Category Archives: Repentance

Edward Taylor, Meditation 26, My Noble Lord

19 Thursday Sep 2019

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Edward Taylor Meditation 26

Reference, Acts 5:31

31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

My noble Lord, thy nothing servant I

Am for thy sake out with my heart, that holds,

So little love for such a Lord: I cry

How should I be but angry thus to see

My heart so hidebound in her acts to thee?

 

Thou art a golden theme; but I am lean

A leaden orator upon the same.

Thy golden web excels my dozie beam

Whose linsy-wolsy loom deserves thy blame.

It’s all defiled, unbiased too by sin:

An hearty wish for thee’s scarce shot therein.

 

It pities me who pity cannot show

That such a worthy theme abused should be.

I am undone, unless thy pardons do

Undo my sin I did, undoing me.

My sins are great, and grievous ones, therefore

Carbuncle mountains can’t wipe out their score.

 

But thou, my Lord, does a free pardon bring.

Thou giv’st forgiveness: yet my heart through sin,

Hath naught but naught to file thy gift  up in.

An hurden haump doth chafe a silken skin.

Although I pardons beg, I scare can see,

When thou giv’st pardons, I give praise to thee.

 

O bad at best! What am I then at worst?

I want a pardon, and when pardon’d, want

A thankful heart: both which thou dost disbursed.

Giv’st both, or neither: for which Lord I pant.

Two such good things at once! Methinks I could

Avenge my heart, lest it should neither hold.

 

Lord tap mine eyes, seeing such grace in thee

So little doth affect my graceless soul.

And take my tears in lieu of thanks of me,

New make my heart: then take it for thy toll.

Thy pardons then will make my heart to sing

It Mictham-David: with sweet joy within.

 

 

The first stanza:

My noble Lord, thy nothing servant I

Am for thy sake out with my heart, that holds,

So little love for such a Lord: I cry

How should I be but angry thus to see

My heart so hidebound in her acts to thee?

Taylor meditates upon the proposition that Jesus has been exalted to give repentance and forgiveness of sins. The exaltation of Jesus comes upon the death and resurrection of Jesus, which comes upon the Incarnation of the Son of God. The reference to Acts comes from a sermon by Peter. The preceding verse in this sermon reads: “The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.”Acts 5:30 (ESV)

He begins with the contrast between Jesus – My Noble Lord; and himself, thy nothing servant. He condemns himself seeing himself so little moved when contemplating such a matter.  This condemnation for not responding appropriate to the knowledge of God’s love in Christ, is the primary concern of the poem. It is a bit of self-examination and self-rebuke, and thereon, a plea for pardon.

He prays for a heart that will weep that it cares so little for the goodness of God, and that such weeping will be received in sincere repentance. And then, having been forgiven anew for his sinful lack of a proper response to God’s goodness will become a present basis for rejoicing.

We see here, that those within the Puritan tradition placed a great emphasis not just upon intellectual apprehension but also upon due affections, that is, emotions and desires. As would be written by Jonathan Edwards in the next generation after Taylor:

True religion, in great part, consists in holy affections.

Jonathan Edwards, Religious Affections, ed. John E. Smith and Harry S. Stout, Revised edition., vol. 2, The Works of Jonathan Edwards (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009), 95.

In line two, the accent must fall heavily upon the word “out”; it is an imperative:

Am for thy sake OUT with my heart, that holds,

Remove a heart that holds so little love.

Hidebound: this is an especially useful adjective to describe a heart which cannot fill with the expansive joy and love fit for the occasion. The flesh and skin have closed about his heart and it cannot swell with joy.

Second Stanza:

 Thou art a golden theme; but I am lean

A leaden orator upon the same.

Thy golden web excels my dozy beam

Whose linsy-wolsy loom deserves thy blame.

It’s all defiled, unbiased too by sin:

An hearty wish for thee’s scarce shot therein.

The word “lean” picks up the image of “hidebound” which originally referred to cattle whose skin had grown taunt over a famished body.

God is gold; I am lead. Gold is celestial; lead is dull and earth-bound. He cannot speak in a manner fit.

He then turns abruptly to the imagery of weaving.

The cloth to be woven is a “golden web”. However, the poem’s “loom deserves thy blame” – condemnation.

The beam of the loom is dozy (slow, stupid).

“Linsey-woolsey” was originally referred to a textile made of linen and wool. But it was used figuratively to refer to something as being confused or nonsensical. The poet’s loom – his poem – is all confused and not fit for the beautiful garment which should be produced.

Sin has infected the process and thus the poem won’t go correctly.

This is critical consideration in the poet’s argument. Sin is not merely some particular bad act; sin is also a disease, a corruption of his entire frame. He is not a man who occasionally sins. He is a man who is constantly affected by sin. The sin is so pervasive that it affects his ability to even express the appropriate emotions.

To make this seem not so strange, consider a circumstance where someone witnesses a great horror or tragedy and yet does not respond with appropriate emotions. They laugh at seeing a death; they feel no compassion at seeing great suffering. We consider such people to be “wrong.”

Taylor is saying: this theme is far greater than any other theme I could consider. This should bring me to soaring notes of golden joy. But sin has obscured my ability. Indeed, it is a sin for me to not even care rightly about this.

