April 2

His great love wherewith he loved us. - Ephesians 2:4.

THE Saviour is always alive to the welfare of his people; and hence we here read of the greatness of his love towards them. What is love? Some are so insensible as to be incapable of feeling it, or of comprehending its nature; and for their sakes we say what it is. Love leads us to look out for objects of distress, labours to do them good, and exults when it succeeds. We talk of love: there are tender, very tender, hearts to be found in our world. But you Jonathans and Davids-yes, and you mothers- must all cease comparison here.

Here is love beyond compare! Is he abased? “For our sakes he became poor.” Does he suffer? He bears our sorrows, and for us he dies. Does he go away? It is expedient for us. Does he appear in heaven? He appears in the presence of God for us. Does he establish the ministry of the gospel? It is for the perfecting of the saints. Are they succoured? “Inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me.” Are they injured? “He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye.” Are they afflicted? “In all their afflictions he is afflicted.”

Why does he express himself pleased with their progress and grieved at their deficiencies? “Can a man be profitable to God?” Can their goodness extend to him? No; but he knows that they only who walk uprightly walk surely; he knows that if they forsake him they despise their own mercies; he knows that they cannot fall without breaking their bones. Why, “he takes pleasure in his people;” he makes all things subservient to their welfare.

Other people are the subjects of his providence; but his people are at the end of it. For them his “eyes run to and fro through the earth.” In all their perplexities, distresses, and losses, in all their trying circumstances, in all that is painful and grievous to them, he has a regard to their salvation. “Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,” but not as the fathers of our flesh: “they chasten us for a few days for their own pleasure, but he for our profit,” &c. His object is the salvation of the soul.

He prunes the tree not to injure it, but to make it more fruitful; he lops off the suckers that would steal the sap; he uses the ploughshare that he may break up their hearts; he uses the crucible to clear away the dross, that the pure metal may appear to his glory; he brings them into the wilderness, that he may “speak comfortably to them, and give them vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope.”