My grace is sufficient for thee, is his word to every soul, however buffeted by Satan, or ready to sink under the violence of his assaults-They shall receive continually out of Christ's fulness, even grace for grace-]

He will give them glory

[His favours to them shall not terminate with their present state of existence-He will not only make them more than conquerors here, but will give them an unfading crown of righteousness and glory in a better world-Whatever felicity the angels enjoy in heaven, that shall his saints also participate-And as our first parents were banished from the tree of life for yielding to the tempter, so shall they, who resist and overcome him, be admitted to the tree of life that grows in the midst of the paradise of God, and shall go no more out for ever-]

Nor will he withhold from them any thing that is truly good

[Were wealth and honour good for them here below, they should possess it-If God withhold those things from his people now, he does it because he knows that they would not, on the whole, be good for them-He that gave his own Son to die for them, will assuredly give them all other things that will promote their welfare-They shall never want any thing for body or soul, for time or eternity-]

INFER

1. How truly blessed are they who are upright before God!

[This is the Psalmist's own reflection-He varies indeed the term by which he describes the people of God; but his meaning is the same; for none can be upright except those who trust in him, because nothing but the grace of God can make them so: nor do any trust in him without receiving that grace which shall make them upright-The manner in which he expresses his reflection, is worthy of notice; he does not merely assert a fact, or appeal to men for the truth of it, but appeals to God himself respecting it-How strong must have been the conviction of it in his mind!-And can any thing be more clear?-To have the LORD GOD himselffor their light and defence, and to have all the blessings of grace and glory ensured to them by the unalterable promise of JEHOVAH; what can they have more? Let every upright soul then rejoice; for he is and shall be blessed-And let all

Rev. ii. 7.

VOL. V.

4 Ver. 12.

Ii

1

be stirred up to walk worthy of their high calling-So shall God be glorified in them; and they, ere long, shall be glorified with him for evermore-]

2. In what a pitiable state are the generality of mankind!

[There are many who are honest and just even among the heathens-But, alas! the generality labour not in earnest to find out their duty; nor do they know any thing of that unreserved devotedness to God which characterizes the true Christian-Is God then a sun to them? Is he not rather a cloud of darkness to them, or rather, I should say, a consuming fire? Is he a shield to them? Is he not rather an irresistible adversary? - Will he give them grace and glory? Shall he not rather visit them with wrath and fiery indignation? -Will he withhold from them no good? Is there not rather a time shortly coming when they shall not have so much as a drop of water to cool their tongue? - that men would consider this! Surely their state calls for much compassion-Let every one lay this to heart-Let every one seek to be found "an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile"-And let it be the one ambition of us all to be found of God in peace, without spot and blameless"-]

r Exod. xiv. 20. Heb. xii. 29.
Rom. ii. 8.

• Matt. v. 25.

2 Pet. iii. 14.

DXL. THE CHRISTIAN'S PATH COMPARED TO THE

LIGHT.

Prov. iv. 18. The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

HABITS, of whatever kind, are strengthened by

exercise

The more congenial they are with our natural feelings, the more easily are they confirmed

Hence the wicked, without any express purpose on their part, are daily more and more riveted to the world and sin

The righteous too increase in love to the ways of God in proportion as they endeavour to fulfil his will

They have indeed a bias, which, if they were left to themselves, would soon turn them aside

But God will not leave them destitute of needful

succour

He pledges himself that their path shall resemble the shining light

This is found true by happy experience-Their path is I. Beautiful in its appearance

The rising sun is as beautiful an object as any in the whole creation

[At its approach it tinges the distant clouds with lightOn its first appearance it gilds the summits of the woods and mountains

Then, dispelling all the shades of night, it illumines the whole horizon

How delightful is this to every one that beholds it!-]

Thus is the path of the righteous exceeding beautiful

["The just" are they who are renewed and sanctified by the Spirit of God

Their path in the very outset is beautiful to beholdTheir simplicity of mind, and teachableness of spirit, endear them to us

Their lowliness and humility attract the notice of the very angels themselves

The fervour of their love engages both our admiration and

esteem

The very shades in their character serve as a contrast to shew
the excellence of the change that has passed upon them-
As they proceed their graces are more matured-
Their course is justly described by the Apostle Paul-
Surely such a conduct must be beautiful in the eyes of God
and man-

They are justly spoken of as "beautified with salvation"d
They even reflect a lustre upon the gospel itself-]

While their path is so amiable, it resembles the light further, in that it is

!

In the darkness they could not go without stumbling-
But now they follow their occupations without fear or

difficulty

The productions of the earth also feel the genial influence

of the sun

And are matured by means of its invigorating beams-]
Nor is the Christian unprofitable in his course

[The wicked are stumbling on every side of himBut the Christian affords a light to the benighted souls around him

He shines in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation

He is an epistle of Christ, known and read of all menThe account given of Job, describes his course, as far as his situation and circumstances will allow

Thus by his conduct he puts to silence the ignorance of foolish men

He even wins some, perhaps, whom the word alone would never have converted"

And causes many to glorify his heavenly Father°~]

The comparison yet further holds, in that the path of the just, like that of the sun, is

III. Constant in its progress

The sun invariably pursues its wonted course

[From the instant it rises, it hastens toward the meridianSometimes indeed its splendor is intercepted by cloudsAnd sometimes it may be partially, or even totally

eclipsed

Still, however, it proceeds in its appointed path-
And is sure to arrive at its meridian height-]

The Christian too goes forward towards perfection

[He never rests as though he had attained the summitHe determines to be ever pressing forward for higher attainments

He may indeed for a season be involved in clouds-
Yea, perhaps, he may through the violence of temptation,

suffer an eclipse

But if he be really "just” and upright, his light shall break forth again

God has insured this by a solemn promise

Jeremiah illustrates it by the very allusion in the textNor is this progress the privilege of some only David speaks of it as belonging to Israel of old Paul represents it as enjoyed by every true ChristianAnd Peter shews us whence this stability proceedsNone indeed arrive at absolute perfection in this lifeBut soon the just will be changed into Christ's perfect image

And shine above the sun in the firmament for ever and everb-]

IMPROVEMENT

1. For conviction

[We are in a world that lieth in darkness and the shadow of death

And, if we be Christians indeed, we are shining as lights in a dark place

Do our consciences testify that this is the case with us?Are we examples of holiness to those of our own age and rank?

Do we reprove all works of darkness, instead of having fellowship with them?

If not, how can we ever be numbered among the just?Shall we say that we once were such, but are now under a cloud?

Or that our light is at the present eclipsed?

Let us beware lest we prove only as a fleeting meteor

Our light must be steady and increasing, like that of the

sun

The tree is known by its fruit; and the just by their lightAnd a false profession will deceive us to our eternal ruin-] 2. For consolation

[There are many true Christians who do not enjoy much comfort

And the darkness of their minds sometimes makes them doubt whether they be upright before God

But they often write bitter things against themselves with

out a cause

Distress, whether temporal or spiritual, argues nothing against our integrity