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  WRITINGS OF J BOYD
  by J. Boyd
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A collection of theological writings, sermons, and essays by J. Boyd, compiled
for study and devotional reading.

  Chapters: 5

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  TABLE OF CONTENTS
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    1. S.   Adoption According to God's Counsels.
    2. S.   Psa_84:7.
    3. S.   The Love of God.
    4. S.   The Thoughts of God.
    5. S.   Toleration

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  CHAPTER 1: S.   ADOPTION ACCORDING TO GOD'S COUNSELS.
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Adoption According to God’s Counsels.

Rom 8:1-39.

Adoption in its fullest sense we await (Rom 8:29), and that will involve the
redemption of the body. Then we shall be like the Son of God, and with Him in
the place that belongs to sons — the Father’s house. Divine love will never rest
until it brings us there. But now we have the Spirit of adoption, which enables
us to take our place as sons in the presence of God, and to feel at home there,
knowing that the Father loves to have us there; that it is a greater joy to His
heart to see us take up our place before His face than it is to ours to take the
place, however great our joy may be. We must keep in mind that the place of sons
was not given to us in answer to any desire in our hearts but it was His own
eternal thought to have us as sons before His face. Even when we became
exercised about our sins, and the judgment to which we were exposed on account
of them, it did not occur to us that more than forgiveness would be extended to
us, nor did we desire more. The position of a hired servant, a "lone place
within His door" was the height of our expectation. It was not love to God that
attracted us to Him. Had we not heard of His grace, we had never come; but we
came because it would have been death to us to have remained away. But He first
loved us. How hard it is for us to believe this. But the witness of it is the
death of His Son. Though we may be long in learning it, we were in His thoughts
before the world was, and that we should be sons with His Son was what he had in
view for us. It was all to satisfy His own heart, for, as I have said, we had no
wish for such a place, even when we turned to Him through the preaching of the
Gospel. And even now that He has made known His mind toward us, we are very slow
to enter into possession of this great privilege. Yet it is true that He thought
of us individually before the earth’s foundation — thought of you, my reader, if
you have believed on His beloved Son, and in His counsels you had your place
given to you along with that Son in heavenly glory. You may think yourself very
unworthy, but you had better not think of yourself at all; think only of Him and
of His unspeakable love.

J. Boyd.


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  CHAPTER 2: S.   PSA_84:7.
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Psa 84:7.

Strength for the journey upward, To the realms of light and love;

God’s strength, in the might of the Spirit, Is my privilege to prove. To leave
the world and its shadows In the distance far behind; Where they grope in the
blackness and darkness, Who are lame and halt and blind. To get nearer the home,
where the music Is heard thro’ eternal day; To get nearer the Father’s presence,
Where His love beams bright alway.

Thus pants my longing spirit; And Jesus shall bring me there; Nor swollen my
feet with the journey, Nor my clothes the worse of the wear.

J. Boyd.


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  CHAPTER 3: S.   THE LOVE OF GOD.
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The Love of God.

All the thoughts of God toward His people are thoughts of love. He has not,
never had, nor ever will have, a thought toward any of His own than that of
love. He may chasten them, scourge them, bring them through deep waters of
tribulation and affliction, take them away out of this world by the death of the
body, but every one of these ways of His with His own springs from the fountain
of love, which, welling out of His own blessed heart, has stopped at no
sacrifice for the recovery of its objects from distance, darkness, death, and
the power of the devil, and for the establishing of their souls in holy,
heavenly, and eternal relationships with Himself, in love’s own dwelling-place.

It was love that thought of us before the world was, that planned redemption,
that gave us our place in Christ, that determined to have us as sons before His
face for ever, and that guards us throughout our whole pilgrim pathway, until we
land at home in His glorious rest. It is love, infinite, unspeakable love, that
occupies itself about us at this present moment, and that will stand by us,
should every friend abandon us and become our enemy.

J. Boyd.


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  CHAPTER 4: S.   THE THOUGHTS OF GOD.
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The Thoughts of God.

