按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
here maintained。 The extracts are too long for insertion in this page。
＇25＇ 〃He that believeth on Jesus shall never be confounded。 Never was
any； neither shall you； if you believe。 It was a great word of faith
spoken by a dying man； who had been converted in a singular way；
betwixt his condemnation and execution： his last words were these；
spoken with a mighty shout： Never man perished with his face towards
Christ Jesus。'〃Traill。
＇26＇ 〃The greatest thing that we can desire； next to the glory of God；
is our own salvation； and the sweetest thing we can desire is the
assurance of our salvation。 In this life we cannot get higher than to
be assured of that which in the next life is to be enjoyed。 All saints
shall enjoy a heaven when they leave this earth； some saints enjoy a
heaven while they are here on earth。〃Joseph Caryl。 1653。
＇27＇ 〃It was a saying of Bishop Latimer to Ridley； When I live in a
settled and steadfast assurance about the state of my soul； methinks
than I am as bold as a lion。 I can laugh at all trouble： no affliction
daunts me。 But when I am eclipsed in my forts； I am of so fearful a
spirit that I could run into a very mouse…hole。〃Quoted by Christopher
Love。 1653。 〃Assurance will assist us in all duties： it will arm us
against all temptations； It will answer all objections； it will sustain
us in all conditions into which the saddest of times can bring us。 If
God be for us； who can be against us？'〃Bishop Reynolds on Hosea xiv。
1642。 〃We cannot e amiss to him that hath assurance。 God is his。
Hath he lost a friend？his father lives。 Hath he lost an only
child？God hath given him His only Son。 Hath he scarcity of
bread？God hath given him the finest of the wheat； the bread of life。
Are his forts gone？he hath a forter。 Doth he meet with
storms？he knows where to put in for harbour。 God is his Portion； and
heaven is his haven。〃Thomas Watson。 1662。
＇28＇ These were John Bradford's words in prison； shortly before his
execution： 〃I have no request to make。 If Queen Mary gives me my life；
I will thank her； if she will banish me； I will thank her； if she will
burn me； I will thank her； if she will condemn me to perpetual
imprisonment； I will thank her。〃 This was Rutherford's experience when
banished to Aberdeen： 〃How blind are my adversaries； who sent me to a
banqueting house； and not to a prison or a place of exile。〃 〃My prison
is a palace to me； and Christ's banqueting house。〃Letters。
＇29＇ These were the last words of Hugh Mackail on the scaffold； at
Edinburgh； 1666： 〃Now I begin my intercourse with God； which shall
never be broken off。 Farewell； father and mother； friends and
relations； farewell； the world and all its delights； farewell； meat and
drinks； farewell； sun； moon and stars。 Wele； God and Father；
wele； sweet Lord Jesus； the Mediator of the new covenant； wele；
blessed Spirit of grace； and God of all consolation； wele； glory；
wele； eternal life； wele； death。 O Lord； into Thy hands I mit
my spirit； for Thou hast redeemed my soul； O Lord God of truth！〃
＇30＇ These were Rutherford's words on his death…bed： 〃O that all my
brethren did know what a Master I have served； and what peace I have
this day！ I shall sleep in Christ； and when I awake I shall be
satisfied with His likeness。〃 1661。 These were Baxter's words on his
death…bed： 〃I bless God I have a well…grounded assurance of my eternal
happiness； and great peace and fort within。〃 Towards the close he
was asked how he did。 The answer was； 〃Almost well。〃 1691。
＇31＇ 〃The least degree of faith takes away the sting of death； because
it takes away guilt； but the full assurance of faith breaks the very
teeth and jaws of death； by taking away the fear and dread of
it。〃Fairclough's Sermon in the Morning Exercises。
＇32＇ 〃Assurance would make us active and lively in God's service： it
would excite prayer； quicken obedience。 Faith would make us walk； but
assurance would make us runwe should think we could never do enough
for God。 Assurance would be as wings to the bird； as weights to the
clock； to set all the wheels of obedience a…running。〃Thomas Watson。
〃Assurance will make a man fervent； constant； and abundant in the work
of the Lord。 When the assured Christian hath done one work； he is
calling out for another。 What is next； Lord； says the assured soul；
what is nest？ An assured Christian will put his hand to any work； he
will put his neck in any yoke for Christhe never thinks he hath done
enough； he always thinks he had done too little； and when he hath done
all he can； he sits down； saying； I am an unprofitable
servant〃。Thomas Brooks。
＇33＇ 〃The true assurance of salvation which the Spirit of God hath
wrought in any heart hath that force to restrain a man from looseness
of life； and to knit his heart in love and obedience to God； as nothing
else hath in all the world。 It is certainly either the want of faith
and assurance of God's love； or a false and carnal assurance of it；
that is the true cause of all the licentiousness that reigns in the
world。〃Hildersam 51st Psalm。 〃None walk so evenly with God； as they
who are assured of the love of God。 Faith is the mother of obedience；
and sureness of trust makes way for strictness of life。 When men are
loose from Christ； they are loose in point of duty； and their floating
belief is soon discovered in their inconstancy and unevenness of
walking。 We do not； with alacrity； engage in that of the success of
which we are doubtful； and； therefore； when we know not whether God
will accept us or not； when we are off and on in point of trust； we are
just so in the course of our lives； and serve God by fits and starts。
It is the slander of the world to think assurance an idle
doctrine。〃Manton's Exposition of James。 1660。 〃Who is more obliged；
or who feels the obligation to observance more cogentlythe son who
