31. The afflicted one prays for the removal of his Affliction
EXHORTATION.
"Like a crane, or a swallow, so did I chatter; I did mourn as a dove; mine eyes fail with looking upward: O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me. Behold, for peace I had great bitterness; but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back" —Is. xxxviii. 14, 17.
Our afflictions must have an end, either in this life, or at death, and hence we are permitted to ask God to remove them; but yet we must be entirely resigned to his will.
1. A Christian may therefore pray for the removal of his affliction, when he feels oppressed by its severity, bitterness and long duration. For Christ, our Saviour, did so himself, when he besought his heavenly Father to let the bitter cup pass from him; by doing so, the afflicted one manifests his devotion and confidence in the omnipotence of God. 2. It is better, however, to bear the infliction submissively and willingly.
3. He must pray for the removal of his afflictions from proper motives; that he may be brought nearer to God, and by their removal may have more strength and time given him to love and serve God. Let not that man suppose THE AFFLICTED ONE PRAYS FOR that his prayer will be heard, who, from impatience, or a love of the sinful pleasures and lusts of the world, asks the removal of his afflictions. As long as our hearts remain carnal, sensual, and earthly in their desires and affections, he permits the cross to continue, until, like a holy fire, it has consumed all stubbles and impurities of sin. O thou most gracious God! who regardest the afflicted and distressed, and whose tender mercies are over all thy works; behold, before thy throne of grace, a poor, sorrowful, suffering mortal humbly bows, to implore thy mercy and aid. The hand that wounded must heal; he that killed, must make alive; wherefore, O most merciful God! I come to thee, and cry out: "Lord, help me!" O have mercy upon me! let my prayers and supplications find favor before thee. O let me find relief in thee; if thou wilt not yet entirely remove my misery, remove a portion of it. Thou wilt forsake thine only for a little moment, and then with everlasting kindness, thou wilt have mercy upon them. O God! how long wilt thou forsake me? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? Is thy mercy gone forever? Have thy promises failed towards me? No, my God! unworthy as I am, I confiTHE REMOVAL OF HIS AFFLICTION.
dently plead those promises, and trust in thee. Let me experience that thou art still my Father, who hast mercy upon me. Show me that my prayer is not rejected. O how long, how long, does the heart crave and yearn for thee! Nothing is impossible with thee. Lord of hosts, is thy name; great in majesty and mighty in deeds. Thou art the Comfort of Israel, and their Deliverer; wherefore, forsake me not, but be merciful unto me and deliver me. Comfort my soul once more, after my sufferings and sorrows have continued so long. O no not remove thy helping hand from me, my God and my salvation. But if the hour of relief has not yet come, let thy grace be sufficient for me, and strengthen me with might in the inward man, that I may be enabled to bear my afflictions patiently; for if thou, beloved Father, dost help me to carry, or dost mitigate it; if I am permitted to walk forth in thy strength, I will regard it as a deliverance, and will thank thee for the same; and if it be thy will that they should not be removed in this life, but that I should bear them until death, thy will be done. If I am still to suffer here, Lord Jesus, assist me with thy power as a knight and champion; help me to vanquish all my adversaries. Amen. THE AFFLICTED ONE PRAYS, ETC.
1. When will God extend his mercies,
O how long does he delay!
Would he shorten my reverses,
Take my heavy yoke away!
O must not I surely perish
If my Lord will not me cherish?
If the Almighty does me spurn,
Peace can ne'er to me return.
2. God has promised me securely
That he will extend his grace,
When his hour has come, he surely
Will determine my distress.
To this word I fast will hold him,
That alone has e'er controlled him;
What his promise speaks, he will
Most assuredly fulfil.
3. I will clamor, notwithstanding,
"Father, look upon thy child;"
Unremittingly demanding
Comfort, like the lost, exiled;
I will follow wheresoe'er he
Turns, e'en to his sanctuary;
I'll pursue him with my cries,
Till his grace relieves my sighs.
4. In Gethsemane's sad garden
If still longer I must hide,
My distress shall never harden
To despair, or swell to pride.
THE AFFLICTED ONE MEDITATES, ETC.
