Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.heritagesermons.org/sermons/12207/grace-enduring-under-firey-trials-quality-good/.

Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions.
Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt.


[0:00] Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for our God is our consuming fire.

[0:25] Now, you will remember that we ventured upon these words this morning. We seemed as though we only were unable to touch upon the fringe of the great deeps that it contains.

[0:42] But here this evening we may have some further thoughts as the Spirit may be pleased to convey them to us.

[0:56] We did mention concerning this kingdom that it was an eternal and everlasting kingdom.

[1:09] And that it was a kingdom that was ordained of God.

[1:20] And that all the citizens thereof are his people. It was also, as we might have a few more thoughts upon it, it is a kingdom, an everlasting kingdom, where the saints, his people, shall live forever.

[1:44] Where those that have gone before us have already entered, that is, the souls of his people. And may I say here, the time will come when their souls will be reunited.

[2:04] That all must stand before the judgment seat of God. His people receive their reward that have been promised an everlasting kingdom.

[2:18] The wicked, the wicked, to hear the word pronounced, depart from me, I never knew you. But it is an everlasting kingdom.

[2:32] A kingdom of immense delight. It doesn't mean we shall know the delights of the flesh. The delights of this wicked world.

[2:42] There will be the delights of the knowledge that we shall be everlastingly with him. Enjoying his peace.

[2:55] Those unmeasurable and untold joys that are known. And there to drink new draughts of heavenly bliss from the river of his love.

[3:09] And to see him as he is in his kingdom. Crowned in majesty and glory. Crowned as king of kings and lord of lords.

[3:25] As that mighty one that hath endured and hath entered into his kingdom. There to reign forever and ever and ever and ever.

[3:39] As throughout the countless ages of eternity. Oh, how I've thought so many times about that word eternity. Surely the poet is very clear upon this.

[3:55] As the exercises of God's people. For the world that hath entered into his kingdom. For the world that hath entered into his kingdom. For the world that hath entered into his kingdom. To guilty souls a dreadful wound.

[4:05] But oh, if God in heaven be mine. How sweet the accents. How divine. Why these are they.

[4:17] Who, being of his kingdom here or earth. That were redeemed by his precious blood. That shall be everlastingly citizens of that kingdom above.

[4:31] To dwell with him forever and ever. Oh, the deep mystery there is here. That we shall never know. At this side of the grave.

[4:44] And when we are favored. If so be the case. To enter into that eternal peace. I believe we shall be taken off.

[4:55] With the majesty and the power. And the blessedness. Of those things. That are revealed to us in heaven. Oh, how when we speak of these things.

[5:10] How there is within us. At times. A endeavoring to pry. Into those things which are beyond us.

[5:24] But they won't always be beyond us. There will be one day. The sweet revealing of them. Oh, how this makes us sure.

[5:36] At times for. That blessed exchange. Some might say. Well, I haven't been on that high ground. Well. God will bring you there.

[5:49] If you are one of these. Who belong to his kingdom. In due time. It may be. In the last hours.

[6:00] Of our life. But some of us hope. We have had a little earnest of it. Now and again. A year. In the last few months.

[6:10] Year on earth. And while we have had those earnest within. There have been many things come upon it.

[6:22] To damp it. And many exercises. As to whether. They have been genuine. Feelings and exercises. You see.

[6:34] Every grace. Every favor. That is bestowed upon us. From above. Will be tried. I am sure that.

[6:48] Whatever we may receive. By the spirit. Of God. Will be tried. And all true religion.

[7:00] Is a tried religion. For the Lord. Triumph. For the righteous. And he hath tried his own work. That you and I.

[7:11] May have more abundant surety. That it is real. And. In this. When he tries us.

[7:23] We shall have. Many fears. And many doubts. As to. Our standing. A man said to me.

[7:34] On one occasion. Who attended one of our courses. That he feared. There were many. Who lived. Upon their doubts.

[7:45] And fears. And he. Seemed to me. As though he didn't know much. Of that path. And. I said to him. On that occasion.

[7:56] We don't. Live upon our doubts. And fears. That's a sandy foundation. If we live and die. In doubts. And fears. We shall go to hell. That's not a sure.

[8:08] Foundation. Doubts and fears. But we shall be the subjects. Of them. And we shall know. What they are. But we shall not. Find them to be a standing.

[8:20] Whereon we can stand. We shall want to be brought. Away from our doubts. And fears. And to have. Now and then be delivered from them.

