"You can never magnify Christ enough, and you can never debase self enough;"

The more true light a man hath, the more cause of self-abasement will he find in himself. You can never magnify Christ enough, and you can never debase self enough; and certainly Christ is most exalted when you are most abased, Isa. ii. 19. Dagon must fall upon his face if you mean to set up the ark; and if Christ shall be precious to you, you must be vile in your own eyes; none have such true revivings as the humble, Isa. Ivii. 15, 16. True humiliation is far from weakening your comforts, it maketh them more full and sure;

—Thomas Manton

"The greatest care of a Christian is to be what he seemeth to be, and to account godliness the chiefest cunning."

"without hypocrisy ;" in true wisdom there is much light, but no guile. The greatest care of a Christian is to be what he seemeth to be, and to account godliness the chiefest cunning. Carnal men count them wise that can manage their matters with most craft and guile, and gratify their interests by a plausible dissimulation; but this the Lord hateth. The hypocrite is the greatest fool, and putteth the greatest cheat upon himself in the issue; all that he gaineth by his designers but the fee of hell: "He shall give him his portion with hypocrites" (Matt. xxiv. 51). Well then, reckon sincerity as the highest point of wisdom: " Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we had our conversation in the world," &c. (2 Cor. i. 12.) Avoid hypocrisy in all the actions of your life ; not only in addresses to God, but your respects to men. The Scriptures that require "faith unfeigned" (1 Tim. i. 5 ; 2 Tim. i. 5), do also require "love unfeigned" (1 Pet. i. 22; 2 Cor. vi. 6; Rom. xii. 9). "Let us not love in word and tongue, but in deed and in truth" (1 John iii. 18). We should be as willing to do them good, as to proffer it; to reprove, as to flatter; to pray to God for them in secret, as to make professions of respect to themselves.

—Thomas Manton

Manton on the Armor of God

A Christian is set forth as armed from head to foot. There is for the head a helmet of salvation, which is hope; a breastplate of righteousness; the girdle of truth; for shoes, the gospel of peace; the shield of faith; the sword of the Spirit. These are the graces necessary to resist temptation, and these we have from God. A Christian hath not only weapons offensive, but defensive; not only a sword, but also a shield. Satan hath only weapons offensive, as darts; he hath darts to wound the soul. Again, observe, there is no piece of armour for the back. Why? Because there is no flight in this spiritual warfare; we must stand to it: James iv. 7, 'Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.'

But let us see what are the pieces of the spiritual armour. The apostle begins with 'the girdle of truth,' by which is meant, not truth of doctrine (for that is the sword of the Spirit), but sincerity, or an honest intention; when a man endeavoureth to be both to God and man what he seems to be. Now, it is the Lord that must renew the right spirit within us. Satan he assaults us with wiles, but our armour of proof against him is the girdle of truth. We stand against the wiles of Satan, but we must not fight against him with his own weapons, and put off wiles with wiles; sincerity and honest intention, that is our strength; this is the girdle to the loins, it gives strength and courage to the soul. And then there is 'the breastplate of righteousness,' or that grace which puts us upon a holy conversation, suitable to God's will revealed in his word, whereby we endeavour to give God and man their due; it secures the breast and vital parts, the seed of inherent grace in the heart; an honest fixed purpose to obey God in all things. The next thing, the feet must be shod; we shall meet with rough ways in our passage to heaven, and what is that which is armour of proof for our feet? 'The preparation of the gospel of peace,' a sense of our peace and friendship made up between God and us through Christ. Without this we shall never follow God in the way of duty when we meet with difficulties and hardships, But 'above all, take the shield of faith.' A shield covers the body, but that which gives defence to all is faith: without this a man is naked. Destitute of Christ's imputed righteousness, he wants his covenant-strength; it applieth Christ's righteousness, and engageth the power of God on our behalf. Then there is 'the helmet of salvation,' which is hope: 1 Thes. v. 8. A well-grounded hope of salvation, it makes us hold up the head in the midst of all waves and sore assaults; that is, it is our great motive and encouragement in the work of sanctification. Then there is ' the sword of the Spirit,' which is both offensive and defensive; it wardeth off Satan's blows, and makes him fly back from us as one wounded and ashamed. These are the graces. Now God gives them to us, and therefore he is called ' The God of all grace,' 1 Pet. v. 10. Why? because he requires it only? No, but because he giveth it also. And it is called 'The armour of God,' ver. 11. God is the author, God is the maker, God is the inventor of this armour, and he doth freely bestow it upon us. The apostle bids us 'take the whole armour of God, ' ver. 13, that is, take it out of God's hand. This armour is not of our making and procuring, but made to our hands by God himself.

—Thomas Manton

Where You Will Find Christ

Another word of caution. Enter not into places, or society, or recreation, as a Christian, where Christ is excluded. "Surely the fear of God is not in this place," exclaimed Abraham of Abimelech's house. If this is your experience, flee from the place as unsuited to one who desires to rule his life and his home by the fear of God. You will not find Christ's approving, sanctifying presence in scenes of worldly gaiety, in haunts of carnal pleasure, or amid the excitement of political, social, or ecclesiastical strife. You will not find Him at the card-table, nor at the theatre, nor in the dance, nor on the turf. You will not find Him where error is preached, or false worship is offered, or religious formalism maintains its cold and lifeless reign. Oh no! not here, not here, beloved, will you find the Lord. In all these places, and amid all these scenes Christ is hid! But you will find Him in the midst of His saints, met together in His Name. You will find Him among the poor in spirit, the broken of heart, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness,—to whom His name is as ointment poured forth, and who, in their emptiness and poverty, live upon His fulness. You will find Him in the home of mourning, amid the scene of adversity, in the chamber of sickness, by the couch of suffering, at the bed of death, and at the grave that unveils its bosom to receive the ransomed dust of a temple of the Holy Ghost. Most of all, you will find Him in the retirement and solitude of the closet, shut in alone with God, in sweet "fellowship with the Father, and with His Son, Christ Jesus." Heed not the popular cry, "Lo! here is Christ!" Believe it not, and go not after it, for He is not there. Our Lord has forewarned us of this as one of the signs of the last day. Even now are there many "false Christs." But inquire after and walk in the old paths, shaded with His cross, traced with His feet, and trodden by His saints.

—Octavius Winslow

"though invisible to mortal eyes, he is still near to all that seek him;"

The first believers, though not faultless, were sincere: the natural disposition of their hearts was changed; they believed in Jesus; they loved him; they devoted themselves to his service; they submitted to his instructions, shared in his reproach, and could not be either enticed or intimidated to leave him. Their gracious Master was their guide and guard, their advocate and counsellor; when they were in want, in danger, in trouble, or in doubt, they applied to him, and found relief; hence they learned by degrees to cast all their care upon him. He corrected every wrong disposition; he pardoned their failings, and enabled them to do better. His precepts taught them true wisdom; and his own example, which, to those who loved him, had the force of a thousand precepts, was at once the model and the motive of their obedience. To make them ashamed of aspiring to be chief, he himself, though Lord of all, conversed among them as a servant, and condescended to wash their feet; to teach them forbearance and gentleness to their opposers, they saw him weep over his bitterest enemies, and heard him pray for his actual murderers.

Thus they gradually advanced in faith, love, and holiness, as the experience of every day disclosed to them some new discovery of the treasures of wisdom, grace, and power, residing in their Lord and Saviour: he explained to them in private the difficulties which occurred in his more public discourses; by his observations on the common occurrences of life he opened to them the mysterious volumes of creation and providence, which none but those whom he vouchsafes to teach can understand aright: he prayed for them, and with them, and taught them to pray for themselves: he revealed unto them the unseen realities of the eternal world, and supported them under the prospect of approaching trials; particularly of his departure from them, by assuring them that he was going on their behalf to prepare them a place in his kingdom, and that in a little time he would return to receive them to himself, that they might dwell with him for ever.

What he personally spoke to them, and acted in their presence, was recorded by his direction, and has been preserved by his providence for the use and comfort of his church. Though his enemies have raged horribly, they have not been able to suppress the divine volume; and, though invisible to mortal eyes, he is still near to all that seek him; and so supplies the want of his bodily presence by the secret communications of his Spirit, that his people have no reason to complain of any disadvantage: though they see him not, they believe, love, rejoice, and obey; their attention and dependence are fixed upon him; they intrust him with all their concerns; they rely upon his promises; they behold him as their Highpriest, Advocate, and Shepherd; they live upon his fulness, and plead his righteousness; and they find and feel that their reliance is not in vain.

—John Newton

His Image in His Word

God's image is, (1.) Primarily, in Jesus Christ his Son. (2.) Derivatively, by his Spirit, imprinted perfectly in the Holy Scriptures. (3.) And by the Scripture, or the holy doctrine of it, instrumentally impressed on the soul. So that the image of God in Christ, is the cause of his image in his holy word or doctrine, and his image in his word, is the cause of his image on the heart.

—Richard Baxter

God hath imprinted his image in his word, it is there he presenteth himself to us, and will have us to behold him, as it were, face to face. 2 Cor. iii. and iv. Therefore it is not in vain that St. Paul giveth this title to the preaching of the word of God; namely, that it is the truth. By this means he maketh himself known to us; it is also the means of our salvation: it is our life, our riches, and the seed whereby we become the children of God: in short, it is the nourishment of our souls, by which we are quickened.

—Jean Cauvin

"All things" were not only "created by Him," but "for Him." (Col. i. 16.) And it is His intention that His Church shall be so occupied with Himself, and so transported with His image in His word, that by degrees every spot shall be cleansed away, every blemish removed, and thus the Church, which was made for Christ, shall be made like Christ. This is also proved by 1 Peter i. 15, 16. "As He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." Whoever is set apart for God will be a holy man, a holy woman, or a holy child. If this is true of you, you will no longer think your own thoughts, nor speak your own words, nor find your own pleasure. You will be able to say with St. Paul, in Gal. ii. 20, "I am [rather, I was] crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." Every spiritual blessing begins at the cross of Christ, and so Jesus sanctifies His people by His own blood. 

