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Je are come to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling....Heb. xii. 24.

WHEN from zeal and affection for their beloved master, the disciples would have called for fire from heaven, "He rebuked them, saying, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of." In young disciples there is often much heat of zeal which is not according to knowledge; they know but little what evils they are called from, and what privileges they are come to. It behoves all to be diligent in reading, hearing, and studying, the truths of Jesus. So the Spirit makes wise heads and joyful hearts. To see, taste, and feel somewhat of Jesus from the law, the types and figures, the prophesies, promises, and the gospel, is the chief concern of simple souls; so their hearts are daily more and more established in faith; and they know more assuredly that they are really come to Jesus. When we read of Moses sprinkling the people, and crying out, "Behold the blood of the covenant,"....Exod. xxiv. 8....this comfortably reminds us of the pardon of sin by the precious blood of the dear Lamb; and how the sprinkling of this blood purifies the heart from sin, and the conscience from guilt, by faith.

The acceptable sacrifice of Abel, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, brings to our minds the most excellent sacrifice of our dear Saviour. This speaks righteousness, peace, love, and salvation to our souls; this silences all guilty fears; this revives and comforts drooping, trembling hearts, knowing that Jesus is our dear and ever-loving Mediator before the throne. This gives boldness and confidence of free access to God, and freedom of heart to draw nigh to, love him, and rejoice in him. Whatever our various cases, frames, and circumstances are, our only wisdom and comfort lies in simply commending all to Jesus, knowing that we are come to him, and live comfortably, by daily coming to him. Is sin our sorrow, grief, and burden? Jesus has a plea for it; he does not extenuate or excuse it. Nor should we; but confess it with all its aggravations: his blood speaks before the throne; the Spirit bears witness to it. When the voice of sin and terror is heard in thy conscience, Christ's blood speaks pardon from God, freedom from condemnation, peace of conscience, joy of heart, and a hope full of immortality. Happy to be come to Jesus, and joyful to believe in him as our Mediator. O, how full of the richest consolation is this word! "If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."....1 John i. 9.

Our Jesus call'd and bade us come
To him for ease and rest;
Our souls obey'd his heav'nly voice,
And we in him are blest.

Christ is our Mediator dear

Before the throne of God:
Our conscience finds sweet peace with
Now sprinkled with his blood.

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My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you....Gal. iv. 19.

MANY sincere disciples, who are convinced of sin, hope in themselves cut off, and have fled to Jesus for refuge, are often distressed because they have not been under such dreadful terrors of legal wrath which others talk of, and are mistaken for the pangs and travail of the new birth. But there is no authority from scripture to conclude we must have such great terrors of hell and damnation ere we come to and believe on Christ. Nay, the law may work great wrath in the conscience, and yet the soul never be converted to Jesus and the holiness of the gospel. The Spirit is a sovereign agent. Enlightened, convinced souls are differently wrought on; some feel more, others less terror; but each see the sinfulness of sin, their lost state by nature the spirituality of the law and the preciousness of Jesus before they will come to him. On such the dear Saviour sees the travail of his soul, and is satisfied."....Isa. liii. 11. Zion, the church, in her living members, travails in faith and prayer, and by her, as the mother, children are brought forth....Isa. Ixvi. 8. Ministers, in their painful labours and endeavours, travail that souls may be born to Jesus.

Thus laborious and affectionate Paul travailed in birth again for the apostatizing Galatians. He had been in pain for them till they were brought forth at first as a holy seed in their conversion to Jesus; but now his soul was pained at their turning back again to the law. Children of God, though little in knowledge, and weak in faith, are as dear to Jesus as adult christians; so are they to his faithful ministers. But they are fearful of believing too much in, and trusting too much on, the finished work of Jesus. Their poor legal hearts are ever, now and then, looking to the law, and leaning to something of their own; but the Spirit will not leave such to abide in a feeble, infantine state. Ministers labour and travail for their growth in grace, by the knowledge of Jesus: the gracious Spirit, by the word, forms Christ more perfectly in them; he increases more perfect knowledge of his finished salvation, in the full atonement of his blood, the perfection of his righteousness, and the prevalency of his intercession for their justification and acceptance with God: and also in their sanctification, he more perfectly forms the image of Christ in them, as to the disposition of their hearts and conformity of their lives." We are changed into his image by the Spirit of the Lord."....2 Cor. iii. 18.

