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2 lines
2.6 KiB
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<p>Observe, 1. There were <i>treasures of the house of God</i>. A great house cannot be well kept without stores of all manner of provisions. Much was expended daily upon the altar-flour, wine, oil, salt, fuel, besides the lamps; quantities of these were to be kept beforehand, besides the sacred vestments and utensils. These were the <i>treasures of the house of God</i>. And, because money answers all things, doubtless they had an abundance of it, which was received from the people’s offerings, wherewith they bought in what they had occasion for. And perhaps much was laid up for an exigence. These treasures typified the plenty there is in our heavenly Father’s house, enough and to spare. In Christ, the true temple, are hid <i>treasures of wisdom and knowledge</i>, and <i>unsearchable riches</i>. 2. There were <i>treasures of dedicated things</i>, dedicated mostly <i>out of the spoils won in battle</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="1Chr.26.27" href="/passage/?search=1Chr.26.27">1 Chron. 26:27</a>), as a grateful acknowledgment of the divine protection. Abraham gave Melchisedec the <i>tenth of the spoils</i> <a class="bibleref" title="Heb.7.4" href="/passage/?search=Heb.7.4">Heb. 7:4</a>. In Moses’s time the officers of the army, when they returned victorious, brought of their spoils an <i>oblation to the Lord</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Num.31.50" href="/passage/?search=Num.31.50">Num. 31:50</a>. Of late this pious custom had been revived; and not only Samuel and David, but Saul, and Abner, and Joab, had dedicated of their spoils to the honour and support of the house of God, <a class="bibleref" title="1Chr.26.28" href="/passage/?search=1Chr.26.28">1 Chron. 26:28</a>. Note, The more God bestows upon us the more he expects from us in works of piety and charity. Great successes call for proportionable returns. When we look over our estates we should consider, “Here are convenient things, rich things, it may be, and fine things; but where are the dedicated things?” Men of war must honour God with their spoils. 3. These treasures had treasurers, those that were over them (<a class="bibleref" title="1Chr.26.20,1Chr.26.26" href="/passage/?search=1Chr.26.20,1Chr.26.26"><span class="bibleref" title="1Chr.26.20">1 Chron. 26:20</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="1Chr.26.26">26</span></a>), whose business it was to keep them, that neither <i>moth nor rust</i> might <i>corrupt them</i>, nor <i>thieves break through and steal</i>, to give out as there was occasion and to see that they were not wasted, embezzled, or alienated to the common use; and it is probable that they kept accounts of all that was brought in and how it was laid out.</p>
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