|He is Faithful that Promised.|
|A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench.| -- MATT. xii.20.
Strength in the Weak.
Will Jesus accept such a heart as mine? -- this erring, treacherous, traitor heart? The past! how many forgotten vows -- broken covenants -- prayerless days! How often have I made new resolutions, and as often has the reed succumbed to the first blast of temptation, and the burning flax been well-nigh quenched by guilty omissions and guiltier commissions! Oh! my soul! thou art low indeed, -- the things that remain seem |ready to die.| But thy Saviour-God will not give thee |over unto death.| The reed is bruised; but He will not pluck it up by the roots. The flax is reduced to a smoking ember; but He will fan the decaying flame. Why wound thy loving Saviour's heart by these repeated declensions? He will not -- cannot give thee up. Go, mourn thy weakness and unbelief. Cry unto the Strong for strength. Weary and faint one! thou hast an Omnipotent arm to lean on. |He fainteth not, neither is weary!| Listen to His own gracious assurance: |Fear not, for I am with thee. Be not dismayed, for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee with the right hand of my righteousness!| Leaving all thy false props and refuges, be this thy resolve: |In the Lord put I my trust: why say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?|
|REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON
WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!|