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requite it.' But the faithful are taught other things by the promises in Scripture, and the experience of unnumbered histories. They know assuredly, that God beholds all that travail and vexation which some inflict, and others sustain, upon the earth; and that he will infallibly recompense to the former their deeds, to the latter their sufferings. Destitute should we be of every earthly help, in the state of beggars and orphans, yet in him will we trust, who, as the father and protector of all such, saith unto every one of us, 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.'

15. Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.'

This may be either a prayer, or a prediction, implying that the time will come, when the power of Jehovah will dash in pieces that of the enemy, by the demolition either of sin or the sinner, until wickedness be come utterly to an end, and righteousness be established for ever in the kingdom of Messiah. And lo,

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16. The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of the land.'

Faith beholds the Lord Jesus, as already manifested in his glorious majesty, the kingdoms of this world become his, and the Canaanite no more in the land of promise. Each individual experiences in himself a happy prelude to this manifestation, when Christ rules in his heart by the Spirit, and every appetite and affection is obedient to the sceptre of his kingdom.

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17. LORD, thou hast heard,' or hearest, 'the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare,' or thou preparest, 'their heart: thou wilt cause,' or thou causest, 'thine ear to hear.'

How many important and comforting truths have we here, in a few words! As, that the humble' and lowly, whatever they may suffer in the world, are the favorites of Jehovah: that he attends to the very 'desires' of their hearts that such hearts prepared' to prayer, are so many instruments strung and tuned by the hand of heaven and that their prayer is as music, to which the Almighty himself listens with pleasure.

18. To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

For the sake of the elect, and their prayers, the days

of persecution and tribulation will be shortened; the insolence of the earth-born oppressor, the man of sin, will be chastised; the cause of the church will be heard at the tribunal of God; and victory, triumph, and glory will be given unto her. In the foregoing exposition, regard has been chiefly had to the case of the church, and to her sufferings from the spirit of antichrist, in whomsoever existing and acting, from time to time, in the world; this being judged the most generally useful application, which Christians, as such, can make of the Psalm. Particular accommodations of it to the various oppressions of innocent poverty by iniquitous opulence, will meet the eye, and offer themselves at once to persons so circumstanced, for their support and comfort, under their respective afflictions; which will be also not a little alleviated by the consideration, that the whole church of God groaneth with them, and travaileth in pain, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body. Then, and not till then, tears shall cease to run down the cheeks of misery; and sorrow and sighing shall fly away, to return no more for ever.

PSALM XI.

ARGUMENT.

[The Psalmist, under persecution, 1-3. declareth himself resolved to trust in God alone, at a time when he was advised to fly to some place of refuge; 4. he expresses his faith in the omniscience and overruling power of Jehovah; 5. assigns the reason why good men are afflicted; who, after that the wicked, 6. shall be destroyed, will appear to have been all along, 7. the favored of God.

1. In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?'

The Christian, like David, in perilous times, should make God his fortress, and continue doing his duty in his station; he should not, at the instigation of those about him, like a poor, silly, timorous, inconstant bird, either fly for refuge to the devices of worldly wisdom, or desert his post, and retire into solitude, while he can serve the

cause in which he is engaged. Nor indeed is there any 'mountain' on earth out of the reach of care and trouble. Temptations are everywhere; and so is the grace of God.

2. For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.'

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These seem to be still the words of David's friends, representing to him, as a motive for his flight, the extreme danger he was in from the arrows' of the enemy, already, as it were, fitted to the 'string,' and pointed at him in secret,' so that not knowing from whence they were to come, he could not guard against them. The Christian's danger from the darts of the infernal archers, lying in wait for his soul, is full as great as that of David. But the shield of FAITH' sufficeth, in both cases.

3. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?"

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This likewise seems to be spoken by the same persons, discouraging David from making any farther resistance, by the consideration, that all was over; the foundations' of religion and law were subverted; and what could a man, engaged in the most righteous' designs, hope to 'do,' when that was the case? Such arguments are often urged by the timid, in similar circumstances; but they are fallacious; since all is not over, while there is a man left to reprove error, and bear testimony to the truth. And a man who does it with becoming spirit, may stop a prince, or senate, when in full career, and recover the day. But let us hear David's farther reply to his advisers. 4. The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD's throne is in heaven his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.'

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In the first verse, the Psalmist had declared his trust to be in Jehovah. After reciting the reasonings of his friends, he now proceeds to evince the fitness and propriety of such trust, notwithstanding the seemingly desperate situation of affairs. Jehovah is in his holy temple;' into which, therefore, unholy men, however triumphant in this world, can never enter: 'Jehovah's throne is in heaven;' and consequently superior to all power

on earth, which may be controlled and overruled by him in a moment; his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men; so that no secret wickedness can escape his knowlege, who scrutiniseth the hearts as well as the lives of all the sons of Adam. Why, then, should the man despair, who hath on his side holiness, omnipotence, and omniscience?

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5. The LORD trieth the righteous; but the wicked, and him that loveth violence, his soul hateth.'

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As to the afflictions which persons may suffer, who are embarked in a righteous cause, they are intended to purge away the dross, and to refine them for the Master's use. Gold,' saith the son of Sirach, 'is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity;' Ecclus. ii. 5. In the mean time, God's displeasure against the wicked is ever the same, and their prosperity, instead of benefiting, will in the end destroy them. The cases of David and Saul, Christ and the Jews, martyrs and their persecutors, are all cases in point, and should be often in our thoughts to teach us patience, and guard us against despair, in seasons of calamity, pain, or disgrace.

6. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares,' or burning coals, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.'

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St. Jude, ver. 7. tells us, that the cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, &c. for their abominable sins, πpókeιvται Seiyua, are set forth for an example, or specimen, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.' And here we see the images are plainly taken from the dreadful judgment inflicted on those cities, and transferred to the vengeance of the last day. Then the sons of faithful Abraham shall behold a prospect, like that which once presented itself to the eyes of their father; when, rising early in the morning, and looking toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, he beheld, and lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace!' Gen. xix. 28. Such must be the portion of their cup,' who have dashed from them the cup of salvation. He, therefore, who would enjoy the prosperity of the wicked here, must take with it their torment hereafter; as he who is ambitious of wearing the crown of

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righteousness in heaven, must be content to endure tribulation on earth.

7. For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.'

He who is in himself essential righteousness, cannot but love his own resemblance, wrought in the faithful by his good Spirit; with a countenance full of paternal affection, he beholds, and speaks peace and comfort to them, in the midst of their sorrows; until, admitted through mercy, to the glory from which justice excludes the wicked, and beholding that countenance which has always beheld them, they shall enter on a life of boundless and everlasting felicity.

SECOND DAY.-EVENING PRAYER.

PSALM XII.

ARGUMENT.

[The church, through David, 1, 2. laments the decrease of God's faithful servants, and the universal corruption among men; but, 3-5. rests on the divine promises, the truth and certainty of which, 6, 7. she celebrates, and` comforts herself therewith, while in a world where oftentimes, 8. the wicked walk uncontrolled.]

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1. Help,' Heb. Save, LORD, for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.' Our Lord foretells, that in the later days, 'because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold;' and seems to question whether, when the Son of man cometh, he shall find faith on the earth.' The universal depravity of Jew and Gentile caused the church, of old, to pray earnestly for the first advent of Christ; and a like depravity among those who call themselves Christians, may induce her to pray no less earnestly for his appearance the second time unto salvation. It is frequently a benefit, to be destitute of help from man, both as it puts us on seeking it from God, and inclines him to grant it, when we do seek. No. XXI.

Div.

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