Job 38:41

RELFLECTIONS.

READER, let you and I pause over this chapter, and amidst many other sweet thoughts, which arise out of the solemn review of what is here brought before us, let this strike our minds as among the highest improvements; I mean, to note down the wonderful grace, and goodness, and condescension, and love, JEHOVAH here manifested in reasoning with Job in the manner here set forth. JEHOVAH hath indeed said, that though he is the High and Lofty One who inhabiteth Eternity, and whose name is Holy, yet that he doth humble himself to behold the things which are in heaven and earth. But that GOD should thus graciously condescend to reason and expostulate with his creature, under the dissatisfied and murmuring state of a repining mind! Oh! how great the mercy! And, yet, Reader, cannot we both find another instance of yet greater tenderness, in which the LORD hath surpassed every other testimony he hath afforded mankind, or ever can afford again, in all the stores of his omnipotency and grace? Did he not indeed perform an act of condescension, at which all Heaven stood amazed, and Angels have long been contemplating with wonder and surprise, when JESUS, the only begotten Son, which lay from all eternity in the bosom of the FATHER, came at the call of GOD, and tabernacled in substance of our flesh? Nay more-not only tabernacled in our nature, but in that nature debased himself to the lowest possible degree of humiliation, until, by the accursed death of the cross, he had fully accomplished the redemption of his people! Well might the Prophet exclaim, Wonder, O heavens! and be astonished, O earth! for the Lord hath done it.

Reader, over and above this view of divine love and condescension, let you and I learn from what the LORD hath said, what poor, shortsighted, ignorant creatures we are. Let us from henceforth rejoice, that we are under a wiser and better direction than our own. Whatever dispensation it pleaseth GOD to exercise us with, let our first and great object be, to see the hand of JESUS in it, and to rest in a clear assurance of our interest in him. The Christian's, the true believer's motto should be, in every state when in union with JESUS, what the Prophet hath said, The just Lord is in the midst of Zion; he will not, he cannot, do iniquity. And oh! when the voice of GOD is heard in the dispensation, how dark soever it may be, the whole face of the dispensation is changed. Let a poor believer in the LORD JESUS be drenched in the deepest adversity of bodily afflictions, or soul distresses, or both; yet when JESUS is seen directing the event, there can be no room to question or enquire, much less to fret and grow uneasy, under the providence. Let a soul, but hear his precious voice; "Be still, and know that I am GOD." Surely a GOD in CHRIST, a GOD in covenant, a faithful GOD, a tried GOD, an approved GOD, buoys up the soul, like the anchor of a ship in a dark and tempestuous night, and the soul is made more than conqueror through his grace helping us. Reader, let us beg of GOD for this grace, that it may be to his glory, and our joy.