MERCY REJOICING AGAINST JUDGMENT
31. MERCY REJOICING AGAINST JUDGMENT
The promises of God, which in Christ are yes, and in him amen, shine with resplendent luster in the pages of eternal truth. Nothing but unbelief can prevent the soul from enjoying the sweetness, or experiencing the ... read more
ON FORGETFULNESS OF GOD
47. On Forgetfulness of God
How awful is the declaration of the royal Psalmist! "the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." Sin is a dreadful evil, under whatever guise it may appear; whether in the loose attire of w ... read more
ON GODLY FEAR
69. ON GODLY FEAR
Fear is a most powerful passion in the human breast. Its natural effect is painful; hence we instinctively fly from every thing which excites its agitating influence. Our minds are easily wrought upon by sensible objects, or imaginar ... read more
ON LOVE
63. ON LOVE
True Christian love is of an enlarged, unselfish nature. It loves all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.
Party spirit is confined within the limits of a sect. But Christian love outsteps the narrow boundary; and can recognize a ... read more
ON PASSIVE IMPRESSIONS AND ACTIVE HABITS
34. ON PASSIVE IMPRESSIONS AND ACTIVE HABITS
It is very important to distinguish rightly between passive impressions and active habits. We are continually liable to receive impressions of one kind or anotherimpressions of love and aversion; joy and g ... read more
ON THE DESIGN OF THE GOSPEL
15. On the Design of the Gospel
What a dreadful change sin has made in man! His heart, once the abode of peace and every heavenly disposition, is now the cage of every unclean and hateful bird; a den of wild beasts; a nest of vipers; a loathsome sepul ... read more
ON TWO COMMON ERRORS
20. ON TWO COMMON ERRORS
There are two fatal errors, which, it is to be feared, abound among professing Christians. The one, which considers divine grace as disrobed of its glory, by insisting upon the necessity of human endeavors in the great work of ... read more
Realizing the Divine Presence
53. REALIZING THE DIVINE PRESENCE
And he said, "My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest." Exod. 33:14
Happy is the man who daily lives under the guardian care of the Almighty, who can say; "My beloved is mine, and I am his." "Th ... read more
The Preciousness of Christ
33. THE PRECIOUSNESS OF CHRIST
"Unto you who believe, he is precious." 1 Pet. 2:7
Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, has taught us what is truly precious.
"You were not redeemed with corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Christ." ... read more
The Superiority of Graces to Gifts
19. THE SUPERIORITY OF GRACES TO GIFTS
"But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way." 1 Cor. 12:31
"Let love be your highest goal." 1 Cor. 14:1
One man may have great gifts while destitute of saving gr ... read more
Walking with God
17. WALKING WITH GOD
"Enoch walked with God." Gen. 5:22
The word of God, unlike any other book, has this remarkable feature- that materials for a volume are often compressed in a few words; "God is love." Here is matter for eternal contemplation ... read more
14. ON THE GIFT OF A SAVIOR
14. ON THE GIFT OF A SAVIOR
Before the earth was formed, or man created upon it, the Almighty foreknew that his moral creatures would apostatize from him. The angels had already sinned, and were cast into the place prepared for them. They were doomed, ... read more
A Christian Indeed
45. A CHRISTIAN INDEED
"Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit." John 1:47
We read of some who have a name that they live and are dead. It will profit us nothing to be called Christians, if we are destitute of the Spirit of Christ; if we ... read more
A Grateful Retrospect of Undeserved Mercies
70. A GRATEFUL RETROSPECT OF UNDESERVED MERCIES
"How precious are your thoughts unto me, O God! They are innumerable! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me!" Psalm 139:17 ... read more
A Sabbath Meditation
66. A SABBATH MEDITATION
"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day." Rev. 1:10
"How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty." Psalm 84:1
I bless you, Oh! Lord, for the return of this holy day. When retired from the world and all its vani ... read more
A SHORT HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE TRIALS OF THE APOSTLE
Let us now trace the Apostle's journey of mercy, as recorded by his fellow-laborer and historian Luke. It is highly instructive to pursue such a tour of benevolence, "to contemplate a man, who renounced the comforts of home, not to amass wealth, or grat ... read more
AGREEMENT NECESSARY TO COMMUNION
40. AGREEMENT NECESSARY TO COMMUNION
The question of Amos is of practical importance: "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" There can be no real communion or pleasing communion, without a similarity of views and disposition.
