2. With abiding peace [It would be thought by many that " peace" should have preceded "joy" But the experience of God's people accords exactly with the scriptures Being freed from the torment of a guilty conscience, they have peace with God— Christ has both purchased for them, and bequeathed to them, his peace, which passeth all understanding Their "peace may well be as a river, since their righteousness is as the waves of the sea❞—] 3. With assured hope [This is the fruit, rather than the root, of peace and joy They have the promise and oath of God on their side And have already received in their souls an earnest of their inheritances Well therefore may they enjoy a confident expectation of the promised land— All indeed are not sufficiently studious to "walk thus in the light"— But, what the apostle prayed for on the behalf of all, all may possess] The apostle further directs us II. How we may attain the enjoyment of them In this short and comprehensive prayer we are taught to seek them 1. From God as the fountain [God in Christ is the "God of hope," and the source of all good In vain will be the use of other means, if we apply not to him in prayer But nothing is too great for God to give to the believing suppliant-] 2. By faith as the means [We can receive nothing but by the exercise of faithBut" in believing we shall be filled with joy and peace”It is faith that enables us to realize invisible things Compare Isai. Iv. 12. with the text. d John xiv. 27. and Phil. iv. 7. f Heb. vi. 17, 18. i Jam. i. 6, 7. Eph. i. 14. c Rom. v. 1. And, by experiencing the joy of faith, our hope will be confirmed-] 3. Through the Holy Ghost as the agent [There is no power less than his that will produce these things The whole work of grace is, not by might or by power, but by God's Spirit He will afford us clear discoveries of the heavenly gloryHe will witness to us our adoption, and seal us with God's image And thus while he forms us to a meetness for heaven, he gives us also a foretaste of it in our hearts-] INFER [1. How much happier is the Christian than others even in this world! 2. How happy will he be when he shall receive these communications from the Deity, not through the narrow and obstructed channel of faith, but immediately at the fountain head! 3. How deservedly will they be left destitute of this happiness hereafter, who now give the pleasures of sin their decided preference!] Rom. v. 5. 1 Zech. iv. 6. m 1 Cor. i. 22. CCCCLXXXIX. THE BELIEVER'S INWARD WIT NESS. 1 John v. 10. He that believeth in the Son of God, hath the witness in himself. a THE testimonies which God has given to his Son are numerous and convincing. There are three in heaven, and a similar number on earth, who bear record, that Christ is the Saviour of the world. But the believer has a distinct witness within himself; a witness, which gives a clearer insight into divine truth than any other, and fixes it with deeper conviction upon the mind. What this witness is will best appear, by considering what that is, of which it testifies. a Ver. 7, 8, 11. It testifies of Christ, not only that he is a Saviour in general, but, more particularly, that he is I. A needful Saviour [The believer feels within himself such a load of guilt, such inability to remove it by any sufferings or obedience of his own, and such utter unsufficiency for any good thing, that he is sensible he must perish, if "help be not laid for him upon one that is mighty." As for his attempting to satisfy divine justice, or to discharge the debt he has incurred, he sees that the very thought of it is folly and madness. Nor has he any hope of ever renewing his own corrupt nature: as well might he think to change the leopard's spots, or the Ethiopian's complexion. Hence, when he hears of Jesus as a Saviour, he acknowledges from his inmost soul, that such an one was needed by him, and that, without such an one, he never could have entertained a hope of mercy.] II. A suitable Saviour [When the believer compares his own necessities with the scripture representations of Jesus Christ, he perceives a wonderful correspondence between them, insomuch that there is nothing in Christ either superfluous or defective. Is the believer blind and ignorant? Christ is his wisdom. Is he guilty? Christ is his righteousness. Is he polluted? Christ is sanctification unto him. Is he enslaved to sin and Satan? Christ is his complete redemption. Is Christ represented as bread to the hungry, and drink to the thirsty; as a Physician to heal, a Fountain to cleanse, a Sun to enlighten, a Shepherd to keep, &c. &c.? the believer feels within his own bosom that, which renders Christ precious to him in each particular view. He can find nothing in Christ, which his own necessities do not call for; nor any want in himself which Christ is not exactly qualified to supply.] III. A willing Saviour [In the whole circle of the Christian's experience there is not any thing which does not throw light upon this subject. If he ask himself, What did I, to induce Jesus to take upon him my nature, and to die in my stead? What was there in me either of merit or of strength, that I should be stopped in my career of sin; that I should be pardoned, sanctified, and saved through his meritorious death, and his almighty grace? Did I choose him before he chose me? Do I not daily give him abundant reason to cast me off; and is it not of his own b Ps. lxxxix. 