Grace Gems

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A spiritual playpen where the crying babies must be appeased!

(Joseph Bianchi)

In the twenty-first century, we are obsessed with self-satisfaction and getting our desires met. Hence, any teaching that invades our lifestyle and tells us we must alter or discard out old habits, is usually consigned to the junk pile. In so thinking and doing, the church has been transformed into a spiritual playpen where the crying babies must be appeased with what makes them feel good.

The Evangelical world is abuzz with terms like "purpose driven church" or "seeker friendly church". What these terms really amount to is one thing: compromise.

The goal of churches should not be to see how much like the world they can be, so as to make worldly people feel comfortable. Rather, the churches should be so unlike the world, so alien to the world, that the disillusioned unbeliever will be drawn to them.

"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.
 For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?
 Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?
 What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?
For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."  "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."  "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

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If you hunt the butterfly of wealth too eagerly!

(Charles Spurgeon, "A Good Start!")

He who loses godliness to gain gold--is a great cheater of himself.

Keep yourselves entirely for Christ. Live above the world. Its goods will come to you--when you do not bid too high for them. If you hunt the butterfly of wealth too eagerly--you may spoil it by the grasp with which you secure it!

When earthly things are sought for as the main object, they are degraded into rubbish, and the seeker of them has fallen to be like Bunyan's man with a muck-rake, turning over a dunghill to find nothing. Set your heart on nobler things than lucre! Let us so live that it will be safe for God to add to us the blessings of the present life; but that can only be done with safety, when we have learned to keep the world under our feet.

"Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness--and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33

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The best kind of preaching!

(William Jay, 1769-1853)

What I have always deemed the best kind of preaching is neither highly doctrinal nor overly practical; but distinguished by what I would call experimental--or a constant blending of the doctrines and practice of the Gospel, strongly with the affections and feelings. Many have been sadly deficient here. Their sermons have had theology enough in them, and practical enough; but there was little in them to rend and melt the heart!

"Is not My Word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?" Jeremiah 23:29

"He is not the best preacher who tickles the ear--but who breaks the heart!" (Thomas Brooks)

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We soon grow dull, cold, lifeless, and inactive!

(James Smith, "The Great Comforter" 1858.)

"It is the Spirit who quickens; the flesh profits nothing." John 6:63

All real religion begins with the quickening of the Spirit. When we experience this . . .
  we begin to breathe after spiritual things;
  we open our eyes in a new world;
  we hunger and thirst after righteousness;
  and at length taste that the Lord is gracious.
We then have . . .
  new thoughts,
  new desires,
  new hopes,
  new fears,
  new joys, and
  new sorrows.
The eye fixes on Christ,
the heart goes out to Christ, and
the chief desire of the soul is to be like Christ.

The Spirit not only quickens us at first--but all through life we need and are dependent on the Spirit's quickening. He quickens us to pray, and He quickens us in prayer. It is His quickening which puts . . .
  life into our graces,
  energy into our prayers,
  confidence into our expectations, and
  enables us to resist Satan, steadfast in the faith.

If His quickening power is withheld--we soon grow dull, cold, lifeless, and inactive! We have . . .
  no power in prayer,
  no enjoyment in ordinances,
  no liberty in speaking to the saints,
  nor profit in reading God's Word.
Every duty becomes a task,
every privilege becomes a burden, and
every cross appears insupportable!

While under the quickening operation of the Spirit--we can do all things; but without His quickening--we can do nothing.

Often, very often, have we to cry out from bitter experience, "My soul cleaves unto the dust; quicken me according unto Your Word!" Psalm 119:25

Quickening Spirit, daily quicken my soul!

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Feeding Sheep, or Amusing Goats?

(Charles Spurgeon)

An evil is in the 'professed' camp of the Lord, so gross in its impudence, that the most short-sighted Christian can hardly fail to notice it. During the past few years this evil has developed at an alarming rate. It has worked like leaven, until the whole lump ferments!

The devil has seldom done a more clever thing, than hinting to the Church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them. From speaking out the gospel, the Church has gradually toned down her testimony--then winked at and excused the frivolities of the day. Then she tolerated them in her borders. Now she has adopted them under the plea of reaching the masses!

My first contention is that providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the Church. If it is a Christian work, then why did not Christ speak of it? "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature--and provide amusement for those who do not relish the gospel."

