The privileges of the righteous


W. Jay.
I. WHAT GOD IS.

1. A "sun." His people are not strangers to happiness, and they derive it all from Him.

2. A "shield" — always at hand, impenetrable by any weapons, capacious, encompassing, adequate.

II. WHAT GOD GIVES.

1. Grace — Divine assistance and influence, springing from the free favour of God. It is often expressed plurally: we hear of the graces of the Holy Spirit. When it regards truth, we call it faith; — a future good, hope;-trouble, patience.

2. Glory. This denotes splendour, fame, excellency displayed; and the sacred writers apply it by way of distinction to the transcendent dignity and sublime happiness reserved in heaven for the righteous.

III. And what does He WITHHOLD? "NO GOOD THING." — O how full and comprehensive is the language of promise!

1. Behold in it the grandeur of His possessions. He who engages to withhold no good thing must have all good things at His disposal.

2. Behold in this promise the wonders of His liberality. All earthly benefactors shrink from a comparison with Him. He acts by no ordinary rule of bounty, by no human standard of beneficence. "As the heavens are higher than the earth," etc.

3. Behold in this promise the wisdom of His dispensations. He has qualified His engagement, and regulated our hope, by the goodness of the things insured. Let us then drop not only our murmuring, but our anxiety.

IV. WHOM DOES GOD REGARD in all these exceeding great and precious promises? — "Them that walk uprightly "in reference to self, others, God.

(W. Jay.)

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