Part 2

The heavenly Conscience never says, "_Must_ I give up this? _must_ I give up that" for this pleases not the heart of Christ.

Have I faith and a good Conscience? then I can leave everything to God—let Him give, or take, or withhold as He pleases.

A pure Conscience is a conscience so thoroughly purged by the blood of Christ, that it makes the soul, as it were, a mirror wherein is seen the face of our heavenly Father.

A tender Conscience concerning unbelief and its slightest stirrings, will greatly help us in our path of obedience, and in our walk with God.

We ought to be ever trying our Consciences by the Word of God, and helping our neighbours to do the same. It would indeed be a blessing to the saints, were they to exercise themselves in judging everything by the Scriptures. A child of God may walk unblameably in men's eyes, yet have little of the mind of Christ, and little of the spirit of communion: his Conscience may be in so small a measure guided by the word of God, that as to edifying others, he is little better than a piece of lumber.

The Cross of Christ

The Cross of Christ is the life of all true communion with God, and those who draw nearest to God best know the mystery of that Cross.

If the sufferings of Christ, who humbled Himself and became obedient unto death—the death of the Cross, be much in my heart, I shall see my worst enemy to be pride, especially pride of wisdom, and pride of righteousness. I shall charge my soul, as did the king of Syria his captains: "Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel." In my soul's warfare let pride be subdued, and every other sin is held in chains.

It is the secret of the prevention and cure of all evil to begin, and go through, each day, with the Cross of Christ. (John 6:56.)

The precepts of Scripture are given to guide the life of a Christian, and their claims are all founded on the Cross of Christ.

In the Cross of Christ is life; in the way of His precepts, liberty. Let us take up every cross that lies in our way—cut off the right hand and pluck out the right eye: the blessing must come down.

By the Cross of Christ the world is crucified to us, and we are crucified to the world; whilst we, through the Spirit, are mortifying the deeds of the body, we are gaining by all our losses, and have good success even by that which the flesh accounts bitter disappointment.

There is virtue in the name of Christ to make this vale of tears a fruitful, pleasant place.

He who most walks in fellowship with God has the deepest and truest apprehension of Christ. Such a one will love to consider how He who was in the form of God, emptied Himself of His state of pure equality with God; how the Word made flesh, at every step of His humiliation, above all on the cross, made manifest His glory. Of all the works of God, redemption is the greatest. It is only in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ that the perfections of God are fully manifested; and of that Cross we can have no true understanding, save by the Holy Scriptures and by the Holy Spirit of God.

When the Son of God had taken on Him the form of a servant, He could say, "My Father is greater than I;" but His obedience showed Him to be equal with God: obedience unto the death of the Cross was such as only the Son of God could be called unto, and only He could render.

From the sixth to the ninth hour there was darkness over the land; darkness at noon-day. In the proper natural course of the love of God the Father towards His Son, the Father's countenance must have been ever lifted up on the Lord Jesus; but Christ was the Surety of the better covenant, and God must deal as a sin-revenging judge with His own Son on the cross as our surety and sin-bearer: "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." The land is a type of Christ; and while from the sixth to the ninth hour, the course of the old creation was suffering, in regard to the land, strange and awful interruption, even thick darkness at noon, thereby was shown forth the greatest work, the greatest event of the new creation; God not sparing His own Son, but delivering Him up for us all; Christ who knew no sin made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him; Christ made a curse for us, to redeem us from the curse of the law. The mind of the Lord Jesus was at every moment one with the mind of God the Father; but the Lord's obedience grew with growing trial, and according to demand upon Him: it was on the Cross that He obeyed to the uttermost; on the Cross He made manifest to the full His oneness of mind with the Father. Now He dieth no more; as having once been crucified, and as having glorified the Father on the earth, He dwells for ever in the bosom of the Father, in the light of His countenance. By faith we dwell with Christ the Lord, and learn a little of His Cross: at the resurrection we shall learn indeed; yet evermore be learning—and evermore be praising the Lamb that was slain. Be it then ever present with us in our sojourn here, that Christ, through the eternal Spirit, _offered Himself_ without spot to God. So shall our hearts be full of the song, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Jehovah of hosts!" (Isaiah 6:3.)

Christ's _work_ is the light, life, joy, glory, and perfume of heaven.

There is no testimony to God's hatred of sin like the Cross of Christ. There are testimonies thereto above, around, and beneath us; but in the cross, and that only, we see to the full God's hatred of sin.

Christ _descended_ lower and lower, even to the depths of the Cross; but in God's sight it was a perpetual ascent to the throne of glory.

If with godly sorrow we would grieve for sin, we must regard it in fellowship with Christ in the light of the Cross.

The law of nature, the law of Moses, and a corrupted gospel, are so many refuges of lies which men flee to for salvation, instead of coming to the Cross of Christ.

The Cross of Christ is the meeting-place for God and the sinner. It is the meeting-place of God with His people. It is also the meeting-place of saints with one another: it is only as Jesus crucified dwells in the midst of them that they can meet each other to profit.

Mercy to Christ, my Surety, would have been death eternal to me.

In the Cross of Christ the holiness of God is perfectly revealed: such is His holiness that the heavens are not clean in His sight.

The Scriptures show us that it is by the Cross of Christ God bears with the ungodly. The justice of God is so magnified by that Cross, that it can delight in long-suffering towards the unregenerate; one great end of this long-suffering is the calling out of the church.

All the trials and all the sufferings of all creatures—were they heaped together—must not be compared with Christ's sufferings on the cross.

As the sin avenging God of holiness and justice, God forsook Christ on the Cross; but He was infinitely well-pleased with Christ and His death of atonement. God accepted the work of His beloved Son, and in token of that acceptance, raised Him from the dead.

Human Nature

The carnal mind ever lies in wait for self-exaltation, and will catch at any straw for this end.

Deceptions are recorded in God's Word with their corrections, that we may avoid them: if Abraham deceived, we find him corrected; if Isaac deceived, he is rebuked; and the deception Jacob practised on his father was visited upon him for almost all his life. If David and Jonathan had agreed to cast themselves only upon God, how much after-trouble would have been prevented! (1 Sam. 20 and on.)

Correction does not always consist in bitter things coming upon us, but it may be in our failing to obtain some higher honour, which, had we walked in greater simplicity, we should have received from God.

That is the hardest to bear which touches my pride; offended pride has no bowels, and hearkens to no reason.

Hurry is the working of the flesh; faith, like God, works at leisure.

Angels have no envy, because they have no pride. Is God glorified? angels are happy. Let the glory of God be our delight, our meat, our drink. Love envieth not: if one member be honoured, saith love, that is my honour, my joy.

Christ must be extolled and be very high in our hearts, if the unruly flesh and its wayward cravings are to be curbed.

Self-righteousness and carnal wisdom are ringleaders of the enemies of the soul.

We should deal with our corrupt nature as we would with a notorious thief,—never trust it.

The greater part of our sorrows arise from mortified pride, thwarted self-will, and anxious unbelief.

Pride has always an envious eye and an envious tongue: envy is but the vexation of pride.

It is a mark of true growth in grace and spirituality of mind, to be looking back and dealing afresh with God respecting past iniquities. The soul is greatly profited by a tender conscience dealing before the Lord with the sins of _early youth_. Defects of character, and feeble resistance of temptation, may be traced up to neglect of dealing with God through the cross about our easily besetting sins. Looking back and reviewing our past state will enable us to read the story of God's present discipline, and aid us in the present and future growth of our souls.

The gospel of Christ is a more open enemy to the pride of man than is the law of Moses. Israel received Moses' commandments with vows of obedience, but said of Christ, "Away with Him! crucify Him!"

The master-sin of man is independence of God. What is the cure? Christ the Son of God self-abased, even to the death of the cross. (Phil. 2:5-8.)

Naaman, the Syrian, was somebody in his own sight; therefore he was angry at the commandment which made him nothing.

If we think we are undervalued, let us weigh ourselves in God's balances, and we shall easily bear the slight.

The vauntings of self-exalting man are but the trickery of his pride, to hide his native vanity from his own eye and his neighbour's.

Man without God may seem something at a distance. Come near him; be familiar with him; you find him to be nothing. But "blessed are they that dwell in Thy house; they will be still praising Thee." Even now, while yet in the earthly house of this tabernacle, we find that growing acquaintance with God brings with it increase of reverence and love. Oh, blessed hope! we shall know as we are known; see face to face and be satisfied; waking up in the likeness of the Lord.

Many there are who can talk well of the truth of the gospel, but who, when called to self-denial, taking up crosses, suffering for Christ's sake, prove sounding brass and tinkling cymbals: knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth.

Absalom's vanity let his hair grow long; and his long hair did the service of the hangman's rope. Let parents hear the warning voice, and teach their children from earliest days to reckon the fear of God their best ornament.

