,,godliness4 ,,being ,,reports ,,of ,a ,,series ,,of ,,addresses ,,delivered ,,at ,,james',s ,,hall1 ,,london1 ,w41 ,during #ahha1 ,,by ,,mrs4 ,,catherine ,,booth4 ,,introduction ,,by ,,daniel ,,steele1 ,d4,d4 ,,publishers' ,,preface4 ,in giving this volume to our ,american readers1 we are assured that we are doing a special favor to all the lovers of ,christianity in earnest4 ,aggressive ,christianity1 from the same talented author1 has met with unusual favor1 and has been the means of much good4 ,we are confident that the present volume is in all respects equal to the former1 and that no one can read it without great spiritual profit4 ,the ,introduction1 by ,dr4 ,daniel ,steele1 is a forcible presentation of the main doctrines of the book1 and is creditable to the head and heart of the writer1 and a commendation which all intelligent readers will highly esteem4 ,our object in publishing these sermons1 is1 that their perusal may kindle a flame of revival in the hearts of believers1 which may result in many turning unto the ,lord4 ,,mcdonald ,,gill ,,boston1 ,,mass4 ,,author',s ,,preface4 ,in presenting another volume of reports of my ,addresses1 ,i have only to repeat what ,i have said with respect to similar books before-- ,read1 for the sake of getting more light and more blessing to your soul1 and you will1 ,i trust1 partake of the good which many have professed to receive at the ,west-,end services1 wherein most of these words were first spoken4 ,i am well aware that1 in such imperfect reports of1 for the most part1 extemporaneous utterances1 often most hurriedly corrected1 there may be found abundant ground for criticism2 but1 if this book may be the means of leading only a few souls to devote themselves more fully to ,god and to the salvation of men1 ,i shall be more than compensated for any unfriendly criticism with which it may meet4 ,i have not sought to please any but the ,lord1 and to ,his fatherly loving-kindness ,i commend both the book and its readers4 ,,catherine ,,booth4 ,london1 ,nov4 #aj1 #ahha4 ,,introduction4 ,the sermons of ,mrs4 ,booth already re-published under the title of ,aggressive ,christianity1 came to ,american ,christians as a tonic to their weakness1 and a stimulant to their inertness4 ,the sermons in the present volume are a much-needed prophylactic1 a safeguard against several practical errors in dealing with souls2 errors which lead them into ,egyptian darkness1 instead of the marvelous light4 ,the sermon on ,repentance is a most faithful showing up of spurious repentance1 the vain substitute for a downright abandonment of every form of sin1 and right-about facing towards the ,lord4 ,in directness and point1 it is a model for earnest revival preaching1--rather1 for all preaching to unsaved souls1 outside the church1 or within it4 ,all of these will be found in some subterfuge1 which must be ruthlessly torn down1 before it will be abandoned for the cleft ,rock4 ,the sermon on ,saving ,faith is next in order4 ,the disastrous consequences of what1 for the want of a better description1 maybe styled an ,antinomian faith1 an unrepentant assent of the intellect to the historic facts of the ,gospel1 which too many evangelists and other religious teachers are calling saving faith1 are clearly set forth and plainly labeled1 ,,poison4 ,this spurious trust in ,christ following a superficial repentance1 which has never felt the desperate sinfulness and real misery of sin1 has furnished our churches with a numerous class of members1 aptly described by the prophet ,micah3 ,the sin of ,israel is great and unrepented of1 yet they will lean on the ,lord1 and say1 ,is not the ,lord among us8 ,we are convinced that much of the work of the faithful and pungent preacher1 who preaches with his eye fixed on the great white throne and the descending ,judge1 is to dislodge professors from their imaginary trust in a ,saviour who does not save them1 and probe deeply their hearts festering with sin1 which have been hastily pronounced healed1 slightly healed4 ,many of us have incautiously said to awakened souls1 ,only believe1 before we have thrust the heart through and through with the sword of ,god's law4 ,we have dismissed ,god's schoolmaster4 ,the law1 like the slave charged with the task of leading the boy to school1 and of committing him to the teacher1 we have thought to be too harsh and severe for our sentimental age1 and have unwisely discharged1 and have assumed its office of a paidagogos to ,christ1 and we have missed the way1 and misled a priceless soul4 ,god have mercy on us1 and give us humility1 as ,he gave ,apollos1 to be set right by an anointed woman6 ,after her timely correction of erroneous teachings on faith1 ,mrs4 ,booth proceeds1 pruning-knife in hand1 to cut away from the tree of modern ,christianity the poisonous fungus of a spurious charity4 ,her four sermons on ,charity are four beacons set on the rocks of counterfeit ,christian love4 ,she sets forth several infallible tests by which genuine love may be distinguished from the devil's base imitation4 ,like the ,epistles of ,st4 ,john1 these sermons are full of touchstones for testing love1 that golden principle of the ,christian life4 ,it would be very profitable for all professors of that perfect love which casteth out all tormenting fear1 to apply unflinchingly these touch-stones to themselves4 ,they may find the word perfection taking on a meaning deeper1 broader and higher than they had ever before conceived4 ,why should not our conception of ,christian perfection steadily grow with the increase of our knowledge of ,god and of ,his holy law8 ,the sermon on ,the ,conditions of ,effectual ,prayer1 we commend to all ,christians and to all seekers of ,christ1 who are mourning because their prayers do not prevail with ,god4 ,in the clear light of this sermon they will find that the difficulty lies1 either in the lack of fellowship with ,jesus ,christ1 or of obedience to ,his commands1 or in the absence from their hearts of the interceding ,spirit1 or in defective faith4 ,in the discussion of these hindrances to prayer1 the preacher lays open the heart1 and with a skilful spiritual surgery1 searches it to the very bottom4 ,the incisiveness of her style1 her courage and plain dealing with her hearers1 tearing off the masks of sin and selfishness1 the various guises in which these masquerade in many ,christian hearts and obstruct their access to a throne of grace1 remind us of ,dr4 ,finney's unsparing exposure and condemnation of these foes to ,christian holiness1 and of ,john ,wesley's cutting up by the roots ,sin in ,believers4 ,in this sermon ,mrs4 ,booth turns her attention to another phase of faith and of practical error in the guidance of souls to ,christ4 ,her views on this vexed question are not extreme but philosophical and scriptural4 ,she teaches that ,god has made the bestowment of salvation simultaneous with the exercise of faith1 and that telling a person to believe he is saved1 before he is saved1 is telling him to believe a lie4 ,but she insists that the act of faith is put forth with the special aid of the ,holy ,spirit giving an assurance that the blessing sought will be granted4 ,this assurance1 or earnest1 given by the ,spirit1 becomes the basis on which the final act of faith rests1 namely1 ,i believe that ,i receive4 ,this corresponds with ,william ,taylor's ,divine ascertainment of the fact of the sinner's surrender to ,god1 and his acceptance of ,christ1 before justification4 ,footnote3 ,election of ,grace1 pp4 #ch-db4 ,both teachers agree with ,wesley's analysis of faith which teaches that the fourth and last step1 ,he doth it1 can be taken only by the special enabling power of the ,holy ,spirit1 ,footnote3 ,sermons4 ,patience1 ,section #ac2 ,scripture ,way of ,salvation1 ,section #ag2 and ,whedon on ,mark xi4 #bd4 ,all three locate the ,divine efficiency before the declaration1 ,i believe that ,i receive1 or have received 7,r4 ,v471 making that declaration rest upon the perception of a ,divine change within the consciousness4 ,they all insist that saving faith is not a mere humanly moral exercise1 but that power to believe with the heart descends from ,god1 and that it must be waited for in prayer1 and that it becomes in the believer a series of supernatural and spiritual acts1 a habit of soul1 at once the seed and fruit of the ,divine life-stirring1 uniting in itself the characters of penitent humility1 self-renunciation1 simple trust1 and absolute obedience grounded in love4 ,these teachers magnify the ,divine element in faith4 ,we look in vain in their writings for any such direction to a penitent as this1 ,believe that you are saved1 because1 ,god says so in ,his ,word1 but rather believe that you are saved when you hear ,his ,spirit crying1 ,abba1 ,father1 in your heart4 ,many modern teachers fall into the error of treating saving faith as an unaided intellectual act to be performed1 at will1 at any time4 ,it is rather a spiritual act possible only when prompted by the ,holy ,spirit1 who incites to faith only when ,he sees true repentance and a hearty surrender to ,god4 ,then the ,spirit reveals ,christ and assists to grasp ,him4 ,in the refutation of the high predestinarian doctrine that faith is an irresistible grace sovereignly bestowed upon the elect1 there is great danger of falling into the opposite error1 called ,pelagianism1 which makes saving faith an exercise which the natural man is competent to put forth without the help of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,the real guilt of unbelief lies in that voluntary indifference toward ,christ1 and impenitence of heart1 in which the ,holy ,spirit cannot inspire saving faith4 ,in our introduction to ,aggressive ,christianity1 we advertised1 in behalf of the ,american churches1 a universal want--,enthusiasm4 ,in her brief ,exeter-,hall address1 ,mrs4 ,booth discloses the source of the supply4 ,holiness is the well-spring of enthusiasm4 ,hence it is not a spring freshet1 but an overflowing river of power in all its possessors1 and1 notably in the ,salvation ,army1 bearing the unchurched masses of ,england on its bosom4 ,a holy enthusiasm is contagious and conquering4 ,we cannot touch the people with the icicle of logic2 but they will not fail to bow to the scepter of glowing and joyful love4 ,few men can reason2 all can feel4 ,enthusiasm and full salvation1 like the ,siamese twins1 cannot be separated and live4 ,the error of the modern pulpit is that of the blacksmith hammering cold steel--a faint impression and huge labor4 ,the baptism of fire softening our assemblies would lighten the preacher's toil and multiply its productiveness4 ,the four addresses on ,holiness are hortatory rather than argumentative or exegetical4 ,they are spiritual cyclones4 ,it is difficult to see how any ,christian could withstand these impassioned appeals to make what ,joseph ,cook calls an affectionate1 total1 irreversible1 eternal1 self-surrender to ,jesus ,christ1 as both ,saviour and ,lord1 in order to attain that perfect similarity of feeling with ,god1 wherein evangelical perfection consists4 ,it gives me great pleasure to have some humble part in echoing across the ,american continent these glowing utterances from the lips of this modern ,deborah1 the ,christian prophetess raised up by ,god for the deliverance of ,his people from captivity to worldliness and religious apathy4 ,would ,god that all the ,lord's people1 men and women1 were prophets1 and that the ,lord would put ,his ,spirit upon them6 ,shall we the ,spirit's course restrain1 ,or quench the heavenly fire8 ,let ,god ,his messengers ordain1 ,and whom ,he will inspire6 ,blow as ,he list1 the ,spirit's choice ,of instruments we bless3 ,we will1 if ,christ be preached1 rejoice1 ,and wish the word success4 ,,daniel ,,steele4 ,reading1 ,mass41 ,nov4 #bc1 #ahhc4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,repentance ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,saving ,,faith ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,charity ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,charity ,,and ,,rebuke ,,chapter ,v4 ,,charity ,,and ,,conflict ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,charity ,,and ,,loneliness ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,conditions ,,of ,,effectual ,,prayer ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,the ,,perfect ,,heart ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,how ,,to ,,work ,,for ,,god ,,with ,,success ,,chapter ,x4 ,,enthusiasm ,,and ,,full ,,salvation ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,hindrances ,,to ,,holiness ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,addresses ,,on ,,holiness ,,chapter ,i4 ,,repentance1 ,and saying1 ,repent ye3 for the kingdom of ,heaven is at band4--,,matt4 iii4 #b4 ,from that time ,jesus began to preach1 and to say1 ,repent3 for the ,kingdom of ,heaven is at hand4--,,matt4 iv4 #ag4 ,whereupon1 ,o ,king ,agrippa1 ,i was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision3 but shewed first unto them of ,damascus1 and at ,jerusalem1 and throughout all the coasts of ,judaea1 and then to the ,gentiles1 that they should repent and torn to ,god1 and do works meet for repentance4--,,acts xxvi4 #ai1bj4 ,in the mouths of three witnesses--,john the ,baptist1 ,jesus ,christ1 and the ,apostle ,paul--this word shall be established1 namely1 that repentance is an indispensable condition of entering the kingdom of ,god4 ,people generally are all at sea oh this subject1 as though insisting that repentance were an arbitrary arrangement on the part of ,god4 ,i believe ,god has made human salvation as easy as the ,almighty1 ,infinite mind could make it4 ,but there is a necessity in the case1 that we should repent and turn to ,god4 ,it is just as necessary that my feelings be changed and brought to repentance towards ,god1 as it is that the wicked1 disobedient boy1 should have his feelings brought back into harmony with his father before he can be forgiven4 ,precisely the same laws of mind are brought into action in both cases1 and there is the same necessity in both4 ,if there is any father here who has a prodigal son1 ,i ask1 ,how is it that you are not reconciled to your son8 ,you love him--love him intensely4 ,probably you are more conscious of your love for him than for any other of your children4 ,your heart yearns over him every day2 you pray for him night and day2 you dream of him by night2 your bowels yearn over your son1 and you say1 with ,david1 ,absalom1 ,absalom1 my son1 my son4 ,why are you not reconciled8 ,why not pat him on the head1 or stroke his face1 and say1 ,my dear lad1 ,i am well pleased with you4 ,i love you complacently2 ,i give you my approbation8 ,why are you always reproving him8 ,why are you obliged to hold him at arm's length8 ,why can you not live on amicable terms with him8 ,why can you not have him come in and out1 and live with you on the same terms as the affectionate1 obedient daughter8 ,oh6 you say1 the case is different2 ,i cannot4 ,it is not1 ',i would not2' but1 ',i cannot4' ,before that can possibly be1 the boy's feelings must be changed towards me4 ,he is at war with me2 he has mistaken notions of me2 he thinks ,i am hard1 and cruel1 and exacting1 and severe4 ,i have done all a father could do1 but he sees things differently1 to what they are1 and has harbored these hard feelings against me until he hates me1 and will go on in defiance of my will4 ,you say1 ,it is a necessity that1 as a wise and righteous father1 ,i must insist on a change in him4 ,i cannot receive him as a son1 till he comes to my feet4 ,he must confess his sin1 and ask me to forgive him4 ,then1 oh6 how gladly will my fatherly affection gush out6 ,how ,i should run to meet him1 and put my arms around his neck6 but there is a 'cannot' in the case4 ,just so4 ,it is not that ,he does not love you1 sinner2 it is not that the great1 benevolent heart of ,god has not1 as it were1 wept tears of blood over you2 it is not that ,he would not put ,his loving arms around you this moment1 if you would only come to ,his feet1 and confess you were wrong1 and seek ,his pardon2 but1 otherwise1 ,he may not--,he cannot4 ,the laws of ,his universe are against ,him doing so4 ,the good1 it may be1 of millions of immortal beings1 is involved4 ,he dare not1 and ,he cannot1 until there is a change of mind in you4 ,you must repent4 ,except ye repent1 ye shall all likewise perish4 ,well1 if repentance be an indispensable condition of salvation1 let us glance at it for a moment1 and try to find out what repentance really is2 and1 oh6 how full of confusion the world and the church are upon this subject6 ,i say it1 because ,i know it by converse with hundreds of people4 ,may the ,holy ,spirit help us6 ,well1 first1 repentance is not merely conviction of sin4 ,oh6 if it only were1 what a different world we should have to-night1 for there are tens of thousands on whose hearts ,god's ,spirit has done ,his office by convincing them of sin4 ,i am afraid we should be perfectly alarmed1 astounded1 confounded1 if we had any conception of the multitudes whom ,god has convinced of sin1 as ,he did ,agrippa and ,festus4 ,oh6 ,i could not tell you the numbers of people1 who1 in our anxious meetings1 have grasped my hand1 and said1 ,oh6 what would ,i give to feel as ,i once felt6 ,there was a time1 fifteen1 or seventeen1 or twenty years ago1 and so on1 when ,i was so deeply convinced of sin that ,i could scarcely sleep1 or eat--that ,i could find no rest2 but1 instead of going on till ,i found peace1 ,i got diverted1 cooled down1 and now1 ,i feel as hard as a stone4 ,i am afraid there are tens of thousands in this condition--once convinced of sin4 ,there are thousands of others1 who are convinced now4 ,they say1 ,yes1 it is true what the minister says4 ,i know ,i ought to lay down the weapons of my warfare against ,god2 ,i know ,i ought to cut off this right hand1 and pluck out this right eye4 ,they are convinced of sin1 but they go no further4 ,that is not repentance4 ,they live this week as they did last4 ,there is no response to the ,spirit2 they resist the ,holy ,ghost4 ,neither is repentance mere sorrow for sin4 ,i have seen people weep bitterly1 and writhe and struggle1 but yet hug on to their idols1 and in vain you try to shake them from them4 ,oh6 if ,jesus ,christ would have saved them with those idols1 they would have no objection at all4 ,if they could have got through the strait gate with this one particular idol1 they would have gone through long since2 but to part with that--that is another thing4 ,such people will weep like your stubborn child1 when you want him to do something which he does not want to do4 ,he will cry1 and when you apply the rod he will cry harder1 but he will not yield4 ,when he yields1 he becomes a penitent2 but1 until he does1 he is merely a convicted sinner4 ,when ,god applies the rod of ,his ,spirit1 the rod of ,his providence1 the rod of ,his ,word1 sinners will cry1 and wince1 and whine1 and make you believe they are praying1 and want to be saved1 but all the while they are holding their necks as stiff as iron4 ,they will not submit4 ,the moment they submit1 they become true penitents1 and get saved4 ,there is no mistake more common than for people to suppose they are penitents when they are not4 ,there are some of you in this condition1 ,i know4 ,i am afraid you are quite mistaken--you are not penitents4 ,god is true though every man should be a liar2 and1 if you had sought1 as you say you have1 and perhaps1 think you have2 if you had been sincere and honest with ,god1 you would have been saved years ago4 ,oh6 may ,god1 the ,holy ,spirit1 help you to come out and be ,,honest4 ,that is what ,god wants--that you be honest4 ,oh1 says ,he1 why cover ye my altar with tears1 and bring your vain oblations8 ,just be honest1 and ,i will be honest with you and bless you2 but while you come before ,me and weep and profess1 and bring the halt1 and the maimed1 and the blind1 a curse be upon you4 ,he looks at you afar off4 ,be honest4 ,repentance is not mere sorrow for sin4 ,you may be ever so sorry1 and all the way down to death be hugging on to some forbidden possession1 as was the young ruler4 ,that is not repentance4 ,neither is repentance a promise that you will forsake sin in the future4 ,oh6 if it were1 there would be many penitents here to-night4 ,there is scarcely a poor drunkard that does not promise1 in his own mind1 or to his poor wife1 or somebody1 that he will forsake his cups4 ,there is scarcely any kind of a sinner that does not continually promise that he will give up his sin1 and serve ,god1 but he does not do it4 ,then what is repentance8 ,repentance is simply renouncing sin--turning round from darkness to light--from the power of ,satan unto ,god4 ,this is giving up sin in your heart1 in purpose1 in intention1 in desire1 resolving that you will give up every evil thing1 and ,,do ,,it ,,now4 ,of course1 this involves sorrow1 for how will any sane man turn himself round from a given course into another1 if he does not repent having taken that course8 ,it implies1 also1 hatred of1 sin4 ,he hates the course he formerly took1 and turns round from it4 ,he is like the prodigal1 when he sat in the swine-yard amongst the husks and the filth1 he fully resolved1 and at last he acts4 ,he went1 and that was the test of his penitence6 ,he might have sat resolving and promising till now1 if he had lived as long1 and he would never have got the father's kiss1 the father's welcome1 if he had not started2 but he went4 ,he left the filth1 the swine-yard1 the husks--he trampled them under his feet2 he left the citizen of that country1 and gave up all his subterfuges and excuses1 and went to his father honestly1 and said1 ,i have sinned6 which implied a great deal more in his language then than it does in ours now4 ,i have sinned against ,heaven1 and before thee2 and then comes the proof of his submission1 and am no more worthy to be called thy son3 make me as one of thy hired servants--put me in a stable1 or set me to clean the boots1 so that ,i can be in thy family and have thy smile4 ,that is repentance--,jesus ,christ's own beautiful illustration of true penitence4 ,have you done that8 ,have you forsaken the accursed thing8 ,have you cut off that particular thing which the ,holy ,spirit has revealed to you8 ,is the but the hindrance that keeps you out of the ,kingdom8 ,you know what it is1 and you will never get saved until you renounce it4 ,submission is the test of penitence4 ,my child may be willing to do a hundred and fifty other things1 but1 if he is not willing to submit on the one point of controversy1 he is a rebel1 and remains one until he yields4 ,now1 here is just the difference between a spurious and a real repentance4 ,i am afraid we have thousands in our churches who had a spurious repentance3 they were convinced of sin--they were sorry for it2 they wanted to live a better life1 to love ,god in a sort of general way2 but they skipped over the real point of controversy with ,god2 they hid it from their pastor1 perhaps1 and from the deacons1 and from the people who talked with them4 ,now1 ,i say1 ,abraham might have been willing to have given up every other thing that he possessed2 but1 if he had not been willing to give up ,isaac1 all else would have been useless4 ,it is your ,isaac ,god wants4 ,you have got an ,isaac1 just as the young ruler had his possessions4 ,you have got something that you are holding on to1 that the ,holy ,spirit says you must let go1 and you say1 ,i can't4 ,very well2 then you must stop outside the kingdom4 ,i beseech you1 do not deceive yourselves by supposing that you repent1 for you do not2 but1 oh6 my dear friends1 let me beseech you to repent4 ,the apostle says1 ,knowing therefore the terror of the ,lord1 we persuade men2 and this is1 ,i believe1 the greatest work of the ministry4 ,to do what8 ,to persuade men to submit4 ,we are constantly talking to thousands of people who know just what ,god wants of them4 ,we cannot bring many of them any new light or new ,gospel4 ,they know all about it4 ,they used to tell me that so often1 that ,i longed for a congregation of heathen1 which ,i have found since then4 ,consequently1 when they hear the ,gospel1 like the publicans and sinners of old1 they go into the kingdom1 while such as some of you who are the natural children of the kingdom1 are shut out1 because when they hear they receive1 and submit1 and obey1 while you stand outside and hold on to your idols1 and reason1 and quibble1 and reject6 ,my dear friends1 let me persuade you to trample under foot that idol1 to tear down that refuge of lies1 and to come to ,god honestly1 and say1 ,lord1 here ,i am1 to be a servant1 to be nothing1 to do anything1 to suffer anything4 ,i know ,i shall be happier with ,thy smile and ,thy blessing than all these evil things now make me without ,thee4 ,when you come to a full surrender1 my friends1 you will get what you have been seeking1 some of you1 for years4 ,but then another difficulty comes in1 and people say1 ,i have not the power to repent4 ,oh6 yes1 you have4 ,that is a grand mistake4 ,you have the power1 or ,god would not command it4 ,you can repent4 ,you can this moment lift up your eyes to ,heaven1 and say1 with the prodigal1 ,father1 ,i have sinned1 and ,i renounce my sin4 ,you may not be able to weep--,god nowhere requires or commands that2 but you are able1 this very moment1 to renounce sin1 in purpose1 in resolution1 in intention4 ,mind1 don't confound the renouncing of the sin1 with the power of saving yourself from it4 ,if you renounce it1 ,jesus will come and save you from it4 ,like the man with the withered hand--,jesus intended to heal that man4 ,where was the power to come from to heal him8 ,from ,jesus1 of course4 ,the benevolence1 the love1 that prompted that healing1 all came from ,jesus2 but ,jesus wanted a condition4 ,what was it8 ,the response of the man's will2 and so ,he said1 ,stretch forth thy hand4 ,if he had been like some of you1 he would have said1 ,what an unreasonable command6 ,you know ,i cannot do it--,i cannot4 ,some of you say that2 but ,i say you can1 and you will have to do it1 or you will be lost4 ,what did ,jesus want8 ,he wanted that1 ,i will1 ,lord1 inside the man--the response of his will4 ,he wanted him to say1 ,yes1 ,lord2 and1 the moment he said that1 ,jesus supplied strength1 and he stretched it forth1 and you know what happened4 ,don't look forward1 and say1 ,i shall not have strength2 that is not your matter--that is ,his4 ,he will hold you up2--,he is able1 when you once commit yourself to ,him4 ,now then1 say1 ,i will4 ,never mind what you suffer--it shall be done4 ,he will pour in the oil and balm4 ,his glorious1 blessed presence will do more for you in one hour1 than all your struggling1 praying1 and wrestling have done all these weary years4 ,he will lift you up out of the pit4 ,you are in the mire now1 and the more you struggle the more you sink2 but ,he will lift you out of it1 and put your feet on the rock1 and then you will stand firm4 ,stretch out your withered hand1 whatever it may be2--say1 ,i will1 ,lord4 ,you have the power1 and mind1 you have the obligation1 which is universal and immediate4 ,god now commandeth all men everywhere to repent1 and to believe the ,gospel4 ,what a tyrant ,he must be if ,he commands that1 and yet ,he knows you have not the power6 ,now1 do you repent8 ,mind the old snare4 ,not1 do you weep8 ,the feeling will come after the surrender4 ,now1 do not say1 ,i do not feel enough4 ,do you feel enough to be willing to forsake your sin8 that is the point4 ,any soul who does not repent enough to forsake his sin1 is not a penitent at all6 ,when you repent enough to forsake your sin1 that moment your repentance is sincere1 and you may take hold of ,jesus with a firm grasp4 ,you have a right to appropriate the promise1 then it is look and live4 ,believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and thou shalt be saved4 ,will you come to that point now8 ,don't begin making an excuse4 ,now6--all men6 everywhere6--,,now6 ,oh6 my friend1 if you had done that ten years ago6 ,you have been accumulating sin1 condemnation1 and wrath ever since4 ,god commanded you these ten years to repent1 and believe the ,gospel1 and here you are yet4 ,how many sermons have you heard8--invitations rejected8 ,how much blessed persuasion and reasoning of the ,holy ,spirit have you resisted8--how much of the grace of ,god have you received in vain8 ,i tremble to think what an accumulated load of abused privilege1 lost opportunity1 and wasted influence1 such people will have to give an account of4 ,talk about hell6--the weight of this will be hell enough4 ,you don't seem to think anything of the way you treat ,god4 ,oh6 people are very much awake to any evil they do to their fellow-men4 ,they can much more easily see the sin of ruining or injuring their neighbors than injuring the great ,god2 but ,he says1 ,will a man rob ,god8 ,yet ye have robbed me4 ,do you not see2 the awful weight of condemnation that comes upon you for putting off1 rejecting1 resisting1 vascilating1 halting1 while ,he says1 ,now--now8 ,he has had a right to every breath you have drawn1 to all your influence1 every hour1 of every day of all your years4 ,is it not time you ended that controversy8 ,he may do with you as ,he did with such people once before--swear in ,his wrath that you shall not enter into ,his rest4 ,are you not provoking ,him as they provoked ,him8 ,oh6 my friend1 be persuaded now to repent4 ,let your sin go away1 and come to the feet of ,jesus4 ,for your own sake be persuaded4 ,for the peace1 the joy1 the power1 the glory1 the gladness of living a life of consecration to ,god1 and service to your fellow-men1 yield2 but most of all1 for the love ,he bears you1 submit4 ,a great1 rough man 7stricken down71 said to my husband1 a few weeks ago1 when he looked up to the place where other people were being saved1 ,mr4 ,booth1 ,i would not go there for a hundred pounds6 ,my husband whispered1 ,will you go there for love8 and1 after a minute's hesitation1 the man1 brushing the great tears away1 rose up1 and followed him4 ,will you go there for love--the love of ,jesus6--the great love wherewith ,he loved you and gave ,himself for you8 ,will you1 for the great yearning with which your ,father has been following you all these years--for ,his love's sake1 will you come8 ,go down at ,his feet and submit4 ,the ,lord help you6 ,amen4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,saving ,,faith4 ,and brought them out1 and said1 ,sirs1 what must ,i do to be saved8 ,and they said1 ,believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and thou shalt be saved1 and thy house4--,,acts xvi4 #cj1ca4 ,this is one of the most abused texts in the ,bible1 and one which1 perhaps1 has been made to do quite as much work for the devil as for ,god4 ,let every saint present1 ask in faith for the light of the ,holy ,ghost1 while we try rightly to apply it4 ,let us enquire3-- #a4 ,who are to believe8 #b4 ,when are they to believe8 #c4 ,how are they to believe8 ,i4 ,who are to believe8 ,to whom does the ,holy ,spirit say1 ,believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and thou shalt be saved8 ,now mark1 ,i answer1 not to all sinners indiscriminately4 ,and here is a grand mistake in a great deal of the teaching of this age--that these words are wrested from their explanatory connexion1 and from numbers of other texts bearing on the same subject1 and held up independently of all the conditions which must ever1 and did ever1 in the mind and