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existence and eternity of God. Farther the eternal truth, "Thou (God) turnest we may not venture, lest we should con- man to destruction." Now this can be ceive amiss, speak without warrant, or understood and entered into only by the multiply words without wisdom, rever- man who consents, in the death of Christ, ently exclaiming, with St. Paul (Rom. to "receive the sentence of death in himxi. 33-36.) “O the depth of the riches self," and yields up to God in submission both of the wisdom and knowledge of and without a murmur, in whatever way God! How unscearchable His judgments, He may please to bruise and crucify it, and His ways past finding out! For of "that flesh and blood which cannot inHim, and through Him, and to Him are herit the kingdom of God," "knowing all things, to Him be glory for ever! in himself that he hath in heaven a better Amen." and an enduring substance." For so, you observe, it is added, “and sayest, Return ye children of men."

Now, my people, it is this God, that is the ever near refuge, the true portion, the final rest of His people. And His eternity and unchangeableness make their rest stable and secure. The soul once brought into this, through knowing and loving Him, it concludes it has been first known and loved by Him, who is "from everlasting to everlasting," and, because so loved, because written from eternity on His heart, therefore "with loving-kindness drawn by Him." This is a man's true election, God's of him, and his of God, entered into, understood, "hidden in his heart, for joy whereof a man is willing to sell all that he hath to keep it," lest by boastfully proclaiming it, he should sin against his Maker; but whether hidden from all else or not, knowledge consciously come to thus.

Verse 3.-"Thou turnest man to destruction, and sayest, Return ye children

of men."

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God, then, comes down upon universal humanity with the sentence and humiliation of death, and in the large meaning I have just explained, because man has sinned, is unholy. But God equally, as righteously, and as widely, by each new day's mercies, says, "Return," and this because Jesus, in and for that humanity, has prevailed, is the “Righteous One.” "Death, indeed, reigns through sin," and would have so reigned for ever. But for man a Saviour out of death has been found.

Our load weighed heavily, indeed, on his soul, and the human and weak nature seemed, at last, to sink under it; but the Undying One by dying conquered. And now "grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ, our Lord." This is the Gospel coming first, meritoriously, through the death of Christ, and then,

death, O believing man, to thee. This explains the long forbearance of thy God towards thee, ay, the remission or passing by the "sins that are past," during long ages of sinners, "through the forbearance of God," (Rom. iii. 25.) This is that "long-suffering of God," which St. Peter (2 Peter iii. 15.) argues "is salvation,” seeing in His sight, whether unto His purposes and ends of mercy or of judgment, "one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day;" in our Psalm (v. 4.) "but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night."

"In the day of prosperity be joy-practically, through thy chosen willing ful, but in the day of adversity consider," says the wise preacher, (Ecc. vii. 14.) why or how to be "joyful in prosperity," we think, most of us, we scarce need to be taught. But why, rather how, in our adversity to consider," we may, perhaps, be more willing to learn. Here is the reason, "The day of adversity" is not to be limited to death alone, but embraces all that precedes, takes its colour from, and so points to death, and God's meaning by death, as His sentence on sin—to the blasting of our hopes-the frustrating of our plans-the disappointments, sorrows, and sufferings of life-the broken hearts, the desolate homes, the mourning families around us-all, all, are a foretaste, and part of death; a teaching of

Verse 6.-"Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep; in the morning they are like grass that groweth up; in the morning it flourish

eth and groweth up, in the evening it is atry of the "golden calf," he even prayed cut down and withereth."

He returns to the foundation-truth, to the reality and cause of our position as mortal, to the fact of a positive will and out-coming of the hand of a righteous God, in the case of every death that falls out. It is not a thing of course. It is not to be fully nor ultimately explained by the structure of our frame, or by the laws of health and disease, or by influences that are injurious, or, as it is said, fatal to life. These are, and exhaust, man's explanations, still short of, often beside the truth; and under them the infidelity of the natural heart hides itself, or seeks to escape from the sense of a present acting sovereignty, under a mere jargon of what are called general laws, and goes no higher. My people, there is always a deeper thing in it-it is God's doing in each case of death-it is God's voice proclaiming, even over an infant's grave, over the highest saint's grave, "I am holy still!"-ay, proclaiming a "need be," a necessary ordinance from the very nature of God, and the now sinful nature of man, "The wages of sin is death." "Death hath passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."-(Rom. vi. 23, and v. 12.) Oh! Christian, lest thou miss thy God, and the teaching of thy God, hold fast the truth that there is no such thing in providence, as there is no such thing recognised in all this blessed book, as what men call a thing falling out "just of course."

