Let Me Learn

Let me learn by paradox that the way down is the way up,

that to be low is to be high,

that the broken heart is the healed heart,

that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

that to have nothing is to possess all,

that to give is to receive,

that the valley is the place of vision.

Taken from Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

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Richest Foundation

Isaiah 49:15

 

The love and favor of God is the foundation of the Christian's happiness. If we could order our own heart aright, we would easily see that we could not be miserable so long as we were in favor with our God. If the favor of great persons be so much accounted of, what reckoning is to be made of God's favor, who is Lord of lords? Yea, King of kings, and the more should Christians fill their hearts with joining in this prerogative, if they consider three properties in the love of God.

• For first, it is a free love. He is gracious, looking upon His own goodness, and not on ours (Hos. 14:4).
• Secondly, it is an eternal love, and unchangeable. God will never be weary of loving us (Jer. 31:3). His loving-kindness is better than life, for it lasts unto eternity, without alteration. The favor of individuals in this world is mutable. Kings might extremely loathe those they used to love with their entire affection. But in God there is no shadow of changing; He loves with an everlasting love.
• Thirdly, it is infinitely immense, and great. No affection in any, or in all the creatures of this world, if they could be fastened upon one person, can reach to the thousandth part of God's love to us (Eph. 2:4-7).

 This light of God's countenance shining upon us makes us at all times more rich than those that are increased most in corn, wine, and oil (Ps. 4:7-8).

—Nicholas Byfield

 

Readings taken from Day by Day with the English Puritans

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The Sin of Atheism

Psalm 14:1

We are much assaulted to atheism and blasphemy; to atheism, as the greatest sin that
is, in that it smites at the root of all; for to say the truth, all sin comes from atheism (for who would sin, did he then verily think that there were a God that saw all, and would punish all) and such a God, God must be, or no God. And all sin tends to atheism (for when we have sinned, sin draws us towards atheism exceedingly, and wipes out all notions of a deity as much as it can); and when we are in sin, we must be either willing to get out of it by repentance, or else we shall be willing to become atheists; the best of our play then, being to feed ourselves with a conceit, that all is but talk to hold men in awe, and that there is indeed neither heaven nor hell; no place of torment, that when we die all is gone, that it is with us not otherwise than with a beast.

Thus when the conscience will not get quiet by turning to God by repentance, then it will seek to quiet itself by unbelief bearing itself in hand, that there is no such place as hell to torment people in. Consider, however, that Satan does all he can to make people atheists, because when there is no fear of God before their eyes, they will sin all manner of sins that the devil would have them sin.

So Ps. 14, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." What follows? "They are corrupt," they have done abominable works; thus then, when once men take to atheism, they grow most corrupt and do abominable works. There is no restraint in sinning then, for what should or can keep the wit and will of man, when once he conceives that there is no such thing as God? The devil cannot be a flat atheist, for he believes and trembles; and were it nothing but the sense he has of the wrath of God tormenting, why that is enough to prove that Satan does fully and undoubtedly acknowledge a divine power. He is not an atheist because he cannot, because he shall not, but yet he bears good will to atheism, because that sin does much advantage his kingdom.
—Richard Capel

Readings taken from Day by Day with the English Puritans

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Cause of Discontent

1 Timothy 6:8

Discontent arises from being so very sensible of the evil of affliction and senseless of the evil of sin. People's bodies are tender, and their senses quick, and therefore even the biting of a flea or the scratching of a pen is presently felt. People are so tender of their reputation, profits and delights, that the least touch in these is a cross to them.

Their hearts are so hard, and consciences seared, that they can lie securely under all the curses of God's book, have mountains of wrath abide on them, and feel nothing. Therefore afflictions lie so heavy because sin lies so easy. Whereas, if a person knew what sin is, and saw at night what wrath he had treasured up all day, he would rather wonder why he was out of hell than murmur that he was in trouble.
—Edward Lawrence

Readings taken from Day by Day with the English Puritans

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Walk in Humility

Proverbs 22:4

Walk in humility, take heed of pride. It is a deadly poison that spoils and kills all where it comes; so dangerous that another poison was used as a counter-poison to preserve St. Paul from it. And we are never more in danger of it than when we have done most, and made greatest progress in the profession and practice of piety.

For it is as the spleen in the body, that grows most when the other parts waste. It grows fast often, when other evils decay, and out of the decay of them, sucks matter to feed and foster itself with. This therefore must be carefully cast out and avoided. When we have done well, we must take heed how in that regard we begin to think highly of ourselves. If we do so, all is gone; we are undone.

Be affected rather as Paul was. After he had gone so far, and done so much, "I make account, that I come not short," says he, "of the very chief apostles" (2 Cor. 11:5). Yea, "I have labored more than them all" (1 Cor. 15:10). For, "from Jerusalem round about, even unto Illyricum (that is, from Syria to Slovenia) have I plentifully preached the gospel" (Rom. 15:19). Yet, "I forget what is past" (Phil. 3:13). That is, I regard no more what I have done than as if yet I had done nothing, or had clean forgotten what I did. “And I put on toward to what is before, pressing on toward the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (v. 14).

He did as men in a race that look not back to see how many have passed, or how far they have progressed, but have their eyes fixed on those that have gained ground on them, and on the ground before them, that they are to measure, ere they can come to the mark. Let us not consider so much how far we have gone, and how many others come short of us, but how far we are to go, and how far we come short of that Christian perfection that we should all strive and contend to attain unto.
—Thomas Gataker

Readings taken from Day by Day with the English Puritans

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Work Made Light

Ecclesiastes 9:10

The divine assistance which Christians have in their work alleviates the labor of it. Consider the Christian's work without this help. It is heavy indeed, yes, too heavy to stand under. But God's helping hand put to it makes this heavy work light. The ship, which when lying on ground, all the teams in the country could not draw off, how easily is it set afloat when the tide comes in? Thus the heart can rise out of its dullness and indisposition to duty.

Oh how soon is it elevated and inspired when God flows in with His secret aspirations and excitations of His blessed Spirit and grace! He who confessed that he could do nothing of himself, not so much as think a good thought, tells us that he is able to do all things through Christ who strengthens him.

Now this help from the Lord is promised, but it comes not till the Christian's hand is put to work. Let us be up and doing, and then God will not fail to be with us. It is easy working while God holds our hand, yes, and puts strength into it.

Are you tempted? While you are fighting in the valley below, Christ's hands are lifted up in heaven above for your victory. "I have prayed that thy faith fail not" (Luke 22:32); yes, He does not only pray above for you, but will be in the field with you, and in you, by the secret succors of His Spirit. "My grace is sufficient for thee" (2 Cor. 12:9), which is not meant of grace inherent in us, that indeed is insufficient of itself, but the auxiliary grace, which He sends in to assist us in a time of need.
—William Gurnall

Readings taken from Day by Day with the English Puritans

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