We should therefore desire it no less than David did —
[We should make a point of attending on all stated occa- sions the ordinances of our God. We should not suffer any trifling matter to detam us from them: and, if we are kept from them by any means, it should fill us with grief rather than complacency : and we should determine as soon as possible to remove the obstacle that deprives us of so great a blessing.
More particularly, we should keep in mind what it is that we should go thither to obtain; nor ever consider the true object of the ordinances as attained, unless we be enriched with brighter views of his beauty, and more enlarged discoveries of his
excellency We should consider too, what our more
immediate necessities require ; so that we may be ready to spread them all before him, and to inquire of him respecting
them Then the more enlarged our expectations of
benefit from the ordinances are, the more abundant will be God's communications of blessings to us by them. If we " open our mouths ever so wide, he will fill them'."]
To this I would urge you, from the consideration, that such love to God's ordinances is,
1. Most conducive to your present happiness — [Hear the testimony of David himself: " Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts : he shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple"." And with this agrees the experience of every living saint. Hence every true Believer can say, " Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth'^ :" or rather, the more appropriate language of his heart is, " O God, thou art my God : early will I seek thee : my soul thirsteth for thee ; my flesh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is ; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary y." I will leave you to judge, whether a person, with such desires, and such enjoyments, be not happy. And if you are persuaded that he must be so, then seek your own happiness in this way, in which you cannot possibly be disappointed: for " he never said to any, Seek ye my face in vain."]
2. The best preparative for heaven —
[Heaven is a place of continued occupation ; of exercises, for which we are now to be trained. We must now obtain a taste for heavenly employments ; and in that taste real piety
' Ps. Ixxxi. 10. u Ps. Ixv. 4.
X Ps. xxvi. 8. y Ps. Ixiii. 1, 2.