and gives utterance to the train of thoughts which rise successively in his mind.

To understand these aright we must remember the distinctive character of him to whose words we listen: it is the Patriot King, who had been the Deliverer of his Country: it is the Pious Ser vant of God, who, because, with all his frailties, he had served God in singleness and love, was honoured with the distinguishing title of The man after God's own heart. And accordingly the expression of his feelings, as he contemplates Jerusalem, is the adequate expression of combined Patriotism and Piety.

He sees before him the metropolis of his country with its orderly array of houses and streets, its palaces, its tribunals, and its sanctuary, all bound together, externally, by the encircling wall which he himself had built, and internally, by connections of reciprocal support, utility and ornament. With comprehensive mind he enjoys the exhibition it presents of combination and harmony of parts widely varying in magnitude and impor tance, yet all essentially contributing to the for mation of the one harmonious whole. He does not, however, rest in the contemplation of the visible unity which is before his eyes, he passes on in thought, and adopts it as an expressive type of 10 viol 2 Sam..9.bban hatia

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another unity, which has also there a local centre and establishment, the unity of the Religion and Government of the whole land; and in this light Jerusalem is viewed: by him as a magnificent Ecclesiastical and Civil Polity, its whole frame designed and its parts adjusted by God, to secure the temporal and eternal interests of all the inhabitants of Judea, by providing for all, thro' the means of permanent institutions, those bestblessings both for community and individual, of Religion and Justice. "Jerusalem is built aspa city that is at unity in itself." This is his lofty theme and thus he develops it: For thither, as every sacred feast comes round, the tribes go up, simultaneously converging from every part of the land to the sacred centre, even all the tribes of the Lord: they congregate in the sanctuary around the testimony of Israel, the ark, namely, of the Divine presence, in which resides the visible manifestation of God's glory and they together give thanks, in solemn and edifying service, unto the name of the Lord, for the temporal and spiritual blessings which they in common receive. And there too," he continues, are the seats of judgment: the tribunal of civil jurisdiction, and the throne of the royal government, to which every individual in the land may resort for justice and protection.*

* 2 Sam. viii. 15, 18.

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Thus he beholds in Jerusalem a comprehensive depository and bulwark, both of Civil and Religi ous privileges, for the whole nation : a bond of social and spiritual union: ban organisation of many and various functions combined into har monious action, and productive to all classes of his countrymen of incalculable good.bredt udl '. The remainder of the Psalm exhibits the result of these contemplations upon the pious King The recognition of so many and precious privileges enshrined in the holy place, kindles in his bosom a warm glow of attachment; and with sacred ardour he calls upon his countrymen to implore from God the continual preservation of them, undisturbed by assaults from without or discord within. How moving is the simple earnestness of his apostrophe, “O pray for the peace of Jerusalem! His strong affection then invests the blessed place with a personal being, and, as a Son to a dear Mother, he utters the prophetic promiserande benediction, not more evidencing his own affectionate dutifulness, than calculated to impart it to others they shall prospers that love thee." Then he puts up his own prayer for her security and happiness; and, finally, in the conviction that with her welfare are inseparably bound up the most valuable in terests of his brethren and the glory of his God,

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he declares his firm resolution to expend the best energies of his head and heart and hand in her service and support. "For my brethren and companions' sakes: I will wish thee prosperity. Yea, because of the house of the Lord our God: I will seek to do thee good."-With this sacred practical resolve the Psalm closes, and we all know how faithfully and how generously the vow was fulfilled by him to the very end of his days.

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If I have dwelt rather longer than may seenr fitting upon the exposition of this Psalm, it is because I have been led on by the confidence that it is one which in a peculiar degree engages the sympathy of all true members of the Church of England, and especially of her Ministers. doubt not but that often as its fervent words of affection are repeated by us, they are habitually transferred to that more glorious Polity, of which the Jerusalem of David's admiration and love was an emblematic/shadow,the Universal Church of Christ; and that our feelings and our reason alike have constrained us, in doing this, to make our more particular reference to that National sub-division of it, to which, by God's favour, we have the happiness of belonging.

I shall find it therefore an easy and yet, I trust, not an unacceptable employment of the time

allotted to me, if I apply to our parallel circumstances the sentiments expressed in the Psalm before us, and draw from it a few practical conclusions which appear to me more particularly deserving of attention at the present time...'

It is, doubtless, a happy thing that the Clergy are called together on periodical occasions like the present, and brought from their state of isolation on their several charges, to meet at some central point, in their ecclesiastical char acter. In addition to the specific objects of such meetings being attained, they are attended witht many incidental advantages of no inconsiderable value. Amongst the principal of these, I would number the recognition: which they render necessary of a community of relation, both as fellow-labourers in the same cause, and as bound by a common obligation of allegiance and duty to one authority. Many a time, I believe, has such an access to "the city of our solemnities" rewarded a Minister's compliance with the call of his superior, by confirming the strength which the sympathy of brotherhood affords, and bys deepening that sense of filial relation to his Church, which can alone enable him either to do justice to her, or to feel her service a delight, instead of a constraint. He will have had reason to say, I am glad that they said unto me, Let us