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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/30657-h.zip b/30657-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2693a2e --- /dev/null +++ b/30657-h.zip diff --git a/30657-h/30657-h.htm b/30657-h/30657-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7301731 --- /dev/null +++ b/30657-h/30657-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3841 @@ +<!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>Sovereign Grace, Its Source, Its Nature and Its +Effects</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;font-size:88%;margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em} + p.p1 {padding-left:3.5em; text-indent:-2em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0} + p.p1s {padding-left:3.5em; text-indent:-2em; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1em} + p.p2 {padding-left:7em; text-indent:-2em; font-size:92%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0} + p.p3 {padding-left:8em; text-indent:-2em; font-size:92%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0} + p.p3s {padding-left:8em; text-indent:-2em; font-size:92%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1em} + p.p4 {padding-left:9em; text-indent:-2em; font-size:92%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0} + p.p4s {padding-left:9em; text-indent:-2em; font-size:92%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1em} + p.p5s {padding-left:18em; text-indent:-2em; font-size:92%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1em} + p.p6 {padding-left:14em; text-indent:-2em; font-size:92%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0} + p.p6s {padding-left:14em; text-indent:-2em; font-size:92%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:1em} + + .sc {font-variant:small-caps} + .ls1 {letter-spacing:0.08em} + + h1 {text-align:center;margin-top:1.0em;margin-bottom:0.9em;font-size:142%;font-weight:normal} + h2 {text-align:center;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1em;font-size:104%;font-weight:normal} + h3 {text-align:center;margin-top:1.5em;margin-bottom:1em;font-size:92%;font-weight:normal} +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Sovereign Grace, 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: Sovereign Grace + Its Source, Its Nature and Its Effects + +Author: Dwight Moody + +Release Date: December 12, 2009 [EBook #30657] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SOVEREIGN GRACE *** + + + + +Produced by Keith G. Richardson + + + + + +</pre> + +<p class="pnn"><a href="#Preface">Prefatory Note</a></p> +<p class="pnn"><a href="#Contents">Contents</a></p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:350%;font-style:italic;margin-top:0.6em;margin-bottom:0.8em"> +Sovereign Grace</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:121%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:4.6em"> +Its Source, Its Nature and Its Effects</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:142%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:3.5em"> +By D. L. Moody</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:88%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:6.5em"> +<i>“By Grace are ye saved.”—Ephesians ii. 8</i></p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:146%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:3.8em"> +<span class="ls1">With Three Gospel Dialogues</span></p> +<hr style="width:6em;margin-top:1.7em;margin-bottom:5.0em"> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:88%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0.3em"> +C<span class="sc">hicago</span> N<span class= +"sc">ew</span> Y<span class="sc">ork</span> +T<span class="sc">oronto</span></p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:113%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0.3em"> +FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY</p> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:92%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +L<span class="sc">ondon and</span> E<span class= +"sc">dinburgh</span></p> +<hr style="margin-top:7.5em;margin-bottom:25em"> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:79%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +<i>Copyrighted 1891 by Fleming H. Revell Company.</i></p> +<hr style="margin-top:28em;margin-bottom:11em"> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:133%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +<a name="Preface" id="Preface">PREFATORY NOTE.</a></p> +<div style="text-align:center"><img alt="Illustration: Line" src= +"images/line.jpg" style= +"width: 7.5em; height: 0.65em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.7em"></div> +<div style="line-height:1.5em"> +<p class="pnn"><img style= +"float:left;margin-top:0.5em; margin-right:0.3em;height:2.4em;padding-right:0.2em" +src="images/i2.jpg" alt="I">N the exercise of his high calling, +the faithful ambassador of Christ must not scruple to declare the +whole counsel of God—“rightly dividing the word of truth,” to all +classes of hearers. He must warn the openly wicked man that if he +persists in his evil courses, the just judgments of God will +inevitably overtake him; he must unmask the hypocrite; he must +utter no uncertain protest against the crooked and devious ways +of the self-seeker and the time-server. But if he enters into the +Spirit of his Master, no part of his public work will be more +congenial or delightful than the proclamation of the full, free, +and <span class="sc">sovereign grace</span> of God, manifested +towards sinful men in the gift of His Eternal Son, to be the +Saviour of the world. It has been my happy privilege in years +past to tell out, as best I could, this wonderful story of +redeeming grace. The following pages record the addresses I have +given on the various aspects of this great subject. I pray God +that in their printed form they may serve to deepen in the mind +of the reader the appreciation of this grace, at once so infinite +and so undeserved.</p> +<p class="pn">The chapter entitled “A Chime of Gospel Bells,” +though not strictly flowing out of the general subject, is in +perfect harmony with it; every note in the chime is intended to +ring out the gracious invitation to “Come” to the God of all +grace and be blessed. The Dialogues which form the latter part of +the book were heard with much interest and profit at some of the +London meetings; I think the perusal of them will be helpful in +removing many of the hindrances that prevent anxious inquirers +from accepting without delay the salvation that God in His grace +has provided for the sinful children of men.</p> +</div> +<div style="text-align:right"><img alt="Illustration: Signature" +src="images/signature.jpg" style= +"width: 18em; height: 6.7em;margin-top:2.0em;margin-bottom:0"></div> +<hr style="margin-top:17em;margin-bottom:7em"> +<p style= +"text-align:center;font-size:142%;letter-spacing:0.2em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.4em"> +<a name="Contents" id="Contents">CONTENTS.</a></p> +<div style="text-align:center"><img alt="Illustration: Line" src= +"images/line.jpg" style= +"width:8.7em; margin-top:0;margin-bottom:2.3em"></div> +<div style= +"font-size:88%; line-height:1.1em; letter-spacing:0.04em"> +<p class="ps"><a href="#I">T<span class="sc">he</span> +F<span class="sc">ountain of</span> G<span class= +"sc">race</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#II">S<span class="sc">aved by</span> +G<span class="sc">race</span> A<span class= +"sc">lone</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#III">P<span class="sc">ossessing, +and</span> “W<span class="sc">orking</span> O<span class= +"sc">ut</span>”</a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#IV">G<span class="sc">race Abounding to +the Chief of Sinners</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#V">L<span class="sc">aw and +Grace</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#VI">G<span class="sc">race for +Living</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#VII">G<span class="sc">race for +Service</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"><a href="#VIII">“A C<span class="sc">hime of Gospel +Bells</span>”</a></p> +</div> +<hr style="width:10em;margin-top:1.9em;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +<p style="text-align:left;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +GOSPEL DIALOGUES:</p> +<div style= +"font-size:88%; line-height:1.1em; letter-spacing:0.04em"> +<p class="ps"> I. <a href="#GDI">W<span class="sc">hat It Is to +be a Child of God</span></a></p> +<p class="ps"> II. <a href="#GDII">H<span class="sc">ow to Become +a Christian</span></a></p> +<p class="ps">III. <a href="#GDIII">W<span class="sc">hat It Is +to be Converted</span></a></p> +</div> +<hr style="margin-top:15em;margin-bottom:11em"> +<div style="line-height:1.6em"> +<p class="p3">“G<span class="sc">race</span>! ’tis a charming +sound,</p> +<p class="p4">Harmonious to the ear;</p> +<p class="p3">Heaven with the echo shall resound,</p> +<p class="p4s">And all the earth shall hear.</p> +<p class="p3">’Twas grace that wrote my name</p> +<p class="p4">In life’s eternal book;</p> +<p class="p3">’Twas grace that gave me to the Lamb,</p> +<p class="p4s">Who all my sorrows took.</p> +<p class="p3">Grace taught my wandering feet</p> +<p class="p4">To tread the heavenly road;</p> +<p class="p3">And new supplies each hour I meet,</p> +<p class="p4s">While pressing on to God.</p> +<p class="p3">Oh let that grace inspire</p> +<p class="p4">My soul with strength divine.</p> +<p class="p3">May all my prayers to Thee aspire,</p> +<p class="p4">And all my days be Thine.”</p> +<p style= +"text-align:left;text-indent:19.0em;font-size:88%;font-style:italic;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +<i>Dr. Doddridge.</i></p> +</div> +<hr style="margin-top:13em;margin-bottom:9em"> +<h1 style= +"text-align:center;font-size:183%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0.5em"> +<a name="I" id="I">SOVEREIGN GRACE</a></h1> +<div style="text-align:center"><img alt="Illustration: Line" src= +"images/line2.jpg" style="width: 3.0em;"></div> +<p style= +"text-align:center;margin-top:1.0em;margin-bottom:0.9em;font-size:142%"> +CHAPTER I.</p> +<h2>THE FOUNTAIN OF GRACE.</h2> +<p class="pnn"><img style= +"float:left;margin-top:0.2em; margin-right:0.3em;height:3.5em" +src="images/t.jpg" alt="T"> HERE are some words with which we +have been familiar from our infancy up, and probably there are +few words in the English language that are so often used as this +word “GRACE.” Many of you at your table “say grace” three times a +day. You seldom go into a church without hearing the word +mentioned. You seldom read any part of the New Testament, +especially the Epistles, without meeting the word.</p> +<p class="pn">There is probably not a word in the language so +little understood. There are a great many who have received the +grace of God into their heart, but who, if they should be asked +what the word means would be troubled, and confused, and unable +to tell. I experienced the grace of God a good many years before +I really knew the true meaning of the word.</p> +<p class="pn">Now, grace means unmerited mercy—undeserved favor. +If men were to wake up to the fact, they would not be talking +about their own worthiness when we ask them to come to Christ. +When the truth dawns upon them that Christ came to save the +unworthy, then they will accept salvation. Peter calls God “the +God of all grace.”</p> +<p class="pn">Men talk about grace, but, as a rule, they know +very little about it. Let a business man go to one of your +bankers to borrow a few hundred dollars for sixty or ninety days; +if he is well able to pay, the banker will perhaps lend him the +money if he can get another responsible man to sign the note with +him. They give what they call three days’ grace after the sixty +or ninety days have expired; but they will make the borrower pay +interest on the money during these three days, and if he does not +return principal and interest at the appointed time, they will +sell his goods; they will perhaps turn him out of his house, and +take the last piece of furniture in his possession. That is not +grace at all; but that fairly illustrates man’s idea of it. Grace +not only frees you from payment of the interest, but of the +principal also.</p> +<h3>ITS SOURCE.</h3> +<p class="pn">In the Gospel by John we read, “The Word was made +flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as +of the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth . . . +For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus +Christ.” Now you know that for many years men were constantly +trying to find the source of the Nile. The river of grace has +been flowing through this dark earth for six thousand years, and +we certainly ought to be more anxious to find out its source than +to discover the source of the Nile. I think if you will read your +Bible carefully you will find that this wonderful river of grace +comes right from the very heart of God.</p> +<p class="pn">I remember being in Texas a few years ago, in a +place where the country was very dry and parched. In that dry +country there is a beautiful river that springs right out of the +ground. It flows along; and on both sides of the river you find +life and vegetation. Grace flows like that river; and you can +trace its source right up to the very heart of God. You may say +that its highest manifestation was seen when God gave the Son of +His bosom to save this lost world. “Not as the offense, so also +is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, +much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by +one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.”</p> +<h3>A FREE GIFT.</h3> +<p class="pn">Notice, it is the free gift of God. “Grace be unto +you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus +Christ. I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of +God which is given you by Jesus Christ.” Paul wrote fourteen +Epistles; and every one of them is closed with a prayer for +grace. Paul calls it “The free gift of God.” Thousands have been +kept out of the kingdom of God because they do not realize what +this free gift is. They think they must do something to merit +salvation.</p> +<p class="pn">The first promise given to fallen man was a promise +of grace. God never promised Adam anything when He put him in +Eden. God never entered into a covenant with him as He did with +Abraham. God told him “of the tree of the knowledge of good and +evil thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest +thereof thou shalt surely die;” but when this came to pass then +God came and gave him a gracious promise. He dealt in grace with +him. As he left the Garden of Eden he could say to Eve, “Well, +God does love us, though He has driven us out.” There was no sign +that Adam recognized his lost condition. As far as we know there +was no cry for mercy or pardon, no confession of sin. Yet we find +that God dealt in grace with him. God sought Adam out that he +might bestow His grace upon him. He met Adam in his lost and +ruined condition, and the first thing He did was to proclaim the +promise of a coming Saviour.</p> +<p class="pn">For six thousand years, God has been trying to +teach the world this great and glorious truth—that He wants to +deal with man in love and in grace. It runs right through the +Bible; all along you find this stream of grace flowing. The very +last promise in the closing chapter of Revelation, like the first +promise in Eden, is a promise of grace: “Whosoever will, let him +take the water of life freely.” So the whole revelation, and the +whole history of man is encircled with grace, the free favor of +God.</p> +<p class="pn">Some years ago when I was speaking on this subject, +a friend sent me the following: “By the grace of God I am what I +am!” This is the believer’s eternal confession. Grace found him a +rebel—it leaves him a son. Grace found him wandering at the gates +of hell—it leads him through the gates of heaven. Grace devised +the scheme of Redemption: Justice never would; Reason never +could. And it is grace which carries out that scheme. No sinner +would ever have sought his God but ‘by grace.’ The thickets of +Eden would have proved Adam’s grave, had not grace called him +out. Saul would have lived and died the haughty self-righteous +persecutor had not grace laid him low. The thief would have +continued breathing out his blasphemies, had not grace arrested +his tongue and tuned it for glory.</p> +<p class="pn">“‘Out of the knottiest timber,’ says Rutherford, +‘He can make vessels of mercy for service in the high palace of +glory.’”</p> +<p class="pn">“‘I came, I saw, I conquered,’ says Toplady, ‘may +be inscribed by the Saviour on every monument of grace.’ ‘I came +to the sinner; I looked upon him; and with a look of omnipotent +love, I conquered.’”</p> +<p class="pn">My friend, we would have been this day wandering +stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of +darkness—Christless—hopeless—portionless—had not grace invited +us, and grace constrained us.</p> +<h3>RESTRAINING GRACE.</h3> +<p class="pn">It is grace which, at this moment, keeps us. We +have often been a Peter—forsaking our Lord, but brought back to +him again. Why not a Demas or a Judas? ‘I have prayed for thee +that thy faith fail not.’ Is not this our own comment and +reflection on life’s retrospect? ‘Yet not I, but the grace of God +which was with me.’</p> +<p class="pn">Oh, let us seek to realize our continual dependence +on this grace every moment! ‘More grace! more grace!’ should be +our continual cry. But the infinite supply is commensurate with +the infinite need. The treasury of grace, though always emptying +is always full: the key of prayer which opens it is always at +hand: and the almighty Almoner of the blessings of grace is +always waiting to the gracious. The recorded promise never can be +canceled or reversed—’My grace is sufficient for thee.’</p> +<p class="pn">Let us seek to dwell much on this inexhaustible +theme. The grace of God is the source of minor temporal as well +as of higher spiritual blessings.</p> +<p class="pn">It accounts for the crumb of daily bread as well as +for the crown of eternal glory. But even in regard to earthly +mercies, never forget the channel of grace through Christ Jesus. +It is sweet thus to connect every (even the smallest and +humblest) token of providential bounty with Calvary’s Cross—to +have the common blessings of life stamped with the print of the +nails; it makes them doubly precious to think this flows from +Jesus. Let others be contented with the uncovenanted mercies of +God. Be it ours to say as the children of grace and heirs of +glory—’Our Father which art in heaven, give us this day our daily +bread.’ Nay, reposing in the all-sufficiency in all things, +promised by ‘the God of all grace.’</p> +<hr style="margin-top:6em;margin-bottom:6em"> +<h1><a name="II" id="II">CHAPTER II.</a></h1> +<h2>SAVED BY GRACE ALONE.</h2> +<p class="pnn"><img style= +"float:left;margin-top:0.2em; margin-right:0.3em;height:3.5em;padding-right:0.3em" +src="images/i2.jpg" alt="I"> WANT to call your special attention +to the fact that we are saved by grace alone, not by works +<i>and</i> grace. A great many people think that they can be +saved by works. Others think that salvation may be attained by +works and grace together. They need to have their eyes opened to +see that the gift of God is free and apart from works. “For by +grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it +is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.” +Many people would put it thus: “For by your works are ye +saved,—or by your tears, or your prayers, or your fastings, or +your trials, or your good resolutions, or your money!” But Paul +tells us plainly that it is “not of works, lest any man should +boast.” If we could be saved by works, then of course Christ’s +mission to this world was a mistake. There was no need for Him to +come.</p> +<p class="pn">What had Paul ever done that could merit salvation? +Up to the time that Christ called him he had done everything he +could against Christ and against Christianity. He was in the very +act of going to Damascus to cast into prison every Christian he +could find. If he had not been stopped, many of them would +probably have been put to death. It was Paul, you remember, who +cheered on the mob that stoned Stephen. Yet we find that when +Christ met him He dealt in grace with him. No apostle says so +much against salvation by works <i>before</i> the cross, as Paul; +and none says so much about works <i>after</i> the cross. He put +works in their right place. I have very little sympathy with any +man who has been redeemed by the precious blood of the Son of +God, and who has not got the spirit of work. If we are children +of God we ought not to have a lazy drop of blood in our veins. If +a man tells me that he has been saved, and does not desire to +work for the honor of God, I doubt his salvation. Laziness +belongs to the old creation, not to the new. In all my experience +I never knew a lazy man to be converted—never. I have more hope +of the salvation of drunkards, and thieves, and harlots, than of +a lazy man.</p> +<h3>WHAT THE THIRTY-NINE ARTICLES SAY.</h3> +<p class="pn">I find some people have accused me of teaching +heresy, because I say salvation is all of grace. I remember once, +a clergyman said I was teaching false doctrine because I said +salvation was all of grace. He said that works had as much to do +with our salvation as grace. At that time I had never read the +Thirty-Nine Articles; if I had I should have been ready to meet +him. I got the Prayer Book, and looked through the Thirty-Nine +Articles; and I found, to my amazement, that they put it a good +deal stronger than I had done.</p> +<p class="pn">Let us hear what they say—</p> +<p class="pn">“XI. <i>Of the Justification of Man</i>. We are +accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord +and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith, and not for our own works or +deservings: Wherefore, that we are justified by Faith only, is a +most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.”</p> +<p class="pn">“XII. <i>Of Good Works</i>. Albeit that Good Works, +which are the fruits of Faith, and follow after Justification, +cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God’s +judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, +and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively Faith; +insomuch that by them a lively Faith may be as evidently known as +a tree discerned by the fruit.”</p> +<p class="pn">“XIII. <i>Of Works Before Justification</i>. Works +done before the grace of Christ, and the inspiration of His +Spirit, are not pleasant to God; forasmuch as they spring not of +faith in Jesus Christ, neither do they make men meet to receive +grace, or (as the school-authors say) deserve grace of congruity: +yea rather, for that they are not done as God hath willed and +commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature +of sin.”</p> +<p class="pn">That is stronger than I ever put it. These Articles +say of works before justification that “they have the nature of +sin.” I never called them sin! So you see this is not any new +doctrine that we are preaching. When the church and the world +wake up to the fact that works before salvation go for nought, +<i>then</i>—and not till then, I believe—men will come flocking +into the kingdom of God by hundreds. W<span class="sc">e work +from the cross, not to it</span>. W<span class="sc">E work +because we are saved, not in order to be saved</span>. +W<span class="sc">e work from salvation, not up to it</span>. +S<span class="sc">alvation is the gift of God</span>.</p> +<p class="pn">You have heard the Prayer Book: <span class= +"sc">now hear paul</span>; “Abraham believed God; and it was +counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is +the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that +worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, +his faith is counted for righteousness.” Notice what the Apostle +says: “To him that worketh not.” That is plain language, is it +not? I may perhaps startle some of you by saying that many of you +have been kept out of the kingdom of God by your good works. +Nevertheless it is true. If you put works in the place of faith, +they become a snare to you. It is “to him that worketh not, but +believeth.”</p> +<p class="pn">I freely admit salvation is worth working for; it +is worth a man’s going round the world on his hands and knees, +climbing its mountains, crossing its valleys, swimming its +rivers, going through all manner of hardship in order to attain +it. But we do not get it in that way. Paul went through all the +trials and hardships he had to endure, because by the grace of +God resting on him he was enabled to do so.</p> +<h3>PENANCE FOR SIN.</h3> +<p class="pn">Would you insult the Almighty by offering Him the +fruits of this frail body to atone for sin? Supposing your Queen +were to send me a magnificent present, and I said to the royal +messenger: “I certainly should not like to accept this from Her +Majesty without giving her something in return.” Suppose I should +send her a penny! How would the Queen feel, if I were to insult +her in that way? And what have we that we can offer to God in +return for His free gift of salvation? Less than nothing. We must +come and take salvation in God’s way.</p> +<p class="pn">There is no merit in taking a gift. If a beggar +comes to my house, and asks for bread to eat, and I give him a +loaf of bread, there is no merit in his taking the bread. So if +you experience the favor of God, you have to take it as a beggar. +Some one has said: “If you come to God as a prince, you go away +as a beggar: if you come as a beggar, you go away as a prince.” +It is to the needy that God opens the wardrobe of heaven, and +brings out the robe of righteousness.</p> +<p class="pn">Paul says again: “If by grace, then is it no more +of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of +works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” +Paul is reasoning in this way: that if I work for a gift or +attempt to give money for it, it ceases to be a gift. The only +way to get a gift is to take it as a gift.</p> +<p class="pn">An old man got up in one of our meetings and said, +“I have been forty-two years learning three things.” I pricked up +my ears at that; I thought that if I could find out in about +three minutes what a man had taken forty-two years to learn, I +should like to do it. The first thing he said he had learned was +that he could do nothing towards his own salvation. “Well,” said +I to myself, “that is worth learning.” The second thing he had +found out was that God did not require him to do anything. Well, +that was worth finding out too. And the third thing was that the +Lord Jesus Christ had done it all, that salvation was finished, +and that all he had to do was to <i>take</i> it. Dear friends, +let us learn this lesson; let us give up our struggling and +striving, and accept salvation at once.</p> +<h3>A FREE PARDON.</h3> +<p class="pn">I was preaching in the Southern States a few years +ago; and the minister called my attention to one of the elders in +his Church. He said: When the civil war broke out, that man was +in one of the far Southern States, and he enlisted into the +Southern army. He was selected by the Southern General as a spy, +and sent to spy out the Northern army. As you know, armies have +no mercy on spies, if they can catch them. This man was caught. +He was tried by court-martial, and ordered to be shot. While he +was in the guard-room, previous to the time of execution, the +Northern soldiers used to bring him his rations. Every time they +came to his cell he would call Abraham Lincoln by every vile +epithet he could think of. It seemed as though he “lay awake +nights” trying to study such names. At last the soldiers got so +angry that they said they would be glad when the bullet went +through his heart. Some of them even said they would like to put +a bullet through him; and if they were not obliged by military +order to feed him, they would let him starve in the prison. They +thought that was what he deserved for talking so unjustly of +Lincoln.</p> +<p class="pn">One day while he was in the prison, waiting to be +led out to execution, a Northern officer came to the cell. The +prisoner, full of rage, thought his time was come to be shot. The +officer opened the prison door, and handed him a free pardon from +Abraham Lincoln! He told him he was at liberty; he could go to +his wife and children! The man who had before been so full of +bitterness, and malice, and rage, suddenly quieted down, and +said, “What! has Abraham Lincoln pardoned me? For what? I never +said a good word about him.” The officer said, “If you had what +you deserved you would be shot. But some one interceded for you +at Washington and obtained your pardon; you are now at liberty.” +The minister, as he told me, said that this act of undeserved +kindness quite broke the man’s heart and led to his conversion. +Said the minister, “You let any man speak one word against +Abraham Lincoln now in the hearing of that man, and see what will +happen. There is not a man in all the Republic of America, I +believe, who has a kinder feeling towards our late President than +he.”</p> +<p class="pn">Now that is grace. The man did not <i>deserve</i> a +pardon. But this is exactly what grace is: <i>undeserved +mercy</i>. You may have been a rebel against God up to this very +hour; but if you acknowledge your rebellion, and are willing to +take the mercy that God offers, you can have it freely. It is +there for every soul on the face of the earth. “The grace of God +that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared.” Thank God for +that! Salvation by grace is for all men. If we are lost, it will +not be because God has not provided a Saviour, but because we +spurn the gift of God—because we dash the cup of salvation from +us.</p> +<p class="pn">What says Christ? You remember that when He was on +earth, they came to Him and asked what they should do to work the +works of God. He had been telling them to labor not for the bread +that perisheth, but for the meat that endureth unto everlasting +life. Then they asked Him, “What shall we do that we may work the +works of God?” What did Jesus tell them to do? Did He tell them +to go and feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to visit the +widow and the fatherless in their affliction? Perhaps you may say +that, according to Scripture, is “pure and undefiled religion.” +Granted; but something comes before that. That is all right and +necessary in its place. But when these men wanted to know what +they had to do to inherit eternal life, Jesus said: “<span class= +"sc">This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath +sent</span>.”</p> +<h3>YOU CAN BELIEVE.</h3> +<p class="pn">A friend lately called my attention to the fact +that God has put the offer of salvation in such a way that the +whole world can lay hold of it. All men can believe. A lame man +might not perhaps be able to visit the sick; but he can believe. +A blind man by reason of his infirmity cannot do many things; but +he can believe. A deaf man can believe. A dying man can believe. +God has put salvation so simply that the young and the old, the +wise and the foolish, the rich and the poor, can all believe if +they will.</p> +<p class="pns">Do you think that Christ would have come down from +heaven, would have gone to Gethsemane and to Golgotha, would have +suffered as He did, if man could have worked his way up to +heaven?—if he could have merited salvation by his own efforts? I +think if you give five minutes’ consideration to this question +you will see, that if man could have saved himself Christ need +not have suffered at all. Remember, too, what Christ says: “He +that climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a +robber.” He has marked out the way to God. He has opened up a new +and shining way, and He wants us to take <i>His</i> way. +Certainly the attempt to work our way up to heaven is “climbing +up some other way,” is it not? If ever a man did succeed in +working his way into heaven we should never hear the last of it! +I have got so terribly sick of these so-called “self-made men.” +There are some men whom you cannot approach without hearing them +blow their trumpet, saying, “I am a self-made man. I came here a +poor man ten years ago; and now I am rich.” It is all I—I—I! They +go on boasting, and telling what wonderful beings they are! There +is one thing that is excluded from the kingdom of heaven; and +that is—boasting. If you and I ever get there it will be by the +sovereign grace of God. There will be no credit due to +ourselves.</p> +<p class="p3">“Saved by grace alone!</p> +<p class="p4">This is all my plea:</p> +<p class="p3">Jesus died for all mankind,</p> +<p class="p4">And Jesus died for me.”</p> +<hr style="margin-top:6em;margin-bottom:6em"> +<h1><a name="III" id="III">CHAPTER III.</a></h1> +<h2>POSSESSING, AND “WORKING OUT.”</h2> +<p class="pnn"><img style= +"float:left;margin-top:0.2em; margin-right:0.3em;height:3.5em;padding-right:0.3em" +src="images/i.jpg" alt="I">CAN imagine some one asking: What does +that passage mean—“Work out your own salvation with fear and +trembling?” Well, I want you to emphasize the word <i>your:</i> +“Work out <i>your</i> salvation.” That is most important. You +hear people talk of working out salvation, when all the time they +have not got it. How can you work out what you do not possess? +Paul is here writing to the Christians at Philippi. They were +already saved by the grace of God. Now that they had got this +wonderful gift, he says: “Go, work it out.” When you see a person +working for salvation, you may know that he has got a false idea +of the teaching of the Scripture. We have salvation as a gift; +and of course we cannot get it by working for it. It is our +appreciation of this gift that makes us work.</p> +<p class="pn">Many people are working and working, as Rowland +Hill says, like children on a rocking horse—it is a beautiful +motion, but there is no progress. Those who are working for +salvation are like men on a treadmill, going round, and round, +and round; toiling, and toiling, and toiling; but nothing comes +of it all. There is no progress, and there cannot be until you +have the motive power within, till the breath of life comes from +God, which can alone give you power to work for others.</p> +<p class="pn">Suppose I say to my son: “You are going away from +home; and I want you to be very careful how you spend that $500.” +“Well,” he says, “if you will give me $500, I will be careful +about it; but how can I be careful in spending what I have not +got?” And so, unless you have salvation, you cannot work it +out.</p> +<p class="pn">Take another illustration. One summer my boy asked +me to give him a piece of ground that he might have a garden all +to himself. I said I would give it to him; but that I expected he +would keep it clear of weeds, and use it in some way that would +make it pleasant and profitable to him. He was to work out the +piece of land; but he could not do that until I had given it to +him. Neither was it his working it out that secured him the +garden. I gave it to him freely, apart from any merit of his own; +but I did so on the understanding that he should employ it to the +best advantage. I think that is a fair illustration of our +working out the salvation that God has given us.</p> +<p class="pn">Of course these illustrations fail in some points. +I could not impart to my son the willingness to work out the +piece of land, though I could provide him with all the necessary +implements. God not only gives us salvation freely, but he gives +us the power to work it out.</p> +<p class="pn">A writer says on this point: “Paul does not command +the Philippians <i>to save themselves</i>. There was no thought +in his mind of any meritorious self-righteousness. Man can by no +work of his own either procure salvation or merit salvation. God +worketh the salvation <i>within</i> the soul—man only worketh +that salvation <i>out</i> in the Christian life. To break off +from known sin; to renounce all self-righteousness; to cast +ourselves in loving faith on the merits of Christ crucified; to +commence at once a life of self-denial, of prayer, of obedience; +to turn from all that God forbids, resolutely and earnestly, unto +all that God requires—this is what the text implies. But then +this is not salvation. Salvation is of God—of grace—of free +grace. From the germ to the fruit, from foundation to +top-stone—it is of grace, free grace, altogether and only. But +the ‘<i>working out of salvation</i>’—is <i>man’s part</i> in the +work of salvation. God will not repent for the man; nor believe +for the man; nor lead a holy life for the man. God worketh +inwardly—man worketh outwardly. And this outward human work is as +necessary as the inward Divine work.”</p> +<p class="pn">G<span class="sc">od works in us</span>; and then +we work <i>for</i> Him. If He has done a work in us, we certainly +ought to go and work for others. A man must have this salvation, +and must know it, before he can work for the salvation of +others.</p> +<p class="pn">Many of you have tried hard to save yourselves; but +what has been the end of it all? I remember a lady in the North +of England who became quite angry when I made this remark +publicly: “No one in this congregation will be saved till they +stop trying to save themselves.” Down she came from the gallery, +and said to me: “You have made me perfectly miserable.” “Indeed,” +I said, “how is that?” “Why, I always thought that if I kept on +trying, God would save me at some time; and now you tell me to +stop trying: what, then, am I to do?” “Why, let the Lord save +you.” She went off in something like a rage. It is not always a +bad sign when you see a man or a woman wake up cross, if it is +the Word of God that wakes them up. A day or two afterwards she +came and thanked me. She said she had been turning over in her +mind what I had said; and at last the truth dawned upon her, that +though she had worked long, though she had formed a good many +resolutions, she had made no progress. So she gave up the +struggle; and then it was that the Lord Jesus saved her.</p> +<p class="pn">I want to ask you this question: If sin needs +forgiveness—and all sin is against God—how can you work out your +own forgiveness? If I stole $100 from a friend, I could not +forgive myself, could I? No act of mine would bring about +forgiveness, unless my friend forgave me. And so, if I want +forgiveness of sin, it must be the work of God. If we look at +salvation as a new life, it must be the work of God. God is the +author of life: you cannot give yourself life. If we consider it +as a gift, it must come from some one outside of ourselves. That +is what I read in the Bible—Salvation as a gift. While I am +speaking, you can make up your mind that you will stop trying, +and take this gift.</p> +<p class="pn">I wish I could get this whole audience to drop the +word <i>try</i>, and put the word <i>trust</i> in its place. The +forgiving grace of God is wonderful. He will save you this very +minute, if you are willing to be saved. He delights in mercy. He +wants to show that mercy to every soul. The religion of Christ is +not man working his way up to God; it is God coming down to man. +It is Christ coming down to the pit of sin and woe where we are, +bringing us out of the pit, putting our feet upon a rock, and a +new song in our mouth. He will do it this minute, while I am +speaking, if you will let Him. Will you let Him? That is the +question.</p> +<p class="pn">I do not believe much in dreams; but they sometimes +illustrate a point. I heard about a woman who had been trying for +a long time, just like many of you, to be better and better. She +tried to save herself, but made no progress. One night she fell +asleep in a very troubled state of mind, and she had a dream. She +thought that she was in a pit striving to get out—climbing and +slipping, climbing and slipping, climbing and slipping; at last +she gave up the struggle, and laid herself down at the bottom of +the pit to die. She happened to look up, and she saw through the +mouth of the pit a beautiful star. She fixed her eye on it; and +it seemed as if the star lifted her up till she was almost out. +But the thought of herself came to her mind; she looked off at +the sides of the pit: immediately she lost sight of the star, and +down to the bottom of the pit she went. Again she fixed her eye +on the star; and again it seemed to lift her almost out. But once +again she took her eye off the star, and looked at herself; down +into the pit she fell again! The third time she fixed her eye on +the star and was lifted higher and higher, until all at once her +feet struck the ground above, and she awoke from her sleep.</p> +<p class="pn">God taught her a lesson by the dream. She learned +that if ever she was to be saved, she must give up the struggle, +and let Jesus Christ save her. My friends, give up the struggle +today! You have tried long and hard. It has been a hard battle, +has it not? Give it up; and repose in the arms of Jesus Christ. +Say “Lord, I come to thee as a poor sinner; wilt Thou not save me +and help me?” “The gift of God is eternal life.” It is offered to +all: who will have it?</p> +<p class="pn">I see some children here: let me tell you a story. +If you have not heard it before, please do not forget it. A +Sunday school teacher wished to show his class how free the gift +of God is. He took a silver watch from his pocket one day, and +offered it to the eldest boy in the class. “It is yours, if you +will take it.” The little fellow sat and grinned at the teacher. +He thought he was joking. The teacher offered it to the next boy, +and said: “Take that watch: it is yours.” The little fellow +thought he would be laughed at if he held out his hand, and +therefore he sat still. In the same way the teacher went nearly +round the class: but not one of them would accept the proffered +gift. At length he came to the smallest boy. When the watch was +offered to the little fellow, he took it and put it into his +pocket. All the class laughed at him. “I am thankful, my boy,” +said the teacher, “that you believe my word. The watch is yours. +Take good care of it. Wind it up every night.” The rest of the +class looked on in amazement; and one of them said: “Teacher, you +don’t mean that the watch is his? You don’t mean that he hasn’t +to give it back to you?” “No,” said the teacher, “he hasn’t to +give it back to me. It is his own now.” “Oh—h—h! if I had only +known that, wouldn’t I have taken it!”</p> +<p class="pn">I see you laugh; but my friends you are laughing at +yourselves. You need not go far away to find these boys. +Salvation is freely offered to all, but the trouble is that men +do not believe God’s Word, and do not accept the gift. Who will +accept it now?</p> +<p class="pns">I found a few lines the other day on this point +that I thought very good. I will close with them:</p> +<p class="p3">“I would not work my soul to save,</p> +<p class="p4">For that my Lord hath done;</p> +<p class="p3">But I would work like any slave,</p> +<p class="p4">For love of God’s dear Son.”</p> +<hr style="margin-top:6em;margin-bottom:6em"> +<h1><a name="IV" id="IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></h1> +<h2>GRACE ABOUNDING TO THE CHIEF OF SINNERS.</h2> +<p class="pnn"><img style= +"float:left;margin-top:0.2em; margin-right:0.3em;height:3.5em;padding-right:0.3em" +src="images/i.jpg" alt="I">WANT to lay emphasis on the fact that +God desires to show mercy to all. Christ’s last command to His +disciples was, “Go ye into <i>all</i> the world and preach the +Gospel to <i>every</i> creature.” There may be some hearing me +who have not received this grace, though it has often been +pressed on their acceptance. One reason why many do not become +partakers of this grace is that they think they can do better +without it. The Jews said they were the seed of Abraham. They had +Moses and the Law: therefore they had no need of the pardoning +grace of God that Christ had come to bring. We read in the book +of Revelation of a church that said it was “rich, and increased +in goods, and had need of nothing.” That was the trouble when +Christ was down here. Instead of coming to Him to be blessed, the +people too often went away thinking and saying they had no need +of His favor and blessing.</p> +<h3>THE TWO PRAYERS.</h3> +<p class="pn">In the Gospel by Luke Christ brings two men before +us. I do not know that we can get any two cases in Scripture that +will give us more light on this subject than those of the +Pharisee and the Publican, who went into the temple to pray. One +went away as empty as he came. He was like the church described +in Revelation, to which I have referred. He went into the temple +desiring nothing; and he got nothing. The other man asked for +something; he asked for pardon and mercy. And he went down to his +house justified.</p> +<p class="pn">Take the prayer of the Pharisee. There is no +confession in it, no adoration, no contrition, no petition. As I +have said, he asked for nothing and he got nothing. Some one has +said that he went into the temple not to pray but to boast. The +sun and the moon were as far apart as these two men. One was +altogether of a different spirit to the other. The one prayed +with his head, and the other with his heart. The one told God +what a wonderfully great and good man he was: “I am not as other +men or even as this publican.” His prayer was not a long one; it +consisted of thirty-four words; yet there were five capital “I’s” +in it. It was self in the beginning, self in the middle, self in +the end—self all through. “‘I fast twice a week;’ ‘I give tithes +of all I possess;’ I am a wonderfully good man, am I not, Lord?” +He struck a balance twice a week, and God was his debtor every +time. He paraded his good deeds before God and man. Such a one +was not in a condition to receive the favor of God.</p> +<p class="pn">You can divide the human family to-day into two +classes—<span class="sc">pharisees and publicans</span>. There +are those who are poor in spirit: the dew of God’s grace will +fall upon them. There are others who are drawing around them the +rags of their self-righteousness: they will always go away +without the blessing of God. There were but seven words in the +prayer of the Publican: “God be merciful to me a sinner!” He came +to God confessing his sins, and asking for mercy; and he received +it.</p> +<p class="pn">If you were to run through Scripture, you would +find that where men have gone to God in the spirit of the +Publican, He has dealt with them in mercy and grace.</p> +<p class="pn">A young man came to one of our meetings in New York +a few years ago. He was convicted of sin; and he made up his mind +he would go home and pray. He lived a number of miles away, and +he started for home. On the way, as he was meditating about his +sins and wondering what he was going to do when he got home, the +thought occurred to him: “Why should I not pray right here in the +street?” But he found he did not know just how to begin. Then he +remembered that when he was a child, his mother had taught him +this prayer of the Publican: “God be merciful to me a sinner!” So +he began just where he stood. He said afterwards, that before he +got to the little word “me,” God met him in grace, and blessed +him. And so the moment we open our lips to ask God for pardon, if +the request comes from the heart, God will meet us in mercy.</p> +<p class="pn">Let our cry be that of the Publican: “Be merciful +<i>to me!