[8:30] That is to say. To have a visit. From our dear senior. To allay those doubts and fears. And hear his voice say unto us.

[8:41] Fear not little flock. It is thy father's good pleasure. To give you the kingdom. So that. There is. As you've heard me say before.

[8:53] There is a tendency. To. And I know this power. There is a tendency. To feed. Upon the serpent's meat.

[9:04] That is all our corruptions. All our. Flesh. And all that we are by nature. We might. Feed upon it. And feed upon it. And.

[9:16] Take that to be. The way. That. Will bring us to heaven. Well we shall know it. And it will be.

[9:26] In the way. But if we come no further. Than knowing. Our. Our corruptions. And our sin. As I've said. They are. It is the serpent's meat.

[9:37] And many are left. To feed upon it. And feed upon it. And gloat over it. That they know themselves. To be great sinners. And vile sinners. But I say this.

[9:49] Here and now. That if we feel. To be great and vile sinners. We shall gloat over it. Neither shall we say much. To others about it. It will be such a burden. And weight to us.

[10:00] And we shall come before him. The giver of all grace. And all mercy. And fall down before him. And confess our sins. Before him.

[10:12] And then. I am sure. When he comes in his love and mercy. And purges away our filth. And those things that we've been feeding upon.

[10:23] He'll give us some better food than that. He will indeed. He'll give us a taste. Of the heavenly bread. Himself. The heavenly manna.

[10:34] And he'll give us a taste. Of the wine of the kingdom. For in this kingdom. You see. There is the wine. The glorious wine.

[10:45] Here on earth. Of the everlasting. Gospel of peace. Which now and then. He sees fit to preach. Into the souls of his people. And then away goes our doubts and fears.

[10:58] Away pours out all corruptions and filth. Swallowed up in the ocean. Of his forgiving love. And his mercy. These are the two signs of true religion.

[11:09] As the line of demarcation is drawn. By the Holy Spirit. In our souls. And so then. It's your mercy and mine.

[11:21] If you. If you know something. Of this dividing line. That we are not left to dwell. Upon our corruptions.

[11:32] For they will sink us lower. And lower and lower. And if left there. May I say once more. We shall be overcome by them. You see.

[11:45] There were those in the word. That were overcome by them. And there were those. Who were delivered from them. And so then. God in his love and compassion.

[11:57] Who delivers his people. From their sin. And their corruptions. And by that. Abundantly makes it manifest. That they are children of the living God.

[12:10] The children of the king of grace. His subjects. Those that never can be wrenched. From his divine hand.

[12:21] That never can be destroyed. Though hell and sin. May come against them. Though the world may attempt to destroy them.

[12:32] Though they may attempt to destroy themselves. As it were. In sinning against him. Yet the great depth.

[12:43] And mystery of it all is. That none have yet sinned. Themselves. Out of the covenant of grace. Now this doesn't give us license to sin.

[12:53] Oh no. It would not. Give us any license. To go on in any particular sin. And say well grace will reign. That is antinomianism.

[13:06] And that is that. That we detest. And speak. And preach against. As often. As that thought. Should enter into our minds.

[13:18] But I say. The dear poet. Has it perfectly clear. In one hymn. In our book. When he says. Since past.

[13:28] Present end to come. Are all swallowed up. In that precious fountain. Of his precious atoning blood. This is our king. Our savior.

[13:39] He. Who is the. The king of the kingdom. Of God. Which cannot be moved. There. It cannot be moved.

[13:51] From. The eternal. The everlasting. Decrees. And purposes. Of God. It is forever. And ever. The foundations. Of the.

[14:01] Of that kingdom. Are sure. Because you see. It stands. May I say. Reverently. Upon. The. Purposes. Of God.

[14:12] And his. From. Decrees. And are. Alterable. That man. Cannot. Though he does. Try to find. An easier way. Than. Does try. To. Alter.

[14:24] Those things. That have gone. Forth. Out of his mouth. Therefore. We receiving. A kingdom. Which cannot.

[14:35] Be moved. Let us. Have grace. Well. I was speaking. A little. Concerning. This grace. We said. It was a triumphant. Grace.

[14:46] And. Also. This evening. Just for a few. A few moments. As our thoughts. Have gone. To. Enduring grace. Oh.

[14:57] What a mercy. If we have. Enduring grace. I am sure. We should never. Endure. It. If it had not. Been for. Enduring grace. That grace.

