SERMON XXVII.

ON PRAISING GOD.

2. CHRON. V. 13, 14.

It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and fingers were as one, to make one found to be heard in praifing and thanking the Lord; and when they lift up their voice: with the trumpets and cymbals, and inftruments of mufic, and praised the Lord, faying, 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; fo that the priests could not fand to minifter by reafon of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.

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HE day of Pentecoft excepted, when the Holy Ghoft made a vifible defcent upon the apostles of our Lord, we may confider this as the brightest day with which the church was ever favoured. It is impoffible to conceive the joy, the wonder, the ́ecftafy of these devout worshippers, when they beheld the cloud, that well known fymbol of the Divine prefence, and faw the temple filled with the glory of the Lord. Solomon himself, as we learn from the 18th verfe of the following chapter, was so overpowered

powered with this extraordinary manifeftation, that he made a fudden pause even after he had begun to pray; and like one doubtful whether he fhould believe the teftimony of his own fenfes, abruptly asks the question," But will God in very deed dwell with "man upon earth? Behold, heaven, and the heaven "of heavens cannot contain Thee: how much less "this houfe that I have built ?"

From the last chapter of Exodus it appears, that when the tabernacle was first erected in the Wildernefs, God was pleased to take vifible poffeffion of it, in a way fimilar to what is here recorded; and the effects, though not precifely the fame, had a very great refemblance to those which we have now read. For we are there told, that "Mofes the man of God, was not able to enter into the tent of the congre"gation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the "glory of the Lord had filled the tabernacle." Here, however, the cloud not only filled the tabernacle, but the whole temple; and the Divine prefence was difplayed with fuch glory and majefty, that the priests who burned incenfe at the golden altar, were obliged, at least for a time, to intermit the fervice. "They "could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; "for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of "God."

It is unneceffary to obferve to you, that fuch pompous and visible manifestations of the Divine prefence are not to be expected in the days of the gofpel. The darkness of the former difpenfation required thofe external aids, and rendered them not only defireable, but useful and neceffary. But now, when the darkness is difpelled, and the day-fpring from on high has vifited us, the great objects of faith being freed from the thick vail of types and fhadows, affect the mind without the affiftance of our bodily fenfes, and make a deeper and more lafting impreffion upon the foul of the believer than the moft fplendid fcenes

fcenes the eye could behold. Zion's glory does not now confift in outward pomp and magnificence, but in the fpiritual, though invifible prefence of her King; according to his own gracious promife," Lo, "I am with you alway, even to the end of the world;" and again," Where two or three are met together " in my name, there am I in the midft of them." When divine power accompanies the ordinances of religion; when these waters of the fanctuary are impregnated with a healing and quickening virtue; when the fouls of believers are enlightened and purified, revived and comforted by the use of those means which Chrift has appointed, then is the temple filled with his glory, and there is no need of any visible cloud to convince the devout worshipper that God is with him.

It has long been lamented, (would to God there was lefs caufe for it), that this gracious prefence of our Redeemer is fenfibly withdrawn from our public affemblies. We have heard with our ears, and our fathers have told us what works the Lord did in their days, in the times of old; how his steps of majefty have been seen in the fanctuary, and his arm revealed by its glorious effects, turning the difobedient to the wisdom of the juft, enriching and beautifying the fouls of his own people with righteoufnefs, peace and joy in believing. But, alas! how is the gold become dim, and the most fine gold changed! These bleffed fruits of the ordinances of the gospel are now rarely to be feen, and there is too much ground for that complaint; "The bellows are burnt, and the "lead is confumed of the fire; the founder melteth "in vain, for the wicked are not pluckt away from "their wickednefs." Few, comparatively speaking, are now converted by the means of grace; and even among thofe few who have a name to live, the decayed and languid ftate of Chriftianity is too observable to need any proof or illustration. To what cause

then

then shall we impute this? Is God's arm fhortened, that it cannot fave? or his ear heavy, that he cannot hear? Is his mercy clean gone for ever ? Doth his promife fail for evermore? Hath the Lord forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger, fhut up his tender mercies? No; God is unchangeable, the fame to-day, yesterday, and for ever, without any variableness or fhadow of turning. He is a rock; his work is perfect, and all his ways are judgment; a God of truth and inviolable fidelity. The blame therefore must be thrown entirely on ourselves. Our iniquities have feparated between God and us, and withheld good things from us. We do not cry to him with our hearts. We do not stir up ourselves to call upon God. Our prayers are cold and lifeless. Our praises languish on our lips. We rush on ordinances without any ferious preparation; and are neither fuitably concerned to obtain the divine prefence, nor properly affected when we miss it.

That this is too frequently the cafe, will not, cannot be denied. Our own obfervation and experience must convince us of the truth of it. But may I not be allowed to hope, that many have come upon this occafion with ardent defires to behold and admire the beauty of the Lord, and to feel the power of his grace in the fanctuary? May I not hope that there is here a goodly number, who, like Mofes, have been pleading in their hour of private meditation, "I be"feech thee, O Lord, fhow me thy glory."

And fince the paffage upon which I am now dif courfing, affords matter of ufeful and feasonable inftruction; as it not only relates an extraordinary manifeftation of the Divine glory to his ancient church, but likewife informs us how the worshippers were employed at the time it was made: I think the inference is perfectly juft and natural, that if we defire and expect to share in their privilege, we ought, in

fo far as the difference of our circumftances will per mit, to follow their example, and do what they did.

Obferve then, 1, That the glory of God began to appear when the affembly was employed in praise and thanksgiving. This is a ftriking circumftance, and deferves our particular attention. Much time had been fpent in the folemn duties of another kind. Numerous and coftly facrifices had been offered up, even fheep and oxen, that could not be told for number. But the ritual parts of worship were all con cluded before the cloud entered into the temple. God delayed to honour them with this token of his favour, till the spiritual and heavenly exercise of praise was begun. Praife is by far the most acceptable fervice in which we can be engaged. Of this David was fenfible, when he faid, "I will praife the name ❝ of God with a fong, and will magnify him with "thanksgiving. This alfo fhall please the Lord bet "ter than an ox or bullock that hath horns and "hoofs." Hence God fo highly diftinguishes this duty on the prefent occafion. Prayer is an expreffion of our indigence and weaknefs. Thanksgiving ex preffes our relish of the sweetness of benefits received. But praise rises above all temporal regard, and di rectly terminates on the greatness and amiableness of God himself. He loves our prayers, he loves our penitential tears; but nothing delights him fo much as the cheerful adoration and praife of his people. Nay, penitential tears are no otherwife availing, than as they are expreffive of our purification from the filth of fin. All the other duties of devotion are only means of preparation for this fublime exercife. The habita tion of the bleffed continually refound with the high praises of God. Hence the most perfect creatures, in their most perfect ftate, have this for their con ftant and unwearied employment. They reft not day nor night, crying, "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God "Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."

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