Milo

26 JANUARY

God’s law—his prescribed course

‘But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully.’ 1 Timothy 1:8
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: 1 Timothy 1:1–11

Ignorance of the nature and design of the law is at the bottom of all our mistakes in religious concerns. This is the root of self-righteousness and the grand reason why the gospel of Christ is no more regarded. Without a due knowledge of the law, the gospel cannot be rightly preached or understood. And there are and have been too many like those mentioned in the preceding verse, desiring to be teachers of the law; yet not knowing what they say and affirm. Notice what we are to understand by the law. The law in many passages of the Old Testament signifies the whole revelation of the will of God, as in Psalm 1:2 and 19:7; but the law, strictly speaking, is distinguished from the gospel, as shown at large in the Epistles to the Romans and Galatians. In the chapter before us the Apostle plainly intends the law of Moses, but in order to understand the nature and design of the law of Moses, it is necessary to go a little higher. The law of God then in the largest sense is that rule, or prescribed course, which he has appointed for his creatures, according to their several natures and capacities, so as to answer the end for which he has created them. Thus it extends to things without life. So it is said, the wind and storm fulfil his word or law. So he hath appointed the moon for its seasons and the sun knoweth his going down, or going forth, and performs all its revolutions according to its Maker’s pleasure. If we could suppose the sun was an intelligent being and was to refuse to shine, or was to wander from the path in which God has appointed it to move, it would be a transgressor of the law. But there is no such disorder in the natural world. The law of God in this sense, or what is frequently called the law of nature, is no other than the impression of God’s power whereby all things continue to his original purpose. For he spake and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast.

FOR MEDITATION: ‘For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them’ (Ephesians 2:10).

SERMON SERIES: 1 TIMOTHY 1:8, NO. 1 [1/2]

25 JANUARY (PREACHED NEW YEAR’S EVENING 1770)

Do not forsake him

‘… If thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.’ 1 Chronicles 28:9
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Hebrews 3:7–4:6

The close of my text is awful. If you will not hear, my eye shall weep for you in secret. Attend to the caution—If you forsake him … This is not contrary to what we preach of his unchangeable love to his own people. If you seek him, you shall so find him that nothing shall separate you from him. But if you neglect his call, if you reject him in your hearts, he will cast you off for ever—in life, at death, at the great day. In life you shall be a poor, miserable creature without God in this world, given up to unruly lusts and follies, strangers to peace, without hope or relief. At death—when your soul is plunging into eternity, torn from your idols. At the great day—do you not tremble at the thought? My heart trembles for you. But I would hope better things and things which accompany salvation. I would hope this is a season of grace, that prayer is heard, that the Lord is now about to exert the power of grace and that he will show himself mighty to save. I hope none will think that because I am especially to speak to young persons tonight, that therefore they only are concerned in the subject. If you have lived many years a stranger to God, surely it is high time that you should seek him, for if you do not know him, you must assuredly perish. What though you have lived forty, fifty, sixty, seventy years and are a slave to sin this hour—why, you are, for ought you know, upon the very brink of ruin. Yet it is not too late. Seek him now while he may be found. If your hearts are not utterly hardened against his voice, there is yet hope. But O beware of delays. It is the eleventh hour with some of you. May the God of all grace snatch you as brands out of the burning.

FOR MEDITATION: Some of you he has called out of darkness into his marvellous light. Be thankful unto him and bless his name. Follow hard after him. Be of good courage. Fightings and fears you must expect, but he is faithful who has called, who also will do it.

SERMON: 1 CHRONICLES 28:9 [5/5] [FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE]

24 JANUARY (PREACHED NEW YEAR’S EVENING 1770)

Seeking God

‘… If thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.’ 1 Chronicles 28:9
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Psalm 34:1–22

