Grace Gems

[nChrist]

What would the damned in hell
give, for one hour's sleep!

(Thomas Watson, "The Lord's Prayer")

"Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath!"
    1 Thessalonians 1:10

In the kingdom of heaven--we shall be freed
from the torments of hell.

Consider the multiplicity of those torments.
In this life, the body is usually exercised with
only one pain at one time; but in hell there
is a diversity of torments. There is . . .
  darkness to affright,
  fire to burn,
  a lake of sulphur to choke,
  chains to bind, and
  the worm to gnaw!

The torments of hell will seize upon every part of the
body and soul. The eye shall be tortured with the sight
of devils; and the tongue that has sworn so many oaths,
shall be tortured. "Send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip
of his finger in water, and cool my tongue." Luke 16:24.
The memory will be tormented to remember the mercies
that have been abused, and seasons of grace neglected.
The conscience will be tormented with self-accusations.

The pains of hell are unmitigated, with no mixture of
mercy. In this life, God in anger remembers mercy. But
in hell there is no alleviation or lessening of the pains.
In hell, there is no oil of mercy to assuage the sufferings
of the damned.

In the pains of hell, there is no intermission. "The
smoke of their torment rises forever and ever, and they
will have no rest day or night!" Rev 14:11. What would
the damned in hell give, for one hour's sleep! They
are perpetually on the rack. There is no expiration in the
pains of hell; they must always lie scorching in flames of
wrath!

But in the heavenly kingdom, the elect shall be freed
from all infernal torments. "Jesus, who rescues us from
the coming wrath!" A prison is not made for the King's
children. Christ drank that bitter cup of God's wrath--
that the saints might never drink it!

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[nChrist]

No serpent of sin will breed there

(Thomas Watson, "The Lord's Prayer")

"Nothing impure will ever enter it." Revelation 21:27

The kingdom of heaven excels all other kingdoms in
holiness. Earthly kingdoms are for the most part unholy;
there is a common sore of luxury and uncleanness running
in them. Earthly kingdoms are stages for sin to be acted on.
"All the tables are covered with vomit and there is not a spot
without filth." Isaiah 28:8. But the kingdom of heaven is so
holy--that it will not mix with any corruption. It is so pure a
soil--that no serpent of sin will breed there. There, beauty
is not stained with lust, and honor is not swelled with pride.
Holiness is the brightest jewel of the crown of heaven.

"Nothing impure will ever enter it." Revelation 21:27

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[nChrist]

My sweet pomegranate wine

(Thomas Watson, "The Lord's Prayer")

"Christ's love compels us." 2 Corinthians 5:14

True love to love God turns the soul into a seraphim;
it makes it burn in a flame of affection. Love is the
truest touchstone of sincerity.

Love is the queen of the graces; it commands the
whole soul. If our love to God is genuine, we let Him
have the supremacy of our love. We will set Him in
the highest place of our soul. We will give Him the
purest of our love. "I would give You spiced wine to
drink, my sweet pomegranate wine." Canticles 8:2.
If the spouse had anything better--a cup more juicy
and spiced--Christ would drink of that!

We give the creature the milk of our love;
but God gets the cream!

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[nChrist]

The fire, the worm, the prison are eternal!

(Thomas Watson, "The Lord's Prayer")

"And they will go away into eternal punishment,
 but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:46

See what opposite ways, the godly and the wicked go
at death! The godly go to a glorious kingdom; the
wicked go to a loathsome prison! The devil is the jailer,
and they are bound with the chains of darkness. Jude 6.
What are these chains? Not iron chains--but worse; the
chain of God's decree, decreeing them to righteous
torment; and the chain of God's power, whereby He
binds them fast under eternal wrath!

The deplorable condition of impenitent sinners, is that
when they die--they go to a dreadful dungeon. Oh,
think what horror and despair will possess the wicked,
when they see themselves engulfed in misery, and their
condition hopeless, helpless, endless! They are in a fiery
prison--and there is no possibility of getting out!

A servant under the law, who had a hard master--at
every seventh year might go free. But in hell there is
no year of release when the damned shall go free--
the fire, the worm, the prison are eternal!

If the whole world, from earth to heaven, were filled with
grains of sand, and once in a thousand years an angel
should come and fetch away one grain--how many millions
of ages would pass before that vast heap of sand would be
spent! Yet, if after all this time the sinner might come out
of hell, there would be some hope. But this word "forever!"
breaks the heart with despair!

