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will rejoice in him.--Yea, the Father himself puts on joy, too, in our joy. As<br />
we grieve his Spirit, and weary him with our iniquities, so he is rejoiced in<br />
our good. O how quickly does he now spy a returning prodigal, even afar<br />
off! How does he run and meet him! And with what compassion does he fall<br />
on his neck and kiss him, and put on him the best robe, and a ring on his<br />
hand, and shoes on his feet, and kills the fatted calf, to eat and be merry!<br />
This is indeed a happy meeting; but nothing to the embracing and joy of that<br />
last and great meeting. Yea, more; as God doth mutually love and joy, so he<br />
makes this his rest, as it is our rest. What an eternal Sabbatism, when the<br />
work of redemption, sanctification, preservation, glorification, is all finished<br />
and perfected for ever! "<strong>The</strong> Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he<br />
will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his love, he will<br />
joy over thee with singing." Well may we then rejoice in our God with joy,<br />
and rest in our love, and joy in him with singing.<br />
Alas! my fearful heart scarce dares proceed. Methinks I hear the<br />
Almighty's voice saying to me, "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words<br />
without knowledge?" But pardon thy servant, O Lord. I have not pried into<br />
unrevealed things. I bewail that my apprehensions are so dull, my thoughts<br />
so mean, my affections so stupid, and my expressions so low and<br />
unbecoming such a glory. I have only heard by the hearing of the ear: O let<br />
thy servant see thee, and possess these joys; then shall I have more suitable<br />
conceptions, and shall give thee fuller glory; I shall abhor my present self,<br />
and disclaim and renounce all these imperfections. "I have uttered that I<br />
understood not, things too wonderful for me, which I knew not." Yet "I<br />
believed, and therefore have I spoken." What, Lord, canst thou expect from<br />
dust, but levity? or from corruption but defilement? Though the weakness<br />
and irreverence be the fruit of my own corruption, yet the fire is from thine<br />
altar, and the work of thy commanding. I looked not into thy ark, nor put<br />
forth my hand unto it without thee. Wash away these stains also in the blood<br />
of the Lamb. Imperfect, or none must be thy service here. O take thy Son's<br />
excuse, "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."<br />
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