94

A COMMENTARY

ligence, such inexpressible tenderness, such equisite skill, such all-subduing might, and such unwearied patience? Why should they fear, who have such a friend? How can they "want," who have such a "Shepherd?" Behold us, O Lord Jesus, in ourselves hungry, and thirsty, and feeble, and diseased, and defenceless, and lost. O feed us, and cherish us, and heal us, and defend us, and bear with us, and restore us.

"2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters."

The loveliest image afforded by the natural world is here represented to the imagination; that of a flock, feeding in verdant meadows, and reposing in quietness by the rivers of water, running gently through them. It is selected, to convey an idea of the provision made for the souls as well as bodies of men by His goodness, who "openeth his hand, and filleth all ." "By me," saith the Redeemer, "if any things living with plenteousness.' man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture," John x. 9. And what saith the Spirit of peace and comfort! "Let him that is athirst come; and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely," Rev. xxii. 17. Every flock that we see, should remind us of our necessities; and every pasture should excite us to praise that love, by which they are so bountifully supplied.

3. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake."

To" restore," or bring back those that had "gone astray," that is, in other words, to "call sinners to repentance," was the employment of Him, who in the parable of the "lost sheep," representeth himself as executing that part of the pastoral office. By the same kind hand, when" restored," they are thenceforward led in "the path of righteousness;" in the way of holy obedience. Obstructions are removed, they are strengthened to walk and run in the path of God's commandments; while, to invite and allure them, a crown of glory appears, held forth at the end of it. All this is now done for, in, by, and through that "name," beside which, there is none other under heaven given unto man, whereby he may be saved.

"4. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

The sheep here express their confidence in the power of their Shepherd, as sufficient to defend them against the last and most formidable enemy, Death himself. To apprehend the scenery in this verse, we must conceive the church militant and the church triumphant as two mountains, between which lieth the "valley of the shadow of death," necessary to be passed by those who would go from one to the other. Over all that region of dreariness and desolation, extendeth the empire of the king of terrors: and the believer alone "feareth no evil" in his passage through it; because he is conducted by "that great Shepherd of the sheep, whom God brought again from the dead;" Heb. xiii. 20, and who can therefore show us the path of life through the vale of death. In all our dangers and distresses, but chiefly in our last and greatest need, let "thy rod," the sceptre of thy kingdom, O Lord, protect us, and thy pastoral "staff" guide and support our steps; till, through the dreadful valley, we pass to the heavenly mountain, on which St. John saw "the Lamb standing with a great multitude redeemed from the earth," Rev. xiv. 1.

"5. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over."

Another set of images borrowed from a "feast," is introduced to give us ideas of those cordials and comforts prepared to cheer and invigorate the fainting soul; while, surrounded by "enemies," it is accomplishing its pilgrimage through life; during which time its sorrows and afflictions are alleviated and sweetened by the joys and consolations of the Holy One; by the feast of a good conscience; by the bread of life, the "oil" of gladness, and the "cup" of salvation, still full and "running over."

"6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever."

Experience of "goodness and mercy," already so often vouchsafed, begets an assurance of their being continued to the end; for nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, if we do not separate ourselves from it. Thus will the Lord our Saviour provide for us on earth, and conduct us to heaven; where we shall dwell to "length of days," even the days of eternity," one fold under one Shepherd:" a fold into which no enemy enters, and from which no friend departs: where we shall rest from all our labours, and see a period to all our sorrows: where the voice of praise and thanksgiving is heard continually; where all the faithful, from Adam to his last born son, shall meet together to behold the face of Jesus, and to be blessed with the vision of the Almighty: where "we shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on us, nor any heat. But the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne shall feed us, and lead us to living fountains of waters," Rev. vii. 16, 17.

FIFTH DAY.-MORNING PRAYER.

PSALM XXIV.

ARGUMENT.

The plan of this Psalm, according to the letter of it, is beautifully delineated by Bishop Lowth, in his xxviith lecture. The ark of God is supposed to be moving, in a grand and solemn procession of the whole Israelitish nation, towards the place of its future residence on mount Sion. See 1 Chron. xv. On ascending the mountain, the Psalm is sung, declaring, 1, 2, the sovereignty of Jehovah over all the earth; describing, 3-6, what the character ought to be of that people whom he had more peculiarly selected, to serve him in the house where his glory was to dwell, and of which, 7-10, it was now about to take possession. All this is by us to be applied to the Christian church, and the ascension of our Lord into heaven; for which reason, the Psalm is one of those appointed to be used on Ascension-day.

"1. The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein."

