Page images
PDF
EPUB

Luke, xxii. 29.

I appoint you a kingdom, as my Father appointed to me.

His Soliloquy.

HAST thou crucified the Lord of Glory, Ο my soul, and hast thou so much boldness to expect his kingdom? Consult with reason, and review thy merits ; which done, behold that Jesus whom thou crucifiedst, even making intercession for thee, and offering thee a crown of glory! Behold the greatness of thy Creator, veiled with the goodness of thy Redeemer; the justice of a first person qualified by the mercy of a second; the purity of the divine nature uniting itself with the human in one Emmanuel; a perfect man to suffer; a perfect God to pardon; and both God and man in one person, at the same instant, able and willing to give, and

take, a perfect satisfaction for thee. 0 my soul, a wonder above wonders! an incomprehensibility above all admiration! a depth past all finding out! Under this shadow, O my soul, refresh thyself. If thy sins fear the hand of justice, behold thy sanctuary; if thy offences tremble before the Judge, behold thy advocate; if thy creditor threaten a prison, behold thy bail; behold the Lamb of God that hath taken thy sins from thee: behold the blessed of Heaven and earth that hath prepared a kingdom for thee. Be ravished, O my soul! oh, bless the name of ELOHIM! oh, bless the name of our EMMANUEL, with praises and eternal Hallelujahs!!

His Prayer.

GREAT Shepherd of my soul! whose life was not too dear to rescue me, the meanest of thy little flock, cast down

U

[ocr errors]

thy gracious eye upon the weakness of my nature, and behold it in the strength of thy compassion; open mine eyes, that I may see that object which flesh cannot behold; enlighten mine understanding, that I may clearly discern that truth which my ignorance cannot apprehend; rectify my judgment, that I may confidently resolve those doubts which my understanding cannot determine; sanctify my will, that I may wisely choose that good which my deceived heart cannot desire; fortify my resolution, that I may constantly embrace that choice which my inconstancy cannot hold; weaken the strength of my corrupted nature, that I may struggle with my lusts, and strive against the base rebellions of my flesh; strengthen the weakness of my dejected spirit, that

I

may conquer myself, and still withstand the assaults of mine own corrup

tion; moderate my delight in the things

of this world, and keep my desires within the limits of thy will; let the point of my thoughts be directed to thee, and let my hopes rest in the as surance of thy favour; let not the fear of worldly loss dismay me, nor let the loss of the world's favour daunt me; let my joy in thee exceed all worldly grief, and let the love of thee expel all carnal fear; let the multitudes of my offences be hid in the multitude of thy compassions; and let the reproachfulness of that death which thy Son suffered for my sake, enable me to suffer all reproach for his sake; let not my sin against thy mercies remove thy mercies from my sin; and let the necessity of my offences be swallowed up in the all-sufficiency of his merits; let not the foulness of my transgressions lead me to distrust; nor let the distrust of thy pardon leave me in despair. Fix in my heart a filial love, that I may love thee as a father; and re

move all servile fear from me, that thou mayest behold me as a son. Be thou my all in all, and let me fear nothing but to displease thee; that being freed from the fear of thy wrath, I may live in the comfort of thy promise, die in the fulness of thy favour, and rise to the inheritance of an everlasting kingdom.

THE PLAGUE-AFFRIGHTED MAN.

His Danger.

How is the language of death heard in every street-which, by continual passingbells, proclaims mortality in every ear! How many, at this instant, lie groaning în their sick beds, and marked for death -whilst others that lived yesterday are

« PreviousContinue »