In confidence of an "answer," nourished and strengthened by all the foregoing considerations, the suppliant renews his prayer, while the day of

trouble" lasts; and that day will not end, but with this mortal pilgrimage; since he who loves his country, will ever be uneasy while he is detained among strangers and enemies, perils and temptations. But the trouble is overpaid with profit, which rendereth us adepts in the practice of devotion, which convinceth us that we are abroad, and maketh us to wish and sigh for our true and only home.

8. Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O LORD; neither are there any works like unto thy works.

Another reason why supplication should be made to Jehovah, is his infinite superiority over all those that, by infatuated men, were ever called "gods." From the ancient idolatry, which taught adoration to the sun, moon, and stars, to the light and the air, we have been delivered by the Gospel: nor do we any longer profess to worship Jupiter, and the other Heathen gods and goddesses. But do not many still trust in idols, and have they not, in effect, other objects of worship, from whose hands they expect their reward? Are not the hearts of the covetous, the ambitious, the voluptuous, so many temples of Mammon or Plutus, of Jupiter or Mars, of Bacchus, Comus, and Venus? But what are these deities; what is their power; and what are their gifts? What is the whole world, and all that is therein, when compared with its Maker and Redeemer? what is it when applied to, for the ease and comfort of a

wounded spirit?" Among the gods there is none "like unto thee, O LORD; neither are there any "works like unto thy works!"

9. All nations whom thou hast made, shall come and worship before thee, O LORD; and shall glorify thy name.

The Psalmist predicteth that this superiority of Jehovah should one day be acknowledged throughout all the earth, when "neither in Jerusalem only, nor "in the mount of the Samaritans," but in every place, "should men worship the Father;" John iv. 21. when he who "made all nations" by his Son, should by that Son redeem all nations, bringing them from the world to the church, there to "worship "before" the true God, and "in songs of praise to 66 glorify his holy name." If in these our times, we behold the nations again falling away from God, departing from the purity of their faith, and leaving their first love, let us comfort ourselves with looking forward to that scene of things described by St. John, in which we hope to bear a part hereafter: "I be“held, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man "could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and "people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and "before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and "palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation unto our God which sitteth upon "the throne, and unto the Lamb." Rev. vii. 9.

10. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.

"Great" is Jehovah in his power, in his wisdom, in his mercy; "wonderful" in the creation of the

world, wonderful in the preservation and the government of it, wonderful in its redemption; wonderful in the incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, in the descent of the Spirit, the propagation of the Gospel, the sufferings of saints, and the conversion of sinners; most wonderful will he be when he shall raise the dead, judge the world, condemn the wicked, and glorify the righteous. And then shall every tongue confess, "Thou art God " alone!"

11. Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

It is the continual subject of the Mediator's intercession above, and of our prayers below, that we may be "taught the way of Jehovah," the way to life eternal, prepared for us, through faith and love which is in Christ Jesus; that being so taught, we may likewise be enabled " to walk in the truth," without error in doctrine, or deviation from duty; believing all things which God hath revealed, and doing whatsoever he hath commanded us; that the affections of the "heart" may be withdrawn from other objects, and, being no longer divided between God and the world, become "united" in the filial "fear of his name," as the grand principle of action.

12. I will praise thee, O LORD my God, with all my heart; and I will glorify thy name for evermore. 13. For great is thy mercy toward me; and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.

Gratitude for mercies already received, will obtain a continuance and increase of those mercies. The

church is never in so afflicted a state, but she hath still reason to intermingle hallelujahs with her hosannas, and, in the midst of her most fervent prayers, to "praise the LORD her God with all her heart, "and to glorify his name for evermore ;" since, whatever she may suffer upon earth (and even those sufferings will turn to her advantage), "great," most undoubtedly, "hath his mercy been toward her, in

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delivering" her, by the resurrection of Jesus from the bondage of sin, the dominion of death, and the bottomless pit of " hell."

14. O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before their eyes.

From praises we return again to prayers. When Christ was upon earth, we know the treatment he met with from "proud and violent men, who had "not set God before their eyes;" from self-righteous Jews, and conceited Gentiles, who rose up, and took counsel together, against him. against him. What his church afterwards suffered at the hands of the same enemies, is likewise well known. How much more she is to undergo in her latter days, we know not as yet; but this we do know, that the Spirit of the world stands, now and ever, in opposition to the spirit of God; its design is always the same, although its methods of working be divers. Nor can we be ignorant of those domestic adversaries, that assembly of haughty and turbulent passions, which are continually making insurrections, and destroying the peace of the soul. So that either from without, or

from within, every one, who is a Christian in deed, shall be sure to have his portion of tribulation.

15. But thou, O LORD, art a God full of compassion, and gracious; long suffering, and plenteous in goodness and truth.

Having taken a view of those that are against us, it is now time to look up to those that are with us. And can we have better friends, than all these gracious and favourable attributes of Heaven? Can more comfortable and joyful tidings be brought us, than that God loveth us with a father's love; that he is ready to pardon, slow to anger; and that we have his truth pledged for the performance of his mercy? What a fountain of consolation is here opened for the afflicted Christian! "Let him drink, and forget "his poverty, and remember his misery no more.' Prov. xxxi. 7.

16. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.

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On the consideration of the above-mentioned attributes, a petition is in this verse put up to God, that he would "turn" his face towards us; that he would of his mercy" pardon us, by his grace "strengthen" us, and by his power "save" us from all our adversaries. Every Christian is the "servant of God," and "the son of his handmaid," the church; which may say, in the same spirit of humility and obedience with the blessed Virgin, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord."

17. Show me a token for good, that they which