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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 19:53:47 -0700 |
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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 19:53:47 -0700 |
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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/30449-0.txt b/30449-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0661210 --- /dev/null +++ b/30449-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3873 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30449 *** + +THE WAY TO GOD + +AND HOW TO FIND IT + + +By D. L. MOODY + + +Fleming H. Revell Company + + +Chicago New York Toronto + +_Publishers of Evangelical Literature_ + + + + +Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1884, + +By F. H. REVELL, + +In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. + + + +TO THE READER + + +In this small volume I have endeavored to point out the Way to God. + +I have embodied in the little book a considerable part of several +addresses which have been delivered in different cities, both of +Great Britain and my own country. God has graciously owned them when +spoken from the pulpit, and I trust will none the less add his +blessing now they have been put into the printed page with additional +matter. + +I have called attention first to the Love of God, the source of all +Gifts of Grace; have then endeavored to present truths to meet the +special needs of representative classes, answering the question, "How +man can be just with God," hoping thereby to lead souls to Him who is +"the Way, the Truth and the Life." + +The last chapter is specially addressed to Backsliders--a class, +alas, far too numerous amongst us. + +With the earnest prayer and hope that by the blessing of God on these +pages the reader may be strengthened, established and settled in the +faith of Christ, + +I am, yours in His service, + +D. L. Moody + + + +CONTENTS. + + +Chapter I. "Love that passeth Knowledge" + +Chapter II. The Gateway into the Kingdom + +Chapter III. The Two Classes + +Chapter IV. Words of Counsel + +Chapter V. A Divine Saviour + +Chapter VI. Repentance and Restitution + +Chapter VII. Assurance of Salvation + +Chapter VIII. Christ All and in All + +Chapter IX. Backsliding + + + +THE WAY TO GOD. + + +CHAPTER I. + + +"_LOVE THAT PASSETH KNOWLEDGE_." + + +"To know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge." + +(Ephesians iii. 19.) + + +If I could only make men understand the real meaning of the words of +the apostle John--"God is love," I would take that single text, and +would go up and down the world proclaiming this glorious truth. If +you can convince a man that you love him you have won his heart. If +we really make people believe that God loves them, how we should find +them crowding into the kingdom of heaven! The trouble is that men +think God hates them; and so they are all the time running away from +Him. + +We built a church in Chicago some years ago; and were very anxious to +teach the people the love of God. We thought if we could not preach +it into their hearts we would try and burn it in; so we put right +over the pulpit in gas-jets these words--God is Love. A man going +along the streets one night glanced through the door, and saw the +text. He was a poor prodigal. As he passed on he thought to himself, +"God is Love! No! He does not love me; for I am a poor miserable +sinner." He tried to get rid of the text; but it seemed to stand out +right before him in letters of fire. He went on a little further; +then turned round, went back, and went into the meeting. He did not +hear the sermon; but the words of that short text had got deeply +lodged in his heart, and that was enough. It is of little account +what men say if the Word of God only gets an entrance into the +sinner's heart. He staid after the first meeting was over; and I +found him there weeping like a child. As I unfolded the Scriptures +and told him how God had loved him all the time, although he had +wandered so far away, and how God was waiting to receive him and +forgive him, the light of the Gospel broke into his mind, and he went +away rejoicing. + +There is nothing in this world that men prize so much us they do +Love. Show me a person who has no one to care for or love him, and I +will show you one of the most wretched beings on the face of the +earth. Why do people commit suicide? Very often it is because this +thought steals in upon them--that no one loves them; and they would +rather die than live. + +I know of no truth in the whole Bible that ought to come home to us +with such power and tenderness as that of the Love of God; and there +is no truth in the Bible that Satan would so much like to blot out. +For more than six thousand years he has been trying to persuade men +that God does not love them. He succeeded in making our first parents +believe this lie; and he too often succeeds with their children. + +The idea that God does not love us often comes from false teaching. +Mothers make a mistake in teaching children that God does not love +them when they do wrong; but only when they do right. That is not +taught in Scripture. You do not teach your children that when they do +wrong you hate them. Their wrong-doing does not change your love to +hate; if it did, you would change your love a great many times. +Because your child is fretful, or has committed some act of +disobedience, you do not cast him out as though he did not belong to +you! No! he is still your child; and you love him. And if men have +gone astray from God it does not follow that He hates _them_. It is +the sin that He hates. + +I believe the reason why a great many people think God does not love +them is because they are measuring God by their own small rule, from +their own standpoint. We love men as long as we consider them worthy +of our love; when they are not we cast them off. It is not so with +God. There is a vast difference between human love and Divine love. + +In Ephesians iii. 18, we are told of the breadth, and length, and +depth, and height, of God's love. Many of us think we know something +of God's love; but centuries hence we shall admit we have never found +out much about it. Columbus discovered America; but what did he know +about its great lakes, rivers, forests, and the Mississippi Valley? +He died, without knowing much about what he had discovered. So, many +of us have discovered something of the love of God; but there are +heights, depths and lengths of it we do not know. That Love is a +great ocean; and we require to plunge into it before we really know +anything of it. It is said of a Roman Catholic Archbishop of Paris, +that when he was thrown into prison and condemned to be shot, a +little while before he was led out to die, he saw a window in his +cell in the shape of a cross. Upon the top of the cross he wrote +"height," at the bottom "depth," and at the end of each arm "length." +He had experienced the truth conveyed in the hymn-- + + "When I survey the wondrous Cross, + On which the Prince of Glory died." + +When we wish to know the love of God we should go to Calvary. Can we +look upon that scene, and say God did not love us? That cross speaks +of the love of God. Greater love never has been taught than that +which the cross teaches. What prompted God to give up Christ?--what +prompted Christ to die?--if it were not love? "Greater love hath no +man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Christ +laid down His life for His enemies; Christ laid down His life for His +murderers; Christ laid down His life for them that hated Him; and the +spirit of the cross, the spirit of Calvary, is love. When they were +mocking Him and deriding Him, what did He say? "Father, forgive them, +for they know not what they do." That is love. He did not call down +fire from heaven to consume them; there was nothing but love in His +heart. + +If you study the Bible you will find that the love of God is +_unchangeable_. Many who loved you at one time have perhaps grown +cold in their affection, and turned away from you: it may be that +their love is changed to hatred. It is not so with God. It is +recorded of Jesus Christ, just when He was about to be parted from +His disciples and led away to Calvary, that: "having loved His own +which were in the world, He loved them unto the end" (John xiii. 1). +He knew that one of His disciples would betray Him; yet He loved +Judas. He knew that another disciple would deny Him, and swear that +he never knew Him; and yet He loved Peter. It was the love which +Christ had for Peter that broke his heart, and brought him back in +penitence to the feet of his Lord. For three years Jesus had been +with the disciples trying to teach them His love, not only by His +life and words, but by His works. And, on the night of His betrayal, +He takes a basin of water, girds Himself with a towel, and taking the +place of a servant, washes their feet; He wanted to convince them of +His unchanging love. + +There is no portion of Scripture I read so often as John xiv; and +there is none that is more sweet to me. I never tire of reading it. +Hear what our Lord says, as He pours out His heart to His Disciples: +"At that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and +I in you. He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is +that loveth Me: and _he that loveth Me shall be loved by My Father_" +(xiv. 20,21). Think of the great God who created heaven and earth +loving you and me! . . . "If a man love Me, he will keep My words; +and My Father will love him; and We will come unto him, and make Our +abode with him" (v. 23). + +Would to God that our puny minds could grasp this great truth, that +the Father and the Son so love us that They desire to come and abide +with us. Not to tarry for a night, but to come and _abide_ in our +hearts. + +We have another passage more wonderful still in John xvii. 23. "I in +them, and thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that +the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, _and hast loved them as +Thou hast loved Me_." I think that is one of the most remarkable +sayings that ever fell from the lips of Jesus Christ. There is no +reason why the Father should not love him. He was obedient unto +death; He never transgressed the Father's law, or turned aside from +the path of perfect obedience by one hair's breadth. It is very +different with us; and yet, notwithstanding all our rebellion and +foolishness, He says that if we are trusting in Christ, the Father +loves us as He loves the Son. Marvellous love! Wonderful love! That +God can possibly love us as He loves His own Son seems too good to be +true. Yet that is the teaching of Jesus Christ. + +It is hard to make a sinner believe in this unchangeable love of God. +When a man has wandered away from God he thinks that God hates him. +We must make a distinction between sin and the sinner. God loves the +sinner; but He hates the sin. He hates sin, because it mars human +life. It is just because God loves the sinner that He hates sin. + +God's love is not only unchangeable, but _unfailing_. In Isaiah xlix. +15, 16 we read: "Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should +not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget; yet +will I not forget thee. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of +My hands; thy walls are continually before Me." + +Now the strongest human love that we know of is a _mother's love_. +Many things will separate a man from his wife. A father may turn his +back on his child; brothers and sisters may become inveterate +enemies; husbands may desert their wives; wives, their husbands. But +a mother's love endures through all. In good repute, in bad repute, +in the face of the world's condemnation, a mother loves on, and hopes +that her child may turn from his evil ways and repent. She remembers +the infant smiles, the merry laugh of childhood, the promise of +youth; and she can never be brought to think him unworthy. Death +cannot quench a mother's love; it is stronger than death. + +You have seen a mother watching over her sick child. How willingly +she would take the disease into her own body if she could thus +relieve her child! Week after week she will keep watch; she will let +no one else take care of that sick child. + +A friend of mine, some time ago, was visiting in a beautiful home +where he met a number of friends. After they had all gone away, +having left something behind, he went back to get it. There he found +the lady of the house, a wealthy lady, sitting behind a poor fellow +who looked like a tramp. _He was her own son_. Like the prodigal, he +had wandered far away: yet the mother said, "This is my boy; I love +him still." Take a mother with nine or ten children, if one goes +astray, she seems to love that one more than any of the rest. + +A leading minister in the state of New York once told me of a father +who was a very bad character. The mother did all she could to prevent +the contamination of the boy; but the influence of the father was +stronger, and he led his son into all kinds of sin until the lad +became one of the worst of criminals. He committed murder, and was +put on his trial. All through the trial, the widowed mother (for the +father had died) sat in the court. When the witnesses testified +against the boy it seemed to hurt the mother much more than the son. +When he was found guilty and sentenced to die, every one else feeling +the justice of the verdict, seemed satisfied at the result. But the +mother's love never faltered. She begged for a reprieve; but that was +denied. After the execution she craved for the body; and this also +was refused. According to custom, it was buried in the prison yard. A +little while afterwards the mother herself died; but, before she was +taken away, she expressed a desire to be buried by the side of her +boy. She was not ashamed of being known as the mother of a murderer. + +The story is told of a young woman in Scotland, who left her home, +and became an outcast in Glasgow. Her mother sought her far and wide, +but in vain. At last, she caused her picture to be hung upon the +walls of the Midnight Mission rooms, where abandoned women resorted. +Many gave the picture a passing glance. One lingered by the picture. +It is the same dear face that looked down upon her in her childhood. +She has not forgotten nor cast off her sinning child; or her picture +would never have been hung upon those walls. The lips seemed to open, +and whisper, "Come home; I forgive you, and love you still." The poor +girl sank down overwhelmed with her feelings. She was the prodigal +daughter. The sight of her mother's face had broken her heart. She +became truly penitent for her sins, and with a heart full of sorrow +and shame, returned to her forsaken home; and mother and daughter +were once more united. + +But let me tell you that no mother's love is to be compared with the +love of God; it does not measure the height of the depth of God's +love. No mother in this world ever loved her child as God loves you +and me. Think of the love that God must have had when He gave His Son +to die for the world. I used to think a good deal more of Christ than +I did of the Father. Somehow or other I had the idea that God was a +stern judge; that Christ came between me and God, and appeased the +anger of God. But after I became a father, and for years had an only +son, as I looked at my boy I thought of the Father giving His Son to +die; and it seemed to me as if it required more love for the Father +to give His Son than for the Son to die. Oh, the love that God must +have had for the world when He gave His Son to die for it! "God so +loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever +believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John +iii. 16). I have never been able to preach from that text. I have +often thought I would; but it is so high that I can never climb to +its height; I have just quoted it and passed on. Who can fathom the +depth of those words: "God so loved the world?" We can never scale +the heights of His love or fathom its depths. Paul prayed that he +might know the height, the depth, the length, and the breadth, of the +love of God; but it was past his finding out. It "passeth knowledge" +(Eph. iii. 19). + +Nothing speaks to us of the love of God, like the cross of Christ. +Come with me to Calvary, and look upon the Son of God as He hangs +there. Can you hear that piercing cry from His dying lips: "Father, +forgive them; for they know not what they do!" and say that He does +not love you? "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay +down his life for his friends" (John xv. 13). But Jesus Christ laid +down His life _for his enemies_. + +Another thought is this: He loved us long before we ever thought of +Him. The idea that he does not love us until we first love Him is not +to be found in Scripture. In 1 John iv. 10, it is written: "Herein is +love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son +to be the propitiation for our sins." He loved us before we ever +thought of loving Him. You loved your children before they knew +anything about your love. And so, long before we ever thought of God, +we were in His thoughts. + +What brought the prodigal home? It was the thought that his father +loved him. Suppose the news had reached him that he was cast off, and +that his father did not care for him any more, would he have gone +back? Never! But the thought dawned upon him that his father loved +him still: so he rose up, and went back to his home. Dear reader, the +love of the Father ought to bring us back to Him. It was Adam's +calamity and sin that revealed God's love. When Adam fell God came +down and dealt in mercy with him. If any one is lost it will not be +because God does not love him: it will be because he has resisted the +love of God. + +What will make Heaven attractive? Is it the pearly gates or the +golden streets? No. Heaven will be attractive, because there we shall +behold Him who loved us so much as to give His only-begotten Son to +die for us. What makes home attractive? Is it the beautiful furniture +and stately rooms? No; some homes with all these are like whited +sepulchres. In Brooklyn a mother was dying; and it was necessary to +take her child from her, because the little child could not +understand the nature of the sickness, and disturbed her mother. +Every night the child sobbed herself to sleep in a neighbor's house, +because she wanted to go back to her mother's; but the mother grew +worse, and they could not take the child home. At last the mother +died; and after her death they thought it best not to let the child +see her dead mother in her coffin. After the burial the child ran +into one room crying "Mamma! mamma!" and then into another crying +"Mamma! mamma!" and so went over the whole house: and when the little +creature failed to find that loved one she cried to be taken back to +the neighbors. So what makes heaven attractive is the thought that we +shall see Christ who has loved us and given Himself for us. + +If you ask me why God should love us, I cannot tell. I suppose it is +because He is a true Father. It is His nature to love; just as it is +the nature of the sun to shine. He wants you to share in that love. +Do not let unbelief keep you away from Him. Do not think that, +because you are a sinner, God does not love you, or care for you. He +does! He wants to save you and bless you. + +"When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the +ungodly" (Rom. v. 6). Is that not enough to convince you that He +loves you? He would not have died for you if He had not loved you. Is +your heart so hard that you can brace yourself up against His love, +and spurn and despise it? You _can_ do it; but it will be at your +peril. + +I can imagine some saying to themselves, "Yes, we believe that God +loves us, if we love Him; we believe that God loves the pure and the +holy." Let me say, my friend, not only does God love the pure and the +holy: He also loves the ungodly. "God commendeth His love toward us, +in that, _while we were yet sinners_, Christ died for us" (Rom. v. +8). God sent him to die for the sins of the whole world. If you +belong to the world, then you have part and lot in this love that has +been exhibited in the cross of Christ. + +There is a passage in Revelation (i. 5.) which I think a great deal +of--"Unto Him that loved us, and washed us." It might be thought that +God would first wash us, and then love us. But no, He first loved us. +About eight years ago the whole country was intensely excited about +Charlie Ross, a child of four years old, who was stolen. Two men in a +gig asked him and an elder brother if they wanted some candy. They +then drove away with the younger boy, leaving the elder one. For many +years a search has been made in every State and territory. Men have +been over to Great Britain, France, and Germany, and have hunted in +vain for the child. The mother still lives in the hope that she will +see her long lost Charlie. I never remember the whole country to have +been so much agitated about any event unless it was the assassination +of President Garfield. Well, suppose the mother of Charlie Ross were +in some meeting; and that while the preacher was speaking, she +happened to look down amongst the audience and see her long lost son. +Suppose that he was poor, dirty and ragged, shoeless and coatless, +what would she do? Would she wait till he was washed and decently +clothed before she would acknowledge him? No, she would get off the +platform at once, rush towards him and take him in her arms. After +that she would cleanse and clothe him. So it is with God. He loved +us, and washed us. I can imagine one saying, "If God loves me, why +does He not make me good?" God wants sons and daughters in heaven; He +does not want machines or slaves. He could break our stubborn hearts, +but He wants to draw us towards Himself by the cords of love. + +He wanted you to sit down with Him at the marriage supper of the +Lamb; to wash you, and make you whiter than snow. He wants you to +walk with Him the crystal pavement of yonder blissful world. He wants +to adopt you into His family; and to make you a son or a daughter of +heaven. Will you trample His love under your feet? or will you, this +hour, give yourself to Him? + +When our terrible civil war was going on, a mother received the news +that her boy had been wounded in the battle of the Wilderness. She +took the first train, and started for her boy, although the order had +gone forth from the War Department that no more women should be +admitted within the lines. But a mother's love knows nothing about +orders so she managed by tears and entreaties to get through the +lines to the Wilderness. At last she found the hospital where her boy +was. Then she went to the doctor and she said: "Will you let me go to +the ward and nurse my boy?" + +The doctor said: "I have just got your boy to sleep; he is in a very +critical state; and I am afraid if you wake him up the excitement +will be so great that it will carry him off. You had better wait +awhile, and remain without until I tell him that you have come, and +break the news gradually to him." The mother looked into the doctor's +face and said: "Doctor, supposing my boy does not wake up, and I +should never see him alive! Let me go and sit down by his side; I +won't speak to him." "If you will not speak to him you may do so," +said the doctor. + +She crept to the cot and looked into the face of her boy. How she had +longed to look at him! How her eyes seemed to be feasting as she +gazed upon his countenance! When she got near enough she could not +keep her hands off; she laid that tender, loving hand upon his brow. +The moment the hand touched the forehead of her boy, he, without +opening his eyes, cried out: "Mother, you have come!" He knew the +touch of that loving hand. There was love and sympathy in it. + +Ah, sinner, if you feel the loving touch of Jesus you will recognize +it; it is so full of tenderness. The world may treat you unkindly; +but Christ never will. You will never have a better Friend in this +world. What you need is--to come today to Him. Let His loving arm be +underneath you; let His loving hand be about you; and He will hold +you with mighty power. He will keep you, and fill that heart of yours +with His tenderness and love. + +I can imagine some of you saying, "How shall I go to Him?" Why, just +as you would go to your mother. Have you done your mother a great +injury and a great wrong? If so, you go to her and you say, "Mother, +I want you to forgive me." Treat Christ in the same way. Go to Him +to-day and tell Him that you have not loved Him, that you have not +treated Him right; confess you sins, and see how quickly He will +bless you. + +I am reminded of another incident--that of a boy who had been tried +by court-martial and ordered to be shot. The hearts of the father and +mother were broken when they heard the news. In that home was a +little girl. She had read the life of Abraham Lincoln, and she said: +"Now, if Abraham Lincoln knew how my father and mother loved their +boy, he would not let my brother be shot." She wanted her father to +go to Washington to plead for his boy. But the father said: "No; +there is no use; the law must take its course. They have refused to +pardon one or two who have been sentenced by that court-martial, and +an order has gone forth that the President is not going to interfere +again; if a man has been sentenced by court-martial he must suffer +the consequences." That father and mother had not faith to believe +that their boy might be pardoned. + +But the little girl was strong in hope; she got on the train away up +in Vermont, and started off to Washington. When she reached the White +House the soldiers refused to let her in; but she told her pitiful +story, and they allowed her to pass. When she got to the Secretary's +room, where the President's private secretary was, he refused to +allow her to enter the private office of the President. But the +little girl told her story, and it touched the heart of the private +secretary; so he passed her in. As she went into Abraham Lincoln's +room, there were United States senators, generals, governors and +leading politicians, who were there about important business about +the war; but the President happened to see that child standing at his +door. He wanted to know what she wanted, and she went right to him +and told her story in her own language. He was a father, and the +great tears trickled down Abraham Lincoln's cheeks. He wrote a +dispatch ard sent it to the army to have that boy sent to Washington +at once. When he arrived, the President pardoned him, gave him thirty +days furlough, and sent him home with the little girl to cheer the +hearts of the father and mother. + +Do you want to know how to go to Christ? Go just as that little girl +went to Abraham Lincoln. It may be possible that you have a dark +story to tell. Tell it all out; keep nothing back. If Abraham Lincoln +had compassion on that little girl, heard her petition and answered +it, do you think the Lord Jesus will not hear your prayer? Do, you +think that Abraham Lincoln, or any man that ever lived on earth, had +as much compassion as Christ? No! He will be touched when no one else +will; He will have mercy when no one else will; He will have pity +when no one else will. If you will go right to Him, confessing your +sin and your need, He will save you. + +A few years ago a man left England and went to America. He was an +Englishman; but he was naturalized, and so became an American +citizen. After a few years he felt restless and dissatisfied, and +went to Cuba; and after he had been in Cuba a little while civil war +broke out there; it was in 1867; and this man was arrested by the +Spanish government as a spy. He was tried by court-martial, found +guilty and ordered to be shot. The whole trial was conducted in the +Spanish language, and the poor man did not know what was going on. +When they told him the verdict, that he was found guilty and had been +condemned to be shot, he sent to the American Consul and the English +Consul, and laid the whole case before them, proving his innocence +and claiming protection. They examined the case, and found that this +man whom the Spanish officers had condemned to be shot was perfectly +innocent; they went to the Spanish General and said, "Look here, this +man whom you have condemned to death is an innocent man; he is not +guilty." But the Spanish General said, "He has been tried by our law; +he has been found guilty; he must die." There was no electric cable; +and these men could not consult with their governments. + +The morning came on which the man was to be executed. He was brought +out sitting on his coffin in a cart, and drawn to the place where he +was to be executed. A grave was dug. They took the coffin out of the +cart, placed the young man upon it, took the black cap, and were just +pulling it down over his face. The Spanish soldiers awaited the order +to fire. But just then the American and English Consuls rode up. The +English Consul sprang out of the carriage and took the union jack, +the British flag, and wrapped it around the man, and the American +Consul wrapped around him the star-spangled banner, and then turning +to the Spanish officers they said: "Fire upon those flags if you +dare." They did not dare to fire upon the flags. There were two great +governments behind those flags. That was the secret of it. + +"He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was +love. . . . His left hand is under my head, and His right hand doth +embrace me" (Song Sol. ii. 4, 6). Thank God we can come under the +banner to-day if we will. Any, poor sinner can come under that banner +to-day. His banner of love is over us. Blessed Gospel; blessed, +precious, news. Believe it to-day; receive it into your heart; and +enter into a new life. Let the love of God be shed abroad in your +heart by the Holy Ghost to-day: it will drive away darkness; it will +drive away gloom; it will drive away sin; and peace and joy shall be +yours. + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +_THE GATEWAY INTO THE KINGDOM_. + + +"Except a man be born again he cannot enter the kingdom of God." + +(John iii. 3.) + + +There is no portion of the Word of God, perhaps, with which we are +more familiar than this passage. I suppose if I were to ask those in +any audience if they believed that Jesus Christ taught the doctrine +of the New Birth, nine tenths of them would say: "Yes, I believe He +did." + +Now if the words of this text are true they embody one of the most +solemn questions that can come before us. We can afford to be +deceived about many things rather than about this one thing. Christ +makes it very plain. He says, "Except a man be born again, he cannot +_see_ the Kingdom of God"--much less inherit it. This doctrine of the +New Birth is therefore the foundation of all our hopes for the world +to come. It is really the A B C of the Christian religion. My +experience has been this--that if a man is unsound on this doctrine +he will be unsound on almost every other fundamental doctrine in the +Bible. A true understanding of this subject will help a man to solve +a thousand difficulties that he may meet with in the Word of God. +Things that before seemed very dark and mysterious will become very +plain. + +The doctrine of the New Birth upsets all false religion--all false +views about the Bible and about God. A friend of mine once told me +that in one of his after-meetings, a man came to him with a long list +of questions written out for him to answer. He said: "If you can +answer these questions satisfactorily, I have made up my mind to be a +Christian." "Do you not think," said my friend, "that you had better +come to Christ first? Then you can look into these questions." The +man thought that perhaps he had better do so. After he had received +Christ, he looked again at his list of questions; but then it seemed +to him as if they had all been answered. Nicodemus came with his +troubled mind, and Christ said to him, "Ye must be born again." He +was treated altogether differently from what he expected; but I +venture to say that was the most blessed night in all his life. To be +"born again" is the greatest blessing that will ever come to us in +this world. + +Notice how the Scripture puts it. "Except a man be born again," "born +from above,"[Note: John iii. 3. _Marginal reading_] "born of the +Spirit." From amongst a number of other passages where we find this +word "except," I would just name three. "Except ye repent, ye shall +all likewise perish." (Luke xiii. 3, 5.) "Except ye be converted, and +become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of +heaven." (Matt. xviii. 3.) "Except your righteousness shall exceed +the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case +enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. v. 20.) They all really +mean the same thing. + +I am so thankful that our Lord spoke of the New Birth to this ruler +of the Jews, this doctor of the law, rather than to the woman at the +well of Samaria, or to Matthew the publican, or to Zaccheus. If He +had reserved his teaching on this great matter for these three, or +such as these, people would have said: "Oh yes, these publicans and +harlots need to be converted: but I am an upright man; I do not need +to be converted." I suppose Nicodemus was one of the best specimens +of the people of Jerusalem: there was nothing on record against him. + +I think it is scarcely necessary for me to prove that we need to be +born again before we are meet for heaven. I venture to say that there +is no candid man but would say he is not fit for the kingdom of God, +until he is born of another Spirit. The Bible teaches us that man by +nature is lost and guilty, and our experience confirms this. We know +also that the best and holiest man, if he turn away from God, will +very soon fall into sin. + +Now, let me say what Regeneration is not. It is not going to church. +Very often I see people, and ask them if they are Christians. "Yes, +of course I am; at least, I think I am: I go to church every Sunday." +Ah, but this is not Regeneration. Others say, "I am trying to do what +is right--am I not a Christian? Is not that a new birth?" No. What +has that to do with being born again? There is yet another +class--those who have "turned over a new leaf," and think they are +regenerated. No; forming a new resolution is not being born again. + +Nor will being baptized do you any good. Yet you hear people say, +"Why, I have been baptized; and I was born again when I was +baptized." They believe that because they were baptized into the +church, they were baptized into the Kingdom of God. I tell you that +it is utterly impossible. You may be baptized into the church, and +yet not be baptized into the Son of God. Baptism is all right in its +place. God forbid that I should say anything against it. But if you +put that in the place of Regeneration--in the place of the New Birth--it +is a terrible mistake. You cannot be baptized into the Kingdom of +God. "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." +If any one reading this rests his hopes on anything else--on any +other foundation--I pray that God may sweep it away. + +Another class say, "I go to the Lord's Supper; I partake uniformly of +the Sacrament." Blessed ordinance! Jesus hath said that as often as +ye do it ye commemorate His death. Yet, that is not being "born +again;" that is not passing from death unto life. Jesus says plainly--and +so plainly that there need not be any mistake about it--"Except +a man be born of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of +God." What has a sacrament to do with that? What has going to church +to do with being born again? + +Another man comes up and says, "I say my prayers regularly." Still I +say that is not being born of the Spirit. It is a very solemn +question, then, that comes up before us; and oh! that every reader +would ask himself earnestly and faithfully: "Have I been born again? +Have I been born of the Spirit? Have I passed from death unto life?" + +There is a class of men who say that special religious meetings are +very good for a certain class of people. They would be very good if +you could get the drunkard there, or get the gambler there, or get +other vicious people there--that would do a great deal of good. But +"we do not need to be converted." To whom did Christ utter these +words of wisdom? To Nicodemus. Who was Nicodemus? Was he a drunkard, +a gambler, or a thief? No! No doubt he was one of the very best men +in Jerusalem. He was an honorable Councillor; he belonged to the +Sanhedrim; he held a very high position; he was an orthodox man; he +was one of the very soundest men. And yet what did Christ say to him? +"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." + +But I can imagine some one saying, "What am I to do? I cannot create +life. I certainly cannot save myself." You certainly cannot; and we +do not claim that you can. We tell you it is utterly impossible to +make a man better without Christ; but that is what men are trying to +do. They are trying to patch up this "old Adam" nature. There must be +a new creation. Regeneration is a new creation; and if it is a new +creation it must be the work of God. In the first chapter of Genesis +man does not appear. There is no one there but God. Man is not there +to take part. When God created the earth He was alone. When Christ +redeemed the world He was alone. + +"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of +the Spirit is spirit." (John iii. 6.) The Ethiopian cannot change his +skin, and the leopard cannot change his spots. You might as well try +to make yourselves pure and holy without the help of God. It would be +just as easy for you to do that as for the black man to wash himself +white. A man might just as well try to leap over the moon as to serve +God in the flesh. Therefore, "that which is born of the flesh is +flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." + +Now God tells us in this chapter how we are to get into His kingdom. +We are not to work our way in--not but that salvation is worth +working for. We admit all that. If there were rivers and mountains in +the way, it would be well worth while to swim those rivers, and climb +those mountains. There is no doubt that salvation is worth all that +effort; but we do not obtain it by our works. It is "to him that +worketh not, but believeth" (Rom. iv. 5). We work because we are +saved; we do not work to be saved. We work from the cross; but not +towards it. It is written, "Work out your own salvation with fear and +trembling" (Phil. ii. 12). Why, you must have your salvation before +you can work it out. Suppose I say to my little boy, "I want you to +spend that hundred dollars carefully." "Well," he says, "let me have +the hundred dollars; and I will be careful how I spend it." I +remember when I first left home and went to Boston; I had spent all +my money, and I went to the post-office three times a day. I knew +there was only one mail a day from home; but I thought by some +possibility there might be a letter for me. At last I received a +letter from my little sister; and oh, how glad I was to get it. She +had heard that there were a great many pick-pockets in Boston, and a +large part of that letter was to urge me to be very careful not to +let anybody pick my pocket. Now I required to have something in my +pocket before I could have it picked. So you must have salvation +before you can work it out. + +When Christ cried out on Calvary, "It is finished!" He meant what He +said. All that men have to do now is just to accept of the work of +Jesus Christ. There is no hope for man or woman so long as they are +trying to work out salvation for themselves. I can imagine there are +some people who will say, as Nicodemus possibly did, "This is a very +mysterious thing." I see the scowl on that Pharisee's brow as he +says, "How can these things be?" It sounds very strange to his ear. +"Born again; born of the Spirit! How can these things be?" A great +many people say, "You must reason it out; but if you do not reason it +out, do not ask us to believe it." I can imagine a great many people +saying that. When you ask me to reason it out, I tell you frankly I +cannot do it. "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest +the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it +goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." (John 8.) I do +not understand everything about the wind. You ask me to reason it +out. I cannot. It may blow due north here, and a hundred miles away +due south. I may go up a few hundred feet, and find it blowing in an +entirely opposite direction from what it is down here. You ask me to +explain these currents of wind; but suppose that, because I cannot +explain them, and do not understand them, I were to take my stand and +assert, "Oh, there is no such thing as wind." I can imagine some +little girl saying, "I know more about it than that man does; often +have I heard the wind, and felt it blowing against my face;" and she +might say, "Did not the wind blow my umbrella out of my hands the +other day? and did I not see it blow a man's hat off in the street? +Have I not seen it blow the trees in the forest, and the growing corn +in the country?" + +You might just as well tell me that there is no such thing as wind, +as tell me there is no such thing as a man being born of the Spirit. +I have felt the spirit of God working in my heart, just as really and +as truly as I have felt the wind blowing in my face. I cannot reason +it out. There are a great many things I cannot reason out, but which +I believe. I never could reason out the creation. I can see the +world, but I cannot tell how God made it out of nothing. But almost +every man will admit there was a creative power. + +There are a great many things that I cannot explain and cannot reason +out, and yet that I believe. I heard a commercial traveler say that +he had heard that the ministry and religion of Jesus Christ were +matters of revelation and not of investigation. "When it pleased God +to reveal His Son in Me," says Paul (Gal. i, 15, 16). There was a +party of young men together, going up the country; and on their +journey they made up their minds not to believe anything they could +not reason out. An old man heard them; and presently he said, "I +heard you say you would not believe anything you could not reason +out." "Yes," they said, "that is so." "Well," he said, "coming down +on the train to-day, I noticed some geese, some sheep, some swine, +and some cattle all eating grass. Can you tell me by what process +that same grass was turned into hair, feathers, bristles and wool? Do +you believe it is a fact?" "Oh yes," they said, "we cannot help +believing that, though we fail to understand it." "Well," said the +old man, "I cannot help believing in Jesus Christ." And I cannot help +believing in the regeneration of man, when I see men who have been +reclaimed, when I see men who have been reformed. Have not some of +the very worst men been regenerated--been picked up out of the pit, +and had their feet set upon the Rock, and a new song put in their +mouths? Their tongues were cursing and blaspheming; and now are +occupied in praising God. Old things have passed away, and all things +have become new. They are not reformed only, but regenerated--new men +in Christ Jesus. + +Down there in the dark alleys of one of our great cities is a poor +drunkard. I think if you want to get near hell, you should go to a +poor drunkard's home. Go to the house of that poor miserable +drunkard. Is there anything more like hell on earth? See the want and +distress that reign there. But hark! A footstep is heard at the door, +and the children run and hide themselves. The patient wife waits to +meet the man. He has been her torment. Many a time she has borne +about the marks of his blows for weeks. Many a time that strong right +hand has been brought down on her defenseless head. And now she waits +expecting to hear his oaths and suffer his brutal treatment. He comes +in and says to her: "I have been to the meeting; and I heard there +that if I will I can be converted. I believe that God is able to save +me." Go down to that house again in a few weeks: and what a change! +As you approach you hear some one singing. It is not the song of a +reveller, but the strains of that good old hymn, "Rock of Ages." The +children are no longer afraid of the man, but cluster around his +knee. His wife is near him, her face lit up with a happy glow. Is not +that a picture of Regeneration? I can take you to many such homes, +made happy by the regenerating power of the religion of Christ. What +men want is the power to overcome temptation, the power to lead a +right life. + +The only way to get into the kingdom of God is to be "born" into it. +The law of this country requires that the President should be born in +the country. When foreigners come to our shores they have no right to +complain against such a law, which forbids them from ever becoming +Presidents. Now, has not God a right to make a law that all those who +become heirs of eternal life must be "born" into His kingdom? + +An unregenerated man would rather be in hell than in heaven. Take a +man whose heart is full of corruption and wickedness, and place him +in heaven among the pure, the holy and the redeemed; and he would not +want to stay there. Certainly, if we are to be happy in heaven we +must begin to make a heaven here on earth. Heaven is a prepared place +for a prepared people. If a gambler or a blasphemer were taken out of +the streets of New York and placed on the crystal pavement of heaven +and under the shadow of the tree of life, he would say, "I do not +want to stay here." If men were taken to heaven just as they are by +nature, without having their hearts regenerated, there would be +another rebellion in heaven. Heaven is filled with a company of those +who have been twice born. + +In the 14th and 15th verses of this chapter we read "As Moses lifted +up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be +lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but +have eternal life." "WHOSOEVER." Mark that! Let me tell you who are +unsaved what God has done for you. He has done everything that He +could do toward your salvation. You need not wait for God to do +anything more. In one place he asks the question, what more could he +have done (Isaiah v. 4). He sent His prophets, and they killed them; +then He sent His beloved Son, and they murdered Him. Now He has sent +the Holy Spirit to convince us of sin, and to show how we are to be +saved. + +In this chapter we are told how men are to be saved, namely, by Him +who was lifted up on the cross. Just as Moses lifted up the brazen +serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, "that +whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." +Some men complain and say that it is very unreasonable that they +should be held responsible for the sin of a man six thousand years +ago. It was not long ago that a man was talking to me about this +injustice, as he called it. If a man thinks he is going to answer God +in that way, I tell you it will not do him any good. If you are lost, +it will not be on account of Adam's sin. + +Let me illustrate this; and perhaps you will be better able to +understand it. Suppose I am dying of consumption, which I inherited +from my father or mother. I did not get the disease by any fault of +my own, by any neglect of my health; I inherited it, let us suppose. +A friend happens to come along: he looks at me, and says: "Moody, you +are in a consumption." I reply, "I know it very well; I do not want +any one to tell me that." "But," he says, "there is a remedy." "But, +sir, I do not believe it. I have tried the leading physicians in this +country and in Europe; and they tell me there is no hope." "But you +know me, Moody; you have known me for years." "Yes, sir." "Do you +think, then, I would tell you a falsehood?" "No." "Well, ten years +ago I was as far gone. I was given up by the physicians to die; but I +took this medicine and it cured me. I am perfectly well: look at me." +I say that it is "a very strange case." "Yes, it may be strange; but +it is a fact. This medicine cured me: take this medicine, and it will +cure you. Although it has cost me a great deal, it shall not cost you +anything. Do not make light of it, I beg of you." "Well," I say, "I +should like to believe you; but this is contrary to my reason." + +Hearing this, my friend goes away and returns with another friend, +and that one testifies to the same thing. I am still disbelieving; so +he goes away, and brings in another friend, and another, and another, +and another; and they all testify to the same thing. They say they +were as bad as myself; that they took the same medicine that has been +offered to me; and that it has cured them. My friend then hands me +the medicine. I dash it to the ground; I do not believe in its saving +power; I die. The reason is then that I spurned the remedy. So, if +you perish, it will not be because Adam fell; but because you spurned +the remedy offered to save you. You will choose darkness rather than +light. "How then shall ye escape, if ye neglect so great salvation?" +There is no hope for you if you neglect the remedy. It does no good +to look at the wound. If we had been in the Israelitish camp and had +been bitten by one of the fiery serpents, it would have done us no +good to look at the wound. Looking at the wound will never save any +one. What you must do is to look at the Remedy--look away to Him who +hath power to save you from your sin. + +Behold the camp of the Israelites; look at the scene that is pictured +to your eyes! Many are dying because they neglect the remedy that is +offered. In that arid desert is many a short and tiny grave; many a +child has been bitten by the fiery serpents. Fathers and mothers are +bearing away their children. Over yonder they are just burying a +mother; a loved mother is about to be laid in the earth. All the +family, weeping, gather around the beloved form. You hear the +mournful cries; you see the bitter tears. The father is being borne +away to his last resting place. There is wailing going up all over +the camp. Tears are pouring down for thousands who have passed away; +thousands more are dying; and the plague is raging from one end of +the camp to the other. + +I see in one tent an Israelitish mother bending over the form of a +beloved boy just coming into the bloom of life, just budding into +manhood. She is wiping away the sweat of death that is gathering upon +his brow. Yet a little while, and his eyes are fixed and glassy, for +life is ebbing fast away. The mother's heart-strings are torn and +bleeding. All at once she hears a noise in the camp. A great shout +goes up. What does it mean? She goes to the door of the tent. "What +is the noise in the camp?" she asks those passing by. And some one +says: "Why, my good woman, have you not heard the good news that has +come into the camp?" "No," says the woman, "Good news! What is it?" +"Why, have you not heard about it? God has provided a remedy." "What! +for the bitten Israelites? Oh, tell me what the remedy is!" "Why, God +has instructed Moses to make a brazen serpent, and to put it on a +pole in the middle of the camp; and He has declared that whosoever +looks upon it shall live. The shout that you hear is the shout of the +people when they see the serpent lifted up." The mother goes back +into the tent, and she says: "My boy, I have good news to tell you. +You need not die! My boy, my boy, I have come with good tidings; you +can live!" He is already getting stupefied; he is so weak he cannot +walk to the door of the tent. She puts her strong arms under him and +lifts him up. "Look yonder; look right there under the hill!" But the +boy does not see anything; he says--"I do not see anything; what is +it, mother?" And she says: "Keep looking, and you will see it." At +last he catches a glimpse of the glistening serpent; and lo, he is +well! And thus it is with many a young convert. Some men say, "Oh, we +do not believe in sudden conversions." How long did it take to cure +that boy? How long did it take to cure those serpent-bitten +Israelites? It was just a look; and they were well. + +That Hebrew boy is a young convert. I can fancy that I see him now +calling on all those who were with him to praise God. He sees another +young man bitten as he was; and he runs up to him and tells him, +"You, need not die." "Oh," the young man replies, "I cannot live; it +is not possible. There is not a physician in Israel who can cure me." +He does not know that he need not die. "Why, have you not heard the +news? God has provided a remedy." "What remedy?" "Why, God has told +Moses to lift up a brazen serpent, and has said that none of those +who look upon that serpent shall die." I can just imagine the young +man. He may be what you call an intellectual young man. He says to +the young convert "You do not think I am going to believe anything +like that? If the physicians in Israel cannot cure me, how do you +think that an old brass serpent on a pole is going to cure me?" "Why, +sir, I was as bad as yourself!" "You do not say so!" "Yes, I do." +"That is the most astonishing thing I ever heard," says the young +man: "I wish you would explain the philosophy of it." "I cannot. I +only know that I looked at that serpent, and I was cured: that did +it. I just looked; that is all. My mother told me the reports that +were being heard through the camp; and I just believed what my mother +said, and I am perfectly well." "Well, I do not believe you were +bitten as badly as I have been." The young man pulls up his sleeve. +"Look there! That mark shows where I was bitten; and I tell you I was +worse than you are." "Well, if I understood the philosophy of it I +would look and get well." "Let your philosophy go: _look and live_." +"But, sir, you ask me to do an unreasonable thing. If God had said, +Take the brass and rub it into the wound, there might be something in +the brass that would cure the bite. Young man, explain the philosophy +of it." I have often seen people before me who have talked in that +way. But the young man calls in another, and takes him into the tent, +and says: "Just tell him how the Lord saved you;" and he tells just +the same story; and he calls in others, and they all say the same +thing. + +The young man says it is a very strange thing. "If the Lord had told +Moses to go and get some herbs, or roots, and stew them, and take the +decoction as a medicine, there would be something in that. But it is +so contrary to nature to do such a thing as look at the serpent, that +I cannot do it." At length his mother, who has been out in the camp, +comes in, and she says, "My boy, I have just the best news in the +world for you. I was in the camp, and I saw hundreds who were very +far gone, and they are all perfectly well now." The young man says: +"I should like to get well; it is a very painful thought to die; I +want to go into the promised land, and it is terrible to die here in +this wilderness; but the fact is--I do not understand the remedy. It +does not appeal to my reason. I cannot believe that I can get well in +a moment." And the young man dies in consequence of his own unbelief. + +God provided a remedy for this bitten Israelite--"Look and live!" And +there is eternal life for every poor sinner, Look, and you can be +saved, my reader, this very hour. God has provided a remedy; and it +is offered to all. The trouble is, a great many people are looking at +the pole. Do not look at the pole; that is the church. You need not +look at the church; the church is all right, but the church cannot +save you. Look beyond the pole. Look at the Crucified One. Look to +Calvary. Bear in mind, sinner, that Jesus died for all. You need not +look at ministers; they are just God's chosen instruments to hold up +the Remedy, to hold up Christ. And so, my friends, take your eyes off +from men; take your eyes off from the church. Lift them up to Jesus; +who took away the sin of the world, and there will be life for you +from this hour. + +Thank God, we do not require an education to teach us how to look. +That little girl, that little boy, only four years old, who cannot +read, can look. When the father is coming home, the mother says to +her little boy, "Look! look! look!" and the little child learns to +look long before he is a year old. And that is the way to be saved. +It is to look at the Lamb of God "who taketh away the sin of the +world;" and there is life this moment for every one who is willing to +look. + +Some men say, "I wish I knew how to be saved." Just take God at His +word and trust His Son this very day--this very hour--this very +moment. He will save you, if you will trust Him. I imagine I hear +some one saying, "I do not feel the bite as much as I wish I did. I +know I am a sinner, and all that; but I do not feel the bite enough." +How much does God want you to feel it? + +When I was in Belfast I knew a doctor who had a friend, a leading +surgeon there; and he told me that the surgeon's custom was, before +performing any operation, to say to the patient, "Take a good look at +the wound, and then fix your eyes on me; and do not take them off +till I get through." I thought at the time that was a good +illustration. Sinner, take a good look at your wound; and then fix +your eyes on Christ, and do not take them off. It is better to look +at the Remedy than at the wound. See what a poor wretched sinner you +are; and then look at the Lamb of God who "taketh away the sin of the +world." He died for the ungodly and the sinner. Say "I will take +Him!" And may God help you to lift your eye to the Man on Calvary. +And as the Israelites looked upon the serpent and were healed, so may +you look and live. + +After the battle of Pittsburgh Landing I was in a hospital at +Murfreesbro. In the middle of the night I was aroused and told that a +man in one of the wards wanted to see me. I went to him and he called +me "chaplain"--I was not the chaplain--and said he wanted me to help +him die. And I said, "I would take you right up in my arms and carry +you into the kingdom of God if I could; but I cannot do it: I cannot +help you die!" And he said, "Who can?" I said, "The Lord Jesus Christ +can--He came for that purpose." He shook his head, and said, "He +cannot save me; I have sinned all my life." And I said, "But He came +to save sinners." I thought of his mother in the north, and I was +sure that she was anxious that he should die in peace; so I resolved +I would stay with him. I prayed two or three times, and repeated all +the promises I could; for it was evident that in a few hours he would +be gone. I said I wanted to read him a conversation that Christ had +with a man who was anxious about his soul. I turned to the third +chapter of John. His eyes were riveted on me; and when I came to the +14th and 15th verses--the passage before us--he caught up the words, +"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the +Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not +perish, but have eternal life." He stopped me and said, "Is that +there?" I said "Yes." He asked me to read it again; and I did so. He +leant his elbows on the cot and clasping his hands together, said, +"That's good; won't you read it again?" I read it the third time; and +then went on with the rest of the chapter. When I had finished, his +eyes were closed, his hands were folded, and there was a smile on his +face. Oh, how it was lit up! What change had come over it! I saw his +lips quivering, and leaning over him I heard in a faint whisper, "As +Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son +of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not +perish, but have eternal life." He opened his eyes and said, "That's +enough; don't read any more." He lingered a few hours, pillowing his +head on those two verses; and then went up in one of Christ's +chariots, to take his seat in the kingdom of God. + +Christ said to Nicodemus: "Except a man be born again, he cannot see +the kingdom of God." You may see many countries; but there is one +country--the land of Beulah, which John Bunyan saw in vision--you +shall never behold, unless you are born again--regenerated by Christ. +You can look abroad and see many beautiful trees; but the tree of +life, you shall never behold, unless your eyes are made clear by +faith in the Saviour. You may see the beautiful rivers of the earth--you +may ride upon their bosoms; but bear in mind that your eye will +never rest upon the river which bursts out from the Throne of God and +flows through the upper Kingdom, unless you are born again. God has +said it; and not man. You will never see the kingdom of God except +you are born again. You may see the kings and lords of the earth; but +the King of kings and Lord of lords you will never see except you are +born again. When you are in London you may go to the Tower and see +the crown of England, which is worth thousands of dollars, and is +guarded there by soldiers; but bear in mind that your eye will never +rest upon the crown of life except you are born again. + +You may hear the songs of Zion which are sung here; but one song--that +of Moses and the Lamb--the uncircumcised ear shall never hear; +its melody will only gladden the ear of those who have been born +again. You may look upon the beautiful mansions of earth, but bear in +mind the mansions which Christ has gone to prepare you shall never +see unless you are born again. It is God who says it. You may see ten +thousand beautiful things in this world; but the city that Abraham +caught a glimpse of--and from that time became a pilgrim and +sojourner--you shall never see unless you are born again (Heb. xi. 8, +10-16). You may often be invited to marriage feasts here; but you +will never attend the marriage supper of the Lamb except you are born +again. It is God who says it, dear friend. You may be looking on the +face of your sainted mother to-night, and feel that she is praying +for you; but the time will come when you shall never see her more +unless you are born again. + +The reader may be a young man or a young lady who has recently stood +by the bedside of a dying mother; and she may have said, "Be sure and +meet me in heaven," and you made the promise. Ah! you shall never see +her more, except you are born again. I believe Jesus of Nazareth, +sooner than those infidels who say you do not need to be born again. +Parents, if you hope to see your children who have gone before, you +must be born of the Spirit. Possibly you are a father or a mother who +has recently borne a loved one to the grave; and how dark your home +seems! Never more will you see your child, unless you are born again. +If you wish to be re-united to your loved one, you must be born +again. I may be addressing a father or a mother who has a loved one +up yonder. If you could hear that loved one's voice, it would say, +"Come this way." Have you a sainted friend up yonder? Young man or +young lady, have you not a mother in the world of light? If you could +hear her speak, would not she say, "Come this way, my son,"--"Come +this way, my daughter?" If you would ever see her more you must be +born again. + +We all have an Elder Brother there. Nearly nineteen hundred years ago +He crossed over, and from the heavenly shores He is calling you to +heaven. Let us turn our backs upon the world. Let us give a deaf ear +to the world. Let us look to Jesus on the Cross and be saved. Then we +shall one day see the King in His beauty, and we shall go no more +out. + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +_THE TWO CLASSES_. + + +"Two men went up into the temple to pray."--Luke xvii. 10. + + +I now want to speak of two classes: First, those who do not feel +their need of a Saviour who have not been convinced of sin by the +Spirit; and Second, those who are convinced of sin and cry, "What +must I do to be saved?" + +All inquirers can be ranged under two heads: they have either the +spirit of the Pharisee, or the spirit of the publican. If a man +having the spirit of the Pharisee comes into an after-meeting, I know +of no better portion of Scripture to meet his case than Romans iii. +10: "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is +none that understandeth; there is none that seeketh after God." Paul +is here speaking of the natural man. "They are all gone out of the +way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth +good, no, not one." And in the 17th verse and those which follow, we +have "And the way of peace have they not known; there is no fear of +God before their eyes. Now we know what things soever the law saith, +it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be +stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." + +Then observe the last clause of verse 22: "For there is no +difference; for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." +Not part of the human family--but _all_--"have sinned, and come short +of the glory of God." Another verse which has been very much used to +convict men of their sin is 1 John i. 8: "If we say that we have no +sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." + +I remember that on one occasion we were holding meetings in an +eastern city of forty thousand inhabitants; and a lady came and asked +us to pray for her husband, whom she purposed bringing into the after +meeting. I have traveled a good deal and met many pharisaical men; +but this man was so clad in self-righteousness that you could not get +the point of the needle of conviction in anywhere. I said to his +wife: "I am glad to see your faith; but we cannot get near him; he is +the most self-righteous man I ever saw." She said: "You must! My +heart will break if these meetings end without his conversion." She +persisted in bringing him; and I got almost tired of the sight of +him. + +But towards the close of our meetings of thirty days, he came up to +me and put his trembling hand on my shoulder. The place in which the +meetings were held was rather cold, and there was an adjoining room +in which only the gas had been lighted; and he said to me, "Can't you +come in here for a few minutes?" I thought that he was shaking from +cold, and I did not particularly wish to go where it was colder. But +he said: "I am the worst man in the State of Vermont. I want you to +pray for me." I thought he had committed a murder, or some other +awful crime; and I asked: "Is there any one sin that particularly +troubles you?" And he said: "My whole life has been a sin. I have +been a conceited, self-righteous Pharisee. I want you to pray for +me." He was under deep conviction. Man could not have produced this +result; but the Spirit had. About two o'clock in the morning light +broke in upon his soul: and he went up and down the business street +of the city and told what God had done for him; and has been a most +active Christian ever since. + +There are four other passages in dealing with inquirers, which were +used by Christ Himself. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a +man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John iii. 3.) + +In Luke xiii. 3, we read: "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise +perish." + +In Matthew xviii., when the disciples came to Jesus to know who was +to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, we are told that He took +a little child and set him in the midst and said, "Verily I say unto +you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall +not enter the kingdom of heaven" (xviii. 1-3). + +There is another important "Except" in Matthew v. 20: "Except your +righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and +Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven." + +A man must be made meet before he will want to go into the kingdom of +God. I would rather go into the kingdom with the younger brother than +stay outside with the elder. Heaven would be hell to such an one. An +elder brother who could not rejoice at his younger brother's return +would not be "fit" for the kingdom of God. It is a solemn thing to +contemplate; but the curtain drops and leaves him outside, and the +younger brother within. To him the language of the Saviour under +other circumstances seems appropriate: "Verily I say unto you, That +the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you" +(Matt. xxi. 31). + +A lady once came to me and wanted a favor for her daughter. She said: +"You must remember I do not sympathize with you in your doctrine." I +asked: "What is your trouble?" She said: "I think your abuse of the +elder brother is horrible. I think he is a noble character." I said +that I was willing to hear her defend him; but that it was a solemn +thing to take up such a position; and that the elder brother needed +to be converted as much as the younger. When people talk of being +moral it is well to get them to take a good look at the old man +pleading with his boy who would not go in. + +But we will pass on now to the other class with which we have to +deal. It is composed of those who are convinced of sin and from whom +the cry comes as from the Philippian jailer, "What must I do to be +saved?" To those who utter this penitential cry there is no necessity +to administer the law. It is well to bring them straight to the +Scripture: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be +saved." (Acts xvi. 31). Many will meet you with a scowl and say, "I +don't know what it is to believe;" and though it is the law of heaven +that they must believe, in order to be saved--yet they ask for +something besides that. We are to tell them what, and where, and how, +to believe. + +In John iii. 35 and 36 we read: "The Father loveth the Son, and hath +given all things into His hand. He that believeth on the Son hath +everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see +life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." + +Now this looks reasonable. Man lost life by unbelief--by not +believing God's word; and we got life back again by believing--by +taking God at His word. In other words we get up where Adam fell +down. He stumbled and fell over the stone of unbelief; and we are +lifted up and stand upright by believing. When people say they cannot +believe, show them chapter and verse, and hold them right to this one +thing: "Has God ever broken His promise for these six thousand +years?" The devil and men have been trying all the time and have not +succeeded in showing that He has broken a single promise; and there +would be a jubilee in hell to-day if one word that He has spoken +could be broken. If a man says that he cannot believe it is well to +press him on that one thing. + +I can believe God better to-day than I can my own heart. "The heart +is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know +it?" (Jer. xxii. 9). I can believe God better than I can myself. If +you want to know the way of Life, believe that Jesus Christ is a +personal Saviour; cut away from all doctrines and creeds, and come +right to the heart of the Son of God. If you have been feeding on dry +doctrine there is not much growth on that kind of food. Doctrines are +to the soul what the streets which lead to the house of a friend who +has invited me to dinner are to the body. They will lead me there if +I take the right one; but if I remain in the streets my hunger will +never be satisfied. Feeding on doctrines is like trying to live on +dry husks; and lean indeed must the soul remain which partakes not of +the Bread sent down from heaven. + +Some ask: "How am I to get my heart warmed?" It is by believing. You +do not get power to love and serve God until you believe. + +The apostle John says "If we receive the witness of men, the witness +of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which He hath +testified of His Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the +witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; +because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son. And +this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this +life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath +not the Son of God hath not life" (1 John v. 9). + +Human affairs would come to a standstill if we did not take the +testimony of men. How should we get on in the ordinary intercourse of +life, and how would commerce get on, if we disregarded men's +testimony? Things social and commercial would come to a dead-lock +within forty-eight hours! This is the drift of the apostle's argument +here. "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is +greater." God has borne witness to Jesus Christ. And if man can +believe his fellow men who are frequently telling untruths and whom +we are constantly finding unfaithful, why should we not take God at +His word and believe His testimony? + +Faith is a belief in testimony. It is not a leap in the dark, as some +tell us. That would be no faith at all. God does not ask any man to +believe without giving him something to believe. You might as well +ask a man to see without eyes; to hear without ears; and to walk +without feet--as to bid him believe without giving him something to +believe. + +When I started for California I procured a guide-book. This told me, +that after leaving the State of Illinois, I should cross the +Mississippi, and then the Missouri; get into Nebraska; then over the +Rocky Mountains to the Mormon settlement at Salt Lake City, and by +the way of the Sierra Nevada into San Francisco. I found the guide +book all right as I went along; and I should have been a miserable +sceptic if, having proved it to be correct three-fourths of the way, +I had said that I would not believe it for the remainder of the +journey. + +Suppose a man, in directing me to the Post Office, gives me ten +landmarks; and that, in my progress there, I find nine of them to be +as he told me; I should have good reason to believe that I was coming +to the Post Office. + +And if, by believing, I get a new life, and a hope, a peace, a joy, +and a rest to my soul, that I never had before; if I get self-control, +and find that I have a power to resist evil and to do good, +I have pretty good proof that I am in the right road to the "city +which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." And if +things have taken place, and are now taking place, as recorded in +God's Word, I have good reason to conclude that what yet remains will +be fulfilled. And yet people talk of doubting. There can be no true +faith where there is fear. Faith is to take God at His word, +unconditionally. There cannot be true peace where there is fear. +"Perfect love casteth out fear." How wretched a wife would be if she +doubted her husband! and how miserable a mother would feel if after +her boy had gone away from home she had reason, from his neglect, to +question that son's devotion! True love never has a doubt. + +There are three things indispensable to faith--knowledge, assent, and +appropriation. + +We must know God. "And this is life eternal, that they might _know_ +Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent" (John +xvii. 3). Then we must not only give our assent to what we know; but +we must lay hold of the truth. If a man simply give his assent to the +plan of salvation, it will not save him: he must accept Christ as his +Saviour. He must receive and appropriate Him. + +Some say they cannot tell how a man's life can be affected by his +belief. But let some one cry out that some building in which we +happen to be sitting, is on fire; and see how soon we should act on +our belief and get out. We are all the time influenced by what we +believe. We cannot help it. And let a man believe the record that God +has given of Christ, and it will very quickly affect his whole life. + +Take John v. 24. There is enough truth in that one verse for every +soul to rest upon for salvation. It does not admit the shadow of a +doubt. "Verily, verily"--which means truly, truly--"I say unto you, +He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, +hath--_hath_--everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; +but is passed from death unto life." + +Now if a person really hears the word of Jesus and believes with the +heart on God who sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world, and +lays hold of and appropriates this great salvation, there is no fear +of judgment. He will not be looking forward with dread to the Great +White Throne; for we read in 1 John iv. 17: "Herein is our love made +perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as +He is, so are we in this world." + +If we believe, there is for us no condemnation, no judgment. That is +behind us, and passed; and we shall have boldness in the day of +judgment. + +I remember reading of a man who was on trial for his life. He had +friends with influence; and they procured a pardon for him from the +king on condition that he was to go through the trial, and be +condemned. He went into court with the pardon in his pocket. The +feeling ran very high against him, and the judge said that the court +was shocked that he was so much unconcerned. But, when the sentence +was pronounced, he pulled out the pardon, presented it, and walked +out a free man. He has been pardoned; and so have we. Then let death +come, we have nought to fear. All the grave-diggers in the world +cannot dig a grave large enough and deep enough to hold eternal life; +all the coffin makers in the world cannot make a coffin large enough +and tight enough to hold eternal life. Death has had his hand on +Christ once, but never again. + +Jesus said: "I am the Resurrection, and the Life: he that believeth +in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth +and believeth in Me shall never die" (John xi. 25, 26). And in the +Apocalypse we read that the risen Saviour said to John, "I am He that +liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore" (Rev i. +18). Death cannot touch Him again. + +We get life by believing. In fact we get more than Adam lost; for the +redeemed child of God is heir to a richer and more glorious +inheritance than Adam in Paradise could ever have conceived; yea, and +that inheritance endures forever--it is inalienable. + +I would much rather have my life hid with Christ in God than have +lived in Paradise; for Adam might have sinned and fallen after being +there ten thousand years. But the believer is safer, if these things +become real to him. Let us make them a fact, and not a fiction. God +has said it; and that is enough. Let us trust Him even where we +cannot trace Him. Let the same confidence animate us that was in +little Maggie as related in the following simple but touching +incident which I read in the _Bible Treasury_:-- + +"I had been absent from home for some days, and was wondering, as I +again draw near the homestead, if my little Maggie, just able to sit +alone, would remember me. To test her memory, I stationed myself +where I could see her, but could not be seen by her, and called her +name in the familiar tone, 'Maggie!' She dropped her playthings, +glanced around the room, and then looked down upon her toys. Again I +repeated her name, 'Maggie!' when she once more surveyed the room; +but, not seeing her _father's_ face, she looked very sad, and slowly +resumed her employment. Once more I called, 'Maggie!' when, dropping +her playthings, and bursting into tears, she stretched out her arms +in the direction whence the sound proceeded, knowing that, though she +could not see him, her father _must be there_, for she knew his +voice." + +Now, we have power to see and to hear, and we have power to believe. +It is all folly for the inquirers to take the ground that they cannot +believe. They can, if they will. But the trouble with most people is +that they have connected feeling with believing. Now Feeling has +nothing whatever to do with Believing. The Bible does not say--He +that feeleth, or he that feeleth and believeth, hath everlasting +life. Nothing of the kind. I cannot control my feelings. If I could, +I should never feel ill, or have a headache or toothache. I should be +well all the while. But I can believe God; and if we get our feet on +that rock, let doubts and fears come and the waves surge around us, +the anchor will hold. + +Some people are all the time looking at their faith. Faith is the +hand that takes the blessing. I heard this illustration of a beggar. +Suppose you were to meet a man in the street whom you had known for +years as being accustomed to beg; and you offered him some money, and +he were to say to you: "I thank you; I don't want your money: I am +not a beggar." "How is that?" "Last night a man put a thousand +dollars into my hands." "He did! How did you know it was good money?" +"I took it to the bank and deposited it and have got a bank book." +"How did you get this gift?" "I asked for alms; and after the +gentleman talked with me he took out a thousand dollars in money and +put it in my hand." "How do you know that he put it in the right +hand?" "What do I care about which hand; so that I have got the +money." Many people are always thinking whether the faith by which +they lay hold of Christ is the right kind--but what is far more +essential is to see that we have the right kind of Christ. + +Faith is the eye of the soul; and who would ever think of taking out +an eye to see if it were the right kind so long as the sight was +perfect? It is not my taste, but it is what I taste, that satisfies +my appetite. So, dear friends, it is taking God at His Word that is +the means of our salvation. The truth cannot be made too simple. + +There is a man living in the city of New York who has a home on the +Hudson River. His daughter and her family went to spend the winter +with him: and in the course of the season the scarlet fever broke +out. One little girl was put in quarantine, to be kept separate from +the rest. Every morning the old grandfather used to go and bid his +grandchild, "Goodbye," before going to his business. On one of these +occasions the little thing took the old man by the hand, and, leading +him to a corner of the room, without saying a word she pointed to the +floor where she had arranged some small crackers so they would spell +out, "Grandpa, I want a box of paints." He said nothing. On his +return home he hung up his overcoat and went to the room as usual: +when his little grandchild, without looking to see if her wish had +been complied with, took him into the same corner, where he saw +spelled out in the same way, "Grandpa, I thank you for the box of +paints." The old man would not have missed gratifying the child for +anything. That was faith. + +Faith is taking God at His Word; and those people who want some token +are always getting into trouble. We want to come to this: God says +it--let us believe it. + +But some say, Faith is the gift of God. So is the air; but you have +to breathe it. So is bread; but you have to eat it. So is water; but +you have to drink it. Some are wanting a miraculous kind of feeling. +That is not faith. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word +of God" (Rom. x. 17). That is whence faith comes. It is not for me to +sit down and wait for faith to come stealing over me with a strange +sensation; but it is for me to take God at His Word. And you cannot +believe, unless you have something to believe. So take the Word as it +is written, and appropriate it, and lay hold of it. + +In John vi. 47, 48 we read: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that +believeth on Me hath everlasting life. I am that Bread of life." +There is the bread right at hand. Partake of it. I might have +thousands of loaves within my home, and as many hungry men in +waiting. They might assent to the fact that the bread was there; but +unless they each took a loaf and commenced eating, their hunger would +not be satisfied. So Christ is the Bread of heaven; and as the body +feeds on natural food, so the soul must feed on Christ. + +If a drowning man sees a rope thrown out to rescue him he must lay +hold of it; and in order to do so he must let go everything else. If +a man is sick he must take the medicine--for simply looking at it +will not cure him. A knowledge of Christ will not help the inquirer, +unless he believes in Him, and takes hold of Him, as his only hope. +The bitten Israelites might have believed that the serpent was lifted +up; but unless they had looked they would not have lived (Num. xxi. +6-9). + +I believe that a certain line of steamers will convey me across the +ocean, because I have tried it: but this will not help another man +who may want to go, unless he acts upon my knowledge. So a knowledge +of Christ does not help us unless we act upon it. That is what it is +to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is to act on what we believe. +As a man steps on board a steamer to cross the Atlantic, so we must +take Christ and make a commitment of our souls to Him; and He has +promised to keep all who put their trust in Him. To believe on the +Lord Jesus Christ, is simply to take Him at His word. + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +_WORDS OF COUNSEL_. + + +"A bruised reed shall He not break."--Isaiah xlii. 3; Matt. xii. 20. + + +It is dangerous for those who are seeking salvation to lean upon the +experience of other people. Many are waiting for a repetition of the +experience of their grandfather or grandmother. I had a friend who +was converted in a field; and he thinks the whole town ought to go +down into that meadow and be converted. Another was converted under a +bridge; and he thinks that if any enquirer were to go there he would +find the Lord. The best thing for the anxious is to go right to the +Word of God. If there are any persons in the world to whom the Word +ought to be very precious it is those who are asking how to be saved. + +For instance a man may say, "I have no strength." Let him turn to +Romans v. 6. "For when we were yet without strength, in due time +Christ died for the ungodly." It is because we have no strength that +we need Christ. He has come to give strength to the weak. + +Another may say, "I cannot see." Christ says, "I am the Light of the +world" (John viii. 12). He came, not only to give light, but "to open +the blind eyes" (Isa. xlii. 7). + +Another may say, "I do not think a man can be saved all at once." A +person holding that view was in the Enquiry-room one night; and I +drew his attention to Romans vi. 23. "The wages of sin is death; but +the _gift_ of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." How +long does it take to accept a gift? There must be a moment when you +have it not, and another when you have it--a moment when it is +another's, and the next when it is yours. It does not take six months +to get eternal life. It may however in some cases be like the mustard +seed, very small at the commencement. Some people are converted so +gradually that, like the morning light, it is impossible to tell when +the dawn began; while, with others, it is like the flashing of a +meteor, and the truth bursts upon them suddenly. + +I would not go across the street to prove when I was converted; but +what is important is for me to know that I really have been. + +It may be that a child has been so carefully trained that it is +impossible to tell when the new birth began; but there must have been +a moment when the change took place, and when he became a partaker of +the Divine nature. + +Some people do not believe in sudden conversion. But I will challenge +any one to show a conversion in the New Testament that was not +instantaneous. "As Jesus passed by He saw Levi, the son of Alpheus, +sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, 'Follow Me': and +he arose and followed Him" (Matt. ix. 9). Nothing could be more +sudden than that. + +Zaccheus, the publican, sought to see Jesus; and because he was +little of stature he climbed up a tree. When Jesus came to the place +He looked up and saw him, and said, "Zaccheus, make haste, and come +down" (Luke xix. 5). His conversion must have taken place somewhere +between the branch and the ground. We are told that he received Jesus +joyfully, and said, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the +poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, +I restore him fourfold" (Luke xix. 8). Very few in these days could +say that in proof of their conversion. + +The whole house of Cornelius was converted suddenly; for so Peter +preached Christ to him and his company the Holy Ghost fell on them, +and they were baptized. (Acts x.) + +On the day of Pentecost three thousand gladly received the Word. They +were not only converted, but they were baptized the same day. (Acts +ii.) + +And when Philip talked to the eunuch, as they went on their way, the +eunuch said to Philip, "See, here is water: what doth hinder me to be +baptized?" Nothing hindered. And Philip said, "If thou believest with +all thine heart, thou mayest." And they both went down into the +water; and the man of great authority under Candace, the queen of the +Ethiopians, was baptized, and went on his way rejoicing. (Acts viii. +26-38.) You will find all through Scripture that conversions were +sudden and instantaneous. + +A man has been in the habit of stealing money from his employer. +Suppose he has taken $1,000 in twelve months; should we tell him to +take $500 the next year, and less the next year, and the next, until +in five years the sum taken would be only $50? That would be upon the +same principle as gradual conversion. + +If such a person were brought before the court and pardoned, because +he could not change his mode of life all at once, it would be +considered a very strange proceeding. + +But the Bible says, "Let him that stole steal no more" (Eph. iv. 28). +It is "right about face!" Suppose a person is in the habit of cursing +one hundred times a day: should we advise him not to utter more than +ninety oaths the following day, and eighty the next day; so that in +the course of time he would get rid of the habit? The Saviour says, +"Swear not at all." (Matt. v. 34.) + +Suppose another man is in the habit of getting drunk and beating his +wife twice a month; if he only did so once a month, and then only +once in six months, that would be, upon the same ground, as +reasonable as gradual conversion. Suppose Ananias had been sent to +Paul, when he was on his way to Damascus breathing out threatenings +and slaughter against the disciples, and casting them into prison, to +tell him not to kill so many as he intended; and to let enmity die +out of his heart gradually, but not all at once. Suppose he had been +told that it would not do to stop breathing out threatenings and +slaughter, and to commence preaching Christ all at once, because the +philosophers would say that the change was so sudden it would not +hold out; this would be the same kind of reasoning as is used by +those who do not believe in instantaneous conversion. + +Then another class say that they are afraid that they will not hold +out. This is a numerous and very hopeful class. I like to see a man +distrust himself. It is a good thing to get such to look to God, and +to remember that it is not he who holds God, but that it is God who +holds him. Some want to get hold of Christ; but the thing is to get +Christ to take hold of you in answer to prayer. Let such read Psalm +cxxi.; "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh +my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. +He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will +not slumber. Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor +sleep. The Lord is thy keeper; the Lord is thy shade upon thy right +hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The +Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul. +The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in, from this +time forth, and even for evermore." + +Some one calls that the traveler's psalm. It is a beautiful psalm for +those of us who are pilgrims through this world; and one with which +we should be well acquainted. + +God can do what He has done before. He kept Joseph in Egypt; Moses +before Pharaoh; Daniel in Babylon; and enabled Elijah to stand before +Ahab in that dark day. And I am so thankful that these I have +mentioned were men of like passions with ourselves. It was God who +made them so great. What man wants is to look to God. Real true faith +is man's weakness leaning on God's strength. When man has no +strength, if he leans on God he becomes powerful. The trouble is that +we have too much strength and confidence in ourselves. + +Again in Hebrews vi. 17, 18: "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to +show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, +confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things, in which it was +impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who +have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which +hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and +which entereth into that within the vail; whither the Forerunner is +for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the +order of Melchisedec." + +Now these are precious verses to those who are afraid of falling, who +fear that they will not hold out. It is God's work to hold. It is the +Shepherd's business to keep the sheep. Who ever heard of the sheep +going to bring back the shepherd? People have an idea that they have +to keep themselves and Christ too. It is a false idea. It is the work +of the Shepherd to look after them, and to take care of those who +trust Him. And He has promised to do it. I once heard that when a sea +captain was dying he said, "Glory to God; the anchor holds." He +trusted in Christ. His anchor had taken hold of the solid rock. An +Irishman said, on one occasion, that "he trembled; but the Rock never +did." We want to get sure footing. + +In 2 Timothy i. 12 Paul says: "I know whom I have believed, and am +persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto +Him against that day." That was Paul's persuasion. + +During the late war of the rebellion, one of the chaplains, going +through the hospitals, came to a man who was dying. Finding that he +was a Christian, he asked to what persuasion he belonged, and was +told "Paul's persuasion." "Is he a Methodist?" he asked; for the +Methodists all claim Paul. "No." "Is he a Presbyterian?" for the +Presbyterians lay special claim to Paul. "No," was the answer. "Does +he belong to the Episcopal Church?" for all the Episcopalian brethren +contend that they have a claim to the Chief Apostle. "No," he was not +an Episcopalian. "Then, to what persuasion does he belong?" "I am +persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto +Him against that day." It is a grand persuasion; and it gave the +dying soldier rest in a dying hour. + +Let those who fear that they will not hold out turn to the 24th verse +of the Epistle of Jude: "Now unto Him that is able to keep you from +falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His +glory with exceeding joy." + +Then look at Isaiah xli. 10: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be +not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will +help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My +righteousness." + +Then see verse 13: "For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, +saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." + +Now if God has got hold of my right hand in His, cannot He hold me +and keep me? Has not God the power to keep? The great God who made +heaven and earth can keep a poor sinner like you and like me if we +trust Him. To refrain from feeling confidence in God for fear of +falling--would be like a man who refused a pardon, for fear that he +should get into prison again; or a drowning man who refused to be +rescued, for fear of falling into the water again. + +Many men look forth at the Christian life, and fear that they will +not have sufficient strength to hold out to the end. They forget the +promise that "as thy days, thy strength" (Deut. xxxiii. 25). It +reminds me of the pendulum to the clock which grew disheartened at +the thought of having to travel so many thousands of miles; but when +it reflected that the distance was to be accomplished by "tick, tick, +tick," it took fresh courage to go its daily journey. So it is the +special privilege of the Christian to commit himself to the keeping +of his heavenly Father and to trust Him day by day. It is a +comforting thing to know that the Lord will not begin the good work +without also finishing it. + +There are two kinds of sceptics--one class with honest difficulties; +and another class who delight only in discussion. I used to think +that this latter class would always be a thorn in my flesh; but they +do not prick me now. I expect to find them right along the journey. +Men of this stamp used to hang around Christ to entangle Him in His +talk. They come into our meetings to hold a discussion. To all such I +would commend Paul's advice to Timothy: "But foolish and unlearned +questions avoid; knowing that they do gender strifes." (2 Tim. ii. +23.) Unlearned questions: Many young converts make a woful mistake. +They think they are to defend the whole Bible. I knew very little of +the Bible when I was first converted; and I thought that I had to +defend it from beginning to end against all comers; but a Boston +infidel got hold of me, floored all my arguments at once, and +discouraged me. But I have got over that now. There are many things +in the Word of God that I do not profess to understand. + +When I am asked what I do with them. I say, "I don't do anything." + +"How do you explain them?" "I don't explain them." + +"What do you do with them?" "Why, I believe them." + +And when I am told, "I would not believe anything that I do not +understand," I simply reply that I do. + +There are many things which were dark and mysterious five years ago, +on which I have since had a flood of light; and I expect to be +finding out something fresh about God throughout eternity. I make a +point of not discussing disputed passages of Scripture. An old divine +has said that some people, if they want to eat fish, commence by +picking the bones. I leave such things till I have light on them. I +am not bound to explain what I do not comprehend. "The secret things +belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed +belong unto us, and to our children, for ever" (Deut. xxii. 29); and +these I take, and eat, and feed upon, in order to get spiritual +strength. + +Than there is a little sound advice in Titus iii. 9. "But avoid +foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings +about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain." + +But now here comes an honest sceptic. With him I would deal as +tenderly as a mother with her sick child. I have no sympathy with +those people who, because a man is sceptical, cast him off and will +have nothing to do with him. + +I was in an Inquiry-meeting, some time ago, and I handed over to a +Christian lady, whom I had known some time, one who was sceptical. On +looking round soon after I noticed the enquirer marching out of the +hall. I asked, "Why have you let her go?" "Oh, she is a sceptic!" was +the reply. I ran to the door and got her to stop, and introduced her +to another Christian worker who spent over an hour in conversation +and prayer with her. He visited her and her husband; and, in the +course of a week, that intelligent lady cast off her scepticism and +came out an active Christian. It took time, tact, and prayer; but if +a person of this class is honest we ought to deal with such an one as +the Master would have us. + +Here are a few passages for doubting enquirers: + +"If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether +it be of God, or whether I speak of myself" (John vii. 17). If a man +is not willing to do the will of God he will not know the doctrine. +There is no class of sceptics who are ignorant of the fact that God +desires them to give up sin; and if a man is willing to turn from sin +and take the light and thank Him for what He does give, and not +expect to have light on the whole Bible all at once, he will get more +light day by day; make progress step by step; and be led right out of +darkness into the clear light of heaven. + +In Daniel xii. 10 we are told: "Many shall be purified, and made +white, and tried: but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the +wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." + +Now God will never reveal His secrets to His enemies. Never! And if a +man persists in living in sin he will not know the doctrines of God. + +"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will show +them His covenant" (Ps. xxv. 14). + +And in John xv. 15 we read: "Henceforth I call you not servants; for +the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called you +friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made +known unto you." When you become friends of Christ you will know His +secrets. The Lord said, "Shall I hide from Abraham the things which I +do?" (Gen. xviii. 17). + +Now those who resemble God are the most likely to understand God. If +a man is not willing to turn from sin he will not know God's will, +nor will God reveal His secrets to him. But if a man is willing to +turn from sin he will be surprised to see how the light will come in! + +I remember one night when the Bible was the driest and darkest book +in the universe to me. The next day it became entirely different. I +thought I had the key to it. I had been born of the Spirit. But +before I knew anything of the mind of God I had to give up my sin. I +believe God meets every soul on the spot of self-surrender; and when +they are willing to let Him guide and lead. The trouble with many +sceptics is their self-conceit. They know more than the Almighty! and +they do not come in a teachable spirit. But the moment a man comes in +a receptive spirit he is blessed; for "If any of you lack wisdom, let +him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; +and it shall be given him" (James i. 5). + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +_A DIVINE SAVIOUR_. + + +"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." + +(Matthew xvi. 1; John vi. 69.) + + +We meet with a certain class of Enquirers who do not believe in the +Divinity of Christ. There are many passages that will give light on +this subject. + +In 1 Corinthians xv. 47, we are told: "The first man is of the earth +earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven." + +In 1 John v. 20: "We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given +us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true; and we are in +Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, +and eternal life." + +Again in John xvii. 3: "And this is life eternal, that they might +know Thee, the only true God; and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." + +And then, in Mark xiv. 60: "The high priest stood up in the midst, +and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest Thou nothing? What is it which +these witness against thee? But He held His peace, and answered +nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, and said unto Him, Art Thou +the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye +shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and +coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his +clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard +the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned Him to be guilty +of death." + +Now what brought me to believe in the Divinity of Christ was this: I +did not know where to place Christ, or what to do with Him, if He +were not divine. When I was a boy I thought that He was a good man +like Moses, Joseph, or Abraham. I even thought that He was the best +man who had ever lived on the earth. But I found that Christ had a +higher claim. He claimed to be God-Man, to be divine; to have come +from heaven. He said: "Before Abraham was I am" (John viii. 58). I +could not understand this; and I was driven to the conclusion--and I +challenge any candid man to deny the inference, or meet the +argument--that Jesus Christ is either an impostor or deceiver, or He +is the God-Man--God manifest in the flesh. And for these reasons. The +first commandment is, "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me" (Exod. +xx. 2). Look at the millions throughout Christendom who worship Jesus +Christ as God. If Christ be not God this is idolatry. We are all +guilty of breaking the first commandment if Jesus Christ were mere +man--if He were a created being, and not what He claims to be. + +Some people, who do not admit His divinity, say that He was the best +man who ever lived; but if He were not Divine, for that very reason +He ought not to be reckoned a good man, for He laid claim to an honor +and dignity to which these very people declare He had no right or +title. That would rank Him as a deceiver. + +Others say that He thought He was divine, but that He was deceived. +As if Jesus Christ were carried away by a delusion and deception, and +thought that He was more than He was! I could not conceive of a lower +idea of Jesus Christ than that. This would not only make Him out an +impostor; but that He was out of His mind, and that He did not know +who He was, or where He came from. Now if Jesus Christ was not what +He claimed to be, the Saviour of the world; and if He did not come +from heaven, He was a gross deceiver. + +But how can any one read the life of Jesus Christ and make Him out a +deceiver? A man has generally some motive for being an impostor. What +was Christ's motive? He knew that the course He was pursuing would +conduct Him to the cross; that His name would be cast out as vile; +and that many of His followers would be called upon to lay down their +lives for His sake. Nearly every one of the apostles were martyrs; +and they were considered as off-scouring and refuse in the midst of +the people. If a man is an impostor, he has a motive at the back of +his hypocrisy. But what was Christ's object? The record is that "He +went about doing good." This is not the work of an impostor. Do not +let the enemy of your soul deceive you. + +In John v. 21 we read: "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and +quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will. For the +Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: +that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He +that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which hath sent +Him." + +Now notice: by the Jewish law if a man were a blasphemer he was to be +put to death; and supposing Christ to be merely human if this be not +blasphemy I do not know where you will find it. "He that honoureth +not the Son, honoureth not the Father." That is downright blasphemy +if Christ be not divine. If Moses, or Elijah, or Elisha, or any other +mortal had said, "You must honour me as you honor God;" and had put +himself on a level with God, it would have been downright blasphemy. + +The Jews put Christ to death because they said that He was not what +He claimed to be. It was on that testimony He was put under oath. The +high priest said: "I adjure Thee by the living God, that Thou tell us +whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God" (Matt. xxvi. 63). And +when the Jews came round Him and said, "How long dost Thou make us to +doubt? If Thou be the Christ tell us plainly." Jesus said, "I and My +Father are one." Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. +(John x. 24-33.) They said they did not want to hear more, for that +was blasphemy. It was for declaring Himself to be the Son of God that +He was condemned and put to death. (Matt. xxvi. 63-66). + +Now if Jesus Christ were mere man the Jews did right, according to +their law, in putting Him to death. In Leviticus xxiv. 16, we read: +"And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put +to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well +the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the +name of the Lord, shall be put to death." + +This law obliged them to put to death every one who blasphemed. It +was making the statement that He was divine that cost Him His life; +and by the Mosaic law He ought to have suffered the death penalty. In +John xvi. 15, Christ says, "All things that the Father hath are Mine: +therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall show it unto +you." How could He be merely a good man and use language as that? + +No doubt has ever entered my mind on the point since I was converted. + +A notorious sinner was once asked how he could prove the divinity of +Christ. His answer was, "Why, He has saved me; and that is a pretty +good proof, is it not?" + +An infidel on one occasion said to me, "I have been studying the life +of John the Baptist, Mr. Moody. Why don't you preach him? He was a +greater character than Christ. You would do a greater work." I said +to him, "My friend, you preach John the Baptist; and I will follow +you and preach Christ: and we will see who will do the most good." +"You will do the most good," he said, "because the people are so +superstitious." Ah! John was beheaded; and his disciples begged his +body and buried it: but Christ has risen from the dead; He has +"ascended on high; He has led captivity captive; and received gifts +for men." (Ps. lxviii. 18.) + +Our Christ lives. Many people have not found out that Christ has +risen from the grave. They worship a dead Saviour, like Mary, who +said, "They have taken away my Lord; and I know not where they have +laid Him." (John xx. 13.) That is the trouble with those who doubt +the divinity of our Lord. + +Then look at Matthew xviii. 20. "Where two or three are gathered +together in My name, there am I in the midst of them." "There am I." +Well now, if He is a mere man, how can He be there? All these are +strong passages. + +Again in Matthew xxviii. 18. "And Jesus came and spake unto them, +saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth." Could He +be a mere man and talk in that way? "All power is given unto Me in +heaven and in earth!" + +Then again in Matthew xxviii. 20. "Teaching them to observe all +things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, +even unto the end of the world." If He were mere man, how could He be +with us? Yet He says, "I am with you away, even unto the end of the +world!" + +Then again in Mark ii. 7. "Why doth this Man thus speak blasphemies? +who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus +perceived in His Spirit that they reasoned within themselves, He said +unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it +easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee, or +to say, Arise and take up thy bed and walk?" + +Some men will meet you and say, "Did not Elisha also raise the dead?" +Notice that in the rare instances in which men have raised the dead, +they did it by the power of God. They called on God to do it. But +when Christ was on earth He did not call upon the Father to bring the +dead to life, When He went to the house of Jairus He said, "Damsel, I +say unto thee, Arise." (Mark v. 41.) + +He had power to impart life. When they were carrying the young man +out of Nain He had compassion on the widowed mother and came and +touched the bier and said, "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise." (Luke +vii. 14.) + +He spake; and the dead arose. + +And when He raised Lazarus He called with a loud voice, "Lazarus, +come forth!" (John xi. 43.) And Lazarus heard, and came forth. + +Some one has said, It was a good thing that Lazarus was mentioned by +name, or all the dead within the sound of Christ's voice would +immediately have risen. + +In John v. 25, Jesus says: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour +is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son +of God; and they that hear shall live." What blasphemy would this +have been, had He not been divine! The proof is overwhelming, if you +will but examine the Word of God. + +And then another thing--no good man except Jesus Christ has ever +allowed anybody to worship him. When this was done He never rebuked +the worshiper. In John ix. 38, we read that when the blind man was +found by Christ he said, "Lord, I believe. And he worshiped Him." The +Lord did not rebuke him. + +Then again, Revelation xxii. 6, runs thus: "And he said unto me, +These things are faithful and true; and the Lord God of the holy +prophets sent His angel to show unto His servants the things which +must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that +keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. And I John saw +these things and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell +down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these +things. Then saith He unto me, See thou do it not; for I am thy +fellow-servant and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which +keep the sayings of this book, _worship God_." + +We see here that even that angel would not allow John to worship him. +Even an angel from heaven! And if Gabriel came down here from the +presence of God it would be a sin to worship him, or any seraph, or +any cherub, or Michael, or any archangel. + +"Worship God!" And if Jesus Christ were not God manifest in the flesh +we are guilty of idolatry in worshiping Him. In Matthew xiv. 33, we +read: "Then they that were in the ship came and _worshiped_ Him, +saying, Of a truth Thou art the Son of God." He did not rebuke them. + +And in Matthew viii. 2, we also read: "And, behold, there came a +leper and _worshiped_ Him, saying, Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst +make me clean." + +In Matthew xv. 25: "Then came she, and _worshiped_ Him, saying, Lord, +help me!" + +There are many other passages; but I give these as sufficient in my +opinion to prove beyond any doubt the Divinity of our Lord. + +In the 14th chapter of Acts we are told the heathen at Lystra came +with garlands and would have done sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas +because they had cured an impotent man; but the evangelists rent +their clothes and told these Lystrans that they were but men, and not +to be worshipped; as if it were a great sin. And if Jesus Christ is a +mere man, we are all guilty of a great sin in worshipping Him. + +But if He is, as we believe, the only-begotten and well-beloved Son +of God, let us yield to His claims upon us; let us rest on His +all-atoning work, and go forth to serve Him all the days of our life. + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +_REPENTANCE AND RESTITUTION_. + + +"God commandeth all men everywhere to repent."--Acts xvii. 30. + + +Repentance is one of the fundamental doctrines of the Bible. Yet I +believe it is one of those truths that many people little understand +at the present day. There are more people to-day in the mist and +darkness about Repentance, Regeneration, the Atonement, and such-like +fundamental truths, than perhaps on any other doctrines. Yet from our +earliest years we have heard about them. If I were to ask for a +definition of Repentance, a great many would give a very strange and +false idea of it. + +A man is not prepared to believe or to receive the Gospel, unless he +is ready to repent of his sins and turn from them. Until John the +Baptist met Christ, he had but one text, "Repent ye; for the kingdom +of heaven is at hand" (Matt. iii. 2). But if he had continued to say +this, and had stopped there without pointing the people to Christ the +Lamb of God, he would not have accomplished much. + +When Christ came, He took up the same wilderness cry, "Repent; for +the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. iv. 17). And when our Lord +sent out His disciples, it was with the same message, "that men +should repent" (Mark vi. 12). After He had been glorified, and when +the Holy Ghost came down, we find Peter on the day of Pentecost +raising the same cry, "Repent!" It was this preaching--Repent, and +believe the Gospel--that wrought such marvellous results then. (Acts +ii. 38-47). And we find that, when Paul went to Athens, he uttered +the same cry, "_Now_ God commandeth _all men, everywhere_, to repent" +(Acts xvii. 30). + +Before I speak of what Repentance _is_, let me briefly say what it +_is not_. Repentance is not _fear_. Many people have confounded the +two. They think they have to be alarmed and terrified; and they are +waiting for some kind of fear to come down upon them. But multitudes +become alarmed who do not really repent. You have heard of men at sea +during a terrible storm. Perhaps they have been very profane men; but +when the danger came they suddenly grew quiet, and began to cry to +God for mercy. Yet you would not say they repented. When the storm +had passed away, they went on swearing the same as before. You might +think that the king of Egypt repented when God sent the terrible +plagues upon him and his land. But it was not repentance at all. The +moment God's hand was removed Pharaoh's heart was harder than ever. +He did not turn from a single sin; he was the same man. So that there +was no true repentance there. + +Often, when death comes into a family, it looks as if the event would +be sanctified to the conversion of all who are in the house. Yet in +six months' time all may be forgotten. Some who read this have +perhaps passed through that experience. When God's hand was heavy +upon them it looked as if they were going to repent; but the trial +has been removed--and lo and behold, the impression has all gone. + +Then again, Repentance is not _feeling_. I find a great many people +are waiting for a certain kind of feeling to come. They would like to +turn to God; but think they cannot do it until this feeling comes. +When I was in Baltimore I used to preach every Sunday in the +Penitentiary to nine hundred convicts. There was hardly a man there +who did not feel miserable enough: they had plenty of feeling. For +the first week or ten days of their imprisonment many of them cried +half the time. Yet, when they were released, most of them would go +right back to their old ways. The truth was, that they felt very bad +because they had got caught; that was all. So you have seen a man in +the time of trial show a good deal of feeling: but very often it is +only because he has got into trouble; not because he has committed +sin, or because his conscience tells him he has done evil in the +sight of God. It seems as if the trial were going to result in true +repentance; but the feeling too often passes away. + +Once again, Repentance is not _fasting and afflicting the body_. A +man may fast for weeks and months and years, and yet not repent of +one sin. Neither is it _remorse_. Judas had terrible remorse--enough +to make him go and hang himself; but that was not repentance. I +believe if he had gone to his Lord, fallen on his face, and confessed +his sin, he would have been forgiven. Instead of this he went to the +priests, and then put an end to his life. A man may do all sorts of +penance--but there is no true repentance in that. Put that down in +your mind. You cannot meet the claims of God by offering the fruit of +your body for the sin of your soul. Away with such a delusion! + +Repentance is not _conviction of sin_. That may sound strange to +some. I have seen men under such deep conviction of sin that they +could not sleep at night; they could not enjoy a single meal. They +went on for months in this state; and yet they were not converted; +they did not truly repent. Do not confound conviction of sin with +Repentance. + +Neither is _praying_--Repentance. That too may sound strange. Many +people, when they become anxious about their soul's salvation, say, +"I will pray, and read the Bible;" and they think that will bring +about the desired effect. But it will not do it. You may read the +Bible and cry to God a great deal, and yet never repent. Many people +cry loudly to God, and yet do not repent. + +Another thing: it is not _breaking off some one sin_. A great many +people make that mistake. A man who has been a drunkard signs the +pledge, and stops drinking. Breaking off one sin is not Repentance. +Forsaking one vice is like breaking off one limb of a tree, when the +whole tree has to come down. A profane man stops swearing; very good: +but if he does not break off _from every sin_ it is not Repentance--it +is not the work of God in the soul. When God works He hews down +the whole tree. He wants to have a man turn from every sin. Supposing +I am in a vessel out at sea, and I find the ship leaks in three or +four places. I may go and stop up one hole; yet down goes the vessel. +Or suppose I am wounded in three or four places, and I get a remedy +for one wound: if the other two or three wounds are neglected, my +life will soon be gone. True Repentance is not merely breaking off +this or that particular sin. + +Well then, you will ask, what is Repentance? I will give you a good +definition: it is "right about face!" In the Irish language the word +"Repentance" means even more than "right about face!" It implies that +a man who has been walking in one direction has not only faced about, +but is actually walking in an exactly contrary direction. "Turn ye, +turn ye; for why will ye die?" A man may have little feeling or much +feeling; but if he does not turn away from sin, God will not have +mercy on him. Repentance has also been described as "a change of +mind." For instance, there is the parable told by Christ: "A certain +man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work +to-day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not" (Matt. xxi. +28, 29). After he had said "I will not" he thought over it, and +changed his mind. Perhaps he may have said to himself, "I did not +speak very respectfully to my father. He asked me to go and work, and +I told him I would not go. I think I was wrong." But suppose he had +only said this, and still had not gone, he would not have repented. +He was not only convinced that he was wrong; but he went off into the +fields, hoeing, or mowing or whatever it was. That is Christ's +definition of repentance. If a man says, "By the grace of God I will +forsake my sin, and do His will," that is Repentance--a turning right +about. + +Some one has said, man is born with his face turned away from God. +When he truly repents he is turned right around towards God; he +leaves his old life. + +Can a man at once repent? Certainly he can. It does not take a long +while to turn around. It does not take a man six months to change his +mind. There was a vessel that went down some time ago on the +Newfoundland coast. As she was bearing towards the shore, there was a +moment when the captain could have given orders to reverse the +engines and turn back. If the engines had been reversed then, the +ship would have been saved. But there was a moment when it was too +late. So there is a moment, I believe, in every man's life when he +can halt and say, "By the grace of God I will go no further towards +death and ruin. I repent of my sins and turn from them." You may say +you have not got feeling enough; but if you are convinced that you +are on the wrong road, turn right about, and say, "I will no longer +go on in the way of rebellion and sin as I have done." + +Just then, when you are willing to turn towards God, salvation may be +yours. + +I find that every case of conversion recorded in the Bible was +instantaneous. Repentance and faith came very suddenly. The moment a +man made up his mind, God gave him the power. God does not ask any +man to do what he has not the power to do. He would not command "all +men everywhere to repent" (Acts xvii. 30) if they were not able to do +so. Man has no one to blame but himself if he does not repent and +believe the Gospel. One of the leading ministers of the Gospel in +Ohio wrote me a letter some time ago describing his conversion; it +very forcibly illustrates this point of instantaneous decision. He +said: + +"I was nineteen years old, and was reading law with a Christian +lawyer in Vermont. One afternoon when he was away from home, his good +wife said to me as I came into the house, 'I want you to go to +class-meeting with me to-night and become a Christian, so that you can +conduct family worship while my husband is away.' 'Well, I'll do it,' +I said, without any thought. When I came into the house again she +asked me if I was honest in what I had said. I replied, 'Yes, so far +as going to meeting with you is concerned; that is only courteous.' + +"I went with her to the class-meeting, as I had often done before. +About a dozen persons were present in a little school-house. The +leader had spoken to all in the room but myself and two others. He +was speaking to the person next me, when the thought occurred to me: +he will ask me if I have anything to say. I said to myself: I have +decided to be a Christian sometime; why not begin now? In less time +than a minute after these thoughts had passed through my mind he +said, speaking to me familiarly--for he knew me very well--'Brother +Charles, have you anything to say?' I replied, with perfect coolness, +'Yes, sir. I have just decided, within the last thirty seconds, that +I will begin a Christian life, and would like to have you pray for +me.' + +"My coolness staggered him; I think he almost doubted my sincerity. +He said very little, but passed on and spoke to the other two. After +a few general remarks, he turned to me and said, 'Brother Charles, +will you close the meeting with prayer?' He knew I had never prayed +in public. Up to this moment I had no feeling. It was purely a +business transaction. My first thought was: I cannot pray, and I will +ask him to excuse me. My second was: I have said I will begin a +Christian life; and this is a part of it. So I said, 'Let us pray.' +And somewhere between the time I started to kneel and the time my +knees struck the floor the Lord converted my soul. + +"The first words I said were, 'Glory to God!' What I said after that +I do not know, and it does not matter, for my soul was too full to +say much but Glory! From that hour the devil has never dared to +challenge my conversion. To Christ be all the praise." + +Many people are waiting, they cannot exactly tell for what, but for +some sort of miraculous feeling to come stealing over them--some +mysterious kind of faith. I was speaking to a man some years ago, and +he always had one answer to give me. For five years I tried to win +him to Christ, and every year he said, "It has not 'struck me' yet." +"Man, what do you mean? What has not struck you?" "Well," he said, "I +am not going to become a Christian until it strikes me; and it has +not struck me yet. I do not see it in the way you see it." "But don't +you know you are a sinner?" "Yes, I know I am a sinner." "Well, don't +you know that God wants to have mercy on you--that there is +forgiveness with God? He wants you to repent and come to Him." "Yes, +I know that; but--it has not struck me yet." He always fell back on +that. Poor man! he went down to his grave in a state of indecision. +Sixty long years God gave him to repent; and all he had to say at the +end of those years was that it "had not struck him yet." + +Is any reader waiting for some strange feeling--you do not know what? +Nowhere in the Bible is a man told to wait; God is commanding you now +to repent. + +Do you think God can forgive a man when he does not want to be +forgiven? Would he be happy if God forgave him in this state of mind? +Why, if a man went into the kingdom of God without repentance, heaven +would be hell to him. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared +people. If your boy has done wrong, and will not repent, you cannot +forgive him. You would be doing him an injustice. Suppose he goes to +your desk, and steals $10, and squanders it. When you come home your +servant tells you what your boy has done. You ask if it is true, and +he denies it. But at last you have certain proof. Even when he finds +he cannot deny it any longer, he will not confess the sin, but says +he will do it again the first chance he gets. Would you say to him, +"Well, I forgive you," and leave the matter there? No! Yet people +say that God is going to save all men, whether they repent or +not--drunkards, thieves, harlots, whoremongers, it makes no difference. +"God is so merciful," they say. Dear friend, do not be deceived by +the god of this world. Where there is true repentance and a turning +from sin unto God, He will meet and bless you; but He never blesses +until there is sincere repentance. + +David made a woful mistake in this respect with his rebellious son, +Absalom. He could not have done his son a greater injustice than to +forgive him when his heart was unchanged. There could be no true +reconciliation between them when there was no repentance. But God +does not make these mistakes. David got into trouble on account of +his error of judgment. His son soon drove his father from the throne. + +Speaking on repentance, Dr. Brooks, of St. Louis, well remarks: +"Repentance, strictly speaking, means a 'change of mind or purpose;' +consequently it is the judgment which the sinner pronounces upon +himself, in view of the love of God displayed in the death of Christ, +connected with the abandonment of all confidence in himself and with +trust in the only Saviour of sinners. Saving repentance and saving +faith always go together; and you need not be worried about +repentance if you will believe." + +"Some people are no sure that they have 'repented enough.' If you +mean by this that you must repent in order to incline God to be +merciful to you, the sooner you give over such repentance the better. +God is already merciful, as He has fully shown at the Cross of +Calvary; and it is a grievous dishonor to His heart of love if you +think that your tears and anguish will move Him, not knowing that +'the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.' It is not your +badness, therefore, but His goodness that leads to repentance; hence +the true way to repent is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 'who +was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our +justification.'" + +Another thing. If there is true repentance it will bring forth fruit. +If we have done wrong to any one we should never ask God to forgive +us, until we are willing to make restitution. If I have done any man +a great injustice and can make it good, I need not ask God to forgive +me until I am willing to make it good. Suppose I have taken something +that does not belong to me. I have no right to expect forgiveness +until I make restitution. + +I remember preaching in one of our large cities, when a fine-looking +man came up to me at the close. He was in great distress of mind. +"The fact is," he said, "I am a defaulter. I have taken money that +belonged to my employers. How can I become a Christian without +restoring it?" "Have you got the money?" He told me he had not got it +all. He had taken about $1,500, and he still had about $900. He said +"Could I not take that money and go into business, and make enough to +pay them back?" I told him that was a delusion of Satan; that he +could not expect to prosper on stolen money; that he should restore +all he had, and go and ask his employers to have mercy upon him and +forgive him. "But they will put me in prison," he said: "cannot you +give me any help?" "No, you must restore the money before you can +expect to get any help from God." "It is pretty hard," he said. "Yes. +it is hard; but the great mistake was in doing the wrong at first." + +His burden became so heavy that it got to be insupportable. He handed +me the money--950 dollars and some cents--and asked me to take it +back to his employers. The next evening the two employers and myself +met in a side room of the church. I laid the money down, and informed +them it was from one of their _employes_. I told them the story, and +said he wanted mercy from them, not justice. The tears trickled down +the cheeks of these two men, and they said, "Forgive him! Yes, we +will be glad to forgive him." I went down stairs and brought him up. +After he had confessed his guilt and been forgiven, we all got down +on our knees and had a blessed prayer-meeting. God met us and blessed +us there. + +There was a friend of mine who some time ago had come to Christ and +wished to consecrate himself and his wealth to God. He had formerly +had transactions with the government, and had taken advantage of +them. This thing came up when he was converted, and his conscience +troubled him. He said, "I want to consecrate my wealth, but it seems +as if God will not take it." He had a terrible struggle; his +conscience kept rising up and smiting him. At last he drew a check +for $1,500 and sent it to the United States Treasury. He told me he +received such a blessing when he had done it. That was bringing forth +"fruits meet for repentance." I believe a great many men are crying +to God for light; and they are not getting it because they are not +honest. + +I was once preaching, and a man came to me who was only thirty-two +years old, but whose hair was very grey. He said, "I want you to +notice that my hair is grey, and I am only thirty-two years old. For +twelve years I have carried a great burden." "Well," I said, "what is +it?" He looked around as if afraid some one would hear him. "Well," +he answered, "my father died and left my mother with the county +newspaper, and left her only that: that was all she had. After he +died the paper begun to waste away; and I saw my mother was fast +sinking into a state of need. The building and the paper were insured +for a thousand dollars, and when I was twenty years old I set fire to +the building, and obtained the thousand dollars, and gave it to my +mother. For twelve years that sin has been haunting me. I have tried +to drown it by indulgence in pleasure and sin; I have cursed God; I +have gone into infidelity; I have tried to make out that the Bible is +not true; I have done everything I could: but all these years I have +been tormented." I said, "There is a way out of that." He inquired +"How?" I said, "Make restitution. Let us sit down and calculate the +interest, and then you pay the Company the money." It would have done +you good to see that man's face light up when he found there was +mercy for him. He said he would be glad to pay back the money and +interest if he could only be forgiven. + +There are men to-day who are in darkness and bondage because they are +not willing to turn from their sins and confess them; and I do not +know how a man can hope to be forgiven if he is not willing to +confess his sins. + +Bear in mind that _now_ is the only day of mercy you will ever have. +You can repent now, and have the awful record blotted out. God waits +to forgive you; He is seeking to bring you to Himself. But I think +the Bible teaches clearly that there is _no repentance after this +life_. There are some who tell you of the possibility of repentance +in the grave; but I do not find that in Scripture. I have looked my +Bible over very carefully, and I cannot find that a man will have +another opportunity of being saved. + +_Why should he ask for any more time?_ You have time enough to repent +now. You can turn from your sins this moment if you will. God says: +"I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth; wherefore turn, +and live ye" (Ezek. xviii. 32). + +Christ said, He "came not to call the righteous, but sinners to +repentance." Are you a sinner? Then the call to repent is addressed +to you. Take your place in the dust at the Saviour's feet, and +acknowledge your guilt. Say, like the publican of old, "God be +merciful to me a sinner!" and see how quickly He will pardon and +bless you. He will even justify you and reckon you as righteous, by +virtue of the righteousness of Him who bore your sins in His own body +on the Cross. + +There are some perhaps who think themselves righteous; and that, +therefore, there is no need for them to repent and believe the +Gospel. They are like the Pharisee in the parable, who thanked God +that he was not as other men--"extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or +even as this publican;" and who went on to say, "I fast twice a week; +I give tithes of all I possess." What is the judgment about such +self-righteous persons? "I tell you this man [the poor, contrite, +repenting publican] went down to his house justified rather than the +other" (Luke xviii. 11-14). "There is none righteous; no, not one." +"All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. iii. 10, +23). Let no one say _he_ does not need to repent. Let each one take +his true place--that of a sinner; then God will lift him up to the +place of forgiveness and justification. "Whosoever exalteth himself +shall be abased: and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" (Luke +xiv. 11). + +Wherever God sees true repentance in the heart He meets that soul. + +I was in Colorado, preaching the gospel some time ago, and I heard +something that touched my heart very much. The governor of the State +was passing through the prison, and in one cell he found a boy who +had his window full of flowers, that seemed to have been watched with +very tender care. The governor looked at the prisoner, and then at +the flowers, and asked whose they were, "These are my flowers," said +the poor convict. "Are you fond of flowers?" "Yes, sir." "How long +have you been here?" He told him so many years: he was in for a long +sentence. The governor was surprised to find him so fond of the +flowers, and he said, "Can you tell me why you like these flowers so +much?" With much emotion he replied, "While my mother was alive she +thought a good deal of flowers; and when I came here I thought if I +had these they would remind me of mother." The governor was so +pleased that he said, "Well, young man, if you think so much of your +mother I think you will appreciate your liberty," and he pardoned him +then and there. + +When God finds that beautiful flower of true repentance springing up +in a man's heart, then salvation comes to that man. + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +_ASSURANCE OF SALVATION_. + + +"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the +Son of God; that ye may knew that ye have eternal life, and that ye +may believe on the name of the Son of God." + +(1 John v. 13. ) + + +There are two classes who ought not to have Assurance. First: those +who are in the Church, but who are not converted, having never been +born of the Spirit. Second: those not willing to do God's will; who +are not ready to take the place that God has mapped out for them, but +want to fill some other place. + +Some one will ask "Have all God's people Assurance?" No; I think a +good many of God's dear people have no Assurance; but it is the +privilege of every child of God to have beyond doubt a knowledge of +his own salvation. No man is fit for God's service who is filled with +doubts. If a man is not sure of his own salvation, how can he help +any one else into the kingdom of God? If I seem in danger of drowning +and do not know whether I shall ever reach the shore, I cannot assist +another. I must first get on the solid rock myself; and then I can +lend my brother a helping hand. If being myself blind I were to tell +another blind man how to get sight, he might reply, "First get healed +yourself; and then you can tell me." I recently met with a young man +who was a Christian: but he had not attained to victory over sin. He +was in terrible darkness. Such an one is not fit to work for God, +because he has besetting sins; and he has not the victory over his +doubts, because he has not the victory over his sins. + +None will have time or heart to work for God, who are not assured as +to their own salvation. They have as much as they can attend to; and +being themselves burdened with doubts, they cannot help others to +carry their burdens. There is no rest, joy, or peace--no liberty, nor +power--where doubts and uncertainty exist. + +Now it seems as if there are three wiles of Satan against which we +ought to be on our guard. In the first place he moves all his kingdom +to keep us away from Christ; then he devotes himself to get us into +"Doubting Castle:" but if we have, in spite of him, a clear ringing +witness for the Son of God, he will do all he can to blacken our +characters and belie our testimony. + +Some seem to think that it is presumption not to have doubts; but +doubt is very dishonoring to God. If any one were to say that they +had known a person for thirty years and yet doubted him, it would not +be very creditable; and when we have known God for ten, twenty or +thirty years does it not reflect on His veracity to doubt Him. + +Could Paul and the early Christians and martyrs have gone through +what they did if they had been filled with doubts, and had not known +whether they were going to heaven or to perdition after they had been +burned at the stake? They must have had Assurance. + +Mr. Spurgeon says: "I never heard of a stork that when it met with a +fir tree demurred as to its right to build its nest there; and I +never heard of a coney yet that questioned whether it had a permit to +run into the rock. Why, these creatures would soon perish if they +were always doubting and fearing as to whether they had a right to +use providential provisions. + +"The stork says to himself, 'Ah, here is a fir tree:' he consults +with his mate, 'Will this do for the nest in which we may rear our +young?' 'Aye,' says she; and they gather the materials, and arrange +them. There is never any deliberation, 'May we build here?' but they +bring their sticks and make their nest. + +"The wild goat on the crag does not say, 'Have I a right here?' No, +he must be somewhere: and there is a crag which exactly suits him; +and he springs upon it. + +"Yet, though these dumb creatures know the provision of their God, +the sinner does not recognize the provision of his Saviour. He +quibbles and questions, 'May I?' and am 'I am afraid it is not for +me;' and 'I think it cannot be meant for me;' and 'I am afraid it is +too good to be true.' + +"And yet nobody ever said to the stork, 'Whosoever buildeth on this +fir tree shall never have his nest pulled down.' No inspired word has +ever said to the coney, 'Whosoever runs into this rock cleft shall +never be driven out of it.' If it had been so it would make assurance +doubly sure." + +"And yet here is Christ provided for sinners, just the sort of a +Saviour sinners need; and the encouragement is added, 'Him that +cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out;' 'Whosoever will, let him +take the water of life freely.'" + +Now let us come to the Word. John tells us in his Gospel what Christ +did for us on earth. In his Epistle He tells us what He is doing for +us in heaven as our Advocate. In his Gospel there are only two +chapters in which the word "believe" does not occur. With these two +exceptions, every chapter in John is "Believe! _Believe!!_ +Believe!!!" He tells us in xx. 31, "But these are written, that ye +might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that, +believing, ye might have life through His name." That is the purpose +for which he wrote the Gospel--"that we might believe that Jesus is +the Christ, the Son of God: and that, believing, we might have life +through His name" (John xx. 31). + +Turn to 1 John v. 13, he there tells us why he wrote this Epistle: +"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the +Son of God." Notice to whom he writes it "You that believe on the +name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, +and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." There are +only five short chapters in this first Epistle, and the word "know" +occurs over forty times. It is "_Know!_ Know!! KNOW!!!" The Key to it +is Know! and all through the Epistle there rings out the +refrain--"that we might know that we have eternal life." + +I went twelve hundred miles down the Mississippi in the spring some +years ago; and every evening, just as the sun went down, you might +have seen men, and sometimes women, riding up to the banks of the +river on either side on mules or horses, and sometimes coming on +foot, for the purpose of lighting up the Government lights; and all +down that mighty river there were landmarks which guided the pilots +in their dangerous navigation. Now God has given us lights or +landmarks to tell us whether we are His children or not; and what we +need to do is to examine the tokens He has given us. + +In the third chapter of John's first Epistle there are five things +worth knowing. + +In the fifth verse we read the first: "And ye _know_ that He was +manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin." Not what I +have done, but what HE has done. Has He failed in His mission? Is He +not able to do what He came for? Did ever any heaven-sent man fail +yet? and could God's own Son fail? He was manifested to take away our +sins. + +Again, in the nineteenth verse, the second thing worth knowing: "And +hereby _we know_ that we are of the truth, and shall _assure_ our +hearts before Him." We know that we are of the truth. And if the +truth make us free, we shall be free indeed. "If the Son therefore +shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John viii. 36.) + +The third thing worth knowing is in the fourteenth verse, "_We know_ +that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the +brethren." The natural man does not like godly people, nor does he +care to be in their company. "He that loveth not his brother abideth +in death." He has no spiritual life. + +The fourth thing worth knowing we find in verse twenty-four: "And he +that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And +hereby _we know_ that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath +given us." We can tell what kind of Spirit we have if we possess the +Spirit of Christ--a Christ-like spirit--not the same in degree, but +the same in kind. If I am meek, gentle, and forgiving; if I have a +spirit filled with peace and joy; if I am long-suffering and gentle, +like the Son of God--that is a test: and in that way we are to tell +whether we have eternal life or not. + +The fifth thing worth knowing, and the best of all, is "Beloved, +_now_." Notice the word "Now." It does not say when you come to die. +"Beloved, _now_ are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear +what we shall be: but _we know_ that, when He shall appear; we shall +be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is" (v. 2). + +But some will say, "Well, I believe all that; but then I have sinned +since I became a Christian." Is there a man or a woman on the face of +the earth who has not sinned since becoming a Christian? Not one! +There never has been, and never will be, a soul on this earth who has +not sinned, or who will not sin, at some time of their Christian +experience. But God has made provision for believers' sins. _We_ are +not to make provision for them; but God has. Bear that in mind. + +Turn to 1 John ii. 1: "My little children, these things write I unto +you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with +the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." He is here writing to the +righteous. "If any man sin, _we_"--John put himself in--"we have an +Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." What an +Advocate! He attends to our interests at the very best place--the +throne of God. He said, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is +expedient for you that I go away" (John xvi. 7). He went away to +become our High Priest, and also our Advocate. He has had some hard +cases to plead; but he has never lost one: and if you entrust your +immortal interests to Him, He will "present you faultless before the +presence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24). + +The past sins of Christians are all forgiven as soon as they are +confessed; and they are never to be mentioned. That is a question +which is not to be opened up again. If our sins have been put away, +that is the end of them. They are not to be remembered; and God will +not mention them any more. This is very plain. Suppose I have a son +who, while I am from home, does wrong. When I go home he throws his +arms around my neck and says, "Papa, I did what you told me not to +do. I am very sorry. Do forgive me." I say: "Yes, my son," and kiss +him. He wipes away his tears, and goes off rejoicing. + +But the next day he says: "Papa, I wish you would forgive me for the +wrong I did yesterday." I should say: "Why, my son, that thing is +settled; and I don't want it mentioned again." "But I wish you would +forgive me: it would help me to hear you say, 'I forgive you.'" Would +that be honoring me? Would it not grieve me to have my boy doubt me? +But to gratify him I say again, "I forgive you, my son." + +And if, the next day, he were again to bring up that old sin, and ask +forgiveness, would not that grieve me to the heart? And so, my dear +reader, if God has forgiven us, never let us mention the past. Let us +forget those things which are behind, and reach forth unto those +which are before, and press toward the mark for the prize of the high +calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let the sins of the past go; for "If +we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, +and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John i. 9). + +And let me say that this principle is recognized in courts of +justice. A case came up in the courts of a country--I won't say +where--in which a man had had trouble with his wife; but he forgave +her, and then afterwards brought her into court. And, when it was +known that he had forgiven her, the judge said that the thing was +settled. The judge recognized the soundness of the principle, that if +a sin were once forgiven there was an end of it. And do you think the +Judge of all the earth will forgive you and me, and open the question +again? Our sins are gone for time and eternity, if God forgives: and +what we have to do is to confess and forsake our sins. + +Again in 2 Corinthians xiii. 5: "Examine yourselves whether ye be in +the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how +that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" Now examine +yourselves. Try your religion. Put it to the test. Can you forgive an +enemy? That is a good way to know if you are a child of God. Can you +forgive an injury, or take an affront, as Christ did? Can you be +censured for doing well, and not murmur? Can you be misjudged and +misrepresented, and yet keep a Christ-like spirit? + +Another good test is to read Galatians v., and notice the fruits of +the Spirit; and see if you have them. "The fruit of the Spirit is +love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, +meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." If I have the +fruits of the Spirit I must have the Spirit. I could not have the +fruits without the Spirit any more than there could be an orange +without the tree. And Christ says "Ye shall know them by their +fruits;" "for the tree is known by his fruits." Make the tree good, +and the fruit will be good. The only way to get the fruit is to have +the Spirit. That is the way to examine ourselves whether we are the +children of God. + +Then there is another very striking passage. In Romans viii. 9, Paul +says: "Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of +His." That ought to settle the question, even though one may have +gone through all the external forms that are considered necessary by +some to constitute a member of a Church. Read Paul's life, and put +yours alongside of it. If your life resembles his, it is a proof that +you are born again--that you are a new creature in Christ Jesus. + +But although you may be born again, it will require time to become a +full-grown Christian. Justification is instantaneous; but +sanctification is a life-work. We are to grow in wisdom. Peter says +"Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus +Christ" (2 Pet. iii. 18); and in the first chapter of his Second +Epistle, "Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to +knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience +godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly +kindness charity. For if these things be in you and abound they make +you that ye shall neither be barron nor unfruitful in the knowledge +of our Lord Jesus Christ." So that we are to add grace to grace. A +tree may be perfect in its first year of growth; but it does not +attain its maturity. So with the Christian: he may be a true child of +God, but not a matured Christian. The eighth of Romans is very +important, and we should be very familiar with it. In the fourteenth +verse the apostle says: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God +they are the sons of God." Just as the soldier is led by his captain, +the pupil by his teacher, or the traveller by his guide; so the Holy +Spirit will be the guide of every true child of God. + +Then let me call your attention to another fact. All Paul's teaching +in nearly every Epistle rings out the doctrine of assurance. He says +in 2 Corinthians v. 1: "For we _know_ that if our earthly house of +this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house +not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." He had a title to the +mansions above, and he says--_I know it_. He was not living in +uncertainty. He said: "I have a desire to depart and be with Christ" +(Phil. i. 23); and if he had been uncertain he would not have said +that. Then in Colossians iii. 4, he says: "When Christ, who is our +life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." I +am told that Dr. Watts' tombstone bears this same passage of +Scripture. There is no doubt there. + +Then turn to Colossians i. 12: "Giving thanks unto the Father, which +hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in +light; who _hath_ delivered us from the power of darkness, and _hath_ +translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son." + +Three _haths_: "hath made us meet;" "hath delivered us;" and "hath +translated us." It does not say that He is going to make us meet; +that He is going to deliver; that He is going to translate. + +Then again in verse 14th: "In whom we have redemption through His +blood, even the forgiveness of sins." We are either forgiven or we +are not, we should not give ourselves any rest until we get into the +kingdom of God; nor until we can each look up and say, "I know that +if my earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, I have a +building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" +(2 Cor. v. 1). + +Look at Romans viii. 32: "He that spared not His own Son, but +delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely +give us all things?" If He gave us His Son, will He not give us the +certainty that He is ours. I have heard this illustration. There was +a man who owed $10,000, and would have been made a bankrupt, but a +friend came forward and paid the sum. It was found afterwards that he +owed a few dollars more; but he did not for a moment entertain a +doubt that, as his friend had paid the larger amount, he would also +pay the smaller. And we have high warrant for saying that if God has +given us His Son He will with Him also freely give us all things; and +if we want to realize our salvation beyond controversy He will not +leave us in darkness. + +Again in the 33d verse: "Who shall lay anything to the charge of +God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It +is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at +the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall +separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, +or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is +written, For Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are +accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are +more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded +that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor +powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor +depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the +love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." + +That has the right ring in it. There is Assurance for you. "I Know." +Do you think that the God who has justified me will condemn me? That +is quite an absurdity. God is going to save us so that neither men, +angels, nor devils, can bring any charge against us or Him. He will +have the work complete. + +Job lived in a darker day than we do; but we read in Job xix. 25: "I +_know_ that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand in the latter +day upon the earth." + +The same confidence breathes through Paul's last words to Timothy: +"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am +not ashamed; for I _know_ whom I have believed, and am persuaded that +He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that +day." It is not a matter of doubt, but of knowledge. "I know." "I am +persuaded." The word "Hope," is not used in the Scripture to express +doubt. It is used in regard to the second coming of Christ, or to the +resurrection of the body. We do not say that we "hope" we are +Christians. I do not say that I "hope" I am an American, or that I +"hope" I am a married man. These are settled things. I may say that I +"hope" to go back to my home, or I hope to attend such a meeting. I +do not say that I "hope" to come to this country, for I am here. And +so, if we are born of God we know it; and He will not leave us in +darkness if we search the Scriptures. + +Christ taught this doctrine to His seventy disciples when they +returned elated with their success, saying, "Lord, even the devils +are subject unto us through Thy name." The Lord seemed to check them, +and said that He would give them something to rejoice in. +"Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject +unto you; but rather rejoice because your names are written in +heaven." (Luke x. 20.) + +It is the privilege of every one of us to know, beyond a doubt, that +our salvation is sure. Then we can work for others. But if we are +doubtful of our own salvation, we are not fit for the service of God. + +Another passage is John v. 24: "Verily, verily I say unto you: He +that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath +everlasting life, and shall not come into '_judgment_,'" (the new +translation has it so), "but is passed from death unto life." + +Some people say that you never can tell till you are before the great +white throne of Judgment whether you are saved or not. Why, my dear +friend, if your life is hid with Christ in God, you are not coming +into judgment for your sins. We may come into judgment for reward. +This is clearly taught where the lord reckoned with the servant to +whom five talents had been given, and who brought other five talents +saying, "Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents; behold, I have +gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well +done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a +few things; I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into +the joy of thy lord." (Matt. xxv. 20, 21.) We shall be judged for our +stewardship. That is one thing; but salvation--eternal life--is +another. + +Will God demand payment twice of the debt which Christ has paid for +us? If Christ bear my sins in His own body on the tree, am I to +answer for them as well? + +Isaiah tells us that, "He was wounded for our transgressions; He was +bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon +Him: and with His stripes we are healed." In Romans iv. 25, we read: +He "was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our +justification." Let us believe, and get the benefit of His finished +work. + +Then again in John x. 9: "I am the door: by Me if any man enter in he +shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." That is +the promise. Then the 27th verse, "My sheep hear my voice; and I know +them, and they follow Me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they +shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. +My father which gave them is greater than all; and no man is able to +pluck them out of my Father's hand." Think of that! The Father, the +Son, and the Holy Ghost, are pledged to keep us. You see that it is +not only the Father, not only the Son, but the three persons of the +Triune God. + +Now, a great many people want some token outside of God's word. That +habit always brings doubt. If I made a promise to meet a man at a +certain hour and place to-morrow, and he were to ask me for my watch +as a token of my sincerity, it would be a slur on my truthfulness. We +must not question what God has said: He has made statement after +statement, and multiplied figure upon figure. Christ says: "I am the +door; by Me if any man enter in he shall be saved." "I am the Good +Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine." "I am the light +of the world; he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but +shall have the light of life." "I am the truth;" receive Me, and you +will have the truth; for I am the embodiment of truth. Do you want to +know the way? "I am the way:" follow Me, and I will lead you into the +kingdom. Are you hungering after righteousness? "I am the Bread of +life:" if you eat of Me you shall never hunger. "I am the Water of +life:" if you drink of this water it shall be within you "a well of +water springing up unto everlasting life." "I am the resurrection and +the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he +live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die." +(John xi. 25, 26.) + +Let me remind you where our doubts come from. A good many of God's +dear people never get beyond knowing themselves servants. He calls us +"friends." If you go into a house you will soon see the difference +between the servant and the son. The son walks at perfect liberty all +over the house; he is at home. But the servant takes a subordinate +place. What we want is to get beyond servants. We ought to realize +our standing with God as sons and daughters. He will not "un-child" +His children. God has not only adopted us, but we are His by birth: +we have been born into His kingdom. My little boy was as much mine +when he was a day old as now that he is fourteen. He was _my son_; +although it did not appear what he would be when he attained manhood. +He is mine; although he may have to undergo probation under tutors +and governors. The children of God are not perfect; but we are +perfectly His children. + +Another origin of doubts is looking at ourselves. If you want to be +wretched and miserable, filled with doubts from morning till night, +look at yourselves. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind +is stayed on Thee." (Isa. xxvi. 3.) Many of God's dear children are +robbed of joy because they keep looking at themselves. + +Some one has said: "There are three ways to look. If you want to be +wretched, look within; if you wish to be distracted, look around; but +if you would have peace, look up." Peter looked away from Christ, and +he immediately began to sink. The Master said to him: "O thou of +little faith! Wherefore didst thou doubt?" (Matt. xiv. 31.) He had +God's eternal word, which was sure footing, and better than either +marble, granite or iron; but the moment he took his eyes off Christ +down he went. Those who look around cannot see how unstable and +dishonoring is their walk. We want to look straight at the "Author +and Finisher of our faith." + +When I was a boy I could only make a straight track in the snow, by +keeping my eyes fixed upon a tree or some object before me. The +moment I took my eye off the mark set in front of me, I walked +crooked. It is only when we look fixedly on Christ that we find +perfect peace. After He rose from the dead He showed His disciples +His hands and His feet. (Luke xxiv. 40.) That was the ground of their +peace. If you want to scatter your doubts, look at the blood; and if +you want to increase your doubts, look at yourself. You will get +doubts enough for years by being occupied with yourself for a few +days. + +Then again: look at what He is, and at what He has done; not at what +you are, and what you have done. That is the way to get peace and +rest. + +Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation declaring the emancipation of +three millions of slaves. On a certain day their chains were to fall +off, and they were to be free. The proclamation was put up on the +trees and fences wherever the Northern Army marched. A good many +slaves could not read: but others read the proclamation, and most of +them believed it; and on a certain day a glad shout went up, "We are +free!" Some did not believe it, and stayed with their old masters; +but it did not alter the fact that they were free. Christ, the +Captain of our salvation, has proclaimed freedom to all who have +faith in Him. Let us take Him at His word. Their feelings would not +have made the slaves free. The power must come from the outside. +Looking at ourselves will not make us free, but it is looking to +Christ with the eye of faith. + +Bishop Ryle has strikingly said: "Faith is the root, and Assurance +the flower." Doubtless you can never have the flower without the +root; but it is no less certain you may have the root, and not the +flower. + +"Faith is that poor trembling woman who came behind Jesus in the +press, and touched the hem of His garment. (Mark v. 27.) Assurance is +Stephen standing calmly in the midst of his murderers, and saying, 'I +see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand +of God'" (Acts vii. 56). + +"Faith is the penitent thief, crying, 'Lord, remember me' (Luke xxiii. +42). Assurance is Job sitting in the dust, covered with sores, and +saying, 'I know that my Redeemer liveth;' 'Though He slay me, yet +will I trust in Him'" (Job xix. 25; xiii. 15). + +"Faith is Peter's drowning cry, as he began to sink, 'Lord, save me!' +(Matt. xxiv. 30). Assurance is that same Peter declaring before the +Council, in after-times, 'This is the stone which was set at nought +of you builders, which is become the head of the corner: neither is +there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under +heaven given among men whereby we must be saved'" (Acts iv. 11, 12). + +"Faith is the anxious, trembling voice, 'Lord, I believe; help Thou +mine unbelief!' (Mark ix. 24). Assurance is the confident challenge, +'Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Who is he that +condemneth?'" (Rom. viii. 33, 34). + +Faith is Saul praying in the house of Judas at Damascus, sorrowful, +blind, and alone. (Acts ix. 11.) Assurance is Paul, the aged +prisoner, looking calmly into the grave, and saying, 'I know whom I +have believed.' 'There is a crown laid up for me' (2 Tim. i. 12; iv. +8). + +"Faith is Life. How great the blessing! Who can tell the gulf between +life and death? And yet life may be weak, sickly, unhealthy, painful, +trying, anxious, worn, burdensome, joyless, smileless, to the very +end. + +"Assurance is _more than life_. It is health, strength, power, vigor, +activity, energy, manliness, beauty." + +A minister once pronounced the benediction in this way: "The heart of +God to make us welcome; the blood of Christ to make us clean, and the +Holy Spirit to make us certain." The security of the believer is the +result of the operation of the Spirit of God. + +Another writer says: "I have seen shrubs and trees grow out of the +rocks, and overhang fearful precipices, roaring cataracts, and deep +running waters; but they maintained their position, and threw out +their foliage and branches as much as if they had been in the midst +of a dense forest." It was their hold on the rock that made them +secure; and the influences of nature that sustained their life. So +believers are oftentimes exposed to the most horrible dangers in +their journey to heaven; but, so long as they are "rooted and +grounded" in the Rock of Ages, they are perfectly secure. Their hold +of Him is their guarantee; and the blessings of His grace give them +life and sustain them in life. And as the tree must die, or the rock +fall, before a dissolution can be effected between _them_, so either +the believer must lose his spiritual life, or the Rock must crumble, +ere their union can be dissolved. + +Speaking of the Lord Jesus, Isaiah says: "I will fasten Him as a nail +in a sure place; and He shall be for a glorious throne to His +Father's house: and they shall hang upon Him all the glory of His +father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small +quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of +flagons" (xxii. 23, 24). + +There is one nail, fastened in a sure place; and on it hang all the +flagons and all the cups. "Oh," says one little cup, "I am so small +and so black, suppose I were to drop!" "Oh," says a flagon, "there is +no fear of you; but I am so heavy, so very weighty, suppose I were to +drop!" And a little cup says, "Oh, if I were only like the gold cup +there, I should never fear falling." But the gold cup answers, "It is +not because I am a gold cup that I keep up; but because I hang upon +the nail." If the nail gives way we all come down, gold cups, china +cups, pewter cups, and all; but as long as the nail keeps up, all +that hang on Him hang safely. + +I once read these words on a tombstone: "Born, died, kept." Let us +pray God to keep us in perfect peace, and assured of salvation. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +_CHRIST ALL AND IN ALL_. + + +(Colossians iii. 11.) + + +Christ is _all_ to us that we make Him to be. I want to emphasize +that word "all." Some men make Him to be "a root out of a dry +ground," "without form or comeliness." He is nothing to them; they do +not want Him. Some Christians have a very small Saviour, for they are +not willing to receive Him fully, and let Him do great and mighty +things for them. Others have a mighty Saviour, because they make Him +to be great and mighty. + +If we would know what Christ wants to be to us, we must first of all +know Him as our Saviour from sin. When the angel came down from +heaven to proclaim that He was to be born into the world, you +remember he gave His name, "He shall be called Jesus, for He shall +save His people from their sins." Have we been delivered from sin? He +did not come to save us _in_ our sins, but _from_ our sins. Now, +there are three ways of knowing a man. Some men you know only by +hearsay; others you merely know by having been once introduced to +them, you know them very slightly; other again you know by having +been acquainted with them for years, you know them intimately. So I +believe there are three classes of people to-day in the Christian +Church and out of it: those who know Christ only by reading or by +hearsay, those who have a historical Christ; those who have a slight +personal acquaintance with Him; and, those who thirst, as Paul did, +to "know Him and the power of His resurrection." The more we know of +Christ the more we shall love Him, and the better we shall serve Him. + +Let us look at Him as He hangs upon the Cross, and see how He has put +away sin. He was manifested that He might take away our sins; and if +we really know Him we must first of all see Him as our Saviour from +sin. You remember how the angels said to the shepherds on the plains +of Bethlehem, "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which +shall be to all people: for unto you is born this day, in the city of +David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke ii. 10, 11.) Then +if you go clear back to Isaiah, seven hundred years before Christ's +birth, you will find these words: "I, even I, am the Lord; and beside +me there is no Saviour" (xliii. 11). + +Again, in the First Epistle of John (iv. 14) we read: "We have seen, +and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the +world." All the heathen religions, we read, teach men to work their +way up to God; but the religion of Jesus Christ is God coming down to +men to save them, to lift them up out of the pit of sin. In Luke xix. +10, we read that Christ Himself told the people what He had come for: +"The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." So +we start from the Cross, not from the cradle. Christ has opened up a +new and living way to the Father; He has taken all the stumbling-blocks +out of the way, so that every man who accepts of Christ as his +Saviour can have salvation. + +But Christ is not only a Saviour. I might save a man from drowning +and rescue him from an untimely grave; but I might probably not be +able to do any more for him. Christ is something more than a Saviour. +When the children of Israel were placed behind the blood, that blood +was their salvation; but they would still have heard the crack of the +slave-driver's whip if they had not been delivered from the Egyptian +yoke of bondage: then it was that God delivered them from the hand of +the king of Egypt. I have little sympathy with the idea that God +comes down to save us, and then leaves us in prison, the slaves of +our besetting sins. No; He has come to deliver us, and to give us +victory over our evil tempers, our passions, and our lusts. Are you a +professed Christian but one who is a slave to some besetting sin? If +you want to get victory over that temper or that lust, go on to know +Christ more intimately. He brings deliverance for the past, the +present, and the future. "Who delivered; who doth deliver; who will +yet deliver." (2 Cor. i. 10.) + +How often, like the children of Israel when they came to the Red Sea, +have we become discouraged because everything looked dark before us, +behind us, and around us, and we knew not which way to turn. Like +Peter we have said, "To whom shall we go?" But God has appeared for +our deliverance. He has brought us through the Red Sea right out into +the wilderness, and opened up the way into the Promised Land. But +Christ is not only our Deliverer; He is our Redeemer. That is +something more than being our Saviour. He has brought us back. "Ye +have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without +money." (Isaiah lii. 3.) "We were not redeemed with corruptible +things, as silver and gold." (1 Peter i. 18.) If gold could have +redeemed us, could He not have created ten thousand worlds full of +gold? + +When God had redeemed the children of Israel from the bondage of +Egypt, and brought them through the Red Sea, they struck out for the +wilderness; and then God became to them their Way. I am so thankful +the Lord has not left us in darkness as to the right way. There is no +living man who has been groping in the darkness but may know the way. +"I am the Way," says Christ. If we follow Christ we shall be in the +right way, and have the right doctrine. Who could lead the children +of Israel through the wilderness like the Almighty God Himself? He +knew the pitfalls and dangers of the way, and guided the people +through all their wilderness journey right into the promised land. It +is true that if it had not been for their accursed unbelief they +might have crossed into the land at Kadesh Barnea, and taken +possession of it, but they desired something besides God's word; so +they were turned back, and had to wander in the desert for forty +years. I believe there are thousands of God's children wandering in +the wilderness still. The Lord has delivered them from the hand of +the Egyptian, and would at once take them through the wilderness +right into the Promised Land, if they were only willing to follow +Christ. Christ has been down here, and has made the rough places +smooth, and the dark places light, and the crooked places straight. +If we will only be led by Him, and will follow Him, all will be +peace, and joy, and rest. + +In the frontier, when a man goes out hunting he takes a hatchet with +him, and cuts off pieces from the bark of the trees as he goes along +through the forest: this is called "blazing the way." He does it that +he may know the way back, as there is no pathway through these thick +forests. Christ has come down to this earth; He has "blazed the Way:" +and now that He has gone up on high, if we will but follow him, we +shall be kept in the right path. I will tell you how you may know if +you are following Christ or not. If some one has slandered you, or +misjudged you, do you treat them as your master would have done? If +you do not bear these things in a loving and forgiving spirit, all +the churches and ministers in the world cannot make you right. "If +any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." (Romans +viii. 9.) "If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creature: old +things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Cor. +v. 17.) + +Christ is not only our way; He is the Light upon the way. He says, "I +am the Light of the world." (John viii. 12; ix. 5; xii. 46.) He goes +on to say, "He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but +shall have the light of life." It is impossible for any man or woman +who is following Christ to walk in darkness. If your soul is in the +darkness, groping around in the fog and mist of earth, let me tell +you it is because you have got away from the true light. There is +nothing but light that will dispel darkness. So let those who are +walking in spiritual darkness admit Christ into their hearts: He is +the Light. I call to mind a picture of which I used at one time to +think a good deal; but now I have come to look more closely, I would +not put it up in my house except I turned the face to the wall. It +represents Christ as standing at a door, knocking, and having a big +lantern in His hand. Why, you might as well hang up a lantern to the +sun as put one into Christ's hand. He is the Sun of Righteousness; +and it is our privilege to walk in the light of an unclouded sun. + +Many people are hunting after light, and peace, and joy. We are +nowhere told to seek after these things. If we admit Christ into our +hearts these will all come of themselves. I remember, when a boy, I +used to try in vain to catch my shadow. One day I was walking with my +face to the sun; and as I happened to look around I saw that my +shadow was following me. The faster I went the faster my shadow +followed; I could not get away from it. So when our faces are +directed to the Sun of Righteousness, the peace and joy are sure to +come. A man said to me some time ago, "Moody, how do you feel?" It +was so long since I had thought about my feelings I had to stop and +consider awhile, in order to find out. Some Christians are all the +time thinking about their feelings; and because they do not feel just +right they think their joy is all gone. If we keep our faces towards +Christ, and are occupied with Him, we shall be lifted out of the +darkness and the trouble that may have gathered round our path. + +I remember being in a meeting after the war of the great rebellion +broke out. The war had been going on for about six months. The army +of the North had been defeated at Bull Run, in fact, we had nothing +but defeat, and it looked as though the republic was going to pieces. +So we were much cast down and discouraged. At this meeting every +speaker for awhile seemed as if he had hung his harp upon the willow; +and it was one of the gloomiest meetings I ever attended. Finally an +old man with beautiful white hair got up to speak, and his face +literally shone. "Young men," he said "you do not talk like sons of +the King. Though it is dark just here, remember it is light somewhere +else." Then he went on to say that if it were dark all over the +world, it was light up around the Throne. + +He told us he had come from the east, where a friend had described to +him how he had been up a mountain to spend the night and see the sun +rise. As the party were climbing up the mountain, and before they had +reached the summit, a storm came on. This friend said to the guide, +"I will give this up; take me back." The guide smiled, and replied, +"I think we shall get above the storm soon." On they went; and it was +not long before they got up to where it was as calm as any summer +evening. Down in the valley a terrible storm raged; they could hear +the thunder rolling, and see the lightning's flash; but all was +serene on the mountain top. "And so, my young friends," continued the +old man, "though all is dark around you, come a little higher and the +darkness will flee away." Often when I have been inclined to get +discouraged, I have thought of what he said. Now if you are down in +the valley amidst the thick fog and the darkness, get a little +higher; get nearer to Christ, and know more of Him. + +You remember the Bible says, that when Christ expired on the cross, +the light of the world was put out. God sent His Son to be the light +of the world; but men did not love the light because it reproved them +of their sins. When they were about to put out this light, what did +Christ say to His disciples? "Ye shall be witnesses unto Me." (Acts +i. 8.) He has gone up yonder to intercede for us; but He wants us to +shine for Him down here. "Ye are the light of the world." (Matt. v. +14.) So our work is to shine; not to blow our own trumpet so that +people may look at us. What we want to do is to show forth Christ. If +we have any light at all it is borrowed light. Some one said to a +young Christian: "Converted! it is all moonshine!" Said he: "I thank +you for the illustration; the moon borrows its light from the sun; +and we borrow ours from the Sun of Righteousness." If we are +Christ's, we are here to shine for Him: by and by he will call us +home to our reward. + +I remember hearing of a blind man who sat by the wayside with a +lantern near him. When he was asked what he had a lantern for, as he +could not see the light, he said it was that people should not +stumble ever him. I believe more people stumble over the +inconsistencies of professed Christians than from any other cause. +What is doing more harm to the cause of Christ than all the +scepticism in the world is this cold, dead formalism, this conformity +to the world, this professing what we do not possess. The eyes of the +world are upon us. I think it was George Fox who said every Quaker +ought to light up the country for ten miles around him. If we were +all brightly shining for the Master, those about us would soon be +reached, and there would be a shout of praise going to heaven. + +People say: "I want to know what is the truth." Listen: "I am the +truth," says Christ. (John xiv. 5.) If you want to know what the +truth is, get acquainted with Christ. People also complain that they +have not life. Many are trying to give themselves spiritual life. You +may galvanize yourselves and put electricity into yourselves, so to +speak; but the effect will not last very long. Christ alone is the +author of life. If you would have real spiritual life, get to know +Christ. Many try to stir up spiritual life by going to meetings. That +may be well enough; but it will be of no use, unless they get into +contact with the living Christ. Then their spiritual life will not be +a spasmodic thing, but will be perpetual; flowing on and on, and +bringing forth fruit to God. + +Then Christ is our Keeper. A great many young disciples are afraid +they will not hold out. "He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber +nor sleep." (Psalm cxxi. 4.) It is the work of Christ to keep us; and +if He keeps us there will be no danger of our falling. I suppose if +Queen Victoria had to take care of the Crown of England, some thief +might attempt to get access to it; but it is put away in the Tower of +London, and guarded night and day by soldiers. The whole English army +would, if necessary, be called out to protect it. And we have no +strength in ourselves. We are no match for Satan; he has had six +thousand years' experience. But then we remember that the One who +neither slumbers nor sleeps is our keeper. In Isaiah xli. 10, we +read, "Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am +thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will +uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness." In Jude also, +verse 24, we are told that He is "able to keep us from falling." "We +have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." (1 +John ii. 1.) + +But Christ is something more. He is our Shepherd. It is the work of +the shepherd to care for the sheep, to feed them and protect them. "I +am the Good Shepherd;" "My sheep hear My voice." "I lay down My life +for the sheep." In that wonderful tenth chapter of John, Christ uses +the personal pronoun no less than twenty-eight times, in declaring +what He is and what He will do. In verse 28 He says, "They shall +never perish; neither shall any [_man_] pluck them out of My hand." +But notice the word "man" is in italics. See how the verse really +reads: "Neither shall any pluck them out of My hand"--no devil or man +shall be able to do it. In another place the Scripture declares, +"Your life is hid with Christ in God." (Col. iii. 3.) How safe and +how secure! + +Christ says, "My sheep hear My voice . . . and they follow Me." (John +x. 27.) A gentleman in the East heard of a shepherd who could call +all his sheep to him by name. He went and asked if this was true. The +shepherd took him to the pasture where they were, and called one of +them by some name. One sheep looked up and answered the call, while +the others went on feeding and paid no attention. In the same way he +called about a dozen of the sheep around him. The stranger said, "How +do you know one from the other? They all look perfectly alike." +"Well," said he, "you see that sheep toes in a little; that other one +has a squint; one has a little piece of wool off; another has a black +spot; and another has a piece out of its ear." The man knew all his +sheep by their failings, for he had not a perfect one in the whole +flock. I suppose our Shepherd knows us in the same way. + +An Eastern shepherd was once telling a gentleman that his sheep knew +his voice, and that no stranger could deceive them. The gentleman +thought he would like to put the statement to the test. So he put on +the shepherd's frock and turban, and took his staff and went to the +flock. He disguised his voice, and tried to speak as much like the +shepherd as he could; but he could not get a single sheep in the +flock to follow him. He asked the shepherd if his sheep never +followed a stranger. He was obliged to admit that if a sheep got +sickly it would follow any one. So it is with a good many professed +Christians; when they get sickly and weak in the faith, they will +follow any teacher that comes along; but when the soul is in health, +a man will not be carried away by errors and heresies. He will know +whether the "voice" speaks the truth or not. He can soon tell that, +if he is really in communion with God. When God sends a true +messenger his words will find a ready response in the Christian +heart. + +Christ is a tender Shepherd. You may some time think He has not been +a very tender Shepherd to you; you are passing under the rod. It is +written, "Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son +whom He receiveth." (Heb. xii. 6.) That you are passing under the rod +is no proof that Christ does not love you. A friend of mine lost all +his children. No man could ever have loved his family more; but the +scarlet fever took one by one away; and so the whole four or five, +one after another, died. The poor stricken parents went over to great +Britain, and wandered from one place to another, there and on the +continent. At length they found their way to Syria. One day they saw +an Eastern shepherd come down to a stream, and call his flock to +cross. The sheep came down to the brink, and looked at the water; but +they seemed to shrink from it, and he could not get them to respond +to his call. He then took a little lamb, put it under one arm; he +took another lamb and put it under the other arm, and thus passed +into the stream. The old sheep no longer stood looking at the water: +they plunged in after the shepherd; and in a few minutes the whole +flock was on the other side; and he led them away to newer and +fresher pastures. The bereaved father and mother, as they looked on +the scene, felt that it taught them a lesson. They no longer murmured +because the Great Shepherd had taken their lambs one by one into +yonder world; and they began to look up and look forward to the time +when they would follow the loved ones they had lost. If you have +loved ones gone before, remember that your Shepherd is calling you to +"set your affection on things above." (Col. iii. 2.) Let us be +faithful to Him, and follow Him, while we remain in this world. And +if you have not taken Him for your Shepherd, do so this very day. + +Christ is not only all these things that I have mentioned: He is also +our Mediator, our Sanctifier, our Justifier; in fact, it would take +volumes to tell what He desires to be to every individual soul. While +looking through some papers I once read this wonderful description of +Christ. I do not know where it originally came from; but it was so +fresh to my soul that I should like to give it to you:-- + +"Christ is our Way; we walk in Him. He is our Truth; we embrace Him. +He is our Life; we live in Him. He is our Lord; we choose Him to rule +over us. He is our Master; we serve Him. He is our Teacher, +instructing us in the way of salvation. He is our Prophet, pointing +out the future. He is our Priest, having atoned for us. He is our +Advocate, ever living to make intercession for us. He is our Saviour, +saving to the uttermost. He is our Root; we grow from Him. He is our +Bread; we feed upon Him. He is our Shepherd, leading us into green +pastures. He is our true Vine; we abide in Him. He is the Water of +Life; we slake our thirst from Him. He is the fairest among ten +thousand: we admire Him above all others. He is 'the brightness of +the Father's glory, and the express image of His person;' we strive +to reflect His likeness. He is the upholder of all things; we rest +upon Him. He is our wisdom; we are guided by Him. He is our +Righteousness; we cast all our imperfections upon Him. He is our +Sanctification; we draw all our power for holy life from Him. He is +our Redemption, redeeming us from all iniquity. He is our Healer, +curing all our diseases. He is our Friend, relieving us in all our +necessities. He is our Brother, cheering us in our difficulties." + +Here is another beautiful extract: it is from Gotthold: + +"For my part, my soul is like a hungry and thirsty child; and I need +His love and consolation for my refreshment. I am a wandering and +lost sheep; and I need Him as a good and faithful shepherd. My soul +is like a frightened dove pursued by the hawk; and I need His wounds +for a refuge. I am a feeble vine; and I need His cross to lay hold +of, and to wind myself about. I am a sinner; and I need His +righteousness. I am naked and bare; and I need His holiness and +innocence for a covering. I am ignorant; and I need His teaching: +simple and foolish; and I need the guidance of His Holy Spirit. In no +situation, and at no time, can I do without Him. Do I pray? He must +prompt, and intercede for me. Am I arraigned by Satan at the Divine +tribunal? He must be my Advocate. Am I in affliction? He must be my +Helper. Am I persecuted by the world? He must defend me. When I am +forsaken, He must be my Support; when I am dying, my life: when +mouldering in the grave, my Resurrection. Well, then, I will rather +part with all the world, and all that it contains, than with Thee, my +Saviour. And, God be thanked! I know that Thou, too, art neither able +nor willing to do without me. Thou art rich; and I am poor. Thou hast +abundance; and I am needy. Thou hast righteousness; and I sins. Thou +hast wine and oil; and I wounds. Thou hast cordials and refreshments; +and I hunger and thirst. + +Use me then, my Saviour, for whatever purpose, and in whatever way, +Thou mayest require. Here is my poor heart, an empty vessel; fill it +with Thy grace. Here is my sinful and troubled soul; quicken and +refresh it with Thy love. Take my heart for Thine abode; my mouth to +spread the glory of Thy name; my love and all my powers, for the +advancement of Thy believing people; and never suffer the +steadfastness and confidence of my faith to abate--that so at all +times I may be enabled from the heart to say. 'Jesus needs me, and I +Him; and so we suit each other.'" + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +_BACKSLIDING_. + + +"I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely: for Mine +anger is turned away."--Hosea xiv. 4. + + +There are two kinds of backsliders. Some have never been converted: +they have gone through the form of joining a Christian community and +claim to be backsliders; but they never have, if I may use the +expression, "slid forward." They may talk of backsliding; but they +have never really been born again. They need to be treated +differently from real back-sliders--those who have been born of the +incorruptible seed, but who have turned aside. We want to bring the +latter back the same road by which they left their first love. + +Turn to Psalm lxxxv. 5. There you read: "Wilt Thou be angry with us +for ever? wilt Thou draw out Thine anger to all generations? wilt +Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee? Show +us Thy mercy, O Lord; and grant us Thy salvation." Now look again: +"_I will hear what God the Lord will speak:_ for He will speak peace +unto His people, and to His saints; but let them not turn again to +folly" (_verse_ 8). + +There is nothing that will do back-sliders so much good as to come in +contact with the Word of God; and for them the Old Testament is as +full of help as the New. The book of Jeremiah has some wonderful +passages for wanderers. What we want to do is to get back-sliders to +hear what God the Lord will say. + +Look for a moment at Jeremiah vi. 10. "To whom shall I speak, and +give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, +and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a +reproach; they have no delight in it." That is the condition of +back-sliders. They have no delight whatever in the word of God. But we +want to bring them back, and let God get their ear. Read from the +14th verse: "They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of My +people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were +they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not +at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall +among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be +cast down, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, +and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk +therein; and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We +will not walk therein. Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken +to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken." + +That was the condition of the Jews when they had backslidden. They +had turned away from the old paths. And that is the condition of +backsliders. They have got away from the good old book. Adam and Eve +fell by not hearkening to the word of God. They did not believe God's +word; but they believed the tempter. That is the way backsliders +fall--by turning away from the word of God. + +In Jeremiah ii. we find God pleading with them as a father would +plead with a son. "Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your +fathers found in Me, that they are gone from Me, and have walked +after vanity, and are become vain? . . . Wherefore I will yet plead +with you, saith the Lord; and with your children's children will I +plead . . . For my people have committed two evils: they have +forsaken Me, the Fountain of living waters, and hewed them out +cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water." + +Now there is one thing to which we wish to call the attention of +backsliders; and that is, that the Lord never forsook them; but that +they forsook Him! The Lord never left them; but they left Him! And +this, too, without any cause! He says, "What iniquity have your +fathers found in Me, that they are gone far from Me?" Is not God the +same to-day as when you came to Him first? Has God changed? Men are +apt to think that God has changed; but the fault is with them. +Backslider, I would ask you, "What iniquity is there in God, that you +have left Him and gone far from Him?" You have, He says, hewed out to +yourselves broken cisterns that hold no water. The world cannot +satisfy the new nature. No earthly well can satisfy the soul that has +become a partaker of the heavenly nature. Honor, wealth and the +pleasures of this world will not satisfy those who, having tasted the +water of life, have gone astray, seeking refreshment at the world's +fountains. Earthly wells will get dry. They cannot quench spiritual +thirst. + +Again in the 32d verse: "Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride +her attire? yet My people have forgotten Me, days without number." +That is the charge which God brings against the backslider. They +"have forgotten Me, days without number." + +I have often startled young ladies when I have said to them, "My +friend, you think more of your ear-rings than of the Lord." The reply +has been, "No, I do not." But when I have asked, "Would you not be +troubled if you lost one; and would you not set about seeking for +it?" the answer has been, "Well, yes, I think I should." But though +they had turned from the Lord, it did not give them any trouble; nor +did they seek after Him that they might find Him. + +How many once in fellowship and in daily communion with the Lord now +think more of their dresses and ornaments than of their precious +souls! Love does not like to be forgotten. Mothers would have broken +hearts if their children left them and never wrote a word or sent any +memento of their affection; and God pleads over backsliders as a +parent over loved ones who have gone astray. He tries to woo them +back. He asks: "What have I done that you should have forsaken Me?" + +The most tender and loving words to be found in the whole of the +Bible are from Jehovah to those who have left Him without a cause. +Jer. ii. 19. + +Hear how He argues with such: (Jer. xi. 19.) "Thine own wickedness +shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee; know, +therefore, and see, that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou +hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that My fear is not in thee, +saith the Lord God of hosts." + +I do not exaggerate when I say that I have seen hundreds of +backsliders come back; and I have asked them if they have not found +it an evil and a bitter thing to leave the Lord. You cannot find a +real backslider, who has known the Lord, but will admit that it is an +evil and a bitter thing to turn away from Him; and I do not know of +any one verse more used to bring back wanderers than that very one. +May it bring you back if you have wandered into the far country. + +Look at Lot. Did not he find it an evil and a bitter thing? He was +twenty years in Sodom, and never made a convert. He got on well in +the sight of the world. Men would have told you that he was one of +the most influential and worthy men in all Sodom. But alas! alas! he +ruined his family. And it is a pitiful sight to see that old +backslider going through the streets of Sodom at midnight, after he +has warned his children, and they have turned a deaf ear. + +I have never known a man and his wife backslide, without its proving +utter ruin to their children. They will make a mockery of religion +and will deride their parents: "Thine own wickedness shall correct +thee; and thy backsliding shall reprove thee!" Did not David find it +so? Mark him, crying, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! +would God I had died for thee; O Absalom, my son, my son!" I think it +was the ruin, rather than the death of his son that caused this +anguish. + +I remember being engaged in conversation some years ago, till past +midnight, with an old man. He had been for years wandering on the +barren mountains of sin. That night he wanted to get back. We prayed, +and prayed, and prayed, till light broke in upon him; and he went +away rejoicing. The next night he sat in front of me when I was +preaching, and I think that I never saw any one look so sad and +wretched in all my life. He followed me into the enquiry-room. "What +is the trouble?" I asked. "Is your eye off the Saviour? Have your +doubts come back?" "No; it is not that," he said. "I did not go to +business, but spent all this day in visiting my children. They are +all married and in this city. I went from house to house, but there +was not one but mocked me. It is the darkest day of my life. I have +awoke up to what I have done. I have taken my children into the +world; and now I cannot get them out." The Lord had restored unto him +the joy of His salvation; yet there was the bitter consequence of his +transgression. You can run through your experience; and you can find +just such instances repeated again and again. Many who came to your +city years ago serving God, in their prosperity have forgotten Him: +and where are their sons and daughters? Show me the father and mother +who have deserted the Lord and gone back to the beggarly elements of +the world; and I am mistaken if their children are not on the high +road to ruin. + +As we desire to be faithful we warn these backsliders. It is a sign +of love to warn of danger. We may be looked upon as enemies for a +while; but the truest friends are those who lift up the voice of +warning. Israel had no truer friend than Moses. In Jeremiah God gave +His people a weeping prophet to bring them back to Him; but they cast +off God. They forgot the God who brought them out of Egypt, and who +led them through the desert into the promised land. In their +prosperity they forget Him and turned away. The Lord had told them +what would happen. (Deut. xxviii.) And see what did happen. The +king who make light of the word of God was taken captive by +Nebuchadnezzar, and his children brought up in front of him and every +one slain: his eyes were put out of his head; and he was bound in +fetters of brass and cast into a dungeon in Babylon. (2 Kings xxv. +7.) That is the way he reaped what he had sown. Surely it is an evil +and a bitter thing to backslide, but the Lord would win you back with +the message of His Work. + +In Jeremiah viii. 5, we read: "Why then is this people of Jerusalem +slidden by a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast deceit; _They +refuse to return_." That is what the Lord brings against them. "They +refuse to return." "I hearkened and heard; but they spake not aright: +no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? +Every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. +Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the +turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their +coming; but My people know not the judgment of the Lord." + +Now look: "I hearkened and heard; but they spake not aright." No +family altar! No reading the Bible! No closet devotion! God stoops to +hear; but His people have turned away! If there be a penitent +backslider, one who is anxious for pardon and restoration, you will +find no words more tender than are to be found in Jeremiah iii. 12: +"Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou +backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause Mine anger +to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not +keep anger forever." Now notice: "Only acknowledge thine iniquity, +that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast +scattered thy ways to the stranger under every green tree, and ye +have not obeyed My voice, saith the Lord. Turn, O backsliding +children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you"--think of God +coming and saying, "_I am married unto you!_--and I will take you one +of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion." + +"Only acknowledge thine iniquity." How many times have I held that +passage up to a backslider! "Acknowledge" it; and God says I will +forgive you. I remember a man asking, "Who said that? Is that there?" +And I held up to him the passage, "Only acknowledge thine iniquity;" +and the man went down on his knees, and cried, "My God, I have +sinned"; and the Lord restored him there and then. If you have +wandered, He wants you to come back. + +He says in another place, "O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O +Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning +cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away" (Hosea vi. 4). His +compassion and His love is wonderful! + +In Jeremiah iii. 22; "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will +heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto Thee; Thou art the Lord +our God." He just puts words into the mouth of the backslider. Only +come; and, if you will come, He will receive you graciously and love +you freely. + +In Hosea xiv. 1, 2, 4: "O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for +thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to +the Lord (He puts words into your mouth): say unto Him, Take away all +iniquity, and receive us graciously; so will we render the calves of +our lips . . . I will heal their backsliding, I will love them +freely, for Mine auger is turned away from him." Just observe that, +Turn! _Turn!!_ Turn!!! rings all through these passages. + +Now, if you have wandered, remember that you left Him, and not He +you. You have to get out of the backslider's pit just in the same way +you got in. And if you take the same road as when you left the Master +you will find Him now, just where you are. + +If we were to treat Christ as any earthly friend we should never +leave Him; and there would never be a backslider. If I were in a town +for a single week I should not think of going away without shaking +hands with the friends I had made, and saying "Good bye" to them. I +should be justly blamed if I took the train and left without saying a +word to any one. The cry would be, "What's the matter?" But did you +ever hear of a backslider bidding the Lord Jesus Christ "Good bye"; +going into his closet and saying "Lord Jesus, I have known Thee ten, +twenty, or thirty years: but I am tired of Thy service; Thy yoke is +not easy, nor Thy burden light; so I am going back to the world, to +the flesh-pots of Egypt. Good bye, Lord Jesus! Farewell"? Did you +ever hear that? No; you never did, and you never will. I tell you, if +you get into the closet and shut out the world and hold communion +with the Master you cannot leave Him. The language of your heart will +be, "To whom shall we go," but unto Thee? "Thou hast the words of +eternal life" (John vi. 68). You could not go back to the world if +you treated Him in that way. But you left Him and ran away. You have +forgotten Him days without number. Come back to-day; just as you are! +Make up your mind that you will not rest until God has restored unto +you the joy of His salvation. + +A gentleman in Cornwall once met a Christian in the street whom he +knew to be a backslider. He went up to him, and said: "Tell me, is +there not some estrangement between you and the Lord Jesus?" The man +hung his head, and said, "Yes." "Well," said the gentleman, "what has +He done to you?" The answer to which was a flood of tears. + +In Revelation ii. 4, 5, we read: "Nevertheless I have somewhat +against thee, because thou hast left the first love. Remember +therefore from whence thou art fallen; and repent, and do the first +works: or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy +candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." I want to guard +you against a mistake which some people make with regard to "doing +the first works." Many think that they are to have the same +experience over again, That has kept thousands for months without +peace; because they have been waiting for a renewal of their first +experience. You will never have the same experience as when you first +came to the Lord. God never repeats himself. No two people of all +earth's millions look alike or think alike. You may say that you +cannot tell two people apart; but when you get well acquainted with +them you can very quickly distinguish differences. So, no one person +will have the same experience a second time. If God will restore His +joy to your soul let Him do it in His way. Do not mark out a way for +God to bless you. Do not expect the same experience that you had two +or twenty years ago. You will have a fresh experience, and God will +deal with you in His own way. If you confess your sins and tell Him +that you have wandered from the path of His commandments He will +restore unto you the joy of His salvation. + +I want to call your attention to the manner in which Peter fell; and +I think that nearly all fall pretty much in the same way. I want to +lift up a warning note to those who have not fallen. "Let him that +thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. x. 12). Twenty-five +years ago--and for the first five years after I was converted--I +used to think that if I were able to stand for twenty years I need +fear no fall. But the nearer you get to the Cross the fiercer the +battle. Satan aims high. He went amongst the twelve; and singled out +the Treasurer--Judas Iscariot, and the Chief Apostle--Peter. Most men +who have fallen have done so on the strongest side of their +character. I am told that the only side upon which Edinburgh Castle +was successfully assailed was where the rocks were steepest, and +where the garrison thought themselves secure. If any man thinks that +he is strong enough to resist the devil at any one point he needs +special watch there, for the tempter comes that way. + +Abraham stands, as it were, at the head of the family of faith; and +the children of faith may be said to trace their descent to Abraham: +and yet down in Egypt he denied his wife. (Gen. xii.) Moses was noted +for his meekness; and yet he was kept out of the promised land +because of one hasty act and speech, when he was told by the Lord to +speak to the rock so that the congregation and their beasts should +have water to drink. "Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water +out of this rock?" (Num. xx. 10). + +Elijah was remarkable for his boldness: and yet he went off a day's +journey into the wilderness like a coward and hid himself under a +juniper tree, requesting for himself that he might die, because of a +message he received from a woman. (1 Kings xix.) Let us be careful. +No matter who the man is--he may be in the pulpit--but if he gets +self-conceited he will be sure to fall. We who are followers of +Christ need constantly to pray to be made humble, and kept humble. +God made Moses' face so to shine that other men could see it; but +Moses himself wist not that his face shone, and the more holy in +heart a man is the more manifest to the outer world will be his daily +life and conversation. Some people talk of how humble they are; but +if they have true humility there will be no necessity for them to +publish it. It is not needful. A lighthouse does not have a drum +beaten or a trumpet-blown in order to proclaim the proximity of a +lighthouse: it is its own witness. And so if we have the true light +in us it will show itself. It is not those who make the most noise +who have the most piety. There is a brook, or a little "burn" as the +Scotch call it, not far from where I live; and after a heavy rain you +can hear the rush of its waters a long way off: but let there come a +few days of pleasant weather, and the brook becomes almost silent. +But there is a river near my house, the flow of which I never heard +in my life, as it pours on in its deep and majestic course the year +round. We should have so much of the love of God within us that its +presence shall be evident without our loud proclamation of the fact. + +The first step in Peter's downfall was his self-confidence. The Lord +warned him. The Lord said: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired +to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for +thee, that thy faith fail not" (Luke xxii. 31, 32). But Peter said: +"I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison and to death." "Though +all shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended." +(Matt. xxvi. 23.) "James and John, and the others, may leave You; but +You can count on me!" But the Lord warned him: "I tell thee, Peter, +the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny +that thou knowest Me." (Luke xxii. 24.) + +Though the Lord rebuked him, Peter said he was ready to follow Him to +death. That boasting is too often a forerunner of downfall. Let us +walk humbly and softly. We have a great tempter; and, in an unguarded +hour, we may stumble and fall and bring a scandal on Christ. + +The next step in Peter's downfall was that he went to sleep. If Satan +can rock the Church to sleep he does his work through God's own +people. Instead of Peter watching one short hour in Gethsemane, he +fell asleep, and the Lord asked him, "What, could ye not watch with +Me one hour?" (Matt. xxvi. 40.) The next thing was that he fought in +the energy of the flesh. The Lord rebuked him again and said, "They +that take the sword shall perish with the sword." (Matt. xxvi. 52.) +Jesus had to undo what Peter had done. The next thing, he "followed +afar off." Step by step he gets away. It is a sad thing when a child +of God follows afar off. When you see him associating with worldly +friends, and throwing his influence on the wrong side, he is +following afar off; and it will not be long before disgrace will be +brought upon the old family name, and Jesus Christ will be wounded in +the house of his friends. The man, by his example, will cause others +to stumble and fall. + +The next thing--Peter is familiar and friendly with the enemies of +Christ. A damsel says to this bold Peter: "Thou also wast with this +Jesus of Galilee." But he denied before them all, saying, "I know not +what thou sayest." And when he was gone out into the porch another +maid saw him and said unto them that were there, "This fellow was +also with Jesus of Nazareth." And again he denied with an oath. "I do +not know the Man." Another hour passed; and yet he did not realize +his position; when another confidently affirmed that he was a +Galilean, for his speech betrayed him. And he was angry and began to +curse and to swear, and again denied his Master: and the cock crew. +(Matt. xxvi. 69-74.) + +He commences away up on the pinacle of self-conceit, and goes down +step by step until he breaks out into cursing, and swears that he +never knew his Lord. + +The Master might have turned and said to him, "Is it true, Peter, +that you have forgotten Me so soon? Do you not remember when your +wife's mother lay sick of a fever that I rebuked the disease and it +left her? Do you not call to mind your astonishment at the draught of +fishes so that you exclaimed, 'Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, +O Lord?' Do you remember when in answer to your cry, 'Lord, save me, +or I perish,' I stretched out My hand and kept you from drowning in +the water? Have you forgotten when, on the Mount of Transfiguration, +with James and John, you said to Me, 'Lord, it is good to be here: +let us make three tabernacles?' Have you forgotten being with Me at +the supper-table, and in Gethsemane? Is it true that you have +forgotten Me so soon?" The Lord might have upbraided him with +questions such as these: but He did nothing of the kind. He cast one +look on Peter: and there was so much love in it that it broke that +bold disciple's heart: and he went out and wept bitterly. + +And after Christ rose from the dead see how tenderly He dealt with +the erring disciple. The angel at the sepulchre says, "Tell His +disciples, _and Peter_." (Mark xvi. 7.) The Lord did not forget +Peter, though Peter had denied Him thrice; so He caused this kindly +special message to be conveyed to the repentant disciple. What a +tender and loving Saviour we have! + +Friend, if you are one of the wanderers, let the loving look of the +Master win you back; and let Him restore you to the joy of His +salvation. + +Before closing, let me say that I trust God will restore some +backslider reading these pages, who may in the future become a useful +member of society and a bright ornament of the Church. We should +never have had the thirty-second Psalm if David had not been +restored: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin +is covered"; or that beautiful fifty-first Psalm which was written by +the restored backslider. Nor should we have had that wonderful sermon +on the day of Pentecost when three thousand were converted--preached +by another restored backslider. + +May God restore other backsliders and make them a thousand times more +used for His glory than they ever were before. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Way to God and How to Find It, by Dwight Moody + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30449 *** diff --git a/30449-h.zip b/30449-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..74d28ec --- /dev/null +++ b/30449-h.zip diff --git a/30449-h/30449-h.htm b/30449-h/30449-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e5857b5 --- /dev/null +++ b/30449-h/30449-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3808 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content= +"text/html; charset=UTF-8"> +<title>The Way To God And How To Find It</title> + +<style type="text/css"> + body {font-family:'Bookman Old Style','Book Antiqua','Garamond';text-align:justify;margin-left:3em;margin-right:3em} + p.pnn {margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0} + p.ps {margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1em} + p.pn {text-indent:1.5em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0} + p.pns {text-indent:1.5em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1em} + p.pc {text-align:center;margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:1em} + p.pt1 {text-align:center;font-size:108%;letter-spacing:0.05em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0.8em} + p.pt2 {text-align:center;font-size:75%;line-height:1.8em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1em} + p.p3 {padding-left:6em;text-indent:-2em;font-size:88%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0} + p.p3s {padding-left:6em;text-indent:-2em;font-size:88%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1em} + .sc {font-variant:small-caps} + .f11 {font-size:75%} + h1 {text-align:center;margin-top:3.0em;margin-bottom:0.8em;font-size:125%;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:0.1em} +</style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30449 ***</div> + +<p class="pnn"><a href="#Reader">To The Reader</a></p> +<p class="pnn"><a href="#Contents">Contents</a></p> +<p class="pnn"><a href="#Text">Text</a></p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:217%;margin-top:1.3em;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +THE WAY TO GOD</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:125%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:6.5em"> +AND HOW TO FIND IT</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:117%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:5.7em"> +By D. L. MOODY</p> +<div style="text-align:center"><img alt="Illustration: Graphic" src="images/graphic.png" + style="width: 58px; height: 87px;"></div> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:121%;margin-top:5.0em;margin-bottom:0.3em"> +Fleming H. Revell Company</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:84%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0.5em"> +Chicago New York Toronto</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:63%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +<i>Publishers of Evangelical Literature</i></p> +<hr style="margin-top:5.2em;margin-bottom:22.5em"> +<p style= +"text-align:center;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.5em;line-height:2.0em;font-size:67%"> +Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1884,<br> +B<span class="sc">y</span> F. H. REVELL,<br> +In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.</p> +<hr style="margin-top:22em;margin-bottom:9em"> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:138%;letter-spacing:0.2em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0"> +<a name="Reader" id="Reader">TO THE READER</a></p> +<hr style="width:5em;margin-top:1.7em;margin-bottom:1.3em"> +<div style="font-size:96%;line-height:2em"> +<p class="pn">I<span class="sc">n</span> this small volume I have +endeavored to point out the W<span class="sc">ay to +God</span>.</p> +<p class="pn">I have embodied in the little book a considerable +part of several addresses which have been delivered in different +cities, both of Great Britain and my own country. God has +graciously owned them when spoken from the pulpit, and I trust +will none the less add his blessing now they have been put into +the printed page with additional matter.</p> +<p class="pn">I have called attention first to the Love of God, +the source of all Gifts of Grace; have then endeavored to present +truths to meet the special needs of representative classes, +answering the question, “How man can be just with God,” hoping +thereby to lead souls to Him who is “the Way, the Truth and the +Life.”</p> +<p class="pn">The last chapter is specially addressed to +Backsliders—a class, alas, far too numerous amongst us.</p> +<p class="pn">With the earnest prayer and hope that by the +blessing of God on these pages the reader may be strengthened, +established and settled in the faith of Christ,</p> +<p class="pc">I am, yours in His service,</p> +</div> +<div style="text-align:right"><img alt="Illustration: D. L. Moody's Signature" src="images/DLM.png" + style="width: 255px; height: 108px;"></div> +<hr style="margin-top:21em;margin-bottom:10em"> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:133%;letter-spacing:0.12em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.4em"> +<a name="Contents" id="Contents">CONTENTS.</a></p> +<hr style="width:3.5em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.3em"> +<div style="font-size:96%;line-height:2em"> +<p class="ps"><a href="#I">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> I. +“L<span class="sc">ove that passeth Knowledge</span>”</a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#II">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> II. +T<span class="sc">he Gateway into the Kingdom</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#III">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> III. + T<span class="sc">he Two Classes</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#IV">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> IV. +W<span class="sc">ords of Counsel</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#V">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> V. A +D<span class="sc">ivine Saviour</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#VI">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> VI. +R<span class="sc">epentance and Restitution</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#VII">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> VII. + A<span class="sc">ssurance of Salvation</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#VIII">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> +VIII. C<span class="sc">hrist All and in All</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#IX">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> IX. +B<span class="sc">acksliding</span></a></p> +</div> +<hr style="margin-top:9em;margin-bottom:5em"> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:183%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0.8em"> +<a name="Text" id="Text">THE WAY TO GOD.</a></p> +<hr style="width:7.5em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0"> +<h1><a name="I" id="I">CHAPTER I.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1">“<i>LOVE THAT PASSETH KNOWLEDGE</i>.”</p> +<p class="pt2">“To know the love of Christ which passeth +knowledge.”<br> +(E<span class="sc">phesians</span> iii. 19.)</p> +<p class="pn">I<span class="sc">f</span> I could only make men +understand the real meaning of the words of the apostle +John—“G<span class="sc">od is love</span>,” I would take that +single text, and would go up and down the world proclaiming this +glorious truth. If you can convince a man that you love him you +have won his heart. If we really make people believe that God +loves them, how we should find them crowding into the kingdom of +heaven! The trouble is that men think God hates them; and so they +are all the time running away from Him.</p> +<p class="pn">We built a church in Chicago some years ago; and +were very anxious to teach the people the love of God. We thought +if we could not preach it into their hearts we would try and burn +it in; so we put right over the pulpit in gas-jets these +words—G<span class="sc">od is Love</span>. A man going along the +streets one night glanced through the door, and saw the text. He +was a poor prodigal. As he passed on he thought to himself, “God +is Love! No! He does not love me; for I am a poor miserable +sinner.” He tried to get rid of the text; but it seemed to stand +out right before him in letters of fire. He went on a little +further; then turned round, went back, and went into the meeting. +He did not hear the sermon; but the words of that short text had +got deeply lodged in his heart, and that was enough. It is of +little account what men say if the Word of God only gets an +entrance into the sinner’s heart. He staid after the first +meeting was over; and I found him there weeping like a child. As +I unfolded the Scriptures and told him how God had loved him all +the time, although he had wandered so far away, and how God was +waiting to receive him and forgive him, the light of the Gospel +broke into his mind, and he went away rejoicing.</p> +<p class="pn">There is nothing in this world that men prize so +much us they do Love. Show me a person who has no one to care for +or love him, and I will show you one of the most wretched beings +on the face of the earth. Why do people commit suicide? Very +often it is because this thought steals in upon them—that no one +loves them; and they would rather die than live.</p> +<p class="pn">I know of no truth in the whole Bible that ought to +come home to us with such power and tenderness as that of the +Love of God; and there is no truth in the Bible that Satan would +so much like to blot out. For more than six thousand years he has +been trying to persuade men that God does not love them. He +succeeded in making our first parents believe this lie; and he +too often succeeds with their children.</p> +<p class="pn">The idea that God does not love us often comes from +false teaching. Mothers make a mistake in teaching children that +God does not love them when they do wrong; but only when they do +right. That is not taught in Scripture. You do not teach your +children that when they do wrong you hate them. Their wrong-doing +does not change your love to hate; if it did, you would change +your love a great many times. Because your child is fretful, or +has committed some act of disobedience, you do not cast him out +as though he did not belong to you! No! he is still your child; +and you love him. And if men have gone astray from God it does +not follow that He hates <i>them</i>. It is the sin that He +hates.</p> +<p class="pn">I believe the reason why a great many people think +God does not love them is because they are measuring God by their +own small rule, from their own standpoint. We love men as long as +we consider them worthy of our love; when they are not we cast +them off. It is not so with God. There is a vast difference +between human love and Divine love.</p> +<p class="pns">In Ephesians iii. 18, we are told of the breadth, +and length, and depth, and height, of God’s love. Many of us +think we know something of God’s love; but centuries hence we +shall admit we have never found out much about it. Columbus +discovered America; but what did he know about its great lakes, +rivers, forests, and the Mississippi Valley? He died, without +knowing much about what he had discovered. So, many of us have +discovered something of the love of God; but there are heights, +depths and lengths of it we do not know. That Love is a great +ocean; and we require to plunge into it before we really know +anything of it. It is said of a Roman Catholic Archbishop of +Paris, that when he was thrown into prison and condemned to be +shot, a little while before he was led out to die, he saw a +window in his cell in the shape of a cross. Upon the top of the +cross he wrote “height,” at the bottom “depth,” and at the end of +each arm “length.” He had experienced the truth conveyed in the +hymn—</p> +<p class="p3">“When I survey the wondrous Cross,</p> +<p class="p3s">On which the Prince of Glory died.”</p> +<p class="pn">When we wish to know the love of God we should go +to Calvary. Can we look upon that scene, and say God did not love +us? That cross speaks of the love of God. Greater love never has +been taught than that which the cross teaches. What prompted God +to give up Christ?—what prompted Christ to die?—if it were not +love? “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down +his life for his friends.” Christ laid down His life for His +enemies; Christ laid down His life for His murderers; Christ laid +down His life for them that hated Him; and the spirit of the +cross, the spirit of Calvary, is love. When they were mocking Him +and deriding Him, what did He say? “Father, forgive them, for +they know not what they do.” That is love. He did not call down +fire from heaven to consume them; there was nothing but love in +His heart.</p> +<p class="pn">If you study the Bible you will find that the love +of God is <i>unchangeable</i>. Many who loved you at one time +have perhaps grown cold in their affection, and turned away from +you: it may be that their love is changed to hatred. It is not so +with God. It is recorded of Jesus Christ, just when He was about +to be parted from His disciples and led away to Calvary, that: +“having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto +the end” (John xiii. 1). He knew that one of His disciples would +betray Him; yet He loved Judas. He knew that another disciple +would deny Him, and swear that he never knew Him; and yet He +loved Peter. It was the love which Christ had for Peter that +broke his heart, and brought him back in penitence to the feet of +his Lord. For three years Jesus had been with the disciples +trying to teach them His love, not only by His life and words, +but by His works. And, on the night of His betrayal, He takes a +basin of water, girds Himself with a towel, and taking the place +of a servant, washes their feet; He wanted to convince them of +His unchanging love.</p> +<p class="pn">There is no portion of Scripture I read so often as +John xiv; and there is none that is more sweet to me. I never +tire of reading it. Hear what our Lord says, as He pours out His +heart to His Disciples: “At that day ye shall know that I am in +My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you. He that hath My +commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and +<i>he that loveth Me shall be loved by My Father</i>” (xiv. +20,21). Think of the great God who created heaven and earth +loving you and me! . . . “If a man love Me, he will keep My +words; and My Father will love him; and We will come unto him, +and make Our abode with him” (v. 23).</p> +<p class="pn">Would to God that our puny minds could grasp this +great truth, that the Father and the Son so love us that They +desire to come and abide with us. Not to tarry for a night, but +to come and <i>abide</i> in our hearts.</p> +<p class="pn">We have another passage more wonderful still in +John xvii. 23. “I in them, and thou in Me, that they may be made +perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent +Me, <i>and hast loved them as Thou hast loved Me</i>.” I think +that is one of the most remarkable sayings that ever fell from +the lips of Jesus Christ. There is no reason why the Father +should not love him. He was obedient unto death; He never +transgressed the Father’s law, or turned aside from the path of +perfect obedience by one hair’s breadth. It is very different +with us; and yet, notwithstanding all our rebellion and +foolishness, He says that if we are trusting in Christ, the +Father loves us as He loves the Son. Marvellous love! Wonderful +love! That God can possibly love us as He loves His own Son seems +too good to be true. Yet that is the teaching of Jesus +Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">It is hard to make a sinner believe in this +unchangeable love of God. When a man has wandered away from God +he thinks that God hates him. We must make a distinction between +sin and the sinner. God loves the sinner; but He hates the sin. +He hates sin, because it mars human life. It is just because God +loves the sinner that He hates sin.</p> +<p class="pn">God’s love is not only unchangeable, but +<i>unfailing</i>. In Isaiah xlix. 15, 16 we read: “Can a woman +forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on +the son of her womb? yea, they may forget; yet will I not forget +thee. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands; thy +walls are continually before Me.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now the strongest human love that we know of is a +<i>mother’s love</i>. Many things will separate a man from his +wife. A father may turn his back on his child; brothers and +sisters may become inveterate enemies; husbands may desert their +wives; wives, their husbands. But a mother’s love endures through +all. In good repute, in bad repute, in the face of the world’s +condemnation, a mother loves on, and hopes that her child may +turn from his evil ways and repent. She remembers the infant +smiles, the merry laugh of childhood, the promise of youth; and +she can never be brought to think him unworthy. Death cannot +quench a mother’s love; it is stronger than death.</p> +<p class="pn">You have seen a mother watching over her sick +child. How willingly she would take the disease into her own body +if she could thus relieve her child! Week after week she will +keep watch; she will let no one else take care of that sick +child.</p> +<p class="pn">A friend of mine, some time ago, was visiting in a +beautiful home where he met a number of friends. After they had +all gone away, having left something behind, he went back to get +it. There he found the lady of the house, a wealthy lady, sitting +behind a poor fellow who looked like a tramp. <i>He was her own +son</i>. Like the prodigal, he had wandered far away: yet the +mother said, “This is my boy; I love him still.” Take a mother +with nine or ten children, if one goes astray, she seems to love +that one more than any of the rest.</p> +<p class="pn">A leading minister in the state of New York once +told me of a father who was a very bad character. The mother did +all she could to prevent the contamination of the boy; but the +influence of the father was stronger, and he led his son into all +kinds of sin until the lad became one of the worst of criminals. +He committed murder, and was put on his trial. All through the +trial, the widowed mother (for the father had died) sat in the +court. When the witnesses testified against the boy it seemed to +hurt the mother much more than the son. When he was found guilty +and sentenced to die, every one else feeling the justice of the +verdict, seemed satisfied at the result. But the mother’s love +never faltered. She begged for a reprieve; but that was denied. +After the execution she craved for the body; and this also was +refused. According to custom, it was buried in the prison yard. A +little while afterwards the mother herself died; but, before she +was taken away, she expressed a desire to be buried by the side +of her boy. She was not ashamed of being known as the mother of a +murderer.</p> +<p class="pn">The story is told of a young woman in Scotland, who +left her home, and became an outcast in Glasgow. Her mother +sought her far and wide, but in vain. At last, she caused her +picture to be hung upon the walls of the Midnight Mission rooms, +where abandoned women resorted. Many gave the picture a passing +glance. One lingered by the picture. It is the same dear face +that looked down upon her in her childhood. She has not forgotten +nor cast off her sinning child; or her picture would never have +been hung upon those walls. The lips seemed to open, and whisper, +“Come home; I forgive you, and love you still.” The poor girl +sank down overwhelmed with her feelings. She was the prodigal +daughter. The sight of her mother’s face had broken her heart. +She became truly penitent for her sins, and with a heart full of +sorrow and shame, returned to her forsaken home; and mother and +daughter were once more united.</p> +<p class="pn">But let me tell you that no mother’s love is to be +compared with the love of God; it does not measure the height of +the depth of God’s love. No mother in this world ever loved her +child as God loves you and me. Think of the love that God must +have had when He gave His Son to die for the world. I used to +think a good deal more of Christ than I did of the Father. +Somehow or other I had the idea that God was a stern judge; that +Christ came between me and God, and appeased the anger of God. +But after I became a father, and for years had an only son, as I +looked at my boy I thought of the Father giving His Son to die; +and it seemed to me as if it required more love for the Father to +give His Son than for the Son to die. Oh, the love that God must +have had for the world when He gave His Son to die for it! “God +so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that +whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have +everlasting life” (John iii. 16). I have never been able to +preach from that text. I have often thought I would; but it is so +high that I can never climb to its height; I have just quoted it +and passed on. Who can fathom the depth of those words: “God so +loved the world?” We can never scale the heights of His love or +fathom its depths. Paul prayed that he might know the height, the +depth, the length, and the breadth, of the love of God; but it +was past his finding out. It “passeth knowledge” (Eph. iii. +19).</p> +<p class="pn">Nothing speaks to us of the love of God, like the +cross of Christ. Come with me to Calvary, and look upon the Son +of God as He hangs there. Can you hear that piercing cry from His +dying lips: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they +do!” and say that He does not love you? “Greater love hath no man +than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John +xv. 13). But Jesus Christ laid down His life <i>for his +enemies</i>.</p> +<p class="pn">Another thought is this: He loved us long before we +ever thought of Him. The idea that he does not love us until we +first love Him is not to be found in Scripture. In 1 John iv. 10, +it is written: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that +He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our +sins.” He loved us before we ever thought of loving Him. You +loved your children before they knew anything about your love. +And so, long before we ever thought of God, we were in His +thoughts.</p> +<p class="pn">What brought the prodigal home? It was the thought +that his father loved him. Suppose the news had reached him that +he was cast off, and that his father did not care for him any +more, would he have gone back? Never! But the thought dawned upon +him that his father loved him still: so he rose up, and went back +to his home. Dear reader, the love of the Father ought to bring +us back to Him. It was Adam’s calamity and sin that revealed +God’s love. When Adam fell God came down and dealt in mercy with +him. If any one is lost it will not be because God does not love +him: it will be because he has resisted the love of God.</p> +<p class="pn">What will make Heaven attractive? Is it the pearly +gates or the golden streets? No. Heaven will be attractive, +because there we shall behold Him who loved us so much as to give +His only-begotten Son to die for us. What makes home attractive? +Is it the beautiful furniture and stately rooms? No; some homes +with all these are like whited sepulchres. In Brooklyn a mother +was dying; and it was necessary to take her child from her, +because the little child could not understand the nature of the +sickness, and disturbed her mother. Every night the child sobbed +herself to sleep in a neighbor’s house, because she wanted to go +back to her mother’s; but the mother grew worse, and they could +not take the child home. At last the mother died; and after her +death they thought it best not to let the child see her dead +mother in her coffin. After the burial the child ran into one +room crying “Mamma! mamma!” and then into another crying “Mamma! +mamma!” and so went over the whole house: and when the little +creature failed to find that loved one she cried to be taken back +to the neighbors. So what makes heaven attractive is the thought +that we shall see Christ who has loved us and given Himself for +us.</p> +<p class="pn">If you ask me why God should love us, I cannot +tell. I suppose it is because He is a true Father. It is His +nature to love; just as it is the nature of the sun to shine. He +wants you to share in that love. Do not let unbelief keep you +away from Him. Do not think that, because you are a sinner, God +does not love you, or care for you. He does! He wants to save you +and bless you.</p> +<p class="pn">“When we were yet without strength, in due time +Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. v. 6). Is that not enough to +convince you that He loves you? He would not have died for you if +He had not loved you. Is your heart so hard that you can brace +yourself up against His love, and spurn and despise it? You +<i>can</i> do it; but it will be at your peril.</p> +<p class="pn">I can imagine some saying to themselves, “Yes, we +believe that God loves us, if we love Him; we believe that God +loves the pure and the holy.” Let me say, my friend, not only +does God love the pure and the holy: He also loves the ungodly. +“God commendeth His love toward us, in that, <i>while we were yet +sinners</i>, Christ died for us” (Rom. v. 8). God sent him to +die for the sins of the whole world. If you belong to the world, +then you have part and lot in this love that has been exhibited +in the cross of Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">There is a passage in Revelation (i. 5.) which I +think a great deal of—“Unto Him that loved us, and washed us.” It +might be thought that God would first wash us, and then love us. +But no, He first loved us. About eight years ago the whole +country was intensely excited about Charlie Ross, a child of four +years old, who was stolen. Two men in a gig asked him and an +elder brother if they wanted some candy. They then drove away +with the younger boy, leaving the elder one. For many years a +search has been made in every State and territory. Men have been +over to Great Britain, France, and Germany, and have hunted in +vain for the child. The mother still lives in the hope that she +will see her long lost Charlie. I never remember the whole +country to have been so much agitated about any event unless it +was the assassination of President Garfield. Well, suppose the +mother of Charlie Ross were in some meeting; and that while the +preacher was speaking, she happened to look down amongst the +audience and see her long lost son. Suppose that he was poor, +dirty and ragged, shoeless and coatless, what would she do? Would +she wait till he was washed and decently clothed before she would +acknowledge him? No, she would get off the platform at once, rush +towards him and take him in her arms. After that she would +cleanse and clothe him. So it is with God. He loved us, and +washed us. I can imagine one saying, “If God loves me, why does +He not make me good?” God wants sons and daughters in heaven; He +does not want machines or slaves. He could break our stubborn +hearts, but He wants to draw us towards Himself by the cords of +love.</p> +<p class="pn">He wanted you to sit down with Him at the marriage +supper of the Lamb; to wash you, and make you whiter than snow. +He wants you to walk with Him the crystal pavement of yonder +blissful world. He wants to adopt you into His family; and to +make you a son or a daughter of heaven. Will you trample His love +under your feet? or will you, this hour, give yourself to +Him?</p> +<p class="pn">When our terrible civil war was going on, a mother +received the news that her boy had been wounded in the battle of +the Wilderness. She took the first train, and started for her +boy, although the order had gone forth from the War Department +that no more women should be admitted within the lines. But a +mother’s love knows nothing about orders so she managed by tears +and entreaties to get through the lines to the Wilderness. At +last she found the hospital where her boy was. Then she went to +the doctor and she said: “Will you let me go to the ward and +nurse my boy?”</p> +<p class="pn">The doctor said: “I have just got your boy to +sleep; he is in a very critical state; and I am afraid if you +wake him up the excitement will be so great that it will carry +him off. You had better wait awhile, and remain without until I +tell him that you have come, and break the news gradually to +him.” The mother looked into the doctor’s face and said: “Doctor, +supposing my boy does not wake up, and I should never see him +alive! Let me go and sit down by his side; I won’t speak to him.” +“If you will not speak to him you may do so,” said the +doctor.</p> +<p class="pn">She crept to the cot and looked into the face of +her boy. How she had longed to look at him! How her eyes seemed +to be feasting as she gazed upon his countenance! When she got +near enough she could not keep her hands off; she laid that +tender, loving hand upon his brow. The moment the hand touched +the forehead of her boy, he, without opening his eyes, cried out: +“Mother, you have come!” He knew the touch of that loving hand. +There was love and sympathy in it.</p> +<p class="pn">Ah, sinner, if you feel the loving touch of Jesus +you will recognize it; it is so full of tenderness. The world may +treat you unkindly; but Christ never will. You will never have a +better Friend in this world. What you need is—to come today to +Him. Let His loving arm be underneath you; let His loving hand be +about you; and He will hold you with mighty power. He will keep +you, and fill that heart of yours with His tenderness and +love.</p> +<p class="pn">I can imagine some of you saying, “How shall I go +to Him?” Why, just as you would go to your mother. Have you done +your mother a great injury and a great wrong? If so, you go to +her and you say, “Mother, I want you to forgive me.” Treat Christ +in the same way. Go to Him to-day and tell Him that you have not +loved Him, that you have not treated Him right; confess you sins, +and see how quickly He will bless you.</p> +<p class="pn">I am reminded of another incident—that of a boy who +had been tried by court-martial and ordered to be shot. The +hearts of the father and mother were broken when they heard the +news. In that home was a little girl. She had read the life of +Abraham Lincoln, and she said: “Now, if Abraham Lincoln knew how +my father and mother loved their boy, he would not let my brother +be shot.” She wanted her father to go to Washington to plead for +his boy. But the father said: “No; there is no use; the law must +take its course. They have refused to pardon one or two who have +been sentenced by that court-martial, and an order has gone forth +that the President is not going to interfere again; if a man has +been sentenced by court-martial he must suffer the consequences.” +That father and mother had not faith to believe that their boy +might be pardoned.</p> +<p class="pn">But the little girl was strong in hope; she got on +the train away up in Vermont, and started off to Washington. When +she reached the White House the soldiers refused to let her in; +but she told her pitiful story, and they allowed her to pass. +When she got to the Secretary’s room, where the President’s +private secretary was, he refused to allow her to enter the +private office of the President. But the little girl told her +story, and it touched the heart of the private secretary; so he +passed her in. As she went into Abraham Lincoln’s room, there +were United States senators, generals, governors and leading +politicians, who were there about important business about the +war; but the President happened to see that child standing at his +door. He wanted to know what she wanted, and she went right to +him and told her story in her own language. He was a father, and +the great tears trickled down Abraham Lincoln’s cheeks. He wrote +a dispatch ard sent it to the army to have that boy sent to +Washington at once. When he arrived, the President pardoned him, +gave him thirty days furlough, and sent him home with the little +girl to cheer the hearts of the father and mother.</p> +<p class="pn">Do you want to know how to go to Christ? Go just as +that little girl went to Abraham Lincoln. It may be possible that +you have a dark story to tell. Tell it all out; keep nothing +back. If Abraham Lincoln had compassion on that little girl, +heard her petition and answered it, do you think the Lord Jesus +will not hear your prayer? Do, you think that Abraham Lincoln, or +any man that ever lived on earth, had as much compassion as +Christ? No! He will be touched when no one else will; He will +have mercy when no one else will; He will have pity when no one +else will. If you will go right to Him, confessing your sin and +your need, He will save you.</p> +<p class="pn">A few years ago a man left England and went to +America. He was an Englishman; but he was naturalized, and so +became an American citizen. After a few years he felt restless +and dissatisfied, and went to Cuba; and after he had been in Cuba +a little while civil war broke out there; it was in 1867; and +this man was arrested by the Spanish government as a spy. He was +tried by court-martial, found guilty and ordered to be shot. The +whole trial was conducted in the Spanish language, and the poor +man did not know what was going on. When they told him the +verdict, that he was found guilty and had been condemned to be +shot, he sent to the American Consul and the English Consul, and +laid the whole case before them, proving his innocence and +claiming protection. They examined the case, and found that this +man whom the Spanish officers had condemned to be shot was +perfectly innocent; they went to the Spanish General and said, +“Look here, this man whom you have condemned to death is an +innocent man; he is not guilty.” But the Spanish General said, +“He has been tried by our law; he has been found guilty; he must +die.” There was no electric cable; and these men could not +consult with their governments.</p> +<p class="pn">The morning came on which the man was to be +executed. He was brought out sitting on his coffin in a cart, and +drawn to the place where he was to be executed. A grave was dug. +They took the coffin out of the cart, placed the young man upon +it, took the black cap, and were just pulling it down over his +face. The Spanish soldiers awaited the order to fire. But just +then the American and English Consuls rode up. The English Consul +sprang out of the carriage and took the union jack, the British +flag, and wrapped it around the man, and the American Consul +wrapped around him the star-spangled banner, and then turning to +the Spanish officers they said: “Fire upon those flags if you +dare.” They did not dare to fire upon the flags. There were two +great governments behind those flags. That was the secret of +it.</p> +<p class="pn">“He brought me to the banqueting house, and His +banner over me was love. . . . His left hand is under my head, +and His right hand doth embrace me” (Song Sol. ii. 4, 6). Thank +God we can come under the banner to-day if we will. Any, poor +sinner can come under that banner to-day. His banner of love is +over us. Blessed Gospel; blessed, precious, news. Believe it +to-day; receive it into your heart; and enter into a new life. +Let the love of God be shed abroad in your heart by the Holy +Ghost to-day: it will drive away darkness; it will drive away +gloom; it will drive away sin; and peace and joy shall be +yours.</p> +<h1><a name="II" id="II">CHAPTER II.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1"><i>THE GATEWAY INTO THE KINGDOM</i>.</p> +<p class="pt2">“Except a man be born again he cannot enter the +kingdom of God.”<br> +(J<span class="sc">ohn</span> iii. 3.)</p> +<p class="pn">T<span class="sc">here</span> is no portion of the +Word of God, perhaps, with which we are more familiar than this +passage. I suppose if I were to ask those in any audience if they +believed that Jesus Christ taught the doctrine of the New Birth, +nine tenths of them would say: “Yes, I believe He did.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now if the words of this text are true they embody +one of the most solemn questions that can come before us. We can +afford to be deceived about many things rather than about this +one thing. Christ makes it very plain. He says, “Except a man be +born again, he cannot <i>see</i> the Kingdom of God”—much less +inherit it. This doctrine of the New Birth is therefore the +foundation of all our hopes for the world to come. It is really +the A B C of the Christian religion. My experience has been +this—that if a man is unsound on this doctrine he will be unsound +on almost every other fundamental doctrine in the Bible. A true +understanding of this subject will help a man to solve a thousand +difficulties that he may meet with in the Word of God. Things +that before seemed very dark and mysterious will become very +plain.</p> +<p class="pn">The doctrine of the New Birth upsets all false +religion—all false views about the Bible and about God. A friend +of mine once told me that in one of his after-meetings, a man +came to him with a long list of questions written out for him to +answer. He said: “If you can answer these questions +satisfactorily, I have made up my mind to be a Christian.” “Do +you not think,” said my friend, “that you had better come to +Christ first? Then you can look into these questions.” The man +thought that perhaps he had better do so. After he had received +Christ, he looked again at his list of questions; but then it +seemed to him as if they had all been answered. Nicodemus came +with his troubled mind, and Christ said to him, “Ye must be born +again.” He was treated altogether differently from what he +expected; but I venture to say that was the most blessed night in +all his life. To be “born again” is the greatest blessing that +will ever come to us in this world.</p> +<p class="pn">Notice how the Scripture puts it. “Except a man be +born again,” “born from above,”[Note: John iii. 3. <i>Marginal +reading</i>] “born of the Spirit.” From amongst a number of other +passages where we find this word “<span class= +"sc">except</span>,” I would just name three. “Except ye repent, +ye shall all likewise perish.” (Luke xiii. 3, 5.) “Except ye be +converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into +the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. xviii. 3.) “Except your +righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and +Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of +heaven.” (Matt. v. 20.) They all really mean the same thing.</p> +<p class="pn">I am so thankful that our Lord spoke of the New +Birth to this ruler of the Jews, this doctor of the law, rather +than to the woman at the well of Samaria, or to Matthew the +publican, or to Zaccheus. If He had reserved his teaching on this +great matter for these three, or such as these, people would have +said: “Oh yes, these publicans and harlots need to be converted: +but I am an upright man; I do not need to be converted.” I +suppose Nicodemus was one of the best specimens of the people of +Jerusalem: there was nothing on record against him.</p> +<p class="pn">I think it is scarcely necessary for me to prove +that we need to be born again before we are meet for heaven. I +venture to say that there is no candid man but would say he is +not fit for the kingdom of God, until he is born of another +Spirit. The Bible teaches us that man by nature is lost and +guilty, and our experience confirms this. We know also that the +best and holiest man, if he turn away from God, will very soon +fall into sin.</p> +<p class="pn">Now, let me say what Regeneration is not. It is not +going to church. Very often I see people, and ask them if they +are Christians. “Yes, of course I am; at least, I think I am: I +go to church every Sunday.” Ah, but this is not Regeneration. +Others say, “I am trying to do what is right—am I not a +Christian? Is not that a new birth?” No. What has that to do with +being born again? There is yet another class—those who have +“turned over a new leaf,” and think they are regenerated. No; +forming a new resolution is not being born again.</p> +<p class="pn">Nor will being baptized do you any good. Yet you +hear people say, “Why, I have been baptized; and I was born again +when I was baptized.” They believe that because they were +baptized into the church, they were baptized into the Kingdom of +God. I tell you that it is utterly impossible. You may be +baptized into the church, and yet not be baptized into the Son of +God. Baptism is all right in its place. God forbid that I should +say anything against it. But if you put that in the place of +Regeneration—in the place of the New Birth—it is a terrible +mistake. You cannot be baptized into the Kingdom of God. “Except +a man be <span class="sc">born again</span>, he cannot see the +Kingdom of God.” If any one reading this rests his hopes on +anything else—on any other foundation—I pray that God may sweep +it away.</p> +<p class="pn">Another class say, “I go to the Lord’s Supper; I +partake uniformly of the Sacrament.” Blessed ordinance! Jesus +hath said that as often as ye do it ye commemorate His death. +Yet, that is not being “born again;” that is not passing from +death unto life. Jesus says plainly—and so plainly that there +need not be any mistake about it—“Except a man be born of the +Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.” What has a +sacrament to do with that? What has going to church to do with +being born again?</p> +<p class="pn">Another man comes up and says, “I say my prayers +regularly.” Still I say that is not being born of the Spirit. It +is a very solemn question, then, that comes up before us; and oh! +that every reader would ask himself earnestly and faithfully: +“Have I been born again? Have I been born of the Spirit? Have I +passed from death unto life?”</p> +<p class="pn">There is a class of men who say that special +religious meetings are very good for a certain class of people. +They would be very good if you could get the drunkard there, or +get the gambler there, or get other vicious people there—that +would do a great deal of good. But “we do not need to be +converted.” To whom did Christ utter these words of wisdom? To +Nicodemus. Who was Nicodemus? Was he a drunkard, a gambler, or a +thief? No! No doubt he was one of the very best men in Jerusalem. +He was an honorable Councillor; he belonged to the Sanhedrim; he +held a very high position; he was an orthodox man; he was one of +the very soundest men. And yet what did Christ say to him? +“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of +God.”</p> +<p class="pn">But I can imagine some one saying, “What am I to +do? I cannot create life. I certainly cannot save myself.” You +certainly cannot; and we do not claim that you can. We tell you +it is utterly impossible to make a man better without Christ; but +that is what men are trying to do. They are trying to patch up +this “old Adam” nature. T<span class="sc">here must be a new +creation</span>. Regeneration is a new creation; and if it is a +new creation it must be the work of God. In the first chapter of +Genesis man does not appear. There is no one there but God. Man +is not there to take part. When God created the earth He was +alone. When Christ redeemed the world He was alone.</p> +<p class="pn">“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that +which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John iii. 6.) The +Ethiopian cannot change his skin, and the leopard cannot change +his spots. You might as well try to make yourselves pure and holy +without the help of God. It would be just as easy for you to do +that as for the black man to wash himself white. A man might just +as well try to leap over the moon as to serve God in the flesh. +Therefore, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that +which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now God tells us in this chapter how we are to get +into His kingdom. We are not to work our way in—not but that +salvation is worth working for. We admit all that. If there were +rivers and mountains in the way, it would be well worth while to +swim those rivers, and climb those mountains. There is no doubt +that salvation is worth all that effort; but we do not obtain it +by our works. It is “to him that worketh not, but believeth” +(Rom. iv. 5). We work because we are saved; we do not work to be +saved. We work from the cross; but not towards it. It is written, +“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. ii. +12). Why, you must have your salvation before you can work it +out. Suppose I say to my little boy, “I want you to spend that +hundred dollars carefully.” “Well,” he says, “let me have the +hundred dollars; and I will be careful how I spend it.” I +remember when I first left home and went to Boston; I had spent +all my money, and I went to the post-office three times a day. I +knew there was only one mail a day from home; but I thought by +some possibility there might be a letter for me. At last I +received a letter from my little sister; and oh, how glad I was +to get it. She had heard that there were a great many +pick-pockets in Boston, and a large part of that letter was to +urge me to be very careful not to let anybody pick my pocket. Now +I required to have something in my pocket before I could have it +picked. So you must have salvation before you can work it +out.</p> +<p class="pn">When Christ cried out on Calvary, “It is finished!” +He meant what He said. All that men have to do now is just to +accept of the work of Jesus Christ. There is no hope for man or +woman so long as they are trying to work out salvation for +themselves. I can imagine there are some people who will say, as +Nicodemus possibly did, “This is a very mysterious thing.” I see +the scowl on that Pharisee’s brow as he says, “How can these +things be?” It sounds very strange to his ear. “Born again; born +of the Spirit! How can these things be?” A great many people say, +“You must reason it out; but if you do not reason it out, do not +ask us to believe it.” I can imagine a great many people saying +that. When you ask me to reason it out, I tell you frankly I +cannot do it. “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou +hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh +and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the +Spirit.” (John 8.) I do not understand everything about the +wind. You ask me to reason it out. I cannot. It may blow due +north here, and a hundred miles away due south. I may go up a few +hundred feet, and find it blowing in an entirely opposite +direction from what it is down here. You ask me to explain these +currents of wind; but suppose that, because I cannot explain +them, and do not understand them, I were to take my stand and +assert, “Oh, there is no such thing as wind.” I can imagine some +little girl saying, “I know more about it than that man does; +often have I heard the wind, and felt it blowing against my +face;” and she might say, “Did not the wind blow my umbrella out +of my hands the other day? and did I not see it blow a man’s hat +off in the street? Have I not seen it blow the trees in the +forest, and the growing corn in the country?”</p> +<p class="pn">You might just as well tell me that there is no +such thing as wind, as tell me there is no such thing as a man +being born of the Spirit. I have felt the spirit of God working +in my heart, just as really and as truly as I have felt the wind +blowing in my face. I cannot reason it out. There are a great +many things I cannot reason out, but which I believe. I never +could reason out the creation. I can see the world, but I cannot +tell how God made it out of nothing. But almost every man will +admit there was a creative power.</p> +<p class="pn">There are a great many things that I cannot explain +and cannot reason out, and yet that I believe. I heard a +commercial traveler say that he had heard that the ministry and +religion of Jesus Christ were matters of revelation and not of +investigation. “When it pleased God to reveal His Son in Me,” +says Paul (Gal. i, 15, 16). There was a party of young men +together, going up the country; and on their journey they made up +their minds not to believe anything they could not reason out. An +old man heard them; and presently he said, “I heard you say you +would not believe anything you could not reason out.” “Yes,” they +said, “that is so.” “Well,” he said, “coming down on the train +to-day, I noticed some geese, some sheep, some swine, and some +cattle all eating grass. Can you tell me by what process that +same grass was turned into hair, feathers, bristles and wool? Do +you believe it is a fact?” “Oh yes,” they said, “we cannot help +believing that, though we fail to understand it.” “Well,” said +the old man, “I cannot help believing in Jesus Christ.” And I +cannot help believing in the regeneration of man, when I see men +who have been reclaimed, when I see men who have been reformed. +Have not some of the very worst men been regenerated—been picked +up out of the pit, and had their feet set upon the Rock, and a +new song put in their mouths? Their tongues were cursing and +blaspheming; and now are occupied in praising God. Old things +have passed away, and all things have become new. They are not +reformed only, but <span class="sc">regenerated</span>—new men in +Christ Jesus.</p> +<p class="pn">Down there in the dark alleys of one of our great +cities is a poor drunkard. I think if you want to get near hell, +you should go to a poor drunkard’s home. Go to the house of that +poor miserable drunkard. Is there anything more like hell on +earth? See the want and distress that reign there. But hark! A +footstep is heard at the door, and the children run and hide +themselves. The patient wife waits to meet the man. He has been +her torment. Many a time she has borne about the marks of his +blows for weeks. Many a time that strong right hand has been +brought down on her defenseless head. And now she waits expecting +to hear his oaths and suffer his brutal treatment. He comes in +and says to her: “I have been to the meeting; and I heard there +that if I will I can be converted. I believe that God is able to +save me.” Go down to that house again in a few weeks: and what a +change! As you approach you hear some one singing. It is not the +song of a reveller, but the strains of that good old hymn, “Rock +of Ages.” The children are no longer afraid of the man, but +cluster around his knee. His wife is near him, her face lit up +with a happy glow. Is not that a picture of Regeneration? I can +take you to many such homes, made happy by the regenerating power +of the religion of Christ. What men want is the power to overcome +temptation, the power to lead a right life.</p> +<p class="pn">The only way to get into the kingdom of God is to +be “born” into it. The law of this country requires that the +President should be born in the country. When foreigners come to +our shores they have no right to complain against such a law, +which forbids them from ever becoming Presidents. Now, has not +God a right to make a law that all those who become heirs of +eternal life must be “born” into His kingdom?</p> +<p class="pn">An unregenerated man would rather be in hell than +in heaven. Take a man whose heart is full of corruption and +wickedness, and place him in heaven among the pure, the holy and +the redeemed; and he would not want to stay there. Certainly, if +we are to be happy in heaven we must begin to make a heaven here +on earth. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. If a +gambler or a blasphemer were taken out of the streets of New York +and placed on the crystal pavement of heaven and under the shadow +of the tree of life, he would say, “I do not want to stay here.” +If men were taken to heaven just as they are by nature, without +having their hearts regenerated, there would be another rebellion +in heaven. Heaven is filled with a company of those who have been +<span class="sc">twice born</span>.</p> +<p class="pn">In the 14th and 15th verses of this chapter we read +“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must +the Son of Man be lifted up; that <span class= +"sc">whosoever</span> believeth in Him should not perish, but +have eternal life.” “WHOSOEVER.” Mark that! Let me tell you who +are unsaved what God has done for you. He has done everything +that He could do toward your salvation. You need not wait for God +to do anything more. In one place he asks the question, what more +could he have done (Isaiah v. 4). He sent His prophets, and they +killed them; then He sent His beloved Son, and they murdered Him. +Now He has sent the Holy Spirit to convince us of sin, and to +show how we are to be saved.</p> +<p class="pn">In this chapter we are told how men are to be +saved, namely, by Him who was lifted up on the cross. Just as +Moses lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, so must the +Son of Man be lifted up, “that whosoever believeth in Him should +not perish, but have eternal life.” Some men complain and say +that it is very unreasonable that they should be held responsible +for the sin of a man six thousand years ago. It was not long ago +that a man was talking to me about this injustice, as he called +it. If a man thinks he is going to answer God in that way, I tell +you it will not do him any good. If you are lost, it will not be +on account of Adam’s sin.</p> +<p class="pn">Let me illustrate this; and perhaps you will be +better able to understand it. Suppose I am dying of consumption, +which I inherited from my father or mother. I did not get the +disease by any fault of my own, by any neglect of my health; I +inherited it, let us suppose. A friend happens to come along: he +looks at me, and says: “Moody, you are in a consumption.” I +reply, “I know it very well; I do not want any one to tell me +that.” “But,” he says, “there is a remedy.” “But, sir, I do not +believe it. I have tried the leading physicians in this country +and in Europe; and they tell me there is no hope.” “But you know +me, Moody; you have known me for years.” “Yes, sir.” “Do you +think, then, I would tell you a falsehood?” “No.” “Well, ten +years ago I was as far gone. I was given up by the physicians to +die; but I took this medicine and it cured me. I am perfectly +well: look at me.” I say that it is “a very strange case.” “Yes, +it may be strange; but it is a fact. This medicine cured me: take +this medicine, and it will cure you. Although it has cost me a +great deal, it shall not cost you anything. Do not make light of +it, I beg of you.” “Well,” I say, “I should like to believe you; +but this is contrary to my reason.”</p> +<p class="pn">Hearing this, my friend goes away and returns with +another friend, and that one testifies to the same thing. I am +still disbelieving; so he goes away, and brings in another +friend, and another, and another, and another; and they all +testify to the same thing. They say they were as bad as myself; +that they took the same medicine that has been offered to me; and +that it has cured them. My friend then hands me the medicine. I +dash it to the ground; I do not believe in its saving power; I +die. The reason is then that I spurned the remedy. So, if you +perish, it will not be because Adam fell; but because you spurned +the remedy offered to save you. You will choose darkness rather +than light. “How then shall ye escape, if ye neglect so great +salvation?” There is no hope for you if you neglect the remedy. +It does no good to look at the wound. If we had been in the +Israelitish camp and had been bitten by one of the fiery +serpents, it would have done us no good to look at the wound. +Looking at the wound will never save any one. What you must do is +to look at the Remedy—look away to Him who hath power to save you +from your sin.</p> +<p class="pn">Behold the camp of the Israelites; look at the +scene that is pictured to your eyes! Many are dying because they +neglect the remedy that is offered. In that arid desert is many a +short and tiny grave; many a child has been bitten by the fiery +serpents. Fathers and mothers are bearing away their children. +Over yonder they are just burying a mother; a loved mother is +about to be laid in the earth. All the family, weeping, gather +around the beloved form. You hear the mournful cries; you see the +bitter tears. The father is being borne away to his last resting +place. There is wailing going up all over the camp. Tears are +pouring down for thousands who have passed away; thousands more +are dying; and the plague is raging from one end of the camp to +the other.</p> +<p class="pn">I see in one tent an Israelitish mother bending +over the form of a beloved boy just coming into the bloom of +life, just budding into manhood. She is wiping away the sweat of +death that is gathering upon his brow. Yet a little while, and +his eyes are fixed and glassy, for life is ebbing fast away. The +mother’s heart-strings are torn and bleeding. All at once she +hears a noise in the camp. A great shout goes up. What does it +mean? She goes to the door of the tent. “What is the noise in the +camp?” she asks those passing by. And some one says: “Why, my +good woman, have you not heard the good news that has come into +the camp?” “No,” says the woman, “Good news! What is it?” “Why, +have you not heard about it? God has provided a remedy.” “What! +for the bitten Israelites? Oh, tell me what the remedy is!” “Why, +God has instructed Moses to make a brazen serpent, and to put it +on a pole in the middle of the camp; and He has declared that +whosoever looks upon it shall live. The shout that you hear is +the shout of the people when they see the serpent lifted up.” The +mother goes back into the tent, and she says: “My boy, I have +good news to tell you. You need not die! My boy, my boy, I have +come with good tidings; you can live!” He is already getting +stupefied; he is so weak he cannot walk to the door of the tent. +She puts her strong arms under him and lifts him up. “Look +yonder; look right there under the hill!” But the boy does not +see anything; he says—“I do not see anything; what is it, +mother?” And she says: “Keep looking, and you will see it.” At +last he catches a glimpse of the glistening serpent; and lo, he +is well! And thus it is with many a young convert. Some men say, +“Oh, we do not believe in sudden conversions.” How long did it +take to cure that boy? How long did it take to cure those +serpent-bitten Israelites? It was just a look; and they were +well.</p> +<p class="pn">That Hebrew boy is a young convert. I can fancy +that I see him now calling on all those who were with him to +praise God. He sees another young man bitten as he was; and he +runs up to him and tells him, “You, need not die.” “Oh,” the +young man replies, “I cannot live; it is not possible. There is +not a physician in Israel who can cure me.” He does not know that +he need not die. “Why, have you not heard the news? God has +provided a remedy.” “What remedy?” “Why, God has told Moses to +lift up a brazen serpent, and has said that none of those who +look upon that serpent shall die.” I can just imagine the young +man. He may be what you call an intellectual young man. He says +to the young convert “You do not think I am going to believe +anything like that? If the physicians in Israel cannot cure me, +how do you think that an old brass serpent on a pole is going to +cure me?” “Why, sir, I was as bad as yourself!” “You do not say +so!” “Yes, I do.” “That is the most astonishing thing I ever +heard,” says the young man: “I wish you would explain the +philosophy of it.” “I cannot. I only know that I looked at that +serpent, and I was cured: that did it. I just looked; that is +all. My mother told me the reports that were being heard through +the camp; and I just believed what my mother said, and I am +perfectly well.” “Well, I do not believe you were bitten as badly +as I have been.” The young man pulls up his sleeve. “Look there! +That mark shows where I was bitten; and I tell you I was worse +than you are.” “Well, if I understood the philosophy of it I +would look and get well.” “Let your philosophy go: <i>look and +live</i>.” “But, sir, you ask me to do an unreasonable thing. If +God had said, Take the brass and rub it into the wound, there +might be something in the brass that would cure the bite. Young +man, explain the philosophy of it.” I have often seen people +before me who have talked in that way. But the young man calls in +another, and takes him into the tent, and says: “Just tell him +how the Lord saved you;” and he tells just the same story; and he +calls in others, and they all say the same thing.