The Blessings of the Gospel (Quality: Average)

[0:00] I desire to direct your attention to the words you will find in the ninth, ninth psalm, verses nine and ten.

[0:12] The ninth and tenth verses of Psalm nine. The Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

[0:25] And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee. For thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

[0:42] Remember this morning we ventured upon these words. With some measure of fear as to what we wish be led to speak concerning them.

[1:00] But we hope we were led a little into the blessedness of the truth that the psalmist has proved himself and his left upon record for the encouragement and the health of those that are in like place.

[1:24] God never led his servant David. It appeared he had on some occasions.

[1:36] But you know, he never really departed from him in the sense that he was always with him and within him.

[1:52] And although he transgressed, doesn't give us license to do it, doesn't mean that. But it does encourage that though he transgressed against his God foully, a man after God's own heart, proving to us that man left unto himself is liable to fall.

[2:20] And that he fell as he did. And so he knew well what it was to have this refuge.

[2:37] And what we do not want to go over the same ground as this morning. But it might be profitable just to try and pick up the fridge a little as to this refuge.

[2:55] As we said, it means a place of safety. Oh, how safe are those that have this God for their refuge.

[3:07] There's safety nowhere else. But they are a favorite people. And they are strange to relate.

[3:23] Though they know this to be true, and are a favorite people, yet there's none more trying. There is none that are brought into the knowledge of their transgressions and disoppression about those that are partakers of that path which God has appointed.

[3:59] I wish I could feel, I don't know how you get on, but I say I wish I could feel that all my pathway is appointed.

[4:10] I know I preach it, but I say it's another thing to come into a path, into trouble and trial, and to believe that God's divine appointment, I am sure that the flesh will never receive it.

[4:31] I am sure that we can never believe it, really, until God brings us into one place. Amen.

[5:06] There we find, then, that we have found a refuge in Jesus.

[5:24] And when dangers have closer thickened, and have almost seethed as though they're going to overwhelm us, again there, he's been our refuge.

[5:40] He's our refuge in every deep distress, indeed. And so then, he is a refuge in the times of trouble. We did speak a little this morning concerning the many troubles that come upon a child of God, God.

[6:01] But I did want to make one or two further remarks before we pass on to the next verse with regards to the troubles we have individually in our souls concerning our latter end.

[6:21] Are you exercised? There's none too young for this exercise. I know that to be true. For this poor sin of us exercise when a child will regard to death and my end.

[6:36] And I used to fear lest I should wake up in hell as a child. And that is not peculiar to the ages always, but we do know this, that when we come to a certain age, that it cannot be but a very few years before we shall have to pass the Jordan of Death.

[7:07] Well, that is a trouble. It is a trouble in that after all our experience, after all what the Lord has done for us as being our refuge, it will not in itself be sufficient if by any means the enemy should sit upon us and bring darkness upon us in that hour we shall need the refuge.

[7:42] Indeed, we shall need him at all times but especially, should I say, we shall need him. For I believe that our son who have been brought into combat with this great the Vatican in that solemn hour.

[8:00] Oh, I've dreaded this of late. It is not when I speak of my experiences, I don't talk much around me but not often on these particular points.

[8:13] But oh, I have feared that I may have many thoughts in a dying pillow. Satan says, I shall have them. He says, look what you did here and there.

[8:24] Look what a sinner you are and this shall be against you in that solemn hour. Christ is our refuge. There is no other refuge and there we shall need him in that solemn hour to deliver us out of those troubles that may come upon us.

[8:45] well, it's a mercy to have this refuge and find safety in him. There's no safety anywhere else.

[8:58] There is only safety in a precious Christ and that safety is overruled by I say by the sacred free.

[9:11] they being all consumed, the Son to redeem, the Holy Ghost to reveal, the Father in his love and mercy to receive us in that solemn hour.

[9:31] Oh, what a mercy it is to see are these things as they are embodied in the wisdom, righteousness and graciousness of the sacred free, one eternal everlasting God, bound together in one for the salvation of poor, needy, and hell-deserving sinners.

