invested were not credentials only, for the authenticating of their divine mission, but means also of recommending the Cxospel to the attention and acceptance of men. And we shall do well to regard the various events that are now passing in the world as calls from God to embrace and hold fast the Gospel of Christ.]
2. As a standing memorial of the care which God takes of all his faithful servants—
[Many and glorious are the promises which God gives us ol security in his service. That we are not to expect visible and miraculous interpositions in our favour, is true : but we are not to suppose that he will leave us to the influence of blind chance, or give us up into the hand of our inveterate enemies. Were his gracious care withdrawn, " Satan would soon sift every one of us as wheat." But Jehovah keeps us in his everlasting arms, so that " no weapon that is formed against us can prosper." As our Lord could not be appre- hended till his time was come, so neither can any of his faith- ful people be destroyed, till God himself has signed the warrant. See how amply this is set forth by David f, and in the book of Job*?: and shall these promises fail of their accom- plishment? " Hath God said, and will he not do it ; hath he spoken, and will he not make it good ?" The promises made directly to the Apostles, must, as to their literal sense, be limited to themh: but, in the spirit of them, they must be applied to all, who put themselves under the shadow of Jehovah's wing1. « The wrath of man shall praise him :" and every occurrence, however adverse to the eye of sense, shall work for the present and eternal good of all his faithful people k.]
Let us learn then from hence,
1. Justice to man —
[We all are prone to judge one another : but this is to usurp the prerogative of Jehovah. The command of Christ, and of his Apostles is, " Judge not ;" " Judge nothing before
the time, &c.'"] °
2. Confidence in God —
[It may be, that in the service of our God our trials may be great and numerous ; yea, and we may be judged by our fellow-creatures with the severest judgment: but we may
f Ps. xci. 9—13. g Job v. 19—23.
h Mark xvi. 17, 18. Luke x. 19. * Ps. xci. 3—7.
k Rom. viii. 28. 2 Cor. iv, 17. ' Matt. vii. 1, 2. lCor.iv.5.