practice of the ,apostles1 accompany them2 indeed1 it has only been within the last sixty or seventy years that this new gospel has sprung into existence1 preaching indiscriminately to unawakened1 unconverted1 unrepentant sinners--,believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,it seems to me1 that great injury has been done to the cause of ,christ by thus wrongly dividing the ,word of truth1 to say nothing of the unphilosophical character of such a course1 for how can an unawakened1 unconvicted1 unrepentant sinner1 believe8 ,as soon might ,satan believe4 ,it is an utter impossibility4 ,thousands of these people say1 ,i do believe4 ,my dear son1 only a little time ago1 on the top of an omnibus1 was speaking to a man who was the worse for liquor1 and using very improper language2 trying to show him the danger of his evil1 wicked course1 as a transgressor of the law of ,god4 ,oh6 said the man1 it is not by works1 it is by faith1 and ,i believe as much as you do4 ,yes1 said my son1 but what do you believe8 ,oh1 he said1 ,i believe in ,jesus ,christ1 and of course ,i shall be saved4 ,that is a sample of thousands4 ,i am meeting with them daily4 ,they believe there was such a man as ,jesus1 and that ,he died for sinners1 and for them1 but as to the exercise of saving faith1 they know no more about it than ,agrippa or ,felix1 as is manifest when they come to die1 for then1 these very people are wringing their hands1 tearing their hair1 and sending for ,christians to come and pray with them4 ,if they had believed1 why all this alarm and concern on the approach of death8 ,they were only believers of the head1 and not of the heart2 that is1 they were but theoretical believers in the facts recorded in this book1 but not believers in the ,scriptural sense1 or their faith would have saved them4 ,now1 we maintain that it is useless1 and as unphilosophical as it is unscriptural1 to preach only believe to such characters2 and ,christians have not done their duty1 and have not discharged their responsibility to these souls1 when they have told them that ,jesus died for them1 and that they are to believe in ,him6 ,they have a much harder work to do1 and that is1 to open their eyes to a sense of their danger1 and make them1 by the power of the ,spirit1 realize the dreadful truth that they are sinners1 that they are sick1 and then they will run to the ,physician4 ,the eyes of the soul must be opened to such a realization of sin1 and such an apprehension of the consequences of sin1 as shall lead to an earnest desire to be saved from sin4 ,god's great means of doing this is the law1 as the schoolmaster1 to drive sinners to receive ,christ as their salvation4 ,there is not one case in the ,new ,testament in which the apostles urged souls to believe1 or in which a soul is narrated as believing1 in which we have not good grounds to believe that these preparatory steps of conviction and repentance1 had been taken4 ,the only one was that of ,simon the sorcerer4 ,he was1 as numbers of people are1 in great religious movements1 carried away by the influence of the meeting1 and the example of those around him1 and professed to believe4 ,doubtless1 he did credit the fact that ,jesus died on the cross4 ,he received the facts of ,christianity into his mind1 and1 in that sense1 he became a believer--in the same sense that tens of thousands are in these days--and he was baptized4 ,but when the testing point came1 as to whose interests were paramount with him1 his own or ,god's1 then he manifested the true state of the case1 as the apostle said1 ,i see thy heart is not right with ,god4 ,and nobody is converted whose heart is not right with ,god6 ,that is the test4 ,if ,simon had been converted1 his heart would have been right with ,god and he would not have supposed the ,holy ,ghost could have been bought for money4 ,and ,paul added1 ,for ,i perceive that thou art still in the gall of bitterness1 and in the bond of iniquity4 ,and what further did he say to him8 ,therefore1 at once believe8 ,no2 he did not4 ,therefore1 repent1 and pray ,god1 if1 perhaps1 the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee4 ,repent first6 and then believe1 and get this wickedness forgiven1 and so we get a double lesson in the same passage4 ,this ,simon was the only person we have any record of1 as believing1 where there is not in the passage itself1 taken with the context1 a reasonable and rational evidence1 that these preparatory steps of conviction and repentance1 were taken before the teaching of faith1 or the exercise and confession of faith4 ,simon had this faith of the head1 but not of the heart1 and1 therefore1 it ended in defeat and despair4 ,some have written me this week that they had believed4 ,they had been persuaded into a profession of faith1 but no fruits followed4 ,ah6 it was not the faith of the heart3 it was the faith of the head--like that of ,simon's--and it left you worse than it found you1 and you have been groping and grovelling1 ever since4 ,but do not think that was real faith1 and that therefore real faith has failed1 but be encouraged to begin again1 and repent4 ,try the real thing1 for ,satan always gets up a counterfeit4 ,therefore1 don't go down in despair because the wrong kind of faith did not succeed4 ,that shall not make the real faith of ,god of none effect--,god forbid6 ,look at one or two other cases--the three thousand in a day4 ,surely this is a scriptural illustration4 ,surely no one will call that anti-,gospel or legal4 ,what was the first work ,peter did8 ,he drove the knife of ,god's convincing truth into their hearts1 and made them cry out4 ,he awoke them to the truth of their almost lost and damned condition1 till they said1 ,what must we do to be saved8 ,they were so concerned1 they were so pricked in their hearts1 their eyes were so opened to the terrible consequences of their sin1 that they cried aloud before the vast multitude1 ,men and brethren1 what must we do to be saved8 ,he convinced them of sin1 and thus followed the order of ,god4 ,again1 the eunuch is often quoted as an illustration of faith2 but what state of mind was he in8 ,was he a careless1 unconvicted sinner8 ,there he was--an ,ethiopian1 a heathen2 but where had he been8 ,to ,jerusalem1 to worship the true and living ,god1 in the best way he knew1 and as far as he understood2 and then1 what was he doing when ,philip found him8 ,he was not content with the mere worship of the temple1 whistling a worldly tune on his way back4 ,he was searching the ,scriptures4 ,he was honestly seeking after ,god1 and the ,holy ,ghost always knows where such souls are2 and ,he said to ,philip1 ,go1 join thyself to that chariot3 there is a man seeking after ,me2 there is a man whose heart is honestly set on finding ,me4 ,go and preach ,christ1 and tell him to believe4 ,that man would have sacrificed1 or done1 or lost anything1 for salvation1 and1 as soon as ,philip expounded the way of faith1 he received it1 of course1 as all such souls will4 ,saul1 on his way to ,damascus1 is another instance4 ,jesus ,christ was the preacher there1 and surely1 ,he could not be mistaken4 ,his philosophy was sound4 ,where did ,he begin8 ,what did ,he say to ,saul8 ,he saw there an honest-hearted man4 ,saul was sincere1 so far as he understood1 and if1 in any case1 there needed to be the immediate reception of ,christ by faith1 it was in his4 ,but the ,lord ,jesus ,christ did not say one word about faith4 ,saul1 ,saul1 why persecutest thou ,me8--tearing the bandages of deception off his eyes1 and letting him see the wickedness of his conduct4 ,when ,saul said1 ,who art ,thou1 ,lord8 ,he repeated the accusation4 ,he did not come in with the oil of comfort2 ,he did not plaster the wound up1 and make it whole in a moment2 but ,he said1 ,i am ,jesus of ,nazareth1 whom thou persecutest4 ,he ran the knife in again1 and opened ,paul's eyes wider1 and his wounds wider1 too1 and sent him bleeding on to ,damascus1 where he was three days before he got the healing4 ,he had to send for a poor human instrument1 and he had to hear and obey his words1 before the scales fell from his eyes1 and before the pardon of his sins was pronounced1 and the ,holy ,ghost came into his soul4 ,i wonder what ,paul was doing those three days6 ,not singing songs of thanksgiving and praise4 ,that had to come4 ,oh6 what do you think he was doing8 ,he neither ate nor drank1 and he was in the dark4 ,what was he doing8 ,no doubt he was praying4 ,no doubt he was seeking after this ,christ1 who had spoken to him in the way4 ,no doubt he was looking with horror upon his past life1 and abjuring forever his accursed antagonism to ,jesus ,christ1 and to ,his ,gospel4 ,of course1 he was bringing forth fruits meet for repentance1 according to the ,divine order--,acts xxvi43 ,and then came ,ananias1 and preached ,christ unto him1 and he believed unto salvation1 and the scales fell off1 and his mouth was filled with praise and thanksgiving to ,god4 ,cornelius1 is another instance1 but what was the state of his mind and heart8 ,we know that he feared ,god and wrought righteousness1 as far as he was able4 ,he gave alms to the people1 and prayed day and night4 ,that is more than some of you ever did1 who live in the ,gospel times4 ,you never prayed all night about your souls4 ,no wonder if you should lose them--not half a night1 some of you4 ,but ,cornelius did--he was seeking ,god4 ,he honestly wanted to know ,him4 ,he was willing1 at all costs1 to do ,his will3 consequently1 the ,lord sent him the glorious message of the revelation of ,jesus ,christ4 ,i might go on multiplying instances1 but ,i must stop4 ,we have said enough to show who are to believe4 ,truly penitent sinners1 and they only4 ,this text is to a repenting1 enlightened1 convicted sinner4 ,now1 some of you are enlightened1 convinced1 and so wretched that you cannot sleep4 ,you do repent4 ,you are the very people1 then1 to whom this text comes--,believe4 ,you are just in the condition of the gaoler4 ,believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ and thou shalt be saved1 and now let us look what state of mind the gaoler was in4 ,we see1 from the whole narrative1 how his eyes had been opened4 ,the earthquake had done that4 ,some people need an earthquake before they get their eyes opened1 and it has to be a loud one1 too4 ,the gaoler's eyes were opened1 and he made the best use of his time4 ,he was lashing their backs a little while before6 ,talk about a change--here was a change4 ,sirs1 what must ,i do to be saved8 ,i am ready to do anything1 only tell me what4 ,and when a soul comes to that state of mind1 he has nothing more to do but to believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,and he came in1 trembling1 and went down on his knees1 and washed their stripes4 ,when you get to that state of mind1 you will soon get saved4 ,you will have nothing more to do but to believe4 ,you will find it easy work1 then4 ,,ii4 ,when is a sinner to believe8 ,when he repents8 ,here again ,i am going to answer some of your letters4 ,one writes3 ,i am afraid ,i do not realize my sin sufficiently4 ,i have no particular agony on account of sin1 but ,i do see my whole life to have been one huge error and sin4 ,there is nothing more common than for souls to delude themselves on this point of feeling4 ,that gentleman confounds feeling with conviction4 ,he thinks because he has not this extreme agony which some have1 therefore he is not sufficiently convinced1 while the ,holy ,ghost has opened his eyes to see that his whole life has been one huge error and sin4 ,he is convinced that it has been all sin--not one isolated sin here and there abstracted from his life1 but such a perception of his true character that he sees his whole life to have been sin4 ,surely1 my friend1 you are convinced4 ,what else but the ,holy ,ghost could have shown you that8 ,now1 the truly repentant soul first sees sin2 secondly1 he hates sin2 thirdly1 he renounces sin4 ,now1 let me try you by each of these tests4 ,don't let ,satan deceive you1 and make you belie the exercises of your own mind4 ,face the facts1 and when you have come to a conclusion1 don't allow him to raise a controversy1 but stick to your facts1 and go on from them1 or you will never get saved4 ,satan is an accuser of the brethren1 and1 ,i suppose1 of the sisters too4 ,i will be as honest and as searching with you as ,i possibly can4 ,i will not spare the probe1 but when we have probed and found the truth1 stand on it1 for ,christ's sake1 and don't let it go from under your feet1 because ,satan will try to cheat you out of your common sense1 conscience1 and convictions4 ,you see sin4 ,an entirely unawakened soul does not see sin2 that is1 in its true character1 in its heinousness1 in its consequences4 ,he admits that all people are sinners4 ,oh6 yes2 but he does not see the deadly1 damning character of sin4 ,he does not see what an evil and bitter thing sin is in itself4 ,now1 the ,holy ,ghost alone can open the soul's eyes to see this4 ,without ,him1 all my preaching1 or any other preaching1 even the preaching of the angels1 if they were permitted to preach1 might go on to all eternity1 and it would never convince of sin4 ,if you see sin1 it is the ,holy ,ghost who has opened your eyes4 ,praise ,him1 and take encouragement1 my friend4 ,if ,god has thus far dealt with you1 and opened your eyes to see the character and consequences of sin1 does it not augur well that ,he desires also to save you from it8 ,he has opened your eyes in order that ,he may anoint them with eye-salve1 and cause you to see light in ,his light4 ,now1 have you got thus far8 ,you have told me that your life has been one great sin2 others say1 one particular form of sin4 ,whatever it is1 if you are convinced of sin1 it is the ,holy ,ghost who has convinced you2 therefore1 thank ,god1 and take courage thus far4 ,further1 the true penitent hates sin2 that is1 his feelings towards sin are quite different to what they were in the past4 ,there was a time when you could commit sin1 almost without notice1 without concern4 ,people do not realize the great change that has taken place in them in this respect4 ,they are brought gradually to it4 ,translate yourself back into your unawakened state4 ,how did you live then8 ,the very things that now cause you such distress1 you practised every day1 and they gave you no concern4 ,the things that horrify you now1 in the very thought or temptation to them1 you then were daily practising without compunction4 ,you had no hatred to1 no dread of sin4 ,you were willing bondslaves of ,satan4 ,now1 you are his unwilling slave4 ,then1 you ran towards sin1 now1 he has to drive you1 and when you fall1 it is against your will4 ,you hate sin4 ,now1 mind1 this is not being saved from it4 ,this is not saying you have power to save yourself from it4 ,in fact1 this is the very difficulty personified by the apostle1 when representing the ineffectual struggles of a convicted sinner4 ,the things you would not1 those you do1 and the things you would1 those you have not the power to do4 ,nevertheless1 you desire to do them4 ,there is the difference4 ,once you did not desire to do them1 and1 perhaps1 those who did1 were a pack of hypocrites1 in your estimation4 ,now1 you feel quite differently1 and you struggle1 and strive1 and pray1 and watch4 ,some of you have told me so1 and yet you say1 ,i am again and again overcome4 ,of course you are1 because you are not saved yet6 ,but don't you see1 you desire to be4 ,you hate the sin which enthrals you4 ,you struggle against it4 ,you watch against it and you are not overcome half so frequently1 perhaps1 as you were before4 ,people do not see what a great deal they owe to the convincing and preventing power of the ,holy ,spirit helping their infirmity1 even now1 to cut off and pluck out the right hand and the right eye1 and bringing them up in a waiting attitude before ,god1 like ,cornelius and the eunuch4 ,you1 my hearers1 some of you1 are following after ,god4 ,you are longing for deliverance1 are striving against sin4 ,take an another illustration4 ,i don't mean that the soul has power to save itself from its internal maladies4 ,that you will get when ,jesus ,christ saves you4 ,but1 ,i mean this3 here is a soul convinced of sin4 ,here is a man who is daily addicted to drink4 ,he is a drunkard4 ,he becomes convinced of sin4 ,now1 then1 the ,spirit of ,god says1 ,will you give up the cup8 ,then commences the struggle4 ,now1 the question is1 are you to teach that man that he is to go on drinking1 and expect ,god to save him8 ,are you to keep putting before him faith1 and telling him1 ,oh6 never mind your cup1 but believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ and you shall be saved--or1 are you to tell him1 you must put away your sin1 cut off that right hand1 pluck out that right eye1 renounce that drink forever in your heart1 in your purpose1 in your will1 and until you do1 you cannot exercise faith on the ,lord ,jesus8 ,here is another person addicted to lying4 ,he1 when he is convinced of sin1 sets a watch over his lips1 that he may not offend with his mouth1 and he does succeed in so guarding himself1 or the ,holy ,spirit so helps him to guard himself1 that he does not lie as he used4 ,he is overcome now and then1 because he has not yet found the power1 but he is resolutely1 and as far as his will is concerned1 cutting off this outward sin1 and waiting in the way of obedience for full deliverance and salvation4 ,there is a servant systematically robs his master's till4 ,he goes to a religious meeting and is convinced4 ,now1 the ,spirit of ,god says1 you must cut off that dishonesty4 ,you cannot come to this meeting night after night pretending to want to be saved1 while you are going on every day robbing your master6 ,you must cut off that right hand1 and give up that pilfering1 and resolve that you will make restitution1 and wait for ,me in the way of bringing forth fruits meet for repentance4 ,you see what ,i mean4 ,now1 you are just here1 some of you--you know you are4 ,if you are addicted to any evil habit1 it is just the same4 ,jesus ,christ wants you to forswear that habit in your will1 determination1 and purpose4 ,you have not the power to deliver yourself from it4 ,you may struggle1 as some of you tell me you are doing1 but it overcomes you1 and down you go4 ,he knows all about that1 but ,he approves of the struggle1 and the effort1 and the watchfulness1 and the determination1 and when ,he saves you1 ,he will give you the power1 and then you will stand and not fall1 for ,he will hold you up4 ,now you know that you go thus far1 and you know that at this moment1 if you had the power in yourself to extinguish the force of that evil habit over you forever1 you would do it without another moment's hesitation4 ,you say1 ,oh yes1 ,i would indeed4 ,would to ,god ,i had the power4 ,that is repentance2 that is genuine repentance4 ,now1 what you cannot do for yourself1 ,he meets you just where you stand1 and says1 ,i will do it for you2 ,i will break the power of that habit2 ,i will deliver you out of the hands of the enemy2 ,i will save you out of that bondage4 ,only throw your arm of faith around me1 and ,i will lift you up2 and ,i will inspire you with my ,spirit2 you shall stand in ,me and by ,me2 and what you are now struggling to do for yourself1 ,i will do for you4 ,then you have got thus far that you hate sin8 ,yes1 ,i have4 ,you have said it in your letters to me1 and there are others saying it who have not written to me4 ,yes1 you are saying1 ,i desire to be saved from it4 ,i would save myself this very instant if ,i could1 and never sin again4 ,would you8 ,is not that repentance8 ,what else is it1 think you8 ,suppose you had a disobedient and rebellious son1 and he had been living irrespective of your law and will1 wasting your money and trampling under foot your commandments4 ,suppose he comes back1 he sees the error of his course4 ,his eyes are opened1 perhaps1 by affliction1 perhaps by want1 or ten thousand other things4 ,at any rate he sees it1 and he comes home and says1 ,oh6 father1 what a fool ,i have been2 how wicked ,i have been4 ,i see it all now--,i did not see it when ,i was doing it4 ,i see my evil course1 my sins that made you mourn1 and turned your hair grey4 ,oh6 how ,i hate it all4 ,i repent in dust and ashes4 ,father6 ,i forsake it all6 ,i come home to you6 ,what would you say8 ,would you say1 ,my son1 you have not repented enough4 ,go6 begone6 ,wait till you feel it more6 ,no1 your paternal heart would go out in love and forgiveness1 and you would put the kiss of your reconciling love upon his cheek4 ,even so there is joy in the presence of the angels of ,god over one sinner that repenteth6 as there would be joy in that family circle over the return of that wandering child4 ,but suppose that lad were to come and say1 ,father1 ,i do thus repent2 ,i do thus forsake my sins2 but there are some companions who will follow me so closely that ,i am afraid ,i shall again fall under their power1 and there are some habits so terrible that ,i am afraid they will again conquer4 ,let me1 then1 be always by your side4 ,you must strengthen me4 ,what would you say8 ,would you not say1 ,then1 come in1 my son2 sit by me1 live with me1 and ,i will shield you--,i will deliver you8 ,thou shalt never cross this threshhold without me4 ,i will live with you2 ,i will hold you up4 ,and1 as far as a human being could shield another1 you would shield your son2 he would never lack your sympathy or your strength day or night4 ,your ,heavenly ,father lacks neither sympathy or strength4 ,his eye never sleeps4 ,his arm never tires1 and you have only to go and lay your helpless weakness on ,his ,almighty strength by this one desperate leap of faith1 and ,he will hold you up1 even though there were a legion of devils around you4 ,lastly1 you renounce your sins1 that is1 in will1 purpose1 and determination4 ,you say1 ,i never wish to grieve ,him again4 ,you sing it1 and you feel it4 ,i never want to grieve ,him any more2 and if you could only live without grieving ,him1 you would not much mind1 even if it were in hell itself4 ,is not that penitence8 ,you know it is4 ,you renounce sin4 ,you do not say1 ,lord ,jesus1 save me with this right hand1 with this right eye2 ,lord ,jesus1 save me with these forbidden things hanging about my skirts4 ,no2 you say1 ,lord ,jesus1 save me out of them4 ,make me clean4 ,that is penitence4 ,you see it4 ,you hate it4 ,you renounce it4 ,now then1 believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,oh1 ,holy ,spirit1 reveal the simple way of faith4 ,,iii4 ,you say1 ,how am ,i to believe8 ,some despairing soul asked me this in large letters1 ,how am ,i to believe8 ,how does a bride believe in her husband when she gives herself to him at the altar8 ,she trusts him with herself4 ,she believes in him4 ,she makes a contract1 and goes home1 and lives as if it were true4 ,that is faith4 ,how do you trust your physician when you are sick1 as you lay in repose or anguish upon your bed8 ,you trust him with your case4 ,you commit yourself to him4 ,you believe in his skill1 and obey his orders4 ,have faith like this in ,jesus ,christ4 ,trust and obey1 and expect that it is going to be with you according to ,his ,word4 ,instead of this1 the faith of many people is like that of a person afflicted with some grievous malady4 ,a friend tells him of a wonderful physician who has cured hundreds of such cases1 and gives him abundant evidence that this doctor is able and willing to cure him1 if he will only commit himself to his treatment4 ,the sick man may thoroughly believe in the testimony of his friend about this physician1 and yet1 for some secret reason1 he may refuse to put himself into his hands4 ,now1 there are numbers like that with ,jesus ,christ4 ,they believe ,he could cure the malady of sin on certain conditions4 ,they believe ,he is no respecter of persons4 ,they believe ,he has done it for hundreds as bad as they1 and yet there is some reason why they do not trust ,him4 ,they hold back4 ,now1 what you want is to give your case into ,his hands1 and say1 ,lord ,jesus1 ,i come as ,thou hast bid me1 confessing and forsaking sin4 ,if ,i could1 ,i would jump out of it now and forever4 ,thou knowest ,i come renouncing it1 but not having power to save myself from it2 and now1 ,lord ,jesus1 ,thou hast said1 ,him that cometh unto ,me1 ,i will in no wise cast out4 ,i do come2 ,thou dost not cast me out2 ,thou dost take me2 ,thou dost receive me4 ,blessed1 ,holy ,father1 ,i give myself to ,thee4 ,i put my sins upon the glorious sacrifice of ,thy ,son4 ,thou hast said ,thou wilt receive me1 and pardon me for ,his sake4 ,now1 ,i roll the guilty burden on ,his bleeding body1 and ,i believe ,thy promise1 ,i trust ,thee to be as good as ,thy word4 ,that is faith4 ,oh6 said a dear lady1 ,i do not feel it4 ,no3 you must trust first4 ,mark1 not believe you are saved1 but believe that ,he does now save you4 ,what things soever ye desire when ye pray1 believe that ye receive them1 and ye shall have them4 ,that is the law of faith4 ,believe that ye receive it before you feel it2 when you receive it then you shall feel it4 ,god shall be true1 and every man or devil who contradicts ,him1 a liar4 ,throw your arms around the ,crucified4 ,take fast hold of the hand of the ,son of ,god4 ,put your poor1 guilty soul right at the foot of ,his cross1 and say1 ,thou dost receive2 ,thou dost pardon2 ,thou dost cleanse2 ,thou dost save2 and keep using the language of faith4 ,i have seen numbers of souls step into liberty repeating these precious words in the first person1 ,he was wounded for my transgressions1 ,he was bruised for my iniquities1 the chastisement of my peace was laid upon ,him1 and by ,his stripes ,i am healed4 ,keep using the language of faith all the way home to-night4 ,go into your closet and say1 ,i am determined to be saved1 if there is any such thing as salvation4 ,resolve that if you perish1 you will perish in that room1 at the foot of the cross1 suing for pardon1 and you will get it4 ,i have never known a soul come to this who did not soon get saved4 ,get into the lifeboat4 ,put off from the old stranded wreck of your own righteousness or your own efforts2 step right into the lifeboat of ,his broken1 bleeding body4 ,take fast hold1 and resolve that you will never let go until the answering ,spirit comes into your soul1 crying1 ,abba1 ,father1 and you shall know of a truth that you have passed from death unto life4 ,the ,lord help you4 ,amen4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,charity4 ,and now abideth faith1 hope1 charity1 these three2 but the greatest of these is charity4--#a ,,cor4 xiii4 #ac4 ,it must be a precious thing to be greater than faith1 and greater than hope--it must1 indeed1 be precious6--and1 just in proportion as things are valuable and precious amongst men1 so much trouble and risk will human speculators take to counterfeit them4 ,i suppose that in no department of roguery in this roguish world1 has there been more time and ingenuity expended1 than in making counterfeit money1 especially bank notes4 ,just as wicked men have tried to imitate the most valuable of human productions for their own profit1 so the devil has been trying to counterfeit ,god's most precious things from the beginning1 and to produce something so like them that mankind at large should not see the difference1 and1 perhaps1 in no direction has he been so successful as in producing a ,spurious ,charity4--,i almost think he has got it to perfection in these days4 ,i don't think he can very well improve on the present copy4 ,this ,charity--this love--is ,god's most precious treasure2 it is dearer to ,his heart than all the vast domains of ,his universe--dearer than all the glorious beings ,he has created4 ,so much so1 that when some of the highest spirits amongst the angelic bands violated this love1 ,he hurled them from the highest ,heaven to the nethermost hell6 ,why8 ,not because ,he did not value those wonderful beings1 but because ,he valued this love more4 ,because ,he saw that it was more important to the well-being of ,his universe to maintain the harmony of love in ,heaven than to save those spirits who had allowed selfishness to interfere with it4 ,so our ,lord says1 ,i beheld ,satan as lightning fall from ,heaven4 ,the day is coming when ,he will behold all the dire progeny of this first rebellion fall also4 ,haste1 happy day6 ,but1 let us look for a few minutes at this precious1 beautiful ,charity4 ,let us try1 first1 to define it4 ,what is it8 ,first4--,it is ,divine4 ,it must be shed abroad in the heart by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,in vain do we look for this heavenly plant amongst the unrenewed children of men--it grows not on the corrupt soil of human nature2 it springs only where the ploughshare of true repentance has broken up the fallow ground of the heart1 and where faith in a crucified ,saviour has purified it1 and where the blessed ,holy ,spirit has taken permanent possession4 ,it is the love of ,god--not only love to ,god1 but like ,god1 from ,god1 and fixed on the same objects and ends which ,he loves4 ,it is a ,divine implantation by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,perhaps some of you are saying1 ,then it is useless for me to try to cultivate it1 because ,i have not got it1--exactly6 ,you may cut and prune and water forever1 but you can never cultivate that which is not planted4 ,your first work is to get this love shed abroad in your heart4 ,it is one of the delusions of this age that human nature only wants pruning1 improving1 developing1 and it come out right4 ,no1 no6 ,every plant which my ,heavenly ,father hath not planted shall be rooted up4 ,if you want this ,divine love1 you must break up the fallow ground of your hearts1 and invite the ,heavenly ,husbandman to come and sow it--shed it abroad in your soul4 ,secondly1 ,i want you to note that this love is a ,divine principle1 in contradistinction to the mere love of instinct4 ,all men have love as an instinct2 mere natural love towards those whom they like1 or who do well for them4 ,if ye love them which love you1 what reward have ye8 do not even publicans the same8 ,wicked men love one another from mere natural affinity1 as the tiger loves its cubs4 ,there is great confusion amongst professors of religion on this subject4 ,they feel sentiments of pity and generosity towards their fellow-men1 and they may even give their goods to feed the poor1 and yet not have a spark of ,divine ,charity in their hearts4 ,saul1 after ,god departed from him1 was not wholly destitute of generous feeling respecting his family and kingdom4 ,dives in hell had some pity for his brethren6 ,but neither of them had a spark of this ,divine ,charity4 ,mind you are not deceived2 millions are6 ,let us note one or two points wherein a spurious and ,divine ,charity utterly and forever diverge--disagree in nature4 ,first4--,spurious ,charity is selfish--is never exercised but to gratify some selfish principle in human nature4 ,thousands of motives inspire it--too many to enumerate2 but we will glance at two or three4 ,we read in the context that a man might give his goods to feed the poor1 and his body to be burned1 and yet be destitute of true ,charity4 ,now what an anomaly4 ,but we have wonderful illustrations that such a thing is possible4 ,first1 a man may do this to support and carry out a favorite system of intellectual belief of which he has become enamored1 just as men become absorbed1 in politics1 or in what they consider the good of their nation1 so