Grace Gems

[nChrist]

Is there no silent lesson here for us?

(Horatius Bonar, "Bethany and Its Feast")

"While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man
 known as Simon the Leper, a woman came to Him
 with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume,
 which she poured on His head as He was reclining
 at the table." Matthew 26:6-7

Reverence, homage, love--are all embodied in this act.
She grudges no cost for Him whom she so reverently
loves.

"She has done a beautiful thing to Me!" Matthew 26:10

It is Mary whom Jesus marks and commends. Her fervent
love, pouring itself out in one single act of devotion, gets
the highest notice.

Is there no silent lesson here for us? It is not labor,
nor suffering, which get the highest commendation from
Jesus. It is love--pure, warm, ungrudging, loyal love! It
is this which gets the Master's "Well done." He can do
without the others--but not without this.

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[nChrist]

The best means to mortify sin

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

"Therefore, put to death whatever in you is worldly:
 sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and
 greed, which is idolatry." Colossians 3:5

While a darling sin lives and keeps the throne in the heart,
grace and holiness will be kept exceeding weak and low. But
when your darling sin is dethroned and slain by the power
and the sword of the Spirit--grace and holiness will quickly
grow stronger and stronger, and rise higher and higher.

When a man has eaten poison, nothing will make him thrive,
until he has vomited up the poison. Beloved sins--they are
the poison of the soul, and until these are vomited up, and
cast out by sound repentance, and the exercise of faith in the
blood of Christ, the soul will never thrive in grace and holiness!

If ever you would attain to higher degrees of holiness,
then fall with all your might, upon subduing and crucifying
your most raging corruptions, and your most daring lusts!

Oh do not think that your golden and your silver idols will
lay down their weapons, and yield the battle, and lie at your
feet, and let you trample them to death--without striking a
blow! Oh remember that besetting-sins will do all they can
to keep their ground, and therefore you must arise with all
your strength against them, and crush them to powder,
and burn them to ashes!

Oh deal with your most enraged lusts, as the Philistines
dealt with Samson--pluck out their eyes, and force them
to grind in the mill of mortification, until their strength is
utterly consumed and wasted.

I have read of five men, who being asked what was
the best means to mortify sin, gave these answers.

Said the first, "The best means to mortify sin,
is to meditate on death."

Said the second, "The best means to mortify sin,
is to meditate on the judgment-day."

Said the third, "The best means to mortify sin,
is to meditate on the joys of heaven."

Said the fourth, "The best means to mortify sin,
is to meditate on the torments of hell."

Said the fifth, "The best means to mortify sin, is to
meditate on the death and sufferings of Christ."

Doubtless the last man hit the nail on the head!

The daily sight of a bleeding, groaning, dying
Savior--is the only thing which will subdue and
mortify darling sins!

O friends! Never leave looking up to a crucified Christ,
until virtue flows from Him to the crucifying of those
special besetting sins which do most obstruct and
hinder the growth and increase of holiness.

____________________

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[nChrist]

Holy, holy, holy

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

"Who is like You, glorious in holiness?" Exodus 15:11

God is . . .
  infinitely holy,
  transcendently holy,
  superlatively holy,
  constantly holy,
  unchangeably holy,
  exemplary holy,
  gloriously holy.

All the holiness that is in the best and choicest
Christians is but a mixed holiness, a weak and
imperfect holiness. Their unholiness is always
more than their holiness.
Ah, what a great deal . . .
  of pride is mixed with a little humility,
  of unbelief is mixed with a little faith,
  of peevishness is mixed with a little meekness,
  of earthliness is mixed with a little heavenliness,
  of carnality is mixed with a little spirituality,
  of harshness is mixed with a little tenderness!

Oh, but the holiness of God is a pure holiness, it is
a holiness without mixture; there is not the least
drop or the least dreg of unholiness in God! "God
is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." 1 John 1:5

In God there is . . .
  all wisdom without any folly,
  all truth without any falsehood,
  all light without any darkness, and
  all holiness without any sinfulness.

God is universally holy.
He is holy in all His ways,
and holy in all His works.
His precepts are holy precepts,
His promises are holy promises,
His threatenings are holy threatenings,
His love is a holy love,
His anger is a holy anger,
His hatred is a holy hatred, etc.

His nature is holy,
His attributes are holy,
His actions are all holy.

He is holy in sparing;
  and holy in punishing.
He is holy in justifying of some;
  and holy in condemning of others.
He is holy in bringing some to heaven;
  and holy in throwing others to hell.

