I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. PSALM XXXVii. 25. S WEET declaration! encouraging experience. The LORD indeed careth for the righteous; for those who, having seen the want of mercy, rely for it upon the promise of GOD, that there is forgiveness with him, through the meritorious life and death of JESUS CHRIST. He hath promised that he will never leave nor forsake them; that he will withhold from them no manner of thing that is good. He careth also for their seed; so that they shall not beg their bread. He frequently provides for them when their parents are no more, in such unexpected ways, that many who see it are constrained to acknowledge, "This is the LORD's doing." And sometimes, while they are living, he brings bread to their mouths, and also furnishes them with opportunities to hear of, and seek for, the bread which came down from heaven, and which endureth unto everlasting life; thus snatching them from the jaws of ignorance and destruction. O LORD, if mine ears have heard-if mine eyes have seen-and more especially if I partake of such blessings, thankfully may I own that thou art a GOD keeping covenant and mercy; and make this proof of thy thankfulness a ground of reliance upon thee for all needful promised blessings !-Help me to cast all my cares on thee,—and endeavour by prayer, instruction, and example, that thy goodness may be sanctified to my seed. The LORD, for his own mercy's sake, Will bless believers and their seed; The parents he will not forsake, Nor let the children beg their bread. Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness. COL. i. 11. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. ACTS v. 41. That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. EPH. iii. 16. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. Gal. v. 22. MY soul, what encouraging words are these ! How full of meaning! The LORD our righteousness is the LORD our strength. He is near at hand, believer, to strengthen thee according to thy need. Not in one or two respects, but with all might, with a supply suited to every various occasion, and that to the utmost, answerable to what may be expected from the exertion of "his own glorious power." Happy state of the believer in JESUS; though feeble in himself, surrounded with enemies, and exercised with a continual warfare, he shall not be overpowered; for the promise and the arm of GOD is on his side. The LORD, who can do what he pleaseth, is in alliance, yea, in covenant with a believer; and, therefore, he shall be made more than a conqueror through CHRIST who has loved him. I glory in infirmity, That CHRIST's own power may rest on me; Christian's Declaration.—My beloved is mine, and SONG OF SOL. ii. 16. I am his. Divine Answer.-I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness ; and thou shalt know the Lord. Hos. ii. 19, 20. Y faith in the blood of CHRIST we are ac cepted, and closely united to him as our bridegroom. By faith we daily eat his flesh, drink his blood, and are sprinkled all over: and need there is of a daily sprinkling, that our persons and services may be accepted, since the best of our works, our prayers and praises, our duties and graces, are all unclean till washed in the blood of JESUS. This appears from Heb. ix. 19-21, where it is said, that "all the vessels of the ministry, and even the book, was sprinkled." By faith let us cling to this blood of sprinkling, which emanates from the cross, and let us abide in JESUS, without whom we can bring forth no fruit; for as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in him. John xv. 4. Hark! the Redeemer from on high David's Prayer.-When thou saidst, Seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Ps. xxvii. 8. I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts. Ps. cxix. 94. Divine Answer.-They who seek me early shall find me. PROV. viii. 17. The humble shall see this and be glad; and your hearts shall live that seek God. PSALM lxix. 32. Seek, and ye shall find. MATT. vii. 7. For whoso findeth me findeth life. PROV. viii. 35. For I am the life. JOHN xiv. 6. SUCH UCH arguments and entreaties we may use with GOD, to strengthen us in faith; he does not want them, but we do; and he is well pleased when we take him at his word. For if we would not draw near to God in prayer till our hearts are quickened, perhaps we might never come to it. Therefore we must not indulge ourselves in such a state of dulness, but rather put a force upon ourselves, and pray against our natural inclination. Being faithful and instant in this, we shall certainly have our affections warned, and great power and blessings given from above, that our hearts may live. O LORD, I plead thy precious promises; and thou canst not deny thy word. Thou hast laid thyself under obligation to help a feeble praying soul. Then let thy Holy Spirit abide with me, to quicken my soul when fainting, and to rule my heart in all things, that no sin may have dominion over me. LORD, I address thy heavenly throne! There shed thy choicest love abroad, And make my comforts strong; With an unwav'ring tongue. David's Prayer.—O my God, I trust in thee; let me not be ashamed. PSALM XXV. 2. In thee, O Lord, do I hope; thou wilt hear, O Lord my God. PSALM XXXviii. 15. Let none that wait on thee be ashamed. PSALM XXV. 3. Divine Answer.-Hope maketh not ashamed. ROM. v. 5. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which abideth for ever. PSALM cxxv. 1. Pray for help, and though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come; it will not tarry. HAB. ii. 3. Then thou shalt know, &c. ISA. xlix. 23. DOES OES GOD delay his promises and the enemy raise a suspicion against his faithfulness? remember it is said, "pray and wait." Wait for the coming of God's own good time. His time will come, and "though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come." Thou art still alive, and shalt yet be a witness to God's faithfulness. If he was not faithful and true, he could not be GOD. His faithfulness is eternal, and as sure and as great as himself; above all our thoughts. Thou shalt at last the more gloriously experience it, and not be ashamed. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but his word shall not fail, because "He keeps truth for ever." Ps. cxlvi. 6. Hath he promised, and shall he not perform? hath he said, and will he not do? Yea, verily, his words are truth to the end of the world. Happy the man whose hopes rely On Israel's GOD: he made the sky, His truth for ever stands secure : |