Paradise

Paradise Opened, or the Secrets, Mysteries, and
Rarities of Divine Love, of Infinite Wisdom, and
of Wonderful Counsel—Laid Open to Public View.
By Thomas Brooks, 1675.

God's bag and bottle

"My transgression is sealed up in a bag,
and You sew up my iniquity." Job 14:17

"You keep track of all my sorrows. You have
collected all my tears in your bottle. You have
recorded each one in Your book." Psalm 56:8

God counted all those weary steps that David took
in passing through those great forests, when he fled
from Saul. While David was hunted up and down like
a partridge, and chased out of every bush, and was
driven from one country to another—God was all
this while, a-noting down and a-numbering of all
his sorrows, and a-bottling up all his tears, and
a-booking down all his sighs!

Not a single tear of mine is ever lost, but kept safe
in God's bottle—as so much sweet water.

God is said in Scripture to have a bag and a bottle:
a bag for our sins, and a bottle for our tears. And oh
that we would all labor to fill His bottle with our tears
of repentance, as we have filled His bag with our sins!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

How so?

All mankind would have been eternally lost, had
God not, of His own free grace and mercy, made
a covenant of grace with poor sinners.

"They will be My people, and I will be their God."
     Jeremiah 32:38

This is a comprehensive promise, for God to be
our God—it includes all.

The covenant of grace is an agreement, which God has
made with sinful man, out of His mere mercy and grace,
wherein He undertakes for fallen man, to make him
everlastingly happy. God engages that He will be our
God; that is, as if He said, "You shall have an interest
in all My attributes for your good:
My grace shall be yours to pardon you,
My power shall be yours to protect you,
My wisdom shall be yours to direct you,
My goodness shall be yours to relieve you,
My mercy shall be yours to supply you,
My glory shall be yours to crown you."

"I will make an everlasting covenant with them;
that I will not turn away from them, to do them
good; and I will put My fear into their hearts—
that they shall not depart from Me." Jer. 32:40

The covenant of grace is everlasting on God's part,
and also on our part. On God's part, "I will never
turn away from them to do them good." And on our
part, "they shall never depart from Me." How so?
"I will put My fear into their hearts—that they shall
not depart from Me." That they shall persevere, and
hold out to the end—I will so deeply rivet a reverent
dread of Myself in their souls—as shall cause them
to believe, love, repent, obey, cling and cleave, and
keep close to Me forever.

O sirs! this is the glory of the covenant of grace—
that whatever God requires on man's part, that He
undertakes to perform for man!

"I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will
be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities
and all your idols. I will give you a new heart and
put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart
of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place My
Spirit within you and cause you to follow My statutes
and carefully observe My ordinances." Ezek. 36:25-27

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When Adam fell

Adam's first estate was a state of perfect knowledge,
wisdom and understanding. It was a perfect state of
holiness, righteousness and happiness. There was
nothing within him, but what was desirable and delectable;
there was nothing without him, but what was amiable and
commendable; nor was there anything around him, but
what was serviceable and comfortable. Adam, in his
innocent estate, was . . .
the epitome of wisdom and knowledge,
the image of God,
the delight of heaven,
the glory of the creation,
the world's great master,
the Lord's great darling.

But when Adam fell—we fell.
When he lost all—we lost all.
There are five things we lost in our fall:
1. Our holy image—and so became vile;
2. Our divine sonship—and so became children of Satan;
3. Our friendship with God—and so became His enemies;
4. Our communion with God—and so became strangers;
5. Our happiness—and so became miserable.

Sin and death came into the world by Adam's fall.

"For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned
through that one man, how much more will those who
receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the
gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man,
Jesus Christ." Romans 5:17

O sirs! what a wonder is this—that the great God,
who was so transcendently dishonored, despised,
provoked, incensed, and injured by poor base sinners;
should so freely, so readily, so graciously, condescend
to vile forlorn sinners—as to own them, as to love them,
and as to enter into a covenant of grace and mercy
with them! This may well be the wonder of angels,
and the astonishment of men!

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The covenant of grace

"He has made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things, and sure. Will He not bring to
fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire?"
     2 Samuel 23:5

All mankind would have been eternally lost—had God
not, of His own free grace and mercy, made a new
covenant with sinful man. The fountain from whence
His new covenant flows, is the sovereign grace and
mercy of God. There was nothing outside of God, nor
anything in God, but His mere mercy and grace—which
moved Him to enter into covenant with poor sinners,
who were miserable and loathsome and polluted; and
and were actually in arms against Him!

