Grace Gems

[nChrist]

A spiritual monster!

(Thomas Boston, "Human Nature in its Fourfold State")

The unrenewed man's affections are wholly corrupted,
disordered and distempered. Man's heart naturally is
a mother of abominations! "For from within, out of
men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality,
theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness,
envy, slander, arrogance and folly." Mark 7:21, 22

"Men loved darkness." John 3:19

The natural man's affections are wretchedly misplaced.
He is a spiritual monster!

His heart is where his feet should be--fixed on the earth.

His heels are lifted up against heaven--which his heart
should be set on.

His face is towards hell; his back is towards heaven.

He loves what he should hate; and hates what he should love.

He joys in what he ought to mourn for; and mourns for
what he should rejoice in.

He abhors what he should desire; and desires what
he should abhor.

"Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." 2 Tim. 3:4

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

The happiest Christians

(John Newton's Letters)

They are the happiest Christians, who have the
lowest thoughts of themselves, and in whose eyes
Jesus is most glorious and precious.

"Unto you who believe He is precious." 1 Peter 2:7

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

Like the bubble on the stream

(John MacDuff)

We shall come, some day, to see the false and
fascinating joys of earth in their true light:
like the bubble on the stream, dancing its little
moment on the surface--and then vanishing forever!

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the
 strength of my heart and my portion forever."
    Psalm 73:26

Nothing else; nothing less, can satisfy the cravings
of an immortal spirit. All other happiness is a mimic
happiness; a wretched counterfeit of the true; a base
alloy, on which Satan may have stamped the currency
of heaven; but it is "of the earth, earthy," and upon it
Death will put an extinguisher forever!

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

Into the depths of the sea!

(Thomas Boston, "Human Nature in its Fourfold State")

The sinner outside of Christ is bound over to the wrath of
God; he is under an obligation in law to go to the prison of
hell, and there to lie until he has paid the utmost farthing.

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who
 are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1

The believer's sins are pardoned, the guilt of them is removed.
The bond obliging him to pay his debt is canceled. God the
Father takes the pen, dips it in the blood of His Son, crosses
off the sinner's accounts, and blots them out of His debt-book.

Being united to Christ, God says, "Deliver him from going down
to the pit; I have found a ransom!" Job 33:24. The sentence of
condemnation is reversed, the believer is absolved, and set
beyond the reach of the condemning law. His sins, which before
were set before the Lord, Psalm 90:8, so that they could not be
hidden--God now takes and casts them all behind His back, Isaiah
38:17. Yes, "You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our
iniquities into the depths of the sea." Micah 7:19.

What falls into a brook may be retrieved--but what is cast into
the sea cannot be recovered. But there are some shallow places
in the sea; true--but their sins are not cast in there--but into the
depths of the sea. The depths of the sea are devouring depths,
from whence their sins shall never come forth again. But what
if they do not sink? He will hurl them in with force, so that they
shall go to the bottom, and sink as lead in the mighty waters
of the Redeemer's blood!

They are not only forgiven--but forgotten, Jer. 31:34, "I will
forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."
And though their after-sins do in themselves deserve eternal
wrath, and do actually make them liable to temporal strokes,
and fatherly chastisements, according to the tenor of the
covenant of grace, Psalm 89:30-33--yet they can never be
actually liable to eternal wrath.

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

Go dogs, and eat the garbage!

(Charles Spurgeon, "The Soul Winner")

"So that you may become blameless and pure,
 children of God without fault in a crooked and
 depraved generation, in which you shine like
 stars in the universe." Philippians 2:15

I believe that one reason why the church at this
present moment has so little influence over the world,
is because the world has so much influence over the
church! Nowadays, we hear professors pleading that
they may do this, and do that--that they may live like
worldlings. My sad answer to them, when they crave
this liberty is, "Do it if you dare. It may not cost you
much hurt, for you are so bad already. Your cravings
show how rotten your hearts are. If you are hungering
after such dogs food--go dogs, and eat the garbage!