No such words, however, are to be found. It did not seem to occur to Him. Where do entertainers come in? The Holy Spirit is silent concerning them. Were the prophets persecuted because they amused the people--or because they confronted them? The 'concert' has no martyr roll.

Again, providing amusement is in direct antagonism to the teaching and life of Christ and all His apostles. What was the attitude of the apostolic Church to the world? "You are the salt of the world"--not the sugar candy; something the world will spit out--not swallow.

Had Jesus introduced more of the bright and pleasant elements into His teaching, He would have been more popular. When "many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him," I do not hear Him say: "Run after these people, Peter, and tell them we will have a different style of service tomorrow; something short and attractive with little preaching. We will have a pleasant evening for the people. Tell them they will be sure to enjoy it! Be quick, Peter, we must get the people somehow!"

No! Jesus pitied sinners, sighed and wept over them--but never sought to amuse them!

In vain will the epistles be searched to find any trace of the 'gospel of amusement.' Their message is, "Therefore, come out from them and separate yourselves from them... Don't touch their filthy things..." Anything approaching amusement is conspicuous by its absence. They had boundless confidence in the gospel, and employed no other weapon.

After Peter and John were locked up for preaching, the Church had a prayer meeting, but they did not pray, "Lord, grant unto your servants that by a wise and discriminating use of innocent recreation we may show these people how happy we are!"

No! They did not cease from preaching Christ. They had no time for arranging entertainments. Scattered by persecution, they went everywhere preaching the gospel. They turned the world upside down--that is the only difference from today's church.

Lastly, amusement fails to effect the end desired. Let the heavy-laden who found peace through the concert not keep silent! Let the drunkard to whom the dramatic entertainment had been God's link in the chain of their conversion, stand up! There are none to answer! The mission of amusement produces no converts!

The need of the hour for today's ministry is earnest spirituality joined with Biblical doctrine, so understood and felt, that it sets men on fire.

Lord, clear the Church of all the rot and rubbish the devil has imposed on her, and bring us back to apostolic methods!

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My politics!

(Letters of John Newton, 1778.)

The whole system of my politics is summed up in this one verse, "The Lord reigns! Let the nations tremble!" Psalm 99:1

The times look awfully dark indeed; and as the clouds grow thicker--the stupidity of the nation seems proportionally to increase. If the Lord had not a remnant here, I would have very formidable apprehensions. But He loves His redeemed children; some are sighing and mourning before Him, and I am sure He hears their sighs, and sees their tears. I trust there is mercy in store for us at the bottom; but I expect a shaking time before things get into a right channel--before we are humbled, and are taught to give Him the glory.

The state of the nation, the state of the churches--both are deplorable! Those who should be praying--are disputing and fighting among themselves! Alas! how many professors are more concerned for the mistakes of government--than for their own sins!

"Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns!" Revelation 19:6

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My Shepherd!

(J. R. Miller "Bethlehem to Olivet" 1905)

"The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need!" Psalm 23:1

The shepherd is a favorite Scriptural picture of the divine love and care. In the Old Testament, the twenty-third Psalm gathers the whole wonderful truth in exquisite lines, which are dear to young and old wherever the Bible is known. Then in the New Testament, when our Lord would give His friends the sweetest revealings of His heart toward them, and tell them what they are to Him, and what He would be to them--He says, "I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." John 10:11

The Hebrew shepherd lives with his sheep. If they are out in the storm--he is with them. If they are exposed to danger--so is he. Just so, Christ lives with His people. He enters into closest relations with them.

The shepherd knows his sheep. He has a name for each one and calls them all by their names. Just so, Christ knows each one of His friends, and has intimate personal knowledge of each one. He knows the best in us--and also the worst. He knows our faults, our sins, our wanderings. Yet, knowing us as we are--He loves us still and never wearies of us!

The shepherd is most gentle with his sheep. He does not drive them--but goes before them and leads them. When they need rest on the way--he makes them lie down, and chooses for their resting-place, not the dusty road--but green pastures. He is especially kind to the lambs, gathers them in his arms and carries them in his bosom. All this is an exquisite picture of the gentleness of our Good Shepherd in His care of His sheep. He is thoughtful toward the weak. He loves the lambs and makes room for them in His bosom. Whatever the need is, there is something in the heart of Christ which meets its craving and supplies its lack! "He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to His heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young." Isaiah 40:11

The shepherd defends his flock in all danger. Often he had to risk his own safety, even his life, in protecting his sheep. Just so, the Good Shepherd gives His life--for His sheep!

