Not the outward form of godliness, but its inward substance with contentment is great gain--gain not of a worldly, but of a spiritual nature.
Supreme regard to God, grateful obedience to his commands, cheerful submission to his dealings, and contentment with the allotments of his providence, will, through grace, gain all needed good in life, in death, and for ever.
A man possessed of true godliness is a gaining, thriving, man: such as are godly, or truly gracious, they are come into good and happy circumstances, and are possessor of the true,solid, satisfying, durable, and unsearchable riches of grace; all their debts are paid, they are richly clothed, and deliciously fed, and are in a good
family, even the household of God, who before were in debt, arrayed in
rags, were in a starving condition, and strangers and foreigners; yea, they
are heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ, and have both a right and a
meetness for the heavenly inheritance; they are now made kings and priests
to God, and, in the present state of things, have God to be their portion,
and exceeding great reward; they have an interest in Christ, and in all
spiritual blessings in him, and have the Spirit as the earnest of their future
inheritance; they are rich in faith, and in good works; their souls, which
were lost, are gained, and shall be saved with an everlasting salvation; and
ere long they will be possessed of all the riches of glory, signified by a
house not made with hands, a city which has foundations, whose builder
and maker is God, an incorruptible inheritance, and a kingdom and glory:
how great is the gain of godliness!
and such a man is content with what he has, and thankful for it, submits quietly to the will of God, and patiently bears every adverse providence: and this is now the fruit and effect of godliness, or true grace, and is a considerable part of that gain which godliness brings with it; and such a man is a happy man indeed, let his circumstances be what they will.
godly persons, when they desire nothing, but are satisfied with
their humble condition, have obtained very great gain.
if a man have but a little in this world, yet, if he have but enough to carry him through it, he needs desire no more, his godliness with that will be his great gain.
A Christian's gain is great: it is not like the little gain of worldlings,
who are so fond of a little worldly advantage.
Death is called an unclothing; it unclothes the body, disrobing it of all its gaudy and glorious attire: yea, it unclothes the bones; our flesh wears off quickly in the grave. We proverbially say of a rich man, he has left a vast estate, left it behind him, carrying neither a foot of land, nor a farthing of money with him; therefore doth St. Paul add, it is certain we can carry nothing out.
Contentment is a sedate and quiet temper of mind about outward things
That godliness is the sincere practice of the Christian religion, so called, because it directeth and prescribeth to us the true and only way of worshipping and serving God.
If there be true religion, united with its proper accompaniment, peace of mind, it is to be regarded as the true riches. The object of the apostle seems to be, to rebuke those who supposed that property constituted everything that was worth living for. He tells them, therefore, that the true gain, the real riches which we ought to seek, is religion, with a contented mind. This does more to promote happiness than wealth can ever do, and this is what should be regarded as the great object of life.
The meaning is, that real religion should be regarded as the greatest and most valuable acquisition.
Thursday, 22 October 2009
Who is the Judge ?
Who is the Judge ?
minuut 3-5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXLi9ixrxyg
Who decides what is right or wrong ? the majority or conscience ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXsXa8B-_Oc
minuut 3-5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXLi9ixrxyg
Who decides what is right or wrong ? the majority or conscience ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXsXa8B-_Oc
meekness
'If Christ be a lion, he is a
lion resting—the devil is a lion roaring. But the
adorations given to Christ by the heavenly hosts
speak of him as the Lamb. " Blessing and glory to
;iim that sits upon the throne ;" they do not say, and
to the Lion of the tribe of Judah, but to " the Lamb."
Though he has a name given him above every name,
yet he will be known by that name which denotes
his meekness, as if this were to be his name for ever,
and this his memorial to all generations. As he
that rides upon the heavens, by his name Jah, is the
Father of the fatherless and the Judge of the widows
; so Christ rides " prosperously, because of
meekness."'
'Meekness suffers the word of admonition, and takes
it patiently and thankfully, not only from the hand
of God that sends it, but from the hand of our friend
that brings it. We must not be like the reprobat -
Sodomites, or that pert Hebrew, Exod. 2:14, that
flew in the face of their reprovers (though really
they were the best friends they had) with •* Who
WHEN SPECIALLY REQUIRED. 123
made thee a judge?'' but like David, who, when
Abigail so prudently scotched the wheels of his passion,
not onl)'- blest God that sent her, and blest her
advice, but blest her: not only hearkened to her
Toice, but accepted her person. Though, perhaps,
the reprover supposes the fault greater than really
it was, and though the reproof be not given with all
the prudence in the world ; yet meekness will teach
us to accept it quietly, and to make the best use we
can of it. Nay, if indeed we be altogether innocent
of that for which we are reproved, yet the meekness
of wisdom would teach us to apply the reproof to
some other fault of which our own consciences convict
us : we would not quarrel with a real intended
kindness, though not done with ceremon)% and
though in some circumstances mistaken or misplaced.'
'It is one of the laws of meekness, to despise being despised.'
