The Labours of Preaching — by William Gurnall.
In this labour there must be:-
1) The labour of study before preaching.
2) The labour of zeal and love in preaching.
3) The labour of suffering after preaching.
4) The labour of prayer to crown the whole with success.
Two Useful Pets:-
John Newton tells the story of an old couple of his acquaintance who were infamous in a small village on account of their constant quarrelling and bickering with one another. All of a sudden, he tells us, the strife ceased, and the couple were seen to live in absolute harmony and consideration for one another. They had, in fact, been converted by the grace of God to their hearts, and let it be known to the village – through the village gossip who called on them one day to ascertain the source of their new behaviour – only to be told that they now kept “two Scripture bears” in the house. The first was “Bear ye one another's burdens,” and the second was, “Forbearing one another in love” The names of their two useful pets were, Bear and Forbear.
Personal Piety – by Robert Bruce 1554-1631 past Minister of St. Giles, Edinburgh.
“May I count God to be mine, and may I say in my heart and conscience that God is a God to me. For it is but a general thing to know that God is good, if I know not that He is a God to me. So if thou in thy heart can say and be assured that 'God is a God to me,' that heart makes God to be the armour of it, to be the storehouse out of which it seeks provision. It converses perpetually with God, and depends ever upon His providence; it counts the presence of God when in bondage to be liberty; in poverty it counts the presence of God to be riches; in sickness it counts the presence of God to be health. Now he that may say, 'God is a God to me', will not run to man, but to God, and will depend upon the help of God.”
The Natural Man – by Thomas Boston.
The natural man is a spiritual monster.
(1) His heart is where his feet should be – fixed upon earth.
(2) His heel is lifted up against heaven – which his heart should be set on.
(3) His face is toward hell – his back towards heaven.
(4) He loves what he should hate and hates what he should love.
(5) He joys for what he ought to mourn for, and mourns for what he ought to rejoice in.
(6) He glories in his shame and is ashamed of his glory.
(7) He abhors what he should desire, and desires what he should abhor.
William Gurnall wrote:-
“Say not that thou has royal blood in thy veins, and art born of God, except thou canst prove thy pedigree by daring to be holy.”
John Newton wrote:-
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By whom was David taught |
'Twas Israel's God and King |
This Page Title – Bits and Bobs! A haphazard assortment of sweet-smelling truths The Wicket Gate Magazine "A Continuing Witness". Internet Edition number 104 – placed on line Bits and Bobs! A haphazard assortment of sweet-smelling truths Magazine web address – www.wicketgate.co.uk |