ftreams. In the fpiritual fyftem, or new creation, there are wells of falvation, living fprings, waters of comfort, of which all nations, even the most savage and barbarous, are invited to come and drink freely. They flow among the churches; they defcend into the hearts of the lowly; and they refresh us in our paffage through the wilderness: for even there "do "waters break out, and ftréams in the defert." Ifai. XXXV. 6.

12. By them fhall the fowls of the air have their habitation, which fing among the branches.

"By them," that is, by " fprings of water," in the" valleys," the birds delight to have their habitations, and to fing amidst the verdant branches, which conceal them from our fight. "The mufic "of birds," as one hath well obferved," was the "first fong of thanksgiving which was offered on "earth before man was formed. All their founds "are different, but all harmonious, and all together "compofe a choir which we cannot imitate *.' If thefe little chorifters of the air, when refreshed by the streams near which they dwell, exprefs their gratitude by chanting, in their way, the praises of their Maker and Preserver, how ought Christians to blush, who, befides the comforts and conveniences of this world, are indulged with copious draughts of the water of eternal life, if, for fo great bleffings, they pay not their tribute of thanksgiving, and fing not unto the Lord the fongs of Sion!" He that at midnight, when the very labourer fleeps feWelley's Survey of the Wisdom of God in the Creation. I. 149.

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“curely,

"curely, fhould hear, as I have often done, the "clear airs, the fweet defcants, the natural rifing "and falling, the doubling and redoubling of the

nightingale's voice, might well be lifted above "earth, and fay, Lord, what mufic haft thou pro"vided for the faints in heaven, when thou affordest "bad men fuch mufic upon earth!" Walton's Complete Angler, P. 9.

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13. He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is fatisfied with the fruit of thy works. 14.2 causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb før the fervice of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; 15. And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to fhine, and bread which ftrengtheneth man's heart.

The fertility of the earth is owing to God, who for that purpose, "watereth" it by "from his "chambers," whether the word hath a reference to the clouds above, or the depths below, for both are concerned in the operation. Hence all the glory and beauty of the vegetable world; hence the grafs, which nourisheth the cattle, that they may nourish the human race; hence the green herb, for food and for medicine; hence fields covered with corn, for the support of life; hence vines and olive trees laden with fruits, whofe juices exhilarate the heart, and brighten the countenance. Nor let us forget the fpiritual benedictions correfponding to these external ones; the fruitfulness of the church through grace, the bread of everiafting life, the cup of falvation, and the oil of gladness.

16. The trees of the LORD are full of fap: the cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted.

The

The whole earth is a garden, planted by the hand," and watered by the care of Jehovah. But in a more especial manner is his glory fet forth by the lofty and magnificent cedars, which, growing wild on the mountain and in the foreft, owe nothing to the skill and industry of man. The moisture of the earth, rarefied by the heat of the fun, enters their roots, afcends in their tubes, and by due degrees expands and increases them, till they arrive at their growth. God hath alfo another garden, in which there are other trees of his planting, called by Ifaiah, ch. Ixi, 3. "Trees of righteoufnefs." These are his faithful fervants, who, through the Spirit which is given unto them, become eminent and steady in goodness; their examples are fragrant, and their charity dif fufive.

17. Where the birds make their nefts: as for the fork, the fir trees are her house.

Moft admirable is that wisdom and understanding, which the Creator hath imparted to the birds of the air, whereby they diftinguish times and seasons, chuse the propereft places, conftruct their nefts with an art and exactness unattainable by man, and fecure and provide for their young. "Is it for the birds, O "Lord, who have no knowledge thereof, that thou "haft joined together fo many miracles? Is it for "the men who give no attention to them? Is it for "those who admire them, without thinking of thee? "Rather is it not thy defign, by all these wonders, to call us to thyfelf? To make us fenfible of "thy wifdom, and fill us with confidence in thy bounty, who watcheft fo carefully over these in

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"confiderable

"confiderable creatures, two of which are fold for a "farthing *?"

18. The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats, and the rocks for the conies.

The fame force of what we call Instinct prevails in terreftrial animals, and directs them to places of refuge, where they may be safe from their enemies. Thus the wild goats climb with ease to the tops and crags of mountains, where they depofit their young. And thus animals of another kind, which are more defenceless than the goats, and not able to climb like them, have yet a way of intrenching themselves in a fituation perfectly impregnable, among the rocks† ; we find them, on that account, numbered by Solomon among the "four" kinds of animals, which, though "little upon the earth, are exceeding wife. "The are but a feeble folk, yet make they "their houses in the rocks." Prov. xxx. 26. They who in themselves are "feeble" and helpless, fhould look out betimes for a mountain of refuge, and a rock of fafety.

19. He appointeth the moon for feafons; the fun knoweth his going down.

From a furvey of the works of God upon earth, the Pfalmift proceedeth to extol that divine wisdom, which is manifefted in the motions and revolutions of the heavenly bodies, and in the grateful viciffitude

* Wesley, as above.

+ It is uncertain what species of animals is here intended by the word w. But it is enough for our purpose, that they are creatures remarkable for fecuring themselves in the manner here mentioned,

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of day and night, occafioned thereby. A beautiful paffage in the book of Ecclefiafticus will, perhaps, be the best comment on the former part of this verse. "He made the moon to ferve in her feason, for a "declaration of times, and a fign to the world. "From the moon is the fign of feafts, a light that "decreaseth in her perfection. The month is called " after her name, increafing wonderfully in her changing, being an inftrument of the armies above, fhining in the firmament of heaven; the beauty "of heaven, the glory of the ftars, an ornament giving light in the highest places of the Lord." Ch. xlii. 6. The latter part of the verse expresseth the obedience of the " fun," or "folar light," to the law of its Creator; it feemeth to "know" the exact time of its coming on, and going off, and fulfilleth the course prescribed to it, without the least deviation. O that we who are endowed with sense and reafon, could in like manner fulfil our course; and that God's will were " done on earth, as it is even in" this lower and material "heaven!"

20. Thou makeft darkness, and it is night; wherein all the beafts of the foreft do creep forth. 21. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.

Night and darkness invite the wild beafts of the foreft and defert from their dens and receffes, to "feek" the "prey" allotted them by the providence of that God, who feedeth the young lions, as well as the young ravens, when hunger enforceth them, as it were, to call upon him. Thus, when a nation hath filled up the measure of its iniquities, the Sun

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