duration. This sentiment does not arise from a view of the instability of human affairs, but from an apprehension that a continuance of their blessings is too great a thing to expect even from God himself, and that his grace, though rich, is not sufficiently extensive for such a gift. But how dishonourable is this to God ! and what an unworthy return for all his good- ness to us ! Why should we entertain such a suspicion ? why should we harbour such ungenerous thoughts ? why should we so limit his glorious perfections ? Let such apprehensions be checked in their very first rise ; and let us remember that his disposition to give exceeds our utmost capacity to receive'^.]
2. To make a just improvement of the mercies he bestows upon us —
[We shall do well to magnify the grace of God in our thoughts, and to inculcate upon others the same heavenly disposition. See how David argued, on a review of his past mercies ; " Thou hast dehvered my soul from death : wilt thou not deliver ray feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living' ?" And, when under peculiar tempta- tion he was led to doubt the continuance of God's goodness to him, he checked himself, by calHng to mind the marvellous mercies that had already been vouchsafed unto him'^.
Nor is it for the comfort only of the person himself that God imparts these glorious hopes, but for the encouragement of others also : and this was the improvement which St. Paul made of his own happy experienced Oi^ly let it be recollected what God has done for us, in gi^^ng up his Son to the accursed death of the cross ; and can we then limit his tender mercies ? can we doubt his willingness to give us any thing else™ ? Whe- ther therefore it be for the comfort of our own minds, or for the encouragement of others, this is the thought which we should ever bear in remembrance, and enlarge our own expectations from God in proportion as he multiplies his benefits to us : we should look on all present blessings as the first-fruits that pre- cede the harvest, or as the drop before the shower.]
'' Eph. iii. 20. ^ Ps. Ivi. 1-3. ^ pg, Ixxvii. 7—11.
1 2 Cor. i. 3, 4. m Rom. viii. 32.