Tried With Fire

The Lord reveal himself more and more to us in the face of his Son Jesus Christ and magnify the power of his grace in cherishing those beginnings of grace in the midst of our corruptions, and sanctify the consideration of our own infirmities to humble us, and of his tender mercy to encourage us. And may he persuade us that, since he has taken us into the covenant of grace, he will not cast us off for those corruptions which, as they grieve his Spirit, so they make us vile in our own eyes. And because Satan labors to obscure the glory of his mercy and hinder our comfort by discouragements, the Lord add this to the rest of his mercies, that, since he is so gracious to those that yield to his government, we may make the right use of this grace, and not lose any portion of comfort that is laid up for us in Christ. And may he grant that the prevailing power of his Spirit in us should be an evidence of the truth of grace begun, and a pledge of final victory, at that time when he will be all ...

I n conclusion and as a general application to ourselves of all that has been said, we see the conflicting, but yet sure and hopeful, state of God's people. The victory lies not with us, but with Christ, who has taken on him both to conquer for us and to conquer in us. The victory lies neither in our own strength to get it, nor in our enemies' strength to defeat it. If it lay with us, we might justly fear. But Christ will maintain his own government in us and take our part against our corruptions. They are his enemies as well as ours. Let us therefore be `strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might' (Eph. 6:10). Let us not look so much at who our enemies are as at who our judge and captain is, nor at what they threaten, but at what he promises. We have more for us than against us. What coward would not fight when he is sure of victory? None is here overcome but he that will not fight. Therefore, when any base fainting seizes on us, let us lay the blame where it ought ...

The eyes of our souls cannot be towards him unless he has cast a gracious look upon us first. The least love we have to him is but a reflection of his love first shining upon us. As Christ did, in his example to us, whatever he charges us to do, so he suffered in his own person whatever he calls us to suffer, so that he might the better learn to relieve and pity us in our sufferings. In his desertion in the garden and on the cross he was content to be without that unspeakable solace which the presence of his Father gave, both to bear the wrath of the Lord for a time for us, and likewise to know the better how to comfort us in our greatest extremities. God sees fit that we should taste of that cup of which his Son drank so deep, that we might feel a little what sin is, and what his Son's love was. But our comfort is that Christ drank the dregs of the cup for us, and will succor us, so that our spirits may not utterly fail under that little taste of his displeasure which we may feel....

There is never a holy sigh, never a tear we shed, which is lost. And as every grace increases by exercise of itself, so does the grace of prayer. By prayer we learn to pray. So, likewise, we should take heed of a spirit of discouragement in all other holy duties, since we have so gracious a Saviour. Pray as we are able, hear as we are able, strive as we are able, do as we are able, according to the measure of grace received. God in Christ will cast a gracious eye upon that which is his own. Would Paul do nothing because he could not do the good that he would? No, he `pressed toward the mark'. Let us not be cruel to ourselves when Christ is thus gracious. There is a certain meekness of spirit whereby we yield thanks to God for any ability at all, and rest quiet with the measure of grace received, seeing it is God's good pleasure it should be so, who gives the will and the deed, yet not so as to rest from further endeavors. But when, with faithful endeavor, we come short of w...

We must acknowledge that in the covenant of grace God requires the truth of grace, not any certain measure; and a spark of fire is fire, as well as the whole element. Therefore we must look to grace in the spark as well as in the flame. All have not the like strong, though they have the like precious, faith (2 Pet. 1:1), whereby they lay hold of, and put on, the perfect righteousness of Christ. A weak hand may receive a rich jewel. A few grapes will show that the plant is a vine, and not a thorn. It is one thing to be deficient in grace, and another thing to lack grace altogether. God knows we have nothing of ourselves, therefore in the covenant of grace he requires no more than he gives, but gives what he requires, and accepts what he gives: `If she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtle doves' (Lev. 12:8). What is the gospel itself but a merciful moderation, in which Christ's obedience is esteemed ours, and our sins laid upon him, wherein God, from being...

Eagle Nebula Psalm 102:26, 27.—They shall perish but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old as a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.  The essence of God, with all the perfections of his nature, are pronounced the same, without any variation from eternity to eternity; so that the text doth not only assert the eternal duration of God, but his immutability in that duration. His eternity is signified in that expression, “Thou shalt endure;” his immutability in this, “Thou art the same.” To endure, argues indeed his immutability as well as eternity; for what endures, is not changed, and what is changed, doth not endure; but “Thou art the same” doth more fully signify it. He could not be the same if he could be changed into any other thing than what he is; the Psalmist therefore puts not thou halt been, or shalt be, but thou art the same, without any alteration. “Thou art the...

