Gems from Trapp | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 29, 1861

Gems from Trapp.

BORN 1602, DIED 1669.

1. TRUTH is the daughter of time; it will not always lie hid.

2. Crosses come thick; be patient!

3. Let us labor to be like unto angels, “strengthened with all might,” walking about the world as conquerors, able to do all things through Christ who strengtheneth us.

4. Let no man envy others their better parts or places, since they have them on no other condition but to be put upon greater temptations, hotter services. If we could wish another man’s honor, when we feel the weight of his cares, as David once did of Saul’s armor, we should be glad to be in our own coat.

5. We know not what we lose by making haste, and not holding up our hands as Moses did, to the going down of the sun. If God have begun to enlarge us, he will in due time do it to the full, if we should not be in straits sometimes.

6. David saw the features of his friend Jonathan in lame Mephibesheth, and therefore loved him. He forgave Nabal at Abagail’s intercession, and was pacified toward Absalom at Joab’s. Pharaoh favored Jacob’s house for Joseph’s sake; shall not God do as much more for Jesus’ sake? Joseph was well pleased with his brethren when they brought Benjamin. Bring but the child Jesus in our arms, as Simeon did, and he cannot but smile upon us. Were he never so much displeased before, yet, upon the sight of this his well-beloved Son, in whom he is well pleased, all shall be calm and quiet as the sea when once Jonah was cast into it.

7. Endure hardness. Never dream of a delicacy. Think not to find God in the garden of Egypt, whom Moses found not but in the burning bush. Many love Canaan, but loathe the wilderness; commend the country, but look upon the conquest as impossible; would sit in the seat of honor with Zebedee’s children, but not drink the cup of affliction.

8. No wearing the crown, but by bearing the cross first. Christ himself was not glorified, till first crucified.

9. “And He will thoroughly purge his floor.” That is, his church, called God’s threshing-floor in Isaiah, because usually threshed by God with the flail of affliction. That is the way by which, or whereby, the Lord Christ doth purge his people, and separate between the son whom he loves and the sin which he hates. We may observe in this the difference between Christ and the tempter. Christ hath his fan in his hand, and he fanneth us; the Devil has a sieve in his hand, and he siftheth us. Now, a fan casteth out the worst, and keepeth in the best; a sieve keepeth in the worst, and casteth out the best. So Christ and his trials purgeth chaff and corruption out of us, and nourisheth and increaseth his graces in

us. Contrariwise, the Devil, what evil soever is in us, he confirmeth it; what faith or good thing soever, he weakeneth it.

10. When faith heals the conscience, and grace husheth the affections, and composeth all within, what should ail such a man not to be perpetually merry?—Ad. Herald.