vi. (2)Unseen world.(3)Everywhere. For whereas man sinned, and is fallen, and by his fall all things are in confusion: death prevailed from Adam to Moses (cf. Don't forsake the works of your own hands. v. 14), the earth was cursed, Hades was opened, Paradise shut, Heaven offended, man, lastly, corrupted and brutalised (cf. "He is both, sir." We have received with the utmost gratification the letters of your Fraternity, which have reached us somewhat late by the hands of Donatus and Quodvultdeus, our most reverend brethren and fellow-bishops, and also Victor the deacon with Agilegius the notary. AugustineOf Holy Virginity. Said Milton, speaking of his travels abroad when a young man: "I again take God to witness that in all places where so many things are considered lawful, I lived sound and untouched from all profligacy and vice, having this thought perpetually with me, that though I might escape the eyes of men, I certainly could not the eyes of God."4. And here let us look upon the bright as well as the dark side of this subject. Every effect has a cause, and all spiritual faith is created by the Holy Ghost. Whence the material universe? It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. We cannot live long with men without catching something of their manner, of their mode of thought, of their character, of their government of themselves. 3. The law and covenant of God are co-extensive; and what is enjoined in the one is confirmed in the other. S. Thomas, On the Beatific Vision, I., xii. iii. 7 ad 3m II. : While the Americans were blockading Cuba, several captains endeavoured to elude their vigilance by night, trusting that the darkness would conceal them as they passed between the American war-ships. 5, 6. "How can He be both?" One day the Lord spoke to me through a particular scripture. From the just we learn justice; from the charitable we catch an infection of charity; from the generous we receive the instinct of generosity. 1, 2. He may be an uncommonly thoughtful person, and little of what is done within his soul may escape his notice; nay, we will make the extreme supposition that he arrests every thought as it rises, and looks at it; that he analyzes every sentiment as it swells his heart; that he scrutinizes every purpose as it determines his will; even if he should have such a thorough and profound self-knowledge as this, God knows him equally profoundly and equally thoroughly. But while all held their peace, the Son [441] said, AthanasiusSelect Works and Letters or AthanasiusCovenant Duties. 24).(W. The word, "me," in the text, cannot be appropriated by any man, unless he, in some respects, resembles the character of David, who penned this psalm. If that Being has gone down into these depths of human depravity, and seen it with a more abhorring glance than could ever shoot from a finite eye, and yet has returned with a cordial offer to forgive it all, and a hearty proffer to cleanse it all away, then we can lift up the eye in adoration and in hope. His omnipresence. Wherefore a few witnesses, which the Lord deigns to suggest to my mind, I proceed to mention, from out the teaching of Christ concerning humility, such as perhaps may be enough for my purpose. The simple question, then, which meets us is, Wilt thou know thyself here, and now, that thou mayest accept and feel God's pity; or wilt thou keep within the screen, and not know thyself until beyond the grave, and then feel God's judicial wrath? 12), while the devil was exulting against us;--then God, in His loving-kindness, not willing man made in His own image to perish, said, Whom shall I send, and who will go?' (Admonition 23.) For that voice more readily penetrates the hearer's heart, which the speaker's life Leo the GreatWritings of Leo the GreatHow those that are at Variance and those that are at Peace are to be Admonished. Hear my prayer, O God; and hide not Thyself from my petition. 7 ad 3m II. His omnipotence (vers. He will revive us."--HOS. ", 3. able characteristics of a rational being is the power of self-inspection. 19 III. Our relation toward such a God should be 1. St. Hilary of Poitiers is one of the greatest, yet least studied, of the Fathers of the Western Church. 1, 2. We have received with the utmost gratification the letters of your Fraternity, which have reached us somewhat late by the hands of Donatus and Quodvultdeus, our most reverend brethren and fellow-bishops, and also Victor the deacon with Agilegius the notary. But there are other reasons for the comparative neglect into which he has fallen. Being rich he becomes richer; being already high born, of still nobler lineage; being illustrious, he gains greater renown; and--what is more than all--once a sinner he is now a saint. "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thy right hand shall save me."--PS. the regular habit of reading the Bible at a fixed time, the occasional reminders of ourselves that God is looking on, these are our chief means of learning to remember His presence. March 3rd, 2023. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. "Come, and let us return to the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us. Take heed unto me and hear me; how I mourn in my prayer and am vexed.