[10:02] We wouldn't use that as a special phrase as known by us, but to feel it, that it is such how we, in reading the chapter just now, how we see his compassion, his love and his mercy towards sinners.

[10:27] And how we see too how the Pharisees and the doctors of law all the wise and prudent rejected his wisdom and his power and his greatness.

[10:48] And therefore they were made, it was made perfectly clear that they were among those who may say he had blinded their eyes, that they shall believe alive and be damned.

[11:07] Oh, the depth of the mystery of God's unchangeable, immutable love, in the division he has made with mankind to choose some unto eternal life, and led them by divine grace to the spirit power unto the refuge, unto Jesus.

[11:35] Well, might we say, why was I made to hear his voice, and enter wildest room, while thousands make a wicked choice, and rather starve than come.

[11:51] Surely in sovereign grace, this so sovereign and free, extended unto the violence to the vile, and it's not by tradition, son of, not by the tradition of your fathers.

[12:12] How I have felt that, and I felt it particularly on one occasion when the enemy set in upon me, he said, of course, how you would follow in your fathers' footsteps in the ministry.

[12:29] Ah, it's not by tradition, son of, why did he cure the youngest and leave the oldest and the others, my friends, for this work? Not by tradition.

[12:42] Oh, we love to come into those places when we can beat the adversity while he's in the way with us, and overthrow his craft and his seat and his awful lines to cast us down, if it were possible, even into hell itself, but he brings us on the brink of it sometimes in his accusations, but here, even at that place, we have a refuge.

[13:08] We have a refuge. We have a place of safety. And where is it to be found other than in the ark of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

[13:20] Here is the heart of the new covenant of peace, wherein the whole of his elect are safely shut in by the hand of Jehovah.

[13:32] None can wrench them from his sovereign hand. Well, he's our refuge, then, in the times of trouble.

[13:44] How many of us here need this refuge now? I wonder. I know there's some, but I say, those that need this refuge, there's some near and dear to us that need this refuge.

[14:04] But he is their refuge. And there is, I believe, this is known to, who, that there is none else that can really help them.

[14:21] But may you and I, my friends, each of us, here tonight, if we need this refuge, may we venture against all the opposition, against all the crowds and clowns and all the accusations that come against us, pressing hard in prayer and supplication to this refuge.

[14:51] There's no burden to grant. There's no sorrow too heavy. There's no may I say breach too broad to hinder.

[15:10] For it is by this refuge, the breach that has been made betwixt men and God has been breached, as you've heard me say before.

[15:24] Oh, what a wonderful thing it is when we see that Christ, our refuge, and our only safety is the one that has a bridge, the great gulf, that is fixed between man and God, having opened up that new and living way for us, on the cross, when he cried out, it is finished, and the veil of the temple went in twain.

[15:56] There was the open one. there was that open way, which, when the veil of the temple was rent in twain, so the veil of his temple, the veil of Christ's flesh, was rent, my friends, by the, by divine justice, that he might obtain for us an open way, whereby we may come here, through him, through the refuge, through the resting place, under the fall, in prayer.

[16:37] Isn't that a death, that poor, puny men, and women, and children, too, like you and I, may approach under him, that created this earth, and all things upon it, and the heavens above, we read this morning, that other psalm, his great man, and his majesty, to our state, for many to come, even under him, but only through Christ, where out of Christ, he is a consuming fire, whereby in Christ we may see the Father, and this is a death, I wonder how many have seen it, by faith, we may see the Father reconciled, God and sinners reconciled, God the Father reconciled, unto sinners, like you and I, as we are viewed, through

[17:43] Christ, the mediator, and the advocate, and the great intercessor, before the throne. So, it is that when we are favored to come into these realities of the gospel, or how comforting they are, or what a difference there is betwixt the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to be laboring under darkness, and under condemnation before God.

[18:33] Here it is, the soul is brought forth into sweet liberty, and feeleth the sweetness of his love and compassion.

[18:47] Here is compassion. Here is love, in that he is our refuge, here, as we are oppressed, and our refuge in the time of trouble.

[19:02] Oh, what compassion he has unto her and to sinners. See what compassion he had under that dear woman that came unto him requiring a thing of him.

