"The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand." Ps. cxxi. 5.

THE most delightful object to a spiritual eye, the most comforting subject to a spiritual mind, is "God in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them: " 2 Cor. v. 18. The hills afford us a pleasing idea of our blessed Saviour: As they are elevated parts of the same earth with the lowest valley; so Jesus was found in fashion as a man, took on him the same nature, and was in all things like unto his brethren, sin alone excepted:" Phil. ii. 8: Heb. iv. 15. Truly, they are well kept whom the Lord keeps. He who keeps the Church is the keeper of every individual member. Art thou a believer in Jesus? If so,

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1st. "The Lord is thy keeper;" and as a life-guard would encamp around a prince, to protect his royal person, so the angel of the Lord encampeth round about thee: Ps. xxxiv. 7. What is it, or, who is it, can harm thee? His angel guards thee, and He himself keeps thee: Ps: xci. 1-11. What more canst thou need? He is a good Shepherd, and thou canst never have a better Keeper, and he has engaged to keep thee safely: John x. 28. Thou mayest meet with storms to toss thee, but wilt never meet with a rock to split thee, while under the protection of so good a keeper. But that is not all; for,

2d. "The Lord is thy shade." Fear not, then, the threatning storms; let the lightnings flash, the thunders roar, the tempest howl, and storms beset thee, beneath this shade thou art secure: Deut. xxxiii. 12. The cloud of his protecting love is ever over thee; the sickly rays of the sun cannot smite thee; neither can earth and hell, with their united forces harm thee. For,

3d. The Lord is upon "Thy right hand." And though thou mayest have no power, Christ, thy best friend, has all power: Matt. xxviii. 18: And even if thou shouldst lose thy life for Christ, thou wilt find a better life in Christ: Col. iii. 4.

What hast thou to fear? What canst thou fear, while thou hast so good a keeper, so kind a friend, and blest with such a shade, always "on thy right?" Away with your fears! Dread nothing but sin. If you would not be burnt by the sun, be careful to walk in the shade,

"Fear not: I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead and behold I am live forevermore, Amen and have the keys of hell and of death." Rev. i. 17, 18.

THE faithful believer in Jesus is truly blessed; blessed in him with all spiritual blessings; and enjoys a sweet sense of blessedness in obeying him: Eph. i. 3. Notwithstanding, you may be sometimes sorrowful even unto tears; but should always bear in mind, that nothing can befall you but what is for your good: Rom. viii. 28. Our heavenly Father is so kind, he only gives correction when we deserve destruction: Lam. iii. 22. He never leaves his children for a single moment; and even when death stares them in the face he will command away their fears, by whispering to their hearts, "Fear not!" And while he thus encourages them to keep up their spirits, he assigns the best of reasons why they should not fear any danger that may threaten them.

1st. "Iam," says Christ, "the first and the last ;" the first-born of every creature, and the first begotton from the dead: Col. i. 15, 18: none were before me; neither shall any come after me: Prov. viii. 22-36. Thus he makes himself known as their Lord.

2d. He is their Saviour; and declares, “I was dead;" it is true I had to submit unto death for a time; but then, he could not hold me; I conquered the king of terrors. in his own tertitories; I broke his icy chain, soon as 1 would; and, "behold, I am alive forevermore: Luke xxiv. 33, 39. Never more shall Death have dominion over me; but in the end I will destroy him: 1 Cor. xv. 26. Think not that no one cares for thy safety, and that thy sufferings are unnoticed; for "I am the AMEN," the faithful and the true witness of all to which thou art exposed, as well as all thou art called to endure: Rev. iii. 14.

3d. Be not afraid of any one taking thy life, or sending thee out of the world without my consent, for "I have the keys of hell and of death ;" and it is impossible for any one to pass from time to eternity without my notice: Rev. v. 12, 13.

Believer, think not that you can die by chance, while the keys of the invisible world hang to the girdle of your Saviour.

"For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her." Zech. ii. 5.

SAY, soldier of Christ, has thy captain ever deceived thee? Did he not tell thee, before enlisting under his banner, who were his enemies, and what thou hadst to expect from them? Almost every page of his word furnishes accounts how the men of this world look upon the children of God. But no matter who, or what, opposes them, the Lord is resolved to protect them. God's peculiar people are, in themselves, a weak people; and the world hates the cause in which they are engaged; and consequently hates them: John xv. 19. But, for their safety the Lord has engaged to be,

1st. "A wall unto them;" and such a wall too as their enemies shall not be able either to batter or scale; "a wall of fire," that an enemy cannot possibly approach: Prov. iii. 23, 24. Observe, 2d. He will not be a wall on one side only, but "round about ;" so that, there being no breach, it is impossible for an enemy to injure them: Prov. i. 33. And 3d. The Lord will not enclose them and then leave them, like forlorn prisoners; for He himself will be the wall, and will have "his glory in the midst of her."

