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The Lord’s Way In The Sea
This was a discovery experimentally made and feelingly expressed by David in a time of great trouble. This trouble was very complicated. We learn from the second verse of the Psalm it was bodily and painful; from the fourth, that it was accompanied by sleepless nights; from the third, that it was soul trouble, and overwhelmed his spirit; and from other verses, that it brought him to the border of despair, and led him to ask, "Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will He be favourable no more?" and other similar questions. By-and-bye he further discovered that making such petulant inquiries was an infirmity of his, and he found his mind drawn from such doleful repinings to a contemplation of God's sovereignty, in…
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God Moves In A Mysterious Way
The Apostle Paul instructed the believers at Colosse to teach and admonish one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. That is what I hope to do by explaining the meaning of this hymn, against the backdrop of the Framework of Sovereign Grace.
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Providence And grace
My Beloved Brethren:—Our God is the God of Providence, as he is the God of grace. His revealed word of truth in the Bible abundantly shows this, and it is also fully confirmed and clearly seen in his works of creation. For in all the universe of created existence and being infinite intelligence presides and omnipotent power controls, subjecting all to decreed orbits and limits, and directing all to ordained ends – the glory of the Creator. Were it not so, then God should be defeated, disappointed and frustrated in his infinite design and eternal purpose in his handiworks in the universe. But this cannot be. “The heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and…
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Predestination
Beloved Brethren:—Predestination is a prerogative of all intelligent beings, and God possesses it pre-eminently and infinitely, because he is infinite in all his perfections or attributes, while all others are finite and limited. But the Almighty is unlimited. These are primary and self-evident truths. It would be impious folly in a creature to try to limit the infinite Creator. Speak we of knowledge, wisdom, counsel, purpose, power, truth, holiness, goodness – God is infinite in all these, as in all else. “God is in one mind, and none can turn him.” “I am the Lord, I change not.” Immutability belongs to Jehovah only. This places him above and independent of all outside and creature influence and control. God knows no will except his own. The…
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The Eternal Purpose
Beloved Brethren In Christ:—The only true God is the God of purpose, as he has so fully revealed in the Scriptures, and it is impressed upon me to write to you upon this sublime theme, in humble dependence upon him. Text: “The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.” (Isa 14:24) Now, the fulfillment of this solemn oath of Jehovah depends upon his attributes of omniscience, omnipotence and immutability, all of which are fully declared in his sacred oracles, and to deny these absolute attributes is to deny his Godhead, which is open infidelity. The Almighty cannot be limited in any attribute or perfection of his…
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Foreknowledge And Permission
Beloved Editors And Brethren:—A reverential and scriptural inquiry into the revealed attributes and purposes of the eternal God, who is at once infinitely holy and wise and almighty, is commendable, and should glorify him in our view. Unto this end, therefore, let me kindly ask a serious consideration of these solemn things, always remembering when we speak of God, that “reverend and holy is his name.” That there exists a failure of a right understanding of the eternal and unchangeable perfections of the Almighty, is painfully evident from published Baptist writings, which should call for deep heart-searching’s, humility and supplications before the Lord, that he will mercifully turn unto his erring people a pure language, heal their backslidings, give them the humble and contrite spirit…
