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and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever:" and it is with similar sentiments that the psalm before us concludes. Let us enter into the spirit of them, saying, "Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own strength; so will we sing and praise thy power.' Nothing should be so dear to us as the advancement of his glory. Let us reflect, how we may best promote it; and let the extension of his kingdom be our chief joy"

n Ps. lxxii. 18, 19.

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DXXV.

TRUST IN GOD RECOMMENDED.

Ps. xxi. 7. The king trusteth in the Lord, and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved.

THERE is an inseparable connexion between the duties and privileges of a Christian. It is his privilege to enjoy composure under all difficulties and dangers; but this he cannot possess, unless he repose his confidence in God. Nevertheless in relying upon God his mind shall be kept in perfect peace. David had known the storms of trouble as much as any man; but in the midst of all maintained a full assurance of divine protection. He records his experience in the words before us.

We shall consider them,

I. According to their original import

This psalm, like many other parts of Scripture, has a double sense

In an historical view it speaks of David himself—

[David had long been habituated to trust in the Lord. When he was yet a youth, he withstood a lion and a bear in dependence upon Goda; nor feared to encounter him, who filled all the hosts of Israel with terror. During the persecutions of Saul he still held fast his confidence; and, under the most imminent danger and accumulated trouble, encouraged himself in God. Sometimes, indeed, his faith for a moment began to fail him; but, on the whole, he was "strong in faith, giving glory to God." Nor was he less sensible of his own insufficiency when he was a king: he still made the Most High

a 1 Sam. xvii. 36, 37:

c 1 Sam. xxx. 6.

b 1 Sam. xvii. 45, 47.

d 1 Sam. xxvii. 1.

his only and continual refuge: and God approved himself faithful to his believing servant. There were indeed some occasions wherein David was greatly "moved;" but these only served more fully to evince the power and faithfulness of his Gods.]

In a prophetical sense the words are applicable to Christ

[The whole psalm has an evident reference to the Messiah. Christ is that "King" who was raised to sit upon the throne of Davidh; and, as for every other good thing, so was he eminent for trust in God. He disregarded the plots of his most powerful enemies'; and, undaunted, renewed his visit to those who had lately sought to stone him. He well knew that, till his hour was come, no power on earth could touch him'; nor was he ever left destitute of the divine protection. He seemed indeed to be "moved" when "he was crucified through weakness;" but he soon shewed how vain were the attempts of his adversaries. In his resurrection and ascension he "led captivity itself captive:" and he will in due season "put all his enemies under his feet."]

In both these views the text sets before us an instructive example

But we may consider it further,

II. In reference to the present occasion—

The solemnities of this day prove that the former part of the text is exemplified also in our own

monarchm

We may therefore hope that the latter part also shall be accomplished in him

[The religious conduct of kings is of great importance to a nation. Their piety indeed is not more meritorious than that of others; but it is often more beneficial to the community than that of a private person. In the days of old, God paid especial regard to the prayers of princes: even when they were of an abandoned character, he heard them°. How much

e Ps. xci. 2. and lvi. 2-4.

g 2 Sam. xxiii. 5.

* John xi. 8.

h Luke i. 32.

1 John xix. 11.

f 2 Sam. xv. 30.

i Luke xiii. 32.

m This was preached on occasion of the king going to St. Paul's to present the colours taken in three different engagements with the French, Spanish, and Dutch fleets.

n 2 Chron. xiv. 11, 12. and xx. 5, 6, 12, 15, 17. and xxxiv. 27. and Isai. xxxvii. 21, 22, 33, 34.

• 1 Kings xxi. 29.

more may we hope that he will respect those offered to him this day! "The mercy of the Most High" has hitherto been signally manifested towards us, and if we trust in him it shall yet be continued to us. We say not indeed but that, as a nation, we may be greatly "moved." It is certain that we deserve the heaviest calamities that can fall upon us; but we shall not be given up to ruin if we cry unto God for help. To the end of the world shall that promise be fulfilled to repenting nations P.]

Sure we are that they who trust in God for spiritual blessings shall never be disappointed—

[Our thoughts on this occasion are not to be confined to temporal concerns. Much as we are interested in national mercies, the welfare of our souls is yet more important: yea, our spiritual progress is the great means of obtaining God's protection to the state. Trust in God therefore, for spiritual blessings, is not foreign to the business of this day. Whatever our political sentiments may be, we are all equally concerned to seek acceptance through Christ. We all need to trust in the promises made to us in him; and, if we do, "the gates of hell shall not be able to prevail against us." Though we have been led captive by our lusts, "we shall have redemption. through his blood;" and though we have still to conflict with sin and Satan, we shall be made more than conquerors. The mercy of the Most High shall assuredly be extended to us. Sooner shall heaven and earth pass away than that promise fail of accomplishment.]

