The experience of every man attefts the truth of them in the latter view Waving the lefs profitable confideration of the text, we obferve, I. None can trouble those whom God comforts God is pleased to beftow peculiar quietnefs on his own people [He fprinkles their fouls with the blood of his dear Son 2 Hence they enjoy peace with God, and in their own confciences b By his Holy Spirit alfo he fheds abroad his love in their hearts d Hence they maintain a filial confidence towards him a— Moreover he convinces them of his own continual care over them c Hence their minds are established in the moft trying circumftances -] This quietnefs is widely different from the falfe peace enjoyed by the world [There is a kind of peace poffeffed even by the ungodly But it flows only from inconfideratenefs or delufionIt vanishes as foon as light breaks in upon the foulHence the wicked cannot be faid to enjoy true and folid peace b But the peace of God's people confifts in a refignation to his will, affiance in his promifes, affurance of his love, and an expectation of his glory Hence the apoftle speaks of it in the most exalted terms 1—} When God vouchfafes it to their fouls, none can trouble them [The question is much stronger than the ftrongest affir mation It is a triumphant challenge to the whole univerfe *-They who enjoy God's prefence may difregard the preffures of poverty Rom. v. 5. f Job v. 19-24. Nor * It is not faid here that none will endeavour to trouble the believer; for it is certain that both the world and Satan will exert all their influence for this end; 2 Tim. iii. 12. 1. Pet. v. 8. Nor is it faid that God's children fhall never have caufe for trouble, for they are liable to pain, fick nefs, &c. as much as others; but it is affirmed, that none shall greatly or materially trouble them; and this affertion is verified by daily experience. 1 Hab. iii. 17, 18. Nor will they be difcouraged by the perfecutions of man, or the temptations of Satan m Every child of God therefore may adopt the apostle's words" He may affume the triumphant language of Meffiah himfelf -] On the other hand, God's determinations are irrefiftible alfo with refpect to his enemies; fo that II. None can comfort thofe whom he troubles Though God does not leave it in the power of creatures to trouble his people, he does not fee fit altogether to exempt them from trouble He fometimes, for wife and gracious reafons, hides his face from them— [David had frequent occafion to lament the lofs of God's prefence P It was a fubject of complaint with the church of oldEven our Lord himfelf cried out by reafon of dereliction There is therefore an awful propriety in the prophet's addrefs to God-] Nor can any comfort them at fuch seasons * t [Job fpeaks of himself as quite difconfolate under the hidings of God's face "— David alfo defcribes the anguifh of his heart on a fimilar occafion And univerfal experience confirms the truth of Job's affertion -] The wicked, however, are more awfully exposed to thefe tokens of God's difpleafure. [They are now indeed, for the most part, infenfible of God's abfence from them But at the hour of death they will feel the whole weight of his indignation"— ום n Rom. viii. 31. God • Ifai. 1. 7-9. 9. Ifai. xlix. 14. Ifai. xlv. 15. 2 Cor. xii. 9, 10. Pf. xxx. 7. and xiii. 1. Matt. xxvii. 46, The laft claufe of the text admits of two different interpretations : it may import, either that none can behold God with comfort, when he hides his face from them, or, that if God hide his face from any one, men will no longer look upon him, or at least that they cannot fo look upon him as to impart comfort to him. The fense we adopt includes both. God will not, and men cannot, comfort those from whom God hides his face. u Job iii. 23, 24. z Rom. ii, 8, 9: * Pf. cii. 1-11. Job xii. 14. God will then affuredly hide his face from them, and bid them to depart from him -] And who will comfort them, when they are in fuch a tremendous state? able [Sinners even here are often made utterly inconfol But, in the eternal world, GOD will afford them no comfort The angels will certainly adminifter none d Nor can their fellow-creatures help them in the leaft They cannot derive any comfort from reflections on the past- Nor can they find confolation in their profpects of the future Thus can they find no comfort from without, or from within-] APPLICATION 1. To those who are fecking reft and quietnefs in the world [How poor a portion is the world in comparifon of God! And how abfurd would it appear, if any one should affirm of the world what is here affirmed refpecting God !