November 27

Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth: who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.—Romans 8:33, 34.

HERE is the believer's challenge. Assured in Christ Jesus, he defies the whole host of opposition. Let us take our position beneath the shelterings of the cross, and who then can lay any thing to our charge, or condemn us? Christ died, rose again, is enthroned at the right hand of God, and maketh intercession for us. We believe in him, and it is God that justifieth. Still we shall be assaulted, but let us not be afraid.

Satan is the great accuser of the brethren, and he is the blackest enemy, and sin is the worst thing he can allege against me, or my soul is or can be subject to: for hell is not so evil as sin; inasmuch as hell is of God's making, but sin only is mine. Hell is made against me, but sin is committed against God. Now I know Christ came to destroy the works, and to answer the arguments and reasonings of the devil. "Thou canst not stand before God," saith Satan, "for thou art a grievous sinner, and he is a devouring fire."—But faith can answer, "Christ is able both to cover and to cure my sin, to make it vanish as a mist, and to put it as far out of my own sight as the east is from the west."—"But thou hast nothing to do with Christ, thy sins are so many and so foul."—"Surely the blood of Christ is more acceptable to my soul, and much more honorable and precious in itself, when it covereth a multitude of sins. Paul was a persecutor, a blasphemer, and injurious, the greatest of all sinners; and yet he obtained mercy, that he might be for a pattern of all long-suffering to those that should after believe in Christ. If I had as much sin upon my soul as thou hast, yet faith could unload them all upon Christ, and Christ could swallow them all up in his mercy."—"But still thou hast nothing to do with him, because thou continuest in thy sin."—"But doth he not call me, invite me, beseech me, command me to come unto him? If then I have a heart to answer his call, he hath a hand to draw me to himself, though all the gates of hell and powers of darkness, or sins of the world, stood between."—"But thou obeyest not this call."—"True indeed, and pitiful it is, that I am dull of hearing, and slow of following, the voice of Christ; I want much faith: but yet, Lord, thou dost not quench the smoking flax, or break the bruised reed; I believe, and thou art able to help my unbelief. I am resolved to venture my soul upon thy mercy, to throw away all my own loading, and cleave only to this plank of salvation."—"But faith purifieth the heart; whereas thou art unclean still."—"True indeed; and miserable man I am therefore, that motions of sin do work in my members. But yet, Lord, I hate every false way; I delight in thy law with my inner man; I do that which I would not, but I consent to thy law that it is good; I desire to know thy will, to fear thy name, and to follow thee whithersover thou leadest me."

"But," says the accuser, "these are but empty desires and wishes of an evil heart."—"Lord, to me belongeth the shame of my failings, but to thee belongeth the glory of thy mercy and forgiveness. Too true it is that I do not all I should: but do I allow myself in any thing that I should not? Do I make use of mine infirmities to justify myself by them, or shelter myself under them, or dispense with myself in them? Though I do not the things I should, yet I love them, and delight in them; my heart and spirit, and all the desires of my soul are towards them: I hate, abhor, and fight with myself for not doing them; I am ashamed of mine infirmities, as the blemishes of my profession; I am weary of them, and groan under them as the burdens of my soul: I have no lust, but I am willing to know it, and when I know it, to crucify it. I hear of no farther measure of grace, but I admire it, and hunger after it, and press on to it. I

30* do not in any man see the image of Christ, but I love him the more dearly for it, and abhor myself for being so much unlike it. I know, Satan, I shall speed never the worse with God, because I have thee for mine enemy. I know I shall speed much the better, because I have myself for mine enemy."—Certainly he that can take Christ offered, that can in all points admit him, as well to purify as to justify, as well to rule as save, as well his grace as his mercy,—need not fear all the powers of darkness, nor all the armies of the foulest sins, with which Satan can charge his conscience.