30. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matt. 11:28. This is a free invitation to every weary and heavy-laden sinner, made by Him who alone is able to take away the load and guilt of sin. Every person under the pressure of sin, not only may, but must come to Jesus thus laden with guilt, if he hopes to succeed for pardon. While we endeavor to prepare our way by holy qualifications, we rather fill it with stumblingblocks, whereby our souls are hindered from attaining to the salvation of Christ. Christ would have us believe on him who justifies the ungodly, and therefore he doth not require us to be godly before we believe; he came as a physician for the sick, and doth not expect they should recover their health in the least degree before they come to him. The vilest sinners are fitly prepared and qualified for this design, which is to show forth the exceeding riches of his grace, pardoning our sins, and saving us freely. Eph. 2:5, 8. It is no affront to Christ, or slighting or contemning the justice and holiness of God, to come to God while we are polluted sinners; but rather, it is an affronting and contemning the saving grace, merit, and fulness of Jesus, if we endeavor to make ourselves righteous and holy before we receive Christ himself, and all holiness and righteousness in him by faith. Come, sinners, laden deep with woe And turns no beggar from his door. 31. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls; who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Matt. 13:45, 46. Blessed are they to whom the gospel has made known the unsearchable riches of Christ. He is that one pearl of great price, in comparison with whom all other goodly things that men desire are worthless. Without him we are poor and miserable, though we abound in all manner of worldly store; but if we have found him, and discovered the excellency of his name, we are in possession of a treasure that makes us rich indeed, and have reason to be content with our portion, though stripped of every earthly comfort; for the Father gives grace and glory, even eternal life, in his Son Jesus Christ; and he that hath the Son of God hath life. O, my soul, thou, like the merchantman, hast been seeking goodly pearls, and eagerly looking here and there for happiness all thy days. Hast thou at length been enlightened to perceive where true joys are to be found? Then wilt thou be willing to sell all in order to win Christ, and be found in him; if there is any thing that thou art unwilling to part with for his sake, thou knowest not his value, thou art not worthy of him. Long did my soul in Jesus' form Thanks to the Author of all grace, That showed me wretched, naked, poor. Glad I forsook my righteous pride, FEBRUARY. 1. God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 4: 6. WITHOUT this saving knowledge, we have no God, no Christ, no grace, no faith, no union with Christ, no actual justification, pardon of sin, peace, nor eternal life. But whoever has found Christ, the pearl of great price, the hid treasure, has found matter of great rejoicing; for he was poor before, and this treasure enricheth him; he was naked before, but finding this treasure, he is gloriously clothed; he was forced before to feed upon husks, but now he feeds on the bread of life; he was far in debt before, but now he sees the debt is paid, that he is justified from all things, and pardoned for ever; he saw he was a child of wrath before, but now he is become a child of God; that he was a captive, and in chains before, but now he is set at liberty; condemned before, but now sees there is no condemnation to him, nor to any one that is in Christ Jesus; that he was a fool before, but now he is made wise to salvation. Reader, canst thou set thy seal to the truth and power of such experience? Then thou art wise indeed ; if not, thou hast much to learn: apply with speed, and remember, it is God alone that gives this light and knowledge. Father of love and grace, Thy light to me impart, Reflected from thy dear Son's face, 2. This is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John, 3:23. God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 1 John, 4:9. The Father breaks forth, as it were, through the whole Scriptures, in high praises of his Son he calls out from heaven, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." Matt. 17:5. Nothing, therefore, can be more agreeable to him than to receive this his Son, and to believe his report, John 16:27; and on doing this we shall have life; but by omitting it we look upon him as a liar. Unbelief, therefore, which refuses to accept of this great gift, is, no doubt, the greatest of all sins. O Lord, teach me this, and grant me faith. Why art thou so backward, O my poor soul, to believe, like the rest of God's children, in Christ? Hast thou not as good a right to it as they have? Who can dispute with thee this |