my fteps had well nigh flipt; ver. 2. My faith and hope in God's promifes and providence were staggered, and I could fcarce keep my ground: feeing the enemies of heaven in the most flourishing condition upon earth, I was ready to throw up all religion, as standing in the way of my happiness. For I was envious at the foolish, when I faw the profperity of the wicked, ver. 3. The inftances of this he fets down, with the effect they had upon him. There are no bands in their death; but their ftrength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued like other men, ver. 4, 5. They are of ten ftrong and healthful while they live, and then are removed by a natural and eafy death; have their days filled with plenty and pleasure, though by all, they grow worfe and worse, and give themselves a greater fcope in finning, even to the blafpheming of God, as well as abufing of his fervants: Behold thefe are the ungodly who profper in the world, they increase in riches. Thefe are the men, and this is their condition, a profperous one. Upon which, he was tempted to make this strange conclufion, viz. That all that he had done in religion was loft labour. Verily, I have cleanfed my heart in vain, and washed my bands in innocency; i. e. there being no difference made in my cafe, unless for the worfe: For all the day long have I been plagued, and chaftened every morning, ver. 13, 14.

And though he does not allow himself to break out in fuch language as this, left he should condemn the people of God; yet he could not get over the difficulty, or obtain fatisfaction why

God

God fhould deal thus, from any reafon of his own. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me. Until I went into the fanctuary of God; then understood 1 their end, ver. 16. if ever we would have our fcruples answered, and our doubts effectually removed, it must be by God's teaching; and for this we are to wait where he is wont to be found, viz. in the fanctu ary. There confulting the oracles, and attending the ordinances of God, the Pfalmift had his mind calmed as being taught,

1. That this world is only a state of trial and preparation in order to another whence, no wonder that feemingly unequal diftributions are made to faints and finners, as if God had croffed hands, and mistook his enemies for his fervants; but it is nothing lefs.

2. Sinners are not prefently punished, nor the righteous rewarded becaufe God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteoufnefs, and would train up his people in the faith and expectation of it, and leave thofe inexcufable who live as if it would never be.

3. The time is short both of the wicked's triumph, and the faints fufferings, and will foon be over. The scene shall be e'er long changed, and in the next state things fhall be put into better order, and all that fet right which here seems fo much amifs.

"

4. What finners have in hand is their portion. They have their good things here; all that ever they are like to have. Upon their leaving the prefent world, they must leave their happiness too; and how foon, how fuddenly

1.

may they be fnatched away into a world, where nothing remains to them but endless torments? Surely thou didst fet them in flippery places; where, Who would defire to ftand? Thou caftedft them down into deftruction: upon which he that here looked upon them with envy, could not but look after them with horror, and cry out, How are they brought into defolation, as in a moment? They are utterly confumed with terrors. And how little reafon is there to repine at their empty fhort-lived happiness upon earth, in their way to an everlasting hell?

on Nor need faints to fink under their present fufferings, or think themselves hardly used; the fufferings of the present time, not being worthy to be compared with the glory to be revealed: and the light afflictions of the prefent life, working for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, Rom. viii. 18. 2 Cor, iv. 17

95. How little appearance foever there is of this, or of preparation for it at prefent, The Lord knoweth bow to deliver the Gadly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjuft unto the day of judgment to be punished, 2 Peter ü.9. And then their imaginary felicity will all vanish, and be exchanged for real mifery. As a dream when one awaketh, fo, O Lord, when thou awakeft, thou fhalt defpife their image.

Having learned fuch things as thefe by beling in the fanctuary, the Pfalmift looks back, and bewails his folly in being fo far borne down, and almost overfet. Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. So foolish was I,

and

and ignorant: I was as a beaft before thee, i. e. I looked no farther than prefent things, and was ready to judge by flesh and fenfe; and fo was unreasonably difquieted, if all things went not as I would have had them in the prefent life; as if there were no after state, with reference to which all might be well accounted for.

This having been his cafe and carriage, he comes to fhew in the refult of all, how kindly he had been dealt with by God, in this his addrefs to him in the text. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: tkou haft holden me by my right band.

To make way for what I defign: in the words, are confiderable,

1. The ftate and character of the perfon fpeaking one related to God, of the generation of his children; but forely fhaken by a temptation, and almost overcome.

2. The temper he discovers upon his coming out of his distress, and the happiness he acknowledges he had enjoyed, by this his address to God, I am continually with thee.

3. When this was uttered, and upon what occafion: viz. after a fore temptation, and a deal of weakness betrayed under it. Neverthelefs, O Lord, I am continually with thee. And how deeply does he appear affected in speaking thus? Nevertheless, i. e. after all that has paft, and notwithstanding all, when I was preffed fo hard, and made to stagger to that degree, that I was just overthrown, and my feet almost gone; when I was in the utmost danger, and upon the

brink of ruin, Nevertheless, I now find I was continually with thee.

I, who was fo foolish and ignorant, as to be ready to question and arraign thy perfections, dispute thy dealings, grow weary of thy fervice, grieve and fret, murmur and repine at thy providence, and judging by flesh and fenfe, was even become as a beaft before thee: Nevertheless I was, and I am continually with thee. This has been my happiness, and ftill is; how unworthy foever I am of it; how often foever it has been forfeited; whatever I have been and done, deserved and might expect. O the mercy, that it may be faid of, and by fuch an one as I am, I am continually with thee. With thee, in whofe favour is life, and whose loving-kindness is betterthan life whose presence is my best support on earth, and this fully revealed, will make up heaven. I can never forget the affaults I have paffed through, and to what degree I have been foiled; the faults and follies I have been chargeable with, for which I might justly have been caft off: but whilft I look back with shame and forrow upon these, I must say with adoring thankfulness, Nevertheless, I am still with thee:

4. The Author of this, to whom all is afcribed, viz. to God. Unless the Lord had been my help, my foul bad almost dwelt in filence. My feet were almost gone: my steps had well nigh flipt: but thou haft holden me by my right hand; and fo I am continually with thee.

And what the Pfalmift here fpeaks of himfelf, agrees to every one of the children of the kingdom,