I will bear with patient sorrow,
And in calmness wait the morrow;
In this garden, where I groan,
Jesus suffered, all alone.
5. I am well content and cheerful
In God's holy will to rest;
E'en if he does make me tearful,
Still I know 'tis for the best.
At the last, my thanks and praises
Shall be heard in heavenly places;
Telling unto every one
What the Lord for me has done.
The afflicted one meditates on the happy issue of his Afflictions.
EXHORTATION.
"For the Lord will not cast off forever, but though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For the Lord doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men."—Lam. iii. 31-33. All afflictions are comparatively light under the influence of a strong hope that they will soon terminate.
1. So let the afflicted believer remember that his sufferings must certainly have an end, and perhaps even in this earthly life; as God ended
THE AFFLICTED ONE MEDITATES ON the banishment of David, the sickness of Heze kiah, the misery of Job, the tears of the widow, and the pains of the palsied one, even in this life. But most certainly will God terminate the sufferings of the pious after death, and wipe all tears from their eyes. 2. In our afflictions we should remember that our souls are to be diverted from the world, and directed to God. If this purpose is attained, the issue of our afflictions is a happy one, whether they end in time or in eternity. Great and eternal God! thou seest how grievous are the afflictions which I suffer; yet shall my faith and hope not fail, but in the midst of my severest trials, I will lift up my eyes to the hills whence my help cometh, even to thee, thou almighty, all-wise, and most merciful God. I know that after my sorrows, thou wilt again fill my heart with joy—after the tempest is over, the sun will again shine out. Thou hast said thou wilt give rest to the weary and heavy laden, and I now come to thee, and claim the fulfilment of this precious promise. O grant me now the desire of my heart and an answer to my prayer, if it be consistent with thine honor and my soul's best interests. For in thee was my trust, Lord, Lord, from my youth up. I THE HAPPY ISSUE OF HIS AFFLICTIONS.
know that thy right hand can change all things. Therefore, alter, if it be thy holy will, my sad condition. I now see thy gracious design in my afflictions—thou wouldst make me more humble, meek and holy—wouldst draw my heart and affections more to thyself, that I might hope in God, and seek my pleasure in him alone; and when this benevolent and glorious design is accomplished, thou wilt remove the affliction and again fill me with joy and happiness. O what blessed fruit will I gather from this bitter tree! what great advantage will I reap from my sufferings! David's persecutions, led to the composition of his most beautiful Psalms; so shall my tears yield a harvest of the most precious fruits, and the thorns with which my path is now strewed, shall bear roses. After the battle shall come the victory, after the conflict the crown of glory—after sufferings, the deliverance, and after the night of weeping and sorrow, the joyful morning. For this I will praise and bless thy holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. How glorious at the last day, shall be that happy deliverance, when, free from all evil, I shall enter upon the life of heavenly gladness. Surely this is not the fruit of our afflictions? What have we known upon earth before, but sorrow and resig18*
THE AFFLICTED ONE MEDITATES ON, ETC.
nation? We have been greatly grieved, and yet God has given us an hour of bliss. Amen.
1. O has my Jesus quite and utterly forsaken
This hapless heart, and must I ne'er to bliss awaken?
O, if my dearest friend will not return again,
Who will stretch forth his hand to mitigate my pain?
2. O when will Jesus come? Others are blessed to sun them,
In honors and in wealth, with favors thick upon them.
And I alone must sigh, and I alone must weep
In my dumb, speechless woe, and let God's mercy sleep!
3. Patience from my distress has almost wholly vanished,
For all my hopes are turned to nothingness, and banished;
Where'er I seek his face, his face no more is known;
When I stretch forth my hand to clasp him, he is gone.
4. Be calm and still, my soul, forego thy lamentation,
It is the will of God; submit with resignation.
The absence of thy Lord doth give thee bitterness;
But soon he will return to silence thy distress.
AFFLICTED WIDOWS PRAY TO GOD.
5. Thy Jesus soon will come, and in his arms enfold thee;
Rejoice, his mercy soon shall cheer thee and embold thee.
He sees what thou dost bear, and in a little while
His never failing grace upon thy path shall smile.
Afflicted widows pour out their hearts before God.
