SERA?. XXXVIII.] THE CHRISTIAN'S TREASURE. 131 together för good, to them that love God, to them 'who are the calledaccording to his purpose. It was for their sakes the promises were written, that they might have not only a present relish of divine blessings, but a sweet foretaste of joys long to come. The blessings of the children of God were numbered up, and written down originally for them, in the book of God's everlasting counsels; and in the book of his word has he copiedout for them, the blessings of heaven from above, and of the deep . from beneath ; the precious things brought forth by the sun, and under the influence of the moon ; the chief things of the ancient mountains on earth, so far as is needful for them here, and the pre- cious things of the everlasting hills ofparadise hereafter. Does the great Creator and Lord ofall keep the wheels of nature in their settled courses ? It is for his people's good. " The stars in their courses shall fight for Israel :' Or does he countermand nature in any of its motions, and bid the sun stand still in Gibeon, and the moon in the valleyof Ajalon?" It is that the armies ofhis peo- ple may have Iong day-light, to subdue their enemies. Hail-stones and thunder shall break out of the clouds to destroy the Canaanites, when Israel is at war with them : But if Israel want bread. in the wilderness, the clouds shall drop down manna, and give them bread from hea- ven. The Lord gave up Egypt with her armies to the waves of the Red-sea, for the ransom and redemption of his people : He gave Ethiopia and Seba to the sword for the safetyof his servant Jacob ; Is. xliii. 4. Ihave loved thee, O Israel, ther f öre Igave men for thee, andpeo- plefor thy life. And it is no wonder tharGod has given all things to his children, since he has givenhimself to them, and told them, I amyour God . It is no wonder he has bestowed all other things upon them, since he has bestowed his Son upon them : His own, his only Son, who is dearer to him than all the creation : Rom. viii. 32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him upfor 'us all, how shall henot with him alsofreely give us all things? I.I. The saintshave an interest in all things, for Christ is made Lord over all things for his people's good Lph. i. 22. " God hath put all things under his feet; and gave him tò be head over all things to his church." Ìh '
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