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February 5—Morning Devotion
"In the hand of a Mediator."—Galatians 3:196 The hand of a Mediator was the great blessing every, enlightened son of Adam, from the fall, sighed after, and looked for, in every approach to God. Hence the first transgressor, for the want of it, bid himself from the presence of God, amidst the trees of the garden. Hence Israel cried out to Moses, "Go thou near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say; but let not God speak with us, lest we die." And Job longed for a day's man, that is, a Mediator, that might lay his hand upon both parties. See then, my soul, thy privileges; for thou hast a Mediator, and a glorious one indeed, in whose almighty hand all…
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February 3—Morning Devotion
"Who loved me, and gave himself for me."—Galatians 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 first, and best, and greatest of all Beings, what invaluable love is this? And who did Christ love? "Why me," saith Paul: "who was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious." And how do you know, Paul, that Jesus loved you? " He gave himself for me," saith Paul. "Gave himself?" Yes, himself. Not his gifts only, not his grace, not his mercies, though all creation is his. And whatever he gave…
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Book 2: The Argument, Of The Knowledge Of God The Redeemer, In Christ, As First Manifested To The Fathers, Under The Law, And Thereafter To Us Under The Gospel
The First Part of the Apostles’ Creed—viz. the knowledge of God the Creator, being disposed of, we now come to the Second Part, which relates to the knowledge of God as a Redeemer in Christ. The subjects treated of accordingly are, first, the Occasion of Redemption—viz. Adam’s fall; and, secondly, Redemption itself. The first five chapters are devoted to the former subject, and the remainder to the latter. Under the Occasion of Redemption, the Fall is considered not only in a general way, but also specially in its effects. Hence the first four chapters treat of original sin, free will, the corruption of human nature, and the operation of God in the heart. The fifth chapter contains a refutation of the arguments usually urged in…
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January 23—Morning Devotion
"That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord."—Romans 5:21 Pause, my soul, and put forth thy fullest thoughts in the contemplation of those two united sources of thy felicity, marked in this verse: the Father's eternal purpose, in the reign of grace; and the everlasting efficacy and infinite value of thy Jesus's righteousness, to eternal life. None but God himself can know the fulness and extent of either. I am persuaded, that angels of light can never entertain adequate conceptions of either. The eternal purpose of God hath bounded the reign of sin; it is but unto death. But those purposes give a further extent to the redemption from death and…
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January 6—Morning Devotion
"For verily he took not on him the nature of angels."—Hebrews 2:16 Contemplate, my soul, the peculiar sweetness of that grace which was in thy Jesus, when, for the accomplishment of thy salvation, he passed by the nature of angels to take upon him thy nature. There were but two sorts of transgressors in the creation of God; angels and men. But angels are left in everlasting chains, under darkness, to the judgment of the great day. And falled, sinful, rebellious man, finds the grace of redemption. Had Jesus taken their nature, would not this have been nearer to his own? Would not their services have been vastly superior to ours? Would not the redemption of beings so much higher in rank and intellect, have…
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The Saddest Chapter: Three Curses, Three Blessings And Three Promises From Genesis 3
Genesis 3 has a strong claim to being the saddest chapter in the Bible. With the fall of man begins every sorrow and pain. Here is the source, the genesis and origin of the hurt of every injury, the tears of every hungry child, the suffering of sickness, disease and death in every generation. Man is born to trouble, and nature is red in tooth and claw, because of the events recorded here. More, the souls of countless men and women have been consigned to eternal separation and everlasting punishment because of Adam’s act of disobedience against God. Surely, the depth, breadth and degree of human suffering in both this life and the next that flow from the events recorded here is beyond reckoning. But,…
