Tuesday, September 29, 2009

The Psalms are for Christians!

"It hath been pretended, that the language and manner of these Psalms are not suited to the spiritual nature of our Gospel-worship. That, however, may as well be urged against the reading of them, as against the singing of them: nay, against the reading of a great part of the Old Testament in our Christian worship. It is certain, many passages in the Book of Psalms, or of other Scripture songs, are expressive of the exercises of faith, repentance, love, or the like graces, which still remain of the same form as under the Old Testament. The predictions are either accomplished, and so may be sung to the honour of God's mercy and faithfulness; or, if not accomplished, may be sung in the hopes that God will accomplish them in his time. The history of what God did for his Jewish servants and church, may be sung with admiration of his love, wisdom, power, and grace therein manifested. It is further to be considered, that much of what related to David, or the Jewish church, was typical of the character and concerns of Jesus Christ, and of the Gospel church; and so ought to be sung with a special application thereto." John Brown, Preface to The Psalms of David in Metre

Monday, September 28, 2009

Henry on Perpetual Peace

"Those that trust in God must have their minds stayed upon him, must trust him at all times, under all events, must firmly and faithfully adhere to him, with an entire satisfaction in him; and such as do so God will keep in perpetual peace, and that peace shall keep them."

M. Henry commentary on Isa 26:3

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Eden Growing up!!!




Setting Forth the Love of Jesus

"O you who have found Jesus Christ assisting you, and supporting you under all the temptations of this life, will you forsake him? Have you not found him a gracious master? Is he not the chiefest of ten thousand, and altogether lovely? Now you see a form and comeliness in Christ, which you never saw before. O! how do you and I wish we had known Jesus sooner, and that we had more of his love; it is condescending love, it is amazing, it is forgiving love, it is dying love, it is exalted and interceding love, and it is glorified love. Methinks when I am talking of the love of Jesus Christ, who loved me before I love him; he saw us polluted in blood, full of sores, a slave to sin, to death and hell, running to destruction, then he passed by me, and said unto my soul, "Live;" he snatched me as a brand plucked from the burning. It was love that saved me, it was all of the free grace of God, and that only. The little experience I have had of this love, makes me amazed at the condescension, the love, and mercifulness of the blessed Jesus, that he should have mercy upon such a wretch. O, my brethren, the kingdom of God is within me, and this fills me so full of love, that I would not be in my natural state again, not for millions of millions of worlds; I long to be with Jesus, to live with the Lord that bought me, to live forever with the Lamb that was slain, and to sing Hallelujah's unto him. Eternity itself will be too short to set forth the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. I cannot, indeed I cannot forbear speaking again, and again, and again, of the Lord Jesus." - George Whitefield 'Sermon 19: Christ the Support of the Tempted'