02.15. Unsearchable Riches of Christ
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Pride sets itself against the honor, being, and sovereignty of God. Other sins strike at the word of God, the people of God, and the creatures of God—but pride strikes directly at the very being of God. He bears a special hatred against pride.
It was pride which turned angels into devils. They would be above others in heaven—and therefore God cast them down to hell.
Pride is a sin which of all sins, makes a person most like Satan. Pride is Satan’s disease. Pride is so base a disease, that God had rather see His dearest children to be buffeted by Satan, than that in pride they should be like Satan.
Humility makes a man like to angels—and pride makes an angel a devil. Pride is worse than the devil, for the devil cannot hurt you until pride has possessed you.
If you would see the devil portrayed to the life—look upon a proud soul; for as face answers to face, so does a proud soul answer to Satan.
Proud souls are
"The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished." Pro 16:5
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Dwell much upon the greatness of God’s mercy and goodness to you. Nothing humbles and breaks the heart, like God’s mercy and love. In Luk 7:1-50, the Lord Jesus shows mercy to that notorious sinner, and then she falls down at His feet, and loves much and weeps much, etc.
Oh, if ever you would have your souls kept humble, dwell upon the free grace and love of God to you in Christ! Dwell upon . . .the firstness of His love, the freeness of His love, the greatness of His love, the fullness of His love, the unchangeableness of His love, the everlastingness of His love, and the ardency of His love.
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"By the grace of God I am what I am!" 1Co 15:10
Whatever evil you behold in other men’s practices, realize that you have the same evil in your own nature.
There is the seed of all sins, of the vilest and worst of sins—in the best of men. When you see a drunkard—you may see the seed of that sin in your own nature. When you see an immoral man—you may see the seeds of immorality in your own nature.
Remember this—there is not a worse nature in hell than that which is in you, and it would manifest itself accordingly—if the Lord did not restrain it!
There was one who was a long time tempted to three horrid sins: to be drunk, to lie with his mother, and to murder his father. Being a long time followed with these horrid temptations, at last he thought to get rid of them, by yielding to what he judged the least, and that was to be drunk; but when he was drunk, he did both lie with his mother and murdered his father.
Why, such a hellish nature is in every soul that breathes! And did God leave men to act according to their natures, all men would be incarnate devils, and this world a total hell. In your nature you have that that would lead you . . .with the Pharisees—to oppose Christ; and with Judas—to betray Christ; and with Pilate—to condemn Christ; and with the soldiers—to crucify Christ.
Oh, what a monster, what a devil you would be—should God but leave you to act suitable to that sinful and woeful nature of yours!
"By the grace of God I am what I am!" 1Co 15:10
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You must
You must also
You must also
Christians serve a wonderful Master. They serve Him who is . . .all ear to hear them, all hand to uphold them, all power to protect them, all wisdom to direct them, all goodness to relieve them, all mercy to pardon them.
They serve that God who is
God is . . .goodness, beauty, power, wisdom, justice, mercy, and love itself!
God is one infinite perfection in Himself!
"He has all—who has the Haver of all." Αugustine
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Faith is the most useful grace. It is a Christian’s right eye, without which he cannot see for Christ; it is his right hand, without which he cannot do for Christ; it is his tongue, without which he cannot speak for Christ; it is his very vital spirits, without which he cannot act for Christ.
It is fabled of King Midas, that whatever he touched would be turned into gold. I am sure that whatever faith touches, it turns into gold, that is, into our good. If our faith touches the promises, it turns them into our good; whatever faith lays its hand upon, it appropriates to itself, and turns it into the soul’s good. If faith looks upon God, it says, "This God is my God forever and ever, and He shall be my guide unto death!" When it looks upon Christ, it says, "My Lord and my God!" When it looks upon the crown of righteousness, it says, "This crown is laid up for me!"
Faith is . . .bread to nourish us, wine to cheer us, a cordial to strengthen us, a sword to defend us, a guide to direct us, a staff to support us, a plaster to heal us, a friend to comfort us, and a golden key to open heaven unto us.