Psa 139:17-18.

We can say: How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great the sum
of them! If I should count them they are more in number than the sand." How far
all this is away from the thoughts of the natural man! What a scene of
incorruptible and holy joy and delight we come into in the contemplation of the
thoughts of God! Thoughts of infinite goodness, grace and love! Thoughts of
Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Thoughts which dwelt in the mind of the Triune God
before His works of old! Thoughts for our glory! Thoughts which can be spoken of
as the depths of God! And these thoughts all set before us in Christ! Oh to
think that the Almighty God, the Most High, the Creator of all things should set
Himself before us in a Man, and that Man the eternal Son of the eternal Father;
and that He should come down into the lower parts of the earth where we were to
bear the judgment which lay upon us, and thus make known the love of God to us;
and that He should take us up, and bring us to the Father, and set us in the
same place before the Father as He is in Himself; and that He should give us to
know that love in the Spirit’s power in our hearts; this passes all our powers
of comprehension! How great the sum of these thoughts! how deep! how high! how
infinite!

J. Boyd.


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  CHAPTER 5: S.   TOLERATION
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Toleration

There is a great cry now-a-days against intolerance and bigotry, and a
proportionate laudation of tolerance and liberality; and people are frightened
by hard names and deceived by soft ones, and at last, from mere habit, believe
what they assert or what others assert to them, and think that toleration must
be the right thing. Progress in the search after what the, world calls truth is
said to be hindered by dogmatic opinions or teaching. In secular things,
however, such as natural science, etc., dogmatism may be admitted. In spiritual
things, and in those things which concern the truth of God and the salvation of
men’s souls, dogma is, they say, inadmissible. We are told that what men on
these subjects think to be true to-day, may to-morrow be found susceptible of
modification, or be proved altogether erroneous; that doctrines and practices,
good and true in one age, are unfitted for a succeeding period of the world’s
history, and may be pronounced " obsolete." What would do very well in times
past as the foundation of a man’s hope for eternity, is, quite unsuited to this
more advanced age; the doctrine of which to-day will in turn pass away, and be
succeeded by others more advanced, and so on. In, the face of such a state of
things, we are told that it is presumption for any man to express conviction in
a settled opinion upon any religious question or doctrine. Many, indeed, are
asking, " What is Truth?" and " Who will show us any good?" but very few wait
for an answer.

Toleration, then, is the order of the present day; and men may hold what they
please provided they will not interfere with their neighbors’ opinions, and
limit the suitability of their own opinions to themselves. But it was not always
so, neither will it always continue, but it is the cry of the moment, and
therefore is worthy of examination.

What, then, is toleration, and why and what are we to tolerate? The very word
implies a state of imperfection. If all were of one mind, there would be no
toleration needed; if good universally prevailed, there would be nothing to
tolerate; if evil was universal it would certainly be intolerable, though for
all that it must be endured (as it will be in the " place prepared for the devil
and his angels "). Toleration, then, implies the co-existence of good and evil,
in which evil is tolerated by (that which assumes to be) good, for toleration
must necessarily be by the superior towards the inferior. That in a sense and in
degree toleration is right none of course would deny, for God himself tolerates,
exhibits patience and long-suffering. His own Word and every man’s experience
teaches this. But with God, toleration has a limit; and it must be so, for
though in grace for a time He may " endure with much long-suffering," He could
not always do so without a denial of His character. A Being who eternally
tolerated evil would not be good, holy, or righteous; and a state in which
toleration was eternally called for would not be a perfect one. Toleration, even
on God’s part, must therefore be defined and limited, both in its extent and its
duration. But there is another side to the question. For though in patience and
grace a being who is perfectly good may for a time, and for an object, tolerate
evil, toleration, if exercised by beings in themselves not good, but evil,
assumes another and very different aspect. If a being who is perfectly good
tolerates evil, it must be for a good end, or he would not be good; but if an
imperfect being exercises toleration, we must suspect both the motive and the
end. To speak of evil tolerating evil sounds paradoxical, yet as a matter of
fact we meet it constantly in the world, and it is the spirit of that which
people call " agreeing to differ."

