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is 'faithful' and true to his word, wherein he hath never promised the crown without the cross, but hath, on the contrary, assured us, that one will be necessary, in order to our obtaining the other; and that they who are beloved by him shall not sin with impunity, nor go astray without a call to return. All this we ought to 'know,' or to be assured of beyond doubt, as we may be from the many declarations in Scripture, from our own experience, and from that of others.'

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76. Let, I pray thee, thy mercy and kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.'

In the former verse the criminal, finding that the hand of God was on him, had owned the justice and the faithfulness of his judge in the punishment inflicted. Judgment having thus had her perfect work, the offender, now humbled and penitent, maketh application to the throne of grace, and sueth for that mercy, which God, by his 'word,' hath promised to his servants, who are chastened, not for their destruction, but for their salvation. When God's 'judgments' have brought us to an acknowlegement of our sins, his 'merciful kindness' will speedily be our ' comfort.'

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77. Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live for thy law is my delight.'

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The mercies of God are tender mercies,' they are the mercies of a father to his children, nay, tender as the compassion of a mother over the son of her womb. They come unto' us when we are not able to go to them. them alone we'live' the life of faith, of love, of joy and gladness. And to such as delight' in his law, God will grant these mercies, and this life; he will give them pardon, and by so doing, he will give them life from the

dead.

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78. Let the proud be ashamed, for they dealt perversely with me without a cause; but I will meditate in thy precepts.'

This complaint of the Psalmist hath been made by the faithful in all ages, that the men of the world' dealt perversely with them without a cause,' or oppressed them falsely, first spreading slanders and calumnies concerning them, and then persecuting them for those supposed

crimes. Such usage should have no other effect on us, than it had on David. He prayed that 'shame' and disappointment might teach humility to the 'proud,' and applied himself still more and more to meditate in the 'precepts' of his God.

79.Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies.'

David beseecheth God, if any good men had been alienated from him, either through fear, prejudice, or offence, that they might return to him, join, and acknowlege him. To thee, O thou Son of David and King of the spiritual Israel, let those among thy people, who, through any temptation, have fallen from their allegiance, return and be subject.

80. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.'

This is a prayer necessary for all men to use at all times, but more particularly in seasons of persecution and temptation. By 'soundness of heart' is meant solidity and steadfastness in grace and virtue, as opposed to the mere form of godliness or fair show of the hypocrite, which conceal the rottenness and corruption lurking within; and also to the sudden and vanishing goodness of the temporary convert, which quickly disappears like the morning dew, and withers like the seed sown on a rock. When internal holiness accompanies and actuates that which is external, when the word is thoroughly rooted, and faith hath acquired the sovereignty over our desires, then our hearts' are sound in God's statutes,' and there is hope that, in the day of trial, we shall not give our brethren cause to be ashamed of us, nor be ourselves 'ashamed' before God.

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CAPH.-PART XI.

81. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word,' or, I have expected thy word.

Thus have the true servants of God, in every age, expressed their ardent desire of his salvation. Thus did the patriarchs, the prophets, the kings, and the faithful people, formerly wish to behold the advent of their Saviour in the flesh; until Simeon taking him in his arms,

spoke what they would all have spoken had they been present, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.' But the Bridegroom was soon taken away, and the heavens have received him, until the restitution of all things; for which the church on earth at this day waiteth and prayeth; that she may be delivered from all her troubles, and inseparably united to him in whom she delighteth. Every individual, when oppressed by sin and sorrow, may make his supplication in the same words, for that salvation which is by grace, through faith.

82. Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me ?'

While the promised salvation is delayed, the afflicted soul thinketh every day a year, and looketh toward heaven for the accomplishment of God's word, saying to 'her Friend and her Beloved, When wilt thou comfort me? Come, Lord Jesu, come quickly!''

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83. For I am become like a bottle in the smoke: yet do I not forget thy statutes.'