</i>”—not to some one else. A mother was telling me some +time ago that she had trouble with one of her sons, because he +had not treated his brother rightly. She sent him upstairs; and +after awhile she asked him what he had been doing. He replied +that he had been <i>praying for his brother!</i> Although he had +been the naughty one, he was acting as if the fault lay with his +brother instead of himself. So many of us can see the failings of +others readily enough but when we get a good look at ourselves, +we will get down before God as the Publican did and cry for +mercy: and that cry will bring an immediate answer. God delights +to deal in grace with the poor in spirit. He wants to see in us a +broken and contrite heart. If we take the place of a sinner, +confessing our sins and asking for mercy, the grace of God will +meet us right then and there; and we shall have the assurance of +His forgiveness.</p> +<p class="pn">In Matthew we see how God deals in grace with those +who come in the right spirit. “Then came she and worshipped Him, +saying, Lord, help me!” But he answered and said, “It is not meet +to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” And she +said, “Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall +from their master’s table.” Then Jesus answered and said unto +her, “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou +wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.”</p> +<p class="pn">The disciples did not understand how full of grace +was the heart of Christ. This poor woman belonged to the far-off +coasts of Tyre and Sidon. She was a poor Gentile, and they wanted +to send her away. They thought she was not one of the elect; she +did not belong to the house of Israel. So they said to the +Master, “Send her away, for she crieth after us.” Can you +conceive of the loving Saviour sending away a poor troubled one +who comes to Him? I challenge you to find a single instance of +His doing such a thing, from the beginning to the end of His +ministry. Send her away! I believe He would rather send an angel +away than a poor suppliant for His mercy; He delighted to have +such as she come to Him. But He was going to test her, as well as +to give an object-lesson to those who should come after. “It is +not meet,” He said, “to take the children’s bread, and to cast it +to dogs.”</p> +<h3>A HUMBLE SPIRIT.</h3> +<p class="pn">I am afraid if some of us had been in her place we +would have answered somewhat in this fashion: “You call me a +Gentile dog, do you? I would not take anything from you now if +you were to give it to me. Why, I know a Jewish woman who lives +in my town. Though she is a daughter of Abraham she is the +meanest woman in the whole street. I would not let my dogs +associate with her.” If this poor woman had replied to the Master +in such a fashion, she would not have got anything. Yet you will +find a good many men who respond to the Saviour in that way when +He wants to deal in grace with them.</p> +<p class="pn">What does this Gentile woman say? “Truth Lord; yet +the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” +She took her right place down at the feet of the blessed Master. +There was humility for you! She was willing to take any place if +the Lord would but meet her need; the Lord blessed her. See asked +for a crumb, and He gave her a whole loaf!</p> +<p class="pn">I once heard Rev. William Arnot say that he was the +guest of a friend who had a favorite dog. The animal would come +into the room where the family were sitting at the dinner table +and would stand looking at his master. If the master threw him a +crumb, the dog would seize it before it got to the floor. But if +he put the joint of meat down on the floor the dog would look at +it and leave it alone, as if it were too good for him. “So,” said +Mr. Arnot, “there are many Christians who are satisfied to live +on crumbs, when God wants to give them the whole joint.”</p> +<h3>A FULL BLESSING.</h3> +<p class="pn">This poor woman got all she wanted; and if we will +come in the right spirit—if we are humble and poor in spirit—and +call upon God for what we want, He will not disappoint us. She +went right to the Son of God, and appealed to His great loving +heart with the cry, “Lord help me!” and he helped her. Let that +cry go up to him today, and see how quickly the answer will come. +I never knew a case where God did not answer right on the spot, +where there was the spirit of meekness. If on the other hand we +are conceited, and think we have a right to come, putting +ourselves on an equality with God, we shall get nothing.</p> +<h3>“WORTHINESS.”</h3> +<p class="pn">In the Gospel by Luke we read of the centurion who +had a sick servant. He felt as though he were not worthy to go +himself and ask Christ to come to his house; so he asked some of +his friends to beseech the Master to come and heal his servant. +They went and delivered the centurion’s message, saying, “He is +worthy for whom Thou shouldst do this: for he loveth our nation, +and he hath built us a synagogue.” The Jews could not understand +grace; so they thought Christ would grant the request of this +man, because he was worthy. “Why,” they said, “he hath built us a +synagogue!” It is the same old story that we hear to-day. Let a +man give a few thousand dollars to build a church and he must +have the best pew; “he is worthy.” Perhaps he made his money by +selling or making strong drink; but he has put the Church under +an obligation by this gift of money, and he is considered +“worthy.” The same spirit was at work in the days of Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">The Master immediately started for the centurion’s +house; and it looked as though He were going because of his +personal worthiness. But if He had done so, it would have upset +the whole story as an illustration of grace. As the Saviour was +on the way, out came the Roman officer himself and told Jesus +that he was not worthy to receive Him under his roof. He had a +very different opinion of himself to that of his Jewish friends. +Suppose he had said, “Lord, you will be my guest; come and heal +my servant because I am worthy: I have built a synagogue.” Do you +think Christ would have gone? I do not think he would. But he +said, “I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof. +Neither thought I myself worthy to come unto Thee; but say in a +word, and my servant shall be healed.”</p> +<p class="pn">Jesus marveled at the man’s faith. It pleased Him +wonderfully to find such faith and humility. Like the +Syro-Phenician woman, he had low thoughts of himself, and high +thoughts of God: therefore he was in a condition to receive the +grace of God. His servant, we are told, was healed that very +hour. His petition was granted at once. Let us learn a lesson +from this man, and take a humble position before God, crying to +him for mercy; then help will come.</p> +<h3>GREAT FORGIVENESS.</h3> +<p class="pn">I never noticed till lately an interesting fact +about the story of the poor sinful woman mentioned in Luke’s +Gospel, who went into Simon’s house. If you have not observed it +before, it will be quite interesting for you to know it. The +incident occurred immediately after Christ had uttered those +memorable words we read in Matthew: “Come unto Me, all ye that +labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew +closes the narrative there; but in the seventh chapter of Luke +you will find what the result of that invitation was. A poor +fallen woman came into the house where He was, and obtained the +blessing of rest to her soul. I think that many ministers will +bear me out in this statement, that when one has preached to a +large congregation, and has given an invitation to those who +would like to remain and talk about salvation, probably the only +one to do so is a poor fallen one, who will thus become a +partaker of the grace of God.</p> +<p class="pn">We find that the Saviour was invited to the house +of Simon, a Pharisee. While he was there, this poor sinful woman +crept into the house. Perhaps she watched for a chance when the +servants were away from the door, and then slipped into the room +where the Master was. She got down on her knees, and began to +wash his feet with her tears, wiping them with the hairs of her +head. While the feast was going on the Pharisee saw this; and he +said to himself: “Jesus must be a bad man, if He knows who this +poor woman is. Even if He did not know, He would be unclean +according to the Mosaic law”—because he had allowed the woman to +touch Him. But the Master knew what Simon was thinking about. He +put some questions to him: “And Jesus answering said unto him, +Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, +say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the +one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they +had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me +therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and +said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And He said unto +him, Thou hast rightly judged.”</p> +<p class="pn">Then He makes the application, “I came to your +house,” He says, “and you gave me no water for my feet; you gave +me no kiss; and no oil for my head. You refused me the common +hospitalities of life.” In those days when one went into a +gentleman’s house, a servant would be at the door with a basin of +water; the guest would slip off his sandals, and the servant +would wash his feet. Then the master of the house would salute +him with a kiss instead of shaking hands as we do. There would +also be oil for his head. Christ had been invited to Simon’s +house; but the Pharisee had got Him there in a patronizing +spirit. “You gave me no water, no kiss, no oil; but this woman +hath washed my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs +of her head: she hath not ceased to kiss my feet, and she hath +anointed them with ointment. She was forgiven much: and so she +loves much.” To the poor woman herself Jesus said, “Thy sins are +forgiven.” They may have risen up like a dark mountain before +her; but one word from the Saviour and they were all gone!</p> +<p class="pn">The spirit shown by Simon was altogether different +from that of the poor woman. Christ said that the publicans and +harlots would go into the kingdom of God before the +self-righteous Pharisees! Simon, the Pharisee, got nothing; and +so there are many who go away from religious meetings without one +drop of heaven’s dew, because they do not seek for it. From the +morning of the creation down to the present time no man or woman +ever went to God with a broken heart without experiencing the +forgiving love and grace of God, if they believed His Word. It +was so with this poor woman. Notice, the Master did not extract +any pledge or promise from her. He did not ask her to join some +synagogue; all He said was, “Thy sins are forgiven thee.” She +found grace. So it was with the Syro-Phenician woman. Christ did +not ask any pledge from her; He met her in grace, and blessed her +according to her soul’s desire.</p> +<p class="pn">You know what touched the heart of the father of +the prodigal; it was the broken and contrite spirit of his +returning son. Would not the same thing move the heart of any +parent here? Suppose you had a son who had gone astray: the boy +comes home; and when you meet him he begins to confess his sin. +Would you not take him to your bosom and forgive him? Nothing in +the wide world would you more readily do than forgive him. So if +we come to God with this contrite spirit, He will deal in grace +with us and receive us freely, When Saul left Jerusalem, there +was nothing he wished for less than to receive the grace of God. +Yet the moment he said, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” the +forgiving grace of the Master flowed out towards him. We are told +by Matthew and Mark that the thief on the cross, who was +converted, railed on the Saviour at first like the other: but the +moment his heart was broken down and he said, “Lord, remember +me!” that very moment Christ heard and answered his prayer. God +is waiting to cover all your sins today; He has a long and a +strong arm that can reach down to the darkest, vilest, deepest +depths of sin. He will lift you up on a rock, and put a new song +into your mouth. Will you let him do it?</p> +<p class="pn">A man was telling me some time ago that he had +prayed for over ten years that God would have mercy upon him. +“Has not God answered your prayer?” “No.” “Indeed! Let me ask you +one question: suppose I offered you that Bible as a gift, and you +were afterwards to come and ask me for it; what would I think of +you?” “I do not know what you would think.” “Well, but what do +you suppose I would think?” “You would perhaps think I had gone a +little wrong in my head.” “What is the use of your asking that +God would deal in grace with you, if you are not willing to +receive it; or if you do not believe that He gives it to +you?”</p> +<p class="pn">When I was on the Pacific coast some years ago, I +stayed with a friend who had a large garden, with a great many +orange trees. He said to me: “Make yourself perfectly at home; if +you see anything you want just help yourself.” When I wanted some +oranges, I did not go into the garden and pray to the oranges to +tumble into my mouth; I just put out my hand and took all I +required. So it is with us. Why should we go on asking and +beseeching God to have mercy upon us, when He has already given +His Son, and given His Holy Spirit? What we need is to have a +broken and a contrite heart, and to be willing to receive Him. +The trouble with us is that we have locked the doors of our +hearts against Him.</p> +<p class="pn">There is a story that Dr. Arnot was accustomed to +tell of a poor woman who was in great distress because she could +not pay her landlord his rent. The Doctor put some money in his +pocket and went round to her house intending to help her. When he +got there he knocked at the door. He thought he heard some +movement inside; but no one came to open the door. He knocked +louder and louder still; but yet no one came. Finally he kicked +at the door, causing some of neighbors to look out and see what +was going on. But he could get no entrance; and at last he went +away thinking his ears must have deceived him, and that there was +really no one there. A day or two afterwards he met the woman in +the street, and told her what had happened. She held up her hands +and exclaimed, “Was that you? I was in the house all the while; +but I thought it was the landlord, and I had the door +locked!”</p> +<p class="pn">Many people are keeping the door of their heart +locked against the Saviour in just the same way. They say “I am +afraid I shall have to give up so much.” That is something like a +ragged beggar being unwilling to give up his rags, in order to +get a new suit of good clothes. I pity those people who are all +the time looking to see what they will have to give up. God wants +to bestow His marvelous grace on His people; and there is not a +soul who has believed on Jesus, for whom God has not abundance of +grace in store. What would you say of a man dying of thirst on +the banks of a beautiful river, with the stream flowing past his +feet? You would think he was mad! The river of God’s grace flows +on without ceasing; why should we not partake of it, and go on +our way rejoicing?</p> +<p class="pn">Do you say you are sinners? It is just to such as +you that God’s grace is given. There was a sailor whose mother +had long been praying for him. I do think mothers’ prayers are +sure to be answered some day. One night the memory of his mother +came home to this man; he thought of the days of his childhood, +and made up his mind he would try and lead a different life. When +he got to New York he thought he would join the Odd-fellows; he +imagined that would be a good way to begin. What miserable +mistakes men make when they get trying to save themselves! This +man applied to a lodge of Odd-fellows for admission; but the +committee found that he was a drinking man, and so they +black-balled him. Then he thought he would try the Freemasons; +they discovered what sort of a man he was, and they black-balled +him too. One day he was walking along Fulton Street, when he +received an invitation to come to the daily prayer-meeting held +there. He went in, and heard about the Saviour; he received +Christ into his heart, and found the peace and power he wanted. +Some days after he stood up in the meeting and told the story how +the Odd-fellows had black-balled him; how the Freemasons had +black-balled him; and how he came to the Lord Jesus Christ, who +had not black-balled him, but took him right in. That is what +Christ will do to every poor penitent sinner. “This Man receiveth +sinners.” Come to Him to-day, and He will receive you: His +marvelous, sovereign grace will cover and put away all your +sins.</p> +<p class="pn">I am so glad that we have a Saviour who can save +unto the very uttermost. He can save the drunkard, the man who +for years has been the slave of his passions. I was talking to a +friend not long ago, who said that if a man had a father and a +mother who were drunkards, he would inherit the taste for drink, +and that there was not much chance of saving him. I want to say +that there is a grand chance for such men, if they will call upon +Jesus Christ to save them. He is able to destroy the very +appetite for drink. He came to destroy the works of the devil; +and if this appetite for gin and whiskey is not the work of the +devil, I want to know what is. I do not know any more terrible +agency that the devil has got than this intoxicating liquor.</p> +<p class="pn">An Englishman went out from England to Chicago, and +became one of the greatest drunkards in that city. His father and +his mother were drunkards before him. He said that when he was +four years old, his father took him into a public-house, and put +the liquor to his lips. By and by he got a taste for it; and for +several years he was a confirmed drunkard. He became what in +America we call a “tramp.” He slept out of doors. One night, on +the shore of a lake, he awoke from his slumber, and began to call +upon God to save him. There, at the midnight hour, this poor, +wretched, forlorn object got victory over his sin. The last time +I met him he had been nine-and-a-half years a sober man. From +that memorable midnight hour, he said, he had never had any +desire to touch or taste strong drink. God had kept him all those +years. I am so thankful we have a Gospel that we can carry into +the home of the drunkard, and tell him that Christ will save him. +That is the very thing He came to do.</p> +<p class="pn">Bunyan represents the power of grace, as shown by +its first offer to the Jerusalem sinners, the murderers of +Christ, thus: “Repent, every one of you: be baptized, every one +of you, in His name, for the remission of sins; and you shall, +every one of you, receive the Holy Ghost.”</p> +<p class="pn">“But I was one of those who plotted to take away +His life. May I be saved by Him?”</p> +<p class="pn">“E<span class="sc">very one of you</span>.”</p> +<p class="pn">“But I was one of those who bore false witness +against Him. Is there grace for me?”</p> +<p class="pn">“F<span class="sc">or every one of you</span>.”</p> +<p class="pn">“But I was one of those who cried out, Crucify Him! +crucify Him! and who desired that Barrabas, the murderer, might +live, rather than He. What will become of me, think you?”</p> +<p class="pn">“I am to preach repentance and remission of sins +<span class="sc">to every one of you</span>.”</p> +<p class="pn">“But I was one of those who did spit in His face +when He stood before His accusers; I also was one that mocked Him +when, in anguish, He hung bleeding on the tree. Is there room for +me?”</p> +<p class="pn">“F<span class="sc">or every one of you</span>.”</p> +<p class="pn">“But I was one of those who, in His extremity, +said, Give Him gall and vinegar to drink! Why may I not expect +the same when pain and anguish are upon me?”</p> +<p class="pn">“Repent of these thy wickednesses; and here is +remission of sins <span class="sc">for every one of +you</span>.”</p> +<p class="pn">“But I railed on Him; I reviled Him; I hated Him; I +rejoiced to see Him mocked at by others. Can there be hope for +me?”</p> +<p class="pn">“There is; <span class="sc">for every one of +you</span>.”</p> +<p class="pn">Oh, what a blessed “E<span class= +"sc">very-one-of-you</span>” is here! How willing was Peter and +the Lord Jesus by the ministry of Peter—to catch these murderers +with the word of the Gospel, that they might be monuments of the +grace of God!</p> +<p class="pns">Now it is a solemn fact that every one who +receives the offer of the Gospel can lock and bolt the door of +his heart, and say to the Lord Jesus Christ he refuses to let Him +in. But it is also a blessed truth that you can unlock that door +and say to Him, “Welcome! thrice welcome, Son of God, into this +heart of mine!” The question is: Will you let Christ come in and +save you? It is not a question of whether He is able. Who will +open their hearts, and let the Saviour come in?</p> +<p class="p2">“There’s a stranger at the door:</p> +<p class="p6">Let Him in!</p> +<p class="p2">He has been there oft before:</p> +<p class="p6">Let Him in!</p> +<p class="p2">Let Him in, ere He is gone;</p> +<p class="p2">Let Him in, the Holy One,</p> +<p class="p2">Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son:</p> +<p class="p6s">Let Him in!</p> +<p class="p2">Open now to Him your heart:</p> +<p class="p6">Let Him in!</p> +<p class="p2">If you wait He will depart:</p> +<p class="p6">Let Him in!</p> +<p class="p2">Let Him in, He is your Friend;</p> +<p class="p2">He your soul will sure defend;</p> +<p class="p2">He will keep you to the end:</p> +<p class="p6s">Let Him in!</p> +<p class="p2">Hear you now His loving voice?</p> +<p class="p6">Let Him in!</p> +<p class="p2">Now, oh now, make Him your choice:</p> +<p class="p6">Let Him in!</p> +<p class="p2">He is standing at the door;</p> +<p class="p2">Joy to you He will restore,</p> +<p class="p2">And His name you will adore:</p> +<p class="p6s">Let Him in!</p> +<p class="p2">Now admit the heavenly Guest.</p> +<p class="p6">Let Him in!</p> +<p class="p2">He will make for you a feast:</p> +<p class="p6">Let Him in!</p> +<p class="p2">He will speak your sins forgiven,</p> +<p class="p2">And when earth-ties all are riven,</p> +<p class="p2">He will take you home to heaven,</p> +<p class="p6">Let Him in!”</p> +<p style= +"text-align:left;text-indent:19.0em;font-size:88%;font-style:italic;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +Rev. J. B Atchinson</p> +<hr style="margin-top:6em;margin-bottom:6em"> +<h1><a name="V" id="V">CHAPTER V.</a></h1> +<h2>LAW AND GRACE.</h2> +<p class="pnn"><img style= +"float:left;margin-top:0.2em; margin-right:0.3em;height:3.5em;padding-right:0.3em" +src="images/i.jpg" alt="I"> N his Epistle to the Romans, Paul +writes “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, +so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous. +Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound. But +where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath +reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through +righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”</p> +<p class="pn">Moses was the representative of the law. You +remember that he led the children of Israel through the +wilderness, and brought them to Jordan; but there he left them. +He could take them up to the river, which is a type of death and +judgment; but Joshua (which means Jesus—Saviour) led them right +through death and judgment—through the Jordan into the Promised +Land. Here we have the difference between Law and Grace; between +the Law and the Gospel.</p> +<p class="pn">Take another illustration. John the Baptist was the +last prophet of the old dispensation—the last prophet under the +law. You remember that before Christ made His appearance at the +Jordan, the cry of John, day by day was, “Repent: for the kingdom +of God is at hand!” He thundered out the law. He took his hearers +down to the Jordan and baptized them. He put them in the place of +death; and that was as far as he could take them. But there was +One coming after him who could take them into the Promised Land. +As Joshua led the people through the Jordan into Canaan,—so +Christ went down into the Jordan of death, through death and +judgment, on to resurrection ground.</p> +<p class="pn">If you run all through Scripture you will find that +the law brings to death. “Sin reigned unto death.” A friend was +telling me lately that an acquaintance of his, a minister, was +once called upon to officiate at a funeral, in the place of a +chaplain of one of Her Majesty’s prisons, who was absent. He +noticed that only one solitary man followed the body of the +criminal to the grave. When the grave had been covered, this man +told the minister that he was an officer of the law whose duty it +was to watch the body of the culprit until it was buried out of +sight; that was “the end” of the British law.</p> +<p class="pn">And that is what the law of God does to the sinner; +it brings him right to death, and leaves him there. I pity deep +down in my heart those who are trying to save themselves by the +law. It never has; it never will; and it never can—save the soul. +When people say they are going to try and do their best, and so +save themselves by the law, I like to take them on their own +ground. Have they, ever done their very best? granting that there +<i>might</i> be a chance for them if they had, was there ever a +time when they could not have done a little better? If a man +wants to do his best, let him accept the grace of God; that is +the best thing that any man or woman can possibly do.</p> +<p class="pn">But you will ask, What is the law given for? It may +sound rather strange, but it is given that it may stop every +man’s mouth. “We know that 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. +Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be +justified in His sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” +The law shuts my mouth; grace opens it. The law locks up my +heart; grace opens it—and then the fountain of love begins to +flow out. When men get their eyes opened to see this glorious +truth, they will cease their constant struggle. They will give up +trying to work their way into the kingdom of God by the deeds of +the law. They will give themselves up for lost, and take +salvation as a free gift.</p> +<p class="pn">Life never came through the law. As some one has +observed: When the law was given, three thousand men lost life; +but when grace and truth came at Pentecost, three thousand +obtained life. Under the law, if a man became a drunkard the +magistrates would take him out and stone him to death. When the +prodigal came home, grace met him and embraced him. Law says, +Stone him!—grace says, Embrace him! Law says, Smite him!—grace +says, Kiss him! Law went after him, and bound him; grace said, +loose him and let him go! Law tells me how crooked I am; grace +comes and makes me straight.</p> +<p class="pn">I pity those who are always hanging around Sinai, +hoping to get life there. I have an old friend in Chicago who is +always lingering at Sinai. He is a very good man; but I think he +will have a different story to tell when he gets home to heaven. +He thinks I preach free grace too much; and I must confess I do +like to speak of the free grace of God. This friend of mine feels +as though he has a kind of mission to follow me; and whenever he +gets a chance he comes in with the thunders of Sinai. I never yet +met him but he was thundering away from Horeb. The last time I +was in Chicago, I said to him, “Are you still lingering around +Sinai?” “Yes,” said he, “I believe in the law.” I have made +inquiries, and I never heard of any one being converted under his +preaching: the effects have always dwindled and died out. If the +law is the door to heaven, there is no hope for any of us. A +perfect God can only have a perfect standard. He that offends in +one point is guilty of all: so “all have sinned and come short of +the glory of God.”</p> +<p class="pn">Paul says to the Galatians: “Is the law then +against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a +law given which could have given life, verily righteousness +should have been by the law. But the Scripture hath concluded all +under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be +given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept +under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be +revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto +Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith +is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all +the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ.”</p> +<h3>THE SOFTENING POWER OF GRACE.</h3> +<p class="pn">So we see that the law cannot give life; all it can +do is to bring us to Him who is the life. The law is said to be +“a schoolmaster.” Perhaps some of you do not know what a +schoolmaster is. If you had been under the same schoolmaster as I +was when a boy you would have known. He had a good cane and it +was frequently in use. In the little country district where I +went to school, there were two parties: for the sake of +illustration we may call the one the “law” party and the other +the “grace” party. The law party said that boys could not +possibly be controlled without the cane: and they kept a +schoolmaster there who acted on their plan. The struggle went on, +and at last, on one election day, the law party was put out, and +the grace party ruled in their stead. I happened to be at the +school at that time; and I remember we said to each other that we +were going to have a grand time that winter. There would be no +more corporal punishment, and we were going to be ruled by +love.</p> +<p class="pn">I was one of the first to break the rules of the +school. We had a lady teacher, and she asked me to stay behind. I +thought the cane was coming out again; and I was going to protest +against it. I was quite in a fighting mood. She took me alone. +She sat down and began to talk to me kindly. I thought that was +worse than the cane; I did not like it. I saw that she had not +got any cane. She said: “I have made up my mind that if I cannot +control the school by love, I will give it up. I will have no +punishment; and if you love me, try and keep the rules of the +school.” I felt something right here in my throat. I was not one +to shed many tears; but they would come—I could not keep them +back. I said to her, “You will have no more trouble with me;” and +she did not. I learned more that winter than in the other three +put together.</p> +<p class="pn">That was the difference between law and grace. +Christ says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” He takes us +out from under the law, and puts us under grace. Grace will break +the hardest heart. It was the love of God that prompted Him to +send His only-begotten Son into the world that He might save it. +I suppose the thief had gone through his trial unsoftened. +Probably the law had hardened his heart. But on the cross no +doubt that touching prayer of the Saviour, “Father, forgive +them!” broke his heart, so that he cried, “Lord, remember me!” He +was brought to ask for mercy. I believe there is no man so far +gone but the grace of God will melt his heart.</p> +<p class="pn">It is told of Isaac T. Hopper, the Quaker, that he +once encountered a profane colored man, named Cain, in +Philadelphia, and took him before a magistrate, who fined him for +blasphemy. Twenty years after, Hopper met Cain, whose appearance +was much changed for the worse. This touched the Friend’s heart. +He stepped up, spoke kindly, and shook hands with the forlorn +being. “Dost thou remember me,” said the Quaker, “how I had thee +fined for swearing?”</p> +<p class="pn">“Yes, indeed, I do: I remember what I paid as well +as if it was yesterday.”</p> +<p class="pn">“Well, did it do thee any good?”</p> +<p class="pn">“No, never a bit: it made me mad to have my money +taken from me.”</p> +<p class="pn">Hopper invited Cain to reckon up the interest on +the fine, and paid him principal and interest too. “I meant it +for thy good, Cain; and I am sorry I did thee any harm.”</p> +<p class="pn">Cain’s countenance changed; the tears rolled down +his cheeks. He took the money with many thanks, became a quiet +man, and was not heard to swear again.</p> +<h3>PEACE, GRACE AND GLORY.</h3> +<p class="pn">So there is a great deal of difference between law +and grace. “Being justified by faith we have peace with God +through our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom also we have access by +faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of +the glory of God.” There are three precious things here: peace +for the past; grace for the present; and glory for the future. +There is no <span class="sc">peace</span> until we see the +finished work of Jesus Christ—until we can look back and see the +Cross of Christ between us and our sins. When we see that Jesus +was “the end of the law for righteousness;” that He “tasted death +for every man;” that He “suffered the Just for the unjust”—then +comes peace. Then there is “the <span class="sc">grace</span> +wherein we now stand.” There is plenty of grace for us as we need +it day by day, and hour by hour.</p> +<p class="pn">Then there is <span class="sc">glory</span> for the +time to come. A great many people seem to forget that the best is +before us. Dr. Bonar says that everything before the true +believer is “glorious.” This thought took hold of my soul; and I +began to look the matter up, and see what I could find in +Scripture that was glorious hereafter. I found that the kingdom +we are going to inherit is glorious: our crown is to be a “crown +of glory;” the city we are going to inhabit is the city of the +glorified; the songs we are to sing are the songs of the +glorified; we are to wear garments of “glory and beauty;” our +society will be the society of the glorified; our rest is to be +“glorious;” the country to which we are going is to be full of +“the glory of God and of the Lamb.” There are many who are always +looking on the backward path, and mourning over the troubles +through which they have passed; they keep lugging up the cares +and anxieties they have been called on to bear, and are forever +looking at them. Why should we go reeling and staggering under +the burdens and cares of life when we have such prospects before +us?</p> +<p class="pn">If there is nothing but glory beyond, our faces +ought to shine brightly all the time. If a skeptic were to come +up here and watch the countenances of the audience he would find +many of you looking as though there was anything but glory before +you. Many a time it seems to me as if I were at a funeral, people +look so sad and downcast. They do not appear to know much of the +joy of the Lord. Surely if we were looking right on to the glory +that awaits us, our faces would be continually lit up with the +light of the upper world. We can preach by our countenances if we +will. The nearer we draw to that glory-land, where we shall be +with Christ—the more peace, and joy, and rest we ought to have. +If we will but come to the throne of grace, we shall have +strength to bear all our troubles and trials. If you were to take +all the afflictions that flesh is heir to and put them right on +any one of us, God has grace enough to carry us right through +without faltering.</p> +<p class="pns">Some one has compiled the following, which +beautifully describes the contrast between law and grace:</p> +<p class="p1">T<span class="sc">he Law</span> was given by +Moses.</p> +<p class="p1s">G<span class="sc">race</span> and truth came by +Jesus Christ.</p> +<p class="p1">T<span class="sc">he Law</span> says—This do, and +thou shalt live.</p> +<p class="p1s">G<span class="sc">race</span> says—Live, and then +thou shalt do.</p> +<p class="p1">T<span class="sc">he Law</span> says—Pay me that +thou owest.</p> +<p class="p1s">G<span class="sc">race</span> says—I frankly +forgive thee all.</p> +<p class="p1">T<span class="sc">he Law</span> says—The wages of +sin is death.</p> +<p class="p1s">GRACE says—The gift of God is eternal life.</p> +<p class="p1">T<span class="sc">he Law</span> says—The soul that +sinneth, it shall die.</p> +<p class="p1s">G<span class="sc">race</span> says—Whosoever +believeth in Jesus, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and +whosoever liveth and believeth in Him shall never die.</p> +<p class="p1">T<span class="sc">he Law</span> +pronounces—Condemnation and death.</p> +<p class="p1s">G<span class="sc">race</span> +proclaims—Justification and life.</p> +<p class="p1">T<span class="sc">he Law</span> says—Make you a new +heart and a new spirit.</p> +<p class="p1s">G<span class="sc">race</span> says—A new heart +will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.</p> +<p class="p1">T<span class="sc">he Law</span> says—Cursed is +every one that continueth not in all things which are written in +the book of the law to do them.</p> +<p class="p1s">G<span class="sc">race</span> says—Blessed is the +man whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sin is covered; blessed +is the man to whom the Lord will not impute iniquity.</p> +<p class="p1">T<span class="sc">he Law</span> says—Thou shalt +love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, +and with all thy strength.</p> +<p class="p1s">G<span class="sc">race</span> says—Herein is love: +not that we love God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to +be the propitiation for our sins.</p> +<p class="p1">T<span class="sc">he Law</span> speaks of what man +must do for God.</p> +<p class="p1s">G<span class="sc">race</span> tells of what Christ +has done for man.</p> +<p class="p1">T<span class="sc">he Law</span> addresses man as +part of the old creation.</p> +<p class="p1s">G<span class="sc">race</span> makes a man a member +of the new creation.</p> +<p class="p1">T<span class="sc">he Law</span> bears on a nature +prone to disobedience.</p> +<p class="p1s">G<span class="sc">race</span> creates a nature +inclined to obedience.</p> +<p class="p1">T<span class="sc">he Law</span> demands obedience +by the terror of the Lord.</p> +<p class="p1s">G<span class="sc">race</span> beseeches men by the +mercies of God.</p> +<p class="p1">T<span class="sc">he Law</span> demands +holiness.</p> +<p class="p1s">G<span class="sc">race</span> gives holiness.</p> +<p class="p1">T<span class="sc">he Law</span> says—Condemn +him.</p> +<p class="p1s">G<span class="sc">race</span> says—Embrace +him.</p> +<p class="p1">T<span class="sc">he Law</span> speaks of priestly +sacrifices offered year by year continually, which could never +make the comers thereunto perfect.</p> +<p class="p1s">G<span class="sc">race</span> says—But this +<i>Man</i>, after he had offered <i>one</i> sacrifice for sins +forever . . . by one offering hath perfected forever them that +are sanctified.</p> +<p class="p1">T<span class="sc">he Law</span> declares—That as +many as have sinned in the Law, shall be judged by the Law.</p> +<p class="p1s">G<span class="sc">race</span> brings eternal peace +to the troubled soul of every child of God, and proclaims +<i>God’s</i> salvation in defiance of the accusations of the +adversary. “He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that +sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment +(condemnation), but is passed from death unto life.”</p> +<p class="p3">“Whence to me this tranquil spirit—</p> +<p class="p4">Me all sinful as I am?</p> +<p class="p3">Is it thus descends the merit</p> +<p class="p4">Of the sin-atoning Lamb?</p> +<p class="p3">Grace, all power to deliver,</p> +<p class="p3">Gift of a Creative Giver,</p> +<p class="p3">Like a full, refreshing river,</p> +<p class="p5s">Ever flowing.</p> +<p class="p3">Over all my course of sinning</p> +<p class="p4">Spread its waters without bound,</p> +<p class="p3">Cleansing, fertilizing, winning</p> +<p class="p4">For the Lord the barren ground.</p> +<p class="p3">Lavish from the heavenly treasure,</p> +<p class="p3">Fountains of a Father’s pleasure,</p> +<p class="p3">All the marks of human measure</p> +<p class="p5s">Overflowing.</p> +<p class="p3">Not my virtue or repenting</p> +<p class="p4">Earned the precious boon for me.</p> +<p class="p3">Thine, my Saviour, the relenting,</p> +<p class="p4">Thine the pangs which set me free—</p> +<p class="p3">Gift of grace beyond all knowing,</p> +<p class="p3">From the heart of Jesus flowing,</p> +<p class="p3">Ever flowing, overflowing,</p> +<p class="p5s">Flowing freely.”</p> +<hr style="margin-top:6em;margin-bottom:6em"> +<h1><a name="VI" id="VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></h1> +<h2>GRACE FOR LIVING.</h2> +<p class="pnn"><img style= +"float:left;margin-top:0.2em; margin-right:0.3em;height:4.7em;padding-right:0.3em" +src="images/n.jpg" alt="N">OW we come to a very important part of +our subject—Grace for living. One of the saddest things in the +present day is the fact that so many professed Christians have no +spiritual power. They bear no testimony for Christ. There are so +few who can go to the homes of the sick and read the Bible to +them, pray with them, and minister comfort to their souls. How +few can go to the abode of the drunkard, and tell him of Christ’s +power to save! How few there are who are wise in winning souls to +Christ!</p> +<p class="pn">It is the low spiritual state of so many in the +Church of Christ that is the trouble. We are not living up to our +privileges. As you go through the streets of London you will see +here and there the words, “Limited Company.” There are many +Christians who practically limit the grace of God. It is like a +river flowing by; and we can have all we need: but if we do not +come and get a continual supply, we cannot give it out to +others.</p> +<p class="pn">Mother! father! are you not longing to see your +children won to Christ? What is the trouble? Is it the fault of +the minister? I believe that though ministers were to preach like +angels, if there is a low standard of Christian life in the home, +there will be little accomplished. What we want, more than +anything else, is more grace in our lives, in our business +affairs, in our homes, in our daily walk and conversation. I +cannot but believe that the reason of the standard of Christian +life being so low, is that we are living on stale manna. You know +what I mean by that. So many people are living on their past +experience—thinking of the grand times they had twenty years ago, +perhaps when they were converted. It is a sure sign that we are +out of communion with God if we are talking more of the joy, and +peace, and power, we had in the past, than of what we have +to-day. We are told to “grow in grace;” but a great many are +growing the wrong way.</p> +<p class="pn">You remember the Israelites used to gather the +manna fresh every day: they were not allowed to store it up. +There is a lesson here for us Christians. If we would be strong +and vigorous, we must go to God daily and get grace. A man can no +more take in a supply of grace for the future than he can eat +enough to-day to last him for the next six months; or take +sufficient air into his lungs at once to sustain life for a week +to come. We must draw upon God’s boundless stores of grace from +day to day, as we need it.</p> +<p class="pn">I knew a man who lived on the banks of Lake Erie. +He had pipes laid to his house from the lake; and when he wanted +water, all he had to do was to turn the tap and the water flowed +in. If the Government had presented him with the lake, he would +not have known what to do with it. So we may say that if God were +to give us grace enough for a lifetime, we should not know how to +use it. He has given us the privilege of drawing on Him day by +day—not “forty days after sight.” There is plenty of grace in the +bank of heaven; we need not be afraid of its becoming +exhausted.</p> +<p class="pn">We are asked to come <i>boldly</i> to the throne of +grace—as sons to a father—that we may find grace. You have +noticed that a son is very much more bold in his father’s house +than if he were simply a servant. A good many Christians are like +servants. If you go into a house, you can soon tell the +difference between the family and the servants. A son comes home +in the evening; he goes all over the house—perhaps talks about +the letters that have come in, and wants to know all that has +been going on in the family during his absence. It is very +different with a servant, who perhaps does not leave the kitchen +or the servants’ hall all day except when duty requires it.</p> +<p class="pn">Suppose some one had paid a million dollars into +the bank in your name, and had given you a check-book so that you +could draw out just as you wanted: would you go to work and try +to live on ten dollars a month? Yet that is exactly what many of +us are doing as Christians. I believe this low standard of +Christian life in the Church is doing more to manufacture +infidels than all the skeptical books that were ever written.</p> +<p class="pn">Hear what the Apostle says: “My God shall supply +<i>all</i> your need.” Look at these words carefully. It does not +say He will supply all your <i>wants</i>. There are many things +we want that God has not promised to give. It is “your +<i>need</i>” and “<i>all</i> your need.” My children often want +many things they do not get; but I supply all they need, if it is +in my power to give it to them. I do not supply all their wants +by any means. My boy would probably want to have me give him a +horse; when I know that what he really needs, perhaps, is grace +to control his temper. Our children might want many things that +it would be injurious for them to have. And so, though God may +withhold from us many things that we desire, He will supply all +our need. There can come upon us no trouble or trial in this +life, but God has grace enough to carry us right through it, if +we will only go to Him and get it. But we must ask for it day by +day. “As thy days, so shall thy strength be.”</p> +<p class="pn">I met a man once in Scotland who taught me a lesson +that I shall never forget. A Christian friend wanted me to go and +have a talk with him. He had been bedridden for many years. This +afflicted saint comforted me and told me some wonderful things. +He had fallen and broken his back when he was about fifteen years +of age, and had lain there on his bed for some forty years. He +could not be moved without a good deal of pain, and probably not +a day has passed all those years without suffering. If any one +had told him he was going to lie there and suffer for forty +years, probably he would have said he could not do it. But day +after day the grace of God has been granted to him; and I declare +to you it seemed to me as if I were in the presence of one of +God’s most highly-favored children. It seemed that when I was in +that man’s chamber, I was about as near heaven as I could get on +this earth. Talk about a man’s face shining with the glory of the +upper world! I very seldom see a face that shines as did his. I +can imagine that the very angels when they are passing over the +city on some mission of mercy, come down into that man’s chamber +to get refreshed. There he has been lying all these years, not +only without a murmur, but rejoicing all the while.