"Thou hast been our dwelling-place; thou hast kept open house for us, sheltered us against storms, and preserved us from mischief, as a house doth an inhabitant from wind and weather; and that not in one or two, but in all generations. Some think an allusion is here made to the ark, to which they were to have recourse in all emergencies. Our refuge and defence hath not been from created things; not from the ark, but from the God of the ark. Observe, God is a perpetual refuge and security to his people. His providence is not confined to one generation; it is not one age only that tastes of his bounty and compassion. His eye never yet slept, nor hath he suffered the little ship of his church to be swallowed up, though it hath been tossed upon the waves; he hath always been a haven to preserve us, a house to secure us; he hath always had compassions to pity us, and power to protect us; he hath had a face to shine, when the world hath had an angry countenance to frown. He bro...

From Jeremiah Burroughs: Question: "How does the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead come to be a means of giving hope?" Answer: The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the cause of true lively hope in the hearts of the saints. By the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, God has declared that He is fully satisfied for the sins of man, and that the work of redemption is fully wrought out... Read the rest here .

"Reading brings me meat, meditation brings forth the sweetness. Reading brings the coals to the wood, meditation makes the flame. Reading brings me the sword of the word, meditation whets it. Reading barely, proves pouring water into a sieve; meditation is putting gold into a treasury; the former lets the water out, the latter locks the gold up. Oh let me read much, but let me also meditate much, that meditation and reading may be commensurate; my soul's digestion proportioned to its reception, its taking in by reading: let me read and meditate, that I may not have a meagre, lean soul, like them that have an eager appetite, and a weak digestion; but that it may be fat and well-liking by this good digestion of due meditation… Therefore for richest furnishing us with fittest matter for a best heart frame to perform this daily duty, performing it in the most spiritual and effectual manner, for doing it, as to outdo former, all former doings, we must look to lay the foundation...

God's Battle Plan for the Mind: The Puritan Practice of Biblical Meditation , David W. Saxton, Reformation Heritage Books, January 2015, 160 pages. Meditation is a necessary part of the Christian life. Just read the Psalms and you will find verses such as "but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." (Ps. 1:2) Unfortunately Biblical meditation has become somewhat of a lost art. The word itself is now associated with the New Age and other forms of mysticism. Our high-tech, time-crunched, and entertainment-driven culture has shortened our attention spans and conditioned us to not think deeply about serious subjects. This is why God's Battle Plan for the Mind is such a timely book. Author David Saxton has done an excellent job of making a case for biblical meditation or the doctrine of Christian thinking, which is "to think personally, practically, seriously, and earnestly on how the truth of God's Word should...

"If you would carry on the work of meditation in such a way as it may be done with sweetness, be sure that it be bounded with the Scripture; and let nothing fall within the compass of your meditation, but what falls within the compass of the Scripture." William Bridge, "The Works and Way of Meditation", 3:154 quoted in God's Battle Plan for the Mind: The Puritan Practice of Biblical Meditation , David Saxton, Reformation Heritage Books, 2015, pg. 18

I'm sharing a prayer from The Valley of Vision at Out of the Ordinary : O SOURCE OF ALL GOOD, What shall I render to thee for the gift of gifts.     thine own dear Son, begotten, not created,     my Redeemer, proxy, surety, substitute,     his self-emptying incomprehensible,     his infinity of love beyond the heart's grasp. Herein is wonder of wonders:     he came below to raise me above,     was born like me that I might become like him… Read the rest here . The Valley of Vision , edited by Arthur Bennett, Banner of Truth Trust, 2013, pg. 16. Photo credit: Workshop of Rembrandt [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  1 John 1:7 The blood of Christ purges us from our sin, and no truth belonging to the mystery of the gospel is more plainly asserted: 'He has freed us from our sins by his blood' (Rev. 1:5). And, everyone who has an actual interest in the blood of Christ has a real purification from the future defilements of sin also. The Holy Spirit communicates the purifying virtue of the blood of Christ unto our souls and consciences, whereby we are freed from shame and have boldness towards God. His blood has a double consideration: not only atonement and reconciliation, but also purging and sanctification. He offered himself not just to make atonement, but also to sanctify us by the sprinkling of his blood. John Owen,  Works , III:438-447,  Voices from the Past , Richard Rushing, ed., Banner of Truth Trust, 2009, pg. 161.