APPLICATION

[Let us habituate ourselves to view the hand of God in all our mercies, and to trust in him both for personal and national blessings; but let us not think, we trust in God, when in reality we do not. Trust in God necessarily implies a renunciation of all creature-confidence: it also supposes that we sincerely commit our cause to God, and that we plead the promises made to us in his word. If we seek not the Lord in this manner, we trust rather in chance, or in our own vain conceits, than in him. Let us then be earnest in our applications at the throne of grace. Let us be exceeding thankful to God for the mercies we have received, and in every difficulty, temporal or spiritual, confide in him. Thus shall we see an happy issue to our present troubles, and be monuments of God's truth and faithfulness to all eternity.]

P Jer. xviii. 7, 8.

4 2 Chron. xx. 20.

DXXVI.

OUR LORD'S COMPLAINT ON THE CROSS.

Ps. xxii. 1. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

THE prophecies relating to our Lord have not only declared what works he should do, and what sufferings he should endure, but even the very words that should be uttered both by his enemies and himself. Whatever reference the words of the text might have to David, there can be no doubt but that they principally relate to the Lord Jesus; and in him they received their accomplishment: when he had hung about six hours upon the cross, we are told, "he cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli! Eli! lama sabacthani? that is to say, My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken me?" Perhaps he cried with a loud voice in order to shew, that his natural strength was by no means exhausted; and that his dissolution, which immediately followed, was voluntary: but he discovered also by that the intenseness of his sufferings, and fulfilled in the minutest manner the prediction before us. Waving all illustration of the text as applicable to David, we shall endeavour to elucidate it as accomplished in his great antitype, and shall consider,

I. The occasion of our Lord's complaint

Jesus, in the hour of his extremity, was forsaken of his heavenly Father

[We are not to suppose that the godhead actually separated itself from his manhood; but that the sensible manifestation of the divine presence was withheld from him. This was necessary in various points of view. A banishment from the divine presence was part of the punishment due to sin; and therefore it must be inflicted on him who had become the surety and substitute of sinners. Occasional suspensions, also, of the tokens of God's love are the means whereby God perfects the work of faith in his people's hearts: and "it behoved Jesus to be made like unto us in all things: ، though he was a son,

a Matt. xxvii. 46.

99.66

yet he must learn" the nature and the difficulty of "obedience (yea, and be made perfect too) through sufferings." Nor could he properly sympathize with us, which, as our great High-Priest, he ought to do, unless he himself should endure the very temptations, which we, in our measure, are called to sustain.]

But though there was good reason for it, it was a just ground of complaint

:

[Never had he endured any thing like this before: when he said, "Now is my soul troubled, it is exceeding sorrowful even unto death," a voice was uttered from heaven, "Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased:" when he agonized in the garden, an angel was sent from heaven to strengthen him but now that he was more fiercely than ever assaulted by all the powers of darkness, his heavenly Father also seemed to conspire with them, and withdrew the only consolation that remained for his support. What a dreadful aggravation of his sufferings must this have been! To cry, and even "roar" for help, and find God" far from helping him!" to have him, in whose bosom he had lain from all eternity, hide his face from him! How could he but complain? Surely in proportion as he loved his heavenly Father, he could not but bewail the hidings of his face.]

Lest however we should form a wrong conception of our Lord's conduct, let us consider,

II. The complaint itself—

Let us not suppose that there was the smallest mixture of impatience in it—

[When our Lord first undertook to stand in the place of sinners, he said, "I delight to do thy will, O God." When the cup of God's wrath was put into his hand, he still acquiesced; and, though his human nature shrunk back for a while from the conflict, he committed himself to God, saying, "Not my will, but thine be done." Nor was the complaint uttered on the cross any other than what every good man, under the hidings of God's face, both may and ought to utter.]

It expressed the fullest confidence in God, and exhibited the brightest pattern to all his tempted people

[Not for one moment does Jesus doubt his relation to his heavenly Father, as we alas! are too apt to do in seasons of

b Heb. ii. 10, 17, 18. and v. 7—9.

d Ps. lxxvii. 1-3. and lxxxviii. 9, 10, 14.

c Heb. iv. 15.

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