The tempter may come, yea,
will come, and endeavor to get some of the affections of the heart set
upon the world; but you must reject all such temptations, and by the
force of your will set your affections on things above. God does never
will for us, but he gives us power to will if we will but use the power
he gives us.
You are exhorted by the Scriptures to "work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling." The "crown of life" lies at the end of the
Christian race. When we step over the boundary between time and eternity
our salvation is then eternally secured. Praises be to God! It is for
this crown of amaranthine glory, or blessed eternal salvation, that we
are to watch and labor with fear and trembling. O may you be very
careful! Be watchful, lest something should hinder you in your Christian
race, and you miss at last the blessedness of heaven. Guard the
affections of your heart with the strictest vigilance.
I said above that God would always give us power to will, if we would
but make use of that power. For proof of this I shall refer you to Phil.
2:13, which in our common version is rendered thus: "For it is God which
worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
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