Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc21/v22400

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 8KB | 138 lines

22401
 #5-12 Men may shut up their compassion, yet, with God we shall
 find mercy. This is great comfort to all believers, plainly to
 be seen, and not to be taken away. God does all wisely and well;
 but what he does we know not now, it is time enough to know
 hereafter. God's loving-kindness is precious to the saints. They
 put themselves under his protection, and then are safe and easy.
 Gracious souls, though still desiring more of God, never desire
 more than God. The gifts of Providence so far satisfy them, that
 they are content with such things as they have. The benefit of
 holy ordinances is sweet to a sanctified soul, and strengthening
 to the spiritual and Divine life. But full satisfaction is
 reserved for the future state. Their joys shall be constant. God
 not only works in them a gracious desire for these pleasures,
 but by his Spirit fills their souls with joy and peace in
 believing. He quickens whom he will; and whoever will, may come,
 and take from him of the waters of life freely. May we know, and
 love, and uprightly serve the Lord; then no proud enemy, on
 earth or from hell, shall separate us from his love. Faith
 calleth things that are not, as though they were. It carries us
 forward to the end of time; it shows us the Lord, on his throne
 of judgment; the empire of sin fallen to rise no more.
22409
 * David persuades to patience and confidence in God, by the
 state of the godly and of the wicked.

 #1-6 When we look abroad we see the world full of evil-doers,
 that flourish and live in ease. So it was seen of old, therefore
 let us not marvel at the matter. We are tempted to fret at this,
 to think them the only happy people, and so we are prone to do
 like them: but this we are warned against. Outward prosperity is
 fading. When we look forward, with an eye of faith, we shall see
 no reason to envy the wicked. Their weeping and wailing will be
 everlasting. The life of religion is a believing trust in the
 Lord, and diligent care to serve him according to his will. It
 is not trusting God, but tempting him, if we do not make
 conscience of our duty to him. A man's life consists not in
 abundance, but, Thou shalt have food convenient for thee. This
 is more than we deserve, and it is enough for one that is going
 to heaven. To delight in God is as much a privilege as a duty.
 He has not promised to gratify the appetites of the body, and
 the humours of the fancy, but the desires of the renewed,
 sanctified soul. What is the desire of the heart of a good man?
 It is this, to know, and love, and serve God. Commit thy way
 unto the Lord; roll thy way upon the Lord, so the margin reads
 it. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, the burden of thy care. We
 must roll it off ourselves, not afflict and perplex ourselves
 with thoughts about future events, but refer them to God. By
 prayer spread thy case and all thy cares before the Lord, and
 trust in him. We must do our duty, and then leave the event with
 God. The promise is very sweet: He shall bring that to pass,
 whatever it is, which thou has committed to him.

22415
 #7-20 Let us be satisfied that God will make all to work for
 good to us. Let us not discompose ourselves at what we see in
 this world. A fretful, discontented spirit is open to many
 temptations. For, in all respects, the little which is allotted
 to the righteous, is more comfortable and more profitable than
 the ill-gotten and abused riches of ungodly men. It comes from a
 hand of special love. God provides plentifully and well, not
 only for his working servants, but for his waiting servants.
 They have that which is better than wealth, peace of mind, peace
 with God, and then peace in God; that peace which the world
 cannot give, and which the world cannot have. God knows the
 believer's days. Not one day's work shall go unrewarded. Their
 time on earth is reckoned by days, which will soon be numbered;
 but heavenly happiness shall be for ever. This will be a real
 support to believers in evil times. Those that rest on the Rock
 of ages, have no reason to envy the wicked the support of their
 broken reeds.

22429
 #21-33 The Lord our God requires that we do justly, and render
 to all their due. It is a great sin for those that are able, to
 deny the payment of just debts; it is a great misery not to be
 able to pay them. He that is truly merciful, will be ever
 merciful. We must leave our sins; learn to do well, and cleave
 to it. This is true religion. The blessing of God is the spring,
 sweetness, and security of all earthly enjoyments. And if we are
 sure of this, we are sure not to want any thing good for us in
 this world. By his grace and Holy Spirit, he directs the
 thoughts, affections, and designs of good men. By his providence
 he overrules events, so as to make their way plain. He does not
 always show them his way for a distance, but leads them step by
 step, as children are led. God will keep them from being ruined
 by their falls, either into sin or into trouble, though such as
 fall into sin will be sorely hurt. Few, if any, have known the
 consistent believer, or his children, reduced to abject,
 friendless want. God forsakes not his saints in affliction; and
 in heaven only the righteous shall dwell for ever; that will be
 their everlasting habitation. A good man may fall into the hands
 of a messenger of Satan, and be sorely buffeted, but God will
 not leave him in his enemy's hands.

22442
 #34-40 Duty is ours, and we must mind it; but events are God's,
 we must refer the disposal of them to him. What a striking
 picture is in ver. #35,36|, of many a prosperous enemy of God!
 But God remarkably blights the projects of the prosperous
 wicked, especially persecutors. None are perfect in themselves,
 but believers are so in Christ Jesus. If all the saint's days
 continue dark and cloudy, his dying day may prove comfortable,
 and his sun set bright; or, if it should set under a cloud, yet
 his future state will be everlasting peace. The salvation of the
 righteous will be the Lord's doing. He will help them to do
 their duties, to bear their burdens; help them to bear their
 troubles well, and get good by them, and, in due time, will
 deliver them out of their troubles. Let sinners then depart from
 evil, and do good; repent of and forsake sin, and trust in the
 mercy of God through Jesus Christ. Let them take his yoke upon
 them, and learn of him, that they may dwell for evermore in
 heaven. Let us mark the closing scenes of different characters,
 and always depend on God's mercy.
22449
 * God's displeasure at sin. (1-11) The psalmist's sufferings and
 prayers. (12-22)

 #1-11 Nothing will disquiet the heart of a good man so much as
 the sense of God's anger. The way to keep the heart quiet, is to
 keep ourselves in the love of God. But a sense of guilt is too
 heavy to bear; and would sink men into despair and ruin, unless
 removed by the pardoning mercy of God. If there were not sin in
 our souls, there would be no pain in our bones, no illness in
 our bodies. The guilt of sin is a burden to the whole creation,
 which groans under it. It will be a burden to the sinners
 themselves, when they are heavy-laden under it, or a burden of
 ruin, when it sinks them to hell. When we perceive our true
 condition, the Good Physician will be valued, sought, and
 obeyed. Yet many let their wounds rankle, because they delay to
 go to their merciful Friend. When, at any time, we are
 distempered in our bodies, we ought to remember how God has been
 dishonoured in and by our bodies. The groanings which cannot be
 uttered, are not hid from Him that searches the heart, and knows
 the mind of the Spirit. David, in his troubles, was a type of
 Christ in his agonies, of Christ on his cross, suffering and
 deserted.