHER	The Joy of the Lord is our Strength .	293
447.	iii. 8, 9.	Haman's murderous Proposal . . .	297
448.	ix. 27,28.	The Feast of Purim	302
449.	JOB i. 5.	Job's Anxiety foi- his Children . . .	308
450.	i. 9.	Uncharitable Judgment reproved .	314
451.	i. 20, 21.	Trials and Resignation of Job .	320
452.	ii. 11—13.	Friendly Sympathy illustrated .	325
453.	iii. 1.	Job curses the Day of his Birth	329
454.	iv. 12—19.	Eliphaz reproves Job	333
455.	V. 19—27.	The Security of God's People .	339
456.	vii. 1.	Man's Time on Earth fixed . . .	343
457.	viii. 8 — 14.	Bildad warns Job of the Danger of
		Hypocrisy	347
458.	ix. 2 — 4.	The Folly of Self-righteousness and
		Presumption	352
459.	ix. 20, 21.	The Evil of a self -justifying Spirit	357
460.	X. i.	Impatience reproved	362
461.	x. 7.	Conscious Integrity	367

CONTENTS.

4G2. 463. 464. 465. 466. 467. 468.

469, 470. 471. 472. 473. 474.

475.

476. 477. 478. 479. 480. 481. 482.

483. 484. 485. 486.

487. 488.

489. 490. 491. 492.

493.

JOB

xi. 7—12. xii. 5. xiv. 10. xiv. 14. XV. 31. xvi. 19. xvii. 9.

xix. 25—27.

XX. 4 — 7.

XX. 22.

xxi. 14, 15.

xxii. 21.

xxiii. 10.

xxiii. 12. xxiv. 13. xxvii. 6. xxix. 2. xxix. 11 — 16. xxx. 23. XXX. 25. xxxi. 14.

xxxi. 24, 25, 28.

xxxiii. 23, 24.

xxxiii. 27, 28.

xxxiv. 29.

XXXV. 10. XXXV. 14.

xxxvi. 13.

xl. 2.

xl. 4.

xlii. 5, 6.

xlii. 10.

The Incomprehensibility of God A Want of Sympathy condemned

Death

The Change that takes place at Death The Folly of trusting in Vanity .

Job's conscious Integrity

Dark Dispensations overruled for the

Establishment of the Saints . Christ a living Redeemer ....

Against Hypocrisy

The Emptyness of earthly Possession:, Conduct of Sinners towards God .

Acquaintance with God

The upright Persons comfort under

Affliction

JoVs Love to the Word of God . Rebelling against the Light ....

Self-reproach

Spiritual Declension considered

Job's Character

The Certainty of Death . . . . •

Job's Compassion for the Poor .

The Importance of preparing for our

great Account

Spiritual Idolatry

The Benefit of Visiting the Sick

The Nature and Efficacy of Repentance

The Importance of being in favour with

God -

The Impiety and Folly of Mankind . The Source and Remedy of desponding

Fears

Hypocrisy exposed

Sin of reproving God

True Humiliation

The Effect which a Sight of God pro- duces

Job's Restoration to Health and Pros- perity

372 377 383 386 389 393

398 403 408 411 414 418

420 423 427 432 437 444 449 452

457 462 467 474

4 79 482

489 492 497 501

505

508

1 CHRONICLES.

CCCLXXXIII.

THE PRAYER OF JABEZ.

1 Chron. iv. 10. And Jahez called on the God of Israel, say- ing, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might he toith me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me ! And God granted him that which he requested.

REMARKABLE is the honour which God puts upon prayer, and numberless are the instances which are recorded of its efficacy. Jabez is here men- tioned in a long catalogue of names ; but while the names only of others are recorded, he is particularly noticed : he is even declared to have been more honourable than all his brethren. This distinction indeed might be given him on account of his primo- geniture, but it was certainly still more due on ac- count of his piety ; like the patriarch Jacob, he " wrestled with God, and prevailed" —

I. The prayer he offered,

1. The subject-matter of it —

[In its primary sense it evidently related to temporal blessings. God had promised his people an inheritance in Canaan, but they were not able of themselves to di'ive out the inhabitants. Jabez therefore, sensible of his insufficiency, prayed to God for help. He begged for the blessing of God upon his own endeavours : he desired to be preserved from the dangers to which his military exploits would expose him ; and to have, through the divine interposition, an enlarged inhe- ritance in the promised land. These requests he urged with a significant and earnest plea^.

^ Almost all Hebrew names had some peculiar signification. Jabez signifies sorrow : the name was given him in remembrance of VOL. IV. B

2 1 CHRONICLES, IV. iO. [383.

But there is reason to think it had also a spiritual meaning. The eartlily Canaan was typical of the heavenly kingdom. The enemies also that were to be driven out, were typical of the enemies with whom the Christian has to contend. Moreover, the assistance, which God rendered to his people, was m- tended to shew us what aid we might expect from him. And what evil will a child of God deprecate so much as sin ? Surely nothing is so "grievous" to him as the prevalence of corruption^. Well therefore may Jabez be considered as looking beyond this world, and as imploring a secure pos- session of his heavenly inheritance.]

2. The manner in which it was oft'ered —

[It is the sentiment, rather than the expression, that gives excellence to prayer; but in both respects we may admire that before us.

It was humble. He felt his entire dependence upon the power and grace of God. This is intimated not merely in the petitions offered, but in the very manner in which they were offered — " Oh that," &c. Such hiunility is absolutely neces- sary to render prayer acceptable. The more we abase our- selves, the more vdll God exalt us. Let this be remembered in all our addresses at the throne of grace.

It was importunate. He enforced his request with a very earnest plea. Nor, in reference to sin, could any plea be more proper for him. But we may also properly deprecate sin as " grievous " to our souls. Yea, a disposition to do this is both an evidence of our sincerity, and a pledge of the divine acceptance.

It was believing. The title, by which he addressed the Deity, argued his faith in God. It expressed a confidence in God as the hearer of prayer*^. It is in this way that we also should approach the Deity. Without such faith oiu* petitions will have but little effect; but with it, they shall never go forth in vain*^.]

Prayer possessing such qualities could not fail of success :

II. The success with which it was attended —

We have no detailed account of God's kindness towards him, but we are informed that " God granted

the unusual sorrows liis mother endured in cliildbirth. And it was in reference to this that he deprecated the evils to which he was ex- posed; " Keep me," &c. lest I be Jabez in my experience, as well as in my name.

^ Rom. vii. 24. <= Gen. xxxii. 28. ^ Mark xi. 24.

383. J THE PRAYER OF JABEZ. 3

him all that he requested," and this speaks loudly to us —

It shews us,

1. That we ought to spread all our wants before God in prayer —

[We have seen how comprehensive the prayer of Jabez was. And ours also should include oiu' every want, temporal, spiritual, and eternal. There is nothing so great, but we are at liberty to ask it; nor any thing so small, but we must acknowledge our entire dependence on God for it. In fact, there is nothing great or small, either before God, or in refer- ence to ourselves : for, as all things are alike easy to him, who formed the universe by his word, and watches over the very hairs of our heads, so there is nothing, however minute, which may not prove of the utmost possible importance to us, as every part of the inspired volume attests. The direction of God to us is, " l7i every thijig by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God ®."]

2. We should urge our petitions with an impor- tunity that will take no denial —

[So did Jacob ; " I will not let thee go, except thou bless me^." And so it should be with us. We have, in fact, a better plea than Jabez was able to offer. We may go in the name of Jesus Christ, and plead all that he has done or suffered for us. We may look to him as our Advocate with the Father, and assure ourselves of the acceptance both of our persons and our prayers through his continued mediation and all-prevailing intercession. The conduct of King Joash should be a warning to us. The Prophet Elisha told him that he should smite the Syrians who had sorely oppressed the whole Jewish people : and he bade him to smite the ground with the arrows which he had in his hand, and thereby to express the desires and expectations which he felt in reference to this great event. The king smote the ground only thrice, when he should have smitten it five or six times ; and thus by his own want of zeal he restrained the exertions of Almighty God in his favour s. And thus it is that we act. If we were more earnest in our desires, and more enlarged in our expectations from God, there would be no bounds to the mercy which God would exercise towards us. " We are not straitened in him, but in our own bowels." Were we to " open our mouth ever so wide, he would fill it'^."

e Phil. iv. 6. f Gen. xxxii. 26.

g 2 Kings xiii. 29. ^ Ps. Ixxxi. 10.

b2

4 1 CHRONICLES XII. 32. [384.

We might ask what we would, and it should be done unto us'.]

3. We should ask in faith nothing doubting —

[A doubting mind will rob us of all blessings, and make our most urgent prayers of no effect'^. We must " believe not only that God is, but that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him^" Yea, we must "believe that we do receive in order that we ma// receive." And "according to our faith it shall be done luito us." In fact, there is a kind of omnipotence in the prayer of faith, and, if I may so speak, God himself cannot, I may surely say, tvill not, reject it. He speaks as if it had a commanding power™. Of course, this idea must not be pressed too far : but we are sure that, as God never did, so he never will, say to any of the seed of Jacob, " Seek ye my face in vain."]

Application —

[Is there then any Jabez, any son of sorrow, here ? Go to God, the God of Israel, and say, "Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed ! Let me be strengthened by thee for all my spi- ritual conflicts. Let mine enemies, my indwelling corruptions, be slain before me." And let me be put into full possession of the heavenly Canaan, where I shall rest from my labours, and be for ever happy in the bosom of my God." Then, bre- thren, shall your every request come up with acceptance before God, and return in blessings upon you to the full extent of your necessities.]

i John xiv. 13, 14. k Jam. i. 6, 7. ' Heb. xi. 6. ™ Isai. xlv. 22.

CCCLXXXIV.

THE PROPRIETY OF CONSIDERING TIMES AND CIRCUM- STANCES.

1 Chron. xii. 32. The children of Issachar were men that had understanding of the times, to know tvhat Israel ought to do.

THE doctrine of expediency is of difficult investi- gation : but it is highly deserving of our attention ; because the greater part of our conduct in every situation of life depends upon it : and it is no small honour to the tribe of Issachar, that they were dis- tinguished above all the other tribes of Israel in practical acquaintance with this important branch of human knowledge. In the account given of the

384.J ATTENTION TO TIMES AND CIRCUMSTANCES. 5

other tribes who came to David to Hebron, we are merely told, how many they brought with them to place David on the throne of Israel : but in relation to the tribe of Issachar we are informed, that they acted from a dispassionate consideration of David's claims, as compared with those of the house of Saul, and from a full conviction, that, in supporting David, they performed an acceptable service to God himself. From the character here given of them we shall take occasion to shew,

I. That our conduct must often be affected by times and circumstances —

We are in the midst of a world changing every moment, ourselves also changing with the things around us. Hence arises a necessity of attending to times and circumstances in our concerns, of what- ever nature they be : —

1. Civil—

[It is the knowing how to judge of the various occurrences that arise, and how to improve them to the good of the state, that constitutes the great science of politics : and it is to this knowledge, that the expression of " understanding the times" primarily refers ^ A statesman cannot determine what will be fit to be done a year hence, because circumstances may arise which would render all his plans abortive. He may indeed display much wisdom in the exercise of foresight, and in pro- viding for contingencies ; but still he must of necessity follow events which he cannot control, and be himself controlled by existing circumstances : and he is the greatest benefactor to the state, who is enabled to judge of them most correctly, and to adapt his measures to them most wisely.]

2. Social —

[All of us have, as it were, a little world around us, wherein we move ; and all experience the same vicissitudes as are found in larger communities. In our famihes, innumerable things arise from day to day, which require us to vary our line of conduct. Sometimes ease and gaiety may become us, and at other times seriousness and reserve : sometimes a yielding- spirit will be proper, and sometimes it will be necessary to be firm. It is no little wisdom to know how to conduct ourselves towards persons of different dispositions and of different habits :

a See Esth. i. 13.

6 1 CHRONICLES, XII. 32. [384.

but we should labour diligently for the attainment of this wisdom, because the happiness both of ourselves and others most essentially depends upon it.]

3. Personal —

[It is obvious, that a very different deportment becomes us in youth and in age, in prosperity and adversity. Solomon tells us, that " there is to every thing a season, and a time to

every purpose under heaven^" To discern all these

occasions, and to improve them aright, is the grand Kne of distinction between the thoughtless and considerate, the fool and the wise''.]

But if our conduct must be influenced by them in temporal matters, there is still reason to inquire,

II. How far it may properly be affected by them in the concerns of religion —

That we may attend to times and circumstances, is certain —

[This appears both from the example of Christ and his Apostles, and from many plain directions given us in the Scripture. Our blessed Lord at one time was silent before his accusers, (" insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly,") and at another time " witnessed a good confession before many witnesses :" at one time he hid himself from liis enemies, and at another delivered himself into their hands : at one time de- livered his instructions darkly in parables, and at another spoke " plainly and without a parable." In like manner St. Paul did not deem " all things expedient that were lawful'^;" but would sometimes conform to the ceremonial law, and at other times neglect and even oppose it ; at one time sanctioning cir- cumcision, and at another withstanding it with all his might: and in liis ministry he would set before his audience milk or strong meat, according as he saw occasion. So all the Apostles were to fast indeed, but not whilst the bridegroom was with them.

Such conduct is also prescribed to lis. We are to recom- mend religion to the uttermost ; but " not to set our pearls before swine : " we are to enforce the practice of it in its utmost extent ; but not to put new wine into old bottles : we are to " answer a fool at one time according to liis folly ; " and, at another, " not according to his folly."]

^ See Eccl. iii. 1 — 8. <' Eccl. ii. 14. Prov. xxii. 3.

^ 1 Cor. vi. 12. and x. 23.

384.] ATTENTION TO TIMES AND CIRCUMSTANCES. 7

But how far we may attend to them, is not easy to determine —

[Every distinct case must be determined by the pecuhar circumstances that attend it : it wiU be in vain therefore to descend to particulars. We may however lay down one gene- ral rule, which will be of service in determining most of the cases that can occur. The consideratioyi of times and circum- stances is never to affect our 'principles, hut only the application of them.

Our principles must be fixed by the unerring standard of God's word. The love of God, and the love of our fellow- creatures, a regard for truth, and honour, and integrity, with all other Christian graces, must be as fixed principles in our minds, from which we are never to swerve on any account. We must not regard life itself in comparison of these. But then the peculiar mode in which these principles are to operate, must be a matter of discretion, arising from the circumstances of the case. And herein is the difference between a novice in religion, and one who has been long walking in the ways of God: the love of the more advanced Christian has " grown in knowledge and in all judgment;" " he discerns" more clearly than others " the things that differ;" and is enabled to com- bine, what we should always study to unite, " the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove."]

It being clear, then, that our conduct may be af- fected by them, we proceed to shew,

III. What there is in the times and circumstances of the present day to affect it —

There is no little resemblance between the times of which our text speaks, and of the times wherein we live*".

The elevation to the throne of Israel was typical of the elevation of Christ to an empire over the souls of men —

[Christ is the true David, to whom all the tribes of Israel must bow^. A long series of prophecies have foretold his reign ; and have given us reason to expect that that reign shall be universal ]

® Any circumstances that may have occurred, as sudden deaths, &c. might here be brought forward, as motives to exalt Jesus to the throne of Israel.

f Hos. iii. 5. Isai. xlv. 23—25.

8 1 CHRONICLES, XII. 32. [384.

And the circumstances of the present day loudly call upon us to install Jesus in our hearts —

[Never since the Apostolic age was there such a zeal for the Bible as at the present da}*. Princes and Nobles, no less than the ministers of religion themselves, are expatiating on its value, and commending to us the Saviour, as therein re- vealed. When all the tribes then are vmiting in tliis blessed object, shall not we concur to the utmost of oiu* power? True indeed the numbers belonging to Issachar bare no proportion to those of other tribes: they were only two hundred, when the others were thirty, forty, and even a hundi'ed thousand men. But we must observe, that these two hundred were the heads and governors of that tribe; and "all the rest were at their command." So let it be amongst us : let those who are fore- most in rank, in learning, in wealth, lead the way, saying, " Come let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual cove- nant that shall not be forgotten : " and let all others miite %\ath heart and hand, to seat Jesus on the throne of their hearts, and to glorify hmi as our Lord and our God.]

In applying to yourselves this subject, we would suggest a CAUTION or two :

1. Guard against yielding to any corrupt bias —

[In consulting times and circmnstances, you will be in danger of being warped by your interests or passions. But you must watch and pray against them, and beg help from God that you may not be dra-s\Ti aside by them.]

2. Bear in mind that God will judge you in the last day according to what he knows to have been your true motives —

[We cannot deceive him and should be careful

not to deceive ourselves.]

3. Beg of God to give you the " wisdom that is profitable to direct" —

[God has promised to give wisdom, even " sound wisdom and discretion," to all who ask it of him^. And let none be discouraged, as though a want of education or abilities inca- pacitated them for the due discharge of their duty; for the heart, and not the head, is the seat of this wisdom ; and God has promised, that " the meek he ^\'ill guide in judgment, the meek he wiU teach his way."]

8 Jam. i. 5.

385.]

DAVID S JOY ON CARRYING UP THE ARK.

CCCLXXXV.

DAVID S THANKSGIVING AT THE CARRYING UP OF THE ARK.

1 Chron. xvi. 7 — 15. Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his hrethren. Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make knoivn his deeds among the peojjle. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name : let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. Remember his marvellous ivorks that he hath done, his wonders, and the Judgnie7its of his mouth; O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones. He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. Be ye mindful always of his covenant.

IF any one entertain a doubt whether " the ways of rehgion be ways of pleasantness and peace/' he needs only look to the history before us, and his doubts will vanish in an instant. It may be thought indeed, that, because the former attempt of David to carry up the ark was attended with sorrow, the general effect of God's service is not such as has been represented : but it must be remembered, that, on that occasion, though David meant well, he was criminally negligent respecting the mode of carrying his purposes into effect; and that God on that ac- count had frowned upon him^. But when he was duly observant of God's commands respecting the ark, his soul was filled with unutterable joy, to which he gave vent in the Psalm before us.

This Psalm is taken out of several others. As far as the 21st verse, it occurs in the 105th Psalm ; the greater part of the remainder is found in the 96th. It was given by David for the use of the Church, on occasion of carrying up the ark to Jerusalem. In the part which we have just read, we behold religion in its full exercise : we see exhibited in the brightest colours,

^ 1 Chron. xiv. 10, 11. with xv. 13.

10 1 CHRONICLES, XVI. 7—15. [385.

