TIMOTHY MISSION FUND

During the month of May gifts totalling $51.00 were received into our Timothy Mission Fund, which we acknowledge with sincere thanks. We were again able to send out a check in the amount of $100.00 to the Ebenezer Scripture Mission (Mr. and Mrs. J. D. van Woerden) in Rhodesia. Our balance at the end of the month was $20.40. May the Lord bless the seed that is sown by these means.

GIFTS RECEIVED FOR MISSIONS IN MAY 1971

CLASSIS EAST SOURCE AMOUNT

A friend in Prospect Park, N.J. Gift $ 5.00

A friend in Bayport, N.J. Gift 25.00

CLASSIS MIDWEST

Timothy Mission Fund Gift 100.00

Friend in G. Rapids Gift 65.00

Friend in Kalamazoo Gift 5.00

Friend in Michigan Gift 50.00

In G.R. Ch. Col. Gift 75.00

In G.R. Ch. Col. Gift 25.00

G.R. Ladies Aid Gift 100.00

CLASSIS WEST

Friend in Pella, Iowa Gift 10.00

Friend in the South Gift 5.00

Total: $465.00

Dear Friends,

We want to thank you all for your generous support of the mission work. May the Lord’s rich blessing rest upon your gift and unto you all. In the first place we like to let you all know that Rev. Kuijt, wife and children are getting along fine in their new tribe. The heathen people there are quite friendly to them. But again a new language has to be learned. They are busy working to make an airstrip, so they can have contact by plane. You must remember this is a great task because it is all done by hand. There are so many big rocks in the way. May the Lord give them what is necessary in their loneliness and in their primitive living, and grace to trust all their needs unto the Lord. We wrote that we would write this time something about Nigeria. The work in Nigeria is still going on very satisfactory. Our mission workers there may say that there are signs of the Lord’s work there. They are not only busy to help the people outwardly but at the same time to speak to them about what is necessary for their never dying souls. Rev. Vergunst and Rev. Huisman have visited there in the first part of the year. We have a letter from Miss Ann Herfst about their visit to some extent, we hope to place it in the Banner with this report. May the Lord give many prayers for the mission work, because it’s Paul that plants, Apollas makes wet, but God alone can give the increase. Greetings from the Mission Committee.

American General Mission Fund

Netherland Reformed Churches

Of America and Canada

John Spaans, Treasurer

Box 106 RR 1

Plankinton, South Dakota 57368

A LETTER

Dear Mission Friends,

As soon as the time of the visit of Rev. Vergunst, Rev. Huisman and Mr. de Heer became more definite, arrangements were made to get a programme ready of what we thought would be most interesting and useful for them to see.

One day had been set aside for our orphanage. First thing on our list was to go along with the girls who are taking care of the motherless children, to get water from the stream. At that time we still had to go to the stream to get our water supply, by now we’ve got a well for the orphanage which supplies us with an abundance of water.

Each one of the girls carried their empty bucket on then-head and were singing a chorus together. By the time we had walked for approximately 20 minutes, we entered the river bottom and had to continue our walk through it for about another 10 minutes before we reached the place where the girls would be able to fill their buckets. It’s quite an experience to go along with the girls and to watch them get their buckets filled. They used to do it twice a day, which is quite a chore for them.

Next on the list was a visit to the chief of the area.

Each village has its own headman. The villagers go to him with their various problems. If the headman is not able to settle the matter, then he in turn takes it to the chief. The chief has been elected to this office by the people of the villages in the area.

We had informed the chief about our visit and were looking forward to meeting him at the appointed time. When we arrived at his compound, we could see that everything had been arranged to welcome the “strangers” from Holland. The chief was dressed in official clothing and surrounded by quite a few elders of various villages. After the visitors had been introduced, the chief welcomed them in a friendly manner, and had a short discussion about the work of our mission in his area.

Before we left the visitors handed him a couple of Dutch dolls. He was just thrilled with them. The elders soon crowded around the table to have a good look at this Dutch present and became very excited about it.

After we left the compound of the chief we went to another village to see one of our motherless children who had been taken home after he became two years old. The little boy and his sister were on their way to meet us. No one seemed to be home when we reached their compound, except quite a few goats, just strolling around.

The father had gone to the farm in spite of the fact that he was aware of our coming. While Peter, our interpreter, went out to call the father, we sat down and waited for him to come back. We were soon surrounded by a large group of children who seemed to be quite excited about it all.

Peter and the father arrived after about 20 minutes. The father talked about his farm and had a lively discussion about it with his relatives who were gathered together by now.

When we were on our way to the orphanage a large group of children followed us until we were at the place where we parked the car.

The Ministers and Mr. de Heer visited different areas of our mission field.

We’ve all enjoyed their visit. It gave us an opportunity to discuss matters concerning the work in the area itself. This is quite different from writing letters about it.

We also had the impression that Rev. Vergunst and Rev. Huisman experienced their visit as being very useful for the work being done at home for the mission field.

With friendly greetings,

Ann Herfst

ON THE WAY TO THE VILLAGES

On the way to the villages in the vicinity of the clinic, it is often necessary to cross a river or small stream. It is usually possible to wade across, but on this occasion Sister Breedveld finds a row boat available.

RECENT EVENTS IN WEST IRIAN

Rev. Kuijt with his family is now located in Nipsanma, where they plan to establish a new mission station. They were brought there by helicopter and were accompanied by a number of helpers from Abenago. It is at least four-days journey from their previous station, but due to the mountains and dense forest, it is almost an impossibility to make this trip on foot. They are busily engaged in preparing a landing strip so that the M.A.F. planes can land there. At present air drops bring them bare necessities. The natives are quite friendly and have been assisting with the work.

Meanwhile Dr. Fahner and his wife, with Sisters Hofland and van Moolenbroek, are laboring in Abenago. At the mission day held in the Netherlands, on April 30, two young men were delegated as mission workers for West Irian, and they hope to be able to go there in the near future.

If I am not happy in the will of God, I can be happy in nothing else: I shall be emphatically cursed with my own.

NOTES OUT OF THE CATECHISM CLASSES OF REV. J. FRAANJE

Lesson 3 — part 2

In our last lesson it was mentioned that God’s Word is like a compass. The entire Holy Scripture is intimately connected with faith in God. It is impossible to separate one from the other.

