carrying with them all in their way, it would be a matter of little importance to ourselves, who might be the companions of our walk. But so deadening to our spiritual constitution is the conversation of the men of this world, (however commanding their talents, or however interesting their topics) that even, if we have been just before enlivened by the high privileges of communion with God, the free and self-indulgent interchange of their society will benumb our spiritual powers, and quickly freeze them again. To underrate therefore the privileged association with "them that fear God," is to incur-not only a most awful responsibility in the sight of God, but also a most serious hazard to our own souls.

If then we are not ashamed to confess ourselves Christians, let us not shrink from walking in fellowship with Christians. Even if they should exhibit some repulsive features of character, they bear the image of him, whom we profess to love inexpressibly and incomparably above all. They will be our companions in an eternal home: they ought therefore to be our brothers now. How sweet, and holy, and heavenly, is this near relation to them in our common Lord! Well may we consent to his judgment, who pronounced "the righteous to be more excellent than his neighbour," since those who have tasted the benefit of his communion have found it beyond all price. "Iron sharpeneth iron." If then "the iron be blunt," this will be one of the best means of " whetting the edge." The most established servants of God gladly acknowledge the sensible refreshment derived from this union of heart. It is marked in the word of God as one of the channels of the communication of heavenly 1 Prov. xii. 26. 2 Ibid. xxvii. 17. 3 See Eccl. x. 10. 4 Compare Acts xxviii. 15. Romans i. 11, 12. 2 Cor, vii. 6, 7.

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wisdom1-as a feature in the character of the citizens of Zion-and as that disposition, which is distinguished with manifest tokens of the Saviour's presence, 3 and will finally be crowned with the special seal of remembrance at the great day-" They that feared the Lord, spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened and heard" it; "and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day, when I make up my jewels." 4

64. The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy; teach me thy statutes.

WHAT a picture does the earth present on every side" full of the mercy of the Lord!" How refreshing is the prospect to a spiritual eye! What an excitement to praise !" O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all. The earth is full of thy riches. The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing." 5 And what an encouragement does the contemplation of the Lord's

mercy" in providence afford to the exercise of faith, in the expectancy of spiritual privileges-" O Lord! thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wing. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness

1 Proverbs xiii. 20.

2 Psalm xv. 1, 4. Comp. Psalm xvi. 3, and especially 1 John iii. 14. 3 Luke xxiv. 15, 32. 4 Malachi iii, 16, 17.

5 Psalm civ. 24; cxlv. 15, 16.

"Teach me

of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures."1 As thou dost largely bestow thy blessings upon all creatures according to their nature and condition, so I do desire the spiritual blessings of the lively light of thy law and word, which are fitting and convenient for the being and happiness of my soul.'2 As an ignorant sinner,"what I see not, teach thou me. thy statutes "—that which thou hast appointed, as the way of duty, and the path to glory-that path which I am utterly unable to discover, or when discovered, to walk in, without the help of thy grace. And indeed the hearts of his people are the vessels, into which the Lord is continually pouring more and more of himself, until they shall the fulness of God."4 Every good, character and degree, is diffusive. goodness or mercy of God is represented as pervading the whole universe of his creation, and more especially filling the hearts of his people. It is natural, plentiful-free-communicative. 5

be filled with all according to its And thus the

Yet none but a believer will understand how to use the plea which is here employed. The mercy that he sees on every side, is to him a pledge and earnest of that mercy which his soul needs within. The world indeed in its present fallen state, when seen through the medium of pride and discontent, exhibits a picture

1 Psalm xxxvi. 6—8.

2 Diodati. 'It is worthy of special notice, how often, and in what varied connections, David in this Psalm prays to be taught the statutes of God, though he seems to have been more intimately acquainted with the sacred oracles, as then extant, than almost any other man; but he knew that divine teaching alone could enable him rightly to understand the scriptures, and to apply general rules to all the variety of particular cases which occurred in the course of his life.'-Scott. 5 Verse 68.

3 Job xxxiv. 32.

4 Eph. iii. 19.

of misery, not of mercy; and only ministers occasion for complaint against the Creator. But the believer-feeling the infinite and eternal desert of sin-cannot but know that the lowest exercise of goodness in God is an act of free undeserved mercy. No wonder then that he sees mercy in every thing-in every part of the universe of God-a world "6 'full of mercy." The very food we eat, our raiment, our habitations, the contrivances for our comfort, are not mere displays of goodness, but manifestations of mercy. Having forfeited all claim upon the smallest consideration of God, there could have been no just ground of complaint, had all these blessings been made occasions of suffering instead of comfort and indulgence.

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And then the question naturally recurs, and to a spiritual mind will never weary by its recurrence— Whence flows all this mercy? Oh! it is delightful indeed to answer such an inquiry-delightful to contemplate him, in whom " we are not only "blessed with all spiritual blessings," but who is also the medium through which our temporal comforts are conveyed to us. How sweet to eye these mercies, as bought with the most precious blood that ever was known in the world, and to mark the print of the nails of our crucified friend stamped upon the least of them! We allow it to add a relish to our enjoyments, that we can consider them as provided by some beloved friend; and should not our mercies be doubly sweet in the remembrance of that munificent Friend, who purchased them for us so dearly, who bestows them upon us so richly, yea, who gives himself with them all?

Have we heard of this mercy of God? And do we

1 Ephesians i. 3.

feel the need of it for ourselves-for every moment? Then let us apply to the throne of grace in the gospel way of acceptance and access. Let us go to the King (as Benhadad's servants to the king of Israel 1) in the spirit of self-condemnation and faith. Our acceptance does not depend (as in the case referred to) upon a peradventure; " but it rests upon the sure word of promise-" Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." 2

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1 Compare 1 Kings xx. 31.

2 John vi. 37,