—James Gosset- Tanner

The eagle eye that braves the sun,

May wear its kindling beam,

And angel-eyes that dwell on GOD,

Perchance might picture HIM.

But what tho' angel tongues described

What angel-eyes behold?

They could not tell us more of God

Than God himself hath told.

Reflected from the peerless light

That mocks our low access,

His image in His word appears

Reveal'd in "HOLINESS!"

—Edward Swaine

The New Year with the Infallible Pilot

December 29,1780.
My dear Friend;

So it seems I owed the letter, and charged the fault of not writing to you. It must be so, because you say, you are very certain it was so. Remember, however, I am writing last now. I hope when this comes, it will find you and your's comfortable, and your heart and mouth full of gratitude to him who crowneth the year with his goodness. Well, these returning years each bear away a large portion of our time, and the last year cannot be far off. Oh, that precious name which can enable a sinner to think of his last year and his last hour without dismay! What do we owe to him who has disarmed death of its sting and horrors, and shown us the land of light and immortality beyond the grave!

May he be with us in the new year. Yea, he has promised he will, even unto death. Therefore, though we know not what a day may bring forth, we need fear no evil; for he knows all, and will provide accordingly, Oh, what a relief is it, to be enabled to cast every care and burden upon him that careth for us! Though the night should be dark, the storm loud, and the billows high, the infallible Pilot will steer our barks safely through.

This has been an important year with me, it has introduced me into an entire new scene of service; and it has likewise seemed a very short year. O, how the weeks have whirled round! It has not been without its trials; but comforts have much more abounded. With respect to my public work, I have been much favoured with liberty, peace, and acceptance. I hope it has not been wholly a lost year; though with respect to my part and share of it, I have reason to say, Enter not into judgment with thy servant.

Let us help each other with our prayers, that the little uncertain remainder of life may be filled up to the praise of our dear Lord; that we may be united to his will, conformed to his image, and devoted to his service. Thus we shall show forth his praise; if we aim to walk as he walked, and, by a sweet constraining sense of his love, are formed into an habitual imitation of his spirit and temper, in meekness, integrity, benevolence towards men; in humility, dependence, resignation, confidence, and gratitude towards him.

—John Newton

"Christ is a vast volume, a great book"

Christ is a vast volume, a great book, wherein we may see and read the wisdom of God in a mystery. This book is open to us in the gospel, and if the Spirit of faith be allowed, we have no more ado, but to turn over the leaves, and in every page we will see written in capital letters, WISDOM, WISDOM, WISDOM: INFINITE WISDOM. Wisdom in contriving such a salvation of sinners, as should redound to the greatest glory of God. Wisdom in choosing such a person to be the Saviour and Redeemer, even the fittest person of all the three glorious persons of the adorable Trinity, the middle person to be Midsman and Mediator betwixt God and man. Wisdom in furnishing him with all the help and assistance in this work, that the other two glorious persons could give him, while he is sealed by the Father, and anointed by the Spirit; "Him hath God the Father sealed: and the Spirit of the Lord God is upon uniting the most distant extremes, in joining God and man in one person, the infinite and eternal God with a piece of clay. O wisdom, wisdom shines here! Wisdom in punishing the sin, and yet pardoning the sinner: taking vengeance on the crime, and yet shewing mercy on the criminal. This wisdom of God shines in the face of Christ, the Surety of the better testament. Wisdom in bringing the greatest good out of the greatest evil, and all by the most unlikely means; making sin itself, which tends to the greatest dishonour of God, to contribute to his greatest glory; while salvation from it, by Jesus, brings in glory to God in the highest; and while in him also is brought life out of death, and the highest salvation out of the deepest humiliation. Wisdom in counteracting the policy of the old serpent in such a wonderful manner, making the seed of the woman to bruise the head of the serpent; and the babe of Bethlehem to conquer all the armed legions of hell.—But to turn over all the leaves of this book, will be the work of eternity; however, all this wisdom, and infinitely more, is to be seen in Christ.

—Ralph Erskine

"When God giveth, he will give like himself."

God giveth quite in another manner than man doth. It is our fault to measure infiniteness by our last, and to muse of God according as we use ourselves. The soul, in all her conclusions, is directed by principles and premises of sense and experience; and because we converse with limited natures and dispositions, therefore we do not form proper and worthy thoughts of God. It was the gross idolatry of the heathens to 'turn the glory of the incorruptible God into the image of a man.' Rom. i. 23; that is, to fancy God according to the shape and figure of our bodies. And so it is the spiritual idolatry of Christians to fancy God according to the model and size of their own minds and dispositions. I am persuaded there doth nothing disadvantage us so much in believing as this conceit that 'God is altogether like ourselves,' Ps. 1. 21. We, being of eager and revengeful spirits, cannot believe his patience and pardoning mercy; and that, I suppose, was the reason why the apostles (when Christ talked of forgiving our brother seven times in one day), cried out, Luke xvii. 5, 'Lord, increase our faith,' as not being able to believe so great a pardoning mercy either in themselves or God. And therefore, also, I suppose it is that God doth with such vehemency show everywhere that his heart hath other manner of dispositions than man's hath: Isa. Iv. 8, 9, 'My thoughts are not as your thoughts, nor my ways as your ways; as far as the heavens are above the earth, so are my thoughts above your thoughts:' I am not straitened in bowels, nor hardened, nor implacable, as men are; as there is a vast space and distance between the earth and the firmament, so between your drop and my ocean. So Hosea xi. 9, 'I am God, and not man; and therefore Ephraim shall not be destroyed;' that is, I have not such a narrow heart, such wrathful implacable dispositions as men have. Well, then, consider, when God giveth, he will give like himself. Do not measure him by the wretched straitness of your own hearts, and confine God within the circle of the creatures. It is said of Araunah that he gave as a king to David, 2 Sam. xxiv. 23. Whatever God doth, he will do as a God, above the rate and measure of the creatures, something befitting the infiniteness and eternity of his own essence. 

—Thomas Manton

The Charms of Gospel Rhetoric

Christ's love is hot and burning, he thinketh we tarry too long from his embraces. So Cant. v. 2, 'Open to me, my sister, my spouse,' &c. Christ stands begging for entrance. Lost man! do but suffer me to save thee; poor sinner! suffer me to love thee. These are the charms of gospel rhetoric. So Isa. xlix., 'Hearken to me, and attend to the words of my mouth,' &c. O sinners! you will not hearken to me for the good of your souls! You see none singeth so sweetly as the bird of paradise, the turtle that chirpeth upon the church's hedges, that he may cluck sinners to himself.

—Thomas Manton

Rotten Principles

Rotten principles make rotten Christians.

—Benjamin Keach

We work according as our principles are. Principles are the foundation of all conclusions that arise from them. As our grounds are, so are we in our faith, and working, and grace, and comfort every way. If we have rotten principles, if the grounds of our comfort be rotten, our course will be rotten and uncomfortable in the conclusion. Let us build upon the rock, to be well bottomed and founded, that our principles and grounds be strong, and that they be so to us; for what if God be with his, if he be not so to us? Let us labour to lay up sound grounds. Grounds have influence into the whole course of our lives.

—Richard Sibbes

There are several sorts of principles; there are some that are false and rotten, and some more tolerable, and some good and sound, and some rare and excellent.

1. There are some false and rotten principles, as carnal example and custom. Men will do as they have done, or as others do; they will own the religion that their fathers have done, be it what it will. By the same reason you may serve Mahomet as well as Christ. A man that standeth upon the vantage-ground is not taller than another; such are of no better constitution than the Turks, only they stand upon the vantage-ground. Another rotten principle is vainglory, to be seen of men, Mat. vi.; they pray and give alms to be seen of men. 'Come see my zeal for the Lord of hosts,' saith Jehu. Vainglory many times filleth the sails, and carries us on in the service of God. So secular and worldly interests and ends; as the Pharisees made long prayers that they might devour widows' houses, Mat. xxiii.; that is, they made long prayers and show of devotion, to be trusted with the management of widows' estates, to make a prey of them. All that I shall say to this principle is this, that it is better for the world that men would serve God anyhow, that Christ should be served out of vainglory, than not served at all; as the apostle saith some preach Christ out of envy, and others out of good-will, but I am glad so Christ be preached, Phil. i. 18; though they themselves be rotten-hearted hypocrites, yet the world fares the better for it.

2. There are some more tolerable principles, the hope of temporal mercies. When we come and pray, and do not seek the favour of God, but seek temporal mercies: Hosea vii. 14, 'They howled upon their beds for corn and wine.' Or the fear of temporal judgments, Isa. lviii. 5 ; Jer. ii. 16; when all that they do is to remove some temporal judgment: 'In their afflictions they will seek me right early.' And I think I may add one thing more here, the fear of eternal death, when it is alone (otherwise it is a grace); they shall be damned else; and so it is a sleepy sop to appease an accusing conscience, and so it is but a sin-offering. Though it requireth some faith to fear what is to come, yet fear of punishment alone showeth you are slaves, and only love yourselves: the devils fear and tremble, but do not love. You may fear a thing though you hate it. So far as the heart is affected with the fear of hell, it is good.

