Dead Puritan Society

June 7, 2015

Discouragement in Sin

Taken and adapted from, “The Works of the Rev. William Bridge, Volume V”
Written by, William Bridge
Material sourced from the Dead Puritan Society

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”  

–Psalm 42:5-6 (ESV)

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Sometimes the discouragements of the saints and people of God, are drawn from their sins, their greater and grosser sins: the peace and quiet of the saints and people of God is many times interrupted by these sins.

Oh, says one, I am a man or woman of a rebellious heart, I have so slight a spirit, so unholy and uneven a conversation, that when I reflect upon my heart and life, I cannot but be discouraged. I know, indeed, it is a great evil for a man to labour under a sore temptation, or a sad desertion; but were my heart good, my life good, my conversation good, I should not be discouraged; but as for me, I have committed and do commit such and such great sins, have I not reason, and just reason now to be discouraged?

No, for discouragement itself is a sin, another sin, a gospel sin; now my sin against the law, is no just cause why I should sin against the gospel.

I confess, indeed, there is much evil in every sin, the least sin is worse than the greatest affliction; afflictions, judgments and punishments are but the claws of this lion; it is more contrary to God than the misery of hell: Chrysostom had so great a sense of the evil of it, that when the empress sent him a threatening message, go, tell her, said he, I fear nothing but sin.  And, in some respects, the sins of the godly are worse than the sins of others, for they grieve the Spirit more, they dishonour Christ more, they grieve the saints more, they wound the name of God more, they are more against the love, and grace, and favour of God than other men’s sins are.

And the Lord doth see the sins of his own people; yea, so far he sees sin in them, that he doth chastise and afflict them for it; not only from their sin, but for their sin; and therefor, saith the apostle, in 1 Corinthians 11:30, speaking of the unworthy receiving of the Lord’s supper, “For this cause many are sick and weak among you.”  And he doth not speak only of saints in appearance, and in church estate, but of such also as were saints indeed, and therefore he saith, “We are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”  He puts himself in; we are judged that we may not be condemned with the world.  Our Saviour Christ saith, Revelation 3:19, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, be zealous therefore and repent.”  It seems, then, it was for sin committed, else why should he say, repent; and, repent therefore?  Repentance is for sin committed already, and these were such as he loved too, whom he threatens thus to rebuke and chastise; and doth any father rebuke, chastise, or correct his child only from sin, and not for sin?

Was not Moses a gracious and a holy man? And yet for his unbelief and sin he lost the land of Canaan. Was not Samson a good man? And yet by his sin he lost his eyes and his life too.  Was not David a gracious and a holy man? And yet for his sin the Lord said, “The sword should never depart from his house;” and yet Christ had made satisfaction for his sin too, as well then, as for the saints now.  But now, though there be never so much evil in the sins of God’s people, yet they have no reason, no just cause or scripture reason to be cast down, and to be discouraged in that respect.

May 25, 2015

Have you revealed your case to your Advocate?

Taken and adapted from, “The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate, Clearly Explained, and Largely Improved for the Benefit of All Believers”
Written by, John Bunyan, London: 1689. Edited for thought and sense.
Posted in the Dead Puritan Society by Paul D. Posted in Justification.

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“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”   –1 John 2:1 (ESV)

Wouldst you know whether Jesus Christ is your advocate?

Then I ask again, Hast thou revealed thy cause unto him? —I say, Have you revealed your cause unto him? For he that goes to law for his right, must not only go to a lawyer, and say, Sir, I am in trouble, and am to have a trial at law with mine enemy, pray undertake my cause; but he must also reveal to his lawyer his cause. He must go to him and tell him what is the matter, how things stand, where the shoe pinches, and so forth. Thus did the church of old, and thus does every true Christian now; for though nothing can be hid from him, yet he will have things out of thine own mouth; he will have you to reveal your matters unto him (Matt 20:32).

“O Lord of hosts,” said Jeremiah, “that judges righteously, that tries the feelings and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause” (Jeremiah 11:20). And again; “But, O Lord of hosts, that tries the righteous, and sees the feelings and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them; for unto thee have I opened my cause” (Jeremiah 20:12).  Do you see here, how saints of old were accustomed to do? How they did, not only in a general way, entreat Christ to plead their case, but in a particular way, they went to him and revealed, or opened their cause unto him? O! It is excellent to behold how some sinners will do this when they get Christ and themselves in a closet alone; when they, upon their bare knees, are pouring out of their souls before him; or, like the woman in the gospel, telling him all the truth (Mark 5).

O! Says the soul, Lord, I am come to thee upon an earnest business; I am arrested by Satan; the bailiff was mine own conscience, and I am like to be accused before the judgment-seat of God. My salvation lies at stake; I am questioned for my interest in heaven; I am afraid of the Judge; my heart condemns me (I John 3:20). Mine enemy is subtle, and doesn’t lack the malice to prosecute me to death, and then to hell. Also, Lord, I am sensible that the law is against me, for indeed I have horribly sinned, and thus and thus have I done. Here I lie open to law, and there I lie open to law; here I have given the adversary advantage, and there he will surely have a hank against me. Lord, I am distressed, undertake for me! And there are some things that thou must be acquainted with about thine Advocate, before thou wilt venture to go thus far with him. And, you must know him to be a friend, and not an enemy, unto whom you open your heart; and until you come to know that Christ is you friend, or a friend to souls in you condition, you will never reveal you cause unto him, not thy whole cause….

April 13, 2015

The Sweet Watch and Labor of Sanctification

Taken and adapted from, “General Directions for a Comfortable Walking with God”
Written by, Robert Bolton, pp. 27-28: London, 1625,
Sourced from the Dead Puritan Society.

