depresses, no grief dejects. Whatever we want of pardon, peace, or strength, one thought suffices to support the soul ; " he who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things H" This is the genuine and legitimate use which we are to make of the loving-kindness of God^. We are to go to him as to a Father, confessing our faults *"; to follow him as our Guide in all our ways'; and to commit ourselves to him without fear, knowing that he will either extricate us from aU trouble^, or overrule it for our good'.]
III. As a pledge of all imaginable blessings at his
hands —
[There is nothing which can conduce to our happiness either in time or eternity, which we are not warranted to expect at God's hands, provided we contemplate, and be suitably impressed with, the excellencies of his love.
The priests of old feasted their families with the oiFerings which belonged to them by virtue of their office™. Now to our great High- Priest belong all the glory and blessedness of heaven : and every member of his family is privileged to par- take with him. In his house he spreads his feast", and says to his dear children, Come, eat and drink abundantly, O beloved", and let your souls delight themselves with fatness p. And who can declare what " abundant satisfaction" their souls feel while feeding on the promises of his word, and the communications of his love ; or how enviable is the state of those who are thus highly privileged^? Surely if we taste this promised blessing'', we may well desire rather to be door-keepers in his house, than to enjoy the splendour of an earthly court ^
But there are still sweeter fruits of God's love to be enjoyed in heaven. There flows a river, which gladdens that holy city, the new Jerusalem*, and fills with unspeakable delight every inhabitant of those blissful mansions. There is a fulness of joy, emanating from the fountain of the Deity, and filling with God's own blessedness every soul according to its capacity''. Of this shall every one be " made to drink ;" and, drinking of it, shall thirst no more for ever^.]
Application —
[Let the love of God in Christ Jesus be our meditation
f Rom. viii. 32. e Ps. ix. 10. ^ Luke xv. 18, 19.
i Heb. xi. 8. ^ Dan. iii. 17.
1 Phil. i. 19, 20. 1 Pet. iv. 19. •» Numb, xviii. 11.
^ Isai. xxv. 6. o Cant. v. 1. p Isai. Iv. 2.
5 Ps. Ixv. 4. r jer. xxxi. 14. s pg. Ixxxiv. 10.
t Ps. xlvi. 4. u Rev. xxii. 1. and Ps. xvi. 11.
'^ Ps. xvii. 15.