Fragments

Grace free, full, generous, large-hearted mercy and forgiveness, "the kindness of God," is the leading idea in Christianity. And there is no spring of virtue or of service like this.
If an aggrieved one were to come to the man that had injured and insulted him, and stretch out his hand, and declare his full and hearty forgiveness, and desire for reconciliation, what would so bind the man to him as this? What would establish pure, happy, abiding friendship between them like this? Yea, and what would honor and gratify the offerer of all this like its ready acceptance by him who had offended?
And this is found in Christianity. Nay, this is its first great element: the salvation of God, published on the atonement, He Himself has perfected.
"To every proselyte, at first admission,
Full innocence it lends; whate'er his crimes
Before have been, he 's white and free and just,
And equall'd with the veterans of virtue;
First wears the laurels, then begins the fight."
Gambold's Martyrdom of Ignatius.
We may oft learn by the failure of others. Among the reformers, Calvin was remarkable. Of sufficient integrity of heart, through grace, to honor profoundly the word of God, and of energy sufficient to give origin to a system,-in theory, he recognized in many respects the truth of the ministry. In practice, he formed for himself a system adapted to circumstances and to his own peculiar character. More light entered-the word was searched. The energy of the Holy Spirit was in action; and that which Calvin had created as a system, no longer answers either to the creative energy of its author, or to the wants produced by the Holy Spirit. Those who, urged on by the Holy Spirit, have searches the Word, have found themselves, while following the Word and the principles and truths which Calvin himself had found therein, outside of His system in many respects. They followed the Word and not the system.
Of course, thenceforth they became objects of attack. They were innovators, etc., etc.
May Grace keep us free from all systems of our own, and diligent in the study of the Word.
Fragments
In Lev. 6 the trespass committed against the Lord, has its immediate expression in a man's own want of righteousness and grace towards his neighbor. His act was, shewing what he himself was: though against the Lord, still it was unto his neighbor: the immediate question was between him and his neighbor, yet against the Lord, but mercy for him, as in Psa. 51:4: so with Paul, the blasphemer, persecutor and injurious, it was ignorantly in unbelief: it assumed not in his conscience the direct rejection of the grace of God.
In Num. 15 the presumptuous sin is not in ignorance, nor to a neighbor, but reproaching the Lord, despising the word of the Lord. In the beginning of the chapter, the Lord revealed what was a sweet savor unto Him, in an offering made by fire: this could not be deviated from: there was one ordinance for them of the congregation, and ALSO for the stranger: and this an ordinance forever. One law and one manner shall be for you and for the stranger that sojourneth with you (verses 15, 16).
It is a solemn thing to offer a sweet savor unto God: the savor of Christ is sweet unto him: God can have no delight in anything where the savor of Christ's name is not: be it what it may, it is sin either ignorantly done, and remedy in mercy opened up, or, with high hand, the Lord reproached and His word despised.
Fragments
Sacred and common biography are not the same. In the holy volume, the faults even of the best of men are impartially set down, and there we are informed how even such faults were graciously overruled to bring about good. But memoirs written by uninspired men, are apt to dwell chiefly upon the good qualities and actions of their worthies; notwithstanding there are times when the whole character of both the one and the other looks very critical.
Scripture places the origin of evil just where our own sad experience finds it; namely, in the appetency to "know good and evil"; to know what pleasure is to be found by one thing and another, and how it relishes. The secret of our monstrous lust of knowledge is unbelief, or distrust of God; as if he bad omitted to give us every good, because he grudged us something; as if he had some design to withhold or forbid what might yield us further enjoyment.
Fragments
That which is hidden in darkness is not so effectually hidden as that which is hidden in light: for "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." What BE hides in His own light, no creature can Ind. The creature can grope in darkness and hope to find, or can accustom the eye to see where darkness is not perfect; but light closes, through its feebleness, the eye. Our guilt-where is it? The Lamb that died in our stead is alive again, in the midst of the throne, and that which proclaims what we were in ourselves, proclaims what God is in Himself, and what we are in Christ.
The principle of democracy is, that man has the right to choose his own rulers, the people being the source of power; though he may choose them according to certain qualities of which he is judge. The principle of ministry is the same amongst Presbyterians and Dissenters. They add, in one way or another, a certain investiture for its performance. The will of man is the principle common to democracy and radicalism, in things civil; and to Presbyterianism and dissent in things religious.
He who insists upon the gifts of God, is evidently upon an altogether different ground. Gifts that come from heaven have nothing to do with human expediency.
The more crooked the mind, the oftener will the straightforwardness of Christ our Savior have to cross it.
Fragments
Leading Heads Of Psalms.
Psa. 9-The outbreathings of the Spirit of Christ in this Psalm are most blessed-for in spirit He is in the things of glory, while in circumstance in the trials of rejected righteousness down here-and yet out of them in communion in the things to follow after: this, the blessed power of faith and patience of the saints, sustained and led by the Spirit of God. The enemies are seen defeated, though still in their own triumph. The faithful in Christ Jesus are triumphant in Him, though still, as sheep for the slaughter here. The principle is large and blessed, whether for those to be gathered in Zion, or for those to meet the Lord in the air: intelligent faith triumphs above present weakness in both-all to the praise of our one supreme Lord.
Psa. 10-The Spirit of Christ, detecting the imaginations and purposes of the evil man, and in abhorrence of them crying out unto the Lord, from the place of humiliation, for righteous judgment.
Ver. 16-18.-Power consequent on humiliation, because of the Lord reigning, and righteousness established. Blessed are they that endure in patience.