The Resurrection of Jesus # 1
"He is not here; for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay" (Matthew 28:6).
The celebrated Jonathan Edwards of America begins his history of redemption with an account of the Lord's visit to Adam and Eve at the cool of the day in Eden. All the wonderful works of God toward the children of men, since the seed of the woman was promised to bruise the serpent's head, are to be considered as so many parts of the same great harmony, though their thousand revolutions may seem to us discordant and confused. The chief design of all the Divine manifestations recorded in the Old Testament was to prepare the way for the Redeemer's appearance upon earth. Jehovah often suffered his people to be in great distress and perplexity; He lengthened the chain of satan and his angels, allowed a partial success of their infernal schemes, and permitted them to prevail for a season against His people, and pride themselves in their power and their skill, in order to make their defeat the more signal, and gather more glory to Himself from their final overthrow. During the engagement, the victory often seemed to be on the side of the enemy; but when the smoke of battle cleared away, the pillar of God was seen upon the camp of Israel. If His people are besieged between Pihahiroth and Baalzephon, He raises the siege by dividing the sea, and making a highway through the deep, while the waters rise up in a solid wall on the right and the left, and roll back in ruin on the pursuing foe. If an army comes to arrest Elisha on Carmel, the mountain is covered with celestial warriors, and the surrounding heavens teem with horsemen and chariots of fire, and the enemy art smitten with blindness, and taken captive by the prophet. If Goliath of Gath confronts the camp of Israel with his challenge, roaring like a lion, till the valley resounds with his voice, a little shepherd boy goes forth with his sling, and the vaunting blasphemer is smitten to the ground, and slain with his own sword. If the worshipers of the true God are cast into the fiery furnace, or the den of lions, to show the power and gratify the pride of an infamous tyrant, there is one among them "like unto the Son of man," and the violence of the fire is quenched, and the mouths of the lions are stopped.
But when Messiah was slain and buried, the enemies of God boasted more than ever in their crafty and malicious schemes. This was the great decisive engagement between Heaven and hell. The enemy imagined "the Captain of our salvation" vanquished and destroyed. But His fall was no defeat. He yielded to the powers of darkness apparently, that He might triumph over them openly. He suffered Himself to be taken prisoner by death, that He might seize the tyrant on his throne, demolish his empire, and deliver his captives. And if none of his friends on earth had courage to proclaim his resurrection, a preacher descended from heaven to announce the joyful fact: "He is not here; for He is risen, and He said, Come, see the place where the Lord lay."
Wonderful message, and wonderful messenger! On the morning of the third day after His crucifixion, Jesus revived in His tomb, and the sound of the earthquake reached the heaven of heavens, and a mighty angel, swifter than the light, descended straight to the new grave in Joseph's garden, calling on no one for the key, instantly rolled away the stone from the door, and sat upon it, and made it his pulpit, from which he preached to the women the doctrine of our Lord's resurrection.
Let us consider, first, the testimony by which this fact is sustained, secondly, the fact itself, as the sure basis of Christianity.
1. It appears from the record of the evangelist Luke, that the women were much perplexed at finding the stone rolled away from the mouth of the sepulchre, and the body of Jesus gone. They they were saluted by two angels in shining apparel, who said: "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spake unto you while he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered His words."
Here is the testimony of two credible witnesses, a sufficient number to attest the truth of our Lord's resurrection; who testified to nothing but what they had personally witnessed, and knew to be fact; and delivered their testimony in simple and unambiguous language, that could not well be misunderstood.
While the women went to inform the disciples of what they had seen and heard, "behold, some of the watch came into the city, and showed unto the chief priests all the things that were done." And what was done? What can be the testimony of these enemies of Christ concerning His resurrection? That "an angel, whose countenance was like lightening, and his garments white as snow, descended from heaven, and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat upon it;" which so terrified them that they "became as dead men."
To confirm these testimonies, our blessed Lord Himself "appeared unto many after His resurrection, who were witnesses of all things which He did, both in the land of the Jews, and at Jerusalem; and how He was slain, and hanged on a tree; and how God raised Him up the third day, and showed Him openly; not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before of God; even to the disciples, who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead; whom He commanded to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He who is ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead to whom He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proof; being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God."
~Christmas Evans~
(continued with # 2)
Saturday, January 26, 2019
Saturday, January 19, 2019
God's Preacher In The Heart (and others)
God's Preacher in The Heart (and others)
"I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man" (Acts 24:16).
Conscience is God's preacher in the heart. Conscience is a thousand witnesses for or against a man. Those who dally and tamper with this sin or that sin, develop a guilty conscience - which clouds, clogs, and distrusts the soul with many fears, doubts, and scruples. God will have no communion with those who, against light and checks of conscience - dally and tamper with this sin or that sin, special, peculiar sin - is the greatest and most common cause of the lack of assurance, comfort, and peace
How should it be otherwise, seeing God, who is infinitely wise, holy, and righteous - will not reveal the secrets of His love to those who harbor His known enemies in their bosoms?