Worldly amusements are fit food for pretenders and
hypocrites. If you were God's children, you would loathe
the thought of the world's evil joys. Your question would
not be, "How far may we be like the world?" but your cry
would be, "How can we get away from the world? How
can we come out of it?"

"Whatever is true,
 whatever is noble,
 whatever is right,
 whatever is pure,
 whatever is lovely,
 whatever is admirable,
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy
--think about such things." Philippians 4:8

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

Such a friend

(Thomas Brooks, "Apples of Gold" 1660)

"There is a friend who sticks closer than
 a brother." Proverbs 18:24

Such a friend is Jesus. He is so a friend
to every one of His people, as if He were
a friend to none besides. Jesus is . . .
  an omnipotent friend;
  an omniscient friend;
  an omnipresent friend;
  an indeficient friend;
  a sovereign friend;
  an immutable friend;
  a watchful friend;
  a loving friend;
  a faithful friend;
  a compassionate friend;
  a close friend,
  a universal friend--a friend in
     all cases and in all places,
  our first friend,
  a constant friend--"Whom He loves,
    He loves to the end." John 13:1

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

Sheep or goat?

(Thomas Boston, "Human Nature in its Fourfold State")


        "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.'" Matthew 25:31-34

        "Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.' Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." Matthew 25:41, 46

        The general judgment is plainly and solemnly described in this portion of Scripture. We shall take notice of the following particulars:

        1. The coming of the Judge. "When the Son of Man comes in His glory," etc. The Judge is Jesus Christ, by whose almighty power, the dead will be raised. He is also called the King, verse 34, the judging of the world being an act of the royal Mediator’s kingly office. He will come in glory; glorious in His own person, and having a glorious retinue, even all the holy angels with Him, to minister unto Him at this great solemnity.

        2. The mounting the tribunal. He is a King, and therefore it is a throne, a glorious throne, "He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory," verse 31.

        3. The appearance of the parties. These are--all nations; all and every one, small and great, of whatever nation, who ever were, are, or shall be on the face of the earth. All shall be gathered before Him, summoned before His tribunal.

        4. The separating of them. He shall separate the elect sheep and reprobate goats, setting each group by themselves. The godly He will set on His right hand, as the most honorable place; the wicked on the left, verse 33.

        5. The sentencing of the parties, and that according to their works; the righteous being absolved, and the wicked condemned, verse 34-41.

        6. The execution of both sentences, in the driving away of the wicked into hell, and carrying the godly to heaven, verse 46.

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

Hallelujah!

(Thomas Boston, "Human Nature in its Fourfold State")

"After this I heard something like the loud voice of a vast
 multitude in heaven, shouting: Hallelujah! Salvation, glory,
 and power belong to our God, because His judgments are
 true and righteous! And again they shouted: Hallelujah!
 The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever!" Rev. 19:1-3

None were so compassionate as the saints when on earth,
during the time of God's patience. But now that time is at
an end. Their compassion for the ungodly is swallowed in
joy in the Mediator's glory, and His executing just judgment,
by which His enemies are made His footstool.

Though, when on earth, the righteous man wept in secret
places for their pride, and because they would not hear; yet
"The righteous will rejoice when he sees the retribution;
he will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked." Ps. 58:10

No pity shall then be shown them from their nearest relations.
The godly wife shall applaud the justice of the Judge, in the
condemnation of her ungodly husband! The godly husband
shall say Amen! to the condemnation of her who lay in his
bosom. The godly parents shall say Hallelujah! at the
passing of the sentence against their ungodly child. And the
godly child shall, from the bottom of his heart, approve the
condemnation of his wicked parents--the father who begat
him, and the mother who bore him.

"Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the
 roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
 Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns!" Revelation 19:6

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

A furious beast

(Thomas Boston, "Human Nature in its Fourfold State")

"Their throats are open graves;
 their tongues practice deceit.
 The poison of vipers is on their lips.
 Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.
 Their feet are swift to shed blood."
    Romans 3:13-15

The body itself also is partaker of corruption and defilement.
Therefore the Scripture calls it sinful flesh, Romans 8:3. The
natural temper, or rather distemper of our bodies have a natural
tendency to sin. The body incites to sin, betrays the soul into
snares, yes, is itself a snare to the soul. The body is a furious
beast, of such a temper, that it will not be beat down, kept
under control, and brought into subjection. It will cast the
soul into much sin and misery.

