the other is, that what all mankind c good, wealth, cannot avert or even dela in wealth and boast in the multitude none of them can, by any means, rede give to God a ransom for him (himself) live forever and not see corruption. (66 of their soul," or buying off the soul or 1 so as to secure it deathless in this world too dear, comes at too high a price. ever," is a thing that never will be don and 9th verses the 15th is antithetic: "E my soul (or life) from the power of the receive me.

The discussion of the main question i ral others, of which the psalmist dispos master. There are many evils which w and many blessings which it cannot pro avert all or bestow all, or as he pleases, posing evils or blessings. Thus it is with

Among many Christians there seems tipathy to wealth. They persecute it as gion. This is a miserable error. Popula "Wo unto you (alas for you) when all m of you," said the great teacher and pread pel to his beloved disciples. Not less so ledge, office, power and many other th blessings, but liable to be perverted b weakness of human nature.

dignity and loveliness, than, through the grace of exhibited in the life of this mother in Israel. nsolation to her manly sons and grandsons! What o her lovely daughters and grand-daughters! and ace in his declining years to him whose very heart, century, beat in unison with hers! He does not solitary forest tree whose companions have been the fires of heaven; the half of himself is not dead before; thus are reduced his attractions for earth sed those for heaven; and may this be among the which he and his may be guided to the everlastons.-ED.

THE

BAPTIST PREACHER. .

New Series.

JUNE 1853.

THE SURE MERCIES OF DAVID:

A Sermon, by Rev. H. E. TALIAFERRO, Talladega, Alabama.

No. 6.

"Incline your ear and come unto me: hear and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David."-Is. lx: 5.

Mankind regard nothing more solemn and binding than a covenant. The rude barbarian, the unletttered savage, and the man of polished civilization, have united in all ages in investing covenants with the sacred importance of an oath, and have ever visited the sins of covenant and truce breakers

with a terrible energy. When men of character and moral worth enter into covenant, public opinion is satisfied that every stipulation will be complied with to the letter. In view of the sacred obligations which a covenant imposes, and in view of the moral character and perfections of God, Paul has given the church of Christ a full and perfect assurance of her final salvation, based upon the promise and oath of God. "For men verily swear by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us."-Heb. ix; 16, 17, 18. The "two immutable things are the promise and oath of Jehovah, made to give believers strong consolation" when overwhelmed with a sense of their depravity and unworthiness, before a holy law and a

holy God. Those, then, who "have fled for refuge” to Jesus of Nazareth, need no higher authority nor greater assurance of their final salvation, than an appeal of Jehovah to himself. It is final and decisive.

Not only is this true of those who have "made a covenant with Him in sacrifice," but he invites all men to embrace the stipulations of the covenant of redemption and enjoy its saving benefits. Jehovah graciously proposes to ratify it with them by the bestowment of "the sure mercies of David." He will as certainly secure to all penitent believers the provisions of heaven's constitution of grace, as the mercies promised to David in covenant were made sure to him by the oath of God. To ascertain, then, something of the nature, extent and preciousness of the promise, and the certainty of its being fulfilled, let us enquire,

1. What are the sure mercies of David? II. How they are made sure to believers?

Mercies promised by an immutable God may be regarded as sure mercies, and which will be bestowed in due time and in his own way. Unlimited confidence cannot be placed in men nor in angels; for all men and some angels have sinned and are fallen beings; but in a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God, the soul may, without reserve, trust and hang on his word its everlasting hopes. Then, as certain mercies are promised to those who come to Christ which were promised to the king of Israel, it becomes us to enquire,

What are the sure mercies of David? They were covenant mercies, promised him in favor of his kingly person and believing soul, and in behalf of his royal family. These mercies were secured to David and his family by the oath and faithfulness of God. “I have made a covenant with my chosen. I have sworn unto David, my servant, thy seed will I establish forever and build up thy throne to all generations."-Ps. 89: 3, 4. These are the terms of the oath and covenant of God, making sure the mercies promised to the royal seed. It was a great and a sovereign mercy that David was taken from the sheepcotes of Ephratah and anointed king over all Israel; and it was a great condescension for Jehovah to make a covenant with a man selected from "the fields of the woods." It was for no good foreseen in the shepherd boy, but he was selected sovereignly from the many well-favored sons of the good Bethlehemite.

house of Saul and the house of David firmed with an oath. In the wildernes mooted question as to the pontifical hon by the budding of an almond rod in fa Aaron; but, in settling the regal contr the throne and to the immutability of J mercies of David.

But he who looks no further into th David" than the settlement of the reg little of the spiritual beauty and glory fleshly eye can discern fleshly things, ar literal meaning of a Bible subject; but can scan its extent and spirituality. Th easily perceive, that "the sure mercies David had a double meaning and a dou vid's Son and David's Lord is the distin whom the sure mercies had special re mercies promised to David, and God's t are pledged for their performance, which their accomplishment in David as a man is stipulated, that he shall be higher t earth;" but who is so ignorant of the h not to know that there were many king in political, armamental and naval str solemnly pledged, that "his seed shall his throne as the sun before me." But