The Believer's Pocket Companion
The Believer’s Pocket Companion The One Thing Needful to Make Poor Sinners
Rich—and Miserable Sinners Happy By William Mason, August 9, 1773 (CHOICE EXCERPTS) "Christ is all!"Colossians 3:2
"Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof." Romans 13:14
Preface
What do you think of Christ? This is the most important question in the world. Happy for that sinner who can answer it from his heart and say, "Christ is precious to me!" For certainly, he is a pardoned, justified, sanctified, saved soul. But he is justified IN the Lord by his everlasting righteousness. He is saved IN the Lord with an everlasting salvation. For such this little work is intended. To such it is humbly addressed. The design of it being to stir up and quicken such in the way of believing in Christ, looking to Christ, coming unto him, and abiding in him; or, in the apostle’s words, "to be putting on the Lord Jesus Christ"—so that they may enjoy more sweet fellowship with him, find more of the inestimable preciousness of him, and experience more of his wonderful love, which passes knowledge. By thus cleaving, in heart and affection, to our heavenly Bridegroom, we shall be more spiritual in our frame of mind, more humble in our hearts, more circumspect in our walk, more heavenly in our conversation, and more holy in our lives. Hence we shall become more dead to the world and its vanities, to sin and its miseries, and to self-righteousness and its deceits.
I think I feel myself such an infinite debtor to my Lord, for his matchless love, rich grace, and glorious salvation, that I would never stop testifying of him to my fellow sinners, while my heart can beat, my tongue can speak, or my hand can write. As the Lord has recently raised me from a dangerous illness, I would joyfully bear this fresh testimony to his glory. May Lord mercifully pardon, and powerfully subdue all the evil which cleaves to me, and freely forgive all that is amiss in this and every work done by me.
Truly, if I were never to attempt to do a good work, because with Paul, I find, "when I would do good evil is present with me;" nor ever to perform any duty until I found myself totally free from all the infection of nature, and all the workings of pride and vain glory, I might soon begin to be a licentious Antinomian. "That," says a dear friend, "you are deemed already." I asked, whether in principle or practice? Not in practice, he replied; but your writings are condemned as the vilest antinomianism. Truly this is no more than the common fate of all who are enlightened to see, enabled to believe, and strengthened to contend for the Scripture doctrine of full and final justification, and everlasting salvation by the Son of God only. Thank God, I have so many dear, holy and pious friends to keep me in countenance. This foul name of "Antinomian", some are very lavish in bestowing on those who differ from them in some points of doctrine. But how little there is of that love, that Christian love, that perfect love which is so much cried up in this censure, is very evident. May the Lord pardon such, and enable me to pass by this injury.
However, I think it behooves me to embrace this opportunity, to testify, that if for declaring that the justification of sinners, from first to last, is by the free grace of God, through the life and death, the one atonement, and the one righteousness of the Son of God, without any of our works and deservings—If for insisting that the comfort of this justification is enjoyed in the heart and conscience through faith, by those who are regenerated by the Spirit of God—If for contending that this grace of God, which freely brings salvation to us, most powerfully teaches us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world—If for maintaining that this faith, through which the finished salvation of Christ is received and enjoyed, is a holy faith, that it excites and animates the saved, justified, sanctified soul to all holiness of heart, lip and life—If for asserting that believers are created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained, that we should walk in, but not in order to be justified by them, either first or last, in whole or in part, but to show forth the praises of God, who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light, to glorify God who has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, to adorn the doctrine of God our Savior, and to give evidence that we are made fit for the inheritance of the saints in light—If for holding, that where these fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ to the glory of God, are not brought forth in the life—If we do not hate sin—which once we loved; and love holiness—which once we hated, we have no evidence that we possess the faith of God’s elect, that faith by which salvation is now enjoyed, and to which eternal life is forever secured in Christ Jesus—for Christ is to all who believe, as precious as a Savior from the power of sin, as he is as a Justifier from the condemnation for sin. Now, I say, if for believing and contending for these Scriptural truths, I am deemed an Antinomian, I pray God I may increase and abound herein more and more, and live and die in such blessed antinomianism.
Ay, but says another friend, for insisting so much on good works, and on the evidence of a holy life and walk, you are deemed a Pharisee, and judged to be as legal as any rank Arminian. To this I shall make but a short reply. I do, and hope I shall to my latest breath, insist upon it, that all is not right between Christ and the soul, if it is not earnestly desiring to maintain constant, uninterrupted, holy fellowship with him, studiously pursuing those means which tend to promote the life and power of practical, experimental godliness, and avoiding all things which are contrary to our most holy faith. With a humble desire, and sincere aim to excite to this, the following work is intended. Dear reader, it is contrived for your pocket, and intended for your heart. I beseech you to accept it in love—to overlook the faults you find in it—and to look up for a blessing upon it, and the author of it. The One Thing Needful The following observations, upon the present state of religion in this land, are very obvious.
