Nevertheless I am continually with thee. Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. Ps. lxxiii. 23, 26. BABES in religion not only long for CHRIST, but for sensible communion with him; and very often they are indulged with it, that they may be weaned from the world. But those of fuller age, who have their senses more exercised, are thankful they can trust him when they do not see him, and can follow him when they feel no comfort; relying more upon the word and covenant of God than on sweet sensations, which, though ever precious and desirable, are oft withdrawn in times of trouble and temptation. Bestow thy grace, thou blessed Jesus, upon my poor soul, that by faith I may lay hold on thee, and esteem thee as my chief joy, my sure portion, and exceeding great reward. How oft have sin and Satan strove To rend my heart from thee, my God! And Jesus seals it with his blood. In just temptations sharp and strong The Gospel bears my spirits up; There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God; God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved. Ps. xlvi. 4, 5. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. John iv. 4. Ps. cx. 5. Zech. ii. 5. TRUE Christians, in a right spirit, still are subject to temptations from within and without; but watching unto prayer, they do not fall by them. On the contrary, as temptations are great helps to discover their hidden infirmities, and stir them up to be more cautious, serious, and faithful, they are followed and rewarded with great and glorious victories. Temptations are not indeed joyous in themselves, but are attended with good fruit and blessed effects in the faithful. Hence St. James bids us count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations. What reason have we then to be afraid of temptations, since every one carries a new blessing along with it? Jesus, lover of my soul, Let me to thy bosom fly, Other refuge have I none; Hangs my helpless soul on thee; All my trust on thee is stay'd, With the shadow of thy wing! Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Rom. vi. 12. James iv. 7. O MY soul, how awful is thy state by nature and practice! Sin hath gained a dominion over thee; its influence is universal over the soul and body, and over every son and daughter of Adam: it hath brought death on the body, and subjected the soul to everlasting misery; its authority is unjust, and its power cruel and destructive. Lord Jesus, let me adore thine effectual grace, that it hath in any measure delivered me from its power, and assist my poor heart in opposing and rejecting every temptation to obey it in the lusts thereof; let thy precious blood effectually secure me from the guilt of sin in this life, and the punishment of it in another! O my soul, if thou art a faithful follower of Jesus, though Satan received a deadly wound when CHRIST was crucified for us, yet his malice is still the same; thou hast a thousand enemies, and the devil is the leader of them all. O may I, with the deepest humility, look to Jesus, rest upon Jesus, and derive daily strength from him to resist the devil, and, finally, to come off conqueror, and more than conqueror, through him that loved me. Amen. O that thou would the heavens rend, Stretch out thine arm Omnipotent, And seize me for thine own! What though I cannot break my chain, The things impossible to men, Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 2 Cor. v. 16. It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing, the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John vi. 63. It WHAT is it to know CHRIST after the flesh? is to content ourselves with carnal views of his person, character, and kingdom. This was the case with all those who followed him, not on account of his miracles and doctrines, but for the loaves and fishes. Alas! are there not too many who wish to know CHRIST for carnal, worldly interest, and not that they may be saved from a proud, rebellious heart, and an ungodly life? O my soul, let me see to it, that my seeking after CHRIST may not be carnal, but spiritual; worldly interest is too apt, it may be feared, to influence both private professors and even public preachers. True believers can say, that henceforth this carnal knowledge of CHRIST is not their pursuit. Where the spirit of Jesus regenerates the heart, and we are brought to a spiritual and experimental knowledge of CHRIST, we shall love him, rejoice in him, humbly submit to his will in all things, and daily pray to be more and more like him. O thou dear and precious Jesus! grant that this may be more and more my experience, till I shall know thee in all thy holiness and glory, for ever and ever! Is there a thing beneath the sun, That strives with thee my heart to share! Then shall my heart from earth be free The Lord preserves the simple: I was brought low and he helped me. Ps. cxvi. 6. HE who walks in godly simplicity and humility, accounting his own infirmities always the greatest, will best be preserved from being puffed up and sifted by the enemy of souls; and, truly, nothing should humble us more than justification by free grace. The more we consider and carefully cherish that, the more this simple, child-like, quiet temper will increase; for since there is nothing in ourselves which can be depended upon, but all must be freely received from CHRIST, this, at the same time cutting off all vain boasting, brings us low, settles our peace in CHRIST who is our All, and is sure enough to be rested upon. It is only from thee, O my dear Saviour, I can learn true simplicity! Teach me, therefore, to turn mine eyes, not upon others, but upon myself. Humble me to the uttermost, and fashion me after thy own mind, that I may be careful to avoid every thing that is contrary to love. Keep me, O my Light, from all self-dependence and self-conceit, bridle my carnal reason, and pull down all vain imaginations! Grant that my eye may be fixed only upon that one thing needful which lasts eternally; and that in all my words, deeds, and gestures, I may always resemble the simplicity, innocence, fidelity, and love of a little child. Matt. xviii. 3. Rich grace, free grace most sweetly calls, Just as you are, for Christ receives Poor helpless sinners still. 'Tis grace each day that feeds our souls; Grace keeps us inly poor; And Oh! that nothing else but grace E |