to fear, yet in him they have reason to exult and triumph. They should " know in whom they have believed, and that he is both able and willing to keep what they have committed to him'^."]
In order to this he would have them persuaded of "the immutability of his counsel" —
[Nothing more contributes to the comfort of God's people than a view of every thing as subjected to his unchanging will and irresistible controul. If only they learn to refer every thing to his overruling agency or righteous permission, all cause for disquietude will cease. Do the dispensations of his providence appear dark? the soul will be satisfied when it can say. This hath God done'. If events seem to contradict the promises, the reflection that God's ways are unsearchable will silence every murmur, and dispose us to trust God, till he
shall be pleased to unfold his purposes to our view''
" Who shall separate me from the love of God ?" is the tri- umphant challenge that will be given to all our enemies, as soon as ever we see God appointing every thing with immutable and unerring wisdom'.]
For this purpose God confirms his promise with an oath —
[His promise could not be made more sure. But we are prone to unbelief. On this account he condescends to consult our weakness, and to swear by himself, that we may be the more firmly persuaded of his veracity. Even though God had not sworn, he never could have receded from his engage- ments, seeing " it is impossible for God to lie." But his oath is calculated to satisfy the most fearful mind ; and must con- vince us, beyond a possibility of doubt, that he will never leave us nor forsake us™.]
Infer —
1. How astonishing is the condescension of God !
[That God should voluntarily lay himself under any obli- gations at all to us, may well excite our astonishment. But that he should so far indulge those who doubt his veracity, as to confirm his promises with an oath, with a view to their more abundant consolation and encouragement, is a condescension of which we could have formed no idea. In this He has cast a reflection, as it were, upon his own character, in order that
i> 2 Tim. i. 12. * 1 Sam. iii. 18.
^ Heb. xi. 17 — 19. Abraham's faith as described in these verses will admirably illustrate the subject. 1 Rom. viii. 3."}. "' Heb. xiii. 5.
2295.1 ^"^' christian's anchor. 253
he inioht silence their unreasonable doubts. But he is God and not man, and therefore He could submit to such a degra- dation. O let all of us admire and adore him ! And let us be careful that we " receive not this grace of God in vain "."]
2. How great is the sin of unbelief!
[Unbelief says, in fact, not only that " it is possible for God to lie," but that He is indeed " a liar°." How would such an indignity be borne by us, especially if we had never given the slightest occasion for it, but had fulfilled every promise that we had ever made ? No doubt then God must be displeased whenever we cast such a reflection upon him. And if 7iotv, after that he has confirmed his promise with an oath, we dis- believe him, the affi'ont will be aggravated in a tenfold degree, and our guilt be proportionably increased. Let us know then, that " not one jot or tittle of his word can fail;" and rest as- sured, that, if we trust in him, we shall never be confounded p.]
3. How wide is the difference between God's peo- ple and the world at large !
[There may be but little visible diflference between them : but they do differ very widely ; nor is the difference the less real because it is invisible. The godly have fled for refuge to Christ as their only hope : they make the promises of God in Christ their boast, and their inheritance : and, while God re- gards them as his heirs, he fills them with a peace that passeth all understanding. But what hope have the careless and un- godly world ? What consolation have they from the immuta- bility of God ? ^11 their comfort is founded on the hope that