neither give nor take away''. But what gladness and glorying will they have, when all grounds of sorrow shall be finally re- h oved' !]
Surely such a state is the most excellent on earth ; and therefore.
It. To desire a participation of it, is a laudable am- bition—
The fervent petitions in the text were, doubtless, acceptable to God-—
[Every man naturally desires his own happiness : nor is this species of self-love ever wrong, except when it leads us to seek the end by improper means. When " salvation" is the object of our wishes, we cannot covet it too earnestly : God himself has taught us to pray for it, and to urge our petitions with an im- portunity that will take no denial"^. And the answers which he gave to David" and others in the days of old, sufficiently evince, that he is a prayer-hearing God°, and that " he delighteth in the prayer of the upright p."]
Nor can we please God more than by pleading with him after David's example —
[There is nothing so great, but we may freely ask it at the hands of God. Nor is there any thing so peculiar to the saints, but we may ask it as sinners, and be certain of obtaining it, provided we ask in humility and faith. Salvation espe- cially, with all its attendant joys and blessings, he is ready to give unto all that call upon him. Let us then beg of him to impart it to us. And let us particularly bear in mind, that we must first be " visited with his salvation," before we can " see the good of his chosen, and glory with his inheritance." It is through the knowledge of Him, as our Saviour and Redeemer, that we are to be made partakers of all other blessings. In vain do we hope to have fellowship with his people in their felicity, unless we first have fellowship with him in liis salvation "J.]
Address,
l*To those who are grasping after this world — [All persons are apt to think that this world can make them happy: but David and Solomon, who enjoyed all that the world could give them, found all to be vanity and vexation of spirit. Let not us then follow the beaten track, but rather aspire after i good that ne^er doys, an inheritance that never fades'".]
2. To '' Ps, xdiv. ig, ' Isai. xxxv. 10. & Ix. \g, 20.
* Luk6 xviii. I. Ps. Ixxxi. 10. Isai. xlv, 11. ° Ps.*xJi:Xiv. 6. &: cxxxviii. 3. ° Ps. ixv. 2. ^ Prov. xv. 8. ' 1 John i. 3. M Pet. i. 4.
409.] PRAISE TO aOT> FOR REDEMPTION. 353
2. To those who are sincerely, though faintly, pur- suing the path assigned them —
[We need not fear a disappointment on account of any un- vvorthiness in ourselves. Let us beg of God to " remember us," and he will remember us. Let us seek *' his favour " in Christ Jesus, and he will be ever ready to-grant it. Only let us pro- secute this end steadily, and without wavering : so shall we at- tain the object of our desires, and "glory with God's inheri- tance" for ever and ever.]