bear unspeakably precious fruit! This he does in two beautiful emblems, in which he compares the wife to a vine and the children to the olive. These are the noblest among the trees, and it is from them that the two choicest juices are derived. Just as a vine climbs to the top of a house, fastens to it on all sides, and at every window and door offers its sweet and sparkling clusters; even so, the Psalmist here tells us, does a wife in this so poor and feeble, so hot and toilsome, life of ours, offer for the refreshment of an industrious husband pleasant fruits of every sort and in every way. Indeed no language could more beautifully depict how great and desirable a good a faithful wife is to her husband. And just as olive-branches placed around a banqueting-table diffuse verdure and freshness, and give to the food a double relish, so do his children impart life and spirit to the mid-day meal, and the father is recruited from his fatigue, and keenly enjoys his daily bread, even although sweetened by nothing else. Let the reader, however, be careful to note what in the first verse is laid as the foundation of such happiness. For be assured, that if a household is not founded in the fear of the Lord, nor their walk well-pleasing in His sight, a lamentable contrast to it all will ensue. In place of a vine thy wife will become a thistle-head, which will sting thee on whatsoever side it is taken hold of; and thy children nettles, which will burn thee wherever thou comest into contact with them. And as when the dam gives way the waters brook no control, so who can control the variance which breaks out in a family between husband and wife, or between parents and children, as break out it inevitably will when the fear of God is cast behind, for none but they who fear God ever try to be peacemakers. It is written of an angry man, that "a stone is heavy and the sand weighty, but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both. Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous." "1 And of a bad wife it is said, "I had rather dwell with a lion and a dragon, than to keep house with a wicked woman. All wickedness is but little to the wickedness of a woman.' "12 The mean2 Ecclus. xxv. 16, 19. 1 Prov. xxvii. 3, 4. ing is the same when Solomon avers, “A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious woman are alike."1 For these reasons, let him who has yet to choose a partner set about in the true fear of God, and then the Lord will give him one who will become as a vine round about his house. "House and riches," says the wise man, are the inheritance of fathers; but a prudent wife is from the Lord."2 And again: "Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised." 3 Verse 4. "Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord." If, then, thy heart be set upon obtaining such a blessing, be sure to make the fear of the Lord the foundation on which thou rearest the fabric of thy conjugal state; and in order that thy marriage may be blessed, ask God to make the match, and Christ to be a guest at the wedding, as He once was at that in Cana. He will then be a third party in the contract; and wherever He is present there cannot fail to be also a blessing. And if thou art conscious of receiving it, forget not to express to Him thy gratitude. To the unbelieving eye, the fact that thou hast a wife and children, and eatest the labour of thy hands, appears to be the work of nature; but he who has the eye of faith sees nothing in it but the blessing of the Lord, and cannot cease presenting to Him oblations of thankfulness and praise. The more he cherishes a believing frame of mind, and discerns in wife and child the imprint of a divine gift, the more does he endeavour to discharge the gratitude of his heart in good works. The sight of his wife-the goodly vine-recalls to his mind the beautiful proverb of our pious fathers, And when he looks upon his olive-plants-the children-he says, Come ye, who great and mighty are, To the yet stainless child; And deem not this an office mean, For heavenly angels watch unseen Verse 5. "The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem." So then, as here we learn, cities are built up by the families whom the Lord blesses. How high in His favour must stand the married pair who fear Him, seeing that on their account He promotes the good of cities, and for the sake of the vine and olive-branches which thou hast at home upholds kings and magistrates, and gives peace, more precious than gold, to the land! It is true that the Almighty strengthens the hands of civil governors by special methods known only to Himself, and yet any one can observe how peace and the blessing from on high, when they have first entered into private families, help also to fortify the thrones of princes. For it certainly is the case, as the apostle has said, that "if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God?" It is impossible that peace can dwell in the land, or encompass the throne, unless with a blessing in its train it dwell in private houses. And no small advantage is it when, for the sake of thy pious household, God is pleased to build up the king's throne, and bestow the gift of peace on the whole land. For what would it profit thee though thy house were filled with all manner of good things, and though thy wife were as a vine and thy children like olive-plants, if every villain had the power to lay violent hands upon them? Well does the German proverb show how precious a gift is peace when it says that the head of a family, if possessed of two cows, does I Tim. iii. 5. 1 well to part with one of them in order to be able to keep and reap undisturbed the good of the other. And you great and mighty ones, who occupy the seat of government in a land, well would it be were you more seriously to consider by what means the honour and sanctity of the married state would best be maintained, seeing, as you here do, that for the sake of a husband and wife, who fear God and rightly govern their household, the divine grace promises its blessings to whole countries. Verse 6. "Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel." The Psalmist, desiring to sum up all the good things with which God blesses wedlock when conducted in His fear, and to depict all the joy with which it is crowned, does not omit to speak of the supreme delight vouchsafed to parents when they see their seed multiplied after them; for if they have succeeded in sowing the fear of God in their children, they then also behold how every seed bears fruit, in some ten, and in some an hundred fold. Oh what a blessing it is when in the evening of his days an aged Simeon lays himself down upon the bed of languishing, and when the olive-branches which he once planted, and which have since themselves become fruitful stocks, assemble around him with all their little shoots, and his spirit departs in peace, upborne by the prayers of the many souls whom he himself first taught to pray! O blessed household, which as with a wreath Say, how can heart with heart have true communion The spirits' Father1 gives to spirits union, 1 Heb. xii. 9. 'Tis only when a common stem they grace, And must not peace find in that house a home To others skill, and strength to execute; They ply their several tasks, but unattended By irksomeness of toil is all they do. It is as if some angel had descended To ease their burdens, and their strength renew. O happy house! O life like that in heaven, With fear of God as with a garland crowned! Ere earthly idols there a shrine have found; 63. Suffer little Children to come unto Me. Thou sayest, The babe is MINE, I'll train him as I list; But, sure, ere he was thine, He appertained to Christ. And wilt thou not a charge so dear, FOR HIM who lent it to thee, rear? PSALM CXXVI. 3. "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is His reward." MATT. xix. 14. "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." EPH. vi. 4. "Ye fathers, provoke not your children to |