A Goodly Heritage

The great Bishop of our souls shall shortly appear, to the comfort of us that now mourn (1 Pet. 2:25). When I ponder within myself, right dearly beloved brethren, what was the estate of Christ's true kirk immediately after the death and passion of our Saviour Jesus, and what were the changes and great mutations in the commonwealth of Judah, before the final desolation of the same; as I cannot but fear like plagues to strike the realm of England; and in fearing, God knows, I lament and mourn; so can I not but rejoice, knowing that God's most merciful providence is no less careful this day over his weak and feeble servants, than he was that day over his dispersed and sorely oppressed flock. What was the estate of Christ's kirk between his death and resurrection, between his resurrection and ascension, between his ascension and the sending of the Holy Ghost upon his disciples, and from that time to the final destruction of Jerusalem? The plain scriptures do witness it was

"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 —  t

T HESE words are a part of the result of a very strange exercise, which a godly man had, being much stumbled and troubled in heart at the prosperity of the wicked, because they got so much of their will in the world. But now having surmounted the temptation, and got a second view of all things, relating both to the prosperity of the wicked, and to the afflicted condition of the godly, in contemplation of which he resolves to draw near to God. "It is good," says he, "to draw near to God." As if he had said, "I trow I am neither wise nor happy to intermeddle so much with these things, and I wot well it is my best to 'draw near to God.' It is good for me to flee in unto Him, and, as it were, to look out at my windows, until I see how all things here will roll." Now there is no great difficulty here, in the words now read, but what we may reach in the doctrine. We may consider them either—   1st, Simply or absolutely; or, 2nd, A

They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. — Gal. 5:24. Repentance, or true conversion, is the work of the Holy Spirit, under the influence of which, man, through the law , acknowledges his sin, and the wrath of God provoked against it; and earnestly mourns over his offences; and then, understanding, through the Gospel , the grace of God, by faith in Christ Jesus, he obtains the remission of his sins. By this repentance, the mortification or crucifying of the flesh, and of all carnal lusts and pleasures, is carried on; together with the quickening of the spirit, or the resurrection of the new man in Christ. Under the exercise of repentance, therefore, the old Adam, with his corruptions, dies within us; and Christ lives in us, by faith ( for we must be aware that these two are inseparably connected. The resurrection of the spirit follows the mortification of th

Be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and ... put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. — Eph. 4:23, 24. The image of God in man, is the conformity of the soul of man, of his spirit and mind, of his understanding and will, and of all his faculties and powers, both bodily and mental, to God and the Holy Trinity. For the decree of the Holy Trinity was thus expressed: “ Let us make man in our image, after our likeness,” etc. Gen., 1:26. 2. It is evident, therefore, that, when man was created, the image of the Trinity was impressed on him, in order that the holiness, righteousness, and goodness of God, might shine forth in his soul; diffuse abundant light through his understanding, will, and affections; and visibly appear even in his life and conversation: that, consequently, all his actions, both inward and outward, might breathe nothing but div

Herein is My Father Glorified, that Ye Bear Much Fruit — How can we glorify God ? Not by adding to His glory or bringing Him any new glory that He has not. But simply by allowing His glory to shine out through us, by yielding ourselves to Him, that His glory may manifest itself in us and through us to the world. In a vineyard or a vine bearing much fruit, the owner is glorified, as it tells of his skill and care. In the disciple who bears much fruit, the Father is glorified. Before men and angels, proof is given of the glory of God ’s grace and power; God ’s glory shines out through him. This is what Peter means when he writes: “He that ministers, let him minister as of the ability that God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” As a man works and serves in a power which comes from God alone, God gets all the glory . When we confess that the ability came from God alone, he that does the work, a

The mercy of God is that attribute which we, the fallen, sinful race of Adam, stand in greatest need of, and God has been pleased, according to our needs, more gloriously to manifest this attribute than any other. The wonders of divine grace are the greatest of all wonders. The wonders of divine power and wisdom in the making [of] this great world are marvelous; other wonders of his justice in punishing sin are wonderful; many wonderful things have happened since the creation of the world, but none like the wonders of grace. "Grace, grace!" is the sound that the gospel rings with, "Grace, grace!" will be that shout which will ring in heaven forever; and perhaps what the angels sung at the birth of Christ, of God's good will towards men, is the highest theme that ever they entered upon. In order to understand the words of our text, we are to take notice that the scope and design of the chapter is to comfort and encourage t