banish unfriendly passions, tumultuous thoughts and earthly cares; and call into their place pious, devout and benevolent affections.

Those thoughts and passions, which we indulge in our last waking moments, will probably attend us in our sleep, meet us at every waking interval, or be the first to visit us in the morning. "A dream cometh through the multitude of business, and a fool's voice is known by the multitude of his words. In the multitude of dreams and many words there are divers vanities." Our security from these vanities is "the fear of God."

Solomon has observed, that "the sleep of a laboring man is sweet," because his duty is plain, his cares are few, his mind is free, and his conscience at peace. "But the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep," "It is vain," says the Psalmist, "to rise up early and sit up late and eat the bread of sorrows; for it is God who giveth his beloved sleep."

It is the Apostle's advice, "Be angry and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil." While we are employed in the business of the day, and conversant with the men of the world, many things may occur to disturb our passions and awaken our resentments. But we must not lie down to sleep with angry passions burning in our breasts. We must extinguish the spark, as soon as we discover it, lest it rise into a flame. Before we lay ourselves down to rest, we must look to our hearts, with as much care as we look to our fires; and on the coals of anger, which lie glowing there, we must pour the water of sober consideration, lest, being neglected, they kindle into a consuming fire.

To indulge anger is to give place to the devil.Sinful passion is often excited by his influence; and

when passion prevails, we fall under his power. If we would not give him place, it must be our first care to bring our passions into subjection.

To suppress irregular motions, banish corrupt affections, and extinguish malevolent feelings should be the work of every evening; for who would dare to lie down and sleep with his heart open to the power of the devil. We bolt the doors of our houses against thieves; will we leave the doors of our hearts open to more dangerous enemies? "Let not the sun go down on your wrath, lest you give place to the devil."

I have now taken up the several thoughts contained in this psalm, and have applied them to the purpose, for which David introduced them, to instruct us how we may sleep in peace and safety.

We see that retirement for sleep was with David a serious matter. He did not, like many, spend the day wholly in earthly cares, unmindful of God; waste the evening in riot and dissipation, regardless of death; and then, overcharged with cares, or stupified with pleasures, throw himself into the arms of sleep, thoughtless as an animal: But the day he employed in the work assigned him; and the evening he sequestered to selfexamination and repentance, prayer and praise. He communed with his heart on his bed, banished irregular passions, invited pious affections, and resigned himself to sleep with the temper, with which he wished to awake. Thus his days were useful, his evenings cheerful, his sleep secure, and his mornings bright.

It is by the daily exercise of religion, that we hold ourselves in constant readiness for death. David lay down in peace and slept in safety, because, in the light of God's countenance, and in the consciousness of his own integrity, he could view all events as happy. He composed himself to rest, per

suaded, that whether he should rise or expireawake or die, all would be well. "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? He is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? He is my shepherd; I shall not want. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for he is with me. I will bless the Lord who giveth me counsel; my reins instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; my flesh also shall rest in hope. Thou wilt shew me the path of life. In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forever more,"

My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up.

DAVID, the author of this Psalm, was eminent for his devout and heavenly spirit. No man was more frequent, or more fervent in praise and prayer. His various afflictions and signal deliverances greatly contributed to the improvement of his piety.

The stated seasons of his devotion were morning and evening; these he observed with conscientious exactness. He says, "I cry unto thee in the day time; and in the night season I am not silent. I prevented the dawning of the morning and cried; I hoped in thy word. Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word."

The Psalm, from which our text is taken, was one of his morning exercises. In the time when he composed it, he was under persecution from the ad

herents of Saul, or the partizans of Absalom. He speaks of his enemies who took counsel against him. He was driven out from the house of God, to which he expresses a hope of being restored. And in the place where he was, he resolved still to remember the temple of God, and to pray with his face directed toward it.

An attention to this psalm will be useful to assist our devotional exercises.

1. We will consider the season which David chose for his devotions. "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning." He had other seasons of communion with God: But this he esteemed an important one, and this he was careful not to lose.

The scripture, by direct precepts, and by approved examples, teaches us, that we ought daily to call upon God. Our Savior instructs us, in our prayers, to say, "Give us this day our daily bread.” The apostle exhorts us to " pray without ceasing".

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pray always with all prayer." The psalmist resolves, "Every day will I praise thee-I will daily cry unto thee-I will daily perform my vows.” Morning and evening are seasons, which scripture recommends, and which reason approves, for our daily stated devotions.

The prophet says, "With my soul I have desired thee in the night, and with my spirit within me I will seek thee early." The Psalmist approved it as a good thing" to shew forth God's kindness in the morning and his faithfulness every night."

In the morning when we awake, it is reasonable that we should thankfully acknowledge God's preserving care, and devote to him afresh the life which his power has protected, and the strength which his influence has restored. Our sleep has been the image of death. And what is our awaking_from_it but a new life given us by the Creator? It is the