Delaware State journal and statesman., 1869-06-08
SERMON.
ny nIsHoP DECKER, D, D.

BY BISHOP BECKER, D, D.
II CiroR. II Chdp.-4 5.G-u.
Sp do with that may build house to the name Of
tie Lord my God, TO dedicate to burn incepse before
Him, and to perfume with aromatical spices, and lor the
continual setting forth of bread and for the holooauss,
morning and evening, and Oh the sabbath and on me
new moons, and the solemntes Of the Lord ON God
forever, which are commanded for Israel.
For the house which desire to build is great; ui
God is great above all gods.
Who then can be able to build Him another bouseY If
Heaven md the heaven Of heavens cannot contain HmY
Who am thnt should be able to build Him house2
but to this end only that incense may be burnt before
Him.
10 those who are conversant with the
Holy Scriptures, the ceremony Just now wit
messed will recall vivldly the many ocoa-
sions OF like import therein occurring; where
special localities were set apart for Gods
SERVICE and by His Sovereign appreciation,
changed from common to religious use
This has been always and everywhere the
case, whether among the PatTiarchs, in the
earliest ages, or later among the chosen peo-
\ pie OF God, as well as all others, how highly
soever they may have advanced in knowl-
edge, or however barbarous their condition.
Thus we read In the oldest and best au-
thenticated work extant, of localities chosen
by the express command of God, in which
He would accept sacrifice, and be propitIous
| TO those who thus truly adoTed Him. The
mysterious dream of Jacob related IN the
XVIII chapter of Genesis, is an example
which may be selected from so mauy others,
where he dedicated the house ol God,-i
Bethel. Or again, in the xxxIu Genesis, 20,
where it is related that he bought field,
erected an altar, and offered sacrifice. In.
deed, from the time OF our first parents till
that of Noah, and onward through the flow
of years, when Abraham was about to offer in
sacrifice his son, his only one, his Isaac, by
the express command Of God, and by the same
was restrained, substituting for Himself q
pleasing victim-localites were chosen, spe
cially set apart for sacrifice aud made holy to
God Thus we might mention BIelchisedech
the High Priest, and type OF Christ, and on.
ward when by the meek leader of Israel,
the Levltical tribe were duly appointed, au
thoriZed, and instructed, iu the manner II
which God wished men to show their obedi
ence in chosen localities, by the essentia
act of religion, which is sacrifice. Still later
! when God put it into the heart OF David L
build HIM temple, the self same manner o
:, worship was nculcated; the place was cho
! sen for Solomon's temple, the priesthood or
. dered, sacrifices clearly pointed out, and tht
whole majestic arrangement of the worship
was made by the direct order OF Almighty
God.
1 The essential act alone pleasing to God
k continued necessarily through the Higl
d Priests, and their Levitcal associates. dur.
ing the times Of Prophets and Kings. I'LL tn
coming OF Him. who was 10 call all nation
a TO himself, (Gen. Xix, 10,) our High Prizes
v and Victim OF Redemption, Jesus Christ
y y Now, he came mot 10 destroy, but to full
q iill;" hence He offered Himself a propitiatioi
and copious Redemption, once In a blood,
:, manner, on the altar of Calvary for our sin
n and the sins of the whole world, leaving t
our souls the application Of the fruits OF hi
j. Redemption in the masterpiece of DiYin
!, wisdom, the Eucharistic sacrifice, wherei
.e He offers His Body and Blood, togethe
with HIS Soul and Divinity, as "lhe Lam
slain from the foundation of the earth,
a. Grew. Iv,) TO the Eternal Father, as the on
a great sacrifice, In which consists the essenc
If Of religion.
Il We see, therefore, at glance, that all nj