1. That there never was a time in which the precious truths of the gospel, and the glorious doctrines of grace, were treated with so much calumny, contempt and ridicule, by the professors of Christianity, as in the present day. This is a most dreadful consideration. For this, we may justly dread the most sore and impending judgments to be executed upon this sinful land. Yet,
2. That this is a day, in which the Lord is sending forth many laborers into his vineyard, who preach the everlasting gospel with great clearness, power and faithfulness; and which gospel the Lord causes to have free course, to run and be glorified, to the gathering in of multitudes of precious souls to Christ, to whom he gives to live and walk in the rich experience, and sweet enjoyment of his pardoning love, justifying grace, comforting peace, and sanctifying influence. This is a most joyful reflection. This, a favorable signal to our sinful nation. But still,
3. That though, perhaps, there never was a greater profession of Christ, and of the truth as it in him, than in this day; yet many, very many professors content themselves with the form of godliness— instead of the power; the mere notion of truth—instead of the experience of it; the name of faith—instead of the grace of faith; the mere profession of Christ—instead of the actual possession of him. O how few really feel their hearts happy in him, their hopes centered on him, and then affections going out after him! This calls for much self-examination, and great searching of heart. Such is the checkered state of religion exhibited in our day. From the view of it, "My heart is inditing good matter." O for the pen of a ready writer, to set forth the matchless glory and unparalleled excellence of the King—the King of Kings—the King of saints, even King Jesus; your King and mine! O you once stout hearted rebels against his crown and government! But, O the love of his royal heart! Instead of executing fierce vengeance upon us, for our sins, lo, he came from heaven to earth, with a flame of love in his heart, and matchless grace on his lips, on purpose to die for us, to wash us from our sins in his own blood, to conquer the rebellion of our hearts against him, and to win our affections to him. Has he saved us by his precious blood? Has he made us his willing, loving disciples, by his powerful grace? Surely, it is that we should live in the sweet enjoyment of all the rich blessings of his kingdom, and be holy and happy every day, yes, every hour, IN HIM. This is his loving will concerning us. But whence then those sighs and complaints—those doubts and fears—those jealousies and suspicions, which so rend the hearts of disciples, distress their spirits, and dishonor their dear Lord and Savior? Come they not hence? Though they may be espoused to Christ, yet they are not chaste virgins to him—they do not cleave to him with full purpose of heart—they do not live on him by faith—they do not obey his precious word, ABIDE IN ME. O you burdened disciples, hear and receive your Lord’s loving reproof, "You are anxious and troubled about many things: BUT ONE THING IS NEEDFUL." O for a single eye to look unto Jesus, a humble heart to sit at his feet, and a simple soul to hear and believe every word from his gracious lips, that we may know the love of Christ—constantly know it by a heartfelt sense of it. This, this is the one thing needful, to make poor sinners rich, and miserable sinners happy in time, and joyful to all eternity!
Know your calling, beloved of Christ. Consider your one business. Remember your chief employment. It is not merely to make a profession, and to keep up a form of godliness—but to maintain and keep up a warm, lively, comfortable sense of the love of Christ in your hearts, from day to day, yes, from hour to hour. How is this to be done? there is but one way. The Holy Spirit of Truth, the glorifier of Christ, the sanctifier and comforter of his disciples, directs us to this one way, by his servant Paul: "put on the Lord Jesus Christ,"Romans 13:14.
Let us indulge a few meditations upon these precious words. "Lord, help us to see the glory that shines in them, to exercise our minds upon them, so as to put them into practice, that we may draw sweet consolation from them." Let us consider, WHO are here exhorted—WHAT is implied in the exhortation, "put on Christ"—WHY we should put on Christ—WHEN we should put him on, and the blessed EFFECTS and happy consequences of thus putting on Christ.
Brethren, let us praise our Lord:
Exalt his blessed name:
Let us hear and keep his word
His glory be our aim.
Let us resolutely strive
To work God’s work with full intent.
And what is it? To believe
On Christ whom he has sent.
1. WHO are exhorted to put on Christ
O marvelous mystery of astonishing grace! Sinners! you who see, know and feel yourselves to be nothing but sin—yes, the very chief of sinners—have a right, by free gift, of free grace—to take, possess, and put on Christ! The poor souls who are dead in trespasses and sins, have all got self-righteous hearts, because their understandings are blind, and their consciences are stupid. To exhort such to put on Christ, would be as foolish and as vain, as to bid a dead corpse arise, and put on clothing. But it is you—quickened, enlightened, sensible sinners, whose consciences smart for sin, whose hearts ache for the curses of the law denounced against sin, and whose spirits tremble to be found in your own righteousness; it is you—afflicted, tempest-tossed, and not comforted by anything that you can find and feel in yourselves; who see your own nakedness, and constantly view your own righteousness as filthy rags—who are exhorted to put on Christ.
Paul best knew whom he exhorted. He describes them in the beginning of this epistle thusly; "To all those that are in Rome, LOVED BY GOD." Romans 1:7. None but those loved by God the Father have any saving interest in, or have anything to do with Christ his beloved Son. But how did it appear that these sinners at Rome were, or that any sinners now, are loved by God? Truly, as plainly as though the love of God were written in legible characters upon their foreheads. This is clearly manifest by these two plain and express evidences.
1. They were called to be saints.
2. Their faith was spoken of, verse 7 and 8. That sinner who is favored with these special and peculiar graces, to be loved by God, and to have faith in and from the Son of God, may be as well assured that he is called by God, as though the voice of an archangel, or the voice of God himself, proclaimed it from heaven to his ears.
Dear Christians, consider, first, your calling. "Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important, so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God." 1 Corinthians 1:26-29
O, we do not enough dwell upon the infinite love, discriminating grace, and almighty power of the Lord—in effectually calling us, poor sinners—from sin, death, and hell—to righteousness, life, and heaven, in Jesus! What! has the Lord singled you out, and separated you from a world of dead sinners, to hear his mighty voice, and to obey his loving call? Have you heard the sweet, loving, and persuasive voice of the dear Shepherd, saying, "Come unto me!" O remember, this is because you are loved by God. The effectual calling of Christ is the fruit of the everlasting love of God. Sinners being loved by God, and given to Christ in eternity, they must be effectually called—they must come to Christ in time. As love—infinite, everlasting immutable love, is the cause from which our calling proceeds; so the end of our calling is, to put on, possess, and enjoy Christ Jesus. For we are called to be saints IN him.
