June 14 AM

It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do, of his good pleasure. Phil. 2:13.

It is the peculiar blessing of every new creature in Christ Jesus, to be "renewed in knowledge." As the soul advances in the divine life, he more clearly understands the heights and depths of the mysteries of God's grace, by the word and Spirit of truth: so also he feels more and more of the workings of the mystery of iniquity within him. Therefore, he has done with talking of his own free will, and works of righteousness having any share in obtaining grace. These notions are the weeds of nature. They spring from pride. Pride is interwoven with our very constitution and being. This opposes and rebels against our own mercies, even the free-grace truths of the gospel. But it is the exercise of faith to submit to the righteousness of Jesus: to bow to the sovereignty of God's will, and to adore his Spirit who worketh in us to will and to do of his own good pleasure. O disciple of Jesus, how art thou sweetly constrained to own this from the rich experience of the truth upon thy own soul! What is the natural bent of thy free will, but to reject Jesus the Lord of life and glory? Its language is, "I WILL not have this man to reign over me." I have other and better lovers, and after them I WILL go. I WILL enjoy the pleasures of sin. I WILL love the world: I WLLL take my full swing in the gay delights, the pleasing profits, and glorious honors of it. I WILL be saved in my own way, for my own works: I WILL not be indebted to be saved by grace wholly. Thus the natural FREE-WILL of man speaks plain, by its affections and actions, through the darkness of the understanding. Thy free will was to destroy thyself: it was the will of the Lord to save thee in Christ Jesus. Therefore in the day of his power, the Holy Spirit made thee willing to come to Jesus for life and salvation. With free choice, and cheerful willingness, thou camest in faith, as a perishing sinner to a precious Saviour. Wilt thou any more ascribe any glory to thy will? wilt thou ever suffer thy power to share in the trophies of thy Lord? Nay, shall not free, sovereign, unmerited grace, have all the glory? Is not this the daily humble prayer of thy soul, "Leave me not, O Lord, to myself; for without thee, O Jesu, I can do nothing—nothing but sin against thee, and wound my own soul." If thou truly delightest in the law of God after the inward man, it is the delight of thy soul "to do those things which are pleasing in his sight." Ever put this soul-humbling, grace-exalting question to thy heart, "Who made me to differ? what have I that I have not received?" I have nothing in myself whereof to glory. I glory in him, who saith, "I will work, and who shall let it?" Isa. 43:13.