a door of entrance ? This is a point that should be well under- stood. There is but one way to the Father ; and that is by Christ. Our blessed Lord himself tells us this, when he says, " I am the way, the truth, and the life : no man cometh unto the Father but by me." It must never be forgotten, that in our- selves we are altogether departed from God ; and that we can be " brought nigh only by the blood of Jesus." It was by the blood of his sacrifice alone, that the High Priest, of whom we have before spoken, could come into the holy place of the Most High d : and it is by the blood of Jesus alone that we can ven- ture into the holiest e, or presume to ask any thing at the hands of Godf. I beseech you, therefore, to bear this in remembrance, and never to call God yours, until you have come to him in his appointed way ]
2. What is that kind of confidence which we ought to maintain —
[It must not be a presumptuous confidence, that over- looks the use of means or supersedes the necessity of holy fear. Satan could not be better served than by such confidence as that. And hence it was, that, in tempting our blessed Lord, he cited this very psalm, and urged a part of it as a warrant for him to cast himself down from a pinnacle of the temple; saying, " If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down : for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee : and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone g." Our Lord's reply to him shews us our duty in relation to this matter ; " Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." We are not needlessly to expose ourselves to dangers, in the expectation that God will preserve us : nor are we to neglect the use of means, as though God were engaged to work miracles in our behalf. We must be humble, watchful, diligent; as it is written, "Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure." God has, indeed, engaged to "give us both to will and to do:" but, whilst we depend on him for his effectual aid, we must " work out our own salvation with fear and trembling11." In every step of our way to Zion, we must cry, " Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe."]
3. What should be the frame of our minds after we have come to him —
[I have said, ' We should fear ; ' for " blessed is the man that feareth always." But this fear should temper, not weaken, our confidence in God. Hear what the Prophet Isaiah says : " Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee ; because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for
a Heb. ix. 7. e Heb. x. 19. ' Heb. x. 20—22.
e ver. 11, 12. with Matt. iv. G. h Phil. ii. 12, 13.