CONTENTS. SERMONS. I. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple 1 Cor. xv. 55, 57. O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory?-Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through MATTHEW V. 19. Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in Rom. v 7, 8. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet per- adventure for a good man some would even dare to die; but God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, HEB. ii. 10. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Cap- PSALM XXIV. 1-7. The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof, &c. 283 III. Luxz xvi. 19–31. There was a certain rich man, &C. 291 IV. Matthew xxv. 1—10. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened v. LUKE ix. 28.-36. And it came to pass about an eight days after 299 306 SERMON I. PSAL. xxvii. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. DAVID, the author of this psalm, is much celebrated in the sacred Scriptures. As a man, he was not without faults but as a king, he shines with uncommon lustre. He distinguished himself, in early youth, as the champion of his native land; in fighting the battles of Israel he became the hero of his age; and at last he ascended the throne, on which he sat with much splendour during many years. He was the founder of the Jewish monarchy. From being separate tribes, he made the Jews a nation. Their judge in peace, as well as their leader in war, he secured by his councils what he gained by his arms, and gave to Judea a name and a renown among the kingdoms of the East. To the bravery of a warrior, and the wisdom of a statesman, he added what in all ages has been no less admired, the accomplishments of a poet or bard. "The sweet Psalmist of Israel" consecrated his harp to the praises of the Lord, and composed to it sacred strains, that have ministered to the improvement and to the devotion of succeeding times, till this day. Notwithstanding all his other engagements, he found time for the exercises of religion: notwithstanding all the pleasures and honours of a throne, he found his chief happiness in the house of the Lord. "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell B |