How encouraging, how delightful an assurance, to be persuaded, that in all our difficulties and troubles, in all our bereavements and desertions and afflictions, through this vale of tears, we have a friend, a relation, at the right hand of God, the omnipotent Redeemer; who is advanced, after His earthly humiliation, to the throne above, for the very purpose of “receiving gifts for men;” and of distributing them for the relief and assistance of all His loving and faithful brethren. How fortunate do the needy children of men esteem themselves, if they have a kind relative or friend in a high quarter; one possessed of honour and wealth and power. They feel themselves ennobled by the connexion; and are raised above the fear and apprehension of want, by a confidence in his influence and generosity. But what are the highest and greatest of earthly relatives, in comparison with the glorious everlasting Son of God; with Him who “hath put all our enemies under His feet;” with the “high and holy one that inhabited eternity?” Earthly friends may and do fail, often when they are most needed; an untoward occurrence, a groundless displeasure arises; and all our expectations from them are suddenly swept away. But with Jesus “there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning:” He searches our hearts; and as long as they are really and stedfastly united with Him, no casualties, no outward appearances can estrange us from His favour. Earthly friends die, one after another; and often at a time, when they are become most dear and most necessary to us; but Jesus liveth for evermore; and the union, we form with Him, is in no danger of being severed by any change of time or circumstance; but goes on progressively and perpetually increasing. The very disasters, which often tend to disunite us from our earthly friends and brethren, serve but to bind us the more closely to the Saviour; in adversity, in poverty, in contempt, in persecution, we find Him the nearer and dearer; always most ready to succour us, when most wanted and desired: always ready, and always able. So that, if the whole world were to fail us, His abiding favour would more than counterbalance all the evils of our lot. “When even my father or my mother forsaketh me, the Lord taketh me up;” {373} He is in the stead of parents, in the stead of all: “the Father of the fatherless, and the God of the widow;” the Lord of consolation, and the Lord of love. The upholding of His Spirit will sustain our infirmities; one beam of His gracious mercy will cheer all the darkness, which the world casteth over our souls.