Third Stanza:

It pities me who pity cannot show

That such a worthy theme abused should be.

I am undone, unless thy pardons do

Undo my sin I did, undoing me.

My sins are great, and grievous ones, therefore

Carbuncle mountains can’t wipe out their score.

I need pity in my state; and yet, ironically, I do not express the right pity over such a thought, that Christ had died for me. I need pity from you God, because I am in sin that I do not have a heart which expresses pity as I should. Note in the first line that “pity” carries the accent, which throws great emphasis on the word:

it PITies ME WHO PITy cannot SHOW

I need pity, and in danger of judgment “I am undone”.

Here, the irony intensifies: Taylor begins to mediate upon the forgiveness of Christ. He see that he does not have the proper affections when considering the subject. He thus falls into new sin when contemplating the forgiveness of his sins, which necessitates the need for forgiveness again:

   Unless thy pardons do

Undo my sin I did

A carbuncle mountain would be an entire mountain of ruby. (See, e.g, Hawthorne, “The Great Carbuncle”; Fitzgeard, “A Diamond as Big as the Ritz.”) My sin is so great that nothing in creation can answer for their debt.

 

Fourth Stanza 

But thou, my Lord, does a free pardon bring.

Thou giv’st forgiveness: yet my heart through sin,

Hath naught but naught to file thy gift up in.

An hurden haump doth chafe a silken skin.

Although I pardons beg, I scare can see,

When thou giv’st pardons, I give praise to thee.

 The trouble becomes more acute because even though God does give forgiveness, the poet’s heart is not fit to receive forgiveness. He is a “nothing servant” with a “heart through sin, /Hath naught but naught”.

I was unable to find any use of the phrase “hurden haump” except in this poem. What we do know from context, it must be something which would ruin in the finest of things (silk would be extraordinary expensive and rare).

Finally, even though he is begging for pardon, he realizes his heart will still lack the praise which is due or the pardon received.

Fifth Stanza:

O bad at best! What am I then at worst?

I want a pardon, and when pardon’d, want

A thankful heart: both which thou dost disbursed.

Giv’st both, or neither: for which Lord I pant.

Two such good things at once! Methinks I could

Avenge my heart, lest it should neither hold.

At best, when contemplating this theme, I am “bad”. But what if I am at my worst? First, I want – lack – a pardon. I need a pardon. And then upon receiving the pardon I need, I “want” – lack – a heart which will express the thankfulness due. I can only have a thankful heart, if you God give it to me. Therefore, he prays for both a pardon for his sin and a heart which will express the proper thankfulness in response to the forgiveness.

But if his heart will not hold such pardon and joy, he will “avenge” himself upon it:

Methinks I could

Avenge my heart, lest it should neither hold.

 

Sixth Stanza:

Lord tap mine eyes, seeing such grace in thee

So little doth affect my graceless soul.

And take my tears in lieu of thanks of me,

New make my heart: then take it for thy toll.

Thy pardons then will make my heart to sing

It Mictham-David: with sweet joy within.

 

He end with a call to weep for his sin:

Lord tap mine eyes, seeing such grace in thee

So little doth affect my graceless soul.

“Tap mine eyes”, put a tap in my eyes to drain the tears in repentance for my sin.  This theme was taken up by Edwards (although I don’t have any knowledge that Edwards had ever seen Taylor’s poems; however, Taylor knew Edward’s father, thus there is a basis to see a continuity of thought):

 

True contrition may be known by the principle it arises from, and the effect it produces in the heart:

By the principle it arises from, and that is love to God and the Lord Jesus Christ. The sinner, thinking of the merciful nature of God, thinking of his great compassion and pity manifested to men, he sees that God is really exceeding merciful and compassionate. He wonders that God should so condescend to the children of men. He sees that really and truly God has shown an unparalleled goodness and a most sweet, condescending compassion in that act of sending his Son into the world. He admires the goodness of God herein; he wonders that so great and glorious a God should be so full of pity and compassion. What, the King of the Universe, the Infinite God, the Eternal Jehovah pity man at this rate?

Such thoughts as these make him to love God, and think him most excellent and lovely, that ever he should be so full of mercy and pity, that ever he should be so exceeding gracious; that ever so great a God, that has been so much affronted by proud worms, should be so full of goodness and astonishing clemency as to take pity on them, instead of punishing them, especially when he considers that he is one of those wretched rebels whom He so pitied. This makes him to love this so good God above all things in the world; his very soul is all drawn out: how doth it melt with such thoughts, how doth it flow in streams of love!

And then when he reflects on his sin, as [on] his vileness, on his disobedience to this so lovely God, his proud and contemptuous behavior towards him, how he dishonored him by his unreasonable, most ungrateful disobedience—that ever he should be so ungrateful and so vile: then what sorrow, what grief, what deep contrition follows! How doth he loathe himself; how is [he] angry with himself! See the motions that the penitent feels at this time excellently represented by the Apostle: 2 Cor. 7:11, “For behold this same thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you; yea, what clearing of yourselves; yea, what indignation; yea, what fear; yea, what vehement desire; yea, what zeal; yea, what revenge!”

I do not say that a true penitent’s thoughts always run exactly in this order, but I say that they are of this nature, and do arise from this principle.

