My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. Psalm lxiii. 5. Allelujah! for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come. Rev. xix. 6, 7. WHAT tends not to thy glory, O LORD, and is not thy own work, whatever appearance it may have, is not really good and profitable. Preserve and assist me, therefore, to do all things as of thee, in thy sight, and to thy honour. May my soul be ever magnifying thy name, O my dear Redeemer and Bridegroom, and my whole conversation be directed to thy praise! Grant that heart and mouth may be ever full of thy great mercies, and overflow continually with thanksgiving, and that in thy worship I may enjoy such a full sensation of spiritual comfort and joy, that no desire shall be left unsatisfied. My God, my King, thy various praise Grant, Lord, that ev'ry hour may bear Thy faithfulness endures the same; And who can speak thy wondrous deeds! my David's Prayer. own hands. Divine Answer. Forsake not the works of thine Psalm cxxxviii. 8. He which has begun a good work in you, will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ. Phil. i. 6. THE right way to grow in grace is to give up thyself wholly to thy Heavenly Father, who knoweth all thy wants and has engaged to supply them. Then labour diligently to walk with CHRIST, and carefully cherish the new life, which, be it ever so weak and little now, in comparison to the old man, will increase and gradually outgrow him, as a new skin does the old. May the Lord only give us grace to watch against the opposite extreme, so as never to be lulled into a false rest, or a lukewarm spirit, but to be ever diligently and seriously employed in crucifying the flesh, and using all the means of grace, then we need not be anxiously troubled for the growing of the work of God in our souls, for "he which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ;" that is, till Christ shall come to call you home to glory in the happy mansions he has prepared above the sky. My soul lies cleaving to the dust; I need the influence of thy grace Are not thy mercies sov'reign still, The fashion of this world passeth away. As long as we feed on the husks of the world, and are in love with it, we are neither willing nor able to taste the comforts of the love of God; but when sin and the world are become an abomination to us, and we desire to be rid of them, and seek diligently unto Jesus Christ for the help of his grace and the benefit of his blood, we are then in a right way to receive the love of God, and every blessing of salvation; and though we are chastened by the Lord, yet he is not angry with us, but does it to imbitter sin and the world more and more to us, and to make us loathe them, that we may not be condemned with the world; but that we may be kept from the evil that is in the world. John xvii. 15. Let worldly minds the world pursue, It has no charms for me; Once I admir'd its trifles too, But grace has set me free. Its pleasures now no longer please, Far from my heart be joys like these, As by the light of op'ning day Now, Lord, I would be thine alone, But may I hope that thou wilt own Yes; though of sinners I'm the worst For, if thou hadst not lov'd me first, Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Matt. vi. 13. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power. Rev. iv. 10, 11. ONE that is really poor in spirit, though he hath practised the duties of the Christian life ever so long, and ever so diligently, always thinks himself to have received but a very little portion of Christ, and the work of sanctification hardly to be begun in his soul. So far is he from believing he has already attained it, that after all his best actions, he counts himself not worthy to be called by the name of a grateful son. He is never pleased with himself. No degree of holiness will satisfy his soul. He seeks and finds no rest or comfort but in the infinite mercy of God, and in the pardon of his sins by faith, though he does not divide Christ, but receives him in all his offices, and gives himself entirely up to him, without reserve, to be more and more sanctified and perfected; and in this state he is safe indeed, he is prepared for death, and has no reason to be anxiously afraid, though earnestly desirous of higher degrees of sanctification. For ever hallow'd be thy name By all beneath the skies; And may thy kingdom still advance, A grateful homage may we yield, And as in heav'n thy will is done, On earth so let it be. For thine the pow'r, the kingdom thine; All glory's due to thee: Thine from eternity they were, And thine shall ever be. He hath made with mé an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure; for this is all my salvation, and all my desire. 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. 1 have made a covenant with my chosen. Psal. lxxxix. 3. THIS was David's plea and confidence when, with eternity full before him, he was just going to make his appearance before an infinitely pure God. This must be our plea also, if ever we would obtain the approbation of our Judge. After a life of the most eminent holiness, the best of men will have reason to cry out," Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord!" It is true, indeed, the believer will discover some evidences of grace, just to shew the child of God, and no more; but all so imperfect, that he dares not ground his expectations on them. Here the covenant of grace steps in to his relief, wherein he sees ample provision made for the security of his eternal interest; for the covenant is made with Christ and his seed. It is an everlasting covenant, not only made before time, but extending its beneficial effects through the ages of eternity. It is ordered in all things; therefore nothing can be wanting in it, either to promote the glory of God, or the salvation of believers. It is sure also; depending on no conditions, requiring nothing but what it gives, conferring its blessings freely, and making them sure to all the seed, being established upon better promises. Happy souls, who are interested in this well-ordered covenant! May it be all my salvation, and all my desire! Thy word is truth, thy promise sure, |