This leads to the encouragement: if you seek him he will be found. It is his own promise—Seek and him ye shall find. Come and he will receive you. But do you ask, What is it to come or to seek? To come to Christ is to venture yourselves as poor, perishing creatures upon his blood and promise; and to seek him is to wait upon him according to his word for grace and power to do so. Though you are not sufficient in yourselves to come to Christ, yet you cannot, without stifling and rebelling against the light he has given you, put off seeking him a day longer. Seek him by prayer. Entreat him to make you truly sensible of these things, to soften your hearts, to give you the knowledge of himself. Search the Scriptures. Attend upon the ministry of the gospel. Be found in the way. If you are sincere in your desires, you will break off from sinful and ensnaring company and the things which you yourselves know are contrary and displeasing to him. Thus he will be found of you. And he says, He that findeth me findeth life [Proverbs 8:35]. O blessed shall ye be of the Lord, if you thus seek him. When you receive faith you will receive pardon, peace; you will find access to a communion with the great God. Heaven will begin in your soul while upon earth. He will guide you by his counsel and afterwards receive you to his glory. O that I could tell you the sweetness of the hidden manna, but it can only be known by tasting—some of you I trust have tasted that he is gracious.
FOR MEDITATION:
Our LORD, who knows full well
’Twas thus a widow poor,
The heart of every saint;
Without support or friend,
Invites us, by a parable,
Beset the unjust judge’s door,
To pray and never faint.
And gained, at last, her end.

Though unbelief suggest,
Then let us earnest be,
Why should we longer wait?
And never faint in prayer;
He bids us never give him rest,
He loves our importunity,
But be importunate.
And makes our cause his care.

SERMON: 1 CHRONICLES 28:9 [4/5], [FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE]

23 JANUARY (PREACHED NEW YEAR’S EVENING 1770)

Serving God

‘… Serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts …’ 1 Chronicles 28:9
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Deuteronomy 10:12–22

Serve with a perfect heart and a willing mind, otherwise you cannot serve him at all. You cannot serve two masters. He says, My son, give me thy heart [Proverbs 23:26]. If you will serve God you must renounce the service of sin and glorify him in your body and spirit which are his. And this service must be free, not by force or any constraint but by the constraint of love. A formal service, urged by slavish fears and performed for merely selfish ends, is not accepted. Without faith you cannot please him [Hebrews 11:6]. To draw near him with your lips is not enough. Therefore if you think of serving God, consider the argument—to pray for a perfect heart and willing mind. He searcheth and understandeth. He has a perfect knowledge of you, from your birth to this hour—your hearts and ways are all open to him. I am persuaded the best and the worst of you would blush and tremble to have some things of which your conscience reminds you, exposed to the view of this congregation—and yet what are we? Worms like yourselves! But thus you are exposed to the view of the heart-searching God. Do you not then see a necessity of his grace? And will not such a conviction engage you to give yourselves wholly to him? You may deceive men, and even yourselves, but not him. There is comfort as well as caution in this thought—he knows your fears, your wants, your disappointments, how long and how often you have been seeking happiness where it is not to be found. Therefore he invites, calls you, to know and serve him, which is life and peace. Unworthy and sinful as he sees you are, yet he opens a door of mercy and says, Seek ye my face and live.

FOR MEDITATION: May my heart be divested of all prepossession and self-seeking; may I be enabled to see and follow my duty; and may I maintain the comfortable testimony of a sincere, teachable and obedient conscience in thy sight. O may thy Spirit witness in my heart, and my conversation witness in the world, that I am indeed thy disciple, thine without reserve, thine and not another’s, thine and not my own—Amen.
Miscellaneous Thoughts, Friday 23 June 1758

SERMON: 1 CHRONICLES 28:9 [3/5] [FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE]

22 JANUARY (PREACHED NEW YEAR’S EVENING 1770)

Knowing God

‘And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.’ 1 Chronicles 28:9
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Jeremiah 23:23–24

You must know the Lord before you can serve him, and you will serve him if you know him. You are as Solomon: the means by which God is known are afforded you. To these you must attend. In the knowledge of God is eternal life—and you must know Christ as the way, for none knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. You are not called to attempt this by your own power. O that you could be sensible of your inability, then a great point would be gained. He has revealed himself in his word, yet still you need the Spirit of his Son.
What is it to know God?
(i) To be duly impressed with a sense of his awesome majesty and greatness—such a sense as may abase us before him, and teach us to fear him.
(ii) To know the way in which he holds communion with sinners. If you think of him as One who can suffer you to approach in any way but by faith in Christ, or who will afford you any pardon or spiritual good but through the atoning blood, you know him not aright.
(iii) To conceive of him as the only desirable portion of your souls, who alone is capable of making you happy.
(iv) To know him as reconciled—as your God and Father, who has accepted you in the beloved. This is the knowledge which brings peace into the soul and gives strength for his service.

FOR MEDITATION: ‘And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent’ (John 17:3).

SERMON: 1 CHRONICLES 28:9 [2/5] [FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE]