2 Corinthians 7:16

REFLECTIONS

How very encouraging it is to the true believer in Christ, to behold where his security is, and in whom is his strength found! Lord! thou knowest, and thou hast in some measure taught me to know, that I can do nothing of myself, and all my sufficiency is of thee. I bless thee, my gracious God, that I have these sweet promises of thy indwelling abode, in my heart. Keep me therefore, by thy Almighty power; and by faith, give me daily, hourly, to see, and know, that thou art cleansing me, and I am cleansed: thou hast perfected holiness, yea, thou art thyself the holiness of thy people; and, by faith, I am made the blessed partaker of it, in the fear of God.

And, oh! thou risen and exalted Savior! send down thine ascension gifts in holy profusion, upon Churches, ministers, and people. Sweet will it be to my soul, and to every child of God, to receive from thine own hand, the genuine grace, which worketh godly sorrow, in a true, and sincere repentance, not to be repented of. Lord keep open this spring in our souls. Divorce us from all self-righteousness. Let everything tend to hide pride from our eyes; and open the Lord Jesus to our view. And let a daily sense of our nothingness, and creatureship, and unworthiness, endear our Lord, more and more to our apprehension; that we may behold Jesus, and Jesus alone, as the whole of salvation. Not tears, not prayers, not repentance, no, nor faith, as an act of ours. These are effects, not the cause. Neither anything wrought by us, or anything wrought in us; but Christ himself; and his own Personal, incommunicable work, the whole of salvation! Oh! for grace, daily, hourly to know, and as often to sing; the words of him of old: The Lord is my strengths and my song, and he is become my salvation!