The Saint Never Forsaken
John Jardine. Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for he has said, I will never leave you… I. Is WHAT RESPECTS GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE NOR FORSAKE HIS PEOPLE. 1. God will never leave His people, so as to cease from loving them. 2. He will never leave them nor forsake them, so as to take from them any of His new-covenant and special gifts; " for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance" (Romans 11:29). 3. He will never leave them so destitute of support and comfort, as that they shall plunge into the depths of despair. 4. The Lord will never leave nor forsake His people totally, nor finally. II. THE GRACIOUS PRESENCE OF GOD IS SUFFICIENT TO SATISFY HIS PEOPLE IN EVERY SITUATION. 1. If God is graciously present with His people, they have the greatest reason to be content, because He is the most bountiful of all providers. 2. If the Lord be graciously present, with Him he may be content, because he has the most powerful of all protectors. 3. Because, when their God is graciously present with them, they have the wisest of all leaders. 4. They may be content, because they have ever with them the most skilful physician. 5. Since their God will never leave them, nor forsake them, they may be satisfied; because they are always furnished with the most effectual and compassionate Comforter. 6. Since God will never leave His people, they have ever with them the nearest of all relations, and the most excellent of all companions. III. THE SECURITY GIVEN TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD, THAT HE WILL NEVER LEAVE THEM NOR FORSAKE THEM. 1. The inviolable faithfulness of the Promiser is good security for the accomplishment of the promise. 2. His relation and love to them is good security for the accomplishment of the promise. 3. The power of the Promiser affords them good security for the accomplishment of the promise. 4. The mediation of Christ may be considered by God's afflicted and poor people as noble security. 5. The believing consideration, that the glory of all the Divine persons is connected with God's being graciously present with His people, that He may complete their salvation. IV. SOME DIRECTIONS HOW TO OBTAIN THE GRACIOUS PRESENCE OF GOD, AND TO MAINTAIN A COMFORTABLE CORRESPONDENCE WITH HIM. 1. You must close with His Son, Jesus Christ, in the offers of the gospel. 2. You must not only begin your acquaintance and correspondence with God, by believing in our Lord Jesus Christ; but by believing in Him, and improving Him, you must maintain and carry on your correspondence with God. 3. That you may attain and carry on a loving correspondence with God, you must wait on Him, in all the ordinances of His grace. 4. Beware of doing anything that may provoke Him to "leave you, and forsake you." 5. Endeavour, through the Spirit, to cleave close to Christ, and plead importunately the promise of His perpetual presence, 6. Let unbelievers consider, that this God, who is the best of all friends, the mightiest of all protectors, and the best of all companions, is, to those who persevere in rejecting the overtures of His grace, the most dreadful of all enemies, the most inflexible of all judges, and most terrible of all executioners. Flee, flee, therefore, without delay to the Lord Jesus, as the only all-sufficient Saviour. (John Jardine.) Parallel Verses KJV: Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. WEB: Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, "I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you."