3. There are very good and sound principles, yet do not always argue grace, as when duties are done out of the urgings of an enlightened conscience; this may be without the bent of a renewed heart, but yet the principle is sound; for the first thing that influenceth a man is to consider himself a creature, and so to look upon himself as bound to obey his creator. I shall illustrate it by the apostle's words in another case: I must preach the gospel, and 'woe unto me if I preach not the gospel,' 1 Cor. ix. 16, 17, 'Whether I do it willingly or unwillingly, yet a dispensation is committed to me.' So saith the soul, Whether I be fitted to do God service or no, God must be obeyed. But because God's precept is invested with a sanction of threatenings and rewards, here comes in the fear of hell and the hope of heaven. The Lord hath commanded me to fly from hell; this is a good principle: so the hope of heaven, Heb. xi. 26; it is a sound principle: a man may be gracious, or he may not. Many have a liking to heaven and eternal life, as it is a state of happiness, not of likeness to God. Where it is not alone, it is a very sound principle, but as it is, it may sometimes be the sign of a renewed man, and sometimes not.

4. There are rare and excellent principles, when we act out of thankfulness to God, when we consider the Lord's goodness, that might have required duty out of mere sovereignty; he hath laid the foundation of it in the blood of his own Son, 1 John iv. 29; when we love him out of the sense of his love to us in Christ, and when the grace of God that hath appeared teacheth us to deny ungodliness, Titus ii. 11; when the mercies of God melt us, Rom. xii. 1; when there are no entreaties so powerful as that of love. Again, another principle that is rare and excellent is when the glory of God doth season us in our whole course, that it may be to the praise of his glorious grace, 1 Cor. x. 31. Another is complacency in the work for the work's sake, when we love the law because it is pure, when I see it will ennoble me and make me like God, when I love God and his ways, when nothing but so noble employment doth engage me to his service; and service to God is the sweetest life in the world.

—Thomas Manton

On the glorious Christ's glorious love held forth in the glorious Gospel

As the Gospel is glorious upon the consideration of the revelation or discovery which is made therein of Jesus Christ, in respect of the excellency of his Person and perfections, so likewise it is glorious as it reveals or makes known his glorious love to the children of men.

Christ's love held forth in the Gospel is glorious love.

1. From the earliness of it, he loved us from everlasting. "We love him because he first loved us." He loved us when we had no love to him; nay, when we were his enemies and hated him, 1 John iv. 19.

2. Christ's love is a glorious love upon account of the freeness of it; there was no constraint laid upon him to fix his eye upon fallen man, the soul is Christ's own free and voluntary choice, and he doth not begrudge us his love, he doth not think he is too high, too rich, too honourable, or too good for poor sinners, Hos. xiv. 4.

3. Christ's love held forth in the Gospel is a glorious love, in that it is a drawing, engaging, or attracting love, it is like Elijah's mantle which he cast upon Elisha; Christ's love hath a kind of compulsion in it, not by violence but by sweet influence, Hos. xi. 3, 1 John iv. 19, 1 Kings xix. 20.

4. Christ's love held forth in the Gospel is a glorious love, in that it is an undeserved love, an unmerited love. Where is the soul that can say it deserves Christ's love? some will say, O such a person is worthy, she deserves and merits your love, but it cannot be said so here, Luke xiv. 23.

5. Christ's love held forth in the Gospel is a glorious love, in respect of the strength of it; what Solomon speaks of love, is true in respect of Christ, " his love is stronger than death," Cant. viii. 6.

1. Consider from whence it brought him.

2. Consider whither it brought him.

3. Consider how it stripped him and disrobed him.

4. Consider what he endured and underwent, as the effect of his great love and affection.

5. Christ's love held forth in the Gospel is a glorious love, because it is a matchless love, it is wonderful, it is so deep no finding of a bottom, so long no measuring of it; none ever loved as Christ loved us. "He hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood," Eph. iii. 17—19, Rev. i. 5.

6. Christ's love is a glorious love, in at it is a conjugal or an espousal love. Christ loves not as a master loves his servant, nor (only) as the father loves his dear child, but as a bridegroom his spouse, the choice and delight of his heart, or as a man loves his dear wife.

7. Christ's love held forth in the Gospel is a glorious love, in that it is an abiding and eternal love; nothing can separate the soul from Christ's love; "Having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them unto the end," Rom. viii. 35, John xiii. 1.

8. Christ's love is a glorious love, because it is a love of complacency, he takes delight in his love, and in the soul beloved. Christ loves all men with a love of pity, but he loveth his elect with a love of complacency.

9. Christ's love held forth in the Gospel is glorious love, because it draws forth or doth beget glorious love in the soul to him; the love which is in us to him, is but the glorious effects of his love to us. It makes us to love him so as to admire him, not being able to set his worth and excellency forth: glorious love causeth a longing and languishing until the soul enjoy Christ, it is with the soul as it was with Ahab touching Naboth's vineyard. Christ runs much in the mind and thought of such; yea, and it makes them willing to go through hardships and diificulties for him as Jacob did for Rachel; such will abide with Christ in adversity as Jonathan did with David, it carries the soul to love Christ above all other things, Cant. v. 16.

Glorious love is attended with fruit, "Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou me more than these? Feed my sheep,"—" If you love me, keep my commandment," John xx. 16, xiv. 15.

Such delight in Christ's presence, and greatly prize every token of his divine love and grace, and mourn at Christ's absence; nothing will comfort if Christ be gone. Glorious love leads the soul to visit Christ often, and to love them that he loves, and long to look for his appearing.

—Benjamin Keach

On the beauty and perfections of our Lord Jesus Christ

Quest. What kind of beauty and perfections is the beauty and are the perfections of our Lord Jesus Christ?

Answ. You have heard it is the beauty of God; the beauty of man, the perfection of those beauties, Which are in God and man. But to answer this question more distinctly;

1. He is the original of all beauties and perfections of beauty, that is in angels, the soul, the body, the face of a man, the sun, the stars, the firmament, &c.

2. His beauty is a desirable beauty, "Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?" "With my soul have I desired thee in the night," Isa. xxvi. 9. "One thing have I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord for ever that I may behold the beauty of the Lord, and enquire in his temple," Psal. xxvii. 4. And hence he is called the desire of all nations.

3. It is a holy and chaste beauty, there is no snare nor pollution in it; Joseph was a beautiful person, but it was attended with a snare; here you may look, and love, and fear no danger.

4. It is a real beauty, not a seeming beauty, a paint on a wall. What is human beauty to the beauty of the Son of God ? Prov. xxxi. 30.

5. Christ's beauty is a soul-engaging beauty, how did it make Moses to leave all, Peter and John leave all! Whoever saw him and could forbear to love him, neglect all and follow him?

6. It is a communicative beauty, he can transmit his beauty to the making others beautiful. "And thy renown went forth among the Heathen for thy beauty, for it was perfect through the comeliness which I put upon thee," &c, Ezek. xvi. 14.

7. It is a satisfying and delighting beauty, it fills and contents each soul to the full who beholds it.

8. It is a mystical and hidden beauty; carnal eyes cannot see it, they behold no beauty nor comeliness in him to desire him, Isa. liii. 2.

9. It is an admirable and wonderful beauty: angels in heaven, and saints on earth, are amazed and astonished at the sight thereof.

10. It is a lasting and never-fading beauty: the beauty of mortals is like a flower which withereth and passeth away in a moment.

You gentle youths whose chaster breasts do beat

With pleasing raptures, and love's gen'rous heat:

And virgins kind, from whose unguarded eyes

Passion oft steals your hearts by fond surprise:

Behold the object, this alone is he!

Ah none like Christ did ever mortals see!

He is all fair; in him not one ill feature:

Ten thousand times more fair than any creature,

That lives, or ever lived on the earth,

His beauty so amazingly shines forth.

Angelic nature is enamoured so.

They love him dearly, and admire him too.

His head is like unto the purest gold;

His curled tresses lovely to behold.

And such brightness sparkles from his eyes,

As when Aurora gild the morning skies:

And though so bright, yet pleasant like the doves;

Charming all hearts, where rest diviner loves.

Look on his beauteous cheeks, and thou wilt spy,

The Rose of Sharon deck'd in royalty,

His smiling lips, his speech, and words so sweet,

That all delights and joy in them do meet.

Which tend at once to ravish ear and sight,

And to a kiss all heavenly souls invite.

The image of his Father's in his face.

His inward parts excel, he's full of grace.

If heav'n and earth can make a rare complexion,

Without a spot, or the least imperfection;

here, here it is; it in this Prince doth shine:

he's altogether lovely, all divine.

If you his beauty saw, his riches weigh;

'Twill charm your eyes, your best affections sway,

And in dark minds Light up eternal day.

He's fairer than all other's; beauty such,

As none can be enamour'd of too much.

This object choose, yield him a holy kiss

That thou at last may'st sing, raptur'd in bliss,

My well-beloved's mine, and I am his.

—Benjamin Keach



"It is the glory of the believer to acknowledge Christ the ALPHA and the OMEGA, and the ALL of his spiritual life."

Christ, might he [the Apostle Paul] say, is the ALPHA and OMEGA of my life, the beginning and the end of it; the author and finisher of it; Christ is the principle of my life, from whom I live; Christ is the pattern of my life, according to whose example I live; Christ is the giver of my life, the maintainer of my life, the restorer of my life; after decays, he restores my soul, and makes me to walk in the paths of righteousness, for his name's sake: Christ is the food of my life; I would die, if he did not feed me with his flesh and blood, which is living bread and water to me: Christ is the medicine of my life; it is by renewed touches of the hem of his garment, and renewed application to him, that my soul is healed: for, there is healing under the wings of this Sun of righteousness: Christ is the ALL of my life: "For to me to live is Christ;" he is my light, my strength, my righteousness. It is the glory of the believer to acknowledge Christ the ALPHA and the OMEGA, and the ALL of his spiritual life.

—Ralph Erskine

"All clouds about his person shall vanish, he shall appear to be what he is, the Saviour and judge of the world."

