John 8:59

REFLECTIONS

Precious Lord Jesus! may my soul gaze with rapture on every feature of thy divine Person, while by faith I behold thee, as in this Chapter, pardoning the poor Adulteress; and manifesting the mercy of thine heart. Oh! thou dear Lord! well is it for thine Adulteress Church, that thou art a God, pardoning iniquity, transgression, and sin; or what would have become of all thy redeemed.

And Lord! I find new occasion to admire, to love, to adore, my compassionate God, in that he brings his people from the Adam-nature and servitude of sin, into the freedom and adoption of children, in my Lord's family. Truly Lord thou hast loosed my bands! Thou hast, brought all thy redeemed from the dominion and guilt of sin, into the glorious liberty of the children of God. And as it is God the Son hath made his people free, they shall be free indeed. And although all thy children, thy blood-bought family, do still carry about with them a body of sin and death, which harrass and afflict the soul: though still the subjects of outward troubles, and inward fears: though many a fiery dart Satan still hurls at them; and many a wearisome path by his craft and cruelty, he causes them to tread in their pilgrimage: yet thou Lord hast brought them out of his servitude, where once they lived as his drudges; doing his work, and wearing his livery, and delighted with both: and art bringing them home, and wilt bring them all in, to thine heavenly kingdom! B1essed be my God and Savior, for all his love and mercy.

Reader! let us both join in thanksgivinigs to the great I am; both for his own eternal power and Godhead, and for thus drawing the line of everlasting, distinction as this Chapter hath it, between those awful characters who by denying Christ die in their sins; and those who believe in him to the salvation of their souls. Blessed, forever blessed, be our great I am!