Loose them and bring them unto me; and if any say aught unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them, and straightway he will send them. MATT. xxi. 2, 3. The Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands. JUDGES XV. 14. THU HUS the Spirit of the LORD makes us free from all spiritual bonds: for "where the Spirit of the LORD is there is liberty." 2 Cor. iii. 17. Though I was torn from CHRIST by the enemy, yet, as a robber, he gets no right to me. CHRIST does not give up for this reason his right which he has to me on so many accounts; and as soon as I am willing by his grace to give up myself to him, and desire to be delivered from the power of Satan, he vindicates and saves me as his property; I am his, Satan loses his hold, and nothing in the world can withhold me from him. All the fetters must fall off. "The Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands." Help me to resign myself wholly into thy hands, and may the Spirit of the LORD loose my bonds, the bonds of sin. What though the hosts of death and hell Terrors no more shall shake my soul! My refuge is my GOD. Arise, O LORD, fulfil thy grace, My God hath broke the serpent's teeth, Salvation to the LORD belongs, Make you a new heart and a new spirit, for why will ye die, O house of Israel. EZEK. xviii. 31. See also 2 COR. v. 17-21. MAN ANY are converted, but not entirely to CHRIST and from their own righteousness, so as to be truly sensible of their abominable wickedness, and earnestly to flee to CHRIST for a reconciliation and righteousness; and, therefore, they never seek to JESUS to make the new heart and new spirit, but continue on in their mere outward moral state, year after year. But to be truly a member of the spiritual body of CHRIST JESUS, there must not only be an outward morality; there must also be the inward spirituality, the sanctification of the heart, the renewing of the whole inner man in that heavenly knowledge, righteousness and holiness, which adorned the soul before the fall. O LORD, let me daily receive a word from thee to nourish and strengthen my soul, so as to be renewed daily by it more and more. O for a heart to love my GOD; A heart resign'd, submissive, meek, A lowly and believing heart, A constant heart, which nought can part A child-like heart, that cries for food, An upright heart, by grace renew'd; Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things. LUKE x. 41. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. PROV. iv. 23. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from MATT. XV. 8. me. AS the virtue of a strong spirituous liquor eva porates by degrees in a vial which is not closely stopped, in like manner the life and power of the Spirit insensibly vanishes away, if the heart is not kept with all diligence. Of the former remains only water; of the latter, nothing but the form of religion, or perhaps some false principles and errors crept in. Therefore many must be tried and sifted, that they may know, like Hezekiah, what is in their hearts (2 Chron. xxxii. 31); consequently, what more needful than to take heed to our own spirits, and to keep close to the written word; for as the latter times draw nearer, the more plausible will errors and seducements appear, both on your right hand and on your left. Beware of being drawn off from the truth, either by the worldly prudence of half-hearted professors, or by pretences to merit in the selfrighteous Pharisee. O LORD, permit me not to be Call me away from flesh and sense, And all inferior things resign. Be earth with all her scenes withdrawn ; In secret silence of the mind My heaven, and there my God, I find. My soul thirsteth after thee as a thirsty land. Ps. cxliii. 6. Let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. REV. xxii. 17. If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. JOHN vii. 37, 38. HEN thou art dry and barren, examine thy self closely what may be the cause; ask pardon for all known offences, and take care to amend them. And though thou shouldst not find anything particular, yet humble thyself deeply before the LORD; but at the same time remember that thou art accepted, beloved, justified, and blessed in CHRIST; and in this disposition quietly wait the returns of some new drops of living water and grace; but be also sure afterwards to cherish and make a right use of them. Thus thou shalt be under the immediate care of the mighty GOD of Jacob. "And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not." "" Isa. lviii. 11. For thee I thirst, O LORD, I mourn! ANSWER. No! ye that pant for living streams, Here you may quench your raging thirst With springs that never dry. Rivers of love and mercy here In a rich ocean join : Salvation in abundance flows, Like floods of milk and wine. My soul waiteth upon God; from him cometh my salvation; he only is my defence, I shall not be greatly moved. Therefore, trust in him at all times, ye people, pour out your hearts before him. God is a refuge for us. PSALM lxii. 1, 2, 8. THE more patient, believing, and single-eyed and victory of the LORD. Double-minded souls have the greatest struggle; and the slothful must tarry the longer. Sometimes, it is true, though we are faithful, yet we must cry out, "O LORD, how long?" Ps. vi. 3. But, nevertheless, he always hears and delivers us, though we do not see and feel it directly, but seem to suffer continually. In heaven we shall certainly see it, and reap the blessed fruits of all our afflictions and While we are upon this earth, the face of the LORD may often be obscured and hid from us, yet at length we shall "see the glory of the LORD in the cloud," and deliverance shall come out of the troubles that seemed to overwhelm us. Thus it is that the LORD works with his people, to keep them always in remembrance of himself. Shall we not wait then for him, even though he tarry long? Yes, my soul, wait thou upon the LORD; he is a refuge for thee. prayers. Almighty GOD of truth and love, The mountain from my soul remove, |