in many of his psalmsk But yet his testimony in our
text was the real dictate of his heart. And we may ask of others, Were the wounds which brought you to the heavenly Physician too severe ? Do you not number them amongst your richest mercies? Has not every loss been more than com- pensated in the acquisition of salvation ; and every pang more than recompensed in the peace and joy to which, through the knowledge of Christ, you have attained ? It was a matter of just computation with the Apostle, that " the sufferings of this present life (whatever they may be) are not worthy to be com- pared with the glory that shall be revealed in us."]
2. As estimated according to its own intrinsic worth —
[But who can ever rightly appreciate its worth ? St. Paul " counted all things to be but dross and dung in comparison of it1." We must be able to estimate all the miseries of hell, and all the glories of heaven, before we can form any estimate of its value ; and, if we could ascertain the full importance of those, we should still be as far as ever from having a complete conception of the worth of spiritual knowledge ; unless we could estimate also all the glory that will accrue to the ever blessed Trinity from the contrivance and execution of this stupendous plan, and the application of this salvation to a ruined world.]
Address —
1. To those that are at ease — [How faint, for the most part, are your desires after spiritual knowledge ! Whether you hear, or read, or pray, what formality pervades it all ! But, if God have indeed designs of love towards you, you will be taught by the rod, what you will not learn without : " He will cause you to pass under the rod, in order that he may bring you into the bond of the covenant." And if lesser trials will not accomplish the purposes of his grace, he will visit you with heavier: " from chastening you with rods he will scourge you with scorpions." Yet think not that a season of affliction is in itself favourable for the pursuit of spiritual knowledge : it is far otherwise : pains of body, and distress of mind, have a tendency to impede, rather than assist, the exercises of the mind. Ask those who are in deep affliction, Whether they find it easy to collect their thoughts, and fix them with energy on the concerns of their souls ; and they will bear one uniform testimony, that health is the time to seek the Lord. Be persuaded then, now whilst you are at ease, to study " God's statutes," and especially those which declare to us the way of salvation ordained for sinful
k See Ps. xxxviii. 1 — 8. and lxxvii. 3 — 9. and lxxxviii. 6, 7- and cii. 1—10. * Phil. iii. 8.