“Anything is good for us that puts us to praying earnestly (Psalm 30:8).”
–William Plumer, Studies in the Book of Psalms: A Critical and Expository Commentary With Doctrinal and Practical Remarks (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1867/2016), 383. Plumer is commenting on Psalm 30:8.
“Even in this world of sorrow no small part of our fit work is praise (Psalm 30:1).
As long as life lasts, especially in the case of the righteous, mercies greatly abound.
Much more will they be called to praise in heaven.
Let us extol Him here with heart and voice, for life and all its blessings; then may we hope to spend our eternity in His blissful presence and service.
If God exalts us, let us exalt Him.
If He humbles us without destroying us, let us count it a great mercy, and give thanks.
All the vicissitudes of our earthly existence are subject to His sovereign disposal.
They could not be in better hands.”
–William Plumer, Studies in the Book of Psalms: A Critical and Expository Commentary With Doctrinal and Practical Remarks (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1867/2016), 382. Plumer is commenting on Psalm 30:1.
“Never is speech better employed than in commending Christ, glorifying God, praising the Holy Spirit, uttering all the memory of God’s loving-kindness.”
–William Plumer, Studies in the Book of Psalms: A Critical and Expository Commentary With Doctrinal and Practical Remarks (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1867/2016), 384. Plumer is commenting on Psalm 30:12.
“Though to the wicked the night of death is followed by a night of endless despair, yet to the righteous the longest and darkest night has its morning of joy (Psalm 30:5).
Sharp as are the trials of the saints, they are but short.
Great is the mercy to us that God is slow to anger and that His anger endureth but a moment.
If He delighted in punishing, who could stand before Him?
While the Scriptures assure us that God’s anger is short, they as clearly teach us, that His mercy endureth forever.
Oh that the saints would study God’s character!
Wonderful love, mercy and purity shine in it all.
His name is the glory of the universe.”
–William Plumer, Studies in the Book of Psalms: A Critical and Expository Commentary With Doctrinal and Practical Remarks (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1867/2016), 383. Plumer is commenting on Psalm 30:5.
“We are all well as usual, surrounded with mercies on every side, and want nothing to make us more happy than we are, but a warmer sense of redeeming love.
Blessed be God we are not altogether asleep, though too drowsy.
All my plantations flourish. The prayer meeting is well attended, and in general, I hope, proves a time of refreshment; so that some of the younger, and more lively sort, are encouraged to attempt another on Sunday mornings at six o’clock, to pray for their poor Minister, and for a blessing on the ordinances. My children now exceed two hundred, as I expected.
I shall be obliged to you to procure me what accounts you can, printed or otherwise, of the Lord’s work in America. I have had some imperfect hints, but want to know more.
I have heard of something remarkable in and about Long Island– likewise a schoolmaster, that has had remarkable success among the Indian children.
Such as this is the news I want. I am little concerned with the treaties and policies of the kings of the earth; but I long to hear of the victories and triumphs of our King Jesus, and that the trophies of His grace are multiplied.
I want more experience in my soul, of that spiritual energy which is mighty to pull down strongholds, to lay every imagination and high thing low in the dust, and bring every roving thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
My heart is like a country but half subdued, where all things are in an unsettled state, and mutinies and insurrections are daily happening.
I hope I hate the rebels that disturb the King’s peace. I am glad when I can point them out, lay hold of them, and bring them to him for justice.
But they have many lurking-holes, and sometimes they come disguised like friends, so that I do not know them, till their works discover them.
What a quiet posture Job’s affairs were in. The oxen were ploughing, and the asses were feeding besides them– all in peace, and no danger near.
Who would have thought of the Sabeans coming to carry all away?
So it is sometimes in my experience. The bands of the enemy break in, hinder my plowing, spoil my pastures, and rob me of my store.
But the mercy is, that there are infinite resources in the name of Jesus.
One act of lively faith in Him sets all the rights, heals every breach, and makes up every loss.”
–John Newton, The Christian Correspondent: Or a Series of Religious Letters Written by the Rev. John Newton to Alexander Clunie (Hull: George Prince, 1790), 76-79.
Thomas Goodwin died in London at age eighty. His son wrote this about his father’s final days:
“In February 1679, a fever seized my dear father, which in a few days put an end to his life.
In all the violence of it, he discoursed with that strength of faith and assurance of Christ’s love, with that holy admiration of free grace, with that joy in believing, and such thanksgivings and praises, as he extremely moved and affected all that heard him.
He rejoiced in the thoughts that he was dying, and going to have a full and uninterrupted communion with God.
‘I am going,’ said he, ‘to the three Persons, with whom I have had communion: they have taken me; I did not take them. I shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye; all my lusts and corruptions I shall be rid of, which I could not be here; those croaking toads will fall off in a moment.’
And mentioning those great examples of faith, Heb. 11,
‘All these,’ said he, ‘died in faith. I could not have imagined I should ever have had such a measure of faith in this hour; no, I could never have imagined it. My bow abides in strength.
