What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Mark xi. 24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name; ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. John xvi. 23, 24. But ask in faith, nothing wavering; for he that wavereth, is like a wave of the sea; let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. James i. 6, 7. HER EROD promised with an oath to give the daughter of Herodias whatever she would ask, even to the half of his kingdom. How advantageous was his promise! but how much more so that of the Lord! "By myself have I sworn," says he, "that in blessing I will bless thee." Gen. xxii. 16,17. When he bids us ask, he does not lay us under a restriction of not asking above half a kingdom. No; we may ask a whole kingdem, even the kingdom of Heaven, consisting both of grace and glory. Both are purchased for us by the blood of the Lamb; both promised to believers in the word of the gospel, and both actually bestowed; grace upon praying souls in the church militant; glory upon praising souls in the church triumphant. If now we do not enjoy the kingdom of grace, righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, it is merely because we have not asked, or have asked amiss; this is, without faith, without patience, or in our own name, and not in the all-prevailing name of Jesus. Faith, mighty Faith, the promise sees, Laughs at impossibilities, And cries IT SHALL BE DONE. O Lord, pardon mine iniquity, for it is great. Ps. xxv. 11. Divine Answer: Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. Rom. v. 20. For God will abundantly pardon. Isa. lv. 7. IT is all one with God to forgive a repenting sinner his trespasses, whether great or small, many or few; for they are all paid with one ransom. No sin, properly speaking, is little in itself; and none greater than the grace of God, and the infinite price laid down for it. Whatever sins, therefore, a man feels, yet he may throw himself upon abounding grace of God: but this grace must always be our comfort, to depend upon it alone, even when it is best with us; for then only it is best with us when we depend alone on grace, and live in it as in our element. Why does your face, ye humble souls, Those mournful colours wear? What doubts are these that waste your faith See here an endless ocean flows Of never-failing grace! It rises high, and drowns the hills, the Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak. Ps. vi. 2. And strengthen me with strength in my soul. Ps. cxxxviii. 3. Divine Answer: My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Cor. xii. 9. The Lord delights not in the strength of a horse; he takes not pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. Ps. cxlvii. 10, 11. The Lord our Strength, mighty God and Emmanuel, will give strength unto his people. Ps. xxix. 11. IN whatever part we are weak and most beset by corrupted nature, we may yet be strong enough, through grace, to come off conquerors: therefore, hope against hope, and despair not of overcoming by the power of God, be thy corruptions within and thine enemies without ever so strong and obstinate. I am weak indeed, but Christ is strong; I am pooor, he is rich; I am sick, he the physician of the sick; 1 am a sinner, he the Saviour of sinners; consequently he suits me, and I suit him extremely well. But let me look to him daily, seek his face earnestly, and grace to help in every time of need. Let me but hear my Saviour say I glory in infirmity, That Christ's own pow'r may rest on me; When I am weak, I am then strong, I can do all things, or can bear Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Remove from me the way of lying, and grant me thy law graciously. I have chosen the way of truth; thy judgments have I laid before me. Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end, Ps. cxix. 9, 18, 29, 30, 33. NEITHER the old nor the young can walk uprightly, without taking heed to the word of God; if they depart from that, they soon fall into error and vicious courses; but if they would make the word their rule, they must read it carefully, and pray diligently for the enlightening of the Holy Spirit. If David considered his eyes as shut, how much more should we consider ours so, and pray, Open thou mine eyes," &c. He who doth not fervently pray thus, is still blind, and hath not an eye; even though he should think himself a profound divine, and be so esteemed by others. Lord, give me to see the wonders both of thy law and gospel, and turn my feet from every crooked path. Let thy commandments be always before me as my guide, and enable me to choose the narrow path of truth, aud stedfastly walk in it to the end; for this was David's request throughout this long Psalm. How shguard your secure their hearts, Thy word the choicest rules impart And their lives from sin! Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Ps. xxvii. 11. Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth; unite my heart to fear thy name. Ps. lxxxvi. 11.- Di vine Answer: Good and upright is the Lord, therefore will he teach sinners in the way. What man is he that fears the Lord? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. Ps. xxv. 8, 12. LORD, be pleased to fulfil this gracious promise in me also. Thou hast inclined my heart to do thy will, and yet I am often in darkness about thy will. Here it is written, "Good and upright is the Lord, therefore will he teach sinners in the way." It is thy own word; I may depend upon it, and would plead it with Thee; many times thou hast fulfilled this promise already, and art willing and able to do it evermore for thy own name's sake, and for my enemies' sake. Thou art ever mindful of thy word, and I would keep close unto it. Then let thy Spirit well explain thy word, and write it on my heart, enabling me to understand, to love, and practise it. I lift my soul to God, My trust is in his name; Let not my foes that seek my blood, Sin and the pow'rs of Hell Persuade me to despair; Lord, let me know thy cov'nant well, The Lord is just, and kind; The meek shall learn his ways; For his own goodness' sake He saves my soul from shame; He pardons (tho' my guilt be great) Thro' my Redeemer's name. |