have received, from death to Hfe, from slaves to free-men, from children of the devil to sons of God, and not rejoice in it? Can we think of our having been made " kings and priests unto God," " heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ," yea, partners of his throne, and partakers of his glory for evermore ; can we contemplate all this, and not say, " In thy salvation how greatly
shall I rejoice ?" Verily, if we do not rejoice and shout
for joy, " the very stones will cry out against us" ]
From its mystical or prophetical sense we learn what should be our disposition and conduct towards the Lord Jesus —
[Metliinks, we should rejoice in his joy. If it were but a common friend that was released from heavy sufferings and exalted to glory, we should rejoice with him in the blessed change : how much more then should we participate in our
minds the joy and glory of our adorable Redeemer!
But more particularly we should submit to his government. This is strongly and awfully suggested in all the latter part of the psalm before us. " God has highly exalted Jesus, that at his name every knee should bow :" yea, he has sioorn, that every knee shall bow to him ; and that all who will not bow to the sceptre of his grace, shall be broken in pieces with a rod of iron. Read from the text to the end of the psalm; and
endeavour to realize every expression in it O that we
may be wise ere it be too late ! Let us " kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and we perish:" for though now he condescends to follow us with entreaties to be reconciled towards him, the time is quickly coming, when he will say, " Bring hither those that were mine enemies, who would not that I should reign over them, and slay them before me."
A further improvement we should make of this subject is, to confide in his care. " He is set to be blessings" to a ruined world. He has " ascended up on high that he might fiU all things :" " he has received gifts, even for the rebellious ;" and " has all fulness treasured up in him," on purpose that we may " receive out of his fulness grace for grace." There is nothing that we can want, but it may be found in him ; nor any thing which he is not wilhng to bestow on the very chief of smners. Let us then look to him, and trust in him ; and assure ourselves, that, as "he lost none that had been given him" in the days of his flesh, so now will he suffer " none to be plucked out of his hands." We cannot expect too much from such a King : however " wide we open our mouths, he will fill them."
To seek the enlargement of his kingdom is the last duty we shall mention as suggested by the subject before us. In the prayer that he has taught us, we say, " Thy kingdom come ;" and we close that prayer with ascribing to him " the kingdom,
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