The true Christian " trusts in the Lord, and makes
the Lord his hope" —
[He trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ as the God of provi- dence : he commits his affairs to him, expecting his promised aid. He trusts also in Jesus as the God of grace : he renounces all hope in his own goodness or resolutions : he cordially adopts the language of the Church of old a — ]
These marks afford a sure line of distinction be- tween the nominal and the real Christian —
[Both may be moral, charitable, and attentive to religious duties ; but the regenerate alone trust simply in the Lord. Not that all the regenerate are alike delivered from self-depen- dence ; nor do the same persons always exercise their graces in the same degree. There are remains of self-righteousness, &c. in the best of men ; but the unregenerate allow these things which are abhorred by the regenerate.]
Nor is this difference between them of trifling im- port.
II. Their respective conditions —
Men's eternal state will be fixed with perfect equity. The conditions of the characters before us are strongly contrasted :
1. Simply ; " blessed," &c. " cursed," &e.
[What can be more important than these declarations? They are not the dictates of enthusiasm, but the voice of God ; " Thus saith the Lord." And may we not adopt Balak's words in reference to God b ? — And what can be more reasonable ? God has given his Son to be our Saviour ; but while some confide in him, others, by not trusting in him, reject him : how reasonable then is it that a curse should attach to these, and a blessing to those ! Such a difference in their conditions seems the necessary result of their own conduct. Spiritual life or death are dependent on our trust in the Lord, just as the life of the body is on our receiving or rejecting of animal food. Let every one then inquire, which of these conditions he has reason to expect ?]
2. Figuratively —
To mark the contrast more clearly, it is further ob- served, that both the blessing and the curse shall be
Abundant —
[The unbeliever " shall be like the heath in the desert;" he shall be left in a state of extreme barrenness and wretched-
a Isai. xlv. 24. b Numb. xxii. 6.