knows his near relation； and knows his father loves him； or the servant
that hath great reason to doubt it？ Fear is a weak and impotent
principle； in parison of love。 Terrors may awaken： love enlivens。
Terrors may almost persuade'： love over…persuades。 Sure am I that a
believer's knowledge that his Beloved is his； and he is his Beloved's
（Cant。 vi。 3）； is found by experience to lay the most strong and cogent
obligations upon him to loyalty and faithfulness to the Lord Jesus。 For
as to him that believes Christ is precious （1 Peter ii。 7）； so to him
that knows he believes Christ is so much the more precious； even the
chiefset of ten thousand。'〃 （Cant。 v。 10）Fairclough's Sermon in
Morning Exercises。 1660。 〃Is it necessary that men should be kept in
continual dread of damnation； in order to render them circumspect and
ensure their attention to duty？ Will not the well…grounded expectation
of heaven prove far more efficacious？ Love is the noblest and strangest
principle of obedience； nor can it be but that a sense of God's love to
us will increase our desire to please Him。〃Robinson's Christian
System。
＇34＇ 〃That which breeds so much perplexity is； that we would invert
God's order。 If I knew；' say some； that the promise belonged to me； and
Christ was a Saviour to me； I could believe'： that is to say； I would
first see and then believe。 But the true method is just the contrary： I
had fainted；' says David； unless I had believed to see the goodness of
the Lord。' He believed it first； and saw it afterwards。〃Archbishop
Leighton。 〃It is a weak and ignorant； but mon thought of Christians；
that they ought not to look for heaven； nor trust Christ for eternal
glory； till they be well advanced in holiness and meetness for it。 But
as the first sanctification of our natures flows from out faith and
trust in Christ for acceptance； so our further sanctification and
meetness for glory flows from the renewed and repeated exercise of
faith in Him。〃Traill。
＇35＇ The Westminster Confession of Faith gives an admirable account of
justification： 〃Those whom God effectually calleth； He also freely
justified！not by infusing righteousness into them； but by pardoning
their sins； and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous；
not for anything wrought in them or done by them； but for Christ's sake
alone； not by imputing faith itself； the act of believing； or any other
evangelical obedience； to them； as their righteousness； but by imputing
the obedience and righteousness of Christ unto them； they receiving and
resting on Him and His righteousness by faith。〃
＇36＇ 〃Whose fault is it that thy interest in Christ is not put out of
question？ Were Christians more in self…examination； more close in
walking with God； and if they had more near munion with God and were
more in acting of faith； this shameful darkness and doubting would
quickly vanish。〃Traill。 〃A lazy Christian shall always want four
things： viz。； fort； content； confidence； and assurance。 God hath
made a separation between joy and idleness； between assurance and
laziness； and； therefore； it is impossible for thee to bring these
together that God hath put so far asunder。〃Thomas Brooks。 〃Are you in
depths and doubts； staggering and uncertain； not knowing what is your
condition； nor whether you have any interest in the forgiveness that is
of God？ Are you tossed up and down between hopes and fears； and want
peace； consolation； and establishment？ Why lie you upon your faces？ Get
up： watch； pray； fast； meditate； offer violence to your lusts and
corruptions； fear not； startle not at their crying to be spared； press
unto the throne of grace by prayer； supplications； importunities；
restless requeststhis is the way to take the kingdom of God。 These
things are not peace； are not assurance； but they are part of the means
God hath appointed for the attainment of them。〃Owen on the 130th
Psalm。
＇37＇ 〃Would'st thou have thy hope strong？ Then keep thy conscience
pure： thou canst not defile one without weakening the other。 The godly
person that is loose and careless in his holy walking will soon find
his hope languishing。 All sin disposeth the soul that tampers with it
to trembling fears and shakings of heart。〃Gurnall。 〃One great and too
mon cause of distress is the secret maintaining some known sin： it
puts out the eye of the soul； or dimmeth it and stupefies it； that it
can neither see nor feel its own condition； but especially it provoketh
God to withdraw Himself； His forts； and the assistance of His
Spirit。〃Baxter's Saints' Rest。 〃The stars which have least circuit
are nearest the pole； and men whose earths are least entangled with the
world are always nearest to God and to the assurance of His favour。
Worldly Christians； remember this。 You and the world must part； or else
assurance and your souls will never meet。〃Thomas Brooks。
＇38＇ 〃They are doubly miserable that have neither heaven nor earth；
temporals nor eternals； made sure to them in changing times。〃Thomas
Brooks。
＇39＇ 〃None have assurance at all times。 As in a walk that is shaded
with trees and chequered with light and shadow； some tracks and paths
in it are dark and others are sunshine。 Such is usually the life of the
most assured Christian。〃Bishop Hopkins。 〃It is very suspicious； that
that person is a hypocrite that is always in the same frame； let him
pretend it to be never so good。〃Traill。
__________________________________________________________________
VIII。
MOSES
AN EXAMPLE
〃By faith Moses； when he was e to years； refused to be called the
son of Pharaoh's daughter：
〃Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God； than to
enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season；
〃Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in
Egypt： for he had respect unto the repense of the reward。〃Hebrews
xi。 24…26。
THE characters of God