dominion over the works of thy hands: thou hast put all things under his feet.

On these two verses, with that preceding, St. Paul has left the following comment: One in a certain place testifieth, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than [marg. a little while inferior to] the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour.' Heb. ii. 6, &c. See also 1 Cor. xv. 27.

7. All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; 8. The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the sea.

Adam upon his creation was invested with sovereign dominion over the creatures, in words of the same import with these, Gen. i. 28; which are therefore here used, and the creatures particularised, to inform us, that what the first Adam lost by transgression, the second Adam regained by obedience. That glory' which was set above the heavens,' could not but be over all things on the earth.' And accordingly, we hear our Lord saying, after his resurrection, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth:' Matt. xxviii. 18. Nor is it a speculation unpleasing, or unprofitable, to consider, that he who rules over the material world, is

Lord also of the intellectual, or spiritual creation, represented thereby. The souls of the faithful, lowly and harmless, are the sheep of his pasture; those who, like oxen, are strong to labour in the church, and who, by expounding the word of life, tread out the corn for the nourishment of the people, own him for their kind and beneficent Master; nay, tempers fierce and untractable as the wild beasts of the desert, are yet subject to his will; spirits of the angelic kind, that, like the bird of the air, traverse freely the superior region, move at his command! and those evil ones, whose habitation is in the deep abyss, even to the great Leviathan himself; all, all, are put under the feet of King Messiah; who, because he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, was therefore highly exalted, and had a name given him above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, whether of things in heaven, or things on earth, or things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' Phil. ii. 8, &c.

9. O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

Let therefore the universal chorus of men and angels join their voices together, and make their sound to be heard as one, in honour of the Redeemer, evermore praising him, and saying, O Lord, our Lord Jesus Christ, King of Righteousness, Peace, and Glory, King of kings, and Lord of lords, how excellent, how precious, how lovely, how great and glorious is thy Name, diffused over all the earth, for the salvation of thy chosen! Bles

sing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. And let heaven and earth say, Amen.

PSALM IX.

Second Day.-Morning Prayer.

ARGUMENT.-This Psalm consists of two parts, a thanksgiving, 1-12. and a prayer, 13-20. Upon what particular occasion it was composed, is not known; probably to celebrate the victories gained by David over the neighbouring nations, after God had exalted him to be King in Sion. See ver. 11. But most certainly the Psalm was intended for the use of the Christian Church; and she continually, by using it, 1, 2. declares her resolution to celebrate the praises of her God; since, 3, 4. her enemies were vanquished, and her cause was carried; 5, 6. the empire of Satan was subverted, and 7, 8. the kingdom of Christ established; 9, 10. affording to believers refuge and salvation. For all these blessings, 11. Christians are excited to praise their Redeemer, who, 12. forgets nothing that is done or suffered for his sake. 13, 14. The Church petitions for final deliverance from the world, and the evil thereof; 15, 16. building her hope upon the mercies already received, 17, 18. she foretels the destruction of the wicked; and, 19, 20. prays for the manifestation of God.

1. I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvellous works.

In this animated and exalted hymn, the church begins with declaring her resolution to praise Jehovah,' as the author of her salvation; and that, neither coldly, as if the salvation were little worth; nor partially, reserving a share of the glory of it to herself; but with the whole heart,' with an affection pure and flaming, like the holy fire upon the

altar. She is determined to show forth' to the world, for its conviction and conversion, all his marvellous works,' the most marvellous' of which are those wrought for, and in, the souls of men. Outward miracles strike more forcibly upon the senses; but they are introductory only to those internal operations, which they are intended to represent.

2. I will be glad and rejoice in thee; I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

Christians are taught to be glad and rejoice,' not in abundance of wealth, or plenitude of power, not in the pleasures of sense, or the praise of men, but in God their Saviour; and their joy is as far superior to the joy of the worldly, as the object of the one is to that of the other. He who, with the spirit and the understanding, as well as with the voice, 'sings praise to thy name, O most High,' is employed as the angels are, and experiences a foretaste of the delight they feel.

3. When mine enemies are driven back, they shall fall, or, they stumble or fall, and perish at thy presence.

The church begins to explain the subject of her joy, which is a victory over her enemies ;' a victory not gained by herself, but by the presence of God' in the midst of her. The grand enemy of our salvation was first vanquished by Christ in the wilderness, and 'driven back,' with the words 'Get thee behind me, Satan.' The same blessed person afterwards completely triumphed over him upon the cross, when the prince of this world was cast out.' This is that great victory, which we cele

brate in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, from generation to generation; and through faith in him who achieved it, we likewise are enabled to fight and to overcome.

4. For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou sattest in the throne judging right.

The same important transaction is here described in forensic, as before it was in military terms. Satan having got possession of mankind, might have pleaded his right to keep it, since by transgression they had left God, and sold themselves to him. But Christ, as the church's representative and advocate, made the satisfaction required, paid down the price of redemption, 'took the prey from the mighty, and delivered the lawful captive:' Isa. xlix. 24. Thus was our right and our cause maintained; thus we were rescued from the oppressor, and he who sat on the throne judged righteous judgment.' Something of this sort may be supposed to pass, concerning each individual, between the Accuser of the brethren and the eternal Intercessor, in the court of heaven.

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5. Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.

To the victory of Christ succeeded the overthrow of Satan's empire in the pagan world. The heathen were rebuked,' when, through the power of the Spirit, in those who preached the Gospel, men were convinced of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; the wicked were destroyed, and their name put out for ever,' when the Roman power became Christian, and the ancient idolatry