What can be ... read more
An Evil Heart of Unbelief
24. AN EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF
"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the imag ... read more
Aspirations after Holiness
3. ASPIRATIONS AFTER HOLINESS
"With my whole heart have I sought you: O let me not wander from your commandments." Psalm 119:10
Blessed Savior! Oh lover of my soul, give me grace to love you. Never, oh, never let me forget what you have done for a ... read more
Blessings Flowing from the Covenant of Grace
44. THE BLESSINGS FLOWING FROM THE COVENANT OF GRACE
"He will ever he mindful of his covenant." Psalm. 111:5
In the Covenant of Grace, entered into by the three Divine persons in the one Jehovah, before the world began, is treasured up every bless ... read more
Christian Fellowship
39. CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
"Finally, all of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds." 1 Peter 3:8
What a lovely object would the Church of Christ present to the world, did ... read more
Christian Perseverance
40. Christian Perseverance
"Faint, yet pursuing." Judges 8:4
The journey of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan affords an instructive history to the Christian pilgrim. The opposition, dangers, trials, and temptations, which beset his path; the un ... read more
CHRISTIAN RETIREMENT
PREFACE
The Bible is the sacred storehouse of heavenly wisdom. Its pages are stamped with the divine seal of eternal truth, and contain the charter of our hopes, our privileges, and our joys. Whatever tends to lead us from the love and study of the Holy ... read more
Christ's Intercessory Prayer
67. CHRIST'S INTERCESSORY PRAYER
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter to be with you forever." John 14:16
The last discourses which our Savior held with his disciples, closing them with his intercessory prayer, have ... read more
Communion with God
1. COMMUNION WITH GOD
"When I awake, I am still with you." Psalm 139:18
Communion with God is the privilege of every true believer. He alone can approach the mercy-seat in the spirit of adoption, and enjoy a foretaste of heaven while journeying to ... read more
Communion with God
1. COMMUNION WITH GOD
"When I awake, I am still with you." Psalm 139:18
Communion with God is the privilege of every true believer. He alone can approach the mercy-seat in the spirit of adoption, and enjoy a foretaste of heaven while journeying to ... read more
CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS ON PAUL'S CHARACTER.
CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS ON PAUL'S CHARACTER.
The character and experience of Paul, though imperfectly delineated in the foregoing pages, show the nature and blessedness of Christianity. Its heavenly doctrines, its consoling promises, its holy precepts, ... read more
Conversion of the Heart to God
15. CONVERSION OF THE HEART TO GOD
"Turn me again to you and restore me, for you alone are the Lord my God." Jeremiah 31:18
What a wonderful work is the conversion of the heart to God. How far beyond the conception and power of the natural man. It ... read more
Deadness to the World
26. ON HYPOCRISY, AND DEADNESS TO THE WORLD
"In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." Matthew 23:28
"You are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." ... read more
Desires for Pardoning and Sanctifying Grace
54. EARNEST DESIRES FOR PARDONING AND SANCTIFYING GRACE
"For your name's sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity; for it is great." Psalm. 25:11
"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10
David's plea must ... read more
Desires for Pardoning and Sanctifying Grace
54. EARNEST DESIRES FOR PARDONING AND SANCTIFYING GRACE
"For your name's sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity; for it is great." Psalm. 25:11
"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Psalm 51:10
David's plea must ... read more
Earnest Desires for Christ
12. EARNEST DESIRES FOR CHRIST
"My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you." Isaiah 26:9
Few people are insensible to the happiness of friendship, though few, comparatively, possess a real friend. Worldly friendshi ... read more
Experimental Religion
57. EXPERIMENTAL RELIGION
"I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return." 2 Tim. 1:12
To talk about Christian Experience is, by some people considered little short ... read more
External Religion, No Substitute for Godliness
58. THE UNPROFITABLE NATURE OF EXTERNAL RELIGION, WHEN MADE A SUBSTITUTE FOR GODLINESS
"Having a form of godliness but denying its power." 2 Timothy 3:5
Gracious God! impress this truth upon every heart, that all who call themselves Christians may ... read more
Faith Working by Love
16. FAITH WORKING BY LOVE
"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." Galatians 5:6
When Adam fell, all his posterity fell in him. The Law being h ... read more
FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL
AN ACCOUNT OF THE PERSECUTIONS WHICH
PAUL ENDURED FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL.
