And what is the heresy of Arminianism but the addition of something to the work of the Redeemer. For instance, I read in one Book of the Bible, “The Spirit and the bride say, Come.
MISREPRESENTATIONS OF TRUE CALVINISM CLEARED AWAY
They contended for man’s entire depravity, the necessity of the direct agency of the Holy Spirit, and that the first step in the change proceeds not from the sinner, but from God. The stones of the great doctrines so fit into each other, that the more pressure there is applied to remove them the more strenuously do they adhere.
DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY
DELIVERED MAY 4, 1856
We say again, the Sovereignty of God is here displayed in the distribution of gifts honorable. He that believeth in Christ alone, and is baptized with water in the name of the.
THE INFALLIBILITY OF GOD’S PURPOSE
DELIVERED AUGUST 25, 1861
We will take the first clause of the sentence, “He is in one mind.” Now, the fact taught here is, that in all the acts of God in Providence, He has a
Yet, Christian man, thou hast not been without success, for “He is still :in one mind.”. Shall we be among that happy company who shall be led to the living fountains of waters, and all tears be wiped away from our eyes. for “he is in one mind, and who can turn him. and what his soul desireth, that he doeth.”.
ELECTION
Then :if you turn to John, you will find he is very fond of the word. He hath from the beginning chosen you unto sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth.”.
ELECTION: ITS DEFENCES AND EVIDENCES
IN THE YEAR 1862
Certainly it is so; it is meet true — God forbid I should deny it — but wherefore do they believe. I am saved, but I know it is not because of any goodness in me, and if you are saved you will freely confess that it is the distinguishing love of God that has made you to differ. Whatever may be God’s reason for choosing a man, certainly it is not because of any good thing in that man.
Once more, it is quite certain that, whatever it may be, this doctrine of election does not deliver you from your duty. Their creature passions may be impressed through the acting of the stage as well as by the utterance of God’s own servants No; there is something more than this wanted, and where it is absent all preaching is a nullity. It is not the clown, nor yet the archbishop that does the work; it is the Word that is quick and powerful.
SPEECHES AT HOME AND ABROAD
PARTICULAR REDEMPTION
The doctrine of Redemption is one of the most important doctrines of the system of faith. Wildly we dashed, many of us, into the very midst of the dance of sin. But, mark, we can never understand the fullness of the atonement till we have first grasped the Scriptural truth of God’s immense justice.
Every bone has been put out of joint by the dashing of the cross into that socket. The terrors of the law get hold upon me; the pangs of conviction seized me. Jesus Christ, we are told in our text, came into the world “to give his life a ransom for many.” The greatness of Christ’s redemption may be measured by the EXTENT OF THE DESIGN OF IT.
PLENTEOUS REDEMPTION
In the next place, all the possessions of the righteous which were lost inAdam are redeemed. In Jesus Christ we have something more than that; for we have the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, and sure that is even better than the image of the Maker, for it is the very dress and robe that the Maker wore. And now I come to the last thing that Christ has redeemed, though notthe last point of the discourse.
I believe that Sahara, the literal desert, shall one day blossom like Sharon, and rejoice like the garden of the Lord. God shall restore to us again, and even to the beasts of the field, the blessing which Adam lost. Think if ye can, how great that host who have already washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb; “and then think how many now with weary feet are plodding their way to paradise, all of them redeemed.
PREVENIENT GRACE
Can you not perceive God’s purpose in the apostle Paul, when you think of the singular gifts with which he was endowed. There was nothing in the traditions of the Jews which Paul did not know and understand. To serve God appears to have been the great ambition, the one object of the apostle’s life.
One of the evangelists says that it was “honest and good ground.” Now, is there such a difference between hearts and hearts. He was as careless of Christ as is the butterfly of the honey in the flowers. Whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely.” There is no sinner too black to be forgiven.
HUMAN INABILITY
Again, not only is the will obstinate, but the understanding is darkened
It is but the effect of the fall, that man should love sin better than righteousness, and the ways of this world better than the ways of God. And again, we repeat it, until these affections be renewed, and turned into a fresh channel by the gracious drawings of the Father, it is not possible for any man to love the Lord Jesus Christ. Is there not a clear difference between the giving of the will and the giving of power.
Clearly it is a divine drawing that is meant, a drawing by the Most High God — the First Person of the most glorious Trinity sending out the Third Person, the Holy Spirit, to induce men to come to Christ. Did not your closet witness your prayerful preparation for the hearing of the Word of God. Rejoice in the Lord ye that have come to Christ, and shout for joy all ye that have been drawn of the Father.