that God, "for their sakes," to spare them, "would take him away." And it is good for us, your pastors, to know this; it is needful if we would speak aright, under the power of the holiness and righteous retributions of God, not to separate ourselves from that, even 66 Our own flesh," in the sinner, the most abject sinner, that brings death, and sweeps generation after generation of the families of men remorselessly into the grave. And, especially, where any in the circle in which we move is touched and taken, we should feel that God is virtually laying His hand upon us also. Nay, still farther, we should be taught by this, how it consists with God's purposes, as of holiness so of grace, that "the day of adversity should not be over with us or ours so soon as the day of redemption is proclaimed, nor even when its good news are brought home to us, taking effect, and our pardon consciously sealed to our souls. This conviction puts to flight all garishness of spirit, keeps down pride, banishes self-confidence, exposes the vain shew of the general life, gives, what is, oh! so needed, solemnity and authority to life, teaches a man to "walk softly before God all his days." Thus the believer learns to "consider " life, in one view, as but the long "day of adversity," and that often, I might say generally, from a known and sealed forgiveness there just commences a purifying process, much dealing of his Father in heaven, which he is forced to regard as chastening for sin, and which says to him again and again, even as he holds on, "We!" why "we?" He had said grows, and strengthens, "Confess." And above, "Thou carriest them away," &c. thus the well-instructed and rightly-exerNow this, be it remembered, is the psalm cised Christian, unlike the disciples of of a man of God, a believer. The images of some meagre, half-taught Christianity of desolation and death were now rising among us, learns not to be jealous of, but up before him, as when the people were the true place and use of, "the terrors of bitten by the fiery serpents, and their the Lord." The pressure of the love in carcases fell and rotted in the wilderness; his pardon, and the pressure of the and, like "the great Prophet" and Medi- element of "wrath " or righteousness ator, to be afterwards raised up, Moses in his own chastening, or as coming now identifies himself with his people. out more or less every day in all around We know that he so identified himself him, combining, like the composition with them, and bore so their sins, that of pressures or forces, to keep him on one remarkable occasion, on the idol- staid in his right place, or to send

Verse 7.-"For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled."

and speed him forward in the right than sin. Therefore it is that He himdirection.

Verse 8-"Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance."

self warns, "If these things be done"be needed, so to speak-" in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry? ”i.e., If the Son and the innocent so suffer, what shall be the doom of the finally impenitent and the guilty? Yes, "the terrors of the law brought home to the conscience of an awakened man," drink "up the spirit," as in Job-in Paul. "I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." So, none but a soul convinced of sin in the light and through the fellowship of the cross, can speak aright to dying men of "the terrors of the Lord." "Knowing," said holy Paul," the terrors of the Lord, we persuade men."

Forgiven, they are not strictly forgotten. All things (our sins as well)-all things that have been, as all things that are, and all that shall be, are still equally known to God, vividly, "in the light of His countenance," and we, released from their desert for eternity, may still feel their bitterness in time, prompting many a contrite sigh, wringing from us, in secret, many a bitter tear; "for [ver. 9] all our days are passed away in thy wrath; we spend our years as a tale that is told." Thus, practically, our life and growth become one assent to God's sen- Remember then, O Christian, that thy tence on the flesh, as the true desert and God is "a consuming fire" (Heb. xii. 29) doom of all life out of Christ: for [v. 10.]that "the terrors of the Lord," threat"the days of our years are threescore ened chastisements, actual or impending years and ten; and if, by reason of judgments should be to thee as a constant strength, they be fourscore years, yet is hedge, an outward bulwark, a "shutting their strength labour and sorrow; for it thee up" to meek dependence and "godly is soon cut off, and we fly away." Well, fear." For all sin God does mark, and, then, might Moses exclaimeither here or hereafter, will judge. Such was the meditation of Moses, the “man of God," on the truth-"Thou turnest man to destruction." And, to close for the present what is the great intended practical lesson of this so beautiful and affecting meditation, mark, it issues in prayer

Verse 11.-" Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear so is thy wrath."

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Verse 12.-" So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

"Who knoweth "-i. e., who understandeth can sympathize with, its righteousness? "Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath "-i. e., none understands it but the man who has become partaker of the "godly fear" of Jesus, the saved man, the man who fears not to suffer but to sin. Oh! men have made It should send us to God, then-to God the life and death of Christ a substitute in prayer, and with this prayer-"So for holiness, instead of its foundation, teach us to number," i.e., to take account source, pattern, and satisfaction. Such of our days-to understand their meanI believe to be their too common grossing-why so short-why so evil-why so and blasphemous conception of Emman- full of sorrow-why closing, at last, in uel's blessed atonement. What was that death? The blessed end is, "that I may offering, the offering of Jesus? Not the apply my heart unto wisdom”— that all mere hanging on the cross, the mere this may send me to Christ-to the foot material blood, (the ignorant Romish of the cross; there to abide-there to notion) but His whole will, His whole know myself and my God-there to see man, His whole life to suffer, fully ex- my sin, and to be enabled to bear the pressed and summed up, at last, in the sight-there to bow down and confessblood, the death-this, that he might so there to “look” up, and be saved!" Here practically save, by teaching man that is "wisdom!" O, how unlike the world's! all is to be borne, all to be welcomed-all Jesus died-was ever dead to this life of desertion, all suffering, all death, rather the flesh, therefore renounce as any por

tion, the life that now is, the life "according to the flesh." Jesus is risentherefore choose "the life to come," the "eternal life"-eternal now, because holy now! That this is our true wisdom is beautifully interpreted to us by that reasoning of Paul (1 Cor. i. 21-31.) And so, when the soul thus rightly, i.e., wisely interprets life, as its heavenly Father's dealing and chastening, and turns to Jesus as its refuge, and to heaven as its home, it pants to be away, and at rest! Hence the outpouring of prayer from the 13th verse to the close, being the second part of the psalm, but with which we cannot now engage.

Brethren! you will have, most of you, anticipated what little I have to add, in application, concerning one, the late member for Lanarkshire, who will appear no more, nor worship more, among us.

This is not the place, nor am I the person to speak of how he discharged his public duties, as the representative of this great county-how unweariedly, how eminently well. Neither, any more, am I here, in however shortly recalling the friend and neighbour, to employ terms which his own innate and so sensitive delicacy and propriety would have been the very first to disapprove and repudi

ate.

not expect to find-such entireness of sympathy and help again. But God's holy will be done! He has been taken from amidst his nearest and dearest-oh! so suddenly I ever feel afresh-passing away like the scarce heard breath of an infant's sleep!

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And now, brethren, should not such events teach us all, whatever our sphere, to take betimes true measure, even God's and the Book's, of "things temporal," and "things eternal." O, from our so incessant activities in, our so absorbing occupation with, our almost heart-devotion to, objects and ends of this scene only, or mainly, will they not prevail to win, ere it may prove too late, some due and earnest consideration" of the things which," nevertheless, concern our eternal peace." O life! O man! what are ye, at your best and longest, without this? Think of the world all you may-make of it all you can-Is it enough? Is it aught? when man's time and the Spirit's crisis come, to sustain those leaving us, to comfort those left? One hour but of serious thought now, realizing ourselves stretched where but yesterday lay that loved and mourned one, may prove the opening and the earnest of a priceless eternity. Take account, O man! O woman! on the one hand, of the days you have already passed, of the ends you have set before you, of the frivolities that may have occupied, the meannesses that may have degraded, the base, covetous, suspicious, envious feelings that may have possessed and swayed you, leaving behind but shame, if I should not say remorse; and on the other hand, of a life passed and closed in an unjudging, forgiving spirit, amid kindly thoughts, gentle words, honourable deeds, quiet unostentatious charities, leaving behind, as it ebbed away, only such blessed

