[The sacrifices which David and Solomon offered unto God were almost without number n : but the sacrifice of a broken and contrite spirit, or of a devout and grateful heart, outweighs them all °. Whether the sacrifices were ever " bound to the horns of the altar," we are not informed : but sure enough our hearts need to be bound ; for they are ever ready to " start aside as a broken bow," and " to backslide from God as a backsliding heifer : " and we should labour incessantly to say with David, " O God, my heart is fixed, my heart is fixed ; I will sing and give praise." The example of Abraham may assist us in this particular. The offering of his son was a dai'k dispensation : but, when God arrested the arm of Abraham, and forbad him to inflict the fatal wound, a light beamed in upon his soul ; he saw a risen Saviour presented to him under the image of his restored son : and instantly "he took the ram which was caught in the thicket, and offered him up for a burnt-offering in the stead of his son p." Let the sight of a risen Saviour operate in like manner upon us ; let us take the offering which all of us have at hand, and which we know will be pleasing to the Lord, even " the offering of a free heart," and let us present it a living sacrifice to God, as our reasonable and most delightful service q.]
2. To rejoice and glory in God as our portion for
ever —
[Like Paul, we may say of Christ, " He has loved me, and given himself for me." Indeed, without this appropriation of God and his blessings to our own souls, we can never attain to a joyful and thankful spirit: but it is the privilege of every believer to say of Christ, " He is my friend, He is my beloved." God approves of this language, by whomsoever used, provided only it be used in sincerity and truth ; " Thou art my God, and I will praise thee ; thou art my God, I will exalt thee." If under the Old Testament, believers could say, " My beloved is mine, and I am his," much more may we regard him as "the strength of our heart, and our portion for ever."
Address —
1. To those who are yet in darkness —
[Long was the night with which David was enclosed, in- somuch that he sometimes feared he should " one day perish by the hands of Saul :" yet at last the day dawned upon him, and " God shewed him light." Dark also were the dispensations to- wards our blessed Lord, till in his resurrection and ascension the
n 1 Chron. xxix. 21. 1 Kings viii. 62, 63.
o Ps. 1. 13, 14. and li. 16, 17. p Gen. xxii. 13.
o Rom. xii. 1. with Heb. xiii. 15.