before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 24–25).
All that advances Thy good pleasure and purpose as God our Savior is good and acceptable in Thy sight. “So He was their Saviour. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed tem, and carried them all the days of old” (Isa 63:8–9). “I, even I am the Lord, and beside Me there is no Saviour” (Isa 43:11). “There is no God else beside Me; a just God, and a Saviour; there is none beside Me. Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else!” (Isa 45:21–22). “All flesh shall know that I the Lord am Thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob” (Isa 49:26). “Who is this . . .? I that speak in righteousness, Mighty to save” (Isa 63:1).
Paul who is “an apostle by the commandment of God our Saviour” (1:1), will surely enforce what is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. What is that? Prayer—“first of all . . . prayers” (2:1). Prayer for all men puts us in the will of God our Savior, seeks His glory and reflects His likeness who will have all men to be saved and to come into the knowledge of the truth. Such prayer He finds good and acceptable: He will heed, honor, hear and answer it. This too is “the fervent effectual prayer of a righteous man” which “availeth much” (Jas. 5:16).
God our Savior . . . will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth: the election of His grace embraces every class, color, condition and clime of humanity—no sort of sinner is excepted. “A great multitude, whom no man could number” shall cry “Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb” “Thou art worthy . . . for Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by Thy Blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9–10; 7:9–17). So let me lay out my fullest powers of desire and expression to “magnify the Lord” and “rejoice in God my Saviour” in the service of “prayer . . . for all men”, even the worst (1 Cor 6:9–11) body and soul, everywhere, always.
21. Come, Holy Ghost, the Comforter
III.
11 Spirit of truth, into all truth
Now written in Thy Word
Lead all the saints, by love to grow
In likeness to their Lord.
12 Come, Unction from the Holy One,
Anoint us all to learn
The faith delivered to the saints,
All error to discern.
13 No eye hath seen, no ear hath heard
Nor into any heart
Hath entered all the depths which God
The Spirit shall impart.
14 Yet built upon our holy faith,
We in the Spirit pray
To keep ourselves in God’s own love
Till our Lord Jesu’s Day.
15 Then shall the Spirit of Christ from death
To life immortal raise
The saints made perfect like the Son
To God’s eternal praise.
Doxology
16 O Father, by thy Spirit lead
Our souls to Christ Thy Son,
And in Him grant us access free—
Praise God the Three in One!
C.M.
Preparatory Reading: Old Testament: Genesis 32; New Testament: Matthew 21 Psalm: 21
1 Timothy 2:5–6
5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
There is one God: to none other is my soul’s devotion, my body’s obedience, my heart’s affection, my mind’s delight, my will’s submission due. I must love Him therefore with all. None, nothing less, else is worthy (Deut 6:4–5; Rev. 4:11). There is one God: hence it is “good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour” that “all men . . . be saved, and . . . come to the knowledge of the truth” (2:3–4). There is one God: apart, above all the din and duncery of “gods many and lords many,” of the “gods of the heathen” which are “but idols”—like whom all who trust in them become—to the living and true God Triune I must live and die in time, appear and give account in eternity (1 Cor 8:6; Ps 115:4–8; Ps 97:7; Isa 40:18–25; Rom 14:7–8.12). Hence as there is one God, it is meet and right that there be but one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. God He is, for His Name is “Jehovah saves”—Jesus; His Name is called Emmanuel, “God with us.” Man He is, the man Christ Jesus. He can redeem for He our near Kinsman; we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same, that He might by death destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Ruth 2:20, 4:3; Eph 5:30; Heb.2:14–15). He is “mighty to save” as “God our Saviour,” Jesus—“for it pleased the Father that in Him all fullness dwell”—“in Him dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead bodily,” “God was in Christ” (Isa 63:1; Col.1:19–20,2:9; 2 Cor 5:19). What more could I need or want? Here is a Daysman to lay hold of God and man, heaven and earth, and bring us nigh—one mediator between God and man (Job 9:33; Eph 2:13–18).
This one mediator, the man Christ Jesus . . . gave himself a ransom for all. And what more could He give? “He loved me and gave Himself for me” “The Son of man came . . . to give his life a ransom for many.” “He gave Himself for our sins.” “He gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people.” ”Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for it.” He said, “I lay down my life for the sheep;” “My flesh . . . I give for the life of the world;” “I gave my back to the smiters” “And He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost” (Gal 2:20; Mark 10:45; Gal 1:4; Tit. 2:14; Eph 5:25; John 10:15,6:51; Mark 15:37). What has He not given in that gift? “To them gave He power” “My peace I give unto you” “A Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance . . . and remission of sins” “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish” (John 1:12, 14:27, Acts 5:30–31; John 10:28). Unspeakable gift! (2 Cor 9:15).
22. In the Spirit on the Lord’s Day
1 “In the Spirit on the Lord’s Day,”
Let us trace the steps once trod
By the aged, beloved disciple
Exiled for the Word of God,
Till the Lamb enthroned we worship,
Who hath bought us with His Blood!
2 See an open Door in Heaven:
