“Seeking for Jesus” (John 6:24).
This, my soul, should be thy constant employment, wherever thou art, however engaged; in going in, or out; at rising up, or lying down; whether in public or private, in the church or market-place; the closet, the family, the garden, the field, the house: the question ever arising in the [...]
“Who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).
See, my soul, how Paul is for ever using Jesus, and feasting for ever upon him. Oh! seek grace to do the same. He saith, Jesus loved him; Jesus, the Son of God, loved Paul. Now love from any object is valuable, but from the [...]
“At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me. — Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me” (2Tim. 4:16,17).
My soul, think of the apostle’s situation, when brought as a prisoner, for Jesus’s sake, before the council, and deserted by all. Nay, look to an infinitely greater than [...]
“For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God” (John 16:27).
See, my soul, how thy Jesus hath endeared to thee the Father in the assurance of his love. And wilt thou not feel thine whole affections going forth in continual love after him? [...]
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1Peter 5:7).
Yes, blessed Jesus, I would cast all upon thee: sins, sorrows, trials, temptations. Thou art the Almighty Burden-bearer of thy people; for the Lord Jehovah hath laid on thee the iniquity of us all. And as thou bearest all our sins, so [...]
“I know whom I have believed” (2Tim. 1:12).
— Or trusted, as it is in the margin. And this is better; for the Apostle is referring to an act of confidence rather than of belief; and which was expressed by his entrusting the Saviour with a deposit, or committing his soul into his hands.
The [...]
“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand” (Phil. 4:5).
— What moderation? Moderation with regard to your appetites. Some make a god of their belly, and glory in their shame. Many indulge in eating and drinking, beyond the demands of bodily refreshment, or the allowances of health.—Your moderation, with [...]
“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee” (Psalm 86:5).
The first word, “for,” shews that the text contains a reason for something; and it was this, as we see by the preceding verse—”Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.” [...]
“The word of Christ” (Col. 3:16).
So the Scriptures are called—because he is the author; and—because he is the subject of their contents. They are not only derived from the inspiration of his Spirit; but they are full of his person, and character, and sufferings, and glory. There is nothing, perhaps, admitted into them, but [...]
“To him that overcometh” (Revelation 3:21).
There are seven addresses of this kind, closing the seven epistles, which John was to write, and send to the Churches which were in Asia: to Ephesus, and Smyrna, and Pergamos, and Thyatira, and Sardis, and Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Overlooking what is peculiar in each of them, let us [...]
