The Narrated Puritan

CASE 4. How may a person judge whether a promise or threatening comes from God, or is brought by Satan to the soul?

Where catechising of the young ones is maintained. Whether at stated times or occasionally, there ought to be certain seasons, inviolably appointed for that great purpose. Without these, the usual reading of the word is not likely to have the same success. And blessed be the Lord, we have many excellent helps published for this purpose,

We may safely conclude that Satan does not know the thoughts of man as God does. But still, as Satan is a spirit, he has a freer and more frequent intercourse with the human mind than many are aware of. I look at the mind as the spring, and thoughts as the streams issuing from it. Satan cannot exactly see or discern the spring head, nor perhaps all the streams. A good man may have many thoughts which Satan cannot be very privy to. I think that in the exercise of faith, love, hope, etc., thoughts must be employed as the mind is enlightened by the Holy Spirit.

There is in most persons a natural inclination to generation. These desires are absolutely necessary for the continuance and increase of mankind. God has appointed that his purposes should be accomplished, and his glory promoted, in this manner. Nevertheless, these desires are not to be enlarged as hell, but to be restrained and limited by the holy law of God. Things that are useful and necessary in themselves, according to the law of creation and conservation, are greatly perverted by our sad depravity. If we have no appetites — that is, no desire and inclination to eat and drink — we cannot be useful in our place, nor live long. Yet the glutton, the drunkard, and the voluptuary,greatly abuse the good creatures of God, to the shame, ruin, and destruction of soul and body.

This study explores Prince Emmanuel's final address to the city of Mansoul in John Bunyan's The Holy War, focusing on why God allows original sin to remain in the regenerate. Guided by Alexander Whyte's commentary, we see that Christ leaves these internal remnants not out of weakness, but in divine wisdom to foster genuine humility, keep faith active, and demonstrate His long-suffering mercy. Classic commentators like George Burder provide essential historical and doctrinal context for translating Bunyan's military metaphors into daily Christian experience, while John Owen's Indwelling Sin supplies the clinical theological framework distinguishing between sin reigning and sin dwelling. Complemented by the intimate, searching prayers of Philip Doddridge, the discussion ultimately encourages weary believers to maintain constant vigilance, refuse any truce with remaining corruption, and take heart in Emmanuel's ultimate command and promise: "Hold fast till I come."

And the first suggestion which I would offer on this subject is, that all your reading should be, as far as possible, with some definite object, other than merely to occupy your time. If you have no object in view — you may be sure that you will accomplish none! And thus your reading will be at best a mere waste of time, and not improbably, will be fraught with intellectual or moral evil. When you take up a book, decide if you can, from its title, or its table of contents, what good purpose you can accomplish by reading it; what faculties of your mind it will be likely to improve; or what moral dispositions to refine or elevate; and having settled this point, if the book is worthy of your attention, you can hardly fail to be benefitted by reading it. Another remark closely connected with the preceding, is, that you should never allow yourself to read without reflection.

What Means Must a Person Use to attain greater liveliness in devotions?

Whatever God does is essential and right. And as he is declared to impute righteousness to the blessed, it must be essential and right; nor can a man be safe without it. Paul knew this right well, and therefore he "suffered the loss of all things, and counted them but dung, that he might win Christ, and be found in him, not having his own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith," Phi 3.8-9. Namely, it is Christ's righteousness imputed to us, which is wrought by God the Son, given by God the Father, revealed by God the Spirit, and received by faith as the soul's justifying dress.

A person may sometimes have a very oppressing sense of the prevalence of sin, and at the same time his interest in Christ is greatly clouded and called into question. Yet, at those very seasons, he may be under the saving and sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit. It is possible, and perhaps too common, for true believers to be in so stupid a frame, that they are little affected by a sense of sin, or by the beauty of Christ and true holiness. These are sad seasons, and much to be dreaded. For where they are of long continuance, the state of that poor barren soul is much to be lamented.

"May one partake of the Lord's Supper before he is indulged with undoubted assurance of a personal interest in Christ?" It is easy to answer in the affirmative. If assurance of salvation were absolutely necessary to qualify for the Lord's table, then worthy communicants would be much fewer than they are. And if that were the case, it would easily appear that our blessed Redeemer had appointed the sacred supper, not for the babes in his house, but for the strong men in his family. This would be very discouraging to the weak-minded. And I am persuaded it was far from the design of the tender-hearted Shepherd, who is so mindful of his lambs, and so compassionate, that he gathers them in his arms, and carries them in his bosom.