</p> +<p class="pn">The young man says it is a very strange thing. “If +the Lord had told Moses to go and get some herbs, or roots, and +stew them, and take the decoction as a medicine, there would be +something in that. But it is so contrary to nature to do such a +thing as look at the serpent, that I cannot do it.” At length his +mother, who has been out in the camp, comes in, and she says, “My +boy, I have just the best news in the world for you. I was in the +camp, and I saw hundreds who were very far gone, and they are all +perfectly well now.” The young man says: “I should like to get +well; it is a very painful thought to die; I want to go into the +promised land, and it is terrible to die here in this wilderness; +but the fact is—I do not understand the remedy. It does not +appeal to my reason. I cannot believe that I can get well in a +moment.” And the young man dies in consequence of his own +unbelief.</p> +<p class="pn">God provided a remedy for this bitten +Israelite—“Look and live!” And there is eternal life for every +poor sinner, Look, and you can be saved, my reader, this very +hour. God has provided a remedy; and it is offered to all. The +trouble is, a great many people are looking at the pole. Do not +look at the pole; that is the church. You need not look at the +church; the church is all right, but the church cannot save you. +Look beyond the pole. Look at the Crucified One. Look to Calvary. +Bear in mind, sinner, that Jesus died for all. You need not look +at ministers; they are just God’s chosen instruments to hold up +the Remedy, to hold up Christ. And so, my friends, take your eyes +off from men; take your eyes off from the church. Lift them up to +Jesus; who took away the sin of the world, and there will be life +for you from this hour.</p> +<p class="pn">Thank God, we do not require an education to teach +us how to look. That little girl, that little boy, only four +years old, who cannot read, can look. When the father is coming +home, the mother says to her little boy, “Look! look! look!” and +the little child learns to look long before he is a year old. And +that is the way to be saved. It is to look at the Lamb of God +“who taketh away the sin of the world;” and there is life this +moment for every one who is willing to look.</p> +<p class="pn">Some men say, “I wish I knew how to be saved.” Just +take God at His word and trust His Son this very day—this very +hour—this very moment. He will save you, if you will trust Him. I +imagine I hear some one saying, “I do not feel the bite as much +as I wish I did. I know I am a sinner, and all that; but I do not +feel the bite enough.” How much does God want you to feel it?</p> +<p class="pn">When I was in Belfast I knew a doctor who had a +friend, a leading surgeon there; and he told me that the +surgeon’s custom was, before performing any operation, to say to +the patient, “Take a good look at the wound, and then fix your +eyes on me; and do not take them off till I get through.” I +thought at the time that was a good illustration. Sinner, take a +good look at your wound; and then fix your eyes on Christ, and do +not take them off. It is better to look at the Remedy than at the +wound. See what a poor wretched sinner you are; and then look at +the Lamb of God who “taketh away the sin of the world.” He died +for the ungodly and the sinner. Say “I will take Him!” And may +God help you to lift your eye to the Man on Calvary. And as the +Israelites looked upon the serpent and were healed, so may you +look and live.</p> +<p class="pn">After the battle of Pittsburgh Landing I was in a +hospital at Murfreesbro. In the middle of the night I was aroused +and told that a man in one of the wards wanted to see me. I went +to him and he called me “chaplain”—I was not the chaplain—and +said he wanted me to help him die. And I said, “I would take you +right up in my arms and carry you into the kingdom of God if I +could; but I cannot do it: I cannot help you die!” And he said, +“Who can?” I said, “The Lord Jesus Christ can—He came for that +purpose.” He shook his head, and said, “He cannot save me; I have +sinned all my life.” And I said, “But He came to save sinners.” I +thought of his mother in the north, and I was sure that she was +anxious that he should die in peace; so I resolved I would stay +with him. I prayed two or three times, and repeated all the +promises I could; for it was evident that in a few hours he would +be gone. I said I wanted to read him a conversation that Christ +had with a man who was anxious about his soul. I turned to the +third chapter of John. His eyes were riveted on me; and when I +came to the 14th and 15th verses—the passage before us—he caught +up the words, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, +even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever +believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” He +stopped me and said, “Is that there?” I said “Yes.” He asked me +to read it again; and I did so. He leant his elbows on the cot +and clasping his hands together, said, “That’s good; won’t you +read it again?” I read it the third time; and then went on with +the rest of the chapter. When I had finished, his eyes were +closed, his hands were folded, and there was a smile on his face. +Oh, how it was lit up! What change had come over it! I saw his +lips quivering, and leaning over him I heard in a faint whisper, +“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must +the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him +should not perish, but have eternal life.” He opened his eyes and +said, “That’s enough; don’t read any more.” He lingered a few +hours, pillowing his head on those two verses; and then went up +in one of Christ’s chariots, to take his seat in the kingdom of +God.</p> +<p class="pn">Christ said to Nicodemus: “Except a man be born +again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” You may see many +countries; but there is one country—the land of Beulah, which +John Bunyan saw in vision—you shall never behold, unless you are +born again—regenerated by Christ. You can look abroad and see +many beautiful trees; but the tree of life, you shall never +behold, unless your eyes are made clear by faith in the Saviour. +You may see the beautiful rivers of the earth—you may ride upon +their bosoms; but bear in mind that your eye will never rest upon +the river which bursts out from the Throne of God and flows +through the upper Kingdom, unless you are born again. God has +said it; and not man. You will never see the kingdom of God +except you are born again. You may see the kings and lords of the +earth; but the King of kings and Lord of lords you will never see +except you are born again. When you are in London you may go to +the Tower and see the crown of England, which is worth thousands +of dollars, and is guarded there by soldiers; but bear in mind +that your eye will never rest upon the crown of life except you +are born again.</p> +<p class="pn">You may hear the songs of Zion which are sung here; +but one song—that of Moses and the Lamb—the uncircumcised ear +shall never hear; its melody will only gladden the ear of those +who have been born again. You may look upon the beautiful +mansions of earth, but bear in mind the mansions which Christ has +gone to prepare you shall never see unless you are born again. It +is God who says it. You may see ten thousand beautiful things in +this world; but the city that Abraham caught a glimpse of—and +from that time became a pilgrim and sojourner—you shall never see +unless you are born again (Heb. xi. 8, 10-16). You may often be +invited to marriage feasts here; but you will never attend the +marriage supper of the Lamb except you are born again. It is God +who says it, dear friend. You may be looking on the face of your +sainted mother to-night, and feel that she is praying for you; +but the time will come when you shall never see her more unless +you are born again.</p> +<p class="pn">The reader may be a young man or a young lady who +has recently stood by the bedside of a dying mother; and she may +have said, “Be sure and meet me in heaven,” and you made the +promise. Ah! you shall never see her more, except you are born +again. I believe Jesus of Nazareth, sooner than those infidels +who say you do not need to be born again. Parents, if you hope to +see your children who have gone before, you must be born of the +Spirit. Possibly you are a father or a mother who has recently +borne a loved one to the grave; and how dark your home seems! +Never more will you see your child, unless you are born again. If +you wish to be re-united to your loved one, you must be born +again. I may be addressing a father or a mother who has a loved +one up yonder. If you could hear that loved one’s voice, it would +say, “Come this way.” Have you a sainted friend up yonder? Young +man or young lady, have you not a mother in the world of light? +If you could hear her speak, would not she say, “Come this way, +my son,”—“Come this way, my daughter?” If you would ever see her +more you must be born again.</p> +<p class="pn">We all have an Elder Brother there. Nearly nineteen +hundred years ago He crossed over, and from the heavenly shores +He is calling you to heaven. Let us turn our backs upon the +world. Let us give a deaf ear to the world. Let us look to Jesus +on the Cross and be saved. Then we shall one day see the King in +His beauty, and we shall go no more out.</p> +<h1><a name="III" id="III">CHAPTER III.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1"><i>THE TWO CLASSES</i>.</p> +<p class="pt2">“Two men went up into the temple to +pray.”—L<span class="sc">uke</span> xvii. 10.</p> +<p class="pn">I <span class="sc">now</span> want to speak of two +classes: First, those who do not feel their need of a Saviour who +have not been convinced of sin by the Spirit; and Second, those +who are convinced of sin and cry, “What must I do to be +saved?”</p> +<p class="pn">All inquirers can be ranged under two heads: they +have either the spirit of the Pharisee, or the spirit of the +publican. If a man having the spirit of the Pharisee comes into +an after-meeting, I know of no better portion of Scripture to +meet his case than Romans iii. 10: “As it is written, There is +none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth; +there is none that seeketh after God.” Paul is here speaking of +the natural man. “They are all gone out of the way, they are +together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, +not one.” And in the 17th verse and those which follow, we have +“And the way of peace have they not known; there is no fear of +God before their eyes. Now we know what things soever the law +saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth +may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before +God.”</p> +<p class="pn">Then observe the last clause of verse 22: “For +there is no difference; for all have sinned, and come short of +the glory of God.” Not part of the human family—but +<i>all</i>—“have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” +Another verse which has been very much used to convict men of +their sin is 1 John i. 8: “If we say that we have no sin, we +deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”</p> +<p class="pn">I remember that on one occasion we were holding +meetings in an eastern city of forty thousand inhabitants; and a +lady came and asked us to pray for her husband, whom she purposed +bringing into the after meeting. I have traveled a good deal and +met many pharisaical men; but this man was so clad in +self-righteousness that you could not get the point of the needle +of conviction in anywhere. I said to his wife: “I am glad to see +your faith; but we cannot get near him; he is the most +self-righteous man I ever saw.” She said: “You must! My heart +will break if these meetings end without his conversion.” She +persisted in bringing him; and I got almost tired of the sight of +him.</p> +<p class="pn">But towards the close of our meetings of thirty +days, he came up to me and put his trembling hand on my shoulder. +The place in which the meetings were held was rather cold, and +there was an adjoining room in which only the gas had been +lighted; and he said to me, “Can’t you come in here for a few +minutes?” I thought that he was shaking from cold, and I did not +particularly wish to go where it was colder. But he said: “I am +the worst man in the State of Vermont. I want you to pray for +me.” I thought he had committed a murder, or some other awful +crime; and I asked: “Is there any one sin that particularly +troubles you?” And he said: “My whole life has been a sin. I have +been a conceited, self-righteous Pharisee. I want you to pray for +me.” He was under deep conviction. Man could not have produced +this result; but the Spirit had. About two o’clock in the morning +light broke in upon his soul: and he went up and down the +business street of the city and told what God had done for him; +and has been a most active Christian ever since.</p> +<p class="pn">There are four other passages in dealing with +inquirers, which were used by Christ Himself. “Verily, verily, I +say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the +kingdom of God.” (John iii. 3.)</p> +<p class="pn">In Luke xiii. 3, we read: “Except ye repent, ye +shall all likewise perish.”</p> +<p class="pn">In Matthew xviii., when the disciples came to Jesus +to know who was to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, we +are told that He took a little child and set him in the midst and +said, “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become +as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven” +(xviii. 1-3).</p> +<p class="pn">There is another important “Except” in Matthew v. +20: “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of +the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter the kingdom +of heaven.”</p> +<p class="pn">A man must be made meet before he will want to go +into the kingdom of God. I would rather go into the kingdom with +the younger brother than stay outside with the elder. Heaven +would be hell to such an one. An elder brother who could not +rejoice at his younger brother’s return would not be “fit” for +the kingdom of God. It is a solemn thing to contemplate; but the +curtain drops and leaves him outside, and the younger brother +within. To him the language of the Saviour under other +circumstances seems appropriate: “Verily I say unto you, That the +publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you” +(Matt. xxi. 31).</p> +<p class="pn">A lady once came to me and wanted a favor for her +daughter. She said: “You must remember I do not sympathize with +you in your doctrine.” I asked: “What is your trouble?” She said: +“I think your abuse of the elder brother is horrible. I think he +is a noble character.” I said that I was willing to hear her +defend him; but that it was a solemn thing to take up such a +position; and that the elder brother needed to be converted as +much as the younger. When people talk of being moral it is well +to get them to take a good look at the old man pleading with his +boy who would not go in.</p> +<p class="pn">But we will pass on now to the other class with +which we have to deal. It is composed of those who are convinced +of sin and from whom the cry comes as from the Philippian jailer, +“What must I do to be saved?” To those who utter this penitential +cry there is no necessity to administer the law. It is well to +bring them straight to the Scripture: “Believe on the Lord Jesus +Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” (Acts xvi. 31). Many will meet +you with a scowl and say, “I don’t know what it is to believe;” +and though it is the law of heaven that they must believe, in +order to be saved—yet they ask for something besides that. We are +to tell them what, and where, and how, to believe.</p> +<p class="pn">In John iii. 35 and 36 we read: “The Father loveth +the Son, and hath given all things into His hand. He that +believeth on the Son <span class="sc">hath</span> everlasting +life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but +the wrath of God abideth on him.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now this looks reasonable. Man lost life by +unbelief—by not believing God’s word; and we got life back again +by believing—by taking God at His word. In other words we get up +where Adam fell down. He stumbled and fell over the stone of +unbelief; and we are lifted up and stand upright by believing. +When people say they cannot believe, show them chapter and verse, +and hold them right to this one thing: “Has God ever broken His +promise for these six thousand years?” The devil and men have +been trying all the time and have not succeeded in showing that +He has broken a single promise; and there would be a jubilee in +hell to-day if one word that He has spoken could be broken. If a +man says that he cannot believe it is well to press him on that +one thing.</p> +<p class="pn">I can believe God better to-day than I can my own +heart. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately +wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. xxii. 9). I can believe God +better than I can myself. If you want to know the way of Life, +believe that Jesus Christ is a personal Saviour; cut away from +all doctrines and creeds, and come right to the heart of the Son +of God. If you have been feeding on dry doctrine there is not +much growth on that kind of food. Doctrines are to the soul what +the streets which lead to the house of a friend who has invited +me to dinner are to the body. They will lead me there if I take +the right one; but if I remain in the streets my hunger will +never be satisfied. Feeding on doctrines is like trying to live +on dry husks; and lean indeed must the soul remain which partakes +not of the Bread sent down from heaven.</p> +<p class="pn">Some ask: “How am I to get my heart warmed?” It is +by believing. You do not get power to love and serve God until +you believe.</p> +<p class="pn">The apostle John says “If we receive the witness of +men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of +God which He hath testified of His Son. He that believeth on the +Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God +hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that +God gave of His Son. And this is the record, that God hath given +to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the +Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not +life” (1 John v. 9).</p> +<p class="pn">Human affairs would come to a standstill if we did +not take the testimony of men. How should we get on in the +ordinary intercourse of life, and how would commerce get on, if +we disregarded men’s testimony? Things social and commercial +would come to a dead-lock within forty-eight hours! This is the +drift of the apostle’s argument here. “If we receive the witness +of men, the witness of God is greater.” God has borne witness to +Jesus Christ. And if man can believe his fellow men who are +frequently telling untruths and whom we are constantly finding +unfaithful, why should we not take God at His word and believe +His testimony?</p> +<p class="pn">Faith is a belief in testimony. It is not a leap in +the dark, as some tell us. That would be no faith at all. God +does not ask any man to believe without giving him something to +believe. You might as well ask a man to see without eyes; to hear +without ears; and to walk without feet—as to bid him believe +without giving him something to believe.</p> +<p class="pn">When I started for California I procured a +guide-book. This told me, that after leaving the State of +Illinois, I should cross the Mississippi, and then the Missouri; +get into Nebraska; then over the Rocky Mountains to the Mormon +settlement at Salt Lake City, and by the way of the Sierra Nevada +into San Francisco. I found the guide book all right as I went +along; and I should have been a miserable sceptic if, having +proved it to be correct three-fourths of the way, I had said that +I would not believe it for the remainder of the journey.</p> +<p class="pn">Suppose a man, in directing me to the Post Office, +gives me ten landmarks; and that, in my progress there, I find +nine of them to be as he told me; I should have good reason to +believe that I was coming to the Post Office.</p> +<p class="pn">And if, by believing, I get a new life, and a hope, +a peace, a joy, and a rest to my soul, that I never had before; +if I get self-control, and find that I have a power to resist +evil and to do good, I have pretty good proof that I am in the +right road to the “city which hath foundations, whose builder and +maker is God.” And if things have taken place, and are now taking +place, as recorded in God’s Word, I have good reason to conclude +that what yet remains will be fulfilled. And yet people talk of +doubting. There can be no true faith where there is fear. Faith +is to take God at His word, unconditionally. There cannot be true +peace where there is fear. “Perfect love casteth out fear.” How +wretched a wife would be if she doubted her husband! and how +miserable a mother would feel if after her boy had gone away from +home she had reason, from his neglect, to question that son’s +devotion! True love never has a doubt.</p> +<p class="pn">There are three things indispensable to +faith—knowledge, assent, and appropriation.</p> +<p class="pn">We must know God. “And this is life eternal, that +they might <i>know</i> Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ +whom Thou hast sent” (John xvii. 3). Then we must not only give +our assent to what we know; but we must lay hold of the truth. If +a man simply give his assent to the plan of salvation, it will +not save him: he must accept Christ as his Saviour. He must +receive and appropriate Him.</p> +<p class="pn">Some say they cannot tell how a man’s life can be +affected by his belief. But let some one cry out that some +building in which we happen to be sitting, is on fire; and see +how soon we should act on our belief and get out. We are all the +time influenced by what we believe. We cannot help it. And let a +man believe the record that God has given of Christ, and it will +very quickly affect his whole life.</p> +<p class="pn">Take John v. 24. There is enough truth in that one +verse for every soul to rest upon for salvation. It does not +admit the shadow of a doubt. “Verily, verily”—which means truly, +truly—“I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on +Him that sent Me, hath—<i>hath</i>—everlasting life, and shall +not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto +life.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now if a person really hears the word of Jesus and +believes with the heart on God who sent the Son to be the Saviour +of the world, and lays hold of and appropriates this great +salvation, there is no fear of judgment. He will not be looking +forward with dread to the Great White Throne; for we read in 1 +John iv. 17: “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have +boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in +this world.”</p> +<p class="pn">If we believe, there is for us no condemnation, no +judgment. That is behind us, and passed; and we shall have +boldness in the day of judgment.</p> +<p class="pn">I remember reading of a man who was on trial for +his life. He had friends with influence; and they procured a +pardon for him from the king on condition that he was to go +through the trial, and be condemned. He went into court with the +pardon in his pocket. The feeling ran very high against him, and +the judge said that the court was shocked that he was so much +unconcerned. But, when the sentence was pronounced, he pulled out +the pardon, presented it, and walked out a free man. He has been +pardoned; and so have we. Then let death come, we have nought to +fear. All the grave-diggers in the world cannot dig a grave large +enough and deep enough to hold eternal life; all the coffin +makers in the world cannot make a coffin large enough and tight +enough to hold eternal life. Death has had his hand on Christ +once, but never again.</p> +<p class="pn">Jesus said: “I am the Resurrection, and the Life: +he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: +and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die” (John +xi. 25, 26). And in the Apocalypse we read that the risen Saviour +said to John, “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I +am alive for evermore” (Rev i. 18). Death cannot touch Him +again.</p> +<p class="pn">We get life by believing. In fact we get more than +Adam lost; for the redeemed child of God is heir to a richer and +more glorious inheritance than Adam in Paradise could ever have +conceived; yea, and that inheritance endures forever—it is +inalienable.</p> +<p class="pn">I would much rather have my life hid with Christ in +God than have lived in Paradise; for Adam might have sinned and +fallen after being there ten thousand years. But the believer is +safer, if these things become real to him. Let us make them a +fact, and not a fiction. God has said it; and that is enough. Let +us trust Him even where we cannot trace Him. Let the same +confidence animate us that was in little Maggie as related in the +following simple but touching incident which I read in the +<i>Bible Treasury</i>:—</p> +<p class="pn">“I had been absent from home for some days, and was +wondering, as I again draw near the homestead, if my little +Maggie, just able to sit alone, would remember me. To test her +memory, I stationed myself where I could see her, but could not +be seen by her, and called her name in the familiar tone, +‘Maggie!’ She dropped her playthings, glanced around the room, +and then looked down upon her toys. Again I repeated her name, +‘Maggie!’ when she once more surveyed the room; but, not seeing +her <i>father’s</i> face, she looked very sad, and slowly resumed +her employment. Once more I called, ‘Maggie!’ when, dropping her +playthings, and bursting into tears, she stretched out her arms +in the direction whence the sound proceeded, knowing that, though +she could not see him, her father <i>must be there</i>, +<span class="sc">for she knew his voice</span>.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now, we have power to see and to hear, and we have +power to believe. It is all folly for the inquirers to take the +ground that they cannot believe. They can, if they will. But the +trouble with most people is that they have connected <span class= +"sc">feeling</span> with <span class="sc">believing</span>. Now +Feeling has nothing whatever to do with Believing. The Bible does +not say—He that feeleth, or he that feeleth and believeth, hath +everlasting life. Nothing of the kind. I cannot control my +feelings. If I could, I should never feel ill, or have a headache +or toothache. I should be well all the while. But I can believe +God; and if we get our feet on that rock, let doubts and fears +come and the waves surge around us, the anchor will hold.</p> +<p class="pn">Some people are all the time looking at their +faith. Faith is the hand that takes the blessing. I heard this +illustration of a beggar. Suppose you were to meet a man in the +street whom you had known for years as being accustomed to beg; +and you offered him some money, and he were to say to you: “I +thank you; I don’t want your money: I am not a beggar.” “How is +that?” “Last night a man put a thousand dollars into my hands.” +“He did! How did you know it was good money?” “I took it to the +bank and deposited it and have got a bank book.” “How did you get +this gift?” “I asked for alms; and after the gentleman talked +with me he took out a thousand dollars in money and put it in my +hand.” “How do you know that he put it in the right hand?” “What +do I care about which hand; so that I have got the money.” Many +people are always thinking whether the faith by which they lay +hold of Christ is the right kind—but what is far more essential +is to see that we have the right kind of Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">Faith is the eye of the soul; and who would ever +think of taking out an eye to see if it were the right kind so +long as the sight was perfect? It is not my taste, but it is what +I taste, that satisfies my appetite. So, dear friends, it is +taking God at His Word that is the means of our salvation. The +truth cannot be made too simple.</p> +<p class="pn">There is a man living in the city of New York who +has a home on the Hudson River. His daughter and her family went +to spend the winter with him: and in the course of the season the +scarlet fever broke out. One little girl was put in quarantine, +to be kept separate from the rest. Every morning the old +grandfather used to go and bid his grandchild, “Goodbye,” before +going to his business. On one of these occasions the little thing +took the old man by the hand, and, leading him to a corner of the +room, without saying a word she pointed to the floor where she +had arranged some small crackers so they would spell out, +“Grandpa, I want a box of paints.” He said nothing. On his return +home he hung up his overcoat and went to the room as usual: when +his little grandchild, without looking to see if her wish had +been complied with, took him into the same corner, where he saw +spelled out in the same way, “Grandpa, I thank you for the box of +paints.” The old man would not have missed gratifying the child +for anything. That was faith.</p> +<p class="pn">Faith is taking God at His Word; and those people +who want some token are always getting into trouble. We want to +come to this: G<span class="sc">od says it—let us believe +it</span>.</p> +<p class="pn">But some say, Faith is the gift of God. So is the +air; but you have to breathe it. So is bread; but you have to eat +it. So is water; but you have to drink it. Some are wanting a +miraculous kind of feeling. That is not faith. “Faith cometh by +hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. x. 17). That is +whence faith comes. It is not for me to sit down and wait for +faith to come stealing over me with a strange sensation; but it +is for me to take God at His Word. And you cannot believe, unless +you have something to believe. So take the Word as it is written, +and appropriate it, and lay hold of it.</p> +<p class="pn">In John vi. 47, 48 we read: “Verily, verily, I say +unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life. I am +that Bread of life.” There is the bread right at hand. Partake of +it. I might have thousands of loaves within my home, and as many +hungry men in waiting. They might assent to the fact that the +bread was there; but unless they each took a loaf and commenced +eating, their hunger would not be satisfied. So Christ is the +Bread of heaven; and as the body feeds on natural food, so the +soul must feed on Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">If a drowning man sees a rope thrown out to rescue +him he must lay hold of it; and in order to do so he must let go +everything else. If a man is sick he must take the medicine—for +simply looking at it will not cure him. A knowledge of Christ +will not help the inquirer, unless he believes in Him, and takes +hold of Him, as his only hope. The bitten Israelites might have +believed that the serpent was lifted up; but unless they had +looked they would not have lived (Num. xxi. 6-9).</p> +<p class="pn">I believe that a certain line of steamers will +convey me across the ocean, because I have tried it: but this +will not help another man who may want to go, unless he acts upon +my knowledge. So a knowledge of Christ does not help us unless we +act upon it. That is what it is to believe on the Lord Jesus +Christ. It is to act on what we believe. As a man steps on board +a steamer to cross the Atlantic, so we must take Christ and make +a commitment of our souls to Him; and He has promised to keep all +who put their trust in Him. To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, +is simply to take Him at His word.</p> +<h1><a name="IV" id="IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1"><i>WORDS OF COUNSEL</i>.</p> +<p class="pt2">“A bruised reed shall He not break.”—I<span class= +"sc">saiah</span> xlii. 3; M<span class="sc">att</span>. xii. +20.</p> +<p class="pn">I<span class="sc">t</span> is dangerous for those +who are seeking salvation to lean upon the experience of other +people. Many are waiting for a repetition of the experience of +their grandfather or grandmother. I had a friend who was +converted in a field; and he thinks the whole town ought to go +down into that meadow and be converted. Another was converted +under a bridge; and he thinks that if any enquirer were to go +there he would find the Lord. The best thing for the anxious is +to go right to the Word of God. If there are any persons in the +world to whom the Word ought to be very precious it is those who +are asking how to be saved.</p> +<p class="pn">For instance a man may say, “I have no strength.” +Let him turn to Romans v. 6. “For when we were yet without +strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” It is because +we have no strength that we need Christ. He has come to give +strength to the weak.</p> +<p class="pn">Another may say, “I cannot see.” Christ says, “I am +the Light of the world” (John viii. 12). He came, not only to +give light, but “to open the blind eyes” (Isa. xlii. 7).</p> +<p class="pn">Another may say, “I do not think a man can be saved +all at once.” A person holding that view was in the Enquiry-room +one night; and I drew his attention to Romans vi. 23. “The wages +of sin is death; but the <i>gift</i> of God is eternal life +through Jesus Christ our Lord.” How long does it take to accept a +gift? There must be a moment when you have it not, and another +when you have it—a moment when it is another’s, and the next when +it is yours. It does not take six months to get eternal life. It +may however in some cases be like the mustard seed, very small at +the commencement. Some people are converted so gradually that, +like the morning light, it is impossible to tell when the dawn +began; while, with others, it is like the flashing of a meteor, +and the truth bursts upon them suddenly.</p> +<p class="pn">I would not go across the street to prove when I +was converted; but what is important is for me to know that I +really have been.</p> +<p class="pn">It may be that a child has been so carefully +trained that it is impossible to tell when the new birth began; +but there must have been a moment when the change took place, and +when he became a partaker of the Divine nature.</p> +<p class="pn">Some people do not believe in <span class= +"sc">sudden conversion</span>. But I will challenge any one to +show a conversion in the New Testament that was not +instantaneous. “As Jesus passed by He saw Levi, the son of +Alpheus, sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, +‘Follow Me’: and he arose and followed Him” (Matt. ix. 9). +Nothing could be more sudden than that.</p> +<p class="pn">Zaccheus, the publican, sought to see Jesus; and +because he was little of stature he climbed up a tree. When Jesus +came to the place He looked up and saw him, and said, “Zaccheus, +make haste, and come down” (Luke xix. 5). His conversion must +have taken place somewhere between the branch and the ground. We +are told that he received Jesus joyfully, and said, “Behold, +Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have +taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him +fourfold” (Luke xix. 8). Very few in these days could say that +in proof of their conversion.</p> +<p class="pn">The whole house of Cornelius was converted +suddenly; for so Peter preached Christ to him and his company the +Holy Ghost fell on them, and they were baptized. (Acts x.)</p> +<p class="pn">On the day of Pentecost three thousand gladly +received the Word. They were not only converted, but they were +baptized the same day. (Acts ii.)</p> +<p class="pn">And when Philip talked to the eunuch, as they went +on their way, the eunuch said to Philip, “See, here is water: +what doth hinder me to be baptized?” Nothing hindered. And Philip +said, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” And +they both went down into the water; and the man of great +authority under Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, was +baptized, and went on his way rejoicing. (Acts viii. 26-38.) You +will find all through Scripture that conversions were sudden and +instantaneous.</p> +<p class="pn">A man has been in the habit of stealing money from +his employer. Suppose he has taken $1,000 in twelve months; +should we tell him to take $500 the next year, and less the next +year, and the next, until in five years the sum taken would be +only $50? That would be upon the same principle as gradual +conversion.</p> +<p class="pn">If such a person were brought before the court and +pardoned, because he could not change his mode of life all at +once, it would be considered a very strange proceeding.</p> +<p class="pn">But the Bible says, “Let him that stole steal no +more” (Eph. iv. 28). It is “right about face!” Suppose a person +is in the habit of cursing one hundred times a day: should we +advise him not to utter more than ninety oaths the following day, +and eighty the next day; so that in the course of time he would +get rid of the habit? The Saviour says, “Swear not at all.” +(Matt. v. 34.)</p> +<p class="pn">Suppose another man is in the habit of getting +drunk and beating his wife twice a month; if he only did so once +a month, and then only once in six months, that would be, upon +the same ground, as reasonable as gradual conversion. Suppose +Ananias had been sent to Paul, when he was on his way to Damascus +breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples, +and casting them into prison, to tell him not to kill so many as +he intended; and to let enmity die out of his heart gradually, +but not all at once. Suppose he had been told that it would not +do to stop breathing out threatenings and slaughter, and to +commence preaching Christ all at once, because the philosophers +would say that the change was so sudden it would not hold out; +this would be the same kind of reasoning as is used by those who +do not believe in instantaneous conversion.</p> +<p class="pn">Then another class say that they are afraid that +they will not hold out. This is a numerous and very hopeful +class. I like to see a man distrust himself. It is a good thing +to get such to look to God, and to remember that it is not he who +holds God, but that it is God who holds him. Some want to get +hold of Christ; but the thing is to get Christ to take hold of +you in answer to prayer. Let such read Psalm cxxi.; “I will lift +up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help +cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not +suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not +slumber. Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor +sleep. The Lord is thy keeper; the Lord is thy shade upon thy +right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by +night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall +preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy +coming in, from this time forth, and even for evermore.”</p> +<p class="pn">Some one calls that the traveler’s psalm. It is a +beautiful psalm for those of us who are pilgrims through this +world; and one with which we should be well acquainted.</p> +<p class="pn">God can do what He has done before. He kept Joseph +in Egypt; Moses before Pharaoh; Daniel in Babylon; and enabled +Elijah to stand before Ahab in that dark day. And I am so +thankful that these I have mentioned were men of like passions +with ourselves. It was God who made them so great. What man wants +is to look to God. Real true faith is man’s weakness leaning on +God’s strength. When man has no strength, if he leans on God he +becomes powerful. The trouble is that we have too much strength +and confidence in ourselves.</p> +<p class="pn">Again in Hebrews vi. 17, 18: “Wherein God, willing +more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the +immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath that by two +immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we +might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay +hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor +of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into +that within the vail; whither the Forerunner is for us entered, +even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of +Melchisedec.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now these are precious verses to those who are +afraid of falling, who fear that they will not hold out. It is +God’s work to hold. It is the Shepherd’s business to keep the +sheep. Who ever heard of the sheep going to bring back the +shepherd? People have an idea that they have to keep themselves +and Christ too. It is a false idea. It is the work of the +Shepherd to look after them, and to take care of those who trust +Him. And He has promised to do it. I once heard that when a sea +captain was dying he said, “Glory to God; the anchor holds.” He +trusted in Christ. His anchor had taken hold of the solid rock. +An Irishman said, on one occasion, that “he trembled; but the +Rock never did.” We want to get sure footing.</p> +<p class="pn">In 2 Timothy i. 12 Paul says: “I know whom I have +believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I +have committed unto Him against that day.” That was Paul’s +persuasion.</p> +<p class="pn">During the late war of the rebellion, one of the +chaplains, going through the hospitals, came to a man who was +dying. Finding that he was a Christian, he asked to what +persuasion he belonged, and was told “Paul’s persuasion.” “Is he +a Methodist?” he asked; for the Methodists all claim Paul. “No.” +“Is he a Presbyterian?” for the Presbyterians lay special claim +to Paul. “No,” was the answer. “Does he belong to the Episcopal +Church?” for all the Episcopalian brethren contend that they have +a claim to the Chief Apostle. “No,” he was not an Episcopalian. +“Then, to what persuasion does he belong?” “I am persuaded that +He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against +that day.” It is a grand persuasion; and it gave the dying +soldier rest in a dying hour.</p> +<p class="pn">Let those who fear that they will not hold out turn +to the 24th verse of the Epistle of Jude: “Now unto Him that is +able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless +before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.”</p> +<p class="pn">Then look at Isaiah xli. 10: “Fear thou not; for I +am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will +strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee +with the right hand of My righteousness.”</p> +<p class="pn">Then see verse 13: “For I the Lord thy God will +hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help +thee.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now if God has got hold of my right hand in His, +cannot He hold me and keep me? Has not God the power to keep? The +great God who made heaven and earth can keep a poor sinner like +you and like me if we trust Him. To refrain from feeling +confidence in God for fear of falling—would be like a man who +refused a pardon, for fear that he should get into prison again; +or a drowning man who refused to be rescued, for fear of falling +into the water again.</p> +<p class="pn">Many men look forth at the Christian life, and fear +that they will not have sufficient strength to hold out to the +end. They forget the promise that “as thy days, thy strength” +(Deut. xxxiii. 25). It reminds me of the pendulum to the clock +which grew disheartened at the thought of having to travel so +many thousands of miles; but when it reflected that the distance +was to be accomplished by “tick, tick, tick,” it took fresh +courage to go its daily journey. So it is the special privilege +of the Christian to commit himself to the keeping of his heavenly +Father and to trust Him day by day. It is a comforting thing to +know that the Lord will not begin the good work without also +finishing it.</p> +<p class="pn">There are two kinds of sceptics—one class with +honest difficulties; and another class who delight only in +discussion. I used to think that this latter class would always +be a thorn in my flesh; but they do not prick me now. I expect to +find them right along the journey. Men of this stamp used to hang +around Christ to entangle Him in His talk. They come into our +meetings to hold a discussion. To all such I would commend Paul’s +advice to Timothy: “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid; +knowing that they do gender strifes.” (2 Tim. ii. 23.) Unlearned +questions: Many young converts make a woful mistake. They think +they are to defend the whole Bible. I knew very little of the +Bible when I was first converted; and I thought that I had to +defend it from beginning to end against all comers; but a Boston +infidel got hold of me, floored all my arguments at once, and +discouraged me. But I have got over that now. There are many +things in the Word of God that I do not profess to +understand.</p> +<p class="pn">When I am asked what I do with them. I say, “I +don’t do anything.”</p> +<p class="pn">“How do you explain them?” “I don’t explain +them.”</p> +<p class="pn">“What do you do with them?” “Why, I believe +them.”</p> +<p class="pn">And when I am told, “I would not believe anything +that I do not understand,” I simply reply that I do.</p> +<p class="pn">There are many things which were dark and +mysterious five years ago, on which I have since had a flood of +light; and I expect to be finding out something fresh about God +throughout eternity. I make a point of not discussing disputed +passages of Scripture. An old divine has said that some people, +if they want to eat fish, commence by picking the bones. I leave +such things till I have light on them. I am not bound to explain +what I do not comprehend. “The secret things belong unto the Lord +our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us, and +to our children, for ever” (Deut. xxii. 29); and these I take, +and eat, and feed upon, in order to get spiritual strength.</p> +<p class="pn">Than there is a little sound advice in Titus iii. +9. “But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and +contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are +unprofitable and vain.”</p> +<p class="pn">But now here comes an honest sceptic. With him I +would deal as tenderly as a mother with her sick child. I have no +sympathy with those people who, because a man is sceptical, cast +him off and will have nothing to do with him.</p> +<p class="pn">I was in an Inquiry-meeting, some time ago, and I +handed over to a Christian lady, whom I had known some time, one +who was sceptical. On looking round soon after I noticed the +enquirer marching out of the hall. I asked, “Why have you let her +go?” “Oh, she is a sceptic!” was the reply. I ran to the door and +got her to stop, and introduced her to another Christian worker +who spent over an hour in conversation and prayer with her. He +visited her and her husband; and, in the course of a week, that +intelligent lady cast off her scepticism and came out an active +Christian. It took time, tact, and prayer; but if a person of +this class is honest we ought to deal with such an one as the +Master would have us.</p> +<p class="pn">Here are a few passages for doubting enquirers:</p> +<p class="pn">“If any man will do His will, he shall know of the +doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” +(John vii. 17). If a man is not willing to do the will of God he +will not know the doctrine. There is no class of sceptics who are +ignorant of the fact that God desires them to give up sin; and if +a man is willing to turn from sin and take the light and thank +Him for what He does give, and not expect to have light on the +whole Bible all at once, he will get more light day by day; make +progress step by step; and be led right out of darkness into the +clear light of heaven.</p> +<p class="pn">In Daniel xii. 10 we are told: “Many shall be +purified, and made white, and tried: but the wicked shall do +wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise +shall understand.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now God will never reveal His secrets to His +enemies. Never! And if a man persists in living in sin he will +not know the doctrines of God.</p> +<p class="pn">“The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; +and He will show them His covenant” (Ps. xxv. 14).</p> +<p class="pn">And in John xv. 15 we read: “Henceforth I call you +not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: +but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard +of my Father I have made known unto you.” When you become friends +of Christ you will know His secrets. The Lord said, “Shall I hide +from Abraham the things which I do?” (Gen. xviii. 17).</p> +<p class="pn">Now those who resemble God are the most likely to +understand God. If a man is not willing to turn from sin he will +not know God’s will, nor will God reveal His secrets to him. But +if a man is willing to turn from sin he will be surprised to see +how the light will come in!</p> +<p class="pn">I remember one night when the Bible was the driest +and darkest book in the universe to me. The next day it became +entirely different. I thought I had the key to it. I had been +born of the Spirit. But before I knew anything of the mind of God +I had to give up my sin. I believe God meets every soul on the +spot of self-surrender; and when they are willing to let Him +guide and lead. The trouble with many sceptics is their +self-conceit. They know more than the Almighty! and they do not +come in a teachable spirit. But the moment a man comes in a +receptive spirit he is blessed; for “If any of you lack wisdom, +let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and +upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James i. 5).</p> +<h1><a name="V" id="V">CHAPTER V.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1"><i>A DIVINE SAVIOUR</i>.</p> +<p class="pt2">“Thou art <span class="sc">the Christ</span>, the +Son of the living God.”<br> +(M<span class="sc">atthew</span> xvi. 1; J<span class= +"sc">ohn</span> vi. 69.)</p> +<p class="pn">W<span class="sc">e</span> meet with a certain +class of Enquirers who do not believe in the Divinity of Christ. +There are many passages that will give light on this subject.</p> +<p class="pn">In 1 Corinthians xv. 47, we are told: “The first +man is of the earth earthy: the second man is the Lord from +heaven.”</p> +<p class="pn">In 1 John v. 20: “We know that the Son of God is +come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him +that is true; and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son +Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”</p> +<p class="pn">Again in John xvii. 3: “And this is life eternal, +that they might know Thee, the only true God; and Jesus Christ, +whom Thou hast sent.”</p> +<p class="pn">And then, in Mark xiv. 60: “The high priest stood +up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest Thou nothing? +What is it which these witness against thee? But He held His +peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, and +said unto Him, Art Thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And +Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the +right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the +high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further +witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they +all condemned Him to be guilty of death.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now what brought me to believe in the Divinity of +Christ was this: I did not know where to place Christ, or what to +do with Him, if He were not divine. When I was a boy I thought +that He was a good man like Moses, Joseph, or Abraham. I even +thought that He was the best man who had ever lived on the earth. +But I found that Christ had a higher claim. He claimed to be +God-Man, to be divine; to have come from heaven. He said: “Before +Abraham was I am” (John viii. 58). I could not understand this; +and I was driven to the conclusion—and I challenge any candid man +to deny the inference, or meet the argument—that Jesus Christ is +either an impostor or deceiver, or He is the God-Man—God manifest +in the flesh. And for these reasons. The first commandment is, +“Thou shalt have no other gods before Me” (Exod. xx. 2). Look at +the millions throughout Christendom who worship Jesus Christ as +God. If Christ be not God this is idolatry. We are all guilty of +breaking the first commandment if Jesus Christ were mere man—if +He were a created being, and not what He claims to be.</p> +<p class="pn">Some people, who do not admit His divinity, say +that He was the best man who ever lived; but if He were not +Divine, for that very reason He ought not to be reckoned a good +man, for He laid claim to an honor and dignity to which these +very people declare He had no right or title. That would rank Him +as a deceiver.</p> +<p class="pn">Others say that He thought He was divine, but that +He was deceived. As if Jesus Christ were carried away by a +delusion and deception, and thought that He was more than He was! +I could not conceive of a lower idea of Jesus Christ than that. +This would not only make Him out an impostor; but that He was out +of His mind, and that He did not know who He was, or where He +came from. Now if Jesus Christ was not what He claimed to be, the +Saviour of the world; and if He did not come from heaven, He was +a gross deceiver.</p> +<p class="pn">But how can any one read the life of Jesus Christ +and make Him out a deceiver? A man has generally some motive for +being an impostor. What was Christ’s motive? He knew that the +course He was pursuing would conduct Him to the cross; that His +name would be cast out as vile; and that many of His followers +would be called upon to lay down their lives for His sake. Nearly +every one of the apostles were martyrs; and they were considered +as off-scouring and refuse in the midst of the people. If a man +is an impostor, he has a motive at the back of his hypocrisy. But +what was Christ’s object? The record is that “He went about doing +good.” This is not the work of an impostor. Do not let the enemy +of your soul deceive you.</p> +<p class="pn">In John v. 21 we read: “For as the Father raiseth +up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom +He will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all +judgment unto the Son: that all men should honor the Son, even as +they honor the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth +not the Father which hath sent Him.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now notice: by the Jewish law if a man were a +blasphemer he was to be put to death; and supposing Christ to be +merely human if this be not blasphemy I do not know where you +will find it. “He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the +Father.” That is downright blasphemy if Christ be not divine. If +Moses, or Elijah, or Elisha, or any other mortal had said, “You +must honour me as you honor God;” and had put himself on a level +with God, it would have been downright blasphemy.</p> +<p class="pn">The Jews put Christ to death because they said that +He was not what He claimed to be. It was on that testimony He was +put under oath. The high priest said: “I adjure Thee by the +living God, that Thou tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son +of God” (Matt. xxvi. 63). And when the Jews came round Him and +said, “How long dost Thou make us to doubt? If Thou be the Christ +tell us plainly.” Jesus said, “I and My Father are one.” Then the +Jews took up stones again to stone Him. (John x. 24-33.) They +said they did not want to hear more, for that was blasphemy. It +was for declaring Himself to be the Son of God that He was +condemned and put to death. (Matt. xxvi. 63-66).</p> +<p class="pn">Now if Jesus Christ were mere man the Jews did +right, according to their law, in putting Him to death. In +Leviticus xxiv. 16, we read: “And he that blasphemeth the name of +the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the +congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as +he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the +Lord, shall be put to death.”</p> +<p class="pn">This law obliged them to put to death every one who +blasphemed. It was making the statement that He was divine that +cost Him His life; and by the Mosaic law He ought to have +suffered the death penalty. In John xvi. 15, Christ says, “All +things that the Father hath are Mine: therefore said I, that He +shall take of Mine, and shall show it unto you.” How could He be +merely a good man and use language as that?</p> +<p class="pn">No doubt has ever entered my mind on the point +since I was converted.</p> +<p class="pn">A notorious sinner was once asked how he could +prove the divinity of Christ. His answer was, “Why, He has saved +me; and that is a pretty good proof, is it not?”</p> +<p class="pn">An infidel on one occasion said to me, “I have been +studying the life of John the Baptist, Mr. Moody. Why don’t you +preach him? He was a greater character than Christ. You would do +a greater work.” I said to him, “My friend, you preach John the +Baptist; and I will follow you and preach Christ: and we will see +who will do the most good.” “You will do the most good,” he said, +“because the people are so superstitious.” Ah! John was beheaded; +and his disciples begged his body and buried it: but Christ has +risen from the dead; He has “ascended on high; He has led +captivity captive; and received gifts for men.” (Ps. lxviii. +18.)</p> +<p class="pn">Our Christ <span class="sc">lives</span>. Many +people have not found out that Christ has risen from the grave. +They worship a dead Saviour, like Mary, who said, “They have +taken away my Lord; and I know not where they have laid Him.” +(John xx. 13.) That is the trouble with those who doubt the +divinity of our Lord.</p> +<p class="pn">Then look at Matthew xviii. 20. “Where two or three +are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of +them.” “T<span class="sc">here am</span> I.” Well now, if He is a +mere man, how can He be there? All these are strong passages.</p> +<p class="pn">Again in Matthew xxviii. 18. “And Jesus came and +spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven +and in earth.” Could He be a mere man and talk in that way? “All +power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth!”</p> +<p class="pn">Then again in Matthew xxviii. 20. “Teaching them to +observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am +with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” If He were mere +man, how could He be with us? Yet He says, “I am with you away, +even unto the end of the world!”</p> +<p class="pn">Then again in Mark ii. 7. “Why doth this Man thus +speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And +immediately when Jesus perceived in His Spirit that they reasoned +within themselves, He said unto them, Why reason ye these things +in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the +palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, Arise and take up +thy bed and walk?”</p> +<p class="pn">Some men will meet you and say, “Did not Elisha +also raise the dead?” Notice that in the rare instances in which +men have raised the dead, they did it by the power of God. They +called on God to do it. But when Christ was on earth He did not +call upon the Father to bring the dead to life, When He went to +the house of Jairus He said, “Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise.” +(Mark v. 41.)</p> +<p class="pn">He had power to impart life. When they were +carrying the young man out of Nain He had compassion on the +widowed mother and came and touched the bier and said, “Young +man, I say unto thee, Arise.” (Luke vii. 14.)</p> +<p class="pn">He spake; and the dead arose.</p> +<p class="pn">And when He raised Lazarus He called with a loud +voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” (John xi. 43.) And Lazarus heard, +and came forth.</p> +<p class="pn">Some one has said, It was a good thing that Lazarus +was mentioned by name, or all the dead within the sound of +Christ’s voice would immediately have risen.</p> +<p class="pn">In John v. 25, Jesus says: “Verily, verily, I say +unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall +hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live.” +What blasphemy would this have been, had He not been divine! The +proof is overwhelming, if you will but examine the Word of +God.</p> +<p class="pn">And then another thing—no good man except Jesus +Christ has ever allowed anybody to worship him. When this was +done He never rebuked the worshiper. In John ix. 38, we read that +when the blind man was found by Christ he said, “Lord, I believe. +And he worshiped Him.” The Lord did not rebuke him.</p> +<p class="pn">Then again, Revelation xxii. 6, runs thus: “And he +said unto me, These things are faithful and true; and the Lord +God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show unto His servants +the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: +blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this +book. And I John saw these things and heard them. And when I had +heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the +angel which showed me these things. Then saith He unto me, See +thou do it not; for I am thy fellow-servant and of thy brethren +the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book, +<i>worship God</i>.”</p> +<p class="pn">We see here that even that angel would not allow +John to worship him. Even an angel from heaven! And if Gabriel +came down here from the presence of God it would be a sin to +worship him, or any seraph, or any cherub, or Michael, or any +archangel.</p> +<p class="pn">“W<span class="sc">orship God</span>!” And if Jesus +Christ were not God manifest in the flesh we are guilty of +idolatry in worshiping Him. In Matthew xiv. 33, we read: “Then +they that were in the ship came and <i>worshiped</i> Him, saying, +Of a truth Thou art the Son of God.” He did not rebuke them.</p> +<p class="pn">And in Matthew viii. 2, we also read: “And, behold, +there came a leper and <i>worshiped</i> Him, saying, Lord, if +Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.”</p> +<p class="pn">In Matthew xv. 25: “Then came she, and +<i>worshiped</i> Him, saying, Lord, help me!”</p> +<p class="pn">There are many other passages; but I give these as +sufficient in my opinion to prove beyond any doubt the Divinity +of our Lord.</p> +<p class="pn">In the 14th chapter of Acts we are told the heathen +at Lystra came with garlands and would have done sacrifice to +Paul and Barnabas because they had cured an impotent man; but the +evangelists rent their clothes and told these Lystrans that they +were but men, and not to be worshipped; as if it were a great +sin. And if Jesus Christ is a mere man, we are all guilty of a +great sin in worshipping Him.</p> +<p class="pn">But if He is, as we believe, the only-begotten and +well-beloved Son of God, let us yield to His claims upon us; let +us rest on His all-atoning work, and go forth to serve Him all +the days of our life.</p> +<h1><a name="VI" id="VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1"><i>REPENTANCE AND RESTITUTION</i>.</p> +<p class="pt2">“God commandeth all men everywhere to +repent.”—A<span class="sc">cts</span> xvii. 30.</p> +<p class="pn">R<span class="sc">epentance</span> is one of the +fundamental doctrines of the Bible. Yet I believe it is one of +those truths that many people little understand at the present +day. There are more people to-day in the mist and darkness about +Repentance, Regeneration, the Atonement, and such-like +fundamental truths, than perhaps on any other doctrines. Yet from +our earliest years we have heard about them. If I were to ask for +a definition of Repentance, a great many would give a very +strange and false idea of it.</p> +<p class="pn">A man is not prepared to believe or to receive the +Gospel, unless he is ready to repent of his sins and turn from +them. Until John the Baptist met Christ, he had but one text, +“Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. iii. +2). But if he had continued to say this, and had stopped there +without pointing the people to Christ the Lamb of God, he would +not have accomplished much.</p> +<p class="pn">When Christ came, He took up the same wilderness +cry, “Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. iv. +17). And when our Lord sent out His disciples, it was with the +same message, “that men should repent” (Mark vi. 12). After He +had been glorified, and when the Holy Ghost came down, we find +Peter on the day of Pentecost raising the same cry, “Repent!” It +was this preaching—Repent, and believe the Gospel—that wrought +such marvellous results then. (Acts ii. 38-47). And we find +that, when Paul went to Athens, he uttered the same cry, +“<i>Now</i> God commandeth <i>all men, everywhere</i>, to +repent” (Acts xvii. 30).</p> +<p class="pn">Before I speak of what Repentance <i>is</i>, let me +briefly say what it <i>is not</i>. Repentance is not <i>fear</i>. +Many people have confounded the two. They think they have to be +alarmed and terrified; and they are waiting for some kind of fear +to come down upon them. But multitudes become alarmed who do not +really repent. You have heard of men at sea during a terrible +storm. Perhaps they have been very profane men; but when the +danger came they suddenly grew quiet, and began to cry to God for +mercy. Yet you would not say they repented. When the storm had +passed away, they went on swearing the same as before. You might +think that the king of Egypt repented when God sent the terrible +plagues upon him and his land. But it was not repentance at all. +The moment God’s hand was removed Pharaoh’s heart was harder than +ever. He did not turn from a single sin; he was the same man. So +that there was no true repentance there.</p> +<p class="pn">Often, when death comes into a family, it looks as +if the event would be sanctified to the conversion of all who are +in the house. Yet in six months’ time all may be forgotten. Some +who read this have perhaps passed through that experience. When +God’s hand was heavy upon them it looked as if they were going to +repent; but the trial has been removed—and lo and behold, the +impression has all gone.</p> +<p class="pn">Then again, Repentance is not <i>feeling</i>. I +find a great many people are waiting for a certain kind of +feeling to come. They would like to turn to God; but think they +cannot do it until this feeling comes. When I was in Baltimore I +used to preach every Sunday in the Penitentiary to nine hundred +convicts. There was hardly a man there who did not feel miserable +enough: they had plenty of feeling. For the first week or ten +days of their imprisonment many of them cried half the time. Yet, +when they were released, most of them would go right back to +their old ways. The truth was, that they felt very bad because +they had got caught; that was all. So you have seen a man in the +time of trial show a good deal of feeling: but very often it is +only because he has got into trouble; not because he has +committed sin, or because his conscience tells him he has done +evil in the sight of God. It seems as if the trial were going to +result in true repentance; but the feeling too often passes +away.</p> +<p class="pn">Once again, Repentance is not <i>fasting and +afflicting the body</i>. A man may fast for weeks and months and +years, and yet not repent of one sin. Neither is it +<i>remorse</i>. Judas had terrible remorse—enough to make him go +and hang himself; but that was not repentance. I believe if he +had gone to his Lord, fallen on his face, and confessed his sin, +he would have been forgiven. Instead of this he went to the +priests, and then put an end to his life. A man may do all sorts +of penance—but there is no true repentance in that. Put that down +in your mind. You cannot meet the claims of God by offering the +fruit of your body for the sin of your soul. Away with such a +delusion!</p> +<p class="pn">Repentance is not <i>conviction of sin</i>. That +may sound strange to some. I have seen men under such deep +conviction of sin that they could not sleep at night; they could +not enjoy a single meal. They went on for months in this state; +and yet they were not converted; they did not truly repent. Do +not confound conviction of sin with Repentance.</p> +<p class="pn">Neither is <i>praying</i>—Repentance. That too may +sound strange. Many people, when they become anxious about their +soul’s salvation, say, “I will pray, and read the Bible;” and +they think that will bring about the desired effect. But it will +not do it. You may read the Bible and cry to God a great deal, +and yet never repent. Many people cry loudly to God, and yet do +not repent.</p> +<p class="pn">Another thing: it is not <i>breaking off some one +sin</i>. A great many people make that mistake. A man who has +been a drunkard signs the pledge, and stops drinking. Breaking +off one sin is not Repentance. Forsaking one vice is like +breaking off one limb of a tree, when the whole tree has to come +down. A profane man stops swearing; very good: but if he does not +break off <i>from every sin</i> it is not Repentance—it is not +the work of God in the soul. When God works He hews down the +whole tree. He wants to have a man turn from every sin. Supposing +I am in a vessel out at sea, and I find the ship leaks in three +or four places. I may go and stop up one hole; yet down goes the +vessel. Or suppose I am wounded in three or four places, and I +get a remedy for one wound: if the other two or three wounds are +neglected, my life will soon be gone. True Repentance is not +merely breaking off this or that particular sin.</p> +<p class="pn">Well then, you will ask, what is Repentance? I will +give you a good definition: it is “right about face!” In the +Irish language the word “Repentance” means even more than “right +about face!” It implies that a man who has been walking in one +direction has not only faced about, but is actually walking in an +exactly contrary direction. “Turn ye, turn ye; for why will ye +die?” A man may have little feeling or much feeling; but if he +does not turn away from sin, God will not have mercy on him. +Repentance has also been described as “a change of mind.” For +instance, there is the parable told by Christ: “A certain man had +two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to-day +in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not” (Matt. xxi. +28, 29). After he had said “I will not” he thought over it, and +changed his mind. Perhaps he may have said to himself, “I did not +speak very respectfully to my father. He asked me to go and work, +and I told him I would not go. I think I was wrong.” But suppose +he had only said this, and still had not gone, he would not have +repented. He was not only convinced that he was wrong; but he +went off into the fields, hoeing, or mowing or whatever it was. +That is Christ’s definition of repentance. If a man says, “By the +grace of God I will forsake my sin, and do His will,” that is +Repentance—a turning right about.</p> +<p class="pn">Some one has said, man is born with his face turned +away from God. When he truly repents he is turned right around +towards God; he leaves his old life.</p> +<p class="pn">Can a man at once repent? Certainly he can. It does +not take a long while to turn around. It does not take a man six +months to change his mind. There was a vessel that went down some +time ago on the Newfoundland coast. As she was bearing towards +the shore, there was a moment when the captain could have given +orders to reverse the engines and turn back. If the engines had +been reversed then, the ship would have been saved. But there was +a moment when it was too late. So there is a moment, I believe, +in every man’s life when he can halt and say, “By the grace of +God I will go no further towards death and ruin. I repent of my +sins and turn from them.” You may say you have not got feeling +enough; but if you are convinced that you are on the wrong road, +turn right about, and say, “I will no longer go on in the way of +rebellion and sin as I have done.”</p> +<p class="pn">Just then, when you are willing to turn towards +God, salvation may be yours.</p> +<p class="pn">I find that every case of conversion recorded in +the Bible was instantaneous. Repentance and faith came very +suddenly. The moment a man made up his mind, God gave him the +power. God does not ask any man to do what he has not the power +to do. He would not command “all men everywhere to repent” (Acts +xvii. 30) if they were not able to do so. Man has no one to blame +but himself if he does not repent and believe the Gospel. One of +the leading ministers of the Gospel in Ohio wrote me a letter +some time ago describing his conversion; it very forcibly +illustrates this point of instantaneous decision. He said:</p> +<p class="pn">“I was nineteen years old, and was reading law with +a Christian lawyer in Vermont. One afternoon when he was away +from home, his good wife said to me as I came into the house, ‘I +want you to go to class-meeting with me to-night and become a +Christian, so that you can conduct family worship while my +husband is away.’ ‘Well, I’ll do it,’ I said, without any +thought. When I came into the house again she asked me if I was +honest in what I had said. I replied, ‘Yes, so far as going to +meeting with you is concerned; that is only courteous.’</p> +<p class="pn">“I went with her to the class-meeting, as I had +often done before. About a dozen persons were present in a little +school-house. The leader had spoken to all in the room but myself +and two others. He was speaking to the person next me, when the +thought occurred to me: he will ask me if I have anything to say. +I said to myself: I have decided to be a Christian sometime; why +not begin now? In less time than a minute after these thoughts +had passed through my mind he said, speaking to me familiarly—for +he knew me very well—‘Brother Charles, have you anything to say?’ +I replied, with perfect coolness, ‘Yes, sir. I have just decided, +within the last thirty seconds, that I will begin a Christian +life, and would like to have you pray for me.’</p> +<p class="pn">“My coolness staggered him; I think he almost +doubted my sincerity. He said very little, but passed on and +spoke to the other two. After a few general remarks, he turned to +me and said, ‘Brother Charles, will you close the meeting with +prayer?’ He knew I had never prayed in public. Up to this moment +I had no feeling. It was purely a business transaction. My first +thought was: I cannot pray, and I will ask him to excuse me. My +second was: I have said I will begin a Christian life; and this +is a part of it. So I said, ‘Let us pray.’ And somewhere between +the time I started to kneel and the time my knees struck the +floor the Lord converted my soul.</p> +<p class="pn">“The first words I said were, ‘Glory to God!’ What +I said after that I do not know, and it does not matter, for my +soul was too full to say much but Glory! From that hour the devil +has never dared to challenge my conversion. To Christ be all the +praise.”</p> +<p class="pn">Many people are waiting, they cannot exactly tell +for what, but for some sort of miraculous feeling to come +stealing over them—some mysterious kind of faith. I was speaking +to a man some years ago, and he always had one answer to give me. +For five years I tried to win him to Christ, and every year he +said, “It has not ‘struck me’ yet.” “Man, what do you mean? What +has not struck you?” “Well,” he said, “I am not going to become a +Christian until it strikes me; and it has not struck me yet. I do +not see it in the way you see it.” “But don’t you know you are a +sinner?” “Yes, I know I am a sinner.” “Well, don’t you know that +God wants to have mercy on you—that there is forgiveness with +God? He wants you to repent and come to Him.” “Yes, I know that; +but—it has not struck me yet.” He always fell back on that. Poor +man! he went down to his grave in a state of indecision. Sixty +long years God gave him to repent; and all he had to say at the +end of those years was that it “had not struck him yet.”</p> +<p class="pn">Is any reader waiting for some strange feeling—you +do not know what? Nowhere in the Bible is a man told to wait; God +is commanding you now to repent.</p> +<p class="pn">Do you think God can forgive a man when he does not +want to be forgiven? Would he be happy if God forgave him in this +state of mind? Why, if a man went into the kingdom of God without +repentance, heaven would be hell to him. Heaven is a prepared +place for a prepared people. If your boy has done wrong, and will +not repent, you cannot forgive him. You would be doing him an +injustice. Suppose he goes to your desk, and steals $10, and +squanders it. When you come home your servant tells you what your +boy has done. You ask if it is true, and he denies it. But at +last you have certain proof. Even when he finds he cannot deny it +any longer, he will not confess the sin, but says he will do it +again the first chance he gets. Would you say to him, “Well, I +forgive you,” and leave the matter there? No! Yet people say that +God is going to save all men, whether they repent or +not—drunkards, thieves, harlots, whoremongers, it makes no +difference. “God is so merciful,” they say. Dear friend, do not +be deceived by the god of this world. Where there is true +repentance and a turning from sin unto God, He will meet and +bless you; but He never blesses until there is sincere +repentance.</p> +<p class="pn">David made a woful mistake in this respect with his +rebellious son, Absalom. He could not have done his son a greater +injustice than to forgive him when his heart was unchanged. There +could be no true reconciliation between them when there was no +repentance. But God does not make these mistakes. David got into +trouble on account of his error of judgment. His son soon drove +his father from the throne.</p> +<p class="pn">Speaking on repentance, Dr. Brooks, of St. Louis, +well remarks: “Repentance, strictly speaking, means a ‘change of +mind or purpose;’ consequently it is the judgment which the +sinner pronounces upon himself, in view of the love of God +displayed in the death of Christ, connected with the abandonment +of all confidence in himself and with trust in the only Saviour +of sinners. Saving repentance and saving faith always go +together; and you need not be worried about repentance if you +will believe.”</p> +<p class="pn">“Some people are no sure that they have ‘repented +enough.’ If you mean by this that you must repent in order to +incline God to be merciful to you, the sooner you give over such +repentance the better. God is already merciful, as He has fully +shown at the Cross of Calvary; and it is a grievous dishonor to +His heart of love if you think that your tears and anguish will +move Him, not knowing that ‘the goodness of God leadeth thee to +repentance.’ It is not your badness, therefore, but His goodness +that leads to repentance; hence the true way to repent is to +believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, ‘who was delivered for our +offences, and was raised again for our justification.’”</p> +<p class="pn">Another thing. If there is true repentance it will +bring forth fruit. If we have done wrong to any one we should +never ask God to forgive us, until we are willing to make +restitution. If I have done any man a great injustice and can +make it good, I need not ask God to forgive me until I am willing +to make it good. Suppose I have taken something that does not +belong to me. I have no right to expect forgiveness until I make +restitution.</p> +<p class="pn">I remember preaching in one of our large cities, +when a fine-looking man came up to me at the close. He was in +great distress of mind. “The fact is,” he said, “I am a +defaulter. I have taken money that belonged to my employers. How +can I become a Christian without restoring it?” “Have you got the +money?” He told me he had not got it all. He had taken about +$1,500, and he still had about $900. He said “Could I not take +that money and go into business, and make enough to pay them +back?” I told him that was a delusion of Satan; that he could not +expect to prosper on stolen money; that he should restore all he +had, and go and ask his employers to have mercy upon him and +forgive him. “But they will put me in prison,” he said: “cannot +you give me any help?” “No, you must restore the money before you +can expect to get any help from God.” “It is pretty hard,” he +said. “Yes. it is hard; but the great mistake was in doing the +wrong at first.”</p> +<p class="pn">His burden became so heavy that it got to be +insupportable. He handed me the money—950 dollars and some +cents—and asked me to take it back to his employers. The next +evening the two employers and myself met in a side room of the +church. I laid the money down, and informed them it was from one +of their <i>employes</i>. I told them the story, and said he +wanted mercy from them, not justice. The tears trickled down the +cheeks of these two men, and they said, “Forgive him! Yes, we +will be glad to forgive him.” I went down stairs and brought him +up. After he had confessed his guilt and been forgiven, we all +got down on our knees and had a blessed prayer-meeting. God met +us and blessed us there.</p> +<p class="pn">There was a friend of mine who some time ago had +come to Christ and wished to consecrate himself and his wealth to +God. He had formerly had transactions with the government, and +had taken advantage of them. This thing came up when he was +converted, and his conscience troubled him. He said, “I want to +consecrate my wealth, but it seems as if God will not take it.” +He had a terrible struggle; his conscience kept rising up and +smiting him. At last he drew a check for $1,500 and sent it to +the United States Treasury. He told me he received such a +blessing when he had done it. That was bringing forth “fruits +meet for repentance.” I believe a great many men are crying to +God for light; and they are not getting it because they are not +honest.</p> +<p class="pn">I was once preaching, and a man came to me who was +only thirty-two years old, but whose hair was very grey. He said, +“I want you to notice that my hair is grey, and I am only +thirty-two years old. For twelve years I have carried a great +burden.” “Well,” I said, “what is it?” He looked around as if +afraid some one would hear him. “Well,” he answered, “my father +died and left my mother with the county newspaper, and left her +only that: that was all she had. After he died the paper begun to +waste away; and I saw my mother was fast sinking into a state of +need. The building and the paper were insured for a thousand +dollars, and when I was twenty years old I set fire to the +building, and obtained the thousand dollars, and gave it to my +mother. For twelve years that sin has been haunting me. I have +tried to drown it by indulgence in pleasure and sin; I have +cursed God; I have gone into infidelity; I have tried to make out +that the Bible is not true; I have done everything I could: but +all these years I have been tormented.” I said, “There is a way +out of that.” He inquired “How?” I said, “Make restitution. Let +us sit down and calculate the interest, and then you pay the +Company the money.” It would have done you good to see that man’s +face light up when he found there was mercy for him. He said he +would be glad to pay back the money and interest if he could only +be forgiven.</p> +<p class="pn">There are men to-day who are in darkness and +bondage because they are not willing to turn from their sins and +confess them; and I do not know how a man can hope to be forgiven +if he is not willing to confess his sins.</p> +<p class="pn">Bear in mind that <i>now</i> is the only day of +mercy you will ever have. You can repent now, and have the awful +record blotted out. God waits to forgive you; He is seeking to +bring you to Himself. But I think the Bible teaches clearly that +there is <i>no repentance after this life</i>. There are some who +tell you of the possibility of repentance in the grave; but I do +not find that in Scripture. I have looked my Bible over very +carefully, and I cannot find that a man will have another +opportunity of being saved.</p> +<p class="pn"><i>Why should he ask for any more time?</i> You +have time enough to repent now. You can turn from your sins this +moment if you will. God says: “I have no pleasure in the death of +him that dieth; wherefore turn, and live ye” (Ezek. xviii. +32).</p> +<p class="pn">Christ said, He “came not to call the righteous, +but sinners to repentance.” Are you a sinner? Then the call to +repent is addressed to you. Take your place in the dust at the +Saviour’s feet, and acknowledge your guilt. Say, like the +publican of old, “God be merciful to me a sinner!” and see how +quickly He will pardon and bless you. He will even justify you +and reckon you as righteous, by virtue of the righteousness of +Him who bore your sins in His own body on the Cross.</p> +<p class="pn">There are some perhaps who think themselves +righteous; and that, therefore, there is no need for them to +repent and believe the Gospel. They are like the Pharisee in the +parable, who thanked God that he was not as other +men—“extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican;” +and who went on to say, “I fast twice a week; I give tithes of +all I possess.” What is the judgment about such self-righteous +persons? “I tell you this man [the poor, contrite, repenting +publican] went down to his house justified rather than the +other” (Luke xviii. 11-14). “There is none righteous; no, not +one.” “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” +(Rom. iii. 10, 23). Let no one say <i>he</i> does not need to +repent. Let each one take his true place—that of a sinner; then +God will lift him up to the place of forgiveness and +justification. “Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased: and +he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke xiv. 11).</p> +<p class="pn">Wherever God sees true repentance in the heart He +meets that soul.</p> +<p class="pn">I was in Colorado, preaching the gospel some time +ago, and I heard something that touched my heart very much. The +governor of the State was passing through the prison, and in one +cell he found a boy who had his window full of flowers, that +seemed to have been watched with very tender care. The governor +looked at the prisoner, and then at the flowers, and asked whose +they were, “These are my flowers,” said the poor convict. “Are +you fond of flowers?” “Yes, sir.” “How long have you been here?” +He told him so many years: he was in for a long sentence. The +governor was surprised to find him so fond of the flowers, and he +said, “Can you tell me why you like these flowers so much?” With +much emotion he replied, “While my mother was alive she thought a +good deal of flowers; and when I came here I thought if I had +these they would remind me of mother.” The governor was so +pleased that he said, “Well, young man, if you think so much of +your mother I think you will appreciate your liberty,” and he +pardoned him then and there.</p> +<p class="pn">When God finds that beautiful flower of true +repentance springing up in a man’s heart, then salvation comes to +that man.</p> +<h1><a name="VII" id="VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1"><i>ASSURANCE OF SALVATION</i>.</p> +<p class="pn f11">“These things have I written unto you that +believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may knew that ye +have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son +of God.”</p> +<p class="pt2">(1 J<span class="sc">ohn</span> v. 13. )</p> +<p class="pn">T<span class="sc">here</span> are two classes who +ought not to have Assurance. First: those who are in the Church, +but who are not converted, having never been born of the Spirit. +Second: those not willing to do God’s will; who are not ready to +take the place that God has mapped out for them, but want to fill +some other place.</p> +<p class="pn">Some one will ask “Have all God’s people +Assurance?” No; I think a good many of God’s dear people have no +Assurance; but it is the privilege of every child of God to have +beyond doubt a knowledge of his own salvation. No man is fit for +God’s service who is filled with doubts. If a man is not sure of +his own salvation, how can he help any one else into the kingdom +of God? If I seem in danger of drowning and do not know whether I +shall ever reach the shore, I cannot assist another. I must first +get on the solid rock myself; and then I can lend my brother a +helping hand. If being myself blind I were to tell another blind +man how to get sight, he might reply, “First get healed yourself; +and then you can tell me.” I recently met with a young man who +was a Christian: but he had not attained to victory over sin. He +was in terrible darkness. Such an one is not fit to work for God, +because he has besetting sins; and he has not the victory over +his doubts, because he has not the victory over his sins.</p> +<p class="pn">None will have time or heart to work for God, who +are not assured as to their own salvation. They have as much as +they can attend to; and being themselves burdened with doubts, +they cannot help others to carry their burdens. There is no rest, +joy, or peace—no liberty, nor power—where doubts and uncertainty +exist.</p> +<p class="pn">Now it seems as if there are three wiles of Satan +against which we ought to be on our guard. In the first place he +moves all his kingdom to keep us away from Christ; then he +devotes himself to get us into “Doubting Castle:” but if we have, +in spite of him, a clear ringing witness for the Son of God, he +will do all he can to blacken our characters and belie our +testimony.</p> +<p class="pn">Some seem to think that it is presumption not to +have doubts; but doubt is very dishonoring to God. If any one +were to say that they had known a person for thirty years and yet +doubted him, it would not be very creditable; and when we have +known God for ten, twenty or thirty years does it not reflect on +His veracity to doubt Him.</p> +<p class="pn">Could Paul and the early Christians and martyrs +have gone through what they did if they had been filled with +doubts, and had not known whether they were going to heaven or to +perdition after they had been burned at the stake? They must have +had A<span class="sc">ssurance</span>.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. Spurgeon says: “I never heard of a stork that +when it met with a fir tree demurred as to its right to build its +nest there; and I never heard of a coney yet that questioned +whether it had a permit to run into the rock. Why, these +creatures would soon perish if they were always doubting and +fearing as to whether they had a right to use providential +provisions.</p> +<p class="pn">“The stork says to himself, ‘Ah, here is a fir +tree:’ he consults with his mate, ‘Will this do for the nest in +which we may rear our young?’ ‘Aye,’ says she; and they gather +the materials, and arrange them. There is never any deliberation, +‘May we build here?’ but they bring their sticks and make their +nest.</p> +<p class="pn">“The wild goat on the crag does not say, ‘Have I a +right here?’ No, he must be somewhere: and there is a crag which +exactly suits him; and he springs upon it.</p> +<p class="pn">“Yet, though these dumb creatures know the +provision of their God, the sinner does not recognize the +provision of his Saviour. He quibbles and questions, ‘May I?’ and +am ‘I am afraid it is not for me;’ and ‘I think it cannot be +meant for me;’ and ‘I am afraid it is too good to be true.’</p> +<p class="pn">“And yet nobody ever said to the stork, ‘Whosoever +buildeth on this fir tree shall never have his nest pulled down.’ +No inspired word has ever said to the coney, ‘Whosoever runs into +this rock cleft shall never be driven out of it.’ If it had been +so it would make assurance doubly sure.”</p> +<p class="pn">“And yet here is Christ provided for sinners, just +the sort of a Saviour sinners need; and the encouragement is +added, ‘Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out;’ +‘Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.’”</p> +<p class="pn">Now let us come to the Word. John tells us in his +Gospel what Christ did for us on earth. In his Epistle He tells +us what He is doing for us in heaven as our Advocate. In his +Gospel there are only two chapters in which the word “believe” +does not occur. With these two exceptions, every chapter in John +is “Believe! <i>Believe!!</i> B<span class="sc">elieve</span>!!!” +He tells us in xx. 31, “But these are written, that ye might +believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that, +believing, ye might have life through His name.” That is the +purpose for which he wrote the Gospel—“that we might believe that +Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God: and that, believing, we +might have life through His name” (John xx. 31).</p> +<p class="pn">Turn to 1 John v. 13, he there tells us why he +wrote this Epistle: “These things have I written unto you that +believe on the name of the Son of God.” Notice to whom he writes +it “You that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may +know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the +name of the Son of God.” There are only five short chapters in +this first Epistle, and the word “know” occurs over forty times. +It is “<i>Know!</i> K<span class="sc">now</span>!! KNOW!!!” The +Key to it is K<span class="sc">now</span>! and all through the +Epistle there rings out the refrain—“that we might know that we +have eternal life.”</p> +<p class="pn">I went twelve hundred miles down the Mississippi in +the spring some years ago; and every evening, just as the sun +went down, you might have seen men, and sometimes women, riding +up to the banks of the river on either side on mules or horses, +and sometimes coming on foot, for the purpose of lighting up the +Government lights; and all down that mighty river there were +landmarks which guided the pilots in their dangerous navigation. +Now God has given us lights or landmarks to tell us whether we +are His children or not; and what we need to do is to examine the +tokens He has given us.</p> +<p class="pn">In the third chapter of John’s first Epistle there +are five things worth knowing.</p> +<p class="pn">In the fifth verse we read the first: “And ye +<i>know</i> that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in +Him is no sin.” Not what I have done, but what HE has done. Has +He failed in His mission? Is He not able to do what He came for? +Did ever any heaven-sent man fail yet? and could God’s own Son +fail? H<span class="sc">e was manifested to take away our +sins</span>.</p> +<p class="pn">Again, in the nineteenth verse, the second thing +worth knowing: “And hereby <i>we know</i> that we are of the +truth, and shall <i>assure</i> our hearts before Him.” +W<span class="sc">e know</span> that we are of <span class= +"sc">the truth</span>. And if the truth make us free, we shall be +free indeed. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall +be free indeed.” (John viii. 36.)</p> +<p class="pn">The third thing worth knowing is in the fourteenth +verse, “<i>We know</i> that we have passed from death unto life, +because we love the brethren.” The natural man does not like +godly people, nor does he care to be in their company. “He that +loveth not his brother abideth in death.” He has no spiritual +life.</p> +<p class="pn">The fourth thing worth knowing we find in verse +twenty-four: “And he that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in +Him, and He in him. And hereby <i>we know</i> that He abideth in +us, by the Spirit which He hath given us.” We can tell what kind +of Spirit we have if we possess the Spirit of Christ—a +Christ-like spirit—not the same in degree, but the same in kind. +If I am meek, gentle, and forgiving; if I have a spirit filled +with peace and joy; if I am long-suffering and gentle, like the +Son of God—that is a test: and in that way we are to tell whether +we have eternal life or not.</p> +<p class="pn">The fifth thing worth knowing, and the best of all, +is “Beloved, <i>now</i>.” Notice the word “N<span class= +"sc">ow</span>.” It does not say when you come to die. “Beloved, +<i>now</i> are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear +what we shall be: but <i>we know</i> that, when He shall appear; +we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (v. 2).</p> +<p class="pn">But some will say, “Well, I believe all that; but +then I have sinned since I became a Christian.” Is there a man or +a woman on the face of the earth who has not sinned since +becoming a Christian? Not one! There never has been, and never +will be, a soul on this earth who has not sinned, or who will not +sin, at some time of their Christian experience. But God has made +provision for believers’ sins. <i>We</i> are not to make +provision for them; but God has. Bear that in mind.</p> +<p class="pn">Turn to 1 John ii. 1: “My little children, these +things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we +have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” He +is here writing to the righteous. “If any man sin, +<i>we</i>”—John put himself in—“we have an Advocate with the +Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” What an Advocate! He attends +to our interests at the very best place—the throne of God. He +said, “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is expedient for +you that I go away” (John xvi. 7). He went away to become our +High Priest, and also our Advocate. He has had some hard cases to +plead; but he has never lost one: and if you entrust your +immortal interests to Him, He will “present you faultless before +the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24).</p> +<p class="pn">The past sins of Christians are all forgiven as +soon as they are confessed; and they are never to be mentioned. +That is a question which is not to be opened up again. If our +sins have been put away, that is the end of them. They are not to +be remembered; and God will not mention them any more. This is +very plain. Suppose I have a son who, while I am from home, does +wrong. When I go home he throws his arms around my neck and says, +“Papa, I did what you told me not to do. I am very sorry. Do +forgive me.” I say: “Yes, my son,” and kiss him. He wipes away +his tears, and goes off rejoicing.</p> +<p class="pn">But the next day he says: “Papa, I wish you would +forgive me for the wrong I did yesterday.” I should say: “Why, my +son, that thing is settled; and I don’t want it mentioned again.” +“But I wish you would forgive me: it would help me to hear you +say, ‘I forgive you.’” Would that be honoring me? Would it not +grieve me to have my boy doubt me? But to gratify him I say +again, “I forgive you, my son.”</p> +<p class="pn">And if, the next day, he were again to bring up +that old sin, and ask forgiveness, would not that grieve me to +the heart? And so, my dear reader, if God has forgiven us, never +let us mention the past. Let us forget those things which are +behind, and reach forth unto those which are before, and press +toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in +Christ Jesus. Let the sins of the past go; for “If we confess our +sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to +cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John i. 9).</p> +<p class="pn">And let me say that this principle is recognized in +courts of justice. A case came up in the courts of a country—I +won’t say where—in which a man had had trouble with his wife; but +he forgave her, and then afterwards brought her into court. And, +when it was known that he had forgiven her, the judge said that +the thing was settled. The judge recognized the soundness of the +principle, that if a sin were once forgiven there was an end of +it. And do you think the Judge of all the earth will forgive you +and me, and open the question again? Our sins are gone for time +and eternity, if God forgives: and what we have to do is to +confess and forsake our sins.</p> +<p class="pn">Again in 2 Corinthians xiii. 5: “Examine yourselves +whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not +your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be +reprobates?” Now examine yourselves. Try your religion. Put it to +the test. Can you forgive an enemy? That is a good way to know if +you are a child of God. Can you forgive an injury, or take an +affront, as Christ did? Can you be censured for doing well, and +not murmur? Can you be misjudged and misrepresented, and yet keep +a Christ-like spirit?</p> +<p class="pn">Another good test is to read Galatians v., and +notice the fruits of the Spirit; and see if you have them. “The +fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, +gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such +there is no law.” If I have the fruits of the Spirit I must have +the Spirit. I could not have the fruits without the Spirit any +more than there could be an orange without the tree. And Christ +says “Ye shall know them by their fruits;” “for the tree is known +by his fruits.” Make the tree good, and the fruit will be good. +The only way to get the fruit is to have the Spirit. That is the +way to examine ourselves whether we are the children of God.</p> +<p class="pn">Then there is another very striking passage. In +Romans viii. 9, Paul says: “Now, if any man have not the Spirit +of Christ, he is none of His.” That ought to settle the question, +even though one may have gone through all the external forms that +are considered necessary by some to constitute a member of a +Church. Read Paul’s life, and put yours alongside of it. If your +life resembles his, it is a proof that you are born again—that +you are a new creature in Christ Jesus.</p> +<p class="pn">But although you may be born again, it will require +time to become a full-grown Christian. Justification is +instantaneous; but sanctification is a life-work. We are to grow +in wisdom. Peter says “Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our +Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. iii. 18); and in the +first chapter of his Second Epistle, “Add to your faith virtue; +and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to +temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness +brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if +these things be in you and abound they make you that ye shall +neither be barron nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord +Jesus Christ.” So that we are to add grace to grace. A tree may +be perfect in its first year of growth; but it does not attain +its maturity. So with the Christian: he may be a true child of +God, but not a matured Christian. The eighth of Romans is very +important, and we should be very familiar with it. In the +fourteenth verse the apostle says: “For as many as are led by the +Spirit of God they are the sons of God.” Just as the soldier is +led by his captain, the pupil by his teacher, or the traveller by +his guide; so the Holy Spirit will be the guide of every true +child of God.</p> +<p class="pn">Then let me call your attention to another fact. +All Paul’s teaching in nearly every Epistle rings out the +doctrine of assurance. He says in 2 Corinthians v. 1: “For we +<i>know</i> that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were +dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with +hands, eternal in the heavens.” He had a title to the mansions +above, and he says—<i>I know it</i>. He was not living in +uncertainty. He said: “I have a desire to depart and be with +Christ” (Phil. i. 23); and if he had been uncertain he would not +have said that. Then in Colossians iii. 4, he says: “When Christ, +who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him +in glory.” I am told that Dr. Watts’ tombstone bears this same +passage of Scripture. There is no doubt there.</p> +<p class="pn">Then turn to Colossians i. 12: “Giving thanks unto +the Father, which <span class="sc">hath</span> made us meet to be +partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who +<i>hath</i> delivered us from the power of darkness, and +<i>hath</i> translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.”</p> +<p class="pn">Three <i>haths</i>: “<span class="sc">hath</span> +made us meet;” “<span class="sc">hath</span> delivered us;” and +“<span class="sc">hath</span> translated us.” It does not say +that He is going to make us meet; that He is going to deliver; +that He is going to translate.</p> +<p class="pn">Then again in verse 14th: “In whom we have +redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” We +are either forgiven or we are not, we should not give ourselves +any rest until we get into the kingdom of God; nor until we can +each look up and say, “I know that if my earthly house of this +tabernacle were dissolved, I have a building of God, a house not +made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor. v. 1).</p> +<p class="pn">Look at Romans viii. 32: “He that spared not His +own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with +Him also freely give us all things?” If He gave us His Son, will +He not give us the certainty that He is ours. I have heard this +illustration. There was a man who owed $10,000, and would have +been made a bankrupt, but a friend came forward and paid the sum. +It was found afterwards that he owed a few dollars more; but he +did not for a moment entertain a doubt that, as his friend had +paid the larger amount, he would also pay the smaller. And we +have high warrant for saying that if God has given us His Son He +will with Him also freely give us all things; and if we want to +realize our salvation beyond controversy He will not leave us in +darkness.</p> +<p class="pn">Again in the 33d verse: “Who shall lay anything to +the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he +that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is +risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also +maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love +of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or +famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For +Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as +sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more +than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded +that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor +powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor +depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from +the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”</p> +<p class="pn">That has the right ring in it. There is Assurance +for you. “I K<span class="sc">now</span>.” Do you think that the +God who has justified me will condemn me? That is quite an +absurdity. God is going to save us so that neither men, angels, +nor devils, can bring any charge against us or Him. He will have +the work complete.</p> +<p class="pn">Job lived in a darker day than we do; but we read +in Job xix. 25: “I <i>know</i> that my Redeemer liveth, and that +He shall stand in the latter day upon the earth.”</p> +<p class="pn">The same confidence breathes through Paul’s last +words to Timothy: “For the which cause I also suffer these +things: nevertheless I am not ashamed; for I <i>know</i> whom I +have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that +which I have committed unto Him against that day.” It is not a +matter of doubt, but of knowledge. “I know.” “I am persuaded.” +The word “Hope,” is not used in the Scripture to express doubt. +It is used in regard to the second coming of Christ, or to the +resurrection of the body. We do not say that we “hope” we are +Christians. I do not say that I “hope” I am an American, or that +I “hope” I am a married man. These are settled things. I may say +that I “hope” to go back to my home, or I hope to attend such a +meeting. I do not say that I “hope” to come to this country, for +I am here. And so, if we are born of God we know it; and He will +not leave us in darkness if we search the Scriptures.</p> +<p class="pn">Christ taught this doctrine to His seventy +disciples when they returned elated with their success, saying, +“Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through Thy name.” The +Lord seemed to check them, and said that He would give them +something to rejoice in. “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, +that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice because +your names are written in heaven.” (Luke x. 20.)</p> +<p class="pn">It is the privilege of every one of us to know, +beyond a doubt, that our salvation is sure. Then we can work for +others. But if we are doubtful of our own salvation, we are not +fit for the service of God.</p> +<p class="pn">Another passage is John v. 24: “Verily, verily I +say unto you: He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that +sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into +‘<i>judgment</i>,’” (the new translation has it so), “but is +passed from death unto life.”</p> +<p class="pn">Some people say that you never can tell till you +are before the great white throne of Judgment whether you are +saved or not. Why, my dear friend, if your life is hid with +Christ in God, you are not coming into judgment for your sins. We +may come into judgment for reward. This is clearly taught where +the lord reckoned with the servant to whom five talents had been +given, and who brought other five talents saying, “Lord, thou +deliveredst unto me five talents; behold, I have gained beside +them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou +good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few +things; I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into +the joy of thy lord.” (Matt. xxv. 20, 21.) We shall be judged +for our stewardship. That is one thing; but salvation—eternal +life—is another.</p> +<p class="pn">Will God demand payment twice of the debt which +Christ has paid for us? If Christ bear my sins in His own body on +the tree, am I to answer for them as well?</p> +<p class="pn">Isaiah tells us that, “He was wounded for our +transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the +chastisement of our peace was upon Him: and with His stripes we +are healed.” In Romans iv. 25, we read: He “was delivered for our +offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Let us +believe, and get the benefit of His finished work.</p> +<p class="pn">Then again in John x. 9: “I am the door: by Me if +any man enter in he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and +find pasture.” That is the promise. Then the 27th verse, “My +sheep hear my voice; and I know them, and they follow Me. And I +give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither +shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father which gave +them is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of +my Father’s hand.” Think of that! The Father, the Son, and the +Holy Ghost, are pledged to keep us. You see that it is not only +the Father, not only the Son, but the three persons of the Triune +God.</p> +<p class="pn">Now, a great many people want some token outside of +God’s word. That habit always brings doubt. If I made a promise +to meet a man at a certain hour and place to-morrow, and he were +to ask me for my watch as a token of my sincerity, it would be a +slur on my truthfulness. We must not question what God has said: +He has made statement after statement, and multiplied figure upon +figure. Christ says: “I am the door; by Me if any man enter in he +shall be saved.” “I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and +am known of Mine.” “I am the light of the world; he that +followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light +of life.” “I am the truth;” receive Me, and you will have the +truth; for I am the embodiment of truth. Do you want to know the +way? “I am the way:” follow Me, and I will lead you into the +kingdom. Are you hungering after righteousness? “I am the Bread +of life:” if you eat of Me you shall never hunger. “I am the +Water of life:” if you drink of this water it shall be within you +“a well of water springing up unto everlasting life.” “I am the +resurrection and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he +were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth +in Me shall never die.” (John xi. 25, 26.)</p> +<p class="pn">Let me remind you where our doubts come from. A +good many of God’s dear people never get beyond knowing +themselves servants. He calls us “friends.” If you go into a +house you will soon see the difference between the servant and +the son. The son walks at perfect liberty all over the house; he +is at home. But the servant takes a subordinate place. What we +want is to get beyond servants. We ought to realize our standing +with God as sons and daughters. He will not “un-child” His +children. God has not only adopted us, but we are His by birth: +we have been born into His kingdom. My little boy was as much +mine when he was a day old as now that he is fourteen. He was +<i>my son</i>; although it did not appear what he would be when +he attained manhood. He is mine; although he may have to undergo +probation under tutors and governors. The children of God are not +perfect; but we are perfectly His children.</p> +<p class="pn">Another origin of doubts is looking at ourselves. +If you want to be wretched and miserable, filled with doubts from +morning till night, look at yourselves. “Thou wilt keep him in +perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee.” (Isa. xxvi. 3.) +Many of God’s dear children are robbed of joy because they keep +looking at themselves.</p> +<p class="pn">Some one has said: “There are three ways to look. +If you want to be wretched, look within; if you wish to be +distracted, look around; but if you would have peace, look up.” +Peter looked away from Christ, and he immediately began to sink. +The Master said to him: “O thou of little faith! Wherefore didst +thou doubt?” (Matt. xiv. 31.) He had God’s eternal word, which +was sure footing, and better than either marble, granite or iron; +but the moment he took his eyes off Christ down he went. Those +who look around cannot see how unstable and dishonoring is their +walk. We want to look straight at the “Author and Finisher of our +faith.”</p> +<p class="pn">When I was a boy I could only make a straight track +in the snow, by keeping my eyes fixed upon a tree or some object +before me. The moment I took my eye off the mark set in front of +me, I walked crooked. It is only when we look fixedly on Christ +that we find perfect peace. After He rose from the dead He showed +His disciples His hands and His feet. (Luke xxiv. 40.) That was +the ground of their peace. If you want to scatter your doubts, +look at the blood; and if you want to increase your doubts, look +at yourself. You will get doubts enough for years by being +occupied with yourself for a few days.</p> +<p class="pn">Then again: look at what He is, and at what He has +done; not at what you are, and what you have done. That is the +way to get peace and rest.</p> +<p class="pn">Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation declaring the +emancipation of three millions of slaves. On a certain day their +chains were to fall off, and they were to be free. The +proclamation was put up on the trees and fences wherever the +Northern Army marched. A good many slaves could not read: but +others read the proclamation, and most of them believed it; and +on a certain day a glad shout went up, “We are free!” Some did +not believe it, and stayed with their old masters; but it did not +alter the fact that they were free. Christ, the Captain of our +salvation, has proclaimed freedom to all who have faith in Him. +Let us take Him at His word. Their feelings would not have made +the slaves free. The power must come from the outside. Looking at +ourselves will not make us free, but it is looking to Christ with +the eye of faith.</p> +<p class="pn">Bishop Ryle has strikingly said: “Faith is the +root, and Assurance the flower.” Doubtless you can never have the +flower without the root; but it is no less certain you may have +the root, and not the flower.</p> +<p class="pn">“Faith is that poor trembling woman who came behind +Jesus in the press, and touched the hem of His garment. (Mark v. +27.) Assurance is Stephen standing calmly in the midst of his +murderers, and saying, ‘I see the heavens opened, and the Son of +Man standing on the right hand of God’” (Acts vii. 56).</p> +<p class="pn">“Faith is the penitent thief, crying, ‘Lord, +remember me’ (Luke xxiii. 42). Assurance is Job sitting in the +dust, covered with sores, and saying, ‘I know that my Redeemer +liveth;’ ‘Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him’” (Job xix. +25; xiii. 15).</p> +<p class="pn">“Faith is Peter’s drowning cry, as he began to +sink, ‘Lord, save me!’ (Matt. xxiv. 30). Assurance is that same +Peter declaring before the Council, in after-times, ‘This is the +stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become +the head of the corner: neither is there salvation in any other; +for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby +we must be saved’” (Acts iv. 11, 12).</p> +<p class="pn">“Faith is the anxious, trembling voice, ‘Lord, I +believe; help Thou mine unbelief!’ (Mark ix. 24). Assurance is +the confident challenge, ‘Who shall lay anything to the charge of +God’s elect? Who is he that condemneth?’” (Rom. viii. 33, +34).</p> +<p class="pn">Faith is Saul praying in the house of Judas at +Damascus, sorrowful, blind, and alone. (Acts ix. 11.) Assurance +is Paul, the aged prisoner, looking calmly into the grave, and +saying, ‘I know whom I have believed.’ ‘There is a crown laid up +for me’ (2 Tim. i. 12; iv. 8).</p> +<p class="pn">“Faith is L<span class="sc">ife</span>. How great +the blessing! Who can tell the gulf between life and death? And +yet life may be weak, sickly, unhealthy, painful, trying, +anxious, worn, burdensome, joyless, smileless, to the very +end.</p> +<p class="pn">“Assurance is <i>more than life</i>. It is health, +strength, power, vigor, activity, energy, manliness, beauty.”</p> +<p class="pn">A minister once pronounced the benediction in this +way: “The heart of God to make us welcome; the blood of Christ to +make us clean, and the Holy Spirit to make us certain.” The +security of the believer is the result of the operation of the +Spirit of God.</p> +<p class="pn">Another writer says: “I have seen shrubs and trees +grow out of the rocks, and overhang fearful precipices, roaring +cataracts, and deep running waters; but they maintained their +position, and threw out their foliage and branches as much as if +they had been in the midst of a dense forest.” It was their hold +on the rock that made them secure; and the influences of nature +that sustained their life. So believers are oftentimes exposed to +the most horrible dangers in their journey to heaven; but, so +long as they are “rooted and grounded” in the Rock of Ages, they +are perfectly secure. Their hold of Him is their guarantee; and +the blessings of His grace give them life and sustain them in +life. And as the tree must die, or the rock fall, before a +dissolution can be effected between <i>them</i>, so either the +believer must lose his spiritual life, or the Rock must crumble, +ere their union can be dissolved.</p> +<p class="pn">Speaking of the Lord Jesus, Isaiah says: “I will +fasten Him as a nail in a sure place; and He shall be for a +glorious throne to His Father’s house: and they shall hang upon +Him all the glory of His father’s house, the offspring and the +issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, +even to all the vessels of flagons” (xxii. 23, 24).</p> +<p class="pn">There is <span class="sc">one nail</span>, fastened +in a sure place; and on it hang all the flagons and all the cups. +“Oh,” says one little cup, “I am so small and so black, suppose I +were to drop!” “Oh,” says a flagon, “there is no fear of you; but +I am so heavy, so very weighty, suppose I were to drop!” And a +little cup says, “Oh, if I were only like the gold cup there, I +should never fear falling.” But the gold cup answers, “It is not +because I am a gold cup that I keep up; but because I hang upon +the nail.” If the nail gives way we all come down, gold cups, +china cups, pewter cups, and all; but as long as the nail keeps +up, all that hang on Him hang safely.</p> +<p class="pn">I once read these words on a tombstone: “Born, +died, kept.” Let us pray God to keep us in perfect peace, and +assured of salvation.</p> +<h1><a name="VIII" id="VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1"><i>CHRIST ALL AND IN ALL</i>.</p> +<p class="pt2">C<span class="sc">olossians</span> iii. 11.)</p> +<p class="pn">C<span class="sc">hrist</span> is <i>all</i> to us +that we make Him to be. I want to emphasize that word +“<span class="sc">all</span>.” Some men make Him to be “a root +out of a dry ground,” “without form or comeliness.” He is nothing +to them; they do not want Him. Some Christians have a very small +Saviour, for they are not willing to receive Him fully, and let +Him do great and mighty things for them. Others have a mighty +Saviour, because they make Him to be great and mighty.</p> +<p class="pn">If we would know what Christ wants to be to us, we +must first of all know Him as our Saviour from sin. When the +angel came down from heaven to proclaim that He was to be born +into the world, you remember he gave His name, “He shall be +called J<span class="sc">esus</span>, for He shall save His +people from their sins.” H<span class="sc">ave we been delivered +from sin</span>? He did not come to save us <i>in</i> our sins, +but <i>from</i> our sins. Now, there are three ways of knowing a +man. Some men you know only by hearsay; others you merely know by +having been once introduced to them, you know them very slightly; +other again you know by having been acquainted with them for +years, you know them intimately. So I believe there are three +classes of people to-day in the Christian Church and out of it: +those who know Christ only by reading or by hearsay, those who +have a historical Christ; those who have a slight personal +acquaintance with Him; and, those who thirst, as Paul did, to +“know Him and the power of His resurrection.” The more we know of +Christ the more we shall love Him, and the better we shall serve +Him.</p> +<p class="pn">Let us look at Him as He hangs upon the Cross, and +see how He has put away sin. He was manifested that He might take +away our sins; and if we really know Him we must first of all see +Him as our Saviour from sin. You remember how the angels said to +the shepherds on the plains of Bethlehem, “Behold, I bring you +good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people: for unto +you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is +Christ the Lord.” (Luke ii. 10, 11.) Then if you go clear back +to Isaiah, seven hundred years before Christ’s birth, you will +find these words: “I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is +no Saviour” (xliii. 11).</p> +<p class="pn">Again, in the First Epistle of John (iv. 14) we +read: “We have seen, and do testify, that the Father sent the Son +to be the Saviour of the world.” All the heathen religions, we +read, teach men to work their way up to God; but the religion of +Jesus Christ is God coming down to men to save them, to lift them +up out of the pit of sin. In Luke xix. 10, we read that Christ +Himself told the people what He had come for: “The Son of Man is +come to seek and to save that which was lost.” So we start from +the Cross, not from the cradle. Christ has opened up a new and +living way to the Father; He has taken all the stumbling-blocks +out of the way, so that every man who accepts of Christ as his +Saviour can have salvation.</p> +<p class="pn">But Christ is not only a Saviour. I might save a +man from drowning and rescue him from an untimely grave; but I +might probably not be able to do any more for him. Christ is +something more than a Saviour. When the children of Israel were +placed behind the blood, that blood was their salvation; but they +would still have heard the crack of the slave-driver’s whip if +they had not been delivered from the Egyptian yoke of bondage: +then it was that God delivered them from the hand of the king of +Egypt. I have little sympathy with the idea that God comes down +to save us, and then leaves us in prison, the slaves of our +besetting sins. No; He has come to deliver us, and to give us +victory over our evil tempers, our passions, and our lusts. Are +you a professed Christian but one who is a slave to some +besetting sin? If you want to get victory over that temper or +that lust, go on to know Christ more intimately. He brings +deliverance for the past, the present, and the future. “Who +delivered; who doth deliver; who will yet deliver.” (2 Cor. i. +10.)</p> +<p class="pn">How often, like the children of Israel when they +came to the Red Sea, have we become discouraged because +everything looked dark before us, behind us, and around us, and +we knew not which way to turn. Like Peter we have said, “To whom +shall we go?” But God has appeared for our deliverance. He has +brought us through the Red Sea right out into the wilderness, and +opened up the way into the Promised Land. But Christ is not only +our Deliverer; He is our Redeemer. That is something more than +being our Saviour. He has brought us back. “Ye have sold +yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.” +(Isaiah lii. 3.) “We were not redeemed with corruptible things, as +silver and gold.” (1 Peter i. 18.) If gold could have redeemed +us, could He not have created ten thousand worlds full of +gold?</p> +<p class="pn">When God had redeemed the children of Israel from +the bondage of Egypt, and brought them through the Red Sea, they +struck out for the wilderness; and then God became to them their +Way. I am so thankful the Lord has not left us in darkness as to +the right way. There is no living man who has been groping in the +darkness but may know the way. “I am the Way,” says Christ. If we +follow Christ we shall be in the right way, and have the right +doctrine. Who could lead the children of Israel through the +wilderness like the Almighty God Himself? He knew the pitfalls +and dangers of the way, and guided the people through all their +wilderness journey right into the promised land. It is true that +if it had not been for their accursed unbelief they might have +crossed into the land at Kadesh Barnea, and taken possession of +it, but they desired something besides God’s word; so they were +turned back, and had to wander in the desert for forty years. I +believe there are thousands of God’s children wandering in the +wilderness still. The Lord has delivered them from the hand of +the Egyptian, and would at once take them through the wilderness +right into the Promised Land, if they were only willing to follow +Christ. Christ has been down here, and has made the rough places +smooth, and the dark places light, and the crooked places +straight. If we will only be led by Him, and will follow Him, all +will be peace, and joy, and rest.</p> +<p class="pn">In the frontier, when a man goes out hunting he +takes a hatchet with him, and cuts off pieces from the bark of +the trees as he goes along through the forest: this is called +“blazing the way.” He does it that he may know the way back, as +there is no pathway through these thick forests. Christ has come +down to this earth; He has “blazed the Way:” and now that He has +gone up on high, if we will but follow him, we shall be kept in +the right path. I will tell you how you may know if you are +following Christ or not. If some one has slandered you, or +misjudged you, do you treat them as your master would have done? +If you do not bear these things in a loving and forgiving spirit, +all the churches and ministers in the world cannot make you +right. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of +His.” (Romans viii. 9.) “If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a +new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are +become new.” (2 Cor. v. 17.)</p> +<p class="pn">Christ is not only our way; He is the Light upon +the way. He says, “I am the Light of the world.” (John viii. 12; +ix. 5; xii. 46.) He goes on to say, “He that followeth Me shall +not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” It is +impossible for any man or woman who is following Christ to walk +in darkness. If your soul is in the darkness, groping around in +the fog and mist of earth, let me tell you it is because you have +got away from the true light. There is nothing but light that +will dispel darkness. So let those who are walking in spiritual +darkness admit Christ into their hearts: He is the Light. I call +to mind a picture of which I used at one time to think a good +deal; but now I have come to look more closely, I would not put +it up in my house except I turned the face to the wall. It +represents Christ as standing at a door, knocking, and having a +big lantern in His hand. Why, you might as well hang up a lantern +to the sun as put one into Christ’s hand. He is the Sun of +Righteousness; and it is our privilege to walk in the light of an +unclouded sun.</p> +<p class="pn">Many people are hunting after light, and peace, and +joy. We are nowhere told to seek after these things. If we admit +Christ into our hearts these will all come of themselves. I +remember, when a boy, I used to try in vain to catch my shadow. +One day I was walking with my face to the sun; and as I happened +to look around I saw that my shadow was following me. The faster +I went the faster my shadow followed; I could not get away from +it. So when our faces are directed to the Sun of Righteousness, +the peace and joy are sure to come. A man said to me some time +ago, “Moody, how do you feel?” It was so long since I had thought +about my feelings I had to stop and consider awhile, in order to +find out. Some Christians are all the time thinking about their +feelings; and because they do not feel just right they think +their joy is all gone. If we keep our faces towards Christ, and +are occupied with Him, we shall be lifted out of the darkness and +the trouble that may have gathered round our path.</p> +<p class="pn">I remember being in a meeting after the war of the +great rebellion broke out. The war had been going on for about +six months. The army of the North had been defeated at Bull Run, +in fact, we had nothing but defeat, and it looked as though the +republic was going to pieces. So we were much cast down and +discouraged. At this meeting every speaker for awhile seemed as +if he had hung his harp upon the willow; and it was one of the +gloomiest meetings I ever attended. Finally an old man with +beautiful white hair got up to speak, and his face literally +shone. “Young men,” he said “you do not talk like sons of the +King. Though it is dark just here, remember it is light somewhere +else.” Then he went on to say that if it were dark all over the +world, it was light up around the Throne.</p> +<p class="pn">He told us he had come from the east, where a +friend had described to him how he had been up a mountain to +spend the night and see the sun rise. As the party were climbing +up the mountain, and before they had reached the summit, a storm +came on. This friend said to the guide, “I will give this up; +take me back.” The guide smiled, and replied, “I think we shall +get above the storm soon.” On they went; and it was not long +before they got up to where it was as calm as any summer evening. +Down in the valley a terrible storm raged; they could hear the +thunder rolling, and see the lightning’s flash; but all was +serene on the mountain top. “And so, my young friends,” continued +the old man, “though all is dark around you, come a little higher +and the darkness will flee away.” Often when I have been inclined +to get discouraged, I have thought of what he said. Now if you +are down in the valley amidst the thick fog and the darkness, get +a little higher; get nearer to Christ, and know more of Him.</p> +<p class="pn">You remember the Bible says, that when Christ +expired on the cross, the light of the world was put out. God +sent His Son to be the light of the world; but men did not love +the light because it reproved them of their sins. When they were +about to put out this light, what did Christ say to His +disciples? “Ye shall be witnesses unto Me.” (Acts i. 8.) He has +gone up yonder to intercede for us; but He wants us to shine for +Him down here. “Ye are the light of the world.” (Matt. v. 14.) +So our work is to shine; not to blow our own trumpet so that +people may look at us. What we want to do is to show forth +Christ. If we have any light at all it is borrowed light. Some +one said to a young Christian: “Converted! it is all moonshine!” +Said he: “I thank you for the illustration; the moon borrows its +light from the sun; and we borrow ours from the Sun of +Righteousness.” If we are Christ’s, we are here to shine for Him: +by and by he will call us home to our reward.</p> +<p class="pn">I remember hearing of a blind man who sat by the +wayside with a lantern near him. When he was asked what he had a +lantern for, as he could not see the light, he said it was that +people should not stumble ever him. I believe more people stumble +over the inconsistencies of professed Christians than from any +other cause. What is doing more harm to the cause of Christ than +all the scepticism in the world is this cold, dead formalism, +this conformity to the world, this professing what we do not +possess. The eyes of the world are upon us. I think it was George +Fox who said every Quaker ought to light up the country for ten +miles around him. If we were all brightly shining for the Master, +those about us would soon be reached, and there would be a shout +of praise going to heaven.</p> +<p class="pn">People say: “I want to know what is the truth.” +Listen: “I <span class="sc">am the truth</span>,” says Christ. +(John xiv. 5.) If you want to know what the truth is, get +acquainted with Christ. People also complain that they have not +life. Many are trying to give themselves spiritual life. You may +galvanize yourselves and put electricity into yourselves, so to +speak; but the effect will not last very long. Christ alone is +the author of life. If you would have real spiritual life, get to +know Christ. Many try to stir up spiritual life by going to +meetings. That may be well enough; but it will be of no use, +unless they get into contact with the living Christ. Then their +spiritual life will not be a spasmodic thing, but will be +perpetual; flowing on and on, and bringing forth fruit to +God.</p> +<p class="pn">Then Christ is our K<span class="sc">eeper</span>. +A great many young disciples are afraid they will not hold out. +“He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm +cxxi. 4.) It is the work of Christ to keep us; and if He keeps us +there will be no danger of our falling. I suppose if Queen +Victoria had to take care of the Crown of England, some thief +might attempt to get access to it; but it is put away in the +Tower of London, and guarded night and day by soldiers. The whole +English army would, if necessary, be called out to protect it. +And we have no strength in ourselves. We are no match for Satan; +he has had six thousand years’ experience. But then we remember +that the One who neither slumbers nor sleeps is our keeper. In +Isaiah xli. 10, we read, “Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be +not dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I +will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My +righteousness.” In Jude also, verse 24, we are told that He is +“able to keep us from falling.” “We have an Advocate with the +Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John ii. 1.)</p> +<p class="pn">But Christ is something more. He is our +S<span class="sc">hepherd</span>. It is the work of the shepherd +to care for the sheep, to feed them and protect them. “I am the +Good Shepherd;” “My sheep hear My voice.” “I lay down My life for +the sheep.” In that wonderful tenth chapter of John, Christ uses +the personal pronoun no less than twenty-eight times, in +declaring what He is and what He will do. In verse 28 He says, +“They shall never perish; neither shall any [<i>man</i>] pluck +them out of My hand.” But notice the word “man” is in italics. +See how the verse really reads: “Neither shall <span class= +"sc">any</span> pluck them out of My hand”—no devil or man shall +be able to do it. In another place the Scripture declares, “Your +life is hid with Christ in God.” (Col. iii. 3.) How safe and how +secure!</p> +<p class="pn">Christ says, “My sheep hear My voice . . . and they +follow Me.” (John x. 27.) A gentleman in the East heard of a +shepherd who could call all his sheep to him by name. He went and +asked if this was true. The shepherd took him to the pasture +where they were, and called one of them by some name. One sheep +looked up and answered the call, while the others went on feeding +and paid no attention. In the same way he called about a dozen of +the sheep around him. The stranger said, “How do you know one +from the other? They all look perfectly alike.” “Well,” said he, +“you see that sheep toes in a little; that other one has a +squint; one has a little piece of wool off; another has a black +spot; and another has a piece out of its ear.” The man knew all +his sheep by their failings, for he had not a perfect one in the +whole flock. I suppose our Shepherd knows us in the same way.</p> +<p class="pn">An Eastern shepherd was once telling a gentleman +that his sheep knew his voice, and that no stranger could deceive +them. The gentleman thought he would like to put the statement to +the test. So he put on the shepherd’s frock and turban, and took +his staff and went to the flock. He disguised his voice, and +tried to speak as much like the shepherd as he could; but he +could not get a single sheep in the flock to follow him. He asked +the shepherd if his sheep never followed a stranger. He was +obliged to admit that if a sheep got sickly it would follow any +one. So it is with a good many professed Christians; when they +get sickly and weak in the faith, they will follow any teacher +that comes along; but when the soul is in health, a man will not +be carried away by errors and heresies. He will know whether the +“voice” speaks the truth or not. He can soon tell that, if he is +really in communion with God. When God sends a true messenger his +words will find a ready response in the Christian heart.