THY NAME IS AS OINTMENT POURED FORTH.

 

Thy name is as ointment poured forth.
 Song of Solomon 1:3
 

THE name of Jesus is incomparably sweet and precious.
 
There is no name in heaven like his,
  it is above every name.
 
It perfumes heaven above, and
  the church below.
 
Its fragrance is unequaled.
 
We are never weary of it,
  and we never shall be.
 
It comprises all we need;
  it contains all we desire.
 
Having Christ we have all things.
 
He is Christ, or God’s anointed;
  consecrated to be a Priest perpetually;
  sanctified to be God's prophet and apostle;
  qualified to be God's king,
    to reign on his holy hill of Zion.
 
He is Jesus, God's Savior,
  by whom God saves sinners,
  millions of sinners, the vilest of sinners.
 
He is Lord, all power in heaven
  and on earth is given to him.
He is supreme, or head overall.
He is the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Here is all God can give us.
 
All we can require or enjoy.
 
When the Holy Spirit opens up
  the meaning of his precious name and
  gives us to realize our interest in it,
  it does appear divinely sweet and glorious.
 
Precious name!
 
May I know it more fully,
  enjoy it more powerfully,
  publish it more affectionately, and
    praise it more frequently.
 
Name of Jesus, be thou my solace,
  my subject, and my song.
 

I'll speak the honours of thy name,

With my lasting labouring breath;

And dying, clasp thee in my arms,

The antidote of death.

 
James Smith 1849
 

WE OUGHT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

 

 We ought to love one another.
I John 4:11

 
THIS is a self-evident truth.
 
If we are children of the same family,
  subject of the same government,
  travelers in the same road,
  partakers of the same hope, and
  are destined to live for ever in the same home,
    we ought to love one another.
 
But God's great love to us is assigned as
  the principal reason why we should do so.
 
God loves all his children alike.
 
He gave his Son to die for every one of them.
He sends his Spirit into all their hearts.
He has given his exceeding great and
  precious promises to the whole of them.
 
He has prepared heaven, as the family mansion,
  where they are all to dwell for ever.
 
He has laid his command upon them,
  to love one another.
 
Beloved, our love should be as extensive
  as the love of God;
  it should embrace all that he embraces.
 
We can never be justified in excluding from
  our love one whom God has included in his.
 
We ought to love every Christian, and
  to love all believers constantly, tenderly, and

  as brethren;  or even as Christ has loved us.
 
Let us ask conscience this morning,
  do we really and heartily love all that
  we have reason to believe
    love the Lord Jesus Christ?
 

Heirs of the same immortal bless,

Our hopes and fears the same,

In bonds of peace our hearts unite,

With mutual love inflame.

 
James Smith 1849

A SERVANT OF GOD AND OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

 
NOVEMBER 4.
 

A servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
James 1:1

 
BETTER be God's servant than a king's son.
 
The apostles gloried in this character;
  they all style themselves God's servants, and
  rejoice to add that they are the servants of Jesus too.
 
If God is our father,
  he is also our master;
  if we are saved by Jesus,
  we shall rejoice to serve Jesus.
 
If we are God's servants,
  we shall love our master,
  prefer his work,
  consult his will,
  be jealous of his honor, and
  seek to enjoy his approbation.
 
If God is our master,
  he will appoint us our work,
  find us supplies,
  correct our mistakes, and
  always keep us employed, and
    at last will reward our labour.
 
As servants we should be honest, and
  not waste our master's time or property.
 
We should be industrious,
  always at work or waiting for orders.
 
We should be attentive,
  listening to the master's voice, and
   treasuring up his words.
 
We should be kind, courteous, and
  obliging, our fellow servants.
 
If Jesus is our master,
  we have the best in the universe; and
  if we saw things rightly,
  we should conclude that no one had a better place.
 

A single eye, a faithful heart,

My Jesus to thy child impart,

In every trying hour;

Faithless tormenting thoughts prevent,

Still keep my eye on thee intent,

Till sight my faith overpower.

 
James Smith 1849

IS THY GOD ABLE TO DELIVER THEE?

 

Is thy God able to deliver thee?
Daniel 6:20
 

THIS was the question of an heathen monarch,
  put to a servant of the most high God.
 
He did not seem to question but
  he would deliver him if he could.
 
But he both could and did.
 
Beloved, this question may be very often put to us,
  not only to encourage, but to reprove us.
 
Let our trouble trial or difficulty,
  be what it may, the question meets us,
    “Is thy God able to deliver thee ?
 
If so, why do you droop, doubt, or despond?
 
But, has he promised to deliver thee ?
      He has.
 
Then your fears must be sinful,
  as they indicate unbelief and distrust.
 
