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as one

will mark in the infirmities of the ancient people
of God a picture of his own heart, "answering, as in
water face answereth to face ; ”i and in comparing
their spiritual exercises with his own, will be ready
to acknowledge—“All these worketh that one and
the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally
as he will."

In this view, it is the object of this work to exhibit
an Old Testament believer in a New Testament garb,

walking in the same spirit, and in the same
steps” with ourselves; and, in bringing his features
of character to the Evangelical standard, it is pre-
sumed, that the correspondence will be found to be
complete. “ Faith which worketh by love ”3_the
fundamental distinction of the Gospel -- pervades the
whole man; with at least an implied reference to
the one way of access to God, and a distinct regard
alike to the promises, 5 and to the precepts, 6 of
Divine revelation. Nor are the workings of this
principle delineated with less accuracy. In all the
variety of Christian feelings and holy conduct, we
observe its operations leading the soul into commu-
nion with God, and moulding every part into a pro-
gressive conformity to his image. When we view the

man after God's own heart”- taking God for his
portion 7-associating with his people, and feeding
upon his word ; 9 when we mark his zeal for his
Master's glory 10_- his devotedness 11 and self-denial 12
in his Master's work—when we see him ever ready to
confess his name,13 to bear his reproach,14 and caring

2

only to answer it by a more steady adherence to his

service l_do we not in those lineaments of character

recognize the picture of one, who in after times could

turn to the churches of Christ, and say—“Wherefore,

I beseech you, be ye followers of me?"? Or can

we recollect the Psalmist's insight into the extent

and spirituality of the law of God,3 and his continual

conflict with indwelling sin 4-awakening in him the

spirit of wrestling prayer,5 and confidence in the God

of his salvation 6—and not be again forcibly reminded

of him, who has left upon record the corresponding

history of his own experience—“ We know, that the

law is spiritual ; but I am carnal, sold under sin : I

was alive without the law once : but when the com-

mandment came, sin revived, and I died; O wretched

man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body

of this death? I thank God, through Jesus Christ

our Lord !"7 In short, let his instancy in prayer 8

and praise 9 be remembered-his determined 10 and

persevering 11 cultivation of heart religion 12 and prac-

tical holiness ; 13 his hungering and thirsting after

righteousness ; 14 his jealous fear 15 and watchful

tenderness 16 against sin, and regard for the honour

of his God ; 17 his yearning compassion over his

fellow-sinners ; 18 his spiritual taste ; 19 his accurate

discernment ; 20 the “ simplicity" of his dependence,?

and the “ godly sincerity” of his obedience ; 22 his

21

peace of mind and stability of profession ;1 his sancti-

fied improvement of the cross; his victory over the

world ;his acknowledgment of the Lord's mercy; *

his trials of faith and patience ; 5 his heavenly liberty

in the ways of God; 6 his habitual living in his

presence,7 and under the quickening, 8 restraining, 9

directing, 10 and supporting 11 influence of his word—let

these holy exercises be considered_either separately.

or as forming one admirable concentration of Christian

excellence and what do we desire more to complete

the portrait of a finished servant of God upon the

Evangelical model ? Is not this a visible demon-

stration of the power of the word, in “ perfecting the

man of God, and furnishing him thoroughly unto all

good works ? ”12

Having explained the Evangelical character of this

Psalm, some notice may next be taken of its peculiar
adaptation to Christian experience. The several
graces of the Scriptural system, delineated in this
Psalm, form an excellent touchstone of the sincerity
of our profession, by marking its practical influence in
our daily walk and conversation ;-a touchstone which
appears especially needful in this day of profession ;
not-as warranting our confidence in the Saviour, or as
constituting in any measure our ground of acceptance
with God; but as exciting us to " give diligence to
make our calling and election sure,” 13 and tending to
quicken our sluggish steps in the path of self-denying
obedience. The Writer is free to confess, that his
main design in the study of this Psalm was to furnish
his own mind with a correct standard of Evangelical sincerity in the habitual scrutiny of his own heart; and if, in the course of this Exposition, any suggestion should be thrown out, to call the attention of his fellow-christians to this most important, but alas ! too much neglected, duty, he will have reason to “ rejoice in the day of Christ, that he has not run in vain, neither laboured in vain." I Never let it be supposed, that a diligent, prayerful, probing examination of “ the chambers of imagery,” “gendereth unto bondage.” Invariably will it be found to open the way to a more established enjoyment of Scriptural

“ Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. As therefore the preceptive part of the Gospel thus becomes our guide in the happy path of filial obedience, our beloved rule of duty, and the standard of our daily progress; we shall learn in the use of it to depend more entirely upon the Saviour, fresh energy will be put into our prayers, and the promises of pardon and grace will be doubly precious to our souls.

It cannot then be, that these views of the Divine life should be found unfriendly to the best happiness of mankind. We observe this Psalm to open with a

assurance.

1

' I know of no part of the Holy Scriptures' (remarks a profound divine), where the nature and evidences of true and sincere godliness are so fully and largely insisted on and delineated as in the 119th Psalm. The Psalmist declares his design in the first verses of the Psalm, keeps his eye on it all along, and pursues it to the end. The excellence of holiness is represented as the immediate object of a spiritual taste and delight. God's law—that grand expression and emanation of the holiness of God's nature, and prescription of holiness to the creature—is all along represented as the great object of the love, the complacence, and the rejoicing of the gracious nature, which prizes God's commandments "above gold, yea the finest gold;" and to which they are sweeter than the honey and the honey-comb." '-Edwards on Religious Affections, Part iii. Sect. iii.

: 1 John iii. 19. with 18, 20, 21.

most inviting picture of blessedness, and to describe throughout the feelings of one, encompassed indeed with trials superadded to the common lot of men, but yet evidently in possession of a satisfying portion -of a "joy, with which a Saviour does not intermeddle.”i Of those, therefore, who would affix the stigma of melancholy to Evangelical religion, we are constrained to remark—that they “ understand neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.' The children of Edom have never tasted the “ clusters of Canaan,” and cannot therefore form any just estimate of that goodly land. They that have spied the land, can bring a good report of it, and can tell them“ Surely it floweth with milk and honey, and this is the fruit of it.” 3 “ The work of righteousness is peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever." 4

The structure of this Psalm is peculiar-divided into twenty-two parts-agreeing with the number of the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet-each part, and its several verses, beginning with the corresponding letter of the Alphabet. 5 The whole Psalm is in the form of an ejaculatory address, with the exception of the first three verses, which may almost be considered as the preface to the whole, and one other verse in the course of it, where the man of God rebukes the ungodly from his presence, as if intruding into his “ hiding-place," and interrupting his communion with his God. 6 It is not always easy to trace the connexion

2

1 Timothy i. 7. 8 Numbers xiii. 27.