kept a great festival, called "the feast of trumpets;" Levit. xxiii. 24. Numb. xxix. 1. which, probably, is here intended. This September new moon had a particular regard paid to it, because, according to the old calculation, before Ifrael came out of Egypt, it was the first new moon in the year, which began upon this day, the first of the (afterwards) seventh month. The tenth of the fame month was the great day of atonement; and on the fifteenth was celebrated the feast of tabernacles. See Levit. xxiii. 27, and 34. Our Pfalm therefore feems to have been defigned for the purpose of awakening and stirring up the devotion of the people upon the folemn entrance of a month, in which they were to commemorate fo many paft bleffings, prefigurative of much greater bleffings to come. We have now our feast days, our Christmas, Easter, Whitfuntide, &c. On these, and all other folemn occafions, let the evangelical trumpet give a found of victory, of liberty, of joy and rejoicing; of victory over death, of liberty from fin, of joy and rejoicing in Christ Jefus our Saviour.

4. For this was a ftatute for Ifrael, and a law of the God of Jacob. 5. This he ordained in Jofeph, for a teftimony, when he went out through, or, against the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.

The meaning is, that the obfervation of feasts, with blowing of trumpets, was a ftatute, law, or testimony, ordained in Jofeph, or Ifrael, by God himfelf, after he had deftroyed the Egyptians, and brought his people into the wilderness, where the

law was given. Concerning the words, "I heard a "language that I understood not," it is difficult to account for the change of person; but the sense feems to be, that the children of Ifrael received the law, when they had been in bondage under a people of strange and barbarous language, or dialect. The paffage is exactly parallel to that in Pf. cxiv. 1. "When Ifrael went out of Egypt, and the house of

Jacob from a people of strange language;" &c.— The new law, with it's facraments and ordinances, was promulged after the fpiritual redemption by Chrift, as the old law, with it's rites and ceremo nies, was published, after the temporal deliverance by Moses.

6. I removed his fhoulder from the burthen his hands were delivered from the pots.

From this verse to the end, it is plain, that God is the speaker. He reminds Ifrael of their redemption, by his mercy, and power, from the burthens and the drudgery imposed on them in Egypt. Mofes defcribeth their then ftate of fervitude, by faying, "The Egyptians made their lives bitter with hard

bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all "manner of service in the field;" Exod. i. 14. that is, probably, in making veffels of clay, as this verse feems to imply. Let us remember, that we have been eafed of far heavier burthens, delivered from feverer task-mafters, and freed from a bafer drudgery; the intolerable load of fin, the cruel tyranny of Satan, the vile fervice and bitter bondage of concupiscence.

7. Thou calledft in trouble, and I delivered thee: I anfivered

anfwered thee in the fecret place of thunder: 1 proved thee at the waters of Meribah.

God declares his readiness, at all times, to hear the prayers, and relieve the diftreffes of his people as he did when they cried unto him in Egypt, and in the wilderness, and received anfwers from the cloudy pillar. In that deep recefs he had fixed his awful throne, and from thence, on proper occafions, he manifested his power and glory, protecting Ifrael, and confounding their adverfaries. In Pf. xxix. 6. it is faid of "Mofes, Aaron," &c. They called upon "the Lord, and he answered them: he spake unto "them in the cloudy pillar;" which paffage feems exactly parallel to that in the verfe under confidera. tion-"Thou calledft, and-I anfwered thee in the "fecret place of thunder." He who spake unto Ifrael in the cloudy pillar, hath since spoken to us by his Son: he who "proved them at the waters of "Meribah," Exod. xvii. 6, 7. now proves us, by various trials, in the world.

8. Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Ifrael, if thou wilt hearken unto me; 9. There shall no strange God be in thee; neither shatt thou worship any frange God. 10. I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

God here addreffeth himself to the Ifraelites, putting them in remembrance of that first and great commandment against idolatry; of his claim to their obedience, as their God and Saviour; and of his. being both able and willing to fatisfy the utmost defires and wishes of fuch, as would apply to Him, for

bleffing

bleffing and comfort. Behold, then, the rebellion, the ingratitude, and the folly of that man, who faith, to any creature, "Thou art my God;" who bestoweth on the world that fear, love, and adoration, which are due only to it's Creator and Redeemer; who wafteth his days in feeking after happinefs, where all, by their inquietude, acknowledge, that it is not to be found.

11. But my people would not and Ifrael would none of me. up unto their own heart's luft: their own counfels.

hearken to my voice, 12. So I gave them and they walked in

By the fubject of an earthly prince, it is juftly deemed a great honour, for his fovereign to converfe with him, to counfel, and advife him: but from finful dust and afhes, we hear the Majefty of heaven complaining, that he cannot obtain an audience; no one will attend to, or obferve his falutary admonitions. When we fee men enabled, by wealth and power, to accomplish the inordinate defires of their hearts, and carry their worldly fchemes into execution, without meeting with any obftructions in their way, we are apt to envy their felicity; whereas fuch profperity in wickednefs is the fureft mark of divine displeasure, the heaviest punishment of disobedience, both in individuals and communities. My people "would not hearken to my voice, and Ifrael would 66 none of me: fo I gave them up unto their own "heart's luft: and they walked in their own coun"fels."

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13. O that my people had hearkened unto me, and Ifrael had walked in my ways! 14. I should foon

have fubdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adverfaries.

Such are the tender mercies of our God, that he is not only careful to provide for us the means of falvation, but reprefents himself as mourning with a paternal affection over his children, when their frowardneís and obftinacy disappoint the efforts of his love. One cannot help obferving the fimilitude between the complaint here uttered, and one which hath been fince breathed forth, over the fame people; "O Jerufalem, Jerufalem, how often would I "have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye "would not!"

15. The haters of the LORD fhould have fubmitted themselves unto him; or, fhould have failed, or, been fubdued to him; but their time, i. e. the time of his people, fhould have endured for ever.

The tranfgreffions of the church give her enemies all their power against her, calling the avenger from afar, and setting an edge on the fword of the perfecutor. "Where the carcafe is," where the Spirit of religion is departed, and has left the body to corrupt and decay, "there the eagles are gathered together;" all the inftruments of vengeance, terrestrial and infernal, flock, by permiffion, to the prey. Had not this been the cafe with regard to Ifrael, Jerufalem had continued to be through all ages, what she was in the days of Solomon, the delight of the nations, and the joy of the whole earth.

16. He fhould have fed them alfo with the finest of the wheat and with honey out of the rock should 1 have fatisfied thee.

That