the relationships that he holds with his chil- | dren are theirs. As on the cross he said to the disciple whom he loved, Behold thy mother;' and to his mother, behold thy son;' so when risen from the grave he said, 'Go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' He is not ashamed to call them brethren, he gives them power to become the sons of God. He sends into their hearts the spirit of adoption, he imparts to them the confidence and the love of children, he enables them to cry, 'Abba, Father.' Endearing then is this blessed name, both in the assurance of God's paternal love, and of our filial confidence and delight in him. Ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.'

Of the objects of creation, and the events of providence, the psalmist says, 'all shall praise thee, O Lord.' All shall give occasion to thy saints to bless thee, by affording manifestations of the glory of thy kingdom, and thy power. As by their works we know the character of the disciples of Christ, so by the works of Jehovah we attain some knowledge of his character. 'Day unto day uttereth speech, night unto night showeth knowledge. The invisible things of God are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead.

1. The endless diversity of objects and forms in creation, the skilful mechanism of each, and the harmonious adaptation of the whole-the beneficial purposes which every tribe and every A name thus descriptive of the highest, and holi- object serves-the varied means by which these est, and most gracious attributes of God—a name purposes are fulfilled, yet the evident unity of e.l. so solemn, and sacred, and endearing-a name on | design that animates, and actuates, and controls which are based all our hopes for eternity, should the whole, declare in language most expressive, not pass from our lips, even in the hour of prayer, and that cannot be misunderstood by any thinkbut with reverence and awe. Let us never hearing intelligent mind, the wisdom, and power, and it without deep emotion of soul, let us never utter it without the deepest solemnity of mind let it never be found among the idle words for which we shall be judged at the last. And while in word we profess to bless him, let us not in heart dishonour him as if he were not such as Christ has revealed him, pure and righteous, merciful and true. And O let us seek to get a personal interest in him as our Lord, and our God, our reconciled Father in Christ Jesus.

TWENTY-SIXTH DAY.-MORNING.

'All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power, Psal. cxlv. 10 11.

beneficence of the one great and glorious Being whose works they all are. Without rising from his throne, he said and it was done. His voice was heard in all its power by the remotest star, his hand at once moulded the countless worlds, occupying the immensity of space, fashioned the insect's microscopic form, and decked the lily with its evanescent hues. At its birth creation awakened the praises of seraphim, 'They sang together;' and God himself resting from his work, pronounced it all very good,' worthy of the hand that made it. Though in blinded ignorance we pass by the glorious works of God without notice and observe them without admiration, or it may be, impiously rail at them as the causes of know most fully the works of God, are ready to woe; yet they who study most profoundly, and confess that were but the jarring discord of sinful thoughts to cease, while all nature raised its voice to tell of the wondrous perfections of its God, the rational offspring of the great Supreme would commingle their melodious strains in celebrating the praises of him who dwells on high. David was filled with awe at the contemplation of God's mighty works, and so is every rightly constituted mind; therefore it is that the psalmist says,

THE Context leads us to understand that by the works of the Lord, David means both the works of creation and providence-the objects of nature, and the events of life. The territory and the dominion of God, are intended in the phrase, 'thy kingdom. In this sense every thing that exists, and every thing that occurs, is the work of the Lord, with the exception of sin, which is rebel-thy saints shall bless thee.' lion against his authority. All things were made 2. As in nature so in providence, God's doings by him, and without him was not anything made and dealings proclaim the glory of his kingdom, that was made,' and 'he worketh all things after and show forth his power. His wisdom planneth the counsel of his own will.' 'Surely as I have all, his eye seeth all, his hand restraineth all, his thought so shall it come to pass; and as I have power brings all to pass. The resistless energy purposed so shall it stand." of providence, and the wonderful results effected

