People of the world fix their minds on earthly, worldly things (Philippians 3:19) and their hearts pursue carnal matters to the exclusion of all else. If they are active in a form of meditation to an ungodly end, how much more should God's people meditate upon holy and godly things? What we constantly think about is what we may become. Fix attention upon matters of the flesh and we shall become worldly. Turn our attention heavenward and we shall find ourselves becoming heavenly.
While Peter looked at Jesus all was well, but once he took his eyes away, he began to sink beneath the waves as his faith failed. Look often to the Lord of glory and we shall always walk in faith upon the waters of life.
Brian Garrard
30 April, 2011
27 April, 2011
Free gift
O marvellous mystery of astonishing grace! Sinners, you who see, know, and feel yourselves to be nothing but sin, yea, the very chief of sinners, have a right, by free gift, of free grace, to take, possess, and put on Christ.- William Mason.
25 April, 2011
Comfort to the weak and discouraged
1. Though many poor, weak, doubting, trembling Christians dare not say that they have grace, yet they dare say that they prize the least dram of grace above all the gold and silver of the Indies. If they had all the world to dispose of they would give it for grace. Now certainly no man can sufficiently prize grace, but he that has grace. Holy Bradford, writing to one, saith, "Thy sins are undoubtedly pardoned, &c. For God hath given thee a penitent, believing heart; that is, a heart which desireth to repent and believe."
2. Though many poor, doubting Christians dare not say that their condition is safe and happy, yet they dare say that they would not for ten thousand worlds change their condition with the vain men of the world who delight in sin. They would rather be like Lazarus than Dives.
3. Though poor, doubting Christians dare not say that they do not sin, because there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not; yet they would not willfully, resolutely, and habitually sin against the Lord to gain the whole world.
4. Though poor, doubting Christians dare not say that God is their God, or that Christ is their Redeemer, or that the Spirit is their Comforter; yet they dare say that if God and Christ and the Spirit, and grace, and glory were offered to them on the one hand, and all the honours, pleasures, and profits of the world on the other hand, they would certainly rather choose God, and Christ, and the Spirit, and holiness, and everlasting happiness though their choice should expose them to the greatest afflictions in this world.
5. Though poor, doubting Christians dare not say that they have such power against their sins as they would have, say, that when the Lord is pleased to give them grace to subdue their sins, these are the most joyful, comfortable, delightful, and refreshing seasons to their souls; and the language of their souls at such a time is, Oh that it may be always thus with them! Oh that every day one lust or another might fall before the power, the Spirit, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
6. Though poor, doubting Christians dare not say that they enjoy as much advantage by the sermons they hear, or by their prayers, or by the Scriptures they read, or by the communion of saints that they enjoy as others do; yet they dare say that they would not for all the world cast off prayer, or hearing, or reading, or the communion of saints, and give themselves up to the ways of sin, and Satan, and the world.
7. Lastly, though poor, doubting Christians dare not say that Christ is their Saviour, yet they dare say that they desire and endeavour to honour Christ as their Lord; though they cannot find comfort, yet they will oppose sin; though they cannot close with the promises, yet they will close with the precepts; though they want strength to throw themselves into Christ's arms to save them, yet they will cast themselves at the feet of Christ to serve Him; though they walk in darkness, and see no light, yet they will trust in the Lord, and walk in His ways (Isaiah 50:10).
These seven things are strong probabilities of grace, and it may also be said, that they are solid and sound evidences of true grace and of an interest in Christ and salvation; and therefore all those poor doubting, and trembling Christians, who find all these, or any of these seven things in their own souls, ought for ever to bless the Lord, and speak well of His name upon these accounts. And therefore, O my soul, be thou much in adoring and admiring of free and infinite grace that hath wrought all those things in thee and for thee.
Consider that, from probabilities in outward things, men commonly gather a great deal of comfort, support, quietness, and satisfaction; when the pysician tells the patient that it is probable, yea very probable, that he will recover, live, and do well, O, what a support, comfort, and refreshment is this to the languishing patient! When there is a good voyage, how do the merchants' and the mariners' spirits rise! When there is but a probability of a good harvest, how does the husbandman sing! Where there is but some hope, some probability of a pardon for a condemned man, how do his spirits revive, and how does his heart even leap and dance for joy! And so, when a Christian has but some hopes, some probabilities of grace, of an interest in Christ, and of being saved, he may well cheer up and maintain his ground against fears and temptations.
