the Lord to have forsaken us, because we are in darkness; or that we are out of the way, because we are in perplexity. These are the very hand-posts, that show us that we are in the way of his own promised leading-painful exercise-faithful keeping-eternal salvation ;—“I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them." Oh! the rest, the satisfaction of placing a blind implicit confidence in a covenant-keeping God! Forsaken we may be-but not utterly. David was forsaken, not like Saul-Peter was forsaken-not like Judas utterly and for ever. What foreboding have you of such desertion? Is your heart willing to forsake him? Have you no mournings and thirstings for his return? "If indeed you forsake him, he will forsake you." But can you forsake him? Let him do as seemeth him good, (is the language of your heart ;) I will wait for him, follow after him, cleave to his word, cling to his cross. Mark his dealings with you. Inquire into their reason. Submit to his dispensation. If he forsakes, beg his return: but trust your forsaking God. "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." Though my comfort is clouded, my hope remains unchanging, unchangeable-such as I would not resign for the glory of an earthly crown. What are these earnest breathings-this abiding confidence, but his own work in us? And can the Lord "forsake the work of his own hands?” Sooner should heaven and earth pass, than the faithful engagements of the Gospel be thus broken." PART II. 9. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. WHY is the young man so especially called to cleanse his way? Because God justly claims the first and the best. And is it not a most affecting proof of the alienation of the heart from God, that the youth of man—the bloom and freshness of his mind-his "first 1 Isa. xlii. 16. 2 Psalm xxx. 7, with 1 Sam. xxviii. 6, 16. 4 2 Chron. xv. 2. Comp. 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. Heb. iii. 17, 18. 6 Psalm cxxxviii. 8. 3 Matt. xxvi. 75, with xxvii. 3—5. 5 Job xiii. 15. Isa. xlv. 15; 1. 10. 7 Augustine's Paraphrase of this verse is beautifully descriptive of the believer's conflict in a state of temporary desertion. "O Lord, if-lest I should be proud, and should say in my prosperity, I shall never be removed—it pleaseth thee to tempt me, yet forsake me not over-long," that is, if thou hast thus forsaken me, that I may know how weak I am without thy help, yet "forsake me not utterly," lest I perish. I know that of thy good will thou hast given me strength; and if thou turnest away thy face from me, I shall forthwith be troubled. "O forsake me not, that I perish not." love”—should naturally be devoted to the service of sin? Ever since failen man "begat a son in his own likeness," "the imagination of man's heart has been evil from his youth." For "who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ?" And never does the heart utter the cry, "My Father! thou art the guide of my youth," until the misery of wandering without a guide has been painfully felt. And even when Divine grace has awakened the desire to return homewards, the habit of wandering from God, and the longcherished pollutions of sin, seem to form an almost invincible barrier to progress. The fearful power of "youthful lusts," and the madness with which the heart is hurried into forbidden indulgences, give solemn weight to the inquiry-" Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?" And the answer is ready. Let him "take heed thereto according to the word." Thus did Joseph and Daniel with his young companions" "cleanse their way" in the defilement of an heathen atmosphere. It was probably the recollection of this purifying efficacy of the word, that induced the venerable Beza to mention in his will, among his chief matters of thankfulness to God, the mercy of having been called to the knowledge of the truth at the age of sixteen; thus, during a course of more than seventy years' walk with God, "escaping the pollutions of the world through lust." But the "way can only be cleansed" by the cleansing of the heart; for how can a corrupt fountain "send forth" other than "bitter waters ?" "Out of the heart are the issues of life." Hence the urgent need to cry-"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”7 How precious, therefore, is the word of God, as the means of this cleansing operation! When our Saviour had been setting forth himself as "the way, the truth, and the life," and exhibiting the high privilege of union with himself-" Now," he adds, "ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you! 178 This is "the truth," which he pleaded with his Father as the means of our sanctification. This sets out our purifying hope. Here are the promises, by which we "cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." Thus is restored to man that golden "crown"-the stamp of his Maker's holiness-which "fell from his head when he sinned."12 10 But oh! how does the recollection force itself upon us,-that our way wants daily cleansing! so defiled are our actions, our thoughts, our motives,-nay more, our prayers and services. Let us then "take heed according to the word of God"-specially thankful for its 1 Gen. v. 3; viii. 21. 