Ruth 3:18

REFLECTIONS

My soul! In the perusal of this chapter, I would say to thee, as Naomi did to Ruth, Shall I not seek rest for thee? And can there be any rest on this side the grave, but in Jesus? is he not the rest wherewith the Lord will cause the weary to rest, and is he not the refreshing! And as an encouragement to go to him, may I not say as sine did: Is he not of my kindred? Hath he not married our nature: united it to himself, and become bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh? And can I go to one nearer and dearer than he? And doth he not hold a constant feast in his harvest seasons? And are they not in his church perpetual? Oh! for grace to anoint myself, and the sweet washings of the Holy Spirit, that I may go forth and lie low at his feet, and seek from the blessed condescensions of his love, that he may spread his skirt of righteousness, and his garment of salvation, over me, and betroth me to himself forever, in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies: yea betroth me unto himself in faithfulness and that I may know the Lord

And, dearest Jesus! give me grace while I wait at thy feet, that I may lie passive until the morning. Oh! for the lively actings of faith to believe what my God hath promised, and that he will do the kinsman's part, for he hath said it. He is the Holy One of Israel, and all the saints of God have borne testimony to his faithfulness. Help me, Lord, to believe under every event: to trust and depend upon thee, how discouraging soever circumstances may seem. And do thou, blessed God, grant me such a degree of faith, that I may be enabled to make an application of thy general promises to my own particular circumstances: and if needful, hike the patriarch, against hope to believe in hope: and like him, to be strong in faith, giving glory to my faithful God.

And Holy Spirit, of all truth! as thou art the glorifier of Jesus, do thou by thy blessed influences, SO glorify the Lord Christ to my view, that I may behold in him the very Saviour my soul stands in need of, And in myself may I behold the very circumstances which renders Jesus so suitable a Saviour for me. Oh! for thy constraining grace, to fix my soul firm in this most unquestionable truth, that my desires for Jesus are not more earnest, when those longings are at the highest, than the desires of Jesus are for me. The God-man, my husband, brother, friend, will not rest, until he hath finished the thing he hath begun in righteousness. He will save; he will rejoice over me with joy. He will rest in his. love: he will rejoice over me with singing. His name is Jesus: he is, he will be Jesus. he will save his people from their sins.