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Old things are passed away....2 Cor. v. 17.

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SUCH is the blessedness of every new creature in Christ: every believer in him is a new creature. Mind, Paul does not say, old things are passing away, but are past away. We are not to understand him in an absolute, but in a qualified sense for if none were new creatures, till all old things are passed away, we should not find one on this side heaven. Now the year is near at an end. Do not you find your old corruptions cleaving to you? Yea, the old man still whole and alive in you, just as you did at the beginning of the year, or at the beginning of days, when you first believed on Jesus and was made a new creature in him? Do not you also see just the same reason to comply with these exhortations, as at first? "Put off the old man which is corrupt."....Eph. iv. 22. "Cleanse yourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit."....2 Cor. vii. 1. Why, if so, how can it be said, "Old things ARE past away?" Consider, Paul is not speaking of the old creation of fallen nature, but of the new creation in Christ Jesus. As men, and descendants from fallen Adam, all the sin and misery of our old nature abides with us. We are still in the flesh: in that dwells nothing but sin and evil: it is under the sentence and must receive the wages of sin, death. But as believers in Christ, "we are passed from death to life."....John v. 24. Being in him by faith, we are new creatures in a new creaObserve in the foregoing verse, Paul is speaking of knowing Christ and men after the flesh; but now, says he, We have done with carnal views and fleshly knowledge: we are spiritual: we view and know things by faith, as new creatures in Christ. Hence as we are passed from our old state, old things ARE past away from us : our old notions of God, of Christ, of salvation, our own free-will, our legal righteousness, salvation by works in whole or in part, &c. all are past away. Yea, our delight in our old companions, in the betwitching vanities of this old world, which is under the curse, and our manner of living and walking in it, are passed away. Our old way of keeping Christmas holidays, and concluding the old year in card-playing and vanity is passed away and if, for conscience sake, we do not keep days by any religious observation of them, we do not spend them in our old way, by "making provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." O, says one, I would not keep Christmas for the world: it is superstitious. Pray then do not keep it for the devil and the flesh: "If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit."....Gal. v. 25.

The soul that's born again in Christ,
Is quite in a new state,

With perfect righteousness is blest,
Old things are out of date. M.

He that endureth to the end shall be saved....Matt. x. 22.

WE are now got to the end of another year. Look back with humility: look up with hope: look forward with joy for consider what great things God hath done for us: "Now is our salvation nearer, than when we (first) believed."....Rom. xiii. 11. Salvation,

the joyful sound! But, before the sun of righteousness arose upon us and displayed the glory of his finished salvation to our hearts, alas! what dark, proud, ignorant notions of salvation did we entertain? Instead of seeing righteousness as a gift by Jesus Christ, and justification of life coming by free gift, and eternal life the gift of God through Jesus Christ....Rom. v. 17, 18, vi. 23....we vainly thought that salvation was to be obtained by our fulfilling certain terms and conditions. In our natural state of blindness, before we saw Jesus, we thought enduring to the end was the condition of being saved now we see we are " saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation."....Isa. xlv. 17. Yet some, who do not clearly see the glory of Christ's salvation, are puzzling themselves and others with the notion of a conditional salvation. If salvation is put upon our conditions, it behoves us to consider what conditions we are to perform in order to be saved. Every command may be considered as a condition. If we multiply them by four times forty-five, we shall come vastly short of their number; and we may be sure we shall never get to the end, so as to be saved by fulfilling them. O, the arrogance of bankrupt sinners, whose case is quite desperate, and yet think of standing upon terms and conditions with the most high God! But, say some, though of ourselves we can do nothing, yet God enables by his grace to perform the conditions of salvation. This is just like a creditor demanding a large sum of an insolvent debtor, who replies, I cannot pay you....I am not worth one farthing. But, says the creditor, I will come to terms with you: if you will pay me one shilling in the pound, on that condition I will forgive you the whole debt. Says the pennyless debtor, if you will assist me with the money, I will fulfil your condition. Strange compact ! If we must have conditions of salvation, they are all to be reduced to this one, if you will save yourselves To the end, you shall be saved In the end. Consider the evils of this proud, unscriptural notion, and reject it. 1st. While we are taken up with finding these conditions, striving to fulfil them, and looking for salvation by them, we sadly overlook precious Jesus, his blood and righteousness, and awfully depreciate and set at nought his finished salvation. And, 2d. We shall walk on very unhappily, and in the end shall be very uncomfortable. What! if we strive to fulfil God's law? Y y Yes,

VOL. II.

SUS.