I. The general frame of mind that it requires —

We have not now to speak of moral actions, but rather of spiritual affections. We are to contemplate the Christian now in the dispositions of his mind and the exercises of his soul towards God. And here we observe,

1. That God should be the supreme object of his regard —

[The worldly man rises no higher than the world : "he minds" and savours nothing but what is earthly and carnal^. But the spiritual man " minds the things of the Spirit," and endeavours to set God, as it were, always before him. In the Psalm before us, there was evidently but one object in David's mind. The world, and all that is in it, was forgotten ; and God was " all in all." Mark every sentence, or member of a sentence; and this will instantly appear. And should not this be the general frame and habit of our minds ? Undoubtedly it should. We need not indeed be always occupied in religious exercises ; for there are many other duties to be performed : but we should never for a moment lose the habit of holy and heavenly affections : a sense of God's unbounded love and mercy should be wrought, as it were, into the very consti- tution and frame of our minds, so that we should no more cease to feel a supreme regard for him, than a worldly man does for the things of this world. In a word, his perfections, his word, and his works, should be ever so present to our mind, as it was to David on this occasion, or to Adam in paradise ]

This, whatever it may be called by ungodly men, is truly rational religion —

[A supreme delight in God is by many deemed enthusiasm: and the religion that consists in speculation, and theory, and form, is supposed to be exclusively entitled to the appellation of rational. But, if God be so infinitely glorious, that even angels themselves are in comparison of him no more than a glow-worm to the sun, he ought to be proportionably elevated in our hearts : and if the wonders he has wrought for us are beyond the powers of language to express, or of imagination to conceive, we should shew our sense of them by thinking of them, and speaking of them, and living continually under a sense of our obligations to him on account of them. Were the Jews required to testify their gratitude in this manner for the mercies vouchsafed to them ? How much more should toe

b Rom. viii. 5. Phil. iii. 18, 19.

385.] David's JOY ON CARRYING UP THE ARK. 11

labour to express our gratitude for that infinitely greater work of redemption which he has wrought out for us by the blood of his only dear Son !

Again ; if Christ our Saviour be now in heaven, should not our afiections be there '^; and "our conversation be there" also*^? I say, that, provided we be not led to neglect our worldly duties, (which are in no respect incompatible with hea- venly affections,) it is not possible to have our minds too much filled with love to God : on the contrary, the total surrender of all our faculties and powers to him is a " reasonable ser- vice ^"]

But we shall see yet more clearly the excellency of religion, if we consider,

II. The particular duties it enjoins —

St. Paul gives us a short summary of duties, very similar to those that are enjoined in the text : " Re- joice evermore ; pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks : for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you^" Thus David exhorts us,

1. To thank the Lord for all his past mercies —

[Were this exhortation addressed to the most miserable and the most abandoned of the human race, it would be highly reasonable, since the long-suffering which God has exercised to- wards him is itself a great salvation^. But it is addressed to " the children of Israel," even " the chosen ones" of the Lord: and who can ever find cause for praise, if they do not? If they fill not the air with their hosannahs, the very " stones will cry out against them." Do but reflect on your unnum- bered mercies, especially the gift of God's only dear Son for you, and the gift of salvation by him to you. Surely you should sing to him, yea, be singing his praises from day to day : you should be already anticipating the employment of heaven, and be singing day and night, " Salvation to God and to the Lamb for ever and ever."]

2. To pray to him for future blessings —

[The ark, as being the symbol of the Deity, was that be- fore which the prayers of the high-priest were to be made, and from whence Jehovah was pleased to communicate his answers. Hence, in our text it is called " his strength." This ark was a type of Christ, " in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the

•: Col. iii. 1 — 4. d Phil. iii. 20. e Rom. xii. 1.

f 1 Thess. v. 16—18. s 2 Pet. iii. 15.

12 1 CHRONICLES, XVI. 7—15. [385.

Godhead bodily," and who is the fountain from whence all spi- ritual blessings must flow*^. To him therefore the Psabnist points, when he says, " Seek the Lord and Ms strength, seek his face continually." There is not any occasion whereon it is not OLU' duty and our privilege to seek him. Nothing should be regarded as too small, nothing too great, to ask at his hands. The command is, " In every thing, by prayer and sup- plication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God." And the promise for our encouragement is, " Ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." O that we could go thus to God "continually," as children to their parent ! Surely, however " wide we opened our mouths, he would fill them."]

3. To glory in him as our God and portion —

[In our text, David observes, " He is the Lord our God :" and elsewhere he says, " O Lord, thou art my God." This it is which elevates the soul to the highest state of bliss that it can enjoy on earth. The man of this world glories not in wealth, or honour, unless he can call them his. It is the pro- perty which we have in them that produces the feelings of joyous exultation. We should therefore strive to tlie utter- most to ascertain this point, that we are interested in the Saviour, and are authorized on good grounds to say, " My Beloved is mine, and I am his." As for all other objects of glorying, we should renounce them all, as incompatible with the Saviour's honour; and should determinately say with the Apostle, " God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ."]

4. To be always mindful of his covenant —

[The covenant here spoken of, is the covenant made with Abraham, and confirmed with an oath unto Isaac'. In its literal sense it refers to the land of Canaan as the inheritance of Abraham's descendants : but in its mystical import it refers to all the spiritual seed of Abraham, who are made partakers of an infinitely nobler inheritance in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed the other was a mere shadow : and this is the substance. This was the covenant made with Christ before the foundation of the world '^; " a covenant ordered in all things and sure," an everlasting covenant that shall never be annulled. This covenant should be for ever in our minds : we should regard it as the one source of all the blessings we enjoy, and our great security for the continuance of them. This it

h John i. 16. and xiv. 13, 14. with Eph. i. 22, 23.

* ver. 16—18.

^ Gal. ill. 17. and Heb. vi. 13, 14, 17, 18. 2 Tim. i. 2.

385.1 David's joy on carrying up the ark. 13

is that will keep the mind firm and stable amidst all the diffi- culties and temptations that we have to encounter; since the execution and fulfilment of all its provisions depends on the faithfulness of an unchanging God'. We should therefore contemplate this covenant, and trust in it, and plead it before God, and rejoice in an assui'ed hope, that we shall in due time inherit the kingdom provided for us " before the foundation of the world'"."]

To IMPROVE this subject, we will add a few words,

1. Of reproof —

[How little is there of such religion as this in the midst of us ! The generality know nothing of it by actual experience

and many, of whom we may hope that they are

" God's chosen ones," scarcely ever rise higher than to a state of mourning for their sins, and of trust in God for his mercy. They are occupied so much about themselves, as almost to forget their God : that is, they do not contemplate as they ought, his unbounded excellencies, or delight themselves in him as their God and portion. O let not any of you rest in a state so un- profitable, and destitute of comfort as this ! but seek to attain the full enjoyment of God in this world, as the best prepara- tion for enjoying him in the world to come.]

2. Of encouragement —

[That which in our text is an exhortation, " Be mindful always of his covenant," is, in the Psalm from whence it is taken, a declaration respecting God, that " He hath remem- bered his covenant for ever"." Yes; he has remembered it, and ever will remember it ; nor will he ever suffer one jot or tittle of it to fail. In that covenant he has made ample pro- vision for all ovir necessities: so that, if we are ready to despond, (as if this elevated state of mind could never be attained, nor these duties ever be performed,) we need only look to that covenant, and all our fears wdll be dispelled. It is, as has been before observed, " ordered in all things, and sure ;" and therefore the weakest shall have grace sufficient for him, and the most timid find security in the arms of an unchanging God.]

1 Jer. xxxii. 40. Mai. iii. 6.

"* In treating this subject, care should be taken, as much as pos- sible, to preserve the life and spirit of the text. » Ps. cv. 8.

14 1 CHRONICLES, XVI. 43. [386.

CCCLXXXVI.

David's attention to his household.

1 Chron. xvi. 43. And David returned to bless his house.

IT is truly delightful to see the operation of reli- gion on the soul of man; how it transforms him from a carnal and selfish creature, into a spiritual and heavenly being, who, like the sun in the firmament, steadily pursues his course, and shines brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. Beautifully was it exemphfied by David in the history before us ; . in illustration of which we shall notice,

I. The work in which he had been engaged —

This was, the bringing up of the ark from the house of Obed-edom to Jerusalem : and,

A glorious work it was — [In itself, it was a work of vast importance. For many years had the ark lain in obscurity at Kirjath-jearim, without any application being made to it for instruction from God. But, when brought up to Jerusalem, it would be accessible at all times ; and, in all difficult emergencies, the will of Jehovah might be learned from it. Indeed, the whole account respect- ing it shews us clearly, in what light it was viewed by the nation at large

As a typical act, its importance rises still higher in our esti- mation. It was undoubtedly typical of Christ's ascension into heaven ; for in that view it is spoken of in a great variety of Psalms^, and in that view the Psalms relating to it are quoted in the New Testament*^. Let other Psalms, from the 96 th to 99th, be read as referring to both these events, and they will fully illustrate the importance of the work which David had just completed ]

And it had been performed in a manner most ac- ceptable unto God —

[In its commencement, it was begun by consulting all the great men in the nation, who were stirred up to concur in it"^ In its progress, nothing was left to human inven- tion, as before; but all was conducted with the strictest

" Ps. xxiv. xlvii. Ixviii. cxxxii.

'' Compare Ps. Ixviii. 18. with Eph. iv. 8.

" 1 Chron. xiii. 1 — 3.

386.1 David's attention to his household. 15

attention to God's revealed will. Nor did David commit the service altogether to others : no ; he himself attended the procession, and played and sang with all his might ; yea, and danced also before the ark with such holy ecstasies, as to subject himself to the scorn and censure of liis own wife ; who being a stranger to those divine raptui'es, imputed them, not to pious fervour, but to indecent wantonness. But his joyous exulta- tion was such as the occasion required, and such as, though condemned by Michal, was most pleasing unto God.]

Having seen the service to which he had gone forth, we proceed to notice,

II. The work to which he returned —

Though he might be well supposed at the conclu- sion of his service to need repose, yet he went home only to protract his labours in another way. He returned to bless his house ; that is,

1. To obtain blessings for them by his prayers —

[He would not confine his religious exercises to pubhc occasions, but went home to stir up in his family those blessed emotions with wliich his ovrn soul was filled. He was anxious that all his wives, his children, and his servants should be par- takers of his joy : and therefore he would unite with them in fervent supplication to the God of all grace, that they might themselves " know the Lord from the least even to the greatest of them," and all experience the blessedness of his salvation.

Here we behold a bright example, which it behoves us all to follow. Family prayer is, alas ! too often neglected, or at best but coldly performed, by many, who profess a high regard for public ordinances : but the true child of Abraham will " com- mand his house and children after him to fear the Lord"^," and will say with Joshua, " Whatsoever others may do, I and my house will serve the Lord^." If we have family wants, and family mercies, we should unite our prayers and our praises with our famihes,- that God may be acknowledged as the one source from whence all good either has issued, or can be hoped for : and though we can easily imagine circimistances wherein such domestic services are impracticable, yet we cannot ima- gine any real piety to exist where such duties are wilfully neglected.]

2. To render himself a blessing to them by his conduct —

[It was promised to Abraham that he should not only be

^ Gen. xviii. 19. ^ Josh. xxiv. 15.

16 1 CHRONICLES, XVII. 24. [387.

blessed himself, but be a blessing also to others : and this pro- mise is in fact made to all the believing seed of Abraham. To make others happy was no small part of David's ambition. Hence he went to his house determined to contribute as far as possible to the edification and comfort of all connected with him. He would instruct the ignorant; and teach, not by precept only, but by example also. His determination was to

" walk before his house in a perfect way ^" He would

not be proud, or imperious, or passionate, or fretful ; but would regulate all his tempers and dispositions by the golden rule of doing as he would be done unto : and " the law of kindness would be ever in his lips."

How different is this from the conduct of many, who from the public ordinances, in which they profess to take delight, go down to their houses to make them wretched and miser- able, ratlier than to bless them! O let the professors of religion look well to this : for, as a consistent Christian is a blessing wherever he goes, so an inconsistent Christian is a curse, and a stumbling-block to all around him.]

Learn then from hence,

1. How highly we are privileged —

[The ark, even the Lord Jesus Christ himself, is present in the midst of us. To him we may have access ; and of him we may inquire continually : and every blessing which was typically derived from the symbol of his presence, shall be really and sj^iritually obtained by all who seek him. If then David and the whole kingdom of Israel felt such exalted joy in the possession of that which was a mere shadow, let us not be unmindful of our privilege in possessing the substance.]

2. In what way we should improve om* privi- leges—

[Let us not only rejoice in them ourselves, but endeavour to connnunicate the benefit of them to others. Let all who sec us, be the better for us ; and all who stand in any relation to us be consti'ained to say, that " God is with us of a truth."]

f Ps. ci. 2.

CCCLXXXVII.

god's relation to his people.

1 Chron. xvii. 24. The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel.

A SENSE of God's kindness to us will invariably inspire us with a zeal for his glory. The more

387.1 god's relation to his people. 17

deeply we feel our obligations to him, the more ready we shall be to speak good of his name, and the more desirous that he should be honoured by every child of man. It was David's happy lot to be eminently favoured of his God. He had been taken from the sheep-folds, to feed God's people Israel ; and he had received a promise from God, that the kingdom should be perpetuated in his family to very distant generations. Overcome, as it were, with the con- templation of these stupendous mercies, he adores his God with the profoundest gratitude : " O Lord, there is none like thee, neither is there any God be- sides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears^" Then, looking for the establishment of God's blessed word in relation to himself and his descendants, he prays that God himself may be glorified by means of it : " Let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for ever, saying. The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel;" that is, " I have found thee a God to me: and I desire that thou mayest be known to Israel, and acknowledged by Israel, under that endearing character, to the latest generations."

Let us, for the illustrating of these words, con- sider, I. The relation which God bears to his people —

He is here called " The God of Israel." But there seems, at first sight, to be nothing very peculiar in that, since he is " the God of the whole earth ''," yea, and of all his creatures, whether in heaven or hell ; all being alike subject to him, and all equally under his control. The title here given to him must evi- dently import something of a more restricted nature, something that more immediately connects him with Israel as his peculiar charge. Its real signification is,

1. That he has chosen them out from amongst the world, which lieth in wickedness —

[This he did, when he called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees. Abraham was an idolater, in the midst of an

a ver. IG — 20. b jgai. liv. 5.

VOL. IV. C

18 1 CHRONICLES, XVII. 24. [387.

idolatrous family and nation. And God, of his own sovereign will and pleasure, chose him, and called him out from his fa- mily and nation, and " separated him for himself'^." And it is precisely thus that he calls all his people, whether those who were Abraham's lineal descendants, or those who are heirs of Abraham's faith. What was said to Israel in the ^\^lderness, may be said to God's Israel to the very end of time : " Thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God : the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth <^." Nor, in one instance more than another, can any reason for this choice be assigned, but simply God's sovereign will and pleasure®. In every instance, he is found of them that sought him not, and made known to them that inquired not after him^,"]

2. That he has given himself to them in a peculiar way —

[He gave himself to Abraham and the nation of Israel, as their God, in a more especial manner ; so that he watched over them, and revealed himself to them, and exerted himself for them in a way that he never had done for any other people. The same he docs for his chosen people at this time, only in a less \dsible manner. He takes them under his special pro- tection : he orders every thing for them : and he makes him- self known to them, as their Father and their Friend.]

3. That he avows that relation to them before the whole universe —

[This he did to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, calling himself their God : and when he would afterwards make him- self known to their posterity in Egypt, he particularly com- manded Moses to say to them, " The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, hath sent me unto you. This is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations s." And though the names of his people be not, nor can be, severally mentioned, he is as much their God, as ever he was Abraham's God. Wherever there are any persons who have been called out from the world to " seek after a better country, that is, an heavenly, he is not ashamed to be called their God^'."]

But let us inquire more distinctly,

II. What, under that relation, we may expect at his hands —

c Ps. iv. 3. d Deut. vii. 6. <^ Deut. vii. 7, 8.

f Rom. X. 20. g Exod. iii. 15. ^ Ileb. xi. 16.

387.1 god's relation to his people. 19

*' The God of Israel, is a God to Israel:" and whatever a God can do, that he will do for them. Hence, then, they may assuredly expect from him,

1. The care of his providence —

[See what he did for Israel of old. They needed a deliverer from their bondage : and he delivered them wdth a mighty hand, and a stretched-out arm. -They needed guidance through the wilderness : and he himself went before them in the pillar and the cloud. They needed food : and he gave them bread from heaven to eat, and water from the stony rock for their refreshment. And will he not provide for us also whatsoever we stand in need of? "Is his ear heavy, that it cannot hear ? or is his hand now shortened, that it cannot save?" No: he is the same gracious God as ever, and has pledged himself, that " they who seek his face, shall want no manner of thing that is good\"]

2. The communications of his grace- —

[Without these, it were to little purpose that he were called our God: for it would be impossible for us ever to behold his face in peace. " Without him we can do nothing." We should still continue slaves to sin and Satan ; and perish for ever amongst the enemies of God. But we need not fear. " He wiU give us both grace and glory''." As our necessities increase, " he will give us more grace': " and however great our trials may be, he engages that " his grace shall be sufficient for us"\" Yea, so effectual shall be his communications, that, " through him strengthening us, we shall be able to do all things"."]

3. The manifestations of his love —

[Who that would approve himself as a father, would withhold from his child the tokens of his love? And will God, when he promises to be " a God unto us," be so unmindful of us, as never to lift up the light of his countenance upon us? No: He will give us " a Spirit of adoption, whereby we may cry, Abba, Father"." He will give us also " the witness of the Spirit, as the earnest of our future inheritance p." And to such a degree will he " shed abroad his love in our hearts'!," as to fiU us with " a joy that is unspeakable and glorified''."]

4. The possession of his glory —

[This is particularly declared by our Lord himself, as in- separably connected with the relation we arc now considering.

' Ps. xxxiv. 10. ^ Ps. Ixxxiv. 11. ' Jam. iv. 6.

"1 2 Cor. xii. 9. « Phil. iv. 13. ° Rom. viii. 15.

P Rom. viii. 10. i Rom. viii. 5. ^ 1 Pet. i. 8.

c2

9M 1 CHRONICLES, XVII. 24. [387.

When a doubt was entertained, whether there was ever to be a resurrection of tlie body, our Lord referred to the very name of God, as " the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob," as a demonstration of the point in question. For, if he was their God, he was the God of their whole persons, of their bodies as well as of their souls: and if their bodies should not be raised again, he would cease to be their God, as far as their bodies were concerned. But that relation should never cease : and, consequently, their bodies must be raised from the dead, in order that they might participate in the promised bliss ^ No doubt, therefore, he will exalt to glory all his chosen people : for can he be a God to any in hell ? There he will be only an avenging Judge. It is in heaven alone that he can execute all that that relation imports : we may be sure, there- fore, tliat, as he is the God of his people, so " he will be their portion, and the lot of their inheritance" for evermore.]

Whilst, however, we contemplate our privileges in consequence of God's relation to us, we must bear in mind,

III. What, under that relation, he is entitled to ex- pect from us — Beyond a doubt, if he considers himself as bound to us, we also are bound to him : and if he is our God, we must be his people. The one is compre- hended in the other : and, wherever one is men- tioned, the other, if not absolutely mentioned, is always imphed. Just before the text it is said, " Thy people Israel didst thou make thine own people for ever ; and thou. Lord, becamest their God*." In the Epistle to the Hebrews, not only is the mutual rela- tion specified, but it is stated precisely in our text ; " I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people"." This, then, may God expect from us :

1. That we " be a people to him" —

[We are not to be satisfied with calli?ig ourselves his : we must be really his. A servant considers himself, his time, his talents, his all, as at the disposal of his master: and from day to day he inquires how they can be improved for him. He never, for a moment, considers it sufficient to comj)liment his master with the name of master : but he waits upon him to receive his orders ; and he departs from him only to execute

« Matt. xxii. .31, 32. t y^r. 22. " Ileb. viii. 10.

387.] god's relation to his people. 21

them. Thus, then, we must "be a peojjle to" the Lord, We must inquire what we can do for him. We must diligently learn what is the duty which he has appointed us to perform ; and we must strenuously set ourselves to the performance of it ]

2. That we give ourselves to him, as he has given himself to us —

[We must do it freely, and cheerfully. There was no constraint on God's part in giving himself to us: he did it of his own mind and wall. Thus must we surrender up our- selves to him. We must not wait till we are beset with the terrors of hell", and then give ourselves to him by compulsion. We should rather, from a view of his excellency, and from a sense of the unspeakable privilege of serving him, desire to be numbered amongst his favoured people ^. We must do it also wholly and unreservedly. Jehovah is not our God in part; doing some things for us, and not others : there is nothing that he has not done ; for he has given his only dear Son to die for us : nor is there any thing he will not do ; for " having given up his own Son for us, we may be assured he will much more do for us every thing else that we can need^." On no consideration, therefore, should we withhold any thing from him. " Our whole body, soul, and spirit, should be sanctified to him^." Nothing should be accounted too much to do or suffer for him : if the sacrifice even of life itself should be called for, it should be freely made ; and we should rejoice that we are counted worthy to render him so honourable a service. We must also do it unchangeably and /or ever. God never repents of what he has done for us^: he tells us that he will not forsake his people, " because it hath pleased him to make us his people '';" but that, "having loved us, he will love us to the end^" And so should it be with us : "after having once put our hands to the plough, we should never look back again '^." We should " never faint or be weary in well-doing*^." We should give our ear to be bored in his service ; and never relinquish it, till we are called to serve him in a better world ^. This, I say, is what God may justly expect from us : and I conceive there is not a person upon earth so stu]3id and brutish, as not to see and acknowledge that it is " a reasonable service s." If our expectations from God are greater than those of others, our services also should be greater. The ser-

X Isai. Ixiv. 9. > Rom, viii, 32, ^ 1 Thess, v, 23.

a Rom, xi. 29, ^ 1 Sam, xii, 22, « John xiii, 1.

^ Luke ix. 62, ^ Qal, vi, 9, f Exod, xxi. 6. s Rom. xii. 1.

ii2 1 CHRONICLES, XVII. 24. [387.

vices of others are no rule for us. The question that will be put to ns will be, " What did ye more than others?"]

Let me, then, conclude with two proposals :

1. That we, at this very hour, accept Jehovah as our God —

[He offers himself to us under this endearing character. He calls on every child of man to "lay hold on his covenant;" and in that very covenant he makes over himself to us as our God'\ Let us from this moment renounce all other gods, and say, " Thou, O God, shalt be my God for ever and ever*." In accepting him, however, let us accept him for all the ends for which he gives himself to us. It is not to save us only that he gives himself to us, but to " be a God unto us ;" to be the one source of all our joy ; the one object of all our love ; the one end of our very being. Let us then, open our hearts to receive him under this character. If there be any other that is more worthy of this place in oiu" regards, or that can better fulfil the office committed to him, then will I consent that you shall take hh)i for your God in preference to Jehovah : but if Jehovah alone can answer all the necessities of your souls, then, I say, accept him now as your God, and avouch him to be so in the presence of the whole universe*^.]

2. That we now consecrate ourselves to him as his people —

[This, as you have seen, must accompany the former : nor is there any man so blind, as not to see that the two are, and must be, inseparably connected. Let us, then, at tliis hour, "join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant, that shall not be forgotten ^" Unite with me now, my Brethren, in a solemn smTender of ourselves to God.

O Lord, our God, thine we are by every tie. To thee we owe oiu: very being, for thou hast created us. To thee we owe our well-being, for thou hast upheld us every moment, and supplied us with all things needful for us. Above all, to thee we owe our hopes of happiness in a better world ; for thou hast redeemed us by the blood of thine only dear Son. " We are not our own ; we are bought with a price : and are therefore bomid in every view to glorify thee with our bodies and our spirits, which are thine'"." We acknowledge with shame that " other lords besides thee have had dominion over us : but by thee will we henceforth make mention of thy name,

h Jer. xi. 2 — 4. ■ Ps. xlviii. 14, ^ D^xit. xxvi. 17, 18.

> Jer. 1. 5. m 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.

388.]

SOLOMON A TYPE OF CHRIST.

even of tliine only"." Behold, O Lord, we now dedicate to thee all that we are, and all that we have. We know it to be our duty : we believe it to be our privilege : we are assured that it is our highest honour and happiness. Make us sincere in this, we pray thee : and " keep it for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of our hearts ° ! " Oh, let us never go back from thee, nor ever alienate from thee any portion of those regards which are due to thee alone. Let the measure of our expectations from thee be the measui'e of our dedication to thee : and, as we hope that thou wilt be fully and for ever ours, so en- able us to be fully and for ever thine ! Beloved Brethren, do you truly add to this your hearty " AmenP?" The Lord grant you may! and may what we have now done be accepted of our God, and be for ever ratified in heaven ! Amen, and Amen !]

" Isai. xxvi. 13. o 1 Chron. xxix. 18.

P At the Lord's table, we all do what is here done. " Here we offer and present imto thee, 0 Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to he a reasonable, holy, and lively sacrifice unto thee.'"

CCCLXXXVIIL

SOLOMON A TYPE OF CHRIST.

1 Chron. xxii. 9, 10. Behold, a son shall he horn to thee, who shall he a man of rest; and I tvill give him rest from all his enemies roimd about : for his name shall be Solovion, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. He shall build an house for my name; and he shall he my son, and I will he his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.

IF God have any great work to do, he will raise up fit instruments for himself, and qualify them for executing his will. Nor will he make use of such persons only as, of their own minds, covet the em- ployment, but oftentimes such as are either averse to it, or unconcerned about it. Has he ordained to bring his people out of Egypt, or to gather to him- self a people from the Gentile world ? He raises up a Moses, or converts a Paul, that, as his agents, they may accomplish his gracious purpose. Thus when David was solicitous to build an house for God, and had made great preparations for it, God forbade him

24- 1 CHRONICLES, XXII. 9, 10. [388.

to carry into effect his designs ; and conferred that honour on Solomon, his son. While we adore this exercise of his sovereign will, we are led to contem- plate a mystery veiled mider this dispensation, and to trace the resemblance which was by this means })roduced between Solomon, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Though the words of the text in their literal sense relate to Solomon, yet they have undoubtedly a further reference to Christ ; of whom Solomon was a type,

L In his dearness to God —

Solomon was eminently favoured of the divine Being —

[He was a subject of prophecy before he was born ; and was called " Jedidiah," by God's special appointment, in token of the peculiar love which God bore towards him^. His mental endowments were such as never had before been possessed by fallen man. His knowledge of natural philosophy was won- derfully extensive^; and his qualifications for administering the afiairs of his kingdom were so perfect, as to be the envy, and admiration, of all who knew him*^. He was honoured ^\'ith repeated visions of the Almighty, and with most signal evi- dences of divine acceptance*^. Throughout his life did God regard him as a beloved child ; nor were the judgments inflicted on him toward the close of life for his awful declensions, to be considered in any other light than as paternal chastisements : for though we are not expressly told that he ever was recovered from his lewdness and idolatries, we cannot but hope that he became a real penitent, and died, as once he had lived, " beloved of the Lord*'."]

But Jesus was, infinitely beyond all others, the l)eloved of the Father—

[Jesus had been a subject of prophecy, not for a few years merely, but from the foundation of the world. The name, Emmanuel, was given him many hundred years before he became incarnate ; and He was called Jesus, by the angel, before his conception in the womb*". Thrice, by an audible

^ 2 Sam. xii. 24, 2'). ^ 1 Kings iii. 12. and iv. 29—34.

" 1 Kings iii. 10^28. ''1 Kings ix. 2.

*-' It is most probable that the book of Ecclesiastes was written in consequence of his restoration to the divine favour, f Isai. vii. 14. Matt. i. 21.

388.1 SOLOMON A TYPE OF CHRIST. 25

voice from heaven did God proclaim him his " beloved Son, in whom he was well pleased." As for the endowments of his mind, he not only had the spirit of wisdom and understanding resting upon him ^, but all the treasui'es of wisdom and know- ledge hid in him"^, so that " he spake as never man spake." So perfectly was he qualified for every part of his regal office, that " Righteousness was the very girdle of his loins," with which he was always girt for the discharge of his duty\ And it is worthy of particular notice, that the very words of the text, which confessedly point out Solomon as a son of God, are quoted, by an inspired Apostle, as referring to Christ, and as declaring his superiority to all both in heaven and earth''. While therefore, with the Apostle, we consider Solomon as a type of Christ, we learn to entertain the most exalted thoughts of Christ, as " the brightness of his Father's glory."]

We may observe a further resemblance of Solo- mon to Jesus,

II. In the office assigned him —

It was to Solomon that God assigned the honour of building an house for his name —

[David had shed much blood in the course of the many wars in which he had been engaged ; and, though he had done this both by the direction and assistance of God himself, yet it un- fitted him in God's estimation, for building the temple. But Solomon, whose very name imported Peace, and who was to have rest on every side, was more fit to represent " the Prince of Peace," and more at leisure to execute so great a work. Him therefore did God prefer : nor could any man prove him- self more worthy of the employment. He entered on his work with zeal and piety ; and, having finished the noblest edifice that ever the world beheld, and supplied it with most costly furniture in every part, he consecrated it in a solemn and pubhc manner to Jehovah.]

But there is a far more glorious house which Christ alone erects —

[The temple of Solomon was only a shadow of another temple, the Church of God, in which God dwells, not by any visible symbol of his presence, but by his quickening, com- forting, and sanctifying Spirit. Of this temple we ourselves are, as it were, the stones, hewn out by the Lord himself; fitted by him for the place we are designed to occupy ; and so disposed by him, that " all the building fitly framed together

s Isai. xi. 1—3. '^ Col. ii. 3. ^ Isai. xi. 5.

1^ Comp. 1 Chron. xvii. 13. with Heb. i. 5.

26 1 CHRONICLES, XXII. 9, 10. [388.

may grow unto an holy temple in the LorcU." Moreover, Christ is declared, both by Prophets and Apostles, to be the founder and finisher of liis house "\ And how infinitely does it exceed, both in beauty and magnificence, the structure by which it was typified ! That was composed, like other buildings, of earthly and perishable materials ; this is com- posed of lively stones, built upon a living Foundation-stone, and cemented, in every part, by the Spirit of the living God" : That was enriched with gold and silver ; but this with all the gifts and graces of the Spirit, yea, with the " unsearchable riches of Christ" himself.]

Perhaps in nothing was Solomon a more glorious type of Christ than,

III. In the peacefulness and perpetuity of his king- dom—

Very remarkable were the peace and prosperity of Solomon's reign —

[God had either put dowai all his enemies, or disposed their hearts to peace and amity ; so that, till Solomon had de- parted from the Lord, and thereby provoked his displeasiu'e, his kingdom enjoyed uninterrupted tranquillity. And though, for liis transgressions, the ten tribes were rent from his imme- diate successor, and ever afterwards continued separate, yet the kingdom of Judah was transmitted to his posterity, and preserved in his family, as long as the Idngly government itself existed.]

This however was a very fiiint image of what exists in the kingdom of Christ —

[It is true, that the Church has never yet enjoyed much outward peace : for though it has often been free from those bloody persecutions, with which it has at some times been ha- rassed, yet it has never ceased for one moment to be an object of reproach, and abhorrence, amidst an ungodly world. Still, however, may we justly speak of the peacefulness of Christ's kingdom, since all his subjects have peace with God, and in their own consciences, even a peace that passeth all vmder- standing". And there is a time coming, when the enmity of the carnal heart shall be slain ; and all mankind, brought into one blessed family, shall live in harmony with each other, " the wolf lying down with the lamb, and the lion eating straw with the ox; there shall be none to hurt, or destroy, in all

> Eph. ii. 21.

™ Zech. iv. 9. and vi. 12, 13.' with Heb. iii. 3, 6. " 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5. o Isai. liv. 13. Ps. Ixxii. 7.

388.1 SOLOMON A TYPE OF CHRIST. 27

God's holy mountain p." Of this kingdom too there shall be no end : for though the present mode of administering it shall be changed 1, (there being no more occasion for a Mediator, when all the saints shall be glorified,) yet shall he, who now sits upon the throne of David, reign over Israel for ever and ever"".]

Reflections —

1. How great and glorious a person must Christ be!

[We justly admire Solomon on account of the singular honour which God put upon him: but what were the endow- ments of his mind, what the grandeur of his works, or what the stability of his kingdom, when compared with the excel- lencies of the King of Zion ? Surely they were but as dark- ness that renders Emmanuel's light more visible. Let us then fix our eyes on our adorable Saviour; and learn from the faint glimmering of the brightest star, to admire the infinitely brighter glories of the Smi of Righteousness.]

2. How liappy are the subjects of the Redeemer's kingdom !

[The Queen of Sheba, filled with wonder at what she saw and heard in the court of Solomon, exclaimed, " Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, who stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom^!" But how incomparably happier must they be, who stand in the presence of Jesus, and hear his voice; and not only behold, but participate, his glory ! Believer, know thy privileges, and learn to estimate them aright. And let all earthly glory be despised by thee as not worth a thought, in comparison of that which thou already possessest, and shalt possess, when all the kingdoms of this world have vanished away.] '

3. How inexcusable are they who neglect the Saviour !

[Our Lord warned his hearers, that the Queen of the South would rise up in judgment against them, and condemn them, because she went from the very ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon ; whereas they, when they had One greater than Solomon in the midst of them, despised and re- jected him*. And will she not in a still greater degree con- demn Its, who, even while we profess ourselves the followers of Christ, shew no love to his person, no admiration of his

P Ps. Ixxii. 10, 11. Isai. xi. 6—9.

1 1 Cor. XV. 28. r Luke i. 32, 33. Isai. ix. 7.

s 1 Kinors x. 8. * Matt. xii. 42,

28 1 CHRONICLES, XXII. 19. [389.

glory, no zeal for his honour ? Shall not we perish under a most afjgravated load of guilt, when, uuder the meridian light of the Gospel, we prefer darkness to light, and the service of sin to the service of our Lord? May God the Spirit come down to convince us of our sin, and effectually subdue us to the obedience of faith !]

CCCLXXXIX.

SEEKING AFTER GOD.

1 Chron. xxii. 19. Noiv set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God.

THERE are many subjects, which, whilst in themselves they are plain and simple, derive much importance from the occasions on which they arise, or the circumstances with which they are attended. The duty of " seeking after God" is inculcated in the Holy Scriptures, times without number : and the insisting upon it, though interesting and neces- sary in its place, may seem to promise little that is new, or beyond the bounds of common pastoral in- struction. But, if the occasion on which these words were uttered be taken into our consideration, they will be found to possess a very peculiar interest. Let us, then, notice,

I. The occasion on which this injunction was given —

[David was now at an advanced period of hfe; and was deeply concerned to improve his power and influence, for the honour of God and the welfare of his jjeople. Time was when Ijoth he and all his people were in a very different condition from tliat which they enjoyed at tliis time ; he being persecuted and driven by Saul, " as a partridge upon the mountains ;" and they being overrun and conquered by the Philistine ar- mies". But now the whole kingdom being consolidated and (Milarged, and all their enemies being subdued, he was desirous of building a temple to the Lord. That honour, however, having been denied to him, and transferred to his son, he in tliis chapter exhorts his son to prosecute the work with be- coming zeal ; and, because his son was yet " young and tender," he urges all the princes of the realm to aid liim to the

^ 1 Sam. xxxi. 7.

389.1 SEEKING AFTER GOD. 29

utmost of their power. He mentions what preparations he had made for the work, having amassed in gold and silver, at the loivest computation, eighteen millions of our money, besides materials of wood and stone and brass and iron to an immense extent ; and at the same time having engaged the most skilful artificers in every department ; so that nothing remained, but that they should commence the work the very instant that his

son should succeed to the throne*^ But, as they could

not hope for the divine blessing unless they shovild consecrate themselves in the first instance to God, he entreats them note, without delay, to " set their heart and their soul to seek the Lord their God."

And have not we a temple to build ; a temple that shall be " exceeding magnifical," not only "of fame and glory through- out all countries," but comprehending within its walls every

nation upon earth ? And are not glorious preparations

made, such as never since the establishment of Christ's king- dom in the world were seen before ? Societies without num- ber are on foot amongst every body of Christians, for the diffusion of light and knowledge, both amongst Jews and

Gentiles, in every quarter of the globe Who sees not

how greatly the face of things is altered, even within a very few years, in the Christian world ? Religion, instead of being frowned upon to the extent it once was, is honoured ; and, instead of being driven into a corner, is spread over the face of Christendom, with a rapidity which but a few years ago could not have been anticipated. And, as " Tyrians and Zidonians" contributed to David " their cedars and their workmen," so now, Hindoos and Heathens are co-operating with us in the good work ; and, to change the metaphor, " the fields are already white unto the harvest." " Now,'' then, is the time for all to " seek the Lord." As far as our personal interests are concerned, this duty is equally seasonable at all times : but for the interests of God's Church the present season is pecu- liarly propitious ; because an union of all Israel, both of "princes" and of people, is in progress; and by such com- bined efforts we may hope to advance this great and blessed work.]