'Bottles' among the Jews were made of skins. One of these, if exposed to heat and smoke,' would become shrivelled and useless. Such a change will labor and sorrow cause in the human frame; and the Psalmist here complaineth, that his beauty and his strength were gone; the natural moisture was dried up; in consequence of which, the skin shrivelled, and both color and vigor departed from him. Disease and old age will produce the same sad effects in us all; but the body's weakness is the soul's strength; as the outward man decayeth,

Defecerunt oculi mei.' Ambrosius: Nonne quando aliquem desideramus et speramus adfore, eo dirigimus oculos unde speramus esse venturum? Sic teneræ uxor ætatis de specula littorali indefessa expectatione conjugis præstolatur adventum : ut, quamcunque navim viderit, illic putet conjugem navigare, metuatque ne, videndi gratia dilecti, alius antevertat, nec ipsa possit prima dicere, Video te, mi marite.' Vide reliqua apud Ambrosium, ejusdem plane spiritus; nec tamen potui temperare, quin hæc exscriberem. Sic affectus est quisquis cum Paulo dissolvi cupit, et esse cum Christo. Sic denique qui semel gustato bono Dei verbo, ut idem Paulus ait, sibi postea relictus, deficit tædio sui, ac reddi sibi postulat prægustatem suavissimi amoris dulcedinem. Bos

SUET.

the inward man is renewed: I do not forget thy statutes.'

84. How many are the days of thy servant? When wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me? The well-beloved John heard a question, of the same import with this, asked by the spirits of the martyrs, that had left their bodies, and were waiting, in the separate state, for the day of retribution. The answer, which was made to them, may likewise satisfy our impatience, when suffering affliction and persecution: 1 saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them, and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also, and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.' Rev. vi. 9, &c. 85. The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law.'

The manner of taking wild beasts was by digging pits,' and covering them over with turf, on which when the beast trod, he fell into the pit, and was there confined and taken. But there was a law,' that if a pit were left open, and a tame beast, an ox, or an ass, fell into it, the owners of the pit should make good the damage: Exod. xxi. 33. Much more shall men be called to a severe account, who purposely lay snares and stumbling-blocks before the feet of their innocent brethren, to cause them to fall and perish.

86. All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.'

Man is perfidious and deceitful, God is 'faithful' and true; he hath promised to 'help' those who suffer wrong fully,' and he will, in the end, show himself to be the avenger of all such. Let them wait with patience, since the King of Righteousness himself suffered as a malefactor, before he entered into his glory.

87. They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts.'

However low the church, or any member thereof, may, by persecution and tribulation, be brought on earth, yet nothing can separate them from the love of God, while they 'forsake not his precepts,' nor disbelieve his promises. The soul, we know, must forsake the body; but God will forsake neither.

88.Quicken me after thy loving kindness, so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.

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Through the loving kindness' of God our Saviour, the Spirit of life is given unto us, by whose quickening' influences we are revived, when sunk in sins, or in sorrows, and are enabled with joy and gladness, to persevere in keeping the testimony of his mouth.

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LAMED. PART XII.

89. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven?' or, Thou art for ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. 90. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.' 91. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.'

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The eternity of Jehovah, and the immutability of his counsels, are considerations which afford comfort and encouragement to his people, when their enemies are in arms against them. Even in this world the unwearied 'heavens' continue to perform invariably their operations on themselves and the bodies placed in them; while the globe of the earth,' retaining its original form and cohe rence of parts, still, as at the beginning, supports and maintains the successive 'generations' of men, which live and move on it, to whom the faithful promises of God are fulfilled from age to age. Thus doth the unchangeable order of nature itself point out to us the truth of her great Author, and at the same time reprove the eccentric motions of rebellious man. The heavens and the earth' continue this day according to thine ordinance.' O Lord, 'for all things are thy servants;' all invariably serve thee, except man, who alone was endowed with reason, that he might obey and glorify thee in this life, and that which

is to come

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