The God of Israel was Lord of the whole earth, by right of creation. The same divine person who created the world, hath since, in Christ, redeemed it and it is his again, by that right also. But the church Christian is his, in a more peculiar manner, as the church of Israel formerly was. We are doubly bound to adore and to obey him. "It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;" Psalm c. 2, and "we are not our own, being bought with a price," 1 Cor. vi. 20. The inference is, "Let us glorify God in our bodies, and in our spirits, which are," every way "God's."

"2. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods."

The waters, which, at the creation, and again at the deluge, overspread all things, being, by the power of God, driven down into the great deep, and there confined, the earth was, in a wonderful manner, constructed and established as a circular arch, upon, or over them. Let us often meditate on this noble subject for contemplation and devotion; that we may learn, whither we are to have recourse, when in danger of being overwhelmed by sins or sorrows.

"3. Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? and who shall stand in his holy place?"

The connexion seems to be this. If the Almighty Creator and Lord of all the earth has chosen us to be his peculiar people, to serve and worship him in his temple, upon the holy hill of Sion, whither the sacred symbol

of his presence is now ascending, what manner of persons ought we to be? The reasoning is exactly the same, as Bishop Lowth observes, with that of Moses, in Deut. x. 14-16. "Behold the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, is the Lord's thy God; the earth also, with all that therein is. Only the Lord hath a delight in thy fathers, to love them; and he chose their seed after them, even you, above all people, as it is this day. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked." The argument applies, with additional force, to ourselves, as Christians. We compose a far more numerous and magnificent procession than that of the Israelites, when the church universal, with her spiritual services, attends our Lord, as it were, upon his ascension, in heart and mind ascending with him into the holy place not made with hands.

4. He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity, or, placed his trust in vain idols, or, in the creature, nor sworn deceitfully. 5. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation."

No man can ascend into heaven through his own righteousness, but he who came down from heaven, and performed a perfect sinless obedience to the will of God. Sinners of old were purified through faith in him that was to come, by typical offerings and ablutions, before they approached the sanctuary. We have been cleansed from our sins, and renewed unto holiness, by the blood of Christ, and the washing of the Holy Ghost. Thus we become his people: thus we "receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of our salvation."

6. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob, or, O God of Jacob."

Such ought the people to be, who seek the presence of God, and approach to worship him in the sanctuary; who celebrate the ascension of their Redeemer, and hope, one day, to follow him into those happy mansions, which he has gone before to prepare for them.

7. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 8. Who is this King of glory The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle." 9, 10. The chorus is repeated.

We must now form to ourselves an idea of the Lord of glory, after his resurrection from the dead, making his entry into the eternal temple in heaven; as of old, by the symbol of this presence, he took possession of that figurative and temporary structure, which once stood upon the hill of Sion. We are to conceive him gradually rising from mount Olivet into the air, taking the clouds for his chariot, and ascending up on high; while some of the angels, like the Levites in procession, attendant on the triumphant Messiah, in the day of his power, demand, that those everlasting gates and doors, hitherto shut and barred against the race of Adam, should be thrown open for his admission into the realms of bliss. "Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in." On hearing this voice of jubilee and exaltation from the earth, the abode of misery and sorrow, the rest of the angels, astonished at the thought of a MAN claiming a right of entrance into their happy regions, ask from within, like the Levites of the temple, "Who is this King of glory?" To which question the attendant angels answer, in a strain of joy and triumph-and let the church of the Redeemer answer with them-"The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle;" the LORD JESUS, victorious over sin, death, and hell. Therefore we say, and with holy transport we repeat it; "Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in." And if any ask, "Who is the King of glory?" To heaven and earth we proclaim aloud"The LORD of hosts," all-conquering MESSIAH, head over every creature, the leader of the armies of JEHOVAH, "He is the King of glory." Even so, Glory be to thee, O Lord most high! Amen. Hallelujah.

PSALM XXV.

ARGUMENT.

It is much the same, whether we suppose the church, or any single member thereof, to be speaking throughout the Psalm, and praying, 1-3. for help and protection against spiritual enemies; 4, 5. for knowledge and direction in the way of godliness; pleading for this purpose, 6, 7. God's mercies of old; 8. the perfections of his nature: 9, 10. enumerating the qualifications requisite for scholars in the divine school; 11. upon the strength of those arguments, enforcing the petitions for mercy; 12-14. describing the bles sedness of the man who feareth the Lord; 15-21. preferring divers petitions; and 22. closing the whole with one for the final redemption of the Israel of God.

"1. Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. 2. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed; let not mine enemies triumph over me."