As there was nothing in fallen man to draw God's favor
or affection towards him; just so—there was everything
in fallen man which might justly provoke God's wrath and
indignation against him! Therefore it must be a very high
act of favor and grace—for the great, the glorious, the holy,
the wise, and the all-sufficient God—to enter into covenant
with such a forlorn creature as fallen man was!

Oh, the admirable counsel, wisdom, love, care and
tenderness of the blessed God—which sparkles and
shines in the well-ordering of the covenant of grace!
Oh, how lovely and beautiful, with what symmetry
and proportion, are all things in this covenant ordered
and prepared! Oh, what head can conceive, or what
tongue can express—that infinite wisdom which God
has manifested in ordering the covenant of grace—so
as it may most and best suit to all the needs, and
straits, and necessities, and miseries, and desires,
and longings of poor sinners' souls! Here are fit and
full supplies for all our spiritual needs! In the covenant
of grace, every poor sinner may find . . .
a suitable help,
a suitable remedy,
a suitable support,
a suitable supply!

The covenant of grace, is so well ordered by the
unsearchable wisdom of God, that you may find in it . . .
remedies to cure all your spiritual diseases,
cordials to comfort you under all your soul-faintings,
and a spiritual armory to arm you against . . .
   all sorts of sins, and
     all sorts of snares, and
     all sorts of temptations, and
     all sorts of oppositions, and
     all sorts of enemies—whether inward
or outward, open or secret, subtle or silly.

Do you, O distressed sinner—need . . .
a loving God,
a compassionate God,
a reconciled God,
a sin-pardoning God,
a tender-hearted God?
Here you may find Him in the covenant of grace!

Do you, O sinner—need a Christ . . .
to counsel you by His wisdom,
to clothe you with His righteousness,
to enrich you with His grace,
to enlighten you with His eye salve,
to justify you from your sins,
to reconcile you to God,
to secure you from wrath to come,
to bring you to heaven?
Here you may find Him in a covenant of grace!

Do you, O sinner! need the Holy Spirit . . .
to awaken you,
to convince you of sin, righteousness and judgment,
to enlighten and teach you,
to lead and guide you in the everlasting way,
to cleanse you,
to comfort you?
Here you may find Him in the covenant of grace!

O sinner! Do you need grace, all grace, great grace,
abundance of grace, multiplied grace? Here you may
find it in the covenant of grace!

O sinner! Do you need peace, or ease, or rest, or
quiet in your conscience? Here you may find it in
the covenant of grace!

O sinner! Do you need contentment, or comfort,
or joy, or satisfaction? Here you may have it in
the covenant of grace!

O sinner, sinner! whatever your soul needs are—they
may all be supplied out of the covenant of grace!
God, in His infinite wisdom and love, has laid into
the covenant of grace, as into a common storehouse,
all those good things, and all those great things, and
all those suitable things—that either sinners or saints
can either desire or need!

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A man of new principles

"If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature;
old things are passed away, behold all things
are become new!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

A new creature has . . .
a new judgment,
a new will,
new affections,
new thoughts,
new company,
new choices,
new laws,
new ways,
new works, etc.
A new creature is a changed creature throughout.

The new creature includes a new light, a new sight,
a new understanding. The new creature sees sin to
be the greatest evil, and Christ and holiness to be the
chief good. When a man is a new creature, he has a
new judgment and opinion—he looks upon God as his
only happiness, and Christ as his all in all, and upon
the ways of God as ways of pleasantness. The new
man has new cares, new requests, new desires, "Oh
that my heart may be adorned with grace!"

The new man is a man of new principles.
If you make a serious inspection into his soul,
you shall find a principle . . .
of faith,
of repentance,
of holiness,
of love,
of contentment,
of patience, etc.

The new man experiences a new combat and conflict
in his soul. "The flesh lusts against the spirit, and the
spirit lusts against the flesh." He combats with all sorts
of known sins—whether they are great or small, inward
or outward, whether they are the sins of the heart or the
sins of the life. This conflict in the new man is a daily
conflict, a constant conflict. The new creature can never,
the new creature will never, be at peace with sin; sin and
the new creature will fight it out to the death. The new
creature will never be brought into a league of friendship
with sin.

