Preached at Zoar Chapel, London, on July 7, 1844, by J. C. Philpot
"Look unto Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth – for I am God, and there is none else." Isaiah 45:22
When in a solemn moment of spiritual meditation, and such, through mercy, we sometimes have we take a review of what has passed through our hearts, dropped from our lips or occupied our minds, during any space of time, say, the last week, what little genuine religion do we seem to find in our souls. When we separate from the Spirit's work all the doctrines we have learned in the flesh, all the practice we have performed through fear of man, and all the false experience that Satan has deceived us with; and, in a solemn moment, weigh up in the balances of the sanctuary what God has given and taught us, and done in and for us, how small the amount appears. But what a mercy it is to come to this conclusion! What a mercy to feel to have so little religion!
Some may say, "I do not understand what you mean by that expression, that it is a mercy to feel to have so little religion; I cannot agree with you there; for I feel it to be no mercy at all, as my desire is to have a great deal more than I seem to possess." But suppose that you and I had all the religion which we wish to have, would there not be a great danger of our setting up that 'religion' in the place of Jesus Christ; and instead of coming poor and needy, empty and bare to the Lord, as we are now obliged to come, having nothing and being nothing in ourselves--would we not be rather disposed to come to Him with our religion as something to rest upon, and recommend us to His favor?
http://www.gracegems.org/Philpot/The%20 ... tation.htm
"Look unto Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth – for I am God, and there is none else." Isaiah 45:22
When in a solemn moment of spiritual meditation, and such, through mercy, we sometimes have we take a review of what has passed through our hearts, dropped from our lips or occupied our minds, during any space of time, say, the last week, what little genuine religion do we seem to find in our souls. When we separate from the Spirit's work all the doctrines we have learned in the flesh, all the practice we have performed through fear of man, and all the false experience that Satan has deceived us with; and, in a solemn moment, weigh up in the balances of the sanctuary what God has given and taught us, and done in and for us, how small the amount appears. But what a mercy it is to come to this conclusion! What a mercy to feel to have so little religion!
Some may say, "I do not understand what you mean by that expression, that it is a mercy to feel to have so little religion; I cannot agree with you there; for I feel it to be no mercy at all, as my desire is to have a great deal more than I seem to possess." But suppose that you and I had all the religion which we wish to have, would there not be a great danger of our setting up that 'religion' in the place of Jesus Christ; and instead of coming poor and needy, empty and bare to the Lord, as we are now obliged to come, having nothing and being nothing in ourselves--would we not be rather disposed to come to Him with our religion as something to rest upon, and recommend us to His favor?
http://www.gracegems.org/Philpot/The%20 ... tation.htm