With a special view to these things, we proceed to notice,

IL The injunction itself —

Two things are here pointed out :

1. What is to be the great object of our life —

^ Cite ver. 1—5, 14—16.

30 1 CHRONICLES, XXII. 19. [389.

[We mvist " seek the Lord our God." We must seek Ills favour; for without that we can do nothing, to any good purpose. But let us seek it in his appointed way, by faith in

his dear Son " Christ is the only way to the Father,

nor can any come acceptably to God, but by him, and through him"^."

We must seek Ms direction also, without which we are sure to err. The Israelites in the wilderness did not need the guidance of the pillar and the cloud more than we. Let us, therefore, watch its motions ; and beg of God that we may have at all times that promise fulfilled to us, " The meek he will guide in judgment, the meek he will teach his way'^."

His glory, too, we must seek. We must on no account be acting with a view to our own honour or interest, but simply and entirely to the honour of our God. And this principle we must carry into the minutest actions of our lives : *' Whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we must do all to the glory of God^"

In a word, we must seek in all things His final approbation. To be applauded of men will be of little avail to us, if in the last judgment we be condemned by om- God. We must proceed in the way of duty, whatever man may either say or do : and to obtain the plaudit of otu- God, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" must satisfy us, whatever we may sacri- fice for his sake, or whatever we may suiTer.]

2. In what way we are to prosecute it —

[We are not to engage in the Lord's work with a stupid indifference; but to embark in it, even as David did, with " our whole heart and our whole souF." It is thus that God interests himself for his people : and shall we do less for him, than he for us ? The w^ork which we have to do is " our very life^:" and on the manner of prosecuting it depends our whole success. We must " set our heart and our soul to it'';" and, like Joshua, determine, that, though all other people should

dissent from us, " we will serve the Lord" In this we

may learn even from the wicked. They, many of them at least, have " their heart fully set in them to do evil," and they do it " with both hands earnestly':" and tve, also, must " with full purpose of heart cleave unto the Lord''," and " be stead- fast and immovable, and always abounding in the work he has assigned us'."]

<= John xiv. 6. <• Ps. xxv. 9. See also Isai. xxx. 21.

« 1 Cor. X. 31. f Jer. xxxii. 41.

e Deut. xi. 18. and xxxii. 46, 47. ^ Deut. iv. 29.

i Eccl. viii. 11. and Mic. vii. 3. i' Acts xi. 23.

' 1 Cor. XV. 58.

390. J David's advice to solomon. 31

And NOW,

1. Avail yourselves of the opportunities afforded you for public usefulness —

[Verily, these are days in wliich it is an inestimable pri- vilege to live. The facilities afforded for the exercise of piety and benevolence are altogether unprecedented. The poorest, as w^ell as the rich, may contribute to the building of God's spiritual temple, and by their prayers may prevail to an un- known extent. And our encouragement is great. There is already a dawn of a very glorious day ; and we see the drops that precede an abundant shower. Spread then your sails, now that the wind is favourable : and in whatever department of God's work you are employed, set your heart to it, and " do it -with, all your might."]

2. Begin with a surrender of your whole souls to God—

[All acceptable service to God must begin within our own bosoms. If our religion begin not at home, we shall be only like the builders of Noah's ark, who prepared for others a de- liverance of which themselves chd not partake. The Macedo- nians were commended by St. Paul especially for this, that whilst they exercised benevolence towards others with unri- valled zeal, " they first gave their own selves to the Lord™." This is what we also must do : and tliis we shall do, if our hearts be right with God : we shall, each for himself, and all in concert, determine to " go and seek speedily the Lord of hosts:" and, when we exhort others to that good work, we shall, " every one of us, be forward to say, I will go also"."]

m 2 Cor. viii. 3 — 5. " Zech. viii. 20 — 22.

cccxc.

David's advice to solomon.

1 Chron. xxviii. 9. And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him ivith a perfect heart and ivith a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts : if thou seek him, he will he found of thee ; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

WHATEVER may have been their own conduct through life, it is the wish of most men in a dying hour, that their children should walk in the ways of

32 1 CHRONICLES, XXVIIL 9. [390.

probity and honour. But men of piety have higher views : they wish their children not merely to pass through this world with credit, but to obtain hap- piness beyond the grave. The advice of David in the words before us, is precisely such as every reli- gious parent would wish to give to his surviving family. Let us observe,

L The advice here given —

The occasion was most solemn. David had de- sired to build a temple for the Lord, but was for- bidden ; and was directed to devolve that office on his son Solomon. All the princes and great men of the nation were convened to assist at the solemnity : and in the presence of them all did David direct his son,

L Whom to seek —

[The terms here used have doubdess a peculiar force. David does not say to his son, " Knovv^ thou the God of Israel;'' but " Know thou the God of thy father ;'' by which expression he evidently called the attention of Solomon to the character of Jehovah as exemplified in all his dealings towards him: it is as though he had said, " Know thou that sovereign

God, who chose me above all to rule his people Israel

Know that almighty God who, in all my dangers from Saul or

other enemies, has preserved me to the present hour

Know that merciful God who forgave me all my great trans- gressions in the matter of Uriah and that faithful

God who has fulfilled to me all his great and precious pro- mises, in raising up thee to sit on my throne, and to build a

temple to the Lord "

" Know" this God: study his character as displayed in all his conduct towards me : acquaint thyself with him in the most intimate and endearing manner : and seek him as tliy friend, thy portion, thine eternal great reward! But remember that it is in Christ only that this character of God can be fully

seen Seek then to know God as I'econciled to you in

the Son of his love; and let " this God be your God for ever and ever."]

2. How to serve him —

[Integrity of heart is indispensable in all who would serve their God aright. Absolute perfection is not to be expected by fallen man : but that measure of perfection which consists in a total freedom from all guile, not only may, but must.

390.1 David's advice to solomon. 33

be attained. To be " Israelites indeed," we must be " without guile." There must be no lust, which we desire to retain ; no duty, from which we draw back; no sacrifice which we are averse to make : the will of God, even his whole will, without any limitation or exception, must be that to which we aim to

be conformed And in our labours to fulfil our duty,

we must not be constrained by slavish fear, but by filial love. We must feel the service of our God to be perfect freedom ; and find all our delight in it, like the angels, who " do his will,

hearkening to the voice of his word" As we are to love

our God, so also are we to serve him, " with all our heart, and mind, and soul, and strength."]

The importance of this charge is strongly marked in,

II. The considerations with which it is enforced —

Two argmnents are here used to impress the more deeply on Solomon's mind the foregoing exhortation. They are briefly these ;

1. That God is privy to our inmost thoughts —

[If God could judge only by the outward appearance, we might with less danger be inattentive to our hearts : but the heart of man is as visible to him as the sacrifices when flayed and divided asunder were to the priests of old^ Not the thoughts only, but " the imaginations of the thoughts," the very first risings of them before they are formed into a distinct apprehension of the mind, are all seen and marked by Him, so as to ascertain with precision their nature and quality; and to make them infallible grounds of condemnation or acquittal in the day of judgment. Not actions only, but " the spirits of men are weighed by him," so as to discern how much there is of good or evil in every inclination, affection, appetite, and motion of the soul.

What a reason is this for attending to the frame of our minds in the service of our God ! That, and that only which is according to his word, will be accepted by him : whatever there is of formality, or hypocrisy, or of any evil principle, will all be separated as chaff" from the wheat, to be consumed in the fire, when the wheat is treasured up in his garner. Alas ! how little that is truly good, will be found even in the best of men! Consider this, all ye who would find acceptance wdth God ; and endeavour to approve yourselves to Him, " who searcheth the heart, and trieth the reins."]

* Heb. iv. 13. rfrpa^r/XiffjutVa. VOL. IV. D

34 1 CHRONICLES, XXVIII. 9. [390.

2. That he will deal with us according as we con- duct ourselves towards him —

[It is grievous that men should explain away the plainest declarations of God, in order to accommodate them to human systems. There is nothing clearer in all the inspired volume, than that " God will be found of them that seek him, and cast off those who forsake him." We appeal to the experience of all who are in the slightest degree acquainted with vital godliness.

*' Did God ever say to any man, Seek my face in vain?"

On the other hand, AVho ever turned back from him, without suffering loss in his soul ? Who has not found that the Spirit of God may be grieved and provoked to withdraw his gracious communications? Most assuredly he will not always strive with man, but will give us up to our own hearts' lusts, if we wil- fully harbour those dispositions or affections which are hateful in his sight. Moreover, in the eternal world, he will recom- pense every man exactly according to his works ; adjudging to his diligent servants a reward proportioned to their diligence in improving their talents, and to the disobedient servants a punishment proportioned to their guilt.

Who can reflect on this, and not feel the force of the advice given in our text ? Our happiness both in time and in eternity depends on our present diligence and fidelity. Let us there- fore implore help from God, that we may so devote ourselves to him now, as to be approved by him in the day of judgment.]

Address —

1. To parents —

[You see in David, what should be your chief desire in behalf of your children. We say not that you should be indif- ferent about their worldly advancement ; for that also is im- portant in its place : but your great concern should be to have them truly pious and devoted to God. Labour then, by every possible means, to attain this point. Call them to you, and address them each by name with all tenderness and fidelity ; remembering that you yourselves must answer unto God for the influence with which he has invested you for their good ; and that, if they perish through your neglect, their blood will be required at your hands.]

2. To those who are coming forth into life —

[Such advice as that which is given in our text, you are ready to judge premature, or at least to think you have good reason for delaying your attention to it. But are you young, and moving in an elevated sphere, and engaging in concerns of vast importance ? So was Solomon : yet were these no rea- sons for David to witlihold the advice, or with Solomon to reject

391.] David's preparation for the temple. 35

it. Remember, it is for eternity, and not for time only, that you should live ; and, if you disregard the admonitions of your parents, they who now so long for your welfare, will be swift witnesses against you at the day of judgment.]

3. To all who are here present —

[It is not unbecoming a minister of Christ to regard his flock with parental solicitude, or to address them in the lan- guage of our text. Let me then address each of you, as it were, in the presence of the whole collective body, and urge you to seek after God with your whole hearts. Rest not in a formal routine of duties, or in a partial conformity to his revealed will : but see that your " hearts are right with him ;" and never rest till you have " the witness of his Spirit," and " the testimony of your own conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity you have your conversation in the world." Such a state of mind is most desirable for every one of us ; and it is the best preparative, no less for the duties of this life, than for the enjoyments of the life to come.]

CCCXCI.

David's preparation for the temple.

1 Chron. xxix. 2. Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God.

THERE is no end to the benefits which we may derive from Scripture history. What if our situation and circumstances be different from those which are there adverted to ? the advantage to be received from the relation of them is not a whit the less : on the contrary, it often happens, that the voice of God in them is on that very account the more powerful. Take, for instance, the example before us. David, of his own mind, desired to build a temple for the Lord: and he was forbidden to do it: yet "with all his might he prepared for it;" though it was never to be done till he should be removed to a better world. It may be said, and with truth, that we are not, nor are at all likely to be, in circumstances like his : yet will his example be found of very peculiar use, whilst I set before you,

I. The zeal he manifested for the building of a ma" terial temple to the Lord — d2

36 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 2. [391.

Though forbidden to execute his wishes, he was not forbidden to prepare for the execution of them by his son and successor on the throne of Israel. He, therefore, availed himself of the wealth and influence which God had given him, himself to contribute, out of his own personal property, above eighteen milhons of our money ; and to promote a similar liberality amongst his subjects, who contributed above thirty millions. The amount of both together was fifty millions of pounds. Now, it may be asked. On what principle did he proceed ? And why should he so strip both himself and his people of their possessions, for the purpose of raising a structure to the Lord ? I answer, he did it,

L To honour God —

[Da\id had built for himself a noble palace : and he could not endure to live in a house of cedar himself, whilst the ark, which was the symbol of the divine presence, " dwelt between curtains." True, no earthly house could be a fit habitation for Him who filleth heaven and earth : but still it was more seemly that there should be for God a fixed abode : and by making it " exceeding magnifical," it would become an object of admiration to all the surrounding nations. It would also fill with reverence all his own people ; and thus be the means of honouring God among them, and of exalting in their esteem its Divine Inhabitant. And was not this an object worthy to be promoted, whatever might be the trouble, or whatever the expense ?]

2. To bring down a blessing upon his whole land —

[Greatly would it facilitate the access of all the people to their God, especially when they should come up annually, at tlu; three appointed seasons, to worship there. And much would they see that would aflbrd them abundant edification. Indeed, the candlesticks and lavers that were used in the tabernacle were multiplied ten-fold in the temple : and the accommodations for the worshippers would be enlarged, per- haps an hundred-fold. Whilst, therefore, the veiy sight of that magnificent structure would fill them with reverential awe, they would derive exceeding great comfort and encou- ragement from the increased facilities of social worship. And, beyond a doubt, in pi-oportion as they delighted in drawing nigh to God, God would delight in drawing nigh to them;

391.1 David's preparation for tue temple. 37

and in proportion as they sought him, he would be found of tliem, and poiu" out his benefits upon them.

And could a monarch improve his wealth and influence better than in such a work ? No, surely : no labour, however great, nor any sacrifice, however costly, would be ill bestowed in the advancement of so blessed and desirable an end. Mil- lions of gold and silver were well appropriated to a cause like this.]

But greater far is,

II. The zeal that becomes us in raising a spiritual temple in his name — In reference to this work, no prohibition is issued to any living soul; but, on the contrary, a command- ment is given to all. And infinitely more does it deserve our utmost exertions : we all are called to aid in raising this nobler edifice —

[Yes, a nobler edifice it is indeed !

Its foundation is more solid. The material temple, doubt- less, was built on a foundation well fitted for its support. But Jesus Christ is, " the foundation laid in Zion :" on him must we raise the edifice^; or rather "on the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone^."

Its materials are more precious. Doubtless of timber and stone there was the most careful selection that could be made. But our temple consists of" living stones'^," every one of them penetrated by the Spirit of God, and animated with the very life that is in Christ Jesus'^.

Its architect is more honourable. Bezaliel and Aholiab are immortalized by their unrivalled skill. But of the Temple in which our assistance is required, it must be said, " Its Builder and Maker is God*^." There is not a stone belonging to it which has not been hewn out of the quarry by God himself, and formed and fashioned by Him who built the universe : so true is that declaration of the Apostle, " We are God's work- manship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works ^."

Far nobler sacrifices, too, are ofihered in it. All the cattle upon a thousand hills were not worthy to be compared with the sacrifice of a broken and contrite spirit. " With every such offering God is well pleased :" and the temple itself is infinitely more raised in his esteem, on account of the offerings presented there s. Not one is ever inflamed with his heavenly

a Isai. xxviii. 16. ^ Eph. ii. 20. " 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5.

«' Gal. ii. 20. Col. iii. 3, 4. <= Hob. xi. 10.

f Eph. ii. 10. g Isui. Ixvi, 1, 2.

38 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 2. [391.

fire, but the odours of it ascend up before him with acceptance, and are " well pleasing to him through Jesus Christ'*."

The manifestations of God in it are also more bright. True, in the material temple, God so filled it, that the priests could no longer stop to minister there'. But in his spiritual temple he dwells, not by a bright cloud, the symbol of his presence, but by his owni immediate presence ; making it " his habi- tation through the Spirit''," and displaymg to the view of every faithful worshipper " all the glory of the Godhead in the face of Jesus Christ'."

The tvhole economy of it, also, is more lasting. The material temple has been so entirely destroyed, that not even its site can now be accurately ascertained. But the spiritual Temple sliall endure for ever, as we are told by the beloved Apostle : " I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is vnth men, and he vdll dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and he will be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain : for the former things are passed away™." The Romans utterly subverted the one : but not all the power and policy of hell shall ever prevail against the other.]

What zeal, then, can be too great, in promoting such a work as this ?

[Did David " prepare with all his might for the house which he was forbidden to construct?" Surely we should spare no labour and no cost in advancing the work to which we are called. We should devote to it both our persons and our property: our persons doubtless in the first instance"; for with- out that sacrifice, all the wealth of kingdoms would be a vain and empty, yea, a hateful and detestable offering °: but with that, we must present also our gold and our silver, to the utmost extent of our power p. It cannot be that men should go forth to preach the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles, all over the world, at their own cost : nor can the Holy Scriptures be translated into all languages, and be dispersed over all countries, without great and liberal contributions. But if David and his subjects gave so richly of their substance to raise a temple of wood and stone, and even adored God for giving them the iuchnation and ability to contribute i, much more should we

^ Ps. li. 17. '1 Kings viii. 10, 11, ^ Eph. ii. 22.

' 2 Cor. iii. 18. >« Rev. xxi. 3, 4. "2 Cor. viii. 5.

" Isai. Ixvi. 3. Rom. xii. 1. P ver. 13, 14.

'1 2 Cor. viii. 3, 4. If there were only 12,500/. raised, as for the London Society, it would occupy the space of 4000 years ! How little do u'c, for the souls of God's Ancient People, in comparison of David!

392.1 SAINTS STRANGEUS ON EARTH. 39

be willing to give all that we can spare — I had almost said, all that we possess, for the advancing of God's kingdom over the face of the whole earth.

Shall it be thought that our present contributions are large? Suppose them to be fifty thousand a year; there will be a lapse of a thousand years before we have collected what David and his servants gave, before so much as a single stone was laid.

Shall it be said, as it often is, in reference to the Millennium, " It will not take place in our day?" Be it so, if you please : yet learn from David, that that consideration, even if it were certain, should not induce you in the least degree to relax yom' exertions. You should still " prepare for it vdth all your might," and help it forward to the utmost of your power

If any one say, " I can do nothing towards that great work ; " let him know, that he has at least one Temple to prepare, even his own soul, which must, ere it can be happy, become " a Temple of the living God"":" that you must prepare, by peni- tence and faith, to be the habitation of Almighty God^ But take care that " Christ be the foundation on which you build; for there neither is, nor can be, any other*." Take care, also, what your superstructure is : " If it be hay, straw, stubble, it will be burnt up. It must be of gold, and silver, and precious stones," in order to be approved of the Lord". Take care, also, not to retain in your bosom any evil disposition. God could not endure that his temple of old should be defiled; much less wdll he suffer with impmiity any lusts to be harboured in the soul of man: " If any man defile the Temple of God, him shall God destroy : for the Temple of God is holy : which Temple ye are^." I call on every one of you, then, to be "workers together with God" in this sacred cause 5^: and, " whatever your hand findeth to do, do it with all your might ^."]

r 1 Cor. iii. 16. and vi. 19. « 2 Cor. vi. 16.

t 1 Cor. iii. 11. ^ 1 Cor. iii. 12—15.