That is why Hellenbroek discusses the lesson entitled “Of God” immediately following the one entitled “The Holy Scripture.” You must be willing to acknowledge the Holy Scripture in its entirety as a Divine Book or you cannot believe facts concerning God, much less believe in Him.

Now, there are many people that say: “If I could understand the Bible I would believe it, but I cannot understand it. How shall I believe what is in it?”

Hellenbroek would say: “That is just exactly the reason why the Holy Scripture is a Divine Book. There are mysteries contained in it that could come of no one but God. Things such as: The entire creation out of nothing in six days, the assuming of the human nature by Christ, etc. are not to be comprehended by man. It is even dangerous to want to understand these mysteries with our natural minds. It would be just as if someone ventured too far by himself in the deep darkness of a forest wherein he did not know the way. He would become hopelessly lost and most likely would never come out alive.

It would be the same in this matter!

If you sat for days and weeks with your hands in front of your face saying, “I want to understand who God is!”

Do you know what would happen?

You would certainly lose your mind. But, what the understanding cannot do, faith can. God’s Word does not say that we must understand everything that is written in it, no, it says, “For he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”

It is impossible to understand God. The Lord speaks of it in His Word through Elihu in Job 36:26: “Behold, God is great, and we know Him not. Neither can the number of His years be searched out.”

Not alone would it be impossible to understand God, but it would, in itself, be unfortunate if it were possible.

Why would it be unfortunate?

Well, if we, who are worthless creatures with corrupt minds, could understand God in His Essence and operations, then the Lord would not be what He certainly is.

How can we, finite beings, who have been created by Him, ever come to understand the infinite Creator?

But do you know what would be the greatest blessing in respect to this?

O, boys and girls, it would be wonderful if through that God, about whom you have been taught these simple matters (many of which you did not nor cared to understand), you came to believe in Him. Do you realize what will be very much worse than that you do not understand this lesson?

That you, at some time, will, none the less, have to reckon with this Eternal God.

We shall not discuss these questions any further this noon. This is the last session at which we shall meet as a catechism class this year. Next week, if the Lord spare us, it will be Christmas and the following week New Year’s Day. So, we shall not see one another here again this year.

Have you, even just once, in this entire past year, earnestly considered that one day you will stand before a great incomprehensible Divine Being?

Maybe there are boys or girls that are saying to themselves: “Dominie, stop talking about that now. Why are we given a sermon each week in addition to our lesson? We are very well aware of that fact.”

I wish that you knew it so well, that you would have no rest day or night until you are reconciled with God. Think about this for a moment. We see one another but an hour each week. So, isn’t it worthwhile to remind one another of such an important matter; An eternity without an end lies at stake!

It is true you are still very young and, at the moment, in good health. But, does that mean, therefore, that we need not be mindful of your soul; nor consider that your young lives can be cut off any moment?

Solomon does not say without good reason, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not!”

And, what does he mean with those “evil days?”

He means, when old age and sickness comes; when a person arrives at the end of his life, then that precious time is lost forever.

Last week I visited an old sick man almost 70 years old. He asked me if I would pray for him.

I ask: “For what would you want me to pray?”

“O, Dominie” he said “that I may become well again.” I thought at that time: “Poor man. He has lived 70 years on this earth in an unconverted state; for 70 years he has sinned against the Lord and he still counts it not long enough. Now he is even eager to live a number of years more to — to sin even more!”

This is the way it is with old people. But, so it is with all of us.

This year has almost come to an end. The Lord has spared and kept us in good health, but, is there one among us that has become burdened with sin even a moment during this past year? Has no one experienced how evil and bitter it is to sin against such a kind God?

Has no one come to accept the fact that he is lost and walks in this cursed world without God?

Poor boys and girls. If you do not learn how terrible sin is here, you will soon learn after death; but then it will be a dreadful experience!

God allows a warning to come your way while you are young, but this will also make your responsibility heavier. The Lord is free of everyone and has been from the beginning of time because He had said, “The day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” That was sufficient warning. And — what happened? Everyone of us, in our father Adam were disobedient to that command. So, we have deserved corporal, spiritual and eternal death.

We are still living, however, and He has pointed out to us a way of life again, but now through the reconciliation of His Son and our belief in Him.

God, therefore, is not only free from us, but He also makes himself free.

Think about this, even if you cannot understand it completely. It is not necessary either. May you become convinced through the working of the Holy Spirit that you righteously deserve Hell and also that you come to consider it a wonder that you are not there with so many other people including children. Anything we have above that is by grace alone. It may not be saving grace, but yet it is common grace. And how overflowing in abundance it is!

God’s Word, God’s Day, and His ministers to preach His Word, are all means that He sometimes uses to stop a person who is on the broad way. These means in themselves cannot save us, though, even if we are very punctual in our use of them. I repeat, “the Lord uses them.” Only Jesus Christ can be our Savior. We must be made aware of this through light from God.

It would be a blessing if this year did not end as it had begun. Don’t you think so, too?

I am sure of this, if the Lord directed His sharp arrow into your heart, you would seek a place in your home where no one could see you or hear you and you would call out: “0, God, I have sinned against Thee all my life. I am unconverted, and will I now die unconverted?”

I don’t mean to imply that if you have had that experience, you are now converted and can be at peace. Oh, no! But it still will be necessary that you first become aware of your deep misery and recognize the fact that we are estranged from God, before there can be a deliverance through justice.

With all my heart I wish that this may become your most necessary concern as this year comes to an end.

The Lord bless the instruction, not alone for instruction sake, but also to the salvation of your never dying souls through the blood of the Mediator.

Amen.

(The lesson on God’s Attributes begins in the next issue)

DOUBTS AND FEARS

With some thoughts on assurance of faith, and sensible comforts of the Spirit. Some well-meaning ministers of Christ are too apt to tell poor weak, tempted Christians, that their doubts and fears are sinful, and that they dishonour God. This is “breaking the bruised reed, and quenching the smoking flax.” Unbelief is certainly a sin, a state of sin — yea, it is the sin of sins, for it is that alone which can lose the soul: but this is by no means the kind of unbelief that heavy-laden, afflicted souls complain of and groan under, when convinced of sin by the Spirit. Their very doubts and fears evidence that they are in covenant with God, and have already the faith of His own elect, though they want such a degree of it as to make them comfortable in their own consciences. But if there were no faith, there would be no doubting; for these two are at once working in the heart, the one opposing the actings of the other: so that my very fears that I have not faith prove that I have it, as much as the bubblings and boiling of water in a furnace prove the existence of the acting of the fire that is under it, though, considered in themselves, fire and water are directly contrary to each other.

