Surely, then, it is an infallible mark of a reprobate state to be alienated in mind, in affection, and desire, from God. Such, and such only, say unto God, "Depart from us; we desire not the knowledge of thee."

III. We observe in the text-there is human help discarded: none to help; for the purport of the expression is, that there is no help in any other. Conviction of this sentiment is essential to the urgency and success of the petition for divine help. It is of no avail saying, be not far from me, if we are looking still to the creatures. He that feels the pressure of trouble, especially of soul trouble, must be thoroughly convinced that "Vain is the help of man.” Here let me remind you,

1. There is an universal clinging of our nature to the help of creatures. In cases of worldly trouble, bodily afflictions, or impending evils, men flee to friends, riches, physicians, or other helpers, before they ask the interposition of divine mercy and power. The rich man's wealth is his strong city: there he comforts and secures himself. This he fondly dreams is a fortress or entrenchment against every foe. People wish their ministers to prophesy smooth and comfortable things to them, without considering or inquiring whether God speaks such. Multitudes, under the fear of death and judgment, cleave to their own righteousness, expect to be justified by the law, trust in their outward forms and ceremonies, or even expect to be saved from wrath, because they are not so outrageously wicked, so openly bad as others. Some even say, that they expect happiness in the life to come, because they have had so much trouble here.

2. Observe the evil which this habitual cleaving to the creature produces. It diverts the mind from the only sufficient and immutable support. It robs God of his glory; keeps our own hearts in a state of perplexity and agitation, far from repose, comfort, and strength. It must inevitably bring disappointment, for all must learn that vain is the help of man. We may manage to comfort ourselves for a little season with such shallow brooks; but they will finally be dried up and leave us famishing. We may feel our need of the living fountain when it may be too late to seek it, and impossible to taste it. Some think only of momentary help or ease, and they are contented with physicians that aim only to heal over the wound; but

he that seeks permanent healing and health would prefer to have it probed and searched. The help of creatures is like a palliative, it assuages momentary pain—but, perhaps, at the expense of aggravating the disorder. Such is our exposure to trouble that no earthly means can afford relief. They who look to such resources will be constrained to say at last, "Miserable comforters are ye all.”

3. The imperative duty of withdrawing our confidence from the help of man and placing it upon God is emphatically taught us here. He says, "Call upon me in the day of trouble." "Cast thy burden upon the Lord.” "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart." "Cursed be he that trusteth in man, and that maketh flesh his arm." "Cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of?" "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will trust in the name of the Lord our God." The obligation so to trust clearly depends upon the fact that provision is made in the gospel for our support and triumph. “I will be with thee in trouble; I will deliver thee.” “When thou passest through the fire, the flame shall not kindle upon thee; and through the waters, they shall not overflow thee." The promise of God is made to believers in Christ, and he seals it to them saying, "In me ye shall have peace."

4. Our everlasting salvation depends upon perceiving the insufficiency of human help, and the all-sufficiency of the divine. (Jer. xvii. 5—8.) The soul can never be safe till it is brought to disclaim all human refuges—all selfrighteousness, and utterly to despair of deliverance by creature aid; nor till it perceives that salvation is wholly by grace through an entire faith in the atonement and mediation of Jesus Christ. Isaiah, 1. 11,-" It shall be as when a hungry man dreameth, and behold he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is faint," &c.

Why will you lean on a frail reed, when you may rest upon a rock? why drink at a broken cistern, when the fountain of living waters is accessible? why feed on the apples of Sodom, when the fruit of the tree of life is offered? why take shelter under a frail shed or tent, which the tempest may sweep away, when the gate of a palace is open to you? why feed on ashes, when the heavenly manna falls thick around your tents? why take hold on

the finite, the mortal, the perishing creature, while the infinite Jehovah "Trust in the Lord for ever and ever; for in me the Lord is everlasting strength."

says,

LIX.

THE PSALMIST'S APPEAL AND PROFESSION. PSALM XXXIX. 7-" AND NOW, LORD, WHAT WAIT I FOR? MY HOPE IS IN THEE."

