terror. A flame goeth before him-the whirlwinds play around him--his voice is thunderhis look, the lightning's flash. It is only in Christ Jesus that God reconciles the world to himself-it is in him alone that all the divine perfections appear excellent-and it is in the view of the universal preaching of the gospel, that the psalmist could with any propriety say, O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth.

To the earth, however, the praise of God's excellent name is not confined, for he has set his glory above the heavens. Not in the heavens: an expression which might lead us to think of the glory of creation and providence as exhibited in the heavenly bodies: but above the heavens, far beyond the reach of mortal observation. That by this phrase is meant the highest heavens, that glorious place which Christ has prepared for his people, and in which, with the angels, they adore redeeming love, will be abundantly clear if we attend to another of a similar kind. In the 113th Psalm, we read thus, From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, the Lord's name is to be praised. The Lord is high above all nations, and

his glory ABOVE THE HEAVENS. The parallel passage in Malachi i. 11, From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, my

name shall be great among the Gentiles makes it plain that the glory mentioned in the psalm just quoted, is the glory of God in the salvation of men; and this is the glory which is there said to be above the heavens. And the words which we are considering, present to our view the august and solemn scene formed by the church militant and the church triumphant, joining in one general chorus of praise to the Father of mercies. We may therefore rest satisfied, that the immediate and only object of this verse is to extol the grace of God in sending his Son to redeem sinners. Well may we wonder at the immensity of such love and our wonder will be increased if we follow the psalmist. He not only bids us admire the salvation itself, but tells us,

II. What instruments should be employed.

in carrying on the amazing plan, as in

Verse 2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

That the words we are now considering are prophetical, we are not allowed to doubt, for so they were viewed by Him who could not mistake the meaning of scripture. We are told, by the evangelist Matthew (ch. xxi.) that when our Lord, according to an ancient oracle,

made his public entry into Jerusalem, the multitude, actuated it would seem by a divine impulse, cried out, Hosanna to the son of David; blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest! When he passed to his house of prayer, authoritatively purged it from impious intruders, and performed, in the sight of admiring crowds, some of his most benevolent miracles, the sacred ardor flowed in every breast, and even the children who were sporting in the temple caught the cry, Hosanna to the son of David! On this occasion, the blind, envious, unprincipled Pharisees, nettled at one of the most delightful and sublime scenes that can interest a reasonable nature, asked in the spirit of discontented petulance, Hearest thou what these say? Yea, replied the Saviour, quoting the very words of David, Yea: have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? This circumstance clearly shows that the passage before us refers to the times of the gospel; and if it received an accomplishment in the fact just related, it was more abundantly accomplished in the ministry of the first preachers of the gospel. These were characterized by the spirit of prophecy as babes. Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine?

Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. (Isaiah, xxviii. 9.) They were termed babes by Christ himself: for when he upbraided with ignorance and hardness of heart those cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, he answered, the historian tells us, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto BABES. This passage, with the correspondent one in Luke, makes it manifest that the disciples are intended: for that evangelist informs us, that these words were spoken when the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. (Luke x. 17.)

The disciples of Christ, though adult in years, were babes in knowledge and improvement plain, simple men, unfurnished with that erudrtion to which the affluent had access. With respect to the great work also, in which they were to be employed, they were as feeble in themselves, and as unfit for it, as babes are for performing the duties of active life. To the world likewise, they appeared contemptible in their birth, in their connections, in their fortune, in everything about them. And the project of reforming mankind, in their hands, carnal wisdom, which would think such

a task proper for statesmen only and philosophers, would pronounce as silly as the charge of an empire committed to an infant. And yet, from the mouth of these babes and sucklings, (let proud philosophy take a lesson from the fact,) God, the psalmist assures us, ordained strength: such strength, as shook to its centre the kingdom of darkness, and made Satan fall as lightning from heaven. The great Mediator, during and especially after his own ministry, crowned with abundant success the preaching of his word. The apostles went forth in the name of Jesus; Jehovah's arm was nerved in their cause; and, by the might of that arm, worm Jacob thrashed the mountains, and beat them small as chaff. In thus ordaining strength, God perfected praise: for the weakness of the instruments, compared with the miraculous effects they produced, showed to all who were not given up to the lusts of their own hearts, that the excellency of the powers was of him.

The strength of which we are speaking, God, the psalmist informs us, ordained because of his enemies that he might still the enemy and the avenger.

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Enemies," in the former part of this clause, seems to comprehend all who were unfriendly to the cause of Christ, whether secretly or openly. Enemy and avenger perhaps refer chief