</p> +<p class="pn">I said to him: “My friend, does the devil never +tempt you to doubt God, and to think He is a hard master?” “Well +now,” he said, “that is just what he tries to do. Sometimes, as I +look out of the window and see people walking along in health, +Satan whispers: ‘If God is so good, why does He keep you here all +these weary years? Why, if He loved you, instead of lying here +and being dependent on others, you might now have been a rich +man, and riding in your own carriage.’” “What do you do when the +devil tempts you?” “Oh, I just take him up to the Cross; and he +had such a fright there eighteen hundred years ago, that he +cannot stand it; and he leaves me.” I do not think that bedridden +saint has much trouble with doubts; he is so full of grace.</p> +<p class="pn">And so if we will only come boldly to God, we shall +get all the help and strength we need. There is not a man or +woman alive but may be kept from falling, if they will let God +hold them up in His almighty arms.</p> +<p class="pn">There is a story in the history of Elisha the +prophet that I am very fond of; most of you are familiar with it. +Sometimes we meet with people who hesitate to accept Christ, +because they are so afraid they will not hold out. You remember +there was a young prophet who died and left a widow with two +little boys. It has been said that misfortunes do not come +singly, but in battalions. This woman had not only lost her +husband, but a creditor was going to take her boys and sell them +into slavery. That was a common thing in those days. The widow +went and told Elisha all about it. He asked her what she had in +the house. Nothing, she said, but a pot of oil. It was a very +hard case.</p> +<p class="pn">Elisha told her to go home and borrow all the +vessels she could. His command was: “Borrow not a few.” I like +that. She took him at his word, and borrowed all the vessels her +neighbors would lend to her. I can imagine I see the woman and +her two sons going from house to house asking the loan of their +vessels. No doubt there were a good many of the neighbors who +were stretching their necks, and wondering what it all meant; +just as we sometimes find people coming into the inquiry-room to +see what is going on. If this woman had been like some modern +skeptics, she would have thought it very absurd for the prophet +to bid her do such a thing; she would have asked what good could +come of it. But faith asks no questions: so she went and did what +the man of God told her to do. I can see her going up one side of +the street knocking at every door and asking for empty vessels. +“How many do you want?” “All you can spare.” There are the two +sons carrying the great vessels; some of them perhaps nearly as +large as the boys themselves. It was hard work. When they had +finished one side of the street, they went down the other. +“Borrow not a few,” she had been told; so she went on asking for +as many as she could get. If there were as much gossip in those +days as there is now, all the people in the street would have +been talking about her. Why, this woman and her boys have been +carrying vessels into the house all day; what can be the +matter?</p> +<p class="pn">But now they have all the vessels the neighbors +would lend. She locks the door; and she says to one of the boys, +“James, you are the younger; bring me the empty vessels. John, +you are the stronger; when, I have filled them you take them +away.” So she began to pour. Perhaps the first vessel was twice +as big as the one she poured from; but it was soon filled: and +she kept on pouring into vessel after vessel. At last her son +says, “Mother, this is the last one;” and we are told that the +oil was not stayed till the last vessel was full.</p> +<p class="pn">Dear friends, bring your empty vessels; and God +will fill them. I venture to say that the eyes of those boys +sparkled as they saw this beautiful oil, fresh from the hand of +the Creator. The woman went and told the man of God what had +happened; he said to her, “Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt; +and live thou and thy children off the rest.” That is grace for +the present, and for the future. “As thy days so shall thy +strength be.” You will have grace not only to cover all your +sins, but to carry you right into glory. Let the grace of God +into your heart; and He will bring you safely through.</p> +<p class="pns">Let me close by quoting the words of an old +prayer: “God give us grace to see our need of grace; give us +grace to ask for grace; give us grace to receive grace; give us +grace to use the grace we have received.”</p> +<p class="p3">“Grace taught my soul to pray,</p> +<p class="p4">And pardoning love to know;</p> +<p class="p3">’Twas grace that kept me to this day,</p> +<p class="p4s">And will not let me go.</p> +<p class="p3">Grace all the work shall crown,</p> +<p class="p4">Through everlasting days;</p> +<p class="p3">It lays in heaven the topmost stone,</p> +<p class="p4s">And well deserves the praise!”</p> +<hr style="margin-top:6em;margin-bottom:6em"> +<h1><a name="VII" id="VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></h1> +<h2>GRACE FOR SERVICE.</h2> +<p class="pnn"><img style= +"float:left;margin-top:0.1em; margin-right:0.3em;height:4.8em;padding-right:0.3em" +src="images/f.jpg" alt="F">OR the grace of God that bringeth +salvation to all men hath appeared; teaching us that, denying +ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, +righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that +blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our +Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might +redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar +people, zealous of good works.”</p> +<p class="pn">In this wonderful passage we see grace in a +threefold aspect: grace that bringeth salvation; grace for holy +living; and grace for service. I have had three red-letter days +in my experience: the first was, when I was converted; the next +was when I got my lips opened, and I began to confess Christ; the +third was, when I began to work for the salvation of others.</p> +<p class="pn">I think there are a great many who have got to the +first stage; some have got to the second; very few have got to +the third. This is the reason, I believe, why the world is not +reached.</p> +<p class="pn">Many say they are anxious to “grow in grace.” I do +not think they ever will, until they go out into the harvest +field and begin to work for others. We are not going to have the +grace we need to qualify us for work until we launch out into the +deep, and begin to use the abilities and the opportunities we +already possess. Many fold their arms, and wait for the grace of +God to come to them; but we do not get it in that way. When we +“go forward,” then it is that God meets us with His Grace.</p> +<p class="pn">If Moses had stayed in Horeb until he got the grace +he needed, he never would have started for Egypt at all. But when +he had set out, God met him in the way and blessed him day by day +as he needed. Many grow discouraged because there is a little +opposition; but if we are going to work for God we must expect +opposition. No real work was ever done for God without +opposition. If you think that you are going to have the approval +of a godless world, and of cold Christians, as you launch out +into the deep with your net, you are greatly mistaken. A man said +to me some time ago, that when he was converted he commenced to +do some work in connection with the Church; he was greatly +discouraged because some of the older Christians threw cold water +on him, so he gave up the whole thing.</p> +<p class="pn">I pity a man who cannot take a little cold water +without being any the worse for it. Why, many of the Christians +in old times had to go through the fire, and did not shrink from +it. A little cold water never hurts any one.</p> +<p class="pn">Others say they have so many cares and troubles, +they have as much as they can carry. Well, a good way to forget +your trouble is—to go and help some one else who is carrying a +heavier burden than yourself. It was when Job began to pray for +his friends that he forgot his own troubles. Paul gloried in his +infirmity, and in the tribulations he had to undergo, so that the +power of Christ might all the more rest upon him. He gloried in +the Cross: and you must bear in mind that the Cross was not so +easy to bear in his day as it is in ours. Every one was speaking +against it. “I glory in the Cross of Christ,” he said. When a man +gets to that point, do you tell me that God cannot use him to +build up His kingdom? In his second letter to the Corinthians, +Paul speaks of “the thorn in the flesh;” he prayed the Lord to +take it away. The Lord said He was not going to take it away: but +He would give His servant grace to bear it. So the apostle +learned to thank God for the thorn, because he got more grace. It +is when the days are dark that people are brought nearer to God. +I suppose that is what Paul meant.</p> +<p class="pn">If there is any child of God who has a “thorn in +the flesh,” God has grace enough to help you to bear it if you +will but go to Him for it. The difficulty is that so many are +looking at their troubles and sorrows, instead of looking toward +the glorious reward, and pressing on their way by God’s help.</p> +<p class="pn">In ii Corinthians 9:8, we read: “God is able to +make all grace abound towards you; that ye, always having all +sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” There +are three thoughts here—God makes <i>all grace</i> to abound, +that we may have <i>all sufficiency</i> in <i>all things</i>. I +think this is one of the most wonderful verses in the Bible.</p> +<p class="pn">There is plenty of grace. Many Christians, if they +have grace enough to keep them from outward sin, seem to be +perfectly satisfied; they do not press on to get <i>fullness of +grace</i>, so as to be ready for God’s work. Many are satisfied +to go into the stream of grace ankle deep, when God wants them to +swim in it.</p> +<p class="pn">If we always came to meetings desiring to get +strength, then we should be able to go out to work and speak for +Christ. There are a great many who would be used of God, if they +would only come boldly to His throne of grace, and “find grace to +help in time of need.” Is it not a time of need now? God has +said, “I will pour water on him that is thirsty.” Do we thirst +for a deeper work of grace in our hearts?—for the anointing of +the Spirit? Here is the promise: “I will pour water on him that +is thirsty.” Let all who are hungering and thirsting for blessing +come and receive it.</p> +<p class="pn">Another reason why many Christians do not get +anything is—because they do not give out to others. They are +satisfied with present attainments, instead of growing in grace. +We are not the fountain; we are only a channel for the grace of +God to flow through. There is not one of us but God wants to use +in building up His kingdom. That little boy, that grey-haired +man, these young men and maidens; all are needed: and there is a +work for all. We want to believe that God has grace enough to +qualify us to go out and work for Him.</p> +<p class="pn">If we have known Jesus Christ for twenty years or +more, and if we have not been able to introduce an anxious soul +to Him, there has been something wrong somewhere. If we were full +of grace, we should be ready for any call that comes to us. Paul +said, when he had that famous interview with Christ on the way to +Damascus, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” Isaiah said, +“Here am I, send me.” Oh that God would fill all His people with +grace, so that we may see more wonderful things than He has ever +permitted us to see! No man can tell what he can do, until he +moves forward. If we do that in the name of God, instead of there +being a few scores or hundreds converted, there will be thousands +flocking into the Kingdom of God. Remember, that we honor God +when we ask for great things. It is a humiliating thing to think +that we are satisfied with very small results.</p> +<p class="pn">It is said that Alexander the Great had a favorite +General to whom he had given permission to draw upon the royal +treasury for any amount. On one occasion this General had made a +draft for such an enormous sum that the Treasurer refused to +honor it until he consulted the Emperor. So he went into his +presence and told him what the General had done. “Did you not +honor the draft?” said the Emperor. “No; I refused till I had +seen your Majesty; because the amount was so great.” The Emperor +was indignant. His Treasurer said that he was afraid of offending +him if he had paid the amount. “Do you not know,” replied the +Emperor, “that he honors me and my kingdom by making a large +draft?” Whether the story be authentic or not, it is true that we +honor God when we ask for great things.</p> +<p class="pn">It is said that on one occasion when Cæsar gave a +very valuable present, the receiver replied that it was too +costly a gift. The Emperor answered that it was not too great for +Cæsar to give. Our God is a great King; and He delights to use +us: so let us delight to ask Him for great grace, that we may go +out and work for him.</p> +<p class="pn">I find that many Christians are in trouble about +the future; they think they will not have grace enough to die by. +It is much more important that we should have grace enough to +live by. It seems to me that death is of very little importance +in the meantime. When the dying hour comes there will be dying +grace; but you do not require dying grace to live by. If I am +going to live perhaps for fifteen or twenty years, what do I want +with dying grace? I am far more anxious about having grace enough +for my present work.</p> +<p class="pn">I have sometimes been asked if I had grace enough +to enable me to go to the stake and die as a martyr. No; what do +I want with martyr’s grace? I do not like suffering; but if God +should call on me to die a martyr’s death, He would give me +martyr’s grace. If I have to pass through some great affliction, +I know God will give me grace when the time comes; but I do not +want it till it comes.</p> +<p class="pn">There is a story of a martyr in the second century. +He was brought before the king, and told that if he did not +recant they would banish him. Said he, “O king, you cannot banish +me from Christ; for He has said, I will never leave thee nor +forsake thee!” The apostle John was banished to the island of +Patmos; but it was the best thing that could have happened: for +if John had not been sent there, probably we should never have +had that grand Book of Revelation. John could not be separated +from his Master.</p> +<p class="pn">So it was with this brave martyr, of whom I was +speaking. The king said to him, “Then I will take away your +property from you.” “You cannot do that: for my treasure is laid +up on high, where you cannot get at it?” “Then I will kill you.” +“You can not do that; for I have been dead these forty years: my +life is hid with Christ in God.” The king said, “What are you +going to do with such a fanatic as that?”</p> +<p class="pn">Let us remember that if we have not grace enough +for service, we have no one to blame but ourselves. We are not +straitened in God: He has abundance of grace to qualify us to +work for Him.</p> +<h3>MORE TO FOLLOW.</h3> +<p class="pn">I heard a story about two members of a Church: one +was a wealthy man, and the other was one of those who cannot take +care of their finances—he was always in debt. The rich brother +had compassion on his poor brother. He wanted to give him some +money; but he would not give it to the man all at once: he knew +he would not use it properly. So he sent the amount to the +minister, and asked him to supply the needs of this poor brother. +The minister used to send him a five-dollar bill, and put on the +envelope “More to follow.” I can imagine how welcome the gift +would be; but the best of all was the promise—“More to follow.” +So it is with God: there is always “more to follow.” It is such a +pity that we are not ready to be used by God when He wants to use +us.</p> +<p class="pn">Dear friends, let me put this question to you: Are +you full of grace? You shake your head. Well, it is our privilege +to be <i>full</i>. What is the best way to get full of grace? It +is to be emptied of self. How can we be emptied? Suppose you wish +to get the air out of this tumbler; how can you do it? I will +tell you: by pouring water into the tumbler till it is full to +overflowing. That is the way the Lord empties us of self. He +fills us with His grace. “I will pour water on him that is +thirsty.” Are you hungering to get rid of your sinful selves? +Then let the Spirit of God come in and fill you. God is able to +do it.</p> +<p class="pn">See what He did for John Bunyan—how He made one of +the mightiest instruments for good the world ever saw, out of +that swearing Bedford tinker. If we had a telescope which would +enable us to look into heaven as Stephen did, I can imagine we +should see the thief, who believed in Jesus while on the cross, +very near the throne. Ask him how he got there; and he would tell +you it was through the grace of God. See how the grace of God +could save a Mary Magdalene possessed of seven devils! Ask her +what it was that melted her heart: and she would tell you that it +was the grace of God. Look again at that woman whom Christ met at +the well at Sychar. The Saviour offered her a cup of the living +water: she drank, and now she walks the chrystal pavement of +heaven. See how the grace of God could change Zaccheus, the hated +publican of Jericho! Now he is in yonder world of light; he was +brought there by the sovereign grace of God.</p> +<p class="pns">You will have noticed that many of those who were +about the most unlikely, have, by the power of God’s grace, +become very eminent in His service. Look at the twelve apostles +of Christ; they were all unlettered men. This ought to encourage +all whose education is limited to give themselves to God’s work. +When our earthly work is ended, then, like our Master, we shall +enter into glory. It has been well remarked: “Grace is glory +militant; and glory is grace triumphant. Grace is glory begun; +glory is grace made perfect. Grace is the first degree of glory: +glory is the highest degree of grace.”</p> +<p class="p2">“Oh, to grace how great a debtor</p> +<p class="p3">Daily I’m constrained to be!</p> +<p class="p2">Let Thy grace, Lord, like a fetter,</p> +<p class="p3">Bind my wandering heart to thee.</p> +<p class="p2">Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it—</p> +<p class="p3">Prone to leave the God I love—</p> +<p class="p2">Here’s my heart, oh take and seal it,</p> +<p class="p3s">Seal it for Thy courts above.”</p> +<hr style="margin-top:6em;margin-bottom:6em"> +<h1><a name="VIII" id="VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></h1> +<h2>A CHIME OF GOSPEL BELLS.</h2> +<p class="ps"><img style= +"float:left;margin-top:0.2em; margin-right:0.3em;height:4.7em;padding-right:0.3em" +src="images/i.jpg" alt="I">N Baltimore, a few years ago, we held +a number of meetings for men. I am very fond of this hymn; and we +used to let the choir sing the chorus over and over again, till +all could sing it.</p> +<p class="p2">“Oh, word of words the sweetest,</p> +<p class="p3">Oh, word in which there lie</p> +<p class="p2">All promise, all fulfillment,</p> +<p class="p3">And end of mystery!</p> +<p class="p2">Lamenting or rejoicing,</p> +<p class="p3">With doubt or terror nigh,</p> +<p class="p2">I hear the ‘Come!’ of Jesus,</p> +<p class="p3s">And to His cross I fly.</p> +<p class="p4">Come! oh, come to me!</p> +<p class="p4">Come! oh, come to me!</p> +<p class="p4">Weary heavy-laden,</p> +<p class="p4s">Come! oh, come to Me!</p> +<p class="p2">O soul! why shouldst thou wander</p> +<p class="p3">From such a loving Friend?</p> +<p class="p2">Cling closer, closer to Him,</p> +<p class="p3">Stay with Him to the end</p> +<p class="p2">Alas! I am so helpless,</p> +<p class="p3">So very full of sin;</p> +<p class="p2">For I am ever wandering,</p> +<p class="p3s">And coming back again.</p> +<p class="p2">Oh, each time draw me nearer,</p> +<p class="p3">That soon the ‘Come!’ may be</p> +<p class="p2">Nought but a gentle whisper</p> +<p class="p3">To one close, close to Thee;</p> +<p class="p2">Then, over sea and mountain,</p> +<p class="p3">Far from, or near, my home,</p> +<p class="p2">I’ll take Thy hand and follow,</p> +<p class="p3s">At that sweet whisper, ‘Come!’”</p> +<p class="pn">There was a man in one of the meetings who had been +brought there against his will; he had come through some personal +influence brought to bear upon him. When he got to the meeting, +they were singing the chorus of this hymn—</p> +<p class="pc">“Come! come! come!”</p> +<p class="pnn">He said afterwards he thought he never saw so many +fools together in his life before. The idea of a number of men +standing there singing, “Come! come! come!” When he started home +he could not get this little word out of his head; it kept coming +back all the time. He went into a saloon, and ordered some +whiskey, thinking to drown it. But he could not; it still kept +coming back. He went into another saloon, and drank some more +whiskey; but the words kept ringing in his ears: “Come! come! +come!” He said to himself, “What a fool I am for allowing myself +to be troubled in this way!” He went to a third saloon; had +another glass, and finally got home.</p> +<p class="pn">He went off to bed, but could not sleep; it seemed +as if the very pillow kept whispering the word, “Come! Come!” He +began to be angry with himself: “What a fool I was for ever going +to that meeting at all!” When he got up he took the little hymn +book, found the hymn, and read it over. “What nonsense!” he said +to himself; “the idea of a rational man being disturbed by that +hymn.” He set fire to the hymn book; but he could not burn up the +little word “Come!” “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My +word shall not pass away.”</p> +<p class="pn">He declared he would never go to another of the +meetings; but the next night he came again. When he got there, +strange to say, they were singing the same hymn. “There is that +miserable old hymn again,” he said; “what a fool I am for +coming!” I tell you, when the Spirit of God lays hold of a man, +he does a good many things he did not intend to do. To make a +long story short, that man rose in a meeting of young converts, +and told the story that I have now told you. Pulling out the +little hymn book for he had bought another copy and opening it at +this hymn, he said: “I think this hymn is the sweetest and the +best in the English language. God blessed it to the saving of my +soul.” And yet this was the very hymn he had despised.</p> +<p class="pn">I want to take up this little word “Come!” +Sometimes people forget the text of a sermon; but this text will +be short enough for any one to remember. Let me ring out a chime +of Gospel bells, every one of which says, “Come!” The first bell +I will ring is,</p> +<h3><b>COME AND HEAR!</b></h3> +<p class="pn">“Incline your ear, and <span class="sc">come</span> +unto me; <span class="sc">hear</span>, and your soul shall live; +and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure +mercies of David.” “Incline your ear,” God says. You have +sometimes seen a man who is a little deaf, and cannot catch every +word, put his hand up to his ear and lean forward. I have seen a +man sometimes put up both hands to his ears, as if he were +determined to catch every word. I like to see that. This is the +figure that the prophet uses when he says on God’s behalf, +“Incline your ear.”</p> +<p class="pn">Man lost spiritual life and communion with his +Maker by listening to the voice of the tempter, instead of the +voice of God. We get life again by listening to the voice of God. +The Word of God gives life. “The words that I speak unto you,” +says Christ, “they are spirit, and they are life.” So, what +people need is—to incline their ear, and <span class= +"sc">hear</span>. It is a great thing when the Gospel preacher +gets the ear of a congregation—I mean the inner ear. For a man +has not only two ears in his head; he has also what we may call +the outer ear, and the inner ear—the ear of the soul. You may +speak to the outward ear, and not reach the ear of the soul at +all. Many in these days are like the “foolish people” to whom the +prophet Jeremiah spoke: “Which have eyes, and see not; which have +ears, and hear not.” There are many in every congregation whose +attention I am not able to secure for five minutes together. +Almost any little thing will divert their minds. We need to give +heed to the words of the Lord: “He that hath ears to hear, let +him hear.”</p> +<p class="pn">You remember when Peter was sent to Cornelius, he +was to speak to him words whereby he and his house were to be +saved. If you are to be saved, it must be by listening to the +Word of God. Here is the promise: “Hear; and your soul shall +live.”</p> +<p class="pn">There was an architect in Chicago who was +converted. In giving his testimony, he said he had been in the +habit of attending church for a great many years, but he could +not say that he had really heard a sermon all the time. He said +that when the minister gave out the text and began to preach, he +used to settle himself in the corner of the pew and work out the +plans of some building. He could not tell how many plans he had +prepared while the minister was preaching. He was the architect +for one or two companies; and he used to do all his planning in +that way. You see, Satan came in between him and the preacher, +and caught away the good seed of the Word. I have often preached +to people, and have been perfectly amazed to find they could +hardly tell one solitary word of the sermon; even the text had +completely gone from them.</p> +<p class="pn">A colored man once said that a good many of his +congregation would be lost because they were too generous. He saw +that the people looked rather surprised; so he said, “Perhaps you +think I have made a mistake; and that I ought to have said you +will be lost because you are not generous enough. That is not so; +I meant just what I said. You give away too many sermons. You +hear them, as it were, for other people.” So there are a good +many now hearing me who are listening for those behind them: they +say the message is a very good one for neighbor So-and-so; and +they pass it over their shoulders, till it gets clear out at the +door. You laugh; but you know it is so. Listen! “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 +condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”</p> +<p class="pn">The next note in this peal of bells I wish to ring +out is—</p> +<h3><b>COME AND SEE!</b></h3> +<p class="pn">Scripture not only uses the ear, but the eye, in +illustrating the way of salvation. When a man both hears and sees +a thing, he remembers it twice as long as if he only heard it. +You remember what Philip said to Nathanael: “Philip findeth +Nathanael, and saith unto him, we have found Him of whom Moses in +the Law, and the Prophets, did write—Jesus of Nazareth, the son +of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing +come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.” +Philip was a wise winner of souls. He brought his friend to +Christ. Nathanael had one interview with the son of God; he +became His disciple and never left Him. If Philip had gone on +discussing the matter with him, and had tried to prove that some +good thing could come out of Nazareth, he might have never been a +disciple at all.</p> +<p class="pn">After all, we do not gain much by discussion. Let +objectors or inquirers only get one personal interview with the +Son of God; that will scatter all their darkness, all their +prejudice, and all their unbelief. The moment that Philip +succeeded in getting Nathanael to Christ, the work was done.</p> +<p class="pn">So we say to you, “Come and see!” I thought, when I +was converted, that my friends had been very unfaithful to me, +because they had not told me about Christ. I thought I would have +all my friends converted inside of twenty-four hours; and I was +quite disappointed when they did not at once see Christ to be the +Lily of the Valley, and the Rose of Sharon, and the Bright and +Morning Star. I wondered why it was. No doubt many of those who +hear me now have had that experience; you thought when you saw +Christ in all His beauty that you could soon make your friends +see Him in the same light.</p> +<p class="pn">But we need to learn that God alone can do it. If +there is a skeptic now hearing me, I want to say that one +personal interview with the Son of God will scatter all your +infidelity and atheism. One night, in the inquiry-room, I met the +wife of an atheist, who had been brought to God at one of our +meetings. She was converted at the same time. She had brought two +of her daughters to the meeting, desiring that they too should +know Christ. I said to the mother: “How is it with your +skepticism now?” “Oh,” said she, “it is all gone.” When Christ +gets into the heart, atheism must go out; if a man will only come +and take one trustful, loving look at the Saviour, there will be +no desire to leave Him again.</p> +<p class="pn">A gentleman was walking down the street in +Baltimore, a few years ago. It was near Christmas-time, and many +of the shop-windows were filled with Christmas presents, toys, +etc. As this gentleman passed along, he saw three little girls +standing before a shop window, and he heard two of them trying to +describe to the third the things that were in the window. It +aroused his attention, and he wondered what it could mean. He +went back, and found that the middle one was blind—she had never +been able to see—and her two sisters were endeavoring to tell her +how the things looked. The gentleman stood beside them for some +time, and listened; he said it was most interesting to hear them +trying to describe the different articles to the blind child—they +found it a difficult task. As he told me, I said to myself, “That +is just my position in trying to tell other men about Christ: I +may talk about Him; and yet they see no beauty in Him that they +should desire Him. But if they will only come to Him, He will +open their eyes and reveal Himself to them in all His loveliness +and grace.”</p> +<p class="pn">Looking at it from the outside, there was not much +beauty in the Tabernacle that Moses erected in the desert. It was +covered on the outside with badgers’ skins—and there was not much +beauty in them. If you were to pass into the inside, then you +would find out the beauty of the coverings. So the sinner sees no +beauty in Christ till he comes to Him—then he can see it.</p> +<p class="pn">You have looked at the windows of a grand church +erected at the cost of many thousands of dollars. From the +outside they did not seem very beautiful; but get inside, when +the rays of the sun are striking upon the stained glass, and you +begin to understand what others have told you of their +magnificence. So it is when you have come into personal contact +with Christ; you find Him to be the very Friend you need. +Therefore we extend to all the sweet Gospel invitation “Come and +see!”</p> +<p class="pn">Let me now ring out the third bell—</p> +<h3><b>COME AND DRINK!</b></h3> +<p class="pn">“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the +waters: and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat: yea, +come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” If you +will come and drink at this fountain, Christ says you shall never +thirst again. He has promised to quench your thirst. “If any man +thirst,” He says, “let him come unto Me and drink.”</p> +<p class="pn">I thank God for those words: “<i>If any man</i>.” +That does not mean merely a select few respectable people; it +takes in all—every drunkard, every harlot, every thief, every +self-righteous Pharisee.</p> +<p class="pn">“If any man <i>thirst</i>.” How this world is +thirsting for something that will satisfy! What fills the places +of amusement—the dance houses, the music halls, and the theaters, +night after night? Men and women are thirsting for something they +have not got. The moment a man turns his back upon God, he begins +to thirst; and that thirst will never be quenched until he +returns to “the fountain of living waters.” As the prophet +Jeremiah tells us, we have forsaken the fountain of living +waters, and hewn out for ourselves cisterns, broken cisterns, +that can hold no water. There is a thirst this world can never +quench: the more we drink of its pleasures, the thirstier we +become. We cry out for more and more; and we are all the while +being dragged down lower and lower. But there is “a fountain +opened to the House of David . . . for sin and for uncleanness.” +Let us press up to it, and drink and live.</p> +<p class="pn">I remember after one of the great battles in the +War we were coming down the Tennessee River with a company of +wounded men. It was in the spring of the year, and the water was +not clear. You know that the cry of a wounded man is: “Water! +water!” especially in a hot country. I remember taking a glass of +the muddy water to one of these men. Although he was very +thirsty, he only drank a little of it. He handed the glass back +to me, and as he did so, he said, “Oh for a draught of water from +my father’s well!” Are there any thirsty ones here? Come and +drink of the fountain opened in Christ; your longing will be +satisfied, and you will never thirst again. It will be in you “a +well of water springing up into everlasting life.” Water rises to +its own level; and as this water has come down from the throne of +God, it will carry us back to the presence of God. Come, O ye +thirsty ones, stoop down and drink, and live! You are all +invited: come along! When Moses took his rod and struck the +flinty rock in the wilderness, out of it there came a pure +crystal stream of water, which flowed or through that dry and +barren land. All that the poor thirsty Israelites had to do was +to stoop and drink. It was free to all. So the grace of God is +free to all. God invites you to come and take it: will you +come?</p> +<p class="pn">I remember being in a large city where I noticed +that the people resorted to a favorite well in one of the parks. +I said to a man one day, “Does the well never run dry?” The man +was drinking of the water out of the well; and as he stopped +drinking, he smacked his lips, and said: “They have never been +able to pump it dry yet. They tried it a few years ago. They put +the fire engines to work, and tried all they could to pump the +well dry; but they found there was a river flowing right under +the city.” Thank God, the well of salvation never gets dry, +though the saints of God have been drinking from it for six +thousand years! Abel, Enoch Noah, Abraham. Moses, Elijah, the +Apostles all have drunk from it; and they are now up yonder, +where they are drinking of the stream that flows from the throne +of God. “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; +neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb +which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall +lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe +away all tears from their eyes.”</p> +<p class="pn">Let me ring another Gospel bell:</p> +<h3><b>COME AND DINE!</b></h3> +<p class="pn">My brother, my sister—are you hungry? Then come +along and dine. Some people are afraid of being converted, +because they think they will not hold out. Mr. Rainsford once +said, “If the Lord gives us eternal life, He will surely give us +all that is needful to preserve it.” He not only gives life; but +He gives us our daily bread to feed that life.</p> +<p class="pn">After the Saviour had risen from the dead, He had +not appeared to His disciples for some days. Peter said to the +others, “I go a fishing.” Seven of them started off in their +boats. They toiled all night but caught nothing. In the grey of +the morning, they saw a Stranger on the shore. He addressed them +and said “Children, have ye any meat?” They told Him they had +not. “Cast the net on the right side of the ship; and ye shall +find.” I can imagine they said to each other, “What good is that +going to do? We have been fishing here all night, and have got +nothing? The idea that there should be fish on one side of the +boat, and not on the other!” However, they obeyed the command; +and they had such a haul that there was no room for the fish in +the boat. Then one of them said, “It is the Lord.” When he heard +that, Peter sprang right into the sea, and swam to the shore; and +the others pulled the boat to land.</p> +<p class="pn">When they reached the shore the Master said, “Come +and dine.” What a meal that must have been. There was the Lord of +Glory feeding His disciples. If He could set a table for His +people in the wilderness, and feed three millions of Israelites +for forty years, can He not give us our daily bread? I do not +mean only the bread that perisheth; but the Bread that cometh +from above. If He feeds the birds of the air, surely He will feed +His children made in His own image! If He numbers the very hairs +of our head, He will take care to supply all our temporal +wants.</p> +<p class="pn">Not only so: He will give us the Bread of Life for +the nourishment of the soul—the life that the world knows nothing +of—if we will but go to Him. “I am the Bread of Life,” He says. +As we feed on Him by faith, we get strength. Let our thoughts +rest upon Him; and He will lift us above ourselves, and above the +world, and satisfy our utmost desires.</p> +<p class="pn">Another Gospel bell is—</p> +<h3><b>COME AND REST!</b></h3> +<p class="pn">Dear friend, do you not need rest? There is a +restlessness all over the world to-day. Men are sighing and +struggling after rest. The cry of the world is, “Where can rest +be found?” The rich man that we read of in the parable pulled +down his barns, that he might build greater; and said to his +soul, “Take thine ease.” He thought he was going to find rest in +wealth; but he was disappointed. That night his soul was summoned +away. No; there is no rest in wealth or pleasure.</p> +<p class="pn">Others think they will succeed in drowning their +sorrows and troubles by indulging in drink; but that will only +increase them. “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked:” +they are like the troubled sea that cannot rest. We sometimes +talk of the ocean as being as calm as a sea of glass; but it is +never at rest: and here we have a faithful picture of the wicked +man and woman.</p> +<p class="pn">O weary soul, hear the sweet voice that comes +ringing down through the ages: “Come unto me, all ye that labor, +and are heavy-laden; and I will <i>give</i> you <span class= +"sc">rest</span>.” Thank God, He does not <i>sell</i> it! If He +did, some of us are so poor we could not buy; but we can all take +a gift. That little boy there knows how to take a gift; that old +man, living on borrowed time, and almost on the verge of another +world, knows how to take a gift. The gift Jesus wants to bestow +is rest: Rest for time, and rest for eternity. Every weary soul +may have this rest if he will. But you must come to Christ and +get it. Nowhere else can this rest be found. If you go to the +world with your cares, your troubles, and your anxieties, all it +can do is to put a few more on the top of them. The world is a +poor place to go to for sympathy. As some one has said: “If you +roll your burdens anywhere but on Christ, they will roll back on +you with more weight than ever. Cast them on Christ; and He will +carry them for you.”</p> +<p class="pn">Here is another bell—</p> +<h3><b>COME AND REASON!</b></h3> +<p class="pn">Perhaps there are some infidels reading this. They +are fond of saying to us, “Come and reason.” But I want to draw +their attention to the verses that go before this one in the +first chapter of Isaiah. The trouble with a good many skeptics is +this—they take a sentence here and there from Scripture without +reference to the context. Let us see what this passage says: +“When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: +yea, when ye make many prayers I will not hear: your hands are +full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of +your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do +well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, +plead for the widow.”</p> +<p class="pn"><i>Then</i> we have the gracious invitation, “Come +now, and let us reason together.” Do you think God is going to +reason with a man whose hands are dripping with blood, and before +he asks forgiveness and mercy? Will God reason with a man living +in rebellion against Him? Nay. But if we turn from and confess +our sin, then He will reason with us, and pardon us. “Though your +sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow: though they +be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”</p> +<p class="pn">But if a man persists in his rebellion against God, +there is no invitation to him to come and reason, and receive +pardon. If I have been justly condemned to death by the law of +the State, and am waiting the execution of my sentence, I am not +in a position to reason with the governor. If he chooses to send +me a free pardon, the first thing I have to do is to accept it; +then he may allow me to come into his presence. But we must bear +in mind that God is above our reason. When man fell, his reason +became perverted; and he was not in a position to reason with +God. “If any man willeth to do His will he shall know of the +teaching.” We must be willing to forsake our sins. “Let the +wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and +let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; +and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon,” The moment a man +is willing to part with his sins, God meets him in grace and +offers him peace and pardon.</p> +<p class="pn">The next bell I would like to sound out is—</p> +<h3><b>COME TO THE MARRIAGE!</b></h3> +<p class="pn">“Behold, I have prepared my dinner: . . . all +things are ready; come unto the marriage.” Who would not feel +highly honored if they were invited to some fine residence, to +the wedding of one of the members of the President’s family? I +can imagine you would feel rather proud of having received such +an invitation. You would want all your friends to know it.</p> +<p class="pn">Probably you may never get such an invitation. But +I have a far grander invitation for you here than that. I cannot +speak for others; but if I know my own heart, I would rather be +torn to pieces to-night, limb from limb, and die in the glorious +hope of being at the marriage-supper of the Lamb, than live in +this world a thousand years and miss that appointment at the +last. “Blessed is he that is called to the marriage-supper of the +Lamb.” It will be a fearful thing for any of us to see Abraham, +Isaac, and Jacob taking their place in the kingdom of God, and be +ourselves thrust out.</p> +<p class="pn">This is no myth, my friends; it is a real +invitation. Every man and woman is invited. All things are now +ready. The feast has been prepared at great expense. You may +spurn the grace, and the gift of God; but you must bear in mind +that it cost God a good deal before He could provide this feast. +When He gave Christ He gave the richest jewel that heaven had. +And now He sends out the invitation. He commands His servants to +go into the highways, and hedges, and lanes, and compel them to +come in, that His house may be full. Who will come? You say you +are not fit to come? If the President invited you to the White +House, and the invitation said you were to come just as you were; +and if the sentinel at the gate stopped you because you did not +wear a dress suit, what would you do? Would you not show him the +document signed in the name of the President? Then he would stand +aside and let you pass. So, my friend, if you can prove to me +that you are a sinner, I can prove to you that you are invited to +this Gospel feast—to this marriage supper of the Lamb.</p> +<p class="pn">Let me ring out another bell in this Gospel +chime—</p> +<h3><b>“COME, INHERIT THE KINGDOM!”</b></h3> +<p class="pn">“Then shall the King say unto them on His right +hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared +for you from the foundation of the world.” A kingdom!—think of +that! Think of a poor man in this world, struggling with poverty +and want, invited to become possessor of a kingdom! It is no +fiction; it is described as “an inheritance incorruptible and +undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, +who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, +ready to be revealed in the last time.” We are called to be kings +and priests: that is a high calling. Surely no one who hears me +intends to miss that kingdom! Christ said, “<i>Seek ye first</i> +the Kingdom of God.” Those who inherit it shall go no more +out.</p> +<p class="pn">Yet another bell—</p> +<h3><b>“COME UP HITHER!”</b></h3> +<p class="pn">In the Revelation we find that the two witnesses +were called up to heaven when their testimony was ended. So if we +are faithful in the service of our King, we shall by and by hear +a voice saying, “Come up hither!” There is going to be a +separation one day. The man who has been persecuting his godly +wife will some day find her missing. That drunkard who beats his +children because they have been taught the way into the Kingdom +of God, will miss them some day. They will be taken up out of the +darkness, and away from the persecution, up into the presence of +God. When the voice of God saying, “Come up hither” is heard, +calling His children home, there will be a grand jubilee. That +glorious day will soon dawn. “Lift up your heads, for the time of +your redemption draweth nigh.”</p> +<p class="pn">One more bell to complete the chime—</p> +<h3><b>“WHOSOEVER WILL, LET HIM COME!”</b></h3> +<p class="pn">It is the last time that the word “Come” appears in +the Bible; and it occurs there over one thousand nine hundred +times. We find it away back in Genesis, “Come, thou and all thy +house, into the ark”; and it goes right along through Scripture. +Prophets, apostles, and preachers, have been ringing it out all +through the ages. Now the record is about to be closed, and +Christ tells John to put in one more invitation. After the Lord +had been in glory for about sixty years, perhaps He saw some poor +man stumbling over one of the apostles’ letters about the +doctrine of election. So He came to John in Patmos, and John was +in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day. Christ said to His disciple, +“Write these things to the Churches.” I can imagine John’s pen +moved very easily and very swiftly that day; for the hand of his +Lord was upon him. The Master said to him, “Before you close up +the Book, put in one more invitation; and make it so broad that +the whole world shall know they are included, and not a single +one may feel that he is left out.” John began to write “The +Spirit and the Bride say, Come,” that is, the Spirit and the +Church; “and let him that heareth say, Come!” If you have heard +and received the message yourself, pass it on to those near you; +your religion is not a very real thing if it does not affect some +one else. We have to get rid of this idea that the world is going +to be reached by ministers alone. All those who have drunk of the +cup of salvation must pass it around.</p> +<p class="pn">“Let him that is athirst, come.” But there are some +so deaf that they cannot hear; others are not thirsty enough or +they think they are not. I have seen men in our after-meetings +with two streams of tears running down their cheeks; and yet they +said the trouble with them was that they were not anxious enough. +They were anxious to be anxious. Probably Christ saw that men +would say they did not feel thirsty; so He told the apostle to +make the invitation still broader. So the last invitation let +down into a thirsty world is this: “W<span class="sc">hosoever +will, let him take the water of life freely</span>.”