EXHORTATION.
"Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry."—Ex. xxii. 22, 23.
"I am indeed a widow woman, and my husband is dead."—2 Sam. xiv. 5; thus doth the wise woman of Tekoah describe a widow.
1. The widow's lot is a state of sorrow, inasmuch as she is deprived of the help, advice, presence, and affection of her husband, which is a severe loss even to rich widows; poor ones suffer the more grievously, because death has robbed them of the person whose duty it was, with the assistance of God, to support them and their children. 2. The widow's lot is a state of affliction,
AFFLICTED WIDOWS PRAY TO GOD.
because unchristian people often do violence to widows, rob them of their own, oppress, despise, and wrong them.
3. But it is also under the protection of God. He has commanded all men to do no harm unto widows and orphans, and has threatened to revenge every wrong perpetrated against them. God has promised to be the husband of the widow, her judge and deliverer. 4. In view of this, pious widows must not despair of God's assistance, for though their husbands be dead, God is not dead.
5. They must regard their afflictions as trials of their hope and trust in God.
6. Therefore they must persevere in prayer, serve God faithfully, lead a pious, quiet, and Christian life, and God will surely provide for them, nourish and sustain them.
O thou gracious and most merciful God! who art the refuge of all the bereaved and afflicted. It has pleased thee, in thy wise and inscrutable Providence, to place me into the dreary state of widowhood. My sun has set at mid-day, and the crown has fallen from my head. I am indeed a widow woman, and my husband is dead. What shall I do, or whither shall I go? To whom shall I look for counsel and direction? AFFLICTED WIDOWS PRAY TO GOD.
Lord! I come and cast myself upon thee. Thou hast promised in thy holy word that thou wilt be the Judge of the widow, and the Father of the fatherless—"I the Lord, am thy husband; the God of Israel is my name." O therefore, be thou my judge, my help, my deliverer, my refuge, and the Father of my children. Behold my tears and hear my sighs, and have mercy upon me. My God and Father! I believe most firmly, that thou canst protect, sustain and provide for me and mine without a husband. Lord! Lead me as thou didst Naomi; and take care of me and provide for me, as thou didst for Ruth. Bless me as thou didst the widow of Zarephath, that my "barrel of meal may not waste, nor my cruse of oil fail." Have compassion on me as thou hadst on the widow of Nain, and wipe away the tears from my weeping eyes. Lord! Provide for me, and for those intrusted to my care our daily bread. Bless my going out and coming in; keep me in all my ways; preserve me from every evil; and let me realise the fulfilment of all thy precious promises. Thou art the living God, and my only refuge, and I will confide and trust in thee, with all my heart and soul. Thou art all-wise, and knowest what is best for me; powerful, and able to protect me; hast all riches, and art therefore able to provide for me and supply all my wants; AFFLICTED WIDOWS PRAY TO GOD.
merciful enough to give me everything I need;
and thou art everywhere present, and therefore art acquainted with all my wants, sorrows, and afflictions, and art ever near to help. Shall a traveller depend upon his guide to direct him in the road in which he should go? Shall he that is sick trust his body and life in the hands of his physician? and shall I be afraid to trust in the living God? Have mercy upon me, O Lord
God of my salvation, and help me for thy name sake. Father and mother leave me, O do thou take me up. Behold, O Lord, how great are the sorrows of my soul! but thou hast ever looked in mercy on my soul, that it might not perish.
Assist me to my lonely life of faith and piety, ever to rejoice in thee, and to offend no one. I know that those that serve God shall be comforted in all their troubles, and delivered from tribulations, and after the chastisement they shall find grace. Widows are in the arms of
God, orphans are in his lap, he will have mercy upon them in the depths of affliction; for the unrighteous man who wrongs the orphan or oppresses the widow, offends the apple of God's eye. If they remain in the limits God has assigned them, and never swerve, they shall reach the heavenly mansions where all sorrow ceases, and where the wail of the widow shall be heard no more. Grant that joy may succeed
AFFLICTED WIDOWS PRAY TO GOD.
my sorrows, peace my troubles, and consolation my tears and distress. Convert all my enemies into friends, and give me grace in the sight of all men. Amen.