19. 41 Cor. i. 30, Rev. iii. 17, 18. e Jer. xiii. 23. e John xv. 16. mere mercy that he still maintains my peace with God? Surely then mercy is his delight, and the exercise of it, his chief glory.] IV. An all-sufficient Saviour [The believer is a wonder to himself; a bush burning, and unconsumed; a spark kept alive in the midst of the ocean: nor do the works of creation appear to him a stronger evidence of the almighty power of God, than his own preservation in the ways of godliness does, of the all-sufficiency of Christ. He cannot reflect on his errors and corruptions, his temptations and enemies, his falls and recoveries, but he is constrained to admire the efficacy of that grace, which alone has kept him, or alone restored him. As the woman who touched his garment, felt instantly within herself a proof of his ability to heal, so the believer daily and hourly feels within himself a most indubitable testimony of Christ's "ability to save him to the uttermost."] OBSERVE from hence 1. How wonderfully has God, in the constitution of his gospel, consulted the benefit of the poor! [Suppose erudition or strength of intellect had been necessary to the obtaining of divine knowledge, how melancholy had been the condition of the weak and illiterate! But the gospel is like the hidden manna, which is to be known only by its taste, or the name upon the white stone, which can be read only by those who have actually received it. The broken and contrite heart, with an humble faith in Christ, will give an insight into the gospel, infinitely beyond all that books can impart, or the learned of this world obtain. Let the poor then know, and duly improve, this their high privilege, their inestimable benefit.] 2. How easily may we determine whether we be believers or not! [We need only consult our own consciences, and enquire whether we have an inward witness of the gospel salvation? Let not any one, however, suppose, that we are speaking of an inward persuasion of our interest in Christ. In that, we may easily deceive ourselves: but, in the former, we cannot. The inward witness gathers strength in proportion to our proficiency, and will exist, yea, will be perfected, in heaven itself.i] f Mark v. 28, 29. h Matt. xi. 25, 26. Rev. ii. 17. ¡ See note 8. 3. What comfort we may derive even from our own corruptions! [Doubtless there is no ground of comfort in our corruptions, simply considered. Nevertheless, as reflecting light upon the gospel salvation, and especially as illustrating the power and grace of Christ, they may afford us some consolation. When they rage, then we may rejoice that there is one able to pardon our transgressions, and to heal our backslidings: and when, through grace, they are mortified, then we may rejoice that we are living witnesses of Christ's faithfulness and all-sufficiency.] CCCCXC. THE LOVING-KINDNESS OF GOD. Ps. xxxvi. 7, 8. How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house: and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. THE more we know of man, the more shall we see the folly of trusting in an arm of flesh: but, the more we are acquainted with God, the more enlarged will be our expectations from him, and the more unreserved our confidence in his power and grace. David had found by, bitter experience, that no dependence could be placed on the protestations of Saul. But he had a friend, in whose protection he could trust; and in the contemplation of whose character he could find the richest consolation, while his views of man filled him with nothing but grief and anguish. Having expatiated upon his perfections, as contrasted with the deceitfuiness and depravity of man, he bursts forth into a rapturous admiration of his love. His words furnish us with an occasion to consider I. The loving-kindness of God [Wherever we turn our eyes, we behold the most astonishing displays of God's love. Every work of creation, every dispensation of Providence, every effort of grace, exhibits him to us in the most endearing view. But most of all must we admire the wonders of redemption. This is the |