from the dishonours of the grave, He raiseth them to righteousness and holiness, to glory and immortality; He setteth them on high, with the inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem, "with the princes of his people," the leaders of the armies above, with angels and archangels before his throne. What is the exaltation of the meanest beggar from a dunghill to an earthly diadem, when compared with that of human nature from the grave to the throne of God? Here is honour worthy our ambition; honour after which all are alike invited to aspire; which all may obtain, who strive worthily and lawfully; and of which, when once obtained, nothing can ever deprive the possessors.

9. He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.

In the sacred history of the Old Testament, we meet with frequent instances of barren women who were miraculously made to bear children. Isaac, Joseph, Samson, and Samuel, were thus born of Sarah, Rachel, the wife of Manoah, and Hannah. To these may be added, from the history of the New Testament, the instance of Elisabeth, the wife of Zacharias, and mother of St. John the Baptist These examples may be considered as preludes to that marvellous exertion of Divine power, whereby the Gentile Church, after so many years of barrenness, became in her old age "a fruitful parent of children, and the mother of us all." Wherefore it is written, "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate, than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD." Isa. liv.. 1. Gal. iv. 27.

VOL. II.

S

TWENTY-THIRD DAY.-EVENING PRAYER.

PSALM CXIV.

ARGUMENT.

This is another of the Psalms appointed by our Church to be read on Easter-day. It celebrates the Exodus of Israel from Egypt, and the miracles wrought for that people, prefiguring the redemption of our nature from sin and death, and the wonders of mercy and love wrought for us by Jesus Christ.

1. When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language; 2. Judah was his, that is, God's, sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.

When Jehovah delivered Israel from the bondage of Egypt, He chose them for his peculiar people; his presence resided in their camp, as in a sanctuary," or temple; and He ruled them, as an earthly king exerciseth sovereignty in his "dominions." This world, and the prince of this world, are to us, what Egypt and Pharaoh were to Israel. The redemption of our nature, by the resurrection of Christ, answereth to their redemption by the hand of Moses. When we are baptized into the death and resurrection of our Lord, we renounce the world, its pomps and vanities; and should, therefore, quit its corrupt "language," manners, and customs, with as much alacrity and expedition, as "the family of Jacob" left those of Egypt. We are the "sanctuary," the temple, in which Christ dwelleth by his Spirit; we are the subjects of his spiritual "kingdom," we are his peculiar people; in one word, we are his " church," and succeed, as such, to all the titles and privileges formerly conferred on Israel.

3. The sea saw it and fled; Jordan was driven back.

Although forty years intervened between the

two events here mentioned, yet, as the miracles were of a similar nature, they are spoken of together. In the passage of Israel through the Red Sea, we may contemplate our passage from a death of sin to a life of righteousness through the waters of baptism; as our translation from death temporal to life eternal, is figured by their entrance into the promised land through the river Jordan. The waters in both cases are poetically represented as sensible of their Creator's presence; and by their retiring, and opening a path for the people of God, we are taught, that if we continue faithful, all obstructions will be removed in our way to heaven.

4. The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.

The tremors of mount Sinai and the neighbouring hills, when the law was given, afforded some specimen of that power which was afterwards exerted in the overthrow of idolatry, and the casting down of every high thing that exalted itself against the Gospel at its publication. "See, therefore, that ye refuse not him that speaketh: for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven; whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven." Heb. xii. 25.

5. What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou, Jordan, that thou wast driven back? 6. Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs? 7. Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the God of Jacob.

If the Divine presence hath such an effect upon inanimate matter, how ought it to operate on

rational and accountable beings? Let us be afraid, with an holy fear, at the presence of God, in the world by his Providence, and by his Spirit in our consciences; so that we may have hope and courage in the day when He shall arise to shake terribly the earth; when "every island shall fly away, and the mountains shall be no more found." Rev.

xvi. 20.

8. Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.

He who brought water out of the sacramental rock in the wilderness, hath since caused rivers of living water to flow through the world, from the Rock of our salvation; nay, He hath dissolved the stony hearts of sinners, and made to spring up in them fountains of this water of life. For these great instances of his power and his love, we are taught to bless his holy name, when we sing this Psalm, as an evangelical hymn, on the day of our Lord's resurrection.

PSALM CXV.

ARGUMENT.

The Church, 1, 2, prayeth that God would glorify Himself in her salvation; 3, she declareth her faith in Him; 4-8, exposeth the vanity and folly of idolatry; 9-11, exhorteth her children to rely upon Jehovah; 12-15, foretelleth how He will bless, prosper, and increase his people, 16-18, never suffering the voice of praise and thanksgiving to cease upon the earth.

1. Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. 2. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?

From these two verses it is evident, that the Psalm is not a thanksgiving for victory, but a petition for deliverance. God is entreated to "give glory," by such deliverance, "not to us," to our

works or endeavours, but "to his own name;" He is requested to vouchsafe salvation, not on account of our merits, but of his "mercy," which inclineth Him to be gracious; of his "truth," which disposeth Him to fulfil his promises; and of his "honour," that the enemy may not have occasion to blaspheme Him, and reproach his servants, as if their Master either could not, or would not, help them in the day of their distress. "Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?"

3. But our God is in the heavens, he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased; or, he doeth whatsoever he pleaseth.

Should the insulting adversary ask the above question, "Where is now their God?" the faithful are ready with their reply, "Our God is in the heavens;" He is, where He ever was, upon his glorious throne, high over all the kingdoms of the world, and the powers of created nature; from thence He observeth and ordereth all things here below; what we suffer is by his appointment; and, at his good time and pleasure, He both can and will relieve us: "he doeth whatsoever he pleaseth."

4. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 5. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not. 6. They have ears, but they hear not; noses have they, but they smell not. 7. They have hands, but they handle not; feet have they, but they walk not; neither speak they through their throat.

A beautiful contrast is formed between the God of Israel and the heathen idols. He made every thing, they are themselves made by men; He is in heaven, they are upon earth; He doeth whatsoever He pleaseth, they can do nothing; He