Secondly, Consider, Paul addresses those who had faith. This is a grace of new covenant love. It is a precious gift, which is bestowed upon all those loved by God. It is a grace peculiar to them only. Therefore it is called, "the faith of God’s elect." Titus 1:1. "Not all have faith." 2 Thessalonians 3:2. O believer, remember, there was a time when you had not one grain of the precious grace of faith. Ever consider—who is God’s elect. Isaiah 42:1. Ever consider—that Jesus is the author and object of your faith. So surely as your faith fixes upon Christ as its only object for life and salvation, so surely are you loved by God, and chosen by God. This you may be as sure of, as though Christ was now upon earth, and told you so with his infallible lips of truth.
1. Faith manifests itself to be of God, and proves that the believer is beloved of God, by receiving and setting to its seal, to the truth of God, respecting the SINNER’S own state. If you are a believer, you have just the same views of yourself, as the word of God sets forth to you. You are sensible, that in yourself, you are a poor, wretched, miserable, blind, naked sinner—that you have the sentence of death in yourself—that you have neither hope nor help in and from yourself for salvation—you know and feel from day to day, that in your flesh dwells no good thing—that sin abounds in you—that your nature is totally corrupt and abominable, and your heart deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked—that when you would do good, evil is present with you—that of yourself you are not sufficient to think a good thought—that in all you aim to do to please God, you come short of his glory, and of your duty—that after you have done all, you see yourself an unprofitable servant in all—are ever dissatisfied with yourself and with all your works and doings; for you see all your own righteousness to be nothing better than filthy rags. Therefore you can have no trust in yourself—you dare place no confidence in the flesh—you have no dependence on your own works. For, faith has brought the truths of God into your heart. You have not only the notion of them in your head—but you find the inward sense and experience of them in your very soul. Thus, you are cast into the humbling mold of God’s truth, by the grace of faith. While proud, self-righteous hearts, are strangers to the humbling grace of faith, and see not the constant need they have of putting on the Lord Jesus Christ—you daily see the necessity of this, and you, as a beloved child of God, are exhorted to this. But,
2. Faith manifests itself to be of God, as the believing sinner judges of himself according to the LAW of God. God’s law is a transcript of his holy mind and will. Faith receives it, as a right rule of just judgment. You believe and confess, that the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, and just, and good; and that sin by the commandment has become exceedingly sinful in your sight. For, by the law is the knowledge of sin. Therefore you see yourself cursed by the law, a transgressor against its just, holy, and righteousness precepts. You behold the law as a ministration of condemnation. It condemns you as a sinner, for all that you are in yourself, and in all that you do, for you ever come short of its perfect demands. Your mouth is stopped. You are guilty. You have no plea in yourself, why you should not suffer its curse and wrath to all eternity. It speaks nothing but wrath to you. It works wrath in your conscience. Though you love the holy law, and delight in it after the inward man, yet you find that the law has become weak through the flesh, and therefore you see that you are no more able to fulfill the righteousness of the law, than you are to avert its wrath and curses. Both are as impossible to you, as to create a world. Therefore you see and confess, that by the deeds of the law no flesh living can be justified in God’s sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20.
You honor the law of God, by believing its purity and perfection. You honor the wisdom of God in giving the law, that the offense might abound. You honor the justice of God, by believing his judgment is just, in pronouncing you cursed, because you have not continued in all things which are written in the law to do them. You honor the truth of God by believing—that unless every righteous precept of the law is perfectly fulfilled, all its curses suffered, and all its penalties inflicted—you, a guilty sinner, could never be saved. Hence you see the necessity of putting on Christ, and being clothed with his righteousness, who is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Romans 10:4. Therefore,
3. Faith manifests itself to be of God, by gladly receiving the GOSPEL of his grace, the ministration of righteousness, the glad tidings of free, full, and finished salvation, by the life and death of his dear son. The God of truth and you are agreed. He puts all his honor and glory upon the Son of his love. You acquiesce herein. The Father loves the Son; so do you. The Father says, "This is my beloved Son. Believe him. Hear him." You answer, I love his voice—I delight to hear and obey the precious words of life and salvation from my Savior’s lips. The Father has committed all your salvation to the Son. Faith leads you to rejoice in this. You honor the Son, even as you honor the Father. You honor the Father, by receiving the record which he has given of eternal life in his Son. You honor the Son in believing on him for eternal life. You honor his precious blood, by believing it to be the one atonement for sin, and that there is a redemption and forgiveness of sins in his blood alone. You honor his life of obedience, by believing that thereby the holy law is perfectly fulfilled, and an everlasting righteousness wrought out; which being imputed to you a sinner, you stand completely justified in the sight of God. And where the faith of Christ is thus in the heart, it works by the love of Christ, and love to Christ; and that soul is disposed to cleave to Christ, to enjoy communion with Christ; and in life and love to be devoted to the glory of Christ. Such is the nature of the faith of God’s elect.
