SIXTH DAY. "THY TESTIMONIES HAVE I TAKEN FOR AN HERITAGE FOR EVER THEY ARE THE JOY AND REJOICING OF MY HEART."-PS. cxix. 111. Every heart has individually its own appropriate and peculiar pursuit, food, recreation, and delight. The miser has his treasure, the object of his secret homage; that to which he gives his devoted, and undivided worship. Reader! thou hast thine; and I have mine. And that pursuit, that matter of supreme interest, that cherished joy, that treasure, be it what it may-whether openly confessed, or enshrined in the hidden recesses of the heart-will give its colouring to our existence; and, maintaining its power, will still continue to do so, with yet increasing influence; an influence extending, (doubt it not) beyond the revolutions of time, throughout the countless ages of eternity. If it be so, surely then it must be of infinite importance what I take for an everlasting I heritage! And of what nature that treasure is, which will affect both my character and my happiness while I have my being; whether it shall be such as will ennoble and dignify me, or prove my disgrace and my degradation ;-whether it shall be to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart, or the fruitful source of unabating misery! The Word of God-that revelation which testifies of His truth and grace; His righteousness and peace; His faithfulness and His mercy-a mercy which endureth for ever-has been the heritage of His people through every successive generation: and is to them, while they travel through this wilderness world, a never-failing spring of joy and heavenly consolation. The world has its pleasures and its joys; but, like the crackling of thorns, they blaze, electrify, dazzle, and are gone but Thy testimonies! -sweet, holy, and satisfying is the joy to which they give life and being;—calm and pure, and brightening still as days and years : pass on; and with yet increasing splendour and expanding fervour, becoming the joy and the rejoicing of the heart, throughout the countless ages of an undying existence ! () ! be these my heritage-for ever ! O may the unction, earnest, seal; The truth, abide in me; "Till by the side of living streams, Where thine eternal glory beams, I joy, and rest in Thee. SEVENTH DAY. "YE WERE SOMETIMES DARKNESS, BUT NOW YE ARE LIGHT IN THE LORD: WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT." Eph. v. 8. Note the expression : it is not said, “Ye were in darkness, and now ye are in the light:" but, "Ye were darkness," and "ye are light in the Lord:" being born from above, born of the Spirit, born of God; and thus partaking, each one in his measure, of the nature of God, for "God is Light." Having such a life flowing down from Him, who is emphatically denominated your Father which is in heaven a life not inherent, but imparted. "For ye were sometime darkness :" a life therefore not natural to you as the children of Adam and mortal creatures; but altogether spiritual, heavenly, and divine; derived from God, and leading to God; a life maintained by a continued renewal of that same Spirit of life, by whom it is communicated, flowing down from the Father through Christ Jesus; having this living light, this "light of life," let your spirit and walk correspond thereto. Your Father is the God of truth; Christ is the truth; the Spirit is the Spirit of truth; truth is light: walk in this light; walk in the truth; let it form your principles, and regulate your practice. Your Father is the God of Holiness. Christ is the Holy One of God: the Spirit is the Spirit of Holiness; be ye holy in all manner of conversation and godliness; for Holiness is light. Again, your Father is the God of peace; the fountain-spring of all joy and heavenly consolation, in His "presence is fulness of joy.” "I will go to God," said David, "to God, my exceeding joy." And Jesus, in whom is all consolation-Jesus the Angel of God's Presence-imparts to you His Spirit to this end, "that your joy might be full." He would that ye should be filled, not with the intoxicating vanities of a delusive world, but with "joy in the Holy Ghost." May that gracious Paraclete so fill you with joy and peace in believing, that ye may be kept from the darkness of unbelief, the fruitful source of error and of sin; and thus possess as "light in the Lord," joy, which no man, no power, seen or unseen, can take from you. Thy living beam creates the fire, With which the radiant seraph glows; Thy light and love the heart inspire, That aught on earth of heaven knows. |