Spurgeon on the Church

I was pointed to this Spurgeon quote from another blogger. It is Phil Ryken quoting Spurgeon and it's good.

From Charles Spurgeon, "The First Cry from the Cross":

"These places of worship are not built that you may sit here comfortably, and hear something that shall make you pass away your Sundays with pleasure. A church in London which does not exist to do good in the slums, and dens, and kennels of the city, is a church that has no reason to justify its longer existing. A church that does not exist to reclaim heathenism, to fight with evil, to destroy error, to put down falsehood, a church that does not exist to take the side of the poor, to denounce injustice and to hold up righteousness, is a church that has not right to be. Not for thyself, O church, dost thou exist, any more than Christ existed for himself. His glory was that he laid aside his glory. . . . . To rescue souls from hell and lead to God,, to hope, to heaven, this is [the church's] heavenly occupation. O that the church would always feel this!"

Singing Beach

Here's Lacey, Emily and I at Singing Beach in Manchester-By-The-Sea, MA - just North of Boston. They call it Singing Beach because of the way the sand squeaks when you walk on it. I guess Singing Beach sounded better than Squeaking Beach.

Double Cure

Well, this is my inaugural blog - so I guess I better make it good. Actually, all I really want to do with this blog is explain its name. The phrase "double cure" is taken from the hymn by Augustus Toplady, Rock of Ages. The "double cure" refers to the truth that because of Christ's atoning death on the cross, believers are delivered from both the guilt and power of sin. And what a glorious deliverance this is! The beauty of this hymn is that it makes clear that this deliverance is completely a work of God alone. As Toplady says, "Thou must save, and Thou alone."

Rock of Ages

1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
   Let me hide myself in Thee;
   Let the water and the blood,
   From Thy wounded side which flowed,
   Be of sin the double cure,
   Save from wrath and make me pure.
2. Not the labor of my hands
   Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
   Could my zeal no respite know,
   Could my tears forever flow,
   All for sin could not atone;
   Thou must save, and Thou alone.
3. Nothing in my hand I bring,
   Simply to Thy cross I cling;
   Naked, come to Thee for dress;
   Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
   Foul, I to the fountain fly;
   Wash me, Savior, or I die.
4. While I draw this fleeting breath,
   When my eyes shall close in death,
   When I rise to worlds unknown,
   And behold Thee on Thy throne,
   Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
   Let me hide myself in Thee.