Login / Free Registration

We apologize for the need for an account, but it serves to protect the integrity of the works and prevent their being used without permission.

Dealing with the Faults of Others.

IF we would wisely reprove the flesh in our brethren, we must first, after the Lord's example, remember and commend the grace in them.

Those who are much acquainted with the cross of Christ, and with their own hearts, will be slow to take the reprover's office: if they do reprove, they will make it a solemn matter, knowing how much evil comes of the unwise handling of a fault.

Let us begin by searching ourselves, if we would be profitable reprovers of others.

Much self-judgment makes a man slow to judge others; and the very gentleness of such an one gives a keen edge to his rebukes.

In reproving sin in others, we should remember the ways of the Holy Spirit of God towards us. He comes as the Spirit of Love; and whatever His rebukes, He wins the heart by mercy and forgiveness through Christ.

To forgive without upbraiding, even by manner or look, is a high exercise of grace-­it is imitation of Christ.

If I have been injured by another, let me bethink myself-How much better to be the sufferer than the wrongdoer!

The flesh would punish to prevent a repeti­tion of wrongs; but Grace teaches us to defend ourselves without weapons. The man who "seventy times seven" forgives injuries, is he who best knows how to protect himself.

If one do me a wrong, let me with the bowels of Christ seek after him, and entreat God to move him to repentance.

We partake in the guilt of an offending member of Christ, until we have confessed his sin as our own (Dan. ix.), mourned over it, prayed for its forgiveness, and sought in the spirit of love the restoration of the erring one.

If our tongue have been betrayed into speak­ing contemptuously or even slightingly of an absent brother, let us quickly say, Alas! we have wounded Christ.

If in love I speak to a brother of his fault, it is because I hate the sin. If I speak of it with backbiting tongue, it is self-pleasing that moves me.

If under the law, when the bond was only in the flesh, the Israelite must not suffer sin upon his brother (Lev. xix. 17), how much less should it be suffered under the Gospel, which binds the saints together spiritually and eternally!

The figure of the mote in the eye shows what skill and tenderness he has need of who would be a reprover to his brother. Who would trust so precious a member as the eye to a rough, unskilful hand?

The Lord loves to manifest peculiar tender­ness towards those who have been brought low, even though it may have been through their own folly. "Go tell His disciples, and Peter." (Mark xvi, 7.)

 

Evil Speaking.

WE shall not escape the tongues of others, unless we first escape from self-love and self-flattery.

No sword so sharp as the tongue.

Only the bridling of the heart can effectually bridle the lips.

The backbiter is one who maliciously speaks evil of others; the babbler does so through lack of the thoughtfulness of love.

 

Deep and Silent Work.

WHAT is most precious in the sight of God is often least noticed by men.

The work of the Holy Ghost is often most mighty when least of its power is seen by the common eye. Judas working miracles, and king Saul prophesying, were not such proofs of the Spirit's power as the tears of Peter after he had denied his Lord.

If we would be strong we must make pleas­ing God our business: then what adversary can harm us?

Before our knowledge can be of much profit to others it must become a channel of our own soul's communion with God in secret.

How needful is it to take heed to our ways, to seek counsel, not only of God, but of those who are faithful and prudent! Satan watches for our halting, and entangles us by little and little; questionable things first, then things plainly evil. Great sins may spring out of little trespasses.

That confession to others which is frequent and unasked, is seldom deep before God.

They are most alive to snares and tempta­tions who by reason of walking with God are most blameless: we rarely see the snare when entangled therein.

David, Elijah, and others, obtained victories over themselves in solitude, and there had power with God: when afterwards they came forth, how calmly did they undertake the greatest things, and how easily perform them!

How great a victory was that which Jonathan must have gained over himself, when he rejoiced to see David raised above him! He discerned the mind of God in David, and had so learnt to delight in God, that he did not see in David one who was to outshine him, but another faithful man raised up for God and for Israel. Not so Joab, who in hellish jealousy slew his kinsman Amasa. (1 Sam. xxiii. 17; 2 Sam. xx. 9, 10.)

To have nothing, and to be nothing, this is riches, quietness, rest.

 

Little Things.

WHO would have thought that from Pharaoh's daughter going to bathe in the river of Egypt would spring the deliverance of Israel?

The mind of Christ in us is chiefly to be seen in little things. To walk before God in the every-day matters of life, and to have our words and actions savoured daily with the name of Jesus, this is true holiness.