1. Widows be comforted, and lay aside your weeping,
The God of comforts now will take you in his keeping.
The widows' husband, he forbids you to despair,
And bids you trust in him with confidence and prayer.
2. The widows' husband, he will never more forsake you;
When you appear to sink, he in his arms will take you.
He is your husband, he, the Lord of many Hosts;
He steers your fragile bark round cliffs, and stormy coasts.
3. The widows' husband, he will clothe you, and will feed you;
How could he hear your cries of anguish, and not heed you?
He knows your hapless plight, the troubles that you toss,
And he will bear you up through all this bitter cross.
4. The widows' husband, he is still your best defender,
Unto your foes he will the direst justice render.
He hears your voice of woe, he takes you to his arms,
And with his mighty hand protects you from all harm.
5. The widows' husband, he will give to overflowing
Whate'er your sustenance shall need of his bestowing;
If in his wisdom your bereavement he ordained,
His doubly bounteous care you thereby have obtained.
forsaken Orphans complain to God.
EXHORTATION.
"When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up."—Ps. xxvii. 10.
The situation of children, left orphans by the death of their parents, is often one of deep distress. Deprived of father and mother, they are often compelled to live, to serve, to help themselves as best they can, among strangers. Sad as is their lot, however, it often produces much good in the hearts of orphans, when they fear
God.
1. Let, therefore, orphans remember, that though deprived of their earthly parents, they have a rich Father in heaven.
2. They should remember that God often bereaves children of their parents, in order to teach them how richly and abundantly he can provide for them and take care of them without the assistance of earthly parents. How many thousand examples of this kind has God given to the world! where children left destitute, were nevertheless taken care of and blessed, and became rich and great, and were respected and loved. They might adopt the language of Jacob, and say; "with" (nothing but) "my staff I passed over this Jordan;" I left home with the wanderer's staff of poverty and life, and what I now have God hath given me. 3. Orphans must also persevere in their trust in God, be humble towards all, diligent in business, devout in prayer, zealous in attending divine worship, attentive as listeners, chaste in their lives, godly in their walk, faithful in their avocations, upright in all their dealings, must have God before their eyes and in their hearts, assent to no sin, and never transgress the commands of God. If they remain within these limits, God will certainly not forsake them; he will lead them marvellously, but gloriously, so that they will have cause to praise his power and goodness all their lives. Gracious and merciful God, and Father! at thine exalted throne, I, a poor, forsaken, and afflicted orphan, would now humbly bow, and beseech thee to take me under thy fatherly protection. It has pleased thee, in thy wise and mysterious Providence, to deprive me of my earthly parents; ah! whither shall I now flee?
I am left an orphan; I have no father more, who will take pity on me! Blessed Father, I come to thee; do thou have mercy on me, and own me as thy child. Thou hast brought me into the world, and hitherto provided for me, in thee
I have set my trust from my youth up. Dost thou not feed the fowls of the air, and clothe the flowers and grass of the field, and provide for the deer of the forest, and wilt thou not also feed and clothe me as a faithful father, and have mercy upon me, and be gracious unto me? Mine eyes yearn for thee. I lift up mine eyes to the hills whence my help cometh; my help cometh from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. I know that though all men should forsake me, thou wilt not cast me off. How many examples do I see around me of persons who were deprived of their parents in their childhood, whom thou hast led, supported, and provided for in the most wonderful manner. Great God! thou didst deliver the infant Moses, when exposed on the banks of the Nile; and shall I not also be rescued from beneath the waves of affliction which now roll so heavily over me, and threaten to swallow me up? O, Lord Jesus! who didst suffer little children to come unto thee, and forbid them not, bless me also, take me into the arms of thy mercy, carry me, and protect me from harm. O most precious Holy Ghost, the leader of the faithful, do thou lead me also. Teach me thy ways, O Lord, guide me in thy truth, unite