Yes, if we reject his counsel of salvation, by free gift of free grace, through the one atonement and righteousness of his beloved Son, to make way for our terms and conditions of salvation. So, Sd. We shall bring ourselves into bondage. Says Paul, "I testify to every man that is circumcised (does any work as a condition to be justified and saved) that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of none effect to him." As he seeks to be justified by the law, he is fallen from grace....Gal. v. 3, 4. O brethren! beware, instead of enduring to the end by faith, that you do not stumble and fall at the very beginning through pride. But we begun the year, SEEING JEWe set out on our race with this free-grace truth, “When we had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave us all."....Luke vii. 42. O in this blessed sight, and with this precious faith, let us endure to the end. In, and under all that we have to endure from a corrupt nature, a wicked world, and a subtle, malicious devil, nothing can bring relief to our consciences, patience to our minds, hope to our hearts, peace to our souls, and joy to our spirits, but looking unto Jesus. In him we see salvation-work for ever done for us. We hear and believe his cry from the cross, "IT IS FINISHED. We hear him proclaim from his throne in glory, "IT IS DONE," I am Alpha and Omega, "the beginning and the end of salvation.".... Rev. xxi. 6. "We are chosen in him to salvation." We know this. How? "Through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth."....2 Thess. ii. 13. "Christ, of God, is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption."....1 Cor. i. 30. In the faith of this we persevere : "By faith we endure (every fight of affliction) seeing him who is invisible."....Heb. xi. 27. We run with patience the race set before us." How? Looking to terms and conditions of salvation fulfilled by us? O no! But "looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith."....Heb. xii. 2. Consider that precious word, you who are ready to think your faith will not hold out to the end: the same Jesus who is the author will

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be the finisher of your faith. While legal hearts work FOR life and salvation, it is the glory of gospel faith to live upon Jesus, who is our life and salvation, and to enjoy life and salvation in Christ every step we take in the way to endless life and glory: therefore, in spite of all the deceitfulness of sin and the art and malice of satan, we sha" receive the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls." .... Pet. i. 9.

Look up for persevering grace

To Jesus your best friend,

And hope to see his smiling face,
Enduring to the end.

Fear to turn back, or slight the ways

Of truth and holiness:
For Jesu's lavish of his grace,

And will with glory bless.

M.

ADDITIONAL MEDITATION FOR LEAP-YEAR.

Out of season....2 Tim iv. 2.

I have often thought, as passing by the great number of churches in London, what manner of stones and what buildings are here! What noble cages are these! But what pitiful birds occupy them! They scarce ever sing in them above once a week; and then it is a strange, wild note, not the joyful song of salvation by the blood and righteousness of the Son of God: they do not follow Paul's solemn advice, "I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and dead at his appearing, and his kingdom: preach the word, be instant in season, oUT OF SEASON." If Christ's ministers are thus charged to preach out of season, this charge is equally binding upon all his disciples to hear out of season also. Consider some reasons for this. 1st. By the preaching of the word faith grows and is strengthened. This truth ever remains, and will be made good in experience, "Faith cometh by hearing."....Rom. x. 17. 2d. If faith cometh, then Christ, with peace, love, joy, holiness and heaven, cometh to the heart. O then if so, need there be any other reason added for constant hearing? 3d. The devil cometh out of season. You are never totally free from his force, fraud and subtlety. How can you withstand him? Only by resisting him stedfastly in the faith.... Pet. v. 9. How will you overcome him? "Only by the blood of the Lamb, and the word of his testimony."....Rev. xii. 11. By constant hearing of the word we get instructions in satan's art and devices, encouragement by our Lord's victory over him, and also have our faith strengthened to resist and overcome him. 4th. Trials and afflictions come every day.. How are we to get support and patience under them, comfort in them, sanctification by them, and a prospect of being delivered from them? From the ministry of the word. Mind what is said of disciples of old: "Ye received the word in much affliction, with joy in the Holy Ghost."....1 Thess. i. 6. More than twenty years ago, with great distress of soul and much weakness of body, I have often walked near three miles to hear the word: my legs have dragged on heavily: I have been ready to say, You have often carried me to the play-house, and now ye must carry me to the Lord's house. For, 5th. Blessed be our Lord, by the preaching of the word, our doubts are resolved....our fears scattered....our hopes revived....the prospect of the heavenly world brightened....more clear evidence of interest in it, and assurance of enjoying of it obtained. The word has a native tendency to promote all this; and by the grace of the Spirit, souls who constantly attend on it, will be sure to find the sweet experience of all this.

AN INDEX

FOR THE

TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE TREATED OF.

Chap. Verse Page Chap. Verse Page, Chap. Verse Page

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