To say that doubts and fears are sinful is not the way to remove them, but to increase them; inasmuch as the sincere soul will feel more and more, by thinking it has more sin to answer for. Besides, did any Christian ever arrive at the sunshine of solid peace and assurance but through clouds of doubts and fears? Tell me, ye that give vinegar and gall to bruised souls, by representing their doubts and fears as adding to their guilt, did our blessed Saviour ever hold this language? View Him all the while He was upon earth, and you shall never hear Him speak a discouraging word to the weak in faith, but always to the contrary.

Again, if doubts and fears are traced to their origin, no culpable unbelief, no consent of the will, can ever be found at the bottom of them, but real faith will always be discovered at their root; for why does the soul fear at all, but because it believes the truth of God’s Word, as threatening punishment and condemnation on account of its transgressions of the law? Not because it disbelieves the promises contained therein; but, because, seeing its own sin and depravity, and God’s holiness and purity, and not having clear views of the Lord’s method of justifying the ungodly “without money and without price,” it distresses and perplexes itself with the notion that its great vileness is a bar to the mercy of God. Nature must, in a manner, be reversed, and turned topsy-turvy, before this great Scriptural truth will be received, namely, that a knowledge of sin, not goodness, qualifies every person for the Gospel salvation.

The verity of the promises, then, is not questioned by the feeble, doubting Christian; but what he doubts and fears is, that he himself has no interest in them; and so far is Christ from being displeased with such weaklings, that His bowels yearn with a more than common tenderness over them. As a Good Shepherd, “He carries such lambs in His bosom, and gently leads those that are with young.”

Is this pleading for unbelief? Is it apologising for doubts and fears? By no means: but the plea or apology is for that grain of true faith which, like a living spark in the ashes, often lies smothered under the load of unbelief, and under the weight of many suspicions and misgivings as to its state Godward. “Lord, I believe; help Thou my unbelief,” should be the Christian’s cry in such a state.

On the other hand, it is wrong to tell God’s people that they are to sit down contented without assurance and without comfort. These are blessings which accompany salvation, though not salvation itself: these are the privilege of all true believers, though not the lot of all, especially at all seasons. Comfort and assurance must be sought in the use of the appointed means; they are incompatible with a careless, prayerless walk, or with the indulgence of any one known sin, however small it may be thought. Whoever would enjoy the consolations of the Spirit must be afraid to grieve that blessed Guest or to quench His holy motions. The Christian who most rejoiceth in the Lord will be he who walks most humbly and most closely with his God.

Whoever would examine his comforts, to see from what source they are derived, would do well to pay attention to the following method of trial; for, though hypocrites seldom suspect their comforts, the sincere soul will often be questioning the truth of them, and will be anxious to know from what fountain they flow: —

First: If comforts proceed from “Satan transformed into an angel of light,” they lead to sin and presumption: if from the Lord, they are always accompanied with a hatred of sin (especially the sin which does most easily beset the soul), and with a longing desire to obtain victory over it.

Secondly: The comforts which proceed from God are always accompanied with a spirit of prayer and a praise. A praying, thankful frame of mind is the very temper which a soul enjoying the sensible presence of its Saviour naturally (for the new nature has its actings, as well as the old) falls into; whereas, false comfort begets negligence in drawing near to God.

Thirdly: Where comforts really proceed from the Holy Ghost, they make Christ more and more precious in all His offices, and cause self to be abased, and to sink into nothing: whereas false comfort always puffeth up, and makes the soul think itself something when it is nothing.

Though assurance be the privilege of all God’s people, it is by no means the lot of all; nevertheless, it is the duty of all to press after it.

Assurance is the highest degree of faith; and faith, being the root of holiness, as faith prevails holiness and deadness to the world will prevail; for “this is the victory that over-cometh the world, even our faith.”

Peter’s assurance gave way, and he fell foully: but Christ prayed that his faith might not fail, and he fell not finally. If, as some affirm, assurance beget a careless walk, then the most desirable state a Christian can be in would be that of despair, as being the direct opposite to assurance; and the prayer of the apostles, “Lord, increase our faith,” should be turned into “Lord, increase our unbelief and diminish our faith, lest it grow into assurance, and we should thereby be emboldened to commit iniquity with greediness.” But the soul that really enjoys assurance knows how to prize that precious jewel, and will walk as humbly and as warily as he who, being cleanly and richly attired, would pick his way upon a plank over some dirty road, lest he should slip aside and defile his garments.

From ‘The Deep Things of God,” by Sir Richard Hill, Bart.

HUMBLED BY SELF KNOWLEDGE

My Dear Brother,

A superficial acquaintance with human nature, as it is developed in the conduct of those around us, often produces disappointment and dismay, if not disgust and cen-soriousness, but a deep acquaintance with the innate depravity of our own hearts, as taught by the Holy Spirit, will convince us that the corrupt source of all that is vile dwells in us, though preserving grace may have prevented the stream from bursting forth; and the result of such knowledge of ourselves will be unfeigned humiliation before God, connected with the entire exclusion of vain boasting.

“God, I thank thee that I am not as other men,” is language adopted by none who know and feel what Paul confessed, many years after his conversion to God, “I am carnal, sold under sin.” Such knowledge is obtained no where, but in the school of Christ, and, even there, many a bitter lesson is often given before such attainment is made; so that we often find young disciples differing but little from proud pharisees, vainly puffed up with a fleshly mind, high in self-confidence, and eagle-eyed to the spots of others, until led by the Holy Ghost into the chambers of imagery, and made to cry out with the psalmist, “Lord, I am vile.”

Even those who are building upon Christ as the foundation laid in Zion, often build with wood, hay, and stubble, and rear up a lofty edifice of external Christianity, with much self-complacency, until the fire of affliction, persecution, and temptation, tries their work, of what sort it is — burns down their superstructure - and leaves them nothing but the bare foundation to rest upon. This is humbling work, which not unfrequently distresses the heaven-born soul almost to despair; so that he will scarcely believe himself to be on the foundation, but cries out in bitterness of soul, “Woe is me, I am undone;” and feels so much like Job, as to adopt his language, “1 abhor myself in dust and ashes.” Then, and not till then, he begins to feel the importance, yea, the absolute necessity of the full and free salvation, in the person and work of the divine Surety, as that which alone can reach his case, and is brought to the footstool of divine mercy, willing to accept it, yea, anxious to obtain it as the unmerited gift of God.