No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11 Many say that they can trust God for eternal life, but cannot trust him for daily bread. This is an utter mistake... If God gives to the beast his food, will he not maintain his children? Daily bread is in your Father's power, and he will certainly give it to you. You may with confidence expect daily supplies. They are from the Lord's free grace and mercy...  We should say with every morsel of bread, 'This is God's gift to me'; of every night's sleep, 'This is the Lord's goodness.'  God is pleased when we acknowledge these outward things. Thomas Manton  Works , I:157-161,  Voices from the Past , Richard Rushing, ed., Banner of Truth Trust, 2009, pg. 154. (emphasis mine)

But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 1 John 2:1 In the office of advocate, one man is empowered to plead for another before a judicial court when he has been accused by an enemy. Christ exercises the office of advocate when his child is found guilty before God of some heinous sin in his life and conversation. This is the time for Christ to stand up and plead for David. Can David's sin stand with grace? Is it possible that a man that has done as he has, should yet be found a saint, and in a saved state? Can God forgive him and yet be holy and just? Can the merits of the Lord Jesus reach a man in this condition? Here is the case of a man whose salvation, by his foul offences, was made doubtful. But now let Christ stand up and plead. David was afraid that God would cast him away, and the devil hoped he would. Satan charged him before God's face that he might get the sentence of damnation to pass upon his soul. But this was Da...

(This is the reading for May 18. But it seemed very fitting as two sisters in our church have passed through the  waters of Jordan to take possession of that land of delights without end .) We are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 2 Cor. 5:8 When death and hell are viewed in their darkest colours, if we have faith enough to see souls in heaven wearing their white robes, this is comfort enough, to know our souls do not die with the body. The soul's eternity is an indelible principle stamped on the souls of men by the finger of God. It is not surprising that he who has his soul too linked to the body, does not know how to die and hates the thought of the separation of the body and spirit. They hate to part with the body, which is their only blessing. But, regenerate spirits enjoy times of sublime reflections about heaven, and are willing to leave the body. John saw the saints in their safety and rest under Christ's protec...

Call to me, and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. Jeremiah 33:3 The Most High is a God that hears prayer. Though he is infinitely above all, and stands in no need of creatures, yet he is graciously pleased to take merciful notice of poor worms in the dust. He presents himself as one sitting on a mercy-seat, that men may come to him in prayer. In our need he allows us to come and ask him, and he is ready to hear our prayers. God has given many promises to hear our prayers; the Scripture is full of such examples. He manifests himself to be a God that hears prayer. What is meant by God's hearing our prayers? Two things are implied. 1. He accepts the supplications of those who pray to him. He is pleased with them. He accepts the honour we do him by our praying. 2. He reveals himself to us by special discoveries of his mercy and sufficiency. While we are praying he gives us sweet views of his glorious grace and sovereignty.  He...

The spiritual person judges all things. 1 Cor. 2:15 Since Christ Jesus is the great prophet and teacher of his church, we may, therefore, discern and judge our doctrines by his standard. Christ may serve as a measurement to test them. As Christ is in his person, so are his doctrines. Every error pretends to come from Christ, but Christ was holy, humble, heavenly, meek, and peaceful, yea, he is contrary to the wisdom of this world and all the gratifications of the flesh. Thus, so are the truths he teaches - they have his character and image carved upon them. Would you like to test whether this or that doctrine is from the Spirit of Christ or not? Examine it by this rule: whatever doctrine you find to encourage and countenance sin, to exalt self, to be accommodating to the world's designs, and that bends to the humours and lusts of men, you may safely reject. Whatever doctrine makes those who profess it to be carnal, proud, and sensual, you may safely conclude never came from Jes...

The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17 The Spirit is promised as the gift of the Father and the Son, and he comes into the heart and so loves his people that he abides and dwells with them forever, acting with authority and power, according to his own pleasure, as their various circumstances may require. He prepares and strengthens them for every event, reveals what they must know, and inclines their hearts in the ways and degrees he pleases. The joy of the Spirit is real fruit: solid, substantial, refreshing, and nourishing. He comforts, revives, strengthens, and establishes the soul. Long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, etc. , are all the fruits of the Spirit, and they are nowhere to be found bu in the believers heart. Though he takes away your outward comforts, and makes you as poor and as afflicted as Job, yet being within you, he can bring you effectual peace and comfort. Th...

Faith not only holds to the fact that God is able, but that he is willing to do what you seek. Grip two handles with your faith. Take hold that he is able, omnipotent, omniscient, and all sufficient; but also take hold that he is willing to meet your needs by his mercy. Learn to draw arguments from these attributes. When you hold on to both his power and his mercy, faith can easily draw sweet and strong assurances from these. It is true that we are prone to doubt God's willingness, but the Lord has provided for this remarkably. Where there is but one atttribute to describe God's power, there are many titles that prove his willingness: mercy, goodness, bounty, grace, love, lovingkindness, compassion, bowels of compassion, patience, and long-suffering. Get faith fixed upon this double bases and it will stand firm. God is able and willing. David Clarkson, Works , 1:174-179.  Voices from the Past , Richard Rushing, ed., Banner of Truth Trust, 2009, pg. 112.