,transcriber's note3 ,text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face 7bold74 ,,practical ,,religion ,being ,plain ,papers on the ,daily ,duties1 ,experience1 ,dangers1 and ,privileges of ,professing ,christians by ,,john ,,charles ,,ryle1 ,d4,d41 ,baker ,book ,house1 ,grand ,rapids1 ,michigan ,,contents ,,preface v ,i4 ,,self-,,inquiry #a ,,ii4 ,,self-,,exertion #bc ,,iii4 ,,reality #df ,,iv4 ,,prayer #fc ,v4 ,,bible-,,reading #ig ,,vi4 ,,going ,,to ,,the ,,table #adj ,,vii4 ,,charity #afe ,,viii4 ,,zeal #ahc ,,ix4 ,,freedom #baj ,x4 ,,happiness #bcj ,,xi4 ,,formality #bfa ,,xii4 ,,the ,,world #bhd ,,xiii4 ,,riches ,,and ,,poverty #cab ,,xiv4 ,,the ,,best ,,friend #ccf ,,xv4 ,,sickness #ceb ,,xvi4 ,,the ,,family ,,of ,,god #cge ,,xvii4 ,,our ,,home #cib ,,xviii4 ,,heirs ,,of ,,god #djc ,,xix4 ,,the ,,great ,,gathering #dbi ,,xx4 ,,the ,,great ,,separation #ddb ,,xxi4 ,,eternity #dgb ,,preface ,the volume now in the reader's hands is intended to be a companion to two other volumes which ,i have already published1 entitled ,knots ,untied1 and ,old ,paths4 ,knots ,untied consists of a connected series of papers1 systematically arranged1 about the principal points which form the subject of controversy among ,churchmen in the present day4 ,all who take interest in such disputed questions as the nature of the ,church1 the ,ministry1 ,baptism1 ,regeneration1 the ,lord's ,supper1 the ,real ,presence1 ,worship1 ,confession1 and the ,sabbath1 will find them pretty fully discussed in ,knots ,untied4 ,old ,paths consists of a similar series of papers about those leading doctrines of the ,gospel which are generally considered necessary to salvation4 ,the inspiration of ,scripture1 sin1 justification1 forgiveness1 repentance1 conversion1 faith1 the work of ,christ1 and the work of the ,holy ,spirit1 are the principal subjects handled in ,old ,paths4 ,the present volume contains a series of papers about practical religion1 and treats of the daily duties1 dangers1 experience1 and privileges of all who profess and call themselves true ,christians4 ,read in conjunction with another work ,i have previously put out1 called ,holiness1 ,i think it will throw some light on what every believer ought to be1 to do1 and expect4 ,one common feature will be found in all the three volumes4 ,i avow it frankly at the outset1 and will not keep it back for a moment4 ,the standpoint ,i have tried to occupy1 from first to last1 is that of an ,evangelical ,churchman4 ,i say this deliberately and emphatically4 ,i am fully aware that ,evangelical churchmanship is not popular and acceptable in this day4 ,it is despised by many1 and has no form or comeliness in their eyes4 ,to avow attachment to ,evangelical views1 in some quarters1 is to provoke a sneer1 and to bring on yourself the reproach of being an unlearned and ignorant man4 ,but none of these things move me4 ,i am not ashamed of my opinions4 ,after forty years of ,bible-reading and praying1 meditation and theological study1 ,i find myself clinging more tightly than ever to ,evangelical religion1 and more than ever satisfied with it4 ,it wears well3 it stands the fire4 ,i know no system of religion which is better4 ,in the faith of it ,i have lived for the third of a century1 and in the faith of it ,i hope to die4 ,the plain truth is1 that ,i see no other ground to occupy1 and find no other rest for the sole of my foot4 ,i lay no claim to infallibility1 and desire to be no man's judge4 ,but the longer ,i live and read1 the more ,i am convinced and persuaded that ,evangelical principles are the principles of the ,bible1 of the ,articles and ,prayer-book1 and of the leading ,divines of the reformed ,church of ,england4 ,holding these views1 ,i cannot write otherwise than ,i have written4 ,i now send forth this volume with an earnest prayer that ,god the ,holy ,ghost may bless it1 and make it useful and helpful to many souls4 ,j4 ,c4 ,,ryle1 ,november1 #ahgh4 ,vicar of ,stradbroke4 ,,practical ,,religion ,i ,,self-,,inquiry ,let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the ,lord1 and see how they do4--,acts xv4 #cf4 ,the text which heads this page contains a proposal which the ,apostle ,paul made to ,barnabas after their first missionary journey4 ,he proposed to revisit the ,churches they had been the means of founding1 and to see how they were getting on4 ,were their members continuing steadfast in the faith8 ,were they growing in grace8 ,were they going forward1 or standing still8 ,were they prospering1 or falling away8--,let us go again and visit our brethren1 and see how they do4 ,this was a wise and useful proposal4 ,let us lay it to heart1 and apply it to ourselves in the nineteenth century4 ,let us search our ways1 and find out how matters stand between ourselves and ,god4 ,let us see how we do4 ,i ask every reader of this volume to begin its perusal by joining me in self-inquiry4 ,if ever self-inquiry about religion was needed1 it is needed at the present day4 ,we live in an age of peculiar spiritual privileges4 ,since the world began there never was such an opportunity for a man's soul to be saved as there is in ,england at this time4 ,there never were so many signs of religion in the land1 so many sermons preached1 so many services held in churches and chapels1 so many ,bibles sold1 so many religious books and tracts printed1 so many ,societies for evangelizing mankind supported1 so much outward respect paid to ,christianity4 ,things are done everywhere now-a-days which a hundred years ago would have been thought impossible4 ,bishops support the boldest and most aggressive efforts to reach the unconverted4 ,deans and ,chapters throw open the naves of cathedrals for ,sunday evening sermons6 ,clergy of the narrowest ,high ,church ,school advocate special missions1 and vie with their ,evangelical brethren in proclaiming that going to church on ,sunday is not enough to take a man to heaven4 ,in short1 there is a stir about religion now-a-days to which there has been nothing like since ,england was a nation1 and which the cleverest sceptics and infidels cannot deny4 ,if ,romaine1 and ,venn1 and ,berridge1 and ,rowlands1 and ,grimshaw1 and ,hervey1 had been told that such things would come to pass about a century after their deaths1 they would have been tempted to say1 with the ,samaritan nobleman1--,if the ,lord should make windows of heaven might such a thing be4 7#b ,kings vii4 #ai47 ,but the ,lord has opened the windows of heaven4 ,there is more taught now-a-days in ,england of the real ,gospel1 and of the way of salvation by faith in ,jesus ,christ1 in one week1 than there was in a year in ,romaine's time4 ,surely ,i have a right to say that we live in an age of spiritual privileges4 ,but are we any better for it8 ,in an age like this it is well to ask1 ,how do we do about our souls8 ,we live in an age of peculiar spiritual danger4 ,never perhaps since the world began was there such an immense amount of mere outward profession of religion as there is in the present day4 ,a painfully large proportion of all the congregations in the land consists of unconverted people1 who know nothing of heart-religion1 never come to the ,lord's ,table1 and never confess ,christ in their daily lives4 ,myriads of those who are always running after preachers1 and crowding to hear special sermons1 are nothing better than empty tubs1 and tinkling cymbals1 without a jot of real vital ,christianity at home4#a ,the parable of the sower is continually receiving most vivid and painful illustrations4 ,the way-side hearers1 the stony-ground hearers1 the thorny-ground hearers abound on every side4 #a3 ,it is curious and instructive to observe how history repeats itself1 and how much sameness there is in the human heart in every age4 ,even in the ,primitive ,church1 says ,canon ,robertson1 ,many persons were found at church for the great ,christian ceremonies1 and at the theatres1 or even at the temples1 for the heathen spectacles4 ,the ritual of the ,church was viewed as a theatrical spectacle4 ,the sermons were listened to as the display of rhetoricians2 and eloquent preachers were cheered1 with clapping of hands1 stamping of feet1 waving of handkerchiefs1 cries of ',orthodox1' ',thirteenth ,apostle1' and such like demonstrations1 which such teachers as ,chrysostom and ,augustine tried to restrain1 that they might persuade their flocks to a more profitable manner of hearing4 ,some went to ,church for the sermon only1 alleging that they could pray at home4 ,and when the more attractive parts of the service were over1 the great mass of the people departed without remaining for the eucharist4--,robertson's ,church ,history1 ,b4 ,,ii41 ch4 vi41 p4 #cef4 ,the life of many religious professors1 ,i fear1 in this age1 is nothing better than a continual course of spiritual dram-drinking4 ,they are always morbidly craving fresh excitement2 and they seem to care little what it is if they only get it4 ,all preaching seems to come alike to them2 and they appear unable to see differences1 so long as they hear what is clever1 have their ears tickled1 and sit in a crowd4 ,worst of all1 there are hundreds of young unestablished believers who are so infected with the same love of excitement1 that they actually think it a duty to be always seeking it4 ,insensibly almost to themselves1 they take up a kind of hysterical1 sensational1 sentimental ,christianity1 until they are never content with the old paths1 and1 like the ,athenians1 are always running after something new4 ,to see a calm-minded young believer1 who is not stuck up1 self-confident1 self-conceited1 and more ready to teach than learn1 but content with a daily steady effort to grow up into ,christ's likeness1 and to do ,christ's work quietly and unostentatiously1 at home1 is really becoming almost a rarity6 ,too many young professors1 alas1 behave like young recruits who have not spent all their bounty money4 ,they show how little deep root they have1 and how little knowledge of their own hearts1 by noise1 forwardness1 readiness to contradict and set down old ,christians1 and over-weening trust in their own fancied soundness and wisdom6 ,well will it be for many young professors of this age if they do not end1 after being tossed about for a while1 and carried to and fro by every wind of doctrine1 by joining some petty1 narrow-minded1 censorious sect1 or embracing some senseless1 unreasoning1 crotchetty heresy4 ,surely in times like these there is great need for self-examination4 ,when we look around us1 we may well ask1 ,how do we do about our souls8 ,in handling this question1 ,i think the shortest plan will be to suggest a list of subjects for self-inquiry1 and to go through them in order4 ,by so doing ,i shall hope to meet the case of every one into whose hands this volume may fall4 ,i invite every reader of this paper to join me in calm1 searching self-examination1 for a few short minutes4 ,i desire to speak to myself as well as to you4 ,i approach you not as an enemy1 but as a friend4 ,my heart's desire and prayer to ,god is that you may be saved4 7,rom4 x4 #a47 ,bear with me if ,i say things which at first sight look harsh and severe4 ,believe me1 he is your best friend who tells you the most truth4 7#a7 ,let me ask1 in the first place1 ,do we ever think about our souls at all8 ,thousands of ,english people1 ,i fear1 cannot answer that question satisfactorily4 ,they never give the subject of religion any place in their thoughts4 ,from the beginning of the year to the end they are absorbed in the pursuit of business1 pleasure1 politics1 money1 or self-indulgence of some kind or another4 ,death1 and judgement1 and eternity1 and heaven1 and hell1 and a world to come1 are never calmly looked at and considered4 ,they live on as if they were never going to die1 or rise again1 or stand at the bar of ,god1 or receive an eternal sentence6 ,they do not openly oppose religion1 for they have not sufficient reflection about it to do so2--but they eat1 and drink1 and sleep1 and get money1 and spend money1 as if religion was a mere fiction and not a reality4 ,they are neither ,romanists1 nor ,socinians1 nor infidels1 nor ,high ,church1 nor ,low ,church1 nor ,broad ,church4 ,they are just nothing at all1 and do not take the trouble to have opinions4 ,a more senseless and unreasonable way of living cannot be conceived2 but they do not pretend to reason about it4 ,they simply never think about ,god1 unless frightened for a few minutes by sickness1 death in their families1 or an accident4 ,barring such interruptions1 they appear to ignore religion altogether1 and hold on their way cool and undisturbed1 as if there were nothing worth thinking of except this world4 ,it is hard to imagine a life more unworthy of an immortal creature than such a life as ,i have just described1 for it reduces a man to the level of a beast4 ,but it is literally and truly the life of multitudes in ,england2 and as they pass away their place is taken by multitudes like them4 ,the picture1 no doubt1 is horrible1 distressing1 and revolting3 but1 unhappily1 it is only too true4 ,in every large town1 in every market1 on every stock-exchange1 in every club1 you may see specimens of this class by scores1--men who think of everything under the sun except the one thing needful1--the salvation of their souls4 ,like the ,jews of old they do not consider their ways1 they do not consider their latter end2 they do not consider that they do evil4 7,isa4 i4 #c2 ,hag4 i4 #g2 ,deut4 xxxii4 #bi2 ,eccles4 v4 i47 ,like ,gallio they care for none of these things3 they are not in their way4 7,acts xviii4 #ag47 ,if they prosper in the world1 and get rich1 and succeed in their line of life1 they are praised1 and admired by their contemporaries4 ,nothing succeeds in ,england like success6 ,but for all this they cannot live for ever4 ,they will have to die and appear before the bar of ,god1 and be judged2 and then what will the end be8 ,when a large class of this kind exists in our country1 no reader need wonder that ,i ask whether he belongs to it4 ,if you do1 you ought to have a mark set on your door1 as there used to be a mark on a plague-stricken house two centuries ago1 with the words1 ,lord have mercy on us1 written on it4 ,look at the class ,i have been describing1 and then look at your own soul4 7#b7 ,let me ask1 in the second place1 whether we ever do anything about our souls88 ,there are multitudes in ,england who think occasionally about religion1 but unhappily never get beyond thinking4 ,after a stirring sermon1--or after a funeral1--or under the pressure of illness1--or on ,sunday evening1--or when things are going on badly in their families1--or when they meet some bright example of a ,christian1--or when they fall in with some striking religious book or tract1--they will at the time think a good deal1 and even talk a little about religion in a vague way4 ,but they stop short1 as if thinking and talking were enough to save them4 ,they are always meaning1 and intending1 and purposing1 and resolving1 and wishing1 and telling us that they know what is right1 and hope to be found right at last1 but they never attain to any action4 ,there is no actual separation from the service of the world and sin1 no real taking up the cross and following ,christ1 no positive doing in their ,christianity4 ,their life is spent in playing the part of the son in our ,lord's parable1 to whom the father said1 ,go1 work in my vineyard3 and he answered1 ,i go1 sir1 and went not4 7,matt4 xxi4 #cj47 ,they are like those whom ,ezekiel describes1 who liked his preaching1 but never practised what he preached3--,they come unto thee as the people cometh1 and they sit before thee as my people1 and they hear thy words1 but they will not do them4444 ,and1 lo1 thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice1 and can play well on an instrument3 for they hear thy words1 but they do them not4 7,ezek4 xxxiii4 #ca1 #cb47 ,in a day like this1 when hearing and thinking1 without doing1 is so common1 no one can justly wonder that ,i press upon men the absolute need of self-examination4 ,once more1 then1 ,i ask my readers to consider the question of my text1--,how do we do about our souls8 7#c7 ,let me ask1 in the third place1 whether we are trying to satisfy our consciences with a mere formal religion8 ,there are myriads in ,england at this moment who are making shipwreck on this rock4 ,like the ,pharisees of old1 they make much ado about the outward part of ,christianity1 while the inward and spiritual part is totally neglected4 ,they are careful to attend all the services of their place of worship1 and regular in using all its forms and ordinances4 ,they are never absent from ,communion when the ,lord's ,supper is administered4 ,sometimes they are most strict in observing ,lent1 and attach great importance to ,saints' days4 ,they are often keen partisans of their own ,church1 or sect1 or congregation1 and ready to contend with any one who does not agree with them4 ,yet all this time there is no heart in their religion4 ,any one who knows them intimately can see with half an eye that their affections are set on things below1 and not on things above2 and that they are trying to make up for the want of inward ,christianity by an excessive quantity of outward form4 ,and this formal religion does them no real good4 ,they are not satisfied4 ,beginning at the wrong end1 by making the outward things first1 they know nothing of inward joy and peace1 and pass their lives in a constant struggle1 secretly conscious that there is something wrong1 and yet not knowing why4 ,well1 after all1 if they do not go on from one stage of formality to another1 until in despair they take a fatal plunge1 and fall into ,popery6 ,when professing ,christians of this kind are so painfully numerous1 no one need wonder if ,i press upon him the paramount importance of close self-examination4 ,if you love life1 do not be content with the husk1 and shell1 and scaffolding of religion4 ,remember our ,saviour's words about the ,jewish formalists of ,his day3 ,this people draweth nigh with their mouth1 and honoureth ,me with their lips1 but their heart is far from ,me4 ,in vain do they worship4 7,matt4 xv4 #i47 ,it needs something more than going diligently to church1 and receiving the ,lord's ,supper1 to take our souls to heaven4 ,means of grace and forms of religion are useful in their way1 and ,god seldom does anything for ,his church without them4 ,but let us beware of making shipwreck on the very lighthouse which helps to show the channel into the harbour4 ,once more ,i ask1 ,how do we do about our souls8 7#d7 ,let me ask1 in the fourth place1 whether we have received the forgiveness of our sins8 ,few reasonable ,englishmen would think of denying that they are sinners4 ,many perhaps would say that they are not so bad as many1 and that they have not been so very wicked1 and so forth4 ,but few1 ,i repeat1 would pretend to say that they had always lived like angels1 and never done1 or said1 or thought a wrong thing all their days4 ,in short1 all of us must confess that we are more or less sinners1 and1 as sinners1 are guilty before ,god2 and1 as guilty1 we must be forgiven1 or lost and condemned for ever at the last day4--,now it is the glory of the ,christian religion that it provides for us the very forgiveness that we need1--full1 free1 perfect1 eternal1 and complete4 ,it is a leading article in that well-known creed which most ,englishmen learn when they are children4 ,they are taught to say1 ,i believe in the forgiveness of sins4 ,this forgiveness of sins has been purchased for us by the eternal ,son of ,god1 our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,he has purchased it for us by coming into the world to be our ,saviour1 and by living1 dying1 and rising again1 as our ,substitute1 in our behalf4 ,he has bought it for us at the price of ,his own most precious blood1 by suffering in our stead on the cross1 and making satisfaction for our sins4 ,but this forgiveness1 great1 and full1 and glorious as it is1 does not become the property of every man and woman1 as a matter of course4 ,it is not a privilege which every member of a ,church possesses1 merely because he is a ,churchman4 ,it is a thing which each individual must receive for himself by his own personal faith1 lay hold on by faith1 appropriate by faith1 and make his own by faith2 or else1 so far as he is concerned1 ,christ will have died in vain4 ,he that believeth on the ,son hath everlasting life1 and he that believeth not the ,son shall not see life1 but the wrath of ,god abideth on him4 7,john iii4 #cf47 ,no terms can be imagined more simple1 and more suitable to man4 ,as good old ,latimer said1 in speaking of the matter of justification1 ,it is but believe and have4 ,it is only faith that is required2 and faith is nothing more than the humble1 heartfelt trust of the soul which desires to be saved4 ,jesus is able and willing to save2 but man must come to ,jesus and believe4 ,all that believe are at once justified and forgiven3 but without believing there is no forgiveness at all4 ,now here is exactly the point1 ,i am afraid1 where multitudes of ,english people fail1 and are in imminent danger of being lost for ever4 ,they know that there is no forgiveness of sin excepting in ,christ ,jesus4 ,they can tell you that there is no ,saviour for sinners1 no ,redeemer1 no ,mediator1 excepting ,him who was born of the ,virgin ,mary1 and was crucified under ,pontius ,pilate1 dead1 and buried4 ,but here they stop1 and get no further6 ,they never come to the point of actually laying hold on ,christ by faith1 and becoming one with ,christ and ,christ in them4 ,they can say1 ,he is a ,saviour1 but not 'my ,saviour1'--a ,redeemer1 but not 'my ,redeemer1'--a ,priest1 but not 'my ,priest1'--an ,advocate1 but not 'my ,advocate3' and so they live and die unforgiven6 ,no wonder that ,martin ,luther said1 ,many are lost because they cannot use possessive pronouns4 ,when this is the state of many in this day1 no one need wonder that ,i ask men whether they have received the forgiveness of sins4 ,an eminent ,christian lady once said1 in her old age1--,the beginning of eternal life in my soul1 was a conversation ,i had with an old gentleman1 who came to visit my father1 when ,i was only a little girl4 ,he took me by the hand one day1 and said1 ',my dear child1 my life is nearly over1 and you will probably live many years after ,i am gone4 ,but never forget two things4 ,one is1 that there is such a thing as having our sins forgiven while we live4 ,the other is1 that there is such a thing as knowing and feeling that we are forgiven4' ,i thank ,god ,i have never forgotten his words4--,how is it with us8 ,let us not rest till we know and feel1 as the ,prayer-book says1 that we are forgiven4 ,once more let us ask1--,in the matter of forgiveness of sins1 ,how do we do8 7#e7 ,let me ask1 in the fifth place1 whether we know anything by experience of conversion to ,god4 ,without conversion there is no salvation4 ,except ye be converted1 and become as little children1 ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven4--,except a man be born again1 he cannot see the kingdom of ,god4--,if any man have not the ,spirit of ,christ1 he is none of ,his4--,if any man be in ,christ he is a new creature4 7,matt4 xviii4 #c2 ,john iii4 #c2 ,rom4 viii4 #i2 #b ,cor4 v4 #ag47 ,we are all by nature so weak1 so worldly1 so earthly-minded1 so inclined to sin1 that without a thorough change we cannot serve ,god in life1 and could not enjoy ,him after death4 ,just as ducks1 as soon as they are hatched1 take naturally to water1 so do children1 as soon as they can do anything1 take to selfishness1 lying1 and deceit2 and none pray1 or love ,god1 unless they are taught4 ,high or low1 rich or poor1 gentle or simple1 we all need a complete change1--a change which it is the special office of the ,holy ,ghost to give us4 ,call it what you please1--new birth1 regeneration1 renewal1 new creation1 quickening1 repentance1--the thing must be had if we are to be saved3 and if we have the thing it will be seen4 ,sense of sin and deep hatred to it1 faith in ,christ and love to ,him1 delight in holiness and longing after more of it1 love to ,god's people and distaste for the things of the world1--these1 these are the signs and evidences which always accompany conversion4 ,myriads around us1 it may be feared1 know nothing about it4 ,they are1 in ,scripture language1 dead1 and asleep1 and blind1 and unfit for the kingdom of ,god4 ,year after year1 perhaps1 they go on repeating the words of the ,creed1 ,i believe in the ,holy ,ghost2 but they are utterly ignorant of ,his changing operations on the inward man4 ,sometimes they flatter themselves they are born again1 because they have been baptized1 and go to church1 and receive the ,lord's ,supper2 while they are totally destitute of the marks of the new birth1 as described by ,st4 ,john in his first ,epistle4 ,and all this time the words of ,scripture are clear and plain1--,except ye be converted1 ye shall in no case enter the kingdom4 7,matt4 xviii4 #c47 ,in times like these1 no reader ought to wonder that ,i press the subject of conversion on men's souls4 ,no doubt there are plenty of sham conversions in such a day of religious excitement as this4 ,but bad coin is no proof that there is no good money3 nay1 rather it is a sign that there is some money current which is valuable1 and is worth imitation4 ,hypocrites and sham ,christians are indirect evidence that there is such a thing as real grace among men4 ,let us search our own hearts then1 and see how it is with ourselves4 ,once more let us ask1 in the matter of conversion1 ,how do we do8 7#f7 ,let me ask1 in the sixth place1 whether we know anything of practical ,christian holiness8 ,it is as certain as anything in the ,bible that without holiness no man shall see the ,lord4 7,heb4 xii4 #ad47 ,it is equally certain that it is the invariable fruit of saving faith1 the real test of regeneration1 the only sound evidence of indwelling grace1 the certain consequence of vital union with ,christ4--,holiness is not absolute perfection and freedom from all faults4 ,nothing of the kind6 ,the wild words of some who talk of enjoying unbroken communion with ,god for many months1 are greatly to be deprecated1 because they raise unscriptural expectations in the minds of young believers1 and so do harm4 ,absolute perfection is for heaven1 and not for earth1 where we have a weak body1 a wicked world1 and a busy devil continually near our souls4 ,nor is real ,christian holiness ever attained1 or maintained1 without a constant fight and struggle4 ,the great ,apostle1 who said ,i fight1--,i labour1--,i keep under my body and bring it into subjection 7#a ,cor4 ix4 #bg71 would have been amazed to hear of sanctification without personal exertion1 and to be told that believers only need to sit still1 and everything will be done for them6 ,yet1 weak and imperfect as the holiness of the best saints may be1 it is a real true thing1 and has a character about it as unmistakable as light and salt4 ,it is not a thing which begins and ends with noisy profession3 it will be seen much more than heard4 ,genuine ,scriptural holiness will make a man do his duty at home and by the fireside1 and adorn his doctrine in the little trials of daily life4 ,it will exhibit itself in passive graces as well as in active4 ,it will make a man humble1 kind1 gentle1 unselfish1 good-tempered1 considerate for others1 loving1 meek1 and forgiving4 ,it will not constrain him to go out of the world1 and shut himself up in a cave1 like a hermit4 ,but it will make him do his duty in that state to which ,god has called him1 on ,christian principles1 and after the pattern of ,christ4 ,such holiness1 ,i know well1 is not common4 ,it is a style of practical ,christianity which is painfully rare in these days4 ,but ,i can find no other standard of holiness in the ,word of ,god1--no other which comes up to the pictures drawn by our ,lord and ,his ,apostles4 ,in an age like this no reader can wonder if ,i press this subject also on men's attention4 ,once more let us ask1--,in the matter of holiness1 how is it with our souls8 ,how do we do8 7#g7 ,let me ask1 in the seventh place1 whether we know anything of enjoying the means of grace8 ,when ,i speak of the means of grace1 ,i have in my mind's eye five principal things1--the reading of the ,bible1 private prayer1 public worship1 the sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper1 and the rest of the ,lord's day4 ,they are means which ,god has graciously appointed1 in order to convey grace to man's heart by the ,holy ,ghost1 or to keep up the spiritual life after it has begun4 ,as long as the world stands1 the state of a man's soul will always depend greatly on the manner and spirit in which he uses means of grace4 ,the manner and spirit1 ,i say deliberately and of purpose4 ,many ,english people use the means of grace regularly and formally1 but know nothing of enjoying them3 they attend to them as a matter of duty1 but without a jot of feeling1 interest1 or affection4 ,yet even common sense might tell us that this formal1 mechanical use of holy things1 is utterly worthless and unprofitable4 ,our feeling about them is just one of the many tests of the state of our souls4 ,how can that man be thought to love ,god who reads about ,him and ,his ,christ1 as a mere matter of duty1 content and satisfied if he has just moved his mark onward over so many chapters8--,how can that man suppose he is ready to meet ,christ1 who never takes any trouble to pour out his heart to ,him in private as a ,friend1 and is satisfied with saying over a string of words every morning and evening1 under the name of prayer1 scarcely thinking what he is about8--,how could that man be happy in heaven for ever1 who finds the ,sunday a dull1 gloomy1 tiresome day1--who knows nothing of hearty prayer and praise1 and cares nothing whether he hears truth or error from the pulpit1 or scarcely listens to the sermon8--,what can be the spiritual condition of that man whose heart never burns within him1 when he receives that bread and wine which specially remind us of ,christ's death on the cross1 and the atonement for sin8 ,these inquiries are very serious and important4 ,if means of grace had no other use1 and were not mighty helps toward heaven1 they would be useful in supplying a test of our real state in the sight of ,god4 ,tell me what a man does in the matter of ,bible-reading and praying1 in the matter of ,sunday1 public worship1 and the ,lord's ,supper1 and ,i will soon tell you what he is1 and on which road he is travelling4 ,how is it with ourselves8 ,once more let us ask1--,in the matter of means of grace1 ,how do we do8 7#h7 ,let me ask1 in the eighth place1 whether we ever try to do any good in the world8 ,our ,lord ,jesus ,christ was continually going about doing good1 while ,he was on earth4 7,acts x4 #ch47 ,the ,apostles1 and all the disciples in ,bible times1 were always striving to walk in ,his steps4 ,a ,christian who was content to go to heaven himself1 and cared not what became of others1 whether they lived happy and died in peace or not1 would have been regarded as a kind of monster in primitive times1 who had not the ,spirit of ,christ4 ,why should we suppose for a moment that a lower standard will suffice in the present day8 ,why should fig trees which bear no fruit be spared in the present day1 when in our ,lord's time they were to be cut down as cumberers of the ground8 7,luke xiii4 #g47 ,these are serious inquiries1 and demand serious answers4 ,there is a generation of professing ,christians now-a-days1 who seem to know nothing of caring for their neighbours1 and are wholly swallowed up in the concerns of number one1--that is1 their own and their family's4 ,they eat1 and drink1 and sleep1 and dress1 and work1 and get money1 and spend money1 year after year2 and whether others are happy or miserable1 well or ill1 converted or unconverted1 travelling toward heaven or toward hell1 appear to be questions about which they are supremely indifferent4 ,can this be right8 ,can it be reconciled with the religion of ,him who spoke the parable of the good ,samaritan1 and bade us go and do likewise8 7,luke x4 #cg47 ,i doubt it altogether4 ,there is much to be done on every side4 ,there is not a place in ,england where there is not a field for work1 and an open door for being useful1 if any one is willing to enter it4 ,there is not a ,christian in ,england who cannot find some good work to do for others1 if he has only a heart to do it4 ,the poorest man or woman1 without a single penny to give1 can always show his deep sympathy to the sick and sorrowful1 and by simple good-nature and tender helpfulness1 can lessen the misery and increase the comfort of somebody in this troubled world4 ,but alas1 the vast majority of professing ,christians1 whether rich or poor1 ,churchmen or ,dissenters1 seem possessed with a devil of detestable selfishness1 and know not the luxury of doing good4 ,they can argue by the hour about baptism1 and the ,lord's supper1 and the forms of worship1 and the union of ,church and ,state1 and such-like dry-bone questions4 ,but all this time they seem to care nothing for their neighbours4 ,the plain practical point1 whether they love their neighbour1 as the ,samaritan loved the traveller in the parable1 and can spare any time and trouble to do him good1 is a point they never touch with one of their fingers4 ,in too many ,english parishes1 both in town and country1 true love seems almost dead1 both in church and chapel1 and wretched party-spirit and controversy are the only fruits that ,christianity appears able to produce4 ,in a day like this1 no reader should wonder if ,i press this plain old subject on his conscience4 ,do we know anything of genuine ,samaritan love to others8 ,do we ever try to do any good to any one beside our own friends and relatives1 and our own party or cause8 ,are we living like disciples of ,him who always went about doing good1 and commanded ,his disciples to take ,him for their example8 7,john xiii4 #ae47 ,if not1 with what face shall we meet ,him in the judgment day8 ,in this matter also1 how is it with our souls8 ,once more ,i ask1 ,how do we do8 7#i7 ,let me ask1 in the ninth place1 whether we know anything of living the life of habitual communion with ,christ8 ,by communion1 ,i mean that habit of abiding in ,christ which our ,lord speaks of1 in the fifteenth chapter of ,st4 ,john's ,gospel1 as essential to ,christian fruitfulness4 7,john xv4 #d-h47 ,let it be distinctly understood that union with ,christ is one thing1 and communion is another4 ,there can be no communion with the ,lord ,jesus without union first2 but unhappily there may be union with the ,lord ,jesus1 and afterwards little or no communion at all4 ,the difference between the two things is not the difference between two distinct steps1 but the difference between the higher and lower ends of an inclined plane4 ,union is the common privilege of all who feel their sins1 and truly repent1 and come to ,christ by faith1 and are accepted1 forgiven1 and justified in ,him4 ,too many believers1 it may be feared1 never get beyond this stage6 ,partly from ignorance1 partly from laziness1 partly from fear of man1 partly from secret love of the world1 partly from some unmortified besetting sin1 they are content with a little faith1 and a little hope1 and a little peace1 and a little measure of holiness4 ,and they live on all their lives in this condition--doubting1 weak1 halting1 and bearing fruit only thirty-fold to the very end of their days6 ,communion with ,christ is the privilege of those who are continually striving to grow in grace1 and faith1 and knowledge1 and conformity to the mind of ,christ in all things1--who do not look to the things behind1 and count not themselves to have attained1 but press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of ,god in ,christ ,jesus4 7,phil4 iii4 #ad47 ,union is the bud1 but communion is the flower3 union is the babe1 but communion is the strong man4 ,he that has union with ,christ does well2 but he that enjoys communion with ,him does far better4 ,both have one life1 one hope1 one heavenly seed in their hearts1--one ,lord1 one ,saviour1 one ,holy ,spirit1 one eternal home3 but union is not so good as communion6 ,the grand secret of communion with ,christ is to be continually living the life of faith in ,him1 and drawing out of ,him every hour the supply that every hour requires4 ,to me1 said ,st4 ,paul1 to live is ,christ4--,i live3 yet not ,i1 but ,christ liveth in me4 7,gal4 ii4 #bj2 ,phil4 i4 #ba47 ,communion like this is the secret of the abiding joy and peace in believing1 which eminent saints like ,bradford and ,rutherford notoriously possessed4 ,none were ever more humble1 or more deeply convinced of their own infirmities and corruption4 ,they would have told you that the seventh chapter of ,romans precisely described their own experience4 ,they would have endorsed every word of the ,confession put into the mouths of true believers1 in our ,prayer-book ,communion ,service4 ,they would have said continually1 ,the remembrance of our sins is grievous unto us2 the burden of them is intolerable4 ,but they were ever looking unto ,jesus1 and in ,him they were ever able to rejoice4--,communion like this is the secret of the splendid victories which such men as these won over sin1 the world1 and the fear of death4 ,they did not sit still idly1 saying1 ,i leave it all to ,christ to do for me1 but1 strong in the ,lord1 they used the ,divine nature ,he had implanted in them1 boldly and confidently1 and were more than conquerors through ,him that loved them4 7,rom4 viii4 #cg47 ,like ,st4 ,paul they would have said1 ,i can do all things through ,christ which strengtheneth me4 7,phil iv4 #ac47--;,ignorance of this life of communion is one among many reasons why so many in this age are hankering after the ,confessional1 and strange views of the real presence in the ,lord's ,supper4 ,such errors often spring from imperfect knowledge of ,christ1 and obscure views of the life of faith in a risen1 living1 and interceding ,saviour4 ,is communion with ,christ like this a common thing8 ,alas6 it is very rare indeed6 ,the greater part of believers seem content with the barest elementary knowledge of justification by faith1 and half-a-dozen other doctrines1 and go doubting1 limping1 halting1 groaning along the way to heaven1 and experience little either of the sense of victory or joy4 ,the ,churches of these latter days are full of weak1 powerless1 and uninfluential believers1 saved at last1 but so as by fire1 but never shaking the world1 and knowing nothing of an abundant entrance4 7#a ,cor4 iii4 #ae2 #b ,pet4 i4 #aa47 ,despondency and ,feeble-mind and ,much-afraid1 in ,pilgrim's ,progress1 reached the celestial city as really and truly as ,valiant-for-the-truth and ,greatheart4 ,but they certainly did not reach it with the same comfort1 and did not do a tenth part of the same good in the world6 ,i fear there are many like them in these days6 ,when things are so in the ,churches1 no reader can wonder that ,i inquire how it is with our souls4 ,once more ,i ask1--,in the matter of communion with ,christ1 ,how do we do8 7#aj7 ,let me ask1 in the tenth and last place1 whether we know anything of being ready for ,christ's second coming8 ,that ,he will come again the second time is as certain as anything in the ,bible4 ,the world has not yet seen the last of ,him4 ,as surely as ,he went up visibly1 and in the body1 on the ,mount of ,olives1 before the eyes of ,his disciples1 so surely will ,he come again in the clouds of heaven1 with power and great glory4 7,acts i4 #aa47 ,he will come to raise the dead1 to change the living1 to reward ,his saints1 to punish the wicked1 to renew the earth1 and take the curse away1--to purify the world1 even as ,he purified the temple1--and to set up a kingdom where sin shall have no place1 and holiness shall be the universal rule4 ,the ,creeds which we repeat and profess to believe1 continually declare that ,christ is coming again4 ,the ancient ,christians made it a part of their religion to look for ,his return4 ,backward they looked to the cross and the atonement for sin1 and rejoiced in ,christ crucified4 ,upward they looked to ,christ at the right hand of ,god1 and rejoiced in ,christ interceding4 ,forward they looked to the promised return of their ,master1 and rejoiced in the thought that they would see ,him again4 ,and we ought to do the same4 ,what have we really got from ,christ8 and what do we know of ,him8 and what do we think of ,him8 ,are we living as if we long to see ,him again1 and love ,his appearing8--,readiness for that appearing is nothing more than being a real1 consistent ,christian4 ,it requires no man to cease from his daily business4 ,the farmer need not give up his farm1 nor the shopkeeper his counter1 nor the doctor his patients1 nor the carpenter his hammer and nails1 nor the bricklayer his mortar and trowel1 nor the blacksmith his smithy4 ,each and all cannot do better than be found doing his duty1 but doing it as a ,christian1 and with a heart packed up and ready to be gone4 ,in the face of truth like this no reader can feel surprised if ,i ask1 ,how is it with our souls in the matter of ,christ's second coming8 ,the world is growing old and running to seed4 ,the vast majority of ,christians seem like the men in the time of ,noah and ,lot1 who were eating and drinking1 marrying and giving in marriage1 planting and building1 up to the very day when flood and fire came4 ,those words of our ,master are very solemn and heart-searching1--,remember ,lot's wife4--,take heed lest at any time your heart be overcharged with the cares of this life1 and that day come upon you unawares4 7,luke xvii4 #cb2 xxi4 #cd47 ,once more ,i ask1--,in the matter of readiness for ,christ's second coming1 ,how do we do8 ,i end my inquiries here4 ,i might easily add to them2 but ,i trust ,i have said enough1 at the beginning of this volume1 to stir up self-inquiry and self-examination in many minds4 ,god is my witness that ,i have said nothing that ,i do not feel of paramount importance to my own soul4 ,i only want to do good to others4 ,let me now conclude all with a few words of practical application4 7a7 ,is any reader of this paper asleep and utterly thoughtless about religion8 ,oh1 awake and sleep no more6 ,look at the churchyards and cemeteries4 ,one by one the people around you are dropping into them1 and you must lie there one day4 ,look forward to a world to come1 and lay your hand on your heart1 and say1 if you dare1 that you are fit to die and meet ,god4 ,ah6 you are like one sleeping in a boat drifting down the stream towards the falls of ,niagara6 ,what meanest thou1 oh sleeper6 ,arise and call upon thy ,god6--,awake thou that sleepest1 and arise from the dead1 and ,christ shall give thee light6 7,jonah i4 #f2 ,eph v4 #ad47 7b7 ,is any reader of this paper feeling self-condemned1 and afraid that there is no hope for his soul8 ,cast aside your fears1 and accept the offer of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ to sinners4 ,hear ,him saying1 ,come unto ,me1 all ye that labour and are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest4 7,matt4 xi4 #bh47 ,if any man thirst1 let him come unto ,me and drink4 7,john vii4 #cg47 ,him that cometh unto ,me ,i will in no wise cast out4 7,john vi4 #cg47 ,doubt not that these words are for you as well as for any one else4 ,bring all your sins1 and unbelief1 and sense of guilt1 and unfitness1 and doubts1 and infirmities1--bring all to ,christ4 ,this ,man receiveth sinners1 and ,he will receive you4 7,luke xv4 #b47 ,do not stand still1 halting between two opinions1 and waiting for a convenient season4 ,arise3 ,he calleth thee6 ,come to ,christ this very day4 7,mark x4 #di47 7c7 ,is any reader of this paper a professing believer in ,christ1 but a believer without much joy and peace and comfort8 ,take advice this day4 ,search your own heart1 and see whether the fault be not entirely your own4 ,very likely you are sitting at ease1 content with a little faith1 and a little repentance1 a little grace and a little sanctification1 and unconsciously shrinking back from extremes4 ,you will never be a very happy ,christian at this rate1 if you live to the age of ,methuselah4 ,change your plan1 if you love life and would see good days1 without delay4 ,come out boldly1 and act decidedly4 ,be thorough1 thorough1 very thorough in your ,christianity1 and set your face fully towards the sun4 ,lay aside every weight1 and the sin that doth so easily beset you4 ,strive to get nearer to ,christ1 to abide in ,him1 to cleave to ,him1 and to sit at ,his feet like ,mary1 and drink full draughts out of the fountain of life4 ,these things1 says ,st4 ,john1 we write unto you that your joy may be full4 7#a ,john i4 #d47 ,if we walk in the light as ,he is in the light1 we have fellowship one with another4 7#a ,john i4 #g47 7d7 ,is any reader of this paper a believer oppressed with doubts and fears1 on account of his feebleness1 infirmity1 and sense of sin8 ,remember the text that says of ,jesus1 ,a bruised reed will ,he not break1 and smoking flax shall ,he not quench4 7,matt4 xii4 #bj47 ,take comfort in the thought that this text is for you4 ,what though your faith be feeble8 ,it is better than no faith at all4 ,the least grain of life is better than death4 ,perhaps you are expecting too much in this world4 ,earth is not heaven4 ,you are yet in the body4 ,expect little from self1 but much from ,christ4 ,look more to ,jesus1 and less to self4 7e7 ,finally1 is any reader of this paper sometimes downcast by the trials he meets with in the way to heaven1 bodily trials1 family trials1 trials of circumstances1 trials from neighbours1 and trials from the world8 ,look up to a sympathizing ,saviour at ,god's right hand1 and pour out your heart before ,him4 ,he can be touched with the feeling of your infirmities1 for ,he suffered ,himself being tempted4--,are you alone8 ,so was ,he4 ,are you misrepresented and calumniated8 ,so was ,he4 ,are you forsaken by friends8 ,so was ,he4 ,are you persecuted8 ,so was ,he4 ,are you wearied in body and grieved in spirit8 ,so was ,he4--,yes6 ,he can feel for you1 and ,he can help as well as feel4 ,then learn to draw nearer to ,christ4 ,the time is short4 ,yet a little time1 and all will be over3 we shall soon be with the ,lord4 ,there is an end2 and thine expectation shall not be cut off4 7,prov4 xxiii4 #ah47 ,ye have need of patience1 that1 after ye have done the will of ,god1 ye might receive the promise4 ,for yet a little while1 and ,he that shall come will come1 and will not tarry4 7,heb4 x4 #cf1 #cg47 ,,ii ,,self-,,exertion ,strive to enter in at the strait gate3 for many1 ,i say unto you1 will seek to enter in1 and shall not be able4--,luke xiii4 #bd4 ,there was once a man who asked our ,lord ,jesus ,christ a very deep question4 ,he said to ,him1 ,lord1 are there few that be saved8 ,who this man was we do not know4 ,what his motive was for asking this question we are not told4 ,perhaps he wished to gratify an idle curiosity3 perhaps he wanted an excuse for not seeking salvation himself4 ,the ,holy ,ghost has kept back all this from us3 the name and motive of the inquirer are both hidden4 ,but one thing is very clear1 and that is the vast importance of the saying of our ,lord to which the question gave rise4 ,jesus seized the opportunity to direct the minds of all around ,him to their own plain duty4 ,he knew the train of thought which the man's inquiry had set moving in their hearts3 ,he saw what was going on within them4 ,strive1 ,he cries1 to enter in at the strait gate4 ,whether there be few saved or many1 your course is clear2--strive to enter in4 ,now is the accepted time4 ,now is the day of salvation4 ,a day shall come when many will seek to enter in and shall not be able4 ,strive to enter in now4 ,i desire to call the serious attention of all who read this paper to the solemn lessons which this saying of the ,lord ,jesus is meant to teach4 ,it is one which deserves special remembrance in the present day4 ,it teaches unmistakeably that mighty truth1 our own personal responsibility for the salvation of our souls4 ,it shows the immense danger of putting off the great business of religion1 as so many unhappily do4 ,on both these points the witness of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ in the text is clear4 ,he1 who is the eternal ,god1 and who spoke the words of perfect wisdom1 says to the sons of men1--,strive to enter in at the strait gate3 for many1 ,i say unto you1 will seek to enter in1 and shall not be able4 ,i4 ,here is a description of the way of salvation4 ,jesus calls it the strait gate4 ,,ii4 ,here is a plain command4 ,jesus says1 ,strive to enter in4 ,,iii4 ,here is an awful prophecy4 ,jesus says1 ,many will seek to enter in1 and shall not be able4 ,may the ,holy ,ghost apply the subject to the hearts of all into whose hands this paper may fall6 ,may all who read it know the way of salvation experimentally1 obey the command of the ,lord practically1 and be found safe in the great day of ,his second coming6 ,i4 ,here is a description of the way of salvation4 ,jesus calls it the strait gate4 ,there is a gate which leads to pardon1 peace with ,god1 and heaven4 ,whosoever goes in by that gate shall be saved4 ,never1 surely1 was a gate more needed4 ,sin is a vast mountain between man and ,god4 ,how shall a man climb over it8--,sin is a high wall between man and ,god4 ,how shall man get through it8--,sin is a deep gulf between man and ,god4 ,how shall man cross over it8--,god is in heaven1 holy1 pure1 spiritual1 undefiled1 light without any darkness at all1 a ,being who cannot bear that which is evil1 or look upon iniquity4 ,man is a poor fallen worm1 crawling on earth for a few years1--sinful1 corrupt1 erring1 defective1--a being whose imagination is only evil1 and whose heart is deceitful above all things1 and desperately wicked4 ,how shall man and ,god be brought together8 ,how shall man ever draw near to his ,maker without fear and shame8 ,blessed be ,god1 there is a way6 ,there is a road4 ,there is a path4 ,there is a door4 ,it is the gate spoken of in the words of ,christ1--the strait gate4 ,this gate was made for sinners by the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,from all eternity ,he covenanted and engaged that ,he would make it4 ,in the fulness of time ,he came into the world and made it1 by ,his own atoning death on the cross4 ,by that death ,he made satisfaction for man's sin1 paid man's debt to ,god1 and bore man's punishment4 ,he built a great gate at the cost of ,his own body and blood4 ,he reared a ladder on earth whose top reached to heaven4 ,he made a door by which the chief of sinners may enter into the holy presence of ,god1 and not be afraid4 ,he opened a road by which the vilest of men1 believing in ,him1 may draw near to ,god and have peace4 ,he cries to us1 ,i am the door3 by ,me if any man enter in1 he shall be saved4 7,john x4 #i47 ,i am the way3 no man cometh unto the ,father but by ,me4 7,john xiv4 #f47 ,by ,him1 says ,paul1 we have boldness and access with confidence4 7,eph4 iii4 #ab47 ,thus was the gate of salvation formed4 ,this gate is called the strait gate1 and it is not called so without cause4 ,it is always strait1 narrow1 and difficult to pass through to some persons1 and it will be so as long as the world stands4 ,it is narrow to all who love sin1 and are determined not to part with it4 ,it is narrow to all who set their affection on this world1 and seek first its pleasures and rewards4 ,it is narrow to all who dislike trouble1 and are unwilling to take pains and make sacrifices for their souls4 ,it is narrow to all who like company1 and want to keep in with the crowd4 ,it is narrow to all who are self-righteous1 and think they are good people1 and deserve to be saved4 ,to all such the great gate1 which ,christ made1 is narrow and strait4 ,in vain they seek to pass through4 ,the gate will not admit them4 ,god is not unwilling to receive them2 their sins are not too many to be forgiven3 but they are not willing to be saved in ,god's way4 ,thousands1 for the last eighteen centuries1 have tried to make the gate-way wider3 thousands have worked and toiled to get to heaven on lower terms4 ,but the gate never alters4 ,it is not elastic3 it will not stretch to accommodate one man more than another4 ,it is still the strait gate4 ,strait as this gate is1 it is the only one by which men can get to heaven4 ,there is no side door2 there is no bye-path2 there is no gap or low-place in the wall4 ,all that are ever saved will be saved only by ,christ1 and only by simple faith in ,him4--,not one will be saved by repentance4 ,to-day's sorrow does not wipe off yesterday's score4--,not one will be saved by his own works4 ,the best works that any man can do are little better than splendid sins4--,not one will be saved by his formal regularity in the use of the outward means of grace4 ,when we have done all1 we are poor unprofitable servants4 ,oh1 no6 it is mere waste of time to seek any other road to eternal life4 ,men may look right and left1 and weary themselves with their own devices1 but they will never find another door4 ,proud men may dislike the gate if they will4 ,profligate men may scoff at it1 and make a jest of those who use it4 ,lazy men may complain that the way is hard4 ,but men will discover no other salvation than that of faith in the blood and righteousness of a crucified ,redeemer4 ,there stands between us and heaven one great gate3 it may be strait2 but it is the only one4 ,we must either enter heaven by the strait gate1 or not at all4 ,strait as this gate is1 it is a gate ever ready to open4 ,no sinners of any kind are forbidden to draw near3 whosoever will may enter in and be saved4 ,there is but one condition of admission3 that condition is that you really feel your sins and desire to be saved by ,christ in ,his own way4 ,art thou really sensible of thy guilt and vileness8 ,hast thou a truly broken and contrite heart8 ,behold the gate of salvation1 and come in4 ,he that made it declares1--,him that cometh unto ,me ,i will in no wise cast out4 7,john vi4 #cg47 ,the question to be considered is not whether you are a great sinner or a little sinner--whether you are elect or not1--whether you are converted or not4 ,the question is simply this1 ,do you feel your sins8 ,do you feel labouring and heavy-laden8 ,are you willing to put your soul into ,christ's hand8 ,then if that be the case1 the gate will open to you at once4 ,come in this very day4 ,wherefore standest thou without8 7,gen4 xxiv4 #ca47 ,strait as this gate is1 it is one through which thousands have gone in and been saved4 ,no sinner was ever turned back1 and told he was too bad to be admitted1 if he came really sick of his sins4 ,thousands of all sorts have been received1 cleansed1 washed1 pardoned1 clothed1 and made heirs of eternal life4 ,some of them seemed very unlikely to be admitted3 you and ,i might have thought they were too bad to be saved4 ,but ,he that built the gate did not refuse them4 ,as soon as they knocked1 ,he gave orders that they should be let in4 ,manasseh1 ,king of ,judah1 went up to this gate4 ,none could have been worse than he4 ,he had despised his good father ,hezekiah's example and advice4 ,he had bowed down to idols4 ,he had filled ,jerusalem with bloodshed and cruelty4 ,he had slain his own children4 ,but as soon as his eyes were opened to his sins1 and he fled to the gate for pardon1 the gate flew wide open1 and he was saved4 ,saul the ,pharisee went up to this gate4 ,he had been a great offender4 ,he had been a blasphemer of ,christ1 and a persecutor of ,christ's people4 ,he had laboured hard to stop the progress of the ,gospel4 ,but as soon as his heart was touched1 and he found out his own guilt and fled to the gate for pardon1 at once the gate flew wide open1 and he was saved4 ,many of the ,jews who crucified our ,lord went up to this gate4 ,they had been grievous sinners indeed4 ,they had refused and rejected their own ,messiah4 ,they had delivered ,him to ,pilate1 and entreated that ,he might be slain4 ,they had desired ,barabbas to be let go1 and the ,son of ,god to be crucified4 ,but in the day when they were pricked to the heart by ,peter's preaching1 they fled to the gate for pardon1 and at once the gate flew open1 and they were saved4 ,the jailer at ,philippi went up to this gate4 ,he had been a cruel1 hard1 godless man4 ,he had done all in his power to ill-treat ,paul and his companion4 ,he had thrust them into the inner prison1 and made their feet fast in the stocks4 ,but when his conscience was aroused by the earthquake1 and his mind enlightened by ,paul's teaching1 he fled to the gate for pardon1 and at once the gate flew open1 and he was saved4 ,but why need ,i stop short in ,bible examples8 ,why should ,i not say that multitudes have gone to the strait gate since the days of the ,apostles1 and have entered in by it and been saved8 ,thousands of all ranks1 classes1 and ages1--learned and unlearned1 rich and poor1 old and young1--have tried the gate and found it ready to open1--have gone through it and found peace to their souls4 ,yes3 thousands of persons yet living have made proof of the gate1 and found it the way to real happiness4 ,noblemen and commoners1 merchants and bankers1 soldiers and sailors1 farmers and tradesmen1 labourers and workmen1 are still upon earth1 who have found the strait gate to be a way of pleasantness and a path of peace4 ,they have not brought up an evil report of the country inside4 ,they have found ,christ's yoke to be easy1 and ,his burden to be light4 ,their only regret has been that so few enter in1 and that they themselves did not enter in before4 ,this is the gate which ,i want every one to enter1 into whose hand this paper may fall4 ,i want you not merely to go to church or chapel1 but to go with heart and soul to the gate of life4 ,i want you not merely to believe there is such a gate1 and to think it a good thing1 but to enter by faith and be saved4 ,think what a privilege it is to have a gate at all4 ,the angels who kept not their first estate1 fell1 never to rise again4 ,to them there was no door of escape opened4--,the heathen never heard of any way to eternal life4 ,what would not many a black man and many a red man give1 if he only heard one plain sermon about ,christ8--,the ,jews in ,old ,testament times only saw the gate dimly and far away4 ,the way into the holiest was not made manifest1 while the first tabernacle was standing4 7,heb4 ix4 #h47 ,you have the gate set plainly before you3 you have ,christ and full salvation offered to you1 without money and without price4 ,you never need be at a loss which way to turn4 ,oh1 consider what a mercy this is6 ,beware that you do not despise the gate and perish in unbelief4 ,better a thousand times not to know of the gate than to know of it and yet tarry outside4 ,how indeed will you escape if you neglect so great salvation8 ,think what a thankful man you ought to be if you have really gone in at the strait gate4 ,to be a pardoned1 forgiven1 justified soul1--to be ready for sickness1 death1 judgment and eternity1--to be ever provided for in both worlds1--surely this is matter for daily praise4 ,true ,christians ought to be more full of thanksgivings than they are4 ,i fear that few sufficiently remember what they were by nature1 and what debtors they are to grace4 ,a heathen remarked that singing hymns of praise was one special mark of the early ,christians4 ,well would it be for ,christians in the present day1 if they knew more of this frame of mind4 ,it is no mark of a healthy state of soul when there is much complaining and little praise4 ,it is an amazing mercy that there is any gate of salvation at all2 but it is a still greater mercy when we are taught to enter in by it and be saved4 ,,ii4 ,in the second place1 here is a plain command4--,jesus says to us1 ,strive to enter in at the strait gate4 ,there is often much to be learned in a single word of ,scripture4 ,the words of our ,lord ,jesus in particular1 are always full of matter for thought4 ,here is a word which is a striking example of what ,i mean4 ,let us see what the great ,teacher would have us gather out of the word ,strive4 ,,strive teaches that a man must use means diligently1 if he would have his soul saved4 ,there are means which ,god has appointed to help man in his endeavours to approach ,him4 ,there are ways in which a man must walk1 if he desires to be found of ,christ4 ,public ,worship1 reading the ,bible1 hearing the ,gospel preached1--these are the kind of things to which ,i refer4 ,they lie1 as it were1 in the middle1 between man and ,god4 ,doubtless no one can change his own heart1 or wipe away one of his sins1 or make himself in the least degree acceptable to ,god2 but ,i do say that if man could do nothing but sit still1 ,christ would never have said ,strive4 ,,strive teaches that man is a free agent1 and will be dealt with by ,god as a responsible being4 ,the ,lord ,jesus does not bid us to wait1 and wish1 and feel1 and hope1 and desire4 ,he says1 ,strive4 ,i call that miserable religion which teaches people to be content with saying1 ,we can do nothing of ourselves1 and makes them continue in sin4 ,it is as bad as teaching people that it is not their fault if they are not converted1 and that ,god only is to blame if they are not saved4 ,i find no such theology in the ,new ,testament4 ,i hear ,jesus saying to sinners1 ,come--repent--believe--labour--ask--see k--knock4 ,i see plainly that our salvation1 from first to last1 is entirely of ,god2 but ,i see with no less plainness that our ruin1 if lost1 is wholly and entirely of ourselves4 ,i maintain that sinners are always addressed as accountable and responsible2 and ,i want no better proof of this than is contained in the word ,strive4 ,,strive teaches that a man must expect many adversaries and a hard battle1 if he would have his soul saved4 ,and this1 as a matter of experience1 is strictly true4 ,there are no gains without pains in spiritual things any more than in temporal4 ,that roaring lion1 the devil1 will never let a soul escape from him without a struggle4 ,the heart which is naturally sensual and earthly will never be turned to spiritual things without a daily fight4 ,the world1 with all its opposition and temptations1 will never be overcome without a conflict4 ,but why should all this surprise us8 ,what great and good thing was ever done without trouble8 ,wheat does not grow without ploughing and sowing2 riches are not obtained without care and attention2 success in life is not won without hardships and toil2 and heaven1 above all1 is not to be reached without the cross and the battle4 ,the violent take the kingdom by force4 7,matt xi4 #ab47 ,a man must strive4 ,,strive teaches that it is worth while for a man to seek salvation4 ,that may well be said4 ,if there be anything that deserves a struggle in this world1 it is the prosperity of the soul4 ,the objects for which the great majority of men strive are comparatively poor and trifling things4 ,riches1 and greatness1 and rank1 and learning1 are a corruptible crown4 ,the incorruptible things are all within the strait gate4 ,the peace of ,god which passeth all understanding1--the bright hope of good things to come1--the sense of the ,spirit dwelling in us1--the consciousness that we are pardoned1 safe1 ready1 insured1 provided for in time and eternity1 whatever may happen1--these are true gold1 and durable riches4 ,well may the ,lord ,jesus call on us to strive4 ,,strive teaches that laziness in religion is a great sin4 ,it is not merely a misfortune1 as some fancy1--a thing for which people are to be pitied1 and a matter for regret4 ,it is something far more than this4 ,it is a breach of a plain commandment4 ,what shall be said of the man who transgresses ,god's law1 and does something which ,god says1 ,thou shalt not do8 ,there can be but one answer4 ,he is a sinner4 ,sin is the transgression of the law4 7#a ,john iii4 #d47 ,and what shall be said of the man who neglects his soul1 and makes no effort to enter the strait gate8 ,there can be only one reply4 ,he is omitting a positive duty4 ,christ says to him1 ,strive1 and behold1 he sits still6 ,,strive teaches that all outside the strait gate are in great danger4 ,they are in danger of being lost for ever4 ,there is but a step between them and death4 ,if death finds them in their present condition1 they will perish without hope4 ,the ,lord ,jesus saw that clearly4 ,he knew the uncertainty of life and the shortness of time3 ,he would fain have sinners make haste and delay not1 lest they put off soul business too late4 ,he speaks as one who saw the devil drawing near to them daily1 and the days of their life gradually ebbing away4 ,he would have them take heed they be not too late3 therefore ,he cries1 ,strive4 ,that word ,strive1 raises solemn thoughts in my mind4 ,it is brimful of condemnation for thousands of baptized persons4 ,it condemns the ways and practices of multitudes who profess and call themselves ,christians4 ,many there are who neither swear1 nor murder1 nor commit adultery1 nor steal1 nor lie2 but one thing unhappily cannot be said of them3 they cannot be said to strive to be saved4 ,the spirit of slumber possesses their hearts in everything that concerns religion4 ,about the things of the world they are active enough3 they rise early1 and late take rest2 they labour2 they toil2 they are busy2 they are careful3 but about the one thing needful they never strive at all4 ,what shall ,i say of those who are irregular about public worship on ,sundays8 ,there are thousands all over ,great ,britain who answer this description4 ,sometimes1 if they feel disposed1 they go to some church or chapel1 and attend a religious service2 at other times they stay at home and read the paper1 or idle about1 or look over their accounts1 or seek some amusement4 ,is this striving8 ,i speak to men of common sense4 ,let them judge what ,i say4 ,what shall ,i say of those who come regularly to a place of worship1 but come entirely as a matter of form8 ,there are many in every parish of ,great ,britain in this condition4 ,their fathers taught them to come2 their custom has always been to come3 it would not be respectable to stay away4 ,but they care nothing for the worship of ,god when they do come4 ,whether they hear law or ,gospel1 truth or error1 it is all the same to them4 ,they remember nothing afterwards4 ,they put off their form of religion with their ,sunday clothes1 and return to the world4 ,and is this striving8 ,i speak to men of common sense4 ,let them judge what ,i say4 ,what shall ,i say of those who seldom or never read the ,bible8 ,there are thousands of persons1 ,i fear1 who answer this description4 ,they know the ,book by name2 they know it is commonly regarded as the only ,book which teaches us how to live and how to die3 but they can never find time for reading it4 ,newspapers1 reviews1 novels1 romances1 they can read1 but not the ,bible4 ,and is this striving to enter in8 ,i speak to men of common sense4 ,let them judge what ,i say4 ,what shall ,i say of those who never pray8 ,there are multitudes1 ,i firmly believe1 in this condition4 ,without ,god they rise in the morning1 and without ,god they lie down at night4 ,they ask nothing2 they confess nothing2 they return thanks for nothing2 they seek nothing4 ,they are all dying creatures1 and yet they are not even on speaking terms with their ,maker and their ,judge6 ,and is this striving8 ,i speak to men of common sense4 ,let them judge what ,i say4 ,it is a solemn thing to be a minister of the ,gospel4 ,it is a painful thing to look on1 and notice the ways of mankind in spiritual matters4 ,we hold in our hands that great statute ,book of ,god1 which declares that without repentance1 and conversion1 and faith in ,christ1 and holiness1 no man living can be saved4 ,in discharge of our office we urge on men to repent1 believe1 and be saved2 but1 alas1 how frequently we have to lament that our labour seems all in vain4 ,men attend our churches1 and listen1 and approve1 but do not strive to be saved4 ,we show the sinfulness of sin2 we unfold the loveliness of ,christ2 we expose the vanity of the world2 we set forth the happiness of ,christ's service2 we offer the living water to the wearied and heavy laden sons of toil3 but1 alas1 how often we seem to speak to the winds4 ,our words are patiently heard on ,sundays2 our arguments are not refuted3 but we see plainly in the week that men are not striving to be saved4 ,there comes the devil on ,monday morning1 and offers his countless snares2 there comes the world1 and holds out its seeming prizes3 our hearers follow them greedily4 ,they work hard for this world's goods2 they toil at ,satan's bidding3 but for the one thing needful they will not strive at all4 ,i am not writing from hear-say4 ,i speak what ,i have seen4 ,i write down the result of thirty-seven years' experience in the ministry4 ,i have learned lessons about human nature during that period which ,i never knew before4 ,i have seen how true are our ,lord's words about the narrow way4 ,i have discovered how few there are that strive to be saved4 ,earnestness about temporal matters is common enough4 ,striving to be rich and prosperous in this world is not rare at all4 ,pains about money1 and business1 and politics1--pains about trade1 and science1 and fine arts1 and amusements1--pains about rent1 and wages1 and labour1 and land1--pains about such matters ,i see in abundance both in town and country4 ,but ,i see few who take pains about their souls4 ,i see few any where who strive to enter in at the strait gate4 ,i am not surprised at all this4 ,i read in the ,bible that it is only what ,i am to expect4 ,the parable of the great supper is an exact picture of things that ,i have seen with my own eyes ever since ,i became a minister4 7,luke xiv4 #af47 ,i find1 as my ,lord and ,saviour tells me1 that men make excuse4 ,one has his piece of land to see2 another has his oxen to prove2 a third has his family hindrances4 ,but all this does not prevent my feeling deeply grieved for the souls of men4 ,i grieve to think that they should have eternal life so close to them1 and yet be lost because they will not strive to enter in and be saved4 ,i know not in what state of soul many readers of this paper may be4 ,but ,i warn you to take heed that you do not perish for ever for want of striving4 ,do not suppose that it needs some great scarlet sin to bring you to the pit of destruction4 ,you have only to sit still and do nothing1 and you will find yourself there at last4 ,yes6 ,satan does not ask you to walk in the steps of ,cain1 and ,pharaoh1 and ,ahab1 and ,belshazzar1 and ,judas ,iscariot4 ,there is another road to hell quite as sure1--the road of spiritual indolence1 spiritual laziness1 and spiritual sloth4 ,satan has no objection to your being a respectable member of the ,christian ,church4 ,he will let you pay your tithes1 and rates1 and pew rents2 he will allow you to sit comfortably in church every ,sunday you live4 ,he knows full well1 that so long as you do not strive1 you must come at last to the worm that never dies1 and the fire that is not quenched4 ,take heed that you do not come to this end4 ,i repeat it1 you have only to do nothing1 and you will be lost4 ,if you have been taught to strive for your soul's prosperity1 ,i entreat you never to suppose you can go too far4 ,never give way to the idea that you are taking too much trouble about your spiritual condition1 and that there is no need for so much carefulness4 ,settle it rather in your mind that in all labour there is profit1 and that no labour is so profitable as that bestowed on the soul4 ,it is a maxim among good farmers that the more they do for the land the more the land does for them4 ,i am sure it should be a maxim among ,christians that the more they do for their religion the more their religion will do for them4 ,watch against the slightest inclination to be careless about any means of grace4 ,beware of shortening your prayers1 your ,bible reading1 your private communion with ,god4 ,take heed that you do not give way to a thoughtless1 lazy manner of using the public services of ,god's house4 ,fight against any rising disposition to be sleepy1 critical1 and fault-finding1 while you listen to the preaching of the ,gospel4 ,whatever you do for ,god1 do it with all your heart and mind and strength4 ,in other things be moderate1 and dread running into extremes4 ,in soul matters fear moderation just as you would fear the plague4 ,care not what men think of you4 ,let it be enough for you that your ,master says1 ,,strive4 ,,iii4 ,the last thing ,i wish to consider in this paper is the awful prophecy which the ,lord ,jesus delivers4 ,he says1 ,many will seek to enter in1 and shall not be able4 ,when shall this be8 ,at what period shall the gate of salvation be shut for ever8 ,when shall striving to enter be of no use8 ,these are serious questions4 ,the gate is now ready to open to the chief of sinners2 but a day comes when it shall open no more4 ,the time foretold by our ,lord is the time of ,his own second coming to judge the world4 ,the long-suffering of ,god will at last have an end4 ,the throne of grace will at length be taken down1 and the throne of judgment shall be set up in its place4 ,the fountain of living waters shall at length be closed4 ,the strait gate shall at last be barred and bolted4 ,the day of grace will be passed and over4 ,the day of reckoning with a sin-laden world shall at length begin4 ,and then shall be brought to pass the solemn prophecy of the ,lord ,jesus1--,many will seek to enter in1 and shall not be able4 ,all prophecies of ,scripture that have been fulfilled hitherto1 have been fulfilled to the very letter4 ,they have seemed to many unlikely1 improbable1 impossible1 up to the very time of their accomplishment2 but not one word of them has ever failed4 ,the promises of good things have come to pass1 in spite of difficulties that seemed insuperable4 ,sarah had a son when she was past bearing2 the children of ,israel were brought out of ,egypt and planted in the promised land2 the ,jews were redeemed from the captivity of ,babylon1 after seventy years1 and enabled once more to build the temple2 the ,lord ,jesus was born of a pure virgin1 lived1 ministered1 was betrayed1 and cut off1 precisely as ,scripture foretold4 ,the ,word of ,god was pledged in all these cases1 that it should be4 ,and so it was4 ,the predictions of judgments on cities and nations have come to pass1 though at the time they were first spoken they seemed incredible4 ,egypt is the basest of kingdoms2 ,edom is a wilderness2 ,tyre is a rock for drying nets2 ,nineveh1 that exceeding great city1 is laid waste1 and become a desolation2 ,babylon is a dry land and a wilderness1--her broad walls are utterly broken down2 the ,jews are scattered over the whole earth as a separate people4 ,in all these cases the ,word of ,god foretold that it should be so4 ,and so it was4 ,the prophecy of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ which ,i press on your attention this day1 shall be fulfilled in like manner4 ,not one word of it shall fail when the time of its accomplishment is due4 ,many will seek to enter in1 and shall not be able4 ,there is a time coming when seeking ,god shall be useless4 ,oh1 that men would remember that6 ,too many seem to fancy that the hour will never arrive when they shall seek and not find3 but they are sadly mistaken4 ,they will discover their mistake one day to their own confusion1 except they repent4 ,when ,christ comes many shall seek to enter in1 and not be able4 ,there is a time coming when many shall be shut out from heaven for ever4 ,it shall not be the lot of a few1 but of a great multitude2 it shall not happen to one or two in this parish1 and one or two in that3 it shall be the miserable end of a vast crowd4 ,many will seek to enter in1 and shall not be able4 ,knowledge shall come to many too late4 ,they shall see at last the value of an immortal soul1 and the happiness of having it saved4 ,they shall understand at last their own sinfulness and ,god's holiness1 and the glorious fitness of the ,gospel of ,christ4 ,they shall comprehend at last why ministers seemed so anxious1 and preached so long1 and entreated them so earnestly to be converted4 ,but1 alas1 they shall know all this too late6 ,repentance shall come to many too late4 ,they shall discover their own exceeding wickedness and be thoroughly ashamed of their past folly4 ,they shall be full of bitter regret and unavailing lamentations1 of keen convictions and of piercing sorrows4 ,they shall weep1 and wail1 and mourn1 when they reflect on their sins4 ,the remembrance of their lives will be grievous to them2 the burden of their guilt will seem intolerable4 ,but1 alas1 like ,judas ,iscariot1 they will repent too late6 ,faith shall come to many too late4 ,they will no longer be able to deny that there is a ,god1 and a devil1 a heaven1 and a hell4 ,deism1 and scepticism1 and infidelity shall be laid aside for ever2 scoffing1 and jesting1 and free-thinking shall cease4 ,they will see with their own eyes1 and feel in their own bodies1 that the things of which ministers spoke were not cunningly devised fables1 but great real truths4 ,they will find out to their cost that evangelical religion was not cant1 extravagance1 fanaticism1 and enthusiasm3 they will discover that it was the one thing needful1 and that for want of it they are lost for ever4 ,like the devil1 they will at length believe and tremble1 but too late6 ,a desire of salvation shall come to many too late4 ,they shall long after pardon1 and peace1 and the favour of ,god1 when they can no more be had4 ,they will wish they might have one more ,sunday over again1 have one more offer of forgiveness1 have one more call to prayer4 ,but it will matter nothing what they think1 or feel1 or desire then3 the day of grace will be over2 the gate of salvation will be bolted and barred4 ,it will be too late6 ,i often think what a change there will be one day in the price and estimation at which things are valued4 ,i look round this world in which my lot is cast2 ,i mark the current price of everything this world contains2 ,i look forward to the coming of ,christ1 and the great day of ,god4 ,i think of the new order of things1 which that day will bring in2 ,i read the words of the ,lord ,jesus1 when ,he describes the master of the house rising up and shutting the door2 and as ,i read1 ,i say to myself1 ,there will be a great change soon4 ,what are the dear things now8 ,gold1 silver1 precious stones1 bank notes1 mines1 ships1 lands1 houses1 horses1 carriages1 furniture1 meat1 drink1 clothes1 and the like4 ,these are the things that are thought valuable2 these are the things that command a ready market2 these are the things which you can never get below a certain price4 ,he that has much of these things is counted a wealthy man4 ,such is the world6 ,and what are the cheap things now8 ,the knowledge of ,god1 the free salvation of the ,gospel1 the favour of ,christ1 the grace of the ,holy ,ghost1 the privilege of being ,god's son1 the title to eternal life1 the right to the tree of life1 the reversion of a mansion in heaven1 the promises of an incorruptible inheritance1 the offer of a crown of glory that fadeth not away4 ,these are the things that no man hardly cares for4 ,they are offered to the sons of men without money and without price3 they may be had for nothing1--freely and gratuitously4 ,whosoever will may take his portion4 ,but1 alas1 there is no demand for these things6 ,they go a begging4 ,they are scarcely looked at4 ,they are offered in vain4 ,such is the world6 ,but a day is coming upon us all when the value of everything shall be altered4 ,a day is coming when bank-notes shall be as useless as rags1 and gold shall be as worthless as the dust of the earth4 ,a day is coming when thousands shall care nothing for the things for which they once lived1 and shall desire nothing so much as the things which they once despised4 ,the halls and palaces will be forgotten in the desire of a house not made with hands4 ,the favour of the rich and great will be no more remembered1 in the longing for the favour of the ,king of kings4 ,the silks1 and satins1 and velvets1 and laces1 will be lost sight of in the anxious want of the robe of ,christ's righteousness4 ,all shall be altered1 all shall be changed in the great day of the ,lord's return4 ,many will seek to enter in1 and shall not be able4 ,it was a weighty saying of some wise man1 that hell is truth known too late4 ,i fear that thousands of professing ,christians in this day will find this out by experience4 ,they will discover the value of their souls when it is too late to obtain mercy1 and see the beauty of the ,gospel when they can derive no benefit from it4 ,oh1 that men would be wise betimes6 ,i often think there are few passages of ,scripture more awful than that in the first chapter of ,proverbs1--,because ,i have called1 and ye refused2 ,i have stretched out my hand1 and no man regarded2 but ye have set at nought all my counsel1 and would none of my reproof3 ,i also will laugh at your calamity2 ,i will mock when your fear cometh2 when your fear cometh as desolation1 and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind2 when distress and anguish cometh upon you4 ,then shall they call upon ,me1 but ,i will not answer2 they shall seek ,me early1 but they shall not find ,me3 for that they hated knowledge1 and did not choose the fear of the ,lord3 they would none of my counsel2 they despised all my reproof4 ,therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way1 and be filled with their own devices4 7,prov4 i4 #bd-ca47 ,some reader of this paper may be one of those who neither like the faith nor practice which the ,gospel of ,christ requires4 ,you think us extreme when we beseech you to repent and be converted4 ,you think we ask too much when we urge you to come out from the world1 and take up the cross1 and follow ,christ4 ,but take notice that you will one day confess that we were right4 ,sooner or later1 in this world or the next1 you will acknowledge that you were wrong4 ,yes6 it is a melancholy consideration for the faithful minister of the ,gospel1 that all who hear him will one day allow that his counsel was good4 ,mocked1 despised1 scorned1 neglected as his testimony may be on earth1 a day is coming which shall prove effectually that truth was on his side4 ,the rich man who hears us and yet makes a god of this world1--the tradesman who hears us and yet makes his ledger his ,bible1--the farmer who hears us and yet remains cold as the clay on his land1--the labourer who hears us and feels no more for his soul than a stone1--all1 all will at length acknowledge before the world that they were wrong4 ,all will at length desire earnestly that very mercy which we now set before them in vain4 ,they will seek to enter in1 and shall not be able4 ,some reader of this paper may be one of those who love the ,lord ,jesus ,christ in sincerity4 ,such an one may well take comfort when he looks forward4 ,you often suffer persecution now for your religion's sake4 ,you have to bear hard words and unkind insinuations4 ,your motives are often misrepresented1 and your conduct slandered4 ,the reproach of the cross has not ceased4 ,but you may well take courage when you look forward and think of the ,lord's second coming4 ,that day shall make amends for all4 ,you will see those who now laugh at you because you read the ,bible1 and pray1 and love ,christ1 in a very different state of mind4 ,they will come to you as the foolish virgins came to the wise1 saying1 ,give us of your oil1 because our lamps are gone out4 7,matt4 xxv4 #h47 ,you will see those who now hate you and call you fools because1 like ,caleb and ,joshua1 you bring up a good report of ,christ's service1 altered1 changed1 and no longer like the same men4 ,they will say1 ,oh1 that we had taken part with you6 ,you have been the truly wise1 and we the foolish4 ,then fear not the reproach of men4 ,confess ,christ boldly before the world4 ,show your colours1 and be not ashamed of your ,master4 ,time is short3 eternity hastens on4 ,the cross is only for a little season3 the crown is for ever4 ,make sure work about that crown3 leave nothing uncertain4 ,many will seek to enter in1 and shall not be able4 ,and now let me offer to every one who reads this paper a few parting words1 in order to apply the whole subject to his soul4 ,you have heard the words of the ,lord ,jesus unfolded and expounded4 ,you have seen the picture of the way of salvation3 it is a strait gate4--,you have heard the command of the ,king3 ,strive to enter in4--,you have been told of ,his solemn warning3 ,many shall seek to enter in1 and shall not be able4--,bear with me a little longer while ,i try to impress the whole matter on your conscience4 ,i have yet something to say on ,god's behalf4 7#a7 ,for one thing1 ,i will ask you a plain question4 ,have you entered in at the strait gate or not8 ,old or young1 rich or poor1 churchman or dissenter1 ,i repeat my question1 ,have you entered in at the strait gate8 ,i ask not whether you have heard of it1 and believe there is a gate4 ,i ask not whether you have looked at it1 and admired it1 and hope one day to go in4 ,i ask whether you have gone up to it1 knocked at it1 been admitted1 and are now inside8 ,if you are not inside1 what good have you got from your religion8 ,you are not pardoned and forgiven4 ,you are not reconciled to ,god4 ,you are not born again1 sanctified1 and meet for heaven4 ,if you die as you are1 the devil will have you for ever1 and your soul will be eternally miserable4 ,oh1 think1 think what a state this is to live in6 ,think1 think above all things1 what a state this is to die in6 ,your life is but a vapour4 ,a few more years at most and you are gone3 your place in the world will soon be filled up2 your house will be occupied by another4 ,the sun will go on shining2 the grass and daises will soon grow thick over your grave2 your body will be food for worms1 and your soul will be lost to all eternity4 ,and all this time there stands open before you a gate of salvation4 ,god invites you4 ,jesus ,christ offers to save you4 ,all things are ready for your deliverance4 ,one thing only is wanting1 and that is that you should be willing to be saved4 ,oh think of these things1 and be wise6 7#b7 ,for another thing1 ,i will give plain advice to all who are not yet inside the strait gate4 ,that advice is simply this3 to enter in without a day's delay4 ,tell me1 if you can1 of any one who ever reached heaven excepting through the strait gate4 ,i know of none4 ,from ,abel1 the first who died1 down to the end of the list of ,bible names1 ,i see none saved by any way but that of faith in ,christ4 ,tell me1 if you can1 of any one who ever entered in at the strait gate without striving4 ,i know of none excepting those who die in infancy4 ,he that would win heaven must be content to fight for it4 ,tell me1 if you can1 of any one who ever strove earnestly to enter1 and failed to succeed4 ,i know of none4 ,i believe that however weak and ignorant men may be1 they never seek life heartily and conscientiously1 at the right door1 and are left without an answer of peace4 ,tell me1 if you can1 of any one who ever entered in at the strait gate1 and was afterwards sorry4 ,i know of none4 ,i believe the footsteps on the threshold of that gate are all one way4 ,all have found it a good thing to serve ,christ1 and have never regretted taking up ,his cross4 ,if these things are so1 seek ,christ without delay1 and enter in at the gate of life while you can6 ,make a beginning this very day4 ,go to that merciful and mighty ,saviour in prayer1 and pour out your heart before ,him4 ,confess to ,him your guilt and wickedness and sin4 ,unbosom yourself freely to ,him3 keep nothing back4 ,tell ,him that you cast yourself and all your soul's affairs wholly on ,his hands1 and ask ,him to save you according to ,his promise1 and put ,his ,holy ,spirit within you4 ,there is everything to encourage you to do this4 ,thousands as bad as you have applied to ,christ in this way1 and not one of them has been sent away and refused4 ,they have found a peace of conscience they never knew before1 and have gone on their way rejoicing4 ,they have found strength for all the trials of life1 and none of them have been allowed to perish in the wilderness4 ,why should not you also seek ,christ8 ,there is everything to encourage you to do what ,i tell you at once4 ,i know no reason why your repentance and conversion should not be as immediate as that of others before you4 ,the ,samaritan woman came to the well an ignorant sinner1 and returned to her home a new creature4 ,the ,philippian jailor turned from darkness to light1 and became a professed disciple of ,christ in a single day4 ,and why should not others do the same8 ,why should not you give up your sins1 and lay hold on ,christ this very day8 ,i know that the advice ,i have given you is good4 ,the grand question is1 ,will you take it8 7#c7 ,the last thing ,i have to say shall be a request to all who have really entered in at the strait gate4 ,that request is1 that you will tell others of the blessings which you have found4 ,i want all converted people to be missionaries4 ,i do not want them all to go out to foreign lands1 and preach to the heathen2 but ,i do want all to be of a missionary spirit1 and to strive to do good at home4 ,i want them to testify to all around them that the strait gate is the way to happiness1 and to persuade them to enter in by it4 ,when ,andrew was converted he found his brother ,peter1 and said to him1 ,we have found the ,messias1 which is1 being interpreted1 the ,christ4 ,and he brought him to ,jesus4 7,john i4 #da1 #db47 ,when ,philip was converted he found ,nathaniel1 and said to him1 ,we have found ,him1 of whom ,moses in the law1 and the prophets did write1 ,jesus of ,nazareth1 the son of ,joseph4 ,and ,nathaniel said unto him1 ,can there any good thing come out of ,nazareth8 ,philip said unto him1 ,come and see4 7,john i4 #de1 #df47 ,when the ,samaritan woman was converted1 she left her waterpot1 and went into the city1 and said to the men1 ,come1 see a man which told me all things that ever ,i did3 is not this the ,christ8 7,john iv4 #bh1 #bi47 ,when ,saul the ,pharisee was converted1 ,straightway he preached ,christ in the synagogues1 that ,he is the son of ,god4 7,acts ix4 #bj47 ,i long to see this kind of spirit among ,christians in the present day4 ,i long to see more zeal to commend the strait gate to all who are yet outside1 and more desire to persuade them to enter in and be saved4 ,happy indeed is that ,church whose members not only desire to reach heaven themselves1 but desire also to take others with them6 ,the great gate of salvation is yet ready to open1 but the hour draws near when it will be closed for ever4 ,let us work while it is called to-day1 for the night cometh when no man can work4 7,john ix4 #d47 ,let us tell our relatives and friends1 that we have proved the way of life and found it pleasant1 that we have tasted the bread of life and found it good4 ,i have heard it calculated that if every believer in the world were to bring one soul to ,christ each year1 the whole human race would be converted in less than twenty years4 ,i make no comment on such a calculation4 ,whether such a thing might be or not1 one thing is sure3 that thing is1 that many more souls might probably be converted to ,god1 if ,christians were more zealous to do good4 ,this1 at least1 we may remember1 that ,god is not willing that any should perish1 but that all should come to repentance4 7#b ,pet4 iii4 #i47 ,he that endeavours to show his neighbour the strait gate is doing a work which ,god approves4 ,he is doing a work which angels regard with interest1 and with which the building of a pyramid will not compare in importance4 ,what saith the ,scripture8 ,he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way1 shall save a soul from death1 and shall hide a multitude of sins4 7,james v4 #bj47 ,let us all awaken to a deeper sense of our responsibility in this matter4 ,let us look round the circle of those among whom we live1 and consider their state before ,god4 ,are there not many of them yet outside the gate1 unforgiven1 unsanctified1 and unfit to die8 ,let us watch for opportunities of speaking to them4 ,let us tell them of the strait gate1 and entreat them to strive to enter in4 ,who can tell what a word spoken in due season may do8 ,who can tell what it may do when spoken in faith and prayer8 ,it may be the turning-point in some man's history4 ,it may be the beginning of thought1 prayer1 and eternal life4 ,oh1 for more love and boldness among believers6 ,think what a blessing to be allowed to speak one converting word6 ,i know not what the feelings of my readers may be on this subject4 ,my heart's desire and prayer is that you may daily remember ,christ's solemn words1--,many will seek to enter in1 and shall not be able4 ,keep these words in mind1 and then be careless about the souls of others1 if you can4 ,,iii ,,reality ,reprobate silver4--,jer4 vi4 #cj4 ,nothing but leaves4--,mark xi4 #ac4 ,let us not love in word1 neither in tongue1 but in deed and in truth4--#a ,john iii4 #ah4 ,thou hast a name that thou livest1 and art dead4--,rev4 iii4 #a4 ,if we profess to have any religion at all1 let us take care that it is real4 ,i say it emphatically1 and ,i repeat the saying3 ,let us mind that our religion is real4 ,what do ,i mean when ,i use the word real4 ,i mean that which is genuine1 and sincere1 and honest1 and thorough4 ,i mean that which is not base1 and hollow1 and formal1 and false1 and counterfeit1 and sham1 and nominal4 ,real religion is not mere show1 and pretence1 and skin-deep feeling1 and temporary profession1 and outside work4 ,it is something inward1 solid1 substantial1 intrinsic1 living1 lasting4 ,we know the difference between base coin and good money1--between solid gold and tinsel1--between plated metal and silver1--between real stone and plaster imitation4 ,let us think of these things as we consider the subject of this paper4 ,what is the character of our religion8 ,is it real8 ,it may be weak1 and feeble1 and mingled with many infirmities4 ,that is not the point before us to-day4 ,is our religion real8 ,is it true8 ,the times in which we live demand attention to this subject4 ,a want of reality is a striking feature of a vast amount of religion in the present day4 ,poets have sometimes told us that the world has passed through four different states or conditions4 ,we have had a golden age1 and a silver age1 a brazen age1 and an iron age4 ,how far this is true1 ,i do not stop to inquire4 ,but ,i fear there is little doubt as to the character of the age in which we live4 ,it is universally an age of base metal and alloy4 ,if we measure the religion of the age by its apparent quantity1 there is much of it4 ,but if we measure it by its quality1 there is very little indeed4 ,on every side we want ,,more ,,reality4 ,i ask attention1 while ,i try to bring home to men's consciences the question of this paper4 ,there are two things which ,i propose to do3-- ,i4 ,in the first place1 ,i will show the importance of reality in religion4 ,,ii4 ,in the second place1 ,i will supply some tests by which we may prove whether our own religion is real4 ,has any reader of this paper the least desire to go to heaven when he dies8 ,do you wish to have a religion which will comfort you in life1 give you good hope in death1 and abide the judgment of ,god at the last day8 ,then1 do not turn away from the subject before you4 ,sit down1 and consider calmly1 whether your ,christianity is real and true1 or base and hollow4 ,i4 ,i have to show the importance of reality in religion4 ,the point is one which1 at first sight1 may seem to require very few remarks to establish it4 ,all men1 ,i shall be told1 are fully convinced of the importance of reality4 ,but is this true8 ,can it be said indeed that reality is rightly esteemed among ,christians8 ,i deny it entirely4 ,the greater part of people who profess to admire reality1 seem to think that every one possesses it6--,they tell us that all have got good hearts at bottom1--that all are sincere and true in the main1 though they may make mistakes4 ,they call us uncharitable1 and harsh1 and censorious1 if we doubt anybody's goodness of heart4 ,in short1 they destroy the value of reality1 by regarding it as a thing which almost every one has4 ,this wide-spread delusion is precisely one of the causes why ,i take up this subject4 ,i want men to understand that reality is a far more rare and uncommon thing than is commonly supposed4 ,i want men to see that unreality is one of the great dangers of which ,christians ought to beware4 ,what saith the ,scripture8 ,this is the only judge that can try the subject4 ,let us turn to our ,bibles1 and examine them fairly1 and then deny1 if we can1 the importance of reality in religion1 and the danger of not being real4 7#a7 ,let us look then1 for one thing1 at the parables spoken by our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,observe how many of them are intended to put in strong contrast the true believer and the mere nominal disciple4 ,the parables of the sower1 of the wheat and tares1 of the draw-net1 of the two sons1 of the wedding garment1 of the ten virgins1 of the talents1 of the great supper1 of the pounds1 of the two builders1 have all one great point in common4 ,they all bring out in striking colours the difference between reality and unreality in religion4 ,they all show the uselessness and danger of any ,christianity which is not real1 thorough1 and true4 7#b7 ,let us look1 for another thing1 at the language of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ about the scribes and the ,pharisees4 ,eight times over in one chapter we find ,him denouncing them as hypocrites1 in words of almost fearful severity4--,ye serpents1 ye generation of vipers1 ,he says1 ,how can ye escape the damnation of hell8 7,matt4 xxiii4 #cc47 ,what may we learn from these tremendously strong expressions8 ,how is it that our gracious and merciful ,saviour used such cutting words about people who at any rate were more moral and decent than the publicans and harlots8 ,it is meant to teach us the exceeding abominableness of false profession and mere outward religion in ,god's sight4 ,open profligacy and wilful obedience to fleshly lusts are no doubt ruinous sins1 if not given up4 ,but there seems nothing which is so displeasing to ,christ as hypocrisy and unreality4 7#c7 ,let us look1 for another thing1 at the startling fact1 that there is hardly a grace in the character of a true ,christian of which you will not find a counterfeit described in the ,word of ,god4 ,there is not a feature in a believer's countenance of which there is not an imitation4 ,give me your attention1 and ,i will show you this in a few particulars4 ,is there not an unreal repentance8 ,beyond doubt there is4 ,saul and ,ahab1 and ,herod1 and ,judas ,iscariot had many feelings of sorrow about sin4 ,but they never really repented unto salvation4 ,is there not an unreal faith8 ,beyond doubt there is4 ,it is written of ,simon ,magus1 at ,samaria1 that he believed1 and yet his heart was not right in the sight of ,god4 ,it is even written of the devils that they believe and tremble4 7,acts viii4 #ac2 ,james ii4 #ai47 ,is there not an unreal holiness8 ,beyond doubt there is4 ,joash1 king of ,judah1 became to all appearance very holy and good1 so long as ,jehoiada the priest lived4 ,but as soon as he died the religion of ,joash died at the same time4 7#b ,chron4 xxiv4 #b47--;,judas ,iscariot's outward life was as correct as that of any of the apostles up to the time that he betrayed his ,master4 ,there was nothing suspicious about him4 ,yet in reality he was a thief and a traitor4 7,john xii4 #f47 ,is there not an unreal love and charity8 ,beyond doubt there is4 ,there is a love which consists in words and tender expressions1 and a great show of affection1 and calling other people dear brethren1 while the heart does not love at all4 ,it is not for nothing that ,st4 ,john says1 ,let us not love in word1 neither in tongue1 but in deed and in truth4 ,it was not without cause that ,st4 ,paul said3 ,let love be without dissimulation4 7#a ,john iii4 #ah2 ,rom4 xii4 #ai47 ,is there not an unreal humility8 ,beyond doubt there is4 ,there is a pretended lowliness of demeanour1 which often covers over a very proud heart4 ,st4 ,paul warns us against a voluntary humility1 and speaks of things which had a show of wisdom in will-worship and humility4 7,col4 ii4 #ah1 #bc47 ,is there not unreal praying8 ,beyond doubt there is4 ,our ,lord denounces it as one of the special sins of the ,pharisees--that for a pretence they made long prayers4 7,matt4 xxiii4 #ad47 ,he does not charge them with not praying1 or with praying too shortly4 ,their sin lay in this1 that their prayers were not real4 ,is there not unreal worship8 ,beyond doubt there is4 ,our ,lord says of the ,jews3 ,this people draw nigh to ,me with their mouths1 and honour ,me with their lips1 but their heart is far from ,me4 7,matt4 xv4 #h47 ,they had plenty of formal services in their temples and their synagogues4 ,but the fatal defect about them was want of reality and want of heart4 ,is there not unreal talking about religion8 ,beyond doubt there is4 ,ezekiel describes some professing ,jews who talked and spoke like ,god's people while their hearts went after their covetousness4 7,ezek4 xxxiii4 #ca47 ,st4 ,paul tells us that we may speak with the tongue of men and angels1 and yet be no better than sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal4 7#a ,cor4 xiii4 #a47 ,what shall we say to these things8 ,to say the least they ought to set us thinking4 ,to my own mind they seem to lead to only one conclusion4 ,they show clearly the immense importance which ,scripture attaches to reality in religion4 ,they show clearly what need we have to take heed lest our ,christianity turn out to be merely nominal1 formal1 unreal1 and base4 ,the subject is of deep importance in every age4 ,there has never been a time1 since the ,church of ,christ was founded1 when there has not been a vast amount of unreality and mere nominal religion among professing ,christians4 ,i am sure it is the case in the present day4 ,wherever ,i turn my eyes ,i see abundant cause for the warning1--,beware of base metal in religion4 ,be genuine4 ,be thorough4 ,be real4 ,be true4 ,how much religion among some members of the ,church of ,england consists of nothing but churchmanship6 ,they belong to the ,established ,church4 ,they are baptized at her fonts1 married at her communion rails1 buried in her churchyards1 preached to on ,sundays by her ministers4 ,but the great doctrines laid down in her ,articles and ,liturgy have no place in their hearts1 and no influence on their lives4 ,they neither think1 nor feel1 nor care1 nor know anything about them4 ,and is the religion of these people real ,christianity8 ,it is nothing of the kind4 ,it is mere base metal4 ,it is not the ,christianity of ,peter1 and ,james1 and ,john1 and ,paul4 ,it is ,churchianity1 and no more4 ,how much religion among some ,dissenters from the ,church of ,england consists of nothing but dissent6 ,they pride themselves on having nothing to do with the ,establishment4 ,they rejoice in having no liturgy1 no forms1 no bishops4 ,they glory in the exercise of their private judgment1 and the absence of everything like ceremonial in their public worship4 ,but all this time they have neither grace1 nor faith1 nor repentance1 nor holiness1 nor spirituality of conduct or conversation4 ,the experimental and practical piety of the old ,nonconformists is a thing of which they are utterly destitute4 ,their ,christianity is as sapless and fruitless as a dead tree1 and as dry and marrowless as an old bone4 ,and is the ,christianity of these people real8 ,it is nothing of the kind4 ,it is base metal4 ,it is not the ,christianity of ,owen1 and ,manton1 and ,goodwin1 and ,baxter1 and ,traill4 ,it is ,dissentianity1 and nothing more4 ,how much ,ritualistic religion is utterly unreal6 ,you will sometimes see men boiling over with zeal about vestments1 and gestures1 and postures1 and church decorations1 and daily services1 and frequent communions1 while their hearts are manifestly in the world4 ,of the inward work of the ,holy ,ghost1--of living faith in the ,lord ,jesus1--of delight in the ,bible and religious conversation1--of separation from worldly follies and amusements1--of zeal for the conversion of souls to ,god1--of all these things they are profoundly ignorant4 ,and is such ,christianity as this real8 ,it is nothing of the kind4 ,it is a mere name4 ,how much ,evangelical religion is completely unreal8 ,you will sometimes see men professing great affection for the pure ,gospel1 while they are practically inflicting on it the greatest injury4 ,they will talk loudly of soundness in the faith1 and have a keen nose for heresy4 ,they will run eagerly after popular preachers1 and applaud ,protestant speakers at public meetings to the very echo4 ,they are familiar with all the phrases of evangelical religion1 and can converse fluently about its leading doctrines4 ,to see their faces at public meetings1 or in church1 you would think them eminently godly4 ,to hear them talk you would suppose their lives were bound up in religious ,societies1 the ,record or ,rock newspapers1 and ,exeter ,hall4 ,and yet these people in private will sometimes do things of which even some heathens would be ashamed4 ,they are neither truthful1 nor straightforward1 nor honest1 nor manly1 nor just1 nor good-tempered1 nor unselfish1 nor merciful1 nor humble1 nor kind6 ,and is such ,christianity as this real8 ,it is not4 ,it is a miserable imposture1 a base cheat and caricature4 ,how much ,revivalist religion in the present day is utterly unreal6 ,you will find a crowd of false professors bringing discredit on the work of ,god wherever the ,holy ,spirit is poured out4 ,you will see a mixed multitude of ,egyptians accompanying the ,israel of ,god1 and doing it harm1 whenever ,israel goes out of ,egypt4 ,how many now-a-days will profess to be suddenly convinced of sin1--to find peace in ,jesus1--to be overwhelmed with joys and ecstacies of soul1--while in reality they have no grace at all4 ,like the stony-ground hearers1 they endure but for a season4 ,in the time of temptation they fall away4 7,luke viii4 #ac7 ,as soon as the first excitement is passed off1 they return to their old ways1 and resume their former sins4 ,their religion is like ,jonah's gourd1 which came up in a night and perished in a night4 ,they have neither root nor vitality4 ,they only injure ,god's cause and give occasion to ,god's enemies to blaspheme4 ,and is ,christianity like this real8 ,it is nothing of the kind4 ,it is base metal from the devil's mint1 and is worthless in ,god's sight4 ,i write these things with sorrow4 ,i have no desire to bring any section of the ,church of ,christ into contempt4 ,i have no wish to cast any slur on any movement which begins with the ,spirit of ,god4 ,but the times demand very plain speaking about some points in the prevailing ,christianity of our day4 ,and one point1 ,i am quite persuaded1 that demands attention1 is the abounding want of reality which is to be seen on every side4 ,no reader1 at any rate1 can well deny that the subject of the paper before him is of vast importance4 ,,ii4 ,i pass on now to the second thing which ,i propose to do4 ,i will supply some tests by which we may try the reality of our religion4 ,in approaching this part of my subject1 ,i ask every reader of this paper to deal fairly1 honestly1 and reasonably with his soul4 ,dismiss from your mind the common idea1--that of course all is right if you go to church or to chapel4 ,cast away such vain notions for ever4 ,you must look further1 higher1 deeper than this1 if you would find out the truth4 ,listen to me1 and ,i will give you a few hints4 ,believe me1 it is no light matter4 ,it is your life4 7#a7 ,for one thing1 if you would know whether your religion is real1 try it by the place which it occupies in your inner man4 ,it is not enough that it is in your head4 ,you may know the truth1 and assent to the truth1 and believe the truth1 and yet be wrong in ,god's sight4--,it is not enough that it is on your lips4 ,you may repeat the creed daily4 ,you may say ,amen to public prayer in church1 and yet have nothing more than an outward religion4--,it is not enough that it is in your feelings4 ,you may weep under preaching one day1 and be lifted to the third heaven by joyous excitement another day1 and yet be dead to ,god4--,your religion1 if it is real1 and given by the ,holy ,ghost1 must be in your heart4 ,it must occupy the citadel4 ,it must hold the reins4 ,it must sway the affections4 ,it must lead the will4 ,it must direct the tastes4 ,it must influence the choices and decisions4 ,it must fill the deepest1 lowest1 inmost seat in your soul4 ,is this your religion8 ,if not1 you may well doubt whether it is real and true4 7,acts viii4 #ba2 ,rom4 x4 #aj47 7#b7 ,in the next place1 if you would know whether your religion is real1 try it by the feelings towards sin which it produces4 ,the ,christianity which is from the ,holy ,ghost will always have a very deep view of the sinfulness of sin4 ,it will not merely regard sin as a blemish and misfortune1 which makes men and women objects of pity and compassion4 ,it will see in sin the abominable thing which ,god hates1 the thing which makes man guilty and lost in his ,maker's sight1 the thing which deserves ,god's wrath and condemnation4 ,it will look on sin as the cause of all sorrow and unhappiness1 of strife and wars1 of quarrels and contentions1 of sickness and death1--the blight which has blighted ,god's fair creation1 the cursed thing which makes the whole earth groan and travail in pain4 ,above all1 it will see in sin the thing which will ruin us eternally1 except we can find a ransom1--lead us captive1 except we can get its chains broken1--and destroy our happiness1 both here and hereafter1 except we fight against it1 even unto death4 ,is this your religion8 ,are these your feelings about sin8 ,if not1 you may well doubt whether your religion is real4 7#c7 ,for another thing1 if you would know whether your religion is real1 try it by the feelings toward ,christ which it produces4 ,nominal religion may believe that such a person as ,christ existed1 and was a great benefactor to mankind4 ,it may show ,him some external respect1 attend ,his outward ordinances1 and bow the head at ,his name4 ,but it will go no further4 ,real religion will make a man glory in ,christ1 as the ,redeemer1 the ,deliverer1 the ,priest1 the ,friend1 without whom he would have no hope at all4 ,it will produce confidence in ,him1 love towards ,him1 delight in ,him1 comfort in ,him1 as the mediator1 the food1 the light1 the life1 the peace of the soul4 ,is this your religion8 ,do you know anything of feelings like these toward ,jesus ,christ8 ,if not1 you may well doubt whether your religion is real4 7#d7 ,for another thing1 if you would know whether your religion is real1 try it by the fruit it bears in your heart and life4 ,the ,christianity which is from above will always be known by its fruits4 ,it will produce in the man who has it repentance1 faith1 hope1 charity1 humility1 spirituality1 kind temper1 self-denial1 unselfishness1 forgivingness1 temperance1 truthfulness1 brotherly-kindness1 patience1 forbearance4 ,the degree in which these various graces appear may vary in different believers4 ,the germ and seeds of them will be found in all who are the children of ,god4 ,by their fruits they may be known4 ,is this your religion8 ,if not1 you may well doubt whether it is real4 7#e7 ,in the last place1 if you would know whether your religion is real1 try it by your feelings and habits about means of grace4 ,prove it by the ,sunday4 ,is that day a season of weariness and constraint1 or a delight and a refreshment1 and a sweet foretaste of the rest to come in heaven8--,prove it by the public means of grace4 ,what are your feelings about public prayer and public praise1 about the public preaching of ,god's ,word1 and the administration of the ,lord's ,supper8 ,are they things to which you give a cold assent1 and tolerate them as proper and correct8 ,or1 are they things in which you take pleasure1 and without which you could not live happy8--,prove it1 finally1 by your feelings about private means of grace4 ,do you find it essential to your comfort to read the ,bible regularly in private1 and to speak to ,god in prayer8 ,or1 do you find these practices irksome1 and either slur them over1 or neglect them altogether8 ,these questions deserve your attention4 ,if means of grace1 whether public or private1 are not as necessary to your soul as meat and drink are to your body1 you may well doubt whether your religion is real4 ,i press on the attention of all my readers the five points which ,i have just named4 ,there is nothing like coming to particulars about these matters4 ,if you would know whether your religion is real1 genuine1 and true1 measure it by the five particulars which ,i have now named4 ,measure it fairly3 test it honestly4 ,if your heart is right in the sight of ,god1 you have no cause to flinch from examination4 ,if it is wrong1 the sooner you find it out the better4 ,and now ,i have done what ,i proposed to do4 ,i have shown from ,scripture the unspeakable importance of reality in religion1 and the danger in which many stand of being lost for ever1 for want of it4 ,i have given five plain tests1 by which a man may find out whether his ,christianity is real4 ,i will conclude all by a direct application of the whole subject to the souls of all who read this paper4 ,i will draw my bow at a venture1 and trust that ,god will bring an arrow home to the hearts and consciences of many4 7#a7 ,my first word of application shall be an inquiry4 ,is your own religion real or unreal8 genuine or base8 ,i do not ask what you think about others4 ,perhaps you may see many hypocrites around you4 ,you may be able to point to many who have no reality at all4 ,this is not the question4 ,you may be right in your opinion about others4 ,but ,i want to know about yourself4 ,is your own ,christianity real and true8 or nominal and base8 ,if you love life1 do not turn away from the question which is now before you4 ,the time must come when the whole truth will be known4 ,the judgment day will reveal every man's religion1 of what sort it is4 ,the parable of the wedding-garment will receive an awful fulfilment4 ,surely it is a thousand times better to find out now your condition1 and to repent1 than to find it out too late in the next world1 when there will be no space for repentance4 ,if you have common prudence1 sense1 and judgment1 consider what ,i say4 ,sit down quietly this day1 and examine yourself4 ,find out the real character of your religion4 ,with the ,bible in your hand1 and honesty in your heart1 the thing may be known4 ,then resolve to find out4 7#b7 ,my second word of application shall be a warning4 ,i address it to all who know1 in their own consciences1 that their religion is not real4 ,i ask them to remember the greatness of their danger1 and their exceeding guilt in the sight of ,god4 ,an unreal ,christianity is specially offensive to that ,great ,god with whom we have to do4 ,he is continually spoken of in ,scripture as the ,god of ,truth4 ,truth is peculiarly one of ,his attributes4 ,can you doubt for a moment that ,he abhors everything that is not genuine and true8 ,better1 ,i firmly believe1 to be found an ignorant heathen at the last day1 than to be found with nothing better than a nominal religion4 ,if your religion is of this sort1 beware6 ,an unreal ,christianity is sure to fail a man at last4 ,it will wear out2 it will break down2 it will leave its possessor like a wreck on a sandbank1 high and dry and forsaken by the tide2 it will supply no comfort in the hour when comfort is most needed1--in the time of affliction1 and on the bed of death4 ,if you want a religion to be of any use to your soul1 beware of unreality6 ,if you would not be comfortless in death1 and hopeless in the judgment day1 be genuine1 be real1 be true4 7#c7 ,my third word of application shall be advice4 ,i offer it to all who feel pricked in conscience by the subject of this paper4 ,i advise them to cease from all trifling and playing with religion1 and to become honest1 thorough-going1 whole-hearted followers of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,apply without delay to the ,lord ,jesus1 and ask ,him to become your ,saviour1 your ,physician1 your ,priest1 and your ,friend4 ,let not the thought of your unworthiness keep you away3 let not the recollection of your sins prevent your application4 ,never1 never forget that ,christ can cleanse you from any quantity of sins1 if you only commit your soul to ,him4 ,but one thing ,he does ask of those who come to ,him3 ,he asks them to be real1 honest1 and true4 ,let reality be one great mark of