our spirits with the concerns of those kingdoms which can be moved; keep us from sinking into gloom and despondency; and encourage us to hope for better and brighter days. When the correcting hand of God is stretched out upon all the nations, what shall we then answer the messengers of the nations? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and will make her a praise and rejoicing in the whole earth.

XXIII.

MEDITATION ON THE DIVINE DISPENSATIONS.

PSALM lxxvii. 6.

I call to remembrance my song in the night. I commune with mine own heart, and my spirit made diligent search.

WHETHER the Psalmist more immediately refers to his own personal and private distresses, or whether he principally had respect to the afflictions of the Christian at any particular period; the description given in this Psalm of the painful exercises of his mind, and the method he took for relief, is certainly calculated to instruct and encourage others to imitate his example, and to make the Lord their refuge in every time of need.

In the text three remedies are pointed out to the afflicted, the benefit of which the Psalmist could testify, from his own experience.

FIRST: The recollection of former enjoyments and consolations.

There is a little difficulty in settling the construction of the former clause, into which it would be improper to enter critically in the pulpit; and taking it just as our translators have understood it, it will be easily shown to agree with other sacred scriptures, though it may admit of a twofold explication.

Either" I will now, in the present night of affliction, remember my former songs." 'Though this is a time of distress, and my present circumstances are gloomy, yet I have known brighter days. He that lifted me up, has cast me down, and he can raise me up again. Sometimes this

reflection, indeed, adds a poignancy to our distress, as it did to David's trouble. Ps. xlii. 4. Yet it will bear a better improvement, which he seems to make of it; v. 11. and so Job, (ii. 10.) "Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" And his case shows that after the most sweeping calamities the Lord can again give things a turn in favor of them that hope in him. Therefore, present troubles should not make us forget former comforts, especially as the former so much exceeded our deserts, and the present afflictions fall so short of our demerits.

Or, the text may mean, "I will remember how I have been enabled to sing in former nights of affliction." And surely it is especially seasonable to remember supports and consolations granted under preceding distresses. Elihu complained, (Job xxxv. 10.) "There is none that saith, Where is God my Maker, that giveth songs in the night." David comforted himself with the thought, "Though deep calleth to deep; yet the Lord will command his loving kindness in the day-time, and in the night his song shall be with me." Ps. xlii. 8. And the Lord promised by Isaiah, (xxx. 29.) "Ye shall have a song as in the night, when a holy solemnity is kept." No doubt Paul and Silas remembered their song in the night, when imprisoned at Philippi; and it afforded them encouragement under subsequent trials. And cannot many of you, my brethren, in like manner, remember the supports and consolations you have enjoyed in former difficulties, and how the Lord turned the shadow of death into morning? And ought you not to trust in him that hath delivered, that he will yet deliver? He that hath delivered in six troubles will not forsake you in seven. The "clouds may return after the rain;" but not a drop can fall, without the leave of Him, who rides on the heavens for your help, and in his excellence on the sky. Did you not forbode at first a very different termination of the former troubles? and did the Lord disappoint your fears, and put a new song into your mouth; and will you not now begin to trust him, and triumph in him? Surely you have found, that the Lord can clear the darkest skies. "Light is sown for the righteous," and ere long you shall see an eternal day. If such songs are

given to the pilgrims in the night, how shall they sing in that world where the sun shall set no more! There will be no night there!

SECONDLY, The practice of serious, secret meditation. "I will commune with my own heart," expatiate, meditate. The psalmist David recommends this in Ps. iv. 4. This is too generally neglected by irreligious people. They cannot bear reflection, they endeavour to shun serious selfexamination. Nay, religious people are too deficient in this duty. When occupied with worldly concerns, they frequently neglect due attention to the state of their Some kinds of affliction afford a favorable opportunity, by confining us from more active employments. Others, though perplexing, and such as may lessen our leisure time, evidently call for it; and if the mind be duly impressed, some season may be found for it. In the day of adversity consider." Let then the afflicted learn of Asaph to commune with their own hearts. Examine into the

souls.

