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to continual alteration, and there is nothing we can be fecure of, fo much as for one moHow foolish, then, are they who promise themselves any durable happiness in this world? Such perfons may truly be faid to build their house upon the fand; and though, perhaps, they may be allowed to raise it to some height, yet, ere long, fome fudden unforeseen storm fhall lay it in ruins, and bury all their vain expectations under it.

But what I would chiefly obferve upon this head is, that frequently the people of God are exercised with the feverest trials, and meet with the sharpest afflictions while they remain upon earth. For this mutability of the creatures, is not the effect of chance, but of defign. God thereby defigns to render all thofe inexcufable, who choose them for their portion : and when his own children are in danger of being enfnared by them, he pulls them, as it were, with violence out of their hands, that they may beware of contracting too close an alliance with them in future. He will not fuffer them to continue long in fo dangerous an error; and he fends the rod to undeceive them he frequently repeats the ftroke, to

remind them that they are only sojourners in a strange land, and to quicken their defires for their Father's house above; for their Father's house, where alone they shall have fullness of joy, and pleasures for evermore.

2dly, As the inconftancy of the creatures is here fuppofed, fo this promife neceffarily implies, that the presence of God with his people is a fufficient ground of confolation in every ftate and condition of life. David was fenfible of this, when he said, in the 23d Pfalm,

Though I walk through the valley of the "shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for "thou art with me:" and upon the fame principle, the Prophet Habakkuk triumphs in name of the church. Although the fig-tree

"shall not blossom, neither shall there be fruit "in the vines, the labour of the olive shall

fail, and the fields fhall yield no meat, the

"flock fhall be cut off from the fold, and "there fhall be no herd in the ftalls; yet "will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the "God of my falvation."

We read in the book of Daniel, that after Nebuchadnezzar the king had caused Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego, to be caft

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into the burning fiery furnace, he was aftonished, and rose up in hafte, and faid unto his counsellors, "Did not we caft three men "bound into the midst of the fire? And lo, “ 1 see four men loose, walking in the midst “of the fire, and they have no huṛt: and the "form of the fourth is like the Son of God." Is there a man who reads this paffage, that does not prefer the condition of thefe captives, to all the splendours of the Babylonish throne? How little does the trembling monarch seem, though furrounded with his counsellors? How glorious do the three young Jews appear, whilst walking amidst flames with their God and Saviour? How would they rejoice in this exalted privilege? And yet, my brethren, all the faints who have God really present with them, although they cannot fee him with their bodily eyes, have equal cause to rejoice in the midft of tribulation. For if God be with them, then he is with them who is infinitely wife, who is perfectly acquainted with all their wants, and can never be at a loss to know what is good for them. He is with them who is infinitely powerful, and can eafily perform whatever his unerring wisdom

fhall

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fhall fuggeft. He is with them who is fectly good, yea goodness itself; who is always difpofed to employ his wisdom in contriving, and his power in executing, whatever is neceffary for their interest and happiness. Yea, he is with them who hath already beftowed on them the greatest of all bleffings, even Jesus Christ his unfpeakable gift: and, as the Apostle reasons, " If God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us

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all, how shall he not with him also freely "give us all things?" And is not the prefence of fuch a God fufficient for the comfort of his people at all times? Who would mourn the lofs of a taper, who enjoys the light of the fun? All the creatures are nothing without God: whereas he is all in all; "In his “favour is life, and his loving kindness is "better than life." Even Balaam was conftrained to confefs this truth in the presence of Balak (Numb. xxiii. 23.), “Surely," fays he, "there is no enchantment against Jacob, nor

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any divination against Ifrael: for the Lord "his God is with him, and the fhout of a king is among them." If the happiness of Solomon's courtiers excited the admiration of

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the Queen of Sheba, because they had accefs to the presence of so wife and magnificent a king, how inconceivably more happy are they who are the friends, nay, the children of the King of kings, who have the infinitely perfect and all-fufficient Jehovah continually near to them? Which leads me to obferve, in the

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3d place, That the conftant presence of God with his people, is the bleffing exprefsly contained in this promife," I will never leave "thee nor forfake thee.' All other things may forfake you. Riches may take wings and fly away; friends may defert you, or they may die; your reputation may be blafted; your health and ftrength may fail and decay; yea, memory, judgment, and all the faculties of your mind, may be weakened or destroyed: "But I will never leave you, I will never forfake you;" my friendship is unchangeable; And whom I love, I love to "the end." All this, faith the Apostle, God hath faid; but he doth not tell us when or where he hath faid it, because he hath faid it fo often, and upon fuch various occafions, that it is to be met with almost every where in Scripture, and in a manner founds through

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