Kelso is a small town situated in Scotland, with a rich history. Horatius Bonar (1808-1889) was a Scottish churchman and poet, known for his hymns and biographies. He was a minister of the Church of Scotland and the Free Church of Scotland. Around 1850 he wrote a book titled, Kelso Tracts, which laid the foundations of the Christian faith for his church members. These tracts were brief essays that explained different aspects of Christianity. I love many of these tracts, as Bonar prints extracts from sermons that came from the dawn of the Reformation. Our Faith was established long ago, and has a rich history among men. It is the same song, it is the same Lord. We do well to heed the riches that they wrote about. This is the third tract in the series, I already printed out the first two in my previous blogs. God bless you as you read this.
The Faithful Saying
"God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish."—John 3:16.
Here God, who is infinite and unspeakable, gives after such a manner as passes all things. For that which he gives, he gives not as the wages of desert, but of mere love. This ought to encourage our hearts, and to abolish all sorrow, when this exceeding love of God comes in mind, that we might trust thereto and believe steadfastly, that God is that bountiful and great Giver, and that this gift of his proceeds of that great virtue of love. This sort of giving, which has its spring of love, makes this gift more excellent and precious. And the words of Christ are plain, that God loveth us. Wherefore, for this love's sake we ought greatly to esteem all things that he gives us. And as God, the giver, is exceedingly great, so is the gift that he giveth, which is his only Son.
But here unbelief troubles us, and also incredible darkness and ignorance, so that when we hear of this so great a gift we do not believe it. When it is told us that God hath given unto us his Son out of mere love, we are without any desire to receive it. We care not for the promise of this gift, but bestow all our cares on worldly things. Yet nothing is asked, save that thou shouldst joyfully embrace it! But alas! what an unworthy thing is this, that there be neither hearts nor hands to receive this gift! And yet God asks nothing else of us, but just to take it as our own. But this is our madness, that though we are mere beggars, we scorn to be provided for. Judge then what a grievous sin is unbelief!
Hence, also, it appears how mad the world is, that it has no joy in the gift of God. For so little does the world deserve this love and gift of God, that nothing can be more against God or nearer to the devil than the world is. And yet this is the true testimony of Christ, that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. But because of these sins, and this misery with which we sinners are burdened, and so burdened that we could never escape without the help of God, God doth put forth this love, and bestows this gift freely upon us. Is not the merciful Lord, therefore, worthy to be loved again? And ought we not to put our whole confidence in him? Let us, then, understand that God is not here said to be angry with the world, but to love it, in that he gave his Son for it. God is merciful to us and loveth us, and of very love gave his Son unto us, that we should not perish, but hare everlasting life. And as God giveth by love and mercy, so do we take and receive by faith, and no otherwise. Faith only—that is, trust in the grace and mercy of God, is the very hand by which we take this gift.
This gift is given to make us safe from death and sin. For even as a great flame is in comparison with a drop of water, so is Christ in comparison with the sins of the world. As soon as they touch Christ, and as soon as the gift is received by faith, our sins are quite consumed and abolished, even as a dry stalk is by a hot fire. These, then, are excellent words, and words of life: God grant us his grace to print them in our hearts. For he that hath these words surely fixed in his heart, can neither be afraid of the devil, nor of sin, nor of hell, but will be of a quiet heart, and say, "I am without all fear;" for I have with me the Son of God, whom God hath given unto me by his love, and by the gospel which assures me of it. And thy word, O Lord, and thy Son, Jesus, will not deceive me, in whom alone I put my trust. If I be weak in faith, grant me grace that I may believe more steadfastly. For besides this I have no other help in this evident gift and love of God, but that we should all, by a little, and a little, believe more and more in this gift. And the stronger faith is, the greater is the joy, pleasure, and security that is felt rising in the mind, so that we are ready to do and suffer all that God requires of us, knowing that he is loving, and uses nothing but love toward us. But thou wilt say, If I were as Peter, Paul, and Mary, were, this gift would be comfortable unto me. For they are saints, and doubtless this saying pertains but unto them. How should I, who am a sinner, by any means understand that it pertains unto me, who have so often offended God by my sins, and have made him my enemy? But such thoughts are nothing but mere incredulity and unbelief, which goeth about to withdraw us from this sweet gospel. And truly unbelief can be overcome by no other means than by the word of God. Of this Christ spake, that we should not doubt of this word; saying, that his Father, the true and eternal God in heaven, did so love the world, that he delivered his only begotten Son. And this is sure, that the world here does not signify Mary, Peter, and Paul only, but the world signifies all mankind. Therefore if thou takest thyself to be of mankind, or if thou dost not believe that, compare thyself with other mortal men, that thou mayest understand that thou art a man. For why shouldest thou not suffer thyself to be of this name, seeing that Christ with plain words saith, that God gave not his Son only for Mary, Peter, and Paul, but for the world, that all should receive him that are the sons of men. Then if thou or I would not receive him, as though he did not appertain unto us, truly it would consequently follow, that Christ's words are not true, whereas he saith he was given and delivered for the world. Wherefore hereof appears that the contrary thereto is most assuredly true, that this gift belongs as well unto thee as to Peter and Paul, forasmuch as thou also art a man as they were, and a portion of the world; that God may not be judged in his word, and this thought rise in our heart, thinking on this wise, Who knoweth whether I am also of their number, to whom the Son of God is given, and eternal life promised. For that is as much as to make God untrue to his promise. Wherefore when this thought comes upon thee, suspect it, as thou would suspect the devil, lest thou be therewith deceived. And say thou, What is that to me, that I am neither Peter nor Paul? If God would have given this gift to them only that should have been found worthy, he would have given it to the angels, to the sun, and to the moon; for they are pure and undefiled creatures, which always obey God, and never decline or swerve from his precepts. But this is the truth of the matter, he gave him to the world, and the world is no worthier thereof than as I said before. Wherefore, although I am neither Peter nor Paul, yet will I not suffer myself to put aside this gift, but will challenge as much for my part as David and all the holy apostles did. Whatsoever I am, yet God is not to be taken as unfaithful to his promise. I am a portion of the world, wherefore if I take not this gift as mine own, I MAKE GOD UNTRUE.
But thou wilt say, Why does he not show this to me alone? Then I would believe and think surely that it appertained unto me. But it is for a great consideration that God speaks here so generally; to the intent, verily, that no man should think that he is excluded from this promise and gift. He that excludes himself must give an account why he does so. I will not judge them, saith he, but they shall be judged of their own mouth. For this gift was given to all the world, and they, by their unbelief and mistrust of God's word, will not receive it. Yet if a man will consider well, he shall perceive that baptism and also the communion of the body and blood of Christ were ordained, that every man should take this gift frankly and freely as his own. We are saved then, only by the mercy of God; and we obtain this grace only by faith, without virtue, without merits, and without works. For the whole matter that is necessary to the getting of everlasting life and remission of sins is altogether and fully comprehended in the love and mercy of God, through Christ. God grant us his grace that we may believe and trust to this surely—that we may suffer all things with a glad and ready heart, and may so die that we may be saved forever, through his Son and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
[Extracted from the Works of Thomas Becon, one of the English Reformers, who was born A.D. 1510; died 1567.]
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