X John ii. 13 — 17. 1 Cor. iii. 17. v 2 Cor. vi. 1, z Eccl. ix. 10.

CCCXCII.

SAINTS STRANGERS ON EARTH.

1 Chron. xxix. 1 5. JVe are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers : our dags on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.

40 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 15. [392.

THE more truly pious we are, the more shall we be clothed with humility. On no occasion had David evinced more exalted piety, than in his pre- parations for the building and furnishing the temple, which he was not permitted in his lifetime to erect. *' He had prepared for it with all his might," " be- cause he had set his affection to the house of his God^." He contributed to the amount of about eighteen millions of money : and his people also shewed a similar liberality, according to their power. And what reflections did these efforts generate in his mind? Was he filled with self-complacency ? or did he assume any merit to himself ? No : he gave to God the glory of all that had been done, acknowledg- ing that the power to do it was the effect of his bounty, and the disposition to do it the fruit of his grace. A more sublime ascription of praise will scarcely be found in all the Book of God, than that which he uttered on this occasion. He bore in mind, that, as his continuance here was but of short dura- tion, it became him to exert himself with all possible zeal, whilst any opportunity to serve God remained. The expressions which he made use of in my text will lead me to shew you,

I. The state of man as it is here represented —

Man is but "a stranger and sojourner" upon earth —

[This world is not our home. If we are saints indeed, we have been born from above : we are children of a heavenly Father : we are of " the family of which Christ is the head,'" and the glorified saints and angels are the members : and licaven itself is the inheritance to which we are begotten''. This world is but a wilderness, through which we are passing to our Father's house. We are mere pilgrims here. The people amongst whom we sojourn are governed by different laws, and speak a different language, and are strangers to us, even as we are to them. Our communion with them is such as necessity alone requires. Wherever we are, we are only like travellers in an inn. Our stay is of uncertain duration. If our accommodations be good, we ai-e thankful for them; but

^ ver. 2, 3, f 1 Pet. i. 3, 4.

392.1 SAINTS STRANGERS ON EARTH. 41

not much elated, because we regard them as merely momen- tary, and have our minds mtent on far higher joys to come. On the other hand, if our accommodations be of a less com- fortable nature, we feel no great disappointment. We con- sider that as incident to our state as travellers ; and are consoled with the thought, that in due season we shall reach our home, where there is fulness of joy for evermore.

This has been the state of aU the saints, from the beginning : the patriarchs " confessed it to be theirs ; " and gloried in the thought that they were " seeking a better country, " which they should inhabit for ever''.]

. This representation is confirmed by actual expe- rience—

[" Our days on earth are but as a shadow, and there is none abiding." Behold the shadow of a cloud passing over the fields ; how rapidly does it proceed ! and how speedily does it vanish, not leaving the slightest trace of it behind ! Thus generations pass away, and " the places where they have lived know them no more." *' No one has found here any con- tinuing city." The antediluvians lived for eight or nine hundred years; yet they died at last. How short, then, is our continuance, now that the term of life is reduced to seventy or eighty years ! Let the oldest of us look back : our Hfe seems to have been but "a mere span:" it has "declined as a sha- dow"^;" it has come to an end, " as a tale that is told^;" it has been " as a vapour, that appeareth for a moment, and then vanisheth away^." Thus it has been with all, however great, or however good. The kings of the earth, that have made all the world to stand in awe of them, have passed away ; yea, and their very empires have vanished with them. Where are now the Assyrian, Babylonish, Persian, Grecian, and Roman em- pires ? They have been swallowed up, as it were, and lost ; together with the monarchs by whom they were established. In like manner, " the Prophets and Apostles, where are they?" they filled but an appointed time, and then were taken to their eternal rest. But, in truth, the very place where we are as- sembled gives us a convincing evidence, that, whether by choice or not, the same character pertains to every one of us ; we are but pilgrims upon earth, hastening every moment to our des- tined home.]

Let us, then, mark, IL The conduct which the consideration of that state is calculated to inspire —

<= Heb. xi. 13, 14. ^ Ps. cii. 11. e pg. xc. 9.

^ Jam. iv. 14.

4^ 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 15. [392.

Frequently is the consideration of that state urged upon us, as a motive to that habit of mind which the state itself demands. " I beseech you, then, as strangers and pilgrims V'

1. Be moderate in your regards for earthly things —

[A man intent on reacliing his destined home, would not think of making a place his rest, because of its beautilul pro- spects or its comfortable acconmiodations. He would be pleased with them, and thankful for them as refreshments by the way; but he would not think of resting in them as liis por- tion. So must we look beyond these transient things, and re«t in nothing short of our destined home. To this effect is the counsel of the Apostle Paul: " This I say. Brethren, the time is short : it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not ; and they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away"^." " Let your moderation, then, be known unto all men:" and " set your affections on things above, and not on things on the earth."]

2. Be diligent in the prosecution of your journey heaven-ward —

[You have no time to lose. Whether your stay in this wilderness be m.ore or less protracted, you will find every hour short enough for the making of such a progress as will ensure a happy termination of your labours. You are not merely in a jom'ney; but in a race, which requires the most strenuous and um-emitted exertions. Whatever advance you may have made, you are to " forget what is behind, and to press forward to that which is before, that so you may attain the prize of your high calling." And never are you to be weary of well- doing; for '* then only will you reap, if you faint not."]

3. Avail yourselves of the aids which God has pro- vided for you by the way —

[To his people in the wilderness, God gave a daily supply of manna from the clouds, and of water from the rock that followed them. And similar provision has he made for us also, in our way to the promised land : and, in the strength of it, we may prosecute our journey without fear. If we are " strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might," what may we not undertake, with a full assurance of success ? We need

K 1 Pet, ii. 11. i' 1 Cor. vii. 29, 30.

393.] UPRIGHTNESS OF HEART REQUIRED. 43

not draw back from any labour ; for " the grace of Christ shall surely be sufficient for us : " nor need we fear any enemy ; for we shall be " more than conquerors, through Him that loved us."]

4. Keep your eye fixed on heaven, as your home—

[Wliat would ever divert your steps, or retard them for an instant, if you contemplated, as you ought, the blessedness that awaits you at the close of your journey? To be in your Fa- ther's house, in the very mansion prepared for you ; yea, and in the very bosom of that Saviour, who went, as your fore- runner, to prepare it— to have all your trials for ever terminated, and all your dangers for ever past, and all your labours for ever closed ; and to have nothing but an eternity of bhss, such as no words can express, no imagination can conceive — what joy will you feel in the retrospect, what exultation in the prospect, and, above all, what recollections as arising from the stupendous mystery of redemption, whereby the whole has been accomplished for you ! Set before you this prize ; and then tell me, whether you will ever need any thing to carry you forward in your heavenly course. Truly, the contempla- tion of that glory will swallow up every thing else, even as the stars of heaven are eclipsed by the meridian sun. Joys will be no joys, and_ sorrows no sorrows — I mean, not worth being so accomited— if only you keep heaven in your view : for neither the comforts " nor the sufferings of this present hfe are worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us>." Moses '^, and Paul^ and all the saints"^, yea, and even the Lord Jesus Christ himself", were animated by this thought : and, if it fully possess your mind, you can never faint, nor ever come short of the rest that remaineth for you".]

» Rom. viii. 18. ^ jjeb. xi. 24 — 26. i Acts xx. 24.

"1 Heb. xi. 35. -^ Heb. xii. 2. 02 Pet. i. 10, 11.

CCCXCIII.

UPRIGHTNESS OF HEART REQUIRED.

I Chron. xxix. 17. / know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness.

THE true way to form a correct estimate of our actions is, to consider the principles from which they flow: for it is very possible that an act, which may be highly esteemed amongst men, may be an utter " abomination in the sight of God%" on account of

'^ Luke xvi. 15.

44 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 17. [393.

the motives by which we have been actuated in the performance of it. Jehu obeyed an express command of God in destroying tlie house of Ahab ; and was even rewarded by God for it; whilst yet he was also punislied for it, because, in what he did, he was im- pelled only by his own pride and vanity, instead of consulting, as he should have done, the glory of his God^ " Man looketh only on the outward appear- ance; but God looketh at the hearts" The efforts which David made in preparing for the erection of the Temple were amazing: yet, if they had proceeded from a desire of man's applause, they would have been of no value before God. But David sought only to glorify his God : and for his integrity, in this respect, he could appeal, yea, and did appeal, to the heart- searching God: " I know, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness:" and I can affirm, as in thy presence, that *' in the upright- ness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things ^"

From this striking and confident declaration, I shall take occasion to shew, I. What is here affirmed of God —

Two things are here asserted respecting God:

1. His knowledge of the human heart — [" The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good*." Nor is it a mere cursory view wliich he takes of the things that are passing in the world: he inspects them all : he marks the most hidden actions of mankind: he observes vdth accuracy the principles from which they flow. Not so much as a thought escapes his notice ; no, nor the most fleeting " imagination of a thought *^." " He searches the heart, and tries the reins'^," in order that not the slightest motion of the soul may escape him. He so " ponders the ways of men ''," that not a turn in tliem is unobserved ; and so " weighs tlieir spirits'," iis infallibly to ascertain the precise nu-;isure of every principle contained in them. In natural [)roductions, this is done with a considerable degree of accuracy

*> Compare 2 Kings x. 30. with Hos. i. 4. ^ i Sum. xvi. 7.

'' The text, with the clause following it. '^ Prov. xv. 3.

"■ (Jen. vi. f). 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. s Ps. vii. 9.

^ Prov. xxi. 2. i Prov. xvi. 2.

393.1 UPRIGHTNESS OF HEART REQUIRED. 45

by cliemists : but no chemist can subject the heart of man to this process : that is the work of God alone '^ : but it is a work which he is executing every clay, and every hour, over the face of the whole earth : and in his book of remembrance he records the result of his observations on every child of man^ In truth, if he did not thus search the heart, he would not be able to judge the world. But, seeing that " all things are naked and opened before him, and that he is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart '"," and that the darkest recesses of it are to him as clear as the Hght of day ", we may, without hesitation, say with Job, " I know that no thought can be withholden from thee"."]

2. His love of uprightness — [He requireth truth in the inward parts P; and whatever IS contrary to it, he utterly abhors. " He made man upright" in the first instance i, and pronounced his work to be "very good""." In his works of grace he seeks to restore to man that Uprightness : and never will he look with complacency on any child of man, till that change is wrought. By uprightness, however, we are not to understand sinless perfection : for, if none but those who have attained that were objects of his love, there would not be found one upon the face of the whole earth ; seeing that " there is no man that liveth, and sinneth not^." But, in desire and purpose, we must be perfect. There must be in us no allowed sin. " Our heart must be right with God*." He will not endure " a divided heart ^." There must be in us a simplicity of aim and intention : no leaning to self; no corruj)t bias ; no undue mixture of carnal motives or prin- ciples : we must be "without guile in our spirit^," if we would approve ourselves to him. Where a person of this character is, God views him with pleasure y, and listens to him with delight^. The testimony borne to Nathanael is a clear evidence of this. No human eye saw him " under the fig- tree ; " nor could any person, who had seen him, have ventured to pronounce upon his character in such decided terms. But God had searched his heart, and " found it perfect before him^" That his delight in such characters might be fully known, he has recorded it in his word ; and, for the encou- ragement of all future generations, has borne witness to Nathanael, saying, " Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile**."

k Rev. ii. 23. ' Ps. Ivi. 8. "^ Heb. iv. 12.

n Ps. cxxxix. 11, 12. o Job xlii. 2. P Ps. li. 6.

1 Eccl. vii, 29. ■■ Gen. i. 26, 31. » 1 Kings viii. 40.

t Ps. Ixxviii. 37. ^ Hos. x. 2. ^ Ps. xxxii. 2.

y Prov. XV 8, 9. z Prov. xi. 20. ^ 2 Kings xx. 3. b John i. 47.

46 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 17. [393.

Know, then, that " God has pleasure in uprightness." He has pleasure in it as a conformity to his Law, a correspondence with his own image, the very end and consummation of all his works.]

Such being the mind of Almighty God, let us con- sider,

IL What effect the knowledge of it should produce upon us — No subject whatever has a wider scope, or needs more to be seen in all its diversified bearings, than that before us. The consideration of God's omni- science, and of his exclusive approbation of what is holy, should operate forcibly on every child of man. It should operate to make us,

1. Humble in our review of our past lives —

[Wlio amongst us could stand, if God were to enter into judgment with us? Who, if God should "lay judgment to the line and righteousness to the plummet," woiild be found to have been upright before him ? Let us take even the best day of our whole lives, and try ourselves by the holy Law of God ; or rather, not by the Law as it is in itself, but as it has been known and understood by us ? Let us take even our own standard of duty to God and man, and say whether we have fulfilled — whether we have even striven to fulfil it ? whether we have laboured, as men in earnest, to get our views of duty rectified and enlarged, in order that we might not, through ignorance, come short of it in any thing ? Let us think whether we can appeal to the omniscient and heart- searching God, that we have studied his blessed word in order to learn his will, and cried to him for grace to enable us for the performance of it ? In short, let us see, whether for one day or hour we have been truly upright before God, so as to have not a wish of our hearts comparable to that of pleasing, serving, glorifying him ? If, then, we cannot stand this test even for the best day of our whole lives, what must have been our state taken in the aggregate, from the first mo- ment of our existence to the present hour ? Tell me whether it is possible for us to abase ourselves too much ? Job, with all his perfection, " abhorred himself in dust and ashes'':" tell me, then, what should be the posture of our souls before God ? Verily, there should not be a day or an hour, through- out all our future lives, wherein we should not " put our

*■ Job xlii. G.

393.1 UPRIGHTNESS OF HEART REQUIRED. 47

hands on our mouths, and our mouths in the dust, crying, Unclean, Unclean'^!"]

2. Earnest in our desires to be found in Christ — [Whither should such guilty creatures flee, but to the

Saviour ? to Him who has expiated our guilt, and wrought out a righteousness wherein we may stand accepted before God ? To think of procuring remission of our sins by any obedience of our own, w^ere madness. Satan himself might attempt it as reasonably as we. O ! with what joy should we hear of the provision made for us in the Gospel! — of an incarnate God ! of a sacrifice for sin ! of a sacrifice commensurate with the necessities of a ruined world ! of a free access to the Father through that sacrifice ! of acceptance vvdth Him, simply through faith in it as a propitiation for our sins ! of every thing being treasured up in Christ for us®, so that it may be secured against a possibility of being lost*^, and may " be received at all times, out of his fulness," through the exercise of faith and prayer s! Let us but see in what light we stand before God, as viewed in ourselves, and we shall most cordially luiite with the Apostle Paul, in " desiring to be found in Christ, not having our own righteousness, which is of the Law, but the righteous- ness which is of God by faith in Christ'^."]

3. Watchful against the assaults of our great ad- versary—

[Even in Paradise, whilst yet our first parents retained their integrity, did Satan prevail to beguile them. What, then, will he not do vdth us, if we be not constantly on our guard against him? He can assume " the appearance of an angel of light*:" how, then, can we hope to stand against his wiles, if Almighty God do not interpose to preserve us? It is not necessary for his purpose, that he should draw us into gross sin : he effects our destruction no less certainly, if he only " beguile us from the simplicity that is in Christ''." If he succeed only so far as to keep us from being upright before God, he needs no more to ruin us for ever. Beloved Brethren, reflect on this, and cry mightily to God to arm you against him on every side ' ; that, whether he assume the violence of a lion™, or the subtlety of a serpent", he may never be able to prevail against you.]

4. Faithful in examining every motion of our hearts —

d Lev. xiii. 49. Lam. iii. 29. « Col. i. 19.

f Col. iii. 3. g John i. IG. ^ Phil. iii. 9.

i 2 Cor. xi. 14. k 2 Cor. xi. 3. ' Eph. vi. 11.

'" 1 Pet. v. 8. n Rev. xii. 9.

48 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 17. [S9S.

[If Satan were less active, we should still be in continual danger, from the deceitfulness and depravity of our o\mi hearts. We are ever ready to " put evil for good, and dark- ness for light"." Self-love is so predominant in the best of us, that we rarely can discern, and never \\dthout the most careful observation, the true motives by wlaich we are ac- tuated. We give ourselves credit for a purity, which we but rarely attain : and hence, in ten thousand instances, we de- ceive our own souls p. But we cannot deceive God. When he searches our heart and tries our reins, we cannot impose on him. The least obliquity of mind or principle is as obvious to him, as the greatest and most open enormity. We should therefore carefully examine ourselves as to the motives and principles from which we act ; yea, and should beg of God, also, to " search and try us, and to see if there be any wicked way in us, and to lead us in the way everlasting i."]

5. Constant in prayer for more abundant grace —

[It is by the grace of Christ alone that we can do any thing that is good^ Without that, we should be "carried captive by the devil at his will." But it is not by grace once received, that we are to stand : we must have daily supplies of grace : and in seasons of temptation we must have a greater measure of grace imparted to us, according to the augmented measure of our necessities. But this can only be brought in by prayer. St. Paul, under the bufFetings of Satan, cried earnestly to the Lord Jesus Christ for succour and support. Yet he did not at first succeed. Therefore he renewed his supplications again and again; till at last the Lord Jesus Christ answered him, " My grace is sufficient for thee;" and assured him, that " Jehovah's strength should be made per- fect in his weakness ^" This enabled the Apostle to " glory in his infirmities ; " and to acquiesce cheerfully in the trial, from a confidence that " the power of Christ should rest upon him." So should we also, under a sense of our constant liability to fall, commit ourselves entirely to God; crying with eager and constant importunity, " Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe*."]

6. Careful in our endeavours to approve ourselves to God—

[To God we should act, and not to man. Through a sweet consciousness that he was doing this, David could rejoice in his o\yn uprightness : as Paul also did, when he said, " Our rejoicing is this, the test'mony of our conscience, that in sim-

" Isai. v. '20. P Jam. i. 20. q Ps. cxxxix. 23, 24.

"" John XV. 5. s -2 Cor. xii. 9. * Ps. cxix. 117.

