Hence we may see,
1. How little reason there is for any man to de- spond—
[Who can be in a more desperate state than that depicted in the psalm before us ? Yet for them was relief solicited and obtained. And is there not the same help for us ? Is not the Saviour as mighty as ever ? Is his hand shortened at all, that it cannot save ? or his ear heavy, that it cannot hear ? Let, then, the same means be used, and the same result may assuredly be expected. I will suppose that the enemy has " overflowed even to the neck," and is even now exulting in his triumphs. Spread but your case before the Lord, as Hezekiah did, and you may adopt the language which was put into his mouth; "The virgin, the daughter of Israel, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn ; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee0." Sooner shall heaven and earth pass away, than one praying and believing soul be left to perish.]
2. How little ground there is for any one to glory — [I will suppose that any one of you is now flourishing like
the vine, of which the Psalmist speaks, in all its glory. Whence came you ? Know that you were once in Egypt, and were brought out thence to the place in which you stand. And who has kept you from being trodden down and devoured by the beasts of the field ? It is God alone who has kept you, even to the present hour. It is He who gave you his converting grace ; He who infused peace into your soul by the light of his reconciled countenance. And when you shall arrive at the realms of glory, it is to Him that you must ascribe your salva- tion, from first to last. If any man be disposed to glory, I would ask, " Who made thee to differ ? And what hast thou, which thou hast not received ? " Whilst you are building on the true foundation here, you must say continually, " By the grace of God, I am what I am p :" and when " the headstone shall be brought forth with shoutings," you must spend eternity in crying, " Grace, grace unto itq!"]
0 Isai. xxxvii. 22. p 1 Cor. xv. 10. i Zech. iv. 7.