Word of God

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God

Matthew 4:4

The Gospel According to Luke 17:10

10 So likewise ye, when ye have done all those things, which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

Brethren:

This is the accommodation and application of the parable to the disciples of Christ, who whether ministers or private believers, are as servants, and should be as laborious as the ploughman, and the shepherd; and as their condition is, so their conduct should be like theirs: the employment of the ministers of the word lies in reading, prayer, meditation, and study; in preaching the word, and administering the ordinances; and in performing other duties of their office: and every private believer has business to do, which lies in the exercise of grace, as the work of faith, the labour of love and patience, of hope: and in the discharge of duty with regard to themselves, in their families, the church, and the world; and these servants should be continually employed; and when one work is done, another is to be taken in hand: saints should be always believing, hoping, waiting, loving, and doing one good work or another; as preaching or praying, reading, hearing, and doing acts of benevolence and charity; and God and Christ are to be served by them in the first place, and then themselves: but some that would be called the servants of Christ, mind their own bellies, and not the service of Christ at all; others in the service of Christ, seek nothing but themselves; others are for the serving themselves first, and then Christ; but the true servants of Christ, serve him in the first place, and seek first his righteousness, and his kingdom, and the honour of it, believing that all other things shall be added to them: and when these have done all that are commanded them, they are not to think their service thank worthy: as for instance, if the service be preaching the word, a man so employed ought to be thankful to God, that has bestowed ministerial gifts upon him, and makes his labours useful, and uses him as an instrument, to do much good to the souls of men, and for his glory, and has put such an honour upon him; but he is not to expect thanks from God, for his most diligent and faithful performance of his work, or imagine that he merits any thing at his hand thereby: or if the business be hearing the word, a man should be thankful to God, for the word, ordinances, and ministers, for liberty of waiting upon God in such a way; for health of body, and inclination of mind, for such service; and for all the good, profit, and advantage, he gains hereby; but he is not to think that he lays God under any obligation to him by so doing, or deserves thanks, or a favour from him on account of it: or if the employment be prayer, a man should be greatly thankful to the God of all grace, that there is a throne of grace for him to come to; and for a mediator, who is the way of access to God; and for the assistance of the Spirit in prayer; and for all the blessings which are given, as an answer of prayer; but he is never to entertain such a thought, that God is obliged to him for his prayers, or should thank him for them: or if the work be doing of good with worldly substance, such should be thankful to God for their substance he has given them, and for hearts to make use of it; but ought not to conclude, that they hereby merit his favour, or that this is any gain to him: but on the other hand, Christ directs his disciples, saying, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you; as preaching, or hearing, or reading, or praying, and every other act of divine and religious worship; or all acts of justice and benevolence among men; every duty both for matter and manner, as it should be, according to the will of God, from right principles, and to right ends, and by the assistance of the Spirit and grace of God.

Unprofitable meaning not in such sense as unregenerate men are, who are disobedient, and to every good work reprobate and unfit, ( See Romans 3:12; Titus 1:16 ) or as the slothful servant, who did not what his Lord commanded, ( Matthew 25:30 ) . Nor is this the sense, that they are unprofitable to men; for they may be, and are very useful and serviceable to men, and to the saints; but that they are so to God, by whose grace and strength they are what they are, and do what they do; and can give nothing to him but what is his own, and his due; and so can lay him under no obligation to them, nor merit any thing from him; no, not even thanks, and much less heaven and eternal life. 

Therefore, as diligence is highly proper, and reasonable in doing the work of the Lord, humility is necessary, that a man may not arrogate that to himself, which do not belong to him; or boast of his performances; or place any dependence on them: or have his expectations raised on account of them; since when he has done the most and best, he has done but what he should, and what he was obliged to, and in that is greatly deficient: a saying somewhat like this, is used by R. Jochanan ben Zaccai 

 ``If thou hast learned the law much, do not ascribe the good to thyself; for, for this wast thou created.’