his desire to save, is not lessened or set aside by | to meet the state and the wishes of men―or they this decree. The great Lord who claims propriety must lay aside the old man, and be renewed in in and authority over all, whom no one can resist, the likeness of God. Unison and harmony in or may gainsay, might make the conditions of character and desire there must be, ere a cheerful life what he chose, might have attached the pen- obedience can be yielded to God's will, pleasure alty of death to the most unimportant command. taken in his service, or delight in his rewards. But surely he who sent his own Son to die for us, has not laid any needless barrier in our way to glory; on the contrary, he has removed every obstacle, and has smoothed the path that leads to life. This decree of destruction against those who regard not his works, does not belie his willingness to save. It is based upon unalterable truth, would have been borne out though these words had not been recorded, and betrays no unconcern about the welfare of man. By this declared purpose of heaven, God makes known the character of those, with whom alone he can associate in eternity, who alone can find delight in the exercises and enjoyments of heaven: 'Two cannot walk together except they be agreed.' There can be no concord betwixt Christ and Belial'—none betwixt the angels of light, and those who love the unfruitful works of darkness. The throne of iniquity can have no fellowship with God.

And are we then so utterly degraded-has the God of this world so completely blinded us, that we are at a loss in determining on whom the change must pass, or do we for a moment hesitate which state to choose? The principles of the divine government are well and wisely planned; they are like God himself, unchangeable; and he will not, he cannot alter them to suit the views and please the tastes of corrupt, and depraved, and rebellious men. And let it never be forgotten, that if in eternity our hearts harmonize not with this unalterable decree of Jehovah, if the seeds of discontent and rebellion are not uprooted, what can the issue be, but that we shall be crushed before the sceptre of the Lord God omnipotent, that we shall be destroyed, and not built up?' In mercy has our God proclaimed this dread truth in the ears of wayward men, that through the atoning blood of Christ they may seek by the Holy Spirit to be born again, and restored to the likeness and image of God. This is the accepted time. Tomorrow who can answer for it? The hour of death, how uncertain! The awful truth, 'as the tree falls, so shall it lie,' how plain! May the truth here declared sink deep into our hearts, thou shalt destroy them, and not build them up.'

TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY.-MORNING.

will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness, and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name,' Psal. cxxxviii. 2.

If then the character of God is manifest in his works-if in them he declares his will-if that will is unalterably the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever-if in eternity the same principles will guide his counsels, and direct all his proceedings; and if by disregarding his workings now, we betray a heart at enmity with God, a heart whose desires are at variance with his desires, how obviously true and consistent is the statement that no pitying tenderness-no relentings of compassion, no extent of love, can prevail on an un-I changeable and holy God to build up the way of such. If he is 'the Lord;' if his will is paramount, they must be destroyed. As our Father, our Lord, our God, who will demand beyond the grave (as he does now) our love, our reverence, our service, whose presence will constitute the felicity of eternity, how obvious is it, that for God to delight in us, and we to delight in God, our desires must breathe in unison. One of two changes must take place, ere those, who regard not the works of the Lord, can enter the heavenly Zion, or become citizens of the New Jerusalem. Either God must alter his temple, to suit the tastes of was full of God. But in no place did he take those who are to be admitted, his service and such delight, as in the place of God's assemblies. rewards to harmonize with the desires of those And why? Because there his ordinances were who are to participate in them—or their desires dispensed, his presence and blessing promisedmust be renewed, their hearts changed. Either and no where else did he find himself brought God must compromise his will, lower his charac- into such close contact with God. He went to ter, and reduce the principles of his government, the temple to worship and praise God's name.

THE psalmist was a most devout worshipper. Everywhere, and in all circumstances, he recognized the presence, and celebrated the perfections of Jehovah. He saw God's power in the starry firmament, he beheld his goodness in the beauty of lower creation. He heard God's voice in the rolling thunder, he heard him also in the whispering breeze. Every thing, and every place,

And yet reason's light and nature's discoveries

But there were two features of the Deity that he here speaks of as specially rising to his view, viz., | are unable to lead us into the mysteries of the the loving-kindness, and the truth of God, the mercy that was hid in God, and the mercy that was revealed by God-goodness in possession, and goodness in reserve. He had present experience of God's loving-kindness, and the faithfulness of God was a sufficient guarantee that what regarded futurity, and was the subject of the divine promise, would all be made good in God's appointed time. This personal experience, and his trust in God's truth, led him thus to express himself in the 23d psalm: Thou preparest a table for me in the presence of mine enemies, thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over;' and then with assured confidence he adds, 'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.' Jehovah had made with David an everlasting covenant, and nothing that had gone out of his lips had altered or failed. Every word had been accomplished, every promise had been made good, in spite of all the difficulties that lay in the way, and which appeared to men insuperable. Meditating, in the sanctuary, on the loving-kindness and the truth of the Almighty, he is filled with holy admiration, and he exclaims, 'thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name,' thou hast magnified thy faithfulness in the fulfilment of thy promises to me, more than any other of the glorious perfections by which thou art known.