</p> +<p class="pn">Christ is a tender Shepherd. You may some time +think He has not been a very tender Shepherd to you; you are +passing under the rod. It is written, “Whom the Lord loveth He +chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.” (Heb. +xii. 6.) That you are passing under the rod is no proof that +Christ does not love you. A friend of mine lost all his children. +No man could ever have loved his family more; but the scarlet +fever took one by one away; and so the whole four or five, one +after another, died. The poor stricken parents went over to great +Britain, and wandered from one place to another, there and on the +continent. At length they found their way to Syria. One day they +saw an Eastern shepherd come down to a stream, and call his flock +to cross. The sheep came down to the brink, and looked at the +water; but they seemed to shrink from it, and he could not get +them to respond to his call. He then took a little lamb, put it +under one arm; he took another lamb and put it under the other +arm, and thus passed into the stream. The old sheep no longer +stood looking at the water: they plunged in after the shepherd; +and in a few minutes the whole flock was on the other side; and +he led them away to newer and fresher pastures. The bereaved +father and mother, as they looked on the scene, felt that it +taught them a lesson. They no longer murmured because the Great +Shepherd had taken their lambs one by one into yonder world; and +they began to look up and look forward to the time when they +would follow the loved ones they had lost. If you have loved ones +gone before, remember that your Shepherd is calling you to “set +your affection on things above.” (Col. iii. 2.) Let us be +faithful to Him, and follow Him, while we remain in this world. +And if you have not taken Him for your Shepherd, do so this very +day.</p> +<p class="pn">Christ is not only all these things that I have +mentioned: He is also our Mediator, our Sanctifier, our +Justifier; in fact, it would take volumes to tell what He desires +to be to every individual soul. While looking through some papers +I once read this wonderful description of Christ. I do not know +where it originally came from; but it was so fresh to my soul +that I should like to give it to you:—</p> +<p class="pn">“Christ is our Way; we walk in Him. He is our +Truth; we embrace Him. He is our Life; we live in Him. He is our +Lord; we choose Him to rule over us. He is our Master; we serve +Him. He is our Teacher, instructing us in the way of salvation. +He is our Prophet, pointing out the future. He is our Priest, +having atoned for us. He is our Advocate, ever living to make +intercession for us. He is our Saviour, saving to the uttermost. +He is our Root; we grow from Him. He is our Bread; we feed upon +Him. He is our Shepherd, leading us into green pastures. He is +our true Vine; we abide in Him. He is the Water of Life; we slake +our thirst from Him. He is the fairest among ten thousand: we +admire Him above all others. He is ‘the brightness of the +Father’s glory, and the express image of His person;’ we strive +to reflect His likeness. He is the upholder of all things; we +rest upon Him. He is our wisdom; we are guided by Him. He is our +Righteousness; we cast all our imperfections upon Him. He is our +Sanctification; we draw all our power for holy life from Him. He +is our Redemption, redeeming us from all iniquity. He is our +Healer, curing all our diseases. He is our Friend, relieving us +in all our necessities. He is our Brother, cheering us in our +difficulties.”</p> +<p class="pn">Here is another beautiful extract: it is from +Gotthold:</p> +<p class="pn">“For my part, my soul is like a hungry and thirsty +child; and I need His love and consolation for my refreshment. I +am a wandering and lost sheep; and I need Him as a good and +faithful shepherd. My soul is like a frightened dove pursued by +the hawk; and I need His wounds for a refuge. I am a feeble vine; +and I need His cross to lay hold of, and to wind myself about. I +am a sinner; and I need His righteousness. I am naked and bare; +and I need His holiness and innocence for a covering. I am +ignorant; and I need His teaching: simple and foolish; and I need +the guidance of His Holy Spirit. In no situation, and at no time, +can I do without Him. Do I pray? He must prompt, and intercede +for me. Am I arraigned by Satan at the Divine tribunal? He must +be my Advocate. Am I in affliction? He must be my Helper. Am I +persecuted by the world? He must defend me. When I am forsaken, +He must be my Support; when I am dying, my life: when mouldering +in the grave, my Resurrection. Well, then, I will rather part +with all the world, and all that it contains, than with Thee, my +Saviour. And, God be thanked! I know that Thou, too, art neither +able nor willing to do without me. Thou art rich; and I am poor. +Thou hast abundance; and I am needy. Thou hast righteousness; and +I sins. Thou hast wine and oil; and I wounds. Thou hast cordials +and refreshments; and I hunger and thirst.</p> +<p class="pn">Use me then, my Saviour, for whatever purpose, and +in whatever way, Thou mayest require. Here is my poor heart, an +empty vessel; fill it with Thy grace. Here is my sinful and +troubled soul; quicken and refresh it with Thy love. Take my +heart for Thine abode; my mouth to spread the glory of Thy name; +my love and all my powers, for the advancement of Thy believing +people; and never suffer the steadfastness and confidence of my +faith to abate—that so at all times I may be enabled from the +heart to say. ‘Jesus needs me, and I Him; and so we suit each +other.’”</p> +<h1><a name="IX" id="IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1"><i>BACKSLIDING</i>.</p> +<p class="pt2">“I will heal their backsliding; I will love them +freely: for Mine anger is turned away.”—H<span class= +"sc">osea</span> xiv. 4.</p> +<p class="pn">T<span class="sc">here</span> are two kinds of +backsliders. Some have never been converted: they have gone +through the form of joining a Christian community and claim to be +backsliders; but they never have, if I may use the expression, +“slid forward.” They may talk of backsliding; but they have never +really been born again. They need to be treated differently from +real back-sliders—those who have been born of the incorruptible +seed, but who have turned aside. We want to bring the latter back +the same road by which they left their first love.</p> +<p class="pn">Turn to Psalm lxxxv. 5. There you read: “Wilt Thou +be angry with us for ever? wilt Thou draw out Thine anger to all +generations? wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may +rejoice in Thee? Show us Thy mercy, O Lord; and grant us Thy +salvation.” Now look again: “<i>I will hear what God the Lord +will speak:</i> for He will speak peace unto His people, and to +His saints; but let them not turn again to folly” (<i>verse</i> +8).</p> +<p class="pn">There is nothing that will do back-sliders so much +good as to come in contact with the Word of God; and for them the +Old Testament is as full of help as the New. The book of Jeremiah +has some wonderful passages for wanderers. What we want to do is +to get back-sliders to hear what God the Lord will say.</p> +<p class="pn">Look for a moment at Jeremiah vi. 10. “To whom +shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, +their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the +word of the Lord is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in +it.” That is the condition of back-sliders. They have no delight +whatever in the word of God. But we want to bring them back, and +let God get their ear. Read from the 14th verse: “They have +healed also the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, +saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed +when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all +ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall +among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be +cast down, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the +ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, +and walk therein; and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they +said, We will not walk therein. Also I set watchmen over you, +saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We +will not hearken.”</p> +<p class="pn">That was the condition of the Jews when they had +backslidden. They had turned away from the old paths. And that is +the condition of backsliders. They have got away from the good +old book. Adam and Eve fell by not hearkening to the word of God. +They did not believe God’s word; but they believed the tempter. +That is the way backsliders fall—by turning away from the word of +God.</p> +<p class="pn">In Jeremiah ii. we find God pleading with them as a +father would plead with a son. “Thus saith the Lord, What +iniquity have your fathers found in Me, that they are gone from +Me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? . . . +Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the Lord; and with +your children’s children will I plead . . . For my people have +committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the Fountain of +living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that +can hold no water.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now there is one thing to which we wish to call the +attention of backsliders; and that is, that the Lord never +forsook them; but that they forsook Him! The Lord never left +them; but they left Him! And this, too, without any cause! He +says, “What iniquity have your fathers found in Me, that they are +gone far from Me?” Is not God the same to-day as when you came to +Him first? Has God changed? Men are apt to think that God has +changed; but the fault is with them. Backslider, I would ask you, +“What iniquity is there in God, that you have left Him and gone +far from Him?” You have, He says, hewed out to yourselves broken +cisterns that hold no water. The world cannot satisfy the new +nature. No earthly well can satisfy the soul that has become a +partaker of the heavenly nature. Honor, wealth and the pleasures +of this world will not satisfy those who, having tasted the water +of life, have gone astray, seeking refreshment at the world’s +fountains. Earthly wells will get dry. They cannot quench +spiritual thirst.</p> +<p class="pn">Again in the 32d verse: “Can a maid forget her +ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet My people have forgotten +Me, days without number.” That is the charge which God brings +against the backslider. They “have forgotten Me, days without +number.”</p> +<p class="pn">I have often startled young ladies when I have said +to them, “My friend, you think more of your ear-rings than of the +Lord.” The reply has been, “No, I do not.” But when I have asked, +“Would you not be troubled if you lost one; and would you not set +about seeking for it?” the answer has been, “Well, yes, I think I +should.” But though they had turned from the Lord, it did not +give them any trouble; nor did they seek after Him that they +might find Him.</p> +<p class="pn">How many once in fellowship and in daily communion +with the Lord now think more of their dresses and ornaments than +of their precious souls! Love does not like to be forgotten. +Mothers would have broken hearts if their children left them and +never wrote a word or sent any memento of their affection; and +God pleads over backsliders as a parent over loved ones who have +gone astray. He tries to woo them back. He asks: “What have I +done that you should have forsaken Me?”</p> +<p class="pn">The most tender and loving words to be found in the +whole of the Bible are from Jehovah to those who have left Him +without a cause. Jer. ii. 19.</p> +<p class="pn">Hear how He argues with such: (Jer. xi. 19.) +“Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings +shall reprove thee; know, therefore, and see, that it is an evil +thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and +that My fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts.”</p> +<p class="pn">I do not exaggerate when I say that I have seen +hundreds of backsliders come back; and I have asked them if they +have not found it an evil and a bitter thing to leave the Lord. +You cannot find a real backslider, who has known the Lord, but +will admit that it is an evil and a bitter thing to turn away +from Him; and I do not know of any one verse more used to bring +back wanderers than that very one. May it bring you back if you +have wandered into the far country.</p> +<p class="pn">Look at Lot. Did not he find it an evil and a +bitter thing? He was twenty years in Sodom, and never made a +convert. He got on well in the sight of the world. Men would have +told you that he was one of the most influential and worthy men +in all Sodom. But alas! alas! he ruined his family. And it is a +pitiful sight to see that old backslider going through the +streets of Sodom at midnight, after he has warned his children, +and they have turned a deaf ear.</p> +<p class="pn">I have never known a man and his wife backslide, +without its proving utter ruin to their children. They will make +a mockery of religion and will deride their parents: “Thine own +wickedness shall correct thee; and thy backsliding shall reprove +thee!” Did not David find it so? Mark him, crying, “O my son +Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee; O +Absalom, my son, my son!” I think it was the ruin, rather than +the death of his son that caused this anguish.</p> +<p class="pn">I remember being engaged in conversation some years +ago, till past midnight, with an old man. He had been for years +wandering on the barren mountains of sin. That night he wanted to +get back. We prayed, and prayed, and prayed, till light broke in +upon him; and he went away rejoicing. The next night he sat in +front of me when I was preaching, and I think that I never saw +any one look so sad and wretched in all my life. He followed me +into the enquiry-room. “What is the trouble?” I asked. “Is your +eye off the Saviour? Have your doubts come back?” “No; it is not +that,” he said. “I did not go to business, but spent all this day +in visiting my children. They are all married and in this city. I +went from house to house, but there was not one but mocked me. It +is the darkest day of my life. I have awoke up to what I have +done. I have taken my children into the world; and now I cannot +get them out.” The Lord had restored unto him the joy of His +salvation; yet there was the bitter consequence of his +transgression. You can run through your experience; and you can +find just such instances repeated again and again. Many who came +to your city years ago serving God, in their prosperity have +forgotten Him: and where are their sons and daughters? Show me +the father and mother who have deserted the Lord and gone back to +the beggarly elements of the world; and I am mistaken if their +children are not on the high road to ruin.</p> +<p class="pn">As we desire to be faithful we warn these +backsliders. It is a sign of love to warn of danger. We may be +looked upon as enemies for a while; but the truest friends are +those who lift up the voice of warning. Israel had no truer +friend than Moses. In Jeremiah God gave His people a weeping +prophet to bring them back to Him; but they cast off God. They +forgot the God who brought them out of Egypt, and who led them +through the desert into the promised land. In their prosperity +they forget Him and turned away. The Lord had told them what +would happen. (Deut. xxviii.) And see what did happen. The king +who make light of the word of God was taken captive by +Nebuchadnezzar, and his children brought up in front of him and +every one slain: his eyes were put out of his head; and he was +bound in fetters of brass and cast into a dungeon in Babylon. (2 +Kings xxv. 7.) That is the way he reaped what he had sown. Surely +it is an evil and a bitter thing to backslide, but the Lord would +win you back with the message of His Work.</p> +<p class="pn">In Jeremiah viii. 5, we read: “Why then is this +people of Jerusalem slidden by a perpetual backsliding? They hold +fast deceit; <i>They refuse to return</i>.” That is what the Lord +brings against them. “T<span class="sc">hey refuse to +return</span>.” “I hearkened and heard; but they spake not +aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have +I done? Every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into +the battle. Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed +times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the +time of their coming; but My people know not the judgment of the +Lord.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now look: “I hearkened and heard; but they spake +not aright.” No family altar! No reading the Bible! No closet +devotion! God stoops to hear; but His people have turned away! If +there be a penitent backslider, one who is anxious for pardon and +restoration, you will find no words more tender than are to be +found in Jeremiah iii. 12: “Go, and proclaim these words toward +the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the +Lord; and I will not cause Mine anger to fall upon you: for I am +merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever.” Now +notice: “Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast +transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy +ways to the stranger under every green tree, and ye have not +obeyed My voice, saith the Lord. Turn, O backsliding children, +saith the Lord; for I am married unto you”—think of God coming +and saying, “<i>I am married unto you!</i>—and I will take you +one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to +Zion.”</p> +<p class="pn">“Only acknowledge thine iniquity.” How many times +have I held that passage up to a backslider! “Acknowledge” it; +and God says I will forgive you. I remember a man asking, “Who +said that? Is that there?” And I held up to him the passage, +“Only acknowledge thine iniquity;” and the man went down on his +knees, and cried, “My God, I have sinned”; and the Lord restored +him there and then. If you have wandered, He wants you to come +back.</p> +<p class="pn">He says in another place, “O Ephraim, what shall I +do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your +goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth +away” (Hosea vi. 4). His compassion and His love is +wonderful!</p> +<p class="pn">In Jeremiah iii. 22; “Return, ye backsliding +children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto +Thee; Thou art the Lord our God.” He just puts words into the +mouth of the backslider. Only come; and, if you will come, He +will receive you graciously and love you freely.</p> +<p class="pn">In Hosea xiv. 1, 2, 4: “O Israel, return unto the +Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with +you words, and turn to the Lord (He puts words into your mouth): +say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously; +so will we render the calves of our lips . . . I will heal their +backsliding, I will love them freely, for Mine auger is turned +away from him.” Just observe that, Turn! <i>Turn!!</i> +T<span class="sc">urn</span>!!! rings all through these +passages.</p> +<p class="pn">Now, if you have wandered, remember that you left +Him, and not He you. You have to get out of the backslider’s pit +just in the same way you got in. And if you take the same road as +when you left the Master you will find Him now, just where you +are.</p> +<p class="pn">If we were to treat Christ as any earthly friend we +should never leave Him; and there would never be a backslider. If +I were in a town for a single week I should not think of going +away without shaking hands with the friends I had made, and +saying “Good bye” to them. I should be justly blamed if I took +the train and left without saying a word to any one. The cry +would be, “What’s the matter?” But did you ever hear of a +backslider bidding the Lord Jesus Christ “Good bye”; going into +his closet and saying “Lord Jesus, I have known Thee ten, twenty, +or thirty years: but I am tired of Thy service; Thy yoke is not +easy, nor Thy burden light; so I am going back to the world, to +the flesh-pots of Egypt. Good bye, Lord Jesus! Farewell”? Did you +ever hear that? No; you never did, and you never will. I tell +you, if you get into the closet and shut out the world and hold +communion with the Master you cannot leave Him. The language of +your heart will be, “To whom shall we go,” but unto Thee? “Thou +hast the words of eternal life” (John vi. 68). You could not go +back to the world if you treated Him in that way. But you left +Him and ran away. You have forgotten Him days without number. +Come back to-day; just as you are! Make up your mind that you +will not rest until God has restored unto you the joy of His +salvation.</p> +<p class="pn">A gentleman in Cornwall once met a Christian in the +street whom he knew to be a backslider. He went up to him, and +said: “Tell me, is there not some estrangement between you and +the Lord Jesus?” The man hung his head, and said, “Yes.” “Well,” +said the gentleman, “what has He done to you?” The answer to +which was a flood of tears.</p> +<p class="pn">In Revelation ii. 4, 5, we read: “Nevertheless I +have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left the first +love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen; and repent, +and do the first works: or else I will come unto thee quickly, +and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou +repent.” I want to guard you against a mistake which some people +make with regard to “doing the first works.” Many think that they +are to have the same experience over again, That has kept +thousands for months without peace; because they have been +waiting for a renewal of their first experience. You will never +have the same experience as when you first came to the Lord. God +never repeats himself. No two people of all earth’s millions look +alike or think alike. You may say that you cannot tell two people +apart; but when you get well acquainted with them you can very +quickly distinguish differences. So, no one person will have the +same experience a second time. If God will restore His joy to +your soul let Him do it in His way. Do not mark out a way for God +to bless you. Do not expect the same experience that you had two +or twenty years ago. You will have a fresh experience, and God +will deal with you in His own way. If you confess your sins and +tell Him that you have wandered from the path of His commandments +He will restore unto you the joy of His salvation.</p> +<p class="pn">I want to call your attention to the manner in +which Peter fell; and I think that nearly all fall pretty much in +the same way. I want to lift up a warning note to those who have +not fallen. “Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he +fall” (1 Cor. x. 12). Twenty-five years ago—and for the first +five years after I was converted—I used to think that if I were +able to stand for twenty years I need fear no fall. But the +nearer you get to the Cross the fiercer the battle. Satan aims +high. He went amongst the twelve; and singled out the +Treasurer—Judas Iscariot, and the Chief Apostle—Peter. Most men +who have fallen have done so on the strongest side of their +character. I am told that the only side upon which Edinburgh +Castle was successfully assailed was where the rocks were +steepest, and where the garrison thought themselves secure. If +any man thinks that he is strong enough to resist the devil at +any one point he needs special watch there, for the tempter comes +that way.</p> +<p class="pn">Abraham stands, as it were, at the head of the +family of faith; and the children of faith may be said to trace +their descent to Abraham: and yet down in Egypt he denied his +wife. (Gen. xii.) Moses was noted for his meekness; and yet he +was kept out of the promised land because of one hasty act and +speech, when he was told by the Lord to speak to the rock so that +the congregation and their beasts should have water to drink. +“Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?” +(Num. xx. 10).</p> +<p class="pn">Elijah was remarkable for his boldness: and yet he +went off a day’s journey into the wilderness like a coward and +hid himself under a juniper tree, requesting for himself that he +might die, because of a message he received from a woman. (1 +Kings xix.) Let us be careful. No matter who the man is—he may be +in the pulpit—but if he gets self-conceited he will be sure to +fall. We who are followers of Christ need constantly to pray to +be made humble, and kept humble. God made Moses’ face so to shine +that other men could see it; but Moses himself wist not that his +face shone, and the more holy in heart a man is the more manifest +to the outer world will be his daily life and conversation. Some +people talk of how humble they are; but if they have true +humility there will be no necessity for them to publish it. It is +not needful. A lighthouse does not have a drum beaten or a +trumpet-blown in order to proclaim the proximity of a lighthouse: +it is its own witness. And so if we have the true light in us it +will show itself. It is not those who make the most noise who +have the most piety. There is a brook, or a little “burn” as the +Scotch call it, not far from where I live; and after a heavy rain +you can hear the rush of its waters a long way off: but let there +come a few days of pleasant weather, and the brook becomes almost +silent. But there is a river near my house, the flow of which I +never heard in my life, as it pours on in its deep and majestic +course the year round. We should have so much of the love of God +within us that its presence shall be evident without our loud +proclamation of the fact.</p> +<p class="pn">The first step in Peter’s downfall was his +self-confidence. The Lord warned him. The Lord said: “Simon, +Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift +you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail +not” (Luke xxii. 31, 32). But Peter said: “I am ready to go with +Thee, both into prison and to death.” “Though all shall be +offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended.” (Matt. +xxvi. 23.) “James and John, and the others, may leave You; but +You can count on me!” But the Lord warned him: “I tell thee, +Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt +thrice deny that thou knowest Me.” (Luke xxii. 24.)</p> +<p class="pn">Though the Lord rebuked him, Peter said he was +ready to follow Him to death. That boasting is too often a +forerunner of downfall. Let us walk humbly and softly. We have a +great tempter; and, in an unguarded hour, we may stumble and fall +and bring a scandal on Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">The next step in Peter’s downfall was that he went +to sleep. If Satan can rock the Church to sleep he does his work +through God’s own people. Instead of Peter watching one short +hour in Gethsemane, he fell asleep, and the Lord asked him, +“What, could ye not watch with Me one hour?” (Matt. xxvi. 40.) +The next thing was that he fought in the energy of the flesh. The +Lord rebuked him again and said, “They that take the sword shall +perish with the sword.” (Matt. xxvi. 52.) Jesus had to undo what +Peter had done. The next thing, he “followed afar off.” Step by +step he gets away. It is a sad thing when a child of God follows +afar off. When you see him associating with worldly friends, and +throwing his influence on the wrong side, he is following afar +off; and it will not be long before disgrace will be brought upon +the old family name, and Jesus Christ will be wounded in the +house of his friends. The man, by his example, will cause others +to stumble and fall.</p> +<p class="pn">The next thing—Peter is familiar and friendly with +the enemies of Christ. A damsel says to this bold Peter: “Thou +also wast with this Jesus of Galilee.” But he denied before them +all, saying, “I know not what thou sayest.” And when he was gone +out into the porch another maid saw him and said unto them that +were there, “This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.” And +again he denied with an oath. “I do not know the Man.” Another +hour passed; and yet he did not realize his position; when +another confidently affirmed that he was a Galilean, for his +speech betrayed him. And he was angry and began to curse and to +swear, and again denied his Master: and the cock crew. (Matt. +xxvi. 69-74.)</p> +<p class="pn">He commences away up on the pinacle of +self-conceit, and goes down step by step until he breaks out into +cursing, and swears that he never knew his Lord.</p> +<p class="pn">The Master might have turned and said to him, “Is +it true, Peter, that you have forgotten Me so soon? Do you not +remember when your wife’s mother lay sick of a fever that I +rebuked the disease and it left her? Do you not call to mind your +astonishment at the draught of fishes so that you exclaimed, +‘Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord?’ Do you remember +when in answer to your cry, ‘Lord, save me, or I perish,’ I +stretched out My hand and kept you from drowning in the water? +Have you forgotten when, on the Mount of Transfiguration, with +James and John, you said to Me, ‘Lord, it is good to be here: let +us make three tabernacles?’ Have you forgotten being with Me at +the supper-table, and in Gethsemane? Is it true that you have +forgotten Me so soon?” The Lord might have upbraided him with +questions such as these: but He did nothing of the kind. He cast +one look on Peter: and there was so much love in it that it broke +that bold disciple’s heart: and he went out and wept +bitterly.</p> +<p class="pn">And after Christ rose from the dead see how +tenderly He dealt with the erring disciple. The angel at the +sepulchre says, “Tell His disciples, <i>and Peter</i>.” (Mark +xvi. 7.) The Lord did not forget Peter, though Peter had denied +Him thrice; so He caused this kindly special message to be +conveyed to the repentant disciple. What a tender and loving +Saviour we have!</p> +<p class="pn">Friend, if you are one of the wanderers, let the +loving look of the Master win you back; and let Him restore you +to the joy of His salvation.</p> +<p class="pn">Before closing, let me say that I trust God will +restore some backslider reading these pages, who may in the +future become a useful member of society and a bright ornament of +the Church. We should never have had the thirty-second Psalm if +David had not been restored: “Blessed is he whose transgression +is forgiven, whose sin is covered”; or that beautiful fifty-first +Psalm which was written by the restored backslider. Nor should we +have had that wonderful sermon on the day of Pentecost when three +thousand were converted—preached by another restored +backslider.</p> +<p class="pn">May God restore other backsliders and make them a +thousand times more used for His glory than they ever were +before.</p> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30449 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/30449-h/images/DLM.png b/30449-h/images/DLM.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..291dd5c --- /dev/null +++ b/30449-h/images/DLM.png diff --git a/30449-h/images/graphic.png b/30449-h/images/graphic.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..520b32c --- /dev/null +++ b/30449-h/images/graphic.png diff --git a/30449.txt b/30449.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d0523c2 --- /dev/null +++ b/30449.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4260 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Way to God and How to Find It, by Dwight Moody + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Way to God and How to Find It + +Author: Dwight Moody + +Release Date: November 10, 2009 [EBook #30449] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WAY TO GOD AND HOW TO FIND IT *** + + + + +Produced by Keith G. Richardson + + + + + + + +THE WAY TO GOD + +AND HOW TO FIND IT + + +By D. L. MOODY + + +Fleming H. Revell Company + + +Chicago New York Toronto + +_Publishers of Evangelical Literature_ + + + + +Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1884, + +By F. H. REVELL, + +In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. + + + +TO THE READER + + +In this small volume I have endeavored to point out the Way to God. + +I have embodied in the little book a considerable part of several +addresses which have been delivered in different cities, both of +Great Britain and my own country. God has graciously owned them when +spoken from the pulpit, and I trust will none the less add his +blessing now they have been put into the printed page with additional +matter. + +I have called attention first to the Love of God, the source of all +Gifts of Grace; have then endeavored to present truths to meet the +special needs of representative classes, answering the question, "How +man can be just with God," hoping thereby to lead souls to Him who is +"the Way, the Truth and the Life." + +The last chapter is specially addressed to Backsliders--a class, +alas, far too numerous amongst us. + +With the earnest prayer and hope that by the blessing of God on these +pages the reader may be strengthened, established and settled in the +faith of Christ, + +I am, yours in His service, + +D. L. Moody + + + +CONTENTS. + + +Chapter I. "Love that passeth Knowledge" + +Chapter II. The Gateway into the Kingdom + +Chapter III. The Two Classes + +Chapter IV. Words of Counsel + +Chapter V. A Divine Saviour + +Chapter VI. Repentance and Restitution + +Chapter VII. Assurance of Salvation + +Chapter VIII. Christ All and in All + +Chapter IX. Backsliding + + + +THE WAY TO GOD. + + +CHAPTER I. + + +"_LOVE THAT PASSETH KNOWLEDGE_." + + +"To know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge." + +(Ephesians iii. 19.) + + +If I could only make men understand the real meaning of the words of +the apostle John--"God is love," I would take that single text, and +would go up and down the world proclaiming this glorious truth. If +you can convince a man that you love him you have won his heart. If +we really make people believe that God loves them, how we should find +them crowding into the kingdom of heaven! The trouble is that men +think God hates them; and so they are all the time running away from +Him. + +We built a church in Chicago some years ago; and were very anxious to +teach the people the love of God. We thought if we could not preach +it into their hearts we would try and burn it in; so we put right +over the pulpit in gas-jets these words--God is Love. A man going +along the streets one night glanced through the door, and saw the +text. He was a poor prodigal. As he passed on he thought to himself, +"God is Love! No! He does not love me; for I am a poor miserable +sinner." He tried to get rid of the text; but it seemed to stand out +right before him in letters of fire. He went on a little further; +then turned round, went back, and went into the meeting. He did not +hear the sermon; but the words of that short text had got deeply +lodged in his heart, and that was enough. It is of little account +what men say if the Word of God only gets an entrance into the +sinner's heart. He staid after the first meeting was over; and I +found him there weeping like a child. As I unfolded the Scriptures +and told him how God had loved him all the time, although he had +wandered so far away, and how God was waiting to receive him and +forgive him, the light of the Gospel broke into his mind, and he went +away rejoicing. + +There is nothing in this world that men prize so much us they do +Love. Show me a person who has no one to care for or love him, and I +will show you one of the most wretched beings on the face of the +earth. Why do people commit suicide? Very often it is because this +thought steals in upon them--that no one loves them; and they would +rather die than live. + +I know of no truth in the whole Bible that ought to come home to us +with such power and tenderness as that of the Love of God; and there +is no truth in the Bible that Satan would so much like to blot out. +For more than six thousand years he has been trying to persuade men +that God does not love them. He succeeded in making our first parents +believe this lie; and he too often succeeds with their children. + +The idea that God does not love us often comes from false teaching. +Mothers make a mistake in teaching children that God does not love +them when they do wrong; but only when they do right. That is not +taught in Scripture. You do not teach your children that when they do +wrong you hate them. Their wrong-doing does not change your love to +hate; if it did, you would change your love a great many times. +Because your child is fretful, or has committed some act of +disobedience, you do not cast him out as though he did not belong to +you! No! he is still your child; and you love him. And if men have +gone astray from God it does not follow that He hates _them_. It is +the sin that He hates. + +I believe the reason why a great many people think God does not love +them is because they are measuring God by their own small rule, from +their own standpoint. We love men as long as we consider them worthy +of our love; when they are not we cast them off. It is not so with +God. There is a vast difference between human love and Divine love. + +In Ephesians iii. 18, we are told of the breadth, and length, and +depth, and height, of God's love. Many of us think we know something +of God's love; but centuries hence we shall admit we have never found +out much about it. Columbus discovered America; but what did he know +about its great lakes, rivers, forests, and the Mississippi Valley? +He died, without knowing much about what he had discovered. So, many +of us have discovered something of the love of God; but there are +heights, depths and lengths of it we do not know. That Love is a +great ocean; and we require to plunge into it before we really know +anything of it. It is said of a Roman Catholic Archbishop of Paris, +that when he was thrown into prison and condemned to be shot, a +little while before he was led out to die, he saw a window in his +cell in the shape of a cross. Upon the top of the cross he wrote +"height," at the bottom "depth," and at the end of each arm "length." +He had experienced the truth conveyed in the hymn-- + + "When I survey the wondrous Cross, + On which the Prince of Glory died." + +When we wish to know the love of God we should go to Calvary. Can we +look upon that scene, and say God did not love us? That cross speaks +of the love of God. Greater love never has been taught than that +which the cross teaches. What prompted God to give up Christ?--what +prompted Christ to die?--if it were not love? "Greater love hath no +man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Christ +laid down His life for His enemies; Christ laid down His life for His +murderers; Christ laid down His life for them that hated Him; and the +spirit of the cross, the spirit of Calvary, is love. When they were +mocking Him and deriding Him, what did He say? "Father, forgive them, +for they know not what they do." That is love. He did not call down +fire from heaven to consume them; there was nothing but love in His +heart. + +If you study the Bible you will find that the love of God is +_unchangeable_. Many who loved you at one time have perhaps grown +cold in their affection, and turned away from you: it may be that +their love is changed to hatred. It is not so with God. It is +recorded of Jesus Christ, just when He was about to be parted from +His disciples and led away to Calvary, that: "having loved His own +which were in the world, He loved them unto the end" (John xiii. 1). +He knew that one of His disciples would betray Him; yet He loved +Judas. He knew that another disciple would deny Him, and swear that +he never knew Him; and yet He loved Peter. It was the love which +Christ had for Peter that broke his heart, and brought him back in +penitence to the feet of his Lord. For three years Jesus had been +with the disciples trying to teach them His love, not only by His +life and words, but by His works. And, on the night of His betrayal, +He takes a basin of water, girds Himself with a towel, and taking the +place of a servant, washes their feet; He wanted to convince them of +His unchanging love. + +There is no portion of Scripture I read so often as John xiv; and +there is none that is more sweet to me. I never tire of reading it. +Hear what our Lord says, as He pours out His heart to His Disciples: +"At that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and +I in you. He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is +that loveth Me: and _he that loveth Me shall be loved by My Father_" +(xiv. 20,21). Think of the great God who created heaven and earth +loving you and me! . . . "If a man love Me, he will keep My words; +and My Father will love him; and We will come unto him, and make Our +abode with him" (v. 23). + +Would to God that our puny minds could grasp this great truth, that +the Father and the Son so love us that They desire to come and abide +with us. Not to tarry for a night, but to come and _abide_ in our +hearts. + +We have another passage more wonderful still in John xvii. 23. "I in +them, and thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that +the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, _and hast loved them as +Thou hast loved Me_." I think that is one of the most remarkable +sayings that ever fell from the lips of Jesus Christ. There is no +reason why the Father should not love him. He was obedient unto +death; He never transgressed the Father's law, or turned aside from +the path of perfect obedience by one hair's breadth. It is very +different with us; and yet, notwithstanding all our rebellion and +foolishness, He says that if we are trusting in Christ, the Father +loves us as He loves the Son. Marvellous love! Wonderful love! That +God can possibly love us as He loves His own Son seems too good to be +true. Yet that is the teaching of Jesus Christ. + +It is hard to make a sinner believe in this unchangeable love of God. +When a man has wandered away from God he thinks that God hates him. +We must make a distinction between sin and the sinner. God loves the +sinner; but He hates the sin. He hates sin, because it mars human +life. It is just because God loves the sinner that He hates sin. + +God's love is not only unchangeable, but _unfailing_. In Isaiah xlix. +15, 16 we read: "Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should +not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget; yet +will I not forget thee. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of +My hands; thy walls are continually before Me." + +Now the strongest human love that we know of is a _mother's love_. +Many things will separate a man from his wife. A father may turn his +back on his child; brothers and sisters may become inveterate +enemies; husbands may desert their wives; wives, their husbands. But +a mother's love endures through all. In good repute, in bad repute, +in the face of the world's condemnation, a mother loves on, and hopes +that her child may turn from his evil ways and repent. She remembers +the infant smiles, the merry laugh of childhood, the promise of +youth; and she can never be brought to think him unworthy. Death +cannot quench a mother's love; it is stronger than death. + +You have seen a mother watching over her sick child. How willingly +she would take the disease into her own body if she could thus +relieve her child! Week after week she will keep watch; she will let +no one else take care of that sick child. + +A friend of mine, some time ago, was visiting in a beautiful home +where he met a number of friends. After they had all gone away, +having left something behind, he went back to get it. There he found +the lady of the house, a wealthy lady, sitting behind a poor fellow +who looked like a tramp. _He was her own son_. Like the prodigal, he +had wandered far away: yet the mother said, "This is my boy; I love +him still." Take a mother with nine or ten children, if one goes +astray, she seems to love that one more than any of the rest. + +A leading minister in the state of New York once told me of a father +who was a very bad character. The mother did all she could to prevent +the contamination of the boy; but the influence of the father was +stronger, and he led his son into all kinds of sin until the lad +became one of the worst of criminals. He committed murder, and was +put on his trial. All through the trial, the widowed mother (for the +father had died) sat in the court. When the witnesses testified +against the boy it seemed to hurt the mother much more than the son. +When he was found guilty and sentenced to die, every one else feeling +the justice of the verdict, seemed satisfied at the result. But the +mother's love never faltered. She begged for a reprieve; but that was +denied. After the execution she craved for the body; and this also +was refused. According to custom, it was buried in the prison yard. A +little while afterwards the mother herself died; but, before she was +taken away, she expressed a desire to be buried by the side of her +boy. She was not ashamed of being known as the mother of a murderer. + +The story is told of a young woman in Scotland, who left her home, +and became an outcast in Glasgow. Her mother sought her far and wide, +but in vain. At last, she caused her picture to be hung upon the +walls of the Midnight Mission rooms, where abandoned women resorted. +Many gave the picture a passing glance. One lingered by the picture. +It is the same dear face that looked down upon her in her childhood. +She has not forgotten nor cast off her sinning child; or her picture +would never have been hung upon those walls. The lips seemed to open, +and whisper, "Come home; I forgive you, and love you still." The poor +girl sank down overwhelmed with her feelings. She was the prodigal +daughter. The sight of her mother's face had broken her heart. She +became truly penitent for her sins, and with a heart full of sorrow +and shame, returned to her forsaken home; and mother and daughter +were once more united. + +But let me tell you that no mother's love is to be compared with the +love of God; it does not measure the height of the depth of God's +love. No mother in this world ever loved her child as God loves you +and me. Think of the love that God must have had when He gave His Son +to die for the world. I used to think a good deal more of Christ than +I did of the Father. Somehow or other I had the idea that God was a +stern judge; that Christ came between me and God, and appeased the +anger of God. But after I became a father, and for years had an only +son, as I looked at my boy I thought of the Father giving His Son to +die; and it seemed to me as if it required more love for the Father +to give His Son than for the Son to die. Oh, the love that God must +have had for the world when He gave His Son to die for it! "God so +loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever +believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John +iii. 16). I have never been able to preach from that text. I have +often thought I would; but it is so high that I can never climb to +its height; I have just quoted it and passed on. Who can fathom the +depth of those words: "God so loved the world?" We can never scale +the heights of His love or fathom its depths. Paul prayed that he +might know the height, the depth, the length, and the breadth, of the +love of God; but it was past his finding out. It "passeth knowledge" +(Eph. iii. 19). + +Nothing speaks to us of the love of God, like the cross of Christ. +Come with me to Calvary, and look upon the Son of God as He hangs +there. Can you hear that piercing cry from His dying lips: "Father, +forgive them; for they know not what they do!" and say that He does +not love you? "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay +down his life for his friends" (John xv. 13). But Jesus Christ laid +down His life _for his enemies_. + +Another thought is this: He loved us long before we ever thought of +Him. The idea that he does not love us until we first love Him is not +to be found in Scripture. In 1 John iv. 10, it is written: "Herein is +love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son +to be the propitiation for our sins." He loved us before we ever +thought of loving Him. You loved your children before they knew +anything about your love. And so, long before we ever thought of God, +we were in His thoughts. + +What brought the prodigal home? It was the thought that his father +loved him. Suppose the news had reached him that he was cast off, and +that his father did not care for him any more, would he have gone +back? Never! But the thought dawned upon him that his father loved +him still: so he rose up, and went back to his home. Dear reader, the +love of the Father ought to bring us back to Him. It was Adam's +calamity and sin that revealed God's love. When Adam fell God came +down and dealt in mercy with him. If any one is lost it will not be +because God does not love him: it will be because he has resisted the +love of God. + +What will make Heaven attractive? Is it the pearly gates or the +golden streets? No. Heaven will be attractive, because there we shall +behold Him who loved us so much as to give His only-begotten Son to +die for us. What makes home attractive? Is it the beautiful furniture +and stately rooms? No; some homes with all these are like whited +sepulchres. In Brooklyn a mother was dying; and it was necessary to +take her child from her, because the little child could not +understand the nature of the sickness, and disturbed her mother. +Every night the child sobbed herself to sleep in a neighbor's house, +because she wanted to go back to her mother's; but the mother grew +worse, and they could not take the child home. At last the mother +died; and after her death they thought it best not to let the child +see her dead mother in her coffin. After the burial the child ran +into one room crying "Mamma! mamma!" and then into another crying +"Mamma! mamma!" and so went over the whole house: and when the little +creature failed to find that loved one she cried to be taken back to +the neighbors. So what makes heaven attractive is the thought that we +shall see Christ who has loved us and given Himself for us. + +If you ask me why God should love us, I cannot tell. I suppose it is +because He is a true Father. It is His nature to love; just as it is +the nature of the sun to shine. He wants you to share in that love. +Do not let unbelief keep you away from Him. Do not think that, +because you are a sinner, God does not love you, or care for you. He +does! He wants to save you and bless you. + +"When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the +ungodly" (Rom. v. 6). Is that not enough to convince you that He +loves you? He would not have died for you if He had not loved you. Is +your heart so hard that you can brace yourself up against His love, +and spurn and despise it? You _can_ do it; but it will be at your +peril. + +I can imagine some saying to themselves, "Yes, we believe that God +loves us, if we love Him; we believe that God loves the pure and the +holy." Let me say, my friend, not only does God love the pure and the +holy: He also loves the ungodly. "God commendeth His love toward us, +in that, _while we were yet sinners_, Christ died for us" (Rom. v. +8). God sent him to die for the sins of the whole world. If you +belong to the world, then you have part and lot in this love that has +been exhibited in the cross of Christ. + +There is a passage in Revelation (i. 5.) which I think a great deal +of--"Unto Him that loved us, and washed us." It might be thought that +God would first wash us, and then love us. But no, He first loved us. +About eight years ago the whole country was intensely excited about +Charlie Ross, a child of four years old, who was stolen. Two men in a +gig asked him and an elder brother if they wanted some candy. They +then drove away with the younger boy, leaving the elder one. For many +years a search has been made in every State and territory. Men have +been over to Great Britain, France, and Germany, and have hunted in +vain for the child. The mother still lives in the hope that she will +see her long lost Charlie. I never remember the whole country to have +been so much agitated about any event unless it was the assassination +of President Garfield. Well, suppose the mother of Charlie Ross were +in some meeting; and that while the preacher was speaking, she +happened to look down amongst the audience and see her long lost son. +Suppose that he was poor, dirty and ragged, shoeless and coatless, +what would she do? Would she wait till he was washed and decently +clothed before she would acknowledge him? No, she would get off the +platform at once, rush towards him and take him in her arms. After +that she would cleanse and clothe him. So it is with God. He loved +us, and washed us. I can imagine one saying, "If God loves me, why +does He not make me good?" God wants sons and daughters in heaven; He +does not want machines or slaves. He could break our stubborn hearts, +but He wants to draw us towards Himself by the cords of love. + +He wanted you to sit down with Him at the marriage supper of the +Lamb; to wash you, and make you whiter than snow. He wants you to +walk with Him the crystal pavement of yonder blissful world. He wants +to adopt you into His family; and to make you a son or a daughter of +heaven. Will you trample His love under your feet? or will you, this +hour, give yourself to Him? + +When our terrible civil war was going on, a mother received the news +that her boy had been wounded in the battle of the Wilderness. She +took the first train, and started for her boy, although the order had +gone forth from the War Department that no more women should be +admitted within the lines. But a mother's love knows nothing about +orders so she managed by tears and entreaties to get through the +lines to the Wilderness. At last she found the hospital where her boy +was. Then she went to the doctor and she said: "Will you let me go to +the ward and nurse my boy?" + +The doctor said: "I have just got your boy to sleep; he is in a very +critical state; and I am afraid if you wake him up the excitement +will be so great that it will carry him off. You had better wait +awhile, and remain without until I tell him that you have come, and +break the news gradually to him." The mother looked into the doctor's +face and said: "Doctor, supposing my boy does not wake up, and I +should never see him alive! Let me go and sit down by his side; I +won't speak to him." "If you will not speak to him you may do so," +said the doctor. + +She crept to the cot and looked into the face of her boy. How she had +longed to look at him! How her eyes seemed to be feasting as she +gazed upon his countenance! When she got near enough she could not +keep her hands off; she laid that tender, loving hand upon his brow. +The moment the hand touched the forehead of her boy, he, without +opening his eyes, cried out: "Mother, you have come!" He knew the +touch of that loving hand. There was love and sympathy in it. + +Ah, sinner, if you feel the loving touch of Jesus you will recognize +it; it is so full of tenderness. The world may treat you unkindly; +but Christ never will. You will never have a better Friend in this +world. What you need is--to come today to Him. Let His loving arm be +underneath you; let His loving hand be about you; and He will hold +you with mighty power. He will keep you, and fill that heart of yours +with His tenderness and love. + +I can imagine some of you saying, "How shall I go to Him?" Why, just +as you would go to your mother. Have you done your mother a great +injury and a great wrong? If so, you go to her and you say, "Mother, +I want you to forgive me." Treat Christ in the same way. Go to Him +to-day and tell Him that you have not loved Him, that you have not +treated Him right; confess you sins, and see how quickly He will +bless you. + +I am reminded of another incident--that of a boy who had been tried +by court-martial and ordered to be shot. The hearts of the father and +mother were broken when they heard the news. In that home was a +little girl. She had read the life of Abraham Lincoln, and she said: +"Now, if Abraham Lincoln knew how my father and mother loved their +boy, he would not let my brother be shot." She wanted her father to +go to Washington to plead for his boy. But the father said: "No; +there is no use; the law must take its course. They have refused to +pardon one or two who have been sentenced by that court-martial, and +an order has gone forth that the President is not going to interfere +again; if a man has been sentenced by court-martial he must suffer +the consequences." That father and mother had not faith to believe +that their boy might be pardoned. + +But the little girl was strong in hope; she got on the train away up +in Vermont, and started off to Washington. When she reached the White +House the soldiers refused to let her in; but she told her pitiful +story, and they allowed her to pass. When she got to the Secretary's +room, where the President's private secretary was, he refused to +allow her to enter the private office of the President. But the +little girl told her story, and it touched the heart of the private +secretary; so he passed her in. As she went into Abraham Lincoln's +room, there were United States senators, generals, governors and +leading politicians, who were there about important business about +the war; but the President happened to see that child standing at his +door. He wanted to know what she wanted, and she went right to him +and told her story in her own language. He was a father, and the +great tears trickled down Abraham Lincoln's cheeks. He wrote a +dispatch ard sent it to the army to have that boy sent to Washington +at once. When he arrived, the President pardoned him, gave him thirty +days furlough, and sent him home with the little girl to cheer the +hearts of the father and mother. + +Do you want to know how to go to Christ? Go just as that little girl +went to Abraham Lincoln. It may be possible that you have a dark +story to tell. Tell it all out; keep nothing back. If Abraham Lincoln +had compassion on that little girl, heard her petition and answered +it, do you think the Lord Jesus will not hear your prayer? Do, you +think that Abraham Lincoln, or any man that ever lived on earth, had +as much compassion as Christ? No! He will be touched when no one else +will; He will have mercy when no one else will; He will have pity +when no one else will. If you will go right to Him, confessing your +sin and your need, He will save you. + +A few years ago a man left England and went to America. He was an +Englishman; but he was naturalized, and so became an American +citizen. After a few years he felt restless and dissatisfied, and +went to Cuba; and after he had been in Cuba a little while civil war +broke out there; it was in 1867; and this man was arrested by the +Spanish government as a spy. He was tried by court-martial, found +guilty and ordered to be shot. The whole trial was conducted in the +Spanish language, and the poor man did not know what was going on. +When they told him the verdict, that he was found guilty and had been +condemned to be shot, he sent to the American Consul and the English +Consul, and laid the whole case before them, proving his innocence +and claiming protection. They examined the case, and found that this +man whom the Spanish officers had condemned to be shot was perfectly +innocent; they went to the Spanish General and said, "Look here, this +man whom you have condemned to death is an innocent man; he is not +guilty." But the Spanish General said, "He has been tried by our law; +he has been found guilty; he must die." There was no electric cable; +and these men could not consult with their governments. + +The morning came on which the man was to be executed. He was brought +out sitting on his coffin in a cart, and drawn to the place where he +was to be executed. A grave was dug. They took the coffin out of the +cart, placed the young man upon it, took the black cap, and were just +pulling it down over his face. The Spanish soldiers awaited the order +to fire. But just then the American and English Consuls rode up. The +English Consul sprang out of the carriage and took the union jack, +the British flag, and wrapped it around the man, and the American +Consul wrapped around him the star-spangled banner, and then turning +to the Spanish officers they said: "Fire upon those flags if you +dare." They did not dare to fire upon the flags. There were two great +governments behind those flags. That was the secret of it. + +"He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was +love. . . . His left hand is under my head, and His right hand doth +embrace me" (Song Sol. ii. 4, 6). Thank God we can come under the +banner to-day if we will. Any, poor sinner can come under that banner +to-day. His banner of love is over us. Blessed Gospel; blessed, +precious, news. Believe it to-day; receive it into your heart; and +enter into a new life. Let the love of God be shed abroad in your +heart by the Holy Ghost to-day: it will drive away darkness; it will +drive away gloom; it will drive away sin; and peace and joy shall be +yours. + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +_THE GATEWAY INTO THE KINGDOM_. + + +"Except a man be born again he cannot enter the kingdom of God." + +(John iii. 3.) + + +There is no portion of the Word of God, perhaps, with which we are +more familiar than this passage. I suppose if I were to ask those in +any audience if they believed that Jesus Christ taught the doctrine +of the New Birth, nine tenths of them would say: "Yes, I believe He +did." + +Now if the words of this text are true they embody one of the most +solemn questions that can come before us. We can afford to be +deceived about many things rather than about this one thing. Christ +makes it very plain. He says, "Except a man be born again, he cannot +_see_ the Kingdom of God"--much less inherit it. This doctrine of the +New Birth is therefore the foundation of all our hopes for the world +to come. It is really the A B C of the Christian religion. My +experience has been this--that if a man is unsound on this doctrine +he will be unsound on almost every other fundamental doctrine in the +Bible. A true understanding of this subject will help a man to solve +a thousand difficulties that he may meet with in the Word of God. +Things that before seemed very dark and mysterious will become very +plain. + +The doctrine of the New Birth upsets all false religion--all false +views about the Bible and about God. A friend of mine once told me +that in one of his after-meetings, a man came to him with a long list +of questions written out for him to answer. He said: "If you can +answer these questions satisfactorily, I have made up my mind to be a +Christian." "Do you not think," said my friend, "that you had better +come to Christ first? Then you can look into these questions." The +man thought that perhaps he had better do so. After he had received +Christ, he looked again at his list of questions; but then it seemed +to him as if they had all been answered. Nicodemus came with his +troubled mind, and Christ said to him, "Ye must be born again." He +was treated altogether differently from what he expected; but I +venture to say that was the most blessed night in all his life. To be +"born again" is the greatest blessing that will ever come to us in +this world. + +Notice how the Scripture puts it. "Except a man be born again," "born +from above,"[Note: John iii. 3. _Marginal reading_] "born of the +Spirit." From amongst a number of other passages where we find this +word "except," I would just name three. "Except ye repent, ye shall +all likewise perish." (Luke xiii. 3, 5.) "Except ye be converted, and +become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of +heaven." (Matt. xviii. 3.) "Except your righteousness shall exceed +the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case +enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. v. 20.) They all really +mean the same thing. + +I am so thankful that our Lord spoke of the New Birth to this ruler +of the Jews, this doctor of the law, rather than to the woman at the +well of Samaria, or to Matthew the publican, or to Zaccheus. If He +had reserved his teaching on this great matter for these three, or +such as these, people would have said: "Oh yes, these publicans and +harlots need to be converted: but I am an upright man; I do not need +to be converted." I suppose Nicodemus was one of the best specimens +of the people of Jerusalem: there was nothing on record against him. + +I think it is scarcely necessary for me to prove that we need to be +born again before we are meet for heaven. I venture to say that there +is no candid man but would say he is not fit for the kingdom of God, +until he is born of another Spirit. The Bible teaches us that man by +nature is lost and guilty, and our experience confirms this. We know +also that the best and holiest man, if he turn away from God, will +very soon fall into sin. + +Now, let me say what Regeneration is not. It is not going to church. +Very often I see people, and ask them if they are Christians. "Yes, +of course I am; at least, I think I am: I go to church every Sunday." +Ah, but this is not Regeneration. Others say, "I am trying to do what +is right--am I not a Christian? Is not that a new birth?" No. What +has that to do with being born again? There is yet another +class--those who have "turned over a new leaf," and think they are +regenerated. No; forming a new resolution is not being born again. + +Nor will being baptized do you any good. Yet you hear people say, +"Why, I have been baptized; and I was born again when I was +baptized." They believe that because they were baptized into the +church, they were baptized into the Kingdom of God. I tell you that +it is utterly impossible. You may be baptized into the church, and +yet not be baptized into the Son of God. Baptism is all right in its +place. God forbid that I should say anything against it. But if you +put that in the place of Regeneration--in the place of the New Birth--it +is a terrible mistake. You cannot be baptized into the Kingdom of +God. "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." +If any one reading this rests his hopes on anything else--on any +other foundation--I pray that God may sweep it away. + +Another class say, "I go to the Lord's Supper; I partake uniformly of +the Sacrament." Blessed ordinance! Jesus hath said that as often as +ye do it ye commemorate His death. Yet, that is not being "born +again;" that is not passing from death unto life. Jesus says plainly--and +so plainly that there need not be any mistake about it--"Except +a man be born of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of +God." What has a sacrament to do with that? What has going to church +to do with being born again? + +Another man comes up and says, "I say my prayers regularly." Still I +say that is not being born of the Spirit. It is a very solemn +question, then, that comes up before us; and oh! that every reader +would ask himself earnestly and faithfully: "Have I been born again? +Have I been born of the Spirit? Have I passed from death unto life?" + +There is a class of men who say that special religious meetings are +very good for a certain class of people. They would be very good if +you could get the drunkard there, or get the gambler there, or get +other vicious people there--that would do a great deal of good. But +"we do not need to be converted." To whom did Christ utter these +words of wisdom? To Nicodemus. Who was Nicodemus? Was he a drunkard, +a gambler, or a thief? No! No doubt he was one of the very best men +in Jerusalem. He was an honorable Councillor; he belonged to the +Sanhedrim; he held a very high position; he was an orthodox man; he +was one of the very soundest men. And yet what did Christ say to him? +"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." + +But I can imagine some one saying, "What am I to do? I cannot create +life. I certainly cannot save myself." You certainly cannot; and we +do not claim that you can. We tell you it is utterly impossible to +make a man better without Christ; but that is what men are trying to +do. They are trying to patch up this "old Adam" nature. There must be +a new creation. Regeneration is a new creation; and if it is a new +creation it must be the work of God. In the first chapter of Genesis +man does not appear. There is no one there but God. Man is not there +to take part. When God created the earth He was alone. When Christ +redeemed the world He was alone. + +"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of +the Spirit is spirit." (John iii. 6.) The Ethiopian cannot change his +skin, and the leopard cannot change his spots. You might as well try +to make yourselves pure and holy without the help of God. It would be +just as easy for you to do that as for the black man to wash himself +white. A man might just as well try to leap over the moon as to serve +God in the flesh. Therefore, "that which is born of the flesh is +flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." + +Now God tells us in this chapter how we are to get into His kingdom. +We are not to work our way in--not but that salvation is worth +working for. We admit all that. If there were rivers and mountains in +the way, it would be well worth while to swim those rivers, and climb +those mountains. There is no doubt that salvation is worth all that +effort; but we do not obtain it by our works. It is "to him that +worketh not, but believeth" (Rom. iv. 5). We work because we are +saved; we do not work to be saved. We work from the cross; but not +towards it. It is written, "Work out your own salvation with fear and +trembling" (Phil. ii. 12). Why, you must have your salvation before +you can work it out. Suppose I say to my little boy, "I want you to +spend that hundred dollars carefully." "Well," he says, "let me have +the hundred dollars; and I will be careful how I spend it." I +remember when I first left home and went to Boston; I had spent all +my money, and I went to the post-office three times a day. I knew +there was only one mail a day from home; but I thought by some +possibility there might be a letter for me. At last I received a +letter from my little sister; and oh, how glad I was to get it. She +had heard that there were a great many pick-pockets in Boston, and a +large part of that letter was to urge me to be very careful not to +let anybody pick my pocket. Now I required to have something in my +pocket before I could have it picked. So you must have salvation +before you can work it out. + +When Christ cried out on Calvary, "It is finished!" He meant what He +said. All that men have to do now is just to accept of the work of +Jesus Christ. There is no hope for man or woman so long as they are +trying to work out salvation for themselves. I can imagine there are +some people who will say, as Nicodemus possibly did, "This is a very +mysterious thing." I see the scowl on that Pharisee's brow as he +says, "How can these things be?" It sounds very strange to his ear. +"Born again; born of the Spirit! How can these things be?" A great +many people say, "You must reason it out; but if you do not reason it +out, do not ask us to believe it." I can imagine a great many people +saying that. When you ask me to reason it out, I tell you frankly I +cannot do it. "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest +the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it +goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." (John 8.) I do +not understand everything about the wind. You ask me to reason it +out. I cannot. It may blow due north here, and a hundred miles away +due south. I may go up a few hundred feet, and find it blowing in an +entirely opposite direction from what it is down here. You ask me to +explain these currents of wind; but suppose that, because I cannot +explain them, and do not understand them, I were to take my stand and +assert, "Oh, there is no such thing as wind." I can imagine some +little girl saying, "I know more about it than that man does; often +have I heard the wind, and felt it blowing against my face;" and she +might say, "Did not the wind blow my umbrella out of my hands the +other day? and did I not see it blow a man's hat off in the street? +Have I not seen it blow the trees in the forest, and the growing corn +in the country?" + +You might just as well tell me that there is no such thing as wind, +as tell me there is no such thing as a man being born of the Spirit. +I have felt the spirit of God working in my heart, just as really and +as truly as I have felt the wind blowing in my face. I cannot reason +it out. There are a great many things I cannot reason out, but which +I believe. I never could reason out the creation. I can see the +world, but I cannot tell how God made it out of nothing. But almost +every man will admit there was a creative power. + +There are a great many things that I cannot explain and cannot reason +out, and yet that I believe. I heard a commercial traveler say that +he had heard that the ministry and religion of Jesus Christ were +matters of revelation and not of investigation. "When it pleased God +to reveal His Son in Me," says Paul (Gal. i, 15, 16). There was a +party of young men together, going up the country; and on their +journey they made up their minds not to believe anything they could +not reason out. An old man heard them; and presently he said, "I +heard you say you would not believe anything you could not reason +out." "Yes," they said, "that is so." "Well," he said, "coming down +on the train to-day, I noticed some geese, some sheep, some swine, +and some cattle all eating grass. Can you tell me by what process +that same grass was turned into hair, feathers, bristles and wool? Do +you believe it is a fact?" "Oh yes," they said, "we cannot help +believing that, though we fail to understand it." "Well," said the +old man, "I cannot help believing in Jesus Christ." And I cannot help +believing in the regeneration of man, when I see men who have been +reclaimed, when I see men who have been reformed. Have not some of +the very worst men been regenerated--been picked up out of the pit, +and had their feet set upon the Rock, and a new song put in their +mouths? Their tongues were cursing and blaspheming; and now are +occupied in praising God. Old things have passed away, and all things +have become new. They are not reformed only, but regenerated--new men +in Christ Jesus. + +Down there in the dark alleys of one of our great cities is a poor +drunkard. I think if you want to get near hell, you should go to a +poor drunkard's home. Go to the house of that poor miserable +drunkard. Is there anything more like hell on earth? See the want and +distress that reign there. But hark! A footstep is heard at the door, +and the children run and hide themselves. The patient wife waits to +meet the man. He has been her torment. Many a time she has borne +about the marks of his blows for weeks. Many a time that strong right +hand has been brought down on her defenseless head. And now she waits +expecting to hear his oaths and suffer his brutal treatment. He comes +in and says to her: "I have been to the meeting; and I heard there +that if I will I can be converted. I believe that God is able to save +me." Go down to that house again in a few weeks: and what a change! +As you approach you hear some one singing. It is not the song of a +reveller, but the strains of that good old hymn, "Rock of Ages." The +children are no longer afraid of the man, but cluster around his +knee. His wife is near him, her face lit up with a happy glow. Is not +that a picture of Regeneration? I can take you to many such homes, +made happy by the regenerating power of the religion of Christ. What +men want is the power to overcome temptation, the power to lead a +right life. + +The only way to get into the kingdom of God is to be "born" into it. +The law of this country requires that the President should be born in +the country. When foreigners come to our shores they have no right to +complain against such a law, which forbids them from ever becoming +Presidents. Now, has not God a right to make a law that all those who +become heirs of eternal life must be "born" into His kingdom? + +An unregenerated man would rather be in hell than in heaven. Take a +man whose heart is full of corruption and wickedness, and place him +in heaven among the pure, the holy and the redeemed; and he would not +want to stay there. Certainly, if we are to be happy in heaven we +must begin to make a heaven here on earth. Heaven is a prepared place +for a prepared people. If a gambler or a blasphemer were taken out of +the streets of New York and placed on the crystal pavement of heaven +and under the shadow of the tree of life, he would say, "I do not +want to stay here." If men were taken to heaven just as they are by +nature, without having their hearts regenerated, there would be +another rebellion in heaven. Heaven is filled with a company of those +who have been twice born. + +In the 14th and 15th verses of this chapter we read "As Moses lifted +up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be +lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but +have eternal life." "WHOSOEVER." Mark that! Let me tell you who are +unsaved what God has done for you. He has done everything that He +could do toward your salvation. You need not wait for God to do +anything more. In one place he asks the question, what more could he +have done (Isaiah v. 4). He sent His prophets, and they killed them; +then He sent His beloved Son, and they murdered Him. Now He has sent +the Holy Spirit to convince us of sin, and to show how we are to be +saved. + +In this chapter we are told how men are to be saved, namely, by Him +who was lifted up on the cross. Just as Moses lifted up the brazen +serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, "that +whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." +Some men complain and say that it is very unreasonable that they +should be held responsible for the sin of a man six thousand years +ago. It was not long ago that a man was talking to me about this +injustice, as he called it. If a man thinks he is going to answer God +in that way, I tell you it will not do him any good. If you are lost, +it will not be on account of Adam's sin. + +Let me illustrate this; and perhaps you will be better able to +understand it. Suppose I am dying of consumption, which I inherited +from my father or mother. I did not get the disease by any fault of +my own, by any neglect of my health; I inherited it, let us suppose. +A friend happens to come along: he looks at me, and says: "Moody, you +are in a consumption." I reply, "I know it very well; I do not want +any one to tell me that." "But," he says, "there is a remedy." "But, +sir, I do not believe it. I have tried the leading physicians in this +country and in Europe; and they tell me there is no hope." "But you +know me, Moody; you have known me for years." "Yes, sir." "Do you +think, then, I would tell you a falsehood?" "No." "Well, ten years +ago I was as far gone. I was given up by the physicians to die; but I +took this medicine and it cured me. I am perfectly well: look at me." +I say that it is "a very strange case." "Yes, it may be strange; but +it is a fact. This medicine cured me: take this medicine, and it will +cure you. Although it has cost me a great deal, it shall not cost you +anything. Do not make light of it, I beg of you." "Well," I say, "I +should like to believe you; but this is contrary to my reason." + +Hearing this, my friend goes away and returns with another friend, +and that one testifies to the same thing. I am still disbelieving; so +he goes away, and brings in another friend, and another, and another, +and another; and they all testify to the same thing. They say they +were as bad as myself; that they took the same medicine that has been +offered to me; and that it has cured them. My friend then hands me +the medicine. I dash it to the ground; I do not believe in its saving +power; I die. The reason is then that I spurned the remedy. So, if +you perish, it will not be because Adam fell; but because you spurned +the remedy offered to save you. You will choose darkness rather than +light. "How then shall ye escape, if ye neglect so great salvation?" +There is no hope for you if you neglect the remedy. It does no good +to look at the wound. If we had been in the Israelitish camp and had +been bitten by one of the fiery serpents, it would have done us no +good to look at the wound. Looking at the wound will never save any +one. What you must do is to look at the Remedy--look away to Him who +hath power to save you from your sin. + +Behold the camp of the Israelites; look at the scene that is pictured +to your eyes! Many are dying because they neglect the remedy that is +offered. In that arid desert is many a short and tiny grave; many a +child has been bitten by the fiery serpents. Fathers and mothers are +bearing away their children. Over yonder they are just burying a +mother; a loved mother is about to be laid in the earth. All the +family, weeping, gather around the beloved form. You hear the +mournful cries; you see the bitter tears. The father is being borne +away to his last resting place. There is wailing going up all over +the camp. Tears are pouring down for thousands who have passed away; +thousands more are dying; and the plague is raging from one end of +the camp to the other. + +I see in one tent an Israelitish mother bending over the form of a +beloved boy just coming into the bloom of life, just budding into +manhood. She is wiping away the sweat of death that is gathering upon +his brow. Yet a little while, and his eyes are fixed and glassy, for +life is ebbing fast away. The mother's heart-strings are torn and +bleeding. All at once she hears a noise in the camp. A great shout +goes up. What does it mean? She goes to the door of the tent. "What +is the noise in the camp?" she asks those passing by. And some one +says: "Why, my good woman, have you not heard the good news that has +come into the camp?" "No," says the woman, "Good news! What is it?" +"Why, have you not heard about it? God has provided a remedy." "What! +for the bitten Israelites? Oh, tell me what the remedy is!" "Why, God +has instructed Moses to make a brazen serpent, and to put it on a +pole in the middle of the camp; and He has declared that whosoever +looks upon it shall live. The shout that you hear is the shout of the +people when they see the serpent lifted up." The mother goes back +into the tent, and she says: "My boy, I have good news to tell you. +You need not die! My boy, my boy, I have come with good tidings; you +can live!" He is already getting stupefied; he is so weak he cannot +walk to the door of the tent. She puts her strong arms under him and +lifts him up. "Look yonder; look right there under the hill!" But the +boy does not see anything; he says--"I do not see anything; what is +it, mother?" And she says: "Keep looking, and you will see it." At +last he catches a glimpse of the glistening serpent; and lo, he is +well! And thus it is with many a young convert. Some men say, "Oh, we +do not believe in sudden conversions." How long did it take to cure +that boy? How long did it take to cure those serpent-bitten +Israelites? It was just a look; and they were well. + +That Hebrew boy is a young convert. I can fancy that I see him now +calling on all those who were with him to praise God. He sees another +young man bitten as he was; and he runs up to him and tells him, +"You, need not die." "Oh," the young man replies, "I cannot live; it +is not possible. There is not a physician in Israel who can cure me." +He does not know that he need not die. "Why, have you not heard the +news? God has provided a remedy." "What remedy?" "Why, God has told +Moses to lift up a brazen serpent, and has said that none of those +who look upon that serpent shall die." I can just imagine the young +man. He may be what you call an intellectual young man. He says to +the young convert "You do not think I am going to believe anything +like that? If the physicians in Israel cannot cure me, how do you +think that an old brass serpent on a pole is going to cure me?" "Why, +sir, I was as bad as yourself!" "You do not say so!" "Yes, I do." +"That is the most astonishing thing I ever heard," says the young +man: "I wish you would explain the philosophy of it." "I cannot. I +only know that I looked at that serpent, and I was cured: that did +it. I just looked; that is all. My mother told me the reports that +were being heard through the camp; and I just believed what my mother +said, and I am perfectly well." "Well, I do not believe you were +bitten as badly as I have been." The young man pulls up his sleeve. +"Look there! That mark shows where I was bitten; and I tell you I was +worse than you are." "Well, if I understood the philosophy of it I +would look and get well." "Let your philosophy go: _look and live_." +"But, sir, you ask me to do an unreasonable thing. If God had said, +Take the brass and rub it into the wound, there might be something in +the brass that would cure the bite. Young man, explain the philosophy +of it." I have often seen people before me who have talked in that +way. But the young man calls in another, and takes him into the tent, +and says: "Just tell him how the Lord saved you;" and he tells just +the same story; and he calls in others, and they all say the same +thing. + +The young man says it is a very strange thing. "If the Lord had told +Moses to go and get some herbs, or roots, and stew them, and take the +decoction as a medicine, there would be something in that. But it is +so contrary to nature to do such a thing as look at the serpent, that +I cannot do it." At length his mother, who has been out in the camp, +comes in, and she says, "My boy, I have just the best news in the +world for you. I was in the camp, and I saw hundreds who were very +far gone, and they are all perfectly well now." The young man says: +"I should like to get well; it is a very painful thought to die; I +want to go into the promised land, and it is terrible to die here in +this wilderness; but the fact is--I do not understand the remedy. It +does not appeal to my reason. I cannot believe that I can get well in +a moment." And the young man dies in consequence of his own unbelief. + +God provided a remedy for this bitten Israelite--"Look and live!" And +there is eternal life for every poor sinner, Look, and you can be +saved, my reader, this very hour. God has provided a remedy; and it +is offered to all. The trouble is, a great many people are looking at +the pole. Do not look at the pole; that is the church. You need not +look at the church; the church is all right, but the church cannot +save you. Look beyond the pole. Look at the Crucified One. Look to +Calvary. Bear in mind, sinner, that Jesus died for all. You need not +look at ministers; they are just God's chosen instruments to hold up +the Remedy, to hold up Christ. And so, my friends, take your eyes off +from men; take your eyes off from the church. Lift them up to Jesus; +who took away the sin of the world, and there will be life for you +from this hour. + +Thank God, we do not require an education to teach us how to look. +That little girl, that little boy, only four years old, who cannot +read, can look. When the father is coming home, the mother says to +her little boy, "Look! look! look!" and the little child learns to +look long before he is a year old. And that is the way to be saved. +It is to look at the Lamb of God "who taketh away the sin of the +world;" and there is life this moment for every one who is willing to +look. + +Some men say, "I wish I knew how to be saved." Just take God at His +word and trust His Son this very day--this very hour--this very +moment. He will save you, if you will trust Him. I imagine I hear +some one saying, "I do not feel the bite as much as I wish I did. I +know I am a sinner, and all that; but I do not feel the bite enough." +How much does God want you to feel it? + +When I was in Belfast I knew a doctor who had a friend, a leading +surgeon there; and he told me that the surgeon's custom was, before +performing any operation, to say to the patient, "Take a good look at +the wound, and then fix your eyes on me; and do not take them off +till I get through." I thought at the time that was a good +illustration. Sinner, take a good look at your wound; and then fix +your eyes on Christ, and do not take them off. It is better to look +at the Remedy than at the wound. See what a poor wretched sinner you +are; and then look at the Lamb of God who "taketh away the sin of the +world." He died for the ungodly and the sinner. Say "I will take +Him!" And may God help you to lift your eye to the Man on Calvary. +And as the Israelites looked upon the serpent and were healed, so may +you look and live. + +After the battle of Pittsburgh Landing I was in a hospital at +Murfreesbro. In the middle of the night I was aroused and told that a +man in one of the wards wanted to see me. I went to him and he called +me "chaplain"--I was not the chaplain--and said he wanted me to help +him die. And I said, "I would take you right up in my arms and carry +you into the kingdom of God if I could; but I cannot do it: I cannot +help you die!" And he said, "Who can?" I said, "The Lord Jesus Christ +can--He came for that purpose." He shook his head, and said, "He +cannot save me; I have sinned all my life." And I said, "But He came +to save sinners." I thought of his mother in the north, and I was +sure that she was anxious that he should die in peace; so I resolved +I would stay with him. I prayed two or three times, and repeated all +the promises I could; for it was evident that in a few hours he would +be gone. I said I wanted to read him a conversation that Christ had +with a man who was anxious about his soul. I turned to the third +chapter of John. His eyes were riveted on me; and when I came to the +14th and 15th verses--the passage before us--he caught up the words, +"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the +Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not +perish, but have eternal life." He stopped me and said, "Is that +there?" I said "Yes." He asked me to read it again; and I did so. He +leant his elbows on the cot and clasping his hands together, said, +"That's good; won't you read it again?" I read it the third time; and +then went on with the rest of the chapter. When I had finished, his +eyes were closed, his hands were folded, and there was a smile on his +face. Oh, how it was lit up! What change had come over it! I saw his +lips quivering, and leaning over him I heard in a faint whisper, "As +Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son +of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not +perish, but have eternal life." He opened his eyes and said, "That's +enough; don't read any more." He lingered a few hours, pillowing his +head on those two verses; and then went up in one of Christ's +chariots, to take his seat in the kingdom of God. + +Christ said to Nicodemus: "Except a man be born again, he cannot see +the kingdom of God." You may see many countries; but there is one +country--the land of Beulah, which John Bunyan saw in vision--you +shall never behold, unless you are born again--regenerated by Christ. +You can look abroad and see many beautiful trees; but the tree of +life, you shall never behold, unless your eyes are made clear by +faith in the Saviour. You may see the beautiful rivers of the earth--you +may ride upon their bosoms; but bear in mind that your eye will +never rest upon the river which bursts out from the Throne of God and +flows through the upper Kingdom, unless you are born again. God has +said it; and not man. You will never see the kingdom of God except +you are born again. You may see the kings and lords of the earth; but +the King of kings and Lord of lords you will never see except you are +born again. When you are in London you may go to the Tower and see +the crown of England, which is worth thousands of dollars, and is +guarded there by soldiers; but bear in mind that your eye will never +rest upon the crown of life except you are born again. + +You may hear the songs of Zion which are sung here; but one song--that +of Moses and the Lamb--the uncircumcised ear shall never hear; +its melody will only gladden the ear of those who have been born +again. You may look upon the beautiful mansions of earth, but bear in +mind the mansions which Christ has gone to prepare you shall never +see unless you are born again. It is God who says it. You may see ten +thousand beautiful things in this world; but the city that Abraham +caught a glimpse of--and from that time became a pilgrim and +sojourner--you shall never see unless you are born again (Heb. xi. 8, +10-16). You may often be invited to marriage feasts here; but you +will never attend the marriage supper of the Lamb except you are born +again. It is God who says it, dear friend. You may be looking on the +face of your sainted mother to-night, and feel that she is praying +for you; but the time will come when you shall never see her more +unless you are born again. + +The reader may be a young man or a young lady who has recently stood +by the bedside of a dying mother; and she may have said, "Be sure and +meet me in heaven," and you made the promise. Ah! you shall never see +her more, except you are born again. I believe Jesus of Nazareth, +sooner than those infidels who say you do not need to be born again. +Parents, if you hope to see your children who have gone before, you +must be born of the Spirit. Possibly you are a father or a mother who +has recently borne a loved one to the grave; and how dark your home +seems! Never more will you see your child, unless you are born again. +If you wish to be re-united to your loved one, you must be born +again. I may be addressing a father or a mother who has a loved one +up yonder. If you could hear that loved one's voice, it would say, +"Come this way." Have you a sainted friend up yonder? Young man or +young lady, have you not a mother in the world of light? If you could +hear her speak, would not she say, "Come this way, my son,"--"Come +this way, my daughter?" If you would ever see her more you must be +born again. + +We all have an Elder Brother there. Nearly nineteen hundred years ago +He crossed over, and from the heavenly shores He is calling you to +heaven. Let us turn our backs upon the world. Let us give a deaf ear +to the world. Let us look to Jesus on the Cross and be saved. Then we +shall one day see the King in His beauty, and we shall go no more +out. + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +_THE TWO CLASSES_. + + +"Two men went up into the temple to pray."--Luke xvii. 10. + + +I now want to speak of two classes: First, those who do not feel +their need of a Saviour who have not been convinced of sin by the +Spirit; and Second, those who are convinced of sin and cry, "What +must I do to be saved?" + +All inquirers can be ranged under two heads: they have either the +spirit of the Pharisee, or the spirit of the publican. If a man +having the spirit of the Pharisee comes into an after-meeting, I know +of no better portion of Scripture to meet his case than Romans iii. +10: "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is +none that understandeth; there is none that seeketh after God." Paul +is here speaking of the natural man. "They are all gone out of the +way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth +good, no, not one." And in the 17th verse and those which follow, we +have "And the way of peace have they not known; there is no fear of +God before their eyes. Now we know what things soever the law saith, +it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be +stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." + +Then observe the last clause of verse 22: "For there is no +difference; for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." +Not part of the human family--but _all_--"have sinned, and come short +of the glory of God." Another verse which has been very much used to +convict men of their sin is 1 John i. 8: "If we say that we have no +sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." + +I remember that on one occasion we were holding meetings in an +eastern city of forty thousand inhabitants; and a lady came and asked +us to pray for her husband, whom she purposed bringing into the after +meeting. I have traveled a good deal and met many pharisaical men; +but this man was so clad in self-righteousness that you could not get +the point of the needle of conviction in anywhere. I said to his +wife: "I am glad to see your faith; but we cannot get near him; he is +the most self-righteous man I ever saw." She said: "You must! My +heart will break if these meetings end without his conversion." She +persisted in bringing him; and I got almost tired of the sight of +him. + +But towards the close of our meetings of thirty days, he came up to +me and put his trembling hand on my shoulder. The place in which the +meetings were held was rather cold, and there was an adjoining room +in which only the gas had been lighted; and he said to me, "Can't you +come in here for a few minutes?" I thought that he was shaking from +cold, and I did not particularly wish to go where it was colder. But +he said: "I am the worst man in the State of Vermont. I want you to +pray for me." I thought he had committed a murder, or some other +awful crime; and I asked: "Is there any one sin that particularly +troubles you?" And he said: "My whole life has been a sin. I have +been a conceited, self-righteous Pharisee. I want you to pray for +me." He was under deep conviction. Man could not have produced this +result; but the Spirit had. About two o'clock in the morning light +broke in upon his soul: and he went up and down the business street +of the city and told what God had done for him; and has been a most +active Christian ever since. + +There are four other passages in dealing with inquirers, which were +used by Christ Himself. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a +man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John iii. 3.) + +In Luke xiii. 3, we read: "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise +perish." + +In Matthew xviii., when the disciples came to Jesus to know who was +to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, we are told that He took +a little child and set him in the midst and said, "Verily I say unto +you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall +not enter the kingdom of heaven" (xviii. 1-3). + +There is another important "Except" in Matthew v. 20: "Except your +righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and +Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven." + +A man must be made meet before he will want to go into the kingdom of +God. I would rather go into the kingdom with the younger brother than +stay outside with the elder. Heaven would be hell to such an one. An +elder brother who could not rejoice at his younger brother's return +would not be "fit" for the kingdom of God. It is a solemn thing to +contemplate; but the curtain drops and leaves him outside, and the +younger brother within. To him the language of the Saviour under +other circumstances seems appropriate: "Verily I say unto you, That +the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you" +(Matt. xxi. 31). + +A lady once came to me and wanted a favor for her daughter. She said: +"You must remember I do not sympathize with you in your doctrine." I +asked: "What is your trouble?" She said: "I think your abuse of the +elder brother is horrible. I think he is a noble character." I said +that I was willing to hear her defend him; but that it was a solemn +thing to take up such a position; and that the elder brother needed +to be converted as much as the younger. When people talk of being +moral it is well to get them to take a good look at the old man +pleading with his boy who would not go in. + +But we will pass on now to the other class with which we have to +deal. It is composed of those who are convinced of sin and from whom +the cry comes as from the Philippian jailer, "What must I do to be +saved?" To those who utter this penitential cry there is no necessity +to administer the law. It is well to bring them straight to the +Scripture: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be +saved." (Acts xvi. 31). Many will meet you with a scowl and say, "I +don't know what it is to believe;" and though it is the law of heaven +that they must believe, in order to be saved--yet they ask for +something besides that. We are to tell them what, and where, and how, +to believe. + +In John iii. 35 and 36 we read: "The Father loveth the Son, and hath +given all things into His hand. He that believeth on the Son hath +everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see +life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." + +Now this looks reasonable. Man lost life by unbelief--by not +believing God's word; and we got life back again by believing--by +taking God at His word. In other words we get up where Adam fell +down. He stumbled and fell over the stone of unbelief; and we are +lifted up and stand upright by believing. When people say they cannot +believe, show them chapter and verse, and hold them right to this one +thing: "Has God ever broken His promise for these six thousand +years?" The devil and men have been trying all the time and have not +succeeded in showing that He has broken a single promise; and there +would be a jubilee in hell to-day if one word that He has spoken +could be broken. If a man says that he cannot believe it is well to +press him on that one thing. + +I can believe God better to-day than I can my own heart. "The heart +is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know +it?" (Jer. xxii. 9). I can believe God better than I can myself. If +you want to know the way of Life, believe that Jesus Christ is a +personal Saviour; cut away from all doctrines and creeds, and come +right to the heart of the Son of God. If you have been feeding on dry +doctrine there is not much growth on that kind of food. Doctrines are +to the soul what the streets which lead to the house of a friend who +has invited me to dinner are to the body. They will lead me there if +I take the right one; but if I remain in the streets my hunger will +never be satisfied. Feeding on doctrines is like trying to live on +dry husks; and lean indeed must the soul remain which partakes not of +the Bread sent down from heaven. + +Some ask: "How am I to get my heart warmed?" It is by believing. You +do not get power to love and serve God until you believe. + +The apostle John says "If we receive the witness of men, the witness +of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which He hath +testified of His Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the +witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; +because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son. And +this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this +life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath +not the Son of God hath not life" (1 John v. 9). + +Human affairs would come to a standstill if we did not take the +testimony of men. How should we get on in the ordinary intercourse of +life, and how would commerce get on, if we disregarded men's +testimony? Things social and commercial would come to a dead-lock +within forty-eight hours! This is the drift of the apostle's argument +here. "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is +greater." God has borne witness to Jesus Christ. And if man can +believe his fellow men who are frequently telling untruths and whom +we are constantly finding unfaithful, why should we not take God at +His word and believe His testimony? + +Faith is a belief in testimony. It is not a leap in the dark, as some +tell us. That would be no faith at all. God does not ask any man to +believe without giving him something to believe. You might as well +ask a man to see without eyes; to hear without ears; and to walk +without feet--as to bid him believe without giving him something to +believe. + +When I started for California I procured a guide-book. This told me, +that after leaving the State of Illinois, I should cross the +Mississippi, and then the Missouri; get into Nebraska; then over the +Rocky Mountains to the Mormon settlement at Salt Lake City, and by +the way of the Sierra Nevada into San Francisco. I found the guide +book all right as I went along; and I should have been a miserable +sceptic if, having proved it to be correct three-fourths of the way, +I had said that I would not believe it for the remainder of the +journey. + +Suppose a man, in directing me to the Post Office, gives me ten +landmarks; and that, in my progress there, I find nine of them to be +as he told me; I should have good reason to believe that I was coming +to the Post Office. + +And if, by believing, I get a new life, and a hope, a peace, a joy, +and a rest to my soul, that I never had before; if I get self-control, +and find that I have a power to resist evil and to do good, +I have pretty good proof that I am in the right road to the "city +which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." And if +things have taken place, and are now taking place, as recorded in +God's Word, I have good reason to conclude that what yet remains will +be fulfilled. And yet people talk of doubting. There can be no true +faith where there is fear. Faith is to take God at His word, +unconditionally. There cannot be true peace where there is fear. +"Perfect love casteth out fear." How wretched a wife would be if she +doubted her husband! and how miserable a mother would feel if after +her boy had gone away from home she had reason, from his neglect, to +question that son's devotion! True love never has a doubt. + +There are three things indispensable to faith--knowledge, assent, and +appropriation. + +We must know God. "And this is life eternal, that they might _know_ +Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent" (John +xvii. 3). Then we must not only give our assent to what we know; but +we must lay hold of the truth. If a man simply give his assent to the +plan of salvation, it will not save him: he must accept Christ as his +Saviour. He must receive and appropriate Him. + +Some say they cannot tell how a man's life can be affected by his +belief. But let some one cry out that some building in which we +happen to be sitting, is on fire; and see how soon we should act on +our belief and get out. We are all the time influenced by what we +believe. We cannot help it. And let a man believe the record that God +has given of Christ, and it will very quickly affect his whole life. + +Take John v. 24. There is enough truth in that one verse for every +soul to rest upon for salvation. It does not admit the shadow of a +doubt. "Verily, verily"--which means truly, truly--"I say unto you, +He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, +hath--_hath_--everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; +but is passed from death unto life." + +Now if a person really hears the word of Jesus and believes with the +heart on God who sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world, and +lays hold of and appropriates this great salvation, there is no fear +of judgment. He will not be looking forward with dread to the Great +White Throne; for we read in 1 John iv. 17: "Herein is our love made +perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as +He is, so are we in this world." + +If we believe, there is for us no condemnation, no judgment. That is +behind us, and passed; and we shall have boldness in the day of +judgment. + +I remember reading of a man who was on trial for his life. He had +friends with influence; and they procured a pardon for him from the +king on condition that he was to go through the trial, and be +condemned. He went into court with the pardon in his pocket. The +feeling ran very high against him, and the judge said that the court +was shocked that he was so much unconcerned. But, when the sentence +was pronounced, he pulled out the pardon, presented it, and walked +out a free man. He has been pardoned; and so have we. Then let death +come, we have nought to fear. All the grave-diggers in the world +cannot dig a grave large enough and deep enough to hold eternal life; +all the coffin makers in the world cannot make a coffin large enough +and tight enough to hold eternal life. Death has had his hand on +Christ once, but never again. + +Jesus said: "I am the Resurrection, and the Life: he that believeth +in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth +and believeth in Me shall never die" (John xi. 25, 26). And in the +Apocalypse we read that the risen Saviour said to John, "I am He that +liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore" (Rev i. +18). Death cannot touch Him again. + +We get life by believing. In fact we get more than Adam lost; for the +redeemed child of God is heir to a richer and more glorious +inheritance than Adam in Paradise could ever have conceived; yea, and +that inheritance endures forever--it is inalienable. + +I would much rather have my life hid with Christ in God than have +lived in Paradise; for Adam might have sinned and fallen after being +there ten thousand years. But the believer is safer, if these things +become real to him. Let us make them a fact, and not a fiction. God +has said it; and that is enough. Let us trust Him even where we +cannot trace Him. Let the same confidence animate us that was in +little Maggie as related in the following simple but touching +incident which I read in the _Bible Treasury_:-- + +"I had been absent from home for some days, and was wondering, as I +again draw near the homestead, if my little Maggie, just able to sit +alone, would remember me. To test her memory, I stationed myself +where I could see her, but could not be seen by her, and called her +name in the familiar tone, 'Maggie!' She dropped her playthings, +glanced around the room, and then looked down upon her toys. Again I +repeated her name, 'Maggie!' when she once more surveyed the room; +but, not seeing her _father's_ face, she looked very sad, and slowly +resumed her employment. Once more I called, 'Maggie!' when, dropping +her playthings, and bursting into tears, she stretched out her arms +in the direction whence the sound proceeded, knowing that, though she +could not see him, her father _must be there_, for she knew his +voice." + +Now, we have power to see and to hear, and we have power to believe. +It is all folly for the inquirers to take the ground that they cannot +believe. They can, if they will. But the trouble with most people is +that they have connected feeling with believing. Now Feeling has +nothing whatever to do with Believing. The Bible does not say--He +that feeleth, or he that feeleth and believeth, hath everlasting +life. Nothing of the kind. I cannot control my feelings. If I could, +I should never feel ill, or have a headache or toothache. I should be +well all the while. But I can believe God; and if we get our feet on +that rock, let doubts and fears come and the waves surge around us, +the anchor will hold. + +Some people are all the time looking at their faith. Faith is the +hand that takes the blessing. I heard this illustration of a beggar. +Suppose you were to meet a man in the street whom you had known for +years as being accustomed to beg; and you offered him some money, and +he were to say to you: "I thank you; I don't want your money: I am +not a beggar." "How is that?" "Last night a man put a thousand +dollars into my hands." "He did! How did you know it was good money?" +"I took it to the bank and deposited it and have got a bank book." +"How did you get this gift?" "I asked for alms; and after the +gentleman talked with me he took out a thousand dollars in money and +put it in my hand." "How do you know that he put it in the right +hand?" "What do I care about which hand; so that I have got the +money." Many people are always thinking whether the faith by which +they lay hold of Christ is the right kind--but what is far more +essential is to see that we have the right kind of Christ. + +Faith is the eye of the soul; and who would ever think of taking out +an eye to see if it were the right kind so long as the sight was +perfect? It is not my taste, but it is what I taste, that satisfies +my appetite. So, dear friends, it is taking God at His Word that is +the means of our salvation. The truth cannot be made too simple. + +There is a man living in the city of New York who has a home on the +Hudson River. His daughter and her family went to spend the winter +with him: and in the course of the season the scarlet fever broke +out. One little girl was put in quarantine, to be kept separate from +the rest. Every morning the old grandfather used to go and bid his +grandchild, "Goodbye," before going to his business. On one of these +occasions the little thing took the old man by the hand, and, leading +him to a corner of the room, without saying a word she pointed to the +floor where she had arranged some small crackers so they would spell +out, "Grandpa, I want a box of paints." He said nothing. On his +return home he hung up his overcoat and went to the room as usual: +when his little grandchild, without looking to see if her wish had +been complied with, took him into the same corner, where he saw +spelled out in the same way, "Grandpa, I thank you for the box of +paints." The old man would not have missed gratifying the child for +anything. That was faith. + +Faith is taking God at His Word; and those people who want some token +are always getting into trouble. We want to come to this: God says +it--let us believe it. + +But some say, Faith is the gift of God. So is the air; but you have +to breathe it. So is bread; but you have to eat it. So is water; but +you have to drink it. Some are wanting a miraculous kind of feeling. +That is not faith. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word +of God" (Rom. x. 17). That is whence faith comes. It is not for me to +sit down and wait for faith to come stealing over me with a strange +sensation; but it is for me to take God at His Word. And you cannot +believe, unless you have something to believe. So take the Word as it +is written, and appropriate it, and lay hold of it. + +In John vi. 47, 48 we read: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that +believeth on Me hath everlasting life. I am that Bread of life." +There is the bread right at hand. Partake of it. I might have +thousands of loaves within my home, and as many hungry men in +waiting. They might assent to the fact that the bread was there; but +unless they each took a loaf and commenced eating, their hunger would +not be satisfied. So Christ is the Bread of heaven; and as the body +feeds on natural food, so the soul must feed on Christ. + +If a drowning man sees a rope thrown out to rescue him he must lay +hold of it; and in order to do so he must let go everything else. If +a man is sick he must take the medicine--for simply looking at it +will not cure him. A knowledge of Christ will not help the inquirer, +unless he believes in Him, and takes hold of Him, as his only hope. +The bitten Israelites might have believed that the serpent was lifted +up; but unless they had looked they would not have lived (Num. xxi. +6-9). + +I believe that a certain line of steamers will convey me across the +ocean, because I have tried it: but this will not help another man +who may want to go, unless he acts upon my knowledge. So a knowledge +of Christ does not help us unless we act upon it. That is what it is +to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is to act on what we believe. +As a man steps on board a steamer to cross the Atlantic, so we must +take Christ and make a commitment of our souls to Him; and He has +promised to keep all who put their trust in Him. To believe on the +Lord Jesus Christ, is simply to take Him at His word. + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +_WORDS OF COUNSEL_. + + +"A bruised reed shall He not break."--Isaiah xlii. 3; Matt. xii. 20. + + +It is dangerous for those who are seeking salvation to lean upon the +experience of other people. Many are waiting for a repetition of the +experience of their grandfather or grandmother. I had a friend who +was converted in a field; and he thinks the whole town ought to go +down into that meadow and be converted. Another was converted under a +bridge; and he thinks that if any enquirer were to go there he would +find the Lord. The best thing for the anxious is to go right to the +Word of God. If there are any persons in the world to whom the Word +ought to be very precious it is those who are asking how to be saved. + +For instance a man may say, "I have no strength." Let him turn to +Romans v. 6. "For when we were yet without strength, in due time +Christ died for the ungodly." It is because we have no strength that +we need Christ. He has come to give strength to the weak. + +Another may say, "I cannot see." Christ says, "I am the Light of the +world" (John viii. 12). He came, not only to give light, but "to open +the blind eyes" (Isa. xlii. 7). + +Another may say, "I do not think a man can be saved all at once." A +person holding that view was in the Enquiry-room one night; and I +drew his attention to Romans vi. 23. "The wages of sin is death; but +the _gift_ of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." How +long does it take to accept a gift? There must be a moment when you +have it not, and another when you have it--a moment when it is +another's, and the next when it is yours. It does not take six months +to get eternal life. It may however in some cases be like the mustard +seed, very small at the commencement. Some people are converted so +gradually that, like the morning light, it is impossible to tell when +the dawn began; while, with others, it is like the flashing of a +meteor, and the truth bursts upon them suddenly. + +I would not go across the street to prove when I was converted; but +what is important is for me to know that I really have been. + +It may be that a child has been so carefully trained that it is +impossible to tell when the new birth began; but there must have been +a moment when the change took place, and when he became a partaker of +the Divine nature. + +Some people do not believe in sudden conversion. But I will challenge +any one to show a conversion in the New Testament that was not +instantaneous. "As Jesus passed by He saw Levi, the son of Alpheus, +sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, 'Follow Me': and +he arose and followed Him" (Matt. ix. 9). Nothing could be more +sudden than that. + +Zaccheus, the publican, sought to see Jesus; and because he was +little of stature he climbed up a tree. When Jesus came to the place +He looked up and saw him, and said, "Zaccheus, make haste, and come +down" (Luke xix. 5). His conversion must have taken place somewhere +between the branch and the ground. We are told that he received Jesus +joyfully, and said, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the +poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, +I restore him fourfold" (Luke xix. 8). Very few in these days could +say that in proof of their conversion. + +The whole house of Cornelius was converted suddenly; for so Peter +preached Christ to him and his company the Holy Ghost fell on them, +and they were baptized. (Acts x.) + +On the day of Pentecost three thousand gladly received the Word. They +were not only converted, but they were baptized the same day. (Acts +ii.) + +And when Philip talked to the eunuch, as they went on their way, the +eunuch said to Philip, "See, here is water: what doth hinder me to be +baptized?" Nothing hindered. And Philip said, "If thou believest with +all thine heart, thou mayest." And they both went down into the +water; and the man of great authority under Candace, the queen of the +Ethiopians, was baptized, and went on his way rejoicing. (Acts viii. +26-38.) You will find all through Scripture that conversions were +sudden and instantaneous. + +A man has been in the habit of stealing money from his employer. +Suppose he has taken $1,000 in twelve months; should we tell him to +take $500 the next year, and less the next year, and the next, until +in five years the sum taken would be only $50? That would be upon the +same principle as gradual conversion. + +If such a person were brought before the court and pardoned, because +he could not change his mode of life all at once, it would be +considered a very strange proceeding. + +But the Bible says, "Let him that stole steal no more" (Eph. iv. 28). +It is "right about face!" Suppose a person is in the habit of cursing +one hundred times a day: should we advise him not to utter more than +ninety oaths the following day, and eighty the next day; so that in +the course of time he would get rid of the habit? The Saviour says, +"Swear not at all." (Matt. v. 34.) + +Suppose another man is in the habit of getting drunk and beating his +wife twice a month; if he only did so once a month, and then only +once in six months, that would be, upon the same ground, as +reasonable as gradual conversion. Suppose Ananias had been sent to +Paul, when he was on his way to Damascus breathing out threatenings +and slaughter against the disciples, and casting them into prison, to +tell him not to kill so many as he intended; and to let enmity die +out of his heart gradually, but not all at once. Suppose he had been +told that it would not do to stop breathing out threatenings and +slaughter, and to commence preaching Christ all at once, because the +philosophers would say that the change was so sudden it would not +hold out; this would be the same kind of reasoning as is used by +those who do not believe in instantaneous conversion. + +Then another class say that they are afraid that they will not hold +out. This is a numerous and very hopeful class. I like to see a man +distrust himself. It is a good thing to get such to look to God, and +to remember that it is not he who holds God, but that it is God who +holds him. Some want to get hold of Christ; but the thing is to get +Christ to take hold of you in answer to prayer. Let such read Psalm +cxxi.; "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh +my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. +He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will +not slumber. Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor +sleep. The Lord is thy keeper; the Lord is thy shade upon thy right +hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The +Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul. +The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in, from this +time forth, and even for evermore." + +Some one calls that the traveler's psalm. It is a beautiful psalm for +those of us who are pilgrims through this world; and one with which +we should be well acquainted. + +God can do what He has done before. He kept Joseph in Egypt; Moses +before Pharaoh; Daniel in Babylon; and enabled Elijah to stand before +Ahab in that dark day. And I am so thankful that these I have +mentioned were men of like passions with ourselves. It was God who +made them so great. What man wants is to look to God. Real true faith +is man's weakness leaning on God's strength. When man has no +strength, if he leans on God he becomes powerful. The trouble is that +we have too much strength and confidence in ourselves. + +Again in Hebrews vi. 17, 18: "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to +show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, +confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things, in which it was +impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who +have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which +hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and +which entereth into that within the vail; whither the Forerunner is +for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the +order of Melchisedec." + +Now these are precious verses to those who are afraid of falling, who +fear that they will not hold out. It is God's work to hold. It is the +Shepherd's business to keep the sheep. Who ever heard of the sheep +going to bring back the shepherd? People have an idea that they have +to keep themselves and Christ too. It is a false idea. It is the work +of the Shepherd to look after them, and to take care of those who +trust Him. And He has promised to do it. I once heard that when a sea +captain was dying he said, "Glory to God; the anchor holds." He +trusted in Christ. His anchor had taken hold of the solid rock. An +Irishman said, on one occasion, that "he trembled; but the Rock never +did." We want to get sure footing. + +In 2 Timothy i. 12 Paul says: "I know whom I have believed, and am +persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto +Him against that day." That was Paul's persuasion. + +During the late war of the rebellion, one of the chaplains, going +through the hospitals, came to a man who was dying. Finding that he +was a Christian, he asked to what persuasion he belonged, and was +told "Paul's persuasion." "Is he a Methodist?" he asked; for the +Methodists all claim Paul. "No." "Is he a Presbyterian?" for the +Presbyterians lay special claim to Paul. "No," was the answer. "Does +he belong to the Episcopal Church?" for all the Episcopalian brethren +contend that they have a claim to the Chief Apostle. "No," he was not +an Episcopalian. "Then, to what persuasion does he belong?" "I am +persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto +Him against that day." It is a grand persuasion; and it gave the +dying soldier rest in a dying hour. + +Let those who fear that they will not hold out turn to the 24th verse +of the Epistle of Jude: "Now unto Him that is able to keep you from +falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His +glory with exceeding joy." + +Then look at Isaiah xli. 10: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be +not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will +help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My +righteousness." + +Then see verse 13: "For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, +saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." + +Now if God has got hold of my right hand in His, cannot He hold me +and keep me? Has not God the power to keep? The great God who made +heaven and earth can keep a poor sinner like you and like me if we +trust Him. To refrain from feeling confidence in God for fear of +falling--would be like a man who refused a pardon, for fear that he +should get into prison again; or a drowning man who refused to be +rescued, for fear of falling into the water again. + +Many men look forth at the Christian life, and fear that they will +not have sufficient strength to hold out to the end. They forget the +promise that "as thy days, thy strength" (Deut. xxxiii. 25). It +reminds me of the pendulum to the clock which grew disheartened at +the thought of having to travel so many thousands of miles; but when +it reflected that the distance was to be accomplished by "tick, tick, +tick," it took fresh courage to go its daily journey. So it is the +special privilege of the Christian to commit himself to the keeping +of his heavenly Father and to trust Him day by day. It is a +comforting thing to know that the Lord will not begin the good work +without also finishing it. + +There are two kinds of sceptics--one class with honest difficulties; +and another class who delight only in discussion. I used to think +that this latter class would always be a thorn in my flesh; but they +do not prick me now. I expect to find them right along the journey. +Men of this stamp used to hang around Christ to entangle Him in His +talk. They come into our meetings to hold a discussion. To all such I +would commend Paul's advice to Timothy: "But foolish and unlearned +questions avoid; knowing that they do gender strifes." (2 Tim. ii. +23.) Unlearned questions: Many young converts make a woful mistake. +They think they are to defend the whole Bible. I knew very little of +the Bible when I was first converted; and I thought that I had to +defend it from beginning to end against all comers; but a Boston +infidel got hold of me, floored all my arguments at once, and +discouraged me. But I have got over that now. There are many things +in the Word of God that I do not profess to understand. + +When I am asked what I do with them. I say, "I don't do anything." + +"How do you explain them?" "I don't explain them." + +"What do you do with them?" "Why, I believe them." + +And when I am told, "I would not believe anything that I do not +understand," I simply reply that I do. + +There are many things which were dark and mysterious five years ago, +on which I have since had a flood of light; and I expect to be +finding out something fresh about God throughout eternity. I make a +point of not discussing disputed passages of Scripture. An old divine +has said that some people, if they want to eat fish, commence by +picking the bones. I leave such things till I have light on them. I +am not bound to explain what I do not comprehend. "The secret things +belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed +belong unto us, and to our children, for ever" (Deut. xxii. 29); and +these I take, and eat, and feed upon, in order to get spiritual +strength. + +Than there is a little sound advice in Titus iii. 9. "But avoid +foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings +about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain." + +But now here comes an honest sceptic. With him I would deal as +tenderly as a mother with her sick child. I have no sympathy with +those people who, because a man is sceptical, cast him off and will +have nothing to do with him. + +I was in an Inquiry-meeting, some time ago, and I handed over to a +Christian lady, whom I had known some time, one who was sceptical. On +looking round soon after I noticed the enquirer marching out of the +hall. I asked, "Why have you let her go?" "Oh, she is a sceptic!" was +the reply. I ran to the door and got her to stop, and introduced her +to another Christian worker who spent over an hour in conversation +and prayer with her. He visited her and her husband; and, in the +course of a week, that intelligent lady cast off her scepticism and +came out an active Christian. It took time, tact, and prayer; but if +a person of this class is honest we ought to deal with such an one as +the Master would have us. + +Here are a few passages for doubting enquirers: + +"If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether +it be of God, or whether I speak of myself" (John vii. 17). If a man +is not willing to do the will of God he will not know the doctrine. +There is no class of sceptics who are ignorant of the fact that God +desires them to give up sin; and if a man is willing to turn from sin +and take the light and thank Him for what He does give, and not +expect to have light on the whole Bible all at once, he will get more +light day by day; make progress step by step; and be led right out of +darkness into the clear light of heaven. + +In Daniel xii. 10 we are told: "Many shall be purified, and made +white, and tried: but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the +wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." + +Now God will never reveal His secrets to His enemies. Never! And if a +man persists in living in sin he will not know the doctrines of God. + +"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will show +them His covenant" (Ps. xxv. 14). + +And in John xv. 15 we read: "Henceforth I call you not servants; for +the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called you +friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made +known unto you." When you become friends of Christ you will know His +secrets. The Lord said, "Shall I hide from Abraham the things which I +do?" (Gen. xviii. 17). + +Now those who resemble God are the most likely to understand God. If +a man is not willing to turn from sin he will not know God's will, +nor will God reveal His secrets to him. But if a man is willing to +turn from sin he will be surprised to see how the light will come in! + +I remember one night when the Bible was the driest and darkest book +in the universe to me. The next day it became entirely different. I +thought I had the key to it. I had been born of the Spirit. But +before I knew anything of the mind of God I had to give up my sin. I +believe God meets every soul on the spot of self-surrender; and when +they are willing to let Him guide and lead. The trouble with many +sceptics is their self-conceit. They know more than the Almighty! and +they do not come in a teachable spirit. But the moment a man comes in +a receptive spirit he is blessed; for "If any of you lack wisdom, let +him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; +and it shall be given him" (James i. 5). + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +_A DIVINE SAVIOUR_. + + +"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." + +(Matthew xvi. 1; John vi. 69.) + + +We meet with a certain class of Enquirers who do not believe in the +Divinity of Christ. There are many passages that will give light on +this subject. + +In 1 Corinthians xv. 47, we are told: "The first man is of the earth +earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven." + +In 1 John v. 20: "We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given +us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true; and we are in +Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, +and eternal life." + +Again in John xvii. 3: "And this is life eternal, that they might +know Thee, the only true God; and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." + +And then, in Mark xiv. 60: "The high priest stood up in the midst, +and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest Thou nothing? What is it which +these witness against thee? But He held His peace, and answered +nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, and said unto Him, Art Thou +the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye +shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and +coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his +clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard +the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned Him to be guilty +of death." + +Now what brought me to believe in the Divinity of Christ was this: I +did not know where to place Christ, or what to do with Him, if He +were not divine. When I was a boy I thought that He was a good man +like Moses, Joseph, or Abraham. I even thought that He was the best +man who had ever lived on the earth. But I found that Christ had a +higher claim. He claimed to be God-Man, to be divine; to have come +from heaven. He said: "Before Abraham was I am" (John viii. 58). I +could not understand this; and I was driven to the conclusion--and I +challenge any candid man to deny the inference, or meet the +argument--that Jesus Christ is either an impostor or deceiver, or He +is the God-Man--God manifest in the flesh. And for these reasons. The +first commandment is, "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me" (Exod. +xx. 2). Look at the millions throughout Christendom who worship Jesus +Christ as God. If Christ be not God this is idolatry. We are all +guilty of breaking the first commandment if Jesus Christ were mere +man--if He were a created being, and not what He claims to be. + +Some people, who do not admit His divinity, say that He was the best +man who ever lived; but if He were not Divine, for that very reason +He ought not to be reckoned a good man, for He laid claim to an honor +and dignity to which these very people declare He had no right or +title. That would rank Him as a deceiver. + +Others say that He thought He was divine, but that He was deceived. +As if Jesus Christ were carried away by a delusion and deception, and +thought that He was more than He was! I could not conceive of a lower +idea of Jesus Christ than that. This would not only make Him out an +impostor; but that He was out of His mind, and that He did not know +who He was, or where He came from. Now if Jesus Christ was not what +He claimed to be, the Saviour of the world; and if He did not come +from heaven, He was a gross deceiver. + +But how can any one read the life of Jesus Christ and make Him out a +deceiver? A man has generally some motive for being an impostor. What +was Christ's motive? He knew that the course He was pursuing would +conduct Him to the cross; that His name would be cast out as vile; +and that many of His followers would be called upon to lay down their +lives for His sake. Nearly every one of the apostles were martyrs; +and they were considered as off-scouring and refuse in the midst of +the people. If a man is an impostor, he has a motive at the back of +his hypocrisy. But what was Christ's object? The record is that "He +went about doing good." This is not the work of an impostor. Do not +let the enemy of your soul deceive you. + +In John v. 21 we read: "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and +quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will. For the +Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: +that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He +that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which hath sent +Him." + +Now notice: by the Jewish law if a man were a blasphemer he was to be +put to death; and supposing Christ to be merely human if this be not +blasphemy I do not know where you will find it. "He that honoureth +not the Son, honoureth not the Father." That is downright blasphemy +if Christ be not divine. If Moses, or Elijah, or Elisha, or any other +mortal had said, "You must honour me as you honor God;" and had put +himself on a level with God, it would have been downright blasphemy. + +The Jews put Christ to death because they said that He was not what +He claimed to be. It was on that testimony He was put under oath. The +high priest said: "I adjure Thee by the living God, that Thou tell us +whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God" (Matt. xxvi. 63). And +when the Jews came round Him and said, "How long dost Thou make us to +doubt? If Thou be the Christ tell us plainly." Jesus said, "I and My +Father are one." Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. +(John x. 24-33.) They said they did not want to hear more, for that +was blasphemy. It was for declaring Himself to be the Son of God that +He was condemned and put to death. (Matt. xxvi. 63-66). + +Now if Jesus Christ were mere man the Jews did right, according to +their law, in putting Him to death. In Leviticus xxiv. 16, we read: +"And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put +to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well +the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the +name of the Lord, shall be put to death." + +This law obliged them to put to death every one who blasphemed. It +was making the statement that He was divine that cost Him His life; +and by the Mosaic law He ought to have suffered the death penalty. In +John xvi. 15, Christ says, "All things that the Father hath are Mine: +therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall show it unto +you." How could He be merely a good man and use language as that? + +No doubt has ever entered my mind on the point since I was converted. + +A notorious sinner was once asked how he could prove the divinity of +Christ. His answer was, "Why, He has saved me; and that is a pretty +good proof, is it not?" + +An infidel on one occasion said to me, "I have been studying the life +of John the Baptist, Mr. Moody. Why don't you preach him? He was a +greater character than Christ. You would do a greater work." I said +to him, "My friend, you preach John the Baptist; and I will follow +you and preach Christ: and we will see who will do the most good." +"You will do the most good," he said, "because the people are so +superstitious." Ah! John was beheaded; and his disciples begged his +body and buried it: but Christ has risen from the dead; He has +"ascended on high; He has led captivity captive; and received gifts +for men." (Ps. lxviii. 18.) + +Our Christ lives. Many people have not found out that Christ has +risen from the grave. They worship a dead Saviour, like Mary, who +said, "They have taken away my Lord; and I know not where they have +laid Him." (John xx. 13.) That is the trouble with those who doubt +the divinity of our Lord. + +Then look at Matthew xviii. 20. "Where two or three are gathered +together in My name, there am I in the midst of them." "There am I." +Well now, if He is a mere man, how can He be there? All these are +strong passages. + +Again in Matthew xxviii. 18. "And Jesus came and spake unto them, +saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth." Could He +be a mere man and talk in that way? "All power is given unto Me in +heaven and in earth!" + +Then again in Matthew xxviii. 20. "Teaching them to observe all +things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, +even unto the end of the world." If He were mere man, how could He be +with us? Yet He says, "I am with you away, even unto the end of the +world!" + +Then again in Mark ii. 7. "Why doth this Man thus speak blasphemies? +who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus +perceived in His Spirit that they reasoned within themselves, He said +unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it +easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee, or +to say, Arise and take up thy bed and walk?" + +Some men will meet you and say, "Did not Elisha also raise the dead?" +Notice that in the rare instances in which men have raised the dead, +they did it by the power of God. They called on God to do it. But +when Christ was on earth He did not call upon the Father to bring the +dead to life, When He went to the house of Jairus He said, "Damsel, I +say unto thee, Arise." (Mark v. 41.) + +He had power to impart life. When they were carrying the young man +out of Nain He had compassion on the widowed mother and came and +touched the bier and said, "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise." (Luke +vii. 14.) + +He spake; and the dead arose. + +And when He raised Lazarus He called with a loud voice, "Lazarus, +come forth!" (John xi. 43.) And Lazarus heard, and came forth. + +Some one has said, It was a good thing that Lazarus was mentioned by +name, or all the dead within the sound of Christ's voice would +immediately have risen. + +In John v. 25, Jesus says: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour +is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son +of God; and they that hear shall live." What blasphemy would this +have been, had He not been divine! The proof is overwhelming, if you +will but examine the Word of God. + +And then another thing--no good man except Jesus Christ has ever +allowed anybody to worship him. When this was done He never rebuked +the worshiper. In John ix. 38, we read that when the blind man was +found by Christ he said, "Lord, I believe. And he worshiped Him." The +Lord did not rebuke him. + +Then again, Revelation xxii. 6, runs thus: "And he said unto me, +These things are faithful and true; and the Lord God of the holy +prophets sent His angel to show unto His servants the things which +must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that +keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. And I John saw +these things and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell +down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these +things. Then saith He unto me, See thou do it not; for I am thy +fellow-servant and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which +keep the sayings of this book, _worship God_." + +We see here that even that angel would not allow John to worship him. +Even an angel from heaven! And if Gabriel came down here from the +presence of God it would be a sin to worship him, or any seraph, or +any cherub, or Michael, or any archangel. + +"Worship God!" And if Jesus Christ were not God manifest in the flesh +we are guilty of idolatry in worshiping Him. In Matthew xiv. 33, we +read: "Then they that were in the ship came and _worshiped_ Him, +saying, Of a truth Thou art the Son of God." He did not rebuke them. + +And in Matthew viii. 2, we also read: "And, behold, there came a +leper and _worshiped_ Him, saying, Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst +make me clean." + +In Matthew xv. 25: "Then came she, and _worshiped_ Him, saying, Lord, +help me!" + +There are many other passages; but I give these as sufficient in my +opinion to prove beyond any doubt the Divinity of our Lord. + +In the 14th chapter of Acts we are told the heathen at Lystra came +with garlands and would have done sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas +because they had cured an impotent man; but the evangelists rent +their clothes and told these Lystrans that they were but men, and not +to be worshipped; as if it were a great sin. And if Jesus Christ is a +mere man, we are all guilty of a great sin in worshipping Him. + +But if He is, as we believe, the only-begotten and well-beloved Son +of God, let us yield to His claims upon us; let us rest on His +all-atoning work, and go forth to serve Him all the days of our life. + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +_REPENTANCE AND RESTITUTION_. + + +"God commandeth all men everywhere to repent."--Acts xvii. 30. + + +Repentance is one of the fundamental doctrines of the Bible. Yet I +believe it is one of those truths that many people little understand +at the present day. There are more people to-day in the mist and +darkness about Repentance, Regeneration, the Atonement, and such-like +fundamental truths, than perhaps on any other doctrines. Yet from our +earliest years we have heard about them. If I were to ask for a +definition of Repentance, a great many would give a very strange and +false idea of it. + +A man is not prepared to believe or to receive the Gospel, unless he +is ready to repent of his sins and turn from them. Until John the +Baptist met Christ, he had but one text, "Repent ye; for the kingdom +of heaven is at hand" (Matt. iii. 2). But if he had continued to say +this, and had stopped there without pointing the people to Christ the +Lamb of God, he would not have accomplished much. + +When Christ came, He took up the same wilderness cry, "Repent; for +the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. iv. 17). And when our Lord +sent out His disciples, it was with the same message, "that men +should repent" (Mark vi. 12). After He had been glorified, and when +the Holy Ghost came down, we find Peter on the day of Pentecost +raising the same cry, "Repent!" It was this preaching--Repent, and +believe the Gospel--that wrought such marvellous results then. (Acts +ii. 38-47). And we find that, when Paul went to Athens, he uttered +the same cry, "_Now_ God commandeth _all men, everywhere_, to repent" +(Acts xvii. 30). + +Before I speak of what Repentance _is_, let me briefly say what it +_is not_. Repentance is not _fear_. Many people have confounded the +two. They think they have to be alarmed and terrified; and they are +waiting for some kind of fear to come down upon them. But multitudes +become alarmed who do not really repent. You have heard of men at sea +during a terrible storm. Perhaps they have been very profane men; but +when the danger came they suddenly grew quiet, and began to cry to +God for mercy. Yet you would not say they repented. When the storm +had passed away, they went on swearing the same as before. You might +think that the king of Egypt repented when God sent the terrible +plagues upon him and his land. But it was not repentance at all. The +moment God's hand was removed Pharaoh's heart was harder than ever. +He did not turn from a single sin; he was the same man. So that there +was no true repentance there. + +Often, when death comes into a family, it looks as if the event would +be sanctified to the conversion of all who are in the house. Yet in +six months' time all may be forgotten. Some who read this have +perhaps passed through that experience. When God's hand was heavy +upon them it looked as if they were going to repent; but the trial +has been removed--and lo and behold, the impression has all gone. + +Then again, Repentance is not _feeling_. I find a great many people +are waiting for a certain kind of feeling to come. They would like to +turn to God; but think they cannot do it until this feeling comes. +When I was in Baltimore I used to preach every Sunday in the +Penitentiary to nine hundred convicts. There was hardly a man there +who did not feel miserable enough: they had plenty of feeling. For +the first week or ten days of their imprisonment many of them cried +half the time. Yet, when they were released, most of them would go +right back to their old ways. The truth was, that they felt very bad +because they had got caught; that was all. So you have seen a man in +the time of trial show a good deal of feeling: but very often it is +only because he has got into trouble; not because he has committed +sin, or because his conscience tells him he has done evil in the +sight of God. It seems as if the trial were going to result in true +repentance; but the feeling too often passes away. + +Once again, Repentance is not _fasting and afflicting the body_. A +man may fast for weeks and months and years, and yet not repent of +one sin. Neither is it _remorse_. Judas had terrible remorse--enough +to make him go and hang himself; but that was not repentance. I +believe if he had gone to his Lord, fallen on his face, and confessed +his sin, he would have been forgiven. Instead of this he went to the +priests, and then put an end to his life. A man may do all sorts of +penance--but there is no true repentance in that. Put that down in +your mind. You cannot meet the claims of God by offering the fruit of +your body for the sin of your soul. Away with such a delusion! + +Repentance is not _conviction of sin_. That may sound strange to +some. I have seen men under such deep conviction of sin that they +could not sleep at night; they could not enjoy a single meal. They +went on for months in this state; and yet they were not converted; +they did not truly repent. Do not confound conviction of sin with +Repentance. + +Neither is _praying_--Repentance. That too may sound strange. Many +people, when they become anxious about their soul's salvation, say, +"I will pray, and read the Bible;" and they think that will bring +about the desired effect. But it will not do it. You may read the +Bible and cry to God a great deal, and yet never repent. Many people +cry loudly to God, and yet do not repent. + +Another thing: it is not _breaking off some one sin_. A great many +people make that mistake. A man who has been a drunkard signs the +pledge, and stops drinking. Breaking off one sin is not Repentance. +Forsaking one vice is like breaking off one limb of a tree, when the +whole tree has to come down. A profane man stops swearing; very good: +but if he does not break off _from every sin_ it is not Repentance--it +is not the work of God in the soul. When God works He hews down +the whole tree. He wants to have a man turn from every sin. Supposing +I am in a vessel out at sea, and I find the ship leaks in three or +four places. I may go and stop up one hole; yet down goes the vessel. +Or suppose I am wounded in three or four places, and I get a remedy +for one wound: if the other two or three wounds are neglected, my +life will soon be gone. True Repentance is not merely breaking off +this or that particular sin. + +Well then, you will ask, what is Repentance? I will give you a good +definition: it is "right about face!" In the Irish language the word +"Repentance" means even more than "right about face!" It implies that +a man who has been walking in one direction has not only faced about, +but is actually walking in an exactly contrary direction. "Turn ye, +turn ye; for why will ye die?" A man may have little feeling or much +feeling; but if he does not turn away from sin, God will not have +mercy on him. Repentance has also been described as "a change of +mind." For instance, there is the parable told by Christ: "A certain +man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work +to-day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not" (Matt. xxi. +28, 29). After he had said "I will not" he thought over it, and +changed his mind. Perhaps he may have said to himself, "I did not +speak very respectfully to my father. He asked me to go and work, and +I told him I would not go. I think I was wrong." But suppose he had +only said this, and still had not gone, he would not have repented. +He was not only convinced that he was wrong; but he went off into the +fields, hoeing, or mowing or whatever it was. That is Christ's +definition of repentance. If a man says, "By the grace of God I will +forsake my sin, and do His will," that is Repentance--a turning right +about. + +Some one has said, man is born with his face turned away from God. +When he truly repents he is turned right around towards God; he +leaves his old life. + +Can a man at once repent? Certainly he can. It does not take a long +while to turn around. It does not take a man six months to change his +mind. There was a vessel that went down some time ago on the +Newfoundland coast. As she was bearing towards the shore, there was a +moment when the captain could have given orders to reverse the +engines and turn back. If the engines had been reversed then, the +ship would have been saved. But there was a moment when it was too +late. So there is a moment, I believe, in every man's life when he +can halt and say, "By the grace of God I will go no further towards +death and ruin. I repent of my sins and turn from them." You may say +you have not got feeling enough; but if you are convinced that you +are on the wrong road, turn right about, and say, "I will no longer +go on in the way of rebellion and sin as I have done." + +Just then, when you are willing to turn towards God, salvation may be +yours. + +I find that every case of conversion recorded in the Bible was +instantaneous. Repentance and faith came very suddenly. The moment a +man made up his mind, God gave him the power. God does not ask any +man to do what he has not the power to do. He would not command "all +men everywhere to repent" (Acts xvii. 30) if they were not able to do +so. Man has no one to blame but himself if he does not repent and +believe the Gospel. One of the leading ministers of the Gospel in +Ohio wrote me a letter some time ago describing his conversion; it +very forcibly illustrates this point of instantaneous decision. He +said: + +"I was nineteen years old, and was reading law with a Christian +lawyer in Vermont. One afternoon when he was away from home, his good +wife said to me as I came into the house, 'I want you to go to +class-meeting with me to-night and become a Christian, so that you can +conduct family worship while my husband is away.' 'Well, I'll do it,' +I said, without any thought. When I came into the house again she +asked me if I was honest in what I had said. I replied, 'Yes, so far +as going to meeting with you is concerned; that is only courteous.' + +"I went with her to the class-meeting, as I had often done before. +About a dozen persons were present in a little school-house. The +leader had spoken to all in the room but myself and two others. He +was speaking to the person next me, when the thought occurred to me: +he will ask me if I have anything to say. I said to myself: I have +decided to be a Christian sometime; why not begin now? In less time +than a minute after these thoughts had passed through my mind he +said, speaking to me familiarly--for he knew me very well--'Brother +Charles, have you anything to say?' I replied, with perfect coolness, +'Yes, sir. I have just decided, within the last thirty seconds, that +I will begin a Christian life, and would like to have you pray for +me.' + +"My coolness staggered him; I think he almost doubted my sincerity. +He said very little, but passed on and spoke to the other two. After +a few general remarks, he turned to me and said, 'Brother Charles, +will you close the meeting with prayer?' He knew I had never prayed +in public. Up to this moment I had no feeling. It was purely a +business transaction. My first thought was: I cannot pray, and I will +ask him to excuse me. My second was: I have said I will begin a +Christian life; and this is a part of it. So I said, 'Let us pray.' +And somewhere between the time I started to kneel and the time my +knees struck the floor the Lord converted my soul. + +"The first words I said were, 'Glory to God!' What I said after that +I do not know, and it does not matter, for my soul was too full to +say much but Glory! From that hour the devil has never dared to +challenge my conversion. To Christ be all the praise." + +Many people are waiting, they cannot exactly tell for what, but for +some sort of miraculous feeling to come stealing over them--some +mysterious kind of faith. I was speaking to a man some years ago, and +he always had one answer to give me. For five years I tried to win +him to Christ, and every year he said, "It has not 'struck me' yet." +"Man, what do you mean? What has not struck you?" "Well," he said, "I +am not going to become a Christian until it strikes me; and it has +not struck me yet. I do not see it in the way you see it." "But don't +you know you are a sinner?" "Yes, I know I am a sinner." "Well, don't +you know that God wants to have mercy on you--that there is +forgiveness with God? He wants you to repent and come to Him." "Yes, +I know that; but--it has not struck me yet." He always fell back on +that. Poor man! he went down to his grave in a state of indecision. +Sixty long years God gave him to repent; and all he had to say at the +end of those years was that it "had not struck him yet." + +Is any reader waiting for some strange feeling--you do not know what? +Nowhere in the Bible is a man told to wait; God is commanding you now +to repent. + +Do you think God can forgive a man when he does not want to be +forgiven? Would he be happy if God forgave him in this state of mind? +Why, if a man went into the kingdom of God without repentance, heaven +would be hell to him. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared +people. If your boy has done wrong, and will not repent, you cannot +forgive him. You would be doing him an injustice. Suppose he goes to +your desk, and steals $10, and squanders it. When you come home your +servant tells you what your boy has done. You ask if it is true, and +he denies it. But at last you have certain proof. Even when he finds +he cannot deny it any longer, he will not confess the sin, but says +he will do it again the first chance he gets. Would you say to him, +"Well, I forgive you," and leave the matter there? No! Yet people +say that God is going to save all men, whether they repent or +not--drunkards, thieves, harlots, whoremongers, it makes no difference. +"God is so merciful," they say. Dear friend, do not be deceived by +the god of this world. Where there is true repentance and a turning +from sin unto God, He will meet and bless you; but He never blesses +until there is sincere repentance. + +David made a woful mistake in this respect with his rebellious son, +Absalom. He could not have done his son a greater injustice than to +forgive him when his heart was unchanged. There could be no true +reconciliation between them when there was no repentance. But God +does not make these mistakes. David got into trouble on account of +his error of judgment. His son soon drove his father from the throne. + +Speaking on repentance, Dr. Brooks, of St. Louis, well remarks: +"Repentance, strictly speaking, means a 'change of mind or purpose;' +consequently it is the judgment which the sinner pronounces upon +himself, in view of the love of God displayed in the death of Christ, +connected with the abandonment of all confidence in himself and with +trust in the only Saviour of sinners. Saving repentance and saving +faith always go together; and you need not be worried about +repentance if you will believe." + +"Some people are no sure that they have 'repented enough.' If you +mean by this that you must repent in order to incline God to be +merciful to you, the sooner you give over such repentance the better. +God is already merciful, as He has fully shown at the Cross of +Calvary; and it is a grievous dishonor to His heart of love if you +think that your tears and anguish will move Him, not knowing that +'the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.' It is not your +badness, therefore, but His goodness that leads to repentance; hence +the true way to repent is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 'who +was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our +justification.'" + +Another thing. If there is true repentance it will bring forth fruit. +If we have done wrong to any one we should never ask God to forgive +us, until we are willing to make restitution. If I have done any man +a great injustice and can make it good, I need not ask God to forgive +me until I am willing to make it good. Suppose I have taken something +that does not belong to me. I have no right to expect forgiveness +until I make restitution. + +I remember preaching in one of our large cities, when a fine-looking +man came up to me at the close. He was in great distress of mind. +"The fact is," he said, "I am a defaulter. I have taken money that +belonged to my employers. How can I become a Christian without +restoring it?" "Have you got the money?" He told me he had not got it +all. He had taken about $1,500, and he still had about $900. He said +"Could I not take that money and go into business, and make enough to +pay them back?" I told him that was a delusion of Satan; that he +could not expect to prosper on stolen money; that he should restore +all he had, and go and ask his employers to have mercy upon him and +forgive him. "But they will put me in prison," he said: "cannot you +give me any help?" "No, you must restore the money before you can +expect to get any help from God." "It is pretty hard," he said. "Yes. +it is hard; but the great mistake was in doing the wrong at first." + +His burden became so heavy that it got to be insupportable. He handed +me the money--950 dollars and some cents--and asked me to take it +back to his employers. The next evening the two employers and myself +met in a side room of the church. I laid the money down, and informed +them it was from one of their _employes_. I told them the story, and +said he wanted mercy from them, not justice. The tears trickled down +the cheeks of these two men, and they said, "Forgive him! Yes, we +will be glad to forgive him." I went down stairs and brought him up. +After he had confessed his guilt and been forgiven, we all got down +on our knees and had a blessed prayer-meeting. God met us and blessed +us there. + +There was a friend of mine who some time ago had come to Christ and +wished to consecrate himself and his wealth to God. He had formerly +had transactions with the government, and had taken advantage of +them. This thing came up when he was converted, and his conscience +troubled him. He said, "I want to consecrate my wealth, but it seems +as if God will not take it." He had a terrible struggle; his +conscience kept rising up and smiting him. At last he drew a check +for $1,500 and sent it to the United States Treasury. He told me he +received such a blessing when he had done it. That was bringing forth +"fruits meet for repentance." I believe a great many men are crying +to God for light; and they are not getting it because they are not +honest. + +I was once preaching, and a man came to me who was only thirty-two +years old, but whose hair was very grey. He said, "I want you to +notice that my hair is grey, and I am only thirty-two years old. For +twelve years I have carried a great burden." "Well," I said, "what is +it?" He looked around as if afraid some one would hear him. "Well," +he answered, "my father died and left my mother with the county +newspaper, and left her only that: that was all she had. After he +died the paper begun to waste away; and I saw my mother was fast +sinking into a state of need. The building and the paper were insured +for a thousand dollars, and when I was twenty years old I set fire to +the building, and obtained the thousand dollars, and gave it to my +mother. For twelve years that sin has been haunting me. I have tried +to drown it by indulgence in pleasure and sin; I have cursed God; I +have gone into infidelity; I have tried to make out that the Bible is +not true; I have done everything I could: but all these years I have +been tormented." I said, "There is a way out of that." He inquired +"How?" I said, "Make restitution. Let us sit down and calculate the +interest, and then you pay the Company the money." It would have done +you good to see that man's face light up when he found there was +mercy for him. He said he would be glad to pay back the money and +interest if he could only be forgiven. + +There are men to-day who are in darkness and bondage because they are +not willing to turn from their sins and confess them; and I do not +know how a man can hope to be forgiven if he is not willing to +confess his sins. + +Bear in mind that _now_ is the only day of mercy you will ever have. +You can repent now, and have the awful record blotted out. God waits +to forgive you; He is seeking to bring you to Himself. But I think +the Bible teaches clearly that there is _no repentance after this +life_. There are some who tell you of the possibility of repentance +in the grave; but I do not find that in Scripture. I have looked my +Bible over very carefully, and I cannot find that a man will have +another opportunity of being saved. + +_Why should he ask for any more time?_ You have time enough to repent +now. You can turn from your sins this moment if you will. God says: +"I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth; wherefore turn, +and live ye" (Ezek. xviii. 32). + +Christ said, He "came not to call the righteous, but sinners to +repentance." Are you a sinner? Then the call to repent is addressed +to you. Take your place in the dust at the Saviour's feet, and +acknowledge your guilt. Say, like the publican of old, "God be +merciful to me a sinner!" and see how quickly He will pardon and +bless you. He will even justify you and reckon you as righteous, by +virtue of the righteousness of Him who bore your sins in His own body +on the Cross. + +There are some perhaps who think themselves righteous; and that, +therefore, there is no need for them to repent and believe the +Gospel. They are like the Pharisee in the parable, who thanked God +that he was not as other men--"extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or +even as this publican;" and who went on to say, "I fast twice a week; +I give tithes of all I possess." What is the judgment about such +self-righteous persons? "I tell you this man [the poor, contrite, +repenting publican] went down to his house justified rather than the +other" (Luke xviii. 11-14). "There is none righteous; no, not one." +"All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. iii. 10, +23). Let no one say _he_ does not need to repent. Let each one take +his true place--that of a sinner; then God will lift him up to the +place of forgiveness and justification. "Whosoever exalteth himself +shall be abased: and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" (Luke +xiv. 11). + +Wherever God sees true repentance in the heart He meets that soul. + +I was in Colorado, preaching the gospel some time ago, and I heard +something that touched my heart very much. The governor of the State +was passing through the prison, and in one cell he found a boy who +had his window full of flowers, that seemed to have been watched with +very tender care. The governor looked at the prisoner, and then at +the flowers, and asked whose they were, "These are my flowers," said +the poor convict. "Are you fond of flowers?" "Yes, sir." "How long +have you been here?" He told him so many years: he was in for a long +sentence. The governor was surprised to find him so fond of the +flowers, and he said, "Can you tell me why you like these flowers so +much?" With much emotion he replied, "While my mother was alive she +thought a good deal of flowers; and when I came here I thought if I +had these they would remind me of mother." The governor was so +pleased that he said, "Well, young man, if you think so much of your +mother I think you will appreciate your liberty," and he pardoned him +then and there. + +When God finds that beautiful flower of true repentance springing up +in a man's heart, then salvation comes to that man. + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +_ASSURANCE OF SALVATION_. + + +"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the +Son of God; that ye may knew that ye have eternal life, and that ye +may believe on the name of the Son of God." + +(1 John v. 13. ) + + +There are two classes who ought not to have Assurance. First: those +who are in the Church, but who are not converted, having never been +born of the Spirit. Second: those not willing to do God's will; who +are not ready to take the place that God has mapped out for them, but +want to fill some other place. + +Some one will ask "Have all God's people Assurance?" No; I think a +good many of God's dear people have no Assurance; but it is the +privilege of every child of God to have beyond doubt a knowledge of +his own salvation. No man is fit for God's service who is filled with +doubts. If a man is not sure of his own salvation, how can he help +any one else into the kingdom of God? If I seem in danger of drowning +and do not know whether I shall ever reach the shore, I cannot assist +another. I must first get on the solid rock myself; and then I can +lend my brother a helping hand. If being myself blind I were to tell +another blind man how to get sight, he might reply, "First get healed +yourself; and then you can tell me." I recently met with a young man +who was a Christian: but he had not attained to victory over sin. He +was in terrible darkness. Such an one is not fit to work for God, +because he has besetting sins; and he has not the victory over his +doubts, because he has not the victory over his sins. + +None will have time or heart to work for God, who are not assured as +to their own salvation. They have as much as they can attend to; and +being themselves burdened with doubts, they cannot help others to +carry their burdens. There is no rest, joy, or peace--no liberty, nor +power--where doubts and uncertainty exist. + +Now it seems as if there are three wiles of Satan against which we +ought to be on our guard. In the first place he moves all his kingdom +to keep us away from Christ; then he devotes himself to get us into +"Doubting Castle:" but if we have, in spite of him, a clear ringing +witness for the Son of God, he will do all he can to blacken our +characters and belie our testimony. + +Some seem to think that it is presumption not to have doubts; but +doubt is very dishonoring to God. If any one were to say that they +had known a person for thirty years and yet doubted him, it would not +be very creditable; and when we have known God for ten, twenty or +thirty years does it not reflect on His veracity to doubt Him. + +Could Paul and the early Christians and martyrs have gone through +what they did if they had been filled with doubts, and had not known +whether they were going to heaven or to perdition after they had been +burned at the stake? They must have had Assurance. + +Mr. Spurgeon says: "I never heard of a stork that when it met with a +fir tree demurred as to its right to build its nest there; and I +never heard of a coney yet that questioned whether it had a permit to +run into the rock. Why, these creatures would soon perish if they +were always doubting and fearing as to whether they had a right to +use providential provisions. + +"The stork says to himself, 'Ah, here is a fir tree:' he consults +with his mate, 'Will this do for the nest in which we may rear our +young?' 'Aye,' says she; and they gather the materials, and arrange +them. There is never any deliberation, 'May we build here?' but they +bring their sticks and make their nest. + +"The wild goat on the crag does not say, 'Have I a right here?' No, +he must be somewhere: and there is a crag which exactly suits him; +and he springs upon it. + +"Yet, though these dumb creatures know the provision of their God, +the sinner does not recognize the provision of his Saviour. He +quibbles and questions, 'May I?' and am 'I am afraid it is not for +me;' and 'I think it cannot be meant for me;' and 'I am afraid it is +too good to be true.' + +"And yet nobody ever said to the stork, 'Whosoever buildeth on this +fir tree shall never have his nest pulled down.' No inspired word has +ever said to the coney, 'Whosoever runs into this rock cleft shall +never be driven out of it.' If it had been so it would make assurance +doubly sure." + +"And yet here is Christ provided for sinners, just the sort of a +Saviour sinners need; and the encouragement is added, 'Him that +cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out;' 'Whosoever will, let him +take the water of life freely.'" + +Now let us come to the Word. John tells us in his Gospel what Christ +did for us on earth. In his Epistle He tells us what He is doing for +us in heaven as our Advocate. In his Gospel there are only two +chapters in which the word "believe" does not occur. With these two +exceptions, every chapter in John is "Believe! _Believe!!_ +Believe!!!" He tells us in xx. 31, "But these are written, that ye +might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that, +believing, ye might have life through His name." That is the purpose +for which he wrote the Gospel--"that we might believe that Jesus is +the Christ, the Son of God: and that, believing, we might have life +through His name" (John xx. 31). + +Turn to 1 John v. 13, he there tells us why he wrote this Epistle: +"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the +Son of God." Notice to whom he writes it "You that believe on the +name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, +and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." There are +only five short chapters in this first Epistle, and the word "know" +occurs over forty times. It is "_Know!_ Know!! KNOW!!!" The Key to it +is Know! and all through the Epistle there rings out the +refrain--"that we might know that we have eternal life." + +I went twelve hundred miles down the Mississippi in the spring some +years ago; and every evening, just as the sun went down, you might +have seen men, and sometimes women, riding up to the banks of the +river on either side on mules or horses, and sometimes coming on +foot, for the purpose of lighting up the Government lights; and all +down that mighty river there were landmarks which guided the pilots +in their dangerous navigation. Now God has given us lights or +landmarks to tell us whether we are His children or not; and what we +need to do is to examine the tokens He has given us. + +In the third chapter of John's first Epistle there are five things +worth knowing. + +In the fifth verse we read the first: "And ye _know_ that He was +manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin." Not what I +have done, but what HE has done. Has He failed in His mission? Is He +not able to do what He came for? Did ever any heaven-sent man fail +yet? and could God's own Son fail? He was manifested to take away our +sins. + +Again, in the nineteenth verse, the second thing worth knowing: "And +hereby _we know_ that we are of the truth, and shall _assure_ our +hearts before Him." We know that we are of the truth. And if the +truth make us free, we shall be free indeed. "If the Son therefore +shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John viii. 36.) + +The third thing worth knowing is in the fourteenth verse, "_We know_ +that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the +brethren." The natural man does not like godly people, nor does he +care to be in their company. "He that loveth not his brother abideth +in death." He has no spiritual life. + +The fourth thing worth knowing we find in verse twenty-four: "And he +that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And +hereby _we know_ that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath +given us." We can tell what kind of Spirit we have if we possess the +Spirit of Christ--a Christ-like spirit--not the same in degree, but +the same in kind. If I am meek, gentle, and forgiving; if I have a +spirit filled with peace and joy; if I am long-suffering and gentle, +like the Son of God--that is a test: and in that way we are to tell +whether we have eternal life or not. + +The fifth thing worth knowing, and the best of all, is "Beloved, +_now_." Notice the word "Now." It does not say when you come to die. +"Beloved, _now_ are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear +what we shall be: but _we know_ that, when He shall appear; we shall +be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is" (v. 2). + +But some will say, "Well, I believe all that; but then I have sinned +since I became a Christian." Is there a man or a woman on the face of +the earth who has not sinned since becoming a Christian? Not one! +There never has been, and never will be, a soul on this earth who has +not sinned, or who will not sin, at some time of their Christian +experience. But God has made provision for believers' sins. _We_ are +not to make provision for them; but God has. Bear that in mind. + +Turn to 1 John ii. 1: "My little children, these things write I unto +you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with +the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." He is here writing to the +righteous. "If any man sin, _we_"--John put himself in--"we have an +Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." What an +Advocate! He attends to our interests at the very best place--the +throne of God. He said, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is +expedient for you that I go away" (John xvi. 7). He went away to +become our High Priest, and also our Advocate. He has had some hard +cases to plead; but he has never lost one: and if you entrust your +immortal interests to Him, He will "present you faultless before the +presence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24). + +The past sins of Christians are all forgiven as soon as they are +confessed; and they are never to be mentioned. That is a question +which is not to be opened up again. If our sins have been put away, +that is the end of them. They are not to be remembered; and God will +not mention them any more. This is very plain. Suppose I have a son +who, while I am from home, does wrong. When I go home he throws his +arms around my neck and says, "Papa, I did what you told me not to +do. I am very sorry. Do forgive me." I say: "Yes, my son," and kiss +him. He wipes away his tears, and goes off rejoicing. + +But the next day he says: "Papa, I wish you would forgive me for the +wrong I did yesterday." I should say: "Why, my son, that thing is +settled; and I don't want it mentioned again." "But I wish you would +forgive me: it would help me to hear you say, 'I forgive you.'" Would +that be honoring me? Would it not grieve me to have my boy doubt me? +But to gratify him I say again, "I forgive you, my son." + +And if, the next day, he were again to bring up that old sin, and ask +forgiveness, would not that grieve me to the heart? And so, my dear +reader, if God has forgiven us, never let us mention the past. Let us +forget those things which are behind, and reach forth unto those +which are before, and press toward the mark for the prize of the high +calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let the sins of the past go; for "If +we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, +and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John i. 9). + +And let me say that this principle is recognized in courts of +justice. A case came up in the courts of a country--I won't say +where--in which a man had had trouble with his wife; but he forgave +her, and then afterwards brought her into court. And, when it was +known that he had forgiven her, the judge said that the thing was +settled. The judge recognized the soundness of the principle, that if +a sin were once forgiven there was an end of it. And do you think the +Judge of all the earth will forgive you and me, and open the question +again? Our sins are gone for time and eternity, if God forgives: and +what we have to do is to confess and forsake our sins. + +Again in 2 Corinthians xiii. 5: "Examine yourselves whether ye be in +the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how +that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" Now examine +yourselves. Try your religion. Put it to the test. Can you forgive an +enemy? That is a good way to know if you are a child of God. Can you +forgive an injury, or take an affront, as Christ did? Can you be +censured for doing well, and not murmur? Can you be misjudged and +misrepresented, and yet keep a Christ-like spirit? + +Another good test is to read Galatians v., and notice the fruits of +the Spirit; and see if you have them. "The fruit of the Spirit is +love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, +meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." If I have the +fruits of the Spirit I must have the Spirit. I could not have the +fruits without the Spirit any more than there could be an orange +without the tree. And Christ says "Ye shall know them by their +fruits;" "for the tree is known by his fruits." Make the tree good, +and the fruit will be good. The only way to get the fruit is to have +the Spirit. That is the way to examine ourselves whether we are the +children of God. + +Then there is another very striking passage. In Romans viii. 9, Paul +says: "Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of +His." That ought to settle the question, even though one may have +gone through all the external forms that are considered necessary by +some to constitute a member of a Church. Read Paul's life, and put +yours alongside of it. If your life resembles his, it is a proof that +you are born again--that you are a new creature in Christ Jesus. + +But although you may be born again, it will require time to become a +full-grown Christian. Justification is instantaneous; but +sanctification is a life-work. We are to grow in wisdom. Peter says +"Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus +Christ" (2 Pet. iii. 18); and in the first chapter of his Second +Epistle, "Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to +knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience +godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly +kindness charity. For if these things be in you and abound they make +you that ye shall neither be barron nor unfruitful in the knowledge +of our Lord Jesus Christ." So that we are to add grace to grace. A +tree may be perfect in its first year of growth; but it does not +attain its maturity. So with the Christian: he may be a true child of +God, but not a matured Christian. The eighth of Romans is very +important, and we should be very familiar with it. In the fourteenth +verse the apostle says: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God +they are the sons of God." Just as the soldier is led by his captain, +the pupil by his teacher, or the traveller by his guide; so the Holy +Spirit will be the guide of every true child of God. + +Then let me call your attention to another fact. All Paul's teaching +in nearly every Epistle rings out the doctrine of assurance. He says +in 2 Corinthians v. 1: "For we _know_ that if our earthly house of +this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house +not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." He had a title to the +mansions above, and he says--_I know it_. He was not living in +uncertainty. He said: "I have a desire to depart and be with Christ" +(Phil. i. 23); and if he had been uncertain he would not have said +that. Then in Colossians iii. 4, he says: "When Christ, who is our +life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." I +am told that Dr. Watts' tombstone bears this same passage of +Scripture. There is no doubt there. + +Then turn to Colossians i. 12: "Giving thanks unto the Father, which +hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in +light; who _hath_ delivered us from the power of darkness, and _hath_ +translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son." + +Three _haths_: "hath made us meet;" "hath delivered us;" and "hath +translated us." It does not say that He is going to make us meet; +that He is going to deliver; that He is going to translate. + +Then again in verse 14th: "In whom we have redemption through His +blood, even the forgiveness of sins." We are either forgiven or we +are not, we should not give ourselves any rest until we get into the +kingdom of God; nor until we can each look up and say, "I know that +if my earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, I have a +building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" +(2 Cor. v. 1). + +Look at Romans viii. 32: "He that spared not His own Son, but +delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely +give us all things?" If He gave us His Son, will He not give us the +certainty that He is ours. I have heard this illustration. There was +a man who owed $10,000, and would have been made a bankrupt, but a +friend came forward and paid the sum. It was found afterwards that he +owed a few dollars more; but he did not for a moment entertain a +doubt that, as his friend had paid the larger amount, he would also +pay the smaller. And we have high warrant for saying that if God has +given us His Son He will with Him also freely give us all things; and +if we want to realize our salvation beyond controversy He will not +leave us in darkness. + +Again in the 33d verse: "Who shall lay anything to the charge of +God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It +is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at +the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall +separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, +or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is +written, For Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are +accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are +more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded +that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor +powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor +depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the +love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." + +That has the right ring in it. There is Assurance for you. "I Know." +Do you think that the God who has justified me will condemn me? That +is quite an absurdity. God is going to save us so that neither men, +angels, nor devils, can bring any charge against us or Him. He will +have the work complete. + +Job lived in a darker day than we do; but we read in Job xix. 25: "I +_know_ that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand in the latter +day upon the earth." + +The same confidence breathes through Paul's last words to Timothy: +"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am +not ashamed; for I _know_ whom I have believed, and am persuaded that +He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that +day." It is not a matter of doubt, but of knowledge. "I know." "I am +persuaded." The word "Hope," is not used in the Scripture to express +doubt. It is used in regard to the second coming of Christ, or to the +resurrection of the body. We do not say that we "hope" we are +Christians. I do not say that I "hope" I am an American, or that I +"hope" I am a married man. These are settled things. I may say that I +"hope" to go back to my home, or I hope to attend such a meeting. I +do not say that I "hope" to come to this country, for I am here. And +so, if we are born of God we know it; and He will not leave us in +darkness if we search the Scriptures. + +Christ taught this doctrine to His seventy disciples when they +returned elated with their success, saying, "Lord, even the devils +are subject unto us through Thy name." The Lord seemed to check them, +and said that He would give them something to rejoice in. +"Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject +unto you; but rather rejoice because your names are written in +heaven." (Luke x. 20.) + +It is the privilege of every one of us to know, beyond a doubt, that +our salvation is sure. Then we can work for others. But if we are +doubtful of our own salvation, we are not fit for the service of God. + +Another passage is John v. 24: "Verily, verily I say unto you: He +that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath +everlasting life, and shall not come into '_judgment_,'" (the new +translation has it so), "but is passed from death unto life." + +Some people say that you never can tell till you are before the great +white throne of Judgment whether you are saved or not. Why, my dear +friend, if your life is hid with Christ in God, you are not coming +into judgment for your sins. We may come into judgment for reward. +This is clearly taught where the lord reckoned with the servant to +whom five talents had been given, and who brought other five talents +saying, "Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents; behold, I have +gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well +done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a +few things; I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into +the joy of thy lord." (Matt. xxv. 20, 21.) We shall be judged for our +stewardship. That is one thing; but salvation--eternal life--is +another. + +Will God demand payment twice of the debt which Christ has paid for +us? If Christ bear my sins in His own body on the tree, am I to +answer for them as well? + +Isaiah tells us that, "He was wounded for our transgressions; He was +bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon +Him: and with His stripes we are healed." In Romans iv. 25, we read: +He "was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our +justification." Let us believe, and get the benefit of His finished +work. + +Then again in John x. 9: "I am the door: by Me if any man enter in he +shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." That is +the promise. Then the 27th verse, "My sheep hear my voice; and I know +them, and they follow Me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they +shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. +My father which gave them is greater than all; and no man is able to +pluck them out of my Father's hand." Think of that! The Father, the +Son, and the Holy Ghost, are pledged to keep us. You see that it is +not only the Father, not only the Son, but the three persons of the +Triune God. + +Now, a great many people want some token outside of God's word. That +habit always brings doubt. If I made a promise to meet a man at a +certain hour and place to-morrow, and he were to ask me for my watch +as a token of my sincerity, it would be a slur on my truthfulness. We +must not question what God has said: He has made statement after +statement, and multiplied figure upon figure. Christ says: "I am the +door; by Me if any man enter in he shall be saved." "I am the Good +Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine." "I am the light +of the world; he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but +shall have the light of life." "I am the truth;" receive Me, and you +will have the truth; for I am the embodiment of truth. Do you want to +know the way? "I am the way:" follow Me, and I will lead you into the +kingdom. Are you hungering after righteousness? "I am the Bread of +life:" if you eat of Me you shall never hunger. "I am the Water of +life:" if you drink of this water it shall be within you "a well of +water springing up unto everlasting life." "I am the resurrection and +the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he +live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die." +(John xi. 25, 26.) + +Let me remind you where our doubts come from. A good many of God's +dear people never get beyond knowing themselves servants. He calls us +"friends." If you go into a house you will soon see the difference +between the servant and the son. The son walks at perfect liberty all +over the house; he is at home. But the servant takes a subordinate +place. What we want is to get beyond servants. We ought to realize +our standing with God as sons and daughters. He will not "un-child" +His children. God has not only adopted us, but we are His by birth: +we have been born into His kingdom. My little boy was as much mine +when he was a day old as now that he is fourteen. He was _my son_; +although it did not appear what he would be when he attained manhood. +He is mine; although he may have to undergo probation under tutors +and governors. The children of God are not perfect; but we are +perfectly His children. + +Another origin of doubts is looking at ourselves. If you want to be +wretched and miserable, filled with doubts from morning till night, +look at yourselves. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind +is stayed on Thee." (Isa. xxvi. 3.) Many of God's dear children are +robbed of joy because they keep looking at themselves. + +Some one has said: "There are three ways to look. If you want to be +wretched, look within; if you wish to be distracted, look around; but +if you would have peace, look up." Peter looked away from Christ, and +he immediately began to sink. The Master said to him: "O thou of +little faith! Wherefore didst thou doubt?" (Matt. xiv. 31.) He had +God's eternal word, which was sure footing, and better than either +marble, granite or iron; but the moment he took his eyes off Christ +down he went. Those who look around cannot see how unstable and +dishonoring is their walk. We want to look straight at the "Author +and Finisher of our faith." + +When I was a boy I could only make a straight track in the snow, by +keeping my eyes fixed upon a tree or some object before me. The +moment I took my eye off the mark set in front of me, I walked +crooked. It is only when we look fixedly on Christ that we find +perfect peace. After He rose from the dead He showed His disciples +His hands and His feet. (Luke xxiv. 40.) That was the ground of their +peace. If you want to scatter your doubts, look at the blood; and if +you want to increase your doubts, look at yourself. You will get +doubts enough for years by being occupied with yourself for a few +days. + +Then again: look at what He is, and at what He has done; not at what +you are, and what you have done. That is the way to get peace and +rest. + +Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation declaring the emancipation of +three millions of slaves. On a certain day their chains were to fall +off, and they were to be free. The proclamation was put up on the +trees and fences wherever the Northern Army marched. A good many +slaves could not read: but others read the proclamation, and most of +them believed it; and on a certain day a glad shout went up, "We are +free!" Some did not believe it, and stayed with their old masters; +but it did not alter the fact that they were free. Christ, the +Captain of our salvation, has proclaimed freedom to all who have +faith in Him. Let us take Him at His word. Their feelings would not +have made the slaves free. The power must come from the outside. +Looking at ourselves will not make us free, but it is looking to +Christ with the eye of faith. + +Bishop Ryle has strikingly said: "Faith is the root, and Assurance +the flower." Doubtless you can never have the flower without the +root; but it is no less certain you may have the root, and not the +flower. + +"Faith is that poor trembling woman who came behind Jesus in the +press, and touched the hem of His garment. (Mark v. 27.) Assurance is +Stephen standing calmly in the midst of his murderers, and saying, 'I +see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand +of God'" (Acts vii. 56). + +"Faith is the penitent thief, crying, 'Lord, remember me' (Luke xxiii. +42). Assurance is Job sitting in the dust, covered with sores, and +saying, 'I know that my Redeemer liveth;' 'Though He slay me, yet +will I trust in Him'" (Job xix. 25; xiii. 15). + +"Faith is Peter's drowning cry, as he began to sink, 'Lord, save me!' +(Matt. xxiv. 30). Assurance is that same Peter declaring before the +Council, in after-times, 'This is the stone which was set at nought +of you builders, which is become the head of the corner: neither is +there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under +heaven given among men whereby we must be saved'" (Acts iv. 11, 12). + +"Faith is the anxious, trembling voice, 'Lord, I believe; help Thou +mine unbelief!' (Mark ix. 24). Assurance is the confident challenge, +'Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Who is he that +condemneth?'" (Rom. viii. 33, 34). + +Faith is Saul praying in the house of Judas at Damascus, sorrowful, +blind, and alone. (Acts ix. 11.) Assurance is Paul, the aged +prisoner, looking calmly into the grave, and saying, 'I know whom I +have believed.' 'There is a crown laid up for me' (2 Tim. i. 12; iv. +8). + +"Faith is Life. How great the blessing! Who can tell the gulf between +life and death? And yet life may be weak, sickly, unhealthy, painful, +trying, anxious, worn, burdensome, joyless, smileless, to the very +end. + +"Assurance is _more than life_. It is health, strength, power, vigor, +activity, energy, manliness, beauty." + +A minister once pronounced the benediction in this way: "The heart of +God to make us welcome; the blood of Christ to make us clean, and the +Holy Spirit to make us certain." The security of the believer is the +result of the operation of the Spirit of God. + +Another writer says: "I have seen shrubs and trees grow out of the +rocks, and overhang fearful precipices, roaring cataracts, and deep +running waters; but they maintained their position, and threw out +their foliage and branches as much as if they had been in the midst +of a dense forest." It was their hold on the rock that made them +secure; and the influences of nature that sustained their life. So +believers are oftentimes exposed to the most horrible dangers in +their journey to heaven; but, so long as they are "rooted and +grounded" in the Rock of Ages, they are perfectly secure. Their hold +of Him is their guarantee; and the blessings of His grace give them +life and sustain them in life. And as the tree must die, or the rock +fall, before a dissolution can be effected between _them_, so either +the believer must lose his spiritual life, or the Rock must crumble, +ere their union can be dissolved. + +Speaking of the Lord Jesus, Isaiah says: "I will fasten Him as a nail +in a sure place; and He shall be for a glorious throne to His +Father's house: and they shall hang upon Him all the glory of His +father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small +quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of +flagons" (xxii. 23, 24). + +There is one nail, fastened in a sure place; and on it hang all the +flagons and all the cups. "Oh," says one little cup, "I am so small +and so black, suppose I were to drop!" "Oh," says a flagon, "there is +no fear of you; but I am so heavy, so very weighty, suppose I were to +drop!" And a little cup says, "Oh, if I were only like the gold cup +there, I should never fear falling." But the gold cup answers, "It is +not because I am a gold cup that I keep up; but because I hang upon +the nail." If the nail gives way we all come down, gold cups, china +cups, pewter cups, and all; but as long as the nail keeps up, all +that hang on Him hang safely. + +I once read these words on a tombstone: "Born, died, kept." Let us +pray God to keep us in perfect peace, and assured of salvation. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +_CHRIST ALL AND IN ALL_. + + +(Colossians iii. 11.) + + +Christ is _all_ to us that we make Him to be. I want to emphasize +that word "all." Some men make Him to be "a root out of a dry +ground," "without form or comeliness." He is nothing to them; they do +not want Him. Some Christians have a very small Saviour, for they are +not willing to receive Him fully, and let Him do great and mighty +things for them. Others have a mighty Saviour, because they make Him +to be great and mighty. + +If we would know what Christ wants to be to us, we must first of all +know Him as our Saviour from sin. When the angel came down from +heaven to proclaim that He was to be born into the world, you +remember he gave His name, "He shall be called Jesus, for He shall +save His people from their sins." Have we been delivered from sin? He +did not come to save us _in_ our sins, but _from_ our sins. Now, +there are three ways of knowing a man. Some men you know only by +hearsay; others you merely know by having been once introduced to +them, you know them very slightly; other again you know by having +been acquainted with them for years, you know them intimately. So I +believe there are three classes of people to-day in the Christian +Church and out of it: those who know Christ only by reading or by +hearsay, those who have a historical Christ; those who have a slight +personal acquaintance with Him; and, those who thirst, as Paul did, +to "know Him and the power of His resurrection." The more we know of +Christ the more we shall love Him, and the better we shall serve Him. + +Let us look at Him as He hangs upon the Cross, and see how He has put +away sin. He was manifested that He might take away our sins; and if +we really know Him we must first of all see Him as our Saviour from +sin. You remember how the angels said to the shepherds on the plains +of Bethlehem, "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which +shall be to all people: for unto you is born this day, in the city of +David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke ii. 10, 11.) Then +if you go clear back to Isaiah, seven hundred years before Christ's +birth, you will find these words: "I, even I, am the Lord; and beside +me there is no Saviour" (xliii. 11). + +Again, in the First Epistle of John (iv. 14) we read: "We have seen, +and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the +world." All the heathen religions, we read, teach men to work their +way up to God; but the religion of Jesus Christ is God coming down to +men to save them, to lift them up out of the pit of sin. In Luke xix. +10, we read that Christ Himself told the people what He had come for: +"The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." So +we start from the Cross, not from the cradle. Christ has opened up a +new and living way to the Father; He has taken all the stumbling-blocks +out of the way, so that every man who accepts of Christ as his +Saviour can have salvation. + +But Christ is not only a Saviour. I might save a man from drowning +and rescue him from an untimely grave; but I might probably not be +able to do any more for him. Christ is something more than a Saviour. +When the children of Israel were placed behind the blood, that blood +was their salvation; but they would still have heard the crack of the +slave-driver's whip if they had not been delivered from the Egyptian +yoke of bondage: then it was that God delivered them from the hand of +the king of Egypt. I have little sympathy with the idea that God +comes down to save us, and then leaves us in prison, the slaves of +our besetting sins. No; He has come to deliver us, and to give us +victory over our evil tempers, our passions, and our lusts. Are you a +professed Christian but one who is a slave to some besetting sin? If +you want to get victory over that temper or that lust, go on to know +Christ more intimately. He brings deliverance for the past, the +present, and the future. "Who delivered; who doth deliver; who will +yet deliver." (2 Cor. i. 10.) + +How often, like the children of Israel when they came to the Red Sea, +have we become discouraged because everything looked dark before us, +behind us, and around us, and we knew not which way to turn. Like +Peter we have said, "To whom shall we go?" But God has appeared for +our deliverance. He has brought us through the Red Sea right out into +the wilderness, and opened up the way into the Promised Land. But +Christ is not only our Deliverer; He is our Redeemer. That is +something more than being our Saviour. He has brought us back. "Ye +have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without +money." (Isaiah lii. 3.) "We were not redeemed with corruptible +things, as silver and gold." (1 Peter i. 18.) If gold could have +redeemed us, could He not have created ten thousand worlds full of +gold? + +When God had redeemed the children of Israel from the bondage of +Egypt, and brought them through the Red Sea, they struck out for the +wilderness; and then God became to them their Way. I am so thankful +the Lord has not left us in darkness as to the right way. There is no +living man who has been groping in the darkness but may know the way. +"I am the Way," says Christ. If we follow Christ we shall be in the +right way, and have the right doctrine. Who could lead the children +of Israel through the wilderness like the Almighty God Himself? He +knew the pitfalls and dangers of the way, and guided the people +through all their wilderness journey right into the promised land. It +is true that if it had not been for their accursed unbelief they +might have crossed into the land at Kadesh Barnea, and taken +possession of it, but they desired something besides God's word; so +they were turned back, and had to wander in the desert for forty +years. I believe there are thousands of God's children wandering in +the wilderness still. The Lord has delivered them from the hand of +the Egyptian, and would at once take them through the wilderness +right into the Promised Land, if they were only willing to follow +Christ. Christ has been down here, and has made the rough places +smooth, and the dark places light, and the crooked places straight. +If we will only be led by Him, and will follow Him, all will be +peace, and joy, and rest. + +In the frontier, when a man goes out hunting he takes a hatchet with +him, and cuts off pieces from the bark of the trees as he goes along +through the forest: this is called "blazing the way." He does it that +he may know the way back, as there is no pathway through these thick +forests. Christ has come down to this earth; He has "blazed the Way:" +and now that He has gone up on high, if we will but follow him, we +shall be kept in the right path. I will tell you how you may know if +you are following Christ or not. If some one has slandered you, or +misjudged you, do you treat them as your master would have done? If +you do not bear these things in a loving and forgiving spirit, all +the churches and ministers in the world cannot make you right. "If +any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." (Romans +viii. 9.) "If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creature: old +things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Cor. +v. 17.) + +Christ is not only our way; He is the Light upon the way. He says, "I +am the Light of the world." (John viii. 12; ix. 5; xii. 46.) He goes +on to say, "He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but +shall have the light of life." It is impossible for any man or woman +who is following Christ to walk in darkness. If your soul is in the +darkness, groping around in the fog and mist of earth, let me tell +you it is because you have got away from the true light. There is +nothing but light that will dispel darkness. So let those who are +walking in spiritual darkness admit Christ into their hearts: He is +the Light. I call to mind a picture of which I used at one time to +think a good deal; but now I have come to look more closely, I would +not put it up in my house except I turned the face to the wall. It +represents Christ as standing at a door, knocking, and having a big +lantern in His hand. Why, you might as well hang up a lantern to the +sun as put one into Christ's hand. He is the Sun of Righteousness; +and it is our privilege to walk in the light of an unclouded sun. + +Many people are hunting after light, and peace, and joy. We are +nowhere told to seek after these things. If we admit Christ into our +hearts these will all come of themselves. I remember, when a boy, I +used to try in vain to catch my shadow. One day I was walking with my +face to the sun; and as I happened to look around I saw that my +shadow was following me. The faster I went the faster my shadow +followed; I could not get away from it. So when our faces are +directed to the Sun of Righteousness, the peace and joy are sure to +come. A man said to me some time ago, "Moody, how do you feel?" It +was so long since I had thought about my feelings I had to stop and +consider awhile, in order to find out. Some Christians are all the +time thinking about their feelings; and because they do not feel just +right they think their joy is all gone. If we keep our faces towards +Christ, and are occupied with Him, we shall be lifted out of the +darkness and the trouble that may have gathered round our path. + +I remember being in a meeting after the war of the great rebellion +broke out. The war had been going on for about six months. The army +of the North had been defeated at Bull Run, in fact, we had nothing +but defeat, and it looked as though the republic was going to pieces. +So we were much cast down and discouraged. At this meeting every +speaker for awhile seemed as if he had hung his harp upon the willow; +and it was one of the gloomiest meetings I ever attended. Finally an +old man with beautiful white hair got up to speak, and his face +literally shone. "Young men," he said "you do not talk like sons of +the King. Though it is dark just here, remember it is light somewhere +else." Then he went on to say that if it were dark all over the +world, it was light up around the Throne. + +He told us he had come from the east, where a friend had described to +him how he had been up a mountain to spend the night and see the sun +rise. As the party were climbing up the mountain, and before they had +reached the summit, a storm came on. This friend said to the guide, +"I will give this up; take me back." The guide smiled, and replied, +"I think we shall get above the storm soon." On they went; and it was +not long before they got up to where it was as calm as any summer +evening. Down in the valley a terrible storm raged; they could hear +the thunder rolling, and see the lightning's flash; but all was +serene on the mountain top. "And so, my young friends," continued the +old man, "though all is dark around you, come a little higher and the +darkness will flee away." Often when I have been inclined to get +discouraged, I have thought of what he said. Now if you are down in +the valley amidst the thick fog and the darkness, get a little +higher; get nearer to Christ, and know more of Him. + +You remember the Bible says, that when Christ expired on the cross, +the light of the world was put out. God sent His Son to be the light +of the world; but men did not love the light because it reproved them +of their sins. When they were about to put out this light, what did +Christ say to His disciples? "Ye shall be witnesses unto Me." (Acts +i. 8.) He has gone up yonder to intercede for us; but He wants us to +shine for Him down here. "Ye are the light of the world." (Matt. v. +14.) So our work is to shine; not to blow our own trumpet so that +people may look at us. What we want to do is to show forth Christ. If +we have any light at all it is borrowed light. Some one said to a +young Christian: "Converted! it is all moonshine!" Said he: "I thank +you for the illustration; the moon borrows its light from the sun; +and we borrow ours from the Sun of Righteousness." If we are +Christ's, we are here to shine for Him: by and by he will call us +home to our reward. + +I remember hearing of a blind man who sat by the wayside with a +lantern near him. When he was asked what he had a lantern for, as he +could not see the light, he said it was that people should not +stumble ever him. I believe more people stumble over the +inconsistencies of professed Christians than from any other cause. +What is doing more harm to the cause of Christ than all the +scepticism in the world is this cold, dead formalism, this conformity +to the world, this professing what we do not possess. The eyes of the +world are upon us. I think it was George Fox who said every Quaker +ought to light up the country for ten miles around him. If we were +all brightly shining for the Master, those about us would soon be +reached, and there would be a shout of praise going to heaven. + +People say: "I want to know what is the truth." Listen: "I am the +truth," says Christ. (John xiv. 5.) If you want to know what the +truth is, get acquainted with Christ. People also complain that they +have not life. Many are trying to give themselves spiritual life. You +may galvanize yourselves and put electricity into yourselves, so to +speak; but the effect will not last very long. Christ alone is the +author of life. If you would have real spiritual life, get to know +Christ. Many try to stir up spiritual life by going to meetings. That +may be well enough; but it will be of no use, unless they get into +contact with the living Christ. Then their spiritual life will not be +a spasmodic thing, but will be perpetual; flowing on and on, and +bringing forth fruit to God. + +Then Christ is our Keeper. A great many young disciples are afraid +they will not hold out. "He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber +nor sleep." (Psalm cxxi. 4.) It is the work of Christ to keep us; and +if He keeps us there will be no danger of our falling. I suppose if +Queen Victoria had to take care of the Crown of England, some thief +might attempt to get access to it; but it is put away in the Tower of +London, and guarded night and day by soldiers. The whole English army +would, if necessary, be called out to protect it. And we have no +strength in ourselves. We are no match for Satan; he has had six +thousand years' experience. But then we remember that the One who +neither slumbers nor sleeps is our keeper. In Isaiah xli. 10, we +read, "Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am +thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will +uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness." In Jude also, +verse 24, we are told that He is "able to keep us from falling." "We +have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." (1 +John ii. 1.) + +But Christ is something more. He is our Shepherd. It is the work of +the shepherd to care for the sheep, to feed them and protect them. "I +am the Good Shepherd;" "My sheep hear My voice." "I lay down My life +for the sheep." In that wonderful tenth chapter of John, Christ uses +the personal pronoun no less than twenty-eight times, in declaring +what He is and what He will do. In verse 28 He says, "They shall +never perish; neither shall any [_man_] pluck them out of My hand." +But notice the word "man" is in italics. See how the verse really +reads: "Neither shall any pluck them out of My hand"--no devil or man +shall be able to do it. In another place the Scripture declares, +"Your life is hid with Christ in God." (Col. iii. 3.) How safe and +how secure! + +Christ says, "My sheep hear My voice . . . and they follow Me." (John +x. 27.) A gentleman in the East heard of a shepherd who could call +all his sheep to him by name. He went and asked if this was true. The +shepherd took him to the pasture where they were, and called one of +them by some name. One sheep looked up and answered the call, while +the others went on feeding and paid no attention. In the same way he +called about a dozen of the sheep around him. The stranger said, "How +do you know one from the other? They all look perfectly alike." +"Well," said he, "you see that sheep toes in a little; that other one +has a squint; one has a little piece of wool off; another has a black +spot; and another has a piece out of its ear." The man knew all his +sheep by their failings, for he had not a perfect one in the whole +flock. I suppose our Shepherd knows us in the same way. + +An Eastern shepherd was once telling a gentleman that his sheep knew +his voice, and that no stranger could deceive them. The gentleman +thought he would like to put the statement to the test. So he put on +the shepherd's frock and turban, and took his staff and went to the +flock. He disguised his voice, and tried to speak as much like the +shepherd as he could; but he could not get a single sheep in the +flock to follow him. He asked the shepherd if his sheep never +followed a stranger. He was obliged to admit that if a sheep got +sickly it would follow any one. So it is with a good many professed +Christians; when they get sickly and weak in the faith, they will +follow any teacher that comes along; but when the soul is in health, +a man will not be carried away by errors and heresies. He will know +whether the "voice" speaks the truth or not. He can soon tell that, +if he is really in communion with God. When God sends a true +messenger his words will find a ready response in the Christian +heart. + +Christ is a tender Shepherd. You may some time think He has not been +a very tender Shepherd to you; you are passing under the rod. It is +written, "Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son +whom He receiveth." (Heb. xii. 6.) That you are passing under the rod +is no proof that Christ does not love you. A friend of mine lost all +his children. No man could ever have loved his family more; but the +scarlet fever took one by one away; and so the whole four or five, +one after another, died. The poor stricken parents went over to great +Britain, and wandered from one place to another, there and on the +continent. At length they found their way to Syria. One day they saw +an Eastern shepherd come down to a stream, and call his flock to +cross. The sheep came down to the brink, and looked at the water; but +they seemed to shrink from it, and he could not get them to respond +to his call. He then took a little lamb, put it under one arm; he +took another lamb and put it under the other arm, and thus passed +into the stream. The old sheep no longer stood looking at the water: +they plunged in after the shepherd; and in a few minutes the whole +flock was on the other side; and he led them away to newer and +fresher pastures. The bereaved father and mother, as they looked on +the scene, felt that it taught them a lesson. They no longer murmured +because the Great Shepherd had taken their lambs one by one into +yonder world; and they began to look up and look forward to the time +when they would follow the loved ones they had lost. If you have +loved ones gone before, remember that your Shepherd is calling you to +"set your affection on things above." (Col. iii. 2.) Let us be +faithful to Him, and follow Him, while we remain in this world. And +if you have not taken Him for your Shepherd, do so this very day. + +Christ is not only all these things that I have mentioned: He is also +our Mediator, our Sanctifier, our Justifier; in fact, it would take +volumes to tell what He desires to be to every individual soul. While +looking through some papers I once read this wonderful description of +Christ. I do not know where it originally came from; but it was so +fresh to my soul that I should like to give it to you:-- + +"Christ is our Way; we walk in Him. He is our Truth; we embrace Him. +He is our Life; we live in Him. He is our Lord; we choose Him to rule +over us. He is our Master; we serve Him. He is our Teacher, +instructing us in the way of salvation. He is our Prophet, pointing +out the future. He is our Priest, having atoned for us. He is our +Advocate, ever living to make intercession for us. He is our Saviour, +saving to the uttermost. He is our Root; we grow from Him. He is our +Bread; we feed upon Him. He is our Shepherd, leading us into green +pastures. He is our true Vine; we abide in Him. He is the Water of +Life; we slake our thirst from Him. He is the fairest among ten +thousand: we admire Him above all others. He is 'the brightness of +the Father's glory, and the express image of His person;' we strive +to reflect His likeness. He is the upholder of all things; we rest +upon Him. He is our wisdom; we are guided by Him. He is our +Righteousness; we cast all our imperfections upon Him. He is our +Sanctification; we draw all our power for holy life from Him. He is +our Redemption, redeeming us from all iniquity. He is our Healer, +curing all our diseases. He is our Friend, relieving us in all our +necessities. He is our Brother, cheering us in our difficulties." + +Here is another beautiful extract: it is from Gotthold: + +"For my part, my soul is like a hungry and thirsty child; and I need +His love and consolation for my refreshment. I am a wandering and +lost sheep; and I need Him as a good and faithful shepherd. My soul +is like a frightened dove pursued by the hawk; and I need His wounds +for a refuge. I am a feeble vine; and I need His cross to lay hold +of, and to wind myself about. I am a sinner; and I need His +righteousness. I am naked and bare; and I need His holiness and +innocence for a covering. I am ignorant; and I need His teaching: +simple and foolish; and I need the guidance of His Holy Spirit. In no +situation, and at no time, can I do without Him. Do I pray? He must +prompt, and intercede for me. Am I arraigned by Satan at the Divine +tribunal? He must be my Advocate. Am I in affliction? He must be my +Helper. Am I persecuted by the world? He must defend me. When I am +forsaken, He must be my Support; when I am dying, my life: when +mouldering in the grave, my Resurrection. Well, then, I will rather +part with all the world, and all that it contains, than with Thee, my +Saviour. And, God be thanked! I know that Thou, too, art neither able +nor willing to do without me. Thou art rich; and I am poor. Thou hast +abundance; and I am needy. Thou hast righteousness; and I sins. Thou +hast wine and oil; and I wounds. Thou hast cordials and refreshments; +and I hunger and thirst. + +Use me then, my Saviour, for whatever purpose, and in whatever way, +Thou mayest require. Here is my poor heart, an empty vessel; fill it +with Thy grace. Here is my sinful and troubled soul; quicken and +refresh it with Thy love. Take my heart for Thine abode; my mouth to +spread the glory of Thy name; my love and all my powers, for the +advancement of Thy believing people; and never suffer the +steadfastness and confidence of my faith to abate--that so at all +times I may be enabled from the heart to say. 'Jesus needs me, and I +Him; and so we suit each other.'" + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +_BACKSLIDING_. + + +"I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely: for Mine +anger is turned away."--Hosea xiv. 4. + + +There are two kinds of backsliders. Some have never been converted: +they have gone through the form of joining a Christian community and +claim to be backsliders; but they never have, if I may use the +expression, "slid forward." They may talk of backsliding; but they +have never really been born again. They need to be treated +differently from real back-sliders--those who have been born of the +incorruptible seed, but who have turned aside. We want to bring the +latter back the same road by which they left their first love. + +Turn to Psalm lxxxv. 5. There you read: "Wilt Thou be angry with us +for ever? wilt Thou draw out Thine anger to all generations? wilt +Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee? Show +us Thy mercy, O Lord; and grant us Thy salvation." Now look again: +"_I will hear what God the Lord will speak:_ for He will speak peace +unto His people, and to His saints; but let them not turn again to +folly" (_verse_ 8). + +There is nothing that will do back-sliders so much good as to come in +contact with the Word of God; and for them the Old Testament is as +full of help as the New. The book of Jeremiah has some wonderful +passages for wanderers. What we want to do is to get back-sliders to +hear what God the Lord will say. + +Look for a moment at Jeremiah vi. 10. "To whom shall I speak, and +give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, +and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a +reproach; they have no delight in it." That is the condition of +back-sliders. They have no delight whatever in the word of God. But we +want to bring them back, and let God get their ear. Read from the +14th verse: "They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of My +people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were +they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not +at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall +among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be +cast down, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, +and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk +therein; and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We +will not walk therein. Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken +to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken." + +That was the condition of the Jews when they had backslidden. They +had turned away from the old paths. And that is the condition of +backsliders. They have got away from the good old book. Adam and Eve +fell by not hearkening to the word of God. They did not believe God's +word; but they believed the tempter. That is the way backsliders +fall--by turning away from the word of God. + +In Jeremiah ii. we find God pleading with them as a father would +plead with a son. "Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your +fathers found in Me, that they are gone from Me, and have walked +after vanity, and are become vain? . . . Wherefore I will yet plead +with you, saith the Lord; and with your children's children will I +plead . . . For my people have committed two evils: they have +forsaken Me, the Fountain of living waters, and hewed them out +cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water." + +Now there is one thing to which we wish to call the attention of +backsliders; and that is, that the Lord never forsook them; but that +they forsook Him! The Lord never left them; but they left Him! And +this, too, without any cause! He says, "What iniquity have your +fathers found in Me, that they are gone far from Me?" Is not God the +same to-day as when you came to Him first? Has God changed? Men are +apt to think that God has changed; but the fault is with them. +Backslider, I would ask you, "What iniquity is there in God, that you +have left Him and gone far from Him?" You have, He says, hewed out to +yourselves broken cisterns that hold no water. The world cannot +satisfy the new nature. No earthly well can satisfy the soul that has +become a partaker of the heavenly nature. Honor, wealth and the +pleasures of this world will not satisfy those who, having tasted the +water of life, have gone astray, seeking refreshment at the world's +fountains. Earthly wells will get dry. They cannot quench spiritual +thirst. + +Again in the 32d verse: "Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride +her attire? yet My people have forgotten Me, days without number." +That is the charge which God brings against the backslider. They +"have forgotten Me, days without number." + +I have often startled young ladies when I have said to them, "My +friend, you think more of your ear-rings than of the Lord." The reply +has been, "No, I do not." But when I have asked, "Would you not be +troubled if you lost one; and would you not set about seeking for +it?" the answer has been, "Well, yes, I think I should." But though +they had turned from the Lord, it did not give them any trouble; nor +did they seek after Him that they might find Him. + +How many once in fellowship and in daily communion with the Lord now +think more of their dresses and ornaments than of their precious +souls! Love does not like to be forgotten. Mothers would have broken +hearts if their children left them and never wrote a word or sent any +memento of their affection; and God pleads over backsliders as a +parent over loved ones who have gone astray. He tries to woo them +back. He asks: "What have I done that you should have forsaken Me?" + +The most tender and loving words to be found in the whole of the +Bible are from Jehovah to those who have left Him without a cause. +Jer. ii. 19. + +Hear how He argues with such: (Jer. xi. 19.) "Thine own wickedness +shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee; know, +therefore, and see, that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou +hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that My fear is not in thee, +saith the Lord God of hosts." + +I do not exaggerate when I say that I have seen hundreds of +backsliders come back; and I have asked them if they have not found +it an evil and a bitter thing to leave the Lord. You cannot find a +real backslider, who has known the Lord, but will admit that it is an +evil and a bitter thing to turn away from Him; and I do not know of +any one verse more used to bring back wanderers than that very one. +May it bring you back if you have wandered into the far country. + +Look at Lot. Did not he find it an evil and a bitter thing? He was +twenty years in Sodom, and never made a convert. He got on well in +the sight of the world. Men would have told you that he was one of +the most influential and worthy men in all Sodom. But alas! alas! he +ruined his family. And it is a pitiful sight to see that old +backslider going through the streets of Sodom at midnight, after he +has warned his children, and they have turned a deaf ear. + +I have never known a man and his wife backslide, without its proving +utter ruin to their children. They will make a mockery of religion +and will deride their parents: "Thine own wickedness shall correct +thee; and thy backsliding shall reprove thee!" Did not David find it +so? Mark him, crying, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! +would God I had died for thee; O Absalom, my son, my son!" I think it +was the ruin, rather than the death of his son that caused this +anguish. + +I remember being engaged in conversation some years ago, till past +midnight, with an old man. He had been for years wandering on the +barren mountains of sin. That night he wanted to get back. We prayed, +and prayed, and prayed, till light broke in upon him; and he went +away rejoicing. The next night he sat in front of me when I was +preaching, and I think that I never saw any one look so sad and +wretched in all my life. He followed me into the enquiry-room. "What +is the trouble?" I asked. "Is your eye off the Saviour? Have your +doubts come back?" "No; it is not that," he said. "I did not go to +business, but spent all this day in visiting my children. They are +all married and in this city. I went from house to house, but there +was not one but mocked me. It is the darkest day of my life. I have +awoke up to what I have done. I have taken my children into the +world; and now I cannot get them out." The Lord had restored unto him +the joy of His salvation; yet there was the bitter consequence of his +transgression. You can run through your experience; and you can find +just such instances repeated again and again. Many who came to your +city years ago serving God, in their prosperity have forgotten Him: +and where are their sons and daughters? Show me the father and mother +who have deserted the Lord and gone back to the beggarly elements of +the world; and I am mistaken if their children are not on the high +road to ruin. + +As we desire to be faithful we warn these backsliders. It is a sign +of love to warn of danger. We may be looked upon as enemies for a +while; but the truest friends are those who lift up the voice of +warning. Israel had no truer friend than Moses. In Jeremiah God gave +His people a weeping prophet to bring them back to Him; but they cast +off God. They forgot the God who brought them out of Egypt, and who +led them through the desert into the promised land. In their +prosperity they forget Him and turned away. The Lord had told them +what would happen. (Deut. xxviii.) And see what did happen. The +king who make light of the word of God was taken captive by +Nebuchadnezzar, and his children brought up in front of him and every +one slain: his eyes were put out of his head; and he was bound in +fetters of brass and cast into a dungeon in Babylon. (2 Kings xxv. +7.) That is the way he reaped what he had sown. Surely it is an evil +and a bitter thing to backslide, but the Lord would win you back with +the message of His Work. + +In Jeremiah viii. 5, we read: "Why then is this people of Jerusalem +slidden by a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast deceit; _They +refuse to return_." That is what the Lord brings against them. "They +refuse to return." "I hearkened and heard; but they spake not aright: +no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? +Every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. +Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the +turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their +coming; but My people know not the judgment of the Lord." + +Now look: "I hearkened and heard; but they spake not aright." No +family altar! No reading the Bible! No closet devotion! God stoops to +hear; but His people have turned away! If there be a penitent +backslider, one who is anxious for pardon and restoration, you will +find no words more tender than are to be found in Jeremiah iii. 12: +"Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou +backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause Mine anger +to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not +keep anger forever." Now notice: "Only acknowledge thine iniquity, +that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast +scattered thy ways to the stranger under every green tree, and ye +have not obeyed My voice, saith the Lord. Turn, O backsliding +children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you"--think of God +coming and saying, "_I am married unto you!_--and I will take you one +of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion." + +"Only acknowledge thine iniquity." How many times have I held that +passage up to a backslider! "Acknowledge" it; and God says I will +forgive you. I remember a man asking, "Who said that? Is that there?" +And I held up to him the passage, "Only acknowledge thine iniquity;" +and the man went down on his knees, and cried, "My God, I have +sinned"; and the Lord restored him there and then. If you have +wandered, He wants you to come back. + +He says in another place, "O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O +Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning +cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away" (Hosea vi. 4). His +compassion and His love is wonderful! + +In Jeremiah iii. 22; "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will +heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto Thee; Thou art the Lord +our God." He just puts words into the mouth of the backslider. Only +come; and, if you will come, He will receive you graciously and love +you freely. + +In Hosea xiv. 1, 2, 4: "O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for +thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to +the Lord (He puts words into your mouth): say unto Him, Take away all +iniquity, and receive us graciously; so will we render the calves of +our lips . . . I will heal their backsliding, I will love them +freely, for Mine auger is turned away from him." Just observe that, +Turn! _Turn!!_ Turn!!! rings all through these passages. + +Now, if you have wandered, remember that you left Him, and not He +you. You have to get out of the backslider's pit just in the same way +you got in. And if you take the same road as when you left the Master +you will find Him now, just where you are. + +If we were to treat Christ as any earthly friend we should never +leave Him; and there would never be a backslider. If I were in a town +for a single week I should not think of going away without shaking +hands with the friends I had made, and saying "Good bye" to them. I +should be justly blamed if I took the train and left without saying a +word to any one. The cry would be, "What's the matter?" But did you +ever hear of a backslider bidding the Lord Jesus Christ "Good bye"; +going into his closet and saying "Lord Jesus, I have known Thee ten, +twenty, or thirty years: but I am tired of Thy service; Thy yoke is +not easy, nor Thy burden light; so I am going back to the world, to +the flesh-pots of Egypt. Good bye, Lord Jesus! Farewell"? Did you +ever hear that? No; you never did, and you never will. I tell you, if +you get into the closet and shut out the world and hold communion +with the Master you cannot leave Him. The language of your heart will +be, "To whom shall we go," but unto Thee? "Thou hast the words of +eternal life" (John vi. 68). You could not go back to the world if +you treated Him in that way. But you left Him and ran away. You have +forgotten Him days without number. Come back to-day; just as you are! +Make up your mind that you will not rest until God has restored unto +you the joy of His salvation. + +A gentleman in Cornwall once met a Christian in the street whom he +knew to be a backslider. He went up to him, and said: "Tell me, is +there not some estrangement between you and the Lord Jesus?" The man +hung his head, and said, "Yes." "Well," said the gentleman, "what has +He done to you?" The answer to which was a flood of tears. + +In Revelation ii. 4, 5, we read: "Nevertheless I have somewhat +against thee, because thou hast left the first love. Remember +therefore from whence thou art fallen; and repent, and do the first +works: or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy +candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." I want to guard +you against a mistake which some people make with regard to "doing +the first works." Many think that they are to have the same +experience over again, That has kept thousands for months without +peace; because they have been waiting for a renewal of their first +experience. You will never have the same experience as when you first +came to the Lord. God never repeats himself. No two people of all +earth's millions look alike or think alike. You may say that you +cannot tell two people apart; but when you get well acquainted with +them you can very quickly distinguish differences. So, no one person +will have the same experience a second time. If God will restore His +joy to your soul let Him do it in His way. Do not mark out a way for +God to bless you. Do not expect the same experience that you had two +or twenty years ago. You will have a fresh experience, and God will +deal with you in His own way. If you confess your sins and tell Him +that you have wandered from the path of His commandments He will +restore unto you the joy of His salvation. + +I want to call your attention to the manner in which Peter fell; and +I think that nearly all fall pretty much in the same way. I want to +lift up a warning note to those who have not fallen. "Let him that +thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. x. 12). Twenty-five +years ago--and for the first five years after I was converted--I +used to think that if I were able to stand for twenty years I need +fear no fall. But the nearer you get to the Cross the fiercer the +battle. Satan aims high. He went amongst the twelve; and singled out +the Treasurer--Judas Iscariot, and the Chief Apostle--Peter. Most men +who have fallen have done so on the strongest side of their +character. I am told that the only side upon which Edinburgh Castle +was successfully assailed was where the rocks were steepest, and +where the garrison thought themselves secure. If any man thinks that +he is strong enough to resist the devil at any one point he needs +special watch there, for the tempter comes that way. + +Abraham stands, as it were, at the head of the family of faith; and +the children of faith may be said to trace their descent to Abraham: +and yet down in Egypt he denied his wife. (Gen. xii.) Moses was noted +for his meekness; and yet he was kept out of the promised land +because of one hasty act and speech, when he was told by the Lord to +speak to the rock so that the congregation and their beasts should +have water to drink. "Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water +out of this rock?" (Num. xx. 10). + +Elijah was remarkable for his boldness: and yet he went off a day's +journey into the wilderness like a coward and hid himself under a +juniper tree, requesting for himself that he might die, because of a +message he received from a woman. (1 Kings xix.) Let us be careful. +No matter who the man is--he may be in the pulpit--but if he gets +self-conceited he will be sure to fall. We who are followers of +Christ need constantly to pray to be made humble, and kept humble. +God made Moses' face so to shine that other men could see it; but +Moses himself wist not that his face shone, and the more holy in +heart a man is the more manifest to the outer world will be his daily +life and conversation. Some people talk of how humble they are; but +if they have true humility there will be no necessity for them to +publish it. It is not needful. A lighthouse does not have a drum +beaten or a trumpet-blown in order to proclaim the proximity of a +lighthouse: it is its own witness. And so if we have the true light +in us it will show itself. It is not those who make the most noise +who have the most piety. There is a brook, or a little "burn" as the +Scotch call it, not far from where I live; and after a heavy rain you +can hear the rush of its waters a long way off: but let there come a +few days of pleasant weather, and the brook becomes almost silent. +But there is a river near my house, the flow of which I never heard +in my life, as it pours on in its deep and majestic course the year +round. We should have so much of the love of God within us that its +presence shall be evident without our loud proclamation of the fact. + +The first step in Peter's downfall was his self-confidence. The Lord +warned him. The Lord said: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired +to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for +thee, that thy faith fail not" (Luke xxii. 31, 32). But Peter said: +"I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison and to death." "Though +all shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended." +(Matt. xxvi. 23.) "James and John, and the others, may leave You; but +You can count on me!" But the Lord warned him: "I tell thee, Peter, +the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny +that thou knowest Me." (Luke xxii. 24.) + +Though the Lord rebuked him, Peter said he was ready to follow Him to +death. That boasting is too often a forerunner of downfall. Let us +walk humbly and softly. We have a great tempter; and, in an unguarded +hour, we may stumble and fall and bring a scandal on Christ. + +The next step in Peter's downfall was that he went to sleep. If Satan +can rock the Church to sleep he does his work through God's own +people. Instead of Peter watching one short hour in Gethsemane, he +fell asleep, and the Lord asked him, "What, could ye not watch with +Me one hour?" (Matt. xxvi. 40.) The next thing was that he fought in +the energy of the flesh. The Lord rebuked him again and said, "They +that take the sword shall perish with the sword." (Matt. xxvi. 52.) +Jesus had to undo what Peter had done. The next thing, he "followed +afar off." Step by step he gets away. It is a sad thing when a child +of God follows afar off. When you see him associating with worldly +friends, and throwing his influence on the wrong side, he is +following afar off; and it will not be long before disgrace will be +brought upon the old family name, and Jesus Christ will be wounded in +the house of his friends. The man, by his example, will cause others +to stumble and fall. + +The next thing--Peter is familiar and friendly with the enemies of +Christ. A damsel says to this bold Peter: "Thou also wast with this +Jesus of Galilee." But he denied before them all, saying, "I know not +what thou sayest." And when he was gone out into the porch another +maid saw him and said unto them that were there, "This fellow was +also with Jesus of Nazareth." And again he denied with an oath. "I do +not know the Man." Another hour passed; and yet he did not realize +his position; when another confidently affirmed that he was a +Galilean, for his speech betrayed him. And he was angry and began to +curse and to swear, and again denied his Master: and the cock crew. +(Matt. xxvi. 69-74.) + +He commences away up on the pinacle of self-conceit, and goes down +step by step until he breaks out into cursing, and swears that he +never knew his Lord. + +The Master might have turned and said to him, "Is it true, Peter, +that you have forgotten Me so soon? Do you not remember when your +wife's mother lay sick of a fever that I rebuked the disease and it +left her? Do you not call to mind your astonishment at the draught of +fishes so that you exclaimed, 'Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, +O Lord?' Do you remember when in answer to your cry, 'Lord, save me, +or I perish,' I stretched out My hand and kept you from drowning in +the water? Have you forgotten when, on the Mount of Transfiguration, +with James and John, you said to Me, 'Lord, it is good to be here: +let us make three tabernacles?' Have you forgotten being with Me at +the supper-table, and in Gethsemane? Is it true that you have +forgotten Me so soon?" The Lord might have upbraided him with +questions such as these: but He did nothing of the kind. He cast one +look on Peter: and there was so much love in it that it broke that +bold disciple's heart: and he went out and wept bitterly. + +And after Christ rose from the dead see how tenderly He dealt with +the erring disciple. The angel at the sepulchre says, "Tell His +disciples, _and Peter_." (Mark xvi. 7.) The Lord did not forget +Peter, though Peter had denied Him thrice; so He caused this kindly +special message to be conveyed to the repentant disciple. What a +tender and loving Saviour we have! + +Friend, if you are one of the wanderers, let the loving look of the +Master win you back; and let Him restore you to the joy of His +salvation. + +Before closing, let me say that I trust God will restore some +backslider reading these pages, who may in the future become a useful +member of society and a bright ornament of the Church. We should +never have had the thirty-second Psalm if David had not been +restored: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin +is covered"; or that beautiful fifty-first Psalm which was written by +the restored backslider. Nor should we have had that wonderful sermon +on the day of Pentecost when three thousand were converted--preached +by another restored backslider. + +May God restore other backsliders and make them a thousand times more +used for His glory than they ever were before. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Way to God and How to Find It, by Dwight Moody + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WAY TO GOD AND HOW TO FIND IT *** + +***** This file should be named 30449.txt or 30449.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/0/4/4/30449/ + +Produced by Keith G. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Way to God and How to Find It + +Author: Dwight Moody + +Release Date: November 10, 2009 [EBook #30449] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WAY TO GOD AND HOW TO FIND IT *** + + + + +Produced by Keith G. Richardson + + + + + +</pre> + +<p class="pnn"><a href="#Reader">To The Reader</a></p> +<p class="pnn"><a href="#Contents">Contents</a></p> +<p class="pnn"><a href="#Text">Text</a></p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:217%;margin-top:1.3em;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +THE WAY TO GOD</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:125%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:6.5em"> +AND HOW TO FIND IT</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:117%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:5.7em"> +By D. L. MOODY</p> +<div style="text-align:center"><img alt="Illustration: Graphic" src="images/graphic.png" + style="width: 58px; height: 87px;"></div> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:121%;margin-top:5.0em;margin-bottom:0.3em"> +Fleming H. Revell Company</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:84%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0.5em"> +Chicago New York Toronto</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:63%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +<i>Publishers of Evangelical Literature</i></p> +<hr style="margin-top:5.2em;margin-bottom:22.5em"> +<p style= +"text-align:center;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.5em;line-height:2.0em;font-size:67%"> +Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1884,<br> +B<span class="sc">y</span> F. H. REVELL,<br> +In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.</p> +<hr style="margin-top:22em;margin-bottom:9em"> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:138%;letter-spacing:0.2em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0"> +<a name="Reader" id="Reader">TO THE READER</a></p> +<hr style="width:5em;margin-top:1.7em;margin-bottom:1.3em"> +<div style="font-size:96%;line-height:2em"> +<p class="pn">I<span class="sc">n</span> this small volume I have +endeavored to point out the W<span class="sc">ay to +God</span>.</p> +<p class="pn">I have embodied in the little book a considerable +part of several addresses which have been delivered in different +cities, both of Great Britain and my own country. God has +graciously owned them when spoken from the pulpit, and I trust +will none the less add his blessing now they have been put into +the printed page with additional matter.</p> +<p class="pn">I have called attention first to the Love of God, +the source of all Gifts of Grace; have then endeavored to present +truths to meet the special needs of representative classes, +answering the question, “How man can be just with God,” hoping +thereby to lead souls to Him who is “the Way, the Truth and the +Life.”</p> +<p class="pn">The last chapter is specially addressed to +Backsliders—a class, alas, far too numerous amongst us.</p> +<p class="pn">With the earnest prayer and hope that by the +blessing of God on these pages the reader may be strengthened, +established and settled in the faith of Christ,</p> +<p class="pc">I am, yours in His service,</p> +</div> +<div style="text-align:right"><img alt="Illustration: D. L. Moody's Signature" src="images/DLM.png" + style="width: 255px; height: 108px;"></div> +<hr style="margin-top:21em;margin-bottom:10em"> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:133%;letter-spacing:0.12em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.4em"> +<a name="Contents" id="Contents">CONTENTS.</a></p> +<hr style="width:3.5em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.3em"> +<div style="font-size:96%;line-height:2em"> +<p class="ps"><a href="#I">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> I. +“L<span class="sc">ove that passeth Knowledge</span>”</a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#II">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> II. +T<span class="sc">he Gateway into the Kingdom</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#III">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> III. + T<span class="sc">he Two Classes</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#IV">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> IV. +W<span class="sc">ords of Counsel</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#V">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> V. A +D<span class="sc">ivine Saviour</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#VI">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> VI. +R<span class="sc">epentance and Restitution</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#VII">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> VII. + A<span class="sc">ssurance of Salvation</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#VIII">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> +VIII. C<span class="sc">hrist All and in All</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#IX">C<span class="sc">hapter</span> IX. +B<span class="sc">acksliding</span></a></p> +</div> +<hr style="margin-top:9em;margin-bottom:5em"> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:183%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0.8em"> +<a name="Text" id="Text">THE WAY TO GOD.</a></p> +<hr style="width:7.5em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0"> +<h1><a name="I" id="I">CHAPTER I.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1">“<i>LOVE THAT PASSETH KNOWLEDGE</i>.”</p> +<p class="pt2">“To know the love of Christ which passeth +knowledge.”<br> +(E<span class="sc">phesians</span> iii. 19.)</p> +<p class="pn">I<span class="sc">f</span> I could only make men +understand the real meaning of the words of the apostle +John—“G<span class="sc">od is love</span>,” I would take that +single text, and would go up and down the world proclaiming this +glorious truth. If you can convince a man that you love him you +have won his heart. If we really make people believe that God +loves them, how we should find them crowding into the kingdom of +heaven! The trouble is that men think God hates them; and so they +are all the time running away from Him.</p> +<p class="pn">We built a church in Chicago some years ago; and +were very anxious to teach the people the love of God. We thought +if we could not preach it into their hearts we would try and burn +it in; so we put right over the pulpit in gas-jets these +words—G<span class="sc">od is Love</span>. A man going along the +streets one night glanced through the door, and saw the text. He +was a poor prodigal. As he passed on he thought to himself, “God +is Love! No! He does not love me; for I am a poor miserable +sinner.” He tried to get rid of the text; but it seemed to stand +out right before him in letters of fire. He went on a little +further; then turned round, went back, and went into the meeting. +He did not hear the sermon; but the words of that short text had +got deeply lodged in his heart, and that was enough. It is of +little account what men say if the Word of God only gets an +entrance into the sinner’s heart. He staid after the first +meeting was over; and I found him there weeping like a child. As +I unfolded the Scriptures and told him how God had loved him all +the time, although he had wandered so far away, and how God was +waiting to receive him and forgive him, the light of the Gospel +broke into his mind, and he went away rejoicing.</p> +<p class="pn">There is nothing in this world that men prize so +much us they do Love. Show me a person who has no one to care for +or love him, and I will show you one of the most wretched beings +on the face of the earth. Why do people commit suicide? Very +often it is because this thought steals in upon them—that no one +loves them; and they would rather die than live.</p> +<p class="pn">I know of no truth in the whole Bible that ought to +come home to us with such power and tenderness as that of the +Love of God; and there is no truth in the Bible that Satan would +so much like to blot out. For more than six thousand years he has +been trying to persuade men that God does not love them. He +succeeded in making our first parents believe this lie; and he +too often succeeds with their children.</p> +<p class="pn">The idea that God does not love us often comes from +false teaching. Mothers make a mistake in teaching children that +God does not love them when they do wrong; but only when they do +right. That is not taught in Scripture. You do not teach your +children that when they do wrong you hate them. Their wrong-doing +does not change your love to hate; if it did, you would change +your love a great many times. Because your child is fretful, or +has committed some act of disobedience, you do not cast him out +as though he did not belong to you! No! he is still your child; +and you love him. And if men have gone astray from God it does +not follow that He hates <i>them</i>. It is the sin that He +hates.</p> +<p class="pn">I believe the reason why a great many people think +God does not love them is because they are measuring God by their +own small rule, from their own standpoint. We love men as long as +we consider them worthy of our love; when they are not we cast +them off. It is not so with God. There is a vast difference +between human love and Divine love.</p> +<p class="pns">In Ephesians iii. 18, we are told of the breadth, +and length, and depth, and height, of God’s love. Many of us +think we know something of God’s love; but centuries hence we +shall admit we have never found out much about it. Columbus +discovered America; but what did he know about its great lakes, +rivers, forests, and the Mississippi Valley? He died, without +knowing much about what he had discovered. So, many of us have +discovered something of the love of God; but there are heights, +depths and lengths of it we do not know. That Love is a great +ocean; and we require to plunge into it before we really know +anything of it. It is said of a Roman Catholic Archbishop of +Paris, that when he was thrown into prison and condemned to be +shot, a little while before he was led out to die, he saw a +window in his cell in the shape of a cross. Upon the top of the +cross he wrote “height,” at the bottom “depth,” and at the end of +each arm “length.” He had experienced the truth conveyed in the +hymn—</p> +<p class="p3">“When I survey the wondrous Cross,</p> +<p class="p3s">On which the Prince of Glory died.”</p> +<p class="pn">When we wish to know the love of God we should go +to Calvary. Can we look upon that scene, and say God did not love +us? That cross speaks of the love of God. Greater love never has +been taught than that which the cross teaches. What prompted God +to give up Christ?—what prompted Christ to die?—if it were not +love? “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down +his life for his friends.” Christ laid down His life for His +enemies; Christ laid down His life for His murderers; Christ laid +down His life for them that hated Him; and the spirit of the +cross, the spirit of Calvary, is love. When they were mocking Him +and deriding Him, what did He say? “Father, forgive them, for +they know not what they do.” That is love. He did not call down +fire from heaven to consume them; there was nothing but love in +His heart.</p> +<p class="pn">If you study the Bible you will find that the love +of God is <i>unchangeable</i>. Many who loved you at one time +have perhaps grown cold in their affection, and turned away from +you: it may be that their love is changed to hatred. It is not so +with God. It is recorded of Jesus Christ, just when He was about +to be parted from His disciples and led away to Calvary, that: +“having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto +the end” (John xiii. 1). He knew that one of His disciples would +betray Him; yet He loved Judas. He knew that another disciple +would deny Him, and swear that he never knew Him; and yet He +loved Peter. It was the love which Christ had for Peter that +broke his heart, and brought him back in penitence to the feet of +his Lord. For three years Jesus had been with the disciples +trying to teach them His love, not only by His life and words, +but by His works. And, on the night of His betrayal, He takes a +basin of water, girds Himself with a towel, and taking the place +of a servant, washes their feet; He wanted to convince them of +His unchanging love.</p> +<p class="pn">There is no portion of Scripture I read so often as +John xiv; and there is none that is more sweet to me. I never +tire of reading it. Hear what our Lord says, as He pours out His +heart to His Disciples: “At that day ye shall know that I am in +My Father, and ye in Me, and I in you. He that hath My +commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and +<i>he that loveth Me shall be loved by My Father</i>” (xiv. +20,21). Think of the great God who created heaven and earth +loving you and me! . . . “If a man love Me, he will keep My +words; and My Father will love him; and We will come unto him, +and make Our abode with him” (v. 23).</p> +<p class="pn">Would to God that our puny minds could grasp this +great truth, that the Father and the Son so love us that They +desire to come and abide with us. Not to tarry for a night, but +to come and <i>abide</i> in our hearts.</p> +<p class="pn">We have another passage more wonderful still in +John xvii. 23. “I in them, and thou in Me, that they may be made +perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent +Me, <i>and hast loved them as Thou hast loved Me</i>.” I think +that is one of the most remarkable sayings that ever fell from +the lips of Jesus Christ. There is no reason why the Father +should not love him. He was obedient unto death; He never +transgressed the Father’s law, or turned aside from the path of +perfect obedience by one hair’s breadth. It is very different +with us; and yet, notwithstanding all our rebellion and +foolishness, He says that if we are trusting in Christ, the +Father loves us as He loves the Son. Marvellous love! Wonderful +love! That God can possibly love us as He loves His own Son seems +too good to be true. Yet that is the teaching of Jesus +Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">It is hard to make a sinner believe in this +unchangeable love of God. When a man has wandered away from God +he thinks that God hates him. We must make a distinction between +sin and the sinner. God loves the sinner; but He hates the sin. +He hates sin, because it mars human life. It is just because God +loves the sinner that He hates sin.</p> +<p class="pn">God’s love is not only unchangeable, but +<i>unfailing</i>. In Isaiah xlix. 15, 16 we read: “Can a woman +forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on +the son of her womb? yea, they may forget; yet will I not forget +thee. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands; thy +walls are continually before Me.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now the strongest human love that we know of is a +<i>mother’s love</i>. Many things will separate a man from his +wife. A father may turn his back on his child; brothers and +sisters may become inveterate enemies; husbands may desert their +wives; wives, their husbands. But a mother’s love endures through +all. In good repute, in bad repute, in the face of the world’s +condemnation, a mother loves on, and hopes that her child may +turn from his evil ways and repent. She remembers the infant +smiles, the merry laugh of childhood, the promise of youth; and +she can never be brought to think him unworthy. Death cannot +quench a mother’s love; it is stronger than death.</p> +<p class="pn">You have seen a mother watching over her sick +child. How willingly she would take the disease into her own body +if she could thus relieve her child! Week after week she will +keep watch; she will let no one else take care of that sick +child.</p> +<p class="pn">A friend of mine, some time ago, was visiting in a +beautiful home where he met a number of friends. After they had +all gone away, having left something behind, he went back to get +it. There he found the lady of the house, a wealthy lady, sitting +behind a poor fellow who looked like a tramp. <i>He was her own +son</i>. Like the prodigal, he had wandered far away: yet the +mother said, “This is my boy; I love him still.” Take a mother +with nine or ten children, if one goes astray, she seems to love +that one more than any of the rest.</p> +<p class="pn">A leading minister in the state of New York once +told me of a father who was a very bad character. The mother did +all she could to prevent the contamination of the boy; but the +influence of the father was stronger, and he led his son into all +kinds of sin until the lad became one of the worst of criminals. +He committed murder, and was put on his trial. All through the +trial, the widowed mother (for the father had died) sat in the +court. When the witnesses testified against the boy it seemed to +hurt the mother much more than the son. When he was found guilty +and sentenced to die, every one else feeling the justice of the +verdict, seemed satisfied at the result. But the mother’s love +never faltered. She begged for a reprieve; but that was denied. +After the execution she craved for the body; and this also was +refused. According to custom, it was buried in the prison yard. A +little while afterwards the mother herself died; but, before she +was taken away, she expressed a desire to be buried by the side +of her boy. She was not ashamed of being known as the mother of a +murderer.</p> +<p class="pn">The story is told of a young woman in Scotland, who +left her home, and became an outcast in Glasgow. Her mother +sought her far and wide, but in vain. At last, she caused her +picture to be hung upon the walls of the Midnight Mission rooms, +where abandoned women resorted. Many gave the picture a passing +glance. One lingered by the picture. It is the same dear face +that looked down upon her in her childhood. She has not forgotten +nor cast off her sinning child; or her picture would never have +been hung upon those walls. The lips seemed to open, and whisper, +“Come home; I forgive you, and love you still.” The poor girl +sank down overwhelmed with her feelings. She was the prodigal +daughter. The sight of her mother’s face had broken her heart. +She became truly penitent for her sins, and with a heart full of +sorrow and shame, returned to her forsaken home; and mother and +daughter were once more united.</p> +<p class="pn">But let me tell you that no mother’s love is to be +compared with the love of God; it does not measure the height of +the depth of God’s love. No mother in this world ever loved her +child as God loves you and me. Think of the love that God must +have had when He gave His Son to die for the world. I used to +think a good deal more of Christ than I did of the Father. +Somehow or other I had the idea that God was a stern judge; that +Christ came between me and God, and appeased the anger of God. +But after I became a father, and for years had an only son, as I +looked at my boy I thought of the Father giving His Son to die; +and it seemed to me as if it required more love for the Father to +give His Son than for the Son to die. Oh, the love that God must +have had for the world when He gave His Son to die for it! “God +so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that +whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have +everlasting life” (John iii. 16). I have never been able to +preach from that text. I have often thought I would; but it is so +high that I can never climb to its height; I have just quoted it +and passed on. Who can fathom the depth of those words: “God so +loved the world?” We can never scale the heights of His love or +fathom its depths. Paul prayed that he might know the height, the +depth, the length, and the breadth, of the love of God; but it +was past his finding out. It “passeth knowledge” (Eph. iii. +19).</p> +<p class="pn">Nothing speaks to us of the love of God, like the +cross of Christ. Come with me to Calvary, and look upon the Son +of God as He hangs there. Can you hear that piercing cry from His +dying lips: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they +do!” and say that He does not love you? “Greater love hath no man +than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John +xv. 13). But Jesus Christ laid down His life <i>for his +enemies</i>.</p> +<p class="pn">Another thought is this: He loved us long before we +ever thought of Him. The idea that he does not love us until we +first love Him is not to be found in Scripture. In 1 John iv. 10, +it is written: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that +He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our +sins.” He loved us before we ever thought of loving Him. You +loved your children before they knew anything about your love. +And so, long before we ever thought of God, we were in His +thoughts.</p> +<p class="pn">What brought the prodigal home? It was the thought +that his father loved him. Suppose the news had reached him that +he was cast off, and that his father did not care for him any +more, would he have gone back? Never! But the thought dawned upon +him that his father loved him still: so he rose up, and went back +to his home. Dear reader, the love of the Father ought to bring +us back to Him. It was Adam’s calamity and sin that revealed +God’s love. When Adam fell God came down and dealt in mercy with +him. If any one is lost it will not be because God does not love +him: it will be because he has resisted the love of God.</p> +<p class="pn">What will make Heaven attractive? Is it the pearly +gates or the golden streets? No. Heaven will be attractive, +because there we shall behold Him who loved us so much as to give +His only-begotten Son to die for us. What makes home attractive? +Is it the beautiful furniture and stately rooms? No; some homes +with all these are like whited sepulchres. In Brooklyn a mother +was dying; and it was necessary to take her child from her, +because the little child could not understand the nature of the +sickness, and disturbed her mother. Every night the child sobbed +herself to sleep in a neighbor’s house, because she wanted to go +back to her mother’s; but the mother grew worse, and they could +not take the child home. At last the mother died; and after her +death they thought it best not to let the child see her dead +mother in her coffin. After the burial the child ran into one +room crying “Mamma! mamma!” and then into another crying “Mamma! +mamma!” and so went over the whole house: and when the little +creature failed to find that loved one she cried to be taken back +to the neighbors. So what makes heaven attractive is the thought +that we shall see Christ who has loved us and given Himself for +us.</p> +<p class="pn">If you ask me why God should love us, I cannot +tell. I suppose it is because He is a true Father. It is His +nature to love; just as it is the nature of the sun to shine. He +wants you to share in that love. Do not let unbelief keep you +away from Him. Do not think that, because you are a sinner, God +does not love you, or care for you. He does! He wants to save you +and bless you.</p> +<p class="pn">“When we were yet without strength, in due time +Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. v. 6). Is that not enough to +convince you that He loves you? He would not have died for you if +He had not loved you. Is your heart so hard that you can brace +yourself up against His love, and spurn and despise it? You +<i>can</i> do it; but it will be at your peril.</p> +<p class="pn">I can imagine some saying to themselves, “Yes, we +believe that God loves us, if we love Him; we believe that God +loves the pure and the holy.” Let me say, my friend, not only +does God love the pure and the holy: He also loves the ungodly. +“God commendeth His love toward us, in that, <i>while we were yet +sinners</i>, Christ died for us” (Rom. v. 8). God sent him to +die for the sins of the whole world. If you belong to the world, +then you have part and lot in this love that has been exhibited +in the cross of Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">There is a passage in Revelation (i. 5.) which I +think a great deal of—“Unto Him that loved us, and washed us.” It +might be thought that God would first wash us, and then love us. +But no, He first loved us. About eight years ago the whole +country was intensely excited about Charlie Ross, a child of four +years old, who was stolen. Two men in a gig asked him and an +elder brother if they wanted some candy. They then drove away +with the younger boy, leaving the elder one. For many years a +search has been made in every State and territory. Men have been +over to Great Britain, France, and Germany, and have hunted in +vain for the child. The mother still lives in the hope that she +will see her long lost Charlie. I never remember the whole +country to have been so much agitated about any event unless it +was the assassination of President Garfield. Well, suppose the +mother of Charlie Ross were in some meeting; and that while the +preacher was speaking, she happened to look down amongst the +audience and see her long lost son. Suppose that he was poor, +dirty and ragged, shoeless and coatless, what would she do? Would +she wait till he was washed and decently clothed before she would +acknowledge him? No, she would get off the platform at once, rush +towards him and take him in her arms. After that she would +cleanse and clothe him. So it is with God. He loved us, and +washed us. I can imagine one saying, “If God loves me, why does +He not make me good?” God wants sons and daughters in heaven; He +does not want machines or slaves. He could break our stubborn +hearts, but He wants to draw us towards Himself by the cords of +love.</p> +<p class="pn">He wanted you to sit down with Him at the marriage +supper of the Lamb; to wash you, and make you whiter than snow. +He wants you to walk with Him the crystal pavement of yonder +blissful world. He wants to adopt you into His family; and to +make you a son or a daughter of heaven. Will you trample His love +under your feet? or will you, this hour, give yourself to +Him?</p> +<p class="pn">When our terrible civil war was going on, a mother +received the news that her boy had been wounded in the battle of +the Wilderness. She took the first train, and started for her +boy, although the order had gone forth from the War Department +that no more women should be admitted within the lines. But a +mother’s love knows nothing about orders so she managed by tears +and entreaties to get through the lines to the Wilderness. At +last she found the hospital where her boy was. Then she went to +the doctor and she said: “Will you let me go to the ward and +nurse my boy?”</p> +<p class="pn">The doctor said: “I have just got your boy to +sleep; he is in a very critical state; and I am afraid if you +wake him up the excitement will be so great that it will carry +him off. You had better wait awhile, and remain without until I +tell him that you have come, and break the news gradually to +him.” The mother looked into the doctor’s face and said: “Doctor, +supposing my boy does not wake up, and I should never see him +alive! Let me go and sit down by his side; I won’t speak to him.” +“If you will not speak to him you may do so,” said the +doctor.</p> +<p class="pn">She crept to the cot and looked into the face of +her boy. How she had longed to look at him! How her eyes seemed +to be feasting as she gazed upon his countenance! When she got +near enough she could not keep her hands off; she laid that +tender, loving hand upon his brow. The moment the hand touched +the forehead of her boy, he, without opening his eyes, cried out: +“Mother, you have come!” He knew the touch of that loving hand. +There was love and sympathy in it.</p> +<p class="pn">Ah, sinner, if you feel the loving touch of Jesus +you will recognize it; it is so full of tenderness. The world may +treat you unkindly; but Christ never will. You will never have a +better Friend in this world. What you need is—to come today to +Him. Let His loving arm be underneath you; let His loving hand be +about you; and He will hold you with mighty power. He will keep +you, and fill that heart of yours with His tenderness and +love.</p> +<p class="pn">I can imagine some of you saying, “How shall I go +to Him?” Why, just as you would go to your mother. Have you done +your mother a great injury and a great wrong? If so, you go to +her and you say, “Mother, I want you to forgive me.” Treat Christ +in the same way. Go to Him to-day and tell Him that you have not +loved Him, that you have not treated Him right; confess you sins, +and see how quickly He will bless you.</p> +<p class="pn">I am reminded of another incident—that of a boy who +had been tried by court-martial and ordered to be shot. The +hearts of the father and mother were broken when they heard the +news. In that home was a little girl. She had read the life of +Abraham Lincoln, and she said: “Now, if Abraham Lincoln knew how +my father and mother loved their boy, he would not let my brother +be shot.” She wanted her father to go to Washington to plead for +his boy. But the father said: “No; there is no use; the law must +take its course. They have refused to pardon one or two who have +been sentenced by that court-martial, and an order has gone forth +that the President is not going to interfere again; if a man has +been sentenced by court-martial he must suffer the consequences.” +That father and mother had not faith to believe that their boy +might be pardoned.