The great God will not regard the prayers of those who play and dally with that very sin, or that very lust - for which He hides His face from them.
~Thomas Brooks~
_________________________
Lord, You Know
The true child of God is able to say, "Lord, You know, that though I have had many and great failings - yet there are no beloved sins, no bosom sins, no darling sins, which are chargeable upon me! Lord, You know...
That there is no known sin which I don't hate and abhor. That there is no known sin which I don't combat and conflict with. That there is no known sin which I don't grieve and mourn over. That there is no known sin which I would not heartily be rid of. That there is no known sin which I do in some measure, endeavor in the use of holy means - to be delivered from. That there is no known sin, the effectual subduing and mortifying of which would not administer matter of the greatest joy and comfort to me!"
~Thomas Brooks~
___________________________
Enemies!
One of the first works of the Holy Spirit is to make a man to look upon all his sins as enemies; yes, as his greatest enemies, and to deal with his sins as enemies, and to hate and loathe them as enemies, and to fear them as enemies, and to arm against them as enemies. He has earnest and sincere desires, and makes careful endeavors to abandon all sin, to forsake all sin, and to be rid of all sin.
Says the sincere Christian, "Sin is the greatest evil in all the world! Sin is the only thing which God abhors! Sin brought Jesus Christ to the Cross! Sin damns souls! Sin shuts heaven! Sin has laid the foundation of hell! Oh, sin is the pricking thorn in my eye, the deadly arrow in my side, the sharp sword which has wounded my conscience,k slain my comforts, hindered my prayers, embittered my mercies, put a sting into all my crosses! Therefore I condemn it to death, yes, to hell, from whence it came!"
Certainly, a sick man is not more desirous to be rid of all his diseases, nor a prisoner to be freed from all his bolts and chains - than the true penitent is desirous to be rid of all his sins!
~Thomas Brooks~
_______________________________
The Eyes of the Lord
"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13).
God is all ear to hear, all hand to punish, all power to protect, all wisdom to direct, all goodness to relieve, all grace to pardon, all eye to observe the thoughts, hearts, words, ways, and walkings of men.
As the eyes of a well-drawn picture are fastened on us, whichever way we turn - so are the eyes of the Lord.
"For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and He examines all his paths" (Proverbs 5:21).
~Thomas Brooks~
"I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man" (Acts 24:16).
Conscience is God's preacher in the heart. Conscience is a thousand witnesses for or against a man. Those who dally and tamper with this sin or that sin, develop a guilty conscience - which clouds, clogs, and distrusts the soul with many fears, doubts, and scruples. God will have no communion with those who, against light and checks of conscience - dally and tamper with this sin or that sin, special, peculiar sin - is the greatest and most common cause of the lack of assurance, comfort, and peace
How should it be otherwise, seeing God, who is infinitely wise, holy, and righteous - will not reveal the secrets of His love to those who harbor His known enemies in their bosoms?
The great God will not regard the prayers of those who play and dally with that very sin, or that very lust - for which He hides His face from them.
~Thomas Brooks~
_________________________
Lord, You Know
The true child of God is able to say, "Lord, You know, that though I have had many and great failings - yet there are no beloved sins, no bosom sins, no darling sins, which are chargeable upon me! Lord, You know...
That there is no known sin which I don't hate and abhor. That there is no known sin which I don't combat and conflict with. That there is no known sin which I don't grieve and mourn over. That there is no known sin which I would not heartily be rid of. That there is no known sin which I do in some measure, endeavor in the use of holy means - to be delivered from. That there is no known sin, the effectual subduing and mortifying of which would not administer matter of the greatest joy and comfort to me!"
~Thomas Brooks~
___________________________
Enemies!
One of the first works of the Holy Spirit is to make a man to look upon all his sins as enemies; yes, as his greatest enemies, and to deal with his sins as enemies, and to hate and loathe them as enemies, and to fear them as enemies, and to arm against them as enemies. He has earnest and sincere desires, and makes careful endeavors to abandon all sin, to forsake all sin, and to be rid of all sin.
Says the sincere Christian, "Sin is the greatest evil in all the world! Sin is the only thing which God abhors! Sin brought Jesus Christ to the Cross! Sin damns souls! Sin shuts heaven! Sin has laid the foundation of hell! Oh, sin is the pricking thorn in my eye, the deadly arrow in my side, the sharp sword which has wounded my conscience,k slain my comforts, hindered my prayers, embittered my mercies, put a sting into all my crosses! Therefore I condemn it to death, yes, to hell, from whence it came!"
