After the ground is ploughed up, the former rain, descending upon the ' ridges,' and into the furrows,' dissolveth the parts of the earth, and so fitteth it for the purpose of vegetation, whenever the seed shall be cast into it: then cometh the latter rain, to assist, and to bless the springing' and increase thereof, unto a joyful harvest. Thus doth the good Spirit of God both prepare the hearts of his people for the reception of the word, and also enable them to bear fruit, bringing forth some an hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty.' Matt. xiii. 23.

11. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths, or, clouds, or, heavens, drop fatness.

The herbs, fruits, and flowers, produced by the earth, are here finely represented as a beautifully variegated crown,' set upon her head, by the hands of her great Creator; at whose command, the heavens, by collecting and distilling the drops of rain, impregnate her, and make her the parent of terrestrial blessings. It is the same God who will crown with everlasting goodness the acceptable year, the year of his redeemed; when the Spirit shall have accomplished his work; when God shall be glorified in his saints; and heaven, as well as earth, shall be full of the goodness of Jehovah.

12. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness; and the little hills rejoice on every side; or, are girded about with gladness.

As the rain, which descendeth from heaven, causeth even the barren wilderness to become a green pasture, and investeth the naked hills with the garments of joy and gladness; so the Spirit, when poured out from on high upon the Gentile

world, converted that wilderness' into a 'fruitful field;' while the churches, there rising on all sides, like little fertile hills, rejoiced' with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. See Isa. xxxii. 15; xxxv. 1,2.

13. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys are also covered over with corn: they shout for joy, they also sing.

The happy effects of God's visiting the earth with rain, are valleys covered with corn, verdant meads, and thriving flocks. All these ideas in the prophetical Scriptures, are frequently transferred to the times of refreshment and consolation, of peace and fruitfulness in the church; which breaks forth into joy, in the one case, as the world is always ready to do in the other. Manifold and marvellous, O Lord, are thy works, whether of nature or of grace; surely, in wisdom and loving-kindness hast thou made them all; the earth, in every sense, is full of thy riches!

PSALM LXVI.

ARGUMENT.-In this Psalm the prophet, 1, 2. exciteth all the world to sing the praises of God; 3, 4. the power and universality of his kingdom; 5-12. the deliverance of the church from various afflictions and temptations; for which, 13-15. we are to offer the sacrifices which had been vowed; 16—19. to declare the mercies and loving-kindnesses of the Lord towards us; and, 20. to bless his holy name continually.

1. Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands, or, all the earth: 2. Sing forth the honour of his name; make his praise glorious.

The holy church, throughout all the world,' is

here called upon to lift up her voice, like the jubilee trumpet of old, in thanksgiving; to celebrate that name, which is above every name; and to make the praise of Jesus glorious, both by word and deed; that so others, hearing our voices, and seeing our works, may be led to glorify him in like manner.

3. Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.

The subjects proposed are the various and awful manifestations of divine power;' of that power which made, and which continues to support, the world; which overthrows, and raises up, empires; which subverted the kingdom of Satan, established that of Christ, and caused its enemies either to relinquish or dissemble their hostility. Happy the man, whose heart and affections unfeignedly 'submit themselves' to the sceptre of Messiah!

4. All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name.

What David spake in the future, the church now speaketh in the present tense :- All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting. Day by day we magnify thee; and we worship thy name ever, world without end.' A day is coming when this shall be the case, in an unlimited sense of the words; when Jews and Gentiles, quick and dead, heaven and earth, shall compose one perfect and truly harmonious choir.

5. Come, and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. 6. He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.

The prophet, after inviting men to contemplate 'the works of God,' sets before them, for that purpose, two great miracles wrought for Israel; namely, the division of the Red Sea, and that of the river Jordan; by the former they escaped Egypt, by the latter they entered Canaan. Under these two figurative transactions, the Christian church beholds, and, in the words which describe them, she celebrates two corresponding works of mercy wrought for her; namely, the deliverance of her children from the dominion of sin, by the waters of baptism; and their admission into the kingdom of heaven, through the grave and gate of death. If the Israelites rejoiced in God their Saviour, for the former blessings, much more, surely, ought we so to do for the latter.

7. He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious, or, the rebellious shall not, exalt themselves.

The uncontrollable sovereignty and superintending providence of our God and King, are topics on which we should ever delight to dwell. Establish, O Lord, thy kingdom within us, and suffer not our rebellious' passions to 'exalt themselves' against it.

8. O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard: 9. Who holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.

But chiefly are we bound to 'bless' and 'praise' God, for that goodness and mercy, by which our feet are turned back from the ways of death, placed in the path of life,' and enabled to walk therein, without falling into perdition; until, having finished

our pilgrimage in the world, we lie down in peace, and our flesh resteth sweetly in hope.

10. For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.

Notwithstanding the mercy of God, and the salvation wrought for us, we are here taught to expect affliction and tribulation; which indeed are oftentimes necessary; for, having in our composition a mixture of the earth from whence we came, with a base alloy of concupiscence, we stand as much in need of adversity as metals, in like circumstances, do of the fire, to refine and purify our tempers. Try us, O God; but enable us to stand the trial!

11. Thou broughtest us into the net; thou lajdst affliction upon our loins. 12. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and water; but thou broughtest us into a wealthy place.

Various calamities are here mentioned, which God suffers to fall upon his people. As first, their being brought into the net,' or ensnared and taken captive by their enemies, whom they had not power to resist or escape. Secondly, affliction upon the loins,' or hard servitude under heavy burdens. Thirdly, men riding over their heads,' or the manifold oppressions of persecuting tyrants, trampling them under their feet, like war-horses in the day of battle. Fourthly, passing through fire and water,' or troubles of different and contrary kinds, though alike deadly and destructive. But he who brought Israel from among the brick-kilns of Egypt, and through the waters of the Red Sea and the river Jordan, into the promised rest, will bring us safely through every fiery trial, and through the waves of