then only shall we keep his statutes, when God himself shall " write them on the fleshy tables of our hearts."]
But the petition has peculiar force as grounded on a discovery of God's goodness ; for, in that, as in a glass, we see,
1. Our duties —
[The law of God primarily declares our duty towards him : but none ever attain a just knowledge of that duty from the law alone : they cannot see the necessity of loving God with all their hearts, till they have some idea of the obligations they lie under to him for the stupendous work of redemption. But let the love of God in Christ Jesus be once clearly revealed to the soul, and the excellency of the law will instantly appear ; and obedience to it will be considered as perfect freedom.]
2. Our defects —
[We are naturally averse to acknowledge our vileness and wickedness. But a sight of the Divine goodness softens the mind, and renders it ingenuous. Hence the more we are ac- quainted with God, the more we know of ourselves ; and the more we have experienced of his love, the more we " abhor ourselves for our ingratitude to him, and our want of conformity to his image d."]
3. Our encouragements —
[Wherever we look, we have no encouragement but in God. Indeed, if only we be acquainted with his goodness, we want no other encouragement : for, what will not He do, who is so good in himself? and what will He refuse us, who has done so much for us already e ? Such considerations as these are sufficient to counterbalance every difficulty that the world, or the flesh, or the devil can place in our way. Having this God for our God, we can want nothing for time or for eternity.]
d Job xlii. 5, G. Ezek. xvi. 63. e Rom. viii. 32.