</p> +<p class="pn">Thank God for those words “Whosoever will!” Who +will come and take it? That is the question. You have the power +to accept or to reject the invitation. A man in one meeting once +was honest enough to say “I won’t.” If I had it in my power I +would bring this whole audience to a decision now, either for or +against. I hope many now reading these words will say, “I will!” +If God says we can, all the devils in hell cannot stop us. All +the infidels in the world cannot prevent us. That little boy, +that little girl, can say, “I will!” If it were necessary, God +would send down a legion of angels to help you; but He has given +you the power, and you can accept Christ this very minute if you +are really in earnest.</p> +<p class="pn">Let me say that it is the easiest thing in the +world to become a Christian, and it is also the most difficult. +You will say: “That is a contradiction, a paradox.” I will +illustrate what I mean. A little nephew of mine in Chicago, a few +years ago, took my Bible and threw it down on the floor. His +mother said, “Charlie, pick up Uncle’s Bible.” The little fellow +said he would not, “Charlie, do you know what that word means?” +She soon found out that he did, and that he was not going to pick +up the Book. His will had come right up against his mother’s +will. I began to be quite interested in the struggle; I knew if +she did not break his will, he would some day break her heart. +She repeated, “Charlie, go and pick up Uncle’s Bible, and put it +on the table.” The little fellow said he could not do it. “I will +punish you if you do not.” He saw a strange look in her eye, and +the matter began to get serious. He did not want to be punished, +and he knew his mother would punish him if he did not lift the +Bible. So he straightened every bone and muscle in him, and he +said <i>he could not do it</i>. I really believe the little +fellow had reasoned himself into the belief that he could not do +it.</p> +<p class="pns">His mother knew he was only deceiving himself; so +she kept him right to the point. At last he went down, put both +his arms around the Book, and tugged away at it; but he still +said he could not do it. The truth was he did not want to. He got +up again without lifting it. The mother said, “Charlie, I am not +going to talk to you any more. This matter has to be settled; +pick up that Book, or I will punish you.” At last she broke his +will, and then he found it as easy as it is for me to turn my +hand. He picked up the Bible, and laid it on the table. So it is +with the sinner; if you are really willing to take the Water of +Life, <span class="sc">you can do it</span>.</p> +<p class="p2">“I heard the voice of Jesus say,</p> +<p class="p3">‘Come unto Me, and rest;</p> +<p class="p2">Lay down, thou weary one, lay down,</p> +<p class="p3">Thy head upon My breast.’</p> +<p class="p2">I came to Jesus as I was—</p> +<p class="p3">Weary, and worn, and sad,</p> +<p class="p2">I found in Him a resting-place,</p> +<p class="p3s">And He has made me glad.</p> +<p class="p2">I heard the voice of Jesus say,</p> +<p class="p3">‘Behold, I freely give</p> +<p class="p2">The living water—thirsty one,</p> +<p class="p3">Stoop down, and drink, and live.’</p> +<p class="p2">I came to Jesus, and I drank</p> +<p class="p3">Of that life-giving stream;</p> +<p class="p2">My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,</p> +<p class="p3s">And now I live in Him.</p> +<p class="p2">I heard the voice of Jesus say,</p> +<p class="p3">‘I am this dark world’s Light:</p> +<p class="p2">Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,</p> +<p class="p3">And all thy day be bright.’</p> +<p class="p2">I looked to Jesus, and I found</p> +<p class="p3">In Him my Star, my Sun;</p> +<p class="p2">And in that Light of life I’ll walk</p> +<p class="p3s">Till traveling days are done.”</p> +<p style= +"text-align:left;text-indent:19.0em;font-size:88%;font-style:italic;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +Dr. H. Bonar</p> +<hr style="margin-top:6em;margin-bottom:6em"> +<h1 style= +"text-align:center;font-size:200%;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0.5em"> +<a name="GDI" id="GDI">GOSPEL DIALOGUES.</a></h1> +<div style="text-align:center"><img alt="Illustration: Line" src= +"images/line3.jpg" style="width: 4em"></div> +<h1 style= +"text-align:center;margin-top:0.8em;margin-bottom:0.9em;font-size:117%"> +I.—MR. MOODY AND REV. MARCUS RAINSFORD.</h1> +<h2>WHAT IT IS TO BE A CHILD OF GOD.</h2> +<p class="pnn"><img style= +"float:left;margin-top:0.2em; margin-right:0.3em;height:4.7em;padding-right:0.3em" +src="images/m.jpg" alt="M">R. MOODY—What is it to be a child of +God? What is the first step?</p> +<p class="pn">Rev. M. Rainsford—Well, sir, I am a child of God +when I become united to the Son of God. The Son of God prayed +that all who believed upon Him should be one with Him, as He was +one with the Father. Believing on Jesus, I receive Him, and +become united to Him; I become, as it were, a member of his Body. +I am an heir of God, a joint-heir with Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What is the best definition of Faith?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Trust in the Son of God, as the Saviour He +has given to us. Simple trust, not only in a creed, but in a +Person. I trust my soul to Him. I trust the keeping of my soul to +Him. God has promised that whosoever trusts Him, mercy shall +compass him on every side.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Does not the Scripture say that the devils +believe?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—They believe the truth, do they not? They +believe that Jesus was manifested to destroy them; and they +“tremble.” I wish we believed as truly and as fully that God sent +His Son into the world to save us.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What is it to “trust?”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—I take it to mean four things:</p> +<p class="pn">(1) Believing on Christ: that is, taking Him at His +Word.</p> +<p class="pn">(2) Hoping in Christ: that is, expecting help from +Him, according to His Word.</p> +<p class="pn">(3) Relying on Christ: That is, resting on Him for +the times, and ways, and circumstances in which He may be pleased +to fulfill His promises according to His Word.</p> +<p class="pn">(4) Waiting on Christ: that is, <i>continuing</i> +to do so, notwithstanding delay, darkness, barrenness, perplexing +experiences, and the sentence of death in myself. He may keep me +waiting awhile (I have kept Him a long time waiting); but He will +not keep me waiting always. Believing in Him, hoping in Him, +relying upon Him, and waiting for Him—I understand to be trusting +in Him.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Can all these friends here believe the +promises?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—The promises are true, whether we believe +them or not. We do not make them true by believing them. God +could not charge me with being an unbeliever, or condemn me for +unbelief, if the promises were not true for me. I could in that +case turn round and say: “Great God, why did you expect me to +believe a promise that was not true for me?” And yet the +Scriptures set forth unbelief as the greatest sin I can continue +to commit.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—How are we “cleansed by <i>the +Blood?</i>”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—“The blood is the life.” The sentence upon +sinners for their sin was, “The soul that sinneth it shall die.” +That we might not die, the Son of God died. The blood is <i>the +poured-out life of the Son of God</i>, given as the price, the +atonement, the substitute, for the forfeited life of the believer +in Jesus Christ. Any poor sinner who receives Christ as God’s +gift is cleansed from all sin by His Blood.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Was the blood shed for us all?</p> +<p class="pns">Mr. R.—</p> +<p class="p2">“There is a fountain filled with blood,</p> +<p class="p3">Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;</p> +<p class="p2">And sinners plunged beneath that flood,</p> +<p class="p3s">Lose all their guilty stains.</p> +<p class="p2">The dying thief rejoiced to see</p> +<p class="p3">That fountain in his day;</p> +<p class="p2">And there may we, though vile as he,</p> +<p class="p3s">Wash all our sins away.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Some may think that this is only a hymn, and +that it is not Scripture. Did the Lord ever say anything similar +to what the hymn says?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—He said: “I have given you the blood upon +the altar to make an atonement for your souls.” That was said of +the picture of the blood of Christ. And at the Last Supper our +Lord said His blood was “the blood of the new testament which is +shed for you and for many for the remission of sins.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What is “the gift of God?”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—There are three great gifts that God has +given to us—</p> +<p class="pn">(1) His blessed Son.</p> +<p class="pn">(2) The Holy Ghost, “the promise of the Father,” +that we might understand the unspeakable gift bestowed on us when +He gave His Son.</p> +<p class="pn">(3) He has given us His Holy Word.</p> +<p class="pn">The Holy Ghost has inspired the writers of it that +we may read, and hear, and know the love that God has to us, “in +that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” We could not +have the Son for our Saviour, unless God gave Him. We could not +understand the gift of God, unless the Holy Ghost had come to +quicken us and teach us; and this He does through the Word.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—How much is there in Christ for us who +believe?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—In Him dwelt “all the fullness of the +Godhead bodily”—fullness of life, of righteousness, of +sanctification, of redemption, title to heaven, and meetness for +it; all that God wants from us, and all that we want from God, He +gave in the person of Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—How long does it take God to justify a +sinner?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—How long? The moment we receive Him we +receive authority to enroll ourselves among the children of God, +and are then and there justified from all things. The sentence of +complete justification does not take long to pronounce. Some +persons profess to see a difficulty in the variety of ways in +which a sinner is said to be justified before God: (1) Justified +by God; (2) Justified by Christ; (3) Justified by His Blood; (4) +Justified by grace; (5) Justified by faith; (6) Justified by +works.</p> +<p class="pn">Justification has reference to a court of justice. +Suppose a sinner standing at the bar of God, the bar of +conscience, and the bar of his fellow-men, charged with a +thousand crimes.</p> +<p class="pn">(1) There is the Judge: that is God, who alone can +condemn or justify: “It is God that justifieth.” That is +justification by God.</p> +<p class="pn">(2) There is the Advocate, who appears at court for +the sinner; the counselor, the intercessor: that is Christ. +“Justified by Christ.”</p> +<p class="pn">(3) There is next to be considered the ground and +reason on account of which the Advocate pleads before the Judge. +That is the merit of His own precious Blood. That is +justification by His Blood.</p> +<p class="pn">(4) Next we must remember the law which the Judge +is dispensing. The law of works? Nay, but the law of grace and +faith. That is justification by His grace.</p> +<p class="pn">(5) And now the judge himself pronounces the +result. “Be it known unto you that through this Man is preached +unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him all that believe are +justified from all things.” Now, for the first time, the sinner +at the bar knows the fact. This is justification by faith.</p> +<p class="pn">(6) But now the justified man leaves the criminal’s +dock. He does not return to his prison, or to his chains. He +walks forth from the court-house a justified man; and all men, +friends or foes, are made aware that he is free. That is +“justification by works.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—A man says: “I have not found peace.” How +would you deal with him?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—He is really looking for the wrong thing. I +do not look for peace. I look for <i>Christ;</i> and I get peace +with Him. Some people put peace in the place of Christ. Others +put their repentance or prayers in the place of Christ. +<i>Anything</i> put in the place of Christ, or between the sinner +and Christ, is in the <i>wrong place</i>. When I get Christ, I +possess in Him everything that belongs to Him, as my Saviour.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Some think they cannot be Christians until +they are sanctified.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Christ is my Sanctification, as much as my +Justification. I cannot be sanctified but by His blood. There is +a wonderful passage in Exodus. The high priest there represented +in picture the Lord Jesus Christ. There was to be placed on the +forefront of the miter of the high priest, when he stood before +God, a plate of pure gold, and graven upon it as with a signet, +the words: “Holiness to the Lord.” My faith sees it on the +forefront of the miter on the brow of my High Priest in heaven. +“And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the +iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall +hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be <i>always</i> +upon his forehead, that <span class="sc">they</span> may be +accepted before the Lord.” That was for Israel of old! +<i>That</i> on the brow of Jesus Christ is for me. Yes—for me, +“that I may be accepted before the Lord.” As I believe this truth +it purifies my heart, it operates on my affections and my +desires; and I seek to walk with Him, because He is my +Sanctification before God, just as I trust in Him as my +Justification—because He shed His blood for me.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What is it to believe on His name?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—His name is His revealed self. We are +informed what it is in Exodus. Moses was in the mount with God, +and He had shown him wonderful things of kindness and of love. +And Moses said, “O God, show me thy <i>glory!</i>” And He said, +“I will make all my <i>goodness</i> pass before thee.” So He put +Moses in the cleft of the rock, and proclaimed the name of the +Lord: “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, +longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy +for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin”—there +it is, root and branch “and that will by no means clear the +guilty.” That is His name; and His glory He will not give unto +another: and to believe in the name of the Lord is just to +shelter under His promises.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What is it to “receive the Kingdom of God +like a little child?”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Well, I do not believe in a little child +being an innocent thing. I think it means that we are to receive +it in all our need and helplessness. A little child is the most +dependent thing on earth. All its resources are in its parents’ +love: all it can do is to cry; and its necessities explain the +meaning to the mother’s heart. If we interpret its language, it +means: “Mother, wash me; I cannot wash myself. Mother, clothe me; +I am naked, and cannot clothe myself. Mother, feed me; I cannot +feed myself. Mother, carry me; I cannot walk.” It is written, “A +mother may forget her sucking child; yet will not I forget thee.” +This it is to receive the Kingdom of God as a little child—to +come to Jesus in our helplessness and say: “Lord Jesus, wash me!” +“Clothe me!” “Feed me!” “Carry me!” “Save me, Lord, or I +perish.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—A good many say they are going to +<i>try</i>. What would you say to such?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—God wants no man to “try.” Jesus has already +tried. He has not only tried, but He has succeeded. “It is +finished.” Believe in Him who has “made an end of sins, making +reconciliation for iniquity, finishing transgression, and +bringing in everlasting righteousness.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—If people say they are “going to try,” what +would you say to them?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—I should say, Put <i>trusting</i> in the +place of trying; <i>believing</i> in the place of doubting; and I +should urge them to come to Christ as they are, instead of +waiting to be better. There is nothing now between God the Father +and the poor sinner, but the Lord Jesus Christ; and Christ has +put away sin that I may be joined to the Lord. “And he that is +joined unto the Lord is one spirit;” “And where the spirit of the +Lord is, there is liberty.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—About the last thing an anxious inquirer has +to contend with is his feelings. There are hundreds here very +anxious to know they are safe in the Kingdom; but they think they +have not the right kind of feeling. What kind of feeling should +they have?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—I think there are several of those present +who can say that they found a blessing in the after-meetings +through one verse of Scripture. I will quote it as an answer to +Mr. Moody’s question. “Who is among you that feareth the Lord, +that obeyeth the voice of His servant, that walketh in darkness, +and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and +stay upon his God.” Some of you may be walking in darkness; that +is how you feel. What is God’s command? “Let him trust in the +name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.” If I am to trust God in +the darkness, I am to trust Him anywhere.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—You would advise them, then, to trust in the +Lord, whether they have the right kind of feeling or not?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—If I were to think of my feelings for a +moment, I should be one of the most miserable men in this hall +to-night. My feelings are those of a sinful corrupt nature. I am +just to believe what God tells me in spite of my feelings. Faith +is “the evidence of things not seen:” I might add, “the evidence +of things not felt.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Some may say that faith is the gift of God: +and that they must wait till God imparts it to them.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—“Faith cometh by hearing.” The word of God +is the medium through which faith comes to us. God has given us +Christ; and He has given us His Spirit, and His Word: what need +is there to wait? God will give faith to the man who reads His +Word and seeks for His Spirit.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What, then, should they wait for?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—I do not know of anything they have to wait +for. God says: “Come now; Believe now.” No, no; there is nothing +to wait for. He has given us all He has to give: and the sooner +we take it the better.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Perhaps some of them think they have too +many sins to allow their coming.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—The Lord Jesus has put away sin by the +sacrifice of Himself. “As far as the east is from the west, so +far hath He removed our transgressions from us.” Why do we not +believe him? He says He has “made an end of sins.” Why do we not +believe Him? Is He a liar?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Is unbelief a sin?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—It is the root of all sin.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Has a man the power to believe these things, +if he will?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—When God gives a command, it means that we +are able by His grace to do it.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What do you mean by “coming” to Christ?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Believing in Him. If I were to prepare a +great feast in this hall to-morrow night, and say that any man +that comes to it would have a grand feast and a five-pound note +besides, there would not be any question as to what “coming” +meant. God has prepared a great feast. He has sent His messengers +to invite all to come; and there is nothing to pay.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What is the first step.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—To believe.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Believe what?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—God’s invitation; God’s promise; God’s +provision. Let us believe the faithfulness of Him who calls us. +Does God intend to mock us, and make game of us? If He did so to +one man, it would hush all the harps in heaven.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Suppose the people do “come,” and that they +fall into sin tomorrow?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Let them come back again. God says we are to +forgive till seventy times seven. Do you think the great God will +do less than He commands us to do?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—If they truly come, will they have the +desire to do the things they used to do before?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—When a man really receives Christ into his +heart, he experiences “the expulsive power of a new affection.” +The devil may tempt him to sin; but sin has lost its attraction. +A man finds out that it does not pay to grieve God’s Holy +Spirit.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What would you advise your converts to +do?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—When you were little babes, if you had had +no milk, no clothing, and no rest, you would not have lived very +long. You are now the result of your fathers’ and mothers’ care. +When a man is born in the family of God he has life; but he needs +food. “Man doth not live by bread alone.” If you do not feed upon +God’s promises you will be of no use in God’s service: it will be +well for you if your life does not die out altogether before +long. Then you need exercise. If you only take food, and do no +work, you will soon suffer from what I may call spiritual +apoplexy. When you get hold of a promise, go and tell it to +others. The best way for me to get help for myself is by trying +to help others. There is one great promise that young disciples +should never forget: “He that watereth shall be watered also +himself.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—How are they to begin?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—I believe there are some rich ladies and +rich gentlemen on the platform. When such persons are brought to +the Lord, they are apt to be ashamed to speak about salvation to +their old companions. If our Christian ladies would go amongst +other ladies; Christian gentlemen amongst gentlemen of their own +class; and so on we should see a grand work for Christ. Each of +you have some friends or relations whom you can influence better +than anybody else can. Begin with them; and God will give you +such a taste for work that you will not be content to stay at +home: you will go and work outside as well.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—A good place to start in would be the +kitchen, would it not? Begin with some little kitchen meetings. +Let some of you get fifteen or twenty mothers together; and ask +them to bring their young children with them. Sing some of these +sweet hymns; read a few verses of Scripture; get your lips +opened; and you will find that streams of salvation will be +breaking out all around. I always think that every convert ought +to be good for a dozen others right away.</p> +<p class="pns">Mr. R.—Let me tell a little incident in my own +experience. I was once asked to go and see a great man and tell +him about Christ. He did not expect me; and if I had known that, +perhaps I should not have had the faith to go at all. When I went +he was very angry and very nearly turned me out of the house. He +was an old man, and had one little daughter. A few weeks +afterwards he went to the Continent, and his daughter went with +him. One day when he was very ill he saw his daughter looking at +him, while the tears rolled down her cheeks. “My child,” he said, +“what are you crying about?” “Oh, papa, you do not love the Lord +Jesus Christ; I am afraid you are going to hell!” “Why do you say +that?” “Do you not remember when Mr. Rainsford called to see you, +you were very rude to him? I never saw you so angry. And he only +wished to speak to you about Jesus.” “Well, my child, you shall +read to me about Jesus.” If that man has gone to heaven—I do not +say whether he has or not—the only light he had he got from his +little daughter. You set to work; and you cannot tell what may be +the result, by the blessing of God.</p> +<p class="p2">“Sons of God, beloved in Jesus</p> +<p class="p3">Oh, the wondrous word of grace!</p> +<p class="p2">In His Son the Father sees us,</p> +<p class="p3s">And as sons He gives us place.</p> +<p class="p2">Blessed power now brightly beaming—</p> +<p class="p3">On our God we soon shall gaze;</p> +<p class="p2">And in light celestial gleaming</p> +<p class="p3s">We shall see our Saviour’s face.</p> +<p class="p2">By the power of grace transforming</p> +<p class="p3">We shall then His image bear;</p> +<p class="p2">Christ His promised word performing,</p> +<p class="p3s">We shall then His glory share.”</p> +<p style= +"text-align:left;text-indent:19.0em;font-size:88%;font-style:italic;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +El Nathan</p> +<hr style="margin-top:6em;margin-bottom:6em"> +<h1 style= +"text-align:center;margin-top:0.8em;margin-bottom:0.9em;font-size:117%"> +<a name="GDII" id="GDII">II.—MR. MOODY AND REV. MARCUS +RAINSFORD.</a></h1> +<h2>HOW TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN.</h2> +<p class="pnn"><img style= +"float:left;margin-top:0.2em; margin-right:0.3em;height:4.7em;padding-right:0.1em" +src="images/m.jpg" alt="M">R. MOODY.—Mr. Rainsford, how can one +make room in their heart for Christ?</p> +<p class="pn">Rev. M. Rainsford.—First, do we really want Christ +to be in our hearts? If we do, the best thing will be to ask Him +to come and make room for Himself. He will surely come and do so. +“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” +“Without Me ye can do nothing.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Will Christ crowd out the world if He comes +in?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—He spake a parable to that effect. “When a +strong man armed keepeth his palace [the poor sinner’s heart], +his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he shall come +upon him and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour +wherein he trusted [unbelief, false views of God, worldliness, +and love of sin], and divideth his spoils.” The devil keeps the +heart, because Christ desires it for His throne—until Christ +drives Him out.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What is the meaning of the promise?—“Him +that <i>cometh</i> unto Me I will in no wise cast out.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—I think we often put the emphasis upon the +wrong word. People are troubled about how they are going to +<span class="sc">come</span>, when they should put the emphasis +on H<span class="sc">im</span> to whom they are coming. “Him that +cometh unto M<span class="sc">e</span> I will in no wise cast +out:” no matter how he may come. I remember hearing this incident +at an after-meeting. A gentleman was speaking to an anxious +inquirer, telling him to <i>come</i> to Christ, to <i>trust</i> +in Christ; but the man seemed to get no comfort. He said that was +just where he found his difficulty. By and by, another friend +came and spoke to the anxious one. All he said was: “Come to +CHRIST; trust in CHRIST.” The man saw it in a minute. He went and +told the other gentleman, “I see the way of salvation now.” “Tell +me,” said he, “what did that man say to you?” “Well, he told me +to trust in Christ.” “That is what I told you.” “Nay, you bade me +<i>trust</i> in Christ, and <i>come</i> to Christ; he bade me +trust in <i>Christ</i>, and come to <i>Christ</i>.” That made all +the difference.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What does Christ mean by the words “<i>in no +wise?</i>”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—It means that if the sins of all sinners on +earth and all the devils in hell were upon your soul, He will not +refuse you. Not even in the range of God’s omniscience is there a +reason why Christ will refuse any poor sinner who comes to Him +for pardon.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What is the salvation He comes to proclaim +and to bestow?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—To deliver us from the power of darkness and +the bottomless pit, and set us upon the throne of glory. It is +salvation from death and hell, and curse and ruin. But that is +only the half of it. It is salvation to God, and light, and +glory, and honor, and immortality; and from earth to heaven.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—If the friends here do not come and get this +salvation, what will be the true reason?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Either they are fond of some sin which they +do not intend to give up, or they do <i>not</i> believe they are +in a lost condition, and under the curse of God, and therefore do +not feel their need of Him who “came to seek and to save that +which was lost.” Or they do not believe God’s promises. I have +sometimes asked a man, “Good friend, are you saved!” “Well, no, I +am not saved.” “Are you lost?” “Oh, God forbid! I am not lost.” +“Where are you, then, if you are neither saved nor lost?” May God +wake us up to the fact that we are all in one state or the +other!</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What if any of them should fall into sin +after they have come to Christ?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—God has provided for the sins of His people, +committed after they come to Christ, as surely as for their sins +committed before they came to Him. Christ “ever liveth to make +intercession for all that come unto God by Him.” “If we say that +we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. +If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our +sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” . . . . For, +“if any man sin, we have an A<span class="sc">dvocate</span> with +the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He is the +propitiation for our sins.” He will take care of our sinful, +tried and tempted selves, if we trust ourselves to Him.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Is it not said that if we sin willfully +after we have received the knowledge of the truth, “there +remaineth <i>no more</i> sacrifice for sins?”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Yes. Paul wrote it in his Epistle to the +Hebrews. Some of them were trifling with the blood of Christ, +reverting to the types and shadows of the Levitical Law, and +trusting to a fulfilled ritual for salvation. He is not referring +to <i>ordinary acts of sin</i>. By sinning willfully he means, as +he explains it, a “<i>treading under foot the Son of God</i>,” +and a total and final apostatizing from Christ. Those who reject +or neglect Him will find no other sacrifice for sin remaining. +Before Christ came the Jewish ceremonies were shadows of the good +things to come; but Christ was the substance of them. But now +that he has come to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, +there is no other sacrifice for sin remaining for those who +reject Him. God will send no other Saviour, and no further +atonement; no second “fountain shall be opened for sin and +uncleanness.” There remains, therefore, nothing for the rejector +of salvation by Christ, but “a fearful looking-for of +judgment.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—There are some who say they do not know that +they have the right kind of faith.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—God does not ask us if we have the right +kind of faith. He tells us the right thing to believe, and the +right faith is to believe the <i>right thing</i>, even what God +has told us and promised us. If I told you, Mr. Moody, that I had +found a hymn-book last night you would believe me, would you not? +(Mr. Moody: Yes.) Suppose I said it was the valuable one +<i>you</i> lost the other night, you would believe me also just +the same. There is no difference in the <i>kind</i> of faith; the +difference is in the <i>thing believed</i>. When the Son of God +tells me that He died for sinners, that is a fact for my faith to +lay hold of: the faith itself is not some thing to be considered. +I do not look at my hand, when I take a gift, and wonder what +sort of a hand it is. I look at the gift.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What about those people who say their hearts +are so hard, and they have no love to Christ?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Of course they are hard and cold. No man +loves Christ till he believes that Christ loves him. “We love +Him, because He first loved us.” It is the love of God shed +abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that makes the change.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Paul said he was “crucified with Christ.” +what did he mean?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Oh, that is a grand text! Thank God I have +been “crucified with Christ.” The Cross of Christ represents the +death due to the sinner who had broken God’s laws. When Christ +was crucified every member of His body was crucified: but every +believer that was, or is, or shall be, is a member of Christ’s +body, of His flesh, and of His bones. Again, we read: “Whether +one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member +be honored, all the members rejoice with it: now ye are the body +of Christ, and members in particular.” So when Christ was +crucified for sin, I was also crucified in Him; and now I am dead +and gone as far as my old self is concerned. I have already +suffered for sin in Him. Yes; I am dead and buried with Christ. +That is the grand truth that Paul laid hold upon. I am stone dead +as a sinner in the sight of God. As it is written, I am “become +dead to the law by the body of Christ, that I might be married to +another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that I should +bring forth fruit unto God.” “I am crucified with Christ; +nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me;” and God +Himself commands me so to regard my standing before Him as His +believing child. “In that Christ died, He died, unto sin once: +but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. <i>Likewise reckon ye +also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin</i>, but <i>alive unto +God</i> through Jesus Christ our Lord.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Should not a man repent a good deal before +he comes to Christ?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—“Repent a good deal!” I do not think any man +repents in the true sense of the word till he loves Christ and +hates sin. There are many false repentances in the Bible. We are +told that Pharaoh repented when the judgment of God came upon +him, and he said, “I have sinned;” but as soon as the judgment +passed away, he went back to his sin. We read that Balaam said: +“I have sinned.” Yet “he loved the wages of unrighteousness.” +When Saul lost his kingdom he repented; “I have sinned,” he said. +When Judas Iscariot found that he had made a great mistake, he +said: “I have sinned, in that I have betrayed innocent blood;” +yet he went “to his own place.” I would not give much for these +repentances; I would rather have Peter’s repentance: when Christ +looked upon His fallen saint it broke His heart, and he went out +and wept bitterly. Or the repentance of the Prodigal, when his +father’s arms were around his neck, and his kisses on his cheek, +and he said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before +thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What is your title to heaven?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—The Person, the Life, Death, and +Righteousness, of the God-man, the Son of God, my Substitute, and +my Saviour.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—How do you obtain that?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—By receiving Him. “As many as received Him, +to them gave He authority to become the sons of God, even to them +that believed on His name.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What is your meetness for heaven?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—The Holy Ghost dwelling in my heart is my +fitness for heaven. I have only to get there; and I have, by this +great gift, all tastes, desires, and faculties, for it: I have +the eyes to contemplate it: I have the ears for heaven’s music: +and I can speak the language of the country. The Holy Ghost in me +is my fitness and qualification for the splendid inheritance for +which the Son of God has redeemed me.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Would you make a distinction between +Christ’s work for us and the Spirit’s work in us?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Christ’s work for me is the payment of my +debt; the giving me a place in my Father’s home, the place of +sonship in my Father’s family. The Holy Spirit’s work in me is to +make me fit for His company.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—You distinguish, then, between the work of +the Father, the work of the Son, and the work of the Holy +Ghost.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Thanks be to God, I have them all, and I +want them all—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. I read that my +Heavenly Father took my sins and laid them on Christ; “The Lord +hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” No one else had a right +to touch them. Then I want the Son, who “His own self bare my +sins in His own body on a tree.” And I want the Holy Ghost. I +should know nothing about this great salvation, and care nothing +for it, if the Holy Ghost had not come and told me the story, and +given me grace to believe it.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What is meant when we are told that Christ +saves “to the uttermost?”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—That is another grand truth. Some people are +troubled by the thought that they will not be able to hold out if +they come to Christ. There are so many crooked ways, and +pitfalls, and snares in the world; there is the power of the +flesh, and the snare of the devil. So they fear they will never +get home. The idea of the passage is this. Suppose you are on the +top of some splendid mountain, very high up. You look away to +where the sun sets, and you see many a river, and many a country, +and many a barren waste between. Christ is able to save you +through and over them all, out and out, and beyond to the +uttermost.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Suppose a man came in here just out of +prison: all his life he has been falling, falling, till he has +become discouraged. Can Christ save him all at once?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—It is just as easy for Christ to save a man +with the weight of ten thousand sins upon him and all his chains +around him, as to save a man with one sin. If a man has offended +in one point, the Scripture says he is guilty of all.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—If a man is forgiven, will he go out and do +the same thing to-morrow?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Well, I hope not. All I can say is that if +we do, we shall smart for it. I have done many a thing since the +Lord revealed Himself to my soul that I should not have done—I +have gone backward and downward; but I have always found that it +does not pay when I do anything that grieves my Heavenly Father. +I think He sometimes allows us to taste the bitterness of what it +is to depart from Him. And this is one of the many ways by which +He keeps us from falling.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What do you consider to be the great sin of +sins?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—The Word of God tells us that there is only +one sin of which God alone can convince us. If I cut a man’s +throat or if I steal, it does not need God to convince me that +that is a sin. But it takes the power of the Holy Ghost to +convince me that not to receive Christ, not to love Christ, not +to believe in Christ, is the sin of sins, the root of sins. +Christ says, “When the Spirit is come, He will convince the world +of sin, <i>because they believe not on Me</i>.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What do you mean by the Word of God?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—The Son of God is the Word of God incarnate: +the Bible is the Word of God written. The one is the Word of God +in my nature: the other is the Word of God in my language.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—If a man receives the word of God into his +heart, what benefit is it to him, right here to-night?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—The Father and the Son will make their abode +with him; and he will be the temple of the Holy Ghost. Where He +goes the whole Trinity goes; and all the promises are his. “Man +doth not live by bread alone; but by every word that proceedeth +out of the mouth of God.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Who is it that judges a man to be unworthy +of eternal life?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—<i>Himself!!</i> There is a verse in Acts +xiii that is worth remembering: “Seeing ye put it [the Word of +God] from you, and judge <i>yourselves</i> unworthy of +everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” God does not +judge us unworthy. He has given His Son for our salvation. When a +man puts away the Word of God from him and refuses to receive +Christ into his heart, he judges <i>himself</i> unworthy of +salvation.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—I understand, then, that if a man rejects +Christ to-night, he passes judgment on himself as unworthy of +eternal life?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—He is judging himself unworthy, while God +does not so consider him. God says you are welcome to eternal +life.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—If any one here wants to please God +to-night, how can he do it?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—God delights in mercy. Come to God and claim +His mercy in Christ; and you will delight His heart.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Suppose a man say he is not “elected?”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Do you remember the story of the woman of +Canaan? Poor soul; she had come a long journey. She asked the +Lord to have mercy on her afflicted child. He wanted to try her +faith, and He said: “I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the +house of Israel.” That looked as if He Himself told her that she +was not one of the elect. But she came and worshipped Him, +saying, “Lord, help me!” and He helped her there and then. No; +there is no election separating between the sinner and +Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Say that again.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—T<span class="sc">here is no election +separating between the sinner and christ</span>.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What is there between the sinner and +Christ?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Mercy!! Mercy!!</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—That brings me near to Christ.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—So near that we cannot be nearer. But we +must claim it. In John we get God’s teaching about election. +“This is the Father’s will which hath sent Me, that of all which +He hath given Me I should lose <i>nothing</i>; but should raise +it up again at the last day.” He will do his work, you may depend +upon it. Then in the next verse we read: “And this is the will of +Him that sent Me, that <i>every one</i> which seeth the Son, and +<i>believeth</i> on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will +raise him up at the last day.” That is the part I am to take: and +when I have done so I shall know the Father’s will concerning +me.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What do you mean by the N<span class="sc">ew +Birth</span>?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—I judge it by what I know of the +O<span class="sc">ld Birth</span>. I was born of human parents +into the human family; so I belong to Adam’s race by nature and +by generation, and I inherit Adam’s sin and curse accordingly. +The new birth is from my union by faith with the second Adam; but +this is by <i>grace</i>, not nature: and when I receive the Lord +Jesus Christ I am born of God—not by generation, but by +regeneration. As I am united to the first Adam by nature and +generation, so I am united by faith through grace and +regeneration to the second Adam, and inherit all His fullness +accordingly.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What is the meaning of being “saved by the +Blood?”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—A gentleman asked me that in the +inquiry-room; “What do you mean by the shed Blood?” It is the +poured-out life of the Son of God forfeited as the atonement for +sinners’ sins.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Is it available now?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Yes; as much as ever it was.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—You mean it is just as powerful to-day as it +was eighteen hundred years ago when He shed it?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—If the blood of Abel cried out for vengeance +against his slayer, how much more does the blood of Christ cry +out for pardon for all who plead it! “It cleanseth (present +tense) from all sin.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—How do you get faith?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—By hearing God’s Word. “Faith cometh by +hearing; and hearing by the Word of God.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—How do you get the Holy Ghost?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—In the same way as you get faith. The Holy +Ghost uses the Word as the chariot by which He enters the +believer’s soul. The Gospel is called “the ministration of the +Spirit.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Is the Word of God addressed to all +here?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the +Spirit saith to the Churches” (Rev. iii 22).