- Our Constitutional Temperament
I would observe farther, that our spiritual exercises are not a little influenced by our constitutional temperament. As you are only an ideal correspondent, I can but …
- On the Loss of a Beloved Pastor
Your beloved pastor has died, but he has only gone a little before you. We expect and hope to follow him soon. It will be a joyful meeting, when we shall part no more. In …
- Retire Like a Plentiful Guest from a Thankful Table
The calendar tells me that if I live until next Monday, I shall enter my seventy-sixth year. I believe you will pray for me on that day. My eyes, ears, and legs likewise …
- Is He Not Gracious and Faithful?
Let us suppose the thing we are most afraid of actually to happen. Can it come a moment sooner, or in any other way, than by His appointment?
Is He not gracious, and …
- Tokens of a Little and Narrow Mind
In effect, to be much taken up with the interests of self, to live upon the breath of others, to be full of resentment for every injury, and watchful to retaliate it; …
- Too Little Concerned for the Glory of God
But indeed, we hearken too much to the flesh — and too little to faith; we are too much attached to our own petty concerns — and too little concerned for the glory of …
- Thankful Guest from a Plentiful Table
Pray likewise for me, that no gross imprudence or misconduct may stain the latter part of my life — but that I may be enabled to exemplify in myself what I have labored …
- Exercise of Trials
And how are you to know experimentally, either your own weakness—or the power, wisdom and grace of God, seasonably and sufficiently afforded—but by frequent and various …
- Deplorable
The state of the nation, the state of the churches—both are deplorable! Those who should be praying—are disputing and fighting among themselves! Alas! how many professors …
- Poor and Empty in Ourselves
His own glory is most displayed, and our safety best secured, by keeping us quite poor and empty in ourselves, and supplying us from one minute to another, according to …
- Whoever is truly humbled will not be easily angry
Whoever is truly humbled will not be easily angry, will not be positive and easy, will be compassionate and tender to the infirmities of his fellow sinners, know that if …
- Sharpest Trials from Dearest Comforts
It is necessary that our sharpest trials should sometimes spring from our dearest comforts, else we should be in danger of forgetting ourselves, and setting up our rest …
- Observing Your Own Failings
The zealous Christian is strictly observant of his own failings, candid and tender to the faults of others; he knows what allowances are due to the frailty of human …
- Hot-Brained Bigots
There is little doubt but many, if they had the courage and honesty to speak out, would add St. Paul himself to the list of those whom they despise as uncharitable and …
- Helpless, Unworthy Sinner
If you can come as a helpless, unworthy sinner, without strength, without righteousness, without any hope but what arises from the worth, work, and word of Christ, this …
- Controversies
Controversies, for the most part, are so managed as to indulge rather than to repress this wrong disposition; and therefore, generally speaking, they are productive of …
- Newton on Promises in Affliction
The far greater part of the promises in Scripture are made and suited to a state of affliction; and though we may believe they are true, we cannot so well know their …
- Habitual Resignation
Let us strive and pray for a habitual resignation to his will—for he does all things well.
It is never ill with us—but when our evil hearts doubt or forget this plainest …
- Correcting Providence
So ready are we - at least, so ready am I - to want to recall the day that is past and correct the disposals of Divine Providence.
- Sit Loose on Their Opinions
People will find fault as they please, and it is a mercy to sit loose to their opinions, and let them talk on — provided we can do it in a right spirit.
I mean, from a …
- Merciful Silence
The Lord has mercifully kept us from the knowledge of each other’s hearts, any farther than we are willing to disclose ourselves.
If every man was compelled to speak all …
- Come Soon!
…come up as soon as possible; and may the Lord bless you upon the road, and come himself with you. … I long for the time. How snugly shall we sit and smoke our pipes, …
- Dirty Zeal
If our zeal is embittered by expressions of anger, invective, or scorn—we may think we are doing service of the cause of truth, when in reality we shall only bring it …
- Growth of a Believer
Remember, the growth of a believer is not like a mushroom, but like an oak, which increases slowly indeed but surely.
