then walks most visibly with them, when they are put into the furnace for his sake. In the mount of difficulty and trial he will be seen. In his people's extremity he vouchsafes to them his richest communications, imparting to them his Holy Spirit, as a Comforter, to witness their adoption into his family, and to seal them unto the day of redemption. Yea, so abundantly does he sometimes " shed abroad his love in their hearts," that they are fearful of losing their trials, lest they should lose at the same time their consolations also. Such were the comforts administered to the Apostle Pauld; and such shall be the por- tion of all who take the Lord for their God.]
See —
1. How highly the saint is favoured above all other people upon earth !
[What source of comfort can the worldling find, in his trials? The whole creation is to him but "a broken cistern that can hold no water." It is the saint alone that has a never-failing source of joy and bliss ]
2. How desirable it is to acquaint ourselves with God!
[It is in God, as reconciled to us in Christ Jesus, that this blessedness is to be found. To those who seek him not in Christ Jesus, God himself is only " a consuming fire :" but to his believing people he is " a very present help," and " an eternal great reward."]
d 2 Cor. i. 5.
Ps. xcv. 6 — 11. 0 come, let us ivorship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is our God ; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To-day if ye ivill hear his voice, harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilder- ness ; ivhen your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saio my work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ivays ; unto whom I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest.
IN the former part of this psalm, the Jewish peo- ple, for whom it was composed, mutually exhorted each other: in the latter part, God himself is the speaker : and the manner in which this latter part is