EFFECTUAL CALLING
Again, it was not only an affectionate call, but it was an abiding call
To-day I must abide at thy house.” A common call is like this “To-day I shall walk in at thy house at one door, and out at the other.” The common call which is given by the gospel to all men is a call which operates upon them for a time, and then it is all over; but the saving call is an abiding call. If it is Jesus at work in thy soul, he will come and tarry in thine heart, and consecrate thee for his own for ever. Zaccheus, make haste, and come down; for to-day must abide at thy house.” It was not a thing that he might do, or might not do; but it was a necessary call.
And if God says “To-day I must abide in thy house,” he then assuredly will. Zaccheus, make haste and come down, I must abide at thy house.” And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. It is necessary that there should be strange men to gather in other strange men.
RESURRECTION WITH CHRIST
You come first upon the vegetable life; but the vegetable is a dead thing as to the vitality of the animal. One of the saddest reflections about poor dead human nature is what it will be. The great object of the gospel of Christ is to create men anew in Christ Jesus.
In the language of the text, you trace it to God, you believe your new life to be of divine implantation. Suppose a man to have been dead, and to have been buried like others in some great necropolis, some city of the dead, in the catacombs. Whosoever trusts Christ has touched him, arid by touching him he has received the virtue of eternal life: to trust in the Savior of the world is be quickened through him.
FREE GRACE
The motive for the salvation of the human race is to be found in the breast of God, and not in the character or condition of man. His choice of Britain, in the election of outward privilege, is not caused by the excellency of the British nation, but entirely because of His own mercy and His own love. After Christ’s death, there comes, in the next place, the work of the Holy Spirit.
Now, the calling of the Holy Spirit is without any regard to any, merit in us. Now, this, I take it, is the meaning of the text; distasteful it is to the great majority, even of professing Christians in this age. From what we know of the character of a devil, the only motive that could make us do that must be love.
DISTINGUISHING GRACE
- Many of us differ from others in God’s providential dealings towards us
- Will you please, however, to think of other cases? Who maketh thee to differ from others of this assembly who are more hardened than those to
- But now another, the lowest class of sinners do not mingle with our congregations, but are to be seen in our back streets and lanes, and
- And now we will pause again, and think over another evil which stares us in the face in connection with every church. There are most melancholy
- Allow me one more contrast; once again let your gratitude go with me since you and I have joined the church how many who were once our
Some there are of God’s children who were once in affluence but have been suddenly plunged into the lowest depths of penury; they knew what it was to be respected among the sons of men, but now they are among the dogs of the flock, and no man careth for them. I wish that some of the stiff-necked gentry of our churches would at times recollect this. How is it that my heart is melted so that I can weep at the. recollection of the Redeemer’s suffering.
Our hearts had still been like the wild beasts of the forest, if it had not been for Divine grace. Who has led you to the stool of the penitent and the table of communion, who hath done it. What forbids those who open the doors at the house of our God, and who serve him on the Sabbath-day, from being door-keepers in the tents of the sons of Belial.
SALVATION ALTOGETHER BY GRACE
- The apostle in stating his doctrine in the following words, “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works,
- We next remark that grace is in this verse rendered conspicuous when we see that God pursues a singular method, “Who hath saved us and called
- When a speaker desires to strengthen his point and to make himself clear, he generally puts in a negative as to the other side. So the apostle
- My text is even more explicit yet, for the eternal purpose is mentioned
Who hath saved us and called us.” The whole tenor of the verse is towards a strong affirmation of Jonah’s doctrine, “that salvation is of the Lord.” It would require very great twisting, involving more than ingenuity, it would need dishonesty, to make out salvation by man out of this text; but to find salvation altogether of God in it is to perceive the truth which lies upon the very surface. Is not this according to the teaching of the Holy Spirit in other places, where he affirms over and over again that the alpha and omega of our salvation must be found not in ourselves but in our God. Our apostle in saying that God hath saved us refers to all the persons of the Divine Unity.
But shall any one assert that the stones of the edifice were their own architect. We next remark that grace is in this verse rendered conspicuous whenwe see that God pursues a singular method, “Who hath saved us and called we see that God pursues a singular method, “Who hath saved us and called us.” The peculiarity of the manner lies in three things first, in the. The substitutionary work which Christ has offered is not a certain proportion of the work to be done, but “it is finished” was the cry of the Savior ere he died.