your approach to ,christ1 and there is everything to give you hope4 ,your repentance may be feeble1 but let it be real2 your faith may be weak1 but let it be real2 your desires after holiness may be mingled with much infirmity1 but let them be real4 ,let there be nothing of reserve1 of double-dealing1 of part-acting of dishonesty1 of sham1 of counterfeit1 in your ,christianity4 ,never be content to wear a cloak of religion4 ,be all that you profess4 ,though you may err1 be real4 ,though you may stumble1 be true4 ,keep this principle continually before your eyes1 and it will be well with your soul throughout your journey from grace to glory4 7#d7 ,my last word of application shall be encouragement4 ,i address it to all who have manfully taken up the cross1 and are honestly following ,christ4 ,i exhort them to persevere1 and not to be moved by difficulties and opposition4 ,you may often find few with you1 and many against you4 ,you may often hear hard things said of you4 ,you may often be told that you go too far1 and that you are extreme4 ,heed it not4 ,turn a deaf ear to remarks of this kind4 ,press on4 ,if there is anything which a man ought to do thoroughly1 really1 truly1 honestly1 and with all his heart1 it is the business of his soul4 ,if there is any work which he ought never to slur over1 and do in a slovenly fashion1 it is the great work of working out his own salvation4 7,phil4 ii4 #ab47 ,believer in ,christ1 remember this6 ,whatever you do in religion1 do it well4 ,be real4 ,be thorough4 ,be honest4 ,be true4 ,if there is anything in the world of which a man need not be ashamed1 it is the service of ,jesus ,christ4 ,of sin1 of worldliness1 of levity1 of trifling1 of time-wasting1 of pleasure-seeking1 of bad temper1 of pride1 of making an idol of money1 dress1 dancing1 hunting1 shooting1 card-playing1 novel-reading1 and the like1--of all this a man may well be ashamed4 ,living after this fashion he makes the angels sorrow1 and the devils rejoice4 ,but of living for his soul1--caring for his soul1--thinking of his soul1--providing for his soul1--making his soul's salvation the principal and chief thing in his daily life1--of all this a man has no cause to be ashamed at all4 ,believer in ,christ1 remember this6 ,remember it in your ,bible-reading and your private praying4 ,remember it on your ,sabbaths4 ,remember it in your worship of ,god4 ,in all these things never be ashamed of being whole-hearted1 real1 thorough1 and true4 ,the years of our life are fast passing away4 ,who knows but this year may be the last in his life8 ,who can tell but that he may be called this very year to meet his ,god8 ,as ever you would be found ready1 be a real and true ,christian4 ,do not be base metal4 ,the time is fast coming when nothing but reality will stand the fire4 ,real repentance towards ,god1--real faith towards our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1--real holiness of heart and life1--these1 these are the things which will alone pass current at the last day4 ,it is a solemn saying of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 ,many shall say in that day1 ,lord1 ,lord1 have we not prophesied in ,thy name1 and in ,thy name have cast out devils1 and in ,thy name done many wonderful works8 ,and then will ,i profess to them1 ,i never knew you4 ,depart from ,me1 ye that work iniquity4 7,matt4 vii4 #bb1 #bc47 ,,iv ,,prayer ,men ought always to pray4--,luke xviii4 #a4 ,i will that men pray everywhere4--#a ,tim4 ii4 #h4 ,prayer is the most important subject in practical religion4 ,all other subjects are second to it4 ,reading the ,bible1 keeping the ,sabbath1 hearing sermons1 attending public worship1 going to the ,lord's ,table1--all these are very weighty matters4 ,but none of them are so important as private prayer4 ,i propose in this paper to offer seven plain reasons why ,i use such strong language about prayer4 ,i invite to these reasons the attention of every thinking man into whose hands this paper may fall4 ,i venture to assert with confidence that they deserve serious consideration4 ,i4 ,in the first place1 ,prayer is absolutely needful to a man's salvation4 ,i say absolutely needful1 and ,i say so advisedly4 ,i am not speaking now of infants and idiots4 ,i am not settling the state of the heathen4 ,i remember that where little is given1 there little will be required4 ,i speak especially of those who call themselves ,christians1 in a land like our own4 ,and of such ,i say no man or woman can expect to be saved who does not pray4 ,i hold salvation by grace as strongly as any one4 ,i would gladly offer a free and full pardon to the greatest sinner that ever lived4 ,i would not hesitate to stand by his dying bed1 and say1 ,believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ even now1 and you shall be saved4 ,but that a man can have salvation without asking for it1 ,i cannot see in the ,bible4 ,that a man will receive pardon of his sins1 who will not so much as lift up his heart inwardly1 and say1 ,lord ,jesus1 give it to me1 this ,i cannot find4 ,i can find that nobody will be saved by his prayers1 but ,i cannot find that without prayer anybody will be saved4 ,it is not absolutely needful to salvation that a man should read the ,bible4 ,a man may have no learning1 or be blind1 and yet have ,christ in his heart4 ,it is not absolutely needful that a man should hear the public preaching of the ,gospel4 ,he may live where the ,gospel is not preached1 or he may be bedridden1 or deaf4 ,but the same thing cannot be said about prayer4 ,it is absolutely needful to salvation that a man should pray4 ,there is no royal road either to health or learning4 ,princes and kings1 poor men and peasants1 all alike must attend to the wants of their own bodies and their own minds4 ,no man can eat1 drink1 or sleep by proxy4 ,no man can get the alphabet learned for him by another4 ,all these are things which everybody must do for himself1 or they will not be done at all4 ,just as it is with the mind and body1 so it is with the soul4 ,there are certain things absolutely needful to the soul's health and well-being4 ,each one must attend to these things for himself4 ,each must repent for himself4 ,each must apply to ,christ for himself4 ,and for himself each one must speak to ,god and pray4 ,you must do it for yourself1 for by nobody else can it be done4 ,how can we expect to be saved by an unknown ,god8 ,and how can we know ,god without prayer8 ,we know nothing of men and women in this world1 unless we speak with them4 ,we cannot know ,god in ,christ1 unless we speak to ,him in prayer4 ,if we wish to be with ,him in heaven1 we must be ,his friends on earth4 ,if we wish to be ,his friends on earth1 we must pray4 ,there will be many at ,christ's right hand in the last day4 ,the saints gathered from ,north and ,south1 and ,east and ,west1 will be a multitude that no man can number4 7,rev4 vii4 #i47 ,the song of victory that will burst from their mouths1 when their redemption is at length complete1 will be a glorious song indeed4 ,it will be far above the noise of many waters1 and of mighty thunders4 ,but there will be no discord in that song4 ,they that sing will sing with one heart as well as one voice4 ,their experience will be one and the same4 ,all will have believed4 ,all will have been washed in the blood of ,christ4 ,all will have been born again4 ,all will have prayed4 ,yes1 we must pray on earth1 or we shall never praise in heaven4 ,we must go through the school of prayer1 or we shall never be fit for the holiday of praise4 ,in short1 to be prayerless is to be without ,god1--without ,christ1--without grace1--without hope1--and without heaven4 ,it is to be in the road to hell4 ,,ii4 ,in the second place1 a habit of prayer is one of the surest marks of a true ,christian4 ,all the children of ,god on earth are alike in this respect4 ,from the moment there is any life and reality about their religion1 they pray4 ,just as the first sign of life in an infant when born into the world1 is the act of breathing1 so the first act of men and women when they are born again1 is praying4 ,this is one of the common marks of all the elect of ,god3 ,they cry unto ,him day and night4 7,luke xviii4 #a47 ,the ,holy ,spirit1 who makes them new creatures1 works in them the feeling of adoption1 and makes them cry1 ,abba1 ,father4 7,rom4 viii4 #ae47 ,the ,lord ,jesus1 when ,he quickens them1 gives them a voice and a tongue1 and says to them1 ,be dumb no more4 ,god has no dumb children4 ,it is as much a part of their new nature to pray1 as it is of a child to cry4 ,they see their need of mercy and grace4 ,they feel their emptiness and weakness4 ,they cannot do otherwise than they do4 ,they must pray4 ,i have looked carefully over the lives of ,god's saints in the ,bible4 ,i cannot find one of whose history much is told us1 from ,genesis to ,revelation1 who was not a man of prayer4 ,i find it mentioned as a characteristic of the godly1 that they call on the ,father1 that they call on the name of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,i find it recorded as a characteristic of the wicked1 that they call not upon the ,lord4 7#a ,peter i4 #ag2 #a ,cor4 i4 #b2 ,psalm xiv4 #d47 ,i have read the lives of many eminent ,christians who have been on earth since the ,bible days4 ,some of them1 ,i see1 were rich1 and some poor4 ,some were learned1 and some unlearned4 ,some of them were ,episcopalians1 some ,presbyterians1 some ,baptists1 some ,independents4 ,some were ,calvinists1 and some ,arminians4 ,some have loved to use a liturgy1 and some to use none4 ,but one thing1 ,i see1 they all had in common4 ,they have all been men of prayer4 ,i study the reports of ,missionary ,societies in our own times4 ,i see with joy that heathen men and women are receiving the ,gospel in various parts of the globe4 ,there are conversions in ,africa1 in ,new ,zealand1 in ,hindostan1 in ,america4 ,the people converted are naturally unlike one another in every respect4 ,but one striking thing ,i observe at all the ,missionary stations4 ,the converted people always pray4 ,i do not deny that a man may pray without heart1 and without sincerity4 ,i do not for a moment pretend to say that the mere fact of a person praying proves everything about his soul4 ,as in every other part of religion1 so also in this1 there is plenty of deception and hypocrisy4 ,but this ,i do say1--that not praying is a clear proof that a man is not yet a true ,christian4 ,he cannot really feel his sins4 ,he cannot love ,god4 ,he cannot feel himself a debtor to ,christ4 ,he cannot long after holiness4 ,he cannot desire heaven4 ,he has yet to be born again4 ,he has yet to be made a new creature4 ,he may boast confidently of election1 grace1 faith1 hope1 and knowledge1 and deceive ignorant people4 ,but you may rest assured it is all vain talk if he does not pray4 ,and ,i say furthermore1 that of all the evidences of real work of the ,spirit1 a habit of hearty private prayer is one of the most satisfactory that can be named4 ,a man may preach from false motives4 ,a man may write books1 and make fine speeches1 and seem diligent in good works1 and yet be a ,judas ,iscariot4 ,but a man seldom goes into his closet1 and pours out his soul before ,god in secret1 unless he is in earnest4 ,the ,lord ,himself has set ,his stamp on prayer as the best proof of a true conversion4 ,when ,he1 sent ,ananias to ,saul in ,damascus1 ,he gave him no other evidence of his change of heart than this1--,behold1 he prayeth4 7,acts ix4 #aa47 ,i know that much may go on in a man's mind before he is brought to pray4 ,he may have many convictions1 desires1 wishes1 feelings1 intentions1 resolutions1 hopes1 and fears4 ,but all these things are very uncertain evidences4 ,they are to be found in ungodly people1 and often come to nothing4 ,in many a case they are not more lasting than the morning cloud1 and the dew that goeth away4 7,hos4 vi4 #d47 ,a real hearty prayer1 flowing from a broken and contrite spirit1 is worth all these things put together4 ,i know that the elect of ,god are chosen to salvation from all eternity4 ,i do not forget that the ,holy ,spirit1 who calls them in due time1 in many instances leads them by very slow degrees to acquaintance with ,christ4 ,but the eye of man can only judge by what it sees4 ,i cannot call any one justified until he believes4 ,i dare not say that any one believes until he prays4 ,i cannot understand a dumb faith4 ,the first act of faith will be to speak to ,god4 ,faith is to the soul what life is to the body4 ,prayer is to faith what breath is to life4 ,how a man can live and not breathe is past my comprehension1 and how a man can believe and not pray is past my comprehension too4 ,let no one be surprised if he hears ministers of the ,gospel dwelling much on the importance of prayer4 ,this is the point we want to bring you to1--we want to know that you pray4 ,your views of doctrine may be correct4 ,your love of ,protestantism may be warm and unmistakeable4 ,but still this may be nothing more than head knowledge and party spirit4 ,the great point is this1--whether you can speak to ,god as well as speak about ,god4 ,,iii4 ,in the third place1 there is no duty in religion so neglected as private prayer4 ,we live in days of abounding religious profession4 ,there are more places of public worship now than there ever were before4 ,there are more persons attending them than there ever have been since ,england was a nation4 ,and yet in spite of all this public religion1 ,i believe there is a vast neglect of private prayer4 ,i should not have said so a few years ago4 ,i once thought1 in my ignorance1 that most people said their prayers1 and many people prayed4 ,i have lived to think differently4 ,i have come to the conclusion that the great majority of professing ,christians do not pray at all4 ,i know this sounds very shocking1 and will startle many4 ,but ,i am satisfied that prayer is just one of those things which is thought a matter of course1 and1 like many matters of course1 is shamefully neglected4 ,it is everybody's business2 and1 as it often happens in such cases1 it is a business carried on by very few4 ,it is one of those private transactions between ,god and our souls which no eye sees1 and therefore one which there is every temptation to pass over and leave undone4 ,i believe that thousands never say a word of prayer at all4 ,they eat2 they drink2 they sleep2 they rise2 they go forth to their labour2 they return to their homes2 they breathe ,god's air2 they see ,god's sun2 they walk on ,god's earth2 they enjoy ,god's mercies2 they have dying bodies2 they have judgment and eternity before them4 ,but they never speak to ,god6 ,they live like the beasts that perish2 they behave like creatures without souls2 they have not a word to say to ,him in whose hand are their life1 and breath1 and all things1 and from whose mouth they must one day receive their everlasting sentence4 ,how dreadful this seems6 ,but if the secrets of men were only known1 how common6 ,i believe there are tens of thousands whose prayers are nothing but a mere form1--a set of words repeated by rote1 without a thought about their meaning4 ,some say over a few hasty sentences picked up in the nursery when they were children4 ,some content themselves with repeating the ,belief1 forgetting that there is not a request in it4 ,some add the ,lord's ,prayer1 but without the slightest desire that its solemn petitions may be granted4 ,some among the poor1 even at this day1 repeat the old popish lines3-- ,matthew1 ,mark1 ,luke1 and ,john1 ,bless the bed that ,i lie on4 ,many1 even of those who use good forms1 mutter their prayers over after they have got into bed1 or scramble over them while they wash or dress in the morning4 ,men may think what they please1 but they may depend that in the sight of ,god this is not praying4 ,words said without heart are as utterly useless to our souls as the drum-beating of the poor heathen before their idols4 ,where there is no heart1 there may be lip-work and tongue-work1 but there is nothing that ,god listens to1--there is no prayer4 ,saul1 ,i have no doubt1 said many a long prayer before the ,lord met him on the way to ,damascus4 ,but it was not till his heart was broken that the ,lord said1 ,he prayeth4 ,does this surprise any reader8 ,listen to me and ,i will show you that ,i am not speaking as ,i do without reason4 ,do you think that my assertions are extravagant and unwarrantable8 ,give me your attention1 and ,i will soon show you that ,i am only telling you the truth4 ,have you forgotten that it is not natural to any one to pray8 ,the carnal mind is enmity against ,god4 ,the desire of man's heart is to get far away from ,god1 and to have nothing to do with ,him4 ,his feeling toward ,him is not love but fear4 ,why then should a man pray when he has no real sense of sin1 no real feeling of spiritual wants1--no thorough belief in unseen things1--no desire after holiness and heaven8 ,of all these things the vast majority of men know and feel nothing4 ,the multitude walk in the broad way4 ,i cannot forget this4 ,therefore ,i say boldly1 ,i believe that few pray4 ,have you forgotten that it is not fashionable to pray8 ,it is just one of the things that many would be rather ashamed to own4 ,there are hundreds who would sooner storm a breach1 or lead a forlorn hope1 than confess publicly that they make a habit of prayer4 ,there are thousands who1 if obliged by chance to sleep in the same room with a stranger1 would lie down in bed without a prayer4 ,to ride well1 to shoot well1 to dress well1 to go to balls1 and concerts1 and theatres1 to be thought clever and agreeable1--all this is fashionable1 but not to pray4 ,i cannot forget this4 ,i cannot think a habit is common which so many seem ashamed to own4 ,i believe that few pray4 ,have you forgotten the lives that many live8 ,can we really suppose that people are praying against sin night and day1 when we see them plunging right into it8 ,can we suppose they pray against the world1 when they are entirely absorbed and taken up with its pursuits8 ,can we think they really ask ,god for grace to serve ,him1 when they do not show the slightest desire to serve ,him at all8 ,oh1 no6 ,it is plain as daylight that the great majority of men either ask nothing of ,god1 or do not mean what they say when they do ask1--which is just the same thing4 ,praying and sinning will never live together in the same heart4 ,prayer will consume sin1 or sin will choke prayer4 ,i cannot forget this4 ,i look at men's lives4 ,i believe that few pray4 ,have you forgotten the deaths that many die8 ,how many1 when they draw near death1 seem entirely strangers to ,god4 ,not only are they sadly ignorant of ,his ,gospel1 but sadly wanting in the power of speaking to ,him4 ,there is a terrible awkwardness1 and shyness1 and newness1 and rawness1 in their endeavours to approach ,him4 ,they seem to be taking up a fresh thing4 ,they appear as if they wanted an introduction to ,god1 and as if they had never talked with ,him before4 ,i remember having heard of a lady who was anxious to have a minister to visit her in her last illness4 ,she desired that he would pray with her4 ,he asked her what he should pray for4 ,she did not know and could not tell4 ,she was utterly unable to name any one thing which she wished him to ask ,god for her soul4 ,all she seemed to want was the form of a minister's prayers4 ,i can quite understand this4 ,death-beds are great revealers of secrets4 ,i cannot forget what ,i have seen of sick and dying people4 ,this also leads me to believe that few pray4 ,,iv4 ,in the fourth place1 prayer is that act in religion to which there is the greatest encouragement4 ,there is everything on ,god's part to make prayer easy1 if men will only attempt it4 ,all things are ready on ,his side4 7,luke xiv4 #ag47 ,every objection is anticipated4 ,every difficulty is provided for4 ,the crooked places are made straight1 and the rough places are made smooth4 ,there is no excuse left for the prayerless man4 ,there is a way by which any man1 however sinful and unworthy1 may draw near to ,god the ,father4 ,jesus ,christ has opened that way by the sacrifice ,he made for us upon the cross4 ,the holiness and justice of ,god need not frighten sinners and keep them back4 ,only let them cry to ,god in the name of ,jesus1--only let them plead the atoning blood of ,jesus1--and they shall find ,god upon a throne of grace1 willing and ready to hear4 ,the name of ,jesus is a never-failing passport to our prayers4 ,in that name a man may draw near to ,god with boldness1 and ask with confidence4 ,god has engaged to hear him4 ,think of this4 ,is not this encouragement8 ,there is an advocate and intercessor always waiting to present the prayers of those who will employ ,him4 ,that advocate is ,jesus ,christ4 ,he mingles our prayers with the incense of ,his own almighty intercession4 ,so mingled they go up as a sweet savour before the throne of ,god4 ,poor as they are in themselves1 they are mighty and powerful in the hand of our ,high ,priest and elder brother4 ,the bank-note without a signature at the bottom is nothing but a worthless piece of paper4 ,a few strokes of a pen confer on it all its value4 ,the prayer of a poor child of ,adam is a feeble thing in itself1 but once endorsed by the hand of the ,lord ,jesus it availeth much4 ,there was an officer in the city of ,rome who was appointed to have his doors always open1 in order to receive any ,roman citizen who applied to him for help4 ,just so the ear of the ,lord ,jesus is ever open to the cry of all who want mercy and grace4 ,it is ,his office to help them4 ,their prayer is ,his delight4 ,think of this4 ,is not this encouragement8 ,there is the ,holy ,spirit ever ready to help our infirmities in prayer4 ,it is one part of ,his special office to assist us in our endeavours to speak to ,god4 ,we need not be cast down and distressed by the fear of not knowing what to say4 ,the ,spirit will give us words if we will only seek ,his aid4 ,he will supply us with thoughts that breathe and words that burn4 ,the prayers of the ,lord's people are the inspiration of the ,lord's ,spirit1--the work of the ,holy ,ghost who dwells within them as the ,spirit of grace and supplications4 ,surely the ,lord's people may well hope to be heard4 ,it is not they merely that pray1 but the ,holy ,ghost pleading in them4 7,rom4 viii4 #bf47 ,think of this4 ,is not this encouragement8 ,there are exceeding great and precious promises to those who pray4 ,what did the ,lord ,jesus mean when ,he spoke such words as these1 ,ask1 and it shall be given you2 seek1 and ye shall find2 knock1 and it shall be opened unto you3 for every one that asketh receiveth2 and he that seeketh findeth2 and to him that knocketh it shall be opened4 7,matt4 vii4 #g1 #h47 ,all things1 whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing1 ye shall receive4 7,matt4 xxi4 #bb47 ,whatsoever ye shall ask in my name1 that will ,i do1 that the ,father may be glorified in the ,son4 ,if ye shall ask any thing in my name1 ,i will do it4 7,john xiv4 #ac1 #ad47 ,what did the ,lord mean when ,he spoke the parables of the friend at midnight and the importunate widow8 7,luke xi4 #e1 and xviii4 #a47 ,think over these passages4 ,if this is not encouragement to pray1 words have no meaning at all4 ,there are wonderful examples in ,scripture of the power of prayer4 ,nothing seems to be too great1 too hard1 or too difficult for prayer to do4 ,it has obtained things that seemed impossible and out of reach4 ,it has won victories over fire1 air1 earth1 and water4 ,prayer opened the ,red ,sea4 ,prayer brought water from the rock and bread from heaven4 ,prayer made the sun stand still4 ,prayer brought fire from the sky on ,elijah's sacrifice4 ,prayer turned the counsel of ,ahithophel into foolishness4 ,prayer overthrew the army of ,sennacherib4 ,well might ,mary1 ,queen of ,scots1 say1 ,i fear ,john ,knox's prayers more than an army of ten thousand men4 ,prayer has healed the sick4 ,prayer has raised the dead4 ,prayer has procured the conversion of souls4 ,the child of many prayers1 said an old ,christian to ,augustine's mother1 shall never perish4 ,prayer1 pains1 and faith can do anything4 ,nothing seems impossible when a man has the ,spirit of adoption4 ,let me alone1 is the remarkable saying of ,god to ,moses1 when ,moses was about to intercede for the children of ,israel4 7,exod4 xxxii4 #aj47 ,the ,chaldee version has it ,leave off praying4 ,so long as ,abraham asked mercy for ,sodom1 the ,lord went on giving4 ,he never ceased to give till ,abraham ceased to pray4 ,think of this4 ,is not this encouragement8 ,what more can a man want to lead him to take any step in religion than the things ,i have just told him about prayer8 ,what more could be done to make the path to the mercy-seat easy1 and to remove all occasions of stumbling from the sinner's way8 ,surely if the devils in hell had such a door set open before them they would leap for gladness1 and make the very pit ring with joy4 ,but where will the man hide his head at last who neglects such glorious encouragements8 ,what can be possibly said for the man who after all dies without prayer8 ,god forbid that any reader of this paper should be that man4 ,v4 ,in the fifth place1 diligence in prayer is the secret of eminent holiness4 ,without controversy there is a vast difference among true ,christians4 ,there is an immense interval between the foremost and the hindermost in the army of ,god4 ,they are all fighting the same good fight2--but how much more valiantly some fight than others6 ,they are all doing the ,lord's work2--but how much more some do than others6 ,they are all light in the ,lord2--but how much more brightly some shine than others6 ,they are all running the same race2--but how much faster some get on than others6 ,they all love the same ,lord and ,saviour2--but how much more some love ,him than others6 ,i ask any true ,christian whether this is not the case4 ,are not these things so8 ,there are some of the ,lord's people who seem never able to get on from the time of their conversion4 ,they are born again1 but they remain babies all their lives4 ,they are learners in ,christ's school1 but they never seem to get beyond ,a ,b ,c1 and the lowest form4 ,they have got inside the fold1 but there they lie down and get no further4 ,year after year you see in them the same old besetting sins4 ,you hear from them the same old experience4 ,you remark in them the same want of spiritual appetite1--the same squeamishness about anything but the milk of the ,word1 and the same dislike to strong meat1--the same childishness1--the same feebleness1--the same littleness of mind1--the same narrowness of heart1--the same want of interest in anything beyond their own little circle1 which you remarked ten years ago4 ,they are pilgrims indeed1 but pilgrims like the ,gibeonites of old2--their bread is always dry and mouldy1--their shoes always old and clouted1 and their garments always rent and torn4 7,josh4 ix4 #d1 #e47 ,i say this with sorrow and grief4 ,but ,i ask any real ,christian1 ,is it not true8 ,there are others of the ,lord's people who seem to be always getting on4 ,they grow like the grass after rain4 ,they increase like ,israel in ,egypt4 ,they press on like ,gideon1--though sometimes faint1 yet always pursuing4 7,judges viii4 #d47 ,they are ever adding grace to grace1 and faith to faith1 and strength to strength4 ,every time you meet them their hearts seem larger1 and their spiritual stature bigger1 taller1 and stronger4 ,every year they appear to see more1 and know more1 and believe more1 and feel more in their religion4 ,they not only have good works to prove the reality of their faith1 but they are zealous of them4 ,they not only do well1 but they are unwearied1 in well-doing4 7,titus ii4 #ad2 ,gal4 vi4 #i47 ,they attempt great things1 and they do great things4 ,when they fail they try again1 and when they fall they are soon up again4 ,and all this time they think themselves poor unprofitable servants1 and fancy they do nothing at all6--,these are those who make religion lovely and beautiful in the eyes of all4 ,they wrest praise even from the unconverted1 and win golden opinions even from the selfish men of the world4 ,these are those whom it does one good to see1 to be with1 and to hear4 ,when you meet them1 you could believe that1 like ,moses1 they had just come out from the presence of ,god4 ,when you part with them you feel warmed by their company1 as if your soul had been near a fire4 ,i know such people are rare4 ,i only ask1 ,is it not so8 ,now1 how can we account for the difference which ,i have just described8 ,what is the reason that some believers are so much brighter and holier than others8 ,i believe the difference1 in nineteen cases out of twenty1 arises from different habits about private prayer4 ,i believe that those who are not eminently holy pray little1 and those who are eminently holy pray much4 ,i daresay this opinion will startle some readers4 ,i have little doubt that many look on eminent holiness as a kind of special gift1 which none but a few must pretend to aim at4 ,they admire it at a distance1 in books3 they think it beautiful when they see an example near themselves4 ,but as to its being a thing within the reach of any but a very few1 such a notion never seems to enter their minds4 ,in short1 they consider it a kind of monopoly granted to a few favoured believers1 but certainly not to all4 ,now ,i believe that this is a most dangerous mistake4 ,i believe that spiritual1 as well as natural1 greatness1 depends far more on the use of means within everybody's reach1 than on anything else4 ,of course ,i do not say we have a right to expect a miraculous grant of intellectual gifts4 ,but this ,i do say1 that when a man is once converted to ,god1 whether he shall be eminently holy or not depends chiefly on his own diligence in the use of ,god's appointed means4 ,and ,i assert confidently1 that the principal means by which most believers have become great in the ,church of ,christ is the habit of diligent private prayer4 ,look through the lives of the brightest and best of ,god's servants1 whether in the ,bible or not4 ,see what is written of ,moses1 and ,david1 and ,daniel1 and ,paul4 ,mark what is recorded of ,luther and ,bradford1 the ,reformers4 ,observe what is related of the private devotions of ,whitfield1 and ,cecil1 and ,venn1 and ,bickersteth1 and ,m',cheyne4 ,tell me of one of all the goodly fellowship of saints and martyrs1 who has not had this mark most prominently1--he was a man of prayer4 ,oh1 depend upon it1 prayer is power6 ,prayer obtains fresh and continued outpourings of the ,spirit4 ,he alone begins the work of grace in a man's heart3 ,he alone can carry it forward and make it prosper4 ,but the good ,spirit loves to be entreated4 ,and those who ask most1 will always have most of ,his influence4 ,prayer is the surest remedy against the devil and besetting sins4 ,that sin will never stand firm which is heartily prayed against3 that devil will never long keep dominion over us which we beseech the ,lord to cast forth4 ,but1 then1 we must spread out all our case before our ,heavenly ,physician1 if ,he is to give us daily relief3 we must drag our indwelling devils to the feet of ,christ1 and cry to ,him to send them back to the pit4 ,do we wish to grow in grace and be very holy ,christians8 ,then let us never forget the value of prayer4 ,,vi4 ,in the sixth place1 neglect of prayer is one great cause of backsliding4 ,there is such a thing as going back in religion1 after making a good profession4 ,men may run well for a season1 like the ,galatians1 and then turn aside after false teachers4 ,men may profess loudly1 while their feelings are warm1 as ,peter did2 and then1 in the hour of trial1 deny their ,lord4 ,men may lose their first love1 as the ,ephesians did4 ,men may cool down in their zeal to do good1 like ,mark1 the companion of ,paul4 ,men may follow an apostle for a season1 and then1 like ,demas1 go back to the world4--,all these things men may do4 ,it is a miserable thing to be a backslider4 ,of all unhappy things that can befall a man1 ,i suppose it is the worst4 ,a stranded ship1 a broken-winged eagle1 a garden overrun with weeds1 a harp without strings1 a church in ruins1--all these are sad sights2 but a backslider is a sadder sight still4 ,that true grace shall never be extinguished1 and true union with ,christ never be broken off1 ,i feel no doubt4 ,but ,i do believe that a man may fall away so far that he shall lose sight of his own grace1 and despair of his own salvation4 ,and if this is not hell1 it is certainly the next thing to it6 ,a wounded conscience1 a mind sick of itself1 a memory full of self-reproach1 a heart pierced through with the ,lord's arrows1 a spirit broken with a load of inward accusation1--all this is a taste of hell4 ,it is a hell on earth4 ,truly that saying of the wise man is solemn and weighty1--,the backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways4 7,prov4 xiv4 #ad47 ,now1 what is the cause of most backsliding8 ,i believe1 as a general rule1 one of the chief causes is neglect of private prayer4 ,of course the secret history of falls will not be known till the last day4 ,i can only give my opinion as a minister of ,christ and a student of the heart4 ,that opinion is1 ,i repeat distinctly1 that backsliding generally first begins with neglect of private prayer4 ,bibles read without prayer1 sermons heard without prayer1 marriages contracted without prayer1 journeys undertaken without prayer1 residences chosen without prayer1 friendships formed without prayer1 the daily act of private prayer itself hurried over or gone through without heart1--these are the kind of downward steps by which many a ,christian descends to a condition of spiritual palsy1 or reaches the point where ,god allows him to have a tremendous fall4 ,this is the process which forms the lingering ,lots1 the unstable ,samsons1 the wife-idolizing ,solomons1 the inconsistent ,asas1 the pliable ,jehoshaphats1 the over-careful ,marthas1 of whom so many are to be found in the ,church of ,christ4 ,often the simple history of such cases is this1--they became careless about private prayer4 ,we may be very sure that men fall in private long before they fall in public4 ,they are backsliders on their knees long before they backslide openly in the eyes of the world4 ,like ,peter1 they first disregard the ,lord's warning to watch and pray2 and then1 like ,peter1 their strength is gone1 and in the hour of temptation they deny their ,lord4 ,the world takes notice of their fall1 and scoffs loudly4 ,but the world knows nothing of the real reason4 ,the heathen succeeded in making ,origen1 the old ,christian ,father1 offer incense to an idol1 by threatening him with a punishment worse than death4 ,they then triumphed greatly at the sight of his cowardice and apostacy4 ,but the heathen did not know the fact1 which ,origen himself tells us1 that on that very morning he had left his bedchamber hastily1 and without finishing his usual prayers4 ,if any reader of this paper is a ,christian indeed ,i trust he will never be a backslider4 ,but if you do not wish to be a backsliding ,christian1 remember the hint ,i give you1--,mind your prayers4 ,,vii4 ,in the seventh place1 prayer is one of the best receipts for happiness and contentment4 ,we live in a world where sorrow abounds4 ,this has always been its state since sin came in4 ,there cannot be sin without sorrow4 ,and till sin is driven out from the world it is vain for any one to suppose he can escape sorrow4 ,some1 without doubt1 have a larger cup of sorrow to drink than others4 ,but few are to be found who live long without sorrows or cares of one sort or another4 ,our bodies1 our property1 our families1 our children1 our relations1 our servants1 our friends1 our neighbours1 our worldly callings1--each and all of these are fountains of care4 ,sicknesses1 deaths1 losses1 disappointments1 partings1 separations1 ingratitude1 slander1--all these are common things4 ,we cannot get through life without them4 ,some day or other they find us out4 ,the greater are our affections1 the deeper are our afflictions2 and the more we love1 the more we have to weep4 ,and what is the best receipt for cheerfulness in such a world as this8 ,how shall we get through this valley of tears with least pain8 ,i know no better receipt than the habit of taking everything to ,god in prayer4 ,this is the plain advice that the ,bible gives1 both in the ,old ,testament and the ,new4 ,what says the ,psalmist8 ,call upon ,me in the day of trouble3 ,i will deliver thee1 and thou shalt glorify ,me4 7,psalm l4 #ae47 ,cast thy burden upon the ,lord1 and ,he shall sustain thee3 ,he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved4 7,psalm lv4 #bb47 ,what says the ,apostle ,paul8 ,be careful for nothing2 but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto ,god4 ,and the peace of ,god1 which passeth all understanding1 shall keep your hearts and minds through ,christ ,jesus4 7,phil4 iv4 #f1 #g47 ,what says the ,apostle ,james8 ,is any afflicted among you8 let him pray4 7,james v4 #ac47 ,this was the practice of all the saints whose history we have recorded in the ,scriptures4 ,this is what ,jacob did1 when he feared his brother ,esau4 ,this is what ,moses did1 when the people were ready to stone him in the wilderness4 ,this is what ,joshua did1 when ,israel was defeated before ,ai4 ,this is what ,david did1 when he was in danger at ,keliah4 ,this is what ,hezekiah did1 when he received the letter from ,sennacherib4 ,this is what the ,church did1 when ,peter was put in prison4 ,this is what ,paul did1 when he was cast into the dungeon at ,philippi4 ,the only way to be really happy1 in such a world as this is to be ever casting all our cares on ,god4 ,it is the trying to carry their own burdens which so often makes believers sad4 ,if they will only tell their troubles to ,god ,he will enable them to bear them as easily as ,samson did the gates of ,gaza4 ,if they are resolved to keep them to themselves they will find one day that the very grasshopper is a burden4 7,eccles4 xii4 #e47 ,there is a friend ever waiting to help us1 if we will only unbosom to ,him our sorrow1--a friend who pitied the poor1 and sick1 and sorrowful1 when ,he was upon earth1--a friend who knows the heart of a man1 for ,he lived thirty-three years as a man amongst us1--a friend who can weep with the weepers1 for ,he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief1--a friend who is able to help us1 for there never was earthly pain ,he could not cure4 ,that friend is ,jesus ,christ4 ,the way to be happy is to be always opening our hearts to ,him4 ,oh1 that we were all like that poor ,christian negro1 who only answered1 when threatened and punished1 ,i must tell the ,lord4 ,jesus can make those happy who trust ,him and call on ,him1 whatever be their outward condition4 ,he can give them peace of heart in a prison1--contentment in the midst of poverty1--comfort in the midst of bereavements1--joy on the brink of the grave4 ,there is a mighty fulness in ,him for all ,his believing members1--a fulness that is ready to be poured out on every one who will ask in prayer4 ,oh1 that men would understand that happiness does not depend on outward circumstances1 but on the state of the heart6 ,prayer can lighten crosses for us however heavy4 ,it can bring down to our side ,one who will help us to bear them4--,prayer can open a door for us when our way seems hedged up4 ,it can bring down ,one who will say1 ,this is the way1 walk in it4--,prayer can let in a ray of hope1 when all our earthly prospects seem darkened4 ,it can bring down ,one who will say1 ,i will never leave thee nor forsake thee4--,prayer can obtain relief for us when those we love most are taken away1 and the world feels empty4 ,it can bring down ,one who can fill the gap in our hearts with ,himself1 and say to the waves within1 ,peace3 be still6 ,oh1 that men were not so like ,hagar in the wilderness1 blind to the well of living waters close beside them6 7,gen4 xxi4 #ai47 ,i want the readers of this paper to be really happy ,christians4 ,i am certain ,i cannot urge on them a more important duty than prayer4 ,and now it is high time for me to bring this paper to an end4 ,i trust ,i have brought before my readers things that will be seriously considered4 ,i heartily pray ,god that this consideration may be blessed to their souls4 7#a7 ,let me speak a parting word to those who do not pray4 ,i dare not suppose that all who read these pages will be praying people4 ,if you are a prayerless person1 suffer me to speak to you this day on ,god's behalf4 ,prayerless friend1 ,i can only warn you2 but ,i do warn you most solemnly4 ,i warn you that you are in a position of fearful danger4 ,if you die in your present state you are a lost soul4 ,you will only rise again to be eternally miserable4 ,i warn you that of all professing ,christians you are most utterly without excuse4 ,there is not a single good reason that you can show for living without prayer4 ,it is useless to say you know not how to pray4 ,prayer is the simplest act in all religion4 ,it is simply speaking to ,god4 ,it needs neither learning1 nor wisdom1 nor book-knowledge to begin it4 ,it needs nothing but heart and will4 ,the weakest infant can cry when he is hungry4 ,the poorest beggar can hold out his hand for an alms1 and does not wait to find fine words4 ,the most ignorant man will find something to say to ,god1 if he has only a mind4 ,it is useless to say you have no convenient place to pray in4 ,any man can find a place private enough1 if he is disposed4 ,our ,lord prayed on a mountain2 ,peter on the house-top2 ,isaac in the field2 ,nathanael under the fig-tree2 ,jonah in the whale's belly4 ,any place may become a closet1 an oratory1 and a ,bethel1 and be to us the presence of ,god4 ,it is useless to say you have no time4 ,there is plenty of time1 if men will only employ it4 ,time may be short1 but time is always long enough for prayer4 ,daniel had all the affairs of a kingdom on his hands1 and yet he prayed three times a day4 ,david was ruler over a mighty nation1 and yet he says1 ,evening and morning and at noon will ,i pray4 7,psalm lv4 #ag47 ,when time is really wanted1 time can always be found4 ,it is useless to say you cannot pray till you have faith and a new heart1 and that you must sit still and wait for them4 ,this is to add sin to sin4 ,it is bad enough to be unconverted and going to hell4 ,it is even worse to say1 ,i know it1 but ,i will not cry for mercy4 ,this is a kind of argument for which there is no warrant in ,scripture4 ,call ye upon the ,lord1 saith ,isaiah1 while ,he is near4 7,isaiah lv4 #f47 ,take with you words1 and come unto the ,lord1 says ,hosea4 7,hosea xiv4 #a47 ,repent and pray1 says ,peter to ,simon ,magus4 7,acts viii4 #bb47 ,if you want faith and a new heart1 go and cry to the ,lord for them4 ,the very attempt to pray has often been the quickening of a dead soul4 ,alas1 there is no devil so dangerous as a dumb devil4 ,oh1 prayerless man1 who and what are you that you will not ask anything of ,god8 ,have you made a covenant with death and hell8 ,are you at peace with the worm and the fire8 ,have you no sins to be pardoned8 ,have you no fear of eternal torment8 ,have you no desire after heaven8 ,oh1 that you would awake from your present folly6 ,oh1 that you would consider your latter end6 ,oh1 that you would arise and call upon ,god6 ,alas1 there is a day coming when men shall pray loudly1 ,lord1 ,lord1 open to us1 but all too late2--when many shall cry to the rocks to fall on them1 and the hills to cover them1 who would never cry to ,god4 ,in all affection ,i warn you4 ,beware lest this be the end of your soul4 ,salvation is very near you4 ,do not lose heaven for want of asking4 7#b7 ,let me speak in the next place to those who have real desires for salvation1 but know not what steps to take or where to begin4 ,i cannot but hope that some readers may be in this state of mind1 and if there be but one such ,i must offer him encouragement and advice4 ,in every journey there must be a first step4 ,there must be a change from sitting still to moving forward4 ,the journeyings of ,israel from ,egypt to ,canaan were long and wearisome4 ,forty years passed away before they crossed ,jordan4 ,yet there was someone who moved first when they marched from ,rameses to ,succoth4 ,when does a man really take his first step in coming out from sin and the world8 ,he does it in the day when he first prays with his heart4 ,in every building the first stone must be laid1 and the first blow must be struck4 ,the ark was #abj years in building4 ,yet there was a day when ,noah laid his axe to the first tree he cut down to form it4 ,the temple of ,solomon was a glorious building4 ,but there was a day when the first huge stone was laid at the foot of ,mount ,moriah4 ,when does the building of the ,spirit really begin to appear in a man's heart8 ,it begins1 so far as we can judge1 when he first pours out his heart to ,god in prayer4 ,if any reader of this paper desires salvation1 and wants to know what to do1 ,i advise him to go this very day to the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 in the first private place he can find1 and entreat ,him in prayer to save his soul4 ,tell ,him that you have heard that ,he receives sinners1 and has said1 ,him that cometh unto ,me ,i will in nowise cast out4 7,john vi4 #cg47 ,tell ,him that you are a poor vile sinner1 and that you come to ,him on the faith of ,his own invitation4 ,tell ,him you put yourself wholly and entirely in ,his hands1--that you feel vile and helpless1 and hopeless in yourself1--and that except ,he saves you1 you have no hope to be saved at all4 ,beseech ,him to deliver you from the guilt1 the power1 and the consequences of sin4 ,beseech ,him to pardon you and wash you in ,his own blood4 ,beseech ,him to give you a new heart1 and plant the ,holy ,spirit in your soul4 ,beseech ,him to give you grace1 and faith1 and will1 and power to be ,his disciple and servant from this day for ever4 ,yes3 go this very day1 and tell these things to the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 if you really are in earnest about your soul4 ,tell ,him in your own way and your own words4 ,if a doctor came to see you when sick you could tell him where you felt pain4 ,if your soul really feels its disease you can surely find something to tell ,christ4 ,doubt not ,his willingness to save you1 because you are a sinner4 ,it is ,christ's office to save sinners4 ,he says ,himself1 ,i came not to call the righteous1 but sinners to repentance4 7,luke v4 #cb47 ,wait not1 because you feel unworthy4 ,wait for nothing3 wait for nobody4 ,waiting comes from the devil4 ,just as you are1 go to ,christ4 ,the worse you are1 the more need you have to apply to ,him4 ,you will never mend yourself by staying away4 ,fear not because your prayer is stammering1 your words feeble1 and your language poor4 ,jesus can understand you4 ,just as a mother understands the first babblings of her infant1 so does the blessed ,saviour understand sinners4 ,he can read a sigh1 and see a meaning in a groan4 ,despair not1 because you do not get an answer immediately4 ,while you are speaking1 ,jesus is listening4 ,if ,he delays an answer1 it is only for wise reasons1 and to try if you are in earnest4 ,pray on1 and the answer will surely come4 ,though it tarry1 wait for it3 it will surely come at last4 ,if you have any desire to be saved1 remember the advice ,i have given you this day4 ,act upon it honestly and heartily1 and you shall be saved4 7#c7 ,let me speak1 lastly1 to those who do pray4 ,i trust that some who read this paper know well what prayer is1 and have the ,spirit of adoption4 ,to all such ,i offer a few words of brotherly counsel and exhortation4 ,the incense offered in the tabernacle was ordered to be made in a particular way4 ,not every kind of incense would do4 ,let us remember this1 and be careful about the matter and manner of our prayers4 ,if ,i know anything of a ,christian's heart1 you to whom ,i now speak are often sick of your own prayers4 ,you never enter into the ,apostle's words1 ,when ,i would do good1 evil is present with me 7,rom4 vii4 #ba71 so thoroughly as you sometimes do upon your knees4 ,you can understand ,david's words1 ,i hate vain thoughts4 ,you can sympathize with that poor converted ,hottentot1 who was overheard praying1 ,lord1 deliver me from all my enemies2 and1 above all1 from that bad man myself6--,there are few children of ,god who do not often find the season of prayer a season of conflict4 ,the devil has special wrath against us when he sees us on our knees4 ,yet ,i believe that prayers which cost us no trouble should be regarded with great suspicion4 ,i believe we are very poor judges of the goodness of our prayers1 and that the prayer which pleases us least often pleases ,god most4 ,suffer me then1 as a companion in the ,christian warfare1 to offer you a few words of exhortation4 ,one thing1 at least1 we all feel1--we must pray4 ,we cannot give it up3 we must go on4 7a7 ,i commend1 then1 to your attention the importance of reverence and humility in prayer4 ,let us never forget what we are1 and what a solemn thing it is to speak with ,god4 ,let us beware of rushing into ,his presence with carelessness and levity4 ,let us say to ourselves1 ,i am on holy ground4 ,this is no other than the gate of heaven4 ,if ,i do not mean what ,i say1 ,i am trifling with ,god4 ,if ,i regard iniquity in my heart1 the ,lord will not hear me4 ,let us keep in mind the words of ,solomon3 ,be not rash with thy mouth1 and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before ,god2 for ,god is in heaven1 and thou on earth4 7,eccles4 v4 #b47 ,when ,abraham spoke to ,god1 he said1 ,i am dust and ashes4 ,when ,job spoke1 he said1 ,i am vile4 7,gen4 xviii4 #bg2 ,job xl4 #d47 ,let us do likewise4 7b7 ,i commend to you1 in the next place1 the importance of praying spiritually4 ,i mean by this that we should labour always to have the direct help of the ,spirit in our prayers1 and beware above all things of formality4 ,there is nothing so spiritual but that it may become a form1 and this is specially true of private prayer4 ,we may insensibly get into the habit of using the fittest possible words1 and offering the most ,scriptural petitions2 and yet we may do it all by rote1 without feeling it1 and walk daily round an old beaten path1 like a horse in a mill4 ,i desire to touch this point with caution and delicacy4 ,i know that there are certain great things we daily want1 and that there is nothing necessarily formal in asking for these things in the same words4 ,the world1 the devil1 and our hearts1 are daily the same4 ,of necessity we must daily go over old ground4 ,but this ,i say1--we must be very careful on this point4 ,if the skeleton and outline of our prayers be by habit almost a form1 let us strive that the clothing and filling up of our prayers be as far as possible of the ,spirit4 ,as to praying out of a book1 it is a habit ,i cannot praise4 ,if we can tell our doctors the state of our bodies without a book1 we ought to be able to tell the state of our souls to ,god4 ,i have no objection to a man using crutches1 when he is first recovering from a broken limb4 ,it is better to use crutches than not to walk at all4 ,but if ,i saw him all his life on crutches1 ,i should not think it matter for congratulation4 ,i should like to see him strong enough to throw his crutches away4 7c7 ,i commend to you1 in the next place1 the importance of making prayer a regular business of life4 ,i might say something of the value of regular times in the day for prayer4 ,god is a ,god of order4 ,the hours for morning and evening sacrifice in the ,jewish temple were not fixed as they were without a meaning4 ,disorder is eminently one of the fruits of sin4 ,but ,i would not bring any under bondage4 ,this only ,i say1 that it is essential to your soul's health to make praying a part of the business of every twenty-four hours in your life4 ,just as you allot time to eating1 sleeping1 and business1 so also allot time to prayer4 ,choose your own hours and seasons4 ,at the very least1 speak with ,god in the morning1 before you speak with the world2 and speak with ,god at night1 after you have done with the world4 ,but settle it down in your minds that prayer is one of the great things of every day4 ,do not drive it into a corner4 ,do not give it the scraps1 and leavings1 and parings of your day4 ,whatever else you make a business of1 make a business of prayer4 7d7 ,i commend to you1 in the next place1 the importance of perseverance in prayer4 ,once having begun the habit1 never give it up4 ,your heart will sometimes say1 ,we have had family prayers2 what mighty harm if we leave private prayer undone8--,your body will sometimes say1 ,you are unwell1 or sleepy1 or weary2 you need not pray4--,your mind will sometimes say1 ,you have important business to attend to to-day2 cut short your prayers4 ,look on all such suggestions as coming direct from the devil4 ,they are all as good as saying1 ,neglect your soul4 ,i do not maintain that prayers should always be of the same length2--but ,i do say1 let no excuse make you give up prayer4 ,it is not for nothing that ,paul said1 ,continue in prayer1 and ,pray without ceasing4 7,colos4 iv4 #b2 #a ,thess4 v4 #g47 ,he did not mean that men should be always on their knees1 as an old sect1 called the ,euchitae1 supposed4 ,but he did mean that our prayers should be like the continual burnt offering1--a thing steadily persevered in every day2--that it should be like seed-time and harvest1 and summer and winter1--a thing that should unceasingly come round at regular seasons2--that it should be like the fire on the altar1 not always consuming sacrifices1 but never completely going out4 ,never forget that you may tie together morning and evening devotions by an endless chain of short ejaculatory prayers throughout the day4 ,even in company1 or business1 or in the very streets1 you may be silently sending up little winged messengers to ,god1 as ,nehemiah did in the very presence of ,artaxerxes4 7,neh4 ii4 #d47 ,and never think that time is wasted which is given to ,god4 ,a nation does not become poorer because it loses one year of working days in seven by keeping the ,sabbath4 ,a ,christian never finds he is a loser in the long run by persevering in prayer4 7e7 ,i commend to you1 in the next place1 the importance of earnestness in prayer4 ,it is not necessary that a man should shout1 or scream1 or be very loud1 in order to prove that he is in earnest4 ,but it is desirable that we should be hearty1 and fervent1 and warm1 and ask as if we were really interested in what we were doing4 ,it is the effectual fervent prayer that availeth much1 and not the cold1 sleepy1 lazy1 listless one4 ,this is the lesson that is taught us by the expressions used in ,scripture about prayer4 ,it is called1 crying1 knocking1 wrestling1 labouring1 striving4 ,this is the lesson taught us by ,scripture examples4 ,jacob is one4 ,he said to the angel at ,penuel1 ,i will not let thee go1 except thou bless me4 7,gen4 xxxii4 #bf47 ,daniel is another4 ,hear how he pleaded with ,god3 ,o ,lord1 hear2 ,o ,lord1 forgive2 ,o ,lord1 hearken and do2 defer not1 for thine own sake1 ,o my ,god4 7,dan4 ix4 #ai47 ,our ,lord ,jesus ,christ is another4 ,it is written of ,him1 ,in the days of ,his flesh ,he offered up prayer and supplication1 with strong crying and tears4 7,heb4 v4 #g47 ,alas1 how unlike is this to many of our supplications6 ,how tame and lukewarm they seem by comparison6 ,how truly might ,god say to many of us1 ,you do not really want what you pray for6 ,let us try to amend this fault4 ,let us knock loudly at the door of grace1 like ,mercy in ,pilgrim's ,progress1 as if we must perish unless heard4 ,let us settle it down in our minds1 that cold prayers are a sacrifice without fire4 ,let us remember the story of ,demosthenes1 the great orator1 when one came to him1 and wanted him to plead his cause4 ,he heard him without attention1 while he told his story without earnestness4 ,the man saw this1 and cried out with anxiety that it was all true4 ,ah6 said ,demosthenes1 ,i believe you now4 7f7 ,i commend to you1 in the next place1 the importance of praying with faith4 ,we should endeavour to believe that our prayers are always heard1 and that if we ask things according to ,god's will1 we shall always be answered4 ,this is the plain command of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ3 ,whatsoever things ye desire1 when ye pray1 believe that ye receive them1 and ye shall have them4 7,mark xi4 #bd74 ,faith is to prayer what the feather is to the arrow3 without it prayer will not hit the mark4 ,we should cultivate the habit of pleading promises in our prayers4 ,we should take with us some promise1 and say1 ,lord1 here is ,thine own word pledged4 ,do for us as ,thou hast said4 7#b ,sam4 vii4 #be47 ,this was the habit of ,jacob1 and ,moses1 and ,david4 ,the #aaith ,psalm is full of things asked1 according to ,thy word4 ,above all1 we should cultivate the habit of expecting answers to our prayers4 ,we should do like the merchant who sends his ships to sea4 ,we should not be satisfied unless we see some return4 ,alas1 there are few points on which ,christians come short so much as this4 ,the ,church at ,jerusalem made prayer without ceasing for ,peter in prison2 but when the prayer was answered1 they would hardly believe it4 7,acts xii4 #ae47 ,it is a solemn saying of old ,traill's1 ,there is no surer mark of trifling in prayer1 than when men are careless what they get by prayer4 7g7 ,i commend to you1 in the next place1 the importance of boldness in prayer4 ,there is an unseemly familiarity in some men's prayers1 which ,i cannot praise4 ,but there is such a thing as a holy boldness1 which is exceedingly to be desired4 ,i mean such boldness as that of ,moses1 when he pleads with ,god not to destroy ,israel3 ,wherefore1 says he1 should the ,egyptians speak and say1 ,for mischief did ,he bring them out1 to slay them in the mountains8 ,turn from ,thy fierce anger4 7,exod4 xxxii4 #ab47 ,i mean such boldness as that of ,joshua1 when the children of ,israel were defeated before ,ai3 ,what1 says he1 wilt ,thou do unto ,thy great name8 7,josh4 vii4 #i47 ,this is the boldness for which ,luther was remarkable4 ,one who heard him praying said1 ,what a spirit1--what a confidence was in his very expressions6 ,with such a reverence he sued1 as one begging of ,god1 and yet with such hope and assurance1 as if he spake with a loving father or friend4 ,this is the boldness which distinguished ,bruce1 a great ,scotch divine of the #agth century4 ,his prayers were said to be like bolts shot up into heaven4 ,here also ,i fear we sadly come short4 ,we do not sufficiently realize the believer's privileges4 ,we do not plead as often as we might1 ,lord1 are we not ,thine own people8 ,is it not for ,thy glory that we should be sanctified8 ,is it not for ,thine honour that thy ,gospel should increase8 7h7 ,i commend to you1 in the next place1 the importance of fulness in prayer4 ,i do not forget that our ,lord warns us against the example of the ,pharisees1 who for pretence made long prayers1 and commands us1 when we pray1 not to use vain repetitions4 ,but ,i cannot forget1 on the other hand1 that ,he has given ,his own sanction to large and long devotions1 by continuing all night in prayer to ,god4 ,at all events we are not likely in this day to err on the side of praying too much4 ,might it not rather be feared that many believers in this generation pray too little8 ,is not the actual amount of time that many ,christians give to prayer in the aggregate very small8 ,i am afraid these questions cannot be answered satisfactorily4 ,i am afraid the private devotions of many are most painfully scanty and limited1--just enough to prove they are alive1 and no more4 ,they really seem to want little from ,god4 ,they seem to have little to confess1 little to ask for1 and little to thank ,him for4 ,alas1 this is altogether wrong6 ,nothing is more common than to hear believers complaining that they do not get on4 ,they tell us that they do not grow in grace1 as they could desire4 ,is it not rather to be suspected that many have quite as much grace as they ask for8 ,is it not the true account of many1 that they have little1 because they ask little8 ,the cause of their weakness is to be found in their own stunted1 dwarfish1 clipped1 contracted1 hurried1 little1 narrow1 diminutive prayers4 ,they have not because they ask not4 ,oh1 reader1 we are not straitened in ,christ1 but in ourselves4 ,the ,lord says1 ,open thy mouth wide1 and ,i will fill it4 ,but we are like the king of ,israel who smote on the ground thrice and stayed1 when he ought to have smitten five or six times4 7,psalm lxxxi4 #aj2 #b ,kings xiii4 #ah1 #ai47 7i7 ,i commend to you1 in the next place1 the importance of particularity in prayer4 ,we ought not to be content with great general petitions4 ,we ought to specify our wants before the throne of grace4 ,it should not be enough to confess we are sinners4 ,we should name the sins of which our conscience tells us we are most guilty4 ,it should not be enough to ask for holiness4 ,we should name the graces in which we feel most deficient4 ,it should not be enough to tell the ,lord we are in trouble4 ,we should describe our trouble and all its peculiarities4 ,this is what ,jacob did1 when he feared his brother ,esau4 ,he tells ,god exactly what it is that he fears4 7,gen4 xxxii4 #aa47 ,this is what ,eliezer did1 when he sought a wife for his master's son4 ,he spreads before ,god precisely what he wants4 7,gen4 xxiv4 #ab47 ,this is what ,paul did1 when he had a thorn in the flesh4 ,he besought the ,lord4 7#b ,cor4 xii4 #h47 ,this is true faith and confidence4 ,we should believe that nothing is too small to be named before ,god4 ,what should we think of the patient who told his doctor he was ill1 but never went into particulars8 ,what should we think of the wife who told her husband she was unhappy1 but did not specify the cause8 ,what should we think of the child who told his father he was in trouble1 but nothing more8 ,let us never forget that ,christ is the true bridegroom of the soul1--the true physician of the heart1--the real father of all ,his people4 ,let us show that we feel this1 by being unreserved in our communications with ,him4 ,let us hide no secrets from ,him4 ,let us tell ,him all our hearts4 7j7 ,i commend to you1 in the next place1 the importance of intercession in our prayers4 ,we are all selfish by nature1 and our selfishness is very apt to stick to us1 even when we are converted4 ,there is a tendency in us to think only of our own souls1--our own spiritual conflict1--our own progress in religion1 and to forget others4 ,against this tendency we have all need to watch and strive1 and not least in our prayers4 ,we should study to be of a public spirit4 ,we should stir ourselves up to name other names beside our own before the throne of grace4 ,we should try to bear in our hearts the whole world1--the heathen1--the ,jews1--the ,roman ,catholics1--the body of true believers1--the professing ,protestant ,churches1--the country in which we live1--the congregation to which we belong1--the household in which we sojourn1--the friends and relations we are connected with4 ,for each and all of these we should plead4 ,this is the highest charity4 ,he loves me best who loves me in his prayers4 ,this is for our soul's health4 ,it enlarges our sympathies and expands our hearts4 ,this is for the benefit of the ,church4 ,the wheels of all machinery for extending the ,gospel are oiled by prayer4 ,they do as much for the ,lord's cause who intercede like ,moses on the mount1 as they do who fight like ,joshua in the thick of the battle4 ,this is to be like ,christ4 ,he bears the names of ,his people on ,his breast and shoulders as their ,high ,priest before the ,father4 ,oh1 the privilege of being like ,jesus6 ,this is to be a true helper to ministers4 ,if ,i must needs choose a congregation1 give me a people that prays4 7k7 ,i commend to you1 in the next place1 the importance of thankfulness in prayer4 ,i know well that asking ,god is one thing1 and praising ,god is another4 ,but ,i see so close a connection between prayer and praise in the ,bible1 that ,i dare not call that true prayer in which thankfulness has no part4 ,it is not for nothing that ,paul says1 ,by prayer and supplication1 with thanksgiving1 let your request be made known unto ,god4 7,phil4 iv4 #f47 ,continue in prayer1 and watch in the same with thanksgiving4 7,coloss4 iv4 #b47 ,it is of mercy that we are not in hell4 ,it is of mercy that we have the hope of heaven4 ,it is of mercy that we live in a land of spiritual light4 ,it is of mercy that we have been called by the ,spirit1 and not left to reap the fruit of our own ways4 ,it is of mercy that we still live1 and have opportunities of glorifying ,god actively or passively4 ,surely1 these thoughts should crowd on our minds whenever we speak with ,god4 ,surely1 we should never open our lips in prayer without blessing ,god for that free grace by which we live1 and for that loving-kindness which endureth for ever4 ,never was there an eminent saint who was not full of thankfulness4 ,st4 ,paul hardly ever writes an ,epistle without beginning with thankfulness4 ,men like ,whitfield in the last century1 and ,bickersteth1 and ,marsh1 and ,haldane ,stewart1 in our own time1 were ever running over with thankfulness4 ,oh1 if we would be bright and shining lights in our day1 we must cherish a spirit of praise6 ,and above all1 let our prayers be thankful prayers4 7l7 ,i commend to you1 in the last place1 the importance of watchfulness over your prayers4 ,prayer is that point of all others in religion at which you must be on your guard4 ,here it is that true religion begins3 here it flourishes1 and here it decays4 ,tell me what a man's prayers are1 and ,i will soon tell you the state of his soul4 ,prayer is the spiritual pulse3 by this the spiritual health may always be tested4 ,prayer is the spiritual weather-glass3 by this we may always know whether it is fair or foul with our hearts4 ,oh1 let us keep an eye continually upon our private devotions6 ,here is the pith1 and marrow1 and backbone of our practical ,christianity4 ,sermons1 and books1 and tracts1 and committee meetings1 and the company of good men1 are all good in their way2 but they will never make up for the neglect of private prayer4 ,mark well the places1 and society1 and companions1 that unhinge your hearts for communion with ,god1 and make your prayers drive heavily4 ,there be on your guard4 ,observe narrowly what friends and what employments leave your soul in the most spiritual frame1 and most ready to speak with ,god4 ,to these cleave and stick fast4 ,if you will only take care of your prayers1 ,i will engage that nothing shall go very wrong with your soul4 ,i offer these points for private consideration4 ,i do it in all humility4 ,i know no one who needs to be reminded of them more than ,i do myself4 ,but ,i believe them to be ,god's own truth1 and ,i should like myself and all ,i love to feel them more4 ,i want the times we live in to be praying times4 ,i want the ,christians of our day to be praying ,christians4 ,i want the ,church of our age to be a praying ,church4 ,my heart's desire and prayer in sending forth this paper is to promote a spirit of prayerfulness4 ,i want those who never prayed yet1 to arise and call upon ,god2 and ,i want those who do pray1 to improve their prayers every year1 and to see that they are not getting slack1 and praying amiss4 ,v ,,bible-,,reading ,search the ,scriptures4--,john v4 #ci4 ,how readest thou8--,luke x4 #bf4 ,next to praying there is nothing so important in practical religion as ,bible-reading4 ,god has mercifully given us a book which is able to make us wise unto salvation through faith which is in ,christ ,jesus4 7#b ,tim4 iii4 #ae47 ,by reading that book we may learn what to believe1 what to be1 and what to do2 how to live with comfort1 and how to die in peace4 ,happy is that man who possesses a ,bible6 ,happier still is he who reads it6 ,happiest of all is he who not only reads it1 but obeys it1 and makes it the rule of his faith and practice6 ,nevertheless it is a sorrowful fact that man has an unhappy skill in abusing ,god's gifts4 ,his privileges1 and power1 and faculties1 are all ingeniously perverted to other ends than those for which they were bestowed4 ,his speech1 his imagination1 his intellect1 his strength1 his time1 his influence1 his money1--instead of being used as instruments for glorifying his ,maker1--are generally wasted1 or employed for his own selfish ends4 ,and just as man naturally makes a bad use of his other mercies1 so he does of the written ,word4 ,one sweeping charge may be brought against the whole of ,christendom1 and that charge is neglect and abuse of the ,bible4 ,to prove this charge we have no need to look abroad3 the proof lies at our own doors4 ,i have no doubt that there are more ,bibles in ,great ,britain at this moment than there ever were since the world began4 ,there is more ,bible buying and ,bible selling1--more ,bible printing and ,bible distributing1--than ever was since ,england was a nation4 ,we see ,bibles in every bookseller's shop1--,bibles of every size1 price1 and style1--,bibles great1 and ,bibles small1--,bibles for the rich1 and ,bibles for the poor4 ,there are ,bibles in almost every house in the land4 ,but all this time ,i fear we are in danger of forgetting1 that to have the ,bible is one thing1 and to read it quite another4 ,this neglected ,book is the subject about which ,i address the readers of this paper to-day4 ,surely it is no light matter what you are doing with the ,bible4 ,surely1 when the plague is abroad1 you should search and see whether the plague-spot is on you4 ,give me your attention while ,i supply you with a few plain reasons why every one who cares for his soul ought to value the ,bible highly1 to study it regularly1 and to make himself thoroughly acquainted with its contents4 ,i4 ,in the first place1 there is no book in existence written in such a manner as the ,bible4 ,the ,bible was given by inspiration of ,god4 7#b ,tim4 iii4 #af47 ,in this respect it is utterly unlike all other writings4 ,god taught the writers of it what to say4 ,god put into their minds thoughts and ideas4 ,god guided their pens in setting down those thoughts and ideas4 ,when you read it1 you are not reading the self-taught compositions of poor imperfect men like yourself1 but the words of the eternal ,god4 ,when you hear it1 you are not listening to the erring opinions of short-lived mortals1 but to the unchanging mind of the ,king of kings4 ,the men who were employed to indite the ,bible1 spoke not of themselves4 ,they spake as they were moved by the ,holy ,ghost4 7#b ,peter i4 #ba47 ,all other books in the world1 however good and useful in their way1 are more or less defective4 ,the more you look at them the more you see their defects and blemishes4 ,the ,bible alone is absolutely perfect4 ,from beginning to end it is the ,word of ,god4 ,i shall not waste time by attempting any long and laboured proof of this4 ,i say boldly1 that the ,book itself is the best witness of its own inspiration4 ,it is utterly inexplicable and unaccountable in any other point of view4 ,it is the greatest standing miracle in the world4 ,he that dares to say the ,bible is not inspired1 let him give a reasonable account of it1 if he can4 ,let him explain the peculiar nature and character of the ,book in a way that will satisfy any man of common sense4 ,the burden of proof seems to my mind to lie on him4 ,it proves nothing against inspiration1 as some have asserted1 that the writers of the ,bible have each a different style4 ,isaiah does not write like ,jeremiah1 and ,paul does not write like ,john4 ,this is perfectly true1--and yet the works of these men are not a whit less equally inspired4 ,the waters of the sea have many different shades4 ,in one place they look blue1 and in another green4 ,and yet the difference is owing to the depth or shallowness of the part we see1 or to the nature of the bottom4 ,the water in every case is the same salt sea4--,the breath of a man may produce different sounds1 according to the character of the instrument on which he plays4 ,the flute1 the pipe1 and the trumpet1 have each their peculiar note4 ,and yet the breath that calls forth the notes1 is in each case one and the same4--,the light of the planets we see in heaven is very various4 ,mars1 and ,saturn1 and ,jupiter1 have each a peculiar colour4 ,and yet we know that the light of the sun1 which each planet reflects1 is in each case one and the same4 ,just in the same way the books of the ,old and ,new ,testaments are all inspired truth1 and yet the aspect of that truth varies according to the mind through which the ,holy ,ghost makes it flow4 ,the handwriting and style of the writers differ enough to prove that each had a distinct individual being2 but the ,divine ,guide who dictates and directs the whole is always one4 ,all is alike inspired4 ,every chapter1 and verse1 and word1 is from ,god4 ,oh1 that men who are troubled with doubts1 and questionings1 and sceptical thoughts about inspiration1 would calmly examine the ,bible for themselves6 ,oh1 that they would act on the advice which was the first step to ,augustine's conversion1--,take it up and read it6--take it up and read it6 ,how many ,gordian knots this course of action would cut6 ,how many difficulties and objections would vanish away at once like mist before the rising sun6 ,how many would soon confess1 ,the finger of ,god is here6 ,god is in this ,book1 and ,i knew it not4 ,this is the ,book about which ,i address the readers of this paper4 ,surely it is no light matter what you are doing with this ,book4 ,it is no light thing that ,god should have caused this ,book to be written for your learning1 and that you should have before you the oracles of ,god4 7,rom4 iii4 #b2 xv4 #d47 ,i charge you1 ,i summon you to give an honest answer to my question4 ,what art thou doing with the ,bible8--,dost thou read it at all8--,,how ,,readest ,,thou8 ,,ii4 ,in the second place1 there is no knowledge absolutely needful to a man's salvation1 except a knowledge of the things which are to be found in the ,bible4 ,we live in days when the words of ,daniel are fulfilled before our eyes3--,many run to and fro1 and knowledge is increased4 7,dan4 xii4 #d47 ,schools are multiplying on every side4 ,new colleges are set up4 ,old ,universities are reformed and improved4 ,new books are continually coming forth4 ,more is being taught1--more is being learned1--more is being read1--than there ever was since the world begun4 ,it is all well4 ,i rejoice at it4 ,an ignorant population is a perilous and expensive burden to any nation4 ,it is a ready prey to the first ,absalom1 or ,catiline1 or ,wat ,tyler1 or ,jack ,cade1 who may arise to entice it to do evil4 ,but this ,i say1--we must never forget that all the education a man's head can receive1 will not save his soul from hell1 unless he knows the truths of the ,bible4 ,a man may have prodigious learning1 and yet never be saved4 ,he may be master of half the languages spoken round the globe4 ,he may be acquainted with the highest and deepest things in heaven and earth4 ,he may have read books till he is like a walking cyclopaedia4 ,he may be familiar with the stars of heaven1--the birds of the air1--the beasts of the earth1 and the fishes of the sea4 ,he may be able1 like ,solomon1 to speak of trees1 from the cedar of ,lebanon to the hyssop that grows on the wall1 of beasts also1 and fowls1 and creeping things1 and fishes4 7#a ,king iv4 #cc47 ,he may be able to discourse of all the secrets of fire1 air1 earth1 and water4 ,and yet1 if he dies ignorant of ,bible truths1 he dies a miserable man6 ,chemistry never silenced a guilty conscience4 ,mathematics never healed a broken heart4 ,all the sciences in the world never smoothed down a dying pillow4 ,no earthly philosophy ever supplied hope in death4 ,no natural theology ever gave peace in the prospect of meeting a holy ,god4 ,all these things are of the earth1 earthy1 and can never raise a man above the earth's level4 ,they may enable a man to strut and fret his little season here below with a more dignified gait than his fellow-mortals1 but they can never give him wings1 and enable him to soar towards heaven4 ,he that has the largest share of them1 will find at length that without ,bible knowledge he has got no lasting possession4 ,death will make an end of all his attainments1 and after death they will do him no good at all4 ,a man may be a very ignorant man1 and yet be saved4 ,he may be unable to read a word1 or write a letter4 ,he may know nothing of geography beyond the bounds of his own parish1 and be utterly unable to say which is nearest to ,england1 ,paris or ,new ,york4 ,he may know nothing of arithmetic1 and not see any difference between a million and a thousand4 ,he may know nothing of history1 not even of his own land1 and be quite ignorant whether his country owes most to ,semiramis1 ,boadicea1 or ,queen ,elizabeth4 ,he may know nothing of the affairs of his own times1 and be incapable of telling you whether the ,chancellor of the ,exchequer1 or the ,commander-in-,chief1 or the ,archbishop of ,canterbury is managing the national finances4 ,he may know nothing of science1 and its discoveries1--and whether ,julius ,caesar won his victories with gunpowder1 or the apostles had a printing press1 or the sun goes round the earth1 may be matters about which he has not an idea4 ,and yet if that very man has heard ,bible truth with his ears1 and believed it with his heart1 he knows enough to save his soul4 ,he will be found at last with ,lazarus in ,abraham's bosom1 while his scientific fellow-creature1 who has died unconverted1 is lost for ever4 ,there is much talk in these days about science and useful knowledge4 ,but after all a knowledge of the ,bible is the one knowledge that is needful and eternally useful4 ,a man may get to heaven without money1 learning1 health1 or friends1--but without ,bible knowledge he will never get there at all4 ,a man may have the mightiest of minds1 and a memory stored with all that mighty mind can grasp1--and yet1 if he does not know the things of the ,bible1 he will make shipwreck of his soul for ever4 ,woe6 woe6 woe to the man who dies in ignorance of the ,bible6 ,this is the ,book about which ,i am addressing the readers of these pages to-day4 ,it is no light matter what you do with such a book4 ,it concerns the life of your soul4 ,i summon you1--,i charge you to give an honest answer to my question4 ,what are you doing with the ,bible8 ,do you read it8 ,,how ,,readest ,,thou8 ,,iii4 ,in the third place1 no book in existence contains such important matter as the ,bible4 ,the time would fail me if ,i were to enter fully into all the great things which are to be found in the ,bible1 and only in the ,bible4 ,it is not by any sketch or outline that the treasures of the ,bible can be displayed4 ,it would be easy to fill this volume with a list of the peculiar truths it reveals1 and yet the half of its riches would be left untold4 ,how glorious and soul-satisfying is the description it gives us of ,god's plan of salvation1 and the way by which our sins can be forgiven6 ,the coming into the world of ,jesus ,christ1 the ,god-man1 to save sinners1--the atonement ,he has made by suffering in our stead1 the just for the unjust1--the complete payment ,he has made for our sins by ,his own blood1--the justification of every sinner who simply believes on ,jesus1--the readiness of ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost1 to receive1 pardon1 and save to the uttermost1--how unspeakably grand and cheering are all these truths6 ,we should know nothing of them without the ,bible4 ,how comforting is the account it gives us of the great ,mediator of the ,new ,testament1--the man ,christ ,jesus6 ,four times over ,his picture is graciously drawn before our eyes4 ,four separate witnesses tell us of ,his miracles and ,his ministry1--,his sayings and ,his doings1--,his life and ,his death1--,his power and ,his love1--,his kindness and ,his patience1--,his ways1 ,his words1 ,his works1 ,his thoughts1 ,his heart4 ,blessed be ,god1 there is one thing in the ,bible which the most prejudiced reader can hardly fail to understand1 and that is the character of ,jesus ,christ6 ,how encouraging are the examples the ,bible gives us of good people6 ,it tells us of many who were of like passions with ourselves1--men and women who had cares1 crosses1 families1 temptations1 afflictions1 diseases1 like ourselves1--and yet by faith and patience inherited the promises1 and got safe home4 7,heb4 vi4 #ab47 ,it keeps back nothing in the history of these people4 ,their mistakes1 their infirmities1 their conflicts1 their experience1 their prayers1 their praises1 their useful lives1 their happy deaths1--all are fully recorded4 ,and it tells us the ,god and ,saviour of these men and women still waits to be gracious1 and is altogether unchanged4 ,how instructive are the examples the ,bible gives us of bad people6 ,it tells us of men and women who had light1 and knowledge1 and opportunities1 like ourselves1 and yet hardened their hearts1 loved the world1 clung to their sins1 would have their own way1 despised reproof1 and ruined their own souls for ever4 ,and it warns us that the ,god who punished ,pharaoh1 and ,saul1 and ,ahab1 and ,jezebel1 and ,judas1 and ,ananias and ,sapphira1 is a ,god who never alters1 and that there is a hell4 ,how precious are the promises which the ,bible contains for the use of those who love ,god6 ,there is hardly any possible emergency or condition for which it has not some word in season4 ,and it tells men that ,god loves to be put in remembrance of these promises1 and that if ,he has said ,he will do a thing1 ,his promise shall certainly be performed4 ,how blessed are the hopes which the ,bible holds out to the believer in ,christ ,jesus6 ,peace in the hour of death1--rest and happiness on the other side of the grave1--a glorious body in the morning of the resurrection1--a full and triumphant acquittal in the day of judgment1--an everlasting reward in the kingdom of ,christ1--a joyful meeting with the ,lord's people in the day of gathering together2--these1 these are the future prospects of every true ,christian4 ,they are all written in the book1--in the book which is all true4 ,how striking is the light which the ,bible throws on the character of man6 ,it teaches us what men may be expected to be and do in every position and station of life4 ,it gives us the deepest insight into the secret springs and motives of human actions1 and the ordinary course of events under the control of human agents4 ,it is the true discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart4 7,heb4 iv4 #ab47 ,how deep is the wisdom contained in the books of ,proverbs and ,ecclesiastes6 ,i can well understand an old divine saying1 ,give me a candle and a ,bible1 and shut me up in a dark dungeon1 and ,i will tell you all that the whole world is doing4 ,all these are things which men could find nowhere except in the ,bible4 ,we have probably not the least idea how little we should know about these things if we had not the ,bible4 ,we hardly know the value of the air we breathe1 and the sun which shines on us1 because we have never known what it is to be without them4 ,we do not value the truths on which ,i have been just now dwelling1 because we do not realize the darkness of men to whom these truths have not been revealed4 ,surely no tongue can fully tell the value of the treasures this one volume contains4 ,well might old ,john ,newton say that some books were copper books in his estimation1 some were silver1 and some few were gold2--but the ,bible alone was like a book all made up of bank notes4 ,this is the ,book about which ,i address the reader of this paper this day4 ,surely it is no light matter what you are doing with the ,bible4 ,it is no light matter in what way you are using this treasure4 ,i charge you1 ,i summon you to give an honest answer to my question1--,what art thou doing with the ,bible8--,dost thou read it8--,,how ,,readest ,,thou8 ,,iv4 ,in the fourth place1 no book in existence has produced such wonderful effects on mankind at large as the ,bible4 7a7 ,this is the ,book whose doctrines turned the world upside down in the days of the ,apostles4 ,eighteen centuries have now passed away since ,god sent forth a few ,jews from a remote corner of the earth1 to do a work which according to man's judgment must have seemed impossible4 ,he sent them forth at a time when the whole world was full of superstition1 cruelty1 lust1 and sin4 ,he sent them forth to proclaim that the established religions of the earth were false and useless1 and must be forsaken4 ,he sent them forth to persuade men to give up old habits and customs1 and to live different lives4 ,he sent them forth to do battle with the most grovelling idolatry1 with the vilest and most disgusting immorality1 with vested interests1 with old associations1 with a bigoted priesthood1 with sneering philosophers1 with an ignorant population1 with bloody-minded emperors1 with the whole influence of ,rome4 ,never was there an enterprise to all appearance more ,quixotic1 and less likely to succeed6 ,and how did ,he arm them for this battle8 ,he gave them no carnal weapons4 ,he gave them no worldly power to compel assent1 and no worldly riches to bribe belief4 ,he simply put the ,holy ,ghost into their hearts1 and the ,scriptures into their hands4 ,he simply bade them to expound and explain1 to enforce and to publish the doctrines of the ,bible4 ,the preacher of ,christianity in the first century was not a man with a sword and an army1 to frighten people1 like ,mahomet1--or a man with a license to be sensual1 to allure people1 like the priests of the shameful idols of ,hindostan4 ,no6 he was nothing more than one holy man with one holy book4 ,and how did these men of one book prosper8 ,in a few generations they entirely changed the face of society by the doctrines of the ,bible4 ,they emptied the temples of the heathen gods4 ,they famished idolatry1 or left it high and dry like a stranded ship4 ,they brought into the world a higher tone of morality between man and man4 ,they raised the character and position of woman4 ,they altered the standard of purity and decency4 ,they put an end to many cruel and bloody customs1 such as the gladiatorial fights4--,there was no stopping the change4 ,persecution and opposition were useless4 ,one victory after another was won4 ,one bad thing after another melted away4 ,whether men liked it or not1 they were insensibly affected by the movement of the new religion1 and drawn within the whirlpool of its power4 ,the earth shook1 and their rotten refuges fell to the ground4 ,the flood rose1 and they found themselves obliged to rise with it4 ,the tree of ,christianity swelled and grew1 and the chains they had cast round it to arrest its growth1 snapped like tow4 ,and all this was done by the doctrines of the ,bible6 ,talk of victories indeed6 ,what are the victories of ,alexander1 and ,caesar1 and ,marlborough1 and ,napoleon1 and ,wellington1 compared with those ,i have just mentioned8 ,for extent1 for completeness1 for results1 for permanence1 there are no victories like the victories of the ,bible4 7b7 ,this is the ,book which turned ,europe upside down in the days of the glorious ,protestant ,reformation4 ,no man can read the history of ,christendom as it was five hundred years ago1 and not see that darkness covered the whole professing ,church of ,christ1 even a darkness that might be felt4 ,so great was the change which had come over ,christianity1 that if an apostle had risen from the dead he would not have recognised it1 and would have thought that heathenism had revived again4 ,the doctrines of the ,gospel lay buried under a dense mass of human traditions4 ,penances1 and pilgrimages1 and indulgences1 relic-worship1 and image-worship1 and saint-worship1 and worship of the ,virgin ,mary1 formed the sum and substance of most people's religion4 ,the ,church was made an idol4 ,the priests and ministers of the ,church usurped the place of ,christ4 ,and by what means was all this miserable darkness cleared away8 ,by none so much as by bringing forth once more the ,bible4 ,it was not merely the preaching of ,luther and his friends1 which established ,protestantism in ,germany4 ,the grand lever which overthrew the ,pope's power in that country1 was ,luther's translation of the ,bible into the ,german tongue4--,it was not merely the writings of ,cranmer and the ,english ,reformers which cast down popery in ,england4 ,the seeds of the work thus carried forward were first sown by ,wycliffe's translation of the ,bible many years before4--,it was not merely the quarrel of ,henry ,,viii4 and the ,pope of ,rome1 which loosened the ,pope's hold on ,english minds4 ,it was the royal permission to have the ,bible translated and set up in churches1 so that every one who liked might read it4 ,yes6 it was the reading and circulation of ,scripture which mainly established the cause of ,protestantism in ,england1 in ,germany1 and ,switzerland4 ,without it the people would probably have returned to their former bondage when the first reformers died4 ,but by the reading of the ,bible the public mind became gradually leavened with the principles of true religion4 ,men's eyes became thoroughly open4 ,their spiritual understandings became thoroughly enlarged4 ,the abominations of popery became distinctly visible4 ,the excellence of the pure ,gospel became a rooted idea in their hearts4 ,it was then in vain for ,popes to thunder forth excommunications4 ,it was useless for ,kings and ,queens to attempt to stop the course of ,protestantism by fire and sword4 ,it was all too late4 ,the people knew too much4 ,they had seen the light4 ,they had heard the joyful sound4 ,they had tasted the truth4 ,the sun had risen on their minds4 ,the scales had fallen from their eyes4 ,the ,bible had done its appointed work within them1 and that work was not to be overthrown4 ,the people would not return to ,egypt4 ,the clock could not be put back again4 ,a mental and moral revolution had been effected1 and mainly effected by ,god's ,word4 ,those are the true revolutions which the ,bible effects4 ,what are all the revolutions recorded by ,vertot1--what are all the revolutions which ,france and ,england have gone through1 compared to these8 ,no revolutions are so bloodless1 none so satisfactory1 none so rich in lasting results1 as the revolutions accomplished by the ,bible6 ,this is the book on which the well-being of nations has always hinged1 and with which the best interests of every nation in ,christendom at this moment are inseparably bound up4 ,just in proportion as the ,bible is honoured or not1 light or darkness1 morality or immorality1 true religion or superstition1 liberty or despotism1 good laws or bad1 will be found in a land4 ,come with me and open the pages of history1 and you will read the proofs in time past4 ,read it in the history of ,israel under the ,kings4 ,how great was the wickedness that then prevailed6 ,but who can wonder8 ,the law of the ,lord had been completely lost sight of1 and was found in the days of ,josiah thrown aside in a corner of the temple4 7#b ,kings xxii4 #h47--,read it in the history of the ,jews in our ,lord ,jesus ,christ's time4 ,how awful the picture of ,scribes and ,pharisees1 and their religion6 ,but who can wonder8 ,the ,scripture was made of none effect by man's traditions4 7,matt4 xv4 #f47--,read it in the history of the ,church of ,christ in the middle ages4 ,what can be worse than the accounts we have of its ignorance and superstition8 ,but who can wonder8 ,the times might well be dark1 when men had not the light of the ,bible4 ,this is the ,book to which the civilized world is indebted for many of its best and most praise-worthy institutions4 ,few probably are aware how many are the good things that men have adopted for the public benefit1 of which the origin may be clearly traced up to the ,bible4 ,it has left lasting marks wherever it has been received4 ,from the ,bible are drawn many of the best laws by which society is kept in order4 ,from the ,bible has been obtained the standard of morality about truth1 honesty1 and the relations of man and wife1 which prevails among ,christian nations1 and which1--however feebly respected in many cases1--makes so great a difference between ,christians and heathen4 ,to the ,bible we are indebted for that most merciful provision for the poor man1 the ,sabbath day4 ,to the influence of the ,bible we owe nearly every humane and charitable institution in existence4 ,the sick1 the poor1 the aged1 the orphan1 the lunatic1 the idiot1 the blind1 were seldom or never thought of before the ,bible leavened the world4 ,you may search in vain for any record of institutions for their aid in the histories of ,athens or of ,rome4 ,alas6 there are many who sneer at the ,bible1 and say the world would get on well enough without it1 who little think how great are their own obligations to the ,bible4 ,little does the infidel workman think1 as he lies sick in some of our great hospitals1 that he owes all his present comforts to the very book he affects to despise4 ,had it not been for the ,bible1 he might have died in misery1 uncared for1 unnoticed and alone4 ,verily the world we live in is fearfully unconscious of its debts4 ,the last day alone1 ,i believe1 will tell the full amount of benefit conferred upon it by the ,bible4 ,this wonderful book is the subject about which ,i address the reader of this paper this day4 ,surely it is no light matter what you are doing with the ,bible4 ,the swords of conquering ,generals1--the ship in which ,nelson led the fleets of ,england to victory1--the hydraulic press which raised the tubular bridge at the ,menai2--each and all of these are objects of interest as instruments of mighty power4 ,the ,book ,i speak of this day is an instrument a thousand-fold mightier still4 ,surely it is no light matter whether you are paying it the attention it deserves4 ,i charge you1 ,i summon you to give me an honest answer this day1--,what art thou doing with the ,bible8 ,dost thou read it8 ,,how ,,readest ,,thou8 ,v4 ,in the fifth place1 no book in existence can do so much for every one who reads it rightly as the ,bible4 ,the ,bible does not profess to teach the wisdom of this world4 ,it was not written to explain geology or astronomy4 ,it will neither instruct you in mathematics1 nor in natural philosophy4 ,it will not make you a doctor1 or a lawyer1 or an engineer4 ,but there is another world to be thought of1 beside that world in which man now lives4 ,there are other ends for which man was created1 beside making money and working4 ,there are other interests which he is meant to attend to1 beside those of his body1 and those interests are the interests of his soul4 ,it is the interests of the immortal soul which the ,bible is especially able to promote4 ,if you would know law1 you may study ,blackstone or ,sugden4 ,if you would know astronomy or geology1 you may study ,herschel and ,lyell4 ,but if you would know how to have your soul saved1 you must study the written ,word of ,god4 ,the ,bible is able to make a man wise unto salvation1 through faith which is in ,christ ,jesus4 7#b ,tim4 iii4 #ae47 ,it can show you the way which leads to heaven4 ,it can teach you everything you need to know1 point out everything you need to believe1 and explain everything you need to do4 ,it can show you what you are1--a sinner4 ,it can show you what ,god is1--perfectly holy4 ,it can show you the great giver of pardon1 peace1 and grace1--,jesus ,christ4 ,i have read of an ,englishman who visited ,scotland in the days of ,blair1 ,rutherford1 and ,dickson1 three famous preachers1--and heard all three in succession4 ,he said that the first showed him the majesty of ,god1--the second showed him the beauty of ,christ1--and the third showed him all his heart4 ,it is the glory and beauty of the ,bible that it is always teaching these three things more or less1 from the first chapter of it to the last4 ,the ,bible applied to the heart by the ,holy ,ghost1 is the grand instrument by which souls are first converted to ,god4 ,that mighty change is generally begun by some text or doctrine of the ,word1 brought home to a man's conscience4 ,in this way the ,bible has worked moral miracles by thousands4 ,it has made drunkards become sober1--unchaste people become pure1--thieves become honest1--and violent-tempered people become meek4 ,it has wholly altered the course of men's lives4 ,it has caused their old things to pass away1 and made all their ways new4 ,it has taught worldly people to seek first the kingdom of ,god4 ,it has taught lovers of pleasure to become lovers of ,god4 ,it has taught the stream of men's affections to run upwards instead of running downwards4 ,it has made men think of heaven1 instead of always thinking of earth1 and live by faith1 instead of living by sight4 ,all this it has done in every part of the world4 ,all this it is doing still4 ,what are the ,romish miracles which weak men believe1 compared to all this1 even if they were true8 ,those are the truly great miracles which are yearly worked by the ,word4 ,the ,bible applied to the heart by the ,holy ,ghost1 is the chief means by which men are built up and stablished in the faith1 after their conversion4 ,it is able to cleanse them1 to sanctify them1 to instruct them in righteousness1 and to furnish them thoroughly for all good works4 7,psalm cxix4 #i2 ,john xvii4 #ag2 #b ,tim4 iii4 #af1 #ag47 ,the ,spirit ordinarily does these things by the written ,word2 sometimes by the ,word read1 and sometimes by the ,word preached1 but seldom1 if ever1 without the ,word4 ,the ,bible can show a believer how to walk in this world so as to please ,god4 ,it can teach him how to glorify ,christ in all the relations of life1 and can make him a good master1 servant1 subject1 husband1 father1 or son4 ,it can enable him to bear afflictions and privations without murmuring1 and say1 ,it is well4 ,it can enable him to look down into the grave1 and say1 ,i fear no evil4 7,psalm xxiii4 #d47 ,it can enable him to think on judgment and eternity1 and not feel afraid4 ,it can enable him to bear persecution without flinching1 and to give up liberty and life rather than deny ,christ's truth4 ,is he drowsy in soul8 ,it can awaken him4--,is he mourning8 ,it can comfort him4--,is he erring8 ,it can restore him4--,is he weak8 ,it can make him strong4--,is he in company8 ,it can keep him from evil4--,is he alone8 ,it can talk with him4--7,prov4 vi4 #bb47 ,all this the ,bible can do for all believers1--for the least as well as the greatest1--for the richest as well as the poorest4 ,it has done it for thousands already1 and is doing it for thousands every day4 ,the man who has the ,bible1 and the ,holy ,spirit in his heart1 has everything which is absolutely needful to make him spiritually wise4 ,he needs no priest to break the bread of life for him4 ,he needs no ancient traditions1 no writings of the ,fathers1 no voice of the ,church1 to guide him into all truth4 ,he has the well of truth open before him1 and what can he want more8 ,yes6 though he be shut up alone in a prison1 or cast on a desert island1--though he never see a church1 or minister1 or sacrament again1--if he has but the ,bible1 he has got the infallible guide1 and wants no other4 ,if he has but the will to read that ,bible rightly1 it will certainly teach him the road that leads to heaven4 ,it is here alone that infallibility resides4 ,it is not in the ,church4 ,it is not in the ,councils4 ,it is not in ministers4 ,it is only in the written ,word4 7a7 ,i know well that many say they have found no saving power in the ,bible4 ,they tell us they have tried to read it1 and have learned nothing from it4 ,they can see in it nothing but hard and deep things4 ,they ask us what we mean by talking of its power4 ,i answer1 that the ,bible no doubt contains hard things1 or else it would not be the book of ,god4 ,it contains things hard to comprehend1 but only hard because we have not grasp of mind to comprehend them4 ,it contains things above our reasoning powers1 but nothing that might not be explained if the eyes of our understanding were not feeble and dim4 ,but is not an acknowledgment of our own ignorance the very corner-stone and foundation of all knowledge8 ,must not many things be taken for granted in the beginning of every science1 before we can proceed one step towards acquaintance with it8 ,do we not require our children to learn many things of which they cannot see the meaning at first8 ,and ought we not then to expect to find deep things when we begin studying the ,word of ,god1 and yet to believe that if we persevere in reading it the meaning of many of them will one day be made clear8 ,no doubt we ought so to expect1 and so to believe4 ,we must read with humility4 ,we must take much on trust4 ,we must believe that what we know not now1 we shall know hereafter1--some part in this world1 and all in the world to come4 ,but ,i ask that man who has given up reading the ,bible because it contains hard things1 whether he did not find many things in it easy and plain8 ,i put it to his conscience whether he did not see great landmarks and principles in it all the way through8 ,i ask him whether the things needful to salvation did not stand out boldly before his eyes1 like the light-houses on ,english headlands from the ,land's-end to the mouth of the ,thames4 ,what should we think of the captain of a steamer who brought up at night in the entrance of the ,channel1 on the plea that he did not know every parish1 and village1 and creek1 along the ,british coast8 ,should we not think him a lazy coward1 when the lights on the ,lizard1 and ,eddystone1 and the ,start1 and ,portland1 and ,st4 ,catherine's1 and ,beachy ,head1 and ,dungeness1 and the ,forelands1 were shining forth like so many lamps1 to guide him up to the river8 ,should we not say1 ,why did you not steer by the great leading lights8 ,and what ought we to say to the man who gives up reading the ,bible because it contains hard things1 when his own state1 and the path to heaven1 and the way to serve ,god1 are all written down clearly and unmistakably1 as with a sunbeam8 ,surely we ought to tell that man that his objections are no better than lazy excuses1 and do not deserve to be heard4 7b7 ,i know well that many raise the objection1 that thousands read the ,bible and are not a whit the better for their reading4 ,and they ask us1 when this is the case1 what becomes of the ,bible's boasted power8 ,i answer1 that the reason why so many read the ,bible without benefit is plain and simple2--they do not read it in the right way4 ,there is generally a right way and a wrong way of doing everything in the world2 and just as it is with other things1 so it is in the matter of reading the ,bible4 ,the ,bible is not so entirely different from all other books as to make it of no importance in what spirit and manner you read it4 ,it does not do good1 as a matter of course1 by merely running our eyes over the print1 any more than the sacraments do good by mere virtue of our receiving them4 ,it does not ordinarily do good1 unless it is read with humility and earnest prayer4 ,the best steam-engine that was ever built is useless if a man does not know how to work it4 ,the best sun-dial that was ever constructed will not tell its owner the time of day if he is so ignorant as to put it up in the shade4 ,just as it is with that steam-engine1 and that sun-dial1 so it is with the ,bible4 ,when men read it without profit1 the fault is not in the ,book1 but in themselves4 ,i tell the man who doubts the power of the ,bible1 because many read it1 and are no better for the reading1 that the abuse of a thing is no argument against the use of it4 ,i tell him boldly1 that never did man or woman read that book in a childlike persevering spirit1--like the ,ethiopian eunuch1 and the ,bereans 7,acts viii4 #bh2 xvii4 #aa71--;and miss the way to heaven4 ,yes1 many a broken cistern will be exposed to shame in the day of judgment2 but there will not rise up one soul who will be able to say1 that he went thirsting to the ,bible1 and found in it no living water1--he searched for truth in the ,scriptures1 and searching1 did not find it4 ,the words which are spoken of ,wisdom in the ,proverbs are strictly true of the ,bible3 ,if thou criest after knowledge1 and liftest up thy voice for understanding2 if thou seekest her as silver1 and searchest for her as for hid treasures2 then shalt thou understand the fear of the ,lord1 and find the knowledge of ,god4 7,prov4 ii4 #c1 #d1 #e47 ,this wonderful ,book is the subject about which ,i address the readers of this paper this day4 ,surely it is no light matter what you are doing with the ,bible4 ,what should you think of the man who in time of cholera despised a sure receipt for preserving the health of his body8 ,what must be thought of you if you despise the only sure receipt for the everlasting health of your soul8 ,i charge you1 ,i entreat you1 to give an honest answer to my question4 ,what dost thou do with the ,bible8--,dost thou read it8--,,how ,,readest ,,thou8 ,,vi4 ,in the sixth place1 the ,bible is the only rule by which all questions of doctrine or of duty can be tried4 ,the ,lord ,god knows the weakness and infirmity of our poor fallen understandings4 ,he knows that1 even after conversion1 our perceptions of right and wrong are exceedingly indistinct4 ,he knows how artfully ,satan can gild error with an appearance of truth1 and can dress up wrong with plausible arguments1 till it looks like right4 ,knowing all this1 ,he has mercifully provided us with an unerring standard of truth and error1 right and wrong1 and has taken care to make that standard a written book1--even the ,scripture4 ,no one can look round the world1 and not see the wisdom of such a provision4 ,no one can live long1 and not find out that he is constantly in need of a counsellor and adviser1--of a rule of faith and practice1 on which he can depend4 ,unless he lives like a beast1 without a soul and conscience1 he will find himself constantly assailed by difficult and puzzling questions4 ,he will be often asking himself1 ,what must ,i believe8 and what must ,i do8 7a7 ,the world is full of difficulties about points of doctrine4 ,the house of error lies close alongside the house of truth4 ,the door of one is so like the door of the other that there is continual risk of mistakes4 ,does a man read or travel much8 ,he will soon find the most opposite opinions prevailing among those who are called ,christians4 ,he will discover that different persons give the most different answers to the important question1 ,what shall ,i do to be saved8 ,the ,roman ,catholic and the ,protestant1--the ,neologian and the ,tractarian1--the ,mormonite and the ,swedenborgian1--each and all will assert that he alone has the truth4 ,each and all will tell him that safety is only to be found in his party4 ,each and all say1 ,come with us4 ,all this is puzzling4 ,what shall a man do8 ,does he settle down quietly in some ,english or ,scotch parish8 ,he will soon find that even in our own land the most conflicting views are held4 ,he will soon discover that there are serious differences among ,christians as to the comparative importance of the various parts and articles of the faith4 ,one man thinks of nothing but ,church government1--another of nothing but sacraments1 services1 and forms1--a third of nothing but preaching the ,gospel4 ,does he apply to ministers for a solution8 ,he will perhaps find one minister teaching one doctrine1 and another another4 ,all this is puzzling4 ,what shall a man do8 ,there is only one answer to this question4 ,a man must make the ,bible alone his rule4 ,he must receive nothing1 and believe nothing1 which is not according to the ,word4 ,he must try all religious teaching by one simple test1--,does it square with the ,bible8 ,what saith the ,scripture8 ,i would to ,god the eyes of the laity of this country were more open on this subject4 ,i would to ,god they would learn to weigh sermons1 books1 opinions1 and ministers1 in the scales of the ,bible1 and to value all according to their conformity to the ,word4 ,i would to ,god they would see that it matters little who says a thing1--whether he be ,father or ,reformer1--,bishop or ,archbishop1--,priest or ,deacon1--,archdeacon or ,dean4 ,the only question is1--,is the thing said ,scriptural8 ,if it is1 it ought to be received and believed4 ,if it is not1 it ought to be refused and cast aside4 ,i fear the consequences of that servile acceptance of everything which the parson says1 which is so common among many ,english laymen4 ,i fear lest they be led they know not whither1 like the blinded ,syrians1 and awake some day to find themselves in the power of ,rome4 7#b ,kings vi4 #bj47 ,oh1 that men in ,england would only remember for what purpose the ,bible was given them6 ,i tell ,english laymen that it is nonsense to say1 as some do1 that it is presumptuous to judge a minister's teaching by the ,word4 ,when one doctrine is proclaimed in one parish1 and another in another1 people must read and judge for themselves4 ,both doctrines cannot be right1 and both ought to be tried by the ,word4 ,i charge them1 above all things1 never to suppose that any true minister of the ,gospel will dislike his people measuring all he teaches by the ,bible4 ,on the contrary1 the more they read the ,bible1 and prove all he says by the ,bible1 the better he will be pleased4 ,a false minister may say1 ,you have no right to use your private judgment3 leave the ,bible to us who are ordained4 ,a true minister will say1 ,search the ,scriptures1 and if ,i do not teach you what is ,scriptural1 do not believe me4 ,a false minister may cry1 ,hear the ,church1 and ,hear me4 ,a true minister will say1 ,hear the ,word of ,god4 7b7 ,but the world is not only full of difficulties about points of doctrine2 it is equally full of difficulties about points of practice4 ,every professing ,christian1 who wishes to act conscientiously1 must know that it is so4 ,the most puzzling questions are continually arising4 ,he is tried on every side by doubts as to the line of duty1 and can often hardly see what is the right thing to do4 ,he is tried by questions connected with the management of his worldly calling1 if he is in business or in trade4 ,he sometimes sees things going on of a very doubtful character1--things that can hardly be called fair1 straightforward1 truthful1 and doing as you would be done by4 ,but then everybody in the trade does these things4 ,they have always been done in the most respectable houses4 ,there would be no carrying on a profitable business if they were not done4 ,they are not things distinctly named and prohibited by ,god4 ,all this is very puzzling4 ,what is a man to do8 ,he is tried by questions about worldly amusements4 ,races1 and balls1 and operas1 and theatres1 and card parties1 are all very doubtful methods of spending time4 ,but then he sees numbers of great people taking part in them4 ,are all these people wrong8 ,can there really be such mighty harm in these things8 ,all this is very puzzling4 ,what is a man to do8 ,he is tried by questions about the education of his children4 ,he wishes to train them up morally and religiously1 and to remember their souls4 ,but he is told by many sensible people1 that young persons will be young1--that it does not do to check and restrain them too much1 and that he ought to attend pantomimes and children's parties1 and give children's balls himself4 ,he is informed that this nobleman1 or that lady of rank1 always does so1 and yet they are reckoned religious people4 ,surely it cannot be wrong4 ,all this is very puzzling4 ,what is he to do8 ,there is only one answer to all these questions4 ,a man must make the ,bible his rule of conduct4 ,he must make its leading principles the compass by which he steers his course through life4 ,by the letter or spirit of the ,bible he must test every difficult point and question4 ,to the law and to the testimony6 ,what saith the ,scripture8 ,he ought to care nothing for what other people may think right4 ,he ought not to set his watch by the clock of his neighbour1 but by the sun-dial of the ,word4 ,i charge my readers solemnly to act on the maxim ,i have just laid down1 and to adhere to it rigidly all the days of their lives4 ,you will never repent of it4 ,make it a leading principle never to act contrary to the ,word4 ,care not for the charge of over-strictness1 and needless precision4 ,remember you serve a strict and holy ,god4 ,listen not to the common objection1 that the rule you have laid down is impossible1 and cannot be observed in such a world as this4 ,let those who make such an objection speak out plainly1 and tell us for what purpose the ,bible was given to man4 ,let them remember that by the ,bible we shall all be judged at the last day1 and let them learn to judge themselves by it here1 lest they be judged and condemned by it hereafter4 ,this mighty rule of faith and practice is the book about which ,i am addressing the readers of this paper this day4 ,surely it is no light matter what you are doing with the ,bible4 ,surely when danger is abroad on the right hand and on the left1 you should consider what you are doing with the safe-guard which ,god has provided4 ,i charge you1 ,i beseech you1 to give an honest answer to my question4 ,what art thou doing with the ,bible8--,dost thou read it8 ,,how ,,readest ,,thou8 ,,vii4 ,in the seventh place1 the ,bible is the book which all true servants of ,god have always lived on and loved4 ,every living thing which ,god creates requires food4 ,the life that ,god imparts needs sustaining and nourishing4 ,it is so with animal and vegetable life1--with birds1 beasts1 fishes1 reptiles1 insects1 and plants4 ,it is equally so with spiritual life4 ,when the ,holy ,ghost raises a man from the death of sin and makes him a new creature in ,christ ,jesus1 the new principle in that man's heart requires food1 and the only food which will sustain it is the ,word of ,god4 ,there never was a man or woman truly converted1 from one end of the world to the other1 who did not love the revealed will of ,god4 ,just as a child born into the world desires naturally the milk provided for its nourishment1 so does a soul born again desire the sincere milk of the ,word4 ,this is a common mark of all the children of ,god--they delight in the law of the ,lord4 7,psalm1 i4 #b47 ,show me a person who despises ,bible reading1 or thinks little of ,bible preaching1 and ,i hold it to be a certain fact that he is not yet born again4 ,he may be zealous about forms and ceremonies4 ,he may be diligent in attending sacraments and daily services4 ,but if these things are more precious to him than the ,bible1 ,i cannot think he is a converted man4 ,tell me what the ,bible is to a man1 and ,i will generally tell you what he is4 ,this is the pulse to try1--this is the barometer to look at1--if we would know the state of the heart4 ,i have no notion of the ,spirit dwelling in a man and not giving clear evidence of ,his presence4 ,and ,i believe it to be a signal evidence of the ,spirit's presence when the ,word is really precious to a man's soul4 ,love to the ,word is one of the characteristics we see in ,job4 ,little as we know of this ,patriarch and his age1 this at least stands out clearly4 ,he says1 ,i have esteemed the words of ,his mouth more than my necessary food4 7,job xxiii4 #ab47 ,love to the ,word is a shining feature in the character of ,david4 ,mark how it appears all through that wonderful part of ,scripture1 the cxixth ,psalm4 ,he might well say1 ,oh1 how ,i love thy law6 7,psalm cxix4 #ig47 ,love to the ,word is a striking point in the character of ,st4 ,paul4 ,what were he and his companions but men mighty in the ,scriptures8 ,what were his sermons but expositions and applications of the ,word8 ,love to the ,word appears pre-eminently in our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,he read it publicly4 ,he quoted it continually4 ,he expounded it frequently4 ,he advised the ,jews to search it4 ,he used it as ,his weapon to resist the devil4 ,he said repeatedly1 ,the ,scripture must be fulfilled4--,almost the last thing ,he did was to open the understanding of ,his disciples1 that they might understand the ,scriptures4 7,luke xxiv4 #de47 ,i am afraid that man can be no true servant of ,christ1 who has not something of his ,master's mind and feeling towards the ,bible4 ,love to the ,word has been a prominent feature in the history of all the saints1 of whom we know anything1 since the days of the ,apostles4 ,this is the lamp which ,athanasius and ,chrysostom and ,augustine followed4 ,this is the compass which kept the ,vallenses and ,albigenses from making shipwreck of the faith4 ,this is the well which was re-opened by ,wycliffe and ,luther1 after it had been long stopped up4 ,this is