HOMILETICS. Ver. 8.-Religiou, enthusiasm in old age-a model soli1oquy. This soliloquy exhibits the settled thought of years past. The house that is to be builded for the Lord, remaining still to old age, the imperial thought of David's heart. A.nd we may notice that- I. THE PURPOSE THAT IB HALLOWED m OWNING FOB ITS CHIEF OBJECT THE WELFARE OF THE CHURCH OF Goo IS ONE THAT DOES THRIVE WELL EVEN TO OLD AGE, Other designs, projects, and purposes are, it is true, often seen to flourish to old age as matter of fact. But in innumerable instances how much better it bad been if their fascination had been long before resisted, and their tyrannous demand on the force that so plainly threatens to ebb bad been long since denied them! They unduly consume strength of mind and body. They inappropriately occupy the strength of the heart. They have really nothing in common with the momentous future that is so imminent. They orten contrast painfully and repulsively with it. Far otherwise was it now with David's pur- pose, and with such as are in any analogy with it. In his faith fol heart a holy purpose had been cherished. It still stands fast, and harmonizes well with age-with the thonghts appropriate to age, with the experience and correcter judgments of age, and with its near prospects. II. THE PURPOSE THAT 18 HALLOWED m BAYING FOR 1TB DISTINCT OBJECT THE WEL• FARE OF THE CHURCH OF GOD OFFERS AMPLE BOOM FOB THE EXERCISE C:>F A. NOBLE AMBI- TION. "The house ... mnst be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries.» 1. An exalting force in human character finds exercise and abundant scope at a time when it might otherwise be on the decay, or, if not on the decay, able to find no really worthy object. 2. It finds exercise not merely hel\lthful to the person who exhibits it, but of widespread usefulness. Beside personal aspiration after hel\ven, its beatific visions, its perfect holiness, there is distinctly an ambition which shall become a dying bed-the ambition to leave with the world what will be a continuing and growing blessing to it, and a lasting witness for God and his truth. In no way, other things being equal, is blessing so surely given as when directly given in con- nection with spiritual work, and with that grandest enterprise, the Church of God. ·whore all other grandeur of earth must fade therefore, nnd the eyo has become passion- less to all other, its brightest colours, the Church of God, as well material ns spiritu,11, hns b~en known to enter a successful competition with whatever else occupied a dying hour. III. PURPOSES HALLOWED THROUGH TIIEIB CONNECTION WITH THE CHURCH OF Goo WILL NOT TOLERATE THE RISK OF THEm GREAT OBJECTS BEING PREJUDICED BY ANY CAUBEB AVOIDABLE. Even though natural relationship might have tempted the risk, and Divine designation might have been pressed into some warrant of it, David does not for o. moment yield to it. He does promptly and with guarded zealous fore- thought, acknowledge to the danger, and do the best to provide against it. Religious principle ought to overcome hereditary instincts, and the ties of nature ought not to override those of diviner origin. "Whoso loveth father or mother more than me," said Jesus, "is not worthy of me." David was doubtless very proud of his son, very tender of him; but he was justly prouder of the work of his God, and justly tenderer of it and its sec\ll'ed welfare. Genuine holy purposes seem to own to a native circumspection. They seem to possess a secret safeguard within themselves. Of these it is not true, and it is not said that the children of nature are in their generation wiser than tl,ey. The forcthought,'then, that works so largely in human life, and is so fruitful of various good, shows to great advantage in such conduct as that of David at thi~ critiis, 'l'her@ 358 THE FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [oH. xxn. 1-19.
are, indeed, senses in which it may be said almost to belong to nature to consider and to act for following generations. For so "the husbandman plants many a tree no berry of which he can reckon on living to behold." But it is the work of something more than nature, higher_ than nature, when h_ol;ir purposes waken vigour, _fire, enthusiasm, and zealous 1a:i,our 1:ll old ag~. And stnkmgly are such purposes distinguished from those "good mtent1ons '' which have won for themselves a proverbial and a bad character.