inexperienced, with a bias of original corruption, and all the passions awake. In such circumstances, how shall a young man direct his steps, so as to escape the pollution that is in the world through lust? 2 Pet. i. 4. He must, for this purpose, take with him the directions to be found in the Scriptures of truth. 'I have written unto you young men,' says the beloved disciple, 'because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.' He who became man for our salvation, passed through this state of youth, undefiled, that he might, as it were, reclaim and consecrate it anew to God. Let every young man often meditate on this circumstance.

10. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.'

Despairing of sufficient assistance from any other quarter, because no one else can either show us the way to heaven, or enable us to walk therein, even if it could be shown, with our whole heart have we sought thee,' O God, thy direction, and thine aid; and thou hast promised, that they who seek shall find:' like sheep without a shepherd are we given to stray; O preserve us from error in principle, and in practice; let us not wander from thy commandments.'

11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.'

The young man who would cleanse his way, and take heed according to God's word, must lay up that word in his heart;' for from the heart are the issues of life,' the thoughts, the words, and the actions; when God ruleth in the heart by his word and Spirit, these become his subjects; then the kingdom of heaven is within us,' and all is obedience, peace, and love. Thou art our King, O Lord Jesu; suffer no usurper to possess thy place in our affections; permit no other Lord to have dominion over us.

12. 'Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.'

He who is blessed' can make us so: he who delighteth to communicate blessing,' will do it, if we ask him by teaching us his statutes,' which conform us to his

nature, that we may live his life, and bless his name for ever. When the word of God is our lesson, the Spirit of God must be our Master.

13. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.'

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The best sign that God hath taught us his statutes,' and the greatest inducement to him to teach us still more and more, is a readiness to make others partakers of those blessings, which we ourselves have received from him. Jehovah fashions the lips' of man, and he expects that they should be employed in his service. 'Out of

the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh,' and the stream will always show the nature of the fountain. When we make the Scriptures the subject of our conversation, we glorify God, we edify our neighbours, and we improve ourselves.

14. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.'

Truth and holiness afford to the sincere believer a pleasure more exquisite, as well as more solid and enduring, than that which a miser feels at the acquisition of his darling wealth. Let us no longer envy the joys of worldly men, no longer be chagrined at the prosperity of the wicked. The true riches' we may always acquire; and, surely, as much as the heaven is higher than the earth, so much are heavenly joys above earthly, in kind, degree, and duration.

15. 'I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.'

Meditation is that exercise of the mind, whereby it recalls a known truth, as some kinds of creatures do their food, to be ruminated on, until all the nutritious parts are extracted, and fitted for the purposes of life. By study we lay in knowlege, by meditation we reduce that knowlege to practice. And we have then duly 'meditated on God's precepts,' when in all our proceedings we have respect unto his ways,' comparing our actions with the rule of his word.'

16. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.'

By frequent meditation and continual practice, the

divine 'statutes' will become our delight;' and from the pleasures, as well as from the cares of the world, we shall giadly fly to THEM for recreation and comfort. Of holy exercises there is great variety, and spiritual joys are without number. Lord, make us to delight ourselves in thy statutes,' and when we delight in what we learn, we shall easily retain it in memory; we shall not forget thy word.'

GIMEL.-PART III,

17. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.'

In the foregoing parts of the Psalm, we have heard the believer declaring the excellency of God's word, and expressing both his desire and his resolution to observe its directions. He now beseecheth God to remove all impediments, and to accomplish this work in him. And as a man must 'live,' in order to work,' the first petition is, that God would deal with his servant' according to the measures of grace and mercy, enabling him to 'live' the life of faith, and strengthening him by the Spirit of might in the inner man, to keep the word' of truth, and to walk in the commandments of his blessed. Master all his days'

18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.'

