Ohurcb, 'l'bus step by step the glorious fabric of redeemed humanity has been thu~ far built up; and the building is still going on, and will go on "Till the whole ransomed Church of God Be saved, to sin no more." II. 'l'HE PERFE0TlNG OF THE INDIVIDUAL SOUL. Trace the history of any one of those whom God has redeemed, and in that individual's experience of the ways of G0d there will be found further illustration of how "mercy is built up for ever." 1. In the circumstances, whatever they were, which led the soul to realize its deep need. The Holy Spirit uses all manner of means to bring this about. 2. 11t the surrender of the will to Obrist. Faith, believing, coming to Christ, are all, with other such expression~, only differeut forms of stating that the soul has given up its will to God. 3. Then the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. From this results that sanctification which i< the "being changed into Chri~t•s image, from glory to glory." 4. The disciplines of God;s pro- vidence. .All these are parts of the building process, unsightly, unlovely, repellant, having no form nor comeliness in them, and yet in and through them mercy is being built up, the work of God in the soul is advanced. 5. The means of grace-prayers, sacraments, Scrivtures, work for God, to which he calls us-all are for our perfecting. III. 'l'HE RECOMPENSES'OF MERCY, "Blessed are the merciful," said our Lord, and it is so. Take as an historic illustration the founding of Pennsylvania, and the way in which the Quakers dealt with the Indians. Other methods are but demonstrations of the truth that they that take the sword perish by the sword. A.ad it is so with individuals. God loves mercy, and recompenses it; he will build it up for ever. CoNOLUSION. 1. Render praise to the Lord. For mercy is ever needed by us all. 2. Hope continually. For mercy is to be built up for ever: it wearies not; it will, it must, have its way at length. Hope, then, for the myriads yet un8aved; God knows how to build them in. And never despair or yourselves. 3. Get employed in this blessed building work. There is room for us all. 4. Weary not in showing mercy. 1t is to go on for ever. If we meet with rude re buff, still go on with the sacred toil. God's mercy is built up for ever : be ours likewise 1-S. C.
Vere. 15, 16.-" The joyful sound." We do not know the circumstances which occasioned this psalm, but we may fitly apply the words of our text to the revelation of God in Christ. Now- I. THE GOSPEL IS A JOYFUL BOUND. For : 1. It tells of forgiveness. This is the need of all, the indispensable need, and is met only in Christ. Therefore the gospel, which tells of Christ, and his atonement, and the full free forgiveness granted in him to every penitent, believing soul, is a joyful sound. 2. Of a new nature. For- giveness apart from this would be of little avail. But Christ is •• made unto us . . . sanctification" (see Ezek. xxxvi. 25-31). 3. Of peace of soul-that inward calm and rest of faith which, combined with the consciousness of pardon and purity in Christ, constitute here and now a real heaven in the soul. 4. Of eternal life. Our joy abides. For all these reasons the gospel is a joyful sound. II. THE PEOPLE ARE BLESSED WHO KNOW THIS JOYFUL SOUND. 1. In wl1at they possess. A. new au<l happy relationship with God. 2. In what they are. 3. In the influence they exert. ill. THE EFFE0T8 TllAT FOLLOW FROM SU0H KNOWLEDGE ABE VERY PRE0IOUS. They concern: 1. ..d. man's life. "They shall walk, 0 Lord, in the light of thy countenance," etc. A man must get through life some way: the question is-How? But here is a way told of which is, indeed, a good way. To walk in the light of God's countenance is to have the consciousness of God's love resting on one. To know you have the love of a valued friend is good: how much more that of God I It gives serenity of heart, freedom from fear, confidence of deliverance from all evil. 2. ..d. man's spirit. "In thy Nam~ shall they rejoice," etc. Joy is essential to the healthy life of tbe soul, a~ l:ght is to that of the body. Now that in which they who are spoken of here rejoice is the Name of God: "thy Name." But by the Name of God is meant all that which we fiud in God. "He hath done all things well" is the verdict which their souls promptly and steadily pronounce. The man is born again, renewed in the spirit of his mind, and hence God is no longer a terror or a dislike to him, but "his exceeding Joy,'' 3 . .d 246 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PB, LXXXIX, 1-62,
man's condition. "In thy righteousness shall they be exalted." Before their own comcience; for it is kept pure and void of offence. Before their fellow-men. Is not 1hat so? "Them that honour me I will honour," saith God, We see this every day, And in the presence of God at last. "They shall be mine in the day when I make up my jewels " (Me.l. iii. 17). IV. BUT IN ORDER TO ALL THIS WE MUST KNOW, REALLY AND INWARDLY THIS JOYFUL BOUND, 1. For many profeued Ohri,stians do not; and hence they eh.ow a sad and unhappy contrast to what has been said. They do not seem blessed any way- not in their daily life, nor in the spirit of their mind, nor are they "exalted" at all as is here said. 2. The reason is that, though they may be familiar with the letter of the gospel, they yet do not really know it. For to know the joyful sound is to realize and to appropriate it, to heartily believe and obey it. 3. The conditions of such know- ldge are: We must greatly desire it; we must prepare for it, for however large our heart may be, the Lord's grace will want all the room; therefore if it be cumbered with other and evil things, there will not be room for him. The Israelites at the Passover were to put away the leaven. So must we put away all known sin. And then believe~ trust, and for yourself, the glad gospel message. So shall you come to really know it, and our text shall be fulfilled for you.-S. C.