Jonathan Edwards, “True Repentance Required,” in Sermons and Discourses, 1720–1723, ed. Wilson H. Kimnach and Harry S. Stout, vol. 10, The Works of Jonathan Edwards (New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 1992), 513–514.

He then proposes a solution to his trouble:

And take my tears in lieu of thanks of me,

New make my heart: then take it for thy toll.

First, God, take my tears of repentance, since I have not shown the joy which I should. Renew my heart:

Psalm 51:10–12 (ESV)

10          Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and renew a right spirit within me.

11          Cast me not away from your presence,

and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

12          Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and uphold me with a willing spirit.

 

Then, when I have wept for my sins, I will rejoice in my present forgiveness:

Observe, gospel-tears are not lost, they are seeds of comfort; while the penitent doth pour out tears, God pours in joy; if thou wouldst be cheerful, saith Chrysostom, be sad: Psal. 126:5. ‘They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.’ It was the end of Christ’s anointing and coming into the world, that he might comfort them that mourn, Isa. 61:3. Christ had the oil of gladness poured on him, as Chrysostom saith, that he might pour it on the mourner; well then might the apostle call it ‘a repentance not to be repented of, 2 Cor. 7:10. A man’s drunkenness is to be repented of, his uncleanness is to be repented of; but his repentance is never to be repented of, because it is the inlet of joy: ‘Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.’ Here is sweet fruit from a bitter stock: Christ caused the earthen vessels to be filled with water, and then turned the water into wine, John 2:9. So when the eye, that earthen vessel, hath been filled with water brim full, then Christ will turn the water of tears into the wine of joy. Holy mourning, saith St. Basil, is the seed out of which the flowers of eternal joy doth grow.

Thomas Watson, “Discourses upon Christ’s Sermon on the Mount,” in Discourses on Important and Interesting Subjects, Being the Select Works of the Rev. Thomas Watson, vol. 2 (Edinburgh; Glasgow: Blackie, Fullarton, & Co.; A. Fullarton & Co., 1829), 123–124.

A Michtam (or Miktam) is a title, probably a musical notation, in certain Psalms of David.

 

“We want something inherent in ourselves to comfort and encourage us”

03 Thursday May 2018

Posted by in Hosea, Repentance, Uncategorized

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These sermons on Hosea by Samuel Eyles Pierce, published in 1822 are remarkable for their encouragement gospel grace. Here is a bit from the first sermon on Hosea 14:1, “O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.” The sermon ends as follows:

It is very delightful to go over the Scriptures in a way of believing, and consider how they most exactly suit all our cases. You and I, men and brethren, need the grace and mercy recorded in them, in our own persons and cases. We are the subjects of sin, and each of us have our personal and particular plague sores and maladies.

We all need continual light and instruction, how to apply to the Lord Jesus Christ, immediately and particularly with our guilt, and that even whilst it is upon our consciences; yet we find an averseness so to act, thereby making more of sin than we do of Christ; and because it makes a great alteration within us, and upon our minds, we conceive it must also on Christ’s.

We cannot think it right to go with a fresh contraction of sin and guilt immediately to the Lord Jesus; but are for praying it away, and getting into a better frame.

We want something inherent in ourselves to comfort and encourage us, notwithstanding the apostle says, If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins.

And the Lord in our text says to us, as truly as he did to his people of old, Return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. There are seasons, and cases, in which we never needed Christ more, and it may seem to us never so much: let us improve the same by going immediately and directly, in the exercise of faith on the blood and righteousness of Jesus, to Him, and that with all we are and all we have done.

This is the only way for us to be brought into an actual intercourse with Christ, when we are oppressed with our spiritual maladies. Let not the consideration of any thing we have done, or may feel, or be chargeable with, keep us one single moment from Christ. If we cannot say more than Lord save, or I perish, let us be thankful to be enabled thus to cry.

Samuel Eyles Pierce, An Exposition on the Fourteenth Chapter of the Prophet Hosea (London: L. Nichols, 1822), 19–20.

John Newton: How to Preach the Doctrines of Grace.3

17 Friday Jun 2016

Posted by in John Newton, Preaching, Repentance, Uncategorized

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III.  The Scriptural Testimony

Having considered the practical effects based upon his observation, Newton looked to the Scripture example:

But, not to insist on this, nor to rest the cause on the authority or examples of men, the best of whom are imperfect and fallible, let us consult the Scriptures, which, as they furnish us with the whole subject-matter of our ministry, so they afford us perfect precepts and patterns for its due and orderly dispensation.

John Newton, Richard Cecil, The Works of the John Newton, vol. 1 (London: Hamilton, Adams & Co., 1824), 175.

A.  Jesus

Jesus is unquestionably the greatest example of how to properly present the “Gospel”.

  1.  Jesus did not “tickle ears”

The Lord Jesus was the great preacher of free grace, “who spake as never man spake;” and his ministry, while it provided relief for the weary and heavy laden, was eminently designed to stain the pride of all human glory. He knew what was in man, and declared, that “none could come unto him, unless drawn and taught of God;” John 6:44–46.

Ibid.

2.  Yet Jesus did call to repentance.

Newton gives three examples of Jesus preaching which some might consider “legalistic” as opposed to “grace”:

John 6:27 (ESV)27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”

John 12:35 (ESV)35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.”

