Digibron cookies

Voor optimale prestaties van de website gebruiken wij cookies. Overeenstemmig met de EU GDPR kunt u kiezen welke cookies u wilt toestaan.

Noodzakelijke en wettelijk toegestane cookies

Noodzakelijke en wettelijk toegestane cookies zijn verplicht om de basisfunctionaliteit van Digibron te kunnen gebruiken.

Optionele cookies

Onderstaande cookies zijn optioneel, maar verbeteren uw ervaring van Digibron.

Bekijk het origineel

Sanctified Trial

Bekijk het origineel

+ Meer informatie

Sanctified Trial

5 minuten leestijd Arcering uitzetten

We find in the history of the patriarchs that every new difficulty and trial with which they met furnished a fresh opportunity for God to manifest Himself, to renew His covenant and confirm His promises. And God never appeared except when urgent necessity called for His presence, either to support them under pressures and trials or to call them to new duties, for the manifestation, in its effects, of their grace and of His glory. As their difficulties abounded, their supports and comforts were multiplied. Oh blessed exchange — outward ease and tranquility for spiritual joy and growth in the divine life! Who that has any hatred of sin or any love to God in his heart, would not wish to carry on a daily exchange so comfortable and so advantageous to the soul? No outward trouble, I am sure, ever did, or ever can, give me so much uneasiness and sorrow as the incessant workings of my corruptions continually do. I hope, therefore, to be evermore thankful for every cross, disappointment, sickness, trouble, etc., which has the smallest tendency to weaken my corruptions, to make me more dead to the world and to myself, and more alive to God and the things of God. There is within me so much pride to be subdued, so much worldly-mindedness to be destroyed, so much unbelief to be rooted out, and so much self to be denied, that my heart should overflow with gratitude when I feel God’s hand upon me, however heavy it may be, carrying on the work of holiness in subduing or weakening any of these sinful tempers and dispositions, and accomplishing that glorious work to which my feeble strength is unequal. I hope to look more to the end than to the means; to look beyond the rod and the chastisement, to the “peaceable fruit of righteousness (which it yieldeth) unto them which are exercised thereby.” As nothing but holiness will be of any value or of any real service to me in the end, may I be thankful for everything, however unpleasant and grievous now, which may tend to promote it in my soul. If only the end is obtained, I am perfectly satisfied with the means which infinite wisdom, influenced by infinite goodness, may think proper to appoint.


I long to be swallowed up entirely in Him, and be possessed entirely by Him.


God has not, like earthly parents, any foolish tenderness or fondness which may prevent Him from using the rod when necessary for the benefit and real interest of His children. He delivered Job into Satan’s hand out of love to him; foreseeing how He would bring him out of the furnace like gold purified in the fire. As God, therefore, never on any occasion prefers the ease of His children to their holiness, I hope in everything to be of the same mind, always receiving everything with thankfulness from His gracious hand, who has assured me that everything shall work together for good. Oh precious promise! It is like the tree which Moses cast into the waters of Marah. It makes the bitterest water of affliction sweet and wholesome. Like the philosopher’s stone, it turns everything into gold. When I find, actually and experimentally, all working for my good, I feel gratitude in some degree influencing my heart; but when I do not find present good issuing from present evil, I often find it very difficult to believe the promises and to rest satisfied that it will certainly be so in the end, however unlikely the event may at present appear. Our unbelief, however, makes not the faith of God without effect. He remains faithful and will abundantly accomplish all His promise. It comforts me, therefore, to think that it will be so, though my faith in that truth is often very weak and feeble. His promises depend not on my faith, but on His own faithfulness, which is eternal and unchangeable like Himself.

Though we are not at home, yet if everything works effectually to bring us daily nearer, in the temper of our minds and in the frame of our hearts, what cause for thankfulness! Blessed is that cross which humbles our pride, that disappointment which makes us more resigned to God’s will, that sickness which crucifies us more to the world and the world to us, that poverty which makes us richer in grace, and that contempt of the world which makes us cleave more to God and value more highly His favor and approbation! Yea, blessed is that event which takes away all the props which we in any degree depend upon for the smallest portion of our happiness, and thus brings us to depend and live wholly on God. Till then we shall never be happy nor glorify God our Redeemer in any suitable manner. When we make Him alone our strength and portion, we are never disappointed, but ever abundantly satisfied as with marrow and fatness. I long to be swallowed up entirely in Him, and be possessed entirely by Him. The hope of such a desirable event fills me with transports of joy.

Rev. Thomas Charles (1755-1814) was a sound Welsh Methodist minister mightily used by God in the Welsh revival of 1791, as well as throughout England and Ireland. His numerous books in Welsh and in English were blessed to the hearts of many of God’s people. The Countess of Huntingdon did much to promote the writings of this godly divine.

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Bekijk de hele uitgave van vrijdag 1 mei 1992

The Banner of Truth | 30 Pagina's

Sanctified Trial

Bekijk de hele uitgave van vrijdag 1 mei 1992

The Banner of Truth | 30 Pagina's