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61. Come, And Let Us Reason Together
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord.”—Is 1:18 Here is a special people addressed, “a small remnant.” They tremble and fear under a feeling sense of their guilt and utter unworthiness; but God mercifully calls unto them, saying, “Come, let us reason together.” Some people think they are as good as any of their neighbours, and a deal better than most; and they try to thus comfort themselves. But unless God brings them to repentance and teaches them to place entire dependence upon Christ, they will sink into black despair. The Lord does not say, “Come pious, come virtuous;” but “though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow; though they he red like crimson they shall be…
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72 God A Father
“If I, therefore, be a father, where is mine honour?”—Malachi 1:6 We might notice that the Speaker is the God of nature, that he is the Father of all in a natural sense, that he is the Father of the Jews nationally, but that principally he is the Father of all his heaven-born children, and deserving of all honour. And what proof do you give that you honour him? Let us first consider him as being the Father of all heaven-born souls. What a field is open hero for our work. Can we honour him in it? He is their Father in his eternal council and love, in his personal election, in his choice of his children in Christ their Head,—the mystical body, the church;…
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Chapter 19: Its Relation to Saints – Part 1
Concerning Election Unto Life, Or Predestination As It Respects The Saints In Particular. Having considered predestination as it regards all men in general, and briefly shown that by it some are appointed to wrath and others to obtain salvation by Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 5:9), I now come to consider, more distinctly, that branch of it which relates to the saints only, and is commonly styled election. Its definition I have given already in the close of the first chapter. What I have farther to advance, from the Scriptures, on this important subject, I shall reduce to several positions, and subjoin a short explanation and confirmation of each. Position 1.—Those who are ordained unto eternal life were not so ordained on account of any worthiness…
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Chapter 20: Its Relation to Saints – Part 2
Position 3.—They who are predestinated to life are likewise predestinated to all those means which are indispensably necessary in order to their meetness for, entrance upon, and enjoyment of that life, such as repentance, faith, sanctification, and perseverance in these to the end. "As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed" (Acts 13:48). "He hath chosen us in Him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before Him in love" (Eph. 1:4). "For we (i.e., the same we whom He hath chosen before the foundation of the world) are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath foreordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10). And the apostle assures the same Thessalonians,…
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Chapter 21: Its Relation to Saints – Part 3
Position 6.—The end of election, which, with regard to the elect themselves, is eternal life. I say this end and the means conducive to it, such as the gift of the Spirit, faith, etc., are so inseparably connected together that whoever is possessed of these shall surely obtain that, and none can obtain that who are not first possessed of these. "As many as were ordained to eternal life," and none else, " believed" (Acts 13:48). "Him hath God exalted—to give repentance unto Israel and remission of sins" (Acts 5:31): not to all men, or to those who were not, in the counsel and purpose of God, set apart for Himself, but to Israel, all His chosen people, who were given to Him, were ransomed…
