A Goodly Heritage

The ministers of Christ should be persons of the same spirit that their Lord was of: the same spirit of humility and lowliness of heart; for the servant is not greater than his Lord. They should be of the same spirit of heavenly-mindedness, and contempt of the glory, wealth, and pleasures of this world. They should be of the same spirit of devotion and fervent love to God. They should follow the example of his prayerfulness; of whom we read from time to time of his retiring from the world, away from the noise and applause of the multitudes, into mountains and solitary places, for secret prayer, and holy converse with his Father; and once of his rising up in the morning a great while before day, and going and departing into a solitary place to pray, Mark 1:35. And another time, of his going out into a mountain to pray, and continuing all night in prayer to God, Luke 6:12. Ministers should follow Christ’s example, in his strict, constant, and inflexible observance of the commands which ...

We shall briefly speak to the gloriousness of grace. As the grace of the gospel is altogether free, so it is glorious; the angels stoop down, with eyes full of wonder and joy, to look into, and shout for gladness and admiration, at the sight of it. How did the multitudes of heavenly hosts shout at the birth of Christ, crying, "Glory to God in the highest; on earth peace and good will towards men!" Well may the topstone of this house be brought forth with shouting, crying, "Grace, grace!" to it. All the attributes of God, do illustriously shine forth in the face of Jesus Christ: his wisdom in so contriving his power in conquering death and the devil, and the hard and rocky hearts of depraved men; his justice in punishing sins of men rather upon his own dear Son, than let it go unpunished; but more especially, [in] his grace, that sweet attribute, he has magnified his mercy above all his names. The grace of God, exhibited in the gospel, is glorious, First .  Becau...

1. The return of the  Spirit ; which indeed began a little before, but yet was given on occasion of his birth. I have before observed how the spirit of prophecy ceased, not long after Malachi. From about the same time visions and immediate revelations ceased also. But on this occasion, they were granted anew, and the Spirit in these operations returns again. The first revealed instance of its restoration is the vision of Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist (Luke 1). The next is the vision which the Virgin Mary had (Luke 1). The third is the vision which Joseph had (Matt. 1). In the next place, the Spirit was given to Elisabeth (Luke 1:41). Next, it was given to Mary, as appears by her song (Luke 1:46, etc.). Then to Zacharias again (Luke 1:64). Then it was sent to the shepherds (Luke 2:9). Then it was given to Simeon (Luke 2:25), then to Anna (Luke 2:36), then to the wise men in the east. Then to Joseph again, directing him to flee into Egypt; and after that directing his r...

. How destitute of any comforting consideration your condition will be, if you perish at last. You will have none to pity you. Look which way you will, before or behind, on the right hand or left, look up to heaven, or look shout you in hell, and you will see none to condole your case, or to exercise any pity towards you, in your dreadful condition. You must bear these flames, you must bear that torment and amazement, day and night, for ever, and never have the comfort of considering, that there is so much as one that pities your case; there never will one tear be dropped for you. (1.) You have now been taught that you will have no pity from the  created inhabitants  of heaven. If you shall look to them, you will see them all rejoicing at the sight of the glory of God's justice, power, and terrible majesty, manifested in your torment. You will see them in a blissful and glorious state; you will see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God; you ...

  When the saints in glory shall see the wrath of God executed on ungodly men, it wilt be no occasion of grief to them, but of rejoicing.       IT is not only the sight of God's wrath executed on those wicked men who are of the antichristian church, which will be occasion of rejoicing to the saints in glory; but also the sight of the destruction of all God's enemies whether they have been the followers of antichrist or not, that alters not the case, if they have been the enemies of God, and of Jesus Christ. All wicked men will at last be destroyed together, as being united in the same cause and interest, as being all of Satan's army. They will all stand together at the day of judgment, as being all of the same company. And if we understand the text to have respect only to a temporal execution of God's wrath on his enemies; that will not alter the case. The thing they are called upon to rejoice at, is the execution of God's wrath upon his and thei...

CHRIST SHALL RULE IN THE MIDST OF HIS ENEMIES Psalm 110:2.  The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion:  rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.             This psalm is prophetical of Christ's exaltation and the success of this gospel and glory of his kingdom, that was consequent on his death and resurrection. When Christ arose from the dead and ascended into heaven, then did God say to him, as in the 1st verse, "Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." As those words are applied in Acts 2:32, etc., "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes th...