called by St. Peter a royal and holy priesthood, appointed to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God, by Jesus Christ.' 1 Pet. ii. 5. 9.

109. My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.'

To have one's 'soul,' D, or life, 'in one's hand,' is a phrase often used in Scripture, and implieth going in continual danger of one's life: see Judg. xii. 3. 1 Sam. xix. 5. and xxviii. 21. Job xiii. 14. Great and incessant as David's perils were, he did not 'forget' God's promises, nor his precepts, but trusted in the former, and performed the latter. St. Paul knew, that in every city bonds and afflictions awaited him: but none of these things,' saith he, move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy.' Acts xx. 23. 110. The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.'

When open violence fails to move a man from his steadfastness, 'the wicked will lay snares' for him, to entice him into sin, by the baits of honor, pleasure, or profit, by exposing him to unavoidable temptations, as, when David was driven out of his own land, to live among idolaters, of which usage he complaineth, 1 Sam. xxvi. 19; or else, by making laws which an honest man cannot obey without sin, or refuse to obey without danger. Numberless are the traps of one kind or other, which human wit and diabolical malice, in conjunction, have set for the consciences of those who profess themselves to be the servants of God; and happy is that servant, whom they have not caused to err from the precepts' of his Master. 111. Thy testimonies have I taken as mine heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my The 'testimonies' of God's will, his word and his sacraments, are the bonds and the deeds by which we hold our heavenly inheritance, as heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ." Of these deeds, and this inheritance, no power can deprive us; and when they are the rejoicing of our hearts, we shall not, by preferring an earthly inheritance, deprive ourselves of them.

heart.'

112. I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes always, even unto the end.'

The 'inclination of the heart' to good, is the work of

God; but man is, nevertheless, in this as in other instances, said to perform it, when he listens to the call, and obey the motions, of his grace. We are not to judge of ourselves by what we sometimes say and do, but by the general disposition and tendency of the heart and its affections. When, after repeated trials, we find that the love of God casts the scale against the love of the world; when it is our glory, our delight, our treasure, our meat and drink, to do his will, and, against all opposition, to persevere in doing it, even unto the end;' then are we the true disciples of that Master, whose heart was evermore inclined to good; who alone performed a perfect and spotless obedience, and persisted in working the work of him that sent him, until, with his last breath, he declared, on the cross, IT IS FINISHED.

SAMECH.-PART XV.

113. I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love." 'Love and hatred' are the two great and influencing affections of the human mind. Since the fall, they have been misplaced. By nature we love vain thoughts,' and 'hate the law of God. The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be:' Rom. viii. 7. But in a renewed mind the case is altered; its delight s in the law of God, and therefore it cannot bear vain thoughts,' which are contrary to that law, and exalt themselves against it. Thoughts are often said to be free; from human censure they are, but not from the cognisance and judgment of the Omniscient. The mind should be well furnished with proper materials, on which to employ itself. We shall then be secured against the incursions of rambling, conceited, worldly, impure, and revengeful thoughts, which_otherwise will devour half our time, and appear against us, to our unspeakable amazement, in that day when the secrets of all hearts shall be revealed.

114. Thou art my hiding-place, and my shield: I hope in thy word.'

From vain thoughts, and vain persons, the Psalmist teacheth us to fly, by prayer to God, as our refuge and

protector. This course a believer will as naturally take, in the hour of temptation and danger, as the offspring of the hen, on perceiving a bird of prey hovering over their heads, retire to their hiding place,' under the wings of their dam; or as the warrior opposeth his 'shield' to the darts which are aimed at him.

115. Depart from me, ye evil-doers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.'

Safe under the protection of the Almighty, David bids the wicked 'depart from him;' he neither fears their malice, nor will follow their counsels, being resolutely determined to adhere to his duty, and to keep the commandments of his God.' He who hath formed David's resolution, must, like him, disclaim and renounce the society of evil-doers;' for every man will insensibly contract the good or bad qualities of the company which he keeps; and should, therefore, be careful to keep such as will make him wiser and better, and fit him for the goodly fellowship of saints and angels.

