EXERCISES ON SCRIPTURE LESSONS.

MARCH 1.-MORNING LESSON.

THE GOD OF JUDGMENT PRAISED.-Psalm ix.

SUMMARY.-The inscription here is, "To the chief musician upon Muthlabben," or, according to some, "Muthnabal." Muth, is "death," and nabal, "a fool." This makes the title mean, "the death of the fool;" which agrees with the Psalm. There is, however, scarcely any agreement among learned men as to the meaning of "Muth-labben."

I. ENEMIES JUDGED.-V. 1-6. With my whole heart.-Not merely with the lips, like some; nor with a divided heart, like others. Marvellous works,miraculous deliverances. When mine enemies, &c.-This was sure to come to pass; for God, who had humbled so many of David's enemies, would continue to help him. Thou hast maintained, &c.-His cause being just, he attributed his triumph to the God of judgment. Hast rebuked, &c.-God's rebukes always include the infliction of punishment. O thou enemy, &c.— The destruction of the enemy here meant was so complete, that there was nothing more to destroy. Their memorial, &c.-The Amalekites are probably intended. After David's victories over them, they disappear from history. Compare Exod. xvii. 14; Num. xxiv. 20; Deut. xxv. 19.

II. THE GOD OF JUDGMENT.-V. 7 -12. But the Lord, &c.-His throne is established for the purpose of administering righteous judgment, and no one can depose Him from it. They that know, &c.-To know Him is to trust Him. Which dwelleth in Zion,i.e., whose visible presence rested above the ark in the tabernacle which was in Zion. Inquisition,-inquiry. For blood, -unrighteously shed. He remembereth them, and will be their terrible Avenger. Compare Gen. iv. 9, 10; Heb. xii. 24; Rev. vi. 10.

III. COMING JUDGMENTS.-V. 1320. Have mercy upon me.-David had yet other enemies, against whom he needed the help of the righteous Judge ;

VOL. III. NEW SERIES.-March, 1868.

and for that help he prays. Thou that liftest me up,-i.e., that hast so often done so. The gates of death, — i.e., situations in which his life was in extreme peril. In the gates of the daughter of Zion,-i.e., in the places of public resort in Jerusalem. The city is poetically personified as a maiden, or daughter. The heathen, &c.-David's enemies were always the aggressors; and in every case the mischief designed for him fell back upon themselves. In the pit-in the net.-These metaphors are taken from wild-beast-hunting and bird-catching. David's faith sees all his enemies already overcome. The Lord is known, &c.-When His judgments are abroad in the earth, men see that there is One who judges. Shall be turned into hell. This will be the last act of the God of judgment in regard to them. Shall not alway be forgotten.-They NEVER are, (v. 12,) though they sometimes seem to be. But men,-who cannot contend with God.

Higgaion, v. 16,-is supposed to be a direction to the singers of this Psalm, in the tabernacle-service, to pause, for silent meditation; and Selah was, probably, also a musical sign. On the meaning of the latter word, however, the learned are hopelessly at variance.

REFLECTIONS. - 1. God should be praised for His mercies.-The Giver will be more disposed to confer new gifts when He sees that what He has already given is prized.

2. The more God is known, the more He is reverenced.-If we know Him, we must reverence Him, who commands so many judgments.

3. The more God is known, the more He is loved. They who know Him can trust Him for everything, v. 10. If we cannot trust Him, we do not know Him: how good, and gracious, and ready to help He is.

4. The more mercy we receive, the more

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See v. 15. The ordinary mode of killing the larger animals in Southern Africa is this: "The 'hopo' consists of two hedges in form of the letter V. Instead of the hedges joining at the angle, they form a lane about fifty yards long, at the extremity of which a pit is dug, and carefully covered with short green rushes. The herds are driven with shouts into the narrow part of the 'hopo,' when men secreted there throw their javelins among them; and on the affrighted animals rush to the opening at the end, and fall into the pit, till it is full."-Dr. Livingstone.

