L WE NEED REST. 1. Physical rest, in due amount, is a very deep need of life. At our peril we despise it. There are forms of animal life which are sleeplcs~, but they are of very low types. The child, for many years, needs to spend half his life in sleep. The strong man needs from a quarter to a third of his time for sleep; and he must not give his waking hours to unnecessary toil, or body and mind will fail und,r the strain. We arc not to tliiuk the time spent iu sleep sheer waste. Tbe schoolboy knows his task better whcu he wakes than over-night. You are wiser fo1· "sleepina over" a quesLion. As a new building requires time to settle, so, it seems, do our"tbourrhts. " Ile gh·eth bis beloved sleep" (Ps. xxvii. 2). 2. No less do we need mental r~t- repose of soul, heart, intellect. I~est from doubt in certainty of truth. From care, in trust. From life's turmoil, iu the quieting presence of things unsecu and eternal. From the world, in solitary couverse with our Father and our Saviour. From rest- lessness, iu peace; not insensibility, not i □ ertness or carelessness, but in war,! calm. II. Goo 1s nrn souL's REST. God has made all creation full of (lelight and profit for man, but not provided full satisfaction, perfect p(•nce, anywhere but iu himself. Faith is not a sudden snatch, but au abiding bold. Like the ivy, the soul climbs by clinging close; and as the ivy cannot cling while tossed to and fro by the wind, so the soul must cease to be agitated by stormy restless desires, if it is to take close, strong, peaceful hold on God. Rest in God iucludes: 1. Reconciliation. It would be absurd to speak of resting in God while our heart is e.t eumity with him, estranged from him, or careless, iguorant, doubtful, a.bout our personal relation to him. One or other of these must be the case unless we are what Scripture calls reconciled to God. The "glad tidings" is the "word of reconciliation'' in a twofold sense: (1) The message and witness of the/act that God has provided atonement (2 Cor. v. 19; Rom. v. 10). (2) The message of personal invitation-not to Jews, heathen, atheists, notorious offenders, as such, but to men as men, to each one aa a sinner (2 Cor. v. 20). Nature J,as no gospel. It is Christ who interprets for us the teaching, else unintelligible, of the lilies a,,d the birds (Matt. vi. 26, etc.). It is his voice-the voice of the Father speak- ing through the Son-that says," I will give you rest" (Matt. xi. 28). 2. The rest of absolute submission to God's will, is what he sometimes calls us to. A bard lesson, but holy, profitable, with an after-fruit of peace. Not the highest form of faith, but iud,is- pensable to its completeness. For God does not cease to be otlt Creator, our Sovereigu, when we become" chilJren of God by faith in Obrist Jesus." 3. The rest of unlimited tru5t. Not mere lying still in God'~ hand or at the feet of Jesus; not (as the "Quietists" taught) annihilation of our own will or of personal self; the calm energy of the soul, willingly placing all iu God's hand. Not the stillness of the stagnant pool, but the cairn of the deep Jake through which a steady current flows. Christ was uot passive in Gethsemane; the whole force of his will and purpose was galhered up in "Not my will," etc. Ver. 23.- Vindication of God's supreme and gracious providence. "'fhe steps," etc. (see Revised Version). The theme of this noble pRalm is the vindication of God's supri:me and gracious provideuce, and the confirmatiou of faith tried by the vicissitudes of life, the prosperity of evil-doers, and trials of the righteous. I. IN THE WIDEST SENSE HUMAN LIFE-" the steps of[each] man," the path in which he tread&-lB uism.rn Gov's GUIDAKCE; upheld by his power, directed by his counsel (Prov. XL 24-). As a journey is made up of single steps, and one false step may be fate.I; so life, of momentary experiences and acts of choice, of which the greatest may hinge on the least. Life or d~ath may hang on a pair of damp sheets or wet shoes, or a whiff of poisoned air. The fate of an empire way turn on the flight of a bullet. A s1rider's web spuu across a dark opening hns saved a fugitive from his persecutors. A successful career or a happy home may be owiug to a chance meeting. If, therefure, God rules human alfnirs, he must foresee and control their most minute _and secret causes. IL GoD BESTOWS SPECIAL GUIDANCE ON BIB OHILDREN. "The steps of I\ good, man," etc. (Authorized Version). "Established," is the proper meaning of the Hebrew word; not only directed, but made firm, plautcd evenly and safely. This word" good," inserted by our old translators,seems a bold interpolation; but, in fact, it does but express 1 he spirit of the whole passage. It is of tbe "meek," the "righteous," the" u,pright," PB. XXXVII, 1-40.] THE BOOK OF l'SALM8. 2n
the man who delights in the Lord, rests in him, waits on him, the psalm speaks (vcro. 3, 4, 7, 11, 16, 18). Such phrases as" special providence" are sometimes ignornutly used, sometimes as ignorantly found fault with. Wrongly used, if it he supposed that God's control is occasional, not perpetual and universal; wrongly objected to, if it is forgotten that at any moment God's guidance may have some special end in view, some immediate result. There are three reasons why God's childr,m-namcly, those who are living the lire or faith-obtaiu this special guidance and may cou111t on it. (1) They ask for it. (2) They follow and yield to it. (3) It is possible in their case, as it is not in the case of an ungodly life. They have the teaching of God's ,v ord_. which the ungodly person neglects; and the teaching of God's Spirit, which he doea not believe iu cir desire (Rom. viii. 14). Further, God has e. diJiereut end in view for them (Rom. ii. 7, 8). PBAOTIOAL CONCLUSION. 1. If we desire God to guard and guide aud prosper our whole life-journey, we must ask him to guide every step. We are warranted in asking and expecting his leading in the least matters as truly as in the greatest. ,ve should uot willingly move a step without him. We mnst be prepared at every step to let him choose, remembering Ps. cvi. 15. 2. What shall we ~ay to those who have never yet taken the one first step into the right and ssfe path (John v. 40; Prov. xvi. 25) ·i "There is but a step between" you "and death." But also, one God-guided step wili bring you to the feet of the Saviour, who is pledged to turn none away (John vi. 3,).