And if he, from a sense of temporal mercies, was so inflamed with love to God, what should not we feel towards our incarnate God, the Lord Jesus Christ, in a review of all the wonders of Redeeming Love ?
[View the Saviour in his personal excellencies ; and then
say what should be our feelings towards him View
him in the offices which lie has sustained for us, as the Pro- phet, Priest, and King of his church ; and then think what are
the ejaculations which become you— View him in the
blessings you have already experienced at his hands; and, whilst you adopt the language of the prophet, " In the Lord have I righteousness and strength," tell me with what frame of
mind you should utter these words It is said, that,
" not having seen him, we nevertheless love him; and that, beheving in him, we rejoice in him with joy unspeakable and glorified:" and sure I am, that the glorified saints around the throne should scarcely exceed us in the ardour of our affec- tions, whilst we exclaim, " Lord, thou knowest all things ; thou knowest that I love thee." In this, then, the Psalmist should be a pattern to us. We should be so in the habit of contem- plating the Saviour's love, that the involuntary ebullition of our minds should be, " I do love thee, and I will love thee, O Lord, my strength ; yea, / ivill love thee ivitJi all the powers of my soul." This, I say, should be the language of our souls, when our feelings, too big for utterance, can at last find vent in words.]
In connexion with this rapturous exclamation we have,
II. A profession of his faith —
David, from diversified trials, was forced to become a man of war ; and to seek, by a mixture of courage and of skill, a deliverance from his enemies. Under the persecutions of Saul especially, he had recourse to strong holds and fortresses, where he might with- stand his too powerful oppressor. But it was in God alone that he really found protection. As means, he had availed himself of local advantages, and personal courage, and armour both of a defensive and offensive kind : but it was God alone who had rendered them effectual for his preservation ; and therefore he gives all the glory to God, saying, " The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer ; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust ; my buckler (to defend