and it was not overlooked". And not those only who " spake of God one with another," shall be ajDproved by him in the day of judgment, but those also who, without having embodied their thoughts in language, only " thought upon his name°." The look, the sigh, the groan, the tear, shall aU be recorded by God in the book of his remembrance, or be treasured up in his vial : and all " the counsels of men's hearts," though never realized in act, shall be made manifest, to their honour ; and every man, according as his inward dispositions have been, shall in that day " receive praise from GocIp."]
Improvement —
1. In a way of caution —
[Certainly this subject should be entertained with great jealousy : for there is " a desire which killeth ,-" because it is not productive of suitable exertions "J. If a mere wish or desire would save us, who would ever perish? Even Balaam could say, " Let me die the death of the righteous ; and let my last end be Hke his""." But David, though not permitted to build the temple, contributed to the amount of eighteen millions of our money towards it. In like manner must our desires operate to the extent of our ability : and, if we cannot do what we tvould, we must do what we canJ]
2. In a way of encouragement —
[Men are often cast down because of their short-comings and defects. But they would do well to consider, that the more ardent their desire is to honour God, the more will they discern and lament their incajDacity to fulfil the dictates of their hearts. Suppose, for a moment, that a man were to express himself satisfied with his attainments, what judgment would you form of him? You would surely set him down as a self-deceiving hypocrite^. Distinguish between humiliation and despondency : the former is called for in our best estate : but to no sinner in the universe is the latter suitable ; for *' Christ is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him."]
n 1 Kings xiv. 13. ' " Mai. ill. 16, 17-
P 1 Cor. iv, 5. q Prov. xxi. 25.
r Numb, xxiii. 10. « See Phil. iii. 12 — 14.