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If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him....1 John ii., 15.,

THE voice of carnal reason cries, "God hath created passions within us, therefore gratify them." At this bar, inconsistency is pronounced upon scripture; but the voice of inspiration proclaims, "The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, are not of the Father;" therefore teaches, crucify them. Let no disciple of Jesus think this a hard saying. Nay, but the soul can find no happiness but in the love of God. If other objects attract our affections to seek happiness in them, as they stand in competition with, so they will keep us from the sense of the love of God; where the treasure is, there will the heart be. When the love of God lives in the heart, the love of the world dies. If the love of the world gains the affections the love of the Father subsides. We can no more love two such contrary objects with a supreme love than we can exist in time and eternity, in heaven and on earth at one and the same time; one will necessarily give place to the other in experience and enjoyment. The carnal gratifications of the flesh, vain indulgences of pleasing the eye, with whatever promotes the pride of nature; the riches, pleasures, honors of this perishing world, are all contrary to the love of God in the heart, which is the essence of all true holiness and real happiness. These things war against the soul. Alas! awful instances we see of many professors being bewitched and ensnared by the enchanting allurements of the world to forsake Jesus and the hope of the gospel. Melancholy complaint of St. Paul: "Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world."....2 Tim. iv. 10. Saints are delivered from this evil world; they are redeemed from a vain conversation by Jesus: they are forbid by his Spirit to be conformed to the world. O, it is a blessed thing to die to the world before we die in it. The men of this world are declared enemies to God's children; it is our wisdom ever to be on our guard against them; though it is our duty to behave with all kindness and courtesy, to do them all the good in our power, yet let us beware that they do us no harm. "Can a man take fire in his bosom, and not be burnt?".... Prov. vi. 27. Close intimacy with carnal friends exposes to danger; alluring smiles from them often wound deep where open opposition could do no harm. What is all the gain of the world to the happy sense of God's love? He who buys a fine suit of clothes, though ever so cheap, infected with the plague, hath no great bargain.

The brightest things below the sky
Give but a flatt'ring light;

Our dearest joys and nearest friends,
The partners of our blood,

We should suspect some danger nigh, How they divide our wav'ring minds,

Where we possess delight.

And leave but half for God!

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In the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee: The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee....Isa. xxvi. 8.

HEREIN appears the wisdom and glory of our Lord. He hath ordained the way wherein his people should walk, as well as the end which they shall surely enjoy, salvation. Thus is it manifest, by perseverance in grace and holiness, that any sinner is effectually called to the knowledge of Jesus and salvation by him.

Though in regeneration the carnality and corruption of our nature are not destroyed, yet by the word and Spirit the soul is possessed with a desire after Jesus, and the sweet remembrance of his name is fixed in the heart; he is all their desire and all their salvation; they know and feel themselves to be poor and lost; they are humbled in soul; hope from every object but Christ is cut off. But yet some cannot speak of such manifestations of joy and tokens of comfort which others tell of. Hence they distress and disquiet their minds, are ready to question whether they have any true knowledge of love to, and interest in the Lord. But this is not right; for it is plain and evident, where there is a desire of soul to the name of Jesus, and a remembrance in the heart of his salvation, as our only hope, this ariseth from a degree of knowledge and faith; and love also in proportion is drawn out after precious Christ. Such will be found waiting upon the Lord, for they see his grace.

There is something in the name of Jesus that is attracting; that in the nature of his work and salvation which suits their desperate state, and which they love to hear of and wait for. The secret power of the Spirit inclines the heart in the way of God's judgments, in the ordinances of his house, in private duties, secret meditation and reading, &c. Yea, though in distress and affliction, still they wait upon, yea wait FOR the Lord, for more knowledge, stronger faith, greater love. Therefore such who lightly esteem, yea speak contemptibly of such "good desires," speak unadvisedly with their lips; they "make sad the heart of the righteous, whom the Lord would not have made sad." Jesus doth not despise "the day of small things," he loves the weakest lamb in his flock, he delights in the smallest work of his own Spirit, he doth not despise the least desire of the soul towards him, his loving heart will not "break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, till he send forth judg ment unto victory."

God is mine all-sufficient good,

My portion and my choice;
In him my vast desires are fill'd,
And all my pow'rs rejoice.

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I bless thy grace, that e'er my soul
Had one desire to thee.

No name so sweet whereon to hope,
As Jesus is to me.

I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts: According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my Spirit remaineth among you: Fear ye not.... Hag. ii. 4, 5.

WHEN the Lord calls his people to great work, or grievous sufferings, he animates them with strong consolations; for as their day is, their strength shall be. This passage shines bright, as it manifests the most comforting views and clearest discoveries of covenant-grace and love to saints of old, engaged in a very arduous work of Jehovah. "Whatever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we might have hope."....Rom. xv. 4. Our hope is established and strengthened through patience and comfort of the scriptures; and as they encourage our hope, they also forbid our fears; as if salvation was precarious and uncertain, as though the foundation of hope rested upon conditions we fulfil to secure it. Blessed be God faith hath a surer anchor-hold, even the word, the covenant, the oath of Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit. The knowledge of this, under all the discouraging views of nature and sense, lifts the believer above himself, and makes him triumph in the everlasting, unchangeable love and sovereign grace of the glorious trinity. So children of God in every age feed upon one and the same bread of life, Jesus. He is the Logos, the word, with whom the Father covenanted for sinners. According to this, the love of the Father is towards us, even while we are in our natural state, in Egyptian bondage; yea the love of the Lord of hosts is the cause of our deliverance from it, and conversion to his blessed self; so also his Spirit remaineth with us. By his sweet agency and power our blind eyes are enlightened to see the glory and suitableness of Jesus, our deaf ears opened to hear the loving voice of this dear charmer, and an understanding heart is given us to disclaim all other hope, and to know and choose Jesus, believe in and love him as our only precious Saviour. What blessed confidence is this! We are exhorted to "hold it fast." "FEAR YE NOT," saith the Lord, "I am ever with you." Fear and distrust are most unreasonable; pride and self-glorying most abominable; sin and disobedience most hateful; love, humility, and gratitude, most powerfully operate upon such highly-favored hearts. Hence faith in a covenant God, and his loving declarations, ever excite the most generous expressions from the heart. "What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me! Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living."....Psalm cxvi. 8, 9, 12.

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God....Rom. viii. 16.

THESE words dropt not from the pen of a saint in a state of sinless perfection; nor is this invaluable privilege, this heavenly blessing, peculiar to the experience of Paul the apostle, but to Paul, less than "the least of all saints, and chief of all sinners," as he confesseth himself to be. It hath been enjoyed by poor sinners, through faith in Jesus, in all ages; it is the common privilege of all christians. We may well cry out in astonishment with Solomon, "But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? Behold heaven, and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee."....2 Chron. vi. 18. Amazing condescension! "Lord what is man, sinful, helldeserving man, that thou shouldest thus visit him" with thy comforting presence! Delightful to think of. There is a sweet relation subsists between the high and lofty one and wretched miserable sinners. In Jesus they both unite. The fulness of the godhead, and the misery and curse of the manhood state of his people meet in him. From the head Jesus, the Spirit proceeds, and like the oil on Aaron's head descends to all the members. To their spirits he bears witness, agreeable to the word of truth, of their covenantrelation as children, adopted sons of God by faith in Jesus Christ. Let no believing soul be distressed or deluded by the deceiving of others, so as to expect a vision, manifestation, or revelation that may be seen, heard, or felt by the outward senses. No; the Spirit bears witness to our spirits, not to our senses! even as the law bears witness to the conscience that we are sinners, and works wrath there; so the blessed Spirit bears an inward witness to the mind, that we are the righteous children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus; that "he died for our sins and rose again for our justification;" that in him we are chosen, beloved, accepted, justified, pardoned, and shall be glorified with him. Thus saith Jesus, "He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”...... John xvi. 14.

See, O believer, the riches of covenant-grace! Admire and adore the wonderful love of the trinity! Hast thou received the witness of the Spirit of Jesus in the word through faith? Happy, highly favored art thou among men. Art thou waiting and longing for the promise of the Father? the joyful testimony and assurance of the Spirit to thy heart that thou art his child? It is sure; not because of any good thing naturally found in thee, but because Jesus intercedes before the throne. Therefore thou mayest pray in the assurance of faith, having this promise to all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, "Your heavenly Father will give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him."....Luke xi. 13.

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And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the Lord their God....Lev. xxvi. 44,

CAN any child of God read his Father's awful threatenings in this chapter, and think light of sin? Can he count it a small thing to walk contrary to God's revealed mind and will? Indeed one would think it impossible; nor can we hardly believe any one who has known the true grace of God could read this verse and ever dare open his mouth and shoot his arrows of bitter words against the doctrines of everlasting, electing love, sovereign grace, and the certain salvation of every redeemed soul. But alas! when the mouth of proud man is not held in by the bridle of humility, what awful, what horrid speeches will he dare to utter, even against the plain and express declarations of Jehovah himself! The rank weeds of natural notions are offensive to gracious souls. Pride, unbelief, and corrupt reason, mutually strengthen each other in carnal hearts, in enmity and opposition to free-grace truths. But what is a bone of contention to such, is wholesome comfortable food to self-emptied and humble souls, through the faith of Jesus.

To every self-abased soul, who has no hope but in the word of the Lord, no confidence but in the covenant-love of Jesus our Mediator, the Lord our God speaks thus comfortably; "Though in the land,” yea as thou often fearest, in the hand and under the power of thine enemy, O hear and rejoice! thy Lord saith, "I will not cast away, abhor, utterly destroy." Though thou hast broken the covenant, yet God will not. It is firm as the mountains; unshaken as the rocks. God will visit for sin, chastise for provocations, correct for backsliding. All this is covenant-love; but to cast away his children he will not: to abhor them he cannot; to destroy and punish them in hell is ⚫ contrary to his truth, his justice, his promise, his oath, his covenant, established in love, and ratified by the blood of Jesus, his Son, our Saviour. What tongue saith, Is it so? Come then, let us sin with an high hand! Poor soul, thy speech bewrayeth thee. The sound of grace has only reached thine ear; but where it is known and felt in the heart, it speaks otherwise. God's free, loving, absolute declarations attract to love and obedience. The grace of God that brings salvation, teaches to deny all ungodliness, &c....Tit. ii. 11, 12.

The promise of my Father's love

Shall stand for ever good:
He said, and gave his soul to death,
And seal'd the grace with blood.

To this dear cov'nant of thy word

I set my worthless name;
I seal th' engagement to my Lord,
And make my humble claim.

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