A Goodly Heritage

"Our lives through various scenes are drawn , And vexed with trifling cares ; While Thine eternal thought moves on Thine undisturbed affairs". "Seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not ."

He who listens to the teaching of the sanctuary, with the notion or imagination that he has completed the work of applying it to himself, and hears merely for others , or for merely intellectual improvement , is in a most unfavourable position to receive salutary impressions .This is the hazard that accompanies a steady attendance upon public worship , without faith , repentance , and a Christian profession.The mind of such a person becomes filled with the doctrines of the gospel , and they command his unhesitating assent. They are so true for his intellect , that he never thinks of disputing them . And at the same time , he never thinks of applying  them to himself practically. There is a species of mental pride, a pride of knowledge , perhaps a pride of orthodoxy , that hinders him from listening with a tender conscience , and a meek and lowly heart.  Perhaps it would be better if such a hearer might , for a time , be brought into a sceptical conflict with the truth. Perhaps there wo

" Remorse is as the heart in which it grows; If that be humble , it drops balmy dews Of true repentance: but if proud and gloomy, It is a poison -tree that, pierced to the inmost, Weeps only tears of poison."     Coleridge

Men are always prone to put religion off with scraps and leavings , and serve God with what costs them nothing . In the outward things of religion they are much more disposed to work for themselves than for God ; and if they have time that cannot be otherwise used , or funds that are not very current , to give them to the treasury of the Lord, and if any larger expenditure of either is urged , to plead that "the time is not yet come" to do this work . In the inward things of religion the same spirit is shown . The young , the middle aged and the old , all procrastinate the great work , on the plea that "the time is not come ", the convenient season that , like the horizon , recedes as we advance.   T.V.Moore

In Solomon's temple , in addition to the Cherubim on the Mercy-Seat, two large ones were built of olive wood and overlaid with gold (1 Kings 6 . 23-28) . The Cherubim of the Tabernacle looked down upon the propitatory with satisfaction , for God had been glorified by that blood which had rested on it from one year to another . But the Cherubim of the Temple looked inward or toward the House of Jehovah's rest . All was glorious within ,and the Cherubim , the unjealous guardians of the throne , could delight . "There were strange soul-depths , restless vast and broad,                       Unfathomed as the sea ; An infinite craving for some infinite stilling; But now Thy perfect love is perfect filling ! Lord Jesus Christ, my Lord , my God ,                      Thou, Thou art enough for me ."                           W.Scott      

Every hope that finds a Saviour in the externals of rites and services , and  means of grace , must be ground to powder and given to the winds. The channels of grace are not grace . The way is not the end . The instruments , by which we feed , are not food . The scaffold is not the building . The door is not the mansion. Here again is work , which requires a martyrs spirit ,and more than human discernment. Satan is quick to deck our holy things , and our holy places with a show of saving efficacy  .He whispers , that to put these things in their proper place , is to put religion out of all place . We must not hesitate . Christ must be embraced , unaided and alone , or not at all.     I need scarcely add , that every sweet sin , which has long been caressed in the recesses of the heart , must be dragged to the light and slain. This is often as the plucking out of the right eye.  But there must be no sparing. Christ is light . Sin is darkness . How can they be one ? Sin loved , indulged

"The Pope," says William Tyndale , "turneth the roots of the trees upward . He makes the goodness of God the branches , and our goodness the roots . We must be first good , says he  , and move God to be good to us for our goodness' sake : so must God's goodness spring out of our goodness . Nay verily ; God's goodness is the root of all goodness; and our goodness , if we have any , springs springs out of His goodness. "

"Vice is a monster of so frightful mien As to be hated , need but to be seen. Yet seen too often , familiar with her face , We first endure , then pity , then embrace."  ?

Faith exercises a decisive influence on practice. The hope cherished now, of mingling on terms of complete equality with the whole family of God  , when they assemble in the Father's house, would cast out corroding jealousies, and sweeten all the intercourses of life.  Those who are bought by the same price, and called by the same name , should habitually look forward to the time , not distant, when the distinctions which separate one from another will be lost in the equal perfection of all ; and those who "have this hope in Him" that earthly distinctions will shortly terminate, should " purify themselves even as He is pure, "from that selfishness which , in various forms  , turns  the necessary  inequalities of human condition into thorns for tearing human hearts.

The stars that have the least circuit are nearest the pole . and men whose earths are least entangled with the world are always nearest to God , and to the assurance of His favour . Worldly christians , remember this . You and the world must part , or else assurance and your souls will never meet.     Thomas Brooks.

Is not the way of transgressors pleasant in its progress, though it ends in death?  No . Sin barters away future safety, but does not secure present peace in return .Things are not always as they seem to be . The pleasures of sin are not only limited in their duration , they are lies even while they last.  They are "for a season " as to endurance , and for a show as to their character . There is a bitterness in the transgressor's heart , which only that heart can know . The man in gospel history , who wore no clothes , and lived among the tombs, did not lead a happy life .  The rocky, thorny graveyard was a hard bed , and the dewy night air a cold covering for a naked man; but such was his will , or the will of the spirit that possessed him. It was man's pleasure to take that way  , but the way was hard . It is so still , and ever will be , for all whom the same spirit leads . It has neither the promise of the life that now is , nor of that which is to come . The race