Luke 13:24–27 (ESV)24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’

These passages show Jesus commanding people indiscriminately to obey the call of God. To these passages, one could easily append others:

Mark 1:14–15 (ESV)14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

This example is especially appropriate, because it calls all to repent in the direct context of proclaiming the “gospel”.

B.  The example of the Apostles

1.No one can fairly accuse the Apostles of having a Pelagian view of human ability

Consider their letters. For example, Paul writes:

Romans 9:16 (ESV) 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.

John writes:

John 1:12–13 (ESV)12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

2.  The Apostles repeatedly called for repentance

There are numerous examples in Acts of an Apostle preaching repentance:

Acts 3:19 (ESV) 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

Newton relies primarily upon the case of Simon Magus. This is a particularly strong example, because Simon Magus was unquestionably an unbeliever at the time Peter calls him to repentance:

Peter’s advice to Simon Magus is very full and express to this point; for though he perceived him to be “in the very gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity,” he exhorted him “to repent, and to pray, if perhaps the thought of his heart might be forgiven.” It may be presumed, that we cannot have stronger evidence that any of our hearers are in a carnal and unconverted state, than Peter had in the case of Simon Magus; and therefore there seems no sufficient reason why we should hesitate to follow the Apostle’s example.

Id at p. 176.

The Spiritual Chymist, Meditation XIX: Upon a Greek Accent

02 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by in Biblical Counseling, Confession, Humility, Meditation, Repentance, William Spurstowe

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From William Spurstowe, The Spiritual Chymist, 1666. The prior post is this series is here.

Delphi (XIX)

Accents are by the Hebrews aptly called Sapores, tastes or savors that speech or [those] word without some observance of them are like Job’s white of an egg, without salt, insipid, and unpleasant. In the Greek they derive their name from the due tenor, or tuning of words, and in that tongue words are not pronounced according to the long or short vowels, but according to the accent set up on them, which directs the rise or fall, the length or brevity of their pronunciation.

Now, what accents are to Greek words, that methinks circumstances are to sins, which, as so many moral accents do fitly serve to show there just and certain dimensions, and teach us aright to discern how great or small they be. And he, that without respect had onto them, does judge of that bigness of sins, is like to error as much as a man that should take upon him, without mathematical instruments, to give it exactly the greatness of the heavenly bodies, and to pronounce of altitudes, distances, aspects, and other appearances, by the scanning of the eye.

Is this not the Scripture way to set out sin, by the place, time, continuance in it, and repetitions of it? They provoked him at the Red Sea, where they saw the mighty works of his power, and making the deep to be their path to Canaan, and the Egyptian’s grave. They tempted him in the wilderness, where their food, drink, clothes, were all made up by miracles. The clouds yielding them meat [their food], the dry rock water, and their garments not waxing old.

Does he not aggravate them, by the long space of their continuance in them, saying that they grieved him 40 years? Does he not number the times of their reiterated, murmurings and rebellions, and make it as a ground for his justice to destroy them?

Necessary therefore it is, that in the duty of self-examination, and reviews of the book of conscience, we do not only read over the naked facts which have been done by us, but that we look into those apices peccati, little dots and tittles which are set up on the head of many sins(the circumstances I mean with which they are committed) or else we shall never read that book aright, or learn to know what sins are great or what small. The fact and circumstances are both noted in the journals of conscience, though they be not equally legible. And he that is truly penitent will make it a chief part of his work to find out one as well as the other, as being the best means both to get the heart broken for and from sin.

What shame? What fear? What carefulness? What revenge will a serious sight of the several aggravations that meet in the interpretation of a sin move up and stir the heart of the sinner? Will he not say, what a beast am I to sin against so clear a light? To break so often my own vows, to defer so long my repentance and rising again? What revenge shall I now take of myself to witness my indignation? What carefulness shall I exercise to evidence the truth of my return? With diligence shall I use to redeem my lost time, who have joined the morning of the task and the evening of the day together? These, and such like thoughts, will sin, when it is read as it is written, and accented in the conscience produce.

But a general knowledge and sight of it, without such particularities, will neither make nor leave any impressions but what they are both slight and confused.

Do thou therefore, holy God,
teach me to understand the errors of my ways aright,
And by the light of thy Spirit
Make me to see that circumstances in sins are not motes, but beams,
and greatly intend their guilt — if not their bulk.
That so I may mourn for those sins which carnal men conceive to be but so many black nothings;
And abhor myself for those corruptions in which they indulge themselves.

Let me know

13 Saturday Dec 2014

Posted by in Prayer, Repentance, Self-Denial

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Give me to feel a need of his continual saviourhood,
and cry with Job, ‘I am vile’,
with Peter, ‘I perish’,
with the publican, ‘Be merciful to me, a sinner’.

Subdue in me the love of sin,
Let me know the need of renovation as well as of forgiveness,
in order to serve and enjoy thee for ever.