--Psalm iv. The former are made and fulfilled by its glorious Originator; the latter are enjoined and obligatory on man. v. 14), the earth was cursed, Hades was opened, Paradise shut, Heaven offended, man, lastly, corrupted and brutalised (cf. v. 14), the earth was cursed, Hades was opened, Paradise shut, Heaven offended, man, lastly, corrupted and brutalised (cf. The separate, personal thinking of God toward every one of us. Those who live much in refined and educated society acquire refinement insensibly. The self-knowledge, remember, must come in the one way or the other. His plans and purposes as displayed in these miracles of creation, are precious beyond measure. Then is the moment to choose whether or not we will live in the presence of God; then when the finger of conscience is pointing to Him and saying, "He is looking at you. Wherefore a few witnesses, which the Lord deigns to suggest to my mind, I proceed to mention, from out the teaching of Christ concerning humility, such as perhaps may be enough for my purpose. I will ask you three questions suggested by the words themselves, and according to your answer to these three questions, shall be Charles Haddon SpurgeonSpurgeon's Sermons Volume 5: 1859Question of the Contemplative LifeI. For if God's exhaustive knowledge of the human heart waken dread in one of its aspects, it starts infinite hope in another. Justice, in this reference, is out of the question. LCMS Sermons - Pastor James F. Wright Sermon on Ephesians 4:30-5:2. AugustineOf Holy Virginity. I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! Whenever servants of the Lord come together and examine what it is that they need to be, there must be a vision of Christ. But if that knowledge whereby man knows himself is mysterious, then certainly that whereby God knows him is far more so. It began in election; and when does it end? 7. We cannot live long with men without catching something of their manner, of their mode of thought, of their character, of their government of themselves. And though we thought that we had suffered loss from the tardiness of their coming, yet we find gain from their more abundant charity; seeing that from this delay in point Saint Gregory the Greatthe Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, The Coming Revival"Wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?"--PS. 19 III. There is no reason to mourn a son as lost who is a religious, still less to fear for his delicacy of constitution. 23, 24). xviii. Nor did God create these each by himself, and join them together as alien by birth: but He created the one St. 7 ad 3m II. The simple question, then, which meets us is, Wilt thou know thyself here, and now, that thou mayest accept and feel God's pity; or wilt thou keep within the screen, and not know thyself until beyond the grave, and then feel God's judicial wrath? The brilliant searchlight sweeping the broad ocean and revealing even the smallest craft on its surface is but a faint type of the Eternal Light from which no sinner can hide his sin. The duties of that Covenant are God's law; and the demands of the law are all made John CunninghamThe Ordinance of CovenantingIntroduction. ( Psalm 138:8) "God will perfect everything that concerns you." ( Psalm 138:8, NKJV) I have heard my wife use King David's phrase many times in her public prayers. III. Chapter i. (Weekly Pulpit. From the just we learn justice; from the charitable we catch an infection of charity; from the generous we receive the instinct of generosity. When David said the Lord will perfect that which concerns him, he wasnt praying to God. The Lord is nigh unto them that call upon Him; He also will hear their cry, and will help them.--Psalm cxlv. 23:1) I confess all my sins and iniquities, cleanse me with your blood, Lord Jesus . He learnt his theology, as we shall see, from Eastern authorities, and was not content to carry on and develop the traditional teaching of the West; and the disciple St. We could never discharge our duties properly if we were to be perpetually distracted by the consciousness of what was around us: and, above all, we might be daunted by the perpetual thought of the presence of God, and so be paralyzed instead of helped. ad probam IV. For he who is required by the necessity of his position to speak the highest things is compelled by the same necessity to exhibit the highest things. 19 III. (2)Unseen world.(3)Everywhere. (Admonition 23.) That act whereby another being knows my secret thoughts and inmost feelings is most certainly inexplicable.I. Do we not begin at the Cross, and when we have climbed ever so high, is it not at the Cross that we end? II. The text, however, itself, is its own guard. The grace of God makes a man thoughtful, and leads him to concern about himself, his life, his future, and the completeness of the work of grace. And this will generally be just when we are tempted to do wrong, or perhaps just when we are actually beginning to do it: some secret sin of which no one knows or dreams perhaps, some self-indulgence, which we dare not deny that God condemns. Self-consciousness has been the problem of the philosophic mind in all ages; and the mystery is not yet unravelled. So that whenever we are on the point of doing or saying anything cowardly, or mean, or false, or impure, or proud, or conceited, or unkind, the remembrance that God is looking on shall instantly flash across us and help us to beat down our enemy. : While the Americans were blockading Cuba, several captains endeavoured to elude their vigilance by night, trusting that the darkness would conceal them as they passed between the American war-ships. 6. Ps. "O Lord, revive Thy work in the midst of the years."--HAB. Is he lacking in power or love? The right state of mind plainly is to have the thought of God's presence so perpetually at hand that it shall always start before us whenever it is wanted. In my trouble I will call upon the Lord, and complain unto my God; so shall He hear my voice out of His holy temple, and my complaint shall come before Him; it shall enter even into His ears.--Ps. He will revive us."--HOS. Let us not act so by Christ. 18, 19. (Admonition 23.) It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. And lest the presence of God should be too much for us, Christ has taken human nature on Him, and has provided that He will be always with us as long as the world shall last. Chapter i. God Will Perfect That Which Concerns Me The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever do not abandon the works of your hands.
the lord will perfect that which concerns me sermon