1 Samuel 7:17

REFLECTIONS

REMARK, my soul, in the perusal of this Chapter, the first renewings of grace in the blessed fruits and effects of it; all hearts, like those of Israel, then will go forth in Lamentations after the Lord. There will be no real enquiries, no heart-searching sorrow, though ordinances may be restrained, and even the ark of the divine presence be away, even to twenty years continuance, as in Israel, until the Lord pours out the renewings of his Spirit. But when this precious gift is dispensed, then the soul looks unto him whom it hath pierced, and will mourn. Oh! most holy Father! of thine infinite mercy bestow this blessing, this covenant promise on my soul: lead me by thy gracious influence unto the precious Jesus, that the goings forth of my desires may be unceasingly after him and to him, who is indeed the ark and the mercy-seat, the offering and propitiation for sin.

In beholding Samuel as praying for the people, offering the stucking-Lamb, and crying for Israel, unto the Lord, I would pass over the servant, to view in him the shadow of his master; and would behold in him the typical representation of thee, thou blessed Jesus, for thou art the sum and substance of all the shadows of thy ministering servants. They offered all by faith, and had an eye in all their offerings to thee, who art, in all the ages of thy church, both the sacrifice and High Priest, the golden altar and the ark, on which all offerings are made. However veiled in covering under the darker dispensation of those ages before thy coming, yet so much of gospel every rite contained, that the holy men of old could, and did, see enough in those sacrifices made under the law, to behold by faith thy person and righteousness, with all the glorious circumstances of redemption secretly and mysteriously included. Yes! dearest Jesus! in all ages thy faithful ones knew thee, loved thee, lived to thee, were strong in thee, and in the power of thy might! Be thou to me, therefore, holy Saviour, all and in all, in every word of thy sacred scripture. Oh! give me to see and unceasingly to live in the same blessed privileges. In thy dear person, righteousness, love, grace, and power, may I know myself to be eternally secure: so that no Philistines may anymore come into the coasts of thine Israel. Like Samuel, on Jesus the rock of ages, would I build an altar of earth to Jehovah, In him would I offer all my offerings. Through him would I make all my poor presentations. From him and his all-perfect sacrifice would I seek acceptance; and to him, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, would I ascribe all the praise.