Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc21/v23950

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 7KB | 119 lines

23953
 #97-104 What we love, we love to think of. All true wisdom is
 from God. A good man carries his Bible with him, if not in his
 hands, yet in his head and in his heart. By meditation on God's
 testimonies we understand more than our teachers, when we
 understand our own hearts. The written word is a more sure guide
 to heaven, than all the fathers, the teachers, and ancients of
 the church. We cannot, with any comfort or boldness, attend God
 in holy duties, while under guilt, or in any by-way. It was
 Divine grace in his heart, that enabled the psalmist to receive
 these instructions. The soul has its tastes as well as the body.
 Our relish for the word of God will be greatest, when that for
 the world and the flesh is least. The way of sin is a wrong way;
 and the more understanding we get by the precepts of God, the
 more rooted will be our hatred of sin; and the more ready we are
 in the Scriptures, the better furnished we are with answers to
 temptation.

23961
 #105-112 The word of God directs us in our work and way, and a
 dark place indeed the world would be without it. The commandment
 is a lamp kept burning with the oil of the Spirit, as a light to
 direct us in the choice of our way, and the steps we take in
 that way. The keeping of God's commands here meant, was that of
 a sinner under a dispensation of mercy, of a believer having
 part in the covenant of grace. The psalmist is often afflicted;
 but with longing desires to become more holy, offers up daily
 prayers for quickening grace. We cannot offer any thing to God,
 that he will accept but what he is pleased to teach us to do. To
 have our soul or life continually in our hands, implies constant
 danger of life; yet he did not forget God's promises nor his
 precepts. Numberless are the snares laid by the wicked; and
 happy is that servant of God, whom they have not caused to err
 from his Master's precepts. Heavenly treasures are a heritage
 for ever; all the saints accept them as such, therefore they can
 be content with little of this world. We must look for comfort
 only in the way of duty, and that duty must be done. A good man,
 by the grace of God, brings his heart to his work, then it is
 done well.

23969
 #113-120 Here is a dread of the risings of sin, and the first
 beginnings of it. The more we love the law of God, the more
 watchful we shall be, lest vain thoughts draw us from what we
 love. Would we make progress in keeping God's commands, we must
 be separate from evil-doers. The believer could not live without
 the grace of God; but, supported by his hand, his spiritual life
 shall be maintained. Our holy security is grounded on Divine
 supports. All departure from God's statutes is error, and will
 prove fatal. Their cunning is falsehood. There is a day coming
 which will put the wicked into everlasting fire, the fit place
 for the dross. See what comes of sin. Surely we who fall so low
 in devout affections, should fear, lest a promise being left us
 of entering into heavenly rest, any of us should be found to
 come short of it, #Heb 4:1|.

23977
 #121-128 Happy is the man, who, acting upon gospel principles,
 does justice to all around. Christ our Surety, having paid our
 debt and ransom, secures all the blessings of salvation to every
 true believer. The psalmist expects the word of God's
 righteousness, and no other salvation than what is secured by
 that word, which cannot fall to the ground. We deserve no favour
 form God; we are most easy when we cast ourselves upon God's
 mercy, and refer ourselves to it. If any man resolve to do God's
 will as his servant, he shall be made to know his testimonies.
 We must do what we can for the support of religion, and, after
 all, must beg of God to take the work into his own hands. It is
 hypocrisy to say we love God's commandments more than our
 worldly interests. The way of sin is a false way, being directly
 contrary to God's precepts, which are right: those that love and
 esteem God's law, hate sin, and will not be reconciled to it.

23985
 #129-136 The wonders of redeeming love will fix the heart in
 adoration of them. The Scriptures show us what we were, what we
 are, and what we shall be. They show us the mercy and the
 justice of the Lord, the joys of heaven, and the pains of hell.
 Thus they give to the simple, in a few days, understanding of
 those matters, which philosophers for ages sought in vain. The
 believer, wearied with the cares of life and his conflicts with
 sin, pants for the consolations conveyed to him by means of the
 sacred word. And every one may pray, Look thou upon me, and be
 merciful unto me as thou usest to do unto those that love thy
 name. We must beg that the Holy Spirit would order our steps.
 The dominion of sin is to be dreaded and prayed against by every
 one. The oppression of men is often more than flesh and blood
 can bear; and He who knoweth our frame, will not refuse to
 remove it in answer to the prayers of his people. Whatever
 obscurity may appear as to the faith of the Old Testament
 believers, their confidence at the throne of grace can only be
 explained by their having obtained more distinct views of gospel
 privileges, through the sacrifices and services of their law,
 than is generally imagined. Go to the same place, plead the name
 and merits of Jesus, and you will not, you cannot plead in vain.
 Commonly, where there is a gracious heart, there is a weeping
 eye. Accept, O Lord, the tears our blessed Redeemer shed in the
 days of his flesh, for us who should weep for our brethren or
 ourselves.

23993
 #137-144 God never did, and never can do wrong to any. The
 promises are faithfully performed by Him that made them. Zeal
 against sin should constrain us to do what we can against it, at
 least to do more in religion ourselves. Our love to the word of
 God is evidence of our love to God, because it is designed to
 make us partake his holiness. Men's real excellency always makes
 them low in their own eyes. When we are small and despised, we
 have the more need to remember God's precepts, that we may have
 them to support us. The law of God is the truth, the standard of
 holiness, the rule of happiness; but the obedience of Christ
 alone justifies the believer. Sorrows are often the lot of
 saints in this vale of tears; they are in heaviness through
 manifold temptations. There are delights in the word of God,
 which the saints often most sweetly enjoy when in trouble and
 anguish. This is life eternal, to know God and Jesus Christ whom
 he has sent, #Joh 17:3|. May we live the life of faith and grace
 here, and be removed to the life of glory hereafter.