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Christ Only
Manchester, August 14, 1834 Dear Brother in Jesus, the Lord of Zion,—I wish to have nothing to do with party spirit; but I cannot, I dare not, sacrifice truth and a good conscience; and I hope no one will wish me to do so. Through the matchless riches of God's grace, I have been taught a little of the glorious importance of divine truth in all its bearings; and as far as I know my own heart, I had rather die than shrink back from the truth of God. The Lord keep me! When I visit you I wish to know nothing among you but Christ and his cross, as couching in it all the glorious gospel of God from the springhead of electing love,…
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The Law and the Gospel
A Comparison Between The Old Man And The New, Also Between The Law And The Gospel, Containing A Short Sum Of All The Divinity Necessary For A Christian Conscience. By John Bradford (1510–1555)[1]A man that is regenerate, consisteth of two men (as a man may say), namely of “the old man,” and of “the new man.” “The old man” is like to a mighty giant, such a one as was Goliath; for his brith is now perfect. But “the new man” is like unto a little child, such a one as was David; for his birth is not perfect until the day of his general resurrection. "The old man" therefore is more stronger, lusty, and stirring than is "the new man," because the birth of…
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Christ’s Sheep, And Their Marks
Notes of a Sermon preached on 11 April 1843 “I give unto my sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish.”—John 10:28 The Holy Ghost, in the canon of Scripture, has borrowed a variety of metaphors from natural things to show us what Christ is to his people, and what his people are to him. Here he calls them "sheep," and himself the "Shepherd." Jesus has received his sheep from his Father's hand as his portion, as the lot of his inheritance. He knows his sheep intimately and perfectly. When they are wandering on the mountains of the Adam fall, the shepherd has his eye upon them, and he seeks them out, and calls them to the rest of his flock, in his own time.…
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4. The Pure In Heart
“Blessed are the pure in heart.”—Matthew 5:8 There may be some poor soul here to-night who is exclaiming, “Ah! That text cuts me up, root and branch; for, so far from my heart being pure, it seems to be the abode of every evil, rising up continually, causing me to groan and sigh, and cry to be delivered from it; but the more I groan and cry, the more those evils seem to rise up, until I am almost smothered.” Why, now, poor soul, you are just the character whose heart is pure. Every man's heart is vile by nature, and it is only when there is a pure heart that that vileness is really felt. Suppose I use a figure to illustrate my meaning'.…
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5. The Nature And Design Of The Marriage Union
"But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery."—Matthew 5:32 Beloved,—The subject we are this evening about to enter upon is a subject of the greatest importance in human life, the eternal concerns of the soul, excepted. I am not aware of any thing that enters more into the very vitals of human happiness or misery. It is immediately connected with all our domestic and social concerns; in fact, it is designed, by the God of all comfort, as a kind of spring-head blessing to the human race, and if acted upon according to the revelation of God's will, it is sure to prove a source of real happiness to the…
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6. Going From Jerusalem To Jericho
“A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves.”—Luke 10:30-35 The circumstance which led to this parable was, a certain lawyer going to Christ, and asking him what he must do to inherit eternal fife. A principle of having something to merit life is in our very nature. Thousands ask what they are to do, and promise but never fairly start. The Jews were constantly found to promise what they would do. When God was delivering them from the hands of their enemies and supplying them with food from heaven, “O,” said they, “all that the Lord hath commanded will we do;” but they never fulfilled their promise. Perhaps some of you in this congregation, when there has been some affliction…
