Taken in the Briars

“Most that are acquauited with God are taken zn the briars, yesus Christ in the days of his flesh had never heard of 7na7iy, if their necessities had not brought them to himP Free grace is a harbour into which few ships ever run except through stress of weather. “Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble”: that is to say, when they are well-nigh wrecked and are altogether at their wits’ end. Till the end of the creature is reached, men will not seek to their Creator, even as the prodigal never thought of home till he had spent all, and there was a mighty famine in the land. Our author refers to Manasseh who was taken among the thorns, and surely he was an instructive type of the great majority of those who are saved from sin.

Lord, be pleased of thy great mercy to overrule the vast amount of poverty and suffering which is now in this land, that men may be driven to thee thereby. Let thy black dogs fetch home thy wandering sheep. Let thy fierce, breaking tempests compel full many a wanton voyager to reef the sails of pleasurable sin, and steer for the haven of forgiving love.