ver. 1. (2.) A solemn declaration of the entail both of the crown, and of the honour of building the temple, upon Solomon, ver. 2—7. (3.) An exhortation both to the people, and to Solomon, to make the glory of God their concern, ver. 8-10. (4.) The model and materials delivered to Solomon for the building of the temple, ver. 11-19. (5.) Encouragement given him to undertake it and proceed in it, ver. 20, 21.

VER. 9. "And thou, Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father."]-First, the knowledge of God and the blessings of his love, covenant, and promise, are the most desirable blessings that we can possess. Secondly, the scripture, or spiritual knowledge of God, is to know that God in all the perfections of his nature is LOVE, 1 John iv. 16. that in his love is eternal life, and that this eternal life is in Christ; hence saith our Lord, "And this is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent ;" therefore life eternal is contained in the knowledge of God, which makes the knowledge of God so desirable. Thirdly. We can never serve God aright till we thus know him, then the spiritual knowledge of him engages the soul to serve the Lord with cheerfulness, delight, and love, with "a perfect heart and a willing mind."

"If thou seek him, he will be found of thee."]-God delights to honour the ways of evangelical obedience with the blessings of his love.

"But if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever."]-Which is not to be understood of Solomon's person or interest in the covenant of grace, but of Solomon's family, that they should be rejected from being kings over Israel.

Ver. 19, 20. "All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern."]-David had a model of the building given him by God, as Moses had a pattern of the tabernacle shewed him in the mount, Heb. viii. 5. It was given him in writing, probably by the ministry of an angel, or as clearly and exactly represented to his mind as if it had been in writing: but it is said, ver. 12. "He had this pattern by the Spirit ;" The contrivance either of David's devotion, or of Solomon's wisdom, must not be trusted to in an affair of this nature. The temple must be a sacred thing and a type of Christ, there must be in it not only convenience and decency, but significancy; and therefore it must not be left to man's art or invention to contrive it; but it must be framed by divine

institution. Christ, the true temple, the church, the gospel temple, and heaven the everlasting temple, are all framed according to the divine counsels, and the plan laid in the divine wisdom, ordained before the world for God's glory and our's. This pattern David gave to Solomon, that he might know what to provide, and might go by a certain rule. When Christ left with his disciples a charge to build his gospel church, he gave them an exact model of it, ordering them to observe that, and that only, which he commanded.

CHAPTER XXIX.

David had said what he had to say to Solomon. But he had something more to say to the congregation before he parts with them. (1.) He presseth them to contribute according to their ability towards the building and furnishing of the temple, ver. 1-5. 2. They made their presents accordingly very generously, ver. 6-9. (3.) David offered up solemn prayers and praises to God upon that occasion, ver. 10-20. with sacrifices, ver. 21. (4.) Solomon was hereupon enthroned with great joy and magnificence, ver. 22—25. (5.) David soon after this finished his course, ver. 26–30. And it is hard to say which shines brighter here, the setting or 1ising of the sun.

VER. 3-9. "And David the king also rejoiced with great joy."]-Because he loved the habitation of God's house, therefore he gave three thousand talents of gold and seven thousand talents of silver for the magnificence and glory of the temple; which was a singular proof of his love to the worship of God, it being in value two millions seven hundred and twelve thousand pounds: neither did he give this like the pharisees, "who gave alms to be seen of men," but out of a principle of love and gratitude to the Lord for the great mercies which he had bestowed upon him. Those who have through grace set their affections upon the house and ways of God, will think nothing too dear to them to part with for his glory.

Ver. 10-16. "O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name, cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own."]-In these words we have David's solemn and thankful address to the God of Israel, adoring him in all the glories of his names and perfections, and praising him for his wonders of love, his mercies and kindness to Israel. David was now old, and

looked upon himself as near his end, and it well becomes aged saints and dying saints, to have their hearts much enlarged in praise and thanksgiving: this will silence their complaints of their bodily infirmities, and help to make the prospects of death itself less. David's psalms, towards the latter end of the book, are most of them psalms of praise. The nearer we come to the world of everlasting praise, the more may we be enabled to speak the language and do the work of that world. In this address,