Toleration, then, on the part of fallible or imperfect beings springs from two
or three motives. Firstly, from such self-condemnation as to render the judgment
of others in like doubtful circumstances impossible. Secondly, from inability to
force their own views and opinions, owing to a balance of power in those opposed
to them; or, thirdly, from lack of certainty, and conviction of the truth of
what they do hold.

Now, whilst the first is true of man in his natural state (Rom 1:31; Rom 2:1),
and the second undoubtedly underlies all forms of doctrinal error, whether
infidel or superstitious, the third, we are assured, is the motive of much that
is called religious toleration now-a-days. Men are uncertain in their opinions,
have no solid foundation for their belief, no sure prospect for their hopes. In
things which concern the soul’s salvation (that which the world itself admits to
he the most important of all subjects) men hold opinions as wide as the poles
asunder, and none dare say in their hearts, much less with their lips, "I have
found the truth."

One system of religion alone in Christendom has emphatically claimed
infallibility. Whilst that system had the power, it not only asserted
infallibility, but, consistently therewith, it exercised intolerance. Its power,
however, is gradually waning, and everywhere is being questioned. Its
assumptions no longer raise fear in men’s hearts, but rather a smile on their
lips. Another spirit and a superior power has been slowly developing. Man’s
reason is asserting its claim, and the charity and toleration of our day is
mainly* the fruit of the co-existence and conflict of the spirits of
superstition and infidelity. The world will yet experience again the intolerance
of an over-bearing power of evil. As the influence of superstition still further
wanes, and the present necessity of mutual toleration ceases (for toleration
will always lessen as the balance of power tends more and more in one direction,
and will cease when such power can assert itself), so will the tyranny and
selfishness of man uncontrolled by religion, whether false or true, be developed
in the Antichrist-the man of sin, the lawless, the wicked one, spoken of in the
Scriptures (Dan 8:23; Dan 11:36; 2Th 2:1-17; Rev 13:1-18)

(* We say mainly, for we do not deny but that there is also a measure of true
Christian forbearance also in exercise, and often in combination with less pure
motives.)

Hitherto we have been speaking of the character and spirit of the toleration now
abroad in the world, but we also desire, if the Lord will, to say a few words
for the help of those who, desiring to know and do the will of God, are yet in
difficulty as to what to allow and what to refuse. On this subject, as on every
other in which the professing people of God are concerned, we can go nowhere for
instruction but to God and to His Word. His ways must be our example, His Word
our precept. All will admit that if there be any revelation of God, there must
also exist in connection with it a standard of right and of truth, if it be but
apprehended. But- while this is admitted in a general way, there is the greatest
hesitation on the part of men either to grasp this standard for themselves or to
admit that others may have attained to it. All Christendom acknowledges
Christianity as God’s revelation, yet for the most part argues as if the arrival
at a Divine certainty of God’s truth were impossible-as if, in fact, God, who
gave revelation, had not intended, or was unable to bring it home to the hearts
and understandings of those to whom it has been made. Hence dogmatism is
deprecated, and strong convictions generally demurred to. Even the one system
which in its own self-assertion dogmatizes unhesitatingly, ceases to be
dogmatic, or even confident, directly it attempts to deal with the real and
primary object of a Divine revelation-namely, the bringing together into
acquaintance, confidence, and peace, the holy God and His sinful creatures-and
denies that this end can be attained in this life, asserting, in direct
opposition to the whole teaching of the New Testament revelation of grace and
love, that " no man knoweth whether he be worthy of love or of hate." But for
our own part we are confident that God has given an unerring and perfect
revelation, wherein He himself may be infallibly known, and His truth infallibly
grasped, all the diversity and uncertainty of men’s opinions notwithstanding.

