inflicted chastisement upon you, he " has done it for your profit, that you might be partakers of his holiness," and be rendered meet for his glory.]
3. Affiance — [You know not what is before you : but you know that you are in God's hands, and that " not a hair can fall from your head" but by his special appointment. Look then to him, to order every thing for you : and if you understand not his dealings with you, be content to say, ' What I know not now, I shall know hereafter.' Never for a moment doubt his power or grace. He has promised to " make all things work together for your good :" and therefore, under the darkest dis- pensation, assure yourselves that " He is doing all things well;" and determine, through grace, to say with Job, " Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him."]
Ps. xcvii. 11. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
THIS psalm, whatever was the particular occasion on which it was written, undoubtedly refers to the kingdom of the Messiah, in which the whole creation has abundant reason to rejoice3. To him it is ex- pressly applied in the Epistle to the Hebrews, even to his incarnation : " When Jehovah bringeth in the First-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship himb." But it is not to rejoice in him merely that the saints are called : they are to love him, to serve him, to honour him, to trust in him, and to expect at his hands the blessed- ness which he himself, in his exalted state, enjoys. He suffered indeed before he entered into his glory ; and so likewise must they: but, for their consolation under their sufferings, let them know that joy is treasured up for them : for " light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart :" and, if only they maintain their integrity, they shall assuredly reap their reward.
In discoursing on these words, I shall open to you,
I. The character here described —
a ver. 1. b Compare ver. 7. with Heb. i. 6.