Newspapers / Zion’s Landmarks (Wilson, N.C.) / Nov. 15, 1870, edition 1 / Page 5
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jmtf ft?a iii«aun'nu ■ ZION’S I. A N 13 M A H K S . 189 is ever due, and not to free will, free agency, or his own good works, say- iiig, “ Tiiou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, even as a bullock un accustomed to the yoke.’^ As if he had said, in my backslidden state the iSpirit of God wrought on ray heart and eniifrlitened mv soul in so won- O • derful a manner, that I was filled ‘with niy own ways and I loathed mvself in dust and ashes, for let me turn as I would, the love and mercy of God, and my own vile returns of base ingratitude to him was ever be fore me, until I saw and felt the truth of this expression, “f will work and who shall let it?” “My woi'd sliail not return unto me void, but it shall accom|)lish tliat whicli I please, and it shall prosper in tiie thing; where" unto I seat it.” And I was made to cry out: “Oh ! wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the iiody of this death.” And when I wa.s humbled, lie enabled me to sub mit to his easy yoke, saying, “ Turn thou me and I shall be turned : for thou art the Lord my God.” “After that I was instructed,” by the Spirit of God, showing me the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the iiiimeritod love and mercy of God to Ine, “I re pented, 1 smote on my tiiigh. I was asliamed, yea even confounded, be cause I did bear the reproach of my Jesus Christ unto himself, accord ing to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he liath made us I accepted in the beloved.” “Is he a pleasant child?’’ When 1 lay my chastening rod upon him it works the peaceable fruits of righteousness, for he is e.^ercised thereby. For “since i spake against him I do earnestly remember him still.” — “For ever since I spake against him,” though it has been 174years, “I do earnestly remember him still.” Though it has been so great a length of time in the view of man, my watchful care and restraining grace has ever been over and Uji>n him to keep him safe 1rorn harm and danger, that he should not run beyond the reach of my mercy.^—- j“Onedayisas a thousand years, jand a thousand years as one day ! noth the Lord.’’ ‘ In a little wrath II hid my fa.ee as it werefor a moment, j but my loving kindness I will not' I utterly take from him.” And no’.v , my chastening rod, and the draw., ing of my everlasting love, and my kind care and protection rnanitest- ed to him has humbled him down to my word and will, “therefore 1 ■vili sun ly have mercy on iiim saith vouth.” Oh ! what heart rcudintr if scenes the poor backslider has tp l>as3 througli in hi.s return to his God ; he feais he has been deceived, and has committed the unjiardonable sin, tiiat he has crucilif d the Lord Jesus afresh to himself, and put him to an open .shame, and that there is no more re- mi.ssion for sins, but a fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indigna tion and wrath, which shall devoir his adversaries. But at the time of his greatest darkne.ss and distress, when he almost despairs of the mercy of God, he still pleads for it; to his astonishment he hears the voice of God in hi.s soul, saying, Is Ephraim ray dear son ? Is he a jdea.sant chiid ? for since I spake again.st him I do earnestly reniein- Iser him still. As if God had said, is Ephraim one of my dear adopted sons in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world. Eph. 11: 4, 6, G, According as he (God the Father) halli chosen us in Him (Jesus Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: having predestinated ns unto the adoption of cliildrcu by tlie Lord,” “For I will, be their I God and they shallhe ray ])oople.” i And in a moment, in the twinkling i * - . ^ I of an eye poorEphraim or the back- |sliiier is raised from the depth.s of Miorror and anguish, bordering on ltspair, to (he h.ighest strains oi’ ’praises to God and the Limb that humanity can bear: “For tlie great love wherewith he loved us while wo were yet in our sims.” Yea. j“they rejoice with that jcyv which i is unspeakable and full of glory jand that fadeth not away.” “lie j that is horn of God hath the vvit- liie.ss in-himself, the spirit of God bearing witne.ss with our spirit that we are born of God.” “And if children, then heirs, lieirs of God and joint heirs with Je.sns Christ.’’ “But they that lack these things arc blind, and cannot see a far off.” “Jesus was tempted in all points dike as \ve*are, vet without sin, that he might know how to succor those that are tempted.” Therefore, “think it not strange concerning the fiery trials which is for to try persecutions and falsehood.s to be heaped upon u.s, this is a part of the Christian inheritance, for “they that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.’’ “II'these tliing.s he done in the green tiee, what shall be done in the dry.” We should always remember Jesus says, “follow me;’’ “if ye forgive not those that trespass against thee, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespa.sses.” “if any iuivc not riie Spirit of Christ, he is none of h is. ” “As many of you as is led by theS[)irIt of God, ye are the children of God.” Therefore weshonld con sider our.selves lest wealso be tempt ed, and we should always be on our watch tower, and keep strict watch (Wer every gate, and see where the enemy wiii try to enter, for tlie devil i.s a.s a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, and we shonlJ refuse him at the very onset; “For the weapon.s of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual, and mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” “For we wiestle not against flesh and blood but against principaiilies, against [lowers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against sjiir- itual wickedness in high, place.s.” VVeshould remember tliar Paul says, “ Without Ciirist lean do nothing, you, as though some strange thing had happened unto you, for no I '.emptation has hajipened unto you !but is common amomr men.” We I may look for lemptatioms, trials, but with him I can do all things, Christ Jescls strengfhening me.”— And Jcnus says, “Becan.-e I live ye shall live also.” “I will come again and receive you to myself, that whore I ant there you may be also.” Beloved brethren and sister.s, seeing we look for such things, what manner of persons ought we to be in holy conversation and god liness? Juid knowing that this Warfare will be short, when an eter- n.al peace will be proclaimed, we Should take cou.vage and hold up our heads, for certain victory is at the end of the battle, for “there re- maineth therefore a rest lor the peo ple of God.” This will be a glori ous and an eternal “rest we will then hid farewell to the world, the flesh and the devil, there will be no mure sickness, sorrow, toil, pain or death to be felt or feared, nothing will annoy or disturb our glorious [)eace,“for weshall be like Kim (our blessed Redeemer) for we shall see Him as lie i.s.” .Ifa viewof our bless ed Redeemer, by fliith, is .so trans- poiting and J.elightful, what will eyes on His glorious, beautiful per son, in the bright blaze of bis re conciled conntetiance ? And our immortal souls shall be employed in highest and sweetest strains of iramortality in praising the omnips otent three>-one-God, while eteimity endure.'"’, for redeeming grace and never dying love. May God crown this feeble effort with a divine ble.ssing lo every n’ader, is ray prayer for Christ’,s sake. Amen. M. MeGRAW. Caij-oivay, Tbxas, ■) Sept. 12, 1870. J Brother Bodenharaer:—I see in the Landmarks a request from bro- tl'.er J. Pate, of Fayetteville, Ga., for my views on the following test of Scripture: “ IJkewise also the.so filthy dreamer’s defile the flesh, des- j)ise d»minion, and speak evil of dig nities.” Jude 8th verse. Tolhebe.st of )uy limited ability, brother Pate, I will endeavor to cora[)ly. Tho apo-tle surely was addre.ssing good people, and doubtle,ss felt a deep in terest for them. “Sanctided by God the Father, preserved in Jesus Christ and called,” they were saints of the most h.igh God ; and after giving all diligence to write unto tho.se beloved brethren, of the common salvation, thonglit it needful for him to 'write unto them and exhort them to ear nestly contend for the faith once de livered to the sainte. The reason why it was thus important, some had crept in unawares, v/ho were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men. Notwithstanding their fore-appointment to this condemna tion, it was necessary (and is yet) for Zion to guard her borders ivell.-— He first refreshes their minds of God’s judgments, on those of the Lsraelites who believed not, and also the angels that kept not their first estate, and Sodom and Gomorrah, &c., and then says the.se filthy dreamers that had crept in stealthily; for that is the way such always come, sneakingly, to spy out the liberties of the saints ungodly men, yet profe.ssiug godli ness, (hypocrites,) knowing nothing, it be to gaze with strong imraoruil only as brute beasts; gone into the way of Cain, and running greedily after the error of Balaam, for reward, but have pcri.shed in the gainsaying of Ct'.re. What is the result, spots in your feasLs of charity, when they feast with yon, feeding themselves without fear ; “elouds carried alxmt with winds, destitute of water, (dry indeed):, trees without fruit, twice V, A
Zion’s Landmarks (Wilson, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Nov. 15, 1870, edition 1
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