The saints love Christ as Mediator; we love him now though we see him not: 1 Peter i. 8, 'Whom having not seen, we love; and believing in him, rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.' But desire to see him, as our surest and best friend. We have heard much of him, felt much of him, and tasted much of him, but we desire to see him, especially when he shall appear in all his glory: Mat. xxv. 31, 'The Son of man shall come in his glory, and all his angels with him.' All clouds about his person shall vanish, he shall appear to be what he is, the Saviour and judge of the world.

—Thomas Manton

Unseen Master

Remember, still, that you are not your own; that you have an unseen Master that must be pleased, whoever be displeased, and an unseen kingdom to be obtained, and an invisible soul that must be saved, though all the world be lost. Fix your eyes still on him that made and redeemed you, and upon the ultimate end of your Christian race, and do nothing, willfully, unworthy such a master, and such an end.

—Richard Baxter

Love to an unseen Master guides the whole life, and is strong enough to change everything. Men may scorn and dislike such a phenomenon, but they can scarcely deny, when brought face to face with it, that Biblical Christianity still lives. Nor is the evidence for the vitality of the faith less strong in the "patient continuance in well-doing," amid trial and sorrow, which some lives present, in which a hard lot is accepted and privation patiently borne for the sake of being better able to proclaim among men the glory of the divine Master.

—William Arnot

All Honour to God

A Christian man hath nought to rejoice in, as concerning his deeds. His rejoicing is that Christ died for him, and that he is washed in Christ's blood. Of his deeds rejoiceth he not, neither counteth his merits, neither giveth pardons of them, neither seeketh an higher place in heaven of them, neither maketh himself a saviour of other men through his good works: but giveth all honour to God, and in his greatest deeds of mercy, knowledgeth himself a sinner unfeignedly, and is abundantly content with that place that is prepared for him of Christ; and his good deeds are to him a sign only that Christ's Spirit is in him, and he in Christ, and, through Christ, elect to eternal life.

—William Tyndale

Get Broken Hearts!

We shall assuredly be broken off, if we be not broken up; Beloved!

...

But now where are our broken hearts? I know not what to say, my heart aches within me, O that it could be broken because hearts are generally unbroken: Sinners are secure, Consciences are seared, wickedness is bold, sins are a delight and pastime, God is not seen nor feared in his judgments, in His warnings, in His dealings; Reformation is abhorred, Humiliation (most know not what it means, and if they do) it is distasted: Serious thoughts of our sinful ways who takes them? Sufficient time for self-examination who takes it for himself? Every man runs on in his course, loves as he did, lives as he did, And never knew a trouble in his soul, nor a tear in his eye either for his own, or for the sins of others, all his days: And what will the end of all this be?

O that God would pity us this day, and break our hearts for us! though it be so irksome and contrary to our flesh and blood: It is better (said a Father to dye one death, then to live and fear all deaths: better it is to suffer the heart to be broken then to expose our selves to all sorts of Judicial & eternal breakings: O Lord said dying Fulgen. (Da panitentiam & postea indulgentiam) make me a penitent sinner, and then let me find thee an indulgent Father: Never look for great mercies, for long mercies, for any mercies with unbroken hearts; we are not good, we can do no good, we can expect no good, till our sinful hearts be broken: O Christians be persuaded this day to get broken hearts! God can do it for you, and will do it for you, if you will but use the means and seek unto him: spare time, and take it to study the Law, to study Conscience, to study the Gospel, to study mercies, to study judgments, to study Christ, to study all, that after all, our hearts may be broken for our sins, that so God may not break away from us, but continue to be our God, and that judgments (which look so black upon us may be broken off, and plots (contriv'd against us) may break asunder, and all spiritual and earthly mercies may break down in mercy upon us.

—Obadiah Sedgwick

Manton on the Eye of Faith

The less sensible evidence there is of the object of faith, the greater and stronger is the faith, if we believe it upon God's word: "Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed ." (John xx. 29). It extenuateth our faith, when the object must be visible to sense, or it worketh not on us. Faith hath more of the nature of faith, when it is satisfied with God's word, whatever sense and reason say to the contrary: "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Peter i. 8). Whatever faith closeth with upon sure grounds, it is spiritually present to the soul, though few sensible helps. The less we see in the world, the more must we believe. To see things to come as present, and to see things that otherwise cannot be seen, cometh near to God's vision of all things. God saw all things before they were, all things that may be, shall be, visione simplicia intelligentice: "Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth" (Prov. viiL 31). So doth faith eye all things, in the all-sufficiency and promise of God, long before they come to pass, and affects the believer with them.

—Thomas Manton, SERMONS ON PSALM CXIX. SERMON CXXXV.—VERSE CXXIII.

Christ's Cross the Standard

Let our Lord in our ministry be "the chief among ten thousand." Let his cross be the standard to which all other truths shall rally. Oh, preach Christ, live Christ, catch the spirit of Christ, devote yourselves to Christ, drink of his cross, and be baptised with his baptism, and then it shall be that "all the nations shall remember and shall turn unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the people shall worship before him." Sinner, thy hope is at the cross, hasten thither; anxious soul, thy peace is at the cross, fly thither; despairing soul, thy salvation is at the cross, look thither.

—C.H. Spurgeon

“Deo gratias!” all the day long.

Augustine tells us that the early saints, when they met each other would never separate without saying, “Deo gratias! Thanks be to God.” Frequently their conversation would be about the persecutions which raged against them, but they finished their conversation with, “Deo gratias!” Sometimes they had to tell of dear Brothers and Sisters devoured by the beasts in the amphitheatre, but even then they said, “Deo gratias!” Frequently they mourned the uprise of heresy, but this did not make them rob the Lord of His, “Deo gratias.” So should it be with us all the day long. The motto of the Christian should be, “Deo gratias!” “Giving thanks always for all things.”

—C.H. Spurgeon

"by holy thanksgiving make thy table to be the Lord's table."

But it is time for meals. Be thou in the fear of the Lord at thy table. The soul may be poisoned while the body is being nourished, if we turn the hour of refreshment into an hour of indulgence. Some have been gluttonous, more have been drunken. Do not think of thy table as though it were a hog's trough, where the animal might gorge to the full; but watch thine appetite, and by holy thanksgiving make thy table to be the Lord's table. So eat the bread of earth as to eat bread at last in the kingdom of God. So drink that thy head and heart may be in the best condition to serve God. When God feeds thee do not profane the occasion by excess, or defile it by loose conversation.

—C.H. Spurgeon

Samuel Rutherford on Death and Sufferings

From Samuel Rutherford's Christ dying and drawing sinners to himself:

A believer on Christ, breathes in Christ, speaks walks, prays, believes, eateth, drinketh, sickens, dies in Christ; Christ is the soil he is planted in, he groweth on the banks of the paradise of God; when he falleth, he cannot fall wrong. Some are trees growing on the banks of the river of fire and brimstone; when God hews down the tree, and death fells them, the tree can fall no otherwise than in hell. O how sweet to be in Christ, and to grow as a tree planted on the banks of the river of life! when such die, they fall in Christ's lap and in his bosom, be the death violent or natural; 'tis all one whether a strong gale and a rough storm shore the child of God on the new Jerusalem's dry land, or if a small calm blast even with rowing of oars bring the passenger to heaven, if once he be in that goodly land.

...

Paul encouraging the Thessalonians, saith, 2 Thess. iii. 3. No man should be moved by these afflictions: why, for yourselves know we are appointed thereunto from eternity. The wise Lord did brew a cup of bloody sufferings for his church, and did mould and shape every saint's cross in length and breadth for him; our afflictions are not of yesterday's date and standing: before the Lord set up the world, as it now is, he had all the wheels, pins, wedges, works, and every material by him, in his eternal mind; all your tear's, your blood, all the ounces and pounds of gall and wormwood ye now drink, they were an eternal design and plot of God's wise decree before the world was, they were the lot God did appoint for your back, they are no sourer, no heavier this day, than they were in the Lord's purpose before time; your grave, O saints, is no deeper than of old the Lord digged it, your wound no nearer the bone than mercy made it; your death is no blacker, no more thorny and devouring than Christ's soft hands framed it; ere God gave you flesh and skin and heat in your blood, Christ's doom and the church's doom of the black cross was written in heaven: so Christ smiles and drinks with this word, John xviii. 11. Shall I not drink the cup that my Father hath given me? 2. Rom. viii. Predestination is the first act of free-grace, and ver. 29. in that act a communion with Christ in his cross is passed; this we consider not: will ye not think good to set your shoulders and bones under the same burden that was on Christ's back? we fear the cross less at our heels and behind our back than when it is in our bosom. The Lord Jesus speaks of his suffering often afore-hand, and it is wisdom to make it less, by antidated patience and submission, before we suffer; it were good, would we give our thoughts, and lend some words to death, as Christ here doth ere it come: opinion, which is the pencil that draws the face, arms and legs of death and sufferings, might honey our gall; if a martyr judge a prison a palace, and his iron chains golden bracelets, sure his bonds are as good as liberty; if a saint count death Christ's master-usher to make way to him for heaven, then death cannot be a mill to grind the man's life to powder: faith can oil and sugar our worm-wood; and if Christ come with the cross, it has no strength; the believer has two skins on his face against the spittings of storm and hail-stones; Christ can make a saint sing in hell, as impatient unbelief could cause a man sigh and weep in heaven. 3. We forget that the church is the vineyard of the Lord of hosts, and that the owner of the farm must hire Satan and wicked men to be his vine-dressers and reapers; but the crop is the Lord's, not theirs; they are plowers, but they neither know the soil, nor the husbandman, Psal. cxxix. 2.

On the life that is effected and wrought in the souls of God's elect by the influences and breathings of the Holy Spirit.

