and to plead them before God in faith and prayer : and, pro- vided only you embrace them as unworthy, and regard them as made to you only in Christ, and for Christ's sake, you can never place too strong an affiance in them : " the stronger you are in faith, the more will you give glory to Godn." But that against which I wish to guard you, is, the hardness of which I before spoke. Truly, there is, amongst some professors of religion, a mode of speaking about their own interest in the promises which is disgusting in the highest degree, and, I really think, impious. Their want of reverence for God shews, that they are deluded by the devil, who has appeared to them under the semblance of " an angel of light0." I wish not to rob you of one atom of joy : but I would have you always to "rejoice with trembling?:" and, however strong your faith may be, I would say, " Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall q :" " Be not high-minded, but fear1."]
3. Improve them all with care —
[What will be the effect of the promises on the Jews, in the day that they shall be restored to the Divine favour ? " They will come with weeping ; and with supplication will God lead thems." Nor shall this frame be incompatible with joy: on the contrary, it shall be a prelude to joy*," even as the seed-time is to the harvest" : and it will be followed with holiness as its never-failing attendant1. Hear what St. Peter says : " God has given to us exceeding great and precious promises, that by them we may be partakers of a divine nature, and escape the corruptions that are in the world through lusty." Only improve them to this end, and you can never rely on them too strongly, or plead them too confidently before God. To all of you, then, I would say, having so many and great promises, Dearly beloved, let us use them to their proper end, even to " cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of GodV]
n Rom. iv. 20. ° 2 Cor. xi. 14. p Ps. ii. 11.
i 1 Cor. x. 12. r Rom. xi. 20. s ver. 8, 9.
* ver. 12, 13. u Ps. cxxvi. 5, 6.
1 Ezek. xxxvi. 25 — 28. y 2 Pet. i. 4. z 2 Cor. vii. 1.