Hence it behooves us to make note, to meditate upon that thought and to be a doer of the Word without any expectations other than the final day of judgment wherein one will hear the words:

“Well done thou faithful servant, enter unto thy rest”  (See Matthew Chapter 25)

Word of God

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God

Matthew 4:4

The Gospel According to Luke 17:3-4 

 3 Take heed to yourselves: if thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him: and if he repent, forgive him. 4 And though he sin against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, it repenteth me, thou shalt forgive him.

Brethren:

Take heed to yourselves. and to one another, that ye neither give, nor take offence. Take heed to your spirits, to your doctrines, walk, and conversation, that you give no offence to any, that you are not stumbled by what you shall see in, and meet with from others hence the words "if thy brother trespass against thee"

As such this is said to show, that as on the one hand, if any of those that believe in Christ, should commit a trespass against his fellow Christian, his sin is not to be coned at, for fear of offending him; for what Christ has before said, is not to be taken in such sense, as to prevent private reproof, or public censures, when there is occasion for them; so on the other hand, he is not to be despised and ill used, and treated in the same injurious manner; but gentle reproofs are to be made use of, for his good. This is spoken not to the apostles as such, but as believers in Christ; and concerns everyone that stands in the relation of a brother, or church member to each other, and only such; for they that are without, do not fall under their notice, nor are they obliged to take, nor can they take altogether, the same methods with them. This rule respects sins committed by one brother against another, either in word or deed; or such as are of a private nature, and which one only, or at least but few, are acquainted with: in such cases the advice is,rebuke him; privately, and proceed according to the rules there directed to; lay his sin before him. Endeavour not only to convince him of the fact, but of the evil of it; how contrary to the will of God; how unbecoming the Gospel of Christ, and the profession he makes; how hurtful to himself, as well as injurious to his brother; and how such evils give the enemy occasion to reproach the saints, to speak evil of the ways of God, and blaspheme the name and doctrines of Christ, and harden sinners in their sins, as well as stumble weak Christians, and sadden the hearts of the righteous.

And if he repent; if he is made sensible of his evil, and is truly sorry for it, and ingenuously acknowledges it forgive him the injury committed against a man's self; and pray to God for him. Indeed pray for an application of his pardoning grace and mercy to him and comfort him with the hope of forgiveness with God, by the gracious promises and declarations of pardon made to such persons; drop all resentment and anger, and behave towards him with all sweetness of temper, and affability, and respect: and this is to be done immediately, as soon as a man repents: and so 
says R. Chanina bar Papa, "whoever commits a thing, and repents of it, they forgive him directly they that fear me, forgive immediately.'and as such will be reckoned as good men, men fearing God."

For good men are frequently apt to fall into sin, and offend both God and man see ( Proverbs 24:16 ) "and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent"; as often as he sins, and appears to be truly sensible of it, and humble for it, and makes acknowledgments of it; and not only barely in words professes his concern for it, but there is reason to believe that he is heartily grieved for it, and to hope that he will behave better for the future.

This seems to be occasioned by Peter's putting such a question to Christ, how often a brother might sin against him, and he forgive him; see ( Matthew 18:21 Matthew 18:22 ) . The Jews plead for great tenderness and readiness to forgive penitents, when they ask for forgiveness; which they insist upon should be done: they say

 ``it is forbidden an injured person to be cruel, and not forgive; this is not the way of the seed of Israel: but when he that has done the injury asks of him, and prays him once and again, and he knows that he has returned from his sin, and hath repented of his evil, he ought to forgive him; and whoever makes haste to forgive, is praiseworthy.'' Likewise they say  "[Even] if he brings all the rams of Nebaioth that are in the world, he is not to have pardon, unless he asks it of him.''