Such discoveries produce holy jealousy, so that the self-abased believer begins to suspect that he knows not the worst of himself as yet; and indeed he soon finds his suspicion too well founded — evils are discovered, and deep mysteries are explored, until he proves to demonstration that the whole body of sin is there. This lays him low in the dust, with a covering upon his mouth, crying out, “Unclean, unclean!” Lev. 13:15. All confidence in the flesh is then renounced — “the chief of sinners,” is his motto, and the only hope which remains is the full salvation which is in Christ Jesus.

Being thus led away from himself to his Surety, a new cause of humiliation arises to his view. He stands amazed at the infinite compassion of Jesus, and while contemplating his essential glories, as the mighty God, and the Prince of peace, and thinking of himself as a worm of the earth, less than nothing and vanity, he bows in silent wonder, overwhelmed in the immeasurable grace which bestows pardon, life, and bliss on worms so insignificant, so helpless, and so vile, in the face of so much rebellion and unbelief. And the more he sees and knows of the person and the work of Christ, in relation to his salvation as a ruined sinner, the lower he prostrates himself at his feet, convinced that he is nothing — has nothing — can do othing but sin, and exclaiming, “By the grace of God I am what I am.”

Thus far, my dear friend, I trust you have advanced in self-knowledge, but not without much stumbling and many disappointments; for you cannot have forgotten the many fruitless efforts which you made to effect that in old nature, which none ever realized but in the new; and the many vain hopes which were alternately raised and blasted, as the frames and feelings of your mind varied. Fain would you have changed the Ethiopian’s skin, and extracted the leopard’s spots, but at length you were brought to believe the doctrine of the Son of God, “that which is born after the flesh is flesh,” fully convinced that it must be sown in corruption, that it may be raised in incorruption, and brought to the apostolic conclusion. “I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing.” How humbling the lesson! to know and feel one’s self a lump of polluted clay — a mass of depravity — a world of enmity, opposed to the God of love. Helplessness, ignorance, degradation, and rebellion, are known and confessed before God, in the words of Agur, “Surely I am more brutish than any man,” Prov. 30:2. Or with the Psalmist, “So foolish was I, and ignorant, I was a beast before thee.” Thus the work of God the Holy Ghost is successful in “casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ,” 2 Cor. 10:5.

The more frequently a Christian looks at himself in the glass of God’s word, the more he must abhor his own deformity, and the oftener he weighs his thoughts, words, and actions, in the balance of the sanctuary, the more deeply will he be convinced that his all is lighter than vanity, and nothing worth; his growth in faith makes him loathe his unbelief — his growth in love makes him ashamed of his enmity — his growth in humility makes him appalled at his pride — and his growth in knowledge makes him confess with Bildad, “We are but of yesterday, and know nothing.”

Who, but God himself, can answer the question, “What is man?” and who among the sons of men give credit to the Lord’s account of him? “A worm — a wild ass’s colt — a blade of grass — crushed before the moth — dust and ashes — less than nothing.” All his boasting is founded in ignorance of himself, and all his attainments are like the climbing of an emmet to the top of its own hillock, until the Lord becomes his teacher; then he learns to worship God in the Spirit, rejoices in Christ Jesus, and renounces all confidence in the flesh; then he counts all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord, and confesses with humility, that he is not sufficient of himself to think any thing of himself. He becomes a fool that he may be wise, and as long as he is in the body he will confess with the inspired apostle, “I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing.”

When a Christian thus knows himself, how low he lies at the footstool of divine mercy! With what holy awe he approaches the divine majesty! And how infinitely precious is divine suretyship to him! Having nothing in himself— possessing all things in Christ, creature righteousnesses are all accounted filthy rags, unfit for heaven-born souls, and hateful in his sight. He goes willingly to the stripping room, and puts off the old man with his deeds, that he may put on the new man, which, after God, is created in righteousness and true holiness. Black as the tents of Kedar in his Adam nature — comely as the curtains of Solomon in his union with Christ — he has nothing to glory in, but the grace which views him all fair, and without spot in Him, Who is known by the name of the “Lord our righteousness”; and the language of his heart is, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom I am crucified to the world, and the world is crucified to me.” The vauntings of proud free-will are to him like the croakings of a toad; and the sound of creature merit is as hideous as the yellings of a ravenous beast.

Led on by the divine Preceptor, the child of God proceeds to analyse the most sacred and spiritual emotions of his heart, and discovers enough, even there, to humble him in the dust, astonished at the forbearance of God. In prayer, O! how many sentences are uttered as common place phraseology, in which there are no ardent emotions of soul going forth to God, approximating the conduct of those who draw near to God with their lips, and honour Him with their mouths, while their hearts are far from Him. In praise, O! what attention to the harmony of sounds, which gratify a mortal’s ear, while delight in God, and gratitude for covenant blessings in Christ Jesus, find but little room in the song; so that he detects himself mocking Jehovah with a solemn sound upon a thoughtless tongue. And in reading or hearing the word, O! how little mixing of faith with that which is written or preached, receiving it, not as the word of man, but as the word of the living God. In short, he discovers, upon investigation, that all his motives, desires, hopes, and thoughts, have a twang of old corrupt nature about them, and wonders at the forbearance of God with him, until he reads, that “Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel may hallow,” Exod. 28:38. Then, renouncing all confidence in the flesh, he rejoices in Christ Jesus, and having nothing else to glory in, he glories in the Lord.

If, my dear Brother, you have made this proficiency in the holy science of self-knowledge, let your attainment be brought into use, both for yourself and for others. Keep your place at the feet of Jesus, giving Him the whole glory of your salvation, and as you meet with younger brethren, who are dismayed at what they discover in themselves, tell them what God has done for your soul, and aim to lead them out of themselves into the fulness of Christ, for comfort as well as for salvation, cautioning them most affectionately against that fatal error, which flatters human pride with the expectation of making old depraved nature better and better.

As now, you know so much of yourself that you cannot trust yourself — as you see so much of yourself that you loathe yourself — and as you feel so much of yourself that you groan, being burdened with self, look up for grace to mortify him, crucify him, and put him off; and may the God of all grace grant you to be “strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man,” day by day.