Ir is certain that all those objects in which the human heart naturally delights are vain, and that those who attach themselves to these objects as sources of supreme happiness are in a sinful and dangerous state. Surely it is hardly possible that any can pursue worldly pleasures, and not anticipate the inevitable disappointment in which they must issue. Does not reason teach us that they are nothing but gilded bubbles, ready to burst in vanity and nothingness? Has not experience proved that they afford only a momentary delirium to the soul, and that when the heart is most sated with worldly delights, it is least satisfied? We feel for such as are involved in the vortex of sinful pleasure, or are possessed with the supreme love of the world; and more especially for those who, under such circumstances, are struggling with religious convictions, labouring to quiet an uneasy conscience, and endeavouring to reconcile eternal opposites. We fear there are many in every assembly who have set their hope in anything rather than in God; many who are yet of an undecided mind, and others whose wishes for salvation and heaven are faint and few. To all such the subject before us will furnish a profitable theme of instruction; for let them be assured they will never attain a superiority over their sinful selves, a victory over a sinful world, and the enjoyment of unfailing happiness, until they are brought to an experimental acquaintance with that state of mind which is exhibited in this portion of scripture, " And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee."

66

I. Here is a solemn appeal expressed: "Now, Lord, what wait I for?" It seems to say "Thou that searchest my heart, and triest my thoughts, knowest that I am not looking for my portion in any worldly good."

1. This appeal had reference to the review the psalmist had been taking of the frailty of human nature.-See ver. 5. The brevity and uncertainty of human life might well supply an antidote to our vain expectations from the creature. We who are of yesterday, whose days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and who are borne on the wings of time to the end of our days, should be admonished by experience and observation, as David was, not to put our trust in man, whose breath is in his nostrils. We have innumerable admonitions and a large experience of the frailty of our flesh, and the brittleness of the human machine. We see the work of death continually going on; his envenomed shafts flying thick around us; our companions and friends falling at our side, and yet we are prone to count on future life; to think the death of others nothing extraordinary, and our own to be distant. How hard is it to bring home the thought, to limit our expectations, and to realize the end of our mortal career. Yet it is needful and salutary, and it would be well for every one considerately to adopt the appeal of David in the text "Lord, what wait I for?" I feel I am a poor dying creature; that I belong to a race who are all doomed to corruption; I will not count on length of days; I will sum up my wishes into the present hour; I will look upon the next as in no sense my own.

2. This appeal has reference also to the vanity of the world, and of the creature as a portion.-See ver. 6. The review which David had taken of the vanity of the world was a perfectly just one; and however men may differ from him while they are yet eager in the pursuit of worldly good, they will all agree with him at last. All their toil issues in vanity and vexation of spirit; and when they have gained what they profanely denominate the main chance, they are not a step nearer to real and permanent happiness. Men think the world something substantial, and hence they pursue it eagerly; but they find even when they have attained the height of their wishes, that happiness is in something else; that they have grasped a shadow where they thought to embrace a substance. David therefore had learned to say concerning all these scenes of human glory and ambition, "What wait I for?" I relinquish these things as my portion; they cannot yield what I want. We should profit by his experience.

3. This appeal has reference to the expectations of others

and so we may read it with an emphasis, "What wait I for?" I, who am a believer in God. How few can thus solemnly appeal to God, that they expect nothing from this vain world; for most persons are expecting much from it. Thus the young talk of enjoying life and seeing much good; the middle-aged of laying up gold and silver, joining house to house, and field to field, and deriving happiness from their possessions; and the aged of enjoying ease and comfort from the things of earth and time. They They are setting up their expectations in preference to God's favour, and life is stealing away in vain hopes of some future good, always anticipated, but always receding from their grasp. They change the object, but continue the vain pursuit; they attain one and then another, and in possession prove the insufficiency of each, till all these changes, and all these pursuits, and all these sources of imagined happiness, terminate in disappointment. There is a striking contrast between the state of mind exhibited in this text, and that of the generality of men.

4. This appeal evinces the sincerity of the psalmist in withdrawing his hope from the world and the things of it. Does it not seem to say, "Thou that knowest all things, and thoroughly searchest my heart, I appeal to thee that I am not cleaving to any sinful object, or any feeble creature, as the source of my happiness.' It is of great importance to search our hearts upon this point; For if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things." There is a possibility of self-deception; many are professing to place their hope in God who are yet expecting and waiting for much from the world. The heart is greatly deceitful upon this point, and it is needful we should be guarded against its snares. We must be willing, truly and in heart, to abandon this world. as our portion and chief good; it is not enough to profess to do it, to seem to do it, to make others believe we do it. Nothing short of a cordial relinquishment of it, and such a state of mind as that exhibited in the text will do. it is of no use looking at this matter partially or slightly; the sum of religion lies between God and our own souls; our appeal must be to him who knoweth the heart; and a satisfaction derived from anything short of such a self-examination as is here implied, such a self-disclosure before

And