In the least matters what need there is of looking upwards! I ought not to write a note without looking up to God, seeking His help; for I can write folly enough in one sentence to cause myself and others disquietude for months.

Let us turn every circumstance of the day into an occasion of communion with God. Things of small amount will then bring us great blessings.

In small points of obedience are found the best test of the soul's state.

What great grace it needs to find no excuses for our little faults!-still greater to confess them!

 

Fruit.

GOD sometimes sends us a wintry season that we may the better bring forth summer fruit.

It is the way of the Lord to work for a season, as it were, under ground: and as the seed that dies in the earth, through dying, comes to life, so God will seem to cut off the hope of fruit of our labour; yet when we have humbled ourselves under His hand, and He has secured the glory to Himself, He will put forth His power and bring to life our buried hopes.

There may be much communion with God when there is but little comfort in the soul, and much fruitfulness when there is but little joy and gladness. We bear fruit when we credit the Word of God against appearances, and when we submit our will to His.

There is no security for our bringing forth fruit in time to come, if we are not bringing forth fruit in the present hour.

How often we fail and miscarry toward the end of a trial of patience!

Do not expect to make great strides at once in believing; or that deep sanctification is to be wrought in a day.

We can never be said to have outlived our usefulness, unless we have outlived our spiritu­ality.

We must first come to the withering of the flesh, before we can become spiritually strong and fruitful.

 

Christian Communion.

WE need one another; are dependent on one another-not as fountains,  but as channels of blessing.

When mutual intercession takes the place of mutual accusation, then will the differences and difficulties of brethren be overcome. (30b xlii. 8, 10.)

The infirmities of our brethren are fair occasions for our patience and long-suffering: let us have grace for each opportunity.

The hearts of true believers crave a fellow­ship which will last-a fellowship in the Spirit with each other, because of common fellowship with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

Humility is the secret of fellowship, and pride the secret of division.

If Christ be not the bond of friendship and of communion, and if His blood be not the life of love, how quickly may indifference take the place of warm affections, and how easily may close friends turn to stubborn adversaries, through the clashings of self-seeking and thwarted pride, or man's native fickleness!

In John xvii. and in Ephes. i. we see what the Church is in the sight of God in Christ-­what it ought to be in its ways; and would be, did we not grieve the Holy Ghost, which is given to us to lead us into all truth, and to glorify Christ in us. But the Church has not been true to her heavenly calling; she has forgotten her dignity; she has lost her strength; the grey hairs are here and there upon her, and she knoweth it not. (Hosea vii. 9.)

The fellowship of believers ought to be like the fellowship of the Father and the Son: any differences of judgment, therefore, which arise between two members of Christ about the truth of God should be a cause of humiliation, but not of strife, and separation. God would soon make His children of one mind, did they steadfastly set their faces toward the Mercy-seat, seeking unity according to 1 Cor. i. and Ephes. iv., v.

It is sweet to talk of Jesus with our brethren, the children of God: but how much sweeter is it to talk with the Lord Jesus Himself!

If there be but a shadow of disunion between us and any brother or sister, let us not give ourselves rest until we bring about a reconcilia­tion; let us search out what in our own ways may have caused the breach, and seek after a communion with our brother like that of the Father with His dear Son. We should, more­over, watch against everything in us that may wound or grieve our brother, so that we may be wise to prevent breaches of fellowship; observant of 1 Cor. xiii.; our ways fashioned by the love that behaves itself not unseemly, and which faileth not. Nor shall we be skilful to heal breaches, if we be not watchful to prevent them.

The secret of lasting fellowship is that Christ is the life of it. He maintains, rules, and sanctifies its mutual tender love and con­fidence, which will grow more heavenly the more we are like Christ, the more we abide in Him. When He comes in His glory, what joy will it be to remember former friendships, and see Jesus Himself, the spring and the stability of them all!

Suppose all the saints in a town met together in one place, with no outward sign of division; yet, if it were not the common aim to be of one mind with God, and with Christ, the Spirit would still be grieved by divisions of heart and judgment.

The communion of the members of Christ with each other is by the Holy Ghost, who, dwelling in them, gives them fellowship with the Father and with the Son. The oneness of mind between the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, is the spring and pattern of the one new mind that should be found in, and mark out, the members of Christ.

Unless we have a spiritual understanding of this divine unity, we cannot rightly grieve for the divisions of God's people. By looking into this glass, we discover the nature and the guilt of schisms and divisions.