that they will even go to the cannon's mouth to promote it4 ,further1 a man may do it in order to merit eternal life4 ,paul did this when he went about to establish his own righteousness4 ,he tells us afterwards that self was the mainspring of all his zeal4 ,it was all his own exaltation2 there was no ,divine love2 he was an utterly unrenewed1 ,christless1 and selfish man1 at the very time he was doing this4 ,or1 it may be1 in the third place1 to gratify a naturally generous disposition4 ,i used to say to a generous friend of mine1 when he was talking in a confidential way about his giving1 and the delight it gave him1 attributing it to ,divine grace--,i used to put my hand on his1 and say1 ,hold6 my friend2 ,i am not so sure it is all grace4 ,you like giving better than other people do receiving4 ,look out that you do not lose your reward through not taking the trouble to see what you give to2 don't give your money to every scheme that comes across you4 ,remember that you are answerable to ,god for your wealth1 and that ,god will demand of you ,,how you have bestowed your goods4 ,that is true ,charity that takes the trouble to investigate relative claims1 and tries to find out the best channels in which to give for ,god's glory and the salvation of men4 ,don't you put down your generosity to the ,holy ,ghost if it is not of that kind1 for you will never receive a bit of interest for it1 here or hereafter--not a fraction6 ,a false ,charity begins in self and ends on earth4 ,here is a mark for you to distinguish between it and ,god's ,charity4 ,the devil's ,charity always contemplates the earthy part of man in a superior degree to the spiritual part2 and here it exactly crosses and contradicts the ,divine ,charity1 which always contemplates man in the entirety of his being1 and always gives the first importance to the soul4 ,we have plenty of spurious ,charity in these days4 ,the other day when ,i took up a so-called religious print1 and saw some fulsome things it had been saying about a certain individual1 lately dead1 ,i thought1 really1 would one ever imagine this were a ,christian paper1 in a ,christian country8 ,there is not the slightest recognition of a soul1 no reference to the man's spiritual condition or his future state4 ,here are one or two of the most ordinary human qualifications seized on1 and made the most of1 to make it out that he was something beyond his fellows1 but1 as to any recognition of a soul1 or of a ,god who will judge him1 of a ,heaven or hell1 nothing6 ,oh1 people say1 when speaking of ,godless1 and even wicked men1 ,you must be charitable1 you must not judge4 ,satan does not care how much of this one-sided ,charity there is2 the more the better for his purpose2 it will make people all the more comfortable in their sins1 and get them all the more easily down to hell4 ,my friends1 are you more concerned about relieving temporal distress than you are about feeding famished souls8 ,if you are1 you may know where your charity comes from6 ,don't misrepresent me1 and say that ,i teach all of one1 and none of the other4 ,god forbid1 for1 if any man hath this world's good1 and seeth his brother have need1 and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him1 how dwelleth the love of ,god in him8 ,but1 on the other side1 if he sees him spiritually famishing--dying for want of the bread of life--how dwelleth the love of ,christ in him1 if he does not minister to this spiritual destitution8 ,i know that real ,christianity cares for body and soul4 ,bless ,god1 it does2 but1 always mind that it sets the soul ,,first4 ,i know the ,master fed the multitude2 but1 before that1 ,he had them with ,him three days1 trying to save their souls1 and when they got hungry in the process1 then ,he made them sit down1 and fed their bodies4 ,he always looked after the soul first1 and so does everyone possessed of ,divine ,charity4 ,why8 ,because ,divine ,charity has opened his eyes4 ,he realizes the value of souls4 ,he sees them famishing4 ,he sees them being damned1 and he cannot help himself4 ,his desire to save them rushes out of him like a torrent2 he beholds them1 and has compassion on them4 ,try your ,charity by this mark3 ,do you contemplate the dying1 famishing1 half-damned souls of your fellow-men8 ,do you look abroad on the state of the world1 and the state of the church8 ,do you think about it8 ,do you go into your closet1 and spread it before the ,lord1 as ,hezekiah and ,jeremiah and ,hosea did8 ,do you look at it1 and turn it over1 and weep over it1 and pray and cry1 as ,daniel and ,paul did8 ,try yourselves1 my brethren1 my sisters1 by this mark4 ,divine ,charity is always revolving round that great problem of infinite love4 ,what is a man profited1 if he shall gain the whole world1 and lose his own soul8 ,oh1 ,i can never get it out of my ears or away from my heart6 ,oh1 how ,i see the emptiness and vanity of everything compared with the salvation of the soul6 ,what does it matter1 if a man dies in the work-house--if he dies on a door-step1 covered with wounds1 like ,lazarus--what does it matter1 if his soul is saved8 ,it is your creed as much as mine1 that the soul is immortal1 and that the death of the body is only its introduction1 if it be saved1 to a glorious future of everlasting felicity1 progress1 and holiness4 ,does the child remember how he used to cry over his lessons1 when he becomes a man8 ,does he remember all the little difficulties of his school days1 when he is inheriting the fruits of them8 ,just so2 ten thousand times less important will be all our sufferings1 trials1 and griefs here1 if we save our souls1 and the souls of others4 ,this ,divine ,charity makes everything else subservient to the salvation of souls2 it uses everything else to save and bless the inner and spiritual man4 ,do you remember1 on one occasion1 when the ,master had fed the multitudes1 and when they came to ,him again to be fed1 ,he said1 ,ye seek ,me1 not because ye saw the miracles1 but because ye did eat of the loaves1 and were filled4 ,you would have said1 ,quite right2 the people want to be fed2 they are hungry4 ,but do you hear the ,divine lament that comes out in these words1 that they were so spiritually obtuse1 that they valued the earthly bread more than the heavenly6 ,give them as much temporal bread as you like1 but mind you give them the spiritual bread first1 for this is characteristic of true ,charity4 ,have you got this ,charity8 ,every soul knows whether it has or not4 ,people are so unphilosophical in religion2 they talk about not knowing2 but you can find out in two minutes whether you love ,god or yourself best4 ,tell me that woman does not know whether she loves her husband or herself best6 ,nonsense6 ,what is the proof8--she seeks to please him1 and is willing to sacrifice herself for him--in fact1 merges her interests altogether in his4 ,do you love ,god best8 ,are you willing to forego your interests1 and to seek ,his8 ,have you this ,divine ,charity1 born of ,heaven1 tending to ,heaven8 ,if not1 my friend1 resolve you will have it now4 ,begin to cry mightily to ,god1 for the ,holy ,spirit to shed it abroad in your heart2 give up your quibblings and reasonings1 and go down at the foot of the cross and ask ,him1--,come1 ,lord1 and break up this poor1 wicked heart of mine1 and shed this beautiful1 pure1 ,divine ,charity abroad in it1 and then you will not1 henceforth1 seek your own1 but the things that are ,jesus ,christ's4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,charity ,,and ,,rebuke4 ,and now abideth faith1 hope1 charity1 these three2 but the greatest of these is charity4--#a ,,cor4 xiii4 #ac4 ,the second main point of difference between a true and a false ,charity1 we want to remark1 is1 ,divine ,charity is not only consistent with1 but it very often necessitates1 reproof and rebuke by its possessor4 ,it renders it incumbent on those who possess it to reprove and rebuke whatever is evil--whatever does not tend to the highest interests of its object4 ,this ,charity conforms in this1 as in everything else1 to its ,divine model--,as many as ,i love ,i rebuke and chasten--when necessary for the good of its object1 for ,he doth not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men1 any more than a father willingly chastises a disobedient child2 but1 if he be a wise father1 he will do it because he loves it4 ,just so the possessor of this ,divine ,charity can afford to rebuke and reprove sin wherever he finds it4 ,he will not suffer sin upon his neighbor1 but will in any wise reprove him1 and strive to win him to the right4 ,we will just turn to a beautiful illustration 7there are many1 if we had time to go into them7 of the working of this ,divine ,charity in the heart and life of the very apostle who wrote this #acth of ,corinthians4 ,we cannot get wrong1 because it is ,paul himself4 7,gal4 ii4 #aa-ae47 ,but when ,peter was come to ,antioch1 ,i withstood him to the face1 because he was to be blamed4 ,for before that certain came from ,james1 he did eat with the ,gentiles2 but when they were come1 he withdrew and separated himself1 fearing them which were of the circumcision4 ,and the other ,jews dissembled likewise with him2 insomuch that ,barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation4 ,but when ,i saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the ,gospel1 ,i said unto ,peter before them all-- ,well done1 ,paul1--noble1 gloriously courageous ,charity that6 ,he did not go and mutter behind ,peter's back and stab him in the dark-- ,i said unto ,peter before them all1 ,if thou1 being a ,jew1 livest after the manner of the ,gentiles1 and not as do the ,jews1 why compellest thou the ,gentiles to live as do the ,jews8 ,we who are ,jews by nature1 and not sinners of the ,gentiles4 ,you want a characteristic of true ,charity4 ,now1 listen to it4 ,it would be exceedingly painful to ,paul thus publicly to rebuke ,peter4 ,they loved one another1 for we find ,peter1 long after this1 in one of his ,epistles1 calling ,paul our beloved brother1 ,paul4 ,they loved one another4 ,paul understood the claims of true ,charity1 for he wrote this thirteenth of ,corinthians4 ,if he loved ,peter1 and if he understood the claims of true ,charity1 why did he thus openly rebuke ,peter1 why did he inflict upon himself the pain of doing it8 ,faithfulness to ,peter himself1 faithfulness to the truth1 faithfulness to ,jesus ,christ demanded it2 therefore1 he sacrificed his own personal feelings1 and inflicted this pain upon himself1 rather than allow ,peter to go wrong1 the ,romans to be misled1 and the ,jews to be carried away with worldly policy4 ,paul set himself to rebuke ,peter in the presence of all1 for truth lay1 as it very often does1 with the minority2 nearly all the influence was on the side of the circumcision4 ,they were the most influential of the brethren1 and ,paul set himself against all this influence in his rebuke of ,peter4 ,why8 ,because faithfulness to the truth demanded it1 and ,divine ,charity is ,,first ,,pure4 ,there is a greater example still in our ,lord ,himself1 in the ,master whose whole soul was love1 whose life was one sacrifice for the good of ,his creatures2 and yet how faithfully ,he reproved ,his own when they erred from the truth1 and how fearlessly ,he exposed and denounced the shallowness and hypocrisy of those who professed to love ,god1 and yet contradicted this profession in their lives4 ,how fearlessly ,he reproved sin everywhere4 ,he said to his disciples on one occasion1 ,ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of4 ,for the ,son of man is not come to destroy men's lives1 but to save them4 ,as if ,he had said1 you ought to have learned this before now4 ,on another occasion1 ,he said1 ,are ye also yet without understanding8 ,and again1 ,get thee behind me1 ,satan1 for thou savourest not the things that be of ,god2 that was ,divine ,charity1 that was faithful love1 that dared to rebuke1 rather than let the object of it do wrong1 and sin against ,god4 ,and again1 when ,he goes to the hypocrites and ,pharisees1 ,he says1 ,ye say ye are the children of ,abraham--7it was as difficult for ,jesus ,christ to confute the professors of ,his day1 as it is for ,his ambassadors to confute the professors of this day1 who are living inconsistently with their professions7--,he said1 ,ye say that ye are the children of ,abraham2 if ye were the children of ,abraham1 ye would listen to me2 or1 if ye were the children of ,god1 ye would believe in me1 for ,i came out from ,god4 ,no6 ye are the children of your father1 the devil1 and his works ye do4 ,and yet ,his ,divine heart was full1 to breaking1 of love1 and broke itself on the cross for them1 and prayed1 ,father1 forgive them2 for they know not what they do4 ,oh1 that your ,charity and mine might not lack this lineament of the ,divine likeness6 ,would to ,god there were more of this faithful1 loving ,charity1 that dares to reprove sin1 and to rebuke its brother1 instead of the false ,charity that fawns on a man to his face1 and goes behind him and stabs him in the back4 ,do you suppose that the great mass of the professors of this generation think one another to be right8 ,take almost any given church4 ,do you suppose that the great mass of the members of that church suppose in their hearts that their fellow members1 brothers and sisters in church communion1 are living consistently--,i don't mean in things only1 but in heart--that they are living really godly lives8 ,alas6 witness what they say behind each other's backs4 ,they believe no such thing2 they know perfectly well it is not so1 and they take care to tell other people so2 and yet there is not one in a thousand of them ever went privately to his brother1 and took lovingly hold of his hand1 and reproved him for his sinful and backsliding conduct4 ,what would be thought of any woman who were to go1 after being to church the day before1 and ask for a private interview with ,mrs4 ----1 and1 when alone with her1 with tears in her eyes1 and deep earnestness in her voice1 were to say1 ,dear ,mrs4 ----1 ,i have come to see you on a very painful errand1 but will you suffer a word of exhortation from one so unworthy and weak as ,i feel myself to be1 and yet1 ,i trust1 one who has the ,spirit of ,god1 which urges me to come to you8 ,will you allow me to say that ,i was much pained with your attitude at church1 yesterday4 ,it seemed to me that your mind was not at all occupied with the solemnity of the service1 but seemed to be occupied in criticising the person's dress in the seat opposite to you1 and ,i could not help noticing that when you got outside the doors you began to laugh and talk in a way quite incompatible with the service you had been attending8 ,if she were to say1 ,dear ,mrs4 ----1 ,i have not mentioned this to a soul1 not even to my husband1 but ,i have come to tell it to you2 let us go down before the ,lord and ask ,him for the ,holy ,spirit1 that ,he may show you how wrong you are1 and how you are sliding away from the love of ,god--what would be the thought1 what would be said1 of such conduct8 ,if everybody who sees sin upon his neighbor would do that--if he would take the ,lord's counsel and go and see his brother alone1 and tell him his fault--how many would be saved from backsliding1 and how many a disgraceful split and controversy in churches might be saved6 ,but where are the people who will do it8 ,i don't mean there are not any--,god forbid--,i know there are2 but ,i am speaking comparatively4 ,where is the man who will inflict pain upon himself8--for that is the point4 ,if it were a pleasant duty1 he would do it easily enough2 but it is a painful duty1 he does not like to screw himself up to it4 ,where is the man that will do it1 rather than suffer his brother to go to sleep in his sin1 and rather than the precious cause of ,christ shall be disgraced and injured8 ,where are the saints who will go in meekness and in love to try to reclaim the one who has erred8 ,i hope you know a great many4 ,i am sorry to say ,i know only a few4 ,if you know many1 ,i am very glad1 and the more you know the better ,i am pleased4 ,if you are one of these1 that is one1 at all events4 ,if every ,christian would have this sort of ,charity1 what a change would soon come about4 ,that is what the church wants--people who can afford to rebuke and reprove1 because they don't care what men think of ,,them --who are set only on pleasing their ,lord and ,master1 and doing ,his will4 ,have you got this ,charity that seeketh not her own8 ,what a contrast between ,saul and ,paul4 ,did you ever think about it8 ,what does he say8 ,i went about to establish my own righteousness4 ,that was his inspiring motive2 that was the spring of his action1 before he got true ,charity2 not that he cared for the kingdom of ,god1 but he cared for his own honor1 glory1 and exaltation1 and wanted to stand well with his nation4 ,then contrast him when he becomes ,paul4 ,what does he say8 ,for ,i could wish that myself were accursed from ,christ for my brethren1 my kinsmen according to the flesh4 ,there is ,charity1 if you like4 ,these were the very people with whom he had been so anxious to stand well1 and whose good word he wanted2 but1 when the ,holy ,ghost had come1 and ,paul had got the ,divine ,charity1 and got his eyes opened to see their devilish and lost condition1 he so weeps over them that he says1 ,i have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart4 ,for ,i could wish that myself were accursed from ,christ1 for my brethren1 my kinsmen according to the flesh4 ,there is a contrast4 ,he does not care now1 what they think of ,,him2 he is going about1 trying to open their eyes and make them see that they are not the children of ,abraham1 but the children of the devil1 that they are going to the bottomless pit1 and that1 unless they turn round and seek the ,god of their fathers1 they must perish4 ,self is lost sight of altogether1 now2 ,paul's heart and soul and efforts are set on the salvation of men4 ,if they choose to2 praise him1 he takes it as a matter of course2 if they choose to condemn him1 he takes that as a matter of course1 too4 ,he is seeking the kingdom1 and1 however men treat him1 the kingdom he seeks1 right on to martyrdom4 ,he runs the gauntlet of their direst hate and malice1 that he may open their eyes and turn them from ,satan to ,god1 and from sin to righteousness4 ,self is lost sight of2 it is not ,paul now--it is ,christ and ,his kingdom4 ,false ,charity is the opposite of this4 ,its possessor is most concerned about what people think of ,,him2 not how they treat his professed ,lord4 ,the possessor of false ,charity cannot afford to reprove anybody4 ,oh1 dear1 no6 he would faint at the very idea2 and he calls people hard and legal and censorious who dare to do it--poor1 sneaking coward6 but he will not be afraid to stab a man behind his back4 ,the speech of this false ,charity betrayeth it1 it flattereth with its lips2 honey is on its tongue1 but the poison of asps is underneath2 beware of it6 ,even when it professes to commend a brother1 or neighbor1 it rolls up its sanctimonious eyes1 and always puts a but in--one of the devil's buts4 ,oh1 he is a good man1 but--4 ,yes1 ,i have a great esteem for him1 only there is such and such a thing4 ,oh1 it is very ,divine4 ,the devil can put on a garb of light when it answers his purpose4 ,oh1 the fair reputations that this slime of the serpent has trailed over6 ,oh1 the influence for good that this venom of the devil has poisoned and ruined1 for it has been1 truly said1 ,there is no virtue so white that back-wounding calumny will not strike--even in ,god's perfect man1 those who are watching and seeking to betray can find something on which to ground their accusations4 ,i say1 mind which ,charity you have got ,true ,charity1 rejoiceth not in iniquity4 ,are you conscious in your soul of a feeling of triumph when anybody that you don't like happens to fall on some evil thing8 ,if you have1 look out--the devil has got hold of you4 ,do you rejoice in iniquity when it happens to an enemy8 ,if so1 woe be to you1 unless you get that venom out4 ,god won't have it in ,heaven4 ,one man with that venom in him would damn ,paradise1 ,love your enemies--love them2 bless them that curse you1 do good to them that hate you1 and pray for them which despitefully use you1 and persecute you2 that ye may be the children of your ,father which is in ,heaven4 ,now1 my brother1 my sister1 try yourself4 ,we shall meet again1 and you will find that these are no imaginary vagaries that ,i have been talking of2 they are realities--though these great realities of our ,christianity are seldom preached in these days2 but they are here1 and there is no truth in you if you have not got the ,charity which hates evil as evil1 and which will reprove it1 and root it out1 and have it cured6 ,here1 again1 false ,charity is the very antipodes of the ,divine4 ,it does not care much about righteousness4 ,quietness is its beau ideal of all that is lovely and excellent4 ,it says1 ,let us be quiet2 you must not disturb the peace of the church4 ,it cries1 ,peace1 peace6 when there is no peace4 ,it says1 ,we cannot help these evils4 ,every man must look after himself2 we are not responsible for our neighbor4 ,it knows very often that there are continents of dirt underneath--things1 and systems1 and men--which it chooses to patronize2 but then1 it is covered up1 and so it says1 ,let it alone2 we cannot have a smudge4 ,let it alone4 ,peace6 ,peace6 ,never mind righteousness--the church must be supported1 if the money does come out of the dried-up vitals of drunkards and harlots2 never mind1 we must have it4 ,never mind if our songs are mixed with the shrieks of widows and orphans1 of the dying and damned6 ,sing away1 sing away1 and drown their voices4 ,never mind2 we cannot have it looked into1 and rooted out1 and pulled up4 ,peace2 we must have peace6 ,and they call you1 as ,ahab did ,elijah1 the disturber of ,israel1 if you dare to touch the sore place and exhibit their putrifying wounds and bruises2 and when you say to them1 ,the law of life is1 ',do unto others as you would they should do unto you1' they impudently turn upon you and say1 ,but we are not expected to be perfect in this life1 and so they throw a thicker covering over the filth1 and on it goes4 ,this is the devil's ,charity2 and the more the better for his purpose4 ,but the ,charity and the wisdom which is from above1 is first pure1 and then peaceable6 ,i would rather be in everlasting warfare in company with that which is fair1 and true1 and good1 than ,i would walk in harmony with that which is hollow1 and rotten1 and vile1 and destined for the bottomless pit4 ,the ,lord help you to make the same choice6 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,charity ,,and ,,conflict4 ,and now abideth faith1 hope1 charity1 these three2 but the greatest of these is charity4--#a ,,cor4 xiii4 #ac4 ,another characteristic of this ,divine ,charity is1 that it ,,often ,,involves ,,conflict4 ,it was so with our ,lord4 ,he was the very personification of it4 ,he was love itself1 and grace and truth poured from ,his lips incessantly4 ,his blessed feet went about doing good1 and ,his hands ministering to the necessities and happiness of ,his creatures1 yet ,his whole course through this degenerate world was one of conflict1 opposition1 and persecution4 ,his proper mission was to bring peace on earth2 but the result of it was a sword6 ,why8 ,that was not ,his fault4 ,he would1 doubtless1 have enjoyed being at peace with all men1 as ,his ambassador exhorts us--as much as lieth in us to be4 ,more1 ,he was the ,prince of ,peace6 ,then1 how was it that wherever ,he went1 there was sword1 opposition1 and conflict to the death8 ,because men resisted and rejected ,his ,divine and ,heavenly ministrations4 ,they would not hear ,his rebukes and ,his teaching1 because they condemned them4 ,they would not listen to ,his voice1 because they were of their father the devil1 and the works of their father they would do2 and1 therefore1 they went about to persecute ,him1 and to kill ,him4 ,this was the reason--not that ,he wanted it to be so1 but it was the consequence of their resistance to the beautiful1 heavenly1 and ,divine truths which ,he taught2 and it is just so now1 with the same truth1 and the living embodiments of such truth4 ,,jesus ,,christ ,,come ,,in ,,the ,,flesh ,,again ,,in ,,his ,,people1 living out before the world ,his principles1 acting upon ,his precepts1 living for the same objects for which ,he lived1 will produce1 exactly and everywhere1 the same result4 ,it must be so while men are divided into two classes--the righteous and the wicked--those who are born of the flesh1 and those who are born of the ,spirit4 ,one must either give in1 or there must be perpetual conflict and warfare4 ,it was so with the ,saviour1 and so1 perhaps1 with some of us4 ,i think this is often a snare to ,god's really sincere people4 ,i think some of ,god's people are afraid2 they don't like the feeling that their hand is against every man1 and every man's hand against them1 or nearly so4 ,they do not like the feeling of isolation2 they do not like being compelled to take a course which nearly all the ,christian professors round about them condemn1 and make out to be uncharitable1 and they often examine themselves to see whether it is possible that they may be going wrong in following the ,divine ,spirit4 ,they say with ,jeremiah1 and with the ,jeremiahs of every age1 ,woe is me1 my mother1 that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth6 ,they are as speckled birds1 against whom all the birds round about are gathered4 ,they feel this opposition and conflict deeply1 but what are they to do8 ,very often1 in following the leadings of the ,divine ,spirit1 it is impossible for us to avoid such consequences4 ,we have to march through troops of opposing forces4 ,we have to become the subjects of almost universal suspicion4 ,but what then8 ,must we give in8 ,must we decline to tread in the bloodstained footsteps of the ,captain of our salvation8 ,must we decline the honor of being in the advance guard of the ,lamb's army because of the conflict1 because of the pain1 because of the persecution8 ,nay1 nay2 let us hold on1 those here1 who are thus led by the ,divine ,spirit into paths which involve conflict with everybody4 ,follow on1 brother6 follow on1 sister6 ,there is no point on which those who want to come out thoroughly for ,god1 suffer more than oh this4 ,they continually say1 ,you see1 my friends--they are ,christian1 friends--my friends object4 ,people come1 to see me1 or they write that the ,spirit of ,god has been urging them into a certain course1 for months or years1 and they are held back by the opinions and wishes1 perhaps1 of parents1 or of brothers and sisters1 or uncles1 or aunts1 or ,christian friends4 ,i believe it will be found1 in the great day of account1 that there have been more blessed enterprises crushed1 more leadings of the ,holy ,ghost disobeyed1 more urgings of the ,spirit quenched1 through the influence of what are called ,christian friends1 than all other influences put together4 ,suffer me first to go and bury my father1 is an everlasting standing excuse for those whom1 the ,lord calls on in advance paths of ,christian service6 ,oh1 my friends1 ,i am sure of it4 ,look out1 you fathers and mothers1 you brothers and sisters1 and aunts6 ,do not misunderstand me4 ,carefully weigh1 probe1 and examine1 before ,god1 your impressions and desires4 ,go into your closet1 spread them there before the ,lord4 ,lay them out1 examine your own heart4 ,be sure there is no self-interest1 no vain glory1 no desire to be great1 or to do some out-of-the-way thing4 ,be as clear as you like2 be satisfied1 in your own mind1 that it is ,god's call1 and then let fathers1 mothers1 sisters1 brothers1 husbands1 or wives complain--but go forward1 my brother1 and ,god will justify you4 ,if1 twenty years ago1 ,i had stopped for ,christian friends to sanction and to open the door1 ,i should have waited till today1 and the number of souls ,god1 in ,his infinite mercy1 has given me1 ,i should not have gathered4 ,but ,i did not wait for anybody's sanction to my ,lord and ,master's call2 but said1 ,lord1 if ,i die in attempting it1 ,i will do it4 ,he seldom lets people die in attempting ,his will4 ,he stands by them1 and gives them abundant fruit4 ,a lady said to me the other day1 ,you know my father is a ,christian1 and ,i am so afraid of going opposite to him4 ,yes1 ,i said1 that is quite a right feeling2 ,i respect that feeling in you4 ,but she was a woman of considerably matured age1 and ,i added1 ,but is your father awake to the interests of ,god's kingdom as he ought to be8 ,she replied1 ,i dare not say he is4 ,i suppose1 ,i said he is comparatively old--a sort of dried-up ,christian1 who has lost the vigor and enterprise of his youthful days1 when he wanted to go out and make everybody ,christian8 ,yes1 she said1 he has gone sadly behind in his zeal for the kingdom of ,jesus ,christ4 ,now1 ,i said1 ,god holds you responsible1 just as ,he holds any other being4 ,he has not two codes-one for men and one for women4 ,there will be no two judgment seats1 whatever men do here4 ,god will hold you responsible for obedience to the teaching of ,his ,spirit1 and the leading of ,his providence1 as much as your brother4 ,what shall you say8 ,you will be in the position of the man who said1 ',suffer me first to go and bury my father4' ,she said1 ,i am afraid ,i shall4 ,now1 ,i say1 let us settle this1 you ,protestant ,christians here4 ,because ,catholicism has abused this principle1 that a man is to leave his father and mother1 and houses and lands1 if needs be1 is that any reason that we ,protestants are to give it up8 ,and has it come to this1 that a man has only to follow ,christ when everybody approves it --cries ,amen--and when his own interests appear to him to be secured by so doing8 ,then1 if it were so1 ,i would give up religion altogether1 and go and enjoy myself4 ,i said to a lady1 ,when you married yourself to the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 you put yourself in the same position as you would to an earthly husband4 ,what woman in the world would feel that she ought to obey father and mother1 rather than her husband8 ,ridiculous6 ,much less is she to obey her father1 if her father's wishes are exactly contrary to the ,divine teaching4 ,she is only to obey ,,in ,,the ,,lord1 and yet thousands of fathers and mothers are preventing their children working for ,god4 ,oh6 what will you say to ,god when your precious children stand at ,his bar1 without the sheaves they might have gathered1 and the souls they might have won8 ,what will you say to ,him8 ,and why do you hold them back8 ,oh1 the mean1 paltry considerations that you would be ashamed to own before this congregation6 ,is it for fear of suffering8 ,not in many instances2 but1 even if it were1 did you bargain with ,jesus ,christ when you gave yourself and children to ,him1 that they were not to suffer for ,him8 ,is it because of your pride8--because you want for them this world's applause and favor8 ,look out6 ,god has wonderful ways of chastising ,his people in those very things in which they sell ,his interest4 ,but you say that everybody will be against you6 ,yes1 very likely4 ,let us settle that at once4 ,count all things dung and dross4 ,let none of these things move you4 ,you say1 ,it will be a life of conflict to the end4 ,very likely1 so was ,his4 ,i am so weak1 you say4 ,he knows all about that4 ,you say1 ,it will be so cutting to have people saying this1 and saying the other4 ,i know it is cutting1 but that is the path ,he calls you to tread1 and ,he will give you grace to bear the cutting4 ,blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you1 and shall say all manner of evil against you1 falsely1 for my sake2 and1 ,if ye be reproached for the name of ,christ1 happy are ye2 for the spirit of glory and of ,god resteth upon you4 ,he does not show where ,he is leading us1 so we can only go a step at a time4 ,the future may look dark1 but let us be fully persuaded in our own minds that the step in advance is the step the ,lord wants us to take--then take it1 and leave the future with ,him4 ,come out1 as ,abraham did1 not knowing whither you go2 and1 as sure as ,he sits upon the throne1 ,he will vindicate your course1 and1 perhaps1 the very things that you sacrifice1 or that you think you sacrifice1 for ,him1 ,he will give you1 as the reward of your faithfulness4 ,oh1 have ,i not known many such instances4 ,i have known daughters who have been turned out of their father's houses for following the leadings of the ,spirit of ,god1 and who have endured all sorts of persecution1 and trial1 and suffering1 and those fathers1 when they were dying1 would have nobody else to pray with them but that individual daughter4 ,the way to win the souls of parents is by a consistent1 steadfast1 holy consecration to the ,lord ,jesus2 whereas1 if you pander1 and trim1 and hesitate1 you will miss the reward4 ,do you think people do not know when we are inconsistent8 ,oh1 yes1 they know quite well1 and they say1 ,that is not the right sort of religion2 but you be consistent and thorough1 and ,god will honor these very means to the winning of the souls about whom you are so concerned4 ,further1 a false ,charity shrinks from opposition4 ,it cannot bear persecution4 ,now1 here is one unfailing characteristic of a false ,charity3 it is always on the winning side--that is1 apparently1 down here2 not what will be1 ultimately1 the winning side4 ,when ,truth sits enthroned1 with a crown on her head1 this false ,charity is most vociferous in her support and devotion2 but when her garments trail in the dust1 and her followers are few1 feeble1 and poor1 then ,jesus ,christ may look after ,himself4 ,i sometimes think respecting this hue and cry about the glory of ,god and the sanctity of religion1 ,i would like to see some of these saints put into the common hall with ,jesus again1 amongst a band of ribald1 mocking1 soldiers4 ,i would like to see1 then1 their zeal for the glory of ,god1 when it touched their own glory4 ,they are wonderfully zealous when their glory and ,his glory go together2 but1 when the mob is at ,his heels1 crying1 ,away with ,him6--crucify ,him6--crucify ,him6--then ,he may look after ,his own glory1 and they will take care of theirs4 ,true ,charity sticks to the ,,lord ,,jesus ,,in ,,the ,,mud1 when ,he is fainting under ,his cross1 as well as when the people are cutting down the boughs and crying ,hosanna6 ,i fear many people make the ,lord ,jesus ,christ a stalking-horse on which to secure their ends4 ,god grant us not to be of that number1 for1 if we are1 ,he will topple us from the very gates of ,heaven down to the nethermost hell4 ,this false ,charity cannot go to the dungeon--you never find it at the stake4 ,it always manages to shift its sides1 and change its face1 before it goes as far as that4 ,never in disgrace2 never with ,jesus ,christ in the minority1 at ,golgotha--on the cross4 ,always with ,him when ,he is riding triumphant6 ,oh1 ,i often think if times of persecution were to come again how many of us would be faithful8 ,how many would go to the dungeon8 ,how many would stand by the truth1 with hooting1 howling mobs at our heels1 such as followed ,him on the way to the cross--such as stood round ,his cross and spat upon ,him1 and cast lots for ,his vesture1 and parted ,his garments among them1 and wagged their heads and cried1 ,he saved others2 ,himself ,he cannot save8 ,how many of us would stick to ,him then8 ,but1 as your soul and mine liveth1 that is the only kind of love that will stand the test of the ,judgment ,day4 ,oh1 have you got this ,charity8 ,love in the darkness2 ,love in the ,garden2 ,love in sorrow2 ,love in suffering2 ,love in isolation2 ,love in persecution2 ,love to the death6--,have we got this love8 ,examine yourselves1 beloved1 and see whether you are in the faith or not1 for there is much need of it in this day1 when there are so many false gospels and so much false doctrine2--when we hear so much about being complete in ,him by people who never were in ,him at all1 and no more understand what it means than the very kitten that lies on their hearth4 ,i say1 examine yourself1 whether you be in the faith or not1 and whether you are in ,him2 for1 verily1 it is no easier now to be ,his real followers than ever it was4 ,further1 a false ,charity refuses to call things by their proper names6 ,oh6 what endless ways it has of putting lying6 lying that is done on this day by professing ,christians6 ,oh1 the nice1 comfortable1 self-indulgent ways it has of looking at ungodly trades and practices6 ,what do ,i mean8 ,i mean trades that cannot be made subservient to the interest of the kingdom of ,christ2 trades that thrive by ministering either to the vile passions of human nature1 or to the ungodliness of human nature4 ,by what nice names it calls ,satanic traffics in the bodies1 hearts1 and souls of men6 ,and1 when ,divine ,charity remonstrates with it1 it turns round and says1 ,well1 you know1 but we must have regard to our own interests2 we have large interests at stake4 ,i sometimes say1 ,god knows you have6 and1 when the ,judge riseth up to avenge those who have been oppressed and destroyed by your iniquitous traffics1 you will find them sadly ,,too ,,large1 ,,too ,,big ,,for ,,the ,,hell ,,itself ,,to ,,contain4 ,the ,lord have mercy on any of you who are living on the follies or wickedness of your fellow-men4 ,make haste to get out of such trades4 ,wash your hands of them1 for1 depend upon it1 that is the devil's ,charity that would try to make you comfortable in them6 ,it has nothing to do with ,divine ,charity4 ,oh1 my soul1 come not into their secret2 unto their assembly1 mine honor1 be not thou united1 but stand aloof from all such alliances of light with darkness1 of truth with falsehood2 have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness1 ,for behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven2 and all the proud1 yea1 and all that do wickedly1 shall be stubble2 and the day that cometh shall burn them up1 saith the ,lord of hosts1 that it shall leave them neither root nor branch4 ,he is the same ,god2 ,he changes not6 ,let us call things by their right names4 ,let us face the evil4 ,let us chase it out of the world--or1 at any rate1 chase it out of the church4 ,depend upon it1 the ,lord is going to prove all things4 ,i can hear1 as it were1 the rumbling of the earthquake of the ,divine indignation underground1 ,i can see the gathering of the ,divine wrath overhead2 and1 ,,if ,,this ,,nation ,,does ,,not ,,repent1 ,,and ,,if ,,the ,,churches ,,of ,,this ,,land ,,do ,,not ,,come ,,out ,,and ,,wash ,,their ,,hands ,,of ,,these ,,things1 ,,god ,,will ,,send ,,us ,,such ,a ,,baptism ,,of ,,blood ,,as ,,we ,,have ,,never ,,conceived ,,of1 ,,and ,,he ,,will ,,put ,,us ,,out1 and put some other nation in our place1 or else ,he will act contrary to all ,his former dealings with nations6 ,do you suppose that ,jerusalem was more guilty than we are8 ,have we not been exalted much higher than ,jerusalem ever was8 ,and have we not sinned against greater light and privilege than ever she did8 ,are not our professed ,christians exactly the same in character as her ,pharisees8 ,do they not make fine and long prayers1 and1 at the same time1 devour the widow and fatherless8 ,yea1 for hellish gain1 do they not make widows and orphans wholesale8 ,might not ,god truly say of us1 ,ah1 sinful nation1 a people laden with iniquity1 a seed of evildoers1 children that are corrupters3 they have forsaken the ,lord1 they have provoked the ,holy ,one of ,israel unto anger3 they are gone away backward4 ,even the prophets prophesy falsely1 and the people love to have it so6 ,do you say1 ,no1 we are not so bad8 ,i answer1 look abroad over the land1 open your eyes1 observe and see4 ,has it not become proverbial--have you not heard it until your ears have tingled1 and your face burned with shame--,better go and deal with anybody than a ,christian8 and1 alas6 has there not been much ground for it8 ,have we any need to wonder that infidels wag their heads8 ,can you go into a shop where you are sure you will not be extortioned8 ,do you know anybody who keeps a conscience with respect to the profits he makes8 ,is there anybody scarcely who won't charge his neighbor more than the article is worth1 if he has a chance1 and call it lawful8 ,that is extortion4 ,it may be only asking twopence for an article worth a penny1 or a #a1jjj pounds for what #gjj pounds should buy2 it does not matter the amount--it is ,,extortion6 ,god puts extortioners amongst the blackest of sinners4 ,the ,lord help me to ,look not every man on his own things1 but every man also on the things of others1 and have the ,charity that will not take a mean advantage of my neighbor because ,i have the chance1 and thus traduce the precious name of the ,holy ,jesus by calling myself one of ,his followers4 ,it is time this satanic ,charity was swept out6 ,the very first law1 the very vital principle of true ,charity1 is righteousness4 ,there is no ,charity apart from righteousness4 ,if your ,charity is incompatible with righteousness1 it is born of the devil and leads to hell6 ,if you have had anything revealed to you1 in your heart or life1 that you see to be wrong1 say1 ,here ,lord1 pour the light in2 ,i am so glad ,you have shown this thing to me while there is time to alter it4 ,now bring your dissecting knife1 and cut it away1 even if the roots go deep down into my very heart's core4 ,i will have it out4 ,will you8 ,will you be made true1 straight1 clean8 ,will you be made ,divine8 ,will you be filled with the pure1 holy love of ,god towards ,god1 and towards men1 and all beings8 ,that is what the ,lord wants you to have4 ,this is what ,he has sent ,his ,son to do4 ,no subterfuge2 no make-believe work to get you into ,heaven as you are2 but ,he wants to make you as ,he wants you to be1 and ,he can do it4 ,the ,great ,physician is able1 ,he is willing1 ,he has got love enough1 and power enough and grace enough to do it for you4 ,confide all your heart to ,him4 ,will you have this ,divine ,charity wrought in you8 ,it will make you willing to suffer1 to endure hardness1 and shame1 and contempt1 and persecution4 ,it will make you willing to do anything that human nature can do1 and endure anything that human nature can suffer1 that you may accomplish the same purposes that ,he came to accomplish1 that you may help onward the progress of ,his glorious kingdom4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,charity ,,and ,,loneliness4 ,and now abideth faith1 hope1 charity1 these three2 but the greatest of these is charity4-,i ,,cor4 xiii4 #ac4 ,the possession of this ,divine ,charity often necessitates walking in a lonely path4 ,not merely in opposition and persecution1 but alone in it1 and here1 again1 ,jesus1 who was the personification of ,divine lore1 stands out as our great example4 ,he was emphatically alone1 and of the people there was none with ,him4 ,even the disciples whom ,he had drawn nearest to ,him1 and to whom ,he had tried to communicate most of ,his thought and spirit1 were so behind that ,he often had to reprove them1 and lament their obtuseness and want of sympathy4 ,in the greatness of ,his love ,he had to go forward into the darkness of ,gethsemane4 ,he was alone while they slept1 and then through ribaldry1 scorn1 and sarcasm1 to the cross4 ,alas6 alas6 almost alone1 except a few--to their everlasting honor--poor faithful women--alone6 ,and1 as it was with the ,master1 so it has been with all those whom ,god has called to go in advance of their race4 ,it was so with ,john1 and with ,paul1 and with most of the apostles1 and with all those whom ,god has called to extraordinary paths since4 ,must ,john have a revelation of things shortly to come to pass8 ,he must go alone into the ,isle of ,patmos6 ,must ,paul hear unspeakable words1 not1 at that time1 lawful for a man to utter8 ,he must go alone into the third heaven1 and not be allowed even to communicate what he saw and heard when he came down2 alone1 he must necessarily go in advance4 ,and just so1 when ,god has called some of ,his followers to an out-of-the-way path1 they have had to go alone in an untrodden way4 ,superior love necessitates a lonely walk4 ,you shrink1 and say1 ,that seems so hard4 ,yes1 ,i know2 ,i wish ,i could make it easier1 but ,i cannot help it4 ,i simply state the fact1 that superior love necessitates1 in some measure1 a lonely walk1 because you see it is only they who--thus love1 to whom the ,lord tells ,his secrets4 ,if you want to ask a confidential question and get a confidential answer1 you must be on the bosom of your ,master4 ,you won't be able to do it at a distance4 ,then1 you see1 when ,he gives to any soul superior light to its fellows1 and that soul follows the light1 it necessarily entails a path in advance of its fellows4 ,unless he can inspire and encourage them 7which1 alas6 is hard work7 to follow1 he must go on alone4 ,that was a beautiful illustration we read in the lesson 7,acts x474 ,here is ,peter called to go in advance of the whole ,church6 ,now1 the ,lord wants a man to do this1 and whom does ,he choose8 ,he chooses impulsive1 energetic1 head-first ,peter4 ,but then1 there is something to be done first ,god lets down the sheet with all its unclean contents1 and ,peter fastens his eyes upon it4 7,i wish you had studied all the sheets the ,lord has let down before your eyes1 you would have come out very differently to what you have47 ,peter studies them1 and soon the ,divine vision has absorbed ,peter's attention4 ,when the ,lord has fairly got his attention1 then comes the voice1 ,now1 ,peter1 rise1 slay and eat4 ,then1 when the ,lord had taught him his lesson effectually1 and when ,peter saw that he had not yet explored all the ideas of the ,divine mind about the extension of ,his kingdom1 and that his business was to follow his ,lord's directions1 and not to have his own ifs and buts1 but go ahead and do as ,god bade him1 then ,peter goes on to carry out the ,divine direction4 ,then the church1 aghast1 as usual1 at anything new--always down upon a measure1 whether good or bad1 if it has the awful quality of being new--was down upon it4 ,this new church1 which had only just itself been brought to ,god by a set of new measures1 is down upon ,peter1 and they call him to the council to answer for his conduct4 ,he tells them all about it in the truthful simplicity of a man of ,god1 and1 thank ,god1 they had sense enough--yes1 and love enough1 charity enough1 to accept his explanations1 and to glorify ,god4 ,would to ,god we could get as much sense and charity in these days6 ,a lady writes to me1 only the other day1 of her husband1 saying that he sympathises with outside work1 but contends that there is everything one wants in the church2 and another contends that there is everything everybody wants somewhere else1 and so they are down upon all the ,peters that dare to do anything out of the jog-trot line4 ,you may reason ever so urgently1 and show them that all these old measures are not enough for everybody1 that there is a great mass of outlying population which they do not reach--the ,gentiles of this generation2 you may show them that these ,gentiles are without the ,holy ,ghost1 that they are not cleansed1 that they are yet common and unclean2 you may show them that these new measures of yours are quite as lawful as their old measures1 and that1 probably1 they would be a great deal more useful1 and1 moreover1 that they have been borne in upon you by the ,holy ,ghost1 and that you feel as if there were a fire in your bones urging you to go and try them1 but they will not hold their peace and glorify ,god1 but will loose their tongues and villify you4 ,false ,charity looks more at the means than at the end4 ,its possessor is more concerned about what men will think of him1 than what will exalt the ,redeemer4 ,you can know it by this mark4 ,are you more concerned about what your neighbor1 ,mr4 ,so-and-,so1 or your minister1 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,so-and-,so1 or even your bishop1 thinks about you1 than you are about the extension of the kingdom of ,christ8 ,look out1 my friend1 yours is the wrong sort of ,charity4 ,true ,charity looks at the end--the spread of righteousness in the earth--the reign of the ,king--and it is not very fastidious about the measures1 so that they are lawful4 ,i do not advocate anything unlawful1 to do good--,god forbid4 ,divine ,charity says1 ,anywhere with ,jesus--in the temple or outside of it--at the seaside or in ,cheapside--on the mountain top or in the market place--in the streets--anywhere1 ,lord ,jesus1 if ,thou wilt only come and take ,thine inheritance and reign over the hearts and souls of men4 ,true ,charity is only too glad to become a ,jew to the ,jews1 as weak to the weak1 if it can only pick them up2--only too glad to descend to men of low estate1 and put its arms round their necks1 if it can only bring them to the cross and bring them back to the heart and ,heaven of ,god2 and it does not care what the ,pharisee on the other side says2 it is set on saving the poor sinner2 it is pouring in oil and wine1 and putting him on its own beast2 it is intent on saving him1 and does not care what anybody thinks4 ,have you got it8 ,it is so good4 ,it makes you feel so warm and comfortable inside4 ,it is beautiful1 and it proves better and better every day1 and it will be better still when you are dying--,faith and ,hope will be done away1 but this love will last forever6 ,but this necessitates somebody leading the way--going on in advance4 ,will you be content to go in advance8 ,will you endure the hardness of a pioneer8 ,can you bear the ridicule and gibes of your fellow-men8 ,dare you go where the ,holy ,ghost leads1 and leave ,him to look after the consequences8 ,if so1 happy are you1 and you shall have a harvest of precious souls2 you shall shine as the stars forever2 but1 if you draw back1 ,his soul shall have no pleasure in you4 ,step out on to the ,divine love1 that is able1 alone amongst the breakers1 to bear your little bark--able to make you more than a conqueror4 ,oh1 step out--follow1 follow1 follow--do not be afraid6 ,spurious ,charity is the opposite of this4 ,it must have human notice4 ,ostentation is its very essence4 ,cease to notice it1 and it will soon die4 ,i went about to establish mine own righteousness1 says ,paul1 before he got the true ,charity4 ,here was a grand opportunity for ,pharisaic ,saul4 ,these ,nazarenes1 were they not everywhere spoken against8 ,was not this a grand opportunity for him to be everywhere spoken for8--and so he takes advantage of public opinion1 and becomes exceedingly mad against them2 and1 not satisfied with persecuting them in his own city1 he goes after them into strange cities1 but he reveals1 afterwards1 when he got the ,divine ,charity1 that the mainspring of his zeal was ,,self-,,glory4 ,false ,charity hates to be in a minority--you never find it in an unrespectable minority1--it wants company1 and that of a respectable1 genteel kind4 ,its possessors are always sticklers for the traditions of the elders2 their horizon is bounded very largely by the opinions of men and the attitude of the rulers4 ,they are always asking1 ,have any of the rulers believed on ,him8 ,now1 my friends1 let this teach you wisdom and love4 ,prove all things before you condemn4 ,i have no doubt ,saul was an honest man1 in the world's acceptation of the term1 for he says he persecuted the ,nazarenes ignorantly1 thinking he was doing ,god service2 but what a grand mistake he was making1 and how effectually he was doing the work of the devil6 ,of course1 if he had seen1 he was mistaken1 he would have ceased to be mistaken4 ,i wish people would stop and think that the path they are now standing in the well-beaten track on which they are now walking with such slow dignity--was one quite as new and unconventional and outrageous to the coadjutors of their forefathers1 as the path which any new departure by the ,holy ,ghost may set before them now4 ,i wish such people would read history4 ,i suppose they do not1 or1 if they do1 they read it as they do the ,bible--they fail to draw any practical principle from it4 ,such people should read ,neale's ,history of the ,puritans1 and see in what a hurricane of excitement1 opposition1 contempt1 and persecution1 their forefathers fought for the very paths they are now standing still in1 and holding so sacred that they cannot have them disturbed4 ,do you see how unphilosophically they are acting8 ,if their forefathers had acted on the principles they are acting on1 they would have stood still in old paths1 and we would never have been in the new ones4 ,these people stand in these paths of traditionalism and routinism1 just where their forefathers left them1 occupying all their time in admiring the wisdom and benevolence and devotion of their forefathers1 instead of imitating their aggressive faith and ,,marching ,,on ,,to ,,the ,,conquest ,,of ,,the ,,world4 ,which is the most ,god-honoring8 ,which has the most common sense in it8 ,which will please your forefathers the most8 ,but it is now as it was in the days of the ,son of ,man--for1 ye build the tombs of the prophets1 and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous1 and say1 ',if we had been in the days of our fathers1 we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets4' ,wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves1 that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets4 ,alas6 what a deal of this is going on to-day1 only there is one difference--it is going on under a ,christian creed1 instead of a ,jewish4 ,it is only the creed that differs--the character1 the spring of action1 is the same4 ,now1 my friends1 try yourselves--which ,charity have you got8 ,do you rejoice in the extension of the kingdom of ,jesus ,christ by any lawful means1 or are you more concerned about the color of a man's coat than the state of his heart8 ,would you rather the poor drunkard were left to rot and seethe in his misery1 than that a man should put on a blue jacket with an ,s4,footnote3 ,badge of the ,salvation ,army4 on his collar1 and go and fetch him out8 ,would you rather have men damned conventionally1 than saved unconventionally8 ,if you would1 you are a ,pharisee at heart--,i care not what you call yourselves4 ,go home and read for your instruction ,matt1 xxiii4 #bc-bh4 ,further1 how bitterly this false ,charity often comes out in individual cases4 ,we will just take an illustration4 ,we will suppose here is a family of decent1 respectable1 professedly ,christian people1 who have been to church or chapel most of their lives4 ,or here is a ,church1 we will suppose1 of the same character--nothing particular has happened2 they fear the ,lord1 and go comfortably along1 and are just where they were ten or fifteen years ago1 making up for deaths and removals4 ,we will suppose that a member of that family or that church1 as the case may be1 gets converted4 ,he reads a book1 goes to a special meeting1 or some providential utterance is the means of sending the light of ,god's ,spirit upon his soul1 and he is quickened and woke up to see the miserable1 half-dead1 guilty condition in which he is2 he is praying and groaning1 and feeling after ,god2 he gets the sense of his transgressions and unfaithfulness being taken away1 and the joy of ,god's salvation restored to his soul4 ,now1 in a moment1 almost immediately1 as in the case of ,peter1 as soon as the internal work is done1 comes the external path opened up4 ,the ,spirit of ,god lays before him some new work1 something strikes him which has been long forgotten1 or which never seems to have been recognised in his family or church4 ,he sees what a grand thing that would be for the conversion of souls1 and the extension of the kingdom of ,jesus ,christ1 and he feels it beginning to burn like a fire in his bones to enter this path of usefulness4 ,he prays much over it1 and he waits until he is fully satisfied that it is not a vain impulse1 but that it is of the ,spirit of ,god4 ,full of love1 and faith1 and zeal1 he goes to tell his minister1 or some ,christian friend2 he expects that they will sympathise with his feelings1 and enter into his project2 but1 alas6 alas6 they begin by raising objections--they start difficulties3--,well1 but you see that would be a little out of our order3 that is not exactly our way of doing things4 ,i am afraid the deacons would object1 or ,i am afraid something would happen2 and if he has the misfortune to be young 7anybody would think it was a sin to be young71 they will crush him out2 they put the extinguisher on1 and say1 ,wait1 my brother1 until you have more experience1 or1 my sister1 especially1 you must never presume to do anything of which we cannot approve6 ,oh6 friends1 you smile because you know how true it is6 ,oh1 alas6 the thousands of urgings of the ,holy ,ghost2 the thousands of heavenly voices that have been as clear to human souls as ever ,peter's sheet was to him2 the thousands of glorious aspirations and schemes for the spread of the kingdom of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ that have been thus crushed by this spurious1 false1 selfish1 devilish ,charity6 ,the ,lord put it out4 ,oh6 ,i would not care what the ,lord called my child to do that would be for the extension of ,his kingdom and the glory of ,his name2 ,i would not restrain her or keep her back4 ,i might say1 ,my child1 it may be a painful thing for me to consent4 ,i might have chosen another path for you2 but if you are satisfied the ,spirit leads you1 go forward1 and ,i will do all ,i can to help you4 ,why8 ,because ,i want the ,king to have ,his own1 and ,i do not care how it is1 so that ,he gets ,his own1 and ,i will have ,him to use mine as well as me to get it4 ,fathers and mothers1 look out6 ,if you grudge your children to ,god1 ,he will be even with you4 ,they that honor ,me1 ,i will honor1 but they who do not1 shall be lightly esteemed4 ,they shall get light weight all round1 and be whipped with their own rods4 ,mind how you withhold that which is most precious from ,god6 ,mind you do not receive the grace of ,god in vain2 some people do4 ,the fifth point in which this ,divine and spurious ,charity contradict each other1 is1 that ,divine ,charity--the pure love of ,god--is law abiding4 ,that is1 it always manifests itself in harmony with the great moral law of the universe--it never does evil that good may come6 ,you never hear it saying--,i cannot say that this is exactly square2 ,i know this is not exactly the right course1 but then ,i can accomplish such and such objects by adopting it4 ,never6 that is of the devil6 ,you may always know that the law of righteousness is entwined round the very heart of ,divine ,charity1 and as justice and judgment are the habitation of the throne of its ,divine ,author1 so righteousness is in the very core of its soul4 ,it will never sacrifice righteousness for peace1 or anything else4 ,now1 what is the whole duty of man8 ,to love mercy1 to do justly1 and walk humbly with ,god2 and1 when the ,holy ,spirit has brought about that result in your soul1 ,god will look on you with a beneficent eye1 with a smile of approbation1 and its genial influence will sun your whole being1 and you will walk in the light of it1 even as the angels do in ,heaven4 ,do justice1 love mercy1 and walk humbly with ,god2 that is the whole duty of man--everything is included in that4 ,do you hear it1 oh6 ye temporizers with ,divine law8 ,do you hear it1 ye who say that we must come down partly1 and be a little like the world in order to win it8 that you must come on to the level of the ungodly in order that you may win them to ,god8--,i tell you that all unrighteousness is sin6 ,do you hear this1 you who contend for covering up by a false ,charity certain sins which are sending men to perdition wholesale1 and make laws and acts of parliament to protect men in these crimes8 ,i know your specious arguments that come from the devil2 but ,i ask1 is it justice to take one part of the human race1 and that the weaker1 and1 therefore1 according to the law of ,divine ,charity1 demanding the greater protection from cruelty and wrong1 and offer that part up for the supposed good of the other1 because the latter is stronger8 ,is that justice8 ,is that mercy8 and1 mind1 ,i say emphatically supposed good2 for1 do you think one part of ,god's creation can be trodden down without reacting with terrible moral force upon the other8 ,do you think it can8 ,was it ever done8 ,will it ever be done8 ,no6 not while ,he sits on ,his throne4 ,yes1 supposed good1 for facts mock your arguments4 ,it is not for their good2 you know it is not4 ,you cannot accomplish your purpose when you have done all2 and think you that you will escape1 by your satanic inventions1 the ,divine ,executioner8 ,think you that your specious arguments will avail with ,him who hath sworn in ,his holy habitation that ,he will avenge the oppressed and down-trodden of the earth8 ,no1 no6 ,i see written between the lines1 and ,i hear muttering between your speeches4 ,be not deceived2 ,god is not mocked3 for whatsoever a man soweth1 that shall he also reap4 ,you cannot escape the penalty6 ,the last characteristic of true ,charity which ,i shall name is1 that it holds out1 in spite of ingratitude1 opposition1 and persecution6 ,its possessor seeks the good of all men1 not because he ought1 merely1 but because he cannot help it4 ,his heart is on the side of ,god and truth4 ,he loves righteousness1 and1 therefore1 cannot desist from seeking to bring all beings to love it1 too1 although they hate and despise him for so doing4 ,jesus held out in this glorious love1 even in the agonies of crucifixion4 ,father1 forgive them2 they know not what they do4 ,his heart was set on bringing man back to ,god1 and ,he went through with it4 ,his soul did not draw back1 and ,his ,divine love constrained ,him1 even onto death4 ,paul followed his ,master in this respect2 and though the more he loved some of his converts1 the less he was loved1 he went on1 seeking their highest good1 not being hindered for a moment by their ingratitude4 ,he loved them--not their good opinion or applause6 ,a spurious ,charity soon tires when the objects of it prove unworthy4 ,its possessor says3 ,i have had enough of this2 the kinder ,i am1 the worse people treat me4 ,i shall button up my pocket1 and take my ease1 till ,i am better appreciated4 ,self-glory is the very life of spurious ,charity3 it dies right out under ingratitude and contempt4 ,which have you got1 my brother8--my sister8 ,does somebody say1 as a man who had been to a service at ,scarborough the other1 day1 and had been hearing some straight truth1 said1 when asked1 ,how did you like it8 ,the man1 a young1 prosperous tradesman in the town1 shuffled about1 and said3 ,well1 it was awful2 if that is true1 ,i am on my way to hell4 ,thank ,god he had