mere empty bubbles compared with this our sure, satisfying, unfading inheritance. PART VI. 41. Let thy mercies come also unto me, O Lord; even thy salvation, according to thy word. A PRAYER of deep anxiety-large desire-simple faith! It is a sinner-feeling his need of mercy-yea mercies-abundant mercy1 -mercies for every moment-looking for them only in the Lord's salvation to be dispensed according to his word. Out of Christ we know only a God of justice and holiness. In Christ we behold a just God, and yet a Saviour:2 and in "his salvation mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other."3 Therefore general notions of mercy without a distinct apprehension of "salvation"—have their origin in presumption, not in warranted faith. For can there be any communication of mercy from an unknown God? Can there be any intercourse with an angry God? "Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace; thereby good shall come unto thee"-" The Lord's mercies, even his salvation." J This prayer, however, is peculiarly suitable to the believer, longing to realize that which sometimes is clouded to his view-his personal interest in the Lord's salvation! It must come to me; or I shall never come to it. I want not a general apprehension I am not satisfied with the description of it. Let it come to me-let thy mercies be applied, so that I can claim them and rejoice in them. I see thy salvation come to others. Who needs it more than I? Let it come also unto me. Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou used to do to those that love thy name. "Remember me, O Lord, with the favor that thou bearest to thy people; O visit me with thy salvation; that I may see the felicity of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.”5 Now, are we seeking the assurance of this salvation? Are we waiting to realize its present power, saving us from sin-Satanthe world ourselves and "blessing us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus?" Should a trial of faith and patience be ordained for us, yet in the end we shall find an enriching store of experience from His wise dispensations. That he has kept us from turning 2 Isa. xlv. 21. 1 Psalm li. 1. 5 Verse 132. 3 Psalm lxxxv. 9, 10. Comp. Rom. iii. 26. Psalm cvi. 4, 5. our backs upon his ways, when we had no comfort in them; that he has upheld us with secret supplies of strength--is not this the work of his own Spirit within, and the pledge of the completion of the work? That he has enabled us, against all discouragements, to "continue instant in prayer," is surely an answer to that prayer, which in our apprehensions of it had been cast out. That in waiting upon him, we have found no rest in worldly consolation, is an assurance that the Lord himself will be our soul-satisfying and eternal portion. And who is there now in the sensible enjoyment of his love, who does not bless that Divine wisdom, which took the same course with them that has been taken with us, to bring them to these joys? When did a weeping seed-time fail of bringing a joyful harvest !! But let not the ground of faith be forgotten-" According to thy word," that it shall come fully--freely-eternally-to him that waiteth for it.2 "Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness; those that remember thee in thy ways." Many indeed are satisfied with far too low a standard of spiritual enjoyments. It is comfortless to live at a distance from our Father's house, when we might be dwelling in the secret of his presence, and rejoicing in the smiles of his love. But let us not charge this dishonorable state upon the sovereignty of the Divine dispensations. Let us rather trace it to its true source-want of desirewant of faith-want of prayer-want of diligence. What infinite need have we of heavenly influence! What gracious encouragement to seek it! The way was blocked up-mercy has cleared the path, opened our access.-"The golden sceptre is always held out."4 Earnest prayer will bring a sure answer. The blessing is unspeakable. Let thy mercies-thy salvation-come unto me, O Lord. 42. So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me; for I trust in thy word. WHAT is the salvation which he had just been speaking of? The whole gift of the mercy of God-redemption from sin, death, and hell-pardon, peace, and acceptance with a reconciled Godconstant communication of spiritual blessings-all that God can give or we can want; all that we are able to receive here, or heaven can perfect hereafter. Now, if this "comes to us"-comes to our hearts-surely it will furnish us at all times with "an answer to him that reproacheth us." The world casts upon us the reproach of the cross. "What profit is there to walk mournfully before the Lord of Hosts ?" What is there to counterbalance the relinquishment of pleasure, esteem, and worldly comfort? The professor can give no answer. He has heard of it, but it has never come to him. The believer is ready with his answer, I have found in the Lord's salvation pardon and peace-"not as the world giveth" 2 Ib. xxxiii. 