Online Christian Literature Index
"...My flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is." (Psalm 63:1)
By C.H. Spurgeon
(1834-1892)
It brought to John the first
privilege of being very near to Jesus, his Lord. At that supper he was
nearest to the place which Jesus occupied. You know they lay along at the supper
somewhat in this fashion-leaning upon the left arm, so as to have the right with
which to help themselves to each dish. Now, John lay here, and Jesus Christ lay
just there; so that, when John turned a little backward there was the bosom of
Jesus for him to put his head upon; and I suppose that when John asked the
question, "Lord, who is it?" he turned his head over, and said into his very
ear, "Lord, who is it?" Nobody heard what he said. It was just whispered into
the ear of his Lord when his head was in that sacred bosom; and the answer was
not heard by anybody except John. But his position of being nearest was brought
about by his being best loved. He was nearest in fellowship because dearest in
love. Now, beloved, if you are best loved by Christ, you live nearest to him.
By C.H. Spurgeon
(1834-1892)
"Yes, he is altogether lovely." Song of Solomon 5:16
When the old Puritan minister
had delivered his discourse, and dwelt upon firstly, and secondly, and thirdly,
and perhaps upon twenty-fifthly, before he sat down he usually gave a
comprehensive summary of all that he had spoken. Every one who carefully noted
the summary would carry away the essence of the sermon. The 'summary' was always
looked upon by the Puritan hearer as one of the most valuable helps to memory,
and consequently a most important part of the discourse. In these five words the
spouse here gives you her summary. She had delivered a tenfold discourse
concerning her Lord; she had described in detail all his various beauties, and
when she had surveyed him from head to foot, she gathered up all her
commendations in this sentence: "Yes, he is altogether lovely."
By C.H. Spurgeon
(1834-1892)
"Your love is better than wine." - Song of Solomon 1:2
"Your love is better
than wine." In considering these words, in the spirit in which the inspired
writer used them, I shall, first of all, try to show you that Christ's love
is better than wine because of what is not; and, secondly, that it is better
than wine because of what it is. Next, we will examine the marginal reading
of the text, which will teach us something about Christ's love in the
plural: "Your loves are better than wine." And then, lastly, we will come
back to the version we have before us, in which we shall see Christ's love
in the singular, for the love of Christ, even when it is described in the
plural, is always one; though there are many forms of it, it is evermore the
same love.
By C.H. Spurgeon
(1834-1892)
Unto you therefore which believe He is precious… 1 Peter 2:7
As all the rivers run into the sea, so all
delights centre in our Beloved. The glances of His eyes outshine the sun:
the beauties of His face are fairer than the choicest flowers: no fragrance
is like the breath of His mouth. Gems of the mine, and pearls from the sea,
are worthless things when measured by His preciousness. Peter tells us that
Jesus is precious, but he did not and could not tell us how precious, nor
could any of us compute the value of God's unspeakable gift. Words cannot
set forth the preciousness of the Lord Jesus to His people, nor fully tell
how essential He is to their satisfaction and happiness.
By C.H. Spurgeon
(1834-1892)
"I sat down under
His shadow with great delight,
and His fruit was sweet to my taste." Solomon's Song 2:3
Christ known, should be
Christ used. The spouse knew her Beloved to be like a fruit-bearing tree,
and at once she sat under His shadow, and fed upon His fruit. It is a pity
that we can know so much about Christ, and yet enjoy Him so little. May our
experience keep pace with our knowledge, and may that experience be composed
of a practical using of our Lord!
By C.H. Spurgeon
(1834-1892)
"Yes, he is altogether
lovely."
Song of Solomon 5:16
No words can ever express
the gratitude we owe to Him who loved us even when we were dead in
trespasses and sins. The love of Jesus is unutterably precious and worthy of
daily praise. No songs can ever fitly celebrate the triumphs of that
salvation which he wrought single-handed on our behalf: The work of Jesus is
glorious beyond all comparison, and all the harps of angels fall short of
its worthy honor.
By C.H. Spurgeon
(1834-1892)
"My beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone." Song of Solomon 5:6
But the Christian is
unhappy, unhappy to the utmost degree, whenever he loses the sense of the
presence of his Lord. Then the pillars of his house are made to tremble; his
fresh springs are dried up; the sun is hid from his eyes; and the sky is so
dark overhead that he walks, rather wanders, about a world which cannot
render to his soul any substantial comfort. Were he a worldling he could
live upon the world, but having been taught by grace to aspire after
something nobler and better, the loss of that is exceedingly grievous to his
spirit.
Twenty Motives, or Pleas, that Christ Might Have the Love of Your Hearts
By Thomas Doolittle
(1630-1707)
Can you find a more
excellent object for your love than Christ? If you search through the whole
creation of God is there any like to Christ? Whatsoever you think, who dare
say there is? Are riches, honours, pleasures, relations, which you have
loved, comparable to Christ, whom you ought to love? If good be only the
object of love, is not the best good the best object? can you love the
lesser good, and not the greater? yea, the greatest of all? Is not all the
goodness in the creature but as a drop to the sea, as a candle to the sun,
as a sand to a mountain, if compared to the goodness there is in Christ? If
David were worth ten thousand of others (2 Sam. 18:3) is not Christ, David's
Lord, better than all the world? (Read Cant. 2:3; 5:16; Prov. 3:14, 15;
Phil. 3:8). Dost thou waver in thy thoughts, or hesitate about this? Tell
me.
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Do you love Me? (J. C. Ryle, "The Gospel of John" 1873)
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