found it out4 ,now1 have you got this ,divine ,charity8 ,i told you1 at the beginning1 it did not grow on unregenerate human nature1 so if you are an unregenerate man1 and have not the ,holy ,spirit1 ,i want you to find it out4 ,you have to begin at the beginning1 and get the plant planted4 ,no matter what spurious imitations you have got1 if you have not got the love of ,god4 ,have you got it1 brother8--sister8 ,if you have not1 you can have it this afternoon4 ,will you seek it8 ,we were all once without it1 even as it is said1 ,we were the children of wrath1 even as others2 we hated those who hated us2 we hated things1 not because they were wicked1 and against ,god1 but because they were opposed to us personally2 our love and hate were influenced by selfishness1 the same as others1 but now the ,lord has renewed our hearts1 and made us in some little measure1 like ,him who loved righteousness1 and hated iniquity2 and1 therefore1 ,god anointed ,him with the oil of gladness above ,his fellows4 ,oh6 yes2 the more you love righteousness and hate iniquity1 the more of gladness you will have1 and the more glorious the testimony you will give for ,god4 ,you will be able to say1 with ,david1 ,i have not hid ,thy righteousness within my heart2 ,i have declared ,thy faithfulness and ,thy salvation3 ,i have not concealed ,thy loving kindness and ,thy truth from the great congregation4 ,there will be no difficulty about declaring it4 ,we find it easy to declare it when people get it4 ,we cannot keep them quiet2 they are like the early converts--they are up two or three together2 and1 like ,paul1 we have to say1 ,one at a time2 you shall all prophecy1 if you do it one at a time4 ,when people get it1 it bubbles up1 and runs over2 it springs up1 as out great ,master said1 as a well of water1 unto everlasting life4 ,many floods cannot quench it2 it abideth forever4 ,have you got it8 ,have you got enough of it to lift you above your petty1 selfish interests1 or are you guided by the ,charity that first looks inside to see how any proposition will affect self1 instead of seeing how it will affect the kingdom of ,god8 ,and you1 poor sinner1 who know you have not got it--,i have more hope of you than some who profess to have it4 ,his great bowels of compassion move towards you2 ,he is waiting to shed abroad this love in your heart4 ,the feast is spread2 all things are now ready4 ,oh6 come into ,his banqueting house1 and sit under ,his banner of love for ever and ever4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,conditions ,,of ,,effectual ,,prayer4 ,if ye abide in ,me1 and ,my words abide in you1 ye shall ask what you will1 and it shall be done unto you4--,,john xv4 #g4 ,therefore ,i say unto you1 ,what things soever ye desire1 when ye pray1 believe that ye receive them1 and ye shall have them4--,,mark xi4 #bd4 ,if any of you lack wisdom1 let him ask of ,god1 that giveth to all men liberally1 and upbraideth not2 and it shall be given him4 ,but let him ask in faith1 nothing wavering4 ,for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea1 driven with the wind and tossed4 ,for let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the ,lord4--,,james i4#e-g4 ,likewise the ,spirit also helpeth our infirmities3 for we know not what we should pray for as we ought3 but the ,spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered4 ,and ,he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the ,spirit1 because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of ,god4--,,romans viii4 #bf1bg4 ,i have not taken the texts in the order in which they stand1 but in the order in which they logically follow one another1 and in which they elucidate the subject4 ,and now1 in the few remarks ,i wish to make1 ,i shall try to embody answers to the letters ,i have received on this subject4 ,there is no experience1 perhaps1 more common in these days than this1 nothing more constantly said to me by professing ,christians3 ,well1 ,i have prayed a long time for certain things1 but ,i don't seem to get any answers to my prayers4 ,i often wonder such people don't give up praying altogether ,i think ,i should if ,i never got answers4 ,now ,i say1 this is a very ,god-dishonoring experience1 and there must be something wrong somewhere when this is the case4 ,there must be something wrong either with the suppliants or the ,giver4 ,oh6 ,i feel often what a deeply ,god-dishonoring thing it is when ,christians meet1 as they frequently do1 up and down the country1 to pray for a revival1 to pray for a specific thing in their ,churches and in their families1 and it never comes4 ,some years ago1 when the wave of revival was sweeping over ,ireland and ,america1 you know the ,churches in this country held united prayer-meetings to pray that it might come to ,england2 but it did not come1 and the infidels wagged their heads1 and wrote in their newspapers3 ,see1 the ,christians' ,god is either deaf or gone a-hunting1 for they have had prayer-meetings all over the land for a revival1 and it has not come4 ,oh6 how my cheeks burned with shame as ,i thought of it2 how ,i mourned over it6 ,i knew it was not because our ,god was asleep --not because ,his arm was shortened--not because ,his bowels of compassion did not yearn over sinners--not because he could not have poured out ,his ,spirit and have given us the same glorious times of refreshing they had in other places4 ,that was not the reason4 ,there was only one reason1 and that was1 that ,his people asked amiss4 ,they did not understand the conditions of prevailing prayer4 ,they did not fulfil them4 ,if they had prayed till now1 and maintained the same attitude1 they would not have got the answer1 because there are conditions to these promises1 as to all other promises2 and we may pray ourselves black and blue in the face if we do not comply with the conditions4 ,god will never move an inch to meet us1 and never fulfil the promises in our experience4 ,may you1 who are awake to perceive your responsibilities and obligations in respect to the perishing world1 take heed to my words1 and take home what ,i say--think about it1 pray over it1 try to realize it is the ,lord's message to you4 ,these are only a tithe of the glorious promises with respect to prayer4 ,there are plenty of them in the ,book1 in which ,god has bound ,himself to answer the faithful prayers of ,his people4 ,the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much4 ,now1 why is it that the great mass of professing ,christians do not get answers to their prayers8 ,in the first place1 they are not the ,,characters to whom ,god has made the promises4 ,these promises are made to ,god's saints--to those who keep ,his commandments1 who walk in the light and have fellowship with ,him through the ,holy ,spirit1 and1 therefore1 the ,spirit can make intercession for them4 ,how can the ,spirit make intercession for a man when ,he is not in him8 ,those who are walking in the light can see what sort of requests to put up1 when to put them up1 and how to put them up2 they see it all1 because they are in the light4 ,such people do ask1 and receive4 ,but1 alas6 it is because there are so few of these that ,god's character is traduced every day1 and that infidels laugh at us and at our ,god1 too4 ,now1 do not go round about1 and try to put this off you4 ,who are these promises made to8 ,i challenge anybody to find me promises in this ,book1 taken with the context 7except in the case of repenting sinners1 who are a special class1 and met with special promises71 except to saints4 ,there are no promises of answer to prayer1 except to this class of character4 ,these promises are not made to everybody1 are they8 ,the prayer of the wicked is an abomination to ,god1 except it be his prayer when he is forsaking his wickedness4 ,then that prayer is not an abomination2 but all other prayers of the wicked are4 ,these promises are made to righteous people--to people who are3 ,first1 in fellowship with ,god4 ,if ye abide in ,me1 and ,my words abide in you2--having been brought into living fellowship by a living faith1 the promises are made to those people who ,,maintain that union--who walk in it1 who live in it1 and who avail themselves of the opportunities and privileges which ,jesus has bestowed upon them by virtue of that union4 ,now1 you see1 friends1 it is not enough that you were once in union with ,jesus1 in order to get answers to your prayers4 ,i am afraid there are thousands in a backslidden state4 ,they have let go the grasp of faith2 they are not abiding in ,christ2 they are abiding out of ,him1 and yet they are constantly praying and wondering why ,god does not answer their prayers4 ,don't you see1 the first condition is wanting4 ,there is no possible way of approach to the ,father but through the ,son4 ,all prayers are an abomination to ,god which do not go up to ,him through ,his ,son1 and in ,his ,son1 except such as those of ,cornelius1 who never heard of ,christ2 but to people who have ever had the light and known ,his ,son1 no prayers while out of living union with ,his ,son are accepted4 ,and that does not mean saying1 ,for the sake of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,it does not matter much what people say4 ,god never pays any attention to people's words2 it is what they mean and feel that ,he pays attention to2 and ,he knows when people really offer their prayers in union with ,his ,son4 ,they are not in union1 and1 therefore1 their prayers never rise any higher than the room in which they offer them4 ,they hardly get out of their mouths2 ,god never hears them4 ,they are drowned and buried in their own throats4 ,oh6 you young converts1 never drop out of living union with ,jesus4 ,keep in it--hold it fast--walk in it1 and you will get answers to your prayers every day4 ,you will be as sure of it as if you saw ,god doing what you ask1 and heard ,him speaking to you4 ,you will be able to say1 ,i know that ,thou hearest me always4 ,bless ,his name6 ,those who abide in ,him can say that in their measure4 ,the next condition of prevailing prayer1 is--obedience to the light4 ,now1 what does it mean to walk in obedience8 ,well1 it does not mean1 searching this ,new ,testament to find out how little of ,god's grace will get you into ,heaven6 ,it does not mean1 running round to see what this person says and the other person says about such and such a text1 in order that you may escape from the real1 practical meaning of the text6 ,such people are hypocrites at heart1 whoever they are2 or at least1 insincere4 ,they don't want to know ,god's will2 they would much rather not know it4 ,they want to get away from the plain1 practical1 common-sense meaning of the text1 and then they say1 ,it doesn't mean exactly what it says1 and ,it should be interpreted so-and-so2 and they stroke themselves down1 and try to make themselves feel comfortable when they are traitors at heart4 ,that is not walking in the light4 ,walking in the light is like walking in the sun--not running behind a pillar there1 and a tree yonder1 to get away from the light4 ,it is coming right out1 and saying1 ,now1 ,lord ,jesus2 ,i want to know ,thy will4 ,lord1 pour ,thy light upon me4 ,i am prepared to follow it1 even though it is to the block and to the stake4 ,first1 desire to have the light4 ,oh6 it makes my heart ache--,i was going to say boil--with righteous indignation1 in jealousy for ,god's honor1 to think that ,he should be so traduced and blasphemed by those who profess to love ,him--who try to make out that they get wrong for want of light4 ,nothing of the kind4 ,here is plenty of light2 but you must say1 ,yes1 ,lord1 ,i am willing to have it1 even if it condemns me4 ,if it condemns my heart1 my head1 ,lord1 pour it on me4 ,if it condemns my life1 pour it on me4 ,if it condemns those companions1 those indulgences1 pour it on me3 ,i will give them up4 ,if it condemns my business1 pour it on me3 ,i will abandon such business1 and sooner die in the workhouse than continue in it4 ,if it condemns my family relations1 ,i will come out from them1 and follow ,thee4 ,the ,lord will always answer such a soul as that4 ,he will put ,his finger down on this sore spot and the other1 and ,he will tell you what to do1 and you will be as sure of it as if you heard ,his audible voice4 ,what does it mean to walk in the light8 ,obey ,his voice4 ,don't stop to confer with flesh and blood1 but1 as ,paul did1 get up1 and set off to commence the career which your ,master commands4 ,paul did not stop to confer with flesh and blood4 ,he did not stop to reckon what it would cost him1 but on he went1 and never stops1 until he reaches the block4 ,that is walking in the light--obeying--not standing1 quibbling with the ,lord about it2 not saying1 ,oh6 but1--but doing it4 ,oh6 friends1 no matter who preaches another ,gospel to you2 no matter who comes with the doctrine that you can be accepted of ,god--be a saint on any other conditions4 ,for ,christ's sake and your soul's sake1 don't believe them4 ,as the apostle ,john says3 ,if there come any unto you1 and bring not this doctrine1 receive him not into your house1 neither bid him ,god speed4 ,you say1 ,but then it is such a costly sacrifice4 ,it is1 in one sense2 but when you have paid the price1 when you have made the sacrifice1 when you have entered upon the road1 the joy1 the light1 the power1 and the glory are worth a hundred times as much4 ,did any man that ever got the ,pearl of great price feel that he had given too much for it1 even if he had given all that he had8 ,never6 ,martyrs and confessors have gloried in the possession of it while they have writhed on the rack and in the flames1 and you never heard one solitary testimony that any man or woman of ,god ever thought that they had paid too highly for it4 ,never6 ,do you want to have your prayers answered8 ,that is the way4 ,walk so that your own heart condemns you not4 ,the obedient child that lives in complacent affection with its parent has no fear in coming up to ask for favors4 ,it knows it will get them4 ,its own heart does not condemn it4 ,if our own heart condemn us not1 then have we confidence toward ,god4 ,i defy any man to separate confidence and obedience4 ,if you will not be obedient1 you cannot have confidence4 ,i challenge any ,christian here to tell me that he can go up to the throne of ,god in faith for any blessing1 when his own heart condemns him4 ,he knows he cannot4 ,,he ,,has ,,first ,,to ,,get ,,that ,,state ,,of ,,condemnation ,,taken ,,away before he can exercise faith for any blessing4 ,walk in the light1 and then you shall have fellowship with ,him1 and ,his blood will cleanse you from all sin1 and the ,spirit will teach you how to pray1 and what to pray for1 which the great mass of professors know nothing about4 ,further1 the leading1 teaching1 and urging of the ,holy ,ghost is the next condition of effectual prayer4 ,we might call these conditions a four-linked chain1 connecting our souls with the very heart of ,god4 ,first1 fellowship with ,jesus2 second1 obedience to ,his commands1 walking in the light2 third1 the intercession of the indwelling ,spirit2 and fourth1 the exercise of faith2 and if you miss any one of these links1 your prayers are done for4 ,you may have all the other three1 but if you miss one1 you will not get answers4 ,it will cut communion1 and there will be no response4 ,i am afraid a good many professors do not know what the ,spirit of intercession means4 ,they do not know anything about the ,spirit making intercession for them with groanings that cannot be uttered4 ,when we get more of this ,spirit of intercessory prayer in parents1 we shall see more spiritual children born4 ,now1 the ,holy ,spirit says1 here we know not what to pray for as we ought1 unless the ,spirit teaches2 hence people are constantly1 as ,james says1 asking and not receiving1 because they ask amiss4 ,ye ask amiss1 that ye may consume it upon your lusts--that means1 your earthly desires1 affections1 purposes1 bound by the horizon of earth4 ,now1 ,i believe that this is the great reason why thousands of ,christians pray and never1 get answers4 ,they ,,are ,,selfish ,,in ,,their ,,prayers2 they are earthy2 they ask amiss1 that they may consume it upon their earthly desires1 affections1 and propensities4 ,mothers tell me that they have prayed for their children for years1 and not got one of them converted4 ,i say1 ,more the pity2 more the shame on you4 ,why8 ,because they prayed merely selfish1 instinctive prayers1 because they were their children1 or because they wanted them to be religions1 so that they would not go into sin1 or bring disgrace or misery upon the family1 or it would be so nice to have them religious2 but they don't want them to be righteous over much2 they don't want them to be so given up to ,god as to cut off the vanities and fooleries of this world1 and to give themselves up wholly to ,christ--that is too much2 but just religion enough to make them a comfort to themselves4 ,would you answer such prayers if you were ,god8 ,hundreds and thousands of prayers are put up every day that go no deeper and no higher than that1 if the motives were analyzed--and the ,holy ,ghost does analyze4 ,i am afraid many wives pray for their husbands on the same tack4 ,they are not troubled that their husbands are living in disobedience to ,god1 squandering their time1 talents1 and money1 and robbing the kingdom of ,jesus ,christ of what they might be doing for it2--the agonizing consideration is1 that1 if religious1 they would spend so much more time at home2 that they are wasting the money1 instead of laying it up for the children2 and that1 if they were religious1 all this would be right4 ,now1 ,i say1 ,god will never answer that wife's prayer for her husband6 ,you must think of what your husband could be for ,god--what he could do for ,god's kingdom--how ,jesus ,christ has shed ,his blood for him--how dishonoring a life of sin is to ,god2 and you must dwell on this until your heart is ready to break1 and you will soon get your husband converted1 if you act wisely along with your prayers4 ,god hates selfishness--selfishness is the devil1 the very embodiment of him4 ,you must get out of self2 you must look at your child always as ,god's1 as having a precious soul redeemed with the precious blood of ,jesus1 and having talents and capacities to glorify ,him and spread ,his kingdom2 and you must ground your prayers on that1 and say1 ,i would rather lay them in the grave1 a thousand times--rather they were poor and despised--than they should grow up to dishonor ,thee4 ,then you will get your prayers answered6 ,people pray about their business4 ,god sees that the way to destroy that man is to let him get on4 ,he does not want money in order to roll the old chariot along4 ,god sees that prosperity would eat his soul like a canker1 and so ,he won't let him get on4 ,the ,spirit of ,god never leads the soul to a selfish prayer4 ,no2 it leads the soul to weep because men keep not ,his law1 to cry more about ,his interests than its own4 ,it is willing for its own house to lie desolate1 if that will promote the spread of ,god's kingdom4 ,it is willing for the sparrow to find a nest on its own altar1 if by that it can replenish and glorify the altar of ,jehovah4 ,then comes the last link--faith4 ,here is another secret4 ,no believer can exercise faith for anything that the ,holy ,ghost does not lead him up to4 ,you may pray1 and pray1 but you will never exercise faith until you have the ,spirit making intercession in you4 ,there is very little difficulty about believing with people who have taken the three preceding steps4 ,those who are in fellowship with ,jesus1 those who are walking in the light1 those who have the ,holy ,ghost as an interceding ,spirit--they know what to pray for2 they know what the mind of the ,spirit is2 they know how the ,spirit is leading them1 and they can march up to the throne and ask and receive4 ,they know their request is according to the mind of ,god1 and they can wrestle1 if need be1 like the ,syrophenician woman1 if ,he sees fit to try their faith4 ,he does not always answer at once4 ,he lets them wrestle with groans that cannot be uttered2 but they know the ,spirit is making intercession for them1 and they hold on sometimes amidst great discouragement and temptation till the answer comes4 ,they get the assurance of faith1 which says1 ,yes1 it shall be done4 ,people look at them with wonder4 ,christian friends know the thing they are praying for has not come1 and say1 ,you look as glad as if yon had it2 ,i have got the earnest3 ,i know it is coming3 ,i have the assurance that it shall be done4 ,now1 every praying parent ought to wrestle till that is got for every child4 ,you never ought to leave off till then1 and then train as well as pray--co-work with ,god3 that is the law of the kingdom1 all the way through4 ,believe that ye receive it1 and ye shall have it4 ,oh6 the confusion1 the jumbling there is1 in dealing with poor souls at that point4 ,people say1 ,believe you are saved1 and you are saved4 ,i have heard ,christians give that advice to souls many a time4 ,believe you are saved1 and you are saved4 ,believe a lie1 and it will come true4 ,is that ,god's philosophy8 ,what is the use of telling a person to believe he is saved before he is saved8 ,that is telling him to believe a lie4 ,people say1 ,believe you are sanctified1 and you are sanctified4 ,indeed6 ,when were you sanctified8 ,god never tells a person to believe a thing until it happens4 ,he has made the bestowment of the gift to be simultaneous with the exercise of the faith4 ,believe that ye receive1 and ye shall have--not that ye did receive an hour ago1 for that would not be true2 not that ye will receive an hour hence1 for that would be presumption4 ,there is no such promise1 but believe that ye do now receive1 and ye shall have4 ,i will never disappoint the man who dares trust me to that extent4 ,he shall have it4 ,you say the age of miracles is past4 ,yes1 because the age of that sort of faith is past4 ,you will get miracles back when that sort of faith returns4 ,god has bound ,himself over to the faith of ,his real people1 and ,he would sooner break all the laws of nature1 than ,he would break the laws of grace4 ,he can easily set aside a law of nature2 but ,he will never set aside a law of grace4 ,he has bound ,himself to faith--the only power in the universe to which ,he has bound ,himself--and nobody ever rose up in this world yet1 and said1 ,i trusted ,god1 and ,he deceived me4 ,faith means ,,trust--faith means ,,abandonment--as if you were dying1 and you had nothing left but the naked promise of ,god4 ,you say1 ,i am dying3 ,i must trust now1 and that man jumps on to the promise4 ,he gives up experimenting1 and really trusts2 and you have seen the light come into his eyes2 you have heard the song of praise burst from his lips1 because he believed he received1 and he did receive4 ,now1 then1 some of you who have written to me1 know you are living in fellowship with ,jesus4 ,some of you have lately commenced to walk in the light4 ,you have cut off and put away the idols2 you have abandoned yourself to the will of ,god1 and sworn1 by ,his grace1 that you will follow ,him all the way4 ,you do feel the ,holy ,ghost is in you4 ,oh6 ,i entreat you to obey fully1 to let the ,spirit have ,his way4 ,do not restrain ,him4 ,don't think it will hurt your bodies3 don't think it is too much2 don't think you are getting fanatical2 don't think that1 after all1 ,god does not require this kind of thing--follow the ,spirit4 ,let the ,spirit lead you1 and groan through you2 let the ,spirit wrestle with ,god through you--follow ,him4 ,if we had more of this in these services1 we should have more fruit2 and if the church had more of this1 there would be more souls born into the kingdom4 ,it was one of the things in which ,i grieved the ,spirit of ,god in my early days that ,i would not let ,him1 to the extent ,he would have done1 make me a woman of prayer2 and yet1 in comparison with many1 perhaps1 ,i was one4 ,he used to lay particular people and subjects on my heart1 so that ,i could not help praying2 but oh6 how bitterly ,i have regretted and wept before the ,lord that ,i did not let ,him have all ,his way with me in this respect4 ,take warning6 and you whom ,he is beginning to lead1 let ,him lead you4 ,pour out your souls for others and with others4 ,i believe that more souls are convinced in real prayer1 than in speaking4 ,i have noticed this many a time4 ,i have seen at the bottom of a great hall or theatre1 or in the gallery1 a lot of the roughest men conceivable1 behaving in the most unseemly manner1 arrested by the influence of prayer4 ,perhaps1 when the rowdyism has been ready to break into open tumult1 a little woman has stretched out her hands over the congregation1 and said1 ,now1 let us pray2 and ,i have seen the whole mass of men assume an attitude of quietness and reverence4 ,i have watched the aspect of the congregation1 and seen great1 rough1 black-faced fellows get their heads down1 and sometimes wipe their eyes2 and when we have got up to sing1 there has been no more disorderly conduct1 but they have settled down with the solemnity of death1 to listen4 ,hundreds of them were convinced of sin while under that prayer4 ,it was the ,holy ,ghost wrestling for those souls in the heart of that woman1 that struck them with conviction4 ,prayer is agony of soul--wrestling of the ,spirit4 ,you know how men and women deal with one another when they are in desperate earnestness for something to be done4 ,that is prayer1 whether it be to man or ,god2 and when you get your heart influenced1 and melted1 and wrought up1 and burdened by the ,holy ,ghost for souls1 you will have power1 and you will never pray but somebody will be convinced1--some poor soul's dark eyes will be opened1 and spiritual life will commence4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,the ,,perfect ,,heart4 ,for the eyes of the ,lord ran to and fro throughout the whole earth1 to shew ,himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward ,him--#b ,,chron4 xvi4 #i4 ,this passage occurs in the history of ,asa1 one of the most godly and devoted kings that ever sat upon the throne of ,judah4 ,we are told in the fourteenth chapter that he commenced his reign by setting himself to destroy the idolatry into which the whole nation had been betrayed by its former ruler1 and to restore the worship and service of the ,god of ,israel4 ,he set himself to bring back the nation to its allegiance and obedience to ,god2 and his success is a great encouragement to any who shall set themselves1 single-handed and with a perfect heart1 towards ,god1 to do this in any circle1 under any circumstances4 ,he succeeded4 ,god blessed him in his efforts to purge his kingdom inside1 and ,god also delivered him from his enemies outside1 and enabled him by ,his power to defeat the king of ,ethiopia1 who came against him with an exceeding great army1 because ,king ,asa was perfect in his heart towards ,god4 ,when this king came up against him1 ,asa went and cried unto the ,lord1 and cast himself upon his ,god1 trusting ,him to deliver him1 and ,god never disappointed any man1 either before or since ,asa's day1 who did that4 ,god delivered his enemies into his hand and made him a successful and happy king1 over a prosperous and increasing people4 ,but by-and-bye1 after many years1 for ,asa was perfect in his heart towards the ,lord for many years of his long reign2 but whether it were1 as1 alas6 too often happens1 that a life of ease and prosperity brought forth in ,asa the results of partial backsliding1 we know not2 but as years went on1 another war was declared1 and this time it was the king of ,israel who came up against the king of ,judah4 ,what did ,asa do8 ,did he go1 as formerly1 and cry unto the ,lord1 and put his battle into ,his hands8 ,no1 he did not4 ,he had left ,his first love2 he had become1 in a measure1 untrue to the ,lord ,god of ,israel4 ,he forgot where his strength lay2 his spiritual perceptions had become dim2 he had lost his realization of ,god's ability to help and deliver him out of the hands of his enemies1 and so he fell back upon worldly policy4 ,he went down to ,assyria and courted ,ben-hadad1 the king of ,assyria1 and said1 ,come and help me1 that my enemies may depart1 for ,i am sore pressed4 ,ah6 what a picture of backsliders4 ,on another occasion1 when ,jehosophat made an ungodly alliance1 a prophet met him and said1 ,should'st thou help the ungodly1 and love them that hate the ,lord8 ,no man ever did this without being sorely whipped1 as poor ,asa was4 ,he succeeded1 indeed1 in the battle1 and won the victory4 ,it was a lawful end1 but he accomplished it by unlawful means4 ,he won the victory1 and1 ,i dare say1 he was congratulating himself1 and stroking his beard in self-complacency1 when1 lo6 the prophet comes to deliver ,god's message to him1 and he says3-- ,because thou hast relied on the king of ,syria1 and not relied on the ,lord thy ,god1 therefore is the host of the king of ,syria escaped out of thine hand4 ,were not the ,ethiopians and the ,lubims a huge host1 with very many chariots and horsemen8 yet because thou didst rely on the ,lord ,he delivered them into thine hand4 ,for the eyes of the ,lord run to and fro throughout the earth1 to show ,himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards ,him4 ,herein thou hast done foolishly2 therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars--the very thing he went to ,assyria to seek to avoid4 ,he wanted peace1 not war1 and he went down to ,assyria to enable him to spend the remainder of his days in peace1 when1 lo6 the ,word of ,god goes forth1 ,thou shalt have wars4 ,he was chastised in the very thing for which he sold himself and his ,god4 ,be sure thy sin will find thee out4 ,it is ,god's way to chastise ,his children by those very things in which they sell ,his interests4 ,thou shalt have wars4 ,but we want to deal specially with the lesson which the prophet draws from this event2 for he says1 ,wherefore didst thou go to ,assyria8 ,wherefore hast thou sinned against ,god8 ,hast thou forgotten who the ,god of ,israel was8 ,didst thou not know that the eyes of the ,lord run throughout the whole earth8 ,he would have helped thee now1 ,asa1 as much as in the past4 ,he will help any man who is whole-hearted towards ,him--that trusts in ,him4 ,now1 ,i say1 this is the lesson which the prophet draws1 not only for ,asa1 but for all the ,asas since his day1 and those who are yet to come1 for every man and woman who professes to be a servant of ,god1 the prophet sounds down to the ages that the eyes of the ,lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth1 to show ,himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards ,him4 ,now1 what is this perfect heart8 ,ah6 you say1 that is the point4 ,yes1 that is the point1 and we will try to show what kind of a heart this is4 ,it must be ,a ,,different ,,kind ,,of ,,heart ,,to ,,hearts ,,in ,,general2 all hearts are not perfect towards ,god1 or else ,his eyes would not have to be running to and fro throughout the earth to find them4 ,they would be plentiful enough if they were the common sort of hearts1 but evidently they are a different kind of hearts to ordinary hearts2 and another thing is evident on the face of the text1 that these kind of hearts are very precious in the sight of ,god4 ,he delights in them2 ,he makes greater store by one such than ,he does by thousands of the other kinds of hearts1 of which there are so many4 ,i say1 these two lessons everybody