It was a new scene, and likely to be a trying one: who shall venture among couriers of a foreign monarch without anxiety? Yet the way was evidently appointed for him, and therefore he resolved to go. Jacob must have shuddered at the thought of leaving the land of his father's sojourning, and dwelling among heathen strangers.
"Fear not to go down into Egypt for I will there make of thee a great nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt and I will also surely bring thee up again." May God give them to thee, Christian! Evening Thus there will be three effects of nearness to Jesus-humility, happiness, and holiness. "Be not deceived God is not mocked." He will not bestow his favours upon the wicked: for while he will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he respect an evil doer. Some men profess a great deal but we must not believe any one unless we see that his deeds answer to what he says. A man who has no holiness has never had this manifestation. Another effect will be happiness for in God's presence there are pleasures for evermore. If a man says, "I have had such-and-such spiritual communications, I am a great man," he has never had any communion with Jesus at all for "God hath respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off." He does not need to come near them to know them, and will never give them any visits of love. Especial manifestations of Christ exercise a holy influence on the believer's heart. In the biographies of eminent saints, you will find many instances recorded in which Jesus has been pleased, in a very special manner to speak to their souls, and to unfold the wonders of his person yea, so have their souls been steeped in happiness that they have thought themselves to be in heaven, whereas they were not there, though they were well nigh on the threshold of it-for when Jesus manifests himself to his people, it is heaven on earth it is paradise in embryo it is bliss begun. They have had manifestations of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in a peculiar manner, such as no mere reading or hearing could afford. Even if Scripture did not declare this, there are many of the children of God who could testify the truth of it from their own experience. The Lord Jesus gives special revelations of himself to his people.
0 kommentar(er)