22. Compare v. 81. 5 Malachi iii. 14. 1 Psalm cxxvi. 5, 6. 4 Esther v. 2. 3 Isaiah lxiv. 5. -and such as the world cannot take away. Here therefore do I abide, finding it my happiness not to live without the cross, and testifying in the midst of abounding tribulation, that there are no comforts like Christ's comforts. This was David's answer, when family trials were probably an occasion of reproach, "Although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation and all my desire." But there is a far heavier reproach than that of the world—when the grand accuser injects hard thoughts of God-when he throws our guilt and unworthiness-our helplessness and difficulties in our face. And how severe is this exercise in a season of spiritual desertion! Except the believer can stay his soul upon "a God that hideth himself, as still the God of Israel, the Saviour," he is unprepared with an answer to him that reproacheth him. Such appears to have been Job's condition,3 and Heman's, not to speak of many of the Lord's most favored people, at different stages of their Christian life. Most important therefore is it for us to pray for a realizing sense of the Lord's mercies—even of his salvationnot only as necessary for our peace and comfort-but to garrison us against every assault, and to enable us to throw down the challenge, "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy; when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.' 115 Free grace has saved me an unspotted righteousness covers me an Almighty arm sustains me eternal glory awaits me. Who shall condemn? "Who shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord ?"% Now for this bold front to our enemies, nothing is wanted beyond the reach of the weakest child of God. No extraordinary holinessno Christian establishment in experience-nothing but simple, humble faith, “For I trust in thy word." Faith makes this salvation ours, in all its fulness and almighty power; and therefore our confidence "in the word" will make us "ready always to give an answer to every one that asketh us a reason of the hope that is in us, with meekness and fear.” "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that riseth against thee in judgment, thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord; and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.8 But how often is our Christian boldness paralyzed by our feeble apprehensions of the salvation of God! Clear and full evangelical views are indispensable for the effective exercise of our weighty obligations. Any indistinctness here, from its necessary mixture of self-righteousness and unbelief, obscures the warrant of our personal interest, and therefore hinders that firm grasp of Almighty strength. Coldness and formality also deaden the power of Christian boldness. Much need therefore have we to pray for a realized 12 Sam. xxiii. 5. 5 Micah vii. S. 2 Isaiah xlv. 15. 3 Job vi. vii. ix. 4 Ps. lxxxviii. perception of the freeness, fulness, holiness, and privileges of the Gospel. Much need have we to use our speedy diligence, without delay; our painful diligence, without indulgence; our continual diligence, without weariness; that we be not satisfied with remaining on the skirts of the kingdom; that it be not a matter of doubt, whether we belong to it or not; but that, grace being added to grace, "so an entrance may be ministered to us abundantly into” all its rich consolations and everlasting joys. 43. And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth: for I have hoped in thy judgments. For the sake of the Church and the world, not less than for our own sakes, let us give diligence to clear up our interest in the Gospel, that "the joy of the Lord may be our strength" in his service. The want of personal assurance not only brings a loss to our soul's own experience, but a hindrance to our own usefulness. Not only is our answer feeble to "him that reproaches us," but our attempts to "strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees" of our brethren are unavailing. The dread of the charge of hypocrisy-the absence of the only "constraining" principle-" the love of Christ," or the indulgence of worldly habits and conversationstops the utterance of the word of truth, and obscures our character as a "saint of God," and a witness for his name. Justly indeed might he punish our unfaithfulness by forbidding us to speak any more in his name; and therefore in deprecating this grievous judgment, the child of God, conscious of guilt, casts himself at the