Pursuing Holiness, The Message of 1 Peter, Notes of Prayer Meeting Addresses by Hugh M Cartwright, published by Ettrick Press, hardback, 253 pages, £16.00, obtainable from the Free Presbyterian Bookroom.
This is an encouraging book. The opening words of the preacher are: “Peter was inspired to write this epistle to encourage Christians to persevere in the belief and profession of the truth, no matter what difficulties they might encounter”. Many times he refers to the encouragement found in 1 Peter.
Mrs Hyde of Ettrick Press is to be commended for making these notes of Mr Cartwright’s preaching during her time in Edinburgh. The notes are succinct and convey clearly the message of each of the 32 addresses (given from 13 September 2007 to 3 July 2008).
“Especially poignant,” as Rev George Macdonald says in the Introduction, is the address on 20 September 2007 (on 1 Peter 1:3,4) for, on the following Saturday, Mr Cartwright’s beloved wife unexpectedly passed away. “One enduring memory I have,” says Mr Macdonald, “was of the remarkable grace and strength given to Mr Cartwright, as he continued this series.”
Great encouragement is to be found especially in looking to Christ, as is shown in the addresses, “Taking encouragement from the example of Christ”, and, “Taking encouragement from the sufferings of Christ”. The preacher says, “Sometimes we find ourselves asking, “Was I ever converted at all?” The one thing that seems to survive in the doubting believer’s heart is love for the Saviour, desire for Christ. “If I don’t trust him, I desire to trust Him,” they say; “I love Him for what He has done, and I love Him for the Person He is. How I wish to be His! How I wish to be with Him! How I wish to be like Him! I love His Word, His day, His people. I love everything to do with Him.”
Commenting on the phrase, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, he said, “The Lord’s people should trace the experience they’ve had of grace back to the work of the Spirit, and then back to the election of God. Don’t start with election – start where you are, whatever you’ve got. Whatever you’ve got, you didn’t get it by yourself. You didn’t get it by merit. You can’t go direct to your election and discern that. You have to start where you are, poor, lost, ruined sinner, and with the streams of mercy flowing by, and Christ offered to you in the gospel.”
Speaking of the inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, he says, “This inheritance is ours in Christ – from it we get everything we need as we are journeying towards heaven, but we get it in its fullness in heaven. There the Lord’s people will have what has been beautifully termed ‘the full enjoying of God to all eternity’. The inheritance is God Himself. It is not that God gives us this or that as our inheritance – God is the inheritance of His people.”
Another theme in the series is that it is better to suffer than to sin. It is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing (1 Pet 3:17). The preacher states, “If this is the will of God, it is better to suffer than to go on in the ways of sin. And it is God’s will. We have to recognise that God is doing His will. If He is willing for us to suffer in the conflict with sin, that is better than suffering on account of sin.”
Referring to the Christian having to suffer attacks by his spiritual foes, Mr Cartwright comments on the phrase, Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour: “The devil was very real to Peter – just as real as himself, or the people he was writing to, and the Saviour he was trusting on. There is a personal devil, a creature of great intelligence and power. He is at the head of a network of evil beings, and he is motivated by hatred of God and God’s people. Though he knows he is only increasing his own guilt and misery, he does not stop his activities against them. But we always have to remember that the devil is a creature. He is limited and finite, and he is under God’s control.”
Another encouragement is that the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you (1 Pet 4:14). “To have the Spirit dwelling in you is the greatest honour any creature could have. This is an honour He puts on all His people. He actually dwells with and in His people. It is the Spirit of God who is maintaining spiritual life in the soul. You might think of yourself as a miserable Christian, a poor specimen of what you should be, but how happy you are in reality! You have the third person of the Godhead dwelling in you, keeping you spiritually alive, keeping you united to Christ, giving you the grace that will bring you to glory!”
We heartily commend this book. May it be blessed to many.
(Rev) Neil M Ross