thing, is God^." Consider, then, how great a blessing this is
In comparison of it, crowns and kingdoms would be
of no value. For this gift, therefore, you should bless and adore your God with your whole hearts, yea, and shout for joy with your whole souls.]
2. On account of what he has engaged to do for you—
[Would you have stahiUty hi life ? He has promised it in his blessed word : " The righteous shall hold on his way ; and he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger*^." Would you have peace in death ? This, also, he has engaged to give : " Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright : for the end of that man is peace ^." Would you have glory in eternity ? This, also, shall be your assured portion at the right
hand of God"
Is not here, then, abundant cause for joy and thanksgiving? Verily, " if you hold your peace, the very stones will cry out against you."]
3, On account of his sufficiency to fulfil all his en- gagements—
[Whom has Jesus ever suffered " to be plucked out of
his hands?" There is in him no want of power : " He
is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy." Nor is he changeable in ^vill: for " he is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever." " Of those whom the Father hath given him, he never has lost any," nor ever will ]
Address,
I. To those who possess not this character, I would say. Seek to attain it —
[Be not satisfied with integrity towards man, but seek to have an upright heart towards God. Let there be no hypo- crisy harboured within you. See to it, that your desire after
God be really supreme that your affiance in Christ
be altogether unmixed with any measure of hope or confidence in yourselves — and that your devotion to him be with- out reserve — Cease not, till you have in your own hearts
and consciences an e\ddence that you are thus given up to God : and then may you claim, at his hands, the blessings
which he has promised to the upright in heart ^ But
deceive not your own souls. Rest not in false appearances of any kind : but beg of God to make you altogether what he himself will approve.]
d 2 Cor. V. 5. e Job xvii. 9. ^ Ps. xxxvii. 37.
g Ps. XV. 1, 2. and xxiv. 3— G. ^ Ps. cxii. 2.
549. J god's care of his people. 229
2. To those who possess this character, I would say. Live in the enjoyment of your p?ivilege —
[It is your privilege to " rejoice even with joy unspeak- able and glorified." Be not satisfied with a low and drooping state of mind. Live nigh to God : let your fellowship with him be more intimate and more abiding. It is not his will that your graces should languish, or your joys be at a low ebb. He would rather that your soul, through a sense of his presence, should be ever " shouting" for joy. See the state of the Church as drawn by the prophet Isaiah': see it as drawn by David also ^ : and let your present life be, as God would have it, an earnest and a foretaste of the heavenly bliss.]
* Isai. xii. 4 — 6. ^ Ps. xcviii. 4 — 9.