Many suns, showers, and frosts, pass upon it before …
- His Sufferings vs. Yours
But how different were His sufferings—from yours! There is no sting in your rod—nor wrath in your cup!
- God Speaking
Though infidels and petty reasoners will, doubtless, labour to persuade themselves that [’the late dreadful hurricanes in the West Indies’] proceeded merely from natural …
- We Cannot Be So Evil as He is Good
Well, when we have said all we can of the aboundings of sin in us, grace still more abounds in Jesus.
We cannot be so evil as He is good. …
In ourselves we have cause to …
- Our Insignificant Selves
We take it for granted that the Sun, the Moon, Jupiter and the rest are exactly where they should be, and move just as they ought.
But if we are content the Lord should …
- What Will It Profit a Man?
What will it profit a man if he gains his cause and silences his adversary, if at the same time he loses that humble, tender frame of spirit in which the Lord delights, …
- A Message from God
When I hear a knock at my study door, I hear a message from God. It may be a lesson of instruction; perhaps a lesson of patience: but, since it is His message, it must be …
- The Longsuffering of God
[The Lord] knows our frame and how to bear with us though we can hardly bear with ourselves, or with one another.
- The Humbling Effect of Life
If you walk closely with God forty years, you will have a much lower opinion of yourself than you have now.
- The Deporable State of the Nation
The times look awfully dark indeed; and as the clouds grow thicker—the stupidity of the nation seems proportionally to increase. If the Lord had not a remnant here, I …
- Could We Bear from One Another?
Could we bear from one another,
What He daily bears from us?
Yet this glorious Friend and Brother,
Loves us though we treat Him thus:
Though for good we render ill,
He …
- Walk Humbly
May the Lord enable us to walk humbly—and then we shall walk safely; to such he will give more grace.
- The Idol Self
Dear Lord, the idol self dethrone And from our hearts remove And let no zeal by us be shown But that which springs from love
- Heart-Eating Anxieties
We have liberty to express our desires to the Lord; but the more simply we can commit the how, the when, and the where, to his wisdom and will, the more we shall be freed …
- Our Part is Submission
Now that the Lord has made known his will by the event—our part is submission.
- The Lord’s Political Instruments
The instruments whom the Lord employs in political matters are usually such as are incapable of better employment.
- Impatience in my Spirit
I have felt an impatience in my spirit, utterly unsuitable to my state as a sinner and a beggar, and to my profession of yielding myself and all my concerns to the Lord’s …
- What Thou Wilt, When Thou Wilt, How Thou Wilt
Help me with your prayers, that I may trust him too, and be at length enabled to say without reserve,
What thou wilt, when thou wilt, how thou wilt.
I had rather speak …
- Malapert Discussions
What must the holy angels, who, with holy admiration, contemplate the wisdom and glory of God displayed in the gospel; what must they think of the arrogance of sinful …
- No Great Matter Where We Are
It is no great matter where we are, provided we know that the Lord has placed us there, and that he is with us!
- The Benefit of Trials
I have indeed had my trials, and some of them have been sharp; but their sharpness, as I have hinted, has been chiefly owing to my lack of faith and submission.
I have …
- Comfort from Sovereignty
When heavy trials in life are appointed to us, and we are called to give up, or perhaps to pluck out, a right eye—it is an easy matter for a bystander to say ‘Be …
- Trifles Once Discouraging
The hour is coming when we shall be astonished to think what mere trifles were once capable of discouraging us for though many things we now meet with have a kind of …
- Judgmental Christians
Conversation with most Christians is something like going to court; where, except you are dressed exactly according to the prescribed standard, you will either not be …
- The Patient Guidance of God
Indeed we may admire His patience towards us.
If we were blind, and reduced to desire a person to lead us, and should yet pretend to dispute with him, and direct him at …
- The Benefits of a Resident Minister
A minister, who lives among his people, who sees and converses with them frequently, and exemplifies his doctrine in their view by his practice, having knowledge of their …
- Jesus is Mine!
Jesus is mine! I’m now prepared To meet with what I thought most hard; Yes, let the winds of trouble blow, And comforts melt away like snow:
No blasted trees, or failing …