[15:08] That is abundantly. Bestowed. Upon his people. And that they. Endure. Endure. Hardness. As good. Soldiers. Of Christ. You will have to.

[15:20] Endure hardness. If you are a soldier. Of Christ. You will indeed. You will find. That. The great. Leviathan. That. Tormented. Dear Job.

[15:31] Will come. Forth. And he will. Cause you. To endure hardness. You will find. He will come. Against you. If you have. This grace. Of endurance.

[15:41] To. Try. And overcome. You. You will indeed. You will know. And have a little fellowship. With Christ.

[15:52] In his sufferings. In. His temptations. In the wilderness. Which we have been. Reading this night. All those awful temptations.

[16:03] The holy lamb of God. Endured. At the hand of Satan. Him. And how. You see. Our captain. Stood the fiery test.

[16:15] And we shall stand. Through him. And none other. That's where our enduring grace. Is really. And truly. Centered. In Christ alone.

[16:27] That's where our endurance. Comes from. Because he endured. Hardness. At the hand of wicked man. And of Satan.

[16:38] Gay. As a mighty conqueror. Over all sin. And over all his enemies. So you and I. Are given. Enduring grace.

[16:49] As we stand in. Jesus Christ. Complete. As we stand in him. In the eternal covenant. Over how.

[17:01] This does encourage us. To press on. In the pilgrim's path. Which seems to be so. Hedged up.

[17:13] From time to time. And many things in our way. But when we. Are brought to see. That in our dear. Saviour. We stand. And that.

[17:24] As he. Goes before us. And makes a way. And makes a way for us. In this wilderness. And fights our battles.

[17:35] And also enables us. To. Use the armor. Which he hath given. Oh. Oh. What an unspeakable mercy.

[17:47] If you and I. Are in possession. Of the armor. Which dear. The apostle speaks of. In the world. The helmet of salvation. The breastplate of righteousness.

[18:00] The sword of the spirit. And the shoes of iron and brass. Surely. If. If. God's people. Are in possession. Of these things.

[18:11] It is sufficient. To stand. When enabled. Against all. Those things. That come against us. Well I know. I'm speaking. These things.

[18:24] Which. The flesh. Will never stand against. But. There are times. When. God. Gives us strength. To stand. In the battle.

[18:34] He does indeed. So that. We have to prove. With dear heart. There's times. When we've been able.

[18:44] To cut our way. Through a host. Of dead ills. While they fall. Before his word. Well.

[19:01] Then there's enduring grace. That cause us. To endure. And. Will. Will. Will. Call us to endure. Under the end.

[19:13] To be a wonderful favor. To have enduring grace. In the hour. And hour. Of death. Be given enduring grace. When we come.

[19:24] To the swelling. Of Jordan. Well. I believe. I believe. I believe. That God. That God. Gives grace. Aware. And when. It is needed. And at the place.

[19:36] It's needed. Or how. As some of us. Are thankful. All that. God. God. God. And. God. And. God. Put it. Into the minds. Of men. To write. Our beautiful.

[19:46] Hymns. Which come. Sometimes. Into our. Very. Pathway. And our. And helps us. Even. By the spirit.

[19:57] To endure. When. He speaks of times of sickness. Times of health.

[20:10] Times of pening. Times of wealth. Times the tempter's power to prove. Times the taste of savor's love. All that's come.

[20:20] And last and end. As shall please. My heavenly friend. Oh may you and I. Not triumph cry.

[20:31] Into those things that lay before us. But rather may we be given grace. To cast ourselves as enabled. Wholly. Soully.

[20:41] And completely upon the rock Christ Jesus. He that is the pilot. The blessed pilot. That has steered us. Through many trials.

[20:52] And tribulations. And sorrows. When the mighty waves. Have seemed to. Come over us. And really. Almost swamp us.

[21:03] The same pilot. Is in heaven. The same pilot. Who will. And dance. Steer his people. Safely all.

[21:13] The river. The river of Jordan. Though it may be tempestuous. Though it may be a path. Even at that time. And many struggles.

[21:26] With the powers of darkness. We do not know. Some have added. But these things I fear. Nevertheless. I believe. That he being our pilot.

[21:38] Will bring us safely through. The greatest storms. That may arise. Therefore. His word is at stake. To save us. Even under the uttermost.

[21:50] And though we be in an uttermost place. In that hour. He still is the same. Today. Yesterday. And forever. And he.

[22:02] That hath delivered. And doth deliver. We believe. He will yet deliver. Let us have grace.

