worship of God, with as much ardor as the longchafed Hart, ready to expire, pants for the waterbrooks. He looks back to the happiness he was ufed to enjoy in going to the house of the Lord, and contrafts it with his prefent forlorn fituation: the effect whereof is that his foul is caft down within him. However he is far from looking to, or expecting help from himfelf or any human aids; but in the midft of his grief he encourages himself in the Lord. He looks to his works of providence (ver. 6.) which are the ground upon which he exhorts his foul to (ver. 1.) hope in God; even as he at another time fays, "Because thou has been my help, therefore under the fhadow of thy wings will I rejoice." If therefore this might be applied to chriftian-experience, it is a fuitable direction in what way we fhould proceed to renew our comforts (viz) looking from ourfelves, and upon the ground of the faithful word, which records the mighty acts of the Lord, hope in his mercy, and confide in his veracity. The penman of Pfalm lxxvii. had fo far forgot himfelf as to look to his former experiences to relieve him, under the fenfe of prefent guilt; but found the method fail in the trial. Ver. 1-4. he gives a diftreffing view of that which troubled his confcience, and ver. 5. 6. he tries what looking to his paft enjoyments would do for him. I have confidered the days of old, the years of antient times. I call to remembrance my fong in the night: I commune with mine own heart, and my spirit made diligent fearch. Thus we fee he took the fame method that is commonly recommended to, and practised by profeffors in our day. But his confcience was too fenfibly affected with the wrath that lay upon it, to take comfort from any fuch quarter-ftill he complains, ver. 7. 9. Convinced, in the trial, of the folly of this method he acknowledges his error ver. 10. And I faid this is my infirmity. He tries another expedient ver. 10-20. this is oppofed to ver. 5. 6. This method then is quite the reverfe of the former. Inftead of looking. to his former experience, his fong in the night, &c. he looks now to the wonderful works of God, which were a type of the fpiritual redemption by the greatest of all the divine works. If then we count the Pfalmift a pattern worthy to be imitated, let us follow his example, ceafe from this former fruitless method of looking for relief, and renew our joys, by looking to the finished work of the Re-deemer. To conclude: to know the truth as it is in Jefus, is to be wife unto falvation. To experience its genuine influences upon our fouls, is to be truly happyAnd to contend earnestly for it, against every oppofition to it, or fubtle corruption of it, is the Chriftian's highest honor. To profefs the faith without enjoying the genuine effects of it, is to have the form without the power of godliness. To talk of experience without a fcriptural knowledge of the Son of God, is mere enthufiafm. And the most flaming profeffion of knowledge and experience without obferving the things that Chrift has commanded, is nothing better than a miferable delufion... THE END. |