Grace Gems

[nChrist]

The mad desire of plenty and pleasure

(Richard Baxter, "The Sinfulness of Flesh-Pleasing")

Remember your death. Go to the grave, and see there
the end of fleshly pleasure--and what is all that it
will do for you at the last. One would think this would
cure the mad desire of plenty and pleasure--to see
where all our wealth, and mirth, and sport, and pleasure
must be buried at last!

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[nChrist]

An excellent way of commenting upon the Bible

(Thomas Watson)

"How I love Your teaching! It is my meditation
 all day long." Psalm 119:97

Chrysostom compares the Scripture to a garden,
every truth is a fragrant flower, which we should
wear, not on our bosom--but in our heart!

David counted the Word "sweeter than honey
and the honeycomb". There is that in Scripture
which may breed delight. It shows us the way . . .
  to riches: Deut 28:8, Prov 3:30;
  to long life, Psalm 34:42;
  to a kingdom, Heb 12:28.

Well then may we count those the sweetest hours
which are spent in reading the holy Scriptures; well
may we say with the prophet, "Your words were
found, and I ate them. Your words became a
delight to me and the joy of my heart."

Conform to Scripture. Let us lead Scripture lives.
Oh that the Bible might be seen printed in our
lives! Do what the Word commands. Obedience is
an excellent way of commenting upon the Bible.
"Teach me Your way, O Lord--and I will walk in Your
truth." Let the Word be the sun-dial by which you
set your life. What are we the better for having the
Scripture--if we do not direct all our speech and
actions according to it? What are we the better for
the rule of the Word--if we do not make use of it,
and regulate our lives by it? What a dishonor is it
to religion--for men to live in contradiction to
Scripture! The Word is called a "light to our feet"
It is not only a light to our eyes to mend our sight
--but to our feet to mend our walk. Oh let us lead
Bible lives!

Be thankful to God for the Scriptures. What a
mercy is it that God has not only acquainted us
what His will is, but that He has made it known
by writing! The Scripture is our pole-star to
direct us to heaven, it shows us every step we
are to take; when we go wrong--it instructs us;
when we go right--it comforts us.

Adore God's distinguishing grace, if you have
felt the power and authority of the Word upon
your conscience; if you can say as David, "Your
word has quickened me." Christian, bless God
that He has not only given you His Word to be
a rule of holiness--but His grace to be a principle
of holiness. Bless God that He has not only written
His Word, but sealed it upon your heart, and made
it effectual. Can you say it is of divine inspiration,
because you have felt it to be of lively operation?
Oh free grace! that God should send out His Word,
and heal you; that He should heal you--and not
others! That the same Scripture which to them is
a dead letter--should be to you a savor of life!

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[nChrist]

The devil's chapel

(William S. Plumer, "The Ten Commandments")

"I will set before my eyes no vile thing." Psalm 101:3

Augustine: "Stage-plays are the subverters of goodness
and honesty; the destroyers of all modesty and chastity."

Bernard: "All true soldiers of Jesus Christ abominate and
reject all stage-plays, as vanities and false frenzies."

Seneca: "Nothing is so destructive of godly manners
or morals--as attendance on the stage."

Gregory Nazianzen: "Play-houses are the lascivious
shops of all filthiness and impurity."

Tillotson: "The play-house is the devil's chapel, a
nursery of licentiousness and vice; a recreation which
ought not to be allowed among a civilized, much less
a Christian people."

The American Congress, October 12th, 1778: "Whereas,
true religion and good morals are the only solid foundation
of public liberty and happiness: Resolved, that it be, and
is hereby earnestly recommended to the several States--
to take the most effectual means for the suppressing of
theatrical entertainments, horse-racing, gaming, and such
other diversions, as are productive of idleness, dissipation,
and a general depravity of principles and manners."

William S. Plumer:
"The theatre is an evil place.
In this vortex of vice--
  the first step is to the theater,
  the next to the bar,
  the next to lewd company,
  the next to the brothel,
  the next to disease,
  the next to death,
  and the last to HELL."

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(My Note: This Godly man of older times would not be able to imagine what the devil has turned loose on the people of today. If this old preacher was somehow able to spend just one day in the times of TODAY, could you imagine what his reaction would be? Do you think that RAGE might be on his mind? Forget about what the old preacher would think and KNOW what GOD would think!)

[nChrist]

God would not rub so hard

(Thomas Brooks, "The Privy Key of Heaven" 1665)

"I will turn My hand against you and will burn away
your dross completely; I will remove all your impurities."
     Isaiah 1:25

Afflictions cleanse and purge away the dross, the filth,
and the scum of the Christian.

