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Remember Lot's wife....Luke xvii. 32.

IT may do a disciple much good, it can do him no harm, to

Hence he may learn from
If he sees professors fall

call to mind the judgments of his God. others' harm to be more wise and wary. away, it teaches him to take heed; it tends to lay him low in humility at the feet of Jesus, and excites gratitude and love in his heart, and makes him cry out in astonishment, Why am I not fallen! How am I kept! "Glory to grace!" It is well, O believer, ever to remember thou standest by faith; "Be not high minded, but fear." O, fear to look back with a wishful eye, or a lusting heart, to the sinful vanities of a carnal world. Remember Lot's wife. What of her? She loitered; she did not keep up with her husband; she was behind him. So, soul; if thou dost loiter, and not keep close with Jesus thy husband, thou wilt be in danger. "She looked back from behind him." Here was an act of folly, unbelief, and disobedience: folly, in thinking, as she was behind Lot, he could not see her look back. Unbelief, in not stedfastly crediting God's word. Disobedience, in looking back to Sodom, contrary to his word, instead of looking forward, and up to the Lord. O soul, forget not Jesus sees the looks of thy heart if they are to this perishing world. He sees the unbelief of thy heart, if thou forgetest him, and lookest to any thing but him for happiness. He will punish disobedience to his voice, "follow me." "She became a pillar of salt."....Gen. xix. 26. A lasting monument of God's judgment. Though we never see this pillar of salt, yet we may see such every day. How many seem to turn their backs upon the world, and escape to Jesus, but their eyes look again to it. Looking begets longing; their feet are again entangled in its snares, their hearts bewitched with its smiles, they are hugged to death in the world's embraces, and become as a pillar of salt: a monument of God's judgment upon their conduct. It is supposed Lot's wife retained her natural shape in this pillar: so in such professors there is all the appearance of the form of religion kept up; but the heart, the spirit, the life and power of it, are entirely extinct in their souls. Their very hearts are given up to the world, and are as cold and as dead to God as Lot's wife, when she became a pillar of salt, was to the things of this life. The eye is a great inlet to temptation. Saints have woefully experienced this! David did. He saw; then he longed after enjoyment. O believer, Jesus is thy object. Here looking may beget love and longing, without danger of hurt; yea, with the greatest certainty of good to thy soul. Ever look to Jesus, remember him; so wilt thou, with Paul, "forget the things that are behind, and press toward the mark of the prize of thy high calling in HIM. Thou hast escaped for thy life." It is the command of thy God, in love to thy soul, "Look not behind thee.”

How can ye believe which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?....Johnv. 44.

"THE fear of man bringeth a snare."....Prov. xxix. 25. It is a great enemy to the power of faith in the heart. The esteem of men, to be well spoken of, to have honor and applause from them, are pleasing to the flesh, but hurtful to the Spirit. The wisdom and learning of natural men, are contrary to the simplicity that is in Christ, incompatible with the cross of Christ, and withstands an open confession of him who is an honor to us; for by the faith of Jesus we are honored of the Father to be his children, and to enjoy sweet, fellowship and communion with him in our spirits.

Here is the blessedness of the faith of disciples; "It standeth not in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God."....1 Cor. ii. 5. Hence we are to "call no man Rabbi, for one is our master, even Jesus." We are to suffer no man to lord it over our faith; not to pin our faith on any man's sleeve; merely to believe what any man says, be he ever so wise and learned. Some are fond of being at the head of a party; others love to humour them, and become tails and tools to them; and their poor hearts are hereby sadly rent and torn, by disputes and divisions which so much abound. But have we not the plain, simple teachings of our blessed prophet to look to? O, how often do disciples of Jesus give honor to men, in expecting that teaching and that comfort from them which cometh from God only! Too oft is it the cry, I will hear what such a one saith, what this and the other teacheth, instead of "I will hear what the Lord God will speak," what he hath taught in his word. I will abide by that only. This honor cometh from God only, to speak peace by Jesus Christ outwardly in his word, and inwardly by his Spirit: therefore we are to search the word diligently, wait for the Spirit patiently, treasure up and ponder upon the sayings of Jesus in our hearts continually. This is to honor him whom the Father honors, to be the prophet of his church. Believers have an "unction from the Holy One that teacheth them all things."....1 John ii. 20. Surely they ought not to hear those who know not the truth! "Them that honor me, I will honor," saith the Lord....1 Sam. ii. 30. "Hear my beloved Son."....Mark ix. 7. tion to believe the word, the promises, concerning full and free salvation by his Son Jesus only, this is the honor the Lord requires from his children: and this obedience of faith, God will honor with inward peace, and the witness of his Spirit; with a life of love, and the sanctifying renewings of the Holy Ghost from day to day. Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. "Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils.".... Isa. ii. 22.