the sword with which ,latimer1 and ,jewell1 and ,knox won their victories4 ,this is the manna which fed ,baxter and ,owen1 and the noble host of the ,puritans1 and made them strong to battle4 ,this is the armoury from which ,whitefield and ,wesley drew their powerful weapons4 ,this is the mine from which ,bickersteth and ,m',cheyne brought forth rich gold4 ,differing as these holy men did in some matters1 on one point they were all agreed1--they all delighted in the ,word4 ,love to the ,word is one of the first things that appears in the converted heathen1 at the various ,missionary stations throughout the world4 ,in hot climates and in cold1--among savage people and among civilized1--in ,new ,zealand1 in the ,south ,sea ,islands1 in ,africa1 in ,hindostan1--it is always the same4 ,they enjoy hearing it read4 ,they long to be able to read it themselves4 ,they wonder why ,christians did not send it to them before4 ,how striking is the picture which ,moffat draws of ,africaner1 the fierce ,south ,african chieftain1 when first brought under the power of the ,gospel6 ,often have ,i seen him1 he says1 under the shadow of a great rock nearly the live-long day1 eagerly perusing the pages of the ,bible4--,how touching is the expression of a poor converted ,negro1 speaking of the ,bible6 ,he said1 ,it is never old and never cold4--,how affecting was the language of another old negro1 when some would have dissuaded him from learning to read1 because of his great age4 ,no6 he said1 ,i will never give it up till ,i die4 ,it is worth all the labour to be able to read that one verse1 ',god so loved the world1 that he gave his only begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish1 but have eternal life4' ,love to the ,bible is one of the grand points of agreement among all converted men and women in our own land4 ,episcopalians and ,presbyterians1 ,baptists and ,independents1 ,methodists and ,plymouth ,brethren1--all unite in honouring the ,bible1 as soon as they are real ,christians4 ,this is the manna which all the tribes of our ,israel feed upon1 and find satisfying food4 ,this is the fountain round which all the various portions of ,christ's flock meet together1 and from which no sheep goes thirsty away4 ,oh1 that believers in this country would learn to cleave more closely to the written ,word6 ,oh1 that they would see that the more the ,bible1 and the ,bible only1 is the substance of men's religion1 the more they agree6 ,it is probable there never was an uninspired book more universally admired than ,bunyan's ,pilgrim's ,progress4 ,it is a book which all denominations of ,christians delight to honour4 ,it has won praise from all parties4 ,now what a striking fact it is1 that the author was pre-eminently a man of one book6 ,he had read hardly anything but the ,bible4 ,it is a blessed thought that there will be much people in heaven at last4 ,few as the ,lord's people undoubtedly are at any one given time or place1 yet all gathered together at last1 they will be a multitude that no man can number4 7,rev4 vii4 #i2 xix4 #a47 ,they will be of one heart and mind4 ,they will have passed through like experience4 ,they will all have repented1 believed1 lived holy1 prayerful1 and humble4 ,they will all have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the ,lamb4 ,but one thing beside all this they will have in common3 they will all love the texts and doctrines of the ,bible4 ,the ,bible will have been their food and delight in the days of their pilgrimage on earth4 ,and the ,bible will be a common subject of joyful meditation and retrospect1 when they are gathered together in heaven4 ,this ,book1 which all true ,christians live upon and love1 is the subject about which ,i am addressing the readers of this paper this day4 ,surely it is no light matter what you are doing with the ,bible4 ,surely it is matter for serious inquiry1 whether you know anything of this love to the ,word1 and have this mark of walking in the footsteps of the flock4 7,cant4 i4 #h47 ,i charge you1 ,i entreat you to give me an honest answer4 ,what art thou doing with the ,bible8--,dost thou read it8--,,how ,,readest ,,thou8 ,,viii4 ,in the last place1 the ,bible is the only book which can comfort a man in the last hours of his life4 ,death is an event which in all probability is before us all4 ,there is no avoiding it4 ,it is the river which each of us must cross4 ,i who write1 and you who read1 have each one day to die4 ,it is good to remember this4 ,we are all sadly apt to put away the subject from us4 ,each man thinks each man mortal but himself4 ,i want every one to do his duty in life1 but ,i also want every one to think of death4 ,i want every one to know how to live1 but ,i also want every one to know how to die4 ,death is a solemn event to all4 ,it is the winding up of all earthly plans and expectations4 ,it is a separation from all we have loved and lived with4 ,it is often accompanied by much bodily pain and distress4 ,it brings us to the grave1 the worm1 and corruption4 ,it opens the door to judgment and eternity1--to heaven or to hell4 ,it is an event after which there is no change1 or space for repentance4 ,other mistakes may be corrected or retrieved1 but not a mistake on our death-beds4 ,as the tree falls1 there it must lie4 ,no conversion in the coffin6 ,no new birth after we have ceased to breathe6 ,and death is before us all4 ,it may be close at hand4 ,the time of our departure is quite uncertain4 ,but sooner or later we must each lie down alone and die4 ,all these are serious considerations4 ,death is a solemn event even to the believer in ,christ4 ,for him no doubt the sting of death is taken away4 7#a ,cor4 xv4 #ee47 ,death has become one of his privileges1 for he is ,christ's4 ,living or dying1 he is the ,lord's4 ,if he lives1 ,christ lives in him2 and if he dies1 he goes to live with ,christ4 ,to him to live is ,christ1 and to die is gain4 7,phil4 i4 #ba47 ,death frees him from many trials1--from a weak body1 a corrupt heart1 a tempting devil1 and an ensnaring or persecuting world4 ,death admits him to the enjoyment of many blessings4 ,he rests from his labours3--the hope of a joyful resurrection is changed into a certainty3--he has the company of holy redeemed spirits3--he is with ,christ4 ,all this is true1--and yet1 even to a believer1 death is a solemn thing4 ,flesh and blood naturally shrink from it4 ,to part from all we love1 is a wrench and trial to the feelings4 ,the world we go to is a world unknown1 even though it is our home4 ,friendly and harmless as death is to a believer1 it is not an event to be treated lightly4 ,it always must be a very solemn thing4 ,it becomes every thoughtful and sensible man to consider calmly how he is going to meet death4 ,gird up your loins1 like a man1 and look the subject in the face4 ,listen to me1 while ,i tell you a few things about the end to which we are coming4 ,the good things of the world cannot comfort a man when he draws near death4 ,all the gold of ,california and ,australia will not provide light for the dark valley4 ,money can buy the best medical advice and attendance for a man's body2 but money cannot buy peace for his conscience1 heart1 and soul4 ,relatives1 loved friends1 and servants1 cannot comfort a man when he draws near death4 ,they may minister affectionately to his bodily wants4 ,they may watch by his bed-side tenderly1 and anticipate his every wish4 ,they may smooth down his dying pillow1 and support his sinking frame in their arms4 ,but they cannot minister to a mind diseased4 ,they cannot stop the achings of a troubled heart4 ,they cannot screen an uneasy conscience from the eye of ,god4 ,the pleasures of the world cannot comfort a man when he draws near death4 ,the brilliant ball-room1--the merry dance1--the midnight revel1--the party to ,epsom races1--the card table1--the box at the opera1--the voices of singing men and singing women1--all these are at length distasteful things4 ,to hear of hunting and shooting engagements gives him no pleasure4 ,to be invited to feasts1 and regattas1 and fancy-fairs1 gives him no ease4 ,he cannot hide from himself that these are hollow1 empty1 powerless things4 ,they jar upon the ear of his conscience4 ,they are out of harmony with his condition4 ,they cannot stop one gap in his heart1 when the last enemy is coming in like a flood4 ,they cannot make him calm in the prospect of meeting a holy ,god4 ,books and newspapers cannot comfort a man when he draws near death4 ,the most brilliant writings of ,macaulay or ,dickens will pall on his ear4 ,the most able article in the ,times will fail to interest him4 ,the ,edinburgh and ,quarterly ,reviews will give him no pleasure4 ,punch and the ,illustrated ,news1 and the last new novel1 will lie unopened and unheeded4 ,their time will be past4 ,their vocation will be gone4 ,whatever they may be in health1 they are useless in the hour of death4 ,there is but one fountain of comfort for a man drawing near to his end1 and that is the ,bible4 ,chapters out of the ,bible1--texts out of the ,bible1--statements of truth taken out of the ,bible1--books containing matter drawn from the ,bible1--these are a man's only chance of comfort when he comes to die4 ,i do not at all say that the ,bible will do good1 as a matter of course1 to a dying man1 if he has not valued it before4 ,i know1 unhappily1 too much of death-beds to say that4 ,i do not say whether it is probable that he who has been unbelieving and neglectful of the ,bible in life1 will at once believe and get comfort from it in death4 ,but ,i do say positively1 that no dying man will ever get real comfort1 except from the contents of the ,word of ,god4 ,all comfort from any other source is a house built upon sand4 ,i lay this down as a rule of universal application4 ,i make no exception in favour of any class on earth4 ,kings and poor men1 learned and unlearned1--all are on a level in this matter4 ,there is not a jot of real consolation for any dying man1 unless he gets it from the ,bible4 ,chapters1 passages1 texts1 promises1 and doctrines of ,scripture1--heard1 received1 believed1 and rested on1--these are the only comforters ,i dare promise to any one1 when he leaves the world4 ,taking the sacrament will do a man no more good than the ,popish extreme unction1 so long as the ,word is not received and believed4 ,priestly absolution will no more ease the conscience than the incantations of a heathen magician1 if the poor dying sinner does not receive and believe ,bible truth4 ,i tell every one who reads this paper1 that although men may seem to get on comfortably without the ,bible while they live1 they may be sure that without the ,bible they cannot comfortably die4 ,it was a true confession of the learned ,selden1--,there is no book upon which we can rest in a dying moment but the ,bible4 ,i might easily confirm all ,i have just said1 by examples and illustrations4 ,i might show you the death-beds of men who have affected to despise the ,bible4 ,i might tell you how ,voltaire and ,paine1 the famous infidels1 died in misery1 bitterness1 rage1 fear1 and despair4 ,i might show you the happy death-beds of those who have loved the ,bible and believed it1 and the blessed effect the sight of their death-beds had on others4 ,cecil1--a minister whose praise ought to be in all churches1--says1 ,i shall never forget standing by the bed-side of my dying mother4 ',are you afraid to die8' ,i asked4--',no6' she replied4--',but why does the uncertainty of another state give you no concern8'--',because ,god has said1 ,fear not2 when thou passest through the waters ,i will be with thee1 and through the rivers1 they shall not overflow thee4' 7,isa4 xliii4 #b47 ,i might easily multiply illustrations of this kind4 ,but ,i think it better to conclude this part of my subject by giving the result of my own observations as a minister4 ,i have seen not a few dying persons in my time4 ,i have seen great varieties of manner and deportment among them4 ,i have seen some die sullen1 silent1 and comfortless4 ,i have seen others die ignorant1 unconcerned1 and apparently without much fear4 ,i have seen some die so wearied out with long illness that they were quite willing to depart1 and yet they did not seem to me at all in a fit state to go before ,god4 ,i have seen others die with professions of hope and trust in ,god1 without leaving satisfactory evidences that they were on the rock4 ,i have seen others die who1 ,i believe1 were in ,christ1 and safe1 and yet they never seemed to enjoy much sensible comfort4 ,i have seen some few dying in the full assurance of hope1 and like ,bunyan's ,standfast1 giving glorious testimony to ,christ's faithfulness1 even in the river4 ,but one thing ,i have never seen4 ,i never saw any one enjoy what ,i should call real1 solid1 calm1 reasonable peace on his death-bed1 who did not draw his peace from the ,bible4 ,and this ,i am bold to say1 that the man who thinks to go to his death-bed without having the ,bible for his comforter1 his companion1 and his friend1 is one of the greatest madmen in the world4 ,there are no comforts for the soul but ,bible comforts1 and he who has not got hold of these1 has got hold of nothing at all1 unless it be a broken reed4 ,the only comforter for a death-bed is the book about which ,i address the readers of this paper this day4 ,surely it is no light matter whether you read that book or not4 ,surely a dying man1 in a dying world1 should seriously consider whether he has got anything to comfort him when his turn comes to die4 ,i charge you1 ,i entreat you1 for the last time1 to give an honest answer to my question4 ,what art thou doing with the ,bible8--,dost thou read it8--,,how ,,readest ,,thou8 ,i have now given the reasons why ,i press on every reader the duty and importance of reading the ,bible4 ,i have shown that no book is written in such a manner as the ,bible1--that knowledge of the ,bible is absolutely necessary to salvation1--that no book contains such matter1--that no book has done so much for the world generally1--that no book can do so much for every one who reads it aright1--that this book is the only rule of faith and practice1--that it is1 and always has been1 the food of all true servants of ,god1--and that it is the only book which can comfort men when they die4 ,all these are ancient things4 ,i do not pretend to tell anything new4 ,i have only gathered together old truths1 and tried to mould them into a new shape4 ,let me finish all by addressing a few plain words to the conscience of every class of readers4 7#a7 ,this paper may fall into the hands of some who can read1 but never do read the ,bible at all4 ,are you one of them8 ,if you are1 ,i have something to say to you4 ,i cannot comfort you in your present state of mind4 ,it would be mockery and deceit to do so4 ,i cannot speak to you of peace and heaven1 while you treat the ,bible as you do4 ,you are in danger of losing your soul4 ,you are in danger1 because your neglected ,bible is a plain evidence that you do not love ,god4 ,the health of a man's body may generally be known by his appetite4 ,the health of a man's soul may be known by his treatment of the ,bible4 ,now you are manifestly labouring under a sore disease4 ,will you not repent8 ,i know ,i cannot reach your heart4 ,i cannot make you see and feel these things4 ,i can only enter my solemn protest against your present treatment of the ,bible1 and lay that protest before your conscience4 ,i do so with all my soul4 ,oh1 beware lest you repent too late6 ,beware lest you put off reading the ,bible till you send for the doctor in your last illness1 and then find the ,bible a sealed book1 and dark1 as the cloud between the hosts of ,israel and ,egypt1 to your anxious soul6 ,beware lest you go on saying all your life1 ,men do very well without all this ,bible-reading1 and find at length1 to your cost1 that men do very ill1 and end in hell6 ,beware lest the day come when you will feel1 ,had ,i but honoured the ,bible as much as ,i have honoured the newspaper1 ,i should not have been left without comfort in my last hours6 ,bible-neglecting reader1 ,i give you a plain warning4 ,the plague-cross is at present on your door4 ,the ,lord have mercy upon your soul6 7#b7 ,this paper may fall into the hands of some one who is willing to begin reading the ,bible1 but wants advice on the subject4 ,are you that man8 ,listen to me1 and ,i will give a few short hints4 7a7 ,for one thing1 begin reading your ,bible this very day4 ,the way to do a thing is to do it1 and the way to read the ,bible is actually to read it4 ,it is not meaning1 or wishing1 or resolving1 or intending1 or thinking about it1 which will advance you one step4 ,you must positively read4 ,there is no royal road in this matter1 any more than in the matter of prayer4 ,if you cannot read yourself1 you must persuade somebody else to read to you4 ,but one way or another1 through eyes or ears1 the words of ,scripture must actually pass before your mind4 7b7 ,for another thing1 read the ,bible with an earnest desire to understand it4 ,think not for a moment that the great object is to turn over a certain quantity of printed paper1 and that it matters nothing whether you understand it or not4 ,some ignorant people seem to fancy that all is done if they clear off so many chapters every day1 though they may not have a notion what they are all about1 and only know that they have pushed on their mark so many leaves4 ,this is turning ,bible reading into a mere form4 ,it is almost as bad as the ,popish habit of buying indulgences1 by saying an almost fabulous number of ave-marias and paternosters4 ,it reminds one of the poor ,hottentot who ate up a ,dutch hymn-book because he saw it comforted his neighbours' hearts4 ,settle it down in your mind as a general principle1 that a ,bible not understood is a ,bible that does no good4 ,say to yourself often as you read1 ,what is all this about8 ,dig for the meaning like a man digging for ,australian gold4 ,work hard1 and do not give up the work in a hurry4 7c7 ,for another thing1 read the ,bible with child-like faith and humility4 ,open your heart as you open your book1 and say1 ,speak1 ,lord1 for thy servant heareth4 ,resolve to believe implicitly whatever you find there1 however much it may run counter to your own prejudices4 ,resolve to receive heartily every statement of truth1 whether you like it or not4 ,beware of that miserable habit of mind into which some readers of the ,bible fall4 ,they receive some doctrines because they like them3 they reject others because they are condemning to themselves1 or to some lover1 or relation1 or friend4 ,at this rate the ,bible is useless4 ,are we to be judges of what ought to be in the ,word8 ,do we know better than ,god8 ,settle it down in your mind that you will receive all and believe all1 and that what you cannot understand you will take on trust4 ,remember1 when you pray1 you are speaking to ,god1 and ,god hears you4 ,but1 remember1 when you read1 ,god is speaking to you1 and you are not to answer again1 but to listen4 7d7 ,for another thing1 read the ,bible in a spirit of obedience and self-application4 ,sit down to the study of it with a daily determination that you will live by its rules1 rest on its statements1 and act on its commands4 ,consider1 as you travel through every chapter1 ,how does this affect my position and course of conduct8 ,what does this teach me8 ,it is poor work to read the ,bible from mere curiosity1 and for speculative purposes1 in order to fill your head and store your mind with opinions1 while you do not allow the book to influence your heart and life4 ,that ,bible is read best which is practised most4 7e7 ,for another thing1 read the ,bible daily4 ,make it a part of every day's business to read and meditate on some portion of ,god's ,word4 ,private means of grace are just as needful every day for our souls as food and clothing are for our bodies4 ,yesterday's bread will not feed the labourer to-day1 and to-day's bread will not feed the labourer to-morrow4 ,do as the ,israelites did in the wilderness4 ,gather your manna fresh every morning4 ,choose your own seasons and hours4 ,do not scramble over and hurry your reading4 ,give your ,bible the best1 and not the worst part of your time4 ,but whatever plan you pursue1 let it be a rule of your life to visit the throne of grace and the ,bible every day4 7f7 ,for another thing1 read all the ,bible1 and read it in an orderly way4 ,i fear there are many parts of the ,word which some people never read at all4 ,this is to say the least1 a very presumptuous habit4 ,all ,scripture is profitable4 7#b ,tim4 iii4 #af47 ,to this habit may be traced that want of broad1 well-proportioned views of truth1 which is so common in this day4 ,some people's ,bible-reading is a system of perpetual dipping and picking4 ,they do not seem to have an idea of regularly going through the whole book4 ,this also is a great mistake4 ,no doubt in times of sickness and affliction it is allowable to search out seasonable portions4 ,but with this exception1 ,i believe it is by far the best plan to begin the ,old and ,new ,testaments at the same time1--to read each straight through to the end1 and then begin again4 ,this is a matter in which every one must be persuaded in his own mind4 ,i can only say it has been my own plan for nearly forty years1 and ,i have never seen cause to alter it4 7g7 ,for another thing1 read the ,bible fairly and honestly4 ,determine to take everything in its plain1 obvious meaning1 and regard all forced interpretations with great suspicion4 ,as a general rule1 whatever a verse of the ,bible seems to mean1 it does mean4 ,cecil's rule is a very valuable one1--,the right way of interpreting ,scripture is to take it as we find it1 without any attempt to force it into any particular system4 ,well said ,hooker1 ,i hold it for a most infallible rule in the exposition of ,scripture1 that when a literal construction will stand1 the furthest from the literal is commonly the worst4 7h7 ,in the last place1 read the ,bible with ,christ continually in view4 ,the grand primary object of all ,scripture is to testify of ,jesus4 ,old ,testament ceremonies are shadows of ,christ4 ,old ,testament judges and deliverers are types of ,christ4 ,old ,testament history shows the world's need of ,christ4 ,old ,testament prophecies are full of ,christ's sufferings1 and of ,christ's glory yet to come4 ,the first advent and the second1--the ,lord's humiliation and the ,lord's kingdom1--the cross and the crown1 shine forth everywhere in the ,bible4 ,keep fast hold on this clue1 if you would read the ,bible aright4 ,i might easily add to these hints1 if space permitted4 ,few and short as they are1 you will find them worth attention4 ,act upon them1 and ,i firmly believe you will never be allowed to miss the way to heaven4 ,act upon them1 and you will find light continually increasing in your mind4 ,no book of evidence can be compared with that internal evidence which he obtains who daily uses the ,word in the right way4 ,such a man does not need the books of learned men1 like ,paley1 and ,wilson1 and ,m',ilvaine4 ,he has the witness in himself4 ,the book satisfies and feeds his soul4 ,a poor ,christian woman once said to an infidel1 ,i am no scholar4 ,i cannot argue like you4 ,but ,i know that honey is honey1 because it leaves a sweet taste in my mouth4 ,and ,i know the ,bible to be ,god's book1 because of the taste it leaves in my heart4 7#c7 ,this paper may fall into the hands of some one who loves and believes the ,bible1 and yet reads it but little4 ,i fear there are many such in this day4 ,it is a day of bustle and hurry4 ,it is a day of talking1 and committee-meetings1 and public work4 ,these things are all very well in their way1 but ,i fear that they sometimes clip and cut short the private reading of the ,bible4 ,does your conscience tell you that you are one of the persons ,i speak of8 ,listen to me1 and ,i will say a few things which deserve your serious attention4 ,you are the man that is likely to get little comfort from the ,bible in time of need4 ,trial is a sifting season4 ,affliction is a searching wind1 which strips the leaves off the trees1 and brings to light the birds' nests4 ,now ,i fear that your stores of ,bible consolations may one day run very low4 ,i fear lest you should find yourself at last on very short allowance1 and come into harbour weak1 worn and thin4 ,you are the man that is likely never to be established in the truth4 ,i shall not be surprised to hear that you are troubled with doubts and questionings about assurance1 grace1 faith1 perseverance1 and the like4 ,the devil is an old and cunning enemy4 ,like the ,benjamites1 he can throw stones at a hair-breadth1 and not miss4 7,judges xx4 #af47 ,he can quote ,scripture readily enough when he pleases4 ,now you are not sufficiently ready with your weapons to be able to fight a good fight with him4 ,your armour does not fit you well4 ,your sword sits loosely in your hand4 ,you are the man that is likely to make mistakes in life4 ,i shall not wonder if ,i am told that you have erred about your own marriage1--erred about your children's education1--erred about the conduct of your household1--erred about the company you keep4 ,the world you steer through is full of rocks1 and shoals1 and sandbanks4 ,you are not sufficiently familiar either with the lights or charts4 ,you are the man that is likely to be carried away by some specious false teacher for a season4 ,it will not surprise me if ,i hear that some one of those clever1 eloquent men1 who can make the worse appear the better cause1 is leading you into many follies4 ,you are wanting in ballast4 ,no wonder if you are tossed to and fro1 like a cork on the waves4 ,all these are uncomfortable things4 ,i want every reader of this paper to escape them all4 ,take the advice ,i offer you this day4 ,do not merely read your ,bible a little1 but read it a great deal4 ,let the ,word of ,christ dwell in you richly4 7,coloss4 iii4 #af47 ,do not be a mere babe in spiritual knowledge4 ,seek to become well instructed in the kingdom of heaven1 and to be continually adding new things to old4 ,a religion of feeling is an uncertain thing4 ,it is like the tide1 sometimes high1 and sometimes low4 ,it is like the moon1 sometimes bright1 and sometimes dim4 ,a religion of deep ,bible knowledge1 is a firm and lasting possession4 ,it enables a man not merely to say1 ,i feel hope in ,christ1--but ,i know whom ,i have believed4 7#b ,tim4 i4 #ab47 7#d7 ,this paper may fall into the hands of some one who reads the ,bible much1 and yet fancies he is no better for his reading4 ,this is a crafty temptation of the devil4 ,at one stage he says1 ,do not read the ,bible at all4 ,at another he says1 ,your reading does you no good3 give it up4 ,are you that man8 ,i feel for you from the bottom of my soul4 ,let me try to do you good4 ,do not think you are getting no good from the ,bible1 merely because you do not see that good day by day4 ,the greatest effects are by no means those which make the most noise1 and are most easily observed4 ,the greatest effects are often silent1 quiet1 and hard to detect at the time they are being produced4 ,think of the influence of the moon upon the earth1 and of the air upon the human lungs4 ,remember how silently the dew falls1 and how imperceptibly the grass grows4 ,there may be far more doing than you think in your soul by your ,bible-reading4 ,the ,word may be gradually producing deep impressions on your heart1 of which you are not at present aware4 ,often when the memory is retaining no facts1 the character of a man is receiving some everlasting impression4 ,is sin becoming every year more hateful to you8 ,is ,christ becoming every year more precious8 ,is holiness becoming every year more lovely and desirable in your eyes8 ,if these things are so1 take courage4 ,the ,bible is doing you good1 though you may not be able to trace it out day by day4 ,the ,bible may be restraining you from some sin or delusion into which you would otherwise run4 ,it may be daily keeping you back1 and hedging you up1 and preventing many a false step4 ,ah1 you might soon find this out to your cost1 if you were to cease reading the ,word6 ,the very familiarity of blessings sometimes makes us insensible to their value4 ,resist the devil4 ,settle it down in your mind as an established rule1 that1 whether you feel it at the moment or not1 you are inhaling spiritual health by reading the ,bible1 and insensibly becoming more strong4 7#e7 ,this paper may fall into the hands of some who really love the ,bible1 live upon the ,bible1 and read it much4 ,are you one of these8 ,give me your attention1 and ,i will mention a few things which we shall do well to lay to heart for time to come4 ,let us resolve to read the ,bible more and more every year we live4 ,let us try to get it rooted in our memories1 and engrafted into our hearts4 ,let us be thoroughly well provisioned with it against the voyage of death4 ,who knows but we may have a very stormy passage8 ,sight and hearing may fail us1 and we may be in deep waters4 ,oh1 to have the ,word hid in our hearts in such an hour as that6 7,ps4 cxix4 #aa47 ,let us resolve to be more watchful over our ,bible-reading every year that we live4 ,let us be jealously careful about the time we give to it1 and the manner that time is spent4 ,let us beware of omitting our daily reading without sufficient cause4 ,let us not be gaping1 and yawning1 and dozing over our book1 while we read4 ,let us read like a ,london merchant studying the city article in the ,times1--or like a wife reading a husband's letter from a distant land4 ,let us be very careful that we never exalt any minister1 or sermon1 or book1 or tract1 or friend above the ,word4 ,cursed be that book1 or tract1 or human counsel1 which creeps in between us and the ,bible1 and hides the ,bible from our eyes6 ,once more ,i say1 let us be very watchful4 ,the moment we open the ,bible the devil sits down by our side4 ,oh1 to read with a hungry spirit1 and a simple desire for edification6 ,let us resolve to honour the ,bible more in our families4 ,let us read it morning and evening to our children and households1 and not be ashamed to let men see that we do so4 ,let us not be discouraged by seeing no good arise from it4 ,the ,bible-reading in a family has kept many a one from the gaol1 the workhouse1 and the ,gazette1 if it has not kept him from hell4 ,let us resolve to meditate more on the ,bible4 ,it is good to take with us two or three texts when we go out into the world1 and to turn them over and over in our minds whenever we have a little leisure4 ,it keeps out many vain thoughts4 ,it clenches the nail of daily reading4 ,it preserves our souls from stagnating and breeding corrupt things4 ,it sanctifies and quickens our memories1 and prevents them becoming like those ponds where the frogs live but the fish die4 ,let us resolve to talk more to believers about the ,bible when we meet them4 ,alas1 the conversation of ,christians1 when they do meet1 is often sadly unprofitable6 ,how many frivolous1 and trifling1 and uncharitable things are said6 ,let us bring out the ,bible more1 and it will help to drive the devil away1 and keep our hearts in tune4 ,oh1 that we may all strive so to walk together in this evil world1 that ,jesus may often draw near1 and go with us1 as ,he went with the two disciples journeying to ,emmaus6 ,last of all1 let us resolve to live by the ,bible more and more every year we live4 ,let us frequently take account of all our opinions and practices1--of our habits and tempers1--of our behaviour in public and in private1--in the world1 and by our own firesides4 ,let us measure all by the ,bible1 and resolve1 by ,god's help1 to conform to it4 ,oh that we may learn increasingly to cleanse our ways by the ,word6 7,ps4 cxix4 #i47 ,i commend all these things to the serious and prayerful attention of every one into whose hands this paper may fall4 ,i want the ministers of my beloved country to be ,bible-reading ministers1--the congregations1 ,bible-reading congregations1--and the nation1 a ,bible-reading nation4 ,to bring about this desirable end ,i cast in my mite into ,god's treasury4 ,the ,lord grant that it may prove not to have been in vain6 ,,vi ,,going ,,to ,,the ,,table ,let a man examine himself1 and so let him eat of that bread1 and drink of that cup4--#a ,cor4 xi4 #bh4 ,the words which form the title of this paper refer to a subject of vast importance4 ,that subject is the ,sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper4 ,perhaps no part of the ,christian religion is so thoroughly misunderstood as the ,lord's ,supper4 ,on no point have there been so many disputes1 strifes1 and controversies for almost #ahjj years4 ,on no point have mistakes done so much harm4 ,even at this very day the battle is still raging1 and ,christians seem hopelessly divided4 ,the very ordinance which was meant for our peace and profit has become the cause of discord and the occasion of sin4 ,these things ought not so to be6 ,i make no excuse for including the ,lord's ,supper among the leading points of practical ,christianity4 ,i believe firmly that ignorant views or false doctrine about this sacrament lie at the root of half the present divisions of professing ,christians4 ,some neglect it altogether2 some completely misunderstand it2 some exalt it to a position it was never meant to occupy1 and turn it into an idol4 ,if ,i can throw a little light on it1 and clear up the doubts of some minds1 ,i shall feel very thankful4 ,it is hopeless1 ,i fear1 to expect that the controversy about the ,lord's ,supper will ever be finally closed until the ,lord comes4 ,but it is not too much to hope that the fog and mystery and obscurity with which it is surrounded in some minds1 may be cleared away by plain ,bible truth4 ,in examining the ,sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper ,i shall content myself with asking four practical questions1 and offering answers to them4 ,i4 ,why was the ,lord's supper ordained8 ,,ii4 ,who ought to go to the ,table and be communicants8 ,,iii4 ,what may communicants expect from the ,lord's ,supper8 ,,iv4 ,why do many so-called ,christians never go to the ,lord's ,table8 ,i think it will be impossible to handle these four questions fairly1 honestly1 and impartially1 without seeing the subject of this paper more clearly1 and getting some distinct and practical ideas about some leading errors of our day4 ,i say practical emphatically4 ,my chief aim in this volume is to promote practical ,christianity4 ,i4 ,in the first place1 why was the ,lord's ,supper ordained8 ,i answer that question in the words of the ,church ,catechism4 ,i am sure ,i cannot mend them4 ,it was ordained for the continual remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of ,christ1 and of the benefits which we receive thereby4--,the bread which in the ,lord's ,supper is broken1 given1 and eaten1 is meant to remind us of ,christ's body given on the cross for our sins4 ,the wine which is poured out and received1 is meant to remind us of ,christ's blood shed on the cross for our sins4 ,he that eats that bread and drinks that wine is reminded1 in the most striking and forcible manner1 of the benefits ,christ has obtained for his soul1 and of the death of ,christ as the hinge and turning point on which all those benefits depend4 ,now is the view here stated the doctrine of the ,new ,testament8 ,if it is not1 for ever let it be rejected1 cast aside1 and refused by men4 ,if it is1 let us never be ashamed to hold it fast1 profess our belief in it1 pin our faith on it1 and steadfastly refuse to hold any other view1 no matter by whom it is taught4 ,in subjects like this we must call no man master4 ,it signifies little what great ,bishops and learned divines have thought fit to put forth about the ,lord's ,supper4 ,if they teach more than the ,word of ,god contains they are not to be believed4 ,i take down my ,bible and turn to the ,new ,testament4 ,there ,i find no less than four separate accounts of the first appointment of the ,lord's ,supper4 ,st4 ,matthew1 ,st4 ,mark1 ,st4 ,luke1 and ,st4 ,paul1 all four describe it3 all four agree in telling us what our ,lord did on this memorable occasion4--,two only tell us the reason which our ,lord assigned why ,his disciples were to eat the bread and drink the cup4 ,st4 ,paul and ,st4 ,luke both record the remarkable words1 ,do this in remembrance of ,me4--,st4 ,paul adds his own inspired comment3 ,as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup1 ye do shew 7or declare or proclaim7 the ,lord's death till ,he come4 7,luke xxii4 #ai2 #a ,cor4 xi4 #be1 #bf47 ,when ,scripture speaks so plainly1 why cannot men be content with it8 ,why should we mystify and confuse a subject which in the ,new ,testament is so simple8 ,the continual remembrance of ,christ's death was the one grand object for which the ,lord's ,supper was ordained4 ,he that goes further than this is adding to ,god's ,word1 and does so to the great peril of his soul4 ,now is it reasonable to suppose that our ,lord would appoint an ordinance for so simple a purpose as the keeping ,his death in remembrance8 ,most certainly it is4 ,of all the facts in ,his earthly ministry none are equal in importance to that of ,his death4 ,it was the great satisfaction for man's sin1 which had been appointed in ,god's covenant from the foundation of the world4 ,it was the great atonement of almighty power1 to which every sacrifice of animals1 from the fall of man1 continually pointed4 ,it was the grand end and purpose for which ,messiah came into the world4 ,it was the corner-stone and foundation of all man's hopes of pardon and peace with ,god4 ,in short1 ,christ would have lived1 and taught1 and preached1 and prophesied1 and wrought miracles in vain1 if ,he had not crowned all by dying for our sins as our ,substitute6 ,his death was our life4 ,his death was the payment of our debt to ,god4 ,without ,his death we should have been of all creatures most miserable4 ,no wonder that an ordinance was specially appointed to remind us of our ,saviour's death4 ,it is the very one thing of which poor1 weak1 sinful man needs to be continually reminded4 ,does the ,new ,testament warrant men in saying that the ,lord's ,supper was ordained to be a sacrifice1 and that in it ,christ's body and blood are present under the forms of bread and wine8 ,most certainly not6 ,when the ,lord ,jesus said to the disciples1 ,this is my ,body1 and this is my ,blood1 ,he evidently meant1 ,this bread in my hand is an emblem of my ,body1 and this cup of wine in my hand contains an emblem of my ,blood4 ,the disciples were accustomed to hear ,him use such language4 ,they remembered ,his saying1 ,the field is the world1 ,the good seed are the children of the kingdom4 7,matt4 xiii4 #ch47 ,it never entered into their minds that ,he meant to say ,he was holding ,his own body and ,his own blood in ,his hands1 and literally giving them ,his literal body and blood to eat and drink4 ,not one of the writers of the ,new ,testament ever speaks of the sacrament as a sacrifice1 or calls the ,lord's ,table an altar1 or even hints that a ,christian minister is a sacrificing priest4 ,the universal doctrine of the ,new ,testament is that after the one offering of ,christ there remains no more need of sacrifice4#b #b3 ,if any one fancies that ,st4 ,paul's words to the ,hebrews1 ,we have an altar1 are a proof that the ,lord's table is an altar1 ,i advise him to read what ,waterland1 no mean theologian1 says on the subject3--,christians have an altar whereof they partake4 ,that altar is ,christ our ,lord1 who is ,altar1 ,priest1 and ,sacrifice1 all in ,one4--,waterland's ,works1 ,vol4 ,v41 #bfh4 ,oxford edition4 ,does the ,english ,prayer-book warrant any ,churchman in saying that the ,lord's ,supper was meant to be a sacrifice1 and that ,christ's body and blood are present under the forms of bread and wine8 ,once more ,i reply1 ,most certainly not6 ,not once is the word altar to be found in the ,prayer-book3 not once is the ,lord's ,supper called a sacrifice4 ,throughout the ,communion ,service the one idea of the ordinance continually pressed on our attention is that of a remembrance of ,christ's death4 ,as to any presence of ,christ's natural body and blood under the forms of bread and wine1 the rubric at the end of the ,service gives the most flat and distinct contradiction to the idea4 ,that rubric expressly asserts that the natural body and blood of ,christ are in heaven1 and not here4 ,those many ,churchmen1 so-called1 who delight in talking of the altar1 the sacrifice1 the priest1 and the real presence in the ,lord's ,supper1 would do well to remember that they are using language which is entirely unused by the ,church of ,england4 ,the point before us is one of vast importance4 ,let us lay hold upon it firmly1 and never let it go4 ,it is the very point on which our ,reformers had their sharpest controversy with the ,romanists1 and went to the stake1 rather than give way4 ,sooner than admit that the ,lord's ,supper was a sacrifice1 they cheerfully laid down their lives4 ,to bring back the doctrine of the real presence1 and to turn the good old ,english communion into the ,romish mass1 is to pour contempt on our ,martyrs1 and to upset the first principles of the ,protestant ,reformation4 ,nay1 rather1 it is to ignore the plain teaching of ,god's ,word1 and do dishonour to the priestly office of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,the ,bible teaches expressly that the ,lord's ,supper was ordained to be a remembrance of ,christ's body and blood1 and not an offering4 ,the ,bible teaches that ,christ's vicarious death on the cross was the one perfect sacrifice for sin1 which never needs to be repeated4 ,let us stand fast in these two great principles of the ,christian faith4 ,a clear view of the intention of the ,lord's ,supper is one of the soul's best safeguards against the delusions of modern days4 ,,ii4 ,in the second place1 let me try to show who ought to be communicants8 ,what kind of persons were meant to go to the ,table and receive the ,lord's ,supper8 ,it will clear the ground if ,i first show who ought not to be partakers of this ordinance4 ,the ignorance which prevails on this1 as well as on every part of the subject1 is vast1 lamentable1 and appalling4 ,if ,i can contribute anything that may throw light upon it1 ,i shall feel very thankful4 ,the principal giants whom ,john ,bunyan describes1 in ,pilgrim's ,progress1 as dangerous to ,christian pilgrims1 were two1 ,pope and ,pagan4 ,if the good old ,puritan had foreseen the times we live in1 he would have said something about the giant ,ignorance4 7a7 ,it is not right to urge all baptized persons to become communicants4 ,there is such a thing as fitness and preparedness for the ordinance4 ,it does not work like a medicine1 independently of the state of mind of those who receive it4 ,the teaching of those who press all their congregation to come to the ,lord's ,table1 as if the coming must necessarily do every one good1 is entirely without warrant of ,scripture4 ,nay1 rather1 it is teaching which is calculated to do immense harm to men's souls1 and to turn the reception of the sacrament into a mere form4 ,ignorance can never be the mother of acceptable worship1 and an ignorant communicant who comes to the ,lord's ,table without knowing why he comes1 is altogether in the wrong place4--,let a man examine himself1 and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup4--,to discern the ,lord's body1--that is to understand what the elements of bread and wine represent1 and why they are appointed1 and what is the particular use of remembering ,christ's death1--is an essential qualification of a true communicant4 ,god commands all men everywhere to repent and believe the ,gospel 7,acts xvii4 #cj72 but ,he does not in the same way1 or in the same manner1 command every body to come to the ,lord's ,table4 ,no3 this thing is not to be taken in hand unadvisedly1 lightly1 or carelessly6 ,it is a solemn ordinance1 and solemnly it ought to be used4 7b7 ,but this is not all4 ,sinners living in open sin1 and determined not to give it up1 ought on no account to come to the ,lord's ,table4 ,to do so is a positive insult to ,christ1 and to pour contempt on ,his ,gospel4 ,it is nonsense to profess we desire to remember ,christ's death1 while we cling to the accursed thing which made it needful for ,christ to die4 ,the mere fact that a man is continuing in sin1 is plain evidence that he does not care for ,christ1 and feels no gratitude for redemption4 ,the ignorant ,papist who goes to the priest's confessional and receives absolution1 may think he is fit to go to the ,popish mass1 and after mass may return to his sins4 ,he never reads the ,bible1 and knows no better6 ,but the ,englishman who habitually breaks any of ,god's commandments1 and yet goes to the ,sacrament1 as if it would do him good and wipe away his sins1 is very guilty indeed4 ,so long as he chooses to continue his wicked habits he cannot receive the slightest benefit from ,christ's ordinances1 and is only adding sin to sin4 ,to carry unrepented sin up to the ,communion ,rail1 and there receive the bread and wine1 knowing in our own hearts that we and wickedness are yet friends1 is one of the worst things a man can do1 and one of the most hardening to conscience4 ,if a man must have his sins1 and cannot give them up1 let him by all means stay away from the ,lord's ,supper4 ,there is such a thing as eating and drinking unworthily1 and to our own condemnation4 ,to no one do these words apply so thoroughly as to an open sinner4 7c7 ,but ,i have not done yet4 ,self-righteous people1 who think that they are to be saved by their own works1 have no business to come to the ,lord's ,table4 ,strange as it may sound at first1 these persons are the least qualified of all to receive the ,sacrament4 ,they may be outwardly correct1 moral and respectable in their lives1 but so long as they trust in their own goodness for salvation1 they are entirely in the wrong place at the ,lord's ,supper4 ,for what do we declare at the ,lord's ,supper8 ,we publicly profess that we have no goodness1 righteousness1 or worthiness of our own1 and that all our hope is in ,christ4 ,we publicly profess that we are guilty1 sinful1 and corrupt1 and naturally deserve ,god's wrath and condemnation4 ,we publicly profess that ,christ's merit and not our's1 ,christ's righteousness and not our's1 is the alone cause why we look for acceptance with ,god4 ,now what has a self-righteous man to do with an ordinance like this8 ,clearly nothing at all4 ,one thing1 at any rate1 is very plain3 a self-righteous man has no business to receive the sacrament in the ,church of ,england4 ,the ,communion ,service of the ,church bids all communicants declare that they do not presume to come to the ,table trusting in their own righteousness1 but in ,god's manifold and great mercies4--,it tells them to say1--,we are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under ,thy table1--the remembrance of our sins is grievous unto us2 the burden of them is intolerable4--,how any self-righteous ,churchman can ever go to the ,lord's ,table1 and take these words into his mouth1 passes my understanding6 ,it only shows that many professing ,christians use excellent forms of worship without taking the trouble to consider what they mean4 ,the plain truth is that the ,lord's ,supper was not meant for dead souls1 but for living ones4 ,the careless1 the ignorant1 the wilfully wicked1 the self-righteous1 are no more fit to come to the ,communion rail than a dead corpse is fit to sit down at a king's feast4 ,to enjoy a spiritual feast we must have a spiritual heart1 and taste1 and appetite4 ,to suppose that ,christ's ordinances can do good to an unspiritual man1 is as foolish as to put bread and wine into the mouth of a dead person4 ,the careless1 the ignorant1 and the wilfully wicked1 so long as they continue in that state1 are utterly unfit to be communicants4 ,to urge them to attend is not to do them good but harm4 ,the ,lord's ,supper is not a converting or justifying ordinance4 ,if a man goes to the ,table unconverted or unforgiven1 he will come away no better at all4 ,but1 after all1 the ground having been cleared of error1 the question still remains to be answered1--,who are the sort of persons who ought to be communicants8 ,i answer that question in the words of the ,church ,catechism4 ,i there find the inquiry made1 ,what is required of them who come to the ,lord's ,supper8 ,in reply ,i find it taught that people should examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former sins1 steadfastly purposing to lead a new life2--whether they have a lively faith in ,god's mercy through ,christ1 with a thankful remembrance of ,his death2--and whether they are in charity with all men4--,in a word1 ,i find that a worthy communicant is one who possesses three simple marks and qualifications1--repentance1 faith1 and charity4 ,does a man truly repent of sin and hate it8 ,does a man put his trust in ,jesus ,christ as his only hope of salvation8 ,does a man live in charity towards others8 ,he that can truly say to each of these questions1 ,i do1 he is a man that is ,scripturally qualified for the ,lord's ,supper4 ,let him come boldly4 ,let no barrier be put in his way4 ,he comes up to the ,bible standard of communicants4 ,he may draw near with confidence1 and feel assured that the great ,master of the banquet is not displeased4 ,such a man's repentance may be very imperfect4 ,never mind6 ,is it real8 ,does he truly repent at all8--,his faith in ,christ may be very weak4 ,never mind6 ,is it real8 ,a penny is as truly the current coin of the realm1 and as really stamped with the ,queen's image as a sovereign4 ,his charity may be very defective in quantity and degree4 ,never mind6 ,is it genuine8 ,the grand test of a man's ,christianity is not the quantity of grace he has got1 but whether he has any grace at all4 ,the first twelve communicants1 when ,christ ,himself gave the bread and wine1 were weak indeed1--weak in knowledge1 weak in faith1 weak in courage1 weak in patience1 weak in love6 ,but eleven of them had that about them which outweighed all defects3 they were real1 genuine1 sincere1 and true4 ,for ever let this great principle be rooted in our minds1--the only worthy communicant is the man who is experimentally acquainted with repentance toward ,god1 faith toward our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and practical love toward others4 ,are you that man8 ,then you may draw near to the table1 and take the sacrament to your comfort4 ,lower than this ,i dare not pitch my standard of a communicant4 ,i will never help to crowd a communion rail with careless1 ignorant1 self-righteous attendants4--,higher than this ,i will not pitch my standard4 ,i will never tell any one to keep away till he is perfect1 and to wait till his heart is as unruffled as an angel's4 ,i will not do so1 because ,i believe that neither my ,master nor ,his ,apostles would have done so4 ,show me a man that really feels his sins1 really leans on ,christ1 really struggles to be holy1 and ,i will bid him welcome in my ,master's name4 ,he may feel weak1 erring1 empty1 feeble1 doubting1 wretched1 and poor4 ,what matter8 ,st4 ,paul1 ,i believe1 would have received him as a right communicant1 and ,i will do likewise4 ,,iii4 ,in the third place1 let us consider what benefit communicants may expect to get by going to the ,table and attending the ,lord's ,supper4 ,this is a point of grave importance1 and one on which vast mistakes abound4 ,on no point1 perhaps1 connected with this ordinance1 are the views of ,christians so vague and misty and undefined4 ,one common idea among men is that taking the sacrament must do them good4 ,why1 they cannot explain4 ,what good1 they cannot exactly say4 ,but they have a loose general notion that it is the right thing to be a communicant1 and that somehow or other it is of service to their souls6 ,this is of course nothing better than ignorance4 ,it is unreasonable to suppose that such communicants can please ,christ1 or receive any real benefit from what they do4 ,if there is any principle clearly laid down in the ,bible about any act of religious worship1 it is this1--that it must be intelligent4 ,the worshipper must at least understand something about what he is doing4 ,mere bodily worship1 unaccompanied by mind or heart1 is utterly worthless4 ,the man who walks up to a communion rail1 and eats the bread and drinks the wine1 as a mere matter of form1 because his minister tells him1 without any clear idea of what it all means1 derives no benefit4 ,he might just as well stay at home6 ,another common idea among men is that1 taking the sacrament will help them to heaven1 and take away their sins4 ,to this delusive idea you may trace up the habit in some parishes of going to the sacrament once a year1 in order1 as an old farmer once said1 to wipe off the year's sins4 ,to this idea again1 you may trace the too common practice of sending for a minister in time of sickness1 in order to receive the sacrament before death4 ,alas1 how many take comfort about their relatives1 after they have lived a most ungodly life1 for no better reason than this1--that they took the sacrament when they were dying6 ,whether they repented and believed and had new hearts1 they neither seem to know or care4 ,all they know is that they took the sacrament before they died4 ,my heart sinks within me when ,i hear people resting on such evidence as this4 ,ideas like these are mournful proofs of the ignorance that fills the minds of men about the ,lord's ,supper4 ,they are ideas for which there is not the slightest warrant either in ,scripture or the ,prayer-book4 ,the sooner they are cast aside and given up1 the better for the ,church and the world4 ,let us settle it firmly in our minds that the ,lord's ,supper was not given to be a means either of justification or of conversion4 ,it was never meant to give grace where there is no grace already1 or to provide pardon when pardon is not already enjoyed4 ,it cannot possibly supply the absence of repentance to ,god1 and faith toward the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,it is an ordinance for the penitent1 not for the impenitent1--for the believing1 not for the unbelieving1--for the converted1 not for the unconverted4 ,the unconverted man1 who fancies that he can find a short-cut road to heaven by taking the sacrament1 without treading the well-worn steps of repentance and faith1 will find to his cost one day1 that he is totally deceived4 ,the ,lord's ,supper was meant to increase and help the grace that a man has1 but not to impart the grace that he has not4 ,it was certainly never intended to make our peace with ,god1 to justify1 or to convert4 ,the simplest statement of the benefit which a true-hearted communicant may expect to receive from the ,lord's ,supper1 is that which is supplied by the ,church ,catechism1--,the strengthening and refreshing of our souls4--,clearer views of ,christ and ,his atonement1 clearer views of all the offices which ,christ fills as our ,mediator and ,advocate1 clearer views of the complete redemption ,christ has obtained for us by ,his vicarious death on the cross1 clearer views of our full and perfect acceptance in ,christ before ,god1 fresh reasons for deep repentance for sin1 fresh reasons for lively faith1--these are among the leading returns which a believer may confidently expect to get from his attendance at the ,lord's ,table4 ,he that eats the bread and drinks the wine in a right spirit1 will find himself drawn into closer communion with ,christ1 and will feel to know ,him more1 and understand ,him better4 7a7 ,right reception of the ,lord's ,supper has a humbling effect on the soul4 ,the sight of these emblems of ,christ's body and blood1 reminds us how sinful sin must be1 if anything less than the death of ,god's own ,son could make satisfaction for it1 or redeem us from its guilt4 ,never surely ought we to be so clothed with humility1 as when we kneel at the ,communion rail4 7b7 ,right reception of the ,lord's ,supper has a cheering effect on the soul4 ,the sight of the bread broken1 and the wine poured out1 reminds us how full1 perfect1 and complete is our salvation4 ,those lively emblems remind us what an enormous price has been paid for our redemption4 ,they press on us the mighty truth1 that believing on ,christ1 we have nothing to fear1 because a sufficient payment has been made for our debt4 ,the precious blood of ,christ answers every charge that can be brought against us4 ,god can be a just ,god1 and yet the justifier of every one that believeth on ,jesus4 7,rom4 iii4 #bf47 7c7 ,right reception of the ,lord's ,supper has a sanctifying effect on the soul4 ,the bread and wine remind us how great is our debt of gratitude to our ,lord1 and how thoroughly we are bound to live for ,him who died for our sins4 ,they seem to say to us1 ,remember what ,christ has done for you1 and ask yourself whether there is anything too great to do for ,him4 7d7 ,right reception of the ,lord's ,supper into hearts1 has a restraining effect on the soul4 ,every time a believer goes up to the ,communion rail he is reminded what a serious thing it is to be a ,christian1 and what an obligation is laid on him to lead a consistent life4 ,bought with such a price as that bread and wine call to his recollection1 ought he not to glorify ,christ in body and spirit1 which are ,his8 ,the man that goes regularly and intelligently to the ,lord's ,table finds it increasingly hard to yield to sin and conform to the world4 ,such is a brief account of the benefits which a right-hearted communicant may expect to receive from the ,lord's ,supper4 ,in eating that bread and drinking that cup1 such a man will have his repentance deepened1 his faith increased1 his knowledge enlarged1 his habit of holy living strengthened4 ,he will realize more of the real presence of ,christ in his heart4 ,eating that bread by faith1 he will feel closer communion with the body of ,christ4 ,drinking that wine by faith1 he will feel closer communion with the blood of ,christ4 ,he will see more clearly what ,christ is to him1 and what he is to ,christ4 ,he will understand more thoroughly what it is to be one with ,christ1 and ,christ one with him4 ,he will feel the roots of his soul's spiritual life watered1 and the work of grace in his heart stablished1 built up1 and carried forward4 ,all these things may seem and sound foolishness to a natural man1 but to a true ,christian these things are light1 and health1 and life1 and peace4 ,no wonder that a true ,christian finds the ,lord's ,supper a source of blessing6 ,remember1 ,i do not pretend to say that all ,christians experience the full blessing of the ,lord's ,supper1 which ,i have just attempted to describe4 ,nor yet do ,i say that the same believer will always find his soul in the same spiritual frame1 and always receive the same amount of benefit from the sacrament4 ,but this ,i will boldly say3 you will rarely find a true believer who will not say that he reckons the ,lord's ,supper one of his best helps and highest privileges4 ,he will tell you that if he were deprived of the ,lord's ,supper he should find the loss of it a great drawback to his soul4 ,there are some things of which we never know the value till they are taken from us4 ,so ,i believe it is with the ,lord's ,supper4 ,the weakest and humblest of ,god's children gets a blessing from this sacrament1 to an extent of which he is not aware4 ,,iv4 ,in the last place1 ,i have to consider why it is that many so-called ,christians never come to the ,lord's ,supper4 ,it is a simple matter of fact1 that myriads of baptized persons never come to the ,table of the ,lord4 ,they would not endure to be told that they deny the faith1 and are practically not in communion with ,christ4 ,when they worship1 they attend a place of ,christian worship2 when they hear religious teaching1 it is the teaching of ,christianity2 when they are married1 they use a ,christian service2 when their children are baptized1 they ask for the ,sacrament of ,baptism4 ,yet all this time they never come to the ,lord's ,supper6 ,they often live on in this state of mind for many years1 and to all appearance are not ashamed4 ,they often die in this condition without ever having received the sacrament1 and yet profess to feel hope at the last1 and their friends express a hope about them4 ,and yet they live and die in open disobedience to a plain command of ,christ6 ,these are simple facts4 ,let any one look around him1 and deny them if he can4 ,i challenge any one to deny that the non-communicants in all ,english congregations form the majority1 and the communicants the minority of the worshippers4 ,now how is this8 ,what account can we give of it8 ,our ,lord ,jesus ,christ's last injunctions to ,his disciples are clear1 plain1 and unmistakable4 ,he says to all1 ,eat1 drink3 do this in remembrance of ,me4 ,did ,he leave it to our discretion whether we would attend to ,his injunction or not8 ,did ,he mean that it did not signify whether ,his disciples did or did not keep up the ordinance ,he had just established8 ,certainly not4 ,the very idea is absurd1 and one certainly never dreamed of in apostolic times4--,st4 ,paul evidently takes it for granted that every ,christian is a communicant4 ,a class of ,christian worshippers who never came to the ,table1 was a class whose existence was unknown to him4 ,what1 then1 are we to say of that large multitude of non-communicants which walks out of our churches every sacrament ,sunday1 unabashed1 unhumbled1 not afraid1 not the least ashamed8 ,why is it8 ,how is it8 ,what does it all mean8 ,let us look these questions fairly in the face1 and endeavour to give an answer to them4 7#a7 ,for one thing1 many are not communicants because they are utterly careless and thoughtless about religion1 and ignorant of the very first principles of ,christianity4 ,they go to church1 as a matter of form1 because other people go2 but they neither know1 nor care anything about what is done1 at church6 ,the faith of ,christ has no place either in their hearts1 or heads1 or consciences1 or wills1 or understandings4 ,it is a mere affair of words and names1 about which they know no more than ,festus or ,gallio4 ,there were very few such ,christians in ,st4 ,paul's times1 if indeed there were any4 ,there are far too many in these last days of the world1 when everything seems to be wearing out and running to seed4 ,they are the dead-weight of the ,churches1 and the scandal of ,christianity4 ,what such people need is light1 knowledge1 grace1 a renewed conscience1 a changed heart4 ,in their present state they have no part or lot in ,christ2 and dying in this state they are unfit for heaven4 ,do ,i wish them to come to the ,lord's ,supper8 ,certainly not1 till they are converted4 ,except a man be converted he will never enter the kingdom of ,god4 7#b7 ,for another thing1 many are not communicants because they know they are living in the habitual practice of some sin1 or in the habitual neglect of some ,christian duty4 ,their conscience tells them that so long as they live in this state1 and do not break off from their sins1 they are unfit to come to the ,table of the ,lord4 ,well3 they are so far quite right6 ,i wish no man to be a communicant if he cannot give up his sins4 ,but ,i warn these people not to forget that if they are unfit for the ,lord's ,supper they are unfit to die1 and that if they die in their present condition they will be lost eternally4 ,the same sins which disqualify them for the sacrament1 most certainly disqualify them for heaven4 ,do ,i want them to come to the ,lord's ,supper as they are8 ,certainly not6 ,but ,i do want them to repent and be converted1 to cease to do evil1 and to break off from their sins4 ,for ever let it be remembered that the man unfit for the ,lord's ,supper is unfit to die4 7#c7 ,for another thing1 some are not communicants because they fancy it will add to their responsibility4 ,they are not1 as many1 ignorant and careless about religion4 ,they even attend regularly on the means of grace1 and like the preaching of the ,gospel4 ,but they say they dread coming forward and making a profession4 ,they fear that they might afterwards fall away1 and bring scandal on the cause of ,christianity4 ,they think it wisest to be on the safe side1 and not commit themselves at all4 ,such people would do well to remember that if they avoid responsibility of one kind by not coming to the ,lord's ,table1 they incur responsibility of another kind1 quite as grave1 and quite as injurious to the soul4 ,they are responsible for open disobedience to a command of ,christ4 ,they are shrinking from doing that which their ,master continually enjoins on ,his disciples1--from confessing ,him before men4 ,no doubt it is a serious step to come forward and receive the sacrament4 ,it is a step that none should take lightly and without self-examination4 ,but it is no less a serious step to walk away and refuse the ordinance1 when we remember ,who invites us to receive it1 and for what purpose it was appointed6 ,i warn the people ,i am now dealing with to take heed what they are doing4 ,let them not flatter themselves that it can ever be a wise1 a prudent1 a safe line of conduct to neglect a plain command of ,christ4 ,they may find at length1 to their cost1 that they have only increased their guilt and forsaken their mercies4 7#d7 ,for another thing1 some are not communicants because they fancy they are not yet worthy4 ,they wait and stand still1 under the mistaken notion that no one is qualified for the ,lord's ,supper unless he feels within him something like perfection4 ,they pitch their idea of a communicant so high that they despair of attaining to it4 ,waiting for inward perfection they live1 and waiting for it too often they die4 ,now such persons would do well to understand that they are completely mistaken in their estimate of what worthiness really is4 ,they are forgetting that the ,lord's ,supper was not intended for unsinning angels1 but for men and women compassed with infirmity1 dwelling in a world full of temptations1 and needing mercy and grace every day they live4 ,a sense of our own utter unworthiness is the best worthiness we can bring to the ,communion rail4 ,a deep feeling of our own entire indebtedness to ,christ for all we have and hope for1 is the best feeling we can bring with us4 ,the people ,i now have in view ought to consider seriously whether the ground they have taken up is tenable1 and whether they are not standing in their own light4 ,if they are waiting till they feel in themselves perfect hearts1 perfect motives1 perfect feelings1 perfect repentance1 perfect love1 perfect faith1 they will wait for ever4 ,there never were such communicants in any age1--certainly not in the days of our ,lord and of the ,apostles1--there never will be as long as the world stands4 ,nay1 rather1 the very thought that we feel literally worthy1 is a symptom of secret self-righteousness1 and proves us unfit for communion in ,god's sight4 ,sinners we are when we first come to the throne of grace1--sinners we shall be till we die2 converted changed1 renewed1 sanctified1 but sinners still4 ,in short1 no man is a really worthy communicant who does not deeply feel that he is a miserable sinner4 7#e7 ,in the last place1 some object to be communicants because they see others coming to the ,lord's ,table who are not worthy1 and not in a right state of mind4 ,because others eat and drink unworthily1 they refuse to eat and drink at all4 ,of all the grounds taken up by non-communicants to justify their own neglect of ,christ's ordinance1 ,i must plainly say1 ,i know none which seems to me so foolish1 so weak1 so unreasonable1 and so unscriptural as this4 ,it is as good as saying that we will never receive the ,lord's ,supper at all6 ,when shall we ever find a body of communicants on earth of which all the members are converted8--,it is setting up ourselves in the most unhealthy attitude of judging others4 ,who art thou that judgest another8 ,what is that to thee8 ,follow thou ,me4--,it is depriving ourselves of a great privilege merely because others profane it and make a bad use of it4--,it is pretending to be wiser than our ,master ,himself4 ,if the words of ,st4 ,luke mean anything1 ,judas ,iscariot was present at the first ,communion1 and received the bread and wine among others4--,it is taking up ground for which there is no warrant in ,scripture4 ,st4 ,paul rebukes the ,corinthians sharply for the irreverent behaviour of some of the communicants2 but ,i cannot find him giving a single hint that when some came to the ,table unworthily1 others ought to draw back or stay away4 ,let me advise the non-communicants ,i have now in view to beware of being wise above that which was written4 ,let them study the parable of the ,wheat and ,tares1 and mark how both were to grow together till the harvest4 7,matt4 xiii4 #cj47 ,perfect ,churches1 perfect congregations1 perfect bodies of communicants1 are all unattainable in this world of confusion and sin4 ,let us covet the best gifts1 and do all we can to check sin in others2 but let us not starve our own selves because others are ignorant sinners1 and turn their meat into poison4 ,if others are foolish enough to eat and drink unworthily1 let us not turn our backs on ,christ's ordinance1 and refuse to eat and drink at all4 ,such are the five common excuses why myriads in the present day1 though professing themselves ,christians1 never come to the ,lord's ,supper4 ,one common remark may be made about them3 there is not a single reason among the five which deserves to be called good1 and which does not condemn the man who gives it4 ,i challenge any one to deny this4 ,i have said repeatedly that ,i want no one to be a communicant who is not properly qualified4 ,but ,i ask those who stay away never to forget that the very reasons they assign for their conduct are their condemnation4 ,i tell them that they stand convicted before ,god of either being very ignorant of what a communicant is1 and what the ,lord's ,supper is2 or else of being persons who are not living rightly1 and are unfit to die4 ,in short1 to say1 ,i am a non-communicant1 is as good as saying one of three things3--,i am living in sin1 and cannot come2--,i know ,christ commands me1 but ,i will not obey ,him2--,i am an ignorant man1 and do not understand what the ,lord's ,supper means4 ,i know not in what state of mind this book may find the reader of this paper1 or what his opinions may be about the ,lord's ,supper4 ,but ,i will conclude the whole subject by offering to all some warnings1 which ,i venture to think are peculiarly required by the times4 7#a7 ,in the first place1 do not neglect the ,lord's ,supper4 ,the man who coolly and deliberately refuses to use an ordinance which the ,lord ,jesus ,christ appointed for his profit1 may be very sure that his soul is in a very wrong state4 ,there is a judgment yet to come2 there is an account to be rendered of all our conduct on earth4 ,how any one can look forward to that day1 and expect to meet ,christ with comfort and in peace1 if he has refused all his life to meet ,christ in ,his own ordinance1 is a thing that ,i cannot understand4 ,does this come home to you8 ,mind what you are doing4 7#b7 ,in the second place1 do not receive the ,lord's ,supper carelessly1 irreverently1 and as a matter of form4 ,the man who walks up to the ,communion rail1 and eats the bread and drinks the wine1 while his heart is far away1 is committing a great sin1 and robbing himself of a great blessing4 ,in this1 as in every other means of grace1 everything depends on the state of mind in which the ordinance is used4 ,he that draws near without repentance1 faith1 and love1 and with a heart full of sin and the world1 will certainly be nothing better1 but rather worse4 ,does this come home to you8 ,mind what you are about4 7#c7 ,in the third place1 do not make an idol of the ,lord's ,supper4 ,the man who tells you that it is the first1 foremost1 chief1 and principal ordinance in ,christianity1 is telling you that which he will find it hard to prove4 ,in the great majority of the books of the ,new ,testament the ,lord's ,supper is not even named4 ,in the letter to ,timothy and ,titus1 about a minister's duties1 the subject is not even mentioned4 ,to repent and be converted1 to believe and be holy1 to be born again and have grace in our hearts1--all these things are of far more importance than to be a communicant4 ,without them we cannot be saved4 ,without the ,lord's ,supper we can4 ,the penitent thief was not a communicant1 and ,judas ,iscariot was6 ,are you tempted to make the ,lord's ,supper override and overshadow everything in ,christianity1 and place it above prayer and preaching8 ,take care4 ,mind what you are about4 7#d7 ,in the fourth place1 do not use the ,lord's ,supper irregularly4 ,never be absent when this ordinance is administered4 ,make every sacrifice to be in your place4 ,regular habits are essential to the maintenance of the health of our bodies4 ,regular use of every means of grace is essential to the prosperity of our souls4 ,the man who finds it a weariness to attend on every occasion when the ,lord's ,table is spread1 may well doubt whether all is right within him1 and whether he is ready for the ,marriage ,supper of the ,lamb4 ,if ,thomas had not been absent when the ,lord appeared the first time to the assembled disciples1 he would not have said the foolish things he did4 ,absence made him miss a blessing4 ,does this come home to you8 ,mind what you are about4 7#e7 ,in the fifth place1 do not do anything to bring discredit on your profession as a communicant4 ,the man who after attending the ,lord's ,table runs into sin1 does more harm perhaps than any sinner4 ,he is a walking sermon on behalf of the devil4 ,he gives occasion to the enemies of the ,lord to blaspheme4 ,he helps to keep people away from ,christ4 ,lying1 drinking1 adulterous1 dishonest1 passionate communicants are the helpers of the devil1 and the worst enemies of the ,gospel4 ,does this come home to you8 ,mind what you are about4 7#f7 ,in the last place1 do not despond and be cast down1 if with all your desires you do not feel to get great good from the ,lord's ,supper4 ,very likely you are expecting too much4 ,very likely you are a poor judge of your own state4 ,your soul's roots may be strengthening and growing1 while you think you are not getting on4 ,very likely you are forgetting that earth is not heaven1 and that here we walk by sight and not by faith1 and must expect nothing perfect4 ,lay these things to heart4 ,do not write bitter things against yourself without cause4 ,to every reader into whose hands this paper may fall1 ,i commend the whole subject of it as deserving of serious and solemn consideration4 ,i am nothing better than a poor fallible man myself4 ,but if ,i have made up my mind on any point it is this1--that there is no truth which demands such plain speaking as truth about the ,lord's ,supper4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,note ,i ask the special attention of my readers to the following extracts from the last ,charge of the late ,dr4 ,longley1 ,archbishop of ,canterbury4 ,the office held by the ,archbishop1 the remarkable gentleness and mildness of his character1 the fact that this ,charge contains his last sentiments1 and that it was not made public till after his death1--all this appears to me to invest these extracts about the ,lord's ,supper with peculiar interest4 ,it is far from my intention to impute to all those who have taken the ill-advised step of adopting the ,sacrificial ,vestments 7in administering the ,lord's ,supper7 any sympathy with ,roman error2 but ,i am constrained to avow that there are plain indications in some of the publications which have been issued as manifestoes of the opinions of that section of our ,church1 that some of its professed members1 yea1 even of her ministers1 think themselves at liberty to hold the doctrines of the ,church of ,rome in relation to the ,sacrifice of the ,mass1 and yet retain their position within the pale of the ,anglican ,church with the avowed purpose of eliminating from its formularies every trace of the ,reformation1 as regards its protest against ,romish error4 ,the language they hold with respect to it is entirely incompatible with loyalty to the ,church to which they profess to belong4 ,they call it 'a ,communion deeply tainted with ,protestant heresy3' ',our duty1' they say1 'is the expulsion of the evil1 not flight from it4' ,it is no want of charity1 therefore1 to declare that they remain with us in order that they may substitute the ,mass for the ,communion2 the obvious aim of our ,reformers having been to substitute the ,communion for the ,mass4 ,doubtless the ,church of ,england admits of considerable latitude in the views that may be taken of that most mysterious of all mysteries1 the ,sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper4 ,and so long as those solemn words of its original institution1 ',this is my ,body1' ',this is my ,blood1' shall remain in the sentence of consecration 7and they never can be erased from it71 so long will there be varieties of interpretation of these words1 all of which may be consistent with a true allegiance to our ,church1 provided these three conditions be observed3-- #a4 ,that they be not construed to signify that the ,natural ,body of ,christ is present in the ,sacrament3 #b4 ,nor to admit of any adoration either of the ,sacramental bread and wine there bodily received1 or of any corporal presence of ,christ's ,natural ,body and ,blood3 #c4 ,nor to justify the belief that the ,body and ,blood are again offered as a satisfaction for sin2 seeing that the offering of ,christ once made was a perfect redemption1 propitiation1 and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world1 original and actual4 ,these are the limits which our ,church imposes upon the liberty of interpretation of the words of our blessed ,lord4 ,the use of these sacrificial vestments is in the minds of many intimately connected with the idea that an essential element in the ,holy ,communion is the offering to ,god a ,sacrifice of the ,body and ,blood of ,christ1 which abide with the elements in a mysterious manner after the act of ,consecration4 ,the minister wears the vestments at that time as a sacrificing priest4 ,according to this view it would seem that the most important part of this ,holy ,sacrament is what we offer to ,god1 not what we receive from ,him4 ,this view is not recognised by the ,church of ,england in her formularies4 ,the general definition in the ,x,x,vth ,article states that ,sacraments are 'certain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace1 by the which ,god doth work invisibly in us2' and it is said specifically of the ,lord's ,supper 7,art4 ,,xxviii471 that it 'is a ,sacrament of our ,redemption by ,christ's death3 insomuch that to such as rightly1 worthily1 and with faith1 receive the same1 the ,bread which we break is a partaking of the ,body of ,christ2 and likewise the ,cup of ,blessing is a partaking of the ,blood of ,christ4' ,the idea of the ,sacrifice of that ,body and ,blood finds no place in either of these strict definitions4 ,the ,catechism speaks the same language when it defines a ,sacrament to be 'an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us4' ,nor will an examination of the ,office of the ,holy ,communion itself give any countenance to the idea in question4 ,the only distinct oblation or offering mentioned in that ,office is previous to the ,consecration of the elements1 in the ,prayer for the ,church ,militant1 and therefore cannot be an offering or sacrifice of the ,body and ,blood of ,christ2 and the only sacrifice which we are spoken of as making1 is the offering of 'ourselves1 our souls and bodies1 to be a reasonable1 holy1 and lively sacrifice4'#c ,our ,church seems most studiously to have avoided any expression which could countenance the notion of a perpetual ,sacrifice of ,christ1 while on the other hand it speaks of ,christ's death upon the cross as ',his own oblation of ,himself once offered as a full1 perfect1 and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world4' ,no room is left for the repetition of that sacrifice1 or for the admission of any other sacrifice for sin4 99 99 99 99 99 #c3 ,see ,proctor on the ,common ,prayer1 p4 #cbj4 ,the ,romish notion of a true1 real1 and substantial ,sacrifice of the ,body and ,blood of ,christ1 as it is called in the ,council of ,trent1 entailed the use of the term altar4 ,but this term appears nowhere in the ,book of ,common ,prayer1 and was no doubt omitted lest any countenance should be given to the sacrificial view4 ,the notion1 therefore1 of making in the material elements a perpetual offering of the ,body and ,blood of ,christ1 is as foreign to the spirit and the letter of our ,service as ,i hold it to be to the doctrine of the early ,fathers1 as well as of the leading divines of our ,church4 ,this latter point also ,i shall endeavour to establish hereafter4 ,meanwhile it cannot be denied1 on the other hand1 that the doctrine of the ,real ,presence is1 in one sense1 the doctrine of the ,church of ,england4 ,she asserts that the ,body and ,blood of ,christ are 'verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in the ,lord's ,supper4' ,and she asserts equally that such presence is not material or corporal2 but that ,christ's ,body 'is given1 taken1 and eaten1 in the ,supper1 only after a heavenly and spiritual manner4' 7,art4 ,,xxviii47 ,christ's presence is effectual for all those intents and purposes for which ,his ,body was broken1 and ,his ,blood shed4 ,as to a presence elsewhere than in the heart of the believer1 the ,church of ,england is silent1 and the words of ,hooker therefore represent her views3 ',the real presence of ,christ's most blessed ,body and ,blood is not to be sought in the ,sacrament1 but in the worthy receiver of the ,sacrament4' ,,vii ,,charity ,now abideth faith1 hope1 charity1 these three2 but the greatest of these is charity4--#a ,cor4 xiii4 #ac4 ,charity is rightly called the ,queen of ,christian graces4 ,the end of the commandment1 says ,st4 ,paul1 is charity4 7#a ,tim4 i4 #e47 ,it is a grace which all people profess to admire4 ,it seems a plain practical thing which everybody can understand4 ,it is none of those troublesome doctrinal points about which ,christians are disagreed4 ,thousands1 ,i suspect1 would not be ashamed to tell you that they knew nothing about justification or regeneration1 about the work of ,christ or the ,holy ,spirit4 ,but nobody1 ,i believe1 would like to say that he knew nothing about charity6 ,if men possess nothing else in religion1 they always flatter themselves that they possess charity4 ,a few plain thoughts about charity may not be without use4 ,there are false notions abroad about it which require to be dispelled4 ,there are mistakes about it which require to be rectified4 ,in my admiration of charity ,i yield to none4 ,but ,i am bold to say that in many minds the whole subject seems completely misunderstood4 ,i4 ,let me show1 firstly1 the place the ,bible gives to charity4 ,,ii4 ,let me show1 secondly1 what the charity of the ,bible really is4 ,,iii4 ,let me show1 thirdly1 whence true charity comes4 ,,iv4 ,let me show1 lastly1 why charity is the greatest of the graces4 ,i ask the best attention of my readers to the subject4 ,my heart's desire and prayer to ,god is1 that the growth of charity may be promoted in this sin-burdened world4 ,in nothing does the fallen condition of man show itself so strongly as in the scarcity of ,christian charity4 ,there is little faith on earth1 little hope1 little knowledge of ,divine things4 ,but nothing1 after all1 is so scarce as real charity4 ,i4 ,let me show the place which the ,bible gives to charity4 ,i begin with this point in order to establish the immense practical importance of my subject4 ,i do not forget that there are many high-flying ,christians in this present day1 who almost refuse to look at anything practical in ,christianity4 ,they can talk of nothing but two or three favourite doctrines4 ,now ,i want to remind my readers that the ,bible contains much about practice as well as about doctrine1 and that one thing to which it attaches great weight is charity4 ,i turn to the ,new ,testament1 and ask men to observe what it says about charity4 ,in all religious inquiries there is nothing like letting the ,scripture speak for itself4 ,there is no surer way of finding out truth than the old way of turning to plain texts4 ,texts were our ,lord's weapons1 both in answering ,satan1 and in arguing with the ,jews4 ,texts are the guides we must never be ashamed to refer to in the present day4--,what saith the ,scripture8 ,what is written8 ,how readest thou8 ,let us hear what ,st4 ,paul says to the ,corinthians3 ,though ,i speak with the tongues of men and of angels1 and have not charity1 ,i am become as sounding brass1 or a tinkling cymbal4 ,and though ,i have the gift of prophecy1 and understand all mysteries1 and all knowledge2 and though ,i have all faith1 so that ,i could remove mountains1 and have not charity1 ,i am nothing4 ,and though ,i bestow all my goods to feed the poor1 and though ,i give my body to be burned1 and have not charity1 it profiteth me nothing4 7#a ,cor4 xiii4 #a--c47 ,let us hear what ,st4 ,paul says to the ,colossians3 ,above all these things put on charity1 which is the bond of perfectness4 7,col4 iii4 #ad47 ,let us hear what ,st4 ,paul says to ,timothy3 ,the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart1 and of a good conscience1 and of faith unfeigned4 7#a ,tim4 i4 #e47 ,let us hear what ,st4 ,peter says3 ,above all things have fervent charity among yourselves3 for charity shall cover the multitude of sins4 7#a ,peter iv4 #h47 ,let us hear what our ,lord ,jesus ,christ ,himself says about that love1 which is only another name for charity4#d ,a new commandment give ,i unto you1 ,that ye love one another2 as ,i have loved you1 that ye also love one another4 ,by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples1 if ye have love one to another4 7,john xiii4 #cd1 #ce47 ,above all1 let us read our ,lord's account of the last judgment1 and mark that want of love will condemn millions4 7,matt4 xxv4 #da1 #db47 #d3 ,in the ,greek language one and the same word only is used for love and charity4 ,in our ,english version our translators have sometimes rendered this word one way and sometimes another4 ,let us hear what ,st4 ,paul says to the ,romans3 ,owe no man anything1 but to love one another3 for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law4 7,rom4 xiii4 #h47 ,let us hear what ,st4 ,paul says to the ,ephesians3 ,walk in love1 as ,christ also hath loved us4 7,eph4 v4 #b47 ,let us hear what ,st4 ,john says3 ,beloved1 let us love one another3 for love is of ,god2 and every one that loveth is born of ,god1 and knoweth ,god4 ,he that loveth not knoweth not ,god2 for ,god is love4 7#a ,john iv4 #g1 #h47 ,i shall make no comment upon these texts4 ,i think it better to place them before my readers in their naked simplicity1 and to let them speak for themselves4 ,if any one is disposed to think the subject of this paper a matter of light importance1 ,i will only ask him to look at these texts1 and to think again4 ,he that would take down charity from the high and holy place which it occupies in the ,bible1 and treat it as a matter of secondary moment1 must settle his account with ,god's ,word4 ,i certainly shall not waste time in arguing with him4 ,to my own mind the evidence of these texts appears clear1 plain1 and incontrovertible4 ,they show the immense importance of charity1 as one of the things that accompany salvation4 ,they prove that it has a right to demand the serious attention of all who call themselves ,christians1 and that those who despise the subject are only exposing their own ignorance of ,scripture4 ,,ii4 ,let me show1 secondly1 what the charity of the ,bible really is4 ,i think it of great importance to have clear views on this point4 ,it is precisely here that mistakes about charity begin4 ,thousands delude themselves with the idea that they have charity1 when they have not1 from downright ignorance of ,scripture4 ,their charity is not the charity described in the ,bible4 7a7 ,the charity of the ,bible does not consist in giving to the poor4 ,it is a common delusion to suppose that it does4 ,yet ,st4 ,paul tells us plainly1 that a man may bestow all his goods to feed the poor 7#a ,cor4 xiii4 #c71 and not have charity4 ,that a charitable man will remember the poor1 there can be no question4 7,gal4 ii4 #aj47 ,that he will do all he can to assist them1 relieve them1 and lighten their burdens1 ,i do not for a moment deny4 ,all ,i say is1 that this does not make up charity4 ,it is easy to spend a fortune in giving away money1 and soup1 and wine1 and bread1 and coals1 and blankets1 and clothing1 and yet to be utterly destitute of ,bible charity4 7b7 ,the charity of the ,bible does not consist in never disapproving anybody's conduct4 ,here is another very common delusion6 ,thousands pride themselves on never condemning others1 or calling them wrong1 whatever they may do4 ,they convert the precept of our ,lord1 judge not1 into an excuse for having no unfavourable opinion at all of anybody4 ,they pervert ,his prohibition of rash and censorious judgments1 into a prohibition of all judgment whatsoever4 ,your neighbour may be a drunkard1 a liar1 a ,sabbath-breaker1 a passionate man4 ,never mind6 ,it is not charity1 they tell you1 to pronounce him1 wrong4 ,you are to believe that he has a good heart at bottom6 ,this idea of charity is1 unhappily1 a very common one4 ,it is full of mischief4 ,to throw a veil over sin1 and to refuse to call things by their right names1--to talk of hearts being good1 when lives are flatly wrong1--to shut our eyes against wickedness1 and say smooth things of immorality1--this is not ,scriptural charity4 7c7 ,the charity of the ,bible does not consist in never disapproving anybody's religious opinions4 ,here is another most serious and growing delusion4 ,there are many who pride themselves on never pronouncing others mistaken1 whatever views they may hold4 ,your neighbour1 forsooth1 may be an ,arian1 or a ,socinian1 a ,roman ,catholic1 or a ,mormonite1 a ,deist1 or a ,sceptic1 a mere ,formalist1 or a thorough ,antinomian4 ,but the charity of many says that you have no right to think ,him wrong6 ,if he is sincere1 it is uncharitable to think unfavourably of his spiritual condition6--,from such charity may ,i ever be delivered6 ,at this rate the ,apostles were wrong in going out to preach to the ,gentiles6 ,at this rate there is no use in missions6 ,at this rate we had better close our ,bibles1 and shut up our churches6 ,everybody is right1 and nobody is wrong6 ,everybody is going to heaven1 and nobody is going to hell6 ,such charity is a monstrous caricature4 ,to say that all are equally right in their opinions1 though their opinions flatly contradict one another1--to say that all are equally in the way to heaven1 though their doctrinal sentiments are as opposite as black and white1--this is not ,scriptural charity4 ,charity like this pours contempt on the ,bible1 and talks as if ,god had not given us a written test of truth4 ,charity like this confuses all our notions of heaven1 and would fill it with a discordant inharmonious rabble4 ,true charity does not think everybody right in doctrine4 ,true charity cries1--,believe not every spirit1 but try the spirits whether they be of ,god3 because many false prophets are gone out into the world4--,if there come any unto you1 and bring not this doctrine1 receive him not4 7#a ,john iv4 #a2 #b ,john #aj47 ,i leave the negative side of the question here4 ,i have dwelt upon it at some length because of the days in which we live and the strange notions which abound4 ,let me now turn to the positive side4 ,having shown what charity is not1 let me now show what it is4 ,charity is that love1 which ,st4 ,paul places first among those fruits which the ,spirit causes to be brought forth in the heart of a believer4 ,the fruit of the ,spirit is love4 7,gal4 v4 #b47 ,love to ,god1 such as ,adam had before the fall1 is its first feature4 ,he that has charity1 desires to love ,god with heart1 and soul and mind1 and strength4 ,love to man is its second feature4 ,he that has charity1 desires to love his neighbour as himself4 ,this is indeed that view in which the word charity in ,scripture is more especially regarded4 ,when ,i speak of a believer having love in his heart1 ,i mean that he has love to both ,god and man4 ,when ,i speak of a believer having charity1 ,i mean more particularly that he has love to man4 ,the charity of the ,bible will show itself in a believer's doings4 ,it will make him ready to do kind acts to every one within his reach1--both to their bodies and souls4 ,it will not let him be content with soft words and kind wishes4 ,it will make him diligent in doing all that lies in his power to lessen the sorrow and increase the happiness of others4 ,like his ,master1 he will care more for ministering than for being ministered to1 and will look for nothing in return4 ,like his ,master's great apostle1 he will very willingly spend and be spent for others1 even though they repay him with hatred1 and not with love4 ,true charity does not want wages4 ,its work is its reward4 ,the charity of the ,bible will show itself in a believer's readiness to bear evil as well as to do good4 ,it will make him patient under provocation1 forgiving when injured1 meek when unjustly attacked1 quiet when slandered4 ,it will make him bear much and forbear much1 put up with much and look over much1 submit often and deny himself often1 all for the sake of peace4 ,it will make him put a strong bit on his temper1 and a strong bridle on his tongue4 ,true charity is not always asking1--,what are my rights8 ,am ,i treated as ,i deserve8 but1 ,how can ,i best promote peace8 ,how can ,i do that which is most edifying to others8 ,the charity of the ,bible will show itself in the general spirit and demeanour of a believer4 ,it will make him kind1 unselfish1 good-natured1 good-tempered1 and considerate for others4 ,it will make him gentle1 affable1 and courteous1 in all the daily relations of private life1 thoughtful for others' comfort1 tender for others' feelings1 and more anxious to give pleasure than to receive4 ,true charity never envies others when they prosper1 nor rejoices in the calamities of others when they are in trouble4 ,at all times it will believe1 and hope1 and try to put a good construction on others' doings4 ,and even at the worst1 it will be full of pity1 mercy1 and compassion4 ,would we like to know where the true ,pattern of charity like this can be found8 ,we have only to look at the life of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 as described in the ,gospels1 and we shall see it perfectly exemplified4 ,charity shone forth in all ,his doings4 ,his daily life was an incessant going about1 doing good4--,charity shone forth in all ,his bearing4 ,he was continually hated1 persecuted1 slandered1 misrepresented4 ,but ,he patiently endured it all4 ,no angry word ever fell from ,his lips4 ,no ill-temper ever appeared in ,his demeanour4 ,when ,he was reviled1 ,he reviled not again3 when ,he suffered1 ,he threatened not4 7#a ,pet4 ii4 #bc47--;,charity shone forth in all ,his spirit and deportment4 ,the law of kindness was ever on ,his lips4 ,among weak and ignorant disciples1 among sick and sorrowful petitioners for help and relief1 among publicans and sinners1 among ,pharisees and ,sadducees1 ,he was always one and the same4--kind and patient to all4 ,and yet1 be it remembered1 our blessed ,master never flattered sinners1 or connived at sin4 ,he never shrunk from exposing wickedness in its true colours1 or from rebuking those who would cleave to it4 ,he never hesitated to denounce false doctrine1 by whomsoever it might be held1 or to exhibit false practice in its true colours1 and the certain end to which it tends4 ,he called things by their right names4 ,he spoke as freely of hell and the fire that is not quenched1 as of heaven and the kingdom of glory4 ,he has left on record an everlasting proof that perfect charity does not require us to approve everybody's life or opinions1 and that it is quite possible to condemn false doctrine and wicked practice1 and yet to be full of love at the same time4 ,i have now set before my readers the true nature of ,scriptural charity4 ,i have given a slight and very brief account of what it is not1 and what it is4 ,i cannot pass on without suggesting two practical thoughts1 which press home on my mind with weighty force1 and ,i hope may press home on others4 ,you have heard of charity4 ,think1 for a moment1 how deplorably little charity there is upon earth6 ,how conspicuous is the absence of true love among ,christians6 ,i speak not of heathen now1 ,i speak of ,christians4 ,what angry tempers1 what passions1 what selfishness1 what bitter tongues1 are to be found in private families6 ,what strifes1 what quarrels1 what spitefulness1 what malice1 what revenge1 what envy between neighbours and fellow-parishioners6 ,what jealousies and contentions between ,churchmen and ,dissenters1 ,calvinists and ,arminians1 ,high ,churchmen and ,low ,churchmen6 ,where is charity8 we may well ask1--,where is love8 where is the mind of ,christ8 when we look at the spirit which reigns in the world4 ,no wonder that ,christ's cause stands still1 and infidelity abounds1 when men's hearts know so little of charity6 ,surely1 we may well say1--,when the ,son of man cometh1 shall ,he find charity upon earth8 ,think1 for another thing1 what a happy world this would be if there was more charity4 ,it is the want of love which causes half the misery there is upon earth4 ,sickness1 and death1 and poverty1 will not account for more than half the sorrows4 ,the rest come from ill-temper1 ill-nature1 strifes1 quarrels1 lawsuits1 malice1 envy1 revenge1 frauds1 violence1 wars1 and the like4 ,it would be one great step towards doubling the happiness of mankind1 and halving their sorrows1 if all men and women were full of ,scriptural charity4 ,,iii4 ,let me show1 thirdly1 whence the charity of the ,bible comes4 ,charity1 such as ,i have described1 is certainly not natural to man4 ,naturally1 we are all more or less selfish1 envious1 ill-tempered1 spiteful1 ill-natured1 and unkind4 ,we have only to observe children1 when left to themselves1 to see the proof of this4 ,let boys and girls grow up without proper training and education1 and you will not see one of them possessing ,christian charity4 ,mark how some of them think first of themselves1 and their own comfort and advantage6 ,mark how others are full of pride1 passion1 and evil tempers6 ,how can we account for it8 ,there is but one reply4 ,the natural heart knows nothing of true charity4 ,the charity of the ,bible will never be found except in a heart prepared by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it is a tender plant1 and will never grow except in one soil4 ,you may as well expect grapes on thorns1 or figs on thistles1 as look for charity when the heart is not right4 ,the heart in which charity grows is a heart changed1 renewed1 and transformed by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the image and likeness of ,god1 which ,adam lost at the fall1 has been restored to it1 however feeble and imperfect the restoration may appear4 ,it is a partaker of the ,divine nature1 by union with ,christ and sonship to ,god2 and one of the first features of that nature is love4 7#b ,pet4 i4 #d47 ,such a heart is deeply convinced of sin1 hates it1 flees from it1 and fights with it from day to day4 ,and one of the prime motions of sin which it daily labours to overcome1 is selfishness and want of charity4 ,such a heart is deeply sensible of its mighty debt to our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,it feels continually that it owes to ,him who died for us on the cross1 all its present comfort1 hope1 and peace4 ,how can it show forth its gratitude8 ,what can it render to its ,redeemer8 ,if it can do nothing else1 it strives to be like ,him1 to drink into ,his spirit1 to walk in ,his footsteps1 and1 like ,him1 to be full of love4 ,the love of ,christ shed abroad in the heart by the ,holy ,ghost is the surest fountain of ,christian charity4 ,love will produce love4 ,i ask my reader's special attention to this point4 ,it is one of great importance in the present day4 ,there are many who profess to admire charity1 while they care nothing about vital ,christianity4 ,they like some of the fruits and results of the ,gospel1 but not the root from which these fruits alone can grow1 or the doctrines with which they are inseparably connected4 ,hundreds will praise love and charity1 who hate to be told of man's corruption1 of the blood of ,christ1 and of the inward work of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,many a parent would like his children to grow up unselfish and good tempered1 who would not be much pleased if conversion1 and repentance1 and faith1 were pressed home on their attention4 ,now ,i desire to protest against this notion1 that you can have the fruits of ,christianity without the roots1--that you can produce ,christian tempers without teaching ,christian doctrines1--that you can have charity that will wear and endure without grace in the heart4 ,i grant1 most freely1 that every now and then one sees a person who seems very charitable and amiable1 without any distinctive doctrinal religion4 ,but such cases are so rare and remarkable1 that1 like exceptions1 they only prove the truth of the general rule4 ,and often1 too often1 it may be feared in such cases the apparent charity is only seeming1 and in private completely fails4 ,i firmly believe1 as a general rule1 you will not find such charity as the ,bible describes1 except in the soil of a heart thoroughly imbued with ,bible religion4 ,holy practice will not flourish without sound doctrine4 ,what ,god has joined together1 it is useless to expect to have separate and asunder4 ,the delusion which ,i am trying to combat is helped forward to a most mischievous degree by the vast majority of novels1 romances1 and tales of fiction4 ,who does not know that the heroes and heroines of these works are constantly described as patterns of perfection8 ,they are always doing the right thing1 saying the right thing1 and showing the right temper6 ,they are always kind1 and amiable1 and unselfish1 and forgiving6 ,and yet you never hear a word about their religion6 ,in short1 to judge by the generality of works of fiction1 it is possible to have excellent practical religion without doctrine1 the fruits of the ,spirit without the grace of the ,spirit1 and the mind of ,christ without union with ,christ6 ,here1 in short1 is the great danger of reading most novels1 romances1 and works of fiction4 ,the greater part of them give a false or incorrect view of human nature4 ,they paint their model men and women as they ought to be1 and not as they really are4 ,the readers of such writings get their minds filled with wrong conceptions of what the world is4 ,their notions of mankind become visionary and unreal4 ,they are constantly looking for men and women such as they never meet1 and expecting what they never find4 ,let me entreat my readers1 once for all1 to draw their ideas of human nature from the ,bible1 and not from novels4 ,settle it down in your mind1 that there cannot be true charity without a heart renewed by grace4 ,a certain degree of kindness1 courtesy1 amiability1 good nature1 may undoubtedly be seen in many who have no vital religion4 ,but the glorious plant of ,bible charity1 in all its fulness and perfection1 will never be found without union with ,christ1 and the work of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,teach this to your children1 if you have any4 ,hold it up in schools1 if you are connected with any4 ,lift up charity4 ,make much of charity4 ,give place to none in exalting the grace of kindness1 love1 good nature1 unselfishness1 good temper4 ,but never1 never forget1 that there is but one school in which these things can be thoroughly learned1 and that is the school of ,christ4 ,real charity comes down from above4 ,true love is the fruit of the ,spirit4 ,he that would have it must sit at ,christ's feet1 and learn of ,him4 ,,iv4 ,let me show1 lastly1 why charity is called the greatest of the graces4 ,the words of ,st4 ,paul1 on this subject1 are distinct and unmistakable4 ,he winds up his wonderful chapter on charity in the following manner3 ,now abideth faith1 hope1 charity1 these three3 but the greatest of these is charity4 7#a ,cor4 xiii4 #ac47 ,this expression is very remarkable4 ,of all the writers in the ,new ,testament1 none1 certainly1 exalts faith so highly as ,st4 ,paul4 ,the ,epistles to the ,romans and ,galatians abound in sentences showing its vast importance4 ,by it the sinner lays hold on ,christ and is saved4 ,through it we are justified1 and have peace with ,god4 ,yet here the same ,st4 ,paul speaks of something which is even greater than faith4 ,he puts before us the three leading ,christian graces1 and pronounces the following judgment on them1--,the greatest is charity4 ,such a sentence from such a writer demands special attention4 ,what are we to understand when we hear of charity being greater than faith and hope8 ,we are not to suppose1 for a moment1 that charity can atone for our sins1 or make our peace with ,god4 ,nothing can do that for us but the blood of ,christ1 and nothing can give us an interest in ,christ's blood but faith4 ,it is unscriptural ignorance not to know this4 ,the office of justifying and joining the soul to ,christ belongs to faith alone4 ,our charity1 and all our other graces1 are all more or less imperfect1 and could not stand the severity of ,god's judgment4 ,when we have done all1 we are unprofitable servants4 7,luke xvii4 #aj47 ,we are not to suppose that charity can exist independently of faith4 ,st4 ,paul did not intend to set up one grace in rivalry to the other4 ,he did not mean that one man might have faith1 another hope1 and another charity1 and that the best of these was the man who had charity4 ,the three graces are inseparably joined together4 ,where there is faith1 there will always be love2 and where there is love1 there will be faith4 ,sun and light1 fire and heat1 ice and cold1 are not more intimately united than faith and charity4 ,the reasons why charity is called the greatest of the three graces1 appear to me plain and simple4 ,let me show what they are4 7a7 ,charity is called the greatest of graces1 because it is the one in which there is some likeness between the believer and his ,god4 ,god has no need of faith4 ,he is dependent on no one4 ,there is none superior to ,him in whom ,he must trust4--,god has no need of hope4 ,to ,him all things are certain1 whether past1 present1 or to come4--,but ,god is love3 and the more love ,his people have1 the more like they are to their ,father in heaven4 7b7 ,charity1 for another thing1 is called the greatest of the graces1 because it is most useful to others4 ,faith and hope1 beyond doubt1 however precious1 have special reference to a believer's own private individual benefit4 ,faith unites the soul to ,christ1 brings peace with ,god1 and opens the way to heaven4 ,hope fills the soul with cheerful expectation of things to come1 and1 amid the many discouragements of things seen1 comforts with visions of the things unseen4 ,but charity is pre-eminently the grace which makes a man useful4 ,it is the spring of good works and kindnesses4 ,it is the root of missions1 schools1 and hospitals4 ,charity made apostles spend and be spent for souls4 ,charity raises up workers for ,christ1 and keeps them working4 ,charity smooths quarrels1 and stops strife1 and in this sense covers a multitude of sins4 7#a ,pet4 iv4 #h47 ,charity adorns ,christianity1 and recommends it to the world4 ,a man may have real faith1 and feel it1 and yet his faith may be invisible to others4 ,but a man's charity cannot be hid4 7c7 ,charity1 in the last place1 is the greatest of the graces1 because it is the one which endures the longest4 ,in fact1 it will never die4 ,faith will one day be swallowed up in sight1 and hope in certainty4 ,their office will be useless in the morning of the resurrection1 and1 like old almanacs1 they will be laid aside4 ,but love will live on through the endless ages of eternity4 ,heaven will be the abode of love4 ,the inhabitants of heaven will be full of love4 ,one common feeling will be in all their hearts1 and that will be charity4 ,i leave this part of my subject here1 and pass on to a conclusion4 ,on each of the three points of comparison ,i have just named1 between charity and the other graces1 it would be easy to enlarge4 ,but time and space both forbid me to do so4 ,if ,i have said enough to guard men against mistakes about the right meaning of the greatness of charity1 ,i am content4 ,charity1 be it ever remembered1 cannot justify and put away our sins4 ,it is neither ,christ1 nor faith4 ,but charity makes us somewhat like ,god4 ,charity is of mighty use to the world4 ,charity will live and flourish when faith's work is done4 ,surely1 in these points of view1 charity well deserves the crown4 7#a7 ,and now let me ask every one into whose hands this paper may come a simple question4 ,let me press home on your conscience the whole subject of this paper4 ,do you know anything of the grace of which ,i have been speaking8 ,have you charity8 ,the strong language of the ,apostle ,st4 ,paul must surely convince you that the inquiry is not one that ought to be lightly put aside4 ,the grace1 without which that holy man could say1 ,i am nothing1 the grace which the ,lord ,jesus says expressly is the great mark of being ,his disciple1--such a grace as this demands the serious consideration of every one who is in earnest about the salvation of his soul4 ,it should set him thinking1--,how does this affect me8 ,have ,i charity8 ,you have some knowledge1 it may be1 of religion4 ,you know the difference between true and false doctrine4 ,you can1 perhaps1 even quote texts1 and defend the opinions you hold4 ,but1 remember the knowledge which is barren of practical results in life and temper is a useless possession4 ,the words of the ,apostle are very plain3 ,though ,i understand all knowledge1 and have not charity1 ,i am nothing4 7#a ,cor4 xiii4 #c47 ,you think you have faith1 perhaps4 ,you trust you are one of ,god's elect1 and rest in that4 ,but surely you should remember that there is a faith of devils1 which is utterly unprofitable1 and that the faith of ,god's elect is a faith that worketh by love4 ,it was when ,st4 ,paul remembered the love of the ,thessalonians1 as well as their faith and hope1 that he said1--,i know your election of ,god4 7#a ,thess4 i4 #d47 ,look at your own daily life1 both at home and abroad1 and consider what place the charity of ,scripture has in it4 ,what is your temper8 ,what are your ways of behaving toward all around you in your own family8 ,what is your manner of speaking1 especially in seasons of vexation and provocation8 ,where is your good-nature1 your courtesy1 your patience1 your meekness1 your gentleness1 your forbearance8 ,where are your practical actions of love in your dealing with others8 ,what do you know of the mind of ,him who went about doing good1--who loved all1 though specially ,his disciples1--who returned good for evil1 and kindness for hatred1 and had a heart wide enough to feel for all8 ,what would you do in heaven1 ,i wonder1 if you got there without charity8 ,what comfort could you have in an abode where love was the law1 and selfishness and ill-nature completely shut out8 ,alas6 ,i fear that heaven would be no place for an uncharitable and ill-tempered man6--,what said a little boy one day8 ,if grandfather goes to heaven1 ,i hope ,i and brother will not go there4 ,why do you say that8 he was asked4 ,he replied1--,if he sees us there1 ,i am sure he will say1 as he does now1--',what are these boys doing here8 ,let them get out of the way4' ,he does not like to see us on earth1 and ,i suppose he would not like to see us in heaven4 ,give yourself no rest till you know something by experience of real ,christian charity4 ,go and learn of ,him who is meek and lowly of heart1 and ask ,him to teach you how to love4 ,ask the ,lord ,jesus to put ,his ,spirit within you1 to take away the old heart1 to give you a new nature1 to make you know something of ,his mind4 ,cry to ,him night and day for grace1 and give ,him no rest until you feel something of what ,i have been describing in this paper4 ,happy indeed will your life be when you really understand walking in love4 7#b7 ,but ,i do not forget that ,i am writing to some who are not ignorant of the charity of ,scripture1 and who long to feel more of it every year4 ,i will give you two simple words of exhortation4 ,they are these1--,practice and teach the grace of charity4 ,practice charity diligently4 ,it is one of those graces1 above all1 which grow by constant exercise4 ,strive more and more to carry it into every little detail of daily life4 ,watch over your own tongue and temper throughout every hour of the day1--and especially in your dealings with servants1 children1 and near relatives4 ,remember the character of the excellent woman3--,in her tongue is the law of kindness4 7,prov4 xxxi4 #bf47--,remember the words of ,st4 ,paul3 ,let ,,all your things be done with charity4 7#a ,cor4 xvi4 #ad47 ,charity should be seen in little things as well as in great ones4--,remember1 not least1 the words of ,st4 ,peter3 ,have fervent charity among yourselves2 not a charity which just keeps alight1 but a burning shining fire1 which all around can see4 7#a ,pet4 iv4 #h47 ,it may cost pains and trouble to keep these things in mind4 ,there may be little encouragement from the example of others4 ,but persevere4 ,charity like this brings its own reward4 ,finally1 teach charity to others4 ,press it continually on servants1 if you have any4 ,tell them the great duty of kindness1 helpfulness1 and considerateness1 one for another4 ,press it1 above all1 on children1 it you have any4 ,remind them constantly that kindness1 good nature1 and good temper1 are among the first evidences which ,christ requires in children4 ,if they cannot know much1 or explain doctrines1 they can understand love4 ,a child's religion is worth very little if it only consists in repeating texts and hymns4 ,useful as they are1 they are often learned without thought1 remembered without feeling1 said over without consideration of their meaning1 and forgotten when childhood is gone4 ,by all means let children be taught texts and hymns2 but let not such teaching be made everything in their religion4 ,teach them to keep their tempers1 to be kind one to another1 to be unselfish1 good-natured1 obliging1 patient1 gentle1 forgiving4 ,tell them never to forget to their dying day1 if they live as long as ,methuselah1 that without charity1 the ,holy ,ghost says1 we are nothing4 ,tell them above all things to put on charity1 which is the bond of perfectness4 7,colos4 iii4 #ad47 ,,viii ,,zeal ,it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing4--,gal4 iv4 #ah4 ,zeal is a subject1 like many others in religion1 most sadly misunderstood4 ,many would be ashamed to be thought zealous ,christians4 ,many are ready to say of zealous people what ,festus said of ,paul3 ,they are beside themselves1--they are mad4 7,acts xxvi4 #bd7 ,but zeal is a subject which no reader of the ,bible has any right to pass over4 ,if we make the ,bible our rule of faith and practice1 we cannot turn away from it4 ,we must look it in the face4 ,what says the ,apostle ,paul to ,titus8 ,christ gave ,himself for us that ,he might redeem us from all iniquity1 and purify unto ,himself a peculiar people1 zealous of good works4 7,titus ii4 #ad47 ,what says the ,lord ,jesus to the ,laodicean ,church8 ,be zealous and repent4 7,rev4 iii4 #ai47 ,my object in this paper is to plead the cause of zeal in religion4 ,i believe we ought not to be afraid of it1 but rather to love and admire it4 ,i believe it to be a mighty blessing to the world1 and the origin of countless benefits to mankind4 ,i want to strike a blow at the lazy1 easy1 sleepy ,christianity of these latter days1 which can see no beauty in zeal1 and only uses the word zealot as a word of reproach4 ,i want to remind ,christians that ,zealot was a name given to one of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ's ,apostles1 and to persuade them to be zealous men4 ,i ask every reader of this paper to give me his attention while ,i tell him something about zeal4 ,listen to me for your own sake1--for the sake of the world1--for the sake of the ,church of ,christ4 ,listen to me1 and by ,god's help ,i will show you that to be zealous is to be wise4 ,i4 ,let me show1 in the first place1 what is zeal in religion4 ,,ii4 ,let me show1 in the second place1 when a man can be called rightly zealous in religion8 ,,iii4 ,let me show1 in the third place1 why it is