Faith

If we act only because our path is clear of difficulty, this is not Faith. Faith acts upon God's Word whatever the difficulty; and to walk by faith brings highest glory to God; but it is a crucifying the flesh.

To be strong in Faith two things are needful,—a very low esteem of ourselves, and a very high esteem of Christ.

The chief excellency of Faith is that it brings us into fellowship with God. Abel—the first spoken of in Heb. 11.—is commended, not because of any great deed in man's account, but because he worshipped God acceptably. Nevertheless, if we trust God, there is no limit to the power of Faith, whatever the thing to be done.

God shelters the weak in faith from many a storm, whereby the strong in faith must be proved. (Gen. 22.)

When a man builds house or ship, he takes heed that no beam be strained; so God never overtaxes our Faith, but brings in comfort, knowing our frame, not suffering us to have sorrow upon sorrow, according to Phil. 2:27.

By neglect of God, and forgetfulness of His word and promise, our minds may become blinded to plainest things. Isaac, through self-will and allowing his natural partiality to blind him, would have set aside as nothing the purposes of God concerning Jacob.

When we are especially strong in Faith, we have especial need to watch against unbelief (compare 1 Sam. 26:5 and on, with 27:1)

for as the flesh takes great occasion by sin, so by grace; and no one who studies much that profitable book, his own heart, but must know it.

Soon after Abraham had greatly trusted God, he through unbelief denied his wife. Moses, the meekest of men, spake unadvisedly with his lips. David, the humble, forgiving man, was moved to proud wrath by the words of Nabal.

Faith, which always acts according to the mind of Christ, stoops to no unworthy device for deliverance from trial, leaving consequences wholly with God.

A little increase of Faith works great changes of judgment in us, and brings forth the otherwise hidden riches of the grace and wisdom of God: it stirs His power to do wonders for us, dividing the sea when the waves thereof roar.

Heb. 11:24.—Moses' first great step of Faith was the refusing to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Yet Moses mistook the time for delivering Israel by forty years. He was too hasty; right in point of purpose, not in point of time. He was not content with the bare doing the will of God; he would straightway accomplish some great thing. After leaving Pharaoh's house he should have asked of God further guidance. We need guidance step by step. "I (saith the Lord) taught Ephraim to go, taking them by their arms (Hos. 11:3).

Faith looks straight to the command in order to obey it, and takes the promise for her support. She pushes on her way, regardless of dangers. Moses must "go forward," though the next step lead the people into the sea. Whatever appearances may say to us, it is by advancing in the narrow way of obedience that we prove the truth of the promises; and the faithfulness, the wisdom, and the power of our promise-giving God.

We must not be deceived by appearances, but be sustained by promises. When Jacob looked upon Joseph's coat, which had been brought to him, he should have said, "I see the coat that is covered with blood; I _hear_ the report of the death of Joseph; but, Lord, I _believe_ Thy word—Thy promises concerning the greatness and the glory of my son: what Thou hast spoken Thou wilt perform."

It is a great proof of the strength and steadiness of Faith when, diligent in pleasing God, we rise above our obedience to God Himself.

Grace makes light of sacrifices, because of looking straight to Jesus.

Unbelief begets all sorts of evils; Faith prevents and cures them.

Would that the saints of God tried themselves by this test: "How much do I believe?" instead of "How much do I know?"

We please God by trusting Him; trusting His grace, His love, His wisdom; trusting without limit: but it is only by little and little that we come to account our own wisdom folly, and God's wisdom true wisdom—_wisdom infinite_; then we are able to yield up ourselves unreservedly unto Him.

Faith labours, and holds on, despite of all appearances, and in the midst of all difficulties.

Rather let us look by Faith to Christ at God's right hand, than at the mountain of difficulties before our eyes.

One of the best answers to prayer is to be able to continue in prayer. (See Matt. 15:21-28.)

Faith perpetually cries to God for its own increase.

All things that are within the compass of God's promises are within the compass of Faith.

Let Faith lay heart-sins upon Christ, and there will be no plague-spots upon the skin.

Faith waits upon God; but she waits also for God. Jacob (in Gen. 32:9-12) waited upon God regarding Esau his brother; but he did not wait for God. Had he done so, he would not have bowed down (33:3) seven times to his brother: Esau must have bowed down to him (27:29).

God delights in putting faith to do that which the flesh declares impossible. Oh, how precious a jewel is that resolute Faith which walks with God under all circumstances, wrestling against the powers of darkness, making no bow to the Haman of evil customs, or evil principles!