MARCHI 1.- AFTERNOON LESSON.

THE KINGDOM AND THE KING.-Mark iv. 21-41.
For repetition, verses 39-41.

SUMMARY.- Our Lord shows that they who have the truth must make it known; likens His kingdom to growing corn, and a grain of mustard seed; and stills a storm.

I. WHAT CANDLES ARE FOR.-V. 21 -25. These verses refer to the parable given above. A candle put under a bushel-would be perfectly useless; but set on a candlestick, it gives light to the house, Matt. v. 15. Our Lord's teaching was not intended to hide the truth, but to make it known. Though He had explained the previous parable to the twelve privately, (v. 10,) they were to cause it to come abroad, by proclaiming what He had taught them, Matt. x. 27. Let him hear,-attentively, for, else, how can he tell? He must take in before he can give out. Take heed, &c.,-or, consider well what ye hear; for mere hearing is not enough. With what measure, &c.-According to their attention would be the knowledge communicated to them. He that hath, &c.-The sense is, that only they who improve what they learn, can become more wise.

II. How GRAIN GROWs.-V. 2629. Sleep and rise.-Acting as all men do, without interfering with the growth of the grain. Having done his part, he leaves the rest to nature, and nature's God. He knoweth not how,

-nor can all the philosophers tell him.. The nourishment and growth of piety is equally mysterious. Of herself,without the help of man. He can sow the seed, but he cannot make it grow. So, man can preach the Gospel, but he cannot cause it to take effect. First the blade, &c.-Grace in the heart gradually reaches perfection, as grain does.

III. How A SMALL SEED BECOMES A GREAT TREE.-V. 30–34. Like a grain of mustard-seed.-Grace may begin in one feeble good desire; but it thence expands, till "all thoughts, all passions, all delights," find shelter under it. Less than all the seeds,—that is, than all tree-producing seeds. Or, perhaps, the "mustard-seed" is only mentioned as a well-known Jewish figure for anything very small.

IV. How JESUS STILLED A STORM. -V. 35-41. Having described " the kingdom," the Evangelist here narrates an act of "the King," which shows that His dominion includes the realm of nature. Even as He was,without preparation or refreshment. Other little ships,-which were doubtless separated from Him by the gale. Why are ye so fearful?-Having HIM with them, they should not have been afraid.

REFLECTIONS.1. "He that hath, to him shall be given."-God delights to

heap benefits upon those who use them wisely; but He takes them back from such as neglect their duty.

2. "Take heed what ye hear."-Consider it well. Apply it faithfully. You are the soil to which your teachers bring the precious seed. If both the

soil and the seed be good, there is sure to be a harvest.

3. Religion is not of earth.-"The earth bringeth forth fruit of herself," but not unless "seed" is put into it. Grace comes down from heaven, and is the gift of God. It must be put into the heart, or there never can be a holy life produced. What, then, is the condition of the field? Is it broken up? Is it cleared of thorns and rubbish? Is the seed put in? Is it taking root in feelings of godly sorrow, or springing up in holy desires and purposes?

4. Despise not "the day of small things."-To begin great, and end little, is the way of the world. Far better to begin little, and end great. This is the way to triumph. God's

great things have always had small beginnings. The oak, the king of trees, begins with a tiny acorn. The luxuriant Oriental mustard-plant begins with a seed so small that one can scarcely seize it with his fingers. The Christian Church, throughout all the world, began with a little Babe at Bethlehem. The life of grace, which leads to the life of glory, begins with the childlike trust of a broken and contrite heart.

5. Though grace begins small, it must not continue small. "Faith, as a grain of mustard-seed," (Matt. xvii. 20,) must be a faith that grows. It will have many hindrances; but the life which is in the seed will show itself in the growth of the plant.

