These epistles represent a real, practical transformation to be accomplished IN US, and this is the only thing that will do to die with. If it is not accomplished in you, I tell you, you will not be able to die in peace. You will want to be cleansed, as my dear husband told you, before you can venture into the presence of the King of kings. You will want a sense of beautiful, moral rectitude and righteousness spreading over your whole nature, which will enable you to look up into the face of God and say, "Yes, I love Thee, I know Thee, and Thou knowest me, and lovest me, and we are one. I love the things Thou lovest, and desire the things Thou desirest. We are of one spirit, 'joined in one spirit unto the Lord.'" You will want that, and nothing less will do to die with. And why not have it? Will you have it? Why not let God work it in us? Will you try it? People are constantly saying, "They long for it, and they wish they could get it." Will you let God do it? Will you put away the depths of unbelief which are at the bottom of all your difficulty? People really do not believe that God can do it for them, and that is at the bottom of their difficulties. But He can do it, and He promises to do it. Will you go down, and say, "Be it unto me according to Thy word"?
"BORN—A SAVIOUR."
Luke ii. 11.
Jesus a Saviour born,
Without:
Without the inn, refused with scorn.
Cast out:
Cast out for me, my Saviour, King,
Cast out to bring this lost one in.
Jesus a Saviour born,
A man:
A man of sorrows, smitten, torn by stripes:
By stripes, O Lord, my soul is healed,
By stripes, Thy stripes, my pardon sealed.
Jesus a Saviour born,
The Lamb:
The Lamb of God hath bled and borne
My sins:
My sins the Sacrifice did slay,
My sins the Lamb doth take away.
Jesus a Saviour born
To save:
To save at night, at noon, at morn.
To keep:
To keep from sin, from doubt, from fear;
To keep, for lo! the Keeper's here.
Jesus a Saviour born,
A King:
A King! exalt His glorious horn,
And sing:
O sing, ye heavens! He burst His grave,
And sing, O earth! He lives to save!
SECOND ADDRESS.
I beseech yon therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.—ROM. xii. 1,2.
I have been thinking about the word in the text, "that"—"that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God." This advance in the Divine life, as well as every other, right to the end, till we advance into glory, has its conditions. The condition of the advance from an absolutely unawakened worldly condition, to that of a convinced sinner, is the reception of the light. God awakens and enlightens tens of thousands, and thousands reject the light—instantly put it away—shut their eyes —will not have the light. These go back into greater darkness, and sin with more alacrity than ever they did before;—those who receive the light advance into the condition of awakened, enlightened souls.