portunities of attendance upon divine worship. Blessed then are the ministers, the priests and the Levites, that have their residence about the temple, and are in their courses employed in its services. But the words are of larger import, and the blessing contained in them belongs to all those who count it their happiness, and enjoy it as their privilege, to serve and worship God in his courts, who dwell in God's house, who are at home there, and therein transact their most important business. There are several passages of Scripture of similar import with our text: the saints are said to dwell in God's holy hill. David himself says, in another psalm, "I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever:" and speaking of Zion too, in another place, he says, "They that love his name shall dwell therein."

What is it, then, to dwell in God's house? An answer to this question will form the whole of our discussion on this part of the subject and you will bear with us whilst we remark, that it includes in it,

1. The most ardent attachment to the house of God.

David himself is an evidence of this: hence you hear him saying, "Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth." His great love to the ordinances of God's house caused him to break out in such language as that of the psalm before us; and his attachment to it arose from a renewed nature, without which no man can love God's house for its spirituality it sprung from past experience of Divine favor; it originated in a sense of the need of that blessed water which can only be drawn from the wells of salvation. And this disposition will never

fail to characterize the persons alluded to in our text those who dwell in God's house must necessarily possess a sense of the value of a station there for would you choose a dwelling-place without some degree of attachment to it? David was king over Israel, and yet he felt a love to the tabernacle and temple. He might have employed himself in the business of the world, but still love to God's house predominated in his mind. And O, how often do real christians long for the sabbath-day! they are frequently supported through the vicissitudes of the week, by recollecting that soon the day of rest will come, when they shall serve God in his temple. They hail the morning of that day with prayer and praise, and find it to be the "best of all the seven." But here I must remark, how very different is the conduct of those men who think a sabbath a burden; and say, When will it be over, that we may set forth wheat, and pursue our callings? That man can never be said to dwell in God's house, who, when he attends it, comes only out of an idle curiosity, or sits and sleeps when he is there. None of you can be said to dwell in God's house, who do not love the place; whilst those of you who know how to value Divine ordinances, are the persons who, I have no doubt, find an abiding residence in the Lord's house. Dwelling in the house of God implies,

2. Constant attendance upon it.

Can that man be said to dwell in God's house, who visits it but once a year, but once a month, but once a sabbath? Impossible! They that dwell in God's house, love as well one part of the sacred day as the other; and do not mind sacrificing a few trifles to be constantly there. Is it likely that the man who dwells in God's house, can content

himself with coming in late, and thus disturb the worship of others? No: rather he will be one of the first that assemble in the sanctuary. He is always glad when it is said to him, "Let us go into the house of the Lord our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem." The worship and service of God is the delight of all the saints. And here lies the distinction between them and others: sinners visit God's house, but the saints dwell in it. They dwell there as a child dwells with his father; "for there they find a settled rest, while others go and come.' It is their wish to obey their Lord, who tells them to "consider one another, to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of themselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as they see the day approaching." The good man is thoroughly persuaded, that the time cannot be far distant, when he shall go up to God's earthly tabernacles no more. Sickness may seize him and confine him to his bed, and hereafter death must arrest him, and remove him from this world; so that while he has to lament the loss of the outward ordinances, one consolation still remains, namely, the prospect of the better house above, and the hope of engaging for ever in the worship of Him, whose service is now his delight. How dear are the ordinances of the Lord's house to the believing heart! Whilst the men of the world constantly resort to the unhallowed haunts of pleasure, he as constantly attends upon God's house; his heart is there: there dwell all those who are united to him, by being partakers of the same heavenly calling with him; and it is there that God himself, that Jesus Christ, his beloved Saviour, and the Lord the Spirit, peculiarly dis

cover themselves to the child of God: hence, we remark, in the last place, that dwelling in God's house includes,

3. The greatest enjoyment in it.

Where ought a man in the general to enjoy so much, to be so happy, as at home? The house of God then is the believer's home, therefore he is happy there. It would be in vain for me to attempt to mention all the privileges of the house of God, or to describe that blessedness which belongs to the pious, the sincere worshipper of Jehovah in his earthly courts. There his memory is refreshed in the things which he has heard, felt, and experienced, lest at any time he should let them slip: there the doubts that harass and perplex his mind, respecting his personal interest in the joys of salvation, are dispersed, and

"Light breaks in upon his eyes,

With kind and quickening rays."

The graces that are in him ready to die, are strengthened, fresh life is put in his soul, and by the public worship of the sanctuary, he is inspired with courage, to go on the remaining part of the journey of life, leaning on his Beloved. Believe me, my friends, the Christian's dwelling-house is a happy place everlasting love' secures the habitation of the just, and God, even their own God, delights to bless them..

The ordinances of the church are the glass, through which the face of our adorable Immanuel is beheld they are the channels through which God is pleased to convey his blessings down to men in short, they are, in every point of view, calculated to promote happiness in the minds of the children of God. Oh Christians, whilst you dwell in the house of the Lord, never despair of

enjoying the blessings of grace. You know that he never said to any, Seek ye me in vain be diligent then in the use of the means, that God may therein be precious to your souls. Never think of relinquishing your situation in the house of your God, because you have not always immediately found what you wanted: you recollect, no doubt, that when our Lord appeared after his resurrection to the disciples, Thomas was not there now had he been there, he would never have had occasion to disbelieve that Jesus was raised from the dead. God loves them that love him, and dwells with the humble and contrite spirit. You have reason, you are bound, to expect the greatest of favors in the church of God; and you may depend upon it, the great Head of the church has not raised your expectations to disappoint them, but will supply them, nay, will do exceeding abundantly, above all that you can ask or think. Still then make the church of Christ your abode, your residence, your home, for it was for that purpose that it was designed it was intended by God to be an earthly tabernacle, in which you should pass the years of your minority; to be the place of your abode antecedent to your entrance into the better house above. How well is it observed by the admirable poet,

:

"The saints on earth, and all the dead,

But one communion make;

All join in Christ, their living Head,
And of his grace partake."

It is wisely and well adapted for a residence for you, furnished with every thing necessary, having the most glorious, the great Householder to superintend all its concerns, and every member of the family being a subject of the King in Zion. In short, it ever has been, now is, and shall continue