I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people, from henceforth even for ever. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy. This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell, for I have desired it.Psal. cxxi. 1-3. cxxv. 2. cxxxii. 9. 14.

THE congregation of faithful Christians upon earth is now the true Jerusalem and Zion, where alone we expect succour from the Lord, who hath made heaven and earth; for he is the only protector of his church, who will not suffer our foot to slip, but will conduct us with power; we are surrounded by the hills, and armies and fortresses of God, and God himself is round about us, as a strong wall. He will clothe us, his priests, that is, all the faithful with righteousness and salvation. And we shall have cause to rejoice in this beautiful garment, and enjoy peace and tranquillity; for God himself will dwell and rest in us, and we shall be acceptable to him in Christ, if covered with the garments of his salvation. Lord, grant that we may be clad in this robe!

Up to the hills I lift my eyes

Th' eternal hills beyond the skies:
Thence all her help my soul derives,
There my Almighty refuge lives.

Happy is he, that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God, which made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is; which keepeth truth for ever. Therefore, both young men and maidens, old men and chil dren, let them praise the name of the Lord. Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.-Psal. cxlvi. 5, 6. cxlviii. 12, 13. cxlix. 5, 6.

GOD fulfils all this especially under the new covenant, for Jesus our king is come according to his promise; so that God has kept his word, will eternally keep it, and fulfil all his promises; having not only created heaven and earth out of nothing, but gloriously accomplished the great work of redemption, and established his kingdom, Hence old men and children rejoice in their king and in his government. For he is so good a king, so gracious a Lord, that they praise him on their beds, and their heart and lips should overflow with the praises of his love day and night. For hereby they would be furnished with two-edged swords, to overcome all their enemies.

Long as I live I'll bless thy name,

My King, my God of love;

My work and joy shall be the same
In the bright world above.

Fathers to sons shall teach thy name,
And children learn thy ways;

Ages to come thy truth proclaim,

And nations sound thy praise,

A man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasure: then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord; and find the knowledge of God. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, understanding shall keep thee.-Prov. i. 5. 7. ii. 2-5. 10, 11.

THERE is then no other way of arriving at true wisdom, and of being kept by understanding, than to fear God, to take advice, and not to be wise in our own conceit; and when wisdom entereth our hearts, to lift up our voice, and pray that it may be increased, to look and search for it in the word of God, as miners do for gold and silver. He who doth not pray earnestly for true wisdom and knowledge, doth not yet know God or himself, and is therefore utterly ignorant. And how can a man in any degree bring others to true wisdom, and give them right counsel, when he himself hath not received counsel from God, and is still a fool. Lord! grant that all teachers and learners may observe this; and lead us in the right way to the true knowledge of thyself; and of Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.

Behold the morning sun

Begins his glorious way;

His beams through all the nations run,
And light and life convey.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that retaineth her. Let them not depart from thine eyes: so shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid, &c. I have led thee in right paths. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened, and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.-Prov. iii. 17, 18. 21-24. iv. 11, 12.

THERE is no true wisdom, happiness, security, and peace, but in the way of the wisdom from above, which is of Christ: but before we arrive at this, we must first be enabled to repent, confess our folly and sin, forsake the broad way, and come to Christ; then will all be fulfilled in us. Lord Jesus, bring us to thy communion, to thy pleasant ways of peace, that our souls may enjoy true life, that our feet may be quite secure, that we may not grow weary of our journey. May we ever persevere, without loitering or reluctance, and yet may we never be too hasty and stumble. O that at all times, particularly this night, we may have no cause to be afraid, but have strong confidence in the blessed God.

'Tis by the faith of joys to come,

We walk through deserts dark as night;
Till we arrive at heav'n, our home,
Faith is our guide, and faith our light.

So Abram by divine command,

Left his own house to walk with God;
His faith beheld the promis'd land,
And fir'd his zeal along the road.

Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise, &c. The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.-Prov. vi. 6 -11. xxi. 25. Before he performs any good work, says Luther, death surprises him. Such are negligent preachers, magistrates, masters of families, who would acquire heaven, and honours, and wealth, without labour or suffering. The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.-Prov. xxii. 13. Such, says Luther, are those preachers, magistrates, and servants, who in the performance of their duty, will not submit to any inconvenience, nor hazard. I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; and lo! it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw and considered it well, I looked upon it, and received instruction.—Prov. xxiv. 30-32.

HE who doth not repent and, turn to God betimes, who is remiss in prayer, and inattentive to the scriptures, his heart, his house, his flock, if he be a minister, or his jurisdiction, if he be a magistrate, is like the garden or vineyard, grown over with thorns and nettles. Lord! grant that we may take this to heart, and receive instruction, lest it be also our fate.

My drowsy pow'rs, why sleep ye so?
Awake, my sluggish soul!
Nothing has half thy work to do,

Yet nothing's half so dull.

Lord, shall we lie so sluggish still,

And never act our parts?

Come, holy Dove, from th' heav'nly hill,

And sit and warm our hearts.