Romans 6:23

REFLECTIONS

Reader! let us both learn from this most blessed Chapter, how to answer the character, of every description, who ventures, from the pride or corruption of his heart, to charge the doctrine of free grace with a tendency to an unholy life. Never, surely, were the motives to an upright and conscientious conversation ever found in the least powerful or persuasive in the soul, until brought home to the soul, in the death of Christ. And the child of God, who is dead with Christ, baptized into Christ, and buried with Christ, in his death; cannot but feel from the Holy Ghost, an implanted conformity to the likeness of Christ, so as to bear part with Christ in his resurrection, and walk in newness of life. And, what dominion shall sin have over that soul in whom the Holy Ghost dwells, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin? What shall tend to mortify the deeds of the body, but living in the Spirit, and walking in the Spirit? Blessed Spirit of holiness! give grace thus to live, and walk, that we may manifest to all gainsayers, thy people are dead to sin, and cannot live any longer therein!

But oh! thou precious Lord Jesus! while seeking daily, hourly, grace from the Holy Ghost, to adorn the doctrine of God my Savior, in all things: never, never, for a moment may my soul forget, that the whole, and every part of redemption-work, and redemption glory, is thine. God be thanked that we were the servants of sin. And that the whole Church, both in heaven and earth, are brought out of this prison-state, is all of grace. And do thou, dearest Lord, cause me to, have my redemption by thee, always in remembrance! May my soul be more and more humbled to the dust before thee, that my God and Savior may be more and more exalted. Through life, in death, and forevermore, be it my joy to acknowledge, that there can be no wage mine, but the wages of sin, which is death: and all the Lord bestows, even eternal life, with all its preliminaries can only be the free, the sovereign, the unmerited gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.