But, in the place where, next to their public sphere, he ever shewed that his chiefest interest, duties, and happiness lay-within which not one, the very humblest of you all, was indifferent to him-(for to him, as to either your temporal or spiritual comfort and help, I never once applied in vain)—in this place, and, with no fear of dissent, I venture to say, that as, in our immediate neighbourhood, the memory of the venerated father, as by eminence the faithful and affectionate Christian pastor, is still fresh and green; so, among us, will the son's long be, as by eminence the kind, honourable, and honoured Christian gentleman. How he demeaned himself, when with us in the house and worship of God, marked from his entrance to his departure by the most scrupulous, unobtrusive reverence, I repeat, then, once more, "The time was before you all. In all these respects is short." "It remaineth, that both they I have not found-at my time of life I do who weep be as though they wept not,

memories! which would be yours? And, oh, think, too, how uncertain, how short may be the time left you to live it! Will you ever repent such a life? Will your friends blush to recal it? Never! never!

and they who rejoice, as though they rejoiced not." There are tears, blessed tears, that fall but to be "wiped away!" And there is a joy, a gain, an influence, which can only wither and die! Choose now. Lift up the eyes of your mind, and take true measure, on the one hand, as of "the grass that groweth up, and to-morrow is cast into the oven," or, on the other hand, of "the word of the Lord," and a life according to that word "which endureth for ever!" There is no third choice.

Amen.

IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE OLD YEAR.

A Voice to the Christian Mourner, from the Graves of the Christian Dead.

We are not there, beloved! So dry those tearful eyes, And lift them up in calmness To yonder cloudless skies ;

To yonder Home of glory, Where we together live, 'Tis all our Saviour died for, 'Tis all our God can give !

Yet in that Home of glory, Midst all we hear and see, The past is not forgotten, And we ever think of thee.

Be of good cheer, beloved!
And let those eyes be dry,
Oh! be not crushed by sorrow,
Oh! never wish to die!

Wish only to be faithful
In doing our Father's will,
And where the Master puts thee,
Obey Him, and be still !

Be of good cheer, beloved! For not one hour is given, That may not make thee fitter For higher life in heaven.

Thou canst not see our glory,
Beyond that azure sky,

Nor canst thou know when angels
Or dearer friends are nigh;

But thou canst see the glory
Of being like thy Lord,

And thou canst know His presence,
And thou canst hear His word.

Him, dear one, trust and follow!
Him hear with faith and love,
And he will lead thee safely
To join us all above!

TRUST IN GOD, AND DO THE RIGHT!
A Psalm for the New Year.

Courage, brothers! do not stumble,
Though thy path is dark as night,
There's a star to guide the humble :-
"Trust in God, and do the right!".

Let the road be rough and dreary,
And its end far out of sight,
Foot it bravely! strong or weary-
"Trust in God, and do the right!"

Perish "policy" and cunning,
Perish all that fears the light!
Whether losing, whether winning-
"Trust in God, and do the right!"

Trust no party, church, or faction,
Trust no "leaders" in the fight,
But in every word and action,
"Trust in God, and do the right!"

Trust no lovely forms of passionFiends may look like angels brightTrust no custom, "school," or fashion, "Trust in God, and do the right!"

Some will hate thee, some will love thee,
Some will flatter, some will slight.
Cease from man, and look above thee-
"Trust in God, and do the right!"

Simple rule and safest guiding,
Inward peace and inward might,
Star upon our path abiding-
"Trust in God, and do the right!"

"The path of Satan in assault is never straight-forward,—it is winding, tortuous, so that his ultimate purpose is not suspected. Yea, even as the Boa-Constrictor approacheth a sleeping man not in a direct line, but cautiously, gradually, turning over from side to side, and at length coileth itself around the body, so the spiritual Leviathan, that piercing, crooked serpent, maketh attack upon the unwary, and entangleth him in inextricable folds."-The Protoplast.

"The voluntary humiliation of those who are ever declaiming against the pride of human reason, and insisting on the necessity of being guided by the heart rather than by the head, is a prostration not of themselves before God, but of one part of their selves before another part, and resembles the idolatry of the Israelites in the wilderness, the people stripped themselves of their golden ornaments, and cast them into the fire, and there came out this calf.”—Archbishop Whately.

"Nothing imposes so much on people of weak understanding, as what they do not comprehend."

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