Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/topics27/t28500

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28501
 May 1                                                    Evening

 \\"I am the rose of Sharon."\\
                                            --Song of Solomon 2:1

    Whatever there may be of beauty in the material world, Jesus
 Christ possesses all that in the spiritual world in a tenfold
 degree. Amongst flowers the rose is deemed the sweetest, but
 Jesus is infinitely more beautiful in the garden of the soul
 than the rose can be in the gardens of earth. He takes the first
 place as the fairest among ten thousand. He is the sun, and all
 others are the stars; the heavens and the day are dark in
 comparison with him, \\for the King in his beauty transcends\\
 \\all\\. "I am the rose of \\Sharon\\." This was the best and
 rarest of roses. Jesus is not "the rose" alone, he is "the rose
 of Sharon," just as he calls his righteousness "gold," and then
 adds, "the gold of Ophir"--the best of the best. He is
 positively lovely, and superlatively the loveliest. \\There is\\
 \\variety in his charms\\. The rose is delightful to the eye,
 and its scent is pleasant and refreshing; so each of the senses
 of the soul, whether it be the taste or feeling, the hearing,
 the sight, or the spiritual smell, finds appropriate
 gratification in Jesus. \\Even the recollection of his love is\\
 \\sweet\\. Take the rose of Sharon, and pull it leaf from leaf,
 and lay by the leaves in the jar of memory, and you shall find
 each leaf fragrant long afterwards, filling the house with
 perfume. Christ \\satisfies the highest taste\\ of the most
 educated spirit to the very full. The greatest amateur in
 perfumes is quite satisfied with the rose: and when the soul has
 arrived at her highest pitch of true taste, she shall still be
 content with Christ, nay, she shall be the better able to
 appreciate him. Heaven itself possesses nothing which excels
 the rose of Sharon. What emblem can fully set forth his beauty?
 Human speech and earth-born things fail to tell of him. Earth's
 choicest charms commingled, feebly picture his abounding
 preciousness. Blessed rose, bloom in my heart for ever!

28502
 May 2                                                    Evening

 \\"These all died in faith."\\
                                                  --Hebrews 11:13

    Behold the epitaph of all those blessed saints who fell
 asleep before the coming of our Lord! It matters nothing how
 else they died, whether of old age, or by violent means; this
 one point, in which they all agree, is the most worthy of
 record, "they all died in faith." In faith they lived--it was
 their comfort, their guide, their motive and their support; and
 in the same spiritual grace they died, ending their life-song in
 the sweet strain in which they had so long continued. They did
 not die resting in the flesh or upon their own attainments; they
 made no advance from their first way of acceptance with God, but
 held to the way of faith to the end. Faith is as precious to die
 by as to live by.

    Dying in faith has distinct reference to \\the past\\. They
 believed the promises which had gone before, and were assured
 that their sins were blotted out through the mercy of God.
 Dying in faith has to do with \\the present\\. These saints were
 confident of their acceptance with God, they enjoyed the beams
 of his love, and rested in his faithfulness. Dying in faith
 looks into \\the future\\. They fell asleep, affirming that the
 Messiah would surely come, and that when he would in the last
 days appear upon the earth, they would rise from their graves to
 behold him. To them the pains of death were but the birth-pangs
 of a better state. Take courage, my soul, as thou readest this
 epitaph. Thy course, through grace, is one of faith, and sight
 seldom cheers thee; this has also been the pathway of the
 brightest and the best. Faith was the orbit in which these stars
 of the first magnitude moved all the time of their shining here;
 and happy art thou that it is thine. Look anew to-night to
 Jesus, the author and finisher of thy faith, and thank him for
 giving thee like precious faith with souls now in glory.

