foreheads "These are they, which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth." Far better, however, will be the heaviest weight of "reproach and contempt," than any such endeavor to remove it from ourselves. The desire to escape the cross, convicts the heart of unfaithfulness, and makes way for tenfold difficulties in our path. Every worldly compliance against the voice of God is a step into the by-path, which deviates wider and wider from the straight and narrow way, brings discredit upon our profession, proves a stumblingblock in the way of the weak, and will cause us, if not actually to come short, at least to "seem to come short of the promised rest.' 3 112 But is the weight of the cross really "above that we are able to bear?" He that bore it for us will surely enable us to endure it for him and upheld by him, we cannot sink. It is a sweet exchange, by which the burden of sin is removed, and bound to his cross; and what remains to us is the lighter cross of "reproach and contempt," the badge of our discipleship. If then we have the testimony of our consciences, that in the midst of a persecuting world, we "have kept his testimonies,"—here is our evidence of adoption, of our Father's special love, of the indwelling, comforting, supporting Spirit. Here then is our warrant of hope, that the overwhelming weight will be removed from us; and that we shall be able to testify to our Master's praise in the churches of God, that "his yoke is easy, and his burden is light." 23. Princes also did sit and speak against me; but thy servant did meditote in thy statutes. 66 DAVID might well give his testimony to "the words of the Lord," that they were "tried words:" for perhaps no one had ever tried them more than himself; and certainly no one had more experience of their faithfulness, sweetness, and support. Saul and his 'princes might indeed sit and speak against him," but he had a resource, of which they could never deprive him—“Not as the ́world giveth, give I unto you." As our blessed Master was employed in communion with his Father, and delighting in his work at the time, when the "princes did sit and speak against him;" so under similar circumstances of trial, this faithful servant of God, by meditation in the Lord's statutes, extracted spiritual food for his support:10 and in this strength of his God he was enabled to "suffer according to his will, and to commit the keeping of his soul to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.""1 The children of Israel in Egypt;12 Daniel in Babylon;13 and the disciples of Christ in the early ages of the church, 14 have severely found "this same affliction to be accomplished in themselves." God is pleased to permit it, to show that "his kingdom is not of this world,"15 to wean his people from earthly dependencies and to bring out before the world a more full testimony of his name.1 One other reason is suggested by this verse-to make his word more precious by the experience of its sustaining consolation in the conflict with the power of the world. Often indeed, from a want of a present application of the word, young Christians especially, are in danger of being put to rebuke by the scorner's sneer. The habit of Scriptural meditation will realize to them a present God, speaking "words of spirit and life" to their souls. The importance therefore of an accurate and well-digested acquaintance with this precious book cannot be too highly estimated. In the Christian's conflict it is "the sword of the Spirit," which, if it be kept bright by constant use, will never be wielded without the victory of faith. Such powerful support does it give against fainting under persecution, that the good soldier may ever be ready to "thank God, and to take courage."3 Christ has left it indeed as the portion of his people "In the world ye shall have tribulation;" counterbalanced however, most abundantly, by the portion which they enjoy in him "In me ye shall have peace.' If therefore the one half of this portion may seem hard, the legacy entire is such, as no servant of Christ can refuse to accept, or indeed will receive without thankfulness. 174 24. Thy testimonies also are my delight, and my counsellors. WHAT could we want more in a time of difficulty than comfort and direction? David had both these blessings. As the fruit of his meditation in the Lord's statutes," in his distress they were his "delight," in his perplexity they were his "counsellors." He would not have exchanged his delight for the best joys of earth.5 And so wisely did his counsellors direct his course, that, though แ princes sat and spake against him," they "could find none occasion nor fault."6 The testimonies of God were truly "the men of his counsel." He guided his own conduct by the rules laid before him in the book of God, as if he were having recourse to the most experienced counsellors, or rather as if the prophets of his God were giving the word from his mouth. Thus the subjects as well as the Sovereign, had his counsel. On one side was Saul and his counsellors on the other side, David and the testimonies of his God. Which, think we, was better furnished with that "wisdom which is profitable to direct?" Subsequently, as a king, David was constrained to make "the testimonies of his God his counsellors; and probably, to his constant regard to their voice he owed much of his earthly prosperity." In such a dark world as this, beset with temptation at every turn, 1 Matt. x. 18. 2 Eph. vi. 17. 3 Acts xxviii. 15. 4 John xvi. 33. See the beautiful illustration of this whole declaration-Acts xvi. 5 Verses 14, 97, 103, 127, with Psalm iv. 7. Psalm ci. 2, with Dan. vi. 4, 5. 22-25. 6 1 Sam, xviii. 14. 8 Comp. 2 Sam. vii. 11 2 Sam. viii. 6, 14. mon on this subject, 1 Kings u. 3. 4, 5; also xvi. 23. 9 Verse 23. 7 Margin. 10 Deut. xvii. 18-20. Compare also his dying and most encouraging advice to Solofounded doubtless upon the recollection of his own experience, we pre-eminently need sound and wise counsel. But all of us carry an evil counsellor within us, and it is our folly to listen to the voice. God has given us his word as a sure counsellor, and "he that hearkeneth to its counsel is wise."2 Now, do we value the privilege of this heavenly counsel? Every improvement must increase our delight in it; a heartless interest shuts out this blessing. But those who make the word their delight will always find it their counsellor. Yet a mere cursory reading will never realize to us its holy delight or counsel. It must be brought home to our own experience, and consulted on those trivial occasions of every day, when, unconscious of our need of divine direction, we are too often inclined to lean to our own counsel. The Christian is a man of faith every step of his way. And this habitual use and daily familiarity with the testimonies of God will show him the pillar and the clouds in all the dark turns of his heavenly road. The word will be to him as the "Urim and Thummim :"4 an infallible counsellor. f