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John Newton – A Contrast Between Living for Today and For Eternity

31 May

As I said before, I wish you success in your business. I would propose nothing inconsistent with a due regard to it. But can I bound my desires for you within such narrow limits? Allow me to wish you more lasting riches, greater honours, and better pleasures than this world can afford. Alas! what a poor acquisition to be what is usually called a thriving man for a few years, and then to drop unawares into an unknown eternity. How often do we see that when a man has just compassed his point, made his fortune, and is about to sit down to enjoy all his heart can wish, he is hastily called away! What a contrast between living to-day in affluence and pleasure, regardless of that great God who has made us, and to-morrow perhaps to be summoned away to appear, naked and alone, before his tribunal, to give an account what use we have made of the talents so long entrusted to us! I pray God to impress the thought upon your heart before it is too late. I cannot but think there will be something within you suggesting while you read, that what I hint may possibly be true.

~John Newton~


The Letters of John Newton – To the Mr. John Catlett (Edinburgh, Scotland; The Banner of Truth Trust; 2007) p. 31-32.

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Charles Spurgeon – A Conflict Remains

30 May

When a man is first of all brought to Christ he often is so ignorant as to think, “Now my troubles are all over; I have come to Christ and I am saved: from this day forward I shall have nothing to do but to sing the praises of God.” Alas! A conflict remains. We must know of a surety that the battle now begins. How often does it happen that the Lord, in order to educate his child for future trouble, makes the occasion when his justification is most clear to him the season of informing him that he may expect to meet with trouble! I was struck with that fact when I was reading for my own comfort the other night the fifth chapter of Romans; it runs thus— “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” See how softly it flows, a justification sheds the oil of joy upon the believer’s head. But what is the next verse— “and not only so, but we glory in tribulation also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience,” and so on. Justification ensures tribulation. Oh! Yes, the covenant is yours; you shall possess the goodly land and Lebanon, but, like all the seed of Abraham, you must go down into Egypt and groan, being burdened. All the saints must smart before they sing; they must carry the cross before they wear the crown. You are a justified man, but you are not freed from trouble. Your sins were laid on Christ, but you still have Christ’s cross to carry. The Lord has exempted you from the curse, but he has not exempted you from the chastisement. Learn that you enter on the children’s discipline on the very day in which you enter upon their accepted condition.


~Charles Spurgeon~


Justification by Faith—Illustrated by Abram’s Righteousness (Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington) Excerpted From A Sermon Delivered on December 6, 1968

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Thomas Watson – The Mercies of God Should Humble Us

27 May

The mercies of God humble us. ‘Then went King David, and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my father’s house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?’ (2 Sam. 7:18). Lord, why is such honour conferred upon me, that I should be king? That I who followed the sheep, should go in and out before Thy people? So says a gracious heart, ‘Lord, what am I, that it should be better with me than others? That I should drink of the fruit of the vine, when others drink, not only a cup of wormwood, but a cup of blood (or suffering to death). What am I, that I should have those mercies which others want, who are better than I? Lord, why is it, that notwithstanding all my unworthiness, a fresh tide of mercy comes in every day?’ The mercies of God make a sinner proud, but a saint humble.

~Thomas Watson~



All Things for Good (Edinburgh, Scotland; The Banner of Truth Trust; 1986) p. 17-18.

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John Calvin – Thinking of Ourselves Rightly

26 May

For, because all of us are inclined by nature to hypocrisy, a kind of empty image of righteousness in place of righteousness itself abundantly satisfies us. And because nothing appears within or around us that has not been contaminated by great immorality, what is a little less vile pleases us as a thing most pure–so long as we confine our minds within the limits of human corruption. Just so, an eye to which nothing is shown but black objects judges something dirty white or even rather darkly mottled to be whiteness itself. Indeed, we can discern still more clearly from the bodily senses how much we are deluded in estimating the powers of the soul. For if in broad daylight we either look down upon the ground or survey whatever meets our view round about, we seem to ourselves endowed with the strongest and keenest sight; yet when we look up to the sun and gaze straight at it, that power of sight which was particularly strong on earth is at once blunted and confused by a great brilliance, and thus we are compelled to admit that our keenness in looking upon things earthly is sheer dullness when it comes to the sun. So it happens in estimating our spiritual goods. As long as we do not look beyond the earth, being quite content with our own righteousness, wisdom, and virtue, we flatter ourselves most sweetly, and fancy ourselves all but demigods. Suppose we but once begin to raise our thoughts to God, and to ponder his nature, and how completely perfect are his righteousness, wisdom, and power–the straightedge to which we must be shaped. Then, what masquerading earlier as righteousness was pleasing in us will soon grow filthy in its consummate wickedness. What wonderfully impressed us under the name of wisdom will stink in its very foolishness. What wore the face of power will prove itself the most miserable weakness. That is, what in us seems perfection itself corresponds ill to the purity of God.

~John Calvin~



The Institutes of the Christian Religion (Louisville, Kentucky; Westminster John Knox Press; 1974) p. 38.

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Thomas Watson – How The Word Preached Works For Good

25 May

The Word preached works for good. It is a savour of life, it is a soul-transforming Word, it assimilates the heart into Christ’s likeness; it produces assurance. ‘Our gospel came to you not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance’ (1 Thess. 1:5). It is the chariot of salvation.

~Thomas Watson~



All Things for Good (Edinburgh, Scotland; The Banner of Truth Trust; 1986) p. 19.

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John Calvin – On Getting a Right View of Ourselves

24 May

…man is never sufficiently touched and affected by the awareness of his lowly state until he has compared himself with God’s majesty.

~John Calvin~




The Institutes of the Christian Religion (Louisville, Kentucky; Westminster John Knox Press; 1974) p. 39.

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John Owen – “Sin,” says he, “is Crucified.”

23 May

As a man nailed to the cross he first struggles and strives and cries out with great strength and might, but, as his blood and spirits waste, his strivings are faint and seldom, his cries low and hoarse, scarce to be heard; when a man first sets on a lust or distemper, to deal with it, it struggles with great violence to break loose; it cries with earnestness and impatience to be satisfied and relieved; but when by mortification the blood and spirits of it are let out, it moves seldom and faintly, cries sparingly, and is scarce heard in the heart; it may have sometimes a dying pang, that makes an appearance of great vigor and strength, but it is quickly over, especially if it be kept from considerable success. This the apostle describes, as in the whole chapter, so especially Romans 6:6.

“Sin,” says he, “is crucified; it is fastened to the cross.” To what end? “That the body of death may be destroyed,” the power of sin weakened and abolished by little and little, that “henceforth we should not serve sin,” that is, that sin might not incline, impel us with such efficacy as to make us servants to it, as it has done heretofore.

~John Owen~


Overcoming Sin & Temptation – On The Mortification of Sin in Believers (Wheaton, IL; Crossway Books; 2006) Part 2, Chapter 6, Section:”Mortification Consists in a Habitual Weakening of Sin”. http://www.crosswaybooks.com. eBook.

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John Calvin – On God’s Passion For His Glory

20 May

God cannot bear with seeing his glory appropriated by the creature in even the smallest degree, so intolerable to him is the sacrilegious arrogance of those who, by praising themselves, obscure his glory as far as they can.

~John Calvin~



John Calvin’s Commentaries: Commentary on Psalm 9:1-3 (Edinburgh, Scotland; Calvin Translational Society) Olive Tree Bible. eBook.

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John Calvin – A Plea to the King of France

19 May

It will then be for you, most serene King, not to close your ears or your mind to such just defense, especially when a very great question is at stake: how God’s glory may be kept safe on earth, how God’s truth may retain its place of honor, how Christ’s Kingdom may be kept in good repair among us. Worthy indeed is this matter of your hearing, worthy of your cognizance, worthy of your royal throne! Indeed, this consideration makes a true king: to recognize himself a minister of God in governing his kingdom.

~John Calvin~



The Institutes of the Christian Religion (Louisville, Kentucky; Westminster John Knox Press; 1974) p. 11-12.

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Jonathan Edwards – Humility vs. Pride

18 May

Saturday, March 2. O how much more base and vile am I, when I feel pride working in me, than when I am in a more humble disposition of mind! How much, how exceedingly much, more lovely is an humble than a proud disposition! I now plainly perceive it, and am really sensible of it. How immensely more pleasant is an humble delight, than a high thought of myself! How much better do I feel, when I am truly humbling myself, than when I am pleasing myself with my own perfections! O how much pleasanter is humility than pride! O that God would fill me with exceeding great humility, and that he would evermore keep me from all pride! The pleasures of humility are really the most refined, inward, and exquisite delights in the world. How hateful is a proud man! How hateful is a worm, that lifts up itself with pride! What a foolish, silly, miserable, blind, deceived poor worm am I, when pride works.

~Jonathan Edwards~



The Works of Jonathan Edwards (Edinburgh, Scotland; The Banner of Truth Trust; 1974) p. lxix.

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