Certainly, a sick man is not more desirous to be rid of all his diseases, nor a prisoner to be freed from all his bolts and chains - than the true penitent is desirous to be rid of all his sins!
~Thomas Brooks~
_______________________________
The Eyes of the Lord
"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13).
God is all ear to hear, all hand to punish, all power to protect, all wisdom to direct, all goodness to relieve, all grace to pardon, all eye to observe the thoughts, hearts, words, ways, and walkings of men.
As the eyes of a well-drawn picture are fastened on us, whichever way we turn - so are the eyes of the Lord.
"For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and He examines all his paths" (Proverbs 5:21).
~Thomas Brooks~
Contentedly Ignorant (and others)
Contentedly Ignorant (and others)
Curiosity is one of the most dangerous engines, which the devil uses to undo souls with. When satan observes that men do in good earnest set themselves to the obtaining of knowledge, then he strives to turn them to vain inquires and curious speculations; so that he may keep them busied about unprofitable curiosities.
The way to make us mere fools, is to attempt to know more than God would have us to know. Adam's tree of knowledge made him and his posterity fools (Gen. 3:5-6). Curiosity was the bait whereby the devil caught our first parents - and undid us all! Adam had a mind to know as much of God as God Himself; and by this means he came to know nothing. Curiosity is that sickness of the soul, whereby it longs for novelties, and loathes sound and wholesome truths; it is the epidemic distemper of this age. (Basil says that multitudes of questions may be made about a fly - which no philosopher is ever able to answer; how much more about heaven, hell, or the work of grace!)
Ah! how many are there who spend their precious time in inscrutable and curious questions! Ah, what did Christ dispute of among the doctors? Where did paradise stand? In what part of the world is local hell? What fruit was it that Adam ate, and ruined us all? What became of Moses body? How many orders and degrees of elect angels are there? etc.
Oh, that we could learn to be contentedly ignorant, where God would not have us knowing! Let us not account it any disparagement to acknowledge some depths in God's counsels, purposes, decrees, and judgments - which our shallow reason cannot fathom, (Romans 11:33).
It is sad when men will be wise above what is written, and love to pry into God's secrets, and scan the mysteries of religion by carnal reason. God often plagues such pride and curiosity by leaving that sort of men to strange and fearful falls.
When a curious inquisitor asked Austin what God did before He created the world, Austin told him that "God was making hell for such busy questionists, for such curious inquirers into God's secrets!" Such sharp replies are the best answers to men of curious minds.
Though I ought piously to reverence the wonderful wisdom of God, and to wonder at His unsearchable judgments - yet I ought not curiously and profanely to search beyond the compass of that which God has revealed to us in His Word.
~Thomas Brooks~
____________________________
He Has Become the Worst of Creatures
Man before the fall was the best of creatures - but since his fall he has become the worst of creatures. He who was once the image of God, the glory of Paradise, the world's master, and the Lord's darling - has now become an abomination to God, a burden to heaven, a plague to the world, and a slave to satan.
When man first came out of God's mint, he did shine most gloriously, as being bespangled with holiness and clad with the royal robe of righteousness. His understanding was filled with knowledge; his will with an uprightness; his affections with holiness, etc. But yet, being a muable creature, and subject to temptations, satan quickly stripped him of his happiness, and cheated and cozened him out of his imperial crowns - with an apple!
~Thomas Brooks~
________________________
God Has An Iron Memory
"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws on their hearts, and I will write them on their minds, I will never again remember their sins and their lawless acts" (Hebrews 10:16-17).
The meaning is, their iniquities shall be quite forgotten: I will never more mention them, I will never more take notice of them, they shall never hear more of them from Me. Though God has an iron memory to remember the sins of the wicked - yet He has no memory to remember the sins of the righteous.
~Thomas Brooks~
________________________
Who Can Show Us Any Good?
"Many are asking - who can show us any good?" (Ps. 4:6).
The Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest good, a universal good, a matchless good, an incomparable good, an infinite good, an eternal good, the most suitable good for my poor soul. There is everything in Christ which suits the state, necessities, and needs of my poor soul. There is mercy in Him to pardon me, and power in Him to save me, and wisdom in Him to counsel me, and grace in Him to enrich me, and righteousness in Him to clothe me.
~Thomas Brooks~
Curiosity is one of the most dangerous engines, which the devil uses to undo souls with. When satan observes that men do in good earnest set themselves to the obtaining of knowledge, then he strives to turn them to vain inquires and curious speculations; so that he may keep them busied about unprofitable curiosities.