Now stop, dear reader, and examine. Have you received this precious faith? If you have, though it be but as a gain of mustard seed, ever so small, and ever so weak, yet, you, even you, are beloved of God the Father—you are the called of his beloved Son, you are a saint in Christ; you, even you, vile as you may be in your own eyes, condemned as you may be in your own sight, yet you are the very quickened soul, the very sensible sinner, the very living believer, who is here addressed by Paul, and exhorted, PUT ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Lamb of God, we fall before thee,
Humbly trusting in your cross:
That alone be all our glory;
All things else are dung and dross.
You we own a perfect Savior,
Only source of all that’s good.
Every grace, and every favor
Comes to us thro’ Jesus’ blood.
2. WHAT is implied in putting on Christ A Believer in Christ exhorted to put on Christ! Why, Paul positively asserts, "As many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ." j. As all believers are baptized into Christ by one Spirit and have all put on Christ; how is it then, that they are here exhorted again to put on Christ? True, that very moment a sinner believes on Christ, he puts on Christ as his atonement, righteousness and salvation. He is united to, and is one with Christ. His sins are pardoned in the blood of Christ; his soul is justified in the righteousness of Christ, and he has everlasting life in Christ. This, this is the most precious truth. This is the glory of faith. This is the joy and rejoicing of the believing soul. But then, before such a soul arrives to the full enjoyment of Christ in eternal glory, he has many enemies to encounter—many trials and troubles to conflict with—a body of sin and death to be delivered from—many lusts to be mortified—many corruptions to be subdued—a legion of sins to strive against—holiness to be perfected—graces to be exercised—duties to be performed—in one word, he has to glorify Christ in the world, by his life and walk. How is all this to be done? Only by Christ strengthening him. Therefore he is constantly to put on Christ—to attain a greater knowledge of Christ—more rich and sweet experience of his grace and love—to be more strongly rooted in his love, and confirmed in his salvation—to have his heart, his hopes, his affections more with Christ—and his soul more swallowed up in the ocean of God’s everlasting love in Christ, that he may be more conformed to the image of Christ; and that thus, as a good soldier of Christ, he may manfully fight under his banner against the world, the flesh, and the devil, unto his life’s end. That you may do this, cheerfully and comfortably, you are exhorted to put on Christ, which clearly holds forth to us,
1. The believer’s interest in Christ, and the free and constant use which he is called upon to make of Christ. O consider, Christ is given to us, to be enjoyed by us. He gave himself for us, that we might receive, possess, and put him on, for all the blessed purposes of his life and death, his love, grace and salvation. He is the bread of life. We are to feed upon him daily. He is the water of life, which our souls are to drink of constantly. He is our righteousness. We are to put him on continually. So that we not only have precious Christ—but we are also to use him—and enjoy his preciousness. He is not only a well of salvation—but we must draw water out of it with joy, and drink of it to the refreshing of our souls! It was not enough that the brazen serpent was set up—but it was to be looked unto, that those who were stung might be cured. It is not enough that we have faith by which to live—but we must live by the faith we have upon the Son of God, so as to derive a continual supply of grace, comfort, and strength from him, as the branch does sap from the root, the members influence from the head, and the pipe waters from the fountain. "I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me!" Galatians 2:20
Faith is given to us, for this very purpose, to claim Christ, to use him, to put him on, to cleave to him, to glory of and in him. Hence the Holy Spirit, in order to stir up and quicken our drowsy souls, calls upon us, "Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem." Isaiah 52:1. O soul, who is your strength but Christ? What are your beautiful garments—but the rich robe of his all-perfect and ever glorious righteousness? O awake then in this glorious gospel-day! This is a blessed time of rejoicing, cast off all sloth and drowsiness! Lay aside your sorrow and mourning! Put on your Christ, and rejoice and be glad in him! "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ." Put Him on as your Lord to reign in and rule over you! Put Him on as your Jesus to save you from all your enemies! Put Him on as your Christ, anointed of God, to bless you with grace, and to crown you with glory! Thus put on the Lord Jesus Christ For,
2. Putting on Christ implies the renewed acts, and fresh applications of the believing soul to Christ, in the exercise of faith in him, hope towards him, delight in him, calling upon him, hearing the gospel of his grace preached, reading the Scriptures which testify of him, feeding upon his blessed body, and drinking his precious blood at his table, etc. In the use of all these means, we should aim to put on Christ afresh, as the glory of our hearts, and the joy of our souls. So that Christians are not only partakers of faith in Christ—but the exercise of their minds is described, by their continued acts of believing in Christ, hearing of Christ, coming to him, leaning on him, cleaving to him, abiding in him, living upon him, and putting him on from day to day. These participles, which are the present tense, describe the actings of believers’ souls. So that quickened souls cannot look back, and be satisfied with thinking they had faith once. No, no, their souls cannot be contented, without putting on and enjoying Christ now. O this is the glory of faith. Therefore, let us consider,
3. That to put on Christ, may more particularly imply that we should daily, yes, constantly clothe our mind, memory and conscience with Christ, with the truth, as it is in him, which holds forth to us what he has done for us—what he is to us—and what he is now doing for us at the right hand of God. O believer, this is most precious work, to put on Christ, for the comfort of your mind, the refreshing of your memory, and for the peace and joy of your conscience. This should be your daily constant exercise, under a full conviction that without this inward enjoyment of Christ, you can neither be happy in your soul, comfortable in your walk, nor holy in your life. But if Christ dwells constantly in your mind, memory and conscience, all will be peaceful and happy within, all will be holiness unto him without. Let us deeply consider these points. O Spirit of all truth, holiness and comfort, bless our meditations, to the glory of Christ, and to the joy of our souls.
