riches of wisdom, but God is the God of all comfort. Fourthly, In the chief good there must be eternity. God is a treasure that can neither be drawn low, nor drawn dry. Though the angels are still spending on him, he can never be spent ; he abides for ever. Eternity is a flower of his crown. Now, if God be our God, here is enough to let in full contentment into our souls. What though we want torch-light, if we have the sun? Wliat if God deny us the flower, if he hath given us the jewel? How should this rock a Christian's heart quiet ? If we say God is our God, and we are not con- tent, we have cause to question our interest in him.
3</. If we can clear up this covenant-union that God is our God, let this cheer and re- vive us in all conditions. To be content with God, is not enough, but to be cheerful. What greater cordial can you have, than union with Deity ? When Jesus Christ was ready to ascend, he could not leave a richer consolation with his disciples than this, Tell them, " I go to my God and your God," John XX. 17. Who should rejoice, if not they, who have an infinite, all-suffi- cient, eternal God to be their portion, who are as rich as heaven can make them ? What though I want health ? I have God " who is the health of my countenance, and my God," Ps. xlii. 11. What though lam low in the world ? if I have not the earth, I have him that made it. The philosopher comforted himself with this, though he had no music or vine-trees, yet here are the household gods with me : so, though we have not the vine or fig-tree, yet we have God with us. I cannot be poor, saith St. Bernard, as long as God is rich : for his riches are mine. O let the saints rejoict in this covenant-union ! To say God is ours, is more than to say heaven is ours ; heaven would not be heaven without God. All the stars cannot make day without the sun-, all the angels, those morning-stars, cannot make heaven without Christ the Sun of Righteousness. And as to have God for our God is matter of rejoicing in life, so especially it will be at our death. Let a Christian think thus, 1 am going to mv God. A child is glad when he is going home to his father. This was Christ's com-
OF THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
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fort, when he was leavinfj the worhl, John •XX. 17., " I go to my God." And tl)is is a believer's death-bed cordial, I am going to my God ; I s-liall change my place, but not my kindred ; I go to my God and my Fa- ther.
Ath. If God be our God, then let us break forth into doxology and praise, Ps. cxviii. 28., " Thou art my God, and I will praise thee." O infinite, .astonishing mercy, that God should take dust and ashes into so near a bond of love as to be our God ! As Micah said, Judges xviii. 24., " What have I more ?" so, what hath God more ; what richer jewel hath he to bestow upon us than himself? what hath he more? That God should put off most of the world with rich- es and honour, — that he should pass over himself to us by a deed of gift, to be our God, and by virtue of this settle a kingdom upon us, — O let us praise him with the best instrument, our heart ; and let this instru- ment be screwed up to the highest pitch ; let us praise him with our whole heart ! See how David riseth by degrees, Ps. xxxii. 11., " Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, and shout for joy." " Be glad," there is thank-
fulness ; " Rejoice," there is clieerfulncss ; ' " Shout," there is triumph. Praise is call- ed incense, because it is so sweet a sacri- fice. Let the saints be choristers in God'.<i praises. The deepest springs yield the sweetest water ; the more deeply sensible we are of God's covenant-love to us, the sweeter praises we should yield. We should begin here to eternize God's name, and do that work on earth which we shall be al- ways doing in heaven, Ps. cxlvi. 2., " While I live, will I praise the Lord."
^th. Let us carry ourselves as those who have God to be our God ; that is, when we walk so, that others may see there is some- thing of God in us. Live holily ; what have we to do with sin ? Is it not this, that if it doth not break, yet it will weaken the interest ? Hos. xiv. 8., " What have I to do any more with idols ?" So would a Christian say, " God is my God ; what have I to do any more with sin, with lust, pride, malice ! Bid me commit sin ! as well bid me di-ink poison ! Shall I forfeit my inte- rest in God? Let me rather die, than wil- lingly offend him who is the crown of my joy, the God of my salvation !"
ExoD. XX. 2. The land of Egypt, §r.
THE second part of the preface, " which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." Egypt and the house of bondage are the same; only they are represented to us under a different expression, or notion. I begin with the first expression, " \^Tiich have brought thee out of the land of Egj^t."
Quest. Why doth the Lord mention this deliverance of Israel out of Egypt ?