28503
 May 3                                                    Evening

 \\"A very present help."\\
                                                     --Psalm 46:1

    Covenant blessings are not meant to be looked at only, but to
 be appropriated. Even our Lord Jesus is given to us for our
 present use. Believer, thou dost not make use of Christ as thou
 oughtest to do. When thou art in trouble, why dost thou not tell
 him all thy grief? Has he not a sympathizing heart, and can he
 not comfort and relieve thee? No, thou art going about to all
 thy friends, save thy best Friend, and telling thy tale
 everywhere except into the bosom of thy Lord. Art thou burdened
 with this day's sins? Here is a fountain filled with blood: use
 it, saint, use it. Has a sense of guilt returned upon thee? The
 pardoning grace of Jesus may be proved again and again. Come to
 him at once for cleansing. Dost thou deplore thy weakness? He is
 thy strength: why not lean upon him? Dost thou feel naked? Come
 hither, soul; put on the robe of Jesus' righteousness. Stand not
 looking at it, but wear it. Strip off thine own righteousness,
 and thine own fears too: put on the fair white linen, for it was
 meant to \\wear\\. Dost thou feel thyself sick? Pull the
 night-bell of prayer, and call up the Beloved Physician! He will
 give the cordial that will revive thee. Thou art poor, but then
 thou hast "a kinsman, a mighty man of wealth." What! wilt thou
 not go to him, and ask him to give thee of his abundance, when
 he has given thee this promise, that thou shalt be joint heir
 with him, and has made over all that he is and all that he has
 to be thine? There is nothing Christ dislikes more than for his
 people to make a show-thing of him, and not to use him. He loves
 to be employed by us. The more burdens we put on his shoulders,
 the more precious will he be to us.

               "Let us be simple with him, then,
               Not backward, stiff, or cold,
               As though our Bethlehem could be
               What Sinai was of old."

28504
 May 4                                                    Evening

 \\"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of\\
 \\incorruptible."\\
                                                   --1 Peter 1:23

    Peter most earnestly exhorted the scattered saints to love
 each other "with a pure heart fervently" and he wisely fetched
 his argument, not from the law, from nature, or from philosophy,
 but from that high and divine nature which God hath implanted in
 his people. Just as some judicious tutor of princes might labour
 to beget and foster in them a kingly spirit and dignified
 behaviour, finding arguments in their position and descent, so,
 looking upon God's people as heirs of glory, princes of the
 blood royal, descendants of the King of kings, earth's truest
 and oldest aristocracy, Peter saith to them, "See that ye love
 one another, because of your noble birth, being born of
 incorruptible seed; because of your pedigree, being descended
 from God, the Creator of all things; and because of your
 immortal destiny, for you shall never pass away, though the
 glory of the flesh shall fade, and even its existence shall
 cease." It would be well if, in the spirit of humility, we
 recognized the true dignity of our regenerated nature, and lived
 up to it. What is a Christian? If you compare him with a king,
 he adds priestly sanctity to royal dignity. The king's royalty
 often lieth only in his crown, but with a Christian it is
 infused into his inmost nature. He is as much above his fellows
 through his new birth, as a man is above the beast that
 perisheth. Surely he ought to carry himself, in all his
 dealings, as one who is not of the multitude, but chosen out of
 the world, distinguished by sovereign grace, written among "the
 peculiar people" and who therefore cannot grovel in the dust as
 others, nor live after the manner of the world's citizens. Let
 the dignity of your nature, and the brightness of your
 prospects, O believers in Christ, constrain you to cleave unto
 holiness, and to avoid the very appearance of evil.