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“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  
–1 Thessalonians 5:23 (ESV)

Labor by a constant watch to keep your heart in a spiritual temper…

…still sweetly content, and fruitfully conversant in the mystery of Christ, and secrets of his kingdom; which you shall more easily do, if you rejoice in God, his Word, and graces, as your chief joy.  By all earthly things be drawn to the love of the heavenly.  For though God has appointed but one sabbath in seven days, yet to a Christian every day is sanctified to be a rest from all the deeds of the flesh, wherein he is to walk with his God, and show forth the religious keeping of his heart, in every action of his life; so making every passage of his particular calling, a part of Christian obedience.

As soon as you discover any spiritual weakness or decay, any extraordinary assault, temptation, deadness, complain betimes; cry mightily to God, give him no rest, neither give over seeking, until he return unto your soul, if ordinary means will not prevail, press upon him with extraordinary.  If then he do not revive you, wait with a patient, wakeful longing of all the powers of your soul; and then all this while your soul will be still in its true spiritual temper, decline watchfully all occasions of falling from your first love, fervency, and heavenly-mindedness; as spiritual pride, desire to be rich, discontinuance of your intimateness with the godly, neglect of your particular calling, or daily watch over your heart; ungodly company, formality in religious duties, coldness and customariness in the use of the means.

Suffer not your affections to be set upon praise, profit, the favor of great ones, mirth, pleasure, ease, earthly contentment, and comforts, preferment, wealth, long life, or any worldly thing; but disesteem all other delights in respect of doing God’s will; which should ever be unto you meat and drink, your only paradise upon earth.

January 11, 2015

Coming to Christ in Your Own Utter Unworthiness, as With Ropes About Your Neck

Taken and adapted from, “Practical Sermons, Never Before Published”
Written by, Jonathan Edwards, Published 1787
Sourced from the “Dead Puritan Society” Website

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“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  

–Hebrews 4:15-16 (ESV)

They that come to God for mercy in a right manner, come not with a frame of mind disposed to quarrel with God, and find fault with his severity…

…but they come in a sense of their own utter unworthiness, as with ropes about their necks, and lying in the dust at the foot of mercy.  They must come to God for mercy in and through Jesus Christ alone.  All their hope of mercy must be from him, from the consideration of what he is, what he hath done, and what he hath suffered.  They must be sensible that there is no other name given under heaven, among men, whereby we can be saved, but that of Christ.  They must believe what the gospel tells us of Christ, the Mediator, that he is the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world, having died to make propitiation for our sins.  They must have a spiritual discovery of Christ; and their souls must have an understanding of the way of salvation in him.  They must see his sufficiency; see that there is enough in him, that his blood cleanses from all sin, and that he is so worthy, that all sinners who are in him may well be pardoned and accepted; and from him they must take their encouragement.

It is impossible that any should come to God for mercy, and at the same time have no hope of mercy. Their coming to God for it implies that they have some hope of obtaining it, otherwise they would not think it worth the while to come.  But they that come in a right manner have all their hope through Christ, or from the consideration of his redemption, and the sufficiency of it.  If persons thus come to God for mercy, the greatness of their sins will be no impediment to pardon.  Let their sin be ever so many, and great, and aggravated, it will not make God in the least degree more backward to pardon them.

The mercy of God is as sufficient for the pardon of the greatest sins, as for the least; and that because his mercy is infinite.  That which is infinite, is as much above what is great, as it is above what is small.  That which is great comes no nearer to the bounds of that which is infinite, than that which is the least; because there are no bounds to it.  Thus God being infinitely great, he is as much above kings as he is above beggars; he is as much above the highest angel as he is above the meanest worm.  One’s finite measure doth not come any nearer to the extent of what is infinite, than another. So it is with respect to the mercy of God.  The mercy of God being infinite, it must be as sufficient for the pardon of all sin, as for one. 

If one of the least sins be not beyond the mercy of God, so neither are the greatest, or ten thousand of them.

 

September 18, 2014

“Salvation Taken into God’s Own Hands”

 

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“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,
of whom I am the foremost.”
–1 Timothy 1:15 (ESV)

There is not a Christian on earth who could have secured the privilege of being born…

…and brought up under the light of the Gospel, had not God ordered his lot in this manner.  Not a Christian on earth would ever have awakened himself from the slumbers of sinful repose, — would have poured upon his own conscience the convincing light of truth, would have subdued his own resistance and translated himself from darkness into marvellous light.  The best Christian on earth, with all his attainments, would never overcome another sin, — would never gain another triumph over the world, — would never demolish another idol, — would never escape another snare of Satan, but for the power of God.

Sustaining the combined assaults of earth and hell, what can he do?

An infant pulling in it’s mother’s arms, might as well attempt to hurl the sun from his orbit and turn all the angels out of heaven, as a poor feeble creature, in his own strength, to overcome two worlds with his own house divided against itself. His only hope is in God. At what time he is afraid he can only trust in his eternal rock. Surrounded by armies stronger than he, with all their weapons pointed at his heart, like Jehoshaphat he cries out to God for aid. Inclosing in his own bosom a host of rebels, constantly disposed to mutiny and to tumult, with no check upon them but guards which are furnished from heaven, what could he do if the heavenly aid were withdrawn ? Beset from without and from within, he must soon be swallowed up if the God of his salvation did not appear for him.

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Excerpts taken and adapted from, “Salvation Taken into God’s Own Hands”
Sermons by the Late Reverend Edward D. Griffin”
Sourced from, The Dead Puritan Society. Hosted by Paul D.