[22:17] Whereby we may serve God. Acceptably. With reverence. And godly fear. Well. There will be. A serving him.

[22:28] Acceptably. Well. We may. We may. Seem to come visibly. Short here. In serving God. Acceptably. But you know.

[22:40] There will be. From time to time. This. Serving him. Acceptably. How is it. Some might say.

[22:53] And when is it. That we serve him. Acceptably. Well. When grace is an exercise. When grace is an exercise. And when we come to his house.

[23:05] Under the. Influence of grace. When we come with a desire. In our hearts. To serve him. To serve him. And him. In our hearts.

[23:16] In our hearts. To serve him. In our hearts. To serve him. And him. Come to his house. Praying our way along. Logging to hear. The word for our souls.

[23:28] And to worship him. In the beauty. Of holiness. In his house. Huh.

[23:42] It's. how we need the Lord to come and help us to serve him acceptably that there may be no root of bitterness spring up to trouble us.

[23:59] That there may be nothing that shall in any wise mar our peace. That blessed peace that does not come as a peace at any price but that peace that emanates from serving the Lord acceptably coming with a case coming with a longing coming with an open ear will there be something for me to die will God speak to my soul today or how some of us remember those days when we went to the house of God burned and cast down and more like a devil and a saint I know what I was speaking here and having many fears and yet underneath those three things a longing as to whether God would not be pleased to meet us in his house and he did.

[25:07] Now then I remember breaking away here how at Forest Hill in my younger days burdened and cast down and full of trouble and then he overwhelmed in it and ready to give up all how sometimes his dear servants came there and I remember on one occasion I was so broken down under the feeling sense of God's love in the midst of trouble that I had to leave the house of God that I might not cause some scene as it were in the house of God I felt I must shout aloud unto his goodness and mercy.

[25:50] These times you see that we look back upon are those hill miser's and herman's mounts that are brought to our remembrance which he says he will do bring to our remembrance the way he's brought us these many years in the wilderness and when we look upon those things this will encourage us to press on and it is those times that we serve him acceptably.

[26:23] when he comes and causes us to be delivered from our troubles and our sorrows in the way though we may not be right out of them but in the way of sanctifying them and also making a way for us in them in a marked way which is not the place in the pulpit I feel to speak speak one's life but in many ways at those particular times how he comes and he gives us just enough both in providence and in grace to carry us on another week in time just enough to sustain us both in body and soul so that being a God of providence and a God of love there are times he brings us to serve him acceptably there is not much in serving him acceptably in the true sense of it and when everything is growing along smoothly but you will find if I know anything of the path that when the day may come when he prospers us more in providence so that we are not so dependent don't misunderstand me if we're always dependent but not so dependent we once were he'll bring us into other paths paths that we had not known paths we did not understand in our soul's experience so that the things of time will be less and less and less uppermost in our minds it'll be then our soul's welfare and good that we shall be more and more exercise concerning them lest we might be carried away by the deceitfulness of riches and of this wicked world and so then to to worship him acceptably will be in and through the dealings of his grace toward us and then too when we come into his earthly courts when he blesses us there we shall from time to time be favored to worship him acceptably haven't you never my friend when you come into

[29:17] God's house had one minutest degree of thankfulness unto him one particle of praise in thine heart unto him for all his manifold mercies and blessings toward you that's serving God acceptably only in a very minutest degree not that I would in any wise lessen the greatness of these things but I always feel fearful lest I might discourage little ones because you know there are some that are left to drive the sheep there are some that are left to thrash the sheep there are some that are desirous that they might be a help to the sheep and they might lead they might lead them and I feel it's my desire that I might lead them under the anointing of the Holy Ghost into the green pastures of his holy word and by the still waters of his heavenly love and yet in so doing not to minimize or to diminish the great necessity of the dividing truth as it is in the word so that there may not be any misunderstanding to the hearers as to what we speak that we may not come before them in an unknown tongue and therefore become a barbarian unto them and that's my exercises and therefore

[30:54] I long that God will by his grace and mercy through the Holy Spirit convey through this poor sinner some help to God's poor tried and troubled people and then in that all praise may redound to his holy name while this poor sinner may be humbled in the dust for I am sure that if the Lord should be pleased to bless one poor sinner here under the sound of my voice that it would never never never exalt this poor sinner for the Lord lays enough on me to keep me humble he does not permit me to come into that path of that awful pride for I feel pride more than anything else because it is a destroyer of souls it's destroyed many pride in religion and so it was you see in the world how it was with wicked