It is a hidden life: Col. iii. 3: "Your life is hid with Christ in God." And believers are called "God's hidden ones," Psal. lxxxiii. 3: The spring and fountain of this life is hid, namely, an unseen Christ; for with him is the fountain of life. The subject of this life is hid, even the hidden man of the heart. The actings of this life are hid, and the means of its support; he feeds upon "the hidden manna, and the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God." And then the beauty and glory of his life is hid; for "the King's daughter is all glorious within." The beauty of the hypocrite's life lies all in the outside, painted sepulchres.

—Ebenezer Erskine

Matchless Love

Christ is the "surety"; the word signifies one that draws nigh: Christ drew nigh to his Father in the council of peace, and undertook to be the Saviour and Redeemer of his people he substituted himself in their place and stead; he interposed between the creditor and the debtor, and became surety for the payment of the debts of the latter, and so stood engaged for them, and in their room: Christ is not the surety for the Father to his people, but for them to the Father; as to satisfy for their sins, to work out a righteousness for them, to preserve and keep them, and make them happy; which is an instance of matchless love.

—John Gill

He restored that which he took not away! "we shall not fall under the curse of the law if we submit to the grace of the gospel."

"They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away." (Psalms 69:4)

Then I restored that which I took not away. Applying this to David, it was what his enemies compelled him to (they made him suffer for that offence which he had never been guilty of); and it was what he consented to, that, if possible, he might pacify them and make them to be at peace with him. He might have insisted upon the laws of justice and honour, the former not requiring and the latter commonly thought to forbid the restoring of that which we took not away, for that is to wrong ourselves both in our wealth and in our reputation. Yet the case may be such sometimes that it may become our duty. Blessed Paul, though free from all men, yet, for the honour of Christ and the edification of the church, made himself a servant to all. But, applying it to Christ, it is an observable description of the satisfaction which he made to God for our sin by his blood: Then he restored that which he took not away; he underwent the punishment that was due to us, paid our debt, suffered for our offence. God's glory, in some instances of it, was taken away by the sin of man; man's honour, and peace, and happiness, were taken away; it was not he that took them away, and yet by the merit of his death he restored them.

(Matthew Henry on Psalm 69:1-12)

Our Lord Jesus was appointed and did undertake to make satisfaction for our sins and so to save us from the penal consequences of them. [1.] He was appointed to do it, by the will of his Father; for the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. God chose him to be the Saviour of poor sinners and would have him to save them in this way, by bearing their sins and the punishment of them; not the idem - the same that we should have suffered, but the tantundem - that which was more than equivalent for the maintaining of the honour of the holiness and justice of God in the government of the world. Observe here, First, In what way we are saved from the ruin to which by sin we had become liable - by laying our sins on Christ, as the sins of the offerer were laid upon the sacrifice and those of all Israel upon the head of the scape-goat. Our sins were made to meet upon him (so the margin reads it); the sins of all that he was to save, from every place and every age, met upon him, and he was met with for them. They were made to fall upon him (so some read it) as those rushed upon him that came with swords and staves to take him. The laying of our sins upon Christ implies the taking of them off from us; we shall not fall under the curse of the law if we submit to the grace of the gospel. They were laid upon Christ when he was made sin (that is, a sin-offering) for us, and redeemed us from the curse of the law by being made a curse for us; thus he put himself into a capacity to make those easy that come to him heavily laden under the burden of sin. See Psa_40:6-12. Secondly, By whom this was appointed. It was the Lord that laid our iniquities on Christ; he contrived this way of reconciliation and salvation, and he accepted of the vicarious satisfaction Christ was to make. Christ was delivered to death by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. None but God had power to lay our sins upon Christ, both because the sin was committed against him and to him the satisfaction was to be made, and because Christ, on whom the iniquity was to be laid, was his own Son, the Son of his love, and his holy child Jesus, who himself knew no sin. Thirdly, For whom this atonement was to be made. It was the iniquity of us all that was laid on Christ; for in Christ there is a sufficiency of merit for the salvation of all, and a serious offer made of that salvation to all, which excludes none that do not exclude themselves. It intimates that this is the one only way of salvation. All that are justified are justified by having their sins laid on Jesus Christ, and, though they were ever so many, he is able to bear the weight of them all. [2.] He undertook to do it. God laid upon him our iniquity; but did he consent to it? Yes, he did; for some think that the true reading of the next words (Isa_53:7) is, It was exacted, and he answered; divine justice demanded satisfaction for our sins, and he engaged to make the satisfaction. He became our surety, not as originally bound with us, but as bail to the action: “Upon me be the curse, my Father.” And therefore, when he was seized, he stipulated with those into whose hands he surrendered himself that that should be his disciples' discharge: If you seek me, let these go their way, Joh_18:8. By his own voluntary undertaking he made himself responsible for our debt, and it is well for us that he was responsible. Thus he restored that which he took not away.

(Matthew Henry on Isaiah 53:4-9)

The wrong which by sin we have done to God is in his glory, his declarative glory; for in nothing else are we capable of doing him injury. We were never able to make him satisfaction for this wrong done him, nor any creature for us; nothing therefore remained but that God should get him honour upon us in our utter ruin. Here therefore our Lord Jesus interposed, undertook to satisfy God's injured honour, and he did it by his humiliation; he denied himself in, and divested himself of, the honours due to the Son of God incarnate, and submitted to the greatest reproach. Now here he makes a tender of this satisfaction as an equivalent: “Father, glorify thy name; let thy justice be honoured upon the sacrifice, not upon the sinner; let the debt be levied upon me, I am solvent, the principal is not.” Thus he restored that which he took not away.

(Matthew Henry on John 12:27-36)

Meet thy beloved in the garden of the promises!

We find the spouse sitting under the shadow of her be­loved, as one under an apple‑tree, Song 2:3, and presently she tells us ‘his fruit was sweet to her taste.’ What doth this her sitting under his shadow better signify, than a soul sitting under the thoughts of Christ and the precious promises, that grow out of him as branches out of a tree? Do but, O Christian, place thyself here awhile, and it were strange if the Spirit should not shake some fruit from one branch or another into thy lap. Thou knowest not but, as Isaac met his bride when he went into the fields to meditate, so thou mayest meet thy beloved while walking by thy meditations in this garden of the promises.

—William Gurnall

No church without Christ's blood!

No redemption but by his blood, ‘In whom we have re­demption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,’ Eph. 1:7. No church without his blood, ‘The church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood,’ Acts 20:28. E latere Christi morientis exstitit ecclesia— the church is taken out of dying Jesus’ side, as Eve out of sleeping Adam’s. Christ did not redeem and save poor souls by sitting in majesty on his heavenly throne, but by hanging on the shameful cross, under the tormenting hand of man’s fury and God’s just wrath. And therefore the poor soul, that would have pardon of sin, is directed to place his faith not only on Christ, but on bleeding Christ, Rom. 3:25: ‘Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood.’

—William Gurnall

Christ first, Christ last, Christ midst, and Christ without end!

The Gospel is glad tidings of Christ, it is the message of His grace, the proclamation of His love to lost sinners. The Gospel is Christ first, Christ last, Christ midst, Christ without end. Christ is the prophet of the Gospel, teaching His people His doctrines. Christ is the priest of the Gospel, bearing and making atonement for their sins. Christ is the king of the Gospel, reigning in the hearts of loyal and loving disciples. Thus, Christ is present wherever and whenever the good tidings of that Gospel are preached, to "bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captive, to give beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, to comfort all that mourn." Remember, O thou neglectful, unbelieving hearer of Christ's Gospel, that it is not the minister you slight nor the message you scorn—it is Christ Himself. "We beseech you In Christ's Stead"—as though Christ Himself were pleading with tears and blood—"be ye Reconciled To God." O blessed, yet solemn thought, that, whenever my ears are saluted with the joyful sound, infinitely sweeter than angels' chimes, it is Christ's voice I hear, it is Christ's presence I feel, it is Christ's love that thrills and warms my soul, it is Christ's invitation to my weary spirit, Christ's words of sympathy to my sorrowful heart, Christ's promises of grace and strength and hope to my depressed and desponding mind. Oh, welcome, thou divine and precious Gospel! bringing with thee Christ's presence with a realising power so personal, so conscious, and so soothing to the soul.

—Octavius Winslow

Then men were Christians all over and altogether, and served Christ first, Christ last, Christ midst, and Christ without end; but now it is enough if we gloss over life with a little varnish of holy talk and pious profession. Would God these eyes might live to see a church that really laboured, putting forth all its strength with all its might, using all the force in its possession for the propagation of the gospel of the Lord and the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom.

—C.H. Spurgeon

I feel persuaded that the nearer we all of us come to the one point of putting Christ first, Christ last, Christ midst, and Christ without end—the nearer we shall come to the unity of the one Church of Christ in the bond of holy permanence.