Word of God

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God

Matthew 4:4

The Gospel According to Luke 16:31 

31 Then he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rise from the dead again.

Brethren:

That is, Abraham said unto him, as the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions express it: if they hear not Moses and the prophets; as they did not, nor regarded what they said of Christ, but disbelieved both him and them, then neither will they be persuaded: or brought to repent and believe, even though one rose from the dead; as  Christ did; whose resurrection, the truth of it they endeavoured to baffle, stifle, and suppress. this was the sign Christ gave them, of the truth of his Messiahship; and yet they repented not of what they had done to him, that they might believe in him; but remained still in their impenitence and infidelity, and so died. This shows the regard that ought to be had to the written word, as read, or preached; and that it is a sad sign of a desperate condition, when men reject divine revelation. Beza's ancient copy adds, "and should go unto them".

Foolish men are apt to think any method of conviction better than that which God has chosen and appointed. That is to say the acceptance of Christ as Saviour, the admittance and repentance of sins, and the grace that God would then grant them in order to free them from the curse of sin and thereby forgiving them of their sins. 

It is amazing to this writer how so simple an action can be taken that would lead to spending eternity in God's kingdom, and yet so many stiff-necked people in the world refuse it. They are convinced of their own righteousness, and likewise blinded and lost in their sin, that they cannot simply conceive that they are wrong. Such is the way of those whose self inflated egos are, and will in the end result and some very unpleasant shocks in the life to come afterward. 

Word of God

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God

Matthew 4:4

The Gospel According to Luke 15:7, 10 

7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven for one sinner that converteth, more than for ninety and nine just men, which need none amendment of life.

10 Likewise I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God, for one sinner that converteth.

Brethren:

In the church below, and among the members of it; which is sometimes called heaven, especially in the book of the Revelations; or in heaven above, and among the angels there, for the joy in heaven, is not over sinners as such; for as such, they are not grateful to God, nor to Christ, nor to the angels, nor to saints; only sinners delight in each other, as such; but as repenting sinners, who are truly so: and these are not such, who only legally and outwardly repent; nor all that declare a sense of sin; or that are externally sorry for it; or are terrified about it, and shed tears on account of it; or that cease from grosser sins of life, and outwardly reform: but such who repent in an evangelical way; who are turned to God, and are instructed by his Spirit; who believe in Christ, and have views, at least hopes, of pardon through his blood; and have the love of God and Christ shed abroad in their hearts; from whence arise a true sight and sense of sin, a godly sorrow for it, an hearty loathing of it, shame on account of it, an ingenuous confession, and a real forsaking of it. Now the reason why there is joy in heaven over such persons is, because, without such a repentance, they must perish; and by this they appear to be openly in a state of grace; and become proper subjects of the ordinances of Christ; and this repentance is unto life and salvation; or these are inseparably connected with it; and this joy is abundantly, more so, than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. 

By whom are meant, either such who are really righteous persons; not naturally and of themselves, nor legally by the deeds of the law, but by the imputation of Christ's righteousness to them: and who need no repentance to be added to their righteousness, it being perfect of itself; nor the grace and principle of repentance, because they have it, and it cannot be lost; or change of life and manners, which is not to be seen in such: and the more joy over repenting sinners, than over these is, because the salvation of the one is before certain to them, and the other is unexpected: but to this sense it may be objected, that saints, even righteous persons, need frequent conversions, and the continual exercise of the grace of repentance; nor does it seem feasible, that there should be more joy over a repenting sinner, than over one, whose life, through grace, is a series of righteousness: rather therefore, such who seem to be just, or are so in their own opinion, are here meant; for only such sort of righteous persons and repenting sinners, are opposed to each other, as in ( Matthew 9:13 ) moreover, the occasion and scope of the parable, determines this to be the sense; the Scribes and Pharisees, that murmured at Christ's receiving sinners, are the ninety and nine just persons, who were only outwardly righteous before men, and trusted in themselves that they were righteous, perfectly righteous, and without sin, and so stood in no need of repentance for it; now there is more joy in heaven over one repenting sinner, than over all these: hence learn, that a self-righteous person, is an impenitent one; that a repenting sinner is more regarded in heaven than a self-righteous man: our Lord here seems to have regard to a conceit of the Jews, who distinguish between penitents that were allowed to be righteous, and such who never were guilty of any notorious crime, and so were perfectly righteous, and needed no repentance, and were preferred to penitent sinners.

