over reai:on and affection and conscience. 2. A law that guides by aiming at el1e i·e11ewal of our nature. In this respect how different from all human law I "'l'he Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." This Law not merely bids us obey, but urges us by grand arguments of love and obligation. And helps us by the energy of the Holy Spirit, which it promises and gives. II. Tms "LAW" CONTAINS WONDROU8 THINGS. 1. Wonders of doctrine. Forgive- ness through Christ. Demands the perfection of our nature. An immortal and blessed life. 2. Wonders of precept. Supreme love to God and man, No one can love God "With all his soul and mind and strength without loving his neighbour as himself, any more than the earth can gravitate towards the sun without attracting toward itself the moon by the same force of gravity. 3. Wonders of promise. In personal union with Christ we find the fulfilment of all Divine promise. III. THE HOLY SPIRIT MUST GIVE us TO DISCERN THESE WONDERS. The best Christians feel that our perceptions of spiritual truth are infirm and obscure; but things are greater than we see them-more wonderful than they now appear. Hence this prayer, for the opening the eyes of the heart and soul. 'l'o be a philosopher, or artist, or orator, there must be two things-some genius for it, or na~ural capacity; and training, or instruction and discipline. To be a Christian there must be spiritual eyesight-the gift of God's Spirit. "Open thov, mine eyes." And trained and disciplined insight-the work also of the Spirit, our 'l'eacher.-S. Ver. 32.-Liberty. The utterance of a man conscious of imperfect obedience to the will of God; and one who deplores bis weakness. Also the expression of ltope and confidence. A time will come when God will enlarge his heart. Also the hungerinu0 of joyful purpose: "I will run," etc. Two main thoughts, I. SPmITUAL LIBERTY IS NECESSARY TO DOING THE WILL OF GoD. 1. lt iofreedom from the bondage of worldly passions and appetites. There can be no spiritual active obedience to the will of God as long as we are under the dominion of worldly principles and affections. 2. Spirit=l liberty is freedom from the fear that springs from a sensa of guilt. We must be free from the terror of guilt before we can serve God with joy and freedom. Remove Jesus Christ and his doctrine from between God and ourselves, and we stand in the presence of terrifying law; and have the feeling of helpless weakness. Faith is tbe instrument of our freedom: What we· can perceive and trust in Christ by the faculties of the mind. 3. The highest liberty is f ov,nd in love. Love to God and love to man. Here we ascend beyond faith to the loftiest pitch we are capable of-to the development of the most perfect freedom, and we run in the ways of God. The profoundest aphorism of Scripture is that "love is the fulfilling of the Law." II. THE PRODUCTION OF THIS LIBERTY IS A DIVINE wonK. '' When thou sbalt enlarge," etc. lf God has laid upon us laws which his power must enable us to obey, how is our duty to be explained, and where lies our sin, if we fail in obedience? 1. God iB the First Cause of all life ; but man is a second cause. He " worketh in 11s to will and to do according to his good pleasure." It is his will and work that our will should coincide with his, and work towards the same holy ends. 2. But he does t!iis by methods which impose duty and responsibility upon us. The principle on whioh God enriches men with increasing gifts of power and grace is-the u8e we malce of them. 'l'he Divine teaching attributes to us the power of increasing the talents entrusted to us, so that future bestowments are made to depend upon our appropriation of those that have gone before.-S. Ver. 59.-Religion under two aspects. I. As A MENTAL EXERCISE. "I thought on my ways." Religion revives the past, rouses the moral memory. 1. The supreme interest of the past is. of a reli,gious nature. What we have ?e~n intellectually or socially is of great interest. But what have been our conv1ct10ns and conduct religiously? We thrill with joy or shiver with misery according to the answer we give to this question-What are our "ways"? ll;hat are we? 2. But to think upon our" uaya" is di(ficmt and repulsive. To think of good fortune in worldly specula- tion, success in business, formation of esteemed connections and friondships, tills us with complacent delight. But to think of a youth wasted in thoughtless frivolity P8, CXIX, 1-176.] THE DOOK OF PSALMS, 177
or in impure pleasures, of m11nbood hardening itself a"ainst 0 all reli"ious impression of a pa~t whose track has bee~ fouled with th~ slime of the serpent:-we turn away ~rom tine BR from folly, loss, guilt, shame, an? misery: 3. To think upon ()U,r "way3" is necessary and salutary. Necessary to realize our sm, to a. cha.nge of life and renewal of the soul. The connection there is between thought and practice. ' II. RELIGION AB A PRACTICAL PillNCIPLE. "And turned my feet unto thy testi- monies." 1. Practical resolves should be the result of earnest thought. Fits and impulses too often precede our resolutions and efforts, But thought, deliberate and earnest, summons up the grand motives, surveys the difficulties to be conquered counts the cost, and prays for Divine help, and should go before every effort aftl'r ~ change of life. 2. The great end of religion is active obedience to the will of God. Tru0 understanding of our ways brings the grand conclusion-that man's " way" ought to be God's "way." We are forgiven in order to this. 3. If we are not led to this, we miss the end for which Divine intelligence was given, Reason is under an eclipse if it does not light us to this end. Conscience is a corrupted judge, bribed to betray us, if it does not pronounce this verdict. The whole nature of man suffers loss and ruin if we fail to turn our feet to the Divine testimonies.-$,
Ver. 60.-" The whole duty of man." "'l made haste, and delayed not to observe thy commandments." J, A GREAT PART OF MAN'S IRRELIGION IS IN THE DELAY OF PRESENT DUTY. 1, Most men purpose turning to Christ some time. 2. This purpose is one of man's greatest deceivers, It is the excuse for neglecting the present duty. 3. This purpose not fulfilled, progressively increases the difficulty of turning to Christ. II. ODEDIENCE TO CHRIST IS OUR IMMEDIATE IMPERATIVE DUTY. 1. The wicked- ness of trifling with our convictions is very great. 2. The claims of Christ upon us are before all others, both in time and in importance. 3. God sometimes sends special influences to turn us to Christ. To neglect these is the quenching of the Spirit.-S.