This seems to be a general conclusion. The man of God having taken up the subject from the beginning, and shown how all men, and especially the redeemed, ought to bless God for his goodness: and having instanced, in the different and diversified events which are going on in life, as well in the world of providence as in grace, how the Lord is watching over his people for good, and will ultimately punish the evil; he makes this the closing reflection: "The wise will ponder and observe it; and they that do so shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord."
REFLECTIONS
AND now, Reader, what ought to be the result of all this long and beautiful discourse, but in a direct application of it to ourselves, to bless God, and to give him thanks forever? And oh! if you and I can mark down in our own history, the subject of redemption, what loud and increased notes of praise ought to swell our song: He remembered us in our low estate, for his mercy endureth forever. Say, my soul! hath the Lord gathered thee out of the lands! Hath he taken thee home to himself? Did he find thee in a waste and barren land, hungry and thirsty, and every hope dried up within thee? And hath he brought thee by a right way, to a city of habitation? Oh! then, praise the Lord for his goodness, and declare the wonders which he doeth to the children of men.
And see that Jesus is increasingly precious to thee for the time to come. All thine interest and security is from God's covenant love in Christ. There is no mercy out of Christ; all the acceptation of our persons, and the everlasting security of the redeemed, all is in Jesus. See to it, then, that all thy fresh springs are in him.
And oh! that a sense of past mercies might be made the dependence and security of the future! If the Lord remembered thee in thy low estate, when thinking nothing of him; surely his grace will have respect to thee now, when desiring his knowledge and his love. For if while thine heart was harder than stone, Jesus passed by, and bid thee live; he will not cast thee off now he hath softened thine heart by his grace. Precious Lord Jesus! in thee I find all things, both for present peace and future happiness; and therefore to thee I come, on thee I depend, and from thee I look for all things. The Lord is my strength and my song; and he is become my salvation, Amen.