Revelation 2:2-3

"Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou are rebuked of him" (HEBREWS 12:5). It is of first importance that we learn to draw a sharp distinction between Divine punishment and Divine chastisement - important for maintaining the honour and glory of God, and for the peace of min... Read More

Exposition of the Gospel of John CHAPTER 55 CHRIST GLORIFIED BY THE SPIRIT John 16:12-22 Below is an Analysis of the passage which is to be before us:— 1. The need for the Spirit’s coming, verse 12. 2. The purpose of the Spirit’s coming, verse 13. 3. The end accomplished by the Spirit’s coming, vers... Read More

Exposition of the Gospel of John CHAPTER 8 CHRIST AND NICODEMUS John 3:1-8 We begin with the usual Analysis of the passage that is to be before us:— 1. The Person of Nicodemus, verse 1. 2. The official Position of Nicodemus, verse 1. 3. The Timidity of Nicodemus, verse 2. 4. The Reasoning of Nicodem... Read More

PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY Part 3: Authority in Christian Practice Chapter 11 PRIVATE JUDGMENT It is our present design to treat of the right, the necessity and the duty of each person freely to exercise his reason, conscience and will, especially in matters pertaining to his soul. Every man has the rig... Read More

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." Let us begin this chapter by continuing our consideration of the acknowledgment of the prayer. It is to be reca... Read More

We come now to an apostolic prayer the contents of which, as a whole, are very sublime. Its contents are remarkably full, and a careful study of, and devout meditation upon, it shall be richly repaid. My present task will be rendered the easier since I am making extensive use of Thomas Goodwin’s exc... Read More

Having considered in the two previous chapters the supplicant, setting, Object, and plea of this prayer, let us now contemplate, fifthly, its petition: "the God of all grace… make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." The proper force of the Greek grammar would make the petition read like ... Read More

Spiritual Growth 10. Its Decline I First, its nature. That which we are here to be concerned with is what some writers term "backsliding"—a lucid and expressive word that is not employed so often as it should be or once was. Like most other theological terms this one has been made the occasion of no... Read More

The Doctrine of Election 3. Its Grand Original The decrees of God, His eternal purpose, the inscrutable counsels of His will, are indeed a great deep; yet this we know, that from first to last they have a definite relation to Christ, for He is the Alpha and the Omega in all covenant transactions. Be... Read More

The Doctrine of Election 9. Its Perception Thus far we have dwelt mainly upon the doctrinal side of election; now we turn more directly to its experimental and practical aspect. The entire doctrine of Scripture is a perfect and harmonious unit, yet for our clearer apprehension thereof it may be cons... Read More