my heart to fear thy name. O thou triune God! Be my defender, who will keep me; my helper, who will best read me; my escort, when I go abroad and when I return home. Bestow upon me friends wherever I go; raise up patrons and benefactors who will take pity on my loneliness; let my guardians be filled with love towards me. Do good unto them also according to thy grace: preserve them from misfortune, and reward them with temporal, spiritual, and eternal blessings, for all the kindness they show me. Give me an humble and obedient heart; so that my perverseness and sinful faults may not forfeit the favor of my well-wishers. Preserve me from temptation, that I may not be induced by poverty to deny thee, but help me to increase constantly in the knowledge and love of thee. Let thy good spirit direct, sanctify, govern and guard me at all times, so that evil company may not seduce me into wanton sin. Let me not lapse into unchastity, and save me from perverseness of heart. O gracious God and Father, frighten me away from the paths of ungodliness. Reprimand me when I am seized by the lust of evil. Uphold me when I stumble, raise me when I fall, turn my steps when I would err; strengthen me when I am weak, make me whole when I sicken. O faithful God and Father! if at any time thou shouldst see me about to give way to sin, may I hear thy warning voice. I consecrate to thee my soul and body, and commit all my ways into thy hands. O how will I thank, how will I praise thee for thy benefits! my tongue shall say, this has God done. God has blessed me, kept me; clothed, led, sustained me; aye, I will proclaim to all the world thy fatherly goodness. O Lord, Lord! Hear the prayer of the forsaken orphan, hear the voice of thy child. I know thou canst help me; help me, Lord, for the sake of thy mercy, so that I may say to thy praise, the Lord has done great things to me, whereof I am glad. For, as thou art my God and father, thou wilt not forsake thy child. I am a poor clod of earth, on earth I have no comfort Amen. 1. Orphans, do not repine! Be not so spirit-stricken,
Rely upon your God, he will your sadness quicken;
Although your parents both no more your sufferings heed,
God lives and while he lives, ye nevermore shall need.
2. God feeds the orphans still, and gives them entertainment,
Protection, and support, shelter and food and raiment.
Resign yourselves to him, he will you well defend,
He will your bulwark be, your guardian, and your friend.
3. God is a God of wealth, and will most richly lavish
His comforts upon you. Distress shall never ravish
The little that ye have. Although the store be small
His husbandry will make it large enough for all.
4. Be of good cheer! Ye have a share in the prediction
That he will rescue all the wretched from affliction.
Arise and look around, and soon you shall behold
The word shall be fulfilled, so mercifully told.
5. Be pious, never leave the pathway strait and narrow,
And let impatience not your spirits chafe and harrow;
19*
THE AFFLICTED ONE COMPLAINS
Put still your trust in God, and swerve not from his side;
Then here and there above great bliss shall you betide
The afflicted one complains of the Weakness of his faith.
EXHORTATION.
"A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench."—Is. xlii. 3.
"Lord, increase our faith."—Luke xvii. 5.
If anything is capable of frightening the soul of a true believer, it is when he imagines that he does not pray in a proper manner, or that his faith is not a living faith, which leads to doubts of his salvation. In such cases, the following reflections may be of service.
1. Let the desponding Christian be assured, that the prayer which is offered up in the name of Jesus, in reliance upon his blood and merits, is a prayer correctly spoken.
2. The fact that he has a desire to believe is an evidence that he has already believed; for this desire is a work of the Holy Ghost; a godless man does not desire to believe
OF THE WEAKNESS OF HIS FAITH.
3. Satan cannot extinguish the light of faith in our hearts.
4. The fact that a believer does not at all times feel the same degree of happiness in prayer, is no evidence that he has no faith, no more than coals concealed beneath the ashes prove the fire to be extinguished. 5. The best evidence that we have faith is the fact that we strive against sin, and that the fruits of the Spirit appear in our lives. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law."—Gal. v. 22, 23. For such frightened souls are afraid to speak or to do evil. 6. Our faith may be strengthened by prayer, reading God's word, patient continuance in well-doing, hope in God.
