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The ark, after its return, went no more to Shiloh, which was in the tribe of Ephraim, the son of Joseph, but was brought first to Kiriathaim, 1 Sam. vi. 21. a city of the tribe of Judah, and from thence, after a short stay at the house of Obed-edom to mount Sion, 1 Chron. xiv. and xv. which was the chosen and highly favoured mount: where was afterwards erected by Solomou a magnificent and permanent habitation for the God of Jacob, during the continuance of the old dispensation; a resemblance of that eternal temple, in which all the fulness of the Godhead hath since dwelt bodily. The divine presence removed at this time to the tribe of Judah, because out of that tribe, after the rejection of Saul, came the great representative, as well as progenitor, of King Messiah.

70. He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds. 71. From following the ewes great with young, he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. 72. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

The call of David from a sheepfold to a throne teacheth us, that he who hath showed himself faithful in a few and small concerns, is worthy of promotion to more and more important cares; that the qualifications, requisite for the due discharge of high offices, are best learned, at first, in an inferior station, especially if it be one that will innure to labour and vigilance; and that kings are to consider themselves as "shepherds;" which consideration would perhaps teach them their duty better than all the precepts in the world. From the last verse, relative to David's manner of conducting himself after his advancement, we learn, that integrity and discretion, when they meet in the same person, form a complete Ruler, and one fit to represent that blessed Person, who entered, like his father David, through sufferings into his glory; who governeth his church in wisdom and righteousness; and of whom it is said, by the evangelical prophet, "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young," Isai. xl. 11.

XVI DAY.

MORNING PRAYER. PSALM LXXIX.

ARGUMENT.

The argument of this Psalm is nearly the same with that of the lxxivth. The church, persecuted and afflicted, sets forth, 1-3. the sacrilegious devastation and cruel slaughter made by the enemy, with, 4. the reproach occasioned thereby; 5-7. she prayeth for redress and deliverance; 8, 9. confesseth

and entreateth forgiveness of the sins which had brought these calamities upon her; and then, 10-12. asketh a removal of her reproach and misery; promising, 13. endless gratitude and praise for the same. We meet with passages of this Psalm, Jer. x. 25. 1 Macc. vii. 17. but when it was composed is not known.

1. O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance, thy holy temple have they defiled: they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.

Three deplorable calamities are here enumerated by the faithful; the alienation of God's inheritance, the profanation of the sanctuary, and the desolation of the beloved city. When we represent in our prayers the sufferings and humiliation of the church, we take an effectual method of awakening the compassion, and recalling the favour of heaven. Every redeemed soul is the inheritance, the temple, the city of God. When sin enters and takes possession, the inheritance is alienated, the temple defiled, the city desolated.

2. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth. 3. Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem: and there was none to bury them.

That horrible carnage which attends the siege and capture of a city, is the fourth of those calamities bewailed in our Psalm. To behold, or even to imagine heaps of slaughtered bodies lying unburied and exposed to birds and beasts of prey, is inexpressibly shocking to humanity. But with what unconcern are we accustomed to view, on all sides of us, multitudes "dead in trespasses and sins," torn in pieces, and devoured by wild passions, filthy lusts, and infernal spirits, those dogs and vultures of the moral world? Yet to a discerning eye and a thinking mind, the latter is by far the more melancholy sight of the two.

4. We are become a reproach to our neighbours; a scorn and dcrision to them that are round about us.

A fifth calamity incident to an afflicted church, is to become like captive Israel, the "scorn and derision" of infidels, who fail not, at such seasons, to reproach her and blaspheme her God. We know how to answer those who reproach us with our sufferings, for so their predecessors reproached our Master; but what shall we say if we have given the enemy occasion to reproach us with our sins? The only real disgrace of religion is the wickedness of its professors.

5. How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? Shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

Parched and exhausted amidst the flames of persecution, we behold Sion panting for the comforts of redemption. The extent and continuance of her troubles cause her to fear a total extermination; and, by the questions here asked, she tacitly reminds God of his promises not to give her up and destroy her "for ever," on account of Messias, whom she was in the fulness of time to bring forth.

6. Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling-place.

This, though uttered in the form of a wish, or prayer, is to be considered, like many other passages of the same nature, as a prediction of what would afterwards come to pass. Pagan ambition and cruelty were often employed to chastise offending Israel; but were themselves, notwithstanding, justly punished in their turn by other powers raised up for that end. That relation, in which the church stands to God, causes him upon her repentance to appear in her behalf, and to execute vengeance on her oppressors, who "know him not, nor call upon his name." "We are thine," saith Isaiah," thou never bearest rule over them, they were not called by thy name," Ixiii. 19. The church, for her sins, may deserve to suffer; but her enemies are not therefore without guilt, nor will they escape without punishment.

