of the eoul, has risen, that soul will arise and toil in him and for him. He prompts, lie enables the activities of the spiritual life. 6. The day, with its light, stands also /or /oy and brightness. How the nature.I world rejoices in the light I And the gladness of the soul is in him who is the true Light. There can be no real gladness till he comes. "Thou ho.et put joy and ~ladness into my heart, more than," etc. (Ps. iv. 7). II. 'l'nE MOON. 1. The world is yet in darkness. That tells more truly of its spiritual condition the.n the day. We speak of this enlightened age, but the words are mockery when we remember me.n's present e.!ienation from God. 2. But as the moon we.s to give light by night, so in this darkness of man's spiritual condition the Church of Ohrist is to give light. She is commissioned for this very end. 3. But as the moon gives light only when reflecting the light of the sun, so the Church can be the world's light only as she reflects the light of Christ. She has none of her own. But when she does, how fair e.nd beautiful she is! and how great the service she renders (Cant. vi. 10) ! 4-. And the purpose of these great lights is to divide the light from the darkness. How almost instantaneously Christ and those who are truly his act in the world as such dividers I It was said of Christ that through him "the thoughts of ma.oy hearts should be revealed" (Luke ii. 35). Then- III. THE STABS. These represent the individual Christians, giving their light, as does the moon, by reflection. And all these are for signs to men.-S. C. Vers. 25, 26.-The psalm Qf creation: the fifth day. The corresponding verses to these are in Gen. i. 20-23, and they tell of the creation of the inhabitants of the sea and of the air-the :fish who, by means of fins, navigate the sea; and the birds who, by means of wings, navigate the air. But as it is in this psalm, so it is in Genesis- the creation of the terrestrial forms of animal life follow on that of the other forms, all of which are to be crowned by God's highest work, the creation of man, which is the especial work of the sixth day. Let us, therefore, consider these different forms of animal life, all of which were to be made subject to man. They are in three groups. I. THOSE OF THE BEA, 1. The sea, in the Scriptures, is continually taken as the symbol of that which is turbulent, tumultuous, restless, violent. (Ps. lxv. 7.) And so the sea answers in our nature to those passions in man which are so like the sea. Oh, what shipwrecks they have ea.used! what widespread ruin and devastation! But when God recreates our nature, then even these strong and seemingly ungovernable passions shall be made to further his glory. Men wonder now that God has formed them with such wild, unruly tendencies. But we forget that these are for our discipline and spiritual education. They are given us to subdue and conquer, not that they should subdue us. And when we do conquer them, great is our reward. The wild, turbulent see. has been subdued by man, for see, "there go the ships;" man had made it his obedient servant, e.nd it perpetually fulfils his will. And so shall i.t be with that part of our nature which is like the sea for turbulence. Passion wisely controlled, whether it be love, or anger, or ambition, shall bless, and not curse, as now, for want of such control, they too often do. 2. Look at the fruitfulness of the sea. The infinitely abundant and varied life it sustains, from the great sea-monsters who play therein, down to the minutest insect which makes there its home. 3. And the sea has been termed" the life-blood of the land." What do we not owe to it? And so, when God regenerates our nature, our passions, transformed into holy_ energies and Chrbt-lilr.e zeal, she.II be for the glory of God and the good of our fellow-men. II. 'l'HE Am. The sky, the firmament of heaven, so lofty, glorious, beautiful, may stand e.s the symbol of the imagination, that high endowment of the human soul. How often that has been made the ·home of that which is evil, unclean, and hateful to God I But, as at the first, this also, when regenerated, sho.ll glorify God. The thought that soars, the love that sings, the heart made pure, shall each avail itself of this fair firmament, and "on wings, as eagles," sho.11 mount aloft to God. III. THE EARTH. The new ee.rth type of the renewed nature. We are told of the creatures that were formed. '!'hey tell, according to Scripture usage, of the dispositions .t.nd character of the regenerate nature: service, wisdom, strength. So we interpret the cattle, the serpent, the beast of the forest.-S. C.
Ver. 23.-The psalm of creat-ion: the sixth day-the creation of man. We e.sk- 406 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [I's. CIV, 1-86,