I am your schoolfellow, under the tuition of the infallible Preceptor,

Joseph Irons

Time with us all here must be short, and we should do what we can to serve our day and generation; to live as far as we can to the glory of God and the good of His people, and not lead useless, selfish, unprofitable lives, as if money were our God. All Christians have their place in the mystical body, and their place to fill in the Church of God.

THE NATURE OF TRUE FAITH

There is a great mistake of faith among us, some taking it for a strong and blind confidence, that admits of no questions or doubts in the soul; and so vainly persuading themselves that they have it; and some again conceiving it to be such an assurance of salvation, as instantly comforts the soul, and looseth all objections; and so foolishly vexing their own souls and disquieting themselves in vain, for the want of that, which if they understood what it is, they would find they have it. I say, many souls conceive that to be the best faith, that never doubted, and hath always lodged in them, and kept them in peace since they were born. But seeing all men were once aliens from the common-wealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenant of promise, and without God in the world, and so without Christ also, it is certain that those souls who have always blest themselves in their own hearts, and cried peace, peace, and were never afraid of the wrath to come, have embraced an imagination and dream of their own heart, for true faith. It is not big and stout words that will prove it; men may defy the devil and all his works, and speak very confidently, and yet, God knows, they are captives by him, at his pleasure, and not far from that misery which they think they have escaped. Satan works in them with such a crafty conveyance, that they cannot perceive it, and how should they perceive it? For we are by nature dead in sins, and so cannot feel nor know that we are such: it is a token of life to feel pain, a certain token, for dead things are senseless. You know how jugglers may deceive your very senses, and make them believe they see that which is not, and feel that which they feel not: oh how much more easy is it for satan, such an ingenious and experimented spirit, assisted with the help of our deceitful hearts, to cast such a mist over the eyes of our hearts, and make them believe anything? How easily may he hide our misery from us, and make us believe it is well with us? And thus multitudes of souls perish, in the very opinion of salvation: that very thing which they call faith, that strong ungrounded persuasion, it is no other thing than the unbelief of the heart, unbelief I mean of the holy law, of divine justice, and the wrath to come: for if these once entered into the soul’s consideration, they would certainly cast down that strong hold of vain confidence, that satan keeps all the house in peace by: now this secure and presumptuous despising of all threatenings, and all convictions, it is varnished over to the poor soul, with the color and appearance of faith in the gospel: they think, to believe in Christ, is nothing else, but never to be afraid of hell: whereas it is nothing else, but a soul fleeing into Christ for fear of hell: and fleeing from the wrath to come to the city of refuge.

Now again there are some other souls quite contrary minded, that run upon another extremity: They once question, whether they have faith? And always question it. You shall find them always out of one doubt into another, and still returning upon these debates, whether am I in Christ, or not? And often peremptorily concluding that they are not in him, and that they believe not in him: I must confess, that a soul must once question the matter, or they shall never be certain: Nay, a soul must once conclude that it is void of God, and without Christ, but having discovered that, I see no more use and fruit of your frequent debates, and janglings about interest: I would say then unto such souls, that if you now question it, it is indeed the very time to put it out of question. And how? Not by framing or seeking answers to your objections, not by searching into thyself to find something to prove it, not by mere disputing about it, for when shall these have an end? But simply and plainly by setting about that which is questioned. Are you in doubt, if you be believers? How shall it be resolved then, but by believing indeed? It is now the very time thou art called to make application of thy soul to Christ, if thou thinkest that thou cannot make application of Christ to thy soul; If thou cannot know if he be thine, then how shall thou know it, but by choosing him for thine, and embracing him in thy soul? Now, I say, if that time which is spent about such unprofitable debates, where spent in solid and serious endeavours about the thing in debate, it would quickly be out of debate: if you were more in the obedience to those commands, than in the dispute, whether you have obeyed or not, you would sooner come to satisfaction in it. This I say the rather because the weightier and principal parts of the gospel, are those direct acts of faith, and love to Jesus Christ; both these are the out-goings of the soul to him. Now again, examination of our faith and assurance are but secondary and consequent reflections upon ourselves, and are the soul returning in again to itself, to find what is within. Therefore, I say a Christian is principally called to the first, and always called: it is the chief duty of man, which, for no evidence, no doubting, no questioning, should be left undone. If ye be in any hesitation whether you are believers or not; I am sure the chiefest thing, and most concerning, is, rather to believe than to know it; it is a Christian’s being to believe; it is indeed his comfort and well-being to know it: but if you do not know it, then by all means so much the more, set about it presently: let the soul consider Christ and the precious promises, and lay its weight upon him; this you ought to do, and not to leave the other undone.

Secondly, I say to such souls, that it is the mistake of the very nature of faith that leads them to such perplexities, and causeth such inevidence: it is not so much the inevidence of marks, and fruits, that makes them doubt, as the misapprehension of the thing itself; for as long as they mistake it in its own nature, no sign, no mark can satisfy in it. You take faith to be a persuasion of God’s love, that calms and quiets the mind. Now, such a persuasion needs no sign to know it by, it is manifest by its own presence, as light by its own brightness. It were a foolish question to ask any, how they know that they were persuaded of another’s affection? The very persuasion itself maketh itself more certain to the soul than any token. So then, while you question whether you have faith or not, and the meantime take faith to be nothing else but such a persuasion, it is in vain to bring any marks or signs to convince you that you have faith; for if such a persuasion and assurance were in you, it would be more powerful to assure your hearts of itself than anything else; and while you are in doubt of it, it is more manifest that you have it not, than any signs or marks can be able to make it appear that you have it. If any would labour to convince a blind man, that he saw the light, and gave him signs and tokens of the light’s shining, the blind man could not believe him; for it is more certain to himself that he sees not, than any evidence can make the contrary probable: you are still wishing and seeking such a faith as puts all out of question. Now, when ministers bring any marks to prove you have true faith, it cannot satisfy or settle you, because your very questioning proves, that ye have not that which ye question; if you had such a persuasion, you would not question it. So then, as long as you are in the mistake concerning the true nature of faith, all the signs of the word cannot settle you.