—C.H. Spurgeon

"Every devout Christian is in these deeper senses of the word, a Puritan"

A Christian soul, sharing Christ's consciousness, believes far more in God Who is unseen, than in anything which can be seen; is far more certain of the infinite unseen, than of the finite seen. A Christian is more sure of God than of men, of eternity than of time, of the spiritual than of the material. All this is, of course, diametrically opposed to the consciousness of a man of the world. He is not sure of God, is indeed, an agnostic, yet imagines himself to be perfectly sure of man. He is not sure of eternity, but feels quite sure of time. He is by no means convinced of the reality of spiritual things, but is sure of things material. This contrast at once reveals the fact of testimony. The life of the Christian is a witness amid material things to the reality of the spiritual. I do not here merely mean that the Christian in speech will refer to God, to heaven, to spiritual things. All that he will assuredly do, but testimony in speech is of no avail save as the life of the one who speaks is being lived in actual relation to the things of which he speaks. It is this life of conscious relationship which is the most powerful testimony to the reality of these things. The essential greatness of the Puritans was that of their recognition of the spiritual realm, and of the eternities. They had their roughnesses, which after all, were but the excrescences of greatness, but they were men whose lives were centered in God, and circumferenced by the spiritual. Yet they were no dreamers, having lost their consciousness of, and sympathy with, the actualities of the passing day. As we look back on them through the centuries they are seen as giants, whose feet were firmly planted upon the earth, but whose heads ever seemed lifted into the heavenly spaces. They acted, they suffered, they even fought, but behind everything, as impulse of all, was a consciousness of God, and the value of spiritual things. Notwithstanding all the limitations of their age, they were such men as broke down tyrannies, emancipated peoples, and laid broad and strong the foundations of new nations. They did not retire from the midst of the corruption of the world, and give themselves to ascetic practices. They rather laid violent hands upon the world, wrestled with its problems, combatted its corruptions, and breathed into it the very spirit of life. Believing in God, they talked of Him, and toiled for Him. Having seen the vision of "the city that hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God," through strain and stress and storm, they wrought toward the establishment upon this earth of conditions corresponding thereto. How well they wrought the centuries have told. Let their children ever be careful that on such foundations they build not hay, and wood, and stubble; but gold, silver, and precious stones.

Every devout Christian is in these deeper senses of the word, a Puritan, not perhaps resembling them in some of the accidental peculiarities of their age, but in essential testimony borne to the reality of the eternal, the unseen, the spiritual. A Christian then is one who lives among men, prosecuting his ordinary business, or professional avocation within the spaciousness of spiritual sight. A Christian will take hold of every duty, and fulfill it, recognizing its relation to an infinite order. In the simplest matters this will be true. In the selection of a dwelling place the infinite will never be lost sight of. Alas that this should so often be forgotten, and that by those professing to be Christians. In the choice of a house the principle of selection is so constantly material. The locality, the climate, the class of people dwelling in the neighbourhood, and so seldom the spiritual, the nearness of the sanctuary, the character of the ministry, the opportunity for the cultivation of the highest life of the children. This is not Christianity, it is rather civilized paganism. The true Christian will never forget the matter of supreme importance. The Christian youth will face life, asking the same question that all will ask. and yet with a different relation, and sense of values. What am I going to do with my life? is the question of all young people sooner or later. But the Christian will say, What am I going to do with my life in the light of eternity? How can I make the most of it for God? That is the true principle of selection. It is not unnatural, nor is it strained. To those who judge only by material standards it may seem a strange and unnecessary question. It is the natural principle of selection to the truly Christ-filled soul. The home, the calling in life, the recreation, everything in short, is to be decided upon, and held in relation to infinite values and realities. Nothing is judged in the light of today, but all in the light of the ages to come. The Christian stands forever, not in the circumscribed circle of the passing hour, but in the infinite circle of the eternal life. All such as live in this conscious and manifest relation to the spiritual and unseen will bear testimony to the reality of the spiritual; and, indeed, will do more to convince the world of that reality than all philosophic arguments.

The value of the life of the Christian to God then is first of all its testimony to the actuality and supremacy of spiritual things.

—G. Campbell Morgan

"every person in the sacred Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in prayer are honoured."

And as God, essentially considered, receives by prayer an acknowledgement of his deity; so every person in the sacred Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in prayer are honoured. By directing our prayers to God the Father, we honour him as the source and fountain of all grace and mercy. We hon­our the Son in presenting our prayers in his name to the Father, thereby acknowledging him the purchaser of the mercies we beg. And the Holy Ghost, he re­ceives the honour of that assistance which we ac­knowledge to receive from him for the duty of prayer. For as we pray to the Father through the Son, so by the help of the Spirit.

—William Gurnall

"He is the God of all the grace that we can ever want or he can ever give."

Do we want grace to save, grace to sanctify, grace to keep, grace to bless; grace to be with us all through our life, and grace to support and comfort us in the arms of death? He is the God of all the grace that we can ever want or he can ever give. What limit can you put to "all grace?" and if he is "the God of all grace," where else shall we look for it, and who else can bestow it on us? There is not a grace you need, nor a blessing which grace can give which is not contained in the words "all grace," and as the God of all grace, he holds it in his bounteous heart and hands to bestow it freely according to the good pleasure of his will. Do we want patience to bear us up and support us under all our trials and afflictions? He is "the God of patience," and therefore can give us all that is needed in every tribulation. Do we want consolation under heavy afflictions, cutting sorrows, and deep trials? He is "the God of consolation." Nay, "the God of all comfort," so that all the consolation and comfort which we can need or he sees fit to bestow so dwells in him that he has but to communicate it out of his own fulness, and it flows forth as a stream out of a fountain. Do we want hope, that anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast? He is "the God of hope," and therefore can let down that blessed anchor into our breast to hold us up amid every storm. Do we want peace, the peace of God which passeth all understanding, the peace which flows like a river, peace in believing, peace to accompany us through life, and peace to calm and compose us in death? He is the "God of peace," and being the God of peace can at once speak peace to the afflicted soul or wounded conscience, and set up his own blessed kingdom in the heart, which is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."

—J.C. Philpot

Another mark that you are a pilgrim!

You have had temptations, but you have had strength to bear them; you have had trials, but you have had grace to endure them; you have had persecutions, but you have had support under them; you have had heart-rending afflictions, but the Lord has not suffered you to be destroyed by them; there has been some secret strength communicated to your soul; you have leant upon an unseen arm, and have found support in invisible realities. Another mark that you are a pilgrim!

—J.C. Philpot

"in harmony with his word, and not with the fancies"

It is thus that Christ is revealed in the heart, as he is revealed in the word. Do we see by faith his Deity? It is because in the word he is revealed in the Scriptures as God, and the Son of God. Do we see by faith his humanity? It is because he is spoken of in the word as the Son of man. Do we see his complex Person as the God-Man? It is because he is revealed there as Immanuel, God with us. Many of the dear saints of God, when they hear or read of a revelation of Christ, are tempted to look for some supernatural sight or mysterious manifestation which God has never promised to give. He will reveal his dear Son in them and make him known unto them; but it will be in his way, not in theirs, in harmony with his word, and not with the fancies or expectations of their own mind.

—J.C. Philpot

Great Losses and the Destruction of the World

There is great complaint in the world among men of their great losses in our late times of confusion; but I think the saints are the greatest losers, who have lost so much of their love and char­ity. One saith the world was once destroyed with water, propter ardorem cupidinis—for the heat of lust which had set it on a flame; and shall be once again destroyed with fire, propter teporem charitatis—for the coldness of love and charity.

—William Gurnall

"Bernard’s three questions are worth the asking ourselves in any enterprise. An liceat? an deceat? an expediat?"

Bernard’s three questions are worth the asking ourselves in any enterprise. An liceat? an deceat? an expediat?—Is it lawful? may I do it and not sin? Is it becoming me a Christian? may I do it, and not wrong my profession? That work which would suit a mean man, would it become a prince? ‘Should such a man as I flee?’ Neh. 6:11, said Nehemiah nobly. Lastly, Is it expedient? may I do it, and not offend my weak brother?

—William Gurnall

"God owns no unholy sincerity."

God owns no unholy sincerity. The terms do clash one with another. Sincerity teacheth the soul to point at the right end of all its actions—the glory of God. Now it is not enough to set the right end before us, but to walk in the right way to it. We shall never come at God’s glory out of God’s way. Holiness and righteousness is the sincere man's path, set by God as a causeway on which he is to walk, both to the glorifying of God and to being glorified by God.

—William Gurnall

The Actings of Spiritual Life

And what are the actings of spiritual life ? The voluntary pushing onward of the soul, through the visible to the invisible world; its ascension from earth to heaven; its passing the boundaries of time and sense, to roam amidst things unseen and eternal; faith in an unseen Saviour; the love of an unseen God, and the hope of an unseen heaven. This is walking in the Spirit, walking with God, and visibly walking with him; enjoying him as the chief good, seeking him as the supreme end, and obeying him as the Sovereign Ruler. I know no other art by which spiritual life is so clearly distinguished from merely rational life, as it is by its tending, as by a law of spiritual gravitation, towards God in Christ, as its centre. The apostle in one short sentence has described this new nature: "for me to live is Christ." The Spirit's work in the New Testament, and in the Old Testament too, is to testify of Christ, and to glorify him; and His work in the believer's heart has the same object, to lead him to live before the world, for the honour of the Saviour; and for this purpose, to enable him to derive all his supplies from the fulness in Him, that Christ may be seen to be all in all to him. This is spiritual walking, the soul's escaping from the region, and rising above the influence, of earthly objects, and dwelling in a sphere of spiritual things, and finding these to be its vital atmosphere, its native element, its beloved home.

—John Angell James

"his grace the true "philosopher’s stone,""

The alchemist only sought to add a few more years to human life; but Jesus gives life for evermore. And is not his grace the true "philosopher’s stone," transmuting by miraculous agency leaden afflictions into golden consolations, earthly miseries into heavenly mercies, legal curses into gospel blessings, and vile sinners into precious saints? Thus the delusive dreams of the alchemists have become solid realities, and as far exceeding what they toiled and toiled in vain to find, as eternity excels time, and heaven surpasses earth.

—J.C. Philpot

"Fond Youths, be wise!"

Fond Youths, be wise! How sad it is to see

You carry'd thus away by Luxury;

And strive to lift your selves, with speed, to fight

Under Hell's Power? O 'tis a grievous Sight.

Why will you thus subject to Sins Commands,

As if your Leave of Life were in your Hands?

What, do you think Death will not come at all,

That you no more regard your fearfull Fall?

Or, do you think God will defer the Day,

That, by your Lusts, you thus are led astray?

