None but the godly are capable of desertion. Wicked men know not what God’s love means, nor what it is to want it…You fear you are not God’s child because you are deserted.The Lord cannot be said to withdraw His love from the wicked, because they never had it. The being deserted evidences you to be a child of God. How could you complain that God has estranged Himself, if you had not sometimes received smiles and tokens of love from Him? [Thomas Watson]
Wicked men seem to bear great reverence to the saints departed; they canonize dead saints, but persecute living. In vain do men stand up for the creed, and tell the world they believe in God, when they abominate one of the articles of the creed, namely, the communion of the saints. Surely there is no greater sign of a man ripe for hell than this, not only to lack grace, but to hate it. [Thomas Watson]
God would have the world hang as a loose tooth which, being easily twitched away, doth not much trouble us. [Thomas Watson]
What shall we do to resemble God in holiness?
(1.) Have recourse to Christ’s blood by faith. This is lavacrum animae [the washing of the soul]. Legal purifications were types and emblems of it. I John 1:1. The Word is a glass to show us our spots, and Christ’s blood is a fountain to wash them away.
(2.) Pray for a holy heart. ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God.’ Psa 51:10. Lay thy heart before the Lord, and say, Lord, my heart is full of leprosy; it defiles all it touches; Lord, I am not fit to live with such a heart, for I cannot honour thee; nor die with such a heart, for I cannot see thee. Oh create in me a clean heart; send thy Spirit into me, to refine and purify me, that I may be a temple fit for thee the holy God to inhabit.
(3.) Walk with them that are holy. ‘He that walketh with the wise shall be wise.’ Prov 13:30. Be among the spices and you will smell of them. Association begets assimilation. Nothing has a greater power and energy to effect holiness than the communion of saints. [Thomas Watson]
It is hard to have the heart low when comfort is high. God sees humility to be better for us than joy. It is better to want comfort, and be humble, than to have it and be proud . [Thomas Watson]
Trust to that God only who is unchangeable. ‘Cease ye from man,’ Isa 2:22; leave trusting to the reed, but trust to the Rock of ages. He that is by faith engarrisoned in God, is safe in all changes; he is like a boat that is tied to an immoveable rock. He that trusts in God, trusts in that which cannot fail him; he is unchangeable. ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.’ Heb 13:3. Health may leave us, riches, friends may leave us, but, says God, I will not leave thee; my power shall support thee; my Spirit shall sanctify thee; my mercy shall save thee; I will never leave thee. Oh trust in this unchangeable God! God is jealous of two things; of our love, and of our trust. He is jealous of our love, lest we love the creature more than him, therefore he makes it prove bitter; and of our trust, lest we should place more confidence in it than in him, therefore he makes it prove unfaithful. Outward comforts are given us as food by the way to refresh us, not as crutches to lean on. If we make the creature an idol, what we make our trust God will make our shame. Oh trust in the immortal God! Like Noah’s dove, we have no footing for our souls, till we get into the ark of God’s unchangeableness. Psa 125:5. ‘They that trust in the Lord shall be like mount Sion, which cannot be removed.’ [Thomas Watson]
Duty well performed lifts a Christian higher towards heaven, and sets a Christian a step nearer to a blessed eternity. [Thomas Watson]
Here is a just reproof to such as are discontented with their condition. This disease is almost epidemical. Some not content with the calling which God hath set them in, must be a step higher, from the plough to the throne; who like the spider in the Proverbs, will “take hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.” Others from the shop to the pulpit; (Nu. 12. 2) they would be in the temple of honour, before they are in the temple of virtue; who step into Moses’ chair, without Aaron’s bells and pomegranates; like apes, which do most show their deformity when they are climbing. It is not enough that God hath bestowed gifts upon men, in private to edify; that he hath enriched them with many mercies? but, “seek ye the priesthood also?” (Nu. 16. 10) What is this but discontent arising from high flown pride? These do secretly tax the wisdom of God, that he hath not screwed them up in their condition a peg higher. Every man is complaining that his estate is no better, though he seldom complains that his heart is no better. One man commends this kind of life, another commends that; one man thinks a country-life best, another a city-life; the soldier thinks it best to be a merchant, and the merchant to be a soldier. Men can be content to be anything but what God would have them. How is it that no man is contented? Very few Christians have learned St Paul’s lesson: neither poor nor rich know how to be content, they can learn anything but this. [Thomas Watson]