Faith, of all graces, is the most useful grace to the soul of man. "Without faith it is impossible to please God." All those services are lost, wherein faith has not a hand. You may write ’loss’ . . .upon all the prayers you make, and upon all the sermons you hear, and upon all the tears you shed, and upon all the alms you give, if all are not managed by a hand of faith.
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Sit down and wonder at the matchless love of God.
Oh! what is in us—that should cause the Lord to give such gifts to us as He has given? We were all equal in sin and misery; nay, doubtless,
"I will be yours forever," says Christ, "and My Spirit shall be yours forever, and My grace yours forever, and My glory yours forever, and My righteousness yours forever. All I am and all I have—shall be yours forever!" O what matchless love is this! Oh! what a Christ is this!
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"Consider carefully what you hear." Mark 4:24
It is sad to see how many preachers in our days, make it their business to enrich men’s heads with high, empty, airy notions; instead of enriching their souls with saving truths.
Fix yourself under that man’s ministry, who makes it his business, his work to enrich the soul, to win the soul, and to build up the soul; not to tickle the ear, or please the fancy. This age is full of such light, delirious souls—who dislike everything—but what is empty and airy.
Some preachers affect rhetorical strains; they seek abstrusities, and love to hover and soar aloft in dark and cloudy expressions, and so shoot their arrows over their hearers’ heads—instead of bettering their hearers’ hearts. Mirthful things in a sermon are only for men to gaze upon and admire. He is the best
preacher, not who tickles the ear—but who breaks the heart.
"My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power." 1Co 2:4-5
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Perhaps the world—the smiling world or the frowning world, the tempting world or the persecuting world—lies as a heavy stone or burden upon your heart, as it does upon the hearts of thousands in these days; (witness their attempting anything to get the favors, honors and riches of this world! Ah! how many have turned their backs upon God, and Christ, and truth, etc., to gain the world!) How will you get this burden off? Only by exercise of faith.
Many men hear sermons much—and yet remain worldly. They may pray like angels—and yet live as if there were no heaven nor hell. They will talk much of heaven—and yet those who are spiritual and wise, smell their breath to stink strong of earth. All their endeavors can never cure them of this soul-killing
disease—until faith breaks forth in its glorious actings. A man may hear sermons and pray many years—and yet remain as carnal, base, and worldly as ever! There is no way under heaven to remove this burden—but the exercise of faith!
"For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." 1Jn 5:4-5
Faith presents the world to the soul under all those notions which the Scripture holds forth the world unto us by. The Scripture holds forth the world as an impotent thing, as a mixed thing, as a mutable thing, as a momentary thing.
Now faith comes and sets this home with power upon the soul—and this takes the soul off from the world.
Faith causes the soul to converse with those more glorious, soul-satisfying, soul-delighting, and soul-contenting objects. Now when faith is busied and exercised about soul-ennobling, soul-greatening, soul-raising, and soul-cheering objects—a Christian tramples the world under his feet! In Heb 11:1-40, it was the exercise of faith and hope upon noble and glorious objects—which carried them above the world—above the smiling world, and above the frowning world, above the tempting world, and above the persecuting world!
Faith conquers the world, by assuring the soul of enjoying of better things. Men may talk much of heaven, and of Christ, and religion, etc.; but give me a man who does really and clearly live under the power of divine faith—and I cannot see how such a one can be carried out in an inordinate love to these poor transitory things.
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"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." Jer 31:3
There are but few upon whom God bestows His saving love.
Tell me, are not the gifts which Christ has given you—rare gifts? What would you have been—if Christ had not made a difference between you and others—by those glorious gifts which He has conferred upon you? You look upon some, and see they are very ignorant of spiritual truth. O! What would you have been—if God had not bestowed saving knowledge upon you? You look upon others who are unclean, profane, and filthy. Why!
