Nor can any human power intercept his gracious communications- This was a reflection peculiarly grateful to the Psalmist And, doubtless, was an important ground on which he fixed his choices-] 2. He is an all-sufficient portion [A man may enjoy all which this world can bestow But what can it avail him while racked with excruciating pains? What relief can it afford him under the agonies of a guilty conscience? Or what can it do to appease the fears of death? But there is no situation wherein God is not a suitable portion In the possession of earthly blessings, his presence will greatly enhance our enjoyment of them In the absence of all temporal comforts, with HIм we can feel no want* A view of him as our friend will allay every fear, and assuage every pain Nor, having HIM, can we want any other thing that is good" 3. He is an eternal portion [However long we retain earthly things, we must part with them at last Death will reduce us to a level with the poorest of mankind Nor can we carry any thing along with us into the invisible world But, if God be ours, we shall possess him for ever We are not left without many rich communications from him now Yea, sometimes, even in this vale of tears, our joy in him is unspeakable V But it is not till after death that we shall have the full enjoyment of him— Now we taste of the streams; then we shall drink at the fountain-head Now our capacity to enjoy him is but small; then all our faculties will be wonderfully enlarged— Now our delight in him is transient; then, without intermission or end z Hence the Psalmist looked forward to that period for his full satisfaction--] INFER 1. How little is there of true religion in the world! [If to be called after the name of Christ were sufficient, his flock would be large If to attend his ordinances and profess his faith were enough, there would be many in the way to heaven But God will judge us, not according to our professions, but our practice That, which alone can constitute us truly religious, is, to choose God for our portion Can we then, like David, appeal to God himself, that we do this? Could we make Peter's reply to the question which was put to him b? Does the ardour of our devotion's attest the strength of our desires after God? Have we the same evidence of our supreme regard for him, that the sensualist or worldling have of their love to the things of time and sense? Let us be assured that God can never be our portion, unless we deliberately choose him in preference to all others--] 2. How enviable a character is the true Christian! [He can adopt the language of David, and of the ancient church Hence, however destitute he seem to be, he need envy none He is freed from the cares which corrode the hearts of others- He is sure, not of attaining only, but of possessing for ever, the object of his desires And that, in proportion as he delights in God, his God will delight in him Surely we cannot but subscribe to the truth of that assertion f Let us then beg of God to deliver us from the love of this present evil world And so to cast the mantle of his love upon us, that we may seek him for ever -] DLXXI. REASONS FOR WEEPING OVER SINNERS. Ps. cxix. 136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law. THE generality, if exhorted to labour for the salvation of others, are ready to reply, "Am I my brother's keeper?" But they who have truly the fear of God in their hearts will be anxious for the welfare of their fellowcreatures. This concern has at all times distinguished the saints of God: and it was eminently conspicuous in David. Repeatedly in this Psalm does he declare his feelings on this subject; and with peculiar energy in the words before us. We propose to shew on what account we ought to weep for sinners I. On account of the blessings they lose There are many present blessings which men lose by not keeping God's law [There is a peace that passeth understanding," and a "joy unspeakable," that attends the believing in Christ, and the devoting of ourselves to his service. The having all one's lusts in subjection must contribute not a little to serenity of mind; but the enjoying of God's favour, and the light of his countenance, is a source of the richest happiness that mortals. can possess on earth . But what peace is there to the wicked? What can he know of the love of God shed abroad in his heart? What comfort can he have in the prospect of death and judgment?] But the eternal, blessings which they lose, exceed our highest conceptions [The obedient believer has "an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and never-fading" There is a crown of righteousness, and a throne of glory, reserved for him in heaven: and he shall spend eternity itself in the immediate vision and fruition of his God. But can we say this respecting the impenitent and unbelieving? No: there is no admission for him into those bright abodes: " the unrighteous cannot inherit that kingdom 5; " "the a dif "the unclean cannot enter there1." There shall be 66 ference between those who serve God, and those who serve him not:" and the wish that ungodly men feel to be found at last in the place of those whom they now despise, is a proof that they have in their own minds some apprehension of the sentence that awaits them in another world.] And are these things matters of just lamentation? [It is much to be regretted that men will" feed on ashes m and seek to "fill their belly with the east wind"," when they might "eat the bread of life," and " delight their souls with marrow and fatness." And still more must we pity him, who, when there is a rest prepared, and a supper spread for him in heaven, has provoked God to swear, that he shall never enter into that rest P, nor ever partake of that supper.] But there is yet greater reason to weep II. On account of the miseries they bring upon themselves Not to mention the misery of a guilty conscience, which in many instances is so great as to render life itself a burthen How inexpressibly dreadful are the judgments which the wicked will endure in hell! [However men may labour to disprove it, hell must be the portion of all that forget God'. And who can form any adequate conception of the torments that shall be there endured? To spend an eternity in such a furnace as that which Nebuchadnezzar kindled for the destruction of the Hebrew youths, would be beyond measure dreadful: but what must it be to lie down in that lake of fire which the breath of the Almighty hath kindled?] And can we view sinners hastening to that place of torment, and not weep over them? [Our blessed Lord wept over Jerusalem on account of the temporal calamities that should come upon it: and shall not we weep over the eternal miseries which men are bringing on themselves? Must not our hearts be harder than adamant, if they do not melt into tears at such a sight? Can we weep at the recital of a story we know to be fictitious, and not mourn over such awful realities?] There is, however, yet greater reason to weep III. On account of the aggravated guilt under which they perish Devils and heathens will have more to urge on their own behalf, than they who perish under the light of the gospel [The devils may say, Had the Son of God taken our nature, and died for our redemption, we would gladly have availed ourselves of such a provision for our safety; we never would have despised one that had been sent from heaven to redeem us. The heathens may say, Though there was a Saviour given, yet we were never privileged to hear his gospel: had his mercy been ever offered to us, we should "long ago have repented in dust and ashes." But what will ungodly Christians say before God? Will they say, They had not a Saviour? or, That his gospel was not proclaimed to them? No: you know there is a Saviour, who bought you with his blood, and who has offered you, times without number, a full and free salvation. Your mouths therefore must be for ever shut ".] What additional reason does this give for weeping over the ungodly! [Every offer of salvation greatly aggravates the guilt of those who reject it: and every increase of guilt will be followed with a proportionable increase of misery. How lamentable then is it, when that very gospel, which should have been a savour of life unto life, is made, through the obstinacy of man, a savour of death unto death *! How truly lamentable when Christ himself becomes an occasion of greater damnation to the very people whom he died to save! Alas! that men should ever so despise their own mercies! O that "Rivers of tears might run down our eyes!"] INFER 1. How little true love is there in the world! [However strong and numerous be the instances of men's carnal attachment, there are few indeed who manifest any regard for the souls of their fellow-creatures. Instead of weeping for others, the generality would laugh at those who wept for themselves. But, if we have not this mark in our forehead, we are destined to feel the stroke of God's avenging rod'.] Matt. xi. 21. VOL. V. Matt. xxii. 12. BB 2. How |