After having offered to God his prayer and sup- plication, he rose from his knees to bless the people. By " blessing them," we are not to suppose that he pretended to have any fulness in himself, whereby to make them blessed : it is not in man, however great, to make others blessed; he can only minis- terially declare what God has promised, or implore in their behalf the blessing of God upon them. This is what was done by the priests of old% and this is what he did on this occasion.
The words in which he blessed them contain, I. An address to God —
This consisted of two parts :
a Numb. vi. 23—26. A A 2
S56 1 KINGS, VIII. 54— Gl. [335.
1. A thanksgiving for mercies received —
[God had now fulfilled in its utmost extent the promises which he had given to Israel. " The whole land, from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates ''," was under Solomon's domi- nion: the most perfect rest and peace prevailed throughout the whole empire"^: and a place was now erected, on a spot chosen by God himself, for his worship and service*^. Of " aU the promises which God had given by Moses, not one word had failed : " all was come to pass ; and the whole nation enjoyed a state of unprecedented prosperity. For these things Solomon now " blessed the Lord," both in his own name, and in the name of all the people.
Have we received such blessings from the Lord? let us then bless him too. Have we a peaceable enjoyment of God's ordi- nances, and freedom from the assaults of open enemies? Have we union also and harmony amongst ourselves? let us be thankful for these mercies : it is not every Church that enjoys them ; nor can any thing but the peculiar favour of Heaven continue them to us.
But what if we have experienced an accomplishment of that promise of our Lord, " Come unto me, and I will give you rest?" What if we have obtamed a victory over all our spiritual enemies, and be living in a sweet sense of God's love, and the habitual enjoyment of his presence? Shall not ive bless the name of our God, yea, bless him too with all our faculties and all our powers? ]
2. A prayer for the continuance of them —
[The presence of God with them comprehended every blessing that Solomon could desire; and therefore Solomon entreated God "never to leave them nor forsake them '^." This alone could "incline their hearts" to serve the Lord*: this alone could secure to them a complete enjoyment of their happiness": this alone could enable them to glorify their God in the world '^.
And what can any one desire more in your behalf? If " God be with you," and operate in you effectually for these ends and purposes, you are blessed, you must be blessed for ever. On the contrary, " Woe be to them," saith God, " when I depart from them ' ! " Yes, if he depart, we shall have no more " inclination to walk in his ways," but shall surely " walk after the imagination of our own evil hearts :" we shall no more be able to "maintain our own cause" against our spiritual adversaries, but shall fall a prey to every lust : we
t Gen. XV. 18. with Deut. xi. 24. <= 1 Kings v. 4.
<! Deut. xii. 11. ^ ver. 57. ^ ver. 58.
s ver. 59. "^ ver. GO. » Hos. ix. 12.
335.^ Solomon's thanksgiving prayer. 357
shall no more constrain the world to admire " the exceeding grace of God in us," but shall rather cause them " to blas- pheme his holy name.
May God therefore bless you with his continued presence and his effectual grace !]
This address to God he concluded with, II. An exhortation to the people —
Solomon would not dismiss the people without ex- horting them to perform their duties to God, who had so loaded them with his richest benefits : he there- fore besought them,