Happy souls, who put on Christ
By pure and living faith,
Finding him their King and Priest,
Their God, and guide to death.
God’s own foe may plague his sons:
Sin may distress—but can’t subdue.
Christ who conquered for us once,
Will in us conquer too.
3. Putting on Christ in our MINDS
People say, "My mind is my kingdom." Poor souls! What do they mean? This—to have their own wills to reign, and the desires of their flesh and their minds gratified. Ah—but it is a sad kingdom, where Christ does not reign in the mind. Yes, it is a kingdom of darkness, where the god of this world, the prince of the power of the air rules. O believer, bless your covenant God afresh, that he has called you out of this darkness into his marvelous light, and has translated you into the kingdom of his dear Son! And why has he done this? Truly, that Christ should reign in your mind, that you should mind the things of Christ, and that you should enjoy all the blessings and comforts of his kingdom. Therefore, put on Christ your King—as the glory and comfort of your mind.
"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind—having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart." Ephesians 4:17-18. The vanity of the mind is our fault and our shame—and a chief cause of our misery. We too much mind earthly, carnal and sensual things. Hence Christ our chief glory is too much banished from, and kept out of our minds. A light, trifling, vain conversation, too much prevails among professors. This plainly reveals the vanity of the mind. When we can discern the hour of the day by the sundial, we know that the sun shines. When Christ the sun of righteousness shines in the mind—the tongue will reveal it; the life will manifest it.
If we are living, loving Christians, we shall be very jealous over the workings of our minds, and be deeply concerned to keep them in a sweet, holy, humble, heavenly frame. This can only be done by putting on our beloved Christ in our minds. For, says Isaiah, "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you!" Isaiah 26:3. Our dear Lord says, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:21. Is not Christ our richest treasure? Should he not be ever in our minds, and our minds ever on him? It is said of a Spanish ambassador, that when he saw the so-much cried up treasury of St. Mark in Venice, that he fell to groping in the chests and trunks. On being asked the reason, he said he was feeling whether they had any bottoms. Said he, "My king’s treasure in the mines of Mexico and Peru far exceeds yours; for they have no bottom; yours have. O Christian, the riches of your Christ are boundless and bottomless. You have in Christ, UNSEARCHABLE RICHES—an inexhaustible treasure, which never fails!
O then, imitate the miser. Let your mind dwell on your treasure. Let your treasure be ever uppermost in your mind. Is the miser’s mind ever upon, and ever going out after his treasure? Just so, let your minds dwell on Christ. Does he value himself by his treasure? Just so, must you value yourself—upon Christ. Is he always poring over his precious wealth? Just so, should you pour over your precious Christ. Does the miser love to inspect, and count over his beloved gold? O let your mind be ever inspecting your beloved Christ, in his wonderful person, as God and man; his amazing love, in laying down his life for you, his enemy, and his glorious salvation of you, an ungodly sinner. Be constantly counting over all the great and precious promises which you have in him—and the graces, blessings, and comforts which you have from him, and the certain glory which you soon shall enjoy with him! Is the miser careful to keep, and fearful of losing, any part of his possession? So let it be between Christ and your mind. Put him on. Hold him fast. Cleave to him. Be careful to enjoy him always. Be ever fearful of losing any blessing or comfort he has promised to bestow. Thus put on Christ; thus clothe your mind with him as your treasure; let all your hopes center in him, and all your affections fix upon him. Now, even now, this very moment, the next and the next, yes, until moments are all fled, and time itself is swallowed up in eternity, be putting on Christ, receiving out of his inexhaustible fullness, grace upon grace, blessing upon blessing, comfort upon comfort. So put on Christ your treasure, as to count all things but dross and dung compared to him. "I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ!" Php 3:8
Put on Christ as the glory of your mind. O what thirst is there in our minds, after that phantom—the honors of this world! It was foretold to Agrippina, the mother of that cruel tyrant, Nero, that her son would be emperor, and afterwards kill her. Such was her thirst for her son’s honor, that she replied, "Let but my son be emperor, then let him kill me, and spare not." O imitate her in the thirst after the glory of your mind. Well may you say, "Let my Christ be emperor. Let him but reign in my soul, and slay my thirst after all honor, but what comes from him." For, "Unto you who believe, Christ is precious, or rather an honor." 1 Peter 2:7. Christ is precious and honorable in himself. Faith makes him peculiarly so to the mind. And it is the peculiar work of a believing mind, to be putting on Christ, and to exercise itself upon Christ, as its greatest honor, and chief glory. And he says, "Those who honor me, (by the faith of their hearts) I will honor," (by my special presence, filling the temple of their souls with my glory.)
Consider, you have nothing but Christ to make you honorable in God’s sight. As a sinner you are in the utmost disgrace in the court of heaven. You are a rebel against God. You dare not come into the presence of the King of kings. You have no proper clothing to appear in before him. You have nothing of your own but—filthy rags, which cannot hide your nakedness. So that you have nothing but fear and shame in yourself. O but when you clothe your mind with Christ, who is your honor, what boldness does this inspire you with before God! For, he has dignified our nature, by taking it upon himself. Christ in our flesh has taken off the penalty of our rebellion. He has, in our flesh, wrought out a glorious righteousness for us to appear in before God. Yes, he has made us kings and priests unto God. He now stands pleading our cause before the throne of God. He pours upon us the graces of the Spirit of God. He brings us into the honorable relation of children of God; He makes us heirs of God; yes, co-heirs with himself of God. He not only brings us into a state of adoption, as children of God—but also pours upon us the Spirit of adoption, whereby we call God, "Abba, Father." O what honor can be compared to this! Yet such honor have all Christ’s saints. Therefore, as all your honor comes by Christ, put him on in your mind as your greatest glory. Ever reflect on your new birth, and heavenly pedigree in Christ. Ever clothe your mind with what honor now comes to you by Christ, and what glory awaits you with him in the heavenly mansions. So you will look down with a holy contempt upon all objects beneath your Beloved, to make you honorable.
