Wickedness prevails and increases in our city to a dreadful degree! Our
streets are filled with the sons of Belial, who neither fear God, nor
regard man. I wish my heart was more affected with what my eyes
see and my ears hear every day! I am often ready to fear lest the
Lord should show His displeasure in some dreadful way!
And surely, if He
were strict to mark all that is amiss, I myself would tremble! Oh, were He
to plead against me, I could not answer Him one word! Alas! my dear friend, you
know not what a poor, unprofitable, unfaithful creature I am! If you knew
the evils which I feel within, and the snares and difficulties which beset me
from without, you would pity me indeed!
So many mercies—yet so few returns.
Such great privileges—yet a life so sadly below them.
Such great privileges—yet a life so sadly below them.
Indwelling sin presses me downwards; when I
would do good, evil is present with me! I can attempt nothing but it is debased,
polluted and spoiled by my depraved nature! My sins of omission are innumerable.
In a word, there is much darkness in my understanding,
much perverseness in my will, much disorder in my
affections, much folly and madness in my
imagination!
In short, I am a riddle to myself; a heap of inconsistency!
Alas! when shall it be otherwise? I have a desire of walking with God but I cannot attain unto it. Surely it is far better to depart, and to be with Jesus Christ than to live here up to the ears in sin and temptation!
But, "We have an Advocate with the Father." Here my hope revives! Though wretched in myself, I am complete in Him! He is my wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. On this "Rock" I build, for time and eternity!
[John Newton]
✞✞✞
1 John 2:1 ... My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Hebrews 7:25 ... Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Philippians 1:23 ... For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
1 Corinthians 10:4 ... And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.❤
