Psalm lxiii 1, 2. "O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee, my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary."

I presume that were I to say, that among all the books of sacred Scripture, which from time to time we peruse in our public assemblies, in our families, and in our closets, there are none more calculated to excite devotional affections in our hearts than the Book of Psalms, I should not say anything inconsistent with the experience of many now present. I think I have found some advantage in my private devotions by reading some part of the book of Psalms after I have been reading some other part of Scripture, as it has tended to excite those thoughts and those affections which ought ever to be exercised in prayer. Having for a few years past made that my practice pretty often, I have found advantage in it; for whether it is so with you or not, I must confess that I have need of every assistance to excite devout affections in solemn prayer, and especially in secret prayer. When we assemble, as we are now assembled, in a public manner, many circumstances are adapted to excite something like religious affection and devotional feelings, which do not attend us when we are alone before God.

It is not with a view to establish any point of doctrine, or to dwell on any point of duty, that I have now read

VOL. I.-FOURTH SERIES.

these words, but in order, if it please God, to stir up in my own mind and in yours, those affections of which I have been speaking. I shall consider the words in the order in which they lie.

The first article in this text is a devout exclamation, "O God!" I call it so in contradistinction from the profane manner in which the same words are often used by people professing to regard the Bible, and calling themselves Christians. When the sublime sentiments which this exclamation contains possess the mind, there is something in it which has an immediate tendency to excite devout affections. The word God in our English tongue is used to express the self-existent and the infinitely glorious Being from whom we derive our life, possessing every excellence and absolute dominion. But there is a further idea attached to it when we use it with reference to that manifestation, which he has been pleased to make in the Gospel, that manifestation which we have in the appearance and work of Jesus Christ. For a sinner on his knees when seeking intercourse with God to adopt the language of this exclamation, and to do it in a proper manner, is adapted to his edification: it is fitted at the same time to excite in his heart expectations from him whose name he solemnly pro

is a sense in which every ancient Israelite might with some propriety adopt such language, on the foundation of the covenant into which Jehovah entered with them as a people. He then engaged to be their God as a nation, as well as to be their sovereign, and they engaged to avow him as their God in opposition to all the abominations of idolatry. Speaking with regard to that covenant, David might say as well as any other Hebrew, "Thou art my God." But I presume there are few in this assembly who acknowledge the inspiration of the writings of David and the excellence of his character, who doubt whether he might not with strict propriety on a much higher account use this language, "Thou art my God." It is plain from a great part of his inspired compositions, that his heart abounded with such affections towards Jehovah as were suitable to that sublime relation in which he stood to those who were called by his grace. It becomes every one who has a God to call upon Him, to place his confidence in Him, indeed it must be So. Whatever has our supreme regard must be sought after, and will be regarded habitually and constantly. With that idea David, when he said "Thou art my God," laid in his claim upon him, the source of all happiness, Him on whose smiles angels live. But in order to our having such views of God as to be enabled to say, "Thou art my God," we must be acquainted with him -with the grace manifested in the Mediator- -we must be acquainted with that mercy he has revealed big with spiritual blessings for our impoverished souls. My brethren, every one who believes in Jesus Christ, who is converted to him, whose heart is united to him as the hope of the guilty, whose conscience is under the authority of Christ, and who is disposed to perform the Redeemer's will, has reason to say when addressing the glorious Creator of all things, "Thou art my God," and I am persuaded will do so. I am far from believing that a knowledge of God being our God is included in the nature of faith, but I am persuaded that whoever is awakened to a sense of sin, whoever feels his wretched state and is convinced that he deserves eternal ruin, will not be satisfied without seeking to know that Jehovah is in an especial sense his God. Let none of us consider ourselves as in earnest about our souls, and as having our hearts prin

cipally set on spiritual and eternal things, while we are habitually careless about an interest in God. If God is not our God, we can never enjoy happiness. I do not mean to say that this is the first thing to be believed, but that those who are in earnest about their souls and seeking eternal life, will not rest without seeking to know this. And they who seek wisely will not seek it in the enjoyment of sudden impulses, or the occurrence to their minds of certain texts of Scripture; but if they think and feel as Christians, they will treat God as their God; for there cannot be any substantial believing of God's being my God detached from a disposition on my part to treat him as such by dependence, by love, by submission, by concern for his honour, and seeking communion with him as my supreme happiness.