But, I say if once you understood the true nature of faith, it would be more clear in itself unto you, than readily marks and signs could make it, especially in the time of temptation: if you would know then, what it is indeed; consider what the word of God holds out concerning himself, or us, and the solid belief of that in the heart hath something of the nature of saving faith in it. The Lord gives testimony concerning man, that he is born in sin, that he is dead in sins, and all his imaginations are only evil continually. Now, I say, to receive this truth into the soul upon God’s testimony is a point of faith; the Lord in his word concludes all under sin and wrath; so, then, for a soul to conclude itself also under sin and wrath, is a point of faith: faith is the soul’s testimony to God’s truth, the word is God’s testimony: now then, if a soul receive this testimony within, whether it be law or gospel, it is an act of faith; if a soul condemn itself, and judge itself, that is a setting to our seal that God is true, who speaks in his law, and so it is we cannot believe, is a great point of sound belief, because it is of ourselves we can do nothing. Now, I am persuaded, if such souls know this, they would put an end to their many contentions and wranglings about this point, and would rather bless God that hath opened their eyes to see themselves, than contend with him for that they have no faith: it is light only that discovers darkness, and faith only that discerns unbelief: it is life and health only that feels pain and sickness; for if all were alike, nothing could be found, as in dead bodies: now, I say to such souls as believe in God the lawgiver, believe also in Christ the Redeemer; and what is that? It is not to know that I have an interest in him: no, that must come after; it is the Spirit’s sealing after believing which puts itself out of question, when it comes; and so if you had it, you needed not many signs to know it by, at least you would not doubt of it, more than he that sees the light can question it. But I say to believe in Christ is simply this, I, whatsoever I be, ungodly, wretched, polluted, desperate; am willing to have Jesus Christ for my Saviour, I have no other help, or hope, if it be not in him, it is, I say, to lean the weight of thy soul on this foundation stone laid in Zion, to embrace the promises of the gospel, albeit general as worthy of all acceptation, and wait upon the performance of them. It is no other thing, but to make Christ welcome, to say, even so, Lord Jesus, I am content in my soul that thou be my Saviour, to be found in thee, not having my own righteousness, I am well pleased to cast away my own as dung, and find myself no other than an ungodly man.

Now it is certain that many souls that are still questioning whether they have faith, yet do find this in their souls, but because they do not know what faith is, they go about to seek that which is not faith, and where it is not to be found, and so disquiet themselves in vain, and hinder fruitfulness.

NANNY CAW

or

How the Promise Was Fulfilled

Nanny lived, when our narrative begins, in a small town in the south of Scotland. She was poor, but contented, and her diligent and frugal habits kept her above want for many years. Of her early life we know nothing, only that she had been a servant in respectable families, and had saved a little to help to keep her when she should become too old for domestic service.

She now lived in a single room, and supported herself mainly by knitting stockings and caps which she carried round the country for sale. In this way she became well-known in the district, and not a few, both rich and poor, welcomed Nanny to their door and bought the products of her industry.

She was one who possessed the unspeakable blessing of a knowledge of God through Christ, and to her mind the Holy Ghost had from time to time brought home the sacred truths of God’s Word with light and comfort and power. The Bible was therefore greatly prized by her, and, having found it to be such a priceless boon to herself, she became anxious that others should share the blessing. She was not scholar enough to teach, she was unable to say much, and she was too poor to purchase Bibles for distribution herself. Yet God directed her to a method of greatly helping the circulation of the Scriptures, while her own simple and humble faith and blameless life did much to commend its truths and to impress her neighbors with the reality of her own faith.

In those days the friends of the Bible Society were fewer than in later years: There was no association in the town where Nanny lived, and the principal minister was rather opposed or at least indifferent to the Society’s methods and work. Yet, poor and humble as she was, she resolved to become a collector for the Society. This undertaking was the result of much prayer and thought; and this is how she looked at the matter: —

“Ay, ay,” she said, “this Book has been the blessing of my life; I must do my best to send it to starving souls that have never learned its worth.”

Her plan was to solicit the different families that took interest in her and bought her stockings, to subscribe to the Society’s funds. She succeeded beyond her most sanguine hopes. She obtained pence from the poor, and silver and even gold from the well-to-do; so that she sent up a hundred dollars to the Society, gathered over her district, some parts of which were twenty miles from her home. As she trudged the weary miles with her basket, she was often cheered with the truths and promises of the Bible, and with the hope that God would accept her humble labors.

In the midst of her work, however, she was seized with severe rheumatic fever. Her neighbors were kind and attentive so far as they were able, but their own duties took up their time a great deal, and Nanny was often left alone for hours on her bed of suffering. But the Bible was still her joy, for though she was now unable to read it, its precious promises came to her mind with much force and sweetness, so that she was never unhappy.

Nanny’s illness continued a long time, and her little store of savings gradually diminished, until she was left quite penniless. But she was not alarmed, nor even cast down. She said to herself: “The promise of God is certain. Has He not declared: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these (necessary) things shall be added unto you?” Why should I be a burden to the neighbors; they have been very kind, and taken much trouble with me. I will not add to their difficulties. Besides, God has pledged Himself that they that trust in Him shall never want.” She thought, too, of the widow of Sarepta, who had but one handful of meal left in her barrel when Elijah was sent to her. This was precisely her case, for there was but one handful of meal in her house; yet, she thought, God delivered the Sarepta widow, and would He not deliver her? He has all power in His hands. He had caused water to flow out of the flinty rock, and He had made the birds of the air carry bread and meat to His hungry servant; and would He not appear for the help of His suffering child? Yes, she believed He would.

While pursing these meditations she was disturbed by a knock at the door. With much pain and difficulty she dragged herself to it, and found a child crying bitterly. She had never been a wife nor a mother, but she possessed a great motherly heart.

“What ails ye, Mary bairn (child)?” she said, patting the child’s head, and drawing her into the house. The child told her tale of sorrow. She had fled from the harsh and cruel treatment of her step-mother. The angry and unfeeling woman had dealt many heavy blows on the unoffending child, whose bruises told the tale of ill-usage only too plainly. Her cries had alarmed the neighbors, and while they spoke earnestly with the brutal woman, the child fled for refuge to old Nanny.

The story of the little one being confirmed by the neighbors as eye-witnesses of the inhuman conduct of the stepmother, Nanny resolved that “the wee lamb shall never want a home while I have a house over my head.” She did not forget that all her earthly store was a little oatmeal, but she believed in the promise of God that He would not fail her nor forsake her; and she was persuaded that the loving Savior, Who took little children into His arms and blessed them, would help her to “do for” the child now thrown on her care.

Presently the door opened. It was a neighbor bringing a letter from the post office. This was before the days of the penny post, and so there was sixpence to pay. Nanny looked at the letter, turning it round and round in her hand, examining first the address, then the seal, and finally the postmark.

“Why do you not open it?” said one of the neighbors.