"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were! But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." 1Co 6:9-11
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"The Lord our righteousness." Jer 23:6
"They are without fault before the throne of God." Rev 14:5
Weak hearts are apt to sit down troubled and discouraged, when they look upon that body of sin which is in them, and those imperfections which attend their best services. They are ready to say, "We shall one day perish by the strength of our lusts, or by the defects of our services!" Oh but, to strengthen them against all discouragements, they should remember this—that they stand before God, clothed with the righteousness of their Savior. "They are without fault before the throne of God." Rev 14:5
So in Song of Solomon 4:7, "All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you." There is no flaw in God’s account. God looks upon weak saints in the Son of His love—and sees them all lovely. Ah, poor souls! you are apt to look upon
"They are without fault before the throne of God." Rev 14:5
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The thoughts and hearts of weak Christians are more taken up with the good things they have from Christ—than with Christ Himself. Oh, their graces, their comforts, their enlargements, their meltings, and their warmings, are the things which most absorb them. Their thoughts and hearts are so exercised about these things—that Christ Himself is much neglected by them.
The child is so absorbed with
Those who are strong in grace are more taken up with Christ Himself, than they are with His love-tokens. They bless Christ indeed for every grain of grace—but Christ Himself is more to them than all these. Christ is the most sparkling diamond in the ring of glory!
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Weak Christians are usually much concerned and taken up with the poor base things of this world. They are much in carking and caring for them, and in pursuing and hunting greedily after them. All which does clearly evidence—that their graces are very weak, and their corruptions very strong.
Certainly there is but little of Christ and grace within, where the heart is so strongly concerned about earthly things. Where there is such strong love and workings of heart after these poor things—it shows the soul’s enjoyment of God to be but poor and low. Those who are rich and strong in grace, look upon the world with a holy scorn and disdain.
The greatest bargain which a soul rich in grace will make with God for himself is this, "Give me but bread to eat and clothes to wear—and you shall be my God." So it was with that brave soul in Gen 28:21. Jacob desires but bread and clothing. Mark, he asks bread—not dainties; clothing—not ornaments.
Grown men prefer one piece of gold, above a thousand new pennies. A soul who is strong in grace, who is high in its spiritual enjoyments, prefers one good word from God, above all the dainties of this world. Souls who know by experience what the bosom of Christ is, what spiritual communion is, what the glory of heaven is—will not be put off with things which are mixed, mutable, and momentary. "Lord," he prays, "Warm my heart with the beams of Your love—and then a little of these things will suffice."
It is childish to be concerned more with the
A little of this world will satisfy one who is strong in grace, much will not satisfy one who is weak in grace, nothing will satisfy one who is void of grace.
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"Let the elders who rule well be accounted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine." 1Ti 5:17
The which is here rendered labor, signifies not simply to labor—but to labor with much travail and toil, to labor even to exhaustion, as he does who chops wood, or who toils in harvest, or who goes to battle.
Oh what an honor is it to
Oh, it is an honor to faithful ministers, when their people are like them in . . .
knowledge, wisdom, love, humility, holiness!
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"Watch your life and doctrine closely." 1Ti 4:16
Heavenly doctrines should always be adorned with a heavenly life.
Ministers must preach Christ as well in their life—as in their doctrine. They must not be hot in the pulpit, and cold and careless in their lives. The lives of ministers oftentimes convince more strongly than their words; their tongues may persuade—but their lives command.
What is it, which renders the things of God so contemptuous and odious in the eyes of many people—but the ignorance, looseness, profaneness, and baseness of those who are the dispensers of them.
of building up. Oh the souls who their lives destroy! These, by their loose lives, lead their flocks to hell—where they themselves must lie lowermost!
Wicked ministers do more hurt by their lives—than they do good by their doctrine. Every minister’s life should be a commentary upon Christ’s life!
"Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity." 1Ti 4:12
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Dwell much upon
Grace begets the greatest joy and sweetness in the hearts of men, that possibly can be. Grace is a panoply against all troubles—and a paradise of all pleasures.
