God; spreading before him all his wants, and receiving from him such supplies of grace and peace as his daily necessities required. Hence with devout rapture he expresses his admiration of God's goodness to his believing people.

This is the subject which we propose for our present meditation; and which, in correspondence with the words of our text, we shall consider,

I. In a general view—

The terms by which the Lord's people are characterized sufficiently distinguish them from all others, since none but they do truly "fear God," or un· feignedly "put their trust in him." They are the true Israel; in reference to whom it is said, "God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart."

In speaking of his goodness to them, we shall notice,

1. That which is "laid up for them"

[In the time of David the great truths of the Gospel were but indistinctly known; the fuller manifestation of them being reserved for the Apostolic age: as St. Paul, quoting a remarkable passage from the Prophet Isaiah, says, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him;" and then adds, "But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit"." To the Jewish Church therefore these things are only "laid up," as it were, in types and prophecies: and though made known in the Gospel, they are still but imperfectly viewed by the Christian world; and may be considered

as

"laid up" for the Church at this time, no less than in former ages for it is only by slow degrees that any one attains to the knowledge of them; and whatever attainments any one may have made, he sees only "as in a glass darkly, and knows only in part;" there being in it a length and breadth and depth and height utterly beyond the power of any finite intelligence to explore. The "riches" that are stored up for us in Christ even in this world are altogether "unsearchable":" what then must the glories be which are "reserved in heaven for us!" The more we contemplate the blessings which God has treasured up for us in the Son of his love the more shall

we exclaim with David, "Oh how great is his goodness!"]

a Ps. lxxiii. 1.

b Isai. lxiv. 4. with 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10

C

Eph. iii. 18, 19.

d Eph. iii. 8.

2. That which God has actually "wrought for them "

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[Every believer was once "dead in trespasses and sins," even as others. But he has been quickened by the mighty energy of God's Spirit, and been raised up to newness of life. He is a new creature in Christ Jesus;' all his views, his desires, his purposes, being altogether changed➖➖➖ He has the heart of stone taken from him, and a heart of flesh substituted in its place. He has been "made a partaker of the divine nature," and "been renewed after God's image; and that, not in knowledge only, but in righteousness also and true holiness." He is brought altogether into a new state, having been "translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son," and been made " an heir of God, and a joint-heir with Christ." In a word, he is "begotten to an inheritance which is incorruptible and undefiled and neverfading, reserved in heaven for him;" and for the full possession of which he also is reserved by the power of God, through the simple exercise of faith. All this he has wrought for them "before the sons of men." They are evidently "a seed which the Lord has blessed:" they are "lights in a dark world," "epistles of Christ, known and read of all men".

But in the latter part of our text, we are called to consider the goodness of God towards his people, II. With a particular reference to their intercourse with the ungodly world

Exceeding bitter are those pains which men inflict on each other by calumnies and reproaches

[To speak good one of another affords no particular pleasure; but to hear and circulate some evil report affords to the carnal mind the highest gratification: and in such employment all the corruptions of our fallen nature find ample scope for exercise and indulgence. Who can estimate the evils arising from "pride," and "the strife of tongues?" Some little idea may be formed from the description given of the tongue by an inspired Apostle: "Behold," says he, "how great a matter a little fire kindleth! The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue amongst our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell." How exceedingly strong are these terms! Yet it is by no means an exaggerated statement of the evils proceeding from calumny in the world at large: but as representing the virulence and malignity with which men calumniate the people of God, they come yet nearer to the truth. In the e 2 Pet. i. 4. f Jam. iii. 5, 6.

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very words preceding my text, David faintly portrays the conduct of the ungodly in relation to this matter: "Let the lying lips be put to silence, which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous." In another psalm he speaks in far stronger terms: My soul," says he, " is among lions and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp swords." The truth is, that men can inflict, and often do inflict, far deeper wounds with their tongue than they could with the most powerful weapon. With a sword they can only wound the body: but with bitter and cruel words they wound the inmost soul. Under the former we may easily support ourselves; but "a wounded spirit who can bear?"]