with common sense will admit at once--that these hearts are not the common hearts1 and that they are very precious in the sight of ,god4 ,now1 what is the meaning of this term perfect heart1 referring to the hearts of ,god's children1 all the way through the ,bible8 ,as you know1 ,i like to establish my points in the mouths of two or three witnesses1 ,i will give you two or three texts1 that we may find out ,god's meaning of this term1 and then we will give you the very lowest rendering1 where all schools are agreed1 for ,i don't want controversy4 ,we will just look at ,psalm xxxvii4 #cg3 ,mark the perfect man1 and behold the upright3 for the end of that man is peace4 ,there are such people as ,god means in that verse4 ,psalm lxiv4 #d3 ,that they may shoot in secret at the perfect1 who have always been a favorite target of the devil4 ,he does not shoot much at people whose hearts are perfect towards the ,lord4 ,it is at those perfect people he shoots4 ,suddenly do they shoot at him1 perhaps while he is thinking they are his friends4 ,suddenly they shoot1 and fear not4 ,be ye perfect1 says the ,saviour1 even as your ,father which is in ,heaven is perfect4 ,that means something4 ,we will try to find out what it does mean 7,matt4 xix4 #ba7-- ,jesus said unto him1 ,if thou wilt be perfect1 go and sell that thou hast1 and give to the poor1 and thou shalt have treasure in ,heaven3 and come and follow ,me4 ,and1 again1 at #a ,cor4 ii4 #f-- ,howbeit1 we speak wisdom among them that are perfect4 ,and 7#b ,timothy iii4 #ag7-- ,that the man of ,god may he perfect1 thoroughly furnished unto all good works4 ,there are numbers of others1 but these are samples1 and ,i suppose all ,christians attach some meaning to these terms4 ,they must be terms signifying a great difference between the persons who are spoken of and ordinary men and women4 ,now1 what do they mean8 ,well1 the very lowest rendering of all divines and all schools is this1 that it means sincerity and thoroughness4 ,well1 that is all ,i want4 ,give me a man sincere and thorough in his love1 and that is all ,i want2 that will stretch through all the ramifications of his existence2 it will go to the ends of his fingers and his toes1 through his eyes1 and through his tongue1 to his wife1 and to his family1 to his shop1 and to his business1 and to his circle in the world4 ,that is what ,i mean by holiness6 ,then1 taking the lowest translation1 it means that a man is whole-hearted in love1 and thorough out-and-out in service6 ,amen4 ,for that man who is thus perfect towards ,god1 ,god will indeed show ,himself strong in more ways than one6 ,this cannot mean a merely natural heart1 it must mean a renewed heart1 because there are no perfect hearts by nature4 ,there is no one in this sense that doeth good and sinneth not1 for every child of ,adam has gone astray like a lost sheep1 has done the things he ought not1 and left undone the things he ought to have done1 and the whole world has become guilty before ,god4 ,there are no naturally perfect hearts4 ,it must mean1 then1 a heart renewed by the ,holy ,ghost1 put right with ,god1 and then kept right4 ,a heart cannot be kept right until it has been put right1 and that is the secret of the failure with some of you4 ,you are trying to bring forth fruits before the tree is planted4 ,you are looking for the fruits of a perfect heart before you have got one4 ,you may well be disappointed4 ,you must get your heart renewed1 and then kept right by the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,then1 what does this perfect heart imply8 #a4 ,a heart perfect in its loyalty to ,god1 thoroughly given over to ,god's side1 irrespective of consequences1--loyal4 ,these are the hearts that ,god wants4 ,this was the difference between ,david and ,saul4 ,there was not so much difference in the greater part of ,saul's outward life1 when compared with the life of ,david4 ,it was only the prophet ,samuel1 perhaps1 who knew the difference1 and a few close observers2 but the difference was1 that ,david was loyal to ,god1 and ,god calls him1 for this reason1 a man after ,his own heart4 ,from the first calling of ,david from the sheepfolds1 right to the end1 with one or two exceptions1 during the whole of his life1 he was loyal to ,god1 and1 if you will carefully search his history1 you will find that in all his wars1 and all his dealings with the nations round about1 and with the leaders of affairs in his own kingdom--in everything1 ,david was loyal to ,god4 ,it was the interests of ,god's kingdom that lay at ,david's heart--not his own honor1 ease1 or aggrandizement--not his own fame or riches1 or building himself a house--it was the house of his ,god that was dear to his heart4 ,he was loyal2 whereas ,saul was loyal only as far as it served his own purposes and interests4 ,oh6 how many such ,sauls there are in these days4 ,when ,god's commandments went counter with his notions1 he openly set ,god at naught1 and did as he liked4 ,he sacrificed ,god's interests to his own4 ,he was unloyal at heart1 hence he was a traitor1 and never could learn the way of the ,lord4 ,he was never perfect towards the ,lord his ,god1 and1 at last1 ,god cast him off1 and ,samuel did also1 and you know what his end was4 ,just the difference between the two--loyal and unloyal4 ,a heart perfect towards ,god6 ,what does it mean8 ,it means-- #b4 ,perfect in its obedience4 ,that man or woman who has this kind of a heart1 ceases to pick and choose amongst the commandments of ,god1 which he shall obey1 and which he shall not--he ceases to have his own will1 though sometimes he may have a struggle with his own will1 and the way that ,god may call him to take may look to him as if it were a dangerous or risky way1 and he may wait a little bit1 to be thoroughly satisfied2 but when once satisfied that it is ,god's way1 the true child will not hesitate4 ,he confers not with flesh and blood1 but on he goes1 irrespective of consequences4 ,this was ,paul's kind of obedience4 ,he conferred not with flesh and blood2 he counted all things dung and dross1 and he went on doing so to the end--thorough in his obedience4 ,people come to us and want to know what they are to do2 they feel that they are only half-hearted in ,god's service2 they have neither joy nor power1 and say1 ,what must ,i do8 and we take1 as ,god helps us1 the dissecting knife1 and try to find out the difficulty4 ,we get them down under the blaze of the ,holy ,spirit's light1 and try to probe them and find where they are wrong4 ,perhaps the ,lord leads us to the sore spot1 and we point out the difficulty1 but1 instead of obeying1 they shrink away4 ,they look ahead1 and they see that to obey the light will involve loss of some kind--perhaps reputation1 wealth1 family associations1 ease1 or loss of friends1 loss of temporal comforts1 loss of good business4 ,loss is in the background1 and they see it4 ,they know where we are leading them to1 and they slip back2 they do not want to see1 and yet they do not want to consider themselves dishonest1 so they turn their heads away1 and will not look in the direction of the light1 smoothing it all over and singing-- ,were the whole realm of nature mine1 ,that were an off'ring far too small1 c4 ,that is not a perfect heart1 but a partial heart towards the ,lord ,god4 ,the partial heart1 so common1 alas1 now-a-days1 wants to serve ,god a little4 ,it is willing to go a little way with ,god1 but not all the way2 so that1 taking the lowest interpretation1 that is not a perfect heart towards the ,lord4 ,can it be expected that the ,lord should shew ,himself strong in behalf of such people8 ,do you think you would if you were ,god8 ,suppose you were a king1 and had a prince or statesman who was serving you very valiantly and devotedly while it served himself2 but1 suppose the tables were turned1 and you were dethroned and cast away into exile1 your name being bandied about the nation where you once reigned as king1 in disgrace and dishonor2 suppose this statesman gave you up1 and said1 ,oh6 ,i am going to be on the side of the reigning monarch4 ,i was very devoted to this man while he reigned1 but ,i cannot afford to be devoted to him now his interests draggle in the dust2 ,i must be on the winning side4 ,what would you think of such a man8 ,and if you were restored to your kingdom and power1 would you show yourself strong on behalf of such a man8 ,no2 you would remember1 as ,david did1 the man who cursed you4 ,but if you had a prince or statesman who followed you into exile1 who ministered to you in secret1 who tried to hold up your interests1 who contended for your righteousness and justice1 and held up your name and tried to make the people see that you were a good and true man1 who held on to you1 when all the nation was calling you traitor--if you came back to your throne1 would you not show yourself strong in behalf of that man8 ,of course you would4 ,the ,lord says ,he will show ,himself strong in behalf of those of such a heart towards ,him4 ,you masters here have a servant--a clever1 smart man2 you know how well he can serve you1 and how valuable he can be1 and would be if he were true2 but you have reason to believe that he will only go with you as far as it will be for his own interests2 he will serve you as far as he can serve himself1 too1 but1 if he can get up by putting you down1 you may lie there4 ,what would you say to such a man8 ,you would say1 ,i shall never show myself strong for him4 ,so ,god is not likely to show ,himself strong for people who are not of a perfect heart4 ,a lady said to me1 ,i have been doing this and doing that for years1 but ,i have no power2 why don't ,i have it8 ,i said1 ,because you are not true to ,god4 ,he will give it to anybody who is true to ,him1 and ,he can see into your heart1 and knows you are not4 ,why will ,he not show ,himself strong in your behalf8 ,because you do not show yourself thorough in ,his behalf4 ,the moment you show yourself thorough1 that moment will ,he show ,himself strong for you4 ,if you had been in ,daniel's place you would not have done as he did4 ,daniel was one of the perfect-hearted men2 he served his ,god when he was in prosperity4 ,he set his window open every day4 ,then his enemies persuaded the king to make a decree that no man should pray but to this king for so many days4 ,now1 they said1 we shall have him4 ,but ,daniel just did as he was wont1 he went and prayed with his window open4 ,you say1 ,that was demonstrative religion1 that was courting opposition4 ,what need was there for him to make this display2 could he not have shut the window and gone into an inner room8 ,that was just like you ,salvation-,army people1 you always make a demonstration4 ,why could he not have gone into an inner chamber and prayed8 ,because he would be thorough for his ,god in adversity1 in the face of his enemies1 as he was in prosperity4 ,so he went and prayed with open window to the ,god of ,heaven1 and because ,he is the ,god of ,heaven1 ,he is able to take care of ,his own4 ,his heart was perfect towards the ,lord his ,god4 #c4 ,this perfect heart is perfect in its trust3--and1 perhaps1 that ought to have come first1 for it is the very root of all4 ,oh1 how beautiful ,abraham was in the eyes of ,god2 how ,god gloried over him4 ,how do ,i know that ,abraham had a perfect heart towards ,god8 ,because he trusted ,him4 ,no other proof--no less proof--would have been of any use4 ,i dare say he was compassed with infirmities1 had many erroneous views1 manward and earthward1 but his heart was perfect towards ,god4 ,do you think ,god would have failed in ,his promise to ,abraham8 ,abraham trusted ,him almost to the blood of ,isaac1 and ,god showed ,himself strong in his behalf1 and delivered him1 and made him the father of the faithful2 crowned him with everlasting honor1 so that his name1 from generation to generation1 has been a pillar of strength to the ,lord's people1 and a crown of glory to his ,god4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,how ,,to ,,work ,,for ,,god ,,with ,,success4 ,son1 go work to-day in my vineyard4--,,matt4 xxi4 #bh4 ,compel them to come in1 that my house may be filled4--,,luke xiv4 #bc4 ,i am to speak of some needful qualifications for successful labor2 and ,i say3-- ,first1 that there are certain laws which govern success in the kingdom of grace as well as in the kingdom of nature1 and you must study these laws1 and adapt yourself to them4 ,it would be in vain for the husbandman to scatter his seed over the unbroken ground or on pre-occupied soil4 ,you must plough and harrow and put your seed in carefully1 and in proper proportion1 and at the right time1 and then you must water and weed and wait for the harvest4 ,and just so in ,divine things4 ,oh6 we shall find out1 by-and-by1 that the laws of the spiritual kingdom are quite as certain and unerring in their operation as the laws of the natural kingdom1 and1 perhaps1 a great deal more so2 but1 through the blindness and obtuseness and unbelief of our hearts1 we could not1 or would not find them out4 ,people get up and fluster about1 and expect to be able to work for ,god without any thought or care or trouble4 ,for the learning of earthly professions they will give years of labor and thought1 but in work for ,god they do not seem to think it worth while to take the trouble to think and ponder1 to plan and experiment1 to try means1 to pray and wrestle with ,god for wisdom4 ,oh6 no3 they will not be at the trouble4 ,then they fail1 grow discouraged1 and give up4 ,now1 my friends1 this is not the way to begin work for ,god4 ,begin as soon as you like--begin at once--but begin in the right way4 ,begin by praying much for ,him to show you how1 and to equip you for the work1 and begin in a humble1 submissive1 teachable spirit4 ,study the ,new ,testament with special reference to this1 and you will be surprised how every page of it will give you increased light4 ,you will see that ,god holds you absolutely responsible for every iota of capacity and influence ,he has given you1 that ,he expects you to improve every moment of your time1 every faculty of your being1 every particle of your influence1 and every penny of your money for ,him4 ,when you once get this light1 it will be a marvelous guide in all the other particulars and ramifications of your life4 ,study your plans4 ,how men in earthly warfare study plans of stratagem1 and adopt all manner of measures in order that they may take the enemy by surprise6 ,but1 alas6 how little care and attention ,god's people give to taking souls2 and yet it is far harder work to take souls than it is to take cities4 ,how surprised ,i have often been at the assumption of people who1 perhaps1 never gave one hour's consecutive thought in their lives to the best means of doing certain work1 and yet they will pronounce an opinion right off as to certain modes and measures which have been tried and proved successful in the lives of some of the most successful laborers for ,god4 ,they will say1 ,oh6 ,i don't believe in it4 ,oh6 it is all nonsense1 ridiculous1 wrong6 while1 perhaps1 those people whom they condemn have been pleading1 and weeping1 and studying1 and experimenting1 and almost sacrificing their heart's blood to try to find out the best means of winning souls for ,christ4 ,i shall never forget the shock that came over me once in a large gathering of ,christian people1 when a gentleman1 who occupied a somewhat prominent position1 was giving out a hymn which contained a verse something about spending one hour in watching with ,jesus4 ,he stopped in the middle of this hymn1 and said words to this effect3 ,i am afraid we are verily guilty here4 ,i do not know that ,i dare say ,i ever watched one consecutive hour with ,jesus in my life4 ,i shall never forget it4 ,my cheeks burned with shame4 ,i said1 ,oh6 my ,god1 if these are the leaders1 we need not wonder at the people4 ,a man occupying such a position to dare to say it6 ,the ,lord have mercy on him4 ,no wonder the ,lord's work is done in such a bungling way6 ,i say those who want to be successful in winning souls require to watch not only days but nights4 ,they want much of the ,holy ,ghost1 for it is true still1 ,this kind can come forth by nothing1 but by prayer and fasting4 ,we have grown wiser than our ,lord now-a-days2 but1 ,i tell you1 it is the same old-fashioned way1 and if you want to pour out living waters upon souls1 either publicly or privately1 you will have to drink largely at the fountain yourself1 and have them very ready to let out6 ,if you have not1 your talk will be as sounding brass or tinkling cymbal4 ,oh6 it makes my soul weep tears of blood to think of the misdirected effort that will be put forth this very ,christian ,sabbath4 ,plenty of labor1 but how little comes of it8--all because it is cramped1 and ruined1 and misdirected1 for want of thought1 and prayer1 and a single eye for the salvation of souls4 ,may ,god rouse us up to this1 and make us willing to think1 and labor1 and learn1 and wrestle1 and sacrifice1 in order that we may do it4 ,then1 further1 the second qualification for successful labor is power to get the truth home to the heart4 ,not to deliver it6 ,i wish the word had never been coined in connection with ,christian work4 ,deliver it1 indeed--that is not in the ,bible6 ,no1 no2 not deliver it2 but drive it home--send it in--make it felt4 ,that is your work2--not merely to say it--not quietly and gently to put it before the people4 ,here is just the difference between a self-consuming1 soul-burdened1 ,holy ,ghost1 successful ministry1 and a careless1 happy-go-lucky1 easy sort of thing1 that just rolls it out like a lesson1 and goes home1 holding itself in no way responsible for the consequences4 ,here is all the difference1 either in public or individual labor4 ,god has made you responsible1 not for delivering the truth1 but for ,,getting ,,it ,,in--getting it home1 fixing it in the conscience as a red-hot iron1 as a bolt1 straight from ,his throne2 and ,he has placed at your disposal the power to do it1 and if you do not do it1 blood will be on your skirts6 ,oh6 this genteel way of putting the truth6 ,how ,god hates it6 ,if you please1 dear friends1 will you listen8 ,if you please1 will you be converted8 ,will you come to ,jesus8 or shall we read just this1 that1 and the other8--no more like apostolic preaching than darkness is like light4 ,god says1 ,,go ,,and ,,do ,,it3 compel them to come in4 ,that is your work4 ,i have nothing to do with the measures by which you do it providing they are lawful4 ,use just the same diligence1 earnestness1 and determination that you would if you were resolutely set on any human project1 and always be sure that ,i will be with you to the end of the world4 ,never doubt ,my presence when you are set on ,my business4 ,i will be with you1 and ,i will succeed you4 ,do it--the ,lord help us to get the truth home6 ,this was the way with ,paul1 and this was the way with ,jesus4 ,paul says3 ,knowing1 therefore1 the terror of the ,lord1 we persuade men4 ,oh6 what a beautiful insight this gives us into the ministry4 ,why do you persuade men1 ,paul8 ,because ,i know the terror of the ,lord that is coming on1 and because we thus judge that1 if ,one died for all1 then were all dead4 ,therefore1 ,i persuade men4 ,he did not give up when he had put it before them4 ,he carried them on his heart1 and he says1 ,that by the space of three years ,i ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears4 ,he wept it in1 as well as drove it in1 with his logic1 and his eloquence1 and with the power of the ,holy ,ghost in him4 ,make it go in--make your words felt2 don't talk to them in that sickly1 languid way that makes no impression--make them know it4 ,if you have not enough of the ,holy ,ghost for this1 go to your closet till you have1 and then come and drive the ,word home to their conscience as a two-edged sword1 dividing asunder soul and spirit4 ,the second thing indispensible to success is simplicity3--naturalness in putting the truth4 ,you have not only to get it home1 but1 in order to do this1 give it them simply and naturally4 ,if ,i were asked to put into one word what ,i consider the greatest obstacle to the success of ,divine ,truth1 even when uttered by sincere and real people1 ,i should say1 stiffness4 ,it seems as if people1 the moment they come to religion1 assume a different tone1 a different look1 and manner--short1 become unnatural4 ,people sometimes come to me and say1 ,oh6 ,i would give the world to be natural1 but ,i have got into this way of talking to people4 ,it seems as though ,i cannot be natural4 ,can you help me8 ,i say1 ,yes1 ,i can help you1 by this advice--,determine1 by the help of ,god1 that you will break the neck of this bondage4 ,i will tell you how to begin4 ,begin with your family4 ,break off right in the middle of conversation on earthly matters1 and begin to talk about their souls1 or your own experience1 or drop down on your knees1 and begin to pray4 ,oh6 but it would be such a break4 ,it should not be a break to talk to your ,father4 ,if you are in the spirit of it there will be no break4 ,this will help you1 more than anything else4 ,determine that you will overcome this sanctimoniousness1 which is the curse of a great deal of the religion of this day4 ,we want ,,sanctified ,,humanity1 not sanctimoniousness4 ,you want to talk to your friends in the same way about religion1 as you talk about earthly things4 ,if a friend is in difficulties1 and he comes to you1 you do not begin talking in a circumlocutory manner about the general principles on which men can secure prosperity1 and the sad mistakes of those who have not secured it2 you come straight to the point1 and1 if you feel for him1 you take him by the button-hole1 or put your hand in his1 and say1 ,my dear fellow1 ,i am very sorry for you2 is there any way in which ,i can help you8 ,if you have a friend afflicted with a fatal malady1 and you see it1 and he does not1 you don't begin to descant on the power of disease and the way people may secure health1 but you say1 ,my dear fellow1 ,i am afraid this hacking cough is more serious than you think1 and that flush on your cheek is a bad sign4 ,i am afraid you are ill--let me counsel you to seek advice4 ,that is the way people talk about earthly things4 ,now1 do exactly so about spiritual things4 ,if your friend is a spiritual bankrupt1 tell him so4 ,tell him where he is going1 and that the reckoning day is coming1 and that he will be in ,god's prison-house very soon1 and that1 if the creditor once gets hold of him1 and shuts him up1 he will never get out till he has paid the uttermost farthing4 ,if your friend has a spiritual disease1 tell him so1 and deal just as straight and earnestly with him as you would about his body4 ,tell him you are praying for him1 and the very concern that he reads in your eyes1 will wake him up1 and he will begin to think it is time he was concerned about himself4 ,try to attain this simple1 easy1 natural way of appealing to people about their souls4 ,i believe if all real ,christians would attain this1 and act upon it1 this country would be shaken from end to end6 ,thirdly1 you must be in earnest--desperate1 ,i would like to say4 ,and1 indeed1 friends1 settle this as a truth1 that you will never make any other soul realize the verities of eternal things1 any further than you realize them yourself4 ,you will beget in the soul of your hearer1 exactly the degree of realization which the ,spirit of ,god gives to you1 and no more2 therefore1 if you are in a dreamy1 cosy1 half-asleep condition1 you will only beget the same kind of realization in the souls who hear you4 ,you must be wide awake1 quick1 alive1 feeling deeply in sympathy with the truth you utter1 or it will produce no result4 ,here is the reason why we have such a host of stillborn1 sinewless1 ricketty1 powerless spiritual children4 ,they are born of half-dead parents1 a sort of sentimental religion1 which does not take hold of the soul1 which has no depth of earth1 no grasp1 no power in it1 and the result is1 a sickly crop of sentimental converts4 ,oh6 the ,lord give us a real robust1 living1 hardy ,christianity1 full of zeal and faith1 which shall bring into the kingdom of ,god1 lively1 well-developed children1 full of life and energy1 instead of these poor1 sentimental ghosts that are hopping around us4 ,oh6 friends1 we want this vivid realization ourselves4 ,if we have it we shall beget it in others4 ,oh6 get hold of ,god4 ,ask ,him to baptize you with ,his ,spirit till the zeal of ,his house eats you up4 ,this ,spirit will burn ,his way through all obstacles of flesh and blood1 of forms1 proprieties1 and respectabilities--of death1 and rottenness of all descriptions6 ,he will burn ,his way through1 and produce living and telling results in the hearts of those to whom you speak4 ,earnestness--such earnestness that it comes to desperation--like that of ,paul1 who counted all things but dross2 yea1 and who counted not his life dear unto him4 ,that was the secret4 ,he counted not his life1 nor anything that constitutes life--liberty1 pleasure1 enjoyment1 friends1 reputation1 ease1 c41--all on the altar1 all was in the scale4 ,he counted none of those dear unto him1 so that he might win the perfection1 the fulness of ,christ in his own soul1 and the salvation of the souls around him4 ,oh6 what a ,,laughing-,,stock ,,to ,,hell is a light1 frivolous1 easy1 lukewarm professor4 ,oh6 what a shame and puzzle to the angels in ,heaven1 and what a supreme disgust to ,god4 ,i would thou wert cold or hot4 ,so1 then1 because thou art lukewarm1 and neither cold nor hot1 ,i will spue thee out of ,my mouth4 ,oh6 what will that be8 ,talk about shame6 ,think of that6 ,shame6 ,some of you feel it going into the streets for ,god4 ,you feel it when a few people see you kneel down here6 ,think of being spewed out of the mouth of ,god before an assembled universe4 ,what will that be8 ,god helping me1 ,i will avoid that ,i will sooner hang with ,jesus on the cross1 between two thieves1 than ,i will bear that shame4 ,i would thou wert cold or hot6 ,some of you say1 in your letters1 that you will have this whole-heartedness4 ,you say that you have given up all1 and that you are consecrating yourself to a life of labor4 ,now1 be hot4 ,i know you will burn the fingers of the ,pharisees4 ,never mind that4 ,i know you will fire their consciences1 like ,samson's foxes did the corn4 ,never mind that4 ,be hot4 ,god likes hot saints4 ,be determined that you will be hot4 ,they will call you a fool3 they did ,paul4 ,they will call you a fanatic1 and say1 ,this fellow is a troubler of ,israel2 but you must reply1 ,it is not ,i1 but ye and your father's house1 in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the ,lord4 ,turn the charge upon them4 ,hot people are never a trouble to hot people4 ,the hotter we are the nearer we get1 and the more we love one another4 ,it is the cold people that are troubled by the hot ones4 ,the ,lord help you to be ,,hot4 ,then another indispensable condition is the surrendering of all our powers4 ,there must be no holding back4 ,cursed be he that holdeth back his sword from blood4 ,that curse is resting on ,christendom to-day4 ,oh6 they will thrust the sword a little way in1 but they will not go in to the core4 ,they dare not draw blood--the soldiers of this age--for their lives4 ,they dare not touch a man to the quick1 because1 alas6 they are looking to themselves1 and thinking what people will say of ,,them1 instead of what ,god will say of them4 ,you must not be afraid of blood if you are to be a true warrior of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,you must not be afraid to say1 if need be1 ,oh6 generation of vipers1 who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come8 ,you must not be afraid to say1 if need be1 ,you have made my ,father's house a den of thieves1 if you save some of them by doing it4 ,oh6 this accursed sycophancy2 ,i was going to say1 this accursed fear to brave the censure of the world--this accursed making good evil and evil good1 as if ,god were altogether such an one as ourselves4 ,don't you think ,he sees through the vile sham8 ,oh6 my friends1 if we don't mend in this respect1 ,he will come in judgment before long1 and we shall find out then the difference between the precious and the vile1 if we do not find out before4 ,if you want to be a successful worker1 you must make up your minds to begin with1 that you will be ,,crucified4 ,as a dear minister once said to somebody1 when he was arguing with him about being so hard in the pulpit1 ,i don't care4 ,oh6 said the other1 ,don't you know what became of ',don't care8' ,yes1 he said1 ,he was crucified1 and ,i am ready to be crucified alongside of him4 ,when you are in the right1 don't care4 ,you can but be crucified1 and it will soon be over2 and then the ,book says1 ,they that suffer with ,him will also reign with ,him1 and they shall be glorified together4 ,it would be a wonderful thing to be glorified alone1 but1 oh1 think of being glorified together6 ,a gentleman said lately1 ,i have been thinking a great deal about the glory4 ,it is a wonderful thing--that glory that is to follow4 ,this would be worth a man sitting on the dunghill all his life to obtain4 ,i looked at him1 and thought1 perhaps you are nearer to it than you think1 and perhaps ,i am1 too4 ,ah6 it is a wonderful thing1 that glory that is to follow4 ,then let us be willing to suffer with ,him and for ,him4 ,make up your mind to be crucified at the start1 and then it will be easy4 ,further1 complete abandonment is a condition of successful labor4 ,it is so in anything4 ,what would you think of a soldier who was always reckoning how much it was to cost1 and when he should get back1 or whether it was worth the sacrifice8 ,you would say1 ,he is of no use to the ,british ,army4 ,we want men who will go in to win at all costs4 ,now1 ,god wants men and women who will go in to win1 who believe in winning1 who know they have the power to win1 and who count all things loss in comparison to winning4 ,do you want success8 ,if you do not come to that first1 you will never get it4 ,fourthly--,you must give up1 kick out of the way1 trample underfoot1 all that hinders4 ,reputation4 ,perhaps there are some ministers here4 ,there were some last ,sunday1 and there were some the ,sunday before4 ,some of you have written and others have talked to me4 ,you say1 ,it would be such an entire breaking from one's circle4 ,exactly4 ,some say1 ,you see1 the inevitable consequences of setting up this high standard would be a constant running of the sword into some of your best hearers and your best friends4 ,exactly2 that is giving your sword to blood4 ,you would not think much of drawing the blood of an enemy--it is the blood of your friends that is the test6 ,i know all about it2 ,i have been there4 ,i was there a long while once4 ,it was my own sore spot4 ,the devil said1 ,if you begin preaching they will call you an impudent woman1 and ,i felt it would be better almost to go to hell than have that said about me4 ,he said1 ,they will put you in the newspapers1 and say all manner of coarse and vulgar things about you2 and ,god only knows what that was to my soul2 but ,i battled and struggled with it for a long while1 until ,i said1 at last1 ,lord1 ,i don't care what they call me--,i give myself to ,thee to win souls4 ,have ,i ever regretted it8 ,shall ,i ever regret it8 ,no2 ,he will take care of your reputation4 ,give it up to ,him1 my brother4 ,the ,scribes and the ,pharisees never had anything good to say of ,jesus