that his adorable and gracious Lord departed not out of this life in bitter anguish of spirit, complaining that his Father had forsaken him but in gratitude and exultation of soul; of his own accord he gave up that life which no man could take from him, and breathing out his soul, he said- Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.'”

There is a remarkable and not uncommon transition from excessive joy to abject grief-from the language of triumph to that of despondency-from trust in the providence and grace of God to seeming doubt and fear. This extends from verse 9 to 13, and is followed by the confession," But I trusted in thee." Verse 15 may be well introduced by the remarks of Bishop Leighton— written in his usual pointed and scriptural method of illustration. "Oh that we were more careful to set and keep our hearts in attendance on God, winding them up in meditation on him, and conforming them in their motions and desires to his disposal in all; for all that concerns us and for the times of all being quiet, yea glad in this which the Psalmist makes joy. My times are in thy hand O Lord; and surely that is best. Were I to choose they should be in no other hands neither mine own nor any others. Alas, what silly poor creatures are we. How little do we know what is fit for us in any kind, and still less what time is fit for any mercy to be bestowed upon us. When he withholds mercies or comforts for a season it is but till the due season, it is but to ripen them for us which we in childish haste would pluck green, when they would be neither so sweet nor so wholeTherefore it is our wisdom and our peace to

some.

resign all things into his hands, to have no will nor desires but only this that we may still wait for him.'" There is much consolation for the saints under affliction in verses 19—21. We may enter into the exclamation of verse 19, for we have surely "goodness laid up for us" in the Gospel of the grace of God. The hope of

this calling-the riches of the glory of this inheritance in the saints-Who shall estimate them? it is such a hid treasure that when a man hath found it he for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath for it. With verse 20 compare verse 7 of Psalm xxxii. This surely is not the least of that great goodness which the people of God experience, that they are hid "in the secret of the presence of God," are "kept secretly in his pavilion from the strife of tongues" and they who are much in the world will know the trials occasioned them by this strife, so opposite to the "speech seasoned with salt" of the godly; and though we may be unable to escape from the noise and din of this strife we may have recourse, as the Psalmist frequently had, to this pavilion. Hence, in Psalm xci., it is written "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." This habitual dwelling with God is exemplified in the life of the devoted Missionary, Henry Martyn. The following extract is one of many breathing a similar spirit of devotion, " I found comfort and joy in reading and singing hymns. O how shali I praise my Lord that here in this solitude with people enough indeed, but without any like-minded, I yet enjoy fellowship with. all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I see myself travelling on with them and I hope I shall worship with them in his courts above."

And again, "Oh, how happy our lot to have a blessed heaven above for us where no enemy, temporal or spiritual, shall disturb, and a Saviour here to whom we may flee and be safe from fears, 'Thou art my habitation whereunto I may continually resort.' Scott in his valuable Commentary gives the following practical observations on the passage before us, "Instead of yielding to impatience or despondency under our troubles we should turn our thoughts to the surprising goodness of the Lord towards those who fear and trust in him. For, whilst their treasure

is laid up for them out of the reach of all their enemies, their bodies, souls, reputations, and comforts are under the protection of the Almighty, and they are kept (in the original, guarded as in a strong city) through faith unto salvation. St. Peter, 1, 5. We should not therefore yield to unbelief, or hastily conclude under discouraging circumstances that we are cut off before the eyes of the Lord, but ask and he will hear and deliver."

Psalm xxxii. This is one of the seven penitential Psalms; though the special occasion of it is not mentioned it is generally supposed to refer to the same circumstances as Psalm li. It seems to have been written some time after that, when God had restored to the Psalmist the joy of his salvation.

"There be many that say who will shew us any good;" this is the statement of divine wisdom contained in the fourth Psalm, and it is confirmed by the experience of all ages and countries. "The chief good" was the object of enquiry amongst the philosophers of Rome and Greece-the founders of the sects of religion and morality set before themselves this desirable aim-the learned Egyptians were eager in the pursuit of this— and the history of the Bible, where it touches on mankind in their occupations and desires, shews them finding out many inventions in order to the chief good, to attain the summit of human happiness or true blessedness. And certainly the judgment of men is very different in this most important matter from the word of God. Let us hear its awakening and decisive announcement. is he whoset ransgression is forgiven whose sin is covered," (by a vicarious sacrifice)—this is a blessedness which the volumes of human wisdom in classical writers contain not-though they proceed to a greater length in many Scriptural truths than is generally believed, in their "seekings after God, if haply they might find him," they will speak of communion with God as the privilege

"Blessed

of the righteous, and of the divine essence and attributes -and the day of deliverance from the flesh as a day to be desired, and even as the birthday of an eternal state; but we do not find any statement of the truth as to the load of guilt-the burden of the heavy laden sinnerthe bondage of corruption; it is for scripture alone to declare the extent of the evil, the infinite malignity of sin-and also (blessed for ever be God!) to reveal the remedy provided in the eternal counsels; to set forth mercy and truth met together, righteousness and peace kissing each other; to shew God just and yet the justifier of the ungodly; to utter in words of surpassing comfort and infallible truth, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."

If we refer to Romans iv., 6-8, we shall see that this truth is very closely connected with that of justification by faith without works, and it is a blessedness which "cometh upon the uncircumcision" as is argued very fully in the chapter referred to; for it is of faith that it may be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of us all," and at the hearing of this blessed truth may we lift up our hearts to the Lord, and give thanks to the Lord our God as is meet and right to do. The remarks of Leighton on verses 3 and 4 are valuable; he is speaking of the children of God mourning for their offences and of the visitations of God, which draw forth confessions and prayers. It is confession and submission (he says) which God seeks in chastisement, not the howling and complaining which nature draws from any under sharp affliction. Thus it was with David, and he tells it us, and distinguishes these two expressly, Psalm xxxii., 3, 5. He tells us of his roaring under the hand of God, but that did no good. But as soon as he began, or did but offer at, acknowledgment and confession

-one word of that confession, yea the promise of it, brought him the release that a whole day's roaring could not obtain. I roared all the day long [but thou helpedst me not] still thy hand was heavy upon me; but I acknowledged my sin, I said I will confess my transgressions and thou forgavest my sin. In verse 6 the Psalmist seems in the words "For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee," to set himself forth, as did the Apostle Paul, as a pattern of long-suffering, or an example of long-suffering grace. And oh, what wondrous things might each soul brought out of great depths through the tender mercy of our God, record in like manner; each believer is a proof of the gracious dealing of God-but some in each generation are found as patterns of especial long-suffering-monuments of mercy-brands plucked from the burning-objects (it is to be feared) of remark to the enemies of the Lordbut of prayerful observation and thankfulness to those who have mourned and prayed with strong cries and tears, and rejoiced over them. Having stated their safety even in the floods of great waters, the Psalmist is reminded of his own transcendant privilege, and he triumphs again in the Lord as his hiding place.

W. S.

THE RETURN HOME.

There are few times when we more sensibly feel the goodness and protection of God, than when restored to health after long and dangerous sickness, or when permitted to return home in peace and safety after a distant and protracted journey. Of the latter blessing we would say a few words-None can leave their own dwellings and traverse distant countries without incurring more dangers and difficulties than ordinarily attended them