Jesus said, why are ye troubled? And why do thoughtsarise in your hearts?....Luke xxiv. 38. : HELP, O help us, thou dear Lord, who spoke these words to thy affrighted disciples, to gather some sweet consolation from them to our hearts this night: we know thou prayeṣt for us, when thou prayedst for all who should believe on thee....John xvii. 20. O speak in life and power these words to our troubled hearts, and forbid the rising thoughts of distress. Thine is the power: thine shall be the glory. 1st. We here see, though their dear Lord is present, yet his beloved disciples are troubled: yea, and though he had but that moment pronounced PEACE UNTO YOU, yet fears again arose in their hearts: they were as we are, flesh, as well as spirit: men of like passions with us. The frights, fears and troubles which nature is subject to, discompose spiritual frames of disciples. But, 2d. They do not alter our state, nor separate us from the love of Christ this is a cordial under all heart troubles, and the rising of all evil, blasphemous, filthy or horrid thoughts. For, 3d. Christ is touched with the feeling of our infirmities: he sympathizes with us in what is distressing to us: he asks, why are ye troubled? Why do ye give way to unreasonable fears and terrors, which distract and distress your mind? 4th. He takes pains to remove them: says he, "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself;" no other than your dear and loving Saviour. O the condescending grace of Christ! He manifests himself to us. A sight of a risen Christ by faith, expels troubles and fear from our hearts. Therefore, 5th. Whatever troubles, fears, dejections, terrors, or distress arise in our hearts, we are encouraged with all freedom of soul and boldness of hope, to go to him. Now, to the shame of our hearts and the sorrow of our souls, have not you and I acted contrary to this? Instead of simply going to Christ with our heart troubles and soul distresses, have we not questioned Christ's love to us and care for us? Thus satan gets an advantage over us: our Saviour gets no glory from us. O, fools that we are, and slow of heart to believe that Jesus died for our sins, rose again for our justification, and that he is able to save unto the uttermost....ALL them who come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them....Heb. vii. 25. Up then with faith and down with fears: away with all thoughts that trouble our hearts. Look from within: look up. Jesus is before the throne FOR US: "in the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul:" "though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me."....Psalm xciv. 19. and cxxxviii. 7. My troubles, Lord, are known to thee, While I pass thro' this vale of tears, To feel with tender sympathy, And bid them all depart. How oft my spirit sinks, M. But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter....1 Sam. xx. 39. HAD any one asked this lad, what was Jonathan doing in the field? He would doubtless have replied, only shooting arrows for his amusement, and I ran and brought them to him. This was all he knew of the matter. But O, there was a much greater matter here; no less than the precious life of David was at stake. Love directed these arrows the voice of love proclaimed by them David's danger, or his safety. The fatal word, is not the arrow beyond thee; minds David of his danger, and warns him to flee for his life. Observe, 1st. Never did more generous, faithful love dwell in a mere human breast, than in Jonathan's to David. But it diminishes like the light of the stars when the sun appears, compared to that infinitely greater and most intense love, which dwells in the heart of our spiritual Jonathan, i. e. the gift of the Lord: this Jesus is to all his Davids, i. e. beloved ones. 2d. There was a secret between Jonathan and David, on which his life depended. So there is between Jesus and us, on which the life of our immortal souls depend. "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his covenant."....Psalm xxv. 14. His covenant love and grace, and the perpetuity of them: that he has loved us with an everlasting love, and that his grace shall never forsake us, but shall bring us safe to glory. Therefore our souls are safe: our salvation is sure. The Lord forbids our fears: "Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day.".... Psalm xci. 5. Neither sin, death or hell, shall ever prevail over you. 3d. The arrows were either behind, beside, or beyond the LAD: just so are these declarations of God's everlasting love to. LADS in religion: they do not receive them in faith. 4th. As the lad picked up the arrows, but knew not the matter; so do they pick up words, but understand not the secret of the Lord in them: their words betray it; for, say they, "if there is such a covenant, if God loves me with an everlasting love, if Christ has finished salvation for me, if all is of grace, without any condition of works, then no matter how I live, I will take my full swing in sin and wickedness." Such LADS are not in the secret; they are strangers to the power of covenant love and faithfulness; their poor hearts are in bondage to the law; they know not the liberty wherewith Christ makes us free: it lies between the gift of the Lord and his Davids, or beloved ones, only. Now, if you are a man of understanding in the love of the Lord, you will glory in it: study the height and depth, and length and breadth of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God....Eph. iii. 18, 19. VOL. II. Ff The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit....2 Tim. iv. 22. A MOST precious benediction! How blind are all who deny the divinity of Christ! How miserable are all who live without the presence of Christ! How ignorant are all who know not that such a blessing is to be enjoyed! How stupid are all those who seek it not! Art not thou, O christian, wanting, in not more earnestly seeking, and constantly praying for more of the presence of thy Lord? Consider what is implied in this wish. It is heaven in the heart, glory in the soul, to have Christ with our spirits: it disposes and qualifies the soul for heavenly glory. For, 1st. Christ's presence sweetens our bad tempers and subdues our unruly passions. Boisterous waves are changed into a profound calm: rough winds are at peace: foaming billows are still: there is the calm sun-shine of heart-felt joy within all is serene and happy without. Christ's presence causes haughty pride and furious anger's absence. 