Honouring Christ Above All
Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:12) Paul's objective here is to maintain Christ's exclusive authority in the church, so that we may all exercise dependence upon Him, that He...
Preserve the Good Name of Others
Do no wrong to their names; next to their persons this is to be valued. A slanderer is worse than a thief; the one is publicly odious, but the other robs us of our better treasure, and more conducible to our usefulness for God than wealth, "A good name is rather to be...
How Shall I Know I Am a Christian Indeed?
Question. You say, "But how shall I come to know whether I am almost or altogether a Christian? If a man may go so far, and yet miscarry, how shall I know when my foundation is right—when I am a Christian indeed?" Answer. The altogether Christian closes with, and...
Partial Obedience is No Obedience
Partial obedience is not obedience at all; to single out easy things that do not oppose our lusts, which are not against our reputation, therein some will do more than they need; but our obedience must be universal to all God’s commandments, and that because He...
Holy Desires
Our desires are holy if they are exercised about spiritual things. David desires not to be great, to be rich in the world, or to have power to be revenged upon his enemies, but that he may dwell in the house of the Lord and enjoy His ordinances there. When the soul...
Our Hope
I ask the serious attention of all who read. The subject is one of the deepest importance, "We are saved by hope." (Rom. 8:24.) Let us, then, make sure that our hope is sound. Have we a hope that our sins are pardoned, our hearts renewed, and our souls at peace with...
Atheistic Worship?
Our worship is right, when it doth proclaim to all that shall observe us or we that observe ourselves, that there is a great, an infinite, eternal power, which sits at the upper end of causes, and governeth all according to His own pleasure. Alas! the worship of many...
The Change Required Among Ministers of the Gospel
Those who do yet judge that matters among the common professors of Christianity, as to the obedience of faith, are in as good a posture as they were at any time formerly, or as they need to be, who have no other desire or interest in them but only that they should not...
Declining Standards Among Christians
“This is a very painful and delicate subject, I know, but I dare not turn away from it. It has long been my sorrowful conviction that the standard of daily life among professing Christians in this country has been gradually falling. I am afraid that Christ-like...
The Spirit of Grace gives Assurance
Our assurance of justification, adoption, grace, and salvation, is syllogistic: whoever believes on the Son of God, shall not perish, but have life everlasting. But I believe on the Son of God; therefore, I shall not perish. Whoever judge themselves, shall not be...