The new man is a man of a new life. A new life
always attends a new heart. You see it in Paul,
Mary Magdalene, Zaccheus, the jailor, and all
the others that are upon Scripture record.

The new man has new society, new company.
Holy society is the only society for people with
holy hearts, and in that society can no man
delight, until God renews his heart by grace.

The new man walks by a new rule, which is the
written Word of God. This rule he sets up for all
matters of faith, and for all matters of practice.

Well, friends, whatever you do forget, be sure that
forever you remember this—that none can or shall
be glorious creatures, but such as by grace are
made new creatures.

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Fully, completely and perfectly

"I will be their God, and they will be My people.
For I will forgive their wickedness and will
remember their sins no more." Heb. 8:10, 12

God will pardon the sins of His people fully,
completely and perfectly. Neither the . . .
many kinds of sins,
nor many degrees of sin,
nor many aggravations of sin,
nor even the multitude of sins,
can ever harm those souls who are in covenant
with God. God has mercy enough, and pardons
enough, for all His covenant-people's sins—
whether original or actual,
whether against the law or against the gospel,
whether against the light of nature or the rule of grace,
whether against mercies or judgments.

The covenant remedy against all kinds and degrees
of sin—infinitely transcends and surpasses . . .
all our infirmities and enormities,
all our weaknesses and wickednesses,
all our follies and unworthinesses, etc.

What is . . .
our unrighteousness—compared to Christ's righteousness;
our debts—compared to Christ's pardons;
our unholiness—compared to Christ's holiness;
our emptiness—compared to Christ's fullness;
our weakness—compared to Christ's strength;
our poverty—compared to Christ's riches;
our wounds—compared to Christ's healing balm?

"The Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to
anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining
love to thousands; and forgiving wickedness, rebellion
and sin." Exodus 34:6-7.

A merciful God, a gracious God—will pardon all kinds
of sinners, and all kinds and degrees of sin.

Oh, what astounding mercy, what rich grace is here!
that God will not only pardon our light, our small
offences; but our great and mighty sins! God will
never upbraid His people for . . .
their follies,
their miscarriages,
their unkindness,
their unfruitfulness,
their unthankfulness,
their vileness,
their stubbornness,
their wickedness.

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

His dreadful threatenings!

Sin and sorrow, iniquity and misery—always
go hand in hand.

"The wages of sin is death," Romans 6:23. Every
sinner is worthy of death. "Those who do such things
deserve death," Romans 1:32. If God is a just and
righteous God, then sin cannot absolutely escape
unpunished; for it is but "a just and righteous thing
with God"—to punish the sinner who is worthy of
punishment. As God must be just—so He must be
faithful. And if He must be faithful—then He must
carry out His threatenings against sin and sinners!

Look! As there is not a promise of God but shall surely
take place; just so, there is not a threatening of God
but shall surely take place. The faithfulness of God, and
the honor of God, are as much concerned in making good
of His dreadful threatenings—as they are concerned
in making good of His precious promises. God has given
it from His own mouth, that:
   "He will by no means clear the guilty;"
   "the soul that sins, shall surely die;"
   "the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him;"
   "He will render to every man according to his deeds."

Will God abrogate His own laws—or will He dare men to
sport and play with His threatenings? Will not every wise
and prudent king look to the execution of their own laws?
And shall not that God, who is wonderful in wisdom, and
whose understanding is infinite—see all that all His laws
are put in execution against offenders? Surely yes!

"He will repay them for their sins and destroy them
  for their wickedness; the LORD our God will destroy
  them!" Psalm 94:23

"I will not look on you with pity or spare you; I will
  repay you in accordance with your conduct and the
  detestable practices among you. Then you will know
  that it is I the LORD who strikes the blow!" Ezek. 7:9

"When I sharpen My flashing sword and My hand grasps
  it in judgment, I will take vengeance on My adversaries
  and repay those who hate Me." Deuteronomy 32:41

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Redeemed

"For you know that it was not with perishable
things such as silver or gold that you were
redeemed from the empty way of life handed
down to you from your forefathers." 1 Pet. 1:18

Christ redeems us from all sin—and from all the
consequences of sin. He endured the wrath of God
to the uttermost—for everyone who believes on Him.

By this redemption . . .
justice is satisfied,
wrath is pacified,
grace is procured,
all spiritual enemies are vanquished.