Bless the Lord my soul, and raise
A glad and grateful song
To my dear Redeemer’s praise;
For I to him belong.
He, my goodness, strength and God,
In whom I live, and move, and am,
Paid my ransom with his blood,
My portion is the Lamb.
Again—as to pleasure. Where, O Christian, can your mind fix for solid, lasting pleasure—but in the enjoyment of your Savior? One relates that, "Pleasure went to bathe herself. Having stripped off her clothes, and laid them by the water; Sorrow came, put them on and departed. Hence, say they, the pleasures of this world are only sorrows in pleasure’s garb." You have found it so. It will ever be so. But if Christ is put on, as the chief delight of the mind, we shall find pleasure arrayed in the garments of joy. "For in Christ’s presence there is fullness of joy, and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Psalms 16:11. O put on Christ as the delight of your mind, and you shall be abundantly satisfied with him! He will make you drink of the river of his pleasure!
Aristotle mentions a parcel of ground in Sicily, which sends forth such a strong smell of fragrant flowers, that no hounds can hunt near there, because their scent is so confounded by the sweet fragrance. Thus it will be, when Christ is put on the mind, as our chief pleasure; we shall find such sweet fragrance flowing from him, as will confound our scent, and prevent our hunting after the vain pleasures of sense, and the carnal joys of a wicked world. For says the living, loving spouse to Jesus her beloved bridegroom, "The fragrance of your perfume is intoxicating; your name is perfume poured out. No wonder young women adore you!" Song of Solomon 1:3. O there is such precious fragrance in the name of Christ, the anointed of God, to be our Jesus, our husband, redeemer, justifier and sanctifier—as perfumes the mind with joy, excites a holy love, and kills every unholy desire after all other pleasures—but what are to be found in him. Pious souls, prefer the sense of the love of Christ—before all other gratifications.
O Christian, can you cast in your lot with the spiritually dead—to partake of their carnal diversions? Can you hunt after them? Can your mind find delight and pleasure in them? If so, be assured you are not a chaste virgin to Christ. You go a-whoring after other lovers! You have, in a certain sense, put off Christ from your mind, as your only and chief object for joy and pleasure. Your Lord finds no pleasure in your ways. Your mind finds no pleasure in him. Is it any marvel then, if instead of sweet pleasure in the Lord, you find dejecting doubts, and distressing fears racking your mind? For you have fallen under that severe and cutting reproof from the Lord, "My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water." Jeremiah 2:13. O bewail your foolishness of folly, and your basest ingratitude! Cry to the Holy Spirit, to take of the things of Christ, and to show them unto you anew—so as to enamor your heart, and captivate your affections, so that with David you may say, "Return again to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you." Psalms 116:7. Put on again the Lord Jesus Christ—as the only and chief delight of your mind, and you shall drink of the river of his pleasures, which will make glad your soul.
How great the Christian’s portion is!
What heaps of joy, what worlds of bliss,
The Lord for them prepares!
Their boundless treasures who can know?
For all above, and all below,
And God, and Christ are theirs!
4. Putting on Christ in our MEMORY When Alexander had conquered Darius king of Persia, among the spoils, he found a rich cabinet of the choicest jewels. After some thought, what to use it for, Alexander concluded, that as the works of Homer were his greatest delight, he would lay them up in that rich cabinet. O you Christ-conquered soul—is not Christ your chief joy? Are not his works your greatest delight? O then, put on Christ; lay up his glorious work of salvation in the rich cabinet of your soul—your memory. Let your memory be the ark to contain your Savior! There, like the virgin mother, lay up, keep and ponder upon your dear Lord and his precious sayings.
Many complain of bad memories. They cannot remember many things. They cannot retain things long. Here then is the one thing needful. Here is but one short, gospel work for your memory. "Remember, that Jesus Christ was raised up from the dead." 2 Timothy 2:8. Exercise your memory upon this. Clothe your memory with this. For this finishing stroke includes the whole of your Lord’s blessed and joyful works, from his birth in the ignoble stable, until his ascension to his kingdom in glory. O clothe your memory constantly with the joy of this—that the eternal Son of the eternal Father became an infant of days, lived to be a man of years, died as an accursed malefactor bearing our sins—the guilt of our sins, the curse of our sins, all the wrath due to our sins, and all the penalties which our sins deserved, in his own blessed and innocent body on the tree! That he, the true scapegoat, carried all our sins away into the land of forgetfulness.
Hence thus says your God and Father, "Your sins, and your iniquities, I will remember no more." Jeremiah 31:34. "Though your sins and your iniquities be sought for—they shall not be found." Jeremiah 50:20. You cannot—but at times remember your sins. It is fitting that you should, to humble you, and to cause you to remember the love of Jesus, who bore them, suffered for them, and has taken them all away. O then remember that Jesus was raised again from the dead. He left all your sins buried in his sepulcher. He rose again without them. You are forever justified from them. God does not remember them against you. He imputed them to your surety. There is no condemnation against you for them.