The Valley of Vision
“God The Source of All Good”

Paul Baynes, Brief Directions Unto a Godly Life, Chapter 24

20 Thursday Nov 2014

Posted by in Paul Baynes, Repentance, Spiritual Disciplines

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CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR: THE PRIVILEGES OF THE GODLY: STRENGTH TO AVOID AND RECOVER FROM SIN

  • As for the second, that it is, that the faithful are taught and enabled of God to avoid great faults and reproachful evils, this is plain for Scripture. Proverbs 19:23; Saul 119 10-11. And is seen it the examples Enoch, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, show; with others who for the time of their dear acquaintance with God, committed not any such heinous press passes, as work common stains lives in the lives of others.
  • By this so excellent and invaluable privilege, the doing of good becomes meat and drink onto the faithful, so that they can serve God even in a good and joyful heart in all things. Deuteronomy 12:18, 28:47. That they mind heavenly things without that tediousness which is seen in others; perform earthly business with heavenly minds; and always rejoice before the Lord.
  • And Still Perfection is not for Now.
  • Not that they have no rebellion; for they find strife always, and are in part led captive by it, that they might not triumph before the victory. Partly that feeling their own weakness, they may more wholly depend on God, and partly that their future victory may appear more glorious. But all this while, though many wounds be received, the Christian is never so vanquished, but that recovering again by the power of God he goes on with steadfast joy.
  • The Liberty of Repentance
  • A further liberty is that if a godly do by any occasion fall from their settled course into any offense, whereby their consciences are wounded and accuse themselves, they may return again on to God, with certain assurance of be received by him. 1 John 2:2. Without this privilege they are were but small encouragement for any Christian, because of our frequent falls.
  • Therefore the Lord does not only permit us to do thus, but calls and waits for it; yes, he is highly offended if we do not do so. Jeremiah 8. And for the effecting of it, he has given charge to the pastors, as in Ezekiel 34:3, and to others, Galatians 6:1. How great a privilege this is, they know full well who have experience of an afflicted conscience, to whom no tidings can be more gladsome than this, if it be rightly applied. It draws from such many thanks and praises, and so brings much honor to God.
  • Not an Encouragement to Sin
  • But this must be warily and wisely received, that we neither take occasion hence to embolden ourselves to sin, or to content ourselves with slight repentance; for God’s mercies must be instantly sought for, and then his favor may not be doubted of, as appears by the example in Ezekiel 10:1.
  • So that here are two extremes are to be avoided, that is, that neither we presume upon slight and shallow repentance, nor languish in desperate and unfruitful sorrow, but in sound humiliation hope steadfastly for pardon and say to our souls as David does Psalm 43:5.
  • The same it is spoken of actual sins must also be understood of dullness, idleness, unprofitable barrenness of heart; and such other corruptions which are wont to quench the work of God’s Spirit and to be the seed of many cursed evils. The Lord’s will is that from hence we should expect faith to give us strength to avoid sin as much as we expect his mercy to forgive sin.

God has Given us Means to Obtain Help

  • The very helps themselves which God has given to us to further our salvation are great privileges, and so to be accounted.
  • As that by prayer we may have access to God to break our mind, lay open our grief, and that with confidence. And that by watchfulness, we may escape those dangerous snares of Satan, wherein so many are entangled, and that we may in the end of every day make up our accounts with joy, to keep all straight. For onto these, suchlike helps, God has promised a blessing and we must by faith look constantly the same. For there is no fruit of the best helps if we use them not in faith. James 1:6.
  • These are great privileges, that howsoever many through earthliness, sloth, and waywardness, out of their hearts they be not so esteemed, and therefore either not used, or else formally or slightly, yet we should account the more of them: as being so glorious, that the dim eyes of profane persons could not behold. Praise God the more, who makes them so sweet and gainful for us, which on to many are very gall and wormwood.

The previous post in this series may be found here: https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2014/11/18/paul-baynes-brief-directions-unto-a-godly-life-chapter-23-2/

The sunshine is always sweeter after we have been in the shade

18 Monday Nov 2013

Posted by in 1 Thessalonians, Assurance, Biblical Counseling, Repentance, Robert Murray M'Cheyne

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To M.B., One of his flock who had felt deserted in soul
Peterhead, February 7, 1843.

Here is a model of pastoral advice and counsel to one who feels a loss of assurance of one’s salvation. While not the only possible cause for a loss of assurance, persistence in some sin will cause a believer to suffer a lack of assurance (for a further discussion of this issue, see, https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2011/10/21/a-cherished-sin-can-damage-assurance/). Note how M’Cheyne begins with kindness and sympathy. Even as Paul wrote kindly to the Corinthians despite their manifest sins (1 Corinthians 1:1-13), M’Cheyne writes to his “friend.” He weeps with one who weeps (Romans 12:15b). When a Christian has moved from rebellion in sin to sorrow for sin, when one has shown to be weak and fainthearted, the wise counselor will match encouragement and help for the weak and faint-hearted (1 Thessalonians 5:14) (If this had been sometime earlier in the progress of the sin, perhaps M’Cheyne would have been required to admonish this friend.).

