Proverbs

[0:00] For a few moments we will direct your attention to the 18th chapter of the book of Proverbs, the 12th verse.

[0:13] Chapter 18 of the book of Proverbs, verse 12. Before destruction, the heart of man is mortal.

[0:24] And before honor, it's humility. You know, I don't know what to say really, but I can but believe that I'm some of you, and I would trust all of you might be found in this way, ever the last.

[1:02] As one dear friend said during the tea session, and I verily believe it to be true, but there's also something to add to this. Unless, and the word is made mouth, matter and wisdom unto you and applied by the blessed spirit of God, you might approve of countless numbers of sermons, and you might be entertained for a season while you're in the house of God, and then when you leave the house of God, you return to your own sad place, feelingly forsaken and alone.

[1:36] But it doesn't alter the fact, my dear friends, unless I stick to, and I shall stick to it to my last day, my last prayer, that where the Lord humbles, where the Lord is pleased to humble his own people, and remember, just think of the outcome of all of this.

[1:53] These souls that are set out, if the Lord rightly set you out for a soul, he calls you to run in this race, that you might look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, and despised him in shame, and is set down at the right hand of the Father.

[2:11] And if the Lord rightly, this is something wonderful to me sometimes, and it seems to indicate this to me, don't take any notice of other people, and I do often do. Don't see how other people are running.

[2:22] Don't concern yourself with the affairs and interests of others in that way. I don't mean to be say, be contracted, because where grace is, if one contract there, it will enlarge you. You will minister unto one another as you have needs and means, and especially more so as the Lord is pleased to lead you into this way of much, as we mentioned in prayer, much humility and love, those graces of the Spirit.

[2:45] You'll minister unto the needs and your brethren and sisters, and you'll be concerned with their welfare. But be not concerned only with the one thing needful, my dear friends, to seek first the kingdom of heaven and his righteousness, and all these other things should be added unto you.

[2:58] Now I want, if the Lord will help me, just to speak a few things concerning this soul that is then set out in the race, and is set before him. Do you realize what the prize is? Yes, he does.

[3:10] As you go on from day to day, my dear friend, you may be cast down through the roughness of the way, but as a rough and rugged path we tread, in hopes to see his face, you'll find mountainous things come against you, overwhelming odds.

[3:21] You'll find vast enemies without, mighty enemies without, and much mightier within. You'll find a continual conflict between flesh and spirit, as we see in the Catacus.

[3:32] What shall he see in the Shulamite? The companies who were of two armors. You'll realize that indwelling sin will still be there, even though he's claimed your leprosy, perhaps, and brought you out into a wealthy place, and manifested Christ to your soul, the hope of glory.

[3:46] You'll find that sin will still be there. It grieves me so much. You know, I know I've oftentimes quoted this hymn, but I'm still in it, and it tries me and concerns me so much in this, and this might touch one or two of your cases, perhaps.

[3:58] I'm going to repeat it, because it's my very testimony. The Lord gave it to me for my testimony, through life. And in that very hymn, the 144th, you've got the blessed issue of it.

[4:11] And so you want that? That's the final honor. That's the abundant exhortation. Not of self, but of Christ. In you, the hope of glory. When you, being a mystical member of his body, shall be with him.

[4:23] With Christ, which is far better. And this calls the apostle to say, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but his righteousness imputed to me.

[4:35] Now I say that hymn, 144. I wonder if you've got an exercise, and a case in that hymn, but this is the way down. This is the way of humbling. And you'll say, have we got to come through this way more than once?

[4:47] Yes, my dear friends. It's a continual process to humble the haughty, hard man. He'll spare no means to do it. And we might observe in some, sometimes, while they're humbled. They're humbled in this trial, this affliction.

[4:59] You might say, the work of the Lord's carried on. We can see his works being made manifest, and his fruits are very evident. And then you'll see them up again. David was, rising up again.

[5:12] The heart of him that is exalted within him is not upright in him. Described as true, as the word of God. So, in the main, I want to say this concerning the main issue.