Until we come into some trial,
  from which God cannot deliver, or
  into some state to which the promises
  does not reach, we ought not to fear,
    but rather encourage a cheerful hope.
 
Let us then endeavour, under our source trials,
  to remember this great truth,
  our God is able to deliver us.
 
He has given us his word that he will deliver us;
  it is impossible for him to lie or to change his mind.
 
He has delivered thousands out of similar difficulties before,
  therefore we should trust and not be afraid.
 
Sinner, God can deliver thee,
  but no one but God can.
 
If you seek him now, he will be found of you.
 

O that we could more faithful be

To thee, our bleeding Lord;

Lead us to learn at Calvary

Obedience to thy word !

 
James Smith 1849

WHAT SON IS HE WHOM THE FATHER CHASTENETH NOT?

 

NOVEMBER 2.
 
What son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Hebrews 12:7

 
EVERY believer is a son of God, and
  every one of God's sons frequently require the rod.
 
God as a father is wise, prudent, and holy,
  therefore he will correct all the follies of his children,
  and make them wise unto salvation.
 
God never had a child in his family who
  did not need the rod, save his only begotten Son;
  and there never was a child of God who did not feel it.
 
If we were not children, he might allow us to go on
  and punish us with the world;
  but because we are sons, he chastens us betimes.
 
Let us therefore bear are chastisement with patience,
  for we deserve it.
Let us humble ourselves under it,
  that our father may remove it.
Let us be more anxious for its sanctification
  then for its removal.
Let us look upon all our afflictions
  as proof of our Father's love,
  as intended to lead us to repentance, and
  as calling for a reformation of life and manners.
 
Better to be chastened than disowned.
 
Better to be chasing now,
  than to be condemned with the world at last.
 

Lord, thy gracious work begin;

Now for some good token give;

Give me now to feel my sin;

Give me now my sin to leave;

Bid me look on thee and mourn,

Bid me to thine arms return.

 
James Smith 1849

O LORD, REVIVE THY WORKS.

 

O Lord, revive thy work!
Habakkuk 3:2

 
CHRISTIANITY is the work of God.
 
He begins it, he carries it on, and
  he completes it in the day of Christ.
 
It is the work of his own hands which he never forsakes,
  the work which is to reflect the glory of all his divine perfections.
 
But this work often needs reviving.
 
Our graces become weak,
  our evidences decline,
  our spirituality decays, and
  we grow cold, careless, and worldly minded.
 
Then we have no sweet visits,
  no tokens of good,
  no heart affecting fellowship,
  no longings for glory.
 
Our affections fix on some earthly object,
  our conscience becomes benumbed or accuses us,
  our understanding is bedimmed, and
  we sink into an unhealthy state.
 
Our souls cleave to the dust, and
  all we can do is to cry,
        “Quicken me according to thy word.”
 
When the Lord comes to revive his work,
  he often sends some painful cross,
  brings us down into the dust by some affliction,
  makes us see our sins, and smart for our folly.
 
He convinces us, humbles us, empties us, and
  makes us feel thoroughly ashamed of our conduct;
  then he leads us to confessions,
  produces contrition, speak pardon, and
   smiles upon us again.
 
O Lord, revive thy work in me!
 

Lord, from this hour, exert thy power,

To melt my stubborn heart;

O make it bleed, let peace succeed,

And holy joys impart.

 
James Smith 1849

A FRIEND OF PUBLICANS AND SINNERS

 

A friend of publicans and sinners.
Matthew 11:19

 
THIS was said of Jesus by way of reproach,
  but it is his true glory.
 
He is the friend of sinners.
 
We need a friend,
  but no one but Jesus could possibly perform
    the friendly part.
 
Our state must have been desperate without him,
  and to restore us cost him all he had.
 
Never did creatures so much need a friend,
  never were there creatures so little deserved of a friend,
  and never was there such a friend as Jesus.
 
He gave his person for ours, his life for ours;
  he opened the treasures of his grace to meet
  all demands that could be made upon us, and
  to supply all the wants experienced by us.
 
He was a friend on earth,
  he is our friend in heaven.
 
He is the perfect model of friendship,
  we may go to him in all our troubles,
  ask of him a supply of all our wants,
  consult him in all our difficulties,
  trust him in all our times of trial, and
  expect him to send us all that is really necessary.
 
He engaged for us in covenant,
  he died for us on Calvary,
  he pleads for us in heaven, and
  he will soon come and fetch us
  that we may dwell with him for ever.
 
O for the grace to love him, trust him,
  and obey him as we ought!
 
All for more familiarity with him!
 

The title that was meant to scorn,

He takes and binds upon his brow;

And thus the guilty and forlorn,

Are taught his character to know.

 
James Smith 1849