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their enemies deal with them, and what murdering designs are formed against them! yea, when the deliverance begins to dawn, their task is doubled, and their bondage rendered next to intolerable. Such was their extremity before they were brought out with an high hand. Nay, after this, their danger seems to be greater than ever, while, pursued by enemies, on many accounts more enraged than ever, they had seas before them impassable, and hills on every hand inaccessible; yet then Omnipotence is at no loss to deliver, so that seas divide, and are the defence of his people, but the destruction of their foes.

This divine way of procedure, delivering in the greatest extremity, shines also in the whole history of the Judges; in the narrow escapes of flying David; in the siege of Samaria, when a Lord, of the same temper with my unbelieving heart, spoke also in a style I am too often guilty of; in the case of the widow of Zarephath, whose provisions were almost spent, before the blessing was bestowed that multiplied them; in the case of her son afterwards, and the Shunamite's, who appeared beyond all possibility of help, when restored to life; in the sudden deliverance of Hezekiah and Jerusalem, from the besieging Assyrians, whose mighty men and leaders a mightier angel slew in one night, to an amazing number; also in the astonishing story of the three children, who are apprehended, bound, brought to the furnace, now seven times more heated for their reception, and thrown into the flame. What can help them now? Yes, in the midst of the furnace they walk at liberty, in the presence of a glorious person, whose form is like the Son of God. Such was the remarkable deliverance of pious Daniel from the lion's paw, when

cast among their bloody jaws, and left a whole night to the mercy of the fierce devourers: And of Jonah from the swelling deep, and the fish's belly, which to him was as the belly of hell: And, in fine, of the Jews from captivity, who went even to Babylon, and there were delivered. All these being brought to an extremity, perished not in it, but were delivered after a most glorious manner.

This was the way he dealt with his church and people under the Old Testament dispensation, for many hundred years; and it continued under the New. Hence see how our Lord delays his going to Lazarus, that he might not only relieve him from his disease, but raise him from the dead, which was a more glorious display of his divine power.-Such was his way also with Jairus' daughter, and the widow of Naim's son, who seemed to be the captives of death, till the Lord of life commanded their release, and that at a time when, for hinting at it, he was laughed at as proposing a thing impossible to be done. See how also, in the utmost extremity of danger, he rescues his apostle Peter, by an angel from heaven, who awakes the sleeping prisoner, guides him through the guards, and leads him on, before whom the doors and gates open of their own accord, and let him pass into perfect liberty..

What, then, is difficult for God? What extremity is beyond the reach and strength of his arm? Yea, since he is pleased to delay blessings and deliverances to the last, it is my duty to wait on him till the last, and to wait with hope, and in patience to possess my soul.

MEDITATION CXVII.

THE ASTONISHING PORTIONS.

Gibraltar Bay, August 10, 1759.

THE treasures of kings have sometimes been so

vast as to pass into a proverb. And yet, what were they but gold or stones dug out of the bowels of the earth, which, amassed to ever so great a sum, could neither give contentment, ensure health, nor lengthen life? But there is a portion of a diviner nature, and infinitely more excellent, which falls to the share of every saint of God; and he himself is this stupendous portion." The Lord is my portion, saith my soul."

Now, the astonishing wonder here is, that God, in all his perfections, should condescend, through his Son, to be the portion of his people. But this wonder is not alone, but is joined with another, that is in a manner more surprising still, expressed in these words: "The Lord's portion is his people, Israel is the lot of his inheritance."

We know how highly we esteem that which we account our portion. And the pious breathing of the saint is, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." Then, may we not see what value he sets upon his saints, that he, who possesses all things, and has all perfection in himself, should call them "his portion."

A rich man may condescend to be the prop and friend of a poor man, but will scarcely allow him to be of great account to himself; but here it is other

wise, to the praise of glorious grace, which is not less astonishing in receiving than in giving. He gives the treasures of eternity, which enrich for ever; and receives the cyphers of time, which cannot profit hin at all. He gives himself to be ours in his infinite excellencies for ever, and receives us, in all our wants and infirmities, to be his for evermore. Whether is he most glorious in accepting the lispings of faith, “Thou art my God," or in returning the mutual claim, "Thou art my people?" Because God is the portion of our soul, we have hope; and because he sees the travail of his soul, he is satisfied. O what condescension is this, not only to bow down to give himself away to us, but to take us up to himself! Let philosophers dream on of ten thousand inhabited worlds, yet, among them all, the Lord's portion is his people, and Israel his inheritance. The heaven is his throne, the earth his footstool, but his portion is dearer to him than both, purchased at an amazing price, and preserved by almighty power, to an immensity of bliss. Precious and costly things are in the peculiar treasures of kings; how noble, then, and excellent must Jacob be (the choice makes it so) whom the eternal King of kings hath chosen to himself for his peculiar treasure, for whom he will give men, and kingdoms for their ransom! Again, a treasure is that which is laid up for time to come; then God will never cast off his own inheritance, give up with his portion, or throw away his treasure, but reserve all to eternity. Finally, if God be the portion of his saints, why such a struggle to fill their coffers with perishing things? and why so disquieted if they do not succeed?

MEDITATION CXVIII.

NOAH'S ARK.

Under sail, Aug. 31, 1759.

WE HEN the ark, which had floated many a day on a fearful flood, rested on the happy Ararat, and Noah, and the numerous creatures which were to replenish the world again, had the pleasant sight of spacious fields, just delivered from a dreadful deluge, how vast must have been their joy! And with what transport must they have gone forth into unbounded liberty, called the earth their own, and appropriated the whole world, without any to dispute the amazing possession! So, when the ark of the covenant of grace, built by a greater than Noah, and wherein is contained the seed of the new creation, shall rest on the heights of glory, how shall all the happy ones go forth with transport into the liberty of the sons of God, to possess a paradise of pleasure, an heaven of ecstasy, and a world of bliss! And though they shall never go out of the covenant through eternity, yet, so to speak, they shall spread abroad to people the heavenly Canaan, and possess the many mansions that are in their Father's house.

Here, in the covenant, we are borne above the floods; for the curse, like a deluge, overspreads the whole world, so that all are in a perishing condition, but such as are got within the ark! and in a little, when the great deeps of eternity shall be opened, the floods of vengeance swelling high shall sweep the whole unbelieving world into oceans of eternal wrath. It is true, indeed, our safety is the same, being inter

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