even as the apple of his eye " But " the proud doer,
whosoever he may be, he will plentifully reward" with judg- ments proportioned to his impiety The ungodly may
indeed triumph for a time, and the godly be left to groan under the rod of the oppressor : but a day of righteous retribution is at hand, when " God will recompense tribulation to those who
trouble his people ; and to those who are troubled, rest ^ "
Shall not the assurance of tliis be a comfort to the saints, even under their deepest troubles ? Surely it should so that
b 2 Cor. i, 9. <= 2 Cor. iii. 5.
d Lam. iii. 54—57. ^ 2 Thess. i. G, 7.
I may well urge upon them the exhortation before us : " O love the Lord, all ye his saints."]
2. To trust in God—
[There are seasons when the saints can scarcely be said to believe and trust, whilst yet they do hope in God ; saying, as it w^ere, " If I perish, I will perish at his footstool, crying for mercy." Now then, to all such persons I say, " God will strengthen your heart," yea, and strengthen your arm too, so that " the arms of your hands shall be made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob *^." He will even " perfect his own strength in your weakness," so that no enemy shall be able to prevail against you. " Be of good courage," then, my Brethren. Though you cannot fully trust in God, yet, if you can hope in him, be not afraid : for God will vindicate your cause, and " bruise all your enemies, not excepting even Satan himself, under your feet shortly s."]
Exhortation —
1. Learn to see and to acknowledge the mercies of
God towards you —
[What loss is sustained, both of comfort to the saints, and of honour to the Deity, by the inattention of men to the dis- pensations of their God ! How many deliverances, both temporal and spiritual, have we all experienced ; but of which, through our remissness, God has never received any tribute of praise ! Know ye, that if ye will be observant of God's deal- ings towards you, you wdll never want a theme for gratitude and praise ]
2. Be not satisfied with your own happiness, but seek to advance also the happiness of others —
[David never celebrates any mercy vouchsafed to him, without improving it as an occasion for commending God to others, and exhorting them to unite with him in every possible expression of love and gratitude. Thus should it be with us also. We are not, indeed, called to make known to all the secret workings of our own hearts ; but we are called to edify one another, and to take every suitable occasion of honouring our God. Let us, then, do this ; and do it, too, with holy zeal. Let us " abundantly utter the memory of his great goodness, that all his works may praise him, and all his saints may bless him^."]
f Gen. xlix. 24. k Rom. xvi. 20. •> Pg. cxlv. 5—10.
^47.]
TRUE BLESSEDNESS DECLARED. 2.'2l