DISCOURSE XII. RELIGIOUS THINGS, PLEASANT THINGS. (LORD'S DAY EVENING.) Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.-Isaiah lxiv. 11. THUS spake these pious jews—and we may consider the words either as expressing an affliction, or as discovering a disposition. The captivity had destroyed all their civil and sacred institutions. The temple was a magnificent building, endeared by a thousand claims-but now it exhibited to the passing eye only a scene of ruins; their holy and beautiful house was burnt with fire. One circumstance could not fail to touch and impress their minds-It was the place where their fathers praised him. What a veneration does an edifice acquire that has stood for ages the sanctuary of devotion, and in which successive generations have worshipped God! What a solemn thought it is, that we occupy seats once filled by those who have gone the way of all the earth! The fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever? And we are accomplishing as an hireling our day, and are making room for our children. Here they heard his word, called upon his name, sung his praise, offered up prayers and vows for us!-Their example reproves and alarms us. They were alive in his service-Does our devotion discover any degree of seriousness and fervor? Are we followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises? Shall we one day join our pious ancestors, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of God? Again. All their pleasant things were laid waste-the sacred utensils employed in the service of God; the offices of the temple; the ministers of the sanctuary: the altar, the table of shew bread, the ark, the pot of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, the cloud of glory, their new moons and sabbaths, the callings of assemblies. This to the pious among the Iraelites was a far greater affliction than the loss of all their temporal privileges. Their country was dear to them, but Jerusalem was dearer, and they loved the gates of Zion better than all the dwelling places of Jacob. This affliction, blessed be God, is not our's. Our civil and religious privileges are still continued, and we hope will pass down unimpaired to the latest posterity. But the words discover a disposition which will be found to harmonize with the feelings of all the people of God. What I refer to is this-viz. the manner in which they speak of the service of God, and the exercises of devotion: Our pleasant things. From hence we observe that the means of grace; the ordinances of religion are to the Israel of God PLEASANT THINGS. In the number of their pleasant things-they include the sanctuary. To them the temple is not a prison, a place of confinement and correction; but it is the house of their heavenly father, their holy and beautiful house and beautiful because holy. I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord. For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts. In the number of their pleasant things they include sabbaths. To many indeed God's holy day is uninviting and even irksome: they therefore cry out what a weariness it is to serve the Lord: O when will the sabbath be gone, that we may set forth wheat? pursuing their gain, or finding their own pleasures. But the christian calls the sabbath a delight, and considers the holy of the Lord honourable. To him it is a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord; a weekly jubilee; and wearied with the toils, and follies, and vexations of the world, he hails a day of seclusion from it; a day that brings him to God's holy mountain, and makes him joyful in his house of prayer-This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.. And are not the scriptures some of their pleasant things? Job could say, I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. David could say, more to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than the honey and the honey comb. Jeremiah could say, thy words were found and I did eat them, and they were unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. It is the character of a good man, and the pledge of his blessedness; his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he |