[19:18] He answered her not a word. I wonder if there one is answering not a word. Look at his compassion. There you see how he trusts, rightly so, not wrongly, but he trusts another thing out of her.

[19:38] He is not meat that takes the children's bread and cast it to dogs. Ah, did that, I say, in any wise cause her to turn away disgust and hatred toward him now.

[19:53] He made a cleave closer to him. And in that, how you see, he brought forth from her that living faith, that faith that lives and labors under load, thou damned in of her dine, and that faith obtained what he asked at his hand.

[20:17] And so you see, as she brought forth from her toot the truth that she exalts yet the dogs eat as the crumbs that fall from the master's table.

[20:36] They see crumbs, these are. You know they come from the living bread, my friend. You've got a crumb. Don't you crave, if I may say that rightly, it's rightly to crave for it, but if you had a living one crumb, that's life.

[20:56] As I said just recently, and it was a great help to one, I believe, I said, if you have one crumb, it'll take you to heaven, as much as you have a loaf, if I may say that reverently.

[21:07] length, oh, do I have one of these crumbs, a living crumb, a crumb, a Christ, who is the living bread, and do have that in our hearts, you will find that even in a crumb, there is strength, and herein we find that Christ's strength, is made perfect in our weakness.

[21:43] My strength is to be made perfect in weakness. Oh, what a mercy it is to know a little of that strength where we are made strong, strong in faith, strong in hope, strong in love, and strong in those things which God has revealed to us, that we desire to hold them fast, in the hands of our faith, hold fast enough that thou hast, let no man take thy crown, for many there will be that will rise up in thine own heart, as leave outside things, I'm glad they're not coming in today, I say, there'll be enough in your own heart of enemies, will be enough of those to discourage you, and to attempt to take away thy crown, hold fast, or give the conquest all, to sword and helmet, lie lay, thou lay down, on

[22:55] Canaan's peaceful shore, as dear John Kent spoke that, he knew the path, so he used that extra rotation, under the anointing of the Holy Ghost, through the beautiful hymns of ours, through you and I, that we may go forth again in the battle, having been shoved with the preparation of the gospel of peace, and having also the blessed armour, armour, that God gives, even the sword of the Spirit, the brisk plate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, and the shoes of iron and dress, here then we go forward, go forward to that heavenly city, where we know there is joy forevermore, where there shall be no more oppression, no more trials, no more to try out here, and no more enemies within us, there forever to see, that all things are put under his feet, like one says, we see not yet all things put under him, but we see Jesus, and so then we see him in heaven above, as our advocate, as our high priest interceding for us, and also are he that will bring us ultimately unto him soul, there to join the chorus before the throne, unto him that hath loved us, and washed us from our sins, his own body upon the tree, this is our saviour, my friends, in heaven, he that is our refuge, has been our refuge in all our distresses, been our helper, in all our times of trouble, and who have entered into heaven, with the whole of his elect, upon, the palms of his hands, and there they shall unmasked, ultimately, come, before him, thousands now, said the dear poet, around the throne, some we knew here, thousands now, around the throne, water from this fountain drool, fell fair grief, and so does God, in this praise, and so shall you, the poet says, why not you, but I love that other, when it can come that way, so shall you, all I know, the pletid shells, and wills of God are, in Christ, all, yea, and amen, with his precious promises, that there is no shed over turn in these things, oh, how sound and how solid is the truth of God,

[25:48] I say, this foundation surely is so real and true, that no other foundation can be laid than that that is laid, and how these people are built, as I hadn't seen it for years, until a few weeks ago, the meaning of it, that was a mystery to me, and how it says they are built upon the foundation of the prophets, and so on in the world, and I used to think, well, how can that be, when Christ is our foundation, and the spirit, the light, drawn into those words, and he showed me clearly, the foundation, is Christ, he is the foundation of the prophets, and there is no other foundation but Christ, my friends, and we build, or God enables us to build upon that foundation,

[26:51] Christ, who is the foundation of the prophets, and all that would be for us in the old dispensation, as they look forward under him, who should come, we are favored to look back, under him, that is revealed in the Christian world, even from Genesis, under the time he came, and then revealed, by the spirit, as he came here, and he is seen as that little babe in Bethlehem.

