True Unity Promoted

True Unity Promoted
delivered on sunday morning, january 1, 1865,
by c.h. spurgeon
at the metropolitan tabernacle, newington

“Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3

YOU will remember that for several years I have received my morning’s text for the first Sunday in the year from an esteemed Brother, a clergyman of the Church of England. This year he very kindly sends me this verse, which I hope will be useful to us all, reminding us of our former faults and of our present duty in the matter of “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Continue reading →

The Christian Pilgrim

The Christian Pilgrim

or

The True Christian’s Life a Journey Toward Heaven

by

Jonathan Edwards
(1703-1758)

Dated September, 1733

“And confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things, declare plainly that they seek a country.” — Hebrews 11:13, 14
Subject:
this life ought so to be spent by us as to be only a journey
towards heaven

The apostle is here setting forth the excellencies of the grace of faith, by the glorious effects and happy issue of it in the saints of the Old Testament. He had spoken in the preceding part of the chapter particularly, of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob. Having enumerated those instances, he takes notice that “these all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers,” etc. — In these words the apostle seems to have a more particular respect to Abraham and Sarah, and their kindred, who came with them from Haran, and from Ur of the Chaldees, as appears by the 15th verse, where the apostle says, “and truly if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.” Continue reading →

Go and Tell Jesus

Go and Tell Jesus

by

Octavius Winslow

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered him a prophet.

On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for them and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Continue reading →

Do You Believe?

Do You Believe?

by

J. C. Ryle

“God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish—but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Look at the well-known text which heads this page. Its words are probably familiar to your ears. You have very likely heard them, or read them, or quoted them, a hundred times. But have you ever considered what a vast amount of divinity this text contains? No wonder that Luther called it “the Bible in miniature!” And have you ever considered what an immensely solemn question arises out of this text? The Lord Jesus says, “Whoever believes shall not perish.” Now, reader, DO YOU BELIEVE?

Questions about religion are seldom popular. They frighten people. They oblige them to look within and to think. The insolvent tradesman does not like his books to be searched. The faithless steward does not like his accounts to be examined. And the unconverted professing Christian does not like to be asked home-questions about his soul. Continue reading →

Martin Luther’s 95 Theses

On the eve of All Saint’s Day, October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted his Ninety-Five Theses on the door of the Castle Church of Wittenberg, Germany.

Luther’s objections focused on the practices within the Catholic Church regarding absolution; he rejected the validity of indulgences, criticizing the practice of indulgences being sold with the intent of making penance for sin a financial transaction rather than genuine contrition.

Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses was the spark that started the Protestant Reformation.

Out of love for the truth and from desire to elucidate it, the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and Sacred Theology, and ordinary lecturer therein at Wittenberg, intends to defend the following statements and to dispute on them in that place. Therefore he asks that those who cannot be present and dispute with him orally shall do so in their absence by letter. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

  1.  When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said “Repent”, He called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.
  2. The word cannot be properly understood as referring to the sacrament of penance, i.e. confession and satisfaction, as administered by the clergy.
  3. Yet its meaning is not restricted to repentance in one’s heart; for such repentance is null unless it produces outward signs in various mortifications of the flesh.
  4. As long as hatred of self abides (i.e. true inward repentance) the penalty of sin abides, viz., until we enter the kingdom of heaven.   Continue reading →

Sovereignty and Responsibility

NOTES OF

A SERMON

DELIVERED BY

Rev. BASIL MANLY, D.D.

AT

PLEASANT GROVE CHURCH
FAYETTE CO., ALA.

APRIL 8th, 1849

Philippians 2: 12, 13. “Work out your own salvation, with fear and trembling; for it is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do, of his good pleasure.”

To understand any passage of scripture, we must know to whom it is addressed. This is obviously addressed, in common with the whole epistle, to believers;–“to all saints in Christ Jesus, which are in Philippi.” The beginning of the 12th verse, in which our text commences, implies this. “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed; not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence; work out,” The terms, therefore, may be readily understood.

He could not mean, by working out our own salvation, devising the plan;–that is the Father’s work, and was done long ago. Not redemption or justification;–these were the Son’s work, and were accomplished in that one offering, completed when he said ‘it is finished,’ and went to plead that finished sacrifice before the throne of God. Not regeneration;–that is the Spirit’s work, and is evidently supposed to have been already wrought in those very persons;–they were saved-saints–so far, therefore, as regards regeneration, and sanctification, (in part at least,) salvation was already wrought in them. Continue reading →

A Call to Prayer

A CALL TO PRAYER

J.C. Ryle, 1878

“Men ought always to pray.” Luke 18:1

“I will that men pray everywhere.” 1 Timothy 2:1

I have a question to offer you. It is contained in three words, DO YOU PRAY?

The question is one that none but you can answer. Whether you attend public worship or not — your minister knows. Whether you have family prayers or not — your relations know. But whether you pray in private or not — is a matter between yourself and God.

I beseech you in all affection, to attend to the subject which I bring before you. Do not say that my question is too close. If your heart is right in the sight of God, there is nothing in it to make you afraid. Do not turn off my question by replying that you say your prayers. It is one thing to say your prayers — and another to really pray. Do not tell me that my question is not necessary. Listen to me for a few minutes, and I will show you good reason for asking it. Continue reading →