-- Let every one then acquiefce in the decifion of Solomon — And let Chrift be regarded as the true and only fource of reft -] 2. To those who now enjoy quictness in God [Peace, however firmly eftablished at prefent, may foon be loft " a Deut. xxxii. 20. Matt. xxv. 41. plified in Judas, Matt. xxvii. 3—5. It b This is awfully exemThe angels will rather be the executioners of God's vengeance, Matt. xiii. 41. Their wicked companions will only increafe their mifery, as may be inferred from the folicitude which the rich man manifefted refpecting the probable condemnation of his five brethren, Luke xvi. 27, 28.; and the righteous will not afford them fo much as a drop of water to cool their tongue, Luke xvi. 24, 25. • Should any one afk, "If the world comfort me, who can trouble me?" we answer without fear of contradiction; "Confcience, if awakened by God, may trouble thee; pain and ficknefs may difquiet thee; the prospect of death may appal thee; and, above all, the wrath of God fhall trouble thee for ever, if thou continue to feek thy happiness in the world." If, on the contrary, any one fay, "When the world troubles me, who can comfort me?" we may refer him to that unalterable declaration of the prophet, Ifai. xxvi. 3. 8 Matt. xi. 28. f Eccl. i. 14. It can be maintained only in a way of holiness h Sin indulged will caufe God to hide his face from usThis is the true fource of the difquietudes which many feel Let all therefore mortify fecret and befetting fins In this way they shall attain happiness in life, in death, and for ever -] h Ifai. xxxii. 17. * Pf. cxix. 165. and 2 Pet. i. 10, 11. Ifai. lix. 2. LXIII. THE FOLLY OF A FRUITLESS PROFESSION. Luke vi. 46. Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I jay? THE honour of Chrift and the falvation of our fouls depend on our having right views of the gospel We cannot therefore too earneftly infift on the doctrine of juftification by faith in Chrift Nevertheless we fhould conftantly urge the practice of good works as the fruits and evidences of our faith in Chrift The folly of expecting falvation while we neglect them is strongly reprefented by our Lord in the text I. Shew who they are that deferve the cenfure in the text The heathens have lefs to aggravate their fins than Chriftians The greater part of thofe who live in countries that are evangelized are obnoxious to this cenfure 1. Mere nominal Chriftians deferve it [Many are Chrift's, as having been devoted to him in baptifm By the appellation of Chriftians they profefs to be his followers But they are in no respect fubject to his will and wordChrift commands them to "feek first the kingdom of God," &c. and they feek it laft-] 2. Formal, felf-righteous perfons deserve it [Many will go far in the outward duties of religionThey will profefs too a veneration for the name of Chrift But But he calls them to regeneration, and they deny their need of it He bids them live by faith on him, and it proves an hard faying b They are fatisfied with the form of godlinefs, without the power-] 3. Falfe profeffors deserve it [None are fo worthy of reproof as they They will talk much of their dependence on ChriftThey will profefs perhaps to have experienced much of his power and grace They may even glory in the recollection of his truth and faithfulness But in the midst of all, they can be proud, covetous, paffionate, cenforious, unforgiving, deceitful, and dishonestTo fuch the text may be applied with peculiar energy—] Such perfons ought to be addreffed with all plainnefs of speech II. Expoftulate with them on the folly of their conduct The fervice of God is juftly called a "reasonable fervice "___ But a fruitless profeffion is moft unreasonable- No reafon can be affigned "why" perfons should rest. in fuch a state 1. Is not a conformity to Chrift's precepts practicable? [Many allege that fuch ftrictnefs as he requires is unattainable We allow that abfolute perfection is not to be expected in this world But an unreferved devoted nefs of ourselves to God is attainable Thoufands of the faints of old have walked thus with God There is a cloud of living witnesses who exemplify this conduct God has promifed grace to all who seek it diligently—] 2. Is not obedience to him neceffary? [We may be good citizens if we poffefs only the virtues of heathensBut an unfeigned regard to Chrift is neceffary to constitute us Chriftians St. Paul has fully declared the inefficacy of outward religion c Judas John iii. 3. b John vi. 53. 60. C Rom. ii. 28, 29. |