(Henry on meekness and quietness of spirit)
lion resting—the devil is a lion roaring. But the
adorations given to Christ by the heavenly hosts
speak of him as the Lamb. " Blessing and glory to
;iim that sits upon the throne ;" they do not say, and
to the Lion of the tribe of Judah, but to " the Lamb."
Though he has a name given him above every name,
yet he will be known by that name which denotes
his meekness, as if this were to be his name for ever,
and this his memorial to all generations. As he
that rides upon the heavens, by his name Jah, is the
Father of the fatherless and the Judge of the widows
; so Christ rides " prosperously, because of
meekness."'
'Meekness suffers the word of admonition, and takes
it patiently and thankfully, not only from the hand
of God that sends it, but from the hand of our friend
that brings it. We must not be like the reprobat -
Sodomites, or that pert Hebrew, Exod. 2:14, that
flew in the face of their reprovers (though really
they were the best friends they had) with •* Who
WHEN SPECIALLY REQUIRED. 123
made thee a judge?'' but like David, who, when
Abigail so prudently scotched the wheels of his passion,
not onl)'- blest God that sent her, and blest her
advice, but blest her: not only hearkened to her
Toice, but accepted her person. Though, perhaps,
the reprover supposes the fault greater than really
it was, and though the reproof be not given with all
the prudence in the world ; yet meekness will teach
us to accept it quietly, and to make the best use we
can of it. Nay, if indeed we be altogether innocent
of that for which we are reproved, yet the meekness
of wisdom would teach us to apply the reproof to
some other fault of which our own consciences convict
us : we would not quarrel with a real intended
kindness, though not done with ceremon)% and
though in some circumstances mistaken or misplaced.'
'It is one of the laws of meekness, to despise being despised.'
(Henry on meekness and quietness of spirit)
het getuigenis van een vreemdeling
I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for my sins and rose on the third day for my justification. I believe I am a sheep of Christ Who is my Shepherd, my Highpriest, my Prophet, my King, and my God. I believe that I am saved by God ALONE, by Grace ALONE, by Christ ALONE ! I believe that I am totally depraved, unconditionally elected, one of those for whom Christ died, His Grace in my life has proven irresistable, and by His Grace I believe as a feeble saint (although not without sin and daily infirmity) I will persevere until the end. I wish to worship God in Spirit and truth by singing psalms without musical instruments, I dont celebrate so called christian holidays as they are not found in Holy Scripture, and I believe the pope of Rome to be THE antichrist and man of sin predicted by Holy Scripture. I love and cherish the witness, preaching, lives, and even in many cases martyrdom (see the 6000 pages version of John Foxes book of martyrs) of the Waldenses, the Hugenots, the Lollards, the reformers, the english puritans, the scottish covenanters, and Spurgeon. I believe there is a true and a false church, whereby the false church for 1260 years treads down the true church (KJV Rev 11v1-2) which already has occured in the Dark Ages and the Reformation in the persecution and hatred of the papacy for the true Bride of Christ. Each day I start and end with searching Christ in the Scriptures, and on Sundays I sanctify Gods Holy Day by reading food for my soul by true teachers like the reformers, the english puritans, the scottish covenanters, and Spurgeon, as far as they spoke according to Scripture, and having christian fellowship. This is who I am by Gods Grace, and although I fail in many things this is the main focus of my life.
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you all with His Truth, His Mercy, and His Reign in your hearts and lives, having the Word of God (KJV, Geneva) as your only rule of faith and practise, just as beloved brothers and sisters lived and witnessed to, like the Waldenses, the Hugenots, the Lollards, the reformers, the english puritans, the scottish covenanters, Spurgeon, and all those who professed, profess, and will profess the true religion in spirit and truth, in true uprightness and true love for the truth, hating hypocrisy and pride and flattery, having true humility, hating all false humility and false uprightness, hating all sin and loving all righteousness, whose praise is of God and NOT of men, teaching ALL that the Lord Jesus Christ has commanded ! Although on this side of heaven never without sin, infirmities, and weaknesses.
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless His True Bride, and keep His Sheep from the false church that only has words, but in practice is more bad than the heathen ! It is a great honour to stand for this cause and being treated this way, forgiving all who treat me shamefully because of this protest !
een vreemdeling
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you all with His Truth, His Mercy, and His Reign in your hearts and lives, having the Word of God (KJV, Geneva) as your only rule of faith and practise, just as beloved brothers and sisters lived and witnessed to, like the Waldenses, the Hugenots, the Lollards, the reformers, the english puritans, the scottish covenanters, Spurgeon, and all those who professed, profess, and will profess the true religion in spirit and truth, in true uprightness and true love for the truth, hating hypocrisy and pride and flattery, having true humility, hating all false humility and false uprightness, hating all sin and loving all righteousness, whose praise is of God and NOT of men, teaching ALL that the Lord Jesus Christ has commanded ! Although on this side of heaven never without sin, infirmities, and weaknesses.
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless His True Bride, and keep His Sheep from the false church that only has words, but in practice is more bad than the heathen ! It is a great honour to stand for this cause and being treated this way, forgiving all who treat me shamefully because of this protest !
een vreemdeling
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)