The way to make us mere fools, is to attempt to know more than God would have us to know. Adam's tree of knowledge made him and his posterity fools (Gen. 3:5-6). Curiosity was the bait whereby the devil caught our first parents - and undid us all! Adam had a mind to know as much of God as God Himself; and by this means he came to know nothing. Curiosity is that sickness of the soul, whereby it longs for novelties, and loathes sound and wholesome truths; it is the epidemic distemper of this age. (Basil says that multitudes of questions may be made about a fly - which no philosopher is ever able to answer; how much more about heaven, hell, or the work of grace!)
Ah! how many are there who spend their precious time in inscrutable and curious questions! Ah, what did Christ dispute of among the doctors? Where did paradise stand? In what part of the world is local hell? What fruit was it that Adam ate, and ruined us all? What became of Moses body? How many orders and degrees of elect angels are there? etc.
Oh, that we could learn to be contentedly ignorant, where God would not have us knowing! Let us not account it any disparagement to acknowledge some depths in God's counsels, purposes, decrees, and judgments - which our shallow reason cannot fathom, (Romans 11:33).
It is sad when men will be wise above what is written, and love to pry into God's secrets, and scan the mysteries of religion by carnal reason. God often plagues such pride and curiosity by leaving that sort of men to strange and fearful falls.
When a curious inquisitor asked Austin what God did before He created the world, Austin told him that "God was making hell for such busy questionists, for such curious inquirers into God's secrets!" Such sharp replies are the best answers to men of curious minds.
Though I ought piously to reverence the wonderful wisdom of God, and to wonder at His unsearchable judgments - yet I ought not curiously and profanely to search beyond the compass of that which God has revealed to us in His Word.
~Thomas Brooks~
____________________________
He Has Become the Worst of Creatures
Man before the fall was the best of creatures - but since his fall he has become the worst of creatures. He who was once the image of God, the glory of Paradise, the world's master, and the Lord's darling - has now become an abomination to God, a burden to heaven, a plague to the world, and a slave to satan.
When man first came out of God's mint, he did shine most gloriously, as being bespangled with holiness and clad with the royal robe of righteousness. His understanding was filled with knowledge; his will with an uprightness; his affections with holiness, etc. But yet, being a muable creature, and subject to temptations, satan quickly stripped him of his happiness, and cheated and cozened him out of his imperial crowns - with an apple!
~Thomas Brooks~
________________________
God Has An Iron Memory
"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws on their hearts, and I will write them on their minds, I will never again remember their sins and their lawless acts" (Hebrews 10:16-17).
The meaning is, their iniquities shall be quite forgotten: I will never more mention them, I will never more take notice of them, they shall never hear more of them from Me. Though God has an iron memory to remember the sins of the wicked - yet He has no memory to remember the sins of the righteous.
~Thomas Brooks~
________________________
Who Can Show Us Any Good?
"Many are asking - who can show us any good?" (Ps. 4:6).
The Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest good, a universal good, a matchless good, an incomparable good, an infinite good, an eternal good, the most suitable good for my poor soul. There is everything in Christ which suits the state, necessities, and needs of my poor soul. There is mercy in Him to pardon me, and power in Him to save me, and wisdom in Him to counsel me, and grace in Him to enrich me, and righteousness in Him to clothe me.
~Thomas Brooks~
Saturday, January 12, 2019
He Left Heaven For Us (and others)
He Left Heaven For Us (and others)
"If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24).
Let the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, work us into a gracious willingness to embrace sufferings for His sake, and cheerfully and resolutely to take up his cross and follow Him. Did Christ suffer - who knew no sin; and shall we think it strange to suffer - who know nothing but sin? Shall He lie sweltering under His Father's wrath - and shall we cry out under men's anger? Was He crowned with thorns - and must we be crowned with rose-buds? Was His whole life, from the cradle to the Cross, made up of nothing but sorrows and sufferings - and must our lives, from the cradle to the grave, be filled up with but pleasures and delights?
Was He despised - and must we be admired?
Was He debased - and must we be exalted?
Was He poor - and must we be rich?
Was He low - and must we be high?
Did He drink of a bitter cup, a bloody cup - and must we have only cups of consolation?
Let us not think anything too much to do for Christ, nor anything too great to suffer for Christ, nor anything too dear to part with for such a Christ, such a Saviour - who thought nothing too much to do, or too grievous to suffer - so that He might accomplish the work of our redemption. He left heaven for us! - and shall not we let go this world for Him? He left His Father's bosom for us - and shall not we leave the bosoms of our dearest relations for Him? He underwent all sorts of sufferings for us - let us as readily encounter with all sorts of sufferings for Him.
~Thomas Brooks~
_______________________
The Envy Of Devils
"For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham's descendants" (Hebrews 2:16).
