A Goodly Heritage

BEARING THE CROSS "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." "And He bearing His cross."—John 19:17. When did Jesus bear the cross? Not that moment alone, surely, when the bitter tree was placed on His shoulders, on the way to Golgotha. Its vision may be said to have risen before Him in His infant dreams in Bethlehem's cradle; there, rather, its reality began; and He ceased not to carry it, until his work was finished, and the victory won! A  cloud  of old, hovered over the mercy seat in the tabernacle and temple. So it was with the Great Antitype—the living Mercy-seat—He had ever a cloud of woe hanging over Him. "He  carried  our sorrows." Reader! dwell much and often under the shadow of your Lord's cross, and it will lead you to think lightly of your own! If  He  gave utterance to not one murmuring word, can you complain? "If we were deeper students of His bitter anguish, we would think less of the ripplings of our ...

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." "And He bearing His cross."—John 19:17. When did Jesus bear the cross? Not that moment alone, surely, when the bitter tree was placed on His shoulders, on the way to Golgotha. Its vision may be said to have risen before Him in His infant dreams in Bethlehem's cradle; there, rather, its reality began; and He ceased not to carry it, until his work was finished, and the victory won! A  cloud  of old, hovered over the mercy seat in the tabernacle and temple. So it was with the Great Antitype—the living Mercy-seat—He had ever a cloud of woe hanging over Him. "He  carried  our sorrows." Reader! dwell much and often under the shadow of your Lord's cross, and it will lead you to think lightly of your own! If  He  gave utterance to not one murmuring word, can you complain? "If we were deeper students of His bitter anguish, we would think less of the ripplings of our waves, amid His horr...

"A little while the fetters hold no more; The spirit long enthralled is free to soar, And takes its joyful flight, On radiant wings of light, Up to the throne, to labor or adore!" "They rest not day and night." —Rev. 4:8. What a seeming paradox is this! We last contemplated Heaven under the beautiful and significant figure of a state of rest —here it is spoken of as a state of un rest! "They rest"—"they rest not." It is what the old writers quaintly designate, "The rest without a rest." The combination of these two similitudes involves no inconsistency; they bring together two different but not antagonistic elements of earthly happiness, which will have their highest exemplification in the bliss of a perfect world. The emblem suggests TWO VIEWS OF A FUTURE HEAVEN— First, It is a state of ceaseless activity in the service of God. Constituted as we now a...

He gives more grace ." —James 4:6 Many are the hindrances and discouragements which meet the Christian in his journey heavenward; and, if he had only his own strength to rely upon, he would soon become faint-hearted, and sink down in hopeless despair. But, conscious that there is a power on his side which can carry him over every obstacle—an Arm on which he may lean for support in every time of weakness—and a Refuge to which he can betake himself whenever danger threatens to overwhelm him, he pursues his onward and upward course, assured that He who has been his Guardian and Guide in the past, will not fail nor forsake him in the future. And, ever, as he finds his progress retarded—whether by temptations from without or from within—from daily interaction with the world, or a more close and constant communion with an evil heart, he resorts to to the throne of grace, that his faith may be invigorated—his love increas...

"Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood." --Rom. 3:25 "Happy is he alone, to whom the Lord does not impute transgression--to have Him propitious to me against whom alone I have sinned. When my soul is troubled with the view of my sinfulness, I look at Your mercy, and am refreshed." –Bernard, 1123. "The Everlasting God be praised! We have a remedy and a sure helper. Christ the Son of the living God has fulfilled the law for us, to deliver us from sin." –Latimer, 1546. "Under this shadow, O my soul, refresh yourself. If your sins fear the hand of justice, behold your sanctuary; if your offences tremble before the Judge, behold your Advocate ; if your creditor threatens a prison, behold your bail. Behold the Lamb of God, that has taken your sins from you." –Francis Quarles, 1592. "Sprinkled with His atoning blood, Safely before our God we stand; ...

How precious also are Your thoughts unto me, O God!" I have loved you, My people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself. Jeremiah 31:3 Here we have an everlasting thought of God, "in the beginning, before ever the earth was." Believer, travel back in imagination to the ages of the past. Before the trance of eternity was broken by any visible manifestation of power—before one temple was erected in space, before one angel waved his wing, or one note was heard of seraph's song—when God inhabited alone these sublime solitudes—then there was a thought of you, and that thought was— Love! Think of the sovereignty of that love. He says not, 'You have loved Me with your poor earthly love, therefore have I drawn you.' No, no! It is from nothing in you—no foreseen goodness on your part. Grace is the reason of all He has done—"God who is rich in...

"I have loved you with an everlasting love! Therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you!" —  Jeremiah 31:3 Here we have an everlasting thought of God, "in the beginning, before ever the earth was." Believer, travel back in imagination to the ages of the past. Before the trance of eternity was broken by any visible manifestation of power — before one temple was erected in space, before one angel waved his wing, or one note was heard of seraph's song — when God inhabited alone, these sublime solitudes — then there was a thought of  you  — and that thought was — Love! Think of the  sovereignty  of that love. He says not, 'You have loved Me with your poor earthly love — therefore have I drawn you.' No, no! It is from nothing in  you  — no  foreseen goodness  on your part. Grace is the reason for all He has done, "God who is rich in mercy for His great love with which He loved us." "I will have mercy," is His own declaration ...

"How precious are Your thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand! When I awake, I am still with You!" —   Psalm 139:17-18 The thoughts of a great   man   on earth — how valued! With what feelings then, shall we ponder   the thoughts of God!   We treasure the thoughts of the wise and the good for their own sake — but how is their value enhanced when they are personal, and have a special reference to   ourselves ? These "Thoughts of God," are thoughts toward   us.   "I know the thoughts that I think   towards you ." "Your thoughts which are   to us."   "How precious also are Your thoughts   unto me , O God." We peruse with additional interest the   diary   — the recorded thoughts — of those with whom, while living, we interchanged hallowed friendship, and whose regard and love we had been privileged to enjoy. In opening the "Divine Diary...

"So the Word became flesh.........."  John 1:14 "The Word of God, Jesus Christ, on account of His immense love, became what we are, that He might make us what He is." –Irenaeus, 169. "There is no room in the inn for the Child miraculously born--the earth does not receive its God. He has no suitable dwelling-place in all the world. He whom heaven and earth cannot contain, lies in a manger!" –Simon de Cassia. "If Jesus were God only, and not man, He could not suffer anything whereby to satisfy Divine Justice. If man only, and not God, He could not satisfy Divine Justice, even though He suffered. If man only, His satisfaction could not be sufficient for God. If God only, it would not be suitable for man. And, therefore, to be capable of suffering for men, and able to satisfy God, Himself must be both God and man." –Bishop Beveridge. "The one true and perfect Flower which has ever unfolded itself out of the root and stalk of humanity....