Dear Friend,

—I was very happy to hear from you. I grieve to hear of your sorrow; but Job’s sorrow was deeper, and David’s also, in Ps. 42. If you cannot say, “I found Him whom my soul loveth,” is it not sweet that you can say, “I am sick of love”—He is my beloved still, though He has withdrawn himself and is gone for a time? Seek into the cause of your declension. See that it be not some Achan in your bosom,—some idol set up in the corner of your heart. See that it be not some allowed sin,—an unlawful attachment that is drawing you away from the bleeding side of Jesus, and bringing a cloud between you and that bright Sun of Righteousness. When you find out the cause, confess it and bewail it in the ear of a listening God. Tell Him all; keep nothing back. If you cannot find out the cause, ask Him to tell it you. Get it washed in the blood of Jesus. Then get it subdued.—Micah 7:19. None but the Lord Jesus can either pardon or subdue. Remember not to rest in a state of desertion. “I will rise now and go about the city.” And yet do not think that you have some great thing to do before regaining peace with God. The work on which peace is given has all been done by Jesus for us. “The word is nigh thee.” Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

The sunshine is always sweeter after we have been in the shade; so will you find Jesus in returning to Him. True, it is better never to wander; but when you have wandered, the sooner you return the happier you will be. “I will go and return to my first husband, for then it was better with me than now.” Hos. 2:7.

Do not delay, but humble yourself under his mighty hand, and He will exalt you in due season.

I have been speaking to-night in this place to a large and attentive audience on Zech. 9:9. May you be enabled to apply it. Remember me to Mrs K——, and also to all your fellow-servants whom I know and love in the truth. Tell N—— C—— to make sure that she is in Christ, and not to take man’s word for it. Tell E—— L—— to abide in Jesus; and tell her brother to take care lest he be a rotten branch of the true vine. Tell W—— J—— to be faithful unto death.

I have no greater joy than to know that my children walk in the truth.—

I am, your loving pastor, etc.

Robert Murray M’Cheyne

The Continuity of our Way of Thinking and Striving has been Interrupted by it

09 Saturday Nov 2013

Posted by in Atonement, Christology, James Denney, Repentance, Thomas F. Torrance

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Denney and Torrance make the point too easily based over in the presentation of the Gospel: one cannot both receive the atonement of Christ and be the same person afterward. To receive the work of Christ’s atonement requires death and life (Galatians 2:20).

The Atonement is a reality of such a sort that it can make no compromise. The man who fights it knows that he is fighting for his life, and puts all his strength into the battle. To surrender is literally to give up himself, to cease to be the man he is, and to become another man. For the modern mind, therefore, as for the ancient, the attraction and the repulsion of Christianity are concentrated at the same point; the cross of Christ is man’s only glory, or it is his final stumbling-block.

James Denney, The Atonement and the Modern Mind, 3. Thus, we cannot even begin to know what we mean of the atonement unless and until we receive Christ’s work of atonement:

the truth that there is forgiveness with God, and that this forgiveness comes to us only through Christ, and signally or specifically through His death. Unless it becomes true to us that Christ died for our sins we cannot appreciate forgiveness at its specifically Christian value. It cannot be for us that kind of reality, it cannot have for us that kind of inspiration, which it unquestionably is and has in the New Testament (17).

Torrance likewise explains that the atonement interrupts everything of our lives. We cannot simply add forgiveness of sin to our existing life. Rather, to receive the forgiveness of sins means that we have become something new:

Here we must recall that in the death of Jesus Christ we have a deed of divine intervention which sets our life on a wholly new basis…This reversal means we cannot think our way into the death of Christ because the continuity of our way of thinking and striving has been interrupted by it, but we may think our way from it if we follow the new and living way opeened up to us in the crucifixion. Here is a deed of unearthly magnitude before which we can only bow in utter humility–far from being able to fit the death of Jesus into our life and our own preconceptions or notions we face the demand that we should be conformed to his death. We can understand the cross only by metanoia, repentance and change of mind, which is correlative on our part to the ‘wonderful exchange’ or mirifica commutatio on Christ’s part when he who was rich was made poor for our sakes that we might become rich ….

T.F. Torrance, Atonement, 3. A child cannot be both adopted into a new home part of another family. A groom cannot be married and yet a bachelor. To join the Marines will transform a life. To come ot know the atoning work of Christ necessarily transforms the human being. When I think of it like that, I begin to wonder: How rare a thing is this? It is not merely moral renovation; it is ontological, psychological, noetic, moral — it is to be someone else.

Redemption is a Romance

02 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by in Discipleship, Jeremiah, Preaching, Repentance

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In his sermon on Jeremiah 3 (Jeremiah and Lamentations), Philip Graham Ryken lays out four aspects of true (as opposed to sham) repentance.

First, repentance must be wholehearted. “The believer’s relationship with God is a love-relationship. Redemption is a romance; true love requires an undivided heart” (56).

Second, repentance is God-directed.

Only acknowledge your guilt,
that you rebelled against the LORD your God
and scattered your favors among foreigners
under every green tree,
and that you have not obeyed my voice,
declares the LORD. Jeremiah 3:13

Repentance must be directed toward God. It must justify God’s judgment, “Only acknowledge your guilt.” Repentance is not based upon an argument that I am not so bad, therefore, God should forgive me. Rather, repentance says, I am so evil that I need forgiveness:

For your name’s sake, O LORD,
pardon my guilt, for it is great. Psalm 25:11

Third, true repentance is grace-responsive. The call for repentance begins with the offer of God’s grace:

Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say,
“‘Return, faithless Israel,
declares the LORD.
I will not look on you in anger,
for I am merciful, declares the LORD;
I will not be angry forever. Jeremiah 3:12

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? Romans 2:4

“[God] had every right to slam the door on your forever. But he is your loving, merciful, all-suffering husband. He keeps on welcoming you back home” (57).