</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What is the Gospel?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—“Good tidings of great joy, which shall be +to all people.” If our Gospel, proclaiming life, pardon, and +peace, is not as applicable for salvation to the vilest harlot +here as to the greatest saint in London, it is not Christ’s +Gospel we preach.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What reason does the Scripture give tor the +Gospel being hid to some?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—It is “hid to them that are lost; in whom +the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which +believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who +is the image of God, should shine into them.” May God open all +our eyes, and take away the veil of unbelief with which the devil +may be blinding any of us!</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Are there not many who give an intellectual +assent to all these things; and who yet have no power, and no +divine life?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—An intellectual assent is not faith. I have +never found anyone who really believed God’s Word who did not get +power in believing it. People may <i>assent</i> to it; but I do +not admit that that is believing it. I do not think there is any +man or woman here who really believes the Gospel of the grace of +God, who has not been taught it by the Holy Ghost. I could easily +cross-examine any one of those “intellectual believers” who +imagines he believes God, but really does not; and he would break +down in a few minutes.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—For whom, then, did Christ die?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—For “<span class="sc">the +ungodly</span>.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Why is salvation obtained by faith?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—That it might be by grace. “For this cause +it is of faith, that it may be according to grace?”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—How may a man know if he has eternal +life?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—By not treating God as if He were a liar, +when He tells us He has given us eternal life in His Son.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What is the means by which the New Birth we +were speaking of is effected?</p> +<p class="pns">Mr. R.—“Of His own will begat He us with the +<i>word of truth</i>.” “Being <i>born again</i>, not of +corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the <i>Word of God</i> +. . . . and this is the Word, which by the Gospel is preached +unto you.”</p> +<p class="p2">“Oh, the wondrous love of Jesus</p> +<p class="p3">To redeem us with His blood!</p> +<p class="p2">Through His all-atoning merit,</p> +<p class="p3">He has brought us near to God:</p> +<p class="p2">For the boundless grace that saves us</p> +<p class="p3">We His name will magnify;</p> +<p class="p2">He is coming in His glory,</p> +<p class="p3s">We shall see Him by and by!</p> +<p class="p2">Oh, the wondrous love of Jesus</p> +<p class="p3">To redeem our souls from death!</p> +<p class="p2">We will thank Him, we will praise Him,</p> +<p class="p3">While His mercy lends us breath:</p> +<p class="p2">We are waiting—only waiting—</p> +<p class="p3">Till He comes our souls to bear</p> +<p class="p2">To the Home beyond the shadows,</p> +<p class="p3s">In His Kingdom over there!”</p> +<p style= +"text-align:left;text-indent:19.0em;font-size:88%;font-style:italic;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:1.5em"> +F. J. Crosby</p> +<hr style="margin-top:6em;margin-bottom:6em"> +<h1 style= +"text-align:center;margin-top:0.8em;margin-bottom:0.9em;font-size:117%"> +<a name="GDIII" id="GDIII">III.—MR. MOODY AND MR. +RADSTOCK.</a></h1> +<h2>WHAT IT IS TO BE CONVERTED.</h2> +<p class="pnn"><img style= +"float:left;margin-top:0.2em; margin-right:0.3em;height:4.7em;padding-right:0.1em" +src="images/m.jpg" alt="M">R. MOODY: Christ says, “Except ye be +converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into +the kingdom of heaven.” What is it to be converted?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. Radstock: To be “converted” is to turn to God, +who is the only one that can save. We cannot save ourselves even +by our religion. Therefore, in order to salvation we must turn to +God, who alone has the grace, the wisdom, and the power to +save.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What is it to be born of the Spirit?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Man, by nature, cannot enter into the +thoughts of God. He cannot hold communion with God until he has a +new nature. The natural man receiveth not the things of the +Spirit of God: he has no capacity until he has the new life which +God will give him by the power of the Holy Ghost.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Can he get that to-day if he repents?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Yes. Repentance means a change of mind—a +turning away from his own thoughts to hear the voice and the +message of God. If we listen to the voice of God and confess our +sins, God is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—To whom are we to confess our sins?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—When the light of God comes in, we see that +we are guilty before him; then we are constrained to go and lay +our case before Him. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and +just to forgive us.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—There is a passage that says the Lord Jesus +Christ bear our sins. In what sense did He bear our sins.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—The Lord Jesus Christ had really laid to His +charge sins which He had never committed. He was punished as if +He had been the sinner. Therefore on the cross He cried out, “My +God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” God was dealing with +Jesus as if He had really been the guilty one.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Do we get any help by believing that?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—When I believe God’s testimony, God’s +witness about Jesus, I then can trust myself to God, Giving +myself to God, God becomes my Saviour.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Have these friends the power to believe?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—They are commanded to believe. They can +believe it just as well as they can believe any other fact, if +they only listen to God’s voice. But they must get rid of their +own thoughts, and listen to God: Hearing His voice they will +believe. “Faith cometh by hearing: and hearing by the Word of +God.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—All the sinner has to do is to repose in the +promises of God?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Simply to trust Himself to God.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What would you say to a man who says he has +tried a good many times and failed; and who has become +discouraged?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—That man has probably made a good many +resolutions, hoping that he would gradually make himself a +Christian by going through this or that process, or by doing this +or that thing. Of course he failed, because he tried to make +himself a Christian. Instead of trying to save himself, let him +trust in God, who has pledged His word that every one who +believes on the Lord Jesus Christ has at that moment everlasting +life.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Should a man not break off from some of his +sins before he comes to God? Suppose he swears or has a bad +temper, should he not get a little control over his temper, or +stop swearing, before he comes to Christ?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—God knows that a man’s nature is wrong: +therefore He has promised to give a man a new nature. We must +therefore go to God, just as a man goes to a physician, because +he needs to be cured of some disease.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Can a drunkard or a blasphemer be saved all +at once?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Paul says: “To him that worketh not, but +believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly” bad people, lost +people, ruined people—“his faith is counted for righteousness.” +When he believes God, God becomes his Saviour. God is the friend +of sinners.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What is it to believe God?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—To take Him at His word.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Do you not think there are a good many here +who believe that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world; and +yet they are not saved?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—No doubt; because they have not believed for +themselves. A man at the time of the Deluge, for instance, might +have said, “Yes, I believe it is a very good ark indeed; and that +it will save those who get into it.” But it does not follow that +he got into it himself. The ark only saved those who went into +it. So, when a man trusts in Jesus Christ for himself, Jesus +becomes his personal and eternal Saviour.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What if he should fall into sin after he has +believed in Christ?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—“These things write I unto you that ye sin +not,” says John; “and if any man sin, we have an Advocate with +the Father.” The Good Physician will not give up His case because +of the disease; He will deal with it. The Good Shepherd will not +turn His poor wandering sheep away; He will go after it, and +bring it back. He has promised that He will save His people +<i>from</i> their sins.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Is salvation within the reach of every man +here tonight?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Jesus said, “God so loved the world that He +gave his only begotten Son, that <i>whosoever</i> believeth in +Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—But some say they do not feel that; they do +not realize it.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—When they take God at His word, and cast +themselves upon Him, whether they feel it or not—when they +confess Jesus Christ as their Lord—the Holy Ghost will come as a +power to make them realize it. For instance, a man at the time of +the Deluge might have stood outside the ark, and said, “I cannot +realize how this ark will lift me up above the waters.” But if he +were inside when the flood came he would realize it. The sinner +must believe first, and have his experience afterwards. A man is +told that a certain train will take him to Edinburgh. He has +never been there: he does not understand about this particular +train; and he cannot realize that it will take him there. But he +knows that he may trust the friend who told him; so he gets into +the train. Then he realizes that he is in the train; by and by he +will be able to realize that he is in Edinburgh.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Would you advise people to come to God as +they are, with their unfeeling, treacherous, hard hearts—with any +kind of heart?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—God has provided this salvation for lost +sinners—those who are thoroughly bad and corrupt. It is for such +that God has shown His salvation, His love, His grace.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—What would you say to any one who thinks he +has no power to believe?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—He <i>has</i> the power to believe. Probably +he is trying to believe something about himself; to feel +something about himself instead of giving credit to God—He is not +asked to realize this or that about himself, but to believe the +faithful God.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—Some say they have no power to overcome a +besetting sin?</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. R.—Jesus came proclaiming liberty to the +captives. As we read in the beautiful words of the Church of +England Prayer-book: “Though we be tied and bound by the chains +of our sin, let the pitifulness of Thy mercy save us.” Jesus +Christ takes the prisoners of sin and breaks off their +chains.</p> +<p class="pn">Mr. M.—There is something said about confessing +Christ. Would you advise any one who wants to become a Christian +to start right here by confessing Christ with the mouth?</p> +<p class="pns">Mr. R.—God is already on your side, whoever you +are. Christ is Immanuel—God with us and for us. He is already on +your side, whether you believe it or not. Now it is for you to +decide whether He shall be your Saviour. He says that if you own +Him as Lord—who is now the one rejected by the world—He is +responsible to be your Saviour from that moment.</p> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Sovereign Grace, by Dwight Moody + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SOVEREIGN GRACE *** + +***** This file should be named 30657-h.htm or 30657-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/0/6/5/30657/ + +Produced by Keith G. Richardson + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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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: Sovereign Grace + Its Source, Its Nature and Its Effects + +Author: Dwight Moody + +Release Date: December 12, 2009 [EBook #30657] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SOVEREIGN GRACE *** + + + + +Produced by Keith G. Richardson + + + + + + + +_Sovereign Grace_ + + +Its Source, Its Nature and Its Effects + + +By D. L. Moody + + +_"By Grace are ye saved."--Ephesians ii. 8_ + + +With Three Gospel Dialogues + + +Chicago New York Toronto + +FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY + +London and Edinburgh + + +_Copyrighted 1891 by Fleming H. Revell Company._ + + + +PREFATORY NOTE. + + +IN the exercise of his high calling, the faithful ambassador of +Christ must not scruple to declare the whole counsel of +God--"rightly dividing the word of truth," to all classes of hearers. +He must warn the openly wicked man that if he persists in his evil +courses, the just judgments of God will inevitably overtake him; he +must unmask the hypocrite; he must utter no uncertain protest +against the crooked and devious ways of the self-seeker and the +time-server. But if he enters into the Spirit of his Master, no part +of his public work will be more congenial or delightful than the +proclamation of the full, free, and sovereign grace of God, +manifested towards sinful men in the gift of His Eternal Son, to be +the Saviour of the world. It has been my happy privilege in years +past to tell out, as best I could, this wonderful story of redeeming +grace. The following pages record the addresses I have given on the +various aspects of this great subject. I pray God that in their +printed form they may serve to deepen in the mind of the reader the +appreciation of this grace, at once so infinite and so undeserved. + +The chapter entitled "A Chime of Gospel Bells," though not strictly +flowing out of the general subject, is in perfect harmony with it; +every note in the chime is intended to ring out the gracious +invitation to "Come" to the God of all grace and be blessed. The +Dialogues which form the latter part of the book were heard with +much interest and profit at some of the London meetings; I think the +perusal of them will be helpful in removing many of the hindrances +that prevent anxious inquirers from accepting without delay the +salvation that God in His grace has provided for the sinful children +of men. + + + +CONTENTS. + + +The Fountain of Grace + +Saved by Grace Alone + +Possessing, and "Working Out" + +Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners + +Law and Grace + +Grace for Living + +Grace for Service + +"A Chime of Gospel Bells" + + + +GOSPEL DIALOGUES: + + +I. What It Is to be a Child of God + +II. How to Become a Christian + +III. What It Is to be Converted + + + "Grace! 'tis a charming sound, + Harmonious to the ear; + Heaven with the echo shall resound, + And all the earth shall hear. + + 'Twas grace that wrote my name + In life's eternal book; + 'Twas grace that gave me to the Lamb, + Who all my sorrows took. + + Grace taught my wandering feet + To tread the heavenly road; + And new supplies each hour I meet, + While pressing on to God. + + Oh let that grace inspire + My soul with strength divine. + May all my prayers to Thee aspire, + And all my days be Thine." + +_Dr. Doddridge._ + + + +SOVEREIGN GRACE + + +CHAPTER I. + + +THE FOUNTAIN OF GRACE. + + +THERE are some words with which we have been familiar from our +infancy up, and probably there are few words in the English language +that are so often used as this word "GRACE." Many of you at your +table "say grace" three times a day. You seldom go into a church +without hearing the word mentioned. You seldom read any part of the +New Testament, especially the Epistles, without meeting the word. + +There is probably not a word in the language so little understood. +There are a great many who have received the grace of God into their +heart, but who, if they should be asked what the word means would be +troubled, and confused, and unable to tell. I experienced the grace +of God a good many years before I really knew the true meaning of +the word. + +Now, grace means unmerited mercy--undeserved favor. If men were to +wake up to the fact, they would not be talking about their own +worthiness when we ask them to come to Christ. When the truth dawns +upon them that Christ came to save the unworthy, then they will +accept salvation. Peter calls God "the God of all grace." + +Men talk about grace, but, as a rule, they know very little about +it. Let a business man go to one of your bankers to borrow a few +hundred dollars for sixty or ninety days; if he is well able to pay, +the banker will perhaps lend him the money if he can get another +responsible man to sign the note with him. They give what they call +three days' grace after the sixty or ninety days have expired; but +they will make the borrower pay interest on the money during these +three days, and if he does not return principal and interest at the +appointed time, they will sell his goods; they will perhaps turn him +out of his house, and take the last piece of furniture in his +possession. That is not grace at all; but that fairly illustrates +man's idea of it. Grace not only frees you from payment of the +interest, but of the principal also. + + +ITS SOURCE. + +In the Gospel by John we read, "The Word was made flesh and dwelt +among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten +of the Father, full of grace and truth . . . For the law was given +by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." Now you know +that for many years men were constantly trying to find the source of +the Nile. The river of grace has been flowing through this dark +earth for six thousand years, and we certainly ought to be more +anxious to find out its source than to discover the source of the +Nile. I think if you will read your Bible carefully you will find +that this wonderful river of grace comes right from the very heart +of God. + +I remember being in Texas a few years ago, in a place where the +country was very dry and parched. In that dry country there is a +beautiful river that springs right out of the ground. It flows +along; and on both sides of the river you find life and vegetation. +Grace flows like that river; and you can trace its source right up +to the very heart of God. You may say that its highest manifestation +was seen when God gave the Son of His bosom to save this lost world. +"Not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the +offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the +gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto +many." + + +A FREE GIFT. + +Notice, it is the free gift of God. "Grace be unto you, and peace, +from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God +always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by +Jesus Christ." Paul wrote fourteen Epistles; and every one of them +is closed with a prayer for grace. Paul calls it "The free gift of +God." Thousands have been kept out of the kingdom of God because +they do not realize what this free gift is. They think they must do +something to merit salvation. + +The first promise given to fallen man was a promise of grace. God +never promised Adam anything when He put him in Eden. God never +entered into a covenant with him as He did with Abraham. God told +him "of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not +eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely +die;" but when this came to pass then God came and gave him a +gracious promise. He dealt in grace with him. As he left the Garden +of Eden he could say to Eve, "Well, God does love us, though He has +driven us out." There was no sign that Adam recognized his lost +condition. As far as we know there was no cry for mercy or pardon, +no confession of sin. Yet we find that God dealt in grace with him. +God sought Adam out that he might bestow His grace upon him. He met +Adam in his lost and ruined condition, and the first thing He did +was to proclaim the promise of a coming Saviour. + +For six thousand years, God has been trying to teach the world this +great and glorious truth--that He wants to deal with man in love and +in grace. It runs right through the Bible; all along you find this +stream of grace flowing. The very last promise in the closing +chapter of Revelation, like the first promise in Eden, is a promise +of grace: "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." +So the whole revelation, and the whole history of man is encircled +with grace, the free favor of God. + +Some years ago when I was speaking on this subject, a friend sent me +the following: "By the grace of God I am what I am!" This is the +believer's eternal confession. Grace found him a rebel--it leaves +him a son. Grace found him wandering at the gates of hell--it leads +him through the gates of heaven. Grace devised the scheme of +Redemption: Justice never would; Reason never could. And it is grace +which carries out that scheme. No sinner would ever have sought his +God but 'by grace.' The thickets of Eden would have proved Adam's +grave, had not grace called him out. Saul would have lived and died +the haughty self-righteous persecutor had not grace laid him low. +The thief would have continued breathing out his blasphemies, had +not grace arrested his tongue and tuned it for glory. + +"'Out of the knottiest timber,' says Rutherford, 'He can make +vessels of mercy for service in the high palace of glory.'" + +"'I came, I saw, I conquered,' says Toplady, 'may be inscribed by +the Saviour on every monument of grace.' 'I came to the sinner; I +looked upon him; and with a look of omnipotent love, I conquered.'" + +My friend, we would have been this day wandering stars, to whom is +reserved the blackness of darkness--Christless--hopeless +--portionless--had not grace invited us, and grace constrained us. + + +RESTRAINING GRACE. + +It is grace which, at this moment, keeps us. We have often been a +Peter--forsaking our Lord, but brought back to him again. Why not a +Demas or a Judas? 'I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not.' +Is not this our own comment and reflection on life's retrospect? +'Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.' + +Oh, let us seek to realize our continual dependence on this grace +every moment! 'More grace! more grace!' should be our continual cry. +But the infinite supply is commensurate with the infinite need. The +treasury of grace, though always emptying is always full: the key of +prayer which opens it is always at hand: and the almighty Almoner of +the blessings of grace is always waiting to the gracious. The +recorded promise never can be canceled or reversed--'My grace is +sufficient for thee.' + +Let us seek to dwell much on this inexhaustible theme. The grace of +God is the source of minor temporal as well as of higher spiritual +blessings. + +It accounts for the crumb of daily bread as well as for the crown of +eternal glory. But even in regard to earthly mercies, never forget +the channel of grace through Christ Jesus. It is sweet thus to +connect every (even the smallest and humblest) token of providential +bounty with Calvary's Cross--to have the common blessings of life +stamped with the print of the nails; it makes them doubly precious +to think this flows from Jesus. Let others be contented with the +uncovenanted mercies of God. Be it ours to say as the children of +grace and heirs of glory--'Our Father which art in heaven, give us +this day our daily bread.' Nay, reposing in the all-sufficiency in +all things, promised by 'the God of all grace.' + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +SAVED BY GRACE ALONE. + + +I WANT to call your special attention to the fact that we are saved +by grace alone, not by works _and_ grace. A great many people think +that they can be saved by works. Others think that salvation may be +attained by works and grace together. They need to have their eyes +opened to see that the gift of God is free and apart from works. +"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of +yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should +boast." Many people would put it thus: "For by your works are ye +saved,--or by your tears, or your prayers, or your fastings, or your +trials, or your good resolutions, or your money!" But Paul tells us +plainly that it is "not of works, lest any man should boast." If we +could be saved by works, then of course Christ's mission to this +world was a mistake. There was no need for Him to come. + +What had Paul ever done that could merit salvation? Up to the time +that Christ called him he had done everything he could against +Christ and against Christianity. He was in the very act of going to +Damascus to cast into prison every Christian he could find. If he +had not been stopped, many of them would probably have been put to +death. It was Paul, you remember, who cheered on the mob that stoned +Stephen. Yet we find that when Christ met him He dealt in grace with +him. No apostle says so much against salvation by works _before_ the +cross, as Paul; and none says so much about works _after_ the cross. +He put works in their right place. I have very little sympathy with +any man who has been redeemed by the precious blood of the Son of +God, and who has not got the spirit of work. If we are children of +God we ought not to have a lazy drop of blood in our veins. If a man +tells me that he has been saved, and does not desire to work for the +honor of God, I doubt his salvation. Laziness belongs to the old +creation, not to the new. In all my experience I never knew a lazy +man to be converted--never. I have more hope of the salvation of +drunkards, and thieves, and harlots, than of a lazy man. + + +WHAT THE THIRTY-NINE ARTICLES SAY. + +I find some people have accused me of teaching heresy, because I say +salvation is all of grace. I remember once, a clergyman said I was +teaching false doctrine because I said salvation was all of grace. +He said that works had as much to do with our salvation as grace. At +that time I had never read the Thirty-Nine Articles; if I had I +should have been ready to meet him. I got the Prayer Book, and +looked through the Thirty-Nine Articles; and I found, to my +amazement, that they put it a good deal stronger than I had done. + + +Let us hear what they say-- + +"XI. _Of the Justification of Man._ We are accounted righteous +before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ +by Faith, and not for our own works or deservings: Wherefore, that +we are justified by Faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and +very full of comfort." + +"XII. _Of Good Works._ Albeit that Good Works, which are the fruits +of Faith, and follow after Justification, cannot put away our sins, +and endure the severity of God's judgment; yet are they pleasing and +acceptable to God in Christ, and do spring out necessarily of a true +and lively Faith; insomuch that by them a lively Faith may be as +evidently known as a tree discerned by the fruit." + +"XIII. _Of Works Before Justification._ Works done before the grace +of Christ, and the inspiration of His Spirit, are not pleasant to +God; forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ, neither +do they make men meet to receive grace, or (as the school-authors +say) deserve grace of congruity: yea rather, for that they are not +done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not +but they have the nature of sin." + +That is stronger than I ever put it. These Articles say of works +before justification that "they have the nature of sin." I never +called them sin! So you see this is not any new doctrine that we are +preaching. When the church and the world wake up to the fact that +works before salvation go for nought, _then_--and not till then, I +believe--men will come flocking into the kingdom of God by hundreds. +We work from the cross, not to it. WE work because we are saved, not +in order to be saved. We work from salvation, not up to it. +Salvation is the gift of God. + +You have heard the Prayer Book: now hear paul; "Abraham believed +God; and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that +worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him +that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, +his faith is counted for righteousness." Notice what the Apostle +says: "To him that worketh not." That is plain language, is it not? +I may perhaps startle some of you by saying that many of you have +been kept out of the kingdom of God by your good works. Nevertheless +it is true. If you put works in the place of faith, they become a +snare to you. It is "to him that worketh not, but believeth." + +I freely admit salvation is worth working for; it is worth a man's +going round the world on his hands and knees, climbing its +mountains, crossing its valleys, swimming its rivers, going through +all manner of hardship in order to attain it. But we do not get it +in that way. Paul went through all the trials and hardships he had +to endure, because by the grace of God resting on him he was enabled +to do so. + + +PENANCE FOR SIN. + +Would you insult the Almighty by offering Him the fruits of this +frail body to atone for sin? Supposing your Queen were to send me a +magnificent present, and I said to the royal messenger: "I certainly +should not like to accept this from Her Majesty without giving her +something in return." Suppose I should send her a penny! How would +the Queen feel, if I were to insult her in that way? And what have +we that we can offer to God in return for His free gift of +salvation? Less than nothing. We must come and take salvation in +God's way. + +There is no merit in taking a gift. If a beggar comes to my house, +and asks for bread to eat, and I give him a loaf of bread, there is +no merit in his taking the bread. So if you experience the favor of +God, you have to take it as a beggar. Some one has said: "If you +come to God as a prince, you go away as a beggar: if you come as a +beggar, you go away as a prince." It is to the needy that God opens +the wardrobe of heaven, and brings out the robe of righteousness. + +Paul says again: "If by grace, then is it no more of works: +otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it +no more grace: otherwise work is no more work." Paul is reasoning in +this way: that if I work for a gift or attempt to give money for it, +it ceases to be a gift. The only way to get a gift is to take it as +a gift. + +An old man got up in one of our meetings and said, "I have been +forty-two years learning three things." I pricked up my ears at +that; I thought that if I could find out in about three minutes what +a man had taken forty-two years to learn, I should like to do it. +The first thing he said he had learned was that he could do nothing +towards his own salvation. "Well," said I to myself, "that is worth +learning." The second thing he had found out was that God did not +require him to do anything. Well, that was worth finding out too. +And the third thing was that the Lord Jesus Christ had done it all, +that salvation was finished, and that all he had to do was to _take_ +it. Dear friends, let us learn this lesson; let us give up our +struggling and striving, and accept salvation at once. + + +A FREE PARDON. + +I was preaching in the Southern States a few years ago; and the +minister called my attention to one of the elders in his Church. He +said: When the civil war broke out, that man was in one of the far +Southern States, and he enlisted into the Southern army. He was +selected by the Southern General as a spy, and sent to spy out the +Northern army. As you know, armies have no mercy on spies, if they +can catch them. This man was caught. He was tried by court-martial, +and ordered to be shot. While he was in the guard-room, previous to +the time of execution, the Northern soldiers used to bring him his +rations. Every time they came to his cell he would call Abraham +Lincoln by every vile epithet he could think of. It seemed as though +he "lay awake nights" trying to study such names. At last the +soldiers got so angry that they said they would be glad when the +bullet went through his heart. Some of them even said they would +like to put a bullet through him; and if they were not obliged by +military order to feed him, they would let him starve in the prison. +They thought that was what he deserved for talking so unjustly of +Lincoln. + +One day while he was in the prison, waiting to be led out to +execution, a Northern officer came to the cell. The prisoner, full +of rage, thought his time was come to be shot. The officer opened +the prison door, and handed him a free pardon from Abraham Lincoln! +He told him he was at liberty; he could go to his wife and children! +The man who had before been so full of bitterness, and malice, and +rage, suddenly quieted down, and said, "What! has Abraham Lincoln +pardoned me? For what? I never said a good word about him." The +officer said, "If you had what you deserved you would be shot. But +some one interceded for you at Washington and obtained your pardon; +you are now at liberty." The minister, as he told me, said that this +act of undeserved kindness quite broke the man's heart and led to +his conversion. Said the minister, "You let any man speak one word +against Abraham Lincoln now in the hearing of that man, and see what +will happen. There is not a man in all the Republic of America, I +believe, who has a kinder feeling towards our late President than +he." + +Now that is grace. The man did not _deserve_ a pardon. But this is +exactly what grace is: _undeserved mercy_. You may have been a rebel +against God up to this very hour; but if you acknowledge your +rebellion, and are willing to take the mercy that God offers, you +can have it freely. It is there for every soul on the face of the +earth. "The grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath +appeared." Thank God for that! Salvation by grace is for all men. If +we are lost, it will not be because God has not provided a Saviour, +but because we spurn the gift of God--because we dash the cup of +salvation from us. + +What says Christ? You remember that when He was on earth, they came +to Him and asked what they should do to work the works of God. He +had been telling them to labor not for the bread that perisheth, but +for the meat that endureth unto everlasting life. Then they asked +Him, "What shall we do that we may work the works of God?" What did +Jesus tell them to do? Did He tell them to go and feed the hungry, +to clothe the naked, to visit the widow and the fatherless in their +affliction? Perhaps you may say that, according to Scripture, is +"pure and undefiled religion." Granted; but something comes before +that. That is all right and necessary in its place. But when these +men wanted to know what they had to do to inherit eternal life, +Jesus said: "This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He +hath sent." + + +YOU CAN BELIEVE. + +A friend lately called my attention to the fact that God has put the +offer of salvation in such a way that the whole world can lay hold +of it. All men can believe. A lame man might not perhaps be able to +visit the sick; but he can believe. A blind man by reason of his +infirmity cannot do many things; but he can believe. A deaf man can +believe. A dying man can believe. God has put salvation so simply +that the young and the old, the wise and the foolish, the rich and +the poor, can all believe if they will. + +Do you think that Christ would have come down from heaven, would +have gone to Gethsemane and to Golgotha, would have suffered as He +did, if man could have worked his way up to heaven?--if he could +have merited salvation by his own efforts? I think if you give five +minutes' consideration to this question you will see, that if man +could have saved himself Christ need not have suffered at all. +Remember, too, what Christ says: "He that climbeth up some other +way, the same is a thief and a robber." He has marked out the way to +God. He has opened up a new and shining way, and He wants us to take +_His_ way. Certainly the attempt to work our way up to heaven is +"climbing up some other way," is it not? If ever a man did succeed +in working his way into heaven we should never hear the last of it! +I have got so terribly sick of these so-called "self-made men." +There are some men whom you cannot approach without hearing them +blow their trumpet, saying, "I am a self-made man. I came here a +poor man ten years ago; and now I am rich." It is all I--I--I! They +go on boasting, and telling what wonderful beings they are! There is +one thing that is excluded from the kingdom of heaven; and that +is--boasting. If you and I ever get there it will be by the sovereign +grace of God. There will be no credit due to ourselves. + + + "Saved by grace alone! + This is all my plea: + Jesus died for all mankind, + And Jesus died for me." + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +POSSESSING, AND "WORKING OUT." + + +I CAN imagine some one asking: What does that passage mean--"Work +out your own salvation with fear and trembling?" Well, I want you to +emphasize the word _your:_ "Work out _your_ salvation." That is most +important. You hear people talk of working out salvation, when all +the time they have not got it. How can you work out what you do not +possess? Paul is here writing to the Christians at Philippi. They +were already saved by the grace of God. Now that they had got this +wonderful gift, he says: "Go, work it out." When you see a person +working for salvation, you may know that he has got a false idea of +the teaching of the Scripture. We have salvation as a gift; and of +course we cannot get it by working for it. It is our appreciation of +this gift that makes us work. + +Many people are working and working, as Rowland Hill says, like +children on a rocking horse--it is a beautiful motion, but there is +no progress. Those who are working for salvation are like men on a +treadmill, going round, and round, and round; toiling, and toiling, +and toiling; but nothing comes of it all. There is no progress, and +there cannot be until you have the motive power within, till the +breath of life comes from God, which can alone give you power to +work for others. + +Suppose I say to my son: "You are going away from home; and I want +you to be very careful how you spend that $500." "Well," he says, +"if you will give me $500, I will be careful about it; but how can I +be careful in spending what I have not got?" And so, unless you have +salvation, you cannot work it out. + +Take another illustration. One summer my boy asked me to give him a +piece of ground that he might have a garden all to himself. I said I +would give it to him; but that I expected he would keep it clear of +weeds, and use it in some way that would make it pleasant and +profitable to him. He was to work out the piece of land; but he +could not do that until I had given it to him. Neither was it his +working it out that secured him the garden. I gave it to him freely, +apart from any merit of his own; but I did so on the understanding +that he should employ it to the best advantage. I think that is a +fair illustration of our working out the salvation that God has +given us. + +Of course these illustrations fail in some points. I could not +impart to my son the willingness to work out the piece of land, +though I could provide him with all the necessary implements. God +not only gives us salvation freely, but he gives us the power to +work it out. + +A writer says on this point: "Paul does not command the Philippians +_to save themselves_. There was no thought in his mind of any +meritorious self-righteousness. Man can by no work of his own either +procure salvation or merit salvation. God worketh the salvation +_within_ the soul--man only worketh that salvation _out_ in the +Christian life. To break off from known sin; to renounce all +self-righteousness; to cast ourselves in loving faith on the merits of +Christ crucified; to commence at once a life of self-denial, of +prayer, of obedience; to turn from all that God forbids, resolutely +and earnestly, unto all that God requires--this is what the text +implies. But then this is not salvation. Salvation is of God--of +grace--of free grace. From the germ to the fruit, from foundation to +top-stone--it is of grace, free grace, altogether and only. But the +'_working out of salvation_'--is _man's part_ in the work of +salvation. God will not repent for the man; nor believe for the man; +nor lead a holy life for the man. God worketh inwardly--man worketh +outwardly. And this outward human work is as necessary as the inward +Divine work." + +God works in us; and then we work _for_ Him. If He has done a work +in us, we certainly ought to go and work for others. A man must have +this salvation, and must know it, before he can work for the +salvation of others. + +Many of you have tried hard to save yourselves; but what has been +the end of it all? I remember a lady in the North of England who +became quite angry when I made this remark publicly: "No one in this +congregation will be saved till they stop trying to save +themselves." Down she came from the gallery, and said to me: "You +have made me perfectly miserable." "Indeed," I said, "how is that?" +"Why, I always thought that if I kept on trying, God would save me +at some time; and now you tell me to stop trying: what, then, am I +to do?" "Why, let the Lord save you." She went off in something like +a rage. It is not always a bad sign when you see a man or a woman +wake up cross, if it is the Word of God that wakes them up. A day or +two afterwards she came and thanked me. She said she had been +turning over in her mind what I had said; and at last the truth +dawned upon her, that though she had worked long, though she had +formed a good many resolutions, she had made no progress. So she +gave up the struggle; and then it was that the Lord Jesus saved her. + +I want to ask you this question: If sin needs forgiveness--and all +sin is against God--how can you work out your own forgiveness? If I +stole $100 from a friend, I could not forgive myself, could I? No +act of mine would bring about forgiveness, unless my friend forgave +me. And so, if I want forgiveness of sin, it must be the work of +God. If we look at salvation as a new life, it must be the work of +God. God is the author of life: you cannot give yourself life. If we +consider it as a gift, it must come from some one outside of +ourselves. That is what I read in the Bible--Salvation as a gift. +While I am speaking, you can make up your mind that you will stop +trying, and take this gift. + +I wish I could get this whole audience to drop the word _try_, and +put the word _trust_ in its place. The forgiving grace of God is +wonderful. He will save you this very minute, if you are willing to +be saved. He delights in mercy. He wants to show that mercy to every +soul. The religion of Christ is not man working his way up to God; +it is God coming down to man. It is Christ coming down to the pit of +sin and woe where we are, bringing us out of the pit, putting our +feet upon a rock, and a new song in our mouth. He will do it this +minute, while I am speaking, if you will let Him. Will you let Him? +That is the question. + +I do not believe much in dreams; but they sometimes illustrate a +point. I heard about a woman who had been trying for a long time, +just like many of you, to be better and better. She tried to save +herself, but made no progress. One night she fell asleep in a very +troubled state of mind, and she had a dream. She thought that she +was in a pit striving to get out--climbing and slipping, climbing +and slipping, climbing and slipping; at last she gave up the +struggle, and laid herself down at the bottom of the pit to die. She +happened to look up, and she saw through the mouth of the pit a +beautiful star. She fixed her eye on it; and it seemed as if the +star lifted her up till she was almost out. But the thought of +herself came to her mind; she looked off at the sides of the pit: +immediately she lost sight of the star, and down to the bottom of +the pit she went. Again she fixed her eye on the star; and again it +seemed to lift her almost out. But once again she took her eye off +the star, and looked at herself; down into the pit she fell again! +The third time she fixed her eye on the star and was lifted higher +and higher, until all at once her feet struck the ground above, and +she awoke from her sleep. + +God taught her a lesson by the dream. She learned that if ever she +was to be saved, she must give up the struggle, and let Jesus Christ +save her. My friends, give up the struggle today! You have tried +long and hard. It has been a hard battle, has it not? Give it up; +and repose in the arms of Jesus Christ. Say "Lord, I come to thee as +a poor sinner; wilt Thou not save me and help me?" "The gift of God +is eternal life." It is offered to all: who will have it? + +I see some children here: let me tell you a story. If you have not +heard it before, please do not forget it. A Sunday school teacher +wished to show his class how free the gift of God is. He took a +silver watch from his pocket one day, and offered it to the eldest +boy in the class. "It is yours, if you will take it." The little +fellow sat and grinned at the teacher. He thought he was joking. The +teacher offered it to the next boy, and said: "Take that watch: it +is yours." The little fellow thought he would be laughed at if he +held out his hand, and therefore he sat still. In the same way the +teacher went nearly round the class: but not one of them would +accept the proffered gift. At length he came to the smallest boy. +When the watch was offered to the little fellow, he took it and put +it into his pocket. All the class laughed at him. "I am thankful, my +boy," said the teacher, "that you believe my word. The watch is +yours. Take good care of it. Wind it up every night." The rest of +the class looked on in amazement; and one of them said: "Teacher, +you don't mean that the watch is his? You don't mean that he hasn't +to give it back to you?" "No," said the teacher, "he hasn't to give +it back to me. It is his own now." "Oh--h--h! if I had only known +that, wouldn't I have taken it!" + +I see you laugh; but my friends you are laughing at yourselves. You +need not go far away to find these boys. Salvation is freely offered +to all, but the trouble is that men do not believe God's Word, and +do not accept the gift. Who will accept it now? + +I found a few lines the other day on this point that I thought very +good. I will close with them: + + + "I would not work my soul to save, + For that my Lord hath done; + But I would work like any slave, + For love of God's dear Son." + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +GRACE ABOUNDING TO THE CHIEF OF SINNERS. + + +I WANT to lay emphasis on the fact that God desires to show mercy to +all. Christ's last command to His disciples was, "Go ye into _all_ +the world and preach the Gospel to _every_ creature." There may be +some hearing me who have not received this grace, though it has +often been pressed on their acceptance. One reason why many do not +become partakers of this grace is that they think they can do better +without it. The Jews said they were the seed of Abraham. They had +Moses and the Law: therefore they had no need of the pardoning grace +of God that Christ had come to bring. We read in the book of +Revelation of a church that said it was "rich, and increased in +goods, and had need of nothing." That was the trouble when Christ +was down here. Instead of coming to Him to be blessed, the people +too often went away thinking and saying they had no need of His +favor and blessing. + + +THE TWO PRAYERS. + +In the Gospel by Luke Christ brings two men before us. I do not know +that we can get any two cases in Scripture that will give us more +light on this subject than those of the Pharisee and the Publican, +who went into the temple to pray. One went away as empty as he came. +He was like the church described in Revelation, to which I have +referred. He went into the temple desiring nothing; and he got +nothing. The other man asked for something; he asked for pardon and +mercy. And he went down to his house justified. + +Take the prayer of the Pharisee. There is no confession in it, no +adoration, no contrition, no petition. As I have said, he asked for +nothing and he got nothing. Some one has said that he went into the +temple not to pray but to boast. The sun and the moon were as far +apart as these two men. One was altogether of a different spirit to +the other. The one prayed with his head, and the other with his +heart. The one told God what a wonderfully great and good man he +was: "I am not as other men or even as this publican." His prayer +was not a long one; it consisted of thirty-four words; yet there +were five capital "I's" in it. It was self in the beginning, self in +the middle, self in the end--self all through. "'I fast twice a +week;' 'I give tithes of all I possess;' I am a wonderfully good +man, am I not, Lord?" He struck a balance twice a week, and God was +his debtor every time. He paraded his good deeds before God and man. +Such a one was not in a condition to receive the favor of God. + +You can divide the human family to-day into two classes--pharisees +and publicans. There are those who are poor in spirit: the dew of +God's grace will fall upon them. There are others who are drawing +around them the rags of their self-righteousness: they will always +go away without the blessing of God. There were but seven words in +the prayer of the Publican: "God be merciful to me a sinner!" He +came to God confessing his sins, and asking for mercy; and he +received it. + +If you were to run through Scripture, you would find that where men +have gone to God in the spirit of the Publican, He has dealt with +them in mercy and grace. + +A young man came to one of our meetings in New York a few years ago. +He was convicted of sin; and he made up his mind he would go home +and pray. He lived a number of miles away, and he started for home. +On the way, as he was meditating about his sins and wondering what +he was going to do when he got home, the thought occurred to him: +"Why should I not pray right here in the street?" But he found he +did not know just how to begin. Then he remembered that when he was +a child, his mother had taught him this prayer of the Publican: "God +be merciful to me a sinner!" So he began just where he stood. He +said afterwards, that before he got to the little word "me," God met +him in grace, and blessed him. And so the moment we open our lips to +ask God for pardon, if the request comes from the heart, God will +meet us in mercy. + +Let our cry be that of the Publican: "Be merciful _to me!