Is Christ divided? No, I have the whole of His righteousness; I am found in Him, not in my own righteousness, which is of the law, but in the righteousness which is of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.
Christ cannot love me better than He doth; I think I cannot love Christ better than I do; I am swallowed up in God.’
Directing his speech to his two sons, he exhorted them to value the privilege of the covenant. ‘Now,’ said he, ‘I shall be ever with the Lord.’
With this assurance of faith and fulness of joy, his soul left this world, and went to see and enjoy the reality of that blessed state of glory, which in a discourse on that subject he had so well demonstrated.
He died February 1679, and in the eightieth year of his age.”
–Thomas Goodwin, Memoir of Thomas Goodwin, D.D., Composed Out of His Own Papers and Memoirs, By His Son, The Works of Thomas Goodwin, Volume 2 (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage, 1861/2006), 2: lxxiv–lxxv.
“Let us consider what Christ did when He was come to heaven and exalted there: how abundantly did He there make good all that He had promised in His last sermon!
For, first, He instantly poured out His Spirit, and that ‘richly’ (as the apostle to Titus speaks), and He ‘being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this which you now see and hear,’ says the apostle in his first sermon after, Acts 2:33.
He then received it, and visibly poured Him out. So Eph. 4:8, it is said, ‘He ascended up on high, and gave gifts unto men … for the work of the ministry (4:15), and for the jointing in of the saints to the increase of the body of Christ’ (4:16), that is, for the converting of elect sinners, and making them saints.
And the gifts there mentioned (some of them) remain into this day, in ‘pastors and teachers,’ &c. And this Spirit is still in our preaching and in your hearts, in hearing, in praying, and He persuades you of Christ’s love to this very day; and is in all these the pledge of the continuance of Christ’s love still in heaven unto sinners.
All our sermons and your prayers are evidences to you, that Christ’s heart is still the same towards sinners that ever it was, for the Spirit that assists in all these comes in His name, and in His stead, and works all by commission from Him.
And do none of you feel your hearts moved in the preaching of these things, at this and other times? And who is it that moves you?
It is the Spirit who speaks in Christ’s name from heaven, even as Himself is said to ‘speak from heaven,’ Heb. 12:25.
And when you pray, it is the Spirit that indites your prayers, and that ‘makes intercession for you’ in your own hearts, Rom. 8:26, which intercession of His is but the evidence and echo of Christ’s intercession in heaven.
The Spirit prays in you, because Christ prays for you. He is an intercessor on earth, because Christ is an intercessor in heaven.
As He did take off Christ’s words, and used the same that He before had uttered, when He spake in and to the disciples the words of life, so He takes off Christ’s prayers also when He prays in us; He takes but the words as it were out of Christ’s mouth, or heart rather, and directs our hearts to offer them up to God.
He also follows us to the sacrament, and in that glass shews us Christ’s face smiling on us, and through His face His heart; and thus helping of us to a sight of Him, we go away rejoicing that we saw our Saviour that day.”
–Thomas Goodwin, The Heart of Christ in Heaven, The Works of Thomas Goodwin, Volume 4 (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage, 1861/2006), 4: 107-108.
“Is not this indeed the great mystery of godliness? How just is the Apostle’s observation, that no man can say, Jesus Christ is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost!
How astonishing the thought,—that the Maker of heaven and earth, the Holy One of Israel, before whose presence the earth shook, the heavens dropped, when He displayed a faint emblem of His majesty upon Sinai, should afterwards appear in the form of a servant, and hang upon a cross, the sport and scorn of wicked men!
I cannot wonder that to the wise men of the world this appears absurd, unreasonable, and impossible.
Yet to right reason, to reason enlightened and sanctified, however amazing the proposition be, yet it appears true and necessary, upon a supposition that a holy God is pleased to pardon sinners in a way suited to display the awful glories of His justice.
The same arguments which prove the blood of bulls and goats insufficient to take away sin, will conclude against the utmost doings or sufferings of men or angels.
The Redeemer of sinners must be mighty. He must have a personal dignity, to stamp such a value upon His undertakings, as that thereby God may appear just, as well as merciful, in justifying the ungodly for His sake.
And He must be all-sufficient to bless, and almighty to protect, those who come unto Him for safety and life.
Such a one is our Shepherd. This is He of whom we, through grace, are enabled to say, we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
We are His by every tie and right: He made us, He redeemed us, He reclaimed us from the hand of our enemies.
And we are His by our own voluntary surrender of ourselves; for though we once slighted, despised, and opposed Him, He made us willing in the day of His power.
He knocked at the door of our hearts; but we (at least I) barred and fastened it against Him as much and as long as possible.
But when He revealed His love, we could stand out no longer.
Like sheep, we are weak, destitute, defenceless, prone to wander, unable to return, and always surrounded with wolves.
But all is made up in the fullness, ability, wisdom, compassion, care, and faithfulness of our great Shepherd.
