Sermons

This page publishes some of the sermons read to the congregation in Chesley, Ontario

For sound recordings of Chesley Communion sermons click here.

The New Birth – by Rev. D. B. Macleod 1930 – 1995 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God,” – John 3:3. During these times in which Arminianism and presumption abound, this sermon clearly sets forth the absolute necessity of the New Birth, the nature of it, and the evidences of it. The greatness of the change, the fact that it cannot be hidden, and from which it is impossible to fall away.

The Wind Blowing upon the Dry Bones – by Rev. Ebenezer Erskine 1680 – 1754 “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” – Ezekiel 37:9 I have not time to enumerate many of these sins which provoke the Lord to withdraw his Spirit. I shall only mention two or three. (1.) Not hearkening to the motions of his Spirit is one great reason why the Lord withdraws his Spirit; as you see in the spouse, Song. v. There Christ comes, and moves, and calls for entrance: the spouse she does not hearken to the motion……(2.) Lukewarmness and formality in the discharge of duty is another cause of it, as we see in the church of Laodicea; it made him to spue that church out of his mouth. And then, (3.) Prostituting the gifts and graces of the Spirit unto carnal, selfish, and base ends, to procure a name, or make a shew in the world. (4.) Sinning against. light, trampling upon the belly of conscience, as David no doubt did in the matter of Uriah and Bathsheba……(5) Barrenness and unfruitfulness under the means of grace……(6.) And lastly, their not listening carefully to the voice of God in ordinances and providences…..

The Eternality of Hell – by Jonathan Edwards 1703 – 1758 “These shall go away into everlasting punishment.” – Matthew 25:46 Doctrine. — The misery of the wicked in hell will be absolutely eternal.

The Method of Grace – by George Whitefield 1714 – 1770 “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace.” – Jeremiah 6:14 “How many of us cry, Peace, peace, to our souls, when there is no peace! How many are there who are now settled upon their lees, that now think they are Christians, that now flatter themselves that they have an interest in Jesus Christ; whereas if we come to examine their experiences, we shall find that their peace is but a peace of the devil’s making”

Temple Ordinances not in Heaven (IV) – by Thomas Boston 1676 – 1732 “And I saw no temple therein.” – Revelation 21:22 The saints delight in the ordinances now but will not miss them in heaven. Holiness is the great end of all ordinances, and Boston concludes this final sermon: “And if ye be never so much dejected, thinking yourselves disappointed, if this ordinance [sacrament] has had a sanctifying influence on you, bless God and be thankful; ye have got the greatest and most valuable good of it, that is better than the most elevated comforts.”

Moab is at Ease from his Youth – by Joseph Philpot 1776 – 1857 “Moab has been at ease from his youth, and he has settled on his lees, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither has he gone into captivity–therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.” – Jeremiah 48:11 “Moab represents a professor in the church of God destitute of divine grace. It will be my main object to unfold this to your view, that, with God’s blessing, you may gather up instruction, encouragement, or if need be, warning, reproof, and admonition from it.”

The Desired Haven – by Rev. Malcolm Macsween 1904 – 1978 “Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven” – Psalm I07:30 “His people are called on to pass through; nothing can frustrate their coming to the desired haven. It also expresses the manner of their voyage and entering into the haven. So, it is so, in this way, in this manner, that their voyage is to be. Not on smooth seas, but in stormy waters. ‘They mount up to the heaven; they go down again to the depths; their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit’s end.’ So, in this manner. It is through much tribulation that the Lord’s people must enter into the kingdom. If our voyage is smooth and easy and calm, let us look well to it; this is not the way.”

The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon – by Rev. John Kennedy D.D. 1819 – 1884 “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon” – Judges 7:20. “It was not the sword of the Lord alone. It was first the sword of the Lord, but it was next that of Gideon. There was no need of Gideon’s sword – the Sword of the Lord would by itself suffice. True, one word of power from the Lord’s mouth could in a moment dispose of all the hosts of Midian. Why then, it may be asked, was Gideon’s sword there at all? Because, according to the divine arrangement for discomfiting the foes of His people, the Lord reserved a place for the weakness of a Gideon, as well as for His own power. The weakness must be there that the power might be made perfect therein.”

Abraham’s Offering up his son Isaac – by George Whitefield 1714 – 1770 “And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him, for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son, thine only Son from me.” – Genesis 22:12 “When you read of Abraham’s stretching forth his hand to slay his son, Think, O think, how God actually suffered his Son to be slain, that we might live for evermore. Do you read of Isaac carrying the wood upon his shoulders, upon which he was to be offered? Let this lead you to mount Calvary (this very mount of Moriah where Isaac was offered, as some think) and take a view of the antitype Jesus Christ, the Son of God, bearing and ready to sink under the weight of that cross, on which he was to hang for us.”

Enoch Walked with God – by Thomas Boston 1676 – 1732 “And Enoch walked-with God, and he was not; for God took him.” – Genesis 5:24. “Observe, Be the times never so bad, it is men’s own fault they are bad too. Eminent holiness, and intimate communion with God, may be attained in the worst of times. While that generation was running to ruin, Enoch walked with God.” And further: “Those that mind for heaven, must row against the stream always; and if they do not, they will be called down the stream in the best of times; for, says our Lord “From the days of John the Baptist, until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” If people will ply the throne of grace, and resolutely set themselves against the epidemical disease of their day, they may keep lively in the midst of a dead crew, though with much difficulty, as our Lord observes; “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments,”

Communion Thanksgiving Sermon – by Rev. James Macleod 1883 – 1963 “Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.” —2 Corinthians 9:15 Encouragements to faithfulness, to remain separate from the world, to beware of the apostasy of the times, and the ever present threat of Popery to the country.

Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth – by Jonathan Edwards 1703 – 1758 “And confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.” – Hebrews 11:13,14. “The inference that the apostle draws from hence, viz. that they sought another country as their home. “For they that say such things, declare plainly that they seek a country.” In confessing that they were strangers, they plainly declared that this is not their country, that this is not the place where they are at home. And in confessing themselves to be pilgrims, they declared plainly that this is not their settled abode; but that they have respect to some other country, which they seek and to which they are travelling.”

God Attending the Contrite in Spirit – by John Elias 1744 – 1841 “But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” – Isaiah 66:2 “This man is poor, contemptible, sad, and weak. He is like the man in the parable to whom the Pharisee referred scornfully as “this publican.” Others consider him not worthy of their attention; yet it is to this one that Jesus looks, and only to this one. He says, as it were, ‘All the mere followers and adherents of religion in the world mean nothing to Me, but ‘this man’ is precious to Me. I do not look on him along with others. I take no pleasure at all in any beside him. I will give them over to devils, and all the religious people in the world to hell fire, unless they are changed.”’

The Last Judgement – by John Welch of Ayr 1570 – 1622 “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away.” – Revelation 20:11. “The security of all flesh is wonderous great, for there is a fearful sleep fallen both upon the good and the evil. The foolish virgins are sound asleep, and the wise are asleep also. And suppose the Lord be at the door, and the hour of judgment at hand, and the seventh angel ready to blow the last trumpet, when time shall be no more; yet it is scarcely one of a thousand, yea, one of ten thousand, is to be found that is prepared, and busying themselves to meet the Lord, who is making speed to come in the clouds: and how soon that fire shall break forth, which shall kindle the heavens above your head, and the earth under your feet, and shall set all on fire; how soon the trumpet shall blow, and the shout shall cry, “Rise, Dead, and come to judgment,” is only known to God, and to no mortal man. Will ye not then be wakened till this trumpet waken you?”

Caleb, Othniel, and Achsah – by Rev. Malcolm Gillies 1885 – 1945 “And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou? Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs.” – Joshua 15:16-19 Caleb, Othniel, and Achsah represent God the Father, Christ and the church in the scheme of redemption.

The Righteous are Scarcely Saved (I) – by Rev. James Webster 1659 – 1720 ”And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” – 1 Peter 4:18. “It was never my opinion that people should be compelled and driven to a communion table, but that it should be railed [fenced] about by the Divine hedge, and persons warned to be on their guard, and to consider their danger. Though temporal judgments are not as frequent under the present as under the ancient economy, yet spiritual Judgments] are more [frequent now]. And if an irreverent look or touch of mount Sinai, that hallowed theatre, was criminal, much more profaning the Lord’s table, the altar of grace, the mercy-seat, or the throne of the Lamb. I resolve to tell you today somewhat of the difficulty of holiness, and indeed to celebrate the supper of our Lord is one of the hardest parts of holiness. ‘If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and ungodly appear?'”

The Righteous are Scarcely Saved (II) – by Rev. James Webster 1659 – 1720 ”And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” 1 Peter 4:18. “It is a question not easily answered, how near unto hell a godly man may go, and yet escape, and how near unto heaven a hypocrite may go and yet be damned? However, our Apostle tells us that they that are saved arrive at heaven with a great deal of difficulty; many teeth-winds in their way, many storms to encounter, many mountains to overcome, and great difficulties to surmount. They must combat them all before they get there. The righteous shall scarcely be saved!”

The Door was Shut – by Rev. William Maclean 1907 – 1985 “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage; and the door was shut.” In particular the words, “and the door was shut.” – Mathew 25:10. The wise and foolish virgins alike had a lamp of profession, and alike they slumbered and slept, but the wise had oil vessels along with their lamps, which the foolish did not. The oil vessels represent the new creation, the effectual work of the Holy Spirit in the soul. It was a comfort to the foolish to see the wise slumbering and sleeping, that is, in a state of backsliding. It was the custom of the wise to go to them that sell to buy oil, but that was not the custom of the foolish.

Man’s Redemption the Joy of the Angels – by Rev. Alexander Stewart 1794 – 1847 “Which things the angels desire to look into.” – 1 Peter 1:12 “To the man of the world the salvation of the gospel is one of the most insipid and uninteresting subjects imaginable. His apathy appears in his treatment of the Holy Scriptures, the great record of salvation. The Bible is either read very carelessly, or it is altogether neglected. He sits with listlessness under the preaching of the gospel, indifferent often as to what is said, whether it be true, or whether he understands it or not…” Buts its not so with a angels: “As holy creatures, they derive their chief happiness from beholding the glory of God. In the history of redemption, the divine glory is manifested in a manner so singular, so remarkable, as to attract the notice and admiration of angels, and to afford them a delight so great that with incessant and unwearied earnestness they look into it. This indeed is one great end which was to be accomplished by the redemption of man…”

The Boar and the Wild Beast – by Rev. Neil Cameron 1854 – 1932 “Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.” – Psalm 80:12, 13. The church, in this Psalm, is compared to a vine. The hedge protected the vine. The true ministers of Christ have been like hedges around the truth, protecting the poor sheep of Christ, and keeping outside the foxes and wolves. The church has opened her gates to ungodly men, and her hedges have been broken down. Discipline is clean gone. The boar sets his snout to the roots, and razes the vine from its very foundations. And the wild beast of the field is an unconverted man.

Glorying in the Cross of Christ – by Rev. John McLaurin 1693 – 1754 “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” – Galatians 6:14. One of the most famous sermons preached in Scotland. The doctrine is this. “That the cross of Christ affords sinners matter of glorying above all other things: yea, that it is in a manner the only thing they should glory in, the whole humiliation of Christ, and particularly his death, for the sake of sinners, is an object that has such incomparable glory in it, that it becomes us to have the most honourable and exalted thoughts of it.”

Them that Love His Appearing – by Rev. Archie Cook 1788 – 1865 “And not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” – 2 Timothy 4:8 “THEY are few in number who believe in the preciousness of the day of grace. There are millions today in hell who, throughout eternity, will be saying, “Oh, if only I had one more day!” They would travel on their knees to the uttermost parts of the earth for one offer of mercy. They are presently in the world who will yet have this cry, “Oh, if only I had one more day!”

The Mountain of the Lord – by Rev. Donald Macfarlane 1834 – 1926 I shall direct your attention to three things: – I. – The Church as it is spoken of here – as the mountain of the house of the Lord. II. – The promise concerning the Church. III. – The means to accomplish the promise.