a sweet savour"^." In a word, it is through his righteousness that forbearance and forgiveness were exercised from the be- ginning, just as they will be exercised even to the end : and all who were saved before liis advent are in that respect on the same level with those who have been saved since : there is but one song amongst all the glorified saints in heaven ; they are all harmonious in sinsjing " to Him that loved them and washed them from their sins in his own blood, &c." Wliat a joy must it be to Christ to see in so many myriads the travail of his soul, who "were brought forth, as it were, to God, even before he travailed!" With what joy, too, did he then take upon him to dispense his blessings to the myriads yet unborn! He is " Head over all things," not for his own sake merely, but " for the Church's sake." Knowing then how many of his most cruel enemies were given to him by the Father, with what pleasure woiJd he look down upon them, (even while their hands were yet reeking with his blood,) and anticipate their conversion to God by the influence of his Spirit on the day of Pentecost ! Every child of man that shall at any period of the world participate his grace, was at that moment before his eyes : and with what delight would he view them, as drawn by his word, as nourished by his grace, as comforted by his Spirit, as
made more than conquerors over all their enemies'
At that moment he saw, as it were, the whole company of the redeemed, the multitudes which no man can number, all enthroned around him, the monuments of his love, the heirs
of his glory, the partners of his throne He saw that
the kingdom which he had now established upon earth " should never be moved ;" that " the gates of hell should never prevail against it ;" and that it should stand for ever and ever™. Well therefore might he say, " The King shall joy in thy strength, O Lord; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!"]
Having thus explained the psalm, we proceed to,
IL Shew what improvement we should make of it —
From its literal sense we learn, how thankful we should be for any blessings vouchsafed unto us —
[In many respects God has " prevented us with the bless- ings of goodness ;" and in many he has given them in answer to our prayers. We may " account even his long-suflering towards us to be salvation," and much more the gift of his grace, and the knowledge of his dear Son. Can we reflect on " the salvation to which he has called us," even " the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory," and not be thankful for it ? Can we reflect on the exaltation which we ourselves
'^ Gen. viii. 20, 21. i Zeph. iii. 17. "^ ver. 7.