394.]] LIBERALITY IN GOd's SERVICE COMMENDED. 49

pHcity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world"." Our wisdom is, to " set the Lord alway before us^," and to walk as in his immediate presence. We know what an influ- ence the eye of a fellow-creature has over us, in things which are cognizable to him : and if we could realize the idea of God's presence, and see inscribed on every place, " Thou, God, seest us^," we should walk far more circumspectly thair we do, particularly in our private intercourse with God. En- deavour, then, to " stand perfect and complete in all the vnll of God^:" rest in no attainment short of that. " Let all guile be put away from you." Determine, through grace, that God himself shall discern no allowed evil within you : so shall you " walk hohly and unblamably before God," and be kept " sincere and without oflence imtil the day of Christ ^"]

u 2 Cor. i. 12. X Ps. xvi. 8. y Gen. xvi. 13.

2 Col. iv. 12. a Phil. I 10.

CCCXCIV.

LIBERALITY IN GOd's SERVICE COMMENDED.

1 Chron. xxix. 17, 18. Now have I seen with joy thy people,

which are present here, to offer loillingly unto thee. 0 Lord

God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this

for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy

people, and prepare their heart unto thee.

RELIGION, in whomsoever it is seen, is exceeding beautiful ; and all its exercises and operations deserve our most attentive regard. But when it shines forth in persons of high station, or is exhibited in the united efforts of a multitude, it excites our highest admira- tion. Who can behold the three thousand converts on the day of Pentecost, '' all of one heart and one soul," all living together in the devoutest fellowship with God and each other % and dividing with each other their possessions, that, being supported out of one common stock^, they might be entirely freed from all care about the things of this world ; who can behold this, I say, and not admire " the exceeding grace of God in them?" In the chapter before us we have a

a Acts ii. 41 — 47. ^ Acts iv. 32 — 34.

VOL. IV. E

50 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 17, li [394.

powerful monarch at the head of all the chief men in his kingdom, devoting their property to God, for the purpose of erecting a stately edifice to his honour. The prayer which David offered on the occasion, in the hearing of them all, expressed, doubtless, their sentiments as well as his own, and shews that they were actuated, not by warm affections only, but by a just and heavenly principle : for, while they were performing a most exalted act of piety towards God, they were not elated with pride, but filled with gra- titude to him for enabhng and inclining them to render him this service.

In discoursing on the words which we have just read, we shall consider them,

I. In reference to the history before us —

David had purposed to build a house unto the Lord : but his intention, though approved and ap- plauded by his God, was not suffered to be carried into execution, " because he had been a man of war, and had shed much blood." Nevertheless he made great preparations for it, in order that he might at least testify the sincerity of his wishes, and facilitate the accomplishment of them in God's appointed time. The princes and people heartily concurred with him in this good work ; and thereby filled his soul with joy and gratitude. We may notice in the text,

1. The grounds of his joy —

[His subjects manifested on this occasion an extraordinary zeal for God's honour, and liberality in his service. Had they been disposed to excuse themselves from engaging in this expensive work, they might have urged many specious reasons for declining it. They might have said, ' God has not required this at our hands ; wliy then should we do it ? His " ark has abode within curtains" for five hundred years; why then should it not continue to do so ? Must not any building which we can raise, be altogether unworthy of his notice? Have we not other, and more imperious, calls for our money? Have we not many poor, whom we might relieve ; and many ignorant, for whom we might provide instruction? Besides, have not our families a claim upon us, that we should not so prodigally lavish the wealth by which we are enabled to provide for

394.1 LIBERALITY IN GOD's SERVICE COMMENDED. 51

them?' But no such objections were made. A clesh-e to glorify God swallowed up every selfish and worldly considera- tion; and the people vied with each other in contributing to the utmost of their power, insomuch that above thirty millions in gold and silver were dedicated by them to this service.

And was not this a proper ground of joy to the pious monarch ? It was at least a presumptive proof that their souls were penetrated with true religio7i. Some indeed might have been influenced by baser motives ; but the greater part were doubtless animated by love to God : for they had been long amassing riches for this particular end : and, if their prmciple had not been good, it would scarcely have operated so uni- formly and to such an extent. What then could afibrd a more just occasion of joy than such a sight, whether to a prince among his subjects, or a minister among his people, or a parent among his children? Every one in whom true piety exists, must of necessity rejoice in beholding such a testimony of piety in others. But the people's conduct was also a pledge that the grand design should in due time he completed. David had set liis heart on having the work accomplished, though it was not to be performed by him, or even during his life. Large as his own donations had been, they would not have been sufficient without the aid of others: and if his own example had not been followed while he was present to exert his influence, he could have but little hope that any attention would be paid to it after his death. But no room for such fears was left. The people's zeal and liberality ensiired suc- cess : and nothing remained, but that the plan which God himself had given him for every part of the work, should be executed by Solomon his son. Well might he rejoice in such a prospect. Well might he exult in the thought, that in this amazing undertaking he had not laboured in vain or run in vain.]

2. The expressions of his love —

[Good impressions, especially when our temporal interests are likely to be affected by them, are very apt to languish and decay. As the gratitude of the Israelites, promising as it appeared at the first moment when their enemies were over- whelmed in the sea, vanished within the space of a few days, so the zeal and liberality which are called forth on some parti- cular occasions are too often found to yield after a time to the suggestions of prudence and economy. None but God can " put a good desire into the heart '^;" nor can any but God preserve it there. Under a ftJl conviction of this truth, David entreated God to '* keep these good dispositions in the hearts

<= 2 Cor. viii. 16. E 2

52 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 17, 18. [394.

of his people," and to " prepare more fully and entirely their hearts unto him." The accumulation of words which he uses on this occasion suggests, that, if there be not a living prm- ciple of piety in the heart, the actings of it \yi\\ be of short continuance ; if there be no spring or fountain, the channel will soon cease to flow.

Now this devout application to God on their behalf was the strongest possible expression of his love towards them : for what other thing could tend so much either to their present or eternal felicity as a continuance of these liberal and devout affections? It conduced exceedingly to their present hapjnness. From the joy which they manifested on the occasion, it might be supposed rather that they had unexpectedly acquired some large property. This would have been a more common and natural source of joy. But they felt happiness in pa7-ting toith their wealth : they fomid it "more blessed to give than to receive :" they experienced a more refined and elevated pleasure than the largest acquisitions could possibly have conveyed*^. And, instead of thinking that they conferred any obligation upon God by these sacrifices, they felt themselves indebted to him, in exact proportion to the cheerfulness and liberality with which they were enabled to offer to him^. Moreover it tended also to their eternal hapjjiness. Their gifts could not purchase heaven, it is true ; nor could their liberality merit any thing at God's hands: but God has been graciously pleased to say, that even " a cup of cold water, if given to him, or for his sake, in a becoming manner, shall in no wise lose its reward:" nay, he would consider himself as " imrighteous, if he were to forget our works and labours of love which we have shewn towards his name^" Without arrogating any merit to our- selves therefore, we may say, that " the fruits of generosity shall abound to our account f^;" that "what we lay out for the Lord shall be repaid us again '^;" and that in being ready to distribute our wealth in his service, we " lay up in store for ourselves a good foundation against the time to come, that we may lay hold on eternal life*."

On these accounts Da\id prayed that these holy dispositions might be kept alive in their hearts; and in this prayer he ex- pressed in the most effectual manner his love towards them. If he had flattered them, he might have gratified their pride; but in praying for them he consulted their best interests.]

Having noticed the words in reference to the history before us, we shall consider them,

^ 2 Cor. viii. 9. <= ver. 14.

f Heb. vi. 10. s Phil. iv. 17.

"' Prov. xix. 17. M Tim. vi. 18, 19.

394.] LIBERALITY IN GOD's SERVICE COMMENDED. 53

II. In reference to that which is typically represented by it''—

The material temple was a type of the Christian Church, even of that temple which is " built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone ."

This temple we are now called upon to build — [God has of late years stirred up an almost imprecedented zeal to erect this temple in heathen lands. Every denomina- tion of Cliristians has stood forth on this occasion. The Moravians, with unrivalled perseverance, led the way. Inde- pendents and Baptists, Methodists and Presbyterians, have followed, according to their respective abihties. The Church of England has long had two Societies engaged in this glorious cause"": and of late a third has arisen, whose attention is prin- cipally directed to Africa and the East". None of these interfere with each other: there is room for all; and there is need of all. It might be thought better perhaps if all were combined in one : but, considering what human nature is, we cannot expect that all should so perfectly coalesce, as to pro- secute their plans with sufficient unanimity: and it is certain that far greater efforts are likely to be made, when aU can exert themselves in a way congenial with their own sentiments, than if they were called upon to support a plan which they did not whoUy approve.

That such a spirit should be so generally diffused, must

^ If this were the subject of a Sermon for Charity or Sunday Schools, the words following the text, "And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart" should fonn a part of the text. Then the second head might be treated in reference to, 1st, The Christian Church ; and 2dly, The souls of men. U7ider the former of these the propriety of supporting Missions might be stated ; and under the latter, (see 1 Cor. vi. 19. and 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5.) the importance of having the soul built up as an habitation for God. The necessity of postponing all other considerations to this may be shewn from hence, that if David disposed of his wealth so liberally for the constructing of an edifice of stone for God, much more should we disregard the acquiring of wealth in comparison of making our souls a temple for him. A particular address might then be made to the children, to shew them, that the ultimate end of the charity was to put them in the way of obtaining a perfect heart, and that they should concur in this design to the utmost of their power.

1 Eph. ii. 20.

"^ That for promoting Christian Knowledge ; and that for propa- gating the Gospel in Foreign Parts.

" Here an account may be given of what has been done by them.

54 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 17, 18. [394.

surely be a matter of rejoicing to every one that has the interests of religion at heart. And we trust that, in reference to this assembly, loe may adopt the words of the text, " Now have I seen with joy thy people which are present here to offer willingly unto thee."]

Let us then imitate the example now set before us :

L Let us offer willingly —

[Difficulties and objections are very apt to arise in the mind, especially wlien we want a plea for withholding or limiting our contributions. But what objection can be urged, which would not have had incomparably greater force on the foregoing occa- sion ? Indeed the reasons that should animate us to exertion, are ten-fold stronger than any which David could have ui'ged in support of his measure. God might have been known and worshipped, even though that costly edifice had not been reared : but how shall he be known among the heathen, if none be sent to instruct them ? How could he have been known by us when in our heathen state, if none had pitied our ignorance, and laboured for our relief? Since then " we have freely received, should we not freely give ?" Though we have too much ignorance at home, yet all have some means of instruction : and there are none so far from God, but that the sound of the Gospel may reach their ears, and convert their souls. But this is not the case with the heathens. If we send them not the light of divine truth, they must abide in darkness and the shadow of death. Let us therefore discard from our minds every thought, except that of zeal for God and compassion for our fellow-creatures. And " let us give not grudgingly, or of necessity ; for God loveth a cheerful giver."]

2. Let us offer bountifully — [If we had been asked, what would be proper for David to give towards the building of the temple, we should probably have thought ten thousand pounds a large sum : we should scarcely have judged it reasonable to require of him so large a subscription as an hundred thousand pounds : yet he not only gave as much as that, but ten times as much ; yea, a hundred times as much; yea, almost two hundi-ed times as much. Inde- pendent of the immense treasures dedicated as spoils taken from his enemies, he gave, out of his own purse, gold and silver to tlie amount of above eighteen millions of money. And what was it that prompted him to such astonisliing liberaHty ? He himself tells us in the preceding context ; " I have prepared with all my might .... because I have set my affection to the house of my God°." Let the same principle operate in us: let

o ver. 2, 3.

394.J LIBERALITY IN GOD's SERVICE COMMENDED. 55

US set our affection to the work of Christ, and the salvation of our fellow-creatures, and then our abihty alone will determine the measure of our contributions. Instead of waiting for argu- ments to overcome a parsimonious and reluctant spirit, we shall be ^* wilHng of our own selves to give, not only according to our abihty, but even beyond our proper ability; and with much entreaty we shall urge and compel, as it were, the ac- ceptance of our gifts" for the furthering of this blessed cause p. The rich will give largely out of their abundance ; and the poor will be casting in their not less acceptable mite ; and all will unite in adoring God for the opportunity afforded them to shew their love to him.]

3. Let us give in due order —

[There is an offering which God requires, previous to his acceptance of any other : it is this ; " My son, give me thy heart 1." Here then we must put to you the question which David put to his subjects on that glorious occasion ; " Who amongst you is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord-^?"

Who will consecrate himself to God as a Christian ? It would be a blessed day indeed, if you were all as unanimous in this, as that assembly were in devoting their treasures unto God. Could we but see you offering to him your hearts, we need not add a word respecting your property ; for you would feel that it is not possible to dispose of that in any other way so happily for yourselves, so beneficially for the world, or so honourably to God. Give then, I say, like the Macedonians ; of whom St. Paul says, that "out of their deep poverty they abounded unto the riches of liberality:" but, hke them, " give //-^i! YOUR OWN SELVES uuto the Lord^" Then you will know, that all which you have is his ; and make no ac- count of your property, but as it may be subservient to his glory*.

Permit me to ask further, Who will consecrate himself to God as^ a Missionary ? It is m vain that materials are col- lected for a building, if there be none found to construct the edifice. And alas ! here is the difficulty, here the want ! Of those who are destined to the service of their God, how few are found willing to sacrifice their earthly prospects, and their carnal ease ! When God calls them to an arduous and self- denying service, how do they, Hke Moses, multiply their ex- cuses, when they are actuated only by a fear of the cross ! God has been for many years saying to us of the Established Church, "Who will go for us?" but there have been few

P 2 Cor, viii. 3, 4, q Prov. xxiii. 2G. ^ ver. 5.

s 2 Cor. viii. 2, 5. See also 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5. t ver. 14, IG,

56 1 CHRONICLES, XXIX. 17, 18. [394.

Isaiahs found to answer, " Here am I, send me"." O that there were less reason for that complaint, " All men seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's^!" If we even knew that the fruits of our labours would not appear to any great extent in our day, it were no reason for declining the service to which we are called. David sowed, that others might reap : our blessed Lord did the same : I pray God there may be some fomid amongst us inchned and qualified to foUow their examples.]

To CONCLUDE

[If there be any, whether in the ministry or out of it, who desire to be the Lord's, we pray that " our Covenant-God would keep tliis in the imagmation of the thoughts of their hearts for ever." And if the raising of God's spiritual temple among the heathen be an object worthy of our regard, let us now vie with each other in our endeavours to promote it, and shew our sense of its importance by the cheerfulness and extent of oui donations.]

u Isai. vi. 8. ^ phU. ii. 21.

2 CHRONICLES.

cccxcv.

USE OF CHURCH MUSIC.

2 Chron. v. 13, 14. It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to he heard in praisiftg and thanking the Lord ; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instntments of music, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord; so that the priests could not stand to minister hy reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.

EVERY duty which we owe to God is excellent in its season ; nor is there any which is not peculiarly suitable for particular persons, and under particular circumstances. Repentance, prayer, attendance on the preached Gospel, are eminently proper, not for the ungodly alone, but for the saints also, whenever a sense of ignorance, guilt, or helplessness, call for such exercises. But the duty of praise seems to claim a just preference before all others, not only because it is more pleasant, and more comely for the upright, but because in all others we receive from God; whereas in this we give to God. Indeed God himself declares, that he is more especially honoured by the due performance of this duty ; " Whoso offereth me praise, glorifieth me:" and in my text, he has given the most abundant testimony of its acceptableness to him.

Solomon having finished the temple, had now brought up the ark of the Lord, and placed it in the

58 2 CHRONICLES, V. 13, 14. [395.

holy of holies; — he had also offered mnumerable sacrifices on this glorious occasion ; and, while he was praising God in concert with the priests and Levites, and an immense band of vocal and instru- mental music, God came down into the temple, and filled it with his glory ; " It came even to pass, as the trumpeters," &c. &c.

In discoursing upon these words, we shall con- sider,

I. The manner in which they praised God ;

II. The subject-matter of their praise ;

III. The token which God gave them of his appro- bation.

I. Let us consider the manner in which they praised God- Never since the creation of the world was there a more glorious display of religious zeal than at the dedication of Solomon's temple. Solomon had as- sembled " the elders of Israel, even the heads of all the tribes, and the chief men in all the families of Israel, to Jerusalem." He had collected also, not the priests of one particular course, but all the priests and all the Levites, to assist in this solemnity : and this vast concourse of people, after having deposited the ark in the place prepared for it, joined in praises and thanksgivings to God: they praised God, unitedly: we are told that " the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound." It is much to be regretted, that, in our worshipping assemblies, the greater part of the congregation never join in this part of the service : they seem to think, that they are not interested in it, and that it may well be left to those few who may have studied music as a science. But would it not appear absurd in the highest degree, if the prayers also were left to a few select persons, and the bulk of the congregation were to sit still, as though they had no need to join in the devotions ? And if this would be so evidently absurd in the one part of the service, why should it

395.1 USE OF CHURCH MUSIC. 59

not be so in the other? All indeed are not alike qualified to join aloud ; but there are very few who might not, by a little attention, easily qualify them- selves to join in this act of worship ; nor can there be any one who is not bound at least to exercise his mind, and ** make melody in his heart to the Lord." Indeed this is one great use of musical instruments in the public worship ; they are serviceable to unite voices which might otherwise be discordant, and to help forward those, who through ignorance or diffi- dence might otherwise be silent. Therefore David, in the last Psalm, exhorts us to praise the Lord with stringed instruments and with organs; and well knowing how easy it would be with such helps to sing, he adds, " Let every thing that hath breath, praise the Lord."

We must not however imagine, that the mere lifting up of the voice is a sacrifice pleasing to God : no ; he requires the service of the heart : and there- fore we observe, in the next place, that they praised God devoutly.

It is said, in my text, that the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound " in praising and thanking the Lord."

We know, that the uttering of a prayer without any sense of our need, or any desire of the things we ask for, is no other than a solemn mockery, which is in the highest degree displeasing to God : so the singing of psalms and hymns without any sense of joy and gratitude, is a hypocritical service, and wholly unacceptable to God : we may indeed please the congregation, and establish our own reputation for skill ; but these are very unworthy motives to be influenced by, when we are solemnly addressing the Most High God : persons actuated by such consider- ations sing to their own praise and glory, rather than to God's ; and therefore they must rest satisfied with their reward, i. e. the reward they seek after ; for it is certain that they will never receive any testimony of God's approbation. Let me therefore remind you all, that the end of singing is to thank and praise the

60 2 CHRONICLES, V. 13, 14. [395.

