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merely for a day. Men of this character never pierce themselves through with many sor"rows" at one time, nor collect, and invent distresses, more in number than they can obtain fortitude to bear. The changing scenes of life are endured by them, one after the other, with a pious composure of spirit; and, beyond all earthly things, they have an interest in that better country, where there shall be neither hunger nor thirst, nor any fear of evil; but one unclouded day of happiness without alloy, and without end.

SERMON XVI.

PSALM 1xxiii. 24.

Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

THE Psalm from which these words are taken, is one of the most interesting character. It contains an account, at considerable length, of a temptation, such as is still very common to man, and of a happy recurrence by the Psalmist to the Divine power and wisdom, when it had almost gotten the better of his constancy. This, my brethren, I will here accordingly describe, as an expedient introduction to my text.

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The author asserts, in his first verse, "Truly "God is good to Israel, even to such as are of "a clean heart." Not, however, without much previous difficulty and mistrust, had he established himself in so pious a conviction. Like a traveller, who, having reached a firm and comfortable resting-place in despite of many obstacles, delights thence to look back upon, and contemplate the toil and dangers, which he hath gone through,—after the manner of one

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thus landed, he recollects his past distressing apprehensions, and states, for the instruction of others, by what way, or process, he had surmounted them, and attained to such an elevated confidence. Having expressed his present assurance of the lovingkindness of God to Israel, who would, in heart, be His people, he directly confesses, "But as for me, my feet "were almost gone; my steps had well nigh "slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, "when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." Yea, from observing their wealth, notwithstanding their haughty, and blasphemous language, and their self-will, and the oppressive extortion which they were guilty of, he had nearly fallen into murmuring and unbelief. Conscious of his own comparative uprightness, he had complained, "Verily, I have cleansed my heart in "vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For "all the day long have I been plagued, and "chastened every morning." Upon that, the Psalmist calls to mind his natural foolishness and ignorance, and his gross incapacity, which, by speaking thus rashly, he had betrayed, to order himself wisely, and to fathom the counsels of the Most High, and goes on declaring the place, where he had happily found light for his darkness, and a foresight of deliverance from the tyrannous pride which was confounding

him; "When I thought to know this, it was "too painful for me; until I went into the "sanctuary of God; then understood I their "end"-the end of those wicked boasters: "Surely Thou didst set them in slippery "places: Thou castedst them down into destruc"tion. How are they brought into desolation,

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as in a moment! they are utterly consumed "with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when Thou awakest, Thou shalt despise their image.”

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Such a just view, could the Psalmist, at length, bring himself to adopt, of the temporary prosperity, and final destruction of the ungodly. His name appears to have been Asaph; and one of that name is mentioned amongst the officers of king Hezekiah. Hence, it seems probable, that the Psalm was written on occasion of the coming up of Sennacherib against Jerusalem, during the reign of that pious king. Certain parts of it are exactly descriptive of the insulting and vainglorious speeches uttered by his messengers, whom he sent before him: also, when Hezekiah had received a letter of a similar character from Sennacherib, he went into the house or sanctuary of the Lord, and, having there spread it before the Lord, received a present answer by Isaiah, foretelling the end of the men whom he was afraid of; and truly they

became as a dream when one awaketh, since they were slain by a deadly blast in one night, so as to be all "dead corpses," when the Israelites arose early, and looked to see them in the morning. In short, nothing could easily have been indited more suitable, than is the greater part of this Psalm, to the invasion of Judea by the king of Assyria, and to the remarkable circumstances therewith connected, according to the history which we have received of them. (2 Kings xviii. xix.) The language of the Psalmist is, however, universally memorable and instructive, while evil boasters are to be met with in the world. And, not only does he utter in a very natural manner, the ordinary discontent of the better sort, respecting such persons, and point out whither we should betake ourselves to acquire wiser views, but, moreover, in drawing to a conclusion, he speaks as one who could be content that the proud blasphemers should still prosper on the earth, and resolve, for his own part, to adhere to God, reposing entirely on His spiritual consolation. After confessing, with a proper self-abasement, his former impatience, "Thus my heart was grieved, and I was "pricked in my reins. So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before Thee"-he, finally, takes occasion to acknowledge, that

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