Friday, March 24, 2017

Oh Thou that hear’st the prayer of faith

    Oh Thou that hear’st the prayer of faith,
    Wilt Thou not save a soul from death
    That casts itself on Thee?
    I have no refuge of my own,
    But fly to what my Lord hath done,
    And suffered once for me.

    Slain in the guilty sinner's stead,
    His spotless righteousness I plead,
    And His availing blood;
    That righteousness my robe shall be,
    That merit shall atone for me,
    And bring me near to God.

    Then save me from eternal death,
    The Spirit of adoption breathe,
    His consolations send;
    By Him some word of life impart,
    And sweetly whisper in my heart-
    “Thy Maker is thy Friend.”
                                                          A. M. Toplady


.....he bids you ask, and you shall have.  Let me give you this one
memento, Ask like one that hath to do with a rich king, who hates to do
anything below himself.  Remember it is he that delights to give like a God;
widen, therefore, thy desires as large as heaven; be bold, and speak a
great word, and I warrant thee thou shalt not be denied.  Tell God, that
seeing, in his infinite goodness and condescension, he has been pleased to
give thee leave to ask without restraint, thou dost humbly request his Son
for thy Lord and Husband, himself for thy Father, God, and Friend, his
kingdom for thy dowry, the righteousness of his Son for thy ornament,
clothing, and beauty, the comforts of his Spirit, and abundance of his grace
to bear thy charges handsomely, till thou comest to his house.  This is high
indeed! but thy great and noble Lord loves dearly to hear such covetous
petitioners, who will be put off with nothing but such great things.  When
do any of these go sad from his court?  When do any of the seed of Jacob
seek his face in vain?  This, this is the generation of thriving ones, who seek
for life, immortality, and glory; who seek thy face, God of Jacob.  And now
what do you say?  Will you believe all this?  Dare you take my word?  I am
persuaded none of you all think I dare tell you a lie, and do you any wrong;
but for all that, I do not desire you should take my word, nor the word of any
man living in a thing that concerns eternity; but take His word who cannot lie. 
"Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. 
My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice
silver," Prov. 8:18-19.  The wise man tells us, that "wealth makes many friends,"
chap. 19:4; and that "many will entreat the favour of the prince; and that every
one is a friend to him that gives gifts," verse 6.  If this might be in spirituals,
I should not fear but that I should prevail with all my hearers to seek the
 friendship of God.....
                                                                              James Janeway

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