(The Gospel Magazine - January 1766 - John Gillie's Collections)
2. Though many poor, doubting Christians dare not say that their condition is safe and happy, yet they dare say that they would not for ten thousand worlds change their condition with the vain men of the world who delight in sin. They would rather be like Lazarus than Dives.
3. Though poor, doubting Christians dare not say that they do not sin, because there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not; yet they would not willfully, resolutely, and habitually sin against the Lord to gain the whole world.
4. Though poor, doubting Christians dare not say that God is their God, or that Christ is their Redeemer, or that the Spirit is their Comforter; yet they dare say that if God and Christ and the Spirit, and grace, and glory were offered to them on the one hand, and all the honours, pleasures, and profits of the world on the other hand, they would certainly rather choose God, and Christ, and the Spirit, and holiness, and everlasting happiness though their choice should expose them to the greatest afflictions in this world.
5. Though poor, doubting Christians dare not say that they have such power against their sins as they would have, say, that when the Lord is pleased to give them grace to subdue their sins, these are the most joyful, comfortable, delightful, and refreshing seasons to their souls; and the language of their souls at such a time is, Oh that it may be always thus with them! Oh that every day one lust or another might fall before the power, the Spirit, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
6. Though poor, doubting Christians dare not say that they enjoy as much advantage by the sermons they hear, or by their prayers, or by the Scriptures they read, or by the communion of saints that they enjoy as others do; yet they dare say that they would not for all the world cast off prayer, or hearing, or reading, or the communion of saints, and give themselves up to the ways of sin, and Satan, and the world.
7. Lastly, though poor, doubting Christians dare not say that Christ is their Saviour, yet they dare say that they desire and endeavour to honour Christ as their Lord; though they cannot find comfort, yet they will oppose sin; though they cannot close with the promises, yet they will close with the precepts; though they want strength to throw themselves into Christ's arms to save them, yet they will cast themselves at the feet of Christ to serve Him; though they walk in darkness, and see no light, yet they will trust in the Lord, and walk in His ways (Isaiah 50:10).
These seven things are strong probabilities of grace, and it may also be said, that they are solid and sound evidences of true grace and of an interest in Christ and salvation; and therefore all those poor doubting, and trembling Christians, who find all these, or any of these seven things in their own souls, ought for ever to bless the Lord, and speak well of His name upon these accounts. And therefore, O my soul, be thou much in adoring and admiring of free and infinite grace that hath wrought all those things in thee and for thee.
Consider that, from probabilities in outward things, men commonly gather a great deal of comfort, support, quietness, and satisfaction; when the pysician tells the patient that it is probable, yea very probable, that he will recover, live, and do well, O, what a support, comfort, and refreshment is this to the languishing patient! When there is a good voyage, how do the merchants' and the mariners' spirits rise! When there is but a probability of a good harvest, how does the husbandman sing! Where there is but some hope, some probability of a pardon for a condemned man, how do his spirits revive, and how does his heart even leap and dance for joy! And so, when a Christian has but some hopes, some probabilities of grace, of an interest in Christ, and of being saved, he may well cheer up and maintain his ground against fears and temptations.
(The Gospel Magazine - January 1766 - John Gillie's Collections)
21 April, 2011
A Glimpse of Glory
Have been meaning to write the following up for some time. Taken from my copy of “Tales of the Covenanters”, the original is from a book called “Meditations, Representing a Glimpse of Glory” by Andrew Wellwood.
“How oft have I thought, if the wilderness is so sweet and pleasant, what must the inland be! Is there such ravishing variety of beauty, glory, and sweetness, all along in my pilgrimage – what can I imagine to behold in my native country? Is the habitation where devils, wicked men, and beasts inhabit, so excellent and glorious – what can I think of the place where Jesus, the Emmanuel, with His fair company of saints and angels everlastingly abides? Is my God’s footstool so glorious – what must His throne be? Is the under-vault of this base dungeon so majestic – oh, the higher hall of glory, where the glorious King and His magnificent court remain!”
