A Goodly Heritage

THERE are two great books that you have to read? there is Christ, and yourselves. And I think, when he have read over the first page of the first book, 0 ye may wonder how dark his name is? I say, ye cannot imagine a necessity that hinders you from closing with Christ, but he hath taken a name to answer it. I think there are seven great questions that hinder a Christian’s closing with Christ; and all are answered in that excellent name that Christ hath taken to himself, in Exod. xxxiv. 6. There is that first and great objection, I dare not come. Why? because I am polluted and defiled. Is it not answered in that letter of his name, He is the Lord God, merciful and gracious? And though we be sinful, he can make mercy triumph over judgment. The second objection why men will not come to Christ, is this, 0, say ye, I have nothing to commend myself to him. What want ye? I want a heart to come with, and I want ornaments, and excellent robes. I would ask this question at you, wa...

I SUPPOSE, there are some of us here this day, that it had been better for us we had been at a mountain side. I suppose there are some of us here this day, that would have given their consent to the murdering of Christ Jesus. I think faith is away, and God away too: and would ye know the reason of it? It is, we feed and feast without Christ. I do not desire to enter upon a description of Christ, neither do I desire to conceal his comely beauty. But, 0 believers, and expectants of heaven! there are five parts of Christ’s blessed body that might overcome you, and constrain you to cry out, that ye are content to take him. First , Does not the face of Christ overcome you? And is not that a pleasant part of him, is there not much beauty there? Yea, as much beauty as might overcome these cursed hearts of ours. And we may say this of him, there was never one person saw him, that turned to be his enemy. The second part of Christ’s body that may overcome you, and constrain you i...

A true believer is raised above the common condition of the children of men, to the great blessing and privilege of spiritual sonship. The Almighty God is his Father. All men have God for their Father in respect of creation, but good men only have God for their Father in respect of adoption (John 1:12). This is a special privilege, a great and excellent prerogative. “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (1 John 3:1). David judged it high preferment to be son-in-law to the king (1 Sam. 18:23). Observe, David did not say that it was high preferment to be king himself, but a son; not the king’s own or only begotten son, but to be his son-in-law; and that not to a pious king, but to wicked Saul; and that not in some vast kingdom, but the small kingdom of Judah. What honour and preferment then is it to be an adopted son to the King of saints, yea, to be a king as all God’s adopted sons are (Rev. 1:5). This is a ...

A true believer is privileged with joy in the Holy Ghost. It is a joy that ravisheth the heart and is a foretaste of heaven, a joy that is better felt than expressed. “In whom though now ye see Him not, yet believing ye rejoice, with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Pet. 1:8). Some censure religion, as if it were perpetually attended with mopish pensiveness, and every precious soul were a demoniac possessed with a melancholy devil. Oh, but the practice of religion is full of joy and sweetness (Prov. 3:17). It brings a sedate serenity, a composed quietness, a calm tranquility into the mind, conscience and affections. The godly have God’s Spirit, and spiritual joy is one fruit of God’s Spirit (Gal. 5:22). They are Christ’s subjects, and joy is one great privilege of Christ’s spiritual kingdom (Rom. 14:17). They have an interest in God, and therefore rejoice in Him as their own portion. They are often drawing near to God in His ordinances, and God doth not love to send ...

A true believer is a man of courage and resolution. He is not dismayed at the threats of men, and does not fear what man can do unto him (Ps. 3:6). Others fly when none pursueth, but he is as bold as a lion. He is valiant for the truth. He contends earnestly for the faith once delivered unto the saints; he is not ashamed to own Christ, but stands up boldly in the cause and interest of God and souls. When the wicked let fly at God and religion, he, with a holy warmth, will vindicate them to the faces of the wicked, against all their false charges and blasphemous lies. As he hath faith in his heart, so he confesses it with his tongue, as he hath call and opportunity. He confesses Christ not only in times of encouragement, but in contradiction when he is denied by many. Though men forbid him, nay, threaten him, he will profess the Name of Christ, and go forth bearing his reproach. Yea, he will not only suffer reproach, but loss also for the sake of Christ. He will part with ...

A true believer is a high prizer and strict observer of the sabbath day. He cannot prefer gold before God, the world before godliness, earth before heaven, time before eternity, body before soul, shadows before substance, onions before manna, pottage before birthright, darkness before light, or death before life. No more can he prefer a play day, or a trading day, before the sabbath day; he counts them hogs and swine that despise holy things. As it is the sure mark of an ungodly man to be a sabbath-breaker, so it is the sure mark of a child of God to sanctify the sabbath. Ungodly men are usually careless of their thoughts and words and ways on the sabbath. They can walk in the streets or in the fields at their pleasure. They can lie upon their beds, and at their doors. They can eat and drink even to excess. Yes, they do worse than all this upon the best days, and in the best hours of the day. And though formal hypocrites may on that day abstain from their ordinary sins and...

A true believer contents not himself with shows of goodness, and a form of godliness, but labors to get the life of religion into his heart. He labours to express the power of it in his life, by departing from all iniquity and walking in all the commandments of the Lord blameless (Luke 1:6). He worships God, not only outwardly but inwardly, not only with zealous expressions but devout affections, not only with a decent, becoming gravity, but with faith and love, in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Though he serves God with his body and is not altogether careless of the outside of worship, yet his great care is about his heart and the inside of worship. And as he worships God in the spirit, so he walks after the spirit. As he prays fervently, so he lives holily. Others pretend to godliness, but live wickedly. In their words they profess to know God, but by their works they deny Him (Titus 1:16). Their works and practices give the lie to their words and profession, but the ...

Christ was much in prayer, and will you neglect prayer or pray very rarely? Prayer is the ordinary exercise of every child of God. Why do you not pray? Are you so rich, that you need no supplies of grace; or so careless, that you desire them not? Oh, learn of Christ to be frequent, and fervent, and reverent in prayer! To be frequent, Christ prayed early and late, night and day. "In the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed" (Mark 1:35). Yes, "He continued all night in prayer to God" (Luke 6:12). Did Christ spend nights in prayer, and will you not spend hours in prayer? Why do you pray by fits, and not constantly? Why are you so seldom with God, pouring out your hearts to Him?  Are you afraid of coming to God too often? You may come too seldom, but you can never come too often to God. Is there not occasion for prayer to God early and late? Are there not sins early and late to be pardoned, mercie...