a good thing for a man to be zealous in religion8 ,i4 ,first of all1 ,i propose to consider this question4 ,what is zeal in religion8 ,zeal in religion is a burning desire to please ,god1 to do ,his will1 and to advance ,his glory in the world in every possible way4 ,it is a desire which no man feels by nature1--which the ,spirit puts in the heart of every believer when he is converted1--but which some believers feel so much more strongly than others that they alone deserve to be called zealous men4 ,this desire is so strong1 when it really reigns in a man1 that it impels him to make any sacrifice1--to go through any trouble1--to deny himself to any amount1--to suffer1 to work1 to labour1 to toil1--to spend himself and be spent1 and even to die1--if only he can please ,god and honour ,christ4 ,a zealous man in religion is pre-eminently a man of one thing4 ,it is not enough to say that he is earnest1 hearty1 uncompromising1 thorough-going1 whole-hearted1 fervent in spirit4 ,he only sees one thing1 he cares for one thing1 he lives for one thing1 he is swallowed up in one thing2 and that one thing is to please ,god4 ,whether he lives1 or whether he dies1--whether he has health1 or whether he has sickness1--whether he is rich1 or whether he is poor1--whether he pleases man1 or whether he gives offence1--whether he is thought wise1 or whether he is thought foolish1--whether he gets blame1 or whether he gets praise1--whether he gets honour1 or whether he gets shame1--for all this the zealous man cares nothing at all4 ,he burns for one thing2 and that one thing is to please ,god1 and to advance ,god's glory4 ,if he is consumed in the very burning1 he cares not for it1--he is content4 ,he feels that1 like a lamp1 he is made to burn2 and if consumed in burning1 he has but done the work for which ,god appointed him4 ,such an one will always find a sphere for his zeal4 ,if he cannot preach1 and work1 and give money1 he will cry1 and sigh1 and pray4 ,yes3 if he is only a pauper1 on a perpetual bed of sickness1 he will make the wheels of sin around him drive heavily1 by continually interceding against it4 ,if he cannot fight in the valley with ,joshua1 he will do the work of ,moses1 ,aaron1 and ,hur1 on the hill4 7,exod4 xvii4 #i--ac47 ,if he is cut off from working himself1 he will give the ,lord no rest till help is raised up from another quarter1 and the work is done4 ,this is what ,i mean when ,i speak of zeal in religion4 ,we all know the habit of mind that makes men great in this world1--that makes such men as ,alexander the ,great1 or ,julius ,caesar1 or ,oliver ,cromwell1 or ,peter the ,great1 or ,charles ,,xii41 or ,marlborough1 or ,napoleon1 or ,pitt4 ,we know that1 with all their faults1 they were all men of one thing4 ,they threw themselves into one grand pursuit4 ,they cared for nothing else4 ,they put every thing else aside4 ,they counted every thing else as second-rate1 and of subordinate importance1 compared to the one thing that they put before their eyes every day they lived4 ,i say that the same habit of mind applied to the service of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ becomes religious zeal4 ,we know the habit of mind that makes men great in the sciences of this world1--that makes such men as ,archimedes1 or ,sir ,isaac ,newton1 or ,galileo1 or ,ferguson the astronomer1 or ,james ,watt4 ,all these were men of one thing4 ,they brought the powers of their minds into one single focus4 ,they cared for nothing else beside4 ,and this was the secret of their success4 ,i say that this same habit consecrated to the service of ,god becomes religious zeal4 ,we know the habit of mind that makes men rich1--that makes men amass mighty fortunes1 and leave millions behind them4 ,what kind of people were the bankers1 and merchants1 and tradesmen1 who have left a name behind them1 as men who acquired immense wealth and became rich from being poor8 ,they were all men that threw themselves entirely into their business1 and neglected every thing else for the sake of that business4 ,they gave their first attention1 their first thoughts1 the best of their time1 and the best part of their mind1 to pushing forward the transactions in which they were engaged4 ,they were men of one thing4 ,their hearts were not divided4 ,they devoted themselves1 body1 soul1 and mind to their business4 ,they seemed to live for nothing else4 ,i say that if you turn that habit of mind to the service of ,god and ,his ,christ it makes religious zeal4 7a7 ,now this habit of mind1--this zeal was the characteristic of all the ,apostles4 ,see for example the ,apostle ,paul4 ,hear him when he speaks to the ,ephesian elders for the last time3 ,none of these things move me1 neither count ,i my life dear unto myself1 so that ,i might finish my course with joy1 and the ministry that ,i have received of the ,lord ,jesus1 to testify the ,gospel of the grace of ,god4 7,acts xx4 #bd47 ,hear him again1 when he writes to the ,philippians3 ,this one thing ,i do2 ,i press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of ,god in ,christ ,jesus4 7,phil4 iii4 #ac1 #ad47 ,see him from the day of his conversion1 giving up his brilliant prospects1--forsaking all for ,christ's sake1--and going forth to preach that very ,jesus whom he had once despised4 ,see him going to and fro throughout the world from that time1--through persecution1--through oppression1--through opposition1--through prisons1--through bonds1--through afflictions1--through things next to death itself1 up to the very day when he sealed his faith with his blood1 and died at ,rome1 a martyr for that ,gospel which he had so long proclaimed4 ,this was true religious zeal4 7b7 ,this again was the characteristic of the early ,christians4 ,they were men every where spoken against4 7,acts xxviii4 #bb47 ,they were driven to worship ,god in dens and caves of the earth4 ,they often lost every thing in the world for their religion's sake4 ,they generally gained nothing but the cross1 persecution1 shame1 and reproach4 ,but they seldom1 very seldom1 went back4 ,if they could not dispute1 at least they could suffer4 ,if they could not convince their adversaries by argument1 at any rate they could die1 and prove that they themselves were in earnest4 ,look at ,ignatius cheerfully travelling to the place where he was to be devoured by lions1 and saying as he went1 ,now do ,i begin to be a disciple of my ,master1 ,christ4 ,hear old ,polycarp before the ,roman ,governor1 saying boldly1 when called upon to deny ,christ1 ,four score and six years have ,i served ,christ1 neither hath ,he ever offended me in any thing1 and how then can ,i revile my ,king8 ,this was true zeal4 7c7 ,this again was the characteristic of ,martin ,luther4 ,he boldly defied the most powerful hierarchy that the world has ever seen4 ,he unveiled its corruptions with an unflinching hand4 ,he preached the long-neglected truth of justification by faith1 in spite of anathemas and excommunications1 fast and thickly poured upon him4 ,see him going to the ,diet at ,worms1 and pleading his cause before the ,emperor and the ,legate1 and a host of the children of this world4 ,hear him saying1--when men were dissuading him from going1 and reminding him of the fate of ,john ,huss1 ,though there were a devil under every tile on the roofs of ,worms1 in the name of the ,lord ,i shall go forward4 ,this was true zeal4 7d7 ,this again was the characteristic of our own ,english ,reformers4 ,you have it in our first ,reformer1 ,wickliffe1 when he rose up on his sick bed1 and said to the ,friars1 who wanted him to retract all he had said against the ,pope1 ,i shall not die1 but live to declare the villanies of the ,friars4 ,you have it in ,cranmer1 dying at the stake1 rather than deny ,christ's ,gospel1 holding forth that hand to be first burned which1 in a moment of weakness1 had signed a recantation1 and saying1 as he held it in the flames1 ,this unworthy hand6 ,you have it in old father ,latimer1 standing boldly on his faggot1 at the age of seventy years1 and saying to ,ridley1 ,courage1 brother ,ridley6 we shall light such a candle this day as1 by ,god's grace1 shall never be put out4 ,this was zeal4 7e7 ,this again has been the characteristic of all the greatest ,missionaries4 ,you see it in ,dr4 ,judson1 in ,carey1 in ,morrison1 in ,schwartz1 in ,williams1 in ,brainerd1 in ,elliott4 ,you see it in none more brightly than in ,henry ,martyn4 ,here was a man who had reached the highest academical honours that ,cambridge could bestow4 ,whatever profession he chose to follow1 he had the most dazzling prospects of success4 ,he turned his back upon it all4 ,he chose to preach the ,gospel to poor benighted heathen4 ,he went forth to an early grave1 in a foreign land4 ,he said when he got there and saw the condition of the people1 ,i could bear to be torn in pieces1 if ,i could but hear the sobs of penitence1--if ,i could but see the eyes of faith directed to the ,redeemer6 ,this was zeal4 7f7 ,but let us look away from all earthly examples1--and remember that zeal was pre-eminently the characteristic of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ ,himself4 ,of ,him it was written hundreds of years before ,he came upon earth1 that ,he was clad with zeal as with a cloak1 and the zeal of thine house hath even eaten me4 ,and ,his own words were ,my meat is to do my ,father's will1 and to finish ,his work4 7,psalm lxix4 #i2 ,isaiah lix4 #ag2 ,john iv4 #cd47 ,where shall we begin1 if we try to give examples of ,his zeal8 ,where should we end1 if we once began8 ,trace all the narratives of ,his life in the four ,gospels4 ,read all the history of what ,he was from the beginning of ,his ministry to the end4 ,surely if there ever was one who was all zeal1 it was our great ,example1--our ,head1--our ,high ,priest1--the great ,shepherd of our profession1 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,if these things are so1 we should not only beware of running down zeal1 but we should also beware of allowing zeal to be run down in our presence4 ,it may be badly directed1 and then it becomes a curse2--but it may be turned to the highest and best ends1 and then it is a mighty blessing4 ,like fire1 it is one of the best of servants2--but1 like fire also1 if not well directed1 it may be the worst of masters4 ,listen not to those people who talk of zeal as weakness and enthusiasm4 ,listen not to those who see no beauty in missions1 who laugh at all attempts at the conversion of souls1--who call ,societies for sending the ,gospel to the world useless1--and who look upon ,city ,missions1 and ,district ,visiting1 and ,ragged ,schools and ,open ,air ,preaching1 as nothing but foolishness and fanaticism4 ,beware1 lest in joining a cry of that kind you condemn the ,lord ,jesus ,christ ,himself4 ,beware lest you speak against ,him who has left us an example that we should follow ,his steps4 7#a ,pet4 ii4 #ba47 ,alas6 ,i fear there are many professing ,christians who if they had lived in the days when our ,lord and ,his ,apostles walked upon earth would have called ,him and all ,his followers enthusiasts and fanatics4 ,there are many1 ,i fear1 who have more in common with ,annas and ,caiaphas1--with ,pilate and ,herod1--with ,festus and ,agrippa1--with ,felix and ,gallio1--than with ,st4 ,paul and the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,,ii4 ,i pass on now to the second thing ,i proposed to speak of4 ,when is a man truly zealous in religion8 ,there never was a grace of which ,satan has not made a counterfeit4 ,there never was a good coin issued from the mint but forgers at once have coined something very like it4 ,it was one of ,nero's cruel practices first to sew up ,christians in the skins of wild beasts1 and then bait them with dogs4 ,it is one of ,satan's devices to place distorted copies of the believer's graces before the eyes of men1 and so to bring the true graces into contempt4 ,no grace has suffered so much in this way as zeal4 ,of none perhaps are there so many shams and counterfeits abroad4 ,we must therefore clear the ground of all rubbish on this question4 ,we must find out when zeal in religion is really good1 and true1 and of ,god4 7#a7 ,if zeal be true1 it will be a zeal according to knowledge4 ,it must not be a blind1 ignorant zeal4 ,it must be a calm1 reasonable1 intelligent principle1 which can show the warrant of ,scripture for every step it takes4 ,the unconverted ,jews had zeal4 ,paul says1 ,i bear them record that they have a zeal of ,god1 but not according to knowledge4 7,rom4 x4 #b47 ,saul had zeal when he was a persecuting ,pharisee4 ,he says himself1 in one of his addresses to the ,jews1 ,i was zealous toward ,god as ye all are this day4 7,acts xxii4 #c47--,manasseh had zeal in the days when he was an idolater4 ,the man who made his own children pass through the fire1--who gave up the fruit of his body to ,moloch1 to atone for the sin of his soul1--that man had zeal4--,james and ,john had zeal when they would have called down fire on a ,samaritan village4 ,but our ,lord rebuked them4--,peter had zeal when he drew his sword and cut off the ear of ,malchus4 ,but he was quite wrong4--,bonner and ,gardiner had zeal when they burned ,latimer and ,cranmer4 ,were they not in earnest8 ,let us do them justice4 ,they were zealous1 though it was for an unscriptural religion4--,the members of the ,inquisition in ,spain had zeal when they tortured men1 and put them to horrible deaths1 because they would not forsake the ,gospel4 ,yes6 they marched men and women to the stake in solemn procession1 and called it ,an ,act of ,faith1 and believed they were doing ,god service4--,the ,hindoos1 who used to lie down before the car of ,juggernaut and allow their bodies to be crushed under its wheels3--had not they zeal8--,the ,indian widows1 who used to burn themselves on the funeral pile of their deceased husbands1--the ,roman ,catholics1 who persecuted to death the ,vaudois and ,albigenses1 and cast down men and women from rocks and precipices1 because they were heretics2--had not they zeal8--,the ,saracens--the ,crusaders1--the ,jesuits1--the ,anabaptists of ,munster--the followers of ,joanna ,southcote1--had they not all zeal8 ,yes6 ,yes6 ,i do not deny it4 ,all these had zeal beyond question4 ,they were all zealous4 ,they were all in earnest4 ,but their zeal was not such zeal as ,god approves1--it was not a zeal according to knowledge4 7#b7 ,furthermore1 if zeal be true1 it will be a zeal from true motives4 ,such is the subtlety of the heart that men will often do right things from wrong motives4 ,amaziah and ,joash1 kings of ,judah1 are striking proofs of this4 ,just so a man may have zeal about things that are good and right1 but from second-rate motives1 and not from a desire to please ,god4 ,and such zeal is worth nothing4 ,it is reprobate silver4 ,it is utterly wanting when placed in the balance of ,god4 ,man looks only at the action3 ,god looks at the motive4 ,man only thinks of the quantity of work done3 ,god considers the doer's heart4 ,there is such a thing as zeal from party spirit4 ,it is quite possible for a man to be unwearied in promoting the interests of his own ,church or denomination1 and yet to have no grace in his own heart1--to be ready to die for the peculiar opinions of his own section of ,christians1 and yet to have no real love to ,christ4 ,such was the zeal of the ,pharisees4 ,they compassed sea and land to make one proselyte1 and when he was made1 they made him two-fold more the child of hell than themselves4 7,matt4 xxiii4 #ae47 ,this zeal is not true4 ,there is such a thing as zeal from mere selfishness4 ,there are times when it is men's interest to be zealous in religion4 ,power and patronage are sometimes given to godly men4 ,the good things of the world are sometimes to be attained by wearing a cloak of religion4 ,and whenever this is the case there is no lack of false zeal4 ,such was the zeal of ,joab1 when he served ,david4 ,such was the zeal of only too many ,englishmen in the days of the ,commonwealth1 when the ,puritans were in power4 ,there is such a thing as zeal from the love of praise4 ,such was the zeal of ,jehu1 when he was putting down the worship of ,baal4 ,remember how he met ,jonadab the son of ,rechab1 and said1 ,come with me1 and see my zeal for the ,lord4 7#b ,kings x4 #af47 ,such is the zeal that ,bunyan refers to in ,pilgrim's ,progress1 when he speaks of some who went for praise to mount ,zion4 ,some people feed on the praise of their fellow-creatures4 ,they would rather have it from ,christians than have none at all4 ,it is a sad and humbling proof of man's corruption that there is no degree of self-denial and self-sacrifice to which men may not go from false motives4 ,it does not follow that a man's religion is true because he gives his body to be burned1 or because he gives his goods to feed the poor4 ,the ,apostle ,paul tells us that a man may do this1 and yet not have true charity4 7#a ,cor4 xiii4 #a1 etc47 ,it does not follow because men go into a wilderness1 and become hermits1 that therefore they know what true self-denial is4 ,it does not follow because people immure themselves in monasteries and nunneries1 or become sisters of charity1 and sisters of mercy1 that therefore they know what true crucifixion of the flesh and self-sacrifice is in the sight of ,god4 ,all these things people may do on wrong principles4 ,they may do them from wrong motives1--to satisfy a secret pride and love of notoriety1--but not from the true motive of zeal for the glory of ,god4 ,all such zeal1 let us understand1 is false4 ,it is of earth1 and not of heaven4 7#c7 ,furthermore1 if zeal be true1 it will be a zeal about things according to ,god's mind1 and sanctioned by plain examples in ,god's ,word4 ,take1 for one instance1 that highest and best kind of zeal1--,i mean zeal for our own growth in personal holiness4 ,such zeal will make a man feel incessantly that sin is the mightiest of all evils1 and conformity to ,christ the greatest of all blessings4 ,it will make him feel that there is nothing which ought not to be done1 in order to keep up a close walk with ,god4 ,it will make him willing to cut off the right hand1 or pluck out the right eye1 or make any sacrifice1 if only he can attain a closer communion with ,jesus4 ,is not this just what you see in the ,apostle ,paul8 ,he says1 ,i keep under my body and bring it into subjection1 lest that by any means1 when ,i have preached to others1 ,i myself should be a castaway4--,i count not myself to have apprehended3 but this one thing ,i do1 forgetting those things which are behind1 and reaching forth unto those things which are before1 ,i press toward the mark4 7#a ,cor4 ix4 #bg2 ,phil4 iii4 #ac1 #ad47 ,take1 for another instance1 zeal for the salvation of souls4 ,such zeal will make a man burn with desire to enlighten the darkness which covers the souls of multitudes1 and to bring every man1 woman1 and child he sees to the knowledge of the ,gospel4 ,is not this what you see in the ,lord ,jesus8 ,it is said that ,he neither gave ,himself nor ,his disciples leisure so much as to eat4 7,mark vi4 #ca47 ,is not this what you see in the ,apostle ,paul8 ,he says1 ,i am made all things to all men1 that ,i might by all means save some4 7#a ,cor4 ix4 #bb47 ,take1 for another instance1 zeal against evil practices4 ,such zeal will make a man hate everything which ,god hates1 such as drunkenness1 slavery1 or infanticide1 and long to sweep it from the face of the earth4 ,it will make him jealous of ,god's honour and glory1 and look on everything which robs him of it as an offence4 ,is not this what you see in ,phinehas1 the son of ,eleazar8--or in ,hezekiah and ,josiah1 when they put down idolatry8 ,take1 for another instance1 zeal for maintaining the doctrines of the ,gospel4 ,such zeal will make a man hate unscriptural teaching1 just as he hates sin4 ,it will make him regard religious error as a pestilence which must be checked1 whatever may be the cost4 ,it will make him scrupulously careful about every jot and tittle of the counsel of ,god1 lest by some omission the whole ,gospel should be spoiled4 ,is not this what you see in ,paul at ,antioch1 when he withstood ,peter to the face1 and said he was to be blamed8 7,gal4 ii4 #aa47 ,these are the kind of things about which true zeal is employed4 ,such zeal1 let us understand1 is honourable before ,god4 7#d7 ,furthermore1 if zeal be true1 it will be a zeal tempered with charity and love4 ,it will not be a bitter zeal4 ,it will not be a fierce enmity against persons4 ,it will not be a zeal ready to take the sword1 and to smite with carnal weapons4 ,the weapons of true zeal are not carnal1 but spiritual4 ,true zeal will hate sin1 and yet love the sinner4 ,true zeal will hate heresy1 and yet love the heretic4 ,true zeal will long to break the idol1 but deeply pity the idolater4 ,true zeal will abhor every kind of wickedness1 but labour to do good even to the vilest of transgressors4 ,true zeal will warn as ,st4 ,paul warned the ,galatians1 and yet feel tenderly1 as a nurse or a mother over erring children4 ,it will expose false teachers1 as ,jesus did the ,scribes and ,pharisees1 and yet weep tenderly1 as ,jesus did over ,jerusalem when ,he came near to it for the last time4 ,true zeal will be decided1 as a surgeon dealing with a diseased limb2 but true zeal will be gentle1 as one that is dressing the wounds of a brother4 ,true zeal will speak truth boldly1 like ,athanasius1 against the world1 and not care who is offended2 but true zeal will endeavour1 in all its speaking1 to speak the truth in love4 7#e7 ,furthermore1 if zeal be true1 it will be joined to a deep humility4 ,a truly zealous man will be the last to discover the greatness of his own attainments4 ,all that he is and does will come so immensely short of his own desires1 that he will be filled with a sense of his own unprofitableness1 and amazed to think that ,god should work by him at all4 ,like ,moses1 when he came down from the ,mount1 he will not know that his face shines4 ,like the righteous1 in the twenty-fifth chapter of ,st4 ,matthew1 he will not be aware of his own good works4 ,dr4 ,buchanan is one whose praise is in all the churches4 ,he was one of the first to take up the cause of the perishing heathen4 ,he literally spent himself1 body and mind1 in labouring to arouse sleeping ,christians to see the importance of missions4 ,yet he says in one of his letters1 ,i do not know that ,i ever had what ,christians call zeal4 ,whitefield was one of the most zealous preachers of the ,gospel the world has ever seen4 ,fervent in spirit1 instant in season and out of season1 he was a burning and shining light1 and turned thousands to ,god4 ,yet he says after preaching for thirty years1 ,lord help me to begin to begin4 ,m',cheyne was one of the greatest blessings that ,god ever gave to the ,church of ,scotland4 ,he was a minister insatiably desirous of the salvation of souls4 ,few men ever did so much good as he did1 though he died at the age of twenty-nine4 ,yet he says in one of his letters1 ,none but ,god knows what an abyss of corruption is in my heart4 ,it is perfectly wonderful that ever ,god could bless such a ministry4 ,we may be very sure where there is self-conceit there is little true zeal4 ,i ask the readers of this paper particularly to remember the description of true zeal which ,i have just given4 ,zeal according to knowledge1--zeal from true motives1--zeal warranted by ,scriptural examples1--zeal tempered with charity1--zeal accompanied by deep humility1--this is true genuine zeal1--this is the kind of zeal which ,god approves4 ,of such zeal you and ,i never need fear having too much4 ,i ask you to remember the description1 because of the times in which you live4 ,beware of supposing that sincerity alone can ever make up true zeal1--that earnestness1 however ignorant1 makes a man a really zealous ,christian in the sight of ,god4 ,there is a generation in these days which makes an idol of what it is pleased to call earnestness in religion4 ,these men will allow no fault to be found with an earnest man4 ,whatever his theological opinions may be1--if he be but an earnest man1 that is enough for these people1 and we are to ask no more4 ,they tell you we have nothing to do with minute points of doctrine1 and with questions of words and names1 about which ,christians are not agreed4 ,is the man an earnest man8 ,if he is1 we ought to be satisfied4 ,earnestness in their eyes covers over a multitude of sins4 ,i warn you solemnly to beware of this specious doctrine4 ,in the name of the ,gospel1 and in the name of the ,bible1 ,i enter my protest against the theory that mere earnestness can make a man a truly zealous and pious man in the sight of ,god4 ,these idolaters of earnestness would make out that ,god has given us no standard of truth and error1 or that the true standard1 the ,bible1 is so obscure1 that no man can find out what truth is by simply going to it4 ,they pour contempt upon the ,word1 the written ,word1 and therefore they must be wrong4 ,these idolaters of earnestness would make us condemn every witness for the truth1 and every opponent of false teaching1 from the time of the ,lord ,jesus down to this day4 ,the ,scribes and ,pharisees were in earnest1 and yet our ,lord opposed them4 ,and shall we dare even to hint a suspicion that they ought to have been let alone8--,queen ,mary1 and ,bonner1 and ,gardiner were in earnest in restoring ,popery1 and trying to put down ,protestantism1 and yet ,ridley and ,latimer opposed them to the death4 ,and shall we dare to say that as both parties were in earnest1 both were in the right8--,devil-worshippers and idolaters at this day are in earnest1 and yet our missionaries labour to expose their errors4 ,and shall we dare to say that earnestness would take them to heaven1 and that missionaries to heathen and ,roman ,catholics had better stay at home8--,are we really going to admit that the ,bible does not show us what is truth8 ,are we really going to put a mere vague thing called earnestness1 in the place of ,christ1 and to maintain that no earnest man can be wrong8 ,god forbid that we should give place to such doctrine6 ,i shrink with horror from such theology4 ,i warn men solemnly to beware of being carried away by it1 for it is common and most seductive in this day4 ,beware of it1 for it is only a new form of an old error1--that old error which says that a man ,can't be wrong whose life is in the right4 ,admire zeal4 ,seek after zeal4 ,encourage zeal4 ,but see that your own zeal be true4 ,see that the zeal which you admire in others is a zeal according to knowledge1--a zeal from right motives1--a zeal that can bring chapter and verse out of the ,bible for its foundation4 ,any zeal but this is but a false fire4 ,it is not lighted by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,,iii4 ,i pass on now to the third thing ,i proposed to speak of4 ,let me show why it is good for a man to be zealous4 ,it is certain that ,god never gave man a commandment which it was not man's interest as well as duty to obey4 ,he never set a grace before ,his believing people which ,his people will not find it their highest happiness to follow after4 ,this is true of all the graces of the ,christian character4 ,perhaps it is pre-eminently true in the case of zeal4 7a7 ,zeal is good for a ,christian's own soul4 ,we all know that exercise is good for the health1 and that regular employment of our muscles and limbs promotes our bodily comfort1 and increases our bodily vigour4 ,now that which exercise does for our bodies1 zeal will do for our souls4 ,it will help mightily to promote inward feelings of joy1 peace1 comfort1 and happiness4 ,none have so much enjoyment of ,christ as those who are ever zealous for ,his glory1--jealous over their own walk1--tender over their own consciences1--full of anxiety about the souls of others1--and ever watching1 working1 labouring1 striving1 and toiling to extend the knowledge of ,jesus ,christ upon earth4 ,such men live in the full light of the sun1 and therefore their hearts are always warm4 ,such men water others1 and therefore they are watered themselves4 ,their hearts are like a garden daily refreshed by the dew of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,they honour ,god1 and so ,god honours them4 ,i would not be mistaken in saying this4 ,i would not appear to speak slightingly of any believer4 ,i know that the ,lord takes pleasure in all ,his people4 7,ps4 cxlix4 #d47 ,there is not one1 from the least to the greatest1--from the smallest child in the kingdom of ,god1 to the oldest warrior in the battle against ,satan1--there is not one in whom the ,lord ,jesus ,christ does not take great pleasure4 ,we are all ,his children1--and however weak and feeble some of us may be1 as a father pitieth his children1 so does the ,lord pity them that love and fear ,him4 7,ps4 ciii4 #ac47 ,we are all the plants of ,his own planting2--and though many of us are poor1 weakly exotics1 scarcely keeping life together in a foreign soil1--yet as the gardener loves that which his hands have reared1 so does the ,lord ,jesus love the poor sinners that trust in ,him4 ,but while ,i say this1 ,i do also believe that the ,lord takes special pleasure in those who are zealous for ,him1--in those who give themselves body1 soul1 and spirit1 to extend ,his glory in this world4 ,to them ,he reveals ,himself1 as he does not to others4 ,to them ,he shows things that other men never see4 ,he blesses the work of their hands4 ,he cheers them with spiritual consolations1 which others only know by the hearing of the ear4 ,they are men after ,his own heart1 for they are men more like ,himself than others4 ,none have such joy and peace in believing1--none have such sensible comfort in their religion1--none have so much of heaven upon earth 7,deut4 xi4 #ba71--none see and feel so much of the consolations of the ,gospel as those who are zealous1 earnest1 thorough-going1 devoted ,christians4 ,for the sake of our own souls1 if there were no other reason1 it is good to be zealous1--to be very zealous in our religion4 7b7 ,as zeal is good for ourselves individually1 so it is also good for the professing ,church of ,christ generally4 ,nothing so much keeps alive true religion as a leaven of zealous ,christians scattered to and fro throughout a ,church4 ,like salt1 they prevent the whole body falling into a state of corruption4 ,none but men of this kind can revive ,churches when ready to die4 ,it is impossible to over-estimate the debt that all ,christians owe to zeal4 ,the greatest mistake the rulers of a ,church can make is to drive zealous men out of its pale4 ,by so doing they drain out the life-blood of the system1 and hasten on ecclesiastical decline and death4 ,zeal is in truth that grace which ,god seems to delight to honour4 ,look through the list of ,christians who have been eminent for usefulness4 ,who are the men that have left the deepest and most indelible marks on the ,church of their day8 ,who are the men that ,god has generally honoured to build up the walls of ,his ,zion1 and turn the battle from the gate8 ,not so much men of learning and literary talents1 as men of zeal4 ,bishop ,latimer was not such a deeply-read scholar as ,cranmer or ,ridley4 ,he could not quote ,fathers from memory1 as they did4 ,he refused to be drawn into arguments about antiquity4 ,he stuck to his ,bible4 ,yet it is not too much to say that no ,english reformer made such a lasting impression on the nation as old ,latimer did4 ,and what was the reason8 ,his simple zeal4 ,baxter1 the ,puritan1 was not equal to some of his contemporaries in intellectual gifts4 ,it is no disparagement to say that he does not stand on a level with ,manton or ,owen4 ,yet few men probably exercised so wide an influence on the generation in which he lived4 ,and what was the reason8 ,his burning zeal4 ,whitefield1 and ,wesley1 and ,berridge1 and ,venn were inferior in mental attainments to ,bishops ,butler and ,watson4 ,but they produced effects on the people of this country which fifty ,butlers and ,watsons would probably never have produced4 ,they saved the ,church of ,england from ruin4 ,and what was one secret of their power8 ,their zeal4 ,these men stood forward at turning points in the history of the ,church4 ,they bore unmoved storms of opposition and persecution4--,they were not afraid to stand alone4 ,they cared not though their motives were misinterpreted4--,they counted all things but loss for the truth's sake4--,they were each and all and every one eminently men of one thing3--and that one thing was to advance the glory of ,god1 and to maintain ,his truth in the world4 ,they were all fire1 and so they lighted others4--,they were wide awake1 and so they awakened others4--,they were all alive1 and so they quickened others4--,they were always working1 and so they shamed others into working too4--,they came down upon men like ,moses from the mount4--,they shone as if they had been in the presence of ,god4--,they carried to and fro with them1 as they walked their course through the world1 something of the atmosphere and savour of heaven itself4 ,there is a sense in which it may be said that zeal is contagious4 ,nothing is more useful to the professors of ,christianity than to see a real live ,christian1 a thoroughly zealous man of ,god4 ,they may rail at him1--they may carp at him1--they may pick holes in his conduct1--they may look shy upon him1--they may not understand him any more than men understand a new comet when a new comet appears2--but insensibly a zealous man does them good4 ,he opens their eyes4 ,he makes them feel their own sleepiness4 ,he makes their own great darkness visible4 ,he obliges them to see their own barrenness4 ,he compels them to think1 whether they like it or not--,what are we doing8 ,are we not no better than mere cumberers of the ground8 ,it may be sadly true that one sinner destroyeth much good2 but it is also a blessed truth that one zealous ,christian can do much good4 ,yes3 one single zealous man in a town1--one zealous man in a congregation1--one zealous man in a society1--one zealous man in a family1 may be a great1 a most extensive blessing4 ,how many machines of usefulness such a man sets a going6 ,how much ,christian activity he often calls into being which would otherwise have slept6 ,how many fountains he opens which would otherwise have been sealed6 ,verily there is a deep mine of truth in those words of the ,apostle ,paul to the ,corinthians3 ,your zeal hath provoked very many4 7#b ,cor4 ix1 #b47 7c7 ,but1 as zeal is good for the ,church and for individuals1 so zeal is good for the world4 ,where would the ,missionary work be if it were not for zeal8 ,where would our ,city ,missions and ,ragged ,schools be if it were not for zeal8 ,where would our ,district-,visiting and ,pastoral ,aid ,societies be if it were not for zeal8 ,where would be our ,societies for rooting out sin and ignorance1 for finding out the dark places of the earth1 and recovering poor lost souls8 ,where would be all these glorious instruments for good if it were not for ,christian zeal8 ,zeal called these institutions into being1 and zeal keeps them at work when they have begun4 ,zeal gathers a few despised men1 and makes them the nucleus of many a powerful ,society4 ,zeal keeps up the collections of a ,society when it is formed4 ,zeal prevents men from becoming lazy and sleepy when the machine is large and begins to get favour from the world4 ,zeal raises up men to go forth1 putting their lives in their hands1 like ,moffatt and ,williams in our own day4 ,zeal supplies their place when they are gathered into the garner1 and taken home4 ,what would become of the ignorant masses who crowd the lanes and alleys of our overgrown cities1 if it were not for ,christian zeal8 ,governments can do nothing with them3 they cannot make laws that will meet the evil4 ,the vast majority of professing ,christians have no eyes to see it3 like the priest and ,levite1 they pass by on the other side4 ,but zeal has eyes to see1 and a heart to feel1 and a head to devise1 and a tongue to plead1 and hands to work1 and feet to travel1 in order to rescue poor souls1 and raise them from their low estate4 ,zeal does not stand poring over difficulties1 but simply says1 ,here are souls perishing1 and something shall be done4 ,zeal does not shrink back because there are ,anakims in the way3 it looks over their heads1 like ,moses on ,pisgah1 and says1 ,the land shall be possessed4 ,zeal does not wait for company1 and tarry till good works are fashionable3 it goes forward like a forlorn hope1 and trusts that others will follow by and bye4 ,ah6 the world little knows what a debt it owes to ,christian zeal4 ,how much crime it has checked6 ,how much sedition it has prevented6 ,how much public discontent it has calmed6 ,how much obedience to law and love of order it has produced6 ,how many souls it has saved6 ,yes6 and ,i believe we little know what might be done if every ,christian was a zealous man6 ,how much if ministers were more like ,bickersteth1 and ,whitefield1 and ,m',cheyne6 ,how much if laymen were more like ,howard1 and ,wilberforce1 and ,thornton1 and ,nasmith1 and ,george ,moore6 ,oh1 for the world's sake1 as well as your own1 resolve1 labour1 strive to be a zealous ,christian6 ,let every one who professes to be a ,christian beware of checking zeal4 ,seek it4 ,cultivate it4 ,try to blow up the fire in your own heart1 and the hearts of others1 but never1 never check it4 ,beware of throwing cold water on zealous souls1 whenever you meet with them4 ,beware of nipping in the bud this precious grace when first it shoots4 ,if you are a parent1 beware of checking it in your children2--if you are a husband1 beware of checking it in your wife2--if you are a brother1 beware of checking it in your sisters1--and if you are a minister1 beware of checking it in the members of your congregation4 ,it is a shoot of heaven's own planting4 ,beware of crushing it1 for ,christ's sake4 ,zeal may make mistakes4--,zeal may need directing4--,zeal may want guiding1 controlling1 and advising4 ,like the elephants on ancient fields of battle1 it may sometimes do injury to its own side4 ,but zeal does not need damping in a wretched1 cold1 corrupt1 miserable world like this4 ,zeal1 like ,john ,knox pulling down the ,scotch monasteries1 may hurt the feelings of narrow-minded and sleepy ,christians4 ,it may offend the prejudices of those old-fashioned religionists who hate everything new1 and 7like those who wanted soldiers and sailors to go on wearing pigtails7 abhor all change4 ,but zeal in the end will be justified by its results4 ,zeal1 like ,john ,knox1 in the long run of life will do infinitely more good than harm4 ,there is little danger of there ever being too much zeal for the glory of ,god4 ,god forgive those who think there is6 ,you know little of human nature4 ,you forget that sickness is far more contagious than health1 and that it is much easier to catch a chill than impart a glow4 ,depend upon it1 the ,church seldom needs a bridle1 but often needs a spur4 ,it seldom needs to be checked1 it often needs to be urged on4 ,and now1 in conclusion1 let me try to apply this subject to the conscience of every person who reads this paper4 ,it is a warning subject1 an arousing subject1 an encouraging subject1 according to the state of our several hearts4 ,i wish1 by ,god's help1 to give every reader his portion4 7#a7 ,first of all1 let me offer a warning to all who make no decided profession of religion4 ,there are thousands and tens of thousands1 ,i fear1 in this condition4 ,if you are one1 the subject before you is full of solemn warning4 ,oh1 that the ,lord in mercy may incline your heart to receive it6 ,i ask you1 then1 in all affection1 ,where is your zeal in religion8 ,with the ,bible before me1 ,i may well be bold in asking4 ,but with your life before me1 ,i may well tremble as to the answer4 ,i ask again1 ,where is your zeal for the glory of ,god8 ,where is your zeal for extending ,christ's ,gospel through an evil world8 ,zeal1 which was the characteristic of the ,lord ,jesus2 zeal1 which is the characteristic of the angels2 zeal1 which shines forth in all the brightest ,christians3 where is your zeal1 unconverted reader8--where is your zeal indeed6 ,you know well it is nowhere at all2 you know well you see no beauty in it2 you know well it is scorned and cast out as evil by you and your companions2 you know well it has no place1 no portion1 no standing ground1 in the religion of your soul4 ,it is not perhaps that you know not what it is to be zealous in a certain way4 ,you have zeal1 but it is all misapplied4 ,it is all earthly3 it is all about the things of time4 ,it is not zeal for the glory of ,god3 it is not zeal for the salvation of souls4 ,yes3 many a man has zeal for the newspaper1 but not for the ,bible1--zeal for the daily reading of the ,times1 but no zeal for the daily reading of ,god's blessed ,word4 ,many a man has zeal for the account book and the business book1 but no zeal about the ,book of ,life and the last great account1--zeal about ,australian and ,californian gold1 but no zeal about the unsearchable riches of ,christ4 ,many a man has zeal about his earthly concerns1--his family1 his pleasures1 his daily pursuits2 but no zeal about ,god1 and heaven1 and eternity4 ,if this is the state of any one who is reading this paper1 awake1 ,i do beseech you1 to see your gross folly4 ,you cannot live for ever4 ,you are not ready to die4 ,you are utterly unfit for the company of saints and angels4 ,awake3 be zealous and repent6--,awake to see the harm you are doing6 ,you are putting arguments in the hands of infidels by your shameful coldness4 ,you are pulling down as fast as ministers build4 ,you are helping the devil4 ,awake3 be zealous1 and repent6--,awake to see your childish inconsistency6 ,what can be more worthy of zeal than eternal things1 than the glory of ,god1 than the salvation of souls8 ,surely if it is good to labour for rewards that are temporal1 it is a thousand times better to labour for those that are eternal4 ,awake3 be zealous and repent6 ,go and read that long-neglected ,bible4 ,take up that blessed ,book which you have1 and perhaps never use4 ,read that ,new ,testament through4 ,do you find nothing there to make you zealous1--to make you earnest about your soul8 ,go and look at the cross of ,christ4 ,go and see how the ,son of ,god there shed ,his precious blood for you1--how ,he suffered and groaned1 and died for you1--how ,he poured out ,his soul as an offering for sin1 in order that you1 sinful brother or sister1 might not perish1 but have eternal life4 ,go and look at the cross of ,christ1 and never rest till you feel some zeal for your own soul1--some zeal for the glory of ,god1--some zeal for extension of the ,gospel throughout the world4 ,once more ,i say1 awake3 be zealous1 and repent6 7#b7 ,let me1 in the next place1 say something to arouse those who make a profession of being decided ,christians1 and are yet lukewarm in their practice4 ,there are only too many1 ,i regret to say1 in this state of soul4 ,if you are one1 there is much in this subject which ought to lead you to searchings of heart4 ,let me speak to your conscience4 ,to you also ,i desire to put the question in all brotherly affection1 ,where is your zeal8--,where is your zeal for the glory of ,god1 and for extending the gospel throughout the world8 ,you know well it is very low4 ,you know well that your zeal is a little feeble glimmering spark1 that just lives1 and no more2--it is like a thing ready to die4 7,rev4 iii4 #b47 ,surely1 there is a fault somewhere1 if this is the case4 ,this state of things ought not to be4 ,you1 the child of ,god1--you1 redeemed at so glorious a price1--you1 ransomed with such precious blood1 you1 who are an heir of glory such as no tongue ever yet told1 or eye saw2--surely you ought to be a man of another kind4 ,surely your zeal ought not to be so small4 ,i deeply feel that this is a painful subject to touch upon4 ,i do it with reluctance1 and with a constant remembrance of my own unprofitableness4 ,nevertheless1 truth ought to be spoken4 ,the plain truth is that many believers in the present day seem so dreadfully afraid of doing harm that they hardly ever dare to do good4 ,there are many who are fruitful in objections1 but barren in actions2--rich in wet blankets1 but poor in anything like ,christian fire4 ,they are like the ,dutch deputies1 recorded in the history of last century1 who would never allow ,marlborough to venture anything1 and by their excessive caution prevented many a victory being won4 ,truly1 in looking round the ,church of ,christ1 a man might sometimes think that ,god's kingdom had come1 and ,god's will was being done upon earth1 so small is the zeal that some believers show4 ,it is vain to deny it4 ,i need not go far for evidence4 ,i point to ,societies for doing good to the heathen1 the colonies1 and the dark places of our own land1 languishing and standing still for want of active support4 ,i ask1 ,is this zeal8 ,i point to thousands of miserable guinea subscriptions which are never missed by the givers1 and yet make up the sum of their ,christian liberality4 ,i ask1 ,is this zeal8 ,i point to false doctrine allowed to grow up in parishes and families without an effort being made to check it1 while so-called believers look on1 and content themselves with wishing it was not so4 ,i ask1 ,is this zeal8 ,would the apostles have been satisfied with such a state of things8 ,we know they would not4 ,if the conscience of any one who read this paper pleads guilty to any participation in the short-comings ,i have spoken of1 ,i call upon him1 in the name of the ,lord1 to awake1 be zealous1 and repent4 ,let not zeal be confined to ,lincoln's ,inn1 the ,temple1 and ,westminster2--to banks1 and shops1 and counting houses4 ,let us see the same zeal in the ,church of ,christ4 ,let not zeal be abundant to lead forlorn hopes1 or get gold from ,australia1 or travel over thick ribbed ice in voyages of discovery1 but defective to send the ,gospel to the heathen1 or to pluck ,roman ,catholics like brands from the fire1 or to enlighten the dark places of the colonies of this great land4 ,never were there such doors of usefulness opened1--never were there so many opportunities for doing good4 ,i loathe that squeamishness which refuses to help religious works if there is a blemish about the instrument by which the work is carried on4 ,at this rate we might never do anything at all4 ,let us resist the feeling1 if we are tempted by it4 ,it is one of ,satan's devices4 ,it is better to work with feeble instruments than not to work at all4 ,at all events1 try to do something for ,god and ,christ1--something against ignorance and sin4 ,give1 collect1 teach1 exhort1 visit1 pray1 according as ,god enables you4 ,only make up your mind that all can do something1 and resolve that by you1 at any rate1 something shall be done4 ,if you have only one talent1 do not bury it in the ground4 ,try to live so as to be missed4 ,there is far more to be done in twelve hours than most of us have ever yet done on any day in our lives4 ,think of the precious souls which are perishing while you are sleeping4 ,be taken up with your inward conflicts if you will4 ,go on anatomizing your own feelings1 and poring over your own corruptions1 if you are so determined4 ,but remember all this time souls are going to hell1 and you might do something to save them by working1 by giving1 by writing1 by begging1 and by prayer4 ,oh1 awake6 be zealous1 and repent6 ,think of the shortness of time4 ,you will soon be gone4 ,you will have no opportunity for works of mercy in another world4 ,in heaven there will be no ignorant people to instruct1 and no unconverted to reclaim4 ,whatever you do must be done now4 ,oh1 when are you going to begin8 ,awake6 be zealous1 and repent4 ,think of the devil1 and his zeal to do harm4 ,it was a solemn saying of old ,bernard when he said that ,satan would rise up in judgment against some people at the last day1 because he had shown more zeal to ruin souls than they had to save them4 ,awake6 be zealous1 and repent4 ,think of your ,saviour1 and all ,his zeal for you4 ,think of ,him in ,gethsemane and on ,calvary1 shedding ,his blood for sinners4 ,think of ,his life and death1--,his sufferings and ,his doings4 ,this ,he has done for you4 ,what are you doing for ,him8 ,oh1 resolve that for the time to come you will spend and be spent for ,christ6 ,awake6 be zealous and repent4 7#c7 ,last of all1 let me encourage all readers of this paper who are truly zealous ,christians4 ,i have but one request to make1 and that is that you will persevere4 ,i do beseech you to hold fast your zeal1 and never let it go4 ,i do beseech you never to go back from your first works1 never to leave your first love1 never to let it be said of you that your first things were better than your last4--,beware of cooling down4 ,you have only to be lazy1 and to sit still1 and you will soon lose all your warmth4 ,you will soon become another man from what you are now4 ,oh1 do not think this a needless exhortation6 ,it may be very true that wise young believers are very rare4 ,but it is no less true that zealous old believers are very rare also4 ,never allow yourself to think that you can do too much1--that you can spend and be spent too much for ,christ's cause4 ,for one man that does too much ,i will show you a thousand who do not do enough4 ,rather think that the night cometh1 when no man can work 7,john ix4 #d71--;and give1 collect1 teach1 visit1 work1 pray1 as if you were doing it for the last time4 ,lay to heart the words of that noble-minded ,jansenist1 who said1 when told that he ought to rest a little1 ,what should we rest for8 have we not all eternity to rest in8 ,fear not the reproach of men4 ,faint not because you are sometimes abused4 ,heed it not if you are sometimes called bigot1 enthusiast1 fanatic1 madman1 and fool4 ,there is nothing disgraceful in these titles4 ,they have often been given to the best and wisest of men4 ,if you are only to be zealous when you are praised for it1--if the wheels of your zeal must be oiled by the world's commendation1 your zeal will be but short-lived4 ,care not for the praise or frown of man4 ,there is but one thing worth caring for1 and that is the praise of ,god4 ,there is but one question worth asking about our actions3 ,how will they look in the day of judgment8 ,,ix ,,freedom ,if the ,son shall make you free1 ye shall be free indeed4--,john viii4 #cf4 ,the subject before our eyes deserves a thousand thoughts4 ,it should ring in the ears of ,englishmen and ,scotchmen like the voice of a trumpet4 ,we live in a land which is the very cradle of freedom4 ,but are we ourselves free8 ,the question is one which demands special attention at the present state of public opinion in ,great ,britain4 ,the minds of many are wholly absorbed in politics4 ,yet there is a freedom1 within the reach of all1 which few1 ,i am afraid1 ever think of1--a freedom independent of all political changes1--a freedom which neither ,queen1 ,lords and ,commons1 nor the cleverest popular leaders can bestow4 ,this is the freedom about which ,i write this day4 ,do we know anything of it8 ,are we free8 ,in opening this subject1 there are three points which ,i wish to bring forward4 ,i4 ,i will show1 in the first place1 the general excellence of freedom4 ,,ii4 ,i will show1 in the second place1 the best and truest kind of freedom4 ,,iii4 ,i will show1 in the last place1 the way in which the best kind of freedom may become your own4 ,let no reader think for a moment that this is going to be a political paper4 ,i am no politician3 ,i have no politics but those of the ,bible4 ,the only party ,i care for is the ,lord's side3 show me where that is1 and it shall have my support4 ,the only election ,i am very anxious about is the election of grace4 ,my one desire is1 that sinners should make their own calling and election sure4--,the liberty ,i desire above all things to make known1 and further1 is the glorious liberty of the children of ,god4--,the ,government ,i care to support is the government which is on the shoulder of my ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,before ,christ ,i want every knee to bow1 and every tongue to confess that ,he is ,lord4 ,i ask attention while ,i canvass these subjects4 ,if you are not free1 ,i want to guide you into true liberty4 ,if you are free1 ,i want you to know the full value of your freedom4 ,i4 ,the first thing ,i have to show is the general excellence of freedom4 ,on this point some readers may think it needless to say anything3 they imagine that all men know the value of freedom1 and that to dwell on it is mere waste of time4 ,i do not agree with such people at all4 ,i believe that myriads of ,englishmen know nothing of the blessings which they enjoy in their own land3 they have grown up from infancy to manhood in the midst of free institutions4 ,they have not the least idea of the state of things in other countries3 they are ignorant alike of those two worst forms of tyranny1--the crushing tyranny of a cruel military despot1 and the intolerant tyranny of an unreasoning mob4 ,in short1 many ,englishmen know nothing of the value of liberty1 just because they have been born in the middle of it1 and have never been for a moment without it4 ,i call then on every one who reads this paper to remember that liberty is one of the greatest temporal blessings that man can have on this side the grave4 ,we live in a land where our bodies are free4 ,so long as we hurt nobody's person1 or property1 or character1 no one can touch us3 the poorest man's house is his castle4--,we live in a land where our actions are free4 ,so long as we support ourselves1 we are free to choose what we will do1 where we will go1 and how we will spend our time4--,we live in a land where our consciences are free4 ,so long as we hold quietly on our own way1 and do not interfere with others1 we are free to worship ,god as we please1 and no man can compel us to take his way to heaven4 ,we live in a land where no foreigner rules over us4 ,our laws are made and altered by ,englishmen like ourselves1 and our ,governors dwell by our side1 bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh4 ,in short1 we have every kind of freedom to an extent which no other nation on earth can equal4 ,we have personal freedom1 civil freedom1 religious freedom1 and national freedom4 ,we have free bodies1 free consciences1 free speech1 free thought1 free action1 free ,bibles1 a free press1 and free homes4 ,how vast is this list of privileges6 ,how endless the comforts which it contains6 ,the full value of them can never perhaps be known4 ,well said the ,jewish ,rabbins in ancient days3 ,if the sea were ink and the world parchment1 it would never serve to describe the praises of liberty4 ,the want of this freedom has been the most fertile cause of misery to nations in every age of the world4 ,what reader of the ,bible can fail to remember the sorrows of the children of ,israel1 when they were bondmen under ,pharaoh in ,egypt1 or under ,philistines in ,canaan8 ,what student of history needs to be reminded of the woes inflicted on the ,netherlands1 ,poland1 ,spain1 and ,italy by the hand of foreign oppressors1 or the ,inquisition8 ,who1 even in our own time1 has not heard of that enormous fountain of wretchedness1 the slavery of the ,negro race8 ,no misery certainly is so great as the misery of slavery4 ,to win and preserve freedom has been the aim of many national struggles which have deluged the earth with blood4 ,liberty has been the cause in which myriads of ,greeks1 and ,romans1 and ,germans1 and ,poles1 and ,swiss1 and ,englishmen1 and ,americans have willingly laid down their lives4 ,no price has been thought too great to pay in order that nations might be free4 ,the champions of freedom in every age have been justly esteemed among the greatest benefactors of mankind4 ,such names as ,moses and ,gideon in ,jewish history1 such names as the ,spartan ,leonidas1 the ,roman ,horatius1 the ,german ,martin ,luther1 the ,swedish ,gustavus ,vasa1 the ,swiss ,william ,tell1 the ,scotch ,robert ,bruce and ,john ,knox1 the ,english ,alfred and ,hampden and the ,puritans1 the ,american ,george ,washington1 are deservedly embalmed in history1 and will never be forgotten4 ,to be the mother of many patriots is the highest praise of a nation4 ,the enemies of freedom in every age have been rightly regarded as the pests and nuisances of their times4 ,such names as ,pharaoh in ,egypt1 ,dionysius at ,syracuse1 ,nero at ,rome1 ,charles ,,ix4 in ,france1 bloody ,mary in ,england1 are names which will never be rescued from disgrace4 ,the public opinion of mankind will never cease to condemn them1 on the one ground that they would not let people be free4 ,but why should ,i dwell on these things8 ,time and space would fail me if ,i were to attempt to say a tenth part of what might be said in praise of freedom4 ,what are the annals of history but a long record of conflicts between the friends and foes of liberty8 ,where is the nation upon earth that has ever attained greatness1 and left its mark on the world1 without freedom8 ,which are the countries on the face of the globe at this very moment which are making the most progress in trade1 in arts1 in sciences1 in civilization1 in philosophy1 in morals1 in social happiness8 ,precisely those countries in which there is the greatest amount of true freedom4 ,which are the countries at this very day where is the greatest amount of internal misery1 where we hear continually of secret plots1 and murmuring1 and discontent1 and attempts on life and property8 ,precisely those countries where freedom does not exist1 or exists only in name1--where men are treated as serfs and slaves1 and are not allowed to think and act for themselves4 ,no wonder that a mighty ,transatlantic ,statesman declared on a great occasion to his assembled countrymen3 ,is life so dear1 or peace so sweet1 as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery8 ,forbid it1 almighty ,god6 ,i know not what course others may take2 but as for me1 give me liberty or give me death6#e #e3 ,to prevent mistakes1 ,i think it well to say that the man ,i refer to is ,patrick ,henry1 an ,american ,statesman of the last century4 ,let us beware of undervaluing the liberty we enjoy in this country of ours1 as ,englishmen4 ,i am sure there is need of this warning4 ,there is1 perhaps1 no country on earth where there is so much grumbling and fault-finding as there is in ,england4 ,men look at the fancied evils which they see around them1 and exaggerate both their number and their intensity4 ,they refuse to look at the countless blessings and privileges which surround us1 or underrate the advantages of them4 ,they forget that comparison should be applied to everything4 ,with all our faults and defects there is at this hour no country on earth where there is so much liberty and happiness for all classes1 as there is in ,england4 ,they forget that as long as human nature is corrupt1 it is vain to expect perfection here below4 ,no laws or government whatever can possibly prevent a certain quantity of abuses and corruptions4 ,once more then1 ,i say1 let us beware of undervaluing ,english liberty1 and running eagerly after every one who proposes sweeping changes4 ,changes are not always improvements4 ,the old shoes may have some holes and defects1 but the new shoes may pinch so much that we cannot walk at all4 ,no doubt we might have better laws and government than we have3 but ,i am quite sure we might easily have worse4 ,at this very day there is no country on the face of the globe where there is so much care taken of the life1 and health1 and property1 and character1 and personal liberty of the meanest inhabitant1 as there is in ,england4 ,those who want to have more liberty1 would soon find1 if they crossed the seas1 that there is no country on earth where there is so much real liberty as our own4#f #f3 ,the following weighty passage1 from the pen of the judicious ,hooker1 is commended to the attention of all in the present day4 ,it is the opening passage of the first book of his ,ecclesiastical ,polity4 ,he that goeth about to persuade a multitude that they are not so well governed as they ought to be1 shall never want attentive and favourable hearers1 because they know the manifold defects whereunto every kind of regiment or government is subject2 but the secret lets and difficulties1 which in public proceedings are innumerable and inevitable1 they have not ordinarily the judgment to consider4 ,and because such as openly reprove disorders of ,states are taken for principal friends to the common benefit of all1 and for men that carry singular freedom of mind1 under this fair and plausible colour whatsoever they utter passeth for good and current4 ,that which is wanting in the weight of their speech is supplied by the aptness of men's minds to accept and believe it4 ,whereas1 on the other side1 if we maintain things that are established1 we have not only to strive with a number of heavy prejudices1 deeply rooted in the breasts of men1 who think that herein we serve the times1 and speak in favour of the present state1 because we either hold or seek preferment2 but also to bear such reception as minds so averted beforehand usually take against that which they are loth should be poured into them4 ,but while ,i bid men not undervalue ,english liberty1 so also on the other hand ,i charge them not to overvalue it4 ,never forget that temporal slavery is not the only slavery1 and temporal freedom not the only freedom4 ,what shall it profit you to be a citizen of a free country1 so long as your soul is not free8 ,what is the use of living in a free land like ,england1 with free thought1 free speech1 free action1 free conscience1 so long as you are a slave to sin1 and a captive to the devil8 ,yes3 there are tyrants whom no eye can see1 as real and destructive as ,pharaoh or ,nero6 ,there are chains which no hands can touch1 as true and heavy and soul-withering as ever crushed the limbs of an ,african6 ,it is these tyrants whom ,i want you this day to remember4 ,it is these chains from which ,i want you to be free4 ,value by all means your ,english liberty1 but do not overvalue it4 ,look higher1 further than any temporal freedom4 ,in the highest sense let us take care that we are free4 ,,ii4 ,the second thing ,i have to show is the truest and best kind of freedom4 ,the freedom ,i speak of is a freedom that is within the reach of every child of ,adam who is willing to have it4 ,no power on earth can prevent a man or woman having it1 if they have but the will to receive it4 ,tyrants may threaten and cast in prison1 but nothing they can do can stop a person having this liberty4 ,and1 once our own1 nothing can take it away4 ,men may torture us1 banish us1 hang us1 behead us1 burn us1 but they can never tear from us true freedom4 ,the poorest may have it no less than the richest3 the most unlearned may have it as well as the most learned1 and the weakest as well as the strongest4 ,laws cannot deprive us of it3 ,pope's bulls cannot rob us of it4 ,once our own1 it is an everlasting possession4 ,now1 what is this glorious freedom8 ,where is it to be found8 ,what is it like8 ,who has obtained it for man8 ,who has got it at this moment to bestow8 ,i ask my readers to give me their attention1 and ,i will supply a plain answer to these questions4 ,the true freedom ,i speak of is spiritual freedom1--freedom of soul4 ,it is the freedom which ,christ bestows1 without money and without price1 on all true ,christians4 ,those whom the ,son makes free are free indeed3 ,where the ,spirit of the ,lord is1 there is liberty4 7#b ,cor4 iii4 #ag47 ,let men talk what they please of the comparative freedom of monarchies and republics2 let them struggle1 if they will1 for universal liberty1 fraternity1 and equality3 we never know the highest style of liberty till we are enrolled citizens of the kingdom of ,god4 ,we are ignorant of the best kind of freedom if we are not ,christ's freemen4 ,christ's freemen are free from the guilt of sin4 ,that heavy burden of unforgiven transgressions1 which lies so heavy on many consciences1 no longer presses them down4 ,christ's blood has cleansed it all away4 ,they feel pardoned1 reconciled1 justified1 and accepted in ,god's sight4 ,they can look back to their old sins1 however black and many1 and say1--,ye cannot condemn me4 ,they can look back on long years of carelessness and worldliness and say1--,who shall lay anything to my charge8 ,this is true liberty4 ,this is to be free4 ,christ's freemen are free from the power of sin4 ,it no longer rules and reigns in their hearts1 and carries them before it like a flood4 ,through the power of ,christ's ,spirit they mortify the deeds of their bodies1 and crucify their flesh with its affections and lusts4 ,through ,his grace working in them they get the victory over their evil inclinations4 ,the flesh may fight1 but it does not conquer them2 the devil may tempt and vex1 but does not overcome them3 they are no longer the bondslaves of lusts and appetites1 and passions1 and tempers4 ,over all these things they are more than conquerors1 through ,him that loved them4 ,this is true liberty4 ,this is to be free4 ,christ's freemen are free from the slavish fear of ,god4 ,they no longer look at ,him with dread and alarm1 as an offended ,maker2 they no longer hate ,him1 and get away from ,him1 like ,adam among the trees of the garden2 they no longer tremble at the thought of ,his judgment4 ,through the ,spirit of adoption which ,christ has given them1 they look on ,god as a reconciled ,father1 and rejoice in the thought of ,his love4 ,they feel that anger is passed away4 ,they feel that when ,god the ,father looks down upon them1 ,he sees them in ,christ1 and unworthy as they are in themselves1 is well-pleased4 ,this is true liberty4 ,this is to be free4 ,christ's freemen are free from the fear of man4 ,they are no longer afraid of man's opinions1 or care much what man thinks of them2 they are alike indifferent to his favour or his enmity1 his smile or his frown4 ,they look away from man who can be seen1 to ,christ who is not seen1 and having the favour of ,christ1 they care little for the blame of man4 ,the fear of man was once a snare to them4 ,they trembled at the thought of what man would say1 or think1 or do3 they dared not run counter to the fashions and customs of those around them2 they shrank from the idea of standing alone4 ,but the snare is now broken and they are delivered4 ,this is true liberty4 ,this is to be free4 ,christ's freemen are free from the fear of death4 ,they no longer look forward to it with silent dismay1 as a horrible thing which they do not care to think of4 ,through ,christ they can look this last enemy calmly in the face1 and say1--,thou canst not harm me4 ,they can look forward to all that comes after death1--decay1 resurrection1 judgment1 and eternity1--and yet not feel cast down4 ,they can stand by the side of an open grave1 and say1 ,o death1 where is thy sting8 ,o grave1 where is thy victory8 ,they can lay them down on their death-beds1 and say1 ,though ,i walk through the valley of the shadow of death1 ,i will fear no evil4 7,ps4 xxiii4 #d47 ,not a hair of my head shall perish4 ,this is true liberty4 ,this is to be free4 ,best of all1 ,christ's freemen are free for ever4 ,once enrolled in the list of heavenly citizens1 their names shall never be struck off4 ,once presented with the freedom of ,christ's kingdom1 they shall possess it for evermore4 ,the highest privileges of this world's freedom can only endure for a life-time2 the freest citizen on earth must submit at length to die1 and lose his franchise for ever3 but the franchise of ,christ's people is eternal4 ,they carry it down to the grave1 and it lives still2 they will rise again with it at the last day1 and enjoy the privileges of it for evermore4 ,this is true liberty4 ,this is to be free4 ,does anyone ask how and in what way ,christ has obtained these mighty privileges for ,his people8 ,you have a right to ask the question1 and it is one that can never be answered too clearly4 ,give me your attention1 and ,i will show you by what means ,christ has made ,his people free4 ,the freedom of ,christ's people has been procured1 like all other freedom1 at a mighty cost and by a mighty sacrifice4 ,great was the bondage in which they were naturally held1 and great was the price necessary to be paid to set them free3 mighty was the enemy who claimed them as his captives1 and it needed mighty power to release them out of his hands4 ,but1 blessed be ,god1 there was grace enough1 and power enough ready in ,jesus ,christ4 ,he provided to the uttermost everything that was required to set ,his people free4 ,the price that ,christ paid for ,his people was nothing less than ,his own life-blood4 ,he became their ,substitute1 and suffered for their sins on the cross3 ,he redeemed them from the curse of the law1 by being made a curse for them4 7,gal4 iii4 #ac47 ,he paid all their debt in ,his own person1 by allowing the chastisement of their peace to be laid on ,him4 7,isaiah liii4 #e47 ,he satisfied every possible demand of the law against them1 by fulfilling its righteousness to the uttermost4 ,he cleared them from every imputation of sin1 by becoming sin for them4 7#b ,cor4 v4 #ba47 ,he fought their battle with the devil1 and triumphed over him on the cross4 ,as their ,champion1 ,he spoiled principalities and powers1 and made a show of them openly on ,calvary4 ,in a word1 ,christ having given ,himself for us1 has purchased the full right of redemption for us4 ,nothing can touch those to whom ,he gives freedom3 their debts are paid1 and paid a thousand times over2 their sins are atoned for by a full1 perfect1 and sufficient atonement4 ,a ,divine ,substitute's death meets completely the justice of ,god1 and provides completely redemption for man4 ,let us look well at this glorious plan of redemption1 and take heed that we understand it4 ,ignorance on this point is one great secret of faint hopes1 little comfort1 and ceaseless doubts in the minds of ,christians4 ,too many are content with a vague idea that ,christ will somehow save sinners3 but how or why they cannot tell4 ,i protest against this ignorance4 ,let us set fully before our eyes the doctrine of ,christ's vicarious death and substitution1 and rest our souls upon it4 ,let us grasp firmly the mighty truth1 that ,christ on the cross1 stood in the place of ,his people1 died for ,his people1 suffered for ,his people1 was counted a curse and sin for ,his people1 paid the debts of ,his people1 made satisfaction for ,his people1 became the surety and representative of ,his people1 and in this way procured ,his people's freedom4 ,let us understand this clearly1 and then we shall see what a mighty privilege it is to be made free by ,christ4 ,this is the freedom which1 above all other1 is worth having4 ,we can never value it too highly3 there is no danger of overvaluing it4 ,all other freedom is an unsatisfying thing at the best1 and a poor uncertain possession at any time4 ,christ's freedom alone can never be overthrown4 ,it is secured by a covenant ordered in all things and sure3 its foundations are laid in the eternal councils of ,god1 and no foreign enemy can overthrow them4 ,they are cemented and secured by the blood of the ,son of ,god ,himself1 and can never be cast down4 ,the freedom of nations often lasts no longer than a few centuries3 the freedom which ,christ gives to any one of ,his people is a freedom that shall outlive the solid world4 ,this is the truest1 highest kind of freedom4 ,this is the freedom which in a changing1 dying world1 ,i want men to possess4 ,,iii4 ,i have now to show1 in the last place1 the way in which the best kind of freedom is made our own4 ,this is a point of vast importance1 on account of the many mistakes which prevail about it4 ,thousands1 perhaps1 will allow that there is such a thing as spiritual freedom1 and that ,christ alone has purchased it for us3 but when they come to the application of redemption1 they go astray4 ,they cannot answer the question1 ,who are those whom ,christ effectually makes free8 and for want of knowledge of the answer1 they sit still in their chains4 ,i ask every reader to give me his attention once more1 and ,i will try to throw a little light on the subject4 ,useless indeed is the redemption which ,christ has obtained1 unless you know how the fruit of that redemption can become your own4 ,in vain have you read of the freedom wherewith ,christ makes people free1 unless you understand how you yourself may have an interest in it4 ,we are not born ,christ's freemen4 ,the inhabitants of many a city enjoy privileges by virtue of their birth-place4 ,st4 ,paul1 who drew life-breath first at ,tarsus in ,cilicia1 could say to the ,roman ,commander1 ,i was free-born4 ,but this is not the case with ,adam's children1 in spiritual things4 ,we are born slaves and servants of sin3 we are by nature children of wrath1 and destitute of any title to heaven4 ,we are not made ,christ's freemen by baptism4 ,myriads are every year brought to the font1 and solemnly baptized in the name of the ,trinity1 who serve sin like slaves1 and neglect ,christ all their days4 ,wretched indeed is that man's state of soul who can give no better evidence of his citizenship of heaven than the mere naked fact of his baptism6 ,we are not made ,christ's freemen by mere membership of ,christ's ,church4 ,there are ,companies and ,corporations whose members are entitled to vast privileges1 without any respect to their personal character1 if their names are only on the list of members4 ,the kingdom of ,christ is not a corporation of this kind4 ,the grand test of belonging to it is personal character4 ,let these things sink down into our minds4 ,far be it from me to narrow the extent of ,christ's redemption3 the price ,he paid on the cross is sufficient for the whole world4 ,far be it from me to undervalue baptism or ,church-membership3 the ordinance which ,christ appointed1 and the ,church which ,he maintains in the midst of a dark world1 ought neither of them to be lightly esteemed4--,all ,i contend for is the absolute necessity of not being content either with baptism or ,church-membership4 ,if our religion stops short here it is unprofitable and unsatisfying4 ,it needs something more than this to give us an interest in the redemption which ,christ has purchased4 ,there is no other way to become ,christ's freemen than that of simply believing4 ,it is by faith1 simple faith in ,him as our ,saviour and ,redeemer1 that men's souls are made free4 ,it is by receiving ,christ1 trusting ,christ1 committing ourselves to ,christ1 reposing our whole weight on ,christ1--it is by this1 and by no other plan1 that spiritual liberty is made our own4 ,mighty as are the privileges which ,christ's freemen possess1 they all become a man's property in the day that he first believes4 ,he may not yet know their full value1 but they are all his own4 ,he that believeth in ,christ is not condemned1--is justified1 is born again1 is an heir of ,god1 and hath everlasting life4 ,the truth before us is one of priceless importance4 ,let us cling to it firmly1 and never let it go4 ,if you desire peace of conscience1 if you want inward rest and consolation1 stir not an inch off the ground that faith is the grand secret of an interest in ,christ's redemption4--,take the simplest view of faith3 beware of confusing your mind by complicated ideas about it4 ,follow holiness as closely as you can3 seek the fullest and clearest evidence of the inward work of the ,spirit4 ,but in the matter of an interest in ,christ's redemption remember that faith stands alone4 ,it is by believing1 simply believing1 that souls become free4 ,no doctrine like this to suit the ignorant and unlearned6 ,visit the poorest and humblest cottager1 who knows nothing of theology1 and cannot even repeat the creed4 ,tell him the story of the cross1 and the good news about ,jesus ,christ1 and ,his love to sinners2 show him that there is freedom provided for him1 as well as for the most learned in the land1--freedom from guilt1 freedom from the devil1 freedom from condemnation1 freedom from hell4 ,and then tell him plainly1 boldly1 broadly1 unreservedly1 that this freedom may be all his own1 if he will but trust in ,christ and believe4 ,no doctrine like this to suit the sick and dying6 ,go to the bedside of the vilest sinner1 when death is coming nigh1 and tell him lovingly that there is a hope even for him1 if he can receive it4 ,tell him that ,christ came into the world to save sinners1 even the chief of them2 tell him that ,christ has done all1 paid all1 performed all1 purchased all that the soul of man can possibly need for salvation4 ,and then assure him that he1 even he1 may be freed at once from all his guilt1 if he will only believe4 ,yes1 say to him1 in the words of ,scripture1 ,if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the ,lord ,jesus1 and believe in thine heart that ,god hath raised ,him from the dead1 thou shalt be saved4 7,rom4 x4 #i47 ,let us never forget that this is the point to which we must turn our own eyes1 if we would know whether we have a saving interest in ,christ's redemption4 ,waste not your time in speculations whether you are elect1 and converted1 and a vessel of grace4 ,stand not poring over the unprofitable question whether ,christ died for you or not4 ,that is a point of which no one ever made any question in the ,bible4 ,settle your thoughts on this one simple inquiry1--,do ,i really trust in ,christ1 as a humble sinner8 ,do ,i cast myself on ,him8 ,do ,i believe8--,look not to anything else4 ,look at this alone4 ,fear not to rest your soul on plain texts and promises of ,scripture4 ,if you believe1 you are free4 7#a7 ,and now as ,i bring this paper to a conclusion1 let me affectionately press upon every reader the inquiry which grows naturally out of the whole subject4 ,let me ask every one a plain question3 ,are you free8 ,i know not who or what you are into whose hands this paper has fallen4 ,but this ,i do know1 there never was an age when the inquiry ,i press upon you was more thoroughly needed4 ,political liberty1 civil liberty1 commercial liberty1 liberty of speech1 liberty of the press1--all these1 and a hundred other kindred subjects1 are swallowing up men's attention4 ,few1 very few1 find time to think of spiritual liberty4 ,many1 too many1 forget that no man is so thoroughly a slave1 whatever his position1 as the man who serves sin4 ,yes6 there are thousands in this country who are slaves of beer and spirits1 slaves of lust1 slaves of ambition1 slaves of political party1 slaves of money1 slaves of gambling1 slaves of fashion1 or slaves of temper6 ,you may not see their chains with the naked eye1 and they themselves may boast of their liberty3 but for all that they are thoroughly slaves4 ,whether men like to hear it or not1 the gambler and the drunkard1 the covetous and the passionate1 the glutton and the sensualist1 are not free1 but slaves4 ,they are bound hand and foot by the devil4 ,he that committeth sin is the servant of sin4 7,rom4 viii4 #cd47 ,he that boasts of liberty1 while he is enslaved by lusts and passions1 is going down to hell with a lie in his right hand4 ,awake to see these things1 while health1 and time1 and life are granted to you4 ,let not political struggles and party strife make you forget your precious soul4 ,take any side in politics you please1 and follow honestly your conscientious convictions2 but never1 never forget that there is a liberty far higher and more lasting than any that politics can give you4 ,rest not till that liberty is your own4 ,rest not till ,,your ,,soul ,,is ,,free4 7#b7 ,do you feel any desire to be free8 ,do you find any longing within you for a higher1 better liberty than this world can give--a liberty that will not die at your death1 but will go with you beyond the grave8 ,then take the advice ,i give you this day4 ,seek ,christ1 repent1 believe1 and be free4 ,christ has a glorious liberty to bestow on all who humbly cry to ,him for freedom4 ,christ can take burdens off your heart1 and strike chains off your inward man4 ,if the ,son shall make you free1 you shall be free indeed4 7,john viii4 #cf47 ,freedom like this is the secret of true happiness4 ,none go through the world with such ease and content as those who are citizens of a heavenly country4 ,earth's burdens press lightly upon their shoulders2 earth's disappointments do not crush them down as they do others2 earth's duties and anxieties do not drink up their spirit4 ,in their darkest hours they have always this sustaining thought to fall back on1--,i have something which makes me independent of this world3 ,i am spiritually free4 ,freedom like this is the secret of being a good politician4 ,in every age ,christ's freemen have been the truest friends to law and order1 and to measures for the benefit of all classes of mankind4 ,never1 never let it be forgotten that the despised ,puritans1 two hundred years ago1 did more for the cause of real liberty in ,england than all the ,governments which ever ruled this land4 ,no man ever made this country so feared and respected as ,oliver ,cromwell4 ,the root of the most genuine patriotism is to be one of those whom ,christ has made free4 7#c7 ,are you spiritually free8 ,then rejoice1 and be thankful for your freedom4 ,care not for the scorn and contempt of man3 you have no cause to be ashamed of your religion or your ,master4 ,he whose citizenship is in heaven 7,phil4 iii4 #bj71 who has ,god for his ,father1 and ,christ for his ,elder ,brother1 angels for his daily guards1 and heaven itself for his home1 is one that is well provided for4 ,no change of laws can add to his greatness3 no extension of franchise can raise him higher than he stands in ,god's sight4 ,the lines are fallen to him in pleasant places1 and he has a goodly heritage4 7,psalm xvi4 #f47 ,grace now1 and the hope of glory hereafter1 are more lasting privileges than the power of voting for twenty boroughs or counties4 ,are you free8 ,then stand fast in your liberty1 and be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage4 ,listen not to those who by good words and fair speeches would draw you back to the ,church of ,rome4 ,beware of those who would fain persuade you that there is any mediator but the one ,mediator1 ,christ ,jesus1--any sacrifice but the one ,sacrifice offered on ,calvary1--any priest but the great ,high ,priest ,emmanuel1--any incense needed in worship but the savour of ,his name who was crucified1--any rule of faith and practice but ,god's ,word1--any confessional but the throne of grace1--any effectual absolution but that which ,christ bestows on the hearts of ,his believing people1--any purgatory but the one fountain open for all sins1 the blood of ,christ1 to be only used while we are alive4 ,on all these points stand fast1 and be on your guard4 ,scores of misguided teachers are trying to rob ,christians of ,gospel liberty1 and to bring back among us exploded superstitions4 ,resist them manfully1 and do not give way for a moment4 ,remember what ,romanism was in this country before the blessed ,reformation4 ,remember at what mighty cost our martyred ,reformers brought spiritual freedom to light by the ,gospel4 ,stand fast for this freedom like a man1 and labour to hand it down to your children1 whole and unimpaired4 ,are you free8 ,then think every day you live of the millions of your fellow-creatures who are yet bound hand and foot in spiritual darkness4 ,think of six hundred millions of heathens who never yet heard of ,christ and salvation4 ,think of the poor homeless ,jews1 scattered and wandering over the face of the earth1 because they have not yet received their ,messiah4 ,think of the millions of ,roman ,catholics who are yet in captivity under the ,pope1 and know nothing of true liberty1 light1 and peace4 ,think of the myriads of your own fellow-countrymen in our great cities1 who1 without ,sabbaths and without means of grace1 are practically heathens1 and whom the devil is continually leading captive at his will4 ,think of them all1 and feel for them4 ,think of them all1 and often say to yourself1--,what can ,i do for them8 ,how can ,i help to set them free8 ,what6 ,shall it be proclaimed at the last day that ,pharisees and ,jesuits have compassed sea and land to make proselytes1--that politicians have leagued and laboured night and day to obtain catholic emancipation and free trade1--that philanthropists have travailed in soul for years to procure the suppression of negro slavery1--and shall it appear at the same time that ,christ's freemen have done little to rescue men and women from hell8 ,forbid it1 faith6 ,forbid it1 charity6 ,surely if the children of this world are zealous to promote temporal freedom1 the children of ,god ought to be much more zealous to promote spiritual freedom4 ,let the time past suffice us to have been selfish and indolent in this matter4 ,for the rest of our days let us use every effort to promote spiritual emancipation4 ,if we have tasted the blessings of freedom1 let us spare no pains to make others free4 ,are you free8 ,then look forward in faith and hope for good things yet to come4 ,free as we are1 if we believe on ,christ1 from the guilt and power of sin1 we must surely feel every day that we are not free from its presence and the temptations of the devil4 ,redeemed as we are from the eternal consequences of the fall1 we must often feel that we are not yet redeemed from sickness and infirmity1 from sorrow and from pain4 ,no1 indeed6 ,where is the freeman of ,christ on earth who is not often painfully reminded that we are not yet in heaven8 ,we are yet in the body2 we are yet travelling through the wilderness of this world3 we are not at home4 ,we have shed many tears already1 and probably we shall have to shed many more2 we have got yet within us a poor weak heart3 we are yet liable to be assaulted by the devil4 ,our redemption is begun indeed1 but it is not yet completed4 ,we have redemption now in the root1 but we have it not in the flower4 ,but let us take courage3 there are better days yet to come4 ,our great ,redeemer and ,liberator has gone before us to prepare a place for ,his people1 and when ,he comes again our redemption will be complete4 ,the great jubilee year is yet to come4 ,a few more returns of ,christmas and ,new ,year's ,days1--a few more meetings and partings1--a few more births and deaths1--a few more weddings and funerals1--a few more tears and struggles1--a few more sicknesses and pains1--a few more ,sabbaths and sacraments1--a few more preachings and prayings1--a few more1 and the end will come6 ,our ,master will come back again4 ,the dead saints shall be raised4 ,the living saints shall be changed4 ,then1 and not till then1 we shall be completely free4 ,the liberty which we enjoyed by faith shall be changed into the liberty of sight1 and the freedom of hope into the freedom of certainty4 ,come1 then1 and let us resolve to wait1 and watch1 and hope1 and pray1 and live like men who have something laid up for them in heaven4 ,the night is far spent1 and the day is at hand4 ,our ,king is not far off3 our full redemption draweth nigh4 ,our full salvation is nearer than when we believed4 ,the signs of the times are strange1 and demand every ,christian's serious attention4 ,the kingdoms of this world are in confusion3 the powers of this world1 both temporal and ecclesiastical1 are everywhere reeling and shaken to their foundations4 ,happy1 thrice happy1 are those who are citizens of ,christ's eternal kingdom1 and ready for anything that may come4 ,blessed indeed are those men and women who know and feel that they are free6 ,x ,,happiness ,happy is that people whose ,god is the ,lord4--,psalm cxliv4 #ae4 ,an infidel was once addressing a crowd of people in the open air4 ,he was trying to persuade them that there was no ,god and no devil no heaven1 and no hell1 no resurrection1 no judgment1 and no life to come4 ,he advised them to throw away their ,bibles1 and not to mind what parsons said4 ,he recommended them to think as he did1 and to be like him4 ,he talked boldly4 ,the crowd listened eagerly4 ,it was the blind leading the blind4 ,both were falling into the ditch4 7,matt4 xv4 #ad47 ,in the middle of his address a poor old woman suddenly pushed her way through the crowd1 to the place where he was standing4 ,she stood before him4 ,she looked him full in the face4 ,sir1 she said1 in a loud voice1 ,are you happy8 ,the infidel looked scornfully at her1 and gave her no answer4 ,sir1 she said again1 ,i ask you to answer my question4 ,are you happy8 ,you want us to throw away our ,bibles4 ,you tell us not to believe what parsons say about religion4 ,you advise us to think as you do1 and be like you4 ,now before we take your advice we have a right to know what good we shall get by it4 ,do your fine new notions give you much comfort8 ,do you yourself really feel happy8 ,the infidel stopped1 and attempted to answer the old woman's question4 ,he stammered1 and shuffled1 and fidgetted1 and endeavoured to explain his meaning4 ,he tried hard to turn the subject4 ,he said1 he had not come there to preach about happiness4 ,but it was of no use4 ,the old woman stuck to her point4 ,she insisted on her question being answered1 and the crowd took her part4 ,she pressed him hard with her inquiry1 and would take no excuse4 ,and at last the infidel was obliged to leave the ground1 and sneak off in confusion4 ,he could not reply to the question4 ,his conscience would not let him3 he dared not say that he was happy4 ,the old woman showed great wisdom in asking the question that she did4 ,the argument she used may seem very simple1 but in reality it is one of the most powerful that can be employed4 ,it is a weapon that has more effect on some minds than the most elaborate reasoning of ,butler1 or ,paley1 or ,chalmers4 ,whenever a man begins to take up new views of religion1 and pretends to despise old ,bible ,christianity1 thrust home at his conscience the old woman's question4 ,ask him whether his new views make him feel comfortable within4 ,ask him whether he can say1 with honesty and sincerity1 that he is happy4 ,the grand test of a man's faith and religion is1 ,does it make him happy8 ,let me now affectionately invite every reader to consider the subject of this paper4 ,let me warn you to remember that the salvation of your soul1 and nothing less1 is closely bound up with the subject4 ,the heart cannot be right in the sight of ,god which knows nothing of happiness4 ,that man or woman cannot be in a safe state of soul who feels nothing of peace within4 ,there are three things which ,i purpose to do1 in order to clear up the subject of happiness4 ,i ask special attention to each one of them4 ,and ,i pray the ,spirit of ,god to apply all to the souls of all who read this paper4 ,i4 ,let me point out some things which are absolutely essential to all happiness4 ,,ii4 ,let me expose some common mistakes about the way to be happy4 ,,iii4 ,let me show the way to be truly happy4 ,i4 ,first of all ,i have to point out some things which are absolutely essential to all true happiness4 ,happiness is what all mankind want to obtain3 the desire of it is deeply planted in the human heart4 ,all men naturally dislike pain1 sorrow1 and discomfort4 ,all men naturally like ease1 comfort1 and gladness4 ,all men naturally hunger and thirst after happiness4 ,just as the sick man longs for health1 and the prisoner of war for liberty1--just as the parched traveller in hot countries longs to see the cooling fountain1 or the ice-bound polar voyager the sun rising above the horizon1--just in the same way does poor mortal man long to be happy4 ,but1 alas1 how few consider what they really mean when they talk of happiness6 ,how vague and indistinct and undefined the ideas of most men are upon the subject6 ,they think some are happy who in reality are miserable3 they think some are gloomy and sad who in reality are truly happy4 ,they dream of a happiness which in reality would never satisfy their nature's wants4 ,let me try this day to throw a little light on the subject4 ,true happiness is not perfect freedom from sorrow and discomfort4 ,let that never be forgotten4 ,if it were so there would be no such thing as happiness in the world4 ,such happiness is for angels who have never fallen1 and not for man4 ,the happiness ,i am inquiring about is such as a poor1 dying1 sinful creature may hope to attain4 ,our whole nature is defiled by sin4 ,evil abounds in the world4 ,sickness1 and death1 and change are daily doing their sad work on every side4 ,in such a state of things the highest happiness man can attain to on earth must necessarily be a mixed thing4 ,if we expect to find any literally perfect happiness on this side of the grave1 we expect what we shall not find4 ,true happiness does not consist in laughter and smiles4 ,the face is very often a poor index of the inward man4 ,there are thousands who laugh loud and are merry as a grasshopper in company1 but are wretched and miserable in private1 and almost afraid to be alone4 ,there are hundreds who are grave and serious in their demeanour1 whose hearts are full of solid peace4 ,a poet of our own has truly told us that smiles are worth but little3-- ,a man may smile and smile and be a villain4 ,and the eternal ,word of ,god teaches us that even in laughter the heart is sorrowful4 7,prov4 xiv4 #ac47 ,tell me not merely of smiling and laughing faces3 ,i want to hear of something more than that when ,i ask whether a man is happy4 ,a truly happy man no doubt will often show his happiness in his countenance2 but a man may have a very merry face and yet not be happy at all4 ,of all deceptive things on earth nothing is so deceptive as mere gaiety and merriment4 ,it is a hollow empty show1 utterly devoid of substance and reality4 ,listen to the brilliant talker in society1 and mark the applause which he receives from an admiring company3 follow him to his own private room1 and you will very likely find him plunged in melancholy despondency4 ,colonel ,gardiner confessed that even when he was thought most happy he often wished he was a dog4--,look at the smiling beauty in the ball-room1 and you might suppose she knew not what it was to be unhappy2 see her next day at her own home1 and you may probably find her out of temper with herself and everybody else besides4--,oh1 no3 worldly merriment is not real happiness6 ,there is a certain pleasure about it1 ,i do not deny4 ,there is an animal excitement about it1 ,i make no question4 ,there is a temporary elevation of spirits about it1 ,i freely concede4 ,but call it not by the sacred name of happiness4 ,the most beautiful cut flowers stuck into the ground do not make a garden4 ,when glass is called diamond1 and tinsel is called gold1 then1 and not till then1 your people who can laugh and smile will deserve to be called happy men4#g #g3 ,cervantes1 author of ,don ,quixote1 at a time when all ,spain was laughing at his humorous work1 was overwhelmed with a deep cloud of melancholy4 ,moliere1 the first of ,french comic writers1 carried into his domestic circle a sadness which the greatest worldly prosperity could never dispel4 ,samuel ,foote1 the noted wit of the last century1 died of a broken heart4 ,theodore ,hooke1 the facetious novel writer1 who could set everybody laughing1 says of himself in his diary1 ,i am suffering under a constant depression of spirits1 which no one who sees me in society dreams of4 ,a wobegone stranger consulted a physician about his health4 ,the physician advised him to keep up his spirits by going to hear the great comic actor of the day4 ,you should go and hear ,matthews4 ,he would make you well4 ,alas1 sir1 was the reply1 ,i am ,matthews himself6--,pictorial ,pages4 ,to be truly happy the highest wants of a man's nature must be met and satisfied4 ,the requirements of his curiously wrought constitution must all be filled up4 ,there must be nothing about him that cries1 ,give1 give1 but cries in vain and gets no answer4 ,the horse and the ox are happy as long as they are warmed and filled4 ,and why8 ,it is because they are satisfied4 ,the little infant looks happy when it is clothed1 and fed1 and well1 and in its mother's arms4 ,and why8 ,because it is satisfied4 ,and just so it is with man4 ,his highest wants must be met and satisfied before he can be truly happy4 ,all must be filled up4 ,there must be no void1 no empty places1 no unsupplied cravings4 ,till then he is never truly happy4 ,and what are man's principal wants8 ,has he a body only8 ,no3 he has something more6 ,he has a soul4--,has he sensual faculties only8 ,can he do nothing but hear1 and see1 and smell1 and taste1 and feel8 ,no3 he has a thinking mind and a conscience6--,has he no consciousness of any world but that in which he lives and moves8 ,he has4 ,there is a still small voice within him which often makes itself heard3 ,this life is not all6 ,there is a world unseen3 there is a life beyond the grave4 ,yes6 it is true4 ,we are fearfully and wonderfully made4 ,all men know it3 all men feel it1 if they would only speak the truth4 ,it is utter nonsense to pretend that food and raiment and earthly good things alone can make men happy4 ,there are soul-wants4 ,there are conscience-wants4 ,there can be no true happiness until these wants are satisfied4 ,to be truly happy a man must have sources of gladness which are not dependent on anything in this world4 ,there is nothing upon earth which is not stamped with the mark of instability and uncertainty4 ,all the good things that money can buy are but for a moment3 they either leave us or we are obliged to leave them4 ,all the sweetest relationships in life are liable to come to an end3 death may come any day and cut them off4 ,the man whose happiness depends entirely on things here below is like him who builds his house on sand1 or leans his weight on a reed4 ,tell me not of your happiness if it daily hangs on the uncertainties of earth4 ,your home may be rich in comforts2 your wife and children may be all you could desire2 your means may be amply sufficient to meet all your wants4 ,but oh1 remember1 if you have nothing more than this to look to1 that you stand on the brink of a precipice6 ,your rivers of pleasure may any day be dried up4 ,your joy may be deep and earnest1 but it is fearfully short-lived4 ,it has no root4 ,it is not true happiness4 ,to be really happy a man must be able to look on every side without uncomfortable feelings4 ,he must be able to look back to the past without guilty fears2 he must be able to look around him without discontent2 he must be able to look forward without anxious dread4 ,he must be able to sit down and think calmly about things past1 present1 and to come1 and feel prepared4 ,the man who has a weak side in his condition1--a side that he does not like looking at or considering1--that man is not really happy4 ,talk not to me of your happiness1 if you are unable to look steadily either before or behind you4 ,your present position may be easy and pleasant4 ,you may find many sources of joy and gladness in your profession1 your dwelling-place1 your family1 and your friends4 ,your health may be good1 your spirits may be cheerful4 ,but stop and think quietly over your past life4 ,can you reflect calmly on all the omissions and commissions of by-gone years8 ,how will they bear ,god's inspection8 ,how will you answer for them at the last day8--,and then look forward1 and think on the years yet to come4 ,think of the certain end towards which you are hastening2 think of death2 think of judgment2 think of the hour when you will meet ,god face to face4 ,are you ready for it8 ,are you prepared8 ,can you look forward to these things without alarm8--,oh1 be very sure if you cannot look comfortably at any season but the present1 your boasted happiness is a poor unreal thing6 ,it is but a whitened sepulchre1--fair and beautiful without1 but bones and corruption within4 ,it is a mere thing of a day1 like ,jonah's gourd4 ,it is not real happiness4 ,i ask my readers to fix in their minds the account of things essential to happiness1 which ,i have attempted to give4 ,dismiss from your thoughts the many mistaken notions which pass current on this subject1 like counterfeit coin4 ,to be truly happy1 the wants of your soul and conscience must be satisfied2 to be truly happy1 your joy must be founded on something more than this world can give you2 to be truly happy1 you must be able to look on every side1--above1 below1 behind1 before1--and feel that all is right4 ,this is real1 sterling1 genuine happiness3 this is the happiness ,i have in view when ,i urge on your notice the subject of this paper4 ,,ii4 ,in the next place1 let me expose some common mistakes about the way to be happy4 ,there are several roads which are thought by many to lead to happiness4 ,in each of these roads thousands and tens of thousands of men and women are continually travelling4 ,each fancies that if he could only attain all he wants he would be happy4 ,each fancies1 if he does not succeed1 that the fault is not in his road1 but in his own want of luck and good fortune4 ,and all alike seem ignorant that they are hunting shadows4 ,they have started in a wrong direction3 they are seeking that which can never be found in the place where they seek it4 ,i will mention by name some of the principal delusions about happiness4 ,i do it in love1 and charity1 and compassion to men's souls4 ,i believe it to be a public duty to warn people against cheats1 quacks1 and impostors4 ,oh1 how much trouble and sorrow it might save my readers1 if they would only believe what ,i am going to say6 ,it is an utter mistake to suppose that rank and greatness alone can give happiness4 ,the kings and rulers of this world are not necessarily happy men4 ,they have troubles and crosses1 which none know but themselves2 they see a thousand evils1 which they are unable to remedy2 they are slaves working in golden chains1 and have less real liberty than any in the world2 they have burdens and responsibilities laid upon them1 which are a daily weight on their hearts4 ,the ,roman ,emperor ,antonine often said1 that the imperial power was an ocean of miseries4 ,queen ,elizabeth1 when she heard a milk-maid singing1 wished that she had been born to a lot like her's4 ,never did our great ,poet write a truer word than when he said1 ,uneasy lies the head that wears a crown4 ,it is an utter mistake to suppose that riches alone can give happiness4 ,they can enable a man to command and possess everything but inward peace4 ,they cannot buy a cheerful spirit and a light heart4 ,there is care in the getting of them1 and care in the keeping of them1 care in the using of them1 and care in the disposing of them1 care in the gathering1 and care in the scattering of them4 ,he was a wise man who said that money was only another name for trouble1 and that the same ,english letters which spelt acres would also spell cares4 ,it is an utter mistake to suppose that learning and science alone can give happiness4 ,they may occupy a man's time and attention1 but they cannot really make him happy4 ,they that increase knowledge often increase sorrow3 the more they learn1 the more they discover their own ignorance4 7,eccles4 i4 #ah47 ,it is not in the power of things on earth or under the earth to minister to a mind diseased4 ,the heart wants something as well as the head3 the conscience needs food as well as the intellect4 ,all the secular knowledge in the world will not give a man joy and gladness1 when he thinks on sickness1 and death1 and the grave4 ,they that have climbed the highest1 have often found themselves solitary1 dissatisfied1 and empty of peace4 ,the learned ,selden1 at the close of his life1 confessed that all his learning did not give him such comfort as four verses of ,st4 ,paul4 7,titus ii4 #aa--ad47 ,it is an utter mistake to suppose that idleness alone can give happiness4 ,the labourer who gets up at five in the morning1 and goes out to work all day in a cold clay ditch1 often thinks1 as he walks past the rich man's door1 ,what a fine thing it must be to have no work to do4 ,poor fellow6 he little knows what he thinks4 ,the most miserable creature on earth is the man who has nothing to do4 ,work for the hands or work for the head is absolutely essential to human happiness4 ,without it the mind feeds upon itself1 and the whole inward man becomes diseased4 ,the machinery within will work1 and without something to work upon1 will often wear itself to pieces4 ,there was no idleness in ,eden4 ,adam and ,eve had to dress the garden and keep it4 ,there will be no idleness in heaven3 ,god's servants shall serve ,him4 ,oh1 be very sure the idlest man is the man most truly unhappy6 7,gen4 ii4 #ae2 ,rev4 xxii4 #c47 ,it is an utter mistake to suppose that pleasure-seeking and amusement alone can give happiness4 ,of all roads that men can take in order to be happy1 this is the one that is most completely wrong4 ,of all weary1 flat1 dull1 and unprofitable ways of spending life1 this exceeds all4 ,to think of a dying creature1 with an immortal soul1 expecting happiness in feasting and revelling1--in dancing and singing1--in dressing and visiting1--in ball-going and card-playing1--in races and fairs1--in hunting and shooting1--in crowds1 in laughter1 in noise1 in music1 in wine6 ,surely it is a sight that is enough to make the devil laugh and the angels weep4 ,even a child will not play with its toys all day long4 ,it must have food4 ,but when grown up men and women think to find happiness in a constant round of amusement they sink far below a child4 ,i place before every reader of this paper these common mistakes about the way to be happy4 ,i ask you to mark them well4 ,i warn you plainly against these pretended short cuts to happiness1 however crowded they may be4 ,i tell you that if you fancy any one of them can lead you to true peace you are entirely deceived4 ,your conscience will never feel satisfied2 your immortal soul will never feel easy3 your whole inward man will feel uncomfortable and out of health4 ,take any one of these roads1 or take all of them1 and if you have nothing besides to look to1 you will never find happiness4 ,you may travel on and on and on1 and the wished for object will seem as far away at the end of each stage of life as when you started4 ,you are like one pouring water into a sieve1 or putting money into a bag with holes4 ,you might as well try to make an elephant happy by feeding him with a grain of sand a day1 as try to satisfy that heart of your's with rank1 riches1 learning1 idleness1 or pleasure4 ,do you doubt the truth of all ,i am saying8 ,i dare say you do4 ,then let us turn to the great ,book of human experience1 and read over a few lines out of its solemn pages4 ,you shall have the testimony of a few competent witnesses on the great subject ,i am urging on your attention4 ,a ,king shall be our first witness3 ,i mean ,solomon1 ,king of ,israel4 ,we know that he had power1 and wisdom1 and wealth1 far exceeding that of any ruler of his time4 ,we know from his own confession1 that he tried the great experiment how far the good things of this world can make man happy4 ,we know1 from the record of his own hand1 the result of this curious experiment4 ,he writes it by the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 for the benefit of the whole world1 in the book of ,ecclesiastes4 ,never1 surely1 was the experiment tried under such favourable circumstances3 never was any one so likely to succeed as the ,jewish ,king4 ,yet what is ,solomon's testimony8 ,you have it in his melancholy words3 ,all is vanity and vexation of spirit4 7,eccles4 i4 #ad47 ,a famous ,french lady shall be our next witness3 ,i mean ,madam ,de ,pompadour4 ,she was the friend and favourite of ,louis the ,fifteenth4 ,she had unbounded influence at the ,court of ,france4 ,she wanted nothing that money could procure4 ,yet what does she say herself8 ,what a situation is that of the great6 ,they only live in the future1 and are only happy in hope4 ,there is no peace in ambition4 ,i am always gloomy1 and often so unreasonably4 ,the kindness of the ,king1 the regard of courtiers1 the attachment of my domestics1 and the fidelity of a large number of friends1--motives like these1 which ought to make me happy1 affect me no longer4 ,i have no longer inclinations for all which once pleased me4 ,i have caused my house at ,paris to be magnificently furnished3 well2 it pleased for two days6 ,my residence at ,bellevue is charming2 and ,i alone cannot endure it4 ,benevolent people relate to me all the news and adventures of ,paris3 they think ,i listen1 but when they have done ,i ask them what they said4 ,in a word1 ,i do not live3 ,i am dead before my time4 ,i have no interest in the world4 ,everything conspires to embitter my life4 ,my life is a continual death4 ,to such testimony ,i need not add a single word4 7,sinclair's ,anecdotes and ,aphorisms p4 #cc7 ,a famous ,german writer shall be our next witness3 ,i mean ,goethe4 ,it is well known that he was almost idolized by many during his life4 ,his works were read and admired by thousands4 ,his name was known and honoured1 wherever ,german was read1 all over the world4 ,and yet the praise of man1 of which he reaped such an abundant harvest1 was utterly unable to make ,goethe happy4 ,he confessed1 when about eighty years old1 that he could not remember being in a really happy state of mind even for a few weeks together2 and that when he wished to feel happy1 he had to veil his self-consciousness4 7,see ,sinclair's ,anecdotes and ,aphorisms1 p4 #bhj47 ,an ,english peer and poet shall be our next witness3 ,i mean ,lord ,byron4 ,if ever there was one who ought to have been happy according to the standard of the world1 ,lord ,byron was the man4 ,he began life with all the advantages of ,english rank and position4 ,he had splendid abilities and powers of mind1 which the world soon discovered and was ready to honour4 ,he had a sufficiency of means to gratify every lawful wish1 and never knew anything of real poverty4 ,humanly speaking1 there seemed nothing to prevent him enjoying life and being happy4 ,yet it is a notorious fact that ,byron was a miserable man4 ,misery stands out in his poems3 misery creeps out in his letters4 ,weariness1 satiety1 disgust1 and discontent appear in all his ways4 ,he is an awful warning that rank1 and title1 and literary fame1 alone1 are not sufficient to make a man happy4 ,a man of science shall be our next witness3 ,i mean ,sir ,humphrey ,davy4 ,he was a man eminently successful in the line of life which he chose1 and deservedly so4 ,a distinguished philosopher1--the inventor of the famous safety-lamp which bears his name1 and has preserved so many poor miners from death by fire-damp1--a ,baronet of the ,united ,kingdom and ,president of the ,royal ,society2--his whole life seemed a continual career of prosperity4 ,if learning alone were the road to happiness1 this man at least ought to have been happy4 ,yet what was the true record of ,davy's feelings8 ,we have it in his own melancholy journal at the latter part of his life4 ,he describes himself in two painful words3 ,very miserable6 ,a man of wit and pleasure shall be our next witness3 ,i mean ,lord ,chesterfield4 ,he shall speak for himself3 his own words in a letter shall be his testimony4 ,i have seen the silly round of business and pleasure1 and have done with it all4 ,i have enjoyed all the pleasures of the world1 and consequently know their futility1 and do not regret their loss4 ,i appraise them at their real value1 which in truth is very low2 whereas those who have not experience always overrate them4 ,they only see their gay outside1 and are dazzled with their glare2 but ,i have been behind the scenes4 ,i have seen all the coarse pullies and dirty ropes which exhibit and move the gaudy machine1 and ,i have seen and smelt the tallow candles which illuminate the whole decoration1 to the astonishment and admiration of the ignorant audience4 ,when ,i reflect on what ,i have seen1 what ,i have heard1 and what ,i have done1 ,i cannot persuade myself that all that frivolous hurry of bustle and pleasure of the world had any reality4 ,i look on all that is past as one of those romantic dreams which opium occasions1 and ,i do by no means wish to repeat the nauseous dose for the sake of the fugitive dream4 ,these sentences speak for themselves4 ,i need not add to them one single word4 ,the ,statesmen and ,politicians who have swayed the destinies of the world1 ought by good right to be our last witnesses4 ,but ,i forbear1 in ,christian charity1 to bring them forward4 ,it makes my heart ache when ,i run my eye over the list of names famous in ,english history1 and think how many have worn out their lives in a breathless struggle after place and distinction4 ,how many of our greatest men have died of broken hearts1--disappointed1 disgusted1 and tried with constant failure6 ,how many have left on record some humbling confession that in the plentitude of their power they were pining for rest1 as the caged eagle for liberty6 ,how many whom the world is applauding as masters of the situation1 are in reality little better than galley-slaves1 chained to the oar and unable to get free6 ,alas1 there are many sad proofs1 both among the living and the dead1 that to be great and powerful is not necessarily to be happy4 ,i think it very likely that men do not believe what ,i am saying4 ,i know something of the deceitfulness of the heart on the subject of happiness4 ,there are few things which man is so slow to believe as the truths ,i am now putting forth about the way to be happy4 ,bear with me then while ,i say something more4 ,come and stand with me some afternoon in the heart of the city of ,london4 ,let us watch the faces of most of the wealthy men whom we shall see leaving their houses of business at the close of the day4 ,some of them are worth hundreds of thousands3 some of them are worth millions of pounds4 ,but what is written in the countenances of these grave men whom we see swarming out from ,lombard ,street and ,cornhill1 from the ,bank of ,england and the ,stock ,exchange8 ,what mean those deep lines which furrow so many a cheek and so many a brow8 ,what means that air of anxious thoughtfulness which is worn by five out of every six we meet8 ,ah1 these things tell a serious tale4 ,they tell us that it needs something more than gold and bank notes to make men happy4 ,come next and stand with me near the ,houses of ,parliament1 in the middle of a busy session4 ,let us scan the faces of ,peers and ,commoners1 whose names are familiar and well-known all over the civilized world4 ,there you may see on some fine ,may evening the mightiest ,statesmen in ,england hurrying to a debate1 like eagles to the carcase4 ,each has a power of good or evil in his tongue which it is fearful to contemplate4 ,each may say things before to-morrow's sun dawns1 which may affect the peace and prosperity of nations1 and convulse the world4 ,there you may see the men who hold the reins of power and government already2 there you may see the men who are daily watching for an opportunity of snatching those reins out of their hands1 and governing in their stead4 ,but what do their faces tell us as they hasten to their posts8 ,what may be learned from their care-worn countenances8 ,what may be read in many of their wrinkled foreheads1--so absent-looking and sunk in thought8 ,they teach us a solemn lesson4 ,they teach us that it needs something more than political greatness to make men happy4 ,come next and stand with me in the most fashionable part of ,london1 in the height of the season4 ,let us visit ,regent ,street or ,pall ,mall1 ,hyde ,park or ,may ,fair4 ,how many fair faces and splendid equipages we shall see6 ,how many we shall count up in an hour's time who seem to possess the choicest gifts of this world1--beauty1 wealth1 rank1 fashion1 and troops of friends6 ,but1 alas1 how few we shall see who appear happy6 ,in how many countenances we shall read weariness1 dissatisfaction1 discontent1 sorrow1 or unhappiness1 as clearly as if it was written with a pen6 ,yes3 it is a humbling lesson to learn1 but a very wholesome one4 ,it needs something more than rank1 and fashion1 and beauty1 to make people happy4 ,come next and walk with me through some quiet country parish in merry ,england4 ,let us visit some secluded corner in our beautiful old father-land1 far away from great towns1 and fashionable dissipation and political strife4 ,there are not a few such to be found in the land4 ,there are rural parishes where there is neither street1 nor public house1 nor beershop1--where there is work for all the labourers1 and a church for all the population1 and a school for all the children1 and a minister of the ,gospel to look after the people4 ,surely1 you will say1 we shall find happiness here6 ,surely such parishes must be the very abodes of peace and joy6--,go into those quiet-looking cottages1 one by one1 and you will soon be undeceived4 ,learn the inner history of each family1 and you will soon alter your mind4 ,you will soon discover that backbiting1 and lying1 and slandering1 and envy1 and jealousy1 and