INSIGHTS & NOTES FROM
CHAPTER 1
"Those that are ever so much increased God can soon diminish." "Sin brings a people not only into solitude, but into slavery. A city that used to be full of mirth has now become melancholy & upon all accounts full of grief." "There is nothing more commonly seen under the sun than the tears of the oppressed, with whom the clouds return after the rain. Ecclesiastes 4:1." "Sin is the reproach of any people." "Nothing is more grievous to those who have a true concern for the glory of God, nor is more lamented, than the violation of God's laws, & the contempt they see put upon sacred things." "It is a very great trouble to all that love God to hear his ordinances mocked at" "God often makes us know the worth of mercies by the want of them" "Grievous sins bring wondrous ruin" "The only way to make ourselves easy under our burdens is to cast them upon God first, & leave it to him to do with us as seemeth him good." "The sinner is holden with the cords of his own sins. Proverbs 5:22. The yoke of Christ's commands is an easy yoke (Matt. 11:30), but that of our own transgressions is a heavy one." "God is the comforter" "...he only can administer effectual comforts" "His are strong consolations, able to relieve the soul, to bring it back when it is gone, & we cannot of ourselves fetch it again" "Happy are those that have made God their friend & keep themselves in his love, for he will not deceive them!" "Sorrow for sin must be great sorrow & must affect the soul." "It is matter of comfort to us that the troubles which oppress our spirits are open before God's eye." "Our prayers may & must agree with God's Word" CHAPTER 2 "To those who know how to value God's favour nothing appears more dreadful than his anger" "Gates & bars will stand us in no stead when God has withdrawn his protection." "It is just with God to debase those by his judgments who have by sin debased themselves." "Those that have seen the days of the Son of man, & slighted them, may desire to see one of those days & not be permitted. Luke 17:22." "The judgments of God upon the land & nation are to be lamented by us, though we, for our parts, may escape pretty well." "Prophets should tell people of their faults, should show them their sins, that they may bring them to repentance, & so prevent their ruin" "Prophets should warn people of the judgments of God coming upon them" "...the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church." "In all the providences of God concerning his church it is good to take notice of the fulfilling of his Word" "Prayer is a salve for every sore, even the sorest, a remedy for every malady, even the most grievous. And our business in prayer is... to refer our case to him, & then to leave it with him. Lord, behold & consider, & thy will be done." CHAPTER 3 "God is sometimes angry with his own people... a chastening which, though grievous for the present, will in the issue be advantageous." "It is just with God to make those who walk in the crooked paths of sin, crossing God's laws, walk in the crooked paths of affliction, crossing their designs & breaking their measures." "...with God there is everlasting strength, & he is his people's never-failing hope, whatever they may think." "It is sin that makes the cup of affliction a bitter cup." "We all owe it to the sparing mercy of God that we are not consumed." "...God's compassions fail not" "...every morning we have fresh instances of God's compassion towards us; he visits us with them every morning" "When our comforts fail, yet God's compassions do not." "Whatever hard things we suffer, we must never entertain any hard thoughts of God, but must still be ready to own that he is both kind & faithful." "It is our duty to make God the portion of our souls, & then to make use of him as our portion & to take the comfort of it in the midst of our lamentations." "While we wait for him by faith, we must seek him by prayer; our souls must seek him, else we do not seek so as to find." "And to those who thus wait & seek God will be gracious; he will show them his marvellous lovingkindness." "Those who are truly humbled for sin will be glad to obtain a good hope, through grace, upon any terms." "...God will graciously return to his people with seasonable comforts according to the time that he has afflicted them" "The perverting of justice, & the subverting of the just, are a great affront to God" "Men are but tools which the great God makes use of, & manages as he pleases, in the government of this lower world" "All the events of divine Providence are the products of a divine counsel; whatever is done God has the directing of it, & the works of his hands agree with the words of his mouth; he speaks, & it is done, so easily, so effectually are all his purposes fulfilled." "Though we may pour out our complaints before God, we must never exhibit any complaints against God." "We must set ourselves to answer God's intention in afflicting us, which is to bring sin to our remembrance, & to bring us home to himself." "When we are in affliction, it is seasonable to consider our ways (Hag. 1:5), that what is amiss may be repented of & amended for the future." "We must offer up ourselves to God, & our best affections & services, in the flames of devotion." "Our hearts must go along with our prayers. We must lift up our hearts with our hands, as we must pour out our souls with our words." "Those that are cast down are commonly tempted to think themselves cast off. Psalms 31:22." "Prayer is the breath of the new man, sucking in the air of mercy in petitions & returning it in praises; it is both the evidence & the maintenance of the spiritual life." "When we draw nigh to God in a way of duty we may by faith see him drawing nigh to us in a way of mercy." "God will one day call sinners to an account for all the hard speeches which they have spoken against him & his people." CHAPTER 4 "Nothing ripens a people more for ruin, nor fills the measure faster, than the sins of their priests & prophets." "...God will have the honour of being himself alone our life & the length of our days." "The troubles of God's people shall be continued no longer than till they have done their work for which they were sent." "...sooner or later, sin will be visited & discovered, & all the hidden works of darkness brought to light." Matthew Henry's Commentary: Isaiah to Malachi, Mac Donald, pgs. 711 - 742.
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AuthorCross Preaching Pentecostal Pastor. Husband to Tonia, Father to 3 beautiful girls, Monica, Zoe & Briana, & Grandfather to Wesley & Elliott Archives
September 2023
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