your soul; and that is better. But do you act upon these resolutions? That is the essential point; which is the best of all. And if God have given you that desire, and wrought that determination, he will also give you grace to follow it up for the attainment of the blessing. He that worketh in you to will, will also work in you to do of his own good pleasure. (Philip. ii. 12, 13.)

Secondly, the spot where the temple was built; which is expressly named. He began to build the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David his father (v. 1). How many interesting events are connected with that sacred spot, where the temple stood! There, on mount Moriah, Abraham offered Isaac in sacrifice to God; there, the angel of the Lord appeared to David, when the sword of the destroying messenger was sheathed, and the plague was stayed; there, also, or very near that spot, in subsequent time, the Lord Jesus was crucified, and the great work of redemption and salvation was accomplished. In all these things what a wonderful succession of type and antitype, or, of figures and realities, do we here behold! That the offering of Isaac was a type of the death of Christ, there can be no doubt. That the staying of the plague by the Lord's merciful suspension of the sword, in answer to David's prayer, was also a type of Christ's arresting the sword of divine justice, and turning away the wrath of God from us, appears equally certain. That the sacrifices first offered there by David, and subsequently offered by Solomon, and which continued to be offered by others so long as the temple stood after it was built, till the time came when the grand offering of the Son of God was made on the cross, were also types and shadows of the blessed Redeemer, is beyond all contradiction. And thus you see, all through a long succession of ages, and by a vast variety of circumstances and events, the nature of the work which Christ had to perform, and even the very spot where that Redeemer was to die, had all along been marked out by the Spirit of God; and doubtless for this purpose, to fix universal attention and regard upon him. To him gave all those places, all those persons, and all those sacrifices, as

2¶ Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits 'from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.

3 And under it was the similitude of oxen, which did compass it round about: ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about. Two rows of oxen were cast, when it was cast.

4 It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.

5 And the thickness of it was an handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and held three thousand baths.

6 ¶ He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them: "such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.

7 And he made ten candlesticks of gold according to their form, and set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.

8 He made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. And he made an hundred 'basons of gold.

9 ¶ Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with brass.

10 And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, over against the south. 11 And Huram made the pots, and the sho

vels, and the 'basons. And Huram "finished the work that he was to make for king Solomon for the house of God;

12 To wit, the two pillars, and the pommels, and the chapiters which were on the top of the two pillars, and the two wreaths to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were on the top of the pillars;

13 And four hundred pomegranates on the two wreaths; two rows of pomegranates on each wreath, to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were upon the pillars.

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14 He made also bases, and lavers made he upon the bases;

15 One sea, and twelve oxen under it.

16 The pots also, and the shovels, and the fleshhooks, and all their instruments, did Huram his father make to king Solomon for the house of the LORD of "bright brass.

17 In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the "clay ground between Succoth and Zeredathah.

18 Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out.

19 And Solomon made all the vessels

that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the shewbread was set ;

20 Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold;

21 And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that "perfect gold;

22 And the snuffers, and the "basons, and the spoons, and the censers, of pure gold: and the entry of the house, the inner doors thereof for the most holy place, and the doors of the house of the temple, were of gold.

Two things were especially noted in our remarks upon the last chapter. The actual commencement of the building of the temple, and the spot where the temple was built. Solomon began to build in mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David his father (v. 1). Some allusion was hinted to the progress he made in the building, and the pattern he followed in what was done. Here we are told of the continuance of the undertaking, and the completion of the whole. He not only began, but he went

on with this work; and brought the whole to its final conclusion. Toward the end of this chapter it is said, "Thus Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God" (v. 18, 19); and in the subsequent chapter (v. 1), we are told, that "all the work for the house of the Lord was finished;" and in the whole of this grand undertaking every item is mentioned. Are not all these things written for our learning? Are not all these things as able in their nature, and according to their design, to make us wise unto salvation as any other truths or things revealed in the Word of God? Undoubtedly they are. Let us see, then, what may be some of the truths which we may learn from the particulars thus narrated.

First, the work was all appointed. There was no more any will-work on the part of Solomon, in building this temple for the glory of God, than there must be any will-worship on our part, in the service of God through the faith of Jesus Christ. In all the work he performed, he was instructed for the building of the house of God. He devised nothing. God gave him the frame, form, dimensions, parts, and all. So with regard to our salvation. There is nothing for us to devise. It is already all ordered; all arranged and settled in the plan of redemption, and revealed in the word of salvation. According to that plan, and the directions of that word, we are to act in every thing concerning our present and eternal salvation. Hence, the grand direction is, To the law, and to the testimony. Search the scriptures. If you continue in my word you shall be my disciples indeed. Hear and your soul shall live. (Is. viii. 20; John v. 39; viii. 31; Is. lv. 3.)