The next thing in these remarkable words, is a holy resolution, "Early will I seek thee." To seek God' is a Scripture phrase frequently used, and it denotes not merely mental inquiry, but the use of religious appointments according to the revealed will of God. The term early, as here used, may be understood both literally and allusively. It may be understood literally. David was a man of prayer; he was frequent in his devotional exercises-when therefore he says "early will I seek thee," he may be understood to mean that he will address God in solemn prayer, and that he will endeavour to improve such parts of sacred Scripture as were then enjoyed by the Jewish church at an early hour in the day. I will not suffer much of the day to be spent after the sun has arisen before I have addressed thee in prayer, before I have meditated on thy excellencies, before I have perused thy sacred writings. My brethren, it is important that we in our daily walk have something of this kind on our minds, and not merely on our minds, but on our consciences and on our hearts. You, perhaps, find as I do, a very shameful and criminal defect in this respect. I have often thought did I but rise with a desire for converse with God, did I but go to him with that hungering and thirsting with which I go to the table on which he has spread his mercies, my desires throughout the day would be much more devotional than they are.

"Early will I seek thee," as it regards public worship. Give me leave to say, if we would imitate David, we

should perhaps be at our place of worship much sooner than we sometimes are When persons merely through carelessness, indolence, and want of forethought and industry in performing the little affairs which are necessary in their families are so late that the worship of God is begun before they are present, it is to the disgrace of their Christian character. I say when it is through want of foresight and order in their necessary and unavoidable affairs in their families, it is shameful and criminal-it is not treating God as the people of the world treat their amusements, for when they go to places of amusement they will be industrious, they will exert themselves, in order that they may have the whole of the pleasure which the amusement, in their opinion, is calculated to afford; whilst some persons seem to think that they make their appearance tolerably early if they get to a place of worship before the text is taken, which is in fact shutting themselves out of the greatest part of worship. Preaching is a religious exercise, it is an appointment of God which ought to be performed and attended to in a devotional spirit; but preaching is not strictly worship, nor is hearing, worship; but in singing the praises of God and in prayer we engage directly in worship. Be on Four guard then, my friends, against neglecting the worship of God or any part of it.

This word 'early' may be understood in an allusive sense. When persons are in earnest to perform anything which is important (and to be done by such an hour) they will be at it early in the morning; they will be diligent in the performance of it, they will not be easily withdrawn. Whether the Psalmist used the term in this sense I dare not say, but it is very plain from what follows, that he was in earnest. God gives us our blessings, but where there is a coolness and indifference the heart is not in a state to receive those blessings with that gratitude which ought to attend the reception of them, and thus if we are cold and indifferent as to divine things, we are not in the way to enjoy the pleasures of godliness. I know not how it is with you, my dear friends, but I seldom read a psalm or a chapter in a devotional way but I meet with something that greatly reproves me, that convicts me of something criminally defective in the dispositions of my heart, or in the

manner in which I perform devotional duty, some negligence, or the omission of some moral or religious duty. Perhaps it may be so with many of you; but I have for many years been persuaded that those persons who read their Bibles without convictions are most frequently very stupid in their consciences, and quite ignorant of the true character of God, or they have through the influence of temptation got into a poor, lukewarm, carnal state of mind. Oh, my friends, we have constant need to guard against this. Let us continually say unto God, Early will I seek thee."

