Ans. They have no faith in the promise. The righteous is as mount Sinai, that shall not be moved. He builds on a foundation that can never bo shaken, for the heart is never drawn to any sinful vanity, or frighted with any terror of trouble, till faith lets go its hold. Out of God there is nothing for the soul safely to stay itself upon.
No marvel to see men fall that rest on a broken reed. Alas ! whatsoever is besides* God, is but a creature; and can the creature be other than changeable ? The comfort that we have in God never fadeth ; it is an abiding, lasting comfort, such as contents the soul, and satisfies all the wants and desires of it, which things beneath can never accomplish.
We see that the heavens continue ; and the earth, without any other foundation, hangs in the midst of the world by the bare word of the Almighty. Therefore well may the soul stay itself on that, w^hen it hath nothing else in sight to rely upon.
In this case Christians should look, first, that their principles and foun- dations be good ; and, secondly, builded strongly upon them. For the soul is as that which it relies on : if upon empty things, itself becomes poor and empty ; which the devil knowing, strives to unloose our hearts from our Maker, and di'aw us to rely upon false objects. He sees full well, that whilst our souls cleave close to God, there is no prevailing against us by any malice or subtilty of men or devils. The saints, in him, are bold and undaunted in the midst of troubles and torments. Indeed, the sweetest communion wdth God is, when we are beaten from other helps : though misery upon misery encounters us below, yet there is still succour issuing from above to a believing soul. If God hath it in heaven, faith will fetch it down and enjoy the sweetness of it here. That man can never do amiss that hath his dependency upon the Almighty ; there being no com- munion like that of a faithful heart with the Lord.
It is the office of faith to quiet our souls in all distresses ; for it relies upon God for heaven itself, and all the necessary provision, till we come thither. Strengthen faith, therefore, and you strengthen all. What can daunt that soul, which in the sorest affliction hath the great God for his friend ? Such a spirit dares bid defiance to all the powers of darkness. Satan may for a time exercise, but ho can never wholly depress a gracious heart. True believers can triumph over that which others are slaves unto. * That is, ' beside,' as elsewhere ' sometimes' for ' sometime.' — G.
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They can set upon spiritual conflicts, and endure fieiy trials, which others tremble to think of. They can put off themselves, and he content to bo nothing, so their God may appear the greater ; and dare undertake or undergo anything for the glory of their Maker. Considering they are not their own, but have given up themselves to Christ, ' they count not their lives, or anything that is theirs, dear for him,' Acts xx. 24.
He that stahhsheth us with you is God, who hath anointed us, &c.
Messiah signifies 'anointed.' Our nature is enriched in Christ with all graces : * He is anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows ' for us, Ps. xlv. 7, that we might have a spring of grace in our own nature ; that God and Christ being one, and we being in the Lord Jesus, might have all our anointing of the fu'st anointed, for ' of his fulness we receive grace for grace,' John i. IG.
Quest. What are those graces which we receive from Christ's fulness ?
Alls. (1.) Firat, The grace oi farour and acceptance ; for the same love that God bears to Christ, he bears to all his, though not in so high a degree.
(2.) Secondly, The grace of sanctification, answerable to the grace of sanctification in him. Every renewed work in us comes from Christ.
(3.) Thirdl^y, The rich priviler/es and preror/atives that issue to persons sanctified. We have dignity for dignity, favour for favour, gracious quali- fications for gracious qualifications in Christ. God anoints us all in his Son. As the ointment that was poured upon Aaron ran down to ' the skirts of his garment,' so the weakest Christian is stablished with grace by Christ. Grace runs fi'om the Head to the poorest member, ' the hem of the garment.' Every one that doth but touch Christ, draws virtue and strength from him.
Quest. AVhy is it called here an anointing ?
Ans. Because, as the holy anointing, Exod. xxx. 31-33, was not to be applied to profane uses, so neither are the graces of the Spirit (God being the author of them) to be slighted and undervalued by the professors''^ of them.
Quest. What are the virtues of this ointment ?
Ans. First, It hath a cJierishing power ; it revives the drooping soul, and cheers a fainting spirit. When men are ready to sink under the bm*deu of then* sins, this easeth them.
Second, Anointing hath a strengtheninrf pou'er. It makes our limbs vigorous. So doth grace fortify the soul, nothing more. Our life is a combating life with Satan, and temptations of all sorts ; therefore we need continual anointing to make us nimble and active in resisting our enemy. Oil hath a suppling quality ; so the Spirit of God makes pliable the joints of the soul. It supports us with hidden strength, and enables us to encounter gi-eat oppositions, and to be victorious through Christ over all.