Stand still, and admire and wonder at the love of Jesus Christ to poor sinners - that He should rather die for us, than the fallen angels! They were creatures of a more noble extract, and in all probability might have brought greater revenues of glory to God. Yet that Christ should pass by those golden vessels, and make us vessels of glory - Oh, what amazing and astonishing love is this!!
Why didn't Christ suffer for their sins - as well as for ours? Why, if He suffered for any sins - why not for theirs, rather than ours? This is the envy of devils, and the astonishment of saints!
~Thomas Brooks~
________________________
Christ, By His Death
"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree" (1 Pet. 2:24).
Certainly the whole punishment of body and soul which was due unto us - Christ our Redeemer suffered. Our blessed Saviour bore all the sins of the elect. He suffered the whole punishment which was due unto us - which we would have endured, if He had not atoned for our sins. He felt the anguish of soul, and horror of God's wrath, and in soul experienced the torments of hell for us - and sustained them and vanquished them.
All the pains, torments, curse, and wrath which were due to the elect - fell on Christ, until divine justice was fully satisfied. Though Christ did not suffer eternal death for sinners - yet He suffered that which was equivalent, and therefore the justice of God is by His death wholly appeased. Christ's infinite excellency and glory, made His short sufferings to be of infinite worth, and equivalent to our everlasting sufferings.
Jesus suffered that which was necessary for our redemption, namely, that torment of hell which we had deserved, and which the justice of God required that He should endure for our redemption. He endured that bitter pain which we deserved to suffer eternally.
Christ, by His death satisfied divine justice, pacified divine wrath, brought in an everlasting righteousness, accomplished the eternal salvation of His people!
~Thomas Brooks~
"If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24).
Let the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, work us into a gracious willingness to embrace sufferings for His sake, and cheerfully and resolutely to take up his cross and follow Him. Did Christ suffer - who knew no sin; and shall we think it strange to suffer - who know nothing but sin? Shall He lie sweltering under His Father's wrath - and shall we cry out under men's anger? Was He crowned with thorns - and must we be crowned with rose-buds? Was His whole life, from the cradle to the Cross, made up of nothing but sorrows and sufferings - and must our lives, from the cradle to the grave, be filled up with but pleasures and delights?
Was He despised - and must we be admired?
Was He debased - and must we be exalted?
Was He poor - and must we be rich?
Was He low - and must we be high?
Did He drink of a bitter cup, a bloody cup - and must we have only cups of consolation?
Let us not think anything too much to do for Christ, nor anything too great to suffer for Christ, nor anything too dear to part with for such a Christ, such a Saviour - who thought nothing too much to do, or too grievous to suffer - so that He might accomplish the work of our redemption. He left heaven for us! - and shall not we let go this world for Him? He left His Father's bosom for us - and shall not we leave the bosoms of our dearest relations for Him? He underwent all sorts of sufferings for us - let us as readily encounter with all sorts of sufferings for Him.
~Thomas Brooks~
_______________________
The Envy Of Devils
"For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham's descendants" (Hebrews 2:16).
Stand still, and admire and wonder at the love of Jesus Christ to poor sinners - that He should rather die for us, than the fallen angels! They were creatures of a more noble extract, and in all probability might have brought greater revenues of glory to God. Yet that Christ should pass by those golden vessels, and make us vessels of glory - Oh, what amazing and astonishing love is this!!
Why didn't Christ suffer for their sins - as well as for ours? Why, if He suffered for any sins - why not for theirs, rather than ours? This is the envy of devils, and the astonishment of saints!
~Thomas Brooks~
________________________
Christ, By His Death
"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree" (1 Pet. 2:24).
Certainly the whole punishment of body and soul which was due unto us - Christ our Redeemer suffered. Our blessed Saviour bore all the sins of the elect. He suffered the whole punishment which was due unto us - which we would have endured, if He had not atoned for our sins. He felt the anguish of soul, and horror of God's wrath, and in soul experienced the torments of hell for us - and sustained them and vanquished them.
All the pains, torments, curse, and wrath which were due to the elect - fell on Christ, until divine justice was fully satisfied. Though Christ did not suffer eternal death for sinners - yet He suffered that which was equivalent, and therefore the justice of God is by His death wholly appeased. Christ's infinite excellency and glory, made His short sufferings to be of infinite worth, and equivalent to our everlasting sufferings.
Jesus suffered that which was necessary for our redemption, namely, that torment of hell which we had deserved, and which the justice of God required that He should endure for our redemption. He endured that bitter pain which we deserved to suffer eternally.
Christ, by His death satisfied divine justice, pacified divine wrath, brought in an everlasting righteousness, accomplished the eternal salvation of His people!
~Thomas Brooks~
The Hell of Hell (and others)
The Hell of Hell (and others)
And as there are diversity of torments in hell, so the torments of hell are everlasting.
"Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!" (Matt. 25:41).