5 Dan. i. 8-20; iii. 12-18. 2 Job xiv. 4. 8 John xiv.; xv. 1-3. 112 Cor. vii. 1. Comp. 2 Peter i. 4. Augustine's recorded account of his own conversion furnishes a striking illustration of this subject. Confessions, Books viii. ix. The substance of it may be found in Milner's Church History, vol. ii. 353-356. See Dr. Owen's valuable work on the Spirit for a most instructive use made of it, as throwing light upon the doctrine of conversion. Book iii. chap. vi. 12 Lam. v. 16, with Gen. i. 27. Eph. iv. 24. heavenly light, which guides us to the "fountain that is opened for sin and for uncleanness."1 Let us also under the same Divine light seek for the daily sanctifying influence of the Spirit of God. "Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults." Cleanse the thoughts of my heart by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit." 10. With my whole heart have I sought thee; O let me not wander from thy commandments. 4 ATTENTION to the word, however important, can never be practically effective without earnest prayer. Indeed this is a character of the Lord's people-"a generation of seekers," and yet how much do we lose of the comfort of our religion, and obscure the glory of our profession, by neglecting to bring "our whole heart" to this work! When sin is vigorous, and our spiritual affections are dull, and various hindrances combine in prayer; at this crisis strong faith is needed to overcome and to persevere. But here the soul too commonly yields to the difficulty, and contents itself either with heartless complainings, or with just sufficient exertion to quiet the voice of conscience, and produce a delusive peace within. But the Lord will not be found thus. His promise is not to such seekers as these; and if we are satisfied with this state, we must look for a very scanty measure of spiritual success, accompanied with the total absence of spiritual enjoyment. In a far different spirit David could appeal "With my whole heart have I sought thee." And this assurance, instead of procuring self-confidence, will so far as it is genuine, invariably show itself in a prayerful acknowledgment of our weakness" O let me not wander from thy commandments.” Yet the feeblest desire and attempt to seek the Lord, is the Spirit's rising beam in the heart, a "day of small things" not to be "despised." It is distinguished from every other principle by the simplicity of its object-"This one thing I do." "One thing have I desired of the Lord; that will I seek after." My God! my Saviour! "with my whole heart have I sought thee." The desire of my soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early." When the soul is thus conscious of "following the Lord fully," there is a peculiar dread of wandering. In a careless or halfhearted state, wanderings are not watched, so long as they do not lead to any open declensions. Secret prayer will be hurried over, worldly thoughts unresisted, waste of time in frivolous pursuits indulged, without much concern. Not so, when the heart is fully in pursuit of its object. There is a carefulness, lest wandering thoughts should become habitual. There is a resistance of the first step, that might lead into a devious path. The soul remembers the "wormwood and the gall," "the roaring lion," and the devour 1 Zech. xiii. 1. 4 Verse 9. 7 Phil. iii. 13. Psalm xxvii. 4. 2 Psalm xix. 12. 5 Psalm xxiv. 6. 8 Isa. xxvi. 8, 9. 3 Prayer-Book. 6 Zech. iv. 10. 9 Lam. iii. 19. ing wolf; and in the recollection of the misery of its former wandering, dreads any departure from the Shepherd's fold. This blessed state of mind the flock of Christ should cherish with godly jealousy. Yet let it be remembered, that daily progress in the heavenly walk is not maintained by yesterday's grace. Humble and dependent prayer must fetch in a fresh supply continually-" O let me not wander from thy commandments." Lord, I feel my heart so prone to wander. My affections are often scattered to the ends of the earth. "Unite my heart to fear thy name."1 Concentrate every thought, every desire, in thyself, as the one object of attraction,' 3 4 11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. WHAT an aggregate of guilt and misery is comprehended in this short word "sin"--the greatest curse that ever entered the universe of God, and the parent of every other curse! Its guilt is aggravated beyond the conception of thought. Injury to a Superior a Father -a Sovereign! Its power is misery, wherever it extends-in the