how entirely I am thine. Daily remove my sins; daily renew my soul; daily make me more meet for life eternal; through the merits of Jesus Christ thy Son, our Lord. Amen. 16. GOD THE SATISFYING PORTION OF HEAVEN. FLAVEL. "ALL in all," that is, all the saints shall be filled and abundantly satisfied, in and from, God alone; there shall be no emptiness, no want, no complaint. For, as there is water enough in one sea to fill all rivers, light enough in one sun to illuminate all the world, so all souls shall be eternally filled, satisfied, and blessed in one God. Surely there is enough in God for millions of souls; for if there be enough in God for all the angels, (Matt. xviii. 10,) yea, enough in God for Jesus Christ, (Cor. i. 19,) there must be enough for all our souls: the capacity of Christ is larger than that of all angels; he that fills them, can and will, therefore, fill us, and be all in all in us. "All in all," that is, complete satisfaction to all the saints in the absence of all other things, out of which they were wont to draw some comfort and delight in this world. He will now be instead of all-eminently all without them. We shall derive no more sweetness from food, sleep, relations, ordinances, &c.; there will be no more need or use of them, than there is of candles in the sunshine. (Rev. xxii. 5.) "All in all," that is, God only shall be loved, praised, and admired by all saints; they shall love no creature out of God, but all in God, or rather God in them all. This is that blessed state to which all things tend, and for which the angels and glorified souls in heaven long. Hence it is, that there is joy in heaven upon the conversion of any poor sinner on earth; because thereby the body of Christ mystical advanceth towards its fulness and completeness. (Luke xv. 10.) No sooner is a poor soul struck by the word to the heart, and sent home crying, "Oh sick, sick, sick of sin, and sick for Christ!" than the news of it is quickly in heaven, and is a matter of great joy there, because they wait, as well as Christ, for the time of consummation. To conclude: those that went first to heaven before Christ's ascension were fully at rest in God, and blessed in His enjoyment, and yet upon Christ's ascension thither their happiness was advanced: it is a new heaven, as it were, to feast their eyes upon "the man Christ Jesus" there. Those that now stand before the throne, ravished with the face of Christ, and ascribing glory to him for ever, are also in a most blessed state, and are filled with the joy of the Lord. And yet two things still remain to be further done, before they are as they shall be for ever; namely, the restitution of their bodies, which yet lie in the dust, and the delivering up of the dispensatory kingdom, upon the coming in of the fulness of all their fellow saints, and after that no more alteration for ever; but they shall be both in soul and body, "for ever with the Lord." What tongue of man or angel can give us the complete emphasis of that word, ever with the Lord? or that of God's being all in all? O what hath God prepared for them that love him! But that thy blood was shed for me, Just as I am, and waiting not To rid my soul of one dark blot, To thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot, Just as I am, though tossed about Just as I am-poor, wretched, blind, Yea, all I need in thee to find, O Lamb of God, I come! Just as I am-thou wilt receive Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve, O Lamb of God, I come! Just as I am-thy love unknown, HEAR my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness; and enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Lord, I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. Return, O Lord: deliver my soul: oh, save me for thy mercies' sake. I remember the days of old: I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee as a thirsty land. Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth; hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation. Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Into thine hand I commit my spirit thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. Thou shalt guide me with thy council, and afterward receive me to glory. Amen. 17. SEASONS OF AFFLICTION SEASONS OF DIVINE CARE. CECIL. THE Christian in his sufferings is often tempted to think himself forgotten; but his afflictions are the clearest proofs that he is an object both of Satan's enmity and of God's fatherly discipline. Satan would not have a man suffer a single trouble all his life long, if he might have his way. He would give him the thing his heart is set upon. He would work in with his ambition: he would pamper his lust and pride. But God has better things in reserve for his children; and they must be brought to desire and seek them ; and this will be through the wreck and sacrifice of all that the heart holds dear. The Christian prays for fuller manifestations of Christ's power and glory and love to him; but he is often not aware that this is in truth praying to be brought into the furnace: for in the furnace only it is that Christ can walk with his friends, and display in their preservation and deliverance his own almighty power. Yet when brought thither, it is one of the worst parts of the trial, that the Christian often thinks himself, for a while at least, abandoned. Job thought so; but while he looked on himself as an outcast, the Infinite Spirit and the Wicked Spirit were holding a dialogue on his case. He was more an object of notice and interest than the largest armies that were ever assembled, and the mightiest revolutions that ever shook the world, considered merely in their temporal |