QUESTIONS.-What is a candle for? How is religious knowledge like a candle? What was "hidden" with the Apostles? for what purpose? Who is "he that hath?" "he that hath not?" How. does grain grow? What does this teach? What does the parable of the mustard-seed teach? What happened on the

sea?

Illustrations.-I. MEASURE FOR MEASURE.

See v. 24. "The Hindoo proverb on this subject is, Tan tan seythu vinne tanuku; that is, 'What he himself has done, shall be done to him again.' Thus, a man having acted kindly towards another, will receive a similar favour from others."-Roberts.

II. THE MUSTARD-PLANT.

See v. 31, 32. Travellers tell us of one mustard-plant that was ten feet high; of another that covered a potter's tent; and of a third that was so tall, that the traveller "rode on horseback under it, without incurring the fate of Absalom."-See Trench.

MARCH 8.-MORNING LESSON.
PHARAOH'S DEFIANCE AND CRUELTY.-Exodus v.

SUMMARY.-Moses and Aaron request that the Israelites may journey into the desert, that they may worship God. Pharaoh refuses their request, and imposes heavier tasks upon the Hebrews. They complain to Pharaoh, but get no relief. They bring their complaint to Moses, who lays it before God.

I. THE REQUEST REFUSED.-V. 1.— 5. A feast,-i.e., a festival in honour of their God. The animals they would sacrifice were worshipped by the Egyptians; and hence the feast was to be in the wilderness. From the weak condition of the Israelites, the heathen King probably concluded that the LORD Himself was weak. Had they been powerful and prosperous, he would,

doubtless, have spoken more reverently of their God. Moses and Aaron intimate that, however Pharaoh might defy Jehovah, they dared not disobey Him. The King regards their request as the plea of idleness; and charges them with designing to rob the State by keeping so many slaves from their works. Let means "hinder.'

II. FRESH OPPRESSION.-V. 6-9. Taskmasters,-Egyptian bailiffs, general managers of the work. Their officers,Israelites, selected by the taskmasters to act as over-lookers. Affecting to regard their request as the excuse of idlers, and really suspecting that it was prompted by a desire for freedom, (ch. i. 9, 10,) Pharaoh instructed his bailiffs

to give them no more straw, but to make them gather it for themselves, and yet require them to produce as many bricks as before. Chopped straw was mixed with the clay of which the bricks were made. Tale means "number."

III. AN "EVIL CASE."-V. 10-14. Before the fresh oppression, the strength of the Israelites was taxed to the uttermost; and to make as many bricks as ever, and yet go throughout all the land gathering stubble_instead of straw, was impossible. The beating of the Hebrew "officers" by the royal taskmasters was, therefore, an act of very gross cruelty.

IV. A VAIN REMONSTRANCE.—V. 15 -18. The over-lookers appeal to Pharaoh against the officers he had set over them; but Pharaoh was a tyrant in whose bosom mercy found place, so he dismisses them with taunts as cruel as the lashes of his underlings.

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V. BROKEN SPIRITS.-V. 19-23. Moses and Aaron stood in the way,waiting to learn what success the officers had met with. The latter had given way to despair, and they accosted their leaders with an imprecation as unjust as it was bitter. They attribute all their misery to them, and pray that the LORD would judge,-i.e., "punish," them. Moses makes no reply. He knew how evil was their case, and made

Illustration.-STRAW FOR BRICK-MAKING.

See v. 7. "The use of crude bricks baked in the sun was universal throughout the country, and the dry climate of Egypt was peculiarly suited to these simple materials. They had the recommendation of cheapness, and even of durability; and those made three thousand years ago, whether with or without straw, are even now as firm and fit for use as when first put up by the Amunophs and Thotmes, whose names they bear. When made of the Nile-mud, or alluvial deposit, they required straw, to prevent their cracking; but those formed of clay taken from the torrent-beds on the edge of the desert, held together without straw."-Wilkinson's "Ancient Egyptians."