coming in the flesh4 ,give up your reputation--follow ,him4 ,if it must be1 decide to go after ,him to ,gethsemane1 to ,golgotha and the cross4 ,never mind--follow ,him4 ,give up your reputation4 ,then1 your habits4 ,how ashamed some of you will be who have made the mere ,paris-born frivolities of society stand in the way of your consecration to ,christ2 and yet people who do this say they are ,christians4 ,i don't know2 ,i cannot believe it4 ,there is drinking2 they will have a glass of wine4 ,very well1 you can have it2 but you shall not have the wine of the kingdom4 ,professors will dress like the prostitute of ,paris4 ,very well2 but they shall not be the bride of the ,lamb4 ,he will not walk in the streets with them1 nor sit at the same table4 ,you can go to parties where it is said there are only religious people1 but where you know all manner of gossip and ,christless chit-chat is going on1 which you would be awfully ashamed the ,master should hear1 and from which you retire with no appetite for prayer4 ,you can go to all this1 but ,i defy you to have the ,holy ,ghost at the same time4 ,i won't stop to argue it2 ,i ,,only ,,know ,,you ,,cannot ,,do ,,it4 ,all that will have to be put aside and given up4 ,you say1 ,that is a sore point4 ,yes2 ,i know that is driving the sword to blood4 ,fifthly4--,you must consecrate your money to be used for ,god4 ,i once heard an old veteran saint say1 and ,i thought it was extravagant at the time1 ,i consider the use of money the surest test of a man's character4 ,i thought1 no1 surely his use of his wife and children is a surer test than that2 but ,i have lived to believe his sentiment4 ,hence1 you see how human experience justifies ,divine wisdom--the love of money is the root of all evil4 ,so it is1 in one form or other4 ,god never uses anybody largely until they have given up their money4 ,i simply state a fact4 ,we know it is so by experience and the history of ,god's people4 ,you must give up your money as an end3 saving it for its own sake1 or the gratification of your selfish purposes or those of your children--it must be all given to ,god1 to whom it belongs1 being entirely used in ,his service4 ,if you want to be a successful laborer for souls1 you will have to do that at the threshhold4 ,give up your money to the ,lord4 ,if you think it right to keep some of it1 keep it to use it for ,him as you go2 and be as strict with yourself1 to your ,heavenly ,father1 as you would be with your secretary or clerk to yourself1 and then you will be all right4 ,it is a narrow and difficult path4 ,i tremble for you who have got it1 and ,i am glad ,i have not2 but as you have got it1 ,i give you the best advice ,i know4 ,it is an awful thing to have it1 but the next best thing is to consecrate it and use it to ,his glory2 and if you do not1 it will eat into your soul as doth a canker4 ,to your spiritual nature it will be as a cancer is to your physical nature4 ,they are ,paul's words1 not mine4 ,i must say a word about the reward4 ,you think ,i am always driving you to do4 ,yes1 because you need it4 ,the ,lord knows ,i do not find you do any too much4 ,some of you ,i am heartily ashamed of4 ,some of you need driving so that you ought to thank ,god for the rod4 ,paul says1 ,shall ,i come unto you with the rod8 ,he was obliged to do it with some people4 ,it is not an enviable thing to have to do2 but we dare not1 when ,god sets us work to do1 shirk it2 but there is a bright side--there is the reward4 ,what6 you say1 does ,he pay you8 ,yes1 good wages--pressed down--heaped together6 ,he says1 ,the man who remembereth the poor 7do you think ,he means only their bodies871 ,i will remember him2 ,i will make his bed 7what a tender allusion67 in his sickness4 ,he will shake it up2 spread ,his feathers on the pillows as no earthly nurse1 not even the tenderest wife1 can do4 ,i will make his bed in his sickness4 ,you will want ,him then1 brother6 ,you are very independent1 some of you1 now1 but you will want ,him then4 ,i will make his bed in sickness4 ,i will put underneath ,him my everlasting arms4 ,he will cause you to triumph in the swellings of ,jordan4 ,that will be grand1 will it not8 ,he will give you a triumphant entrance into ,his kingdom1 those of you who have gone out in loving solicitude and anxious sympathy to labor for the souls of your fellow-men4 ,he will administer unto you an abundant entrance1 and then--what8 ,he will give you ,,children2 and the barren woman shall have more children than she that hath a husband4 ,oh6 the whole world is akin here4 ,every man and woman wants children4 ,they are especially a heritage from the ,lord4 ,nothing can make up for the want of children4 ,the poorest parents1 living in the humblest hut1 would not sell you their children1 and the rich man1 who has twenty thousand a year1 would give it for a son or for a daughter1 when he cannot have one4 ,all human beings want children4 ,now1 then1 the ,lord will give you children4 ,a mother--even a sanctified mother--,i suppose1 cannot help feeling proud1 or1 rather1 glad and thankful1 when she shows good1 obedient1 and godly children to her friends4 ,i do not believe that ,god wants to grind this out of us4 ,i believe ,he delights in it ,himself1 just as ,he delighted to show ,his servant ,job to the devil4 ,hast thou considered ,my servant ,job8 ,ah6 was ,he not proud of him8--and ,he has been proud of him ever since4 ,god has put this feeling in us1 and it is a right feeling when it is sanctified4 ,we cannot help but be proud of godly and obedient children2 but what will it be to show your spiritual children1 to the angels8 ,how shall you feel when you gather the spiritual family which ,god has given you round the throne of your ,saviour1 and say1 ,here am ,i and the children whom ,thou hast given me8--the children won through conflict1 and trial1 and strife1 such as only ,god knew2 ,children begotten in bonds1 as ,paul says--chains--children born in the midst of the hurricane of spiritual conflict1 travail1 and suffering1 and cradled1 rocked1 fed1 nurtured1 and brought up at infinite cost and rack of brain1 and heart1 and soul2 but now1 here we are1 ,lord4 ,we are here through it all4 ,here am ,i and the children whom ,thou hast given me4 ,how shall you feel8 ,shall you be sorry for the trouble8 ,shall you regret the sacrifice8 ,shall you murmur at the way ,he has led you8 ,shall you think ,he might have made it a little easier1 as you are sometimes tempted to do now8 ,oh6 no1 no6--,,the ,,children6 ,,the ,,children6 you shall have children6 ,won't that be reward enough8 ,oh6 sometimes1 when ,i am passing through conflict1 and trial1 in connection with a work which brings plenty of it behind the scenes1 ,i encourage myself in the ,lord1 and remember those who have gone home sending me their salutations1 from the verge of the river1 telling me they will wait and look out for me1 and be the first to hand me to the ,saviour when ,i get there4 ,will not this be reward enough8 ,even so1 ,lord4 ,amen4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,enthusiasm ,,and ,,full ,,salvation4 ,,an ,,address ,,delivered ,,in ,,exeter ,,hall4 ,why should we be enthusiastic in everything but religion8 ,can you give me any reason for that8 ,if there is any subject calculated to move our souls to their very centres1 and to call out the enthusiasm of our nature1 surely it is religion1 if it be the real thing4 ,why should we not be enthusiastic8 ,i have never seen a good reason yet4 ,why should we not shout and sing the praises of our ,king1 as we expect to do it in glory8 ,why should not a man cry out1 and groan1 and be in anguish of soul1 as the ,psalmist says1 as if he were crying out of the belly of hell1 when he is convinced of sin1 and realizes his danger1 and is expecting1 unless ,god have mercy1 to be damned8 ,why should he not roar for the disquietude of his spirit as much as ,david did8 ,is there anything unphilosophical in it8 ,is there anything contrary to the laws of mind in it8 ,is there anything that you would not allow under any great pressure of calamity1 or realization of danger1 or grief8 ,why should we not have this demonstration in soul matters8 ,they had it under the old dispensation4 ,we read1 again and again1 that when the people came together after a time of relapse1 and backsliding1 and infidelity1 when ,god sent some flaming1 burning prophet amongst them1 and they were gathered on the sides of ,carmel or elsewhere1 that1 on some occasions1 the weeping1 and1 on other occasions1 the rejoicing1 was so great that they made the very ground tremble1 and almost rent the heavens with the sound of their crying and rejoicing4 ,we are told1 on one occasion1 that the noise was heard afar off1 and1 on another1 that it was as the sound of many waters4 ,would to ,god we could get men1 now-a-days1 so concerned about their sins and their souls1 that they should thus cry out4 ,it would be a happy day for religion and for the world if it were so4 ,if these things are realities1 ,i contend that this is the most sane1 rational1 and philosophical way of dealing with them2 and ,i say that the ordinary1 cold1 heartless1 formal way 7and1 if it is not so1 it has that appearance7 is unscriptural4 ,somebody was talking to me about having so much feeling in religion4 ,i said1 ,my dear friend1 what do you think ,god gave you feeling for8 ,some people seem to think it a mistake that we have feelings4 ,our feelings play a very important part in all our social relations4 ,why would you exclude them from religion8 ,david expressed his feelings1 and was so carried away by them that he called on all creation to praise the ,lord1 the hills and the trees to clap their hands and be glad4 ,get the right kind of religion1 and it will make you glad4 ,if you have not the right kind of feeling1 ,i am afraid you4 have not the right kind of religion4 ,we have some enthusiasm1 and when our enthusiasm dies1 ,i am afraid we shall die1 too4 ,nevertheless1 our power is not in our enthusiasm2 neither does it consist in certain views of truth1 or in certain feelings about truth4 ,but it consists in whole-hearted1 thorough1 out-and-out surrender to ,god2 and that1 with or without feeling1 is the right thing1 and that is the secret of our power4 ,we have glorious feelings as the outcome2 but the feeling is not the religion--the feeling is not the holiness4 ,holiness is the spring and source of the enthusiasm4 ,hence our power with the masses of the people4 ,how is it that wherever we go1 as an organization1 these signs and wonders are wrought8 ,somebody said1 ,it is a strange thing2 see what has been done at ,so-and-so1 and ,so-and-so1 and ,so-and-so4 ,they had all tried1 and you send a couple of lads or lasses1 and you have the town in an uproar at once4 ,what is it8 ,what is the secret8 ,will you answer the question8 ,well1 it is the whole-hearted1 determined abandonment of everything for the ,king's sake4 ,that is it4 ,it is going in1 as the ,apostles went in1 determined to win souls1 determined to set up the kingdom of ,jesus ,christ1 at all costs4 ,that is the source of our power1 and if you get that1 you will have power1 and if you don't get that1 it matters not what else you have4 ,i want you reasonably and calmly to see that this holiness is a real1 definite blessing2 that it is a level on to which the great mass of the professing ,christians of this generation have not come1 or even scarcely looked up4 ,it is a high level1 but it is a level on to which every one of you can come1 if you will4 ,you have heard enough about it4 ,you are convinced you may have it4 ,will you have it8 ,the ,lord is sitting there2 ,he is looking at you1 and ,he is saying1 ,what is all this stir about8 ,what is all this talk1 this singing1 and this praying about8 ,here ,i am4 ,what do you want ,me to do8 ,i am ready to do it4 ,and you say1 ,lord1 ,i want ,thee to cleanse my heart from sin1 and to fill me with the ,holy ,ghost1 and to enable me to be whole-hearted and thorough in ,thy service1 and to go and win souls for ,thee4 ,very well1 the ,lord says1 ,i am ready to come into the temple1 if you will clear out the rubbish4 ,are you willing for ,me to come in8 ,i am waiting to come in as a ,refiner2 but you must make a straight way for my feet4 ,you must pick out the stones1 and throw out the rubbish1 and make ,me a straight path4 ,will you make ,him a straight path8 ,will you trample under foot that accursed thing which has so long kept the fulness of the blessing from you8 ,will you give up arguing about it and trying to make out that it is not a stumbling-block1 when you know it is8 ,how many will8 ,i wish we had room to have a form4 ,i am sorry we have not4 ,with all the light you have on the subject1 with what ,i am sure the ,holy ,ghost has revealed and is revealing to your souls1 with all the glory that ,he is putting before you1 and the power for usefulness and happiness1 will you make this full consecration8 ,the light of the ,spirit is on you3 will you1 act8 ,will you act8 ,every spark of light you get without obeying it1 leaves your soul darker4 ,every time you come up to the verge of the kingdom and don't go over1 the less the probability that you ever will4 ,i know people who have been going up and down for more than forty years1 like the ,israelites1 and it is a question if they ever go in4 ,you have come near again4 ,will you go over8 ,you can tell the ,lord without telling us1 though we would like to know1 and see you put your foot over the border1 into this ,canaan of peace and power4 ,will you put your foot over8 ,who will8 who will8 ,will you stand up and raise your voices to the ,lord and ask ,him8 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,hindrances ,,to ,,holiness4 ,i shall try1 in the short time ,i may occupy1 to go straight to the point--to some of the difficulties and hindrances which ,i know are keeping not a few here to-day out of the enjoyment of the blessing4 ,i know there are some here who are satisfied that this blessing is attainable1 who are satisfied that ,god can thus keep them1 as we have been singing1 if they were to lean the whole weight of their need--their soul1 and body1 and spirit--upon ,him1 and trust ,him4 ,they believe ,he could1 and they believe ,he would4 ,they have come to perceive that it is not at all a question of human strength1 or human weakness1 or human knowledge1 but that it is simply a matter of ,divine strength1 fully recognized and fully trusted by human weakness4 ,therefore1 there is no more a stumbling-block in their way about reckoning themselves holier than other people1 or stronger than other people1 for they recognize themselves as the very weakest and most sinful of all people3 but they have come to understand this blessing to be human weakness1 leaning with all its weight upon ,divine power2 and they believe ,god does thus save and keep those people who do thus lean4 ,then1 what hinders8 ,there they stand1 just where the ,israelites stood1 when they might have gone in and possessed the good land4 ,they entered not in because of unbelief1 and for that unbelief there is a reason--a cause4 ,they dare not venture their souls on this ,divine power1 because there is back in their consciousness some difficulty1 some obstacle1 something which is only known to themselves and the ,holy ,ghost1 which prevents them from doing this4 ,when they try to jump on to the ,divine strength there is something that holds them back1 and they cannot make the spring4 ,they try to forget it--they sing1 and pray1 and seek1 to make themselves believe there is nothing1 and they come up again and again right to the entrance of the goodly land1 and then they try to spring in4 ,some of you will today1 but you will not be able to spring1 because there is something holding you back2 and you are conscious of it1 but will not allow yourselves to realize it4 ,now this is the point1 when my dear husband read that passage1 ,when they had prayed1 the place was shaken1 ,i thought1 ,oh6 what was involved in that prayer--what does that mean8 ,why did the glory come8 ,why did the ,holy ,ghost overshadow them8 ,why were they filled with ,god--so filled that they had to go down and could not help themselves1 but went into the streets and poured it out upon the godless multitudes around them8 ,why1 why did it come8 ,why do hundreds of assemblies of ,god's people meet and pray1 but nothing comes8 ,they hold long meetings1 and make long prayers1 and sing1 ,we are waiting for the fire2 but nothing comes6 ,why did it come on that particular occasion8 ,because in that prayer was thorough1 entire1 everlasting self-abandonment4 ,they came up caring for nothing but pleasing ,god and doing as ,he bade them2 and the ,holy ,ghost alone knows when a soul arrives at that point4 ,he will never come till the soul does arrive at that point4 ,this is the deficiency1 ,i am satisfied1 with hundreds4 ,there they stand1 right on the borders of the glory-land1 but there is some wedge of gold1 or ,babylonish garment that they buried years ago4 ,they won't think about it4 ,they say1 ,oh1 it is nought1 nought6 ,that little thing would not hinder1 it is so long ago4 ,they would not1 when they knew they ought1 dig it up and burn it before the ,lord4 ,if this is so with any here1 you must dig it up1 or the ,holy ,ghost will never come4 ,a lady1 a short time ago1 was brought up to the very edge of this blessing1 but there was something she felt she ought to do4 ,she had a sum of money which she felt ought to be given up to a certain object4 ,she prayed and struggled1 and attended prayer-meetings1 and prayed long into the night2 but1 no1 she would not face the difficulty4 ,she said1 ,oh6 no2 ,i am not satisfied in my own mind4 ,how do ,i know ,god wants it for that purpose8 ,she might have struggled till now if she had not made up her mind to obey2 but1 the moment she did--alone1 up in her bedroom1 the blessing came4 ,a gentleman came up to the penitent-form1 after one of my ,west-end services1 last season1 and told me3 ,i am a preacher4 ,i have been laboring in the ,gospel for eight years1 but ,i know ,i am utterly destitute of this power4 ,do you want it8 ,oh6 he said1 ,i do2 and he looked as though he were sincere4 ,then1 ,i said1 what is it8 ,there is a hindrance4 ,it is not ,god's fault4 ,he wants you to have it ,he is as willing to give you the ,spirit as ,he was ,peter or ,paul1 and you want to have it4 ,now1 will you have it8 ,have you understood the conditions8 ,ah6 he said1 that is the point4 ,now1 you know ,i should be a false comforter if ,i were to try to make you believe you were right when you had not yielded that point4 ,well1 he said1 you see it would be cutting loose from one's entire circle4 ,ah6 he was led1 you see1 by ,christian friends4 ,i said1 ,did not the ,lord ,jesus cut loose from ,his circle to save you8 and1 if your ,christian friends are such that to live a holy life you must cut loose from them1 what are you going to do--stop in that circle1 ruin your own soul1 and help to ruin them1 or cut loose and help to save them8 ,oh6 there is no profounder philosophy in any text in the ,bible than that--,how can ye believe who receive honor one of another1 and seek not the honor that cometh from ,god only8 ,you will have to come to ,god not caring what anybody thinks4 ,as a dear lady1 who is going through floods of persecution for ,jesus1 said1 ,i don't care if they turn their backs on me1 and never speak to me any more1 and cast me out1 and my children1 too4 ,i don't care if ,i can only have ,his presence and follow ,him4 ,when you come to that you will get this pearl4 ,i know a father and mother who want this blessing1--especially the mother4 ,they have a family of beautiful little children1 but the father says1 ,what are we going to do for our children8 ,it is a very serious matter cutting loose from our circle4 ,a gentleman said to me1 ,i have to do something for my sons4 ,what am ,i to do8 ,no1 ,i said1 you have got to do nothing for your sons4 ,you have to train them for ,god1 and leave ,,god to do for them1 and ,he is well able to look after ,his own4 ,that is your business2 train them for ,god1 and leave ,god to find a niche for them1 and if ,he can't on earth1 ,i warrant you ,he will in ,heaven4 ,people have things wrong way up now-a-days4 ,they have the notion that they have to do this1 that1 and the other1 for themselves and their children1 instead of accepting it as their great commission that they have to propagate and push along and extend the kingdom of ,jesus ,christ1 to seek ,his kingdom and ,his righteousness1 and leave ,him to look after their interests4 ,when you come to this it will soon be done4 ,a ,,fragment4 ,love ,him1 trust ,him1 ,him alone2 ,father1 ,keeper1 ,three in ,one4 ,saviour1 ,master1 ,leader1 too2 ,lover1 ,brother1 ,,all to you4 ,fear not1 care not1 ,only follow ,his way1 this day1 ,and to-morrow4 ,waiting1 working1 ,for ,his sake2 ,watching1 hoping1 ,till daybreak4 ,peaceful1 joyful1 ,in ,his peace2 ,filled full1 kept full1 ,by ,his grace4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,addresses ,,on ,,holiness1 ,,in ,,exeter ,,hall4 ,,first ,,address4 ,i think it must be self-evident to everyone present that it is the most important question that can possibly occupy the mind of man--how much like ,god we can be--how near to ,god we can come on earth preparatory to our being perfectly like ,him1 and living1 as it were1 in ,his very heart for ever and ever in ,heaven4 ,anyone who has any measure of the ,spirit of ,god1 must perceive that this is the most important question on which we can concentrate our thoughts2 and the mystery of mysteries to me is1 how anyone1 with any measure of the ,spirit of ,god1 can help looking at this blessing of holiness1 and saying1 ,well1 even if it does seem too great for attainment on earth1 it is very beautiful and very blessed4 ,i wish ,i could attain it4 ,that1 it seems to me1 must be the attitude of every person who has the ,spirit of ,god--that he should hunger and thirst after it1 and feel that he shall never be satisfied till he wakes up in the lovely likeness of his ,saviour4 ,and yet1 alas6 we do not find it so4 ,in a great many instances1 the very first thing professing ,christians do1 is to resist and reject this doctrine of holiness as if it were the most foul thing on earth4 ,i heard a gentleman saying1 a few days ago--a leader in one circle of religion--that for anybody to talk about being holy1 showed that they knew nothing of themselves1 and nothing of ,jesus ,christ4 ,i said1 ,oh1 my ,god6 it has come to something if holiness and ,jesus ,christ are at the antipodes of each other4 ,i thought ,he was the centre and fountain of holiness4 ,i thought it was in ,him only we could get any holiness1 and through ,him that holiness could be wrought in us4 ,but this poor man thought this idea to be absurd4 ,may ,god speak for ,himself6 ,ever since ,i heard that sentiment ,i have been crying from the depths of my soul1 ,lord1 speak for ,thyself2 powerfully work on the hearts of ,thy people and awake them4 ,take the veil from their eyes1 and show them what ,thy purpose in ,christ ,jesus concerning them is4 ,do not let them be bewildered and miss the mark2 do not leave them1 but ,lord1 reveal it in their hearts4 ,there is no other way by which it can be revealed1 and1 if you will let ,him1 ,he will reveal it in your heart4 ,it occurred to me that ,i might say a word or two on what my husband said about infirmities1 because ,i am so continually meeting people who will make infirmities sins4 ,they insist upon it that the requirements of the ,adamic law have never been abated2 that we are not under the evangelical law of love1 or the law of ,christ1 as the ,apostle puts it1 but that we are still under the ,adamic law1 and that these imperfections and infirmities1 to which my husband has referred1 are sins4 ,i wonder that such people do not think of a certain passage1 which must forever explode such a theory1 where the ,apostle says1 ,most gladly therefore will ,i rather glory in my infirmities1 that the power of ,christ may rest upon me4 ,if these infirmities had been sins1 we should have the outrageous anomaly of an apostle of ,jesus ,christ glorying in his sins6 ,you see1 his infirmities were only those defects of mind and body which were capable of being overcome and overruled by grace1 to the glory of ,christ and to the furtherance of ,his kingdom4 ,i glory in my infirmities1 that the power of ,christ may rest upon me --that1 in consequence of these very infirmities1 the power of ,christ shall so rest upon me as to lift me above them1 make me independent of them1 master of them1 so that1 through these very infirmities1 ,i shall more glorify ,his strength and grace than if ,i were a perfect man1 in mind and body4 ,in another place he says1 ,and lest ,i should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations1 there was given to me a thorn in the flesh1 the messenger of ,satan1 to buffet me4 ,some people think this was sin2 but surely1 the words1 messenger of ,satan1 show that this thorn was no act or disposition of ,paul's1 but some external temptation or affliction1 inflicted by ,satan4 ,besides1 the ,divine assurance1 ,my grace is sufficient for thee1 ought to forbid the idea of sin4 ,paul sought the ,lord thrice to have this thorn removed2 surely if it had been sin1 the ,lord would1 have been as anxious to have it removed as ,his servant was6 ,this thorn was1 doubtless1 some physical trial--as the words1 in the flesh1 indicate--some tribulation or sorrow1 through the patient endurance of which the strength of ,christ could be magnified in ,paul's weakness--one of those things which he could bear through ,christ who strengthened him4 ,but mark1 this was a ,divinely-permitted discipline to prevent ,paul from falling into sin2 quite a different thing to sin itself4 ,god tempteth no man with evil4 ,the ,lord sent this to ,paul for the purpose not of making him humble1 for he was humbled before1 but of keeping him humble4 ,and does ,he not send something to us all8 ,do we not need trials and tribulations in the flesh in order to keep us humble8 ,but is this evidence that1 because we require these things to keep us humble1 therefore pride is dwelling in us and reigning over us8 ,it is an evidence just to the contrary4 ,oh1 that people1 in their enquiries about this blessing of holiness1 would keep this one thing before their minds1 that it is being saved from sin6--sin in act1 in purpose1 in thought6 ,i have a beautiful letter1 received a short time ago from a young lady1 who wrote me soon after my former services in the ,west ,end4 ,she told me that she had been the bondslave1 ,i think1 for four or five years1 of a certain besetting sin1 and her first letter was the very utterance of despair4 ,she had struggled and wrestled and prayed1 and tried to overcome the sin that had been reigning over her4 ,now and then she would get the victory1 and then down she went again1 and she said1 ,it is such a subtle thing1 connected with my thoughts and imagination1 so that ,i do not think ,i ever can be saved4 ,i answered the letter1 and tried to encourage her faith and hope in ,jesus ,christ4 ,i showed her how dishonoring this unbelief was1 and that1 if she would only trust ,him to come in and reign in her heart1 ,he could purify and cleanse the very thoughts and imagination4 ,she made a little advance1 and wrote me another letter4 ,i wrote her again1 and encouraged her to trust further4 ,she said she could not come so far as to think that ,he could purify her thoughts4 ,she had got as far as to believe that ,he could save her from putting them into practice1 but she could not believe that ,he could purify them4 ,i wrote her back once more1 and tried1 the ,lord helping me1 to show her how ,jesus1 by the inspiration of ,his ,holy ,spirit1 could purify the very thoughts of our hearts1 and1 thank ,god1 she did go another step4 ,i have had two letters from her since4 ,she said in the first of them1 ,i rejoice with trembling1 for fear it should be only temporary1 but ,i have trusted ,him to purify the source1 and ,i must say ,,he ,,has ,,done ,,it1 and1 instead of thinking these thoughts1 ,i have holy thoughts1 and if ,satan presents anything to my mind1 it is so repulsive to me that ,i cannot tell you the grief and horror with which it fills me4 ,i wrote her again1 encouraging her1 and ,i got another letter1 in which she said1 ,it is a fact that ,he has cleansed the thoughts of my heart1 and now ,i am conscious that my thoughts are pleasing to ,him1 that ,he has saved me from this sin which has been the trouble and torment of my life for all these years gone by4 ,now1 what ,i want to say to you1 is1 that what ,he can do for one1 ,he can do for another4 ,if ,i am wrong here1 ,i give up the whole question4 ,i am perfectly mistaken in the purpose and aim and command of the ,gospel dispensation1 if ,god does not want ,his people to be pure4 ,not to count themselves pure when they are not4 ,oh1 no6 ,we are told1 over and over again1 that ,god wants ,his people to be pure1 and ,,that ,,purity ,,in ,,their ,,hearts ,,is ,,the ,,very ,,central ,,idea ,,and ,,end ,,and ,,purpose ,,of ,,the ,,gospel ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ2 if it is not so1 ,i give up the whole question--,i am utterly deceived4 ,in justification of this1 ,i have selected two or three texts which seem to put it all in one2 summing-up texts1 so to speak4 ,i will take first1 as a specimen1 what my husband has been trying to enforce--,the will of ,god is your sanctification4 ,there is1 however1 a sense1 and an important sense1 in which sanctification must be the will of man4 ,it must be my will1 too1 and if it is not my will1 the ,divine will can never be accomplished in me4 ,i must will to be sanctified1 as ,god is willing that ,i should be sanctified4 ,there are as many1 and more1 exhortations in the ,bible to sanctify yourselves than there are promises of ,god to sanctify you4 ,the next text is ,james iv4 #h3 ,draw nigh to ,god1 and ,he will draw nigh to you4 ,cleanse your hands1 ye sinners2 and purify your hearts ye double-minded4 ,this was to backsliders1 to people who had been professing to believe1 but who had gone back under the dominion of their fleshly appetites and passions4 ,there are two or three other texts where we seem to get the whole matter summed up1 as1 for instance1 ,he gave ,himself for us 7that is1 for us ,christians1 the whole ,church of ,god7 that ,he might redeem us from all iniquity1 and purify unto ,himself a peculiar people1 zealous of good works4--,that is1 purify us4 ,and then #a ,timothy i4 #e shows ,god's purpose and aim in the whole method of redemption4 ,now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart1 and of a good conscience1 and of faith unfeigned--cleansed and kept clean1 for if it had been cleaned and become dirty again1 it would not be a good but a bad conscience4 ,and again1 in ,i ,john iii4 #c3 ,and every man that hath this hope in ,him1 purifieth himself1 even as ,he is pure4 ,now1 ,i say1 these are summing-up texts1 and there are numbers of others to the same effect1 to show that the whole end and purpose of redemption is this--that ,he will restore us to purity2 that ,he will bring us back to righteousness2 that ,he will purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living ,god--not only purge you from the past1 but keep you purged to serve the ,,living ,,god2 that it shall be done by the application of the blood to the conscience1 and then it shall be maintained by the power of the ,holy ,ghost keeping us in