YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Ye must be born again. John 3, 3-7. T HIS evidently shows that a bare profession of Christ will not do. Nothing but a real possession of him in the heart, by faith, will suffice. And before we can attain this, we must experience a renovation of the heart by the Spirit of God. We must be led to see the horrid nature and consequence of sin; and this will lead us to hate and abhor it. We must be born of the Spirit. Let me exhort you to make this strict inquiry, AM I BORN AGAIN? Have you a desire to know whether you are in this state? examine yourself by the Apostle's definition of the doctrine, 2 Cor. 5, 17-If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away: behold all things are become new. Are you a new creature?—Are old things passed away, and all things become new ?-Do you act from new principles, and aim at new ends?-is sin hateful, and holiness pleasant;-Is Christ precious? Do you wish to enjoy him, and be like him?Are you concerned to glorify him with your body and spirit, which are bis?-If so, you may answer the question, and say, I AM BORN AGAIN. This new birth will give new desires, new affections, and new enjoyments. The soul thus renewed, will look back with astonishment at the long-suffering and mercy of God, when in a state of rebellion against him, and wonder how it was, that he wasnot driven away into eternal woe. The heart will now be filled with holy desires, and a constant longing after CHRIST; and those who have had this new and living principle wrought within,-may feel assured that the Lord hath set his seal upon them for EVER!! Nothing can separate them from his unchanging love. May this portion give hope and comfort to every desponding soul. Follow me. W Luke 5, 36. And endure hardness as a good soldier of Christ. 2 Tim. 2, 3. ́OULD you follow Christ? Theu follow him in selfdenial, in humility, in patience, and in readiness for every good work. Follow him with a daily cross upon your back, and look to his cross to make your burden light. Follow him as your guide and guard, and learn to see with his eyes, and trust in his arm for defence. Follow him as the FRIEND OF SINNERS, who healeth the broken heart, and giveth rest to weary souls, and casteth out none that come unto him. Follow him with faith, resting your whole acceptance with God, and your title to heaven on his meritorious blood and righteousuess. Lastly, follow him with much prayer. For though he is full of compassion, he loves to be much entreated, and when he is determined to give a blessing, you must yet wrestle with him for it. Be of good courage. be strong in the Lord; for He is the help of the helpless,the hope of the hopeless,-the health of the sick,-the strength of the weak,-the riches of the poor,-the peace of the disquited, the comfort of the afflicted, the light of those that sit in darkness, the companion of the desolate,-the friend of the friendless,-the way of the bewildered,—the wisdom of the foolish,-the righteousness of the ungodly,-the sanctification of the unholy, the redemption of captives,—the joy of mourners, and, in a word, the salvation of the LOST. O then follow JESUS-aud he will lead you to glory. To follow CHRIST, we must be in the continual exercise of PRAYER. The neglect of PRAYER opens a chasm, which is soon filled up with sin, and then we follow SATAN. MERCY FOR SINNERS. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it SHALL BE OPENED. Matt. 7, 7-8. HB who comes, as a sinner, to a merciful God, through Jesus Christ, for all the blessings of salvation, in sincerity, and with earuest prayer, waiting and persevering, as having hope in this way, and none in any other:-he, who seeks spiritual blessings in the first place, without delay, and in the use of all appointed means;-and be, who knocks and waits at mercy's gate, as resolved to find admission, or perish knocking, will be sure to succeed. The promise is absolute and express:—“Every one that asketh, receiveth," &c. Supplications of this kind sometimes receive, and find admission without delay;—always in due time: nor will their previous character, however vile, preclude them from the benefit; for he who opens the way of access, has taught them to come in it, and HE giveth liberally and upbraideth not. "Open thy mouth wide," says the Lord, "and I will fill it." Ye shall ask what " ye will," says Christ, “and it shall be done." The pardon of all our sins, free, complete, and eternal; a victory over every lust; the presence of God with us all through this dark world; his glory passing before our eyes and shining into our hearts; guidance, protection, strength; heavenly cousolation while we live, and heaven itself when we die-all are within the reach of prayer;— within our reach ;-held up, as it were, before our face, with this inscription shining on them all," Ask, and ye shall receive." Mercies purchased, prepared, waiting for praying man. T ONE THING IS NEEDFUL. Luke 10, 2 THIS is the declaration which the Lord Jesus Christ made to Martha, and with strict propriety may be applied to every soul, who, though favoured with ever so large a portion of this world's treasure, is unconcerned about this one thing needful, upon the possession of which depends their present and eternal happiness; for though a mau enjoyed the whole creation and were destitute of this one thing, he would be like the church of Laodicea, wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. In CHRIST, are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; in him we have present, and eternal good; for he is all, and in all, to the believer. O, Reader, whatever else thou lackest, be careful thou art a possessor of this one thing needful; thy eternal all depends upon it; if thou art sensible of thy need of this blessing, and hast a fervent desire to enjoy it, go to Jesus; he invites such to come to him; and he will freely give himself unto thee, without money, and without price; for he has been pleased graciously to promise, "HIM THAT COMETH I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT." This portion was made a blessing, by divine grace, to a poor profligate, but truly penitent soldier, who died at Staplehurst, (March 12, 1831,) holding a copy of the SINNER'S FRIEND in his hand, his finger resting on this encouraging portion. His last words were,-"I have prayed to Him, he will not deny me."!! May the LORD have all the glory,-and may it still be made a blessing to others who read it. We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ. 2 Cor 5, 10. ND are there scoffers, who madly walk after their own lusts, and question the coming of the Lord? The hour hastens, when infidelity shall doubt no more: "The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God." How shall sinuers fade away, and be afraid in their close places, when, visible to all, the Judge shall appear on his great white throne, and from his face the earth and the heaven flee away! Before him shall stand the whole race of men, small and great; and by the testimony of God, and their own consciences, it shall be fully proved and openly declared, what they have been, and what they have done Then, sentence most righteous, irrevocable, and big with eternity, shall be pronounced. On the wicked, everlasting punishment; on the righteous, life eternal. Think, O think, what destruction is hanging over your heads, ye obstinate transgressors; for, behold he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him; they also who pierced him, and all the wicked kindreds of the earth, shall wail because of him." "Now, now, is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation;" now embrace him, as your offered, your all sufficient Saviour; so shall you be for ever delivered from him as your angry Judge. If this you neglect, how shall yon abide the day of his coming in flaming fire, to take vengeance on all them that know not God, and who reject his offered mercy ? An awful day is drawing near, When Christ will judge the quick and dead! With all thy sins upon thy head? Now, mercy seek, which may be found; Twenty-fourth Edition, making, in the whole, ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND. PRINTED BY J. V. HALL AND SON, MAIDSTONE. |