CHAP. VI. ON THE MEANS OF GRACE. 1. PRAYER. 1 As the young eagle, feebly fluttering with her weak pinions, would fain mount on the winds and gaze upon the bright beams of the sun; 2 So thou, son of man, but weak and poorly feathered for such a flight, anxiously desirest to reach that heaven, whence thou art fallen, wouldst soar a lofty height in holiness while yet thy efforts are feeble, chained as thou art, riveted and confined to the world and its many impediments. 3 Oh how shalt thou win to thee that heavenly Paraclete, whose power can exalt thee to heaven, whose influence soon deliver thee from all the dross of thy earthly corruption! 4 Go on in the way thou hast begun, labour to attain the divine gift, pray, search the word, and communicate. 5 What is prayer but the earnest and sincere desire of the soul turned to God? 6 Thou knowest well thy human wants, and well canst thou ask and speak for them; thou must know thy spiritual nccessities, before thy desire can be turned to them, before that desire can open itself in prayer, 7 Seest thon thy need? seest thou thy wants? hast thou a true and hearty desire to attain health from God, and knowest thou indeed that he is well able to succour and assist? 8 Lift up thy heart, behold the gates of heaven are open to thee: the ears of the Almighty are ever attentive to the voice of thy supplication. 9 Early in the morning, at noon-day, at even, and at midnight, pour forth thy soul to thy love: pray without ceasing: let thy heart's desire be ever turned to God: For where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be; and thou canst not fail to request it of him who is all-powerful to give or to refuse. 10 Remember well what a majesty thou art about to address, and see the humiliation of thy soul and body be exemplary and becoming. 11 The best humiliation is deep self-abasement, and filial dependance on the love of our Redeemer. 12 And wherefore should we doubt, wherefore should we waver? See at the right hand of the Father our great Intercessor pleading his blood and merits for us! 13 Hark, oh sinner! he intercedeth even for thee: he knoweth all our weakness: he prayeth for us, oh let us mingle our petitions with his! 14 Can we fear, when such an all-prevailing friend taketh the cause which we have in hand? 15 No, we will approach with the full assurance of faith, and mingle our prayers with the incense arising from his golden censer! 16 He knoweth, he pitieth, and pleadeth for all our infirmities: yea, he giveth us ability to offer up one word for ourselves. 17 More grateful than the sweet perfumes arising from the incense, let thy prayers, oh my brother, forthwith ascend to the throne of thy Father. 18 Ask with humble, yet firm reliance on his love: ask, nothing wavering; ask, and thou shalt have. 19 Ask, and cease not: humble penitent, knock earnestly, and the door of grace shall be opened unto thee. 20 Oh, be not slack, be not cool and indifferent, increase thy fervour: grow warm, grow solicitous, grow importunate: 21 Beg, entreat, implore: weep and sigh; be not refused, be not comforted, let not thy beloved depart, till he turn in, and make his abode with thee. 22 Dwell on his own eternal word: dwell on bis great and never-failing promises: dwell on his mighty and unspeakable acts of loving-kindness. 23 He himself hath spoken, he himself hath promised, he himself hath done it, his word cannot be reversed, his truth cannot fail, his promises stand "sure and immutable, yea, to thy comfort, sealed and confirmed by the word of an oath! 24 Aşk and ye shall have, ask the Father in my name, and he will give it you: I pray the Father for you. 25 Blessed words of joy and consolation, elevated by them to the firmest and fullest confidence on his infinite love, let us, O my brother, let us join on bended knees, with hearts deeply conscious of our own unworthiness, let us with one soul and voice join the intercession of our Master, the united voice of all his saints and servants, and say, 26" Hallelujah, salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, be unto the Lord our God: blessing and honour and glory be unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever! Thou art worthy to take the book and open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue, and people and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. Amen, come quickly; even so, come, Lord Jesus. Hallelujah!" CHAPTER VII. II. On reading the Scriptures. 1 THUS seeking thou shalt surely find. 2 But beholdest thou this sacred volume, son of man, seest thou this divine book? 3 This is the word of everlasting life: this is the spring of all thy joy; this is the fountain from whence all thy comforts flow; this is the bread of life; this is the fortress of thy faith, the sword of the Spirit, thy buckler and defence, 4 O meditate well herein; search, read, hear, mark, learn, so shalt thou find it heavenly manna to thy soul. 5 This is the word of God---canst thou enough reverence, canst thou enough esteem and delight in it? 6 Every line droppeth peace as the honeycomb: every page aboundeth with gladness and good tidings, as the ocean is filled with waters. 7 Read but with a single eye, read and thou shalt understand; be not wise in thine own conceit,---read with an earnest desire to gain profit and knowledge herein; so read and thou shalt understand. 8 Read with a firm faith, as knowing it the infallible word of the Eternal: with deep humility, as knowing thy own worthlessness and inability to teach thyself; with anxious longing for the spiritual teaching, that heavenly unction from the Holy One which alone teacheth us all things. 9 O look not on this book with a common or curicus eye, but deliver up thyself to be taught of God herein apply it wholly to thyself: bring it home to thine own heart, evermore crying, Lord, Is it I? 10 So shall the day dawn, and the day-star arise in thine heart: so shall the light dispel thy darkness, and thou, spiritually instructed, be enabled to dis cern the spiritual things of God. 11 As the diamond alone can cut its fellow, so cau the Spirit that dictated alone unfold the secrets of his word. 12 In every page and portion behold thy Redeemer: he giveth light to every part, as the sun enlighteneth the whole world; that other divine book, written also by the hand of Jehovah, 13 Read with the Spirit---look for thy Redeemer in every patriarch, action, rite, and ceremony--seek him, and in all things thou shalt surely find him, who is in all things, and who filleth and reigneth in all! 14 O Jehovah,---how shall I sufficiently bless thee for this wonderful display of thy love, this clear knowledge of it, revealed to all thy faithful servants from the beginning of days. 15 Oh that I might never depart from the light of thy countenance, but meditating evermore on this thy will, grow in grace, and understand the way of thy commandments. 16 I wandered, I went astray; darkness and sin surrounded me, thick night overwhelmed my soul. 17 Till thy blessed teachers declared to me thy truth---oh how beautiful are their feet who bring the glad tidings--who preach the gospel of peace. 18 How I erred from the way, my God, blind and helpless---till the voice of thy servants awakened my soul, till the word of thy power through them entered into my heart, I heard and wondered, I heard and panted after that peaceful, but unknown way. 19 When I heard, oh my Saviour, rejoiced I not with exceeding great joy? held not awful silence her finger on my lips, while the gracious messenger gladdened my soul? sat not attention on my eyelids, while I beheld thy holy messengers calling aloud to the sinners of Israel, dispensing the word of health and comfort to thy people? 20 I heard, and with thirsty desire hastened to the written word of thy commandments. I searched, if these things were so: how then was my night speedily turned into day. 21 Was ever joy like unto my joy; say, my soul, wast not thou happy in the fruition of thy beloved? 22 Oh let me, let me never pass one day without some portion of thy words to support and feed my soul: grant me to live by that bread of life. 23 Give me the knowledge of thy truth, give me faith, humility, and love: strike dead all fond imagination, blight and wither, mildew and utterly destroy, in me all vain conceit and self-willed delusion. 24 Oh continue, my God, thy loving-kindness to me, that I may never fail to hear, to read, and diligently consider the book of life. 25 The words of thy truth are a light to my feet; |