Judges 8:35

REFLECTIONS

MY soul! pause over the review of this chapter. Call to mind the wonderful mercies shown to Israel, as related in the former chapter, and then behold the issue of divine deliverances, in the shameful departure of Israel to idolatry. My soul! art thou not astonished at the view of such perfidy? Couldst thou have believed, that there dwelt in the human heart, such vileness and corruption?

When, my soul, thou hast duly contemplated the church of God of old, look at the church of Jesus now. What, (saith the apostle), are we better than they? No, in no wise; for we have before proved, both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin. Yes! my soul, thou art in the same condemnation by nature, and in heart and mind, prone to depart from God. Oh! precious Jesus! how dear and invaluable is thy salvation! how great that efficacy of thy blood and righteousness which pleads for the pardon of thy people. Oh, for grace to take shelter under both, from a conscious sense of my utterly ruined and undone state without it! Be thou my refuge all the day, and the justifying righteousness of my soul forevermore, for thou alone art the hope of Israel, and the Saviour thereof.