All the harm the fire did to the three children, or rather
the three champions--was to burn off their cords. Our
lusts are cords of vanity, but the fire of affliction shall
burn them up. Sharp afflictions are a fire--to purge out
our dross, and to make our graces shine; they are a
potion--to carry away ill humours; they are cold frosts
--to destroy the vermin; they are a tempestuous sea--
to purge the wine from its dregs; they are a sharp
corrosive--to eat out the dead flesh.

Afflictions are compared to washing--which takes away
the filth of the soul, as water does the filth of the body.
God would not rub so hard, were it not to fetch out
the dirt and spots that are in His people's hearts.

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[nChrist]

Tempting, seductive, dangerous and ruinous

(William S. Plumer, "The Ten Commandments")

"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap
 and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men
 into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root
 of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have
 wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with
 many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:9-10

By reason of sin, riches are ordinarily tempting, seductive,
dangerous and ruinous. A right view of the perils of wealth
would, with the divine blessing, have a mighty efficacy in curing
our covetousness and discontent, and in causing us to cease
improperly to love what we have, or sinfully to desire that
which belongs to others.

When one says to himself, "You have many goods stored up
for many years. Take it easy; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!"
(Luke 12:19) destruction is already at the door! No state of
mind is more opposite to the spirit of the gospel, than that
of slothfulness, high living, banqueting, and carnal mirth.
"Sodom's sins were pride, laziness, and gluttony." Ez. 16:49

Wantonness and luxury, sloth and corruption usually go
together. The great nourisher of these is wealth.

"Covetousness is idolatry." It disowns Jehovah. It sets up
gold to be worshiped. It brings man, like the serpent, to lick
the dust. It sadly perverts God's mercies, as well as all our
own thoughts. It makes men believe in . . .
  no God but mammon,
  no devil but the absence of gold,
  no damnation but being poor,
  no hell but an empty purse.

David speaks of "men of the world, who have their
portion in this life." Psalm 17:14.

To lead a Christian life is to give up one's idols. Oh
that men would believe their final Judge, when He
says, "You cannot serve God and mammon!"

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[nChrist]

These childish dissipations!

(John Newton's Letters)

Writing to a worldling, John Newton says--
If you were to send me an inventory of your pleasures;
how charmingly your time runs on, and how dexterously
it is divided between the coffee-house, play-house, the
card-table, and tavern, with intervals of balls, concerts,
etc.; I would answer, that most of these I have tried over
and over, and know the utmost they can yield, and have
seen enough of the rest, most heartily to despise them all.
I profess I had rather be a worm crawling on the ground,
than to bear the name of 'man' upon the poor terms of
whiling away my life in an insipid round of such insignificant
and unmanly trifles! Alas! how do you prostitute your talents
and capacity, how far do you act below yourself--if you know
no higher purpose of life than these childish dissipations!

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[nChrist]

The Royal Gate

    (Thomas Brooks, "Heaven on Earth" 1667)

    "Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17

    A man may always pray habitually; he may
    have his heart in a praying disposition in all
    states and conditions--
      in prosperity and adversity,
      in health and sickness,
      in strength and weakness,
      in wealth and wants,
      in life and death.

    The Christian needs . . .
      divine mercy to pardon him,
      divine grace to purify him,
      divine balm to heal him,
      divine favor to comfort him,
      divine power to support him,
      divine wisdom to counsel him,
      divine goodness to satisfy him.

    Our daily weaknesses,
    our daily needs,
    our daily fears,
    our daily dangers,
    our daily temptations,
    call for our daily prayers.

    Prayer is the royal gate by which
    the Lord enters into the heart--
      comforting,
      quieting,
      strengthening,
      quickening, and
      upholding it.

    By prayer--
      faith is increased,
      hope strengthened,
      the spirit exhilarated,
      the heart pacified,
      the conscience purified,
      temptations vanquished,
      corruptions weakened,
      the affections inflamed,
      the will more renewed, and
      the whole man more advantaged.

____________________

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[nChrist]

One foot in hell

(Horatius Bonar, "The Three Crosses")

"I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise."
    Luke 23:43

The saved thief is a specimen of what the cross is appointed
to do. Sin abounding, grace super-abounding.

What is yon cross erected for? To save souls!
See, it saves one of the worst; one who had done
nothing but evil all his days!

What does that blood flow for? To wash away sin!
See, it washes one of the blackest!