pride1 and laziness1 and drinking1 and extravagance1 and lust1 and petty quarrels1 can murder happiness in the country quite as much as in the town4 ,no doubt a rural village sounds pretty in poetry1 and looks beautiful in pictures2 but in sober reality human nature is the same evil thing everywhere4 ,alas1 it needs something more than a residence in a quiet country parish to make any child of ,adam a happy man6 ,i know these are ancient things4 ,they have been said a thousand times before without effect1 and ,i suppose they will be said without effect again4 ,i want no greater proof of the corruption of human nature than the pertinacity with which we seek happiness where happiness cannot be found4 ,century after century wise men have left on record their experience about the way to be happy4 ,century after century the children of men will have it that they know the way perfectly well1 and need no teaching4 ,they cast to the winds our warnings2 they rush1 every one1 on his own favourite path2 they walk in a vain shadow1 and disquiet themselves in vain1 and wake up when too late to find their whole life has been a grand mistake4 ,their eyes are blinded3 they will not see that their visions are as baseless and disappointing as the mirage of the ,african desert4 ,like the tired traveller in those deserts1 they think they are approaching a lake of cooling waters2 like the same traveller1 they find to their dismay that this fancied lake was a splendid optical delusion1 and that they are still helpless in the midst of burning sands4 ,are you a young person8 ,i entreat you to accept the affectionate warning of a minister of the ,gospel1 and not to seek happiness where happiness cannot be found4 ,seek it not in riches2 seek it not in power and rank2 seek it not in pleasure2 seek it not in learning4 ,all these are bright and splendid fountains3 their waters taste sweet4 ,a crowd is standing round them1 which will not leave them2 but1 oh1 remember that ,god has written over each of these fountains1 ,he that drinketh of this water shall thirst again4 7,john iv4 #ac47 ,remember this1 and be wise4 ,are you poor8 ,are you tempted to fancy that if you had the rich man's place you would be quite happy8 ,resist the temptation1 and cast it behind you4 ,envy not your wealthy neighbours3 be content with such things as you have4 ,happiness does not depend on houses or land2 silks and satins cannot shut out sorrow from the heart2 castles and halls cannot prevent anxiety and care coming in at their doors4 ,there is as much misery riding and driving about in carriages as there is walking about on foot3 there is as much unhappiness in ceiled houses as in humble cottages4 ,oh1 remember the mistakes which are common about happiness1 and be wise6 ,,iii4 ,let me now1 in the last place1 point out the way to be really happy4 ,there is a sure path which leads to happiness1 if men will only take it4 ,there never lived the person who travelled in that path1 and missed the object that he sought to attain4 ,it is a path open to all4 ,it needs neither wealth1 nor rank1 nor learning in order to walk in it4 ,it is for the servant as well as for the master3 it is for the poor as well as for the rich4 ,none are excluded but those who exclude themselves4 ,it is the one only path4 ,all that have ever been happy1 since the days of ,adam1 have journeyed on it4 ,there is no royal road to happiness4 ,kings must be content to go side by side with their humblest subjects1 if they would be happy4 ,where is this path8 ,where is this road8 ,listen1 and you shall hear4 ,the way to be happy is to be a real1 thorough-going1 true-hearted ,christian4 ,scripture declares it3 experience proves it4 ,the converted man1 the believer in ,christ1 the child of ,god1--he1 and he alone1 is the happy man4 ,it sounds too simple to be true3 it seems at first sight so plain a receipt that it is not believed4 ,but the greatest truths are often the simplest4 ,the secret which many of the wisest on earth have utterly failed to discover1 is revealed to the humblest believer in ,christ4 ,i repeat it deliberately1 and defy the world to disprove it3 the true ,christian is the only happy man4 ,what do ,i mean when ,i speak of a true ,christian8 ,do ,i mean everybody who goes to church or chapel8 ,do ,i mean everybody who professes an orthodox creed1 and bows his head at the belief8 ,do ,i mean everybody who professes to love the ,gospel8 ,no3 indeed6 ,i mean something very different4 ,all are not ,christians who are called ,christians4 ,the man ,i have in view is the ,christian in heart and life4 ,he who has been taught by the ,spirit really to feel his sins1--he who really rests all his hopes on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and ,his atonement1--he who has been born again and really lives a spiritual1 holy life1--he whose religion is not a mere ,sunday coat1 but a mighty constraining principle governing every day of his life1--he is the man ,i mean1 when ,i speak of a true ,christian4 ,what do ,i mean when ,i say the true ,christian is happy8 ,has he no doubts and no fears8 ,has he no anxieties and no troubles8 ,has he no sorrows and no cares8 ,does he never feel pain1 and shed no tears8 ,far be it from me to say anything of the kind4 ,he has a body weak and frail like other men2 he has affections and passions like every one born of woman3 he lives in a changeful world4 ,but deep down in his heart he has a mine of solid peace and substantial joy which is never exhausted4 ,this is true happiness4 ,do ,i say that all true ,christians are equally happy8 ,no3 not for a moment6 ,there are babes in ,christ's family as well as old men2 there are weak members of the mystical body as well as strong ones2 there are tender lambs as well as sheep4 ,there are not only the cedars of ,lebanon but the hyssop that grows on the wall4 ,there are degrees of grace and degrees of faith4 ,those who have most faith and grace will have most happiness4 ,but all1 more or less1 compared to the children of the world1 are happy men4 ,do ,i say that real true ,christians are equally happy at all times8 ,no3 not for a moment6 ,all have their ebbs and flows of comfort3 some1 like the ,mediterranean sea1 almost insensibly2 some1 like the tide at ,chepstow1 fifty or sixty feet at a time4 ,their bodily health is not always the same2 their earthly circumstances are not always the same2 the souls of those they love fill them at seasons with special anxiety3 they themselves are sometimes overtaken by a fault1 and walk in darkness4 ,they sometimes give way to inconsistencies and besetting sins1 and lose their sense of pardon4 ,but1 as a general rule1 the true ,christian has a deep pool of peace within him1 which even at the lowest is never entirely dry4#h #h3 ,i use the words1 as a general rule1 advisedly4 ,when a believer falls into such a horrible sin as that of ,david1 it would be monstrous to talk of his feeling inward peace4 ,if a man professing to be a true ,christian talked to me of being happy in such a case1--before giving any evidence of the deepest1 most heart-abasing repentance1--,i should feel great doubts whether he ever had any grace at all4 ,the true ,christian is the only happy man1 because his conscience is at peace4 ,that mysterious witness for ,god1 which is so mercifully placed within us1 is fully satisfied and at rest4 ,it sees in the blood of ,christ a complete cleansing away of all its guilt4 ,it sees in the priesthood and mediation of ,christ a complete answer to all its fears4 ,it sees that through the sacrifice and death of ,christ1 ,god can now be just1 and yet be the justifier of the ungodly4 ,it no longer bites and stings1 and makes its possessor afraid of himself4 ,the ,lord ,jesus ,christ has amply met all its requirements4 ,conscience is no longer the enemy of the true ,christian1 but his friend and adviser4 ,therefore he is happy4 ,the true ,christian is the only happy man1 because he can sit down quietly and think about his soul4 ,he can look behind him and before him1 he can look within him and around him1 and feel1 ,all is well4--,he can think calmly on his past life1 and however many and great his sins1 take comfort in the thought that they are all forgiven4 ,the righteousness of ,christ covers all1 as ,noah's flood overtopped the highest hills4--,he can think calmly about things to come1 and yet not be afraid4 ,sickness is painful2 death is solemn2 the judgment day is an awful thing3 but having ,christ for him1 he has nothing to fear4--,he can think calmly about the ,holy ,god1 whose eyes are on all his ways1 and feel1 ,he is my ,father1 my reconciled ,father in ,christ ,jesus4 ,i am weak2 ,i am unprofitable3 yet in ,christ ,he regards me as ,his dear child1 and is well-pleased4 ,oh1 what a blessed privilege it is to be able to think1 and not be afraid6 ,i can well understand the mournful complaint of the prisoner in solitary confinement4 ,he had warmth1 and food1 and clothing1 and work1 but he was not happy4 ,and why8 ,he said1 ,he was obliged to think4 ,the true ,christian is the only happy man1 because he has sources of happiness entirely independent of this world4 ,he has something which cannot be affected by sickness and by deaths1 by private losses and by public calamities1 the peace of ,god1 which passeth all understanding4 ,he has a hope laid up for him in heaven2 he has a treasure which moth and rust cannot corrupt2 he has a house which can never be taken down4 ,his loving wife may die1 and his heart feel rent in twain2 his darling children may be taken from him1 and he may be left alone in this cold world2 his earthly plans may be crossed2 his health may fail3 but all this time he has a portion which nothing can hurt4 ,he has one ,friend who never dies2 he has possessions beyond the grave1 of which nothing can deprive him3 his nether springs may fail1 but his upper springs are never dry4 ,this is real happiness4 ,the true ,christian is happy1 because he is in his right position4 ,all the powers of his being are directed to right ends4 ,his affections are not set on things below1 but on things above2 his will is not bent on self-indulgence1 but is submissive to the will of ,god2 his mind is not absorbed in wretched perishable trifles4 ,he desires useful employment3 he enjoys the luxury of doing good4 ,who does not know the misery of disorder8 ,who has not tasted the discomfort of a house where everything and everybody are in their wrong places1--the last things first and the first things last8 ,the heart of an unconverted man is just such a house4 ,grace puts everything in that heart in its right position4 ,the things of the soul come first1 and the things of the world come second4 ,anarchy and confusion cease3 unruly passions no longer do each one what is right in his eyes4 ,christ reigns over the whole man1 and each part of him does his proper work4 ,the new heart is the only really light heart1 for it is the only heart that is in order4--,the true ,christian has found out his place4 ,he has laid aside his pride and self-will2 he sits at the feet of ,jesus1 and is in his right mind3 he loves ,god and loves man1 and so he is happy4 ,in heaven all are happy because all do ,god's will perfectly4 ,the nearer a man gets to this standard the happier he will be4 ,the plain truth is that without ,christ there is no happiness in this world4 ,he alone can give the ,comforter who abideth for ever4 ,he is the sun2 without ,him men never feel warm4 ,he is the light2 without ,him men are always in the dark4 ,he is the bread2 without ,him men are always starving4 ,he is the living water2 without ,him men are always athirst4 ,give them what you like1--place them where you please1--surround them with all the comforts you can imagine1--it makes no difference4 ,separate from ,christ1 the ,prince of ,peace1 a man cannot be happy4 ,give a man a sensible interest in ,christ1 and he will be happy in spite of poverty4 ,he will tell you that he wants nothing that is really good4 ,he is provided for3 he has riches in possession1 and riches in reversion2 he has meat to eat that the world knows not of2 he has friends who never leave him nor forsake him4 ,the ,father and the ,son come to him1 and make their abode with him3 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ sups with him1 and he with ,christ4 7,rev4 iii4 #bj47 ,give a man a sensible interest in ,christ1 and he will be happy in spite of sickness4 ,his flesh may groan1 and his body be worn out with pain1 but his heart will rest and be at peace4 ,one of the happiest people ,i ever saw was a young woman who had been hopelessly ill for many years with disease of the spine4 ,she lay in a garret without a fire2 the straw thatch was not two feet above her face4 ,she had not the slightest hope of recovery4 ,but she was always rejoicing in the ,lord ,jesus4 ,the spirit triumphed mightily over the flesh4 ,she was happy1 because ,christ was with her4#i #i3 ,john ,howard1 the famous ,christian philanthropist1 in his last journey said1 ,i hope ,i have sources of enjoyment that depend not on the particular spot ,i inhabit4 ,a rightly cultivated mind1 under the power of religion and the exercises of beneficent dispositions1 affords a ground of satisfaction little affected by heres and theres4 ,give a man a sensible interest in ,christ1 and he will be happy in spite of abounding public calamities4 ,the government of his country may be thrown into confusion1 rebellion and disorder may turn everything upside down1 laws may be trampled under foot2 justice and equity may be outraged2 liberty may be cast down to the ground2 might may prevail over right3 but still his heart will not fail4 ,he will remember that the kingdom of ,christ will one day be set up4 ,he will say1 like the old ,scotch minister who lived unmoved throughout the turmoil of the first ,french revolution3 ,it is all right3 it shall be well with the righteous4 ,i know well that ,satan hates the doctrine which ,i am endeavouring to press upon you4 ,i have no doubt he is filling your mind with objections and reasonings1 and persuading you that ,i am wrong4 ,i am not afraid to meet these objections face to face4 ,let us bring them forward and see what they are4 ,you may tell me that you know many very religious people who are not happy at all4 ,you see them diligent in attending public worship4 ,you know that they are never missing at the ,sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper4 ,but you see in them no marks of the peace which ,i have been describing4 ,but are you sure that these people you speak of are true believers in ,christ8 ,are you sure that1 with all their appearance of religion1 they are born again and converted to ,god8 ,is it not very likely that they have nothing but the name of ,christianity1 without the reality2 and a form of godliness1 without the power8 ,alas6 you have yet to learn that people may do many religious acts1 and yet possess no saving religion6 ,it is not a mere formal1 ceremonial ,christianity that will ever make people happy4 ,we want something more than going to ,church1 and going to sacraments1 to give us peace4 ,there must be real1 vital union with ,christ4 ,it is not the formal ,christian1 but the true ,christian1 that is the happy man4 ,you may tell me that you know really spiritually-minded and converted people who do not seem happy4 ,you have heard them frequently complaining of their own hearts1 and groaning over their own corruption4 ,they seem to you all doubts1 and anxieties1 and fears2 and you want to know where is the happiness in these people of which ,i have been saying so much4 ,i do not deny that there are many saints of ,god such as these whom you describe1 and ,i am sorry for it4 ,i allow that there are many believers who live far below their privileges1 and seem to know nothing of joy and peace in believing4 ,but did you ever ask any of these people whether they would give up the position in religion they have reached1 and go back to the world8 ,did you ever ask them1 after all their groanings1 and doubtings1 and fearings1 whether they think they would be happier if they ceased to follow hard after ,christ8 ,did you ever ask those questions8 ,i am certain if you did1 that the weakest and lowest believers would all give you one answer4 ,i am certain they would tell you that they would rather cling to their little scrap of hope in ,christ1 than possess the world4 ,i am sure they would all answer1 ,our faith is weak1 if we have any2 our grace is small1 if we have any2 our joy in ,christ is next to nothing at all3 but we cannot give up what we have got4 ,though the ,lord slay us1 we must cling to ,him4 ,the root of happiness lies deep in many a poor weak believer's heart1 when neither leaves nor blossoms are to be seen6 ,but you will tell me1 in the last place1 that you cannot think most believers are happy1 because they are so grave and serious4 ,you think that they do not really possess this happiness ,i have been describing1 because their countenances do not show it4 ,you doubt the reality of their joy1 because it is so little seen4 ,i might easily repeat what ,i told you at the beginning of this paper1--that a merry face is no sure proof of a happy heart4 ,but ,i will not do so4 ,i will rather ask you whether you yourself may not be the cause why believers look grave and serious when you meet them8 ,if you are not converted yourself1 you surely cannot expect them to look at you without sorrow4 ,they see you on the high road to destruction1 and that alone is enough to give them pain3 they see thousands like you1 hurrying on to weeping and wailing and endless woe4 ,now1 is it possible that such a daily sight should not give them grief8 ,your company1 very likely1 is one cause why they are grave4 ,wait till you are a converted man yourself1 before you pass judgment on the gravity of converted people4 ,see them in companies where all are of one heart1 and all love ,christ1 and so far as my own experience goes1 you will find no people so truly happy as true ,christians4#aj #aj3 ,when the infidel ,hume asked ,bishop ,horne why religious people always looked melancholy1 the learned prelate replied1 ,the sight of you1 ,mr4 ,hume1 would make any ,christian melancholy4--,sinclair's ,aphorisms4 ,page #ac4 ,i repeat my assertion in this part of my subject4 ,i repeat it boldly1 confidently1 deliberately4 ,i say that there is no happiness among men that will at all compare with that of the true ,christian4 ,all other happiness by the side of his is moonlight compared to sunshine1 and brass by the side of gold4 ,boast1 if you will1 of the laughter and merriment of irreligious men2 sneer1 if you will1 at the gravity and seriousness1 which appear in the demeanour of many ,christians4 ,i have looked the whole subject in the face1 and am not moved4 ,i say that the true ,christian alone is the truly happy man1 and the way to be happy is to be a true ,christian4 ,and now ,i am going to close this paper by a few words of plain application4 ,i have endeavoured to show what is essential to true happiness4 ,i have endeavoured to expose the fallacy of many views which prevail upon the subject4 ,i have endeavoured to point out1 in plain and unmistakable words1 where true happiness alone can be found4 ,suffer me to wind up all by an affectionate appeal to the consciences of all into whose hands this volume may fall4 7#a7 ,in the first place1 let me entreat every reader of this paper to apply to his own heart the solemn inquiry1 ,are you happy8 ,high or low1 rich or poor1 master or servant1 farmer or labourer1 young or old1 here is a question that deserves an answer1--,are you really happy8 ,man of the world1 who art caring for nothing but the things of time1 neglecting the ,bible1 making a god of business or money1 providing for everything but the day of judgment1 scheming and planning about everything but eternity3 are you happy8 ,you know you are not4 ,foolish woman1 who art trifling life away in levity and frivolity1 spending hours after hours on that poor frail body which must soon feed the worms1 making an idol of dress and fashion1 and excitement1 and human praise1 as if this world was all3 are you happy8 ,you know you are not4 ,young man1 who art bent on pleasure and self-indulgence1 fluttering from one idle pastime to another1 like the moth about the candle1--fancying yourself clever and knowing1 and too wise to be led by parsons1 and ignorant that the devil is leading you captive1 like the ox that is led to the slaughter3 are you happy8 ,you know you are not4 ,yes3 each and all of you1 you are not happy6 and in your own consciences you know it well4 ,you may not allow it1 but it is sadly true4 ,there is a great empty place in each of your hearts1 and nothing will fill it4 ,pour into it money1 learning1 rank1 and pleasure1 and it will be empty still4 ,there is a sore place in each of your consciences1 and nothing will heal it4 ,infidelity cannot2 free-thinking cannot2 ,romanism cannot3 they are all quack medicines4 ,nothing can heal it1 but that which at present you have not used1--the simple ,gospel of ,christ4 ,yes3 you are indeed a miserable people6 ,take warning this day1 that you never will be happy till you are converted4 ,you might as well expect to feel the sun shine on your face when you turn your back to it1 as to feel happy when you turn your back on ,god and on ,christ4 7#b7 ,in the next place1 let me warn all who are not true ,christians of the folly of living a life which cannot make them happy4 ,i pity you from the bottom of my heart1 and would fain persuade you to open your eyes and be wise4 ,i stand as a watchman on the tower of the everlasting ,gospel4 ,i see you sowing misery for yourselves1 and ,i call upon you to stop and think1 before it is too late4 ,oh1 that ,god may show you your folly6 ,you are hewing out for yourselves cisterns1 broken cisterns1 which can hold no water4 ,you are spending your time1 and strength1 and affections on that which will give you no return for your labour1--spending your money on that which is not bread1 and your labour for that which satisfieth not4 7,isa4 lv4 #b47 ,you are building up ,babels of your own contriving1 and ignorant that ,god will pour contempt on your schemes for procuring happiness1 because you attempt to be happy without ,him4 ,awake from your dreams1 ,i entreat you1 and show yourselves men4 ,think of the uselessness of living a life which you will be ashamed of when you die1 and of having a mere nominal religion1 which will just fail you when it is most wanted4 ,open your eyes and look round the world4 ,tell me who was ever really happy without ,god and ,christ and the ,holy ,spirit4 ,look at the road in which you are travelling4 ,mark the footsteps of those who have gone before you3 see how many have turned away from it1 and confessed they were wrong4 ,i warn you plainly1 that if you are not a true ,christian you will miss happiness in the world that now is1 as well as in the world to come4 ,oh1 believe me1 the way of happiness1 and the way of salvation are one and the same6 ,he that will have his own way1 and refuses to serve ,christ1 will never be really happy4 ,but he that serves ,christ has the promise of both lives4 ,he is happy on earth1 and will be happier still in heaven4 ,if you are neither happy in this world nor the next1 it will be all your own fault4 ,oh1 think of this6 ,do not be guilty of such enormous folly4 ,who does not mourn over the folly of the drunkard1 the opium eater1 and the suicide8 ,but there is no folly like that of the impenitent child of the world4 7#c7 ,in the next place1 let me entreat all readers of this book1 who are not yet happy1 to seek happiness where alone it can be found4 ,the keys of the way to happiness are in the hands of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,he is sealed and appointed by ,god the ,father1 to give the bread of life to them that hunger1 and to give the water of life to them that thirst4 ,the door which riches and rank and learning have so often tried to open1 and tried in vain1 is now ready to open to every humble1 praying believer4 ,oh1 if you want to be happy1 come to ,christ6 ,come to ,him1 confessing that you are weary of your own ways1 and want rest1--that you find you have no power and might to make yourself holy or happy or fit for heaven1 and have no hope but in ,him4 ,tell ,him this unreservedly4 ,this is coming to ,christ4 ,come to ,him1 imploring ,him to show you ,his mercy1 and grant you ,his salvation1--to wash you in ,his own blood1 and take your sins away1--to speak peace to your conscience1 and heal your troubled soul4 ,tell ,him all this unreservedly4 ,this is coming to ,christ4 ,you have everything to encourage you4 ,the ,lord ,jesus ,himself invites you4 ,he proclaims to you as well as to others1 ,come unto ,me1 all ye that labour and are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest4 ,take my yoke upon you1 and learn of ,me2 for ,i am meek and lowly in heart3 and ye shall find rest unto your souls4 ,for my yoke is easy1 and my burden is light4 7,matt4 xi4 #bh--cj47 ,wait for nothing4 ,you may feel unworthy4 ,you may feel as if you did not repent enough4 ,but wait no longer4 ,come to ,christ4 ,you have everything to encourage you4 ,thousands have walked in the way you are invited to enter1 and have found it good4 ,once1 like yourself1 they served the world1 and plunged deeply into folly and sin4 ,once1 like yourself1 they became weary of their wickedness1 and longed for deliverance and rest4 ,they heard of ,christ1 and ,his willingness to help and save3 they came to ,him by faith and prayer1 after many a doubt and hesitation2 they found ,him a thousand times more gracious than they had expected4 ,they rested on ,him and were happy3 they carried ,his cross and tasted peace4 ,oh1 walk in their steps6 ,i beseech you1 by the mercies of ,god1 to come to ,christ4 ,as ever you would be happy1 ,i entreat you to come to ,christ4 ,cast off delays4 ,awake from your past slumber3 arise1 and be free6 ,this day come to ,christ4 7#d7 ,in the last place1 let me offer a few hints to all true ,christians for the increase and promotion of their happiness4 ,i offer these hints with diffidence4 ,i desire to apply them to my own conscience as well as to your's4 ,you have found ,christ's service happy4 ,i have no doubt that you feel such sweetness in ,christ's peace that you would fain know more of it4 ,i am sure that these hints deserve attention4 ,believers1 if you would have an increase of happiness in ,christ's service1 labour every year to grow in grace4 ,beware of standing still4 ,the holiest men are always the happiest4 ,let your aim be every year to be more holy1--to know more1 to feel more1 to see more of the fulness of ,christ4 ,rest not upon old grace3 do not be content with the degree of religion whereunto you have attained4 ,search the ,scriptures more earnestly2 pray more fervently2 hate sin more2 mortify self-will more2 become more humble the nearer you draw to your end2 seek more direct personal communion with the ,lord ,jesus2 strive to be more like ,enoch1--daily walking with ,god2 keep your conscience clear of little sins2 grieve not the ,spirit2 avoid wranglings and disputes about the lesser matters of religion3 lay more firm hold upon those great truths1 without which no man can be saved4 ,remember and practise these things1 and you will be more happy4 ,believers1 if you would have an increase of happiness in ,christ's service1 labour every year to be more thankful4 ,pray that you may know more and more what it is to rejoice in the ,lord4 7,phil4 iii4 #a47 ,learn to have a deeper sense of your own wretched sinfulness and corruption1 and to be more deeply grateful1 that by the grace of ,god you are what you are4 ,alas1 there is too much complaining and too little thanksgiving among the people of ,god6 ,there is too much murmuring and poring over the things that we have not4 ,there is too little praising and blessing for the many undeserved mercies that we have4 ,oh1 that ,god would pour out upon us a great spirit of thankfulness and praise6 ,believers1 if you would have an increase of happiness in ,christ's service1 labour every year to do more good4 ,look round the circle in which your lot is cast1 and lay yourself out to be useful4 ,strive to be of the same character with ,god3 ,he is not only good1 but doeth good4 7,ps4 cxix4 #fh47 ,alas1 there is far too much selfishness among believers in the present day6 ,there is far too much lazy sitting by the fire nursing our own spiritual diseases1 and croaking over the state of our own hearts4 ,up2 and be useful in your day and generation6 ,is there no one in all the world that you can read to8 ,is there no one that you can speak to8 ,is there no one that you can write to8 ,is there literally nothing that you can do for the glory of ,god1 and the benefit of your fellow-men8 ,oh ,i cannot think it6 ,i cannot think it4 ,there is much that you might do1 if you had only the will4 ,for your own happiness' sake1 arise and do it1 without delay4 ,the bold1 outspeaking1 working ,christians are always the happiest4 ,the more you do for ,god1 the more ,god will do for you4 ,the compromising lingering ,christian must never expect to taste perfect peace4 ,,the ,,most ,,decided ,,christian ,,will ,,always ,,be ,,the ,,happiest ,,man4 ,,xi ,,formality ,having a form of godliness1 but denying the power thereof4--#b ,tim4 iii4 #e4 ,he is not a ,jew1 which is one outwardly2 neither is that circumcision1 which is outward in the flesh3 ,but he is a ,jew1 which is one inwardly2 and circumcision is that of the heart1 in the spirit1 and not in the letter2 whose praise is not of men1 but of ,god4--,rom4 ii4 #bh1 #bi4 ,the texts which head this page deserve serious attention at any time4 ,but they deserve especial notice in this age of the ,church and world4 ,never since the ,lord ,jesus ,christ left the earth1 was there so much formality and false profession as there is at the present day4 ,now1 if ever1 we ought to examine ourselves1 and search our religion1 that we may know of what sort it is4 ,let us try to find out whether our ,christianity is a thing of form or a thing of heart4 ,i know no better way of unfolding the subject than by turning to a plain passage of the ,word of ,god4 ,let us hear what ,st4 ,paul says about it4 ,he lays down the following great principles in his ,epistle to the ,romans3 ,he is not a ,jew1 which is one outwardly2 neither is that circumcision1 which is outward in the flesh3 but he is a ,jew1 which is one inwardly2 and circumcision is that of the heart1 in the spirit1 not in the letter2 whose praise is not of men1 but of ,god4 7,rom4 ii4 #bh1 #bi47 ,three most instructive lessons appear to me to stand out on the face of that passage4 ,let us see what they are4 ,i4 ,we learn1 firstly1 that formal religion is not religion1 and a formal ,christian is not a ,christian in ,god's sight4 ,,ii4 ,we learn1 secondly1 that the heart is the seat of true religion1 and that the true ,christian is the ,christian in heart4 ,,iii4 ,we learn1 thirdly1 that true religion must never expect to be popular4 ,it will not have the praise of man1 but of ,god4 ,let us thoroughly consider these great principles4 ,two hundred years have passed away since a mighty ,puritan divine said1 ,formality1 formality1 formality is the great sin of ,england at this day1 under which the land groans4--,there is more light than there was1 but less life2 more shadow1 but less substance2 more profession1 but less sanctification4 7,thomas ,hall1 on #b ,tim4 iii4 #e1 #afeh47 ,what would this good man have said if he had lived in our times8 ,i4 ,we learn first1 that formal religion is not religion1 and a formal ,christian is not a ,christian in ,god's sight4 ,what do ,i mean when ,i speak of formal religion8 ,this is a point that must be made clear4 ,thousands1 ,i suspect1 know nothing about it4 ,without a distinct understanding of this point my whole paper will be useless4 ,my first step shall be to paint1 describe1 and define4 ,when a man is a ,christian in name only1 and not in reality1--in outward things only1 and not in his inward feelings1--in profession only1 and not in practice1--when his ,christianity in short is a mere matter of form1 or fashion1 or custom1 without any influence on his heart or life1--in such a case as this the man has what ,i call a formal religion4 ,he possesses indeed the form1 or husk1 or skin of religion1 but he does not possess its substance or its power4 ,look for example at those thousands of people whose whole religion seems to consist in keeping religious ceremonies and ordinances4 ,they attend regularly on public worship4 ,they go regularly to the ,lord's table4 ,but they never get any further4 ,they know nothing of experimental ,christianity4 ,they are not familiar with the ,scriptures1 and take no delight in reading them4 ,they do not separate themselves from the ways of the world4 ,they draw no distinction between godliness and ungodliness in their friendships1 or matrimonial alliances4 ,they care little or nothing about the distinctive doctrines of the ,gospel4 ,they appear utterly indifferent as to what they hear preached4 ,you may be in their company for weeks1 and for anything you may hear or see on a week day you might suppose they were infidels or deists4 ,what can be said about these people8 ,they are ,christians undoubtedly1 by profession2 and yet there is neither heart nor life in their ,christianity4 ,there is but one thing to be said about them4--,they are formal ,christians4 ,their religion is a ,,form4 ,look in another direction at those hundreds of people whose whole religion seems to consist in talk and high profession4 ,they know the theory of the ,gospel with their heads1 and profess to delight in ,evangelical doctrine4 ,they can say much about the soundness of their own views1 and the darkness of all who disagree with them4 ,but they never get any further6 ,when you examine their inner lives you find that they know nothing of practical godliness4 ,they are neither truthful1 nor charitable1 nor humble1 nor honest1 nor kind-tempered1 nor gentle1 nor unselfish1 nor honourable4 ,what shall we say of these people8 ,they are ,christians1 no doubt1 in name1 and yet there is neither substance nor fruit in their ,christianity4 ,there is but one thing to be said4--,they are formal ,christians4 ,their religion is an empty ,,form4 ,such is the formal religion against which ,i wish to raise a warning voice this day4 ,here is the rock on which myriads on every side are making miserable shipwreck of their souls4 ,one of the wickedest things that ,machiavel ever said was this3 ,religion itself should not be cared for1 but only the appearance of it4 ,the credit of it is a help2 the reality and use is a cumber4 ,such notions are of the earth1 earthy4 ,nay1 rather they are from beneath3 they smell of the pit4 ,beware of them1 and stand upon your guard4 ,if there is anything about which the ,scripture speaks expressly1 it is the sin and uselessness of ,,formality4 ,hear what ,st4 ,paul tells the ,romans3 ,he is not a ,jew which is one outwardly1 neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh4 7,rom4 ii4 #bh47 ,these are strong words indeed6 ,a man might be a son of ,abraham according to the flesh1--a member of one of the twelve tribes1--circumcised the eighth day1--a keeper of all the feasts1--a regular worshipper in the temple1--and yet in ,god's sight not be a ,jew6--,just so a man may be a ,christian by outward profession1--a member of a ,christian ,church1--baptized with ,christian baptism1--an attendant on ,christian ordinances1--and yet1 in ,god's sight1 not a ,christian at all4 ,hear what the prophet ,isaiah says3 ,to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto ,me8 saith the ,lord3 ,i am full of the burnt offerings of rams1 and the fat of fed beasts2 and ,i delight not in the blood of bullocks or of lambs1 or of he-goats4 ,when ye come to appear before ,me1 who hath required this at your hand1 to tread my courts8 ,bring no more vain oblations3 incense is an abomination unto ,me2 the new moons and sabbaths1 the calling of assemblies1 ,i cannot away with2 it is iniquity1 even the solemn meeting4 ,your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth3 they are a trouble unto ,me3 ,i am weary to bear them4 ,and when ye spread forth your hands ,i will hide mine eyes from you2 yea1 when ye make many prayers ,i will not hear3 your hands are full of blood4 7,isaiah i4 #aj--ae47 ,these words1 when duly weighed1 are very extraordinary4 ,the sacrifices which are here declared to be useless were appointed by ,god ,himself6 ,the feasts and ordinances which ,god says ,he hates1 had been prescribed by ,himself6 ,god ,himself pronounces ,his own institutions to be useless when they are used formally and without heart in the worshipper6 ,in fact they are worse than useless2 they are even offensive and hurtful4 ,words cannot be imagined more distinct and unmistakeable4 ,they show that formal religion is worthless in ,god's sight4 ,it is not worth calling religion at all4 ,hear1 lastly1 what our ,lord ,jesus ,christ says4 ,we find ,him saying of the ,jews of ,his day1 ,this people draweth nigh unto ,me with their mouth1 and honoureth ,me with their lips2 but their heart is far from ,me4 ,but in vain do they worship ,me4 7,matt4 xv4 #h47 ,we see ,him repeatedly denouncing the formalism and hypocrisy of the scribes and ,pharisees1 and warning ,his disciples against it4 ,eight times in one chapter 7,matt4 xxiii4 #ac7 ,he says to them1 ,woe unto you1 scribes and ,pharisees1 hypocrites6 ,for sinners of the worst description ,he always had a word of kindness1 and held out to them an open door4 ,but formalism1 ,he would have us know1 is a desperate disease1 and must be exposed in the severest language4 ,to the eye of an ignorant man a formalist may seem to have a very decent quantity of religion1 though not perhaps of the best quality4 ,in the eye of ,christ1 however1 the case is very different4 ,in ,his sight formality is no religion at all4 ,what shall we say to these testimonies of ,scripture8 ,it would be easy to add to them4 ,they do not stand alone4 ,if words mean anything1 they are a clear warning to all who profess and call themselves ,christians4 ,they teach us plainly that as we dread sin and avoid sin1 so we ought to dread formality and avoid formality4 ,formalism may take our hand with a smile1 and look like a brother1 while sin comes against us with sword drawn1 and strikes at us like an open enemy4 ,but both have one end in view4 ,both want to ruin our souls2 and of the two1 formalism is far the most likely to do it4 ,if we love life1 let us beware of formality in religion4 ,nothing is so common4 ,it is one of the great family diseases of the whole race of mankind4 ,it is born with us1 grows with us1 and is never completely cast out of us till we die4 ,it meets us in church1 and it meets us in chapel4 ,it meets us among rich1 and it meets us among poor4 ,it meets us among learned people1 and it meets us among unlearned4 ,it meets us among ,romanists1 and it meets us among ,protestants4 ,it meets us among ,high ,churchmen1 and it meets us among ,low ,churchmen4 ,it meets us among ,evangelicals1 and it meets us among ,ritualists4 ,go where we will1 and join what ,church we may1 we are never beyond the risk of its infection4 ,we shall find it among ,quakers and ,plymouth ,brethren1 as well as at ,rome4 ,the man who thinks that1 at any rate1 there is no formal religion in his own camp1 is a very blind and ignorant person4 ,if you love life1 beware of formality4 ,nothing is so dangerous to a man's own soul4 ,familiarity with the form of religion1 while we neglect its reality1 has a fearfully deadening effect on the conscience4 ,it brings up by degrees a thick crust of insensibility over the whole inner man4 ,none seem to become so desperately hard as those who are continually repeating holy words and handling holy things1 while their hearts are running after sin and the world4 ,landlords who only go to church formally1 to set an example to their tenants1--masters who have family prayers formally1 to keep up a good appearance in their households1--unconverted clergymen1 who are every week reading prayers and lessons of ,scripture1 in which they feel no real interest1--unconverted clerks1 who are constantly reading responses and saying ,amen1 without feeling what they say1--unconverted singers1 who sing the most spiritual hymns every ,sunday1 merely because they have good voices1 while their affections are entirely on things below1--all1 all1 all are in awful danger4 ,they are gradually hardening their hearts1 and searing the skin of their consciences4 ,if you love your own soul1 beware of formality4 ,nothing1 finally1 is so foolish1 senseless1 and unreasonable4 ,can a formal ,christian really suppose that the mere outward ,christianity he professes will comfort him in the day of sickness and the hour of death8 ,the thing is impossible4 ,a painted fire cannot warm1 and a painted banquet cannot satisfy hunger1 and a formal religion cannot bring peace to the soul4--,can he suppose that ,god does not see the heartlessness and deadness of his ,christianity8 ,though he may deceive neighbours1 acquaintances1 fellow-worshippers1 and ministers with a form of godliness1 does he think that he can deceive ,god8 ,the very idea is absurd4 ,he that formed the eye1 shall ,he not see8 ,he knows the very secrets of the heart4 ,he will judge the secrets of men at the last day4 ,he who said to each angel of the seven ,churches1 ,i know thy works1 is not changed4 ,he who said to the man without the wedding garment1 ,friend1 how camest thou in hither8 will not be deceived by a little cloak of outward religion4 ,if you would not be put to shame at the last day1 once more ,i say1 beware of formality4 7,psalm xciv4 #i2 ,rom4 ii4 #af2 ,rev4 ii4 #b2 ,matt4 xxii4 #aa47 ,,ii4 ,i pass on to the second thing which ,i proposed to consider4 ,the heart is the seat of true religion1 and the true ,christian is the ,christian in heart4 ,the heart is the real test of a man's character4 ,it is not what he says or what he does by which the man may be always known4 ,he may say and do things that are right1 from false and unworthy motives1 while his heart is altogether wrong4 ,the heart is the man4 ,as he thinketh in his heart1 so is he4 7,prov4 xxiii4 #g47 ,the heart is the right test of a man's religion4 ,it is not enough that a man holds a correct creed of doctrine1 and maintains a proper outward form of godliness4 ,what is his heart8--,that is the grand question4 ,this is what ,god looks at4 ,man looketh at the outward appearance1 but the ,lord looketh at the heart4 7#a ,sam4 xvi4 #g47 ,this is what ,st4 ,paul lays down distinctly as the standard measure of the soul3 ,he is a ,jew1 which is one inwardly2 and circumcision is that of the heart4 7,rom4 ii4 #bh47 ,who can doubt that this mighty sentence was written for ,christians as well as for ,jews8 ,he is a ,christian1 the apostle would have us know1 which is one inwardly1 and baptism is that of the heart4 ,the heart is the place where saving religion must begin4 ,it is naturally irreligious1 and must be renewed by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,a new heart will ,i give unto you4--,it is naturally hard1 and must be made tender and broken4 ,i will take away the heart of stone1 and ,i will give you a heart of flesh4 ,the sacrifices of ,god are a broken spirit2 a broken and contrite heart1 ,o ,god1 thou wilt not despise4--,it is naturally closed and shut against ,god1 and must be opened4 ,the ,lord opened the heart of ,lydia4 7,ezek4 xxxvi4 #bf2 ,psalm li4 #ag2 ,acts xvi4 #ad47 ,the heart is the seat of true saving faith4 ,with the heart man believeth unto righteousness4 7,rom4 x4 #aj47 ,a man may believe that ,jesus is the ,christ1 as the devils do1 and yet remain in his sins4 ,he may believe that he is a sinner1 and that ,christ is the only ,saviour1 and feel occasional lazy wishes that he was a better man4 ,but no one ever lays hold on ,christ1 and receives pardon and peace1 until he believes with the heart4 ,it is heart-faith that justifies4 ,the heart is the spring of true holiness and steady continuance in well-doing4 ,true ,christians are holy because their hearts are interested4 ,they obey from the heart4 ,they do the will of ,god from the heart4 ,weak1 and feeble1 and imperfect as all their doings are1 they please ,god1 because they are done from a loving heart4 ,he who commended the widow's mite more than all the offerings of the wealthy ,jews1 regards quality far more than quantity4 ,what ,he likes to see is a thing done from an honest and good heart4 7,luke viii4 #ae47 ,there is no real holiness without a right heart4 ,the things ,i am saying may sound strange4 ,perhaps they run counter to all the notions of some into whose hands this paper may fall4 ,perhaps you have thought that if a man's religion is correct outwardly1 he must be one with whom ,god is well pleased4 ,you are completely mistaken4 ,you are rejecting the whole tenor of ,bible teaching4 ,outward correctness without a right heart is neither more nor less than ,pharisaism4 ,the outward things of ,christianity1--baptism1 the ,lord's ,supper1 ,church-membership1 almsgiving1 and the like1--will never take any man's soul to heaven1 unless his heart is right4 ,there must be inward things as well as outward1--and it is on the inward things that ,god's eyes are chiefly fixed4 ,hear how ,st4 ,paul teaches us about this matter in three most striking texts3 ,in ,jesus ,christ neither circumcision availeth anything1 nor uncircumcision2 but faith that worketh by love4--,in ,christ ,jesus neither circumcision availeth anything1 nor uncircumcision1 but a new creature4--,circumcision is nothing1 and uncircumcision is nothing1 but the keeping of the commandments of ,god4 7#a ,cor4 vii4 #ai2 ,galat4 v4 #f2 ,galat4 vi4 #ae47 ,did the ,apostle only mean in these texts1 that circumcision was no longer needed under the ,gospel8 ,was that all8 ,no indeed6 ,i believe he meant much more4 ,he meant that true religion did not consist of forms1 and that its essence was something far greater than being circumcised or not circumcised4 ,he meant that under ,christ ,jesus1 everything depended on being born again1--on having true saving faith1--on being holy in life and conduct4 ,he meant that these are the things we ought to look at chiefly1 and not at outward forms4 ,am ,i a new creature8 ,do ,i really believe on ,christ8 ,am ,i a holy man8 ,these are the grand questions that we must seek to answer4 ,when the heart is wrong all is wrong in ,god's sight4 ,many right things may be done4 ,the forms and ordinances which ,god ,himself has appointed may seem to be honoured4 ,but so long as the heart is at fault ,god is not pleased4 ,he will have man's heart or nothing4 ,the ark was the most sacred thing in the ,jewish tabernacle4 ,on it was the mercy-seat4 ,within it were the tables of the law1 written by ,god's own finger4 ,the ,high ,priest alone was allowed to go into the place where it was kept1 within the veil1 and that only once every year4 ,the presence of the ark with the camp was thought to bring a special blessing4 ,and yet this very ark could do the ,israelites no more good than any common wooden box1 when they trusted to it like an idol1 with their hearts full of wickedness4 ,they brought it into the camp1 on a special occasion1 saying1 ,let us fetch the ark1 that it may save us out of the hand of our enemies4 7#a ,sam iv4 #c47 ,when it came in the camp they showed it all reverence and honour4 ,they shouted with a great shout1 so that the earth rang again4 ,but it was all in vain4 ,they were smitten before the ,philistines1 and the ark itself was taken4 ,and why was this8 ,it was because their religion was a mere form4 ,they honoured the ark1 but did not give the ,god of the ark their hearts4 ,there were some kings of ,judah and ,israel who did many things that were right in ,god's sight1 and yet were never written in the list of godly and righteous men4 ,rehoboam began well1 and for three years walked in the way of ,david and ,solomon4 7#b ,chron4 xi4 #ag47 ,but afterwards he did evil1 because he prepared not his heart to seek the ,lord4 7#b ,chron4 xii4 #ad47--;,abijah1 according to the book of ,chronicles1 said many things that were right1 and fought successfully against ,jeroboam4 ,nevertheless the general verdict is against him4 ,we read1 in ,kings1 that his heart was not perfect with the ,lord his ,god4 7#a ,kings xv4 #c47--;,amaziah1 we are expressly told1 did that which was right in the sight of the ,lord1 but not with a perfect heart4 7#b ,chron4 xxv4 #b47--;,jehu1 ,king of ,israel1 was raised up1 by ,god's command1 to put down idolatry4 ,he was a man of special zeal in doing ,god's work4 ,but unhappily it is written of him3 ,he took no heed to walk in the law of the ,lord ,god of ,israel with all his heart3 for he departed not from the sins of ,jeroboam1 which made ,israel to sin4 7#b ,kings x4 #ca47 ,in short1 one general remark applies to all these kings4 ,they were all wrong inwardly4 ,they were rotten at heart4 ,there are places of worship in ,england at this very day where all the outward things of religion are done to perfection4 ,the building is beautiful4 ,the service is beautiful4 ,the singing is beautiful4 ,the forms of devotion are beautiful4 ,there is everything to gratify the senses4 ,eye1 and ear1 and natural sentimentality are all pleased4 ,but all this time ,god is not pleased4 ,one thing is lacking1 and the want of that one thing spoils all4 ,what is that one thing8 ,it is heart6 ,god sees under all this fair outward show the form of religion put in the place of the substance1 and when ,he sees that ,he is displeased4 ,he sees nothing with an eye of favour in the building1 the service1 the minister1 or the people1 if ,he does not see converted1 renewed1 broken1 penitent hearts4 ,bowed heads1 bended knees1 loud amens1 crossed hands1 faces turned to the east1 all1 all are nothing in ,god's sight without right hearts4 ,when the heart is right ,god can look over many things that are defective4 ,there may be faults in judgment1 and infirmities in practice4 ,there may be many deviations from the best course in the outward things of religion4 ,but if the heart is sound in the main1 ,god is not extreme to mark that which is amiss4 ,he is merciful and gracious1 and will pardon much that is imperfect1 when ,he sees a true heart and a single eye4 ,jehoshaphat and ,asa were ,kings of ,judah1 who were defective in many things4 ,jehoshaphat was a timid1 irresolute man1 who did not know how to say ,no1 and joined affinity with ,ahab1 the wickedest king that ever reigned over ,israel4 ,asa was an unstable man1 who at one time trusted in the ,king of ,syria more than in ,god1 and at another time was wroth with ,god's prophet for rebuking him4 7#b ,chron4 xvi4 #aj47 ,yet both of them had one great redeeming point in their characters4 ,with all their faults they had right hearts4 ,the passover kept by ,hezekiah was one at which there were many irregularities4 ,the proper forms were not observed by many4 ,they ate the passover otherwise than the commandment ordered4 ,but they did it with true and honest hearts4 ,and we read that ,hezekiah prayed for them1 saying1 ,the good ,lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek ,god1--though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary4 ,and the ,lord hearkened to ,hezekiah1 and healed the people4 7#b ,chron4 xxx4 #bj47 ,the passover kept by ,josiah must have been far smaller and worse attended than scores of passovers in the days of ,david and ,solomon1 or even in the reign of ,jehoshaphat and ,hezekiah4 ,how then can we account for the strong language used in ,scripture about it8 ,there was no passover like to that kept in ,israel from the days of ,samuel the prophet2 neither did all the ,kings of ,israel keep such a passover as ,josiah kept1 and the ,priests1 and the ,levites1 and all ,judah and ,jerusalem that were present4 7#b ,chron4 xxxv4 #ah47 ,there is but one explanation4 ,there never was a passover at which the hearts of the worshippers were so truly in the feast4 ,the ,lord does not look at the quantity of worshippers so much as the quality4 ,the glory of ,josiah's passover was the state of people's hearts4 ,there are many assemblies of ,christian worshippers on earth at this very day in which there is literally nothing to attract the natural man4 ,they meet in miserable dirty chapels1 so-called1 or in wretched upper-rooms and cellars4 ,they sing unmusically4 ,they hear feeble prayers1 and more feeble sermons4 ,and yet the ,holy ,ghost is often in the midst of them6 ,sinners are often converted in them1 and the kingdom of ,god prospers far more than in any ,roman ,catholic ,cathedral1 or than in many gorgeous ,protestant ,churches4 ,how is this8 ,how can it be explained8 ,the cause is simply this1 that in these humble assemblies heart-religion is taught and held4 ,heart-work is aimed at4 ,heart-work is honoured4 ,and the consequence is that ,god is pleased and grants ,his blessing4 ,i leave this part of my subject here4 ,i ask men to weigh well the things that ,i have been saying4 ,i believe that they will bear examination1 and are all true4 ,resolve this day1 whatever ,church you belong to1 to be a ,christian in heart4 ,whether ,episcopalian or ,presbyterian1 ,baptist or ,independent1 be not content with a mere form of godliness1 without the power4 ,settle it down firmly in your mind that formal religion is not saving religion1 and that heart-religion is the only religion that leads to heaven4 ,i only give one word of caution4 ,do not suppose1 because formal religion will not save1 that forms of religion are of no use at all4 ,beware of any such senseless extreme4 ,the misuse of a thing is no argument against the right use of it4 ,the blind idolatry of forms which prevails in some quarters is no reason why you should throw all forms aside4 ,the ark1 when made an idol of by ,israel and put in the place of ,god1 was unable to save them from the ,philistines4 ,and yet the same ark1 when irreverently and profanely handled1 brought death on ,uzza2 and when honoured and reverenced1 brought a blessing on the house of ,obed-edom4 ,the words of ,bishop ,hall are strong1 but true3 ,he that hath but a form is a hypocrite2 but he that hath not a form is an ,atheist4 7,hall's ,sermons1 ,no4 #bh47 ,forms cannot save us1 but they are not therefore to be despised4 ,a lantern is not a man's home1 and yet it is a help to a man if he travels towards his home in a dark night4 ,use the forms of ,christianity diligently1 and you will find them a blessing4 ,only remember1 in all your use of forms1 the great principle1 that the first thing in religion is the state of the heart4 ,,iii4 ,i come now to the last thing which ,i proposed to consider4 ,i said that true religion must never expect to be popular4 ,it will not have the praise of man1 but of ,god4 ,i dare not turn away from this part of my subject1 however painful it may be4 ,anxious as ,i am to commend heart-religion to every one who reads this paper1 ,i will not try to conceal what heart-religion entails4 ,i will not gain a recruit for my ,master's army under false pretences4 ,i will not promise anything which the ,scripture does not warrant4 ,the words of ,st4 ,paul are clear and unmistakable4 ,heart-religion is a religion whose praise is not of men1 but of ,god4 7,rom4 ii4 #bi47 ,god's truth and ,scriptural ,christianity are never really popular4 ,they never have been4 ,they never will be as long as the world stands4 ,no one can calmly consider what human nature is1 as described in the ,bible1 and reasonably expect anything else4 ,as long as man is what man is1 the majority of mankind will always like a religion of form far better than a religion of heart4 ,formal religion just suits an unenlightened conscience4 ,some religion a man will have4 ,atheism and downright infidelity1 as a general rule1 are never very popular4 ,but a man must have a religion which does not require much1--trouble his heart much1--interfere with his sins much4 ,formal ,christianity satisfies him4 ,it seems the very thing that he wants4 ,formal religion gratifies the secret self-righteousness of man4 ,we are all of us more or less ,pharisees4 ,we all naturally cling to the idea that the way to be saved is to do so many things1 and go through so many religious observances1 and that at last we shall get to heaven4 ,formalism meets us here4 ,it seems to show us a way by which we can make our own peace with ,god4 ,formal religion pleases the natural indolence of man4 ,it attaches an excessive importance to that which is the easiest part of ,christianity1--the shell and the form4 ,man likes this4 ,he hates trouble in religion4 ,he wants something which will not meddle with his conscience and inner life4 ,only leave conscience alone1 and1 like ,herod1 he will do many things4 ,formalism seems to open a wider gate1 and a more easy way to heaven4 7,mark vi4 #bj47 ,facts speak louder than assertions4 ,facts are stubborn things4 ,look over the history of religion in every age of the world1 and observe what has always been popular4 ,look at the history of ,israel from the beginning of ,exodus to the end of the ,acts of the ,apostles1 and see what has always found favour4 ,formalism was one main sin against which the ,old ,testament prophets were continually protesting4 ,formalism was the great plague which had overspread the ,jews1 when our ,lord ,jesus ,christ came into the world4--,look at the history of the ,church of ,christ after the days of the apostles4 ,how soon formalism ate out the life and vitality of the primitive ,christians6--,look at the middle ages1 as they are called4 ,formalism so completely covered the face of ,christendom that the ,gospel lay as one dead4--,look1 lastly1 at the history of ,protestant ,churches in the three last centuries4 ,how few are the places where religion is a living thing6 ,how many are the countries where ,protestantism is nothing more than a form6 ,there is no getting over these things4 ,they speak with a voice of thunder4 ,they all show that formal religion is a popular thing4 ,it has the praise of man4 ,but why should we look at facts in history8 ,why should we not look at facts under our own eyes1 and by our own doors8 ,can any one deny that a mere outward religion1 a religion of downright formality1 is the religion which is popular in ,england at the present day8 ,it is not for nothing that ,st4 ,john says of certain false teachers1 ,they are of the world3 therefore speak they of the world1 and the world heareth them4 7#a ,john iv4 #e47 ,only say your prayers1--and go to church with tolerable regularity1--and receive the sacrament occasionally1--and the vast majority of ,englishmen will set you down as an excellent ,christian4--,what more would you have8 they say3 ,if this is not ,christianity1 what is8--,to require more of anyone is thought bigotry1 illiberality1 fanaticism1 and enthusiasm6 ,to insinuate a doubt whether such a man as this will go to heaven is called the height of uncharitableness6 ,when these things are so it is vain to deny that formal religion is popular4 ,it is popular4 ,it always was popular4 ,it always will be popular till ,christ comes again4 ,it always has had and always will have the praise of man4 ,turn now to the religion of the heart1 and you will hear a very different report4 ,as a general rule it has never had the good word of mankind4 ,it has entailed on its professors laughter1 mockery1 ridicule1 scorn1 contempt1 enmity1 hatred1 slander1 persecution1 imprisonment1 and even death4 ,its lovers have been faithful and ardent1--but they have always been few4 ,it has never had1 comparatively1 the praise of man4 ,heart-religion is too humbling to be popular4 ,it leaves natural man no room to boast4 ,it tells him that he is a guilty1 lost1 hell-deserving sinner1 and that he must flee to ,christ for salvation4 ,it tells him that he is dead1 and must be made alive again1 and born of the ,spirit4 ,the pride of man rebels against such tidings as these4 ,he hates to be told that his case is so bad4 ,heart-religion is too holy to be popular4 ,it will not leave natural man alone4 ,it interferes with his worldliness and his sins4 ,it requires of him things that he loathes and abominates1--conversion1 faith1 repentance1 spiritual-mindedness1 ,bible-reading1 prayer4 ,it bids him give up many things that he loves and clings to1 and cannot make up his mind to lay aside4 ,it would be strange indeed if he liked it4 ,it crosses his path as a kill-joy and a mar-plot1 and it is absurd to expect that he will be pleased4 ,was heart-religion popular in ,old ,testament times8 ,we find ,david complaining3 ,they that sit in the gate speak against me2 and ,i was the song of the drunkards4 7,psalm lxix4 #ab47 ,we find the prophets persecuted and ill-treated because they preached against sin1 and required men to give their hearts to ,god4 ,elijah1 ,micaiah1 ,jeremiah1 ,amos1 are all cases in point4 ,to formalism and ceremonialism the ,jews never seem to have made objection4 ,what they did dislike was serving ,god with their hearts4 ,was heart-religion popular in ,new ,testament times8 ,the whole history of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ's ministry and the lives of ,his apostles are a sufficient answer4 ,the scribes and ,pharisees would have willingly received a ,messiah who encouraged formalism1 and a ,gospel which exalted ceremonialism4 ,but they could not tolerate a religion of which the first principles were humiliation and sanctification of heart4 ,has heart-religion even been popular in the professing ,church of ,christ during the last eighteen centuries8 ,never hardly1 except in the early centuries when the primitive ,church had not left her first love4 ,soon1 very soon1 the men who protested against formalism and sacramentalism were fiercely denounced as troublers of ,israel4 ,long before the ,reformation1 things came to this pass1 that anyone who cried up heart-holiness and cried down formality was treated as a common enemy4 ,he was either silenced1 excommunicated1 imprisoned1 or put to death like ,john ,huss4--,in the time of the ,reformation itself1 the work of ,luther and his companions was carried on under an incessant storm of calumny and slander4 ,and what was the cause8 ,it was because they protested against formalism1 ceremonialism1 monkery1 and priestcraft1 and taught the necessity of heart-religion4 ,has heart-religion ever been popular in our own land in days gone by8 ,never1 excepting for a little season4 ,it was not popular in the days of ,queen ,mary1 when ,latimer and his brother-martyrs were burned4--,it was not popular in the days of the ,stuarts1 when to be a ,puritan was worse for a man than to get drunk or swear4--,it was not popular in the middle of last century1 when ,wesley and ,whitfield were shut out of the established ,church4 ,the cause of our martyred ,reformers1 of the early ,puritans1 and of the ,methodists1 was essentially one and the same4 ,they were all hated because they preached the uselessness of formalism1 and the impossibility of salvation without repentance1 faith1 regeneration1 spiritual-mindedness1 and holiness of heart4 ,is heart-religion popular in ,england at this very day8 ,i answer sorrowfully that ,i do not believe it is4 ,look at the followers of it among the laity4 ,they are always comparatively few in number4 ,they stand alone in their respective congregations and parishes4 ,they have to put up with many hard things1 hard words1 hard imputations1 hard treatment1 laughter1 ridicule1 slander1 and petty persecution4 ,this is not popularity6--,look at the teachers of heart-religion in the pulpit4 ,they are loved and liked1 no doubt1 by the few hearers who agree with them4 ,they are sometimes admired for their talents and eloquence by the many who do not agree with them4 ,they are even called popular preachers1 because of the crowds who listen to their preaching4 ,but none know so well as the faithful teachers of heart-religion that few really like them4 ,few really help them4 ,few sympathize with them4 ,few stand by them in any time of need4 ,they find1 like their ,divine ,master1 that they must work almost alone4 ,i write these things with sorrow1 but ,i believe they are true4 ,real heart-religion at this day1 no less than in days gone by1 has not the praise of man4 ,but after all it signifies little what man thinks1 and what man praises4 ,he that judgeth us is the ,lord4 ,man will not judge us at the last day4 ,man will not sit on the great white throne1 examine our religion1 and pronounce our eternal sentence4 ,those only whom ,god commends will be commended at the bar of ,christ4 ,here lies the value and glory of heart-religion4 ,it may not have the praise of man1 but it has the praise of ,god4 ,god approves and honours heart-religion in the life that now is4 ,he looks down from heaven1 and reads the hearts of all the children of men4 ,wherever ,he sees heart-repentance for sin1--heart-faith in ,christ1--heart-holiness of life1--heart-love to ,his ,son1 ,his law1 ,his will1 and ,his ,word1--wherever ,god sees these things ,he is well pleased4 ,he writes a book of remembrance for that man1 however poor and unlearned he may be4 ,he gives ,his angels special charge over ,him4 ,he maintains in him the work of grace1 and gives ,him daily supplies of peace1 hope1 and strength4 ,he regards him as a member of ,his own dear ,son1 as one who is witnessing for the truth1 as ,his ,son did4 ,weak as the man's heart may seem to himself1 it is the living sacrifice which ,god loves1 and the heart which ,he has solemnly declared ,he will not despise4 ,such praise is worth more than the praise of man6 ,god will proclaim ,his approval of heart-religion before the assembled world at the last day4 ,he will command ,his angels to gather together ,his saints1 from every part of the globe1 into one glorious company4 ,he will raise the dead and change the living1 and place them at the right hand of ,his beloved ,son's throne4 ,then all that have served ,christ with the heart shall hear ,him say1 ,come1 ye blessed of my ,father1 inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world3--you were faithful over few things1 and ,i will make you rulers over many things2 enter into the joy of your ,lord4--,ye confessed ,me before men1 and ,i will confess you before my ,father and ,his holy angels4--,ye are they who continued with ,me in my temptations1 and ,i appoint unto you a kingdom as my ,father hath appointed unto ,me4 7,matt4 xxv4 #ba--cd2 ,luke xii4 #h2 xxii4 #bh1 #bi47 ,these words will be addressed to none but those who have given ,christ their hearts6 ,they will not be addressed to the formalist1 the hypocrite1 the wicked1 and the ungodly4 ,they will1 indeed1 stand by and see the fruits of heart-religion1 but they will not eat of them4 ,we shall never know the full value of heart-religion until the last day4 ,then1 and only then1 we shall fully understand how much better it is to have the praise of ,god than the praise of man4 ,if you take up heart-religion ,i cannot promise you the praise of man4 ,pardon1 peace1 hope1 guidance1 comfort1 consolation1 grace according to your need1 strength according to your day1 joy which the world can neither give nor take away1--all this ,i can boldly promise to the man who comes to ,christ1 and serves ,him with his heart4 ,but ,i cannot promise him that his religion will be popular with man4 ,i would rather warn him to expect mockery and ridicule1 slander and unkindness1 opposition and persecution4 ,there is a cross belonging to heart-religion1 and we must be content to carry it4 ,through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom4--,all that will live godly in ,christ ,jesus shall suffer persecution4 7,acts xiv4 #bb2 #b ,tim4 iii4 #ab47 ,but if the world hates you1 ,god will love you4 ,if the world forsakes you1 ,christ has promised that ,he will never forsake and never fail4 ,whatever you may lose by heart-religion1 be sure that the praise of ,god will make up for all4 ,and now ,i close this paper with three plain words of application4 ,i want it to strike and stick to the conscience of every one into whose hands it falls4 ,may ,god make it a blessing to many a soul both in time and eternity6 7#a7 ,in the first place1 ,is your religion a matter of form and not of heart8 ,answer this question honestly1 and as in the sight of ,god4 ,if it is1 consider solemnly the immense danger in which you stand4 ,you have got nothing to comfort your soul in the day of trial1 nothing to give you hope on your death-bed1 nothing to save you at the last day4 ,formal religion never took any man to heaven4 ,like base metal1 it will not stand the fire4 ,continuing in your present state you are in imminent peril of being lost for ever4 ,i earnestly beseech you this day to know your danger1 to open your eyes and repent4 ,churchman or ,dissenter1 ,high ,church or ,low ,church1 if you have only a name to live1 and a form of godliness without the power1 awake and repent4 ,awake1 above all1 if you are an ,evangelical formalist4 ,there is no devil1 said the quaint old ,puritans1 like a white devil4 ,there is no formalism so dangerous as ,evangelical formalism4 ,i can only warn you4 ,i do so with all affection4 ,god alone can apply the warning to your soul4 ,oh1 that you would see the folly as well as the danger of a heartless ,christianity6 ,it was sound advice which a dying man1 in ,suffolk1 once gave to his son3 ,son1 he said1 whatever religion you have1 never be content with wearing a cloak4 7#b7 ,in the second place1 if your heart condemns you1 and you wish to know what to do1 consider seriously the only course that you can safely take4 ,apply to the ,lord ,jesus ,christ without delay1 and spread before ,him the state of your soul4 ,confess before ,him your formality in time past1 and ask ,him to forgive it4 ,seek from ,him the promised grace of the ,holy ,ghost1 and entreat ,him to quicken and renew your inward man4 ,the ,lord ,jesus is appointed and commissioned to be the ,physician of man's soul4 ,there is no case too hard for ,him4 ,there is no condition of soul that ,he cannot cure4 ,there is no devil ,he cannot cast out4 ,seared and hardened as the heart of a formalist may be1 there is balm in ,gilead which can heal him1 and a ,physician who is mighty to save4 ,go and call on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ this very day4 ,ask1 and it shall be given you2 seek1 and you shall find2 knock1 and it shall be opened to you4 7,luke xi4 #i47 7#c7 ,in the last place1 if your heart condemns you not1 and you have real well-grounded confidence towards ,god1 consider seriously the many responsibilities of your position4 ,praise ,him daily who hath called you out of darkness into light1 and made you to differ4 ,praise ,him daily1 and ask ,him never to forsake the work of ,his own hands4 ,watch with a jealous watchfulness every part of your inward man4 ,formality is ever ready to come in upon us1 like the ,egyptian plague of frogs1 which went even into the king's chamber4 ,watch1 and be on your guard4--,watch over your ,bible-reading1--your praying1--your temper and your tongue1--your family life and your ,sunday religion4 ,there is nothing so good and spiritual that we may not fall into formal habits about it4 ,there is none so spiritual but that he may have a heavy fall4 ,watch1 therefore1 and be on your guard4 ,look forward1 finally1 and hope for the coming of the ,lord4 ,your best things are yet to come4 ,the second coming of ,christ will soon be here4 ,the time of temptation will soon be past and gone4 ,the judgment and reward of the saints shall soon make amends for all4 ,rest in the hope of that day4 ,work1 watch1 and look forward4--,one thing1 at any rate1 that day will make abundantly clear4 ,it will show that there was never an hour in our lives in which we gave our hearts too thoroughly to ,christ4 ,,xii ,,the ,,world ,come out from among them1 and be ye separate1 saith the ,lord4 #b ,cor4 vi4 #ag4 ,the text which heads this page touches a subject of vast importance in religion4 ,that subject is the great duty of separation from the world4 ,this is the point which ,st4 ,paul had in view when he wrote to the ,corinthians1 ,come out1--be separate4 ,the subject is one which demands the best attention of all who profess and call themselves ,christians4 ,in every age of the ,church separation from the world has always been one of the grand evidences of a work of grace in the heart4 ,he that has been really born of the ,spirit1 and made a new creature in ,christ ,jesus1 has always endeavoured to come out from the world1 and live a separate life4 ,they who have only had the name of ,christian1 without the reality1 have always refused to come out and be separate from the world4 ,the subject perhaps was never more important than it is at the present day4 ,there is a widely-spread desire to make things pleasant in religion1--to saw off the corners and edges of the cross1 and to avoid1 as far as possible1 self-denial4 ,on every side we hear professing ,christians declaring loudly that we must not be narrow and exclusive1 and that there is no harm in many things which the holiest saints of old thought bad for their souls4 ,that we may go anywhere1 and do anything1 and spend our time in anything1 and read anything1 and keep any company1 and plunge into anything1 and all the while may be very good ,christians1--this1 this is the maxim of thousands4 ,in a day like this ,i think it good to raise a warning voice1 and invite attention to the teaching of ,god's ,word4 ,it is written in that ,word1 ,come out1 and be separate4 ,there are four points which ,i shall try to show my readers1 in examining this mighty subject4 ,i4 ,first1 ,i shall try to show that the world is a source of great danger to the soul4 ,,ii4 ,secondly1 ,i shall try to show what is not meant by separation from the world4 ,,iii4 ,thirdly1 ,i shall try to show in what real separation from the world consists4 ,,iv4 ,fourthly1 ,i shall try to show the secret of victory over the world4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and now1 before ,i go a single step further1 let me warn every reader of this paper that he will never understand this subject unless he first understands what a true ,christian is4 ,if you are one of those unhappy people who think everybody is a ,christian who goes to a place of worship1 no matter how he lives1 or what he believes1 ,i fear you will care little about separation from the world4 ,but if you read your ,bible1 and are in earnest about your soul1 you will know that there are two classes of ,christians1--converted and unconverted4 ,you will know that what the ,jews were among the nations under the ,old ,testament1 this the true ,christian is meant to be under the ,new4 ,you will understand what ,i mean when ,i say that true ,christians are meant1 in like manner1 to be a peculiar people under the ,gospel1 and that there must be a difference between believers and unbelievers4 ,to you1 therefore1 ,i make a special appeal this day4 ,while many avoid the subject of separation from the world1 and many positively hate it1 and many are puzzled by it1 give me your attention while ,i try to show you the thing as it is4 ,i4 ,first of all1 let me show that the world is a source of great danger to the soul4 ,by the world1 be it remembered1 ,i do not mean the material world on the face of which we are living and moving4 ,he that pretends to say that anything which ,god has created in the heavens above1 or the earth beneath1 is in itself harmful to man's soul1 says that which is unreasonable and absurd4 ,on the contrary1 the sun1 moon1 and stars1--the mountains1 the valleys1 and the plains1--the seas1 lakes1 and rivers1--the animal and vegetable creation1--all are in themselves very good4 7,gen4 i4 #ca47 ,all are full of lessons of ,god's wisdom and power1 and all proclaim daily1 ,the hand that made us is ,divine4 ,the idea that matter is in itself sinful and corrupt is a foolish heresy4 ,when ,i speak of the world in this paper1 ,i mean those people who think only1 or chiefly1 of this world's things1 and neglect the world to come1--the people who are always thinking more of earth than of heaven1 more of time than of eternity1 more of the body than of the soul1 more of pleasing man than of pleasing ,god4 ,it is of them and their ways1 habits1 customs1 opinions1 practices1 tastes1 aims1 spirit1 and tone1 that ,i am speaking when ,i speak of the world4 ,this is the world from which ,st4 ,paul tells us to ,come out and be separate4 ,now that the world1 in this sense1 is an enemy to the soul1 the well-known ,church ,catechism teaches us at its very beginning4 ,it tells us that there are three things which a baptized ,christian is bound to renounce and give up1 and three enemies which he ought to fight with and resist4 ,these three are the flesh1 the devil1 and the world4 ,all three are terrible foes1 and all three must be overcome if we would be saved4 ,but1 whatever men please to think about the ,catechism1 we shall do well to turn to the testimony of ,holy ,scripture4 ,if the texts ,i am about to quote do not prove that the world is a source of danger to the soul1 there is no meaning in words4 7a7 ,let us hear what ,st4 ,paul says3-- ,be not conformed to this world3 but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind4 7,rom4 xii4 #b47 ,we have received1 not the spirit of the world1 but the ,spirit which is of ,god4 7#a ,cor4 ii4 #ab47 ,christ gave ,himself for us1 that ,he might deliver us from this present evil world4 7,gal4 i4 #d47 ,in time past ye walked according to the course of this world4 7,eph4 ii4 #b47 ,demas hath forsaken me1 having loved this present world4 7#b ,tim4 iv4 #aj47 7b7 ,let us hear what ,st4 ,james says3-- ,pure religion and undefiled before ,god and the ,father is this1 ,to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction1 and to keep himself unspotted from the world4 7,james i4 #bg47 ,know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with ,god8 ,whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of ,god4 7,james iv4 #d47 7c7 ,let us hear what ,st4 ,john says3-- ,love not the world1 neither the things that are in the world4 ,if any man love the world1 the love of the ,father is not in him4 ,for all that is in the world1 the lust of the flesh1 and the lust of the eyes1 and the pride of life1 is not of the ,father1 but is of the world4 ,and the world passeth away1 and the lust thereof2 but he that doeth the will of ,god abideth for ever4 7#a ,john ii4 #ae--ag47 ,the world knoweth us not1 because it knew ,him not4 7#a ,john iii4 #a47 ,they are of the world3 therefore speak they of the world1 and the world heareth them4 7#a ,john iv4 #e47 ,whatsoever is born of ,god overcometh the world4 7#a ,john v4 #d47 ,we know that we are of ,god and the whole world lieth in wickedness4 7#a ,john v4 #ai47 7d7 ,let us hear1 lastly1 what the ,lord ,jesus ,christ says3-- ,the cares of this world choke the ,word1 and it becometh unfruitful4 7,matt4 xiii4 #bb47 ,ye are of this world3 ,i am not of this world4 7,john viii4 #bc47 ,the ,spirit of truth2 whom the world cannot receive1 because it seeth ,him not1 neither knoweth ,him4 7,john xiv4 #ag47 ,if the world hate you1 ye know that it hated ,me before it hated you4 7,john xv4 #ah47 ,if ye were of the world1 the world would love his own3 but because ye are not of the world1 but ,i have chosen you out of the world1 therefore the world hateth you4 7,john xv4 #ai47 ,in the world ye shall have tribulation3 but be of good cheer2 ,i have overcome the world4 7,john xvi4 #cc47 ,they are not of the world1 even as ,i am not of the world4 7,john xvii4 #af47 ,i make no comment on these twenty-one texts4 ,they speak for themselves4 ,if any one can read them carefully1 and fail to see that the world is an enemy to the ,christian's soul1 and that there is an utter opposition between the friendship of the world and the friendship of ,christ1 he is past the reach of argument1 and it is waste of time to reason with him4 ,to my eyes they contain a lesson as clear as the sun at noon day4 ,i turn from ,scripture to matters of fact and experience4 ,i appeal to any old ,christian who keeps his eyes open1 and knows what is going on in the ,churches4 ,i ask him whether it be not true that nothing damages the cause of religion so much as the world8 ,it is not open sin1 or open unbelief1 which robs ,christ of ,his professing servants1 so much as the love of the world1 the fear of the world1 the cares of the world1 the business of the world1 the money of the world1 the pleasures of the world1 and the desire to keep in with the world4 ,this is the great rock on which thousands of young people are continually making shipwreck4 ,they do not object to any article of the ,christian faith4 ,they do not deliberately choose evil1 and openly rebel against ,god4 ,they hope somehow to get to heaven at last2 and they think it proper to have some religion4 ,but they cannot give up their idol3 they must have the world4 ,and so after running well and bidding fair for heaven1 while boys and girls1 they turn aside when they become men and women1 and go down the broad way which leads to destruction4 ,they begin with ,abraham and ,moses1 and end with ,demas and ,lot's wife4 ,the last day alone will prove how many souls the world has slain4 ,hundreds will be found to have been trained in religious families1 and to have known the ,gospel from their very childhood1 and yet missed heaven4 ,they left the harbour of home with bright prospects1 and launched forth on the ocean of life with a father's blessing and a mother's prayers1 and then got out of the right course through the seductions of the world1 and ended their voyage in shallows and in misery4 ,it is a sorrowful story to tell2 but1 alas1 it is only too common6 ,i cannot wonder that ,st4 ,paul says1 ,come out and be separate4 ,,ii4 ,let me now try to show what does not constitute separation from the world4 ,the point is one which requires clearing up4 ,there are many mistakes made about it4 ,you will sometimes see sincere and well-meaning ,christians doing things which ,god never intended them to do1 in the matter of separation from the world1 and honestly believing that they are in the path of duty4 ,their mistakes often do great harm4 ,they give occasion to the wicked to ridicule all religion1 and supply them with an excuse for having none4 ,they cause the way of truth to be evil spoken of1 and add to the offence of the cross4 ,i think it a plain duty to make a few remarks on the subject4 ,we must never forget that it is possible to be very much in earnest1 and to think we are doing ,god service1 when in reality we are making some great mistake4 ,there is such a thing as zeal not according to knowledge4 7,john xvi4 #b1 ,rom4 x4 #b47 ,there are few things about which it is so important to pray for a right judgment and sanctified common sense1 as about separation from the world4 7a7 ,when ,st4 ,paul said1 ,come out and be separate1 he did not mean that ,christians ought to give up all worldly callings1 trades1 professions1 and business4 ,he did not forbid men to be soldiers1 sailors1 lawyers1 doctors1 merchants1 bankers1 shop-keepers1 or tradesmen4 ,there is not a word in the ,new ,testament to justify such a line of conduct4 ,cornelius the centurion1 ,luke the physician1 ,zenas the lawyer1 are examples to the contrary4 ,idleness is in itself a sin4 ,a lawful calling is a remedy against temptation4 ,if any man will not work1 neither shall he eat4 7#b ,thess4 iii4 #aj47 ,to give up any business of life1 which is not necessarily sinful1 to the wicked and the devil1 from fear of getting harm from it1 is lazy1 cowardly conduct4 ,the right plan is to carry our religion into our business1 and not to give up business under the specious pretence that it interferes with our religion4 7b7 ,when ,st4 ,paul said1 ,come out and be separate1 he did not mean that ,christians ought to decline all intercourse with unconverted people1 and refuse to go into their society4 ,there is no warrant for such conduct in the ,new ,testament4 ,our ,lord and ,his disciples did not refuse to go to a marriage feast1 or to sit at meat at a ,pharisee's table4 ,st4 ,paul does not say1 ,if any of them that believe not bid you to a feast1 you must not go1 but only tells us how to behave if we do go4 7#a ,cor4 x4 #bg47 ,moreover1 it is a dangerous thing to begin judging people too closely1 and settling who are converted and who are not1 and what society is godly and what ungodly4 ,we are sure to make mistakes4 ,above all1 such a course of life would cut us off from many opportunities of doing good4 ,if we carry our ,master with us wherever we go1 who can tell but we may save some1 and get no harm8 7#a ,cor4 ix4 #bb47 7c7 ,when ,st4 ,paul says1 ,come out and be separate1 he did not mean that ,christians ought to take no interest in anything on earth except religion4 ,to neglect science1 art1 literature1 and politics1--to read nothing which is not directly spiritual1--to know nothing about what is going on among mankind1 and never to look at a newspaper1--to care nothing about the government of one's country1 and to be utterly indifferent as to the persons who guide its counsels and make its laws1--all this may seem very right and proper in the eyes of some people4 ,but ,i take leave to think that it is an idle1 selfish neglect of duty4 ,st4 ,paul knew the value of good government1 as one of the main helps to our living a quiet and peaceable life in godliness and honesty4 7#a ,tim4 ii4 #b47 ,st4 ,paul was not ashamed to read heathen writers1 and to quote their words in his speeches and writings4 ,st4 ,paul did not think it beneath him to show an acquaintance with the laws and customs and callings of the world1 in the illustrations he gave from them4 ,christians who plume themselves on their ignorance of secular things are precisely the ,christians who bring religion into contempt4 ,i knew the case of a blacksmith who would not come to hear his clergyman preach the ,gospel1 until he found out that he knew the properties of iron4 ,then he came4 7d7 ,when ,st4 ,paul said1 ,come out and be separate1 he did not mean that ,christians should be singular1 eccentric1 and peculiar in their dress1 manners1 demeanour1 and voice4 ,anything which attracts notice in these matters is most objectionable1 and ought to be carefully avoided4 ,to wear clothes of such a colour1 or made in such a fashion1 that when you go into company every eye is fixed on you1 and you are the object of general observation1 is an enormous mistake4 ,it gives occasion to the wicked to ridicule religion1 and looks self-righteous and affected4 ,there is not the slightest proof that our ,lord and ,his apostles1 and ,priscilla1 and ,persis1 and their companions1 did not dress and behave just like others in their own ranks of life4 ,on the other hand1 one of the many charges our ,lord brings against the ,pharisees was that of making broad their phylacteries1 and enlarging the borders of their garments1 so as to be seen of men4 7,matt4 xxiii4 #e47 ,true sanctity and sanctimoniousness are entirely different things4 ,those who try to show their unworldliness by wearing conspicuously ugly clothes1 or by speaking in a whining1 snuffling voice1 or by affecting an unnatural slavishness1 humility1 and gravity of manner1 miss their mark altogether1 and only give occasion to the enemies of the ,lord to blaspheme4 7e7 ,when ,st4 ,paul said1 ,come out and be separate1 he did not mean that ,christians ought to retire from the company of mankind1 and shut themselves up in solitude4 ,it is one of the crying errors of the ,church of ,rome to suppose that eminent holiness is to be attained by such practices4 ,it is the unhappy delusion of the whole army of monks1 nuns1 and hermits4 ,separation of this kind is not according to the mind of ,christ4 ,he says distinctly in ,his last prayer1 ,i pray not that ,thou shouldest take them out of the world1 but that ,thou shouldest keep them from the evil4 7,john xvii4 #ae47 ,there is not a word in the ,acts or ,epistles to recommend such a separation4 ,true believers are always represented as mixing in the world1 doing their duty in it1 and glorifying ,god by patience1 meekness1 purity1 and courage in their several positions1 and not by cowardly desertion of them4 ,moreover1 it is foolish to suppose that we can keep the world and the devil out of our hearts by going into holes and corners4 ,true religion and unworldliness are best seen1 not in timidly forsaking the post which ,god has allotted to us1 but in manfully standing our ground1 and showing the power of grace to overcome evil4 7f7 ,last1 but not least1 when ,st4 ,paul said1 ,come out and be separate1 he did not mean that ,christians ought to withdraw from every ,church in which there are unconverted members1 or to refuse to worship in company with any who are not believers1 or to keep away from the ,lord's table if any ungodly people go up to it4 ,this is a very common but a very grievous mistake4 ,there is not a text in the ,new ,testament to justify it1 and it ought to be condemned as a pure invention of man4 ,our ,lord ,jesus ,christ ,himself deliberately allowed ,judas ,iscariot to be an apostle for three years1 and gave him the ,lord's ,supper4 ,he has taught us1 in the parable of the wheat and tares1 that converted and unconverted will be together till the harvest1 and cannot be divided4 7,matt4 xiii4 #cj47 ,in ,his ,epistles to the ,seven ,churches1 and in all ,st4 ,paul's ,epistles1 we often see faults and corruptions mentioned and reproved2 but we are never told that they justify desertion of the assembly1 or neglect of ordinances4 ,in short1 we must not look for a perfect ,church1 a perfect congregation1 and a perfect company of communicants1 until the marriage supper of the ,lamb4 ,if others are unworthy ,churchmen1 or unworthy partakers of the ,lord's ,supper1 the sin is theirs and not ours3 we are not their judges4 ,but to separate ourselves from ,church assemblies1 and deprive ourselves of ,christian ordinances1 because others use them unworthily1 is to take up a foolish1 unreasonable1 and unscriptural position4 ,it is not the mind of ,christ1 and it certainly is not ,st4 ,paul's idea of separation from the world4 ,i commend these six points to the calm consideration of all who wish to understand the subject of separation from the world4 ,about each and all of them far more might be said than ,i have space to say in this paper4 ,about each and all of them ,i have seen so many mistakes made1 and so much misery and unhappiness caused by those mistakes1 that ,i want to put ,christians on their guard4 ,i want them not to take up positions hastily1 in the zeal of their first love1 which they will afterwards be obliged to give up4 ,i leave this part of my subject with two pieces of advice1 which ,i offer especially to young ,christians4 ,i advise them1 for one thing1 if they really desire to come out from the world1 to remember that the shortest path is not always the path of duty4 ,to quarrel with all our unconverted relatives1 to cut all our old friends1 to withdraw entirely from mixed society1 to live an exclusive life1 to give up every act of courtesy and civility in order that we may devote ourselves to the direct work of ,christ1--all this may seem very right1 and may satisfy our consciences and save us trouble4 ,but ,i venture a doubt whether it is not often a selfish1 lazy1 self-pleasing line of conduct1 and whether the true cross and true line of duty may not be to deny ourselves1 and adopt a very different course of action4 ,i advise them1 for another thing1 if they want to come out from the world1 to watch against a sour1 morose1 ungenial1 gloomy1 unpleasant1 bearish demeanour1 and never to forget that there is such a thing as winning without the ,word4 7#a ,peter iii4 #a47 ,let them strive to show unconverted people that their principles1 whatever may be thought of them1 make them cheerful1 amiable1 good-tempered1 unselfish1 considerate for others1 and ready to take an interest in everything that is innocent and of good report4 ,in short1 let there be no needless separation between us and the world4 ,in many things1 as ,i shall soon show1 we must be separate2 but let us take care that it is separation of the right sort4 ,if the world is offended by such separation we cannot help it4 ,but let us never give the world occasion to say that our separation is foolish1 senseless1 ridiculous1 unreasonable1 uncharitable1 and unscriptural4 ,,iii4 ,in the third place1 ,i shall try to show what true separation from the world really is4 ,i take up this branch of my subject with a very deep sense of its difficulty4 ,that there is a certain line of conduct which all true ,christians ought to pursue with respect to the world1 and the things of the world1 is very evident4 ,the texts already quoted make that plain4 ,the key to the solution of that question lies in the word separation4 ,but in what separation consists it is not easy to show4 ,on some points it is not hard to lay down particular rules2 on others it is impossible to do more than state general principles1 and leave every one to apply them according to his position in life4 ,this is what ,i shall now attempt to do4 7a7 ,first and foremost1 he that desires to come out from the world1 and be separate1 must steadily and habitually refuse to be guided by the world's standard of right and wrong4 ,the rule of the bulk of mankind is to go with the stream1 to do as others1 to follow the fashion1 to keep in with the common opinion1 and to set your watch by the town-clock4 ,the true ,christian will never be content with such a rule as that4 ,he will simply ask1 ,what saith the ,scripture8 ,what is written in the ,word of ,god8 ,he will maintain firmly that nothing can be right which ,god says is wrong1 and that the customs and opinions of his neighbours can never make that to be a trifle which ,god calls serious1 or that to be no sin which ,god calls sin4 ,he will never think lightly of such sins as drinking1 swearing1 gambling1 lying1 cheating1 swindling1 or breach of the seventh commandment1 because they are common1 and many say1 ,where is the mighty harm8 ,that miserable argument1--,everybody thinks so1 everybody says so1 everybody does it1 everybody will be there1--goes for nothing with him4 ,is it condemned or approved by the ,bible8 ,that is his only question4 ,if he stands alone in the parish1 or town1 or congregation1 he will not go against the ,bible4 ,if he has to come out from the crowd1 and take a position by himself1 he will not flinch from it rather than disobey the ,bible4 ,this is genuine ,scriptural separation4 7b7 ,he that desires to come out from the world and be separate1 must be very careful how he spends his leisure time4 ,this is a point which at first sight appears of little importance4 ,but the longer ,i live1 the more ,i am persuaded that it deserves most serious attention4 ,honourable occupation and lawful business are a great safeguard to the soul1 and the time that is spent upon them is comparatively the time of our least danger4 ,the devil finds it hard to get a hearing from a busy man4 ,but when the day's work is over1 and the time of leisure arrives1 then comes the hour of temptation4 ,i do not hesitate to warn every man who wants to live a ,christian life1 to be very careful how he spends his evenings4 ,evening is the time when we are naturally disposed to unbend after the labours of the day2 and evening is the time when the ,christian is too often tempted to lay aside his armour1 and consequently brings trouble on his soul4 ,then cometh the devil1 and with the devil the world4 ,evening is the time when the poor man is tempted to go to the public-house1 and fall into sin4 ,evening is the time when the tradesman too often goes to the ,inn parlour1 and sits for hours hearing and seeing things which do him no good4 ,evening is the time which the higher classes choose for dancing1 card playing1 and the like2 and consequently never get to bed till late at night4 ,if we love our souls1 and would not become worldly1 let us mind how we spend our evenings4 ,tell me how a man spends his evenings1 and ,i can generally tell what his character is4 ,the true ,christian will do well to make it a settled rule never to waste his evenings4 ,whatever others may do1 let him resolve always to make time for quiet1 calm thought1--for ,bible-reading and prayer4 ,the rule will prove a hard one to keep4 ,it may bring on him the charge of being unsocial and over strict4 ,let him not mind this4 ,anything of this kind is better than habitual late hours in company1 hurried prayers1 slovenly ,bible reading1 and a bad conscience4 ,even if he stands alone in his parish or town1 let him not depart from his rule4 ,he will find himself in a minority1 and be thought a peculiar man4 ,but this is genuine ,scriptural separation4 7c7 ,he that desires to come out from the world and be separate1 must steadily and habitually determine not to be swallowed up and absorbed in the business of the world4 ,a true ,christian will strive to do his duty in whatever station or position he finds himself1 and to do it well4 ,whether statesman1 or merchant1 or banker1 or lawyer1 or doctor1 or tradesman1 or farmer1 he will try to do his work so that no one can find occasion for fault in him4 ,but he will not allow it to get between him and ,christ4 ,if he finds his business beginning to eat up his ,sundays1 his ,bible-reading1 his private prayer1 and to bring clouds between him and heaven1 he will say1 ,stand back6 ,there is a limit4 ,hitherto thou mayest go1 but no further4 ,i cannot sell my soul for place1 fame1 or gold4 ,like ,daniel1 he will make time for his communion with ,god1 whatever the cost may be4 ,like ,havelock1 he will deny himself anything rather than lose his ,bible-reading and his prayers4 ,in all this he will find he stands almost alone4 ,many will laugh at him1 and tell him they get on well enough without being so strict and particular4 ,he will heed it not4 ,he will resolutely hold the world at arm's length1 whatever present loss or sacrifice it may seem to entail4 ,he will choose rather to be less rich and prosperous in this world1 than not to prosper about his soul4 ,to stand alone in this way1 to run counter to the ways of others1 requires immense self denial4 ,but this is genuine ,scriptural separation4 7d7 ,he that desires to come out from the world and be separate must steadily abstain from all amusements and recreations which are inseparably connected with sin4 ,this is a hard subject to handle1 and ,i approach it with pain4 ,but ,i do not think ,i should be faithful to ,christ1 and faithful to my office as a minister1 if ,i did not speak very plainly about it1 in considering such a matter as separation from the world4 ,let me1 then1 say honestly1 that ,i cannot understand how any one who makes any pretence to real vital religion can allow himself to attend races and theatres4 ,conscience no doubt1 is a strange thing1 and every man must judge for himself and use his liberty4 ,one man sees no harm in things which another regards with abhorrence as evil4 ,i can only give my own opinion for what it is worth1 and entreat my readers to consider seriously what ,i say4 ,that to look at horses running at full speed is in itself perfectly harmless1 no sensible man will pretend to deny4 ,that many plays1 such as ,shakespeare's1 are among the finest productions of the human intellect1 is equally undeniable4 ,but all this is beside the question4 ,the question is whether horse-racing and theatres1 as they are now conducted1 in ,england1 are not inseparably bound up with things that are downright wicked4 ,i assert without hesitation that they are so bound up4 ,i assert that the breach of ,god's commandments so invariably accompanies the race and the play1 that you cannot go to the amusement without helping sin4 ,i entreat all professing ,christians to remember this1 and to take heed what they do4 ,i warn them plainly that they have no right to shut their eyes to facts which every intelligent person knows1 for the mere pleasure of seeing a horse-race1 or listening to good actors or actresses4 ,i warn them that they must not talk of separation from the world1 if they can lend their sanction to amusements which are invariably connected with gambling1 betting1 drunkenness1 and fornication4 ,these are the things which ,god will judge4--,the end of these things is death4 7,heb4 xiii4 #d2 ,rom4 vi4 #ba47 ,hard words these1 no doubt6 ,but are they not true8 ,it may seem to your relatives and friends very strait-laced1 strict1 and narrow1 if you tell them you cannot go to the races or the theatre with them4 ,but we must fall back on first principles4 ,is the world a danger to the soul1 or is it not8 ,are we to come out from the world1 or are we not8 ,these are questions which can only be answered in one way4 ,if we love our souls we must have nothing to do with amusements which are bound up with sin4 ,nothing short of this can be called genuine scriptural separation from the world4#aa #aa3 ,see ,note1 page #caj4 7e7 ,he that desires to come out from the world1 and be separate1 must be moderate in the use of lawful and innocent recreations4 ,no sensible ,christian will ever think of condemning all recreations4 ,in a world of wear and tear like that we live in1 occasional unbending and relaxation are good for all4 ,body and mind alike require seasons of lighter occupation1 and opportunities of letting off high spirits1 and especially when they are young4 ,exercise itself is a positive necessity for the preservation of mental and bodily health4 ,i see no harm in cricket1 rowing1 running1 and other manly athletic recreations4 ,i find no fault with those who play at chess and such-like games of skill4 ,we are all fearfully and wonderfully made4 ,no wonder the poet says1-- ,strange that a harp of thousand strings ,should keep in tune so long6 ,anything which strengthens nerves1 and brain1 and digestion1 and lungs1 and muscles1 and makes us more fit for ,christ's work1 so long as it is not in itself sinful1 is a blessing1 and ought to be thankfully used4 ,anything which will occasionally divert our thoughts from their usual grinding channel1 in a healthy manner1 is a good and not an evil4 ,but it is the excess of these innocent things which a true ,christian must watch against1 if he wants to be separate from the world4 ,he must not devote his whole heart1 and soul1 and mind1 and strength1 and time to them1 as many do1 if he wishes to serve ,christ4 ,there are hundreds of lawful things which are good in moderation1 but bad when taken in excess3 healthful medicine in small quantities1--downright poison when swallowed down in huge doses4 ,in nothing is this so true as it is in the matter of recreations4 ,the use of them is one thing1 and the abuse of them is another4 ,the ,christian who uses them must know when to stop1 and how to say ,hold3 enough6--,do they interfere with his private religion8 ,do they take up too much of his thoughts and attention8 ,have they a secularizing effect on his soul8 ,have they a tendency to pull him down to earth8 ,then let him hold hard and take care4 ,all this will require courage1 self-denial1 and firmness4 ,it is a line of conduct which will often bring on us the ridicule and contempt of those who know not what moderation is1 and who spend their lives in making trifles serious things and serious things trifles4 ,but if we mean to come out from the world we must not mind this4 ,we must be temperate even in lawful things1 whatever others may think of us4 ,this is genuine ,scriptural separation4 7f7 ,last1 but not least1 he that desires to come out from the world and be separate must be careful how he allows himself in friendships1 intimacies1 and close relationships with worldly people4 ,we cannot help meeting many unconverted people as long as we live4 ,we cannot avoid having intercourse with them1 and doing business with them1 unless we go out of the world4 7#a ,cor4 v4 #aj47 ,to treat them with the utmost courtesy1 kindness1 and charity1 whenever we do meet them1 is a positive duty4 ,but acquaintance is one thing1 and intimate friendship is quite another4 ,to seek their society without cause1 to choose their company1 to cultivate intimacy with them1 is very dangerous to the soul4 ,human nature is so constituted that we cannot be much with other people without effect on our own character4 ,the old proverb will never fail to prove true3 ,tell me with whom a man chooses to live1 and ,i will tell you what he is4 ,the ,scripture says expressly1 ,he that walketh with wise men shall be wise2 but a companion of fools shall be destroyed4 7,prov4 xiii4 #bj47 ,if then a ,christian1 who desires to live consistently1 chooses for his friends those who either do not care for their souls1 or the ,bible1 or ,god1 or ,christ1 or holiness1 or regard them as of secondary importance1 it seems to me impossible for him to prosper in his religion4 ,he will soon find that their ways are not his ways1 nor their thoughts his thoughts1 nor their tastes his tastes2 and that1 unless they change1 he must give up intimacy with them4 ,in short1 there must be separation4 ,of course such separation will be painful4 ,but if we have to choose between the loss of a friend and the injury of our souls1 there ought to be no doubt in our minds4 ,if friends will not walk in the narrow way with us1 we must not walk in the broad way to please them4 ,but let us distinctly understand that to attempt to keep up close intimacy between a converted and an unconverted person1 if both are consistent with their natures1 is to attempt an impossibility4 ,the principle here laid down ought to be carefully remembered by all unmarried ,christians in the choice of a husband or wife4 ,i fear it is too often entirely forgotten4 ,too many seem to think of everything except religion in choosing a partner for life1 or to suppose that it will come somehow as a matter of course4 ,yet when a praying1 ,bible-reading1 ,god-fearing1 ,christ-loving1 ,sabbath-keeping ,christian marries a person who takes no interest whatever in serious religion1 what can the result be but injury to the ,christian1 or immense unhappiness8 ,health is not infectious1 but disease is4 ,as a general rule1 in such cases1 the good go down to the level of the bad1 and the bad do not come up to the level of the good4 ,the subject is a delicate one1 and ,i do not care to dwell upon it4 ,but this ,i say confidently to every unmarried ,christian man or woman1--if you love your soul1 if you do not want to fall away and backslide1 if you do not want to destroy your own peace and comfort for life1 resolve never to marry any person who is not a thorough ,christian1 whatever the resolution may cost you4 ,you had better die than marry an unbeliever4 ,stand to this resolution1 and let no one ever persuade you out of it4 ,depart from this resolution1 and you will find it almost impossible to come out and be separate4 ,you will find you have tied a mill-stone round your own neck in running the race towards heaven2 and1 if saved at last1 it will be so as by fire4 7#a ,cor4 iii4 #ae47 ,i offer these six general hints to all who wish to follow ,st4 ,paul's advice1 and to come out from the world and be separate4 ,in giving them1 ,i lay no claim to infallibility2 but ,i believe they deserve consideration and attention4 ,i do not forget that the subject is full of difficulties1 and that scores of doubtful cases are continually arising in a ,christian's course1 in which it is very hard to say what is the path of duty1 and how to behave4 ,perhaps the following bits of advice may be found useful4--,in all doubtful cases we should first pray for wisdom and sound judgment4 ,if prayer is worth anything1 it must be specially valuable when we desire to do right1 but do not see our way4--,in all doubtful cases let us often try ourselves by recollecting the eye of ,god4 ,should ,i go to such and such a place1 or do such and such a thing1 if ,i really thought ,god was looking at me8--,in all doubtful cases let us never forget the second advent of ,christ and the day of judgment4 ,should ,i like to be found in such and such company1 or employed in such and such ways8--,finally1 in all doubtful cases let us find out what the conduct of the holiest and best ,christians has been under similar circumstances4 ,if we do not clearly see our own way1 we need not be ashamed to follow good examples4 ,i throw out these suggestions for the use of all who are in difficulties about disputable points in the matter of separation from the world4 ,i cannot help thinking that they may help to untie many knots1 and solve many problems4 ,,iv4 ,i shall now conclude the whole subject by trying to show the secrets of real victory over the world4 ,to come out from the world of course is not an easy thing4 ,it cannot be easy so long as human nature is what it is1 and a busy devil is always near us4 ,it requires a constant struggle and exertion2 it entails incessant conflict and self-denial2 it often places us in exact opposition to members of our own families1 to relations and neighbours2 it sometimes obliges us to do things which give great offence1 and bring on us ridicule and petty persecution4 ,it is precisely this which makes many hang back and shrink from decided religion4 ,they know they are not right2 they know that they are not so thorough in ,christ's service as they ought to be1 and they feel uncomfortable and ill at ease4 ,but the fear of man keeps them back4 ,and so they linger on through life with aching1 dissatisfied hearts1--with too much religion to be happy in the world1 and too much of the world to be happy in their religion4 ,i fear this is a very common case1 if the truth were known4 ,yet there are some in every age who seem to get the victory over the world4 ,they come out decidedly from its ways1 and are unmistakably separate4 ,they are independent of its opinions1 and unshaken by its opposition4 ,they move on like planets in an orbit of their own1 and seem to rise equally above the world's smiles and frowns4 ,and what are the secrets of their victory8 ,i will set them down4 7a7 ,the first secret of victory over the world is a right heart4 ,by that ,i mean a heart renewed1 changed and sanctified by the ,holy ,ghost1--a heart in which ,christ dwells1 a heart in which old things have passed away1 and all things become new4 ,the grand mark of such a heart is the bias of its tastes and affections4 ,the owner of such a heart no longer likes the world1 and the things of the world1 and therefore finds it no trial or sacrifice to give them up4 ,he has no longer any appetite for the company1 the conversation1 the amusements1 the occupations1 the books which he once loved1 and to come out from them seems natural to him4 ,great indeed is the expulsive power of a new principle6 ,just as the new spring-buds in a beech hedge push off the old leaves and make them quietly fall to the ground1 so does the new heart of a believer invariably affect his tastes and likings1 and make him drop many things which he once loved and lived in1 because he now likes them no more4 ,let him that wants to come out from the world and be separate1 make sure first and foremost that he has got a new heart4 ,if the heart is really right1 everything else will be right in time4 ,if thine eye be single1 thy whole body shall be full of light4 7,matt4 vi4 #bb47 ,if the affections are not right1 there never will be right action4 7b7 ,the second secret of victory over the world is a lively practical faith in unseen things4 ,what saith the ,scripture8 ,this is the victory that overcometh the world1 even our faith4 7#a ,john v4 #d47 ,to attain and keep up the habit of looking steadily at invisible things1 as if they were visible1--to set before our minds every day1 as grand realities1 our souls1 ,god1 ,christ1 heaven1 hell1 judgment1 eternity1--to cherish an abiding conviction that what we do not see is just as real as what we do see1 and ten thousand times more important1--this1 this is one way to be conquerors over the world4 ,this was the faith which made the noble army of saints1 described in the eleventh chapter of ,hebrews1 obtain such a glorious testimony from the ,holy ,ghost4 ,they all acted under a firm persuasion that they had a real ,god1 a real ,saviour1 and a real home in heaven1 though unseen by mortal eyes4 ,armed with this faith1 a man regards this world as a shadow compared to the world to come1 and cares little for its praise or blame1 its enmity or its rewards4 ,let him that wants to come out from the world and be separate1 but shrinks and hangs back for fear of the things seen1 pray and strive to have this faith4 ,all things are possible to him that believes4 7,mark ix4 #bc47 ,like ,moses1 he will find it possible to forsake ,egypt1 seeing ,him that is invisible4 ,like ,moses1 he will not care what he loses and who is displeased1 because he sees afar off1 like one looking through a telescope1 a substantial recompense of reward4 7,heb4 xi4 #bf47 7c7 ,the third and last secret of victory over the world1 is to attain and cultivate the habit of boldly confessing ,christ on all proper occasions4 ,in saying this ,i would not be mistaken4 ,i want no one to blow a trumpet before him1 and thrust his religion on others at all seasons4 ,but ,i do wish to encourage all who strive to come out from the world to show their colours1 and to act and speak out like men who are not ashamed to serve ,christ4 ,a steady1 quiet assertion of our own principles1 as ,christians1--an habitual readiness to let the children of the world see that we are guided by other rules than they are1 and do not mean to swerve from them1--a calm1 firm1 courteous maintenance of our own standard of things in every company1--all this will insensibly form a habit within us1 and make it comparatively easy to be a separate man4 ,it will be hard at first1 no doubt1 and cost us many a struggle2 but the longer we go on1 the easier will it be4 ,repeated acts of confessing ,christ will produce habits4 ,habits once formed will produce a settled character4 ,our characters once known1 we shall be saved much trouble4 ,men will know what to expect from us1 and will count it no strange thing if they see us living the lives of separate peculiar people4 ,he that grasps the nettle most firmly will always be less hurt than the man who touches it with a trembling hand4 ,it is a great thing to be able to say ,no decidedly1 but courteously1 when asked to do anything which conscience says is wrong4 ,he that shows his colours boldly from the first1 and is never ashamed to let men see whose he is and whom he serves1 will soon find that he has overcome the world1 and will be let alone4 ,bold confession is a long step towards victory4 ,it only remains for me now to conclude the whole subject with a few short words of application4 ,the danger of the world ruining the soul1 the nature of true separation from the world1 the secrets of victory over the world1 are all before the reader of this paper4 ,i now ask him to give me his attention for the last time1 while ,i try to say something directly for his personal benefit4 7#a7 ,my first word shall be a question4 ,are you overcoming the world1 or are you overcome by it8 ,do you know what it is to come out from the world and be separate1 or are you yet entangled by it1 and conformed to it8 ,if you have any desire to be saved1 ,i entreat you to answer this question4 ,if you know nothing of separation1 ,i warn you affectionately that your soul is in great danger4 ,the world passeth away2 and they who cling to the world1 and think only of the world1 will pass away with it to everlasting ruin4 ,awake to know your peril before it be too late4 ,awake and flee from the wrath to come4 ,the time is short4 ,the end of all things is at hand4 ,the shadows are lengthening4 ,the sun is going down4 ,the night cometh when no man can work4 ,the great white throne will soon be set4 ,the judgment will begin4 ,the books will be opened4 ,awake1 and come out from the world while it is called to-day4 ,yet a little while1 and there will be no more worldly occupations and worldly amusements1--no more getting money and spending money1--no more eating1 and drinking1 and feasting1 and dressing1 and ball-going1 and theatres1 and races1 and cards1 and gambling4 ,what will you do when all these things have passed away for ever8 ,how can you possibly be happy in an eternal heaven1 where holiness is all in all1 and worldliness has no place8 ,oh consider these things1 and be wise6 ,awake1 and break the chains which the world has thrown around you4 ,awake1 and flee from the wrath to come4 7#b7 ,my second word shall be a counsel4 ,if you want to come out from the world1 but know not what to do1 take the advice which ,i give you this day4 ,begin by applying direct1 as a penitent sinner1 to our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and put your case in ,his hands4 ,pour out your heart before ,him4 ,tell ,him your whole story1 and keep nothing back4 ,tell ,him that you are a sinner wanting to be saved from the world1 the flesh1 and the devil1 and entreat ,him to save you4 ,that blessed ,saviour gave ,himself for us that ,he might deliver us from this present evil world4 7,gal4 i4 #b47 ,he knows what the world is1 for ,he lived in it thirty and three years4 ,he knows what the difficulties of a man are1 for ,he was made man for our sakes1 and dwelt among men4 ,high in heaven1 at the right hand of ,god1 ,he is able to save to the uttermost all who come to ,god by ,him1--able to keep us from the evil of the world while we are still living in it1--able to give us power to become the sons of ,god1--able to keep us from falling1--able to make us more than conquerors4 ,once more ,i say1 ,go direct to ,christ with the prayer of faith1 and put yourself wholly and unreservedly in ,his hands4 ,hard as it may seem to you now to come out from the world and be separate1 you shall find that with ,jesus nothing is impossible4 ,you1 even you1 shall overcome the world4 7#c7 ,my third and last word shall be encouragement4 ,if you have learned by experience what it is to come out from the world1 ,i can only say to you1 ,take comfort1 and persevere4 ,you are in the right road2 you have no cause to be afraid4 ,the everlasting hills are in sight4 ,your salvation is nearer than when you believed4 ,take comfort and press on4 ,no doubt you have had many a battle1 and made many a false step4 ,you have sometimes felt ready to faint1 and been half disposed to go back to ,egypt4 ,but your ,master has never entirely left you1 and ,he will never suffer you to be tempted above that you are able to bear4 ,then persevere steadily in your separation from the world1 and never be ashamed of standing alone4 ,settle it firmly in your mind that the most decided ,christians are always the happiest1 and remember that no one ever said at the end of his course that he had been too holy1 and lived too near to ,god4 ,hear1 last of all1 what is written in the ,scriptures of truth3 ,whosoever shall confess ,me before men1 him shall the ,son of man also confess before the angels of ,god4 7,luke xii4 #h47 ,there is no man that hath left house1 or brethren1 or sisters1 or father1 or mother1 or wife1 or children1 or lands1 for my sake1 and the gospel's1 ,but he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time1 houses1 and brethren1 and sisters1 and mothers1 and children1 and lands1 with persecutions2 and in the world to come eternal life4 7,mark x4 #bi1 #cj47 ,cast not away therefore your confidence1 which hath great recompense of reward4 ,for ye have need of patience1 that1 after ye have done the will of ,god1 ye might receive the promise4 ,for yet a little while1 and ,he that shall come will come1 and will not tarry4 7,heb4 x4 #ce--cg47 ,those words were written and spoken for our sakes4 ,let us lay hold on them1 and never forget them4 ,let us persevere to the end1 and never be ashamed of coming out from the world1 and being separate4 ,we may be sure it brings its own reward4 ,,note ,thoughtful and intelligent readers will probably observe that1 under the head of worldly amusements1 ,i have said nothing about ball-going and card-playing4 ,they are delicate and difficult subjects1 and many classes of society are not touched by them4 ,but ,i am quite willing to give my opinion1 and the more so because ,i do not speak of them without experience in the days of my youth4 7a7 ,concerning ball-going1 ,i only ask ,christians to judge the amusement by its tendencies and accompaniments4 ,to say there is anything morally wrong in the mere bodily act of dancing would be absurd4 ,david danced before the ark4 ,solomon said1 ,there is a time to dance4 7,eccle4 iii #d47 ,just as it is natural to lambs and kittens to frisk about1 so it seems natural to young people1 all over the world1 to jump about to a lively tune of music4 ,if dancing were taken up for mere exercise1 if dancing took place at early hours1 and men only danced with men1 and women with women1 it would be needless and absurd to object to it4 ,but everybody knows that this is not what is meant by modern ball-going4 ,this is an amusement which involves very late hours1 extravagant dressing1 and an immense amount of frivolity1 vanity1 jealousy1 unhealthy excitement1 and vain conversation4 ,who would like to be found in a modern ball-room when the ,lord ,jesus ,christ comes the second time8 ,who that has taken much part in balls1 as ,i myself once did1 before ,i knew better1 can deny that they have a most dissipating effect on the mind1 like opium-eating and dram-drinking on the body8 ,i cannot withhold my opinion that ball-going is one of those worldly amusements which war against the soul1 and which it is wisest and best to give up4 ,and as for those parents who urge their sons and daughters1 against their wills and inclinations1 to go to balls1 ,i can only say that they are taking on themselves a most dangerous responsibility1 and risking great injury to their children's souls4 7b7 ,concerning card-playing1 my judgment is much the same4 ,i ask ,christian people to try it by its tendencies and consequences4 ,of course it would be nonsense to say there is positive wickedness in an innocent game of cards1 for diversion1 and not for money4 ,i have known instances of old people of lethargic and infirm habit of body1 unable to work or read1 to whom cards in an evening were really useful1 to keep them from drowsiness1 and preserve their health4 ,but it is vain to shut our eyes to facts4 ,if masters and mistresses once begin to play cards in the parlour1 servants are likely to play cards in the kitchen2 and then comes in a whole train of evils4 ,moreover1 from simple card-playing to desperate gambling there is but a chain of steps4 ,if parents teach young people that there is no harm in the first step1 they must never be surprised if they go on to the last4 ,i give this opinion with much diffidence4 ,i lay no claim to infallibility4 ,let every one be persuaded in his own mind4 ,but1 considering all things1 it is my deliberate judgment that the ,christian who wishes to keep his soul right1 and to come out from the world1 will do wisely to have nothing to do with card-playing4 ,it is a habit which seems to grow on some people so much that it becomes at last a necessity1 and they cannot live without it4 ,madam1 said ,romaine to an old lady at ,bath1 who declared she could not do without her cards1--,madam1 if this is the case1 cards are your god1 and your god is a very poor one4 ,surely in doubtful matters like these it is well to give our souls the benefit of the doubt1 and to refrain4 7c7 ,concerning field-sports1 ,i admit that it is not easy to lay down a strict rule4 ,i cannot go the length of some1 and say that galloping across country1 or shooting grouse1 partridges1 or pheasants1 or catching salmon or trout1 are in themselves positively sinful occupations1 and distinct marks of an unconverted heart4 ,there are many persons1 ,i know1 to whom violent out-door exercise and complete diversion of mind are absolute necessities1 for the preservation of their bodily and mental health4 ,but in all these matters the chief question is one of degree4 ,much depends on the company men are thrown into1 and the extent to which the thing is carried4 ,the great danger lies in excess4 ,it is possible to be intemperate about hunting and shooting as well as about drinking4 ,we are commanded in ,scripture to be temperate in all things1 if we would so run as to obtain2 and those who are addicted to field-sports should not forget this rule4 ,the question1 however1 is one about which ,christians must be careful in expressing an opinion1 and moderate in their judgments4 ,the man who can neither ride1 nor shoot1 nor throw a fly1 is hardly qualified to speak dispassionately about such matters4 ,it is cheap and easy work to condemn others for doing things which you cannot do yourself1 and are utterly unable to enjoy6 ,one thing only is perfectly certain1--all intemperance or excess is sin4 ,the man who is wholly absorbed in field-sports1 and spends all his years in such a manner that he seems to think ,god only created him to be a hunting1 shooting1 and fishing animal1 is a man who at present knows very little of ,scriptural ,christianity4 ,it is written1 ,where your treasure is1 there will your heart be also4 7,matt4 vi4 #ba47 ,,xiii ,,riches ,,and ,,poverty ,there was a certain rich man1 which was clothed in purple and fine linen1 and fared sumptuously every day3 ,and there was a certain beggar named ,lazarus1 which was laid at his gate1 full of sores1 ,and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table3 moreover1 the dogs came and licked his sores4 ,and it came to pass that the beggar died1 and was carried by the angels into ,abraham's bosom3 the rich man also died1 and was buried2 ,and in hell he lift up his eyes1 being in torments1 and seeth ,abraham afar off1 and ,lazarus in his bosom4-- ,luke xvi4 #ai--bc4 ,there are probably few readers of the ,bible who are not familiar with the parable of the rich man and ,lazarus4 ,it is one of those passages of ,scripture which leave an indelible impression on the mind4 ,like the parable of the ,prodigal ,son1 once read it is never forgotten4 ,the reason of this is clear and simple4 ,the whole parable is a most vividly painted picture4 ,the story1 as it goes on1 carries our senses with it with irresistible power4 ,instead of readers1 we become lookers on4 ,we are witnesses of all the events described4 ,we see4 ,we hear4 ,we fancy we could almost touch4 ,the rich man's banquet1--the purple1--the fine linen1--the gate1--the beggar lying by it1--the sores1--the dogs1--the crumbs1--the two deaths1--the rich man's burial1--the ministering angels1--the bosom of ,abraham1--the rich man's fearful waking up1--the fire1--the gulf1--the hopeless remorse1--all1 all stand out before our eyes in bold relief1 and stamp themselves upon our minds4 ,this is the perfection of language4 ,this is the attainment of the famous ,arabian standard of eloquence1--,he speaks the best who turns the ear into an eye4 ,but1 after all1 it is one thing to admire the masterly composition of this parable1 and quite another to receive the spiritual lessons it contains4 ,the eye of the intellect can often see beauties while the heart remains asleep1 and sees nothing at all4 ,hundreds read ,pilgrim's ,progress with deep interest1 to whom the struggle for the celestial city is foolishness4 ,thousands are familiar with every word of the parable before us this day1 who never consider how it comes home to their own case4 ,their conscience is deaf to the cry which ought to ring in their ears as they read1--,thou art the man4 ,their heart never turns to ,god with the solemn inquiry1--,lord1 is this my picture8--,lord1 is it ,i8 ,i invite my readers this day to consider the leading truths which this parable is meant to teach us4 ,i purposely omit to notice any part of it but that which stands at the head of this paper4 ,may the ,holy ,ghost give us a teachable spirit1 and an understanding heart1 and so produce lasting impressions on our souls6 ,i4 ,let us observe1 first of all1 how different are the conditions which ,god allots to different men4 ,the ,lord ,jesus begins the parable by telling us of a rich man and a beggar4 ,he says not a word in praise either of poverty or of riches4 ,he describes the circumstances of a wealthy man and the circumstances of a poor man2 but ,he neither condemns the temporal position of one1 nor praises that of the other4 ,the contrast between the two men is painfully striking4 ,look on this picture1 and on that4 ,here is one who possessed abundance of this world's good things4 ,he was clothed in purple and fine linen1 and fared sumptuously every day4 ,here is another who has literally nothing4 ,he is a friendless1 diseased1 half-starved pauper4 ,he lies at the rich man's gate full of sores1 and begs for crumbs4 ,both are children of ,adam4 ,both came from the same dust1 and belonged to one family4 ,both are living in the same land and subjects of the same government4 ,and yet how different is their condition6 ,but we must take heed that we do not draw lessons from the parable which it was never meant to teach4 ,the rich are not always bad men1 and do not always go to hell4 ,the poor are not always good men1 and do not always go to heaven4 ,we must not rush into the extreme of supposing that it is sinful to be rich4 ,we must not run away with the idea that there is anything wicked in the difference of condition here described1 and that ,god intended all men to be equal4 ,there is nothing in our ,lord ,jesus ,christ's words to warrant any such conclusion4 ,he simply describes things as they are often seen in the world1 and as we must expect to see them4 ,universal equality is a very high-sounding expression1 and a favourite idea with visionary men4 ,many in every age have disturbed society by stirring up the poor against the rich1 and by preaching up the popular doctrine that all men ought to be equal4 ,but so long as the world is under the present order of things this universal equality cannot be attained4 ,those who declaim against the vast inequality of men's lots will doubtless never be in want of hearers2 but so long as human nature is what it is1 this inequality cannot be prevented4 ,so long as some are wise and some are foolish1--some strong and some weak1--some healthy and some diseased1--some lazy and some diligent1--some provident and some improvident2--so long as children reap the fruit of their parent's misconduct2--so long as sun1 and rain1 and heat1 and cold1 and wind1 and waves1 and drought1 and blight1 and storms1 and tempests are beyond man's control1--so long there always will be some rich and some poor4 ,all the political economy in the world will never make the poor altogether cease out of the land4 7,deut4 xv4 #aa47 ,take all the property in ,england by force this day1 and divide it equally among the inhabitants4 ,give every man above twenty years old an equal portion4 ,let all take share and share alike1 and begin the world over again4 ,do this1 and see where you would be at the end of fifty years4 ,you would just have come round to the point where you began4 ,you would just find things as unequal as before4 ,some would have worked1 and some would have been idle4 ,some would have been always careless1 and some always scheming4 ,some would have sold1 and others would have bought4 ,some would have wasted1 and others would have saved4 ,and the end would be that some would be rich and others poor4 ,let no man listen to those vain and foolish talkers who say that all men were meant to be equal4 ,they might as well tell you that all men ought to be of the same height1 weight1 strength1 and cleverness1--or that all oak trees ought to be of the same shape and size1--or that all blades of grass ought to be of the same length4 ,settle it in your mind that the main cause of all the suffering you see around you is sin4 ,sin is the grand cause of the enormous luxury of the rich1 and the painful degradation of the poor1--of the heartless selfishness of the highest classes1 and the helpless poverty of the lowest4 ,sin must be first cast out of the world4 ,the hearts of all men must be renewed and sanctified4 ,the devil must be bound4 ,the ,prince of ,peace must come down and take ,his great power and reign4 ,all this must be before there ever can be universal happiness1 or the gulf be filled up which now divides the rich and poor4 ,beware of expecting a millennium to be brought about by any method of government1 by any system of education1 by any political party4 ,labour might and main to do good to all men4 ,pity your poorer brethren1 and help every reasonable endeavour to raise them from their low estate4 ,slack not your hand from any endeavour to increase knowledge1 to promote morality1 to improve the temporal condition of the poor4 ,but never1 never forget that you live in a fallen world1 that sin is all around you1 and that the devil is abroad4 ,and be very sure that the rich man and ,lazarus are emblems of two classes which will always be in the world until the ,lord comes4 ,,ii4 ,let us observe1 in the next place1 that a man's temporal condition is no test of the state of his soul4 ,the rich man in the parable appears to have been the world's pattern of a prosperous man4 ,if the life that now is were all1 he seems to have had everything that heart could wish4 ,we know that he was clothed in purple and fine linen1 and fared sumptuously every day4 ,we need not doubt that he had everything else which money could procure4 ,the wisest of men had good cause for saying1 ,money answereth all things4 ,the rich hath many friends4 7,eccles4 x4 #ai2 ,prov4 xiv4 #bj47 ,but who that reads the story through can fail to see that in the highest and best sense the rich man was pitiably poor8 ,take away the good things of this life1 and he had nothing left1--nothing after death1--nothing beyond the grave1--nothing in the world to come4 ,with all his riches he had no treasure laid up in heaven4 ,with all his purple and fine linen he had no garment of righteousness4 ,with all his boon companions he had no ,friend and ,advocate at ,god's right hand4 ,with all his sumptuous fare he had never tasted the bread of life4 ,with all his splendid palace he had no home in the eternal world4 ,without ,god1 without ,christ1 without faith1 without grace1 without pardon1 without holiness1 he lives to himself for a few short years1 and then goes down hopelessly into the pit4 ,how hollow and unreal was all his prosperity6 ,judge what ,i say1--,the rich man was very poor4 ,lazarus appears to have been one who had literally nothing in the world4 ,it is hard to conceive a case of greater misery and destitution than his4 ,he had neither house1 nor money1 nor food1 nor health1 nor1 in all probability1 even clothes4 ,his picture is one that can never be forgotten4 ,he lay at the rich man's gate1 covered with sores4 ,he desired to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table4 ,moreover1 the dogs came and licked his sores4 ,verily the wise man might well say1 ,the poor is hated even of his neighbour4 ,the destruction of the poor is their poverty4 7,prov4 xiv4 #bj2 x4 #ae47 ,but who that reads the parable to the end can fail to see that in the highest sense ,lazarus was not poor1 but rich8 ,he was a child of ,god4 ,he was an heir of glory4 ,he possessed durable riches and righteousness4 ,his name was in the book of life4 ,his place was prepared for ,him in heaven4 ,he had the best of clothing1--the righteousness of a ,saviour4 ,he had the best of friends1--,god ,himself was his portion4 ,he had the best of food1--he had meat to eat the world knew not of4 ,and1 best of all1 he had these things for ever4 ,they supported him in life4 ,they did not leave him in the hour of death4 ,they went with him beyond the grave4 ,they were his to eternity4 ,surely in this point of view we may well say1 not poor ,lazarus1 but rich ,lazarus4 ,we should do well to measure all men by ,god's standard1--to measure them not by the amount of their income1 but by the condition of their souls4 ,when the ,lord ,god looks down from heaven and sees the children of men1 ,he takes no account of many things which are highly esteemed by the world4 ,he looks not at men's money1 or lands1 or titles4 ,he looks only at the state of their souls1 and reckons them accordingly4 ,oh1 that you would strive to do likewise6 ,oh1 that you would value grace above titles1 or intellect1 or gold6 ,often1 far too often1 the only question asked about a man is1 ,how much is he worth8 ,it would be well for us all to remember that every man is pitiably poor until he is rich in faith1 and rich toward ,god4 7,james ii4 #e47 ,wonderful as it may seem to some1 all the money in the world is worthless in ,god's balances1 compared to grace6 ,hard as the saying may sound1 ,i believe that a converted beggar is far more important and honourable in the sight of ,god than an unconverted king4 ,the one may glitter like the butterfly in the sun for a little season1 and be admired by an ignorant world2 but his latter end is darkness and misery for ever4 ,the other may crawl through the world like a crushed worm1 and be despised by every one who sees him2 but his latter end is a glorious resurrection and a blessed eternity with ,christ4 ,of him the ,lord says1 ,i know thy poverty 7but thou art rich74 7,rev4 ii4 #i47 ,king ,ahab was ruler over the ten tribes of ,israel4 ,obadiah was nothing more than a servant in his household4 ,yet who can doubt which was most precious in ,god's sight1 the servant or the king8 ,ridley and ,latimer were deposed from all their dignities1 cast into prison as malefactors1 and at length burnt at the stake4 ,bonner and ,gardiner1 their persecutors1 were raised to the highest pitch of ecclesiastical greatness1 enjoyed large incomes1 and died unmolested in their beds4 ,yet who can doubt which of the two parties was on the ,lord's side8 ,baxter1 the famous divine1 was persecuted with savage malignity1 and condemned to a long imprisonment by a most unjust judgment4 ,jeffreys1 the ,lord ,chief ,justice1 who sentenced him1 was a man of infamous character1 without either morality or religion4 ,baxter was sent to jail and ,jeffreys was loaded with honours4 ,yet who can doubt which was the good man of the two1 the ,lord ,chief ,justice or the author of the ,saint's ,rest8 ,we may be very sure that riches and worldly greatness are no certain marks of ,god's favour4 ,they are often1 on the contrary1 a snare and hindrance to a man's soul4 ,they make him love the world and forget ,god4 ,what says ,solomon8 ,labour not to be rich4 7,prov4 xxiii4 #d47 ,what says ,st4 ,paul8 ,they that will be rich1 fall into temptation and a snare1 and into many foolish and hurtful lusts1 which drown men in destruction and perdition4 7#a ,tim4 vi4 #i47 ,we may be no less sure that poverty and trial are no certain proof of ,god's anger4 ,they are often blessings in disguise4 ,they are always sent in love and wisdom4 ,they often serve to wean man from the world4 ,they teach him to set his affections on things above4 ,they often show the sinner his own heart4 ,they often make the saint fruitful in good works4 ,what says the book of ,job8 ,happy is the man whom ,god correcteth2 therefore despise not thou the chastening of the ,almighty4 7,job v4 #ag47 ,what says ,st4 ,paul8 ,whom the ,lord loveth ,he chasteneth4 7,heb4 xii4 #f47 ,one great secret of happiness in this life is to be of a patient1 contented spirit4 ,strive daily to realize the truth that this life is not the place of reward4 ,the time of retribution and recompense is yet to come4 ,judge nothing hastily before that time4 ,remember the words of the wise man3 ,if thou seest the oppression of the poor1 and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province1 marvel not at the matter3 for ,he that is higher than the highest regardeth1 and there be higher than they4 7,eccles4 v4 #h47 ,yes6 there is a day of judgment yet to come4 ,that day shall put all in their right places4 ,at last there shall be seen a mighty difference between him that serveth ,god2 and him that serveth ,him not4 7,malachi iii4 #ah47 ,the children of ,lazarus and the children of the rich man shall1 at length be seen in their true colours1 and every one shall receive according to his works4 ,,iii4 ,let us observe1 in the next place1 how all classes alike come to the grave4 ,the rich man in the parable died1 and ,lazarus died also4 ,different and divided as they were in their lives1 they had both to drink of the same cup at the last4 ,both went to the house appointed for all living4 ,both went to that place where rich and poor meet together4 ,dust they were1 and unto dust they returned4 7,gen4 iii4 #ai47 ,this is the lot of all men4 ,it will be our own1 unless the ,lord shall first return in glory4 ,after all our scheming1 and contriving1 and planning1 and studying1--after all our inventions1 and discoveries1 and scientific attainments1--there remains one enemy we cannot conquer and disarm1 and that is death4 ,the chapter in ,genesis which records the long lives of ,methuselah and the rest who lived before the flood1 winds up the simple story of each by two expressive words3 he died4 ,and now1 after #d1hjj years1 what more can be said of the greatest among ourselves8 ,the histories of ,marlborough1 and ,washington1 and ,napoleon1 and ,wellington1 arrive at just the same humbling conclusion4 ,the end of each1 after all his greatness is just this1--he died4 ,death is a mighty leveller4 ,he spares none1 he waits for none1 and stands on no ceremony4 ,he will not tarry till you are ready4 ,he will not be kept out by moats1 and doors1 and bars1 and bolts4 ,the ,englishman boasts that his home is his castle1 but with all his boasting1 he cannot exclude death4 ,an ,austrian nobleman forbade death and the smallpox to be named in his presence4 ,but1 named or not named1 it matters little1 in ,god's appointed hour death will come4 ,one man rolls easily along the road in the easiest and handsomest carriage that money can procure4 ,another toils wearily along the path on foot4 ,yet both are sure to meet at last in the same home4 ,one man1 like ,absalom1 has fifty servants to wait upon him and do his bidding4 ,another has none to lift a finger to do him a service4 ,but both are travelling to a place where they must lie down alone4 ,one man is the owner of hundreds of thousands4 ,another has scarce a shilling that he can call his own property4 ,yet neither one nor the other can carry one farthing with him into the unseen world4 ,one man is the possessor of half a county4 ,another has not so much as a garden of herbs4 ,and yet two paces of the vilest earth will be amply sufficient for either of them at the last4 ,one man pampers his body with every possible delicacy1 and clothes it in the richest and softest apparel4 ,another has scarce enough to eat1 and seldom enough to put on4 ,yet both alike are hurrying on to a day when ashes to ashes1 and dust to dust1 shall be proclaimed over them1 and fifty years hence none shall be able to say1 ,this was the rich man's bone1 and this the bone of the poor4 ,i know that these are ancient things4 ,i do not deny it for a moment4 ,i am writing stale old things that all men know4 ,but ,i am also writing things that all men do not feel4 ,oh1 no6 if they did feel them they would not speak and act as they do4 ,you wonder sometimes at the tone and language of ministers of the ,gospel4 ,you marvel that we press upon you immediate decision4 ,you think us extreme1 and extravagant1 and ultra in our views1 because we urge upon you to close with ,christ1--to leave nothing uncertain1--to make sure that you are born again and ready for heaven4 ,you hear1 but do not approve4 ,you go away1 and say to one another1--,the man means well1 but he goes too far4 ,but do you not see that the reality of death is continually forbidding us to use other language8 ,we see him gradually thinning our congregations4 ,we miss face after face in our assemblies4 ,we know not whose turn may come next4 ,we only know that as the tree falls there it will lie1 and that after death comes the judgment4 ,we must be bold and decided1 and uncompromising in our language4 ,we would rather run the risk of offending some1 than of losing any4 ,we would aim at the standard set up by old ,baxter3-- ,i'll preach as though ,i ne'er should preach again1 ,and as a dying man to dying men6 ,we would realize the character given by ,charles ,,ii4 of one of his preachers3 ,that man preaches as though death was behind his back4 ,when ,i hear him ,i cannot go to sleep4 ,oh1 that men would learn to live as those who may one day die6 ,truly it is poor work to set our affections on a dying world and its shortlived comforts1 and for the sake of an inch of time to lose a glorious immortality6 ,here we are toiling1 and labouring1 and wearying ourselves about trifles1 and running to and fro like ants upon a heap2 and yet after a few years we shall all be gone1 and another generation will fill our place4 ,let us live for eternity4 ,let us seek a portion that can never be taken from us4 ,and let us never forget ,john ,bunyan's golden rule3 ,he that would live well1 let him make his dying day his company-keeper4 ,,iv4 ,let us observe1 in the next place1 how precious a believer's soul is in the sight of ,god4 ,the rich man1 in the parable1 dies and is buried4 ,perhaps he had a splendid funeral1--a funeral proportioned to his expenditure while he was yet alive4 ,but we hear nothing further of the moment when soul and body were divided4 ,the next thing we hear of is that he is in hell4 ,the poor man1 in the parable1 dies also4 ,what manner of burial he had we know not4 ,a pauper's funeral among ourselves is a melancholy business4 ,the funeral of ,lazarus was probably no better4 ,but this we do know1--that the moment ,lazarus dies he is carried by the angels into ,abraham's bosom1--carried to a place of rest1 where all the faithful are waiting for the resurrection of the just4 ,there is something to my mind very striking1 very touching1 and very comforting in this expression of the parable4 ,i ask your especial attention to it4 ,it throws great light on the relation of all sinners of mankind who believe in ,christ1 to their ,god and ,father4 ,it shows a little of the care bestowed on the least and lowest of ,christ's disciples1 by the ,king of kings4 ,no man has such friends and attendants as the believer1 however little he may think it4 ,angels rejoice over him in the day that he is born again of the ,spirit4 ,angels minister to him all through life4 ,angels encamp around him in the wilderness of this world4 ,angels take charge of his soul in death1 and bear it safely home4 ,yes6 vile as he may be in his own eyes1 and lowly in his own sight1 the very poorest and humblest believer in ,jesus is cared for by his ,father in heaven1 with a care that passeth knowledge4 ,the ,lord has become his ,shepherd1 and he can want nothing4 7,ps4 xxiii4 #a47 ,only let a man come unfeignedly to ,christ1 and be joined to ,him1 and he shall have all the benefits of a covenant ordered in all things and sure4 ,is he laden with many sins8 ,though they be as scarlet they shall be white as snow4 ,is his heart hard and prone to evil8 ,a new heart shall be given to him1 and a new spirit put in him4 ,is he weak and cowardly8 ,he that enabled ,peter to confess ,christ before his enemies shall make him bold4 ,is he ignorant8 ,he that bore with ,thomas' slowness shall bear with him1 and guide him into all truth4 ,is he alone in his position8 ,he that stood by ,paul when all men forsook him shall also stand by his side4 ,is he in circumstances of special trial8 ,he that enabled men to be saints in ,nero's household shall also enable him to persevere4 ,the very hairs of his head are all numbered4 ,nothing can harm him without ,god's permission4 ,he that hurteth him1 hurteth the apple of ,god's eye1 and injures a brother and member of ,christ ,himself4 ,his trials are all wisely ordered4 ,satan can only vex him1 as he did ,job1 when ,god permits him4 ,no temptation can happen to him above what he is able to bear4 ,all things are working together for his good4 ,his steps are all ordered from grace to glory4 ,he is kept on earth till he is ripe for heaven1 and not one moment longer4 ,the harvest of the ,lord must have its appointed proportion of sun and wind1 of cold and heat1 of rain and storm4 ,and then when the believer's work is done1 the angels of ,god shall come for him1 as they did for ,lazarus1 and carry him safe home4 ,alas6 the men of the world little think whom they are despising1 when they mock ,christ's people4 ,they are mocking those whom angels are not ashamed to attend upon4 ,they are mocking the brethren and sisters of ,christ ,himself4 ,little do they consider that these are they for whose sakes the days of tribulation are shortened4 ,these are they by whose intercession kings reign peacefully4 ,little do they reck that the prayers of men like ,lazarus have more weight in the affairs of nations than hosts of armed men4 ,believers in ,christ1 who may possibly read these pages1 you little know the full extent of your privileges and possessions4 ,like children at school1 you know not half that your ,father is doing for your welfare4 ,learn to live by faith more than you have done4 ,acquaint yourselves with the fulness of the treasure laid up for you in ,christ even now4 ,this world1 no doubt1 must always be a place of trial while we are in the body4 ,but still there are comforts provided for the brethren of ,lazarus which many never enjoy4 ,v4 ,observe1 in the last place1 what a dangerous and soul-ruining sin is the sin of selfishness4 ,you have the rich man1 in the parable1 in a hopeless state4 ,if there was no other picture of a lost soul in hell in all the ,bible you have it here4 ,you meet him in the beginning1 clothed in purple and fine linen4 ,you part with him at the end1 tormented in the everlasting fire4 ,and yet there is nothing to show that this man was a murderer1 or a thief1 or an adulterer1 or a liar4 ,there is no reason to say that he was an atheist1 or an infidel1 or a blasphemer4 ,for anything we know1 he attended to all the ordinances of the ,jewish religion4 ,but we do know that he was lost for ever6 ,there is something to my mind very solemn in this thought4 ,here is a man whose outward life in all probability was correct4 ,at all events we know nothing against him4 ,he dresses richly2 but then he had money to spend on his apparel4 ,he gives splendid feasts and entertainments2 but then he was wealthy1 and could well afford it4 ,we read nothing recorded against him that might not be recorded of hundreds and thousands in the present day1 who are counted respectable and good sort of people4 ,and yet the end of this man is that he goes to hell4 ,surely this deserves serious attention4 7a7 ,i believe it is meant to teach us to beware of living only for ourselves4 ,it is not enough that we are able to say1 ,i live correctly4 ,i pay every one his due4 ,i discharge all the relations of life with propriety4 ,i attend to all the outward requirements of ,christianity4 ,there remains behind another question1 to which the ,bible requires an answer4 ,to whom do you live8 to yourself or to ,christ8 ,what is the great end1 aim1 object1 and ruling motive in your life8 ,let men call the question extreme if they please4 ,for myself1 ,i can find nothing short of this in ,st4 ,paul's words3 ,he died for all1 that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves1 but unto ,him which died for them and rose again4 7#b ,cor4 v4 #ae47 ,and ,i draw the conclusion1 that if1 like the rich man1 we live only to ourselves1 we shall ruin our souls4 7b7 ,i believe1 further1 that this passage is meant to teach us the damnable nature of sins of omission4 ,it does not seem that it was so much the things the rich man did1 but the things he left undone1 which made him miss heaven4 ,lazarus was at his gate1 and he let him alone4 ,but is not this exactly in keeping with the history of the judgment1 in the twenty-fifth of ,st4 ,matthew8 ,nothing is said there of the sins of commission of which the lost are guilty4 ,how runs the charge8--,i was an hungered1 and ye gave me no meat3 ,i was thirsty1 and ye gave me no drink3 ,i was a stranger1 and ye took me not in3 naked1 and ye clothed me not3 sick1 and in prison1 and ye visited me not4 7,matt4 xxv4 #db1 #dc47 ,the charge against them is simply that they did not do certain things4 ,on this their sentence turns4 ,and ,i draw the conclusion again1 that1 except we take heed1 sins of omission may ruin our souls4 ,truly it was a solemn saying of good ,archbishop ,usher1 on his death-bed3 ,lord1 forgive me all my sins1 but specially my sins of omission4 7c7 ,i believe1 further1 that the passage is meant to teach us that riches bring special danger with them4 ,yes6 riches1 which the vast majority of men are always seeking after1--riches for which they spend their lives1 and of which they make an idol1--riches entail on their possessors immense spiritual peril6 ,the possession of them has a very hardening effect on the soul4 ,they chill4 ,they freeze4 ,they petrify the inward man4 ,they close the eye to the things of faith4 ,they insensibly produce a tendency to forget ,god4 ,and does not this stand in perfect harmony with all the language of ,scripture on the same subject8 ,what says our ,lord8 ,how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of ,god6 ,it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle1 than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of ,god6 7,mark x4 #bc1 #be47 ,what says ,st4 ,paul8 ,the love of money is the root of all evil2 which while some coveted after1 they have erred from the faith1 and pierced themselves through with many sorrows4 7#a ,tim vi4 #aj47 ,what can be more striking than the fact that the ,bible has frequently spoken of money as a most fruitful cause of sin and evil8 ,for money ,achan brought defeat on the armies of ,israel1 and death on himself4 ,for money ,balaam sinned against light1 and tried to curse ,god's people4 ,for money ,delilah betrayed ,sampson to the ,philistines4 ,for money ,gehazi lied to ,naaman and ,elisha1 and became a leper4 ,for money ,ananias and ,sapphira became the first hypocrites in the early ,church1 and lost their lives4 ,for money ,judas ,iscariot sold ,christ1 and was ruined eternally4 ,surely these facts speak loudly4 ,money1 in truth1 is one of the most unsatisfying of possessions4 ,it takes away some cares1 no doubt2 but it brings with it quite as many cares as it takes away4 ,there is trouble in the getting of it4 ,there is anxiety in the keeping of it4 ,there are temptations in the use of it4 ,there is guilt in the abuse of it4 ,there is sorrow in the losing of it4 ,there is perplexity in the disposing of it4 ,two-thirds of all the strifes1 quarrels1 and lawsuits in the world1 arise from one simple cause1--money6 ,money most certainly is one of the most ensnaring and heart-changing of possessions4 ,it seems desirable at a distance4 ,it often proves a poison when in our hand4 ,no man can possibly tell the effect of money on his soul1 if it suddenly falls to his lot to possess it4 ,many an one did run well as a poor man1 who forgets ,god when he is rich4 ,i draw the conclusion that those who have money1 like the rich man in the parable1 ought to take double pains about their souls4 ,they live in a most unhealthy atmosphere4 ,they have double need to be on their guard4 7d7 ,i believe1 not least1 that the passage is meant to stir up special carefulness about selfishness in these last days4 ,you have a special warning in #b ,tim4 iii4 #a1 #b3 ,in the last days perilous times shall come3 for men shall be lovers of their own selves1 covetous4 ,i believe we have come to the last days1 and that we ought to beware of the sins here mentioned1 if we love our souls4 ,perhaps we are poor judges of our own times4 ,we are apt to exaggerate and magnify their evils1 just because we see and feel them4 ,but1 after every allowance1 ,i doubt whether there ever was more need of warnings against selfishness than in the present day4 ,i am sure there never was a time when all classes in ,england had so many comforts and so many temporal good things4 ,and yet ,i believe there is an utter disproportion between men's expenditure on themselves and their outlay on works of charity and works of mercy4 ,i see this in the miserable one guinea subscriptions to which many rich men confine their charity4 ,i see it in the languishing condition of many of our best religious ,societies1 and the painfully slow growth of their annual incomes4 ,i see it in the small number of names which appear in the list of contributions to any good work4 ,there are1 ,i believe1 thousands of rich people in this country who literally give away nothing at all4 ,i see it in the notorious fact1 that few1 even of those who give1 give anything proportioned to their means4 ,i see all this1 and mourn over it4 ,i regard it as the selfishness and covetousness predicted as likely to arise in the last days4 ,i know that this is a painful and delicate subject4 ,but it must not on that account be avoided by the minister of ,christ4 ,it is a subject for the times1 and it needs pressing home4 ,i desire to speak to myself1 and to all who make any profession of religion4 ,of course ,i cannot expect worldly and utterly ungodly persons to view this subject in ,bible light4 ,to them the ,bible is no rule of faith and practice4 ,to quote texts to them would be of little use4 ,but ,i do ask all professing ,christians to consider well what ,scripture says against covetousness and selfishness1 and on behalf of liberality in giving money4 ,is it for nothing that the ,lord ,jesus spoke the parable of the rich fool1 and blamed him because he was not rich towards ,god8 7,luke xii4 #ba47 ,is it for nothing that in the parable of the sower ,he mentions the deceitfulness of riches as one reason why the seed of the ,word bears no fruit8 7,matt4 xiii4 #bb47 ,is it for nothing that ,he says1 ,make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness8 7,luke xvi4 #i47 ,is it for nothing that ,he says1 ,when thou makest a dinner or a supper1 call not thy friends1 nor thy brethren1 neither thy kinsmen1 nor thy rich neighbours2 lest they also bid thee again1 and a recompense be made thee4 ,but when thou makest a feast1 call the poor1 the maimed1 the lame1 the blind3 and thou shalt be blessed2 for they cannot recompense thee2 for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just8 7,luke xiv4 #ad47 ,is it for nothing that ,he says1 ,sell that ye have and give alms2 provide yourselves bags which wax not old1 a treasure in the heavens that faileth not1 where no thief approacheth1 neither moth corrupteth8 7,luke xii4 #cc47 ,is it for nothing that ,he says1 ,it is more blessed to give than to receive8 7,acts xx4 #ce47 ,is it for nothing that ,he warns us against the example of the priest and ,levite1 who saw the wounded traveller1 but passed by on the other side8 ,is it for nothing that ,he praises the good ,samaritan1 who denied himself to show kindness to a stranger8 7,luke x4 #cd47 ,is it for nothing that ,st4 ,paul classes covetousness with sins of the grossest description1 and denounces it as idolatry8 7,coloss4 iii4 #e47 ,and is there not a striking and painful difference between this language and the habits and feeling of society about money8 ,i appeal to any one who knows the world4 ,let him judge what ,i say4 ,i only ask my reader to consider calmly the passages of ,scripture to which ,i have referred4 ,i cannot think they were meant to teach nothing at all4 ,that the habits of the ,east and our own are different1 ,i freely allow4 ,that some of the expressions ,i have quoted are figurative1 ,i freely admit4 ,but still1 after all1 a principle lies at the bottom of all these expressions4 ,let us take heed that this principle is not neglected4 ,i wish that many a professing ,christian in this day1 who perhaps dislikes what ,i am saying1 would endeavour to write a commentary on these expressions1 and try to explain to himself what they mean4 ,to know that alms-giving cannot atone for sin is well4 ,to know that our good works cannot justify us is excellent4 ,to know that we may give all our goods to feed the poor1 and build hospitals and cathedrals1 without any real charity1 is most important4 ,but let us beware lest we go into the other extreme1 and because our money cannot save us1 give away no money at all4 ,has any one money who reads these pages8 ,then take heed and beware of covetousness4 7,luke xii4 #ae47 ,remember you carry weight in the race towards heaven4 ,all men are naturally in danger of being lost for ever1 but you are doubly so because of your possessions4 ,nothing is said to put out fire so soon as earth thrown upon it4 ,nothing ,i am sure has such a tendency to quench the fire of religion as the possession of money4 ,it was a solemn message which ,buchanan1 on his death-bed1 sent to his old pupil1 ,james ,i43 ,he was going to a place where few kings and great men would come4 ,it is possible1 no doubt1 for you to be saved as well as others4 ,with ,god nothing is impossible4 ,abraham1 ,job1 and ,david were all rich1 and yet saved4 ,but oh1 take heed to yourself6 ,money is a good servant1 but a bad master4 ,let that saying of our ,lord's sink down into your heart3 ,how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of ,god4 7,mark x4 #bc47 ,well said an old divine3 ,the surface above gold mines is generally very barren4 ,well might old ,latimer begin one of his sermons before ,edward ,,vi by quoting three times over our ,lord's words3 ,take heed and beware of covetousness1 and then saying1 ,what if ,i should say nothing else these three or four hours8 ,there are few prayers in our ,litany more wise and more necessary than that petition1 ,in all time of our wealth1 good ,lord deliver us4 ,has any one little or no money who reads these pages8 ,then do not envy those who are richer than yourself4 ,pray for them4 ,pity them4 ,be charitable to their faults4 ,remember that high places are giddy places1 and be not too hasty in your condemnation of their conduct4 ,perhaps if you had their difficulties you would do no better yourself4 ,beware of the love of money4 ,it is the root of all evil4 7#a ,tim4 vi4 #aj47 ,a man may love money over-much without having any at all4 ,beware of the love of self4 ,it may be found in a cottage as well as in a palace4 ,and beware of thinking that poverty alone will save you4 ,if you would sit with ,lazarus in glory1 you must not only have fellowship with him in suffering1 but in grace4 ,does any reader desire to know the remedy against that love of self which ruined the rich man's soul1 and cleaves to us all by nature1 like our skin8 ,i tell him plainly there is only one remedy1 and ,i ask ,him to mark well what that remedy is4 ,it is not the fear of hell4 ,it is not the hope of heaven4 ,it is not any sense of duty4 ,oh1 no6 ,the disease of selfishness is far too deeply rooted to yield to such secondary motives as these4 ,nothing will ever cure it but an experimental knowledge of ,christ's redeeming love4 ,you must know the misery and guilt of your own estate by nature4 ,you must experience the power of ,christ's atoning blood sprinkled upon your conscience1 and making you whole4 ,you must taste the sweetness of peace with ,god through the mediation of ,jesus1 and feel the love of a reconciled ,father shed abroad in your heart by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,then1 and not till then1 the mainspring of selfishness will be broken4 ,then1 knowing the immensity of your debt to ,christ1 you will feel that nothing is too great and too costly to give to ,him4 ,feeling that you have been loved much when you deserved nothing1 you will heartily love in return1 and cry1 ,what shall ,i render unto the ,lord for all ,his benefits8 7,ps4 cxvi4 #ab47 ,feeling that you have freely received countless mercies1 you will think it a privilege to do anything to please ,him to whom you owe all4 ,feeling that you have been bought with a price1 and are no longer your own1 you will labour to glorify ,god with body and spirit1 which are ,his4 7#a ,cor4 vi4 #bj47 ,yes3 ,i repeat it this day4 ,i know no effectual remedy for the love of self1 but a believing apprehension of the love of ,christ4 ,other remedies may palliate the disease3 this alone will heal it4 ,other antidotes may hide its deformity3 this alone will work a perfect cure4 ,an easy1 good-natured temper may cover over selfishness in one man4 ,a love of praise may conceal it in a second4 ,a self-righteous asceticism and an affected spirit of self-denial may keep it out of sight in a third4 ,but nothing will ever cut up selfishness by the roots but the love of ,christ revealed in the mind by the ,holy ,ghost1 and felt in the heart by simple faith4 ,once let a man see the full meaning of the words1 ,christ loved me and gave ,himself for me1 and then he will delight to give himself to ,christ1 and all that he has to ,his service4 ,he will live to ,him1 not in order that he may be secure1 but because he is secure already4 ,he will work for ,him1 not that he may have life and peace1 but because life and peace are his own already4 ,go to the cross of ,christ1 all you that want to be delivered from the power of selfishness4 ,go and see what a price was paid there to provide a ransom for your soul4 ,go and see what an astounding sacrifice was there made1 that a door to eternal life might be provided for poor sinners like you4 ,go and see how the ,son of ,god gave ,himself for you1 and learn to think it a small thing to give yourself to ,him4 ,the disease which ruined the rich man in the parable may be cured4 ,but oh1 remember1 there is only one real remedy6 ,if you would not live to yourself you must live to ,christ4 ,see to it that this remedy is not only known1 but applied1--not only heard of1 but used4 7#a7 ,and now let me conclude all by urging on every reader of these pages1 the great duty of self-inquiry4 ,a passage of ,scripture like this parable ought surely to raise in many an one great searchings of heart4--,what am ,i8 ,where am ,i going8 ,what am ,i doing8 ,what is likely to be my condition after death8 ,am ,i prepared to leave the world8 ,have ,i any home to look forward to in the world to come8 ,have ,i put off the old man and put on the new8 ,am ,i really one with ,christ1 and a pardoned soul8 ,surely such questions as these may well be asked when the story of the rich man and ,lazarus has been heard4 ,oh1 that the ,holy ,ghost may incline many a reader's heart to ask them6 7#b7 ,in the next place1 ,i invite all readers who desire to have their souls saved1 and have no good account to give of themselves at present1 to seek salvation while it can be found4 ,i do entreat you to apply to ,him by whom alone man can enter heaven and be saved1--even ,jesus ,christ the ,lord4 ,he has the keys of heaven4 ,he is sealed and appointed by ,god the ,father to be the ,saviour of all that will come to ,him4 ,go to ,him in earnest and hearty prayer1 and tell ,him your case4 ,tell ,him that you have heard that ,he receiveth sinners1 and that you come to ,him as such4 7,luke xv4 #b47 ,tell ,him that you desire to be saved by ,him in ,his own way1 and ask ,him to save you4 ,oh1 that you may take this course without delay6 ,remember the hopeless end of the rich man4 ,once dead there is no more change4 7#c7 ,last of all1 ,i entreat all professing ,christians to encourage themselves in habits of liberality towards all causes of charity and mercy4 ,remember that you are ,god's stewards1 and give money liberally1 freely1 and without grudging1 whenever you have an opportunity4 ,you cannot keep your money for ever4 ,you must give account one day of the manner in which it has been expended4 ,oh1 lay it out with an eye to eternity while you can6 ,i do not ask rich men to leave their situations in life1 give away all their property1 and go into the workhouse4 ,this would be refusing to fill the position of a steward for ,god4 ,i ask no man to neglect his worldly calling1 and to omit to provide for his family4 ,diligence in business is a positive ,christian duty4 ,provision for those dependent on us is proper ,christian prudence4 ,but ,i ask all to look around continually as they journey on1 and to remember the poor1--the poor in body and the poor in soul4 ,here we are for a few short years4 ,how can we do most good with our money while we are here8 ,how can we so spend it as to leave the world somewhat happier and somewhat holier when we are removed8 ,might we not abridge some of our luxuries8 ,might we not lay out less upon ourselves1 and give more to ,christ's cause and ,christ's poor8 ,is there none we can do good to8 ,are there no sick1 no poor1 no needy1 whose sorrows we might lessen1 and whose comforts we might increase8 ,such questions will never fail to elicit an answer from some quarter4 ,i am thoroughly persuaded that the income of every religious and charitable ,society in ,england might easily be multiplied tenfold1 if ,english ,christians would give in proportion to their means4 ,there are none surely to whom such appeals ought to come home with such power as professing believers in the ,lord ,jesus4 ,the parable of the text is a striking illustration of our position by nature1 and our debt to ,christ4 ,we all lay1 like ,lazarus1 at heaven's gate1 sick unto the death1 helpless1 and starving4 ,blessed be ,god6 we were not neglected1 as he was4 ,jesus came forth to relieve us4 ,jesus gave ,himself for us1 that we might have hope and live4 ,for a poor ,lazarus-like world ,he came down from heaven1 and humbled ,himself to become a man4 ,for a poor ,lazarus-like world ,he went up and down doing good1 caring for men's bodies as well as souls1 until ,he died for us on the cross4 ,i believe that in giving to support works of charity and mercy1 we are doing that which is according to ,christ's mind1--and ,i ask readers of these pages to begin the habit of giving1 if they never began it before2 and to go on with it increasingly1 if they have begun4 ,i believe that in offering a warning against worldliness and covetousness1 ,i have done no more than bring forward a warning specially called for by the times1 and ,i ask ,god to bless the consideration of these pages to many souls4 ,,xiv ,,the ,,best ,,friend ,this is my friend4--,cant4 v4 #af4 ,a friend is one of the greatest blessings on earth4 ,tell me not of money3 affection is better than gold2 sympathy is better than lands4 ,he is the poor man who has no friends4 ,this world is full of sorrow because it is full of sin4 ,it is a dark place4 ,it is a lonely place4 ,it is a disappointing place4 ,the brightest sunbeam in it is a friend4 ,friendship halves our troubles and doubles our joys4 ,a real friend is scarce and rare4 ,there are many who will eat1 and drink1 and laugh with us in the sunshine of prosperity4 ,there are few who will stand by us in the days of darkness1--few who will love us when we are sick1 helpless1 and poor1--few1 above all1 who will care for our souls4 ,does any reader of this paper want a real friend8 ,i write to recommend one to your notice this day4 ,i know of ,one who sticketh closer than a brother4 7,prov4 xviii4 #bd47 ,i know of ,one who is ready to be your friend for time and for eternity1 if you will receive ,him4 ,hear me1 while ,i try to tell you something about ,him4 ,the friend ,i want you to know is ,jesus ,christ4 ,happy is that family in which ,christ has the foremost place6 ,happy is that person whose chief friend is ,christ6 ,i4 ,do we want a friend in need8 ,such a friend is the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,man is the neediest creature on ,god's earth1 because he is a sinner4 ,there is no need so great as that of sinners3 poverty1 hunger1 thirst1 cold1 sickness1 all are nothing in comparison4 ,sinners need pardon1 and they are utterly unable to provide it for themselves2 they need deliverance from a guilty conscience and the fear of death1 and they have no power of their own to obtain it4 ,this need the ,lord ,jesus ,christ came into the world to relieve4 ,he came into the world to save sinners4 7#a ,tim4 i4 #ae47 ,we are all by nature poor dying creatures4 ,from the king on his throne to the pauper in the workhouse1 we are all sick of a mortal disease of soul4 ,whether we know it or not1 whether we feel it or not1 we are all dying daily4 ,the plague of sin is in our blood4 ,we cannot cure ourselves3 we are hourly getting worse and worse4 ,all this the ,lord ,jesus undertook to remedy4 ,he came into the world to bring in health and cure2 ,he came to deliver us from the second death2 ,he came to abolish death1 and bring life and immortality to light through the ,gospel4 7,jer4 xxxiii4 #f2 ,rev4 ii4 #aa2 #b ,tim4 i4 #aj47 ,we are all by nature imprisoned debtors4 ,we owed our ,god ten thousand talents1 and had nothing to pay4 ,we were wretched bankrupts1 without hope of discharging ourselves4 ,we could never have freed ourselves from our load of liabilities1 and were daily getting more deeply involved4 ,all this the ,lord ,jesus saw1 and undertook to remedy4 ,he engaged to ransom and redeem us2 ,he came to proclaim liberty to the captives1 and the opening of the prison to them that are bound2 ,he came to redeem us from the curse of the law4 7,hos4 xiii4 #ad2 ,isai4 lxi4 #a2 ,gal4 iii4 #ac47 ,we were all by nature shipwrecked and cast away4 ,we could never have reached the harbour of everlasting life4 ,we were sinking in the midst of the waves1 shiftless1 hopeless1 helpless1 and powerless2 tied and bound by the chain of our sins1 foundering under the burden of our own guilt1 and like to become a prey to the devil4 ,all this the ,lord ,jesus saw and undertook to remedy4 ,he came down from heaven to be our mighty helper2 ,he came to seek and to save that which was lost2 and to deliver us from going down into the pit4 7,psalm lxxxix4 #ai2 ,luke xix4 #aj2 ,job xxxiii4 #bd47 ,could we have been saved without the ,lord ,jesus ,christ coming down from heaven8 ,it would have been impossible1 so far as our eyes can see4 ,the wisest men of ,egypt1 and ,greece1 and ,rome never found out the way to peace with ,god4 ,without the friendship of ,christ we should all have been lost for evermore in hell4 ,was the ,lord ,jesus ,christ obliged to come down to save us8 ,oh1 no6 no6 ,it was ,his own free love1 mercy1 and pity that brought ,him down4 ,he came unsought and unasked because ,he was gracious4 ,let us think on these things4 ,search all history from the beginning of the world1--look round the whole circle of those you know and love3 you never heard of such friendship among the sons of men4 ,there never was such a real friend in need as ,jesus ,christ4 ,,ii4 ,do you want a friend in deed8 ,such a friend is the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,the true extent of a man's friendship must be measured by his deeds4 ,tell me not what he says1 and feels1 and wishes2 tell me not of his words and letters3 tell me rather what he does4 ,friendly is that friendly does4 ,the doings of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ for man are the grand proof of ,his friendly feeling towards him4 ,never were there such acts of kindness and self-denial as those which ,he has performed on our behalf4 ,he has not loved us in word only but in deed4 ,for our sakes ,he took our nature upon ,him1 and was born of a woman4 ,he who was very ,god1 and equal with the ,father1 laid aside for a season ,his glory1 and took upon ,him flesh and blood like our own4 ,the almighty ,creator of all things became a little babe like any of us1 and experienced all our bodily weaknesses and infirmities1 sin only excepted4 ,though ,he was rich ,he became poor1 that we through ,his poverty might be rich4 7#b ,cor4 viii4 #i47 ,for our sakes ,he lived thirty-three years in this evil world1 despised and rejected of men1 a man of sorrows1 and acquainted with grief4 ,though ,he was ,king of kings1 ,he had not where to lay ,his head3 though ,he was ,lord of lords1 ,he was often weary1 and hungry1 and thirsty1 and poor4 ,he took on ,him the form of a servant1 and humbled ,himself4 7,philipp4 iii4 #g1 #h47 ,for our sakes ,he suffered the most painful of all deaths1 even the death of the cross4 ,though innocent1 and without fault1 ,he allowed ,himself to be condemned1 and found guilty4 ,he who was the ,prince of ,life was led as a lamb to the slaughter1 and poured out ,his soul unto death4 ,he died for us4 7#a ,thess4 v4 #aj47 ,was ,he obliged to do this8 ,oh1 no6 ,he might have summoned to ,his help more than twelve legions of angels1 and scattered ,his enemies with a word4 ,he suffered voluntarily and of ,his own free will1 to make atonement for our sins4 ,he knew that nothing but the sacrifice of ,his body and blood could ever make peace between sinful man and a holy ,god4 ,he laid down ,his life to pay the price of our redemption3 ,he died that we might live2 ,he suffered that we might reign2 ,he bore shame that we might receive glory4 ,he suffered for sins1 the just for the unjust1 that ,he might bring us to ,god4 ,he was made sin for us1 who knew no sin3 that we might be made the righteousness of ,god in ,him4 7#a ,peter iii4 #ah2 #b ,cor4 v4 #ba47 ,such friendship as this passes man's understanding4 ,friends who would die for those who love them1 we may have heard of sometimes4 ,but who can find a man who would lay down his life for those that hate him8 ,yet this is what ,jesus has done for us4 ,god commendeth ,his love towards us1 in that while we were yet sinners1 ,christ died for us4 7,rom4 v4 #h47 ,ask all the tribes of mankind1 from one end of the world to the other1 and you will nowhere hear of a deed like this4 ,none was ever so high and stooped down so low as ,jesus the ,son of ,god3 none ever gave so costly a proof of his friendship2 none ever paid so much and endured so much to do good to others4 ,never was there such a friend in deed as ,jesus ,christ6 ,,iii4 ,do we want a mighty and powerful friend8 ,such a friend is ,jesus ,christ4 ,power to help is that which few possess in this world4 ,many have will enough to do good to others1 but no power4 ,they feel for the sorrows of others1 and would gladly relieve them if they could3 they can weep with their friends in affliction1 but are unable to take their grief away4 ,but though man is weak1 ,christ is strong1--though the best of our earthly friends is feeble1 ,christ is almighty3 ,all power is given unto ,him in heaven and earth4 7,matt4 xxviii4 #ah47 ,no one can do so much for those whom ,he befriends as ,jesus ,christ4 ,others can befriend their bodies a little3 ,he can befriend both body and soul4 ,others can do a little for them in time3 ,he can be a friend both for time and eternity4 7a7 ,he is able to pardon and save the very chief of sinners4 ,he can deliver the most guilty conscience from all its burdens1 and give it perfect peace with ,god4 ,he can wash away the vilest stains of wickedness1 and make a man whiter than snow in the sight of ,god4 ,he can clothe a poor weak child of ,adam in everlasting righteousness1 and give him a title to heaven that can never be overthrown4 ,in a word1 ,he can give any one of us peace1 hope1 forgiveness1 and reconciliation with ,god1 if we will only trust in ,him4 ,the blood of ,jesus ,christ cleanseth from all sin4 7#a ,john i4 #g47 7b7 ,he is able to convert the hardest of hearts1 and create in man a new spirit4 ,he can take the most thoughtless and ungodly people1 and give them another mind by the ,holy ,ghost1 which ,he puts in them4 ,he can cause old things to pass away1 and all things to become new4 ,he can make them love the things which they once hated1 and hate the things which they once loved4 ,he can give them power to become the sons of ,god4 ,if any man be in ,christ1 he is a new creature4 7,john i4 #ab2 #b ,cor4 v4 #ag47 7c7 ,he is able to preserve to the end all who believe in ,him1 and become ,his disciples4 ,he can give them grace to overcome the world1 the flesh and the devil1 and fight a good fight at the last4 ,he can lead them on safely in spite of every temptation1 carry them home through a thousand dangers1 and keep them faithful1 though they stand alone and have none to help them4 ,he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto ,god by ,him4 7,heb4 vii4 #be47 7d7 ,he is able to give those that love ,him the best of gifts4 ,he can give them in life inward comforts1 which money can never buy1--peace in poverty1 joy in sorrow1 patience in suffering4 ,he can give them in death bright hopes1 which enable them to walk through the dark valley without fear4 ,he can give them after death a crown of glory1 which fadeth not away1 and a reward compared to which the ,queen of ,england has nothing to bestow4 ,this is power indeed3 this is true greatness2 this is real strength4 ,go and look at the poor ,hindoo idolater1 seeking peace in vain by afflicting his body2 and1 after fifty years of self-imposed suffering1 unable to find it4 ,go and look at the benighted ,romanist1 giving money to his priest to pray for his soul1 and yet dying without comfort4 ,go and look at rich men1 spending thousands in search of happiness1 and yet always discontented and unhappy4 ,then turn to ,jesus1 and think what ,he can do1 and is daily doing for all who trust ,him4 ,think how ,he heals all the broken-hearted1 comforts all the sick1 cheers all the poor that trust in ,him1 and supplies all their daily need4 ,the fear of man is strong1 the opposition of this evil world is mighty1 the lusts of the flesh rage horribly1 the fear of death is terrible1 the devil is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour2 but ,jesus is stronger than them all4 ,jesus can make us conquerors over all these foes4 ,and then say whether it be not true1 that there never was so mighty a friend as ,jesus ,christ4 ,,iv4 ,do we want a loving and affectionate friend8 ,such a friend is ,jesus ,christ4 ,kindness is the very essence of true friendship4 ,money and advice and help lose half their grace1 if not given in a loving manner4 ,what kind of love is that of the ,lord ,jesus toward man8 ,it is called1 ,a love that passeth knowledge4 7,ephes4 iii4 #ai47 ,love shines forth in ,his reception of sinners4 ,he refuses none that come to ,him for salvation1 however unworthy they may be4 ,though their lives may have been most wicked1 though their sins may be more in number than the stars of heaven1 the ,lord ,jesus is ready to receive them1 and give them pardon and peace4 ,there is no end to ,his compassion3 there are no bounds to ,his pity4 ,he is not ashamed to befriend those whom the world casts off as hopeless4 ,there are none too bad1 too filthy1 and too much diseased with sin1 to be admitted into ,his home4 ,he is willing to be the friend of any sinner3 ,he has kindness and mercy and healing medicine for all4 ,he has long proclaimed this to be ,his rule3 ,him that cometh unto ,me ,i will in no wise cast out4 7,john vi4 #cg47 ,love shines forth in ,his dealings with sinners1 after they have believed in ,him and become ,his friends4 ,he is very patient with them1 though their conduct is often very trying and provoking4 ,he is never tired of hearing their complaints1 however often they may come to ,him4 ,he sympathizes deeply in all their sorrows4 ,he knows what pain is3 ,he is acquainted with grief4 7,is4 liii4 #c47 ,in all their afflictions ,he is afflicted4 ,he never allows them to be tempted above what they are able to bear3 ,he supplies them with daily grace for their daily conflict4 ,their poor services are acceptable to ,him3 ,he is as well pleased with them as a parent is with his child's endeavours to speak and walk4 ,he has caused it to be written in ,his book1 that ,he taketh pleasure in ,his people1 and that ,he taketh pleasure in them that fear ,him4 7,ps4 cxlvii4 #aa2 cxlix4 #d47 ,there is no love on earth that can be named together with this6 ,we love those in whom we see something that deserves our affection1 or those who are our bone or our flesh3 the ,lord ,jesus loves sinners in whom there is no good thing4 ,we love those from whom we get some return for our affection3 the ,lord ,jesus loves those who can do little or nothing for ,him1 compared to what ,he does for them4 ,we love where we can give some reason for loving3 the great ,friend of sinners draws ,his reasons out of ,his own everlasting compassion4 ,his love is purely disinterested1 purely unselfish1 purely free4 ,never1 never was there so truly loving a friend as ,jesus ,christ4 ,v4 ,do we want a wise and prudent friend8 ,such a friend is the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,man's friendship is sadly blind4 ,he often injures those he loves by injudicious kindness3 he often errs in the counsel he gives2 he often leads his friends into trouble by bad advice1 even when he means to help them4 ,he sometimes keeps them back from the way of life1 and entangles them in the vanities of the world1 when they have well nigh escaped4 ,the friendship of the ,lord ,jesus is not so3 it always does us good1 and never evil4 ,the ,lord ,jesus never spoils ,his friends by extravagant indulgence4 ,he gives them everything that is really for their benefit2 ,he withholds nothing from them that is really good2 but ,he requires them to take up their cross daily and follow ,him4 ,he bids them endure hardships as good soldiers3 ,he calls on them to fight the good fight against the world1 the flesh1 and the devil4 ,his people often dislike it at the time1 and think it hard2 but when they reach heaven they will see it was all well done4 ,the ,lord ,jesus makes no mistakes in managing ,his friends' affairs4 ,he orders all their concerns with perfect wisdom3 all things happen to them at the right time1 and in the right way4 ,he gives them as much of sickness and as much of health1 as much of poverty and as much of riches1 as much of sorrow and as much of joy1 as ,he sees their souls require4 ,he leads them by the right way to bring them to the city of habitation4 ,he mixes their bitterest cups like a wise physician1 and takes care that they have not a drop too little or too much4 ,his people often misunderstand ,his dealings2 they are silly enough to fancy their course of life might have been better ordered3 but in the resurrection-day they will thank ,god that not their will1 but ,christ's was done4 ,look round the world and see the harm which people are continually getting from their friends4 ,mark how much more ready men are to encourage one another in worldliness and levity1 than to provoke to love and good works4 ,think how often they meet together1 not for the better1 but for the worse1--not to quicken one another's souls in the way to heaven1 but to confirm one another in the love of this present world4 ,alas1 there are thousands who are wounded unexpectedly in the house of their friends6 ,and then turn to the great ,friend of sinners1 and see how different a thing is ,his friendship from that of man4 ,listen to ,him as ,he walks by the way with ,his disciples2 mark how ,he comforts1 reproves1 and exhorts with perfect wisdom4 ,observe how ,he times ,his visits to those ,he loves1 as to ,mary and ,martha at ,bethany4 ,hear how ,he converses1 as ,he dines on the shore of the sea of ,galilee3 ,simon1 son of ,jonas1 lovest thou ,me8 7,john xxi4 #af47 ,his company is always sanctifying4 ,his gifts are always for our soul's good2 ,his kindness is always wise2 ,his fellowship is always to edification4 ,one day of the ,son of ,man is better than a thousand in the society of earthly friends3 one hour spent in private communion with ,him1 is better than a year in kings' palaces4 ,never1 never was there such a wise friend as ,jesus ,christ4 ,,vi4 ,do we want a tried and proved friend8 ,such a friend is ,jesus ,christ4 ,six thousand years have passed away since the ,lord ,jesus began ,his work of befriending mankind4 ,during that long period of time ,he has had many friends in this world4 ,millions on millions1 unhappily1 have refused ,his offers and been miserably lost for ever2 but thousands on thousands have enjoyed the mighty privilege of ,his friendship and been saved4 ,he has had great experience4 7a7 ,he has had friends of every rank and station in life4 ,some of them were kings and rich men1 like ,david1 and ,solomon1 and ,hezekiah1 and ,job2 some of them were very poor in this world1 like the shepherds of ,bethlehem1 and ,james1 and ,john1 and ,andrew3 but they were all alike ,christ's friends4 7b7 ,he has had friends of every age that man can pass through4 ,some of them never knew ,him till they were advanced in years1 like ,manasseh1 and ,zacchaeus1 and probably the ,ethiopian ,eunuch4 ,some of them were ,his friends even from their earliest childhood1 like ,joseph1 and ,samuel1 and ,josiah1 and ,timothy4 ,but they were all alike ,christ's friends4 7c7 ,he has had friends of every possible temperament and disposition4 ,some of them were simple plain men1 like ,isaac2 some of them were mighty in word and deed1 like ,moses2 some of them were fervent and warm-hearted1 like ,peter2 some of them were gentle and retiring spirits1 like ,john2 some of them were active and stirring1 like ,martha2 some of them loved to sit quietly at ,his feet1 like ,mary2 some dwelt unknown among their own people1 like the ,shunamite2 some have gone everywhere and turned the world upside down1 like ,paul4 ,but they were all alike ,christ's friends4 7d7 ,he has had friends of every condition in life4 ,some of them were married1 and had sons and daughters1 like ,enoch2 some of them lived and died unmarried1 like ,daniel and ,john the ,baptist2 some of them were often sick1 like ,lazarus and ,epaphroditus2 some of them were strong to labour1 like ,persis1 and ,tryphena1 and ,tryphosa2 some of them were masters1 like ,abraham and ,cornelius2 some of them were servants1 like the saints in ,nero's household2 some of them had bad servants1 like ,elisha2 some of them had bad masters like ,obadiah2 some of them had bad wives and children1 like ,david4 ,but they were all alike ,christ's friends4 7e7 ,he has had friends of almost every nation1 and people1 and tongue4 ,he has had friends in hot countries and in cold2 friends among nations highly civilized1 and friends among the simplest and rudest tribes4 ,his book of life contains the names of ,greeks and ,romans1 of ,jews and ,egyptians1 of bond and of free4 ,there are to be found on its lists reserved ,englishmen and cautious ,scotchmen1 impulsive ,irishmen and fiery ,welchmen1 volatile ,frenchmen and dignified ,spaniards1 refined ,italians and solid ,germans1 rude ,africans and refined ,hindoos1 cultivated ,chinese and half-savage ,new ,zealanders4 ,but they were all alike ,christ's friends4 ,all these have made trial of ,christ's friendship1 and proved it to be good4 ,they all found nothing wanting when they began3 they all found nothing wanting as they went on4 ,no lack1 no defect1 no deficiency was ever found by any one of them in ,jesus ,christ4 ,each found his own soul's wants fully supplied2 each found every day1 that in ,christ there was enough and to spare4 ,never1 never was there a friend so fully tried and proved as ,jesus ,christ4 ,,vii4 ,last1 but not least1 do we want an unfailing friend8 ,such a friend is the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,the saddest part of all the good things of earth is their instability4 ,riches make themselves wings and flee away2 youth and beauty are but for a few years2 strength of body soon decays2 mind and intellect are soon exhausted4 ,all is perishing4 ,all is fading4 ,all is passing away4 ,but there is one splendid exception to this general rule1 and that is the friendship of ,jesus ,christ4 ,the ,lord ,jesus is a friend who never changes4 ,there is no fickleness about ,him3 those whom ,he loves1 ,he loves unto the end4 ,husbands have been known to forsake their wives2 parents have been known to cast off their children2 human vows and promises of faithfulness have often been forgotten4 ,thousands have been neglected in their poverty and old age1 who were honoured by all when they were rich and young4 ,but ,christ never changed ,his feelings towards one of ,his friends4 ,he is the same yesterday1 to-day1 and for ever4 7,heb4 xiii4 #h47 ,the ,lord ,jesus never goes away from ,his friends4 ,there is never a parting and good-bye between ,him and ,his people4 ,from the time that ,he makes ,his abode in the sinner's heart1 ,he abides in it for ever4 ,the world is full of leave-takings and departures3 death and the lapse of time break up the most united family2 sons go forth to make their way in life2 daughters are married1 and leave their father's house for ever4 ,scattering1 scattering1 scattering1 is the yearly history of the happiest home4 ,how many we have tearfully watched as they drove away from our doors1 whose pleasant faces we have never seen again6 ,how many we have sorrowfully followed to the grave1 and then come back to a cold1 silent1 lonely1 and blank fireside6 ,but1 thanks be to ,god1 there is ,one who never leaves ,his friends6 ,the ,lord ,jesus is ,he who has said1 ,i will never leave thee nor forsake thee4 7,heb4 xiii4 #e47 ,the ,lord ,jesus goes with ,his friends wherever they go4 ,there is no possible separation between ,him and those whom ,he loves4 ,there is no place or position on earth1 or under the earth1 that can divide them from the great ,friend of their souls4 ,when the path of duty calls them far away from home1 ,he is their companion2 when they pass through the fire and water of fierce tribulation1 ,he is with them2 when they lie down on the bed of sickness1 ,he stands by them and makes all their trouble work for good2 when they go down the valley of the shadow of death1 and friends and relatives stand still and can go no further1 ,he goes down by their side4 ,when they wake up in the unknown world of ,paradise1 they are still with ,him2 when they rise with a new body at the judgment day1 they will not be alone4 ,he will own them for ,his friends1 and say1 ,they are mine3 deliver them and let them go free4 ,he will make good ,his own words3 ,i am with you alway1 even unto the end of the world4 7,matt4 xxviii4 #bj47 ,look round the world1 and see how failure is written on all men's schemes4 ,count up the partings1 and separations1 and disappointments1 and bereavements which have happened under your own knowledge4 ,think what a privilege it is that there is ,one at least who never fails1 and in whom no one was ever disappointed6 ,never1 never was there so unfailing a friend as ,jesus ,christ4 ,and now1 suffer me to conclude this paper with a few plain words of application4 ,i know not who you are or in what state your soul may be2 but ,i am sure that the words ,i am about to say deserve your serious attention4 ,oh1 that this paper may not find you heedless of spiritual things6 ,oh1 that you may be able to give a few thoughts to ,christ6 7#a7 ,know then1 for one thing1 that ,i call upon you to consider solemnly whether ,christ is your ,friend and you are ,his4 ,there are thousands on thousands1 ,i grieve to say1 who are not ,christ's friends4 ,baptized in ,his name1 outward members of ,his ,church1 attendants on ,his means of grace1--all this they are1 no doubt4 ,but they are not ,christ's friends4 ,do they hate the sins which ,jesus died to put away8 ,no4--,do they love the ,saviour who came into the world to save them8 ,no4--,do they care for the souls which were so precious in ,his sight8 ,no4--,do they delight in the word of reconciliation8 ,no4--,do they try to speak with the ,friend of sinners in prayer8 ,no4--,do they seek close fellowship with ,him8 ,no4--,oh1 reader1 is this your case8 ,how is it with you8 ,are you or are you not one of ,christ's friends8 7#b7 ,know1 in the next place1 that if you are not one of ,christ's friends1 you are a poor miserable being4 ,i write this down deliberately4 ,i do not say it without thought4 ,i say that if ,christ be not your friend1 you are a poor1 miserable being4 ,you are in the midst of a failing1 sorrowful world1 and you have no real source of comfort1 or refuge for a time of need4 ,you are a dying creature1 and you are not ready to die4 ,you have sins1 and they are not forgiven4 ,you are going to be judged1 and you are not prepared to meet ,god3 you might be1 but you refuse to use the one only ,mediator and ,advocate4 ,you love the world better than ,christ4 ,you refuse the great ,friend of sinners1 and you have no friend in heaven to plead your cause4 ,yes3 it is sadly true6 ,you are a poor1 miserable being4 ,it matters nothing what your income is3 without ,christ's friendship you are very poor4 7#c7 ,know1 in the third place1 that if you really want a friend1 ,christ is willing to become your friend4 ,he has long wanted you to join ,his people1 and ,he now invites you by my hand4 ,he is ready to receive you1 all unworthy as you may feel1 and to write your name down in the list of ,his friends4 ,he is ready to pardon all the past1 to clothe you with righteousness1 to give you ,his ,spirit1 to make you ,his own dear child4 ,all ,he asks you to do is to come to ,him4 ,he bids you come with all your sins2 only acknowledging your vileness1 and confessing that you are ashamed4 ,just as you are1--waiting for nothing1--unworthy of anything in yourself1--,jesus bids you come and be ,his friend4 ,oh1 come and be wise6 ,come and be safe4 ,come and be happy4 ,come and be ,christ's friend4 7#d7 ,know1 in the last place1 that if ,christ is your friend1 you have great privileges1 and ought to walk worthy of them4 ,seek every day to have closer communion with ,him who is your ,friend1 and to know more of ,his grace and power4 ,true ,christianity is not merely the believing a certain set of dry abstract propositions3 it is to live in daily personal communication with an actual living person--,jesus the ,son of ,god4 ,to me1 said ,paul1 to live is ,christ4 7,phil4 i4 #ba47 ,seek every day to glorify your ,lord and ,saviour in all your ways4 ,he that hath a friend should show himself friendly 7,prov4 xviii4 #bd71 and no man surely is under such mighty obligations as the friend of ,christ4 ,avoid everything which would grieve your ,lord4 ,fight hard against besetting sins1 against inconsistency1 against backwardness to confess ,him before men4 ,say to your soul1 whenever you are tempted to that which is wrong1 ,soul1 soul1 is this thy kindness to thy ,friend8 ,think1 above all1 of the mercy which has been shown thee1 and learn to rejoice daily in thy ,friend6 ,what though thy body be bowed down with disease8 ,what though thy poverty and trials be very great8 ,what though thine earthly friends forsake thee1 and thou art alone in the world8 ,all this may be true3 but if thou art in ,christ thou hast a ,friend1 a mighty ,friend1 a loving ,friend1 a wise ,friend1 a ,friend that never fails4 ,oh1 think1 think much upon thy friend6 ,yet a little time and thy ,friend shall come to take thee home1 and thou shalt dwell with ,him for ever4 ,yet a little time and thou shalt see as thou hast been seen1 and know as thou hast been known4 ,and then thou shalt hear assembled worlds confess1 that ,,he ,,is ,,the ,,rich ,,and ,,happy ,,man ,,who ,,has ,,had ,,christ ,,for ,,his ,,friend4 ,,xv ,,sickness ,he whom ,thou lovest is sick4--,john xi4 #c4 ,the chapter from which this text is taken is well known to all ,bible readers4 ,in life-like description1 in touching interest1 in sublime simplicity1 there is no writing in existence that will bear comparison with that chapter4 ,a narrative like this is to my own mind one of the great proofs of the inspiration of ,scripture4 ,when ,i read the story of ,bethany1 ,i feel ,there is something here which the infidel can never account for4--,this is nothing else but the finger of ,god4 ,the words which ,i specially dwell upon in this chapter are singularly affecting and instructive4 ,they record the message which ,martha and ,mary sent to ,jesus when their brother ,lazarus was sick3 ,lord1 behold he whom ,thou lovest is sick4 ,that message was short and simple4 ,yet almost every word is deeply suggestive4 ,mark the child-like faith of these holy women4 ,they turned to the ,lord ,jesus in their hour of need1 as the frightened infant turns to its mother1 or the compass-needle turns to the ,pole4 ,they turned to ,him as their ,shepherd1 their almighty ,friend1 their ,brother born for adversity4 ,different as they were in natural temperament1 the two sisters in this matter were entirely agreed4 ,christ's help was their first thought in the day of trouble4 ,christ was the refuge to which they fled in the hour of need4 ,blessed are all they that do likewise6 ,mark the simple humility of their language about ,lazarus4 ,they call ,him ,he whom ,thou lovest4 ,they do not say1 ,he who loves ,thee1 believes in ,thee1 serves ,thee1 but ,he whom ,thou lovest4 ,martha and ,mary were deeply taught of ,god4 ,they had learned that ,christ's love towards us1 and not our love towards ,christ1 is the true ground of expectation1 and true foundation of hope4 ,blessed1 again1 are all they that are taught likewise6 ,to look inward to our love towards ,christ is painfully unsatisfying3 to look outward to ,christ's love towards us is peace4 ,mark1 lastly1 the touching circumstance which the message of ,martha and ,mary reveals3 ,he whom ,thou lovest is sick4 ,lazarus was a good man1 converted1 believing1 renewed1 sanctified1 a friend of ,christ1 and an heir of glory4 ,and yet ,lazarus was sick6 ,then sickness is no sign that ,god is displeased4 ,sickness is intended to be a blessing to us1 and not a curse4 ,all things work together for good to them that love ,god1 and are called according to ,his purpose4 ,all things are yours1--life1 death1 things present1 or things to come3 for ye are ,christ's2 and ,christ is ,god's4 7,rom4 viii4 #bh2 #a ,cor4 iii4 #bb47 ,blessed1 ,i say again1 are they that have learned this6 ,happy are they who can say1 when they are ill1 ,this is my ,father's doing4 ,it must be well4 ,i invite the attention of my readers to the subject of sickness4 ,the subject is one which we ought frequently to look in the face4 ,we cannot avoid it4 ,it needs no prophet's eye to see sickness coming to each of us in turn one day4 ,in the midst of life we are in death4 ,let us turn aside for a few moments1 and consider sickness as ,christians4 ,the consideration will not hasten its coming1 and by ,god's blessing may teach us wisdom4 ,in considering the subject of sickness1 three points appear to me to demand attention4 ,on each ,i shall say a few words4 ,i4 ,the universal prevalence of sickness and disease4 ,,ii4 ,the general benefits which sickness confers on mankind4 ,,iii4 ,the special duties to which sickness calls us4 ,i4 ,the universal prevalence of sickness4 ,i need not dwell long on this point4 ,to elaborate the proof of it would only be multiplying truisms1 and heaping up common-places which all allow4 ,sickness is everywhere4 ,in ,europe1 in ,asia1 in ,africa1 in ,america2 in hot countries and in cold1 in civilized nations and in savage tribes1--men1 women1 and children sicken and die4 ,sickness is among all classes4 ,grace does not lift a believer above the reach of it4 ,riches will not buy exemption from it4 ,rank cannot prevent its assaults4 ,kings and their subjects1 masters and servants1 rich men and poor1 learned and unlearned1 teachers and scholars1 doctors and patients1 ministers and hearers1 all alike go down before this great foe4 ,the rich man's wealth is his strong city4 7,prov4 xviii4 #aa47 ,the ,englishman's house is called his castle2 but there are no doors and bars which can keep out disease and death4 ,sickness is of every sort and description4 ,from the crown of our head to the sole of our foot we are liable to disease4 ,our capacity of suffering is something fearful to contemplate4 ,who can count up the ailments by which our bodily frame may be assailed8 ,who ever visited a museum of morbid anatomy without a shudder8 ,strange that a harp of thousand strings should keep in tune so long4 ,it is not1 to my mind1 so wonderful that men should die so soon1 as it is that they should live so long4 ,sickness is often one of the most humbling and distressing trials that can come upon man4 ,it can turn the strongest into a little child1 and make him feel the grasshopper a burden4 7,eccles4 xii4 #e47 ,it can unnerve the boldest1 and make him tremble at the fall of a pin4 ,we are fearfully and wonderfully made4 7,psalm cxxxix4 #ad47 ,the connection between body and mind is curiously close4 ,the influence that some diseases can exercise upon the temper and spirits is immensely great4 ,there are ailments of brain1 and liver1 and nerves1 which can bring down a ,solomon in mind to a state little better than that of a babe4 ,he that would know to what depths of humiliation poor man can fall1 has only to attend for a short time on sick-beds4 ,sickness is not preventible by anything that man can do4 ,the average duration of life may doubtless be somewhat lengthened4 ,the skill of doctors may continually discover new remedies1 and effect surprising cures4 ,the enforcement of wise sanitary regulations may greatly lower the death-rate in a land4 ,but1 afterall1--whether in healthy or unhealthy localities1--whether in mild climates or in cold1--whether treated by homeopathy or allopathy1--men will sicken and die4 ,the days of our years are three-score years and ten2 and if by reason of strength they be four-score years1 yet is their strength labour and sorrow2 for it is soon cut off1 and we fly away4 7,psalm xc4 #aj47 ,that witness is indeed true4 ,it was true #ccjj years ago4--,it is true still4 ,now what can we make of this great fact1--the universal prevalence of sickness8 ,how shall we account for it8 ,what explanation can we give of it8 ,what answer shall we give to our inquiring children when they ask us1 ,father1 why do people get ill and die8 ,these are grave questions4 ,a few words upon them will not be out of place4 ,can we suppose for a moment that ,god created sickness and disease at the beginning8 ,can we imagine that ,he who formed our world in such perfect order was the ,former of needless suffering and pain8 ,can we think that ,he who made all things very good1 made ,adam's race to sicken and to die8 ,the idea is1 to my mind1 revolting4 ,it introduces a grand imperfection into the midst of ,god's perfect works4 ,i must find another solution to satisfy my mind4 ,the only explanation that satisfies me is that which the ,bible gives4 ,something has come into the world which has dethroned man from his original position1 and stripped him of his original privileges4 ,something has come in1 which1 like a handful of gravel thrown into the midst of machinery1 has marred the perfect order of ,god's creation4 ,and what is that something8 ,i answer1 in one word1 ,it is sin4 ,sin has entered into the world1 and death by sin4 7,rom4 v4 #ab47 ,sin is the cause of all the sickness1 and disease1 and pain1 and suffering1 which prevail on the earth4 ,they are all a part of that curse which came into the world when ,adam and ,eve ate the forbidden fruit and fell4 ,there would have been no sickness1 if there had been no fall4 ,there would have been no disease1 if there had been no sin4 ,i pause for a moment at this point1 and yet in pausing ,i do not depart from my subject4 ,i pause to remind my readers that there is no ground so untenable as that which is occupied by the ,atheist1 the ,deist1 or the unbeliever in the ,bible4 ,i advise every young reader of this paper1 who is puzzled by the bold and specious arguments of the infidel1 to study well that most important subject1--the ,difficulties of ,infidelity4 ,i say boldly that it requires far more credulity to be an infidel than to be a ,christian4 ,i say boldly1 that there are great broad patent facts in the condition of mankind1 which nothing but the ,bible can explain1 and that one of the most striking of these facts is the universal prevalence of pain1 sickness1 and disease4 ,in short1 one of the mightiest difficulties in the way of ,atheists and ,deists1 is the body of man4 ,you have doubtless heard of ,atheists4 ,an ,atheist is one who professes to believe that there is no ,god1 no ,creator1 no ,first ,cause1 and that all things came together in this world by mere chance4--,now shall we listen to such a doctrine as this8 ,go1 take an ,atheist to one of the excellent surgical schools of our land1 and ask him to study the wonderful structure of the human body4 ,show him the matchless skill with which every joint1 and vein1 and valve1 and muscle1 and sinew1 and nerve1 and bone1 and limb1 has been formed4 ,show him the perfect adaptation of every part of the human frame to the purpose which it serves4 ,show him the thousand delicate contrivances for meeting wear and tear1 and supplying daily waste of vigour4 ,and then ask this man who denies the being of a ,god1 and a great ,first ,cause1 if all this wonderful mechanism is the result of chance8 ,ask him if it came together at first by luck and accident8 ,ask him if he so thinks about the watch he looks at1 the bread he eats1 or the coat he wears8 ,oh1 no6 ,design is an insuperable difficulty in the ,atheist's way4 ,there is a ,god4 ,you have doubtless heard of ,deists4 ,a ,deist is one who professes to believe that there is a ,god1 who made the world and all things therein4 ,but ,he does not believe the ,bible4 ,a ,god1 but no ,bible6--a ,creator1 but no ,christianity6 ,this is the ,deist's creed4--,now1 shall we listen to this doctrine8 ,go again1 ,i say1 and take a ,deist to an hospital1 and show him some of the awful handiwork of disease4 ,take him to the bed where lies some tender child1 scarce knowing good from evil1 with an incurable cancer4 ,send him to the ward where there is a loving mother of a large family in the last stage of some excruciating disease4 ,show him some of the racking pains and agonies to which flesh is heir1 and ask him to account for them4 ,ask this man1 who believes there is a great and wise ,god who made the world1 but cannot believe the ,bible1--ask him how he accounts for these traces of disorder and imperfection in his ,god's creation4 ,ask this man1 who sneers at ,christian theology and is too wise to believe the fall of ,adam1--ask him upon his theory to explain the universal prevalence of pain and disease in the world4 ,you may ask in vain6 ,you will get no satisfactory answer4 ,sickness and suffering are insuperable difficulties in the ,deist's way4 ,man has sinned1 and therefore man suffers4 ,adam fell from his first estate1 and therefore ,adam's children sicken and die4 ,the universal prevalence of sickness is one of the indirect evidences that the ,bible is true4 ,the ,bible explains it4 ,the ,bible answers the questions about it which will arise in every inquiring mind4 ,no other systems of religion can do this4 ,they all fail here4 ,they are silent4 ,they are confounded4 ,the ,bible alone looks the subject in the face4 ,it boldly proclaims the fact that man is a fallen creature1 and with equal boldness proclaims a vast remedial system to meet his wants4 ,i feel shut up to the conclusion that the ,bible is from ,god4 ,christianity is a revelation from heaven4 ,thy word is truth4 7,john xvii4 #ag47 ,let us stand fast on the old ground1 that the ,bible1 and the ,bible only1 is ,god's revelation of ,himself to man4 ,be not moved by the many new assaults which modern scepticism is making on the inspired volume4 ,heed not the hard questions which the enemies of the faith are fond of putting about ,bible difficulties1 and to which perhaps you often feel unable to give an answer4 ,anchor your soul firmly on this safe principle1--that the whole book is ,god's truth4 ,tell the enemies of the ,bible that1 in spite of all their arguments1 there is no book in the world which will bear comparison with the ,bible1--none that so thoroughly meets man's wants1--none that explains so much of the state of mankind4 ,as to the hard things in the ,bible1 tell them you are content to wait4 ,you find enough plain truth in the book to satisfy your conscience and save your soul4 ,the hard things will be cleared up one day4 ,what you know not now1 you will know hereafter4 ,,ii4 ,the second point ,i propose to consider is the general benefits which sickness confers on mankind4 ,i use that word benefits advisedly4 ,i feel it of deep importance to see this part of our subject clearly4 ,i know well that sickness is one of the supposed weak points in ,god's government of the world1 on which sceptical minds love to dwell4--,can ,god be a ,god of love1 when ,he allows pain8 ,can ,god be a ,god of mercy1 when ,he permits disease8 ,he might prevent pain and disease2 but ,he does not4 ,how can these things be8 ,such is the reasoning which often comes across the heart of man4 ,i reply to all such reasoners1 that their doubts and questionings are most unreasonable4 ,they might us well doubt the existence of a ,creator1 because the order of the universe is disturbed by earthquakes1 hurricanes1 and storms4 ,they might as well doubt the providence of ,god1 because of the horrible massacres of ,delhi and ,cawnpore4 ,all this would be just as reasonable as to doubt the mercy of ,god1 because of the presence of sickness in the world4 ,i ask all who find it hard to reconcile the prevalence of disease and pain with the love of ,god1 to cast their eyes on the world around them1 and to mark what is going on4 ,i ask them to observe the extent to which men constantly submit to present loss for the sake of future gain1--present sorrow for the sake of future joy1--present pain for the sake of future health4 ,the seed is thrown into the ground1 and rots3 but we sow in the hope of a future harvest4 ,the boy is sent to school amidst many tears3 but we send him in the hope of his getting future wisdom4 ,the father of a family undergoes some fearful surgical operation3 but he bears it1 in the hope of future health4--,i ask men to apply this great principle to ,god's government of the world4 ,i ask them to believe that ,god allows pain1 sickness1 and disease1 not because ,he loves to vex man1 but because ,he desires to benefit man's heart1 and mind1 and conscience1 and soul1 to all eternity4 ,once more ,i repeat1 that ,i speak of the benefits of sickness on purpose and advisedly4 ,i know the suffering and pain which sickness entails4 ,i admit the misery and wretchedness which it often brings in its train4 ,but ,i cannot regard it as an unmixed evil4 ,i see in it a wise permission of ,god4 ,i see in it a useful provision to check the ravages of sin and the devil among men's souls4 ,if man had never sinned ,i should have been at a loss to discern the benefit of sickness4 ,but since sin is in the world1 ,i can see that sickness is a good4 ,it is a blessing quite as much as a curse4 ,it is a rough schoolmaster1 ,i grant4 ,but it is a real friend to man's soul4 7a7 ,sickness helps to remind men of death4 ,the most live as if they were never going to die4 ,they follow business1 or pleasure1 or politics1 or science1 as if earth was their eternal home4 ,they plan and scheme for the future1 like the rich fool in the parable1 as if they had a long lease of life1 and were not tenants at will4 ,a heavy illness sometimes goes far to dispel these delusions4 ,it awakens men from their day-dreams1 and reminds them that they have to die as well as to live4 ,now this ,i say emphatically is a mighty good4 7b7 ,sickness helps to make men think seriously of ,god1 and their souls1 and the world to come4 ,the most in their days of health can find no time for such thoughts4 ,they dislike them4 ,they put them away4 ,they count them troublesome and disagreeable4 ,now a severe disease has sometimes a wonderful power of mustering and rallying these thoughts1 and bringing them up before the eyes of a man's soul4 ,even a wicked king like ,benhadad1 when sick1 could think of ,elisha4 7#b ,kings viii4 #h47 ,even heathen sailors1 when death was in sight1 were afraid1 and cried every man to his god4 7,jonah i4 #e47 ,surely anything that helps to make men think is a good4 7c7 ,sickness helps to soften men's hearts1 and teach them wisdom4 ,the natural heart is as hard as a stone4 ,it can see no good in anything which is not of this life1 and no happiness excepting in this world4 ,a long illness sometimes goes far to correct these ideas4 ,it exposes the emptiness and hollowness of what the world calls good things1 and teaches us to hold them with a loose hand4 ,the man of business finds that money alone is not everything the heart requires4 ,the woman of the world finds that costly apparel1 and novel-reading1 and the reports of balls and operas1 are miserable comforters in a sick room4 ,surely anything that obliges us to alter our weights and measures of earthly things is a real good4 7d7 ,sickness helps to level and humble us4 ,we are all naturally proud and high-minded4 ,few1 even of the poorest1 are free from the infection4 ,few are to be found who do not look down on somebody else1 and secretly flatter themselves that they are not as other men4 ,a sick bed is a mighty tamer of such thoughts as these4 ,it forces on us the mighty truth that we are all poor worms1 that we dwell in houses of clay1 and are crushed before the moth 7,job iv4 #ai71 and that kings and subjects1 masters and servants1 rich and poor1 are all dying creatures1 and will soon stand side by side at the bar of ,god4 ,in the sight of the coffin and the grave it is not easy to be proud4 ,surely anything that teaches that lesson is good4 7e7 ,finally1 sickness helps to try men's religion1 of what sort it is4 ,there are not many on earth who have on religion at all4 ,yet few have a religion that will bear inspection4 ,most are content with traditions received from their fathers1 and can render no reason of the hope that is in them4 ,now disease is sometimes most useful to a man in exposing the utter worthlessness of his soul's foundation4 ,it often shows him that he has nothing solid under his feet1 and nothing firm under his hand4 ,it makes him find out that1 although he may have had a form of religion1 he has been all his life worshipping an unknown ,god4 ,many a creed looks well on the smooth waters of health1 which turns out utterly unsound and useless on the rough waves of the sick bed4 ,the storms of winter often bring out the defects in a man's dwelling1 and sickness often exposes the gracelessness of a man's soul4 ,surely anything that makes us find out the real character of our faith is a good4 ,i do not say that sickness confers these benefits on all to whom it comes4 ,alas1 ,i can say nothing of the kind6 ,myriads are yearly laid low by illness1 and restored to health1 who evidently learn no lesson from their sick beds1 and return again to the world4 ,myriads are yearly passing through sickness to the grave1 and yet receiving no more spiritual impression from it than the beasts that perish4 ,while they live they have no feeling1 and when they die there are no bands in their death4 7,psalm lxxiii4 #d47 ,these are awful things to say4 ,but they are true4 ,the degree of deadness to which man's heart and conscience may attain1 is a depth which ,i cannot pretend to fathom4 ,but does sickness confer the benefits of which ,i have been speaking on only a few8 ,i will allow nothing of the kind4 ,i believe that in very many cases sickness produces impressions more or less akin to those of which ,i have just been speaking4 ,i believe that in many minds sickness is ,god's day of visitation1 and that feelings are continually aroused on a sick bed which1 if improved1 might1 by ,god's grace1 result in salvation4 ,i believe that in heathen lands sickness often paves the way for the missionary1 and makes the poor idolater lend a willing ear to the glad tidings of the ,gospel4 ,i believe that in our own land sickness is one of the greatest aids to the minister of the ,gospel1 and that sermons and counsels are often brought home in the day of disease which we have neglected in the day of health4 ,i believe that sickness is one of ,god's most important subordinate instruments in the saving of men1 and that though the feelings it calls forth are often temporary1 it is also often a means whereby the ,spirit works effectually on the heart4 ,in short1 ,i believe firmly that the sickness of men's bodies has often led1 in ,god's wonderful providence1 to the salvation of men's souls4 ,i leave this branch of my subject here4 ,it needs no further remark4 ,if sickness can do the things of which ,i have been speaking 7and who will gainsay it871 if sickness in a wicked world can help to make men think of ,god and their souls1 then sickness confers benefits on mankind4 ,we have no right to murmur at sickness1 and repine at its presence in the world4 ,we ought rather to thank ,god for it4 ,it is ,god's witness4 ,it is the soul's adviser4 ,it is an awakener to the conscience4 ,it is a purifier to the heart4 ,surely ,i have a right to tell you that sickness is a blessing and not a curse1--a help and not an injury1--a gain and not a loss1--a friend and not a foe to mankind4 ,so long as we have a world wherein there is sin1 it is a mercy that it is a world wherein there is sickness4 ,,iii4 ,the third and last point which ,i propose to consider1 is the special duties which the prevalence of sickness entails on each one of ourselves4 ,i should be sorry to leave the subject of sickness without saying something on this point4 ,i hold it to be of cardinal importance not to be content with generalities in delivering ,god's message to souls4 ,i am anxious to impress on each one into whose hands this paper may fall1 his own personal responsibility in connection with the subject4 ,i would fain have no one lay down this paper unable to answer the questions1--,what practical lesson have ,i learned8 ,what1 in a world of disease and death1 what ought ,i to do8 7a7 ,one paramount duty which the prevalence of sickness entails on man1 is that of living habitually prepared to meet ,god4 ,sickness is a remembrancer of death4 ,death is the door through which we must all pass to judgment4 ,judgment is the time when we must at last see ,god face to face4 ,surely the first lesson which the inhabitant of a sick and dying world should learn should be to prepare to meet his ,god4 ,when are you prepared to meet ,god8 ,never till your iniquities are forgiven1 and your sin covered6 ,never till your heart is renewed1 and your will taught to delight in the will of ,god6 ,you have many sins4 ,if you go to church your own mouth is taught to confess this every ,sunday4 ,the blood of ,jesus ,christ can alone cleanse those sins away4 ,the righteousness of ,christ can alone make you acceptable in the sight of ,god4 ,faith1 simple childlike faith1 can alone give you an interest in ,christ and ,his benefits4 ,would you know whether you are prepared to meet ,god8 ,then where is your faith8--,your heart is naturally unmeet for ,god's company4 ,you have no real pleasure in doing ,his will4 ,the ,holy ,ghost must transform you after the image of ,christ4 ,old things must pass away4 ,all things must become new4 ,would you know whether you are prepared to meet ,god8 ,then1 where is your grace8 ,where are the evidences of your conversion and sanctification8 ,i believe that this1 and nothing less than this1 is preparedness to meet ,god4 ,pardon of sin and meetness for ,god's presence1--justification by faith and sanctification of the heart1--the blood of ,christ sprinkled on us1 and the ,spirit of ,christ dwelling in us1--these are the grand essentials of the ,christian religion4 ,these are no mere words and names to furnish bones of contention for wrangling theologians4 ,these are sober1 solid1 substantial realities4 ,to live in the actual possession of these things1 in a world full of sickness and death1 is the first duty which ,i press home upon your soul4 7b7 ,another paramount duty which the prevalence of sickness entails on you1 is that of living habitually ready to bear it patiently4 ,sickness is no doubt a trying thing to flesh and blood4 ,to feel our nerves unstrung1 and our natural force abated1--to be obliged to sit still and be cut off from all our usual avocations1--to see our plans broken off and our purposes disappointed1--to endure long hours1 and days1 and nights of weariness and pain1--all this is a severe strain on poor sinful human nature4 ,what wonder if peevishness and impatience are brought out by disease6 ,surely in such a dying world as this we should study patience4 ,how shall we learn to bear sickness patiently1 when sickness comes to our turn8 ,we must lay up stores of grace in the time of health4 ,we must seek for the sanctifying influence of the ,holy ,ghost over our unruly tempers and dispositions4 ,we must make a real business of our prayers1 and regularly ask for strength to endure ,god's will as well as to do it4 ,such strength is to be had for the asking3 ,if ye shall ask anything in my name1 ,i will do it for you4 7,john xiv4 #ad47 ,i cannot think it needless to dwell on this point4 ,i believe the passive graces of ,christianity receive far less notice than they deserve4 ,meekness1 gentleness1 long-suffering1 faith1 patience1 are all mentioned in the ,word of ,god as fruits of the ,spirit4 ,they are passive graces which specially glorify ,god4 ,they often make men think1 who despise the active side of the ,christian character4 ,never do these graces shine so brightly as they do in the sick room4 ,they enable many a sick person to preach a silent sermon1 which those around him never forget4 ,would you adorn the doctrine you profess8 ,would you make your ,christianity beautiful in the eyes of others8 ,then take the hint ,i give you this day4 ,lay up a store of patience against the time of illness4 ,then1 though your sickness be not to death1 it shall be for the glory of ,god4 7,john xi4 #d47 7c7 ,one more paramount duty which the prevalence of sickness entails on you1 is that of habitual readiness to feel with and help your fellow-men4 ,sickness is never very far from us4 ,few are the families who have not some sick relative4 ,few are the parishes where you will not find some one ill4 ,but wherever there is sickness1 there is a call to duty4 ,a little timely assistance in some cases1--a kindly visit in others1--a friendly inquiry1--a mere expression of sympathy1 may do a vast good4 ,these are the sort of things which soften asperities1 and bring men together1 and promote good feeling4 ,these are ways by which you may ultimately lead men to ,christ and save their souls4 ,these are good works to which every professing ,christian should be ready4 ,in a world full of sickness and disease we ought to bear one another's burdens1 and be kind one to another4 7,gal4 vi4 #b2 ,ephes4 iv4 #cb47 ,these things1 ,i dare say1 may appear to some little and trifling4 ,they must needs be doing something great1 and grand1 and striking1 and heroic6 ,i take leave to say that conscientious attention to these little acts of brotherly-kindness is one of the clearest evidences of having the mind of ,christ4 ,they are acts in which our blessed ,master ,himself was abundant4 ,he was ever going about doing good to the sick and sorrowful4 7,acts x4 #ch47 ,they are acts to which ,he attaches great importance in that most solemn passage of ,scripture1 the description of the last judgment4 ,he says there3 ,i was sick1 and ye visited ,me4 7,matt4 xxv4 #cf47 ,have you any desire to prove the reality of your charity1--that blessed grace which so many talk of1 and so few practise8 ,if you have1 beware of unfeeling selfishness and neglect of your sick brethren4 ,search them out4 ,assist them if they need aid4 ,show your sympathy with them4 ,try to lighten their burdens4 ,above all1 strive to do good to their souls4 ,it will do you good if it does no good to them4 ,it will keep your heart from murmuring4 ,it may prove a blessing to your own soul4 ,i firmly believe that ,god is testing and proving us by every case of sickness within our reach4 ,by permitting suffering1 ,he tries whether ,christians have any feeling4 ,beware1 lest you be weighed in the balances and found wanting4 ,if you can live in a sick and dying world and not feel for others1 you have yet much to learn4 ,i leave this branch of my subject here4 ,i throw out the points ,i have named as suggestions1 and ,i pray ,god that they may work in many minds4 ,i repeat1 that habitual preparedness to meet ,god1--habitual readiness to suffer patiently1--habitual willingness to sympathize heartily1--are plain duties which sickness entails on all4 ,they are duties within the reach of every one4 ,in naming them ,i ask nothing extravagant or unreasonable4 ,i bid no man retire into a monastery and ignore the duties of his station4 ,i only want men to realize that they live in a sick and dying world1 and to live accordingly4 ,and ,i say boldly1 that the man who lives the life of faith1 and holiness1 and patience1 and charity1 is not only the most true ,christian1 but the most wise and reasonable man4 ,and now ,i conclude all with four words of practical application4 ,i want the subject of this paper to be turned to some spiritual use4 ,my heart's desire and prayer to ,god in placing it in this volume is to do good to souls4 7#a7 ,in the first place1 ,i offer a question to all who read this paper1 to which1 as ,god's ambassador1 ,i entreat their serious attention4 ,it is a question which grows naturally out of the subject on which ,i have been writing4 ,it is a question which concerns all1 of every rank1 and class1 and condition4 ,i ask you1 ,what will you do when you are ill8 ,the time must come when you1 as well as others1 must go down the dark valley of the shadow of death4 ,the hour must come when you1 like all your forefathers1 must sicken and die4 ,the time may be near or far off4 ,god only knows4 ,but whenever the time may be1 ,i ask again4 ,what are you going to do8 ,where do you mean to turn for comfort8 ,on what do you mean to rest your soul8 ,on what do you mean to build your hope8 ,from whence will you fetch your consolations8 ,i do entreat you not to put these questions away4 ,suffer them to work on your conscience1 and rest not till you can give them a satisfactory answer4 ,trifle not with that precious gift1 an immortal soul4 ,defer not the consideration of the matter to a more convenient season4 ,presume not on a death-bed repentance4 ,the greatest business ought surely not to be left to the last4 ,one dying thief was saved that men might not despair1 but only one that none might presume4 ,i repeat the question4 ,i am sure it deserves an answer1 ,what will you do when you are ill8 ,if you were going to live for ever in this world ,i would not address you as ,i do4 ,but it cannot be4 ,there is no escaping the common lot of all mankind4 ,nobody can die in our stead4 ,the day must come when we must each go to our long home4 ,against that day ,i want you to be prepared4 ,the body which now takes up so much of your attention--the body which you now clothe1 and feed1 and warm with so much care1--that body must return again to the dust4 ,oh1 think what an awful thing it would prove at last to have provided for everything except the one thing needful1--to have provided for the body1 but to have neglected the soul1--to die1 in fact1 like ,cardinal ,beaufort1 and give no sign of being saved6 ,once more ,i press my question on your conscience3 ,what will you do when you are ill8 7#b7 ,in the next place1 ,i offer counsel to all who feel they need it and are willing to take it1--to all who feel they are not yet prepared to meet ,god4 ,that counsel is short and simple4 ,acquaint yourself with the ,lord ,jesus ,christ without delay4 ,repent1 be converted1 flee to ,christ1 and be saved4 ,either you have a soul or you have not4 ,you will surely never deny that you have4 ,then if you have a soul1 seek that soul's salvation4 ,of all gambling in the world1 there is none so reckless as that of the man who lives unprepared to meet ,god1 and yet puts off repentance4--,either you have sins or you have none4 ,if you have 7and who will dare to deny it871 break off from those sins1 cast away your transgressions1 and turn away from them without delay4--,either you need a ,saviour or you do not4 ,if you do1 flee to the only ,saviour this very day1 and cry mightily to ,him to save your soul4 ,apply to ,christ at once4 ,seek ,him by faith4 ,commit your soul into ,his keeping4 ,cry mightily to ,him for pardon and peace with ,god4 ,ask ,him to pour down the ,holy ,spirit upon you1 and make you a thorough ,christian4 ,he will hear you4 ,no matter what you have been1 ,he will not refuse your prayer4 ,he has said1 ,him that cometh to ,me ,i will in no wise cast out4 7,john vi4 #cg47 ,beware1 ,i beseech you1 of a vague and indefinite ,christianity4 ,be not content with a general hope that all is right because you belong to the old ,church of ,england1 and that all will be well at last because ,god is merciful4 ,rest not1 rest not without personal union with ,christ ,himself4 ,rest not1 rest not till you have the witness of the ,spirit in your heart1 that you are washed1 and sanctified1 and justified1 and one with ,christ1 and ,christ in you4 ,rest not till you can say with the apostle1 ,i know whom ,i have believed1 and am persuaded that ,he is able to keep that which ,i have committed to ,him against that day4 7#b ,tim4 i4 #ab47 ,vague1 and indefinite1 and indistinct religion may do very well in time of health4 ,it will never do in the day of sickness4 ,a mere formal1 perfunctory ,church-membership may carry a man through the sunshine of youth and prosperity4 ,it will break down entirely when death is in sight4 ,nothing will do then but real heart-union with ,christ4 ,christ interceding for us at ,god's right hand1--,christ known and believed as our ,priest1 our ,physician1 our ,friend1--,christ alone can rob death of its sting and enable us to face sickness without fear4 ,he alone can deliver those who through fear of death are in bondage4 ,i say to every one who wants advice1 ,be acquainted with ,christ4 ,as ever you would have hope and comfort on the bed of sickness1 be acquainted with ,christ4 ,seek ,christ4 ,apply to ,christ4 ,take every care and trouble to ,him when you are acquainted with ,him4 ,he will keep you and carry you through all4 ,pour out your heart before ,him1 when your conscience is burdened4 ,he is the true ,confessor4 ,he alone can absolve you and take the burden away4 ,turn to ,him first in the day of sickness1 like ,martha and ,mary4 ,keep on looking to ,him to the last breath of your life4 ,christ is worth knowing4 ,the more you know ,him the better you will love ,him4 ,then be acquainted with ,jesus ,christ4 7#c7 ,in the third place1 ,i exhort all true ,christians who read this paper to remember how much they may glorify ,god in the time of sickness1 and to lie quiet in ,god's hand when they are ill4 ,i feel it very important to touch on this point4 ,i know how ready the heart of a believer is to faint1 and how busy ,satan is in suggesting doubts and questionings1 when the body of a ,christian is weak4 ,i have seen something of the depression and melancholy which sometimes comes upon the children of ,god when they are suddenly laid aside by disease1 and obliged to sit still4 ,i have marked how prone some good people are to torment themselves with morbid thoughts at such seasons1 and to say in their hearts1 ,god has forsaken me3 ,i am cast out of ,his sight4 ,i earnestly entreat all sick believers to remember that they may honour ,god as much by patient suffering as they can by active work4 ,it often shows more grace to sit still than it does to go to and fro1 and perform great exploits4 ,i entreat them to remember that ,christ cares for them as much when they are sick as ,he does when they are well1 and that the very chastisement they feel so acutely is sent in love1 and not in anger4 ,above all1 ,i entreat them to recollect the sympathy of ,jesus for all ,his weak members4 ,they are always tenderly cared for by ,him1 but never so much as in their time of need4 ,christ has had great experience of sickness4 ,he knows the heart of a sick man4 ,he used to see all manner of sickness1 and all manner of disease when ,he was upon earth4 ,he felt specially for the sick in the days of ,his flesh4 ,he feels for them specially still4 ,sickness and suffering1 ,i often think1 make believers more like their ,lord in experience1 than health4 ,himself took our infirmities1 and bare our sicknesses4 7,isaiah liii4 #c2 ,matt4 viii4 #ag47 ,the ,lord ,jesus was a ,man of sorrows1 and acquainted with grief4 ,none have such an opportunity of learning the mind of a suffering ,saviour as suffering disciples4 7#d7 ,i conclude with a word of exhortation to all believers1 which ,i heartily pray ,god to impress upon their souls4 ,i exhort you to keep up a habit of close communion with ,christ1 and never to be afraid of going too far in your religion4 ,remember this1 if you wish to have great peace in your times of sickness4 ,i observe with regret a tendency in some quarters to lower the standard of practical ,christianity1 and to denounce what are called extreme views about a ,christian's daily walk in life4 ,i remark with pain that even religious people will sometimes look coldly on those who withdraw from worldly society1 and will censure them as exclusive1 narrow-minded1 illiberal1 uncharitable1 sour-spirited1 and the like4 ,i warn every believer in ,christ who reads this paper to beware of being influenced by such censures4 ,i entreat him1 if he wants light in the valley of death1 to keep himself unspotted from the world1 to follow the ,lord very fully1 and to walk very closely with ,god4 7,james i4 #bg2 ,num4 xiv4 #bd47 ,i believe that the want of thoroughness about many people's ,christianity is one secret of their little comfort1 both in health and sickness4 ,i believe that the half-and-half1--keep-in-with-everybody religion1 which satisfies many in the present day1 is offensive to ,god1 and sows thorns in dying pillows1 which hundreds never discover till too late4 ,i believe that the weakness and feebleness of such a religion never comes out so much as it does upon a sick bed4 ,if you and ,i want strong consolation in our time of need1 we must not be content with a bare union with ,christ4 7,heb4 vi4 #ah47 ,we must seek to know something of heart-felt1 experimental communion with ,him4 ,never1 never let us forget1 that union is one thing1 and communion another4 ,thousands1 ,i fear1 who know what union with ,christ is1 know nothing of communion4 ,the day may come when after a long fight with disease1 we shall feel that medicine can do no more1 and that nothing remains but to die4 ,friends will be standing by1 unable to help us4 ,hearing1 eyesight1 even the power of praying1 will be fast failing us4 ,the world and its shadows will be melting beneath our feet4 ,eternity1 with its realities1 will be looming large before our minds4 ,what shall support us in that trying hour8 ,what shall enable us to feel1 ,i fear no evil8 7,psalm xxiii4 #d47 ,nothing1 nothing can do it but close communion with ,christ4 ,christ dwelling in our hearts by faith1--,christ putting ,his right arm under our heads1--,christ felt to be sitting by our side1--,christ can alone give us the complete victory in the last struggle4 ,let us cleave to ,christ more closely1 love ,him more heartily1 live to ,him more thoroughly1 copy ,him more exactly1 confess ,him more boldly1 follow ,him more fully4 ,religion like this will always bring its own reward4 ,worldly people may laugh at it4 ,weak brethren may think it extreme4 ,but it will wear well4 ,at even time it will bring us light4 ,in sickness it will bring us peace4 ,in the world to come it will give us a crown of glory that fadeth not away4 ,the time is short4 ,the fashion of this world passeth away4 ,a few more sicknesses1 and all will be over4 ,a few more funerals1 and our own funeral will take place4 ,a few more storms and tossings1 and we shall be safe in harbour4 ,we travel towards a world where there is no more sickness1--where parting1 and pain1 and crying1 and mourning1 are done with for evermore4 ,heaven is becoming every year more full1 and earth more empty4 ,the friends ahead are becoming more numerous than the friends astern4 ,yet a little time and ,he that shall come will come1 and will not tarry4 7,heb4 x4 #cg47 ,in ,his presence shall be fulness of joy4 ,christ shall wipe away all tears from ,his people's eyes4 ,the last enemy that shall be destroyed is ,death4 ,but he shall be destroyed4 ,death himself shall one day die4 7,rev4 xx4 #ad47 ,in the meantime let us live the life of faith in the ,son of ,god4 ,let us lean all our weight on ,christ1 and rejoice in the thought that ,he lives for evermore4 ,yes3 blessed be ,god6 ,christ lives1 though we may die4 ,christ lives1 though friends and families are carried to the grave4 ,he lives who abolished death1 and brought life and immortality to light by the ,gospel4 ,he lives who said1 ,o death1 ,i will be thy plagues3 ,o grave1 ,i will be thy destruction4 7,hos4 xiii4 #ad47 ,he lives who will one day change our vile body1 and make it like unto ,his glorious body4 ,in sickness and in health1 in life and in death1 let us lean confidently on ,him4 ,surely we ought to say daily with one of old1 ,blessed be ,god for ,jesus ,christ6 ,,xvi ,,the ,,family ,,of ,,god ,the whole family in heaven and earth4--,ephes4 iii4 #ae4 ,the words which form the title of this paper ought to stir some feelings in our minds at any time4 ,there lives not the man or woman on earth who is not member of some family4 ,the poorest as well as the richest has his kith and kin1 and can tell you something of his family4 ,family gatherings at certain times of the year1 such as ,christmas1 we all know1 are very common4 ,thousands of firesides are crowded then1 if at no other time of the year4 ,the young man in town snatches a few days from business1 and takes a run down to the old folks at home4 ,the young woman in service gets a short holiday1 and comes to visit her father and mother4 ,brothers and sisters meet for a few hours4 ,parents and children look one another in the face4 ,how much there is to talk about6 ,how many questions to be asked6 ,how many interesting things to be told6 ,happy indeed is that fireside which sees gathered round it at ,christmas the whole family6 ,family gatherings are natural1 and right1 and good4 ,i approve them with all my heart4 ,it does me good to see them kept up4 ,they are one of the very few pleasant things which have survived the fall of man4 ,next to the grace of ,god1 ,i see no principle which unites people so much in this sinful world as family feeling4 ,community of blood is a most powerful tie4 ,it was a fine saying of an ,american naval officer1 when his men insisted on helping the ,english sailors in fighting the ,taku forts in ,china1--,i cannot help it3 blood is thicker than water4 ,i have often observed that people will stand up for their relations1 merely because they are their relations1--and refuse to hear a word against them1--even when they have no sympathy with their tastes and ways4 ,anything which helps to keep up family feeling ought to be commended4 ,it is a wise thing1 when it can be done1 to gather together at ,christmas the whole family4 ,family gatherings1 nevertheless1 are often sorrowful things4 ,it would be strange indeed1 in such a world as this1 if they were not4 ,few are the family circles which do not show gaps and vacant places as years pass away4 ,changes and deaths make sad havoc as time goes on4 ,thoughts will rise up within us1 as we grow older1 about faces and voices no longer with us1 which no ,christmas merriment can entirely keep down4 ,when the young members of the family have once begun to launch forth into the world1 the old heads may long survive the scattering of the nest2 but after a certain time1 it seldom happens that you see together the whole family4 ,there is one great family to which ,i want all the readers of this paper to belong4 ,it is a family despised by many1 and not even known by some4 ,but it is a family of far more importance than any family on earth4 ,to belong to it entitles a man to far greater privileges than to be the son of a king4 ,it is the family of which ,st4 ,paul speaks to the ,ephesians1 when he tells them of the whole family in heaven and earth4 ,it is the family of ,god4 ,i ask the attention of every reader of this paper while ,i try to describe this family1 and recommend it to his notice4 ,i want to tell you of the amazing benefits which membership of this family conveys4 ,i want you to be found one of this family1 when its gathering shall come at last1--a gathering without separation1 or sorrow1 or tears4 ,hear me while1 as a minister of ,christ1 and friend to your soul1 ,i speak to you for a few minutes about the whole family in heaven and earth3-- ,i4 ,first of all1 what is this family8 ,,ii4 ,secondly1 what is its present position8 ,,iii4 ,thirdly1 what are its future prospects8 ,i wish to unfold these three things before you1 and ,i invite your serious consideration of them4 ,our family gatherings on earth must have an end one day4 ,our last earthly ,christmas must come4 ,happy indeed is that ,christmas which finds us prepared to meet ,god6 ,i4 ,what is that family which the ,bible calls the whole family in heaven and earth8 ,of whom does it consist8 ,the family before us consists of all real ,christians1--of all who have the ,spirit1--of all true believers in ,christ1--of the saints of every age1 and ,church1 and nation1 and tongue4 ,it includes the blessed company of all faithful people4 ,it is the same as the election of ,god1--the household of faith1--the mystical body of ,christ1--the bride1--the living temple1--the sheep that never perish1--the ,church of the first-born1--the holy ,catholic ,church4 ,all these expressions are only the family of ,god under other names4 ,membership of the family before us does not depend on any earthly connection4 ,it comes not by natural birth1 but by new birth4 ,ministers cannot impart it to their hearers4 ,parents cannot give it to their children4 ,you may be born in the godliest family in the land1 and enjoy the richest means of grace a ,church can supply1 and yet never belong to the family of ,god4 ,to belong to it you must be born again4 ,none but the ,holy ,ghost can make a living member of ,his family4 ,it is ,his special office and prerogative to bring into the true ,church such as shall be saved4 ,they that are born again are born1 not of blood1 nor of the will of the flesh1 nor of the will of man1 but of ,god4 7,john i4 #ac47 ,do you ask the reason1 of this name which the ,bible gives to the company of all true ,christians8 ,would you like to know why they are called a family8 ,listen and ,i will tell you4 7a7 ,true ,christians are called a family because they have all one ,father4 ,they are all children of ,god by faith in ,christ ,jesus4 ,they are all born of one ,spirit4 ,they are all sons and daughters of the ,lord ,almighty4 ,they have received the ,spirit of adoption1 whereby they cry1 ,abba ,father4 7,gal4 iii4 #bf2 ,john iii4 #h2 #b ,cor4 vi4 #ah2 ,rom4 viii4 #ae47 ,they do not regard ,god with slavish fear1 as an austere ,being1 only ready to punish them4 ,they look up to ,him with tender confidence1 as a reconciled and loving parent1--as one forgiving iniquity1 transgression1 and sin1 to all who believe on ,jesus1--and full of pity even to the least and feeblest4 ,the words1 ,our ,father which art in heaven1 are no mere form in the mouth of true ,christians4 ,no wonder they are called ,god's family4 7b7 ,true ,christians are called a family1 because they all rejoice in one name4 ,that name is the name of their great ,head and ,elder ,brother1 even ,jesus ,christ the ,lord4 ,just as a common family name is the uniting link to all the members of a ,highland clan1 so does the name of ,jesus tie all believers together in one vast family4 ,as members of outward visible ,churches they have various names and distinguishing appellations4 ,as living members of ,christ1 they all1 with one heart and mind1 rejoice in one ,saviour4 ,not a heart among them but feels drawn to ,jesus as the only object of hope4 ,not a tongue among them but would tell you that ,christ is all4 ,sweet to them all is the thought of ,christ's death for them on the cross4 ,sweet is the thought of ,christ's intercession for them at the right hand of ,god4 ,sweet is the thought of ,christ's coming again to unite them to ,himself in one glorified company for ever4 ,in fact1 you might as well take away the sun out of heaven1 as take away the name of ,christ from believers4 ,to the world there may seem little in ,his name4 ,to believers it is full of comfort1 hope1 joy1 rest1 and peace4 ,no wonder they are called a family4 7c7 ,true ,christians1 above all1 are called a family because there is so strong a family likeness among them4 ,they are all led by one ,spirit1 and are marked by the same general features of life1 heart1 taste1 and character4 ,just as there is a general bodily resemblance among the brothers and sisters of a family1 so there is a general spiritual resemblance among all the sons and daughters of the ,lord ,almighty4 ,they all hate sin and love ,god4 ,they all rest their hope of salvation on ,christ1 and have no confidence in themselves4 ,they all endeavour to come out and be separate from the ways of the world1 and to set their affections on things above4 ,they all turn naturally to the same ,bible1 as the only food of their souls and the only sure guide in their pilgrimage toward heaven3 they find it a lamp to their feet1 and a light to their path4 7,psa4 cxix4 #aje47 ,they all go to the same throne of grace in prayer1 and find it as needful to speak to ,god as to breathe4 ,they all live by the same rule1 the ,word of ,god1 and strive to conform their daily life to its precepts4 ,they have all the same inward experience4 ,repentance1 faith1 hope1 charity1 humility1 inward conflict1 are things with which they are all more or less acquainted4 ,no wonder they are called a family4 ,this family likeness among true believers is a thing that deserves special attention4 ,to my own mind it is one of the strongest indirect evidences of the truth of ,christianity ,it is one of the greatest proofs of the reality of the work of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,some true ,christians live in civilized countries1 and some in the midst of heathen lands4 ,some are highly educated1 and some are unable to read a letter4 ,some are rich and some are poor4 ,some are ,churchmen and some are ,dissenters4 ,some are old and some are young4 ,and yet1 notwithstanding all this1 there is a marvellous oneness of heart and character among them4 ,their joys and their sorrows1 their love and their hatred1 their likes and their dislikes1 their tastes and their distastes1 their hopes and their fears1 are all most curiously alike4 ,let others think what they please1 ,i see in all this the finger of ,god4 ,his handiwork is always one and the same4 ,no wonder that true ,christians are compared to a family4 ,take a converted ,englishman and a converted ,hindoo1 and let them suddenly meet for the first time4 ,i will engage1 if they can understand one another's language1 they will soon find common ground between them1 and feel at home4 ,the one may have been brought up at ,eton and ,oxford1 and enjoyed every privilege of ,english civilization4 ,the other may have been trained in the midst of gross heathenism1 and accustomed to habits1 ways1 and manners as unlike the ,englishman's as darkness compared to light4 ,and yet now in half an hour they feel that they are friends6 ,the ,englishman finds that he has more in common with his ,hindoo brother than he has with many an old college companion or school-fellow6 ,who can account for this8 ,how can it be explained8 ,nothing can account for it but the unity of the ,spirit's teaching4 ,it is one touch of grace 7not nature7 that makes the whole world kin4 ,god's people are in the highest sense a family4 ,this is the family to which ,i wish to direct the attention of my readers in this paper4 ,this is the family to which ,i want you to belong4 ,i ask you this day to consider it well1 if you never considered it before4 ,i have shown you the ,father of the family1--the ,god and ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,i have shown you the ,head and ,elder ,brother of the family1--the ,lord ,jesus ,himself4 ,i have shown you the features and characteristics of the family4 ,its members have all great marks of resemblance4 ,once more ,i say1 consider it well4 ,outside this family1 remember1 there is no salvation4 ,none but those who belong to it1 according to the ,bible1 are in the way that leads to heaven4 ,the salvation of our souls does not depend on union with one ,church or separation from another4 ,they are miserably deceived who think that it does1 and will find it out to their cost one day1 except they awake4 ,no6 the life of our souls depends on something far more important4 ,this is life eternal1 to be a member of the whole family in heaven and earth4 ,,ii4 ,i will now pass on to the second thing which ,i promised to consider4 ,what is the present position of the whole family in heaven and earth8 ,the family to which ,i am directing the attention of my readers this day is divided into two great parts4 ,each part has its own residence or dwelling-place4 ,part of the family is in heaven1 and part is on earth4 ,for the present the two parts are entirely separated from one another4 ,but they form one body in the sight of ,god1 though resident in two places2 and their union is sure to take place one day4 ,two places1 be it remembered1 and two only1 contain the family of ,god4 ,the ,bible tells us of no third habitation4 ,there is no such thing as purgatory1 whatever some ,christians may think fit to say4 ,there is no house of purifying1 training1 or probation for those who are not true ,christians when they die4 ,oh no6 ,there are but two parts of the family1--the part that is seen and the part that is unseen1 the part that is in heaven and the part that is on earth4 ,the members of the family that are not in heaven are on earth1 and those that are not on earth are in heaven4 ,two parts1 and two only6 ,two places1 and two only6 ,let this never be forgotten4 ,some of ,god's family are safe in heaven4 ,they are at rest in that place which the ,lord ,jesus expressly calls ,paradise4 7,luke xxiii4 #dc47 ,they have finished their course4 ,they have fought their battle4 ,they have done their appointed work4 ,they have learned their lessons4 ,they have carried their cross4 ,they have passed through the waves of this troublesome world and reached the harbour4 ,little as we know about them1 we know that they are happy4 ,they are no longer troubled by sin and temptation4 ,they have said good-bye for ever to poverty and anxiety1 to pain and sickness1 to sorrow and tears4 ,they are with ,christ ,himself1 who loved them and gave ,himself for them1 and in ,his company they must needs be happy4 7,phil4 i4 #bc47 ,they have nothing to fear in looking back to the past4 ,they have nothing to dread in looking forward to things to come4 ,three things only are lacking to make their happiness complete4 ,these three are the second advent of ,christ in glory1 the resurrection of their own bodies1 and the gathering together of all believers4 ,and of these three things they are sure4 ,some of ,god's family are still upon earth4 ,they are scattered to and fro in the midst of a wicked world1 a few in one place and a few in another4 ,all are more or less occupied in the same way1 according to the measure of their grace4 ,all are running a race1 doing a work1 warring a warfare1 carrying a cross1 striving against sin1 resisting the devil1 crucifying the flesh1 struggling against the world1 witnessing for ,christ1 mourning over their own hearts1 hearing1 reading1 and praying1 however feebly1 for the life of their souls4 ,each is often disposed to think no cross so heavy as his own1 no work so difficult1 no heart so hard4 ,but each and all hold on their way1--a wonder to the ignorant world around them1 and often a wonder to themselves4 ,but1 however divided ,god's family may be at present in dwelling-place and local habitation1 it is still one family4 ,both parts of it are still one in character1 one in possessions1 and one in relation to ,god4 ,the part in heaven has not so much superiority over the part on earth as at first sight may appear4 ,the difference between the two is only one of degree4 7a7 ,both parts of the family love the same ,saviour1 and delight in the same perfect will of ,god4 ,but the part on earth loves with much imperfection and infirmity1 and lives by faith1 not by sight4--,the part in heaven loves without weakness1 or doubt1 or distraction4 ,it walks by sight and not by faith1 and sees what it once believed4 7b7 ,both parts of the family are saints4 ,but the saints on earth are often poor weary pilgrims1 who find the flesh lusting against the spirit and the spirit lusting against the flesh1 so that they cannot do the things they would4 7,gal4 v4 #ag47 ,they live in the midst of an evil world1 and are often sick of themselves and of the sin they see around them4--,the saints in heaven1 on the contrary1 are delivered from the world1 the flesh1 and the devil1 and enjoy a glorious liberty4 ,they are called the spirits of just men made perfect4 7,heb4 xii4 #bc47 7c7 ,both parts of the family are alike ,god's children4 ,but the children in heaven have learned all their lessons1 have finished their appointed tasks1 have begun an eternal holiday4--,the children on earth are still at school4 ,they are daily learning wisdom1 though slowly and with much trouble1 and often needing to be reminded of their past lessons by chastisement and the rod4 ,their holidays are yet to come4 7d7 ,both parts of the family are alike ,god's soldiers4 ,but the soldiers on earth are yet militant4 ,their warfare is not accomplished4 ,their fight is not over4 ,they need every day to put on the whole armour of ,god4--,the soldiers in heaven are all triumphant4 ,no enemy can hurt them now4 ,no fiery dart can reach them4 ,helmet and shield may both be laid aside4 ,they may at last say to the sword of the ,spirit1 ,rest and be still4 ,they may at length sit down1 and need not to watch and stand on their guard4 7#b7 ,last1 but not least1 both parts of the family are alike safe and secure4 ,wonderful as this may sound1 it is true4 ,christ cares as much for ,his members on earth as ,his members in heaven4 ,you might as well think to pluck the stars out of heaven1 as to pluck one saint1 however feeble1 out of ,christ's hand4 ,both parts of the family are alike secured by an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure4 7#b ,sam4 xxiii4 #e47 ,the members on earth1 through the burden of the flesh and the dimness of their faith1 may neither see1 nor know1 nor feel their own safety4 ,but they are safe1 though they may not see it4 ,the whole family is kept by the power of ,god1 through faith unto salvation4 7#a ,peter i4 #e47 ,the members yet on the road are as secure as the members who have got home4 ,not one shall be found missing at the last day4 ,the words of the ,christian poet shall be found strictly true3-- ,more happy1 but not more secure1 ,the glorified spirits in heaven4 ,before ,i leave this part of my subject1 ,i ask every reader of this paper to understand thoroughly the present position of ,god's family1 and to form a just estimate of it4 ,learn not to measure its numbers or its privileges by what you see with your eyes4 ,you see only a small body of believers in this present time4 ,but you must not forget that a great company has got safe to heaven already1 and that when all are assembled at the last day they will be a multitude which no man can number4 7,rev4 vii4 #i47 ,you only see that part of the family which is struggling on earth4 ,you must never forget that the greater part of the family has got home and is resting in heaven4--,you see the militant part1 but not the triumphant4 ,you see the part that is carrying the cross1 but not the part which is safe in ,paradise4 ,the family of ,god is far more rich and glorious than you suppose4 ,believe me1 it is no small thing to belong to the whole family in heaven and earth4 ,,iii4 ,i will now pass on to the last thing which ,i promised to consider4--,what are the future prospects of the whole family in heaven and earth8 ,the future prospects of a family6 ,what a vast amount of uncertainty these words open up when we look at any family now in the world6 ,how little we can tell of the things coming on any of us6 ,what a mercy that we do not know the sorrows and trials and separations through which our beloved children may have to pass1 when we have left the world6 ,it is a mercy that we do not know what a day may bring forth1 and a far greater mercy that we do not know what may happen in twenty years4 7,prov4 xxvii4 #a47 ,alas1 foreknowledge of the future prospects of our belongings would spoil many a family gathering1 and fill the whole party with gloom6 ,think how many a fine boy1 who is now the delight of his parents1 will by and by walk in the prodigal's footsteps1 and never return home6 ,think how many a fair daughter1 the joy of a mother's heart1 will follow the bent of her self-will after a few years1 and insist on some miserably mistaken marriage6 ,think how disease and pain will often lay low the loveliest of a family circle1 and make her life a burden and weariness to herself1 if not to others6 ,think of the endless breaches and divisions arising out of money matters6 ,alas1 there is many a life-long quarrel about a few pounds1 between those who once played together in the same nursery6 ,think of these things4 ,the future prospects of many a family which meets together every ,christmas are a solemn and serious subject4 ,hundreds1 to say the least1 are gathering together for the last time3 when they part1 they will never meet again4 ,but1 thank ,god1 there is one great family whose prospects are very different4 ,it is the family of which ,i am speaking in this paper1 and commending to your attention4 ,the future prospects of the family of ,god are not uncertain4 ,they are good1 and only good1--happy1 and only happy4 ,listen to me1 and ,i will try to set them in order before you4 7a7 ,the members of ,god's family shall all be brought safe home one day4 ,here upon earth they may be scattered1 tried1 tossed with tempests1 and bowed down with afflictions4 ,but not one of them shall perish4 7,john x4 #bh47 ,the weakest lamb shall not be left to perish in the wilderness3 the feeblest child shall not be missing when the muster-roll is brought out at the last day4 ,in spite of the world1 the flesh1 and the devil1 the whole family shall get home4 ,if1 when we were enemies1 we were reconciled to ,god by the death of ,his ,son1 much more1 being reconciled1 we shall be saved by ,his life4 7,rom4 v4 #aj47 7b7 ,the members of ,god's family shall all have glorious bodies one day4 ,when the ,lord ,jesus ,christ comes the second time1 the dead saints shall all be raised and the living shall all be changed4 ,they shall no longer have a vile mortal body1 full of weaknesses and infirmities3 they shall have a body like that of their risen ,lord1 without the slightest liability to sickness and pain4 ,they shall no longer be clogged and hindered by an aching frame1 when they want to serve ,god3 they shall be able to serve ,him night and day without weariness1 and to attend upon ,him without distraction4 ,the former things will have passed away4 ,that word will be fulfilled1 ,i make all things new4 7,rev4 xxi4 #e47 7c7 ,the members of ,god's family shall all be gathered into one company one day4 ,it matters nothing where they have lived or where they have died4 ,they may have been separated from one another both by time and space4 ,one may have lived in tents1 with ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob1 and another travelled by railway in our own day4 ,one may have laid his bones in an ,australian desert1 and another may have been buried in an ,english churchyard4 ,it makes no difference4 ,all shall be gathered together from north and south1 and east and west1 and meet in one happy assembly1 to part no more4 ,the earthly partings of ,god's family are only for a few days4 ,their meeting is for eternity4 ,it matters little where we live4 ,it is a time of scattering now1 and not of gathering4 ,it matters little where we die4 ,all graves are equally near to ,paradise4 ,but it does matter much whether we belong to ,god's family4 ,if we do we are sure to meet again at last4 7d7 ,the members of ,god's family shall all be united in mind and judgment one day4 ,they are not so now about many little things4 ,about the things needful to salvation there is a marvellous unity among them4 ,about many speculative points in religion1 about forms of worship and ,church government1 they often sadly disagree4 ,but there shall be no disagreement among them one day4 ,ephraim shall no longer vex ,judah1 nor ,judah ,ephraim4 ,churchmen shall no more quarrel with ,dissenters1 nor ,dissenters with ,churchmen4 ,partial knowledge and dim vision shall be at an end for ever4 ,divisions and separations1 misunderstandings and misconstructions1 shall be buried and forgotten4 ,as there shall only be one language1 so there shall only be one opinion4 ,at last1 after six thousand years of strife and jangling1 perfect unity and harmony shall be found4 ,a family shall at length be shown to angels and men in which all are of one mind4 7e7 ,the members of ,god's family shall all be perfected in holiness one day4 ,they are not literally perfect now1 although complete in ,christ4 7,col4 ii4 #aj47 ,though born again1 and renewed after the image of ,christ1 they offend and fall short in many things4 7,james iii1 #b47 ,none know it better than they do themselves4 ,it is their grief and sorrow that they do not love ,god more heartily and serve ,him more faithfully4 ,but they shall be completely freed from all corruption one day4 ,they shall rise again at ,christ's second appearing without any of the infirmities which cleave to them in their lives4 ,not a single evil temper or corrupt inclination shall be found in them4 ,they shall be presented by their ,head to the ,father1 without spot1 or wrinkle1 or any such thing1--perfectly holy and without blemish1--fair as the moon1 and clear as the sun4 7,eph4 v4 #bg2 ,cant4 v4 #aj47 ,grace1 even now1 is a beautiful thing1 when it lives1 and shines1 and flourishes in the midst of imperfection4 ,but how much more beautiful will grace appear when it is seen pure1 unmixed1 unmingled1 and alone6 ,and it shall be seen so when ,christ comes to be glorified in ,his saints at the last day4 7f7 ,last1 but not least1 the members of ,god's family shall all be eternally provided for one day4 ,when the affairs of this sinful world are finally wound up and settled1 there shall be an everlasting portion for all the sons and daughters of the ,lord almighty4 ,not even the weakest of them shall be overlooked and forgotten4 ,there shall be something for everyone1 according to his measure4 ,the smallest vessel of grace1 as well as the greatest1 shall be filled to the brim with glory4 ,the precise nature of that glory and reward it would be folly to pretend to describe4 ,it is a thing which eye has not seen1 nor mind of man conceived4 ,enough for us to know that each member of ,god's family1 when he awakes up after ,his ,master's likeness1 shall be satisfied4 7,psalm xvii4 #ae47 ,enough1 above all1 to know that their joy1 and glory1 and reward shall be for ever4 ,what they receive in the day of the ,lord they will never lose4 ,the inheritance reserved for them1 when they come of age1 is incorruptible1 undefiled1 and fadeth not away4 7#a ,peter i4 #d47 ,these prospects of ,god's family are great realities4 ,they are not vague shadowy talk of man's invention4 ,they are real true things1 and will be seen as such before long4 ,they deserve your serious consideration4 ,examine them well4 ,look round the families of earth with which you are acquainted1 the richest1 the greatest1 the noblest1 the happiest4 ,where will you find one among them all which can show prospects to compare with those of which you have just heard4 ,the earthly riches1 in many a case1 will be gone in a hundred years hence4 ,the noble blood1 in many a case1 will not prevent some disgraceful deed staining the family name4 ,the happiness1 in many a case1 will be found hollow and seeming4 ,few1 indeed1 are the homes which have not a secret sorrow1 or a skeleton in the closet4 ,whether for present possessions or future prospects1 there is no family so well off as the whole family in heaven and earth4 ,whether you look at what they have now1 or will have hereafter1 there is no family like the family of ,god4 ,my task is done4 ,my paper is drawing to a close4 ,it only remains to close it with a few words of practical application4 ,give me your attention for the last time4 ,may ,god bless what ,i am going to say to the good of your soul6 7#a7 ,i ask you a plain question4 ,take it with you to every family gathering which you join at any season of the year4 ,take it with you1 and amidst all your happiness make time for thinking about it4 ,it is a simple question1 but a solemn one1--,do you yet belong to the family of ,god8 ,to the family of ,god1 remember6 ,this is the point of my question4 ,it is no answer to say that you are a ,protestant1 or a ,churchman1 or a ,dissenter4 ,i want to hear of something more and better than that4 ,i want you to have some soul-satisfying and soul-saving religion1--a religion that will give you peace while you live1 and hope when you die4 ,to have such peace and hope you must be something more than a ,protestant1 or a ,churchman1 or a ,dissenter4 ,you must belong to the family of ,god4 ,thousands around you do not belong to it1 ,i can well believe4 ,but that is no reason why you should not4 ,if you do not yet belong to ,god's family1 ,i invite you this day to join it without delay4 ,open your eyes to see the value of your soul1 the sinfulness of sin1 the holiness of ,god1 the danger of your present condition1 the absolute necessity of a mighty change4 ,open your eyes to see these things1 and repent this very day4--,open your eyes to see the great ,head of ,god's family1 even ,christ ,jesus1 waiting to save your soul4 ,see how ,he has loved you1 lived for you1 died for you1 risen again for you1 and obtained complete redemption for you4 ,see how ,he offers you free1 full1 immediate pardon1 if you will believe in ,him4 ,open your eyes to see these things4 ,seek ,christ at once4 ,come and believe on ,him1 and commit your soul to ,his keeping this very day4 ,i know nothing of your family or past history4 ,i know not where you go to spend your leisure weeks1 or what company you are going to be in4 ,but ,i am bold to say1 that if you join the family of ,god you will find it the best and happiest family in the world4 7#b7 ,if you really belong to the whole family in heaven and earth1 count up your privileges1 and learn to be more thankful4 ,think what a mercy it is to have something which the world can neither give nor take away1--something which makes you independent of sickness or poverty1--something which is your own for evermore4 ,the old family fireside will soon be cold and tenantless4 ,the old family gatherings will soon be past and gone for ever4 ,the loving faces we now delight to gaze on are rapidly leaving us4 ,the cheerful voices which now welcome us will soon be silent in the grave4 ,but1 thank ,god1 if we belong to ,christ's family there is a better gathering yet to come4 ,let us often think of it1 and be thankful6 ,the family gathering of all ,god's people will make amends for all that their religion now costs them4 ,a meeting where none are missing1--a meeting where there are no gaps and empty places1--a meeting where there are no tears1--a meeting where there is no parting1--such a meeting as this is worth a fight and a struggle4 ,and such a meeting is yet to come to the whole family in heaven and earth4 ,in the meantime let us strive to live worthy of the family to which we belong4 ,let us labour to do nothing that may cause our ,father's house to be spoken against4 ,let us endeavour to make our ,master's name beautiful by our temper1 conduct1 and conversation4 ,let us love as brethren1 and abhor all quarrels4 ,let us behave as if the honour of the family depended on our behaviour4 ,so living1 by the grace of ,god1 we shall make our calling and election sure1 both to ourselves and others4 ,so living1 we may hope to have an abundant entrance1 and to enter harbour in full sail1 whenever we change earth for heaven4 7#b ,peter i4 #aa47 ,so living1 we shall recommend our ,father's family to others1 and perhaps by ,god's blessing incline them to say1 ,we will go with you4 ,,xvii ,,our ,,home6 ,lord1 ,thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations4 ,psalm xc4 #a4 ,there are two reasons why the text which heads this paper should ring in our hearts with special power4 ,it is the first verse of a deeply solemn ,psalm1--the first bar of a wondrous piece of spiritual music4 ,how others feel when they read the ninetieth ,psalm ,i cannot tell4 ,it always makes me lean back in my chair and think4 ,for one thing1 this ninetieth ,psalm is the only ,psalm composed by ,moses1 the man of ,god4#ab ,it expresses that holy man's feelings1 as he saw the whole generation whom he had led forth from ,egypt1 dying in the wilderness4 ,year after year he saw that fearful judgment fulfilling1 which ,israel brought on itself by unbelief3--,your carcases shall fall in this wilderness2 and all that were numbered of you1 according to your whole number1 from twenty years old and upward1 which have murmured against ,me1 doubtless ye shall not come into the land4 7,num4 xiv4 #bi47 ,one after another he saw the heads of the families whom he had led forth from ,egypt1 laying their bones in the desert4 ,for forty long years he saw the strong1 the swift1 the wise1 the tender1 the beautiful1 who had crossed the ,red ,sea with him in triumph1 cut down and withering like grass4 ,for forty years he saw his companions continually changing1 consuming1 and passing away4 ,who can wonder that he should say1 ,lord1 ,thou art our dwelling-place4 ,we are all pilgrims and strangers upon earth1 and there is none abiding4 ,lord1 ,thou art our home4 #ab3 ,i am quite aware that ,i have no direct authority for this statement1 except the prefatory heading at the beginning of the ,psalm4 ,however ancient those headings may be1 it is agreed among learned men that they were not given by inspiration1 and must not be regarded as a part of ,god's ,word4 ,there is1 nevertheless1 a curious amount of agreement among critics1 that in the case of this ninetieth ,psalm the tradition about its authorship is not without foundation4 ,for another thing1 the ninetieth ,psalm forms part of the ,burial ,service of the ,church of ,england4 ,whatever fault men may find with the ,prayer-book1 ,i think no one can deny the singular beauty of the ,burial ,service4 ,beautiful are the texts which it puts into the minister's mouth as he meets the coffin at the churchyard gate1 and leads the mourners into ,god's house4 ,beautiful is the chapter from the first ,epistle to the ,corinthians about the resurrection of the body4 ,beautiful are the sentences and prayers appointed to be read as the body is laid in its long home4 ,but specially beautiful1 to my mind1 are the ,psalms which are selected for reading when the mourners have just taken their places in church4 ,i know nothing which sounds so soothing1 solemnizing1 heart-touching1 and moving to man's spirit1 at that trying moment1 as the wondrous utterance of the old inspired law-giver3 ,lord1 ,thou hast been our dwelling-place4 ,lord1 ,thou art our home4 ,i want to draw from these words two thoughts that may do the readers of this paper some good4 ,an ,english home is famous all over the world for its happiness and comfort4 ,it is a little bit of heaven left upon earth4 ,but even an ,english home is not for ever4 ,the family nest is sure to be taken down1 and its inmates are sure to be scattered4 ,bear with me for a few short minutes1 while ,i try to set before you the best1 truest1 and happiest home4 ,i4 ,the first thought that ,i will offer you is this3--,i will show you what the world is4 ,it is a beautiful world in many respects1 ,i freely admit4 ,its seas and rivers1 its sunrises and sunsets1 its mountains and valleys1 its harvests and its forests1 its fruits and its flowers1 its days and its nights1 all1 all are beautiful in their way4 ,cold and unfeeling must that heart be which never finds a day in the year when it can admire anything in nature6 ,but beautiful as the world is1 there are many things in it to remind us that it is not home4 ,it is an inn1 a tent1 a tabernacle1 a lodging1 a training school4 ,but it is not home4 7a7 ,it is a changing world4 ,all around us is continually moving1 altering1 and passing away4 ,families1 properties1 landlords1 tenants1 farmers1 labourers1 tradesmen1 all are continually on the move4 ,to find the same name in the same dwelling for three generations running is so uncommon1 that it is the exception and not the rule4 ,a world so full of change cannot be called home4 7b7 ,it is a trying and disappointing world4 ,who ever lives to be fifty years old and does not find to his cost that it is so8 ,trials in married life and trials in single life1--trials in children and trials in brothers and sisters1--trials in money matters and trials in health1--how many they are6 ,their name is legion4 ,and not the tenth part of them perhaps ever comes to light4 ,few indeed are the families which have not a skeleton in the closet4 ,a world so full of trial and disappointment cannot be called home4 7c7 ,it is a dying world4 ,death is continually about us and near us1 and meets us at every turn4 ,few are the family gatherings1 when ,christmas comes round1 in which there are not some empty chairs and vacant places4 ,few are the men and women1 past thirty1 who could not number a long list of names1 deeply cut for ever in their hearts1 but names of beloved ones now dead and gone4 ,where are our fathers and mothers8 ,where are our ministers and teachers8 ,where are our brothers and sisters8 ,where are our husbands and wives8 ,where are our neighbours and friends8 ,where are the old grey-headed worshippers1 whose reverent faces we remember so well1 when we first went to ,god's house8 ,where are the boys and girls we played with when we went to school8 ,how many must reply1 ,dead1 dead1 dead6 ,the daisies are growing over their graves1 and we are left alone4 ,surely a world so full of death can never be called a home4 7d7 ,it is a scattering and dividing world4 ,families are continually breaking up1 and going in different directions4 ,how rarely do the members of a family ever meet together again1 after the surviving parent is laid in the grave6 ,the band of union seems snapped1 and nothing welds it again4 ,the cement seems withdrawn from the parts of the building1 and the whole principle of cohesion is lost4 ,how often some miserable squabble about trinkets1 or some wretched wrangle about money1 makes a breach that is never healed1 and1 like a crack in china1 though riveted1 can never be quite cured6 ,rarely indeed do those who played in the same nursery lie down at length in the same churchyard1 or keep peace with one another till they die4 ,a world so full of division can never be home4 ,these are ancient things4 ,it is useless to be surprised at them4 ,they are the bitter fruit of sin1 and the sorrowful consequence of the fall4 ,change1 trial1 death1 and division1 all entered into the world when ,adam and ,eve transgressed4 ,we must not murmur4 ,we must not fret4 ,we must not complain4 ,we must accept the situation in which we find ourselves4 ,we must each do our best to lighten the sorrows1 and increase the comforts of our position4 ,we must steadily resolve to make the best of everybody and everything around us4 ,but we must never1 never1 never1 forget that the world is not home4 ,are you young8 ,does all around and before you seem bright1 and cheerful1 and happy8 ,do you secretly think in your own mind that ,i take too gloomy a view of the world8 ,take care4 ,you will not say so by and by4 ,be wise betimes4 ,learn to moderate your expectations4 ,depend on it1 the less you expect from people and things here below the happier you will be4 ,are you prosperous in the world8 ,have death1 and sickness1 and disappointment1 and poverty1 and family troubles1 passed over your door up to this time1 and not come in8 ,are you secretly saying to yourself1 ,nothing can hurt me much4 ,i shall die quietly in my bed1 and see no sorrow4 ,take care4 ,you are not yet in harbour4 ,a sudden storm of unexpected trouble may make you change your note4 ,set not your affection on things below4 ,hold them with a very loose hand1 and be ready to surrender them at a moment's notice4 ,use your prosperity well while you have it2 but lean not all your weight on it1 lest it break suddenly and pierce your hand4 ,have you a happy home8 ,are you going to spend ,christmas round a family hearth1 where sickness1 and death1 and poverty1 and partings1 and quarrellings1 have never yet been seen8 ,be thankful for it3 oh1 be thankful for it6 ,a really happy ,christian home is the nearest approach to heaven on earth4 ,but take care4 ,this state of things will not last for ever4 ,it must have an end2 and if you are wise1 you will never forget that--the time is short3 it remaineth1 that both they that have wives be as though they had none2 and they that weep1 as though they wept not2 and they that rejoice1 as though they rejoiced not2 and they that buy1 as though they possessed not2 and they that use this world1 as not abusing it2 for the fashion of this world passeth away4 7#a ,cor4 vii4 #bi--ca47 ,,ii4 ,the second thought that ,i will offer you is this3 ,i will show you what ,christ is1 even in this life1 to true ,christians4 ,heaven1 beyond doubt1 is the final home in which a true ,christian will dwell at last4 ,towards that he is daily travelling3 nearer to that he is daily coming4 ,we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved1 we have a building of ,god1 an house not made with hands1 eternal in the heavens4 7#b ,cor4 v4 #a47 ,body and soul united once more1 renewed1 beautified1 and perfected1 will live for ever in the ,father's great house in heaven4 ,to that home we have not yet come4 ,we are not yet in heaven4 ,but is there meanwhile no home for our souls8 ,is there no spiritual dwelling-place to which we may continually repair in this desolate world1 and1 repairing to it1 find rest and peace8 ,thank ,god1 there is no difficulty in finding an answer to that question4 ,there is a home provided for all labouring and heavy-laden souls1 and that home is ,christ4 ,to know ,christ by faith1 to live the life of faith in ,him1 to abide in ,him daily by faith1 to flee to ,him in every storm of conscience1 to use ,him as our refuge in every day of trouble1 to employ ,him as our ,priest1 ,confessor1 ,absolver1 and spiritual ,director1 every morning and evening in our lives1--this is to be at home spiritually1 even before we die4 ,to all sinners of mankind who by faith use ,christ in this fashion1 ,christ is in the highest sense a dwelling-place4 ,they can say with truth1 ,we are pilgrims and strangers on earth1 and yet we have a home4 ,of all the emblems and figures under which ,christ is set before man1 ,i know few more cheering and comforting than the one before us4 ,home is one of the sweetest1 tenderest words in the ,english language4 ,home is the place with which our pleasantest thoughts are closely bound up4 ,all that the best and happiest home is to its inmates1 that ,christ is to the soul that believes on ,him4 ,in the midst of a dying1 changing1 disappointing world1 a true ,christian has always something which no power on earth can take away4 ,morning1 noon1 and night1 he has near him a living ,refuge1--a living home for his soul4 ,you may rob him of life1 and liberty1 and money2 you may take from him health1 and lands1 and house1 and friends2 but1 do what you will1 you cannot rob him of his home4 ,like those humblest of ,god's creatures which carry their shells on their backs1 wherever they are1 so the ,christian1 wherever he goes1 carries his home4 ,no wonder that holy ,baxter sings1-- ,what if in prison ,i must dwell1 ,may ,i not then converse with ,thee8 ,save me from sin1 ,thy wrath1 and hell1-- ,call me ,thy child1 and ,i am free6 7a7 ,no home like ,christ6 ,in ,him there is room for all1 and room for all sorts4 ,none are unwelcome guests and visitors1 and none are refused admission4 ,the door is always on the latch1 and never bolted4 ,the best robe1 the fatted calf1 the ring1 the shoes are always ready for all comers4 ,what though in time past you have been the vilest of the vile1 a servant of sin1 an enemy of all righteousness1 a ,pharisee of ,pharisees1 a ,sadducee of ,sadducees1 a publican of publicans8 ,it matters nothing3 there is yet hope4 ,all may be pardoned1 forgiven1 and forgotten4 ,there is a home and refuge where your soul may be admitted this very day4 ,that home is ,christ4 ,come unto ,me1 ,he cries3 ,knock1 and it shall be opened unto you4 7,matt4 xi4 #bh2 vii4 #g47 7b7 ,no home like ,christ6 ,in ,him there is boundless and unwearied mercy for all1 even after admission4 ,none are rejected and cast forth again after probation1 because they are too weak and bad to stay4 ,oh1 no6 ,whom ,he receives1 them ,he always keeps4 ,where ,he begins1 there ,he makes a good end4 ,whom ,he admits1 them ,he at once fully justifies4 ,whom ,he justifies1 them ,he also sanctifies4 ,whom ,he sanctifies1 them ,he also glorifies4 ,no hopeless characters are ever sent away from ,his house4 ,no men or women are ever found too bad to heal and renew4 ,nothing is too hard for ,him to do who made the world out of nothing4 ,he who is ,himself the ,home1 hath said it1 and will stand to it3 ,him that cometh unto ,me1 ,i will in no wise cast out4 7,john vi4 #cg47 7c7 ,no home like ,christ6 ,in ,him there is unvarying kindness1 patience1 and gentle dealing for all4 ,he is not an austere man1 but meek and lowly in heart4 7,matt4 xi4 #bi47 ,none who apply to ,him are ever treated roughly1 or made to feel that their company is not welcome4 ,a feast of fat things is always provided for them4 ,the holy ,spirit is placed in their hearts1 and dwells in them as in a temple4 ,leading1 guiding1 and instruction are daily provided for them4 ,if they err1 they are brought back into the right way2 if they fall1 they are raised again2 if they transgress wilfully1 they are chastised to make them better4 ,but the rule of the whole house is love4 7d7 ,no home like ,christ6 ,in ,him there is no change4 ,from youth to age ,he loves all who come to ,him1 and is never tired of doing them good4 ,earthly homes1 alas1 are full of fickleness and uncertainty4 ,favour is deceitful4 ,courtesy and civility are often on men's lips1 while inwardly they are weary of your company and wish you were gone4 ,you seldom know how long your presence is welcome1 or to what extent your friends really care to see you4 ,but it is not so with ,christ4 ,he is the same yesterday1 and to-day1 and for ever4 7,heb4 xiii4 #h47 7e7 ,no home like ,christ6 ,communion once begun with ,him shall never be broken off4 ,once joined to the ,lord by faith1 you are joined to ,him for an endless eternity4 ,earthly homes always come to an end sooner or later3 the dear old furniture is sold and dispersed2 the dear old heads of the family are gathered to their fathers2 the dear old nest is pulled to pieces4 ,but it is not so with ,christ4 ,faith will at length be swallowed up in sight3 hope shall at last be changed into certainty4 ,we shall see one day with our eyes1 and no longer need to believe4 ,we shall be moved from the lower chamber to the upper1 and from the outer court to the ,holy of ,holies4 ,but once in ,christ1 we shall never be out of ,christ4 ,once let our name be placed in the ,lamb's book of life1 and we belong to a home which shall continue for evermore4 7#a7 ,and now1 before ,i conclude1 let me ask every reader of this paper a plain question4 ,have you got a home for your soul8 ,is it safe8 ,is it pardoned8 ,is it justified8 ,is it prepared to meet ,god8 ,with all my heart ,i wish you a happy home4 ,but remember my question4 ,amidst the greetings and salutations of home1 amidst the meetings and partings1 amidst the laughter and merriment1 amidst the joys and sympathies and affections1 think1 think of my question1--,have you got a home for your soul8 ,our earthly homes will soon be closed for ever4 ,time hastens on with giant strides4 ,old age and death will be upon us before many years have passed away4 ,oh1 seek an abiding home for the better part of you1--the part that never dies6 ,before it be too late seek a home for your soul4 ,seek ,christ1 that you may be safe4 ,woe to the man who is found outside the ark when the flood of ,god's wrath bursts at length on a sinful world6--,seek ,christ1 that you may be happy4 ,none have a real right to be cheerful1 merry1 light-hearted1 and at ease1 excepting those who have got a home for their souls4 ,once more ,i say1 ,seek ,christ without delay4 7#b7 ,if ,christ is the home of your soul1 accept a friendly caution4 ,beware of being ashamed of your home in any place or company4 ,the man who is ashamed of the home where he was born1 the parents that brought him up when a baby1 the brothers and sisters that played with him1--that man1 as a general rule1 may be set down as a mean and despicable being4 ,but what shall we say of the man who is ashamed of ,him who died for him on the cross8 ,what shall we say of the man who is ashamed of his religion1 ashamed of his ,master1 ashamed of his home8 ,take care that you are not that man4 ,whatever others around you please to think1 do you never be ashamed of being a ,christian4 ,let them laugh1 and mock1 and jest1 and scoff1 if they will4 ,they will not scoff in the hour of death and in the day of judgment4 ,hoist your flag2 show your colours2 nail them to the mast4 ,of drinking1 gambling1 lying1 swearing1 ,sabbath-breaking1 idleness1 pride1 you may well be ashamed4 ,of ,bible-reading1 praying1 and belonging to ,christ1 you have no cause to be ashamed at all4 ,let those laugh that win4 ,a good soldier is never ashamed of his ,queen's colours1 and his uniform4 ,take care that you are never ashamed of your ,master4 ,never be ashamed of your home4 7#c7 ,if ,christ is the home of your soul1 accept a piece of friendly advice4 ,let nothing tempt you to stray away from home4 ,the world and the devil will often try hard to make you drop your religion for a little season1 and walk with them4 ,your own flesh will whisper that there is no danger in going a little with them1 and that it can do you no mighty harm4 ,take care1 ,i say3 take care when you are tempted in this fashion4 ,take care of looking back1 like ,lot's wife4 ,forsake not your home4 ,there are pleasures in sin no doubt1 but they are not real and satisfactory4 ,there is an excitement and short-lived enjoyment in the world's ways1 beyond all question1 but it is joy that leaves a bitter taste behind it4 ,oh1 no6 wisdom's ways alone are ways of pleasantness1 and wisdom's paths alone are paths of peace4 ,cleave to them strictly and turn not aside4 ,follow the ,lamb whithersoever ,he goes4 ,stick to ,christ and ,his rule1 through evil report and good report4 ,the longer you live the happier you will find ,his service3 the more ready will you be to sing1 in the highest sense1 ,there is no place like home4 7#d7 ,if ,christ is the home of your soul1 accept a hint about your duty4 ,mind that you take every opportunity of telling others about your happiness4 ,tell them ,,that1 wherever you are4 ,tell them that you have a happy home4 ,tell them1 if they will hear you1 that you find ,christ a good ,master1 and ,christ's service a happy service4 ,tell them that ,his yoke is easy1 and ,his burden is light4 ,tell them that1 whatever the devil may say1 the rules of your home are not grievous1 and that your ,master pays far better wages than the world does6 ,try to do a little good wherever you are4 ,try to enlist more inmates for your happy home4 ,say to your friends and relatives1 if they will listen1 as one did of old1 ,come with us1 and we will do you good2 for the ,lord hath spoken good concerning ,israel4 7,numbers x4 #bi47 ,,xviii ,,heirs ,,of ,,god ,as many as are led by the ,spirit of ,god1 they are the sons of ,god4 ,for ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear2 but ye have received the ,spirit of adoption1 whereby we cry1 ,abba1 ,father4 ,the ,spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit1 that we are the children of ,god3 ,and if children1 then heirs2 heirs of ,god1 and joint heirs with ,christ2 if so be that we suffer with ,him1 that we may be also glorified together4--7,romans viii4 #ad--ag47 ,the people of whom ,st4 ,paul speaks in the verses before our eyes are the richest people upon earth4 ,it must needs be so4 ,they are called heirs of ,god1 and joint heirs with ,christ4 ,the inheritance of these people is the only inheritance really worth having4 ,all others are unsatisfying and disappointing4 ,they bring with them many cares4 ,they cannot cure an aching heart1 or lighten a heavy conscience4 ,they cannot keep off family troubles4 ,they cannot prevent sicknesses1 bereavements1 separations1 and deaths4 ,but there is no disappointment among the heirs of ,god4 ,the inheritance ,i speak of is the only inheritance which can be kept for ever4 ,all others must be left in the hour of death1 if they have not been taken away before4 ,the owners of millions of pounds can carry nothing with them beyond the grave4 ,but it is not so with the heirs of ,god4 ,their inheritance is eternal4 ,the inheritance ,i speak of is the only inheritance which is within every body's reach4 ,most men can never obtain riches and greatness1 though they labour hard for them all their lives4 ,but glory1 honour1 and eternal life1 are offered to every man freely1 who is willing to accept them on ,god's terms4 ,whosoever will1 may be an heir of ,god1 and joint heir with ,christ4 ,if any reader of this paper wishes to have a portion of this inheritance1 let him know that he must be a member of that one family on earth to which it belongs1 and that is the family of all true ,christians4 ,you must become one of ,god's children on earth1 if you desire to have glory in heaven4 ,i write this paper in order to persuade you to become a child of ,god this day1 if you are not one already4 ,i write it to persuade you to make sure work that you are one1 if at present you have only a vague hope1 and nothing more4 ,none but true ,christians are the children of ,god6 ,none but the children of ,god are heirs of ,god6 ,give me your attention1 while ,i try to unfold to you these things1 and to show the lessons contained in the verses which head this page4 ,i4 ,let me show the relation of all true ,christians to ,god4 ,they are sons of ,god4 ,,ii4 ,let me show the special evidences of this relation4 ,true ,christians are led by the ,spirit4 ,they have the ,spirit of adoption4 ,they have the witness of the ,spirit4 ,they suffer with ,christ4 ,,iii4 ,let me show the privileges of this relation4 ,true ,christians are heirs of ,god1 and joint heirs with ,christ4 ,i4 ,first let me show the relation of all true ,christians to ,god4 ,they are ,god's ,sons4 ,i know no higher and more comfortable word that could have been chosen4 ,to be servants of ,god1--to be subjects1 soldiers1 disciples1 friends1--all these are excellent titles2 but to be the sons of ,god is a step higher still4 ,what says the ,scripture8 ,the servant abideth not in the house for ever1 but the ,son abideth ever4 7,john viii4 #ce47 ,to be son of the rich and noble in this world1--to be son of the princes and kings of the earth1--this is commonly reckoned a great temporal advantage and privilege4 ,but to be a son of the ,king of kings1 and ,lord of lords1--to be a son of the ,high and ,holy ,one1 who inhabiteth eternity1--this is something far higher4 ,and yet this is the portion of every true ,christian4 ,the son of an earthly parent looks naturally to his father for affection1 maintenance1 provision1 and education4 ,there is a home always open to him4 ,there is a love which1 generally speaking1 no bad conduct can completely extinguish4 ,all these are things belonging even to the sonship of this world4 ,think then how great is the privilege of that poor sinner of mankind who can say of ,god1 ,he is my ,father4 ,but ,,how can sinful men like ourselves become sons of ,god8 ,when do we enter into this glorious relationship8 ,we are not the sons of ,god by nature4 ,we were not born so when we came into the world4 ,no man has a natural right to look to ,god as his ,father4 ,it is a vile heresy to say that he has4 ,men are said to be born poets and painters1--but men are never born sons of ,god4 ,the ,epistle to the ,ephesians tells us1 ,ye were by nature children of wrath1 even as others4 7,ephes4 ii4 #c47 ,the ,epistle of ,st4 ,john says1 ,the children of ,god are manifest1 and the children of the devil3 whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of ,god4 7#a ,john iii4 #aj47 ,the ,catechism of the ,church of ,england wisely follows the doctrine of the ,bible1 and teaches us to say1 ,by nature we are born in sin1 and children of wrath4 ,yes3 we are all rather children of the devil1 than children of ,god6 ,sin is indeed hereditary1 and runs in the family of ,adam4 ,grace is anything but hereditary1 and holy men have not1 as a matter of course1 holy sons4 ,how then and when does this mighty change and translation come upon men8 ,when and in what manner do sinners become the sons and daughters of the ,lord ,almighty8 7#b ,cor vi4 #ah47 ,men become sons of ,god in the day that the ,spirit leads them to believe on ,jesus ,christ for salvation1 and not before4#ac ,what says the ,epistle to the ,galatians8 ,ye are all the children of ,god by faith in ,christ ,jesus4 7,gal4 iii4 #bf47 ,what says the first ,epistle to the ,corinthians8 ,of ,him are ye in ,christ ,jesus4 7#a ,cor4 i4 #cj47 ,what says the ,gospel of ,john8 ,as many as received ,christ1 to them gave ,he power 7or privilege7 to become the sons of ,god1 even to them that believe on ,his name4 7,john i4 #ab47 ,faith unites the sinner to the ,son of ,god1 and makes him one of ,his members4 ,faith makes him one of those in whom the ,father sees no spot1 and is well-pleased4 ,faith marries him to the beloved ,son of ,god1 and entitles him to be reckoned among the sons4 ,faith gives him fellowship with the ,father and the ,son4 7#a ,john i4 #c47 ,faith grafts him into the ,father's family1 and opens up to him a room in the ,father's house4 ,faith gives him life instead of death1 and makes him1 instead of being a servant1 a son4 ,show me a man that has this faith1 and1 whatever be his church or denomination1 ,i say that he is a son of ,god4 #ac3 ,the reader will of course understand that ,i am not speaking now of children who die in infancy1 or of persons who live and die idiots4 ,this is one of those points we should never forget4 ,you and ,i know nothing of a man's sonship until he believes4 ,no doubt the sons of ,god are foreknown and chosen from all eternity1 and predestinated to adoption4 ,but1 remember1 it is not till they are called in due time1 and believe1--it is not till then that you and ,i can be certain they are sons4 ,it is not till they repent and believe1 that the angels of ,god rejoice over them4 ,the angels cannot read the book of ,god's election3 they know not who are ,his hidden ones in the earth4 7,ps4 lxxxiii4 #c47 ,they rejoice over no man till he believes4 ,but when they see some poor sinner repenting and believing1 then there is joy among them1--joy that one more brand is plucked from the burning1 and one more son and heir born again to the ,father in heaven4 7,luke xv4 #aj47 ,but once more ,i say1 you and ,i know nothing certain about a man's sonship to ,god until he believes on ,christ4 ,i warn you to beware of the delusive notion that all men and women are alike children of ,god1 whether they have faith in ,christ or not4 ,it is a wild theory which many are clinging to in these days1 but one which cannot be proved out of the ,word of ,god4 ,it is a perilous dream1 with which many are trying to soothe themselves1 but one from which there will be a fearful waking up at the last day4 ,that ,god in a certain sense is the universal ,father of all mankind1 ,i do not pretend to deny4 ,he is the ,great ,first ,cause of all things4 ,he is the ,creator of all mankind1 and in ,him alone1 all men1 whether ,christians or heathens1 live and move and have their being4 ,all this is unquestionably true4 ,in this sense ,paul told the ,athenians1 a poet of their own had truly said1 we are ,his offspring4 7,acts xvii4 #bh47 ,but this sonship gives no man a title to heaven4 ,the sonship which we have by creation is one which belongs to stones1 trees1 beasts1 or even to the devils1 as much as to us4 7,job i4 #f47 ,that ,god loves all mankind with a love of pity and compassion1 ,i do not deny4 ,his tender mercies are over all ,his works4--,he is not willing that any should perish1 but that all should come to repentance4--,he has no pleasure in the death of him that dieth4 ,all this ,i admit to the full4 ,in this sense our ,lord ,jesus tells us1 ,god so loved the world1 that ,he gave ,his only begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth in ,him should not perish1 but have eternal life4 7,ps4 cxlv4 #i2 #b ,peter iii4 #i2 ,ezek4 xviii4 #cb2 ,john iii4 #af47 ,but that ,god is a reconciled and pardoning ,father to any but the members of ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ1 and that any are members of ,jesus ,christ who do not believe on ,him for salvation1--this is a doctrine which ,i utterly deny4 ,the holiness and justice of ,god are both against the doctrine4 ,they make it impossible for sinful men to approach ,god1 excepting through the ,mediator4 ,they tell us that ,god out of ,christ is a consuming fire4 7,heb4 xii4 #bi47 ,the whole system of the new ,testament is against the doctrine4 ,that system teaches that no man can claim interest in ,christ unless he will receive ,him as his ,mediator1 and believe on ,him as his ,saviour4 ,where there is no faith in ,christ it is a dangerous error to say that a man may take comfort in ,god as his ,father4 ,god is a reconciled ,father to none but the members of ,christ4 ,it is unreasonable to talk of the view ,i am now upholding as narrow-minded and harsh4 ,the ,gospel sets an open door before every man4 ,its promises are wide and full4 ,its invitations are earnest and tender4 ,its requirements are simple and clear4 ,only believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and1 whosoever thou art1 thou shalt be saved4 ,but to say that proud men1 who will not bow their necks to the easy yoke of ,christ1 and worldly men who are determined to have their own way and their sins1--to say that such men have a right to claim an interest in ,christ1 and a right to call themselves sons of ,god1 is to say what never can be proved from ,scripture4 ,god offers to be their ,father2 but ,he does it on certain distinct terms3--they must draw near to ,him through ,christ4 ,christ offers to be their ,saviour2 but in doing it ,he makes one simple requirement3--they must commit their souls to ,him1 and give ,him their hearts4 ,they refuse the terms1 and yet dare to call ,god their ,father6 ,they scorn the requirement1 and yet dare to hope that ,christ will save them6 ,god is to be their ,father1--but on their own terms6 ,christ is to be their ,saviour1--but on their own conditions6 ,what can be more unreasonable8 ,what can be more proud8 ,what can be more unholy than such a doctrine as this8 ,let us beware of it1 for it is a common doctrine in these latter days4 ,let us beware of it1 for it is often speciously put forward1 and sounds beautiful and charitable in the mouth of poets1 novelists1 sentimentalists1 and tender-hearted women4 ,let us beware of it1 unless we mean to throw aside our ,bible altogether1 and set up ourselves to be wiser than ,god4 ,let us stand fast on the old ,scriptural ground3 ,no sonship to ,god without ,christ6 ,no interest in ,christ without faith6 ,i would to ,god there was not so much cause for giving warnings of this kind4 ,i have reason to think they need to be given clearly and unmistakably4 ,there is a school of theology rising up in this day1 which appears to me most eminently calculated to promote infidelity1 to help the devil1 and to ruin souls4 ,it comes to us like ,joab to ,amasa1 with the highest professions of charity1 liberality1 and love4 ,god is all mercy and love1 according to this theology3--,his holiness and justice are completely left out of sight6 ,hell is never spoken of in this theology3--its talk is all of heaven6 ,damnation is never mentioned3--it is treated as an impossible thing3--all men and women are to be saved6 ,faith1 and the work of the ,spirit1 are refined away into nothing at all6 ,everybody who believes anything has faith6 ,everybody who thinks anything has the ,spirit6 ,everybody is right6 ,nobody is wrong6 ,nobody is to blame for any action he may commit6 ,it is the result of his position4 ,it is the effect of circumstances6 ,he is not accountable for his opinions1 any more than for the colour of his skin6 ,he must be what he is6 ,the ,bible is a very imperfect book6 ,it is old-fashioned6 ,it is obsolete6 ,we may believe just as much of it as we please1 and no more6--,of all this theology ,i warn men solemnly to beware4 ,in spite of big swelling words about liberality1 and charity1 and broad views1 and new lights1 and freedom from bigotry1 and so forth1 ,i do believe it to be a theology that leads to hell4 7a7 ,facts are directly against the teachers of this theology4 ,let them visit ,mesopotamia1 and see what desolation reigns where ,nineveh and ,babylon once stood4 ,let them go to the shores of the ,dead ,sea1 and look down into its mysterious bitter waters4 ,let them travel in ,palestine1 and ask what has turned that fertile country into a wilderness4 ,let them observe the wandering ,jews1 scattered over the face of the world1 without a land of their own1 and yet never absorbed among other nations4 ,and then let them tell us1 if they dare1 that ,god is so entirely a ,god of mercy and love that ,he never does and never will punish sin4 7b7 ,the conscience of man is directly against these teachers4 ,let them go to the bedside of some dying child of the world1 and try to comfort him with their doctrines4 ,let them see if their vaunted theories will calm his gnawing1 restless anxiety about the future1 and enable him to depart in peace4 ,let them show us1 if they can1 a few well-authenticated cases of joy and happiness in death without ,bible promises1--without conversion1--and without that faith in the blood of ,christ1 which old-fashioned theology enjoins4 ,alas6 when men are leaving the world1 conscience makes sad work of the new systems of these latter days4 ,conscience is not easily satisfied1 in a dying hour1 that there is no such thing as hell4 7c7 ,every reasonable conception that we can form of a future state is directly against these teachers4 ,fancy a heaven which should contain all mankind6 ,fancy a heaven in which holy and unholy1 pure and impure1 good and bad1 would be all gathered together in one confused mass6 ,what point of union would there be in such a company8 ,what common bond of harmony and brotherhood8 ,what common delight in a common service8 ,what concord1 what harmony1 what peace1 what oneness of spirit could exist8 ,surely the mind revolts from the idea of a heaven in which there would be no distinction between the righteous and the wicked1--between ,pharaoh and ,moses1 between ,abraham and the ,sodomites1 between ,paul and ,nero1 between ,peter and ,judas ,iscariot1 between the man who dies in the act of murder or drunkenness1 and men like ,baxter1 ,george ,herbert1 ,wilberforce1 and ,m',cheyne6 ,surely an eternity in such a miserably confused crowd would be worse than annihilation itself6 ,surely such a heaven would be no better than hell6 7d7 ,the interests of all holiness and morality are directly against these teachers4 ,if all men and women alike are ,god's children1 whatever is the difference between them in their lives1--and all alike going to heaven1 however different they may be from one another here in the world1--where is the use of labouring after holiness at all8 ,what motive remains for living soberly1 righteously1 and godly8 ,what does it matter how men conduct themselves1 if all go to heaven1 and nobody goes to hell8 ,surely the heathen poets and philosophers of ,greece and ,rome could tell us something better and wiser than this6 ,surely a doctrine which is subversive of holiness and morality1 and takes away all motives to exertion1 carries on the face of it the stamp of its origin4 ,it is of earth1 and not of heaven4 ,it is of the devil1 and not of ,god4 7e7 ,the ,bible is against these teachers from first to last4 ,hundreds of texts might be quoted which are diametrically opposed to their theories4 ,these texts must be rejected summarily1 if the ,bible is to square with their views4 ,there may be no reason why they should be rejected1--but to suit the theology ,i speak of they must be thrown away6 ,at this rate the authority of the whole ,bible is soon at an end4 ,and what do men give us in its place8 ,nothing1--nothing at all6 ,they rob us of the bread of life1 and do not give us in its stead so much as a stone4 ,once more ,i warn all into whose hands this volume may fall to beware of this theology4 ,i charge you to hold fast the doctrine which ,i have been endeavouring to uphold in this paper4 ,remember what ,i have said1 and never let it go4 ,no inheritance of glory without sonship to ,god6 ,no sonship to ,god without an interest in ,christ6 ,no interest in ,christ without your own personal faith6 ,this is ,god's truth4 ,never forsake it4 ,who now among the readers of this paper desires to know whether he is a son of ,god8 ,ask yourself this question1 and ask it this day1--and ask it as in ,god's sight1 whether you have repented and believed4 ,ask yourself whether you are experimentally acquainted with ,christ1 and united to ,him in heart4 ,if not you may be very sure you are no son of ,god4 ,you are not yet born again4 ,you are yet in your sins4 ,your ,father in creation ,god may be1 but your reconciled and pardoning ,father ,god is not4 ,yes6 though ,church and world may agree to tell you to the contrary1--though clergy and laity unite in flattering you1--your sonship is worth little or nothing in the sight of ,god4 ,let ,god be true and every man a liar4 ,without faith in ,christ you are no son of ,god3 you are not born again4 ,who is there among the readers of this paper who desires to become a son of ,god8 ,let that person see and feel his sins1 and flee to ,christ for salvation1 and this day he shall be placed among the children4--,only acknowledge thine iniquity1 and lay hold on the hand that ,jesus holds out to thee this day1 and sonship1 with all it privileges1 is thine own4 ,only confess thy sins1 and bring them unto ,christ1 and ,god is faithful and just to forgive thee thy sins1 and cleanse thee from all unrighteousness4 7#a ,john i4 #i47 ,this very day old things shall pass away1 and all things become new4 ,this very day thou shalt be forgiven1 pardoned1 accepted in the ,beloved4 7,ephes4 i4 #f47 ,this very day thou shalt have a new name given to thee in heaven4 ,thou didst take up this book a child of wrath4 ,thou shalt lie down to night a child of ,god4 ,mark this1 if thy professed desire after sonship is sincere1--if thou art truly weary of thy sins1 and hast really something more than a lazy wish to be free1--there is real comfort for thee4 ,it is all true4 ,it is all written in ,scripture1 even as ,i have put it down4 ,i dare not raise barriers between thee and ,god4 ,this day ,i say1 ,believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and thou shalt be a son1 and be saved4 ,who is there among the readers of this paper that is a son of ,god indeed8 ,rejoice1 ,i say1 and be exceeding glad of your privileges4 ,rejoice1 for you have good cause to be thankful4 ,remember the words of the beloved apostle3 ,behold what manner of love the ,father hath bestowed upon us1 that we should be called the sons of ,god4 7#a ,john iii4 #a47 ,how wonderful that heaven should look down on earth1--that the holy ,god should set ,his affections on sinful man1 and admit him into ,his family6 ,what though the world does not understand you6 ,what though the men of this world laugh at you1 and cast out your name as evil6 ,let them laugh if they will4 ,god is your ,father4 ,you have no need to be ashamed4 ,the ,queen can create a nobleman4 ,the ,bishops can ordain clergymen4 ,but ,queen1 ,lords1 and ,commons1--bishops1 priests1 and deacons1--all together cannot1 of their own power1 make one son of ,god1 or one of greater dignity than a son of ,god4 ,the man that can call ,god his ,father1 and ,christ his elder brother1--that man may be poor and lowly1 yet he never need be ashamed4 ,,ii4 ,let me show1 in the second place1 the special evidences of the true ,christians relation to ,god4 ,how shall a man make sure work of his own sonship8 ,how shall he find out whether he is one that has come to ,christ by faith and been born again8 ,what are the marks and signs1 and tokens1 by which the sons of ,god may be known8 ,this is a question which all who love eternal life ought to ask4 ,this is a question to which the verses of ,scripture ,i am asking you to consider1 like many others1 supply an answer4 7#a7 ,the sons of ,god1 for one thing1 are all led by ,his ,spirit4 ,what says the ,scripture which heads this paper8 ,as many as are led by the ,spirit of ,god1 they are the sons of ,god4 7,rom4 viii4 #ad47 ,they are all under the leading and teaching of a power which is ,almighty1 though unseen1--even the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,they no longer turn every man to his own way1 and walk every man in the light of ,his own eyes1 and follow every man his own natural heart's desire4 ,the ,spirit leads them4 ,the ,spirit guides them4 ,there is a movement in their hearts1 lives1 and affections1 which they feel1 though they may not be able to explain1 and a movement which is always more or less in the same direction4 ,they are led away from sin1--away from self-righteousness1--away from the world4 ,this is the road by which the ,spirit leads ,god's children4 ,those whom ,god adopts ,he teaches and trains4 ,he shows them their own hearts4 ,he makes them weary of their own ways4 ,he makes them long for inward peace4 ,they are led to ,christ4 ,they are led to the ,bible4 ,they are led to prayer4 ,they are led to holiness4 ,this is the beaten path along which the ,spirit makes them to travel4 ,those whom ,god adopts ,he always sanctifies4 ,he makes sin very bitter to them4 ,he makes holiness very sweet4 ,it is the ,spirit who leads them to ,sinai1 and first shows them the law1 that their hearts may be broken4 ,it is ,he who leads them to ,calvary1 and shows them the cross1 that their hearts may be bound up and healed4 ,it is ,he who leads them to ,pisgah1 and gives them distinct views of the promised land1 that their hearts may be cheered4 ,when they are taken into the wilderness1 and taught to see their own emptiness1 it is the leading of the ,spirit4 ,when they are carried up to ,tabor or ,hermon1 and lifted up with glimpses of the glory to come1 it is the leading of the ,spirit4 ,each and all of ,god's sons is the subject of these leadings4 ,each and every one is willing in the day of the ,spirit's power1 and yields himself to it4 ,and each and all is led by the right way1 to bring him to a city of habitation4 7,ps4 cx4 #c2 cvii4 #g47 ,settle this down in your heart1 and do not let it go4 ,the sons of ,god are a people led by the ,spirit of ,god1 and always led more or less in the same way4 ,their experience will tally wonderfully when they compare notes in heaven4 ,this is one mark of sonship4 7#b7 ,furthermore1 all the sons of ,god have the feelings of adopted children towards their ,father in heaven4 ,what says the ,scripture which heads this paper8 ,ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear1 but ye have received the ,spirit of adoption1 whereby we cry ,abba ,father4 7,rom4 viii4 #ae47 ,the sons of ,god are delivered from that slavish fear of ,god which sin begets in the natural heart4 ,they are redeemed from that feeling of guilt which made ,adam hide himself in the trees of the garden1 and ,cain go out from the presence of the ,lord4 7,gen4 iii4 #h2 iv4 #af47 ,they are no longer afraid of ,god's holiness1 and justice1 and majesty4 ,they no longer feel as if there was a great gulf and barrier between themselves and ,god1 and as if ,god was angry with them1 and must be angry with them1 because of their sins4 ,from these chains and fetters of the soul the sons of ,god are delivered4 ,their feelings towards ,god are now those of peace and confidence4 ,they see ,him as a ,father reconciled in ,christ ,jesus4 ,they look on ,him as a ,god whose attributes are all satisfied by their great ,mediator and ,peacemaker1 the ,lord ,jesus1--as a ,god who is just1 and yet the ,justifier of every one that believeth on ,jesus4 7,rom4 iii4 #bf47 ,as a ,father1 they draw near to ,him with boldness3 as a ,father1 they can speak to ,him with freedom4 ,they have exchanged the spirit of bondage for that of liberty1 and the spirit of fear for that of love4 ,they know that ,god is holy1 but they are not afraid3 they know that they are sinners1 but they are not afraid4 ,though holy1 they believe that ,god is completely reconciled3 though sinners1 they believe they are clothed all over with ,jesus ,christ4 ,such is the feeling of the sons of ,god4 ,i allow that some of them have this feeling more vividly than others4 ,some of them carry about scraps and remnants of the old spirit of bondage to their dying day4 ,many of them have fits and paroxysms of the old man's complaint of fear returning upon them at intervals4 ,but very few of the sons of ,god could be found who would not say1 if cross-examined1 that since they knew ,christ they have had very different feelings towards ,god from what they ever had before4 ,they feel as if something like the old ,roman form of adoption had taken place between themselves and their ,father in heaven4 ,they feel as if ,he had said to each one of them1 ,wilt thou be my son8 and as if their hearts had replied1 ,i will4 ,let us try to grasp this also1 and hold it fast4 ,the sons of ,god are a people who feel towards ,god in a way that the children of the world do not4 ,they feel no more slavish fear towards ,him3 they feel towards ,him as a reconciled parent4 ,this1 then1 is another mark of sonship4 7#c7 ,but1 again1 the sons of ,god have the witness of the ,spirit in their consciences4 ,what says the ,scripture which heads this paper8 ,the ,spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit1 that we are the children of ,god4 7,rom4 viii4 #af47 ,the sons of ,god have got something within their hearts which tells them there is a relationship between themselves and ,god4 ,they feel something which tells them that old things are passed away1 and all things become new3 that guilt is gone1 that peace is restored1 that heaven's door is open1 and hell's door is shut4 ,they have1 in short1 what the children of the world have not1--a felt1 positive1 reasonable hope4 ,they have what ,paul calls the seal and earnest of the ,spirit4 7#b ,cor4 i4 #bb2 ,eph4 i4 #ac47 ,i do not for a moment deny that this witness of the ,spirit is exceedingly various in the extent to which the sons of ,god possess it4 ,with some it is a loud1 clear1 ringing1 distinct testimony of conscience3 ,i am ,christ's1 and ,christ is mine4 ,with others it is a little1 feeble1 stammering whisper1 which the devil and the flesh often prevent being heard4 ,some of the children of ,god speed on their course towards heaven under the full sails of assurance4 ,others are tossed to and fro all their voyage1 and will scarce believe they have got faith4 ,but take the least and lowest of the sons of ,god4 ,ask him if he will give up the little bit of religious hope which he has attained8 ,ask him if he will exchange his heart1 with all its doubts and conflicts1 its fightings and fears1--ask him if he will exchange that heart for the heart of the downright worldly and careless man8 ,ask him if he would be content to turn round and throw down the things he has got hold of1 and go back to the world8 ,who can doubt what the answer would be ,i8 ,i cannot do that1 he would reply4 ,i do not know whether ,i have faith1 ,i do not feel sure ,i have got grace2 but ,i have got something within me ,i would not like to part with4 ,and what is that something8 ,i will tell you4--,it is the witness of the ,spirit4 ,let us try to understand this also4 ,the sons of ,god have the witness of the ,spirit in their consciences4 ,this is another mark of sonship4 7#d7 ,one thing more let me add4 ,all the sons of ,god take part in suffering with ,christ4 ,what says the ,scripture which heads this paper8 ,if children1 then heirs1 heirs of ,god and joint heirs with ,christ1 if so be that we suffer with ,him4 7,rom4 viii4 #ag47 ,all the children of ,god have a cross to carry4 ,they have trials1 troubles1 and afflictions to go through for the ,gospel's sake4 ,they have trials from the world1--trials from the flesh1--and trials from the devil4 ,they have trials of feeling from relations and friends1--hard words1 hard treatment1 and hard judgment4 ,they have trials in the matter of character2--slander1 misrepresentation1 mockery1 insinuation of false motives1--all these often rain thick upon them4 ,they have trials in the matter of worldly interests4 ,they have often to choose whether they will please man and lose glory1 or gain glory and offend man4 ,they have trials from their own hearts4 ,they have each generally their own thorn in the flesh1--their own home-devil1 who is their worst foe4 ,this is the experience of the sons of ,god4 ,some of them suffer more1 and some less4 ,some of them suffer in one way1 and some in another4 ,god measures out their portions like a wise physician1 and cannot err4 ,but never1 ,i believe1 was there one child of ,god who reached paradise without a cross4 ,suffering is the diet of the ,lord's family4 ,whom the ,lord loveth ,he chasteneth4--,if ye be without chastisement1 then are ye bastards1 and not sons4--,through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom of ,god4--,all that will live godly in ,christ ,jesus shall suffer persecution4 7,heb4 xii4 #f1 #h2 ,acts xiv4 #bb2 #b ,tim4 iii4 #ab47 ,when ,bishop ,latimer was told by his landlord that he had never had a trouble1 ,then1 said he1 ,god cannot be here4 ,suffering is a part of the process by which the sons of ,god are sanctified4 ,they are chastened to wean them from the world1 and make them partakers of ,god's holiness4 ,the ,captain of their salvation was made perfect through suffering1 and so are they4 7,heb4 ii4 #aj2 xii4 #aj47 ,there never yet was a great saint who had not either great afflictions or great corruptions4 ,well said ,philip ,melancthon3 ,where there are no cares there will generally be no prayers4 ,let us try to settle this down into our hearts also4 ,the sons of ,god have all to bear a cross4 ,a suffering ,saviour generally has suffering disciples4 ,the ,bridegroom was a man of sorrows4 ,the ,bride must not be a woman of pleasures and unacquainted with grief4 ,blessed are they that mourn6 ,let us not murmur at the cross4 ,this also is a sign of sonship4 ,i warn men never to suppose that they are sons of ,god except they have the scriptural marks of sonship4 ,beware of a sonship without evidences4 ,again ,i say1 ,beware4 ,when a man has no leading of the ,spirit to show me1 no spirit of adoption to tell of1 no witness of the ,spirit in his conscience1 no cross in his experience1--is this man a son of ,god8 ,whatever others may think ,i dare not say so6 ,his spot is not the spot of ,god's children4 7,deut4 xxxii4 #e47 ,he is no heir of glory4 ,tell me not that you have been baptized and taught the catechism of the ,church of ,england1 and therefore must be a child of ,god4 ,i tell you that the parish register is not the book of life4 ,i tell you that to be styled a child of ,god1 and called regenerate in infancy by the faith and charity of the ,prayer-book1 is one thing2 but to be a child of ,god in deed1 another thing altogether4 ,go and read that catechism again4 ,it is the death unto sin and the new birth unto righteousness1 which makes men children of grace4 ,except you know these by experience1 you are no son of ,god4 ,tell me not that you are a member of ,christ's ,church1 and so must be a son4 ,i answer that the sons of the ,church are not necessarily the sons of ,god4 ,such sonship is not the sonship of the eighth of ,romans4 ,that is the sonship you must have if you are to be saved4 ,and now1 ,i doubt not some reader of this paper will want to know if he may not be saved without the witness of the ,spirit4 ,i answer1 ,if you mean by the witness of the ,spirit1 the full assurance of hope1--,you may be so saved1 without question4 ,but if you want to know whether a man can be saved without any inward sense1 or knowledge1 or hope of salvation1 ,i answer1 that ordinarily ,he cannot4 ,i warn you plainly to cast away all indecision as to your state before ,god1 and to make your calling sure4 ,clear up your position and relationship4 ,do not think there is anything praiseworthy in always doubting4 ,leave that to the ,papists4 ,do not fancy it wise and humble to be ever living like the borderers of old time1 on the debateable ground4 ,assurance1 said old ,dod1 the puritan1 may be attained3 and what have we been doing all our lives1 since we became ,christians1 if we have not attained it8 ,i doubt not some true ,christians who read this paper will think their evidence of sonship is too small to be good1 and will write bitter things against themselves4 ,let me try to cheer them4 ,who gave you the feelings you possess8 ,who made you hate sin8 ,who made you love ,christ8 ,who made you long and labour to be holy8 ,whence did these feelings come8 ,did they come from nature8 ,there are no such products in a natural man's heart4--,did they come from the devil8 ,he would fain stifle such feelings altogether4--,cheer up1 and take courage4 ,fear not1 neither be cast down4 ,press forward1 and go on4 ,there is hope for you after all4 ,strive4 ,labour4 ,seek4 ,ask4 ,knock4 ,follow on4 ,you shall yet see that you are sons of ,god4 ,,iii4 ,let me show1 in the last place1 the privileges of the true ,christian's relation to ,god4 ,nothing can be conceived more glorious than the prospects of the sons of ,god4 ,the words of ,scripture which head this paper contain a rich mine of good and comfortable things4 ,if we are children1 says ,paul1 we are heirs1 heirs of ,god1 and joint heirs with ,christ1--to be glorified together with ,him4 7,rom4 viii4 #ag47 ,true ,christians then are heirs4--,something is prepared for them all which is yet to be revealed4 ,they are heirs of ,god4--,to be heirs of the rich on earth is something4 ,how much more then is it to be son and heir of the ,king of kings6 ,they are joint heirs with ,christ4 ,they shall share in ,his majesty1 and take part in ,his glory4 ,they shall be glorified together with ,him4 ,and this1 we must remember1 is for all the children4 ,abraham took care to provide for all his children1 and ,god takes care to provide for ,his4 ,none of them are disinherited4 ,none will be cast out4 ,none will be cut off4 ,each shall stand in his lot1 and have a portion1 in the day when the ,lord brings many sons to glory4 ,who can tell the full nature of the inheritance of the saints in light8 ,who can describe the glory which is yet to be revealed and given to the children of ,god8 ,words fail us4 ,language falls short4 ,mind cannot conceive fully1 and tongue cannot express perfectly1 the things which are comprised in the glory yet to come upon the sons and daughters of the ,lord ,almighty4 ,oh1 it is indeed a true saying of the ,apostle ,john3 ,it doth not yet appear what we shall be4 7#a ,john iii4 #b47 ,the very ,bible itself only lifts a little of the veil which hangs over this subject4 ,how could it do more8 ,we could not thoroughly understand more if more had been told us4 ,our mental constitution is as yet too earthly1--our understanding is as yet too carnal to appreciate more if we had it4 ,the ,bible generally deals with the subject in negative terms and not in positive assertions4 ,it describes what there will not be in the glorious inheritance1 that thus we may get some faint idea of what there will be4 ,it paints the absence of certain things1 in order that we may drink in a little the blessedness of the things present4 ,it tells us that the inheritance is incorruptible1 undefiled1 and fadeth not away4 ,it tells us that the crown of glory fadeth not away4 ,it tells us that the devil is to be bound1 that there shall be no more night and no more curse1 that death shall be cast into the lake of fire1 that all tears shall be wiped away1 and that the inhabitant shall no more say1 ,i am sick4 ,and these are glorious things indeed4 ,no corruption6--,no fading6--,no withering6--,no devil6--,no curse of sin6--,no sorrow6--,no tears6--,no sickness6--,no death6 ,surely the cup of the children of ,god will indeed run over6 7#a ,pet4 i4 #d2 v4 #d2 ,rev4 xx4 #b2 xxi4 #be2 xxii4 #c2 xx4 #ad2 xxi4 #d2 ,is4 xxxiii4 #bd47 ,but there are positive things told us about the glory yet to come upon the heirs of ,god1 which ought not to be kept back4 ,there are many sweet1 pleasant1 and unspeakable comforts in their future inheritance1 which all true ,christians would do well to consider4 ,there are cordials for fainting pilgrims in many words and expressions of ,scripture1 which you and ,i ought to lay up against time of need4 7a7 ,is knowledge pleasant to us now8 ,is the little that we know of ,god and ,christ1 and the ,bible precious to our souls1 and do we long for more8 ,we shall have it perfectly in glory4 ,what says the ,scripture8 ,then shall ,i know even as also ,i am known4 7#a ,cor4 xiii4 #ab47 ,blessed be ,god1 there will be no more disagreements among believers6 ,episcopalians and ,presbyterians1--,calvinists and ,arminians1--,millennarians and ,anti-millennarians1--friends of ,establishments and friends of the ,voluntary system1--advocates of infant baptism and advocates of adult baptism1--all will at length see eye to eye4 ,the former ignorance will have passed away4 ,we shall marvel to find how childish and blind we have been4 7b7 ,is holiness pleasant to us now8 ,is sin the burden and bitterness of our lives8 ,do we long for entire conformity to the image of ,god8 ,we shall have it perfectly in glory4 ,what says the ,scripture8 ,christ gave ,himself for the ,church1 not only that ,he might sanctify it on earth1 but also that ,he might present it to ,himself a glorious ,church1 not having spot or wrinkle1 or any such thing4 7,ephes4 v4 #bg47 ,oh1 the blessedness of an eternal good-bye to sin6 ,oh1 how little the best of us do at present6 ,oh1 what unutterable corruption sticks1 like birdlime1 to all our motives1 all our thoughts1 all our words1 all our actions6 ,oh1 how many of us1 like ,naphtali1 are goodly in our words1 but1 like ,reuben1 unstable in our works6 ,thank ,god1 all this shall be changed4 7,gen4 xlix4 #d1 #ba47 7c7 ,is rest pleasant to us now8 ,do we often feel faint though pursuing8 7,judges viii4 #d47 ,do we long for a world in which we need not to be always watching and warring8 ,we shall have it perfectly in glory4 ,what saith the ,scripture8 ,there remaineth a rest for the people of ,god4 7,heb4 iv4 #i47 ,the daily1 hourly conflict with the world1 the flesh1 and the devil1 shall at length be at an end4 ,the enemy shall be bound4 ,the warfare shall be over4 ,the wicked shall at last cease from troubling4 ,the weary shall at length be at rest4 ,there shall be a great calm4 7d7 ,is service pleasant to us now8 ,do we find it sweet to work for ,christ1 and yet groan being burdened by a feeble body8 ,is our spirit often willing1 but hampered and clogged by the poor weak flesh8 ,have our hearts burned within us1 when we have been allowed to give a cup of cold water for ,christ's sake1 and have we sighed to think what unprofitable servants we are8 ,let us take comfort4 ,we shall be able to serve perfectly in glory1 and without weariness4 ,what saith the ,scripture8 ,they serve ,him day and night in ,his temple4 7,rev4 vii4 #ae47 7e7 ,is satisfaction pleasant to us now8 ,do we find the world empty8 ,do we long for the filling up of every void place and gap in our hearts8 ,we shall have it perfectly in glory4 ,we shall no longer have to mourn over cracks in all our earthen vessels1 and thorns in all our roses1 and bitter dregs in all our sweet cups4 ,we shall no longer lament with ,jonah over withered gourds4 ,we shall no longer say with ,solomon1 ,all is vanity and vexation of spirit4 ,we shall no longer cry with aged ,david1 ,i have seen an end of all perfection4 ,what saith the ,scripture8 ,i shall be satisfied when ,i awake with ,thy likeness4 7,eccles4 i4 #ad2 ,ps4 cxix4 #if2 xvii4 #ae47 7f7 ,is communion with the saints pleasant to us now8 ,do we feel that we are never so happy as when we are with the excellent of the earth8 ,are we never so much at home as in their company8 7,ps4 xvi4 #c47 ,we shall have it perfectly in glory4 ,what saith the ,scripture8 ,the ,son of man shall send ,his angels1 and they shall gather out of ,his kingdom all they that offend1 and them which work iniquity4 ,he shall send ,his angels with a great sound of a trumpet1 and they shall gather together ,his elect from the four winds4 7,matt4 xiii4 #da2 xxiv4 #ca47 ,praised be ,god6 ,we shall see all the saints of whom we have read in the ,bible1 and in whose steps we have tried to walk4 ,we shall see apostles1 prophets1 patriarchs1 martyrs1 reformers1 missionaries1 and ministers1 of whom the world was not worthy4 ,we shall see the faces of those we have known and loved in ,christ on earth1 and over whose departure we shed bitter tears4 ,we shall see them more bright and glorious than they ever were before4 ,and1 best of all1 we shall see them without hurry and anxiety1 and without feeling that we only meet to part again4 ,in the coming glory there is no death1 no parting1 no farewell4 7g7 ,is communion with ,christ pleasant to us now8 ,do we find ,his name precious to us8 ,do we feel our hearts burn within us at the thought of ,his dying love8 ,we shall have perfect communion with ,him in glory4 ,we shall ever be with the ,lord4 7#a ,thess4 iv4 #ag47 ,we shall be with ,him in paradise4 7,luke xxiii4 #dc47 ,we shall see ,his face in the kingdom4 ,these eyes of ours will behold those hands and feet which were pierced with nails1 and that head which was crowned with thorns4 ,where ,he is1 there will the sons of ,god be4 ,when ,he comes1 they will come with ,him4 ,when ,he sits down in ,his glory1 they shall sit down by ,his side4 ,blessed prospect indeed6 ,i am a dying man in a dying world4 ,all before me is dark4 ,the world to come is a harbour unknown4 ,but ,christ is there1 and that is enough4 ,surely if there is rest and peace in following ,him by faith on earth1 there will be far more rest and peace when we see ,him face to face4 ,if we have found it good to follow the pillar of cloud and fire in the wilderness1 we shall find it a thousand times better to sit down in our eternal inheritance1 with our ,joshua1 in the promised land4 ,if any one among the readers of this paper is not yet among the sons and heirs1 ,i do pity you with all my heart6 ,how much you are missing6 ,how little true comfort you are enjoying6 ,there you are1 struggling on1 and toiling in the fire1 and wearying yourself for mere earthly ends1--seeking rest and finding none1--chasing shadows and never catching them1--wondering why you are not happy1 and yet refusing to see the cause1--hungry1 and thirsty1 and empty1 and yet blind to the plenty within your reach4 ,oh1 that you were wise6 ,oh1 that you would hear the voice of ,jesus1 and learn of ,him6 ,if you are one of those who are sons and heirs1 you may well rejoice and be happy4 ,you may well wait1 like the boy ,patience in ,pilgrim's ,progress3 your best things are yet to come4 ,you may well bear crosses without murmuring3 your light affliction is but for a moment4 ,the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which is to be revealed4--,when ,christ our life appears1 then you also shall appear with ,him in glory4 7,rom4 viii4 #ah2 ,colos4 iii4 #d47 ,you may well not envy the transgressor and his prosperity4 ,you are the truly rich4 ,well said a dying believer in my own parish3 ,i am more rich than ,i ever was in my life4 ,you may say as ,mephibosheth said to ,david3 ,let the world take all1 my king is coming again in peace4 7#b ,sam4 xix4 #cj47 ,you may say as ,alexander said when he gave all his riches away1 and was asked what he kept for himself3 ,i have hope4 ,you may well not be cast down by sickness3 the eternal part of you is safe and provided for1 whatever happens to your body4 ,you may well look calmly on death3 it opens a door between you and your inheritance4 ,you may well not sorrow excessively over the things of the world1--over partings and bereavements1 over losses and crosses3 the day of gathering is before you4 ,your treasure is beyond reach of harm4 ,heaven is becoming every year more full of those you love1 and earth more empty4 ,glory in your inheritance4 ,it is all yours if you are a son of ,god3 ,if we are children1 then we are heirs4 7#a7 ,and now1 in concluding this paper1 let me ask every one who reads it ,whose child are you8 ,are you the child of nature or the child of grace8 ,are you the child of the devil or the child of ,god8 ,you cannot be both at once4 ,which are you8 ,settle the question without delay1 for you must die at last either one or the other4 ,settle it1 for it can be settled1 and it is folly to leave it doubtful4 ,settle it1 for time is short1 the world is getting old1 and you are fast drawing near to the judgment seat of ,christ4 ,settle it1 for death is nigh1 the ,lord is at hand1 and who can tell what a day might bring forth8 ,oh1 that you would never rest till the question is settled6 ,oh1 that you may never feel satisfied till you can say1 ,i have been born again3 ,i am a son of ,god6 7#b7 ,if you are not a son and heir of ,god1 let me entreat you to become one without delay4 ,would you be rich8 ,there are unsearchable riches in ,christ4 ,would you be noble8 ,you shall be a king4 ,would you be happy8 ,you shall have a peace which passeth understanding1 and which the world can never give and never take away4 ,oh1 come out1 and take up the cross and follow ,christ6 ,come out from among the thoughtless and worldly1 and hear the word of the ,lord3 ,i will receive you1 and will be a ,father unto you1 and ye shall be my sons and daughters1 saith the ,lord almighty4 7#b ,cor4 vi4 #ah47 7#c7 ,if you are a son of ,god1 ,i beseech you to walk worthy of your ,father's house4 ,i charge you solemnly to honour ,him in your life2 and above all to honour ,him by implicit obedience to all ,his commands1 and hearty love to all ,his children4 ,labour to travel through the world like a child of ,god and heir to glory4 ,let men be able to trace a family likeness between you and ,him that begat you4 ,live a heavenly life4 ,seek things that are above4 ,do not seem to be building your nest below4 ,behave like a man who seeks a city out of sight1 whose citizenship is in heaven1 and who would be content with many hardships till he gets home4 ,labour to feel like a son of ,god in every condition in which you are placed4 ,never forget you are on your ,father's ground so long as you are here on earth4 ,never forget that a ,father's hand sends all your mercies and crosses4 ,cast every care on ,him4 ,be happy and cheerful in ,him4 ,why indeed art thou ever sad if thou art the ,king's son8 ,why should men ever doubt1 when they look at you1 whether it is a pleasant thing to be one of ,god's children8 ,labour to behave towards others like a son of ,god4 ,be blameless and harmless in your day and generation4 ,be a peacemaker among all you know4 7,matt4 v4 #i47 ,seek for your children sonship to ,god1 above everything else3 seek for them an inheritance in heaven1 whatever else you do for them4 ,no man leaves his children so well provided for as he who leaves them sons and heirs of ,god4 ,persevere in your ,christian calling1 if you are a son of ,god1 and press forward more and more4 ,be careful to lay aside every weight1 and the sin which most easily besets you4 ,keep your eyes steadily fixed on ,jesus4 ,abide in ,him4 ,remember that without ,him you can do nothing1 and with ,him you can do all things4 7,john xv4 #e2 ,philip4 iv4 #ac47 ,watch and pray daily4 ,be steadfast1 unmoveable1 and always abounding in the work of the ,lord4 ,settle it down in your heart that not a cup of cold water given in the name of a disciple shall lose its reward1 and that every year you are so much nearer home4 ,yet a little time and ,he that shall come will come1 and will not tarry4 7,heb4 x4 #cg47 ,then shall be the glorious liberty1 and the full manifestation of the sons of ,god4 7,rom4 viii4 #ai1 #ba47 ,then shall the world acknowledge that they were the truly wise4 ,then shall the sons of ,god at length come of age1 and be no longer heirs in expectancy1 but heirs in possession4 ,then shall they hear with exceeding joy those comfortable words3 ,come1 ye blessed of my ,father1 inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world4 7,matt4 xxv4 #cd47 ,surely that day will make amends for all6 ,,xix ,,the ,,great ,,gathering ,now we beseech you1 brethren1 by the coming of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and by our gathering together unto ,him4--#b ,thess4 ii4 #a4 ,the text which heads this page contains an expression which deserves no common attention4 ,that expression is1--,our gathering together4 ,our gathering together6 ,those three words touch a note which ought to find a response in every part of the world4 ,man is by nature a social being3 he does not like to be alone4 ,go where you will on earth1 people generally like meeting together1 and seeing one another's faces4 ,it is the exception1 and not the rule1 to find children of ,adam who do not like gathering together4 ,for example1 ,christmas is peculiarly a time when ,english people gather together4 ,it is the season when family meetings have become almost a national institution4 ,in town and in country1 among rich and among poor1 from the palace to the workhouse1 ,christmas cheer and ,christmas parties are proverbial things4 ,it is the one time in the twelvemonth with many for seeing their friends at all4 ,sons snatch a few days from ,london business to run down and see their parents2 brothers get leave of absence from the desk to spend a week with their sisters2 friends accept long-standing invitations1 and contrive to pay a visit to their friends2 boys rush home from school1 and glory in the warmth and comfort of the old house4 ,business for a little space comes to a standstill3 the weary wheels of incessant labour seem almost to cease revolving for a few hours4 ,in short1 from the ,isle of ,wight to ,berwick-on-,tweed1 and from the ,land's ,end to the ,north ,foreland1 there is a general spirit of gathering together4 ,happy is the land where such a state of things exists6 ,long may it last in ,england1 and never may it end6 ,poor and shallow is that philosophy which sneers at ,christmas gatherings4 ,cold and hard is that religion which pretends to frown at them1 and denounces them as wicked4 ,family affection lies at the very roots of well-ordered society4 ,it is one of the few good things which have survived the fall1 and prevent men and women from being mere devils4 ,it is the secret oil on the wheels of our social system which keeps the whole machine going1 and without which neither steam nor fire would avail4 ,anything which helps to keep up family affection and brotherly love is a positive good to a country4 ,may the ,christmas day never arrive in ,england when there are no family meetings and no gatherings together6 ,but earthly gatherings after all have something about them that is sad and sorrowful4 ,the happiest parties sometimes contain uncongenial members3 the merriest meetings are only for a very short time4 ,moreover1 as years roll on1 the hand of death makes painful gaps in the family circle4 ,even in the midst of ,christmas merriment we cannot help remembering those who have passed away4 ,the longer we live1 the more we feel to stand alone4 ,the old faces will rise before the eyes of our minds1 and the old voices will sound in our ears1 even in the midst of holiday mirth and laughter4 ,people do not talk much of such things2 but there are few that do not feel them4 ,we need not intrude our inmost thoughts on others1 and especially when all around us are bright and happy4 ,but there are not many1 ,i suspect1 who reach middle age1 who would not admit1 if they spoke the truth1 that there are sorrowful things inseparably mixed up with a ,christmas party4 ,in short1 there is no unmixed pleasure about any earthly gathering4 ,but is there no better gathering yet to come8 ,is there no bright prospect in our horizon of an assembly which shall far outshine the assemblies of ,christmas and ,new ,year1--an assembly in which there shall be joy without sorrow1 and mirth without tears8 ,i thank ,god that ,i can give a plain answer to these questions2 and to give it is the simple object of this paper4 ,i ask my readers to give me their attention for a few minutes1 and ,i will soon show them what ,i mean4 ,i4 ,there is a gathering together of true ,christians which is to come4 ,what is it1 and when shall it be8 ,the gathering ,i speak of shall take place at the end of the world1 in the day when ,christ returns to earth the second time4 ,as surely as ,he came the first time1 so surely shall ,he come the second time4 ,in the clouds of heaven ,he went away1 and in the clouds of heaven ,he shall return4 ,visibly1 in the body1 ,he went away1 and visibly1 in the body1 ,he will return4 ,and the very first thing that ,christ will do will be to gather together ,his people4 ,he shall send ,his angels with a great sound of a trumpet1 and they shall gather together ,his elect from the four winds1 from one end of heaven to the other4 7,matt4 xxiv4 #ca47 ,the manner of this gathering together is plainly revealed in ,scripture4 ,the dead saints shall all be raised1 and the living saints shall all be changed4 ,it is written1 ,the sea shall give up the dead which are in it1 and death and hell shall give up the dead that are in them4--,the dead in ,christ shall rise first4 ,those which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds1 to meet the ,lord in the air4--,we shall not all sleep1 but we shall all be changed1 in a moment1 in the twinkling of an eye1 at the last trump3 for the trumpet shall sound1 and the dead shall be raised incorruptible1 and we shall be changed4 7,rev4 xx4 #ac2 #a ,thess4 iv4 #af1 #ag2 #a ,cor4 xv4 #ea1 #eb47 ,and then1 when every member of ,christ is found1 and not one left behind1 when soul and body1 those old companions1 are once more reunited1 then shall be the grand gathering together4 ,the object of this gathering together is as clearly revealed in ,scripture as its manner4 ,it is partly for the final reward of ,christ's people3 that their complete justification from all guilt may be declared to all creation2 that they may receive the crown of glory which fadeth not away1 and the kingdom prepared before the foundation of the world2 that they may be admitted publicly into the joy of their ,lord4--,it is partly for the safety of ,christ's people1 that1 like ,noah in the ark and ,lot in ,zoar1 they may be hid and covered before the storm of ,god's judgment comes down on the wicked2 that when the last plagues are falling on the enemies of the ,lord1 they may be untouched1 as ,rahab's family in the fall of ,jericho1 and unscathed as the three children in the midst of the fire4 ,the saints have no cause to fear the day of gathering1 however fearful the signs that may accompany it4 ,before the final crash of all things begins1 they shall be hidden in the secret place of the ,most ,high4 ,the grand gathering is for their safety and their reward4 ,fear not ye1 shall the angel-reapers say1 for ye seek ,jesus which was crucified4--,come1 my people1 shall their ,master say3 enter thou into thy chambers1 and shut thy doors about thee3 hide thyself as it were for a little moment1 until the indignation be overpast4 7,matt4 xxviii4 #e2 ,isa4 xxvi4 #bj47 7a7 ,this gathering will be a great one4 ,all children of ,god who have ever lived1 from ,abel the first saint down to the last born in the day that our ,lord comes1--all of every age1 and nation1 and church1 and people1 and tongue1--all shall be assembled together4 ,not one shall be overlooked or forgotten4 ,the weakest and feeblest shall not be left behind4 ,now1 when scattered1 true ,christians seem a little flock2 then1 when gathered1 they shall be found a multitude which no man can number4 7b7 ,this gathering will be a wonderful one4 ,the saints from distant lands1 who never saw each other in the flesh1 and could not understand each other's speech if they met1 shall all be brought together in one harmonious company4 ,the dwellers in ,australia shall find they are as near heaven1 and as soon there1 as the dwellers in ,england4 ,the believers who died five thousand years ago1 and whose bones are mere dust1 shall find their bodies raised and renewed as quickly as those who are alive when the trumpet sounds4 ,above all1 miracles of grace will be revealed4 ,we shall see some in heaven who we never expected would have been saved at all4 ,the confusion of tongues shall at length be reversed1 and done away4 ,the assembled multitude will cry with one heart and in one language1 ,what hath ,god wrought6 7,num4 xxiii4 #bc47 7c7 ,this gathering shall be a humbling one4 ,it shall make an end of bigotry and narrow-mindedness for ever4 ,the ,christians of one denomination shall find themselves side by side with those of another denomination4 ,if they would not tolerate them on earth1 they will be obliged to tolerate them in heaven4 ,churchmen and ,dissenters1 who will neither pray together nor worship together now1 will discover to their shame that they must praise together hereafter to all eternity4 ,the very people who will not receive us at their ordinances now1 and keep us back from their ,table1 will be obliged to acknowledge us before our ,master's face1 and to let us sit down by their side4 ,never will the world have seen such a complete overthrow of sectarianism1 party spirit1 unbrotherliness1 religious jealousy1 and religious pride4 ,at last we shall all be completely clothed with humility4 7#a ,pet4 v4 #e47 ,this mighty1 wonderful gathering together1 is the gathering which ought to be often in men's thoughts4 ,it