1. Church people, Ranters, Independents, Papists, General Baptists, Methodists, and Quakers, who believe in free will and that Christ died for all men, will find every thing in this book point blank against them. All these believe that Christ died for all men. Why? Because they have not the Spirit of God to teach them, and to open their understanding aright "to understand the Scriptures." "Ye do err, not knowing" thus "the Scriptures." (John Kay)
The precious Gospel of Christ, and the happy recipients of it, have ever been slandered by the ungodly world, whether the openly profane or the self-righteous Pharisee. They tell us that the Gospel leads to licentiousness; that if people believe in God's eternal election, and that salvation is all free, they then may live as they list; for if people are elected they are sure to be saved, and if not (as no good works are meritorious) they will be damned, do what they may. And this is the way the carnal heart argues. But the real truth is, they hold up to contempt what they cannot understand, for God has hid their hearts from understanding, (Job 17:4). It is not possible for any natural man living, let him have what gifts or abilities he may, natural or acquired, let him learn Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, and be well acquainted with the original text, let him have been brought up at Cambridge, Oxford, or what college or academy he may, to comprehend what the Gospel really leads to; for, "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned," (1 Cor. 2:14). (John Rusk)
Christ has not freed the children of God in this world from the temptations and assaults of Satan; even those who are free from his dominion are not free from his molestation. It is said indeed, (Rom. 16:20) "God shall shortly bruise Satan under your feet;" but, meantime, he has power to bruise and buffet them by his infernal injections and fiery darts. (2 Cor. 12:7) Satan now bruises Christ's heel--that is, His mystic body, by tempting and afflicting His dear members. Though he cannot kill them, yet he can and does afflict and fright them by shooting his fiery darts of temptation among them. (Eph. 6:16) (Edward Samuel)
Do you feel sin a terror to you? Look to your Sin-bearer. Are you afraid of death? Look unto Him who has swallowed up death in victory. Are you afraid of the wrath of God? Remember Christ endured God's wrath, that He might deliver you from it. Are you in darkness of soul, and forsaken of God? Look to the Captain of your salvation who was "made perfect through sufferings." (Edward Samuel)
As God, this glorious head of all principalities and powers, has life eternal dwelling essentially in himself; as God-Man, and the head of the church, he has everlasting life given him by the Father for all his people. This we learnt from his Own; gracious mouth. The words are these: "As the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself:" (John 5:26) (Job Hupton)
"I do not like that expression at all," say some; "'God's sovereign, electing love.' It does not fit into my idea of things." Very likely not, doubter; but we must recollect that your likes and dislikes are one thing, and God's will and God's ways another, as He Himself declares: "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, said the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isa. 55:8,9) (George Cowell)
‘What is the effect personally of every fresh glimpse of Christ? What the tendency of each renewed discovery of His love, and grace, and power? What follows some new opening out of His sympathy and tender compassions? What succeeds the fresh proof of His mindfulness, special interest, and gracious care? What, but self loathing and humility, coupled with a glowing admiration of His lovely Person as well as divine faithfulness, forbearance, and mercy? (D. A. Doudney)
FAITH is the gift of God. No man can possess a true and living faith until God is pleased to produce it in his heart. It is not merely an assent and consent to the letter of the word; for a man may believe with a natural faith everything that is written in the Bible, and yet be destitute of the faith of God's elect. (John Hobbs)
The gospel of Christ, described in the Scriptures, and published by every minister of the Spirit, becomes glad tidings to such, and only such as feel themselves condemned by the law and are made willing to be saved by sovereign grace. Until the Holy Spirit thus takes the sinner in hand, he cannot but trust to the works of the flesh for salvation, nor conceive of any better method for life than by obeying the moral law. (Henry Fowler)
The revelation of the good will of God in Christ, of the finished work of the Savior, and of the gracious operations of the Holy Spirit, which revelation is made by the gospel in its declarations, invitations, promises, and, encouragements, is the channel in which the water of life runs. Hence it is called “the word of life,” in opposition to the law, which is the ministration of death and condemnation. Therefore living children go to the river which makes glad the city of God, viz., Zion, where that river flows (Samuel Turner)
But there is a time of trial, and then, if there is no root the joy dries up, and with it the faith too. But our faith must be nourished with the dew—the showers of heaven; and it is most in its element when most exercised and tried with every blast of the enemy, and every cross dispensation of God. (W. J. Brook)