footstool of mercy-"Take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth." Not only take it not out of my heart; but let it be ready in my mouth for a confession of my master. This is a valuable prayer to preserve us from denying Christ in worldly intercourse. Let the whole weight of Christian obligation be deeply felt-faith in the heart, and confession with the mouth— the active principle, and the practical exercise. Should we be content with the dormant principle, where would be the Church-the ordinances—the witness for God in the world? Shall we shrink from the bold confession of him who "despised the shame of the cross for us?" Would not this imply a distrust of our own testimony-the word of truth? Wisdom is indeed required to know when, as well as what, to speak. There is indeed "a time to keep silence," "and the prudent shall keep silence in that time."s But too often a judicious caution is a self-deluding cover for the real cause of restraint—the want of apprehension of the Lord's mercy to the soul. It will always therefore be made to examine, whether it is our cross to be "dumb with silence"-whether, when we "hold our peace even good, our sorrow is stirred," and our "heart hot within us, and the fire burning." 12, Peter i. 5-11. 4 Psalm cxlv. 10-13. . 7 Heb. xii. 2. 2 Isaiah xxxv. 3. 5 See Isaiah xliii. 10. 8 Eccl. iii. 7. Amos v. 13. 32 Cor. v. 14. from 9 Psalm xxxix. 2, 3. Sometimes the Lord may see it needful to straiten our spirits, for the discovery of our weakness, for our deeper humiliation, and more simple dependence on himself. But then will the cry-"Take not the word utterly out of my mouth"-be heard and answered. And a word spoken in weakness may be a word of Almighty power to one of the Lord's "little ones." Many opportunities also in our connections with the world will unexpectedly offer for the improvement of the wakeful heart. The common topics of earthly conversation may furnish a channel for heavenly intercourse; so that our communications even with the world may be like Jacob's ladder, whose foot rested upon the earth, but the top reached unto the heavens. And oh ! what a relief is it to the burdened conscience, if but a few words can be stammered out for God, even though there are no sensible refreshings of his presence upon the soul! 2 But in order that the word of truth may come out of our mouth, it must be well stored in the heart. "Let then the word of Christ dwell in us richly in all wisdom;" that it may be ready for every opportunity of usefulness. When the heart is full, the mouth will flow. When "the heart is inditing a good matter, speaking of the things touching the king," "our tongue will be the pen of a ready writer."4 This prayer is the same confidence of faith that was expressed in the preceding verse, "For I have hoped in thy judgments," an acceptable spirit of approach to God, and an earnest of the revival of life and comfort in the Lord's best time and way. 44. So shall I keep thy law continually, for ever and ever. THE heaping up of so many words in this short verse, appears to be the struggle of the soul to express the vehemency of its longings to glorify its Saviour. And indeed the Lord's return to us, unsealing the lips of the dumb, and putting his word again into our mouth, brings with it a fresh sense of constraining obligation. This fresh occupation in his praise and service is not only our present privilege, but an antepast of our heavenly employment, when the word will never more "be taken out of our mouth," but we shall "talk of his wondrous works" "for ever and ever." The defects in the constancy and extent of our obedience (as far as our hearts are alive to the honor of God,) must ever be our grief and burden; and the prospect of its completeness in a better world, is that which renders the anticipation of heaven so delightful. There we shall be blest with suitable feelings, and therefore be enabled to render suitable obedience—even one unbroken consecration of all our powers to his work. Then "shall we keep his law continually 1 Gen. xxviii. 12. Why do I make any of my visits to any of my neighbors, or countenance their visits unto me? Lord, I desire to let fall something, that may be for the good of the company; even, that more may be known of thee, and done for thee, from what passes in it. And when I propose to ingratiate myself unto any people by the civilities of conversation, it shall be, that I may gain thereby the better advantages to prosecute purposes upon them. In conversation, I would especially lay hold on all advantages to introduce as much as I can of a lovely Christ into the view of all that I come near unto."-Cotton Mather, Student and Pastor, pp. 74, 75. 2 Col. iii. 1C. 3 Matt. xii. 34. Comp. Ps. cxvi. 10. 4 Ps. xlv. 1, 2. 5 Verse 27. |