Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc24/v25100

Text File | 1994-03-01 | 7KB | 106 lines

25100
 #1 Honour is out of season to those unworthy and unfit for it.
 #2|. He that is cursed without cause, the curse shall do him no
 more harm than the bird that flies over his head. #3|. Every
 creature must be dealt with according to its nature, but
 careless and profligate sinners never will be ruled by reason
 and persuasion. Man indeed is born like the wild ass's colt; but
 some, by the grace of God, are changed. #4,5|. We are to fit our
 remarks to the man, and address them to his conscience, so as
 may best end the debate. #6-9|. Fools are not fit to be trusted,
 nor to have any honour. Wise sayings, as a foolish man delivers
 and applies them, lose their usefulness. #10|. This verse may
 either declare how the Lord, the Creator of all men, will deal
 with sinners according to their guilt, or, how the powerful
 among men should disgrace and punish the wicked. #11|. The dog
 is a loathsome emblem of those sinners who return to their
 vices, #2Pe 2:22|. #12|. We see many a one who has some little
 sense, but is proud of it. This describes those who think their
 spiritual state to be good, when really it is very bad. #13|.
 The slothful man hates every thing that requires care and
 labour. But it is foolish to frighten ourselves from real duties
 by fancied difficulties. This may be applied to a man slothful
 in the duties of religion. #14|. Having seen the slothful man in
 fear of his work, here we find him in love with his ease. Bodily
 ease is the sad occasion of many spiritual diseases. He does not
 care to get forward with his business. Slothful professors turn
 thus. The world and the flesh are hinges on which they are hung;
 and though they move in a course of outward services, yet they
 are not the nearer to heaven. #15|. The sluggard is now out of
 his bed, but he might have lain there, for any thing he is
 likely to bring to pass in his work. It is common for men who
 will not do their duty, to pretend they cannot. Those that are
 slothful in religion, will not be at the pains to feed their
 souls with the bread of life, nor to fetch in promised blessings
 by prayer. #16|. He that takes pains in religion, knows he is
 working for a good Master, and that his labour shall not be in
 vain. #17|. To make ourselves busy in other men's matters, is to
 thrust ourselves into temptation. #18,19|. He that sins in jest,
 must repent in earnest, or his sin will be his ruin. #20-22|.
 Contention heats the spirit, and puts families and societies
 into a flame. And that fire is commonly kindled and kept burning
 by whisperers and backbiters. #23|. A wicked heart disguising
 itself, is like a potsherd covered with the dross of silver.
 #24-26|. Always distrust when a man speaks fair unless you know
 him well. Satan, in his temptations, speaks fair, as he did to
 Eve; but it is madness to give credit to him. #27|. What pains
 men take to do mischief to others! but it is digging a pit, it
 is rolling a stone, hard work; and they prepare mischief to
 themselves. #28|. There are two sorts of lies equally
 detestable. A slandering lie, the mischief of this every body
 sees. A flattering lie, which secretly works ruin. A wise man
 will be more afraid of a flatterer than of a slanderer.
25128
 #1 We know not what a day may bring forth. This does not forbid
 preparing for to-morrow, but presuming upon to-morrow. We must
 not put off the great work of conversion, that one thing
 needful. #2|. There may be occasion for us to justify ourselves,
 but not to praise ourselves. #3,4|. Those who have no command of
 their passions, sink under the load. #5,6|. Plain and faithful
 rebukes are better, not only than secret hatred, but than love
 which compliments in sin, to the hurt of the soul. #7|. The poor
 have a better relish of their enjoyments, and are often more
 thankful for them, than the rich. In like manner the proud and
 self-sufficient disdain the gospel; but those who hunger and
 thirst after righteousness, find comfort from the meanest book
 or sermon that testifies of Christ Jesus. #8|. Every man has his
 proper place in society, where he may be safe and comfortable.
 #9,10|. Depend not for relief upon a kinsman, merely for
 kindred's sake; apply to those who are at hand, and will help in
 need. But there is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother,
 and let us place entire confidence in him. #11|. An affectionate
 parent urges his son to prudent conduct that should gladden his
 heart. The good conduct of Christians is the best answer to all
 who find fault with the gospel. #12|. Where there is temptation,
 if we thrust ourselves into it, there will be sin, and
 punishment will follow. #13|. An honest man may be made a
 beggar, but he is not honest that makes himself one. #14|. It is
 folly to be fond of being praised; it is a temptation to pride.
 #15,16|. The contentions of a neighbour may be like a sharp
 shower, troublesome for a time; the contentions of a wife are
 like constant rain. #17|. We are cautioned to take heed whom we
 converse with. And directed to have in view, in conversation, to
 make one another wiser and better. #18|. Though a calling be
 laborious and despised, yet those who keep to it, will find
 there is something to be got by it. God is a Master who has
 engaged to honour those who serve him faithfully. #19|. One
 corrupt heart is like another; so are sanctified hearts: the
 former bear the same image of the earthly, the latter the same
 image of the heavenly. Let us carefully watch our own hearts,
 comparing them with the word of God. #20|. Two things are here
 said to be never satisfied, death and sin. The appetites of the
 carnal mind for profit or pleasure are always desiring more.
 Those whose eyes are ever toward the Lord, are satisfied in him,
 and shall for ever be so. #21|. Silver and gold are tried by
 putting them into the furnace and fining-pot; so is a man tried
 by praising him. #22|. Some are so bad, that even severe methods
 do not answer the end; what remains but that they should be
 rejected? The new-creating power of God's grace alone is able to
 make a change. #23-27|. We ought to have some business to do in
 this world, and not to live in idleness, and not to meddle with
 what we do not understand. We must be diligent and take pains.
 Let us do what we can, still the world cannot be secured to us,
 therefore we must choose a more lasting portion; but by the
 blessing of God upon our honest labours, we may expect to enjoy
 as much of earthly blessings as is good for us.