John 7:53

REFLECTIONS

Reader! behold the glories of the Lord Jesus, as set forth in this chapter. Say! do not the accumulated testimonies to his eternal power and Godhead, shine like the rich constellation of the heavenly bodies, in one full cluster? And in his Mediator-character no less, behold, what rich and splendid proofs the Lord manifested, that his doctrine was of God! But yet we are told, that even his brethren believed not on him! How should they, who were no brethren in the grace-union of his body the Church, but only brethren in the Jewish nation and character, after the flesh? Ah! no. All are not Israel, which are of Israel; neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children. What hath the Ishmaels, and the Esaus, to do with the covenant? Oh! the distinguishing grace of God! oh! the blessedness of the children of promise!

Dearest Lord Jesus! do thou condescend still to come to our feasts, by the sweet manifestations of thy Spirit. For without thy presence, the richest ordinances have no savor. All the stars in the firmament to our world, will not make one sun. And where Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness is not, it is in vain to look for light, or warmth, from all our services. But if my Lord come up to his banquetting house the Church, and cause his redeemed to sit under his shadow with great delight, then shall the whole Jerusalem of our God upon earth, like the Jerusalem of our God which is above, be feasted with the same love of Jesus. Then shall that scripture promise be fulfilled; we shall suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations, and milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory!

Reader! let you and I be continually seeking grace from the Lord, that under this divine discourse of Jesus, brought home to our warmest affection by the gracious teachings of God the Holy Ghost, we may each for ourselves be enabled to set our seals that God is true. And Surely, my brother, if so be you have tasted that the Lord is gracious, however you behold Jesus as a stumbling block, and a rock of offence to those blind rulers in Israel, to you he will be more precious, more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey. everyone who is made partaker of the grace in Jesus, will confess his graciousness, and know that never man spake like this man! Dearest Master! may it be my portion to derive all that is truly blessed and desirable in the present life from thee; for sure I am all that is truly glorious in another can only flow from thee. And be it, my honored Lord, my supreme happiness to live upon what Jesus is to me, and hath done for me, and not upon any supposed attainments of mine in following after thee. Indeed, indeed, thou Almighty Savior, the sole joy of the Church, both above and below, can only be in thyself, as that sweet scripture most blessedly confirms, In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory!