Grace Gems

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He took us, and loved us, and married us!

(William Dyer, "Follow the Lamb")

"My beloved is mine--and I am His." Song of Songs 2:16

"I am married unto you." Jeremiah 3:14

"I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." Revelation 21:9

Christ has given Himself to His church by marriage, and therefore she is called--His queen, His spouse, His bride, His wife. Although we had nothing to bring to Christ, but our poverty, shame, sorrow, and misery--yet He took us, and loved us, and married us!

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The whole world was astonished and followed the beast!

(William Dyer, "Follow the Lamb")

"These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes!" Revelation 14:4

"Many are called--but few are chosen" Matthew 20:19

The Lamb's followers may be known discerned from the beast's followers, by fewness of their number. Christ calls His flock, a little flock, "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom!" Luke 12:32. Beloved, there are but a few who truly follow the Lamb. "The whole world was astonished and followed the beast!" Revelation 13:3

The Heathen follow Satan,
the Turks follow Mohammed,
the Jews follow Moses,
the Papists follow the Pope, and
the loose Protestants and carnal professors follow the world, the flesh and the devil!

Believers, though their nature is the sweetest--yet their number is the smallest.

In heaven are the best--but in hell are the most!

Oh, there are but few sincere Christians!

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14

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Christ's sympathy

(Octavius Winslow, "The Tears of Christ")

"Jesus wept!" John 11:35

The Creator of all worlds, the Author of all beings, the Upholder of the universe--raining tears of human woe and sympathy upon a grave!

Oh, there lives not a being in the universe who can enter into our bereavements with the sympathy, the support, and the soothing of Christ!

They were tears of sympathy. His heart was touched, deeply touched, with sympathy for the sorrow of others. He wept because the mourning sisters wept. He mingled His tears with theirs.

This is true sympathy, "weeping with those that weep," making their sorrow our own. How really our Lord does this with His people. So completely is He our Surety--that He takes our sins and infirmities, our trials and sorrows upon Himself, as if they were all and entirely His own. Our sins were so completely laid upon Him--that not one remains charged to the account of those who believe in Jesus.

And our present griefs are so entirely absorbed in Him, that, softened by His love, soothed by His sympathy, supported by His grace--the trial is welcome, the affliction is sweet, and the rod of a Father's chastening, buds and blossoms into delectable fruit.

Bereaved mourner! the sympathy of Christ is yours! The Savior who wept at the gave of Bethany, now shares your grief. Do not imagine that your sorrow is isolated, or that your tears are forbidden or unseen. You have a merciful and faithful High Priest who is touched with your present calamity.

There exists no sympathy . . .
  so real,
  so intelligent,
  so deep,
  so tender,
  so sanctifying--
as Christ's sympathy.

And if your heavenly Father has seen it wise and good to remove from you the spring of human pity--it is but that He may draw you closer beneath the wing of Jesus' compassion, presence and love.

O child of sorrow! will not this suffice--that you possess Christ's sympathy, immeasurable and exhaustless as the ocean, exquisite and changeless as His being! Yield your heart to His rich compassion!

Will Jesus be regardless of what I feel, and the sorrows under which I groan? Oh no! The sigh that bursts in secret from my heart is not secret to Him; the tear that is my food day and night, and drops unperceived and unknown--is known and remembered by Him!

"You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book." Psalm 56:8

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God's sword!

(William Dyer, "Christ's Voice to London". Preached in London during the time of the 'Great Plague' of 1665-1666. The 'Great Plague' was a massive outbreak of disease, which killed an estimated 100,000 people, 20% of London's population.)

"Listen! The Lord is calling to the city--Hear the rod and the One who appointed it!" Micah 6:9

Oh, London, London! God speaks to you by His judgments! Because you would not hear the voice of His Word--He has made you to feel the stroke of His rod! Oh, great city! how has the plague broken in upon you, because of your abominations! "They provoked the Lord to anger by their wicked deeds--so a plague broke out among them!" Psalm 106:29. Oh! how is the wrath of God kindled against you, that such multitudes of thousands have died within your borders, by this severe plague--God's sword!

London! how are your streets thinned, your widows increased, and your cemeteries filled, your inhabitants fled, your trade decayed! Oh! therefore lay to heart all these things, and turn from your wicked ways, that the cry of your prayers--may outcry the cry of your sins! Be like the city of Nineveh, who believed Jonah's message from God, and humbled themselves, and fasted and cried mightily unto the Lord. Oh, Did Nineveh repent and turn from their wicked ways--and shall not London?

Perhaps you think that all is now well, and that God is pleased with you, because the plague is abating. I say, blessed be God for this! But "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. Whatever a man sows--that he shall reap!" Galatians 6:7. To whomever God bestows great mercies, if they abound in great wickedness, He will inflict great punishments upon them! Alas! beloved, the plague abates--but your sins increase! There is no turning from sin--nor turning to God! There is no reformation and amendment of life among you! If this is so--then God is not done afflicting you!

If you remain . . .
  as profane as before,
  as superstitious as before,
  as carnal as before,
  as lukewarm as before,
  as hard-hearted as before,
  as proud and vain as before,
  as worldly as before;
I say, if it is thus with you, God is not yet done with London--but has other judgments to pour out upon you, though He now causes the plague to cease. (Editor's note: Shortly after the writing of the above, in September of 1666, the 'Great Fire of London' gutted the city, and consumed 13,200 houses. The social and economic problems created by this disaster were overwhelming.)

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All the sins of the saints

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
 or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"We know that all things work together for good,
 to those who love God, to those who are called
 according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

All the afflictions, and
all the temptations, and
all the oppressions, and
all the oppositions, and
all the persecutions--
which befall a godly man,
shall work for his good.

Every cross, and
every loss, and
every disease--
which befall the holy man,
shall work for his good.

Every device,
every snare,
every deceit,
every stratagem,
and every enterprise of Satan against
the holy man, shall work for his good.

They shall all help to make him . . .
  more humble,
  more holy,
  more heavenly,
  more spiritual,
  more faithful,
  more fruitful,
  more watchful.

Every prosperity and every adversity;
every storm and every calm;
every bitter and every sweet;
every cross and every comfort--
shall work for the holy man's good.

When God gives a mercy--
  that shall work for his good.
When God takes away a mercy--
  that shall work for his good.

Yes, even all the falls and all the sins of
the saints shall work for their good. Oh . . .
  the care,
  the fear,
  the watchfulness,
  the tenderness,
  the zeal--
which God raises in the souls of His saints by their
very falls! Oh the hatred, the indignation, and the
detestation--which God raises in the hearts of His
children against sin--by their very falling into sin!

Oh what love to Christ,
what thankfulness for Christ,
what admiration of Christ,
what cleaving to Christ,
what exalting of Christ,
what drawings from Christ's grace--
are saints led to, by their very falls!

It is the glory of God's holiness, that . . .
  He can turn spiritual diseases--into holy remedies!
  He can turn soul poisons--into heavenly cordials!
  He can prevent sin by sin, and cure falling by falling!

O Christian! What though friends and relations frown upon you,
what though enemies are plotting and conspiring against you,
what though needs, like armed men, are breaking in upon you,
what though men rage, and devils roar against you,
what though sickness is devastating your family,
what though death stands every day at your elbow--
yet there is no reason for you to fear nor faint, because
all these things shall work for your good! Yes, there is
wonderful cause of joy and rejoicing in all the afflictions
and tribulations which come upon you--considering that
they shall all work for your good.

O Christians! I am afraid, I am afraid--that you do not
run so often as you should--to the breasts of this promise,
nor draw that sweetness and comfort from it, that it would
yield, and that your several cases may require. "We know
that all things work together for good, to those who love
God, to those who are called according to His purpose." I
have been the longer upon this verse, because the condition
of God's people calls for the strongest cordials, and the
choicest and the sweetest comforts.

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The last pang, and groan, and tear!

(John Angell James, "Afflictions")

The Christian also looks to the end of afflictions! The end may sometimes come in this world. In reference to this, the utmost that the believer can be sure of, is that they will end in God's time.

They may last for his whole life. The sickness which afflicts his body may be unto death! The loss which he has sustained in his property may be irreparable--and poverty may go down with him to the grave! The trial which beclouds and distresses his spirits--may be his lot for life! But on the other hand, they may not! God may be bringing him "through fire and through water to bring him out into a wealthy place." But the Christian leaves this in the hand of God, and endeavors to maintain a hope which shall save him from despondency--checked at the same time by a reverence that guards him from unwarranted presumption.

But if the end of the trial does not come in this world--it will come in the next world--when they will not only forever cease, but leave an eternal blessing behind! "I reckon that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us!" "Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory!" Four things are set forth in these passages:

1. Our afflictions will have a termination! This is sweet. They are to end--they are not to last forever! The last pang, and groan, and tear are at hand--and how near the Christian never knows!

2. Our afflictions are not to end like those of the brute creation--in the grave merely--but in heaven! The last pang, and groan, and tear are to usher in that blessed state of which it is so beautifully said, "The Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters--and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes!" Heaven shall terminate the afflictions of the righteous!

3. Heaven is so glorious, that the first view of its scenes, and the first moment of its enjoyment--shall make amends for the longest life of the most protracted and intense sufferings!

4. The sufferings of our earthly pilgrimage--will enhance and increase the felicities of heaven! Their submissive endurance; the graces which they call into exercise; the sanctification which they promote; the heavenly temper which they cultivate--will be the means of ripening the spirit, and making it fit for its eternal inheritance!

Every tear that is shed;
every groan that is heaved;
every loss that is sustained;
every moment of suffering that is endured;
every disappointment that is experienced, which is borne with patience, with resignation, with unwearied holiness--will not only be followed with millions of ages of ineffable felicity--but will prepare the soul for its enjoyment, and add something to its weight and its luster!

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God's jewels!

(Thomas Watson, "Religion Our True Interest")

"They will be Mine!" says the Lord Almighty, "in the day when I make up My jewels!" Malachi 3:17

God's people are His jewels--His own special treasure!

In what sense are the saints, God's jewels?

Jewels are precious things; the Hebrew word for jewels signifies a treasure. A treasure is made up of costly things: gold, and diamonds and rubies. Such a precious treasure, are the saints to God.

They are jewels for their sparkling quality. Their holiness shines and sparkles in God's eyes! (Song of Solomon 4:9), "You have ravished My heart, with one glance of your eyes!" That is, with one of your graces.

The godly are jewels for their scarcity. Diamonds are not common. Just so, the godly are scarce and rare. There are but few of these to be found. There are many false professors (as there are many plastic diamonds) but few true Christians. Among the millions in Rome, there were but few senators. Just so, among the swarms of people in the world--there are but few true believers.

The godly are jewels for their price. Queen Cleopatra had two jewels which were worth half the price of a kingdom. Thus the saints are jewels, for their value. God esteems them at a high rate; He parted with His best jewel for them--Christ's precious blood was shed to ransom these jewels!

The saints are jewels for their adorning quality. Jewels adorn those who wear them. The saints are jewels which adorn the world. Their piety mixed with prudence honors the gospel. Hypocrites eclipse true religion and make it badly spoken of. The saints as jewels, render it illustrious by their sanctity.

God the Father has chosen these jewels, and set them apart for Himself!

Christ has bought these jewels with His blood!

The Holy Spirit has sanctified them. When they were a lump of sin--He made them into His jewels! He will string these pearls together--and put them into His celestial cabinet!

Bless God who has wrought such a change in you! From lumps of dirt and sin--He has made you into His jewels!

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The great day of His wrath has come!

(William Dyer, "The Great Day of God's Wrath!")

"For the great day of His wrath has come--and who shall be able to stand!" Revelation 6:17

Who may abide the day of His coming? Who shall stand when He appears? Oh, beloved! this is not the day of man's wrath! Men have had their day of reigning and raging, and despising God--but that day is over and gone, and now God's day has come! This is the day of His wrath--and woe to wicked, and woe to the whore of Babylon, for the hour of her judgment has come!

This will be a day of great ASTONISHMENT to the wicked and ungodly, "The Lord shall smite them with madness and blindness, and astonishment of heart!" Deuteronomy 28:28

This will be a day of great TERROR to those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus! Therefore, says the apostle, "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." 2 Corinthians 5:11

This day of God's wrath will be a day of great DISTRESS to the wicked. "I in turn will laugh at your disaster! I will mock when calamity overtakes you--when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you!" Proverbs 1:26-27

This day of God's wrath will be a day of great CONTEMPT to the ungodly. "The Lord Almighty has purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth!" Isaiah 23:9

This day of God's wrath will be a day of great DESTRUCTION. "The wicked are reserved to the day of destruction; they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath!" Job 21:30

Oh, beloved! God's GREAT wrath will be very terrible to the wicked!

1. God's great wrath will tear them in pieces like a lion! "I will be like a lion to Israel, like a strong young lion to Judah. I will tear them to pieces! I will carry them off, and no one will be left to rescue them!" Hosea 5:14. "Consider this, all you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue you!" Psalm 50:22

2. God's great wrath will consume them like fire! "The Lord Almighty says--The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed--roots, branches, and all." Malachi 4:1

3. God's great wrath will swallow up all His enemies! "You will capture all your enemies. Your strong right hand will seize all who hate You. You will throw them in a fiery furnace when You appear. In His wrath the Lord will swallow them up, and His fire will consume them!" Psalm 21:8-9

Oh! the wrath of the Almighty is called in the Scripture,
"The fierceness of His great wrath!" 2 Kings 23:26.
"The fierceness of His anger, wrath, and indignation!" Psalm 78:49.
"The fury of His wrath!" Revelation 16:19.

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All the hell that you shall ever have!

("The Mute Christian Under the Smarting Rod"
 or, "The Silent Soul with Sovereign Antidotes"
 by Thomas Brooks, 1659, London.)

Consider Christian, that all your . . .
  trials and troubles,
  calamities and miseries,
  crosses and losses,
which you meet with in this world--is
all the hell that you shall ever have!

Here and now you have your hell.
Hereafter you shall have your heaven!

This is the worst of your condition;
the best is yet to come!

Lazarus had his hell first--and his heaven last;
Dives had his heaven first--and his hell at last.

You have all your pangs, and pains, and throes
here--that you shall ever have! Your ease, and
rest, and pleasure--is yet to come!

Here you have all your bitters;
your sweets are yet to come!

Here you have your sorrows;
your joys are yet to come!

Here you have all your winter nights;
your summer days are yet to come!

Here you have your evil things;
your good things are yet to come!

Death will put an end to all your sins
--and to all your sufferings!

Death will be an inlet to those joys, delights,
and comforts--which shall never have an end!

Who can seriously meditate upon this, and not
be silent under God's most smarting rod?

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Beyond this, I have no great desire to live

(Letters of John Newton)

"For to me--to live is Christ and to die is gain!" Philippians 1:21

God will preserve me--as long as He has service for me to do. Beyond this, I have no great desire to live.

"I desire to depart and be with Christ--which is better by far!" Philippians 1:23

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He is altogether lovely!

(William Dyer, "Christ's Famous Titles")

"He is altogether lovely!" Song of Songs 5:16

Jesus is most desirable in Himself--and all things that are desirable are in Him. Beauty is in Christ, bounty is in Christ, riches and honor are in Christ. Jesus Christ is the treasure hidden in the gospel, the pearl of great price; He is the sun in the firmament of the Scriptures, whom to know is everlasting life. He is . . .
  a spring full of the water of life,
  a hive of sweetness,
  a storehouse of riches,
  a river of pleasures, wherein you may bathe your souls to all eternity!

Oh! He is all fullness and sweetness! "He is the chief among ten thousand!" Song of Songs 5:10

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6

You may go to heaven . . .
  without health,
  without wealth,
  without honor,
  without pleasure,
  without friends,
  without learning;
but you can never go to heaven without Christ!

"He loved me--and gave Himself for me!" Galatians 2:20

All that Christ did and suffered--it is for me!

All that Christ has--is mine!

