But I seek not to dwell further upon the emphatic righteousness of this rebuke of the prophet, because every heart must feel the scope and fitness of its application. Neither would I stop to illustrate the fearful stubbornness of the people who so tampered with the privileges and duties belonging to them; because, however dark and humiliating were the stains that deformed their character, or however correct might be the description which attempts to delineate them, we have an interest in the present Scripture, of far more practical and constraining urgency than that of merely passing an opinion upon the painful realities of historic truth. It would be but a kind of dramatic excitement, at once transitory and unprofitable, to gaze, for a few moments, upon the picture of Jerusalem's children, slowly and reluctantly girding themselves up to the task of rebuilding Jehovah's temple, and then to turn aside and straightway forget what manner of men we ourselves are. We may indeed have discerned the mote in the eye of our brother, but we shall have forgotten the beam that is darkening our

own.

Let not this be laid to our charge, my brethren. Rather let us call to mind the mysterious mercies to which that temple, with all its ritual of prayer and praise, was preparatory and subordinate; and confess, in very deed, the obligation which is laid upon ourselves by virtue of the same mercies. Haggai,

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3
"

remember, predicted that the Lord of Hosts should fill that house, which the Jews were then building, with his glory'. And was it not even so? What, though the material splendour of its building and possessions were as nothing in the sight of those who had seen that "house in her first glory';" and "many of the priests and Levites, and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men," remembering those things, wept with a loud voice "," when they saw its foundations laid! What, though the ark of the blessed covenant was no longer to be seen within its sanctuary,-nor golden cherubim shadowing the mercy-seat,-nor the bright Shechinah indicating the divine presence; what, though no holy fire blazed afresh upon the altar,-no Urim and Thummim beamed from the radiant vesture of the priest,-no spirit of prophecy was there to guide and enlighten the worshippers that thronged its courts,-yet still, the glory of this latter house was greater (as Haggai predicted that it should be *,) than the glory of the former; because" the desired of all nations," Christ Jesus the Lord, came unto it, and taught daily in it, and by Him did the Lord of Hosts there “give peace unto his people.

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And remember, further, that not to the borders of that temple, whose honour the Redeemer then

rescued from reproach, was the blessedness of His peace and of His salvation limited; nor yet to one people, nor to one land, do the sacred oracles which communicated it, now speak:-for, where two or three are gathered together in the name of Christ, there (we are assured) He is in the midst of them'. The house of prayer, in which God hath promised to make the believer "joyful," is now become

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an house of prayer for all people "." Yea, the whole body of the faithful is made one spiritual building in Christ. For so St. Paul, speaking to the Ephesians of the privileges which they enjoyed, who sometimes were far off, "being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world," but who were now "made nigh by the blood of Christ," and "through him had access by one spirit unto the Father," saith, "Ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens of the saints and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone, in whom the whole building, fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord. In whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God, through the Spirit." St. Peter, moreover, describes, in like manner, the character of believers, when he

saith, that, coming to the Lord, "as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ'. Yea, every individual believer is represented by St. Paul, in both his Epistles to the Corinthians, as "the temple of God," because "the Spirit of God dwelleth in him 2 ;" and thereby he saith is accomplished the promise which God had declared aforetime, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people 3."

Seeing then, my brethren, that this prophecy has received part of its accomplishment in ourselves, that “the Lord God which gathereth the outcasts of Israel," is yet gathering, and yet shall continue to "gather others to him," according to his good promise ;--seeing that we, "which in time past were not a people, are now the people of God," and that we, "which had not obtained mercy, have now obtained mercy,"-need I employ the word of exhortation, to persuade you "that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness unto his marvellous light:" and "forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and

gold, from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish, and without spot';" that ye should "therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's "."

2

Assuredly this conviction, if it find its way to your heart with its proper force, must furnish you with motives to watchfulness and perseverance, infinitely more imperative and enduring, and open to your view prospects infinitely more vast and comprehensive, than any which can be supplied by the transient interests of time or sense. It is, in fact, nothing less than to embody the very spirit of those petitions which Christ hath taught you to repeat, and which this day have fallen from your lips; to realize, as far as may be permitted amid the weakness of earthly tabernacles, the perfect glory of the things you ask for; to hallow the name of our Father, which is in heaven, to enlarge the borders of his kingdom, and to do his will on earth, as it is in heaven.

And was not this the work, consecrated by the personal ministry of our great High Priest, when he "brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel?" For this, he ordained the twelve to preach the kingdom of God, whilst he was yet with them. For this, when he was about to leave the

1

Pet. i. 18.

2 1 Cor. vi. 20.

3

2 Tim. i. 10.