"And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. And he shall
purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they
may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness." - Malachi iii. 3.
My soul, contemplate this gracious office of thy Jesus, and then see,
whether he hath as graciously wrought it on thee. Jesus found our whole
nature, when he came to save it, wanting refining and purifying indeed.
By the operation of his holy word, and by the influences of his blessed
spirit, he brings the souls of his people into the furnace of
purification. By the fire of troubles, of afflictions, of persecutions,
he melts down their stubborn nature there. By the Spirit of judgment,
and by the Spirit of burning, he purgeth their dross, taketh away their
tin, and forms all his people into vessels of mercy and sanctification;
that he may at length present them unto himself, a glorious church, not
having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that they may be without
blame before him in love. And what endears him to his people under this
blessed character as their Refiner is this, that all the while the
process is going on, Jesus sits by, watches over them, tempers the fire
in exact proportion to what it should be, and suffers not the enemy to
fan it a jot more than his love and wisdom see it fit to be. Is this
the case, my soul, with thee? Are all the fiery trials thou hast gone
through, regulated, kept under, and blessed, by thy Jesus, to so much
good? Oh my foolish heart, how have I repined in my affliction, because
I saw not Jesus's hand in the appointment, nor discerned his love
carrying me through it. Blessed Refiner, henceforth give the to see
thee. And do thou sit in this most needful office over my soul, that as
all true believers are of the royal priesthood, being sons of Levi, and
made kings and priests to God and the Father, never may my soul come
out of the furnace of thy purification, until that I am enabled, by thy
grace, to offer to the Lord an offering in the blood and righteousness
of Jesus, whereby alone I can find acceptance with God in grace here,
and glory hereafter.
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