Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc24/v26700

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 10KB | 177 lines

26704
 #6-13 Here is a gracious offer of pardon, and peace, and of all
 happiness. It shall not be in vain to seek God, now his word is
 calling to us, and his Spirit is striving with us. But there is
 a day coming when he will not be found. There may come such a
 time in this life; it is certain that at death and judgment the
 door will be shut. There must be not only a change of the way,
 but a change of the mind. We must alter our judgments about
 persons and things. It is not enough to break off from evil
 practices, we must strive against evil thoughts. To repent is to
 return to our Lord, against whom we have rebelled. If we do so,
 God will multiply to pardon, as we have multiplied to offend.
 But let none trifle with this plenteous mercy, or use it as an
 occasion to sin. Men's thoughts concerning sin, Christ, and
 holiness, concerning this world and the other, vastly differ
 from God's; but in nothing more than in the matter of pardon. We
 forgive, and cannot forget; but when God forgives sin, he
 remembers it no more. The power of his word in the kingdoms of
 providence and grace, is as certain as in that of nature. Sacred
 truth produces a spiritual change in the mind of men, which
 neither rain nor snow can make on the earth. It shall not return
 to the Lord without producing important effects. If we take a
 special view of the church, we shall find what great things God
 has done, and will do for it. The Jews shall come to their own
 land; this shall represent the blessings promised. Gospel grace
 will make a great change in men. Delivered from the wrath to
 come, the converted sinner finds peace in his conscience; and
 love constrains him to devote himself to the service of his
 Redeemer. Instead of being profane, contentious, selfish, or
 sensual, behold him patient, humble, kind, and peaceable. The
 hope of helping in such a work should urge us to spread the
 gospel of salvation. And do thou help us, O Spirit of all truth,
 to have such views of the fulness, freeness, and greatness of
 the rich mercy in Christ, as may remove from us all narrow views
 of sovereign grace.
26712
 * A charge to keep the Divine precepts. (1,2) Blessings
 promised. (3-8) Reproof to the careless watchmen, the teachers
 and rulers of the Jews. (9-12)

 #1,2 The Lord tells us what are his expectations of duty from
 us. Be honest and just in all dealings. Also strictly observe
 the sabbath day. To have the blessing of God upon employments
 all the week, make conscience of keeping the sabbath holy. Have
 nothing to do with sin. Blessed is the man that keeps his hand
 from all things displeasing to God and hurtful to his own soul.
 Those who, through the Spirit, wait for the hope of
 righteousness by faith, will be found walking in ways of holy
 obedience.

26714
 #3-8 Unbelief often suggests things to discourage believers,
 against which God has expressly guarded. Spiritual blessings are
 unspeakably better than having sons and daughters; for children
 are a care, and may prove a grief and shame, but the blessings
 we partake of in God's house, are comforts which cannot be made
 bitter. Those who love the Lord truly, will serve him
 faithfully, and then his commandments are not grievous. Three
 things are promised. Assistance: I will not only bid them
 welcome, but incline them to come. Acceptance, and comfort:
 though they came mourning to the house of prayer, they shall go
 away rejoicing. They shall find ease by casting their cares and
 burdens upon God. Many a sorrowful spirit has been made joyful
 in the house of prayer. The Gentiles shall be one body with the
 Jews, that, as Christ says, #Joh 10:16|, there may be one fold
 and one Shepherd. Thanks be to God that none are separated from
 him except by wilful sin and unbelief; and if we come to him, we
 shall be accepted through the sacrifice of our great High
 Priest.

26720
 #9-12 Desolating judgments are called for; and this severe
 rebuke of the rulers and teachers of the Jewish church, is
 applicable to other ages and places. It is bad with a people
 when their shepherds slumber, and are eager after the world. Let
 us pray the Great Shepherd to send us pastors after his own
 heart, who will feed us with knowledge, that we may rejoice in
 his holy name, and that believers may be daily added to the
 church.
26724
 * The blessed death of the righteous. (1,2) The abominable
 idolatries of the Jewish nation. (3-12) Promises to the humble
 and contrite. (13-21)

 #1,2 The righteous are delivered from the sting of death, not
 from the stroke of it. The careless world disregards this. Few
 lament it as a public loss, and very few notice it as a public
 warning. They are taken away in compassion, that they may not
 see the evil, nor share in it, nor be tempted by it. The
 righteous man, when he dies, enters into peace and rest.

