How Is Your Beloved Better Than Others? (and Others)

How Is Your Beloved Better Than Others? (and others)

Song of Songs 5:9

Does not our Friend as far excel all other friends as heaven exceeds earth, as eternity exceeds time, as the Creator surpasses His creatures?

See all the fullness of the Godhead - dwelling in One who is as meek and mild as a child. See His countenance beaming with ineffable glories - full of mingled majesty, condescension and love. Hear the soul-reviving invitations and gracious words which proceed from His lips. See that hand in which dwells everlasting strength - swaying the scepter of universal empire over all creatures and all worlds. See His arms expanded to receive and embrace returning sinners. While His heart, a bottomless, shoreless ocean of benevolence - overflows with tenderness, compassion, and love.

Such, O sinner, is our Beloved - and such is our Friend.

Will you not then embrace Him as your Friend? If you can be persuaded to do this - you will find that half, nay, that the thousandth part has not been told to you!

All the excellency, glory and beauty which is found in men or angels, flows from Christ - as a drop of water from the ocean, or a ray of light from the sun.

If, then, you supremely love the creature - can you wonder that Christians should love the Creator! Can you wonder that those who behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, should be sweetly drawn to Him by the cords of love, and lose their fondness for created glories? All that you love and admire and wish for in creatures, and indeed infinitely more - they find in Him!

Do you wish for a friend possessed of power to protect you? Our Friend possesses all power in Heaven and earth, and is able to save even to the uttermost! Do you wish for a wise friend? In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Do you wish for a tender, compassionate friend? Christ is tenderness and compassion itself. Do you wish for a faithful, unchangeable friend? With Christ there is no variableness nor shadow of turning. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His unchangeable love will ever prompt Him to make His people happy! His unerring wisdom will point out the best means to promote their happiness! His infinite power will enable Him to employ those means. In all these respects, our Beloved is more than any other beloved!

~Edward Payson!
_____________________________

Infected and Enfeebled

The Church is infected and enfeebled with worldliness.

"Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world" (Galatians 1:4).
"And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:17).
________________________

These Are the Idols of the Heart

SELF is the great idol which is the rival of God, and which divides with Him the worship of the human race. It is surprising and affecting to think how much SELF enters into almost all we do. Besides the grosser form of self-righteousness, which leads many unconverted people actually to depend upon their own doings for acceptance with God; how much of self-seeking, self-valuing, self-admiration, self-dependence, there is in may converted ones! How covertly do some seek their own praise in what they professionally do for God, and their fellow creatures! How eager are they for the admiration and applause of their fellow creatures! How much of self, yet how little suspected by themselves - is seen by One who knows them better than they know themselves, at the bottom of their most splendid services, donations, and most costly sacrifices!

In how many ways does self steal away the heart from God! How subtle are its workings, how concealed its movements, yet how extensive is its influence. How SELF perverts our motives, lowers our aims, corrupts our affections, and taints our best actions!

How much incense is burned - and how many sacrifices are offered on the altar of this idol!

"Little children, keep yourselves from idols!" (1 John 5:21).

~John Angell James~