Cares and pleasures are the weights which press the soul down to earth, and fasten her thereto; and it is the spirit of prayer which must enable her to throw off these weights, to break these cords, and to "lift up" herself to heaven. He who "trusteth" in anything but in God, will one day be "ashamed" and confounded, and give his spiritual "enemies" cause to "triumph over him."

"3. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed; let them be ashamed which transgress without a cause, or, vainly, rashly."

God, as a father and a master, will never suffer his children and servants to want his favour and protection; nor will he permit malicious rebels to enjoy it. Honour will, in the end, be the portion of the former, and shame the inheritance of the latter.

4. Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. 5. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day."

We are travellers to heaven, who, through temptation, are often drawn aside, and lose our way. The way is the law of God; and to keep that law is to walk in the way. God only can put us in the way, and preserve us and forward us therein; for which purpose, we must continue instant in prayer to "the God of our salvation," that he would "teach" us to Do his will; that so we may not be ashamed and confounded.

"6. Remember, Ó LORD, thy tender mercies, and thy loving-kindnesses; for they have been ever of old."

The soul, when hard beset with sins and sorrows, is apt to think that God hath forsaken and forgotten her. In this case, she cannot more effectually prevail upon him, or comfort herself, than by recollecting, and, as it were, reminding him of former mercies; since, however the dispositions and affections of men may alter, God is always the same.

7. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; according to thy mercy remember thou me, for thy goodness' sake, O LORD."

When God remembers his mercy, he forgets our sins; and when he forgets our sins, he remembers his mercy; for what else is his mercy, but the forgiveness, the blotting out, the non-imputation of sin? Who, that has lived long in the world, can survey the time past of his life, without breaking forth into this petition, adding, to "the sins of his youth," the many transgressions of his riper years?

"8. Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way."

Another argument for hope and trust in God, is drawn from his "nature." He hates sin, and loves righteousness; he sent his Son to suffer for the one, and his Spirit to produce the other; and he cannot but be faithful and just to his own gracious promises, which all centre in the salvation of sinners by pardon and grace, through Him, who is "the way, the truth, and the life."

"9. The meek will he guide in judgment; and the meek will he teach his way."

Pride and anger have no place in the school of Christ. The Master himself is "meek and lowly of heart;" much more, surely, ought the scholars to be so. He, who hath no sense of his ignorance, can have no desire, or capability of knowledge, human or divine.

10. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies."

The law of God is the way by which he cometh to us, as well as by that which we go to him; and all the different dispensations of that law, here styled "the paths of the LORD," are composed of mercy and truth;" mercy promising, and truth performing, meet together in Christ, who is " the end of the law to every one that believeth;" to such as "keep his covenant and his testimonies."

11. For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great."

The pardon of sin is to be asked, and obtained, throughout that gracious "name," in which mercy and truth are met together;" and so "great" is our sin, that pardon can be had only through that name.

"12. What man is he that feareth the LORD? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose."

The blessings consequent upon the "fear of the Lord," are such as will fully justify the earnestness and fervour of the foregoing petitions for pardon and grace. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," He who hath it will "choose" the right way, and will be "taught" to go

therein.

"13. His soul shall dwell at ease, Heb. lodge in goodness: and his seed shall inherit the earth."

It is a privilege of "the man who feareth the Lord," that not only in this present life, all things work together for his "good," but his soul, after having persevered in righteousness, shall take up its abode in the mansions of felicity. His "seed" likewise shall be blessed in the same manner, with such a portion of the temporal promise made to Abraham, as God seeth best for them, and certainly with an abundant share in the spiritual inheritance, the NEW earth, wherein dwell righteousness, joy, and glory. "Blessed are the meek," the seed of Christ," for they shall inherit the earth," Matt. v. 5.

"14. The secret, Heb. fixed counsel, or, design of the LORD, is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant, Heb. and his covenant, to make them know it."

The greatest happiness of man in this world is, to know the fixed and determinate counsels of God concerning the human race, and to understand the covenant of redemption. This likewise is the reward of "the fear of the Lord," which humbles the soul, and prepares it for divine illumination, causing it to place all its comfort in meditation on the wonders of heavenly love. "All things which I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you," saith our Lord to his disciples, John xi. 15.

66

15. Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD: for he shall pluck my feet out of the net."

Encouraged to hope for the blessings above mentioned, the lowly suppliant still continues to fix the eyes of his understanding on their proper object, God his Saviour, beholding his glory, attending to his will, and expecting his mercy. An unfortunate dove, whose feet are taken in the snare of the fowler, is a fine emblem of the soul, entangled in the cares or pleasures of the world; from which she desires, through the power of grace, to fly away, and to be at rest, with their glorified Redeemer.

"16. Turn thou unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted."

They who are ever looking unto the Lord, will be heard, when they be