Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

16: 29. He came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? - 33. And he took them the same hour of the night,... and was baptized, he and all his.

2 Sam. 12: 5. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, as the LORD liveth, the man that has done this thing shall surely die. And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

And Nathan said unto David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul: and I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and Judah, ... wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD to do evil in his sight? -13. And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, God hath also put away thy sin. Thou shalt not die; howbeit because by this thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child that is born unto thee shall surely die.

II. The Convicted Sinner.

JOB 6 4. The arrows of the Almighty are in me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit. The terrors of the LORD do set themselves in array against me.

7: 20. I have sinned, what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men!-13. When I say, My bed shall comfort me, there thou scarest me with dreams and terrifiest me through visions, so that my soul chooseth strangling and death, rather than life.

Ps. 38: 1. O LORD rebuke me not in thy wrath; neither chasten me in thy sore displeasure; for thine arrows stick fast in me; and thy hand presseth me sore: there is no soundness in my flesh, because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones, because of my sin; for mine iniquities have gone over my head, as an heavy burthen; they are too heavy for me.

55: 4. My heart is sore pained

within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me: fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.

130: 3. If thou, LORD, shouldst mark iniquities, O LORD, who shall stand!

139: 1. O LORD, thou hast searched me and known me - Thou understandest my thoughts afar off. — There is not a word in my tongue but, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.... Whither shall I go from thy Spirit, and whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend into heaven, thou art there. If I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the earth, even there shall thy hand lead me.... If I say, Surely darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee, but the light shineth as the day. The darkness and the light are both alike unto thee.

PROV. 5: 12. How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof. I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear unto them that instructed

me.

LAM. 3: 2. He hath brought me into darkness, but not into light.... He set me in dark places.... Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer. - 12. He hath bent his bow and set me as a mark for

the arrow.... .... He hath filled me with bitterness. 18. And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD, 21. This I recall to my mind ; therefore have I hope; it is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed; because his compassions fail not.... The LORD is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I trust in him.

LUKE 5: 8. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

T GEN. 42: 21. And they said, one to another, we are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

44: 16. And Judah said, What

shall we say unto my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants.

And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him, for they were troubled at his presence.

Ps. 77: 3. I remembered God, and was troubled.

II. Language of the Penitent.

Ps. 51: 1. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness, according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions; wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin; for I acknowledge my transgression, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight. ... Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.

LAM. 3: 40. Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. Let us lift up our heart with our hands to God in the heavens. We have transgressed and have rebelled. Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people. Mine eye trickleth down and ceaseth not, without any intermission, till the LORD look down and behold from heaven.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

JONAH 1: 15. So they took up Jonah and cast him forth into the sea, and the sea ceased from her raging.

2: 1. Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD out of the fish's belly, and said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD and he heard me.... I said I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.-7. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD.-9. I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that, that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD! And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited up Jonah upon dry land.

LUKE 15: 17. And when he came to himself, he said," How many hired

servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy

son....

But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.

18: 13. The publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

Ps. 69: 1. Save ine, O God, for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing. I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

IV. The Convert.

Ps. 116: 1. I love the LORD because he hath heard my voice and my supplication; because he hath inclined his ear unto me and heard me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me. I found trouble and anguish. Then called I upon the name of the LORD. O LORD, I beseech thee deliver my soul.... Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee....What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits towards me? I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.

ISA. 12: 1. O LORD, I will praise thee; though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. Behold God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid for the

LORD, Jehovah, is my strength and my song: he also is become my salvation... Praise the LORD; call upon his name; declare his doings among the people; make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the LORD, for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

38: 17. Behold for peace I had great bitterness; but thou hast, in love to my soul, delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sin behind thy back... The LORD was ready to save me.

CHAPTER II.

FAITH.

§ 1. FAITH REquired. JOHN 8: 24. If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. ROM. 14: 23. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

2 THES. 2: 10. They received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. For this cause God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned, who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

HEB. 4: 2. The word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

44 22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins. Return unto me, for I have redeemed thee. Sing, O ye heavens, for the LORD hath 10: 38. The just shall live by done it. Shout, ye lower parts of faith; but if any man draw back, my the earth break forth into sing-soul shall have no pleasure in him. ing, ye mountains; the forest, and every tree therein.

61 10. I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation; he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

ISA. 12: 1. O LORD, I will praise thee though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee."

...

But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe, to the saving of the soul.

in

REV. 21: 8. The fearful and unbelieving... shall have their part the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

MARK 16: 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: he that believeth not shall be damned.

JOHN 1: 12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

:

3: 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

5 24. He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.

6 27. Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you for him hath God the Father sealed. Then said they unto him, what shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye

believe on him whom he hath sent. -47. He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

7: 37. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive; for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

17: 3. This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.

Acts 16: 30. Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

T ROM. 3: 27. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law of works? Nay; but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude, that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the GENTILES? Yes, of the Gentiles also: seeing it is one God which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid yea, we establish the law.

4: 1. What shall we then say that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. (Gen. 15: 6.) Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righeousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord

will not impute sin. (Ps. 32: 1.) → 13. For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect. Because the law worketh wrath : for where no law is there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed: not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, (as it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) (Gen. 17: 4.) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not, as though they were. hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations. -20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded, that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now, it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Who against

¶ 5: 1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

10: 5. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. (Lev. 18: 5.) But the righteous which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (Deut. 30: 12.) (that is to bring Christ down from above:) or Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: (Deut. 30: 14.) that is the word of faith, which we

preach. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (For with the heart, man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.) For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Isa. 28: 16.)

11: 21. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God! on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.

HEB. 3: 12. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, (for we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end; while it is said, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit, not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

And

[blocks in formation]

fore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall, after the same example of unbelief.

11: 6. Without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

1 JOHN 3:23. This is God's commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ.

ACTS 8:36. See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.

2 Cor. 5: 7. We walk by faith, not by sight.

4: 18. We look not at the things which are seen and are temporal; but at the things which are not seen and are eternal.

§ 2. TRUE FAITH DESCRIBED.

JAMES 2: 14. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness, and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out

« ÎnapoiContinuă »