8. O remember not against us former iniquities : let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low. 9. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins for thy name's sake.

Affliction hath then wrought its intended effect when it hath convinced us of sin, and led us to repentance; when, brought back by it, like the returning prodigal, to the house and presence of our heavenly Father, we acknowledge our guilt as the cause of our misery, and entreat forgiveness of the one, in order to obtain a release from the other; not pleading our own merits, but the mercies of God our Saviour, and the glory of his name.

10. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight, by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed; or, let the vengeance of thy servants' blood that is shed, be known among the heathen that is in our sight.

It is for "the glory of God's name," to deliver his church; because, while she is in trouble, that name is blasphemed by the enemy, as if he wanted either power or will, to prevent or remove the calamities of his servants. Prayer is therefore here

made by the faithful, that God, not to gratify any vindictive spirit of theirs, but to vindicate his own attributes, would break the teeth of the oppressor, and work a public and glorious salvation for his chosen; at beholding which, the very adversaries themselves might possibly be converted.

11. Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee: according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die.

Next to those who had been slain, the case of such as groaned in captivity, lying bound in chains and fetters, under sentence of death, to be inflicted at the will of their cruel and insulting conquerors, is recommended to God. The Christian, though he may at present be subject to none of these external calamities, forgets not that he is often persecuted, and led captive by his own desires, and bound in the chains of his sins; that the world to him is a prison; that sentence of death is passed upon him, and he knoweth not how soon that sentence may be executed. How properly, therefore, and how fervently may he at all times pray, "O let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; асcording to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die.”

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12. And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O LORD.

That is, as they have reproached thee with weakness, so manifest to others their weakness, who are but sinful dust and ashes; as they have endeavoured to make thee contemptible, so let the world have just cause to despise them, who have thus presumptuously offended; according as it is written, "Them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed," 1 Sam. ii. 30. And however different the appearance of things may now be, this will certainly be found true, in every instance, at the last day.

13. So we thy people, and sheep of thy pasture, will give thee thanks for ever: we will show forth thy praise to all generations.

Such is the resolution of a church under persecution; and such ought to be the practice of every church when delivered out of it, and restored to the favour and protection of her God. The same is the duty of every soul with regard to afflictions and mercies of a private kind. But how glorious will be the day, when, triumphant over sin and sorrow, over every thing that exalteth and opposeth itself, the church universal shall behold the adversary disarmed for ever; while she herself, placed in pastures of joy, and led to the waters of eternal comfort, shall, from age to

age, incessantly sing the praises of her great Shepherd and Bishop, her King and her God!

PSALM LXXX.

ARGUMENT.

The church, still in captivity, 1-3, crieth unto God for help and redemption; 4-7. complaineth of her grievous afffiction; 8-13. describeth her former exaltation, and present depression, under the beautiful figure of a vine; 14-16. returneth again to her supplications, and, 17-19. prayeth for the advent of Messiah, to quicken and comfort her, vowing all loyal obedience, adoration, and praise to him, as the author of her salvation.

1. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubim, shine forth.

The Christian church is now become the "Israel" of God; Jesus Christ is the "Shepherd" of this Israel, who leadeth his people "like a flock :" he dwelleth in the midst of them by his Spirit, as of old he dwelt in the holy places, "between the cherubim." Let us beseech him to hearken to our prayers, and to manifest the glory of his power in our defence and deliverance. 2. Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up thy strength, and come and save us.

God is entreated to go forth, in his strength and his salvation before the tribes of Israel, as formerly in the wilderness. Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, are particularly mentioned, perhaps, because, according to the established order, those three tribes immediately followed the ark and cherubin, the symbols of the di. vine presence. See Numb. ii. 18.

3. Turn, or, restore us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

This verse is a kind of chorus, occurring three times in the course of our Psalm. It implies that the church is in captivity, from which she prayed to be "restored" to her former freedom and prosperity; that she expecteth such restoration, not from any might or merit of her own, but from the grace and mercy of her Saviour; as well knowing, that her night can be turned into day, and her winter give place to spring, only by the Sun of righteousness rising and causing his face to shine upon her desolations. This ought therefore, to be the wish and the prayer of every persecuted church, and of every afflicted soul.

4. O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?

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