The mighty angels of our God, Their numbers we but little know, Thou holy, holy, righteous Lord, They all are holy and complete, To praise and bless thy wondrous love. REFLECTION CCXXXIX.-AUGUST 26. "But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more."-Psa. lxxi. 14. THIS psalm, though without a title, is supposed to have been written by David; but be that as it may, we most assuredly regard it as an inspired psalm, delineating the exercises of a godly man's mind. The psalm opens with expressions of confidence in the Lord, accompanied with earnest petition. Real trust in the Lord will always be in close affinity to supplication: he that trusts most will pray most. Hence, saith the penman of this psalm, "In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion; and thus he continues, "Deliver me in thy righteousness," &c., to the 9th verse. We need fear whether our confidence is genuine if we grow careless and indifferent about praying. Some allusion is made to what his enemies were saying concerning him, and in our text he expresses his confidence, saying, "But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more." We have, then, in these words the intentions and feelings of a good man expressed: "But I will hope continually." To It is get at the sense and force of these words we lay emphasis on the eonjunction "but," which seems to express determination, that whatever his enemies might say of him, and to his God concerning him, yet he would hope; and however others might conduct themselves, and apparently care neither for God nor man, yet he would hope continually, or always, and under every circumstance; and, although there should be but little expectation of realizing, still he would hope for sometimes a godly man had to hope against hope; as it was with Abraham. There is that in a man that fears the Lord, that he cannot, and will not give up. He is possessed of grace, by which he hopes grace struggling under opposition and impediments. God holds the man, and the man takes hold of God, in the exercise of hope. Let us briefly consider the object, the matter, and the influence of a godly man's hope. First, the object-God. "Thou art my hope," said one. And, again: "Hope thou in God." God is properly and righteously the object of hope. Not so much in his abstract being, but rather in his covenant character, and as the God of salvation. "In God is my salvation (said one) and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge is in God." God, in his perfections, is a godly man's object of hope-his power, his wisdom, his mercy, his goodness, his justice, holiness, righteousness, and grace; yea, all he is as a God forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. God in his Persons is the object of a godly man's hope—the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. A godly man hopes in the love of God-in the redemption of the Lord Jesus, and in the sanctifying and life-sustaining power of the Holy Ghost. He hopes God will never leave him nor forsake him, but that he will do all to and for him that he promised in his word. Hence, secondly, the word of the Lord is the matter of his hope; it is that by which he learns what he is warranted to hope for; why he may hope, and when, and with what confidence. By the doctrines he learns the scheme or plan of salvation -how full it is, how free it is, how great it is, how lasting it is, and how certain it is; and, withal, how suited and adapted it is to him; and he hopes on. By the promises he learns how God, in his salvation character, has bound himself, and what he has bound himself to ; and reading these he still hopes, and sometimes hopes with cheerfulness and joy. By the invitations he learns how welcome he is to partake of all the good things God has promised, and hopes with gratitude and thanksgiving. By the precepts he learns how to regulate his conduct in every position and station in life-towards the world-his family-the church of God, and God himself; and hopes for grace to be helped in a faithful and prayerful discharge of all matters binding upon him by the word of the Lord: thus, God is the object, and the word the matter of his hope. Thirdly, the influence of a godly man's hope upon himself and upon others. With regard to himself it creates patience, begets resignation, imparts contentedness of mind, and thankfulness of spirit. It brings the man into prayerful acquaintance with God, and teaches him "That it is good that he should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord." With respect to its influence upon others, it sometimes creates admiration and astonishment, and they are led to reflect and say there is something in religion to which they are strangers." David says, Many shall see, and hear, and turn to the Lord." Surely, then, for all this the psalmist may well say, and so may every godly man, "But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more." But I will hope in God the Lord, When men revile, and cast me down, Thy mercy, grace, and truth I trust, My constant song shall be of thee, REFLECTION CCXL.-August 27. "Cast down, but not destroyed."-2 Cor. iv. 9. But THE saints are often cast down, but cannot be destroyed. They may be cast down, but shall not be cast off, or cast out. It is the wicked that are to be cast out into outer darkness. It is better to be cast down than to be cast out; from the latter there is no restoration; from the former there is: hence, cast down, but not destroyed. That the words refer to the apostles and saints generally, there can be no question. why are they cast down? and why are they not destroyed? A response to these two questions must constitute our Reflections this morning. And, first, why are saints cast down? Is it essential to their saintship, or really necessary to their religious life? We say at once, not positively so; though it is often promotive of it, and is made more manifest by it. And, doubtless, there is a need be for these things, by which saints are cast down, or otherwise they would not be permitted. God permits what he does not positively determine or command; and, therefore, often overrules what is intended to do evil for a real good; so that out of or by the evil comes forth good, and by the bitter is brought about the sweet. God puts the one over against the other, and we shall have no just cause to complain against God, either as to what he determines, or what he permits. We may be cast down circumstantially, by being brought into distressing and painful circumstances-circumstances that we have not been accustomed to: we may be brought from affluence into poverty, and that perhaps, because a wise Father sees it best for us. We may be cast down because of persecution and opposition to our religious course, but even that may be a matter of thankfulness another day; and we shall see that God has overruled it for our good. We may be cast down because of false brethren, who have pretended much, but have performed little; whose love was in words, and not in deeds; and who withal have turned their backs upon the truth, and walk no more with us: this is great matter of distress and grief, and tends to depress our spirits; but the Lord reigneth-let the people rejoice. We may be cast down because of some fearful temptations which harrass us greatly, and bring great darkness into our souls, and fill us with dismay; still, we should remember, it is no sin to be tempted; the Master himself was tempted. So long as there is no inclination there is no sin let us pray, "Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion." We may be cast down because of want of feeling and success in prayer; still, even this shows the life of God in the soul: for, where God is felt to be wanted as a God hearing and answering prayer, there is the life of God in the soul. And he that really wants God, will seek, and all such shall find; and all such God will have. We may be cast down because of our little understanding of God's word; yet, if we understand it it enough to revere it, to love it, to believe it, to desire a larger and better acquaintance with it; and, withal, if our little knowledge of God's book prompts us to make prayer and supplication to God its author, through Jesus Christ, we know it to some purpose, and shall, though cast down, never be destroyed. Furthermore, we are cast down at so little success attending the preaching of God's gospel, still we must rest upon God's promise respecting it, namely, "It shall not return unto me void; but it shall accomplish that which I please." God's word is never faithfully preached in vain. But while there are these reasons, and many others for our casting down, there is nothing |