Fourth, true repentance will produce obedience, it is “obedience-producing.

In Psalm 51, David prays out his repentance. He then prays that he will “teach transgressors your ways” (v. 13); and will offer praise to God (v. 15). John the Baptist instructs the people, “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matt. 3:8).

The Lord himself warned:

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:21-23

Thus, repentance begins with the grace of God, which brings a turning to God. In the turning to God there is a transformation: grace produces obedience.

Paul Baynes, Brief Directions Unto a Godly Life

13 Thursday Jun 2013

Posted by in 1 John, Biblical Counseling, Mortification, Paul Baynes, Puritan, Repentance, Self-Denial, Watching

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(Chapter three can be found here: https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2013/06/12/paul-baynes-brief-directions-unto-a-godly-life-chapter-3/)

CHAPTER FOUR: THE STAGES OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

            And yet these and many other suchlike are renounced as they come to be known of God’s servants, and resisted, according to the wisdom which God has given them; although and others there will it rain, and the obtaining of grace to this, as a special part of Christianity. Ephesians 4:22. So that he that exercises himself in observing his soul and shameful lusts, when he has been led away, deceived by them, which of them do most trouble him, and must often  prevail with him, and so by the helps which God has given him, to resist them, though but weakly and imperfectly, he need not doubt but that he is occupied in the godly life.

            Thus all God’s children do renounce and overcome their wickedness, though not all in like measure. Yet even the weakest hate and strive against sin, when it is seen and perceived. All are not so meek as Moses (Numbers 12:13), so faithful as Abraham, so continent is Joseph (Genesis 39); so zealous as David; nor so full of love is the woman in the gospel (Luke 7:47). Yet those that be behind others (so it be a truth that they endeavor) are not to be discouraged, for all believers have not their part of the same degree of mortification, some receive 34, some 60, some an hundred. Indeed those who are most of all troubled for being behind others, do declare plainly, that they love the grace that they mourn for, and hate deadly the corruption which they complaining cry out of. Now who do not mourn their sins, but rather willingly suffer themselves to be ruled and led by their lusts can no ways claim any part of a godly life. For he that is so minded, could not be but carnal, estranged from God, and a bondman of hell.

            Comfort for the Faltering Christian

            But the Christians that strive against those, and declined them in their measure, may stay themselves for their comfort on these three special graces.

            1. That they have a clear knowledge of their salvation.

            2. That they account it as their chief treasure.

            3. That they be settled forward in some plane in good course of life, whereby they grow in faith, and the obtaining of God, though with some striving.

            But if they walk destitute of any of these three, they shall be snared much with fear and unquietness. These therefore, must be earnestly labored for, being of all things most necessary to be learned of such as have obtained already to the knowledge of true happiness by Jesus Christ: for is a man knows nothing profitable of the salvation before he believes, so after he believes, he knows nothing profitably to grow on with comfort is Christian course, without these three faithfully and carefully looked unto that preserved.

            Why Does God Not Sometimes Give Us More Grace?

            As for the greater increase of faith, knowledge, strength against sin, comfort and suchlike fruits of the Spirit, sometime the Lord does withhold them, either because he sees them in some respect not to be good for us or the present (2 Corinthians 10:9), or else try us [to make a trial of our faith], whether we love them[1] so well, that we will seek after them still were no.

            But for the most part, if we grow not, it is most justly to be imputed to our own fault as toour own ignorance, sloth, favoring of ourselves and sin. Or, if these be not the causes, then it is her own timorousness and unbelief, fearing that such graces we desire shall not be given to us; whereas we ought to believe.

            Neither need we fear lest by believing this we should be too  presumptuous, for God has promised it, commanded us to trust in him. James 1:6. And if we fail not in using the means, staying upon the Lord by faith, assuredly he will not fail nor disappoint us; but we shall have grace to guide our feet, to rise when we are fallen, returned when we are stepped out of the way, and to walk in most sweet safety under God’s protection, all the day. Deuteronomy 33:12. And finally, our gain shall be such as shall cause us to marvel at God’s goodness, and giving us more than we have asked.

            Three Levels of Growth in Grace

            Objection: A question may here be moved how the minds and hearts of the believers are taken up usually seeing they renounce outward lusts?

            Answer: Their thoughts are according to their divers [various stages of] growth and ages, which are three[2].

1.      The highest degree as of old age, or the experienced estate which yet is not the perfect age of Christ(for that shall not fall us to the life to come) but a firm, constant, and settled going on to that perfection.

2.      The second is the middle-age in Christianity, in which as young men and wrestling, we have courage against our sinful lusts; but yet like on to them who have many foils, we are oftentimes cooled in our courage, though we sometimes prevail, ever-growing, though slowly.

3.      The third is childhood or infancy, the lowest in the last. That which is principally discerned by an earnest desire of the sincere milk of the word, namely, of the promises of forgiveness of sins; which although some of these dear children of God cannot with full assurance laid hold of; yet this their hungry desire after it (which cannot be satisfied without it) with a sensible fear to offend God, is a true sign thereof.