The sentence which shall be passed upon them, is eternal. God Himself, who damns them, is eternal. The prison and chains which hold them, are eternal. The worm which gnaw them, is eternal. The fire which torments them, is eternal.
Grievous is the torment of the damned - for the bitterness of the punishments. It is more grievous - for the diversity of the punishments. But it is most grievous - for the eternity of the punishments.
If, after so many millions of years as there are drops in the ocean, there might be a deliverance out of hell - this would yield a little ease, a little comfort to the damned. Oh, but this word Eternity! Eternity! Eternity! this word Everlasting, Everlasting, Everlasting! this word Forever! Forever! Forever! will even break the hearts of the damned in ten thousand pieces!
Suppose that the whole world were turned into a mountain of sand, and that a little bird should come once every thousand years and carry away from that heap, one grain of sand. What an infinite number of years would be spent before this great mountain of sand would be fetched away! Just so - if a man should lie in everlasting burnings so long a time as this, and then have an end of his woe - it would give some ease, some hope, and some comfort to him. But when that immortal bird shall have carried away this great mountain of sand - a thousand times over and over - alas, alas, sinful man shall be as far from the end of his anguish and torment as ever he was! He shall be no nearer coming out of hell, than he was the very first moment that he entered into hell!
Suppose, say others, that a man were to endure the torments of hell as many years - as there are sands on the sea-shore, drops of water in the sea, stars in the heavens, leaves on the trees, blades of grass on the ground - yet he would comfort himself with this poor thought, "Well, there will come a day when my misery and torment shall certainly have an end." But woe and alas! this word, "Forever! Forever! Forever!" will fill the hearts of the damned with the greatest horror and terror, anger and rage, bewilderment and astonishment!
If the fire of hell were terminable, it might be tolerable. But being endless, it must needs be ceaseless, and remediless.
The eternity of hell - is the hell of hell!
The damned shall live as long in hell as long as God Himself shall live in heaven!
"The reprobate shall have
punishment without pity;
misery without mercy,
sorrow without support,
crying without compassion,
mischief without measure, and
torment without end."
"And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matt. 25:46).
All the pains, torments, curse, and wrath which were due to the elect - fell on Christ, until divine justice was fully satisfied. "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess. 5:9). Oh, exalt that Christ! Oh, extol that Saviour!, who has saved you from that eternal wrath!
~Thomas Brooks~
_______________________
The Most Powerful Charm of satan
Honors, riches, and pleasures are the three deities, which all people adore, and to whom they continually sacrifice their best thoughts and energies. These, for their unparalleled vanity, may well be called "the vanity of vanities!"
Honor, riches and pleasures are but a mere shadow, a vapor, a feather in the cap, a breath, a froth, a dream, a nothing. They are without true substance. Like in a dream, you imagine they have substance - you grasp at them and awake - and they are nothing!
And yet, they are the most powerful charm of satan, whereby he lulls men to sleep in the paradise of fools; to cast them, after they die, into the bottomless pit of eternal woe!
~Thomas Brooks~
And as there are diversity of torments in hell, so the torments of hell are everlasting.
"Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!" (Matt. 25:41).
The sentence which shall be passed upon them, is eternal. God Himself, who damns them, is eternal. The prison and chains which hold them, are eternal. The worm which gnaw them, is eternal. The fire which torments them, is eternal.
Grievous is the torment of the damned - for the bitterness of the punishments. It is more grievous - for the diversity of the punishments. But it is most grievous - for the eternity of the punishments.
If, after so many millions of years as there are drops in the ocean, there might be a deliverance out of hell - this would yield a little ease, a little comfort to the damned. Oh, but this word Eternity! Eternity! Eternity! this word Everlasting, Everlasting, Everlasting! this word Forever! Forever! Forever! will even break the hearts of the damned in ten thousand pieces!
Suppose that the whole world were turned into a mountain of sand, and that a little bird should come once every thousand years and carry away from that heap, one grain of sand. What an infinite number of years would be spent before this great mountain of sand would be fetched away! Just so - if a man should lie in everlasting burnings so long a time as this, and then have an end of his woe - it would give some ease, some hope, and some comfort to him. But when that immortal bird shall have carried away this great mountain of sand - a thousand times over and over - alas, alas, sinful man shall be as far from the end of his anguish and torment as ever he was! He shall be no nearer coming out of hell, than he was the very first moment that he entered into hell!
Suppose, say others, that a man were to endure the torments of hell as many years - as there are sands on the sea-shore, drops of water in the sea, stars in the heavens, leaves on the trees, blades of grass on the ground - yet he would comfort himself with this poor thought, "Well, there will come a day when my misery and torment shall certainly have an end." But woe and alas! this word, "Forever! Forever! Forever!" will fill the hearts of the damned with the greatest horror and terror, anger and rage, bewilderment and astonishment!