116. Uphold me according to thy word, that I may live and let me not be ashamed of my hope.' 117. 'Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.'

A resolution to fly from evil, and to do good, is properly followed by an earnest and repeated prayer, to be upheld' in the performance of it, by divine grace,' according to God's word' and promise; that so our 'hope' in that word may not fail, and put us to 'shame' before our enemies; that we may be saved' from falling, and enabled, in our walking, to have 'respect unto the divine statutes continually.' How necessary is this prayer to be made by creatures, whose tempers and dispositions are ever varying; who have so many and so formidable adversaries to contend with, and on whom their temporal condition hath so much influence!

118. Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood.'

The dreadful judgments which God, from time to time, in all ages of the world, hath executed, and which he still can and will execute, on impenitent sinners, afford a kind of admonition, and a powerful motive, to obedience,

As no force can counteract the power of God, so no 'cunning' can deceive his wisdom, but will always, in the end, miserably 'deceive' those who trust in it, and employ it against the counsels of heaven; their deceit, or subtilty, is falsehood,' "pw, it will fail, and ruin its owners. Of this, history furnisheth instances in abundance. And it will be evident to all the world, when simplicity and innocence shall reign triumphant with the Lamb, on mount Sion; and deceit and guile shall have their portion with the serpent, in the lake of fire.

119. Thou puttest away all the ungodly of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies.'

• Ungodly' men and hypocrites are mingled among the sons and servants of God, as ‘dross' is blended with the pure metal, and appeareth to be part of it. But the fiery trial of divine juugment soon discovereth the difference. The false pretences of the hypocrite are detected, and the glory of the wicked vanisheth away. These dispensations of God's providence increase our 'love' of his 'word;' because they give us sensible experience of its truth, they show us the justice of God in punishing others, together with his mercy in sparing us, and removing those who might have corrupted us and turned the silver itself into dross. In times of visitation, Christ sitteth among his people as a refiner and purifier of silver,' purging away all dross, that out of what remains may be made ' vessels of honor, meet for the Master's use' to serve and to adorn the sanctuary. See Mal. iii. 3. Isa. i. 25. 2 Tim. ii. 21.

120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.'

At the presence of Jehovah, when he appeareth in judgment, the earth trembleth and is still. His best servants are not exempted from an awful dread on such occasions; scenes of this kind, shown in vision to the prophets, caused their flesh to quiver, and all their bones to shake. Encompassed with a frail body, and a sinful world, we stand in need of every possible tie; and the affections both of fear and love must be employed, to restrain us from transgression; we must, at the same time, ‘love God's testimonies, and fear his judgments.'

AIN. PART XVI.

121. I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors.'

He who is engaged in a righteous cause, and hath acted uprightly in the support of it, may so far, without incurring the censure of boasting, or trusting to his own righteousness, make David's plea, I have done judgment and justice;' as if he had said, Thou, O my God, knowest that I am innocent of the crimes whereof my implacable enemies accuse me, and that I have done no wrong to those who seek to take away my life; deliver not thine injured servant, therefore, into their hands; 'leave me not to mine oppressors.' The Son of David might use the words in their full and absolute sense, and plead for a glorious resurrection, on the foot of his having performed a perfect obedience to the law.

122. Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.'

The Psalmist finding himself ready to be seized by his insolent adversaries, like a helpless and insolvent debtor, entreateth the Almighty to appear in his defence, to take the matter into his own hands, to interpose and plead his cause, as his surety and advocate, in the day of trouble. Good Hezekiah uses the same word in the same sense, speaking of the time when death was about to make his claim on the mortal part of him; O Lord, I am oppressed,

, undertake, be surety for me:' Isa. xxxviii. 14. Happy the creatures, whose Creator is their surety, and hath interposed to rescue them from those great oppressors, sin, death, and Satan !

123, Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.'

Salvation, whether temporal or spiritual, may be delayed; the eyes' of the sufferer may 'fail' with looking upward, and his earnest expectation may be ready to break forth, in the words of Sisera's mother, 'Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariot?' But what saith God, by his prophets and apostles? Though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come:' Hab. ii. 3.

Yet a little while, and he