our hearers for evidence that we overstate not this experience. There are many of you who can testify to a power in the Bible of which you were not conscious, and to a supporting energy in divine grace which you scarcely suspected, until your households were invaded by calamity. And if such be the fact, what feeling will be more excited in the righteous, when compelled to own that it is time for God to work, than that of love to the divine law? If they see trouble approaching, what will they do but cling with greater earnestness to that which alone can support them, and which they know will never fail? Will not their affection to God's word be vastly enhanced by the consciousness that they are about to be in circumstances when the promises of that word must be put to the proof, and by the certainty that the putting them to the proof will issue in their thorough fulfilment? If they have loved the word above gold in the hour of prosperity, they must love it above fine gold, as they mark the gatherings of adversity. "It is time for thee, Lord, to work." "They have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword;" and the Judge of men must arise, and vindicate his insulted authority. But I know on whom the mark of deliverance will be set, when the men with the slaughter-weapons are commanded to pass through the land. I know that where there is obedience to thy law, there will be security from thy wrath. And hence that law is more precious in my sight than it ever was before-"it is time for thee to work; therefore, I love thy commandments above gold, yea, above fine gold." "It is time for thee, Lord, to work." There is much in myself which requires the processes of the refiner, much of the corruptible to be removed, and of the dross to be purged away. But if it be needful that I be cast into the furnace of affliction, I have thy precepts to which to cling, thy promises on which to rest. I find that thy word comforts me in the prospect; I know that it will sustain me in the endurance; and hence, because it is time for thee to work, therefore is thy word dearer to me than the gold, yea, than the fine gold. "It is time for thee, Lord, to work." The season of my pilgrimage draws to a close; the earthly house of this tabernacle must be taken down; and the hour is at hand when thou wilt recal my spirit, and summon me to the judgment seat. Great God! what can be of worth to me in a time such as this? What can I value, when every thing earthly is slipping from my hold? Thy commandments-commandments which direct me to believe upon thy Son-thy law, a law so obeyed by the Mediator in my stead, that its every precept acquits me, and its every reward awaits me these are precious to me, unspeakably more precious than ever before. I know that thy strange work must be wrought on me, the work of dissolution. know that the time is come, when I must go hence and be no more seen. But I know also that, I "till Heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from thy law." I know that "blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” The nearer, therefore, the approaches of death, the more worthless appears every thing but thy word, O my God! The gold, and the fine gold, can profit me nothing; for "it is time for thee to work," and earth, with all its treasures, must be left. But thy commandments-a commandment that death be swallowed up in victory, a commandment that the corruptible put on incorruption, a commandment that new heavens and a new earth rise as the everlasting home of righteousness-these give me gladness, as I enter the dark valley; these I would not barter for the richest and costliest of earthly things" it is time for thee, Lord, to work: therefore, I love thy commandments above gold, yea, above fine gold." We have nothing to add but an earnest prayer that we may all be able to say from the heart with David, "Oh, how love I thy law; it is my meditation all the day." LONDON: Printed by J. L. Cox and SONS, 75, Great Queen Street, |