“It is not mine,” said Nanny, “there is sixpence to pay, and I have not a farthing in the world. Please take the letter back to the office. The postmaster will keep it safe, and if ever I have enough silver I will ask him for it.”

The argument, that the letter might contain money which she so greatly needed, was of no use, so the woman took the letter to the post office again; and Nanny and her “wee lamb” supped on a basin of gruel.

Next morning there was no breakfast. Nanny was “sorry for the child”, but she was certain help would come, because God’s promises are sure. She was not disappointed. A lady, who had heard of her kindness to Mary, called and gave her a shilling (25 cents). Sixpence was expended for food, and the rest was sent to the post office, in the hope that the letter would then be sent.

She had thought that the letter came from a lady who lived some miles away, who had been in the habit of contributing through Nanny to the Bible Society, and that the letter might contain a subscription. She was therefore very anxious to possess the letter.

“The distribution of the Bible,” she said to herself, “is God’s work, and He Who has taken care of me, and provided me with food when I was so much in want of it, will never suffer me nor the child to starve. He sent me a shilling, half I have used on ourselves, the other half belongs to Him.”

The letter was handed to the child, and was eagerly opened. Nanny’s conjecture was right; it was from that particular lady, who was surprised at Nanny’s absence, and who wrote in a very kind manner, enclosing ten shillings for the Bible Society, and ten shillings for Nanny’s own use. She rejoiced with a twofold joy. Now she knew afresh that God is the hearer of prayer; now she knew in deed and in truth that God’s promise fails not; her bread had been given, her water was sure.

With a heart overflowing with gratitude, she sat down to reply to the lady’s kind letter, nor did she from false shame conceal the straits and difficulties she had experienced, nor fail to tell how God had heard her prayer and sent her help in the time of need. Poor she was, but through no fault of hers; therefore it was neither disgrace nor sin, and simply she told the tale of God’s deliverance, and how he had heard her prayer, and provided for her and the child.

The simple statements of Nanny’s letter brought joy to the heart of her benefactor, inasmuch as God had made her an instrument in relieving the wants of one of His own dear children. She was encouraged to make the case known among such as knew and respected Nanny’s character. The result was that a sufficient sum was collected to furnish Nanny with a small income for the rest of her days. She was no more able to go about the country and sell her stockings and collect for the distribution of the Holy Scriptures, but she had sufficient for her needs. Little Mary remained with her for the rest of her days, the “poor motherless thing” showing grateful love and ministering affectionately to her benefactor, who blessed the day that God had opened her heart to take the child into her care.

Nanny’s end was as peaceful as her life had been trustful and hopeful. She knew in Whom she had believed, and she knew that He Who had fed her all her life long, would at length redeem her from all evil, and conduct her to His holy habitation, the heaven for which she had longed. She did not tremble at the thought of death, for she thought of the “Canaan that she loved,” rather than of the “Jordan that rolled between.” She knew there must be the last conflict, but she believed she should be more than a conqueror through Him Who had loved her. The last stage of her journey was tedious and wearisome, but she patiently endured in view of the “rest that remaineth to the people of God.”

“He that hath made my heaven secure
Will here all good provide;
While Christ is rich, can I be poor;
What can I want beside?”

THE DEVIL’S VISION

The Devil once said,
To his demons below,
“Our work is progressing
Entirely too slow;
The holiness people (Rom. 12:1,2)
Stand in our way,
Since they don’t believe
In the show or the play.

They teach that the carnival,
Circus and dance,
The tavern and honky-tonk
With games of chance,
Drinking and smoking,
These things are all wrong
That Christians don’t mix
With the ungodly throng.

They’re quick to condemn
Everything that we do; (John 1:12)
To cause unbelievers
To be not a few. (2 Cor. 5:17)
They claim that these things
Are all of the devil, (Rom. 8:16)
That Christian folk live
On a much higher level.

Now, fellows, their theology,
While perfectly true,
Is blocking the work (Acts 2:17,19)
We are trying to do.
We’ll have to get busy (Acts 2:37–41)
And figure a plan.
That will change their standards
As fast as we can.

Now I have a vision
Of what we can do; (Mat. 7:15)
Hearken I’ll tell
This deception to you.
Then find me a wise
But degenerate man (2 Tim. 3:13)
Whom I can use
To help work out this plan.

There’s nothing so real
As the thing you can see;
The eyes and the mind
And the heart will agree. (Gen. 3:1–6)
So what can be better
Than an object to view?
I say it will work
And convince not a few.

The home is the place (T.V. in your home)
For this sinful device;
The people deceived
Will think it quite nice. (1 John 2:16)
The world will possess it
Most Christians can’t tell (James 1:13–15)
That it’s all of the devil
And was plotted in hell.

We’ll sell them with pictures
Of the latest of news, (1 John 2:16)
And while they’re still looking
We’ll advertize booze. (Eph. 5:18)
At the soul-damning cigarette
Also they’ll look, (2 Cor. 6:17)
Until they forget
What God says in His Book.

At first it will shock them
They’ll seem in a haze:
But soon they’ll be hardened, (Gen. 3:16)
And continue to gaze.
We’ll give them some gospel
That isn’t too strong, (Mat. 24:24)
And a few sacred songs
To string them along.

They’ll take in the ads (Titus 1:16)
With the latest of fashions,
And soon watch the shows
That stir evil passions.
Murder and love-making
Scenes they’ll behold, (Mat. 24:12)
Until in their souls
They are bitterly cold.

The “old family altar”
Which once held such charm
Will soon lose its place
Without much alarm.
Praying in secret
Will also be lost, (2 Peter 2:15)
As they look at the screen
Without counting the cost.

The compromise preachers
Who don’t take their stand
Will embrace this new vision
And think it is grand. (Mat. 7:15)
They’ll help fool the people
And cause them to sin (Mat. 24:24)
By seeking this evil
And taking it in.

Influence is great,
And this you can see. (Isa. 14:12,15)
Just look at my fall,
And you’ll have to agree
It won’t take too long
My demons to tell
That the vision of Satan
Will populate hell. (2 Peters 2)

Divorce will increase,
Sex-crimes will abound;
Much innocent blood
Will be spilled on the ground.
The home will be damned
In short order I say,
When this vision of mine
Comes in to stay.

Get busy, my cohorts, (2 Tim. 3:1–9)
And put this thing out;
We’ll see if the Church (1 Tim. 4:1–3)
Can continue to shout.
The holiness people
Who stand in our way (Rev. 12:12)
Will soon hush their crying
Against show and play.

