people ; and will testify to them their adoption into his family, and seal them unto the day of redemption. How desirable is this for every saint! and how rich a recompence is it for any self-denial he may exercise in the path of duty ! Would to God that all professing Christians might experience this ; and that not a single day might ever pass, in which they cannot say with the beloved Disciple, " Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ0!"]
IV. In submission to his dispensations —
[The more any person lives in the enjoyment of God, and a diligent performance of his will, the more must he expect to be hated and persecuted by an ungodly world. But under all his trials he must be " patient :" to whatever length of time they be protracted, he must be "long-suffering:" nor must he merely possess his soul in patience ; he must have it blended "with joyfulness," regarding it as his honour and his happiness that he is counted worthy to suffer shame for his Redeemer's saked. But " who is sufficient for these things?" It is not possible for feeble man to maintain such a conduct, unless he be " strengthened with all might" by the Holy Ghost: yea, there must be such an exertion of omnipotence as will serve for a bright display of " his glorious power ;" nor can any thing less than this effect so great a work.
Here then again we see the suitableness of the Apostle's prayer : for if we cannot serve the Lord without participating his cross, or sustain by our own power the trials that will come upon us, what alternative remains, but either to abandon our profession, or to implore such help from God as shall make us more than conquerors over all ?]
V. In thankfulness to him for his mercies —
[There can be no state, however afflictive, in which a Christian ought not to abound in thanksgivings to God. The Israelites, to whom he divided Canaan by lot, were unspeak- ably indebted to him : but how are they indebted, to whom he has given an "inheritance among the saints in light;" even in heaven, where they dwell in the immediate presence of their God! For this they are rendered "meet;" (for it is impossible that they can enjoy it, if they possess not a meet- ness for it:) their heavenly Father has " delivered them from the power of darkness," even as he did Lot from Sodom, and the Israelites from Egypt, with a mighty hand and a stretched-out arm : he has moreover " translated them into the kingdom of his dear Son," and brought them into a cheer- ful and unreserved obedience to his will. Must not they then
c 1 John i. 3. d Acts v. 41.