So far are we naturally from being able to keep' the word, that we are not able to understand it. The law of God is full of divine and spiritual truths, concealed under literal histories, visible signs, and external ceremonies. To discern these, nis, 'wondrous,' because the hidden, mysterious 'things,' our eyes,' the eyes of our understanding, must be unveiled; that veil' must be taken off, which St. Paul affirmeth to be on the hearts of the Jews, in reading the Old Testament,' and which will continue there, until they turn to the Lord Jesus Christ. Then the veil will be taken away, and they will behold him, and the redemption by him, as prefigured in their law, and foretold by their prophets.' Pride, prejudice, and in

'Revela oculos meos: aperi, dispelle umbras, tolle velamentum,

terest, will compose a veil, through which a Christian shall see as little of the New Testament, as a Jew doth of the Old. Lord, convince us of our blindness, and restore us to our sight.

19. 'I am a stranger in the earth; hide not thy commandments from me.'

The above request for divine illumination is enforced by this argument, that the petitioner is a 'stranger,' and a sojourner on the earth;' he is travelling through a foreign country to his native city, where are his kindred, his treasure, and his heart; as a sojourner, he hath renounced the world, which is therefore become his enemy; as a stranger, he is fearful of losing his way; on these accounts he requesteth, that God would compensate the loss of earthly comforts, by affording the light of heaven; that he would not hide his commandments,' but show and teach them those steps, by which he may ascend towards heaven, rejoicing in hope of future glory.

20. My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.'

Another argument here urged, is that 'longing' desire which the soul hath, during her state of pilgrimage below, unto the revelation of God's will. Grieved and vexed at the prospect of sin, vanity, and folly, and finding nothing below that will satisfy the desires of an immortal spirit, she setteth her affections on the better things above, which are proposed in the Scriptures as the proper objects of our wishes. Her appetite for the divine Word is keen, as that of hunger or thirst, and 'hope deferred maketh the heart sick. This disposition is not a transient fit, but it is constant and uniform 'at all times.'

21. Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.'

The consideration of the wretched condition of impenitent sinners, is another reason, why we entreat God to

quo spirituales oculi conteguntur. Considerabo mirabilia :' ut penitus introspiciam, non literam tantum, ac velut corticem legis, sed arcana spiritualia, puta in sabbatis requiem sempiternam, simplicitatem in azymis, in victimis obedientiam, et ubique Christum. BOSSUET.

set and to keep us in the way of his commandments. 'Pride' produceth error,' and obstinacy in that error; obstinate transgressors reject the call, the covenant, and the terms, of the Gospel; to such the 'curse' of the law is ratified and sealed, and mercy consigns them over to justice, which seldom fails to give them some 'rebukes' even in this world, for a foretaste to them, and a warning to others.

22. Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.'

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Reproach and contempt' are liberally bestowed by the world on men who, being not of it, reprove its deeds by their exemplary conduct. These, to beginners more especially, are sore lets and hinderances in the way of duty; and, after the example of David, we may beseech God to remove' them from us, when we suffer them in his cause, and know ourselves to be innocent of the crimes laid to our charge. In the mean time, to comfort ourselves under them, let us remember, that HE, who alone, in the strict and unlimited sense of the words, could say, I have kept thy testimonies,' sustained the utmost degree of reproach and contempt' for our sakes, and was patient and resigned under it all, until God' removed' it from him by a glorious resurrection. There remaineth likewise a resurrection for the mystical body of Christ; and then, Wisdom will be justified of all her children.' 23. Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.'

Princes' and rulers have often sate' in council on the servants' of God, and spoken,' in judgment, false things against them,' as they did against their blessed Master in the days of his flesh. David hath taught us how to act in such circumstances. We are not to renounce the creed, or the commandments, should it so happen that the rulers and the Pharisees' neither believe the former, nor observe the latter; but rather, we should 'meditate,' more than ever, in the Scriptures; that we may draw from thence comfort in the troubles, and direction in the difficulties, which persecution bringeth on us; always bearing in mind, when princes command any thing contrary to the word of God, that our service is