[5:27] It'll be a path, continuously. And you must know if you're in this path. As I say, it's not, it's not, I'm not speaking to hypocrites in Zion that are professing one thing and acting and leading a different life altogether.

[5:41] The desire to have a name amongst men to live. The desire of profession without possession. Why? Because they have nothing else in them. They're void, they're empty, dark and dead. They're destitute of the life of God in them.

[5:53] So they're satisfied with what? The shark without the colonel. That's it. But these poor souls, I just wanted to quote a bit of that hymn. And this was the way I long have sought and mourned because I found it not.

[6:07] My grief, my burden, long has been because I could not cease from sin. Now listen just a moment. I can't, I won't quote the whole hymn to you. But the more I strove against sin's power, I sinned and stumbled but the more.

[6:21] Till late, I heard my Savior say, Come hither soul, I am the way. Whenever my poor, trembling, stupid heart thought within myself when Christ made himself manifest to me the second time, in my experience, I thought within myself I shouldn't have to grapple with all these foes again because it was till late I heard my Savior say, Come hither soul, I am the way.

[6:47] But this process still goes on. One dear man of God near in heaven, he said to me once, he said, Do you feel that David ever committed that sin again? That he committed which was the result of the 51st penitential psalm, David's adultery in Burma.

[7:03] Now, we've got no record of it and I believe that the Lord was pleased to cause a sore not to leave David's house forever and he punished him for his sin.

[7:15] He punished him but he forgave him as iniquity in his heart and he said, Against thee and thee only have I sinned and done this evening my son. That thou mightest be clear when thou juddest. But this, you see, what I'm getting at really and throughout this day is what I'm getting at my dear friends is his heart.

[7:34] Now, the Lord looks at the heart, you see, we look at the outside. So, although you may be in a humbling exercise, a humbling situation, a humbling distress, dispensation that comes upon you and it might, for a season, my dear friends, you might, as it were, be humbled, and you might carry around your humble frame.

[7:56] Yet, you see, the Lord look at the heart and he does mould and fashion and prepare the hearts. Why? Because they are souls, stones, living stones for the same streets above.

[8:07] So, listen, although with no sweet enjoyments blessed, that's good, isn't it? Can't you come in there like and this very day? With no sweet enjoyments blessed, his covenant stands the same.

[8:23] Once in him, in him forever, us the eternal covenants. Sure, stands. Now, my dear friends, although, as I say, with no sweet enjoyments blessed, can't you trace out sometimes of this?

[8:34] Not leaving this work alone. Leave not my soul destitute. Forsake not the work of thine own hands.

[8:46] The work that wisdom undertakes my mercy ne'er forsakes. He'll accomplish in you and bring to purpose and fruition all that he has purpose concerning you.

[8:56] Yes, he will. If he's begun the good work, he'll carry it on. Do you remember what I said in prayer or say when you said many things? Yes, but one thing I said, look, this is the very process of what I might get into the nutshell of it.

[9:08] Why should I complain of want or distress, temptation or pain? Now, think of those four things. But you do complain bitterly and so do I not.

[9:23] But this is the process and he'll undertake. He must go through and so do I. There was no turning back to Christ and there was no turning back to the Jews. The Apostle Paul said in writing in the Hebrews, was it?

[9:39] The Hebrews? Or the Romans? I'm not quite sure. He said, but we are not of them that turn back and the disciples and them that believe the same in the songs. You see, there's no way ever. Once I shall remember, I do remember, I preached a forecast or tried to speak and I liken this soul's voyage unto a spiritual voyage, unto a literal voyage upon the sea.

[10:00] You see, these souls set out. The Lord has set them out. You see, they must gain the hand. Yes, they don't go in and out, as it were, or rise just out from the sea and they can see the wolves to seek for sure and return as lots of wives do.

[10:16] But they go on. They pursue. They pursue through the tract this deep. They move on. Jesus holds the helm and guides the ship. It looks like, yes, but you want to see it. Do I know what's for you?

[10:27] I'm sorry. No. So, concerning these souls who say they know as well, there's no way to get back, this often tries to say, well, do you want to go back?

[10:38] No, but I oftentimes feel a point for the Bible. And it seems an impossible thing for me to go forward. Why? Because the Lord is dying and given the Bible.

[10:50] Now, I did read that 22nd and 23rd of the Psalms, my dear friends, that the Lord will bring you down and spare no means. No, he won't. Spare no means at all to bring you down to the dust of silver grace.

[11:03] And I say, don't be surprised because it will be a continuous place. More or less. he is. And here shall I pray of ways to stay that thus far shall they go no far.

[11:19] So I say, concerning, I want to speak, concerning the soul setting out and reaching heaven, I want to speak for those that are like Joseph, misrepresented, misjudged, cast into prison for crimes he had not done and all that he might be prepared, and you know these, it's a blessing that he might come out into a wealthy place and prove what?

[11:46] The same as Christ proved to his new people. But before I want to assume the things come. It is so in the earth, isn't it? It used to tell him, it doesn't now.

[11:57] I know education has done a tremendous lot and they get to certain levels now which they didn't used to get to, but it's so in the earth, you start as a word at the bottom, you work your way out. Now the Lord is pleased to start with these souls and they work their way down before they come.

[12:14] So you know, yes, they go lower and lower and lower. Now you know if the Lord is doing this for you, each one of you, he doesn't want to meet him, detect, it's not in my province anyway, but you know if the Lord is doing this for you.

[12:29] So he brings these souls down and I say he doesn't let his own work alone and you'll get aggravated somewhere, you won't always be a happy, bright Christian, you won't always have things in hand and things at your fingertips.

[12:42] So Sean, I know you won't, things won't go forward to plan often times and you'll be off course a good many times, as it were, to your feelings, you'll quite have stuck away often times and you'll say as we've said already this day, that all these things are against me.

[12:57] Then it seems impossible that you can endure and carry on and pursue, but till late I heard my nosey ever said this, have you ever had a manifestation of Christ to your soul?

[13:14] We must preach revelation. You know, the woman of Samaria had this and those blessed words that Christ spoke under her. I did speak unto the young people and when he was on the day in the spout he spoke unto him he said it is I said that's what you must have when did you last manifestation of Christ in the substance of Mary that was the revelation of Christ son thy sins which are many are all forgiven daughter thy faith has saved thee go in peace have you had something are you after it the Lord knows and you see you can't listen you'll have many obstructions here but you can't be after this my dear friends and not know it from time to time you'll know in whom you believe and you'll realize that you'll say Lord just as Joe sometimes you'll say though he's slaving yet will

[14:22] I trust him now there is an exhortation on the earth says it's self exhortation never and I thought when you were singing that hymn just now I thought about ministers and my own self and the people as well and I thought to myself how subtle how subtle is the heart of man we oftentimes give motives for things and they're not motives at all and various things can blind us temporarily so that we look over and compromise and we say well that's not so bad leave them alone we've all got something and with a manner of things we use oftentimes to excuse us it's succeeding this the heart is deceitful and desperate to believe that's where the Lord works he does in the end of God so before honor you'll say well what is this honor on the earth then Christ exhorted

[15:22] Christ exhorted not the flesh exhorted you might but you will be no I often hear I know I cogitate on these things but I often hear people speaking about blessings but my little experience of having blessings I've had two or three I hope in my time lifetime but they been right down in the low places I hardly know how to endure or continue I've been at the widths end corner ends of the earth I've been in low places as we read in the 22nd Psalm I've been almost in that condition if not God and I have been quiet when I really believe that the Lord is forsaken and I heard the devil roar and say the Lord is forsaken and persecuted and taken and I barely believe my next step would be down into perdition I'd miss them and that's what it was yes it did that was the right words the psalmist used and Christ used this was our grateful honour now I say it's in these conditions you'll say you're out of blessing and get a little feeling or afraid perhaps well we don't despise the name of small things certainly we don't my dear friends to get a rich and a rare blessing now where did you receive it wasn't it in the depths before you come up again to the heights isn't this the way the lord is pleased to lead his people see all those characters and look at jacob when he obtained the blessing prevailed with god as a prince so has prevailed with god man look at the condition he was in have you realised the condition he was in here's one that sought his life in earlier years now he was coming with 400 men was it did he think his behaviour would be changed concerning him didn't he realise as poor david realised when he was being hunted on the mountains and who is this great enemy i shall one day fall with the hand of mine enemy well who is he if you will barely believe you'll fall and pray the sin will save that is so jacob was in a sore condition david was in a sore condition but my dear friends don't let's lose sight of the hour they go down to the sea ships and do business in deep water see the wonders of the moon these mighty workings these wonders in the deep these are the ones to see now my i'm not going to say i'm not going to say i'm going to blessing when i haven't i might have an anticipation of blessing but my very fresh will recall but now i say young took he must go through the one leaving his work under the earth nor shall therefore fretful heart make him from his purpose stop what an unspeakable mercy do you tell him sometimes i do in prayer you say choose out of the way and still lead on nor lead me till i can say father i will be done or do you say this nor take no notes his job is his method his way his purpose is to humble us before honor it's human and my dear friends don't be surprised at some of the humbling things you have to worry oh i often always think about it i love the saying think of it my dear friends you've got a companion say where have i got a companion you've got a companion in christ you're living here though he were a son yet though he will be mortifying crucifying things and i'm going to tell you something else you who correct your children and chasten them and spare not their crying that's recorded in scriptures it hasn't done much now spare not their crying you know as your child has given unto you you know where their sore place you know where it'll be found don't you you know what's the most humiliating thing of dealing after a chastened your children there are a lot of these things are secret they're done in secret my dear friends of us we have the only apostle paul speaks concerning us and we don't want to make any presumings or any what's the word i want i haven't got the word i want really but it's the same sort of word as presumption speculate we don't want to make any speculations but the apostle paul is going to fall in the flesh say well this human ain't no okay and my dear friends you're nearest and more nearest on the earth that keeps you low and keeps you begging for mercy keeps you realizing you're standing before god and humbles you that's it what humbles you under his mighty there was his own strength that's it but i do want to speak to one or two things here as i said concerning the exhortation here the honor here i think you might suggest now there's no order in the earth and listen i'm going to tell you something else you know you get some people with money and you'll hear someone say well they're not real they're not real they're not real gentry they're not real breed they just got themselves you see accumulation money they're just not that they're not the real characters they make believe because they have money as often times occasionally they take it spiritually they're not the real characters they don't come from the what sacred family they're not the king's house they're increased with goods they have rich need of money but it's not the riches of christ it's not that true but what i was going to explain to you just now what's next you see some people even if they come down pouring so you'll say well that man that woman that man is a chief not a gentleman they'll say that woman is a real lady you could sell something about their breed and their manner and their property and their walk and their something about not put on it isn't put on it isn't their speech put on or anything like it's right in them you can say that lady that woman is a person lady whatever conditions they may get in now my dear friends are the same they have something and what were you going to say about that well they're very humble they don't talk about despising everybody else and looking at what everybody else and thinking everything a real lady or a real gentleman will literally come right into your house no matter how humble it is and they'll make themselves a table new that's that what christ is right before honor is he humbled himself to death and cross and come right into the sinner's place and stand yeah that's what these two soldiers they'll be humbled by this what discipline courage chasing now is it really doing that they won't think they're head and shoulders above everybody else they'll be willing to take the lowest place and they'll never think they're laid to love jesus no that's that's true it will be a heart coming down now just a little bit that what i want to get to is more substance of the 22nd soul if i can now as i say your proud heart your haughty heart's got to be built there it does and it'll be by great means you won't give up these you'll hang on to all manner of them traditions of the elders your past experiences and perhaps your family life and the way you've been born up in the church and building everything out you'll hang on to all these things you'll come with nothing absolutely bare destiny empty and who will bring these poor souls down so it's a long process perhaps you'll say well how long did it take you it's still going on in the church i trust it's still going on the just shall live by fight now before all then is humility now the lord will be pleased to bring you right there and i say in spare no means he takes some poor souls reasoning since i spoke here before i wonder whether he's done anything further than bringing down your prayer in heart since i was a new human is the waters the various waters of affliction distress temptation trial and sorrow are they really truly wearing the stones these stones were saying the streets is he really humiliating you further more in the way of grace in your heart you'll say all hail or reproach and welcome shame sometimes when you get a little view of this there and my dear friends it's worth all the scriptures people can quote to you if you feel sometimes that the lord's hand is upon you for that to bring you down and this may be by family means by effect you in problems he might be pleased to bring you down to penury yes yes when they had nothing to pay frankly forgave them both you don't know what means he's going to be used but he'll carry it on you probably that was concerned if you were in the world now as he does you'll see what have this set for you the time of love will come come when we shall clearly see isn't there something attractive to your consciousness not only that he shed his blood he was this day so so just fierce disciples through but we are pierced in time for their sins not only that he shed his blood but each might say for me doesn't desire to desire your freedom and seek it before the

[26:59] Lord and that's the way to go before our knows here the world yes it is they bring the poor soul down here and you'll believe you'll come into your land or in and you'll say cut me not in the midst of my days I hear as around all generations you'll say and you'll literally say too you'll say will they pursue thy word for death yes you'll got to receive the sentence of death in yourself that you may not trust in yourself yes you've got to come right down to death in order to find life that's what Christ did came down to the last end you want to rise for so until you get to the last hand my dead men shall live together with my dead body shall rise when is he done it for you is he still proceeding to do it for you is this the way you long have sought and mourned because you found it not your grief your burden long has been because you could not cease from sin then you see what's annexed to this well I go to point you straight through the end for the soul then will

[28:16] I tell the sinners round what it be part of your occupation then then will I tell the sinners round what a dear savior I have there and I point to his redeeming blood and save their own the way to go who is the blood what is the blood no he must be manifested otherwise you are not but we must leave in a moment before destruction and the heart of man is haunting before on and skim on now some concerning exercise being exercised concerning the church you know you get some going round and they say you should be there a long time but my dear friends there's a set time to favor some yes don't you make willing in the day of this power those are the good characters of the churches the others are gossipses mischief or all those characters that are the flesh they're no good to a change but if the

[29:29] Lord is bringing you and causing this exercise to be brought to fruition he'll humble you under his mighty hands his that he might exhort him what greater exhortation could you have than you to be able to say come all again appear God and I declare what he's done for my animals can't be sinners poor and magic lost and ruined by people that's what he says to me that's what they say yes well I haven't I haven't got half the time that I would have but honestly it's so concerning the ministry too one can't prepare oneself for working for the ministry as I said concerning Joseph he was brought into prison his feet were put in arms until the time of the king setting of liberty the Lord tried him so does these characters but speakers and hearers tried those that were the

[30:30] Lord trying him have you got something you're in now my dear friends of this impossible absolutely like tearing the flesh often times off your bones humiliating crucifying as I said mortifying the human flesh right is a mess of the this obtains this is God's own word that I try to speak now these are gracious characters and these are some human trials in Christ why does that mean trust in him at all times he these are the ones that have been made to put their whole trust in Christ there are nothing there all to that and my dear friends you'll smell these and you'll smell some of her passage and they are the king's daughters they are all glorious within this character they are for people but I won't keep you before destruction and the heart of man is for which

[31:41] I could have followed through here before I don't assume that now Christ expire on their cursed train and you'll come down and sorrows of death comes to your man and sorrows of hell comes to your world you'll be you'll say I'm cut off you'll say his mercy is clean all forever you'll say surely it will be favorable no more you'll be never written because his mercy sighs later father father father

[32:42] Thank you.

[33:12] Thank you.

[33:42] Thank you.

[34:12] Thank you. Thank you.

[35:12] Thank you. Thank you.

[35:44] Thank you. Thank you.

[36:42] Thank you. Thank you.

[36:54] Lord bless us each with that everlasting firstborn indeed and take us each to our homes in peace and safety over the last when the work of grace is done now except therefore deserves to thank you for all our blessings may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed thank you thank you