2d. It fills the soul with love: love to God and man. We cannot enjoy the presence of Jesus without loving him as our Lord. It is love that causes him to be present with our spirits, and our spirits catch the flame of love from him: and if we love God, this love will diffuse itself to our brethren also. 3d. Christ's presence counsels and directs us in all our difficulties. We are often in the dark, both as to provi dence and grace: in things temporal and spiritual: as to our bodies and souls: but the presence of the Lord causes light: solves every difficulty; and makes our way plain before our eyes. 4th. It enables us to bear up under all our distresses. Christ's presence comforts our hearts while afflictions bow down our spirits. 5th. Christ's presence fortifies us with strength to fight manfully against the world, the flesh and the devil. We can do all things through Christ strengthening us: it is out of his fulness we receive grace for our every need. 6th. The presence of Christ animates us in the discharge of every duty, and enlivens the exercise of every grace, of faith, hope, love, patience, &G. Lastly, Christ's presence makes sin hateful, our souls humble, the world contemptible, temptations tolerable, self-denial easy, the cross glorious, satan flee from us, hell vanquished, death conquered, the passage to glory delightful, and heaven most earnestly longed for, that without interruption we may be ever present with the Lord. O, use every means to enjoy the Lord's presence. Avoid all things which may cause him to withdraw it: "Grieve not the holy Spirit of God."....Eph. iv. 30. Our spirits with thy presence bless, To know thy love, and feel thy peace, M. Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints....Jude, 3. 2d. WHEN Paul was preaching the most important truths of the everlasting gospel at Corinth, he was brought before the judgmentseat and accused for his doctrine. Poor Gallio would not concern himself about the matter: he looked on it all as a strife of words, and a contention about names. I will be no judge, says he. He cared for none of these things: his heart was totally unacquainted with the faith of God's saints: but art thou a partaker of like precious faith with the apostles? And canst thou be a Gallio too? Know, if thou wilt not contend for the faith, hell and earth are in arms to contend against it. What is the faith here spoken of?. 1st. The doctrines of faith revealed in the word; the whole scheme of evangelical truths, inspired by the Spirit of truth: these are received by faith; are the rule, the warrant, the support, and the glory and joy of faith: such as the doctrine of the trinity in unity: their everlasting covenant of grace: the result of everlasting love to the elect: the incarnation of the Son of God to save us: our regeneration by the Spirit : 'full and complete salvation by grace, &c. The object of faith: Christ received into the heart by faith, by whom we have peace with God, pardon of sin from him, justification before him, boldness to draw nigh to him, and sweet fellowship with him. Now these truths are delivered to, and received by saints. Says Jude, "Beloved, it was needful that I should exhort you"....to what? Namely, for the sake of peace and quietness, not to dispute and contend for this faith? No; but to CONTEND EARNESTLY, heartily, with warmth of zeal, with a holy glow of affection, in good earnest. Disciple, improve this word of exhortation. 1st. Consider, the doctrines of the gospel and the faith of them are of the greatest moment, both to your being and well-being as a christian. Says Luther, "One little point of doctrine is worth more than heaven and earth." Some ignorantly call the doctrines of the gospel mere opinions; just as if it was indifferent whether believed or not. 2d. Stand reproved, ye lukewarm Laodicean spirits, who have not a word to say in defence of your most holy faith, but under a pretence for peace, are cool and indifferent about truth. Truth is too great a price to purchase peace at. But, 3d. Remember faith works by love: carry the fire of love into all your contentions: eye Christ in all aim at his glory by all: pray to have his mind accompany all: with love and pity to all, pray him to bless all you contend with, if peradventure he may give them repentance to the acknowledging the truth....Tit. i. 1. For the Lord hath called thee, as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth when thou wast refused, saith thy God....Isa. liv. 6. THIS was literally fulfilled, when Christ's church was first gathered to him in the days of his flesh. Scarce were the disciples called and married to Christ the loving bridegroom, by faith, but he was taken away from them by a sudden and violent death: they were then like a woman bereaved of her affectionate husband, who mourned and grieved for her great and affecting loss: they were then as a wife of youth just married, and soon became as widows whom the world refused and rejected. But here lay all their comfort of faith and joy of hope, the Lord had called them, and he would never forsake them though death's relentless arm snatched Christ from them, yet his power could not hold him: by his own omnipotent power Jesus raised himself; and because of his everlasting love for them, he appeared again unto them; and now they are all gathered home to the full enjoyment of their heavenly bridegroom, never, never more to part from him. Disciple, how did the Lord call thee? Wast not thou as a woman forsaken by thy husband, and grieved in spirit? Wast not the law the wife of thy youth? Didst not thou live and comfort thyself in its embraces? When the Lord called thee, did not thy legal hopes and legal comforts forsake thee? When you found your husband speak sharp to you, and look stern upon you, was not you grieved in spirit? Was you not disconsolate, at your wit's end? Didst thou not cry out, O wretched that I am? Did not terror beset thee, and an horrible dread overwhelm thee? When all hope and help failed, and despair of living by thy first husband came upon thee, O the love of Christ; then, then he openly and comfortably espoused thee to himself in the sweet bands of faith: he became thine in sensible enjoyment; and thou becamest his before all the world. What if thou art rejected and refused of the world? What if thou art vileness and deformity in thine own eyes? Yet the Lord loves thee: he chose thee: he has put his rich robe of righteousness, his glorious garments of salvation upon thee. Now thou art precious in his sight; lovely in his eyes: he has put his holy Spirit within thee: he says of thee, "Thou art all fair my love, there is No spot in thee."....Song iv. 7. "There is no condemnation against thee."....Rom. viii. 1. "There is no separation from my love.".... Rom. viii 39. Be a chaste virgin to thy heavenly bridegroom: write it upon the table of thy heart, glory: the rock of my strength, lxii. 7. Ye happy souls, married by faith, In God is my salvation and my and my refuge is in God."....Psalm |