If the fire of hell were terminable, it might be tolerable. But being endless, it must needs be ceaseless, and remediless.
The eternity of hell - is the hell of hell!
The damned shall live as long in hell as long as God Himself shall live in heaven!
"The reprobate shall have
punishment without pity;
misery without mercy,
sorrow without support,
crying without compassion,
mischief without measure, and
torment without end."
"And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matt. 25:46).
All the pains, torments, curse, and wrath which were due to the elect - fell on Christ, until divine justice was fully satisfied. "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess. 5:9). Oh, exalt that Christ! Oh, extol that Saviour!, who has saved you from that eternal wrath!
~Thomas Brooks~
_______________________
The Most Powerful Charm of satan
Honors, riches, and pleasures are the three deities, which all people adore, and to whom they continually sacrifice their best thoughts and energies. These, for their unparalleled vanity, may well be called "the vanity of vanities!"
Honor, riches and pleasures are but a mere shadow, a vapor, a feather in the cap, a breath, a froth, a dream, a nothing. They are without true substance. Like in a dream, you imagine they have substance - you grasp at them and awake - and they are nothing!
And yet, they are the most powerful charm of satan, whereby he lulls men to sleep in the paradise of fools; to cast them, after they die, into the bottomless pit of eternal woe!
~Thomas Brooks~
Saturday, January 5, 2019
The War Between the Flesh and the Spirit # 3
The War Between the Flesh and the Spirit # 3
I take some scriptures to prove it. Isaiah was the saintliest man of his time. If any man could claim to be a sinless man Isaiah could have made that claim, but on one occasion God permitted him to get close to Him. Listen to the record: "In the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. Then said I, "Woe is me! for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts."
Take Job. In the common acceptation of the word, the ordinary worldly acceptation of the word, God has said that Job was a perfect man, and he was a better man than any that I have ever known who claimed sinless perfection. And yet Job was not sinlessly perfect. He contested with pride anything that his friends could say to him, but when the Almighty spoke to him out of the whirlwind, and he stood face to face with infinite holiness, he said, "I abhor myself and repent in sackcloth and ashes."
And that is one of the marks that you are becoming sanctified. It is that feeling of deep humility, that sense of your unworthiness, that absence of all proud assurance, arrogance, boastfulness; that lowliness of mind and heart that would enable Paul, the nearer and nearer he got to holiness, to say, "I am the chief of sinners." He would see his own littleness and unworthiness the nearer he got to God.
To recapitulate: First, I answered the question when it started. Then I showed what it was an unfolding and developing of the principle of life imparted in regeneration, then how it is unfolded, and what principles operated in the unfolding. Now, in conclusion, I squarely meet the question as to its consummation.
When is it consummated? For that every one of God's children will one day be wholly sanctified, I haven't a shadow of doubt, but the question is, when? I will ask Paul to answer. He says: "Brethren, I have not yet attained it, neither count I myself yet perfect. Not yet. But there is one thing I do. I forget the things which are behind, and I press forward to the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. I am going after that." What is that high calling? What is the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus? It is that your spirit is to be made absolutely perfect, and that your body is to be made absolutely perfect, and that the united and glorified spirit and body, so made perfect, shall be without spot, or blemish or wrinkle, or any such thing, in the presence of God.
Now then, when? In the twelfth chapter of the letter to the Hebrews we find an answer to a part of it. Paul says to these Hebrews, "You are coming (you are not there yet, but you are coming) to God, the Judge, to an innumerable company of angels, to Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the spirits of the just made perfect." Where? Yonder. You are not there. Yonder the spirit of the saint is made perfect.
I mean to say that when the soul of the Christian is separated from his body, that spirit is then perfected and so enters heaven. This side of death you cannot find it. The other side of death you see it and you are invited to approach unto it. But this is only a part of sanctification. The marriage is not come yet, and the marriage will not come until the whole man is without spot, or blemish, or wrinkle or any such thing.
Well, when is the rest of it consummated? Paul says, "Behold, I shew you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump." Here is the change that takes place in the bodies of those that shall be alive when Christ comes. Those who live at that time, the Christians who are alive when He comes, instantly experience a change, a marvelous change of body. Corruption puts on incorruption, and mortality puts on immortality. Death is swallowed up in victory, and the body is glorified and made like unto the glorified body of our Lord.