Christ's sheep are absolutely safe in His keeping. "I give unto them eternal life," He said; "and they will never perish--ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand!" Then at last, He will bring His own all safely home, "and they shall become one flock--with one Shepherd!"

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My God! the eternal pit has closed upon them forever!

(Edward D. Griffin, "The Watchman" 1839)

"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from Me." Ezekiel 33:7

Standing on my watch-tower I am commanded that if I see anything of evil coming, to give warning. I solemnly declare that I plainly see evil approaching; I see a storm collecting in the heavens; I perceive the commotion of the troubled elements; I hear the roar of a distant wind--heaven and earth seem mingled in the conflict--and I cry to those for whom I watch, "A storm! A storm! Get into the Ark--or you are swept away!"

Oh! what is it I see next? I see a world convulsed and falling to ruins--the sea burning like oil--nations rising from under ground--the sun falling--the damned in chains before the judgment bar of God, and some of my poor hearers among them! I see them cast from the battlements of the judgment scene! My God! the eternal pit has closed upon them forever!

"Say to them: As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?" Ezekiel 33:11

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There has been too much trifling with Jehovah!

(Archibald Brown, "Amen, O Lord!" 1894)

"Then I answered and said: Amen, O Lord!" Jeremiah 11:5 [Or, So be it, O Lord.]

Perhaps there is a secret contention going on between you and God. God has spoken to you--but thus far there has not been Jeremiah's response of 'Amen, O Lord.'

Here you have the one response which a man of God must ever make to the words of God. When God says anything to him, there is nothing left for him but to bow the head and say, 'Amen, O Lord--so be it!'

This response is the only one that suits a creature's lip.
When God speaks--there is nothing left for man but to hear.
When God decrees--there is nothing for man to do but acquiesce.
When Jehovah gives a command--what is there left for His creature to do but obey?
Any other word than 'Amen' springs from rebellion. Any other response to the word of Jehovah, simply tells of a heart that wars with God.

It is not for men to judge God's words, far less to amend them. If it pleases Jehovah to say anything, no matter how stern, how dreadful, or how searching--there is only one position for man: that is to bow his head and say, 'Amen, O Lord.'

'Oh,' says one, in the proud spirit of our times, 'you are making a bold bid for your God this morning.'

I am. The sovereignty of God needs to be brought to the front. There has been too much trifling with Jehovah! Man needs to have the peacock's feathers plucked out of his cap, and be taught that he is a poor little nothing, and that for God to speak to him at all is infinite condescension, and that for him to say anything else than 'Amen' is boundless impudence!

If God condescends to utter a command, am I to go and judge whether the Lord has a right to say it? Shall I take the word of Jehovah my Maker and weigh it in my scales--and bring up his thoughts to the paltry bar of my fallen reason--and enter my protest unless I can see a good reason for God speaking as He does?

When God promulgates a decree, He does not send it to man to be revised.

His claim is this, "I am Jehovah. I, the Lord, speak that which is right, and let man say: Amen, O Lord."

We are living in the days of the deification of humanity. We hear so much about 'the glory of humanity', and 'the triumphs of humanity'--that God has become little better than a very inferior deity who runs after man and tips His cap to him.

This is not the picture which God's Book gives. God's claim is this, "I am the Lord, and you are but the creatures of My hand. The brightest of My angels are but sparks struck off from the anvil of My creative omnipotence. When I speak, let men and angels be silent; or, if they must speak, let them say: Amen, O Lord!" This is the only the response that suits a creature's lip.

If you can conceive of a being who is . . .
  infinitely wise,
  all-powerful,
  infinitely righteous,
  absolutely holy,
  inflexibly just,
and all gathered up into boundless love--that is God.

If such a One speaks--then what is there left for me but to say, 'Amen'? I am stark, raving mad, if I dare question the utterance of Infinite Wisdom. I am unutterably vile, if I can dare to criticize the utterance of Absolute Love. Idiocy must have taken hold of my brain and, alas! of my heart, if I would amend anything which His infinite holiness has declared. The very nature and character of God declare that the only response for man when God speaks, is 'Amen, O Lord.'

Oh, for that grand attitude of resignation and submission to God, that bows before every word of God--whether it be a silver note of mercy from Heaven, or a thunder-clap of denunciation!

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A man may be most religious--and yet be most ungodly!