Sometimes, however, perplexity arises from the conflict, not between conscience and sinful indulgence, (in which case Christian sincerity would always determine the path,) but between duty and duty. When, however, acknowledged obligations seem to interfere with each other, the counsel of the word will mark their relative importance, connection, and dependence: the present path in providence the guidance, which has been vouchsafed to the Lord's people in similar emergencies; and the light which the daily life. of our Great Examplar exhibits before us. The great concern, however, is to cultivate the habit of mind, which falls in most naturally with the counsel of the word. "Walking in the fear of the Lord," in a simple spirit of dependence, and torn away from the idolatry of taking counsel from our own hearts, we cannot materially err; because there is here a suitableness between the disposi tion and the promise-a watchfulness against the impetuous bias of the flesh a paramount regard to the glory of God, and a meek submission to his gracious appointment. If the counsel, however, should not prove infallible, the fault is not in the word, but in the indistinctness of our own perception. We want not a clearer rule, or a surer guide, but a more single eye. And if, after all, it may not mark every precise act of duty (for to do this, even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written,") yet it determines the standard, to which the most minute acting of the mind should be brought; and the disposition, which will reflect the light of the will of God upon our path.8 66 But let it be remembered, that any want of sincerity in the heart any allowance of self-dependence1-will always close the avenues of this Divine light and counsel. We are often unconsci ously "walking in the light of our own fire, and in the sparks that we have kindled." Perhaps we sought, as we conceived, the guidance of the Lord's counsel, and suppose that we are walking in it. But, in the act of seeking, and as the preparation for seeking, did we subject our motives and inclinations to a strict, cautious, self-suspecting scrutiny? Was the heart schooled to the discipline of the cross? Was "every thought brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ ?"2 Or was not our heart possessed with the object, before counsel was sought at the mouth of God 23 Oh! how careful should we be to walk warily in those uncertain marks of heavenly counsel, that fall in with the bias of our own inclination! How many false steps in the record of past experience may be traced to the counsel of our own hearts, sought and followed to the neglect of the counsel of God; while no circumstance of perplexity can befall us in the spirit of humility, simplicity, and sanctity, when the counsel of the Lord will fail! An undue dependence upon human counsel, whether of the living or the dead, greatly hinders the full influence of the counsel of the word. However valuable such counsel may be, and however closely it may agree with the word, we must not forget, that it is not the word that it is fallible and therefore must never be resorted to in the first place, or followed with that full reliance, which we are warranted to place on the revelation of God. On the other hand, what is it to have God's word as our "Counsellor ?" Is it not to have himself- "the only wise God?" When our Bibles, in seasons of difficulty, are searched in a humble, prayerful teachable spirit, we are as much depending upon the Lord himself for counsel, as if we were listening to an immediate revelation from heaven. We want not a new revelation, or a sensible voice from above, for every fresh emergency. It is enough, that our Father has given us this blessed "word as a light to our feet, and a lamp to our path." Let me then inquire what is the counsel of God, that speaks directly to myself? If I am an unawakened sinner, it warns me to turn from sin-it invites me to the Saviours-it directs me to wait upon God. If I am a professor, slumbering in the form of godliness, it shows me my real condition1-it instructs me in the all-sufficiency of Christ," and cautions me of the danger of hypocrisy.12 If through grace I am made a child of God, still do I need my Father's counsel to recover me from perpetual backsliding-to excite me to increased watchfulness, and to strengthen my confidence in the fulness of his grace,15 and the faithfulness of his love.1 Ever shall I have reason for the grateful acknowledgment-" I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel." And every step of 1 Isaiah i. 11. 14 22. Cor. x. 5. 3 Jer. xlii. 16 6 Verse 105. Comp. Prov. vi. 23. 14 1 Thess. v. 6. Rev. iii. 2. 17 Psalm xvi. 7. my way would I advance, glorifying my God and Father by confiding in his counsel unto the end-"Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory." PART IV. 25. My soul cleaveth unto the dust; quicken thou me according to thy word. SIN is no trifle to a child of God. It is his heaviest sorrow. Thus David-thus the great Apostle-found it. And where is the believer, who has not full sympathy with their complaints? To have a soul cleaving to the dust, and not to feel the trouble, is the black mark of a sinner, dead in sins-dead to God. To "know the plague of our own heart," to feel our misery, to believe and to apply the remedy,' is the satisfactory evidence of a child of God. Dust is the portion of the world: and they wish for no better. But that the soul of the man of God should continually cleave to the dust, is most strange and humbling. And yet such is the influence of his evil nature--such the power of self-will and self-indulgence-such the regard to human praise, and cherishing of selfadmiration, that were it not that he "abhors himself" for the very dust that cleaves to him, he would question the existence of a renewing change. He knows what he ought to be. He has tasted the blessedness of "mounting upward on eagles' wings." But every attempt to rise is hindered by the clogging weight that keeps him down. It is however the cleaving of his soul that is so painful,—not occasional, but constant—not like the bird of the morning that descends for a moment, and then soars his upward flight; but it seems as if, like the "serpent-dust was to be his meat;" as if the spiritual, heaven-born soul was to sink and grovel below. And then, as the dust of the summer-road blinds the eye, and obscures the prospect; how does this earthliness of soul darken the view of the Saviour, dim the eye of faith, and hide the glorious prospects, which, when beheld in the clear horizon, enliven the weary pilgrim on his way! But this complaint is the language of conflict and humiliation— not of despondency-Mark the believer carrying it to the Lord'Here I lie in the dust, without life or power. Oh! thou Saviour, who camest that I might have life, and that I might have it more abundantly”—Quicken me. Breathe upon me thine own life, that I may rise from the dust, and cleave to thee.' This cry for 66 |