_"--not to +some one else. A mother was telling me some time ago that she had +trouble with one of her sons, because he had not treated his brother +rightly. She sent him upstairs; and after awhile she asked him what +he had been doing. He replied that he had been _praying for his +brother!_ Although he had been the naughty one, he was acting as if +the fault lay with his brother instead of himself. So many of us can +see the failings of others readily enough but when we get a good +look at ourselves, we will get down before God as the Publican did +and cry for mercy: and that cry will bring an immediate answer. God +delights to deal in grace with the poor in spirit. He wants to see +in us a broken and contrite heart. If we take the place of a sinner, +confessing our sins and asking for mercy, the grace of God will meet +us right then and there; and we shall have the assurance of His +forgiveness. + +In Matthew we see how God deals in grace with those who come in the +right spirit. "Then came she and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, help +me!" But he answered and said, "It is not meet to take the +children's bread, and to cast it to dogs." And she said, "Truth, +Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's +table." Then Jesus answered and said unto her, "O woman, great is +thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was +made whole from that very hour." + +The disciples did not understand how full of grace was the heart of +Christ. This poor woman belonged to the far-off coasts of Tyre and +Sidon. She was a poor Gentile, and they wanted to send her away. +They thought she was not one of the elect; she did not belong to the +house of Israel. So they said to the Master, "Send her away, for she +crieth after us." Can you conceive of the loving Saviour sending +away a poor troubled one who comes to Him? I challenge you to find a +single instance of His doing such a thing, from the beginning to the +end of His ministry. Send her away! I believe He would rather send +an angel away than a poor suppliant for His mercy; He delighted to +have such as she come to Him. But He was going to test her, as well +as to give an object-lesson to those who should come after. "It is +not meet," He said, "to take the children's bread, and to cast it to +dogs." + + +A HUMBLE SPIRIT. + +I am afraid if some of us had been in her place we would have +answered somewhat in this fashion: "You call me a Gentile dog, do +you? I would not take anything from you now if you were to give it +to me. Why, I know a Jewish woman who lives in my town. Though she +is a daughter of Abraham she is the meanest woman in the whole +street. I would not let my dogs associate with her." If this poor +woman had replied to the Master in such a fashion, she would not +have got anything. Yet you will find a good many men who respond to +the Saviour in that way when He wants to deal in grace with them. + +What does this Gentile woman say? "Truth Lord; yet the dogs eat of +the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." She took her right +place down at the feet of the blessed Master. There was humility for +you! She was willing to take any place if the Lord would but meet +her need; the Lord blessed her. See asked for a crumb, and He gave +her a whole loaf! + +I once heard Rev. William Arnot say that he was the guest of a +friend who had a favorite dog. The animal would come into the room +where the family were sitting at the dinner table and would stand +looking at his master. If the master threw him a crumb, the dog +would seize it before it got to the floor. But if he put the joint +of meat down on the floor the dog would look at it and leave it +alone, as if it were too good for him. "So," said Mr. Arnot, "there +are many Christians who are satisfied to live on crumbs, when God +wants to give them the whole joint." + + +A FULL BLESSING. + +This poor woman got all she wanted; and if we will come in the right +spirit--if we are humble and poor in spirit--and call upon God for +what we want, He will not disappoint us. She went right to the Son +of God, and appealed to His great loving heart with the cry, "Lord +help me!" and he helped her. Let that cry go up to him today, and +see how quickly the answer will come. I never knew a case where God +did not answer right on the spot, where there was the spirit of +meekness. If on the other hand we are conceited, and think we have a +right to come, putting ourselves on an equality with God, we shall +get nothing. + + +"WORTHINESS." + +In the Gospel by Luke we read of the centurion who had a sick +servant. He felt as though he were not worthy to go himself and ask +Christ to come to his house; so he asked some of his friends to +beseech the Master to come and heal his servant. They went and +delivered the centurion's message, saying, "He is worthy for whom +Thou shouldst do this: for he loveth our nation, and he hath built +us a synagogue." The Jews could not understand grace; so they +thought Christ would grant the request of this man, because he was +worthy. "Why," they said, "he hath built us a synagogue!" It is the +same old story that we hear to-day. Let a man give a few thousand +dollars to build a church and he must have the best pew; "he is +worthy." Perhaps he made his money by selling or making strong +drink; but he has put the Church under an obligation by this gift of +money, and he is considered "worthy." The same spirit was at work in +the days of Christ. + +The Master immediately started for the centurion's house; and it +looked as though He were going because of his personal worthiness. +But if He had done so, it would have upset the whole story as an +illustration of grace. As the Saviour was on the way, out came the +Roman officer himself and told Jesus that he was not worthy to +receive Him under his roof. He had a very different opinion of +himself to that of his Jewish friends. Suppose he had said, "Lord, +you will be my guest; come and heal my servant because I am worthy: +I have built a synagogue." Do you think Christ would have gone? I do +not think he would. But he said, "I am not worthy that Thou shouldst +enter under my roof. Neither thought I myself worthy to come unto +Thee; but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed." + +Jesus marveled at the man's faith. It pleased Him wonderfully to +find such faith and humility. Like the Syro-Phenician woman, he had +low thoughts of himself, and high thoughts of God: therefore he was +in a condition to receive the grace of God. His servant, we are +told, was healed that very hour. His petition was granted at once. +Let us learn a lesson from this man, and take a humble position +before God, crying to him for mercy; then help will come. + + +GREAT FORGIVENESS. + +I never noticed till lately an interesting fact about the story of +the poor sinful woman mentioned in Luke's Gospel, who went into +Simon's house. If you have not observed it before, it will be quite +interesting for you to know it. The incident occurred immediately +after Christ had uttered those memorable words we read in Matthew: +"Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will +give you rest." Matthew closes the narrative there; but in the +seventh chapter of Luke you will find what the result of that +invitation was. A poor fallen woman came into the house where He +was, and obtained the blessing of rest to her soul. I think that +many ministers will bear me out in this statement, that when one has +preached to a large congregation, and has given an invitation to +those who would like to remain and talk about salvation, probably +the only one to do so is a poor fallen one, who will thus become a +partaker of the grace of God. + +We find that the Saviour was invited to the house of Simon, a +Pharisee. While he was there, this poor sinful woman crept into the +house. Perhaps she watched for a chance when the servants were away +from the door, and then slipped into the room where the Master was. +She got down on her knees, and began to wash his feet with her +tears, wiping them with the hairs of her head. While the feast was +going on the Pharisee saw this; and he said to himself: "Jesus must +be a bad man, if He knows who this poor woman is. Even if He did not +know, He would be unclean according to the Mosaic law"--because he +had allowed the woman to touch Him. But the Master knew what Simon +was thinking about. He put some questions to him: "And Jesus +answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. +And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had +two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. +And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell +me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and +said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And He said unto +him, Thou hast rightly judged." + +Then He makes the application, "I came to your house," He says, "and +you gave me no water for my feet; you gave me no kiss; and no oil +for my head. You refused me the common hospitalities of life." In +those days when one went into a gentleman's house, a servant would +be at the door with a basin of water; the guest would slip off his +sandals, and the servant would wash his feet. Then the master of the +house would salute him with a kiss instead of shaking hands as we +do. There would also be oil for his head. Christ had been invited to +Simon's house; but the Pharisee had got Him there in a patronizing +spirit. "You gave me no water, no kiss, no oil; but this woman hath +washed my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her +head: she hath not ceased to kiss my feet, and she hath anointed +them with ointment. She was forgiven much: and so she loves much." +To the poor woman herself Jesus said, "Thy sins are forgiven." They +may have risen up like a dark mountain before her; but one word from +the Saviour and they were all gone! + +The spirit shown by Simon was altogether different from that of the +poor woman. Christ said that the publicans and harlots would go into +the kingdom of God before the self-righteous Pharisees! Simon, the +Pharisee, got nothing; and so there are many who go away from +religious meetings without one drop of heaven's dew, because they do +not seek for it. From the morning of the creation down to the +present time no man or woman ever went to God with a broken heart +without experiencing the forgiving love and grace of God, if they +believed His Word. It was so with this poor woman. Notice, the +Master did not extract any pledge or promise from her. He did not +ask her to join some synagogue; all He said was, "Thy sins are +forgiven thee." She found grace. So it was with the Syro-Phenician +woman. Christ did not ask any pledge from her; He met her in grace, +and blessed her according to her soul's desire. + +You know what touched the heart of the father of the prodigal; it +was the broken and contrite spirit of his returning son. Would not +the same thing move the heart of any parent here? Suppose you had a +son who had gone astray: the boy comes home; and when you meet him +he begins to confess his sin. Would you not take him to your bosom +and forgive him? Nothing in the wide world would you more readily do +than forgive him. So if we come to God with this contrite spirit, He +will deal in grace with us and receive us freely, When Saul left +Jerusalem, there was nothing he wished for less than to receive the +grace of God. Yet the moment he said, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me +to do?" the forgiving grace of the Master flowed out towards him. We +are told by Matthew and Mark that the thief on the cross, who was +converted, railed on the Saviour at first like the other: but the +moment his heart was broken down and he said, "Lord, remember me!" +that very moment Christ heard and answered his prayer. God is +waiting to cover all your sins today; He has a long and a strong arm +that can reach down to the darkest, vilest, deepest depths of sin. +He will lift you up on a rock, and put a new song into your mouth. +Will you let him do it? + +A man was telling me some time ago that he had prayed for over ten +years that God would have mercy upon him. "Has not God answered your +prayer?" "No." "Indeed! Let me ask you one question: suppose I +offered you that Bible as a gift, and you were afterwards to come +and ask me for it; what would I think of you?" "I do not know what +you would think." "Well, but what do you suppose I would think?" +"You would perhaps think I had gone a little wrong in my head." +"What is the use of your asking that God would deal in grace with +you, if you are not willing to receive it; or if you do not believe +that He gives it to you?" + +When I was on the Pacific coast some years ago, I stayed with a +friend who had a large garden, with a great many orange trees. He +said to me: "Make yourself perfectly at home; if you see anything +you want just help yourself." When I wanted some oranges, I did not +go into the garden and pray to the oranges to tumble into my mouth; +I just put out my hand and took all I required. So it is with us. +Why should we go on asking and beseeching God to have mercy upon us, +when He has already given His Son, and given His Holy Spirit? What +we need is to have a broken and a contrite heart, and to be willing +to receive Him. The trouble with us is that we have locked the doors +of our hearts against Him. + +There is a story that Dr. Arnot was accustomed to tell of a poor +woman who was in great distress because she could not pay her +landlord his rent. The Doctor put some money in his pocket and went +round to her house intending to help her. When he got there he +knocked at the door. He thought he heard some movement inside; but +no one came to open the door. He knocked louder and louder still; +but yet no one came. Finally he kicked at the door, causing some of +neighbors to look out and see what was going on. But he could get no +entrance; and at last he went away thinking his ears must have +deceived him, and that there was really no one there. A day or two +afterwards he met the woman in the street, and told her what had +happened. She held up her hands and exclaimed, "Was that you? I was +in the house all the while; but I thought it was the landlord, and I +had the door locked!" + +Many people are keeping the door of their heart locked against the +Saviour in just the same way. They say "I am afraid I shall have to +give up so much." That is something like a ragged beggar being +unwilling to give up his rags, in order to get a new suit of good +clothes. I pity those people who are all the time looking to see +what they will have to give up. God wants to bestow His marvelous +grace on His people; and there is not a soul who has believed on +Jesus, for whom God has not abundance of grace in store. What would +you say of a man dying of thirst on the banks of a beautiful river, +with the stream flowing past his feet? You would think he was mad! +The river of God's grace flows on without ceasing; why should we not +partake of it, and go on our way rejoicing? + +Do you say you are sinners? It is just to such as you that God's +grace is given. There was a sailor whose mother had long been +praying for him. I do think mothers' prayers are sure to be answered +some day. One night the memory of his mother came home to this man; +he thought of the days of his childhood, and made up his mind he +would try and lead a different life. When he got to New York he +thought he would join the Odd-fellows; he imagined that would be a +good way to begin. What miserable mistakes men make when they get +trying to save themselves! This man applied to a lodge of +Odd-fellows for admission; but the committee found that he was a +drinking man, and so they black-balled him. Then he thought he would +try the Freemasons; they discovered what sort of a man he was, and +they black-balled him too. One day he was walking along Fulton +Street, when he received an invitation to come to the daily +prayer-meeting held there. He went in, and heard about the Saviour; he +received Christ into his heart, and found the peace and power he +wanted. Some days after he stood up in the meeting and told the +story how the Odd-fellows had black-balled him; how the Freemasons +had black-balled him; and how he came to the Lord Jesus Christ, who +had not black-balled him, but took him right in. That is what Christ +will do to every poor penitent sinner. "This Man receiveth sinners." +Come to Him to-day, and He will receive you: His marvelous, +sovereign grace will cover and put away all your sins. + +I am so glad that we have a Saviour who can save unto the very +uttermost. He can save the drunkard, the man who for years has been +the slave of his passions. I was talking to a friend not long ago, +who said that if a man had a father and a mother who were drunkards, +he would inherit the taste for drink, and that there was not much +chance of saving him. I want to say that there is a grand chance for +such men, if they will call upon Jesus Christ to save them. He is +able to destroy the very appetite for drink. He came to destroy the +works of the devil; and if this appetite for gin and whiskey is not +the work of the devil, I want to know what is. I do not know any +more terrible agency that the devil has got than this intoxicating +liquor. + +An Englishman went out from England to Chicago, and became one of +the greatest drunkards in that city. His father and his mother were +drunkards before him. He said that when he was four years old, his +father took him into a public-house, and put the liquor to his lips. +By and by he got a taste for it; and for several years he was a +confirmed drunkard. He became what in America we call a "tramp." He +slept out of doors. One night, on the shore of a lake, he awoke from +his slumber, and began to call upon God to save him. There, at the +midnight hour, this poor, wretched, forlorn object got victory over +his sin. The last time I met him he had been nine-and-a-half years a +sober man. From that memorable midnight hour, he said, he had never +had any desire to touch or taste strong drink. God had kept him all +those years. I am so thankful we have a Gospel that we can carry +into the home of the drunkard, and tell him that Christ will save +him. That is the very thing He came to do. + +Bunyan represents the power of grace, as shown by its first offer to +the Jerusalem sinners, the murderers of Christ, thus: "Repent, every +one of you: be baptized, every one of you, in His name, for the +remission of sins; and you shall, every one of you, receive the Holy +Ghost." + +"But I was one of those who plotted to take away His life. May I be +saved by Him?" + +"Every one of you." + +"But I was one of those who bore false witness against Him. Is there +grace for me?" + +"For every one of you." + +"But I was one of those who cried out, Crucify Him! crucify Him! and +who desired that Barrabas, the murderer, might live, rather than He. +What will become of me, think you?" + +"I am to preach repentance and remission of sins to every one of +you." + +"But I was one of those who did spit in His face when He stood +before His accusers; I also was one that mocked Him when, in +anguish, He hung bleeding on the tree. Is there room for me?" + +"For every one of you." + +"But I was one of those who, in His extremity, said, Give Him gall +and vinegar to drink! Why may I not expect the same when pain and +anguish are upon me?" + +"Repent of these thy wickednesses; and here is remission of sins for +every one of you." + +"But I railed on Him; I reviled Him; I hated Him; I rejoiced to see +Him mocked at by others. Can there be hope for me?" + +"There is; for every one of you." + +Oh, what a blessed "Every-one-of-you" is here! How willing was Peter +and the Lord Jesus by the ministry of Peter--to catch these +murderers with the word of the Gospel, that they might be monuments +of the grace of God! + +Now it is a solemn fact that every one who receives the offer of the +Gospel can lock and bolt the door of his heart, and say to the Lord +Jesus Christ he refuses to let Him in. But it is also a blessed +truth that you can unlock that door and say to Him, "Welcome! thrice +welcome, Son of God, into this heart of mine!" The question is: Will +you let Christ come in and save you? It is not a question of whether +He is able. Who will open their hearts, and let the Saviour come in? + + + "There's a stranger at the door: + Let Him in! + He has been there oft before: + Let Him in! + Let Him in, ere He is gone; + Let Him in, the Holy One, + Jesus Christ, the Father's Son: + Let Him in! + + Open now to Him your heart: + Let Him in! + If you wait He will depart: + Let Him in! + Let Him in, He is your Friend; + He your soul will sure defend; + He will keep you to the end: + Let Him in! + + Hear you now His loving voice? + Let Him in! + Now, oh now, make Him your choice: + Let Him in! + He is standing at the door; + Joy to you He will restore, + And His name you will adore: + Let Him in! + + Now admit the heavenly Guest. + Let Him in! + He will make for you a feast: + Let Him in! + He will speak your sins forgiven, + And when earth-ties all are riven, + He will take you home to heaven, + Let Him in!" + +_Rev. J. B Atchinson_ + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +LAW AND GRACE. + + +IN his Epistle to the Romans, Paul writes "For as by one man's +disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One +shall many be made righteous. Moreover, the law entered that the +offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more +abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace +reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our +Lord." + +Moses was the representative of the law. You remember that he led +the children of Israel through the wilderness, and brought them to +Jordan; but there he left them. He could take them up to the river, +which is a type of death and judgment; but Joshua (which means +Jesus--Saviour) led them right through death and judgment--through +the Jordan into the Promised Land. Here we have the difference +between Law and Grace; between the Law and the Gospel. + +Take another illustration. John the Baptist was the last prophet of +the old dispensation--the last prophet under the law. You remember +that before Christ made His appearance at the Jordan, the cry of +John, day by day was, "Repent: for the kingdom of God is at hand!" +He thundered out the law. He took his hearers down to the Jordan and +baptized them. He put them in the place of death; and that was as +far as he could take them. But there was One coming after him who +could take them into the Promised Land. As Joshua led the people +through the Jordan into Canaan,--so Christ went down into the Jordan +of death, through death and judgment, on to resurrection ground. + +If you run all through Scripture you will find that the law brings +to death. "Sin reigned unto death." A friend was telling me lately +that an acquaintance of his, a minister, was once called upon to +officiate at a funeral, in the place of a chaplain of one of Her +Majesty's prisons, who was absent. He noticed that only one solitary +man followed the body of the criminal to the grave. When the grave +had been covered, this man told the minister that he was an officer +of the law whose duty it was to watch the body of the culprit until +it was buried out of sight; that was "the end" of the British law. + +And that is what the law of God does to the sinner; it brings him +right to death, and leaves him there. I pity deep down in my heart +those who are trying to save themselves by the law. It never has; it +never will; and it never can--save the soul. When people say they +are going to try and do their best, and so save themselves by the +law, I like to take them on their own ground. Have they, ever done +their very best? granting that there _might_ be a chance for them if +they had, was there ever a time when they could not have done a +little better? If a man wants to do his best, let him accept the +grace of God; that is the best thing that any man or woman can +possibly do. + +But you will ask, What is the law given for? It may sound rather +strange, but it is given that it may stop every man's mouth. "We +know that 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. Therefore by the deeds of the law +there shall no flesh be justified in His sight; for by the law is +the knowledge of sin." The law shuts my mouth; grace opens it. The +law locks up my heart; grace opens it--and then the fountain of love +begins to flow out. When men get their eyes opened to see this +glorious truth, they will cease their constant struggle. They will +give up trying to work their way into the kingdom of God by the +deeds of the law. They will give themselves up for lost, and take +salvation as a free gift. + +Life never came through the law. As some one has observed: When the +law was given, three thousand men lost life; but when grace and +truth came at Pentecost, three thousand obtained life. Under the +law, if a man became a drunkard the magistrates would take him out +and stone him to death. When the prodigal came home, grace met him +and embraced him. Law says, Stone him!--grace says, Embrace him! Law +says, Smite him!--grace says, Kiss him! Law went after him, and +bound him; grace said, loose him and let him go! Law tells me how +crooked I am; grace comes and makes me straight. + +I pity those who are always hanging around Sinai, hoping to get life +there. I have an old friend in Chicago who is always lingering at +Sinai. He is a very good man; but I think he will have a different +story to tell when he gets home to heaven. He thinks I preach free +grace too much; and I must confess I do like to speak of the free +grace of God. This friend of mine feels as though he has a kind of +mission to follow me; and whenever he gets a chance he comes in with +the thunders of Sinai. I never yet met him but he was thundering +away from Horeb. The last time I was in Chicago, I said to him, "Are +you still lingering around Sinai?" "Yes," said he, "I believe in the +law." I have made inquiries, and I never heard of any one being +converted under his preaching: the effects have always dwindled and +died out. If the law is the door to heaven, there is no hope for any +of us. A perfect God can only have a perfect standard. He that +offends in one point is guilty of all: so "all have sinned and come +short of the glory of God." + +Paul says to the Galatians: "Is the law then against the promises of +God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have +given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But +the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith +of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before +faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which +should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our +schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by +faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a +schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Jesus +Christ." + + +THE SOFTENING POWER OF GRACE. + +So we see that the law cannot give life; all it can do is to bring +us to Him who is the life. The law is said to be "a schoolmaster." +Perhaps some of you do not know what a schoolmaster is. If you had +been under the same schoolmaster as I was when a boy you would have +known. He had a good cane and it was frequently in use. In the +little country district where I went to school, there were two +parties: for the sake of illustration we may call the one the "law" +party and the other the "grace" party. The law party said that boys +could not possibly be controlled without the cane: and they kept a +schoolmaster there who acted on their plan. The struggle went on, +and at last, on one election day, the law party was put out, and the +grace party ruled in their stead. I happened to be at the school at +that time; and I remember we said to each other that we were going +to have a grand time that winter. There would be no more corporal +punishment, and we were going to be ruled by love. + +I was one of the first to break the rules of the school. We had a +lady teacher, and she asked me to stay behind. I thought the cane +was coming out again; and I was going to protest against it. I was +quite in a fighting mood. She took me alone. She sat down and began +to talk to me kindly. I thought that was worse than the cane; I did +not like it. I saw that she had not got any cane. She said: "I have +made up my mind that if I cannot control the school by love, I will +give it up. I will have no punishment; and if you love me, try and +keep the rules of the school." I felt something right here in my +throat. I was not one to shed many tears; but they would come--I +could not keep them back. I said to her, "You will have no more +trouble with me;" and she did not. I learned more that winter than +in the other three put together. + +That was the difference between law and grace. Christ says, "If you +love Me, keep My commandments." He takes us out from under the law, +and puts us under grace. Grace will break the hardest heart. It was +the love of God that prompted Him to send His only-begotten Son into +the world that He might save it. I suppose the thief had gone +through his trial unsoftened. Probably the law had hardened his +heart. But on the cross no doubt that touching prayer of the +Saviour, "Father, forgive them!" broke his heart, so that he cried, +"Lord, remember me!" He was brought to ask for mercy. I believe +there is no man so far gone but the grace of God will melt his +heart. + +It is told of Isaac T. Hopper, the Quaker, that he once encountered +a profane colored man, named Cain, in Philadelphia, and took him +before a magistrate, who fined him for blasphemy. Twenty years +after, Hopper met Cain, whose appearance was much changed for the +worse. This touched the Friend's heart. He stepped up, spoke kindly, +and shook hands with the forlorn being. "Dost thou remember me," +said the Quaker, "how I had thee fined for swearing?" + +"Yes, indeed, I do: I remember what I paid as well as if it was +yesterday." + +"Well, did it do thee any good?" + +"No, never a bit: it made me mad to have my money taken from me." + +Hopper invited Cain to reckon up the interest on the fine, and paid +him principal and interest too. "I meant it for thy good, Cain; and +I am sorry I did thee any harm." + +Cain's countenance changed; the tears rolled down his cheeks. He +took the money with many thanks, became a quiet man, and was not +heard to swear again. + + +PEACE, GRACE AND GLORY. + +So there is a great deal of difference between law and grace. "Being +justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus +Christ; by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein +we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." There are three +precious things here: peace for the past; grace for the present; and +glory for the future. There is no peace until we see the finished +work of Jesus Christ--until we can look back and see the Cross of +Christ between us and our sins. When we see that Jesus was "the end +of the law for righteousness;" that He "tasted death for every man;" +that He "suffered the Just for the unjust"--then comes peace. Then +there is "the grace wherein we now stand." There is plenty of grace +for us as we need it day by day, and hour by hour. + +Then there is glory for the time to come. A great many people seem +to forget that the best is before us. Dr. Bonar says that everything +before the true believer is "glorious." This thought took hold of my +soul; and I began to look the matter up, and see what I could find +in Scripture that was glorious hereafter. I found that the kingdom +we are going to inherit is glorious: our crown is to be a "crown of +glory;" the city we are going to inhabit is the city of the +glorified; the songs we are to sing are the songs of the glorified; +we are to wear garments of "glory and beauty;" our society will be +the society of the glorified; our rest is to be "glorious;" the +country to which we are going is to be full of "the glory of God and +of the Lamb." There are many who are always looking on the backward +path, and mourning over the troubles through which they have passed; +they keep lugging up the cares and anxieties they have been called +on to bear, and are forever looking at them. Why should we go +reeling and staggering under the burdens and cares of life when we +have such prospects before us? + +If there is nothing but glory beyond, our faces ought to shine +brightly all the time. If a skeptic were to come up here and watch +the countenances of the audience he would find many of you looking +as though there was anything but glory before you. Many a time it +seems to me as if I were at a funeral, people look so sad and +downcast. They do not appear to know much of the joy of the Lord. +Surely if we were looking right on to the glory that awaits us, our +faces would be continually lit up with the light of the upper world. +We can preach by our countenances if we will. The nearer we draw to +that glory-land, where we shall be with Christ--the more peace, and +joy, and rest we ought to have. If we will but come to the throne of +grace, we shall have strength to bear all our troubles and trials. +If you were to take all the afflictions that flesh is heir to and +put them right on any one of us, God has grace enough to carry us +right through without faltering. + +Some one has compiled the following, which beautifully describes the +contrast between law and grace: + +The Law was given by Moses. + +Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. + +The Law says--This do, and thou shalt live. + +Grace says--Live, and then thou shalt do. + +The Law says--Pay me that thou owest. + +Grace says--I frankly forgive thee all. + +The Law says--The wages of sin is death. + +GRACE says--The gift of God is eternal life. + +The Law says--The soul that sinneth, it shall die. + +Grace says--Whosoever believeth in Jesus, though he were dead, yet +shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in Him shall never +die. + +The Law pronounces--Condemnation and death. + +Grace proclaims--Justification and life. + +The Law says--Make you a new heart and a new spirit. + +Grace says--A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put +within you. + +The Law says--Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things +which are written in the book of the law to do them. + +Grace says--Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiven, whose +sin is covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute +iniquity. + +The Law says--Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, +and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. + +Grace says--Herein is love: not that we love God, but that He loved +us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. + +The Law speaks of what man must do for God. + +Grace tells of what Christ has done for man. + +The Law addresses man as part of the old creation. + +Grace makes a man a member of the new creation. + +The Law bears on a nature prone to disobedience. + +Grace creates a nature inclined to obedience. + +The Law demands obedience by the terror of the Lord. + +Grace beseeches men by the mercies of God. + +The Law demands holiness. + +Grace gives holiness. + +The Law says--Condemn him. + +Grace says--Embrace him. + +The Law speaks of priestly sacrifices offered year by year +continually, which could never make the comers thereunto perfect. + +Grace says--But this _Man_, after he had offered _one_ sacrifice for +sins forever . . . by one offering hath perfected forever them that +are sanctified. + +The Law declares--That as many as have sinned in the Law, shall be +judged by the Law. + +Grace brings eternal peace to the troubled soul of every child of +God, and proclaims _God's_ salvation in defiance of the accusations +of the adversary. "He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him +that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into +judgment (condemnation), but is passed from death unto life." + + "Whence to me this tranquil spirit-- + Me all sinful as I am? + Is it thus descends the merit + Of the sin-atoning Lamb? + Grace, all power to deliver, + Gift of a Creative Giver, + Like a full, refreshing river, + Ever flowing. + + Over all my course of sinning + Spread its waters without bound, + Cleansing, fertilizing, winning + For the Lord the barren ground. + Lavish from the heavenly treasure, + Fountains of a Father's pleasure, + All the marks of human measure + Overflowing. + + Not my virtue or repenting + Earned the precious boon for me. + Thine, my Saviour, the relenting, + Thine the pangs which set me free-- + Gift of grace beyond all knowing, + From the heart of Jesus flowing, + Ever flowing, overflowing, + Flowing freely." + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +GRACE FOR LIVING. + + +NOW we come to a very important part of our subject--Grace for +living. One of the saddest things in the present day is the fact +that so many professed Christians have no spiritual power. They bear +no testimony for Christ. There are so few who can go to the homes of +the sick and read the Bible to them, pray with them, and minister +comfort to their souls. How few can go to the abode of the drunkard, +and tell him of Christ's power to save! How few there are who are +wise in winning souls to Christ! + +It is the low spiritual state of so many in the Church of Christ +that is the trouble. We are not living up to our privileges. As you +go through the streets of London you will see here and there the +words, "Limited Company." There are many Christians who practically +limit the grace of God. It is like a river flowing by; and we can +have all we need: but if we do not come and get a continual supply, +we cannot give it out to others. + +Mother! father! are you not longing to see your children won to +Christ? What is the trouble? Is it the fault of the minister? I +believe that though ministers were to preach like angels, if there +is a low standard of Christian life in the home, there will be +little accomplished. What we want, more than anything else, is more +grace in our lives, in our business affairs, in our homes, in our +daily walk and conversation. I cannot but believe that the reason of +the standard of Christian life being so low, is that we are living +on stale manna. You know what I mean by that. So many people are +living on their past experience--thinking of the grand times they +had twenty years ago, perhaps when they were converted. It is a sure +sign that we are out of communion with God if we are talking more of +the joy, and peace, and power, we had in the past, than of what we +have to-day. We are told to "grow in grace;" but a great many are +growing the wrong way. + +You remember the Israelites used to gather the manna fresh every +day: they were not allowed to store it up. There is a lesson here +for us Christians. If we would be strong and vigorous, we must go to +God daily and get grace. A man can no more take in a supply of grace +for the future than he can eat enough to-day to last him for the +next six months; or take sufficient air into his lungs at once to +sustain life for a week to come. We must draw upon God's boundless +stores of grace from day to day, as we need it. + +I knew a man who lived on the banks of Lake Erie. He had pipes laid +to his house from the lake; and when he wanted water, all he had to +do was to turn the tap and the water flowed in. If the Government +had presented him with the lake, he would not have known what to do +with it. So we may say that if God were to give us grace enough for +a lifetime, we should not know how to use it. He has given us the +privilege of drawing on Him day by day--not "forty days after +sight." There is plenty of grace in the bank of heaven; we need not +be afraid of its becoming exhausted. + +We are asked to come _boldly_ to the throne of grace--as sons to a +father--that we may find grace. You have noticed that a son is very +much more bold in his father's house than if he were simply a +servant. A good many Christians are like servants. If you go into a +house, you can soon tell the difference between the family and the +servants. A son comes home in the evening; he goes all over the +house--perhaps talks about the letters that have come in, and wants +to know all that has been going on in the family during his absence. +It is very different with a servant, who perhaps does not leave the +kitchen or the servants' hall all day except when duty requires it. + +Suppose some one had paid a million dollars into the bank in your +name, and had given you a check-book so that you could draw out just +as you wanted: would you go to work and try to live on ten dollars a +month? Yet that is exactly what many of us are doing as Christians. +I believe this low standard of Christian life in the Church is doing +more to manufacture infidels than all the skeptical books that were +ever written. + +Hear what the Apostle says: "My God shall supply _all_ your need." +Look at these words carefully. It does not say He will supply all +your _wants_. There are many things we want that God has not +promised to give. It is "your _need_" and "_all_ your need." My +children often want many things they do not get; but I supply all +they need, if it is in my power to give it to them. I do not supply +all their wants by any means. My boy would probably want to have me +give him a horse; when I know that what he really needs, perhaps, is +grace to control his temper. Our children might want many things +that it would be injurious for them to have. And so, though God may +withhold from us many things that we desire, He will supply all our +need. There can come upon us no trouble or trial in this life, but +God has grace enough to carry us right through it, if we will only +go to Him and get it. But we must ask for it day by day. "As thy +days, so shall thy strength be." + +I met a man once in Scotland who taught me a lesson that I shall +never forget. A Christian friend wanted me to go and have a talk +with him. He had been bedridden for many years. This afflicted saint +comforted me and told me some wonderful things. He had fallen and +broken his back when he was about fifteen years of age, and had lain +there on his bed for some forty years. He could not be moved without +a good deal of pain, and probably not a day has passed all those +years without suffering. If any one had told him he was going to lie +there and suffer for forty years, probably he would have said he +could not do it. But day after day the grace of God has been granted +to him; and I declare to you it seemed to me as if I were in the +presence of one of God's most highly-favored children. It seemed +that when I was in that man's chamber, I was about as near heaven as +I could get on this earth. Talk about a man's face shining with the +glory of the upper world! I very seldom see a face that shines as +did his. I can imagine that the very angels when they are passing +over the city on some mission of mercy, come down into that man's +chamber to get refreshed. There he has been lying all these years, +not only without a murmur, but rejoicing all the while. + +I said to him: "My friend, does the devil never tempt you to doubt +God, and to think He is a hard master?" "Well now," he said, "that +is just what he