(Archibald Brown, "The Ungodly and Their End!" 1874)

"The ungodly are not so--but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous." Psalm 1:4-5

The ungodly--who are they?

I know full well who are uppermost in your minds. I no sooner mentioned the text, and spoke about the doom of the ungodly, than you began to think of the vile and the brutalized characters whose deeds of cruelty make up that shameful list of 'crimes of violence' now appearing in our papers day by day. And side by side with them, you doubtless thought of the drunkard, pouring down his throat the liquid fire to better qualify himself for the devil's work! And you thought of brazen-faced harlotry and open immorality and of those who are steeped to the lips in sin--and of those who live, as they say, 'for time--and let eternity look after itself'. These are the characters you pictured when we read the word 'ungodly'. Well, you are right, they are ungodly.

But I am certain that all I have mentioned fail to compose one-tenth part of those who are legitimately to be included in the catalogue of the ungodly. Remember this: that a man may be ungodly, without being any of the characters that I have mentioned! An ungodly man is simply a man who tries to get through the world without God. It is not necessary for a man's life to be a shame and a disgrace, for him to be ungodly. It is not necessary for him to be steeped in all sorts of vice, in order to be without God.

I will go further, and venture to assert that a man may be most moral--and yet most ungodly. While vile immorality has slain its thousands; a godless morality has slain its tens of thousands! And for one that is dragged down to perdition by the mill-stone of vice--there are hundreds who are taken in the meshes of the net of a Christless virtue. A man may be honest in all his transactions, pure in his language, chaste in his thoughts, an honorable man in all his business dealings--just the very one you would like to trade with--his word may be his bond, and all his actions fair--and yet come under the designation of the ungodly. It is with him, simply morality, skin deep; there has been nothing of regeneration within, without which it is impossible for a man to enter into the kingdom.

Look into his character, and you will find that he is ungodly in every part of his life. Inspect all his motives, and you will find that he never does a thing for God's sake. There is no fear of God before his eyes; there is no reverence for God within his heart. He may be gentle, amiable, moral--a good sort of man as far as this world's goodness is concerned. He would be all right, if a man could be all right without God--but he belongs to the ungodly.

We will go one step further, and say that a man may be most religious--and yet be most ungodly. I can conceive of a man being a most talented preacher--and yet being ungodly. It may be that he has a natural liking and gift for speaking; and he may, perhaps, take a very great deal of interest in the increase of his denomination and the outward mechanism of his church--but for all that he is totally devoid of the life of God within his soul.

Oh, pass the question around, I beg you--you who have made profession of the Lord Jesus Christ for years. Have you got something more than the mere name to live? Are you yet--(oh, can it be?)--ungodly, though a professing Christian--ungodly though once immersed in the name of Christ--ungodly, though your life is almost a pattern for the very best of Christians? The question is, have you God or not? For my text is not about the immoral, the profane, or the criminal--but about those who, whatever else they have, possess not God.

"The ungodly are not so--but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous." Psalm 1:4-5

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Christ's garden!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse." Song of Solomon 5:1

The heart of the believer is Christ's garden. He bought it with His precious blood, and He enters it and claims it as His own.

A garden implies separation. It is not the open common; it is not a wilderness--it is walled around, or hedged in. Would that we could see the wall of separation between the church and the world made broader and stronger. It makes one sad to hear Christians saying, "Well, there is no harm in this; there is no harm in that," thus getting as near to the world as possible. Grace is at a low ebb in that soul which can even raise the question of how far it may go in worldly conformity.

A garden is a place of beauty, it far surpasses the wild uncultivated lands. The genuine Christian must seek to be more excellent in his life than the best moralist, because Christ's garden ought to produce the best flowers in all the world. Even the best is poor, compared with Christ's deservings; let us not put Him off with withering and dwarf plants. The rarest, richest, choicest lilies and roses ought to bloom in the place which Jesus calls His garden.

The garden is a place of growth. The saints are not to remain undeveloped, always mere buds and blossoms. We should grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Growth should be rapid where Jesus is the Gardener, and the Holy Spirit the dew from above.

A garden is a place of retirement. So the Lord Jesus Christ would have us reserve our souls as a place in which He can manifest Himself, as He does not unto the world. O that Christians were more retired, that they kept their hearts more closely shut up for Christ! We often worry and trouble ourselves, like Martha, with much serving--so that we have not the room for Christ that Mary had, and do not sit at His feet as we should. May the Lord grant the sweet showers of His grace to water His garden this day.

