these vessels, which Hiram made to king Solomon for the house of the LORD, were of bright brass. 46 In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarthan. 47 And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were exceeding many: neither was the weight of the brass found out.

48 And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the LORD: the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereupon the shewbread was, 49 And the candlesticks of pure gold, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the oracle,

with the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs of gold,

50 And the bowls, and the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers of pure gold; and the hinges of gold, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple.

51 So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the LORD. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels,did he put among the treasures of the house of the LORD. LECTURE 561.

How all we have to do is made honourable.

There are few works of art more difficult than to cast a vessel of the kind and size here specified, by the name of "a molten sea." Ver. 23. And this may be one reason of its being so particularly described, that whatever skill in arts men might afterwards attain to, they might be humbled by knowing, that the difficulties they meet with were understood, as well as the best way of overcoming them, in these earlier ages of the world. This molten sea appears to have been made to hold water for the use of the priests in the services of the temple. And out of it the ten lavers were filled from time to time, as fresh water was required for washing the garments of the priests, or their persons, or the things sacrificed, or the vessels used in sacrificing. This may seem to be no very honourable use of such curious and costly works of art. But then this cleansing was purifying for God's service. And this end made even the meanest work honourable. This it was that sanctified every vessel that was used in the house of the Lord, it was used in the service of the Lord. And as St. Paul takes the temple to represent by figure the body of each single Christian, see 1 Cor. 6. 19, we may here take occasion to observe, that there is no office of any member of the body dishonourable, if we have but learnt, as the same apostle teaches us, whether we eat, or drink, or whatsoever we do, to do all to the glory of God. See 1 Cor. 10. 31. To the haughty man of the world nothing he can enjoy seems great; to the true Christian nothing he can have to do seems mean. And as in every thing he is aiming to please God through Christ, he counts it not beneath him to take the utmost pains the case admits of to do right, in the least as well as in the greatest actions of his life.

The dedication 1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion. 2 And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.

3 And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.

4 And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up. 5 And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.

6 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the che

rubims.

7 For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.

8 And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without and there they are unto this day.

9 There was nothing in the ark

of the temple. save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,

11 So that the priest could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD. 12 Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.

13 I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.

14 And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;) 15 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,

16 Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.

17 And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

18 And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.

19 Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy

loins, he shall build the house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

unto my name.

20 And the LORD hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built an house

21 And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt. LECTURE 562.

The glory of each Christian temple.

In all the worship ever offered to God, under the dispensation of the Law, there was never perhaps any solemnity more striking, more impressive, or more affecting, than this dedication of the temple by Solomon. The occasion was one of deepest interest to the assembled people. And when they saw the ark and its tabernacle placed safely within the solid and richly ornamented walls of the temple, an emblem as they might well suppose of the stability and glory of their church and nation; and when the cloud and the glory of the Lord, the token of his presence and divine majesty, filled the house of the Lord; and when Solomon thus interpreted the supernatural appearance, referring to the words spoken by the Lord to Moses, "I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat;" Lev. 16. 2; and when having thus testified to the divine presence, he proceeded to bless the people, and to praise the Lord, and to recite the promises of God, and to acknowledge their fulfilment; it is not easy to overrate the emotions of wonder, joy, and thankfulness, which at such a moment must have swelled in the hearts of all. And yet, with all the glory here manifested to the outward sense, and all the emotions raised in the heart, we have the privilege of knowing, as Christians, that God has provided some better thing for us. See Heb. 11. 40.

And solemn as was the ceremony here described, there is something still more sublime in the thought, that the very poorest Christian congregation, however few their numbers, or obscure their place of meeting, may plead the fulfilment of these gracious words, Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matt. 18. 20. O King of glory, how full of awful majesty is each place where Thou art present! How full of mingled reverence and love ought this thought to make our minds, the thought that Thou art there! Sin vanquished, hell escaped, grace given, heaven assured, these are the inestimable blessings vouchsafed by Thee to every faithful worshipper! And though there be neither cloud nor glory to be seen within the Christian's temple, there is the evidence of things not seen, the substance of things hoped for; there is the spirit of adoption whereby we draw nigh to God, through Thee, saying, Abba, Father, and pleading the full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, once offered for the sins of all, even Christ crucified!

Solomon prayeth in the temple.

22 And Solomon stood before en unto the prayer which thy the altar of the LORD in the servant shall make towards this presence of all the congregation place. of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:

LECTURE 563.

The consecration of our churches.

How reasonable was this question, with which Solomon seems staggered for the moment in the course of these sublime devotions: "But will God indeed dwell on the earth?" How just was this reflexion, "behold, the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded!" And yet how reasonable and just was his request in conclusion, that God having sanctioned the building of this temple, and honoured it by the token of his presence, would have especial regard to the prayers here offered; and would hearken to the supplications of king and people, when they should pray toward the place thus consecrated, either in it, if it were within their reach, or with an eye to it, if far off! So is it also just and reasonable to conclude, that God, who is present every where, is more especially accessible in places where his presence has especially been promised; and that though we cannot suppose his purposes to be bent by the force of our desires, yet He is a God that answers prayer. For what can be so reasonable, and what so just, as to receive with faith what He has taught us, and to do with zeal what He has told us; where we know, there diligently to act; and where we cannot understand, there still devoutly to adore?

In this first part of the prayer of Solomon three points in par ticular are adverted to. The first is the case of a judicial oath. administered in the manner appointed in the Law. See Exod. 22. 11; Lev. 5. 1. Solomon prays, that in this case, God might so fulfil the prayer or imprecation, as to condemn the wicked, and to justify the righteous. He next supposes the case of the people being smitten before the enemy for their sins; and beseeches God that when they turn to Him, and beg for pardon, He would be pleased to forgive their iniquity. Or thirdly, if by reason of their transgression the heavens should cease to yield them rain; he implores that upon their confession and repentance God would both forgive them the past, and teach them the good way for the future, as well as send his rain on the land of their inheritance. And in each case he puts it thus, if "the oath come before thine altar in this house," or "if they make supplication unto thee in this house," or "if they pray toward this place." For it is of prayer offered in the temple, or offered with the countenance turned towards it, and with the mind intent upon the sacrifices in it performed, it is of this that the king is speaking, it is for this that he intercedes, and begs of God to grant it. And can we doubt that his prayer was heard? And shall we not rejoice, that our churches have been in like manner consecrated to God, by the prayers of the most exalted of his servants? Shall we not, when we worship in our houses of prayer, be glad to know, that the Most High has been earnestly entreated from the first, that the prayers therein offered may be heard?