Christ's love is mine to pity me!

Christ's mercy is mine to save me!

Christ's graces are mine to beautify me!

Christ's power is mine to protect me!

Christ's wisdom is mine to counsel me!

Christ's Spirit is mine to comfort me!

Christ's Word is mine to teach me!

Christ's glory is mine to crown me!

Therefore, a grain of saving grace in the heart,
is better than a chain of gold around the neck!

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Sinners in the hands of an angry God!
by Jonathan Edwards, 1741

"Vengeance belongs to Me--I will repay! Their foot shall slide in due time, for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly!" Deuteronomy 32:35

OBSERVATION: There is nothing which keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell--but the mere pleasure of God.

 1. There is no lack of power in God, to cast wicked men into hell at any moment.

 2. They deserve to be cast into hell.

 3. They are already under a sentence of condemnation to hell.

 4. They are now the objects of that very same anger and wrath of God, that is expressed in the torments of hell.

 5. The devil stands ready to fall upon them--and seize them as his own--at whatever moment God shall permit him!

 6. There are those hellish principles reigning in the souls of wicked men, which would presently kindle and flame out into hell fire--if it were not for God's restraints.

 7. It is no security to wicked men for one moment--that there are no visible means of death at hand.

 8. Unsaved men's prudence and care to preserve their own lives--do not secure them from death for a single moment!

 9. All wicked men's pains and contrivances which they use to escape hell, while they continue to reject Christ--do not secure them from hell for one moment!

10. God has laid Himself under no obligation, by any promise--to keep any unsaved man out of hell, for one moment!

APPLICATIONS:
1. Consider more particularly--WHOSE wrath it is!

2. Consider--that is the fierceness of God's wrath, which you are exposed to!

3.  Consider--that the misery you are exposed to, is that which God will inflict to that end--that He might show what His almighty wrath is!

4. Consider--that it is EVERLASTING wrath!

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A head full of froth!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"I hate vain thoughts--but I love Your law!" Psalm 119:113

Many of you know more about your magazines and novels--than what God has written! Many of you will read a novel from the beginning to the end, and what have you got? A head full of froth when you are done! But you cannot read the Bible--that solid, lasting, substantial, and satisfying food goes uneaten, locked up in the cupboard of neglect--while anything that man writes, a best-seller of the day--you greedily devour!

"Set your minds on things above--not on earthly things!" Colossians 3:2

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"Here--put your troubles here!"

(Charles Spurgeon)

"Cast your burden on the Lord--and He will sustain you." Psalm 55:21

Cast your troubles where you have cast your sins; you have cast your sins onto Jesus--cast your troubles there also! As soon as the trouble comes, quick, the first thing, tell it to your Father in heaven! Remember, that the longer you take telling your trouble to God--the more your peace will be impaired. The longer the frost lasts--the more likely the ponds will be frozen.

Oh! It is a happy way of smoothing sorrow, when we can cast our burden upon the Lord. Oh, you agitated Christians, do not dishonor your religion by always wearing a 'frown of concern'. Come, cast your burden upon the Lord. I see you staggering beneath a weight, which He would not feel. What seems to you a crushing burden--would be nothing but a bit of dust to Him. See! The Almighty bends His shoulders, and He says, "Here--put your troubles here!"

"Cast all your cares upon Him--because He cares about you!" 1 Peter 5:7

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Their follies, their burdens, their griefs, their woes!

(Charles Spurgeon)

Soon, very soon, the saints of the earth--shall be saints in heaven!

Their hairs of 'snowy old age'--shall be crowned with perpetual joy and everlasting youth!

Their eyes bathed with tears--shall be made as bright as stars, never to be clouded again by sorrow!

Their hearts that now tremble--are to be made joyous and strong, and set forever like pillars in the temple of God.

Their follies, their burdens, their griefs, their woes--are soon to be over! Sin is to be forever slain, corruption is to be forever removed--and a heaven of spotless purity and of unmingled peace is to be theirs forever!

"For God has reserved a priceless inheritance for His children. It is kept in heaven for you--pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay!" 1 Peter 1:4