William Mason
William Mason (1719-1791) was a High-Calvinist author. For many years he served as a Justice of the Peace, and in 1783 was appointed a Magistrate. He served as editor of the Gospel Magazine before and after the editorship of Augustus Toplady. He is best known for a morning and evening devotional entitled, “A Spiritual Treasury For The Children Of God.”
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Accepted In The Beloved
When Jacob was about to meet his offended brother Esau, he was greatly afraid and distressed. He sends a present to appease his wrath, before he durst venture into his presence. ‘Peradventure he will accept of me,’ says he. Gen. 32:20. Now his hope was not founded on the affection of his brother, but upon the favour which his present should procure. He was not influenced by love, but fear and terror; hence his expectation arose only to a peradventure. So it is natural for sinners to conceive of and act towards an offended God. Instead of believing his gospel of free grace, and confiding in his messages of rich mercy in Christ, we are prone to think of sending presents, of doing something to…
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Godliness Is Profitable Unto All Things
While under the law, we naturally think, for so much work, so much wages. God will be faithful to his word of promise, if we perform those terms and conditions he requires of us. Such are the notions of a legal spirit; they are the result of pride, they swell with a vain conceit of doing something to make God a debtor to our works; they are founded in ignorance, both of ourselves, and of the word of God’s rich grace and free promises; not one of which is made, absolutely, in respect to us, or to any thing we either believe or do; but only as we are in Christ Jesus, members of him, our blessed head. For ‘all the promises of God are…
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God’s Lovingkindness Is Better Than Life
Forsake all, and possess all; give up all, and enjoy all.This is the doctrine of Jesus, and the experience of faith. So we overcome the world, by preferring the love of Christ to everything besides. Most blessed enthusiasm! Really tasting that the Lord is gracious, truly feeling the comforts of his love, actually partaking of fellowship with Jesus, communion of the Holy Spirit, freely conversing with the Father of all consolations—how transporting, how ravishing to the soul! With what holy indifference does the enraptured heart look down upon the objects of sense. The gilded toys of time that so attract the views, the empty shadows of sense that so bewitch the heart; yea, life itself with all its comforts—what are all, compared to one moment’s…
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Walking In The Light Of The Lord’s Countenance
The psalmist alludes to the jubilee-trumpet, which was sounded throughout the land on the great day of atonement. This was an ordinance of the Lord. (Lev. 25:10.) It was a joyful sound of liberty to God’s people. A true type and just emblem this, of the blowing the great trumpet, and the sound of the everlasting gospel, restoring life, liberty, and salvation, to perishing captive souls. Has the gospel thus proved the power of God to the salvation of our souls? Surely then we must esteem it as the most joyful sound that ever saluted our ears. Joyful, that it is not clogged with any terms and conditions: joyful, that it is not, as some call it, a milder law, proposing mercy on easier performances…
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Redeeming The Time
Light and life are communicated from Jesus to his members, not merely to till their heads with gospel truths, as matters of speculation, or to make them fluent talkers about religion, but chiefly to affect their hearts, renew their minds, and cause them to be close and consistent walkers with Jesus. Without this we only seem to be religious; we deceive ourselves, and our religion is vain. We cannot stand approved in the sight of God, before men, nor to our own consciences. ‘The wise man’s eyes are in his head;’ he looks around him and sees the evil of sin, the vanity of this present world, that its gay pleasures, alluring pastimes, bewitching diversions, are the gilded bait of the god of this world,…
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The Everlasting Covenant Of Peace
The absolute promises of our gracious Lord are the foundation of faith, the encouragement of hope, the excitement of love, the source of comfort, and the spring of true holiness. Why then are not the children of faith always joyful in hope, ever comfortable in love, and constantly happy in the way of holiness? Truly, because an enemy hath sown the tares of unbelief in our nature. This evil root of bitterness continually springs up, and troubles us. It bears the most base, dishonourable fruit, respecting our God; and is most hurtful and poisonous to our souls. Little reason have we to nourish or to strengthen this degenerate plant, with the corrupt notion of those who deny God’s covenant love and faithfulness, and dare teach…