Each child of God is redeemed from . . .
the love of sin,
the guilt of sin,
the dominion of sin,
the damnatory power of sin,
the power of Satan,
the curse of the law,
hell and wrath to come!

The work of redemption was a great work. The
greatness of the person employed in this work,
speaks out the work to be a great work.

The great and invaluable price which was paid
down for our redemption, speaks it out to be a
great redemption. The price that we are bought
with, is a price beyond all computation.

This redemption that we have in Christ, is a free
and gracious redemption. All the rounds in this
ladder of redemption, are made up of free, rich,
and sovereign grace! Though our redemption
cost Christ dearly—yet to us it is most free!

Jesus Christ has completely done the work of our
redemption. He does not redeem us from some of
our sins, and leave us to grapple with the rest.
Oh, no! Christ makes a most complete work of it.
He redeems us from all our iniquities. He delivers
us out of the hands of all our enemies.
He pays all debts,
He delivers from all wrath,
He takes off the whole curse,
He saves to the uttermost,
and will settle us in a state of full and perfect
bliss—when grace shall be turned into glory.

The redemption which we have in Jesus Christ, is an
eternal, a permanent, a lasting, yes, an everlasting
redemption! "Having obtained eternal redemption
for us." Hebrews 9:12

There are many choice and rare spiritual
benefits which flow from redemption:
reconciliation with God,
remission of our sins,
justification of our persons,
adoption into God's family,
sanctification,
full glorification.
Redemption sweetens all the bitterest trials
and sharpest afflictions, which we meet with
in this world.

Redemption is a rich mine, containing a mass
of treasure which cannot be valued. Could we
dig into it, could we pry into it—we would find
that it contains unsearchable riches . . .
riches of grace, of all grace,
riches of justification,
riches of sanctification,
riches of consolation,
riches of glorification,
the best of riches,
the most durable riches,
soul riches,
heavenly riches!

"They are Your servants and Your people, whom
You redeemed by Your great strength and Your
mighty hand!" Nehemiah 1:10

God so loved the world

"God so loved the world, that He gave
His only-begotten Son." John 3:16.

Oh! what kind of love is this, for God to give . . .
His Son—not His servant;
His begotten Son—not His adopted Son;
His only Son—and not one son of many.

We see here . . .
the firstness of the Father's love, and
the freeness of the Father's love, and
the vehemency of the Father's love, and
the admirableness of the Father's love, and
the matchlessness of the Father's love!

Says God the Father to His Son, "Here is man—fallen
from his primitive purity, glory, and excellency—into a
most woeful gulf of sin and misery! He who was once
a son—has now become a slave; he who was once Our
friend—has now become Our enemy; he who was once
near Us—is now afar off; he who was once in Our favor
—is now cast off; he who was once made in Our image
—has now the image of Satan stamped upon him; he
who once had sweet communion with Us—has now
fellowship with the devil and his demons! Out of this
forlorn estate, he can never deliver himself! Neither
can all the angels in heaven deliver him! Now this
being man's woeful case and state, I make this offer
to You, O my Son: If, in the fullness of time, You will
assume the nature of man, tread the winepress of My
wrath alone, bear the curse, shed your blood, die, suffer,
satisfy My justice, fulfill My royal law—then I can, upon
the most honorable terms imaginable, save fallen man,
and put him into a safer and happier condition than he
ever was—and give You a noble reward for all Your
sufferings."

Upon this Jesus Christ replies: "O my Father! I am very
ready and willing to do, to suffer, to die—to satisfy Your
justice, to comply with You in all Your noble and gracious
inclinations—that poor sinners may be sanctified and
saved, made gracious and glorious, holy and happy;
that poor sinners may never perish, that poor sinners
may be secured from wrath to come, and be brought
into a state of light, life and love! I am willing to make
Myself an offering for their sin. Lo, I am come to do
Your will, O God."

The book of life

"And another book was opened, which is
the book of life." Revelation 20:12

The names of the elect are written in the book of life.
They do not obtain salvation by chance, but were
elected of God to eternal life and happiness before
the foundation of the world. Now their names being
once written in the book of life, they shall never,
never be blotted out of that book! In the book of
predestination there is not one blot to be found;
the salvation of the elect is most sure and certain!