Jehovah commands us. In the face of all opposiand the oath of the Lord

Knowing, that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ....Col. iii. 24.

SAVING knowledge is accompanied with humility, productive of love to Jesus, and delight in his service. To desire to know more of the truth, in order to gain greater measures of love, and more cheerful conformity to him, this is praise-worthy. "For whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the word, this man shall be blessed in his deed."....James i. 25. Christian, thou art not called to dream over dry disquisitions and subtle refinements, merely to fill thy brain with nice speculations; but to have thy heart warmed with love, thy practice influenced to obedience, as well as thy judgment established in truth. Remember thy calling, study thy reward, glory in being a servant of Jesus; his work is pleasant, his service perfect freedom, his wages infinitely great, reward in thy work, reward for thy work, and an eternal inheritance when thy short day's work is ended; and all of the rich favor and free grace of the Lord Christ.

Shall the pleasures of sin, which are but for a season, the vile drudgery of satan, which is miserable bondage, the alluring smiles of a perishing world; shall these be placed in competition with the service of Jesus? "Knowing that we serve the Lord Christ." O, how does this sweeten duty, and make every path delightful! Canst thou hesitate one moment, when the question is, choose you this day whom you will serve, Christ or satan? No, verily thou canst not, if so be thou hast tasted of the infinitely rich grace of the eternally precious Christ. Hath HE bought us with his blood? Redeemed us to God? Wrought out a righteousness to clothe and adorn us, and prepared mansions in heaven to receive us? And shall our conduct be contrary to our profession? Our practice not conformable to our judgment? Or our walk inconsistent with our faith? Where then is the proof that we serve the Lord Christ? What evidence that we know the Lord is interested in, or may expect the reward of his inheritance? We may well cry out, Woe to our wretched, sinful nature, which is contrary to Jesus, and is ever opposing his truth, ways, and love! Shame to us, we love him no more, nor serve him no better! Blessed be Jesus for the gift of his Spirit. O, that through his sanctifying and sin-mortifying operations, we may be in love, wholly devoted to his service, who in mercy wholly devoted 'himself for our salvation!

How strong thine arm is, mighty Lord! He has done more than Moses did,
Who would not fear thy name!
Jesus, how sweet thy graces are!
We love and serve the Lamb.

Our Prophet and our King;
From bonds of hell he freed our souls,
Taught us to love and sing.

The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ....John i. 17.

It is natural to us all to say of the moral law, as the king of Israel said of that faithful prophet of the Lord, Micah, "I hate him, for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.".... 1 Kings xxii. 8. It is true, that the holy, spiritual law of God can yield no comfort, hope, or peace to any poor sinner of mankind. Yet the believer in Jesus cannot hate the moral law; it is a transcript of his Father's mind and will; it is God's good gift; it answers very valuable ends and purposes to the souls of his children. We know sin by the law, as we know Christ by the gospel: though the law was given by Moses, a meek prophet, yet it is full of fiery wrath, ministers' condemnation, and denounces curses, yea eternal death and damnation to every transgressor. Yet why, O soul, shouldst thou hate the law? That is not the cause of all these evils; but thy sins, thy violations of its holy, just, and righteous precepts. Here fix thy hatred; here it is just. Believer, the law is thy friend; it shews thee thy duty; it cuts thee off from all legal hopes; it razes every false foundation, every expectation from thy own righteousness. trumpet sounds its alarm louder and louder; the voice of words is shriller and shriller: and it will ever be terrible in its sound to thy conscience, except thou art under the grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ.