 ``let not a penitent man imagine that he is afar off from the excellency, or degree of the righteous, because of the sins and iniquities he has committed, the thing is not so; but he is beloved and desired before the Creator, as if he had never sinned; for his reward is great; for lo, he hath tasted the taste of sin, and hath separated from it, and hath subdued his evil imagination: the wise men say, the place where "penitents" stand, the "perfect righteous" cannot stand; which is as if it was said, their degree of excellency is greater, than those who never sinned, because they have subdued their imagination more than they.'' - Maimonides 

Likewise there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth;which they have knowledge of, either by immediate revelation from God, or by observation in the church where they attend: the reason of this joy is, because there is one rescued out of the hands of Satan and his angels, between whom and them, there is an implacable enmity; and because another subject is added to Christ's kingdom, and by which it is enlarged, the prosperity of which they greatly desire; and because another heir is born in that family, to which they belong, and they have another social worshipper with them: and this joy is said to be "in the presence of" them; and so may design the joy of others, as of Father, Son, and Spirit, which is in their sight and knowledge; and also the joy there is among themselves.

Word of God

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God

Matthew 4:4

The Gospel According to Luke 13:25 

25 When the good man of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye began to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us, and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are

Christ having espoused all his elect to himself, by the ministry of the word: for by "the master of the house" is meant, the bridegroom of the church, the head of the body, the King of saints, who is Son over his own house, and high priest there; of whom the whole family in heaven and earth, is named. 

This is to say that the door of mercy and of hope; the door of faith; the preaching of the word, and the administration of ordinances, when these shall be no more. and ye begin to stand without;
Or "do stand without"; without the holy city, where dogs are; having no admittance to the nuptial chamber, to the marriage supper of the Lamb, and the joys of heaven. AND  to knock at the door;
which shows how near some persons may come to heaven, and yet not enter there, even to the very door; and what an expectation, yea, an assurance they may have, of admission into it, not at all doubting of it; and therefore knock as if they were some of the family, and had a right to enter; but not finding the door opened to them, so soon as they imagined, they begin to call as well as knock.

They acknowledge Christ to be Lord, as all will at the last day, to the glory of God the Father, even professors and profane; they repeat the word, to show the vehemency and earnestness of their entreaty; and according to the Syriac and, Persic versions, they claim an interest in Christ, which read, "our Lord, our Lord"; and on account of which they doubted not, but the door would be opened: but alas, he was only their Lord in a professional way; they had only called him Lord, Lord, but had never truly and heartily yielded obedience to him; their hearts had never been opened to him, and he had never had a place there, nor his Gospel; wherefore though they knock, he will not open.

And he shall answer and say unto you, (the Persic version adds), "nay, but be ye gone hence", for the following reason; I know you not, whence you are. Not but that Christ being the omniscient God, will know who they are, from whence they come, of what country and place they be, and to whom they belong; but the sense is, that he will not own them, and express any approbation of them, as his; but will treat them as strangers, that come, it is not known, from whence; he will reject them, as not being born from above, as not being the sheep of his fold, or members of his true church: they did not come from heaven, they were not heaven born souls, or partakers of the heavenly calling, and therefore shall not be received there; they belonged to the men of the world, and were of their father the devil, and shall be sent to him: so the foolish virgins, or formal professors of religion, and such as have been preachers of the Gospel, will entreat Christ at the 

last day, and shall have such an answer as this returned to them, which will be very awful and startling

So here, Christ declares, he knew them not; that is, he did not like them; he would not admit them into his presence and glory,  but instead says to them that they should;