            Those of Long Experience

            The first sort our such as through long experience, and much acquaintance, the practice of a godly life, have obtained grace to guide themselves more constantly than others, and to keep within bounds. They are much freed from this bondage, and seldom so grossly succumb to a corrupt lust as others: which estate, though it would be aimed at by all godly people, yet it is not obtained but of such as have cost them their minds to the heavenly course, and to whom good meditations and thoughts to shun and avoid evil are become a pleasure; and who understand the content of the commandments so that they can discern the good from evil.

            Now those who have their minds usually set up on some one or other of the infinite [perfect, eternal] heavenly instructions, which from time to time [continually] have treasured up in their hearts. Whereby, though they be not quickened up [changed] as they have desired, or desire to be, yet they are held [back from] much evil. They often consider God’s unutterable kindness, of man’s mortality, the momentary estate of all things under the sun, the blessed estate of the elect, the endless woe of the damned and suchlike.   They are often beholding and meditating on God, his majesty, power, wisdom, eternity, justice, patience and long-suffering, and of his care for them.  But a great part of their daily thought is this, how they may have a good conscience at all things pleasing God, and how they may be prepared for the cross; also how they may hold constantly the profession of their hope onto the end with joy; how they may resist all occasions of evil; what lets  [hindrances] they shall find from without and within. And lastly, how they may order well their particular actions and their callings, that they may make a good account at the end of the day, and so at the last end [the final judgment].

            Thus the first sort are exercised, yet not wholly free from evil thoughts, and vain desires,. For not even Paul was freed from such. 2 Corinthians 12:19, Romans 7:24. And God will make them see their weakness from time to time, especially to subdue pride in them, and to hold them under.

            The Young Men

            The second sort compared to young men, are neither so experienced in Christianity as the father, nor yet utterly unacquainted therewith, as the newborn babes.

            These are especially occupied and fighting against temptations, and resisting unruly lusts. Joel 2:4. For knowing by the light of the Scriptures, or corruptions they have in themselves, they watch their hearts to urgently; they pray against their corruptions often and earnestly; they are always in fear lest they should be overcome, and casting [searching for] how they may avoid the occasions of sin. And sin becomes odious onto them, yet not ever [finally] overcoming [corruptions]. They are often unsettled and distempered; often renewing the covenant with the Lord to please him better; sometimes discouraged, but they rise again, glad to use all good helps, both public and private, and having prevailed against greater corruptions, are earnestly set against the smaller, and such is seem less dangerous, such as the idle rovings of their brain which do not directly so much carry them after evil as hinder them from good [3]

            They are continue to suffer from some infirmities. But God permits this that they may be more humble and not forget what they were in times past.

            And so we see that the second age and growth in Christianity is a striving betwixt fear and hope, sorrow and joy – rather than superiority over unruly affections. It is an estate standing in need of counsel and help, rather than fitted and experienced to counsel, direct and settle others: but the more sure they be of their salvation[4], the more expert they should be in the battle.

            The Little Children

            The third sort compared to little children, who hang up on the breast and do labor for knowledge of their Father in Christ, and desire the means of their spiritual nourishment. 1Peter 2:2. Their thoughts are taken up in these things, and their keeping themselves that they may not offend or displease their Father. They are cheerful while their small faith is held up by cleaving to the promise. And since they will be uncheerful when their faith fails –  they must be careful of two perils.

            The first is, lest upon pretense of seeking continuance of comfort, they neglect their lawful business; for Satan appears as an angel of light[5].

            The second, when they lack the comfort of assurance, they be driven to any distrust or desperate fear; for so the devil appears as a roaring lion.[6]

            These must grow daily out of their childishness, mortifying all such faults as are in them – purging such from them. With these children, the Lord deals most kindly, not showing them all their corruptions at once, which were enough to dismay them; or how many afflictions abide them [are in wait for them] which would likely overwhelm them.

With us we may see in these three degrees, have for the most part the purged hearts of God’s children are taken up; the weakest of which do far differ from the secretive hypocrite.

 

[1] Will we seek the grace of God even if God does not give us immediate ease from sin? Will we be those who will strive for holiness?

[2] At this point, Baynes plainly relies upon the threefold level of maturity mentioned by John:

1 John 2:12–14 (ESV)

    12          I am writing to you, little children,

because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.

    13          I am writing to you, fathers,

because you know him who is from the beginning.

                I am writing to you, young men,

because you have overcome the evil one.

                I write to you, children,

because you know the Father.

    14          I write to you, fathers,

because you know him who is from the beginning.

                I write to you, young men,

because you are strong,

and the word of God abides in you,

and you have overcome the evil one.

 

[3] The mere fact of constant distractions and thoughtlessness – while not evil in itself – create conditions which will later find fertile ground for evil

[4] This is a point made at the beginning of Bayne’s treatise: Security of salvation is a great means to give strength to our Christian growth. Now such assurance must not be careless – from the outside, but may seem the same.

[5] They cannot let their despair over their spiritual state to bring them to carelessness over their other obligations. If they fall apart, Satan will have an opportunity to take further advantage of them.

[6] Again, falling apart, Satan may attack them seeing that they have become so weak.