Here, O behold and admire the transcendent excellence of Jesus FULL OF RACE AND TRUTH. GRACE, even the free favor of God to sinners, came by Jesus Christ. TRUTH, in every accomplishment of the ceremonial, in perfect fulfilment of every righteous demand which the moral law could exact. Here is thy wisdom, to oppose the life and death of Jesus to every righteous demand, to every terrible threatening, and every dreadful curse of the law. As he is thy husband; all debts, dues, and demands he for ever satisfied. Jesus came "not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it."....Matt. v. 17, Says the immortal HERVEY, "Jesus is the author of our faith, and the former of our graces. In his unpolluted life we see the path, in his meritorious death the price, and in his triumphant resurrection the proof of bliss and immortality. If we offend, and fall seven times a day, he is the Lord our peace; if we are depraved, and our best deeds unworthy, he is THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. If we are brutish in heavenly knowledge, he is the Lord our wisdom, his word dispels the shades, his Spirit scatters the intellectual gloom, his eye looks our darkness into day. In short we are nothing, and Christ is ALL. Worse than defective in ourselves, we are complete IN HIM. We act by strength, and glory in a righteousness not our

own."

If children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ....Rom. viii. 17.

Ir a child, from a spirit of untowardness, runs into and rolls itself in the dirt, would not that parent be a monster of barbarity who, instead of cleansing it from its filth, should dash out its brains? Yet there are those who dare assert such to be the conduct of God towards his children in Christ. For they say, though a man be a child of God, by faith in Christ Jesus, yet he may so fall into sin, that God may consign him eternally to hell for it; but, like Paul, such speak "ignorantly, and in unbelief." While we wish them to be taught better; from such miserable teachers, and such false doc trine, we pray "Good Lord deliver us." What! Can any of God's children be in such a filthy, polluted condition, that he has not wisdom enough to know them? Is there not love and power enough in his Spirit to lead them to the fountain of Christ's blood, that they may wash and be clean? Or has not the blood of Jesus virtue enough "to cleanse them from ALL sin?" It is plain, such notions come from the father of lies; for they deny the reign of grace, and flatly contradict the glorious truth here asserted.

First, "If children," how come any sinners, who are by nature children of wrath, to be children of God? "God predestinated them unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself," &c.... Eph. i. 5. They are begotten and born into this state by the Spirit of adoption, and by faith in Jesus; they enjoy the knowledge and comfort of it. Secondly, "Then heirs" to an immortal inheritance of free gift by free grace. Thirdly, "Heirs of God." Marvellous assertion! Legality stand off! Unbelief avaunt! O, we can never reach the height, fathom the depth, measure the length, comprehend the breadth of our heirship. In one word, we are heirs to all that God is in himself; has engaged himself to do, to make us wise and happy in time and to all eternity. Is God our portion, then take thy pen, O every child of God, and thou, my soul, and write ALL THINGS ARE OURS....I cannot enlarge; enumerate them at thy pleasure, dwell on them with joy that gratitude may fill thy soul, and excite love and praise to thy God. Fourthly, "Joint heirs with Christ," O soul, if thou art one with Christ by faith, thou art one with him as co-heir to all that his Father and thy Father has to bestow; an heir of all things in God, in earth, in heaven. O believer, what blessed reasoning is here! What glorious inheritance art thou born to! Born again to possess by faith now; hereafter in full sense and fruition in heaven. As well might satan deny the certain perseverance of the Son of God; as soon pluck one of his glorified members out of glory, as to attempt to deprive any one heir of God of the full enjoyment of his heavenly inheritance.

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