A History of the Papacy; in a Series of Papers Hints to a Young Preacher on the Character and Delivery of his Ser- Attention to the Bible, and its real Meaning Infidelity-Consider your Inconsistency. Confirmations of Scripture-from Egyptian Funereal Rites. ............... NEW SERIES, ENLARGED AND IMPROVED. The Evangelist. EXPOSITIONS, SKETCHES, AND SERMONS. I. FAMILIAR EXPOSITION OF PSALM XXXIX. VERSE 1. I said, I will take heed to my ways.-We should not only take heed to our faith, but to our practice; not only how we hear, but how we act. Some think much of their creed, and little of their ways; but he that despiseth his ways shall die. David prayed to have his goings upheld in God's way, but these words show his conviction that prayer would not avail without circumspection; that he must watch as well as pray; and keep himself, if he would have God to keep him. I will take heed to my ways,-for sanctification is as much my duty as my privilege, and if I would not fall into sin, I must look well to my going, as does the prudent man. NO. I. B I will take heed to my ways,—because others are looking on my ways. 1 66 am compassed about with a great cloud of witnesses" of all sorts. The world watches me; angels observe me; God's eyes of fire are upon me. Besides, time is passing; death is coming; judgment is coming; eternity is coming. I will take heed to my ways, for as my ways are, so will my end be. That I sin not with my tongue.-The ways of my tongue are my ways, as well as the ways of my feet. We sin with the tongue when we murmur as the Israelites did, and were stung with vipers' tongues as they endeavoured to sting both Moses and their Maker with their tongues. And we sin with the tongue when we expose the faults of God's servants as Aaron and Miriam did, when they spake against Moses, for which the Lord smote Miriam with the leprosy. Her father spit in her face (Num. xii. 14) for spitting on Moses's character. And we sin with the tongue when we do as Moses did, though we may be violently urged as he was, when "they provoked his spirit so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips," and died for it. O the tongue is very apt to sin, and it can pour forth a flood of iniquity. Nations are afflicted for the sins of the tongue. "Because of swearing, the land mourneth." Sins of the tongue merit hell. "All liars into the lake." "The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity, which setteth on fire the whole course of nature, and is itself set on fire of hell." It is more difficult to tame than any sort of beasts, birds, serpents, or fishes; "an unruly evil, full of deadly poison," and perhaps suffers more in hell than all the other members of the body-" A drop of water," said Dives," to cool my tongue." It is so easy to talk, that some people feel an almost irresistible temptation to be always talking. All the passions find an easy outlet by this channel; all seek to vent themselves by the tongue. Among sinners, therefore, it is a most mischievous piece of flesh, notwithstanding its diminutiveness, and they are no sooner converted than they set themselves with all their might to get it "seasoned with grace." The tongue will furnish as sure a token of the moral state of the heart as its colour does of the state of the bodily system. The physician seeking to judge of the patient's health, says, "Let me look at your tongue;" so those who would judge of the state of your heart must look at your tongue too, for, "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Α I will keep my mouth as with a bridle.-For the tongue is like a beast that needs to be checked, and powerfully guided in its motions, as well as like a person given to mischief, who needs to be watched. good bridle for the tongue is only made by religion, and it is formed of the fear of God and the love of peace and holiness; but it requires wisdom from above to know how to put it on, and how to use it when on. It should be always worn; not only when the tongue is in motion, but also when it is at rest. For if it once finds it off there is no knowing whither it will run. Seek this bridle from above, and on your bended knees, for its price is far above rubies. Seek it of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, for none else can furnish you with it. When obtained, it may be worn for ever, and will become stronger by continual using. Moses once let it fall off, and, as we have before noted, it cost him his life. "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue -this man's religion is vain." And who has not trembled at the thought that our Lord has referred to one sin of the tongue which has "never forgiveness, neither in this world nor in that which is to come?" "Set a watch, O Lord, upon my mouth, and keep the door of my lips," says the sacred writer; though he would not so trust to the watch sought from above, as to neglect to set his own watch too. While the wicked is before me.-As always, so then more especially, lest they should make harm where none was intended, or trample on the pearls you cast before them, and turn again and rend you. And yet we must not wonder if even this caution should not avail to secure us from strife and persecution. Our Lord's words were wrested against him, and made the pretext for his condemnation, Ver. 2. I was dumb with silence.-He not only used the bridle to direct his tongue in the right way, but to stop its motion altogether for a season. It is better not to speak at all than to sin in speaking. Sometimes, however, it is a sin not to speak, for a man may sin with his tongue when he says nothing, as it is a sin in a servant to do nothing, as well as to do wrong. There is a holy silence under God's correction, and there is a sinful silence at others' corruption. Aaron held his peace, and his was a holy silence. Eli held his peace, and his was a naughty silence." There is " a time to keep silence, as well as a time to speak ;" and it is a high point of wisdom to be able exactly to observe such times. "As David had much cause to fear speaking among Saul's friends. They wrested his words daily. a lamb dumb before his shearers, therefore, so he opened not his mouth." What would multitudes in eternity give, could they avoid the consequences of all their idle words, as well as of all their profane conversation? Study a devout silence. "God is in heaven, and thou upon earth, therefore let thy words be few." A fool's voice is known by the multitude of words. I held my peace even from good.-This was either wise or foolish according to circumstances. (1.) It might be wisdom, for our Lord did not always speak, no, not when urged to it; and yet we are sure that if he had spoken it would have been very good. But there are seasons and situations in which it would be useless, nay, even dangerous to speak; when good will be made evil of, and all a man says will be turned to his reproach. (2.) It might be folly. If his fear of saying what was wrong kept him from saying what was right, lest he should mix wrong with it, this was unwise; as if a man should abstain from charity lest he should be vain, and from prayer lest his thoughts should wander. And it |