I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. 1 CHRON. xxix. 17. The Lord looketh on the heart. 1 SAM. xvi. 7. AS GOD searches the heart and tries the reins, he cannot be deceived by outward form; we ought not therefore to deceive ourselves in this particular. It is no certain proof of a real conversion to GOD, if we only reform the grosser sins of our former lives, much less if we only abstain from such things as by nature we are not so much inclined to indulge; but if our hearts are so renewed by the grace of the Holy Spirit, as to be firmly and habitually opposed to our most beloved lusts, we have good evidence of a real conversion: for these inward capital enemies the LORD and all his upright followers attack most before all the rest. If we would give over that which is dearest to us, we must first know and believe that CHRIST is able and willing to help us, and has engaged his word that none shall seek his face in vain. Let us keep this thought ever in our minds; it will both stir up faith and encourage diligence in seeking after salvation. Mistaken souls that dream of heaven, And make their empty boast Of inward joys and sins forgiven, I will hedge up her way with thorns, and make a wall that she shall not find her paths; and she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them and not find them; then shall she say, I will go and return unto my first husband, for then was it better with me than now. HOSEA ii. 6, 7. As it is only with thee, O my dear SAVIOUR, that I can be happy, I would never leave thee any more. And that I may not slip from thee unawares, even under good pretences, I desire to have my way well hedged up, and be encompassed everywhere with thorns. Let me quickly discover and crucify everything which would give the least disturbance to the enjoyment of thy love, that I may always closely walk with thee alone, and never take a step out of thy way, for fear of running myself into the thorns, and bringing unnecessary sufferings upon me; though I do not mean to avoid the cross of CHRIST in other respects, but would willingly submit to any sufferings, which are never without good fruit. Glory be to thee, O my blessed SAVIOUR, that thou hast not given me up yet, and suffer me to run into destruction in my own ways! O be pleased to restrain me evermore; and whenever I am in danger of sliding into the broad way, let me find no rest till I am brought back, though it be through the briers of affliction. I know thy judgments, LORD, are right, Before I knew thy chastening rod, And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. GEN. XXVii. 24. THERE HERE are certainly some circumstances in this affair which may help a little to excuse Jacob and his mother, but cannot justify them. The case may be thus stated. It cannot be denied on the one hand, but that both Jacob and his mother were justly to be praised for having a due esteem of the father's solemn blessing, and for their endeavouring to attain it; since this could proceed from no other motive than a full persuasion of the truth of God's promises and covenant with Abraham. And thus, from the consideration of the goodness of the end, and from Jacob's title to the blessing as accompanying the birthright, as also from the fore-appointment of GOD, together with Isaac's approbation of the thing when done, may be drawn some arguments to lessen their crime. But on the other hand, it must be confessed, that the means used to attain their ends were highly criminal. Rebecca was wrong in her advice to her son, and he was wrong in following it; for though GOD, before he was born, designed him to inherit the blessing, yet he ought to have waited until the Divine Wisdom opened the way, and not have anticipated GOD, and procured the blessing by an irregular act of his own. Besides, both of them, by this act, presumed to limit the power of GOD, by thinking that fraud was needful to accomplish GOD's purpose. Let not your hearts with anxious thoughts But trust in Providence divine, And trust my gracious aid. Lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. HEB. iii. 13. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. JAMES i. 14. OTH OTH sin present itself? turn away from it with loathing and prayer. Give it not a look, lest it ensnare thee. If thou committest sin, and diest without repentance, thy soul is lost, and thy redemption ceaseth for ever; or if thou committest sin and dost repent, yet expect hidings of GOD's face, and breaking of bones, as David felt to his cost. Oh! what bitter pangs! what painful throes! what shadows of death! what terrors of hell may seize upon thee, before thou canst make thy peace, or settle thine assurance! Wilt thou give way to sin because it is delightful, or because it is pardonable? Who loves poison because it is sweet? or who drinks poison because he may have an antidote? seeing it will work to his trouble, if it work not out his life! I have a precious soul, shall I lose it for a lust? I have a gracious GOD, shall I venture him for a sin? No, LORD, give me grace to resist sin, give me victory over it. Let me always reject that, for the indulgence of which I am sure to lose my peace, and endanger the loss of my immortal soul. A tender conscience give me, LORD, And put thy fear within, That I may tremble at thy word, All mine iniquities blot out, Cast me not from thy sight, nor take Restore me thy salvation's joy; With thy free Sp'rit me stay. M This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and by blood; and it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witness in himself. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son, hath life. 1 JOHN v. 6, 10-12. JESUS came with water and blood; not with water alone, to sanctify us, but also with his blood to make atonement for our sins. We should, therefore, first of all, penitently seek and obtain remission of sins in his blood, then may we hope to obtain the water of life, the Holy Ghost, for our inward purification and sanctification. And his Holy Spirit will bear witness within us, that the Gospel is truth, and that GOD will fulfil his word, by giving us everlasting life, as he hath promised. We have three witnesses of it in heaven, and three on earth. And if we believe in CHRIST, we have this true testimony in ourselves, and may therefore assuredly know, "that having the Son of GOD, we have life, eternal life; for he is (according to verse 20) life eternal;" and, consequently, being in him, we are already entered into everlasting life. Let all our tongues be one To praise our GOD on high; My Saviour's pierced side It cost him cries and tears To bring us near to GOD; |