The body serves the soul in many sins. Its members are weapons
of unrighteousness, whereby men fight against God. The eyes and
ears are open doors, by which impure motions and sinful desires
enter the soul. The tongue is "a world of iniquity," "an uncontrollable
evil, full of deadly poison;" by it the impure heart vents a great deal
of its filthiness. The throat is "an open grave." The feet run the
devil's errands. The belly is made a god, Phil. 3:19, not only by
drunkards and riotous livers--but by every natural man. So the
body naturally is an agent for the devil, and a storehouse of
weapons against the Lord.

To conclude: man by nature is wholly corrupted, "from the sole of
the foot, even unto the head, there is no soundness in him." As in
a dunghill, every part contributes to the corruption of the whole,
so the natural man grows still worse and worse--the soul is made
worse by the body, and the body worse by the soul; and every
faculty of the soul (the mind, will, affections, conscience and
memory) serves to corrupt another more and more.

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

Swim in an ocean of unmixed delight

(Thomas Boston, "Human Nature in its Fourfold State")

Heaven is a paradise of pleasure and delight. The glorified
saints are advanced to this heavenly paradise. There they
shall not only see, but "eat of the tree of life, which is in the
midst of the paradise of God," Rev. 2:7. They shall behold
the Mediator's glory, and be satisfied with His goodness.
They shall "drink from Your rivers of delight," Psalm 36:8,
the sweetest and purest pleasures which Immanuel's land
affords, and shall swim in an ocean of unmixed delight
forevermore!

They shall lack nothing that may contribute to their full
satisfaction. They may go forever through Immanuel's
land, and behold the glory and riches thereof, with the
satisfying thought--that all they see is eternally their
own! "He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will
be his God and he will be My son!" Revelation 21:7

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

No hissing serpent

(Thomas Boston, "Human Nature in its Fourfold State")

Believers shall be made completely happy in the possession
of the kingdom of heaven. They shall be fully freed from
sin, which of all evils, is the worst. They shall be free from
all temptation to sin. Satan can have no access to tempt
them any more, by himself, or by his agents. No hissing
serpent can come into the paradise above! No snare or
trap can be laid there, to catch the feet of the saints. They
may walk there without fear, for they can be in no hazard in
the promised land. They shall be set beyond the possibility
of sinning, for they shall be confirmed in goodness.

The guilt and the reigning power of sin are then taken away.
The corrupt nature will be fully removed; and no vestiges of
it left in their souls. Their nature shall be altogether pure and
sinless. There shall be no darkness in their minds; but the
understanding will be as a globe of pure and unmixed light.
There shall not be the least aversion to good, nor the least
inclination to evil, in their wills. They will be brought to a
perfect conformity to the will of God; blessed with angelic
purity, and fixed therein. Their affections shall not be liable
to the least disorder or irregularity. They will get such a fixed
habit of purity, as they can never lose. They will be so refined
from all earthly dross, as never more to savor of anything
but of heaven. Their graces shall then be fully perfected.
There will be no more ground for complaints of weakness
of grace, or of an evil heart, or a corrupt nature.

And they shall be freed from all the effects of sin:
"God will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be
no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old
world and its evils are gone forever!" Revelation 21:4

In heaven they find the completion and satisfaction of
all their desires; having the full enjoyment of God, and
uninterrupted communion with Him. In the heavenly
Canaan, Immanuel's land--nothing is lacking to complete
the happiness of the inhabitants. This is the happy country;
blessed with a perpetual spring, and which yields all things
for necessity, convenience, and delight.