Grace is compared to the sweetest things; to sweet spices, to wine and milk. Grace is a sweet flower of paradise, a spark of glory, etc. Grace is nourished and maintained by that sweet word, which is sweeter than the honey or the
honey-comb, and by sweet union and communion with the Father and the Son.
Grace is exercised about the sweetest objects, namely—God, Christ, promises, and future glory.
Grace sweetens all your services and duties. Your best religious performances are but stinking sacrifices—if they are not attended with the exercise of grace. Grace is that heavenly salt which makes all our services savory and sweet in the nostrils of God.
Grace is of the greatest and sweetest use to the soul. It is an anchor at sea, and a shield at land. Grace is a staff to uphold the soul, and a sword to defend the soul. Grace is bread to strengthen the soul, and wine to cheer the soul. Grace is medicine to cure all diseases, and a plaster to heal all wounds, and a cordial to strengthen the soul under all faintings, etc. Grace is . . . your eye to see for Christ, your ear to hear for Christ, your head to design for Christ, your tongue to speak for Christ, your hand to do for Christ, and your feet to walk with Christ.
Grace makes men of the harshest, sourest, crabbedest natures—to be of a sweet, lovely, amiable, pleasing temper. Grace turns lions into lambs, wolves into sheep, monsters into men, and men into angels—as you may see in Manasseh, Paul, Mary Magdalene, Zaccheus, and others.
Yet sometimes grace, in a rugged unhewn nature, is like . . .a gold ring on a leprous hand, or a diamond set in iron, or a jewel in a swine’s snout, etc.
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"The word did not profit those who heard it, because it was not mixed with faith." Heb 4:2
He does not speak here of unbelievers—but of those who had faith in the soul—but not in the exercise; and therefore the word did not profit them.
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Those spots which a Christian finds in his own heart can only, by a hand of faith, be washed out in the blood of the Lamb.
Suppose that the power and prevalency of sin hinders the soul’s sweet communion with God—so that the soul cannot sport itself, and joy and delight itself in God, as in the days of old; it cannot see God smiling, stroking, and speaking kindly, as in former days. Now, there is nothing in all the world which can ease the soul of this burden of sin, but the exercise of grace.
"Oh," says such a poor soul, "I pray—and yet I sin; I resolve against sin—and yet I sin; I combat against sin—and yet I am carried captive by sin; I have left
no outward means unattempted—and yet after all, my sins are too hard for me; after all my sweating, striving, and weeping—I am carried down the stream."
It is not our strong resolutions or purposes which will be able to overmaster these enemies.
There is nothing now but the actings of faith upon a crucified Christ, which will take off this burden from the soul of man. You must make use of your graces to draw virtue from Christ; now faith must touch the hem of Christ’s garment—or you will never be healed.
It is sad to consider how few professors in these days have attained
therefore it is a righteous thing with Christ that after all, that they should be carried captive by their sins.
Nothing eats out sin like the actings of grace; nothing weakens and wastes the strength of sin like the exercise of grace. Oh! did men believe more in Christ—sin would die more!
Then He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace." Luk 8:48
There is a difference between Christ’s giving and the world’s giving. The world gives—but they give more rarely. But Christ gives, and He gives frequently. He is every day, every hour, yes, every moment, a-giving of royal favors to His people. "Here is peace for you who are in trouble," says Christ; "and here is pardon for you who groan under guilt," says Christ; "and here is comfort for you who are mourners in Zion," says Christ, etc.
Augustus, in his solemn feasts, gave gold to some—and trifles to others. The Lord gives the gold, the best things, to His own; but the trifles of this world to the men of the world.
The gifts which Christ gives are pure gifts. He gives . . .wine without water, light without darkness, gold without dross, and sweet without bitter. There is much dross and poison in the gifts which the world gives—but there is none in the gifts which Christ gives. The streams are as the fountain is; the fountain is pure, and so are the streams.
