To Him gave all the prophets witness, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. Acts x. 43; and iv. 12.This name is as ointment poured forth, the fulness of his grace. Song of Sol. i. 3. It is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. Prov. xviii. 10. In this name we should draw nigh to the Father in prayer, and not approach him with a strange fire of our own, kindled from the fancied merit of devotion; and he will draw nigh to us again. "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." James iv. 8. He will certainly grant our petitions, " and we shall receive, that our joy may be full." John xvi. 24. "For the Lord is good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon him" (Ps. lxxxvi. 5); and all these promises are Yea and Amen in CHRIST; so that every believer may say, "The Lord will receive my prayer." Ps. vi. 9. "Blessed be God, who hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me;" for "he hath dealt bountifully with me." Ps. lxvi. 20; and xiii. 6. Lord, may this be the language and the exercise of my heart, and do thou grant me to believe more firmly in thy name. Lift up your eyes to th' heavenly seat Kind Intercessor! there he sits, And loves, and pleads, and prays. In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right Where Jesus sheds the brightest beams Archangels sound his lofty praise Lord, how our souls are all on fire Our tongues rejoice in tunes of praise And while our faith enjoys this sight, Watch and pray; let us be going. Matt. xxvi. 41, 46. Remember Lot's wife. Luke xvii. 32. This is the way, walk ye in it. Isa. xxx. 21. He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Phil. i. 6. To be kept from self-righteousness on the one hand, and from false liberty on the other, is the right Christian way. But how shall I find it? 0 my dear Jesus, thou art the way! Teach me then to walk in thy strength, to live in thy faith, to gaze much upon thee, to cleave firm unto thee, and abide ever in thee; so shall I experience the liberty of thy Gospel, which yieldeth no licence for sin, but bringeth joyful deliverance from its power; for when my heart resteth on thee, it cannot rest in the flesh, and seek to fulfil its lusts, but being delighted with thy beauty and glorious love, all other things. vanish, and I am kept watchful close and fervent, I live a life of godly holiness hid with thee. Send forth the Spirit and prepare my heart thus to abide in thee, and to turn and bring me back when I turn to the right hand or to the left. When my forgetful soul renews The savour of thy grace, But, ere one fleeting hour is past, Then I repent and vex my soul, That I should leave thee so; Where will those wild affections roll, Shew my forgetful feet the way That leads to joys on high: There knowledge grows without decay, Walk before me (as in my presence) and be thou perfect. Gen. xvii. 1. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man; for God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Eccles. xii. 13, 14. I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof, in the day of judgment. Matt. xii. 36. CONSEQUENTLY all such things as are now called O may these thoughts possess my breast, Nor let unruly passions dare Consent to sin, for God is there. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John iii. 3. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Cor. v. 17. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, &c. Titus iii. 5, 6. See also James i. 18, and 1 Peter i. 23. CONSEQUENTLY no outward form of religion will do; but we must be renewed by the Spirit of God, and have our hearts changed, else we cannot enter into the kingdom of God. CHRIST (by saying, Verily, verily,) has confirmed this twice by an oath. How is it possible then that mere honest and moral men can be saved? Will CHRIST break his double oath? No, surely. Now, since outward gross vices only are blamed in conversation or preaching, a moral man slips through the law without censure; and the careless think they can leave off their open sins one time or another; and so none are duly concerned to be thoroughly converted; but the new birth and a real change of the heart being insisted upon, and CHRIST held forth in this only true way, every one who will be saved must be turned. The second Adam shall restore The ruins of the first; When from the curse he sets us free, His Spirit purifies our frame, And seals our peace with God; Jesus and his salvation came By water and by blood. |