g Ps. Ivii. 4, h Ps. xxvii. 5, 6. * Isai. xxxvii. 3, 14, 21, 22.
fortress, and looks down on their fruitless efforts with pity and contempt.]
Address —
1. Let us seek to attain the character here drawn —
[To fear God is the duty, and to trust in him the privi- lege, of every child of man Learn then to tremble for
fear of his judgments, and to rely on his mercy as revealed to
you in his Gospel for then only can you experience
the blessings of his goodness, when you surrender up your- selves to him to be saved by his grace ]
2. Let us enjoy the privileges conferred upon us —
[For a fuller discovery of the believer's privileges, we may
consult the declarations of David in the Psalms'^ Let
us not rest in any thing short of them. Let us get such a sense of them as shall overwhelm us with wonder, and gratitude, and praise ]
k Ps. xci. 1—4, 9—16. and Iv. 21, 22.
Ps. xxxi. 21 — 24. Blessed he the Lord : for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes : nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications lohen I cried unto thee, 0 love the Lord, all ye his saints : for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.
THE use of biography is universally acknowledged. It leads us into the recesses of domestic life ; and teaches us, either from the frailties or the excellencies of others, how to conduct ourselves in a great variety of emergencies, which we ourselves must expect to meet with in life. But sacred biography is infinitely more interesting than that which proceeds only from uninspired pens, because the circumstances which are brought to light are more minute — more diversified — more authentic, than any records which people would choose to give of themselves, or than others would be capable of giving respecting them. On this ac- count the Psalms of David claim the highest possible