Depart from me, these expressions contains the awful sentence pronounced by Christ, the judge; which is, banishment from his presence, than which nothing is more terrible: for as it is his presence that makes heaven, it is his absence that makes hell; and this supposes a place and state, whither they are banished; which is elsewhere called their "own place, the lake" which burns with fire and brimstone; "everlasting fire", prepared for the devil and his angels. Departure from Christ's presence is the punishment of loss, and being sent to everlasting burnings, is the punishment of sense; and the whole, as it is an instance of strict justice, so a display of Christ's almighty power. The latter expression contains the character of these persons, and in it a reason of their punishment; they were "workers of iniquity": it may be, neither adulterers, nor murderers, nor drunkards, nor extortioners, nor thieves, or any other openly profane sinners; but inasmuch as they did the work of the Lord deceitfully, preached themselves, and not Christ; sought their own things, and not his; what they did, they did with a wicked mind, and not with a view to his glory; they wrought iniquity, whilst they were doing the very things they pleaded on their own behalf, for their admission into the kingdom of heaven. Some copies read, "all the workers of iniquity", as in ( Psalms 6:8 ) from whence the words are taken.

Word of God

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God

Matthew 4:4

The Gospel According to Luke 14:7-11

7 He spake also a parable to the guests, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms, and said unto them, 8 When thou shalt be bidden of any man to a wedding, set not thyself down in the chiefest place, lest a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him, 9 And he that bade both him and thee, come, and say to thee, Give this man room, and thou then begin with shame to take the lowest room. 10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room, that when he that bade thee, cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, sit up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at table with thee. 11 For whosoever exalteth himself, shall be brought low, and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.

Brethren:

Above his fellow Christians, or fellow ministers, by entertaining too high an opinion of himself, by boasting of his gifts, as preferable to others, and as if he had not received them; by assuming, or eagerly coveting titles of honour among men, or by affecting honour that do not belong to him, or, abusing what he has: "shall be abased"; or humbled by God, or men, or both; such shall lose the honour they have, and come greatly short of what they are ambitious of; they shall fall into disgrace with men, and are abominable in the sight of God: "and he that shall humble himself"; by entertaining low thoughts, and a mean opinion of himself, behaving modestly among men; not being elated with his gifts, but acknowledging that they are owing to the grace and goodness of God; and using them in an humble manner, for, the advantage of others; not coveting honour from men, nor lifted up with what is conferred on him: "shall be exalted"; by God, or men, or both; if not in this world, yet in the world to come: and indeed, generally speaking, such modest, humble, persons, are most esteemed among men; and God gives more grace unto them, and will at last give them glory. This is a saying, often used by our Lord on different accounts, both with respect to his disciples, for their instruction, and with regard to the scribes and Pharisees, for their mortification; (Read also Luke 18:14 ).  It seems to be a proverbial expression, and much in use among the Jews: it is said in so many words in the Talmud;

 ``whosoever shall humble himself, the holy blessed God shall exalt him; and whosoever shall exalt himself, the holy blessed God shall humble him.''

Our Saviour here refers to that advice of Solomon (Proverbs 25:6-7), Stand not in the place of great men, for better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither, than that thou shouldest be put lower.’’ And Dr. Lightfoot quotes a parable out of one of the rabbin somewhat like this. "Three men,’’ said he, "were bidden to a feast; one sat highest, For, said he, I am a prince; the other next, For, said he, I am a wise man; the other lowest, For, said he, I am a humble man. The king seated the humble man highest, and put the prince lowest.’’ He applied this generally, and would have us all learn not to mind high things, but to content ourselves with mean things, as for other reasons, so for this, because pride and ambition are disgraceful before men: for whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; but humility and self-denial are really honourable: he that humbleth himself shall be exalted,  We see in other instances that a man’s pride will bring him low, but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit, and before honour is humility

RELIGIOUS MEDITATION

An Essay on‭  ‬Psalm‭ ‬104:34

Part Eight

By William Greenough Thayer Shedd‭; ‬Edited by Doktor Riktor Von Zhades

Psalm‭ ‬104:34‭ " ‬My meditation of Him shall be sweet.‭" 

