H É that hath the Son, hath Life, and he that hath not the Lord, who is able to comprehend in how many different Manners Thou art my Life? Thou art fo as God, fince my Life is thy Work, and that I live in Thee: Thou art fo as God-Man, fince thou redeemeft it by thy Blood, formeft it by thy Spirit, preferveft it by thy Grace, and feedeft me with thy Love below, till Thou caufe me to live fully and perfectly of thy glorified Life in Heaven. It is true then, O Jefus, that out of Thee there is no true Life, that there is nothing but Death, Mifery, and real Hell.Lord give me Grace to efcape the Wrath to come. O happy Chriftian, who can boast "The Son of God is mine!" Happy, tho' humbled in the Duft; Rich in this Gift divine. He lives the Life of Heav'n below, Eternal Streams from Chrift shall flow, WE A Christian, who follows the Inclination and acts by the Spirit of his new Birth, which gives him a new Heart and a new Love, is no longer of the World, and no longer knows its Lufts, any otherwise than as an Enemy, whom he has overcome, and whom he ought to pursue with the utmost Hatred. Faith is victorious when the Grace of Chrift caufes us to make Ufe of it. Faith, by the Means of Humility, which is its Attendant, and of Prayer, which is its first Fruit, renders a Chriftian invincible to the World. It is That, which fhews us what good Things we must love, and what Evils we must fear: It is That, which obtains for us the Grace to love and to fear nothing but what is eternal. The Guilt of twice ten thousand Sins One Moment takes away, Drawn by fuch Cords we onward move, October 28. (302) St. Simon and Jude. E the Servant of Jefus Chrift, and Brother to James, to them that are fanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jefus Chrift, and called, Jude 1. It is no extraordinary Thing to take the Title of Servant of Jefus Chrift, which has nothing in it but what is honourable; but to live as a Servant of Jefus Chrift, in doing his Will and following his Example, this is very rare and extraordinary. No Man has the Fidelity of a Servant, with refpect to Him, but by the Love of a Son. The firft Caufe of the Calling of Souls is the eternal Love of God, fhewn in the Blood and Sufferings of Jefus Chrift; from hence alone all Happinefs comes, from whence alone all Holiness proceed. Now, O my Joshua, bring me in, The Purchase of thy Death divide, THERE is no fear in Love; but perfect Love cafteth ouf Fear: because Fear hath Torment: he that feareth is not made perfect in Love, 1 John iv. 18. : The fervile Fear dreads nothing but Punishment, and proceeds from Self-love: the chafte and filial Fear is afraid of difpleafing God, and of lofing him, and arifes from Love. --- Perfect Love cafts out Fear in cafting out Self-love. The more Love the lefs Fear: When Love fhall fill the Heart, there will be no more Fear nor Unbelief. How good art thou, Lord, even when thou deliverest up the Sinner to Fear, fince this torments him only to force him to feek the Comfort, the Pleasure, and the Peace of his Heart in Love. There is no Fear in Love, No base tormenting Fear, The highest Joy tranfcends, W Hofoever believeth that Jefus is the Chrift, is born of God; and every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him alfo that is begotten of Him, 1 John v. 1. Let us not deceive ourselves, if this Faith is without Love, it is not the Faith of a Child of God, but of a Slave. --- God loves Jefus Chrift and his Members infeparably alfo. --- There is always fufficient Ground to love the Mercies of God in Men, and to love Men themselves as the Objects of the Mercy of God. --If the Defects of our Neighbour are capable to make us hate him, the Honour he has of being a Child of God, and of being loved by him, ought to render him amiable in our Sight. With all my Heart, O Lord, I pray For our Jerufalem, Fulnefs of Gifts, and Graces fhower, |