Glory to God the Spirit give,
From whose almighty pow'r,

Our souls their heav'nly birth derive,
And bless the happy hour.

Dear Lord, thou Spirit, with us stay,

And let us not thee grieve;
O, guide us thro' our desart way,
And never, never leave.

Jesus said unto him, Wherefore didst thou doubt?.... Matt. xiv. 31.

THE best of men are but men at the best. The most eminent saints of God have experienced doubting, fearful frames, as well as believing, joyful ones. We have many instances of this in the bold and courageous Peter. Now, at the command of his master, we behold him walking safely on the surface of the great deep. Here he honored his master's word, was very safe and comfortable while he believed his power. To see Peter walking upon the liquid ocean, is not more beyond the power of reason to comprehend and account for, than to see a poor sinner comfortably living and walking by faith on the Son of God, in spite of all the raging waves of unbelief, lust, and corruptions.

But as it was with Peter, so is it often with the believer. The workings of Peter's natural senses, the suggestions of his carnal reason, opposed the actings of his faith; he heard the roaring winds, he saw the boisterous waves, he considered the bulk and weight of his body, and then, up reason, down faith. Reason assures him fluid water cannot support him. Hence he doubts, he fears, he sinks. So the poor sinner, who hath heard the inviting voice of Jesus, and obeyed the word of his grace, to believe on HIM, walks sweetly and comfortably for a season; but anon, corruptions like the surging billows, lift up their threatening heads; temptations, like the stormy wind blow violently upon him; the thunderings of a fiery law are heard; he thinks incensed justice pursues him, and that the face of majesty looks stern upon him. Hence he reasons upon what he is, what he has done, and what he may expect; and all in nature, sense, and feeling is against him. O then, he doubts in his mind and sinks in his spirits! But when he reflects, Jesus is above all, he is mighty to save; then, seeing all hope in him, and none beside him, he cries, "Lord save, or I perish." This is right. Our Saviour loves to hear his poor disciples cry to him. He is near them, and, as Peter was, they are always within the reach of his arm. He loves their persons, approves their crying, but reproves their doubting. Wherefore didst THOU doubt? Though thy sins have reached to heaven, yet my blood is before the throne. Who shall lay any thing to thy charge? It is God that justifieth, who shall condemn thee? I have died, what shall destroy thee, seeing I am able to save to the very uttermost?....Verily, O Jesu, to the poor and needy in their distress, thou art a refuge from the storm.... Isa. xxv. 4.

What tho' the host of death and hell,
All arm'd against me stood,

A friend and helper so divine,
Does my weak courage raise;

Why should their terrors shake tny soul? He makes the glorious vict'ry mine,

My refuge is my God.

And his shall be the praise.

If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.... John xiii. 17.

JESUS is a prophet to teach, a priest to atone, and a king to reign by love in the hearts of all his subjects. So a christian receives the Lord Jesus. Faith in him begets an ear of love to his doctrine, and a heart of obedience to his commands. Let no one call evangelical obedience, legal bondage. For, every precept that drops from the mouth of Jesus, flows from love to us. When he saith, "Do this;" it is for thy happiness and good, O soul. "Avoid that:" love is careful of thee, "Do thyself no harm." pleasant to the renewed soul to hear, his happiness to obey. Faith in Jesus makes all things easy. "His commandments are not grievous." To know them is our privilege. To do them is our happiness.