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He is both Teacher and Lesson, Guide and Way!

"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:29-30

(Matthew Henry)

We are here invited to Christ as . . .
  our Priest, to be saved by Him,
  our Prince, to be ruled by Him, and
  our Prophet, to be taught by Him.

First, we must come to Christ as our Rest, and repose ourselves in Him.

Second, we must come to Him as our Ruler, and submit ourselves in Him, 'Take My yoke upon you.' This must go along with the former, for Christ is exalted to be both a Prince and a Savior (Acts 5:31), 'a priest upon his throne' (Zechariah 6:13). The rest He promises is a release from the drudgery of sin--not from the service of God. Christ has a yoke for our necks--as well as a crown for our heads; and this yoke He requires that we should take upon us.

Third, we must come to Him as our Teacher, and set ourselves to learn of Him. We must learn of Him to be 'meek and lowly,' and to mortify our pride and passion, which render us so unlike to Him. We must so learn of Christ, for He is both Teacher and Lesson, Guide and Way.

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Treasures and pleasures!

(Thomas Watson, "God is His People's Great Reward!")

"I am your exceeding great reward." Genesis 15:1

God Himself is His people's reward! In what way is God the reward of His people?

God is a satisfying reward. God is a whole ocean of blessedness, so that the soul, while it is bathing in it, cries out in a divine ecstasy, "I have enough!" Here is fullness--but no excess. Psalm 17:15, "I shall be satisfied when I awake with Your likeness." That is--when I awake out of the sleep of death, having my soul embellished with the illustrious beams of Your glory--I shall be satisfied. In God there is not only sufficiency--but redundancy; not only the fullness of the vessel--but the fullness of the fountain! In God, this Ark of blessedness, are all good things to be found. Therefore Jacob, having God for his reward, could say, "I have enough!" or, as it is in the original, "I have all!" Genesis 33:11. God is all marrow and fatness. He is such an plenteous reward as exceeds our very faith. If the Queen of Sheba's heart fainted when she saw all King Solomon's glory--what would it have done to have beheld the astonishing and magnificent reward which God bestows upon His favorites!

God is a suitable reward. The soul, being spiritual, must have something comparable and suitable to make it happy--and that is God. Light is no more suitable to the eye, nor melody to the ear--than God is to the soul. He pours spiritual blessings into the soul, Ephesians 1:3. He . . .
  enriches it with grace,
  feasts it with His love, and
  crowns it with heavenly glory!

God is a pleasant reward. He is the quintessence of delight! He is all beauty and love! To be feeding upon thoughts of God is delicious. Psalm 104:34, "My meditation on Him shall be sweet." It is delightful to the bee to suck the flower. Just so, by holy musing, to suck out some of the sweetness in God, carries a secret delight in it. To have a prospect of God only by faith is pleasant. 1 Peter 1:8, "In whom believing, you rejoice." Then what will the joy of vision be--when we shall have a clear, personal sight of Him--and be laid in the bosom of divine love! What a delicious reward will God be in Heaven! This will be better felt--than expressed. The godly, entering upon their celestial reward, are said to enter into the joy of their Lord, Matthew 25:21. Oh, amazing! The saints enter into God's own joy! They have not only the joy which God bestows--but the joy which God enjoys!

God is a transcendent reward. The artist, going to paint the picture of Helena, not being able to draw her beauty--drew her face covered with a veil. Just so, when we speak of God's excellencies--we must draw a veil. He is so super-eminent a reward, that we cannot set Him forth in all His luster and magnificence. Put the whole world in scale with Him--and it is as if you should weigh a feather compared to a mountain of gold. God is far better than all other things put together! He is better than the world--and better than Heaven! He is the original cause of all good things. Nothing is sweet without Him. He perfumes and sanctifies our comforts!

God being an infinite reward, there can be no defect or scantiness in it. There is no lack in that which is infinite. Some may ask, "Is God sufficient for every individual saint?" Yes! If the sun, which is but a finite creature, disperses its light to the universe--then much more God, who is infinite, distributes glory to the whole number of the elect. As every person enjoys the whole sun to himself--so every believer possesses the whole God to himself. The Lord has land enough to give all His heirs. Throw a thousand buckets into the sea--and there is water enough in the sea to fill them. Just so, though there are millions of saints and angels--there is enough in God to fill them. God is an infinite reward, and though He is continually giving out of His fullness to others--yet He has not the less. His glory is imparted--not impaired. It is a distribution, without a diminution.

God is an honorable reward. Honor is the height of men's ambition. Aristotle calls it the greatest of blessings. What greater dignity than to be taken up into communion with the God of glory, and to possess a kingdom with Him, bespangled with light, and seated with Christ upon His throne, above all the visible orbs!

God is an everlasting reward. Mortality is the flaw of all earthly things. But God is an eternal reward. Eternity cannot be measured by years nor ages. Eternity makes glory, weighty. Psalm 48:14, "This God is our God forever and ever!" Oh, saints of God, your praying and repenting are but for a while--but your reward is forever! As long as God is God, He will be rewarding you! Hosea 2:19, "I will betroth you unto Me forever." God marries Himself to His people, and this admits of no divorce. God's love for His elect is as unchangeable as His love for Christ! "God is my portion forever!" Psalm 73:26. This portion cannot be spent--because it is infinite; nor can it be lost--because it is eternal.

In God are treasures which can never be emptied--and pleasures which can never be ended!

"You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand!" Psalm 16:11

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That immortal bird!

(Thomas Brooks, "London's Lamentations" 1670)

As the mercy of God is infinite towards the elect--so the justice of God is infinite towards the reprobate in Hell. The reprobate shall have . . .
  punishment without pity,
  misery without mercy,
  sorrow without support,
  crying without compassion,
  mischief without measure,
  and torment without end!

All men in misery comfort themselves with the hope of an ending to their misery.
The prisoner comforts himself with hope of a deliverance.
The mariner comforts himself with hope of a safe harbor.
The soldier comforts himself with hope of victory.
The slave comforts himself with hope of liberty.

But the impenitent sinner has no hope in Hell! He shall have . . .
  death without death,
  night without day,
  mourning without mirth,
  sorrow without solace,
  bondage without liberty!

The damned shall live as long in Hell--as God Himself shall live in Heaven!

Suppose, say some--that the whole world were turned to a mountain of sand, and that a little bird should come every thousandth year and carry away one grain of sand from that heap. What an infinite number of years--not to be numbered by all finite beings--would be spent before this supposed mountain would be fetched away!

Now if a man should lie in everlasting burnings so long a time as this--and then have an end of his woe--it would administer some ease, refreshment, and comfort to him. But when that immortal bird shall have carried away this supposed mountain of sand a thousand times over and over; alas! alas! man shall be as far from the end of his anguish and torment as ever he was! He shall be no nearer coming out of Hell, than he was the very first moment that he entered into Hell.

If the fire of Hell were terminable, it might then be tolerable.
But being endless, it must needs be easeless and remediless!

[nChrist]

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It is His groans, His tears, His cries--which  best tell what Hell means!

(Archibald Brown, "The Scriptural Doctrine of Hell!" 1878.)

"For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to Hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; if He did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people; if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly--if this is so, then the Lord knows how to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment!" 2 Peter 2:4-9

It is now customary to describe the views of future punishment held by most of us, as 'medieval', and to declare that our ideas are mainly gleaned from pictures to be found in old galleries. I suppose I have seen about as many of the old masters in the galleries of Europe as most--but I must acknowledge I have never yet seen any picture from hand of a medieval artist half so dreadful as some of the descriptions that fell from our Lord's lips!

'Medieval' is it, to speak about weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth? These words came not from the lips of any mortal man. They fell from the same lips that said, 'Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' Neither Paul, nor Peter, nor any of the apostles, ever uttered such words as leaped from the lips of the Man of Sorrows. Christ's descriptions of Hell are the most fearful that we have! It is the lips of infinite love that speak of being cut asunder, and about burning with the fire that is never quenched!

O brethren, if you want to measure the deep horrors of the lost--you must measure them by the cross of Christ! It is His groans, His tears, His cries--which  best tell what Hell means! Your breaking heart, Lord Jesus--Your flowing blood--Your death-cry of 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'--these are the things that say to me more than anything else, 'There is a dreadful judgment to come upon the sinner for his sins!'

He who . . .
  hurled the angels from Heaven to Hell,
  and drowned the ancient world,
  and destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah--
has still power to smite! Oh, do not rouse my God to anger. Will you count His patience to be indifference? Because He still lengthens out the time of grace, will you presume on it? 'Escape for your life! Flee from the wrath to come!'