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[nChrist]

True faith

(Thomas Watson, "The Lord's Prayer")

True faith is joined with holiness. As a little
musk sweetens, so a little faith purifies. Though
faith does but touch Christ--it fetches a healing
virtue from Him. Justifying faith does that in a
spiritual sense, which miraculous faith does--it
removes the mountains of sin, and casts them
into the sea of Christ's blood!

True faith is prolific. It brings forth fruit; it has
Rachel's beauty--and Leah's fruitfulness. Faith is
full of good works. It believes as if it did not work
--and it works as if it did not believe. Faith is the
spouse-like grace which marries Christ; and good
works are the children which it bears!

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[nChrist]

The prosperity of the wicked

(Thomas Watson, "The Lord's Prayer")

"I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity
 of the wicked. This is what the wicked are like--
 always carefree, they increase in wealth. Surely
 in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have
 I washed my hands in innocence."
    Psalm 73:3, 12-13

The children of God have little cause to envy the
prosperity of the wicked. They may have all they
can desire; nay, they may have "more than heart
can wish." Psalm 73:7. They steep themselves in
pleasure! "They sing to the music of tambourine
and harp; they make merry to the sound of the
flute." Job 21:12. The wicked are high--when
God's people are low in the world.

The goats scramble up the mountains of prosperity;
when Christ's sheep are below in the valley of tears!
The wicked are clothed in purple; while the godly
are in sackcloth. The prosperity of the wicked is
a great stumbling block. But there is no cause of
envy them, if we consider two things:

First--that this is all they have! "Son, remember
that you in your lifetime received your good things"
--you had all your heaven here.

Secondly--that God has laid up better things for
His children. He has prepared a kingdom of glory for
them! They shall have the beatific vision; they shall
be crowned with the pleasures of paradise forever!
Oh, then do not envy the fleeting prosperity of the
wicked!

The wicked go through a pleasant way--to execution!
The godly go through a foul way--to coronation!

See how happy all the saints are at death! They go
to a kingdom! They shall see God's face, which shines
ten thousand times brighter than the sun in its meridian
glory. The godly at death shall be installed into their
honor, and have the royal crown set upon their head.
They have in the kingdom of heaven--the quintessence
of all delights. They shall lie in Christ's bosom, that bed
of spices.

There is such a pleasant variety in the happiness of heaven,
that after millions of years it will be as fresh and desirable
as the first hour's enjoyment! In the kingdom of heaven,
the saints are crowned with all those perfections which they
are capable of. The desires of the glorified saints are infinitely
satisfied; there is nothing absent which they could wish might
be enjoyed; there is nothing present which they could wish
might be removed.

In the kingdom of heaven there is . . .
  knowledge without ignorance,
  holiness without sin,
  beauty without blemish,
  strength without weakness,
  light without darkness,
  riches without poverty,
  ease without pain,
  liberty without restraint,
  rest without labor,
  joy without sorrow,
  love without hatred,
  plenty without surfeit,
  honor without disgrace,
  health without sickness,
  peace without discord,
  contentment without cessation,
  glory in its highest elevation!
Oh, the happiness of those who die in the
Lord! They go into this blessed kingdom!

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[nChrist]

An eyesore to the damned in hell

(Thomas Watson, "The Lord's Prayer")

"There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth,
 when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the
 prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves
 thrown out!" Luke 13:28

A great aggravation of the loss of heaven will be to
look upon others who have gained the kingdom. The
happiness of the godly in heaven, will be an eyesore
to the damned in hell. When the wicked shall see
those whom they hated and scorned--exalted to the
kingdom, and shine with robes of glory, and they
themselves miss the kingdom--it will be a dagger at
the heart, and make them gnash their teeth for envy!

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[nChrist]

The world's golden sands!
 
 (Thomas Watson, "The Lord's Prayer")
 
 "Do not love the world or anything in the world.
  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father
  is not in him." 1 John 2:15
 
 If you would not fall short of the kingdom of heaven,
 take heed of worldly-mindedness. A covetous spirit
 chokes holy affections, as the earth puts out the fire.
 
 "The riches of the world, are the snares of the devil!"
 
 Riches are golden snares! If a man were to climb up a
 steep rock, and had weights tied to his legs--it would
 hinder him in his ascent. Just so, many golden weights
 will hinder us from climbing up the steep rock which
 leads to heaven.
 
