[These are justly called by the Apostle " exceeding great and precious," more especially because " by them we are made partakers of a divine nature1," and are enabled to cleanse our- selves from all filthiness both of the flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of Godm." Who can declare a thousandth part of the joy which a weary and heavy-laden sin- ner experiences in applying to his soul the promises of the Gospel ? "With what avidity does he devour them ! They are like the first ripe fig which in the early spring a traveller sees, and devours, ere any one, however near to him, has time to claim itn : and the man who knows not this by his own sweet experience, has yet " to learn what be the very first principles of the oracles of God."]
4. Its threatenings —
[These to the believer are scarcely less precious than the promises themselves. It was one great excellence of the Scriptures in the estimation of David, that " by them he was warned0." He regarded them as a mariner his chart, by which he is warned of the rocks and quicksands on which he will infallibly be wrecked, if he deviate from his proper course. Is there a seaman, who, when in imminent danger, is instructed by that faithful monitor to avoid destruction, will not adore his God for the warning that taught him to escape it ? So it is with all who truly fear God : they love to be warned : they desire to be put upon their guard : they are afraid of turning aside in any respect, or of relaxing their efforts in the path of duty. Like Paul, they contemplate the danger of a relapse as an incentive to fresh exertions, and " keep their body under, and bring it into subjection, lest, after having preached to others, they themselves should be cast-aways p." In a word, the believer views the threatenings, as the angels who took Lot and his daughters by the hand, and, by representations of their danger, accelerated their escape from the devouring ele- ment : he acquiesces in them as " just and holy ;" and by their quickening influence he finds them to be " good."]
May we not then learn from hence,
1. What enemies to their own souls they are who neglect the Holy Scriptures !
[Notwithstanding the Scriptures are " the wells of salva- tion, from whence we are privileged to draw water with joy," the greater part even of the Christian world pay but little attention to them : any other book of science or amusement is preferred before them, and, unless in a formal cursory way, they are
1 2 Pet. i. 4. m 2 Cor. vii. 1. n Isai. xxviii. 4.
0 Ps. xix. 11. Pi Cor. ix. 27.