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

A worm, a gnat, a fly, a hair, a seed
of a raison, a skin of a grape

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)

"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know
 what a day may bring forth." Proverbs 27:1

Who can sum up the many possible deaths which are
still lurking in his own body; or the innumerable hosts of
external dangers which beleaguer him on every side; or
the invisible arrows which fly about his ears continually!
How soon he may have his mortal wound given him by one
or another of them--who can tell? Now, how sad would it be
for a man to have a summons to appear before God in that
eternal world, before his heart and life are savingly changed!

The life of a man is but a shadow, a runner, a span, a vapor,
a flower, etc. Though there is but one way to come into
the world--yet there are many thousand ways to be
sent out of the world!

We carry about in our bodies, the material for a thousand
deaths, and may die a thousand different ways in several
hours. As many senses, as many members, nay, as many
pores as there are in the body--so many windows there are,
for death to enter in at!

Death needs not spend all his arrows upon us. A worm,
a gnat, a fly, a hair, a seed of a raison, a skin of a
grape, the stumbling of a horse, the trip of a foot, the
prick of a pin, the cutting of a fingernail, the cutting out
of a corn; all these have been to others, and any of them
may be to us--the means of our death within the space of
a few days; nay, of a few hours; nay, of a few moments!

I am sure that the worst of deaths, shall
but translate true believers . . .
  from earth--to heaven,
  from a wilderness--to a paradise,
  from misery--to glory, and
  from mixed and mutable enjoyments--to
the pure and everlasting enjoyments of God!

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

Blessed are the poor in spirit

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the
 kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3

"Blessed are the poor in spirit;" that is--the broken and
humble in heart, who has no high thoughts or conceits of
himself--but is lowly in his own eyes, like a young child.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit;" that is--he who has no lofty
or puffed up spirit. The poor in spirit are those who are lowly,
being truly conscious of their own unworthiness. None are
poor in spirit--but the humble.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit;" that is--blessed are those
whose spirits are brought into such a humble gracious
frame, as willingly, quietly, and contentedly to lie down
in a poor low condition--when it is the pleasure of the
Lord to bring them into such a condition.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit;" that is--blessed are those
who are truly and sincerely sensible of their spiritual
needs, poverty, and misery. They see an utter inability
and insufficiency in themselves, and in all other creatures
--to deliver them out of their sinful and miserable estate.
They see nothing in themselves upon which they dare
venture their everlasting estates--and therefore fly to the
free, rich, sovereign, and glorious grace of God in Christ,
as to their sure and only sanctuary!

They see their need of God's free grace to pardon them.

They see their need of Christ's righteousness to clothe them.

They see their need of the Spirit of Christ to purge, change,
and sanctify them.

They see their need of more heavenly wisdom to counsel them.

They see their need of more . . .
  of the power of God--to support them,
  of the goodness of God--to supply them,
  of the mercy of God--to comfort them,
  of the presence of God--to refresh them,
  of the patience of God--to bear with them, etc.

They see their need of greater measures of faith
--to conquer their fears.

They see their need of greater measures of wisdom--
to walk holily, harmlessly, blamelessly, and exemplary
in the midst of temptations, snares, and dangers.

They see their need of greater measures of patience
--to bear their burdens without fretting or fainting.

They see their need of greater measures of zeal
and courage--to bear up bravely against all sorts
of opposition, both from within and from without.

They see their need of greater measures of love
--to cleave to the Lamb, and to follow the Lamb
wherever He goes.

They see their need of living in a continual dependence
upon God and Christ--for fresh influences, incomes, and
supplies of grace, of comfort, of strength--by which they
may be enabled . . .
  to live for God,
  to walk with God,
  to glorify God,
  to bring forth fruit to God,
  to withstand all temptations which
tend to lead the heart away from God.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the
 kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

His tender mercies

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)

"His tender mercies." Psalm 145:9

"The multitude of His mercies." Psalm 106:45

It is God's free mercy which every day
keeps hell and my soul asunder.

It is God's free mercy which daily pardons my sins.

It is God's free mercy which supplies all my inward
and outward needs.

It is God's free mercy which preserves, and feeds,
and clothes my outward man.