You proud, lascivious Lads, that sport and spend;

Who know no Measure that regard no End:

For whose Luxurious Dyet and Array,

Do sell your Souls, and all you have away:

You little think your Bodies soon shall feed

The crawling Worms, which in the Dust do breed.

Dart down your Eyes, o pierce but two Yards deep

Into the Grave, where you, e'er long, must sleep:

Behold, the Corps, and Skulls of those young Men,

That once walk'd here, and must arise agen.

Come, cast an Eye, you Lads and Ladies Gay,

Upon the Loathsome Filth, the Worms and Clay.

Your Eyes that art so curious to behold

The Body deck'd in Ornaments of Gold:

That, like two Orient Crystals gave their Light,

To look on Vanity both Day and Night:

Cast one Look down: Oh here's for you a Sight

Behold, I pray, your ancient teming Mother,

For all the World's do's not know such another;

Whose royal, burden'd, honourable Womb,

So many Noble Heroes doth intomb:

Where all the famous Heroes do remain,

Who conquer'd many, but by Death were slain,

Whose glittering Swords Ambition kept from Rust:

Their Glory ended here; they're turn'd to Dust.

O ponder well! Alas, your Time is short;

When Death will put a period to your Sport.

But that's not all; I've worser News to tell;

Forsake your Sins, or else you'll go to Hell.

The Wages of Sin, is Eternal Death;

Unless you do experience a New Birth.

— Benjamin Keach, The Progress of SIN, OR THE TRAVELS OF Ungodliness

"satisfied with spiritual felicity, until God, in due time, bring us to his own immediate presence"

It is true, indeed, as Paul declares, that so long as we continue in this state of earthly pilgrimage, “we walk by faith, not by sight;” but as we nevertheless behold the image of God not only in the glass of the gospel, but also in the numerous evidences of his grace which he daily exhibits to us, let each of us awaken himself from his lethargy, that we may now be satisfied with spiritual felicity, until God, in due time, bring us to his own immediate presence, and cause us to enjoy him face to face.

—John Calvin

"God, in whose eyes the very brightness of the stars is but darkness."

That the works of the saints are unworthy of reward because they are spotted with stains, seems a hard saying to the Papists. But, in this they betray their gross ignorance in estimating, according to their own conceptions, the judgment of God, in whose eyes the very brightness of the stars is but darkness. Let this therefore remain an established doctrine, that as we are only accounted righteous before God by the free remission of sins, this is the gate of eternal salvation; and, accordingly, that they only are blessed who rely upon God’s mercy.

—John Calvin

"How did Christ confirm the covenant?"

Quest. How did Christ confirm the covenant?

Answ. 1. By testimony,

(1.) Of angels, Luk_2:10 Mt 28;

(2.) John Baptist;

(3.) Of the wise men;

(4.) By the saints then living, Luk_1:2;

(5.) Moses and Elias, Mat_17:3;

(6.) Pharisees, as Nicodemus, Joh_3:2;

(7.) The devils that confessed him.

2. By his preaching.

3. By signs and wonders.

4. By his holy life.

5. By his resurrection and ascension.

6. By his death and blood shed.

—Matthew Poole

"so must our hope be fixed on the invisible God"

As an anchor, etc. It is a striking likeness when he compares faith leaning on God's word to an anchor; for doubtless, as long as we sojourn in this world, we stand not on firm ground, but are tossed here and there as it were in the midst of the sea, and that indeed very turbulent; for Satan is incessantly stirring up innumerable storms, which would immediately upset and sink our vessel, were we not to cast our anchor fast in the deep. For nowhere a haven appears to our eyes, but wherever we look water alone is in view; yea, waves also arise and threaten us; but as the anchor is cast through the waters into a dark and unseen place, and while it lies hid there, keeps the vessel beaten by the waves from being overwhelmed; so must our hope be fixed on the invisible God. There is this difference, - the anchor is cast downwards into the sea, for it has the earth as its bottom; but our hope rises upwards and soars aloft, for in the world it finds nothing on which it can stand, nor ought it to cleave to created things, but to rest on God alone. As the cable also by which the anchor is suspended joins the vessel with the earth through a long and dark intermediate space, so the truth of God is a bond to connect us with himself, so that no distance of place and no darkness can prevent us from cleaving to him. Thus when united to God, though we must struggle with continual storms, we are yet beyond the peril of shipwreck. Hence he says, that this anchor is sure and steadfast, or safe and firm. It may indeed be that by the violence of the waves the anchor may be plucked off, or the cable be broken, or the beaten ship be torn to pieces. This happens on the sea; but the power of God to sustain us is wholly different, and so also is the strength of hope and the firmness of his word.

Which entereth into that, or those things, etc. As we have said, until faith reaches to God, it finds nothing but what is unstable and evanescent; it is hence necessary for it to penetrate even into heaven. But as the Apostle is speaking to the Jews, he alludes to the ancient Tabernacle, and says, that they ought not to abide in those things which are seen, but to penetrate into the inmost recesses, which lie hid within the veil, as though he had said, that all the external and ancient figures and shadows were to be passed over, in order that faith might be fixed on Christ alone.

And carefully ought this reasoning to be observed, - that as Christ has entered into heaven, so faith ought to be directed there also: for we are hence taught that faith should look nowhere else. And doubtless it is in vain for man to seek God in his own majesty, for it is too far removed from them; but Christ stretches forth his hand to us, that he may lead us to heaven. And this was shadowed forth formerly under the Law; for the high priest entered the holy of holies, not in his own name only, but also in that of the people, inasmuch as he bare in a manner the twelve tribes on his breast and on his shoulders; for as a memorial for them twelve stones were wrought on the breastplate, and on the two onyx stones on his shoulders were engraved their names, so that in the person of one man all entered into the sanctuary together. Rightly then does the Apostle speak, when he reminds them that our high priest has entered into heaven; for he has not entered only for himself, but also for us. There is therefore no reason to fear that access to heaven will be closed up against our faith, as it is never disjoined from Christ. And as it becomes us to follow Christ who is gone before, he is therefore called our Forerunner, or precursor.

—John Calvin

"His zeal for the Gospel appeared in his warm and lively preaching it"

Psa 69:9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up,.... Of the house of the sanctuary, as the Targum; that is, the temple, which was Christ's Father's house, where he was worshipped and dwelt; and zeal for his Father, and his glory in it, and indignation against those that made it an house of merchandise, inflamed him; put him upon driving out the buyers and sellers in it, whereby this passage had its accomplishment, Joh_2:14; and this may be applied to the church of God which is the house of God, of his building, and where he dwells; and zeal may design the fervent affection of Christ for it, for the doctrine, discipline, and salvation of it. His zeal for the Gospel appeared in his warm and lively preaching it, in his assiduity and constancy in it; in the wearisome journeys he took to spread it, in the risks he run, and dangers he exposed himself to, for the sake of it; in the miracles he wrought to confirm it, and in the care he took to free it from calumny and reproach: his zeal for the worship and discipline of God's house was shown by his asserting the purity of worship in spirit and truth; by his severe inveighing against the traditions, superstition, and will worship of men, and against the vices and corruptions of professors of religion, the Scribes and Pharisees: his zeal for the salvation of his people is easily seen in his suretyship engagements for them; in coming into this world to do the will of him that sent him; in his early regards unto it, and vehement desire, even of suffering death, in order to accomplish it, and in his voluntary and cheerful submission and obedience, even to the death of the cross: this zeal of his was according to knowledge, and was cordial, hearty, and unfeigned; and this "eat him up": inflamed like fire his spirit and affections; consumed his time and strength, and even life itself;

and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me: the same persons that reproached the one reproached the other; and the reproaches of his divine Father were as cutting to him as if cast on himself; it went to his heart that his Father's house should be made an house of merchandise; that his doctrine should be despised, his worship neglected, and his glory lessened; to have the name of God, his ways and truth, evil spoken of, were not pleasing to him; he took all reproach of this kind to himself, and bore it becomingly; and yet showed zeal for his Father's glory, and indignation against those that reproached him; see Rom_15:1.

—John Gill

"but by a lively preaching the gospel"

God hath not sent his ministers to subdue souls to himself by fine, florid words and phrases, but by a lively preaching the gospel, while his power attends their plain preaching; and the power and efficacy of the preachers’ doctrine appeareth in their holy life and conversation, so as their people cannot say to them: Physician, heal thyself, as to those spiritual diseases which thou wouldst cure us of. So the kingdom of God in particular souls doth not appear in words, but in the power which the word of God hath upon men’s hearts, in subduing their lusts and corruptions, and bringing their hearts into a subjection to his will.

—Matthew Poole

"ashamed of our coldness in the true worship of God"

It ought also to be remarked that, since idolaters are impelled by so great eagerness to worship idols, we ought to be ashamed of our coldness in the true worship of God. Let us be ashamed, I say, that we are so negligent and cold and even freezing, when the worshippers of idols are so ardent; and let us consider that we must render an account. With what rage are the Turks seized, when the question relates to the defense of the reveries of their prophet Mahomet, for whom they gladly both shed their blood and part with their life! By what rage are the Papists impelled to follow their superstitions! Yet we scarcely become warm, and sometimes extinguish the sparks of that zeal which the Lord has kindled in us. To this also applies that expostulation of Jeremiah,

“Is there any nation that hath forsaken its gods? But my people have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have digged for themselves cisterns which cannot hold water.” (Jer_2:10.)

This comparison, therefore, ought to be carefully observed, that we may not be less steadfast in defending truth than they are obstinate in falsehood.

—John Calvin

"reduced to nothing"

In a word, the Prophet, after having mentioned consolation, shews in what way men must be prepared to receive it; for they are not capable of it till they have formerly been reduced to nothing. Our hardness must therefore be softened, our haughtiness must be east down and laid low, our boasting must be put to shame, and our hearts must be subdued and humbled, if we wish to receive with any advantage the consolations which the prophets bring to us by the command of God.

