I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

The Christian Warfare
Samuel Stennett (1727–1795)

My Captain sounds the alarm of war;
Awake, the powers of hell are near!
“To arms! To arms!” I hear him cry,
’Tis yours to conquer, or to die!

Roused by the animating sound,
I cast my eager eyes around;
Make haste to gird my armor on,
And bid each trembling fear be gone.

Hope is my helmet; faith my shield;
Thy Word, my God! The sword I wield;
With sacred truth my loins are girt,
And holy zeal inspires my heart.

Thus armed I venture on the fight;
Resolved to put my foes to flight;
While Jesus kindly deigns to spread
His conquering banner o’er my head.

In him I hope; in him I trust;
His bleeding cross is all my boast.
Through troops of foes He’ll lead me on
To victory and the victor’s crown.

—Worthy Is the Lamb (Soli Deo Gloria, 2004).

John 6:22–27

“I Am the Bread of Life”

The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone. 23 There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus. 25 When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”
   26 Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”

We should mark first, in this passage, what knowledge of man’s heart our Lord Jesus Christ possesses. We see Him exposing the false motives of those who followed Him for the sake of the loaves and fishes. They had followed Him across the Lake of Galilee. They seemed at first sight ready to believe in Him, and do Him honour. But He knew the inward springs of their conduct, and was not deceived. “Ye seek me,” He said, “not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye ate the loaves, and were filled.”
   The Lord Jesus, we should never forget, is still the same. He never changes. He reads the secret motives of all who profess and call themselves Christians. He knows exactly why they do all they do in their religion. The reasons why they go to Church, and why they receive the sacrament,—why they attend family prayers, and why they keep Sunday holy,—all are naked and opened to the eyes of the great Head of the Church. By Him actions are weighed as well as seen. “Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7">1 Sam. xvi. 7.)
   Let us be real, true, and sincere in our religion, whatever else we are. The sinfulness of hypocrisy is very great, but its folly is greater still. It is not hard to deceive ministers, relatives, and friends. A little decent outward profession will often go a long way. But it is impossible to deceive Christ. “His eyes are as a flame of fire.” (Rev. i. 14.) He sees us through and through. Happy are those who can say,—“Thou, Lord, who knowest all things, knowest that we love thee.” (John xxi. 17.)
   We should mark, secondly, in this passage, what Christ forbids. He told the crowds who followed Him so diligently for the loaves and fishes, “not to labour for the food that perisheth.” It was a remarkable saying, and demands explanation.
   Our Lord, we may be sure, did not mean to encourage idleness. It would be a great mistake to suppose this hard labour was the appointed lot of Adam in Paradise. Labour was ordained to be man’s occupation after the fall. Labour is honourable in all men. No one need be ashamed of belonging to “the working classes.” Our Lord himself worked in the carpenter’s shop at Nazareth. Paul wrought as a tent-maker with his own hands.
   What our Lord did mean to rebuke was, that excessive attention to labour for the body, while the soul is neglected, which prevails everywhere in the world. What He reproved was, the common habit of labouring only for the things of time, and letting alone the things of eternity—of minding only the life that now is, and disregarding the life to come. Against this habit He delivers a solemn warning.
   Surely, we must all feel our Lord did not say the words before us without good cause. They are a startling caution which should ring in the ears of many in these latter days. How many in every rank of life are doing the very thing against which Jesus warns us! They are labouring night and day for “the food that perisheth,” and doing nothing for their immortal souls. Happy are those who early learn betimes the respective value of soul and body, and give the first and best place in their thoughts to salvation. One thing is needful. He that seeks first the kingdom of God, will never fail to find “all other things added to him.” (Matt. vi. 33.)
   We should mark, thirdly, in this passage, what Christ advises. He tells us to “labour for the food that endureth to everlasting life.” He would have us take pains to find food and satisfaction for our souls. That food is provided in rich abundance in Him. But he that would have it must diligently seek it.
   How are we to labour? There is but one answer. We must labour in the use of all appointed means. We must read our Bibles, like men digging for hidden treasure. We must wrestle earnestly in prayer, like men contending with a deadly enemy for life. We must take our whole heart to the house of God, and worship and hear like those who listen to the reading of a benefactor’s will. We must fight daily against sin, the world, and the devil, like those who fight for liberty, and must conquer, or be slaves. These are the ways we must walk in if we would find Christ, and be found of Him. This is “labouring.” This is the secret of getting on about our souls.
   Labour like this no doubt is very uncommon. In carrying it on we shall have little encouragement from man, and shall often be told that we are “extreme,” and go too far. Strange and absurd as it is, the natural man is always fancying that we may take too much thought about religion, and refusing to see that we are far more likely to take too much thought about the world. But whatever man may say, the soul will never get spiritual food without labour. We must “strive,” we must “run,” we must “fight,” we must throw our whole heart into our soul’s affairs. It is “the violent” who take the kingdom. (Matt. xi. 12.)
   We should mark, lastly, in this passage, what a promise Christ holds out. He tells us that He himself will give eternal food to all who seek it: “The Son of man shall give you the food that endureth unto everlasting life.”
   How gracious and encouraging these words are! Whatever we need for the relief of our hungering souls, Christ is ready and willing to bestow. Whatever mercy, grace, peace, strength we require, the Son of man will give freely, immediately, abundantly, and eternally. He is “sealed,” and appointed, and commissioned by God the Father for this very purpose. Like Joseph in the Egyptian famine, it is His office to be the Friend, and Almoner [distributor of alms, benefactor], and Reliever of a sinful world. He is far more willing to give than man is to receive. The more sinners apply to Him, the better He is pleased.
   And now, as we leave this rich passage, let us ask ourselves, what use we make of it? For what are we labouring ourselves? What do we know of lasting food and satisfaction for our inward man? Never let us rest until we have eaten of the food which Christ alone can give. Those who are content with any other spiritual food will sooner or later “lie down in sorrow.” (Isa. l. 11.)

