Paul Mallard on Heaven

This is a delightful little book on a delightful subject. Orthodox, practical and full of illustrations it is no doubt the fruit of preached sermons and is easy to read. Relying mainly on Revelation but taking in many other Scriptures, this little bookby a veteran pastor, without being dogmatic where there is no need to be, will answer most of the questions that people have about this vital subject. It can be highy recommended. The closing chapters usefully show how this doctrine should comfort us, encourage us to be holy. and make us steadfast. There are a few books on this subject. Thsi is one of the best.

10 Pictures From Annie Ross Cousin Via Samuel Rutherford

The sands of times are sinking was composed by Annie Ross Cousin drawing on material in Rutherford's latters. Focusing on the verses ususally sung we can see at least 10 pictures used to help us think of life and glory and our passage from one to the other.

1. Sand in an hour glass slowly sinking. The sands of time are sinking
2. A long dark night followed by a bright summer day. The dawn of heaven breaks The summer morn I've sighed for The fair, sweet morn awakes Dark, dark hath been the midnight But dayspring is at hand
3. Hazy glimpses of glory then seeing the King's unveiled glory. The King there in His beauty Without a veil is seen
4. A sometimes hazardous journey to a wonderful destination. It were a well spent journey Though sev'n deaths lay between
5. Finally, beholding the Lamb and his army. The Lamb with His fair army Doth on Mount Zion stand
6. Thirsting on earth, thirst scarcely quenched, then beholding the fountain or well of God's love. O Christ, He is the fountain The deep, deep well of love The streams on earth I've tasted More deep I'll drink above There to an ocean fullness His mercy doth expand
7. The weaving of a tapestry. With mercy and with judgment My web of time He wove And always dews of sorrow Were lustered with His love
8. Coming to the throne in the will and plan of God. I'll bless the hand that guided I'll bless the heart that planned When throned where glory dwelleth
9. A poor, vile person brought into a house of wine. Oh, I am my Beloved's And my Beloved's mine He brings a poor, vile sinner Into His house of wine I stand upon His merit I know no other stand
10. A bride seeing her bridegroom, about to be married. The bride eyes not her garments But her dear Bridegroom's face I will not gaze at glory But on my King of grace Not at the crown He giveth But on His pierced hand

Affinity Study Conference 2021

I'd meant to write up something about the recent Affinity Study Conference, which had to be online this year. It was on March 17 and 18 and featured five papers on the last things and a final round up session with all five speakers, chaired by Tom Brand. The speakers were Paul Mallard, Paul Yeulett, Rupert Bentley-Taylor, Gareth Burke and Michael Horton. Rupert Bentley-Taylor kicked us off with a nice broad paper and then Paul Yeulett navigated us helpfully through the tricky waters of the intermediate state. We ended the first day with a demanding but helpful paper from Michael Horton in California. Gareth Burke then spoke from Northern Ireland on the Jewish question and Paul Mallard on heaven. The format to the conference is that speakers briefly present their papers and we then discuss them in groups. It isa  good format and we covered a lot of worthwhile ground. It was good too to have a little banter with Alan Davey, Mark Thomas and others at one point. The papers will appear in print at some point no doubt. Well done Affinity for getting this organised.

Adrian Brake on Baxter's Saints Everlasting Rest

I was at the Westminster Fellowship again last Monday. Once again we were a rather small number and a bit on the old side for the most part. Yet again we were treated to fine fare. Adrian Brake from South Wales firstly preached to us (from Revelation 7) and then spoke winsomely on Richard Baxter's first great work The saints everlasting rest. This was more than an extended book review as it sought to commend to us Baxter's conviction that regular meditation on the glories of heaven will do us a great deal of earthly good. It is good to know that there are young men immersing themselves in the riches of Puritan literature and who are able to share their enthusiasm with others. As to how we can encourage other ministers to take advantage I really do not know.

Rose Marie Brady

Today is my mother's birthday. She's not celebrating - well, no more than she does every day if she's gone where I think she's gone. She would have been 81 if she'd hung around which (as they say) is not old these days. I still miss her every day, even though she died 16 years ago. God knows best.

Turretin on good works

This is helpful

"Works can be considered in three ways: either with reference to justification or sanctification or glorification.

 

They are related to justification

not antecedently, efficiently and meritoriously, but consequently and declaratively.

 

They are related to sanctification

constitutively because they constitute and promote it.

 

They are related to glorification

antecedently and ordinatively because they are related to it as the means to the end."

(See Turretin, 17.3.14)

Lord's Day June 17

I remarked recently that an anomaly on this blog is that I rarely mention the Lord's Day activities. There are reasons why it happens but I think it gives a false impression so just to say that it was good to be with God's people in Childs Hill yesterday, morning and evening. We sat down to communion before the evening meeting. In the morning we said farewell to Andreas and his family from who return to Germany soon after two years in LTS. Alice made a lovely cake for us to enjoy after with our cuppa. We also had a church photograph. About fifty of us were there altogether.

In the morning I did the third of a series I am doing on Ultimate Realities. I have preached two sermons on heaven and this was the third. I looked at the six glorious negatives of Revelation 21:1-22:5 (no sea, no night, no curse, etc). In the evening we are in Numbers and came to Chapter 13 about the spies and their report. My plea was for a right understanding of the Christian life and a positive presentation of the gospel.