divided into portions well suited for reading at the time of family prayer. We have already given extracts from this work the following comment on the 4th psalm will serve to show the plan of it.

PSALM IV.

V.

David, pressed and insulted by his enemies, calls upon God; reproves, and warns the wicked; and declares his confidence, joy, and peace in the Lord.

1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: Thou hast set me at liberty when I was in trouble; have mercy upon me, and hearken unto my prayer.

20 ye sons of men, how long will ye blaspheme mine honour and have such pleasure in vanity, and seek after leasing?

3 Know this also, that the Lord hath chosen to Himself the man that is godly: when I call upon the Lord, He will hear me.

4. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart, and in your chamber, and be still.

5 Offer the sacrifice of righteousness: and put your trust in the Lord.

6 There be many that say: who will show us any good?

7 Lord, lift Thou up: the light of thy countenance

upon us.

8 Thou hast put gladness in my heart: since the time that their corn, and wine, and oil increased.

9 I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest: for it is Thou, Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety.

NOTES.

1 God of my righteousness.] Thou, whom I serve in righteousness, who makest me righteous, and acceptest me as Thy righteous servant.

2 will ye blaspheme? &c.] Will ye speak evil of that which is my honour and glory; of my government and the service of my God: also of God himself.

In vanity. In your vain and foolish strife against me; and in leasing, in deceit and lying. As the people blasphemed and uttered lies against David, so did their children afterwards against Christ: but all in vain.

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ON PSALM IV.

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3. the man that is godly, &c.] The Lord hath chosen me his godly servant, "the man after his own heart,” to be king. I Sam. xiii. 14. xvi. 6-13. The Lord chooses only such as will be godly, and they whom He chooses shall stand.

4. commune, &c.] Converse with your heart, consider and examine it in your chamber, when you are quiet and undisturbed.

5. the sacrifice of righteousness] No sacrifice or service can be pleasing to God without a righteous heart and character; that is your best sacrifice; be satisfied with nothing else.

6. many that say, &c.] Our enemies say so of us; many say so of themselves, not knowing where to look for real happiness; even the righteous, under severe trials, may be tempted to complain in this sad manner. David looks to the mercy of God, as to the countenance of a friend, cheering like the light of the sun. See ver. 7.

8. since the time, &c.] It means more than in the time when their earthly blessings increased, as in the Bible version. My spiritual gladness is far greater than their earthly gladness.

9.] This last verse is very proper to be used on going to rest at night.

REFLECTIONS.

"In every thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God." Phil. iv. 6. Let the sense of past mercies lead us to pray earnestly and faithfully, to our heavenly Father, whatever trouble we may be called to endure: He can set us at liberty, as He has done His servants in all ages. Be it our only care, to approve ourselves as His chosen people, in the way of "righteousness and true holiness," and thus through the merits of our Saviour we shall obtain peace at the last. Even, indeed, under the afflictions of life, we shall be far happier than the ungodly, in all their prosperity, and all their thoughtless mirth. Take heed, ye foolish and wicked: take comfort, ye wise and righteous. Though there be war without, there will be peace within and we shall sleep in safety. "Happy the Christian, who having nightly, with the words of this

verse (ver. 9,) committed himself to his bed, as to his grave, shall at last, with the same words, resign himself to his grave, as to his bed, from which he expects in due time to arise, and sing a morning hymn, with the children of the resurrection."

QUESTIONS.

O God of my righteousness? How long will ye blaspheme mine honour? What is leasing? Whom did the Lord choose? What is to commune? The sacrifice of righteousness? What is the light of God's countenance? How may the righteous lay themselves down? Why may they lay down in peace? J. S. B.

PRAYER FOR THE WHOLE STATE OF CHRIST'S CHURCH.

