Eolus ruling over the winds. The Psalmist teacheth us to restore the celestial artillery to its rightful owner. Jehovah, the God of Israel, and the Creator of the universe, contrived the wonderful machinery of light and air, by which vapors are raised from the earth, compacted into clouds, and distilled in rain. At his command the winds are suddenly in motion, and as suddenly at rest again we hear the sound, but cannot tell whence they come, or whither they go; as if they were taken from secret storehouses of the Almighty, and then laid up till their service was required again. The same idea

God himself is pleased to give us in the book of Job, where he describeth the instruments of his power, as so many weapons of war in the arsenal of a mighty prince : Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth? Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters? or a way for the lightning of thunder, to cause it to rain on the earth?' Job xxxviii. 22, &c. It is a great instance of the divine wisdom and goodness, that lightning should be accompanied by rain, to soften its rage, and prevent its mischievous effects. Thus, in the midst of judgment, does God remember mercy. The threatenings in his word against sinners are like lightning; they would blast and scorch us up, were it not for his promises made in the same word to pénitents, which, as a gracious rain, turn aside their fury, refreshing and comforting our affrighted spirits.

8. Who smote the first-born of Egypt, both of man and beast.' 9. Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all 'his servants.'

Egypt was the theatre of the grand contest between the God of Israel and the gods of the heathen. The superiority of the former over the latter was shown in every possible way by the miracles of Moses, which demonstrated all the powers of nature to be under the dominion of Jehovah, and to act at his command; so that

ing been selected from among the nations to be his church, to receive the law and the promises, to have his presence residing in the midst of them, and to be the guardians of the true faith and worship. And a fourth reason, was the superiority of Jehovah their God over the gods of the heathen, and consequently over those who worshipped them; from whence followed this comfortable inference, that he was able to protect and to defend his people against every enemy that had evil will to Zion. Shall not we Christians, then, praise the same gracious Lord, who hath chosen us out of the world, who hath given unto us his Gospel, who dwelleth in us by his Spirit, and who, by that Spirit, maketh us more than conquerors over our spiritual adversaries?

6. Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.'

The pre-eminence of Jehovah above the gods of the nations is evinced by this consideration, that he, at the beginning, created and formed those powers of nature, whose operations in the heavens, the earth, and the waters, led the heathen world, after it had lost the knowlege of the Creator, to adore the creature as independent. Let us praise him, who, in the intellectual as in the material world, is Lord and King; who is obeyed by the angels in heaven, served by the church on earth, and feared by the spirits imprisoned in deep places beneath.

7. 'He causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.'

They who in old time paid their devotions to the elements, imagined those elements to be capable of giving or withholding rain at pleasure. Therefore we find the prophet Jeremiah reclaiming that power to Jehovah, as the God who made and governed the world: Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? Art thou not he, O Jehovah our God? Therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things:' Jer. xiv. 22. Among the Greeks and Romans we meet with a Jupiter possessed of the thunder and the lightning, and an

Eolus ruling over the winds. The Psalmist teacheth us to restore the celestial artillery to its rightful owner. Jehovah, the God of Israel, and the Creator of the universe, contrived the wonderful machinery of light and air, by which vapors are raised from the earth, compacted into clouds, and distilled in rain. At his command the winds are suddenly in motion, and as suddenly at rest again we hear the sound, but cannot tell whence they come, or whither they go; as if they were taken from secret storehouses of the Almighty, and then laid up till their service was required again. The same idea

God himself is pleased to give us in the book of Job, where he describeth the instruments of his power, as so many weapons of war in the arsenal of a mighty prince : "Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth? Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters? or a way for the lightning of thunder, to cause it to rain on the earth?' Job xxxviii. 22, &c. It is a great instance of the divine wisdom and goodness, that lightning should be accompanied by rain, to soften its rage, and prevent its mischievous effects. Thus, in the midst of judgment, does God remember mercy. The threatenings in his word against sinners are like lightning; they would blast and scorch us up, were it not for his promises made in the same word to pénitents, which, as a gracious rain, turn aside their fury, refreshing and comforting our affrighted spirits.

8. Who smote the first-born of Egypt, both of man and beast.' 9. Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all 'his servants.'

Egypt was the theatre of the grand contest between the God of Israel and the gods of the heathen. The superiority of the former over the latter was shown in every possible way by the miracles of Moses, which demonstrated all the powers of nature to be under the dominion of Jehovah, and to act at his command; so that

instead of being able to protect, they were made to torment and destroy their deluded votaries. See more on Psalm lxxviii. 44, &c. The objects of a man's sin frequently become, in the end, the instruments of his punishment.

10. Whosmote great nations, and slew mighty kings;' 11. Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan :' 12. And gave their land for an heritage, an heritage unto Israel his people.'

The victories gained by Israel over Sihon and Og, in their passage to Canaan, and afterwards over the idolatrous kings of that country, are more proofs of the same point. For Israel therefore conquered, because Jehovah fought for them, and put them in possession of that good land, when the iniquity of its old inhabitants was full, and cried to heaven for vengeance. The enemies we have to encounter in our way to the promised inheritance, will also, if vigorously opposed, fall before us. 'The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.' But it is God who fighteth for us, and with us, who giveth us the victory, and putteth us in possession, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

13. Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations.' 14 For the LORD will judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning his servants."

By the destruction of Pharaoh, with his Egyptians, and by the battles and victories of Joshua; much more by the overthrow of the spiritual Pharaoh, with his infernal host, and by the battles and victories of the true Joshua ; Jehovah hath gotten him glory, and his name is magnified in the church from age to age. The people whom he hath redeemed may, indeed, for the chastisement of their iniquities, be sometimes delivered into the hands of their enemies, and oppressed by them. But it is only to show them their transgressions, and lead them to repentance. When this effect is wrought, he is always ready to 'judge them,' to plead and avenge their cause; he ' repenteth him' of the evil, and averteth it; he is entreated for the land, and becometh gracious to his ser

vants.

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15. The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.' 16. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not.' 17. They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.' They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.'

18. 6

In these verses is set forth the difference between the God of Israel, and the idols of the nations, as also between the worshippers of each; all tending to confirm the truth of what was asserted, ver. 5. I know that the LORD is great, and that our LORD is above all gods.' As the same words occur, Psalm cxv. 4, &c. the reader is referred thither for the explication of them.

19. Bless the LORD, O house of Israel: bless the LORD, O house of Aaron:' 20. 'Bless the LORD, O house of Levi ye that fear the LORD, bless the LORD.' 21. 'Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.'

6

He who proved himself superior to the objects of ancient idolatry, is no less superior to every object on which deluded man can place his affections. The Lord gave, and the Lord will take them away. Let the house of Israel,' therefore, and the sons of Aaron,' the church and the ministers thereof, let all who fear the Lord,' bless and praise his holy name in the temple here below, until they shall be admitted to do it for evermore, in that which is above.

TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY.-EVENING PRAYER. PSALM CXXXVI.

ARGUMENT.

[This is a delightful hymn of praise and thanksgiving to Jehovah, 1-3. God of gods and Lord of lords, for the wonders, 4-9. of creation, 10-26. of providence and grace; which were probably celebrated in due order by one half of the choir, while the other half, or perhaps the whole in full chorus, took up the burden of each verse, 'For his mercy endureth for ever!' a form of acknowlegement, as Bishop Patrick observes, prescribed by David, 1 Chron. xvi. 41. to be used continually in the divine