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1. He loves his people

[They who fear God are considered as "his people," in contradistinction to those who belong to Satan. He esteems them as "his peculiar treasure."a He has pleasure" in their persons, notwithstanding all their vileness; for he views them as "complete in Christ." When they are mourning and weeping for their extreme sinfulness, he looks on them with heart-felt complacency, and delight. Even when they are doubting his love towards them, he marks them as the objects of his tenderest affection, and incessant care.

He takes pleasure also in their services. Their prayers are his delight: their tributes of praise are esteemed his glory;" their alms, a sacrifice with which he is well pleased: their every grace is in his sight of great price. Their holy purposes, though not suffered by him to be carried into effect, are noticed by him with approbation, nor are even their fainter inclinations, or their transient thoughts suffered to pass without a suitable reward.]

2. He makes them lovely

[The distinguishing characteristic of the Lord's people is, that they are "meek:" their hearts being humbled, their proud impetuous passions are hushed to silence. These the Lord "beautifies with salvation" now. The lion becomes a lamb:" instead of the brier and thorn, the fir an myrtle-tree spring up: and even blood-thirsty murderers become humble and loving saints. The very countenances of God's people often bear a visible mark of the change wrought in them; so that we may almost literally say, "They have the mark of the Lamb in their foreheads." There is a beautiful symmetry discernible in all their conduct. "The beauty of the Lord their God is upon them:"r and as that consists, not in the exercise of any one perfection, but in an union and harmony of all, however opposite to human appearance; so their beauty is seen, not in the exercise merely of meekness or fortitude, of fear or confidence, but in the just temperament, and combination, of every Christian grace. In a word, they are renewed after God's image;s and have the change carried on from one degree of glory to another by the Spirit of the Lord.t

But in an infinitely higher degree will they be beautified when their salvation shall be complete. Then they shall have

h Heb. xiii. 16.

il Pet. iii. 4.

a Exod. xix. 5. b Col. ii. 10. e Isaiah Ixvi. 2. Jer. xxxi. 18, 20. d Prov. xi. 20. e Isaiah xlix. 14-16. f Prov. xv. 8. * Ps. 1. 23. * 1 Kings viii. Isaiah xi. 6. 9 Rev. xxii. 4. 2 Cor. iii. 18.

18. 1 Kings xiv. 13.

。 Isaiah Iv. 13.
Ps. xc. 17.

m Mal. iii. 16.

P Acts ii. 23, 41-47.

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⚫ Eph. iv. 24.

no temains of sin or corruption: their bodies shall be made like unto Christ's glorious body:" their souls also shall be without spot or blemish, as truly as his: arrayed in the robes of his perfect righteousness, and adorned with the crown of glory, they shall shine forth above the sun in the firmament for ever and ever." And when Christ himself shall come in his glory, he will be admired in them, and glorified in them.]

After viewing the obligations we owe to God, we cannot but be prepared to hear

II. Our duty to him

There is a correspondence between the mercies we receive from God, and the service which he requires at our hands: does he take pleasure in us? we should delight ourselves in him: does he exert himself to beautify us? we should labour to glorify him.

1. We should delight ourselves in God

[They whom God has set apart for himself as "his people," and rendered "meek" after the example of Jesus, are properly called "his saints:" and though men scoff at that name, and make it a term of reproach, they whom God has honoured with it, have reason to rejoice and glory in such an honourable appellation. With them, praise should be the subject of their thoughts, the language of their lips, the very element in which they breathe. It is their privilege as well as their duty to rejoice in the Lord, to rejoice in him evermore, to rejoice in him with joy unspeakable and full of glory. When they rise in the morning, their praise should arise as incense; yea, when they are lying "upon their beds," they should have their waking thoughts occupied with God, and "sing aloud" for joy. Nor should they be contented with the solitary expressions of their love to God; they should commend him to others, and stir up all around them to magnify his name. Such was the delightful employment of the Psalmist; and such a devotedness of soul to God is no other than our reasonable service.]

2. We should fight the Lord's battles

[The Jews were to approve their love to God by extirpating his enemies among the heathen. There are enemies also with whom he requires us to contend: but "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal:" it is not our fellow-creatures that we

u Phil. iii. 21.

y Rev. vi. 11. & vii. 14. 2 Tm. iv. 8.

a 2 Thess. i. 10.

c Phil. iv. 4.

e Ps. lxiii. 3-6. and cxlv. 5-7.

* Eph. v. 27.

z Dan. xii. 3. Matt. xiii. 43.

b Ps. xxxiii. 1.

d 1 Pet. i. 8.

f Rom. xii. le

are called to destroy, but “our lusts that war in our members." The world, the flesh, and the devil are our enemies, and God's. Against them we vowed eternal enmity in our baptism; nor are we ever to sheathe the sword till they are all put under our feet. God has prepared for us a divine panoply, an armour of heavenly temper. Clad with this, we must "go forth continually conquering, and to conquer." We must "fight a good fight," and "war a good warfare," and "endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ."

Thus fighting and singing must be joined together; for "the joy of the Lord is our strength:" and then shall we be most victorious, when we go forth to battle singing the praises of our God.']

ADDRESS

Those who rest satisfied with a mere formal religon

[What suitableness is there in such a state to the mercies we receive at God's hands? If he take pleasure in us, should we be indifferent towards him? If he labour to beautify us, should we take no pains to glorify him? If he call us to holy joy, should we be cold or lukewarm? If he command us to maintain a continual warfare, should we yield ourselves willing captives to our enemies, or make a truce with them for a moment? Be it known, that whatever the world may think of such a state, God utterly abhors it."]

2. Those who profess to serve and enjoy God

[Glorious indeed is "the vocation wherewith ye are called:" and well may you rejoice in it: but oh! be careful also to "walk worthy of it." If you profess that God has pleasure in you, take care that you are also adorned and beautified with his divine image. If you rejoice and glory in God, take care also that the sword is ever in your hand, to cut off whatever is displeasing in his sight. Beware also lest you decline from the happy state to which you have been brought: beware lest by cowardice or sloth, you rob your soul of its beauty and happiness, and make him your enemy, who desires nothing so much as to shew himself your friend."]

s Eph. vi. 13-17. h 1 Tim. i. 18. and vi. 12. i 2 Tim. ii. 3.

Neh. viii. 10.

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1 2 Chron. xx. 21-23.

。 Matt. xviii. 7-9.

m Rev. iii. 16.

p Isaiah. lxiii. 10.

END OF VOL. IV.

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