Mar 21
28
His children began to hiss!
(Excerpts from the letters of William Tiptaft)
Dear brother,
Since I last wrote, I have preached in Abingdon Great
Church, on Christmas evening. I preached the truth, I
trust, to a very crowded congregation, supposed to be
(sitting and standing, who were able to get in) about
5,000 people. I pleased the believers; but very much
displeased the carnally-minded, who were never before
so puzzled and confounded in all their lives! I spoke the
truth faithfully, and so as all could hear; but I had no
idea that the gospel would have given so much offence!
It is the truth that offends and disturbs Satan’s
kingdom! The neighboring clergymen, who are in
darkness, say of me, “Away with such a fellow from
the earth; it is not fit that he should live!”
My mind is not moved by the persecution. I believe
if God has a work for me to do, I shall do it, in spite
of the devil and all his children!
Nature is not changed, the gospel is not changed,
and Christ is not changed. What reason is there why
they should not hate the truth now, as much as in the
time of the apostles? I never saw any fruits of my
labors until I roused and disturbed the ‘roaring lion’.
When, through the grace of God, I began to disturb
his kingdom, I soon found that his children began
to hiss!
The world and Satan hate believers. The Pharisees
hate me the most. I cut off all their rotten props,
and all their fleshly devotion!
It is not coming near to the truth, it is not the ‘mere letter’
of the gospel, that will convert men; but the Holy Spirit.
Make the Word of God your study. Pin your faith to
no man’s views! I scarcely read any other book.
Beware of those who want to exalt man in any manner.
Yours very affectionately,
William Tiptaft, Jan. 30th, 1830
Darkness of ignorance,
dungeons of falsehood, and
chains of superstition!
from Spurgeon’s,”WHAT GOD CANNOT DO!”
Truth once reigned supreme upon our globe, and
then earth was Paradise. Man knew no sorrow
while he was ignorant of falsehood.
The Father of Lies invaded the garden of bliss,
and with one foul lie he blighted Eden into a
wilderness, and made man a traitor to his God.
Cunningly he handled the glittering falsehood
and made it dazzle in the woman’s eyes- “God
knows that in the day you eat thereof, then your
eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods,
knowing good and evil.”
Proud ambition rode upon that lie as a conqueror
in his chariot, and the city of Mansoul opened its
gates to welcome the fascinating enemy.
As it was a lie which first subjugated the world to Satan’s
influences, so it is by lies that he secures his throne.
Among the heathen his kingdom is quiet and secure,
because the minds of the people are deluded with a
false mythology. The domains of Mohammed and the
Pope are equally the kingdom of Satan, and his reign
is undisturbed, for human merit, priestly efficacy,
and a thousand other deceptions buttress his throne.
The darkness of ignorance, the dungeons of falsehood,
and the chains of superstition, are the main reliance of that
monster who oppresses all the nations with his infernal tyranny!
Supernatural light
J.C.Philpot
“For God, who commanded the light to shine out
of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in
the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Cor. 4:6
Until, then, this supernatural light of God
enters into the soul, a man has no saving
knowledge of Jehovah. He may . . .
say his prayers,
read his Bible, attend preaching,
observe ordinances,
bestow all his goods to feed the poor,
or give his body to be burned;
but he is as ignorant of God as
the cattle that graze in the fields!
He may—call himself a Christian, and be
thought such by others—talk much about
Jesus Christ, hold a sound creed—maintain
a consistent profession—pray at a prayer
meeting with fluency and apparent feeling,
stand up in a pulpit and contend earnestly
for the doctrines of grace—excel hundreds
of God’s children in zeal, knowledge and
conversation.
And yet, if this ray of supernatural light has
never shone into his soul—he is only twofold
more the child of hell than those who make
no profession!
The Keys of Hell and Death!
Spurgeon, “Christ With the Keys of Death and Hell”
“I have the keys of hell and of death.” Rev. 1:18.
Hell and death, terrible powers as they are, are
not left to riot without government. Jesus holds
the keys of these dreadful regions!
Death is a land of darkness, yet a sovereign eye
surveys it, and a master hand holds its key.
Hell also is a horrible region, where powers of evil
and of terror hold their high court and dread assembly;
but hell trembles at the presence of the Lord, and
there is a throne higher than the throne of evil.
Let us rejoice that nothing in heaven, or earth,
or in places under the earth, is left to itself to
engender anarchy. Everywhere, serene above
the floods, the Lord sits as King forever and ever!
No province of the universe
is free from the divine rule!
Things do not come by chance. Nowhere do chance
and chaos reign, nowhere is evil really and permanently
enthroned. Rest assured that the Lord has prepared his
throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.
Christ has the keys of hell and death!
He is the Lord over those dark regions, and rules them
by his sovereignty. Christ is Lord over hell and death.
He actually rules and manages in all the issues of the
grave, and overrules all the councils of hell, restraining
the mischievous devices of Satan, or turning them to
subserve his own designs of good.
Our Lord Jesus Christ still is supreme! His
kingdom, willingly or unwillingly, extends over
all existences in whatever regions they may be!
Jesus rules over the damned spirits!