—J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (Baker Books, 2007), 3:345–348.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I reioyced, when they sayd to me, We wil go into the house of the Lord. Psalm 122:1 (Geneva Bible)

Praise for Conversion
Samuel Stennett (1727–1795)

Come, ye that fear the Lord,
And listen, while I tell
How narrowly my feet escaped
The snares of death and hell.

The flattering joys of sense
Assailed my foolish heart,
While Satan with malicious skill
Guided the poisonous dart.

I fell beneath the stroke,
But fell to rise again;
My anguish roused me into life,
And pleasure sprung from pain.

Darkness and shame and grief,
Oppressed my gloomy mind;
I looked around me for relief,
But no relief could find.

At length to God I cried;
He heard my plaintive sigh;
He heard, and instantly he sent
Salvation from on high.

My drooping head he raised;
My bleeding wounds he healed;
Pardoned my sins, and, with a smile,
The gracious pardon sealed.

Oh, may I never forget
The mercy of my God;
Nor ever want a tongue to spread
His loudest praise abroad.

—Worthy Is the Lamb (Soli Deo Gloria, 2004).

Psalme 119:137–144
(Geneva Bible)
Tsaddi.
137 Righteous art thou, O Lord, and iust are thy iudgements.
138 Thou hast commanded iustice by thy testimonies and trueth especially.
139 My zeale hath euen consumed mee, because mine enemies haue forgotten thy wordes.
140 Thy word is prooued most pure, and thy seruant loueth it.
141 I am small and despised: yet do I not forget thy precepts.
142 Thy righteousnesse is an euerlasting righteousnes, and thy Lawe is trueth.
143 Trouble and anguish are come vpon me: yet are thy commandements my delite.
144 The righteousnes of thy testimonies is euerlasting: graunt me vnderstanding, and I shall liue.

Grace be with you, and Peace from God our Father, and from the Lorde Jesus Christ.

I reioyced, when they sayd to me, We wil go into the house of the Lord. (Psalme 122:1 Geneva Bible)

The Glorious Gospel of the Blessed God
by Samuel Stennett (1727–1795)

hat wisdom, majesty, and grace,
Through all the gospel shine!
’Tis God that speaks, and we confess
The doctrine most divine.

Down from His starry throne on high,
The almighty Savior comes;
Lays His bright robes of glory by,
and feeble flesh assumes.