The patient soul doth most sweetly enjoy itself; an impatient man is like a troubled sea, that cannot rest: he tortures himself upon the wrack of his own griefs and passions, whereas patience calms the heart, as Christ did the sea when it was rough; and now there is a sabbath in the heart, yea, an heaven, Luke xxi. 19. "In your patience, possess ye your souls:’ by faith a man possesseth God, and by patience he possesseth himself. [Thomas Watson]
Love to God is armour of proof against error. For want of hearts full of love, men have heads full of error; unholy opinions are for want of holy affections. [Thomas Watson]
Faith deals with invisibles, but God hates that love which is invisible. [Thomas Watson]
Wherever God pardons sin, He subdues it. "He will have compassion on us, He will subdue our iniquity" (Micah 7:19). Where mens person’s are justified, their lusts are mortified. There is in sin a commanding and a condemning power. The condemning power of sin is taken away when the commanding power of sin is taken away. We know our sins are forgiven, when they are subdued. [Thomas Watson]
Wherever God pardons sin, He subdues it. "He will have compassion on us, He will subdue our iniquity" (Micah 7:19). Where mens person’s are justified, their lusts are mortified. There is in sin a commanding and a condemning power. The condemning power of sin is taken away when the commanding power of sin is taken away. We know our sins are forgiven, when they are subdued. [Thomas Watson]
The Saints are the walking pictures of God. If God be our father, we shall love to see his picture of holiness in believers; Shall pity them for their infirmities, but love them for their graces…. it’s may justly be suspected that God is not Father of those who love not his children. Though they retain the communion of saints in their creed, they banish the communion of saints out of their company. (Thomas Watson)
Eternity to the godly is a day that has no sunset; eternity to the wicked is a night that has no sunrise. [Thomas Watson]
The godly man, when he dies, "enters into peace" (Isaiah 57:2); but while he lives, peace must enter into him. [Thomas Watson]
Many come to the Word only to feast their ears; they like the melody of the voice, the mellifluous sweetness of the expression, the newness of the notion (Acts 17:21). This is to love the garnishing of the dish more than the food; this is to desire to be pleased rather than edified. Like a woman that paints her face, but neglects her health. [Thomas Watson]
Take heed of drowsiness in hearing; drowsiness shows much irreverence. How lively are many when they are about the world, but in the worship of God how drowsy… In the preaching of the Word, is not the bread of life broken to you; and will a man fall asleep at his food? Which is worse, to stay from a sermon, or sleep at a sermon? [Thomas Watson]
Some will obey partially, obey some commandments, not others: like a plough which, when it comes to a still place of earth, makes a baulk. But God that spake all the words of the moral law, will have all obeyed. [Thomas Watson]
Think not the better of sin because it is in fashion. think not the better of impiety and ungodliness, because many walk in those crooked ways. Multitude is a foolish argument; multitude does not argue the goodness of a thing. The devils name is Legion…The plea of a multitude will not hold out at God’s bar when God shall ask you, "Why did you break your oath?" To say then, "Lord, because most men did so," will be a poor plea: God will say to you, "Then seeing you have sinned with the multitude, you shall now go to hell with the multitude." [Thomas Watson]
The bodies of the wicked shall be raised with ignominy. Those bodies which on the earth tempted and allured others with their beauty, shall at the resurrection be loathsome to behold; they shall be ghastly spectacles. ‘They shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.’ Isa 66: 24. But the bodies of the saints shall be raised with honour. ‘It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory.’ I Cor 15: 43. The saints, bodies then shall shine as sparkling diamonds. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun.’ Matt 13: 43 [Thomas Watson]
God’s people are apt to despond when they see things move eccentric, and go cross to their expectation. God is in the midst of Zion. He hath a special super-intendency over the affairs of His church; God hath more care of His church than we can. We read in Ezekiel’s vision, of a wheel within a wheel, Ezek. 1:16. God’s decree is the inner wheel that turns all the outward wheels of Providence;the church never wants enemies to assault, and make inroads upon her, but God is in the midst of her. Here is a River of Consolation ,whose Crystal streams may refresh the City of God, God’s eye is upon His people for good; The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him. (Psalm 33:
