Malachi 3:18

REFLECTIONS

Reader! behold in this Chapter the gracious goodness of the Lord, in promising to send his Herald, to prepare the way of the Lord! And mark the corresponding event with the prediction, in the account the Evangelist gives of the coming of John the Baptist. And think how every heart must have been big with expectation, and every eye on the lookout in Judæa, when the messenger came, announcing the approach of Jesus. And did not Jesus then come to his temple, at the time predicted? Did not the angel of the covenant appear, as had been foretold? Yes! but when he came to his own, we are told, his own received him not. Alas! what was there offensive in thy person, blessed Jesus, or in thy doctrine, that they rejected thee, O thou Lord of life and glory? Was it thy humble appearance, thou meek and lowly Lamb of God? Did they indeed despise thee for that, which above all things ought to have endeared thee to thy people? Reader! is the offence of the cross ceased? Is not Jesus still a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence? Oh! for the teachings of God the Holy Ghost, to make known among the people the glories of Christ!

But, Reader! whatever others do, may it be your happiness and mine, to welcome the Lord Christ to his temple. Come, thou Almighty Refiner and Purifier! come and melt down all the dross and spots of our corrupt nature. Do thou as with fuller's sope, by the gracious influences of thy blessed Spirit, take out the uncleanness within, and purify all thy kingdom of priests, as the sons of Levi. Keep my poor heart, dearest Jesus, by thy restraining and preventing grace, from going away from thine ordinances, that in thee, and thy perfect righteousness, my offering may go up, and find acceptance in the beloved. And, oh! thou blessed bountiful Lord of all, and Giver of all; open the windows of heaven upon thy Churches, thy Ministers, and thy People; and pour out such a plentiful effusion of blessings in grace, that every heart may be made glad, and refreshed in thine house of prayer. Let the public ministration of thy word be accompanied with such a visible display of thy presence, that all nations may know, that where thy Church is, there is a delightsome land, and all shall call it blessed. And let the private communions of they that fear thee, be so sanctified with the holy conversation concerning Him that is always in their midst, that nothing but the name and sweet savor of Jesus may be known or heard among them. And do thou, dearest Lord, who art now hearkening, and hearing, and knowing all that passeth among thy people, and dost regard with peculiar tokens of thy favor, the affection of thy chosen; do thou remember all in that day, when thou comest to make up thy jewels; yea, Almighty Jesus! manifest then in full open display, as thou dost now in private testify by thy Spirit, whose are thine, and how dear they are to thee. Say of every one, in that solemn hour, when thou drawest the everlasting distinction between the righteous and the wicked, these are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto them a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me. They shall eat and drink at my table, in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.