[27:34] Oh, I saw that recently, too, I hope, and I don't speak these things, my friends, only to be of help to others, if by any means it should comfort them, or to give them some hope in the way.

[27:50] there in that little babe in Bethlehem, my friends, we see the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, the great and mighty God of Heaven. Oh, may we look beyond those things that are in the written world, to those things that are in bondage, and are seen in the incarnate Word, in Christ, the incarnate Son of God, as they are seen in Him right from the very time that He was brought forth into this time stage.

[28:33] Well, this is our refuge, this babe in Bethlehem was our refuge, my friends, and he was our refuge right through the whole of the time.

[28:45] I do want to try and pass on. I did just mention then, begin to mention this morning, and they that know thy name will put their trust in thee.

[29:00] And I did say, and that only I believe, that these are the people who we have been speaking of that are enabled to put their trust in Him.

[29:15] We can't do it ourselves, as all they want people to come, who have a good bit of religion, destitute of the power, and tell us to trust. I know we can, but I know we can, when God gives us the power to trust.

[29:33] Trust Him, He will not deceive us, but He will get to give us power to trust, especially in the times we have been speaking of, but there is, I believe, sometimes a humble trust.

[29:58] May I just refer to my time when I was in hospital for perhaps a week or more there was a trustee but it was a humble trust, a little who can tell springing off, and that was far as I could get, but they that know thy name will put their trust in thee, or it's a place where we may put our trust and He will not deceive us, it's a place where we may put our trust and we shall find in due time, He will be our helper.

[30:49] Put no trust in a guide, my friends, put no trust in the arm of flesh, I hope no one will ever attempt to put that trust in me, I fear myself often, I can't put trust in myself, oh no, we dare not trust another, it doesn't mean, of course, it doesn't mean, that we shall not feel in love to one another, but when it comes to these vital realities, let's have it right, when we come to these vital realities, there's no trust in any other migrant, and you will find that you may be brought into places where you'll prove it to be so, that though you may have kind friends, and sympathetic friends, and healthy friends, which we have, and appreciate it, and look upon it as being the great gift of

[31:50] God toward us, through them, I say I often think of these things, all the kindness we receive, but nevertheless, when we come to this particular power, you see they can do us no good, they can't help us, in those vital powers, which we are in, really and truly, though they are often in God's hands of means, to bring about those things wherein we are trusted, I hope I made myself clear there, that I may not be misunderstood, in it, but I say again, there is but one that we can trust in, and as we trust in him, the word says, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass, what is he will bring to pass, your desires, my friends, the answers to your prayer, he'll bring it to pass, trust him, trust him, for all that you need here, in this time state, or how the times when we've had to trust him, even here, for the necessities in this time state, but as another trust, trust in him, for those the provision of the soul, which the soul must have, and which it longs after, from time to time, and any of this, for thou,

[33:36] Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek me, thou, Lord, oh, what a volume there is in this, how he honors the Lord, acknowledge him, in all these things, that it is him alone, that accomplishes those things, which we receive, hast not forsaken them that seek him, do you feel forsaken, sinner?

[34:15] Once as I feel forsaken and alone, I hear the lion roar, have you known that path, any of you? But have you known the other?

[34:29] Every door is shut with one, that's a mercy, I hope there's some here like that, and every door is shut with one, and that is mercy's rule, oh, what a mercy, my friend, if you're in that case, you're a blessed soul, you're there, you are in need, there's not many come in that path, but if you're in that place, you are, I'm sure, one of those that are waiting at that door, if you're waiting there and seeking it, you'll find that door unfold one night, be one of those gates, we are told as God's servants, open ye the gates, that the righteous nation, that keepeth the truth, may enter in, is one of the gates that are opened, you're laying at that gate, aren't you, waiting for it to open, under thy poor needy soul, you wait there, the gate will unfold one day, your sweet surprise, no saying this to bolstering up on anything either, of a sandy foundation,

[35:39] God forbid, but I'm speaking because I believe it for one, and so then, they shall be for Satan, that seek thee, and also he's told to seek, and ye shall find, and such will be seeking him, they'll seek him in the word of God, search the scriptures, in then ye seek ye have eternal life, and they are they that testify of me, they seek him in the word of God, oh I remember the times when we used to seek, and look in the word of God, if by any means there might be hope, God, oh what happened, where we consider to seek, year after year, year after year, lying upon the brink, not only the brink of hell, as a peculiar experience here, not only lying upon the brink of hell, but lying upon the brink, of the fountain, that's open for sin and uncleaners, betwixt those two opinions, so then, as we look into those things and seek, how the time came when, as we were seeking, we come to those early words in the gospels, seek, ask which be given, seek, and ye shall find, not, be open to you, and there in that seeking, we remind the Lord and say, for Jesus

[37:31] Christ, we've done it for years, we opened the door, and he did, my friends, bless me in his holy name, notwithstanding all the many years of experience and trials that come against it, all that Satan has said against us, I say again on that very night, the door opened, and the poor sinner came for, out of bondage, out of the kingdom of God, kingdom of Satan, the kingdom of God's dear son, the door being opened and then shut, safely shut in, from all the accusations of Satan, and never and more, I hope and trust, to God out, or to die, with those thoughts upon our mind, to be brought to us, those times and seasons, when he delivered us from the bondage in

[38:32] Egypt, remember sinner, when there was a bondman in Egypt, when he delivered thee from the hands of the enemy, but I say again, here, thou thou shall not be forsaken, oh how many times we felt forsaken, but we have proved it, that he is good to his promise, that they shall never be forsaken, his loving times pass as one forbid me to think, he'll leave me at last in sorrow to sink, his sweet abeniza are happy with you, confirming his good pleasure to help me quite through, yea, and we shall find him to be our refuge, and we shall find him to be that one too, ere where we shall, where we shall come into his presence one day, and there too to be able to rejoice in him whom we have rejoiced now then a little on earth, when we have thought a little of his love shall have brought in our hearts, oh, what a wonderful thing is the gospel,

[40:06] I love to get into the gospel, and it's often I seem to be able to get into it, so many times of darkness, and so much oppression, so much to be under the side of it, often of it, and no other let he bring us sometimes into the precious gospel, oh, what a wonderful trumpet, is the trumpet of the gospel, how it sounds abroad, doesn't it, is such a sound it enters into the heart, into the soul of God's people, he says, put the trumpet to thy mouth, not only to sound an alarm in my holy mountain, but to sound that alarm, that word as he says, be ye comfortable unto Jerusalem, tell us how warfare to accomplish, how iniquity is pardoned, oh, what a mercy it is to be enabled to sound this trumpet, not to the gratification of the flesh, but to the honor of him, who have committed these solemn things into our charge, it is a solemn, very solemn thing to stand, that twixt the souls of men, and women, and God, to be an instrument in his hand, oh, how this sometimes causes one to tremble at the thought, and yet, he has chosen the cruelest things of this world, to confound the wise, that it might be unto his honor, and his glory, and his eternal praise.

[41:58] Well, my friends, today, I feel the Lord has been good to help us through the services. I have to leave as to the fruit that may attend his word, but if you have any of you, received any benefit, any help by the way, may you be able to come before the Lord, your maker, and praise his name alone, for he alone is worthy.

[42:32] And by I, too, be favored to return. Thanks unto him that he hath thus helped through this day.

[42:43] And help me, I hope I can say, may my tongue to be the pen of a ready writer. God has no bondage here, nothing here of fear, nothing here whereby there can be anything where that Satan can gain, say, nor resist what God does.

[43:11] Though I'm sure of this, and I speak this as a kindly warning unto you, my friends, and my soul, if you have received anything in his hand, you'll find you'll have to be upon your watchtower, you will indeed.

[43:28] May you and I have been able to be upon it, unless the enemy cometh and trouble us, but he will oppose all those things that are of God, but as even there, he will not leave us, now indeed, he will be our refuge in every deep distress.

[43:56] May the Lord and his blessing to these two remarks, forgive him I've said anything of it. Amen. Amen.