May 8

serve the living God?" What says God in the words before us? "That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done." The apprehension of wrath not only terrifies, but repels. We hate those we dread. We cannot love a Being while we view him as an enemy to our happiness.

Till I knew God as the God of peace, my heart could no more bleed than a stone. But when I saw his glory in the face of Jesus Christ, when I saw his abundant mercy, and the exceeding riches of his grace, not only in sparing me so long, but in being willing to receive me after all my offences; and especially in having, not only without my desert, but even desire, provided a Saviour in whom I have righteousness, and strength, and all spiritual blessings in heavenly places; and was enabled to realize the whole by faith—then the stone became flesh—then I cried, God be merciful to me a sinner—then I sorrowed after a godly sort. The prodigal could view the evil of his conduct in the misery to which it had reduced him; and he had some sense of his shame when he resolved to return and say, "I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son; make me as one of thy hired servants"—But he felt it a thousand times more when his father fell upon his neck and kissed him. O how did he repent and condemn himself for having grieved such a parent! O how did he weep when they put on the best robe; and ushered him into the room of festivity prepared for the occasion—"Yes, tears of joy!"—Nay, but tears of ingenuous sorrow too!

MAY 8.—"Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory."—Zechariah 6:13.

We need not ask, of whom speaketh the prophet, when the words immediately preceding tell us that he is "the man whose name is the BRANCH," who should "grow up out of his place"—"He," says Zechariah, "shall build the temple of the Lord"—And to fix our attention to it the more, he repeats the sentiment with a striking addition—"Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory." Let us observe the TEMPLE; the BUILDER; and the GLORY.

The TEMPLE means the church of God. The Scripture often holds it forth under this image. The allusion was peculiarly natural in a Jewish writer, considering the importance attached to the house of God in Jerusalem. The name is founded on three reasons.

First, consecration. A temple is a place appropriated to sacred uses: and the people of God are separated from the world, and dedicated to his service—"The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself." This is done by his eternal purpose, and by effectual calling. The former is realized and discovered in the latter, when they who were his by choice, become his by surrender, each of them saying, "Lord, I am thine, save me. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" And they should remember that all they have, and all they are, is now the Lord's; and that to take any thing pertaining to a temple is not only robbery but sacrilege. Let them think of this when they would use their time, their substance, or any of their

talents, as their own, regardless of the will of God. Holiness becomes God's house for ever; and therefore it becomes them. Our Saviour was offended because they made his Father's house a house of merchandize, and drove out the buyers and sellers, and hallowed it for holy purposes. And says Paul, "If any man defile the temple of God, him will God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." How vile and dreadful was it in Manasseh to take the image of Baal and place it in the temple opposite the mercy-seat, the very throne of the God of Israel! Beware of profane mixtures, "What agreement hath the temple of God with idols?" Christians, maintain your sacredness. Keep yourselves pure from all filthiness of flesh as well as spirit. "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

Secondly, residence. A mansion is a dwelling for a nobleman, a palace for a king, a temple for a God—and the church is called the temple of the Lord, because he occupies it: "Ye are the temple of the living God;" as God hath said, "I dwell in them, and walk in them." He is everywhere essentially, and it would be well for us always to remember that God seeth us: but he is in his Church by a special presence; and in a way of grace, and influence, and operation. This at once secures and dignifies it: "I will be a wall of fire round about her, and the glory in the midst of her." "This," says he, "is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it." What are numbers, or fine buildings, or imposing ceremonies, to communion with the living God?

Thirdly, devotion. He is served and worshipped in them as a temple. And he receives homage and adoration nowhere else according to his own requisition; "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." His worship, therefore, is a reasonable service. The offerings presented to him are not gross, but spiritual sacrifices. They are prayers, and praise, and alms, and a broken heart, and a contrite spirit—and though all these are imperfect and defiled, they result from principle; they aim at the glory of God; and being offered through the Mediator, and with his much incense, they are accepted in the Beloved, and the worshipper has the testimony that he pleases God.

"Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people."

MAY 9.—"Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory."—Zechariah 6:13.

WE have seen the building, let us turn to the BUILDER, "Even he shall build the temple of the Lord." In another view he is the foundation; and the only foundation laid in Zion. No image can do him justice. The sacred writers, therefore, are reduced to three things—They strip images of all their imperfections, and apply them to him in their complete state—They ascribe to these images properties which they do not naturally possess: thus they speak of him as "a living stone;" for