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the splendour of a holy character; but the sun will come forth, and the clouds will fly away. This was most eminently true of the blessed Jesus, at his resurrection, and will be verified in his saints, at the last day. The history of Susannah affordeth a remarkable instance of it in this life. • Her heart trusted in the Lord, and he brought forth her righteousness as the light; insomuch that all the assembly cried out with a loud voice, and praised God, who saveth them that trust in him.' Ver. 35, 60.

7. Rest in, or, be silent to, the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in the way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

If the spotless Lamb of God was dumb, before those who were divesting him of his honours, and robbing him of his life, silent' resignation cannot but become one who suffers for his sins. Israel was commanded to stand still, and see the salvation of God;' but the people gazed upon the pomp and power of Pharaoh, who was in pursuit of them, till their faith failed, and they began to murmur and despond. How often is this our case, before we perceive it!

8. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 9. For evil-doers shall be cut off; but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.

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At the day of judgment, when evil-doers shall be cut off' by the flaming sword of eternal vengeance, and when the saints of the Most High shall ' inherit the new earth,' the latter will have no emotions of anger or envy against the former. Let

them so meditate on that day, as to make it present to their minds, and they will have no such emotions

now.

10. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

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The whole duration of the world itself is but' a little while' in the sight of him whose hope is full of immortality. But the calamities and deaths of princes; the tragical fate of empires, swept with the besom of destruction; the overthrow of cities, whose dimensions, towers, and palaces, once astonished the earth, but whose place' is now nowhere to be found by the most curious and diligent inquirer; and the desolations of the chosen city, Jerusalem; all these are even now sufficient to draw forth the tear of commiseration, and to extinguish the kindling spark of envy in every considerate mind.

11. But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

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The meek' are they who bear their own adversities, and the prosperity of their enemies, without envy, anger, or complaint. For these there is a possession in the kingdom and city of the prince of peace,' which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give them at that day.' 'Blessed are the meek,' saith the Lord and Judge himself, for they shall inherit the earth.' Matt. v. 5. "In the meantime, they, and they only, possess the present earth, as they go towards the kingdom of heaven, by being humble, and cheerful, and content, with what their good God has allotted them. They have no turbu

lent, repining, vexatious thoughts that they deserve better, nor are vexed when they see others possessed of more honour, or more riches, than their wise God has allotted for their share. But they possess what they have with a meek and contented quietness; such a quietness as makes their very dreams pleasing, both to God and themselves." Walton's Complete Angler, p. 295.

12. The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. 13. The Lord shall laugh at him; for he seeth that his day is coming.

The original enmity between the wicked one and the Just One, will always subsist between the wicked and the just. The rage of the former against the latter is compared to that of mad dogs, or wild beasts; but a day is coming when all that rage must be turned and employed against themselves. God, who knoweth this, contemneth their vain efforts; and Christians, who know it, and are under the protection of God, should do the same.

14. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation, or, upright of way. 15. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bow shall be broken.

The tongue is a' sword,' and a bow' which shooteth its arrows, even bitter words, against the humble and upright Jesus, and his disciples. But these are not the only weapons that have been drawn against them. How the malice of the Jews returned upon their own heads, no one is ignorant; though few lay it to heart, and consider them as set forth for an example.

16. A little that a righteous man hath, is better than the riches of many wicked. 17. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholdeth the righteous.

A little, with the blessing of God upon it, is better than a great deal, with the encumbrance of his curse. His blessing can multiply a mite into a talent, but his curse will shrink a talent to a mite. By him' the arms of the wicked are broken,' and by him the righteous are upholden;' so that the great question is, whether he be with us or against us; and the great misfortune is, that this question is seldom asked.

18. The Lord knoweth the days of the upright; and their inheritance shall be for ever. 19. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

The favour of God is, to them that obtain it, a better and an enduring substance, which, like the widow's barrel and cruse, wasted not in the evil days of famine, nor will fail in that evil day of eternal want, when the foolish virgins shall be calling in vain for oil, and the rich glutton as vainly imploring a drop of water to cool his tongue.

20. But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume, into smoke shall they consume away.

The destruction of the wicked is here again set before us, but under a different image, namely, that of a sacrifice. Senseless, as cattle, they are fatted for the altar, they wanton in their prosperity, and nourish their hearts against the day of slaughter. In the meantime, the Almighty is whetting that

sword, which nothing can withstand; and those fires are kindling, which shall never be extinguished. See Isa. xxxiv. 6-10.

21. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again; but the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth.

The wicked man, like his leader, the wicked one,' payeth not those whose money or abilities he hath occasion to borrow, and to employ in his service; whereas the disciple of Christ, in imitation of his master, not only punctually observeth the rules of justice and equity, but thinketh it more blessed to give than to receive.' In like manner, though both are indebted, for every thing, to the bounty of God, the latter maketh all the acknowledgments and returns in his power; while the former never thinketh of making any.

22, For, or, therefore, such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut of.

They who are like their merciful and gracious Lord, and who, by their devotion and charity, bless him, are blessed of him; they who are like their cruel and iniquitous master, and who, by their ungodliness, injustice, and hard-heartedness, dishonour their Maker and Redeemer, are cursed of him. To the former therefore, it will be said, at the last day, Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom;' to the latter, Go, ye cursed, into the fire.'

23. The steps of a good man are ordered, Heb. established, by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way. 24. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly

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