What does yon Sufferer die for? To pardon the
guiltiest! Not merely to save from hell, but to open
Paradise to the chief of sinners--to open it at once;
not after years of torment, but "today." Today "with
Me." Yes, Jesus goes back to heaven with a saved
robber at His side! What an efficacy in the cross!
What grace, what glory, what cleansing, what healing,
what blessing--at yonder cross! Even "in weakness"
the Son of God can deliver--can pluck brands from
the burning--can defy and defeat the evil one! Such
is the meaning of the cross! Such is the interpretation
which God puts upon it, by saving that wretched thief.

See how near to hell a man may be--and yet be
saved! That thief, was he not on the very brink of the
burning  lake--one foot in hell; almost set on fire by
hell? Yet he is plucked out! He has done nothing but
evil all his days--down to the very last hour of his life;
yet he is saved. He is just about to step into perdition,
when the hand of the Son of God seizes him and lifts
him to Paradise!

Ah, what grace is here!

What boundless love!

What power to save!

Who after this need despair?

Truly Jesus is mighty to save!

See how near a man may be to Christ--and
yet not be saved. The other thief is as near the
Savior as his fellow--yet he perishes. From the
very side of Christ--he goes down to hell. From
the very side of his saved fellow--he passes into
damnation. We see the one going up to heaven
--and the other going down to hell.

This is astonishing--and it is fearful!

Oh, what a lesson--what a sermon is here!

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[nChrist]

A little, poor, helpless child

(Jonathan Edwards, "Directions How to Conduct Yourself
 in Your Christian Course"--a letter addressed to a young
 lady in the year 1741)

In all your daily living--walk with God, and follow Christ,
as a little, poor, helpless child--taking hold of Christ's
hand, keeping your eye on the marks of the wounds in
His hands and side--whence came the blood which cleanses
you from sin; and hiding your nakedness under the skirt of
the white shining robes of His righteousness.

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[nChrist]

Come and eat!

(Horatius Bonar, "The Bread of Immortality")

"I am the bread of life." John 6:48

"I am the living bread." John 6:51

All food is for the sustaining of life.

Jesus announces Himself as the bread which will sustain
the life of the soul. Not merely some doctrine--but Himself.
He is the bread; not merely bread--but the bread--the one
true bread; without whom the soul cannot grow, nor its life
be sustained. For only by this life-sustaining bread, can
such sickly souls be nourished. As such, Jesus is necessary
to the soul as its food--its bread.

Outside of Him, there is no nourishment, no sustenance.
He feeds--He alone. He feeds us on Himself! All else is
husks, or mere air and vapor. Jesus, in His glorious person,
is our food--the true bread and sustenance of the soul;
the hidden manna.

Jesus applies various names to it:
  "bread from heaven"
  "true bread"
  "the bread of God"
  "bread of life"
  "living bread."
All these are names indicative of its excellence, its power,
its suitableness. It is the very bread we need; no other
would do. Jesus is the soul's eternal food. This
storehouse is inexhaustible--and ever accessible!

Come as you are, poor prodigal, starving on husks--come
and eat! Eat, O friends! Eat, and live! Eat, and be strong!
Eat, and be in soul health!

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[nChrist]

In the great game of existence

(John MacDuff, "Thoughts for the Quiet Hour", 1895)

Sad the case of those who had the possibilities
of a good and useful existence--but have lived
fatally and hopelessly given up to . . .
  sloth, or
  flippant pleasure, or
  engrossing selfishness.

Those fugitive, precious moments we are
forgetting and wasting, cannot be recovered.

In the great game of existence many are staking
all and losing all--drifting to hopeless, irremediable
bankruptcy. That is a solemn word--a dreadful
truth--the irreparable past!

Death will dissolve many a 'fairy vision' that has lured
and charmed us. Death will sweep down many 'flimsy
cobwebs of earth' that we have laboriously weaved--
poor tawdry things we have so often clung to and
clutched!

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[nChrist]

The crucifixion of Christ

(Archibald Alexander)

The truths which are exhibited in a clear and
strong light by the crucifixion of Christ, are
such as these:

1. The infinite evil of sin, which in order to
its pardon, required such a sacrifice.

2. The holiness and justice of God, which
would not allow sin to pass without full evidence
of the divine disapprobation, and His inflexible
purpose to visit it with deserved punishment.

3. The wisdom of God, in contriving a method
of salvation by which His own glory would be
promoted in the eternal salvation of hell-deserving
sinners. This wisdom is chiefly manifest in the
incarnation of the Son of God, by which the divine
and human natures are united in one person.

4. But the most wonderful exhibition of the cross
is the mercy of God, the love of God to sinners;
such love as never could have been conceived of,
had it not been manifest by the gift of his own Son!

