Study the Lord's revelation of his own name, and what more full perception can we conceive of its support in the darkest midnight of tribulations? "And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him, (Moses,) and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed-The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty." Can we wonder that such a name as this should be exhibited as a ground of trust? "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it and is safe." "They that know thy name will put their trust in thee."2 Even our suffering Lord appears to have derived support from "the remembrance of the name of the Lord in the night" of desertion-"O my God, I cry in the day-time, and thou hearest not; and in the night-season, and am not silent. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.”3 And from the experience of this source of consolation, we find the tempted Saviour directing his tempted people to the same support-" Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God."4 The main principles of the Gospel are involved in this remembrance of the Lord's name. Memory is the storehouse, in which the substance of our knowledge is treasured up. Recollections without faith are shadowy notions. But we have confidence that our God in himself—and as engaged to us-is all that the Bible declares him to be. How vast then are our obligations to his dear Son-the only medium by which his name could be known or remembered "who hath" so "declared him!" And there is the spring of practical religion. We shall "keep his law," when we "remember his name." A sense of our obligations will impel us forward in diligence, heavenly-mindedness, and self-devotedness in our appointed sphere. Obedience will partake far more of the character of privilege than of duty, when an enlightened knowledge of God is the principle of action. 56. This I had, because I kept thy precepts. How is it, believer, that you are enabled to "sing of the Lord's statutes"—and to "remember his name ?” This you have, because you keep his precepts. Thus you are able to tell the world, that "in keeping his commandments there is great reward"—that the "work of righteousness is peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness, and assurance for ever. Christian! let your testimony be clear and decided that ten thousand worlds cannot bestow the happiness of one day's devotedness to the service of your i Exod. xxxiv. 5—7. 4 Isaiah 1. 10. 6 Psalm xix. 11. 2 Prov. xviii. 10. Ps. ix. 10. 3 Ps. xxii. 2, 3. 5 John i. 18; also xiv. 6. Matt. xi. 27. 7 Isaiah xxxii. 17. Lord. For is it not in this path that you realize fulness of joy in fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ ?" "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him-my Father will love him; and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” If you were walking more closely with God in "the obedience of faith," the world would never dare to accuse religion as the source of melancholy and despondency. No man has any right to the hope of happiness in a world of tribulation, but he that seeks it in the favor of his God. Nor can any enjoy this favor, except as connected, in the exercise of faith, with conformity to the will, and delight in the law, of his God. Thus not only are "the statutes of the Lord right," but they "rejoice the heart." There is a sweetness and satisfaction in the work, as well as a good flowing out of it—a current as well as a consequent privilege cheering the soul in the act of exercise, just as the senses are regaled at the very instant with the object of their gratification. But let us remark how continually David was enriching his treasury of spiritual experience with some fresh view of the dealings of God with his soul; some answer to prayer, or some increase of consolation, which he records for his own encouragement, and for the use of the Church of God. Let us seek to imitate him in this respect; and we shall often be enabled to say as he does, "This I had"--this comfort I enjoyed this support in trouble-this remarkable manifestation of his love-this confidence I was enabled to maintain-not this I hoped for-but "this 1 had"-it was made my own," because I kept thy precepts." And how important, in the absence of spiritual enjoyment, to examine, "is there not a cause?" and what is the cause? Have not "strangers devoured my strength; and I knew it not?" Is the Lord "with me as in months past? with me in my closet?-with me in my family?— with me at my table?—with me in my daily employments and intercourse with the world? When I hear the faithful people of God telling of his love, and saying, "This I had," must I not, if unable to join their cheerful acknowledgment, trace it to my unfaithful walk, and say, "This I had" not, because I have failed in obedience to thy precepts; because I have been careless and selfindulgent; because I have slighted thy love; because I have "grieved thy Holy Spirit," and forgotten to ask for the "old paths, that I might walk therein, and find rest to my soul?" Oh let this scrutiny and recollection of our ways realize the constant need of the finished work of Jesus, as our ground of acceptance, and source of strength. This will bring healing, restoration, increasing devotedness, tenderness of conscience, circumspection of walk, and a determination not to rest, until we can make this grateful acknowledgment our own. At the same time, instead of boasting that 1 John xiv. 21, 23, with 1 John i. 3, 4; iii. 24. 3 Hosea vii. 9. 4 Job xxix. 2. 2 Psalm xix. 8. 5 Jer. vi. 16. our own arm, our own diligence, or holiness, "have gotten us" into this favor, we shall cast all our attainments at the feet of Jesus, and crown him Lord of all for ever. PART VIII. 1 But 57. Thou art my portion, O Lord; I have said that I would keep thy words. MAN, as a dependent being, must be possessed of some portion. He cannot live upon himself. He must also have a large portion, because the powers and capacities to be filled are large. If he has not a satisfying portion, he is a wretched empty creature. where and how shall he find this portion? "There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us!" Oh! the goodness of the Lord, in having offered himself as the portion of an unworthy sinner, and having engaged to employ his perfections for his happiness! Oh! the folly, and madness, and guilt, of the sinner, in choosing his "portion in this life;" as if there were no God on the earth, no way of access to him, or no happiness to be found in him! That such madness should be found in the heart of man, is a most affecting illustration of his departure from God; but that God's own people should commit these two evils--forsaking the fountain of living waters, and