“Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.”
Isaiah 21:6
“In vision the prophet is placed upon a lofty pile, and from that eminence he looks abroad upon the whole field of human action, and reports what passes under his own eyesight. A watchman is not a warrior. We must always notice the distribution of functions in spiritual and social life. Though the watchman is not a warrior, yet the warrior would be weaker did he lack the guidance of the watcher’s eyes. The watcher draws no sword, yet to him may the victory in no small degree be due. We need in the Church quiet, observant, contemplative men. Yet there must be a limit even to a watchman’s silence. The lifting of a finger may be enough in some instances, or the holding forth of an appointed signal. In other cases there must be a loud crying out, so that men may know that danger is imminent. The circumstances of each case will determine the watchman’s duty. The unfaithful watchman is a murderer. This doctrine applies to preachers, teachers, statesmen, patriots, and to all persons susceptible of deep conviction and charged with high responsibilities. Woe to the world when the watchmen are asleep or are selfishly silent.”
“Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please God; nor can we fear what we do not believe”
– William Penn
“True salvation always produces an abiding change of nature in a true convert. Therefore, whenever holiness of life does not accompany a confession of conversion, it must be understood that this individual is not a Christian.”
– Jonathan Edwards
“God is goodness itself, in whom all goodness is involved. If therefore we love other things for the goodness which we see in them, why do we not love God, in whom is all goodness? All other things are but sparks of that fire, and drops of that sea. If you see any good in the creature, remember there is much more in the Creator. Leave therefore the streams, and go to the fountainhead of comfort.”
– Richard Sibbes
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away…”
John 16:7
“For example, here is a mother who is teaching her little child to walk. You know what a pleasure it is to see a little creature taking its first walk from one chair to another! I do not think I shall ever forget the first time I taught a little child to walk, and the joy I had in seeing the little toddling creature manage to go three steps without my help. There came to me a sense of triumph, a sense of something done. Well, here is a mother teaching her child to walk from one chair to another, and she begins by holding the child’s waist gently with both hands, and as the little thing steadies itself, and seems to have found its feet, she just takes away her hands little by little. Why does she take away her hands? Does she say, “I am tired; I do not like this posture of embracing thee, or of holding thee”? No, but she says in effect, “It is expedient for thee, my little child, that I take away this motherly support; thou must learn to walk by thyself;” and so the hands go away, not because the mother is weary, but because the child must be taught, sooner or later, self-reliance.”
Joseph Parker – The People’s Bible
“I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost; Christianity without Christ; forgiveness without repentance; salvation without regeneration; politics without God; and Heaven without Hell”
– William Booth
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables”
– 2 Timothy 4:2-4
“For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh”
Colossians 2:1
“Why should Paul the Apostle enter into any “conflict” about people or concerning people whom he had never seen? It is to be remembered that the Apostle Paul is writing to persons who had never seen him in the flesh, whom he had never seen, and with whom he had only opened indirect communication by a fellow-labourer. Yet he says he has a “great conflict” for the Colossians and the Laodiceans and the dwellers in Hierapolis. Why this conflict? Why not let the people alone? Why not be concerned simply for those who are round about you? What is this passion in the sanctified heart that will go out to the ends of the earth, clothed in charity, burning with Christly ardour? If there be any persons who are strangers to this passion they cannot enter into the music of the Apostle’s Epistle to the Colossians. They may call themselves practical people, they may find refuge in narrow maxims, such as, “Charity begins at home.” Christianity knows nothing about such maxims. Christianity takes in all time, all space, all human nature; Christianity is not willing to sit down to the feast so long as there is one vacant chair at the banqueting table: Christianity never ceased to say, “Yet there is room”; specially is there room for those who least think of it, or who least suspect their fitness to occupy it. There is no room for the self-contented, the pharisaical; there is always more room for the broken-hearted, the self-renouncing, the Christ-seeking soul. Paul lived in conflict: on the other hand, we are amongst those who avoid everything like controversy, friction, and sharp, mutual confrontage. We love quietness. Yet we do not know what quietness is; we think that quietness is indifference, carelessness, indisposition to concern oneself about anybody’s interests. That is not quietness, that is more nearly an approach to death: peace is not indifference, it is the last result of the operation of ten thousand conflicting forces. We are only at peace after we have been at war, and after we have accepted the music of the will of God.”
Joseph Parker
“The last sentence in that quote made me think, we can “accept the music of the will of God,” or we can face the music, as the saying goes. It is going to be one or the other.”
“Faith and works should travel side by side, step answering to step, like the legs of men walking. First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and then works again–until they can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the other.”
– William Booth
