The Imperishable Gift

“Thh is the rest where-d’/th ye 7nay cause the n’eary to rest, and this is the refreshirig’’’’ —

“31 gibe unto tijcm rtrrnnl life; nnti lljrg sljall ncbrr prrt’sb, nritljrr sfjall ang pluck tijnn out of ilHg f)anl5.”

—JOHN X. 28.

j y, -, So speaks the Divine Shepherd to the ^.^ ’ “sheep in the wilderness,” as they repose under the shade of the Pahn-trees, and by the Wehs of living water.

It is a FREE gift. ^’’ I give.” Believers have themselves no share in the purchase. Man, in bestowing his gifts, has generally reference to some loving or lovable qualities in the objects of his beneficence. But it was from no attractiveness on their part, — no foreseen good works or virtues, that God was induced to procure and bequeath the priceless heritage. It is a munificent bestowment of sovereign grace and redeeming love. “I give” — it is theirs in unqualified, inalienable possession, — a glorious freehold. The ransomed in the heavenly paradise are spoken of as having “a right io the tree of life.” It is the right of the slave who has had his freedom purchased. It is the right of the son who has been infeft in his patrimonial inheritance. It is the right of the conqueror dividing among his soldiers the honours and trophies of victory which his own valour has won.

And as it was the free sovereign love of the Great and Good Shepherd, the Son of the Highest, which led Him to pay the ransom-price; so it is His sovereign, irresistible grace which preserves His flock every hour from destruction, and will present each member of it at last faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. Let us not lapse into a loose and indefinite theology, by speaking of the “inherent power of the new nature.” That is nothing. It is a shadow — a name — -apart from the power of Christ and the indwelling, upholding energy of the Spirit of God. Why was Paul enabled to stand firm when the messenger from Satan was sent to buffet him? Why did not the thorn in the flesh get the better of his nobler self? It was because that free grace which had “predestinated” and “called “and justified,” was, in the hour of trial and temptation, made “sufificient for him; “^ — God’s strength “perfected in weakness,” yea, overcoming weakness. Let us ever admire, with adoring wonder, this unmerited, undeserved, sovereign freeness, from first to last, of the great salvation. Jesus is the true Zerubbabel, who has laid the foundation, and who also will finish it. Seek to trace His hand in each part of the spiritual building; beginning, carrying on, completing; — the Alpha, the Omega; the Justifier, the Sanctifier, the Glorifier. “Thanks be to God,” says the Apostle, “who always causeth us to triumph in Christ.” The pearl would remain for ever in the depths of the ocean unless the diver descended for it; so, unless He who purchased us as gems and jewels for His crown had taken us from ’ the depths,’ there we should have remained for ever. And as He rescues the pearl, so does He ’ keep ’ it in safety, till He finally inserts it in His mediatorial diadem. As His is the glory of the coinmcncing work and the sustaining work, so His is the glory of the

o crowning and consummating work. The branch cannot live severed from the vine. The Umb cannot live severed from the body. The Christian Uves only by virtue of “Christ his life.” It is not our repentance or our prayers, or our habits of grace, or our long standing in grace, which either save or protect us, — but the arm of an omnipotent Redeemer. “The Lord is thy Keeper.’’’ “He that heepeth Israel doth not slumber.” “Well might we sit down in despair,” says a gifted believer, “and say, who is sufficient for these things? had we not the strength of Omnipotence on our side; had we not everlasting arms underneath us, and sandals proof against the roughest path.” Yes, and if, at times, we may be conscious of forfeiting the joys of salvation; it may even be undergoing spiritual darkness; we may feel assured that that darkness generally arises from failing to look above to Jesus and to the grace of Jesus; just as one, turning their back to the sun, sees a shadow projected and that shadow is their own. The remedy for getting quit of the shadow is to turn round to the all-glorious Light of life, with the cry-, “More grace! more grace!”

“All is dark on the horizon,
Clouds returning after rain;
Faith is languid, Hope is weary,
And the questions rise again — ‘Doth the promise fail for ever?
Hast Thou made all men in vain? ’

“O Redeemer! shall one perish
Who has looked to Thee for aid?
Let me see Thee, let me hear Thee,
Through the gloomy midnight shade:
Utter Thou Thy voice of comfort;
‘It is I, be not afraid.’”

“IIAVINC, LOVED HIS OWN WHICH WERE IN THE WORLD, HE LOVED THEM UNTO THE END.”