The mighty debt that sinners owed,
Upon the cross He pays;
Then through the clouds ascends to God,
’Mid shouts of loftiest praise.

There He, our great High Priest, appears
before His Father’s throne;
Mingles His merits with our tears,
And pours salvation down.

Great God, with reverence we adore
Thy justice and Thy grace;
And on Thy faithfulness and pow’r
Our firm dependence place.

—from Worthy Is the Lamb (Soli Deo Gloria, 2004).

salme 144
(Geneva Bible)
A Psalme of David.
1 Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth mine hands to fight, and my fingers to battell.
2 He is my goodnes and my fortresse, my towre and my deliuerer, my shield, and in him I trust, which subdueth my people vnder me.
3 Lord, what is man that thou regardest him! or the sonne of man that thou thinkest vpon him!
4 Man is like to vanitie: his dayes are like a shadow, that vanisheth.
5 Bow thine heauens, O Lord, and come downe: touch the mountaines and they shall smoke.
6 Cast forth the lightning and scatter them: shoote out thine arrowes, and consume them.
7 Send thine hand from aboue: deliuer me, and take me out of the great waters, and from the hand of strangers,
8 Whose mouth talketh vanitie, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
9 I wil sing a new song vnto thee, O God, and sing vnto thee vpon a viole, and an instrument of ten strings.
10 It is he that giueth deliuerance vnto Kings, and rescueth Dauid his seruant from the hurtfull sworde.
11 Rescue me, and deliuer me from the hand of strangers, whose mouth talketh vanitie, and their right hand is a right hand of falshood:
12 That our sonnes may be as the plantes growing vp in their youth, and our daughters as the corner stones, grauen after the similitude of a palace:
13 That our corners may be full, and abounding with diuers sorts, and that our sheepe may bring forth thousands and ten thousand in our streetes:
14 That our oxen may be strong to labour: that there be none inuasion, nor going out, nor no crying in our streetes.
15 Blessed are the people, that be so, yea, blessed are the people, whose God is the Lord.

Grace be with you, and Peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

I reioyced, when they sayd to me, We wil go into the house of the Lord. (Psalme 122:1 Geneva Bible)

What Glories All Divine
by Samuel Stennett (1727–1795)

reat God, amid the darksome night,
Thy glories dart upon my sight,
While, wrapped in wonder, I behold
The silver moon and stars of gold.

But, when I see the sun arise,
And pour his glories o’er the skies,
In more stupendous forms I view
Thy greatness and Thy goodness too.

Thou Sun of suns, whose dazzling light
Tries and confounds an angel’s sight!
How shall I glance mine eye at Thee,
In all Thy vast immensity?

Yet I may be allowed to trace
The distant shadows of Thy face;
As, in the pale and sickly moon,
We trace the image of the Sun.

In ev’ry work Thy hands have made,
Thy pow’r and wisdom are displayed;
But, oh, what glories all divine,
In my incarnate Savior shine!

He is my Sun; beneath His wings
My soul securely sits and sings;
And there enjoys, like those above,
The balmy influence of Thy love.

Oh, may the vital strength and heat,
His cheering beams communicate,
Enable me my course to run
With the same vigor as the sun!

—from Worthy Is the Lamb (Soli Deo Gloria, 2004).

salme 105
(Geneva Bible)