At the same time, the bodies of those spirits made perfect the spirits perfect in heaven and their bodies imperfect in the dust - then the omnipotent power of God passes upon the realms of death, and wakes the sleeping saints. They rise; they go forth; they put on immortality and glory; and there is the sanctified body. Now Christ brings with Him, says the scripture, the sanctified spirit when He comes, and puts the sanctified spirit into the glorified body, and then, and never until then, is the sanctification completed. Then ring the bells of heaven. The marriage is come and the bride is made ready. There is now no blemish in her. There is no spot in her. She is unblamable in holiness, then, at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and then presented. Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, that He might present it to Himself as without blemish, or spot, or wrinkle or any such thing, unblamable in holiness.
That is the Bible doctrine upon that subject, and it is a glorious and a wonderful doctrine. But it is a sad thing that the minds of children should be poisoned with a view that would make a sinful man, yea, even while he is lying, claim to be sinlessly perfect. It is an awful thing. Brethren, I do think that there ought to be a waking up such as has not been in our history, upon the subject of teaching the true doctrines of God to our children!
~B. H. Carroll~
(The End)
I take some scriptures to prove it. Isaiah was the saintliest man of his time. If any man could claim to be a sinless man Isaiah could have made that claim, but on one occasion God permitted him to get close to Him. Listen to the record: "In the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. Then said I, "Woe is me! for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts."
Take Job. In the common acceptation of the word, the ordinary worldly acceptation of the word, God has said that Job was a perfect man, and he was a better man than any that I have ever known who claimed sinless perfection. And yet Job was not sinlessly perfect. He contested with pride anything that his friends could say to him, but when the Almighty spoke to him out of the whirlwind, and he stood face to face with infinite holiness, he said, "I abhor myself and repent in sackcloth and ashes."
And that is one of the marks that you are becoming sanctified. It is that feeling of deep humility, that sense of your unworthiness, that absence of all proud assurance, arrogance, boastfulness; that lowliness of mind and heart that would enable Paul, the nearer and nearer he got to holiness, to say, "I am the chief of sinners." He would see his own littleness and unworthiness the nearer he got to God.
To recapitulate: First, I answered the question when it started. Then I showed what it was an unfolding and developing of the principle of life imparted in regeneration, then how it is unfolded, and what principles operated in the unfolding. Now, in conclusion, I squarely meet the question as to its consummation.
When is it consummated? For that every one of God's children will one day be wholly sanctified, I haven't a shadow of doubt, but the question is, when? I will ask Paul to answer. He says: "Brethren, I have not yet attained it, neither count I myself yet perfect. Not yet. But there is one thing I do. I forget the things which are behind, and I press forward to the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. I am going after that." What is that high calling? What is the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus? It is that your spirit is to be made absolutely perfect, and that your body is to be made absolutely perfect, and that the united and glorified spirit and body, so made perfect, shall be without spot, or blemish or wrinkle, or any such thing, in the presence of God.
Now then, when? In the twelfth chapter of the letter to the Hebrews we find an answer to a part of it. Paul says to these Hebrews, "You are coming (you are not there yet, but you are coming) to God, the Judge, to an innumerable company of angels, to Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the spirits of the just made perfect." Where? Yonder. You are not there. Yonder the spirit of the saint is made perfect.
I mean to say that when the soul of the Christian is separated from his body, that spirit is then perfected and so enters heaven. This side of death you cannot find it. The other side of death you see it and you are invited to approach unto it. But this is only a part of sanctification. The marriage is not come yet, and the marriage will not come until the whole man is without spot, or blemish, or wrinkle or any such thing.
Well, when is the rest of it consummated? Paul says, "Behold, I shew you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump." Here is the change that takes place in the bodies of those that shall be alive when Christ comes. Those who live at that time, the Christians who are alive when He comes, instantly experience a change, a marvelous change of body. Corruption puts on incorruption, and mortality puts on immortality. Death is swallowed up in victory, and the body is glorified and made like unto the glorified body of our Lord.
At the same time, the bodies of those spirits made perfect the spirits perfect in heaven and their bodies imperfect in the dust - then the omnipotent power of God passes upon the realms of death, and wakes the sleeping saints. They rise; they go forth; they put on immortality and glory; and there is the sanctified body. Now Christ brings with Him, says the scripture, the sanctified spirit when He comes, and puts the sanctified spirit into the glorified body, and then, and never until then, is the sanctification completed. Then ring the bells of heaven. The marriage is come and the bride is made ready. There is now no blemish in her. There is no spot in her. She is unblamable in holiness, then, at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and then presented. Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, that He might present it to Himself as without blemish, or spot, or wrinkle or any such thing, unblamable in holiness.
That is the Bible doctrine upon that subject, and it is a glorious and a wonderful doctrine. But it is a sad thing that the minds of children should be poisoned with a view that would make a sinful man, yea, even while he is lying, claim to be sinlessly perfect. It is an awful thing. Brethren, I do think that there ought to be a waking up such as has not been in our history, upon the subject of teaching the true doctrines of God to our children!
~B. H. Carroll~
(The End)
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