Secondly, according to that divine plan the whole of this undertaking was begun, carried on, and finished: so that all through the whole it was altogether the temple of the Lord: not only a temple built for the Lord, but by the authority and under the direction. of the Lord. Solomon and those whom he employed were only the instruments; but from first to last the work was the Lord's. He planned it. He prepared the materials for it. He provided the agents to do it. He gave Solomon the wisdom, skill, power, perseverance, to go on with it, till the whole

was done. Now, is it not just so in reference to the soul? Was not the whole work of redemption planned, ordered, arranged, prepared, and provided by the God of salvation, before any revelation was made known, or any part of it accomplished? Is not the whole work of grace in the heart, in forming believers to be an habitation of God through the Spirit, ordered and effected exactly in the same way? Are not the time when, and the means by which, this blessed work is to be effected, equally determined by the same divine hand? Does not that work of conversion and salvation, when thus begun, go on till it is brought to its happy termination? Do not the same hands that lay the foundation of this gracious work, bring forth the topstone in its completion? Are we not taught by the word of grace to be "confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ?" (Phil. i. 6.) Such is the doctrine of Christ. Such is the truth of God. May such be your happy belief, and your joyful experience, to the praise of the glory of his grace! Then, being "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Eph. ii. 20-22.)

CHAPTER V.

1 The dedicated treasures. 2 The solemn induction of the ark into the oracle. 11 God being praised giveth a visible sign of his favour.

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HUS all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God.

2 ¶ 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 Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.

3 Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month.

4 And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark.

5 And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up.

6 Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude.

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

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

9 And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And 'there it is unto this day.

10 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, 2 when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.

11 ¶ And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course:

12 Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets :)

13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters 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 musick, 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;

14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God. (1) Or, they are there, as 1 Kings viii. 8. (2) Or, where. (3) Heb. found.

WE have seen in the foregoing chapters, the commencement and the finishing of the building of the temple. We are here to observe what was next done upon the completion of that work. Two words in the opening of this chapter (v. 1, 2), will direct

our mind on this point. Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the Lord was finished;" and "Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel."

It is profitable often to take some review of our ways and works in the service of God. We have the example of God himself for doing so. On the work of creation being finished, it is said, "And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." (Gen. i.31.) In the case before us, the expression, "Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the Lord was finished," seems to indicate that some sort of survey of the work must have taken place, according to the pattern, to see if any part were wanting, or if the whole were complete. Moses acted in the same manner when the tabernacle was finished. We, too, may profitably act in the

same way.

How can you be brought to say, "What hath God wrought?" unless you carefully examine what hath God done? The remark will extend to what the Lord may have been pleased to do for you and others in the highest concerns of your souls. To trace the work of God in the earth, you must follow the spread of the gospel from age to age, and from shore to shore. To make the same discovery in regard to the state of the church and the life of the soul, you must compare past times with the present; and the happy state of your own soul now, contrasted with what it once was. In this way every devoted believer in Jesus may find abundant cause thankfully to acknowledge, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." Thus and thus hath the Lord done. Such and such blessings hath the Lord bestowed on us and others. Such and such deliverances hath he wrought on our behalf. So evidently hath he been on our side. So graciously hath he caused his goodness to pass before us, and made us the monuments of his mercy and love. In this manner your heart may often be brought to cherish the happy feeling of thankfulness. to the Lord for the past, and of confidence in him with unshaken reliance for the future.

All things having been thus accomplished, Solomon assembled the people together for the purpose of arranging the various parts

thenceforth the instituted service of God might proceed in its appointed order. This they did, as stands recorded in the chapter before us. And when they all stood in their places, ready for their service and praising the Lord, the glory of the Lord filled the house; so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house (v. 13, 14). Now, what does this circumstance teach us? May you not learn that what is done under the divine direction, will certainly meet with the divine blessing? May you not also learn, that it is in the discharge of duty, in the use of means, in being prepared for every good word and work, we may expect to realise the gracious presence and the saving blessing of God? Is there a blessing promised to the hearing of the word and searching the scriptures? Hear that word. Search those scriptures. Is there a blessing promised to the use of prayer? Be found in the use of that privilege. Call upon the Lord; and you shall be saved. Hath the Lord said, Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them? Would you realise that blessing? Then never forsake the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is. Thus, whatever may be the nature of the divine precept, promise, or privilege, be found in the use of it. Stand in your places before the Lord, as they did on this occasion; and the glory of the Lord will rest upon you. His blessing will fill your soul. And when you are thus engaged and thus blessed, such times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts iii. 19); and you may be so enabled to "comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." (Eph. iii. 18, 19.)

CHAPTER VI.

1 Solomon, having blessed the people, blesseth God. 12 Solomon's prayer in the consecration of the temple, upon the brasen scaffold.

building in their proper place; so that from

VOL. II.

said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.

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2 But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever. 3 And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood.

4 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth to my father David, saying,

5 Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel:

6 But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.

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

8 But the LORD said to David my father, Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in thine heart:

9 Notwithstanding thou shalt not build the house; but thy son which shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name.

10 The LORD therefore hath performed his word that he hath spoken: for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and am set on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

11 And in it have I put the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, that he made with the children of Israel.

12 And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands:

13 For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits 'long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven,

14 And said, O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts:

15 Thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him; and spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.

16 Now therefore, O LORD God of Israel,

keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel; yet so that thy children take heed to their way to walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me.

17 Now then, O LORD God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David.

18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!

19 Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee:

20 That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place.

21 Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.

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22¶ If a man sin against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house;

23 Then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head; and by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteousness.

24 And if thy people Israel 'be put to the worse before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee; and shall return and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this house;

25 Then hear thou from the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them and to their fathers.

26¶ When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them;

27 Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given. unto thy people for an inheritance.

28 If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting, or mildew,