The next thing is an expression, a more direct, emphatic, and amplified expression of fervent desire, "My soul thirsteth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is." The title of the Psalm informs us that it was penned in a desert-when David was necessitated to be absent from the sanctuary, when he could not assemble with others for worship at the Tabernacle, and it is in reference to his situation when shut out from the enjoyment of the public ordinances of devotion that he makes use of the language before us, "My soul thirsteth for thee." My brethren, when I read such a passage as this, and deliberate upon it, a variety of thoughts occur to my mind. I am struck, first, with the emphatic language used to express the devotional dispositions of his heart. It is very strong indeed, even making allowances for the language of poetry (for David was a poet), there is a force, an expansiveness, an energy in the language which exceeds, alas! very much what I feel in point of devout affections in my own heart. Supposing I were laid aside by some very afflictive event in Providence, which compelled me to be absent from intercourse with religious people in their devout assemblies, I fear that my devotional disposition towards God would be much weaker than that of David. But why should the desire of my heart be more languid than his? Oh, how shameful, how criminal! I enjoy abundantly better means of information as to my understanding, better means of edification than David, considered as a private Israelite, and not under the influence of supernatural agency, possessed under that dispensation. He enjoyed much less of edifying means in public ordinances, much less of a delightful nature

in the enjoyment of those ordinances, we do not act on pure principles-there is something unworthy of religion, unworthy of the Christian character. We all have need to watch against this; we all have need of the influence of the Holy Spirit to preserve us from this, and to produce in us that frame of mind, that state of heart in which we shall have the most realizing view of the power and glory of God.

But there are, perhaps, some of you, my friends and fellow-sinners, who have never thought of these things, whose consciences never reprove you for not wishing to see the glory of God, who never prayed to see his glory. If there be such, your state, my dear friends, is highly lamentable. You know nothing experimentally of God; you are not in the way to heaven-those who are must see the glory of God in this world, his true spiritual glory, the excellency of that glory as it is displayed in the person and offices of Jesus Christ, for if ever we behold the glory of God it is in the face of Jesus Christ; they are changed

from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. Many people talk about religion and going to heaven, just as if there was no preparation of the heart requisite, as if there was nothing to be enjoyed till we have quite done with earth. These people are deceiving themselves. None have any solid ground to think they shall enjoy heaven when they die, unless they have some taste of divine love here on earth. Though there is nothing necessary to the justification of our guilty souls but the righteousness of Jesus Christ, there is much necessary to communion with God, especially in the heavenly world-that sanctification which is to be experienced in the diligent use of means, and whoever expects that sanctification through the agency of the Holy Spirit while he is living in the neglect of watchfulness, is certainly deceiving himself.

But time has elapsed-I must leave these few thoughts, presented to you with very little regularity, to your own meditations, and to the divine blessing.

SHOULD not every young man aspire | to the most honourable station in the army of the cross? Should he not pant for that position which permits the most to be accomplished for the triumph of the holy enterprise? Should he not fix his eye on that crown of unfading materials which an approving leader will bestow upon the diligent-the heroic the successful? He should. But the path to such an elevation may be ascended only with great difficulty. Discipline of the severest kind alone can prepare for signal success on earth, and distinguished glory in heaven. And whenever such discipline is seen to produce the requisite faith, and fortitude, and holiness, they are soon perceived by the watchful eye of the Mediator, and applied to the great purposes of his kingdom.

How noble and arousing an example is that of Daniel! Here was a man who had been trained by repeated trials.

His character was now matured and enriched by sanctified experience. The ground of his trust was well defined, and the way to the city of refuge well known. He could now be entrusted with great duties, and could safely be commissioned to enter into hazardous positions for the promotion of the divine purposes. Accordingly he was introduced into a new trial, surpassing all those which preceded it, both in its fierce requirements, and in the extent and glory of its effects.

In tracing this remarkable transaction, it is impossible not to be struck with the reflection-a reflection which the boaster should not overlook-that however much irreligious persons may rejoice in their freedom from the service of God, they are yet the most complete and most menial of all servants. They serve a master whom they do not love, and promote a cause in the triumphs of which they will never share. Every