Truth is ancient; it's grey hairs may make it venerable;
it comes from Him who is the ancient of days. --Thomas Watson

 

15 November, 2007 - by Chad   comments: (0) Resource Spotlight   J.C. Ryle on Church Attendance and the Means of Grace Part 2. Last time we looked at the first part of a three part series From J.C. Ryle's tract entitled; Thoughts for Young Men. There Ryle began to expound on the great necessity of church attendance and attending to the ordinary means of grace. Here we shall look at another of those means of grace and see that the preaching of the gospel is so important for people to hear. Not only for the saving of their souls but also for the restraining of wickedness. It is important to remember that this is the second part of a thesis that Ryle begins by saying; "Be regular in going to the house of God, whenever it is open for prayer and preaching, and it is in your power to attend. " Church attendance is vital to all the means of grace, especially the preaching of the gospel. I dwell on this point too, because of the strong anxiety I feel that every young man should regularly the preaching of Christ's gospel. I cannot tell you how important I think this is. By God's blessing, the ministry of the of the gospel might be the means of converting your soul-of leading you to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ-of making you a child of God in deed and in truth. This would be cause for eternal thankfulness indeed. This would be an event over which angels would rejoice. But even if this were not the case, there is a restraining power and influence in the ministry of the gospel, under which I earnestly desire every young man to be brought. There are thousands whom it keeps back from evil, though it has not yet turned them unto God-it has made them far better members of society, though it has not yet made them true Christians. There is a certain kind of mysterious power in the faithful preaching of the gospel, which tells insensibly on multitudes who listen to it without receiving it into their hearts. To hear sin cried down, and holiness cried up; to hear Christ exalted, and the works of the devil denounced; to hear the kingdom of heaven and its blessedness described, and the world and its emptiness exposed; to hear this week after week, Sunday after Sunday, is seldom without good effect on the soul. It makes it far harder afterwards to run into any excess of riot and profligacy. It acts as a wholesome check upon a mans heart. This, I believe is on way in which that promise of God is made good, "My word shall not return unto me void." (Isa 55:11). There is much truth in that strong saying of Whitefield, 'The gospel keeps many a one form the goal and gallows, if it does not keep him from hell. Posted by: Jim B.   Link: http://www.oldtruth.com/blog.cfm/id.2.pid.1016          Home  |   About  |  Videos   |  Calvinism