Here is blessed joyful work for your memory. No matter what you forget, see that you remember this. Therefore put on Christ in your memory. Ever remember him—as always remembering you. Clothe your memory with his love, who loved you from eternity, became your surety in time, was clothed with your sins and your curses as with a garment; that he might clothe you with the precious robe of his everlasting righteousness, and adorn your soul with the graces of his Holy Spirit! He bids us, "remember Lot’s wife," Luke 17:32, that we may never look back from him—but ever remember to look to him, so that we may be turned into pillars of love; and that the smoke of the incense of praise might ever ascend to him. When you find sadness and distress of soul, what is the reason for it? The prophet tells you, "There shall be desolation, because you have forgotten the God of your salvation, and have not been mindful of the rock of your strength." Isaiah 17:9-10. O see the evil, and apply the remedy. When Cyrus captured the king of Armenia, his son Tigranes, and their wives and children prisoners; upon their humble submission, beyond their hopes, he gave them all their liberty and lives. On their return home, they all highly commended Cyrus—some for his person, some for his power, and some for his mercy. Tigranes asked his wife, "What do you think of Cyrus? Is he not a noble person, of majestic presence and greatest mercy?" "Truly" said she, "I know not what manner of person he is—I did not look at him." "No!" said he, "where were your eyes? Upon whom did you look?" "Why," said she, "I fixed my eyes wholly on you—my mind was wholly intent on you, for I heard what I shall never forget from you, when you voluntarily offered to lay down your life for my ransom."
O Christian, upon whom should your eyes, your mind, your memory, be ever wholly fixed—but on your matchless husband, the lovely, and ever loving Jesus—who so freely laid down his life for your ransom? Imitate the church, who says of her beloved, "We will be glad and rejoice in you." Why? because "We will remember your love." Song of Solomon 1:4. It is the memory of Christ’s love, which causes gladness of heart, and joy of soul. O how wonderful is the love of Christ to us! O remember his love, in betrothing us to himself in eternity—in espousing us to himself in time, that he might dwell in our hearts by faith, that being rooted and grounded in love, we may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and may know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that we may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17, etc. All the fullness of God dwells in Christ. If Christ dwells in you by faith, you have all the fullness of God’s love dwelling in you. Remember this, and be joyful.
O, to grace, what mighty debtors,
Daily, hourly, Lord, are we!
Let that grace, like strongest fetters,
Bind our wandering hearts to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord we feel them:
Prone to leave you, God of love,
Here’s our hearts—O take and seal them,
Seal them from your courts above.
5. Putting on Christ in our CONSCIENCE
I have read of one who undertook to make a fat sheep lean, and yet allow it daily a sufficient quantity of good and wholesome food, soft and easy lodging, and security from all danger, that nothing should hurt it. This he effected, by putting the sheep into an iron grate, and placing a ravenous wolf nearby in another, who was always howling and scratching to come at the poor sheep. This sad sound and worse sight, so terrified the sheep, that he had little joy to sleep, and less to eat, so that his flesh soon decreased, and he became very lean.
Just so, Satan, that wolf of prey, serves many of Christ’s sheep. He accuses, teases, and terrifies their poor consciences. When they cry for peace, he says to the poor sinner, as Jehu said to the messengers of Joram, "What have you to do with peace?" Though Christ is set before the sinner, as his food, his clothing, and for the peace of his conscience, yet what with listening to Satan’s lies, and the prevailings of unbelief, the soul neglects to feed on Christ, and put him on for peace of conscience: therefore he grows very lean, and lives very uncomfortably. O what dishonor is this to the glorious work of Christ! O what distress of conscience do many of his beloved sheep thus labor under! But why should it be so with any of us? Has not our good shepherd laid down his life for his sheep? Has not the work of Christ, in his life and death for them, perfectly satisfied the justice of God? Has not his resurrection from the dead fully declared it? Is not the court of heaven fully satisfied with what Christ has done and suffered for us? Are these facts, or are they fables? If we really believe them, what can we need more to satisfy our conscience, and to give us peace? The death and resurrection of Christ is sufficient to bring peace, to the conscience of the greatest sinner out of hell. Yes, this fact will most assuredly possess that sinner with peace, who puts on this blessed truth in his conscience. And by maintaining this truth in the conscience, peace with God will be preserved. Therefore, at all times, when you see your sins, and are considering what a miserable sinner you are, put on once again the life and death of the Son of God in your conscience, as the greatest, most precious, and most comfortable truth in the world.
There is no other way for you to obtain peace of conscience. O what a blessed, joyful thing it is to have the answer of a good conscience towards God! Peter tells us plainly how we possess this. Is it because we can answer all the demands of God’s holy law, and say we have perfectly fulfilled it? No, this is the answer of an ignorant conscience. Is it because we can answer to God, that we are not sinners, that we have no sin? No, this is the answer of a lying conscience. But the answer of a good conscience towards God comes by this, and no other way than this, "by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God." 1 Peter 3:21-22. There, says Paul, "He NOW appears in the presence of God FOR US." Hebrews 9:24.
Now, my fellow sinner, who, like me, was as a sheep going astray—but have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls—act up to your high-calling, and exalted privilege. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ in your conscience. Be daily, be constantly, holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience. What is this mystery of faith? It is most marvelous and astonishing. While angels are prying into it, sinners—vile, miserable, yes, the very chief of sinners, are enjoying the comfort of it!
