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Meditations.

and desperate, through a Mediator's broken body. To this sure refuge will I fly: Lord, help me to enter in, that I may dwell in safety; let pardoning love fast bar the gate against an accusing conscience and a condemning law; let thy faithfulness and truth be as a brazen wall around me, that none of my fears may break through, none of my sins, destroy me. Let thy power keep the strong hold of my heart, that no son of violence may hurt me: thus let my city of refuge be kept from every avenger, and under thy shadow let me sit, not only with safety, but great delight. Thou hast spoken, and who shall disannul it? Thou willest me to be comforted, and why shall I refuse the consolation? Strengthen thou my faith, Lord, that my joy may abound through the power of the Holy Ghost.

MEDITATION. X.

HEBREWS X. 38.

If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

THE Scriptures are full of warning: take notice, my soul, and with holy jealousy work out thy salvation with fear and trembling. How dangerous to draw back! better never have known the way of righteousness. Yet how common these departures from the faith. How many have I known, who seemed to begin in the spirit, and have ended

Meditations.

in the flesh! Set up, my soul, these pillars before thee in this our plain of Sodom. Lot's wife may be seen in every street: what is there to engage thee to turn back, or cast a lingering look behind? The world, from which thou art called, is a vain shadow; it is unsatisfactory in the enjoyment, it perisheth in the using, and it stands only as some mighty pile of fuel to be destroyed by fire. The creatures of it are vain; its indulgences, what fruit do they bring? and how like husks do its most gilded baits disappoint our appetite! Count then the cost. Lord, my soul looketh unto thee; hold me by my hand, that I may not depart from thee. I have such a foolish, such a backsliding heart, that if left but a day to myself, I shall turn aside; but thou who hast led me so far, wilt not now let me go: by thy Spirit only can I be holden up; my heart is in thine hand; thou shalt preserve me from the power of the enemy, thou shalt teach me the way wherein I should go, thou shalt guide me with thine eye. I know, Lord, none can pluck me out of thy hand; I will trust therefore, and not be afraid; though thousands fall on every side, thou art my shield and rock of defence. Much have I experienced of thy kindness and care; more I believe thou hast in store. I wait for thy salvation, and I have a good hope, because of thy word; here my anchor fixes. If thou say, "I will put my fear into thine heart, and thou shalt not depart from me;" then may I with confidence rest upon thy grace and love.

Meditations.

MEDITATION XI.

1 COR. vi. 20.

For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

IF any thing can engage my heart to the dear Redeemer, it must be the views of his amazing love and grace, and the sense of the deep obligations these lay upon me. When I see the price he hath paid for me, how can I except to his claim ? It has cost thee precious blood to redeem me from my state of endless misery, and now thou challengest the return of service. Lord, I am thy servant; I am thy servant, for thou hast loosed my bands; I will, through thy grace, make thy glory my great aim and end. I have lived long to dishonour thee; henceforth may thy name be exalted in me and by me; my body is for thee, O Lord, it hath served divers lusts and pleasures, but thou hast redeemed it from the guilty service. It shall serve no more; every sense, every member, let it be an instrument of righteousness unto God. My spirit is thine; its passions, its vile affections, shall reign no more; let purity be written on my inmost soul, and my thoughts be brought into obedience to thee, O Christ! Yet, Lord, after all, what glory can redound to thee from such worthless services as mine? that thou condescendest to accept them, brings me in more thy debtor still. Well, Lord, I am more than

Meditations.

content; I am happy thus to be rendering myself to thee, and increasing thereby my obligations; glorify thyself in me in mercy, till thou glorify me with thyself in the kingdom of thy glory.

MEDITATION XII.

TITUS ii. 10.

That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

GOD is my Saviour; that he is God, is my comfort, for now I know his all-sufficiency of power and love, able to save to the uttermost, and rich in mercy to all that call upon him. I am called to adorn that doctrine which bringeth salvation, and teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; and it is my serious purpose and desire to do so. My character in the world will call for my first regard, to walk in wisdom towards those who are without; to shew an unblameableness of conversation, that they who are of a contrary part, may have no evil thing justly to say of me. I will labour to shew all good fidelity in my dealings, to pay a conscientious regard to truth in my words, to provide things honest in the sight of all men, to be industrious in my calling, to owe no man any thing, to abstain from the appearances of evil, lest I make my brother to offend. My behaviour in my

Meditations.

family, may it be ever such as becometh godliness I would go in and out before them, as an example unto the believers. I would watch particularly against self-will and anger and always speak at my meals something which should be for the use of edifying. I would be constant in prayer with them day and night, that the blessing of God may be in the midst of us. I would watch over all around me with a jealous eye, and above all, over myself, that I lay no stumbling-block in their way. I would instruct them to the best of my abilities in the knowledge of the Redeemer of sinners, and seek that I and my house might serve the Lord. In my particular transactions with God in secret, I will endeavour to lay bare my heart before him; I will take his holy word; I will ask for his illuminating Spirit; I will examine mine own self; no bosom sin, I trust, shall find a hiding-place: my burdens of sin and sorrow will I lay at the feet of my Lord. I will plead with him his promises, and leave my case in my great Advocate's hand. In this way the desire of my soul will be answered, and my Redeemer honoured. Lord, adorn me with thy Spirit, that I may thus adorn thy Gospel.

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