to any snch belief. We should obtain & worthier idea of the Bible representations of angels, if we regarded their sensible appearances as designed to illustrate God's abiding, unseen spiritual agenci<'s in the blessing of men. The term "angel" is properly applied to any _end every agency God uses to do his work of keeping, guiding, comforting, or correcting men. God has redeeming angels, afflicting angels, destroying angels, "He maket.h winds his angels, flaming fire his ministers." I. THE ANGl!:J,-CHARGE. Illustrate from the time of the destruction of the Eayptie.n firstborn. Thea Israel in Goshen was in the charge of God's angel, Or refer° to the preservation of Moses, Aaron, Caleb, and Joshua in the times of sudden pestilence in the desert. These were in the an11:el-cbe.rge. Or take the case of Elisha e.t Dothe.n when, seemingly in the power of the Syrians, he was really safe in the angel-charge'. Or see Peter in prison, likely enough to follow James to his fate. He really was in the angel care and deliverance. Or take the case of the Uovene.nter, who, escapin"' from his foes, climbed into the hollow of an old tree, over the hole of which a spider e.~ once spun a great web, which made the pursuers feel sure no one could have crept inside. That spider wa.s God's angel. IL THE co:iIDITIONs OF THE ANGEL-CHARGE, These the tempter kept back when he urged Jesus to rely on, or rather presume on, the angel-che.rge. He repressed the words, " Keep thee in all thy ways," which distinctly mean " a good man's ways," "the ways a good man ought to be taking." "Only in the ways of God's vocation, and with a view to progress in those ways, have we a right to the promise." If we want to do right, we may be sure of God's angel-help, We have no claim if we want to do wrong.-R. T. Vers. 12, 13.-Typioo,l perils of the saints. (See also vers. 5, 6, 10.) '!'hose dealt with may be read iu the light of wilderness-experiences. Then we have: 1. The common Eastern terror of the night, both as time of insecurity and time of spread of disease. Thieves work at night; sudden attacks of enemies are made at night; the angel of pestilence strikes at night; wild beasts roam at night; fires mostly break out at night. 2. The dangers of sunstroke and lightning-flash, which are the" arrows that fly by day." 3. The diseases that breed in unsanitary conditions, and gain force to sweep thousands away. 4. The open and subtle attacks of the animals of the desert. The lion that attacks in front; the adder that bites the heel. Bonar tells us that " the putrid plague-fever often comes on in the night, while the patient is asleep; the solstitial disease seizes in heat of harvest upon a man in open air, and cuts him off, perhaps, ere evening. Now what of spiritual peril may these typify? J. THE PERILS THAT CONNECT WITH THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF HELPLESSNESS, At night we can do nothing to ward off evils. So there are times in life when we feel to be in circumstances which we cannot even try to control. 'l'he good man would be hope- lessly distressed if he were compelled to think he was at the mercy of circumstances, The psalmist knows that darkness and li11:ht are both alike to bis protecting God. Il THE PERILS THAT COME THROUGH THE OVERMASTERING OF OUR EFFORTS. In the day we can watch, we can resist, we can order our conduct wisely, we can act promptly; and yet we are constantly finding the forces round us are bigger than we. Sunstroke and lightning typify the things that will not be" according to our mind." But the psalmist knows nothing is beyond the Divine restraint. That which happens is permitted. III. 'l'HE PERILS THAT COME TO us VICARIOUSLY, We are constantly suffering from the sins and ueglects of others. If we do right and our neighbour does wrong, both may have to sutler the consequences that re.;ult. As in case of infectious diseases. So national troubles reach the evil and the good alike. IV. THE PERILS THAT COME THROUGH WILFUL WRONG-DOERS. Represented by the violent "lion," aud the insidious, treacherous "adder." The psalmist believes in God as Restrainer of the wrath of mcn.-R. T.
Ver. 14.-Reasons in man fur the Divine favour. "Because he hath set his love u~n me." 'l'his verse begins what may be regarded as a poetical setting of the answer which God gives to the fully-trusting soul. "God himself comes forward to establish the faith of his servant, writes deeper ia the soul so grea.t a consolation, and confirms re. xot. 1-18.J THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 281