It is God's free mercy which renews, strengthens,
and prospers my inward man.

It is God's free mercy which has kept me many
times from committing such and such sins.

It is God's free mercy which has kept me many a
time from falling before such and such temptations.

It is God's free mercy which has many a time
preserved me from being swallowed up by
such and such inward and outward afflictions.

"Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord." Psalm 119:156

"I will sing of the tender mercies of the Lord forever!"
    Psalm 89:1

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________

[nChrist]

The devil's brat!

(Thomas Brooks, "A Cabinet of Choice Jewels" 1669)

"That sin might become utterly sinful." Romans 7:13

Paul, to set forth the formidable evil that is in sin, expresses
it thus. He could find nothing more evil and odious to express
sin by--than itself. Sin is so great an evil, that it cannot have
a worse epithet given it. Paul can call it no worse than by its
own name--sinful sin. Had he said that sin was a snare, a
serpent, a viper, a toad, a plague, a devil, a hell, etc.--he
would have said much--but yet not enough to set forth the
transcendent evil which is in sin. Therefore he calls it sinful
sin.

All other evils are but outward, they only reach the name,
the body, the estate, the life--but sin is an inward evil, a
spiritual evil, an evil that reaches the precious and immortal
soul--and therefore is the greatest evil.

Death puts an end to all other troubles; namely, poverty,
sickness, disgrace, scorn, contempt, afflictions, losses, etc.
But sin is so great an evil, that death itself cannot put an
end to it! Eternity itself shall never put a stop, an end--to
this evil of evils!

All other evils can never make a man the object of God's
wrath and hatred. A man may be poor--and yet precious in
the eyes of God; he may be greatly abhorred by the world
--and yet highly honored by God; he may be debased by
men--and yet exalted by God. But sin is so great an evil,
that it subjects the sinner's soul to the wrath and hatred
of God!

All other evils do but strike at a man's present well-being
--but sin strikes at a man's eternal well-being! All other
evils can never hinder a man's communion with God. A
man may have communion with God in poverty, in sickness,
in prison, in banishment. But sin is so great an evil, that it
interrupts communion with God, it cuts off communion with
God.

All outward evils are God's creatures: "Is there any evil in
the city--which the Lord has not done?" But sin is the devil's
brat--it is a creature of his own begetting! Yes, sin is worse
than the devil! It is that which has turned glorious angels
into infernal devils!

All other evils do not fight against the greatest good--but
sin is that grand evil that fights against the greatest good.
Sin fights against the being of God, the essence of God, the
glory of God. Sin is a killing of God--it is a murdering of God.

Sin is a universal evil, it is all evil, it is nothing but evil;
there is not one drop, one spark of good to be found in
any sin. In all outward evils there is some good; there is
some good in poverty, in sickness, in war, in death--but
there is not the least good in sin.

Sin is the sole object of God's hatred!

He hates nothing but sin!

He is angry with nothing but sin!

He has forbid nothing but sin!

He has revealed his wrath against nothing
but sin! So great an evil is sin!

Sin is that grand evil which has midwifed all
other evils into the world. It was sin which
drowned the old world with water. It was sin
which destroyed Sodom with fire and brimstone.
It was sin which laid Jerusalem in heaps. It was
sin which has midwifed sword, famine, and
pestilence into the world. It was sin which laid
the foundation of hell--for before sin there was
no hell.

It was sin which crucified the Lord of glory!

Now, oh how great must that evil be--which has
ushered in all these great evils into the world!

Sin is enmity against God. God has no enemy in the
world but sin, and those whom sin has made enemies.
Sin has set all the world against the Lord of glory. It
is sin which has turned men into incarnate devils, and
which has drawn them out to fight against God, and
Christ, and their own souls, and their everlasting peace.

A Christian looks upon sin as the greatest evil in the
world, and his heart rises and is enraged against it,
because of the vile, filthy, odious, and heinous nature
of it!

____________________

From Grace Gems:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
Everything is FREE and Public Domain.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.gracegems.org/
____________________