7. Christ has died for the weak in faith as well as for others, and prays for them, that their faith fail not; and even if they should feel themselves unable to believe this, it is still true, because taught in God's holy word. O thou most merciful God! I know from thy blessed word that it is by faith alone that I can be saved, and that "without faith, it is impossible to please thee;" and as I desire to please thee THE AFFLICTED ONE COMPLAINS OF FOUL, and to be saved, I am greatly alarmed and distressed on account of the weakness of my faith. O therefore, kindle anew the light of faith in my soul, that I may know thee, the true and living God, as thou hast revealed thyself in thy word. O that I may be enabled to trust thy word and promise fully, which assures me of the pardon of sin through Jesus Christ. For at times, methinks, I do not pray aright; I have no faith, or shall not persevere in faith to the end. This I confide to thee, my God, because I know that all good and perfect gifts come from above. As faith is not common property, but is thy gift, I beseech thee to strengthen my weak faith. A bruised reed thou wilt not break, and the smoking flax thou wilt not quench. O God! engrave upon my heart the consolation that a prayer founded upon the merits and death of Jesus is a true prayer, and that a weak faith which clings to thee, O triune God! that is, to thee, O heavenly Father as a Creator, to thee, O Jesus! as our only Saviour and Redeemer, and to thee, O Holy Ghost! as our Sanctifier and Comforter,— is a saving faith, well pleasing unto thee. O my Jesus! pray for me as thou didst intercede for Peter, that my faith fail not. Seal in me the consolation that I have been purchased with thy precious blood, and have become thy child in holy baptism; and that my weak faith and SINFUL, AND BLASPHEMOUS THOUGHTS.
prayer is not rejected, for the sake of thy intercession. And O thou gracious Spirit! work in me the real fruits of faith, impel me, sanctify me, reign in me and rule over me, yea, dwell in me; bear witness unto my spirit that I am a child of God; and greatly increase my faith; may the fruits of a living faith appear abundantly in my life, and be seen of all men. If thou wilt vouchsafe me this, O triune God, I will gladly be content with my feeble faith. O my God, before whom I appear in this my great affliction, hear how I pray, and let me not be forsaken; demolish the works of Satan, strengthen my weak faith, let me never repine, but still wear Christ in my heart. Amen. The afflicted one complains of foul, sinful, and blasphemous Thoughts.
EXHORTATION.
"For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me, and he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness."—2 Cor. xii. 7-9. It is distressing to hear the groans and sighs of one who is suffering severe bodily pains; but much more so to see one overwhelmed by an-
THE AFFLICTED ONE COMPLAINS OF FOUL, guish of soul, on account of sinful and blasphemous thoughts. Now such tempted and sorrowful souls may find some consolation in the following reflections:
1. These temptations, depression, fright, and spiritual trials are sent by God, according to whose will they must suffer these things. Not a hair of our heads falls to the ground without his notice; much less can so heavy an affliction come upon us without his will. 2. Pious Christians perceive these foul and wicked thoughts with alarm. Unconverted people have them too, but they laugh over them.
3. The fact that the pious are alarmed by them, is a sign that they love God in their hearts, and are in a state of grace and faith.
4. This fright on account of sinful thoughts is a proof that Jesus and the Holy Ghost still dwell in our hearts; if Satan occupied them, as the afflicted ones think, they would not be disturbed by them. 5. Believers must never permit sinful thoughts, to keep them from prayer, and the reading and hearing of God's Word, on the contrary, they should pray and read much and often. 6. Even if the evil thoughts will not permit them to pray nor to think of God, their very complaint is in itself a prayer, and their groans
SINFUL, AND BLASPHEMOUS THOUGHTS.
a sure sign of the presence of God in their hearts; for this desire springs from the grace that is in them; and in weeping and wailing, they pray most fervently and effectually. 7. Although they imagine that they offend God in everything they do, God will not judge them harshly, but considers their effort and their desire.