26726
 #3-12 The Lord here calls apostates and hypocrites to appear
 before him. When reproved for their sins, and threatened with
 judgments, they ridiculed the word of God. The Jews were guilty
 of idolatry before the captivity; but not after that affliction.
 Their zeal in the worship of false gods, may shame our
 indifference in the worship of the true God. The service of sin
 is disgraceful slavery; those who thus debase themselves to
 hell, will justly have their portion there. Men incline to a
 religion that inflames their unholy passions. They are led to do
 any evil, however great or vile, if they think it will atone for
 crimes, or purchase indulgence for some favourite lust. This
 explains idolatry, whether pagan, Jewish, or antichristian. But
 those who set up anything instead of God, for their hope and
 confidence, never will come to a right end. Those who forsake
 the only right way, wander in a thousand by-paths. The pleasures
 of sin soon tire, but never satisfy. Those who care not for the
 word of God and his providences, show they have no fear of God.
 Sin profits not; it ruins and destroys.

26736
 #13-21 The idols and their worshippers shall come to nothing;
 but those who trust in God's grace, shall be brought to the joys
 of heaven. With the Lord there is neither beginning of days, nor
 end of life, nor change of time. His name is holy, and all must
 know him as a holy God. He will have tender regard to those who
 bring their mind to their condition, and dread his wrath. He
 will make his abode with those whose hearts he has thus humbled,
 in order to revive and comfort them. When troubles last long,
 even good men are tempted to entertain hard thoughts of God.
 Therefore He will not contend for ever, for he will not forsake
 the work of his own hands, nor defeat the purchase of his Son's
 blood. Covetousness is a sin that particularly lays men under
 the Divine displeasure. See the sinfulness of sin. See also that
 troubles cannot reform men unless God's grace work in them.
 Peace shall be published, perfect peace. It is the fruit of
 preaching lips, and praying lips. Christ came and preached peace
 to Gentiles, as well as to the Jews; to after-ages, who were
 afar off in time, as well as to those of that age. But the
 wicked would not be healed by God's grace, therefore would not
 be healed by his comforts. Their ungoverned lusts and passions
 made them like the troubled sea. Also the terrors of conscience
 disturbed their enjoyments. God hath said it, and all the world
 cannot unsay it, That there is no peace to those who allow
 themselves in any sin. If we are recovered from such an awful
 state, it is only by the grace of God. And the influences of the
 Holy Spirit, and that new heart, from whence comes grateful
 praise, the fruit of our lips, are his gift. Salvation, with all
 its fruits, hopes, and comforts, is his work, and to him belongs
 all the glory. There is no peace for the wicked man; but let the
 wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
 and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him,
 and to our God, and he will abundantly pardon.
26745
 * Hypocrisy reproved. (1,2) A counterfeit and a true fast, with
 promises to real godliness, and, (3-12) to the keeping the
 sabbath.  (13,14)

 #1,2 The Holy Spirit had hypocrites of every age in view.
 Self-love and timid Christians may say, Spare thyself; dislike
 to the cross and other motives will say, "Spare the rich and
 powerful;" but God says, "Spare not:" and we must obey God, not
 men. We all need earnestly to pray for God's assistance in
 examining ourselves. Men may go far toward heaven, yet come
 short; and they may go to hell with a good reputation.
26747
 #3-12 A fast is a day to afflict the soul; if it does not
 express true sorrow for sin, and does not promote the putting
 away of sin, it is not a fast. These professors had shown sorrow
 on stated or occasioned fasts. But they indulged pride,
 covetousness, and malignant passions. To be liberal and merciful
 is more acceptable to God than mere fasting, which, without
 them, is vain and hypocritical. Many who seem humble in God's
 house, are hard at home, and harass their families. But no man's
 faith justifies, which does not work by love. Yet persons,
 families, neighbourhoods, churches, or nations, show repentance
 and sorrow for sin, by keeping a fast sincerely, and, from right
 motives, repenting, and doing good works. The heavy yoke of sin
 and oppression must be removed. As sin and sorrow dry the bones
 and weaken the strongest human constitution; so the duties of
 kindness and charity strengthen and refresh both body and mind.
 Those who do justly and love mercy, shall have the comfort, even
 in this world. Good works will bring the blessing of God,
 provided they are done from love to God and man, and wrought in
 the soul by the Holy Spirit.