“How oft have I thought, if the wilderness is so sweet and pleasant, what must the inland be! Is there such ravishing variety of beauty, glory, and sweetness, all along in my pilgrimage – what can I imagine to behold in my native country? Is the habitation where devils, wicked men, and beasts inhabit, so excellent and glorious – what can I think of the place where Jesus, the Emmanuel, with His fair company of saints and angels everlastingly abides? Is my God’s footstool so glorious – what must His throne be? Is the under-vault of this base dungeon so majestic – oh, the higher hall of glory, where the glorious King and His magnificent court remain!”
13 April, 2011
Salvation on God's Terms
He sent his word, and healed them.
PSALM 107:20
The Word of God has been given to us to cure us of the greatest sickness of all, sin. It is not enough to admire Gods remedy for sin; we must accept it and apply it to our hearts.
In II Kings chapter 5 we are introduced to Naaman, the general of the Syrian army. We are informed that he was a great man with his master, and honourable, . . . but he was a leper (II Kings 5:1). When Gods word came to him from Elisha to dip seven times in the river Jordan, we are told that Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? (II Kings 5:11-12).
Naaman was like many in our day who are afflicted with the dreadful disease of sin. They want to be cured, but they object to the simple remedy of faith in Christ alone for salvation. Instead they turn to good works or church attendance, only to discover that these are totally inadequate to meet their need. It is only when we obey the gospel and look to Christ and trust Him as our Saviour that we can be healed and saved (Acts 4:12).
C. H. Spurgeon wrote of the Bible: Remember dear souls, if you are sick, that the medicine that is to reach your case is somewhere between the covers of this Book. There is something here for every sin sick soul that seeks it.
(Eagle's Wings)
PSALM 107:20
The Word of God has been given to us to cure us of the greatest sickness of all, sin. It is not enough to admire Gods remedy for sin; we must accept it and apply it to our hearts.
In II Kings chapter 5 we are introduced to Naaman, the general of the Syrian army. We are informed that he was a great man with his master, and honourable, . . . but he was a leper (II Kings 5:1). When Gods word came to him from Elisha to dip seven times in the river Jordan, we are told that Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? (II Kings 5:11-12).
Naaman was like many in our day who are afflicted with the dreadful disease of sin. They want to be cured, but they object to the simple remedy of faith in Christ alone for salvation. Instead they turn to good works or church attendance, only to discover that these are totally inadequate to meet their need. It is only when we obey the gospel and look to Christ and trust Him as our Saviour that we can be healed and saved (Acts 4:12).
C. H. Spurgeon wrote of the Bible: Remember dear souls, if you are sick, that the medicine that is to reach your case is somewhere between the covers of this Book. There is something here for every sin sick soul that seeks it.
(Eagle's Wings)
03 April, 2011
Brought to Christ
The following is Charles Haddon Spurgeon's own account of his conversion. Taken from his sermon preached March 31st 1861.
I had been for years as a child in secret the prey of the most desponding feelings. One thought had crushed me. I was a sinner and God was angry with the wicked every day. I began to pray, prayer gave me no comfort, but made my burden more heavy. I read the Bible, the Bible was full of threats to me. I could find no promises there. I attended the house of God constantly but I never knew from all the preaching that I heard what I must do to be saved. My eyes were blind and my soul ignorant.
I heard a practical preacher, but what was the use of practice. It was like teaching a man to march who had no feet. I heard the Law thundered but it was not thunder that I wanted—but notes of mercy. I hope that no creature ever had more intense and awful sorrow of heart than I under conviction of sin—feelings which I
studied to conceal from all—and I was thought to be dull and idle because I had little heart for anything. As I have said before, I prayed daily and constantly but my groans seemed to be reverberated from a brazen Heaven and God gave no mercy to
me. It might have been so to this day if it had not been for the purpose and Providence of God which prevented me from going to my usual place of worship and compelled me to turn into a little Primitive Methodist chapel.