God is holy . . .
  in all His sayings,
  in all His doings,
  in whatever He puts His hand to,
  in whatever He sets His heart to.
His frowns are holy,
His smiles are holy.
When He gives, His givings are holy giving;
when He takes away, His takings are holy takings, etc.

"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord Almighty!" Isaiah 6:3

God is eminently holy.
He is transcendently holy.
he is superlatively holy.
He is glorious in holiness.

There is no fathoming,
there is no measuring,
there is no comprehending,
there is no searching, of that
infinite sea of holiness, which is in God.
O sirs! you shall as soon . . .
  stop the sun in its course, and
  change the day into night, and
  raise the dead,
  and make a world, and
  count the stars of heaven, and
  empty the sea with a cockle-shell,
as you shall be able either to conceive or express
that transcendent holiness which is in God!

God's holiness is infinite.
It can neither be . . .
  limited, nor
  lessened, nor
  increased.

God is the spring of all holiness and purity. All that
holiness which is in angels and men flows from God,
  as the streams from the fountain,
  as the beams from the sun,
  as the branches from the root,
  as the effect from the cause.
Ministers may pray that their people may be holy,
parents may pray that their children may be holy;
but they cannot give holiness, nor communicate
holiness to their nearest and dearest relations.
God alone is the giver and the author of all holiness.
It is only the Holy One who can cause holiness to flow
into sinners' hearts; it is only He who can form, and
frame, and infuse holiness into the souls of men.
A man shall sooner make make a world--than he shall
make another holy. It is only a holy God, who can . . .
  enlighten the mind, and
  bow the will, and
  melt the heart, and
  raise the affections, and
  purge the conscience, and
  reform the life, and
  put the whole man into a holy gracious temper.

God is exemplary holy. He is the rule, example, and
pattern of holiness. "Be holy, as I am holy." 1 Pet. 1:15.
God's holiness is the copy which we must always have in
our eye, and endeavor most exactly to write after.

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[nChrist]

Worse than sodomy!

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

"If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words,
 shake the dust off your feet when you leave that house
 or town. I assure you: It will be more tolerable on the
 day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah
 than for that town." Matthew 10:14-15

Sodom and Gomorrah shall have an easier and cooler
hell than such shall have--who have despised the offers
of His grace, and the offers of His mercy. Contempt of
Christ and His gospel--is worse than sodomy!

"Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from
 the heavens on Sodom and Gomorrah!" Genesis 19:24

The punishments of Sodom and Gomorrah, are but scratches
on the hand, and flea-bitings--compared to those dreadful and
astonishing judgments which God, in the great day of account,
will inflict upon all Christ-refusers and gospel-despisers!

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever
 rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on
 him." John 3:36

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[nChrist]

So blind, so deaf, so dumb, so lame, so dead

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

The holy Christian is the greatest miracle.

He can tell you that he was so blind--but now God
has given him eyes to see sin to be the greatest evil;
and Christ to be the choicest good.

He can tell you that once he was so deaf--that though
God called very often and very loudly to him--by His
word and by His works, by His rods at home and by
His judgments abroad, and by his Spirit and conscience,
which were still a-preaching in his bosom--sometimes life,
sometimes death, sometimes heaven, and sometimes hell
--yet he could not hear! But now God has given him a
hearing ear, so that now he can with delight hear the
sweet music of the promises on the one hand; and
with a holy trembling listen to the voice of divine
threatenings on the other hand.

He can tell you that once he was so dumb--that if he
might have had the whole world, he could not have
spoken a good word for God, nor for His ways, nor for
His people, nor for any of His concernments. Oh! but
now his tongue is as the pen of a ready writer--and
he is never better, than when he is a-speaking either
of God, or for God and His concerns. Now he can
contend for the faith, and speak for saints. And though
in some cases he may lack power to act for God--yet he
never lacks a tongue to speak for God. The spouse's lips
drop honeycombs in Canticles 4:11. Yes, his tongue now
becomes a tree of life, whose leaves are medicinal.

He can tell you that once he was so lame--that he was
not able to move one foot heaven-wards, nor Christ-wards,
nor holiness-wards, etc. But now his feet delight, not only
to go--but to run in all the ways of God's commands!

Yes, he can tell you that once he was so dead--as to all
his soul-concerns. But now he is alive, and the life that
he leads in the flesh, is by faith in the Son of God, who
has loved him and given Himself for him, Gal. 2:20.

It was by a miracle that the Red Sea was driven back;
and it is no less a miracle--to see a sinner who was
accustomed to do evil--now habituated to do good.