[31:55] Haman you see the pride of his heart who would the king like to exalt more than me all my friends have an awful thought if this in our religion that we should come into that place who would the king that is the king of heaven want to exalt more than me so it was there you see how he was carried out and hung on the very gallows that he had prepared for one of God's servants and so it was with Nebuchadnezzar how you see God blessed him in Providence gave him the great kingdom he gave him and many things and he swelled out with pride and though God didn't leave him and destroy him you see he showed him his pride in that you see he was taken for the time being in his kingdom till his nails became like bird's claws and he was like a vagabond upon the earth oh God deals with pride wretched pride may you and I my dear hearers be saved from pride and religion for God will deal with it he will indeed well however desire to be preserved from it and especially in the declaration of his truth but many have been brought into deep places because of that pride to serve

[33:41] God then acceptably with reverence and godly fear always a mercy if we have that reverential awe upon our spirits as we come before God always in that when we come to his house it's now reverential awe not with the building not with the material things but knowing that he it is the place where he deigns to come and bless his people where now and then he makes manifest that he is in our midst for he's always with us for he's omniscient omnipresent and he's always he's always present with us though we see him not but now and then he makes himself known like he did to his dear disciples you know he was with them on the way to Emmaus very close to them and they didn't know him but you see he revealed himself and so it is

[34:53] I believe he is in our midst yet there's times when he comes and reveals himself to one ear and another there and they observe him by precious faith as he dwells with them in the heart well there is this reverential awe as we enter into his earthly courts oh how I thought do bear with me here now and again when I have been to certain places you find there's someone perhaps comes in bangs the door behind them and marches into the house of God as though it's some other building or other well I don't like as you know any kind of formality but as a certain amount of reverence as we enter into his earthly courts oh may we ever remember this well it's a mercy that we do not find this amongst us here but

[36:00] I have witnessed it and I felt sorry to see it but nevertheless to return not to get on those things you see how then there is this reverence and godly fear this godly fear oh how short we come I almost sometimes I almost fear to speak much upon this godly fear because we come so miserably short surely we are not always in this fear as we go hither and thither on this wicked world as we should be different people oh well I should I mustn't speak for others speak for myself here this godly fear when we sing that beautiful hymn on the fear of the Lord sometimes makes me tremble I know how miserably short

[37:01] I come as to those things that this fear is spoken will keep us strong what it does when it is in exercise when this fear is in exercise it will keep us from evil we shall pray then under this godly fear the prayer away verse when he said, Oh, that thou would bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, that thou would keep me from evil, and from sinning, that it may not grieve me.

[37:34] That's the fear of the Lord. And that we may have it given to us more and more, as we travel hither and wither.

[37:45] Well, I just wanted to say a few words upon the last verse, for our God is a consuming fire. Well, he is a consuming fire to all his people, first and foremost, in the sense that he will consume all that is not of himself.

[38:11] He'll consume all our self-righteousness. He'll consume all our mock humility.

[38:25] He'll consume all our pharisaic pride. And when he does it, we shall find it will be done in the fullness.

[38:42] And he will so do it, that we shall fear, when we behold him as this consuming fire, that he's going to consume all things, and our souls with it.

[39:02] But as we travel on through this wilderness, we find that this fire that consumed nothing more than the wood, high and stubble, and all that that we may have collected in religion, as many today are collecting very much in religion, that is, but stubble.

[39:29] Some might say, well, who do you mean? Well, I don't think it's quite the place to enter into those things, but there are many who are gathering many things that will be burned up if God hath that, if God hath thoughts of peace and love toward them, it will indeed.

[39:57] Oh, how if I were to enumerate the many things that I have found have been burned up this poor sinner, so that you'll find it'll consume all those things that you can well part with, it will indeed.

[40:14] Well, he is a consuming fire. And it will come, when he does consume it, it means consume it. Yes.

[40:25] You will find that if he consumes any one thing that you are the subject of, in the way of that self-righteousness, it's consumed forever.

[40:37] You are what any more wretched self-righteousness, for you'll feel and believe that it is that that is not acceptable under God, not, that's, not in that place then where you are worshipping, worshipping him acceptably, with reverence and with godly fear.

[40:59] well, he's not only that to his people, but he's also and will be a consuming fire to the wicked. Yes.

[41:12] I know this is a solemn part of God's word, but it's not to be passed by as as to present it to others and not come to the word ourselves.