Now that day was so snowy that there were very few people there and the minister did not come. I think he was snowed up. But they found out some poor man, a local preacher and he was put into the pulpit. Blessed be God. Blessed be God for that poor local preacher. He read his text. It was as much as he could do. The text was, “Look unto Me and be you saved all the ends of the earth.” He was an ignorant man, he could not say much, he was obliged to keep to his text. Thank God for that. He began,
“Look, that is not hard work. You need not lift your hand, you do not want to lift your finger. Look, a fool can do that. It does not need a wise man to look. A child can do that. You don’t need to be full grown to use your eyes. Look, a poor man may do that, no need of riches to look. Look—how simple—how simple.” Then he went on, “Look unto Me. Do not look to yourselves, but look to Me, that is, Christ. Do not look to God the Father to know whether you are elected or not, you shall find that out afterwards, look to Me. Look to Christ. Do not look to God the Holy Spirit to know whether He has called you or not. That you shall discover by-and-by. Look unto Jesus Christ.” And then he went on in his own simple way to put it thus—“Look unto Me. I am sweating great drops of blood for you. Look unto Me, I am scourged
and spit upon. I am nailed to the Cross. I die. I am buried. I rise and ascend. I am pleading before the Father’s Throne and all this for you.”
Now that simple way of putting the Gospel had enlisted my attention and a ray of light had poured into my heart. Stooping down, he looked under the gallery and said—“Young man, you are very miserable.” So I was, but I had not been accustomed
to be addressed in that way. “Ah,” he said, “and you will always be miserable if you don’t do as my text tells you. That is, look unto Christ.” And then he called out, with all his might, “Young man, look! In God’s name look and look now.”
I did look, blessed be God! I know I looked then and there. And he who but that minute ago had been near despair, had the fullness of joy and hope. And that instant he who was ready to destroy himself could have stood up there and then to—
“Sing of Him, whose pardoning blood had washed sins away.”
I had been for years as a child in secret the prey of the most desponding feelings. One thought had crushed me. I was a sinner and God was angry with the wicked every day. I began to pray, prayer gave me no comfort, but made my burden more heavy. I read the Bible, the Bible was full of threats to me. I could find no promises there. I attended the house of God constantly but I never knew from all the preaching that I heard what I must do to be saved. My eyes were blind and my soul ignorant.
I heard a practical preacher, but what was the use of practice. It was like teaching a man to march who had no feet. I heard the Law thundered but it was not thunder that I wanted—but notes of mercy. I hope that no creature ever had more intense and awful sorrow of heart than I under conviction of sin—feelings which I
studied to conceal from all—and I was thought to be dull and idle because I had little heart for anything. As I have said before, I prayed daily and constantly but my groans seemed to be reverberated from a brazen Heaven and God gave no mercy to
me. It might have been so to this day if it had not been for the purpose and Providence of God which prevented me from going to my usual place of worship and compelled me to turn into a little Primitive Methodist chapel.
Now that day was so snowy that there were very few people there and the minister did not come. I think he was snowed up. But they found out some poor man, a local preacher and he was put into the pulpit. Blessed be God. Blessed be God for that poor local preacher. He read his text. It was as much as he could do. The text was, “Look unto Me and be you saved all the ends of the earth.” He was an ignorant man, he could not say much, he was obliged to keep to his text. Thank God for that. He began,
“Look, that is not hard work. You need not lift your hand, you do not want to lift your finger. Look, a fool can do that. It does not need a wise man to look. A child can do that. You don’t need to be full grown to use your eyes. Look, a poor man may do that, no need of riches to look. Look—how simple—how simple.” Then he went on, “Look unto Me. Do not look to yourselves, but look to Me, that is, Christ. Do not look to God the Father to know whether you are elected or not, you shall find that out afterwards, look to Me. Look to Christ. Do not look to God the Holy Spirit to know whether He has called you or not. That you shall discover by-and-by. Look unto Jesus Christ.” And then he went on in his own simple way to put it thus—“Look unto Me. I am sweating great drops of blood for you. Look unto Me, I am scourged
and spit upon. I am nailed to the Cross. I die. I am buried. I rise and ascend. I am pleading before the Father’s Throne and all this for you.”
Now that simple way of putting the Gospel had enlisted my attention and a ray of light had poured into my heart. Stooping down, he looked under the gallery and said—“Young man, you are very miserable.” So I was, but I had not been accustomed
to be addressed in that way. “Ah,” he said, “and you will always be miserable if you don’t do as my text tells you. That is, look unto Christ.” And then he called out, with all his might, “Young man, look! In God’s name look and look now.”
I did look, blessed be God! I know I looked then and there. And he who but that minute ago had been near despair, had the fullness of joy and hope. And that instant he who was ready to destroy himself could have stood up there and then to—
“Sing of Him, whose pardoning blood had washed sins away.”
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