but probably by the ministry of an angel, or as clearly and exactly represented to his mind, as if it had been in writing.

The building of this temple was not to be left to the invention or act, or even the caprice, of man, but was planned and framed by divine inspiration. Christ the true temple, the Church the gospel temple, and heaven the everlasting temple, are all framed according to the divine counsel. The plan was laid by divine wisdom, ordained before the creation of the world, for God's glory and ours.

The particular model which David gave Solomon is supposed to be the porch, which was higher than the rest, like a steeple; then the houses, both the holy place and the most holy, with the rooms adjoining, which were for the treasury chambers and parlours, especially the place of the mercy-seat, of the courts likewise, and the chambers round about them, in which the dedicated things were laid up.

David also gave him a table of the courses of the priests, and pattern of the chariot of the cherubims. Beside the two cherubims over the mercy-seat, there were two much larger, whose wings reached from wall to wall, and of these David gave Solomon a pattern called a chariot, for angels are the chariots of God. That the utensils might not be made less than the patterns, David himself weighed out the exact quantity for each vessel, both of gold and of silver. In the tabernacle there was but one golden candlestick; in the temple there were ten, besides silver ones, which it is supposed were hand candlesticks. In the tabernacle there was but one table; but in the temple, beside that on which the shewbread was set, there were ten others for other uses, besides silver tables. The gold for the altar of incense is particularly said to be refined gold, purer than any of the rest ; for that was typical of the intercession of Christ, than which nothing is more pure and perfect.

At the conclusion, David, turning from the assembly toward his son Solomon, said, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee ; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.”

Solomon is called upon not to fear opposition ; fear not the charge, care, nor trouble. Be not dismayed, for God will help thee; thou must look up to him who has been the God of thy father, who will never leave nor forsake thee. Good men will help thee: the nobles and princes, the priests and Levites will advise thee. Thou art provided with good workmen, who are both willing and skilful. The princes and the people will be so far from opposing thee, or retarding the work, that they will be wholly at thy command. How encouraging was this to Solomon to proceed with the blessed work.

King David next addressed the congregation, and said, “Solomon my son, whom God alone hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great : for the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God. Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance. Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God,

I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses withal: the gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord ?

“Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly, and gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron. And they with whom precious stones were found them to the treasure of the house of the Lord, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite. Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord : and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.” (1 Chron. xxix. 1—9.)

We cannot sufficiently admire the spirit with which king David addressed the great men of Israel, nor fully estimate the liberality that he manifested on this occasion, when he gave three thousand talents of fine gold, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, a munifie cence which showed that Heaven had not heaped favours on a heart unworthy of its grace. This liberality of the king produced a noble effect on the minds of the princes and rulers. Seeing that the temple would be the glory of their country, they gave for the service of the house of God, of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand

gave

drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron !

David, beholding how liberally the people offered to the Lord, exclaimed, “Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty : for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own. I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in upright

As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their hearts unto thee: and give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonics, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.” Then the whole congregation, , as with one voice, “Blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord, and the king."

“On the morrow they sacrificed unto the Lord, and offered burnt-offerings, even a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drinkofferings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel: and did eat and drink before the Lord on that day with great gladness." (1 Chron. xxix. 10-22.) It is pleasing to survey David, who was

now old and infirm, not only rejoicing in the Lord his God, but giving thanks for the noble subscriptions which the princes and elders had given towards the building of the temple. We should notice that David, in his prayer for the people and for Solomon, addresses God as “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel," a God in covenant with them, as well as with us. May the Lord give us grace to make good our part of the covenant, that we may not forfeit the benefit thereof.

King David appears to have died soon after delivering the above address, probably the same year. It is said, “he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour.” He reigned over Israel forty years (seven years he reigned in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem); as did Moses, Othniel, Deborah, Gideon, Eli, Samuel, and Saul, who were before him, and Solomon after him. Doubtless, many mourned for David, who was a wise and good prince. Having been a man of war from his youth, and experienced many providential deliverances, and overcome many difficulties, we wonder not to find in David's devout breathings,