Page:Spiritual Reflections for Every Day in the Year - Vol 1.pdf/25

 Father of mercies! we bless thee for the gift of thy Word; it is a celestial treasure—a light to lighten the nations, and a lasting glory to thy church. In thy Word, under the literal sense of its sacred histories, precepts, prophecies, miracles, and parables, we recognise what Thou hast in mercy given, though concealed, as it were, by the clouds of the letter, from every impure and licentious eye, a spiritual sense throughout. This sense, while treating of Thee and of thy wonderful dealings with the erring children of men, exhibits Thee as the one only Jehovah of Hosts, the Creator, Redeemer, and Saviour, who hast revealed thyself as the "Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin." (Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7.) The spiritual sense of thy Word is as the soul and life of its outward letter, preserving it whole and entire. To the man of humble piety, the spiritual sense shines forth as hallowed unconsuming fire, which burns only to bless and give life. How beautifully is it represented by the burning bush seen by Moses. (Exod. iii. 2, 3.) The inward life of thy Word, O God, is the constant preserver of its letter, and thus the holy fire and its light, emblematical of thy love and wisdom, can be still seen by the faithful to burn in, and shine through, the bush that is not consumed. Well may David exclaim with holy rapture—"O how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day." (Ps. cxix. 97.) Thy truth, or thy Word, is as the first flowings forth of thine eternal love, and thus, "For ever, O Lord, thy Word is settled in heaven." (ver. 89.) Still, gracious God, Thou hast in mercy visited the children of men.