GRACE REIGNS UNTO ETERNAL LIFE!

"Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled." —Matthew 26:56 [KJV]

On reading this, who can refrain from crying out, "Lord, what is man!" What danger am I in! Lord, keep me! What awful effects have a fit of fear and a frame of unbelief produced! Here was the beloved disciple JOHN, who lay in the bosom of Jesus; the courageous PETER, who was to die with Him; the ambitious JAMES, who requested to sit at His right hand in His kingdom; with every one of the other disciples, forsaking and flying from innocence in distress. 

The shepherd was seized, and the affrighted sheep were instantly scattered. Provoking ingratitude! Dost thou think, O my soul, thou wouldst have acted one whit better? Verily, if so thou art vain. Now if Jesus had chosen them, and continued to love them, on condition of their faithful conduct towards Him, this single instance was sufficient to turn His love to hatred, His election of them into reprobation, and casting them off for ever. What then becomes of terms and conditions of salvation? The notion eclipses God's glory; feeds pride; shackles the faith of sinners. 

If our dear Saviour was to judge of and determine the state of His disciples from their outward conduct as we too, too oft do by ourselves, might He not reason thus concerning them? "What treachery and deceit have I met with from these wretches! While in My greatest agonies, they were destitute of the least sympathizing spirit: they indulged sleep, instead of granting one friendly request, to watch with Me one hour: though thrice awaked by Me, yet they shewed no regard for Me. At supper they all promised to go to prison and death with Me. Here is one rash fellow hath cut off an ear; and now, upon the very first sight of danger, as though they had all combined together, they are ALL fled from Me; and soon, the most daring of them all will with horrid oaths and curses deny that he knows Me." 

Might we not expect to hear our Lord's sentence, "Cut them asunder, and divide them their portion with hypocrites?" It must be so, if salvation rested upon terms and conditions. But no; grace reigns; not for days and years, but to eternal life. Astonishing as their ingratitude, highly provoking as their conduct was to Jesus, yet more astonishing His love, and higher His mercy surmounts than all their offences. Hence, amazing to read, the very first message Christ sends is full of love and fraught with affection. "Love covers a multitude of sins." 

Not one word of upbraiding; but, "Go and tell My brethren," etc. Surely, O Jesus, never was love like Thine! What! brethren still? Yes; the bond of union, the dear relation ever subsists; nor sin, nor death, nor hell, shall ever destroy it. But, O Christian, under a sense of base ingratitude to, and forsaking of Jesus, what wounds so deep as love? What humiliation, what repentings does love kindle in the heart? "Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation." —II Corinthians 7:10

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)