1 Praise the Lord, and call vpon his Name: declare his workes among the people.
2 Sing vnto him, sing prayse vnto him, and talke of all his wonderous workes.
3 Reioyce in his holy Name: let the heart of them that seeke the Lord, reioyce.
4 Seeke the Lord and his strength: seeke his face continually.
5 Remember his marueilous woorkes, that he hath done, his wonders and the iudgements of his mouth,
6 Ye seede of Abraham his seruant, ye children of Iaakob, which are his elect.
7 He is the Lord our God: his iudgements are through all the earth.
8 He hath alway remembred his couenant and promise, that he made to a thousand generations,
9 Euen that which he made with Abraham, and his othe vnto Izhak:
10 And since hath confirmed it to Iaakob for a lawe, and to Israel for an euerlasting couenant,
11 Saying, Vnto thee will I giue the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance.
12 Albeit they were fewe in nomber, yea, very fewe, and strangers in the land,
13 And walked about from nation to nation, from one kingdome to another people,
14 Yet suffered he no man to doe them wrong, but reprooued Kings for their sakes, saying,
15 Touche not mine anointed, and doe my Prophets no harme.
16 Moreouer, he called a famine vpon ye land, and vtterly brake the staffe of bread.
17 But he sent a man before them: Ioseph was solde for a slaue.
18 They helde his feete in the stockes, and he was laide in yrons,
19 Vntill his appointed time came, and the counsell of the Lord had tryed him.
20 The King sent and loosed him: euen the Ruler of the people deliuered him.
21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance,
22 That he shoulde binde his princes vnto his will, and teach his Ancients wisedome.
23 Then Israel came to Egypt, and Iaakob was a stranger in the land of Ham.
24 And he increased his people exceedingly, and made them stronger then their oppressours.
25 He turned their heart to hate his people, and to deale craftily with his seruants.
26 Then sent he Moses his seruant, and Aaron whom he had chosen.
27 They shewed among them the message of his signes, and wonders in the land of Ham.
28 He sent darkenesse, and made it darke: and they were not disobedient vnto his commission.
29 He turned their waters into blood, and slewe their fish.
30 Their land brought foorth frogs, euen in their Kings chambers.
31 He spake, and there came swarmes of flies and lice in all their quarters.
32 He gaue them haile for raine, and flames of fire in their land.
33 He smote their vines also and their figge trees, and brake downe the trees in their coastes.
34 He spake, and the grashoppers came, and caterpillers innumerable,
35 And did eate vp all the grasse in their land, and deuoured the fruite of their ground.
36 He smote also all the first borne in their land, euen the beginning of all their strength.
37 He brought them forth also with siluer and golde, and there was none feeble among their tribes.
38 Egypt was glad at their departing: for the feare of them had fallen vpon them.
39 He spred a cloude to be a couering, and fire to giue light in the night.
40 They asked, and he brought quailes, and he filled them with the bread of heauen.
41 He opened the rocke, and the waters flowed out, and ranne in the drye places like a riuer.
42 For he remembred his holy promise to Abraham his seruant,
43 And he brought forth his people with ioy, and his chosen with gladnesse,
44 And gaue them the lands of the heathen, and they tooke the labours of the people in possession,
45 That they might keepe his statutes, and obserue his Lawes. Prayse ye the Lord.

Grace be with you, and Peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

I reioyced, when they sayd to me, We wil go into the house of the Lord. (Psalme 122:1 Geneva Bible)

The Harmony of Divine Perfections
by Samuel Stennett (1727–1795)

hen first the God of boundless grace
Disclosed His kind design;
To rescue our apostate race
From misery, shame, and sin.

Quick through the realms of light and bliss,
The joyful tidings ran;
Each heart exulted at the news,
That God would dwell with man.

Yet, ’midst their joys, they paused awhile,
And asked, with strong surprise,
But how can injured justice smile,
Or look with pitying eyes?

Will the Almighty deign again
To visit yonder world;
And hither bring rebellious men,
Whence rebels once were hurled?

Their tears, and groans, and deep distress,
Aloud for mercy call;
But, ah, must truth and righteousness
To mercy victims fall?

So spake the friends of God and man,
Delighted, yet surprised;
Eager to know the wondrous plan
That wisdom had devised.

The Son of God attentive heard,
And quickly thus replied,
“In Me let mercy be reversed,
And justice satisfied.

“Behold, My vital blood I pour
A sacrifice to God;
Let angry justice now no more
Demand the sinner’s blood.”

He spake, and heav’n’s high arches rung
With shouts of high applause;
He died, the friendly angels sung,
Nor cease their rapturous joys.

—from Worthy Is the Lamb (Soli Deo Gloria, 2004).

salme 79 (Geneva Bible)
A Psalm of Asaph.

1 O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.
2 The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.
3 Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.
4 We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.
5 How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.
8 O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.
10 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.
11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;
12 And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.
13 So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.

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Grace be with you, and Peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.