Imatges de pàgina
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PART IX.

65. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according unto thy word.

PERHAPS David is here acknowledging the Lord's answer to his prayer-Deal bountifully with thy servant."-" Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according unto thy word."-And who among us has not daily reason to make the same acknowledgment? Even in those trials, when we have almost been disposed to suspect the Lord of dealing hardly with us, a clearer view of his judgments, and a more simple dependence upon his faithfulness and love, will rebuke our impatience and unbelief, and encourage our trust in God. Subsequent experience probably altered Jacob's hasty view of the Lord's dealings with him. In a moment of peevishness, the recollection of the supposed death of a beloved son and the threatened bereavement of another, tempted him to say " All these things are against me." 3 At a brighter period of his day, when clouds were beginning to disperse, we hear that the spirit of Jacob revived-" And Jacob said, It is enough: Joseph my

1 Verse 17.

2 If all the sad losses, trials, sicknesses, infirmities, griefs, heaviness, and inconstancy of the creature be expounded to be, as I am sure they are, the rods of the jealousy of a Father in heaven, contending with all your lovers on earth; though there were millions of them, for your love, to fetch it home to heaven, single, unmixed, you will forgive, (if we may use that word) every rod of God, and "not let the sun go down upon your wrath" against any messenger of your afflicting and correcting Father.'Rutherford's Letters. 3 Genesis xlii. 36.

son is yet alive, I will go and see him before I die." 1 And when his evening sun was going down almost without a cloud, he was ready with a yet more clear acknowledgment of the faithfulness of his gracious God-" By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph." 992 And what had he then to say, but to retract the language of his former sinful impatience?" God before whom my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, did walk-the God which fed me all my life long, unto this day,-the Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads."3 This surely was in the true spirit of the acknowledgment-" Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word."

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And how is it that any of us have ever harboured a suspicion of unbelief? Has God in any one instance falsified his promise? Has the vision failed to come at the end? Has it ever" lied?" Has he not " confirmed his promise by an oath," so that we might have "two immutable things as the ground of “ strong consolation?" 5 If we have faith and patience to wait, "in the mount the Lord shall be seen." 6" All things may seem to be " against us," at the very time when under the wonder-working hand of God they are "working together for our good."7 When we are in heaviness through manifold temptations," and we discover a “needs be” for it all, and “ the trial of faith is found unto praise and honour and glory "8-have we not cause to say-" Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord?" And when we begin to reap 'the peaceful fruits of righteousness," 9 from the discipline of our Father's school, must we not again repeat the 1 Genesis xlv. 27, 28.

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2 Hebrews xi. 21. 4 Habukkuk ii. 3. See Scott in loco. 9 Heb. xii. 11.

acknowledgment? And indeed under every circumstance, however afflictive, ought this testimony to be given.1 Why not in the very midst of "heaviness?" Why must the believer wait till he come out of it, to own the loving kindness of his God? The power of faith has enabled many, and would enable him, to "glorify God in the fires; " to "trust" him, even when "walking in darkness, and having no light;"3 and to acknowledge him to "have dealt well with him," even in his chastening dispensations.

But if he doubts the reasonableness of this acknow

ledgment, then let him endeavour to take up different language. Let him, when suffering under trial, attempt to say-Lord, thou hast dealt ill with thy servant; thou hast not kept thy word.' If in a moment of unbelief his impatient heart, like Jacob's, could harbour such a dishonourable suspicion, his conscience would soon smite him with conviction. What! shall I who am "called out of darkness into marvellous light"_shall I, who am rescued from slavery and death, and brought into a glorious state of liberty and life, complain? Shall I-who have been redeemed at so great a price, and who have a right to " all the promises of God in Christ Jesus," and who am now an "heir of God and joint heir with Christ "5—— murmur at my Father's will? Alas! that my heart should prove so foolish-so weak so ungrateful! Lord! I would acknowledge with thankfulness and yet with humiliation-" Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, according to thy word." But if these acknowledgments are honourable to God and sup

1 Verses 71, 75. "In every thing (therefore including affliction) by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving," &c. Phil. iv. 6. Compare also 1 Thess. v. 18.

2 Isaiah xxiv. 15.
4 2 Cor. i. 20.

3 Ibid. 1. 10.

5 Rom. viii. 17.

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porting to our own faith, how many sweet occasions of calling to mind the Lord's mercies are lost by our own neglect! Were we habitually to mark them for future remembrance, we should be surprised to see how their numbers would multiply, till we were ready to say-" If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand.' "1 And truly such recollections would come up as a sweet savour to God "by Christ Jesus; "2 while they would serve to enhance every common as well as every special mercy-" Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name, and forget not all his benefits." 3

66. Teach me good judgment and knowledge; for I have believed thy commandments.

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THIS prayer and plea of David illustrates the nature of the principle of faith, as ever ready implicitly to receive the Record of God, and habitually supplicating Divine instruction. The recollections just brought to mind of the Lord's faithful and gracious dealings with his people will always excite to prayer for suitable blessings. And no blessings are more suitable than "good judgment and knowledge "— knowledge" of ourselves, of our Saviour, of the way of obedience and "good judgment" to direct and apply this knowledge to some valuable end. These two parts of our intellectual furniture have a most important connexion and dependence upon each other. "Knowledge" is the speculative perception of general truth. Judgment" is the practical application of it to the heart and conduct. No school, but the school of Christ-no teaching, but the teaching of the Spirit,

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1 Psalm cxxxix. 18. 2 Heb. xiii. 15.

3 Psalm ciii. 1, 2.

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can ever give this "good judgment and knowledge." Solomon asks it for himself 1-Paul for his people.2 Both direct us to God as the sole fountain and author of these precious gifts. Much indeed do we need these blessings in the study of the word of God. In a field of such vast extent we should not satisfy ourselves with a narrow compass; but should be grasping a distinct and extended survey of those truths, which are so intimately connected with our way of acceptance and walk before God. From the want of an accurate and enlarged view of Scriptural truth arise many of those doubts, discouragements, and fears, that perplex the minds of sincere Christians-many of their mistaken apprehensions of important doctrines -and much also of their coldness and back-slidings of heart and conduct.

Perhaps the child of God, whose mind is cast in a tender and sensitive mould, could not utter a more suitable prayer than this. A scrupulous conscience is one of the most active and successful enemies to his established peace and quietness. The faculty of con

1 1 Kings iii. 9.

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2 Phil. i. 9. 10. Col. i. 9.

3 Prov. ii. 6. 1 Cor. i. 5. 2 Tim. i. 7. It is recorded of one of the Reformers, that, when he had acquitted himself in a public disputation with great credit to his Master's cause, a friend begged to see the notes, which he had been observed to write, supposing that he had taken down the arguments of his opponents, and sketched the substance of his own reply. Greatly was he surprised to find that his notes consisted simply of these ejaculatory petitions -'More light. Lord,-more light,—more light!' And how fully was the true spirit of prayer compressed and illustrated in these short aspirations! Could they fail of success? "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." James i. 5. Greenham, being asked his judgment of some important matters, -answered-'Sir, neither am I able to speak, nor you to hear; for we have not prayed. I may indeed talk, and you may answer as natural men; but we are not now prepared to confer as children of God.' Works, p. 19.

4.

'Scruple'-as Bishop Taylor tersely observes-' is a little stone

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