That the tide of sin, which before did run so strong
--should be so easily turned; that the sinner who, a
little before was sailing hellward, and lacked neither
wind nor tide to carry him there--should now suddenly
alter his course, and tack about for heaven--what a
miracle is this! To see . . .
  an earthly man become heavenly,
  a carnal man become spiritual,
  a loose man become precise,
  a proud man become humble,
  a covetous man become liberal, and
  a harsh man become meek, etc.,
is to behold the greatest of miracles!

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[nChrist]

Oh stand and wonder!

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

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,
 that we should be called children of God!" 1 John 3:1

O sirs! what matter of admiration is this--that the
great and glorious God, who has many millions of
glorious angels attending Him--that He should . . .
  look upon all holy people as His sons, and
  love them as His sons, and
  delight in them as His sons, and
  clothe them as His sons, and
  feed them as His sons, and
  protect them as His sons!

What great love is this--that those who have . . .
  so highly provoked God,
  walked so cross and contrary to God,
  were so exceeding unlike God,
  preferred every lust, and every toy and vanity before God,
  fought many years under Satan's banner against God,
  refused all the kind offers of mercy from God;
that those who have deserved to be . . .
  reprobated by God,
  damned by God, and
  to be thrown to hell by God--
that these should be made the sons of God!

Oh stand and wonder! Oh stand and admire the
freeness of His grace, and the riches of His grace!

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,
 that we should be called children of God!" 1 John 3:1

____________________

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[nChrist]

Pleasure, delight, contentment and satisfaction in God

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

There are no people under heaven, who take any real
pleasure, delight, contentment and satisfaction
in God--but those who are genuinely holy.

"How is your Beloved better than others, most beautiful
 of women? How is your Beloved better than others, that
 you charge us so?" Song of Songs 5:9

The covetous man takes pleasure and delight in his money-bags.

The ambitious man takes pleasure and delight in his honors.

The voluptuous man takes pleasure and delight in his lusts.

The malicious man takes pleasure and delight in his revenge.

The envious man takes pleasure in the harms which befall others.

The drunkard takes pleasure and delight in his cups.

The adulterer takes pleasure and delight in his harlots.

The gamester takes pleasure and delight in his shifts and tricks.

The worldling takes pleasure in his fopperies and fooleries.

It is only the holy man who takes pleasure and delight in God.
To delight and take pleasure in God, is a work too high, too
hard, too spiritual, and too noble--for any but holy people!

"My Beloved is dark and dazzling, better than ten thousand
 others! Yes, He is altogether lovely! This is my Beloved, and
 this is my Friend!" Song of Songs 5:10, 16


"I delight greatly in the Lord! My soul rejoices in my God!"
    Isaiah 61:10

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[nChrist]

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 desertions, 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 depth,
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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[nChrist]

I am not the man that I was!

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

All true holiness is the immediate fruit of genuine
union with Christ. Christ is made not only wisdom,
righteousness, and redemption--but He is also made
sanctification to us, 1 Cor. 1:30. He who is in Christ
is a new creature. He has . . .
  a new head,
  a new heart,
  a new lip,
  a new life,
  a new spirit,
  new principles,
  new ends.
He can truly say, "I am not the man that I was!
  I was a lion--yet holiness has made me a lamb!
  I was a wolf--yet holiness has made me a sheep!
  I was a raven--yet holiness has made me a dove!"

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[nChrist]

His treasured possession

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

"For you are a people holy to the Lord your God.
 The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the
 peoples on the face of the earth to be His people,
 His treasured possession." Deuteronomy 7:6

God makes . . .
  many rich, and
  many great, and
  many honorable, and
  many mighty, and
  many wise, and
  many noble, and
  many beautiful, and
  many successful--
whom He will never make holy.

But in making you holy--God has made you spiritually
great, rich, honorable, wise, and beautiful, etc. Holiness
is a singular fruit of God's special favor and love.

God has a common favor and love for all men, yes,
for the worst of men; witness that common preservation,
and common protection, and common provision--which
He grants to them. But God has a special love and
favor--and this runs out only to His holy ones.

Holiness is a divine beam, a heavenly drop, a
choice pledge of God's special favor and love.

O sirs! though the world may slight you, and enemies
revile you, and friends disfavor you--yet let this support
you, let this rejoice you--that you are God's treasured
possession!

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[nChrist]

The best way to be holy

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

"Turn to the Lord with weeping and with mourning."
    Joel 2:12

The best way to be holy is to accuse, indict, arraign,
and condemn yourself for your unholiness. Greatly
lament and mourn over your own unholiness, over
your own wickedness. Go to your closet, and fall
down before the most high and holy God, and
mourn bitterly over . . .
  the unholiness of your nature,
  the unholiness of your heart,
  the unholiness of your affections,
  the unholiness of your intentions,
  the unholiness of your thoughts,
  the unholiness of your words,
  the unholiness of your life.