The hypothesis of evolution fails at several points . It cannot explain the origin of life . Evolutionists sought its explanation in spontaneous generation, an unproved assumption , which is now discredited. It is a well established fact in science that life can only come from antecedent life . Further , it has failed utterly to adduce a single example of one species producing another distinct( organic as distinguished from varietal )species. Bateson said in 1921 "We cannot see how the differentiation in species came about . Variations of many kinds , often considerable , we see daily , but no origin of species.........Meanwhile while our faith in evolution stands unshaken , we have no acceptable account of the origin of species.." Neither has evolution been able to cope with the problems presented by the origin of man . It has not not even succeeded  in proving the physical descent of man from the brute. Much less has it been able to explain the physical side of man's li

The speaker is God . The time is before time was. The word is omnipotence . The result is the grandest of all gifts . Darkness heard and vanished.  "God said , Let there be be light , and there was light ."  Strive to imagine this scene , when the first voice called the first blessing into being . This world of full delights was one huge mass of unarranged material . It had no form , therefore it had no beauty . It was vacancy, and vacancy wants all that pleases . It would have been cheerless , even if robed in cheering light . But impenetrable night shrouded the lifeless void . From this rude quarry, however , the home of man is to be built . This waste is to be peopled with beings , whose age is immortality. It is to be the field , from which heaven's garner is to be stored. Therefore deformity must assume form:- disorder must melt into order  :-shapelessness must be shaped into loveliness.    How shall this be done ?  -God had but to will , and in one instant creatio

The precise idea of creation is not to be ascertained merely by a consideration of the term used in the beginning of God's written revelation .  The term created is used in the absolute sense to declare the  bringing into existence of the matter out of which the heaven and earth is composed . The first verse of Genesis informs us that God brought the universe into being . The subsequent verses refer to the steps taken to complete the work of creation . These successive parts of the work having been completed, we are told that , "God saw everything that He had made , and behold , it was very good . And the evening and the morning were the sixth day  . Thus the heavens and earth were finished  , and all the host of them ." (Gen.1:31 - 2 :1). Some philosophers while accepting an absolute creation first  , say that this is against reason , but not contrary to faith. It is proper to say ,however , that creation is not against reason , but above reason  and is to be accepted by

These were Baxter's words on his death bed :  "I bless God I have a well grounded assurance of my eternal happiness, and great peace and comfort within ." Towards the close he was asked how he did  . He answered : "Almost well.". These were Rutherford's words on his death-bed : "Oh that all my brethren did know what a Master I have served ,. and what peace I have this day! I shall sleep in Christ , and when I awake I shall be satisfied with His likeness." "The least degree of faith takes away the sting of death because it takes away guilt; but the full assurance of faith , breaks the very teeth and jaws of death , by taking away the fear and dread of it ." Fairclough

God has so framed and ordered the new covenant, that none of those that are within the blessed bond of it can possibly be lost . It is settled upon immutable things ; and we know that all things are as their foundations are (HEB 6 :18,19.) Among the many glorious promises contained in the word , this is one "I will make an everlasting covenant with them , that I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts , that they shall not depart from me ."(Jer. 32:40.)And as the fear of God in our hearts pleads against sin , so our potent Intercessor in the heavens pleads for us with the father ; and hence we will not finally miscarry. (Rom. 8. 34, 35.) On these grounds we may triumph in the full security which God has given us, and say " Who shall separate us from the love of God?" Understanding it either of God's love to us , or of our love to him , it is true in both senses , and a most comfortable truth it is.

We should feel as if our ears were stung with blasphemy, when we discover any attempt to transfer the crown of glory from the head of the Redeemer to that of any of his servants... Simeon

There is no doctrine more excellent in itself , or more necessary to be preached or studied, than the doctrine of Jesus Christ and him crucified. All other knowledge , how much it may be magnified in the world , is and ought to be esteemed as dross , in comparison of the excellency of   the knowledge of  Christ ; " In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge ." Eudoxus was so affected with the glory of the sun , that he thought he was born only to behold it  ; much more should a Christian judge himself  born only to behold , and delight in , the glory of the Lord Jesus.

There is no rose without a thorn , except the rose of Sharon. Any little happiness we taste in this life is mixed with bitterness. When we go to the creature for happiness , it disappoints us . The language of our hearts is, "O that I had such a blessing ." When the blessing is granted  we find that it is very unsubstantial or very short lived. And the more our hearts are knit with affection to any earthy thing , the stroke is severer when we must part - and part we must, for nothing will last always ,but God . And the trials of this life , which are common to good and bad , must be borne by all . In some cases the feelings of the people of God are more exquisite than those of others . If a precious creature is taken from one of them he is more sensible of the loss because he knew the value of a jewel . If a wicked person is carried off in his sins they have more awful apprehensions than others . Rev Lauchlan Mackenzie.

2. v 6 . As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord , so walk ye in him. 7. Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught , abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit , after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ . 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

To mock at sin now , is the way to the place of eternal weeping . They who weep for sin now , will rejoice in a Saviour yet.  Blessed are they that so mourn , for they shall be comforted. Those who make a mock at sin are obliged also to mock at holiness.  This is the law of their condition; " evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse." To laugh at sin and to laugh at holiness are two sides of the one thing; they cannot be separated . Those who make mirth of goodness persuade themselves that they are only getting amusement from the weakness of a brother : let them beware ; if that in a Christian which affords you sport be a feature of his Redeemer's likeness , He whose likeness it is is looking on , and will require it . Let the merrymakers see to it , when they are raising a laugh at the softness of a Christian , lest they be really scorning the gentleness of Christ , reflected in the mirror of a disiple's life course . God is not mocked. When Jesus looked dow