 The world is no friend to grace. The more the babe
 sucks--the weaker the mother is. Just so, the more
 the world sucks--the weaker our grace is.
 
 Had a man a monopoly of all the wealth of the world;
 could he heap up riches to the stars--yet his heart
 would not be filled. Covetousness is never satisfied.
 Joshua could stop the course of the sun--but could not
 stop Achan in his covetous pursuit of the wedge of gold.
 He whose heart is locked up in his chest, will be locked
 out of heaven!
 
 Some ships which have escaped the rocks--have
 been wrecked upon the sands. Just so, many who
 have escaped gross sins--have been wrecked upon
 the world's golden sands!

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[nChrist]

The Delilah in the bosom!

(Thomas Watson, "The Lord's Prayer")

If you would not come short of the kingdom of heaven,
take heed of indulging any sin. One millstone will drown,
as well as more. One sin lived in will damn, as well as more.
If any one sin reigns--it will keep you from reigning in the
kingdom of heaven.

Especially keep from sins of your natural constitution;
your darling sin. "I kept myself from my iniquity"--that
sin which my heart would soonest decoy and flatter me
into. As in the hive there is one master bee--so in the
heart there is one master-sin. Oh, take heed of this!

How may this darling-sin be known?

1. That sin for which a man cannot endure the arrow of
a reproof, is the bosom-sin. Men can be content to have
other sins declaimed against; but if a minister puts his
finger upon the sore, and touches upon that one special
sin--then their eyes flash with fire, they are enraged,
and spit the venom of malice!

2. That sin which a man's heart runs out most to, and he
is most easily captivated by--is the Delilah in the bosom!
One man is overcome with wantonness, another by worldliness.
It is a sad thing for a man to be so bewitched by a beloved sin
that he will part with the whole kingdom of heaven--to gratify
that lust!

3. That sin which a man is least inclined to part with, is the
endeared sin. Of all his sons, Jacob could most hardly part with
Benjamin. "Will you take Benjamin away!" Gen 42:35. So says
the sinner, "This and that sin I have left--but must Benjamin go
too? Must I part with this delightful sin? That goes to my heart!"

Take heed especially of this master-sin. The strength of sin
lies in the beloved sin, which, like a cancer striking at the
heart, brings death.

I have read of a monarch, who being pursued by the enemy,
threw away the crown of gold on his head--that he might run
the faster. Just so, the sin which you wore as a crown of gold
must be thrown away--that you may run the faster to the
kingdom of heaven.

Oh, if you would not lose glory, mortify the beloved sin! Set it,
as Uriah--in the forefront of the battle to be slain. By plucking
out this right eye--you will see the better to go to heaven!

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[nChrist]

First she looked—and then she lusted!

(Thomas Watson, "The Lord's Prayer")

"Watch!" Mark 13:37

Many have lost heaven, for lack of watchfulness.
Our hearts are ready to decoy us into sin, and
the devil lies in ambush with his temptations.
We must every day keep sentinel in our souls.
"I will stand upon my watch." Habakkuk 2:1.

Watch your eyes! "I made a covenant with my
eyes." Job 31:1. Much sin comes in by the eye.
First Eve saw that the tree was good for food,
and pleasant to the eyes—then she took and ate
it! First she looked—and then she lusted. The
eye, by beholding an impure object, sets the heart
on fire. The devil often creeps in, at the window
of the eye! Watch your eyes!

Watch your ears! Much poison is conveyed through
the ear. Let your ear be open to God—and shut to sin!

Watch your hearts! "The human heart is most
deceitful and desperately wicked." Jeremiah 17:9.

Watch your heart when you are about holy things—it
will be slipping out to vanity. When Christ had been
praying and fasting, the devil tempted Him. Mt. 4:3.
After combating with Satan in prayer, we are apt to
grow secure and take our spiritual armor off—and
then the devil falls on us and wounds us!

Watch your hearts when you are in bad company.
The breath of the wicked is infectious. Nay, watch
your hearts when you are in good company. The
devil is subtle, and he can as well creep into the
dove—as he did once into the serpent. Satan
tempted Christ by an apostle.