hewing out broken cisterns for themselves—is the fearful astonishment of heaven itself.3 But we cannot know and enjoy God as our portion, except as he has manifested himself in his dear Son. And in the knowledge and enjoyment of him, can we envy those, who "in their lifetime receive their good things," and therefore have nothing more to expect? Never indeed does the poverty of the worldling's portion appear more striking than when contrasted with the enjoyment of a child of God" Soul," said the rich fool, "thou hast much goods laid up for many years." But God said, "This night thy soul shall be required of thee." Augustine's prayer was, "Lord, give me thyself!" And thus the believer exults, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire but thee. Return unto thy rest, O my soul. The Lord himself is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup. Thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places, yea I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel."'s Elsewhere the believer makes this confession to himself" The Lord is my portion-saith my soul." Here, as if to prove his sincerity, he "lifts up his face unto God."" Thou art my portion, O Lord." And surely the whole world cannot weigh against the comfort of this Christian confidence. For it is as impossible, that his own people should ever be impoverished, as that his own perfections should moulder away. But a portion implies not a source of ordinary pleasure, but of rest and satisfaction, such as leaves nothing else to be desired. Thus the Lord can never be enjoyed, even by his own children-except as a portion-not only above all, but in the place of all. Other objects indeed may be subordinately loved; but of none but himself must we say "He is altogether lovely." "In all things he must have the pre-eminenceone with the Father in our affections, as in his own subsistence.5 The moment that any rival is allowed to usurp the throne of the heart, we open the door to disappointment and unsatisfied desires. But if we take the Lord as our "portion," we must take him as our king. "I have said this is my deliberate resolution, that I would keep thy words." Here is the Christian complete-taking the Lord as his "portion," and his word as his rule. And what energy for holy devotedness flows from the enjoyment of this our heavenly portion! Thus "delighting ourselves in the Lord, he gives us our heart's desire;" and every desire identifies itself with his service. All that we are and all that we have, are his; cheerfully surrendered as his right, and willingly employed in his work. Thus do we evidence our interest in his salvation; for "Christ became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” Reader! inquire-was my choice of this Divine portion considerate, free, unreserved? Am I resolved that it shall be steadfast and abiding? that death itself shall not separate me from the enjoyment of it? Am I ready to receive a Sovereign as well as a Saviour? Oh! let me have a whole Christ for my portion! Oh! let him have a whole heart for his possession. Oh! let me call nothing mine but Him. 58. I entreated thy favor with my whole heart; be merciful unto me according to thy word. DELIGHT in the Lord as our "portion," naturally leads us to "entreat his favor" as "life," and "better than life," to our souls. And if we have "said, that we would keep his words," we shall still "entreat his favor" to strengthen and encourage us in his way. We shall "entreat it with our whole hearts," as though we felt our infinite need of it, and were determined to wrestle for it in Jacob's spirit "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me."11 If we have known what unspeakable happiness it is to be brought into the favor of God, "by the blood of Christ;"12 and if "by him also " how shall we we have access unto that grace wherein we stand," prize the sense of Divine favor, the light of our Father's countenance! We shall never be weary of this source of daily enjoyment. It is to us as the light of the sun, which shineth every day with renewed and unabated pleasure. We "joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement."2 Mercy, however, is the source of that "favor which we entreat;" and the word is the warrant of our expectation-" Be merciful unto us, according to thy word." As sinners, we need this "favor." As believers, we "entreat" it in the assurance that praying breath, as the breath of faith, will not be spent in vain. Any indulged indolence, or neglect, or unfaithfulness-relaxing our diligence, and keeping back the "whole heart" from God-will indeed never fail to remove the sunshine from the soul. But the blood of Christ still opens the way of return to the backslider, even though he may have wandered, as it were, to the ends of the earth. For "if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thine heart and all thy soul."3 "A whole heart," in seeking the Lord, is the seal of the Lord's heart in returning to us-"I will rejoice over them," saith he, "to do them good and I will plant them in this land assuredly, with my whole heart and with my whole soul."4 Reader! if you are a child of God, the favor of God will be to you the "one thing needful." In other things, you will not venture to choose for yourself; "for who knoweth what is good for man in this life ?" But in this choice you will be decided. This grand, incomparable desire will fill your heart. This will be to you as the portion of ten thousand worlds. Nothing will satisfy besides. 59. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. THE Psalmist's determination, lately mentioned, to keep God's word, was not a hasty impulse, but a considerate resolve, the result of much thinking on his former ways of sin and folly. How many, on the other hand, seem to pass through the world into eternity without a serious "thought on their ways!" Multitudes live for the world-forget God and die! This is their history. What their state is, is written as with a sunbeam in the word of truth— "the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." When "no man repenteth him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done?"-this banishing of reflection is the character and ruin of an unthinking world. Perhaps one serious thought might be, the new birth of the soul to God-the first step of the way to heaven. For when a man is arrested by the power of grace, he is as one awaking out of sleep, lost in solemn and serious thought,- What am I?8 where am I? what have I been? 1 Rom. v. 1, 2. 5 Eccl. vi. 12. 2 Ib. v. 11. 6 Psalm ix. 17. 3 Deut iv. 29. 4 Jer. xxxii. 41. 8 How utterly unmeaning was the celebrated aphorism of antiquity, "Know thyself," until explained and illustrated by the light of Revelation! |