[Thomas Watson]
When God calls a man, He does not repent of it. God does not, as many friends do, love one day, and hate another; or as princes, who make their subjects favourites, and afterwards throw them into prison. This is the blessedness of a saint; his condition admits of no alteration. God's call is founded upon His decree, and His decree is immutable. Acts of grace cannot be reversed.God blots out His people's sins, but not their names. [Thomas Watson]
Here is a just reproof to such as are discontented with their condition. This disease is almost epidemical. Some not content with the calling which God hath set them in, must be a step higher, from the plough to the throne; who like the spider in the Proverbs, will “take hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.” Others from the shop to the pulpit; (Nu. 12. 2) they would be in the temple of honour, before they are in the temple of virtue; who step into Moses’ chair, without Aaron’s bells and pomegranates; like apes, which do most show their deformity when they are climbing. It is not enough that God hath bestowed gifts upon men, in private to edify; that he hath enriched them with many mercies? but, “seek ye the priesthood also?” (Nu. 16. 10) What is this but discontent arising from high flown pride? These do secretly tax the wisdom of God, that he hath not screwed them up in their condition a peg higher. Every man is complaining that his estate is no better, though he seldom complains that his heart is no better. One man commends this kind of life, another commends that; one man thinks a country-life best, another a city-life; the soldier thinks it best to be a merchant, and the merchant to be a soldier. Men can be content to be anything but what God would have them. How is it that no man is contented? Very few Christians have learned St Paul’s lesson: neither poor nor rich know how to be content, they can learn anything but this. [Thomas Watson]
The mandatory part of the commandment implied is that we
stand up for others and vindicate them when they are injured by
lying lips. This is the sense of the commandment, not only that we
should not slander falsely or accuse others; but that we should
witness for them, and stand up in their defence, when we know them
to be traduced. A man may wrong another as well by silence as by
slander, when he knows him to be wrongfully accused, yet does not
speak in his behalf. If others cast false aspersions on any, we
should wipe them off. When the apostles were filled with the wine of
the Spirit, and were charged with drunkenness, Peter openly
maintained their innocence. ‘These are not drunken, as ye suppose.’
Acts 2: 15. Jonathan knowing David to be a worthy man, and all those
things Saul said of him to be slanders, vindicated him. ‘David has
not sinned against thee; his works have been to thee-ward very good.
Wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David
without a cause?’ I Sam 19: 4, 5. When the primitive Christians were
falsely accused for incest, and killing their children, Tertullian
wrote a famous apology in their vindication. This is to act the part
both of a friend and of a Christian, to be an advocate for another,
when he is wronged in his good name. [Thomas Watson]
Nothing much to tell. I’m walking a single solitary pilgrims walk, in England, that is not an easy one. I am a Calvinistic Covenanter Christian, My Autonomic Nervous system is failing slowly, which has led to severe disability, with an ultra rare disease than medics don’t even understand, often misdiagnose.and will no doubt kill me at some point. But, I trust the Lord to get me where I’m going. All glory to HIM.
The symptomology listed on the link, most porphyrics will only have most of those symptoms if in an acute attack. A few of us, with the ongoing, smouldering symptoms, that never go away, have most if not all of the symptom list, even when not in an acute attack, and are persistent and constant. Anyone who has ever been in the psychiactric system, diagnosed as this or that, even if physically well, should consider this illness could be responsible. King George III, the most famous porphyric, his sole symptom was “insanity.” Its so rare in part, because it’s massively under-diagnosed. But in making this illness known, when it struck me physically a few years ago, God vindicated me from every mis-diagnoses and bersmirchment upon me medically that has ever been made, and has made them all null and void.
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