August 29

Morning

Have mercy upon me, O God. — Ps 51:1

When William Carey was suffering from a dangerous illness, the enquiry was made, “If this sickness should prove fatal, what passage would you select as the text for your funeral sermon?” He replied, “Oh, I feel that such a poor sinful creature is unworthy to have anything said about him; but if a funeral sermon must be preached, let it be from the words, ‘Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your loving-kindness; according unto the multitude of Your tender mercies—blot out my transgressions!’”

In the same spirit of humility, he directed in his will that the following inscription and nothing more should be cut on his gravestone: “William Carey, a wretched, poor, and helpless worm—on Your kind arms I fall.”

Only on the footing of free grace can the most experienced and most honored of the saints approach their God. The best of men are conscious above all others—that they are men at the best. Empty boats float high but heavily laden vessels are low in the water. Just so, mere professors can boast but true children of God cry for mercy upon their unprofitableness.

We have need that the Lord should have mercy upon our good works, our prayers, our preachings, our alms-givings, and our holiest things. The blood was not only sprinkled upon the doorposts of Israel’s dwelling houses but upon the sanctuary, the mercy-seat, and the altar, because as sin intrudes into our holiest things, the blood of Jesus is needed to purify them from defilement. If mercy is needed to be exercised towards our pious duties—what shall be said of our sins! How sweet the remembrance, that inexhaustible mercy is waiting to be gracious to us, to restore our backslidings, and make our broken bones rejoice!

Evening

All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. — Num 6:4

Nazirites had taken, among other vows, one which debarred them from the use of wine. In order that they might not violate the obligation, they were forbidden to drink the unfermented juice of grapes, nor even to eat either fresh or dried grapes. In order, altogether, to secure the integrity of the vow—they were not even allowed anything that had to do with the grapevine; they were, in fact, to avoid the appearance of evil.

Surely this is a lesson to the Lord’s separated ones, teaching them to come away from sin in every form, to avoid not merely its grosser shapes but even the appearance of evil. Strict walking is much despised in these days but rest assured, dear reader, it is both the safest and the happiest course. He who yields a point or two to the world—is in fearful peril. He who eats the grapes of Sodom—will soon drink the wine of Gomorrah!

A little crevice in a large dyke may soon break open—so that a whole town is drowned. Worldly conformity, in any degree, is a snare to the soul, and makes it more and more liable to presumptuous sins.

Moreover, as the Nazirite who drank grape juice could not be quite sure whether it might not have endured a degree of fermentation, and consequently could not be clear in heart that his vow was intact. Just so, the yielding, temporizing Christian cannot wear a conscience void of offence but must feel that the inward monitor is in doubt of him. Doubtful things—we need not doubt about; they are wrong to us! Tempting things—we must not dally with but flee from them with haste! Better be sneered at as a Puritan—than be despised as a hypocrite. Careful walking may involve much self-denial but it has pleasures of its own which are more than a sufficient recompense!