What are you and I but sinners? An accusing devil, and black unbelief, can make of us nothing more than sinners. Yet this precious mystery of faith is to be held in our consciences, that though we are in ourselves, sin-accused, law-condemned, hopeless, helpless, ruined, lost and desperate sinners; yet in Christ Jesus we are justified from all sin, freed from all condemnation, restored to the love, favor and image of God, are at peace with God, saved with an everlasting salvation, and have a hope full of a blissful immortality. Well may we cry out in wonder and amazement, "What has the amazing grace of God wrought! What has the precious love of Christ effected!"
It is by holding this mystery of faith in our consciences, that we become true worshipers of God, and have no more conscience of sin, to our condemnation. Hebrews 10:2. Our hearts are sprinkled from an evil or guilty conscience. Hebrews 10:2. Yes, we are perfect as pertaining to the conscience. Hebrews 9:9. And our consciences are purged from dead works to serve the living God! Hebrews 9:14. O precious work of putting on the Lord Jesus Christ in our conscience! O joyful exercise, of holding fast the mystery of faith in a pure conscience! But ever remember, you have a most subtle and powerful enemy, who will by every wile, stratagem and device, aim to oppose you in this blessed work! Be on your guard against him.
Satan is called our enemy, "Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour!" 1 Peter 5:8. He was an avowed enemy to the work of Christ for us; and he is a powerful adversary to that peace, comfort, joy and holiness, which arises from the work of Christ in us. He continually prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour! Though he is not allowed to destroy our souls, yet he will rage and roar, and strive by all means to disturb our peace, and destroy our comfort in Christ; therefore he will tempt and accuse, if by any means he can fix the sense of sin, guilt and condemnation upon our consciences. Now there is but one way to stand our ground, maintain our peace, and overcome Satan’s devices. This is it: "Resist him steadfastly in the faith." 1 Peter 5:9.
What is this—but to put on Christ in our conscience—to wrap ourselves in what Christ has done for us, and is to us? In the faith of this, resist every attack of Satan. Does he accuse of sin? Hold up your shield of faith, your redemption in the blood of Christ, even the forgiveness of all your sins—the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin before God. It was blood shed by a holy Savior, and accepted by a righteous Judge. This will quench all the fiery darts of your enemy. This calms the terrors of conscience and brings peace into it. There is no condemnation from God against you, for you are in Christ Jesus. Does Satan accuse you, that you are a sinner before God, and cursed by the law of God? The charge is just; own it. Yet this need not destroy your peace of conscience. Put on Christ, your breastplate of righteousness. "For he was made sin for us, that we sinners might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Corinthians 5:21. "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." Galatians 3:13. "By him, all who believe are justified, fully discharged, and perfectly acquitted from ALL things." Acts 13:19. Though sin has reigned unto death, yet grace reigns through the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord, unto eternal life. Romans 5:21. Now, why is Christ, his grace, and righteousness, thus held forth to us in scripture? Surely it is, that we should so put him on in our consciences as to answer every demand of law and justice, silence every accusation of Satan, possess peace and joy in God, knowing assuredly that we have eternal life in Christ. O this living and abiding in the Lord, is precious! It is living like ourselves, children of God, members of Christ, and heirs of glory. For Satan can stand against all that we are in ourselves, bring accusations against all our works and doings, and thereby distress our consciences. But we are complete in Christ. His perfect work is our shield of faith, with which we quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one, and obtain perfect victory over him. With this shield we are to defend our conscience against every attack; so shall we, in the experience of faith, joyfully sing, "Now has come salvation and strength, and the kingdom of God, and the power of Christ; for our accuser is cast down, and overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of the testimony of our dear Savior’s atonement, righteousness and salvation." Revelation 12:10-11. But Satan not only accuses for sin—but tempts to sin; and often injects the most horrible thoughts into the mind. This need not distress our conscience. Why should it? As for temptations, they are not sins. Ten thousand temptations can bring no guilt upon the conscience. As to horrid injections, Satan shall answer for them—not us. Our Lord was in all points tempted like us, yet without sin. Tempted sinners should remember this, and look to their once tempted Savior. To him they should flee for grace to stand, and power to conquer. So shall we ever prove that we are more than conquerors through Christ who has loved us.
O see to it then, that you do not give place to the enemy, no, not for one moment! Having such an armor for our conscience, as precious Christ, his rich grace, his perfect righteousness, his glorious salvation, let us clothe our conscience with this, for victory and for peace. Our very doubts and fears are enemies to the glory of our Lord, and the peace of our consciences. But seeing we have such a glorious Savior, such a finished salvation, and are complete in him—why should these so prevail in us? When they do, it is because you do not give Christ the pre-eminence in your conscience. You do not enough attend to, believe, and live upon this ever glorious, ever sin-subduing and soul-sanctifying truth, "If any man sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 2:1-2. "The blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin!" 1 John 1:7, both from before God, and in our own consciences. God’s precious word is the best remedy against all doubts and fears. The only antidote against unbelief is the truth as it is in Jesus. In believing this we shall be filled with all peace and joy of conscience, and abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. Romans 16:20.
Cease your fears then, weak believer,
Jesus Christ is still the same,
Yesterday, today, forever,
Savior is his blessed name.
Lowliness of heart and meekness,
To the bleeding Lamb belong,
Trust in him, and by your weakness,
You shall prove that Christ is strong.