to another" on things belonging to our peace. If we see cause to despise others, as we think, let us remember who made us to differ: let us consider whether our advantages have not been greater than theirs; whether we have not had more opportunities of knowing God's will; and whether we can bear to be judged ourselves with the same strict and severe judgment which we pass on others. "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble," "surely He scorneth the scorners," ""those who exalt themselves He abaseth." "Blessed," then, "is the man ... who sitteth not in the seat of the scornful." Having thus described the particular habits which he avoids: viz. "walking in the counsel of the ungodly"-" standing in the way of sinners," and "sitting in the seat of the scornful," the Psalmist describes the prevailing occupation and delight of him whom he pronounces "blessed." "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night." The Psalmist does not say that his only occupation is in the law of the Lord, but that his delight is in it; however he may necessarily be occupied in the world however he may be interested in various pursuits connected with his calling in life, and the circumstances in which he finds himself placed-his deight-that to which he turns with neverceasing pleasure, and in which he is sure of finding happiness-is the law of the Lord." Oh! my brethren, most truly blessed is he who can say of God's law, I delight in thy commandments, and I do not forget thy word!" He alone has the secret of real, abiding delight. The pleasures of the world in which we are so much engrossed, are but for a season, are full of vanity and vexation of spirit, and cannot satisfy the hungry soul. But "the law of the Lord" can give pure delight. "Here are our choicest treasures hid, Here our desires are satisfied, And hence our hopes arise." a 1 It is not merely reading the word of God which is here meant; that is doubtless one of the occupations in which every one, who makes it a point of duty to observe the habit, will find great delight, and whoever neglects it cannot expect to enjoy either the favour of God, or the "peace" which, as holy Scripture teaches, they have "who love God's law." But when it is said, "his delight is in the law of the Lord," it means that he is fully satisfied of the "justice, mercy, and wisdom of all which the law of God requires he does not consider it a "hard saying," he does not look upon Almighty God as a severe and exacting taskmaster, demanding more than man can do, and requiring an obedience and a strictness of life and character which is inconsistent with human frailty, and the temptations to which men are exposed. He does not murmur at the heavy punishments denounced against sin, nor ask "who then can be saved?"—he does not complain of the difficulty of understanding all the mysterious doctrines which we are required by the law of the Lord to believe, without proof, simply because so it is written: far from such a cavilling and contentious spirit, he believes all that he knows to be revealed; if he finds things hard to be understood, he does not dispute, but humbly acknowledges that God's ways are far above his limited understanding -that such knowledge is too wonderful for him; that it is high; so that he cannot attain unto it." He perceives how perfect are the ways of God-he sees that if there be misery in the world, it is sin that has brought it there; and if all men could be persuaded to delight in the law of the Lord, "the crooked would" soon become "straight," and the "rough places plain ;" above all, he humbly confesses that the mercy of God shines in every page of the Bible, and that there chiefly is seen the exceeding greatness of the Father's love towards mankind. He sees that if he desires to learn the way to be saved, it is in the law of the Lord that that way is revealed-that if he desires. to escape from the dominion of sin, and the bondage of corruption, it is the law of the Lord which sets before him Jesus Christ, who came into this world to "break the bonds of the oppressed," and to" set at liberty them that were in bondage ;" in a word, he sees that in the law of the Lord, Christ our Saviour is set before a guilty world, and all are invited to "look unto Him," and be saved. Therefore doth he " delight in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night;" or, as it stands in the Prayer-book versions, "doth he exercise himself day and night." Thus we learn the particular season, when the law of the Lord shall occupy our thoughts especially. Many passages of Scripture point out the morning and evening of every day as the most suitable times for such a duty. Moses bade the Israelites talk of the commandments of the Lord, "when they lay down, and when they rose up ;" and the custom was enforced upon them by the daily morning and evening sacrifice in the temple. And, my brethren, can |