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No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.... Cor. xii. 3..

"As the heavens declare the glory of the Lord, and the firmament sheweth his handy-work:" so every page of his sacred word proclaims his grace to his people, reminds them of the insufficiency of their natural power and free-will to any saving purposes. Formal professors say, that Jesus is the Lord. The confession is easy. It is common to the openly profane, and the most decent Pharisee; but is no more profitable to salvation than the true declaration from satan, “Thou art the Holy One of God,"....Mark i. 24. But saving confession of Jesus with the lips proceeds from inward believing on Jesus with the heart; and this from spiritual discoveries to the mind by the Holy Ghost. O believer, know thy distinguishing blessing! Esteem not this a common privilege, but special grace, that thou canst see, canst own, canst come to, trust in, and call the despised Nazarene, the once sin-bearing, sin-atoning, curse-sustaining Jesus, thy Lord and thy God; in whom is all thy hope, and from whom is all thy salvation. This is truly the faith of God's elect.

Hear what thy master proclaims of such a confession; "Blessed art thou; for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."....Matt. xvi. 17. This is the mystery of the Father's kingdom: this is given only to his children to know. Therefore the Holy Ghost is sent into their hearts to make it manifest. Most blessed confesson! May it be ever uppermost in our minds, in our lips, and evidenced by our lives, that Jesus is JEHOVAH. That Jesus is the LORD, the Saviour, the man, and Mediator....our atonement on the cross; our righteousness in his life; our intercessor at the right-hand of glory; this, this is our plea to all that are against us. We are sure it is a godly, righteous plea, for it is given us by the Holy Ghost in the word of truth. By it the Father is glorified; Jesus is honored; drooping, fainting hearts are revived and comforted; faith is established, hope confirmed, love increased, holiness advanced, satan vanquished, sin subdued, the law answered, the world overcome, death conquered, and we sharers in the triumphs of glory and immortality.

Christian soul chear up. With this truth in thine heart: with this confesson in thy mouth, go on thy way rejoicing: nor men nor devils can harm thee. Jesus thy Saviour is the Lord almighty to protect, ever-loving to save. Only fear to offend against love itself. Never suffer a doubt of Jesus' love in thy mind. Grieve not the Holy Spirit. Come, a few more days to prove thy allegiance to Jesus thy Lord on earth, and thou shalt reign with him in glory. Ever remember thy Lord's blessed promise, "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven."....Matt. x. 32.

Jesus said, will ye also go away?....John vi. 67.

THIS, O soul, is the voice of thy beloved. Thy friend put this question to his own disciples. Our captain keeps no prest men in his service. All his subjects enter as volunteers. They are made willing to come to him, believe on him and greatly esteem the day of his power, to follow and cleave to him. Force, restraint, and compulsion act not on their ingenuous minds. But what they find in Jesus now, present peace; what they expect from Jesus hereafter, glory and salvation, endears him to their souls.

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Daily observation furnishes with instances of many who profess to own Christ and to follow him for a season; but anon, through not understanding his doctrine, not seeing their own misery and wretchedness, and not knowing his love, they are offended, forsake Christ, his truths and his ways. They go back again to the world, to the enjoyment of their lusts, and take up with carnal preachers, who cry peace, peace unto them. Thus they make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience, which they professed to have; and the last end of such is worse than their first. They forsake their own mer. cies, by turning their backs upon precious Jesus; and are left to perish without hope or remedy.

But a true disciple, who knows Jesus in spirit and truth, our Saviour keeps from such folly. The sight of others falling off and leaving him is made of blessed use to such. It excites humility and gratitude....quickens to holy jealousy and godly watchfulness. Such a tender expostulation put to the soul," Wilt thou also go away?" O how it kindles a spark of fire, and blows up a flame of love in the poor sinner's heart! As when a tender, indulgent parent says to his dear little child, Wilt thou go away and leave ME? How does it draw forth the love and affection of its heart! and the little thing, with eager embraces, clings the faster to its parent. O, by this question our dear Saviour has often roused my sluggish heart: and called forth a holy fear; and excited an earnest cry, "Lord keep me ....Ọ never, never let me forsake thee!"

When the aged Polycarp was joyfully going to seal the truth of his faith with his blood, being threatened by his pro-consul with death in various shapes, answered, 'Why tarriest thou? Bring forth what thou wilt; we christians are fixed in our minds not to change from good to evil.' Then the pro-consul promised him liberty if he would reproach Christ. (O, the affecting reply! how ingenuous! how full of love!) Eighty and six years (said he) have I served my Lord Christ, and he has never done me the least wrong: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour? How victorious is faith! how powerful is love! Lord, increase our faith! Jesus inflame our love! "To whom should we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.".... John vi. 68.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God; and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.... 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17.

THE poor sinner who writes this, being in a dangerous illness, was in a very dark and comfortless frame of mind for two days. The third day, light, peace and joy overspread his soul by these words being brought to his mind: "After two days he will revive us, in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight." On this he called for a bible. O how was his inexpressible joy increased when he read these words in Hosea vi. 2. On being asked, If he had done with the bible? he answered with a flood of joyful tears, No: never, never shall I have done with that blessed book, till I change time for eternity.' The Spirit of inspiration ever honors his own word of truth. All peace, comfort and joy are derived from it through faith. We shall suffer no loss, if we suspend judgment on comforts, till we have tried them by this touchstone of truth. Be on your guard against the flatteries of false peace and the delusions of unscriptural joys.