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[nChrist]

Not earthly gold, or pearls, or diamonds

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

My precious Lord hung on the dreadful cross, where
He was made a curse for sinful me--where He had
my hell--that I in Him might have eternal heaven!
The precious drops which flowed were the price of
my redemption--what a price! Not earthly gold,
or pearls, or diamonds--but purest, richest blood;
the blood of Jehovah's Fellow! Here was heaven's
gold--paid to ransom sinful worms! Not for angels
were heaven's treasures thus poured out--but for
worms! Oh! wonder of wonders! My soul marvels
at such matchless love--and at the effects of it!

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[nChrist]

A bubble, a shadow, a dream!

(Thomas Brooks, "Apples of Gold" 1660)

"My life passes more swiftly than a runner. It flees away."
    Job 9:25

TIME is a precious talent which we are accountable for.

Cato and other heathen held that account must be given,
not only of our labor--but also of our leisure. At the great
day, it will appear that those who have spent their time in
mourning over sin--have done better than those who have
spent their time in dancing; and those who have spent
many days in pious humiliation--better than those who
have spent many days in idle recreations.

I have read of a devout man who, when he heard a clock
strike, he would say, "Here is one more hour past, which
I have to answer for!" Ah! as time is very precious--so
it is very short. Time is very swift; it is suddenly gone.

The ancients emblemed time with wings, as it were, not
running--but flying! Time is like the sun, which never
stands still--but is continually a-running his race. The
sun did once stand still--but time never did. Time is still
running and flying! It is a bubble, a shadow, a dream!

Sirs! if the whole earth whereupon we tread were turned
into a lump of gold--it would not be able to purchase one
minute of time! Oh! the regrettings of the damned for
misspending precious time! Oh! what would they not give
to be free, and to enjoy the means of grace one hour!
Ah! with what attention, with what intention, with what
trembling and melting of heart, with what hungering and
thirsting--would they hear the Word!

Time, says Bernard, would be a precious commodity in hell,
and the selling of it most gainful, where for one day a man
would give ten thousand worlds, if he had them.

Ah! as you love your precious immortal souls, as you would
escape hell--and come to heaven; as you would be happy in
life--and blessed in death, and glorious after death; don't
spend any more of your precious time in drinking and gabbing,
in carding, dicing, and dancing! Don't trifle away your time,
because time is a talent that God will reckon with you for.

Ah! you may reckon upon years, many years yet to come;
when possibly you have not so many hours to live! It may
be this night you will have your final summons--and then,
in what a sad case will you be! Will you not wish that you
had never been born?

Sirs! Time let slip--cannot be recalled!

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[nChrist]

All the whole volume of perfections

(Thomas Brooks, "Apples of Gold" 1660)

"Whom do I have in heaven but You? And I desire
 nothing on earth but You. My flesh and my heart
 may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my
 portion forever." Psalm 73:25-26

The true Christian seeks God as his choicest and chief
good. God is a perfect good, a solid good. That is a
perfect good--to which nothing can be added; that is
a solid good--from which nothing can be spared. Such
a good God is, and therefore He is chiefly to be sought.

God is a pure and simple good; He is a light in whom
there is no darkness, a good in whom there is no evil.
The goodness of the creature is mixed, yes, that little
goodness which is in the creature is mixed with much
evil; but God is an unmixed good. He is good, He is
pure good. He is all over good. He is nothing but good.

God is an all-sufficient good. Augustine said,
"He has all--who has the Haver of all."

God has in Himself . . .
  all power to defend you,
  all wisdom to direct you,
  all mercy to pardon you,
  all grace to enrich you,
  all righteousness to clothe you,
  all goodness to supply you,
  all happiness to crown you.

God is a satisfying good, a good that fills the heart and
quiets the soul. In Him, I have all. I have all comforts,
all delights, all contentments. As the worth and value of
many pieces of silver is to be found in one piece of gold,
so all the petty excellencies which are scattered abroad
in the creatures--are to be found in God. Yes, all the
whole volume of perfections, which is spread through
heaven and earth--is epitomized in Him. No good below
Him who is the greatest good, can satisfy the soul. A good
wife, a good child, a good name, a good estate, a good
friend--cannot satisfy the soul. These may please--but
they cannot satisfy.

Ah! that we should seek early, seek earnestly, seek
affectionately, seek diligently, seek primarily, and seek
unweariedly--this God, who is the greatest good, the
best good, the most desirable good, who is--
  a suitable good,
  a pure good,
  a satisfying good,
  a total good, and
  an eternal good.

"Whom do I have in heaven but You? And I desire
 nothing on earth but You. My flesh and my heart
 may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my
 portion forever." Psalm 73:25-26

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