"I will never blot out his name from the
book of life." Revelation 3:5

The book of life is the book of all those who were
elected and redeemed to life through Christ Jesus.
This book of life contains a register of such particular
persons in whose salvation, God from all eternity
determined to have His mercy glorified; and for whom
Christ merited faith, repentance, and perseverance—
that they should repent, believe, and be finally saved.

"The book of life shall be opened;" that is to say, the
decrees of God will be then published and made known,
which now are sealed up in His bosom and locked up
in His archives. Then it will be seen whom are appointed
to eternal life, for the glorifying of God's free, rich, and
sovereign grace; and whom He purposed to leave in
their sins, and to perish forever, for the exaltation of
His justice.

"Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who
does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those
whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life."
     Revelation 21:27

The book of life shall be opened in the great day,
because then it shall be shown . . .
who were elect—and who were reprobates;
who truly believed in Christ—and who did not;
who worshiped God in spirit and in truth—and who did not;
who walked with God as Noah did—and who did not;
who truly reverenced God—and who did not;
who followed the Lamb wherever He went—and who did not;
who were sincere—and who were not;
who are sheep—and who are goats;
who are sons of God—and who are slaves of Satan;
who have mourned for their sins—and who have made a sport of sin;
who preferred Christ above ten thousand worlds—and who did not;
who preferred their farms, and their oxen, and their swine,
    yes, their very lusts—before a Savior, a Redeemer!

"If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life,
he was thrown into the lake of fire!" Revelation 20:15

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

God's preacher in the heart

"They show that the requirements of the law are
written on their hearts, their consciences also
bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing,
now even defending them." Romans 2:14-15

Conscience is God's preacher in the heart.

In the great day of judgment, the book of every man's
conscience shall be opened for their conviction, wherein
they shall read their guilt in legible characters; for the
conscience is a book of record, wherein men's actions are
entered. And although now it is shut up closed, and sinners
will by no means be brought to look into it, and though
many things which are written in this book seem to be
so greatly obliterated and blotted, that they can hardly
be read—yet in that great day of accounts God will refresh
and recover the luster of those ancient writings; and sinners,
in that day, shall find that conscience has an iron memory!

In the last day, God will bring the book of conscience out
of the rubbish, as they did the book of the law in Josiah's
time; and the very laying open of this book before sinners
will horrify them, and fill them with unspeakable dread and
terror, and be a hell on this side hell unto them. In this
book they shall find an exact account of every vain thought
they have had, and of every idle word they have spoken,
and of every evil action they have done; and oh, what
amazement and astonishment will this fill them with!

God's omniscience takes in all things past, present, and
to come—as if He had kept a diary of every man's thoughts,
words, and actions!

The hidden things of the heart are not now known, but then
they shall be opened, and manifested to the consciences of
every sinner, so as there shall be no place, no room left for
any excuse or plea. Oh, what dreadful accusations will every
sinner be forced to read out of this book of conscience in the
great day! Oh, how in that great day will all wicked men wish
that they had followed the dictates of conscience.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The red sea of Christ's blood

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the
forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of
God's grace." Ephesians 1:7

O Lord! when I look upon my manifold weaknesses
and imperfections—I am many times not only grieved,
but also staggered! But when I look up to the covenant
of redemption—I am cheered, raised, and quieted!

What though my sins have been great and heinous—yet
they are not greater than Christ's sacrifice! He bore the
curse for great sins as well as small sins; for sins against
the gospel as well as for sins against the law; for sinful
omissions as well as for sinful commissions. The covenant
of redemption is so mighty—that none of my mighty sins
can stand before it!

If we look upon Manasseh, in those black and ugly colors
which the Holy Spirit paints him out in, (1 Kings 21:1-16;)
we must conclude that he was a mighty sinner, a monstrous
sinner! And yet his mighty sins, his monstrous sins—could
not stand before the covenant of redemption!

The greatest sins are finite—but the merit of Christ's
redemption is infinite. Though my debts are so many as
cannot be tallied—yet Christ has paid them all. Woe had
been to me forever—had Christ left but one penny upon
the record for me to pay! As I have multiplied my sins,
so He has multiplied His pardons!

