Oh! I have seen the day, When with a single word, God helping me to say My trust is in the Lord; My soul has slain a thousand foes, Fearless of all that could oppose.
For so the promise runs, and so the victorious believer has found it. One of you shall chase a thousand (by the word,) and two of you (by faith and prayer), shall put ten thousand to flight.
Blessed be God for the gospel, and for its power and influence upon our hearts. This is the sweet evidence of our eternal election of God, for our gospel came not unto you in word only, but in power; in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance. It is in this way, even a babe in Christ has stilled the enemy and the avenger. The people of the Most High are called babes; and little children, being born again, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God—created anew in Christ Jesus, unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them. This new birth is produced by the almighty power of God, the holy making Spirit. It is an evidence of everlasting love, and of the soul’s interest in the blood and righteousness of Christ; and none have any right to consider themselves in Christ, who are strangers to the new birth. It is the gracious indwelling of the holy Spirit in his divine influences—forming a new man of grace—a new heart—a right spirit, infusing every holy principle, in conformity to the image, of Christ. When this work is begun in most of God’s children, it is hard to tell, but some blessed effects of it may be clearly seen. Such souls, may be long under the terror of the law, the bondage of their spirit, the fears of death, the dread of judgment, eternity and hell, yet the Lord hears their groans, sees their oppressions, tears, and fears, and will in due time, bring them out of prison. Some, indeed, are led on more smoothly, but none are left ignorant of their lost state by nature, their condemnation by the law, and the value of Christ, as the atonement and righteousness of his people. Such babes are humble, simple, sincere, and teachable; they desire the breast of consolation, from heart-felt misery; they desire the sincere milk of the word, not only the word, but the _milk_ of it, that they may grow thereby into a deeper knowledge of Christ, till their faith is grown up to full assurance, and their hope big with expectations; till a sense of divine love casts out all doubts and fears, which sadly torment their minds, and till they know the whole armour of God; and surely there can be no actual enjoyment with Christ, or entering into truth, or the privileges of the gospel, or into eternal glory, till this new birth takes place. There can be neither _seeing_ nor _entering_ the kingdom; there may be a superficial knowledge, and plenty of talk about truth; but it is a cordial reception of it in the heart, and digesting it in the mind, that will ever produce any good effect, either in the soul, or in the conversation. And except we become as little children, we can in no wise enter the kingdom; but having been blessed with this divine change in the heart, confession is to be made to the glory of God. This is the ordinance of Heaven: there is to be an acknowledgement of the truth, a declaration of what God has done for us to the church, to one another; and when prudent opportunity offers, before the world, by words, and by facts, open and visible, sincere and hearty, likewise in prayer; and praise, when the Lord is pleased to give us strength so to do, that others may be led to see that there is a reality in religion, and may be blessed with the strength of grace to seek the Lord, and glorify God in the day of their visitation: in so doing, you still the enemy, and by a God-glorifying conduct, put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, the enemies of God and truth. And where the conscience is made tender, every thing that is contrary to this, is a source of inconceivable grief. These babes are at times, also enabled to silence Satan himself, with all the accusations of a distressed and burdened conscience, when the atonement, obedience, love, person, offices and promises, invitations and faithfulness of the dear Redeemer is powerfully brought into the mind, by the holy Spirit, and strength given to baffle the enemy, with his satanic suggestions, as a young man did lately, upon his death bed, depending upon, and pleading the great work of Christ, for his acceptance with God, just going into eternity.