our own flesh will be subdued to the Spirit, for we cannot "be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils." Thus if we do not always realize a perceptible increase of "joy and peace in believing," we shall always be strengthened in our opposition to that which is evil; confirmed in our attachment and adherence to that which is good; more impressed with the sense of our own inherent frailty, and of the sole sufficiency and all sufficiency of Christ our Lord. Thus, by the Divine Blessing abiding upon this His own especial ordinance, we shall become more and more meet for the inheritance of the saints in light until we exchange the feast here "spread, in presence of our enemies," for that marriage supper of the Lamb, where the enemies can intrude themselves no more; where none shall be f 1 Cor. x. 21. present but God the Father of us all, and Christ, the Good Shepherd of the sheep, and the Divine Spirit of life and love, and the bright array of Cherubim and Seraphim, and "the general assembly and church of the First Born, and the spirits of the just made perfect;" and there shall be, throughout eternity, but one fold and one Shepherd, and the fold shall be heaven, for the Shepherd shall be Christ! Heb. xii. 22, 23, 24. CHAPTER VI. The Consummation. SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE; AND I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOR EVER. WE E have seen, in the comment upon the verse immediately preceding, that provision has been made for all the wants of God's people, by the "table,’ which has been richly "spread" for them, even "in the presence of their enemies." We have seen that the "anointing of the head with oil" denotes the freedom of their access, and "the cup running over" the abundance of their supply. We are now to investigate the security which we possess for the continuance of these benefits unto the end. Such a security was possessed and realized, beyond all doubt by the Psalmist, for he declares, "Mercy and goodness will follow me all the days of my life;" and assuredly the same or rather even a stronger security must belong to us, as we are privileged to appropriate certain "exceeding great and precious promises," which did not, when David wrote, form any portion of the revealed word of truth. Thus, we read, "My people shall never be ashamed. They shall not be confounded that wait for Me." "I am the Lord: I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." While the Gospel of grace and truth, by our Lord Jesus Christ, is replete with assurances to the same effect, which if there be only enough of faith to apply, there can never be enough of affliction to exhaust. "My 2 Peter i. 4. b Isaiah xlix. 23. sheep shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can do unto me." Thus the security consists, not only in the explicitness of the promise, as addressed to us, but in the character of the Divine Attributes themselves, which are impledged for its fulfilment. It is because God "changeth not;" because "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever;”* because it is "the Eternal Spirit" through whom we offer ourselves to God, and from whom we look for the wisdom unto salvation. For this it is that we can say, as the d John x. 29, and xv. 7; Heb. xiii. 5, 6. |