First. He adores God, and ascribes glory to him, as the God of Israel. "Blessed for ever and ever." Our Lord's prayer ends with a doxology much like this which David here begins with, "For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory." This is properly praising God with holy awe and reverence, and agreeable affection; acknowledging, First, his infinite perfections; not only that he is great, powerful, glorious, &c. but that his is the greatness, power, and glory, that is, he has them in and of himself; he is the fountain and centre of every thing that is bright and blessed. All that we can in our most exalted praises attribute to him, he has an unquestionable title to. He is the greatness, his greatness is immense and incomprehensible, and all others are little, are nothing, in comparison of him. His is the power, and it is almighty and irresistible; power belongs to bim, and all the power of all the creatures is derived from him, and depends upon him his is the glory; for his glory is his own end, and the end of the whole creation: all the glory we can give him with our hearts, lips, and lives, comes infinitely short of what is his due. His is the victory; he transcends and surpasseth all, and is able to conquer and sub. due all things to himself, and his victories are incontestable, incontrolable. And his is the majesty, real and personal; with him is terrible majesty, inexpressible, and inconceivable. Secondly, his sovereign dominion; as rightful owner and possessor of all; "all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine," and at thy dispose, by the indisputable right of creation, and as supreme ruler and commander of all: "thine is the kingdom," and all kings are thy subjects, for thou art head, and art to be exalted and worshipped as head above all. Thirdly, his universal influence and agency. All that are rich and honourable among the children of men, have their riches and honours from God. This acknowledgment he would have the princes take notice of, and join in, that they might not think they had merited any thing of God by their generosity; for

from God they had their riches and honour, and what they returned to him was but a small part of what they had received from him. Whoever are great among men, it is God's hand that makes them so; and whatever strength we have, it is God that gives it us, as the "God of Israel, our father," ver. 10. Psalm lxviii. 35.

Secondly. He acknowledgeth with thankfulness the grace of God enabling them to contribute so cheerfully towards the building of the temple, ver. 13, 14. "Now therefore, our God, we thank thee. The more we do for God, the more we are indebted to him for the honour of being employed in his service, and grace enabling us in any measure to serve him. "Doth be therefore thank that servant?" Luke xvii. 9. No; but that servant has a great deal of reason to thank him. He thanks God that they were "able to offer so willingly." It is a great instance of the power of God's grace in us, to be able to do the work of God willingly; he works "both to will and to do ;" and it is in the day of his power that his people are made willing, Psalm xc. 3. We must give God all the glory of all the good that is at any time done by ourselves or others.

"Lord, (saith he) of thine own have we given thee," ver. 14. and again, ver. 16. " It cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.' We must have it from thee as a free gift, and therefore are bound to use it for thee; and what we present to thee is but rent or interest from thine own. 'In like manner we ought to acknowledge God in all spiritual things, referring every good thought, good purpose, and good work, to his grace, from whom we receive it. Let him that glories, therefore, glory in the Lord; for thy grace, O Lord, shall reflect back thy praise.

Ver. 28. "And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour."]-That is, loaded with them; he was very old and very rich, and very much honoured both of God and men. He had been a man of war from his youth, and as such, had his soul continually in his hand; yet he was not cut off in the midst of his days, but was preserved through all the dangers of a military life, lived to a good old age, and died in peace, died in his bed, and yet in the bed of honour.

Spiritual Exposition

OF THE

SECOND BOOK

OF THE

CHRONICLES.

SCRIPTURE KEY.

THIS second book of the Chronicles chiefly relates what concerns the kingdom of Judah, with an intermixture of some few passages that relate to the kingdom of Israel. It begins with the solemn offering of Solomon, namely, a thou sand burnt-offerings at Gibeon, and ends with an account of Zedekiah's evil reign, and a very awful account of the king of the Chaldees slaying the young men with the sword in the house of the sanctuary, and carrying the vessels and treasures of the house of the Lord to Babylon, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 17, 18. We are told in ver. 16. of that chapter, that the people "had mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people;" and it ends with a proclamation of Cyrus, the king of Persia, that the people had leave to return and build the temple of Jeru salem.

It may be observed that the captivity of the kingdom of Judah was begun in the reign of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar bound in fetters, to carry him to Babylon. And nine years afterwards, in the reign of Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar made a second descent against Judab, and