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"I can do all things, through Christ who strengthens me." I can be high or low, poor or rich, honorable or base, something or nothing, etc., only through Christ who strengthens me.
Song of Solomon 4:16, "Blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may send forth a fragrant smell."
Psa 138:3, "In the day when I cried, You answered me, and strengthened me with strength in my soul." Your graces, Christians, are heavenly plants of God’s own planting and watering; and certainly the heavenly Farmer will never allow such plants of renown to wither, for lack of heavenly sap. He will strengthen, support, and nourish the work of His own hand. He will cause the desires of His people to bud, and their graces to blossom, and their souls to be like a watered garden—green and flourishing. God is eminently and fully engaged to carry on the work of grace in His children’s souls.
Therefore do not sit down and say—My light is but dim, and my love but weak, and my joy but a spark which will quickly go out, etc. But always remember, that those weak measures of grace which you have, are a sure evidence of greater measures which God will confer upon you in His own time and in His own ways.
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Ordinances are sweet—but Christ is more sweet. Saints are precious—but Christ is far more precious. Heaven is glorious—but Christ is infinitely more glorious.
The first thing that I would ask, if I might have it, says the believer—is Christ. And the next thing that I would ask, if I might have it—is more of Christ. And the last thing that I would ask, if I might have it—is that I might be satiated and filled with the fullness of Christ.
Let the ambitious man take the honors of the world—my desire is to have Christ. Let the voluptuous man swim in all the pleasures of the world—my desire is to have Christ. And let the covetous man tumble up and down in all the gold and silver of the world—my desire is to have Christ—and it shall be enough to my soul.
"The Lord Almighty has done it to destroy your pride and show his contempt for all human greatness." Isa 23:9
Pride is the original and root of most of those notorious vices that are to be found among men.
Of all sins, pride is most dangerous to the souls of men.
Pride is . . .a gilded misery, a secret poison, a hidden plague.
Pride is . . .the engineer of deceit, the mother of hypocrisy, the parent of envy,
the moth of holiness, the blinder of hearts, the turner of medicines into maladies.
Of all sins, spiritual pride is most dangerous, and must be most resisted. Spiritual pride is the lifting up of the mind against God; it is
Spiritual pride is a white devil, a gilded poison—by which God is robbed of His honor, a man’s own soul of his comfort and peace.
Pride is a sure forerunner of a fall. "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty mind before a fall." Herod fell from a throne of gold—to a bed of dust. Nebuchadnezzar fell from a mighty king—to be a beast. Adam fell from innocency to mortality. The angels fell from heaven to hell—from felicity to misery.
"The day is coming when your pride will be brought low and the Lord alone will be exalted. In that day the Lord Almighty will punish the proud, bringing them down to the dust!" Isa 2:11-12
"The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished." Pro 16:5
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None on earth are so near to God, and so high in their communion with God—as
"I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear—but now my eye has seen you, I abhor myself in dust and ashes." says Job.
In a vision the Lord reveals His glory to the prophet Isaiah, "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty." Oh, the vision that I have had of the glory of God has given me such a clear and full sight of my own vileness and baseness, that I cannot but loathe and abhor myself.
When Abraham draws near to God, then he accounts himself but dust and ashes, Gen 18:26-27.
"Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" That is a man, a sinner—a compound of dirt and sin! When Peter saw that glorious miracle wrought by the Lord Jesus, he cries out as one very sensible of his own weakness and
sinfulness. "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man." Ah! I am not worthy to be near such majesty and glory—who am a mere bundle of vice and vanity, of folly and iniquity!
The angels that are near God, that stand before Him, in humility they cover their faces with two wings, as with a double scarf, in Isa 6:2
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Isaiah sees the glory of the Lord in a vision, and this makes him cry out, "Woe is me, for
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"The Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly." Psa 84:11
If ever you would be spiritually rich,
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Take hold of all opportunities to enrich your souls with spiritual riches. Men will easily, readily, greedily, and unweariedly grasp all opportunities wherein they may get earthly riches; and why should not you be as diligent in taking hold of all opportunities to enrich your precious souls? Is not the soul worth more than raiment, more than friends, more than relations, more than life—yes, more than all? And why, then, do you not labor to enrich your souls?