tries to do. Sometimes, as I look out of the window +and see people walking along in health, Satan whispers: 'If God is +so good, why does He keep you here all these weary years? Why, if He +loved you, instead of lying here and being dependent on others, you +might now have been a rich man, and riding in your own carriage.'" +"What do you do when the devil tempts you?" "Oh, I just take him up +to the Cross; and he had such a fright there eighteen hundred years +ago, that he cannot stand it; and he leaves me." I do not think that +bedridden saint has much trouble with doubts; he is so full of +grace. + +And so if we will only come boldly to God, we shall get all the help +and strength we need. There is not a man or woman alive but may be +kept from falling, if they will let God hold them up in His almighty +arms. + +There is a story in the history of Elisha the prophet that I am very +fond of; most of you are familiar with it. Sometimes we meet with +people who hesitate to accept Christ, because they are so afraid +they will not hold out. You remember there was a young prophet who +died and left a widow with two little boys. It has been said that +misfortunes do not come singly, but in battalions. This woman had +not only lost her husband, but a creditor was going to take her boys +and sell them into slavery. That was a common thing in those days. +The widow went and told Elisha all about it. He asked her what she +had in the house. Nothing, she said, but a pot of oil. It was a very +hard case. + +Elisha told her to go home and borrow all the vessels she could. His +command was: "Borrow not a few." I like that. She took him at his +word, and borrowed all the vessels her neighbors would lend to her. +I can imagine I see the woman and her two sons going from house to +house asking the loan of their vessels. No doubt there were a good +many of the neighbors who were stretching their necks, and wondering +what it all meant; just as we sometimes find people coming into the +inquiry-room to see what is going on. If this woman had been like +some modern skeptics, she would have thought it very absurd for the +prophet to bid her do such a thing; she would have asked what good +could come of it. But faith asks no questions: so she went and did +what the man of God told her to do. I can see her going up one side +of the street knocking at every door and asking for empty vessels. +"How many do you want?" "All you can spare." There are the two sons +carrying the great vessels; some of them perhaps nearly as large as +the boys themselves. It was hard work. When they had finished one +side of the street, they went down the other. "Borrow not a few," +she had been told; so she went on asking for as many as she could +get. If there were as much gossip in those days as there is now, all +the people in the street would have been talking about her. Why, +this woman and her boys have been carrying vessels into the house +all day; what can be the matter? + +But now they have all the vessels the neighbors would lend. She +locks the door; and she says to one of the boys, "James, you are the +younger; bring me the empty vessels. John, you are the stronger; +when, I have filled them you take them away." So she began to pour. +Perhaps the first vessel was twice as big as the one she poured +from; but it was soon filled: and she kept on pouring into vessel +after vessel. At last her son says, "Mother, this is the last one;" +and we are told that the oil was not stayed till the last vessel was +full. + +Dear friends, bring your empty vessels; and God will fill them. I +venture to say that the eyes of those boys sparkled as they saw this +beautiful oil, fresh from the hand of the Creator. The woman went +and told the man of God what had happened; he said to her, "Go, sell +the oil, and pay thy debt; and live thou and thy children off the +rest." That is grace for the present, and for the future. "As thy +days so shall thy strength be." You will have grace not only to +cover all your sins, but to carry you right into glory. Let the +grace of God into your heart; and He will bring you safely through. + +Let me close by quoting the words of an old prayer: "God give us +grace to see our need of grace; give us grace to ask for grace; give +us grace to receive grace; give us grace to use the grace we have +received." + + "Grace taught my soul to pray, + And pardoning love to know; + 'Twas grace that kept me to this day, + And will not let me go. + + Grace all the work shall crown, + Through everlasting days; + It lays in heaven the topmost stone, + And well deserves the praise!" + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +GRACE FOR SERVICE. + + +"FOR the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath +appeared; teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, +we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present +world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of +the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, +that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a +peculiar people, zealous of good works." + +In this wonderful passage we see grace in a threefold aspect: grace +that bringeth salvation; grace for holy living; and grace for +service. I have had three red-letter days in my experience: the +first was, when I was converted; the next was when I got my lips +opened, and I began to confess Christ; the third was, when I began +to work for the salvation of others. + +I think there are a great many who have got to the first stage; some +have got to the second; very few have got to the third. This is the +reason, I believe, why the world is not reached. + +Many say they are anxious to "grow in grace." I do not think they +ever will, until they go out into the harvest field and begin to +work for others. We are not going to have the grace we need to +qualify us for work until we launch out into the deep, and begin to +use the abilities and the opportunities we already possess. Many +fold their arms, and wait for the grace of God to come to them; but +we do not get it in that way. When we "go forward," then it is that +God meets us with His Grace. + +If Moses had stayed in Horeb until he got the grace he needed, he +never would have started for Egypt at all. But when he had set out, +God met him in the way and blessed him day by day as he needed. Many +grow discouraged because there is a little opposition; but if we are +going to work for God we must expect opposition. No real work was +ever done for God without opposition. If you think that you are +going to have the approval of a godless world, and of cold +Christians, as you launch out into the deep with your net, you are +greatly mistaken. A man said to me some time ago, that when he was +converted he commenced to do some work in connection with the +Church; he was greatly discouraged because some of the older +Christians threw cold water on him, so he gave up the whole thing. + +I pity a man who cannot take a little cold water without being any +the worse for it. Why, many of the Christians in old times had to go +through the fire, and did not shrink from it. A little cold water +never hurts any one. + +Others say they have so many cares and troubles, they have as much +as they can carry. Well, a good way to forget your trouble is--to go +and help some one else who is carrying a heavier burden than +yourself. It was when Job began to pray for his friends that he +forgot his own troubles. Paul gloried in his infirmity, and in the +tribulations he had to undergo, so that the power of Christ might +all the more rest upon him. He gloried in the Cross: and you must +bear in mind that the Cross was not so easy to bear in his day as it +is in ours. Every one was speaking against it. "I glory in the Cross +of Christ," he said. When a man gets to that point, do you tell me +that God cannot use him to build up His kingdom? In his second +letter to the Corinthians, Paul speaks of "the thorn in the flesh;" +he prayed the Lord to take it away. The Lord said He was not going +to take it away: but He would give His servant grace to bear it. So +the apostle learned to thank God for the thorn, because he got more +grace. It is when the days are dark that people are brought nearer +to God. I suppose that is what Paul meant. + +If there is any child of God who has a "thorn in the flesh," God has +grace enough to help you to bear it if you will but go to Him for +it. The difficulty is that so many are looking at their troubles and +sorrows, instead of looking toward the glorious reward, and pressing +on their way by God's help. + +In ii Corinthians 9:8, we read: "God is able to make all grace +abound towards you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all +things, may abound to every good work." There are three thoughts +here--God makes _all grace_ to abound, that we may have _all +sufficiency_ in _all things_. I think this is one of the most +wonderful verses in the Bible. + +There is plenty of grace. Many Christians, if they have grace enough +to keep them from outward sin, seem to be perfectly satisfied; they +do not press on to get _fullness of grace_, so as to be ready for +God's work. Many are satisfied to go into the stream of grace ankle +deep, when God wants them to swim in it. + +If we always came to meetings desiring to get strength, then we +should be able to go out to work and speak for Christ. There are a +great many who would be used of God, if they would only come boldly +to His throne of grace, and "find grace to help in time of need." Is +it not a time of need now? God has said, "I will pour water on him +that is thirsty." Do we thirst for a deeper work of grace in our +hearts?--for the anointing of the Spirit? Here is the promise: "I +will pour water on him that is thirsty." Let all who are hungering +and thirsting for blessing come and receive it. + +Another reason why many Christians do not get anything is--because +they do not give out to others. They are satisfied with present +attainments, instead of growing in grace. We are not the fountain; +we are only a channel for the grace of God to flow through. There is +not one of us but God wants to use in building up His kingdom. That +little boy, that grey-haired man, these young men and maidens; all +are needed: and there is a work for all. We want to believe that God +has grace enough to qualify us to go out and work for Him. + +If we have known Jesus Christ for twenty years or more, and if we +have not been able to introduce an anxious soul to Him, there has +been something wrong somewhere. If we were full of grace, we should +be ready for any call that comes to us. Paul said, when he had that +famous interview with Christ on the way to Damascus, "Lord, what +wilt Thou have me to do?" Isaiah said, "Here am I, send me." Oh that +God would fill all His people with grace, so that we may see more +wonderful things than He has ever permitted us to see! No man can +tell what he can do, until he moves forward. If we do that in the +name of God, instead of there being a few scores or hundreds +converted, there will be thousands flocking into the Kingdom of God. +Remember, that we honor God when we ask for great things. It is a +humiliating thing to think that we are satisfied with very small +results. + +It is said that Alexander the Great had a favorite General to whom +he had given permission to draw upon the royal treasury for any +amount. On one occasion this General had made a draft for such an +enormous sum that the Treasurer refused to honor it until he +consulted the Emperor. So he went into his presence and told him +what the General had done. "Did you not honor the draft?" said the +Emperor. "No; I refused till I had seen your Majesty; because the +amount was so great." The Emperor was indignant. His Treasurer said +that he was afraid of offending him if he had paid the amount. "Do +you not know," replied the Emperor, "that he honors me and my +kingdom by making a large draft?" Whether the story be authentic or +not, it is true that we honor God when we ask for great things. + +It is said that on one occasion when Caesar gave a very valuable +present, the receiver replied that it was too costly a gift. The +Emperor answered that it was not too great for Caesar to give. Our +God is a great King; and He delights to use us: so let us delight to +ask Him for great grace, that we may go out and work for him. + +I find that many Christians are in trouble about the future; they +think they will not have grace enough to die by. It is much more +important that we should have grace enough to live by. It seems to +me that death is of very little importance in the meantime. When the +dying hour comes there will be dying grace; but you do not require +dying grace to live by. If I am going to live perhaps for fifteen or +twenty years, what do I want with dying grace? I am far more anxious +about having grace enough for my present work. + +I have sometimes been asked if I had grace enough to enable me to go +to the stake and die as a martyr. No; what do I want with martyr's +grace? I do not like suffering; but if God should call on me to die +a martyr's death, He would give me martyr's grace. If I have to pass +through some great affliction, I know God will give me grace when +the time comes; but I do not want it till it comes. + +There is a story of a martyr in the second century. He was brought +before the king, and told that if he did not recant they would +banish him. Said he, "O king, you cannot banish me from Christ; for +He has said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee!" The apostle +John was banished to the island of Patmos; but it was the best thing +that could have happened: for if John had not been sent there, +probably we should never have had that grand Book of Revelation. +John could not be separated from his Master. + +So it was with this brave martyr, of whom I was speaking. The king +said to him, "Then I will take away your property from you." "You +cannot do that: for my treasure is laid up on high, where you cannot +get at it?" "Then I will kill you." "You can not do that; for I have +been dead these forty years: my life is hid with Christ in God." The +king said, "What are you going to do with such a fanatic as that?" + +Let us remember that if we have not grace enough for service, we +have no one to blame but ourselves. We are not straitened in God: He +has abundance of grace to qualify us to work for Him. + + +MORE TO FOLLOW. + +I heard a story about two members of a Church: one was a wealthy +man, and the other was one of those who cannot take care of their +finances--he was always in debt. The rich brother had compassion on +his poor brother. He wanted to give him some money; but he would not +give it to the man all at once: he knew he would not use it +properly. So he sent the amount to the minister, and asked him to +supply the needs of this poor brother. The minister used to send him +a five-dollar bill, and put on the envelope "More to follow." I can +imagine how welcome the gift would be; but the best of all was the +promise--"More to follow." So it is with God: there is always "more +to follow." It is such a pity that we are not ready to be used by +God when He wants to use us. + +Dear friends, let me put this question to you: Are you full of +grace? You shake your head. Well, it is our privilege to be _full_. +What is the best way to get full of grace? It is to be emptied of +self. How can we be emptied? Suppose you wish to get the air out of +this tumbler; how can you do it? I will tell you: by pouring water +into the tumbler till it is full to overflowing. That is the way the +Lord empties us of self. He fills us with His grace. "I will pour +water on him that is thirsty." Are you hungering to get rid of your +sinful selves? Then let the Spirit of God come in and fill you. God +is able to do it. + +See what He did for John Bunyan--how He made one of the mightiest +instruments for good the world ever saw, out of that swearing +Bedford tinker. If we had a telescope which would enable us to look +into heaven as Stephen did, I can imagine we should see the thief, +who believed in Jesus while on the cross, very near the throne. Ask +him how he got there; and he would tell you it was through the grace +of God. See how the grace of God could save a Mary Magdalene +possessed of seven devils! Ask her what it was that melted her +heart: and she would tell you that it was the grace of God. Look +again at that woman whom Christ met at the well at Sychar. The +Saviour offered her a cup of the living water: she drank, and now +she walks the chrystal pavement of heaven. See how the grace of God +could change Zaccheus, the hated publican of Jericho! Now he is in +yonder world of light; he was brought there by the sovereign grace +of God. + +You will have noticed that many of those who were about the most +unlikely, have, by the power of God's grace, become very eminent in +His service. Look at the twelve apostles of Christ; they were all +unlettered men. This ought to encourage all whose education is +limited to give themselves to God's work. When our earthly work is +ended, then, like our Master, we shall enter into glory. It has been +well remarked: "Grace is glory militant; and glory is grace +triumphant. Grace is glory begun; glory is grace made perfect. Grace +is the first degree of glory: glory is the highest degree of grace." + + "Oh, to grace how great a debtor + Daily I'm constrained to be! + Let Thy grace, Lord, like a fetter, + Bind my wandering heart to thee. + Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it-- + Prone to leave the God I love-- + Here's my heart, oh take and seal it, + Seal it for Thy courts above." + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +A CHIME OF GOSPEL BELLS. + + +IN Baltimore, a few years ago, we held a number of meetings for men. +I am very fond of this hymn; and we used to let the choir sing the +chorus over and over again, till all could sing it. + + "Oh, word of words the sweetest, + Oh, word in which there lie + All promise, all fulfillment, + And end of mystery! + Lamenting or rejoicing, + With doubt or terror nigh, + I hear the 'Come!' of Jesus, + And to His cross I fly. + + Come! oh, come to me! + Come! oh, come to me! + Weary heavy-laden, + Come! oh, come to Me! + + O soul! why shouldst thou wander + From such a loving Friend? + Cling closer, closer to Him, + Stay with Him to the end + Alas! I am so helpless, + So very full of sin; + For I am ever wandering, + And coming back again. + + Oh, each time draw me nearer, + That soon the 'Come!' may be + Nought but a gentle whisper + To one close, close to Thee; + Then, over sea and mountain, + Far from, or near, my home, + I'll take Thy hand and follow, + At that sweet whisper, 'Come!'" + +There was a man in one of the meetings who had been brought there +against his will; he had come through some personal influence +brought to bear upon him. When he got to the meeting, they were +singing the chorus of this hymn-- + + "Come! come! come!" + +He said afterwards he thought he never saw so many fools together in +his life before. The idea of a number of men standing there singing, +"Come! come! come!" When he started home he could not get this +little word out of his head; it kept coming back all the time. He +went into a saloon, and ordered some whiskey, thinking to drown it. +But he could not; it still kept coming back. He went into another +saloon, and drank some more whiskey; but the words kept ringing in +his ears: "Come! come! come!" He said to himself, "What a fool I am +for allowing myself to be troubled in this way!" He went to a third +saloon; had another glass, and finally got home. + +He went off to bed, but could not sleep; it seemed as if the very +pillow kept whispering the word, "Come! Come!" He began to be angry +with himself: "What a fool I was for ever going to that meeting at +all!" When he got up he took the little hymn book, found the hymn, +and read it over. "What nonsense!" he said to himself; "the idea of +a rational man being disturbed by that hymn." He set fire to the +hymn book; but he could not burn up the little word "Come!" "Heaven +and earth shall pass away: but My word shall not pass away." + +He declared he would never go to another of the meetings; but the +next night he came again. When he got there, strange to say, they +were singing the same hymn. "There is that miserable old hymn +again," he said; "what a fool I am for coming!" I tell you, when the +Spirit of God lays hold of a man, he does a good many things he did +not intend to do. To make a long story short, that man rose in a +meeting of young converts, and told the story that I have now told +you. Pulling out the little hymn book for he had bought another copy +and opening it at this hymn, he said: "I think this hymn is the +sweetest and the best in the English language. God blessed it to the +saving of my soul." And yet this was the very hymn he had despised. + +I want to take up this little word "Come!" Sometimes people forget +the text of a sermon; but this text will be short enough for any one +to remember. Let me ring out a chime of Gospel bells, every one of +which says, "Come!" The first bell I will ring is, + + +COME AND HEAR! + +"Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live; +and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure +mercies of David." "Incline your ear," God says. You have sometimes +seen a man who is a little deaf, and cannot catch every word, put +his hand up to his ear and lean forward. I have seen a man sometimes +put up both hands to his ears, as if he were determined to catch +every word. I like to see that. This is the figure that the prophet +uses when he says on God's behalf, "Incline your ear." + +Man lost spiritual life and communion with his Maker by listening to +the voice of the tempter, instead of the voice of God. We get life +again by listening to the voice of God. The Word of God gives life. +"The words that I speak unto you," says Christ, "they are spirit, +and they are life." So, what people need is--to incline their ear, +and hear. It is a great thing when the Gospel preacher gets the ear +of a congregation--I mean the inner ear. For a man has not only two +ears in his head; he has also what we may call the outer ear, and +the inner ear--the ear of the soul. You may speak to the outward +ear, and not reach the ear of the soul at all. Many in these days +are like the "foolish people" to whom the prophet Jeremiah spoke: +"Which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not." There +are many in every congregation whose attention I am not able to +secure for five minutes together. Almost any little thing will +divert their minds. We need to give heed to the words of the Lord: +"He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." + +You remember when Peter was sent to Cornelius, he was to speak to +him words whereby he and his house were to be saved. If you are to +be saved, it must be by listening to the Word of God. Here is the +promise: "Hear; and your soul shall live." + +There was an architect in Chicago who was converted. In giving his +testimony, he said he had been in the habit of attending church for +a great many years, but he could not say that he had really heard a +sermon all the time. He said that when the minister gave out the +text and began to preach, he used to settle himself in the corner of +the pew and work out the plans of some building. He could not tell +how many plans he had prepared while the minister was preaching. He +was the architect for one or two companies; and he used to do all +his planning in that way. You see, Satan came in between him and the +preacher, and caught away the good seed of the Word. I have often +preached to people, and have been perfectly amazed to find they +could hardly tell one solitary word of the sermon; even the text had +completely gone from them. + +A colored man once said that a good many of his congregation would +be lost because they were too generous. He saw that the people +looked rather surprised; so he said, "Perhaps you think I have made +a mistake; and that I ought to have said you will be lost because +you are not generous enough. That is not so; I meant just what I +said. You give away too many sermons. You hear them, as it were, for +other people." So there are a good many now hearing me who are +listening for those behind them: they say the message is a very good +one for neighbor So-and-so; and they pass it over their shoulders, +till it gets clear out at the door. You laugh; but you know it is +so. Listen! "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 condemnation; but is passed from death unto +life." + +The next note in this peal of bells I wish to ring out is-- + + +COME AND SEE! + +Scripture not only uses the ear, but the eye, in illustrating the +way of salvation. When a man both hears and sees a thing, he +remembers it twice as long as if he only heard it. You remember what +Philip said to Nathanael: "Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto +him, we have found Him of whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets, +did write--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said +unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip +saith unto him, Come and see." Philip was a wise winner of souls. He +brought his friend to Christ. Nathanael had one interview with the +son of God; he became His disciple and never left Him. If Philip had +gone on discussing the matter with him, and had tried to prove that +some good thing could come out of Nazareth, he might have never been +a disciple at all. + +After all, we do not gain much by discussion. Let objectors or +inquirers only get one personal interview with the Son of God; that +will scatter all their darkness, all their prejudice, and all their +unbelief. The moment that Philip succeeded in getting Nathanael to +Christ, the work was done. + +So we say to you, "Come and see!" I thought, when I was converted, +that my friends had been very unfaithful to me, because they had not +told me about Christ. I thought I would have all my friends +converted inside of twenty-four hours; and I was quite disappointed +when they did not at once see Christ to be the Lily of the Valley, +and the Rose of Sharon, and the Bright and Morning Star. I wondered +why it was. No doubt many of those who hear me now have had that +experience; you thought when you saw Christ in all His beauty that +you could soon make your friends see Him in the same light. + +But we need to learn that God alone can do it. If there is a skeptic +now hearing me, I want to say that one personal interview with the +Son of God will scatter all your infidelity and atheism. One night, +in the inquiry-room, I met the wife of an atheist, who had been +brought to God at one of our meetings. She was converted at the same +time. She had brought two of her daughters to the meeting, desiring +that they too should know Christ. I said to the mother: "How is it +with your skepticism now?" "Oh," said she, "it is all gone." When +Christ gets into the heart, atheism must go out; if a man will only +come and take one trustful, loving look at the Saviour, there will +be no desire to leave Him again. + +A gentleman was walking down the street in Baltimore, a few years +ago. It was near Christmas-time, and many of the shop-windows were +filled with Christmas presents, toys, etc. As this gentleman passed +along, he saw three little girls standing before a shop window, and +he heard two of them trying to describe to the third the things that +were in the window. It aroused his attention, and he wondered what +it could mean. He went back, and found that the middle one was +blind--she had never been able to see--and her two sisters were +endeavoring to tell her how the things looked. The gentleman stood +beside them for some time, and listened; he said it was most +interesting to hear them trying to describe the different articles +to the blind child--they found it a difficult task. As he told me, I +said to myself, "That is just my position in trying to tell other +men about Christ: I may talk about Him; and yet they see no beauty +in Him that they should desire Him. But if they will only come to +Him, He will open their eyes and reveal Himself to them in all His +loveliness and grace." + +Looking at it from the outside, there was not much beauty in the +Tabernacle that Moses erected in the desert. It was covered on the +outside with badgers' skins--and there was not much beauty in them. +If you were to pass into the inside, then you would find out the +beauty of the coverings. So the sinner sees no beauty in Christ till +he comes to Him--then he can see it. + +You have looked at the windows of a grand church erected at the cost +of many thousands of dollars. From the outside they did not seem +very beautiful; but get inside, when the rays of the sun are +striking upon the stained glass, and you begin to understand what +others have told you of their magnificence. So it is when you have +come into personal contact with Christ; you find Him to be the very +Friend you need. Therefore we extend to all the sweet Gospel +invitation "Come and see!" + +Let me now ring out the third bell-- + + +COME AND DRINK! + +"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters: and he that +hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat: yea, come, buy wine and milk +without money and without price." If you will come and drink at this +fountain, Christ says you shall never thirst again. He has promised +to quench your thirst. "If any man thirst," He says, "let him come +unto Me and drink." + +I thank God for those words: "_If any man_." That does not mean +merely a select few respectable people; it takes in all--every +drunkard, every harlot, every thief, every self-righteous Pharisee. + +"If any man _thirst_." How this world is thirsting for something +that will satisfy! What fills the places of amusement--the dance +houses, the music halls, and the theaters, night after night? Men +and women are thirsting for something they have not got. The moment +a man turns his back upon God, he begins to thirst; and that thirst +will never be quenched until he returns to "the fountain of living +waters." As the prophet Jeremiah tells us, we have forsaken the +fountain of living waters, and hewn out for ourselves cisterns, +broken cisterns, that can hold no water. There is a thirst this +world can never quench: the more we drink of its pleasures, the +thirstier we become. We cry out for more and more; and we are all +the while being dragged down lower and lower. But there is "a +fountain opened to the House of David . . . for sin and for +uncleanness." Let us press up to it, and drink and live. + +I remember after one of the great battles in the War we were coming +down the Tennessee River with a company of wounded men. It was in +the spring of the year, and the water was not clear. You know that +the cry of a wounded man is: "Water! water!" especially in a hot +country. I remember taking a glass of the muddy water to one of +these men. Although he was very thirsty, he only drank a little of +it. He handed the glass back to me, and as he did so, he said, "Oh +for a draught of water from my father's well!" Are there any thirsty +ones here? Come and drink of the fountain opened in Christ; your +longing will be satisfied, and you will never thirst again. It will +be in you "a well of water springing up into everlasting life." +Water rises to its own level; and as this water has come down from +the throne of God, it will carry us back to the presence of God. +Come, O ye thirsty ones, stoop down and drink, and live! You are all +invited: come along! When Moses took his rod and struck the flinty +rock in the wilderness, out of it there came a pure crystal stream +of water, which flowed or through that dry and barren land. All that +the poor thirsty Israelites had to do was to stoop and drink. It was +free to all. So the grace of God is free to all. God invites you to +come and take it: will you come? + +I remember being in a large city where I noticed that the people +resorted to a favorite well in one of the parks. I said to a man one +day, "Does the well never run dry?" The man was drinking of the +water out of the well; and as he stopped drinking, he smacked his +lips, and said: "They have never been able to pump it dry yet. They +tried it a few years ago. They put the fire engines to work, and +tried all they could to pump the well dry; but they found there was +a river flowing right under the city." Thank God, the well of +salvation never gets dry, though the saints of God have been +drinking from it for six thousand years! Abel, Enoch Noah, Abraham. +Moses, Elijah, the Apostles all have drunk from it; and they are now +up yonder, where they are drinking of the stream that flows from the +throne of God. "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; +neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb +which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead +them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all +tears from their eyes." + +Let me ring another Gospel bell: + + +COME AND DINE! + +My brother, my sister--are you hungry? Then come along and dine. +Some people are afraid of being converted, because they think they +will not hold out. Mr. Rainsford once said, "If the Lord gives us +eternal life, He will surely give us all that is needful to preserve +it." He not only gives life; but He gives us our daily bread to feed +that life. + +After the Saviour had risen from the dead, He had not appeared to +His disciples for some days. Peter said to the others, "I go a +fishing." Seven of them started off in their boats. They toiled all +night but caught nothing. In the grey of the morning, they saw a +Stranger on the shore. He addressed them and said "Children, have ye +any meat?" They told Him they had not. "Cast the net on the right +side of the ship; and ye shall find." I can imagine they said to +each other, "What good is that going to do? We have been fishing +here all night, and have got nothing? The idea that there should be +fish on one side of the boat, and not on the other!" However, they +obeyed the command; and they had such a haul that there was no room +for the fish in the boat. Then one of them said, "It is the Lord." +When he heard that, Peter sprang right into the sea, and swam to the +shore; and the others pulled the boat to land. + +When they reached the shore the Master said, "Come and dine." What a +meal that must have been. There was the Lord of Glory feeding His +disciples. If He could set a table for His people in the wilderness, +and feed three millions of Israelites for forty years, can He not +give us our daily bread? I do not mean only the bread that +perisheth; but the Bread that cometh from above. If He feeds the +birds of the air, surely He will feed His children made in His own +image! If He numbers the very hairs of our head, He will take care +to supply all our temporal wants. + +Not only so: He will give us the Bread of Life for the nourishment +of the soul--the life that the world knows nothing of--if we will +but go to Him. "I am the Bread of Life," He says. As we feed on Him +by faith, we get strength. Let our thoughts rest upon Him; and He +will lift us above ourselves, and above the world, and satisfy our +utmost desires. + +Another Gospel bell is-- + + +COME AND REST! + +Dear friend, do you not need rest? There is a restlessness all over +the world to-day. Men are sighing and struggling after rest. The cry +of the world is, "Where can rest be found?" The rich man that we +read of in the parable pulled down his barns, that he might build +greater; and said to his soul, "Take thine ease." He thought he was +going to find rest in wealth; but he was disappointed. That night +his soul was summoned away. No; there is no rest in wealth or +pleasure. + +Others think they will succeed in drowning their sorrows and +troubles by indulging in drink; but that will only increase them. +"There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked:" they are like the +troubled sea that cannot rest. We sometimes talk of the ocean as +being as calm as a sea of glass; but it is never at rest: and here +we have a faithful picture of the wicked man and woman. + +O weary soul, hear the sweet voice that comes ringing down through +the ages: "Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy-laden; and +I will _give_ you rest." Thank God, He does not _sell_ it! If He +did, some of us are so poor we could not buy; but we can all take a +gift. That little boy there knows how to take a gift; that old man, +living on borrowed time, and almost on the verge of another world, +knows how to take a gift. The gift Jesus wants to bestow is rest: +Rest for time, and rest for eternity. Every weary soul may have this +rest if he will. But you must come to Christ and get it. Nowhere +else can this rest be found. If you go to the world with your cares, +your troubles, and your anxieties, all it can do is to put a few +more on the top of them. The world is a poor place to go to for +sympathy. As some one has said: "If you roll your burdens anywhere +but on Christ, they will roll back on you with more weight than +ever. Cast them on Christ; and He will carry them for you." + +Here is another bell-- + + +COME AND REASON! + +Perhaps there are some infidels reading this. They are fond of +saying to us, "Come and reason." But I want to draw their attention +to the verses that go before this one in the first chapter of +Isaiah. The trouble with a good many skeptics is this--they take a +sentence here and there from Scripture without reference to the +context. Let us see what this passage says: "When ye spread forth +your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many +prayers I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, +make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before Mine +eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the +oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." + +_Then_ we have the gracious invitation, "Come now, and let us reason +together." Do you think God is going to reason with a man whose +hands are dripping with blood, and before he asks forgiveness and +mercy? Will God reason with a man living in rebellion against Him? +Nay. But if we turn from and confess our sin, then He will reason +with us, and pardon us. "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall +be as white as snow: though they be red like crimson, they shall be +as wool." + +But if a man persists in his rebellion against God, there is no +invitation to him to come and reason, and receive pardon. If I have +been justly condemned to death by the law of the State, and am +waiting the execution of my sentence, I am not in a position to +reason with the governor. If he chooses to send me a free pardon, +the first thing I have to do is to accept it; then he may allow me +to come into his presence. But we must bear in mind that God is +above our reason. When man fell, his reason became perverted; and he +was not in a position to reason with God. "If any man willeth to do +His will he shall know of the teaching." We must be willing to +forsake our sins. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the +unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and +He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly +pardon," The moment a man is willing to part with his sins, God +meets him in grace and offers him peace and pardon. + +The next bell I would like to sound out is-- + + +COME TO THE MARRIAGE! + +"Behold, I have prepared my dinner: . . . all things are ready; come +unto the marriage." Who would not feel highly honored if they were +invited to some fine residence, to the wedding of one of the members +of the President's family? I can imagine you would feel rather proud +of having received such an invitation. You would want all your +friends to know it. + +Probably you may never get such an invitation. But I have a far +grander invitation for you here than that. I cannot speak for +others; but if I know my own heart, I would rather be torn to pieces +to-night, limb from limb, and die in the glorious hope of being at +the marriage-supper of the Lamb, than live in this world a thousand +years and miss that appointment at the last. "Blessed is he that is +called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb." It will be a fearful +thing for any of us to see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob taking their +place in the kingdom of God, and be ourselves thrust out. + +This is no myth, my friends; it is a real invitation. Every man and +woman is invited. All things are now ready. The feast has been +prepared at great expense. You may spurn the grace, and the gift of +God; but you must bear in mind that it cost God a good deal before +He could provide this feast. When He gave Christ He gave the richest +jewel that heaven had. And now He sends out the invitation. He +commands His servants to go into the highways, and hedges, and +lanes, and compel them to come in, that His house may be full. Who +will come? You say you are not fit to come? If the President invited +you to the White House, and the invitation said you were to come +just as you were; and if the sentinel at the gate stopped you +because you did not wear a dress suit, what would you do? Would you +not show him the document signed in the name of the President? Then +he would stand aside and let you pass. So, my friend, if you can +prove to me that you are a sinner, I can prove to you that you are +invited to this Gospel feast--to this marriage supper of the Lamb. + +Let me ring out another bell in this Gospel chime-- + + +"COME, INHERIT THE KINGDOM!" + +"Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye +blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the +foundation of the world." A kingdom!--think of that! Think of a poor +man in this world, struggling with poverty and want, invited to +become possessor of a kingdom! It is no fiction; it is described as +"an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not +away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God +through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last +time." We are called to be kings and priests: that is a high +calling. Surely no one who hears me intends to miss that kingdom! +Christ said, "_Seek ye first_ the Kingdom of God." Those who inherit +it shall go no more out. + +Yet another bell-- + + +"COME UP HITHER!" + +In the Revelation we find that the two witnesses were called up to +heaven when their testimony was ended. So if we are faithful in the +service of our King, we shall by and by hear a voice saying, "Come +up hither!" There is going to be a separation one day. The man who +has been persecuting his godly wife will some day find her missing. +That drunkard who beats his children because they have been taught +the way into the Kingdom of God, will miss them some day. They will +be taken up out of the darkness, and away from the persecution, up +into the presence of God. When the voice of God saying, "Come up +hither" is heard, calling His children home, there will be a grand +jubilee. That glorious day will soon dawn. "Lift up your heads, for +the time of your redemption draweth nigh." + +One more bell to complete the chime-- + + +"WHOSOEVER WILL, LET HIM COME!" + +It is the last time that the word "Come" appears in the Bible; and +it occurs there over one thousand nine hundred times. We find it +away back in Genesis, "Come, thou and all thy house, into the ark"; +and it goes right along through Scripture. Prophets, apostles, and +preachers, have been ringing it out all through the ages. Now the +record is about to be closed, and Christ tells John to put in one +more invitation. After the Lord had been in glory for about sixty +years, perhaps He saw some poor man stumbling over one of the +apostles' letters about the doctrine of election. So He came to John +in Patmos, and John was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day. Christ said +to His disciple, "Write these things to the Churches." I can imagine +John's pen moved very easily and very swiftly that day; for the hand +of his Lord was upon him. The Master said to him, "Before you close +up the Book, put in one more invitation; and make it so broad that +the whole world shall know they are included, and not a single one +may feel that he is left out." John began to write "The Spirit and +the Bride say, Come," that is, the Spirit and the Church; "and let +him that heareth say, Come!" If you have heard and received the +message yourself, pass it on to those near you; your religion is not +a very real thing if it does not affect some one else. We have to +get rid of this idea that the world is going to be reached by +ministers alone. All those who have drunk of the cup of salvation +must pass it around. + +"Let him that is athirst, come." But there are some so deaf that +they cannot hear; others are not thirsty enough or they think they +are not. I have seen men in our after-meetings with two streams of +tears running down their cheeks; and yet they said the trouble with +them was that they were not anxious enough. They were anxious to be +anxious. Probably Christ saw that men would say they did not feel +thirsty; so He told the apostle to make the invitation still +broader. So the last invitation let down into a thirsty world is +this: "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." + +Thank God for those words "Whosoever will!" Who will come and take +it? That is the question. You have the power to accept or to reject +the invitation. A man in one meeting once was honest enough to say +"I won't." If I had it in my power I would bring this whole audience +to a decision now, either for or against. I hope many now reading +these words will say, "I will!" If God says we can, all the devils +in hell cannot stop us. All the infidels in the world cannot prevent +us. That little boy, that little girl, can say, "I will!" If it were +necessary, God would send down a legion of angels to help you; but +He has given you the power, and you can accept Christ this very +minute if you are really in earnest. + +Let me say that it is the easiest thing in the world to become a +Christian, and it is also the most difficult. You will say: "That is +a contradiction, a paradox." I will illustrate what I mean. A little +nephew of mine in Chicago, a few years ago, took my Bible and threw +it down on the floor. His mother said, "Charlie, pick up Uncle's +Bible." The little fellow said he would not, "Charlie, do you know +what that word means?" She soon found out that he did, and that he +was not going to pick up the Book. His will had come right up +against his mother's will. I began to be quite interested in the +struggle; I knew if she did not break his will, he would some day +break her heart. She repeated, "Charlie, go and pick up Uncle's +Bible, and put it on the table." The little fellow said he could not +do it. "I will punish you if you do not." He saw a strange look in +her eye, and the matter began to get serious. He did not want to be +punished, and he knew his mother would punish him if he did not lift +the Bible. So he straightened every bone and muscle in him, and he +said _he could not do it_. I really believe the little fellow had +reasoned himself into the belief that he could not do it. + +His mother knew he was only deceiving himself; so she kept him right +to the point. At last he went down, put both his arms around the +Book, and tugged away at it; but he still said he could not do it. +The truth was he did not want to. He got up again without lifting +it. The mother said, "Charlie, I am not going to talk to you any +more. This matter has to be settled; pick up that Book, or I will +punish you." At last she broke his will, and then he found it as +easy as it is for me to turn my hand. He picked up the Bible, and +laid it on the table. So it is with the sinner; if you are really +willing to take the Water of Life, you can do it. + + "I heard the voice of Jesus say, + 'Come unto Me, and rest; + Lay down, thou weary one, lay down, + Thy head upon My breast.' + I came to Jesus as I was-- + Weary, and worn, and sad, + I found in Him a resting-place, + And He has made me glad. + + I heard the voice of Jesus say, + 'Behold, I freely give + The living water--thirsty one, + Stoop down, and drink, and live.' + I came to Jesus, and I drank + Of that life-giving stream; + My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, + And now I live in Him. + + I heard the voice of Jesus say, + 'I am this dark world's Light: + Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise, + And all thy day be bright.' + I looked to Jesus, and I found + In Him my Star, my Sun; + And in that Light of life I'll walk + Till traveling days are done." + +_Dr. H. Bonar_ + + + +GOSPEL DIALOGUES. + + +I.--MR. MOODY AND REV. MARCUS RAINSFORD. + + +WHAT IT IS TO BE A CHILD OF GOD. + + +MR. MOODY--What is it to be a child of God? What is the first step? + +Rev. M. Rainsford--Well, sir, I am a child of God when I become +united to the Son of God. The Son of God prayed that all who +believed upon Him should be one with Him, as He was one with the +Father. Believing on Jesus, I receive Him, and become united to Him; +I become, as it were, a member of his Body. I am an heir of God, a +joint-heir with Christ. + +Mr. M.--What is the best definition of Faith? + +Mr. R.--Trust in the Son of God, as the Saviour He has given to us. +Simple trust, not only in a creed, but in a Person. I trust my soul +to Him. I trust the keeping of my soul to Him. God has promised that +whosoever trusts Him, mercy shall compass him on every side. + +Mr. M.--Does not the Scripture say that the devils believe? + +Mr. R.--They believe the truth, do they not? They believe that Jesus +was manifested to destroy them; and they "tremble." I wish we +believed as truly and as fully that God sent His Son into the world +to save us. + +Mr. M.--What is it to "trust?" + +Mr. R.--I take it to mean four things: + +(1) Believing on Christ: that is, taking Him at His Word. + +(2) Hoping in Christ: that is, expecting help from Him, according to +His Word. + +(3) Relying on Christ: That is, resting on Him for the times, and +ways, and circumstances in which He may be pleased to fulfill His +promises according to His Word. + +(4) Waiting on Christ: that is, _continuing_ to do so, +notwithstanding delay, darkness, barrenness, perplexing experiences, +and the sentence of death in myself. He may keep me waiting awhile +(I have kept Him a long time waiting); but He will not keep me +waiting always. Believing in Him, hoping in Him, relying upon Him, +and waiting for Him--I understand to be trusting in Him. + +Mr. M.--Can all these friends here believe the promises? + +Mr. R.--The promises are true, whether we believe them or not. We do +not make them true by believing them. God could not charge me with +being an unbeliever, or condemn me for unbelief, if the promises +were not true for me. I could in that case turn round and say: +"Great God, why did you expect me to believe a promise that was not +true for me?" And yet the Scriptures set forth unbelief as the +greatest sin I can continue to commit. + +Mr. M.--How are we "cleansed by _the Blood?_" + +Mr. R.--"The blood is the life." The sentence upon sinners for their +sin was, "The soul that sinneth it shall die." That we might not +die, the Son of God died. The blood is _the poured-out life of the +Son of God_, given as the price, the atonement, the substitute, for +the forfeited life of the believer in Jesus Christ. Any poor sinner +who receives Christ as God's gift is cleansed from all sin by His +Blood. + +Mr. M.--Was the blood shed for us all? + +Mr. R.-- + + "There is a fountain filled with blood, + Drawn from Immanuel's veins; + And sinners plunged beneath that flood, + Lose all their guilty stains. + + The dying thief rejoiced to see + That fountain in his day; + And there may we, though vile as he, + Wash all our sins away." + +Mr. M.--Some may think that this is only a hymn, and that it is not +Scripture. Did the Lord ever say anything similar to what the hymn +says? + +Mr. R.--He said: "I have given you the blood upon the altar to make +an atonement for your souls." That was said of the picture of the +blood of Christ. And at the Last Supper our Lord said His blood was +"the blood of the new testament which is shed for you and for many +for the remission of sins." + +Mr. M.--What is "the gift of God?" + +Mr. R.--There are three great gifts that God has given to us-- + +(1) His blessed Son. + +(2) The Holy Ghost, "the promise of the Father," that we might +understand the unspeakable gift bestowed on us when He gave His Son. + +(3) He has given us His Holy Word. + +The Holy Ghost has inspired the writers of it that we may read, and +hear, and know the love that God has to us, "in that while we were +yet sinners Christ died for us." We could not have the Son for our +Saviour, unless God gave Him. We could not understand the gift of +God, unless the Holy Ghost had come to quicken us and teach us; and +this He does through the Word. + +Mr. M.--How much is there in Christ for us who believe? + +Mr. R.--In Him dwelt "all the fullness of the Godhead +bodily"--fullness of life, of righteousness, of sanctification, of +redemption, title to heaven, and meetness for it; all that God wants +from us, and all that we want from God, He gave in the person of +Christ. + +Mr. M.--How long does it take God to justify a sinner? + +Mr. R.--How long? The moment we receive Him we receive authority to +enroll ourselves among the children of God, and are then and there +justified from all things. The sentence of complete justification +does not take long to pronounce. Some persons profess to see a +difficulty in the variety of ways in which a sinner is said to be +justified before God: (1) Justified by God; (2) Justified by Christ; +(3) Justified by His Blood; (4) Justified by grace; (5) Justified by +faith; (6) Justified by works. + +Justification has reference to a court of justice. Suppose a sinner +standing at the bar of God, the bar of conscience, and the bar of +his fellow-men, charged with a thousand crimes. + +(1) There is the Judge: that is God, who alone can condemn or +justify: "It is God that justifieth." That is justification by God. + +(2) There is the Advocate, who appears at court for the sinner; the +counselor, the intercessor: that is Christ. "Justified by Christ." + +(3) There is next to be considered the ground and reason on account +of which the Advocate pleads before the Judge. That is the merit of +His own precious Blood. That is justification by His Blood. + +(4) Next we must remember the law which the Judge is dispensing. The +law of works? Nay, but the law of grace and faith. That is +justification by His grace. + +(5) And now the judge himself pronounces the result. "Be it known +unto you that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness +of sins; and by Him all that believe are justified from all things." +Now, for the first time, the sinner at the bar knows the fact. This +is justification by faith. + +(6) But now the justified man leaves the criminal's dock. He does +not return to his prison, or to his chains. He walks forth from the +court-house a justified man; and all men, friends or foes, are made +aware that he is free. That is "justification by works." + +Mr. M.--A man says: "I have not found peace." How would you deal +with him? + +Mr. R.--He is really looking for the wrong thing. I do not look for +peace. I look for _Christ;_ and I get peace with Him. Some people +put peace in the place of Christ. Others put their repentance or +prayers in the place of Christ. _Anything_ put in the place of +Christ, or between the sinner and Christ, is in the _wrong place_. +When I get Christ, I possess in Him everything that belongs to Him, +as my Saviour. + +Mr. M.--Some think they cannot be Christians until they are +sanctified. + +Mr. R.--Christ is my Sanctification, as much as my Justification. I +cannot be sanctified but by His blood. There is a wonderful passage +in Exodus. The high priest there represented in picture the Lord +Jesus Christ. There was to be placed on the forefront of the miter +of the high priest, when he stood before God, a plate of pure gold, +and graven upon it as with a signet, the words: "Holiness to the +Lord." My faith sees it on the forefront of the miter on the brow of +my High Priest in heaven. "And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, +that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the +children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it +shall be _always_ upon his forehead, that they may be accepted +before the Lord." That was for Israel of old! _That_ on the brow of +Jesus Christ is for me. Yes--for me, "that I may be accepted before +the Lord." As I believe this truth it purifies my heart, it operates +on my affections and my desires; and I seek to walk with Him, +because He is my Sanctification before God, just as I trust in Him +as my Justification--because He shed His blood for me. + +Mr. M.--What is it to believe on His name? + +Mr. R.--His name is His revealed self. We are informed what it is in +Exodus. Moses was in the mount with God, and He had shown him +wonderful things of kindness and of love. And Moses said, "O God, +show me thy _glory!_" And He said, "I will make all my _goodness_ +pass before thee." So He put Moses in the cleft of the rock, and +proclaimed the name of the Lord: "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful +and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; +keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and +sin"--there it is, root and branch "and that will by no means clear +the guilty." That is His name; and His glory He will not give unto +another: and to believe in the name of the Lord is just to shelter +under His promises. + +Mr. M.--What is it to "receive the Kingdom of God like a little +child?" + +Mr. R.--Well, I do not believe in a little child being an innocent +thing. I think it means that we are to receive it in all our need +and helplessness. A little child is the most dependent thing on +earth. All its resources are in its parents' love: all it can do is +to cry; and its necessities explain the meaning to the mother's +heart. If we interpret its language, it means: "Mother, wash me; I +cannot wash myself. Mother, clothe me; I am naked, and cannot clothe +myself. Mother, feed me; I cannot feed myself. Mother, carry me; I +cannot walk." It is written, "A mother may forget her sucking child; +yet will not I forget thee." This it is to receive the Kingdom of +God as a little child--to come to Jesus in our helplessness and say: +"Lord Jesus, wash me!" "Clothe me!" "Feed me!" "Carry me!" "Save me, +Lord, or I perish." + +Mr. M.--A good many say they are going to _try_. What would you say +to such? + +Mr. R.--God wants no man to "try." Jesus has already tried. He has +not only tried, but He has succeeded. "It is finished." Believe in +Him who has "made an end of sins, making reconciliation for +iniquity, finishing transgression, and bringing in everlasting +righteousness." + +Mr. M.--If people say they are "going to try," what would you say to +them? + +Mr. R.--I should say, Put _trusting_ in the place of trying; +_believing_ in the place of doubting; and I should urge them to come +to Christ as they are, instead of waiting to be better. There is +nothing now between God the Father and the poor sinner, but the Lord +Jesus Christ; and Christ has put away sin that I may be joined to +the Lord. "And he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit;" "And +where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." + +Mr. M.--About the last thing an anxious inquirer has to contend with +is his feelings. There are hundreds here very anxious to know they +are safe in the Kingdom; but they think they have not the right kind +of feeling. What kind of feeling should they have? + +Mr. R.--I think there are several of those present who can say that +they found a blessing in the after-meetings through one verse of +Scripture. I will quote it as an answer to Mr. Moody's question. +"Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of +His servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him +trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God." Some of you +may be walking in darkness; that is how you feel. What is God's +command? "Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his +God." If I am to trust God in the darkness, I am to trust Him +anywhere. + +Mr. M.--You would advise them, then, to trust in the Lord, whether +they have the right kind of feeling or not? + +Mr. R.--If I were to think of my feelings for a moment, I should be +one of the most miserable men in this hall to-night. My feelings are +those of a sinful corrupt nature. I am just to believe what God +tells me in spite of my feelings. Faith is "the evidence of things +not seen:" I might add, "the evidence of things not felt." + +Mr. M.--Some may say that faith is the gift of God: and that they +must wait till God imparts it to them. + +Mr. R.--"Faith cometh by hearing." The word of God is the medium +through which faith comes to us. God has given us Christ; and He has +given us His Spirit, and His Word: what need is there to wait? God +will give faith to the man who reads His Word and seeks for His +Spirit. + +Mr. M.--What, then, should they wait for? + +Mr. R.--I do not know of anything they have to wait for. God says: +"Come now; Believe now." No, no; there is nothing to wait for. He +has given us all He has to give: and the sooner we take it the +better. + +Mr. M.--Perhaps some of them think they have too many sins to allow +their coming. + +Mr. R.--The Lord Jesus has put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. +"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our +transgressions from us." Why do we not believe him? He says He has +"made an end of sins." Why do we not believe Him? Is He a liar? + +Mr. M.--Is unbelief a sin? + +Mr. R.--It is the root of all sin. + +Mr. M.--Has a man the power to believe these things, if he will? + +Mr. R.--When God gives a command, it means that we are able by His +grace to do it. + +Mr. M.--What do you mean by "coming" to Christ? + +Mr. R.--Believing in Him. If I were to prepare a great feast in this +hall to-morrow night, and say that any man that comes to it would +have a grand feast and a five-pound note besides, there would not be +any question as to what "coming" meant. God has prepared a great +feast. He has sent His messengers to invite all to come; and there +is nothing to pay. + +Mr. M.--What is the first step. + +Mr. R.--To believe. + +Mr. M.--Believe what? + +Mr. R.--God's invitation; God's promise; God's provision. Let us +believe the faithfulness of Him who calls us. Does God intend to +mock us, and make game of us? If He did so to one man, it would hush +all the harps in heaven. + +Mr. M.--Suppose the people do "come," and that they fall into sin +tomorrow? + +Mr. R.--Let them come back again. God says we are to forgive till +seventy times seven. Do you think the great God will do less than He +commands us to do? + +Mr. M.--If they truly come, will they have the desire to do the +things they used to do before? + +Mr. R.--When a man really receives Christ into his heart, he +experiences "the expulsive power of a new affection." The devil may +tempt him to sin; but sin has lost its attraction. A man finds out +that it does not pay to grieve God's Holy Spirit. + +Mr. M.--What would you advise your converts to do? + +Mr. R.--When you were little babes, if you had had no milk, no +clothing, and no rest, you would not have lived very long. You are +now the result of your fathers' and mothers' care. When a man is +born in the family of God he has life; but he needs food. "Man doth +not live by bread alone." If you do not feed upon God's promises you +will be of no use in God's service: it will be well for you if your +life does not die out altogether before long. Then you need +exercise. If you only take food, and do no work, you will soon +suffer from what I may call spiritual apoplexy. When you get hold of +a promise, go and tell it to others. The best way for me to get help +for myself is by trying to help others. There is one great promise +that young disciples should never forget: "He that watereth shall be +watered also himself." + +Mr. M.--How are they to begin? + +Mr. R.--I believe there are some rich ladies and rich gentlemen on +the platform. When such persons are brought to the Lord, they are +apt to be ashamed to speak about salvation to their old companions. +If our Christian ladies would go amongst other ladies; Christian +gentlemen amongst gentlemen of their own class; and so on we should +see a grand work for Christ. Each of you have some friends or +relations whom you can influence better than anybody else can. Begin +with them; and God will give you such a taste for work that you will +not be content to stay at home: you will go and work outside as +well. + +Mr. M.--A good place to start in would be the kitchen, would it not? +Begin with some little kitchen meetings. Let some of you get fifteen +or twenty mothers together; and ask them to bring their young +children with them. Sing some of these sweet hymns; read a few +verses of Scripture; get your lips opened; and you will find that +streams of salvation will be breaking out all around. I always think +that every convert ought to be good for a dozen others right away. + +Mr. R.--Let me tell a little incident in my own experience. I was +once asked to go and see a great man and tell him about Christ. He +did not expect me; and if I had known that, perhaps I should not +have had the faith to go at all. When I went he was very angry and +very nearly turned me out of the house. He was an old man, and had +one little daughter. A few weeks afterwards he went to the +Continent, and his daughter went with him. One day when he was very +ill he saw his daughter looking at him, while the tears rolled down +her cheeks. "My child," he said, "what are you crying about?" "Oh, +papa, you do not love the Lord Jesus Christ; I am afraid you are +going to hell!" "Why do you say that?" "Do you not remember when Mr. +Rainsford called to see you, you were very rude to him? I never saw +you so angry. And he only wished to speak to you about Jesus." +"Well, my child, you shall read to me about Jesus." If that man has +gone to heaven--I do not say whether he has or not--the only light +he had he got from his little daughter. You set to work; and you +cannot tell what may be the result, by the blessing of God. + + "Sons of God, beloved in Jesus + Oh, the wondrous word of grace! + In His Son the Father sees us, + And as sons He gives us place. + + Blessed power now brightly beaming-- + On our God we soon shall gaze; + And in light celestial gleaming + We shall see our Saviour's face. + + By the power of grace transforming + We shall then His image bear; + Christ His promised word performing, + We shall then His glory share." + +_El Nathan_ + + + +II.--MR. MOODY AND REV. MARCUS RAINSFORD. + + +HOW TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN. + + +MR. MOODY.--Mr. Rainsford, how can one make room in their heart for +Christ? + +Rev. M. Rainsford.--First, do we really want Christ to be in our +hearts? If we do, the best thing will be to ask Him to come and make +room for Himself. He will surely come and do so. "I can do all +things through Christ which strengtheneth me." "Without Me ye can do +nothing." + +Mr. M.--Will Christ crowd out the world if He comes in? + +Mr. R.--He spake a parable to that effect. "When a strong man armed +keepeth his palace [the poor sinner's heart], his goods are in +peace. But when a stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome +him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted [unbelief, +false views of God, worldliness, and love of sin], and divideth his +spoils." The devil keeps the heart, because Christ desires it for +His throne--until Christ drives Him out. + +Mr. M.--What is the meaning of the promise?--"Him that _cometh_ unto +Me I will in no wise cast out." + +Mr. R.--I think we often put the emphasis upon the wrong word. +People are troubled about how they are going to come, when they +should put the emphasis on Him to whom they are coming. "Him that +cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out:" no matter how he may +come. I remember hearing this incident at an after-meeting. A +gentleman was speaking to an anxious inquirer, telling him to _come_ +to Christ, to _trust_ in Christ; but the man seemed to get no +comfort. He said that was just where he found his difficulty. By and +by, another friend came and spoke to the anxious one. All he said +was: "Come to CHRIST; trust in CHRIST." The man saw it in a minute. +He went and told the other gentleman, "I see the way of salvation +now." "Tell me," said he, "what did that man say to you?" "Well, he +told me to trust in Christ." "That is what I told you." "Nay, you +bade me _trust_ in Christ, and _come_ to Christ; he bade me trust in +_Christ_, and come to _Christ_." That made all the difference. + +Mr. M.--What does Christ mean by the words "_in no wise?_" + +Mr. R.--It means that if the sins of all sinners on earth and all +the devils in hell were upon your soul, He will not refuse you. Not +even in the range of God's omniscience is there a reason why Christ +will refuse any poor sinner who comes to Him for pardon. + +Mr. M.--What is the salvation He comes to proclaim and to bestow? + +Mr. R.--To deliver us from the power of darkness and the bottomless +pit, and set us upon the throne of glory. It is salvation from death +and hell, and curse and ruin. But that is only the half of it. It is +salvation to God, and light, and glory, and honor, and immortality; +and from earth to heaven. + +Mr. M.--If the friends here do not come and get this salvation, what +will be the true reason? + +Mr. R.--Either they are fond of some sin which they do not intend to +give up, or they do _not_ believe they are in a lost condition, and +under the curse of God, and therefore do not feel their need of Him +who "came to seek and to save that which was lost." Or they do not +believe God's promises. I have sometimes asked a man, "Good friend, +are you saved!" "Well, no, I am not saved." "Are you lost?" "Oh, God +forbid! I am not lost." "Where are you, then, if you are neither +saved nor lost?" May God wake us up to the fact that we are all in +one state or the other! + +Mr. M.--What if any of them should fall into sin after they have +come to Christ? + +Mr. R.--God has provided for the sins of His people, committed after +they come to Christ, as surely as for their sins committed before +they came to Him. Christ "ever liveth to make intercession for all +that come unto God by Him." "If we say that we have no sin we +deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our +sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse +us from all unrighteousness." . . . . For, "if any man sin, we have +an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He is +the propitiation for our sins." He will take care of our sinful, +tried and tempted selves, if we trust ourselves to Him. + +Mr. M.--Is it not said that if we sin willfully after we have +received the knowledge of the truth, "there remaineth _no more_ +sacrifice for sins?" + +Mr. R.--Yes. Paul wrote it in his Epistle to the Hebrews. Some of +them were trifling with the blood of Christ, reverting to the types +and shadows of the Levitical Law, and trusting to a fulfilled ritual +for salvation. He is not referring to _ordinary acts of sin_. By +sinning willfully he means, as he explains it, a "_treading under +foot the Son of God_," and a total and final apostatizing from +Christ. Those who reject or neglect Him will find no other sacrifice +for sin remaining. Before Christ came the Jewish ceremonies were +shadows of the good things to come; but Christ was the substance of +them. But now that he has come to put away sin by the sacrifice of +Himself, there is no other sacrifice for sin remaining for those who +reject Him. God will send no other Saviour, and no further +atonement; no second "fountain shall be opened for sin and +uncleanness." There remains, therefore, nothing for the rejector of +salvation by Christ, but "a fearful looking-for of judgment." + +Mr. M.--There are some who say they do not know that they have the +right kind of faith. + +Mr. R.--God does not ask us if we have the right kind of faith. He +tells us the right thing to believe, and the right faith is to +believe the _right thing_, even what God has told us and promised +us. If I told you, Mr. Moody, that I had found a hymn-book last +night you would believe me, would you not? (Mr. Moody: Yes.) Suppose +I said it was the valuable one _you_ lost the other night, you would +believe me also just the same. There is no difference in the _kind_ +of faith; the difference is in the _thing believed_. When the Son of +God tells me that He died for sinners, that is a fact for my faith +to lay hold of: the faith itself is not some thing to be considered. +I do not look at my hand, when I take a gift, and wonder what sort +of a hand it is. I look at the gift. + +Mr. M.--What about those people who say their hearts are so hard, +and they have no love to Christ? + +Mr. R.--Of course they are hard and cold. No man loves Christ till +he believes that Christ loves him. "We love Him, because He first +loved us." It is the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the +Holy Ghost that makes the change. + +Mr. M.--Paul said he was "crucified with Christ." what did he mean? + +Mr. R.--Oh, that is a grand text! Thank God I have been "crucified +with Christ." The Cross of Christ represents the death due to the +sinner who had broken God's laws. When Christ was crucified every +member of His body was crucified: but every believer that was, or +is, or shall be, is a member of Christ's body, of His flesh, and of +His bones. Again, we read: "Whether one member suffer, all the +members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members +rejoice with it: now ye are the body of Christ, and members in +particular." So when Christ was crucified for sin, I was also +crucified in Him; and now I am dead and gone as far as my old self +is concerned. I have already suffered for sin in Him. Yes; I am dead +and buried with Christ. That is the grand truth that Paul laid hold +upon. I am stone dead as a sinner in the sight of God. As it is +written, I am "become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that I +might be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the +dead, that I should bring forth fruit unto God." "I am crucified +with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in +me;" and God Himself commands me so to regard my standing before Him +as His believing child. "In that Christ died, He died, unto sin +once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. _Likewise reckon ye +also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin_, but _alive unto God_ +through Jesus Christ our Lord." + +Mr. M.--Should not a man repent a good deal before he comes to +Christ? + +Mr. R.--"Repent a good deal!" I do not think any man repents in the +true sense of the word till he loves Christ and hates sin. There are +many false repentances in the Bible. We are told that Pharaoh +repented when the judgment of God came upon him, and he said, "I +have sinned;" but as soon as the judgment passed away, he went back +to his sin. We read that Balaam said: "I have sinned." Yet "he loved +the wages of unrighteousness." When Saul lost his kingdom he +repented; "I have sinned," he said. When Judas Iscariot found that +he had made a great mistake, he said: "I have sinned, in that I have +betrayed innocent blood;" yet he went "to his own place." I would +not give much for these repentances; I would rather have Peter's +repentance: when Christ looked upon His fallen saint it broke His +heart, and he went out and wept bitterly. Or the repentance of the +Prodigal, when his father's arms were around his neck, and his +kisses on his cheek, and he said, "Father, I have sinned against +heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." + +Mr. M.--What is your title to heaven? + +Mr. R.--The Person, the Life, Death, and Righteousness, of the +God-man, the Son of God, my Substitute, and my Saviour. + +Mr. M.--How do you obtain that? + +Mr. R.--By receiving Him. "As many as received Him, to them gave He +authority to become the sons of God, even to them that believed on +His name." + +Mr. M.--What is your meetness for heaven? + +Mr. R.--The Holy Ghost dwelling in my heart is my fitness for +heaven. I have only to get there; and I have, by this great gift, +all tastes, desires, and faculties, for it: I have the eyes to +contemplate it: I have the ears for heaven's music: and I can speak +the language of the country. The Holy Ghost in me is my fitness and +qualification for the splendid inheritance for which the Son of God +has redeemed me. + +Mr. M.--Would you make a distinction between Christ's work for us +and the Spirit's work in us? + +Mr. R.--Christ's work for me is the payment of my debt; the giving +me a place in my Father's home, the place of sonship in my Father's +family. The Holy Spirit's work in me is to make me fit for His +company. + +Mr. M.--You distinguish, then, between the work of the Father, the +work of the Son, and the work of the Holy Ghost. + +Mr. R.--Thanks be to God, I have them all, and I want them +all--Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. I read that my Heavenly Father took +my sins and laid them on Christ; "The Lord hath laid on Him the +iniquity of us all." No one else had a right to touch them. Then I +want the Son, who "His own self bare my sins in His own body on a +tree." And I want the Holy Ghost. I should know nothing about this +great salvation, and care nothing for it, if the Holy Ghost had not +come and told me the story, and given me grace to believe it. + +Mr. M.--What is meant when we are told that Christ saves "to the +uttermost?" + +Mr. R.--That is another grand truth. Some people are troubled by the +thought that they will not be able to hold out if they come to +Christ. There are so many crooked ways, and pitfalls, and snares in +the world; there is the power of the flesh, and the snare of the +devil. So they fear they will never get home. The idea of the +passage is this. Suppose you are on the top of some splendid +mountain, very high up. You look away to where the sun sets, and you +see many a river, and many a country, and many a barren waste +between. Christ is able to save you through and over them all, out +and out, and beyond to the uttermost. + +Mr. M.--Suppose a man came in here just out of prison: all his life +he has been falling, falling, till he has become discouraged. Can +Christ save him all at once? + +Mr. R.--It is just as easy for Christ to save a man with the weight +of ten thousand sins upon him and all his chains around him, as to +save a man with one sin. If a man has offended in one point, the +Scripture says he is guilty of all. + +Mr. M.--If a man is forgiven, will he go out and do the same thing +to-morrow? + +Mr. R.--Well, I hope not. All I can say is that if we do, we shall +smart for it. I have done many a thing since the Lord revealed +Himself to my soul that I should not have done--I have gone backward +and downward; but I have always found that it does not pay when I do +anything that grieves my Heavenly Father. I think He sometimes +allows us to taste the bitterness of what it is to depart from Him. +And this is one of the many ways by which He keeps us from falling. + +Mr. M.--What do you consider to be the great sin of sins? + +Mr. R.--The Word of God tells us that there is only one sin of which +God alone can convince us. If I cut a man's throat or if I steal, it +does not need God to convince me that that is a sin. But it takes +the power of the Holy Ghost to convince me that not to receive +Christ, not to love Christ, not to believe in Christ, is the sin of +sins, the root of sins. Christ says, "When the Spirit is come, He +will convince the world of sin, _because they believe not on Me_." + +Mr. M.--What do you mean by the Word of God? + +Mr. R.--The Son of God is the Word of God incarnate: the Bible is +the Word of God written. The one is the Word of God in my nature: +the other is the Word of God in my language. + +Mr. M.--If a man receives the word of God into his heart, what +benefit is it to him, right here to-night? + +Mr. R.--The Father and the Son will make their abode with him; and +he will be the temple of the Holy Ghost. Where He goes the whole +Trinity goes; and all the promises are his. "Man doth not live by +bread alone; but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of +God." + +Mr. M.--Who is it that judges a man to be unworthy of eternal life? + +Mr. R.--_Himself!!_ There is a verse in Acts xiii that is worth +remembering: "Seeing ye put it [the Word of God] from you, and judge +_yourselves_ unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the +Gentiles." God does not judge us unworthy. He has given His Son for +our salvation. When a man puts away the Word of God from him and +refuses to receive Christ into his heart, he judges _himself_ +unworthy of salvation. + +Mr. M.--I understand, then, that if a man rejects Christ to-night, +he passes judgment on himself as unworthy of eternal life? + +Mr. R.--He is judging himself unworthy, while God does not so +consider him. God says you are welcome to eternal life. + +Mr. M.--If any one here wants to please God to-night, how can he do +it? + +Mr. R.--God delights in mercy. Come to God and claim His mercy in +Christ; and you will delight His heart. + +Mr. M.--Suppose a man say he is not "elected?" + +Mr. R.--Do you remember the story of the woman of Canaan? Poor soul; +she had come a long journey. She asked the Lord to have mercy on her +afflicted child. He wanted to try her faith, and He said: "I am not +sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." That looked as +if He Himself told her that she was not one of the elect. But she +came and worshipped Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" and He helped her +there and then. No; there is no election separating between the +sinner and Christ. + +Mr. M.--Say that again. + +Mr. R.--There is no election separating between the sinner and +christ. + +Mr. M.--What is there between the sinner and Christ? + +Mr. R.--Mercy!! Mercy!! + +Mr. M.--That brings me near to Christ. + +Mr. R.--So near that we cannot be nearer. But we must claim it. In +John we get God's teaching about election. "This is the Father's +will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should +lose _nothing_; but should raise it up again at the last day." He +will do his work, you may depend upon it. Then in the next verse we +read: "And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that _every one_ +which seeth the Son, and _believeth_ on Him, may have everlasting +life: and I will raise him up at the last day." That is the part I +am to take: and when I have done so I shall know the Father's will +concerning me. + +Mr. M.--What do you mean by the New Birth? + +Mr. R.--I judge it by what I know of the Old Birth. I was born of +human parents into the human family; so I belong to Adam's race by +nature and by generation, and I inherit Adam's sin and curse +accordingly. The new birth is from my union by faith with the second +Adam; but this is by _grace_, not nature: and when I receive the +Lord Jesus Christ I am born of God--not by generation, but by +regeneration. As I am united to the first Adam by nature and +generation, so I am united by faith through grace and regeneration +to the second Adam, and inherit all His fullness accordingly. + +Mr. M.--What is the meaning of being "saved by the Blood?" + +Mr. R.--A gentleman asked me that in the inquiry-room; "What do you +mean by the shed Blood?" It is the poured-out life of the Son of God +forfeited as the atonement for sinners' sins. + +Mr. M.--Is it available now? + +Mr. R.--Yes; as much as ever it was. + +Mr. M.--You mean it is just as powerful to-day as it was eighteen +hundred years ago when He shed it? + +Mr. R.--If the blood of Abel cried out for vengeance against his +slayer, how much more does the blood of Christ cry out for pardon +for all who plead it! "It cleanseth (present tense) from all sin." + +Mr. M.--How do you get faith? + +Mr. R.--By hearing God's Word. "Faith cometh by hearing; and hearing +by the Word of God." + +Mr. M.--How do you get the Holy Ghost? + +Mr. R.--In the same way as you get faith. The Holy Ghost uses the +Word as the chariot by which He enters the believer's soul. The +Gospel is called "the ministration of the Spirit." + +Mr. M.--Is the Word of God addressed to all here? + +Mr. R.--"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to +the Churches" (Rev. iii 22). + +Mr. M.--What is the Gospel? + +Mr. R.--"Good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." +If our Gospel, proclaiming life, pardon, and peace, is not as +applicable for salvation to the vilest harlot here as to the +greatest saint in London, it is not Christ's Gospel we preach. + +Mr. M.--What reason does the Scripture give tor the Gospel being hid +to some? + +Mr. R.--It is "hid to them that are lost; in whom the God of this +world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the +light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, +should shine into them." May God open all our eyes, and take away +the veil of unbelief with which the devil may be blinding any of us! + +Mr. M.--Are there not many who give an intellectual assent to all +these things; and who yet have no power, and no divine life? + +Mr. R.--An intellectual assent is not faith. I have never found +anyone who really believed God's Word who did not get power in +believing it. People may _assent_ to it; but I do not admit that +that is believing it. I do not think there is any man or woman here +who really believes the Gospel of the grace of God, who has not been +taught it by the Holy Ghost. I could easily cross-examine any one of +those "intellectual believers" who imagines he believes God, but +really does not; and he would break down in a few minutes. + +Mr. M.--For whom, then, did Christ die? + +Mr. R.--For "the ungodly." + +Mr. M.--Why is salvation obtained by faith? + +Mr. R.--That it might be by grace. "For this cause it is of faith, +that it may be according to grace?" + +Mr. M.--How may a man know if he has eternal life? + +Mr. R.--By not treating God as if He were a liar, when He tells us +He has given us eternal life in His Son. + +Mr. M.--What is the means by which the New Birth we were speaking of +is effected? + +Mr. R.--"Of His own will begat He us with the _word of truth_." +"Being _born again_, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, +by the _Word of God_ . . . . and this is the Word, which by the +Gospel is preached unto you." + + "Oh, the wondrous love of Jesus + To redeem us with His blood! + Through His all-atoning merit, + He has brought us near to God: + For the boundless grace that saves us + We His name will magnify; + He is coming in His glory, + We shall see Him by and by! + + Oh, the wondrous love of Jesus + To redeem our souls from death! + We will thank Him, we will praise Him, + While His mercy lends us breath: + We are waiting--only waiting-- + Till He comes our souls to bear + To the Home beyond the shadows, + In His Kingdom over there!" + +_F. J. Crosby_ + + + +III.--MR. MOODY AND MR. RADSTOCK. + + +WHAT IT IS TO BE CONVERTED. + + +MR. MOODY: Christ says, "Except ye be converted, and become as +little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." +What is it to be converted? + +Mr. Radstock: To be "converted" is to turn to God, who is the only +one that can save. We cannot save ourselves even by our religion. +Therefore, in order to salvation we must turn to God, who alone has +the grace, the wisdom, and the power to save. + +Mr. M.--What is it to be born of the Spirit? + +Mr. R.--Man, by nature, cannot enter into the thoughts of God. He +cannot hold communion with God until he has a new nature. The +natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: he has no +capacity until he has the new life which God will give him by the +power of the Holy Ghost. + +Mr. M.--Can he get that to-day if he repents? + +Mr. R.--Yes. Repentance means a change of mind--a turning away from +his own thoughts to hear the voice and the message of God. If we +listen to the voice of God and confess our sins, God is "faithful +and just to forgive us our sins." + +Mr. M.--To whom are we to confess our sins? + +Mr. R.--When the light of God comes in, we see that we are guilty +before him; then we are constrained to go and lay our case before +Him. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us. + +Mr. M.--There is a passage that says the Lord Jesus Christ bear our +sins. In what sense did He bear our sins. + +Mr. R.--The Lord Jesus Christ had really laid to His charge sins +which He had never committed. He was punished as if He had been the +sinner. Therefore on the cross He cried out, "My God, my God, why +hast Thou forsaken me?" God was dealing with Jesus as if He had +really been the guilty one. + +Mr. M.--Do we get any help by believing that? + +Mr. R.--When I believe God's testimony, God's witness about Jesus, I +then can trust myself to God, Giving myself to God, God becomes my +Saviour. + +Mr. M.--Have these friends the power to believe? + +Mr. R.--They are commanded to believe. They can believe it just as +well as they can believe any other fact, if they only listen to +God's voice. But they must get rid of their own thoughts, and listen +to God: Hearing His voice they will believe. "Faith cometh by +hearing: and hearing by the Word of God." + +Mr. M.--All the sinner has to do is to repose in the promises of +God? + +Mr. R.--Simply to trust Himself to God. + +Mr. M.--What would you say to a man who says he has tried a good +many times and failed; and who has become discouraged? + +Mr. R.--That man has probably made a good many resolutions, hoping +that he would gradually make himself a Christian by going through +this or that process, or by doing this or that thing. Of course he +failed, because he tried to make himself a Christian. Instead of +trying to save himself, let him trust in God, who has pledged His +word that every one who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ has at +that moment everlasting life. + +Mr. M.--Should a man not break off from some of his sins before he +comes to God? Suppose he swears or has a bad temper, should he not +get a little control over his temper, or stop swearing, before he +comes to Christ? + +Mr. R.--God knows that a man's nature is wrong: therefore He has +promised to give a man a new nature. We must therefore go to God, +just as a man goes to a physician, because he needs to be cured of +some disease. + +Mr. M.--Can a drunkard or a blasphemer be saved all at once? + +Mr. R.--Paul says: "To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him +that justifieth the ungodly" bad people, lost people, ruined +people--"his faith is counted for righteousness." When he believes +God, God becomes his Saviour. God is the friend of sinners. + +Mr. M.--What is it to believe God? + +Mr. R.--To take Him at His word. + +Mr. M.--Do you not think there are a good many here who believe that +Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world; and yet they are not +saved? + +Mr. R.--No doubt; because they have not believed for themselves. A +man at the time of the Deluge, for instance, might have said, "Yes, +I believe it is a very good ark indeed; and that it will save those +who get into it." But it does not follow that he got into it +himself. The ark only saved those who went into it. So, when a man +trusts in Jesus Christ for himself, Jesus becomes his personal and +eternal Saviour. + +Mr. M.--What if he should fall into sin after he has believed in +Christ? + +Mr. R.--"These things write I unto you that ye sin not," says John; +"and if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father." The Good +Physician will not give up His case because of the disease; He will +deal with it. The Good Shepherd will not turn His poor wandering +sheep away; He will go after it, and bring it back. He has promised +that He will save His people _from_ their sins. + +Mr. M.--Is salvation within the reach of every man here tonight? + +Mr. R.--Jesus said, "God so loved the world that He gave his only +begotten Son, that _whosoever_ believeth in Him should not perish, +but have everlasting life." + +Mr. M.--But some say they do not feel that; they do not realize it. + +Mr. R.--When they take God at His word, and cast themselves upon +Him, whether they feel it or not--when they confess Jesus Christ as +their Lord--the Holy Ghost will come as a power to make them realize +it. For instance, a man at the time of the Deluge might have stood +outside the ark, and said, "I cannot realize how this ark will lift +me up above the waters." But if he were inside when the flood came +he would realize it. The sinner must believe first, and have his +experience afterwards. A man is told that a certain train will take +him to Edinburgh. He has never been there: he does not understand +about this particular train; and he cannot realize that it will take +him there. But he knows that he may trust the friend who told him; +so he gets into the train. Then he realizes that he is in the train; +by and by he will be able to realize that he is in Edinburgh. + +Mr. M.--Would you advise people to come to God as they are, with +their unfeeling, treacherous, hard hearts--with any kind of heart? + +Mr. R.--God has provided this salvation for lost sinners--those who +are thoroughly bad and corrupt. It is for such that God has shown +His salvation, His love, His grace. + +Mr. M.--What would you say to any one who thinks he has no power to +believe? + +Mr. R.--He _has_ the power to believe. Probably he is trying to +believe something about himself; to feel something about himself +instead of giving credit to God--He is not asked to realize this or +that about himself, but to believe the faithful God. + +Mr. M.--Some say they have no power to overcome a besetting sin? + +Mr. R.--Jesus came proclaiming liberty to the captives. As we read +in the beautiful words of the Church of England Prayer-book: "Though +we be tied and bound by the chains of our sin, let the pitifulness +of Thy mercy save us." Jesus Christ takes the prisoners of sin and +breaks off their chains. + +Mr. M.--There is something said about confessing Christ. Would you +advise any one who wants to become a Christian to start right here +by confessing Christ with the mouth? + +Mr. R.--God is already on your side, whoever you are. Christ is +Immanuel--God with us and for us. He is already on your side, +whether you believe it or not. Now it is for you to decide whether +He shall be your Saviour. He says that if you own Him as Lord--who +is now the one rejected by the world--He is responsible to be your +Saviour from that moment. + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Sovereign Grace, by Dwight Moody + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SOVEREIGN GRACE *** + +***** This file should be named 30657.txt or 30657.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/0/6/5/30657/ + +Produced by Keith G. Richardson + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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