28505
 May 5                                                    Evening

 \\"He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso\\
 \\trusteth in the Lord, happy is he."\\
                                                 --Proverbs 16:20

    Wisdom is man's true strength; and, under its guidance, he
 best accomplishes the ends of his being. Wisely handling the
 matter of life gives to man the richest enjoyment, and presents
 the noblest occupation for his powers; hence by it he finds good
 in the fullest sense. Without wisdom, man is as the wild ass's
 colt, running hither and thither, wasting strength which might
 be profitably employed. Wisdom is the compass by which man is to
 steer across the trackless waste of life; without it he is a
 derelict vessel, the sport of winds and waves. A man must be
 prudent in such a world as this, or he will find no good, but be
 betrayed into unnumbered ills. The pilgrim will sorely wound his
 feet among the briers of the wood of life if he do not pick his
 steps with the utmost caution. He who is in a wilderness
 infested with robber bands must handle matters wisely if he
 would journey safely. If, trained by the Great Teacher, we
 follow where he leads, we shall find good, even while in this
 dark abode; there are celestial fruits to be gathered this side
 of Eden's bowers, and songs of paradise to be sung amid the
 groves of earth. But where shall this wisdom be found? Many have
 dreamed of it, but have not possessed it. Where shall we learn
 it? Let us listen to the voice of the Lord, for he hath declared
 the secret; he hath revealed to the sons of men wherein true
 wisdom lieth, and we have it in the text, "Whoso trusteth in the
 Lord, happy is he." \\The true way to handle a matter wisely is\\
 \\to trust in the Lord\\. This is the sure clue to the most
 intricate labyrinths of life, follow it and find eternal bliss.
 He who trusts in the Lord has a diploma for wisdom granted by
 inspiration: happy is he now, and happier shall he be above.
 Lord, in this sweet eventide walk with me in the garden, and
 teach me the wisdom of faith.

28506
 May 6                                                    Evening

 \\"All the days of my appointed time will I wait."\\
                                                      --Job 14:14

    \\A little stay on earth will make heaven more heavenly\\.
 Nothing makes rest so sweet as toil; nothing renders security so
 pleasant as exposure to alarms. The bitter quassia cups of earth
 will give a relish to the new wine which sparkles in the golden
 bowls of glory. Our battered armour and scarred countenances
 will render more illustrious our victory above, when we are
 welcomed to the seats of those who have overcome the world. We
 should not have full \\fellowship with Christ\\ if we did not
 for awhile sojourn below, for he was baptized with a baptism of
 suffering among men, and we must be baptized with the same if we
 would share his kingdom. Fellowship with Christ is so honourable
 that the sorest sorrow is a light price by which to procure it.
 Another reason for our lingering here is \\for the good of\\
 \\others\\. We would not wish to enter heaven till our work is
 done, and it may be that we are yet ordained to minister light
 to souls benighted in the wilderness of sin. Our prolonged stay
 here is doubtless \\for God's glory\\. A tried saint, like a
 well-cut diamond, glitters much in the King's crown. Nothing
 reflects so much honour on a workman as a protracted and severe
 trial of his work, and its triumphant endurance of the ordeal
 without giving way in any part. We are God's workmanship, in
 whom he will be glorified by our afflictions. It is for the
 honour of Jesus that we endure the trial of our faith with
 sacred joy. Let each man surrender his own longings to the glory
 of Jesus, and feel, "If my lying in the dust would elevate my
 Lord by so much as an inch, let me still lie among the pots of
 earth. If to live on earth for ever would make my Lord more
 glorious, it should be my heaven to be shut out of heaven." Our
 time is fixed and settled by eternal decree. Let us not be
 anxious about it, but wait with patience till the gates of pearl
 shall open.

28507
 May 7                                                    Evening

 \\"Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk."\\
                                                       --John 5:8