Lord; and that, whenever we join in psahns and hymns, we must be especially careful that we " make melody in our hearts to the Lord." In this we shall be greatly assisted by a judicious use of instrumental music ; — which leads me to observe further, that the Jewish assembly praised God with instruments of

MUSIC.

Many are prejudiced against church music ; and it is certain, that it is capable of very great abuse : but it may also be employed to great advantage : it is said in my text, that they lifted up their voices with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music. Who can doubt but that the devotion of the congregation was greatly aided by these ? Who can doubt, but that if Solomon, the wisest of men, at the most solemn season imaginable, not only used these instruments, but (as we shall have occasion presently to observe) was approved of God in the use of them, who can doubt, I say, but that they may be used to great advantage ? As far indeed as they contributed to the pomp and grandeur of the temple worship, they may well be dispensed with under the Christian dispensation ; since the excellence of the Gospel worship consists in its simplicity, in which respect it is directly opposite to the Jewish worship : but, inasmuch as it aided the devotion, its utility remains : and, I trust, that in a little time we shall find that effect arising from it.

In order to this, however, we must learn to dis- tinguish between the natural effect of music on the organs of sense, and the spiritual effect of divine truths upon the soul. Those who attend only to the sound may experience the former ; but to experience the latter, we must attend simply to the words we sing. We shall sing to little purpose " with the voice, if we sing not with our understanding also." To promote this, I proceed to set before you,

II. The subject-matter of their praise —

A sense of the divine goodness and mercy was that which inflamed their souls. David had before

395.1 ^^^ ^^ CHURCH MUSIC. 61

recorded, in Ps. cxxxvi., the goodness of God, in his works of creation, providence, and redemption ; and no less than twenty-six times in as many verses had he repeated that dehghtful truth, that " the mercy of the Lord endureth for ever." In all probability that Psalm was now used by Solomon's appointment; so that with the commemoration of every fresh act of mercy, the whole band united in singing, " For the Lord is good ; for his mercy endureth for ever." The grand subject therefore of their praise was, the goodness and mercy of God. And what abundant ground was here for praise ! Who that surveys the wonders of creation, must not see the goodness of God stamped indelibly on every part of the universe ? Who that sees the sun, ruling by day, and the moon and stars, ruling by night ; who that sees this ter- restrial globe furnished with every thing which can contribute to the happiness both of the rational and irrational creation ; who that observes the variety and the beauty of God's works, the fitness of every creature for its use, the subordination of one creature to another, and the joint concurrence of all to one common end ; who that observes the fabric of the human body, that is so fearfully and wonderfully made, or reflects on the powers of the soul, which can in an instant soar from earth to heaven, and there contemplate not the heavenly bodies only, but even the Maker of them ; who, I say, can view any part of the creation, and not exclaim with the Psalmist, " The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all his works ?" Nor does his goodness less appear in the works of Providence : David, in the Psalm we have referred to, recounts most of the gracious acts which God had performed towards the Jewish nation from the first bringing of them out of Egypt to the time he penned that Psalm : those were no doubt recited with joy and gladness. And may not we also look back through the annals of our history, and see how often God has preserved us from our enemies, how he has prospered our nation in ten thousand instances, and how he is yet protecting us

G2 2 CHRONICLES, V. 13, 14. [395.

from foreign invasion and domestic tumults ? Do we not see how good he is to us in making the earth to bring forth plenteously, and in providing for~all our returning wants ? May not every individual amongst us too trace the peculiar kindness of Providence to himself, in averting ills, or overruling them for good ? Surely we have all experienced enough of God's goodness to make us joyfully unite in songs of praise. But most of all is the goodness of God conspicuous in the work of redempion : this the Psalmist notices particularly, though indeed in but few words. The Jews fixed their attention more on the typical re- demptions : but now that the shadows are removed, and the substance is set before us, we should survey the redemption of Christ with incessant wonder. Behold the goodness of God in giving us his only Son ; in laying our iniquities on him ; and in opening the kingdom of heaven to all believers ! Behold him satisfying his own justice by the sufferings of his Son, and opening a way for the exercise of his mercy towards us consistently with his other perfections! This is the wonder ; this is the bright display of goodness ; this is the subject-matter of thanksgiving, to all the saints on earth, and all the saints in heaven. O that every tongue might pay its tribute of praise ! and that we might all with united hearts and voices proclaim, that " the Lord is good !"

A further subject of their praise was the mercy of God, *' His mercy endureth for ever." How emi- nently did this appear in God's dealings with the Jewish nation ! for, notwithstanding all their mur- murings and rebellions in the wilderness, he brought them into the land which he had promised them : and in due time he raised up his servant David, to whom he had confirmed all the promises which he had made unto the patriarchs ; and now at last he had in a figure taken possession of the temple of Solomon, as a typical representation of his future dwelling in the temple of Christ's body. These were [)roofs of the perpetuity of God's mercy, and that he would not withdraw it from those to whom he

395.1 USE OF CHURCH MUSIC. 63

had promised it. But here again zae survey his mercy in far brighter colours : we see indeed that it endureth for ever : we have seen the mercy pro- mised to our fathers long since performed : we have seen the Son of God, the Saviour of the world ; we have seen him living, dying, rising, and resuming his throne of glory : we have seen him making an end of sin, and bringing in an everlasting righteousness ; and now we behold him pouring out all the blessings of redemption on his Church and people. At this moment is his mercy as full and free as at the time he died upon the cross : at this instant do his bowels yearn over sinners : he invites them all, and impor- tunes them to accept his proffered salvation : and to those who have tasted of his mercy he still continues to be gracious : he keepeth mercy for thousands, when they would cast it utterly away : he does not in anger shut up his tender mercies : he will chastise, but not cast off : he will " hide his face for a little moment ; but with everlasting kindness will he have mercy upon us."

Such was the subject-matter of thei?^ praise : and shall our tongues be silent ? Have we not incom- parably greater cause for thanksgiving than the Jews were even able to conceive ? Let the praises of God then be in our lips ; and let us unite our hearts and voices in declaring the goodness and mercy of our God.

Were this more the frame of our hearts, surely we should find God more frequently present in our worshipping assemblies ; for he would certainly never leave us without " witness that we pleased him."

This brings us to consider,

III. The testimony which God gave them of his approbation —

God had often vouchsafed to appear in a visible manner to his people : he went before them in a cloud through the wilderness, and conducted them in all their journeys : and, when Moses had finished the tabernacle according to the direction given him

G4. 2 CHRONICLES, V. 13, 14. [395.

by God, it pleased God to give him a signal token of his presence and approbation. In Exod. xl. 34, 35, it is said, " Then (when Moses had finished the work) a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle : and Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congi'egation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." Exactly similar to this was the testimony which God now gave of his approbation, both to Solomon and all the assembly : " he came down in a cloud, and filled the house with his glory, so that the priests could not stand to minister there any longer."

This cloud was the Shechinah, or symbol of the divine presence : and its coming down, and filling the place at that time, was a signal manifestation of the divine favour. This shadowy representation of the Deity was suited to that dispensation, wherein every thing was wrapped up in obscure types and shadows : it was calculated to strike their senses, and impress them with reverence for God ; while, at the same time, the effect which it produced upon the priests served to intimate, that, when Christ should come, and the Deity truly appear in the temple of Christ's body, the priests should cease to minister in their former manner, and the whole of that dispen- sation should be done away.

It is particularly proper on this occasion to notice the exact time when God was pleased to vouchsafe this remarkable testimony of his approbation. If we look to the text, we shall see that it was not when the sacrifices were offered, nor even when the ark was deposited in its place ; but it was when the singers and the players on the musical instruments joined in one grand chorus of praise and thanksgiving : '' It came even to pass, as the triwipeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying. For he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever ; that then the

396.1 ACCEPTANCE OF DAVID's GOOD DESIRES. 65

house was filled with a cloud." We cannot doubt but that God approved of every part of this grand ceremony : but that which crowned the whole was, the tribute of praise offered by the. chorus of vocal and instrumental music. We have before observed, that this, without the heart, would be a vain offering indeed : but, with the heart, no doubt it is pleasing and acceptable to God in the highest degree : it comes as near as possible to the worship of heaven, where, in one grand concert, they strike their golden harps, and sing, " Salvation to God and to the Lamb for ever!" In Rev. xiv. 1 — 3, St. John beheld in a vision the glorious company of heaven ; and he says, " I looked, and, lo ! a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thou- sand, having his Father's name written in their fore- heads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder : and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps ; and they sung as it were a new song before the throne." Shall not we therefore endeavour to anticipate that blessed employment ? shall not we strive to bring down heaven upon earth ? shall not we from henceforth lift up our voices unto God, and every one be ambitious to join as in one general chorus ? Yes, my Brethren, let me hope that many of you will unite your endeavours : call to mind the goodness of your God ; think of his manifold and never-ending mercies ; think of Jesus the fountain and foundation of all your blessings ; stir up your hearts to gratitude ; let not one be silent ; — and while we are united in singing the high praises of our God, may God himself come down in the midst of us, and fill the house with his glory ! Amen, and Amen !

CCCXCVL

god's ACCEPTANCE OF DAVID's GOOD DESIRES.

2 Chron. vi. 7, 8. Now it was in the heart of David my fat her to build an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.

VOL. IV. F

GO 2 CHRONICLES, VI. 7, 8. [396.

But the Lord said to David my father, Forasmuch as it ivas in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst loell, in that it loas in thine heart.

FROM our general notions of the Deity, we should be ready to imagine, that he would not only permit, but encourage, the execution of every good thought that could come into our minds. But " his ways are not as our ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts :" he appoints unto men their work according to his sovereign will, and uses what instruments he pleases for the accomplishment of his own designs. Moses, v/ho had brought the people of Israel out of Egypt and led them through the wilderness, was not per- mitted to conduct them into Canaan ; he must devolve that office on Joshua, and die without seeing the completion of the work he had begun. Thus David had conceived a noble idea of building a temple unto the Lord, and had made preparations for it to a most astonishing extent : yet God suffered him not to execute the work, but ordered him to leave it to Solomon his son. At the dedication of the temple, Solomon brought this fact to the re- membrance of the people, partly perhaps with a view to honour the memory of David his father, but prin- cipally to display the sovereignty of God who had appointed him to that office, and the faithfulness of God in having enabled him to complete the work. But at the same time that he mentions the pro- hibition given to David his father respecting the execution of his design, he declares God's gracious acceptance of the intention just as much as if it had been carried into effect, since it argued and evinced that state of mind which alone could have rendered the act itself acceptable in the sight of God.

In this incident, as related in our text, we notice,

I. The characteristic marks of true piety — From the example before us, we see that,

1. Its aims are high —

[David sought to honour and exalt Jehovah's name : and wherever real piety exists, it will inspire us with similar views

396.1 ACCEPTANCE OF DAVId's GOOD DESIRES. 67

and sentiments. To act merely with a view to this world, or for the promoting of our own interests, will appear unworthy of a rational and immortal being. We shall " look (that is, aiin) not at the things which are visible and temporal, but at the things which are invisible and eternal." We shall carry this spirit into all the common acts and offices of life : " whe- ther we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we shall endeavour to do it all to the glory of God." In speaking on this subject, St. Paul uses an expression of peculiar force : he says, that " as Christ had been, so he should continue to be, inagnijied in his body, whether by life ordeath'*," Perhaps it may be thought, that such an aim was proper in an Apostle, but would be presump- tuous in us : but it is equally proper for all ; and indeed is necessary for all : for, " being not our own, but bought with a price, we should glorify God with our bodies and our spirits, which are his'\"]

2. Its efforts earnest —

[David not only desired to build the temple, but collected materials for it, and contributed towards it to an incredible amount. Thus is piety always operative, and regards all earthly possessions as talents to be improved for God. The more those talents are multiplied to us, the greater obligation we shall feel to honour God with them : and every service which we are enabled to render him, we shall consider only as a step to fur- ther services. If we had attained the eminence even of Paul himself, and, like him, had laboured more than all the other Apostles, we should not be satisfied with any thing we had done, whilst any thing yet remained for us to do : we shovikl *' forget all that was behind, of the course we had already run, and reach forth unto that which was before, and press toward the mark for the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus'^." Yes; "as many of us as are perfect and upright in the sight of God, will certainly be thus minded '^."]

3. Its desires are unbounded —

[Had David's means been augmented an hundred-fold, his desire to use them for God would have proportionably increased : his ability would still have been the measure of his exertions. True piety regards, not the opinion of the world, but the will of God : it looks at the precepts, the promises, the examples, set before us in the Scriptures ; and makes them the standard of its aims and efforts. The precepts require us to " love and serve God with all our h^art, and all our mind, and all our soul, and all our strength : " the promises give us reason to hope

a Phil. i. 20. i> 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.

<: Phil. iii. 13, 14. '^ Phil. ill. 15.

f2

r;8 2 CHRONICLES, VI. 7, 8. [396.

that we shall he " cleansed from a// unrighteousness," and " be renewed after the image of our God in righteousness and true holiness : " and God proposes himself to us as our pattern, that we should " be holy, as he is holy,'' and "be perfect, even as our Father which is in heaven is perfect." However short of these things the Christian falls in point of practice, he desires, if it were possible, to fulfil all that is required of him, and to attain " the full measure of the stature of Christ himself''." In a word, he realizes in his experience the prayer of Epaphras, and "labours fervently and incessantly to stand perfect and com- plete in all the will of God^"]

Whoever possesses such piety in his heart, shall assuredly be honoiu'ed with, II. God's approbation and acceptance of it —

Without the heart, no services that we can render to the Lord are pleasing to him —

[God says to every one of us, " My son, give me thy heart:" and, if we withhold that, he regards notliing else that we can give him : our very prayers and our praises are only an abomination to him ^ ]

But, where the heart is, even the smallest services are pleasing in his sight —

[God judges not of our services by their magnitude in the eyes of men, but by the measure of love and zeal with which they are performed. The vddow's mite was on this account considered as " more'" than all the offerings of the rich: in it- self, it was nothing; but, as indicating the state of her mind, it was above all price. And it is worthy of observation, that the most encouraging promises in Scripture are given to such expressions of our feelings as most indicate the sincerity of our hearts. A sigh, a groan, a look, a wish, a silent tear stealing down the cheek, are amongst the most acceptable offerings that we can present to God'^. And when his Holy Spirit operates most powerfully upon our hearts, it is " with groanings which cannot be uttered'." If he looked at the outward services merely, the poor would labour under the greatest disadvantages : but we are assured, that he forms no such partial estimate of men's conduct ; but that, " if there be first a willing mind, he accepts us according to what we have, and not according to what we have not''; " so that, provided our exertions be proportioned

« Eph. iv. 1.3. fCol. iv. 12.

s Matt. XV. 7—9. Isai. i. 11, 13. Amos v. 21 — 23. i» Ps. Ixxix. 11. and xxxviii. 9. and xxxiv. 5. and x. 17. and cxlv. 19. and Ivi. 8.

> Rom. viii. 23, 2G. ^ 2 Cor. viii. 12.

396.1 ACCEPTANCE OF DAVId's GOOD DESIRES. 69

to our ability, the poorest and weakest amongst us shall be approved and rewarded equally with those whose abilities and opportunities have been most enlarged: yea, if through the good providence of God we be incapacitated for any service whatever, yet, if we desire to serve God, he will bear testimony to us before all, saying, " Thou hast done well, in that it was in thine heart to serve me."] Application —

That we may obtain such a testimony from the Lord,

1. Let the advancement of the Church be dear unto us —

[There is a temple which we are called to build, and of which the temple of Solomon was but a type and shadow ; I mean, the Church of Christ, which to all eternity shall be " the habitation of God through the Spirit^" For the advancement of that, we should long, and pray, and strive ; and never cease from our exertions, till God himself " shall bring forth the head-stone, and the whole universe shall shout, Grace, grace unto if"!"]"

2. Let us, in all that we do, be particularly atten- tive to our own hearts —

[Many sinister motives are apt to arise, and to pollute our best actions : our liberality is apt to savour of ostentation, and our spiritual affections of pride and vanity. But God, *' to whom all things are naked and open," will judge accord- ing to what he sees in the inmost recesses of the heart; approving of the good that was there, though never carried into effect; and disapproving of our latent hypocrisy, by whatever specious appearances it had been concealed from mortal eyes. Only take care that the heart be right with God, and then all will be well with us, both in time and eternity.]

3. Let us be contented with doing what we can for God, though we should not succeed according to our wishes —

[If our labours be crowned with present success, we re- ceive, as it were, a present recompence : but if our labour appear to be in vain, we may expect a suitable recompence hereafter. God will reward us, not according to our success,

1 Eph. ii. 20—22. 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5. «> Zech. iv. 7.

" If this were a Mission Sermon, or for building a Church, here would be the proper place to press the subject.

70 2 CHRONICLES, VI. 18. [397.

but according to our labour". The very consciousness of endeavouring to honour God is itself an ample reward for all that we can do. Whether we ourselves reap, or leave others to enter into our labours, we should be equally well pleased to serve our God. Let this thought animate us all in our respective stations ; and whether our abiHties be more or less, let us all endeavour to obtain this testimony from the Lord, " He hath done what he could^^"^

0 1 Cor. iii. 8. p Mark xiv. 8.

CCCXCVII.

CONDESCENSION OF GOD IN BECOMING INCARNATE.

2 Chron. vi. 18. Will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth ?

IT is nothing but a want of reflection, that keeps us from being filled with incessant wonder and asto- nishment. The things which God has done for us in the works of creation and providence, if duly searched out, would furnish abundant matter for our profoundest adoration. But the provision which he has made for our redemption exceeds all the bounds of credibihty. Even those manifestations of his mercy whereby he shadowed forth the mystery of his incarnation, were so stupendous, that Solomon, who beheld them, could scarcely believe his own eyes. He had erected a temple which was to be a type of Christ's human body. He had just seen God coming down in a cloud to take possession of that temple, and filling it with his glory. He was in the act of dedicating it to God, and of praying that it might be, as it were, an habitation for him : but struck with astonishment at the requests which he was presuming to offer, he pauses, and breaks forth into this hesitating, admiring, adoring exclamation, " But will God — in very deed — dwell — with men — on the earth?" This was an inconceivable act of condescension as it respected his symbolic presence in a temple of stone ; but it was infinitely more so, as it respected his ?'eal presence in a body of flesh. To illustrate this we shall.