This is

Say, O christian, is not this thy experience? Art thou not happy in doing the will of Jesus, who died for our sins? Art thou not delighted in obeying Jesus, who hath made peace between God and thy soul? Art thou not joyful in glorifying thy Father, by bringing forth the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ? Verily IN keeping thy commandments, O Lord, there is great reward of grace; in peace and happiness of soul now; and hereafter such shall hear that joyful sentence from our loving Saviour, "Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."....Matt. xxv. 34. Then shall the works of the righteous be owned and proclaimed by the judge. They are called to inherit the kingdom. Why? Because blessed of God the Father with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. Hence the kingdom is prepared for them before the foundation of the world. But it constitutes no part of the believer's happiness, to do any work whatsoever, whereby to entitle himself to the favor of God; or to make the work of salvation more effectual than the blood and righteousness of the Son of God hath. No; this is to be rejected as the vilest slavery, the worst of drudgery; contrary to faith; inconsistent with christian love; and derogatory to the salvation of JESUS. Luther was wont to say, 'if picking up a straw would save me, I would not do it; it would be an act of unbelief of my dear Lord's salvation : but being already saved by Jesus, through his grace, I would go through fire and water to obey his commands.' Where Jesus is the life of the soul, this will be manifest, in obedience to his commands. "Blessed is the man who delighteth greatly in his commandments."....Psalm cxii. 1.

I hear thy word with love,

And I would fain obey:
Send thy good Spirit from above
To guide me lest I stray. •
How perfect is thy word!
And all thy judgments just,

For ever sure thy promise, Lord,
Here I securely trust.

While of thy works I sing,

Thy glory to proclaim,

Accept the praise, my God and King,
In my Redeemer's name.

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Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah....Psalm iii. 2.

HAD David's foes said of him, He deserves no help from God; he would readily have owned this as a great truth. As God's children are comforted by the truth, so the enemy advances lies to distress them. When he attacks their faith and comfort, he boldly impeaches the love and faithfulness of their God. "No help for me in God" O, my soul, wilt thou listen to this suggestion? Canst thou indulge such a thought one moment? Art thou beset with distress of soul, and surrounded with troubles and difficulties? Art thou singing a melancholy note? Selah, saith David: pause, consider this; lift up thy mind to attend; how dishonorable to thy God, how destructive to thy faith, peace, love, and holiness, is this! Know the voice of thy enemy. Hear the voice of thy Saviour. His word is adapted to thy circumstances, however distressing or desperate. "Thou hast destroyed thyself!" What is added? Perish in thine own undoings, take it for thy pains? No: for almighty love proclaims its own triumph; "But in me is thine help."....Hos. xiii. 9.

"Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward." When born again he finds more enemies and troubles than ever: a sinful nature burdens him, carnal lusts perplex him, satan tempts and accuses him, unbelief besets and dejects him; but, most joyful truth, God is his dear Father, Jesus his precious Saviour, the holy Spirit his loving comforter. Where should the poor sinner look? To whom should the exercised, afflicted soul go? Happy for him when with David, he goes with childlike simplicity, and tells his sorrowful complaints to his dear Saviour; "Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! Many rise up against me." They say of my soul, "There is no help for me in God." The Saviour loves to hear his members' complaints; he delights to redress them. Thus, when driven from all hope and help from within and without, then they honor him in faith and prayer. As when the little child is affrighted with lying stories, it flies to the arms of its father for safety, tells him of its fears, and thus its little heart gets ease; so David found it: his experienced heart cries out, "Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter-up of my head. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord; thy blessing is upon thy people." Thus, though a mournful complaint ushers in this Psalm, yet it concludes in the joy and triumph of faith. "Though weeping may endure for a night, yet joy cometh in the morning."....Psalm xxx. 5. Tho' weeping for a night endure,

And foes distress my heart;

Yet in the morning joy is sure:
Our Saviour takes my part.
VOL. I.

O, listen then unto his word,

In his sweet promise trust:
Thy foes shall flee before thy Lord,
Who faithful is and just.

Ꮮ1 .

M.

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