    Like many others, the impotent man had been waiting for a
 wonder to be wrought, and a sign to be given. Wearily did he
 watch the pool, but no angel came, or came not for him; yet,
 thinking it to be his only chance, he waited still, and knew not
 that there was One near him whose word could heal him in a
 moment. Many are in the same plight: they are waiting for some
 singular emotion, remarkable impression, or celestial vision;
 they wait in vain and watch for nought. Even supposing that, in
 a few cases, remarkable signs are seen, yet these are rare, and
 no man has a right to look for them in his own case; no man
 especially who feels his impotency to avail himself of the
 moving of the water even if it came. It is a very sad reflection
 that tens of thousands are now waiting in the use of means, and
 ordinances, and vows, and resolutions, and have so waited time
 out of mind, in vain, utterly in vain. Meanwhile these poor
 souls forget the present Saviour, who bids them look unto him
 and be saved. He could heal them at once, but they prefer to
 wait for an angel and a wonder. To trust him is the sure way to
 every blessing, and he is worthy of the most implicit
 confidence; but unbelief makes them prefer the cold porches of
 Bethesda to the warm bosom of his love. O that the Lord may turn
 his eye upon the multitudes who are in this case to-night; may
 he forgive the slights which they put upon his divine power, and
 call them by that sweet constraining voice, to rise from the bed
 of despair, and in the energy of faith take up their bed and
 walk. O Lord, hear our prayer for all such at this calm hour of
 sunset, and ere the day breaketh may they look and live.

    Courteous reader, is there anything in this portion for you?
28508
 May 8                                                    Evening

 \\"Acquaint now thyself with him."\\
                                                      --Job 22:21

    If we would rightly "acquaint ourselves with God, and be at
 peace," we must know him as he has revealed himself, not only in
 \\the unity of his essence and subsistence\\, but also in \\the\\
 \\plurality of his persons\\. God said, "Let us make man in our
 own image"--let not man be content until he knows something of
 the "us" from whom his being was derived. Endeavour to know the
 Father; bury your head in his bosom in deep repentance, and
 confess that you are not worthy to be called his son; receive
 the kiss of his love; let the ring which is the token of his
 eternal faithfulness be on your finger; sit at his table and let
 your heart make merry in his grace. Then press forward and seek
 to know much of \\the Son\\ of God who is the brightness of his
 Father's glory, and yet in unspeakable condescension of grace
 became man for our sakes; know him in the singular complexity of
 his nature: eternal God, and yet suffering, finite man; follow
 him as he walks the waters with the tread of deity, and as he
 sits upon the well in the weariness of humanity. Be not
 satisfied unless you know much of Jesus Christ as your Friend,
 your Brother, your Husband, your all. Forget not \\the Holy\\
 \\Spirit\\; endeavour to obtain a clear view of his nature and
 character, his attributes, and his works. Behold that Spirit of
 the Lord, who first of all moved upon chaos, and brought forth
 order; who now visits the chaos of your soul, and creates the
 order of holiness. Behold him as the Lord and giver of spiritual
 life, the Illuminator, the Instructor, the Comforter, and the
 Sanctifier. Behold him as, like holy unction, he descends upon
 the head of Jesus, and then afterwards rests upon \\you\\ who
 are as the skirts of his garments. Such an intelligent,
 scriptural, and experimental belief in the Trinity in Unity is
 yours if you truly know God; and such knowledge \\brings peace\\
 \\indeed\\.
28509
 May 9                                                    Evening

 \\"Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field ... let us\\
 \\see if the vine flourish."\\
                                        --Song of Solomon 7:11,12

    The church was about to engage in earnest labour, and desired
 her Lord's company in it. She does not say, "I will go," but
 "let us go." It is blessed working when Jesus is at our side! It
 is the business of God's people to be trimmers of God's vines.
 Like our first parents, we are put into the garden of the Lord
 for usefulness; let us therefore go forth into the field.
 Observe that the church, when she is in her right mind, in all
 her many labours desires to enjoy communion with Christ. Some
 imagine that they cannot serve Christ actively, and yet have
 fellowship with him: they are mistaken. Doubtless it is very
 easy to fritter away our inward life in outward exercises, and
 come to complain with the spouse, "They made me keeper of the
 vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept:" but there is
 no reason why this should be the case except our own folly and
 neglect. Certain is it that a professor may do nothing, and yet
 grow quite as lifeless in spiritual things as those who are most
 busy. Mary was not praised for sitting still; but for her
 \\sitting at Jesus' feet\\. Even so, Christians are not to be
 praised for neglecting duties under the pretence of having
 secret fellowship with Jesus: it is not sitting, but sitting at
 Jesus' feet which is commendable. Do not think that activity is
 in itself an evil: it is a great blessing, and a means of grace
 to us. Paul called it a grace given to him to be allowed to
 preach; and every form of Christian service may become a
 personal blessing to those engaged in it. Those who have most
 fellowship with Christ are not recluses or hermits, who have
 much time to spare, but indefatigable labourers who are toiling
 for Jesus, and who, in their toil, have him side by side with
 them, so that they are workers together with God. Let us
 remember then, in anything we have to do for Jesus, that we can
 do it, and should do it in close communion with him.