All the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea—the high
and the low, the great and the small, the rich and the poor,
the honorable and the base—were all drowned. Just so, the
red sea of Christ's blood drowns all our sins—whether they
are great or small, high or low, etc., Though my sins are as
scarlet—my Redeemer will make them as white as snow!
Though they are as red as crimson, they shall be white as
wool! There is not one of my sins, for which Jesus Christ
has not suffered, and made atonement for, and purchased
pardon for! Though my sins are innumerable, though they
are more than the hairs of my head, or the sands on the
sea-shore, yet they are not to be named in comparison
with the merits of Christ, and the atoning sacrifice of Christ.
Be my sins ever so many; yes, though they might fill a scroll
which reaches from east to west, from north to south, from
earth to heaven—yet they could not bring me under the curse!

"For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and
brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom
we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Col. 1:13-14

"The cross of Christ is the golden key which opens paradise
to us!" All Christ's sufferings, were for His people. Oh, the
endless and matchless love of Christ!

O blessed Jesus, what manner of love is this—that You should
wash away my scarlet sins in Your own blood! That You should
die—that I may live! That You should be cursed—that I might
be blessed! That You should undergo the pains of hell—that I
might enjoy the joys of heaven! That the face of God should
be clouded from You—that His everlasting favor might rest upon
me! That You should be an everlasting screen between the wrath
of God and my immortal soul! That You should suffer for me
beyond all expression, and beyond all conception; and gloriously
provide for me beyond all expectation! What shall I say, what
can I say to all this—but fall down before Your grace, and spend
my days in wondering at that matchless, bottomless love, which
can never be fathomed by angels or men!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The sparkling diamond in the ring of glory!

Christ can never rest satisfied until His gracious
communion with His people here, issues in their
perfect and glorious communion with Him in heaven.

"Father, I want those You have given Me to be with
Me where I am, and to see My glory." John 17:24

Christ is very desirous of His people's fellowship and
company. It is a part of Christ's joy—that they should
be where He is. Christ will not be happy alone. As a
tender father, He can enjoy nothing if His children
may not have part with Him. Even now—He is
always with them . . .
to eye their behavior,
to hear their prayers,
to guide their way,
to protect their persons,
to cheer their spirits, and
to delight with His presence.

The greatest part of our happiness, which we shall
have in heaven lies in this—that then we shall be
with Christ, and have immediate communion with
Him. O sirs! the great end of our being in heaven,
is to behold and enjoy the glory of Christ!

Certainly the glory and happiness of heaven to the
elect, will consist much in being in Christ's company,
in whom they delight so much on earth. To follow the
Lamb wherever He goes, to enjoy Him fully, and to be
always in His presence—is the heaven of heaven, the
glory of glory! This is the sparkling diamond in
the ring of glory!

The day is coming wherein believers shall be completely
happy in a sight of Christ's glory. When all veils have been
laid aside—they shall be fitted for a more full fruition, and
shall visibly and immediately behold and enjoy Him!

"Father, I want those You have given Me to be with
Me where I am, and to see My glory." John 17:24

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

They shall never perish!

"All that the Father gives Me, will come to Me."
John 6:37

"And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that
I shall lose none of all that He has given Me,
but raise them up at the last day." John 6:39

The first fountain and cause of salvation, is the
absolute and sovereign will and pleasure of God.
Those, whose salvation the Father wills, are given
over to Christ in His eternal purpose—to be
brought to Him in due time. All whom are elected
and given to Christ, will certainly, in due time,
come to Him. Their being given to Christ from
eternity, produces their coming to Him in time.
The power which draws them is invincible
and irresistible!

"No one can come to Me unless the Father
who sent Me draws him." John 6:44

"No one can come to Me unless the Father
has enabled him." John 6:65

"My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and
they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they
shall never perish; no one can snatch them out
of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me,
is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of
My Father's hand!" John 10:27-29

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I have found a ransom!

"Deliver him from going down into the pit,
for I have found a ransom!" Job 33:24

"I have found a ransom, or an atonement, a
cover for man's sin. Angels and men could
never have found a ransom; but by My deep,
infinite, and unsearchable wisdom," says God
the Father, "I have found a ransom! I have
found out a way, a means for the redeeming
of mankind, from going down to the infernal
pit, namely—the death and passion of My
dearest Son!"

But where, O blessed God, did you find a ransom?