Watch your hearts in prosperity. Now you are in
danger of pride! The higher men's estates rise—the
higher their hearts are lifted up in pride. It is hard
to carry a full cup without spilling. Just so, it is hard
to carry a full, prosperous estate without sinning.
As Samson fell asleep in Delilah's lap—so many
have fallen so fast asleep in the lap of prosperity,
that they never awoke until they awoke in hell!

Oh, if you would get to heaven, be always upon your
watch-tower! Keep close sentinel in your souls. Who
would not watch—when it is for a glorious kingdom!

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[nChrist]

Your cup of the curse

(Octavius Winslow)

"Shall I not drink the cup which the Father has
 given Me?" John 18:11

Christ took your cup of grief--your cup of the curse,
pressed it to His lips, and drank it to its dregs. Then He
filled it with His sweet, pardoning, sympathizing love--
and gave it back to you to drink, and to drink forever!

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[nChrist]

Your dying day

(Thomas Watson, "The Lord's Prayer")

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father
 has been pleased to give you the kingdom!"
    Luke 12:32

What little cause have the saints to fear death!
Are any afraid of going to a glorious kingdom?
What is there in this world that should make us
desirous to stay here? Is not this world "a valley
of tears"--and do we weep to leave it? Are we
not in a wilderness among fiery serpents--and
are we afraid to leave these serpents?

God is ever displaying the banner of His love in
heaven, and is there any love like His? Are there
any sweeter smiles, or softer embraces than His?
What hurt can death do to them--but lead them
to a glorious kingdom! Let this be a gospel
antidote to expel the fear of death.

Christian, your dying day will be your wedding
day--and do you fear it? Is a slave afraid to be
set free? Is a virgin afraid to be matched into the
crown? Death may take away a few worldly comforts
--but it gives that which is better; it takes away a
flower--and gives a jewel! If the saints possess a
kingdom when they die, they have no cause to
fear death. A prince would not be afraid to cross
the sea, though tempestuous--if he were sure to
be crowned as soon as he came to shore!

Faith gives a title to heaven--but death gives a
possession of heaven! Death brings us to the end
of our sorrow, and the beginning of our joy! Death
is the entrance into a blessed eternity!

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father
 has been pleased to give you the kingdom!"
    Luke 12:32

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[nChrist]

God shoots many kinds of arrows

(Thomas Watson, "The Lord's Prayer")

"May Your will be done." Matthew 6:10

We pray here, that we may have grace to submit
to God's will patiently--in whatever He inflicts.

Patient submission to God's will, is a gracious frame
of soul, whereby a Christian is content to be at God's
disposal, and acquiesces in His wisdom. "It is the Lord's
will--let Him do what He thinks best." 1 Samuel 3:18

Patient submission to the will of God, lies in seeing His
hand in the affliction. "Affliction does not spring from
the soil, and trouble does not sprout from the earth."
Job 5:6. Affliction does not come by chance! Job eyed
God in all that befell him. "The Lord gave me everything
I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name
of the Lord!" Job 1:21. Job looks beyond second causes
--he sees God in the affliction! "The Lord has taken it
away." There can be no submission to God's will--until
there is an acknowledging of God's hand in the affliction.

Patient submission to God's will, lies in justifying God.
God is holy and just, not only when He punishes the
wicked--but when He afflicts the righteous. "Now we
are being punished because of our wickedness and our
great guilt. But we have actually been punished far
less than we deserve." Ezra 9:13

While we live here in this valley of tears, patient
submission to God's will is much needed. The Lord
sometimes lays heavy afflictions upon us. "Your
arrows have struck deep, and Your blows are
crushing me!" Psalm 38:2. God sometimes lays
many afflictions upon us. "He multiplies my
wounds." Job 9:17. God shoots many kinds
of arrows.

God sometimes afflicts with POVERTY--which is a
great affliction. To have an estate reduced almost to
nothing, is hard to flesh and blood. "The Almighty has
made life very bitter for me. I went away full, but the
Lord has brought me home empty." Ruth 1:20, 21

God sometimes afflicts with REPROACH. Dirt may be
cast upon a pearl; and those names may be blotted,
which are written in the book of life. Piety shields
from hell--but not from slander.

God sometimes afflicts with the DEATH of loved ones.
"Son of man, I am going to take away your dearest
treasure. Suddenly she will die!" Ezekiel 24:16

God sometimes afflicts with INFIRMITY of body.
Sickness takes away the comfort of life. Sometimes
God lets the infirmity continue long. Some diseases
are chronic, and linger and hang about the body
for many years. The Lord is pleased to exercise
many of His precious ones with chronic affliction.

God tries His people with various afflictions--so that
they have need of patient submission to His will.

Murmuring is not consistent with submission to
God's will. Murmuring is the height of impatience,
it is a kind of mutiny in the soul against God. "They
began to murmur against God." Numbers 21:5

When water is hot--then the scum boils up; when
the heart is heated with anger against God--then
murmuring boils up!

Murmuring springs from pride! Men think they
have deserved better at God's hand; and, when
they begin to swell with pride--they spit poison!

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[nChrist]

God's file and flail

(Thomas Watson, "The Lord's Prayer")

"God disciplines us for our profit." Hebrews 12:10

What profit is in affliction? Afflictions are
disciplinary. Afflictions teach us--they are the
school of the cross.

Affliction shows us more of our own hearts.
Water in a glass looks clear--but set it on the fire,
and the scum boils up. Just so, when God sets us
upon the fire--corruption boils up which we did not
discern before. Sharp afflictions are to the soul, as
a soaking rain to the house; we do not know that
there are holes in the roof until the shower comes
--but then we see it drop down here and there. Just
so, we do not know what unmortified lusts are in
the soul, until the storm of affliction comes--then
the hidden evils of the heart come dropping down
in many places. Affliction is a sacred eye-salve, it
clears our eye-sight. Thus the rod gives wisdom.

Affliction quickens the spirit of prayer. Jonah
was asleep in the ship--but at prayer in the whale's
belly. Perhaps in a time of health and prosperity we
prayed in a cold and formal manner, we put no coals
to the incense. Then God sends some affliction or
other--to stir us up to take hold of Him. "They
poured out a prayer--when Your chastening was
upon them." Isaiah 26:16. In times of trouble
we pray feelingly and fervently.

Affliction is a means to purge out our sins.
Affliction cures the pestilence of pride--and the
fever of lust. Affliction is God's file--to scrub off
our rust. Affliction is God's flail--to thresh off
our husks. The water of affliction is not to drown
us--but to wash off our spots.

Affliction is a means to wean us the world.
The world often proves, not only a spider's web--but
a cockatrice egg. Corrupting worldly things, are great
enchantments. They hinder us in our passage to heaven.
Affliction sounds a retreat, to call us off the immoderate
pursuit of earthly things. When two things are frozen
together--the best way to separate them is by fire; so,
when the heart and the world are together--God has no
better way to separate them than by the fire of affliction.

Affliction is a means to purify us. It works us up to
further degrees of sanctity. "God disciplines us for our
profit--that we may share in His holiness." Hebrews 12:10.
The vessels of mercy are the brighter for scouring. As you
pour water on your linen when you would whiten it--so
God pours the waters of affliction upon us to whiten our
souls. Afflictions are in themselves bitter--but they bring
forth the sweet fruits of righteousness. Hebrews 12:11.

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[nChrist]

Here is a strange sight!

(Thomas Watson, "The Lord's Prayer")

"Happy is the man whom God corrects." Job 5:17

Affliction is a means to make us happy. It seems
strange to flesh and blood--that affliction should
make us happy. When Moses saw the bush burning
and not consumed, he said "I will turn aside and see
this strange sight!" Exod 3:3. Likewise, here is a
strange sight--a man afflicted, and yet happy. The
world counts them happy--who can escape affliction;
but truly happy is the man whom God corrects.

How do afflictions contribute to our happiness?

Afflictions make us happy--as they are a means of
bringing us nearer to God. The loadstone of prosperity
does not draw us so near to God, as the cords of affliction.
When the prodigal was pinched with need, he said, "I will
arise--and go to my father!" Luke 15:18. As the deluge
brought the dove to the ark--the floods of sorrow make
us hasten to Christ, our ark!

Afflictions make us happy--as they are safe guides to
glory. The storm drives the ship into the harbor. Blessed
storm--which drives the soul into the heavenly harbor!
Is it not better--to go through momentary affliction to
eternal glory--than to go through momentary pleasure to
eternal misery? The wicked must drink a sea of wrath;
but the godly have only a cup of affliction.

Think, O Christian--what affliction leads to! It leads to
paradise, where rivers of pleasure are always running!

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we
 are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed
 day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are
 achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs
 them all." 2 Corinthians 4:16-17

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