Directions for profitable Reading the Holy Scriptures.
SEEING the diversity of men’s tempers and understandings is so exceedingly great, that it is impossible that any thing should be pleasing and suitable to some, which shall not be disliked and quarrelled with by others; and seeing in the Scriptures there are many things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest to their own destruction (a). And the word is to some the savour of death unto death (b). You have therefore need to be careful in reading it. And as Christ saith, “Take heed how you hear;(c)” so I say, Take heed how you read. (…to be continued)
(a) Pet. 3:16. (b) Mark 4:24. 2 Cor. 2:16. (c) Luke 8:18.
From A Body of Practical Divinity, or A Christian Directory, Volume 3.
I found it hard to believe, Someone like you cared for me You put this love in my heart
I tried but could not refuse, You gave me no time to choose You put this love in my heart
I want to know where the bad feelings go, When I’m depressed and I get down so low And then I see you coming to me and it’s alright
I want to tell you right now, I’m not afraid to say how You put this love in my heart
There are sometimes when I doubt, But you always find me out You put this love in my heart
‘Cause when I see all that you’ve done for me It’s hard to doubt, I just have to believe ‘Cause you follow up, provin’ all of your love
Well I know The loneliness I had before Is gone now, I’ll never feel it anymore ‘Cause your love has released me From all that’s in my past And I know I can believe you When you say I’ll never be forsaken Your love is gonna last
There’s so much more I should say, If I could just find a way You put this love in my heart
Is all this real or a dream, I feel so good I could scream You put this love in my heart
I want to know where the bad feelings go When I’m depressed and I get down so low And then I see you coming to me and it’s alright You put this love in my heart You put this love in my heart You put this love in my heart
“I laid me down and slept; I awakened; for the Lord sustained me.” The title of the Psalm tells us when David had this sweet night’s rest; not when he lay on his bed of down in the stately palace at Jerusalem, but when he fled for his life from his unnatural son Absalom, and possibly was forced to lie in the open field under the canopy of heaven. Truly it must be a soft pillow indeed that could make him forget his danger, who then had such a disloyal army at his back hunting of him; yea, so transcendent is the influence of this peace, that it can make the creature lie down as cheerfully to sleep in the grave, as on the softest bed. You will say that child is willing that calls to be put to bed; some of the saints have desired God to lay them at rest in their beds of dust, and that not in a pet and discontent with their present trouble, as Job did, but from a sweet sense of this peace in their bosoms. ‘Now let thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation,” was the swan-like song of old Simeon. He speaks like a merchant that had got all his goods on the ship-board, and now desires the master of the ship to hoist sail, and be gone homewards. Indeed, what should a Christian, this is but a foreigner here, desire to stay any longer for in the world, but to get his full lading in for heaven? And when hath he that, if not when he is assured of his peace with God? This peace of the gospel, and sense of the love of God in the soul, doth so admirably conduce to the enabling of a person in all difficulties, and temptations, and troubles, that ordinarily, before he calls his saints to any hard service, or hot work, he gives them a draught of this cordial wine next their hearts, to cheer them up and embolden them in the conflict.
Quote about Psalm 3:5. Found in C.H.S.’s Treasury of David (Exposition of the Psalms)
A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.
3 O Lord, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. 2 Many are saying of my soul, “There is no deliverance for him in God.” Selah.
3 But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head. 4 I was crying to the Lord with my voice, And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah. 5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me round about.
7 Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked. 8 Salvation belongs to the Lord; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah.
A servant of God is now with the Lord. I appreciate this man and what he did to help my understanding of our great God. Here is just one of his many hopeful sermons:
“I tell thee, friend, there are some promises that the Lord hath helped me to lay hold of Jesus Christ through and by, that I would not have out of the Bible for as much gold and silver as can lie between York and London piled up to the stars.”
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (King James Version)
2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. (New American Standard Version)
Many translators feel that, In light of the ancient Greek, mansions is better translated “dwelling places.” The noun mone (connected to the verb meno, “stay” or “remain”) means “a place to stay.”
Some feel that “In light of God’s nature, it is better to translate it mansions. Whatever dwelling place God has for us in heaven, it will be as glorious as a mansion.” (1)
(1) Enduring Word Commentary on John 14:2
Note: I’ll be happy for any space I’m given in heaven. My plan is to spend a good amount of time at the place mentioned in Revelation: 22:
1 “Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”
While thinking about the state of our world, part of an old Hymn came to me today. At times it sure seems like things are spinning out of control. This is one of those times for me and the hymn I thought of communicates a stability that this world can’t give.
