“Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.” Psalm 25:4,5 There is one feature in true religion perhaps not much insisted upon, but not the less real and genuine; which is this, that […]
Struggling against the power of sin? How many poor souls are struggling against thepower of sin, and yet never get any victory over it! How many are daily led captive by . . . the lusts of the flesh, the love of the world, and the pride of life,and never get any victory over them! How many fight […]
If I wash myself with snow By nature, man knows nothing of the purity and perfection of God—or the deep sinfulness and corruption of the creature. There is a veil over man’s heart—a veil of ignorance—of delusion—of unbelief—of self-deception as regards the nature of sin. No man is vitally and experimentally acquainted with—its hideous nature—its awful depths—its […]
He cannot see, nor know, nor feel If we take the Scriptures as our authority, in what a fearful state is mankind at large! O, how awfully fallen—O, how deeply sunk, man is! And yet one feature of man’s ruined state is his complete ignorance of the depths of the fall. Though the sinful child of a […]
“The just shall live by faith.” –Romans 1:17 A life of faith in Christ is as necessary to our present and experimental salvation, as his death upon the cross was to our past and actual salvation. If you are alive to what you are as a poor fallen sinner, you see yourself surrounded by enemies, […]
We may understand two things by this expression. First, the discovery to the conscience of Christ’s imputed righteousness, in the way of justification; and secondly, the communication to the soul of a divine or righteous nature, whereby it brings forth the fruits of sincerity and uprightness before God. Both are to be followed after. But […]
Unquenched, unquenchable! (J. C. Philpot “Love in its Priceless Valueand Unquenchable Strength“, 1862) “Many waters cannot quench love; neither can the floods drown it.” Song of Solomon 8:7 The bride uses a figure which shall express theinsuperable strength of divine love against allopposition; and she therefore compares it toa fire which burns and burns unquenched andunquenchable, whatever be […]
A gracious influence (J. C. Philpot, “Jesus, the Great High Priest“) The love of Jesus has a gracious influence on the life,conduct, and conversation of a true believer. The treeis known by its fruit; and those branches alone whichbring forth fruit unto God, are in manifest union withthe only true Vine. Love to Jesus is the constraining […]
“The poor have the gospel preached to them.” Matthew 11:5 J.C.Philpot What is the gospel? Is not the gospel a proclamation of pure mercy, of super-abounding grace? Does it not declare the loving-kindness of God in sending his only-begotten Son to bleed and die, and, by his obedience, blood, and merit, to bring in a […]
“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.” 2 Peter 1:2 J.C.Philpot If we do not know Jesus for ourselves, by some spiritual discovery of his Person and work, what testimony have we of a saving interest in his grace? Because, there is no grace except that […]