As the Eastern Shepherds were accustomed to collect their flocks at night, and make a fire round about them, to preserve them from beasts of prey, which would not venture through the fire, being afraid of it, so the Lord is like a circle of fire drawn round about all believers; so that all who serve God, may be truly said to live in God: 1 John iv. 16; and have the glory of God in the midst of them. If God gives glory to us, let us be careful to give glory to God; 1 Cor. x. 31: and ever bear in mind, that the vessels of grace will swim in the ocean of glory. We must be purified by Christ, before we can be glorified with Christ. Fear not, then, trembling believer, for greater is he that is for you, than all who can be against you: Rom. viii. 31. Should the hand of God happen to be against you, never think that his heart is against you; for whom he loves he chastens, in one way or other Heb. xii. 6. Sin not; and Fear not. Be not afraid of sinking in sorrow while you are swimming in grace.

"Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have; for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Heb. xiii. 5.

COVETOUSNESS is a sin that may lie long concealed in our bosoms; but unless it be subdued will find way into our conversation and actions: let us, then, never rest with such an enemy; for, like a cankerworm; it will eat away all our happiness, and bring a disgrace on that cause we profess to espouse: Prov. xxviii. 16. Should you have such an enemy lurking about you, you are exhorted to put it away; that,

1st. Your "conversation" might be "without covetousness." 2d. Consider how many good things of this life you have, more than you really deserve, at the hand of God, whose holy laws you have broken: Gal. iii. 10, And, 3d. What spiritual things you have. You have the everlasting, unchangeable love of God fixed upon you the life, death, and intercession of the Son of God for your wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. i. 30; and, as a consequence of this, the Spirit has bestowed graces upon you; hence you have faith in Christ-hope towards God-love to himdelight in him—and a desire to keep his commandments: Ps. cxix. 97: and to encourage and enable you to walk holily, the precious promises are given you as the staff of your faith: Rom. xv. 4. What more can you desire, than these? 4th. Strive to "be content with such things as ye have;" be thankful with what you have; and willing to want what he is not willing to give; "For he hath said," Who hath said? God, who cannot lie, "I will never leave

and who will never deceive thee. thee:" Joshua i. 15: let thy condition be what it may; in sickness and in health, in poverty and in riches, at home and abroad, in honor and reproach, by land and by sea, in life and in death, I will be with thee to bless thee, and strengthen thee, and uphold thee. And, 5th. Though all the world should turn their back upon thee, "I will not forsake thee: Deut. iv. 31.

Is not all this enough to make you content? you any longer doubt of his protecting love?

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could a God of Love say or do, more than he has already said and done? Isa. v. 4.

"Great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing shall offend them." Ps. cxix. 165.

THE law, the moral law, worketh wrath: Rom. iv. 15 for by it is the knowledge of sin. Have not all believers experienced a sense of wrath in the conscience, when the law has discovered unto them their sins? But this law is subservient to the law of love. Jesus, of whom the ceremonial law was a shadow, and by whose holy life the moral law received perfect obedience to all its requirements, was the "seed of the woman," in whom the law of peace and salvation entered. The law of life and salvation is "sure to all the seed:" Rom. iv. 16. Hence all believers delight in it, and have great peace from it; for having made the law of God their rule, they strive in all things to be ruled by it: Ps. i. 2; while a consciousness of having done what the word or law of God requires, produces that inward peace and serenity of soul, to which the transgressors are strangers.

Observe, 1st. It does not say, they shall have peace; but, "Great peace have they which love thy law;" so that they do not have peace for loving the law of God ; but in the act of loving it; it is in keeping the commands they have the reward: Ps. xix. 10. It is true, they may have great troubles without, but they have "great peace" within. They have also, 2d. Great security; for "nothing shall offend them." No one shall entangle them; and no temptation shall be too powerful for them: 1 Cor. x. 13. Nothing shall, nothing can, do them any real harm; for while God is good to all, he is truly good to Israel: Ps. lxiii. 1. Whatever befalls them must be for the best: Rom. viii, 28. Grace in the heart will create more peace than gold in the pocket. Riches may make a man haughty, but religion will make a man happy. And, 3d. The law of God is the will of God and; though a Christian has a will of his own, he must never expect peace in loving his own will; No; it is said "thy law," and not our law: Matt. vi. 10. There are many who know the law of God, but very few who love the law of God; but those who love not the law, are very soon offended if they are told so; while every wind that blows ruffles them; so that they have no peace: Isa. lvii. 21. Many mistake hearing, or reading the law, for doing it.