David, and say: "Rivers of water run down mine eyes, because men keep not thy law.” Their personal joy may be in lively exercise, whilst their hearts are greatly grieved for a world which lieth in wickedness. Is not this the characteristic feeling of the children of God? Christian charity is a compound of active benevolence and tender compassion, flowing from a supreme love to Jesus Christ. The true believer is therefore the genuine philanthropist. He not only feels for the miseries of others, but labours to remove them by prayer and suitable exertion. His heart can melt at another's woe; and gladden at another's welfare. Hence he rejoices over one sinner that repenteth. He feels his own joy increased by each increase to the church of God. He rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. As sin pains him, both when felt in himself and seen in others, so holiness delights him, when, like Barnabas, he beholds its growing influence in those around him. The joy of the Lord is his strength. When faith is in lively exercise, and joy is springing up in his soul, he can brave every danger, and boldly encounter every enemy which may oppose his way to glory. Such is the happy experience of the believer in Jesus. It is his privilege to rejoice. A God of sovereign love wills the happiness of his people. As nothing but sin can separate the soul from God, or cause him to hide his face from us; so nothing but sin ought really to damp our joy. Woe be to him who can feel joyous in his sins! The Gospel is good news glad tidings of great joy. Those worldly persons greatly mistake its nature, tendency, and design, who suppose it to be a mere system of restraints; an enemy to innocent enjoyment. Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace. The Gospel bids us to be happy. All that it condemns is, an abuse of divine mercies; and that alienation of heart which leads us to seek from the broken cisterns of the world, that happiness which can only be derived from the eternal fountain of uncreated excellence. The Gospel, whilst it faithfully reveals to us our ruined state as sinners; and our utter unworthiness of the least of God's mercies; graciously opens to our view the way to unspeakable felicity, through the incarnation and death of the eternal Son of God. Those who reject the Gospel, and choose the forbidden pleasures of sin, find the fruit of their choice to be bitterness and death, whilst those who cheerfully renounce the world, and yield themselves unto God through Jesus Christ, have a spring of holy joy opened in their souls, which shall flow onward, till it issue into everlasting life. O! my soul, is this thy experience? Dost thou feel this inward joy in a crucified Jesus? Art thou leaning on the bosom of thy Saviour; resting on covenant faithfulness and unchanging love? Enable me, blessed Lord, with joy to draw water out of the wells of salvation; to come daily unto thee, the fountain of consolation; who hast said; "drink, yea, drink abundantly, O! beloved." When I feel my inward depravity, O! give me grace to see, with the eye of faith, the glorious remedy which thou hast provided. May I lay hold on Jesus Christ, and never let him go, until he bless me. Shine into my heart with the bright beam of thy heavenly grace. Shed abroad thy love in my soul. Give me the witness of the Holy Spirit. Grant that I may taste thy goodness here in the sweet refreshing streams of Gospel joy, till borne with gladsome wing, to the fountain-head in glory, my soul shall be lost in wonder, love, and praise. How sweet the sacred joy that dwells Descend and bless thy servant, Lord, From earth, and all its fleeting toys, Of endless bliss the glorious dawn. Then shall my raptur'd spirit sing; In strains of pure celestial love; LXIV. ON PEACE. There is something peculiarly calming to the soul in these beautiful words: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee." This is a world of sin and trouble. Here thorns and thistles grow around us; painful emblems of the human heart; and of the sad change which passed on Adam at the fall! Though painful the change, yet with a pleasing mournful recollection, our minds delight to contemplate the first parents of our race enjoying communion with their God, and happy intercourse with each other in the bowers of Eden. All was then serene and peaceful. No indulged sin poisoned their joys, or caused the divine countenance to be turned away from them. They had no feeling, but love and gratitude; no desire, but to serve and please their Almighty Creator. This happy state was, alas! of short duration. They listened to the voice of the tempter, and fell from holiness, from happiness, and from God. He, who lately held sweet converse with his creatures, now banished them from Paradise, denied them all access to the tree of life, that pledge of immortality, and in righteous judgment, pronounced the curse upon them. They now became dying creatures, doomed through their wilful disobedience to present and eternal misery. The ground was cursed for their sake. Refusing its spontaneous fruitfulness, it required their toil and labour; whilst the prickly thorn and thistle sprang up as silent monitors to remind them of their sins. May we not ask with anxious solicitude: How can such fallen wretched creatures be kept in peace, "in perfect peace ?" What warrant have we to trust in God, or stay our minds upon him, as our righteousness and strength? This important question has been answered by God himself. He graciously promised a Saviour, even at the time when justice pronounced death on the transgressors. Thus mercy rejoiced against judgment, and shed a ray of heavenly light over the benighted souls of our fallen parents. In the fulness of time, Jesus, the promised seed of the woman, was born. The ransom-price was paid by his precious blood-shedding upon the cross; and the gates of heaven were opened to all believers. The Gospel was preached, and pardon proclaimed to every humble, penitent, believing soul. All who lived before the advent of Christ, looking to the promise, and resting in the covenant of grace, were accepted in the beloved; and those who have lived since his advent in the flesh, can say: "whom having not seen, we love; and in whom, though now we see him not, yet believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." To all such, the prophet proclaims peace. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee." Here then we learn the nature of true religion. It is staying the mind upon God. As unbelieving sinners, we cannot do this;-as believing penitents we may. Yes! it is the privilege of every contrite soul, thus to repose upon the mercies of God in Christ Jesus. O! blessed truth! though by nature far from God, we are brought nigh by the blood of Christ; though lying under the curse of a broken law, we are delivered from condemnation through the death of Jesus; though helpless, restless, and wretched in ourselves, we are privileged, through faith, to stay our minds upon God, as our strength, our rest, and our peace. O! what a work of grace, mercy, and love. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. We also learn where true stability is to be found. It is in God. Every thing here is fickle and changing. But that God who gives peace unto his people, "changes not, nor knows the shadow of a turn." The soul therefore which is stayed on him, finds rest and peace. weep. If I stay my hopes upon an earthly friend, death removes the prop, and I fall, and mourn, and If I place my confidence on riches, they fly away as an eagle towards heaven, and leave me to regret the folly of my covetous desires. If I build upon the breath of fame, it dies away, or changes into scorn or slander. If I repose upon the rosy couch |