It is better have a rich soul under a thread-bare coat; than
If he is a monster among men, who makes liberal provision for his dog—and starves his wife; what a monster is he who makes much provision for his baser part—but none for his noble part!
The neglect of golden, soul-enriching opportunities, has made many a man’s life a hell.
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"For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows." 1Ti 6:10
Earthly riches have cast down many, they have slain many. If poverty has slain her thousands; riches has slain her ten thousands.
Earthly riches are called thorns, and well they may; for as thorns, they pierce both head and heart; the head with cares in getting them, and the heart with grief in parting with them.
Oh the souls that riches have pierced through and through with many sorrows!
Oh the minds that riches have blinded!
Oh the hearts that riches have hardened!
Oh the consciences that riches have benumbed!
Oh the wills that riches have perverted!
Oh the affections that riches have disordered and destroyed!
Earthly riches are very
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The riches of Christ are
A pardon does not more satisfy a condemned man, nor bread the hungry man,
nor drink the thirsty man, nor clothes the naked man, nor health the sick man,
than the riches of Christ do satisfy the gracious man.
In Ecc 5:10, "He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance with increase. This is also vanity." If a man is hungry, silver cannot feed him; if naked, it cannot clothe him; if cold, it cannot warm him; if sick, it cannot cure him—much less then is it able to satisfy him.
Oh! but the riches of Christ are soul-satisfying riches! A soul rich in spirituals, rich in eternals, says, I have enough, though I have not this and that temporal good.
The riches of Christ are inexhaustible. Christ can never be drawn dry. Earthly riches are true gardens of Adonis, where we can gather nothing but trivial flowers surrounded with many briars, etc. Men rake together worldly riches as
children do snow—which the next shower washes away, and leaves nothing in the place but dirt; and can dirt satisfy? Surely not! No more can worldly riches.
The Spanish ambassador coming to see the treasury of Venice, which is famous throughout the world, fell a-groping whether it had any bottom, and being asked why, answered, "In this my great master’s treasure differs from yours, in that his has no bottom, as I find yours to have," alluding to the mines of Mexico and Potosi, etc.
Certainly Christ’s treasures have no bottom—all His bags are bottomless! Scripture, history, and experience, do abundantly testify that men’s bags, purses, coffers, and mines—may be exhausted or drawn dry—but Christ’s can never. Millions of thousands live upon Christ, and He feels it not. His purse
is always full, though He is always giving.
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One grain of grace is of
Gen 13:2, "Abraham was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold." The Hebrew is, "He was very heavy in cattle, in silver, and in gold"—to signify, that riches are but heavy burdens.
Pheraulus, a poor man, on whom Cyrus bestowed so much, that he knew not what to do with his riches—being wearied out with care in keeping of them—he desired rather to live quietly, though poor, as he had done before, than to possess all those riches with discontent. Therefore he gave away all his wealth, desiring only to enjoy so much as might supply his necessities.
Let worldly professors think seriously of this story and blush.
A little will satisfy nature, less will satisfy grace, nothing will satisfy men’s lusts.
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Believers should trust and lean upon God for lesser gifts.
Has God given you a crown—and
Will you trust that man for much—who has given you but a little? And will you not trust that God for a little—who has given you much? Will you not trust Him for pence—who has given you pounds? O sirs! has the Lord given you Himself, the best of favors—and will not you trust Him for the least favors?
Has He given you pearls—and will not you trust Him for pins?
Does not the apostle argue sweetly in Rom 8:32, "He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?" What! says the apostle, has God given us His Son, His only Son, His bosom Son, His beloved Son, the Son of His joy, the Son of His delights? Oh how can He then but cast in all other things into the bargain—such as wrapping paper and packing thread?
