2. In relation to the concerns of the soul —
[It is expressly asserted her,e, that God will " preserve our souls." We may be assured therefore, that whatever he does for the body that perishes, shall much more be done for our immortal part. Yes, " he will keep the leet of his saints," nor shall all the powers, whether of earth or hell, be able to cast them down. " Never will he leave us ; never, never forsake us." Our ene- mies, it is true, will fight against us to the uttermost : but he will suffer none of them ever to " pluck us out of his hand." To this extent St. Paul avows his confidence in God '^ : and every Believer may justly assure himself, that " nothing in heaven, earth, or hell, shall ever separate him from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."]
Address —
1. To those who have no fears —
[Whence proceeds this ? If from confidence in the power and veracity of God, it is well : you are then entitled to cast off all fear ; for they who fear him, have nothing else to fear. But if your want of fear arises, as it too generally does, from an ig- norance of your danger, or a confidence in yourselves, you have no reason for self-congratulation : since the greater your fan- cied security is, the more imminent and awful is your danger. Would you be afraid if you were surrounded by armed hosts that were seeking to destroy you ? and will you not be afraid, when Satan himself, that roaring lion, is going about day and night seeking the everlasting destruction of your sou!s ? To continue ignorant of your danger is the readiest way to insure your ever- lasting ruin. What if some alarm be occasioned by a sight of your danger ? Is it not better to dread the pursuer of blood, than to fall into his hands ? Will not your security when you have gained the city of refuge, compensate for the terror that drove you thither ? Know then, that if you are yet strangers to a salutary fear, you have yet to learn the true import of a Scriptural and saving hope.]
1. To those who are too much under the influence of fear —
[You should never forget what an Almighty Friend you have. How many times in this psalm are you reminded, that the Lord, even the Almighty God, is your helper and deliverer ! Were he less powerful, or less vigilant, or less worthy of credit, you might well fear. But what ground can he have for fear, who has God himself for his refuge ? O ! learn to say with David, " The Lord is my strength and my salvation ; whom then shall I fear ? The Lord is the strength of my life ; of whom shall I be afraid ?" I ask not from whence your dangers or your fears arise : for, if they were a thousand times greater and better
founded ■•RGm. viii. 35— 39v with 2 Tim. ii. 18,