Oh, who can look upon sin . . .
  as an offence against a holy God,
  as the breach of a holy law,
  as the wounding and crucifying of a holy Savior,
  as the grieving and saddening  of a holy Sanctifier,
and not mourn over it?

Oh, who can cast a serious eye . . .
  upon the heinous nature of sin,
  upon the exceeding sinfulness of sin,
  upon the aggravations of sin--
and not have . . .
  his heart humbled,
  his soul grieved,
  his spirit melted,
  his mouth full of penitential confessions,
  his eyes full of penitential tears, and
  his heart full of penitential sorrow?

The Christian mourns that he has sinned against . . .
  a God so great,
  a God so gracious,
  a God so bountiful,
  a God so merciful.

Oh, how should a sinner fall a-weeping when he
looks upon the greatness of his wickedness, and
his lack of holiness! As ever you would be holy,
mourn over your own unholiness.

Those who weep not for sin here--shall weep
out their eyes in hell hereafter! It is better to
weep bitterly for your sins on earth, than to
weep eternally for your folly in hell.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they
 will be comforted." Matthew 5:4

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[nChrist]

The most powerful charm of Satan

(Brooks, "The Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures")

Honors, riches, and pleasures are the three deities,
which all people adore, and to whom they continually
sacrifice their best thoughts and energies. These, for
their unparalleled vanity, may well be called "the
vanity of vanities!"

Honors, riches, and pleasures are but . . .
  a mere shadow,
  a vapor,
  a feather in the cap,
  a breath,
  a froth,
  a dream,
  a nothing.
They are without true substance. Like in a dream,
you imagine they have substance--you grasp at
them and awake--and they are nothing!

And yet, they are the most powerful charm
of Satan, whereby he lulls men to sleep in the
paradise of fools; to cast them, after they die,
into the bottomless pit of eternal woe!

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[nChrist]

The best of saints are sinners

(Brooks, "The Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures")

A child of God may slip into a sin--as a sheep may slip
into the mire. But he does not, and cannot wallow in
sin--as the swine wallows in the mire.

The best of saints are sinners, though the worst
and weakest of saints do not indulge sin or cherish it;
or make daily provision for it; or take daily pleasure
and delight in sin; or habitually yield a willing and
total subjection to the authority and commands of sin.

There is as much difference between sin in a regenerate
person--and sin in an unregenerate person, as there is
between poison in a man--and poison in a serpent.
Poison in a man is most offensive and burdensome, and
he readily uses all remedies and antidotes to expel it
and get rid of it. But poison in a serpent, is in its
natural place, and is most pleasing and delightful.

Just so, sin in a regenerate man is most offensive and
burdensome, and he readily uses all holy means and
antidotes to expel it and to get rid of it. But sin in an
unregenerate man is most pleasing and delightful, it
being in its natural place.

A godly man may have many sins--yet he has not
one beloved sin, one bosom sin, one darling sin.
His sins are his greatest grief and torment.

Every godly man . . .
  hates all known sin,
  would sincerely have his sins not only pardoned, but destroyed,
  groans under the burden of sin,
  combats and conflicts with all known sin,
  has fixed purposes and designs not to sin,
  has a sincere willingness to be rid of all sin.

No sincere Christian indulges himself in any
trade, course, or way of sin. "Oh," says the
gracious soul, "that I could be rid of . . .
  this proud heart,
  this hard heart,
  this unbelieving heart,
  this unclean heart,
  this earthly heart,
  this froward heart of mine!"

O sirs, this is most certain--whoever gives up himself
freely, willingly, cheerfully, habitually--to the service
of any one particular lust or sin--he is in the state of
nature, under wrath, and in the way to eternal ruin!

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[nChrist]

One puddle, if we wallow in it

(Brooks, "The Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures")

One sin stripped the fallen angels of all their glory.

One sin stripped our first parents of all their dignity
and excellency.

One fly in the box of precious ointment spoils the
whole box.

One thief may rob a man of all his treasure.

One disease may deprive a man of all his health.

One millstone will sink a man to the bottom of
the sea, as well as a hundred.

One puddle, if we wallow in it--will defile us.
Just so, one sin allowed and lived in--will make
a man miserable forever.

Some will leave all their sins but one. Satan can hold
a man fast enough by one sin which he allows and lives
in--as the fowler can hold the bird fast enough by one
wing or by one claw.