Oh! that Christians would learn to reason themselves out of their fears, and out of their distrusts—as the apostle does. Oh! that Christians would no longer rend and rack their precious souls with fears and cares, but rest satisfied in this—that He who has been so kind to them in spirituals, will not be lacking to them in temporals.
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"I, even I," is a passionate and emphatic expression.
"I, even I," whom you have offended,
"I, even I," whom you have provoked,
"I, even I," whose glorious name you have profaned,
"I, even I," whose righteous law you have violated,
"I, even I," whose holy covenant you have transgressed,
"I, even I," whose mercies you have despised,
"I, even I," whose chastisements you have slighted,
"I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for My own sake, and remembers your sins no more." Isa 43:25
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"He has given unto us exceeding great and precious promises." 2Pe 1:4
The promises are a precious book; every leaf drops myrrh and mercy. The promises are golden vessels, which are laden with the choicest jewels which heaven can afford, or the soul can desire. All our spiritual, temporal, and
eternal good is to be found in the belly of the promises.
The promises are precious beds of spices; they are bottles filled with those heavenly dews that will never fail—but will uphold and nourish the soul to life eternal.
Promises are
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"Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him." Psa 32:1-2
A pardoned soul must be a very blessed soul.
Ah, souls! of all mercies,
Pardon entitles souls to all blessedness, it puts the royal crown upon their heads. Of all mercies, pardoning mercy is the most sweetening mercy; it is a choice jewel, and swims to the soul in the blood of Jesus.
Pardon of sin is a voluminous mercy, a mercy which has many, many precious mercies in its womb! It ushers in troops of mercy. When you can number the sands of the sea, and count the stars of heaven, then, and not until then, shall you be able to recount the mercies which attend pardoning mercy.
He who has this mercy cannot be miserable—and he who lacks it cannot be happy! Get this and get all—miss this and miss all.
Pardoning mercy is a gift conferred only upon Christ’s favorites: "Son, be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you!" Mat 9:2.
No mercy will make a man everlastingly blissful—but pardoning mercy. He has no reason to be sad—who has his pardon in his bosom. Nor has he has any reason to be glad—who is upon the last step of the ladder, ready to be turned off without his pardon.
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"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." 1Pe 1:18-19
It was His life-blood, His heart-blood which He gave. It was not the blood of His finger—but the blood of His heart; it was precious blood. All your precious mercies swim to you in this precious blood. Your pardon swims to you in blood; your peace swims to you in blood; your reconciliation is made by blood; your acceptance is wrought by blood,
Christ’s blood is
It was an excellent saying of Luther, speaking of this blood of Christ, One little drop of this blood, is more worth than heaven and earth!
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"For God, who said, ’Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." 2Co 4:6
God gives spiritual light, which is a mercy of mercies. He gives that light whereby His people are enabled to see sin to be the greatest evil, and Himself to be the chief good. He gives that light . . .which melts the soul, which humbles the soul, which warms the soul, which quickens the soul, which quiets the soul, and which gladdens the soul.
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"I also want women to
One says, "If women adorn themselves so as to provoke men to lust after them, though no ill follow upon it—yet those women shall suffer eternal damnation, because they offered poison to others, though none would drink of it."
Clothe yourselves with the silk of piety, with the satin of sanctity, and with the purple of modesty—and God Himself will be a suitor to you. Let not the garments upon your backs, speak out the vanity of your hearts.
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A humble person overlooks his own righteousness, and lives upon the righteousness of the Lord Jesus.
The apostle Paul overlooks his own righteousness, and lives wholly upon the righteousness of Christ: "I desire to be found in him," says he, "not having a righteousness of my own."
But that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith—that is . . .a spotless righteousness, a pure righteousness, a complete righteousness, an incomparable righteousness!
And, therefore, a humble soul overlooks his own righteousness, and lives upon Christ’s righteousness.
Remember this—all the sighing, mourning, sobbing, and complaining in the world, does not so undeniably evidence a man to be humble, as his overlooking his own righteousness, and living really and purely upon the righteousness of Christ.
