look upon him whom I have pierced, and mourn for him."

He also considers sin as the disease of the soul. "Heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee." Sin affects the soul as disease affects the body. In bodily disease the parts of the system do not properly and freely perform their office; there is always some obstruction or derangement; and therefore the man is said to be disordered. It is the same in the sinner; the powers and functions of the soul are injured and interrupted. Does disease deprive the body of beauty, and appetite, and freedom, and strength? So does sin the soul. Does disease tend to the death of the body? Sin issues in the death of the soul. But the death of the one is temporal; while the death of the other is eternal. Who can tell the import of eternal death? It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Yet the result is no more dreadful than it is certain-The soul that sinneth it shall die. The end of those things is death.

He also views God as the only physician-There fore to him he applies: "Lord-heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee." This disease, like the leprosy under the law, is inaccessible to human remedies. We cannot heal our own soul. Creatures cannot heal us. The sooner we have this persuasion the better. All other physicians to whom we may apply, though they may cost us much, will be found physicians of no value. But he comes, forward and says, "I am the Lord that healeth thee." How? How does he heal the soul meri toriously? By the sufferings and death of his own Son: "by whose stripes we are healed." How does he heal it efficiently? By the influence of his

Spirit: "we are ved by the washing of regenetion, and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost." He does not cure like an empiric who only strikes in the disorder, checking the effects and retaining the cause, soothing the pain and undermining the patient -if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. His very dispositions are changed. He is not only restrained from sin, but mortified to it. And how can he who is dead to sin live any longer therein? How does he heal the soul instrumentally? By his word; by preaching; by the ordinances of religion; by the dispensations of his providence. Afflictions, though the effects of sin, are the fruits to take away sin. The sufferings of the Christian are not penal inflictions, but fatherly chastisements-cr, to keep to the metaphor, they are medicinal applications, and, like other medicines, we are to judge of thera not by the unpalatableness of the taste, but the sangiveness of the operation.

He is also persuaded that nothing but mercy in God will induce him to undertake the cure: "I said, Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee." Here is the only source of car hope. We have no claims upon him, even for hi pity. We are not only miserable, but criminal; and as children of disobedience, we lie entirely at his mercy It is for this to determine whether we shall die or live. To this therefore our recovery must be ascribed; and to this the Scripture always ascribes it-" according to his mercy he saved us.' And in this case we read of his abundant mercy; and of his being rich in mercy.

Indeed the mercy he displays in our recovery is not only real, but pre-eminent. In nature and providence

his mercies are new every morning. It is mercy that feeds us and clothes us; it is mercy that refreshes us in our sleep, and comforts us in our friends.

salvation of the soul is the mercy of mercies.

AUGUST 4.-EVENING.

But the

"I will remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Micah. PSALM xlii. 6.

THERE are two ways of understanding this; each of them instructive and profitable; and both of them perhaps included in the full import of the wordsFor what, says Bishop Horne, we call the different senses of a Scripture, are often but the different parts of the complete sense, which, being unable to take it at one view, we are compelled to survey successively and separately.

It may be considered as an expression of determined remembrance of God should he ever be found in such places and conditions. Believers can suppose the worst, and yet hope for the best; for they have a resource which can meet even every possible exigency. Hence the prophet could say: "Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." The Church did the same, in the words to which Luther was so attached: for when the less courageous Melancthon was ready to sink at any unfavourable appearances or reports, Come," would he say, "Come, brother, let us sing torty-sixth Psalm, and let Rome and hell do their

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worst:" "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the moun tains be carried into the midst of the sea." So David imagined scenes which would have appalled others, and yet could maintain his faith and hope in God— Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me." "From the ends of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed." "I will remember thee from the land of Jordan, and from the Hermonites, from the hillMizar”—as if he should say, "If I am exiled from my palace, and the sanctuary; if my enemies drive me eastward, or southward, or in any other direction, no distance can exclude me from access to thee: wherever I am I will think of thee, and be encouraged." It is then a resolution to exercise confidence in God, in present difficulties, distresses, and dangers, whatever they may be.

But the language may be considered as an expression of encouragement derived from reflection. He had been in these situations and circumstances; and had experienced in them displays of Divine providence and grace. What these were he does not mention; but they would always in review strengthen his trust in God. It is therefore much the same as he resolves in another psalm: "This is my infirmity; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old."

This shews the advantage of years. The old Christian has not a better God than the younger one; but he has had better opportunities of knowing him;

and they that know his Name will put their trust in him. And we see what is our duty and privilege with regard to God's dealings with us; it is, to observe them and treasure them up in our minds: for they are designed not only for present relief, but for future improvement; that when we meet with new trials our confidence may spring forth afresh at the recollection of former mercies. "Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice."

We know a good deal of the geography of the land of Judæa. We can find the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites; but what or where was this hill Mizar? The word, as you see in the margin, signifies "the little hill:" and it would have been better so to have translated it. It seems to have been a spot rendered very dear to David, by the occurrence of something very interesting and encouraging there. I have been always led to conjecture that it was the place in which he had been so wonderfully saved from the lion and the bear. He was then a shepherd. Suppose him some clear starry night watching over his flock. While leaning on the edge of the fold, he looks and sees a bear creeping round the base of the hill: suppose him on another evening attending late his fleecy charge; and as soon as he had laid down his harp he heard a lion growling as he issued from a neighboring wood: and in each instance he had thrown himself upon the foe, and slain him, and rescued the lamb that he had seized! what an impression would this have made upon his imagination; and how could he ever have recurred to it without gratitude and confidence? If there be probability in this conjecture, his language