The prophet having prayed, in the name of the church, that Jehovah would "thew them his mercy, "and grant them his falvation," declares himself refolved, concerning this "falvation to enquire and "fearch diligently, what, or what manner of time "the Spirit of Chrift which was in him did fignify, "when it teftified before-hand the coming of Christ, "and the glory that fhould follow:" See 1 Pet. i. 10. he would attend to "what God the LORD "should say," and report it to the world. Now, what was the meffage, which the prophets had commiffion to deliver from God, but that he would speak peace," or reconciliation through a Saviour, "to his people, and to his faints?" The Gofpel is accordingly styled by St. Peter, "the word which "God fent unto the children of Ifrael, preaching

peace by Jefus Chrift." Acts x. 36. And what was the end of this reconciliation between God and men, but that men should become, and continue the fervants of God; that, being wafhed from their fins by the blood of Chrift, and renewed in their minds by the grace of Chrift, they fhould walk in the paths of wisdom and holiness, and "turn not again to the "folly" they had renounced?

9. Surely his falvation is nigh them that fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.

God, who "calleth things that be not as though they were," teacheth his prophets to do likewife. The Pfalmift therefore fpeaks with affurance of the Saviour," as if he then faw him before his eyes, healing, by the word of his power, the bodies and the fouls of men upon earth, and manifefting forth

his " glory," in human nature, to all fuch as, with an holy "fear," and filial reverence, believed on him. St. John himself hardly ufeth plainer language when he faith, "The Word was inade flesh, and dwelt, " or tabernacled among us: and we beheld his glory, "the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, "full of grace and truth." John i. 14. The body of Chrift was the true " tabernacle, or, temple ;' his Divinity was the GLORY which refided there, and filled that holy place. The church is his myftical body;" by his Spirit he now and ever" dwelleth " in our land; and his falvation is always nigh them "that fear him;" as faith the holy virgin in her fong, "His mercy is on them that fear him, throughout "all generations."

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10. Mercy and truth are met together: righteous. nefs and peace have kiffed each other. II. Truth fhall Spring out of the earth; and righteoufnefs fhall look down from heaven.

These four divine attributes parted at the fall of Adam, and met again at the birth of Christ. Mercy was ever inclined to fave man, and Peace could not be his enemy; but Truth exacted the performance of God's threat, "The foul that finneth it fhall "die;" and Righteousness could not but give to every one his due. Jehovah must be true in all his ways, and righteous in all his works. Now there is no religion upon earth, except the Chriftian, which can fatisfy the demands of all these claimants, and reftore an union between them; which can fhew how God's word can be true, and his work juft, and the finner, notwithstanding, find mercy, and obtain peace.

peace. Mahomet's prayer, were it the prayer of a righteous man and a prophet, could not fatisfy divine justice; the blood of bulls and goats was always infufficient for that purpose, being a figure only for the time then prefent, which ceafed of courfe when the reality appeared. "Sacrifice and burnt offering "thou wouldeft not; then faid I, Lo I come." A God incarnate reconciled all things in heaven and earth. When Chrift appeared in our nature, the promife was fulfilled, and "Truth fprang out of the "earth." And now, Righteoufnefs, " looking down " from heaven," beheld in him every thing that she required; an undefiled birth, an holy life, an innocent death; a spirit and a mouth without guile, a foul and a body without fin. She faw, and was fatisfied, and returned to earth. Thus all the four parties met again, in perfect harmony: Truth ran to Mercy, and embraced her; Righteousness to Peace, and kiffed her. And this could only happen at the birth of Jefus, in whom "the tender Mercy of our God vifited us, and who is the Truth; who "is made unto us Righteousness, and who is our "Peace." See Luke i. 78. John xiv. 6. 1 Cor. i. 30. Ephef. ii. 14. Those that are thus joined, as attributes, in Christ, ought not, as virtues, to be separated in a Chriftian, who may learn how to refemble his bleffed Lord and Master, by observing that short, but complete rule of life, comprehended in the few following words: Shew Mercy, and speak Truth; do Righteoufnefs, and follow Peace. See St. Bernard, in his Sermon on the Annunciation,

and, from him, Bishop Andrews on these two verfes of our Pfalm*.

12. Yea, the LORD fhall give that which is good: and our land fhall yield her increase.

Unless God vouchfafe a gracious rain from above, the earth cannot " yield her increafe." yield her increase." The effects of the incarnation of Chrift, the defcent of the Spirit, and the publication of the Gofpel among men, are frequently fet forth in Scripture under images borrowed from that fruitfulnefs caufed in the earth by the rain of heaven. Thus Ifaiah," Drop down ye "heavens from above, and let the fkies pour down

righteoufnefs; let the earth open, and let them "bring forth falvation, and let righteoufnefs fpring "up together. xiv. 8. I will pour water upon him "that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I "will pour my Spirit upon thy feed, and my bleffing.

upon thine offspring. And they fhall fpring up as 46 among the grafs, as willows by the water courses. "xliv. 3. As the rain cometh down from heaven, " and watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth "and bud; fo fhall my word be," &c. lv. 10. Give us evermore, O Lord," that which is good, that "our land may yield her increafe;" give us that good gift, the gift of thy Spirit, that we be "neither "barren nor unfruitful in the knowlege of our Lord Jefus Chrift." 2 Pet. i. 8.

*Solutâ captivitate, felicem populi ftatum defignat, omni bonorum copiâ et virtutibus florentis; quæ maximè impleta funt, poftquam Chriftus ipfa veritas, idemque pax noftra, è terrâ ortus eft. BossUET.

13. Righteousness

13. Righteousness shall go before him, and shall fet us in the way of his fteps; or, and fhall fet his fieps in the way.

Upon the appearance of the Redeemer, "Righte"oufnefs" is reprefented" as going before him," like his harbinger the Baptift, to prepare and make ready his way. In that way, the way of righteousness, " he fet his steps," and walked therein, without the least deviation, until he had finished his appointed course. Draw us, bleffed Jefu, and we will run after thee, in the path of life; let thy mercy pardon us, thy truth enlighten us, thy righteousness direct us, to follow thee, O Lamb of God, whitherfoever thou goeft, through poverty, affliction, persecution, and death itself; that our portion may be for ever in thy kingdom of peace and love,

XVII DAY. MORNING PRAYER,

PSALM LXXXVI,

ARGUMENT.

This Pfalm is entitled, A prayer of David, and fuppofed to have been written in fome of his great diftreffes. Like others of the fame kind, it is calculated for the use of the church, during her fufferings here below, by which the is conformed to the image of the true David, that man of forrows. It contains, 1. an earnest supplication, grounded

on