Page images
PDF
EPUB

people in and through the Son of his love. Faith looks entirely out of self unto Jesus, whom she finds to be a Rock higher than sin--higher than self, and all our miseries-and triumphs in him as having received the atonement: these are the things which are eternal.

This is fully proved in our experience, if we attend to the teachings of the Holy Ghost, and observe carefully what passes within us; and as the child of God is taught these truths, and is enabled to walk by faith, so an eternal weight of glory is wrought for him by the process of affliction, and enjoyed by him. Tis a great point in experience to walk by faith, and not by sight, whilst we are in the furnace of affliction; and in order to attain this, we must not forget the exhortation which speaketh unto us as unto children: to know that I am a child of God, and to have this point fully settled, is the first thing to be considered; and to know that whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,

is of equal importance; for "how can two walk together, except they be agreed?"* To know that it is not in anger that he corrects us, but that "by this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and that this is all the fruit to take away his sin;" or, in other words, that it is for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. To know that afflictions are a badge of honour; that the afflicted are placed in the front of the battle, where valiant men are wont to be placed; that some of the most precious fruits are to be produced by this process; that the love of our heavenly Father will be made more manifest; that it will serve as an opportunity to him to prove his love to us, which could not be otherwise done so fully; and that it will be for the trial of our faith as it was of holy Job's, so that what the Lord said to Satan concerning him might be fully proved "That there was none like him.' This

* Amos S.
Job 1.

† Isaiah 27.

trial of faith is precious in the sight of God; it brings an eternal weight of glory into the mind, whilst we are kept looking unto Jesus, and will" be found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at his appearing.'

1 Peter 1.

ESSAY VIII.

ON THE PERSON OF CHRIST.

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Philip. 2. 6.

THE true knowledge of Jesus Christ is the one thing needful. The knowledge of him in his glorious Person is the foundation of our faith, of our hope, and of all consolation. It is a subject that can never be properly treated of by all the men on earth, joined with all the host above, nor will it ever be exhausted to all eternity. 'Tis that excellent knowledge for which an apostle counted all things but dross; and one of his choicest prayers for the renowned church at Ephesus was-" That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, might give unto them the Spirit of wisdom and revela

tion in the knowledge of HIM."*. The Psalmist says "They that know thy name. will trust in thee;" and the blind man of old put forth one of the wisest questions that was ever asked on earth, when he said, "Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?"+

The apostle, in the beginning of this chapter, is exhorting the church at Philippi to lowliness of mind, after the example of the meek and lowly Jesus, who, although the Fellow of the Lord of Hosts, yet made himself of no reputation; content, for his people's sake, to part with his good name, which Solomon says is better than precious ointment. And when writing to the Corinthians on the subject of ministering to the necessities of the saints, he says "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be

[blocks in formation]
« PreviousContinue »