We’ll cover the earth
With this “Devil-vision”
Though we’ll camouflage it
With the name “Television”. (Rev. 13)
The people will think
They are getting a treat, (Rev. 14:11)
‘Till the antichrist comes
And takes over his seat.

He’ll then rule the world
While the viewers behold
The face of “the Beast”
To whom they were sold.
We’ll win through deception
This cannot fail, (Rev. 12:12)
Though some “holiness” preachers
Against it will rail.” (1 Peter 5:8–10)

FROM TOPLADY’S DIARY

January 10. After evening service, visited and prayed with Wm. M. His cry was, “What shall I do to be saved?” But I could not, on close conversation with him, discover the least sign of evangelical repentance. He neither sees the vileness of his heart, nor knows his need of Christ. Lord, bless what I was enabled to speak, and do that work upon his soul which man cannot do. One of the most difficult and discouraging parts of the ministry, I have long found, is visiting the ignorant and unawakened sick. But nothing is too hard for God. He, whose grace wrought on me, is able to work on the sinner I have been with today, and will assuredly if his name is in the Book of life. Amidst all our discouragements, in ministering to others; and amidst all our doubts respecting ourselves there is yet a foundation both sure and steadfast, even the rock of God’s eternal election. Was it not for this, how would my hands hang down! And what hope could I have for myself or others? But this sets all to rights. The unchangeable Jehovah knows His own people by name, and will, at the appointed season, lead them out of a state of nature into a state of grace by effectual calling: for “whom He did predestinate, them He also called.” This is all my salvation and all my desire: the ground of the former, and the object of the latter. — At night God was very gracious to me in secret prayer. Great was my joy in the Lord, sweet my communion, and free my access. O that I had but something to render Him for all His benefits! Just before I went to bed, that blessed promise was whispered powerfully to my soul, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Amen, Lord Jesus.

I desire to remember, with grief and shame, that soon after the above manifestation of God’s favor to my soul, I was tempted, before I could get to sleep, with high thoughts of my own righteousness, both as a man and as a minister. The enemy piled his fiery darts very thick, and came in as a flood; but the Spirit of the Lord lifted up a standard against him. I was enabled (glory to divine grace) to reject the cursed insinuations as I would hell fire. Oh, that ever such a wretch as I should be tempted to think highly of himself! I that am of myself nothing but sin and weakness; I, in whose flesh naturally dwells no good thing, I, who deserve damnation for the best work I ever performed! Lord Jesus, humble me to the dust, yea, to the very center of abasement, in Thy presence. Root out and tear up this most poisonous, this most accursed weed, from the unworthiest heart that ever was. Show me my utter nothingness. Keep me sensible of my sinnership. Sink me down deeper and deeper into penitance and self-abhorrence. Break the Dagon of price in pieces before the ark of Thy merits. Demolish, by the breath of Thy Spirit, the walls, the Babel of self-righteousness and self-opinion; level them with the trodden soil, grind them to powder, annihilate them for ever and ever. Grace, grace, be all my experience and all my cry! Amen.

Oh, that I could ever have a heart warm with love! But it is better to catch fire now and then, than to be always cold. Blessed be the Comforter of God’s elect, a live coal from the golden altar which is before the throne, is sometimes dropt into my heart; and then I can sing,

Loved of my God, for Him again

With love intense I burn;

Chosen of Thee ere time began,

I choose Thee in return.

To have a part in God’s salvation, is the main thing; but to have the joy of it is an additional blessing, which makes our way to the kingdom smooth and sweet.

THE DESTROYING POWER OF SIN

Sin is a destructive thing, and its destruction is certain and universal. However, the certain, universal destruction that sin works, is gradual. Sin destroys sinners like a consumption by degrees; though it brings sudden and surprising destruction at last, I Thess. 5:3, yet it brings the heaviest destruction by several steps! “He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy,” Prov. 29:1. We used to say, ‘None instantly become most flagitious: men come not to the utmost of vileness but by degrees.’ James 1:15, “When lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” In nature corrupted, there remain some sparks of divine light, some bridles to restrain black and bloody, foul and abominable sins, viz. fear and shame, the spies of the natural conscience; these must be abated little by little, before a man grow impudent in sin, declaring it as Sodom.

A person that has got some Christian education, he first, perhaps, grows out of conceit with religious duties, and neglects to perform them. Then he begins to wish there were no precept or injunction to such duties; next, he falls a-questioning, whether there be such a heaven or hell as preachers hold out to him? Then he begins to pick up all the arguments that can make for heathenism and against Christianity, or divine revelation; then he hearkens to nothing that will make against him, and chooses to deal with them that are too weak for him, for he hates the light and is afraid of it; after this he takes loose reins, and joins himself with the companies that practice wickedness, and agree with him in his folly; and then, finally, he laughs and scorns at all the ministers of the Word, and now he comes to his height in wickedness. Now he follows his lusts with greediness, resolving, if he shall be damned, he shall be damned for something, Jer. 18:12, saying, “There is no hope; but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.”

Thus there are several steps of Satan’s ladder. The man comes first to walk in the counsel of the ungodly; then he stands in the way of sinners, and lastly, he sits in the seat of the scornful, Ps. 1:1. Satan leads men up the steps of his ladder, till they fall down and break their neck. After temptation is offered, first comes approbation in understanding; after that consent in the will, after that comes practice in the affection; after that custom in the repeated act; then follows delight in that sinful way; after that comes the defense of it, with all the rhetoric hell can invent; after that comes boldness in sinning with a whore’s forehead; and, last of all, comes scorning and a drawing iniquity with cords of vanity, Isa. 5:18. Boasting in wickedness and glorying in their shame.

Satan acts first like a creeping serpent, and then like a flying dragon. Sin deceives men till they be hardened through its deceitfulness. It appears, at first, but little in the fountain, in the heart and in thoughts, then it bubbles out into a stream of evil words; then it increases into a river in evil actions, next, it swells into a torrent, and overflows in a long custom, till it drowns men in perdition, and thus it gradually destroys them.

God does not destroy the sinner, till the sinner has wearied God out of all patience, as it were; hence He says, Jer. 15:6, “I am weary with repenting; thou has forsaken Me, says the Lord; thou art gone backward; therefore will I stretch forth Mine hand against thee, and destroy thee.”

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