with g~fts such as men ev:erywhere have highly esteemed. He had courage, nlfoction, generosity, strength; whilst Jacob too seldom shows a11y quality which wins our admiration, and far ~ often he is guilty of tlu':t w~ich excites contempt. And yet the Lord preferred him. The reason was that m him, however encrusted with what was sord_id, b8.8e, an~ m~n, there was yet the germ and seed, the potency nnd promise, 0f the hfe of God m hie soul, There were reverence of nnd trust in God and the .vearning nfter the better life; there were the seeds of the life eternal, and they ;o spr11ug u1 1 at last that God's chosen name for himself was, "I am the God of Jacob." But in E~u, with all his magnificence, courage, and other virtues, there does not seem to hnvo been anything of the kind. lll. IN THE COMPOSITION OF THE SCRIPTURES. What large space is given to what in human esteem seems the chronicling of very small affairs; whilst of the great empires, events, and personalities of the world, scarce any note is taken-none at all, except when and because they are brought into contact with the people of God I But for that they would have been passed over in complete silence. Palestine-what a little shred of the earth's _surface it is! The Jews-what an insignificant people they have always been I Their great men-Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, and the rest- how small to ordinary human sight they appear! But how colossal were Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, Rome, and their heroes I Yet we learn scarce anything of them from the Bible. And the explanation is the same: in the little land, and amongst the despised people, the life of God was to be found as it was not in all the mighty ones of the world. IV. IN oun LoRD's PREFERENCE OF GRACE TO GIFTS. (See Luke x. 20.) His disciples wc:re exultant over their gifts, but he tells them to rejoice rather in that grace which was the common inheritance of every faithful disciple. Girts did not, and do not necessarily, carry along with them the life of God in the soul; but grace always does. V. IN THE ORDERING OP Gon'e PROVIDENCE. What a series of changes does the history of the world show! Empires rising, falling, disappearing. What a fragment of the history of the whole is all that the most learned know! Oblivion has covered the records of well-nigh all peoples. They had their day; were doubtless thought much of by their contemporaries, and more of by themselves; they did, we may be sure, many things--many of them, probably, great exploits, notable deeds. But who knows anything of them now? They all have " waxed old, like a garment, and as," etc. (Heb. i. 12). But of the Church of God, the company of people who in all Ages have loved and feared his Name, there has been no disappearance, their name has endured as none other has. God has preserved them alive, as it is this day. VL IN THE DOCTRINE OF THE CBOSB. How contemptible that seemed in the apos- t.olic age, and, to many, seems so still! Yet to it has been given power to effect a moral change in mankind that nothing else has ever been capable of. Philosophy has done her best ; but she left, notwithstanding all her teachings, the whole world lying in wickedness. But "Christ and him crucified" was preached, and we know the result of that. It was, as it is, "the power of God unto salvation unto every one that believeth." Therefore has God put honour upon that preaching such as he has given to none other. Divine life is in it, as myriads of saved souls know, and it is not found el.5ewhere. CoNCLUBION. Remember that God acts upon these same principles in our own individual life. He loves everything, however mean it may seem, which leads our souls to him ; he cares for nothing, however much esteemed, that leads them away from him.-S. C. Ver. 6.-" Th.e Lord shall cov1nt." There shall be a Divine census, a numbering of the people by God, such as never yet has taken plac~. Nothi~g in Hez~kiah's reig?, the probable date of this psalm, ever fulfilled the glonous promises here g1 ven. But 1t shall be when Christ shall come a~ain. Consider- L THE FACT OF sucH "WRITING UP" OF THE PECPLE. 1. It shall be national. (Vtr. 4.) 2. But individool also. The counting will be of this one, and tha~, and the other; there will be no passing in a crowd. 3. It is attested by many witnesses- Scripture, reason, history, COilllCience. rs. I,XXXVII, 1-7.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 227
II. ITs PURPOAE, Tbo gathering together of bis own true people; the making up or hie jowele; the manifestation of the sons of God. This is 1rnt done now, but shall be. III. THE WRITER. The Lord himself. 1. He only can really know where to find his people; they are often found in strange places (ver. 4). 2. He only = tru,ted. Bigotry, superstition, dislike, would shut many out. Partiality, fondness, be lovo of sin, would let many in. God alone can judge. IV. THE NAMES IN IT. Those only who have been "born" of God. Shall we be there ?-S. C.