[41:31] Many, I feel, are left to seek all joy and all peace and all the promises in God's word and all comfort and leave these portions of the word to others, but they concern us so that this word here will be abundantly made known to the wicked for you know the time will come when he will prove to be a consuming fire when he comes and and dissolves this world and as he has said that the heavens shall melt with fervent heat.

[42:22] God's word not mine. It comes very close and causes us, does it not, more and more to long and desire for those things which I have spoken of this evening to be made known to us again and again but they that in the Lord can find and shelter in his wounded signed shall see the danger overpassed, stand every storm and live at last.

[42:55] So poor feeling one, though these things are recorded in God's word and solemnly true, yet remember this, that what I have said here today is forever and that his people shall never know this condition about the world and all the things of it.

[43:23] I thought once or twice when I looked upon the buildings around, I mean the ancient buildings and the architecture and many things that especially when I was at Cambridge on one occasion, the chapel there at the university, as I went there, in there, you know, it's amazing, the architecture and you seem to be held with amazement at the gifts of men.

[43:55] As I was coming out of that door one at that particular time, those words, see all these things, there shall not remain a stone upon another that shall not be cast down.

[44:12] Our God is a consuming fire. All these things that we see, they are what gifts men have been given by God, but you see they are material and the day will come when God will fulfill his word, he will indeed, so do your mercy in mine is when he comes with ten thousands of his saints, when the trumpet shall be blown, and when he shall say, come to judgment, and all men shall appear before him, which the atheist does not believe, some deny it even in our day, yet you and I believe that all nations, kindred, tongue, and tribes shall stand before the great white throne to hear the great judges of the earth and of heaven pronounce the judgment, or our hymn book, you know, how the few you read those hymns that are suited for private reading upon that day, our dear poets, how they, spoke a complete sermon in some of those beautiful hymns concerning that day, but you'll find there, even in those hymns, there is a line of mercy, of grace, of peace to his people, oh, the sure standing of his people, those whom he came to redeem, and when we have this knowledge given to us, that he is a consuming fire, there is one way yet devised, whereby you and

[46:05] I may come, even unto him, through Christ, who hath paid all the demands that the Father demanded, and hath opened up this way, and hath appeased the wrath of the Father toward his people, that they cannot be consumed, because he hath gathered in the whole of his elect, from the four corners of the earth, whatever creed or schism there may be, on this earth today, you see, he hath his elect, he hath indeed, and while we know not where they are, he will gather them, in that day, he will indeed, oh, how I thought just recently again about that sheet, you know, it was let down from heaven, knitted for four corners, or what he, as he showed dear Peter, the whole election of grace, how you see that it was knitted for four corners, the safety, you see, of all those creeping things, and those wild beasts, in that sheet, you know how a sheet is knitted for four corners, you see, it's impossible, as it's held aloft, for anything to fall out of it, and so what a wonderful figure, of the eternal, everlasting covenant, of the whole election of grace, a mercy running if you and

[47:31] I, coming with the wild beasts, and the creeping things, and the fowls of the air, knit at the four corners, in that heavenly sheet, the eternal, everlasting covenant, bound by the decrees and purpose of Jehovah, that are unalpable, all then to have an interest in those things, that we may have an abundant entry into that kingdom, which hath God to prepare, a kingdom of immense delight, a kingdom where there shall be no more decay, while earthly thrones are swept away, where there shall be no more sorrow, no more crying, where there will be everlasting peace and tranquility, peace forever and ever, with him whom our souls love, oh what a mercy it is if you and I, even a little Miss Diacola, a little love, unto our dear

[48:34] Saviour, that's a love that cannot alter, that's a love that cannot change, only as we change as creatures, but the love doesn't change, God's love, it's the same forever and ever, that love that is immutable and free, that love that was cast upon us in eternity past, being with us through time and watched over us, and which will land us safe beyond the flood, well my friends, may it be yours, and my blessed state, and my earnest desire, and may I say, may we be enabled, a few of us here, to pray for one another, you see, love will cause us to pray for one another, to bear one another up before God, knowing that we are fast astring to a never-ending eternity, that we may indeed be faith to live together in the bond of peace, the few remaining days in the wilderness, well I must give over, may the

[49:47] Lord be pleased to add his blessing to these few remarks, and forgive if I have said one thing amiss, for I fear all my servants, so poor as they are, need to be washed in his sacred country.

[50:02]  who are are still good