</p> +<p class="pn">But the little girl was strong in hope; she got on +the train away up in Vermont, and started off to Washington. When +she reached the White House the soldiers refused to let her in; +but she told her pitiful story, and they allowed her to pass. +When she got to the Secretary’s room, where the President’s +private secretary was, he refused to allow her to enter the +private office of the President. But the little girl told her +story, and it touched the heart of the private secretary; so he +passed her in. As she went into Abraham Lincoln’s room, there +were United States senators, generals, governors and leading +politicians, who were there about important business about the +war; but the President happened to see that child standing at his +door. He wanted to know what she wanted, and she went right to +him and told her story in her own language. He was a father, and +the great tears trickled down Abraham Lincoln’s cheeks. He wrote +a dispatch ard sent it to the army to have that boy sent to +Washington at once. When he arrived, the President pardoned him, +gave him thirty days furlough, and sent him home with the little +girl to cheer the hearts of the father and mother.</p> +<p class="pn">Do you want to know how to go to Christ? Go just as +that little girl went to Abraham Lincoln. It may be possible that +you have a dark story to tell. Tell it all out; keep nothing +back. If Abraham Lincoln had compassion on that little girl, +heard her petition and answered it, do you think the Lord Jesus +will not hear your prayer? Do, you think that Abraham Lincoln, or +any man that ever lived on earth, had as much compassion as +Christ? No! He will be touched when no one else will; He will +have mercy when no one else will; He will have pity when no one +else will. If you will go right to Him, confessing your sin and +your need, He will save you.</p> +<p class="pn">A few years ago a man left England and went to +America. He was an Englishman; but he was naturalized, and so +became an American citizen. After a few years he felt restless +and dissatisfied, and went to Cuba; and after he had been in Cuba +a little while civil war broke out there; it was in 1867; and +this man was arrested by the Spanish government as a spy. He was +tried by court-martial, found guilty and ordered to be shot. The +whole trial was conducted in the Spanish language, and the poor +man did not know what was going on. When they told him the +verdict, that he was found guilty and had been condemned to be +shot, he sent to the American Consul and the English Consul, and +laid the whole case before them, proving his innocence and +claiming protection. They examined the case, and found that this +man whom the Spanish officers had condemned to be shot was +perfectly innocent; they went to the Spanish General and said, +“Look here, this man whom you have condemned to death is an +innocent man; he is not guilty.” But the Spanish General said, +“He has been tried by our law; he has been found guilty; he must +die.” There was no electric cable; and these men could not +consult with their governments.</p> +<p class="pn">The morning came on which the man was to be +executed. He was brought out sitting on his coffin in a cart, and +drawn to the place where he was to be executed. A grave was dug. +They took the coffin out of the cart, placed the young man upon +it, took the black cap, and were just pulling it down over his +face. The Spanish soldiers awaited the order to fire. But just +then the American and English Consuls rode up. The English Consul +sprang out of the carriage and took the union jack, the British +flag, and wrapped it around the man, and the American Consul +wrapped around him the star-spangled banner, and then turning to +the Spanish officers they said: “Fire upon those flags if you +dare.” They did not dare to fire upon the flags. There were two +great governments behind those flags. That was the secret of +it.</p> +<p class="pn">“He brought me to the banqueting house, and His +banner over me was love. . . . His left hand is under my head, +and His right hand doth embrace me” (Song Sol. ii. 4, 6). Thank +God we can come under the banner to-day if we will. Any, poor +sinner can come under that banner to-day. His banner of love is +over us. Blessed Gospel; blessed, precious, news. Believe it +to-day; receive it into your heart; and enter into a new life. +Let the love of God be shed abroad in your heart by the Holy +Ghost to-day: it will drive away darkness; it will drive away +gloom; it will drive away sin; and peace and joy shall be +yours.</p> +<h1><a name="II" id="II">CHAPTER II.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1"><i>THE GATEWAY INTO THE KINGDOM</i>.</p> +<p class="pt2">“Except a man be born again he cannot enter the +kingdom of God.”<br> +(J<span class="sc">ohn</span> iii. 3.)</p> +<p class="pn">T<span class="sc">here</span> is no portion of the +Word of God, perhaps, with which we are more familiar than this +passage. I suppose if I were to ask those in any audience if they +believed that Jesus Christ taught the doctrine of the New Birth, +nine tenths of them would say: “Yes, I believe He did.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now if the words of this text are true they embody +one of the most solemn questions that can come before us. We can +afford to be deceived about many things rather than about this +one thing. Christ makes it very plain. He says, “Except a man be +born again, he cannot <i>see</i> the Kingdom of God”—much less +inherit it. This doctrine of the New Birth is therefore the +foundation of all our hopes for the world to come. It is really +the A B C of the Christian religion. My experience has been +this—that if a man is unsound on this doctrine he will be unsound +on almost every other fundamental doctrine in the Bible. A true +understanding of this subject will help a man to solve a thousand +difficulties that he may meet with in the Word of God. Things +that before seemed very dark and mysterious will become very +plain.</p> +<p class="pn">The doctrine of the New Birth upsets all false +religion—all false views about the Bible and about God. A friend +of mine once told me that in one of his after-meetings, a man +came to him with a long list of questions written out for him to +answer. He said: “If you can answer these questions +satisfactorily, I have made up my mind to be a Christian.” “Do +you not think,” said my friend, “that you had better come to +Christ first? Then you can look into these questions.” The man +thought that perhaps he had better do so. After he had received +Christ, he looked again at his list of questions; but then it +seemed to him as if they had all been answered. Nicodemus came +with his troubled mind, and Christ said to him, “Ye must be born +again.” He was treated altogether differently from what he +expected; but I venture to say that was the most blessed night in +all his life. To be “born again” is the greatest blessing that +will ever come to us in this world.</p> +<p class="pn">Notice how the Scripture puts it. “Except a man be +born again,” “born from above,”[Note: John iii. 3. <i>Marginal +reading</i>] “born of the Spirit.” From amongst a number of other +passages where we find this word “<span class= +"sc">except</span>,” I would just name three. “Except ye repent, +ye shall all likewise perish.” (Luke xiii. 3, 5.) “Except ye be +converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into +the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. xviii. 3.) “Except your +righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and +Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of +heaven.” (Matt. v. 20.) They all really mean the same thing.</p> +<p class="pn">I am so thankful that our Lord spoke of the New +Birth to this ruler of the Jews, this doctor of the law, rather +than to the woman at the well of Samaria, or to Matthew the +publican, or to Zaccheus. If He had reserved his teaching on this +great matter for these three, or such as these, people would have +said: “Oh yes, these publicans and harlots need to be converted: +but I am an upright man; I do not need to be converted.” I +suppose Nicodemus was one of the best specimens of the people of +Jerusalem: there was nothing on record against him.</p> +<p class="pn">I think it is scarcely necessary for me to prove +that we need to be born again before we are meet for heaven. I +venture to say that there is no candid man but would say he is +not fit for the kingdom of God, until he is born of another +Spirit. The Bible teaches us that man by nature is lost and +guilty, and our experience confirms this. We know also that the +best and holiest man, if he turn away from God, will very soon +fall into sin.</p> +<p class="pn">Now, let me say what Regeneration is not. It is not +going to church. Very often I see people, and ask them if they +are Christians. “Yes, of course I am; at least, I think I am: I +go to church every Sunday.” Ah, but this is not Regeneration. +Others say, “I am trying to do what is right—am I not a +Christian? Is not that a new birth?” No. What has that to do with +being born again? There is yet another class—those who have +“turned over a new leaf,” and think they are regenerated. No; +forming a new resolution is not being born again.</p> +<p class="pn">Nor will being baptized do you any good. Yet you +hear people say, “Why, I have been baptized; and I was born again +when I was baptized.” They believe that because they were +baptized into the church, they were baptized into the Kingdom of +God. I tell you that it is utterly impossible. You may be +baptized into the church, and yet not be baptized into the Son of +God. Baptism is all right in its place. God forbid that I should +say anything against it. But if you put that in the place of +Regeneration—in the place of the New Birth—it is a terrible +mistake. You cannot be baptized into the Kingdom of God. “Except +a man be <span class="sc">born again</span>, he cannot see the +Kingdom of God.” If any one reading this rests his hopes on +anything else—on any other foundation—I pray that God may sweep +it away.</p> +<p class="pn">Another class say, “I go to the Lord’s Supper; I +partake uniformly of the Sacrament.” Blessed ordinance! Jesus +hath said that as often as ye do it ye commemorate His death. +Yet, that is not being “born again;” that is not passing from +death unto life. Jesus says plainly—and so plainly that there +need not be any mistake about it—“Except a man be born of the +Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.” What has a +sacrament to do with that? What has going to church to do with +being born again?</p> +<p class="pn">Another man comes up and says, “I say my prayers +regularly.” Still I say that is not being born of the Spirit. It +is a very solemn question, then, that comes up before us; and oh! +that every reader would ask himself earnestly and faithfully: +“Have I been born again? Have I been born of the Spirit? Have I +passed from death unto life?”</p> +<p class="pn">There is a class of men who say that special +religious meetings are very good for a certain class of people. +They would be very good if you could get the drunkard there, or +get the gambler there, or get other vicious people there—that +would do a great deal of good. But “we do not need to be +converted.” To whom did Christ utter these words of wisdom? To +Nicodemus. Who was Nicodemus? Was he a drunkard, a gambler, or a +thief? No! No doubt he was one of the very best men in Jerusalem. +He was an honorable Councillor; he belonged to the Sanhedrim; he +held a very high position; he was an orthodox man; he was one of +the very soundest men. And yet what did Christ say to him? +“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of +God.”</p> +<p class="pn">But I can imagine some one saying, “What am I to +do? I cannot create life. I certainly cannot save myself.” You +certainly cannot; and we do not claim that you can. We tell you +it is utterly impossible to make a man better without Christ; but +that is what men are trying to do. They are trying to patch up +this “old Adam” nature. T<span class="sc">here must be a new +creation</span>. Regeneration is a new creation; and if it is a +new creation it must be the work of God. In the first chapter of +Genesis man does not appear. There is no one there but God. Man +is not there to take part. When God created the earth He was +alone. When Christ redeemed the world He was alone.</p> +<p class="pn">“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that +which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John iii. 6.) The +Ethiopian cannot change his skin, and the leopard cannot change +his spots. You might as well try to make yourselves pure and holy +without the help of God. It would be just as easy for you to do +that as for the black man to wash himself white. A man might just +as well try to leap over the moon as to serve God in the flesh. +Therefore, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that +which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now God tells us in this chapter how we are to get +into His kingdom. We are not to work our way in—not but that +salvation is worth working for. We admit all that. If there were +rivers and mountains in the way, it would be well worth while to +swim those rivers, and climb those mountains. There is no doubt +that salvation is worth all that effort; but we do not obtain it +by our works. It is “to him that worketh not, but believeth” +(Rom. iv. 5). We work because we are saved; we do not work to be +saved. We work from the cross; but not towards it. It is written, +“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. ii. +12). Why, you must have your salvation before you can work it +out. Suppose I say to my little boy, “I want you to spend that +hundred dollars carefully.” “Well,” he says, “let me have the +hundred dollars; and I will be careful how I spend it.” I +remember when I first left home and went to Boston; I had spent +all my money, and I went to the post-office three times a day. I +knew there was only one mail a day from home; but I thought by +some possibility there might be a letter for me. At last I +received a letter from my little sister; and oh, how glad I was +to get it. She had heard that there were a great many +pick-pockets in Boston, and a large part of that letter was to +urge me to be very careful not to let anybody pick my pocket. Now +I required to have something in my pocket before I could have it +picked. So you must have salvation before you can work it +out.</p> +<p class="pn">When Christ cried out on Calvary, “It is finished!” +He meant what He said. All that men have to do now is just to +accept of the work of Jesus Christ. There is no hope for man or +woman so long as they are trying to work out salvation for +themselves. I can imagine there are some people who will say, as +Nicodemus possibly did, “This is a very mysterious thing.” I see +the scowl on that Pharisee’s brow as he says, “How can these +things be?” It sounds very strange to his ear. “Born again; born +of the Spirit! How can these things be?” A great many people say, +“You must reason it out; but if you do not reason it out, do not +ask us to believe it.” I can imagine a great many people saying +that. When you ask me to reason it out, I tell you frankly I +cannot do it. “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou +hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh +and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the +Spirit.” (John 8.) I do not understand everything about the +wind. You ask me to reason it out. I cannot. It may blow due +north here, and a hundred miles away due south. I may go up a few +hundred feet, and find it blowing in an entirely opposite +direction from what it is down here. You ask me to explain these +currents of wind; but suppose that, because I cannot explain +them, and do not understand them, I were to take my stand and +assert, “Oh, there is no such thing as wind.” I can imagine some +little girl saying, “I know more about it than that man does; +often have I heard the wind, and felt it blowing against my +face;” and she might say, “Did not the wind blow my umbrella out +of my hands the other day? and did I not see it blow a man’s hat +off in the street? Have I not seen it blow the trees in the +forest, and the growing corn in the country?”</p> +<p class="pn">You might just as well tell me that there is no +such thing as wind, as tell me there is no such thing as a man +being born of the Spirit. I have felt the spirit of God working +in my heart, just as really and as truly as I have felt the wind +blowing in my face. I cannot reason it out. There are a great +many things I cannot reason out, but which I believe. I never +could reason out the creation. I can see the world, but I cannot +tell how God made it out of nothing. But almost every man will +admit there was a creative power.</p> +<p class="pn">There are a great many things that I cannot explain +and cannot reason out, and yet that I believe. I heard a +commercial traveler say that he had heard that the ministry and +religion of Jesus Christ were matters of revelation and not of +investigation. “When it pleased God to reveal His Son in Me,” +says Paul (Gal. i, 15, 16). There was a party of young men +together, going up the country; and on their journey they made up +their minds not to believe anything they could not reason out. An +old man heard them; and presently he said, “I heard you say you +would not believe anything you could not reason out.” “Yes,” they +said, “that is so.” “Well,” he said, “coming down on the train +to-day, I noticed some geese, some sheep, some swine, and some +cattle all eating grass. Can you tell me by what process that +same grass was turned into hair, feathers, bristles and wool? Do +you believe it is a fact?” “Oh yes,” they said, “we cannot help +believing that, though we fail to understand it.” “Well,” said +the old man, “I cannot help believing in Jesus Christ.” And I +cannot help believing in the regeneration of man, when I see men +who have been reclaimed, when I see men who have been reformed. +Have not some of the very worst men been regenerated—been picked +up out of the pit, and had their feet set upon the Rock, and a +new song put in their mouths? Their tongues were cursing and +blaspheming; and now are occupied in praising God. Old things +have passed away, and all things have become new. They are not +reformed only, but <span class="sc">regenerated</span>—new men in +Christ Jesus.</p> +<p class="pn">Down there in the dark alleys of one of our great +cities is a poor drunkard. I think if you want to get near hell, +you should go to a poor drunkard’s home. Go to the house of that +poor miserable drunkard. Is there anything more like hell on +earth? See the want and distress that reign there. But hark! A +footstep is heard at the door, and the children run and hide +themselves. The patient wife waits to meet the man. He has been +her torment. Many a time she has borne about the marks of his +blows for weeks. Many a time that strong right hand has been +brought down on her defenseless head. And now she waits expecting +to hear his oaths and suffer his brutal treatment. He comes in +and says to her: “I have been to the meeting; and I heard there +that if I will I can be converted. I believe that God is able to +save me.” Go down to that house again in a few weeks: and what a +change! As you approach you hear some one singing. It is not the +song of a reveller, but the strains of that good old hymn, “Rock +of Ages.” The children are no longer afraid of the man, but +cluster around his knee. His wife is near him, her face lit up +with a happy glow. Is not that a picture of Regeneration? I can +take you to many such homes, made happy by the regenerating power +of the religion of Christ. What men want is the power to overcome +temptation, the power to lead a right life.</p> +<p class="pn">The only way to get into the kingdom of God is to +be “born” into it. The law of this country requires that the +President should be born in the country. When foreigners come to +our shores they have no right to complain against such a law, +which forbids them from ever becoming Presidents. Now, has not +God a right to make a law that all those who become heirs of +eternal life must be “born” into His kingdom?</p> +<p class="pn">An unregenerated man would rather be in hell than +in heaven. Take a man whose heart is full of corruption and +wickedness, and place him in heaven among the pure, the holy and +the redeemed; and he would not want to stay there. Certainly, if +we are to be happy in heaven we must begin to make a heaven here +on earth. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. If a +gambler or a blasphemer were taken out of the streets of New York +and placed on the crystal pavement of heaven and under the shadow +of the tree of life, he would say, “I do not want to stay here.” +If men were taken to heaven just as they are by nature, without +having their hearts regenerated, there would be another rebellion +in heaven. Heaven is filled with a company of those who have been +<span class="sc">twice born</span>.</p> +<p class="pn">In the 14th and 15th verses of this chapter we read +“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must +the Son of Man be lifted up; that <span class= +"sc">whosoever</span> believeth in Him should not perish, but +have eternal life.” “WHOSOEVER.” Mark that! Let me tell you who +are unsaved what God has done for you. He has done everything +that He could do toward your salvation. You need not wait for God +to do anything more. In one place he asks the question, what more +could he have done (Isaiah v. 4). He sent His prophets, and they +killed them; then He sent His beloved Son, and they murdered Him. +Now He has sent the Holy Spirit to convince us of sin, and to +show how we are to be saved.</p> +<p class="pn">In this chapter we are told how men are to be +saved, namely, by Him who was lifted up on the cross. Just as +Moses lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, so must the +Son of Man be lifted up, “that whosoever believeth in Him should +not perish, but have eternal life.” Some men complain and say +that it is very unreasonable that they should be held responsible +for the sin of a man six thousand years ago. It was not long ago +that a man was talking to me about this injustice, as he called +it. If a man thinks he is going to answer God in that way, I tell +you it will not do him any good. If you are lost, it will not be +on account of Adam’s sin.</p> +<p class="pn">Let me illustrate this; and perhaps you will be +better able to understand it. Suppose I am dying of consumption, +which I inherited from my father or mother. I did not get the +disease by any fault of my own, by any neglect of my health; I +inherited it, let us suppose. A friend happens to come along: he +looks at me, and says: “Moody, you are in a consumption.” I +reply, “I know it very well; I do not want any one to tell me +that.” “But,” he says, “there is a remedy.” “But, sir, I do not +believe it. I have tried the leading physicians in this country +and in Europe; and they tell me there is no hope.” “But you know +me, Moody; you have known me for years.” “Yes, sir.” “Do you +think, then, I would tell you a falsehood?” “No.” “Well, ten +years ago I was as far gone. I was given up by the physicians to +die; but I took this medicine and it cured me. I am perfectly +well: look at me.” I say that it is “a very strange case.” “Yes, +it may be strange; but it is a fact. This medicine cured me: take +this medicine, and it will cure you. Although it has cost me a +great deal, it shall not cost you anything. Do not make light of +it, I beg of you.” “Well,” I say, “I should like to believe you; +but this is contrary to my reason.”</p> +<p class="pn">Hearing this, my friend goes away and returns with +another friend, and that one testifies to the same thing. I am +still disbelieving; so he goes away, and brings in another +friend, and another, and another, and another; and they all +testify to the same thing. They say they were as bad as myself; +that they took the same medicine that has been offered to me; and +that it has cured them. My friend then hands me the medicine. I +dash it to the ground; I do not believe in its saving power; I +die. The reason is then that I spurned the remedy. So, if you +perish, it will not be because Adam fell; but because you spurned +the remedy offered to save you. You will choose darkness rather +than light. “How then shall ye escape, if ye neglect so great +salvation?” There is no hope for you if you neglect the remedy. +It does no good to look at the wound. If we had been in the +Israelitish camp and had been bitten by one of the fiery +serpents, it would have done us no good to look at the wound. +Looking at the wound will never save any one. What you must do is +to look at the Remedy—look away to Him who hath power to save you +from your sin.</p> +<p class="pn">Behold the camp of the Israelites; look at the +scene that is pictured to your eyes! Many are dying because they +neglect the remedy that is offered. In that arid desert is many a +short and tiny grave; many a child has been bitten by the fiery +serpents. Fathers and mothers are bearing away their children. +Over yonder they are just burying a mother; a loved mother is +about to be laid in the earth. All the family, weeping, gather +around the beloved form. You hear the mournful cries; you see the +bitter tears. The father is being borne away to his last resting +place. There is wailing going up all over the camp. Tears are +pouring down for thousands who have passed away; thousands more +are dying; and the plague is raging from one end of the camp to +the other.</p> +<p class="pn">I see in one tent an Israelitish mother bending +over the form of a beloved boy just coming into the bloom of +life, just budding into manhood. She is wiping away the sweat of +death that is gathering upon his brow. Yet a little while, and +his eyes are fixed and glassy, for life is ebbing fast away. The +mother’s heart-strings are torn and bleeding. All at once she +hears a noise in the camp. A great shout goes up. What does it +mean? She goes to the door of the tent. “What is the noise in the +camp?” she asks those passing by. And some one says: “Why, my +good woman, have you not heard the good news that has come into +the camp?” “No,” says the woman, “Good news! What is it?” “Why, +have you not heard about it? God has provided a remedy.” “What! +for the bitten Israelites? Oh, tell me what the remedy is!” “Why, +God has instructed Moses to make a brazen serpent, and to put it +on a pole in the middle of the camp; and He has declared that +whosoever looks upon it shall live. The shout that you hear is +the shout of the people when they see the serpent lifted up.” The +mother goes back into the tent, and she says: “My boy, I have +good news to tell you. You need not die! My boy, my boy, I have +come with good tidings; you can live!” He is already getting +stupefied; he is so weak he cannot walk to the door of the tent. +She puts her strong arms under him and lifts him up. “Look +yonder; look right there under the hill!” But the boy does not +see anything; he says—“I do not see anything; what is it, +mother?” And she says: “Keep looking, and you will see it.” At +last he catches a glimpse of the glistening serpent; and lo, he +is well! And thus it is with many a young convert. Some men say, +“Oh, we do not believe in sudden conversions.” How long did it +take to cure that boy? How long did it take to cure those +serpent-bitten Israelites? It was just a look; and they were +well.</p> +<p class="pn">That Hebrew boy is a young convert. I can fancy +that I see him now calling on all those who were with him to +praise God. He sees another young man bitten as he was; and he +runs up to him and tells him, “You, need not die.” “Oh,” the +young man replies, “I cannot live; it is not possible. There is +not a physician in Israel who can cure me.” He does not know that +he need not die. “Why, have you not heard the news? God has +provided a remedy.” “What remedy?” “Why, God has told Moses to +lift up a brazen serpent, and has said that none of those who +look upon that serpent shall die.” I can just imagine the young +man. He may be what you call an intellectual young man. He says +to the young convert “You do not think I am going to believe +anything like that? If the physicians in Israel cannot cure me, +how do you think that an old brass serpent on a pole is going to +cure me?” “Why, sir, I was as bad as yourself!” “You do not say +so!” “Yes, I do.” “That is the most astonishing thing I ever +heard,” says the young man: “I wish you would explain the +philosophy of it.” “I cannot. I only know that I looked at that +serpent, and I was cured: that did it. I just looked; that is +all. My mother told me the reports that were being heard through +the camp; and I just believed what my mother said, and I am +perfectly well.” “Well, I do not believe you were bitten as badly +as I have been.” The young man pulls up his sleeve. “Look there! +That mark shows where I was bitten; and I tell you I was worse +than you are.” “Well, if I understood the philosophy of it I +would look and get well.” “Let your philosophy go: <i>look and +live</i>.” “But, sir, you ask me to do an unreasonable thing. If +God had said, Take the brass and rub it into the wound, there +might be something in the brass that would cure the bite. Young +man, explain the philosophy of it.” I have often seen people +before me who have talked in that way. But the young man calls in +another, and takes him into the tent, and says: “Just tell him +how the Lord saved you;” and he tells just the same story; and he +calls in others, and they all say the same thing.</p> +<p class="pn">The young man says it is a very strange thing. “If +the Lord had told Moses to go and get some herbs, or roots, and +stew them, and take the decoction as a medicine, there would be +something in that. But it is so contrary to nature to do such a +thing as look at the serpent, that I cannot do it.” At length his +mother, who has been out in the camp, comes in, and she says, “My +boy, I have just the best news in the world for you. I was in the +camp, and I saw hundreds who were very far gone, and they are all +perfectly well now.” The young man says: “I should like to get +well; it is a very painful thought to die; I want to go into the +promised land, and it is terrible to die here in this wilderness; +but the fact is—I do not understand the remedy. It does not +appeal to my reason. I cannot believe that I can get well in a +moment.” And the young man dies in consequence of his own +unbelief.</p> +<p class="pn">God provided a remedy for this bitten +Israelite—“Look and live!” And there is eternal life for every +poor sinner, Look, and you can be saved, my reader, this very +hour. God has provided a remedy; and it is offered to all. The +trouble is, a great many people are looking at the pole. Do not +look at the pole; that is the church. You need not look at the +church; the church is all right, but the church cannot save you. +Look beyond the pole. Look at the Crucified One. Look to Calvary. +Bear in mind, sinner, that Jesus died for all. You need not look +at ministers; they are just God’s chosen instruments to hold up +the Remedy, to hold up Christ. And so, my friends, take your eyes +off from men; take your eyes off from the church. Lift them up to +Jesus; who took away the sin of the world, and there will be life +for you from this hour.</p> +<p class="pn">Thank God, we do not require an education to teach +us how to look. That little girl, that little boy, only four +years old, who cannot read, can look. When the father is coming +home, the mother says to her little boy, “Look! look! look!” and +the little child learns to look long before he is a year old. And +that is the way to be saved. It is to look at the Lamb of God +“who taketh away the sin of the world;” and there is life this +moment for every one who is willing to look.</p> +<p class="pn">Some men say, “I wish I knew how to be saved.” Just +take God at His word and trust His Son this very day—this very +hour—this very moment. He will save you, if you will trust Him. I +imagine I hear some one saying, “I do not feel the bite as much +as I wish I did. I know I am a sinner, and all that; but I do not +feel the bite enough.” How much does God want you to feel it?</p> +<p class="pn">When I was in Belfast I knew a doctor who had a +friend, a leading surgeon there; and he told me that the +surgeon’s custom was, before performing any operation, to say to +the patient, “Take a good look at the wound, and then fix your +eyes on me; and do not take them off till I get through.” I +thought at the time that was a good illustration. Sinner, take a +good look at your wound; and then fix your eyes on Christ, and do +not take them off. It is better to look at the Remedy than at the +wound. See what a poor wretched sinner you are; and then look at +the Lamb of God who “taketh away the sin of the world.” He died +for the ungodly and the sinner. Say “I will take Him!” And may +God help you to lift your eye to the Man on Calvary. And as the +Israelites looked upon the serpent and were healed, so may you +look and live.</p> +<p class="pn">After the battle of Pittsburgh Landing I was in a +hospital at Murfreesbro. In the middle of the night I was aroused +and told that a man in one of the wards wanted to see me. I went +to him and he called me “chaplain”—I was not the chaplain—and +said he wanted me to help him die. And I said, “I would take you +right up in my arms and carry you into the kingdom of God if I +could; but I cannot do it: I cannot help you die!” And he said, +“Who can?” I said, “The Lord Jesus Christ can—He came for that +purpose.” He shook his head, and said, “He cannot save me; I have +sinned all my life.” And I said, “But He came to save sinners.” I +thought of his mother in the north, and I was sure that she was +anxious that he should die in peace; so I resolved I would stay +with him. I prayed two or three times, and repeated all the +promises I could; for it was evident that in a few hours he would +be gone. I said I wanted to read him a conversation that Christ +had with a man who was anxious about his soul. I turned to the +third chapter of John. His eyes were riveted on me; and when I +came to the 14th and 15th verses—the passage before us—he caught +up the words, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, +even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever +believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” He +stopped me and said, “Is that there?” I said “Yes.” He asked me +to read it again; and I did so. He leant his elbows on the cot +and clasping his hands together, said, “That’s good; won’t you +read it again?” I read it the third time; and then went on with +the rest of the chapter. When I had finished, his eyes were +closed, his hands were folded, and there was a smile on his face. +Oh, how it was lit up! What change had come over it! I saw his +lips quivering, and leaning over him I heard in a faint whisper, +“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must +the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him +should not perish, but have eternal life.” He opened his eyes and +said, “That’s enough; don’t read any more.” He lingered a few +hours, pillowing his head on those two verses; and then went up +in one of Christ’s chariots, to take his seat in the kingdom of +God.</p> +<p class="pn">Christ said to Nicodemus: “Except a man be born +again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” You may see many +countries; but there is one country—the land of Beulah, which +John Bunyan saw in vision—you shall never behold, unless you are +born again—regenerated by Christ. You can look abroad and see +many beautiful trees; but the tree of life, you shall never +behold, unless your eyes are made clear by faith in the Saviour. +You may see the beautiful rivers of the earth—you may ride upon +their bosoms; but bear in mind that your eye will never rest upon +the river which bursts out from the Throne of God and flows +through the upper Kingdom, unless you are born again. God has +said it; and not man. You will never see the kingdom of God +except you are born again. You may see the kings and lords of the +earth; but the King of kings and Lord of lords you will never see +except you are born again. When you are in London you may go to +the Tower and see the crown of England, which is worth thousands +of dollars, and is guarded there by soldiers; but bear in mind +that your eye will never rest upon the crown of life except you +are born again.</p> +<p class="pn">You may hear the songs of Zion which are sung here; +but one song—that of Moses and the Lamb—the uncircumcised ear +shall never hear; its melody will only gladden the ear of those +who have been born again. You may look upon the beautiful +mansions of earth, but bear in mind the mansions which Christ has +gone to prepare you shall never see unless you are born again. It +is God who says it. You may see ten thousand beautiful things in +this world; but the city that Abraham caught a glimpse of—and +from that time became a pilgrim and sojourner—you shall never see +unless you are born again (Heb. xi. 8, 10-16). You may often be +invited to marriage feasts here; but you will never attend the +marriage supper of the Lamb except you are born again. It is God +who says it, dear friend. You may be looking on the face of your +sainted mother to-night, and feel that she is praying for you; +but the time will come when you shall never see her more unless +you are born again.</p> +<p class="pn">The reader may be a young man or a young lady who +has recently stood by the bedside of a dying mother; and she may +have said, “Be sure and meet me in heaven,” and you made the +promise. Ah! you shall never see her more, except you are born +again. I believe Jesus of Nazareth, sooner than those infidels +who say you do not need to be born again. Parents, if you hope to +see your children who have gone before, you must be born of the +Spirit. Possibly you are a father or a mother who has recently +borne a loved one to the grave; and how dark your home seems! +Never more will you see your child, unless you are born again. If +you wish to be re-united to your loved one, you must be born +again. I may be addressing a father or a mother who has a loved +one up yonder. If you could hear that loved one’s voice, it would +say, “Come this way.” Have you a sainted friend up yonder? Young +man or young lady, have you not a mother in the world of light? +If you could hear her speak, would not she say, “Come this way, +my son,”—“Come this way, my daughter?” If you would ever see her +more you must be born again.</p> +<p class="pn">We all have an Elder Brother there. Nearly nineteen +hundred years ago He crossed over, and from the heavenly shores +He is calling you to heaven. Let us turn our backs upon the +world. Let us give a deaf ear to the world. Let us look to Jesus +on the Cross and be saved. Then we shall one day see the King in +His beauty, and we shall go no more out.</p> +<h1><a name="III" id="III">CHAPTER III.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1"><i>THE TWO CLASSES</i>.</p> +<p class="pt2">“Two men went up into the temple to +pray.”—L<span class="sc">uke</span> xvii. 10.</p> +<p class="pn">I <span class="sc">now</span> want to speak of two +classes: First, those who do not feel their need of a Saviour who +have not been convinced of sin by the Spirit; and Second, those +who are convinced of sin and cry, “What must I do to be +saved?”</p> +<p class="pn">All inquirers can be ranged under two heads: they +have either the spirit of the Pharisee, or the spirit of the +publican. If a man having the spirit of the Pharisee comes into +an after-meeting, I know of no better portion of Scripture to +meet his case than Romans iii. 10: “As it is written, There is +none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth; +there is none that seeketh after God.” Paul is here speaking of +the natural man. “They are all gone out of the way, they are +together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, +not one.” And in the 17th verse and those which follow, we have +“And the way of peace have they not known; there is no fear of +God before their eyes. Now we know what things soever the law +saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth +may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before +God.”</p> +<p class="pn">Then observe the last clause of verse 22: “For +there is no difference; for all have sinned, and come short of +the glory of God.” Not part of the human family—but +<i>all</i>—“have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” +Another verse which has been very much used to convict men of +their sin is 1 John i. 8: “If we say that we have no sin, we +deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”</p> +<p class="pn">I remember that on one occasion we were holding +meetings in an eastern city of forty thousand inhabitants; and a +lady came and asked us to pray for her husband, whom she purposed +bringing into the after meeting. I have traveled a good deal and +met many pharisaical men; but this man was so clad in +self-righteousness that you could not get the point of the needle +of conviction in anywhere. I said to his wife: “I am glad to see +your faith; but we cannot get near him; he is the most +self-righteous man I ever saw.” She said: “You must! My heart +will break if these meetings end without his conversion.” She +persisted in bringing him; and I got almost tired of the sight of +him.</p> +<p class="pn">But towards the close of our meetings of thirty +days, he came up to me and put his trembling hand on my shoulder. +The place in which the meetings were held was rather cold, and +there was an adjoining room in which only the gas had been +lighted; and he said to me, “Can’t you come in here for a few +minutes?” I thought that he was shaking from cold, and I did not +particularly wish to go where it was colder. But he said: “I am +the worst man in the State of Vermont. I want you to pray for +me.” I thought he had committed a murder, or some other awful +crime; and I asked: “Is there any one sin that particularly +troubles you?” And he said: “My whole life has been a sin. I have +been a conceited, self-righteous Pharisee. I want you to pray for +me.” He was under deep conviction. Man could not have produced +this result; but the Spirit had. About two o’clock in the morning +light broke in upon his soul: and he went up and down the +business street of the city and told what God had done for him; +and has been a most active Christian ever since.</p> +<p class="pn">There are four other passages in dealing with +inquirers, which were used by Christ Himself. “Verily, verily, I +say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the +kingdom of God.” (John iii. 3.)</p> +<p class="pn">In Luke xiii. 3, we read: “Except ye repent, ye +shall all likewise perish.”</p> +<p class="pn">In Matthew xviii., when the disciples came to Jesus +to know who was to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, we +are told that He took a little child and set him in the midst and +said, “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become +as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven” +(xviii. 1-3).</p> +<p class="pn">There is another important “Except” in Matthew v. +20: “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of +the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter the kingdom +of heaven.”</p> +<p class="pn">A man must be made meet before he will want to go +into the kingdom of God. I would rather go into the kingdom with +the younger brother than stay outside with the elder. Heaven +would be hell to such an one. An elder brother who could not +rejoice at his younger brother’s return would not be “fit” for +the kingdom of God. It is a solemn thing to contemplate; but the +curtain drops and leaves him outside, and the younger brother +within. To him the language of the Saviour under other +circumstances seems appropriate: “Verily I say unto you, That the +publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you” +(Matt. xxi. 31).</p> +<p class="pn">A lady once came to me and wanted a favor for her +daughter. She said: “You must remember I do not sympathize with +you in your doctrine.” I asked: “What is your trouble?” She said: +“I think your abuse of the elder brother is horrible. I think he +is a noble character.” I said that I was willing to hear her +defend him; but that it was a solemn thing to take up such a +position; and that the elder brother needed to be converted as +much as the younger. When people talk of being moral it is well +to get them to take a good look at the old man pleading with his +boy who would not go in.</p> +<p class="pn">But we will pass on now to the other class with +which we have to deal. It is composed of those who are convinced +of sin and from whom the cry comes as from the Philippian jailer, +“What must I do to be saved?” To those who utter this penitential +cry there is no necessity to administer the law. It is well to +bring them straight to the Scripture: “Believe on the Lord Jesus +Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” (Acts xvi. 31). Many will meet +you with a scowl and say, “I don’t know what it is to believe;” +and though it is the law of heaven that they must believe, in +order to be saved—yet they ask for something besides that. We are +to tell them what, and where, and how, to believe.</p> +<p class="pn">In John iii. 35 and 36 we read: “The Father loveth +the Son, and hath given all things into His hand. He that +believeth on the Son <span class="sc">hath</span> everlasting +life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but +the wrath of God abideth on him.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now this looks reasonable. Man lost life by +unbelief—by not believing God’s word; and we got life back again +by believing—by taking God at His word. In other words we get up +where Adam fell down. He stumbled and fell over the stone of +unbelief; and we are lifted up and stand upright by believing. +When people say they cannot believe, show them chapter and verse, +and hold them right to this one thing: “Has God ever broken His +promise for these six thousand years?” The devil and men have +been trying all the time and have not succeeded in showing that +He has broken a single promise; and there would be a jubilee in +hell to-day if one word that He has spoken could be broken. If a +man says that he cannot believe it is well to press him on that +one thing.</p> +<p class="pn">I can believe God better to-day than I can my own +heart. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately +wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. xxii. 9). I can believe God +better than I can myself. If you want to know the way of Life, +believe that Jesus Christ is a personal Saviour; cut away from +all doctrines and creeds, and come right to the heart of the Son +of God. If you have been feeding on dry doctrine there is not +much growth on that kind of food. Doctrines are to the soul what +the streets which lead to the house of a friend who has invited +me to dinner are to the body. They will lead me there if I take +the right one; but if I remain in the streets my hunger will +never be satisfied. Feeding on doctrines is like trying to live +on dry husks; and lean indeed must the soul remain which partakes +not of the Bread sent down from heaven.</p> +<p class="pn">Some ask: “How am I to get my heart warmed?” It is +by believing. You do not get power to love and serve God until +you believe.</p> +<p class="pn">The apostle John says “If we receive the witness of +men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of +God which He hath testified of His Son. He that believeth on the +Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God +hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that +God gave of His Son. And this is the record, that God hath given +to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the +Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not +life” (1 John v. 9).</p> +<p class="pn">Human affairs would come to a standstill if we did +not take the testimony of men. How should we get on in the +ordinary intercourse of life, and how would commerce get on, if +we disregarded men’s testimony? Things social and commercial +would come to a dead-lock within forty-eight hours! This is the +drift of the apostle’s argument here. “If we receive the witness +of men, the witness of God is greater.” God has borne witness to +Jesus Christ. And if man can believe his fellow men who are +frequently telling untruths and whom we are constantly finding +unfaithful, why should we not take God at His word and believe +His testimony?</p> +<p class="pn">Faith is a belief in testimony. It is not a leap in +the dark, as some tell us. That would be no faith at all. God +does not ask any man to believe without giving him something to +believe. You might as well ask a man to see without eyes; to hear +without ears; and to walk without feet—as to bid him believe +without giving him something to believe.</p> +<p class="pn">When I started for California I procured a +guide-book. This told me, that after leaving the State of +Illinois, I should cross the Mississippi, and then the Missouri; +get into Nebraska; then over the Rocky Mountains to the Mormon +settlement at Salt Lake City, and by the way of the Sierra Nevada +into San Francisco. I found the guide book all right as I went +along; and I should have been a miserable sceptic if, having +proved it to be correct three-fourths of the way, I had said that +I would not believe it for the remainder of the journey.</p> +<p class="pn">Suppose a man, in directing me to the Post Office, +gives me ten landmarks; and that, in my progress there, I find +nine of them to be as he told me; I should have good reason to +believe that I was coming to the Post Office.</p> +<p class="pn">And if, by believing, I get a new life, and a hope, +a peace, a joy, and a rest to my soul, that I never had before; +if I get self-control, and find that I have a power to resist +evil and to do good, I have pretty good proof that I am in the +right road to the “city which hath foundations, whose builder and +maker is God.” And if things have taken place, and are now taking +place, as recorded in God’s Word, I have good reason to conclude +that what yet remains will be fulfilled. And yet people talk of +doubting. There can be no true faith where there is fear. Faith +is to take God at His word, unconditionally. There cannot be true +peace where there is fear. “Perfect love casteth out fear.” How +wretched a wife would be if she doubted her husband! and how +miserable a mother would feel if after her boy had gone away from +home she had reason, from his neglect, to question that son’s +devotion! True love never has a doubt.</p> +<p class="pn">There are three things indispensable to +faith—knowledge, assent, and appropriation.</p> +<p class="pn">We must know God. “And this is life eternal, that +they might <i>know</i> Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ +whom Thou hast sent” (John xvii. 3). Then we must not only give +our assent to what we know; but we must lay hold of the truth. If +a man simply give his assent to the plan of salvation, it will +not save him: he must accept Christ as his Saviour. He must +receive and appropriate Him.</p> +<p class="pn">Some say they cannot tell how a man’s life can be +affected by his belief. But let some one cry out that some +building in which we happen to be sitting, is on fire; and see +how soon we should act on our belief and get out. We are all the +time influenced by what we believe. We cannot help it. And let a +man believe the record that God has given of Christ, and it will +very quickly affect his whole life.</p> +<p class="pn">Take John v. 24. There is enough truth in that one +verse for every soul to rest upon for salvation. It does not +admit the shadow of a doubt. “Verily, verily”—which means truly, +truly—“I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on +Him that sent Me, hath—<i>hath</i>—everlasting life, and shall +not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto +life.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now if a person really hears the word of Jesus and +believes with the heart on God who sent the Son to be the Saviour +of the world, and lays hold of and appropriates this great +salvation, there is no fear of judgment. He will not be looking +forward with dread to the Great White Throne; for we read in 1 +John iv. 17: “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have +boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in +this world.”</p> +<p class="pn">If we believe, there is for us no condemnation, no +judgment. That is behind us, and passed; and we shall have +boldness in the day of judgment.</p> +<p class="pn">I remember reading of a man who was on trial for +his life. He had friends with influence; and they procured a +pardon for him from the king on condition that he was to go +through the trial, and be condemned. He went into court with the +pardon in his pocket. The feeling ran very high against him, and +the judge said that the court was shocked that he was so much +unconcerned. But, when the sentence was pronounced, he pulled out +the pardon, presented it, and walked out a free man. He has been +pardoned; and so have we. Then let death come, we have nought to +fear. All the grave-diggers in the world cannot dig a grave large +enough and deep enough to hold eternal life; all the coffin +makers in the world cannot make a coffin large enough and tight +enough to hold eternal life. Death has had his hand on Christ +once, but never again.</p> +<p class="pn">Jesus said: “I am the Resurrection, and the Life: +he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: +and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die” (John +xi. 25, 26). And in the Apocalypse we read that the risen Saviour +said to John, “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I +am alive for evermore” (Rev i. 18). Death cannot touch Him +again.</p> +<p class="pn">We get life by believing. In fact we get more than +Adam lost; for the redeemed child of God is heir to a richer and +more glorious inheritance than Adam in Paradise could ever have +conceived; yea, and that inheritance endures forever—it is +inalienable.</p> +<p class="pn">I would much rather have my life hid with Christ in +God than have lived in Paradise; for Adam might have sinned and +fallen after being there ten thousand years. But the believer is +safer, if these things become real to him. Let us make them a +fact, and not a fiction. God has said it; and that is enough. Let +us trust Him even where we cannot trace Him. Let the same +confidence animate us that was in little Maggie as related in the +following simple but touching incident which I read in the +<i>Bible Treasury</i>:—</p> +<p class="pn">“I had been absent from home for some days, and was +wondering, as I again draw near the homestead, if my little +Maggie, just able to sit alone, would remember me. To test her +memory, I stationed myself where I could see her, but could not +be seen by her, and called her name in the familiar tone, +‘Maggie!’ She dropped her playthings, glanced around the room, +and then looked down upon her toys. Again I repeated her name, +‘Maggie!’ when she once more surveyed the room; but, not seeing +her <i>father’s</i> face, she looked very sad, and slowly resumed +her employment. Once more I called, ‘Maggie!’ when, dropping her +playthings, and bursting into tears, she stretched out her arms +in the direction whence the sound proceeded, knowing that, though +she could not see him, her father <i>must be there</i>, +<span class="sc">for she knew his voice</span>.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now, we have power to see and to hear, and we have +power to believe. It is all folly for the inquirers to take the +ground that they cannot believe. They can, if they will. But the +trouble with most people is that they have connected <span class= +"sc">feeling</span> with <span class="sc">believing</span>. Now +Feeling has nothing whatever to do with Believing. The Bible does +not say—He that feeleth, or he that feeleth and believeth, hath +everlasting life. Nothing of the kind. I cannot control my +feelings. If I could, I should never feel ill, or have a headache +or toothache. I should be well all the while. But I can believe +God; and if we get our feet on that rock, let doubts and fears +come and the waves surge around us, the anchor will hold.</p> +<p class="pn">Some people are all the time looking at their +faith. Faith is the hand that takes the blessing. I heard this +illustration of a beggar. Suppose you were to meet a man in the +street whom you had known for years as being accustomed to beg; +and you offered him some money, and he were to say to you: “I +thank you; I don’t want your money: I am not a beggar.” “How is +that?” “Last night a man put a thousand dollars into my hands.” +“He did! How did you know it was good money?” “I took it to the +bank and deposited it and have got a bank book.” “How did you get +this gift?” “I asked for alms; and after the gentleman talked +with me he took out a thousand dollars in money and put it in my +hand.” “How do you know that he put it in the right hand?” “What +do I care about which hand; so that I have got the money.” Many +people are always thinking whether the faith by which they lay +hold of Christ is the right kind—but what is far more essential +is to see that we have the right kind of Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">Faith is the eye of the soul; and who would ever +think of taking out an eye to see if it were the right kind so +long as the sight was perfect? It is not my taste, but it is what +I taste, that satisfies my appetite. So, dear friends, it is +taking God at His Word that is the means of our salvation. The +truth cannot be made too simple.</p> +<p class="pn">There is a man living in the city of New York who +has a home on the Hudson River. His daughter and her family went +to spend the winter with him: and in the course of the season the +scarlet fever broke out. One little girl was put in quarantine, +to be kept separate from the rest. Every morning the old +grandfather used to go and bid his grandchild, “Goodbye,” before +going to his business. On one of these occasions the little thing +took the old man by the hand, and, leading him to a corner of the +room, without saying a word she pointed to the floor where she +had arranged some small crackers so they would spell out, +“Grandpa, I want a box of paints.” He said nothing. On his return +home he hung up his overcoat and went to the room as usual: when +his little grandchild, without looking to see if her wish had +been complied with, took him into the same corner, where he saw +spelled out in the same way, “Grandpa, I thank you for the box of +paints.” The old man would not have missed gratifying the child +for anything. That was faith.</p> +<p class="pn">Faith is taking God at His Word; and those people +who want some token are always getting into trouble. We want to +come to this: G<span class="sc">od says it—let us believe +it</span>.</p> +<p class="pn">But some say, Faith is the gift of God. So is the +air; but you have to breathe it. So is bread; but you have to eat +it. So is water; but you have to drink it. Some are wanting a +miraculous kind of feeling. That is not faith. “Faith cometh by +hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. x. 17). That is +whence faith comes. It is not for me to sit down and wait for +faith to come stealing over me with a strange sensation; but it +is for me to take God at His Word. And you cannot believe, unless +you have something to believe. So take the Word as it is written, +and appropriate it, and lay hold of it.</p> +<p class="pn">In John vi. 47, 48 we read: “Verily, verily, I say +unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life. I am +that Bread of life.” There is the bread right at hand. Partake of +it. I might have thousands of loaves within my home, and as many +hungry men in waiting. They might assent to the fact that the +bread was there; but unless they each took a loaf and commenced +eating, their hunger would not be satisfied. So Christ is the +Bread of heaven; and as the body feeds on natural food, so the +soul must feed on Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">If a drowning man sees a rope thrown out to rescue +him he must lay hold of it; and in order to do so he must let go +everything else. If a man is sick he must take the medicine—for +simply looking at it will not cure him. A knowledge of Christ +will not help the inquirer, unless he believes in Him, and takes +hold of Him, as his only hope. The bitten Israelites might have +believed that the serpent was lifted up; but unless they had +looked they would not have lived (Num. xxi. 6-9).</p> +<p class="pn">I believe that a certain line of steamers will +convey me across the ocean, because I have tried it: but this +will not help another man who may want to go, unless he acts upon +my knowledge. So a knowledge of Christ does not help us unless we +act upon it. That is what it is to believe on the Lord Jesus +Christ. It is to act on what we believe. As a man steps on board +a steamer to cross the Atlantic, so we must take Christ and make +a commitment of our souls to Him; and He has promised to keep all +who put their trust in Him. To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, +is simply to take Him at His word.</p> +<h1><a name="IV" id="IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1"><i>WORDS OF COUNSEL</i>.</p> +<p class="pt2">“A bruised reed shall He not break.”—I<span class= +"sc">saiah</span> xlii. 3; M<span class="sc">att</span>. xii. +20.</p> +<p class="pn">I<span class="sc">t</span> is dangerous for those +who are seeking salvation to lean upon the experience of other +people. Many are waiting for a repetition of the experience of +their grandfather or grandmother. I had a friend who was +converted in a field; and he thinks the whole town ought to go +down into that meadow and be converted. Another was converted +under a bridge; and he thinks that if any enquirer were to go +there he would find the Lord. The best thing for the anxious is +to go right to the Word of God. If there are any persons in the +world to whom the Word ought to be very precious it is those who +are asking how to be saved.</p> +<p class="pn">For instance a man may say, “I have no strength.” +Let him turn to Romans v. 6. “For when we were yet without +strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” It is because +we have no strength that we need Christ. He has come to give +strength to the weak.</p> +<p class="pn">Another may say, “I cannot see.” Christ says, “I am +the Light of the world” (John viii. 12). He came, not only to +give light, but “to open the blind eyes” (Isa. xlii. 7).</p> +<p class="pn">Another may say, “I do not think a man can be saved +all at once.” A person holding that view was in the Enquiry-room +one night; and I drew his attention to Romans vi. 23. “The wages +of sin is death; but the <i>gift</i> of God is eternal life +through Jesus Christ our Lord.” How long does it take to accept a +gift? There must be a moment when you have it not, and another +when you have it—a moment when it is another’s, and the next when +it is yours. It does not take six months to get eternal life. It +may however in some cases be like the mustard seed, very small at +the commencement. Some people are converted so gradually that, +like the morning light, it is impossible to tell when the dawn +began; while, with others, it is like the flashing of a meteor, +and the truth bursts upon them suddenly.</p> +<p class="pn">I would not go across the street to prove when I +was converted; but what is important is for me to know that I +really have been.</p> +<p class="pn">It may be that a child has been so carefully +trained that it is impossible to tell when the new birth began; +but there must have been a moment when the change took place, and +when he became a partaker of the Divine nature.</p> +<p class="pn">Some people do not believe in <span class= +"sc">sudden conversion</span>. But I will challenge any one to +show a conversion in the New Testament that was not +instantaneous. “As Jesus passed by He saw Levi, the son of +Alpheus, sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, +‘Follow Me’: and he arose and followed Him” (Matt. ix. 9). +Nothing could be more sudden than that.</p> +<p class="pn">Zaccheus, the publican, sought to see Jesus; and +because he was little of stature he climbed up a tree. When Jesus +came to the place He looked up and saw him, and said, “Zaccheus, +make haste, and come down” (Luke xix. 5). His conversion must +have taken place somewhere between the branch and the ground. We +are told that he received Jesus joyfully, and said, “Behold, +Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have +taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him +fourfold” (Luke xix. 8). Very few in these days could say that +in proof of their conversion.</p> +<p class="pn">The whole house of Cornelius was converted +suddenly; for so Peter preached Christ to him and his company the +Holy Ghost fell on them, and they were baptized. (Acts x.)</p> +<p class="pn">On the day of Pentecost three thousand gladly +received the Word. They were not only converted, but they were +baptized the same day. (Acts ii.)</p> +<p class="pn">And when Philip talked to the eunuch, as they went +on their way, the eunuch said to Philip, “See, here is water: +what doth hinder me to be baptized?” Nothing hindered. And Philip +said, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” And +they both went down into the water; and the man of great +authority under Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, was +baptized, and went on his way rejoicing. (Acts viii. 26-38.) You +will find all through Scripture that conversions were sudden and +instantaneous.</p> +<p class="pn">A man has been in the habit of stealing money from +his employer. Suppose he has taken $1,000 in twelve months; +should we tell him to take $500 the next year, and less the next +year, and the next, until in five years the sum taken would be +only $50? That would be upon the same principle as gradual +conversion.</p> +<p class="pn">If such a person were brought before the court and +pardoned, because he could not change his mode of life all at +once, it would be considered a very strange proceeding.</p> +<p class="pn">But the Bible says, “Let him that stole steal no +more” (Eph. iv. 28). It is “right about face!” Suppose a person +is in the habit of cursing one hundred times a day: should we +advise him not to utter more than ninety oaths the following day, +and eighty the next day; so that in the course of time he would +get rid of the habit? The Saviour says, “Swear not at all.” +(Matt. v. 34.)</p> +<p class="pn">Suppose another man is in the habit of getting +drunk and beating his wife twice a month; if he only did so once +a month, and then only once in six months, that would be, upon +the same ground, as reasonable as gradual conversion. Suppose +Ananias had been sent to Paul, when he was on his way to Damascus +breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples, +and casting them into prison, to tell him not to kill so many as +he intended; and to let enmity die out of his heart gradually, +but not all at once. Suppose he had been told that it would not +do to stop breathing out threatenings and slaughter, and to +commence preaching Christ all at once, because the philosophers +would say that the change was so sudden it would not hold out; +this would be the same kind of reasoning as is used by those who +do not believe in instantaneous conversion.</p> +<p class="pn">Then another class say that they are afraid that +they will not hold out. This is a numerous and very hopeful +class. I like to see a man distrust himself. It is a good thing +to get such to look to God, and to remember that it is not he who +holds God, but that it is God who holds him. Some want to get +hold of Christ; but the thing is to get Christ to take hold of +you in answer to prayer. Let such read Psalm cxxi.; “I will lift +up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help +cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not +suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not +slumber. Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor +sleep. The Lord is thy keeper; the Lord is thy shade upon thy +right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by +night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall +preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy +coming in, from this time forth, and even for evermore.”</p> +<p class="pn">Some one calls that the traveler’s psalm. It is a +beautiful psalm for those of us who are pilgrims through this +world; and one with which we should be well acquainted.</p> +<p class="pn">God can do what He has done before. He kept Joseph +in Egypt; Moses before Pharaoh; Daniel in Babylon; and enabled +Elijah to stand before Ahab in that dark day. And I am so +thankful that these I have mentioned were men of like passions +with ourselves. It was God who made them so great. What man wants +is to look to God. Real true faith is man’s weakness leaning on +God’s strength. When man has no strength, if he leans on God he +becomes powerful. The trouble is that we have too much strength +and confidence in ourselves.</p> +<p class="pn">Again in Hebrews vi. 17, 18: “Wherein God, willing +more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the +immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath that by two +immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we +might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay +hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor +of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into +that within the vail; whither the Forerunner is for us entered, +even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of +Melchisedec.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now these are precious verses to those who are +afraid of falling, who fear that they will not hold out. It is +God’s work to hold. It is the Shepherd’s business to keep the +sheep. Who ever heard of the sheep going to bring back the +shepherd? People have an idea that they have to keep themselves +and Christ too. It is a false idea. It is the work of the +Shepherd to look after them, and to take care of those who trust +Him. And He has promised to do it. I once heard that when a sea +captain was dying he said, “Glory to God; the anchor holds.” He +trusted in Christ. His anchor had taken hold of the solid rock. +An Irishman said, on one occasion, that “he trembled; but the +Rock never did.” We want to get sure footing.</p> +<p class="pn">In 2 Timothy i. 12 Paul says: “I know whom I have +believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I +have committed unto Him against that day.” That was Paul’s +persuasion.</p> +<p class="pn">During the late war of the rebellion, one of the +chaplains, going through the hospitals, came to a man who was +dying. Finding that he was a Christian, he asked to what +persuasion he belonged, and was told “Paul’s persuasion.” “Is he +a Methodist?” he asked; for the Methodists all claim Paul. “No.” +“Is he a Presbyterian?” for the Presbyterians lay special claim +to Paul. “No,” was the answer. “Does he belong to the Episcopal +Church?” for all the Episcopalian brethren contend that they have +a claim to the Chief Apostle. “No,” he was not an Episcopalian. +“Then, to what persuasion does he belong?” “I am persuaded that +He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against +that day.” It is a grand persuasion; and it gave the dying +soldier rest in a dying hour.</p> +<p class="pn">Let those who fear that they will not hold out turn +to the 24th verse of the Epistle of Jude: “Now unto Him that is +able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless +before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.”</p> +<p class="pn">Then look at Isaiah xli. 10: “Fear thou not; for I +am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will +strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee +with the right hand of My righteousness.”</p> +<p class="pn">Then see verse 13: “For I the Lord thy God will +hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help +thee.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now if God has got hold of my right hand in His, +cannot He hold me and keep me? Has not God the power to keep? The +great God who made heaven and earth can keep a poor sinner like +you and like me if we trust Him. To refrain from feeling +confidence in God for fear of falling—would be like a man who +refused a pardon, for fear that he should get into prison again; +or a drowning man who refused to be rescued, for fear of falling +into the water again.</p> +<p class="pn">Many men look forth at the Christian life, and fear +that they will not have sufficient strength to hold out to the +end. They forget the promise that “as thy days, thy strength” +(Deut. xxxiii. 25). It reminds me of the pendulum to the clock +which grew disheartened at the thought of having to travel so +many thousands of miles; but when it reflected that the distance +was to be accomplished by “tick, tick, tick,” it took fresh +courage to go its daily journey. So it is the special privilege +of the Christian to commit himself to the keeping of his heavenly +Father and to trust Him day by day. It is a comforting thing to +know that the Lord will not begin the good work without also +finishing it.</p> +<p class="pn">There are two kinds of sceptics—one class with +honest difficulties; and another class who delight only in +discussion. I used to think that this latter class would always +be a thorn in my flesh; but they do not prick me now. I expect to +find them right along the journey. Men of this stamp used to hang +around Christ to entangle Him in His talk. They come into our +meetings to hold a discussion. To all such I would commend Paul’s +advice to Timothy: “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid; +knowing that they do gender strifes.” (2 Tim. ii. 23.) Unlearned +questions: Many young converts make a woful mistake. They think +they are to defend the whole Bible. I knew very little of the +Bible when I was first converted; and I thought that I had to +defend it from beginning to end against all comers; but a Boston +infidel got hold of me, floored all my arguments at once, and +discouraged me. But I have got over that now. There are many +things in the Word of God that I do not profess to +understand.</p> +<p class="pn">When I am asked what I do with them. I say, “I +don’t do anything.”</p> +<p class="pn">“How do you explain them?” “I don’t explain +them.”</p> +<p class="pn">“What do you do with them?” “Why, I believe +them.”</p> +<p class="pn">And when I am told, “I would not believe anything +that I do not understand,” I simply reply that I do.</p> +<p class="pn">There are many things which were dark and +mysterious five years ago, on which I have since had a flood of +light; and I expect to be finding out something fresh about God +throughout eternity. I make a point of not discussing disputed +passages of Scripture. An old divine has said that some people, +if they want to eat fish, commence by picking the bones. I leave +such things till I have light on them. I am not bound to explain +what I do not comprehend. “The secret things belong unto the Lord +our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us, and +to our children, for ever” (Deut. xxii. 29); and these I take, +and eat, and feed upon, in order to get spiritual strength.</p> +<p class="pn">Than there is a little sound advice in Titus iii. +9. “But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and +contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are +unprofitable and vain.”</p> +<p class="pn">But now here comes an honest sceptic. With him I +would deal as tenderly as a mother with her sick child. I have no +sympathy with those people who, because a man is sceptical, cast +him off and will have nothing to do with him.</p> +<p class="pn">I was in an Inquiry-meeting, some time ago, and I +handed over to a Christian lady, whom I had known some time, one +who was sceptical. On looking round soon after I noticed the +enquirer marching out of the hall. I asked, “Why have you let her +go?” “Oh, she is a sceptic!” was the reply. I ran to the door and +got her to stop, and introduced her to another Christian worker +who spent over an hour in conversation and prayer with her. He +visited her and her husband; and, in the course of a week, that +intelligent lady cast off her scepticism and came out an active +Christian. It took time, tact, and prayer; but if a person of +this class is honest we ought to deal with such an one as the +Master would have us.</p> +<p class="pn">Here are a few passages for doubting enquirers:</p> +<p class="pn">“If any man will do His will, he shall know of the +doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” +(John vii. 17). If a man is not willing to do the will of God he +will not know the doctrine. There is no class of sceptics who are +ignorant of the fact that God desires them to give up sin; and if +a man is willing to turn from sin and take the light and thank +Him for what He does give, and not expect to have light on the +whole Bible all at once, he will get more light day by day; make +progress step by step; and be led right out of darkness into the +clear light of heaven.</p> +<p class="pn">In Daniel xii. 10 we are told: “Many shall be +purified, and made white, and tried: but the wicked shall do +wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise +shall understand.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now God will never reveal His secrets to His +enemies. Never! And if a man persists in living in sin he will +not know the doctrines of God.</p> +<p class="pn">“The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; +and He will show them His covenant” (Ps. xxv. 14).</p> +<p class="pn">And in John xv. 15 we read: “Henceforth I call you +not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: +but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard +of my Father I have made known unto you.” When you become friends +of Christ you will know His secrets. The Lord said, “Shall I hide +from Abraham the things which I do?” (Gen. xviii. 17).</p> +<p class="pn">Now those who resemble God are the most likely to +understand God. If a man is not willing to turn from sin he will +not know God’s will, nor will God reveal His secrets to him. But +if a man is willing to turn from sin he will be surprised to see +how the light will come in!</p> +<p class="pn">I remember one night when the Bible was the driest +and darkest book in the universe to me. The next day it became +entirely different. I thought I had the key to it. I had been +born of the Spirit. But before I knew anything of the mind of God +I had to give up my sin. I believe God meets every soul on the +spot of self-surrender; and when they are willing to let Him +guide and lead. The trouble with many sceptics is their +self-conceit. They know more than the Almighty! and they do not +come in a teachable spirit. But the moment a man comes in a +receptive spirit he is blessed; for “If any of you lack wisdom, +let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and +upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James i. 5).</p> +<h1><a name="V" id="V">CHAPTER V.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1"><i>A DIVINE SAVIOUR</i>.</p> +<p class="pt2">“Thou art <span class="sc">the Christ</span>, the +Son of the living God.”<br> +(M<span class="sc">atthew</span> xvi. 1; J<span class= +"sc">ohn</span> vi. 69.)</p> +<p class="pn">W<span class="sc">e</span> meet with a certain +class of Enquirers who do not believe in the Divinity of Christ. +There are many passages that will give light on this subject.</p> +<p class="pn">In 1 Corinthians xv. 47, we are told: “The first +man is of the earth earthy: the second man is the Lord from +heaven.”</p> +<p class="pn">In 1 John v. 20: “We know that the Son of God is +come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him +that is true; and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son +Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”</p> +<p class="pn">Again in John xvii. 3: “And this is life eternal, +that they might know Thee, the only true God; and Jesus Christ, +whom Thou hast sent.”</p> +<p class="pn">And then, in Mark xiv. 60: “The high priest stood +up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest Thou nothing? +What is it which these witness against thee? But He held His +peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, and +said unto Him, Art Thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And +Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the +right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the +high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further +witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they +all condemned Him to be guilty of death.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now what brought me to believe in the Divinity of +Christ was this: I did not know where to place Christ, or what to +do with Him, if He were not divine. When I was a boy I thought +that He was a good man like Moses, Joseph, or Abraham. I even +thought that He was the best man who had ever lived on the earth. +But I found that Christ had a higher claim. He claimed to be +God-Man, to be divine; to have come from heaven. He said: “Before +Abraham was I am” (John viii. 58). I could not understand this; +and I was driven to the conclusion—and I challenge any candid man +to deny the inference, or meet the argument—that Jesus Christ is +either an impostor or deceiver, or He is the God-Man—God manifest +in the flesh. And for these reasons. The first commandment is, +“Thou shalt have no other gods before Me” (Exod. xx. 2). Look at +the millions throughout Christendom who worship Jesus Christ as +God. If Christ be not God this is idolatry. We are all guilty of +breaking the first commandment if Jesus Christ were mere man—if +He were a created being, and not what He claims to be.</p> +<p class="pn">Some people, who do not admit His divinity, say +that He was the best man who ever lived; but if He were not +Divine, for that very reason He ought not to be reckoned a good +man, for He laid claim to an honor and dignity to which these +very people declare He had no right or title. That would rank Him +as a deceiver.</p> +<p class="pn">Others say that He thought He was divine, but that +He was deceived. As if Jesus Christ were carried away by a +delusion and deception, and thought that He was more than He was! +I could not conceive of a lower idea of Jesus Christ than that. +This would not only make Him out an impostor; but that He was out +of His mind, and that He did not know who He was, or where He +came from. Now if Jesus Christ was not what He claimed to be, the +Saviour of the world; and if He did not come from heaven, He was +a gross deceiver.</p> +<p class="pn">But how can any one read the life of Jesus Christ +and make Him out a deceiver? A man has generally some motive for +being an impostor. What was Christ’s motive? He knew that the +course He was pursuing would conduct Him to the cross; that His +name would be cast out as vile; and that many of His followers +would be called upon to lay down their lives for His sake. Nearly +every one of the apostles were martyrs; and they were considered +as off-scouring and refuse in the midst of the people. If a man +is an impostor, he has a motive at the back of his hypocrisy. But +what was Christ’s object? The record is that “He went about doing +good.” This is not the work of an impostor. Do not let the enemy +of your soul deceive you.</p> +<p class="pn">In John v. 21 we read: “For as the Father raiseth +up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom +He will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all +judgment unto the Son: that all men should honor the Son, even as +they honor the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth +not the Father which hath sent Him.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now notice: by the Jewish law if a man were a +blasphemer he was to be put to death; and supposing Christ to be +merely human if this be not blasphemy I do not know where you +will find it. “He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the +Father.” That is downright blasphemy if Christ be not divine. If +Moses, or Elijah, or Elisha, or any other mortal had said, “You +must honour me as you honor God;” and had put himself on a level +with God, it would have been downright blasphemy.</p> +<p class="pn">The Jews put Christ to death because they said that +He was not what He claimed to be. It was on that testimony He was +put under oath. The high priest said: “I adjure Thee by the +living God, that Thou tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son +of God” (Matt. xxvi. 63). And when the Jews came round Him and +said, “How long dost Thou make us to doubt? If Thou be the Christ +tell us plainly.” Jesus said, “I and My Father are one.” Then the +Jews took up stones again to stone Him. (John x. 24-33.) They +said they did not want to hear more, for that was blasphemy. It +was for declaring Himself to be the Son of God that He was +condemned and put to death. (Matt. xxvi. 63-66).</p> +<p class="pn">Now if Jesus Christ were mere man the Jews did +right, according to their law, in putting Him to death. In +Leviticus xxiv. 16, we read: “And he that blasphemeth the name of +the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the +congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as +he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the +Lord, shall be put to death.”</p> +<p class="pn">This law obliged them to put to death every one who +blasphemed. It was making the statement that He was divine that +cost Him His life; and by the Mosaic law He ought to have +suffered the death penalty. In John xvi. 15, Christ says, “All +things that the Father hath are Mine: therefore said I, that He +shall take of Mine, and shall show it unto you.” How could He be +merely a good man and use language as that?</p> +<p class="pn">No doubt has ever entered my mind on the point +since I was converted.</p> +<p class="pn">A notorious sinner was once asked how he could +prove the divinity of Christ. His answer was, “Why, He has saved +me; and that is a pretty good proof, is it not?”</p> +<p class="pn">An infidel on one occasion said to me, “I have been +studying the life of John the Baptist, Mr. Moody. Why don’t you +preach him? He was a greater character than Christ. You would do +a greater work.” I said to him, “My friend, you preach John the +Baptist; and I will follow you and preach Christ: and we will see +who will do the most good.” “You will do the most good,” he said, +“because the people are so superstitious.” Ah! John was beheaded; +and his disciples begged his body and buried it: but Christ has +risen from the dead; He has “ascended on high; He has led +captivity captive; and received gifts for men.” (Ps. lxviii. +18.)</p> +<p class="pn">Our Christ <span class="sc">lives</span>. Many +people have not found out that Christ has risen from the grave. +They worship a dead Saviour, like Mary, who said, “They have +taken away my Lord; and I know not where they have laid Him.” +(John xx. 13.) That is the trouble with those who doubt the +divinity of our Lord.</p> +<p class="pn">Then look at Matthew xviii. 20. “Where two or three +are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of +them.” “T<span class="sc">here am</span> I.” Well now, if He is a +mere man, how can He be there? All these are strong passages.</p> +<p class="pn">Again in Matthew xxviii. 18. “And Jesus came and +spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven +and in earth.” Could He be a mere man and talk in that way? “All +power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth!”</p> +<p class="pn">Then again in Matthew xxviii. 20. “Teaching them to +observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am +with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” If He were mere +man, how could He be with us? Yet He says, “I am with you away, +even unto the end of the world!”</p> +<p class="pn">Then again in Mark ii. 7. “Why doth this Man thus +speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And +immediately when Jesus perceived in His Spirit that they reasoned +within themselves, He said unto them, Why reason ye these things +in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the +palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, Arise and take up +thy bed and walk?”</p> +<p class="pn">Some men will meet you and say, “Did not Elisha +also raise the dead?” Notice that in the rare instances in which +men have raised the dead, they did it by the power of God. They +called on God to do it. But when Christ was on earth He did not +call upon the Father to bring the dead to life, When He went to +the house of Jairus He said, “Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise.” +(Mark v. 41.)</p> +<p class="pn">He had power to impart life. When they were +carrying the young man out of Nain He had compassion on the +widowed mother and came and touched the bier and said, “Young +man, I say unto thee, Arise.” (Luke vii. 14.)</p> +<p class="pn">He spake; and the dead arose.</p> +<p class="pn">And when He raised Lazarus He called with a loud +voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” (John xi. 43.) And Lazarus heard, +and came forth.</p> +<p class="pn">Some one has said, It was a good thing that Lazarus +was mentioned by name, or all the dead within the sound of +Christ’s voice would immediately have risen.</p> +<p class="pn">In John v. 25, Jesus says: “Verily, verily, I say +unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall +hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live.” +What blasphemy would this have been, had He not been divine! The +proof is overwhelming, if you will but examine the Word of +God.</p> +<p class="pn">And then another thing—no good man except Jesus +Christ has ever allowed anybody to worship him. When this was +done He never rebuked the worshiper. In John ix. 38, we read that +when the blind man was found by Christ he said, “Lord, I believe. +And he worshiped Him.” The Lord did not rebuke him.</p> +<p class="pn">Then again, Revelation xxii. 6, runs thus: “And he +said unto me, These things are faithful and true; and the Lord +God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show unto His servants +the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: +blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this +book. And I John saw these things and heard them. And when I had +heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the +angel which showed me these things. Then saith He unto me, See +thou do it not; for I am thy fellow-servant and of thy brethren +the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book, +<i>worship God</i>.”</p> +<p class="pn">We see here that even that angel would not allow +John to worship him. Even an angel from heaven! And if Gabriel +came down here from the presence of God it would be a sin to +worship him, or any seraph, or any cherub, or Michael, or any +archangel.</p> +<p class="pn">“W<span class="sc">orship God</span>!” And if Jesus +Christ were not God manifest in the flesh we are guilty of +idolatry in worshiping Him. In Matthew xiv. 33, we read: “Then +they that were in the ship came and <i>worshiped</i> Him, saying, +Of a truth Thou art the Son of God.” He did not rebuke them.</p> +<p class="pn">And in Matthew viii. 2, we also read: “And, behold, +there came a leper and <i>worshiped</i> Him, saying, Lord, if +Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.”</p> +<p class="pn">In Matthew xv. 25: “Then came she, and +<i>worshiped</i> Him, saying, Lord, help me!”</p> +<p class="pn">There are many other passages; but I give these as +sufficient in my opinion to prove beyond any doubt the Divinity +of our Lord.</p> +<p class="pn">In the 14th chapter of Acts we are told the heathen +at Lystra came with garlands and would have done sacrifice to +Paul and Barnabas because they had cured an impotent man; but the +evangelists rent their clothes and told these Lystrans that they +were but men, and not to be worshipped; as if it were a great +sin. And if Jesus Christ is a mere man, we are all guilty of a +great sin in worshipping Him.</p> +<p class="pn">But if He is, as we believe, the only-begotten and +well-beloved Son of God, let us yield to His claims upon us; let +us rest on His all-atoning work, and go forth to serve Him all +the days of our life.</p> +<h1><a name="VI" id="VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1"><i>REPENTANCE AND RESTITUTION</i>.</p> +<p class="pt2">“God commandeth all men everywhere to +repent.”—A<span class="sc">cts</span> xvii. 30.</p> +<p class="pn">R<span class="sc">epentance</span> is one of the +fundamental doctrines of the Bible. Yet I believe it is one of +those truths that many people little understand at the present +day. There are more people to-day in the mist and darkness about +Repentance, Regeneration, the Atonement, and such-like +fundamental truths, than perhaps on any other doctrines. Yet from +our earliest years we have heard about them. If I were to ask for +a definition of Repentance, a great many would give a very +strange and false idea of it.</p> +<p class="pn">A man is not prepared to believe or to receive the +Gospel, unless he is ready to repent of his sins and turn from +them. Until John the Baptist met Christ, he had but one text, +“Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. iii. +2). But if he had continued to say this, and had stopped there +without pointing the people to Christ the Lamb of God, he would +not have accomplished much.</p> +<p class="pn">When Christ came, He took up the same wilderness +cry, “Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. iv. +17). And when our Lord sent out His disciples, it was with the +same message, “that men should repent” (Mark vi. 12). After He +had been glorified, and when the Holy Ghost came down, we find +Peter on the day of Pentecost raising the same cry, “Repent!” It +was this preaching—Repent, and believe the Gospel—that wrought +such marvellous results then. (Acts ii. 38-47). And we find +that, when Paul went to Athens, he uttered the same cry, +“<i>Now</i> God commandeth <i>all men, everywhere</i>, to +repent” (Acts xvii. 30).</p> +<p class="pn">Before I speak of what Repentance <i>is</i>, let me +briefly say what it <i>is not</i>. Repentance is not <i>fear</i>. +Many people have confounded the two. They think they have to be +alarmed and terrified; and they are waiting for some kind of fear +to come down upon them. But multitudes become alarmed who do not +really repent. You have heard of men at sea during a terrible +storm. Perhaps they have been very profane men; but when the +danger came they suddenly grew quiet, and began to cry to God for +mercy. Yet you would not say they repented. When the storm had +passed away, they went on swearing the same as before. You might +think that the king of Egypt repented when God sent the terrible +plagues upon him and his land. But it was not repentance at all. +The moment God’s hand was removed Pharaoh’s heart was harder than +ever. He did not turn from a single sin; he was the same man. So +that there was no true repentance there.</p> +<p class="pn">Often, when death comes into a family, it looks as +if the event would be sanctified to the conversion of all who are +in the house. Yet in six months’ time all may be forgotten. Some +who read this have perhaps passed through that experience. When +God’s hand was heavy upon them it looked as if they were going to +repent; but the trial has been removed—and lo and behold, the +impression has all gone.</p> +<p class="pn">Then again, Repentance is not <i>feeling</i>. I +find a great many people are waiting for a certain kind of +feeling to come. They would like to turn to God; but think they +cannot do it until this feeling comes. When I was in Baltimore I +used to preach every Sunday in the Penitentiary to nine hundred +convicts. There was hardly a man there who did not feel miserable +enough: they had plenty of feeling. For the first week or ten +days of their imprisonment many of them cried half the time. Yet, +when they were released, most of them would go right back to +their old ways. The truth was, that they felt very bad because +they had got caught; that was all. So you have seen a man in the +time of trial show a good deal of feeling: but very often it is +only because he has got into trouble; not because he has +committed sin, or because his conscience tells him he has done +evil in the sight of God. It seems as if the trial were going to +result in true repentance; but the feeling too often passes +away.</p> +<p class="pn">Once again, Repentance is not <i>fasting and +afflicting the body</i>. A man may fast for weeks and months and +years, and yet not repent of one sin. Neither is it +<i>remorse</i>. Judas had terrible remorse—enough to make him go +and hang himself; but that was not repentance. I believe if he +had gone to his Lord, fallen on his face, and confessed his sin, +he would have been forgiven. Instead of this he went to the +priests, and then put an end to his life. A man may do all sorts +of penance—but there is no true repentance in that. Put that down +in your mind. You cannot meet the claims of God by offering the +fruit of your body for the sin of your soul. Away with such a +delusion!</p> +<p class="pn">Repentance is not <i>conviction of sin</i>. That +may sound strange to some. I have seen men under such deep +conviction of sin that they could not sleep at night; they could +not enjoy a single meal. They went on for months in this state; +and yet they were not converted; they did not truly repent. Do +not confound conviction of sin with Repentance.</p> +<p class="pn">Neither is <i>praying</i>—Repentance. That too may +sound strange. Many people, when they become anxious about their +soul’s salvation, say, “I will pray, and read the Bible;” and +they think that will bring about the desired effect. But it will +not do it. You may read the Bible and cry to God a great deal, +and yet never repent. Many people cry loudly to God, and yet do +not repent.</p> +<p class="pn">Another thing: it is not <i>breaking off some one +sin</i>. A great many people make that mistake. A man who has +been a drunkard signs the pledge, and stops drinking. Breaking +off one sin is not Repentance. Forsaking one vice is like +breaking off one limb of a tree, when the whole tree has to come +down. A profane man stops swearing; very good: but if he does not +break off <i>from every sin</i> it is not Repentance—it is not +the work of God in the soul. When God works He hews down the +whole tree. He wants to have a man turn from every sin. Supposing +I am in a vessel out at sea, and I find the ship leaks in three +or four places. I may go and stop up one hole; yet down goes the +vessel. Or suppose I am wounded in three or four places, and I +get a remedy for one wound: if the other two or three wounds are +neglected, my life will soon be gone. True Repentance is not +merely breaking off this or that particular sin.</p> +<p class="pn">Well then, you will ask, what is Repentance? I will +give you a good definition: it is “right about face!” In the +Irish language the word “Repentance” means even more than “right +about face!” It implies that a man who has been walking in one +direction has not only faced about, but is actually walking in an +exactly contrary direction. “Turn ye, turn ye; for why will ye +die?” A man may have little feeling or much feeling; but if he +does not turn away from sin, God will not have mercy on him. +Repentance has also been described as “a change of mind.” For +instance, there is the parable told by Christ: “A certain man had +two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to-day +in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not” (Matt. xxi. +28, 29). After he had said “I will not” he thought over it, and +changed his mind. Perhaps he may have said to himself, “I did not +speak very respectfully to my father. He asked me to go and work, +and I told him I would not go. I think I was wrong.” But suppose +he had only said this, and still had not gone, he would not have +repented. He was not only convinced that he was wrong; but he +went off into the fields, hoeing, or mowing or whatever it was. +That is Christ’s definition of repentance. If a man says, “By the +grace of God I will forsake my sin, and do His will,” that is +Repentance—a turning right about.</p> +<p class="pn">Some one has said, man is born with his face turned +away from God. When he truly repents he is turned right around +towards God; he leaves his old life.</p> +<p class="pn">Can a man at once repent? Certainly he can. It does +not take a long while to turn around. It does not take a man six +months to change his mind. There was a vessel that went down some +time ago on the Newfoundland coast. As she was bearing towards +the shore, there was a moment when the captain could have given +orders to reverse the engines and turn back. If the engines had +been reversed then, the ship would have been saved. But there was +a moment when it was too late. So there is a moment, I believe, +in every man’s life when he can halt and say, “By the grace of +God I will go no further towards death and ruin. I repent of my +sins and turn from them.” You may say you have not got feeling +enough; but if you are convinced that you are on the wrong road, +turn right about, and say, “I will no longer go on in the way of +rebellion and sin as I have done.”</p> +<p class="pn">Just then, when you are willing to turn towards +God, salvation may be yours.</p> +<p class="pn">I find that every case of conversion recorded in +the Bible was instantaneous. Repentance and faith came very +suddenly. The moment a man made up his mind, God gave him the +power. God does not ask any man to do what he has not the power +to do. He would not command “all men everywhere to repent” (Acts +xvii. 30) if they were not able to do so. Man has no one to blame +but himself if he does not repent and believe the Gospel. One of +the leading ministers of the Gospel in Ohio wrote me a letter +some time ago describing his conversion; it very forcibly +illustrates this point of instantaneous decision. He said:</p> +<p class="pn">“I was nineteen years old, and was reading law with +a Christian lawyer in Vermont. One afternoon when he was away +from home, his good wife said to me as I came into the house, ‘I +want you to go to class-meeting with me to-night and become a +Christian, so that you can conduct family worship while my +husband is away.’ ‘Well, I’ll do it,’ I said, without any +thought. When I came into the house again she asked me if I was +honest in what I had said. I replied, ‘Yes, so far as going to +meeting with you is concerned; that is only courteous.’</p> +<p class="pn">“I went with her to the class-meeting, as I had +often done before. About a dozen persons were present in a little +school-house. The leader had spoken to all in the room but myself +and two others. He was speaking to the person next me, when the +thought occurred to me: he will ask me if I have anything to say. +I said to myself: I have decided to be a Christian sometime; why +not begin now? In less time than a minute after these thoughts +had passed through my mind he said, speaking to me familiarly—for +he knew me very well—‘Brother Charles, have you anything to say?’ +I replied, with perfect coolness, ‘Yes, sir. I have just decided, +within the last thirty seconds, that I will begin a Christian +life, and would like to have you pray for me.’</p> +<p class="pn">“My coolness staggered him; I think he almost +doubted my sincerity. He said very little, but passed on and +spoke to the other two. After a few general remarks, he turned to +me and said, ‘Brother Charles, will you close the meeting with +prayer?’ He knew I had never prayed in public. Up to this moment +I had no feeling. It was purely a business transaction. My first +thought was: I cannot pray, and I will ask him to excuse me. My +second was: I have said I will begin a Christian life; and this +is a part of it. So I said, ‘Let us pray.’ And somewhere between +the time I started to kneel and the time my knees struck the +floor the Lord converted my soul.</p> +<p class="pn">“The first words I said were, ‘Glory to God!’ What +I said after that I do not know, and it does not matter, for my +soul was too full to say much but Glory! From that hour the devil +has never dared to challenge my conversion. To Christ be all the +praise.”</p> +<p class="pn">Many people are waiting, they cannot exactly tell +for what, but for some sort of miraculous feeling to come +stealing over them—some mysterious kind of faith. I was speaking +to a man some years ago, and he always had one answer to give me. +For five years I tried to win him to Christ, and every year he +said, “It has not ‘struck me’ yet.” “Man, what do you mean? What +has not struck you?” “Well,” he said, “I am not going to become a +Christian until it strikes me; and it has not struck me yet. I do +not see it in the way you see it.” “But don’t you know you are a +sinner?” “Yes, I know I am a sinner.” “Well, don’t you know that +God wants to have mercy on you—that there is forgiveness with +God? He wants you to repent and come to Him.” “Yes, I know that; +but—it has not struck me yet.” He always fell back on that. Poor +man! he went down to his grave in a state of indecision. Sixty +long years God gave him to repent; and all he had to say at the +end of those years was that it “had not struck him yet.”</p> +<p class="pn">Is any reader waiting for some strange feeling—you +do not know what? Nowhere in the Bible is a man told to wait; God +is commanding you now to repent.</p> +<p class="pn">Do you think God can forgive a man when he does not +want to be forgiven? Would he be happy if God forgave him in this +state of mind? Why, if a man went into the kingdom of God without +repentance, heaven would be hell to him. Heaven is a prepared +place for a prepared people. If your boy has done wrong, and will +not repent, you cannot forgive him. You would be doing him an +injustice. Suppose he goes to your desk, and steals $10, and +squanders it. When you come home your servant tells you what your +boy has done. You ask if it is true, and he denies it. But at +last you have certain proof. Even when he finds he cannot deny it +any longer, he will not confess the sin, but says he will do it +again the first chance he gets. Would you say to him, “Well, I +forgive you,” and leave the matter there? No! Yet people say that +God is going to save all men, whether they repent or +not—drunkards, thieves, harlots, whoremongers, it makes no +difference. “God is so merciful,” they say. Dear friend, do not +be deceived by the god of this world. Where there is true +repentance and a turning from sin unto God, He will meet and +bless you; but He never blesses until there is sincere +repentance.</p> +<p class="pn">David made a woful mistake in this respect with his +rebellious son, Absalom. He could not have done his son a greater +injustice than to forgive him when his heart was unchanged. There +could be no true reconciliation between them when there was no +repentance. But God does not make these mistakes. David got into +trouble on account of his error of judgment. His son soon drove +his father from the throne.</p> +<p class="pn">Speaking on repentance, Dr. Brooks, of St. Louis, +well remarks: “Repentance, strictly speaking, means a ‘change of +mind or purpose;’ consequently it is the judgment which the +sinner pronounces upon himself, in view of the love of God +displayed in the death of Christ, connected with the abandonment +of all confidence in himself and with trust in the only Saviour +of sinners. Saving repentance and saving faith always go +together; and you need not be worried about repentance if you +will believe.”</p> +<p class="pn">“Some people are no sure that they have ‘repented +enough.’ If you mean by this that you must repent in order to +incline God to be merciful to you, the sooner you give over such +repentance the better. God is already merciful, as He has fully +shown at the Cross of Calvary; and it is a grievous dishonor to +His heart of love if you think that your tears and anguish will +move Him, not knowing that ‘the goodness of God leadeth thee to +repentance.’ It is not your badness, therefore, but His goodness +that leads to repentance; hence the true way to repent is to +believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, ‘who was delivered for our +offences, and was raised again for our justification.’”</p> +<p class="pn">Another thing. If there is true repentance it will +bring forth fruit. If we have done wrong to any one we should +never ask God to forgive us, until we are willing to make +restitution. If I have done any man a great injustice and can +make it good, I need not ask God to forgive me until I am willing +to make it good. Suppose I have taken something that does not +belong to me. I have no right to expect forgiveness until I make +restitution.</p> +<p class="pn">I remember preaching in one of our large cities, +when a fine-looking man came up to me at the close. He was in +great distress of mind. “The fact is,” he said, “I am a +defaulter. I have taken money that belonged to my employers. How +can I become a Christian without restoring it?” “Have you got the +money?” He told me he had not got it all. He had taken about +$1,500, and he still had about $900. He said “Could I not take +that money and go into business, and make enough to pay them +back?” I told him that was a delusion of Satan; that he could not +expect to prosper on stolen money; that he should restore all he +had, and go and ask his employers to have mercy upon him and +forgive him. “But they will put me in prison,” he said: “cannot +you give me any help?” “No, you must restore the money before you +can expect to get any help from God.” “It is pretty hard,” he +said. “Yes. it is hard; but the great mistake was in doing the +wrong at first.”</p> +<p class="pn">His burden became so heavy that it got to be +insupportable. He handed me the money—950 dollars and some +cents—and asked me to take it back to his employers. The next +evening the two employers and myself met in a side room of the +church. I laid the money down, and informed them it was from one +of their <i>employes</i>. I told them the story, and said he +wanted mercy from them, not justice. The tears trickled down the +cheeks of these two men, and they said, “Forgive him! Yes, we +will be glad to forgive him.” I went down stairs and brought him +up. After he had confessed his guilt and been forgiven, we all +got down on our knees and had a blessed prayer-meeting. God met +us and blessed us there.</p> +<p class="pn">There was a friend of mine who some time ago had +come to Christ and wished to consecrate himself and his wealth to +God. He had formerly had transactions with the government, and +had taken advantage of them. This thing came up when he was +converted, and his conscience troubled him. He said, “I want to +consecrate my wealth, but it seems as if God will not take it.” +He had a terrible struggle; his conscience kept rising up and +smiting him. At last he drew a check for $1,500 and sent it to +the United States Treasury. He told me he received such a +blessing when he had done it. That was bringing forth “fruits +meet for repentance.” I believe a great many men are crying to +God for light; and they are not getting it because they are not +honest.</p> +<p class="pn">I was once preaching, and a man came to me who was +only thirty-two years old, but whose hair was very grey. He said, +“I want you to notice that my hair is grey, and I am only +thirty-two years old. For twelve years I have carried a great +burden.” “Well,” I said, “what is it?” He looked around as if +afraid some one would hear him. “Well,” he answered, “my father +died and left my mother with the county newspaper, and left her +only that: that was all she had. After he died the paper begun to +waste away; and I saw my mother was fast sinking into a state of +need. The building and the paper were insured for a thousand +dollars, and when I was twenty years old I set fire to the +building, and obtained the thousand dollars, and gave it to my +mother. For twelve years that sin has been haunting me. I have +tried to drown it by indulgence in pleasure and sin; I have +cursed God; I have gone into infidelity; I have tried to make out +that the Bible is not true; I have done everything I could: but +all these years I have been tormented.” I said, “There is a way +out of that.” He inquired “How?” I said, “Make restitution. Let +us sit down and calculate the interest, and then you pay the +Company the money.” It would have done you good to see that man’s +face light up when he found there was mercy for him. He said he +would be glad to pay back the money and interest if he could only +be forgiven.</p> +<p class="pn">There are men to-day who are in darkness and +bondage because they are not willing to turn from their sins and +confess them; and I do not know how a man can hope to be forgiven +if he is not willing to confess his sins.</p> +<p class="pn">Bear in mind that <i>now</i> is the only day of +mercy you will ever have. You can repent now, and have the awful +record blotted out. God waits to forgive you; He is seeking to +bring you to Himself. But I think the Bible teaches clearly that +there is <i>no repentance after this life</i>. There are some who +tell you of the possibility of repentance in the grave; but I do +not find that in Scripture. I have looked my Bible over very +carefully, and I cannot find that a man will have another +opportunity of being saved.</p> +<p class="pn"><i>Why should he ask for any more time?</i> You +have time enough to repent now. You can turn from your sins this +moment if you will. God says: “I have no pleasure in the death of +him that dieth; wherefore turn, and live ye” (Ezek. xviii. +32).</p> +<p class="pn">Christ said, He “came not to call the righteous, +but sinners to repentance.” Are you a sinner? Then the call to +repent is addressed to you. Take your place in the dust at the +Saviour’s feet, and acknowledge your guilt. Say, like the +publican of old, “God be merciful to me a sinner!” and see how +quickly He will pardon and bless you. He will even justify you +and reckon you as righteous, by virtue of the righteousness of +Him who bore your sins in His own body on the Cross.</p> +<p class="pn">There are some perhaps who think themselves +righteous; and that, therefore, there is no need for them to +repent and believe the Gospel. They are like the Pharisee in the +parable, who thanked God that he was not as other +men—“extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican;” +and who went on to say, “I fast twice a week; I give tithes of +all I possess.” What is the judgment about such self-righteous +persons? “I tell you this man [the poor, contrite, repenting +publican] went down to his house justified rather than the +other” (Luke xviii. 11-14). “There is none righteous; no, not +one.” “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” +(Rom. iii. 10, 23). Let no one say <i>he</i> does not need to +repent. Let each one take his true place—that of a sinner; then +God will lift him up to the place of forgiveness and +justification. “Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased: and +he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke xiv. 11).</p> +<p class="pn">Wherever God sees true repentance in the heart He +meets that soul.</p> +<p class="pn">I was in Colorado, preaching the gospel some time +ago, and I heard something that touched my heart very much. The +governor of the State was passing through the prison, and in one +cell he found a boy who had his window full of flowers, that +seemed to have been watched with very tender care. The governor +looked at the prisoner, and then at the flowers, and asked whose +they were, “These are my flowers,” said the poor convict. “Are +you fond of flowers?” “Yes, sir.” “How long have you been here?” +He told him so many years: he was in for a long sentence. The +governor was surprised to find him so fond of the flowers, and he +said, “Can you tell me why you like these flowers so much?” With +much emotion he replied, “While my mother was alive she thought a +good deal of flowers; and when I came here I thought if I had +these they would remind me of mother.” The governor was so +pleased that he said, “Well, young man, if you think so much of +your mother I think you will appreciate your liberty,” and he +pardoned him then and there.</p> +<p class="pn">When God finds that beautiful flower of true +repentance springing up in a man’s heart, then salvation comes to +that man.</p> +<h1><a name="VII" id="VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1"><i>ASSURANCE OF SALVATION</i>.</p> +<p class="pn f11">“These things have I written unto you that +believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may knew that ye +have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son +of God.”</p> +<p class="pt2">(1 J<span class="sc">ohn</span> v. 13. )</p> +<p class="pn">T<span class="sc">here</span> are two classes who +ought not to have Assurance. First: those who are in the Church, +but who are not converted, having never been born of the Spirit. +Second: those not willing to do God’s will; who are not ready to +take the place that God has mapped out for them, but want to fill +some other place.</p> +<p class="pn">Some one will ask “Have all God’s people +Assurance?” No; I think a good many of God’s dear people have no +Assurance; but it is the privilege of every child of God to have +beyond doubt a knowledge of his own salvation. No man is fit for +God’s service who is filled with doubts. If a man is not sure of +his own salvation, how can he help any one else into the kingdom +of God? If I seem in danger of drowning and do not know whether I +shall ever reach the shore, I cannot assist another. I must first +get on the solid rock myself; and then I can lend my brother a +helping hand. If being myself blind I were to tell another blind +man how to get sight, he might reply, “First get healed yourself; +and then you can tell me.” I recently met with a young man who +was a Christian: but he had not attained to victory over sin. He +was in terrible darkness. Such an one is not fit to work for God, +because he has besetting sins; and he has not the victory over +his doubts, because he has not the victory over his sins.</p> +<p class="pn">None will have time or heart to work for God, who +are not assured as to their own salvation. They have as much as +they can attend to; and being themselves burdened with doubts, +they cannot help others to carry their burdens. There is no rest, +joy, or peace—no liberty, nor power—where doubts and uncertainty +exist.</p> +<p class="pn">Now it seems as if there are three wiles of Satan +against which we ought to be on our guard. In the first place he +moves all his kingdom to keep us away from Christ; then he +devotes himself to get us into “Doubting Castle:” but if we have, +in spite of him, a clear ringing witness for the Son of God, he +will do all he can to blacken our characters and belie our +testimony.</p> +<p class="pn">Some seem to think that it is presumption not to +have doubts; but doubt is very dishonoring to God. If any one +were to say that they had known a person for thirty years and yet +doubted him, it would not be very creditable; and when we have +known God for ten, twenty or thirty years does it not reflect on +His veracity to doubt Him.</p> +<p class="pn">Could Paul and the early Christians and martyrs +have gone through what they did if they had been filled with +doubts, and had not known whether they were going to heaven or to +perdition after they had been burned at the stake? They must have +had A<span class="sc">ssurance</span>.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. Spurgeon says: “I never heard of a stork that +when it met with a fir tree demurred as to its right to build its +nest there; and I never heard of a coney yet that questioned +whether it had a permit to run into the rock. Why, these +creatures would soon perish if they were always doubting and +fearing as to whether they had a right to use providential +provisions.</p> +<p class="pn">“The stork says to himself, ‘Ah, here is a fir +tree:’ he consults with his mate, ‘Will this do for the nest in +which we may rear our young?’ ‘Aye,’ says she; and they gather +the materials, and arrange them. There is never any deliberation, +‘May we build here?’ but they bring their sticks and make their +nest.</p> +<p class="pn">“The wild goat on the crag does not say, ‘Have I a +right here?’ No, he must be somewhere: and there is a crag which +exactly suits him; and he springs upon it.</p> +<p class="pn">“Yet, though these dumb creatures know the +provision of their God, the sinner does not recognize the +provision of his Saviour. He quibbles and questions, ‘May I?’ and +am ‘I am afraid it is not for me;’ and ‘I think it cannot be +meant for me;’ and ‘I am afraid it is too good to be true.’</p> +<p class="pn">“And yet nobody ever said to the stork, ‘Whosoever +buildeth on this fir tree shall never have his nest pulled down.’ +No inspired word has ever said to the coney, ‘Whosoever runs into +this rock cleft shall never be driven out of it.’ If it had been +so it would make assurance doubly sure.”</p> +<p class="pn">“And yet here is Christ provided for sinners, just +the sort of a Saviour sinners need; and the encouragement is +added, ‘Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out;’ +‘Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.’”</p> +<p class="pn">Now let us come to the Word. John tells us in his +Gospel what Christ did for us on earth. In his Epistle He tells +us what He is doing for us in heaven as our Advocate. In his +Gospel there are only two chapters in which the word “believe” +does not occur. With these two exceptions, every chapter in John +is “Believe! <i>Believe!!</i> B<span class="sc">elieve</span>!!!” +He tells us in xx. 31, “But these are written, that ye might +believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that, +believing, ye might have life through His name.” That is the +purpose for which he wrote the Gospel—“that we might believe that +Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God: and that, believing, we +might have life through His name” (John xx. 31).</p> +<p class="pn">Turn to 1 John v. 13, he there tells us why he +wrote this Epistle: “These things have I written unto you that +believe on the name of the Son of God.” Notice to whom he writes +it “You that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may +know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the +name of the Son of God.” There are only five short chapters in +this first Epistle, and the word “know” occurs over forty times. +It is “<i>Know!</i> K<span class="sc">now</span>!! KNOW!!!” The +Key to it is K<span class="sc">now</span>! and all through the +Epistle there rings out the refrain—“that we might know that we +have eternal life.”</p> +<p class="pn">I went twelve hundred miles down the Mississippi in +the spring some years ago; and every evening, just as the sun +went down, you might have seen men, and sometimes women, riding +up to the banks of the river on either side on mules or horses, +and sometimes coming on foot, for the purpose of lighting up the +Government lights; and all down that mighty river there were +landmarks which guided the pilots in their dangerous navigation. +Now God has given us lights or landmarks to tell us whether we +are His children or not; and what we need to do is to examine the +tokens He has given us.</p> +<p class="pn">In the third chapter of John’s first Epistle there +are five things worth knowing.</p> +<p class="pn">In the fifth verse we read the first: “And ye +<i>know</i> that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in +Him is no sin.” Not what I have done, but what HE has done. Has +He failed in His mission? Is He not able to do what He came for? +Did ever any heaven-sent man fail yet? and could God’s own Son +fail? H<span class="sc">e was manifested to take away our +sins</span>.</p> +<p class="pn">Again, in the nineteenth verse, the second thing +worth knowing: “And hereby <i>we know</i> that we are of the +truth, and shall <i>assure</i> our hearts before Him.” +W<span class="sc">e know</span> that we are of <span class= +"sc">the truth</span>. And if the truth make us free, we shall be +free indeed. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall +be free indeed.” (John viii. 36.)</p> +<p class="pn">The third thing worth knowing is in the fourteenth +verse, “<i>We know</i> that we have passed from death unto life, +because we love the brethren.” The natural man does not like +godly people, nor does he care to be in their company. “He that +loveth not his brother abideth in death.” He has no spiritual +life.</p> +<p class="pn">The fourth thing worth knowing we find in verse +twenty-four: “And he that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in +Him, and He in him. And hereby <i>we know</i> that He abideth in +us, by the Spirit which He hath given us.” We can tell what kind +of Spirit we have if we possess the Spirit of Christ—a +Christ-like spirit—not the same in degree, but the same in kind. +If I am meek, gentle, and forgiving; if I have a spirit filled +with peace and joy; if I am long-suffering and gentle, like the +Son of God—that is a test: and in that way we are to tell whether +we have eternal life or not.</p> +<p class="pn">The fifth thing worth knowing, and the best of all, +is “Beloved, <i>now</i>.” Notice the word “N<span class= +"sc">ow</span>.” It does not say when you come to die. “Beloved, +<i>now</i> are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear +what we shall be: but <i>we know</i> that, when He shall appear; +we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (v. 2).</p> +<p class="pn">But some will say, “Well, I believe all that; but +then I have sinned since I became a Christian.” Is there a man or +a woman on the face of the earth who has not sinned since +becoming a Christian? Not one! There never has been, and never +will be, a soul on this earth who has not sinned, or who will not +sin, at some time of their Christian experience. But God has made +provision for believers’ sins. <i>We</i> are not to make +provision for them; but God has. Bear that in mind.</p> +<p class="pn">Turn to 1 John ii. 1: “My little children, these +things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we +have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” He +is here writing to the righteous. “If any man sin, +<i>we</i>”—John put himself in—“we have an Advocate with the +Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” What an Advocate! He attends +to our interests at the very best place—the throne of God. He +said, “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is expedient for +you that I go away” (John xvi. 7). He went away to become our +High Priest, and also our Advocate. He has had some hard cases to +plead; but he has never lost one: and if you entrust your +immortal interests to Him, He will “present you faultless before +the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24).</p> +<p class="pn">The past sins of Christians are all forgiven as +soon as they are confessed; and they are never to be mentioned. +That is a question which is not to be opened up again. If our +sins have been put away, that is the end of them. They are not to +be remembered; and God will not mention them any more. This is +very plain. Suppose I have a son who, while I am from home, does +wrong. When I go home he throws his arms around my neck and says, +“Papa, I did what you told me not to do. I am very sorry. Do +forgive me.” I say: “Yes, my son,” and kiss him. He wipes away +his tears, and goes off rejoicing.</p> +<p class="pn">But the next day he says: “Papa, I wish you would +forgive me for the wrong I did yesterday.” I should say: “Why, my +son, that thing is settled; and I don’t want it mentioned again.” +“But I wish you would forgive me: it would help me to hear you +say, ‘I forgive you.’” Would that be honoring me? Would it not +grieve me to have my boy doubt me? But to gratify him I say +again, “I forgive you, my son.”</p> +<p class="pn">And if, the next day, he were again to bring up +that old sin, and ask forgiveness, would not that grieve me to +the heart? And so, my dear reader, if God has forgiven us, never +let us mention the past. Let us forget those things which are +behind, and reach forth unto those which are before, and press +toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in +Christ Jesus. Let the sins of the past go; for “If we confess our +sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to +cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John i. 9).</p> +<p class="pn">And let me say that this principle is recognized in +courts of justice. A case came up in the courts of a country—I +won’t say where—in which a man had had trouble with his wife; but +he forgave her, and then afterwards brought her into court. And, +when it was known that he had forgiven her, the judge said that +the thing was settled. The judge recognized the soundness of the +principle, that if a sin were once forgiven there was an end of +it. And do you think the Judge of all the earth will forgive you +and me, and open the question again? Our sins are gone for time +and eternity, if God forgives: and what we have to do is to +confess and forsake our sins.</p> +<p class="pn">Again in 2 Corinthians xiii. 5: “Examine yourselves +whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not +your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be +reprobates?” Now examine yourselves. Try your religion. Put it to +the test. Can you forgive an enemy? That is a good way to know if +you are a child of God. Can you forgive an injury, or take an +affront, as Christ did? Can you be censured for doing well, and +not murmur? Can you be misjudged and misrepresented, and yet keep +a Christ-like spirit?</p> +<p class="pn">Another good test is to read Galatians v., and +notice the fruits of the Spirit; and see if you have them. “The +fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, +gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such +there is no law.” If I have the fruits of the Spirit I must have +the Spirit. I could not have the fruits without the Spirit any +more than there could be an orange without the tree. And Christ +says “Ye shall know them by their fruits;” “for the tree is known +by his fruits.” Make the tree good, and the fruit will be good. +The only way to get the fruit is to have the Spirit. That is the +way to examine ourselves whether we are the children of God.</p> +<p class="pn">Then there is another very striking passage. In +Romans viii. 9, Paul says: “Now, if any man have not the Spirit +of Christ, he is none of His.” That ought to settle the question, +even though one may have gone through all the external forms that +are considered necessary by some to constitute a member of a +Church. Read Paul’s life, and put yours alongside of it. If your +life resembles his, it is a proof that you are born again—that +you are a new creature in Christ Jesus.</p> +<p class="pn">But although you may be born again, it will require +time to become a full-grown Christian. Justification is +instantaneous; but sanctification is a life-work. We are to grow +in wisdom. Peter says “Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our +Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. iii. 18); and in the +first chapter of his Second Epistle, “Add to your faith virtue; +and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to +temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness +brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if +these things be in you and abound they make you that ye shall +neither be barron nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord +Jesus Christ.” So that we are to add grace to grace. A tree may +be perfect in its first year of growth; but it does not attain +its maturity. So with the Christian: he may be a true child of +God, but not a matured Christian. The eighth of Romans is very +important, and we should be very familiar with it. In the +fourteenth verse the apostle says: “For as many as are led by the +Spirit of God they are the sons of God.” Just as the soldier is +led by his captain, the pupil by his teacher, or the traveller by +his guide; so the Holy Spirit will be the guide of every true +child of God.</p> +<p class="pn">Then let me call your attention to another fact. +All Paul’s teaching in nearly every Epistle rings out the +doctrine of assurance. He says in 2 Corinthians v. 1: “For we +<i>know</i> that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were +dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with +hands, eternal in the heavens.” He had a title to the mansions +above, and he says—<i>I know it</i>. He was not living in +uncertainty. He said: “I have a desire to depart and be with +Christ” (Phil. i. 23); and if he had been uncertain he would not +have said that. Then in Colossians iii. 4, he says: “When Christ, +who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him +in glory.” I am told that Dr. Watts’ tombstone bears this same +passage of Scripture. There is no doubt there.</p> +<p class="pn">Then turn to Colossians i. 12: “Giving thanks unto +the Father, which <span class="sc">hath</span> made us meet to be +partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who +<i>hath</i> delivered us from the power of darkness, and +<i>hath</i> translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.”</p> +<p class="pn">Three <i>haths</i>: “<span class="sc">hath</span> +made us meet;” “<span class="sc">hath</span> delivered us;” and +“<span class="sc">hath</span> translated us.” It does not say +that He is going to make us meet; that He is going to deliver; +that He is going to translate.</p> +<p class="pn">Then again in verse 14th: “In whom we have +redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” We +are either forgiven or we are not, we should not give ourselves +any rest until we get into the kingdom of God; nor until we can +each look up and say, “I know that if my earthly house of this +tabernacle were dissolved, I have a building of God, a house not +made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor. v. 1).</p> +<p class="pn">Look at Romans viii. 32: “He that spared not His +own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with +Him also freely give us all things?” If He gave us His Son, will +He not give us the certainty that He is ours. I have heard this +illustration. There was a man who owed $10,000, and would have +been made a bankrupt, but a friend came forward and paid the sum. +It was found afterwards that he owed a few dollars more; but he +did not for a moment entertain a doubt that, as his friend had +paid the larger amount, he would also pay the smaller. And we +have high warrant for saying that if God has given us His Son He +will with Him also freely give us all things; and if we want to +realize our salvation beyond controversy He will not leave us in +darkness.</p> +<p class="pn">Again in the 33d verse: “Who shall lay anything to +the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he +that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is +risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also +maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love +of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or +famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For +Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as +sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more +than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded +that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor +powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor +depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from +the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”</p> +<p class="pn">That has the right ring in it. There is Assurance +for you. “I K<span class="sc">now</span>.” Do you think that the +God who has justified me will condemn me? That is quite an +absurdity. God is going to save us so that neither men, angels, +nor devils, can bring any charge against us or Him. He will have +the work complete.</p> +<p class="pn">Job lived in a darker day than we do; but we read +in Job xix. 25: “I <i>know</i> that my Redeemer liveth, and that +He shall stand in the latter day upon the earth.”</p> +<p class="pn">The same confidence breathes through Paul’s last +words to Timothy: “For the which cause I also suffer these +things: nevertheless I am not ashamed; for I <i>know</i> whom I +have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that +which I have committed unto Him against that day.” It is not a +matter of doubt, but of knowledge. “I know.” “I am persuaded.” +The word “Hope,” is not used in the Scripture to express doubt. +It is used in regard to the second coming of Christ, or to the +resurrection of the body. We do not say that we “hope” we are +Christians. I do not say that I “hope” I am an American, or that +I “hope” I am a married man. These are settled things. I may say +that I “hope” to go back to my home, or I hope to attend such a +meeting. I do not say that I “hope” to come to this country, for +I am here. And so, if we are born of God we know it; and He will +not leave us in darkness if we search the Scriptures.</p> +<p class="pn">Christ taught this doctrine to His seventy +disciples when they returned elated with their success, saying, +“Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through Thy name.” The +Lord seemed to check them, and said that He would give them +something to rejoice in. “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, +that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice because +your names are written in heaven.” (Luke x. 20.)</p> +<p class="pn">It is the privilege of every one of us to know, +beyond a doubt, that our salvation is sure. Then we can work for +others. But if we are doubtful of our own salvation, we are not +fit for the service of God.