—John Calvin

"The heart is stone before grace."

The heart is stone before grace. No stone can cooperate with any that would turn it into flesh, since it hath no seed, causes, or principles of any fleshly nature in it. Since we are overwhelmed by the rubbish of our corrupted estate, we can no more co-operate to the removal of it than a man buried under the ruins of a fallen house can contribute to the removal of that great weight that lies upon him. Neither would a man in that state help such a work, because his lusts are pleasures; he serves his lusts, which are pleasures as well as lusts, and therefore served with delight.

—Stephen Charnock

"believing in hope against hope"

Let him trust in the name of the Lord; not in himself, nor in any creature, but in the Lord himself; in the perfections of his nature, his mercy, grace, and goodness; in the name of the Lord, which is a strong tower, and in whom is salvation; in Christ, in whom the name of the Lord is, and whose name is the Lord our Righteousness; and to trust in him, when in the dark, is a glorious act of faith; this is believing in hope against hope.

And stay upon his God; covenant interest continues in the darkest dispensation; God is the believer's God still; and faith is a staying or leaning upon him, as such; a dependence upon his power to protect, on his wisdom to guide, and on his grace, goodness, and all sufficiency, to supply.

—John Gill

"Christ leads his people"

Christ leads his people out of the wrong way, in which they naturally are, into the right way; to himself, as the way to the Father, and as the way of salvation, and unto eternal life; he takes them by the hand, and teaches them to go in the path of faith, and to walk in him by it; he leads them in the ways of truth and righteousness, in the highway of holiness, in the path of duty; and, though in a rough way of afflictions, yet in a right way to heaven and happiness.

—John Gill

Christ, the great and good Shepherd of the sheep, who had mercy on them in eternity, and therefore undertook to feed them; and in time, and therefore laid down his life for them; and now in heaven, and sympathizes with him; and at the last day they shall find mercy with him: these he leads out of a state of nature, from the wilderness, where he finds them; out of their sinful ways, and from the pastures of their own righteousness; and he leads them in paths they had not known, in which they should go, in the way of truth, faith, and holiness; in right, though sometimes rough ways; he leads them to himself, his blood, righteousness, and fulness; into his Father's presence, and to his house and ordinances; into Gospel truths, and from one degree of grace to another, and at last to eternal glory; all which he does gradually, softly, gently, in proportion to their strength, and as they are able to bear:

even by the springs of water shall he guide them; or "fountains of water" {d}; even of living water; which are no other than God himself, and the plenty of his grace and mercy; Christ, and the fulness of grace that is in him; the covenant of grace, and the blessings of it; the Gospel, and its ordinances; see Re 7:17.

—John Gill

"God asserts his absolute independence"

“The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me, and where is the place of my rest? For all these things hath mine hand made.” - (Isa_66:1,)

In these words God asserts his absolute independence; for while the world had a beginning, he himself was from eternity. From this it follows, that as he subsisted when there was nothing without him which could contribute to his fullness, he must have in himself a glorious all-sufficiency.

—John Calvin

"so sweet is the seasoning of the grace of God,"

God gladdens his people, so that the small portion of good which they enjoy is more highly valued by them, and far sweeter, than if out of Christ they had enjoyed an unlimited abundance of good things. In this sense I interpret the expression used by Mark, with persecutions; as if Christ had said, Though persecutions always await the godly in this world, and though the cross, as it were, is attached to their back, yet so sweet is the seasoning of the grace of God, which gladdens them, that their condition is more desirable than the luxuries of kings.

—John Calvin

Learners to the End

It indeed often happens that one runs over many parts of Scripture, and thinks that he reads nothing but what is clear and well known, while yet experience teaches us that we are inflated with too much self-confidence; for we look down, as it were from on high, on that doctrine which ought, on the contrary, to be reverently adored by us. Then let every one of us, being warned by this sentence of the angel, acknowledge that he as yet cleaves to first principles, or, at least, does not comprehend all those things which are necessary to be known; and that therefore progress is to be made to the very end of life: for this is our wisdom, to be learners to the end.

—John Calvin

The Only Remedy for Pride

This sentence, that every man is vanity, is again very properly repeated; for until we are overcome by the power of God, and as it were humbled in the dust, we never search into our own hearts, that the knowledge of our own vanity may divest us of all presumption. Whence is it that men are so foolishly satisfied with themselves, yea, and even applaud themselves, unless it be that, so long as God bears with them, they are wilfully blind to their own infirmities? The only remedy, then, by which men are cured of pride is when, alarmed with a sense of God’s wrath, they begin not only to be dissatisfied with themselves, but also to humble themselves even to the dust.

—John Calvin

"seek stability no where else but in God."

What is there in us but rottenness and corruption? and what else are we but a mirror of death? Again, what are the changes which the whole world undergoes but a kind of presage, yea a prelude of destruction? If the whole frame-work of the world is hastening to its end, what will become of the human race? If all nations are doomed to perish, what stability will there be in men individually considered? We ought therefore to seek stability no where else but in God.

—John Calvin

"nothing can hinder him from aiding us;"

Whoever is in a moderate degree acquainted with the sacred writings, will readily acknowledge that whenever we are besieged with death, in a variety of forms, we should reason thus: As God continues unchangeably the same - “without variableness or shadow of turning” - nothing can hinder him from aiding us; and this he will do, because we have his word, by which he has laid himself under obligation to us, and because he has deposited with us his own memorial, which contains in it a sacred and indissoluble bond of fellowship.

—John Calvin

"a godly confidence delights to look on God."

He at the same time shews, that the children of God are for no other end illuminated by the Spirit, but that they may know Christ. Provided they turned not aside from him, he promised them the fruit of perseverance, even confidence, so as not to be ashamed at his presence. For faith is not a naked and a frigid apprehension of Christ, but a lively and real sense of his power, which produces confidence. Indeed, faith cannot stand, while tossed daily by so many waves, except it looks to the coming of Christ, and, supported by his power, brings tranquillity to the conscience. But the nature of confidence is well expressed, when he says that it can boldly sustain the presence of Christ. For they who indulge securely in their vices, turn their backs as it were on God; nor can they otherwise obtain peace than by forgetting him. This is the security of the flesh, which stupefies men; so that turning away from God, they neither dread sin nor fear death; and in the meantime they shun the tribunal of Christ. But a godly confidence delights to look on God. Hence it is, that the godly calmly wait for Christ, nor do they dread his coming.

—John Calvin

He is Risen!

Note, It is matter of comfort to those who seek Christ, and miss of finding him where they expected, that he is risen: if we find him not in sensible comfort, yet he is risen. We must not hearken to those who say, Lo, here is Christ, or, Lo, he is there, for he is not here, he is not there, he is risen. In all our enquiries after Christ, we must remember that he is risen; and we must seek him as one risen. (1.) Not with any gross carnal thoughts of him. There were those that knew Christ after the flesh; but now henceforth know we him so no more, 2Co_5:16. It is true, he had a body; but it is now a glorified body. They that make pictures and images of Christ, forget that he is not here, he is risen; our communion with him must be spiritual, by faith in his word, Rom_10:6-9. (2.) We must seek him with great reverence and humility, and an awful regard to his glory, for he is risen. God has highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, and therefore every knee and every soul must bow before him. (3.) We must seek him with a heavenly mind; when we are ready to make this world our home, and to say, It is good to be here, let us remember our Lord Jesus is not here, he is risen, and therefore let not our hearts be here, but let them rise too, and seek the things that are above, Col_3:1-3; Phi_3:20.

—Matthew Henry

"they never lighted upon Christ as Christ"

I am sure, that if new beginners would urge themselves upon Christ, and press their souls upon Him, and importune Him for a draught of His sweet love, they could not come wrong to Christ. Come once in upon the right nick and step of His lovely love, and I defy you to get free of Him again. If any beginners fall off Christ again, and miss Him, they never lighted upon Christ as Christ: it was but an idol, like Jesus, which they took for Him.

—Samuel Rutherford

Not by men's apprehensions!

It is not possible to twist and compound a matter betwixt Christ and Antichrist; and, therefore, ye must either be for Christ, or ye must be against Him. It was but man's wit, and the wit of prelates and their godfather the Pope (that man without law), to put Christ and His prerogatives royal, and His truth, or the smallest nail-breadth of His latter will, in the new calender of indifferences, and to make a blank of uninked paper in Christ's testament that men may fill up; and to shuffle the truth, and matters which they call indifferent, through other, and spin both together, that Antichrist's wares may sell the better. This is but the device and forged dream of men whose consciences are made of stoutness, and who have a throat that a graven image, greater than the bounds of the kirkdoor, would get free passage into. I am sure that when Christ shall bring us all out in our blacks and whites, at that day when He shall cry down time and the world, and when the glory of it shall lie in white ashes, like a May-flower cut down and which hath lost the blossom, there shall be few, yea none, that dare make any point, which toucheth the worship and honour of our King and Lawgiver, to be indifferent. Oh that this misled and blindfolded world would see that Christ doth not rise and fall, stand or lie, by men's apprehensions!

—Samuel Rutherford

"that idol that killeth all, himself"

Every man blameth the devil for his sins; but the great devil, the house-devil of every man, the house-devil that eateth and lieth in every man's bosom, is that idol that killeth all, himself. Oh, blessed are they who can deny themselves, and put Christ in the room of themselves! Oh, would to the Lord that I had not a myself, but Christ; nor a my lust, but Christ: nor a my ease, but Christ; nor a my honour, but Christ! O sweet word! "I live no more, but Christ liveth in me!" (Gal . ii. 20).

—Samuel Rutherford