Are your

Are you a

If not, how

state of your soul. Are you made capable of reflection, and are you not bound to reflect on your dépendance, responsibility, criminality, and danger? Commune with your own heart, and ask if you can prove by scriptural evidence that you are in a state of salvation? Have you fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before you in the gospel? Are you cordially attached to the Saviour? Do you rest with complacency in the way of salvation revealed in the divine word? Are you at peace with God? transgressions forgiven? your sins covered? child of God, and an heir of eternal life? much greater trouble should your sins be to you, than all your outward afflictions? How much more reason have to be shocked that you should continue impenitent and negligent of the great salvation, than you have to repine at present troubles? Acquaint yourself with the Saviour, and be at peace. If you are reconciled to God, what reason have you to be thankful and submissive? Can any temporal loss counterbalance the ground you have for joy in God? Are not everlasting arms beneath you? Is not everlasting glory before you ? Can any thing separate you from the

you

love of God, which is in Christ Jesus your Lord? Will not the wisdom that was sufficient to plan the salvation of such a sinner, in perfect consistency with the divine perfections, suffice to manage the most intricate concerns of this life, and to make all things work together for good?

THIRDLY, The diligent investigation of the end and design of the divine dispensations.

"The Lord doth not willingly afflict, nor grieve the children of men." It is not from his heart, of his own inclination to afflict; (whereas he bestows undeserved favors of his own heart. 2 Sam. vii. 21.) When he afflicts his enemies, justice and the general good requires it. afflicts his friends, their own good requires it.

When he

Are you

Let then your spirit make diligent search. habitually acting contrary to God? preferring that which is not God, to the living and true God? Are your minds wholly carnal, refusing subjection to his law, and submission to his gospel? Is it not necessary that he should walk contrary to you? that he should show that this your way is your folly? that you who have forsaken the fountain of living waters, should find your cisterns are broken, and can hold no water? "With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure, but with the froward thou wilt wrestle. For thou wilt save the afflicted people, but will bring down high looks." You must bend, or break. You must be weaned from the world, feel your need of a God, a Saviour, a better portion than any sublunary good, an eternal refuge; you must know sin to be an evil and bitter thing; you must be brought to pray, "Take away all iniquity," or you cannot come to any good. You must be made humble, penitent, contrite, or you cannot be saved. And if you are not converted, you must be made a monument of divine displeasure. God must get himself the glory you refuse to give him. You must be made useful to the universe in your destruction. But if you are already a child of God, he must embitter all sin to you. He must not let you run away from him. He must restore your soul, and lead you in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. He must treat you as a child, and not as a bastard, who has no parent to acknowledge him, and take

"What

the oversight of him, and care for his instruction. son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? Yet no chasten

ing is for the present joyous but grievous; nevertheless it afterwards yields the peaceful fruits of righteousness, to them that are exercised therewith." Make then diligent

search into the general cause of affliction, and you will certainly find it to be sin. Make diligent search into the particular cause of afflictions, and it will often be found to be some particular sin. "I will visit their iniquities with stripes." Often may God's own children read their sin in its punishment. Jacob deceived Isaac, by passing the younger son for the elder; Laban deceived Jacob, by passing the elder daughter for the younger. Rachel impatiently said, "Give me children, or I die." She had children, and she died. David despised the honor of God, and though God put away his sin, he severely corrected him. 2 Sam. xii. 9, 10, &c. Yet how much better is the sorest correction, than final impenitence and condemnation ! Search the Holy Scriptures. See God's dealings with others. Ps. xcix. 8. But will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favorable no more? No, he will not; "but though he cause grief, he will have compassion." Lam. iii. 31, 32. "He will rest in his love," &c. 1 Sam. xli. 42. And even as to those who had not yet humbled themselves before him, notice the language used in Levit. xxxvi. 41, 42.

XXIV.

ENLARGED DESIRES SATISFIED.

PSALM lxxxi. 10.

Open wide thy mouth, and I will fill it.

THE Psalmist, exhorting the Israelites to gratitude, reminds them of God's gracious deliverance of their fathers from Egypt, and introduces Jehovah himself as addressing them, in language expressive both of authority and kindness; encouraging them to enlarge their desires and expectations of of real good, and engaging to satisfy their amplest wishes, if,