a state of purity and obedience to righteousness4 ,now1 ,i say1 if this be not the central idea of ,christianity1 ,i do not understand it4 ,if ,god cannot do this for me--if ,jesus ,christ cannot do this for me1 what is my advantage at all by ,his coming8 ,there is a great deal more in these epistles directed to the individual ,christian to be this1 that1 and the other1 and to do this1 that1 and the other1 than there is about what ,god will do for him after all6 ,this is not an objective ,christianity--this is not sitting down and sentimentalizing and thinking of ,christ in the ,heavens1 in these epistles2 it brings ,him down1 to all intents and purposes1 ,,into ,,our ,,hearts ,,and ,,lives ,,here1 and it is one of the continual exhortations1 be ye this1 and do ye this and the other4 ,these epistles represent a real1 practical transformation to be accomplished ,,in ,,us1 and this is the only thing that will do to die with4 ,if it is not accomplished in you1 ,i tell you1 you will not be able to die in peace4 ,you will want to be cleansed1 as my dear husband told you1 before you can venture into the presence of the ,king of kings4 ,you will want a sense of beautiful1 moral rectitude and righteousness spreading over your whole nature1 which will enable you to look up into the face of ,god and say1 ,yes1 ,i love ,thee1 ,i know ,thee1 and ,thou knowest me1 and lovest me1 and we are one4 ,i love the things ,thou lovest1 and desire the things ,thou desirest4 ,we are of one spirit1 'joined in one spirit unto the ,lord4' ,you will want that1 and nothing less will do to die with4 ,and why not have it8 ,will you have it8 ,why not let ,god work it in us8 ,will you try it8 ,people are constantly saying1 ,they long for it1 and they wish they could get it4 ,will you let ,god do it8 ,will you put away the depths of unbelief which are at the bottom of all your difficulty8 ,people really do not believe that ,god can do it for them1 and that is at the bottom of their difficulties4 ,but ,he can do it1 and ,he promises to do it4 ,will you go down1 and say1 ,be it unto me according to ,thy word8 ,,born--,a ,,saviour4 ,luke ii4 #aa4 ,jesus a ,saviour born1 ,without3 ,without the inn1 refused with scorn4 ,cast out3 ,cast out for me1 my ,saviour1 ,king1 ,cast out to bring this lost one in4 ,jesus a ,saviour born1 ,a man3 ,a man of sorrows1 smitten1 torn by stripes3 ,by stripes1 ,o ,lord1 my soul is healed1 ,by stripes1 ,thy stripes1 my pardon sealed4 ,jesus a ,saviour born1 ,the ,lamb3 ,the ,lamb of ,god hath bled and borne ,my sins3 ,my sins the ,sacrifice did slay1 ,my sins the ,lamb doth take away4 ,jesus a ,saviour born ,to save3 ,to save at night1 at noon1 at morn4 ,to keep3 ,to keep from sin1 from doubt1 from fear2 ,to keep1 for lo6 the ,keeper's here4 ,jesus a ,saviour born1 ,a ,king3 ,a ,king6 exalt ,his glorious horn1 ,and sing3 ,o sing1 ye heavens6 ,he burst ,his grave1 ,and sing1 ,o earth6 ,he lives to save6 ,,second ,,address4 ,i beseech yon therefore1 brethren1 by the mercies of ,god1 that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice1 holy1 acceptable unto ,god1 which is your reasonable service4 ,and be not conformed to this world3 but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind1 that ye may prove what is that good1 and acceptable1 and perfect will of ,god4--,,rom4 xii4 #a1b4 ,i have been thinking about the word in the text1 that--that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable1 and perfect will of ,god4 ,this advance in the ,divine life1 as well as every other1 right to the end1 till we advance into glory1 has its conditions4 ,the condition of the advance from an absolutely unawakened worldly condition1 to that of a convinced sinner1 is the reception of the light4 ,god awakens and enlightens tens of thousands1 and thousands reject the light--instantly put it away--shut their eyes --will not have the light4 ,these go back into greater darkness1 and sin with more alacrity than ever they did before2--those who receive the light advance into the condition of awakened1 enlightened souls4 ,the next condition of advance from the state of a struggling sinner1 willing to part with his sins and to follow ,christ1 is faith1 to believe on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that he may receive the forgiveness of sins4 ,and at every advance onwards1 if the believer is ever to get beyond the first principles1 if he is ever to grow a single inch1 so to speak1 there is a condition involved in that advance6 ,for instance1 if1 after conversion1 the ,holy ,spirit reveals to him something which is inconsistent--which he did not before see--the condition of his advance another step is the renunciation of that thing6--the reception of the light1 and obedience to it2 and1 if he shrinks from and does not receive and obey the light1 he will never advance any more until he does4 ,there are thousands of ,christians1 who1 instead of advancing1 have gone back since their conversion1 because they would not comply with the condition1 ,,that they might prove the good1 and acceptable1 and perfect will of ,god4 ,there was a condition4 ,they would have proved the will of ,god if there had been no condition2 but there was a condition they would not comply with2 so there they stick1 just where they were--or1 rather1 they have gone backward4 ,well1 now1 then1 here is a condition to this grand and glorious advance from the state of justification1 where1 while the believer is given power over sin1 so that it does not rule over him1 yet he sometimes1 through its inward workings1 falls under its power--the advance from this comparatively sinning and repenting condition on to that platform where the believer so abides in ,christ that he sins not1 that he loves ,god with all his heart1 and soul1 and mind1 and strength--so united to ,christ that1 walking in the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 he fulfils the law of love under which he is placed--the advance1 ,i say1 from that up and down1 in and out1 falling and rising state1 to this higher platform1 also has its conditions4 ,you would go up to it to-day if it were not for the conditions2 most of you would go up in a body1 as the ,israelites would have gone into ,canaan1 if there had been no condition4 ,i never knew anyone so foolish as not to want to be in the good land2 they want to be in1 of course1 and they would go in and get the honey and the milk1 but there are the conditions6 ,now then1 here you have it plain1 and you have it in numbers of other passages equally plain4 ,there is nothing upon which the ,holy ,ghost has been more particular than in laying down the conditions4 ,and what are they8 ,i beseech you1 therefore1 brethren1 by the mercies of ,god1 that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice--the living man--you1 all of you2 not it--not something in you4 ,the latter term is never used by the ,holy ,ghost when speaking to ,christians1 but always you1 ye1 your bodies1 your souls1 your mind1 the whole man--,,you1 a living sacrifice1 holy1 acceptable unto ,god1 which is your reasonable service4 ,and is it not8 ,is it too much8 ,is it more than ,he bargained for when ,he bought you8 ,is it more than ,he paid for8 ,it is your reasonable service4 ,and now1 then1 comes the conditions3 ,and be not conformed to this world3 but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind1 that ye may prove4 ,oh6 if you could be transformed to ,him and conformed to this world at the same time1 all the difficulty would be over4 ,i know plenty of people who would be transformed directly2 but1 to be not conformed to this world--how they stand and wince at that6 ,they cannot have it at that price4 ,as dear ,finney once said1 ,my brother1 if you want to find ,god1 you will not find ,him up there1 amongst all the starch and flattery of hell2 you will have to come down for ,him4 ,that is it--,be not conformed to this world4 ,nothing wounds me more1 after being at meetings for dealing with souls1 where ,i have tried to speak in a most pointed and thorough way to make everybody know what ,i meant1 when ,i go to the dinner or supper-table1 people have not known a bit1 or1 if they have1 they won't accept it4 ,oh6 this is the secret--they will not come down from their pride and high-mightiness4 ,but ,god will not be revealed to such souls1 though they cry and pray themselves to skeletons1 and go mourning all their days4 ,they will not fulfil the condition--,be not conformed to this world2 they will not forego their conformity even to the extent of a dinner party4 ,a great many that ,i know will not forego their conformity to the shape of their head-dress4 ,they won't forego their conformity to the extent of giving up visiting and receiving visits from ungodly1 worldly1 hollow1 and superficial people4 ,they will not forego their conformity to the tune of having their domestic arrangements upset--no1 not if the salvation of their children1 and servants1 and friends depends upon it4 ,the sine qua non is their own comfort1 and then take what you can get1 on ,god's side4 ,we must have this1 and we must have the other2 and then1 if the ,lord ,jesus ,christ will come in at the tail end and sanctify it all1 we shall be very much obliged to ,him2 but we cannot forego these things4 ,oh6 friends1 ,i tell you1 this will never do4 ,god helping me1 ,i will1 ,i must tell you1 because it is driven in upon my soul by what ,i am seeing and hearing every day4 ,people come to these meetings1 and they groan and cry and come to us for help1 and we exhaust our poor brains and bodies in talking to them and giving them advice1 telling them what to do1 and1 when it comes to the point1 we find1 ,oh6 no2 don't you be mistaken3 we are not going to sacrifice these things4 ,we cannot have the ,lord if ,he will not come into our temples and take them as ,he finds them4 ,we could not forego these things4 ,you remember the text that was read at the opening of the meeting--,and the world hath hated them1 because they are not of the world4 ,it means something6 and there are a hundred other texts teaching the same truth4 ,now1 what does it mean8 ,the ,lord help us to see it6 ,does it not mean that we are not to be like the rest of the world8--that we are not to be guided by the same maxims1 or act upon the same principles as the world8--that we are not to attach the same importance to mere earthly and worldly things that worldly people do8 ,have you ever thought of those awful words in the parable of the sower8--,and the cares of this world1 and the deceitfulness of riches1 and the lusts of other things1 entering in1 choke the word1 and it becometh unfruitful1--not abominable things1 not immoral things1 not shameful things1 but the desire of other things4 ,and1 in another text3 ,who mind earthly things4 ,they attach more importance to worldly things and other things than they do to the things of ,his kingdom4 ,they practically make these things first1 though they sing about ,his kingdom and profess to make ,him first3 they make the earthly things first1 and1 therefore1 they will not have their earthly things upset for ,his things2 and do you suppose ,he is cheated8 ,do you suppose ,he is deceived8 ,do you think it likely that the great ,god of ,heaven1 who has millions of angels and archangels to worship and serve ,him1 is going to pour ,his glory on such people1 and reveal ,himself to them1 and use them8 ,not likely6 ,i will be first in your love1 ,he says4 ,you women here1 if you knew that you were not the first and only one in the affections of your husband1 what would you say8 ,and you husbands1 would you dwell with a wife if you knew you were not the only one in her affections1 but that they were divided between you and someone else8 ,not likely6 you would say2 ,i am not going to lavish my affections1 and my society1 and my gifts1 and everything ,i possess1 on one whose heart is divided with another4 ,if she will have her heart divided1 then she must go to that other4 ,now you know ,god is a jealous ,god1 and ,he knows who do mock ,him1 and ,he knows who will not sacrifice this conformity to the world that they may walk with ,him in white4 ,he knows1 also1 who do not care what anybody thinks of them1 or what people say of them2 who are willing to be counted fools and fanatics that they may walk with ,him and promote the interests of ,his kingdom1 and who only regard their bodies as ,his instruments and their homes as ,his temples2 who are willing that their breakfast hours1 or dinner hours1 or luncheon hours1 or any other hours may be upset1 and1 in fact1 everything made subservient to the interests of ,his kingdom4 ,we must place everything at ,his service--our children1 business1 homes1 and everything4 ,if ,i understand it1 this is nonconformity to the world4 ,before ,i close1 let me say a word to help those who are desiring to attain this blessing4 ,there is no other way4 ,it is of no use beating about4 ,,be ,,not ,,conformed1 ,,but ,,be ,,ye ,,transformed4 ,these two are in juxtaposition4 ,if you will be conformed1 then you cannot be transformed2 if you will not be transformed1 then you must be conformed4 ,now1 will you give up conformity to the world8 ,if so1 you may1 everyone of you1 be transformed this morning--go up into the land4 ,you may all be saved to-day1 and make your abiding-place in ,christ1 and have all the power and glory which comes to those who possess ,him2 you may advance from the miserable condition of a poor up-and-down1 in-and-out1 wretched man1 on to the glorious vantage ground of a saved man--a saved woman--a triumphant saint of ,god6 ,,faith4 ,my faith looks up to ,thee-- ,my faith1 so small1 so slow2 ,it lifts its drooping eyes to see ,and claim the blessing now4 ,thy wondrous gift ,it sees afar2 ,thy perfect love ,it claims to share1 ,and doth not1 cannot fear4 ,my faith takes hold on ,thee-- ,my faith1 so weak1 so faint2 ,it lifts its trembling hands to be1 ,trembling1 but violent4 ,the kingdom now ,it takes by force1 ,and waits till ,thou1 ,its last resource1 ,shall seal and sanctify4 ,my faith holds fast on ,thee1 ,my faith1 still small1 but sure1 ,its anchor holds alone to ,thee1 ,whose presence keeps me pure4 ,and ,thou alway1 ,to see and hear1 ,by night1 by day1 ,art very near-- ,art very near to me4 ,,third ,,address4 ,what a deal there is of going to meetings and getting blessed1 and then going away and living just the same1 until sometimes we1 who are constantly engaged in trying to bring people nearer to ,god1 go away so discouraged that our hearts are almost broken4 ,we feel that people go back again from the place where we have led them1 instead of stepping up to the place to which ,god is calling them4 ,they come and come1 and we are1 as the ,prophet says1 unto them a very pleasant instrument1 or a very unpleasant one1 as the case may be2 and so they go away1 and do not get anything4 ,they do not make any definite advance4 ,we have not communicated unto them any spiritual gift4 ,they merely have their feelings stirred1 and1 consequently1 they live the next week exactly as they lived the last1 and go down under the temptation just as they did before4 ,would you dream for a moment from reading the ,new ,testament that this was the kind of thing ,god intended in ,his provisions of grace and salvation8 ,is there not a definite end in every promise1 exhortation1 and command8 ,god is most definite in ,his requirements and promises1 and in the provision which ,he has made2 and yet many of the ,lord's people are perpetually and persistently indefinite4 ,they go to and fro1 like a door on its hinges1 and never get anything from the ,lord4 ,we want you absolutely to get something from the ,lord1 and we are quite sure you may and will1 if you comply with the condition4 ,the ,lord is ready to give you that particular measure of grace1 strength1 and salvation which you need4 ,now that you have come up to the threshhold of the goodly land1 there is only one thing which can keep you out1 provided you have made the needed consecration4 ,of course1 if you are holding anything back1 then you can never come in until you give that up4 ,if yon are cleaving to some doubtful thing1 and don't give ,god the benefit of the doubt1 you can never come in2 but1 if you see this1 and make the necessary consecration1 if you really desire this blessing1 there is only one thing which can possibly keep you out of its enjoyment1 and that is--unbelief4 ,it will be said of you1 in years to come1 as it was said of some in olden times1 ,they entered not in because of unbelief4 ,you have come right up to the threshhold1 and some of you have been there many a time4 ,oh6 what gracious influences you have been the subject of4 ,you have seen through the veil6 ,you have felt ,his hand6 ,you have had your feet on the threshhold6 ,you have been almost in1 and then you have drawn back through unbelief4 ,shall it be so again to-night8 ,god forbid6 ,will yon step over8 ,will you venture8 ,will you trust8 ,will yon leap on to ,his faithfulness8 ,will you spring into the arms of ,omnipotent ,love1 and trust ,him with consequences8 ,never mind if you do die1 or something happens to you that never happened to anyone else in the world's history2 ,god will take care of you4 ,never mind if the devil does come round and consider you1 as he did ,job1 and afflict you with boils1 and put you upon the dunghill--you will be happier there with ,jesus than in a palace without ,him4 ,oh6 this caring for consequences6 ,the devil knows the grand possibilities open to many of you2 he knows not only what you might receive and enjoy in yourselves1 but what you might accomplish for ,god if you would only come in and possess this blessing2 and so he frightens you with consequences4 ,he knows what you might do1 and whom you might be instrumental in saving6 ,who knows how many of these precious ones that cluster round you1 you may be instrumental in leading on to this higher platform--this glorious vantage ground of ,christian experience8 and1 through them1 how many more8 and how1 in this way1 the glorious blessing would spread8 ,remember1 also1 that every time you come near and go back1 there is less probability that you will ever come in at all2 and the nearer you come and go back1 the less probability there is that you will ever come as near again4 ,you are grieving the ,spirit4 ,there are some people who have been coming near for years1 and now they have gone back altogether1 and ,i am afraid they will never come up again4 ,what will you do8 ,the law of the kingdom1 from beginning to end1 is1 ,according to your faith be it unto you1 and1 ,what things soever ye desire1 when ye pray1 believe that ye receive them1 and ye shall have them4 ,eternal truth has uttered it--ye shall have them4 ,now then1 will you8 ,have you let go all8 ,are your skirts free8 ,are you leaving all behind you8 ,are you resolved from to-night to cut from the past1 and no more make any provision for the flesh to fulfil its lusts1 but that you will bid the things that are behind a final adieu1 close your eyes on them1 and fix your eyes on the mark of the prize of your high calling1 and press on every succeeding hour of your life until you reach it8 ,will you8 ,if you will1 ,god will give you this blessing4 ,he waits to do it2 ,he is here4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is here3 ,he is leading many of you up2 ,he is beseeching you2 ,he is seconding what ,i am saying1 in your hearts2 ,he is saying1 ,come1 beloved2 come into the banqueting house2 ,he wants to bless you and fill you with ,his ,spirit4 ,now then1 will you come8 ,oh6 the ,lord help you not to draw back1 but to press on1 press on1 press on1 never minding the consequences4 ,,fourth ,,address4 ,i think1 dear friends1 that ,i have only a very few words to say to you now4 ,i am1 as it were1 holding on to ,god for power by which to say them1 so that they shall sink into your hearts and produce some immediate and permanent results in your lives4 ,i believe the ,lord is not only grieved and disappointed1 but ,i believe ,he is angry1 when ,his people meet1 and talk1 and sing1 and pray1 and then go away without any definite result having been reached--without ever having given anything to ,him1 or received anything from ,him4 ,i believe ,he feels with respect to us1 just as ,he felt with respect to ,his people of old1 when ,he said1 ,why come ye and cover my altar with tears8 ,as though ,he said1 ,you know what ,i want you to do2 come and do it2 and1 when you do it1 ,i will open the windows of ,heaven and pour out a blessing4 ,my heart ached at what a lady told me this morning1 before ,i came into this hall4 ,she said1 ,a friend of mine remarked1 ',you don't mean to say that you are going to call four thousand people together to cry for the ,holy ,ghost8' ,she said1 ',yes1 ,i do4' ',well1 it makes me frightened4 ,what if anything should happen2 if something should be done8' ,would to ,god something would happen2 would to ,god something might be done that should frighten somebody4 ,but oh6 what did that reveal8 ,depths of infidelity and unbelief2 and yet people wonder that infidelity is increasing4 ,is it any wonder that infidels are laughing us to scorn8 ,is it any wonder that at ,christian ,evidence ,societies men get up and say that the ,christian system has become effete8 ,no wonder1 when that is the state of heart of the ,lord's people4 ,people meet together1 and pray1 and talk1 and sing ,whiter than snow1 and they don't believe it any more than do the heathen4 ,they pray for the ,holy ,ghost1 and do not so much as believe there is a ,holy ,ghost4 ,they ask ,god to do something1 when they never knew ,him to do anything1 and don't expect ,he ever will4 ,the world is dying because of this unreality1 and being damned by it4 ,josephine ,butler says1 about ,france1 ,france is waiting for a reality3 and so is ,england1 and so is the world waiting for a reality4 ,god help us to make some real people4 ,you believe1 some of you1 that nothing is going to happen4 ,you don't believe that ,god is going to do anything--so ,he won't in your experience4 ,if you had lived at ,nazareth1 do you think ,jesus ,christ would have done anything for you8 ,if you had been deaf and dumb1 you would have remained so1 for ,he could not have done any mighty works in you1 because of your unbelief6 ,he is the same now2 and if you don't expect ,him to do anything1 brother1 ,he will not4 ,but some of us do expect ,him to do something4 ,some of us believe ,he is going to do something1 and that by this little stone1 cut out of a mountain1 without hands1 ,he intends to raise a great kingdom4 ,jesus ,christ is not going to be disappointed1 and allow the devil to chuckle in ,his face forever1 and say1 ,i have cheated ,you out of ,your inheritance4 ,we will do something1 or die in attempting it4 ,after all1 what does ,god want with us8 ,he wants us just to be and to do4 ,he wants us to be like ,his ,son1 and then to do as ,his ,son did2 and when we come to that1 ,he will shake the world through us4 ,people say1 ,you can't be like ,his ,son4 ,very well1 then1 you will never get any more than you believe for4 ,if ,i did not think ,jesus ,christ strong enough to destroy the works of the devil1 and to bring us back to ,god's original pattern1 ,i would throw the whole thing up for ever4 ,what6 ,he has given1 us a religion we cannot practice8 ,i say1 ,no1 ,he has not come to mock us4 ,what8 ,he has given us a ,saviour who cannot save8 ,then ,i decline to have anything to do with ,him4 ,what6 does ,he profess to do for me what ,he cannot8 ,no1 no4 ,he is not a man1 that ,he should lie3 neither the ,son of man1 that ,he should repent3 and ,i tell you that ,his scheme of salvation is two-sided--it is ,god-ward and man-ward4 ,it contemplates me as well as it contemplates the great ,god4 ,it is not a scheme of salvation1 merely--it is a scheme of restoration4 ,if ,he cannot restore me1 ,he must damn me4 ,if ,he cannot heal me1 and make me over again1 and restore me to the pattern ,he intended me to be1 ,he has left ,himself no choice4 ,i challenge anybody to disprove by the ,bible that ,he proposes to restore me--brain1 heart1 soul1 spirit1 body1 every fibre of my nature--to restore me perfectly1 to conform me wholly to the image of ,his ,son4 ,if ,he could have saved me without restoring me1 then ,he could have saved me without a ,saviour at all4 ,how do you read your ,bibles8 ,how do you read the history of the miracles--the stories of ,his opening the eyes1 unstopping the ears1 cleansing the leper1 and raising the dead8 ,he will heal you if you will let ,him4 ,these are the sort of words the world wants--the living words1 living embodiments of ,christianity1 walking embodiments of the ,spirit1 and life and power of ,jesus ,christ4 ,you may scatter ,bibles1 as you have done1 all over the world4 ,you may preach1 and sing1 and talk1 and do what you will2 but1 if you don't exhibit to the people living epistles1 show them the transformation of character and life in yourself which is brought about by the power and grace of ,god--if you don't go to them and do the works of ,jesus ,christ1 you may go on preaching1 and the world will get worse and worse1 and the church1 too4 ,we want a living embodiment of ,christianity4 ,we want ,,jesus ,,to ,,come ,,in ,,the ,,flesh ,,again4 ,did you ever notice the tense in that passage--,he that believeth that ,jesus is come in the flesh--not that ,he did come1 or was come1 but that ,he is come now4 ,oh6 how people hate ,jesus ,christ in the flesh4 ,you may be ever so devout1 ever so ,pharisaic1 till you come to ,jesus in the flesh1 and then they will gnash on you with their teeth as they gnashed on ,christ4 ,they can't resist such people4 ,this is what the world wants--holy people2 and nothing else will do4 ,we have tried everything else4 ,you ,christian people from other divisions of the ,lord's forces1 you have tried ,bibles1 and preaching1 and singing1 and services1 and ,sunday-schools4 ,i have been lately to a part of the country where they told me that nearly every member of the population had passed through their ,sunday-schools1 and yet there are men there who will drag a young girl down a flight of stone stairs and kick her till she is black and blue4 ,the great mass of the people who took part in the ,lancashire ,riots have passed through your ,sunday-schools4 ,now1 ,i say1 ,god is speaking to you in these things1 if only you will hear ,him1 and ,he is saying that the letter killeth1 that circumcision1 and baptism1 and forms1 and ceremonies1 and going to chapel1 and ,bible reading1 is all nothing1 when there is no ,holy ,ghost in it4 ,you want a real1 living embodiment of ,christianity over again1 and if the ,salvation ,army is not going to be that1 may ,god put it out6 ,i would be willing to pronounce the funeral oration of the ,army if ,i did not believe it was going to be that4 ,the world is dying for this4 ,i was so touched1 yesterday1 by hearing a story from ,paris1 told by a young woman who has just returned1 and was telling me about my precious child4 ,the story was this3 ,a woman came1 one morning1 and asked for the lady4 ,they tried to put her off1 and asked1 ,will not someone else do8 ,no1 said the woman2 ,i do want to see the lady herself4 ,they said1 ,you can't see her to-day--she is too ill6 ,then1 she said1 ,when can ,i see her8 ,they appointed a time the next afternoon1 and then this poor woman came1 and she told this story3 ,i did hear1 six years ago1 that there was somebody could take the devil out4 ,now1 see1 ,i have got a devil in1 and he do make me wicked and miserable1 and ,i do want him taken out1 and ,i have been running about these six years to find somebody who could pull him out4 ,i've been to lots of priests1 but they could not pull him out because they had a devil in them2 and1 you see when there's a devil in me and a devil in them1 we got to fighting1 and they could not pull him out4 ,what a comment on ,jesus ,i know1 and ,paul ,i know2 but who are ye8 ,of course1 nobody can put a devil out who has a devil in them4 ,the poor old woman's sense told her this4 ,and1 she continued1 a gentleman told me that this lady who has come here is able to pull him out1 and ,i have come to her to do it1 for ,i want him pulled out4 ,oh1 yes6 ,i thought1 that is what poor humanity wants all the world over4 ,,they ,,want ,,people ,,who ,,can ,,cast ,,the ,,devil ,,out--people who have in them ,holy ,ghost power to do it4 ,oh6 will you be such an one8 ,where is ,god8 someone said to me the other day1 in agony--,where is ,god8 ,where1 indeed6 ,why does ,he not show ,himself8 ,why does ,he not do something8 ,that lady was afraid something would happen when #d1jjj met together to beseech the ,holy ,ghost6 ,why not8 ,you say ,he has not changed4 ,your creed says so4 ,you say ,he is the same yesterday1 to-day and forever4 ,you say the needs of the world are as great4 ,you say ,his great1 benevolent heart beats for ,his fallen1 sinful1 erring human family4 ,you say ,he loves us4 ,you are always telling about ,his love4 ,what is the reason ,he does not do something for us1 and come down in the same plentitude of spiritual power as ,he did at ,pentecost8 ,why8 ,only because you are not as given up to ,him and as willing to do it as the people were in former times4 ,you have not accounted all things dung and dross4 ,you have not thrown everything into the scale1 and1 therefore1 ,he will not thus baptize you with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,these are the people that the world wants--people of one idea--,christ1 and ,him crucified4 ,for ,christ's sake1 give up quibbling4 ,i said to a lady who had got this blessing when somebody got at her and began with this verse and that verse1 and this translation and that translation--,mind you don't begin to reason2 you will lose your blessing--and she did lose it4 ,you can't know it by understanding4 ,oh6 if the world could have known it by understanding1 what a deal they would have known4 ,but ,he despises all your philosophy4 ,it is not by understanding1 but by faith6 ,if ever you know ,god it will be by faith1 becoming as a little child--opening your mouth1 and saying1 ,lord1 pour in2 and then your quibbles and difficulties will be gone1 and you will see holiness1 sanctification1 purity1 perfect love1 burning out on every page of ,god's ,word4 ,i weep before ,god1 ,i feel almost more than ,i can bear1 over this awful knack that some people seem to have of plucking the bread out of the children's mouths when they are just getting an appetite for it4 ,the ,lord have mercy upon them6 ,if you don't come in yourselves1 for ,christ's sake don't keep other people out4 ,a minister--a devoted1 good man--was trying to show me that this sanctification was too big to be got and kept4 ,i said1 ,my dear sir1 how do you know8 ,if another man has faith to march up to ,jesus ,christ and say1 ',here1 ,i see this in your ,book2 ,you have promised this to me2 now then1 ,lord1 ,i have faith to take it3' mind you don't measure ,his privilege by your faith4 ,do you think the church has come up to ,his standard of privilege and obligation8 ,i don't4 ,it has many marches to make yet4 ,mind you don't hinder anybody4 ,the law of the kingdom all the way through will be--,according to your faith4 ,if you want this blessing1 put down your quibbles1 put your feet on your arguments1 march up to the throne and ask for it1 and kill1 and crucify1 and cast from you1 the accursed thing which hinders it1 and then you shall have it1 and the ,lord will fill you with ,his power and glory now1 and something will happen4 ,the ,lord grant it4