We cannot be losers by trusting God, for He is honoured by Faith, and most honoured when Faith discerns His love and truth behind a thick cloud of His ways and providence. Happy those who are thus tried! Thus saith the Lord, "Count it, all joy when ye fall into divers temptations" (James 2:3). Let us only be clear of unbelief and a guilty conscience, and we shall hide ourselves in the rock and pavilion of the Lord, sheltered beneath the wings of everlasting love till all calamities be overpast.

Faith can bear the test of death and burial, and can sing praises to God under any circumstances.

A steadfast purpose to trust God, when He seems to unbelief to be breaking promise, betokens a growth in faith. "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (Job 13:15).

God often encourages the weak in faith by giving speedy answers to prayer; but the strong in faith will be tested by God's delays.

The prayer of self-will may get its answer, as with the Israelites: "He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul" (Ps. 106:15).

Faith is the good cable that, stretched and strained, does not break in the storm.

Trial humbles the soul and enables it to bear the ripened blessing, and to carry a full cup with a steady hand. Faith is not discouraged, but holds on in patience, expecting the promised blessing in the fitting time.

What is the food and nourishment of Faith? "My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed" (John 6:55).

To take God at His word is the business of Faith.

Faith can never fail of the reward of perseverance: the Lord delights in persevering faith.

In trial of faith, let us take heed to our spirit that we trust God without stint. The soul's repose in Him is His delight; and He will honour it. Jehovah sitteth King upon the floods, and faith sits with Him.

Communion with God

God, in His dealings with His froward children, shows the forbearance of His love; but it is with the obedient that He walks in the fellowship of His love. In both cases He gets glory to Himself. Happy are they who live under His smile of approbation.

Fellowship with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Spirit, should be the daily household bread to our souls.

Unless the great truths of God's eternal purpose of grace, and His electing love, occupy their due place in our hearts, we must of necessity, more or less, misapprehend all truth: we can neither fulfil our obligations to God nor even duly discern them.

If we come forth from the closet of communion, the atmosphere of evil speaking will be to us as the tainted air of some great city to one that has been breathing the pure air of a mountain-top, or the fresh breezes of the seashore.

Unless our souls are living in communion with God, the scriptures will not yield us their strength and nourishment.

There is nothing so teaching as _walking_ with God; nothing so sifting to the heart and conscience as seeking in all things to walk before Him; to hear, to speak, and to act for one great end, namely, to please God, and to do His will from the heart.

The Lord guides us with His eye; that is, He will so guide us, as to assure us of His guidance. He will deal with us as a tender mother with her little ones, who suffers them not out of her sight.

There is no fellowship with God, but through the blood of His dear Son. It is by this He speaks to us, and calls us children; and by it we cry, "Abba, Father," pouring out our hearts into His bosom. And we can speak to Him as we cannot speak to human ear, because the heart of man is not as the heart of God.

We can never thrive except we seek God in secret; and if we begin in our closets we shall not end there, we shall also seek and find Him in the assemblies of the saints.

It is one of the blessed fruits of the habit of walking with God, that the soul knows what to do when it has displeased God. "A wounded spirit who can bear?" Yet, even that burden God can enable us to cast upon Him.

When Abraham first set foot on his pilgrimage, he knew not what meetings with God were laid up for him: he ventured on the bidding and promise of God, and his mercies multiplied on him as he advanced.

Whenever we are living _before man_ instead of walking _before God_, there will be restlessness and disquietude.

It is impossible for God to meet His saints in the way of fellowship, except in the path of obedience. When they are out of that path, He meets them with correction, in order to bring them into fellowship with Himself.

If we see the least trace of the mind of Christ in any one, we should remember that in such the heart of God delights.

Carelessness about the friendship of Christ is the crying sin of the church.

When we say, "Lord, bring us near to Thyself," we pray for many things, which, when they come, will be bitter to our taste. At such times it is well to remember our Forerunner: He asked to be glorified; but before heaven was opened to Him and He received therein, He had to pass through the garden of Gethsemane, and on the cross to cry, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?"

It ought to be a grievous thing to us to have a wish, however slight, contrary to the mind of Christ.

As soon as it is our _settled purpose_ to please Christ, He takes us for His bosom friends.

The more we have of Christ in our hearts, the less room for self.

How sweetly, how pleasantly, may a Christian beguile his way to glory, by casting all his burden of sin and care upon Jesus, and walking in love and fellowship with Him all the day long! He who casts his burdens upon the Lord walks lightly and happily, as one who has no burden at all.