REFLECTIONS
MY soul! in the sad picture this representation holds up to thy view of unbelieving, distrustful Israel, do thou behold a true image of thyself. Hath not my GOD and FATHER promised to bring all his people into the promised land? Is there not a rest for the people of GOD? Is not this at once both the gift of the FATHER'S love, and the purchase of the Redeemer's grace; and is not the HOLY GHOST most graciously engaged, by the conquests of his power, to drive out all my enemies before me, and to bring me in by his own sovereignty? And yet, in the midst of all these positive assurances, am I not frequently questioning the reality of heaven's joys, the sufficiency of JESUS'S redemption, and the suitableness of what that blessed Redeemer hath done and suffered, to answer my own personal wants therein? Dear LORD! how just would it have been to me, hadst thou dealt by me as I have richly deserved; and, if considered without reference to my interest in thy righteousness, to have given me up to an hardened, unbelieving mind. SON of GOD! I beseech thee cause my soul, through the softening influences of thy blessed SPIRIT, to be humbled upon all occasions for the weakness of my faith! And while I look back, by the HOLY GHOST's aid in that precious part of his character, as the Remembrancer, to bring to my recollection through what a series of mercies, like Israel from Egypt, to this wilderness of Zin, the LORD hath brought me; oh! may I hear thy gracious voice, in the tender expostulations of thy love, saying personally to my heart, as to his disciples of old, Oh! thou of little faith wherefore dust thou doubt. LORD! grant that the many tokens of thy love in quickening grace, reviving grace, confirming grace, may be to my soul in recollection, as the gapes of Eshcol: and may my GOD give me the spirit of Caleb, to know and believe that I shall at length overcome all the enemies of my salvation, and be more than conqueror through thy grace enabling me.