In this life they would not have him to rule over
them, but in the life to come they must submit
whether they will or not. In that seething caldron
of hell, every wave of fire is guided by the will
of Christ, and the mark of his sovereignty is on
every iron chain.
Thus the ungodly will be compelled to feel his rule with
terror, for although the ferocity of their natures will
remain, yet the boastfulness of their pride shall be
taken from them. Though they would still revolt,
they shall find themselves hopelessly fettered, and
powerless to accomplish their designs.
Though they would sincerely continue stouthearted
as Pharaoh, and cry, “Who is the Lord, that we should
obey his voice?” They shall wring their hands in anguish
and bite their tongues in despair.
One of the great terrors of the lost in hell will be this,
that he who came to save was rejected by them,
and now only reveals himself to them as mighty to
destroy. He who held out the silver scepter when they
would not touch it, shall forever break them with a
rod of iron for their willful impenitence.
“Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you be destroyed
in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment.”
“Beware you that forget him, lest he tear
you in pieces and there be none to deliver.”
The penetrating light of the Spirit
J.C.Philpot
“For God . . . made His light shine in our hearts
to give us the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Christ.” 2 Cor. 4:6
“But you have an anointing from the Holy One,
and all of you know the truth.” 1 John 2:20
The only saving light is the light of God shining
into the soul—giving us to see and know “the only
true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.”
A man may have the clearest light in his judgment,
and yet never have the penetrating light of the Spirit
producing conviction in his soul. He may have the
soundest knowledge of the doctrines of grace, and
see the harmonious scheme of salvation—and yet
never have by divine teaching, seen a holy God, nor
have ever felt the spirituality of God’s righteous law
condemning him as a transgressor.
If we do not have this penetrating light of the
Spirit, we shall be sure to go astray. We shall . . .
be entangled in some error,
plunge into some heresy,
imbibe some doctrine of devils,
drink into some dreadful delusion,
or fall into some dreadful sin, and
have our faith shipwrecked forever.
A false light can but wreck us on the rocks of
presumption or despair. But the light of divine
life in the soul is accompanied with all the
graces of the Spirit. It is . . .
the light of the glory of God,
the light of Jesus’ countenance,
and the light of the Spirit’s teaching,
and therefore an infallible guide and guard.
And this infallible pilot will guide the soul
to whom it is given safe into the harbor of
endless rest and peace.
He has rescued us!
(Charles Spurgeon)
“The human heart is most deceitful and desperately
wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” Jer. 17:9
“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,)
dwells no good thing.” Romans 7:18
There is nothing in man by nature apart from
God, which is not vile and deceitful.
If there is anything good in me,
if I have been transformed by the renewing of my mind,
if I am regenerate,
if I have passed from death unto life,
if I have been taken out of the family of Satan,
if I am adopted into the family of God’s dear Son,
if I am now no longer an heir of wrath,
if I am a now a child of heaven,
then all these things are of God, and in no sense,
and in no degree whatever, are they of myself!
“For He has rescued us from the kingdom of
darkness and has brought us into the Kingdom
of His dear Son.” Colossians 1:13
The most hideous blasphemy ever to be spewed from the pit of darkness!
(Don Fortner)
Universal atonement is the most hideous blasphemy ever to be spewed from the pit of darkness! No greater blasphemy ever spewed from the pit of Hell, than the blasphemous assertion that Christ died to redeem the multitudes who suffer the wrath of God there!
Universal love, universal grace, and universal redemption — is meaningless love, meaningless grace, and meaningless redemption. To preach such is to preach a meaningless gospel, a meaningless god, and a meaningless savior!
There is . . .
no love except distinguishing love,
no redemption except a particular redemption,
no atonement except a limited atonement,
no deliverance except an effectual deliverance, and
no grace except irresistible, omnipotent, saving grace!
“Christ loved the church, and gave Himself up for her!” Ephesians 5:25
If there is one thing in this world that everyone wants and very few have, it is rest, real rest of heart and soul before God. Fools imagine that money, property, position, and power will give them rest. Many seek rest by giving vent to the pleasures of their vile lusts. Others try to obtain rest by morality, works of charity, or the services, rituals, and ceremonies of religion. But all who seek rest in such places must, if they speak honestly, confess, “the bed is too short to stretch out on and the cover is too narrow to wrap up in” (Isa. 28:20).
If your religion does not give you rest, your religion is false (Jer. 6:16; Matt. 11:28-29; Heb. 4:3). If you make lies your refuge, you will try hard to convince yourself that you have assurance and peace before God (Isa. 28:14-20). But in the dark, lonely watches of the night, when you contemplate judgment and eternity, you have no rest! Your soul is in turmoil. The fear of death yet holds you in bondage. But all who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ have entered into rest, knowing that all things necessary for their salvation have been done for them. God has chosen them as the objects of His grace in eternal election. Christ has paid their debt to the justice of God by His blood atonement. Righteousness has been imputed to them for justification and imparted to them in regeneration. For such people salvation is an absolute certainty. We have God’s Word for it. Why shouldn’t we rest? Does your religion give you rest?
–Don Fortner