deserves consideration3 it demands attention4 ,gatherings of other kinds are incessantly occupying our minds1 political gatherings1 scientific gatherings1 gatherings for pleasure1 gatherings for gain4 ,but the hour comes1 and will soon be here1 when gatherings of this kind will be completely forgotten4 ,one thought alone will swallow up men's minds3 that thought will be1 ,shall ,i be gathered with ,christ's people into a place of safety and honour1 or be left behind to everlasting woe8 ,,let ,,us ,,take ,,care ,,that ,,we ,,are ,,not ,,left ,,behind4 ,,ii4 ,why is this gathering together of true ,christians a thing to be desired8 ,let us try to get an answer to that question4 ,st4 ,paul evidently thought that the gathering at the last day was a cheering object which ,christians ought to keep before their eyes4 ,he classes it with that second coming of our ,lord1 which he says elsewhere believers love and long for4 ,he exalts it in the distant horizon as one of those good things to come1 which should animate the faith of every pilgrim in the narrow way4 ,not only1 he seems to say1 will each servant of ,god have rest1 and a kingdom1 and a crown2 he will have besides a happy gathering together4 ,now1 where is the peculiar blessedness of this gathering8 ,why is it a thing that we ought to look forward to with joy1 and expect with pleasure8 ,let us see4 7#a7 ,for one thing1 the gathering together of all true ,christians will be a state of things totally unlike their present condition4 ,to be scattered1 and not gathered1 seems the rule of man's existence now4 ,of all the millions who are annually born into the world1 how few continue together till they die6 ,children who draw their first breath under the same roof1 and play by the same fireside1 are sure to be separated as they grow up1 and to draw their last breath far distant from one another4--,the same law applies to the people of ,god4 ,they are spread abroad like salt1 one in one place and one in another1 and never allowed to continue long side by side4 ,it is doubtless good for the world that it is so4 ,a town would be a very dark place at night if all the lighted candles were crowded together into one room4--,but1 good as it is for the world1 it is no small trial to believers4 ,many a day they feel desolate and alone2 many a day they long for a little more communion with their brethren1 and a little more companionship with those who love the ,lord6 ,well1 they may look forward with hope and comfort4 ,the hour is coming when they shall have no lack of companions4 ,let them lift up their heads and rejoice4 ,there will be a gathering together by and by4 7#b7 ,for another thing1 the gathering together of all true ,christians will be an assembly entirely of one mind4 ,there are no such assemblies now4 ,mixture1 hypocrisy1 and false profession1 creep in everywhere4 ,wherever there is wheat there are sure to be tares4 ,wherever there are good fish there are sure to be bad4 ,wherever there are wise virgins there are sure to be foolish4 ,there is no such thing as a perfect ,church now4 ,there is a ,judas ,iscariot at every communion table1 and a ,demas in every ,apostolic company2 and wherever the sons of ,god come together ,satan is sure to appear among them4 7,job i4 #f47 ,but all this shall come to an end one day4 ,our ,lord shall at length present to the ,father a perfect ,church1 having neither spot nor wrinkle1 nor any such thing4 7,eph4 v4 #bg47 ,how glorious such a ,church will be6 ,to meet with half-a-dozen believers together now is a rare event in a ,christian's year1 and one that cheers him like a sunshiny day in winter3 it makes him feel his heart burn within him1 as the disciples felt on the way to ,emmaus4 ,but how much more joyful will it be to meet a multitude that no man can number6 ,to find too1 that all we meet are at last of one opinion and one judgment1 and see eye to eye1--to discover that all our miserable controversies are buried for ever1 and that ,calvinists no longer hate ,arminians1 nor ,arminians ,calvinists1 ,churchmen no longer quarrel with ,dissenters1 nor ,dissenters with ,churchmen1--to join a company of ,christians in which there is neither jarring1 squabbling1 nor discord1--every man's graces fully developed1 and every man's besetting sins dropped off like beech-leaves in spring1--all this will be happiness indeed6 ,no wonder that ,st4 ,paul bids us look forward4 7#c7 ,for another thing1 the gathering together of true ,christians will be a meeting at which none shall be absent4 ,the weakest lamb shall not be left behind in the wilderness3 the youngest babe that ever drew breath shall not be overlooked or forgotten4 ,we shall once more see our beloved friends and relatives who fell asleep in ,christ1 and left us in sorrow and tears1--better1 brighter1 more beautiful1 more pleasant than ever we found them on earth4 ,we shall hold communion with all the saints of ,god who have fought the good fight before us1 from the beginning of the world to the end4 ,patriarchs and ,prophets1 ,apostles and ,fathers1 ,martyrs and ,missionaries1 ,reformers and ,puritans1 all the host of ,god's elect shall be there4 ,if to read their words and works has been pleasant1 how much better shall it be to see them6 ,if to hear of them1 and be stirred by their example1 has been useful1 how much more delightful to talk with them1 and ask them questions6 ,to sit down with ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob1 and hear how they kept the faith without any ,bible1--to converse with ,moses1 and ,samuel1 and ,david1 and ,isaiah1 and ,daniel1 and hear how they could believe in a ,christ yet to come1--to converse with ,peter1 and ,paul1 and ,lazarus1 and ,mary1 and ,martha1 and listen to their wondrous tale of what their ,master did for them1--all this will be sweet indeed6 ,no wonder that ,st4 ,paul bids us look forward4 7#d7 ,in the last place1 the gathering of all true ,christians shall be a meeting without a parting4 ,there are no such meetings now4 ,we seem to live in an endless hurry1 and can hardly sit down and take breath before we are off again4 ,good-bye treads on the heels of ,how do you do8 ,the cares of this world1 the necessary duties of life1 the demands of our families1 the work of our various stations and callings1--all these things appear to eat up our days1 and to make it impossible to have long quiet times of communion with ,god's people4 ,but1 blessed be ,god1 it shall not always be so4 ,the hour cometh1 and shall soon be here1 when good-bye and farewell shall be words that are laid aside and buried for ever4 ,when we meet in a world where the former things have passed away1 where there is no more sin and no more sorrow1--no more poverty and no more money1--no more work of body or work of brains1--no more need of anxiety for families1--no more sickness1 no more pain1 no more old age1 no more death1 no more change1--when we meet in that endless state of being1 calm1 and restful1 and unhurried1--who can tell what the blessedness of the change will be8 ,i cannot wonder that ,st4 ,paul bids us look up and look forward4 ,i lay these things before all who read this paper1 and ask their serious attention to them4 ,if ,i know anything of a ,christian's experience1 ,i am sure they contain food for reflection4 ,this1 at least1 ,i say confidently3 the man who sees nothing much in the second coming of ,christ and the public gathering of ,christ's people1--nothing happy1 nothing joyful1 nothing pleasant1 nothing desirable1--such a man may well doubt whether he himself is a true ,christian and has got any grace at all4 7#a7 ,i ask you a plain question4 ,do not turn away from it and refuse to look it in the face4 ,shall you be gathered by the angels into ,god's home when the ,lord returns1 or shall you be left behind8 ,one thing1 at any rate1 is very certain4 ,there will only be two parties of mankind at the last great day3 those who are on the right hand of ,christ1 and those who are on the left2--those who are counted righteous1 and those who are wicked2--those who are safe in the ark1 and those who are outside2--those who are gathered like wheat into ,god's barn1 and those who are left behind like tares to be burned4 ,now1 what will your portion be8 ,perhaps you do not know yet4 ,you cannot say4 ,you are not sure4 ,you hope the best4 ,you trust it will be all right at last3 but you won't undertake to give an opinion4 ,well6 ,i only hope you will never rest till you do know4 ,the ,bible will tell you plainly who are they that will be gathered4 ,your own heart1 if you deal honestly1 will tell you whether you are one of the number4 ,rest not1 rest not1 till you know6 ,how men can stand the partings and separations of this life if they have no hope of anything better1--how they can bear to say good-bye to sons and daughters1 and launch them on the troublesome waves of this world1 if they have no expectation of a safe gathering in ,christ at last1--how they can part with beloved members of their families1 and let them journey forth to the other side of the globe1 not knowing if they shall ever meet happily in this life or a life to come1--how all this can be1 completely baffles my understanding4 ,i can only suppose that the many never think1 never consider1 never look forward4 ,once let a man begin to think1 and he will never be satisfied till he has found ,christ and is safe4 7#b7 ,i offer you a plain means of testing your own soul's condition1 if you want to know your own chance of being gathered into ,god's home4 ,ask yourself what kind of gatherings you like best here upon earth8 ,ask yourself whether you really love the assembling together of ,god's people8 ,how could that man enjoy the meeting of true ,christians in heaven who takes no pleasure in meeting true ,christians on earth8 ,how can that heart which is wholly set on balls1 and races1 and feasts1 and amusements1 and worldly assemblies1 and thinks earthly worship a weariness--how can such a heart be in tune for the company of saints1 and saints alone8 ,the thing is impossible4 ,it cannot be4 ,never1 never let it be forgotten1 that our tastes on earth are a sure evidence of the state of our hearts2 and the state of our hearts here is a sure indication of our position hereafter4 ,heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people4 ,he that hopes to be gathered with saints in heaven while he only loves the gathering of sinners on earth is deceiving himself4 ,if he lives and dies in that state of mind he will find at last that he had better never have been born4 7#c7 ,if you are a true ,christian1 ,i exhort you to be often looking forward4 ,your good things are yet to come4 ,your redemption draweth nigh4 ,the night is far spent4 ,the day is at hand4 ,yet a little time1 and ,he whom you love and believe on will come1 and will not tarry4 ,when ,he comes1 ,he will bring ,his dead saints with ,him and change ,his living ones4 ,look forward6 ,there is a gathering together yet to come4 ,the morning after a shipwreck is a sorrowful time4 ,the joy of half-drowned survivors1 who have safely reached the land1 is often sadly marred by the recollection of shipmates who have sunk to rise no more4 ,there will be no such sorrow when believers gather together round the throne of the ,lamb4 ,not one of the ship's company shall be found absent4 ,some on boards1 and some on broken pieces of the ship1--all will get safe to shore at last4 7,acts xxvii4 #dd47 ,the great waters and raging waves shall swallow none of ,god's elect4 ,when the sun rises they shall be seen all safe1 and gathered together4 ,even the day after a great victory is a sorrowful time4 ,the triumphant feelings of the conquerors are often mingled with bitter regrets for those who fell in action1 and died on the field4 ,the list of killed1 wounded1 and missing1 breaks many a heart1 fills many a home with mourning1 and brings many a grey head sorrowing to the grave4 ,the great ,duke of ,wellington often said1 there was but one thing worse than a victory1 and that was a defeat4 ,but1 thanks be to ,god1 there will be no such sorrow in heaven6 ,the soldiers of the great ,captain of our salvation shall all answer to their names at last4 ,the muster-roll shall be as complete after the battle as it was before4 ,not one believer shall be missing in the great gathering together4 ,does ,christmas1 for instance1 bring with it sorrowful feelings and painful associations8 ,do tears rise unbidden in your eyes when you mark the empty places round the fireside8 ,do grave thoughts come sweeping over your mind1 even in the midst of your children's mirth1 when you recollect the dear old faces and much loved voices of some that sleep in the churchyard8 ,well1 look up and look forward6 ,the time is short4 ,the world is growing old4 ,the coming of the ,lord draweth nigh4 ,there is yet to be a meeting without parting1 and a gathering without separation4 ,those believers whom you laid in the grave with many tears are in good keeping3 you will yet see them again with joy4 ,look up6 ,i say once more4 ,lay hold by faith on the coming of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and our gathering together unto ,him4 ,believe it1 think of it1 rest on it4 ,it is all true4 ,do you feel lonely and desolate as every ,december comes round8 ,do you find few to pray with1 few to praise with1 few to open your heart to1 few to exchange experience with8 ,do you learn increasingly1 that heaven is becoming every year more full and earth more empty8 ,well1 it is an old story4 ,you are only drinking a cup which myriads have drunk before4 ,look up and look forward4 ,the lonely time will soon be past and over3 you will have company enough by and by4 ,when you wake up after your ,lord's likeness you shall be satisfied4 7,ps4 xvii4 #ae47 ,yet a little while and you shall see a congregation that shall never break up1 and a sabbath that shall never end4 ,the coming of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and our gathering together unto ,him1 shall make amends for all4 ,,xx ,,the ,,great ,,separation ,whose fan is in ,his hand1 and ,he will throughly purge ,his floor1 and gather ,his wheat into the garner2 but ,he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire4--,matt4 iii4 #ab4 ,the verse of ,scripture which is now before our eyes contains words which were spoken by ,john the ,baptist4 ,they are a prophecy about our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and a prophecy which has not yet been fulfilled4 ,they are a prophecy which we shall all see fulfilled one day1 and ,god alone knows how soon4 ,i invite every reader of this paper to consider seriously the great truths which this verse contains4 ,i invite you to give me your attention1 while ,i unfold them1 and set them before you in order4 ,who knows but this text may prove a word in season to your soul8 ,who knows but this text may help to make this day the happiest day in your life8 ,i4 ,let me show1 in the first place1 the two great classes into which mankind may be divided4 ,there are only two classes of people in the world in the sight of ,god1 and both are mentioned in the text which begins this paper4 ,there are those who are called the wheat1 and there are those who are called the chaff4 ,viewed with the eye of man1 the earth contains many different sorts of inhabitants4 ,viewed with the eye of ,god it only contains two4 ,man's eye looks at the outward appearance3--this is all he thinks of4 ,the eye of ,god looks at the heart3--this is the only part of which ,he takes any account4 ,and tried by the state of their hearts1 there are but two classes into which people can be divided3--either they are wheat1 or they are chaff4 ,who are the wheat in the world8 ,this is a point which demands special consideration4 ,the wheat means all men and women who are believers in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1--all who are led by the ,holy ,spirit1--all who have felt themselves sinners1 and fled for refuge to the salvation offered in the ,gospel1--all who love the ,lord ,jesus and live to the ,lord ,jesus1 and serve the ,lord ,jesus1--all who have taken ,christ for their only confidence1 and the ,bible for their only guide1 and regard sin as their deadliest enemy1 and look to heaven as their only home4 ,all such1 of every ,church1 name1 nation1 people1 and tongue1--of every rank1 station1 condition1 and degree1--all such are ,god's wheat4 ,show me people of this kind anywhere1 and ,i know what they are4 ,i know not that they and ,i may agree in all particulars1 but ,i see in them the handiwork of the ,king of kings1 and ,i ask no more4 ,i know not whence they came1 and where they found their religion2 but ,i know where they are going1 and that is enough for me4 ,they are the children of my ,father in heaven4 ,they are part of ,his wheat4 ,all such1 though sinful and vile1 and unworthy in their own eyes1 are the precious part of mankind4 ,they are the sons and daughters of ,god the ,father4 ,they are the delight of ,god the ,son4 ,they are the habitation of ,god the ,spirit4 ,the ,father beholds no iniquity in them3--they are the members of ,his dear ,son's mystical body3 in ,him ,he sees them1 and is well-pleased4 ,the ,lord ,jesus discerns in them the fruit of ,his own travail and work upon the cross1 and is well satisfied4 ,the ,holy ,ghost regards them as spiritual temples which ,he ,himself has reared1 and rejoices over them4 ,in a word1 they are the wheat of the earth4 ,who are the chaff in the world8 ,this again is a point which demands special attention4 ,the chaff means all men and women who have no saving faith in ,christ1 and no sanctification of the ,spirit1 whosoever they may be4 ,some of them perhaps are infidels1 and some are formal ,christians4 ,some are sneering ,sadducees1 and some self-righteous ,pharisees4 ,some of them make a point of keeping up a kind of ,sunday religion1 and others are utterly careless of everything except their own pleasure and the world4 ,but all alike1 who have the two great marks already mentioned--no faith and no sanctification1--all such are chaff4 ,from ,paine and ,voltaire to the dead ,churchman who can think of nothing but outward ceremonies1--from ,julian and ,porphyry to the unconverted admirer of sermons in the present day1--all1 all are standing in one rank before ,god3 all1 all are chaff4 ,they bring no glory to ,god the ,father4 ,they honour not the ,son1 and so do not honour the ,father that sent ,him4 7,john v4 #bc47 ,they neglect that mighty salvation which countless millions of angels admire4 ,they disobey that ,word which was graciously written for their learning4 ,they listen not to the voice of ,him who condescended to leave heaven and die for their sins4 ,they pay no tribute of service and affection to ,him who gave them life1 and breath1 and all things4 ,and therefore ,god takes no pleasure in them4 ,he pities them1 but ,he reckons them no better than chaff4 ,yes6 you may have rare intellectual gifts and high mental attainments3 you may sway kingdoms by your counsel1 move millions by your pen1 or keep crowds in breathless attention by your tongue2 but if you have never submitted yourself to the yoke of ,christ1 and never honoured ,his ,gospel by heartfelt reception of it1 you are nothing in ,his sight4 ,natural gifts without grace are like a row of cyphers without an unit before them3 they look big1 but they are of no value4 ,the meanest insect that crawls is a nobler being than you are3 it fills its place in creation1 and glorifies its ,maker with all its power1 and you do not4 ,you do not honour ,god with heart1 and will1 and intellect1 and members1 which are all ,his4 ,you invert ,his order and arrangement1 and live as if time was of more importance than eternity1 and body better than soul4 ,you dare to neglect ,god's greatest gift1--,his own incarnate ,son4 ,you are cold about that subject which fills all heaven with hallelujahs4 ,and so long as this is the case you belong to the worthless part of mankind4 ,you are the chaff of the earth4 ,let this thought be graven deeply in the mind of every reader of this paper1 whatever else he forgets4 ,remember there are only two sorts of people in the world4 ,there are wheat1 and there are chaff4 ,there are many nations in ,europe4 ,each differs from the rest4 ,each has its own language1 its own laws1 its own peculiar customs4 ,but ,god's eye divides ,europe into two great parties1--the wheat and the chaff4 ,there are many classes in ,england4 ,there are peers and commoners1--farmers and shopkeepers1--masters and servants1--rich and poor4 ,but ,god's eye only takes account of two orders1--the wheat and the chaff4 ,there are many and various minds in every congregation that meets for religious worship4 ,there are some who attend for a mere form1 and some who really desire to meet ,christ1--some who come there to please others1 and some who come to please ,god1--some who bring their hearts with them and are not soon tired1 and some who leave their hearts behind them1 and reckon the whole service weary work4 ,but the eye of the ,lord ,jesus only sees two divisions in the congregation1--the wheat and the chaff4 ,there were millions of visitors to the ,great ,exhibition of #ahea4 ,from ,europe1 ,asia1 ,africa1 and ,america1--from ,north and ,south1 and ,east and ,west1--crowds came together to see what skill and industry could do4 ,children of our first father ,adam's family1 who had never seen each other before1 for once met face to face under one roof4 ,but the eye of the ,lord only saw two companies thronging that large palace of glass1--the wheat and the chaff4 ,i know well the world dislikes this way of dividing professing ,christians4 ,the world tries hard to fancy there are three sorts of people1 and not two4 ,to be very good and very strict does not suit the world3--they cannot1 will not be saints4 ,to have no religion at all does not suit the world3--it would not be respectable4--,thank ,god1 they will say1 we are not so bad as that4 ,but to have religion enough to be saved1 and yet not go into extremes1--to be sufficiently good1 and yet not be peculiar1--to have a quiet1 easy-going1 moderate kind of ,christianity1 and go comfortably to heaven after all1--this is the world's favourite idea4 ,there is a third class1--a safe middle class1--the world fancies1 and in this middle class the majority of men persuade themselves they will be found4 ,i denounce this notion of a middle class1 as an immense and soul-ruining delusion4 ,i warn you strongly not to be carried away by it4 ,it is as vain an invention as the ,pope's purgatory4 ,it is a refuge of lies1--a castle in the air1--a ,russian ice-palace1--a vast unreality1--an empty dream4 ,this middle class is a class of ,christians nowhere spoken of in the ,bible4 ,there were two classes in the day of ,noah's flood1 those who were inside the ark1 and those who were without2--two in the parable of the ,gospel-net1 those who are called the good fish1 and those who are called the bad2--two in the parable of the ten virgins1 those who are described as wise1 and those who are described as foolish2--two in the account of the judgment day1 the sheep and the goats2--two sides of the throne1 the right hand and the left2--two abodes when the last sentence has been passed1 heaven and hell4 ,and just so there are only two classes in the visible ,church on earth1--those who are in the state of nature1 and those who are in the state of grace1--those who are in the narrow way1 and those who are in the broad1--those who have faith1 and those who have not faith1--those who have been converted1 and those who have not been converted1--those who are with ,christ1 and those who are against ,him1--those who gather with ,him1 and those who scatter abroad1--those who are wheat1 and those who are chaff4 ,into these two classes the whole professing ,church of ,christ may be divided4 ,beside these two classes there is none4 ,see now what cause there is for self-inquiry4 ,are you among the wheat1 or among the chaff8 ,neutrality is impossible4 ,either you are in one class1 or in the other4 ,which is it of the two8 ,you attend church1 perhaps4 ,you go to the ,lord's table4 ,you like good people4 ,you can distinguish between good preaching and bad4 ,you think ,popery false1 and oppose it warmly4 ,you think ,protestantism true1 and support it cordially4 ,you subscribe to religious ,societies4 ,you attend religious meetings4 ,you sometimes read religious books4 ,it is well3 it is very well4 ,it is good3 it is all very good4 ,it is more than can be said of many4 ,but still this is not a straightforward answer to my question4--,are you wheat or are you chaff8 ,have you been born again8 ,are you a new creature8 ,have you put off the old man1 and put on the new8 ,have you ever felt your sins1 and repented of them8 ,are you looking simply to ,christ for pardon and life eternal8 ,do you love ,christ8 ,do you serve ,christ8 ,do you loathe heart-sins1 and fight against them8 ,do you long for perfect holiness1 and follow hard after it8 ,have you come out from the world8 ,do you delight in the ,bible8 ,do you wrestle in prayer8 ,do you love ,christ's people8 ,do you try to do good to the world8 ,are you vile in your own eyes1 and willing to take the lowest place8 ,are you a ,christian in business1 and on week-days1 and by your own fireside8 ,oh1 think1 think1 think on these things1 and then perhaps you will be better able to tell the state of your soul4 ,i beseech you not to turn away from my question1 however unpleasant it may be4 ,answer it1 though it may prick your conscience1 and cut you to the heart4 ,answer it1 though it may prove you in the wrong1 and expose your fearful danger4 ,rest not1 rest not1 till you know how it is between you and ,god4 ,better a thousand times find out that you are in an evil case1 and repent betimes1 than live on in uncertainty1 and be lost eternally4 ,,ii4 ,let me show1 in the second place1 the time when the two great classes of mankind shall be separated4 ,the text at the beginning of this paper foretells a separation4 ,it says that ,christ shall one day do to ,his professing ,church what the farmer does to his corn4 ,he shall winnow and sift it4 ,he shall throughly purge ,his floor4 ,and then the wheat and the chaff shall be divided4 ,there is no separation yet4 ,good and bad are now all mingled together in the visible ,church of ,christ4 ,believers and unbelievers1--converted and unconverted1--holy and unholy1--all are to be found now among those who call themselves ,christians4 ,they sit side by side in our assemblies4 ,they kneel side by side in our pews4 ,they listen side by side to our sermons4 ,they sometimes come up side by side to the ,lord's table1 and receive the same bread and wine from our hands4 ,but it shall not always be so4 ,christ shall come the second time with ,his fan in ,his hand4 ,he shall purge ,his ,church1 even as ,he purified the temple4 ,and then the wheat and the chaff shall be separated1 and each shall go to its own place4 7a7 ,before ,christ comes separation is impossible4 ,it is not in man's power to effect it4 ,there lives not the minister on earth who can read the hearts of every one in his congregation4 ,about some he may speak decidedly2--he cannot about all4 ,who have oil in their lamps1 and who have not1--who have grace as well as profession1--and who have profession only and no grace1--who are children of ,god1 and who of the devil1--all these are questions which in many cases we cannot accurately decide4 ,the winnowing fan is not put into our hands4 ,grace is sometimes so weak and feeble1 that it looks like nature4 ,nature is sometimes so plausible and well-dressed1 that it looks like grace4 ,i believe we should many of us have said that ,judas was as good as any of the ,apostles2 and yet he proved a traitor4 ,i believe we should have said that ,peter was a reprobate when he denied his ,lord2 and yet he repented immediately1 and rose again4 ,we are but fallible men4 ,we know in part and we prophesy in part4 7#a ,cor4 xiii4 #i47 ,we scarcely understand our own hearts4 ,it is no great wonder if we cannot read the hearts of others4 ,but it will not always be so4 ,there is ,one coming who never errs in judgment1 and is perfect in knowledge4 ,jesus shall purge ,his floor4 ,jesus shall sift the chaff from the wheat4 ,i wait for this4 ,till then ,i will lean to the side of charity in my judgments4 ,i would rather tolerate much chaff in the ,church than cast out one grain of wheat4 ,he shall soon come who has ,his fan in ,his hand1 and then the certainty about every one shall be known4 7b7 ,before ,christ comes it is useless to expect to see a perfect ,church4 ,there cannot be such a thing4 ,the wheat and the chaff1 in the present state of things1 will always be found together4 ,i pity those who leave one ,church and join another1 because of a few faults and unsound members4 ,i pity them1 because they are fostering ideas which can never be realized4 ,i pity them1 because they are seeking that which cannot be found4 ,i see chaff everywhere4 ,i see imperfections and infirmities of some kind in every communion on earth4 ,i believe there are few tables of the ,lord1 if any1 where all the communicants are converted4 ,i often see loud-talking professors exalted as saints4 ,i often see holy and contrite believers set down as having no grace at all4 ,i am satisfied if men are too scrupulous1 they may go fluttering about1 like ,noah's dove1 all their days1 and never find rest4 ,does any reader of this paper desire a perfect ,church8 ,you must wait for the day of ,christ's appearing4 ,then1 and not till then1 you will see a glorious ,church1 not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing4 7,eph4 v4 #bg47 ,then1 and not till then1 the floor will be purged4 7c7 ,before ,christ comes it is vain to look for the conversion of the world4 ,how can it be1 if ,he is to find wheat and chaff side by side in the day of ,his second coming8 ,i believe some ,christians expect that missions will fill the earth with the knowledge of ,christ1 and that little by little sin will disappear1 and a state of perfect holiness gradually glide in4 ,i cannot see with their eyes4 ,i think they are mistaking ,god's purposes1 and sowing for themselves bitter disappointment4 ,i expect nothing of the kind4 ,i see nothing in the ,bible1 or in the world around me1 to make me expect it4 ,i have never heard of a single congregation entirely converted to ,god1 in ,england or ,scotland1 or of anything like it4--,and why am ,i to look for a different result from the preaching of the ,gospel in other lands8 ,i only expect to see a few raised up as witnesses to ,christ in every nation1 some in one place and some in another4 ,then ,i expect the ,lord ,jesus will come in glory1 with ,his fan in ,his hand4 ,and when ,he has purged ,his floor1 and not till then1 ,his kingdom will begin4 ,no separation and no perfection till ,christ comes6 ,this is my creed4 ,i am not moved when the infidel asks me why all the world is not converted1 if ,christianity is really true4 ,i answer1 ,it was never promised that it would be so in the present order of things4 ,the ,bible tells me that believers will always be few1--that corruptions and divisions and heresies will always abound1 and that when my ,lord returns to earth ,he will find plenty of chaff4 ,no perfection till ,christ comes6 ,i am not disturbed when men say1 ,make all the people good ,christians at home before you send missionaries to the heathen abroad4 ,i answer1 ,if ,i am to wait for that1 ,i may wait for ever4 ,when we have done all at home1 the ,church will still be a mixed body1--it will contain some wheat and much chaff4 ,but ,christ will come again4 ,sooner or later there shall be a separation of the visible ,church into two companies1 and fearful shall that separation be4 ,the wheat shall make up one company4 ,the chaff shall make up another4 ,the one company will be all godly4 ,the other company will be all ungodly4 ,each shall be by themselves1 and a great gulf between1 that none can pass4 ,blessed indeed shall the righteous be in that day6 ,they shall shine like stars1 no longer obscured with clouds4 ,they shall be beautiful as the lily1 no longer choked with thorns4 7,cant4 ii4 #b47 ,wretched indeed will the ungodly be6 ,how corrupt will corruption be when left without one grain of salt to season it6 ,how dark will darkness be when left without one spark of light6 ,ah1 it is not enough to respect and admire the ,lord's people6 ,you must belong to them1 or you will one day be parted from them for ever4 ,there will be no chaff in heaven4 ,many1 many are the families where one will be taken and another left4 7,luke xvii4 #cd47 ,who is there now among the readers of this paper that loves the ,lord ,jesus ,christ in sincerity8 ,if ,i know anything of the heart of a ,christian1 your greatest trials are in the company of worldly people1--your greatest joys in the company of the saints4 ,yes6 there are many weary days1 when your spirit feels broken and crushed by the earthly tone of all around you1--days when you could cry with ,david1 ,woe is me that ,i dwell in ,mesech1 and have my habitation in the tents of ,kedar4 7,ps4 cxx4 #e47 ,and yet there are hours when your soul is so refreshed and revived by meeting some of ,god's dear children1 that it seems like heaven on earth4 ,do ,i not speak to your heart8 ,are not these things true8 ,see then how you should long for the time when ,christ shall come again4 ,see how you should pray daily that the ,lord would hasten ,his kingdom1 and say to ,him1 ,come quickly1 ,lord ,jesus4 7,rev4 xxii4 #bj47 ,then1 and not till then1 shall be a pure unmixed communion4 ,then1 and not till then1 the saints shall all be together1 and shall go out from one another's presence no more4 ,wait a little4 ,wait a little4 ,scorn and contempt will soon be over4 ,laughter and ridicule shall soon have an end4 ,slander and misrepresentation will soon cease4 ,your ,saviour shall come and plead your cause4 ,and then1 as ,moses said to ,korah1 the ,lord will show who are ,his1#ad 7,num4 xvi4 #e47 #ad3 ,this is certain1--when the elect are all converted1 then ,christ will come to judgment4 ,as he that rows a boat stays till all the passengers are taken into his boat1 and then he rows away2 so ,christ stays till all the elect are gathered in1 and then ,he will hasten away to judgment4--,thomas ,watson4 #affj ,who is there among the readers of this paper that knows his heart is not right in the sight of ,god8 ,see how you should fear and tremble at the thought of ,christ's appearing4 ,alas1 indeed for the man that lives and dies with nothing better than a cloak of religion6 ,in the day when ,christ shall purge ,his floor1 you will be shown up and exposed in your true colours4 ,you may deceive ministers1 and friends1 and neighbours1--but you cannot deceive ,christ4 ,the paint and varnish of a heartless ,christianity will never stand the fire of that day4 ,the ,lord is a ,god of knowledge1 and by ,him actions are weighed4 ,you will find that the eye which saw ,achan and ,gehazi1 has read your secrets1 and searched out your hidden things4 ,you will hear that awful word1 ,friend1 how camest thou in hither1 not having a wedding garment8 7,matt4 xxii4 #ab47 ,oh1 tremble at the thought of the day of sifting and separation6 ,surely hypocrisy is a most losing game4 ,surely it never answers to act a part4 ,surely it never answers1 like ,ananias and ,sapphira1 to pretend to give ,god something1 and yet to keep back your heart4 ,it all fails at last4 ,your joy is but for a moment4 ,your hopes are no better than a dream4 ,oh1 tremble1 tremble3 tremble and repent6 ,,iii4 ,let me show1 in the third place1 the portion which ,christ's people shall receive when ,he comes to purge ,his floor4 ,the text at the beginning of this paper tells us that1 in good and comfortable words4 ,it tells us that ,christ shall gather ,his wheat into the garner4 ,when the ,lord ,jesus comes the second time1 ,he shall collect ,his believing people into a place of safety4 ,he will send ,his angels and gather them from every quarter4 ,the sea shall give up the dead that are in it1 and the graves the dead that are in them1 and the living shall be changed4 ,not one poor sinner of mankind who has ever laid hold on ,christ by faith shall be wanting in that company4 ,not one single grain of wheat shall be missing and left outside1 when judgments fall upon a wicked world4 ,there shall be a garner for the wheat of the earth1 and into that garner all the wheat shall be brought4 ,it is a sweet and comfortable thought1 that the ,lord taketh pleasure in ,his people and careth for the righteous4 7,ps4 cxlix4 #d2 #a ,pet4 v4 #g47 ,but how much the ,lord cares for them1 ,i fear is little known1 and dimly seen4 ,believers have their trials1 beyond question1 and these both many and great4 ,the flesh is weak4 ,the world is full of snares4 ,the cross is heavy4 ,the way is narrow4 ,the companions are few4 ,but still they have strong consolations1 if their eyes were but open to see them4 ,like ,hagar1 they have a well of water near them1 even in the wilderness1 though they often do not find it out4 ,like ,mary1 they have ,jesus standing by their side1 though often they are not aware of it for very tears4 7,gen4 xxi4 #ai2 ,john xx4 #ad47 ,bear with me while ,i try to tell you something about ,christ's care for poor sinners that believe in ,him4 ,alas1 indeed1 that it should be needful6 ,but we live in a day of weak and feeble statements4 ,the danger of the state of nature is feebly exposed4 ,the privileges of the state of grace are feebly set forth4 ,hesitating souls are not encouraged4 ,disciples are not established and confirmed4 ,the man out of ,christ is not rightly alarmed4 ,the man in ,christ is not rightly built up4 ,the one sleeps on1 and seldom has his conscience pricked4 ,the other creeps and crawls all his days1 and never thoroughly understands the riches of his inheritance4 ,truly this is a sore disease1 and one that ,i would gladly help to cure4 ,truly it is a melancholy thing that the people of ,god should never go up to mount ,pizgah1 and never know the length and breadth of their possessions4 ,to be brethren of ,christ1 and sons of ,god by adoption1--to have full and perfect forgiveness1 and the renewing of the ,holy ,ghost1--to have a place in the book of life1 and a name on the breast-plate of the ,great ,high ,priest in heaven1--all these are glorious things indeed4 ,but still they are not the whole of a believer's portion4 ,they are upper springs indeed1 but still there are nether springs beside4 7a7 ,the ,lord takes pleasure in ,his believing people4 ,though black in their own eyes1 they are comely and honourable in ,his4 ,they are all fair4 ,he sees no spot in them4 7,cant4 iv4 #g47 ,their weaknesses and short-comings do not break off the union between ,him and them4 ,he chose them1 knowing all their hearts4 ,he took them for his own1 with a perfect understanding of all their debts1 liabilities1 and infirmities1 and ,he will never break ,his covenant and cast them off4 ,when they fall1 ,he will raise them again4 ,when they wander1 ,he will bring them back4 ,their prayers are pleasant to ,him4 ,as a father loves the first stammering efforts of his child to speak1 so the ,lord loves the poor feeble petitions of ,his people4 ,he endorses them with ,his own mighty intercession1 and gives them power on high4 ,their services are pleasant to ,him4 ,as a father delights in the first daisy that his child picks up and brings him1 even so the ,lord is pleased with the weak attempts of ,his people to serve ,him4 ,not a cup of cold water shall lose its reward4 ,not a word spoken in love shall ever be forgotten4 ,the ,holy ,ghost inspired ,st4 ,paul to tell the ,hebrews of ,noah's faith1 but not of his drunkenness1--of ,rahab's faith1 but not of her lie4 ,it is a blessed thing to be ,god's wheat6 7b7 ,the ,lord cares for ,his believing people in their lives4 ,their dwelling-place is well known4 ,the street called straight1 where ,judas dwelt1 and ,paul lodged1--the house by the sea-side1 where ,peter prayed1 were all familiar to their ,lord4 ,none have such attendants as they have3--angels rejoice when they are born again2 angels minister to them2 and angels encamp around them4 ,none have such food2--their bread is given them and their water is sure1 and they have meat to eat of which the world knows nothing4 ,none have such company as they have3 the ,spirit dwelleth with them2 the ,father and the ,son come to them1 and make their abode with them4 7,john xiv4 #bc47 ,their steps are all ordered from grace to glory3 they that persecute them persecute ,christ ,himself1 and they that hurt them hurt the apple of the ,lord's eye4 ,their trials and temptations are all measured out by a wise ,physician3--not a grain of bitterness is ever mingled in their cup that is not good for the health of their souls4 ,their temptations1 like ,job's1 are all under ,god's control4--,satan cannot touch a hair of their head without their ,lord's permission1 nor even tempt them above that which they shall be able to bear4 ,as a father pitieth his own children1 so does the ,lord pity them that fear ,him4 ,he never afflicts them willingly4 7,ps4 ciii4 #ac2 ,lam4 iii4 #cc47 ,he leads them by the right way4 ,he withholds nothing that is really for their good4 ,come what will1 there is always a needs-be4 ,when they are placed in the furnace1 it is that they may be purified4 ,when they are chastened1 it is that they may become more holy4 ,when they are pruned1 it is to make them more fruitful4 ,when they are transplanted from place to place1 it is that they may bloom more brightly4 ,all things are continually working together for their good4 ,like the bee1 they extract sweetness even out of the bitterest flowers4 7c7 ,the ,lord cares for ,his believing people in their deaths4 ,their times are all in the ,lord's hand4 ,the hairs of their heads are all numbered1 and not one can ever fall to the ground without their ,father4 ,they are kept on earth till they are ripe and ready for glory1 and not one moment longer4 ,when they have had sun and rain enough1 wind and storm enough1 cold and heat enough1--when the ear is perfected1--then1 and not till then1 the sickle is put in4 ,they are all immortal till their work is done4 ,there is not a disease that can loosen the pins of their tabernacle1 until the ,lord gives the word4 ,a thousand may fall at their right hand1 but there is not a plague that can touch them till the ,lord sees good4 ,there is not a physician that can keep them alive1 when the ,lord gives the word4 ,when they come to their death-bed1 the everlasting arms are round about them1 and make all their bed in their sickness4 ,when they die1 they die like ,moses1 according to the word of the ,lord1 at the right time1 and in the right way4 7,deut4 xxxiv4 #e47 ,and when they breathe their last1 they fall asleep in ,christ1 and are at once carried1 like ,lazarus1 into ,abraham's bosom4 ,yes6 it is a blessed thing to be ,christ's wheat6 ,when the sun of other men is setting1 the sun of the believer is rising4 ,when other men are laying aside their honours1 he is putting his on4 ,death locks the door on the unbeliever1 and shuts him out from hope4 ,but death opens the door to the believer1 and lets him into paradise4 7d7 ,and the ,lord will care for ,his believing people in the dreadful day of ,his appearing4 ,the flaming fire shall not come nigh them4 ,the voice of the ,archangel and the trump of ,god shall proclaim no terrors to their ears4 ,sleeping or waking1 quick or dead1 mouldering in the coffin1 or standing at the post of daily duty1--believers shall be secure and unmoved4 ,they shall lift up their heads with joy when they see redemption drawing nigh4 ,they shall be changed1 and put on their beautiful garments in the twinkling of an eye4 ,they shall be caught up to meet the ,lord in the air4 7#a ,thess4 iv4 #ag47 ,jesus will do nothing to a sin-laden world till all his people are safe4 ,there was an ark for ,noah when the flood began4 ,there was a ,zoar for ,lot when the fire fell on ,sodom4 ,there was a ,pella for early ,christians when ,jerusalem was besieged4 ,there was a ,zurich for ,english reformers when ,popish ,mary came to the throne4 ,and there will be a garner for all the wheat of the earth in the last day4 ,yes6 it is a blessed thing to be ,christ's wheat6 ,i often wonder at the miserable faithlessness of those among us who are believers4 ,next to the hardness of the unconverted heart1 ,i call it one of the greatest wonders in the world4 ,i wonder that with such mighty reasons for confidence we can still be so full of doubts4 ,i marvel1 above all things1 how any can deny the doctrine that ,christ's people persevere unto the end1 and can fancy that ,he who loved them so as to die for them upon the cross1 will ever let them be cast away4 ,i cannot think so4 ,i do not believe the ,lord ,jesus will ever lose one of ,his flock4 ,he will not let ,satan pluck away from ,him so much as one sick lamb4 ,he will not allow one bone of ,his mystical body to be broken4 ,he will not suffer one jewel to fall from ,his crown4 ,he and ,his bride have been once joined in an everlasting covenant1 and they shall never1 never be put asunder4 ,the trophies won by earthly conquerors have often been wrested from them1 and carried off2 but this shall never be said of the trophies of ,him who triumphed for us on the cross4 ,my sheep1 ,he says1 shall never perish4 7,john x4 #bh47 ,i take my stand on that text4 ,i know not how it can be evaded4 ,if words have any meaning1 the perseverance of ,christ's people is there4 ,i do not believe1 when ,david had rescued the lamb from the paws of the lion1 that he left it weak and wounded to perish in the wilderness4 ,i cannot believe when the ,lord ,jesus has delivered a soul from the snare of the devil that ,he will ever leave that soul to take his chance1 and wrestle on in his own feebleness1 against sin1 the devil1 and the world4 ,i dare be sure1 if you were present at a shipwreck1 and seeing some helpless child tossing on the waves were to plunge into the sea and save him at the risk of your own life1--,i dare be sure you would not be content with merely bringing that child safe to shore4 ,you would not lay him down when you had reached the land1 and say1 ,i will do no more4 ,he is weak1--he is insensible1--he is cold3 it matters not4 ,i have done enough1--,i have delivered him from the waters3 he is not drowned4 ,you would not do it4 ,you would not say so4 ,you would not treat that child in such a manner4 ,you would lift him in your arms2 you would carry him to the nearest house2 you would try to bring back warmth and animation2 you would use every means to restore health and vigour3 you would never leave him till his recovery was a certain thing4 ,and can you suppose the ,lord ,jesus ,christ is less merciful and less compassionate8 ,can you think ,he would suffer on the cross and die1 and yet leave it uncertain whether believers in ,him would be saved8 ,can you think ,he would wrestle with death and hell1 and go down to the grave for our sakes1 and yet allow our eternal life to hang on such a thread as our poor miserable endeavours4 ,oh1 no3 ,he does not do so6 ,he is a perfect and complete ,saviour4 ,those whom ,he loves1 ,he loves unto the end4 ,those whom ,he washes in ,his blood ,he never leaves nor forsakes4 ,he puts ,his fear into their hearts1 so that they shall not depart from ,him4 ,where ,he begins a work1 there ,he also finishes4 ,all whom ,he plants in ,his garden inclosed on earth1 ,he transplants sooner or later into paradise4 ,all whom ,he quickens by ,his ,spirit ,he will also bring with ,him when ,he enters ,his kingdom4 ,there is a garner for every grain of the wheat4 ,all shall appear in ,zion before ,god4 ,from false grace man may fall1 and that both finally and foully4 ,i never doubt this4 ,i see proof of it continually4 ,from true grace men never do fall totally4 ,they never did1 and they never will4 ,if they commit sin1 like ,peter1 they shall repent and rise again4 ,if they err from the right way1 like ,david1 they shall be brought back4 ,it is not any strength or power of their own that keeps them from apostacy4 ,they are kept because the power1 and love1 and promises of the ,trinity are all engaged on their side4 ,the election of ,god the ,father shall not be fruitless2 the intercession of ,god the ,son shall not be ineffectual2 the love of ,god the ,spirit shall not be labour in vain4 ,the ,lord shall keep the feet of ,his saints4 7#a ,sam4 ii4 #i7 ,they shall all be more than conquerors through ,him that loved them4 ,they all shall conquer1 and none die eternally4#ae #ae3 ,blessed for ever and ever be that mother's child whose faith hath made him the child of ,god4 ,the earth may shake1 the pillars of the world may tremble under us1 the countenance of the heaven may be appalled1 the sun may lose his light1 the moon her beauty1 the stars their glory3 but concerning the man that trusteth in ,god1--what is there in the world that shall change his heart1 overthrow his faith1 alter his affection towards ,god1 or the affection of ,god to him8--,richard ,hooker1 #aehe4 ,if you have not yet taken up the cross and become ,christ's disciple1 you little know what privileges you are missing4 ,peace with ,god now and glory hereafter1--the everlasting arms to keep you by the way1 and the garner of safety in the end1--all these are freely offered to you without money and without price4 ,you may say that ,christians have tribulations2--you forget that they have also consolations4 ,you may say they have peculiar sorrows2--you forget they have also peculiar joys4 ,you see but half the ,christian life4 ,you see not all4 ,you see the warfare2--but not the meat and the wages4 ,you see the tossing and conflict of the outward part of ,christianity2 you see not the hidden treasures which lie deep within4 ,like ,elisha's servant1 you see the enemies of ,god's children2 but you do not1 like ,elisha1 see the chariots and horses of fire which protect them4 ,oh1 judge not by outward appearances6 ,be sure that the least drop of the water of life is better than all the rivers of the world4 ,remember the garner and the crown4 ,be wise in time4 ,if you feel that you are a weak disciple1 think not that weakness shuts you out from any of the privileges of which ,i have been speaking4 ,weak faith is true faith1 and weak grace is true grace2 and both are the gift of ,him who never gives in vain4 ,fear not1 neither be discouraged4 ,doubt not1 neither despair4 ,jesus will never break the bruised reed1 nor quench the smoking flax4 7,isa4 xlii4 #c47 ,the babes in a family are as much loved and thought of as the elder brothers and sisters4 ,the tender seedlings in a garden are as diligently looked after as the old trees4 ,the lambs in the flock are as carefully tended by the good shepherd as the old sheep4 ,oh1 rest assured it is just the same in ,christ's family1 in ,christ's garden1 in ,christ's flock6 ,all are loved4 ,all are tenderly thought of4 ,all are cared for4 ,and all shall be found in ,his garner at last4 ,,iv4 ,let me show1 in the last place1 the portion which remains for all who are not ,christ's people4 ,the text at the beginning of this paper describes this in words which should make our ears tingle3 ,christ shall burn up the chaff with fire unquenchable4 ,when the ,lord ,jesus ,christ comes to purge ,his floor1 ,he shall punish all who are not ,his disciples with a fearful punishment4 ,all who are found impenitent and unbelieving1--all who have held the truth in unrighteousness1--all who have clung to sin1 stuck to the world1 and set their affections on things below1--all who are without ,christ1--all such shall come to an awful end4 ,christ shall burn up the chaff4 ,their punishment shall be most severe4 ,there is no pain like that of burning4 ,put your finger in the candle for a moment1 if you doubt this1 and try4 ,fire is the most destructive and devouring of all elements4 ,look into the mouth of a blast-furnace1 and think what it would be to be there4 ,fire is of all elements most opposed to life4 ,creatures can live in air1 and earth1 and water2 but nothing can live in fire4 ,yet fire is the portion to which the ,christless and unbelieving will come4 ,christ will burn up the chaff with fire4 ,their punishment shall be eternal4 ,millions of ages shall pass away1 and the fire into which the chaff is cast shall still burn on4 ,that fire shall never burn low and become dim4 ,the fuel of that fire shall never waste away and be consumed4 ,it is unquenchable fire4 ,alas1 these are sad and painful things to speak of6 ,i have no pleasure in dwelling on them4 ,i could rather say with the ,apostle ,paul1 as ,i write1 ,i have great heaviness and continual sorrow4 7,rom4 ix4 #b47 ,but they are things written for our learning1 and it is good to consider them4 ,they are a part of that ,scripture which is all profitable1 and they ought to be heard4 ,painful as the subject of hell is1 it is one about which ,i dare not1 cannot1 must not be silent4 ,who would desire to speak of hell-fire if ,god had not spoken of it8 ,when ,god has spoken of it so plainly1 who can safely hold his peace8 ,i dare not shut my eyes to the fact that a deep-rooted infidelity lurks in men's minds on the subject of hell4 ,i see it oozing out in the utter apathy of some3 they eat1 and drink1 and sleep1 as if there was no wrath to come4 ,i see it creeping forth in the coldness of others about their neighbours' souls3 they show little anxiety to pluck brands from the fire4 ,i desire to denounce such infidelity with all my might4 ,believing that there are terrors of the ,lord1 as well as the recompense of reward1 ,i call on all who profess to believe the ,bible1 to be on their guard4 7a7 ,i know that some do not believe there is any hell at all4 ,they think it impossible there can be such a place4 ,they call it inconsistent with the mercy of ,god4 ,they say it is too awful an idea to be really true4 ,the devil of course rejoices in the views of such people4 ,they help his kingdom mightily4 ,they are preaching up his own favourite doctrine3 ,ye shall not surely die4 7,gen4 iii4 #d47 7b7 ,i know1 furthermore1 that some do not believe that hell is eternal4 ,they tell us it is incredible that a compassionate ,god will punish men for ever4 ,he will surely open the prison doors at last4 ,this also is a mighty help to the devil's cause4 ,take your ease1 he whispers to sinners3 if you do make a mistake1 never mind1 it is not for ever4 ,a wicked woman was overheard in the streets of ,london saying to a bad companion1 ,come along3 who is afraid8 ,some parsons say there is no hell4 7c7 ,i know also that some believe there is a hell1 but never allow that anybody is going there4 ,all people1 with them1 are good as soon as they die1--all were sincere1--all meant well1--and all1 they hope1 got to heaven4 ,alas1 what a common delusion is this6 ,i can well understand the feeling of the little girl who asked her mother where all the wicked people were buried1 for she found no mention on the grave-stones of any except the good4 7d7 ,and ,i know very well that some believe there is a hell1 and never like it to be spoken of4 ,it is a subject that should always be kept back1 in their opinion4 ,they see no profit in bringing it forward1 and are rather shocked when it is mentioned4 ,this also is an immense help to the devil4 ,hush1 hush6 says ,satan1 say nothing about hell4 ,the fowler wishes to hear no noise when he lays his snares4 ,the wolf would like the shepherd to sleep while he prowls round the fold4 ,the devil rejoices when ,christians are silent about hell4 ,all these notions are the opinions of man4 ,but what is it to you and me what man thinks in religion8 ,man will not judge us at the last day4 ,man's fancies and traditions are not to be our guide in this life4 ,there is but one point to be settled3 ,what says the ,word of ,god8 7a7 ,do you believe the ,bible8 ,then depend upon it1 hell is real and true4 ,it is true as heaven1--as true as justification by faith1--as true as the fact that ,christ died upon the cross1--as true as the ,dead ,sea4 ,there is not a fact or doctrine which you may not lawfully doubt if you doubt hell4 ,disbelieve hell1 and you unscrew1 unsettle1 and unpin everything in ,scripture4 ,you may as well throw your ,bible away at once4 ,from no hell to no ,god there is but a series of steps4 7b7 ,do you believe the ,bible8 ,then depend upon it1 hell will have inhabitants4 ,the wicked shall certainly be turned into hell1 and all the people that forget ,god4 ,these shall go away into everlasting punishment4 7,matt4 xxv4 #df47 ,the same blessed ,saviour who now sits on a throne of grace1 will one day sit on a throne of judgment1 and men will see there is such a thing as the wrath of the ,lamb4 7,rev4 vi4 #af47 ,the same lips which now say1 ,come3 come unto ,me6 will one day say1 ,depart1 ye cursed6 ,alas1 how awful the thought of being condemned by ,christ ,himself1 judged by the ,saviour1 sentenced to misery by the ,lamb6 7c7 ,do you believe the ,bible8 ,then depend upon it1 hell will be intense and unutterable woe4 ,it is vain to talk of all the expressions about it being only figures of speech4 ,the pit1 the prison1 the worm1 the fire1 the thirst1 the blackness1 the darkness1 the weeping1 the gnashing of teeth1 the second death1--all these may be figures of speech if you please4 ,but ,bible figures mean something1 beyond all question1 and here they mean something which man's mind can never fully conceive4 ,the miseries of mind and conscience are far worse than those of the body4 ,the whole extent of hell1 the present suffering1 the bitter recollection of the past1 the hopeless prospect of the future1 will never be thoroughly known except by those who go there4 7d7 ,do you believe the ,bible8 ,then depend upon it1 hell is eternal4 ,it must be eternal1 or words have no meaning at all4 ,for ever and ever--everlasting--unquenchable--never-d ying1--all these are expressions used about hell1 and expressions that cannot be explained away4 ,it must be eternal1 or the very foundations of heaven are cast down4 ,if hell has an end1 heaven has an end too4 ,they both stand or fall together4--,it must be eternal1 or else every doctrine of the ,gospel is undermined4 ,if a man may escape hell at length without faith in ,christ1 or sanctification of the ,spirit1 sin is no longer an infinite evil1 and there was no such great need for ,christ making an atonement4 ,and where is there warrant for saying that hell can ever change a heart1 or make it fit for heaven8--,it must be eternal1 or hell would cease to be hell altogether4 ,give a man hope1 and he will bear anything4 ,grant a hope of deliverance1 however distant1 and hell is but a drop of water4 ,ah1 these are solemn things6 ,well said old ,caryl3 ,,for ,,ever is the most solemn saying in the ,bible4 ,alas1 for that day which will have no to-morrow1--that day when men shall seek death and not find it1 and shall desire to die1 but death shall flee from them6 ,who shall dwell with devouring fire8 ,who shall dwell with everlasting burnings8 7,rev4 ix4 #f2 ,isa4 xxxiii4 #ad47 7e7 ,do you believe the ,bible8 ,then depend upon it1 hell is a subject that ought not to be kept back4 ,it is striking to observe the many texts about it in ,scripture4 ,it is striking to observe that none say so much about it as our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that gracious and merciful ,saviour2 and the apostle ,john1 whose heart seems full of love4 ,truly it may well be doubted whether we ministers speak of it as much as we ought4 ,i cannot forget the words of a dying hearer of ,mr4 ,newton's3 ,sir1 you often told me of ,christ and salvation3 why did you not oftener remind me of hell and danger8 ,let others hold their peace about hell if they will2--,i dare not do so4 ,i see it plainly in ,scripture1 and ,i must speak of it4 ,i fear that thousands are on that broad way that leads to it1 and ,i would fain arouse them to a sense of the peril before them4 ,what would you say of the man who saw his neighbour's house in danger of being burned down1 and never raised the cry of ,fire8 ,what ought to be said of us as ministers1 if we call ourselves watchmen for souls1 and yet see the fires of hell raging in the distance1 and never give the alarm8 ,call it bad taste1 if you like1 to speak of hell4 ,call it charity to make things pleasant1 and speak smoothly1 and soothe men with a constant lullaby of peace4 ,from such notions of taste and charity may ,i ever be delivered6 ,my notion of charity is to warn men plainly of danger4 ,my notion of taste in the ministerial office is to declare all the counsel of ,god4 ,if ,i never spoke of hell1 ,i should think ,i had kept back something that was profitable1 and should look on myself as an accomplice of the devil4 ,i beseech every reader of this paper1 in all tender affection1 to beware of false views of the subject on which ,i have been dwelling4 ,beware of new and strange doctrines about hell and the eternity of punishment4 ,beware of manufacturing a ,god of your own1--a ,god who is all mercy1 but not just1--a ,god who is all love1 but not holy1--a ,god who has a heaven for everybody1 but a hell for none1--a ,god who can allow good and bad to be side by side in time1 but will make no distinction between good and bad in eternity4 ,such a ,god is an idol of your own1 as really as ,jupiter or ,moloch1--as true an idol as any snake or crocodile in an ,egyptian temple1--as true an idol as was ever moulded out of brass or clay4 ,the hands of your own fancy and sentimentality have made him4 ,he is not the ,god of the ,bible1 and besides the ,god of the ,bible there is no ,god at all4 ,your heaven would be no heaven at all4 ,a heaven containing all sorts of characters indiscriminately would be miserable discord indeed4 ,alas1 for the eternity of such a heaven6 there would be little difference between it and hell4 ,there is a hell6 ,there is a fire for the chaff6 ,take heed lest you find it out1 to your cost1 too late4 ,beware of being wise above that which is written4 ,beware of forming fanciful theories of your own1 and then trying to make the ,bible square in with them4 ,beware of making selections from your ,bible to suit your taste1--refusing1 like a spoilt child1 whatever you think bitter1--seizing1 like a spoilt child1 whatever you think sweet4 ,what is all this but taking ,jehoiakim's penknife8 7,jer4 xxxvi4 #bc47 ,what does it amount to but telling ,god1 that you1 a poor short-lived worm1 know what is good for you better than ,he4 ,it will not do3 it will not do4 ,you must take the ,bible as it is4 ,you must read it all1 and believe it all4 ,you must come to the reading of it in the spirit of a little child4 ,dare not to say1 ,i believe this verse1 for ,i like it4 ,i reject that1 for ,i do not like it4 ,i receive this1 for ,i can understand it4 ,i refuse that1 for ,i cannot reconcile it with my views4 ,nay1 but1 ,o man1 who art thou that repliest against ,god8 7,rom4 ix4 #bj47 ,by what right do you talk in this way8 ,surely it were better to say over every chapter in the ,word1 ,speak1 ,lord1 for thy servant heareth4--,if men would do this1 they would never deny hell1 the chaff1 and the fire4 ,and now1 let me say four things in conclusion1 and then ,i have done4 ,i have shown the two great classes of mankind1 the wheat and the chaff4--,i have shown the separation which will one day take place4--,i have shown the safety of the ,lord's people4--,i have shown the fearful portion of the ,christless and unbelieving4--,i commend these things to the conscience of every reader of this paper1 as in the sight of ,god4 7#a7 ,first of all1 settle it down in your mind that the things of which ,i have been speaking are all real and true4 ,i do believe that many never see the great truths of religion in this light4 ,i firmly believe that many never listen to the things they hear from ministers as realities4 ,they regard it all1 like ,gallio1 as a matter of names and words1 and nothing more2 a huge shadow1--a formal part-acting1--a vast sham4 ,the last novel1 the latest news from ,france1 ,india1 ,australia1 ,turkey1 or ,new ,york1--all these are things they realize3 they feel interested and excited about them4 ,but as to the ,bible1 and heaven1 and the kingdom of ,christ1 and the judgment day1--these are subjects that they hear unmoved3 they do not really believe them4 ,if ,layard had dug up at ,nineveh anything damaging the truth and authority of the ,old ,testament ,scriptures1 it would not have interfered with their peace for an hour4 ,if you have unhappily got into this frame of mind1 ,i charge you to cast it off for ever4 ,whether you mean to hear or forbear1 awaken to a thorough conviction that the things ,i have brought before you are real and true4 ,the wheat1 the chaff1 the separation1 the garner1 the fire1--all these are great realities1--as real as the sun in heaven1--as real as the paper which your eyes behold4 ,for my part1 ,i believe in heaven1 and ,i believe in hell4 ,i believe in a coming judgment4 ,i believe in a day of sifting4 ,i am not ashamed to say so4 ,i believe them all1 and therefore write as ,i do4 ,oh1 take a friend's advice1--live as if these things were true4 7#b7 ,settle it down in your mind1 in the second place1 that the things of which ,i write concern yourself4 ,they are your business1 your affair1 and your concern4 ,many1 ,i am satisfied1 never look on religion as a matter that concerns themselves4 ,they attend on its outward part1 as a decent and proper fashion4 ,they hear sermons4 ,they read religious books4 ,they have their children christened4 ,but all the time they never ask themselves1 ,what is all this to me8 ,they sit in our churches like spectators in a theatre or court of law4 ,they read our writings as if they were reading a report of an interesting trial1 or of some event far away4 ,but they never say to themselves1 ,i am the man4 ,if you have this kind of feeling1 depend upon it it will never do4 ,there must be an end of all this if ever you are to be saved4 ,you are the man ,i write to1 whoever you may be who reads this paper4 ,i write not specially to the rich4 ,i write not specially to the poor4 ,i write to everybody who will read1 whatever his rank may be4 ,it is on your soul's account that ,i am pleading1 and not another's4 ,you are spoken of in the text that begins this paper4 ,you are this very day either among the wheat or among the chaff4 ,your portion will one day either be the garner or the fire4 ,oh1 that men were wise1 and would lay these things to heart6 ,oh1 that they would not trifle1 dally1 linger1 live on half-and-half ,christians1 meaning well1 but never acting boldly1 and at last awake when it is too late6 7#c7 ,settle it down in your mind1 in the third place1 that if you are willing to be one of the wheat of the earth1 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ is willing to receive you4 ,does any man suppose that ,jesus is not willing to see ,his garner filled8 ,do you think ,he does not desire to bring many sons to glory8 ,oh1 but you little know the depth of ,his mercy and compassion1 if you can think such a thought6 ,he wept over unbelieving ,jerusalem4 ,he mourns over the impenitent and the thoughtless in the present day4 ,he sends you invitations by my mouth this hour4 ,he invites you to hear and live1 to forsake the way of the foolish and go in the paths of understanding4 ,as ,i live1 ,he says1 ,i have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth4 ,turn ye1 turn ye3 why will ye die8 7,ezek4 xviii4 #cb47 ,oh1 if you never came to ,christ for life before1 come to ,him this very day6 ,come to ,him with the penitent's prayer for mercy and grace4 ,come to ,him without delay4 ,come to ,him while the subject of this paper is still fresh on your mind4 ,come to ,him before another sun rises on the earth1 and let the morning find you a new creature4 ,if you are determined to have the world1 and the things of the world1--its pleasures and its rewards1--its follies and its sins2--if you must have your own way1 and cannot give up anything for ,christ and your soul2--if this be your case1 there is but one end before you4 ,i fairly warn you1--,i plainly tell you3--,you will sooner or later come to the unquenchable fire4 ,but if any man is willing to be saved1 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ stands ready to save him4 ,come unto ,me1 ,he says1 weary soul1 and ,i will give you rest4 ,come1 guilty and sinful soul1 and ,i will give you free pardon4 ,come1 lost and ruined soul1 and ,i will give you eternal life4 7,matt4 xi4 #bh47 ,let that passage be a word in season4 ,arise and call upon the ,lord4 ,let the angels of ,god rejoice over one more saved soul4 ,let the courts of heaven hear the good tidings that one more lost sheep is found4 7#d7 ,settle it down in your mind1 last of all1 that if you have committed your soul to ,christ1 ,christ will never allow that soul to perish4 ,the everlasting arms are round about you4 ,lean back in them and know your safety4 ,the same hand that was nailed to the cross is holding you4 ,the same wisdom that framed the heavens and the earth is engaged to maintain your cause4 ,the same power that redeemed the twelve tribes from the house of bondage is on your side4 ,the same love that bore with and carried ,israel from ,egypt to ,canaan is pledged to keep you4 ,yes6 they are well kept whom ,christ keeps6 ,our faith may repose calmly on such a bed as ,christ's omnipotence4 ,take comfort1 doubting believer4 ,why are you cast down8 ,the love of ,jesus is no summer-day fountain3 no man ever yet saw its bottom4 ,the compassion of ,jesus is a fire that never yet burned low3 the cold1 grey ashes of that fire have never yet been seen4 ,take comfort4 ,in your own heart you may find little cause for rejoicing4 ,but you may always rejoice in the ,lord4 ,you say your faith is so small4 ,but where is it said that none shall be saved except their faith be great8 ,and after all1 ,who gave thee any faith at all8 ,the very fact that you have any faith is a token for good4 ,you say your sins are so many4 ,but where is the sin1 or the heap of sins1 that the blood of ,jesus cannot wash away8 ,and after all1 ,who told thee thou hadst any sins8 ,that feeling never came from thyself4 ,blessed indeed is that mother's child who really knows and feels that he is a sinner4 ,take comfort1 ,i say once more1 if you have really come to ,christ4 ,take comfort1 and know your privileges4 ,cast every care on ,jesus4 ,tell every want to ,jesus4 ,roll every burden on ,jesus3 sins1--unbelief1--doubts1--fears1--anxie ties1--lay them all on ,christ4 ,he loves to see you doing so4 ,he loves to be employed as your ,high ,priest4 ,he loves to be trusted4 ,he loves to see ,his people ceasing from the vain effort to carry their burdens for themselves4 ,i commend these things to the notice of every one into whose hands this volume may fall4 ,only be among ,christ's wheat now1 and then1 in the great day of separation1 as sure as the ,bible is true1 you shall be in ,christ's garner hereafter4 ,,xxi ,,eternity6 ,the things which are seen are temporal2 but the things which are not seen are eternal4--#b ,cor4 iv4 #ah4 ,a subject stands out on the face of this text which is one of the most solemn and heart-searching in the ,bible4 ,that subject is eternity4#af #af3 ,the following pages contain the substance of a sermon which ,i preached1 by invitation1 in the nave of ,peterborough ,cathedral1 on the fourth ,sunday in ,advent1 #ahgg1--the substance and not the precise words4 ,the plain truth is1 that the sermon was not intended for publication4 ,it was preached from notes1 and was one of those popular addresses which will not bear close reporting4 ,a style of language which satisfies the ear when listened to1 will seldom satisfy the mind when read4 ,on receiving a manuscript report from the publisher1 ,i soon found that it would require far more labour to condense1 correct1 paragraph1 punctuate1 and prepare the sermon for the press1 than to write it out roughly from my own notes and recollection4 ,from want of time ,i had no alternative but to adopt this course1 or to object altogether to publication4 ,the result is that the reader has before him the matter1 order1 heads1 arrangement1 and principal thoughts of my sermon1 but not1 ,i repeat1 the precise words4 ,the subject is one of which the wisest man can only take in a little4 ,we have no eyes to see it fully1 no line to fathom it1 no mind to grasp it2 and yet we must not refuse to consider it4 ,there are star-depths in the heavens above us1 which the most powerful telescope cannot pierce2 yet it is well to look into them and learn something1 if we cannot learn everything4 ,there are heights and depths about the subject of eternity which mortal man can never comprehend2 but ,god has spoken of it1 and we have no right to turn away from it altogether4 ,the subject is one which we must never approach without the ,bible in our hands4 ,the moment we depart from ,god's ,word written1 in considering eternity and the future state of man1 we are likely to fall into error4 ,in examining points like these we have nothing to do with preconceived notions as to what is ,god's character1 and what we think ,god ought to be1 or ought to do with man after death4#ag ,we have only to find out what is written4 ,what saith the ,scripture8 ,what saith the ,lord8 ,it is wild work to tell us that we ought to have noble thoughts about ,god1 independent of1 and over and above1 ,scripture4 ,natural religion soon comes to a standstill here4 ,the noblest thoughts about ,god which we have a right to hold are the thoughts which ,he has been pleased to reveal to us in ,his written ,word4 #ag3 ,what sentence can we expect from a judge1 who at the same time that he calls in witnesses and pretends to examine them1 makes a declaration that however1 let them say what they will1 the cause is so absurd1 is so unjust1 that no evidence will be sufficient to prove it8--,horbery1 vol4 ii4 p4 #acg4 ,i ask the attention of all into whose hands this paper may fall1 while ,i offer a few suggestive thoughts about eternity4 ,as a mortal man ,i feel deeply my own insufficiency to handle this subject4 ,but ,i pray that ,god the ,holy ,ghost1 whose strength is made perfect in weakness1 may bless the words ,i speak1 and make them seeds of eternal life in many minds4 ,i4 ,the first thought which ,i commend to the attention of my readers is this3--,we live in a world where all things are temporal and passing away4 ,that man must be blind indeed who cannot realize this4 ,everything around us is decaying1 dying1 and coming to an end4 ,there is a sense no doubt in which matter is eternal4 ,once created1 it will never entirely perish4 ,but in a popular practical sense1 there is nothing undying about us except our souls4 ,no wonder the poet says3-- ,change and decay in all around ,i see3 ,o ,thou that changest not1 abide with me6 ,we are all going1 going1 going1 whether high or low1 gentle or simple1 rich or poor1 old or young4 ,we are all going1 and shall soon be gone4 ,beauty is only temporal4 ,sarah was once the fairest of women1 and the admiration of the ,court of ,egypt2 yet a day came when even ,abraham1 her husband1 said1 ,let me bury my dead out of my sight4 7,gen4 xxiii4 #d47--,strength of body is only temporal4 ,david was once a mighty man of valour1 the slayer of the lion and the bear1 and the champion of ,israel against ,goliath2 yet a day came when even ,david had to be nursed and ministered to in his old age like a child4--,wisdom and power of brain are only temporal4 ,solomon was once a prodigy of knowledge1 and all the kings of the earth came to hear his wisdom2 yet even ,solomon in his latter days played the fool exceedingly1 and allowed his wives to turn away his heart4 7#a ,kings xi4 #b47 ,humbling and painful as these truths may sound1 it is good for us all to realize them and lay them to heart4 ,the houses we live in1 the homes we love1 the riches we accumulate1 the professions we follow1 the plans we form1 the relations we enter into1--they are only for a time4 ,the things seen are temporal4 ,the fashion of this world passeth away4 7#a ,cor4 vii4 #ca47 ,the thought is one which ought to rouse every one who is living only for this world4 ,if his conscience is not utterly seared1 it should stir in him great searchings of heart4 ,oh1 take care what you are doing6 ,awake to see things in their true light before it be too late4 ,the things you live for now are all temporal and passing away4 ,the pleasures1 the amusements1 the recreations1 merry-makings1 the profits1 the earthly callings1 which now absorb all your heart and drink up all your mind1 will soon be over4 ,they are poor ephemeral things which cannot last4 ,oh1 love them not too well2 grasp them not too tightly2 make them not your idols6 ,you cannot keep them1 and you must leave them4 ,seek first the kingdom of ,god1 and then everything else shall be added to you4 ,set your affections on things above1 not on things on the earth4 ,oh1 you that love the world1 be wise in time6 ,never1 never forget that it is written1 ,the world passeth away1 and the lust thereof2 but he that doeth the will of ,god abideth for ever4 7,col4 iii4 #b2 #a ,john ii4 #ag47 ,the same thought ought to cheer and comfort every true ,christian4 ,your trials1 crosses1 and conflicts1 are all temporal4 ,they will soon have an end2 and even now they are working for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory4 7#b ,cor4 iv4 #ag47 ,take them patiently3 bear them quietly3 look upward1 forward1 onward1 and far beyond them4 ,fight your daily fight under an abiding conviction that it is only for a little time1 and that rest is not far off4 ,carry your daily cross with an abiding recollection that it is one of the things seen which are temporal4 ,the cross shall soon be exchanged for a crown1 and you shall sit down with ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob in the kingdom of ,god4 ,,ii4 ,the second thought which ,i commend to the attention of my readers is this3--,we are all going towards a world where everything is eternal4 ,that great unseen state of existence which lies behind the grave1 is for ever4 ,whether it be happy or miserable1 whether it be a condition of joy or sorrow1 in one respect it is utterly unlike this world1--it is for ever4 ,there at any rate will be no change and decay1 no end1 no good-bye1 no mornings and evenings1 no alteration1 no annihilation4 ,whatever there is beyond the tomb1 when the last trumpet has sounded1 and the dead are raised1 will be endless1 everlasting1 and eternal4 ,the things unseen are eternal4 ,we cannot fully realize this condition4 ,the contrast between now and then1 between this world and the next1 is so enormously great that our feeble minds will not take it in4 ,the consequences it entails are so tremendous1 that they almost take away our breath1 and we shrink from looking at them4 ,but when the ,bible speaks plainly we have no right to turn away from a subject1 and with the ,bible in our hands we shall do well to look at the things which are eternal4 ,let us settle it then in our minds1 for one thing1 that the future happiness of those who are saved is eternal4 ,however little we may understand it1 it is something which will have no end3 it will never cease1 never grow old1 never decay1 never die4 ,at ,god's right hand are pleasures for evermore4 7,ps4 xvi4 #aa47 ,once landed in paradise1 the saints of ,god shall go out no more4 ,the inheritance is incorruptible1 undefiled1 and fadeth not away4 ,they shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away4 7#a ,pet4 i4 #d2 v4 #d47 ,their warfare is accomplished2 their fight is over2 their work is done4 ,they shall hunger no more1 neither thirst any more4 ,they are travelling on towards an eternal weight of glory1 towards a home which shall never be broken up1 a meeting without a parting1 a family gathering without a separation1 a day without night4 ,faith shall be swallowed up in sight1 and hope in certainty4 ,they shall see as they have been seen1 and know as they have been known1 and be for ever with the ,lord4 ,i do not wonder that the apostle ,paul adds1 ,comfort one another with these words4 7#a ,thess4 iv4 #ag1 #ah47 ,let us settle it1 for another thing1 in our minds1 that the future misery of those who are finally lost is eternal4 ,this is an awful truth1 ,i am aware1 and flesh and blood naturally shrink from the contemplation of it4 ,but ,i am one of those who believe it to be plainly revealed in ,scripture1 and ,i dare not keep it back in the pulpit4 ,to my eyes eternal future happiness and eternal future misery appear to stand side by side4 ,i fail to see how you can distinguish the duration of one from the duration of the other4 ,if the joy of the believer is for ever1 the sorrow of the unbeliever is also for ever4 ,if heaven is eternal1 so likewise is hell4 ,it may be my ignorance1 but ,i know not how the conclusion can be avoided4 ,i cannot reconcile the non-eternity of punishment with the language of the ,bible4 ,its advocates talk loudly about love and charity1 and say that it does not harmonize with the merciful and compassionate character of ,god4 ,but what saith the ,scripture8 ,who ever spoke such loving and merciful words as our ,lord ,jesus ,christ8 ,yet ,his are the lips which three times over describe the consequence of impenitence and sin1 as the worm that never dies and the fire that is not quenched4 ,he is the ,person who speaks in one sentence of the wicked going away into everlasting punishment and the righteous into life eternal4 7,mark ix4 #dc--dh2 ,matt4 xxv4 #df47ah--,who does not remember the ,apostle ,paul's words about charity8 ,yet he is the very ,apostle who says1 the wicked shall be punished with everlasting destruction4 7#b ,thess4 i4 #i47--,who does not know the spirit of love which runs through all ,st4 ,john's ,gospel and ,epistles8 ,yet the beloved ,apostle is the very writer in the ,new ,testament who dwells most strongly1 in the book of ,revelation1 on the reality and eternity of future woe4 ,what shall we say to these things8 ,shall we be wise above that which is written8 ,shall we admit the dangerous principle that words in ,scripture do not mean what they appear to mean8 ,is it not far better to lay our hands on our mouths and say1 ,whatever ,god has written must be true4 ,even so1 ,lord ,god ,almighty1 true and righteous are ,thy judgments4 7,rev4 xvi4 #g47 #ah3 ,if ,god had intended to have told us that the punishment of wicked man shall have no end1 the languages wherein the ,scriptures are written do hardly afford fuller and more certain words than those that are used in this case1 whereby to express a duration without end2 and likewise1 which is almost a peremptory decision of the thing1 the duration of the punishment of wicked men is in the very same sentence expressed by the very same word which is used for the duration of happiness of the righteous4--,archbishop ,tillotson on ,hell ,torments4 ,see ,horbery1 vol4 ii4 p4 #db4 ,i cannot reconcile the non-eternity of punishment with the language of our ,prayer-book4 ,the very first petition in our matchless ,litany contains this sentence1 ,from everlasting damnation1 good ,lord1 deliver us4--,the ,catechism teaches every child who learns it1 that whenever we repeat the ,lord's ,prayer we desire our ,heavenly ,father to keep us from our ghostly enemy and from everlasting death4--,even in our ,burial ,service we pray at the grave side1 ,deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death4--,once more ,i ask1 ,what shall we say to these things8 ,shall our congregations be taught that even when people live and die in sin we may hope for their happiness in a remote future8 ,surely the common sense of many of our worshippers would reply1 that if this is the case ,prayer-book words mean nothing at all4 ,i lay no claim to any peculiar knowledge of ,scripture4 ,i feel daily that ,i am no more infallible than the ,bishop of ,rome4 ,but ,i must speak according to the light which ,god has given to me2 and ,i do not think ,i should do my duty if ,i did not raise a warning voice on this subject1 and try to put ,christians on their guard4 ,six thousand years ago sin entered into the world by the devil's daring falsehood1--,ye shall not surely die4 7,gen4 iii4 #d47 ,at the end of six thousand years the great enemy of mankind is still using his old weapon1 and trying to persuade men that they may live and die in sin1 and yet at some distant period may be finally saved4 ,let us not be ignorant of his devices4 ,let us walk steadily in the old paths4 ,let us hold fast the old truth1 and believe that as the happiness of the saved is eternal1 so also is the misery of the lost4#ai #ai3 ,there is nothing that ,satan more desires than that we should believe that he does not exist1 and that there is no such a place as hell1 and no such things as eternal torments4 ,he whispers all this into our ears1 and he exults when he hears a layman1 and much more when he hears a clergyman1 deny these things1 for then he hopes to make them and others his victims4--,bishop ,wordsworth's ,sermons on ,future ,rewards and ,punishments1 p4 #cf4 7a7 ,let us hold it fast in the interest of the whole system of revealed religion4 ,what was the use of ,god's ,son becoming incarnate1 agonizing in ,gethsemane1 and dying on the cross to make atonement1 if men can be finally saved without believing on ,him8 ,where is the slightest proof that saving faith in ,christ's blood can ever begin after death8 ,where is the need of the ,holy ,ghost1 if sinners are at last to enter heaven without conversion and renewal of heart8 ,where can we find the smallest evidence that any one can be born again1 and have a new heart1 if he dies in an unregenerate state8 ,if a man may escape eternal punishment at last1 without faith in ,christ or sanctification of the ,spirit1 sin is no longer an infinite evil1 and there was no need for ,christ making an atonement4 7b7 ,let us hold it fast for the sake of holiness and morality4 ,i can imagine nothing so pleasant to flesh and blood as the specious theory that we may live in sin1 and yet escape eternal perdition2 and that although we serve divers lusts and pleasures while we are here1 we shall somehow or other all get to heaven hereafter6 ,only tell the young man who is wasting his substance in riotous living that there is heaven at last even for those who live and die in sin1 and he is never likely to turn from evil4 ,why should he repent and take up the cross1 if he can get to heaven at last without trouble8 7c7 ,finally1 let us hold it fast1 for the sake of the common hopes of all ,god's saints4 ,let us distinctly understand that every blow struck at the eternity of punishment is an equally heavy blow at the eternity of reward4 ,it is impossible to separate the two things4 ,no ingenious theological definition can divide them4 ,they stand or fall together4 ,the same language is used1 the same figures of speech are employed1 when the ,bible speaks about either condition4 ,every attack on the duration of hell is also an attack on the duration of heaven4#bj ,it is a deep and true saying1 ,with the sinner's fear our hope departs4 #bj3 ,if the punishment of the wicked is only temporary1 such will also be the happiness of the righteous1 which is repugnant to the whole teaching of ,scripture2 but if the happiness of the righteous will be everlasting 7who will be equal to the angels1 and their bodies will be like the body of ,christ71 such also will be the punishment of the wicked4--,bishop ,wordsworth's ,sermon on ,future ,rewards and ,punishments1 p4 #ca4 ,i turn from this part of my subject with a deep sense of its painfulness4 ,i feel strongly with ,robert ,m',cheyne1 that it is a hard subject to handle lovingly4 ,but ,i turn from it with an equally deep conviction that if we believe the ,bible we must never give up anything which it contains4 ,from hard1 austere1 and unmerciful theology1 good ,lord1 deliver us6 ,if men are not saved it is because they will not come to ,christ4 7,john v4 #dj47 ,but we must not be wise above that which is written4 ,no morbid love of liberality1 so called1 must induce us to reject anything which ,god has revealed about eternity4 ,men sometimes talk exclusively about ,god's mercy and love and compassion1 as if ,he had no other attributes1 and leave out of sight entirely ,his holiness and ,his purity1 ,his justice and ,his unchangeableness1 and ,his hatred of sin4 ,let us beware of falling into this delusion4 ,it is a growing evil in these latter days4 ,low and inadequate views of the unutterable vileness and filthiness of sin1 and of the unutterable purity of the eternal ,god1 are fertile sources of error about man's future state4 ,let us think of the mighty ,being with whom we have to do1 as he ,himself declared ,his character to ,moses1 saying1 ,the ,lord1 the ,lord ,god1 merciful and gracious1 long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth1 keeping mercy for thousands1 forgiving iniquity1 and transgression and sin4 ,but let us not forget the solemn clause which concludes the sentence3 ,and that will by no means clear the guilty4 7,exod4 xxxiv4 #f1 #g47 ,unrepented sin is an eternal evil1 and can never cease to be sin2 and ,he with whom we have to do is an eternal ,god4 ,the words of ,psalm cxlv4 are strikingly beautiful3 ,the ,lord is gracious1 and full of compassion2 slow to anger1 and of great mercy4 ,the ,lord is good to all3 and ,his tender mercies are over all ,his works4--,the ,lord upholdeth all that fall1 and raiseth up all those that be bowed down4--,the ,lord is righteous in all ,his ways1 and holy in all ,his works4 ,the ,lord is nigh unto all them that call upon ,him1 to all that call upon ,him in truth4--,the ,lord preserveth all them that love ,him4 ,nothing can exceed the mercifulness of this language6 ,but what a striking fact it is that the passage goes on to add the following solemn conclusion1 ,all the wicked will ,he destroy4 7,psalm cxlv4 #h-bj47 ,,iii4 ,the third thought which ,i commend to the attention of my readers is this3--,our state in the unseen world of eternity depends entirely on what we are in time4 ,the life that we live upon earth is short at the very best1 and soon gone4 ,we spend our days as a tale that is told4--,what is our life8 ,it is a vapour3 so soon passeth it away1 and we are gone4 7,psalm xc4 #i2 ,james iv4 #ad47 ,the life that is before us when we leave this world is an endless eternity1 a sea without a bottom1 and an ocean without a shore4 ,one day in ,thy sight1 eternal ,god1 is as a thousand years1 and a thousand years as one day4 7#b ,pet4 iii4 #h47 ,in that world time shall be no more4--,but short as our life is here1 and endless as it will be hereafter1 it is a tremendous thought that eternity hinges upon time4 ,our lot after death depends1 humanly speaking1 on what we are while we are alive4 ,it is written1 ,god will render to every man according to his deeds3 to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality1 eternal life3 but to them that are contentious1 and do not obey the truth1 but obey unrighteousness1 indignation and wrath4 7,rom4 ii4 #f1 #g47 ,we ought never to forget1 that we are all1 while we live1 in a state of probation4 ,we are constantly sowing seeds which will spring up and bear fruit1 every day and hour in our lives4 ,there are eternal consequences resulting from all our thoughts and words and actions1 of which we take far too little account4 ,for every idle word that men speak they shall give account in the day of judgment4 7,matt4 xii4 #cf47 ,our thoughts are all numbered1 our actions are weighed4 ,no wonder that ,st4 ,paul says1 ,he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption2 but he that soweth to the ,spirit shall of the ,spirit reap life everlasting4 7,gal4 vi4 #h47 ,in a word1 what we sow in life we shall reap after death1 and reap to all eternity4 ,there is no greater delusion than the common idea that it is possible to live wickedly1 and yet rise again gloriously2 to be without religion in this world1 and yet to be a saint in the next4 ,when the famous ,whitefield revived the doctrine of conversion last century1 it is reported that one of his hearers came to him after a sermon and said1--,it is all quite true1 sir4 ,i hope ,i shall be converted and born again one day1 but not till after ,i am dead4 ,i fear there are many like him4 ,i fear the false doctrine of the ,romish purgatory has many secret friends even within the pale of the ,church of ,england6 ,however carelessly men may go on while they live1 they secretly cling to the hope that they shall be found among the saints when they die4 ,they seem to hug the idea that there is some cleansing1 purifying effect produced by death1 and that1 whatever they may be in this life1 they shall be found meet for the inheritance of the saints in the life to come4 ,but it is all a delusion4#ba #ba3 ,the ,scripture never represents the state of future misery1 as a state of purgation and purification1 or anything like analogous to a state of trial1 where men may fit and qualify themselves for some better state of existence3 but always as a state of retribution1 punishment1 and righteous vengeance1 in which ,god's justice 7a perfection of which some men seem to render no account7 vindicates the power of ,his majesty1 ,his government1 and ,his love1 by punishing those who have despised them4--,horbery1 vol4 ii4 p4 #ahc4 ,life is the time to serve the ,lord1 ,the time to insure the great reward4 ,the ,bible teaches plainly1 that as we die1 whether converted or unconverted1 whether believers or unbelievers1 whether godly or ungodly1 so shall we rise again when the last trumpet sounds4 ,there is no repentance in the grave3 there is no conversion after the last breath is drawn4 ,now is the time to believe in ,christ1 and to lay hold on eternal life4 ,now is the time to turn from darkness unto light1 and to make our calling and election sure4 ,the night cometh when no man can work4 ,as the tree falls1 there it will lie4 ,if we leave this world impenitent and unbelieving1 we shall rise the same in the resurrection morning1 and find it had been good for us if we had never been born4#bb #bb3 ,this life is the time of our preparation for our future state4 ,our souls will continue for ever what we make them in this world4 ,such a taste and disposition of mind as a man carries with him out of this life1 he shall retain in the next4 ,it is true1 indeed1 heaven perfects those holy and virtuous dispositions which are begun here2 but the other world alters no man as to his main state4 ,he that is filthy will be filthy still2 and he that is unrighteous will be unrighteous still4--,archbishop ,tillotson's ,sermon on ,phil4 iii4 #bj4 7,see ,horbrey1 vol4 ii4 p4 #acc47 ,i charge every reader of this paper to remember this1 and to make a good use of time4 ,regard it as the stuff of which life is made1 and never waste it or throw it away4 ,your hours and days and weeks and months and years have all something to say to an eternal condition beyond the grave4 ,what you sow in life you are sure to reap in a life to come4 ,as holy ,baxter says1 it is now or never4 ,whatever we do in religion must be done now4 ,remember this in your use of all the means of grace1 from the least to the greatest4 ,never be careless about them4 ,they are given to be your helps toward an eternal world1 and not one of them ought to be thoughtlessly treated or lightly and irreverently handled4 ,your daily prayers and ,bible-reading1 your weekly behaviour on the ,lord's day1 your manner of going through public worship1--all1 all these things are important4 ,use them all as one who remembers eternity4 ,remember it1 not least1 whenever you are tempted to do evil4 ,when sinners entice you1 and say1 ,it is only a little one1--when ,satan whispers in your heart1 ,never mind3 where is the mighty harm8 ,everybody does so1--then look beyond time to a world unseen1 and place in the face of the temptation the thought of eternity4 ,there is a grand saying recorded of the martyred ,reformer1 ,bishop ,hooper1 when one urged him to recant before he was burned1 saying1 ,life is sweet and death is bitter4 ,true1 said the good ,bishop1 quite true6 ,but eternal life is more sweet1 and eternal death is more bitter4 ,,iv4 ,the last thought which ,i commend to the attention of my readers is this3--,the ,lord ,jesus ,christ is the great ,friend to whom we must all look for help1 both for time and eternity4 ,the purpose for which the eternal ,son of ,god came into the world can never be declared too fully1 or proclaimed too loudly4 ,he came to give us hope and peace while we live among the things seen1 which are temporal1 and glory and blessedness when we go into the things unseen1 which are eternal4 ,he came to bring life and immortality to light1 and to deliver those who1 through fear of death1 were all their life-time subject to bondage4 7#b ,tim4 i4 #aj2 ,heb4 ii4 #ae47 ,he saw our lost and bankrupt condition1 and had compassion on us4 ,and now1 blessed be ,his name1 a mortal man may pass through things temporal with comfort1 and look forward to things eternal without fear4 ,these mighty privileges our ,lord ,jesus ,christ has purchased for us at the cost of ,his own precious blood4 ,he became our ,substitute1 and bore our sins in ,his own body on the cross1 and then rose again for our justification4 ,he suffered for sins1 the just for the unjust1 that ,he might bring us unto ,god4 ,he was made sin for us who knew no sin1 that we poor sinful creatures might have pardon and justification while we live1 and glory and blessedness when we die4 7#a ,peter ii4 #bd2 iii4 #ah2 #b ,cor4 v4 #ba47 ,and all that our ,lord ,jesus ,christ has purchased for us ,he offers freely to every one who will turn from his sins1 come to ,him1 and believe4 ,i am the light of the world1 ,he says3 he that followeth ,me shall not walk in darkness1 but shall have the light of life4--,come unto ,me1 all ye that labour and are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest4--,if any man thirst1 let him come unto ,me and drink4--,him that cometh unto ,me ,i will in no wise cast out4--,and the terms are as simple as the offer is free3 ,believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ and thou shalt be saved4--,whosoever believeth on ,him shall not perish but have eternal life4 7,john viii4 #ab2 ,matt4 xi4 #bh2 ,john vii4 #cg2 vi4 #cg2 ,acts xvi4 #ca2 ,john iii4 #af47 ,he that has ,christ1 has life4 ,he can look round him on the things temporal1 and see change and decay on every side without dismay4 ,he has got treasure in heaven1 which neither rust nor moth can corrupt1 nor thieves break through and steal4 ,he can look forward to the things eternal1 and feel calm and composed4 ,his ,saviour has risen1 and gone to prepare a place for him4 ,when he leaves this world he shall have a crown of glory1 and be for ever with his ,lord4 ,he can look down even into the grave1 as the wisest ,greeks and ,romans could never do1 and say1 ,oh1 death1 where is thy sting8 oh1 grave1 where is thy victory8 oh1 eternity1 where are thy terrors8 7#a ,cor4 xv4 #ee47 ,let us all settle it firmly in our minds that the only way to pass through things seen with comfort1 and look forward to things unseen without fear1 is to have ,christ for our ,saviour and ,friend1 to lay hold on ,christ by faith1 to become one with ,christ and ,christ in us1 and while we live in the flesh to live the life of faith in the ,son of ,god4 7,gal4 ii4 #bj47 ,how vast is the difference between the state of him who has faith in ,christ1 and the state of him who has none6 ,blessed indeed is that man or woman who can say1 with truth1 ,i trust in ,jesus3 ,i believe4 ,when ,cardinal ,beaufort lay upon his death-bed1 our mighty poet describes ,king ,henry as saying1 ,he dies1 but gives no sign4 ,when ,john ,knox1 the ,scotch ,reformer1 was drawing to his end1 and unable to speak1 a faithful servant asked him to give some proof that the ,gospel he had preached in life gave him comfort in death1 by raising his hand4 ,he heard2 and raised his hand toward heaven three times1 and then departed4 ,blessed1 ,i say again1 is he that believes6 ,he alone is rich1 independent1 and beyond the reach of harm4 ,if you and ,i have no comfort amidst things temporal1 and no hope for the things eternal1 the fault is all our own4 ,it is because we will not come to ,christ1 that we may have life4 7,john v4 #dj47 ,i leave the subject of eternity here1 and pray that ,god may bless it to many souls4 ,in conclusion1 ,i offer to every one who reads this volume some food for thought1 and matter for self-examination4 7#a7 ,first of all1 how are you using your time8 ,life is short and very uncertain4 ,you never know what a day may bring forth4 ,business and pleasure1 money-getting and money-spending1 eating and drinking1 marrying and giving in marriage1--all1 all will soon be over and done with for ever4 ,and you1 what are you doing for your immortal soul8 ,are you wasting time1 or turning it to good account8 ,are you preparing to meet ,god8 7#b7 ,secondly1 where shall you be in eternity8 ,it is coming1 coming1 coming very fast upon us4 ,you are going1 going1 going very fast into it4 ,but where will you be8 ,on the right hand or on the left1 in the day of judgment8 ,among the lost or among the saved8 ,oh1 rest not1 rest not till your soul is insured6 ,make sure work3 leave nothing uncertain4 ,it is a fearful thing to die unprepared1 and fall into the hands of the living ,god4 7#c7 ,thirdly1 would you be safe for time and eternity8 ,then seek ,christ1 and believe in ,him4 ,come to ,him just as you are4 ,seek ,him while ,he may be found1 call upon ,him while ,he is near4 ,there is still a throne of grace4 ,it is not too late4 ,christ waits to be gracious3 ,he invites you to come to ,him4 ,before the door is shut and the judgment begins1 repent1 believe1 and be saved4 7#d7 ,lastly1 would you be happy8 ,cling to ,christ1 and live the life of faith in ,him4 ,abide in ,him1 and live near to ,him4 ,follow ,him with heart and soul and mind and strength1 and seek to know ,him better every day4 ,so doing you shall have great peace while you pass through things temporal1 and in the midst of a dying world shall never die4 7,john xi4 #bf47 ,so doing1 you shall be able to look forward to things eternal with unfailing confidence1 and to feel and know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved we have a building of ,god1 a house not made with hands1 eternal in the heavens4 7#b ,cor4 v4 #a47 99 99 99 99 99 ,p4 ,s4 ,since preaching the above ,sermon ,i have read ,canon ,farrar's volume1 ,eternal ,hope4 ,with much that this book contains ,i cannot at all agree4 ,anything that comes from the pen of such a well-known writer of course deserves respectful consideration4 ,but ,i must honestly confess1 after reading ,eternal ,hope1 that ,i see no reason to withdraw anything ,i have said in my ,sermon on ,eternity1 and that ,i laid down the volume with regret and dissatisfaction1 unconvinced and unshaken in my opinions4 ,i can find nothing new in ,canon ,farrar's statements4 ,he says hardly anything that has not been said before1 and refuted before4 ,to all who wish to examine fully the subject of the reality and eternity of future punishment1 ,i venture to recommend some works which are far less known than they ought to be1 and which appear to me far sounder1 and more ,scriptural1 than ,eternal ,hope4 ,these are ,horbery's ,enquiry into the ,scripture ,doctrine of the ,duration of ,future ,punishment1 ,girdlestone's ,dies ,irae1 the ,rev4 ,c4 ,f4 ,childe's ,unsafe ,anchor and the ,rev4 ,flavel ,cook's ,righteous ,judgment4 ,bishop ,pearson on the ,creed1 under the head ,resurrection1 and ,hodge's ,systematic ,theology1 vol4 iii4 p4 #hfh4 will also repay a careful perusal4 ,the plain truth is1 that there are vast difficulties bound up with the subject of the future state of the wicked1 which ,canon ,farrar seems to me to leave untouched4 ,the amazing mercifulness of ,god1 and the awfulness of supposing that many around us will be lost eternally1 he has handled fully and with characteristic rhetoric4 ,no doubt the compassions of ,god are unspeakable4 ,he is not willing that any should perish4 ,he would have all men to be saved4 ,his love in sending ,christ into the world to die for sinners is an inexhaustible subject4--,but this is only one side of ,god's character1 as we have it revealed in ,scripture4 ,his character and attributes need to be looked at all round4 ,the infinite holiness and justice of an eternal ,god1--,his hatred of evil1 manifested in ,noah's flood and at ,sodom1 and in the destruction of the seven nations of ,canaan1--the unspeakable vileness and guilt of sin in ,god's sight1--the wide gulf between natural man and his perfect ,maker1--the enormous spiritual change which every child of ,adam must go through1 if he is to dwell for ever in ,god's presence1--and the utter absence of any intimation in the ,bible that this change can take place after death1--all1 all these are points which seem to me comparatively put on one aside1 or left alone1 in ,canon ,farrar's volume4 ,my mind demands satisfaction on these points before ,i can accept the views advocated in ,eternal ,hope1 and that satisfaction ,i fail to find in the book4 ,the position that ,canon ,farrar has taken up was first formally advocated by ,origen1 a ,father who lived in the third century after ,christ4 ,he boldly broached the opinion that future punishment would be only temporary2 but his opinion was rejected by almost all his contemporaries4 ,bishop ,wordsworth says1--,the ,fathers of the ,church in ,origen's time and in the following centuries1 among whom were many to whom the original language of the ,new ,testament was their mother tongue1 and who could not be misled by translations1 examined minutely the opinion and statements of ,origen1 and agreed for the most part in rejecting and condemning them4 ,irenaeus1 ,cyril of ,jerusalem1 ,chrysostom1 ,basil1 ,cyril of ,alexandria1 and others of the ,eastern ,church1 and ,tertullian1 ,cyprian1 ,lactantius1 ,augustine1 ,gregory the ,great1 ,bede1 and many more of the ,western ,church1 were unanimous in teaching that the joys of the righteous and the punishments of the wicked will not be temporary1 but everlasting4 ,nor was this all4 ,the ,fifth ,general ,council1 held at ,constantinople under the ,emperor ,justinian1 in #eec1 ,a4,d4 examined the tenets of ,origen1 and passed a synodical decree condemnatory of them4 ,and for a thousand years after that time there was an unanimous consent in ,christendom in this sense4 7,bishop ,wordsworth's ,sermons1 p4 #cd47 ,let me add to this statement the fact that the eternity of future punishment has been held by almost all the greatest theologians from the time of the ,reformation down to the present day4 ,it is a point on which ,lutherans1 ,calvinists1 and ,arminians1 ,episcopalians1 ,presbyterians1 and ,independents have always1 with a few exceptions1 been of one mind4 ,search the writings of the most eminent and learned ,reformers1 search the works of the ,puritans1 search the few literary remains of the men who revived ,english ,christianity in the eighteenth century1 and1 as a rule1 you will always get one harmonious answer4 ,within the last few years1 no doubt1 the non-eternity of future punishment has found several zealous advocates4 ,but up to a comparatively modern date1 ,i unhesitatingly assert1 the supporters of ,canon ,farrar's views have always been an extremely small minority among orthodox ,christians4 ,that fact is1 at any rate1 worth remembering4 ,as to the difficulties besetting the old or common view of future punishment1 ,i admit their existence1 and ,i do not pretend to explain them4 ,but ,i always expect to find many mysteries in revealed religion1 and ,i am not stumbled by them4 ,i see other difficulties in the world which ,i cannot solve1 and ,i am content to wait for their solution4 ,what a mighty divine has called1 ,the mystery of ,god1 the great mystery of ,his suffering vice and confusion to prevail1--the origin of evil1--the permission of cruelty1 oppression1 poverty1 and disease1--the allowed sickness and death of infants before they know good from evil1--the future prospects of the heathen who never heard the ,gospel1--the times of ignorance which ,god has winked at1--the condition of ,china1 ,hindostan1 and ,central ,africa1 for the last #ahjj years1--all these things are to my mind great knots which ,i am unable to untie1 and depths which ,i have no line to fathom4 ,but ,i wait for light1 and ,i have no doubt all will be made plain4 ,i rest in the thought that ,i am a poor ignorant mortal1 and that ,god is a ,being of infinite wisdom1 and is doing all things well4 ,shall not the ,judge of all the earth do right4 7,gen4 xviii4 #be47 ,it is a wise sentence of ,bishop ,butler3 ,all shadow of injustice1 and indeed all harsh appearances in the various economy of ,god1 would be lost1 if we would keep in mind that every merciful allowance shall be made1 and no more shall be required of any one1 than what might have been equitably expected of him from the circumstances in which he was placed1 and not what might have been expected from him had he been placed in other circumstances4 7,analogy1 part ii4 ch4 vi4 p4 #dbe4 ,wilson's edition47 ,it is a grand saying of ,elihu1 in ,job1 ,touching the ,almighty1 we cannot find ,him out3 ,he is excellent in power1 and in judgment1 and in plenty of justice3 ,he will not afflict4 7,job xxxvii4 #bc47 ,it may be perfectly true that many ,romish divines1 and even some ,protestants1 have made extravagant and offensive statements about the bodily sufferings of the lost in another world4 ,it may be true that those who believe in eternal punishment have occasionally misunderstood or mistranslated texts1 and have pressed figurative language too far4 ,but it is hardly fair to make ,christianity responsible for the mistakes of its advocates4 ,it is an old saying that ,christian errors are infidel arguments4 ,thomas ,aquinas1 and ,dante1 and ,milton1 and ,boston1 and ,jonathan ,edwards were not inspired and infallible1 and ,i decline to be answerable for all they may have written about the physical torments of the lost4 ,but after every allowance1 admission1 and deduction1 there remains1 in my humble opinion1 a mass of ,scripture evidence in support of the doctrine of eternal punishment1 which can never be explained away1 and which no revision or new translation of the ,english ,bible will ever overthrow4#bc ,that there are degrees of misery as well as degrees of glory in the future state1 that the condition of some who are lost will be far worse than that of others1 all this is undeniable4 ,but that the punishment of the wicked will ever have an end1 or that length of time alone can ever change a heart1 or that the ,holy ,spirit ever works on the dead1 or that there is any purging1 purifying process beyond the grave1 by which the wicked will be finally fitted for heaven1 these are positions which ,i maintain it is utterly impossible to prove by texts of ,scripture4 ,nay1 rather1 there are texts of ,scripture which teach an utterly different doctrine4 ,it is surprising1 says ,horbery1 if hell be such a state of purification1 that it should always be represented in ,scripture as a place of punishment4 7,vol4 ii4 p4 #bbc47 ,nothing1 says ,girdlestone1 but clear statements of ,scripture could justify us in holding1 or preaching to ungodly men1 the doctrine of repentance after death2 and not one clear statement on this subject is to be found4 7,dies ,irae1 p4 #bfi47 ,if we once begin to invent doctrines which we cannot prove by texts1 or to refuse the evidence of texts in ,scripture because they land us in conclusions we do not like1 we may as well throw aside the ,bible altogether1 and discard it as the judge of controversy4 #bc3 ,horbery alone alleges and examines no less than one hundred and three texts1 on his side1 in his reply to ,whiston4 ,the favourite argument of some1 that no religious doctrine can be true which is rejected by the common opinion and popular feeling of mankind1--that any texts which contradict this common popular feeling must be wrongly interpreted1--and that therefore eternal punishment cannot be true1 because the inward feeling of the multitude revolts against it1--this argument appears to me alike most dangerous and unsound4 ,it is dangerous1 because it strikes a direct blow at the authority of ,scripture as the only rule of faith4 ,where is the use of the ,bible1 if the common opinion of mortal man is to be regarded as of more weight than the declarations of ,god's ,word8--,it is unsound1 because it ignores the great fundamental principle of ,christianity1--that man is a fallen creature1 with a corrupt heart and understanding1 and that in spiritual things his judgment is worthless4 ,there is a veil over our hearts4 ,the natural man receiveth not the things of the ,spirit of ,god1 for they are foolishness to him4 7#a ,cor4 ii4 #ad47 ,to say1 in the face of such a text1 that any doctrine which the majority of men dislike1 such as eternal punishment1 must therefore be untrue1 is simply absurd6 ,the common opinion is more likely to be wrong than right6 ,no doubt ,bishop ,butler has said1 ,if in revelation there be found any passage the seeming meaning of which is contrary to natural religion1 we may most certainly conclude such seeming meaning not to be the real one4 ,but those who triumphantly quote these words would do well to observe the sentence which immediately follows3 ,but it is not any degree of a presumption against an interpretation of ,scripture1 that such an interpretation contains a doctrine which the light of nature cannot discover4 7,analogy1 part i4 chap4 ii4 p4 #ceh4 ,wilson's edition47 ,after all1 what the common feeling or opinion of the majority of mankind is about the duration of future punishment1 is a question which admits of much doubt4 ,of course we have no means of ascertaining3 and it signifies little either way4 ,in such a matter the only point is1 ,what saith the ,scripture8 ,but ,i have a strong suspicion1 if the world could be polled1 that we should find the greater part of mankind believed in eternal punishment6 ,about the opinion of the ,greeks and ,romans at any rate there can be little dispute4 ,if anything is clearly taught in the stories of their mythology it is the endless nature of the sufferings of the wicked4 ,bishop ,butler says1 ,gentile writers1 both moralist and poetic1 speak of the future punishment of the wicked1 both as to duration and degree1 in a like manner of expression and description as the ,scripture does4 7,analogy1 part i4 chap4 ii4 p4 #bah47 ,the strange and weird legends of ,tantalus1 ,sisyphus1 ,ixion1 ,prometheus1 and the ,danaides1 have all one common feature about them4 ,in each case the punishment is eternal6 ,this is a fact worth noticing4 ,it is worth what it is worth4 ,but it shows1 at all events1 that the opponents of eternal punishment should not talk too confidently about the common opinion of mankind4 ,as to the doctrine of the ,annihilation of the ,wicked1 to which many adhere1 it appears to me so utterly irreconcilable with our ,lord ,jesus ,christ's words about the resurrection of damnation1 and the worm that never dies1 and the fire that is not quenched1 and ,st4 ,paul's words about the resurrection of the unjust 7,john v4 #bi2 ,mark ix4 #dc-dh2 ,acts xxiv4 #ae71 that until those words can be proved to form no part of inspired ,scripture it seems to me mere waste of time to argue about it4 ,the favourite argument of the advocates of this doctrine1 that death1 dying1 perishing1 destruction1 and the like1 are phrases which can only mean cessation of existence1 is so ridiculously weak that it is scarcely worth noticing4 ,every ,bible reader knows that ,god said to ,adam1 concerning the forbidden fruit1 ,in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die4 7,gen4 ii4 #ag47 ,but every well-taught ,sunday scholar knows that ,adam did not cease to exist1 when he broke the commandment4 ,he died spiritually1 but he did not cease to be6--,so also ,st4 ,peter says of the flood3 ,the world that then was1 being overflowed with water1 perished4 7#b ,peter iii4 #f47 ,yet1 though temporarily drowned1 it certainly did not cease to be2 and when the water was dried up ,noah lived on it again4 ,it only remains for me now to add one more last word1 by way of information4 ,those who care to investigate the meaning of the words eternal and everlasting1 as used in ,scripture1 will find the subject fully and exhaustively considered in ,girdlestone's ,old ,testament ,synonyms1 ch4 #cj1 p4 #die2 and in the same writer's ,dies ,irae1 ch4 #aj and #aa1 p4 #abh4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's note3 p4#h thing changed to think p4#ch the burden o changed to the burden of p4#gg beecome changed to become p4#adh still remain to be changed to still remains to be p4#bda ,aphorisims changed to ,aphorisms p4#cbj all lasses changed to all classes p4#cce thorougly changed to thoroughly p4#dfi still fresh on you mind changed to still fresh on your mind ,hyphenation of words is inconsistent and has been left as in the original4