under the endearing relations of a Father and a Friend, to whom we may carry every want, every trial, every difficulty ; and from whom we may expect a supply according to our ueed. He will be not only " our God,'' but " a God unto us'^,'' putting forth all his wisdom, all his love, and all his power, to make us truly blessed. He will engage in this work " with his whole heart and with his whole soul"' ;" so that it must be utterly our own fault if we be not as holy, and as happy, as our hearts can wish ]
Let us then enjoy our privilege —
[Let us "walk with God," as Enoch did ; and " glory in him as the God of our salvation." See what holy joy David
found in communion with him^ and shall we who live
under a so much nobler dispensation experience less? Shall not we, who have so much clearer views of Christ, " rejoice in him with joy unspeakable and glorified? " O let us " delight ourselves in God," and have even now, " in the secret of his presence " and the consolations of his Spirit, an earnest and a foretaste of our heavenly inheritance* ]
But we shall in vain hope to enjoy his presence, if we walk not also in the hght, III. Of his commandments —
These are given by him " as a light to our feet and a lantern to our paths" —
[Without them we should not " know how to walk and to please God ;" but by them we are fully informed in all things that are needful for us to do". They do not indeed descend to every particular circumstance in which we can be placed ; but they afford principles which are universally applicable, and which are quite sufficient for our direction when duly applied. The duty of" doing to others as we would be done unto," is so comprehensive as to embrace every part of our social duty, whilst it is so simple that it may be comprehended and applied by every one who desires to please God.]
Let us then make these the one rule of our con- duct—
[Let us not attempt to reduce them to the standard of the world, but endeavour rather to raise our conduct to the standard of God's revealed will. Let us treasure up in our minds the most exalted precepts, and " hide God's word in our hearts, that we may not sin against him ;" for " then shall
1 1 Chron. xvii. 24. r Jer. xxxii. 41,
s Ps. Ixiii. 1 — 5. and cxlv. 1 — 12. and cl. * Ps. xxxi. 20. Eph. i. 13, 14. " Prov. vi. 23.