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Revealed truths are inspired of God: they are the objects of faith. By the knowledge of them the Spirit consolates the soul, lovingly reproves and corrects what is amiss; profitably instructs in the fundamental truths of Jesus' righteousness unto justification of life; and the believer's obedience unto righteousness. No one doctrine of God's word should be slightly regarded. In this sense, he that rejects one point of truth is guilty of all. This is to impeach the wisdom of the Spirit, as though he had made known any one needless and insignificant doctrine. This, instead of being doers of the word, is to judge and condemn the word. Jesus is the sum and substance of the scriptures. All the promises are in him. All the doctrines of grace lead to him and centre in him. These are the furniture of faith while Jesus is the chief object of the soul. So disciples go on to perfection in knowledge, love and holiness; therefore they should prize the scripture as their companion; consult it as their familiar friend; and pray over it as their constant guide. To these ends they are given of God: when thus received by us, we shall also be "edified, and walk in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost."....Acts ix. 31.

Laden with guilt and full of fears,

I fly to thee, my Lord,
And not a glimpse of hope appears,
But in thy written word.

The volume of my Father's grace

Does all my grief assuage:
Here I behold my Saviour's face
Almost in ev'ry page.

We have not an high-priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are; yet without sin....Heb. iv. 15.

"WITHOUT Sin!" O, cries the sanctified soul, that this was my happy state. And verily, as sure as the word of God is true, thou shalt enjoy this perfect freedom from thy worst enemy. But thou must be content to wait God's time, and live in God's way; that is, by faith upon thy best friend Jesus. Thy present blessedness is to understand and rejoice in this great mystery, that Christ who knew no sin was made sin for us. Therefore, by faith we glory, knowing that God looketh on us, blesseth us as righteous in Christ, and doth not impute sin unto us. As the head is without sin, so are all the members, viewed and beloved in the sight of God. And this is the evidence that we are born of the Spirit and have the mind of Christ, that we hate all sin and long for entire deliverance from it, and aspire after full conformity to the image of God. But this we cannot enjoy in the body. We must first sleep in Jesus ere we awake up after his perfect likeness.

In the mean time we have a loving, sympathizing high-priest before the throne of God. This is our comfort. That very human nature in which our sins were expiated on earth, is now crowned with glory in heaven. This is very refreshing. Christ can as soon forget his own glory as any part of his suffering body. He feels for them. He is touched with the most tender concern and affection towards them. He knows what sore temptations mean, for he hath felt the same. Temptations, even though most violent, cannot harm us: nay, they do not defile us, unless we enter into them. Therefore, they should not deject us. And need we ever be over come by them? Doth not Jesus live? Have we not free and familiar access to him, as the glorified man and Mediator? Is not all power in heaven and earth given unto him? Believest thou this, O soul? Think on Calvary's proof of his love. Remember Bethany's proof of his resurrection. Call to mind his tender love to, and affectionate care for his sheep, when Saul was worrying them. O he called, "Why persecutest thou ME?" Thou canst not hurt them, but I feel it. He ever lives at the right-hand of glory to intercede for and save us poor sinners. And let thy distress be what it may, his loving advice suits it. "Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me."....Psalm 1. 15.

With joy we meditate the grace

Of our high priest above;
His heart is made of tenderness,
His bowels melt with love.

He in the days of feeble flesh
Pour'd out his cries and tears,
VOL. I.

And in his measure feels a fresh

What ev'ry member bears.
Then let our humble faith address
His mercy and his pow'r;
We shall obtain deliv'ring grace
In the distressing hour.

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Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.... 1 Tim. iii. 9..

FROM a seeming zeal and regard to the ark of God, when it shook, and as he thought was in danger of falling, Uzzah put forth his hand to save it. It seems a very rational act, but it argued distrust of God's power to preserve what was for his glory and honor; therefore the Lord highly resented it.

If the displeasure of Jehovah was thus displayed in regard to the type of the covenant, how jealous is the Lord of hosts of his own glory, contained in the truths of the everlasting covenant, laid up in the sacred ark, Jesus, for all his people! If a trembling ark, touched by an officious hand, was death; one should fear and tremble to attack the revealed truths of God's everlasting love to his people, power to preserve them, and grace to enable them to persevere in the faith unto eternal glory. Human efforts often spring from unbelieving hearts. The hand of nature is often stretched forth to assist when it only counteracts divine purposes. Carnal reason ever opposeth the mystery of the gospel, but faith is supported by God's truths. The conscience can only be purified by Jesus' blood. This mystery of faith is only known to enlightened minds. To hold by it, and to hold it fast in the conscience, is the life and joy of our souls. So the Holy Spirit maintains vital, living union between Jesus and his members. So love is excited to him. A life

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of dependence maintained on him. A throne of grace is delightful to such. Sin becomes more and more hateful in their sight, and the fruits of righteousness are increased to God's glory. O, this is an amazing mystery of our faith! That we, who are guilty sinners in ourselves, yet are in Christ pure and free from all sin; unrighteous in ourselves, yet in Jesus clothed with perfect righteousness; filthy and polluted by nature and practice, but in Jesus, all fair, without spot, beautiful and comely in God's sight. In ourselves, no right to God's love, no title to his inheritance; but in Jesus our right is clear, our title legal, our enjoyment of it infallibly certain. Hold fast this mystery of faith: all thy peace and comfort depend on it. Thus, disciple, fix thy steady eye on Jesus; daily view the promises in him; look constantly for the Spirit's power through him. So shalt thou have "the answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus."....1 Pet. iii. 21. "Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe; and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.". Psalm cxix. 117..

Why does your face, ye humble souls,

Those mournful colours wear?

What doubts are these that waste your

And nourish your despair? [faith,

Awake our hearts, adore the grace
That buries all our faults,
And pard'ning blood, that swells above
Our follies and our thoughts.

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