397.] god's condescension in his incarnation. 71

I. Contrast the characters of God and man —

We can be at no loss for matter to illustrate this subject, since light and darkness, or Christ and Belial, are not more opposite. But that we may not exceed the limits proper for this part of our dis- course, we shall draw the contrast in two particulars only :

1. The majesty of God, and the meanness of man —

[We have no higher ideas of majesty than those which are conveyed under the terms appropriate to royalty. God therefore, in order to suit himself to our feeble apprehensions, adopts those terms in reference to himself. He assumes the title of a king; he is " King of kings, and Lord of lords ^." He has moreover all the e^isigns of royalty ; " heaven is his throne, and earth his footstool ^" Unnumbered hosts of angels are liis retinue ; " thousands of thousands minister unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before him'^." Instead of the equipage of an earthly monarch, he " maketh the clouds his chariot, and rideth on the heavens as upon a horse''." So great is his majesty, that " all the nations of the earth are before him only " as the drop of a bucket, or as the small dust upon the balance ; " yea, " they are less than nothing and vanity^." And so " terrible is his majesty," that, " if he touch the mountains, they smoke ; and, if he but look upon the earth, it trembles^." But in attempting to speak of his majesty, we only " darken counsel by words without know- ledge." Suffice it therefore to add, that " the heaven of heavens cannot contain him^;" and that "his greatness is unsearchable '\"

But what is man ? an atom insect of an atom world. If we compare him vnth the globe on which we stand, he is a mere worm : but if we compare him with the visible creation ; and still more, if we view the iniiverse with the eye of a philosopher, if we compute the distances of the fixed stars, if we suppose that multitudes of them are, like our sun, the centre of dif- ferent and independent systems; if we then compare him with these, what an insignificant being will he appear ! The smallest grain of sand is not so diminutive in comparison of the whole terrestrial globe, as the whole human race would be when compared with the other works of God's hands. But unworthy as man is of God's notice in this view, he has

a Rev. xvii. 14. ^ Isai. Ixvi. 1. '^ Dan. vii. 10.

*! Ps. civ. 3. and Ixviii, 4. '^ Isai. xl. 15, 17.

f Ps. civ. 32. g ver. 18. '' Ps. cxlv. 3.

72 2 CHRONICLES, VI. 18. [397.

rendered himself incomparably more unworthy by the commis- sion of sin. By this he is become, not merely worthless, but odious and abominable. In this respect the whole human race are involved in one common lot : and so contemptible are they in his eyes, that there is scarce an animal among the brute creation to whom he does not liken them, and that too in reference to their most hateful qualities : from whence we may understand, that man is a compound of every thing that is noxious and hateful.

And can we conceive, that so great and glorious a Being as God should ever deign to notice man ; and not only to notice him, but to dwell with him ?]

2. The purity of God, and the sinfulness of man —

[Holiness is that attribute of the Deity which is most eminently glorified by the heavenly choir : they cry day and night, saying, " Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts'!" On earth too this perfection is peculiarly admired by the saints, who " give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness''." Such was God's abhorrence of iniquity, that he cast the fallen angels out of heaven. Nor can he behold sin in man, without feeling the utmost indignation against it^ But why do we mention these things ? Such is the holiness of God, that " he chargeth even his angels with folly™;" and " the very heavens are not clean in his sight"."

As for man, he is, unhappily, a perfect contrast to God in these respects. He is polluted in every member of his body, and in every faculty of his soul. The inspired writers seem to have laboured, as it were, to mark the extreme depra\ity of man, by specifying that his members are altogether instru- ments of unrighteousness": his " eyes are full of adultery p," and his " ears deaf as an adder i;" his " mouth and lips full of cursing and bitterness'";" his " tongue is a world of iniquity, set on fire of helP," and "his throat an open sepulchre*;" " both his hands are employed to work iniquity";" his "feet are swift to shed blood '^;" and, to complete the whole, "his imvard parts are very wickedness y." His soul is, if possible, yet more depraved: his understanding is blinded, so that it " puts evil for good, and darkness for light^." His will is rebclhous, so that it cannot bow to the commands of God^ His affections are earthly and sensual. His memory \^ retentive

' Isai. vi. 3.		k Ps. XXX. 4.	1 Hab. i. 13.
'" Job iv. 18.		" Job XV. If).	o Rom. vi. 13.
P 2 Pet. ii. 14.		<i Ps. Iviii. 4.	■■ Rom. iii. 14,
" .Jam. iii. 6.		^ Rom. iii. 13.	" Mic. vii. 3.
^ Rom. iii. 15.		y Ps. V. 0.
' 2 Cor. iv. 4.	Isai.	v. 20.	•'' Rom. viii, 7.

397.] god's condescension in his incarnation. 73

of what is evil, while it lets slip every good admonition or advice. His conscience is partial, excusing where it should condemn ; and, in too many, it is " seared as with a hot iron." Contrast this character with that of God; and then say, whether it be possible for God to dwell with man.]

Having thus prepared the way, we will,

II. Give an answer to the question proposed in the text — Our answer is short : He not only zmll dwell with man on the earth ; but he has done it. He has dwelt with man,

1. Symbolically —

[When Israel came out of Egypt, God went before them in all their way, and guided them by a pillar and a cloud : and even to the time of the Babylonish captivity, did he continue by that symbol of his presence to dwell in the midst of his people. This alone was sufficient to shew the condescension and grace of God ; and to prove that he will make his abode with those who are the objects of his special favour.]

2. Personally —

[Wonderful as it may appear, God has taken upon him our nature and dwelt amongst us. In the fulness of time, he appeared on earth; and, though formed, without the inter- vention of man, by the agency of the Holy Ghost, he came into the world like other infants, passed through the helpless years of childhood, wrought at a low trade till the age of thirty; and then continued nearly four years longer in the exercise of his ministerial office, as the instructor of men, and the Saviour of the world. While he was despised and rejected of men, and accoimted a worm and no man, he was " God over all blessed for evermore:" " in him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily^." It was in order to prepare the world for this, that he so often appeared to the patriarchal saints, and that he for so many centuries abode in the tabernacle and the temple. By manifesting himself in our flesh, he has clearly shewn, that " as his majesty is, so is his mercy."]

3. Mystically—

[There is yet another temple in which God delights to dwell, even in the broken and contrite heart "=. He has re- peatedly promised, that he will thus distinguish those who seek him in spirit and in truth. " He will come to them, and

b Col. ii. 9. " Isai Ivii. 15.

74 2 CHRONICLES, VI. 18. [397.

make his abode with them'^." " He will dwell in their hearts by faith^." " He will manifest himself unto them as he does not mi to the world ^" It was in this way that he enabled all the primitive Christians to shine as lights in a dark world, and to maintain their steadfastness in the midst of the most cruel persecutions. It is in the same way that he still upholds and sanctifies his chosen people : " Such honour have all his saints."]

Application —

Has God in very deed dwelt with man on the earth ? Then let us,

1. Marvel at our own ingratitude —

[Who would imagine that God should have become a man for us, and should offer moreover to dwell in our hearts, and that we should be so unmindful of him ? Is it a light thing that he has done ; to assume our nature, when he passed by the fallen angels ; to assume it in its fallen debased state, as far as he could consistently with his own vmspotted holiness; to assume it for the express pm'pose of bearing our sins and expiating them by his own death ? Is it a light thing that he offers to do, when he begs us to open our hearts to him, that he may make them his habitation? Yet what are the returns we make him? We do indeed commemorate both his incarnation, and the descent of the Holy Spirit: but how? with holy feasting, and with spiritual joy? Do we not rather act, as if he came to liberate us from all restraints, and to give us a licence to forget him, and to abandon ourselves to carnal pleasure ? Let us only reflect on the manner in which these holy seasons have been spent by all around us, and how little our own spirit and conduct have accorded with the mercies vouchsafed unto us, and we shall see reason to blush and be confounded, yea rather, to weep in dust and ashes.]

2. Seek to dwell with him in heaven —

[For what purpose has God revealed himself to us in this diversified and astonishing manner? Has it not been to display the exceeding riches of his grace, and to encourage our application to him for an interest in his favour? Yes; he would not that we should " dwell with everlasting burnings;" but rather that we should be made partakers of his glory. It was for this end tliat he became incarnate, and died upon the cross : it is for this end that he yet daily strives with us by his Spirit. In very deed he dwelt with man on earth, that

•' John xiv. 23. ^ Epli. iii. 17. '' John xiv. 22.

398.1 DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 75

we might dwell with God in heaven. Let us then make a suitable improvement of his unbounded mercy; and secure that exaltation, which he, by his own humiliation, has prepared for us.]

CCCXCVIII.

DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE.

2 Chron. vi. 41. Arise, O Lord God, into thy resting-place, thou, and the ark of thy strength : let thy priests, 0 Lord God, he clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness.

THE fuller account of the dedication of Solomon's Temple is given us in the 8th chapter of the First Book of Kings. But in this place we have a most interesting part of Solomon's prayer, which in the former place is omitted. The piety and the pathos of these concluding sentences are worthy of the highest admiration. If we were to confine our notice of them to that particular occasion, they would be found re- plete with instruction : but, knowing as we do the figurative nature of that whole dispensation, we must of necessity point out the bearing of these words upon our own times, and upon the Christian Church : and for that purpose we will shew,

I. What Solomon desired as the crown of all his labours —

He had built the temple, which in grandeur and beauty exceeded any structure that ever existed upon earth ; and he had deposited the ark in the place prepared for it. But he was not satisfied with having executed the ofiice which God had so gra- ciously assigned him : he desired that God would vouchsafe his presence in the temple, and render it the means of manifesting his own glory, and of dis- pensing his blessings to his favoured people : and, therefore, in this concluding prayer he implored,

1. The special presence of the Deity in the temple, as His fixed abode —

76 2 CHRONICLES, VI. 41. [398.

[The ark had hitherto dwelt only in a tabernacle which was moved from place to place. Henceforth it was to have an abiding resting-place in the temple. But in vain w^ould the temple have been built, and in vain the ark fixed in its place, if God himself did not accompany the ark with liis special presence. It had been hitherto " the ark of God's strength; because God had, on many occasions, wrought as it were in concert with it, exerting his almighty power wherever it went : but if he should detach himself from it, the people had already seen how incapable the ark itself was of affording them protection, when it had not been able even to protect itself from the Philistine army. Therefore Solomon prayed, that God himself would, by that symbol of his pre- sence, the cloud of fire, abide upon it ; and thereby give a public testimony of his approbation of the measures which had been adopted, and a visible pledge of his continued favour to his people.]

2. An abundant effusion of his promised blessings on all who should frequent it —

[Without this, no good end would be attained. Without this, God would not be glorified, nor sinners saved. Hence Solomon prayed for aU, both priests and people, that the one might " be clothed with salvation," and the other " rejoice in goodness." That temporal prosperity was included in his pe- tition is probable enough^: but, doubtless, spiritual blessings were chiefly solicited, as the portion of them all. A holy priesthood is an inestimable blessing to any people: for, if " they who handle the Law transgress it^," and " they who should be a light to others are themselves in darkness '^j" what can be expected, but that a general declension should ensue? Hence he desired that the priests should be, not merely habited in white garments, but clothed with righteousness and salva- tion; that so they might be examples to the flock, and edify the people to whom they ministered. In behalf of the people^ too, he desired that they should find a rich feast in all God's ordinances, " being abundantly satisfied with the fatness of God's house, and drinking there of the rivers of his pleasures^." In a word, lie desired that universal piety might prevail, and that the happiness attendant on it might be universally dis- pensed.]

But we hasten to shew, II. What infinitely richer blessings we may expect under our more perfect dispensation —

'^ Neh. ix. 25. ^ Jcr. ii. 8. '^ Rom. ii. 19 — 21.

'' Ps. xxxvi. 8. witli Isai. xxv. (5.

398.1 DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 77

The temple, with every thing pertaining to it, was " a figure for the time then present," a '' shadow of good things to come."

[Here we must view the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the true Ark, in which the tables of the Law were deposited, and on which the mercy-seat was placed, and into which the angels desired with incessant scrutiny to search ''. Yes, in the verse following my text, Solomon clearly refers to him : " O Lord God, turn not away the face of thine anointed : remember the mercies of David, thy servant!" What was the mercy here pre-eminently referred to? It was, that God in due time would raise up unto David that august progeny, " who should sit upon his throne ; and of whose kingdom there should be no end^." The very words of Solomon are so applied by the Prophet Isaiah s, and so explained by St. Peter, who both cites them, and comments on them to this precise effect'^. But that which throws the fullest light upon this passage, is the 132d Psalm, (probably composed by Solomon himself on this very occasion,) wherein all the same expressions are twice used ; fi]-st, in a way of prayer ; and next, in a way of promise : and their prophetic reference to Christ is plainly and incontro- vertibly declared : " Arise, O Lord, into thy rest ; thou, and the ark of thy strength. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness ; and let thy saints shout for joy : for thy servant David's sake turn not away the face of thine anointed. The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body tvill I set upon thy throne\"

What, then, in this sense of the passage, is the desire here expressed? It is simply this: " Come, O blessed I^ord, and dwell in thy house, as thou hast promised ! " Thou hast said, " Wherever two or three are met together in my name, there am I in the midst of them:" and again, " Lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world." Let it now be seen that thou art with us: " manifest thyself unto us, as thou dost not unto the world: " and let it be clearly shewn, by the mighty working of thy power upon our souls, that we are indeed thy people !]

e Heb. ix. 4, 5. 1 Pet. i. 12. f Luke i. 32, 33.

g Isai. Iv. 3. ^ Acts xiii. 34.

i Ps. cxxxii. 8 — 11, and 13 — 16. In this Psalm the Incarnation of Christ is specified : in the two preceding passages, the Resurrec- tion. If tliis subject were taken for a Christmas-day or an Easter- day, those citations which are the most appropriate should, of course, be most insisted on. As applied in a general way to the reign of Christ, they are equally proper ; both of them being accomplishments of the same prophecy.

78 2 CHRONICLES, VL 41. [398.

The blessings we may expect are great, in propor- tion to the excellency of the dispensation under which we live —

[Wliat ministers may we not hope to find in the Chris- tian Church, instructed as they are in the great m3'stery of redemption, and commissioned as they are to proclaim salva- tion to men through the sacrifice of their incarnate God ! If " they who bare the vessels of the Lord," under the Jewish dispensation, were required to " be clean ; " much more should they be holy, and " clothed with righteousness," who go forth as ambassadors from God, and stand in the very place of Christ, to preach the word of reconciliation to a guilty workP. And what ought our people to be ? What may we not expect from them who are thus divinely taught, and who have all " the unsearchable riches of Christ imparted to them?" We are told, that, " by comprehending with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height of the love of Christ, we are to be fiUed with all the fulness of God^ :" and there- fore we may well expect that those who, through the ministry of the Gospel, are led into the knowledge of these incompre- hensible mysteries, will " rejoice in all this goodness," yea, " rejoice in it with a joy that is unspeakable and glorified." Certainly, the fruit of the Gospel should exceed that of the Law : for so are we taught in Scripture to expect, that " the light of the moon in our day should be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun seven-fold™." " Behold," says God, " I create new heavens and a new earth : and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad, and rejoice for ever, in that which I create : for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy : and I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people : and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying"." This, then. Brethren, is the blessedness I desire for you : and I pray God that all of us, both priest and people, may so walk, as to approve ourselves to Him, who assumed oiu- nature, and tabernacled amongst us°, and laid down his life for us.]

To IMPROVE this subject, I would add,

1. Let us consecrate our souls to God, as his temple —

[Glorious as the Temple of Solomon was, and greatly as God honoui'ed it by his presence, I hesitate not to say, that it was contemptible, in comparison of an abode which you may

k 2 Cor. v. 20. 1 Eph. iii. 18, 19. '" Jsai. xxx. 26.

" Isai. Ixv. 17 — 19. " John i. 14. icrdivMatv.

399.1 god's regard for his own house. 79

oiFer him in a broken and contrite spirit p The Father,

Son, and Holy Spirit, will come and take up their residence within you. Brethren, if you will but open the door of your hearts, and implore of them this high honour i. And what holiness and happiness you shall then possess, I need not say. Let every one of you seek this honour ; and not one of you shall be disappointed of his hope ]

2. Let us plead with him his great and precious promises —

[Solomon entreats of God to " remember the mercies promised to David." Thus take you every promise contained in God's blessed word ; and spread it before him. He bids you " put him in remembrance, and declare your affiance in him""." And if you do this, you shall be constrained to ac- knowledge, as Joshua after an experience of foui'score years acknowledged, that not one of all the things which God has promised to you has ever failed^ ]

P Isai. Ivii. 15. and Ivi. 1, 2. i John xiv. 23.

■■ Isai. xliii. 26. ^ Josh, xxiii. 14.

CCCXCIX.

god's regard for his own house.

2 Chron. vii. 15, 16. Now mine eyes shall he open, and mine ears attent unto tlte prayer that is made in this place. For noiv have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may he there for ever: and mine eyes and mi?ie heart shall he there perpetually.

NEVER, from the foundation of the world, was there so magnificent a structure as Solomon's Temple, or so imposing a scene as that which took place at the dedication of it^ The prayer which So- lomon offered on that occasion was no less remark- able : in point of humihty and fervour and propriety, nothing could exceed it. The answer also that was given to it was singularly encouraging. Compare the petition to which my text refers, with the answer given to it in the text itself : " Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place ^."

a This may be briefly described, ver. 12. ^2 Chron. vi. 40.

80 2 CHRONICLES, VII. 15, 16. [399.

These very words does God repeat to him m a way of promise, and with great additional force : " Mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent mito the prayer that is made in this place : for now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever : and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually"

These words will afford me a fit occasion to shew,

I. The regard which God bears to his house —

We marvel at the condescension of Almighty God, when he says, " Mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually." But he regarded that structure, and he regards every place that is built for his more immediate service,

1. As the house where he will more especially reside —

[The whole land of Israel was dear to him in this view. Moses says of it, " It is a land which the Lord thy God careth for ; the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year*^." But this house was his more peculiar residence : " his name was put there '^." He was invited by Solomon to come and take possession of it : " Arise, O Lord, into thy resting-place, thou, and the ark of thy strength ^ ! " And, in answer to his request, he came down visibly and abode withm it: "Now, when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the bm-nt-offering and the saciifices ; and the glory of the Lord filled the house. And the priests coidd not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's honse^." To this event the Psalmist refers, when he says, " The Lord hath chosen Zion : he hath desired it for his habitation : This is my rest for ever : here will I dwell ; for I have desired it^." Hence it may well be said, that " God loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob "^."l

2. As the