"Not in angels, not in men, not in legal sacrifices,
not in gold or silver, not in the tears, humblings
and meltings of My people; but in My own bosom.
That Jesus, that Son of My love, who has lain in
My bosom from all eternity—He is that ransom,
who by My own matchless wisdom and singular
goodness, I have found. I have not called a council
to inquire where to find a ransom, that fallen man
might be preserved from falling into the fatal pit of
destruction; but I have found a ransom in My own
heart, My own bosom! Without advising or consulting
with others, I have found out a way how to save
sinners without injuring My honor, justice, holiness
and truth!"

Had all the angels in heaven, from the first day of
their creation, to this very day, sat in serious council
—to invent, contrive, or find out a way, a means,
whereby lost man might be secured against the
curse of the law, hell, condemnation, and wrath to
come; and whereby he might have been made happy,
and blessed forever; they could never have found out
any way or means to have effected those great things.

Our redemption, by a ransom, is God's own invention,
and God's only invention. The blessed ransom which
the Lord has found out for poor sinners, is the blood
of His own dearest Son—a ransom which never entered
into the thoughts or hearts of angels and men, until
God had revealed it!

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

No one can snatch them out of My hand

"My purpose will stand, and I will do all that
I please." Isaiah 46:10

"The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the
purposes of His heart through all generations."
    Psalm 33:11

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the
Lord's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21

God's eternal purpose never changes, never alters.

The immutability of God's purpose, springs from . . .
the unchangeableness of His essence,
the perfection of His wisdom,
the infiniteness of His goodness,
the absoluteness of His sovereignty,
the omnipotency of His power.

The gracious purpose of God is the fountain-head
of all our spiritual blessings. It is the foundational cause
of our effectual calling, justification, glorification. It
is the highest link in the golden chain of salvation.

What is the reason that one man is everlastingly saved
—and not another? It is from the eternal purpose of God.

The purpose of God is the sovereign cause of all that
eternal good which comes to man. All a believer's present
happiness, and all his future happiness—springs from the
eternal purpose of God.

"God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not
because of anything we have done, but because of His
own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ
Jesus before the beginning of time." 2 Timothy 1:8-9

"For He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I
have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I
have compassion.' It does not, therefore, depend on
man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy."
    Romans 9:15-16

There is no man, no power, no devil, no violent temptation
—which shall ever be able to overturn those whom God has
chosen. "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and
they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall
never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand.
My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all;
no one can snatch them out of My Father's hand."
John 10:27-29. (Also, Romans 8:35-39)

If the purpose of God was uncertain, a Christian could
never have a good day all his days; his whole life would
be filled up with tears, doubts, disputes, distractions,
etc. He would be still a-crying out, "Oh, I can never be
sure that God will be mine, or that Christ will be mine,
or that mercy will be mine, or that pardon of sin will be
mine, or that heaven will be mine! Oh, I can never be
sure that I shall escape the great damnation, the worm
which never dies, the fire which never goes out, or eternal
separation from the glorious presence of the Lord!"

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

These harsh dispensations of God

"And we know that God causes everything to work together
for the good of those who love God and are called according
to His purpose for them." Romans 8:28

The godly are able to put a sweet, a loving, and a favorable
construction—upon the most sharp, distressing, severe, and
dreadful dispensations of God, knowing that all flows from
love, and shall work for their spiritual and eternal good, and
for the advancement of God's honor and glory in the world.
They know that there are no wrath, and curses, and woes
wrapped up in these harsh dispensations of God.

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

All worldly grandeur

Riches and honors and titles, and all worldly
grandeur—won't go with us beyond the grave.
Death, as a porter, stands at the gate, and
strips men of all their worldly wealth and glory!

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Eternal safety, security and felicity

As long as Jesus Christ has all power to defend
His people, and all wisdom and knowledge to
guide and govern His people, and all dominion
to curb the enemies of His people—we may
soundly conclude of their eternal safety,
security and felicity.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Riches, prosperity, and worldly glory

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom
of God!" Matthew 19:24

"Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of
the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has
rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold
and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify
against you and eat your flesh like fire!" James 5:1-3

Rich men's wealth proves a hindrance to their happiness.
There is nothing more clear in Scripture and history, than
that riches, prosperity, and worldly glory—have been
commonly the portion of those who don't have God for
their portion. Riches are called thick clay, Hab. 2:6, which
will sooner break the back, than lighten the heart.

There is an utter uncertainty in riches, 1 Tim. 6:17.

"Don't weary yourself trying to get rich. Why waste
your time? For riches can disappear as though they
had the wings of a bird!" Proverbs 23:4-5