Satan is content that men should yield to God in many
things--provided that they will be but true to Satan in
some one thing. The devil knows very well, that as one
grain of poison may poison a man, and one stab at the
heart may kill a man--just so, one sin unrepented of,
one sin allowed, retained, cherished, and practiced
--will certainly damn a man.

Though all the parts of a man's body are healthy,
except only one part--that one diseased and ulcerous
part may be deadly to you. Just so, one sin allowed,
indulged, and lived in--will prove killing and damning
to you.

It is horrid hypocrisy, damnable folly, and astonishing
impudency--for a man to beg the pardon of those very
sins which he is resolved never to forsake.

These things should be frequently and seriously thought
of, by such poor fools as are entangled by any lust.

____________________

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[nChrist]

He drank it up--every drop!

(Brooks, "The Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures")

"Who can comprehend the power of Your wrath?"
    Psalm 90:11

Jesus Christ comprehends it, for He underwent it!
His whole life was made up of suffering.
From His birth to His death,
from His cradle to the cross,
from the womb to the tomb,
--He was a man of sorrows!

Behold His bodily sufferings--
  the crown of thorns on His head,
  the smiting of His cheeks,
  the spitting on His face,
  the scourging of His body,
  the cross on His back,
  the vinegar in His mouth,
  the nails in His hands and feet,
  the spear in His side,
His crucifixion and death on the cross
--might well astonish us!

Behold that head, before which angels cast down
themselves and worshiped--crowned with thorns!

Behold those eyes, which were purer than the
sun--put out by the darkness of death!

Behold those ears which heard nothing but halleluiahs
--hearing the blasphemies of the multitude!

Behold that lovely face--spit on by such beastly
wretches!

Behold that mouth and tongue, which "spoke as
never any man spoke"--accused of blasphemy!

Behold those hands, which freely swayed the
scepter of heaven--nailed to the cross!

Behold those feet, "like unto fine brass"
--nailed to the cross for man's sins!

Who can behold Christ thus suffering--
and not be struck with astonishment?

1 Peter 3:18, "Christ has suffered for sins once for
all, the righteous for the unrighteous." This is . . .
  the wonderment of angels,
  the happiness of fallen man, and
  the torment of devils--that Christ has suffered.
The doleful tragedy of His sufferings is unutterable!

The sufferings of Jesus Christ were very great and
heinous. What agony, what torment was our Savior
racked with! "He was despised and rejected--a man
of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief!" Is. 53:3
He was a man of sorrows--as if He were a man made
up of sorrows! He knew more sorrows than any man,
yes, than all men ever did! We never read that Jesus
laughed at all, when He was in the world. His whole
life was filled up with sufferings.

How deep were His wounds!

How weighty His burden!

How full of trembling His cup, when He lay under
the mountains of the guilt of all the elect!

How bitter were His tears!

How painful His bloody sweat!

How dreadful His death!

Lamentations 1:12 is very applicable to Christ--
"Look and see! Is there any pain like Mine, which
was dealt out to Me, which the Lord made Me suffer
on the day of His burning anger?" What sufferings
can you think of, which Christ did not suffer? Christ
suffered in His birth, and He suffered in His life,
and He suffered in His death. He suffered in His
body, for He was diversely tormented. He suffered
in His soul, for His soul was exceedingly sorrowful.
He suffered in His estate, they parted His clothing,
and He had nowhere to rest His head. He suffered
in His reputation, for He was called a Samaritan,
a devilish sorcerer, a drunkard, an enemy to Caesar,
etc. He suffered from heaven, when He cried out,
"My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?" He
suffered from the earth, being hungry. He suffered
from hell, Satan assaulting and encountering Him
with his most black and horrid temptations. He
began His life lowly and basely, and was sharply
persecuted. He continued His life poorly and
distressedly, and was cruelly hated. He ended His
life woefully and miserably, and was most grievously
tormented with whips, thorns, nails; and, above all,
with the terrors of His Father's wrath and horrors of
hellish agonies! Who can compute how many vials of
God's inexpressible, insupportable wrath, which Christ
drank? Yet, He drank it up--every drop, leaving
nothing behind for His redeemed people--but large
draughts of love and salvation!

The death of Christ on the cross was . . .
  a bitter death,
  a sorrowful death,
  a bloody death.
The bitter thoughts of His sufferings put Him into a
most dreadful agony: "Being in an agony, He prayed
more earnestly, and His sweat was as great drops of
blood falling to the ground." Luke 22:44

Nothing could fasten Christ to the cross--but the
golden link of His free love! Oh, what a wonder of
love is this--that Jesus Christ, who is the author of
life, the fountain of life, the Lord of life--that He
should so freely, so readily, so cheerfully lay down
His life for us!

____________________

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Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
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