1 My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
Refrain: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.
2 When darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace; in every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. [Refrain]
3 His oath, his covenant, his blood, support me in the whelming flood; when all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope and stay. [Refrain]
4 When he shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in him be found: dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne. [Refrain]
This hymn was written by Edward Mote, who lived and preached in England during the 19th century. He didn’t enter the ministry until his 50s and was pastor at Rehoboth Baptist Church in Horsham, West Sussex, England for 26 years.
This hymn reminds me of so many instructive and comforting words found in God’s Word.
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.
John 16:33
33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
Romans 12:2
“…do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
1 Peter 1:3
3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…”
So many other verses come to mind, but these suffice for now.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand.
For Charles Spurgeon, life was to be lived coram Deo, “in the presence of God.” Indeed, Spurgeon believed that “no joy is like the joy of Christ’s presence with his people.” A presence sweet enough to “[drown] every note of sorrow” and tune every heart “to the loudest notes of thankfulness.”
Spurgeon believed it was “a heavenly thing to be thankful.” After all, it was gratitude which “ought to teach us the divine object of grace.” Accordingly, he longed for his heart to burn with the “sacred flame of thankfulness.”
For the world being happy was a prerequisite to being grateful, but Spurgeon knew that “God’s people are always happy when they are grateful” to Him. In fact, Spurgeon was so certain he said, “We should be ten times more full of bliss if we were proportionately more full of thankfulness.”
For Spurgeon, living with thankfulness was an all-encompassing commitment. Whether for richer or for poorer, even in sickness and in health. Indeed, he would often remind his congregation that “you have received all you have from God the Father through Christ.” This truth made every enjoyment an avenue for God glorifying gratitude.
Thus, in all “our eating, our drinking,” and “social meetings” Spurgeon claimed “we should give thanks unto God the Father.” The same “Father of Lights” from whom all blessings did, and do, indeed flow.
But gracious gratitude was not to be limited by the circumstances of this life. To make his point Spurgeon reminded his congregation of the story of a poor “godly preacher,” who one evening could only offer his children a dinner consisting of “a potato and a herring.” Nonetheless, the preacher “thanked God that he had ransacked sea and land to find food for his children.” Truly, the God who fed the sparrows and the ravens would not forget his people.
Indeed, while God’s temporal provision was a sweet blessing, his eternal provision of salvation through Jesus Christ was beyond comparison. Even after pastoring for many years, Spurgeon still marveled that “God should condescend to make a covenant with man, and ordain faith in Jesus as the great way of obtaining reconciliation.”
Spurgeon believed that the substitutionary, penal, atoning death of Christ on the cross provided Christians cause for “daily adoration and hourly thankfulness.” In Spurgeon’s view, “since Jesus has loved us so well,” it was impossible not to “give to him all that we are, and all that we have.” As a result, Spurgeon challenged his church to “let your gratitude compel you to do everything for Jesus.”
There is much in life for which to be thankful. Family, friends, food, and the changing color of the fall leaves are sweet gifts to be savoured and enjoyed. But, the best gift to be thankful for is Jesus Christ. This Thanksgiving Spurgeon would have us contemplate Christ and let Christ “flood the whole of [our] faculties” with thankfulness.
From all of us at The Spurgeon Library, Blessed Thanksgiving!
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Posted by Chris 
Wings of the Wind 
Quote #10…Richard Baxter (1) 1615-1691
October 6, 2025Directions for profitable Reading the Holy Scriptures.
SEEING the diversity of men’s tempers and understandings is so exceedingly great, that it is impossible that any thing should be pleasing and suitable to some, which shall not be disliked and quarrelled with by others; and seeing in the Scriptures there are many things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest to their own destruction (a). And the word is to some the savour of death unto death (b). You have therefore need to be careful in reading it. And as Christ saith, “Take heed how you hear;(c)” so I say, Take heed how you read.
(…to be continued)
(a) Pet. 3:16. (b) Mark 4:24. 2 Cor. 2:16. (c) Luke 8:18.
From A Body of Practical Divinity, or A Christian Directory, Volume 3.
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