A Goodly Heritage

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you, an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.—Hebrews 3:12 Unbelief is the prince of sins. As faith is the radical grace, so is unbelief a radical sin—a sinning sin. As, of all sinners, those are most infamous, who are ring-leaders and make others sin, which is the brand which God has set upon Jeroboam’s name, “Jeroboam [the son of Nebat], who did sin, and who made Israel to sin” (1Ki 14:16), so among sins they are most horrid that are most productive of others, such is unbelief above any other: it is a ring-leading sin, a sin-making sin. The first poisonous breath which Eve sucked in from the tempter, was sent in these words, “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Gen 3:1). As if he had said, “Consider well on the matter; do you believe God meant so? Can you think so ill of God, as to believe he would keep the best fruit of the whole garden from you?” This was the traitor’s gate at which...

"Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6. Prayer the sign of life . What is prayer — but the breathing forth of that grace which is breathed into the soul by the Holy Spirit? When God breathed into man the breath of life, he became a living soul. Just so, when God breathes into the creature the breath of spiritual life — he becomes a praying soul: "Behold, he prays," says God of Paul to Ananias (Acts 9:11). Praying is the same to the new creature, as crying to the natural babe. The child is not learned by art to cry — but by nature — it comes into the world crying. Praying is not a lesson got by forms and rules — but flowing from principles of new life. Prayer and reality. Prayer is an act in which we have immediately to do with the great God, to whom we approach in prayer. It is too sacred a duty to be performed between sleeping and waking, with a heavy e...

The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us!" Romans 8:18. Suffering for Christ. "Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him — but also to suffer for His sake" (Philippians 1:29). All the abilities and common gifts that a man has, will never enable him to drink deep of this bitter cup for Christ; such is the pride of man's heart, he had rather suffer any way than this; rather from himself, and for himself, than from Christ, or for Christ. You would wonder to see sometimes how much a child will endure at his play, and never cry for it: this fall, and that knock, and no great matter is made of it by him, because got in a way that is pleasing to him; but let his father whip him, though it put him not to half the smart — yet he so roars and carries on, that there is no quieting of him. Most men are more tender of their skin, than of their conscience; and had rather the go...

Prayer must be the key of the morning, and the lock of the night . We show not ourselves as Christians if we do not open our eyes with prayer , and shut them again with the same key when we lie down at night . Pray as often as you please besides .