But against these does God provide for his people an effectual antidote

[Though more exposed than others to the venomous assaults of slander, they have a refuge which the worldling knows not of. They carry their trials to the Lord, and spread them before him; and from him they receive such supports and consolations as more than counterbalance the evils they sustain. "In the secret of God's presence they are hid." When nigh to him in prayer, they are hid as in a pavilion, or a royal tent, protected by armed hosts, and furnished with the richest viands. But the full import of these terms cannot adequately be expressed. Who shall say what is implied in those words, "The secret of God's presence?" who shall declare what a fulness of joy is there possessed by the believing suppliant? How powerless are the fiery darts which are hurled at him by the most envenomed foes, whilst God himself is a wall of fire round about him, and the glory of God irradiates his soul, inspiring it with a foretaste of heaven itself! Some little idea of his enjoyment may be formed from the history of Hezekiah at the time of Sennacherib's invasion. It was 66 a day of

trouble, and of rebuke and blasphemy;" and the feelings excited in the bosom of Hezekiah were most distressing: but scarcely had he spread before the Lord the letter which the blaspheming Rabshakeh had sent him, than he was encouraged by God to return this triumphant answer; "The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee." Thus, like one who saw "the heavens filled with horses of fire and chariots of fire" for his protection, he set at nought the vain boasts of his enemies, and anticipated a certain triumph. Thus, how malignant soever the believer's enemies may be, he is hid from them as in an impregnable

8 Ps. lvii. 4. h Ps. xxvii. 5, 6. i Isai. xxxvii. 3, 14, 21,

22.

fortress, and looks down on their fruitless efforts with pity and contempt.] ADDRESS

1. Let us seek to attain the character here drawn[To fear God is the duty, and to trust in him the privilege, of every child of man - Learn then to tremble for fear of his judgments, and to rely on his mercy as revealed to you in his Gospel for then only can you experience the blessings of his goodness, when you surrender up yourselves to him to be saved by his grace- -]

2. Let us enjoy the privileges conferred upon us-[For a fuller discovery of the believer's privileges, we may consult the declarations of David in the Psalmsk Let us not rest in any thing short of them. Let us get such a sense of them as shall overwhelm us with wonder, and gratitude, and praise]

k Ps. xci. 1—4, 9—16. and lv. 21, 22.

DXLVI.

THE GODLY ENCOURAGED TO TRUST IN GOD.

Ps. xxxi. 21-24. Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.

THE use of biography is universally acknowledged. It leads us into the recesses of domestic life; and teaches us, either from the frailties or the excellencies of others, how to conduct ourselves in a great variety of emergencies, which we ourselves must expect to meet with in life. But sacred biography is infinitely more interesting than that which proceeds only from uninspired pens, because the circumstances which are brought to light are more minute-more diversifiedmore authentic, than any records which people would choose to give of themselves, or than others would be capable of giving respecting them. On this account the Psalms of David claim the highest possible

regard. Perhaps there never was a man whose circumstances were more varied than his and certainly there never was a man who committed to writing all the secret motions of his heart with more fidelity than he; or that laboured more to improve them for the benefit of mankind.

This appears, as in many other psalms, so especially in that before us; as will be clearly seen, whilst we notice,

I. His acknowledgment of mercies conferred upon him

To enter fully into this, we must refer to the occasion on which the psalm was penned. It was written, I apprehend, after his deliverance from Saul, when, from his being surrounded by Saul's army, he had conceived it impossible for him to escape. Indeed, his deliverance was truly "marvellous ;" and it was wrought by the special intervention of Almighty God, in answer to his prayer. At the very moment that his blood-thirsty persecutor had, to all appearance, effected his purpose, tidings came that the Philistines had invaded the land of Judah; and Saul was compelled to return instantly from his pursuit of David, in order to repel the invaders. In reference to these circumstances, David first acknowledges the mercy in general terms: "Blessed be the Lord; for he hath shewed his marvellous kindness in a strong city," that is, in "the strong holds" to which he had fled: and then he specifies more particularly the relief he had found in answer to prayer, when his own mind was overwhelmed with desponding fears.

In the peaceful state of the Church at this day, we are not likely to be reduced to David's state for our religion's sake: and, therefore, as far as the literal sense of the psalm goes, it is not applicable to us. But, of deliverances equally "marvellous," we may speak. Let me then ask,

1. Whether you have not, at times, been ready to despond?

a 1 Sam. xxiii. 27, 28.