bereavements come thick upon us-may we have the grace to know and to feel the immeasurable difference between the false and miserable spirit of this hard and selfish world, and the loving, discriminating, generous, holy Spirit, of Christ our merciful Saviour, and of His faithful servants!

SERMON XIV.

THE BREADTH OF GOD'S COMMANDMENT.

[This Sermon, preached on the day following the return of His Royal Highness to England, I have ventured to print in this place, as forming the natural conclusion of the Series.]

123

SERMON XIV.

THE

BREADTH OF GOD'S COMMANDMENT.

PREACHED IN THE PRIVATE CHAPEL OF WINDSOR CASTLE, ON TRINITY SUNDAY, JUNE 15.

Psalm cxix. 96.

I see that all things come to an end, but thy commandment is exceeding broad.

THE

HE Psalmist throughout the whole of this Psalm labours, in every variety of form, to express his conviction of the value-the authority—the excellence, of what is called by the various terms of the law''the commandment''the statutes''the testimonies of God.' What was the precise idea intended to be conveyed by these different names it is difficult for us to determine at this distance of time, and in the absence of any direct explanation from the Psalmist himself; but, from the general tenor of the Psalm, we cannot be mistaken in supposing that they cover, at any rate, two leading thoughts: -first, and chiefly, the moral Law of duty; and, secondly, and as connected with and based upon this, the Revelation or Dispensation of God. The two are, in fact, in his mind, inseparable, as we shall see, if we follow, verse