28510
 May 10                                                   Evening

 \\"The only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."\\
                                                      --John 1:14

    Believer, you can bear your testimony that Christ is \\the\\
 \\only begotten of the Father\\, as well as the first begotten
 from the dead. You can say, "He is divine to me, if he be human
 to all the world beside. He has done that for me which none but
 a God could do. He has subdued my stubborn will, melted a heart
 of adamant, opened gates of brass, and snapped bars of iron. He
 hath turned for me my mourning into laughter, and my desolation
 into joy; he hath led my captivity captive, and made my heart
 rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Let others think
 as they will of him, to me he must be the only begotten of the
 Father: blessed be his name. And he is \\full of grace\\. Ah!
 had he not been I should never have been saved. He drew me when
 I struggled to escape from his grace; and when at last I came
 all trembling like a condemned culprit to his mercy-seat he
 said, `Thy sins which are many are all forgiven thee: be of good
 cheer.' And he is \\full of truth\\. True have his promises
 been, not one has failed. I bear witness that never servant had
 such a master as I have; never brother such a kinsman as he has
 been to me; never spouse such a husband as Christ has been to my
 soul; never sinner a better Saviour; never mourner a better
 comforter than Christ hath been to my spirit. I want none beside
 him. In life he is my life, and in death he shall be the death
 of death; in poverty Christ is my riches; in sickness he makes
 my bed; in darkness he is my star, and in brightness he is my
 sun; he is the manna of the camp in the wilderness, and he shall
 be the new corn of the host when they come to Canaan. Jesus is
 to me all grace and no wrath, all truth and no falsehood: and of
 truth and grace he is \\full\\, infinitely full. My soul, this
 night, bless with all thy might `the only Begotten.'"
28511
 May 11                                                   Evening

 \\"Only be thou strong and very courageous."\\
                                                     --Joshua 1:7

    Our God's tender love for his servants makes him concerned
 for the state of their inward feelings. He desires them to be of
 good courage. Some esteem it a small thing for a believer to be
 vexed with doubts and fears, but God thinks not so. From this
 text it is plain that our Master would not have us entangled
 with fears. He would have us without carefulness, without doubt,
 without cowardice. Our Master does not think so lightly of our
 unbelief as we do. When we are desponding we are subject to a
 grievous malady, not to be trifled with, but to be carried at
 once to the beloved Physician. Our Lord loveth not to see our
 countenance sad. It was a law of Ahasuerus that no one should
 come into the king's court dressed in mourning: this is not the
 law of the King of kings, for we may come mourning as we are;
 but still he would have us put off the spirit of heaviness, and
 put on the garment of praise, for there is much reason to
 rejoice. The Christian man ought to be of a courageous spirit,
 in order that he may glorify the Lord by enduring trials in an
 heroic manner. If he be fearful and fainthearted, \\it will\\
 \\dishonour his God\\. Besides, \\what a bad example it is\\.
 This disease of doubtfulness and discouragement is an epidemic
 which soon spreads amongst the Lord's flock. One downcast
 believer makes twenty souls sad. Moreover, unless your courage
 is kept up \\Satan will be too much for you\\. Let your spirit
 be joyful in God your Saviour, the joy of the Lord shall be your
 strength, and no fiend of hell shall make headway against you:
 but cowardice throws down the banner. Moreover, \\labour is\\
 \\light\\ to a man of cheerful spirit; and \\success waits upon\\
 \\cheerfulness\\. The man who toils, rejoicing in his God,
 believing with all his heart, has success guaranteed. He who
 sows in hope shall reap in joy; therefore, dear reader, "be thou
 strong, and very courageous."

