wealth and poverty are disregarded, where proud distinctions shall be lost; and where all shall be blended in one common ruin.

The privileges of the believer in Jesus are treasured up in the name of Jehovah, so graciously proclaimed to Moses: "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin."-David delighted to dwell on this precious name:" Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious; long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth." "Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee." "Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption." "The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee."*

Oh! what abundant cause have we to bless the God of our salvation, who is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; who changeth not, nor knows the shadow of a turn.-The book of Psalms is a rich treasury; a casket full of precious jewels. The experience of the true believer is there recorded with peculiar faithfulness, whether he be on the mount of praise, or in the valley of humiliation. The Church in every age has been enlightened, comforted, and strengthened by these songs of Zion.

66

Happy are they who can unite with David, and say, "Save thy servant that trusteth in thee." cry unto thee daily.' "Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul." "In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee." If this be our prayer, then our rejoicing will be that of David: "I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart; and I will glorify thy name for evermore. For great is thy

Exod. xxxiv, 6, 7; Psa. lxxxvi. 15; lxxxvi. 5; cxxx. 7; ix. 9, 10. + Psa. lxxxvi. 2; lxxxvi. 3; xxv. 1; lxxxvi. 7.

mercy toward me; and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell." "I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being."*

The believer, thus brought into covenant with God, has access by faith into this grace wherein he stands, and can rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Being justified by faith, he has peace with God. Through the indwelling Spirit, he enjoys the peace of God. By faith he is made a child of God, and receiving the Spirit of adoption, can cry,-Abba, Father. The promises are his portion. They are as wells of salvation, out of which he draws the waters of comfort. The perfections of God in Christ are his Tower of Strength. The Almighty is his shield, and his exceeding great reward. Through life, he lives in the smiles of his Saviour: and through eternity, he shall dwell in his presence and glory.

O! my soul, art thou thirsting after these blessings of grace? What can the world give thee in lieu of these glories? Earthly crowns and sceptres are but baubles, when compared with the crown of glory. Soon will all the splendours of royalty pass away, and the grandeur of the great be forgotten:but not so, the dignity of the children of God, for whom a kingdom is prepared. "Come, ye blessed of my Father," will the King of Glory say to his now despised subjects, "inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."+ To such he now says: "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Surveying this heavenly glory, so richly prepared for the saints, the beloved Apostle breaks out into an anthem of praise, "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."§

+

The Christian, who lives in the enjoyment of Psa. lxxxvi. 12, 13; civ. 33. + Matt. xxv. 34. § Rev. i. 5, 6.

Rev. ii. 10.

these privileges, will be anxious that others shall enjoy them too. He will labour in his humble measure to spread the savour of the Redeemer's name, which is as ointment poured out, yielding a sweet fragrance. The promises of God cheer his heart, and animate his endeavours. He knows in whom he has believed, and is assured, that every word of God is true, that His counsel shall stand, and that He will do all his pleasure. He opens the sacred volume, and reads with delight, "As truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord."* His heart responds-Amen-to the desire of David : "Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen, and Amen."†

He reads again : "The Lord shall be king over all the earth in that day there shall be one LORD, and his name one.” "From the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering for my name shall be great among the heathen saith the Lord of hosts. 66 They shall fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun." "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto the Lord; and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him. For the kingdom is the Lord's; and he is the governor among the nations." "They shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD." 66 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."

* Numb. xiv. 21.

+ Psa. lxxii. 18, 19.

Zech. xiv. 9; Mal. i. 11; Isa. lix. 19; Psa. xxii. 27, 28;

Jer. xxxi. 34, Heb. viii. 11; Isa. xi. 9.

He reads again" All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord."* O! precious declaration of Eternal Truth. Not merely one or a few, but "all the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord." And when will this blessing be accomplished? "When they hear the words of thy mouth.” Not, when they shall hear the words of fallible men, but, "THE WORDS OF THY MOUTH;" thine own infallible word of Truth; the Truth of the everlasting Gospel. Oh! that this word may run and be glorified by the conversion of kings unto Thee. Then will they "sing in the ways of the Lord;" rejoice in thy salvation, and stir up their subjects to praise thee too. Yea, then shall thy Church be protected and nourished; for kings shall be her nursing fathers, and their queens her nursing mothers: when all flesh shall know that thou art the Lord, her Saviour, and her Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

What can effect so great a work? nothing but almighty power. He, whose name is wonderful," can alone bring upon the earth so vast a blessing. The work will be as rapid, as it is great-" Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children....... Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her.......As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you: and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem."+ Oh! how sweet! "As one whom his mother comforteth ;"-with all the tender feelings, and sympathies, and affections of a loving mother, "so will I comfort you."

The God of nature is the God of grace. Suppose a person, blind from his infancy, to be restored to sight in the depth of winter, when all was leafless + Isa. lxvi. 8, 10, 13.

* Psa. cxxxviii. 4, 5.

and barren, and the ground covered with snow; and suppose his blindness to return, but again to be removed during the height of summer, when all is clothed with verdure, and the earth enamelled with flowers; would he not conceive himself to be placed in some other world? The change is not greater than that which will be experienced, when Satan shall be bound, and the Spirit poured out from on high; when Jesus shall reign in righteousness, when he shall have dominion from sea to sea; when all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him; when his name shall endure for ever, and be continued as long as the sun; when men shall be blessed in him, and all nations call him blessed.

O! what a cheering, supporting grace is faith in the truth of the unchangeable Jehovah. If He withdraw his presence, we shall resemble the barren waste; but if He vouchsafe his smile, we shall be like the fruitful Eden, lovely in flower, and sweet in fragrance. "A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits: camphire, with spikenard. Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices."*

O! Thou adorable Saviour! how can I sufficiently bless Thee for these revelations of thy Truth, for these promises of thy grace. Satan may now be called the God of this world, for alas ! millions acknowledge his sway. But, ere long, thou wilt take to Thyself thy great power and reign as Lord Supreme, for thou only art Jehovah, and of thy kingdom there shall be no end. Reign now, blessed Jesus, in my heart. Take up thine abode within me. Give me this earnest, this foretaste of the millennial blessedness. May every thought be brought into captivity, every desire be bounded by thy will. Enable me to realise the privileges of thy people till I reach the temple above, where nothing will be heard but songs

* Cant. iv. 12-14.