Blueridge Believer
Puritan Board Professor
(Octavius Winslow, 1852)
It has been the distinctive aim, and the sincere
desire of my ministry—to make known and to
endear the Savior to your hearts.
Oh, how worthy is He . . .
of your most exalted conceptions,
of your most implicit confidence,
of your most self-denying service,
of your most fervent love!
When He could give you no more—and
the fathomless depths of His love, and
the boundless resources of His grace,
would not be satisfied by giving you
less—He gave you Himself!
Robed in your nature,
laden with your curse,
oppressed with your sorrows,
wounded for your transgressions,
and slain for your sins—
He gave His entire self for you!
His redeeming work now finished—He is perpetually
engaged in meting out blessings to His people, from
the exhaustless treasures of His love! He constantly
woos your affection—invites your grief—and bids you
repair with your daily trials to His sympathy, and with
your hourly guilt to His blood. You cannot in your drafts
upon Christ's fullness, be too covetous; nor in your
expectations of supply, be too extravagant! You may
fail, as, alas! the most of us do, in making too little of
Christ—but you cannot fail, in making too much of Him!
It is utterly impossible to know Christ,
and not become inspired with a desire . . .
to love Him supremely,
to serve Him devotedly,
to resemble Him closely,
to glorify Him faithfully here,
and to enjoy Him fully hereafter!
It has been the distinctive aim, and the sincere
desire of my ministry—to make known and to
endear the Savior to your hearts.
Oh, how worthy is He . . .
of your most exalted conceptions,
of your most implicit confidence,
of your most self-denying service,
of your most fervent love!
When He could give you no more—and
the fathomless depths of His love, and
the boundless resources of His grace,
would not be satisfied by giving you
less—He gave you Himself!
Robed in your nature,
laden with your curse,
oppressed with your sorrows,
wounded for your transgressions,
and slain for your sins—
He gave His entire self for you!
His redeeming work now finished—He is perpetually
engaged in meting out blessings to His people, from
the exhaustless treasures of His love! He constantly
woos your affection—invites your grief—and bids you
repair with your daily trials to His sympathy, and with
your hourly guilt to His blood. You cannot in your drafts
upon Christ's fullness, be too covetous; nor in your
expectations of supply, be too extravagant! You may
fail, as, alas! the most of us do, in making too little of
Christ—but you cannot fail, in making too much of Him!
It is utterly impossible to know Christ,
and not become inspired with a desire . . .
to love Him supremely,
to serve Him devotedly,
to resemble Him closely,
to glorify Him faithfully here,
and to enjoy Him fully hereafter!
