Saturday 30 May 2015

We shall see Him as He is!

We shall see Him as He is!

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

"We shall see Him as He is!" 1 John 3:2

Then we shall behold Him who died for us, that we might live forever more; whose matchless love made Him swim through the Red Sea of God's wrath, to make a path in the midst of it for us, by which we might pass safely to our heavenly Canaan. Then we shall see what a glorious one He is, who suffered all this for us! Then shall we be more able to understand, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love really is.

When we shall fully realize that the waters of wrath which He was plunged into, are the wells of salvation from whence we draw all our joy; that we have received the cup of salvation, in exchange for the cup of wrath which He drank — how will our hearts leap within us, burn with seraphic love, as Heaven resounds with our songs of salvation!

We shall eternally, without interruption, feast our eyes upon Him — and be ever viewing His glorious perfections! In Him shall we see everything desirable — and nothing but what is desirable. We shall look into the heart of God, and there see the love He bore to us from all eternity, and the love and goodness He will bear to us forever more.

We who are heirs of God, the great heritage — shall then enter into a full possession of our inheritance; and the Lord will open His treasures of goodness unto us, that our enjoyment may be full. We shall not be stinted to any measure — but the enjoyment shall go as far as our enlarged capacities can reach. We shall be fully satisfied, and perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of divine goodness.

Our love to the Lord, being purified from the dross of self-love, shall be most pure. We will be all love, when we come to the full enjoyment of God in Heaven, by intuitive and experimental knowledge of Him, by full participation in the divine goodness.

The enjoyment of God and the Lamb will be ever fresh and new to us, through the ages of eternity; for we shall drink of living fountains of waters, where new waters are continually springing up in abundance. Our joy shall be pure and unmixed, without any dregs of sorrow; solid and everlasting, without interruption. We shall swim forever in an ocean of joy — where we shall see nothing but joy wherever we turn our eyes. The presence and enjoyment of God and the Lamb will satisfy us with pleasures for evermore; and will afford us everlasting delight!


"Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Psalm 16:11

Saturday 23 May 2015

God takes a safe course with His children!

God takes a safe course with His children!

(Richard Sibbes, 1577-1635)

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

Whatever is truly good for God's children — they shall have it, for all is theirs to further them to Heaven. Therefore . . .
  if poverty is good for them — they shall have it;
  if disgrace is good for them — they shall have it;
  if crosses are good for them — they shall have them;
  if misery is good for them — they shall have it;
for God makes all things work together for the good of His redeemed people.

God takes a safe course with His children — that they may not be condemned with the world.
He permits the world to condemn them — that they may not love the world.
The world hates them — that they may not love the world.
That they may be crucified to it — the world is to be crucified to them.
Because He will not allow them to perish with the world — He sends them afflictions in and by the world. Therefore they meet with such crosses and abuses and wrongs in the world.

God afflicts us outwardly — that we may be more humble inwardly.
He humbles us and makes us poor — that we may be more poor in spirit.
When God designs to humble us — we should labor through grace to abase ourselves and mortify pride.

God's providence is often mysterious — yet He is just and righteous in all that He does. Therefore when any difficult thing befalls us for which we can see no reason, yet we must reverence the Lord and adore His counsels and submit to Him who is infinitely more good and wise than we.

Glory follows afflictions — as the spring follows the winter. For the winter prepares the earth for the spring — so do sanctified afflictions prepare the soul for glory.

Sunday 17 May 2015

The unchangeable method of God!

The unchangeable method of God!

(Matthew Mead, "The Almost Christian" 1661)

"I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:32. That is — such as see themselves as sinners, and thereby in a lost condition.

God will have the soul truly sensible of the bitterness of sin — before it shall taste the sweetness of mercy. The plough of conviction must go deep, and make deep furrows in the heart, before God will sow the precious seed of grace there — so that it may have depth of earth to grow in.

This is the unchangeable method of God in bestowing grace — to begin with conviction of sin.
  First to show man his sin — then his Savior;
  first his danger — then his Redeemer;
  first his wound — then his cure;
  first his own vileness — then Christ's righteousness.

The sinner must see the worthlessness and vileness of his own righteousness — before he can be saved by Christ's righteousness. The Israelites are first stung with the fiery serpents — and then the brazen serpent is set up to heal them.

We must see the leprosy of our righteousness, and be brought to cry out, "Unclean, unclean!" We must mourn for Him whom we have pierced — and then He sets open for us "a fountain to cleanse us from all sin and impurity." Zechariah 12:10, 13:1

Be convinced of the evil of sin — the filthy and heinous nature of it. Sin is the greatest evil in the world —
  it wrongs God;
  it wounds Christ;
  it grieves the Holy Spirit;
  it damns a precious soul!
All other evils cannot be compared with this. Though to DO sin is the worst work — yet to SEE sin is the best sight!

Sin discovered in its vileness — makes Christ to be desired in His fullness!

Alas! it is Christ's infinite righteousness which must atone for our sins — for it is an infinite God whom we have sinned against!

If ever your sin is pardoned — it is Christ's infinite mercy which must pardon it!

If ever you are reconciled to God — it is Christ's infinite merit which must do it!

If ever your heart is changed — it is Christ's infinite power which must effect it!

If ever your soul escapes Hell, and is saved at last — it is Christ's infinite grace which must save it!

"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.." Luke 19:10

Sunday 3 May 2015

God's love-letter!

God's love-letter!
(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
 or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

The Scripture is God's love-letter to men. 

Here the lamb may wade — and here the elephant may swim!

The blessed Scriptures are of infinite worth and value! 
Here you may find . . .
  a remedy for every disease,
  a balm for every wound,
  a plaster for every sore,
  milk for babes,
  meat for strong men,
  comfort for the afflicted, 
  support for the tempted, 
  solace for the distressed, 
  ease for the wearied,
  a staff to support the feeble,
  a sword to defend the weak. 

The holy Scriptures are . . .
  the map of God's mercy — and man's misery, 
  the touchstone of truth,
  the shop of remedies against all maladies,
  the hammer of vices,
  the treasury of virtues,
  the exposer of all sensual and worldly vanities,
  the balance of equity,
  the most perfect rule of all justice and honesty.

Ah, friends, no book befits your hands like the Bible!

The Bible is the best preacher. 
This book, this preacher will preach to you . . . 
  in your shops,
  in your chambers,
  in your closets, 
  yes, in your own bosoms!
This book will preach to you at home and abroad; 
it will preach to you in all companies; and it will 
preach to you in all conditions. 

By this book you must live.
By this book you must die. 
By this book you shall be judged in the great day! 
By this book you shall be saved — or by this book you shall be damned! 

Oh, therefore . . .
  love this book above all other books, 
  prize this book above all other books,
  read this book before all other books, 
  study this book more than all other books! 
For he who reads much — and understands nothing,
is like him who hunts much — and catches nothing!