28512
 May 12                                                   Evening

 \\"Fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee\\
 \\a great nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I\\
 \\will also surely bring thee up again."\\
                                                 --Genesis 46:3,4

    Jacob must have shuddered at the thought of leaving the land
 of his father's sojourning, and dwelling among heathen
 strangers. It was \\a new scene, and likely to be a trying\\
 \\one\\: who shall venture among couriers of a foreign monarch
 without anxiety? Yet the way was \\evidently appointed\\ for
 him, and therefore he resolved to go. This is frequently the
 position of believers now--they are called to perils and
 temptations altogether untried: at such seasons \\let them\\
 \\imitate Jacob's example\\ by offering sacrifices of prayer
 unto God, and seeking his direction; let them not take a step
 until they have waited upon the Lord for his blessing: then they
 \\will have Jacob's companion\\ to be their friend and helper.
 How blessed to feel assured that the Lord is with us in all our
 ways, and condescends to go down into our humiliations and
 banishments with us! Even beyond the ocean our Father's love
 beams like the sun in its strength. We cannot hesitate to go
 where Jehovah promises his presence; even the valley of
 deathshade grows bright with the radiance of this assurance.
 Marching onwards with faith in their God, believers \\shall have\\
 \\Jacob's promise\\. They shall be brought up again, whether it
 be from the troubles of life or the chambers of death. Jacob's
 seed came out of Egypt in due time, and so shall all the
 faithful pass unscathed through the tribulation of life, and the
 terror of death. Let us \\exercise Jacob's confidence. "Fear\\
 \\not\\," is the Lord's command and his divine encouragement to
 those who at his bidding are launching upon new seas; the divine
 presence and preservation forbid so much as one unbelieving
 fear. Without our God we should fear to move; but when he bids
 us to, it would be dangerous to tarry. Reader, go forward, and
 fear not.

28513
 May 13                                                   Evening

 \\"Thou art my portion, O Lord."\\
                                                   --Psalm 119:57

    Look at thy possessions, O believer, and compare thy portion
 with the lot of thy fellowmen. Some of them have their portion
 in the field; they are rich, and their harvests yield them a
 golden increase; but what are harvests compared with thy God,
 who is the God of harvests? What are bursting granaries compared
 with him, who is the Husbandman, and feeds thee with the bread
 of heaven? Some have their portion in the city; their wealth is
 abundant, and flows to them in constant streams, until they
 become a very reservoir of gold; but what is gold compared with
 thy God? Thou couldst not live on it; thy spiritual life could
 not be sustained by it. Put it on a troubled conscience, and
 could it allay its pangs? Apply it to a desponding heart, and
 see if it could stay a solitary groan, or give one grief the
 less? But thou hast God, and in him thou hast more than gold or
 riches ever could buy. Some have their portion in that which
 most men love--applause and fame; but ask thyself, is not thy
 God more to thee than that? What if a myriad clarions should be
 loud in thine applause, would this prepare thee to pass the
 Jordan, or cheer thee in prospect of judgment? No, there are
 griefs in life which wealth cannot alleviate; and there is the
 deep need of a dying hour, for which no riches can provide. But
 when thou hast \\God\\ for thy portion, thou hast more than all
 else put together. In him every want is met, whether in life or
 in death. With God for thy portion thou art rich indeed, for he
 will supply thy need, comfort thy heart, assuage thy grief,
 guide thy steps, be with thee in the dark valley, and then take
 thee home, to enjoy him as thy portion for ever. "I have
 enough," said Esau; this is the best thing a worldly man can
 say, but Jacob replies, "I have all things," which is a note too
 high for carnal minds.