He guides, He protects, He feeds, He heals, and He restores, and He will be our guide and our God even until death.
Then He will meet us, receive us, and present us unto Himself, and we shall be near Him, and like Him, and with Him forever.”
–John Newton, The Works of John Newton, Volume 1 (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1988), 1: 494-495.
“Mr. **** has been here, and I have been with him at **** since his return.
In some points of doctrine we differ considerably; but I trust I agree with him in the views I have of the excellency, suitableness, and sufficiency of the Saviour, and of His right to reign without a rival in the hearts of His redeemed people.
An experimental knowledge of Jesus, as the deliverer from sin and wrath, and the author of eternal life and salvation to all who are enabled to believe, is a sufficient ground for union of heart.
In this point, all who are taught of God are of one mind.
But an eager fighting for or against those points which are usually made the subjects of controversy, tends to nourish pride and evil tempers in ourselves, and to alienate our hearts from those we hope to spend an eternity with.
In heaven we shall neither be Dissenters, Moravians, nor Methodists; neither Calvinists nor Arminians; but followers of the Lamb, and children of the kingdom. There we shall hear the voice of war no more.
We are still favoured with health and many temporal blessings. My spiritual walk is not so smooth as my outward path.
In public, I am mercifully supported; in secret, I most sensibly feel my own vileness and weakness.
But through all the Lord is gracious.”
–John Newton, The Works of John Newton, Volume 2 (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1988), 2: 210-211.
“We are a spectacle to the universe, to angels as well as to men.
Cheer up: the Lord has put you in your present trying situation, that you may have the fairer opportunity of adorning your profession of the Gospel; and though you suffer much, He is able to make you abundant amends.
Nor need I remind you that He has suffered unspeakably more for you: He drank for your sake a cup of unmixed wrath, and only puts into your hand a cup of affliction mixed with many mercies.
How ought the groans of Jesus to be as it were continually sounding in our ears? What are all other sufferings compared to His?
And yet He endured them freely. He needed not to have borne them, if He would have left us to perish; but such was His love, He died that we might live, and endured the fiercest agonies that He might open to us the gate of everlasting peace and happiness.
How amazingly perverse is my heart, that I can be more affected with a melancholy story in a newspaper concerning persons I never saw, than with all that I read of His bitter passion in the garden and on the cross, though I profess to believe He endured it all for me!
Oh, if we could always behold Him by faith as evidently crucified before our eyes, how would it compose our spirits as to all the sweets and bitters of this poor life!
What a banner would it prove against all the snares and temptations whereby Satan would draw us into evil; and what a firm ground of confidence would it afford us amidst the conflicts we sustain from the working of unbelief and indwelling sin!
I long for more of that faith which is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen, that I may be preserved humble, thankful, watchful, and dependent.
To behold the glory and the love of Jesus is the only effectual way to participate of His image.
We are to set out tonight from the Interpreter’s house towards the hill Difficulty, and hope to be favoured with a sight of the cross by the way.
To stand at the foot of it with a softened heart and melting eyes; to forget our sins, sorrows, and burdens, while we are wholly swallowed up in the contemplation of Him who bore our sins in His own body upon the tree, is certainly the most desirable situation on this side the grave.
To speak of it, and to see it by the light of the Spirit, are widely different things: and though we cannot always enjoy this view, yet the remembrance of what we have seen is an excellent means of encouragement to mount the hill, and to face the lions.
It is now Saturday evening, and growing late. I am just returned from a serious walk, which is my usual manner of closing the week when the weather is fine.
I endeavour to join in heart with the Lord’s ministers and people, who are seeking a blessing on tomorrow’s ordinances. At such times I especially remember those friends with whom I have gone to the house of the Lord in company, consequently you are not forgot.
I can venture to assure you, that if you have a value for our prayers, you have a frequent share in them, yea, are loved and remembered by many here; but as we are forgetful creatures, I hope you will always refresh our memory, and quicken our prayers, by a yearly visit.
In the morning I shall think of you again. What a multitude of eyes’ and hearts will be directed to our Redeemer tomorrow!
He has a numerous and necessitous family; but He is rich enough to supply them all, and His tender compassions extend to the meanest and most unworthy.
Like the sun, He can cheer and enlighten thousands and millions at once, and give to each as bountifully as if there were no more to partake of His favour.
His best blessings are not diminished by being shared among many.
The greatest earthly monarch would soon be poor if he was to give a little (though but a little) to all his subjects; but Jesus has unsearchable, inexhaustible riches of grace to bestow.
The innumerable assembly before the Throne have been all supplied from His fulness; and yet there is enough and to spare for us also, and for all that shall come after us.
May He give us an eager appetite, a hunger and thirst that will not be put off with anything short of the bread of life.
And then we may confidently open our mouths wide, for He has promised to fill them.”
–John Newton, The Works of John Newton, Volume 2 (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1988), 2: 191-195.