When Daniel stood before Nebuchadnezzar to explain his dream, he shunned not to declare the whole counsel of God, however galling it might be to the ambition of this haught ... read more
God the Refuge for His People
51. GOD THE REFUGE FOR HIS PEOPLE
"I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge, and my fortress; my God; in him will I trust." Psalm 91:2
What a marvelous truth, that God, against whom man has sinned, should himself become the sinner's Refuge from th ... read more
Human Corruption and Abounding Grace
27. HUMAN CORRUPTION AND ABOUNDING GRACE
"Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." Romans 5:2O
All orthodox Christians agree on the doctrine of the Fall; that the whole human race fell in Adam, as their federal head; and that we are by nat ... read more
Indwelling Sin
28. INDWELLING SIN
"But if I am doing what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin dwelling within me is doing it." Romans 7:20
Sin, in all its forms, is hateful to God. He beholds it with abhorrence, and has declared that ... read more
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS ON THE VALUE OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS ON THE VALUE OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.
PREFACE.
This little treatise has no pretensions to novelty, being on subjects which form the daily meditation of the devout Christian, and from which he derives his purest enjoyment ... read more
Men's Estimate of Human Nature
42. THE DANGER OF EXTREMES IN MEN'S ESTIMATE OF HUMAN NATURE
"To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no light in them." Isaiah 8:20
People, in general, are acquainted with almost ever ... read more
Mourning over Sin and Hatred of it
30. MOURNING OVER SIN AND HATRED OF IT
"I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning." Psalm 38:6
A lover of the world will perhaps say, If the effect of religion is to make me like a mourner bowed down with grief at the ... read more
ON ADOPTION
60. ON ADOPTION
How rich, how varied are the blessings of redemption! Like the gracious Giver, they are infinite and eternal, reaching from everlasting to everlasting. Fully to know the gifts of grace, we must know the fullness of him from whom they f ... read more
ON AFFLICTION
55. ON AFFLICTION
All the ways of God are good; yes, all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, unto such as love him and keep his commandments. Should any one ask: why, then, does the Lord afflict his people? We answer, because he loves them. "A ... read more
ON AFFLICTION
55. ON AFFLICTION
All the ways of God are good; yes, all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, unto such as love him and keep his commandments. Should any one ask: why, then, does the Lord afflict his people? We answer, because he loves them. "A ... read more
ON CHRISTIAN CONVERSATION
38. ON CHRISTIAN CONVERSATION
The spirit in which Christian speech should be conducted, is delineated with peculiar accuracy in the word of God. How delightful would be the society of professing Christians, if the humble, loving, gracious, improving s ... read more
ON CHRISTIAN MOTIVES
37. ON CHRISTIAN MOTIVES
Christianity has justly been called a religion of motives; and yet, alas! how little are those sublime motives to action, which the Gospel inspires, considered by the great mass of professing Christians!
Men carry out their ... read more
ON CHRISTIAN OBEDIENCE
77. ON CHRISTIAN OBEDIENCE
Obedience to the divine command is essential to the character of a child of God. "A son honors his father. If, then, I be a father, where is my honor, says the Lord of hosts?" "If you love me, keep my commandments." "He ... read more
ON CHRISTIAN PRIVILEGE
39. ON CHRISTIAN PRIVILEGE
Under the old dispensation, many of the great privileges of the church of God were veiled under emblems and figures drawn from natural objects. The Psalms of David, and the writings of the Prophets, abound with the most beau ... read more
ON CHRISTIAN UNITY
25. ON CHRISTIAN UNITY
We read much in the New Testament about Christian unity. The strength and beauty of the church consists in the oneness between Christ and his people. How powerful were the pleadings of our great Advocate for the unity of his red ... read more
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