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What is there, then, to awaken our suspicion and fear, that he will not be at the feast? And is there not much every way? Without going back to our unconverted days-how have we lived since we have made a profession of his Name? Have we walked as those who are not of the world? Have we borne His corrections without murmuring? Have we been grateful under his mercies? Has he lived in our warmest thoughts? Has he been the chief theme of our conversation? Have we not frequently been ashamed of his cause? Have we recommended him earnestly to others?-After all this-how can we expect that he will honour us with his company? Should we thus honour any fellow-creature, who had treated us, as we have treated him? But the cause of alarm is increased, when we consider, not only our conduct at large, but our behaviour towards himwith regard to this very feast itself? Have we not suffered trifling excuses to keep us away; when he has been there waiting for us; but waiting in vain? Have we not approached it with the indifference of custom and formality; though angels were there intensely desiring to look into these things? Have we not passed through the divine memorials, mystically eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God, with the exercise of no more faith in his death, or love to our brethren, than in an ordinary meal?-We need not go on. O blessed Jesus! when we consider all this-and this only—we may well question whether thou wilt-ever meet with us again.

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But let us look at the other side. Let us see, not only what there is to excite fear, but to encourage hope. Now to induce us to conclude that he will be at the feast-We have his character, his disposition-" His heart is made of tenderness; his bowels melt with love"-"A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory." We have

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his past dealings with us-He has tried us, but not forsaken us-We have been often cast down, but never cast off. We have his promise-" Where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midst of them." In a word, we are sure of the blessing, if we seek it-"Whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

But is it possible to ascertain when he is with us at the feast? It is. As he is not there corporeally, we cannot apprehend him with our bodily senses. But, as he is there spiritually, we may apprehend him spiritually. They who are new creatures, have new senses, which are exercised to discern both good and evil. They have ears to hear his voice. They have eyes to see his glory. They have a holy taste, and holy feelings. Thus his people can be sensible of his arrival. Indeed, he says, "I am come." He is not inactive when there "While the King sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof"—

"And faith, and love, and joy, appear;
"And every grace is active here."

There are impressions and effects which cannot be mistaken, owing to their holy, humbling, heavenly, influence. The assurance he has of communion with the Lord in his ordinances, is not evidence for others; but to the believer himself it affords satisfaction; and he is neither to be ridiculed or reasoned out of the conviction-He has the witness in himself.

DEC. 21.-" Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me." Job. x. 2.

-A good man perceives, and acknowledges the hand of God in his afflictions. Job sees God contending with him. Though his sufferings were prin

cipally from creatures, he said, "The Lord hath taken away." "Thou hast taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces." Whatever may form the twigs of the rod, God is the chastiser-He has a right to correct, and can never err in using it. To realize this, is the way, not only to prevent despondency, but to repress all murmuring passions. This satisfied Eli: "It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good." "Oh!" says the gardener, as he passes down the walks, and is priding himself on the beds and borders which he has so carefully cultivated; "who removed that plant? who gathered this flower?" His fellow-servant says, "The master" --and he is dumb, and opens not his mouth, because he did it.

Again-God has an end to answer by his contention with us. It is not the display of his sovereignty. There is a distinction between bestowing favours, and inflicting penalties. If a judge condemned a man, to shew that he was a judge; or a king imprisoned a man, to shew that he was a king; every one would cry out against them-but they would be more than justified in employing such measures for the display of justice, and for the advantage of ensample. Paul conveys a degree of censure where we should have looked only for tenderness: The fathers of our flesh chastened us for a few days after their own pleasure. But God, says he, always does it for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. Why is the ship in danger? Because Jonah has fled from the presence of the Lord; and the wind is sent after him. Why does Israel flee before the men of Ai? There is an Achan in the camp. Thus God explains the thing himself: "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." He there

fore does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. There is some sin indulged; some duty neglected; some idol adored. But his aim may be, not only to rebuke for actual evil; but to hedge up our way with thorns, to keep us from the forbidden ground, towards which we were advancing; or to prune us, as vines, that we may bring forth more fruit. God alone can discover his own intentions in his rebukes. But, in doing this, we are not to suppose that he will employ miracles; or speak in an audible voice from heaven; or by a sudden impulse. He acts in a way suited to the nature and improvement of a rational and moral being. He may, therefore, in shewing us his design, use even an enemy. When Shimei cursed David, David considered him as much sent of God to reprove him, as Nathan had been. The will of God may be made known by the admonitions of a pious friend, who sees what we overlook, from habit, or self-love. We should therefore be thankful when the righteous smite us; and not deem them enemies because they tell us the truth. Sometimes the nature and circumstances of the affliction itself proclaim the secret; and we can see the cause in the effect; the sin in the punishment. The faithful word, read or preached, comes home to our case: and conscience cries, Thou art the man. Sometimes the difficulty of discovery is great. But if we address ourselves to the Father of lights, sincerely and importunately, to shew us wherefore he contendeth with us, we shall not seek him in vain; but the promise given to Jeremiah shall be fulfilled in us: "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."

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And very desirable it is that we should know why He contendeth with us. Indeed a good man cannot be satisfied without it. For while the wicked are only anxious to escape from trouble, he wishes to profit by it. He desires this knowledge,

therefore, not to gratify curiosity; but to enable him to justify God in his dispensations-and to know how to pray-and to exercise the graces of the condition he is in-and to apply to present duty-and that he may confess whatever is wrong, and watch against it in future: saying, "Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement; I will not offend any more. That which I see not, teach thou me if I have done iniquity, I will do no more." For there is a tenderness in the conscience of a renewed man that readily responds to God-No sooner did our Lord turn and look upon Peter, than he went out and wept bitterly.

As for an unconverted man to ask God, in his affliction, to shew wherefore he contends with him, it is absurd. It would defeat the end of his suffering, which is not to make him leave a particular sin-but all sin; and to draw him into a new course, and a new state.

But perhaps, though living in sin, you say, God is not contending with you. So much the worse. He is saying, "They are joined to idols; let them alone." Though he spares you now, he will deal with you hereafter. And the longer the arrear, the severer the reckoning. "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"

DEC. 22.-" And call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable." Isaiah Iviii. 13.

THIS is to characterize the heirs of an exceeding great and precious promise here subjoined. They are to be known, not by their observance of the Lord's day only; but by their endeared and exalted regard for it-They call the Sabbath a delight; and the holy of the Lord, honourable. And what reason

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