Godhead, and not till God himself speaks, and not till he draws aside the curtain, and discloses himself to view, have we clear, and full, and certain, and just notices of the Deity. That God is, that he is great, and wise, and just, and good, we may perchance know from nature's light, but how great, how wise, how just, and how good he is, we cannot know till we consult the oracles of the living God. But there is one feature of the divine character that to all eternity must have remained hidden, but for divine revelation, and that is the mercy of God to perishing sinners, the way of deliverance from death and hell by the mediation of the Son of God. It is only in the word of truth that the intimation of a Saviour is given, or could be given, that the method of salvation is unfolded. You may just as hopefully look for light without the luminaries of heaven, for life without creative energy, as the knowledge of a Redeemer without the immediate inspiration of God. The light of nature may discover the disease, but it cannot disclose the remedy; it may show the danger, but it cannot point out the way of escape. But how clearly, and fully, and satisfactorily is this unfolded in the word! It seems to be the grand object of God, from the beginning to the close of the sacred volume, to show how an offended God could be reconciled, a fallen creature restored, a lost sinner saved, a guilty rebel pardoned, and a polluted outcast sanctified. And surely of all intimations to man, this is the most important, and of all the works of God this is the chief; and this being revealed in the word of life, that word acquires a peculiar excellence and glory, and it may justly be said to be magnified by God above all his name. Yes, the wonders of grace far exceed those of nature, and what is discovered of God by revelation is greater far than what is discovered by reason.

But this declaration of the psalmist affords room for meditating on the peculiar excellency of the word, for showing that it gives us discoveries of God's nature, and character, and dealings, which we in vain search for any where else. It is peculiarly glorious in his sight, and we may affirm that it is the chief and the leading witness for God. The Almighty has, indeed, never left himself without a witness in this lower world. He has written his name on every created object, and he speaks to us of himself in every passing But it is not only in its discoveries that God's event: The heavens declare the glory of God, word excels in glory; but God has employed it the invisible things of God are clearly seen, being as the chief instrument of his power in bringing understood by the things that are made, even his salvation near to sinners' hearts. He has magnieternal power and Godhead. And we are evi-fied it above every other means for the subverdences to ourselves of God's wisdom, and power, and goodness. So that even when there is no vision, no written record, men are left without excuse for with such faculties and endowments as they possess, with the law of God written in their hearts, and with such a volume of evidence spread out before the eye, and with reason's finger pointing heavenward, every rational being is inexcusable in not giving God the glory.

sion of Satan's authority, and for the extension of Christ's kingdom, for the convincing and converting of sinners, for the edifying and building up of saints.'

The gospel is the power of God unto salvation.' Divine wisdom has not merely employed the word, as the means of promoting the salvation of individual sinners, but of extending the triumphs of the cross everywhere. It has been mainly by the word read and preached, that

souls have been aroused, enlightened, sanctified, I was comforted, and the other tormented. The confirmed, comforted, and ripened for glory; it is poverty, that is here spoken of, is spiritual poverty, by it that grace has commenced, been advanced, which is not in the least degree influenced or and perfected. And it is just by the same instru- regulated by outward condition. It arises from a ment, wielded by the Spirit of God, that the sense of our own weakness, our own dependence, wilderness has been gladdened, and by which our own insignificance, our own ignorance, our we hope for the universal triumphs of Christian- own guilt, our own sinfulness. It implies a feelity. Yet, awful to think, this pearl of great price ing sense of our constant need of God's aid both is despised, this most precious gift of God to for soul and body, time and eternity, mercy to man is neglected, disbelieved, contemned, ridi- pardon, and grace to help and sustain. culed, and held up to sport. Awful profanity! such a spirit as the publican manifested, as the Contemner of God, beware! The time is draw- apostle Paul discovered, both feeling their own ing near when by that word thou shalt be tried, nothingness and sinfulness in the sight of God. and by that word thou shalt be condemned.'