28514
 May 14                                                   Evening

 \\"He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his\\
 \\bosom."\\
                                                   --Isaiah 40:11

    Who is he of whom such gracious words are spoken? He is THE
 GOOD SHEPHERD.\\ Why\\ doth he carry the lambs in his bosom? Because
 \\He hath a tender heart, and any weakness at once melts his\\
 \\heart\\. The sighs, the ignorance, the feebleness of the
 little ones of his flock draw forth his compassion. \\It is his\\
 \\office\\, as a faithful High Priest, to consider the weak.
 Besides, \\he purchased them with blood, they are his\\
 \\property\\: he must and will care for\\ that\\ which cost him so
 dear. Then he is \\responsible for each lamb\\, bound by
 covenant engagements not to lose one. Moreover, \\they are all a\\
 \\part of his glory and reward\\.

    But how may we understand the expression, "He will \\carry\\
 them"? Sometimes he carries them by \\not permitting them to\\
 \\endure much trial\\. Providence deals tenderly with them.
 Often they are "carried" by being filled with \\an unusual\\
 \\degree of love\\, so that they bear up and stand fast. Though
 their knowledge may not be deep, they have great sweetness in
 what they do know. Frequently he "carries" them by giving them
 \\a very simple faith\\, which takes the promise just as it
 stands, and believingly runs with every trouble straight to
 Jesus. The simplicity of their faith gives them an unusual
 degree of confidence, which carries them above the world.

    "He carries the lambs \\in his bosom\\." Here is \\boundless\\
 \\affection\\. Would he put them in his bosom if he did not love
 them much? Here is \\tender nearness\\: so near are they, that
 they could not possibly be nearer. Here is \\hallowed\\
 \\familiarity\\: there are precious love-passages between Christ
 and his weak ones. Here is \\perfect safety\\: in his bosom who
 can hurt them? They must hurt the Shepherd first. Here is
 \\perfect rest and sweetest comfort\\. Surely we are not
 sufficiently sensible of the infinite tenderness of Jesus!
28515
 May 15                                                   Evening

 \\"Made perfect."\\
                                                  --Hebrews 12:23

    Recollect that there are two kinds of perfection which the
 Christian needs--the perfection of justification in the person
 of Jesus, and the perfection of sanctification wrought in him by
 the Holy Spirit. At present, corruption yet remains even in the
 breasts of the regenerate--experience soon teaches us this.
 Within us are still lusts and evil imaginations. But I rejoice
 to know that the day is coming when God shall finish the work
 which he has begun; and he shall present my soul, not only
 perfect in Christ, but perfect through the Spirit, without spot
 or blemish, or any such thing. Can it be true that this poor
 sinful heart of mine is to become holy even as God is holy? Can
 it be that this spirit, which often cries, "O wretched man that
 I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this sin and death?"
 shall get rid of sin and death--that I shall have no evil things
 to vex my ears, and no unholy thoughts to disturb my peace? Oh,
 happy hour! may it be hastened! When I cross the Jordan, the
 work of sanctification will be finished; but not till that
 moment shall I even claim perfection in myself. Then my spirit
 shall have its last baptism in the Holy Spirit's fire. Methinks
 I long to die to receive that last and final purification which
 shall usher me into heaven. Not an angel more pure than I shall
 be, for I shall be able to say, in a double sense, "I am clean,"
 through Jesus' blood, and through the Spirit's work. Oh, how
 should we extol the power of the Holy Ghost in thus making us
 fit to stand before our Father in heaven! Yet let not the hope
 of perfection hereafter make us content with imperfection now.
 If it does this, our hope cannot be genuine; for a good hope is
 a purifying thing, even now. The work of grace must be \\abiding\\
 \\in us now\\ or it cannot be \\perfected then\\. Let us pray to
 "be filled with the Spirit," that we may bring forth
 \\increasingly\\ the fruits of righteousness.

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