word of the law each day with prayerful meditation! As you value your progress and peace in the ways of God-as you have an eye to your Christian perfection-put away that ruinous thought-true as an encouragement to the weak, but false as an excuse to the slothful that a little knowledge is sufficient to carry us to heaven. And-Lord-help me to prize the law as coming from "thy mouth."3 Let it be for ever written upon my heart. Let me be daily exploring my hidden treasures. Let me be enriching myself and all around me with a present possession and interest in these heavenly blessings. PART X. 73. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that 1 may learn thy commandments. In the vast universe of wonder, man is the greatest wonderthe noblest work of God. A council of the Sacred Trinity was held respecting his creation-"God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." Every part of creation bears the impress of God. Man-man alone-bears his image, his likeness. Everywhere we see his track-his footsteps. Here we behold his face. What an amazing thought, that the three Eternal subsistents in the glorious Godhead, should have united in gracious design and operation towards the dust of the earth! But thus man was formed-thus was he raised out of his parent dust, from this low original, to be the living temple and habitation of Divine glory -a being full of God. The first moment that he opened his eyes to behold the light and beauty of the new-made world, the Lord separated him for his own service, to receive the continual supply of his own life. His body was fitted as a tabernacle for his soul, "curiously wrought" by the hand of God; and all its parts and "members written in his book, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." Most naturally therefore does the contemplation of this "perfection of beauty" raise the adoring mind upward-"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." 915 "Thy hands have made me and fashioned me." Could we suppose that man was framed to eat, to sleep, and to die—that, after taking a few turns upon the grand walk of life, he 1 Zech. iv. 10. 4 Gen. i. 26. 2 Prov. xiii. 4. 5 Psalm cxxxix. 14—16. 31 Thess. ii. 13. was to descend into the world of eternal silence, we might well ask the question of God-"Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?" But the first awakening of man from his death-like sleep enlightens him in the right knowledge of the end of his creation. If I am conscious of being the workmanship of God, I shall feel my relationship to him, and the responsibility of acting according to it. I would plead then this relation before him in asking for light, life, and love. I cannot serve thee as a creature, except I be made a new creature. Give me a spiritual being, without which my natural being cannot glorify thee. Thou hast indeed "curiously wrought" my frame; but sin has marred all. Make me thy spiritual "workmanship, created in Christ Jesus."2 "Give me understanding"-spiritual knowledge, "that I may learn thy commandments"- "Renew a right spirit within me." But the natural man feels no need of this prayer. No, he is puffed up in his own wisdom. He cannot receive the divine testimony, which levels him, while he "understandeth not," with "the beasts that perish," and tells him, that he must "become a fool, that he may be wise.' But should he ever know his new state of existence, he will offer up this prayer eagerly and frequently; and every step of his way heavenward he will feel increasing need of Divine "wisdom and spiritual understanding." 995 How does the song of heaven remind us of this end of our creation!"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power; for thou hast created all things; and for thy pleasure they are and were created." In harmony with this song we must acknowledge, that the "Lord hath made all things for himself" that he "created all things for his glory." And the recollection that he "created us by Jesus Christ," brings before us the grand work of redemption, and the work of the new creation consequent upon it. He who created us in his own image, when that image was lost, that he might not lose his property in us, put a fresh seal upon his natural right, and "purchased us with his own blood.” Oh! let us not be insensible to this constraining motive to "learn his commandments." "Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."10 74. They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word. How cheering is the sight of a man of God! How refreshing his converse! How satisfactory and enlivening is the exhibition of his faith! The goodness of God to one becomes thus the joy and comfort of all. What an excitement is this to close communion with our God, that the light which we thus receive will shine on those around us! What a comfort will it be, even in our own hour of temptation, that the hope which we may then be enabled to maintain in the word of God, shall prove the stay, not only of our own souls, but of the Lord's people! Many a desponding Christian, oppressed with such fears as this "I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul," when he hears of one and another exercised in the same trials, and who have "hoped in God's word," and have not been disappointed, "will be glad when he sees them." Thus David recorded his conflicts, that we may not despair of our own; and his triumphs, that "in the name of our God we might set up our banners" "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, upon the Lord." Thus also, under affliction, he was comforted with the thought of comforting others with the history of his own experience-"My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof and be glad. O praise the Lord with me, and let us magnify his name together. He hath put a new song into my mouth, even praise unto our God. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name; the righteous shall compass me about, for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.' In this view, the believer, who has been "sifted in the sieve" of temptation, without the least "grain" of faith or hope "falling upon the earth," stands forth as a monument of the Lord's faithfulness, to "strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees, and to say to them that are of a feeble heart, Be strong, fear not." Those that are "fearful, and of little faith," "are glad when they see him." They "thank God" for him, and "take courage" for themselves. What a motive is this to keep us from despondency; that instead of destroying, by our unbelief, those who are already "cast down," we may enjoy the privilege of upholding their confidence, and ministering to their comfort! And how should the weak and distressed seek for and prize the society of those, who have been instructed by the discipline of the Lord's school! Believer! what have you to tell to your discouraged brethren of the faithfulness of your God? Cannot you put courage into their hearts, by declaring that you have never been "ashamed of your hope?" Cannot you tell them from your own experience, that Jesus "is for a foundation-stone, a tried stone, a sure foundation?"s Cannot you show them, that, because he has borne the burden of their sins, he is able to "bear their griefs, and to carry their sorrows?" that you have tried him, and that you have found him so? Oh! be animated to know more of Christ yourself; let your hope in him be strengthened, that you may cause gladness in the hearts of those that see you; so that "whether you be afflicted, or 7 Acts xxviii. 15. 4 lb. xxxiv. 2, 3; xl. 3; cxlii. 7. Compare also lxix. 30-32. 6 Isa. xxxv. 3, 4. 3 Ib. xxvii. 13, 14. 5 Amos ix. 9. whether you be comforted, it may be for their consolation and salvation." But O my God! how much cause have I for shame, that I impart so little of thy glorious light to those around me. Perhaps some poor trembling sinner "has been glad when he saw me," hoping to hear something of the Saviour from my lips, and has found me straitened, and cold, and dumb. Oh! that Î may be so "filled with the Spirit," so experienced in thy heavenly ways, that I invite "all that fear thee to come to me," that I "tell them what thou hast done for my soul;' .112 cast down, they may say, There is lifting up." may may so that, "when men are 75. I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. 6 THIS is the Christian's acknowledgment-fully satisfied with the dispensations of God. This is his confidence-so invigorating to his own soul-so cheering to the Church. The Lord's dealings are called his judgments-not as having judicial curses, but as the acts of his justice in the chastening of sin. Perhaps also-as the administration of his wise judgment in their measure and application. But here is not only the confession of the Lord's general judgment, but of his especial faithfulness to himself. And this he knew not from the dictates of the flesh, (which would have given a contrary verdict,) but from the testimony of the word, and the witness of his own experience." It could not be doubtedmuch less denied' I know, O Lord, that thy rules of proceeding are agreeable to thy perfect justice and wisdom; and I am equally satisfied, that the afflictions that thou hast laid upon me from time to time, are only to fulfil thy gracious and faithful promise of making me eternally happy in thyself.' Blessed fruit of affliction! when we can thus " see the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy"—that his "thoughts towards us are thoughts of peace, and not of evil !”8 "The patience and faith of the saints" teach this difficult but most consoling lesson in deciphering the mysterious lines in God's providence. The child of God, under the severest chastisement, must acknowledge justice. Our gracious reward is always more—our "punishment always less, than our iniquities deserve." "Wherefore should a living man complain?"10 In trouble, indeed—but not in hell. If he complain, let it be of none but himself, and his own wayward choice. I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right -and who can doubt the wisdom? Who would charge the operator with cruelty, in cutting out the proud flesh that was bringing death upon the man? Who would not acknowledge the right judgment of his piercing work? Thus, when the Lord's painful work separates us from our sins, weans us from the world, and 12 Cor. i. 6. 2 Psalm lxvi. 16. 5 Jer. x. 24. Comp. Isa. xxvii. 8. 8 James v. 11. Jer. xxix. 11. 3 Job xxii. 29. 4 1 Peter iv. 17. 7 Verse 137; cxlv. 17. 10 Lam. iii. 39. brings us nearer to himself, what remains for us, but thankfully to acknowledge his righteousness and truth? Unbelief is put to rebuke; and we, of any suspicion "that God has forgotten to be gracious," must confess, "This is our infirmity." This assurance of the Lord's perfect justice, wisdom, and intimate knowledge of our respective cases, leads us to yield to his appointments in dutiful silence. Thus Aaron, under his most afflictive domestic calamity, "held his peace." Job under a similar dispensation was enabled to say, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord!" Eli's language in the same trial was, "It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good." David hushed his impatient spirit, "I was dumb; I opened not my mouth, because thou didst it." And when Shimei cursed him, he said, "Let him alone; let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him." The Shunammite, in the meek resignation of faith, acknowledged, "It is well." Hezekiah kissed the rod, while it was smiting him to the dust, "Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken." Thus uniform is the language of the Lord's people under chastisement, I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right. But the confession of justice may be mere natural conviction. Faith goes further, and speaks of faithfulness. David not only acknowledges God's right to deal with him as he saw fit, and even his wisdom in dealing with him as he actually had done, but his faithfulnes in afflicting-not his faithfulness, though he afflicted but in afflicting him; not as if it were consistent with his love, but as the fruit of his love. It is not enough, to justify God. What abundant cause is there to praise him! It is not enough to forbear to murmur. How exciting is the display of his faithfulness and love! Yes the trials appointed for us are none else than the faithful performance of his everlasting engagements. And to this cause we may always trace (and it is our privilege to believe it, where we cannot visibly trace it) the reason of much that is painful to the flesh. Let us only mark its gracious effects in our restoration1o-instruction"-healing of our backslidings,12 and the continual purging of sins13-and then say, 'Is not the faithfulness of God gloriously displayed?' The Philistines could not under stand Samson's riddle-how "Meat could come out of the eater, and sweetness out of the strong.' "14 As little can the world compre hend the fruitfulness of the Christian's trials; how his gracious Lord sweetens to him the bitter waters of Marah,15 and makes the cross not so much the puishment, as the remedy of sin. He finds therefore no inclination, and he feels that he has no interest in |