ments,

"I beseech thee, O Lord, fhew me thy glory."

Well, then, to fuch the paffage I am now to discourse upon affords matter of useful and seasonable instruction, as it not only relates an extraordinary manifeftation of the divine, glory to his antient church, but likewife informs us how the worshippers were employed at the time when that extraordinary manifeftation was made. And I think the inference is perfectly juft and natural, That if we defire and expect to fhare in their privilege, we ought, in fo far as the difference of our circumftances will permit, to follow their example, and do what they did.

"It came even to pass, as the trumpeters " and fingers were as one, to make one found "to be heard in praifing and thanking the "Lord, and when they lift up their voice "with the trumpets and cymbals, and inftru"ments of mufic, and praised the Lord, fay

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ing, For he is good, for his mercy en"dureth for ever, that then the house was "filled with a cloud, even the house of the "Lord, fo that the priests could not stand to "minifter by reafon of the cloud; for the "glory

N 2

glory of the Lord had filled the house of "God."

Where you may observe, in the

I. Place, that the glory of God began to appear when the affembly were employed in praise and thanksgiving. This is a striking circumftance, and deferves our peculiar attention. Much time had been spent in folemn duties of another kind. Numerous and coftly facrifices had been offered up, as we read in the 6th verse of this chapter, even sheep and oxen that could not be told for multitudes. But thefe ritual parts of worship were all concluded before the cloud entered into the Temple. God delayed to honour them with this token of his favour, till the spiritual and heavenly exercise of praise was begun. This is by far the most acceptable fervice we can be engaged in, "Whofo offer"eth praife," fays God, "glorifieth me. David knew this when he faid, Pfalm lxix. 30, 31, &c. "I will praife the name of God "with a fong, and will magnify him with

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thanksgiving. This alfo fhall please the Lord

better than an ox or bullock that hath horn

CC or hoof." Praise honours God, and therefore he puts a diftinguishing honour upon this duty. Prayer is an expreffion of our indigence and weakness. Thanksgiving expreffeth our relish of the fweetnefs of benefits received; but praise rises above all selfish regards, and directly terminates on the greatnefs and amiablenefs of God himself. He loves our prayers, he loves our penitential tears and groans; but nothing pleases him so much as the cheerful adoration and praise of his people. Nay, penitential tears are no otherwise valuable than as they purge our eyes from the filth of fin, that we may behold more clearly the loveliness of God, and give him that glory which is due to his name. All the other duties of devotion are only means of preparation of this fublime exercife. The habitations for the bleffed continually refound with the high praises of God. There the most perfect creatures, in their most perfect ftate, have this for their conftant unwearied employment," they reft not day nor night, say"ing holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."

We are too backward, my brethren, to this heavenly exercise, and perhaps that is one reason why we enjoy fo little of heaven upon earth. Did we praise God more, he would give us greater cause to praife him; but this we seldom think of. We beg hard for relief when we feel our neceffities; but alas, how flowly do we return to give glory to God. Let me therefore entreat you, in all your addreffes to the throne of grace, to give praise and thanksgiving their due proportion. In days of humiliation, or in fome special cafes of diftrefs, our fins and our dangers may have the greater fhare; but ordinarily, as much of our time and thoughts fhould be employed in the humble and thankful adoration of the divine greatness and goodnefs, as is spent in confeffing our fins, or begging those supplies which our wants require. That excellent model of devotion which Chrift has left to his church lays a folid foundation for this remark. It both begins and ends with adoration; and of the fix petitions which make up the body of the prayer, three directly relate to the advancement of God's glory. Nay, these three are firft in order, and we are

taught

taught to pray that God's name may be hallowed, his kingdom come, and his will done, on earth as it is in heaven, before we ask any thing for ourselves in particular. Would we then feel the divine prefence, would we see the glory of God in his Sanctuary, let us addrefs ourselves to this high and heavenly work. The occafion of our meeting gives us a fair invitation to it. The great object which this day presents to us, is the Lamb of God which taketh away the fin of the world. We are to behold Chrift in the holy facrament, evidently set forth as crucified before our eyes. And can we refrain from adoration and praife, whilft we contemplate him who is the brightness of his Father's glory, and the exprefs image of his person? Should we not rejoice and give thanks, when we are called to commemorate the unfpeakable gift of God to men? Every Lord's day bespeaks our praise and thanksgiving; but the peculiar language of a communion Sabbath is evidently this, "Let Ifrael rejoice in "him that made him; Let the children of "Zion be joyful in their King. Praife ye "the Lord, for it is good to fing praises to our