here considered as "the glory" of God''; by which term its members also are expressly designated by God himself ^
1. The various " dwelling-places of Mount Zion" are his glory —
[Wherever Christianity has gained its full ascendant over any family, God will most assuredly be worshipped and served by every member of it. The master will say with Joshua, " As for me and my house we will serve the Lord ;" and, in order to carry this resolution into effect, he will, like Abraham, command his children, and his household after him''. His house will be a temple in which he himself officiates as priest ; and, as far as he can prevail, he will cause every heart to be an altar to the Lord, that they may daily offer to him the sacrifices of prayer and praise. Such a family will be like a beautiful garden, filled with " trees of righteousness of the Lord's planting, that He may be glorified® ;" and while God calls himself " their God," he will dignify them with the exalted appellation of " his people," and " his servants in whom he will be glorified*^."]
2. The " assemblies of Mount Zion" also are his glory—
[As the Israelites came up thrice every year to worship God at Jerusalem, so on every Sabbath do his people assemble for the exercise of social and public worship. In those holy con- vocations does every one speak of his glory s ; and his ministers in particular, who are " the glory of Christ '"," proclaim the riches of his grace and mercy. In these God vouchsafes his more peculiar presence ; for " he loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob'." " He comes down as in the days of old*^, and fills the place with his glory;" he pours out his Spirit in a more abundant measure ; and by communicating the blessings of grace and peace, he " glorifies the house of his gloryi."]
While they are thus highly esteemed by God, they are favoured with his peculiar care ; for,
II. God is his Church's guardian —
The Israelites, when coming out of Egypt, had a cloud with them as a symbol of the Divine presence™.
^ "The glory" evidently relates to the "dwelling-places," &c. before mentioned. <= Isai. xlvi. 13.
^ Josh. xxix. 15. Gen. xviii. 19. ^ Isai. Ixi. 3.
f Jer. xxxi. 1. Isai. xlix. 3. s Ps. xxix. 9. '' 2 Cor. viii. 23. i Ps. Ixxxvii. 2. k Exod. xl. 34, 3.5. 2 Cliron. vii. 1.
J Isai. Ix. 7. '" Exod. xiii. 21, 22. Noli. ix. 19.