Before, then, we can venture to be tolerant or intolerant, the first point to be
settled is the confidence and ground of the individual soul. Unless we know and
are persuaded that we have the truth, it is certainly impossible for us with any
decency or power to exhibit intolerance of the opinions of others.*

(* If, for instance, one knows not for himself salvation as a possession, one
cannot honestly be intolerant of the views held by others on the subject. One
may not approve them, but one must tolerate them. On the other hand, the soul
that knows by Divine faith that it has salvation from God on the alone ground of
the death and resurrection of Christ, has a positive confidence and a standard
on this point, which renders him necessarily intolerant of every opinion which
may be advanced against it. " I know whom I have believed," is the language of
such. There are certain things in which theory will not stand against
possession, and this is one. Theories about salvation may be as clear as the
day, but the one that has the thing itself alone can judge their value.)

What, therefore, is needed is individual personal assurance, founded on Divine
and therefore a perfect authority, and when this is possessed, what, and what
not to tolerate may be soon arrived at. God’s truth is the standard of doctrine,
His ways, of practice. That Christian men may not, without terrible risk and
responsibility, tolerate that which is contrary to God, His word distinctly
teaches. Toleration of sin and of evil doctrine are denounced in many and many
places, such as 1Co 5:1-13; 1Ti 5:22; 3 John; Rev 2:14-16; Rev 3:15-16. The
warnings of Christ to the churches are solemn words in the present day, when men
tolerate every form of evil under the common name of Christianity, and deprecate
the judgment of opinions and teaching the most dishonoring to Christ and His
work. How do the words of Mal 2:17 apply to such-- "Ye have wearied the Lord
with your words; yet ye say Wherein have we wearied Him? When ye say that every
one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delighteth in
them." When professing Christians are asked to judge and separate from evil
doctrine and practice, they reply, "How are we to judge that to be wrong which
is conscientiously held;" or more often they retort, "Who are you, thus to judge
others?" And why is this, but that men, calling themselves by the name of
Christ, hold not in their own souls the power of Christianity as God’s own
revelation of Himself; and on this everything turns. If I hold doctrines as mere
matters of opinion, how can I contend against contrary views held by others on
the same ground and by the same right. But when the heart and mind are persuaded
and pervaded by the truth of God, we do not speak of " my opinions ’ or " my
ideas," and we do not, and ought not to set up our opinions against those of
others. It is not that "I think one thing and you another, and we shall never
agree," but it is that I believe God, that I have submitted to. His Word, I have
accepted and adopted His thoughts, He has answered every question of my heart,
and He alone can answer truly any question of any heart. What may be advanced to
the contrary is not against the believer’s opinions merely, but against the Word
of God in whom he has believed; and thus false doctrine or opinions contrary to
such an one’s faith cannot be tolerated, or admitted as having any weight or
claim whatever. In dealing with them, grace and wisdom are, however, needed, and
the believer has to judge, and has the ability also to judge (1Co 2:11-15) the
spirit in which they may be advanced. He will make a difference between the
teacher of evil doctrine and those taught and deceived thereby. Whilst after
admonition he will reject the former, and tolerate neither the teacher nor the
teaching, he will have compassion on the latter-the one who is ignorant and
deceived; and while refusing and correcting the error, will in no wise reject
the person. The believer will "have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that
are out of the way;" he will lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble
knees, and make straight paths for the feet, lest that which is lame be turned
out of the way, but let it rather be healed. In meekness also he will endeavor
to instruct those that oppose themselves. Here, however, there is danger of
failure. Often we lack patience with those whose hearts are truly upright, but
who are unskillful in the word of righteousness, or have been deceived by false
teaching. Or, again, in tolerating the person who is ignorant we go too far, and
tolerate, or appear to tolerate, his opinions and ways, and thus are unfaithful
to the person, and to God and His Word. "Let every one that nameth the name of
Christ depart from iniquity;” and if the believer sees one in ignorance, even
linked with that which in any degree is contrary to the mind and truth of
Christ, he must not touch the evil which he knows to be evil out of any
consideration of love for the other. For instance, one dear to us may be linked
with a false system of religious doctrine, which we know to be contrary to God.
Are we to say that he believes it, and therefore we must acknowledge his right
to practice it, and aid him in doing so? Surely not! We must no more acknowledge
for another the right to believe and practice error than for ourselves. We may
not be able to persuade, or even to interfere on the subject, but we can no more
aid and abet in it than we could in facilitating the suicide of a friend who
assured us on his word that he was weary of life. But we are well assured of
this, that the more our own souls are imbued and satisfied with the truth of God
as it is revealed in Christ, the less tolerant shall we be of all that is
contrary to it, and yet the more able are we to exhibit the patience and grace
of Christ himself towards the persons who may be involved in error. For while in
a sense there is nothing so intolerant as truth, yet the one who has truth knows
that both "Grace and Truth came I by Jesus Christ," and he does not therefore
separate what God has thus joined together in the revelation of Himself.* To be
persuaded in our own souls that so far as we have attained (for we only know in
part-1Co 13:9; Php 3:12-13), we hold the truth of God himself, gives us an
immeasurable superiority in dealing with the souls of others, and enables us,
while unsparing towards error, to manifest the toleration and long suffering of
God towards those who are deceived thereby. Compassed ourselves with infirmity,
having nothing but the grace of God to boast in, we have not to assert
ourselves, but simply that which is due to Him who has left us here to be
witnesses for His truth.