heart-in the family-in the world. In eternity its power is unrestrained. Sometimes the death-bed scene casts a fearful gleam of light upon "the worm that never dieth, and the fire that never shall be quenched:"2 but experience only can develop its full-grown horrors. How supremely important therefore is the object of our preservation from sin! and how wisely adapted are the means to the end! That word-which the man of God had just before mentioned as the guide to the cleansing of the way, he hides within his heart-not for concealment, but for security, that it may be ready for constant use. It is not therefore a mere acquaintance with the word, that will avail us. There must be a cordial assent- -a sound digestion—a constant respect. It must be to us the rule that we would not transgress-the treasure that we are afraid to lose. Often indeed Satan shuts out its entrance. He "catches away that which was sown." Too often, again, it is withered or choked in the soil. But "the honest and good heart” "hides it, keeps it, and brings forth fruit with patience, unto perfection." Here it "dwells richly in all wisdom," the storehouse, as occasion requires; a principle of holiness; a covering from sin. In this view it is recommended by one, who had well acquainted himself with its valuable uses- 66 My son, let them not" (the Divine precepts) "depart from thine eyes; keep sound wisdom and discretion. So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble." David also gives us the same experience-"By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer."10 And it was probably this recollection, combined with a sense of 4 Matt. xxv. 25. Ps. xi. 10, with Ex. xxv. 21. Job xxii. 22. 6 Matt. xiii. 44. 7 Luke viii. 15, with the whole parable. 9 Prov. iii. 21-24. Compare Prov. ü. 10-15. 3 Verse 9. 5 Joshua i. 8. 8 Col. iii. 16. 10 Ps. xvii. 4. 1 continual danger, that suggested the prayer-" Order my steps in thy word; and let not any iniquity have dominion over me" The value of the word is inestimable, as our means of walking with God in the hurry, business, and temptation of the day. The Psalms furnish precious materials for ejaculatory prayer; the promises food for comfort; the rules such light in perplexity; the instruction such solid matter for godly conference-all operating for one end—a preservation from sin. Being from the word- -a manifestation of the Saviour's love-what a keeping of the heart! what a quickening motive! How seasonable in worldly temptation is the warning of the word hid in the heart-"No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God!" So in the spiritual conflict, let this word" Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out"-be hid in the heart-what a preservative is it against unbelief! Take the word to the unbelieving believer, (if the expression may be allowed,) alarmed by ridicule or persecution-"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you."-Fearing that he shall never hold out unto the end; "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."-Trembling, lest his sins should rise up to his condemnation; "The blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanseth from all sin." 119 And then as to duties: Let his Saviour's word rebuke his indolence and unwatchfulness,-"What! could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch, and pray, that ye enter not into temptation."10 Hide in the heart the sorrowful story of his agony in the garden, and his death on the cross, that "sin may appear yet more exceeding sinful." But how is the word to gain entrance into hearts like ours? How shall it be "hid" in so unkindly a soil? No power of man surely can plant it there. The Holy Spirit's almighty agency must be diligently sought; for in proportion as we are filled with his gracious influences, shall we be armed, as was our Master, for the effectual resistance of our spiritual temptations." Lastly, connected with this subject, mark the Christian's character" In whose heart is my law."12-His security-" None of his steps shall slide."13-His happiness-"O how I love thy law "His victory-"The word of God abideth in him, and he hath overcome the wicked one."5-All infallibly provided by the covenant-promise-"I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts."16 Olet us not then shrink from a close contact with the word, though the cost may be the cutting off a right hand for the saving of the life. There is no better test of our security, than a willingness to come to the searching light of the word." -1 Verse 133. 4 Col. iii. 16. 7 Ib. xv. 18. 10 Matt. xxvi. 40, 41. 13 Psalm xxxvii. 31. 16 Jer. xxxi. 33. 2 Verses 50, 92. 5 Luke ix. 61, 62. 8 Heb. xiii. 5. 11 Comp. Luke iv. 1-12. 17 Comp. John iii. 20, 21. 3 Verse 105. Prov. iii. 5, 6. 6 John vi. 37. 91 John i. 7. 12 Isaiah li. 7. 15 1 John ii. 14, with Eph. vi. 17. |