the city of our
solemnities until "the waste and the desolate places, and the land of her
destruction shall even now be too many, by reason of the inhabitants, and
they that swallowed thee up shall be far away." What Christian heart,
looking for this promised blessing, rejoices not with exceeding joy? At
the foundation of the second temple, amid the flare of trumpets and the
clang of cymbals, while the young men rent the air with gladness, there
were choking memories in many a Levite heart that chastened the solemn
joy and were relieved only by passionate tears; but at the upbuilding of
the "spiritual house" the young and the old may feel an equal gladness,
or if some memories steal over the spirit of primitive days, and of the
joys of a forfeited Eden, they may be stilled by the memory of the
grander and abiding truth, that--

"In Christ the tribes of Adam boast,
More blessings than their father lost."

Brethren, have you this joy? Does it pleasure you that the building
rises? Do your hearts thrill with gladness as you hear of accessions to
the Church and the conversion of sinners to God? Do you love the gates
of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob? Have a care if you feel
not this sympathy, for ye are none of his. If it is within you a living,
earnest emotion, give it play. "Let the children of Zion be joyful in
their King."

_The second privilege is the acceptance of her service and sacrifice
through Jesus Christ_.--To us, who are mean and unworthy, it is no small
privilege to be assured of welcome when we come to God. To us, who are
guilty and erring, it is no small privilege that we can come by Jesus
Christ. The hope of acceptance is necessary to sustain the heart of the
worshipper, which without it would soon sink into despair. The apostle,
you perceive, places the ground of the acceptance of our services upon
our union with Jesus Christ.

"Vain in themselves their duties were,
Their services could never please,
Till join'd with thine, and made to share
The merits of thy righteousness."

He is careful to impress upon us that in our holiest moments no less than
when we are wayward and criminal, our trust for personal safety, and our
only chance of blessing are from our exalted Daysman, who can lay his
hand upon us both. Our praise would be unmeaning minstrelsy, our prayers
a litany unheard and obsolete, all our devotional service a bootless
trouble, but that "