WHAT a blessing it would be, and what blessings it might be expected to bring down on our country, if, instead of murmuring and complaining, and finding fault with others, and encouraging in ourselves a spirit of discontent, we every one of us tried how near we could live to the spirit and precepts of the Gospel, if we tried how devout and holy we could be towards God, how kind and compassionate to our fellow-creatures! When we meet together in public worship, we do put up a prayer that His Spirit may be in us; and perhaps we use the words of such a prayer in private; but this is very different from having a real desire to possess such a spirit: and the real reason why we do not possess this spirit, is because we do not really ask it from our hearts. The Scriptures abound in promises of blessings to those who earnestly seek for them; but there is no promise of good to those who pray with their lips, instead of with their hearts; but, on the contrary, such vain worship is represented as highly offensive to God. We have a prayer in our Church for "Christ's Church militant here on earth," --a prayer, that is, for God's people whilst they are in their state of trial here on earth: they are considered whilst in this world as militant, that is, in a state of warfare. The late excellent Lord Teignmouth says, that he used this prayer twice every day, and he recommends his son to do the same. Blessed indeed would it be for

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us, if we all did really pray from our hearts that God would inspire the Universal Church "with a spirit of truth, unity, and concord;" that he would lead all "those who confessed His holy name to agree in the truth of His holy word, and to live in unity and godly love." We might indeed expect God's favour to be with us, if we prayed, in earnest, for His guardian care to be over our King, and all who are appointed to rule over us, that we may be "godly and quietly governed," in holiness towards God, and in peace with one another. If we offered this prayer in earnest, it would be answered; and there would soon be an end of those troubles which harass and distress those who are careless about God's service, full of envyings and jealousies towards one another, and, with a spirit of selfishness, seeking only what seems to be their own interest, wholly regardless of the interest and happiness of others. It does indeed become us most earnesly to offer up our prayers, that all who are in authority may give their whole energies to the putting down" wickedness and vice," and "to the maintenance of true religion and virtue." Instead of thwarting and opposing the ministers of religion, how great would be the benefit if we could see the value of the mercies of the Gospel which they proclaim, and if we would all earnestly put up our prayers to God, that he would "give them grace to enable them, both by their life and doctrine, to set forth God's true and lively word, and rightly and duly to administer his holy sacraments." Then we should join earnestly in our prayers for all God's people, that He would give them His "heavenly grace," that they might" hear and receive his holy Word, with meek hearts and due reverence, and truly serve Him in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life." All true Christian people will offer up their prayers for those who are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity." For the dead we must not pray, it is too late! but we may bless God's holy name, for those His servants who have departed this life in his faith and fear;" and we may beseech him to "give us grace so to follow their good example, that with them we may be partakers of his heavenly kingdom.” Surely there is matter here for the prayers of every devout and sincere

"

Christian; and we should earnestly beg of God to grant us what we have prayed for, "for Jesus Christ's sake, our only Mediator and Advocate." V.

us."

COMMON MISTAKE IN READING THE CHURCH SERVICE. THE service of our Church was constructed with the greatest care and consideration: but from the constant habit of using it, we frequently use it without considering the meaning of what we are saying. There are some sentences, which though short, are full of most important meaning, short expressions, just such as a person would use who felt much distressed, or who was in deep need of help: such as, "Lord, have mercy upon us ;"Christ, have mercy upon us;" "Lord, have mercy upon us." There is the religion of the Gospel in these few words, if they are properly understood and felt. The first of these petitions for mercy is to the FATHER, the second to the SoN, the third to the HOLY SPIRIT. Some parish clerks make four sentences of these instead of three, by adding at the end, "Christ, have mercy upon This is quite wrong, and spoils the meaning of these short prayers. A person who knows his real condition, and is truly grieved for his past sins and ignoance, and negligence, will see the need of pardon, and will plead for mercy to his heavenly Father. “Lord, have mercy upon me. But he will see that the only way through which the Father has promised to show mercy to a sinner, is through the atonement made by Christ on the cross, and through his mediation; he will therefore beg of Christ to accept him, to have mercy upon him, to plead for him with the Father: he therefore begs of Christ for this mercy," Christ, have mercy upon me. But the sinner must be sanctified before he is saved; he must have the influence of the Holy Spirit, to give him that newness of heart which is required of every one who would be admitted in heaven. We are to pray then to the Holy Spirit to give us this preparation.

These prayers will be full of benefit to us if we use them aright. If we use them with our lips without considering them in our hearts, they will be of no benefit to us, but may be classed among those offerings which are "abominations to the Lord."

V.