(* On the other hand, error knows not grace, and cannot show it. When unchecked
by a conflicting power, error propagates itself by force, fraud, and cruelty. So
was Romanism in the darker ages; so will be Infidelity in the latter days. {1
Tim. 4; 2 Tim. 3; Rev. 15:14, 15.}) With regard to toleration of the religious
opinions of others, which is so strongly advocated now-a-days, we would observe
that nothing is more resented by the majority of professing Christians than to
have their profession judged. They claim for themselves the liberty which they
profess to accord to others. Their position is, however, untenable if judged by
God’s Word. However great the confusion may have become, there is in. Scripture
a distinct recognition of a " without" and a "within." In Christendom no doubt
the line is all but obliterated; but, nevertheless, all who take Christ’s name
and call themselves Christians, unquestionably take the inside place, and are
therefore liable to be judged by their fellows. " Do ye not also judge them that
are within?"* Every professing Christian is, therefore, open to judgment, and
all that such can require is that they may be judged by the Word of God, and not
by the measure of another’s, or even of their own, conscience. If we can bear
that test, we can say with the Apostle that with us it is a very, small thing to
be judged of man’s judgment. We fear, however, that much of the tenderness we
find abroad on ’ this point arises from inability to bear the test.

(* The Christian is not called on to judge the world. "Them that-are without God
judgeth;" but we are often in difficulties now-a-days from finding those who
call themselves Christians, and claim to be " within," so linked with the
outside world that it is impossible to know how to class them. All we can say
is, that while they make very bad Christians, they are a very good imitation of
what is commonly called the World.)

Finally, we ask our readers to examine their own position and practice as to
toleration, and to ascertain whether their own hearts are persuaded and
satisfied with God’s revelation (we do not say with man’s interpretation of it,
but with the revelation itself)--Christ, the Son of the living God--He who has
the words of eternal life, God manifest in flesh, crucified in weakness,
declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection of the dead, and
now by the right hand of God exalted? Is He so the ground of their peace and
confidence? Has the Word which reveals Him so laid hold of their souls that they
can say, " Let God be true, though (if need be) every man a liar?" Do they
believe God rather than man, and know and recognize the immeasurable claim which
He has, not only on our love, but on our obedience and life? Luke warmness is a
hateful thing in the sight of One who has spared nothing for the benefit and
blessing of those He loves. Where love in one is " stronger than death," how
hateful to find Its objects careless and indifferent. To such Christ says,
"Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my
mouth." But even this is not His last word to them; for He adds, " As many as I
love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous, therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand
at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come
in to him, and sup with him, and he will with me…. He that hath an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches."H. B.


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Source: https://sermonindex.net/books/writings-of-j-boyd/
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