A Goodly Heritage

1. Christian liberty is deliverance from the Wrath of God.  The relation which the Christian, before conversion, stood to God (because of sin) was that of a condemned criminal. By nature he was a child "of wrath, even as others" ( Eph 2:3 ). By birth he belonged to a race which is under the curse of God. In Adam he sinned, and upon him rested the righteous condemnation of a sin-hating God ( Psa 58:3 ). Because of this he was together with all others of Adam's race, looked at as a criminal in prison, awaiting execution. But, all praise to His peerless name, it was to deliver just such that the Son of God became incarnate. He was sent "to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison, to them that are bound" (Isa. 60: 1). This was His first ministerial utterance (see  Luke 4:16-18 ). Nor was this to be confined to Jewish sinners. Of old the Lord declared, I will "give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles. To open ...

The gospel is a report from heaven to be believed and trusted to for salvation. First, we shall view the gospel in the nature of a report in general. And, 1. There is the subject of a report or the thing that is reported, viz., some design, action, or event, true or false. The subject of the gospel report is a love-design in God for the salvation of sinners of mankind (2Ti 1:9-10). Such was the gospel report that was first made in the world (Gen 3:15). It is the report of an act of grace and kindness in God, in favor of them, whereby He has given them His Son for a Savior (Joh 3:16; Isa 9:6) and eternal life in Him (1Jo 5:11). The report of the event of Christ’s dying for sinners and a crucified Christ’s being ready for marriage with sinners (Mat 22:4), [which is] a subject of the utmost importance. 2. There is the place whence the report originally comes. And the place here is heaven, the bosom of the Father. Hence, the gospel is called “heavenly things” (Joh 3:12), revealed fro...

THE GRANDEUR OF THE GOSPEL. — "The great trumpet." It is elsewhere called a great light — a great salvation There is a grandeur in the glorious Gospel of God which soars far beyond all finite excellency and conception. 1.  The period of its introduction is called "the fulness of time." 2.  The Gospel regards immediately the soul and eternity — the only two things in the world which are absolutely great. 3.  The Gospel abounds with exceeding great and precious promises; it unfolds blessings that are incomprehensible in their nature and excellency. 4.  Everything, compared with the Gospel, is trifling and mean. II.  THE DISPENSATION OF THE GOSPEL. The great trumpet is to be "blown." 1.  Who is to blow this trumpet? Men, and not angels. There is a difference here between the administration of the law and the dispensation of the Gospel. 2.  How is this trumpet to be blown? Common sense says, in such a way as to answer the design of its being...

We have it here — I.  DIVINELY PORTRAYED. It is marked by two elements. 1.  Carnality. "The men that are settled on their lees." The image is taken from the crust that is formed on the bottom of wines that have been long left undisturbed. It is marked by — 2.  Atheism. "They say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil." This atheism is —(1) Not a theoretical denial of the existence of God. "They say in their heart, The Lord will not do good." They assume His existence, they have no intellectual conviction for or against. The most popular and pernicious atheism is that which theoretically admits the being of God. It is a stupid, stolid, thoughtless state of mind, and you cannot argue with it. This atheism is —(2) A heart misrepresentation of God. "They say in their heart, The Lord will not do good," etc. They have a God; but He is inactive, dormant, and concerns Himself with neither good nor evil. He is a mere f...

t seems to be commonly thought that the one fear and the one foe in these days is infidelity. Two things only have to be remembered by those who preach against infidelity to ordinary congregations, — the one is, that they do not, in furnishing answers, suggest the doubt with them; the other is, that they he careful to deal fairly and charitably with opponents in a place where, of course, there can be no reply. I.  INDIFFERENCE IS PRACTICAL INFIDELITY. Without disparaging the prevalence in these days of an intellectual and specu lative infidelity, we must feel that there are other dangers and other impediments to the life of souls which may make less demand upon the logic or the rhetoric of preachers, but which are at least as serious in their nature, and even more likely to be found in an assembly of worshippers. There is indifference. Indifference and infidelity have a closer affinity than is implied in their natures. For one person who is made sceptical by thinking or reading,...

Zephaniah 1  I will consume man and Animals sharing the punishments of man Why did God turn His wrath against fishes and other, animals? This seems to have been a hasty and unreasonable infliction. But let this rule be first borne in mind, that it is preposterous in us to estimate God's dealings according to our judgment, as froward and proud men do in our day; for they are disposed to judge of God's works with such presumption that whatever they do not approve they think it right wholly to condemn. But it behoves us to judge modestly and soberly, and to confess that God's judgments are a deep abyss; and when a reason for them does not appear we ought reverently and with due humility to look for the day of their full revelation. This is one thing. Then it is meet at the same time to remember that as animals were created for man's use, they must under, go a lot in common with him; for God made subservient to man both the birds of heaven and the fishes of the sea, an...

In this text it is a sort of mixed religion that the Lord declares He will not tolerate. Impress t he necessity of decision in religion. What is the lowest amount of faith in Jesus Christ which will avail to save a man's soul? 1.  What definition the Scripture gives us of true Christianity. Mark the distinction between coming to Christ and following Christ. Coming to Christ costs a man nothing; but following Christ and remaining with Christ involve the taking up the cross and the exercise of stern self-denial. True Christianity demands an entire surrender of the heart to God, a thorough abandonment of wilful sin, an unceasing vigilance against the wiles of the devil. 2.  If a man has cordially embraced, with a living faith, the truth as it is in Jesus, will he — can he — be undemonstrative? By demonstrativeness is not meant talkativeness, nor can it be explained by formalism. When forms are allowed to usurp the place of the heart, they demonstrate too much. Nor is it bein...