Men may do much, hear much, pray much, fast much, and give much, etc., and yet be as proud as Lucifer—as you may see in the Scribes and Pharisees.
Oh! but for a man now to trample upon his own righteousness, and to live wholly upon the righteousness of Christ, this speaks out a man to be humble indeed. There is nothing that the heart of man stands more averse to than this—of discarding his own righteousness. Man is a creature apt to warm himself with the sparks of his own fire, though he does lie down for it in eternal sorrow! Man is naturally prone to go about to establish his own righteousness, and to make a savior of it.
But a humble soul disclaims his own righteousness: "All our righteousness is as filthy rags." In Rev 4:1-11, the twenty-four elders throw down their crowns at the feet of Christ. By their crowns you may understand their gifts, their excellencies, their righteousness; they throw down these before Christ’s throne, to note to us, that they did not put confidence in them, and that Christ was the crown of crowns and the top of all their royalty and glory. A humble soul looks upon Christ’s righteousness as his only crown.
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Gen 18:27, "And Abraham answered and said, Behold, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but
Dust notes the baseness of his original; and ashes notes his deserving to be burnt to ashes, if God should deal with him in justice rather than in mercy.
The nearer any soul draws to God, the more humble will that soul lie before God. None so near God as the angels, nor any so humble before God as the angels.
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"Unto me, who am
"Less than the least of all saints," is a double diminutive, and signifies lesser than the least, if lesser might be. Here you have the greatest apostle descending down to the lowest step of humility. Great Paul is least of saints, last of the apostles, and greatest of sinners.
He who is little in his own account is great in God’s esteem. Humility is both the beautifier and preserver of all other graces. If ever there were an age since Christ was on earth, wherein it was needful to preach, press, and print this great doctrine of humility, of self-abasement, of soul-abasement—it is the age
wherein we live. Oh the pride, the loftiness of the professors of this age!
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God’s mercies make a humble soul glad—but not proud. A humble soul is lowest when his mercies are highest; he is least when he is greatest; he is lowest when he is highest; he is most poor when he is most rich.
Nothing melts like mercy, nothing draws like mercy, nothing humbles like mercy.
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"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: Destruction is certain for you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks.
Christ wept for souls, and bled for souls, and prayed for souls; and shall not ministers sweat much for souls, and work much for the good of souls?
Idleness is hateful in any—but most abominable and intolerable in ministers.
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"Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God." Acts 20:26-27
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A more full
their glory and perfection.
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"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My
disciple." Luk 14:26
Surely they do not truly love Christ—who love anything more than Christ.
It was a notable saying of Jerome, "If my father should hang upon me, my brethren should press round about me, and my mother should stand before me—I would throw down my father, I would break through my brethren, and
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"It pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell." Col 1:19 The sun has not the less light for filling the world with light. A fountain has not the less for filling the lesser vessels.
There is in Christ the fullness of a fountain. The overflowing fountain pours out water abundantly, and yet remains full. Why, the Lord Jesus is such an overflowing fountain;
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"And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory." 1Pe 5:4
The glory which Christ gives, is
When a man has been in heaven as many millions of years as there are stars in heaven—his glory shall be as fresh and as green as it was at his first entrance
into heaven! All worldly glory is like the flowers of the field; but the glory which Christ gives, is lasting and durable like Himself.
Our safety and security
"Though he stumbles, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand." Psa 37:24
The Hebrew particle notes a continued act of God. God has still His everlasting arms under His people, so that they shall never totally nor finally fall. The word signifies to sustain or uphold—as the tender mother does the little babe. The safety and security of the child lies not so much in the child’s hanging about the mother’s neck—as in the mother’s holding it fast in her arms. So
"I will never leave you nor forsake you." Heb 13:5
"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand." John 10:28
"Those who are
The Holy Spirit leads . . .from sin, from wrath, from the curse, to God, to Christ, to the promises, to glory!