In preparing for the Lord's Supper today, I cam across this lovely post-communion sermon by Ralph Erskine: "The Mounting Christian or Eagle Winged Believer" https://books.google.com/books?id=I...ZAhVr4IMKHSBtCOgQ6AEIVTAN#v=onepage&q&f=false
Here is an exceprt
"They mount up in holy desires, saying with Job, “O that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!” And their desires are not like the faint, languishing wish of the wicked, such as Balaam had: no no, their desires are spiritual and sincere, such as these spoken of; “With my soul have I desired thee in the night; and with my spirit within me, will I seek thee early,” (Isa. 26:9). Their desires are strong and fervent; none but Christ will satisfy them. “What wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless?” said Abraham, (Gen. 15:2). So says the soul, mounting up towards God, O what wilt thou give me, seeing I go Christless? It pants after God, the living God. Their desires are restricted to God and Christ alone: “One thing have I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee,” (Ps. 73:25). Their desires are dilated on a whole God, and a whole Christ: “O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord, my God, my King,” (Ps. 16:2). They will have a whole God in all his essential perfections, and in all the relations he stands in to his people. They will have this God for their God forever and ever, and for their guide even unto death. And they will have a whole Christ; Christ for sanctification, as well as for salvation; yea, Christ for their all in all."
May God stir up all our desires after him so! I hope all my brethren are having a Christ-filled Sabbath.
Here is an exceprt
"They mount up in holy desires, saying with Job, “O that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!” And their desires are not like the faint, languishing wish of the wicked, such as Balaam had: no no, their desires are spiritual and sincere, such as these spoken of; “With my soul have I desired thee in the night; and with my spirit within me, will I seek thee early,” (Isa. 26:9). Their desires are strong and fervent; none but Christ will satisfy them. “What wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless?” said Abraham, (Gen. 15:2). So says the soul, mounting up towards God, O what wilt thou give me, seeing I go Christless? It pants after God, the living God. Their desires are restricted to God and Christ alone: “One thing have I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee,” (Ps. 73:25). Their desires are dilated on a whole God, and a whole Christ: “O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord, my God, my King,” (Ps. 16:2). They will have a whole God in all his essential perfections, and in all the relations he stands in to his people. They will have this God for their God forever and ever, and for their guide even unto death. And they will have a whole Christ; Christ for sanctification, as well as for salvation; yea, Christ for their all in all."
May God stir up all our desires after him so! I hope all my brethren are having a Christ-filled Sabbath.