</p> +<p class="pn">Another passage is John v. 24: “Verily, verily I +say unto you: He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that +sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into +‘<i>judgment</i>,’” (the new translation has it so), “but is +passed from death unto life.”</p> +<p class="pn">Some people say that you never can tell till you +are before the great white throne of Judgment whether you are +saved or not. Why, my dear friend, if your life is hid with +Christ in God, you are not coming into judgment for your sins. We +may come into judgment for reward. This is clearly taught where +the lord reckoned with the servant to whom five talents had been +given, and who brought other five talents saying, “Lord, thou +deliveredst unto me five talents; behold, I have gained beside +them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou +good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few +things; I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into +the joy of thy lord.” (Matt. xxv. 20, 21.) We shall be judged +for our stewardship. That is one thing; but salvation—eternal +life—is another.</p> +<p class="pn">Will God demand payment twice of the debt which +Christ has paid for us? If Christ bear my sins in His own body on +the tree, am I to answer for them as well?</p> +<p class="pn">Isaiah tells us that, “He was wounded for our +transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the +chastisement of our peace was upon Him: and with His stripes we +are healed.” In Romans iv. 25, we read: He “was delivered for our +offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Let us +believe, and get the benefit of His finished work.</p> +<p class="pn">Then again in John x. 9: “I am the door: by Me if +any man enter in he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and +find pasture.” That is the promise. Then the 27th verse, “My +sheep hear my voice; and I know them, and they follow Me. And I +give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither +shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father which gave +them is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of +my Father’s hand.” Think of that! The Father, the Son, and the +Holy Ghost, are pledged to keep us. You see that it is not only +the Father, not only the Son, but the three persons of the Triune +God.</p> +<p class="pn">Now, a great many people want some token outside of +God’s word. That habit always brings doubt. If I made a promise +to meet a man at a certain hour and place to-morrow, and he were +to ask me for my watch as a token of my sincerity, it would be a +slur on my truthfulness. We must not question what God has said: +He has made statement after statement, and multiplied figure upon +figure. Christ says: “I am the door; by Me if any man enter in he +shall be saved.” “I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and +am known of Mine.” “I am the light of the world; he that +followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light +of life.” “I am the truth;” receive Me, and you will have the +truth; for I am the embodiment of truth. Do you want to know the +way? “I am the way:” follow Me, and I will lead you into the +kingdom. Are you hungering after righteousness? “I am the Bread +of life:” if you eat of Me you shall never hunger. “I am the +Water of life:” if you drink of this water it shall be within you +“a well of water springing up unto everlasting life.” “I am the +resurrection and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he +were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth +in Me shall never die.” (John xi. 25, 26.)</p> +<p class="pn">Let me remind you where our doubts come from. A +good many of God’s dear people never get beyond knowing +themselves servants. He calls us “friends.” If you go into a +house you will soon see the difference between the servant and +the son. The son walks at perfect liberty all over the house; he +is at home. But the servant takes a subordinate place. What we +want is to get beyond servants. We ought to realize our standing +with God as sons and daughters. He will not “un-child” His +children. God has not only adopted us, but we are His by birth: +we have been born into His kingdom. My little boy was as much +mine when he was a day old as now that he is fourteen. He was +<i>my son</i>; although it did not appear what he would be when +he attained manhood. He is mine; although he may have to undergo +probation under tutors and governors. The children of God are not +perfect; but we are perfectly His children.</p> +<p class="pn">Another origin of doubts is looking at ourselves. +If you want to be wretched and miserable, filled with doubts from +morning till night, look at yourselves. “Thou wilt keep him in +perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee.” (Isa. xxvi. 3.) +Many of God’s dear children are robbed of joy because they keep +looking at themselves.</p> +<p class="pn">Some one has said: “There are three ways to look. +If you want to be wretched, look within; if you wish to be +distracted, look around; but if you would have peace, look up.” +Peter looked away from Christ, and he immediately began to sink. +The Master said to him: “O thou of little faith! Wherefore didst +thou doubt?” (Matt. xiv. 31.) He had God’s eternal word, which +was sure footing, and better than either marble, granite or iron; +but the moment he took his eyes off Christ down he went. Those +who look around cannot see how unstable and dishonoring is their +walk. We want to look straight at the “Author and Finisher of our +faith.”</p> +<p class="pn">When I was a boy I could only make a straight track +in the snow, by keeping my eyes fixed upon a tree or some object +before me. The moment I took my eye off the mark set in front of +me, I walked crooked. It is only when we look fixedly on Christ +that we find perfect peace. After He rose from the dead He showed +His disciples His hands and His feet. (Luke xxiv. 40.) That was +the ground of their peace. If you want to scatter your doubts, +look at the blood; and if you want to increase your doubts, look +at yourself. You will get doubts enough for years by being +occupied with yourself for a few days.</p> +<p class="pn">Then again: look at what He is, and at what He has +done; not at what you are, and what you have done. That is the +way to get peace and rest.</p> +<p class="pn">Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation declaring the +emancipation of three millions of slaves. On a certain day their +chains were to fall off, and they were to be free. The +proclamation was put up on the trees and fences wherever the +Northern Army marched. A good many slaves could not read: but +others read the proclamation, and most of them believed it; and +on a certain day a glad shout went up, “We are free!” Some did +not believe it, and stayed with their old masters; but it did not +alter the fact that they were free. Christ, the Captain of our +salvation, has proclaimed freedom to all who have faith in Him. +Let us take Him at His word. Their feelings would not have made +the slaves free. The power must come from the outside. Looking at +ourselves will not make us free, but it is looking to Christ with +the eye of faith.</p> +<p class="pn">Bishop Ryle has strikingly said: “Faith is the +root, and Assurance the flower.” Doubtless you can never have the +flower without the root; but it is no less certain you may have +the root, and not the flower.</p> +<p class="pn">“Faith is that poor trembling woman who came behind +Jesus in the press, and touched the hem of His garment. (Mark v. +27.) Assurance is Stephen standing calmly in the midst of his +murderers, and saying, ‘I see the heavens opened, and the Son of +Man standing on the right hand of God’” (Acts vii. 56).</p> +<p class="pn">“Faith is the penitent thief, crying, ‘Lord, +remember me’ (Luke xxiii. 42). Assurance is Job sitting in the +dust, covered with sores, and saying, ‘I know that my Redeemer +liveth;’ ‘Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him’” (Job xix. +25; xiii. 15).</p> +<p class="pn">“Faith is Peter’s drowning cry, as he began to +sink, ‘Lord, save me!’ (Matt. xxiv. 30). Assurance is that same +Peter declaring before the Council, in after-times, ‘This is the +stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become +the head of the corner: neither is there salvation in any other; +for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby +we must be saved’” (Acts iv. 11, 12).</p> +<p class="pn">“Faith is the anxious, trembling voice, ‘Lord, I +believe; help Thou mine unbelief!’ (Mark ix. 24). Assurance is +the confident challenge, ‘Who shall lay anything to the charge of +God’s elect? Who is he that condemneth?’” (Rom. viii. 33, +34).</p> +<p class="pn">Faith is Saul praying in the house of Judas at +Damascus, sorrowful, blind, and alone. (Acts ix. 11.) Assurance +is Paul, the aged prisoner, looking calmly into the grave, and +saying, ‘I know whom I have believed.’ ‘There is a crown laid up +for me’ (2 Tim. i. 12; iv. 8).</p> +<p class="pn">“Faith is L<span class="sc">ife</span>. How great +the blessing! Who can tell the gulf between life and death? And +yet life may be weak, sickly, unhealthy, painful, trying, +anxious, worn, burdensome, joyless, smileless, to the very +end.</p> +<p class="pn">“Assurance is <i>more than life</i>. It is health, +strength, power, vigor, activity, energy, manliness, beauty.”</p> +<p class="pn">A minister once pronounced the benediction in this +way: “The heart of God to make us welcome; the blood of Christ to +make us clean, and the Holy Spirit to make us certain.” The +security of the believer is the result of the operation of the +Spirit of God.</p> +<p class="pn">Another writer says: “I have seen shrubs and trees +grow out of the rocks, and overhang fearful precipices, roaring +cataracts, and deep running waters; but they maintained their +position, and threw out their foliage and branches as much as if +they had been in the midst of a dense forest.” It was their hold +on the rock that made them secure; and the influences of nature +that sustained their life. So believers are oftentimes exposed to +the most horrible dangers in their journey to heaven; but, so +long as they are “rooted and grounded” in the Rock of Ages, they +are perfectly secure. Their hold of Him is their guarantee; and +the blessings of His grace give them life and sustain them in +life. And as the tree must die, or the rock fall, before a +dissolution can be effected between <i>them</i>, so either the +believer must lose his spiritual life, or the Rock must crumble, +ere their union can be dissolved.</p> +<p class="pn">Speaking of the Lord Jesus, Isaiah says: “I will +fasten Him as a nail in a sure place; and He shall be for a +glorious throne to His Father’s house: and they shall hang upon +Him all the glory of His father’s house, the offspring and the +issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, +even to all the vessels of flagons” (xxii. 23, 24).</p> +<p class="pn">There is <span class="sc">one nail</span>, fastened +in a sure place; and on it hang all the flagons and all the cups. +“Oh,” says one little cup, “I am so small and so black, suppose I +were to drop!” “Oh,” says a flagon, “there is no fear of you; but +I am so heavy, so very weighty, suppose I were to drop!” And a +little cup says, “Oh, if I were only like the gold cup there, I +should never fear falling.” But the gold cup answers, “It is not +because I am a gold cup that I keep up; but because I hang upon +the nail.” If the nail gives way we all come down, gold cups, +china cups, pewter cups, and all; but as long as the nail keeps +up, all that hang on Him hang safely.</p> +<p class="pn">I once read these words on a tombstone: “Born, +died, kept.” Let us pray God to keep us in perfect peace, and +assured of salvation.</p> +<h1><a name="VIII" id="VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1"><i>CHRIST ALL AND IN ALL</i>.</p> +<p class="pt2">C<span class="sc">olossians</span> iii. 11.)</p> +<p class="pn">C<span class="sc">hrist</span> is <i>all</i> to us +that we make Him to be. I want to emphasize that word +“<span class="sc">all</span>.” Some men make Him to be “a root +out of a dry ground,” “without form or comeliness.” He is nothing +to them; they do not want Him. Some Christians have a very small +Saviour, for they are not willing to receive Him fully, and let +Him do great and mighty things for them. Others have a mighty +Saviour, because they make Him to be great and mighty.</p> +<p class="pn">If we would know what Christ wants to be to us, we +must first of all know Him as our Saviour from sin. When the +angel came down from heaven to proclaim that He was to be born +into the world, you remember he gave His name, “He shall be +called J<span class="sc">esus</span>, for He shall save His +people from their sins.” H<span class="sc">ave we been delivered +from sin</span>? He did not come to save us <i>in</i> our sins, +but <i>from</i> our sins. Now, there are three ways of knowing a +man. Some men you know only by hearsay; others you merely know by +having been once introduced to them, you know them very slightly; +other again you know by having been acquainted with them for +years, you know them intimately. So I believe there are three +classes of people to-day in the Christian Church and out of it: +those who know Christ only by reading or by hearsay, those who +have a historical Christ; those who have a slight personal +acquaintance with Him; and, those who thirst, as Paul did, to +“know Him and the power of His resurrection.” The more we know of +Christ the more we shall love Him, and the better we shall serve +Him.</p> +<p class="pn">Let us look at Him as He hangs upon the Cross, and +see how He has put away sin. He was manifested that He might take +away our sins; and if we really know Him we must first of all see +Him as our Saviour from sin. You remember how the angels said to +the shepherds on the plains of Bethlehem, “Behold, I bring you +good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people: for unto +you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is +Christ the Lord.” (Luke ii. 10, 11.) Then if you go clear back +to Isaiah, seven hundred years before Christ’s birth, you will +find these words: “I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is +no Saviour” (xliii. 11).</p> +<p class="pn">Again, in the First Epistle of John (iv. 14) we +read: “We have seen, and do testify, that the Father sent the Son +to be the Saviour of the world.” All the heathen religions, we +read, teach men to work their way up to God; but the religion of +Jesus Christ is God coming down to men to save them, to lift them +up out of the pit of sin. In Luke xix. 10, we read that Christ +Himself told the people what He had come for: “The Son of Man is +come to seek and to save that which was lost.” So we start from +the Cross, not from the cradle. Christ has opened up a new and +living way to the Father; He has taken all the stumbling-blocks +out of the way, so that every man who accepts of Christ as his +Saviour can have salvation.</p> +<p class="pn">But Christ is not only a Saviour. I might save a +man from drowning and rescue him from an untimely grave; but I +might probably not be able to do any more for him. Christ is +something more than a Saviour. When the children of Israel were +placed behind the blood, that blood was their salvation; but they +would still have heard the crack of the slave-driver’s whip if +they had not been delivered from the Egyptian yoke of bondage: +then it was that God delivered them from the hand of the king of +Egypt. I have little sympathy with the idea that God comes down +to save us, and then leaves us in prison, the slaves of our +besetting sins. No; He has come to deliver us, and to give us +victory over our evil tempers, our passions, and our lusts. Are +you a professed Christian but one who is a slave to some +besetting sin? If you want to get victory over that temper or +that lust, go on to know Christ more intimately. He brings +deliverance for the past, the present, and the future. “Who +delivered; who doth deliver; who will yet deliver.” (2 Cor. i. +10.)</p> +<p class="pn">How often, like the children of Israel when they +came to the Red Sea, have we become discouraged because +everything looked dark before us, behind us, and around us, and +we knew not which way to turn. Like Peter we have said, “To whom +shall we go?” But God has appeared for our deliverance. He has +brought us through the Red Sea right out into the wilderness, and +opened up the way into the Promised Land. But Christ is not only +our Deliverer; He is our Redeemer. That is something more than +being our Saviour. He has brought us back. “Ye have sold +yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.” +(Isaiah lii. 3.) “We were not redeemed with corruptible things, as +silver and gold.” (1 Peter i. 18.) If gold could have redeemed +us, could He not have created ten thousand worlds full of +gold?</p> +<p class="pn">When God had redeemed the children of Israel from +the bondage of Egypt, and brought them through the Red Sea, they +struck out for the wilderness; and then God became to them their +Way. I am so thankful the Lord has not left us in darkness as to +the right way. There is no living man who has been groping in the +darkness but may know the way. “I am the Way,” says Christ. If we +follow Christ we shall be in the right way, and have the right +doctrine. Who could lead the children of Israel through the +wilderness like the Almighty God Himself? He knew the pitfalls +and dangers of the way, and guided the people through all their +wilderness journey right into the promised land. It is true that +if it had not been for their accursed unbelief they might have +crossed into the land at Kadesh Barnea, and taken possession of +it, but they desired something besides God’s word; so they were +turned back, and had to wander in the desert for forty years. I +believe there are thousands of God’s children wandering in the +wilderness still. The Lord has delivered them from the hand of +the Egyptian, and would at once take them through the wilderness +right into the Promised Land, if they were only willing to follow +Christ. Christ has been down here, and has made the rough places +smooth, and the dark places light, and the crooked places +straight. If we will only be led by Him, and will follow Him, all +will be peace, and joy, and rest.</p> +<p class="pn">In the frontier, when a man goes out hunting he +takes a hatchet with him, and cuts off pieces from the bark of +the trees as he goes along through the forest: this is called +“blazing the way.” He does it that he may know the way back, as +there is no pathway through these thick forests. Christ has come +down to this earth; He has “blazed the Way:” and now that He has +gone up on high, if we will but follow him, we shall be kept in +the right path. I will tell you how you may know if you are +following Christ or not. If some one has slandered you, or +misjudged you, do you treat them as your master would have done? +If you do not bear these things in a loving and forgiving spirit, +all the churches and ministers in the world cannot make you +right. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of +His.” (Romans viii. 9.) “If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a +new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are +become new.” (2 Cor. v. 17.)</p> +<p class="pn">Christ is not only our way; He is the Light upon +the way. He says, “I am the Light of the world.” (John viii. 12; +ix. 5; xii. 46.) He goes on to say, “He that followeth Me shall +not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” It is +impossible for any man or woman who is following Christ to walk +in darkness. If your soul is in the darkness, groping around in +the fog and mist of earth, let me tell you it is because you have +got away from the true light. There is nothing but light that +will dispel darkness. So let those who are walking in spiritual +darkness admit Christ into their hearts: He is the Light. I call +to mind a picture of which I used at one time to think a good +deal; but now I have come to look more closely, I would not put +it up in my house except I turned the face to the wall. It +represents Christ as standing at a door, knocking, and having a +big lantern in His hand. Why, you might as well hang up a lantern +to the sun as put one into Christ’s hand. He is the Sun of +Righteousness; and it is our privilege to walk in the light of an +unclouded sun.</p> +<p class="pn">Many people are hunting after light, and peace, and +joy. We are nowhere told to seek after these things. If we admit +Christ into our hearts these will all come of themselves. I +remember, when a boy, I used to try in vain to catch my shadow. +One day I was walking with my face to the sun; and as I happened +to look around I saw that my shadow was following me. The faster +I went the faster my shadow followed; I could not get away from +it. So when our faces are directed to the Sun of Righteousness, +the peace and joy are sure to come. A man said to me some time +ago, “Moody, how do you feel?” It was so long since I had thought +about my feelings I had to stop and consider awhile, in order to +find out. Some Christians are all the time thinking about their +feelings; and because they do not feel just right they think +their joy is all gone. If we keep our faces towards Christ, and +are occupied with Him, we shall be lifted out of the darkness and +the trouble that may have gathered round our path.</p> +<p class="pn">I remember being in a meeting after the war of the +great rebellion broke out. The war had been going on for about +six months. The army of the North had been defeated at Bull Run, +in fact, we had nothing but defeat, and it looked as though the +republic was going to pieces. So we were much cast down and +discouraged. At this meeting every speaker for awhile seemed as +if he had hung his harp upon the willow; and it was one of the +gloomiest meetings I ever attended. Finally an old man with +beautiful white hair got up to speak, and his face literally +shone. “Young men,” he said “you do not talk like sons of the +King. Though it is dark just here, remember it is light somewhere +else.” Then he went on to say that if it were dark all over the +world, it was light up around the Throne.</p> +<p class="pn">He told us he had come from the east, where a +friend had described to him how he had been up a mountain to +spend the night and see the sun rise. As the party were climbing +up the mountain, and before they had reached the summit, a storm +came on. This friend said to the guide, “I will give this up; +take me back.” The guide smiled, and replied, “I think we shall +get above the storm soon.” On they went; and it was not long +before they got up to where it was as calm as any summer evening. +Down in the valley a terrible storm raged; they could hear the +thunder rolling, and see the lightning’s flash; but all was +serene on the mountain top. “And so, my young friends,” continued +the old man, “though all is dark around you, come a little higher +and the darkness will flee away.” Often when I have been inclined +to get discouraged, I have thought of what he said. Now if you +are down in the valley amidst the thick fog and the darkness, get +a little higher; get nearer to Christ, and know more of Him.</p> +<p class="pn">You remember the Bible says, that when Christ +expired on the cross, the light of the world was put out. God +sent His Son to be the light of the world; but men did not love +the light because it reproved them of their sins. When they were +about to put out this light, what did Christ say to His +disciples? “Ye shall be witnesses unto Me.” (Acts i. 8.) He has +gone up yonder to intercede for us; but He wants us to shine for +Him down here. “Ye are the light of the world.” (Matt. v. 14.) +So our work is to shine; not to blow our own trumpet so that +people may look at us. What we want to do is to show forth +Christ. If we have any light at all it is borrowed light. Some +one said to a young Christian: “Converted! it is all moonshine!” +Said he: “I thank you for the illustration; the moon borrows its +light from the sun; and we borrow ours from the Sun of +Righteousness.” If we are Christ’s, we are here to shine for Him: +by and by he will call us home to our reward.</p> +<p class="pn">I remember hearing of a blind man who sat by the +wayside with a lantern near him. When he was asked what he had a +lantern for, as he could not see the light, he said it was that +people should not stumble ever him. I believe more people stumble +over the inconsistencies of professed Christians than from any +other cause. What is doing more harm to the cause of Christ than +all the scepticism in the world is this cold, dead formalism, +this conformity to the world, this professing what we do not +possess. The eyes of the world are upon us. I think it was George +Fox who said every Quaker ought to light up the country for ten +miles around him. If we were all brightly shining for the Master, +those about us would soon be reached, and there would be a shout +of praise going to heaven.</p> +<p class="pn">People say: “I want to know what is the truth.” +Listen: “I <span class="sc">am the truth</span>,” says Christ. +(John xiv. 5.) If you want to know what the truth is, get +acquainted with Christ. People also complain that they have not +life. Many are trying to give themselves spiritual life. You may +galvanize yourselves and put electricity into yourselves, so to +speak; but the effect will not last very long. Christ alone is +the author of life. If you would have real spiritual life, get to +know Christ. Many try to stir up spiritual life by going to +meetings. That may be well enough; but it will be of no use, +unless they get into contact with the living Christ. Then their +spiritual life will not be a spasmodic thing, but will be +perpetual; flowing on and on, and bringing forth fruit to +God.</p> +<p class="pn">Then Christ is our K<span class="sc">eeper</span>. +A great many young disciples are afraid they will not hold out. +“He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm +cxxi. 4.) It is the work of Christ to keep us; and if He keeps us +there will be no danger of our falling. I suppose if Queen +Victoria had to take care of the Crown of England, some thief +might attempt to get access to it; but it is put away in the +Tower of London, and guarded night and day by soldiers. The whole +English army would, if necessary, be called out to protect it. +And we have no strength in ourselves. We are no match for Satan; +he has had six thousand years’ experience. But then we remember +that the One who neither slumbers nor sleeps is our keeper. In +Isaiah xli. 10, we read, “Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be +not dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I +will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My +righteousness.” In Jude also, verse 24, we are told that He is +“able to keep us from falling.” “We have an Advocate with the +Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John ii. 1.)</p> +<p class="pn">But Christ is something more. He is our +S<span class="sc">hepherd</span>. It is the work of the shepherd +to care for the sheep, to feed them and protect them. “I am the +Good Shepherd;” “My sheep hear My voice.” “I lay down My life for +the sheep.” In that wonderful tenth chapter of John, Christ uses +the personal pronoun no less than twenty-eight times, in +declaring what He is and what He will do. In verse 28 He says, +“They shall never perish; neither shall any [<i>man</i>] pluck +them out of My hand.” But notice the word “man” is in italics. +See how the verse really reads: “Neither shall <span class= +"sc">any</span> pluck them out of My hand”—no devil or man shall +be able to do it. In another place the Scripture declares, “Your +life is hid with Christ in God.” (Col. iii. 3.) How safe and how +secure!</p> +<p class="pn">Christ says, “My sheep hear My voice . . . and they +follow Me.” (John x. 27.) A gentleman in the East heard of a +shepherd who could call all his sheep to him by name. He went and +asked if this was true. The shepherd took him to the pasture +where they were, and called one of them by some name. One sheep +looked up and answered the call, while the others went on feeding +and paid no attention. In the same way he called about a dozen of +the sheep around him. The stranger said, “How do you know one +from the other? They all look perfectly alike.” “Well,” said he, +“you see that sheep toes in a little; that other one has a +squint; one has a little piece of wool off; another has a black +spot; and another has a piece out of its ear.” The man knew all +his sheep by their failings, for he had not a perfect one in the +whole flock. I suppose our Shepherd knows us in the same way.</p> +<p class="pn">An Eastern shepherd was once telling a gentleman +that his sheep knew his voice, and that no stranger could deceive +them. The gentleman thought he would like to put the statement to +the test. So he put on the shepherd’s frock and turban, and took +his staff and went to the flock. He disguised his voice, and +tried to speak as much like the shepherd as he could; but he +could not get a single sheep in the flock to follow him. He asked +the shepherd if his sheep never followed a stranger. He was +obliged to admit that if a sheep got sickly it would follow any +one. So it is with a good many professed Christians; when they +get sickly and weak in the faith, they will follow any teacher +that comes along; but when the soul is in health, a man will not +be carried away by errors and heresies. He will know whether the +“voice” speaks the truth or not. He can soon tell that, if he is +really in communion with God. When God sends a true messenger his +words will find a ready response in the Christian heart.</p> +<p class="pn">Christ is a tender Shepherd. You may some time +think He has not been a very tender Shepherd to you; you are +passing under the rod. It is written, “Whom the Lord loveth He +chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.” (Heb. +xii. 6.) That you are passing under the rod is no proof that +Christ does not love you. A friend of mine lost all his children. +No man could ever have loved his family more; but the scarlet +fever took one by one away; and so the whole four or five, one +after another, died. The poor stricken parents went over to great +Britain, and wandered from one place to another, there and on the +continent. At length they found their way to Syria. One day they +saw an Eastern shepherd come down to a stream, and call his flock +to cross. The sheep came down to the brink, and looked at the +water; but they seemed to shrink from it, and he could not get +them to respond to his call. He then took a little lamb, put it +under one arm; he took another lamb and put it under the other +arm, and thus passed into the stream. The old sheep no longer +stood looking at the water: they plunged in after the shepherd; +and in a few minutes the whole flock was on the other side; and +he led them away to newer and fresher pastures. The bereaved +father and mother, as they looked on the scene, felt that it +taught them a lesson. They no longer murmured because the Great +Shepherd had taken their lambs one by one into yonder world; and +they began to look up and look forward to the time when they +would follow the loved ones they had lost. If you have loved ones +gone before, remember that your Shepherd is calling you to “set +your affection on things above.” (Col. iii. 2.) Let us be +faithful to Him, and follow Him, while we remain in this world. +And if you have not taken Him for your Shepherd, do so this very +day.</p> +<p class="pn">Christ is not only all these things that I have +mentioned: He is also our Mediator, our Sanctifier, our +Justifier; in fact, it would take volumes to tell what He desires +to be to every individual soul. While looking through some papers +I once read this wonderful description of Christ. I do not know +where it originally came from; but it was so fresh to my soul +that I should like to give it to you:—</p> +<p class="pn">“Christ is our Way; we walk in Him. He is our +Truth; we embrace Him. He is our Life; we live in Him. He is our +Lord; we choose Him to rule over us. He is our Master; we serve +Him. He is our Teacher, instructing us in the way of salvation. +He is our Prophet, pointing out the future. He is our Priest, +having atoned for us. He is our Advocate, ever living to make +intercession for us. He is our Saviour, saving to the uttermost. +He is our Root; we grow from Him. He is our Bread; we feed upon +Him. He is our Shepherd, leading us into green pastures. He is +our true Vine; we abide in Him. He is the Water of Life; we slake +our thirst from Him. He is the fairest among ten thousand: we +admire Him above all others. He is ‘the brightness of the +Father’s glory, and the express image of His person;’ we strive +to reflect His likeness. He is the upholder of all things; we +rest upon Him. He is our wisdom; we are guided by Him. He is our +Righteousness; we cast all our imperfections upon Him. He is our +Sanctification; we draw all our power for holy life from Him. He +is our Redemption, redeeming us from all iniquity. He is our +Healer, curing all our diseases. He is our Friend, relieving us +in all our necessities. He is our Brother, cheering us in our +difficulties.”</p> +<p class="pn">Here is another beautiful extract: it is from +Gotthold:</p> +<p class="pn">“For my part, my soul is like a hungry and thirsty +child; and I need His love and consolation for my refreshment. I +am a wandering and lost sheep; and I need Him as a good and +faithful shepherd. My soul is like a frightened dove pursued by +the hawk; and I need His wounds for a refuge. I am a feeble vine; +and I need His cross to lay hold of, and to wind myself about. I +am a sinner; and I need His righteousness. I am naked and bare; +and I need His holiness and innocence for a covering. I am +ignorant; and I need His teaching: simple and foolish; and I need +the guidance of His Holy Spirit. In no situation, and at no time, +can I do without Him. Do I pray? He must prompt, and intercede +for me. Am I arraigned by Satan at the Divine tribunal? He must +be my Advocate. Am I in affliction? He must be my Helper. Am I +persecuted by the world? He must defend me. When I am forsaken, +He must be my Support; when I am dying, my life: when mouldering +in the grave, my Resurrection. Well, then, I will rather part +with all the world, and all that it contains, than with Thee, my +Saviour. And, God be thanked! I know that Thou, too, art neither +able nor willing to do without me. Thou art rich; and I am poor. +Thou hast abundance; and I am needy. Thou hast righteousness; and +I sins. Thou hast wine and oil; and I wounds. Thou hast cordials +and refreshments; and I hunger and thirst.</p> +<p class="pn">Use me then, my Saviour, for whatever purpose, and +in whatever way, Thou mayest require. Here is my poor heart, an +empty vessel; fill it with Thy grace. Here is my sinful and +troubled soul; quicken and refresh it with Thy love. Take my +heart for Thine abode; my mouth to spread the glory of Thy name; +my love and all my powers, for the advancement of Thy believing +people; and never suffer the steadfastness and confidence of my +faith to abate—that so at all times I may be enabled from the +heart to say. ‘Jesus needs me, and I Him; and so we suit each +other.’”</p> +<h1><a name="IX" id="IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></h1> +<p class="pt1"><i>BACKSLIDING</i>.</p> +<p class="pt2">“I will heal their backsliding; I will love them +freely: for Mine anger is turned away.”—H<span class= +"sc">osea</span> xiv. 4.</p> +<p class="pn">T<span class="sc">here</span> are two kinds of +backsliders. Some have never been converted: they have gone +through the form of joining a Christian community and claim to be +backsliders; but they never have, if I may use the expression, +“slid forward.” They may talk of backsliding; but they have never +really been born again. They need to be treated differently from +real back-sliders—those who have been born of the incorruptible +seed, but who have turned aside. We want to bring the latter back +the same road by which they left their first love.</p> +<p class="pn">Turn to Psalm lxxxv. 5. There you read: “Wilt Thou +be angry with us for ever? wilt Thou draw out Thine anger to all +generations? wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may +rejoice in Thee? Show us Thy mercy, O Lord; and grant us Thy +salvation.” Now look again: “<i>I will hear what God the Lord +will speak:</i> for He will speak peace unto His people, and to +His saints; but let them not turn again to folly” (<i>verse</i> +8).</p> +<p class="pn">There is nothing that will do back-sliders so much +good as to come in contact with the Word of God; and for them the +Old Testament is as full of help as the New. The book of Jeremiah +has some wonderful passages for wanderers. What we want to do is +to get back-sliders to hear what God the Lord will say.</p> +<p class="pn">Look for a moment at Jeremiah vi. 10. “To whom +shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, +their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the +word of the Lord is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in +it.” That is the condition of back-sliders. They have no delight +whatever in the word of God. But we want to bring them back, and +let God get their ear. Read from the 14th verse: “They have +healed also the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, +saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed +when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all +ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall +among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be +cast down, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the +ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, +and walk therein; and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they +said, We will not walk therein. Also I set watchmen over you, +saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We +will not hearken.”</p> +<p class="pn">That was the condition of the Jews when they had +backslidden. They had turned away from the old paths. And that is +the condition of backsliders. They have got away from the good +old book. Adam and Eve fell by not hearkening to the word of God. +They did not believe God’s word; but they believed the tempter. +That is the way backsliders fall—by turning away from the word of +God.</p> +<p class="pn">In Jeremiah ii. we find God pleading with them as a +father would plead with a son. “Thus saith the Lord, What +iniquity have your fathers found in Me, that they are gone from +Me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? . . . +Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the Lord; and with +your children’s children will I plead . . . For my people have +committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the Fountain of +living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that +can hold no water.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now there is one thing to which we wish to call the +attention of backsliders; and that is, that the Lord never +forsook them; but that they forsook Him! The Lord never left +them; but they left Him! And this, too, without any cause! He +says, “What iniquity have your fathers found in Me, that they are +gone far from Me?” Is not God the same to-day as when you came to +Him first? Has God changed? Men are apt to think that God has +changed; but the fault is with them. Backslider, I would ask you, +“What iniquity is there in God, that you have left Him and gone +far from Him?” You have, He says, hewed out to yourselves broken +cisterns that hold no water. The world cannot satisfy the new +nature. No earthly well can satisfy the soul that has become a +partaker of the heavenly nature. Honor, wealth and the pleasures +of this world will not satisfy those who, having tasted the water +of life, have gone astray, seeking refreshment at the world’s +fountains. Earthly wells will get dry. They cannot quench +spiritual thirst.</p> +<p class="pn">Again in the 32d verse: “Can a maid forget her +ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet My people have forgotten +Me, days without number.” That is the charge which God brings +against the backslider. They “have forgotten Me, days without +number.”</p> +<p class="pn">I have often startled young ladies when I have said +to them, “My friend, you think more of your ear-rings than of the +Lord.” The reply has been, “No, I do not.” But when I have asked, +“Would you not be troubled if you lost one; and would you not set +about seeking for it?” the answer has been, “Well, yes, I think I +should.” But though they had turned from the Lord, it did not +give them any trouble; nor did they seek after Him that they +might find Him.</p> +<p class="pn">How many once in fellowship and in daily communion +with the Lord now think more of their dresses and ornaments than +of their precious souls! Love does not like to be forgotten. +Mothers would have broken hearts if their children left them and +never wrote a word or sent any memento of their affection; and +God pleads over backsliders as a parent over loved ones who have +gone astray. He tries to woo them back. He asks: “What have I +done that you should have forsaken Me?”</p> +<p class="pn">The most tender and loving words to be found in the +whole of the Bible are from Jehovah to those who have left Him +without a cause. Jer. ii. 19.</p> +<p class="pn">Hear how He argues with such: (Jer. xi. 19.) +“Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings +shall reprove thee; know, therefore, and see, that it is an evil +thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and +that My fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts.”</p> +<p class="pn">I do not exaggerate when I say that I have seen +hundreds of backsliders come back; and I have asked them if they +have not found it an evil and a bitter thing to leave the Lord. +You cannot find a real backslider, who has known the Lord, but +will admit that it is an evil and a bitter thing to turn away +from Him; and I do not know of any one verse more used to bring +back wanderers than that very one. May it bring you back if you +have wandered into the far country.</p> +<p class="pn">Look at Lot. Did not he find it an evil and a +bitter thing? He was twenty years in Sodom, and never made a +convert. He got on well in the sight of the world. Men would have +told you that he was one of the most influential and worthy men +in all Sodom. But alas! alas! he ruined his family. And it is a +pitiful sight to see that old backslider going through the +streets of Sodom at midnight, after he has warned his children, +and they have turned a deaf ear.</p> +<p class="pn">I have never known a man and his wife backslide, +without its proving utter ruin to their children. They will make +a mockery of religion and will deride their parents: “Thine own +wickedness shall correct thee; and thy backsliding shall reprove +thee!” Did not David find it so? Mark him, crying, “O my son +Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee; O +Absalom, my son, my son!” I think it was the ruin, rather than +the death of his son that caused this anguish.</p> +<p class="pn">I remember being engaged in conversation some years +ago, till past midnight, with an old man. He had been for years +wandering on the barren mountains of sin. That night he wanted to +get back. We prayed, and prayed, and prayed, till light broke in +upon him; and he went away rejoicing. The next night he sat in +front of me when I was preaching, and I think that I never saw +any one look so sad and wretched in all my life. He followed me +into the enquiry-room. “What is the trouble?” I asked. “Is your +eye off the Saviour? Have your doubts come back?” “No; it is not +that,” he said. “I did not go to business, but spent all this day +in visiting my children. They are all married and in this city. I +went from house to house, but there was not one but mocked me. It +is the darkest day of my life. I have awoke up to what I have +done. I have taken my children into the world; and now I cannot +get them out.” The Lord had restored unto him the joy of His +salvation; yet there was the bitter consequence of his +transgression. You can run through your experience; and you can +find just such instances repeated again and again. Many who came +to your city years ago serving God, in their prosperity have +forgotten Him: and where are their sons and daughters? Show me +the father and mother who have deserted the Lord and gone back to +the beggarly elements of the world; and I am mistaken if their +children are not on the high road to ruin.</p> +<p class="pn">As we desire to be faithful we warn these +backsliders. It is a sign of love to warn of danger. We may be +looked upon as enemies for a while; but the truest friends are +those who lift up the voice of warning. Israel had no truer +friend than Moses. In Jeremiah God gave His people a weeping +prophet to bring them back to Him; but they cast off God. They +forgot the God who brought them out of Egypt, and who led them +through the desert into the promised land. In their prosperity +they forget Him and turned away. The Lord had told them what +would happen. (Deut. xxviii.) And see what did happen. The king +who make light of the word of God was taken captive by +Nebuchadnezzar, and his children brought up in front of him and +every one slain: his eyes were put out of his head; and he was +bound in fetters of brass and cast into a dungeon in Babylon. (2 +Kings xxv. 7.) That is the way he reaped what he had sown. Surely +it is an evil and a bitter thing to backslide, but the Lord would +win you back with the message of His Work.</p> +<p class="pn">In Jeremiah viii. 5, we read: “Why then is this +people of Jerusalem slidden by a perpetual backsliding? They hold +fast deceit; <i>They refuse to return</i>.” That is what the Lord +brings against them. “T<span class="sc">hey refuse to +return</span>.” “I hearkened and heard; but they spake not +aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have +I done? Every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into +the battle. Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed +times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the +time of their coming; but My people know not the judgment of the +Lord.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now look: “I hearkened and heard; but they spake +not aright.” No family altar! No reading the Bible! No closet +devotion! God stoops to hear; but His people have turned away! If +there be a penitent backslider, one who is anxious for pardon and +restoration, you will find no words more tender than are to be +found in Jeremiah iii. 12: “Go, and proclaim these words toward +the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the +Lord; and I will not cause Mine anger to fall upon you: for I am +merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever.” Now +notice: “Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast +transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy +ways to the stranger under every green tree, and ye have not +obeyed My voice, saith the Lord. Turn, O backsliding children, +saith the Lord; for I am married unto you”—think of God coming +and saying, “<i>I am married unto you!</i>—and I will take you +one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to +Zion.”</p> +<p class="pn">“Only acknowledge thine iniquity.” How many times +have I held that passage up to a backslider! “Acknowledge” it; +and God says I will forgive you. I remember a man asking, “Who +said that? Is that there?” And I held up to him the passage, +“Only acknowledge thine iniquity;” and the man went down on his +knees, and cried, “My God, I have sinned”; and the Lord restored +him there and then. If you have wandered, He wants you to come +back.</p> +<p class="pn">He says in another place, “O Ephraim, what shall I +do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your +goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth +away” (Hosea vi. 4). His compassion and His love is +wonderful!</p> +<p class="pn">In Jeremiah iii. 22; “Return, ye backsliding +children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto +Thee; Thou art the Lord our God.” He just puts words into the +mouth of the backslider. Only come; and, if you will come, He +will receive you graciously and love you freely.</p> +<p class="pn">In Hosea xiv. 1, 2, 4: “O Israel, return unto the +Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with +you words, and turn to the Lord (He puts words into your mouth): +say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously; +so will we render the calves of our lips . . . I will heal their +backsliding, I will love them freely, for Mine auger is turned +away from him.” Just observe that, Turn! <i>Turn!!</i> +T<span class="sc">urn</span>!!! rings all through these +passages.</p> +<p class="pn">Now, if you have wandered, remember that you left +Him, and not He you. You have to get out of the backslider’s pit +just in the same way you got in. And if you take the same road as +when you left the Master you will find Him now, just where you +are.</p> +<p class="pn">If we were to treat Christ as any earthly friend we +should never leave Him; and there would never be a backslider. If +I were in a town for a single week I should not think of going +away without shaking hands with the friends I had made, and +saying “Good bye” to them. I should be justly blamed if I took +the train and left without saying a word to any one. The cry +would be, “What’s the matter?” But did you ever hear of a +backslider bidding the Lord Jesus Christ “Good bye”; going into +his closet and saying “Lord Jesus, I have known Thee ten, twenty, +or thirty years: but I am tired of Thy service; Thy yoke is not +easy, nor Thy burden light; so I am going back to the world, to +the flesh-pots of Egypt. Good bye, Lord Jesus! Farewell”? Did you +ever hear that? No; you never did, and you never will. I tell +you, if you get into the closet and shut out the world and hold +communion with the Master you cannot leave Him. The language of +your heart will be, “To whom shall we go,” but unto Thee? “Thou +hast the words of eternal life” (John vi. 68). You could not go +back to the world if you treated Him in that way. But you left +Him and ran away. You have forgotten Him days without number. +Come back to-day; just as you are! Make up your mind that you +will not rest until God has restored unto you the joy of His +salvation.</p> +<p class="pn">A gentleman in Cornwall once met a Christian in the +street whom he knew to be a backslider. He went up to him, and +said: “Tell me, is there not some estrangement between you and +the Lord Jesus?” The man hung his head, and said, “Yes.” “Well,” +said the gentleman, “what has He done to you?” The answer to +which was a flood of tears.</p> +<p class="pn">In Revelation ii. 4, 5, we read: “Nevertheless I +have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left the first +love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen; and repent, +and do the first works: or else I will come unto thee quickly, +and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou +repent.” I want to guard you against a mistake which some people +make with regard to “doing the first works.” Many think that they +are to have the same experience over again, That has kept +thousands for months without peace; because they have been +waiting for a renewal of their first experience. You will never +have the same experience as when you first came to the Lord. God +never repeats himself. No two people of all earth’s millions look +alike or think alike. You may say that you cannot tell two people +apart; but when you get well acquainted with them you can very +quickly distinguish differences. So, no one person will have the +same experience a second time. If God will restore His joy to +your soul let Him do it in His way. Do not mark out a way for God +to bless you. Do not expect the same experience that you had two +or twenty years ago. You will have a fresh experience, and God +will deal with you in His own way. If you confess your sins and +tell Him that you have wandered from the path of His commandments +He will restore unto you the joy of His salvation.</p> +<p class="pn">I want to call your attention to the manner in +which Peter fell; and I think that nearly all fall pretty much in +the same way. I want to lift up a warning note to those who have +not fallen. “Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he +fall” (1 Cor. x. 12). Twenty-five years ago—and for the first +five years after I was converted—I used to think that if I were +able to stand for twenty years I need fear no fall. But the +nearer you get to the Cross the fiercer the battle. Satan aims +high. He went amongst the twelve; and singled out the +Treasurer—Judas Iscariot, and the Chief Apostle—Peter. Most men +who have fallen have done so on the strongest side of their +character. I am told that the only side upon which Edinburgh +Castle was successfully assailed was where the rocks were +steepest, and where the garrison thought themselves secure. If +any man thinks that he is strong enough to resist the devil at +any one point he needs special watch there, for the tempter comes +that way.</p> +<p class="pn">Abraham stands, as it were, at the head of the +family of faith; and the children of faith may be said to trace +their descent to Abraham: and yet down in Egypt he denied his +wife. (Gen. xii.) Moses was noted for his meekness; and yet he +was kept out of the promised land because of one hasty act and +speech, when he was told by the Lord to speak to the rock so that +the congregation and their beasts should have water to drink. +“Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?” +(Num. xx. 10).</p> +<p class="pn">Elijah was remarkable for his boldness: and yet he +went off a day’s journey into the wilderness like a coward and +hid himself under a juniper tree, requesting for himself that he +might die, because of a message he received from a woman. (1 +Kings xix.) Let us be careful. No matter who the man is—he may be +in the pulpit—but if he gets self-conceited he will be sure to +fall. We who are followers of Christ need constantly to pray to +be made humble, and kept humble. God made Moses’ face so to shine +that other men could see it; but Moses himself wist not that his +face shone, and the more holy in heart a man is the more manifest +to the outer world will be his daily life and conversation. Some +people talk of how humble they are; but if they have true +humility there will be no necessity for them to publish it. It is +not needful. A lighthouse does not have a drum beaten or a +trumpet-blown in order to proclaim the proximity of a lighthouse: +it is its own witness. And so if we have the true light in us it +will show itself. It is not those who make the most noise who +have the most piety. There is a brook, or a little “burn” as the +Scotch call it, not far from where I live; and after a heavy rain +you can hear the rush of its waters a long way off: but let there +come a few days of pleasant weather, and the brook becomes almost +silent. But there is a river near my house, the flow of which I +never heard in my life, as it pours on in its deep and majestic +course the year round. We should have so much of the love of God +within us that its presence shall be evident without our loud +proclamation of the fact.</p> +<p class="pn">The first step in Peter’s downfall was his +self-confidence. The Lord warned him. The Lord said: “Simon, +Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift +you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail +not” (Luke xxii. 31, 32). But Peter said: “I am ready to go with +Thee, both into prison and to death.” “Though all shall be +offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended.” (Matt. +xxvi. 23.) “James and John, and the others, may leave You; but +You can count on me!” But the Lord warned him: “I tell thee, +Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt +thrice deny that thou knowest Me.” (Luke xxii. 24.)</p> +<p class="pn">Though the Lord rebuked him, Peter said he was +ready to follow Him to death. That boasting is too often a +forerunner of downfall. Let us walk humbly and softly. We have a +great tempter; and, in an unguarded hour, we may stumble and fall +and bring a scandal on Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">The next step in Peter’s downfall was that he went +to sleep. If Satan can rock the Church to sleep he does his work +through God’s own people. Instead of Peter watching one short +hour in Gethsemane, he fell asleep, and the Lord asked him, +“What, could ye not watch with Me one hour?” (Matt. xxvi. 40.) +The next thing was that he fought in the energy of the flesh. The +Lord rebuked him again and said, “They that take the sword shall +perish with the sword.” (Matt. xxvi. 52.) Jesus had to undo what +Peter had done. The next thing, he “followed afar off.” Step by +step he gets away. It is a sad thing when a child of God follows +afar off. When you see him associating with worldly friends, and +throwing his influence on the wrong side, he is following afar +off; and it will not be long before disgrace will be brought upon +the old family name, and Jesus Christ will be wounded in the +house of his friends. The man, by his example, will cause others +to stumble and fall.</p> +<p class="pn">The next thing—Peter is familiar and friendly with +the enemies of Christ. A damsel says to this bold Peter: “Thou +also wast with this Jesus of Galilee.” But he denied before them +all, saying, “I know not what thou sayest.” And when he was gone +out into the porch another maid saw him and said unto them that +were there, “This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.” And +again he denied with an oath. “I do not know the Man.” Another +hour passed; and yet he did not realize his position; when +another confidently affirmed that he was a Galilean, for his +speech betrayed him. And he was angry and began to curse and to +swear, and again denied his Master: and the cock crew. (Matt. +xxvi. 69-74.)</p> +<p class="pn">He commences away up on the pinacle of +self-conceit, and goes down step by step until he breaks out into +cursing, and swears that he never knew his Lord.</p> +<p class="pn">The Master might have turned and said to him, “Is +it true, Peter, that you have forgotten Me so soon? Do you not +remember when your wife’s mother lay sick of a fever that I +rebuked the disease and it left her? Do you not call to mind your +astonishment at the draught of fishes so that you exclaimed, +‘Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord?’ Do you remember +when in answer to your cry, ‘Lord, save me, or I perish,’ I +stretched out My hand and kept you from drowning in the water? +Have you forgotten when, on the Mount of Transfiguration, with +James and John, you said to Me, ‘Lord, it is good to be here: let +us make three tabernacles?’ Have you forgotten being with Me at +the supper-table, and in Gethsemane? Is it true that you have +forgotten Me so soon?” The Lord might have upbraided him with +questions such as these: but He did nothing of the kind. He cast +one look on Peter: and there was so much love in it that it broke +that bold disciple’s heart: and he went out and wept +bitterly.</p> +<p class="pn">And after Christ rose from the dead see how +tenderly He dealt with the erring disciple. The angel at the +sepulchre says, “Tell His disciples, <i>and Peter</i>.” (Mark +xvi. 7.) The Lord did not forget Peter, though Peter had denied +Him thrice; so He caused this kindly special message to be +conveyed to the repentant disciple. What a tender and loving +Saviour we have!</p> +<p class="pn">Friend, if you are one of the wanderers, let the +loving look of the Master win you back; and let Him restore you +to the joy of His salvation.</p> +<p class="pn">Before closing, let me say that I trust God will +restore some backslider reading these pages, who may in the +future become a useful member of society and a bright ornament of +the Church. We should never have had the thirty-second Psalm if +David had not been restored: “Blessed is he whose transgression +is forgiven, whose sin is covered”; or that beautiful fifty-first +Psalm which was written by the restored backslider. Nor should we +have had that wonderful sermon on the day of Pentecost when three +thousand were converted—preached by another restored +backslider.</p> +<p class="pn">May God restore other backsliders and make them a +thousand times more used for His glory than they ever were +before.</p> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Way to God and How to Find It, by Dwight Moody + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WAY TO GOD AND HOW TO FIND IT *** + +***** This file should be named 30449-h.htm or 30449-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/0/4/4/30449/ + +Produced by Keith G. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Way to God and How to Find It + +Author: Dwight Moody + +Release Date: November 10, 2009 [EBook #30449] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WAY TO GOD AND HOW TO FIND IT *** + + + + +Produced by Keith G. Richardson + + + + + + + +THE WAY TO GOD + +AND HOW TO FIND IT + + +By D. L. MOODY + + +Fleming H. Revell Company + + +Chicago New York Toronto + +_Publishers of Evangelical Literature_ + + + + +Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1884, + +By F. H. REVELL, + +In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. + + + +TO THE READER + + +In this small volume I have endeavored to point out the Way to God. + +I have embodied in the little book a considerable part of several +addresses which have been delivered in different cities, both of +Great Britain and my own country. God has graciously owned them when +spoken from the pulpit, and I trust will none the less add his +blessing now they have been put into the printed page with additional +matter. + +I have called attention first to the Love of God, the source of all +Gifts of Grace; have then endeavored to present truths to meet the +special needs of representative classes, answering the question, "How +man can be just with God," hoping thereby to lead souls to Him who is +"the Way, the Truth and the Life." + +The last chapter is specially addressed to Backsliders--a class, +alas, far too numerous amongst us. + +With the earnest prayer and hope that by the blessing of God on these +pages the reader may be strengthened, established and settled in the +faith of Christ, + +I am, yours in His service, + +D. L. Moody + + + +CONTENTS. + + +Chapter I. "Love that passeth Knowledge" + +Chapter II. The Gateway into the Kingdom + +Chapter III. The Two Classes + +Chapter IV. Words of Counsel + +Chapter V. A Divine Saviour + +Chapter VI. Repentance and Restitution + +Chapter VII. Assurance of Salvation + +Chapter VIII. Christ All and in All + +Chapter IX. Backsliding + + + +THE WAY TO GOD. + + +CHAPTER I. + + +"_LOVE THAT PASSETH KNOWLEDGE_." + + +"To know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge." + +(Ephesians iii. 19.) + + +If I could only make men understand the real meaning of the words of +the apostle John--"God is love," I would take that single text, and +would go up and down the world proclaiming this glorious truth. If +you can convince a man that you love him you have won his heart. If +we really make people believe that God loves them, how we should find +them crowding into the kingdom of heaven! The trouble is that men +think God hates them; and so they are all the time running away from +Him. + +We built a church in Chicago some years ago; and were very anxious to +teach the people the love of God. We thought if we could not preach +it into their hearts we would try and burn it in; so we put right +over the pulpit in gas-jets these words--God is Love. A man going +along the streets one night glanced through the door, and saw the +text. He was a poor prodigal. As he passed on he thought to himself, +"God is Love! No! He does not love me; for I am a poor miserable +sinner." He tried to get rid of the text; but it seemed to stand out +right before him in letters of fire. He went on a little further; +then turned round, went back, and went into the meeting. He did not +hear the sermon; but the words of that short text had got deeply +lodged in his heart, and that was enough. It is of little account +what men say if the Word of God only gets an entrance into the +sinner's heart. He staid after the first meeting was over; and I +found him there weeping like a child. As I unfolded the Scriptures +and told him how God had loved him all the time, although he had +wandered so far away, and how God was waiting to receive him and +forgive him, the light of the Gospel broke into his mind, and he went +away rejoicing. + +There is nothing in this world that men prize so much us they do +Love. Show me a person who has no one to care for or love him, and I +will show you one of the most wretched beings on the face of the +earth. Why do people commit suicide? Very often it is because this +thought steals in upon them--that no one loves them; and they would +rather die than live. + +I know of no truth in the whole Bible that ought to come home to us +with such power and tenderness as that of the Love of God; and there +is no truth in the Bible that Satan would so much like to blot out. +For more than six thousand years he has been trying to persuade men +that God does not love them. He succeeded in making our first parents +believe this lie; and he too often succeeds with their children. + +The idea that God does not love us often comes from false teaching. +Mothers make a mistake in teaching children that God does not love +them when they do wrong; but only when they do right. That is not +taught in Scripture. You do not teach your children that when they do +wrong you hate them. Their wrong-doing does not change your love to +hate; if it did, you would change your love a great many times. +Because your child is fretful, or has committed some act of +disobedience, you do not cast him out as though he did not belong to +you! No! he is still your child; and you love him. And if men have +gone astray from God it does not follow that He hates _them_. It is +the sin that He hates. + +I believe the reason why a great many people think God does not love +them is because they are measuring God by their own small rule, from +their own standpoint. We love men as long as we consider them worthy +of our love; when they are not we cast them off. It is not so with +God. There is a vast difference between human love and Divine love. + +In Ephesians iii. 18, we are told of the breadth, and length, and +depth, and height, of God's love. Many of us think we know something +of God's love; but centuries hence we shall admit we have never found +out much about it. Columbus discovered America; but what did he know +about its great lakes, rivers, forests, and the Mississippi Valley? +He died, without knowing much about what he had discovered. So, many +of us have discovered something of the love of God; but there are +heights, depths and lengths of it we do not know. That Love is a +great ocean; and we require to plunge into it before we really know +anything of it. It is said of a Roman Catholic Archbishop of Paris, +that when he was thrown into prison and condemned to be shot, a +little while before he was led out to die, he saw a window in his +cell in the shape of a cross. Upon the top of the cross he wrote +"height," at the bottom "depth," and at the end of each arm "length." +He had experienced the truth conveyed in the hymn-- + + "When I survey the wondrous Cross, + On which the Prince of Glory died." + +When we wish to know the love of God we should go to Calvary. Can we +look upon that scene, and say God did not love us? That cross speaks +of the love of God. Greater love never has been taught than that +which the cross teaches. What prompted God to give up Christ?--what +prompted Christ to die?--if it were not love? "Greater love hath no +man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Christ +laid down His life for His enemies; Christ laid down His life for His +murderers; Christ laid down His life for them that hated Him; and the +spirit of the cross, the spirit of Calvary, is love. When they were +mocking Him and deriding Him, what did He say? "Father, forgive them, +for they know not what they do." That is love. He did not call down +fire from heaven to consume them; there was nothing but love in His +heart. + +If you study the Bible you will find that the love of God is +_unchangeable_. Many who loved you at one time have perhaps grown +cold in their affection, and turned away from you: it may be that +their love is changed to hatred. It is not so with God. It is +recorded of Jesus Christ, just when He was about to be parted from +His disciples and led away to Calvary, that: "having loved His own +which were in the world, He loved them unto the end" (John xiii. 1). +He knew that one of His disciples would betray Him; yet He loved +Judas. He knew that another disciple would deny Him, and swear that +he never knew Him; and yet He loved Peter. It was the love which +Christ had for Peter that broke his heart, and brought him back in +penitence to the feet of his Lord. For three years Jesus had been +with the disciples trying to teach them His love, not only by His +life and words, but by His works. And, on the night of His betrayal, +He takes a basin of water, girds Himself with a towel, and taking the +place of a servant, washes their feet; He wanted to convince them of +His unchanging love. + +There is no portion of Scripture I read so often as John xiv; and +there is none that is more sweet to me. I never tire of reading it. +Hear what our Lord says, as He pours out His heart to His Disciples: +"At that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, and +I in you. He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is +that loveth Me: and _he that loveth Me shall be loved by My Father_" +(xiv. 20,21). Think of the great God who created heaven and earth +loving you and me! . . . "If a man love Me, he will keep My words; +and My Father will love him; and We will come unto him, and make Our +abode with him" (v. 23). + +Would to God that our puny minds could grasp this great truth, that +the Father and the Son so love us that They desire to come and abide +with us. Not to tarry for a night, but to come and _abide_ in our +hearts. + +We have another passage more wonderful still in John xvii. 23. "I in +them, and thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that +the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, _and hast loved them as +Thou hast loved Me_." I think that is one of the most remarkable +sayings that ever fell from the lips of Jesus Christ. There is no +reason why the Father should not love him. He was obedient unto +death; He never transgressed the Father's law, or turned aside from +the path of perfect obedience by one hair's breadth. It is very +different with us; and yet, notwithstanding all our rebellion and +foolishness, He says that if we are trusting in Christ, the Father +loves us as He loves the Son. Marvellous love! Wonderful love! That +God can possibly love us as He loves His own Son seems too good to be +true. Yet that is the teaching of Jesus Christ. + +It is hard to make a sinner believe in this unchangeable love of God. +When a man has wandered away from God he thinks that God hates him. +We must make a distinction between sin and the sinner. God loves the +sinner; but He hates the sin. He hates sin, because it mars human +life. It is just because God loves the sinner that He hates sin. + +God's love is not only unchangeable, but _unfailing_. In Isaiah xlix. +15, 16 we read: "Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should +not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget; yet +will I not forget thee. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of +My hands; thy walls are continually before Me." + +Now the strongest human love that we know of is a _mother's love_. +Many things will separate a man from his wife. A father may turn his +back on his child; brothers and sisters may become inveterate +enemies; husbands may desert their wives; wives, their husbands. But +a mother's love endures through all. In good repute, in bad repute, +in the face of the world's condemnation, a mother loves on, and hopes +that her child may turn from his evil ways and repent. She remembers +the infant smiles, the merry laugh of childhood, the promise of +youth; and she can never be brought to think him unworthy. Death +cannot quench a mother's love; it is stronger than death. + +You have seen a mother watching over her sick child. How willingly +she would take the disease into her own body if she could thus +relieve her child! Week after week she will keep watch; she will let +no one else take care of that sick child. + +A friend of mine, some time ago, was visiting in a beautiful home +where he met a number of friends. After they had all gone away, +having left something behind, he went back to get it. There he found +the lady of the house, a wealthy lady, sitting behind a poor fellow +who looked like a tramp. _He was her own son_. Like the prodigal, he +had wandered far away: yet the mother said, "This is my boy; I love +him still." Take a mother with nine or ten children, if one goes +astray, she seems to love that one more than any of the rest. + +A leading minister in the state of New York once told me of a father +who was a very bad character. The mother did all she could to prevent +the contamination of the boy; but the influence of the father was +stronger, and he led his son into all kinds of sin until the lad +became one of the worst of criminals. He committed murder, and was +put on his trial. All through the trial, the widowed mother (for the +father had died) sat in the court. When the witnesses testified +against the boy it seemed to hurt the mother much more than the son. +When he was found guilty and sentenced to die, every one else feeling +the justice of the verdict, seemed satisfied at the result. But the +mother's love never faltered. She begged for a reprieve; but that was +denied. After the execution she craved for the body; and this also +was refused. According to custom, it was buried in the prison yard. A +little while afterwards the mother herself died; but, before she was +taken away, she expressed a desire to be buried by the side of her +boy. She was not ashamed of being known as the mother of a murderer. + +The story is told of a young woman in Scotland, who left her home, +and became an outcast in Glasgow. Her mother sought her far and wide, +but in vain. At last, she caused her picture to be hung upon the +walls of the Midnight Mission rooms, where abandoned women resorted. +Many gave the picture a passing glance. One lingered by the picture. +It is the same dear face that looked down upon her in her childhood. +She has not forgotten nor cast off her sinning child; or her picture +would never have been hung upon those walls. The lips seemed to open, +and whisper, "Come home; I forgive you, and love you still." The poor +girl sank down overwhelmed with her feelings. She was the prodigal +daughter. The sight of her mother's face had broken her heart. She +became truly penitent for her sins, and with a heart full of sorrow +and shame, returned to her forsaken home; and mother and daughter +were once more united. + +But let me tell you that no mother's love is to be compared with the +love of God; it does not measure the height of the depth of God's +love. No mother in this world ever loved her child as God loves you +and me. Think of the love that God must have had when He gave His Son +to die for the world. I used to think a good deal more of Christ than +I did of the Father. Somehow or other I had the idea that God was a +stern judge; that Christ came between me and God, and appeased the +anger of God. But after I became a father, and for years had an only +son, as I looked at my boy I thought of the Father giving His Son to +die; and it seemed to me as if it required more love for the Father +to give His Son than for the Son to die. Oh, the love that God must +have had for the world when He gave His Son to die for it! "God so +loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever +believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John +iii. 16). I have never been able to preach from that text. I have +often thought I would; but it is so high that I can never climb to +its height; I have just quoted it and passed on. Who can fathom the +depth of those words: "God so loved the world?" We can never scale +the heights of His love or fathom its depths. Paul prayed that he +might know the height, the depth, the length, and the breadth, of the +love of God; but it was past his finding out. It "passeth knowledge" +(Eph. iii. 19). + +Nothing speaks to us of the love of God, like the cross of Christ. +Come with me to Calvary, and look upon the Son of God as He hangs +there. Can you hear that piercing cry from His dying lips: "Father, +forgive them; for they know not what they do!" and say that He does +not love you? "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay +down his life for his friends" (John xv. 13). But Jesus Christ laid +down His life _for his enemies_. + +Another thought is this: He loved us long before we ever thought of +Him. The idea that he does not love us until we first love Him is not +to be found in Scripture. In 1 John iv. 10, it is written: "Herein is +love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son +to be the propitiation for our sins." He loved us before we ever +thought of loving Him. You loved your children before they knew +anything about your love. And so, long before we ever thought of God, +we were in His thoughts. + +What brought the prodigal home? It was the thought that his father +loved him. Suppose the news had reached him that he was cast off, and +that his father did not care for him any more, would he have gone +back? Never! But the thought dawned upon him that his father loved +him still: so he rose up, and went back to his home. Dear reader, the +love of the Father ought to bring us back to Him. It was Adam's +calamity and sin that revealed God's love. When Adam fell God came +down and dealt in mercy with him. If any one is lost it will not be +because God does not love him: it will be because he has resisted the +love of God. + +What will make Heaven attractive? Is it the pearly gates or the +golden streets? No. Heaven will be attractive, because there we shall +behold Him who loved us so much as to give His only-begotten Son to +die for us. What makes home attractive? Is it the beautiful furniture +and stately rooms? No; some homes with all these are like whited +sepulchres. In Brooklyn a mother was dying; and it was necessary to +take her child from her, because the little child could not +understand the nature of the sickness, and disturbed her mother. +Every night the child sobbed herself to sleep in a neighbor's house, +because she wanted to go back to her mother's; but the mother grew +worse, and they could not take the child home. At last the mother +died; and after her death they thought it best not to let the child +see her dead mother in her coffin. After the burial the child ran +into one room crying "Mamma! mamma!" and then into another crying +"Mamma! mamma!" and so went over the whole house: and when the little +creature failed to find that loved one she cried to be taken back to +the neighbors. So what makes heaven attractive is the thought that we +shall see Christ who has loved us and given Himself for us. + +If you ask me why God should love us, I cannot tell. I suppose it is +because He is a true Father. It is His nature to love; just as it is +the nature of the sun to shine. He wants you to share in that love. +Do not let unbelief keep you away from Him. Do not think that, +because you are a sinner, God does not love you, or care for you. He +does! He wants to save you and bless you. + +"When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the +ungodly" (Rom. v. 6). Is that not enough to convince you that He +loves you? He would not have died for you if He had not loved you. Is +your heart so hard that you can brace yourself up against His love, +and spurn and despise it? You _can_ do it; but it will be at your +peril. + +I can imagine some saying to themselves, "Yes, we believe that God +loves us, if we love Him; we believe that God loves the pure and the +holy." Let me say, my friend, not only does God love the pure and the +holy: He also loves the ungodly. "God commendeth His love toward us, +in that, _while we were yet sinners_, Christ died for us" (Rom. v. +8). God sent him to die for the sins of the whole world. If you +belong to the world, then you have part and lot in this love that has +been exhibited in the cross of Christ. + +There is a passage in Revelation (i. 5.) which I think a great deal +of--"Unto Him that loved us, and washed us." It might be thought that +God would first wash us, and then love us. But no, He first loved us. +About eight years ago the whole country was intensely excited about +Charlie Ross, a child of four years old, who was stolen. Two men in a +gig asked him and an elder brother if they wanted some candy. They +then drove away with the younger boy, leaving the elder one. For many +years a search has been made in every State and territory. Men have +been over to Great Britain, France, and Germany, and have hunted in +vain for the child. The mother still lives in the hope that she will +see her long lost Charlie. I never remember the whole country to have +been so much agitated about any event unless it was the assassination +of President Garfield. Well, suppose the mother of Charlie Ross were +in some meeting; and that while the preacher was speaking, she +happened to look down amongst the audience and see her long lost son. +Suppose that he was poor, dirty and ragged, shoeless and coatless, +what would she do? Would she wait till he was washed and decently +clothed before she would acknowledge him? No, she would get off the +platform at once, rush towards him and take him in her arms. After +that she would cleanse and clothe him. So it is with God. He loved +us, and washed us. I can imagine one saying, "If God loves me, why +does He not make me good?" God wants sons and daughters in heaven; He +does not want machines or slaves. He could break our stubborn hearts, +but He wants to draw us towards Himself by the cords of love. + +He wanted you to sit down with Him at the marriage supper of the +Lamb; to wash you, and make you whiter than snow. He wants you to +walk with Him the crystal pavement of yonder blissful world. He wants +to adopt you into His family; and to make you a son or a daughter of +heaven. Will you trample His love under your feet? or will you, this +hour, give yourself to Him? + +When our terrible civil war was going on, a mother received the news +that her boy had been wounded in the battle of the Wilderness. She +took the first train, and started for her boy, although the order had +gone forth from the War Department that no more women should be +admitted within the lines. But a mother's love knows nothing about +orders so she managed by tears and entreaties to get through the +lines to the Wilderness. At last she found the hospital where her boy +was. Then she went to the doctor and she said: "Will you let me go to +the ward and nurse my boy?" + +The doctor said: "I have just got your boy to sleep; he is in a very +critical state; and I am afraid if you wake him up the excitement +will be so great that it will carry him off. You had better wait +awhile, and remain without until I tell him that you have come, and +break the news gradually to him." The mother looked into the doctor's +face and said: "Doctor, supposing my boy does not wake up, and I +should never see him alive! Let me go and sit down by his side; I +won't speak to him." "If you will not speak to him you may do so," +said the doctor. + +She crept to the cot and looked into the face of her boy. How she had +longed to look at him! How her eyes seemed to be feasting as she +gazed upon his countenance! When she got near enough she could not +keep her hands off; she laid that tender, loving hand upon his brow. +The moment the hand touched the forehead of her boy, he, without +opening his eyes, cried out: "Mother, you have come!" He knew the +touch of that loving hand. There was love and sympathy in it. + +Ah, sinner, if you feel the loving touch of Jesus you will recognize +it; it is so full of tenderness. The world may treat you unkindly; +but Christ never will. You will never have a better Friend in this +world. What you need is--to come today to Him. Let His loving arm be +underneath you; let His loving hand be about you; and He will hold +you with mighty power. He will keep you, and fill that heart of yours +with His tenderness and love. + +I can imagine some of you saying, "How shall I go to Him?" Why, just +as you would go to your mother. Have you done your mother a great +injury and a great wrong? If so, you go to her and you say, "Mother, +I want you to forgive me." Treat Christ in the same way. Go to Him +to-day and tell Him that you have not loved Him, that you have not +treated Him right; confess you sins, and see how quickly He will +bless you. + +I am reminded of another incident--that of a boy who had been tried +by court-martial and ordered to be shot. The hearts of the father and +mother were broken when they heard the news. In that home was a +little girl. She had read the life of Abraham Lincoln, and she said: +"Now, if Abraham Lincoln knew how my father and mother loved their +boy, he would not let my brother be shot." She wanted her father to +go to Washington to plead for his boy. But the father said: "No; +there is no use; the law must take its course. They have refused to +pardon one or two who have been sentenced by that court-martial, and +an order has gone forth that the President is not going to interfere +again; if a man has been sentenced by court-martial he must suffer +the consequences." That father and mother had not faith to believe +that their boy might be pardoned. + +But the little girl was strong in hope; she got on the train away up +in Vermont, and started off to Washington. When she reached the White +House the soldiers refused to let her in; but she told her pitiful +story, and they allowed her to pass. When she got to the Secretary's +room, where the President's private secretary was, he refused to +allow her to enter the private office of the President. But the +little girl told her story, and it touched the heart of the private +secretary; so he passed her in. As she went into Abraham Lincoln's +room, there were United States senators, generals, governors and +leading politicians, who were there about important business about +the war; but the President happened to see that child standing at his +door. He wanted to know what she wanted, and she went right to him +and told her story in her own language. He was a father, and the +great tears trickled down Abraham Lincoln's cheeks. He wrote a +dispatch ard sent it to the army to have that boy sent to Washington +at once. When he arrived, the President pardoned him, gave him thirty +days furlough, and sent him home with the little girl to cheer the +hearts of the father and mother. + +Do you want to know how to go to Christ? Go just as that little girl +went to Abraham Lincoln. It may be possible that you have a dark +story to tell. Tell it all out; keep nothing back. If Abraham Lincoln +had compassion on that little girl, heard her petition and answered +it, do you think the Lord Jesus will not hear your prayer? Do, you +think that Abraham Lincoln, or any man that ever lived on earth, had +as much compassion as Christ? No! He will be touched when no one else +will; He will have mercy when no one else will; He will have pity +when no one else will. If you will go right to Him, confessing your +sin and your need, He will save you. + +A few years ago a man left England and went to America. He was an +Englishman; but he was naturalized, and so became an American +citizen. After a few years he felt restless and dissatisfied, and +went to Cuba; and after he had been in Cuba a little while civil war +broke out there; it was in 1867; and this man was arrested by the +Spanish government as a spy. He was tried by court-martial, found +guilty and ordered to be shot. The whole trial was conducted in the +Spanish language, and the poor man did not know what was going on. +When they told him the verdict, that he was found guilty and had been +condemned to be shot, he sent to the American Consul and the English +Consul, and laid the whole case before them, proving his innocence +and claiming protection. They examined the case, and found that this +man whom the Spanish officers had condemned to be shot was perfectly +innocent; they went to the Spanish General and said, "Look here, this +man whom you have condemned to death is an innocent man; he is not +guilty." But the Spanish General said, "He has been tried by our law; +he has been found guilty; he must die." There was no electric cable; +and these men could not consult with their governments. + +The morning came on which the man was to be executed. He was brought +out sitting on his coffin in a cart, and drawn to the place where he +was to be executed. A grave was dug. They took the coffin out of the +cart, placed the young man upon it, took the black cap, and were just +pulling it down over his face. The Spanish soldiers awaited the order +to fire. But just then the American and English Consuls rode up. The +English Consul sprang out of the carriage and took the union jack, +the British flag, and wrapped it around the man, and the American +Consul wrapped around him the star-spangled banner, and then turning +to the Spanish officers they said: "Fire upon those flags if you +dare." They did not dare to fire upon the flags. There were two great +governments behind those flags. That was the secret of it. + +"He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was +love. . . . His left hand is under my head, and His right hand doth +embrace me" (Song Sol. ii. 4, 6). Thank God we can come under the +banner to-day if we will. Any, poor sinner can come under that banner +to-day. His banner of love is over us. Blessed Gospel; blessed, +precious, news. Believe it to-day; receive it into your heart; and +enter into a new life. Let the love of God be shed abroad in your +heart by the Holy Ghost to-day: it will drive away darkness; it will +drive away gloom; it will drive away sin; and peace and joy shall be +yours. + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +_THE GATEWAY INTO THE KINGDOM_. + + +"Except a man be born again he cannot enter the kingdom of God." + +(John iii. 3.) + + +There is no portion of the Word of God, perhaps, with which we are +more familiar than this passage. I suppose if I were to ask those in +any audience if they believed that Jesus Christ taught the doctrine +of the New Birth, nine tenths of them would say: "Yes, I believe He +did." + +Now if the words of this text are true they embody one of the most +solemn questions that can come before us. We can afford to be +deceived about many things rather than about this one thing. Christ +makes it very plain. He says, "Except a man be born again, he cannot +_see_ the Kingdom of God"--much less inherit it. This doctrine of the +New Birth is therefore the foundation of all our hopes for the world +to come. It is really the A B C of the Christian religion. My +experience has been this--that if a man is unsound on this doctrine +he will be unsound on almost every other fundamental doctrine in the +Bible. A true understanding of this subject will help a man to solve +a thousand difficulties that he may meet with in the Word of God. +Things that before seemed very dark and mysterious will become very +plain. + +The doctrine of the New Birth upsets all false religion--all false +views about the Bible and about God. A friend of mine once told me +that in one of his after-meetings, a man came to him with a long list +of questions written out for him to answer. He said: "If you can +answer these questions satisfactorily, I have made up my mind to be a +Christian." "Do you not think," said my friend, "that you had better +come to Christ first? Then you can look into these questions." The +man thought that perhaps he had better do so. After he had received +Christ, he looked again at his list of questions; but then it seemed +to him as if they had all been answered. Nicodemus came with his +troubled mind, and Christ said to him, "Ye must be born again." He +was treated altogether differently from what he expected; but I +venture to say that was the most blessed night in all his life. To be +"born again" is the greatest blessing that will ever come to us in +this world. + +Notice how the Scripture puts it. "Except a man be born again," "born +from above,"[Note: John iii. 3. _Marginal reading_] "born of the +Spirit." From amongst a number of other passages where we find this +word "except," I would just name three. "Except ye repent, ye shall +all likewise perish." (Luke xiii. 3, 5.) "Except ye be converted, and +become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of +heaven." (Matt. xviii. 3.) "Except your righteousness shall exceed +the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case +enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. v. 20.) They all really +mean the same thing. + +I am so thankful that our Lord spoke of the New Birth to this ruler +of the Jews, this doctor of the law, rather than to the woman at the +well of Samaria, or to Matthew the publican, or to Zaccheus. If He +had reserved his teaching on this great matter for these three, or +such as these, people would have said: "Oh yes, these publicans and +harlots need to be converted: but I am an upright man; I do not need +to be converted." I suppose Nicodemus was one of the best specimens +of the people of Jerusalem: there was nothing on record against him. + +I think it is scarcely necessary for me to prove that we need to be +born again before we are meet for heaven. I venture to say that there +is no candid man but would say he is not fit for the kingdom of God, +until he is born of another Spirit. The Bible teaches us that man by +nature is lost and guilty, and our experience confirms this. We know +also that the best and holiest man, if he turn away from God, will +very soon fall into sin. + +Now, let me say what Regeneration is not. It is not going to church. +Very often I see people, and ask them if they are Christians. "Yes, +of course I am; at least, I think I am: I go to church every Sunday." +Ah, but this is not Regeneration. Others say, "I am trying to do what +is right--am I not a Christian? Is not that a new birth?" No. What +has that to do with being born again? There is yet another +class--those who have "turned over a new leaf," and think they are +regenerated. No; forming a new resolution is not being born again. + +Nor will being baptized do you any good. Yet you hear people say, +"Why, I have been baptized; and I was born again when I was +baptized." They believe that because they were baptized into the +church, they were baptized into the Kingdom of God. I tell you that +it is utterly impossible. You may be baptized into the church, and +yet not be baptized into the Son of God. Baptism is all right in its +place. God forbid that I should say anything against it. But if you +put that in the place of Regeneration--in the place of the New Birth--it +is a terrible mistake. You cannot be baptized into the Kingdom of +God. "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." +If any one reading this rests his hopes on anything else--on any +other foundation--I pray that God may sweep it away. + +Another class say, "I go to the Lord's Supper; I partake uniformly of +the Sacrament." Blessed ordinance! Jesus hath said that as often as +ye do it ye commemorate His death. Yet, that is not being "born +again;" that is not passing from death unto life. Jesus says plainly--and +so plainly that there need not be any mistake about it--"Except +a man be born of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of +God." What has a sacrament to do with that? What has going to church +to do with being born again? + +Another man comes up and says, "I say my prayers regularly." Still I +say that is not being born of the Spirit. It is a very solemn +question, then, that comes up before us; and oh! that every reader +would ask himself earnestly and faithfully: "Have I been born again? +Have I been born of the Spirit? Have I passed from death unto life?" + +There is a class of men who say that special religious meetings are +very good for a certain class of people. They would be very good if +you could get the drunkard there, or get the gambler there, or get +other vicious people there--that would do a great deal of good. But +"we do not need to be converted." To whom did Christ utter these +words of wisdom? To Nicodemus. Who was Nicodemus? Was he a drunkard, +a gambler, or a thief? No! No doubt he was one of the very best men +in Jerusalem. He was an honorable Councillor; he belonged to the +Sanhedrim; he held a very high position; he was an orthodox man; he +was one of the very soundest men. And yet what did Christ say to him? +"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." + +But I can imagine some one saying, "What am I to do? I cannot create +life. I certainly cannot save myself." You certainly cannot; and we +do not claim that you can. We tell you it is utterly impossible to +make a man better without Christ; but that is what men are trying to +do. They are trying to patch up this "old Adam" nature. There must be +a new creation. Regeneration is a new creation; and if it is a new +creation it must be the work of God. In the first chapter of Genesis +man does not appear. There is no one there but God. Man is not there +to take part. When God created the earth He was alone. When Christ +redeemed the world He was alone. + +"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of +the Spirit is spirit." (John iii. 6.) The Ethiopian cannot change his +skin, and the leopard cannot change his spots. You might as well try +to make yourselves pure and holy without the help of God. It would be +just as easy for you to do that as for the black man to wash himself +white. A man might just as well try to leap over the moon as to serve +God in the flesh. Therefore, "that which is born of the flesh is +flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." + +Now God tells us in this chapter how we are to get into His kingdom. +We are not to work our way in--not but that salvation is worth +working for. We admit all that. If there were rivers and mountains in +the way, it would be well worth while to swim those rivers, and climb +those mountains. There is no doubt that salvation is worth all that +effort; but we do not obtain it by our works. It is "to him that +worketh not, but believeth" (Rom. iv. 5). We work because we are +saved; we do not work to be saved. We work from the cross; but not +towards it. It is written, "Work out your own salvation with fear and +trembling" (Phil. ii. 12). Why, you must have your salvation before +you can work it out. Suppose I say to my little boy, "I want you to +spend that hundred dollars carefully." "Well," he says, "let me have +the hundred dollars; and I will be careful how I spend it." I +remember when I first left home and went to Boston; I had spent all +my money, and I went to the post-office three times a day. I knew +there was only one mail a day from home; but I thought by some +possibility there might be a letter for me. At last I received a +letter from my little sister; and oh, how glad I was to get it. She +had heard that there were a great many pick-pockets in Boston, and a +large part of that letter was to urge me to be very careful not to +let anybody pick my pocket. Now I required to have something in my +pocket before I could have it picked. So you must have salvation +before you can work it out. + +When Christ cried out on Calvary, "It is finished!" He meant what He +said. All that men have to do now is just to accept of the work of +Jesus Christ. There is no hope for man or woman so long as they are +trying to work out salvation for themselves. I can imagine there are +some people who will say, as Nicodemus possibly did, "This is a very +mysterious thing." I see the scowl on that Pharisee's brow as he +says, "How can these things be?" It sounds very strange to his ear. +"Born again; born of the Spirit! How can these things be?" A great +many people say, "You must reason it out; but if you do not reason it +out, do not ask us to believe it." I can imagine a great many people +saying that. When you ask me to reason it out, I tell you frankly I +cannot do it. "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest +the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it +goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." (John 8.) I do +not understand everything about the wind. You ask me to reason it +out. I cannot. It may blow due north here, and a hundred miles away +due south. I may go up a few hundred feet, and find it blowing in an +entirely opposite direction from what it is down here. You ask me to +explain these currents of wind; but suppose that, because I cannot +explain them, and do not understand them, I were to take my stand and +assert, "Oh, there is no such thing as wind." I can imagine some +little girl saying, "I know more about it than that man does; often +have I heard the wind, and felt it blowing against my face;" and she +might say, "Did not the wind blow my umbrella out of my hands the +other day? and did I not see it blow a man's hat off in the street? +Have I not seen it blow the trees in the forest, and the growing corn +in the country?" + +You might just as well tell me that there is no such thing as wind, +as tell me there is no such thing as a man being born of the Spirit. +I have felt the spirit of God working in my heart, just as really and +as truly as I have felt the wind blowing in my face. I cannot reason +it out. There are a great many things I cannot reason out, but which +I believe. I never could reason out the creation. I can see the +world, but I cannot tell how God made it out of nothing. But almost +every man will admit there was a creative power. + +There are a great many things that I cannot explain and cannot reason +out, and yet that I believe. I heard a commercial traveler say that +he had heard that the ministry and religion of Jesus Christ were +matters of revelation and not of investigation. "When it pleased God +to reveal His Son in Me," says Paul (Gal. i, 15, 16). There was a +party of young men together, going up the country; and on their +journey they made up their minds not to believe anything they could +not reason out. An old man heard them; and presently he said, "I +heard you say you would not believe anything you could not reason +out." "Yes," they said, "that is so." "Well," he said, "coming down +on the train to-day, I noticed some geese, some sheep, some swine, +and some cattle all eating grass. Can you tell me by what process +that same grass was turned into hair, feathers, bristles and wool? Do +you believe it is a fact?" "Oh yes," they said, "we cannot help +believing that, though we fail to understand it." "Well," said the +old man, "I cannot help believing in Jesus Christ." And I cannot help +believing in the regeneration of man, when I see men who have been +reclaimed, when I see men who have been reformed. Have not some of +the very worst men been regenerated--been picked up out of the pit, +and had their feet set upon the Rock, and a new song put in their +mouths? Their tongues were cursing and blaspheming; and now are +occupied in praising God. Old things have passed away, and all things +have become new. They are not reformed only, but regenerated--new men +in Christ Jesus. + +Down there in the dark alleys of one of our great cities is a poor +drunkard. I think if you want to get near hell, you should go to a +poor drunkard's home. Go to the house of that poor miserable +drunkard. Is there anything more like hell on earth? See the want and +distress that reign there. But hark! A footstep is heard at the door, +and the children run and hide themselves. The patient wife waits to +meet the man. He has been her torment. Many a time she has borne +about the marks of his blows for weeks. Many a time that strong right +hand has been brought down on her defenseless head. And now she waits +expecting to hear his oaths and suffer his brutal treatment. He comes +in and says to her: "I have been to the meeting; and I heard there +that if I will I can be converted. I believe that God is able to save +me." Go down to that house again in a few weeks: and what a change! +As you approach you hear some one singing. It is not the song of a +reveller, but the strains of that good old hymn, "Rock of Ages." The +children are no longer afraid of the man, but cluster around his +knee. His wife is near him, her face lit up with a happy glow. Is not +that a picture of Regeneration? I can take you to many such homes, +made happy by the regenerating power of the religion of Christ. What +men want is the power to overcome temptation, the power to lead a +right life. + +The only way to get into the kingdom of God is to be "born" into it. +The law of this country requires that the President should be born in +the country. When foreigners come to our shores they have no right to +complain against such a law, which forbids them from ever becoming +Presidents. Now, has not God a right to make a law that all those who +become heirs of eternal life must be "born" into His kingdom? + +An unregenerated man would rather be in hell than in heaven. Take a +man whose heart is full of corruption and wickedness, and place him +in heaven among the pure, the holy and the redeemed; and he would not +want to stay there. Certainly, if we are to be happy in heaven we +must begin to make a heaven here on earth. Heaven is a prepared place +for a prepared people. If a gambler or a blasphemer were taken out of +the streets of New York and placed on the crystal pavement of heaven +and under the shadow of the tree of life, he would say, "I do not +want to stay here." If men were taken to heaven just as they are by +nature, without having their hearts regenerated, there would be +another rebellion in heaven. Heaven is filled with a company of those +who have been twice born. + +In the 14th and 15th verses of this chapter we read "As Moses lifted +up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be +lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but +have eternal life." "WHOSOEVER." Mark that! Let me tell you who are +unsaved what God has done for you. He has done everything that He +could do toward your salvation. You need not wait for God to do +anything more. In one place he asks the question, what more could he +have done (Isaiah v. 4). He sent His prophets, and they killed them; +then He sent His beloved Son, and they murdered Him. Now He has sent +the Holy Spirit to convince us of sin, and to show how we are to be +saved. + +In this chapter we are told how men are to be saved, namely, by Him +who was lifted up on the cross. Just as Moses lifted up the brazen +serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, "that +whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." +Some men complain and say that it is very unreasonable that they +should be held responsible for the sin of a man six thousand years +ago. It was not long ago that a man was talking to me about this +injustice, as he called it. If a man thinks he is going to answer God +in that way, I tell you it will not do him any good. If you are lost, +it will not be on account of Adam's sin. + +Let me illustrate this; and perhaps you will be better able to +understand it. Suppose I am dying of consumption, which I inherited +from my father or mother. I did not get the disease by any fault of +my own, by any neglect of my health; I inherited it, let us suppose. +A friend happens to come along: he looks at me, and says: "Moody, you +are in a consumption." I reply, "I know it very well; I do not want +any one to tell me that." "But," he says, "there is a remedy." "But, +sir, I do not believe it. I have tried the leading physicians in this +country and in Europe; and they tell me there is no hope." "But you +know me, Moody; you have known me for years." "Yes, sir." "Do you +think, then, I would tell you a falsehood?" "No." "Well, ten years +ago I was as far gone. I was given up by the physicians to die; but I +took this medicine and it cured me. I am perfectly well: look at me." +I say that it is "a very strange case." "Yes, it may be strange; but +it is a fact. This medicine cured me: take this medicine, and it will +cure you. Although it has cost me a great deal, it shall not cost you +anything. Do not make light of it, I beg of you." "Well," I say, "I +should like to believe you; but this is contrary to my reason." + +Hearing this, my friend goes away and returns with another friend, +and that one testifies to the same thing. I am still disbelieving; so +he goes away, and brings in another friend, and another, and another, +and another; and they all testify to the same thing. They say they +were as bad as myself; that they took the same medicine that has been +offered to me; and that it has cured them. My friend then hands me +the medicine. I dash it to the ground; I do not believe in its saving +power; I die. The reason is then that I spurned the remedy. So, if +you perish, it will not be because Adam fell; but because you spurned +the remedy offered to save you. You will choose darkness rather than +light. "How then shall ye escape, if ye neglect so great salvation?" +There is no hope for you if you neglect the remedy. It does no good +to look at the wound. If we had been in the Israelitish camp and had +been bitten by one of the fiery serpents, it would have done us no +good to look at the wound. Looking at the wound will never save any +one. What you must do is to look at the Remedy--look away to Him who +hath power to save you from your sin. + +Behold the camp of the Israelites; look at the scene that is pictured +to your eyes! Many are dying because they neglect the remedy that is +offered. In that arid desert is many a short and tiny grave; many a +child has been bitten by the fiery serpents. Fathers and mothers are +bearing away their children. Over yonder they are just burying a +mother; a loved mother is about to be laid in the earth. All the +family, weeping, gather around the beloved form. You hear the +mournful cries; you see the bitter tears. The father is being borne +away to his last resting place. There is wailing going up all over +the camp. Tears are pouring down for thousands who have passed away; +thousands more are dying; and the plague is raging from one end of +the camp to the other. + +I see in one tent an Israelitish mother bending over the form of a +beloved boy just coming into the bloom of life, just budding into +manhood. She is wiping away the sweat of death that is gathering upon +his brow. Yet a little while, and his eyes are fixed and glassy, for +life is ebbing fast away. The mother's heart-strings are torn and +bleeding. All at once she hears a noise in the camp. A great shout +goes up. What does it mean? She goes to the door of the tent. "What +is the noise in the camp?" she asks those passing by. And some one +says: "Why, my good woman, have you not heard the good news that has +come into the camp?" "No," says the woman, "Good news! What is it?" +"Why, have you not heard about it? God has provided a remedy." "What! +for the bitten Israelites? Oh, tell me what the remedy is!" "Why, God +has instructed Moses to make a brazen serpent, and to put it on a +pole in the middle of the camp; and He has declared that whosoever +looks upon it shall live. The shout that you hear is the shout of the +people when they see the serpent lifted up." The mother goes back +into the tent, and she says: "My boy, I have good news to tell you. +You need not die! My boy, my boy, I have come with good tidings; you +can live!" He is already getting stupefied; he is so weak he cannot +walk to the door of the tent. She puts her strong arms under him and +lifts him up. "Look yonder; look right there under the hill!" But the +boy does not see anything; he says--"I do not see anything; what is +it, mother?" And she says: "Keep looking, and you will see it." At +last he catches a glimpse of the glistening serpent; and lo, he is +well! And thus it is with many a young convert. Some men say, "Oh, we +do not believe in sudden conversions." How long did it take to cure +that boy? How long did it take to cure those serpent-bitten +Israelites? It was just a look; and they were well. + +That Hebrew boy is a young convert. I can fancy that I see him now +calling on all those who were with him to praise God. He sees another +young man bitten as he was; and he runs up to him and tells him, +"You, need not die." "Oh," the young man replies, "I cannot live; it +is not possible. There is not a physician in Israel who can cure me." +He does not know that he need not die. "Why, have you not heard the +news? God has provided a remedy." "What remedy?" "Why, God has told +Moses to lift up a brazen serpent, and has said that none of those +who look upon that serpent shall die." I can just imagine the young +man. He may be what you call an intellectual young man. He says to +the young convert "You do not think I am going to believe anything +like that? If the physicians in Israel cannot cure me, how do you +think that an old brass serpent on a pole is going to cure me?" "Why, +sir, I was as bad as yourself!" "You do not say so!" "Yes, I do." +"That is the most astonishing thing I ever heard," says the young +man: "I wish you would explain the philosophy of it." "I cannot. I +only know that I looked at that serpent, and I was cured: that did +it. I just looked; that is all. My mother told me the reports that +were being heard through the camp; and I just believed what my mother +said, and I am perfectly well." "Well, I do not believe you were +bitten as badly as I have been." The young man pulls up his sleeve. +"Look there! That mark shows where I was bitten; and I tell you I was +worse than you are." "Well, if I understood the philosophy of it I +would look and get well." "Let your philosophy go: _look and live_." +"But, sir, you ask me to do an unreasonable thing. If God had said, +Take the brass and rub it into the wound, there might be something in +the brass that would cure the bite. Young man, explain the philosophy +of it." I have often seen people before me who have talked in that +way. But the young man calls in another, and takes him into the tent, +and says: "Just tell him how the Lord saved you;" and he tells just +the same story; and he calls in others, and they all say the same +thing. + +The young man says it is a very strange thing. "If the Lord had told +Moses to go and get some herbs, or roots, and stew them, and take the +decoction as a medicine, there would be something in that. But it is +so contrary to nature to do such a thing as look at the serpent, that +I cannot do it." At length his mother, who has been out in the camp, +comes in, and she says, "My boy, I have just the best news in the +world for you. I was in the camp, and I saw hundreds who were very +far gone, and they are all perfectly well now." The young man says: +"I should like to get well; it is a very painful thought to die; I +want to go into the promised land, and it is terrible to die here in +this wilderness; but the fact is--I do not understand the remedy. It +does not appeal to my reason. I cannot believe that I can get well in +a moment." And the young man dies in consequence of his own unbelief. + +God provided a remedy for this bitten Israelite--"Look and live!" And +there is eternal life for every poor sinner, Look, and you can be +saved, my reader, this very hour. God has provided a remedy; and it +is offered to all. The trouble is, a great many people are looking at +the pole. Do not look at the pole; that is the church. You need not +look at the church; the church is all right, but the church cannot +save you. Look beyond the pole. Look at the Crucified One. Look to +Calvary. Bear in mind, sinner, that Jesus died for all. You need not +look at ministers; they are just God's chosen instruments to hold up +the Remedy, to hold up Christ. And so, my friends, take your eyes off +from men; take your eyes off from the church. Lift them up to Jesus; +who took away the sin of the world, and there will be life for you +from this hour. + +Thank God, we do not require an education to teach us how to look. +That little girl, that little boy, only four years old, who cannot +read, can look. When the father is coming home, the mother says to +her little boy, "Look! look! look!" and the little child learns to +look long before he is a year old. And that is the way to be saved. +It is to look at the Lamb of God "who taketh away the sin of the +world;" and there is life this moment for every one who is willing to +look. + +Some men say, "I wish I knew how to be saved." Just take God at His +word and trust His Son this very day--this very hour--this very +moment. He will save you, if you will trust Him. I imagine I hear +some one saying, "I do not feel the bite as much as I wish I did. I +know I am a sinner, and all that; but I do not feel the bite enough." +How much does God want you to feel it? + +When I was in Belfast I knew a doctor who had a friend, a leading +surgeon there; and he told me that the surgeon's custom was, before +performing any operation, to say to the patient, "Take a good look at +the wound, and then fix your eyes on me; and do not take them off +till I get through." I thought at the time that was a good +illustration. Sinner, take a good look at your wound; and then fix +your eyes on Christ, and do not take them off. It is better to look +at the Remedy than at the wound. See what a poor wretched sinner you +are; and then look at the Lamb of God who "taketh away the sin of the +world." He died for the ungodly and the sinner. Say "I will take +Him!" And may God help you to lift your eye to the Man on Calvary. +And as the Israelites looked upon the serpent and were healed, so may +you look and live. + +After the battle of Pittsburgh Landing I was in a hospital at +Murfreesbro. In the middle of the night I was aroused and told that a +man in one of the wards wanted to see me. I went to him and he called +me "chaplain"--I was not the chaplain--and said he wanted me to help +him die. And I said, "I would take you right up in my arms and carry +you into the kingdom of God if I could; but I cannot do it: I cannot +help you die!" And he said, "Who can?" I said, "The Lord Jesus Christ +can--He came for that purpose." He shook his head, and said, "He +cannot save me; I have sinned all my life." And I said, "But He came +to save sinners." I thought of his mother in the north, and I was +sure that she was anxious that he should die in peace; so I resolved +I would stay with him. I prayed two or three times, and repeated all +the promises I could; for it was evident that in a few hours he would +be gone. I said I wanted to read him a conversation that Christ had +with a man who was anxious about his soul. I turned to the third +chapter of John. His eyes were riveted on me; and when I came to the +14th and 15th verses--the passage before us--he caught up the words, +"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the +Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not +perish, but have eternal life." He stopped me and said, "Is that +there?" I said "Yes." He asked me to read it again; and I did so. He +leant his elbows on the cot and clasping his hands together, said, +"That's good; won't you read it again?" I read it the third time; and +then went on with the rest of the chapter. When I had finished, his +eyes were closed, his hands were folded, and there was a smile on his +face. Oh, how it was lit up! What change had come over it! I saw his +lips quivering, and leaning over him I heard in a faint whisper, "As +Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son +of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not +perish, but have eternal life." He opened his eyes and said, "That's +enough; don't read any more." He lingered a few hours, pillowing his +head on those two verses; and then went up in one of Christ's +chariots, to take his seat in the kingdom of God. + +Christ said to Nicodemus: "Except a man be born again, he cannot see +the kingdom of God." You may see many countries; but there is one +country--the land of Beulah, which John Bunyan saw in vision--you +shall never behold, unless you are born again--regenerated by Christ. +You can look abroad and see many beautiful trees; but the tree of +life, you shall never behold, unless your eyes are made clear by +faith in the Saviour. You may see the beautiful rivers of the earth--you +may ride upon their bosoms; but bear in mind that your eye will +never rest upon the river which bursts out from the Throne of God and +flows through the upper Kingdom, unless you are born again. God has +said it; and not man. You will never see the kingdom of God except +you are born again. You may see the kings and lords of the earth; but +the King of kings and Lord of lords you will never see except you are +born again. When you are in London you may go to the Tower and see +the crown of England, which is worth thousands of dollars, and is +guarded there by soldiers; but bear in mind that your eye will never +rest upon the crown of life except you are born again. + +You may hear the songs of Zion which are sung here; but one song--that +of Moses and the Lamb--the uncircumcised ear shall never hear; +its melody will only gladden the ear of those who have been born +again. You may look upon the beautiful mansions of earth, but bear in +mind the mansions which Christ has gone to prepare you shall never +see unless you are born again. It is God who says it. You may see ten +thousand beautiful things in this world; but the city that Abraham +caught a glimpse of--and from that time became a pilgrim and +sojourner--you shall never see unless you are born again (Heb. xi. 8, +10-16). You may often be invited to marriage feasts here; but you +will never attend the marriage supper of the Lamb except you are born +again. It is God who says it, dear friend. You may be looking on the +face of your sainted mother to-night, and feel that she is praying +for you; but the time will come when you shall never see her more +unless you are born again. + +The reader may be a young man or a young lady who has recently stood +by the bedside of a dying mother; and she may have said, "Be sure and +meet me in heaven," and you made the promise. Ah! you shall never see +her more, except you are born again. I believe Jesus of Nazareth, +sooner than those infidels who say you do not need to be born again. +Parents, if you hope to see your children who have gone before, you +must be born of the Spirit. Possibly you are a father or a mother who +has recently borne a loved one to the grave; and how dark your home +seems! Never more will you see your child, unless you are born again. +If you wish to be re-united to your loved one, you must be born +again. I may be addressing a father or a mother who has a loved one +up yonder. If you could hear that loved one's voice, it would say, +"Come this way." Have you a sainted friend up yonder? Young man or +young lady, have you not a mother in the world of light? If you could +hear her speak, would not she say, "Come this way, my son,"--"Come +this way, my daughter?" If you would ever see her more you must be +born again. + +We all have an Elder Brother there. Nearly nineteen hundred years ago +He crossed over, and from the heavenly shores He is calling you to +heaven. Let us turn our backs upon the world. Let us give a deaf ear +to the world. Let us look to Jesus on the Cross and be saved. Then we +shall one day see the King in His beauty, and we shall go no more +out. + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +_THE TWO CLASSES_. + + +"Two men went up into the temple to pray."--Luke xvii. 10. + + +I now want to speak of two classes: First, those who do not feel +their need of a Saviour who have not been convinced of sin by the +Spirit; and Second, those who are convinced of sin and cry, "What +must I do to be saved?" + +All inquirers can be ranged under two heads: they have either the +spirit of the Pharisee, or the spirit of the publican. If a man +having the spirit of the Pharisee comes into an after-meeting, I know +of no better portion of Scripture to meet his case than Romans iii. +10: "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is +none that understandeth; there is none that seeketh after God." Paul +is here speaking of the natural man. "They are all gone out of the +way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth +good, no, not one." And in the 17th verse and those which follow, we +have "And the way of peace have they not known; there is no fear of +God before their eyes. Now we know what things soever the law saith, +it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be +stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." + +Then observe the last clause of verse 22: "For there is no +difference; for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." +Not part of the human family--but _all_--"have sinned, and come short +of the glory of God." Another verse which has been very much used to +convict men of their sin is 1 John i. 8: "If we say that we have no +sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." + +I remember that on one occasion we were holding meetings in an +eastern city of forty thousand inhabitants; and a lady came and asked +us to pray for her husband, whom she purposed bringing into the after +meeting. I have traveled a good deal and met many pharisaical men; +but this man was so clad in self-righteousness that you could not get +the point of the needle of conviction in anywhere. I said to his +wife: "I am glad to see your faith; but we cannot get near him; he is +the most self-righteous man I ever saw." She said: "You must! My +heart will break if these meetings end without his conversion." She +persisted in bringing him; and I got almost tired of the sight of +him. + +But towards the close of our meetings of thirty days, he came up to +me and put his trembling hand on my shoulder. The place in which the +meetings were held was rather cold, and there was an adjoining room +in which only the gas had been lighted; and he said to me, "Can't you +come in here for a few minutes?" I thought that he was shaking from +cold, and I did not particularly wish to go where it was colder. But +he said: "I am the worst man in the State of Vermont. I want you to +pray for me." I thought he had committed a murder, or some other +awful crime; and I asked: "Is there any one sin that particularly +troubles you?" And he said: "My whole life has been a sin. I have +been a conceited, self-righteous Pharisee. I want you to pray for +me." He was under deep conviction. Man could not have produced this +result; but the Spirit had. About two o'clock in the morning light +broke in upon his soul: and he went up and down the business street +of the city and told what God had done for him; and has been a most +active Christian ever since. + +There are four other passages in dealing with inquirers, which were +used by Christ Himself. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a +man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John iii. 3.) + +In Luke xiii. 3, we read: "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise +perish." + +In Matthew xviii., when the disciples came to Jesus to know who was +to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, we are told that He took +a little child and set him in the midst and said, "Verily I say unto +you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall +not enter the kingdom of heaven" (xviii. 1-3). + +There is another important "Except" in Matthew v. 20: "Except your +righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and +Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven." + +A man must be made meet before he will want to go into the kingdom of +God. I would rather go into the kingdom with the younger brother than +stay outside with the elder. Heaven would be hell to such an one. An +elder brother who could not rejoice at his younger brother's return +would not be "fit" for the kingdom of God. It is a solemn thing to +contemplate; but the curtain drops and leaves him outside, and the +younger brother within. To him the language of the Saviour under +other circumstances seems appropriate: "Verily I say unto you, That +the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you" +(Matt. xxi. 31). + +A lady once came to me and wanted a favor for her daughter. She said: +"You must remember I do not sympathize with you in your doctrine." I +asked: "What is your trouble?" She said: "I think your abuse of the +elder brother is horrible. I think he is a noble character." I said +that I was willing to hear her defend him; but that it was a solemn +thing to take up such a position; and that the elder brother needed +to be converted as much as the younger. When people talk of being +moral it is well to get them to take a good look at the old man +pleading with his boy who would not go in. + +But we will pass on now to the other class with which we have to +deal. It is composed of those who are convinced of sin and from whom +the cry comes as from the Philippian jailer, "What must I do to be +saved?" To those who utter this penitential cry there is no necessity +to administer the law. It is well to bring them straight to the +Scripture: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be +saved." (Acts xvi. 31). Many will meet you with a scowl and say, "I +don't know what it is to believe;" and though it is the law of heaven +that they must believe, in order to be saved--yet they ask for +something besides that. We are to tell them what, and where, and how, +to believe. + +In John iii. 35 and 36 we read: "The Father loveth the Son, and hath +given all things into His hand. He that believeth on the Son hath +everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see +life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." + +Now this looks reasonable. Man lost life by unbelief--by not +believing God's word; and we got life back again by believing--by +taking God at His word. In other words we get up where Adam fell +down. He stumbled and fell over the stone of unbelief; and we are +lifted up and stand upright by believing. When people say they cannot +believe, show them chapter and verse, and hold them right to this one +thing: "Has God ever broken His promise for these six thousand +years?" The devil and men have been trying all the time and have not +succeeded in showing that He has broken a single promise; and there +would be a jubilee in hell to-day if one word that He has spoken +could be broken. If a man says that he cannot believe it is well to +press him on that one thing. + +I can believe God better to-day than I can my own heart. "The heart +is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know +it?" (Jer. xxii. 9). I can believe God better than I can myself. If +you want to know the way of Life, believe that Jesus Christ is a +personal Saviour; cut away from all doctrines and creeds, and come +right to the heart of the Son of God. If you have been feeding on dry +doctrine there is not much growth on that kind of food. Doctrines are +to the soul what the streets which lead to the house of a friend who +has invited me to dinner are to the body. They will lead me there if +I take the right one; but if I remain in the streets my hunger will +never be satisfied. Feeding on doctrines is like trying to live on +dry husks; and lean indeed must the soul remain which partakes not of +the Bread sent down from heaven. + +Some ask: "How am I to get my heart warmed?" It is by believing. You +do not get power to love and serve God until you believe. + +The apostle John says "If we receive the witness of men, the witness +of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which He hath +testified of His Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the +witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; +because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son. And +this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this +life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath +not the Son of God hath not life" (1 John v. 9). + +Human affairs would come to a standstill if we did not take the +testimony of men. How should we get on in the ordinary intercourse of +life, and how would commerce get on, if we disregarded men's +testimony? Things social and commercial would come to a dead-lock +within forty-eight hours! This is the drift of the apostle's argument +here. "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is +greater." God has borne witness to Jesus Christ. And if man can +believe his fellow men who are frequently telling untruths and whom +we are constantly finding unfaithful, why should we not take God at +His word and believe His testimony? + +Faith is a belief in testimony. It is not a leap in the dark, as some +tell us. That would be no faith at all. God does not ask any man to +believe without giving him something to believe. You might as well +ask a man to see without eyes; to hear without ears; and to walk +without feet--as to bid him believe without giving him something to +believe. + +When I started for California I procured a guide-book. This told me, +that after leaving the State of Illinois, I should cross the +Mississippi, and then the Missouri; get into Nebraska; then over the +Rocky Mountains to the Mormon settlement at Salt Lake City, and by +the way of the Sierra Nevada into San Francisco. I found the guide +book all right as I went along; and I should have been a miserable +sceptic if, having proved it to be correct three-fourths of the way, +I had said that I would not believe it for the remainder of the +journey. + +Suppose a man, in directing me to the Post Office, gives me ten +landmarks; and that, in my progress there, I find nine of them to be +as he told me; I should have good reason to believe that I was coming +to the Post Office. + +And if, by believing, I get a new life, and a hope, a peace, a joy, +and a rest to my soul, that I never had before; if I get self-control, +and find that I have a power to resist evil and to do good, +I have pretty good proof that I am in the right road to the "city +which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." And if +things have taken place, and are now taking place, as recorded in +God's Word, I have good reason to conclude that what yet remains will +be fulfilled. And yet people talk of doubting. There can be no true +faith where there is fear. Faith is to take God at His word, +unconditionally. There cannot be true peace where there is fear. +"Perfect love casteth out fear." How wretched a wife would be if she +doubted her husband! and how miserable a mother would feel if after +her boy had gone away from home she had reason, from his neglect, to +question that son's devotion! True love never has a doubt. + +There are three things indispensable to faith--knowledge, assent, and +appropriation. + +We must know God. "And this is life eternal, that they might _know_ +Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent" (John +xvii. 3). Then we must not only give our assent to what we know; but +we must lay hold of the truth. If a man simply give his assent to the +plan of salvation, it will not save him: he must accept Christ as his +Saviour. He must receive and appropriate Him. + +Some say they cannot tell how a man's life can be affected by his +belief. But let some one cry out that some building in which we +happen to be sitting, is on fire; and see how soon we should act on +our belief and get out. We are all the time influenced by what we +believe. We cannot help it. And let a man believe the record that God +has given of Christ, and it will very quickly affect his whole life. + +Take John v. 24. There is enough truth in that one verse for every +soul to rest upon for salvation. It does not admit the shadow of a +doubt. "Verily, verily"--which means truly, truly--"I say unto you, +He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, +hath--_hath_--everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; +but is passed from death unto life." + +Now if a person really hears the word of Jesus and believes with the +heart on God who sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world, and +lays hold of and appropriates this great salvation, there is no fear +of judgment. He will not be looking forward with dread to the Great +White Throne; for we read in 1 John iv. 17: "Herein is our love made +perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as +He is, so are we in this world." + +If we believe, there is for us no condemnation, no judgment. That is +behind us, and passed; and we shall have boldness in the day of +judgment. + +I remember reading of a man who was on trial for his life. He had +friends with influence; and they procured a pardon for him from the +king on condition that he was to go through the trial, and be +condemned. He went into court with the pardon in his pocket. The +feeling ran very high against him, and the judge said that the court +was shocked that he was so much unconcerned. But, when the sentence +was pronounced, he pulled out the pardon, presented it, and walked +out a free man. He has been pardoned; and so have we. Then let death +come, we have nought to fear. All the grave-diggers in the world +cannot dig a grave large enough and deep enough to hold eternal life; +all the coffin makers in the world cannot make a coffin large enough +and tight enough to hold eternal life. Death has had his hand on +Christ once, but never again. + +Jesus said: "I am the Resurrection, and the Life: he that believeth +in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth +and believeth in Me shall never die" (John xi. 25, 26). And in the +Apocalypse we read that the risen Saviour said to John, "I am He that +liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore" (Rev i. +18). Death cannot touch Him again. + +We get life by believing. In fact we get more than Adam lost; for the +redeemed child of God is heir to a richer and more glorious +inheritance than Adam in Paradise could ever have conceived; yea, and +that inheritance endures forever--it is inalienable. + +I would much rather have my life hid with Christ in God than have +lived in Paradise; for Adam might have sinned and fallen after being +there ten thousand years. But the believer is safer, if these things +become real to him. Let us make them a fact, and not a fiction. God +has said it; and that is enough. Let us trust Him even where we +cannot trace Him. Let the same confidence animate us that was in +little Maggie as related in the following simple but touching +incident which I read in the _Bible Treasury_:-- + +"I had been absent from home for some days, and was wondering, as I +again draw near the homestead, if my little Maggie, just able to sit +alone, would remember me. To test her memory, I stationed myself +where I could see her, but could not be seen by her, and called her +name in the familiar tone, 'Maggie!' She dropped her playthings, +glanced around the room, and then looked down upon her toys. Again I +repeated her name, 'Maggie!' when she once more surveyed the room; +but, not seeing her _father's_ face, she looked very sad, and slowly +resumed her employment. Once more I called, 'Maggie!' when, dropping +her playthings, and bursting into tears, she stretched out her arms +in the direction whence the sound proceeded, knowing that, though she +could not see him, her father _must be there_, for she knew his +voice." + +Now, we have power to see and to hear, and we have power to believe. +It is all folly for the inquirers to take the ground that they cannot +believe. They can, if they will. But the trouble with most people is +that they have connected feeling with believing. Now Feeling has +nothing whatever to do with Believing. The Bible does not say--He +that feeleth, or he that feeleth and believeth, hath everlasting +life. Nothing of the kind. I cannot control my feelings. If I could, +I should never feel ill, or have a headache or toothache. I should be +well all the while. But I can believe God; and if we get our feet on +that rock, let doubts and fears come and the waves surge around us, +the anchor will hold. + +Some people are all the time looking at their faith. Faith is the +hand that takes the blessing. I heard this illustration of a beggar. +Suppose you were to meet a man in the street whom you had known for +years as being accustomed to beg; and you offered him some money, and +he were to say to you: "I thank you; I don't want your money: I am +not a beggar." "How is that?" "Last night a man put a thousand +dollars into my hands." "He did! How did you know it was good money?" +"I took it to the bank and deposited it and have got a bank book." +"How did you get this gift?" "I asked for alms; and after the +gentleman talked with me he took out a thousand dollars in money and +put it in my hand." "How do you know that he put it in the right +hand?" "What do I care about which hand; so that I have got the +money." Many people are always thinking whether the faith by which +they lay hold of Christ is the right kind--but what is far more +essential is to see that we have the right kind of Christ. + +Faith is the eye of the soul; and who would ever think of taking out +an eye to see if it were the right kind so long as the sight was +perfect? It is not my taste, but it is what I taste, that satisfies +my appetite. So, dear friends, it is taking God at His Word that is +the means of our salvation. The truth cannot be made too simple. + +There is a man living in the city of New York who has a home on the +Hudson River. His daughter and her family went to spend the winter +with him: and in the course of the season the scarlet fever broke +out. One little girl was put in quarantine, to be kept separate from +the rest. Every morning the old grandfather used to go and bid his +grandchild, "Goodbye," before going to his business. On one of these +occasions the little thing took the old man by the hand, and, leading +him to a corner of the room, without saying a word she pointed to the +floor where she had arranged some small crackers so they would spell +out, "Grandpa, I want a box of paints." He said nothing. On his +return home he hung up his overcoat and went to the room as usual: +when his little grandchild, without looking to see if her wish had +been complied with, took him into the same corner, where he saw +spelled out in the same way, "Grandpa, I thank you for the box of +paints." The old man would not have missed gratifying the child for +anything. That was faith. + +Faith is taking God at His Word; and those people who want some token +are always getting into trouble. We want to come to this: God says +it--let us believe it. + +But some say, Faith is the gift of God. So is the air; but you have +to breathe it. So is bread; but you have to eat it. So is water; but +you have to drink it. Some are wanting a miraculous kind of feeling. +That is not faith. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word +of God" (Rom. x. 17). That is whence faith comes. It is not for me to +sit down and wait for faith to come stealing over me with a strange +sensation; but it is for me to take God at His Word. And you cannot +believe, unless you have something to believe. So take the Word as it +is written, and appropriate it, and lay hold of it. + +In John vi. 47, 48 we read: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that +believeth on Me hath everlasting life. I am that Bread of life." +There is the bread right at hand. Partake of it. I might have +thousands of loaves within my home, and as many hungry men in +waiting. They might assent to the fact that the bread was there; but +unless they each took a loaf and commenced eating, their hunger would +not be satisfied. So Christ is the Bread of heaven; and as the body +feeds on natural food, so the soul must feed on Christ. + +If a drowning man sees a rope thrown out to rescue him he must lay +hold of it; and in order to do so he must let go everything else. If +a man is sick he must take the medicine--for simply looking at it +will not cure him. A knowledge of Christ will not help the inquirer, +unless he believes in Him, and takes hold of Him, as his only hope. +The bitten Israelites might have believed that the serpent was lifted +up; but unless they had looked they would not have lived (Num. xxi. +6-9). + +I believe that a certain line of steamers will convey me across the +ocean, because I have tried it: but this will not help another man +who may want to go, unless he acts upon my knowledge. So a knowledge +of Christ does not help us unless we act upon it. That is what it is +to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is to act on what we believe. +As a man steps on board a steamer to cross the Atlantic, so we must +take Christ and make a commitment of our souls to Him; and He has +promised to keep all who put their trust in Him. To believe on the +Lord Jesus Christ, is simply to take Him at His word. + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +_WORDS OF COUNSEL_. + + +"A bruised reed shall He not break."--Isaiah xlii. 3; Matt. xii. 20. + + +It is dangerous for those who are seeking salvation to lean upon the +experience of other people. Many are waiting for a repetition of the +experience of their grandfather or grandmother. I had a friend who +was converted in a field; and he thinks the whole town ought to go +down into that meadow and be converted. Another was converted under a +bridge; and he thinks that if any enquirer were to go there he would +find the Lord. The best thing for the anxious is to go right to the +Word of God. If there are any persons in the world to whom the Word +ought to be very precious it is those who are asking how to be saved. + +For instance a man may say, "I have no strength." Let him turn to +Romans v. 6. "For when we were yet without strength, in due time +Christ died for the ungodly." It is because we have no strength that +we need Christ. He has come to give strength to the weak. + +Another may say, "I cannot see." Christ says, "I am the Light of the +world" (John viii. 12). He came, not only to give light, but "to open +the blind eyes" (Isa. xlii. 7). + +Another may say, "I do not think a man can be saved all at once." A +person holding that view was in the Enquiry-room one night; and I +drew his attention to Romans vi. 23. "The wages of sin is death; but +the _gift_ of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." How +long does it take to accept a gift? There must be a moment when you +have it not, and another when you have it--a moment when it is +another's, and the next when it is yours. It does not take six months +to get eternal life. It may however in some cases be like the mustard +seed, very small at the commencement. Some people are converted so +gradually that, like the morning light, it is impossible to tell when +the dawn began; while, with others, it is like the flashing of a +meteor, and the truth bursts upon them suddenly. + +I would not go across the street to prove when I was converted; but +what is important is for me to know that I really have been. + +It may be that a child has been so carefully trained that it is +impossible to tell when the new birth began; but there must have been +a moment when the change took place, and when he became a partaker of +the Divine nature. + +Some people do not believe in sudden conversion. But I will challenge +any one to show a conversion in the New Testament that was not +instantaneous. "As Jesus passed by He saw Levi, the son of Alpheus, +sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, 'Follow Me': and +he arose and followed Him" (Matt. ix. 9). Nothing could be more +sudden than that. + +Zaccheus, the publican, sought to see Jesus; and because he was +little of stature he climbed up a tree. When Jesus came to the place +He looked up and saw him, and said, "Zaccheus, make haste, and come +down" (Luke xix. 5). His conversion must have taken place somewhere +between the branch and the ground. We are told that he received Jesus +joyfully, and said, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the +poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, +I restore him fourfold" (Luke xix. 8). Very few in these days could +say that in proof of their conversion. + +The whole house of Cornelius was converted suddenly; for so Peter +preached Christ to him and his company the Holy Ghost fell on them, +and they were baptized. (Acts x.) + +On the day of Pentecost three thousand gladly received the Word. They +were not only converted, but they were baptized the same day. (Acts +ii.) + +And when Philip talked to the eunuch, as they went on their way, the +eunuch said to Philip, "See, here is water: what doth hinder me to be +baptized?" Nothing hindered. And Philip said, "If thou believest with +all thine heart, thou mayest." And they both went down into the +water; and the man of great authority under Candace, the queen of the +Ethiopians, was baptized, and went on his way rejoicing. (Acts viii. +26-38.) You will find all through Scripture that conversions were +sudden and instantaneous. + +A man has been in the habit of stealing money from his employer. +Suppose he has taken $1,000 in twelve months; should we tell him to +take $500 the next year, and less the next year, and the next, until +in five years the sum taken would be only $50? That would be upon the +same principle as gradual conversion. + +If such a person were brought before the court and pardoned, because +he could not change his mode of life all at once, it would be +considered a very strange proceeding. + +But the Bible says, "Let him that stole steal no more" (Eph. iv. 28). +It is "right about face!" Suppose a person is in the habit of cursing +one hundred times a day: should we advise him not to utter more than +ninety oaths the following day, and eighty the next day; so that in +the course of time he would get rid of the habit? The Saviour says, +"Swear not at all." (Matt. v. 34.) + +Suppose another man is in the habit of getting drunk and beating his +wife twice a month; if he only did so once a month, and then only +once in six months, that would be, upon the same ground, as +reasonable as gradual conversion. Suppose Ananias had been sent to +Paul, when he was on his way to Damascus breathing out threatenings +and slaughter against the disciples, and casting them into prison, to +tell him not to kill so many as he intended; and to let enmity die +out of his heart gradually, but not all at once. Suppose he had been +told that it would not do to stop breathing out threatenings and +slaughter, and to commence preaching Christ all at once, because the +philosophers would say that the change was so sudden it would not +hold out; this would be the same kind of reasoning as is used by +those who do not believe in instantaneous conversion. + +Then another class say that they are afraid that they will not hold +out. This is a numerous and very hopeful class. I like to see a man +distrust himself. It is a good thing to get such to look to God, and +to remember that it is not he who holds God, but that it is God who +holds him. Some want to get hold of Christ; but the thing is to get +Christ to take hold of you in answer to prayer. Let such read Psalm +cxxi.; "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh +my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. +He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will +not slumber. Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor +sleep. The Lord is thy keeper; the Lord is thy shade upon thy right +hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The +Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul. +The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in, from this +time forth, and even for evermore." + +Some one calls that the traveler's psalm. It is a beautiful psalm for +those of us who are pilgrims through this world; and one with which +we should be well acquainted. + +God can do what He has done before. He kept Joseph in Egypt; Moses +before Pharaoh; Daniel in Babylon; and enabled Elijah to stand before +Ahab in that dark day. And I am so thankful that these I have +mentioned were men of like passions with ourselves. It was God who +made them so great. What man wants is to look to God. Real true faith +is man's weakness leaning on God's strength. When man has no +strength, if he leans on God he becomes powerful. The trouble is that +we have too much strength and confidence in ourselves. + +Again in Hebrews vi. 17, 18: "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to +show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, +confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things, in which it was +impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who +have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which +hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and +which entereth into that within the vail; whither the Forerunner is +for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the +order of Melchisedec." + +Now these are precious verses to those who are afraid of falling, who +fear that they will not hold out. It is God's work to hold. It is the +Shepherd's business to keep the sheep. Who ever heard of the sheep +going to bring back the shepherd? People have an idea that they have +to keep themselves and Christ too. It is a false idea. It is the work +of the Shepherd to look after them, and to take care of those who +trust Him. And He has promised to do it. I once heard that when a sea +captain was dying he said, "Glory to God; the anchor holds." He +trusted in Christ. His anchor had taken hold of the solid rock. An +Irishman said, on one occasion, that "he trembled; but the Rock never +did." We want to get sure footing. + +In 2 Timothy i. 12 Paul says: "I know whom I have believed, and am +persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto +Him against that day." That was Paul's persuasion. + +During the late war of the rebellion, one of the chaplains, going +through the hospitals, came to a man who was dying. Finding that he +was a Christian, he asked to what persuasion he belonged, and was +told "Paul's persuasion." "Is he a Methodist?" he asked; for the +Methodists all claim Paul. "No." "Is he a Presbyterian?" for the +Presbyterians lay special claim to Paul. "No," was the answer. "Does +he belong to the Episcopal Church?" for all the Episcopalian brethren +contend that they have a claim to the Chief Apostle. "No," he was not +an Episcopalian. "Then, to what persuasion does he belong?" "I am +persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto +Him against that day." It is a grand persuasion; and it gave the +dying soldier rest in a dying hour. + +Let those who fear that they will not hold out turn to the 24th verse +of the Epistle of Jude: "Now unto Him that is able to keep you from +falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His +glory with exceeding joy." + +Then look at Isaiah xli. 10: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be +not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will +help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My +righteousness." + +Then see verse 13: "For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, +saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." + +Now if God has got hold of my right hand in His, cannot He hold me +and keep me? Has not God the power to keep? The great God who made +heaven and earth can keep a poor sinner like you and like me if we +trust Him. To refrain from feeling confidence in God for fear of +falling--would be like a man who refused a pardon, for fear that he +should get into prison again; or a drowning man who refused to be +rescued, for fear of falling into the water again. + +Many men look forth at the Christian life, and fear that they will +not have sufficient strength to hold out to the end. They forget the +promise that "as thy days, thy strength" (Deut. xxxiii. 25). It +reminds me of the pendulum to the clock which grew disheartened at +the thought of having to travel so many thousands of miles; but when +it reflected that the distance was to be accomplished by "tick, tick, +tick," it took fresh courage to go its daily journey. So it is the +special privilege of the Christian to commit himself to the keeping +of his heavenly Father and to trust Him day by day. It is a +comforting thing to know that the Lord will not begin the good work +without also finishing it. + +There are two kinds of sceptics--one class with honest difficulties; +and another class who delight only in discussion. I used to think +that this latter class would always be a thorn in my flesh; but they +do not prick me now. I expect to find them right along the journey. +Men of this stamp used to hang around Christ to entangle Him in His +talk. They come into our meetings to hold a discussion. To all such I +would commend Paul's advice to Timothy: "But foolish and unlearned +questions avoid; knowing that they do gender strifes." (2 Tim. ii. +23.) Unlearned questions: Many young converts make a woful mistake. +They think they are to defend the whole Bible. I knew very little of +the Bible when I was first converted; and I thought that I had to +defend it from beginning to end against all comers; but a Boston +infidel got hold of me, floored all my arguments at once, and +discouraged me. But I have got over that now. There are many things +in the Word of God that I do not profess to understand. + +When I am asked what I do with them. I say, "I don't do anything." + +"How do you explain them?" "I don't explain them." + +"What do you do with them?" "Why, I believe them." + +And when I am told, "I would not believe anything that I do not +understand," I simply reply that I do. + +There are many things which were dark and mysterious five years ago, +on which I have since had a flood of light; and I expect to be +finding out something fresh about God throughout eternity. I make a +point of not discussing disputed passages of Scripture. An old divine +has said that some people, if they want to eat fish, commence by +picking the bones. I leave such things till I have light on them. I +am not bound to explain what I do not comprehend. "The secret things +belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed +belong unto us, and to our children, for ever" (Deut. xxii. 29); and +these I take, and eat, and feed upon, in order to get spiritual +strength. + +Than there is a little sound advice in Titus iii. 9. "But avoid +foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings +about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain." + +But now here comes an honest sceptic. With him I would deal as +tenderly as a mother with her sick child. I have no sympathy with +those people who, because a man is sceptical, cast him off and will +have nothing to do with him. + +I was in an Inquiry-meeting, some time ago, and I handed over to a +Christian lady, whom I had known some time, one who was sceptical. On +looking round soon after I noticed the enquirer marching out of the +hall. I asked, "Why have you let her go?" "Oh, she is a sceptic!" was +the reply. I ran to the door and got her to stop, and introduced her +to another Christian worker who spent over an hour in conversation +and prayer with her. He visited her and her husband; and, in the +course of a week, that intelligent lady cast off her scepticism and +came out an active Christian. It took time, tact, and prayer; but if +a person of this class is honest we ought to deal with such an one as +the Master would have us. + +Here are a few passages for doubting enquirers: + +"If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether +it be of God, or whether I speak of myself" (John vii. 17). If a man +is not willing to do the will of God he will not know the doctrine. +There is no class of sceptics who are ignorant of the fact that God +desires them to give up sin; and if a man is willing to turn from sin +and take the light and thank Him for what He does give, and not +expect to have light on the whole Bible all at once, he will get more +light day by day; make progress step by step; and be led right out of +darkness into the clear light of heaven. + +In Daniel xii. 10 we are told: "Many shall be purified, and made +white, and tried: but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the +wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." + +Now God will never reveal His secrets to His enemies. Never! And if a +man persists in living in sin he will not know the doctrines of God. + +"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will show +them His covenant" (Ps. xxv. 14). + +And in John xv. 15 we read: "Henceforth I call you not servants; for +the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called you +friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made +known unto you." When you become friends of Christ you will know His +secrets. The Lord said, "Shall I hide from Abraham the things which I +do?" (Gen. xviii. 17). + +Now those who resemble God are the most likely to understand God. If +a man is not willing to turn from sin he will not know God's will, +nor will God reveal His secrets to him. But if a man is willing to +turn from sin he will be surprised to see how the light will come in! + +I remember one night when the Bible was the driest and darkest book +in the universe to me. The next day it became entirely different. I +thought I had the key to it. I had been born of the Spirit. But +before I knew anything of the mind of God I had to give up my sin. I +believe God meets every soul on the spot of self-surrender; and when +they are willing to let Him guide and lead. The trouble with many +sceptics is their self-conceit. They know more than the Almighty! and +they do not come in a teachable spirit. But the moment a man comes in +a receptive spirit he is blessed; for "If any of you lack wisdom, let +him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; +and it shall be given him" (James i. 5). + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +_A DIVINE SAVIOUR_. + + +"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." + +(Matthew xvi. 1; John vi. 69.) + + +We meet with a certain class of Enquirers who do not believe in the +Divinity of Christ. There are many passages that will give light on +this subject. + +In 1 Corinthians xv. 47, we are told: "The first man is of the earth +earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven." + +In 1 John v. 20: "We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given +us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true; and we are in +Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, +and eternal life." + +Again in John xvii. 3: "And this is life eternal, that they might +know Thee, the only true God; and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." + +And then, in Mark xiv. 60: "The high priest stood up in the midst, +and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest Thou nothing? What is it which +these witness against thee? But He held His peace, and answered +nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, and said unto Him, Art Thou +the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye +shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and +coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his +clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard +the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned Him to be guilty +of death." + +Now what brought me to believe in the Divinity of Christ was this: I +did not know where to place Christ, or what to do with Him, if He +were not divine. When I was a boy I thought that He was a good man +like Moses, Joseph, or Abraham. I even thought that He was the best +man who had ever lived on the earth. But I found that Christ had a +higher claim. He claimed to be God-Man, to be divine; to have come +from heaven. He said: "Before Abraham was I am" (John viii. 58). I +could not understand this; and I was driven to the conclusion--and I +challenge any candid man to deny the inference, or meet the +argument--that Jesus Christ is either an impostor or deceiver, or He +is the God-Man--God manifest in the flesh. And for these reasons. The +first commandment is, "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me" (Exod. +xx. 2). Look at the millions throughout Christendom who worship Jesus +Christ as God. If Christ be not God this is idolatry. We are all +guilty of breaking the first commandment if Jesus Christ were mere +man--if He were a created being, and not what He claims to be. + +Some people, who do not admit His divinity, say that He was the best +man who ever lived; but if He were not Divine, for that very reason +He ought not to be reckoned a good man, for He laid claim to an honor +and dignity to which these very people declare He had no right or +title. That would rank Him as a deceiver. + +Others say that He thought He was divine, but that He was deceived. +As if Jesus Christ were carried away by a delusion and deception, and +thought that He was more than He was! I could not conceive of a lower +idea of Jesus Christ than that. This would not only make Him out an +impostor; but that He was out of His mind, and that He did not know +who He was, or where He came from. Now if Jesus Christ was not what +He claimed to be, the Saviour of the world; and if He did not come +from heaven, He was a gross deceiver. + +But how can any one read the life of Jesus Christ and make Him out a +deceiver? A man has generally some motive for being an impostor. What +was Christ's motive? He knew that the course He was pursuing would +conduct Him to the cross; that His name would be cast out as vile; +and that many of His followers would be called upon to lay down their +lives for His sake. Nearly every one of the apostles were martyrs; +and they were considered as off-scouring and refuse in the midst of +the people. If a man is an impostor, he has a motive at the back of +his hypocrisy. But what was Christ's object? The record is that "He +went about doing good." This is not the work of an impostor. Do not +let the enemy of your soul deceive you. + +In John v. 21 we read: "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and +quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will. For the +Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: +that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He +that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which hath sent +Him." + +Now notice: by the Jewish law if a man were a blasphemer he was to be +put to death; and supposing Christ to be merely human if this be not +blasphemy I do not know where you will find it. "He that honoureth +not the Son, honoureth not the Father." That is downright blasphemy +if Christ be not divine. If Moses, or Elijah, or Elisha, or any other +mortal had said, "You must honour me as you honor God;" and had put +himself on a level with God, it would have been downright blasphemy. + +The Jews put Christ to death because they said that He was not what +He claimed to be. It was on that testimony He was put under oath. The +high priest said: "I adjure Thee by the living God, that Thou tell us +whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God" (Matt. xxvi. 63). And +when the Jews came round Him and said, "How long dost Thou make us to +doubt? If Thou be the Christ tell us plainly." Jesus said, "I and My +Father are one." Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. +(John x. 24-33.) They said they did not want to hear more, for that +was blasphemy. It was for declaring Himself to be the Son of God that +He was condemned and put to death. (Matt. xxvi. 63-66). + +Now if Jesus Christ were mere man the Jews did right, according to +their law, in putting Him to death. In Leviticus xxiv. 16, we read: +"And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put +to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well +the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the +name of the Lord, shall be put to death." + +This law obliged them to put to death every one who blasphemed. It +was making the statement that He was divine that cost Him His life; +and by the Mosaic law He ought to have suffered the death penalty. In +John xvi. 15, Christ says, "All things that the Father hath are Mine: +therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall show it unto +you." How could He be merely a good man and use language as that? + +No doubt has ever entered my mind on the point since I was converted. + +A notorious sinner was once asked how he could prove the divinity of +Christ. His answer was, "Why, He has saved me; and that is a pretty +good proof, is it not?" + +An infidel on one occasion said to me, "I have been studying the life +of John the Baptist, Mr. Moody. Why don't you preach him? He was a +greater character than Christ. You would do a greater work." I said +to him, "My friend, you preach John the Baptist; and I will follow +you and preach Christ: and we will see who will do the most good." +"You will do the most good," he said, "because the people are so +superstitious." Ah! John was beheaded; and his disciples begged his +body and buried it: but Christ has risen from the dead; He has +"ascended on high; He has led captivity captive; and received gifts +for men." (Ps. lxviii. 18.) + +Our Christ lives. Many people have not found out that Christ has +risen from the grave. They worship a dead Saviour, like Mary, who +said, "They have taken away my Lord; and I know not where they have +laid Him." (John xx. 13.) That is the trouble with those who doubt +the divinity of our Lord. + +Then look at Matthew xviii. 20. "Where two or three are gathered +together in My name, there am I in the midst of them." "There am I." +Well now, if He is a mere man, how can He be there? All these are +strong passages. + +Again in Matthew xxviii. 18. "And Jesus came and spake unto them, +saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth." Could He +be a mere man and talk in that way? "All power is given unto Me in +heaven and in earth!" + +Then again in Matthew xxviii. 20. "Teaching them to observe all +things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, +even unto the end of the world." If He were mere man, how could He be +with us? Yet He says, "I am with you away, even unto the end of the +world!" + +Then again in Mark ii. 7. "Why doth this Man thus speak blasphemies? +who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus +perceived in His Spirit that they reasoned within themselves, He said +unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it +easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee, or +to say, Arise and take up thy bed and walk?" + +Some men will meet you and say, "Did not Elisha also raise the dead?" +Notice that in the rare instances in which men have raised the dead, +they did it by the power of God. They called on God to do it. But +when Christ was on earth He did not call upon the Father to bring the +dead to life, When He went to the house of Jairus He said, "Damsel, I +say unto thee, Arise." (Mark v. 41.) + +He had power to impart life. When they were carrying the young man +out of Nain He had compassion on the widowed mother and came and +touched the bier and said, "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise." (Luke +vii. 14.) + +He spake; and the dead arose. + +And when He raised Lazarus He called with a loud voice, "Lazarus, +come forth!" (John xi. 43.) And Lazarus heard, and came forth. + +Some one has said, It was a good thing that Lazarus was mentioned by +name, or all the dead within the sound of Christ's voice would +immediately have risen. + +In John v. 25, Jesus says: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour +is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son +of God; and they that hear shall live." What blasphemy would this +have been, had He not been divine! The proof is overwhelming, if you +will but examine the Word of God. + +And then another thing--no good man except Jesus Christ has ever +allowed anybody to worship him. When this was done He never rebuked +the worshiper. In John ix. 38, we read that when the blind man was +found by Christ he said, "Lord, I believe. And he worshiped Him." The +Lord did not rebuke him. + +Then again, Revelation xxii. 6, runs thus: "And he said unto me, +These things are faithful and true; and the Lord God of the holy +prophets sent His angel to show unto His servants the things which +must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that +keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. And I John saw +these things and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell +down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these +things. Then saith He unto me, See thou do it not; for I am thy +fellow-servant and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which +keep the sayings of this book, _worship God_." + +We see here that even that angel would not allow John to worship him. +Even an angel from heaven! And if Gabriel came down here from the +presence of God it would be a sin to worship him, or any seraph, or +any cherub, or Michael, or any archangel. + +"Worship God!" And if Jesus Christ were not God manifest in the flesh +we are guilty of idolatry in worshiping Him. In Matthew xiv. 33, we +read: "Then they that were in the ship came and _worshiped_ Him, +saying, Of a truth Thou art the Son of God." He did not rebuke them. + +And in Matthew viii. 2, we also read: "And, behold, there came a +leper and _worshiped_ Him, saying, Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst +make me clean." + +In Matthew xv. 25: "Then came she, and _worshiped_ Him, saying, Lord, +help me!" + +There are many other passages; but I give these as sufficient in my +opinion to prove beyond any doubt the Divinity of our Lord. + +In the 14th chapter of Acts we are told the heathen at Lystra came +with garlands and would have done sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas +because they had cured an impotent man; but the evangelists rent +their clothes and told these Lystrans that they were but men, and not +to be worshipped; as if it were a great sin. And if Jesus Christ is a +mere man, we are all guilty of a great sin in worshipping Him. + +But if He is, as we believe, the only-begotten and well-beloved Son +of God, let us yield to His claims upon us; let us rest on His +all-atoning work, and go forth to serve Him all the days of our life. + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +_REPENTANCE AND RESTITUTION_. + + +"God commandeth all men everywhere to repent."--Acts xvii. 30. + + +Repentance is one of the fundamental doctrines of the Bible. Yet I +believe it is one of those truths that many people little understand +at the present day. There are more people to-day in the mist and +darkness about Repentance, Regeneration, the Atonement, and such-like +fundamental truths, than perhaps on any other doctrines. Yet from our +earliest years we have heard about them. If I were to ask for a +definition of Repentance, a great many would give a very strange and +false idea of it. + +A man is not prepared to believe or to receive the Gospel, unless he +is ready to repent of his sins and turn from them. Until John the +Baptist met Christ, he had but one text, "Repent ye; for the kingdom +of heaven is at hand" (Matt. iii. 2). But if he had continued to say +this, and had stopped there without pointing the people to Christ the +Lamb of God, he would not have accomplished much. + +When Christ came, He took up the same wilderness cry, "Repent; for +the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. iv. 17). And when our Lord +sent out His disciples, it was with the same message, "that men +should repent" (Mark vi. 12). After He had been glorified, and when +the Holy Ghost came down, we find Peter on the day of Pentecost +raising the same cry, "Repent!" It was this preaching--Repent, and +believe the Gospel--that wrought such marvellous results then. (Acts +ii. 38-47). And we find that, when Paul went to Athens, he uttered +the same cry, "_Now_ God commandeth _all men, everywhere_, to repent" +(Acts xvii. 30). + +Before I speak of what Repentance _is_, let me briefly say what it +_is not_. Repentance is not _fear_. Many people have confounded the +two. They think they have to be alarmed and terrified; and they are +waiting for some kind of fear to come down upon them. But multitudes +become alarmed who do not really repent. You have heard of men at sea +during a terrible storm. Perhaps they have been very profane men; but +when the danger came they suddenly grew quiet, and began to cry to +God for mercy. Yet you would not say they repented. When the storm +had passed away, they went on swearing the same as before. You might +think that the king of Egypt repented when God sent the terrible +plagues upon him and his land. But it was not repentance at all. The +moment God's hand was removed Pharaoh's heart was harder than ever. +He did not turn from a single sin; he was the same man. So that there +was no true repentance there. + +Often, when death comes into a family, it looks as if the event would +be sanctified to the conversion of all who are in the house. Yet in +six months' time all may be forgotten. Some who read this have +perhaps passed through that experience. When God's hand was heavy +upon them it looked as if they were going to repent; but the trial +has been removed--and lo and behold, the impression has all gone. + +Then again, Repentance is not _feeling_. I find a great many people +are waiting for a certain kind of feeling to come. They would like to +turn to God; but think they cannot do it until this feeling comes. +When I was in Baltimore I used to preach every Sunday in the +Penitentiary to nine hundred convicts. There was hardly a man there +who did not feel miserable enough: they had plenty of feeling. For +the first week or ten days of their imprisonment many of them cried +half the time. Yet, when they were released, most of them would go +right back to their old ways. The truth was, that they felt very bad +because they had got caught; that was all. So you have seen a man in +the time of trial show a good deal of feeling: but very often it is +only because he has got into trouble; not because he has committed +sin, or because his conscience tells him he has done evil in the +sight of God. It seems as if the trial were going to result in true +repentance; but the feeling too often passes away. + +Once again, Repentance is not _fasting and afflicting the body_. A +man may fast for weeks and months and years, and yet not repent of +one sin. Neither is it _remorse_. Judas had terrible remorse--enough +to make him go and hang himself; but that was not repentance. I +believe if he had gone to his Lord, fallen on his face, and confessed +his sin, he would have been forgiven. Instead of this he went to the +priests, and then put an end to his life. A man may do all sorts of +penance--but there is no true repentance in that. Put that down in +your mind. You cannot meet the claims of God by offering the fruit of +your body for the sin of your soul. Away with such a delusion! + +Repentance is not _conviction of sin_. That may sound strange to +some. I have seen men under such deep conviction of sin that they +could not sleep at night; they could not enjoy a single meal. They +went on for months in this state; and yet they were not converted; +they did not truly repent. Do not confound conviction of sin with +Repentance. + +Neither is _praying_--Repentance. That too may sound strange. Many +people, when they become anxious about their soul's salvation, say, +"I will pray, and read the Bible;" and they think that will bring +about the desired effect. But it will not do it. You may read the +Bible and cry to God a great deal, and yet never repent. Many people +cry loudly to God, and yet do not repent. + +Another thing: it is not _breaking off some one sin_. A great many +people make that mistake. A man who has been a drunkard signs the +pledge, and stops drinking. Breaking off one sin is not Repentance. +Forsaking one vice is like breaking off one limb of a tree, when the +whole tree has to come down. A profane man stops swearing; very good: +but if he does not break off _from every sin_ it is not Repentance--it +is not the work of God in the soul. When God works He hews down +the whole tree. He wants to have a man turn from every sin. Supposing +I am in a vessel out at sea, and I find the ship leaks in three or +four places. I may go and stop up one hole; yet down goes the vessel. +Or suppose I am wounded in three or four places, and I get a remedy +for one wound: if the other two or three wounds are neglected, my +life will soon be gone. True Repentance is not merely breaking off +this or that particular sin. + +Well then, you will ask, what is Repentance? I will give you a good +definition: it is "right about face!" In the Irish language the word +"Repentance" means even more than "right about face!" It implies that +a man who has been walking in one direction has not only faced about, +but is actually walking in an exactly contrary direction. "Turn ye, +turn ye; for why will ye die?" A man may have little feeling or much +feeling; but if he does not turn away from sin, God will not have +mercy on him. Repentance has also been described as "a change of +mind." For instance, there is the parable told by Christ: "A certain +man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work +to-day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not" (Matt. xxi. +28, 29). After he had said "I will not" he thought over it, and +changed his mind. Perhaps he may have said to himself, "I did not +speak very respectfully to my father. He asked me to go and work, and +I told him I would not go. I think I was wrong." But suppose he had +only said this, and still had not gone, he would not have repented. +He was not only convinced that he was wrong; but he went off into the +fields, hoeing, or mowing or whatever it was. That is Christ's +definition of repentance. If a man says, "By the grace of God I will +forsake my sin, and do His will," that is Repentance--a turning right +about. + +Some one has said, man is born with his face turned away from God. +When he truly repents he is turned right around towards God; he +leaves his old life. + +Can a man at once repent? Certainly he can. It does not take a long +while to turn around. It does not take a man six months to change his +mind. There was a vessel that went down some time ago on the +Newfoundland coast. As she was bearing towards the shore, there was a +moment when the captain could have given orders to reverse the +engines and turn back. If the engines had been reversed then, the +ship would have been saved. But there was a moment when it was too +late. So there is a moment, I believe, in every man's life when he +can halt and say, "By the grace of God I will go no further towards +death and ruin. I repent of my sins and turn from them." You may say +you have not got feeling enough; but if you are convinced that you +are on the wrong road, turn right about, and say, "I will no longer +go on in the way of rebellion and sin as I have done." + +Just then, when you are willing to turn towards God, salvation may be +yours. + +I find that every case of conversion recorded in the Bible was +instantaneous. Repentance and faith came very suddenly. The moment a +man made up his mind, God gave him the power. God does not ask any +man to do what he has not the power to do. He would not command "all +men everywhere to repent" (Acts xvii. 30) if they were not able to do +so. Man has no one to blame but himself if he does not repent and +believe the Gospel. One of the leading ministers of the Gospel in +Ohio wrote me a letter some time ago describing his conversion; it +very forcibly illustrates this point of instantaneous decision. He +said: + +"I was nineteen years old, and was reading law with a Christian +lawyer in Vermont. One afternoon when he was away from home, his good +wife said to me as I came into the house, 'I want you to go to +class-meeting with me to-night and become a Christian, so that you can +conduct family worship while my husband is away.' 'Well, I'll do it,' +I said, without any thought. When I came into the house again she +asked me if I was honest in what I had said. I replied, 'Yes, so far +as going to meeting with you is concerned; that is only courteous.' + +"I went with her to the class-meeting, as I had often done before. +About a dozen persons were present in a little school-house. The +leader had spoken to all in the room but myself and two others. He +was speaking to the person next me, when the thought occurred to me: +he will ask me if I have anything to say. I said to myself: I have +decided to be a Christian sometime; why not begin now? In less time +than a minute after these thoughts had passed through my mind he +said, speaking to me familiarly--for he knew me very well--'Brother +Charles, have you anything to say?' I replied, with perfect coolness, +'Yes, sir. I have just decided, within the last thirty seconds, that +I will begin a Christian life, and would like to have you pray for +me.' + +"My coolness staggered him; I think he almost doubted my sincerity. +He said very little, but passed on and spoke to the other two. After +a few general remarks, he turned to me and said, 'Brother Charles, +will you close the meeting with prayer?' He knew I had never prayed +in public. Up to this moment I had no feeling. It was purely a +business transaction. My first thought was: I cannot pray, and I will +ask him to excuse me. My second was: I have said I will begin a +Christian life; and this is a part of it. So I said, 'Let us pray.' +And somewhere between the time I started to kneel and the time my +knees struck the floor the Lord converted my soul. + +"The first words I said were, 'Glory to God!' What I said after that +I do not know, and it does not matter, for my soul was too full to +say much but Glory! From that hour the devil has never dared to +challenge my conversion. To Christ be all the praise." + +Many people are waiting, they cannot exactly tell for what, but for +some sort of miraculous feeling to come stealing over them--some +mysterious kind of faith. I was speaking to a man some years ago, and +he always had one answer to give me. For five years I tried to win +him to Christ, and every year he said, "It has not 'struck me' yet." +"Man, what do you mean? What has not struck you?" "Well," he said, "I +am not going to become a Christian until it strikes me; and it has +not struck me yet. I do not see it in the way you see it." "But don't +you know you are a sinner?" "Yes, I know I am a sinner." "Well, don't +you know that God wants to have mercy on you--that there is +forgiveness with God? He wants you to repent and come to Him." "Yes, +I know that; but--it has not struck me yet." He always fell back on +that. Poor man! he went down to his grave in a state of indecision. +Sixty long years God gave him to repent; and all he had to say at the +end of those years was that it "had not struck him yet." + +Is any reader waiting for some strange feeling--you do not know what? +Nowhere in the Bible is a man told to wait; God is commanding you now +to repent. + +Do you think God can forgive a man when he does not want to be +forgiven? Would he be happy if God forgave him in this state of mind? +Why, if a man went into the kingdom of God without repentance, heaven +would be hell to him. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared +people. If your boy has done wrong, and will not repent, you cannot +forgive him. You would be doing him an injustice. Suppose he goes to +your desk, and steals $10, and squanders it. When you come home your +servant tells you what your boy has done. You ask if it is true, and +he denies it. But at last you have certain proof. Even when he finds +he cannot deny it any longer, he will not confess the sin, but says +he will do it again the first chance he gets. Would you say to him, +"Well, I forgive you," and leave the matter there? No! Yet people +say that God is going to save all men, whether they repent or +not--drunkards, thieves, harlots, whoremongers, it makes no difference. +"God is so merciful," they say. Dear friend, do not be deceived by +the god of this world. Where there is true repentance and a turning +from sin unto God, He will meet and bless you; but He never blesses +until there is sincere repentance. + +David made a woful mistake in this respect with his rebellious son, +Absalom. He could not have done his son a greater injustice than to +forgive him when his heart was unchanged. There could be no true +reconciliation between them when there was no repentance. But God +does not make these mistakes. David got into trouble on account of +his error of judgment. His son soon drove his father from the throne. + +Speaking on repentance, Dr. Brooks, of St. Louis, well remarks: +"Repentance, strictly speaking, means a 'change of mind or purpose;' +consequently it is the judgment which the sinner pronounces upon +himself, in view of the love of God displayed in the death of Christ, +connected with the abandonment of all confidence in himself and with +trust in the only Saviour of sinners. Saving repentance and saving +faith always go together; and you need not be worried about +repentance if you will believe." + +"Some people are no sure that they have 'repented enough.' If you +mean by this that you must repent in order to incline God to be +merciful to you, the sooner you give over such repentance the better. +God is already merciful, as He has fully shown at the Cross of +Calvary; and it is a grievous dishonor to His heart of love if you +think that your tears and anguish will move Him, not knowing that +'the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.' It is not your +badness, therefore, but His goodness that leads to repentance; hence +the true way to repent is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 'who +was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our +justification.'" + +Another thing. If there is true repentance it will bring forth fruit. +If we have done wrong to any one we should never ask God to forgive +us, until we are willing to make restitution. If I have done any man +a great injustice and can make it good, I need not ask God to forgive +me until I am willing to make it good. Suppose I have taken something +that does not belong to me. I have no right to expect forgiveness +until I make restitution. + +I remember preaching in one of our large cities, when a fine-looking +man came up to me at the close. He was in great distress of mind. +"The fact is," he said, "I am a defaulter. I have taken money that +belonged to my employers. How can I become a Christian without +restoring it?" "Have you got the money?" He told me he had not got it +all. He had taken about $1,500, and he still had about $900. He said +"Could I not take that money and go into business, and make enough to +pay them back?" I told him that was a delusion of Satan; that he +could not expect to prosper on stolen money; that he should restore +all he had, and go and ask his employers to have mercy upon him and +forgive him. "But they will put me in prison," he said: "cannot you +give me any help?" "No, you must restore the money before you can +expect to get any help from God." "It is pretty hard," he said. "Yes. +it is hard; but the great mistake was in doing the wrong at first." + +His burden became so heavy that it got to be insupportable. He handed +me the money--950 dollars and some cents--and asked me to take it +back to his employers. The next evening the two employers and myself +met in a side room of the church. I laid the money down, and informed +them it was from one of their _employes_. I told them the story, and +said he wanted mercy from them, not justice. The tears trickled down +the cheeks of these two men, and they said, "Forgive him! Yes, we +will be glad to forgive him." I went down stairs and brought him up. +After he had confessed his guilt and been forgiven, we all got down +on our knees and had a blessed prayer-meeting. God met us and blessed +us there. + +There was a friend of mine who some time ago had come to Christ and +wished to consecrate himself and his wealth to God. He had formerly +had transactions with the government, and had taken advantage of +them. This thing came up when he was converted, and his conscience +troubled him. He said, "I want to consecrate my wealth, but it seems +as if God will not take it." He had a terrible struggle; his +conscience kept rising up and smiting him. At last he drew a check +for $1,500 and sent it to the United States Treasury. He told me he +received such a blessing when he had done it. That was bringing forth +"fruits meet for repentance." I believe a great many men are crying +to God for light; and they are not getting it because they are not +honest. + +I was once preaching, and a man came to me who was only thirty-two +years old, but whose hair was very grey. He said, "I want you to +notice that my hair is grey, and I am only thirty-two years old. For +twelve years I have carried a great burden." "Well," I said, "what is +it?" He looked around as if afraid some one would hear him. "Well," +he answered, "my father died and left my mother with the county +newspaper, and left her only that: that was all she had. After he +died the paper begun to waste away; and I saw my mother was fast +sinking into a state of need. The building and the paper were insured +for a thousand dollars, and when I was twenty years old I set fire to +the building, and obtained the thousand dollars, and gave it to my +mother. For twelve years that sin has been haunting me. I have tried +to drown it by indulgence in pleasure and sin; I have cursed God; I +have gone into infidelity; I have tried to make out that the Bible is +not true; I have done everything I could: but all these years I have +been tormented." I said, "There is a way out of that." He inquired +"How?" I said, "Make restitution. Let us sit down and calculate the +interest, and then you pay the Company the money." It would have done +you good to see that man's face light up when he found there was +mercy for him. He said he would be glad to pay back the money and +interest if he could only be forgiven. + +There are men to-day who are in darkness and bondage because they are +not willing to turn from their sins and confess them; and I do not +know how a man can hope to be forgiven if he is not willing to +confess his sins. + +Bear in mind that _now_ is the only day of mercy you will ever have. +You can repent now, and have the awful record blotted out. God waits +to forgive you; He is seeking to bring you to Himself. But I think +the Bible teaches clearly that there is _no repentance after this +life_. There are some who tell you of the possibility of repentance +in the grave; but I do not find that in Scripture. I have looked my +Bible over very carefully, and I cannot find that a man will have +another opportunity of being saved. + +_Why should he ask for any more time?_ You have time enough to repent +now. You can turn from your sins this moment if you will. God says: +"I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth; wherefore turn, +and live ye" (Ezek. xviii. 32). + +Christ said, He "came not to call the righteous, but sinners to +repentance." Are you a sinner? Then the call to repent is addressed +to you. Take your place in the dust at the Saviour's feet, and +acknowledge your guilt. Say, like the publican of old, "God be +merciful to me a sinner!" and see how quickly He will pardon and +bless you. He will even justify you and reckon you as righteous, by +virtue of the righteousness of Him who bore your sins in His own body +on the Cross. + +There are some perhaps who think themselves righteous; and that, +therefore, there is no need for them to repent and believe the +Gospel. They are like the Pharisee in the parable, who thanked God +that he was not as other men--"extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or +even as this publican;" and who went on to say, "I fast twice a week; +I give tithes of all I possess." What is the judgment about such +self-righteous persons? "I tell you this man [the poor, contrite, +repenting publican] went down to his house justified rather than the +other" (Luke xviii. 11-14). "There is none righteous; no, not one." +"All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. iii. 10, +23). Let no one say _he_ does not need to repent. Let each one take +his true place--that of a sinner; then God will lift him up to the +place of forgiveness and justification. "Whosoever exalteth himself +shall be abased: and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" (Luke +xiv. 11). + +Wherever God sees true repentance in the heart He meets that soul. + +I was in Colorado, preaching the gospel some time ago, and I heard +something that touched my heart very much. The governor of the State +was passing through the prison, and in one cell he found a boy who +had his window full of flowers, that seemed to have been watched with +very tender care. The governor looked at the prisoner, and then at +the flowers, and asked whose they were, "These are my flowers," said +the poor convict. "Are you fond of flowers?" "Yes, sir." "How long +have you been here?" He told him so many years: he was in for a long +sentence. The governor was surprised to find him so fond of the +flowers, and he said, "Can you tell me why you like these flowers so +much?" With much emotion he replied, "While my mother was alive she +thought a good deal of flowers; and when I came here I thought if I +had these they would remind me of mother." The governor was so +pleased that he said, "Well, young man, if you think so much of your +mother I think you will appreciate your liberty," and he pardoned him +then and there. + +When God finds that beautiful flower of true repentance springing up +in a man's heart, then salvation comes to that man. + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +_ASSURANCE OF SALVATION_. + + +"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the +Son of God; that ye may knew that ye have eternal life, and that ye +may believe on the name of the Son of God." + +(1 John v. 13. ) + + +There are two classes who ought not to have Assurance. First: those +who are in the Church, but who are not converted, having never been +born of the Spirit. Second: those not willing to do God's will; who +are not ready to take the place that God has mapped out for them, but +want to fill some other place. + +Some one will ask "Have all God's people Assurance?" No; I think a +good many of God's dear people have no Assurance; but it is the +privilege of every child of God to have beyond doubt a knowledge of +his own salvation. No man is fit for God's service who is filled with +doubts. If a man is not sure of his own salvation, how can he help +any one else into the kingdom of God? If I seem in danger of drowning +and do not know whether I shall ever reach the shore, I cannot assist +another. I must first get on the solid rock myself; and then I can +lend my brother a helping hand. If being myself blind I were to tell +another blind man how to get sight, he might reply, "First get healed +yourself; and then you can tell me." I recently met with a young man +who was a Christian: but he had not attained to victory over sin. He +was in terrible darkness. Such an one is not fit to work for God, +because he has besetting sins; and he has not the victory over his +doubts, because he has not the victory over his sins. + +None will have time or heart to work for God, who are not assured as +to their own salvation. They have as much as they can attend to; and +being themselves burdened with doubts, they cannot help others to +carry their burdens. There is no rest, joy, or peace--no liberty, nor +power--where doubts and uncertainty exist. + +Now it seems as if there are three wiles of Satan against which we +ought to be on our guard. In the first place he moves all his kingdom +to keep us away from Christ; then he devotes himself to get us into +"Doubting Castle:" but if we have, in spite of him, a clear ringing +witness for the Son of God, he will do all he can to blacken our +characters and belie our testimony. + +Some seem to think that it is presumption not to have doubts; but +doubt is very dishonoring to God. If any one were to say that they +had known a person for thirty years and yet doubted him, it would not +be very creditable; and when we have known God for ten, twenty or +thirty years does it not reflect on His veracity to doubt Him. + +Could Paul and the early Christians and martyrs have gone through +what they did if they had been filled with doubts, and had not known +whether they were going to heaven or to perdition after they had been +burned at the stake? They must have had Assurance. + +Mr. Spurgeon says: "I never heard of a stork that when it met with a +fir tree demurred as to its right to build its nest there; and I +never heard of a coney yet that questioned whether it had a permit to +run into the rock. Why, these creatures would soon perish if they +were always doubting and fearing as to whether they had a right to +use providential provisions. + +"The stork says to himself, 'Ah, here is a fir tree:' he consults +with his mate, 'Will this do for the nest in which we may rear our +young?' 'Aye,' says she; and they gather the materials, and arrange +them. There is never any deliberation, 'May we build here?' but they +bring their sticks and make their nest. + +"The wild goat on the crag does not say, 'Have I a right here?' No, +he must be somewhere: and there is a crag which exactly suits him; +and he springs upon it. + +"Yet, though these dumb creatures know the provision of their God, +the sinner does not recognize the provision of his Saviour. He +quibbles and questions, 'May I?' and am 'I am afraid it is not for +me;' and 'I think it cannot be meant for me;' and 'I am afraid it is +too good to be true.' + +"And yet nobody ever said to the stork, 'Whosoever buildeth on this +fir tree shall never have his nest pulled down.' No inspired word has +ever said to the coney, 'Whosoever runs into this rock cleft shall +never be driven out of it.' If it had been so it would make assurance +doubly sure." + +"And yet here is Christ provided for sinners, just the sort of a +Saviour sinners need; and the encouragement is added, 'Him that +cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out;' 'Whosoever will, let him +take the water of life freely.'" + +Now let us come to the Word. John tells us in his Gospel what Christ +did for us on earth. In his Epistle He tells us what He is doing for +us in heaven as our Advocate. In his Gospel there are only two +chapters in which the word "believe" does not occur. With these two +exceptions, every chapter in John is "Believe! _Believe!!_ +Believe!!!" He tells us in xx. 31, "But these are written, that ye +might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that, +believing, ye might have life through His name." That is the purpose +for which he wrote the Gospel--"that we might believe that Jesus is +the Christ, the Son of God: and that, believing, we might have life +through His name" (John xx. 31). + +Turn to 1 John v. 13, he there tells us why he wrote this Epistle: +"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the +Son of God." Notice to whom he writes it "You that believe on the +name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, +and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." There are +only five short chapters in this first Epistle, and the word "know" +occurs over forty times. It is "_Know!_ Know!! KNOW!!!" The Key to it +is Know! and all through the Epistle there rings out the +refrain--"that we might know that we have eternal life." + +I went twelve hundred miles down the Mississippi in the spring some +years ago; and every evening, just as the sun went down, you might +have seen men, and sometimes women, riding up to the banks of the +river on either side on mules or horses, and sometimes coming on +foot, for the purpose of lighting up the Government lights; and all +down that mighty river there were landmarks which guided the pilots +in their dangerous navigation. Now God has given us lights or +landmarks to tell us whether we are His children or not; and what we +need to do is to examine the tokens He has given us. + +In the third chapter of John's first Epistle there are five things +worth knowing. + +In the fifth verse we read the first: "And ye _know_ that He was +manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin." Not what I +have done, but what HE has done. Has He failed in His mission? Is He +not able to do what He came for? Did ever any heaven-sent man fail +yet? and could God's own Son fail? He was manifested to take away our +sins. + +Again, in the nineteenth verse, the second thing worth knowing: "And +hereby _we know_ that we are of the truth, and shall _assure_ our +hearts before Him." We know that we are of the truth. And if the +truth make us free, we shall be free indeed. "If the Son therefore +shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John viii. 36.) + +The third thing worth knowing is in the fourteenth verse, "_We know_ +that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the +brethren." The natural man does not like godly people, nor does he +care to be in their company. "He that loveth not his brother abideth +in death." He has no spiritual life. + +The fourth thing worth knowing we find in verse twenty-four: "And he +that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And +hereby _we know_ that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath +given us." We can tell what kind of Spirit we have if we possess the +Spirit of Christ--a Christ-like spirit--not the same in degree, but +the same in kind. If I am meek, gentle, and forgiving; if I have a +spirit filled with peace and joy; if I am long-suffering and gentle, +like the Son of God--that is a test: and in that way we are to tell +whether we have eternal life or not. + +The fifth thing worth knowing, and the best of all, is "Beloved, +_now_." Notice the word "Now." It does not say when you come to die. +"Beloved, _now_ are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear +what we shall be: but _we know_ that, when He shall appear; we shall +be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is" (v. 2). + +But some will say, "Well, I believe all that; but then I have sinned +since I became a Christian." Is there a man or a woman on the face of +the earth who has not sinned since becoming a Christian? Not one! +There never has been, and never will be, a soul on this earth who has +not sinned, or who will not sin, at some time of their Christian +experience. But God has made provision for believers' sins. _We_ are +not to make provision for them; but God has. Bear that in mind. + +Turn to 1 John ii. 1: "My little children, these things write I unto +you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with +the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." He is here writing to the +righteous. "If any man sin, _we_"--John put himself in--"we have an +Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." What an +Advocate! He attends to our interests at the very best place--the +throne of God. He said, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is +expedient for you that I go away" (John xvi. 7). He went away to +become our High Priest, and also our Advocate. He has had some hard +cases to plead; but he has never lost one: and if you entrust your +immortal interests to Him, He will "present you faultless before the +presence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24). + +The past sins of Christians are all forgiven as soon as they are +confessed; and they are never to be mentioned. That is a question +which is not to be opened up again. If our sins have been put away, +that is the end of them. They are not to be remembered; and God will +not mention them any more. This is very plain. Suppose I have a son +who, while I am from home, does wrong. When I go home he throws his +arms around my neck and says, "Papa, I did what you told me not to +do. I am very sorry. Do forgive me." I say: "Yes, my son," and kiss +him. He wipes away his tears, and goes off rejoicing. + +But the next day he says: "Papa, I wish you would forgive me for the +wrong I did yesterday." I should say: "Why, my son, that thing is +settled; and I don't want it mentioned again." "But I wish you would +forgive me: it would help me to hear you say, 'I forgive you.'" Would +that be honoring me? Would it not grieve me to have my boy doubt me? +But to gratify him I say again, "I forgive you, my son." + +And if, the next day, he were again to bring up that old sin, and ask +forgiveness, would not that grieve me to the heart? And so, my dear +reader, if God has forgiven us, never let us mention the past. Let us +forget those things which are behind, and reach forth unto those +which are before, and press toward the mark for the prize of the high +calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let the sins of the past go; for "If +we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, +and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John i. 9). + +And let me say that this principle is recognized in courts of +justice. A case came up in the courts of a country--I won't say +where--in which a man had had trouble with his wife; but he forgave +her, and then afterwards brought her into court. And, when it was +known that he had forgiven her, the judge said that the thing was +settled. The judge recognized the soundness of the principle, that if +a sin were once forgiven there was an end of it. And do you think the +Judge of all the earth will forgive you and me, and open the question +again? Our sins are gone for time and eternity, if God forgives: and +what we have to do is to confess and forsake our sins. + +Again in 2 Corinthians xiii. 5: "Examine yourselves whether ye be in +the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how +that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" Now examine +yourselves. Try your religion. Put it to the test. Can you forgive an +enemy? That is a good way to know if you are a child of God. Can you +forgive an injury, or take an affront, as Christ did? Can you be +censured for doing well, and not murmur? Can you be misjudged and +misrepresented, and yet keep a Christ-like spirit? + +Another good test is to read Galatians v., and notice the fruits of +the Spirit; and see if you have them. "The fruit of the Spirit is +love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, +meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." If I have the +fruits of the Spirit I must have the Spirit. I could not have the +fruits without the Spirit any more than there could be an orange +without the tree. And Christ says "Ye shall know them by their +fruits;" "for the tree is known by his fruits." Make the tree good, +and the fruit will be good. The only way to get the fruit is to have +the Spirit. That is the way to examine ourselves whether we are the +children of God. + +Then there is another very striking passage. In Romans viii. 9, Paul +says: "Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of +His." That ought to settle the question, even though one may have +gone through all the external forms that are considered necessary by +some to constitute a member of a Church. Read Paul's life, and put +yours alongside of it. If your life resembles his, it is a proof that +you are born again--that you are a new creature in Christ Jesus. + +But although you may be born again, it will require time to become a +full-grown Christian. Justification is instantaneous; but +sanctification is a life-work. We are to grow in wisdom. Peter says +"Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus +Christ" (2 Pet. iii. 18); and in the first chapter of his Second +Epistle, "Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to +knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience +godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly +kindness charity. For if these things be in you and abound they make +you that ye shall neither be barron nor unfruitful in the knowledge +of our Lord Jesus Christ." So that we are to add grace to grace. A +tree may be perfect in its first year of growth; but it does not +attain its maturity. So with the Christian: he may be a true child of +God, but not a matured Christian. The eighth of Romans is very +important, and we should be very familiar with it. In the fourteenth +verse the apostle says: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God +they are the sons of God." Just as the soldier is led by his captain, +the pupil by his teacher, or the traveller by his guide; so the Holy +Spirit will be the guide of every true child of God. + +Then let me call your attention to another fact. All Paul's teaching +in nearly every Epistle rings out the doctrine of assurance. He says +in 2 Corinthians v. 1: "For we _know_ that if our earthly house of +this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house +not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." He had a title to the +mansions above, and he says--_I know it_. He was not living in +uncertainty. He said: "I have a desire to depart and be with Christ" +(Phil. i. 23); and if he had been uncertain he would not have said +that. Then in Colossians iii. 4, he says: "When Christ, who is our +life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." I +am told that Dr. Watts' tombstone bears this same passage of +Scripture. There is no doubt there. + +Then turn to Colossians i. 12: "Giving thanks unto the Father, which +hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in +light; who _hath_ delivered us from the power of darkness, and _hath_ +translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son." + +Three _haths_: "hath made us meet;" "hath delivered us;" and "hath +translated us." It does not say that He is going to make us meet; +that He is going to deliver; that He is going to translate. + +Then again in verse 14th: "In whom we have redemption through His +blood, even the forgiveness of sins." We are either forgiven or we +are not, we should not give ourselves any rest until we get into the +kingdom of God; nor until we can each look up and say, "I know that +if my earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, I have a +building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" +(2 Cor. v. 1). + +Look at Romans viii. 32: "He that spared not His own Son, but +delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely +give us all things?" If He gave us His Son, will He not give us the +certainty that He is ours. I have heard this illustration. There was +a man who owed $10,000, and would have been made a bankrupt, but a +friend came forward and paid the sum. It was found afterwards that he +owed a few dollars more; but he did not for a moment entertain a +doubt that, as his friend had paid the larger amount, he would also +pay the smaller. And we have high warrant for saying that if God has +given us His Son He will with Him also freely give us all things; and +if we want to realize our salvation beyond controversy He will not +leave us in darkness. + +Again in the 33d verse: "Who shall lay anything to the charge of +God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It +is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at +the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall +separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, +or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is +written, For Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are +accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are +more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded +that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor +powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor +depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the +love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." + +That has the right ring in it. There is Assurance for you. "I Know." +Do you think that the God who has justified me will condemn me? That +is quite an absurdity. God is going to save us so that neither men, +angels, nor devils, can bring any charge against us or Him. He will +have the work complete. + +Job lived in a darker day than we do; but we read in Job xix. 25: "I +_know_ that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand in the latter +day upon the earth." + +The same confidence breathes through Paul's last words to Timothy: +"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am +not ashamed; for I _know_ whom I have believed, and am persuaded that +He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that +day." It is not a matter of doubt, but of knowledge. "I know." "I am +persuaded." The word "Hope," is not used in the Scripture to express +doubt. It is used in regard to the second coming of Christ, or to the +resurrection of the body. We do not say that we "hope" we are +Christians. I do not say that I "hope" I am an American, or that I +"hope" I am a married man. These are settled things. I may say that I +"hope" to go back to my home, or I hope to attend such a meeting. I +do not say that I "hope" to come to this country, for I am here. And +so, if we are born of God we know it; and He will not leave us in +darkness if we search the Scriptures. + +Christ taught this doctrine to His seventy disciples when they +returned elated with their success, saying, "Lord, even the devils +are subject unto us through Thy name." The Lord seemed to check them, +and said that He would give them something to rejoice in. +"Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject +unto you; but rather rejoice because your names are written in +heaven." (Luke x. 20.) + +It is the privilege of every one of us to know, beyond a doubt, that +our salvation is sure. Then we can work for others. But if we are +doubtful of our own salvation, we are not fit for the service of God. + +Another passage is John v. 24: "Verily, verily I say unto you: He +that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath +everlasting life, and shall not come into '_judgment_,'" (the new +translation has it so), "but is passed from death unto life." + +Some people say that you never can tell till you are before the great +white throne of Judgment whether you are saved or not. Why, my dear +friend, if your life is hid with Christ in God, you are not coming +into judgment for your sins. We may come into judgment for reward. +This is clearly taught where the lord reckoned with the servant to +whom five talents had been given, and who brought other five talents +saying, "Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents; behold, I have +gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well +done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a +few things; I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into +the joy of thy lord." (Matt. xxv. 20, 21.) We shall be judged for our +stewardship. That is one thing; but salvation--eternal life--is +another. + +Will God demand payment twice of the debt which Christ has paid for +us? If Christ bear my sins in His own body on the tree, am I to +answer for them as well? + +Isaiah tells us that, "He was wounded for our transgressions; He was +bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon +Him: and with His stripes we are healed." In Romans iv. 25, we read: +He "was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our +justification." Let us believe, and get the benefit of His finished +work. + +Then again in John x. 9: "I am the door: by Me if any man enter in he +shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." That is +the promise. Then the 27th verse, "My sheep hear my voice; and I know +them, and they follow Me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they +shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. +My father which gave them is greater than all; and no man is able to +pluck them out of my Father's hand." Think of that! The Father, the +Son, and the Holy Ghost, are pledged to keep us. You see that it is +not only the Father, not only the Son, but the three persons of the +Triune God. + +Now, a great many people want some token outside of God's word. That +habit always brings doubt. If I made a promise to meet a man at a +certain hour and place to-morrow, and he were to ask me for my watch +as a token of my sincerity, it would be a slur on my truthfulness. We +must not question what God has said: He has made statement after +statement, and multiplied figure upon figure. Christ says: "I am the +door; by Me if any man enter in he shall be saved." "I am the Good +Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine." "I am the light +of the world; he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but +shall have the light of life." "I am the truth;" receive Me, and you +will have the truth; for I am the embodiment of truth. Do you want to +know the way? "I am the way:" follow Me, and I will lead you into the +kingdom. Are you hungering after righteousness? "I am the Bread of +life:" if you eat of Me you shall never hunger. "I am the Water of +life:" if you drink of this water it shall be within you "a well of +water springing up unto everlasting life." "I am the resurrection and +the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he +live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die." +(John xi. 25, 26.) + +Let me remind you where our doubts come from. A good many of God's +dear people never get beyond knowing themselves servants. He calls us +"friends." If you go into a house you will soon see the difference +between the servant and the son. The son walks at perfect liberty all +over the house; he is at home. But the servant takes a subordinate +place. What we want is to get beyond servants. We ought to realize +our standing with God as sons and daughters. He will not "un-child" +His children. God has not only adopted us, but we are His by birth: +we have been born into His kingdom. My little boy was as much mine +when he was a day old as now that he is fourteen. He was _my son_; +although it did not appear what he would be when he attained manhood. +He is mine; although he may have to undergo probation under tutors +and governors. The children of God are not perfect; but we are +perfectly His children. + +Another origin of doubts is looking at ourselves. If you want to be +wretched and miserable, filled with doubts from morning till night, +look at yourselves. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind +is stayed on Thee." (Isa. xxvi. 3.) Many of God's dear children are +robbed of joy because they keep looking at themselves. + +Some one has said: "There are three ways to look. If you want to be +wretched, look within; if you wish to be distracted, look around; but +if you would have peace, look up." Peter looked away from Christ, and +he immediately began to sink. The Master said to him: "O thou of +little faith! Wherefore didst thou doubt?" (Matt. xiv. 31.) He had +God's eternal word, which was sure footing, and better than either +marble, granite or iron; but the moment he took his eyes off Christ +down he went. Those who look around cannot see how unstable and +dishonoring is their walk. We want to look straight at the "Author +and Finisher of our faith." + +When I was a boy I could only make a straight track in the snow, by +keeping my eyes fixed upon a tree or some object before me. The +moment I took my eye off the mark set in front of me, I walked +crooked. It is only when we look fixedly on Christ that we find +perfect peace. After He rose from the dead He showed His disciples +His hands and His feet. (Luke xxiv. 40.) That was the ground of their +peace. If you want to scatter your doubts, look at the blood; and if +you want to increase your doubts, look at yourself. You will get +doubts enough for years by being occupied with yourself for a few +days. + +Then again: look at what He is, and at what He has done; not at what +you are, and what you have done. That is the way to get peace and +rest. + +Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation declaring the emancipation of +three millions of slaves. On a certain day their chains were to fall +off, and they were to be free. The proclamation was put up on the +trees and fences wherever the Northern Army marched. A good many +slaves could not read: but others read the proclamation, and most of +them believed it; and on a certain day a glad shout went up, "We are +free!" Some did not believe it, and stayed with their old masters; +but it did not alter the fact that they were free. Christ, the +Captain of our salvation, has proclaimed freedom to all who have +faith in Him. Let us take Him at His word. Their feelings would not +have made the slaves free. The power must come from the outside. +Looking at ourselves will not make us free, but it is looking to +Christ with the eye of faith. + +Bishop Ryle has strikingly said: "Faith is the root, and Assurance +the flower." Doubtless you can never have the flower without the +root; but it is no less certain you may have the root, and not the +flower. + +"Faith is that poor trembling woman who came behind Jesus in the +press, and touched the hem of His garment. (Mark v. 27.) Assurance is +Stephen standing calmly in the midst of his murderers, and saying, 'I +see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand +of God'" (Acts vii. 56). + +"Faith is the penitent thief, crying, 'Lord, remember me' (Luke xxiii. +42). Assurance is Job sitting in the dust, covered with sores, and +saying, 'I know that my Redeemer liveth;' 'Though He slay me, yet +will I trust in Him'" (Job xix. 25; xiii. 15). + +"Faith is Peter's drowning cry, as he began to sink, 'Lord, save me!' +(Matt. xxiv. 30). Assurance is that same Peter declaring before the +Council, in after-times, 'This is the stone which was set at nought +of you builders, which is become the head of the corner: neither is +there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under +heaven given among men whereby we must be saved'" (Acts iv. 11, 12). + +"Faith is the anxious, trembling voice, 'Lord, I believe; help Thou +mine unbelief!' (Mark ix. 24). Assurance is the confident challenge, +'Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Who is he that +condemneth?'" (Rom. viii. 33, 34). + +Faith is Saul praying in the house of Judas at Damascus, sorrowful, +blind, and alone. (Acts ix. 11.) Assurance is Paul, the aged +prisoner, looking calmly into the grave, and saying, 'I know whom I +have believed.' 'There is a crown laid up for me' (2 Tim. i. 12; iv. +8). + +"Faith is Life. How great the blessing! Who can tell the gulf between +life and death? And yet life may be weak, sickly, unhealthy, painful, +trying, anxious, worn, burdensome, joyless, smileless, to the very +end. + +"Assurance is _more than life_. It is health, strength, power, vigor, +activity, energy, manliness, beauty." + +A minister once pronounced the benediction in this way: "The heart of +God to make us welcome; the blood of Christ to make us clean, and the +Holy Spirit to make us certain." The security of the believer is the +result of the operation of the Spirit of God. + +Another writer says: "I have seen shrubs and trees grow out of the +rocks, and overhang fearful precipices, roaring cataracts, and deep +running waters; but they maintained their position, and threw out +their foliage and branches as much as if they had been in the midst +of a dense forest." It was their hold on the rock that made them +secure; and the influences of nature that sustained their life. So +believers are oftentimes exposed to the most horrible dangers in +their journey to heaven; but, so long as they are "rooted and +grounded" in the Rock of Ages, they are perfectly secure. Their hold +of Him is their guarantee; and the blessings of His grace give them +life and sustain them in life. And as the tree must die, or the rock +fall, before a dissolution can be effected between _them_, so either +the believer must lose his spiritual life, or the Rock must crumble, +ere their union can be dissolved. + +Speaking of the Lord Jesus, Isaiah says: "I will fasten Him as a nail +in a sure place; and He shall be for a glorious throne to His +Father's house: and they shall hang upon Him all the glory of His +father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small +quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of +flagons" (xxii. 23, 24). + +There is one nail, fastened in a sure place; and on it hang all the +flagons and all the cups. "Oh," says one little cup, "I am so small +and so black, suppose I were to drop!" "Oh," says a flagon, "there is +no fear of you; but I am so heavy, so very weighty, suppose I were to +drop!" And a little cup says, "Oh, if I were only like the gold cup +there, I should never fear falling." But the gold cup answers, "It is +not because I am a gold cup that I keep up; but because I hang upon +the nail." If the nail gives way we all come down, gold cups, china +cups, pewter cups, and all; but as long as the nail keeps up, all +that hang on Him hang safely. + +I once read these words on a tombstone: "Born, died, kept." Let us +pray God to keep us in perfect peace, and assured of salvation. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +_CHRIST ALL AND IN ALL_. + + +(Colossians iii. 11.) + + +Christ is _all_ to us that we make Him to be. I want to emphasize +that word "all." Some men make Him to be "a root out of a dry +ground," "without form or comeliness." He is nothing to them; they do +not want Him. Some Christians have a very small Saviour, for they are +not willing to receive Him fully, and let Him do great and mighty +things for them. Others have a mighty Saviour, because they make Him +to be great and mighty. + +If we would know what Christ wants to be to us, we must first of all +know Him as our Saviour from sin. When the angel came down from +heaven to proclaim that He was to be born into the world, you +remember he gave His name, "He shall be called Jesus, for He shall +save His people from their sins." Have we been delivered from sin? He +did not come to save us _in_ our sins, but _from_ our sins. Now, +there are three ways of knowing a man. Some men you know only by +hearsay; others you merely know by having been once introduced to +them, you know them very slightly; other again you know by having +been acquainted with them for years, you know them intimately. So I +believe there are three classes of people to-day in the Christian +Church and out of it: those who know Christ only by reading or by +hearsay, those who have a historical Christ; those who have a slight +personal acquaintance with Him; and, those who thirst, as Paul did, +to "know Him and the power of His resurrection." The more we know of +Christ the more we shall love Him, and the better we shall serve Him. + +Let us look at Him as He hangs upon the Cross, and see how He has put +away sin. He was manifested that He might take away our sins; and if +we really know Him we must first of all see Him as our Saviour from +sin. You remember how the angels said to the shepherds on the plains +of Bethlehem, "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which +shall be to all people: for unto you is born this day, in the city of +David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke ii. 10, 11.) Then +if you go clear back to Isaiah, seven hundred years before Christ's +birth, you will find these words: "I, even I, am the Lord; and beside +me there is no Saviour" (xliii. 11). + +Again, in the First Epistle of John (iv. 14) we read: "We have seen, +and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the +world." All the heathen religions, we read, teach men to work their +way up to God; but the religion of Jesus Christ is God coming down to +men to save them, to lift them up out of the pit of sin. In Luke xix. +10, we read that Christ Himself told the people what He had come for: +"The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." So +we start from the Cross, not from the cradle. Christ has opened up a +new and living way to the Father; He has taken all the stumbling-blocks +out of the way, so that every man who accepts of Christ as his +Saviour can have salvation. + +But Christ is not only a Saviour. I might save a man from drowning +and rescue him from an untimely grave; but I might probably not be +able to do any more for him. Christ is something more than a Saviour. +When the children of Israel were placed behind the blood, that blood +was their salvation; but they would still have heard the crack of the +slave-driver's whip if they had not been delivered from the Egyptian +yoke of bondage: then it was that God delivered them from the hand of +the king of Egypt. I have little sympathy with the idea that God +comes down to save us, and then leaves us in prison, the slaves of +our besetting sins. No; He has come to deliver us, and to give us +victory over our evil tempers, our passions, and our lusts. Are you a +professed Christian but one who is a slave to some besetting sin? If +you want to get victory over that temper or that lust, go on to know +Christ more intimately. He brings deliverance for the past, the +present, and the future. "Who delivered; who doth deliver; who will +yet deliver." (2 Cor. i. 10.) + +How often, like the children of Israel when they came to the Red Sea, +have we become discouraged because everything looked dark before us, +behind us, and around us, and we knew not which way to turn. Like +Peter we have said, "To whom shall we go?" But God has appeared for +our deliverance. He has brought us through the Red Sea right out into +the wilderness, and opened up the way into the Promised Land. But +Christ is not only our Deliverer; He is our Redeemer. That is +something more than being our Saviour. He has brought us back. "Ye +have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without +money." (Isaiah lii. 3.) "We were not redeemed with corruptible +things, as silver and gold." (1 Peter i. 18.) If gold could have +redeemed us, could He not have created ten thousand worlds full of +gold? + +When God had redeemed the children of Israel from the bondage of +Egypt, and brought them through the Red Sea, they struck out for the +wilderness; and then God became to them their Way. I am so thankful +the Lord has not left us in darkness as to the right way. There is no +living man who has been groping in the darkness but may know the way. +"I am the Way," says Christ. If we follow Christ we shall be in the +right way, and have the right doctrine. Who could lead the children +of Israel through the wilderness like the Almighty God Himself? He +knew the pitfalls and dangers of the way, and guided the people +through all their wilderness journey right into the promised land. It +is true that if it had not been for their accursed unbelief they +might have crossed into the land at Kadesh Barnea, and taken +possession of it, but they desired something besides God's word; so +they were turned back, and had to wander in the desert for forty +years. I believe there are thousands of God's children wandering in +the wilderness still. The Lord has delivered them from the hand of +the Egyptian, and would at once take them through the wilderness +right into the Promised Land, if they were only willing to follow +Christ. Christ has been down here, and has made the rough places +smooth, and the dark places light, and the crooked places straight. +If we will only be led by Him, and will follow Him, all will be +peace, and joy, and rest. + +In the frontier, when a man goes out hunting he takes a hatchet with +him, and cuts off pieces from the bark of the trees as he goes along +through the forest: this is called "blazing the way." He does it that +he may know the way back, as there is no pathway through these thick +forests. Christ has come down to this earth; He has "blazed the Way:" +and now that He has gone up on high, if we will but follow him, we +shall be kept in the right path. I will tell you how you may know if +you are following Christ or not. If some one has slandered you, or +misjudged you, do you treat them as your master would have done? If +you do not bear these things in a loving and forgiving spirit, all +the churches and ministers in the world cannot make you right. "If +any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." (Romans +viii. 9.) "If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creature: old +things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Cor. +v. 17.) + +Christ is not only our way; He is the Light upon the way. He says, "I +am the Light of the world." (John viii. 12; ix. 5; xii. 46.) He goes +on to say, "He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but +shall have the light of life." It is impossible for any man or woman +who is following Christ to walk in darkness. If your soul is in the +darkness, groping around in the fog and mist of earth, let me tell +you it is because you have got away from the true light. There is +nothing but light that will dispel darkness. So let those who are +walking in spiritual darkness admit Christ into their hearts: He is +the Light. I call to mind a picture of which I used at one time to +think a good deal; but now I have come to look more closely, I would +not put it up in my house except I turned the face to the wall. It +represents Christ as standing at a door, knocking, and having a big +lantern in His hand. Why, you might as well hang up a lantern to the +sun as put one into Christ's hand. He is the Sun of Righteousness; +and it is our privilege to walk in the light of an unclouded sun. + +Many people are hunting after light, and peace, and joy. We are +nowhere told to seek after these things. If we admit Christ into our +hearts these will all come of themselves. I remember, when a boy, I +used to try in vain to catch my shadow. One day I was walking with my +face to the sun; and as I happened to look around I saw that my +shadow was following me. The faster I went the faster my shadow +followed; I could not get away from it. So when our faces are +directed to the Sun of Righteousness, the peace and joy are sure to +come. A man said to me some time ago, "Moody, how do you feel?" It +was so long since I had thought about my feelings I had to stop and +consider awhile, in order to find out. Some Christians are all the +time thinking about their feelings; and because they do not feel just +right they think their joy is all gone. If we keep our faces towards +Christ, and are occupied with Him, we shall be lifted out of the +darkness and the trouble that may have gathered round our path. + +I remember being in a meeting after the war of the great rebellion +broke out. The war had been going on for about six months. The army +of the North had been defeated at Bull Run, in fact, we had nothing +but defeat, and it looked as though the republic was going to pieces. +So we were much cast down and discouraged. At this meeting every +speaker for awhile seemed as if he had hung his harp upon the willow; +and it was one of the gloomiest meetings I ever attended. Finally an +old man with beautiful white hair got up to speak, and his face +literally shone. "Young men," he said "you do not talk like sons of +the King. Though it is dark just here, remember it is light somewhere +else." Then he went on to say that if it were dark all over the +world, it was light up around the Throne. + +He told us he had come from the east, where a friend had described to +him how he had been up a mountain to spend the night and see the sun +rise. As the party were climbing up the mountain, and before they had +reached the summit, a storm came on. This friend said to the guide, +"I will give this up; take me back." The guide smiled, and replied, +"I think we shall get above the storm soon." On they went; and it was +not long before they got up to where it was as calm as any summer +evening. Down in the valley a terrible storm raged; they could hear +the thunder rolling, and see the lightning's flash; but all was +serene on the mountain top. "And so, my young friends," continued the +old man, "though all is dark around you, come a little higher and the +darkness will flee away." Often when I have been inclined to get +discouraged, I have thought of what he said. Now if you are down in +the valley amidst the thick fog and the darkness, get a little +higher; get nearer to Christ, and know more of Him. + +You remember the Bible says, that when Christ expired on the cross, +the light of the world was put out. God sent His Son to be the light +of the world; but men did not love the light because it reproved them +of their sins. When they were about to put out this light, what did +Christ say to His disciples? "Ye shall be witnesses unto Me." (Acts +i. 8.) He has gone up yonder to intercede for us; but He wants us to +shine for Him down here. "Ye are the light of the world." (Matt. v. +14.) So our work is to shine; not to blow our own trumpet so that +people may look at us. What we want to do is to show forth Christ. If +we have any light at all it is borrowed light. Some one said to a +young Christian: "Converted! it is all moonshine!" Said he: "I thank +you for the illustration; the moon borrows its light from the sun; +and we borrow ours from the Sun of Righteousness." If we are +Christ's, we are here to shine for Him: by and by he will call us +home to our reward. + +I remember hearing of a blind man who sat by the wayside with a +lantern near him. When he was asked what he had a lantern for, as he +could not see the light, he said it was that people should not +stumble ever him. I believe more people stumble over the +inconsistencies of professed Christians than from any other cause. +What is doing more harm to the cause of Christ than all the +scepticism in the world is this cold, dead formalism, this conformity +to the world, this professing what we do not possess. The eyes of the +world are upon us. I think it was George Fox who said every Quaker +ought to light up the country for ten miles around him. If we were +all brightly shining for the Master, those about us would soon be +reached, and there would be a shout of praise going to heaven. + +People say: "I want to know what is the truth." Listen: "I am the +truth," says Christ. (John xiv. 5.) If you want to know what the +truth is, get acquainted with Christ. People also complain that they +have not life. Many are trying to give themselves spiritual life. You +may galvanize yourselves and put electricity into yourselves, so to +speak; but the effect will not last very long. Christ alone is the +author of life. If you would have real spiritual life, get to know +Christ. Many try to stir up spiritual life by going to meetings. That +may be well enough; but it will be of no use, unless they get into +contact with the living Christ. Then their spiritual life will not be +a spasmodic thing, but will be perpetual; flowing on and on, and +bringing forth fruit to God. + +Then Christ is our Keeper. A great many young disciples are afraid +they will not hold out. "He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber +nor sleep." (Psalm cxxi. 4.) It is the work of Christ to keep us; and +if He keeps us there will be no danger of our falling. I suppose if +Queen Victoria had to take care of the Crown of England, some thief +might attempt to get access to it; but it is put away in the Tower of +London, and guarded night and day by soldiers. The whole English army +would, if necessary, be called out to protect it. And we have no +strength in ourselves. We are no match for Satan; he has had six +thousand years' experience. But then we remember that the One who +neither slumbers nor sleeps is our keeper. In Isaiah xli. 10, we +read, "Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am +thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will +uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness." In Jude also, +verse 24, we are told that He is "able to keep us from falling." "We +have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." (1 +John ii. 1.) + +But Christ is something more. He is our Shepherd. It is the work of +the shepherd to care for the sheep, to feed them and protect them. "I +am the Good Shepherd;" "My sheep hear My voice." "I lay down My life +for the sheep." In that wonderful tenth chapter of John, Christ uses +the personal pronoun no less than twenty-eight times, in declaring +what He is and what He will do. In verse 28 He says, "They shall +never perish; neither shall any [_man_] pluck them out of My hand." +But notice the word "man" is in italics. See how the verse really +reads: "Neither shall any pluck them out of My hand"--no devil or man +shall be able to do it. In another place the Scripture declares, +"Your life is hid with Christ in God." (Col. iii. 3.) How safe and +how secure! + +Christ says, "My sheep hear My voice . . . and they follow Me." (John +x. 27.) A gentleman in the East heard of a shepherd who could call +all his sheep to him by name. He went and asked if this was true. The +shepherd took him to the pasture where they were, and called one of +them by some name. One sheep looked up and answered the call, while +the others went on feeding and paid no attention. In the same way he +called about a dozen of the sheep around him. The stranger said, "How +do you know one from the other? They all look perfectly alike." +"Well," said he, "you see that sheep toes in a little; that other one +has a squint; one has a little piece of wool off; another has a black +spot; and another has a piece out of its ear." The man knew all his +sheep by their failings, for he had not a perfect one in the whole +flock. I suppose our Shepherd knows us in the same way. + +An Eastern shepherd was once telling a gentleman that his sheep knew +his voice, and that no stranger could deceive them. The gentleman +thought he would like to put the statement to the test. So he put on +the shepherd's frock and turban, and took his staff and went to the +flock. He disguised his voice, and tried to speak as much like the +shepherd as he could; but he could not get a single sheep in the +flock to follow him. He asked the shepherd if his sheep never +followed a stranger. He was obliged to admit that if a sheep got +sickly it would follow any one. So it is with a good many professed +Christians; when they get sickly and weak in the faith, they will +follow any teacher that comes along; but when the soul is in health, +a man will not be carried away by errors and heresies. He will know +whether the "voice" speaks the truth or not. He can soon tell that, +if he is really in communion with God. When God sends a true +messenger his words will find a ready response in the Christian +heart. + +Christ is a tender Shepherd. You may some time think He has not been +a very tender Shepherd to you; you are passing under the rod. It is +written, "Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son +whom He receiveth." (Heb. xii. 6.) That you are passing under the rod +is no proof that Christ does not love you. A friend of mine lost all +his children. No man could ever have loved his family more; but the +scarlet fever took one by one away; and so the whole four or five, +one after another, died. The poor stricken parents went over to great +Britain, and wandered from one place to another, there and on the +continent. At length they found their way to Syria. One day they saw +an Eastern shepherd come down to a stream, and call his flock to +cross. The sheep came down to the brink, and looked at the water; but +they seemed to shrink from it, and he could not get them to respond +to his call. He then took a little lamb, put it under one arm; he +took another lamb and put it under the other arm, and thus passed +into the stream. The old sheep no longer stood looking at the water: +they plunged in after the shepherd; and in a few minutes the whole +flock was on the other side; and he led them away to newer and +fresher pastures. The bereaved father and mother, as they looked on +the scene, felt that it taught them a lesson. They no longer murmured +because the Great Shepherd had taken their lambs one by one into +yonder world; and they began to look up and look forward to the time +when they would follow the loved ones they had lost. If you have +loved ones gone before, remember that your Shepherd is calling you to +"set your affection on things above." (Col. iii. 2.) Let us be +faithful to Him, and follow Him, while we remain in this world. And +if you have not taken Him for your Shepherd, do so this very day. + +Christ is not only all these things that I have mentioned: He is also +our Mediator, our Sanctifier, our Justifier; in fact, it would take +volumes to tell what He desires to be to every individual soul. While +looking through some papers I once read this wonderful description of +Christ. I do not know where it originally came from; but it was so +fresh to my soul that I should like to give it to you:-- + +"Christ is our Way; we walk in Him. He is our Truth; we embrace Him. +He is our Life; we live in Him. He is our Lord; we choose Him to rule +over us. He is our Master; we serve Him. He is our Teacher, +instructing us in the way of salvation. He is our Prophet, pointing +out the future. He is our Priest, having atoned for us. He is our +Advocate, ever living to make intercession for us. He is our Saviour, +saving to the uttermost. He is our Root; we grow from Him. He is our +Bread; we feed upon Him. He is our Shepherd, leading us into green +pastures. He is our true Vine; we abide in Him. He is the Water of +Life; we slake our thirst from Him. He is the fairest among ten +thousand: we admire Him above all others. He is 'the brightness of +the Father's glory, and the express image of His person;' we strive +to reflect His likeness. He is the upholder of all things; we rest +upon Him. He is our wisdom; we are guided by Him. He is our +Righteousness; we cast all our imperfections upon Him. He is our +Sanctification; we draw all our power for holy life from Him. He is +our Redemption, redeeming us from all iniquity. He is our Healer, +curing all our diseases. He is our Friend, relieving us in all our +necessities. He is our Brother, cheering us in our difficulties." + +Here is another beautiful extract: it is from Gotthold: + +"For my part, my soul is like a hungry and thirsty child; and I need +His love and consolation for my refreshment. I am a wandering and +lost sheep; and I need Him as a good and faithful shepherd. My soul +is like a frightened dove pursued by the hawk; and I need His wounds +for a refuge. I am a feeble vine; and I need His cross to lay hold +of, and to wind myself about. I am a sinner; and I need His +righteousness. I am naked and bare; and I need His holiness and +innocence for a covering. I am ignorant; and I need His teaching: +simple and foolish; and I need the guidance of His Holy Spirit. In no +situation, and at no time, can I do without Him. Do I pray? He must +prompt, and intercede for me. Am I arraigned by Satan at the Divine +tribunal? He must be my Advocate. Am I in affliction? He must be my +Helper. Am I persecuted by the world? He must defend me. When I am +forsaken, He must be my Support; when I am dying, my life: when +mouldering in the grave, my Resurrection. Well, then, I will rather +part with all the world, and all that it contains, than with Thee, my +Saviour. And, God be thanked! I know that Thou, too, art neither able +nor willing to do without me. Thou art rich; and I am poor. Thou hast +abundance; and I am needy. Thou hast righteousness; and I sins. Thou +hast wine and oil; and I wounds. Thou hast cordials and refreshments; +and I hunger and thirst. + +Use me then, my Saviour, for whatever purpose, and in whatever way, +Thou mayest require. Here is my poor heart, an empty vessel; fill it +with Thy grace. Here is my sinful and troubled soul; quicken and +refresh it with Thy love. Take my heart for Thine abode; my mouth to +spread the glory of Thy name; my love and all my powers, for the +advancement of Thy believing people; and never suffer the +steadfastness and confidence of my faith to abate--that so at all +times I may be enabled from the heart to say. 'Jesus needs me, and I +Him; and so we suit each other.'" + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +_BACKSLIDING_. + + +"I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely: for Mine +anger is turned away."--Hosea xiv. 4. + + +There are two kinds of backsliders. Some have never been converted: +they have gone through the form of joining a Christian community and +claim to be backsliders; but they never have, if I may use the +expression, "slid forward." They may talk of backsliding; but they +have never really been born again. They need to be treated +differently from real back-sliders--those who have been born of the +incorruptible seed, but who have turned aside. We want to bring the +latter back the same road by which they left their first love. + +Turn to Psalm lxxxv. 5. There you read: "Wilt Thou be angry with us +for ever? wilt Thou draw out Thine anger to all generations? wilt +Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee? Show +us Thy mercy, O Lord; and grant us Thy salvation." Now look again: +"_I will hear what God the Lord will speak:_ for He will speak peace +unto His people, and to His saints; but let them not turn again to +folly" (_verse_ 8). + +There is nothing that will do back-sliders so much good as to come in +contact with the Word of God; and for them the Old Testament is as +full of help as the New. The book of Jeremiah has some wonderful +passages for wanderers. What we want to do is to get back-sliders to +hear what God the Lord will say. + +Look for a moment at Jeremiah vi. 10. "To whom shall I speak, and +give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, +and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a +reproach; they have no delight in it." That is the condition of +back-sliders. They have no delight whatever in the word of God. But we +want to bring them back, and let God get their ear. Read from the +14th verse: "They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of My +people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were +they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not +at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall +among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be +cast down, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, +and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk +therein; and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We +will not walk therein. Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken +to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken." + +That was the condition of the Jews when they had backslidden. They +had turned away from the old paths. And that is the condition of +backsliders. They have got away from the good old book. Adam and Eve +fell by not hearkening to the word of God. They did not believe God's +word; but they believed the tempter. That is the way backsliders +fall--by turning away from the word of God. + +In Jeremiah ii. we find God pleading with them as a father would +plead with a son. "Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your +fathers found in Me, that they are gone from Me, and have walked +after vanity, and are become vain? . . . Wherefore I will yet plead +with you, saith the Lord; and with your children's children will I +plead . . . For my people have committed two evils: they have +forsaken Me, the Fountain of living waters, and hewed them out +cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water." + +Now there is one thing to which we wish to call the attention of +backsliders; and that is, that the Lord never forsook them; but that +they forsook Him! The Lord never left them; but they left Him! And +this, too, without any cause! He says, "What iniquity have your +fathers found in Me, that they are gone far from Me?" Is not God the +same to-day as when you came to Him first? Has God changed? Men are +apt to think that God has changed; but the fault is with them. +Backslider, I would ask you, "What iniquity is there in God, that you +have left Him and gone far from Him?" You have, He says, hewed out to +yourselves broken cisterns that hold no water. The world cannot +satisfy the new nature. No earthly well can satisfy the soul that has +become a partaker of the heavenly nature. Honor, wealth and the +pleasures of this world will not satisfy those who, having tasted the +water of life, have gone astray, seeking refreshment at the world's +fountains. Earthly wells will get dry. They cannot quench spiritual +thirst. + +Again in the 32d verse: "Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride +her attire? yet My people have forgotten Me, days without number." +That is the charge which God brings against the backslider. They +"have forgotten Me, days without number." + +I have often startled young ladies when I have said to them, "My +friend, you think more of your ear-rings than of the Lord." The reply +has been, "No, I do not." But when I have asked, "Would you not be +troubled if you lost one; and would you not set about seeking for +it?" the answer has been, "Well, yes, I think I should." But though +they had turned from the Lord, it did not give them any trouble; nor +did they seek after Him that they might find Him. + +How many once in fellowship and in daily communion with the Lord now +think more of their dresses and ornaments than of their precious +souls! Love does not like to be forgotten. Mothers would have broken +hearts if their children left them and never wrote a word or sent any +memento of their affection; and God pleads over backsliders as a +parent over loved ones who have gone astray. He tries to woo them +back. He asks: "What have I done that you should have forsaken Me?" + +The most tender and loving words to be found in the whole of the +Bible are from Jehovah to those who have left Him without a cause. +Jer. ii. 19. + +Hear how He argues with such: (Jer. xi. 19.) "Thine own wickedness +shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee; know, +therefore, and see, that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou +hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that My fear is not in thee, +saith the Lord God of hosts." + +I do not exaggerate when I say that I have seen hundreds of +backsliders come back; and I have asked them if they have not found +it an evil and a bitter thing to leave the Lord. You cannot find a +real backslider, who has known the Lord, but will admit that it is an +evil and a bitter thing to turn away from Him; and I do not know of +any one verse more used to bring back wanderers than that very one. +May it bring you back if you have wandered into the far country. + +Look at Lot. Did not he find it an evil and a bitter thing? He was +twenty years in Sodom, and never made a convert. He got on well in +the sight of the world. Men would have told you that he was one of +the most influential and worthy men in all Sodom. But alas! alas! he +ruined his family. And it is a pitiful sight to see that old +backslider going through the streets of Sodom at midnight, after he +has warned his children, and they have turned a deaf ear. + +I have never known a man and his wife backslide, without its proving +utter ruin to their children. They will make a mockery of religion +and will deride their parents: "Thine own wickedness shall correct +thee; and thy backsliding shall reprove thee!" Did not David find it +so? Mark him, crying, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! +would God I had died for thee; O Absalom, my son, my son!" I think it +was the ruin, rather than the death of his son that caused this +anguish. + +I remember being engaged in conversation some years ago, till past +midnight, with an old man. He had been for years wandering on the +barren mountains of sin. That night he wanted to get back. We prayed, +and prayed, and prayed, till light broke in upon him; and he went +away rejoicing. The next night he sat in front of me when I was +preaching, and I think that I never saw any one look so sad and +wretched in all my life. He followed me into the enquiry-room. "What +is the trouble?" I asked. "Is your eye off the Saviour? Have your +doubts come back?" "No; it is not that," he said. "I did not go to +business, but spent all this day in visiting my children. They are +all married and in this city. I went from house to house, but there +was not one but mocked me. It is the darkest day of my life. I have +awoke up to what I have done. I have taken my children into the +world; and now I cannot get them out." The Lord had restored unto him +the joy of His salvation; yet there was the bitter consequence of his +transgression. You can run through your experience; and you can find +just such instances repeated again and again. Many who came to your +city years ago serving God, in their prosperity have forgotten Him: +and where are their sons and daughters? Show me the father and mother +who have deserted the Lord and gone back to the beggarly elements of +the world; and I am mistaken if their children are not on the high +road to ruin. + +As we desire to be faithful we warn these backsliders. It is a sign +of love to warn of danger. We may be looked upon as enemies for a +while; but the truest friends are those who lift up the voice of +warning. Israel had no truer friend than Moses. In Jeremiah God gave +His people a weeping prophet to bring them back to Him; but they cast +off God. They forgot the God who brought them out of Egypt, and who +led them through the desert into the promised land. In their +prosperity they forget Him and turned away. The Lord had told them +what would happen. (Deut. xxviii.) And see what did happen. The +king who make light of the word of God was taken captive by +Nebuchadnezzar, and his children brought up in front of him and every +one slain: his eyes were put out of his head; and he was bound in +fetters of brass and cast into a dungeon in Babylon. (2 Kings xxv. +7.) That is the way he reaped what he had sown. Surely it is an evil +and a bitter thing to backslide, but the Lord would win you back with +the message of His Work. + +In Jeremiah viii. 5, we read: "Why then is this people of Jerusalem +slidden by a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast deceit; _They +refuse to return_." That is what the Lord brings against them. "They +refuse to return." "I hearkened and heard; but they spake not aright: +no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? +Every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. +Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the +turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their +coming; but My people know not the judgment of the Lord." + +Now look: "I hearkened and heard; but they spake not aright." No +family altar! No reading the Bible! No closet devotion! God stoops to +hear; but His people have turned away! If there be a penitent +backslider, one who is anxious for pardon and restoration, you will +find no words more tender than are to be found in Jeremiah iii. 12: +"Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou +backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause Mine anger +to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not +keep anger forever." Now notice: "Only acknowledge thine iniquity, +that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast +scattered thy ways to the stranger under every green tree, and ye +have not obeyed My voice, saith the Lord. Turn, O backsliding +children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you"--think of God +coming and saying, "_I am married unto you!_--and I will take you one +of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion." + +"Only acknowledge thine iniquity." How many times have I held that +passage up to a backslider! "Acknowledge" it; and God says I will +forgive you. I remember a man asking, "Who said that? Is that there?" +And I held up to him the passage, "Only acknowledge thine iniquity;" +and the man went down on his knees, and cried, "My God, I have +sinned"; and the Lord restored him there and then. If you have +wandered, He wants you to come back. + +He says in another place, "O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O +Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning +cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away" (Hosea vi. 4). His +compassion and His love is wonderful! + +In Jeremiah iii. 22; "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will +heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto Thee; Thou art the Lord +our God." He just puts words into the mouth of the backslider. Only +come; and, if you will come, He will receive you graciously and love +you freely. + +In Hosea xiv. 1, 2, 4: "O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for +thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to +the Lord (He puts words into your mouth): say unto Him, Take away all +iniquity, and receive us graciously; so will we render the calves of +our lips . . . I will heal their backsliding, I will love them +freely, for Mine auger is turned away from him." Just observe that, +Turn! _Turn!!_ Turn!!! rings all through these passages. + +Now, if you have wandered, remember that you left Him, and not He +you. You have to get out of the backslider's pit just in the same way +you got in. And if you take the same road as when you left the Master +you will find Him now, just where you are. + +If we were to treat Christ as any earthly friend we should never +leave Him; and there would never be a backslider. If I were in a town +for a single week I should not think of going away without shaking +hands with the friends I had made, and saying "Good bye" to them. I +should be justly blamed if I took the train and left without saying a +word to any one. The cry would be, "What's the matter?" But did you +ever hear of a backslider bidding the Lord Jesus Christ "Good bye"; +going into his closet and saying "Lord Jesus, I have known Thee ten, +twenty, or thirty years: but I am tired of Thy service; Thy yoke is +not easy, nor Thy burden light; so I am going back to the world, to +the flesh-pots of Egypt. Good bye, Lord Jesus! Farewell"? Did you +ever hear that? No; you never did, and you never will. I tell you, if +you get into the closet and shut out the world and hold communion +with the Master you cannot leave Him. The language of your heart will +be, "To whom shall we go," but unto Thee? "Thou hast the words of +eternal life" (John vi. 68). You could not go back to the world if +you treated Him in that way. But you left Him and ran away. You have +forgotten Him days without number. Come back to-day; just as you are! +Make up your mind that you will not rest until God has restored unto +you the joy of His salvation. + +A gentleman in Cornwall once met a Christian in the street whom he +knew to be a backslider. He went up to him, and said: "Tell me, is +there not some estrangement between you and the Lord Jesus?" The man +hung his head, and said, "Yes." "Well," said the gentleman, "what has +He done to you?" The answer to which was a flood of tears. + +In Revelation ii. 4, 5, we read: "Nevertheless I have somewhat +against thee, because thou hast left the first love. Remember +therefore from whence thou art fallen; and repent, and do the first +works: or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy +candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." I want to guard +you against a mistake which some people make with regard to "doing +the first works." Many think that they are to have the same +experience over again, That has kept thousands for months without +peace; because they have been waiting for a renewal of their first +experience. You will never have the same experience as when you first +came to the Lord. God never repeats himself. No two people of all +earth's millions look alike or think alike. You may say that you +cannot tell two people apart; but when you get well acquainted with +them you can very quickly distinguish differences. So, no one person +will have the same experience a second time. If God will restore His +joy to your soul let Him do it in His way. Do not mark out a way for +God to bless you. Do not expect the same experience that you had two +or twenty years ago. You will have a fresh experience, and God will +deal with you in His own way. If you confess your sins and tell Him +that you have wandered from the path of His commandments He will +restore unto you the joy of His salvation. + +I want to call your attention to the manner in which Peter fell; and +I think that nearly all fall pretty much in the same way. I want to +lift up a warning note to those who have not fallen. "Let him that +thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. x. 12). Twenty-five +years ago--and for the first five years after I was converted--I +used to think that if I were able to stand for twenty years I need +fear no fall. But the nearer you get to the Cross the fiercer the +battle. Satan aims high. He went amongst the twelve; and singled out +the Treasurer--Judas Iscariot, and the Chief Apostle--Peter. Most men +who have fallen have done so on the strongest side of their +character. I am told that the only side upon which Edinburgh Castle +was successfully assailed was where the rocks were steepest, and +where the garrison thought themselves secure. If any man thinks that +he is strong enough to resist the devil at any one point he needs +special watch there, for the tempter comes that way. + +Abraham stands, as it were, at the head of the family of faith; and +the children of faith may be said to trace their descent to Abraham: +and yet down in Egypt he denied his wife. (Gen. xii.) Moses was noted +for his meekness; and yet he was kept out of the promised land +because of one hasty act and speech, when he was told by the Lord to +speak to the rock so that the congregation and their beasts should +have water to drink. "Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water +out of this rock?" (Num. xx. 10). + +Elijah was remarkable for his boldness: and yet he went off a day's +journey into the wilderness like a coward and hid himself under a +juniper tree, requesting for himself that he might die, because of a +message he received from a woman. (1 Kings xix.) Let us be careful. +No matter who the man is--he may be in the pulpit--but if he gets +self-conceited he will be sure to fall. We who are followers of +Christ need constantly to pray to be made humble, and kept humble. +God made Moses' face so to shine that other men could see it; but +Moses himself wist not that his face shone, and the more holy in +heart a man is the more manifest to the outer world will be his daily +life and conversation. Some people talk of how humble they are; but +if they have true humility there will be no necessity for them to +publish it. It is not needful. A lighthouse does not have a drum +beaten or a trumpet-blown in order to proclaim the proximity of a +lighthouse: it is its own witness. And so if we have the true light +in us it will show itself. It is not those who make the most noise +who have the most piety. There is a brook, or a little "burn" as the +Scotch call it, not far from where I live; and after a heavy rain you +can hear the rush of its waters a long way off: but let there come a +few days of pleasant weather, and the brook becomes almost silent. +But there is a river near my house, the flow of which I never heard +in my life, as it pours on in its deep and majestic course the year +round. We should have so much of the love of God within us that its +presence shall be evident without our loud proclamation of the fact. + +The first step in Peter's downfall was his self-confidence. The Lord +warned him. The Lord said: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired +to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for +thee, that thy faith fail not" (Luke xxii. 31, 32). But Peter said: +"I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison and to death." "Though +all shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended." +(Matt. xxvi. 23.) "James and John, and the others, may leave You; but +You can count on me!" But the Lord warned him: "I tell thee, Peter, +the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny +that thou knowest Me." (Luke xxii. 24.) + +Though the Lord rebuked him, Peter said he was ready to follow Him to +death. That boasting is too often a forerunner of downfall. Let us +walk humbly and softly. We have a great tempter; and, in an unguarded +hour, we may stumble and fall and bring a scandal on Christ. + +The next step in Peter's downfall was that he went to sleep. If Satan +can rock the Church to sleep he does his work through God's own +people. Instead of Peter watching one short hour in Gethsemane, he +fell asleep, and the Lord asked him, "What, could ye not watch with +Me one hour?" (Matt. xxvi. 40.) The next thing was that he fought in +the energy of the flesh. The Lord rebuked him again and said, "They +that take the sword shall perish with the sword." (Matt. xxvi. 52.) +Jesus had to undo what Peter had done. The next thing, he "followed +afar off." Step by step he gets away. It is a sad thing when a child +of God follows afar off. When you see him associating with worldly +friends, and throwing his influence on the wrong side, he is +following afar off; and it will not be long before disgrace will be +brought upon the old family name, and Jesus Christ will be wounded in +the house of his friends. The man, by his example, will cause others +to stumble and fall. + +The next thing--Peter is familiar and friendly with the enemies of +Christ. A damsel says to this bold Peter: "Thou also wast with this +Jesus of Galilee." But he denied before them all, saying, "I know not +what thou sayest." And when he was gone out into the porch another +maid saw him and said unto them that were there, "This fellow was +also with Jesus of Nazareth." And again he denied with an oath. "I do +not know the Man." Another hour passed; and yet he did not realize +his position; when another confidently affirmed that he was a +Galilean, for his speech betrayed him. And he was angry and began to +curse and to swear, and again denied his Master: and the cock crew. +(Matt. xxvi. 69-74.) + +He commences away up on the pinacle of self-conceit, and goes down +step by step until he breaks out into cursing, and swears that he +never knew his Lord. + +The Master might have turned and said to him, "Is it true, Peter, +that you have forgotten Me so soon? Do you not remember when your +wife's mother lay sick of a fever that I rebuked the disease and it +left her? Do you not call to mind your astonishment at the draught of +fishes so that you exclaimed, 'Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, +O Lord?' Do you remember when in answer to your cry, 'Lord, save me, +or I perish,' I stretched out My hand and kept you from drowning in +the water? Have you forgotten when, on the Mount of Transfiguration, +with James and John, you said to Me, 'Lord, it is good to be here: +let us make three tabernacles?' Have you forgotten being with Me at +the supper-table, and in Gethsemane? Is it true that you have +forgotten Me so soon?" The Lord might have upbraided him with +questions such as these: but He did nothing of the kind. He cast one +look on Peter: and there was so much love in it that it broke that +bold disciple's heart: and he went out and wept bitterly. + +And after Christ rose from the dead see how tenderly He dealt with +the erring disciple. The angel at the sepulchre says, "Tell His +disciples, _and Peter_." (Mark xvi. 7.) The Lord did not forget +Peter, though Peter had denied Him thrice; so He caused this kindly +special message to be conveyed to the repentant disciple. What a +tender and loving Saviour we have! + +Friend, if you are one of the wanderers, let the loving look of the +Master win you back; and let Him restore you to the joy of His +salvation. + +Before closing, let me say that I trust God will restore some +backslider reading these pages, who may in the future become a useful +member of society and a bright ornament of the Church. We should +never have had the thirty-second Psalm if David had not been +restored: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin +is covered"; or that beautiful fifty-first Psalm which was written by +the restored backslider. Nor should we have had that wonderful sermon +on the day of Pentecost when three thousand were converted--preached +by another restored backslider. + +May God restore other backsliders and make them a thousand times more +used for His glory than they ever were before. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Way to God and How to Find It, by Dwight Moody + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WAY TO GOD AND HOW TO FIND IT *** + +***** This file should be named 30449.txt or 30449.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/0/4/4/30449/ + +Produced by Keith G. 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