Page:Illustrations of the Holy Word.pdf/20

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
12
ILLUSTRATIONS OF

to the Lord’s declaration, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. The reason is manifestly this, because the omnipotence of God is in the will of good. (Matt. xv. 28.)


42. It is the wisdom, and should therefore be the constant endeavour, of the true Christian, to ascend into the region of all-possibility; but this he cannot do, only so far as he attaches himself to Him with whom it is written, All things are possible. (See Mark ix. 23 and x. 27.)


43. How much owest thou unto my Lord? (Luke xvi. 5,) is a solemn and profitable question, which man ought continually to be asking himself, especially in regard to those two principal debtors to the Divine Mercy, viz. the will and the understanding. It ought also to be well apprehended, that the debt owing from man to his God can never be discharged, until it be known and acknowledged, and it can never be known and acknowledged but by asking seriously the above question. It ought to be apprehended further, that in the humble and grateful acknowledgment of the debt it is fully discharged, because such acknowledgment is all the return that the Almighty requires. Therefore it is said, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty; where fifty denotes a full discharge.


44. The thistle that is in Lebanon still sends to the cedar that is in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife; (see 2 Kings xiv. 9;) but every wise man will take heed how he cherishes such a disorderly con-