00p PREFACE
PREFACE
"The glorious gospel of the blessed God!" 1 Timothy 1:11. In a world like this, something is needed to animate and cheer us; in a state like ours, as sinners against God, there is but one thing that meets the case, and that is the gospel. This gospel is most appropriately called "Glad Tidings," for it brings tidings calculated to gladden the heart of the most depressed and sorrowful of men. It reveals God’s wondrous love, it tells us of the Savior’s grace, and makes known the promise and the power of the Holy Spirit. It is indeed "Glad Tidings of Good Things" — for it informs us of pardon for the guilty, peace for the troubled, wealth for the poor, rest for the weary, and salvation for the lost. Precious gospel! It commends itself to the head and the heart of all who have a correct knowledge of themselves, and their standing as guilty sinners before God. It just meets their case! And when it is unfolded and applied to the heart by the Holy Spirit, it makes the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. "Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel!" 2 Timothy 1:10
Now as my little book is full of the gospel, and is intended for just the same people as the gospel is, I thought I could not be doing wrong if I gave it the same title. I am persuaded that many a poor sinner, and many a tried and troubled believer, will find in it, "Glad Tidings of Good Things." But ever keeping in mind, that everything is just what God makes it, I would caution my reader from expecting a blessing from my book alone. The blessing must come from God, who may very graciously send it through such a weak and feeble instrument. If you would get a blessing from my book — you must read it with prayer, often lift up the eye and heart to God while reading it for his blessing upon it, and you will not read in vain — but if you read without this, you may. And now, O good and gracious God, who is pleased to use weak and feeble instruments, that the power may be evidently from you — I beseech you to use this little volume, for the glorifying of your holy name, the magnifying of your own free and sovereign grace, the exalting of your beloved Son, the comforting of your own people, and the conversion of many, many sinners. Almighty God, work with this book for the good of souls, and all the glory shall be your forever. Amen.