The success of a Christian mainly depends upon a uniform and habitual communion with his God and Redeemer.‭ ‬No spasmodic resolutions into which he may be exasperated by the goadings of conscience can be a substitute for it.‭ ‬If holy communion and prayer are interrupted,‭ ‬he will surely fall into sin.‭ ‬In this world of continual temptation and of lethargic consciences,‭ ‬we need to be awakened and awed by the serene splendor of God's holy countenance.‭ ‬But we cannot behold‭ ‬that amidst the vapors and smoke of every-day life.‭ ‬We must go into our closets and‭ "‬shut the door,‭ ‬and pray to our Father who seeth in secret.‭" ‬Then shall we know how power to resist temptation comes from fellowship with God.‭ ‬Then shall we know what a sabbath that soul enjoys,‭ ‬which,‭ ‬with open eye,‭ ‬looks long and steadily at the Divine perfections.‭ ‬With what a triumphant energy,‭ ‬like that of the archangel trampling on the dragon,‭ ‬does Moses come down from the Mount into the life of conflict and trial.‭ ‬With what a vehement spiritual force does a holy mind resist evil,‭ ‬after it has just seen the contrast between evil and God.‭ ‬Will the eagle that has soared above the earth in the free air of the open firmament of heaven,‭ ‬and has gazed into the sun with an undazzled eye,‭ ‬endure to sink and dwell in the dark cavern of the owl and the bat‭? ‬Then will the spirit which has seen the glorious light of the divine countenance endure to descend and grovel in the darkness and shame of sin.

It should,‭ ‬therefore,‭ ‬be a diligent and habitual practice with us,‭ ‬to meditate upon God and divine things.‭ ‬Time should be carefully set apart and faithfully used for this sole purpose.‭ ‬It is startling to consider how much of our life passes without any thought of God‭; ‬without any distinct and filial recognition of his presence and his character.‭ ‬And yet how much of it might be spent in sweet and profitable meditation‭? ‬The avocations of our daily life do not require the whole of our mental energy and reflection.‭ ‬If there were a disposition‭; ‬if the current of feeling and affection set in that direction‭; ‬how often could the farmer commune with God in the midst of his toil,‭ ‬or the merchant in the very din and press of his business.‭ ‬How often could the artisan send his thoughts and his ejaculations upward,‭ ‬and the work of his hands be none the worse for it.‭ "‬What hinders,‭" ‬says Augustine,1‭ "‬what hinders a servant of God while working with his hands,‭ ‬from meditating in the law of the Lord,‭ ‬and singing unto the name of the Lord most high‭? ‬As for divine songs,‭ ‬he can easily say them even while working with his hands,‭ ‬and like as rowers with a boat-song,‭ ‬so with godly melody cheer up his very toil.‭" ‬But the disposition is greatly lacking.‭ ‬If there were an all-absorbing affection for God in our hearts,‭ ‬and it were deep joy to see him,‭ ‬would not this‭ " ‬sweet meditation‭ " ‬of the Psalmist be the pleasure of life,‭ ‬and all other thinking the duty—a duty performed from the necessity that attaches to this imperfect mode of existence,‭ ‬rather than from any keen relish for it‭? ‬If the vision of God were glorious and ravishing to our minds,‭ ‬should we not find them often indulging themselves in the sight,‭ ‬and would not a return to the things of earth be reluctant‭? ‬Would not thought upon God steal through and suffuse all our other thinking,‭ ‬as sunset does the evening sky,‭ ‬giving a pure and saintly hue to all our feelings,‭ ‬and pervading our entire experience‭? ‬So it works in other provinces.‭ ‬The poet Burns was so deeply absorbed in the visions,‭ ‬aspirations,‭ ‬and emotions of poetry,‭ ‬that the avocations of the farmer engrossed but little of his mind,‭ ‬and it has been said of him,‭ ‬that‭ "‬though his hand was on the plough his heart was with the muse.‭" ‬Were the Christian as much absorbed in the visions,‭ ‬aspirations,‭ ‬and emotions of religion,‭ ‬it would be said of him,‭ ‬too:‭ "‬His hand is on the plow but his heart is with his God‭; ‬his head is in his worldly business,‭ ‬but his heart is with his God.‭" ‬Finally,‭ ‬let us be urged up to the practice of this duty.