John 16:33

REFLECTIONS

Hail! Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, which is, and which was, and which is to come! Blessed forever be God the Father, for his everlasting love, in having chosen the Church in Christ, before the foundation of the world. And blessed be God the Son, for having betrothed the Church from everlasting, and having redeemed her from all the ruins of the fall, in this time state of existence. And blessed be God the Holy Ghost for his everlasting love, and accomplishing the regeneration of the Church, when dead in trespasses and sins!

Oh! for grace, to be often contemplating the office acts and manifestations of love, as shewn towards the Church in the communications of all that is communicable in grace, from each glorious person of the Godhead. Do thou, blessed Spirit, daily make a sweet revelation of the whole to, and in the souls of the redeemed, that the glory of the Father's provision for the Church, in the person and blood of Christ, and the full mercy of the everlasting covenant, may, through thy sovereign power, be brought home, and confirmed in the heart. Oh! for grace to know God the Holy Ghost, in every sweet office-act in which Jesus hath here so blessedly represented him. Thou knowest, Almighty Comforter, that my poor soul can find no comfort but from thy gracious operations. I can have no access, can find no freedom at the throne, nay, can have no disposition to go there, unless thy sweet leadings influence and guide me thither. Oh! then do thou, Almighty Quickener of the Lord's people, direct my heart into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. Do thou become to my poor soul, the Spirit of truth; and sure I am, amidst all the heresies of the day, I shall be guided into all truth. Do thou glorify to my view the Lord Jesus, and then no Infidel amidst a Christ-despising generation, will for a moment raise a mist to obscure my clear apprehension of His Godhead. Precious, precious Teacher, in the Church of Jesus! do thou but mercifully fulfil all thy sweet office-characters, in and to my poor soul, and more will be accomplished to the settlement of that peace of mind, and peace of God, which passeth all understanding in my heart, than can be wrought in ten thousand years of human endeavors without thee. Yes! thou Almighty Spirit of Sanctification and Holiness, if thou wilt condescend to communicate of thy divine unction, thou wilt bring my Lord Jesus, in all his fulness and suitability, so immediately home in union with my redeemed soul, that I shall know him as the Lord my righteousness, and live upon him, and live to him, as being made the righteousness of God in Him.