9. For he fatisfieth the longing, or, thirsty foul, and filleth the hungry foul with goodness.

The former of these two verfes is a chorus, repeated after the celebration of each of the four mercies here related. Literally it is, "Let them acknowledge to Jehovah his mercy, and his wonders for "the children of Adam." And what can better deferve our acknowledgment, than the provision made for the bodies and fouls of Chriftian travellers, in their way to that heavenly country and city, "where they "fhall hunger no more, neither thirft any more, "neither fhall the fun light on them, nor any heat; "for the Lamb which is in the midft of the throne "fhall feed them, and fhall lead them unto living "fountains of waters: and God fhall wipe away all "tears from their eyes." Rev. vii. 17.

10. Such as fit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron: 11. Becaufe they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counfel of the most High: 12. Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he faved them out of their diftreffes. 14. He brought them out of darknefs, and the fhadow of death, and brake their bands in funder. 15. O that men would praife the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 16. For he hath broken the gates of brafs, and cut the bars of iron in funder.

In this fecond piece of divine feenery, we behold a people groaning under all the miferies of captivity, deprived of light and liberty, chained down in horVOL. II.

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rid

rid dungeons, and there expecting the day of execution. These calamities they are represented as having brought upon themselves, by their rebellion against God, who takes this method of humbling them. It fucceeds, and brings them upon their knees to Him, who alone is able to deliver them. Moved by their cries, he exerts his power on their behalf, and free them from the houfe of bondage. To a state of corporal fervitude, the Ifraelites, for their tranfgreffions, were frequently reduced, and many times experienced, upon their repentance, the goodness of Jehovah in rescuing them from it. But the grand and universal captivity is that of fin and death; the grand and univerfal deliverance, for which all the redeemed of the Lord ought to praife his mercy, is that by Jefus Chrift. Adam and all his pofterity "rebelled against the words of God, and contemned "the counfel of the moft High." By fo doing, they fubjected themfelves to a flavery, the heaviest and bittereft of all others. The devil led them captive at his will, and fet over them their own infatiable lufts and paffions, as fo many tafkmasters, to afflict, and keep them under. By these the foul is confined fo clofe in prison, and bound with so many chains, that it cannot get forth to do the will of God, even when that is made known to it. Of mankind in this ftate how truly may it be faid, and how often in Scripture is it faid, under thefe and the like figures, "They "fit in darkness, and in the fhadow of death, being

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faft bound in mifery, and bands ftronger than " iron-He alfo brought down their heart through "heavinefs, they fell down, and there was none to

help!" A fenfe of this his woful condition forces the finner to " cry unto the Lord Jefus in his trou"ble," and to fay, "O wretched man that I am, "who fhall deliver me from this body of death! "Bring my foul out of prifon, that I may give "thanks unto thy name." And And now, his prayer is heard, the grace of Chrift cometh to his affiftance, and he is made "free indeed." His chains, like thofe of St. Peter, fall off at the word of his deliverer; he is " faved out of his diftrefs; he is brought "out of darkness and the fhadow of death," into the glorious light and liberty of the fons of God. The joy confequent upon fuch a deliverance will be ex cceded only by that which shall take place in the hearts, and be expreffed by the voices of the redeemed, on the day when Chrift shall accomplish the redemption of their bodies alfo, as he hath already effected that of his own, from the power of the grave; when he fhall dafh in pieces the brazen gates and adamantine bars of that prifon-house, put an end for ever to the bondage of corruption, and lead captivity captive into the highest heavens.

17. Fools because of their tranfgreffions, and because of their iniquities are afflicted. 18. Their foul abhorreth all manner of meat, and they draw near unto the gates of death. 19. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, he faveth them out of their diftrees. 20. He fent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their deftruction. 21. O that men would praife the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. R 2

22. And let

them

them facrifice the facrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

Το

The recovery of men from fick nefs. affords a third image of the benefits conferred on our nature, by the Redeemer. Sickness, as we are here informed, is the punishment of human folly and iniquity. When it is extreme, it deprives man of all relish and appetite for his food; nay, it makes him loath and deteft the very fight and fmell of that which fhould nourish and fupport him; in which cafe, he must waste away, and foon "draw near to the gates of death." But from thofe dreadful gates the power of God can fnatch us, when we are just a' out to enter them. an infirm and emaciated body he can reftore health, ftrength, and beauty; for difeafes are his minifters and meffengers; they vifit us at his command, and at his command they retire, and we recover again. The Ifraelites in the wilderness, " because of their "tranfgreffions, and because of their iniquities, were "often afflicted" with a plague. But when they repented, and atonement was made, the plague ceased. They were flung by fiery ferpents; but when they "cried unto Jehovah, he fent his Word, and healed "them. They were troubled," as the author of the book of Wildom obferves, "for a fmall season,

that they might be admonished, having a fign "of Salvation to put them in remembrance of the "commandment of thy law. For he that turned "himself towards it, was not faved by the thing that "he faw; but by thee who art the Saviour of all.” Wifd. xvi. 6, 7. Sentence of death was paffed upon Hezekiah; he already faw himself at "the gates of "the

"the grave," and expected no more to "behold man "with the inhabitants of the world." Yet his prayer prevailed for a refpite, and fifteen years were added to his life. Ifai. xxxviii. Now the mind, by reafonof fin, is not lefs fubject to infirmities than the body. Thefe infirmities reduce a man to a ftate of languor and liftleffnefs; he finds himself incapable of action, indisposed for the reception of divine truths, without tafte for knowledge, or inclination for virtue; he even nauseates the book of God, and the bread of heaven; and the life of faith is in great danger. But the cafe is not defperate, while there is breath enough left to call in, by prayer, the great Physician of fpirits. The moft inveterate malady gives place to his efficacious medicines; appetite revives, health returns, and the believer is reinftated in the vigour and beauty of holinefs. Let all who have been thus healed, and faved from deftruction," either of body or foul," acknowledge to Jehovah his mercy, "and his wonders wrought for the children of "Adam: let them facrifice the facrifices of thankf giving, and declare his works with rejoicing."

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23. They that go down to the fea in fhips, that do bufinefs in great waters: 24. Thefe fee the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. 25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the formy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 26. They mount up to heaven, they go dowon again to the depths, their foul is melted because of trouble. 27. They reel to and fro, and flagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits end; Heb. all their wisdom or skill is fwallowed up. 23. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble,