Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.heritagesermons.org/sermons/66088/speaking-with-understanding-quality-very-good/. Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions. Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt. [0:00] With the help of God, I will ask your attention to the chapter we read, the first epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 14, and the 19th verse. [0:17] The first epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 14, verse 19. Yet, in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. [0:46] Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 14, the 19th verse. Yet, in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. [1:18] There is one word which specially stands out throughout this chapter. [1:31] It seems as if the Holy Ghost lays a special emphasis on it. And that word is understanding. Understanding. [1:42] Understanding. And I think you'll find, beloved friends, that it's not in this chapter alone. There is an emphasis right through scripture on this vital point of a gracious understanding of the truth. [2:01] Whatever are we without it? If we possess all things without this gracious understanding of the truth, then we must be must eternally perish. [2:16] A gracious understanding. Oh, we have so much about it. The books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are full of it. [2:28] A gracious understanding. It was Moses' special desire for the people he loved. Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this. That they might consider their latter end. [2:42] Oh, Paul on one occasion, when speaking of solemn, vital things, he suddenly poses. Consider what I say. [2:55] And the Lord give thee an understanding in all things. Of course, we read so much of the opposite. We read of those without understanding. [3:11] We read of those whose understanding is darkened. We read of those whose understanding is blinded. [3:22] You know, some of the old godly divines used to speak of the understanding as the eyes of the soul. Then what a solemn thing. [3:34] If the eyes of our soul are blinded. If they're darkened. And then what a good prayer that the eyes of our understanding might be enlightened. [3:50] That we might see ourselves as we really are. And eternity as it really is. And the world as it really is. In all its vanity. [4:01] And the people of God as they really are. In all their everlasting blessings in Christ. And above all. That we might see the dear Lord Jesus. [4:13] As he really is. In all his glory. And all his beauty. And all his suitability. [4:24] So you see, this is a very important subject. The vital necessity. Of having a gracious understanding of the truth. [4:38] You know, sometimes I think that those sermons are the best. That send the people home to pray. And it will be a good thing. If any of you go home this evening. [4:50] Praying in your heart. That the Holy Spirit will enlighten your understanding. Or may there be a few like Solomon. Give me a wise. [5:04] And an understanding heart. Because by nature our hearts are not wise. They're foolish. They're ignorant. May the Holy Spirit make us wise unto salvation. [5:20] Through faith that is in Christ Jesus. And you know, if he does. Then he will give us this gracious understanding of the truth. So with the Lord's help. [5:34] This is the word I would seek to underline this evening. To emphasize. And oh may the Holy Ghost emphasize it in our hearts. [5:46] This word understanding. And the vital necessity. Of having a gracious understanding. Of having a gracious understanding. But eternally solemn if we don't. [5:59] Of course. In this chapter Paul is speaking about the gift of tongues. Now perhaps I may disappoint some of you. [6:12] But it's not my intention at all this evening. To discuss Pentecostalism. And the charismatic movement. [6:23] And the subject of the gift of tongues. I just want to take up this one point. That Paul emphasizes throughout this chapter. [6:36] That the important thing. Whether there are tongues. Or whether there are not tongues. Is that there might be a gracious understanding. And you see he seeks it concerning his own preaching. [6:48] He says that he himself did speak in tongues. But he preferred to speak. [6:59] For the understanding of the people of God. What a summary he gives of his own preaching. And his desire for his own preaching. [7:11] And what a word that is to those of us here. This evening who speak in the Lord's name. For edification. And exhortation. [7:23] And comfort. In that order. You know. Not every time you come to the house of God. [7:33] Will you receive a blessing. Or will God speak to you. But count those seasons precious. When your soul is edified. For edification. [7:45] And then for exhortation. And sometimes we don't like that. And he puts comfort last. Often we put it first. [7:57] For edification. And for exhortation. And for comfort. Yet in the church. [8:11] I had rather speak five words. With my understanding. That by my voice. I might teach others also. [8:23] And ten thousand words. In an unknown tongue. Now. This is. Rather striking language. Isn't it? [8:35] It almost startles us. Five words. Spoken. With the understanding. Or. Five words. [8:46] Received. In the heart. With the understanding. Better than. Ten thousand words. [8:57] That are not understood. That are in an unknown tongue. Five words. Graciously understood. Better than. [9:09] Ten thousand words. That are not understood. Now. What a comparison. And what a contrast. Past. And you see. One point. Is made. [9:20] Transparently. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. It's not. How much. Religion. We have. It's whether. It's real. Better. [9:31] To have. Five words. Sealed. In our. Conscience. By the. Holy Ghost. Than. To be able. To recite. The whole. Bible. Through. From. Genesis. To. Revelation. [9:43] You know. One of the old. English. Preachers. Used to ask. This question. He used to say. How big is your. Bible. Now. I think. You know. What he meant. All of us. [9:54] Have the same. Bible. In our. Hands. And in our. Homes. He meant. How much. Of the. Bible. Was there. That we. Possessed. By a. Gracious. [10:05] Understanding. In our. Hearts. How big. Is our. Bible. And you see. It fits in. With the. Wise man. A little. [10:16] That a. Righteous. Man. Half. Is better. Than the. Riches. Of many. Wicked. Oh. To have a. Little. That's real. A little. [10:27] That God. Has given. Us. A little. Of the. Holy. Ghost. Work. In our. Hearts. A little. Desire. A little. Prayer. [10:37] A little. Of the. Tender. Fear. Of God. A little. Humility. A little. Hope. A little. Repentance. A little. [10:48] Love. As someone. Said. This. Big. Little. To possess. [11:00] Something. However. Little. That's real. Will. Rather. Than. To have. An abundance. And to find. At last. It's completely. [11:11] Worthless. For beloved. Friends. The one thing. That really. Matters. Is this. To have. A religion. That will. Take us. To heaven. At last. Oh. [11:21] To have. That little. That the. Righteous. Man. Hath. To have. Those. Five. Words. Spoken. With the. Understanding. Because the. [11:32] Holy Ghost. Has sealed them. Home. In our. Hearts. For that. Solemn. Day. Hastens. On. When the. Lord. Will. [11:42] Sift. The. House. Of. Israel. As a. Man. Sifteth. Corn. With. His. Save. Yet. Shall. Not. The. Least. Grain. [11:53] Fall. To the. Ground. Satan. Has. His. Safe. God. Has. His. Safe. The. Difference. [12:04] Is. Satan. Tries. To get. Rid. Of. The. Good. Grain. In. His. Safe. God. Seeks. To get. Rid. Of. The. Chaff. But. [12:14] When. The. Lord. Has. Done. His. Sifting. Work. In. Our. Heart. In. Our. Conscience. In. Our. Experience. To. Have. That. Little. Left. Those. Five. Words. Left. [12:25] That. One. Grain. Road. I. Only. Ever. Once. [12:36] In. My. Life. Witnessed. A. Person. Die. And. I. Was. A. Most. Godly. Gracious. Man. The. [12:47] Lord. Had. Sealed. To. His. Heart. That. Word. It. Is. Finished. And. He. Could. Die. Resting. On. It. But. You. Know. As. I. Watched. Him. Die. [12:58] My. Thoughts. Were. Something. Like. This. To. Have. One. Grain. Of. Real. Vital. Godliness. When. You. And. I. Come. To. Die. Because. [13:08] All. The. Rest. Will. Not. Profit. Us. If. We. Can. Speak. Ten. Thousand. Swelling. Words. Of. Vanity. Ten. Thousand. [13:19] Empty. Words. Of. Profession. Yea. In. The. Church. I. Had. Rather. Speak.. Five. Words. [13:30] With. My. Understanding. Than. Ten. Thousand. Words. In. Unknown. Tongue. I. Have. Often. Thought. About. The. Poor. Blind. Man. Whose. [13:40] Eyes. The. Lord. Opened. He. Couldn't. Say. Much. Could. He. He. Could. Say. One. Thing. One. [13:52] Thing. I. Know. I. Was. Blind. And. But. Now. I. Say. And. His. Enemies. Tried. [14:02] To. Trip. Him. Up. And. Catch. Him. Out. They. Said. He. Never. Been. Blind. They. Said. He. Couldn't. See. They. Said. The. Lord. Jesus. Was. A. Sinner. [14:13] They. Said. All. Manner. Of. Things. But. They. Couldn't. Cheat. Him. Out. Of. That. One. Thing. Because. He. Knew. It. One. Thing. I. Know. Whereas. [14:24] I. Was. Blind. Now. I. Say. There. Be. A. Wonderful. Mercy. If. When. You. And. I. Come. To. Die. We. Possess. That. One. Thing. We. Know. [14:34] There. Been. A. Gracious. Change. But. We. Know. That. We. Not. What. We. Once. Were. We. Have. A. Sweet. Hope. It. Is. A. [14:44] Change. The. Lord. Himself. Has. Accomplished. Oh. To. Be. Able. To. Say. This. That. Our. Blind. Eyes. Have. Been. Open. One. Thing. One. [14:56] Thing. I. Know. That. Whereas. I. Was. Blind. Now. I. Say. Now. Say. That. [15:07] One. Thing. To. Be. Given. You. By. The. Lord. Himself. I. Had. Rather. Speak. Five. Words. With. [15:17] My. Understanding. Than. Ten. Thousand. Words. In. An. Unknown. Time. Today. [15:28] So. Many. People. Are. Satisfied. With. The. Ten. Thousand. Words. They. Can. Argue. About. Them. They. Can. Talk. About. Them. They. [15:39] Can. Sing. About. Them. To. Oh. The. Reality. To. Possess. Five. Words. To. [15:49] Possess. Just. A. Little. If. It's. Real. If. It. Comes. From. Heaven. And. If. It. Will. Take. Us. To. Heaven. At. Last. No. [16:03] It's. On. My. Spirit. With. The. Lord's. Help. To. Bring. Before. You. Five. Words. Just. [16:15] Five. Words. And. To. Ask. You. Whether. You. Can. Speak. Them. With. Your. Understanding. I. [16:28] Understand. That. When. Your. Dear. Pastor. Was. In. England. The. Last. Time. At. One. Of. The. Chapels. He. Spoke. From. One. Word. The. Word. Precious. And. [16:39] It. Was. Made. Profitable. To. The. Hearers. Now. This. Evening. There. Are. Five. Words. Five. Important. Words. [16:50] Five. Vital. Words. That. Rest. On. My. Spirit. And. I. Want. To. Set. Them. Out. Before. You. With. God's. Help. And. I. Want. To. Ask. You. This. Question. [17:01] Whether. You. Can. Speak.. Them. With. Your. Understanding. And. The. First. Is. The. Word. Saying. The. [17:11] Word. Saying. We. Often. Speak. It. Don't. We. It. It. It. Part. Of. Our. Spiritual. Vocabulary. [17:21] It. Comes. Over. And. Over. Again. In. Scripture. It. Comes. In. The. Hymns. We. Sing. Now. [17:31] What. Is. It. To. You. Just. A. Word. Of. Three. Letters. Or. Is. It. A. Solemn. Reality. Over. Which. You. [17:42] Grieve. Is. It. Something. Which. Makes. You. Pray. Do. You. Seek. To. Be. Delivered. From. It. Do. [17:53] You. Ask. That. It. Might. Be. For. For. For. For. For. Is. It. Not. Sin. In. The. World. Or. Sin. In. Other. People. But. Sin. In. Your. Heart. Or. [18:05] Do. You. Have. To. Say. Here. On. My. Heart. The. Burden. Lies. And. Past. Offenses. Grieve. My. Eyes. Think. [18:27] You. Think. Of. Sins. Also. In. Word. You. Think. Of. Sinful. Thoughts. You. [18:39] Think. Of. Sins. Of. Omission. You. Realize. That. God. Is. Holy. That. You. Are. Unholy. You. Know. There's. Not. A. Word. In. Your. Mouth. [18:49] But. Low. He. Knoweth. It. All. Together. You. Realize. That. His. Eyes. Are. All. Seeing. As. A. Flame. Of. Fire. You. Can't. Hide. From. Them. You. [19:00] Can't. Flee. From. His. Presence. Sin. Oh. Thou. Hadious. Monster. Sin. What a curse. As. Thou. [19:10] Brought. In. You. See. It. In. The. Adam. Fall. How. Our. First. Parents. Sin. Sin. And. The. Whole. [19:20] Human. Race. Was. Ruined. In. Him. Sin. Enter. The. World. And. Death. By. Sin. And. So. Death. Passed. Upon. [19:31] All. Men. For. That. All. Have. Sin. Now. Can you. Speak. That. Word. With. Your. Understanding. Do. [19:41] You. Understand. Something. If. Only. A. Little. Of. The. Nature. Of. Sin. Not. Just. The. Doctrine. Of. Sin. Sin. In. Your. Own. Heart. [19:53] Now. Can you. Speak. That. Word. With. Your. Understanding. As. Probably. Most. Of. You. Know. In. [20:03] England. There. Is. An. Established. Church. Estate. Church. And. They. Have. A. Prayer. Book. And. The. Prayers. Are. Read. From. That. Book. Now. [20:15] Though. We. Don't. Agree. With. Red. Prayers. Yet. We. Have. To. Confess. That. Some. Of. Those. Old. Church. Of. England. Prayers. Are. Very. Scriptural. [20:26] And. Very. Sound. Most. Of. Them. Were. Written. By. The. Godly. Martyrs. Who. Were. Burnt. At. The. State. Men. Like. Cranmer. And. Ridley. [20:36] And. Hooper. And. On. The. Lord's. Day. Morning. In. Past. Years. Every. Worshipper. In. The. Church. Of. [20:46] England. Repeated. These. Words. Have. Mercy. Upon. Us. Miserable. Sinners. We. Have. Done. Those. Things. [20:57] We. Ought. Not. To. Have. Done. We. Have. Left. Undone. Those. Things. We. Ought. To. Have. Done. And. There. Is. No. Health. In. Us. And. Yet. Thousands. [21:07] Upon. Thousands. Spoke. Them. Without. The. Slightest. Was. A. Regular. Thing. Then. [21:18] Most. People. In. The. Country. Were. Asking. God. Every. Sabbath. To. Have. Mercy. Upon. Them. Miserable. Sinners. But. Very. Few. Of. Them. Realized. It. [21:28] Or. Felt. It. They. Couldn't. Speak. That. One. Word. Soon. With. The. Understanding. They. Just. Read. It. Because. It. Was. In. The. Prayer. Book. They. Just. Said. It. Because. They. They. [21:38] They. They. They. They. They. They. They. It. It. Was. A. Respectable. Thing. To. Say. It. Now. Can. You. Speak. That. One. Word. Sin. With. The. [21:48] Understanding. And. Why. Can. You. Speak. It. With. The. Understanding. You. Couldn't. Always. Perhaps. You. Learned. It. In. A. Catechism. Concerning. The. Adam. [21:59] Fall. And. It. May. Be. Even. That. You. Understood. It. With. Your. Intellect. Oh. But. Did. The. Time. Ever. Come. When. You. Understood. It. In. Your. Heart. [22:09] And. You. Had. To. Say. My. Best. Is. Stained. And. Died. With. Sin. My. All. Is. Nothing. Worth. As. [22:20] Those. Many. Of. You. Have. Heard. Of. That. Good. Man. Haldane. He. Wrote. The. Famous. Commentary. On. The. Epistle. To. The. Romans. At. The. Beginning. [22:30] Of. The. Last. Century. He. Was. Burdened. And. Exercised. And. He. Went. To. The. City. Of. Geneva. Calvin. City. But. No. [22:41] Longer. The. Doctrines. Of. Calvin. Love. There. He. Was. Given. Over. There. [22:52] Mainly. Groups. Of. Students. And. As a result. Of. That. Man. Simple. Testimony. There. Was. A. Real. Spiritual. Reviving. Broke. Out. [23:02] In. That. City. And. Some. Of. The. People. That. The. Holy. Ghost. Called. By. Grace. Were. Most. Eminent. Men. In. Later. Years. And. [23:12] One. Of. Them. Was. D'Aubinier. The. Great. Historian. Of. D'Aubinier. For. [23:22] A. Few. Weeks. D'Aubinier. Went. To. Him. He. Said. Sir. I. See. It. I. See. It. I. Can. See. The. Fall. [23:33] Of. Man. I. Can. See. The. Total. Depravity. I. Can. See. It. In. The. Word. Of. God. You. What. Howell. D'Aubinier. Said. He. Said. Can. You. See. It. In. Your. [23:43] Own. Heart. You. See. That's. The. Difference. Ten. Thousand. Words. In. An. Unknown. Tongue. Five. Words. Spoken. With. The. Understanding. [23:55] Well. Beloved. Friends. How many. People. Young. Or. Old. Are there. Here. This. Evening. Who. Can. Speak. That. One. Word. Sin. With. [24:05] Your. Understanding. As. You. Know. It. And. Feel. It. And. Have. To. Confess. It. In. Your. Very. Heart. I. [24:15] Had. Rather. Speak. Five. Words. With. My. Understanding. Than. Ten. Thousand. Words. In. An. Unknown. Tongue. [24:27] Well. Then. The. Second. Word. On. My. Spirit. Eternity. Eternity. Can. [24:39] You. Speak. It. With. The. Understanding. Eternity. Tremendous. Sound. Did. [24:49] Eternity. Ever. Become. A. Tremendous. Sound. To. You. Some. Of. Us. Can. Look. Back. To. Our. Spiritual. Beginnings. When. [25:00] We. Began. To. Tremble. Concerning. A. Never. Ending. Eternity. Either. Heaven. Or. Hell. And. [25:10] That. Forever. And. Ever. The. Judgment. Day. The. Eternal. Sentence. And. Then. Eternity. [25:24] Oh. We. Began. To. Speak. It. With. The. Understanding. We. Often. Heard. Of. It. From. The. Pulpit. We. Often. [25:34] Heard. It. It. Mentioned. We. Perhaps. Even. Mentioned. It. Our. Our. Self. But. Oh. The. Weight. Of. It. Now. You. See. The. Point. Was. This. This. Is. [25:44] How. We. Learned. To. Speak. That. Word. With. Our. Understanding. Because. We. Felt. We. Were. Not. Prepared. For. Eternity. We. [25:56] Felt. We. Were. Unfit. To. Die. We. Weren't. Ready. To. Meet. Our. Maker. And. More. Than. That. We. Realized. [26:06] That. We. Couldn't. Do. Anything. Ourselves. To. Prepare. Ourselves. For. Eternity. And. Those. Eternal. Decreas. Of. God. [26:16] That. He. Had. A. Chosen. People. Ordained. Unto. Heaven. And. Then. We. Trembled. Lest. We. Were. Not. Found. [26:27] Amongst. Them. Can. I. Bear. That. Piercing. Thought. What. If. My. Name. Should. Be. Left. Out. Now. Has. Eternity. [26:37] Ever. Been. Made. A. Tremendous. Sound. To. You. And. Can. You. Say. From. An. Honest. Heart. Tonight. That. You. Can. Speak. That. One. Word. With. The. Understanding. [26:50] I. Understand. When. Whitefield. Was. Screeching. In. The. Open. Air. On. One. Occasion. His. Voice. Was. So. Powerful. That. It. Carried. [27:00] Even. A. Mile. Away. And. There. Was. A. Poor. Farm. Laborer. Leaning. On. A. Gate. And. He. Couldn't. Discern. The. Sermon. Because. [27:11] The. Preacher. Was. So. Far. Away. For. He. Heard. The. Voice. And. He. Picked. Out. Only. One. Word. And. It. Was. This. Eternity. And. [27:22] The. Holy Ghost. Sealed. It. Home. To. His. Heart. And. Made. Him. Tremble. Concerning. His. Lost. Ruin. Condition. And. His. Unfaightness. For. Eternity. [27:36] Now. How many. People. Here. This. Evening. With. Your. Understanding. Can. speak that word eternity I had rather speak five words with my understanding than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue and the next word which rests on my spirit is this grace grace if you go to the theological textbooks they'll give you some wonderful illustrations of what grace is and some wonderful definitions the usual definition used to be something like this God's free unmerited favour to wretched hell deserving sinners and that's right and that's good but oh to be brought to speak that word with our understanding you know I believe that the freeness of grace is one of the hardest lessons to learn that we might be taught by the Holy Ghost what sin is and what eternity is but it's hard work because our old legal selves always want to do something or bring something and it's one of the hardest lessons for a sinner to learn that grace is free well we might speak ten thousand words about it and we might hear ten thousand sermons about it but oh the difference to have this brought home to your heart that grace is free now I remember one occasion when I had that really applied to my heart in my case it was when the [29:39] Lord was burdening me about going forth to preach and I had so many arguments why I couldn't but the thing I urged year after year against the Lord was this and I really meant it and really felt it I'm sure it wasn't mock humility I used to say again and again Lord I'm just not fit and I meant it that sense of utter absolute complete unworthiness I used to say Lord I'm just not fit and it was just as if one morning the Lord took me by the hand when I was urging my unfitness and it was as if he said of course you were right you were not fit and you never will be fit and no sinner ever was fit to preach the gospel your worthiness your fitness has got nothing whatsoever to do with it it's entirely completely on the grounds of grace the call to preach is as much a call by grace as the call of salvation in the new birth and you see [30:51] I had a view of the freeness of God's grace there is not an easy lesson to learn it's very humbling to the flesh all our lives we know that salvation is of grace by grace ye are saved through faith that not of yourselves it is the gift of God and we read in scripture that it's abounding grace where sin abounded grace did much more abound and we read in scripture that it's reigning grace that our sin has reigned unto death even so must grace reign through righteousness to eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord we read it and we know all about it but then to come as a sinner feeling our utter unworthiness and need and to say that if ever we are to be saved it must be by free grace alone that we can do nothing merit nothing bring nothing and we have to come empty handed and then we realize something of the value and some of the preciousness of the riches of grace as displayed in the Lord [32:17] Jesus to be able to speak that word grace with the understanding I wonder how many of you know that beautiful work the life of Bernard Gilpin and of course the substance of it was woven into that very beautiful modern book more than notion which was written by my friend J.H. [32:47] Alexander but if you are familiar with it Bernard Gilpin's wife she was under the deepest conviction of sin and she was held fast in bondage and darkness she couldn't find any liberty her friends used to try to encourage her some tried to raise in with her and one day God himself applied that word with power to her heart I will give unto him that is a thirst of the water of the fountain of life freely she said that word freely saying to fill heaven on earth and her deliverance was absolute and complete she ran round to all her friends she said salvation is free well they said everybody knows that don't they beloved friends that's the difference between the truth in the letter and the truth in power oh this word grace and you see as we speak of grace the freeness the fullness the preciousness of it we must mention those streams of love and mercy that are never separated from grace the wonders of sovereign mercy displayed to a guilty sinner and the wonders of the everlasting love of [34:22] God to his faithful I had rather speak five words with my understanding than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue now the fourth word which rests on my spirit is this the word blood blood oh it's a precious sound isn't it whatever could you and I do without the blood of Christ we don't quarrel with Peter when he called it precious blood neither do we quarrel with our hymn writer when he calls it invaluable blood under the old dispensation there was the blood of lambs and bulls and calves and goats it was impossible it could put away sin it all pointed forward to Calver and then we see the sufferings and death of the dear redeemer and that precious precious blood blood that he began to flow in the garden of [35:50] Gethsemane before any human hand touched him and how it flowed in the judgment hole the cruel crown of thorns thrust upon his head and that smiting that scourging and then at Calvary nailed to the accursed tree and that cruel spear thrust deep into his side and his precious blood flowed the apostles are daring aren't they they call it the blood of God feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood now of course the Godhead can't bleed but he who did bleed is true almighty God oh that precious blood that opens away by which the vilest of sinners can come to heaven at last that precious blood that paid the ransom price that satisfied divine justice that precious blood which is the foundation of the gospel there wouldn't be any gospel without it and also the foundation of our hope that precious blood which is our only plea and yet an all prevailing plea that precious blood the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness and if the blood of bulls and goats and the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer sanctify to the purifying of the flesh now this is the emphasis how much more if the holy ghost sails that in your conscience tonight you'll enjoy a gospel day and heaven be gone below how much more shall the blood of [37:56] Christ purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God oh the blood of Christ a precious blood cleanseth from all sin doubt it not and reconciles the soul to God from every folly every fault now beloved can you speak it dare you speak it must you speak it with your understanding I know what some of you will say I want to feel it applied to my heart I know what some of you will say I wish I had the sweet assurance of an interest in it that it was shed for me well bring it down lower can you speak this word with your understanding that it's your only play can you speak this word with your understanding as you pray for an interest in it can you speak this word with your understanding as your desires go out after it [39:13] I believe every born again sinner sees a sweet attraction in the redeemer's most precious blood and you won't speak about it lightly or glibly but if only you could speak this one word with your understanding that's what the redeemed do in heaven unto all eternity isn't it unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood I had rather speak five words with my understanding than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue sin eternity grace blood and above everything else [40:13] Jesus Jesus the name which is above every name the name before which at last every name shall bow how many of you can speak the name of Jesus with your understanding and you speak it with a tender heart and with repentance you speak it with love you speak it with adoration I wonder if some of you know this experience you've perhaps come to the house of God and perhaps you're feeling dark and dry and dead and it may be just the mention of that one word Jesus and it's almost as if for a moment your captivity is turned I've often mentioned the case of a godly old woman who lived in Wales where they speak a different language from in England and the old Welsh woman she could only speak Welsh and the only minister who preached the truth was six miles away and he preached in [41:26] English and she used to walk those miles over the mountains in all weathers to hear this minister though he preached in a language she didn't understand and one very stormy day her neighbours remonstrated with her why did she go if she couldn't understand a word oh she said I can't understand one word it's the word Jesus and that dear minister as he preaches he keeps bringing in this word Jesus and she said it's so precious to me it's worth walking over the mountains to hear that name though I don't understand anything else now have you got a religion like that then let the name of Jesus be to us supremely dear our only all availing play for all our hope is there well it's none but Jesus on the mount of transfiguration they saw no man save [42:30] Jesus only Jesus our only hope our only play our only foundation how sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's well beloved friends you realise that I'm on an inexhaustible theme tonight if a minister had the grace and the ability he could speak a series of sermons on each of the five points couldn't he I've only been able just to touch them oh but the point is that gracious understanding he'll have you and I got it and if we haven't or if we're not sure whether we have may we be able to pray for it because the Lord won't be offended if you ask him to give you a gracious understanding sin eternity grace blood [43:37] Jesus these vital things these things that really matter you know there are some things even religion that matter more than others but these five things are vital and oh to have them written with the finger of the living God upon the fleshy tables of our heart then we shall understand them and then we shall be able to speak them with the understanding my mind goes to that word shavoleth in the book of Judges remember the circumstances very briefly two tribes were warring one side was defeated and they were escaping but they had to cross a ford of the river Jordan and there the opposing soldiers were waiting now a lot of them pretended they didn't belong to the defeated side they belonged to the victorious side but there was a simple test one tribe could speak the word shibboleth so clearly now the other side because of their dialect they couldn't they stuttered and stumbled and stammered on it and they said shibboleth because we have it today don't we among various nationalities you can pick out where a person comes from what his nationality is by the way in which he speaks the way he pronounces some words see [45:12] I from England speak some words so differently from the way you speak them in America but here they said say shibboleth and if he stuttered and stammered and couldn't say it properly it proved he was on the wrong side and it was a matter of life and death because they put him to death at the thorn of Jordan well these five words I've tried feebly to bring before you this evening beloved friends to like shibboleth either we can frame to speak them correctly or we stutter or we stumble or we stammer over them because we have no gracious understanding because we are out of the secret well may your religion and mine be weighed in these balances this evening because they are the balances of the sanctuary and oh that it might be that through mercy we may not be found wanting for I had rather speak five words with my understanding than ten thousand words in an unknown time let us close the service by singing hymn ten hundred and ninety five hymn ten hundred and ninety five dearest of all the names above my [46:55] Jesus and my God who can resist thy heavenly love or trifle with thy blood hymn ten hundred and ninety five sin unquote anthony and sits at whenever another and he over in soi nic ne time la numberbra and fin fundingnom highwayこんulas clever hair people Yun邊 Amen. [48:09] Amen. Amen. [49:09] Amen. Amen. [50:09] Amen. Amen. [50:30] May the grace of our Lord Jesus grind and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with us forever. Amen. [50:45] Amen. Praise Him, Father, and Son, and Lord.