8. They must bear patiently to the end, for God will at last release and refresh them.
9. These trials make the afflicted one humble, devout, cautious, pious, loth to say or do evil, and purify the heart of evil habits and faults, and lukewarmness in prayer and in the hearing of God's holy Word; is not this great gain? 10. These reflections should be entertained and meditated on, and further expositions requested of the friends of God. Besides, corporal medicine should be taken, as well as exercise, in the open air in the society of Christians, and solitude avoided. It may be well at times to sing with those around. It is also advisable frequently to read the 8th chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, and the 27th and 88th Psalms. Most holy Lord! thou who dwellest in the praise of Israel, and whom angels and the heavenly hosts unceasingly praise and adore, I,
THE AFFLICTED ONE COMPLAINS OF FOUL, a poor afflicted soul, prostrate myself before thy throne of grace. I am greatly distressed by sore temptations and by sinful and blasphemous thoughts, which almost daily assail me, and hinder my prayers and communion with thee. Thou, omniscient God, knowest well, how these "fiery darts" strike and wound my soul, how they torture and harass me. But they are contrary to my will, and I daily strive and pray against them, and weep and mourn over them. O my God, do not make me accountable for that which takes place against my will. Thou seest how I struggle, how I wrestle, how I sigh, how I detest them, and would fain expel them from my heart. O Lord! Let not thy hand be too heavy upon me, lest I perish. Be gracious unto me, for I am feeble. O how do I tremble, when I see that the evil hour is on me. Refresh me, O thou triune God, and when the evil hour with its terrors has passed over, let me experience again the abundant consolation of thy holy presence. In the midst of my sufferings, speak a word of comfort to my soul, to which I may cling, and by which I may raise myself, and bravely renew the fight. If my woe is to be of long duration, O give me great patience and power of endurance. Preserve me from unbelief and despondency; but let thy Spirit bear witness unto my spirit, that I am thy child. Thou hast said, those shall never SINFUL, AND BLASPHEMOUS THOUGHTS.
be put to shame who trust in thee: Lord, in thee alone do I trust, let me never be put to shame; but deliver me by thy righteousness, and hasten to my assistance. Be thou my rock, my strong tower, and deliverer. Guide and protect me for thy name's sake. Thou hast said, that thy grace shall never depart from me, but that eternal grace shall be mine. Lift up the light of thy countenance upon me, and grant me thy peace. O my father! let thine hour come, when thou wilt remove these terrors, strengthen me, preserve me, protect my heart with a rampart, surround it like the house of Job, so that at last evil thoughts shall no longer enter it, and that, by thy power, I may be enabled to despise them. Thou, faithful God, wilt not permit me to be tempted beyond my power to resist. Assuage my fear, and I will receive that also as a relief, until at last, in thine own good time, thou wilt relieve me entirely. Jesus, thou fountain of mercies, thou who dost discard no one who is afflicted, but dost extend comfort to all; even where faith is no larger than a grain of mustard-seed, thou dost still think it worthy to remove mountains. Let me find consolation for my sorrows, in thee; help me to conquer, whenever I must fight; daily increase my faith, honor the sword of thy Spirit, so that I may smite the foe, and turn aside the arrows of his wrath. Amen. COMFORT UNDER BLASPHEMOUS THOUGHTS
Comfort under blasphemous thoughts.
1. Avaunt, out of my soul, ye thoughts foul and Satanic,
God is my guiding star through terror and through panic.
With all your hideousness, you cannot make me fear;
Ye but prepare my soul to dwell in better cheer.
2. God will not hold me for the things of my aversion,
Which I detest and spurn, and seek with great exertion
To banish from my soul! God knows my real mind,
That here I am not free, but governed and confined.
3 This horrid blasphemy goads me almost to madness;
I sigh, and weep, and wail, with groans beyond all sadness;
But it is all without, it enters not my heart,
Against that I contend, till sweat-drops from me start.
4 So long as I contend, with God's divine assistance,
And meet the poisoned darts with undismayed resistance,
Their venom enters not the currents of my soul,
In Jesus' blood I still am undefiled and whole.
COMFORT UNDER BLASPHEMOUS THOUGHTS. 231
5. Though Satan's messenger forever comes to smite me,
And to his deeds of sin endeavors to incite me;
His buffets are my hurt, and not my evil deeds,
And to be spared them all my heart sincerely pleads.
Jesus.
"I will not fail thee nor forsake thee."—Joshua, i. 5.
Soul.
"Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul."—Psalm, xxv. 1.
Still at thy sick bed stands thy Jesus to regale thee,
Of this be well convinced when sufferings most assail thee.
PART III.
EXHORTATIONS, PRAYERS AND HYMNS for the Sick