THE WAY TO GOD

AND HOW TO FIND IT

By D. L. MOODY

Fleming H. Revell Company

Chicago New York Toronto

_Publishers of Evangelical Literature_

Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1884, By F. H. REVELL, In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 

TO THE READER

In this small volume I have endeavored to point out the Way to God. 

I have embodied in the little book a considerable part of severaladdresses which have been delivered in different cities, both ofGreat Britain and my own country. God has graciously owned them whenspoken from the pulpit, and I trust will none the less add hisblessing now they have been put into the printed page with additionalmatter. 

I have called attention first to the Love of God, the source of allGifts of Grace; have then endeavored to present truths to meet thespecial needs of representative classes, answering the question, "Howman can be just with God, " hoping thereby to lead souls to Him who is"the Way, the Truth and the Life. "

The last chapter is specially addressed to Backsliders--a class, alas, far too numerous amongst us. 

With the earnest prayer and hope that by the blessing of God on thesepages the reader may be strengthened, established and settled in thefaith of Christ, I am, yours in His service, D. L. Moody

CONTENTS. 

Chapter I. "Love that passeth Knowledge"

Chapter II. The Gateway into the Kingdom

Chapter III. The Two Classes

Chapter IV. Words of Counsel

Chapter V. A Divine Saviour

Chapter VI. Repentance and Restitution

Chapter VII. Assurance of Salvation

Chapter VIII. Christ All and in All

Chapter IX. Backsliding

THE WAY TO GOD. 

CHAPTER I. 

"_LOVE THAT PASSETH KNOWLEDGE_. "

"To know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge. "

(Ephesians iii. 19. )

If I could only make men understand the real meaning of the words ofthe apostle John--"God is love, " I would take that single text, andwould go up and down the world proclaiming this glorious truth. Ifyou can convince a man that you love him you have won his heart. Ifwe really make people believe that God loves them, how we should findthem crowding into the kingdom of heaven! The trouble is that menthink God hates them; and so they are all the time running away fromHim. 

We built a church in Chicago some years ago; and were very anxious toteach the people the love of God. We thought if we could not preachit into their hearts we would try and burn it in; so we put rightover the pulpit in gas-jets these words--God is Love. A man goingalong the streets one night glanced through the door, and saw thetext. He was a poor prodigal. As he passed on he thought to himself, "God is Love! No! He does not love me; for I am a poor miserablesinner. " He tried to get rid of the text; but it seemed to stand outright before him in letters of fire. He went on a little further;then turned round, went back, and went into the meeting. He did nothear the sermon; but the words of that short text had got deeplylodged in his heart, and that was enough. It is of little accountwhat men say if the Word of God only gets an entrance into thesinner's heart. He staid after the first meeting was over; and Ifound him there weeping like a child. As I unfolded the Scripturesand told him how God had loved him all the time, although he hadwandered so far away, and how God was waiting to receive him andforgive him, the light of the Gospel broke into his mind, and he wentaway rejoicing. 

There is nothing in this world that men prize so much us they doLove. Show me a person who has no one to care for or love him, and Iwill show you one of the most wretched beings on the face of theearth. Why do people commit suicide? Very often it is because thisthought steals in upon them--that no one loves them; and they wouldrather die than live. 

I know of no truth in the whole Bible that ought to come home to uswith such power and tenderness as that of the Love of God; and thereis no truth in the Bible that Satan would so much like to blot out. For more than six thousand years he has been trying to persuade menthat God does not love them. He succeeded in making our first parentsbelieve this lie; and he too often succeeds with their children. 

The idea that God does not love us often comes from false teaching. Mothers make a mistake in teaching children that God does not lovethem when they do wrong; but only when they do right. That is nottaught in Scripture. You do not teach your children that when they dowrong you hate them. Their wrong-doing does not change your love tohate; if it did, you would change your love a great many times. Because your child is fretful, or has committed some act ofdisobedience, you do not cast him out as though he did not belong toyou! No! he is still your child; and you love him. And if men havegone astray from God it does not follow that He hates _them_. It isthe sin that He hates. 

I believe the reason why a great many people think God does not lovethem is because they are measuring God by their own small rule, fromtheir own standpoint. We love men as long as we consider them worthyof our love; when they are not we cast them off. It is not so withGod. There is a vast difference between human love and Divine love. 

In Ephesians iii. 18, we are told of the breadth, and length, anddepth, and height, of God's love. Many of us think we know somethingof God's love; but centuries hence we shall admit we have never foundout much about it. Columbus discovered America; but what did he knowabout its great lakes, rivers, forests, and the Mississippi Valley?He died, without knowing much about what he had discovered. So, manyof us have discovered something of the love of God; but there areheights, depths and lengths of it we do not know. That Love is agreat ocean; and we require to plunge into it before we really knowanything of it. It is said of a Roman Catholic Archbishop of Paris, that when he was thrown into prison and condemned to be shot, alittle while before he was led out to die, he saw a window in hiscell in the shape of a cross. Upon the top of the cross he wrote"height, " at the bottom "depth, " and at the end of each arm "length. "He had experienced the truth conveyed in the hymn--

 "When I survey the wondrous Cross, On which the Prince of Glory died. "

When we wish to know the love of God we should go to Calvary. Can welook upon that scene, and say God did not love us? That cross speaksof the love of God. Greater love never has been taught than thatwhich the cross teaches. What prompted God to give up Christ?--whatprompted Christ to die?--if it were not love? "Greater love hath noman than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. " Christlaid down His life for His enemies; Christ laid down His life for Hismurderers; Christ laid down His life for them that hated Him; and thespirit of the cross, the spirit of Calvary, is love. When they weremocking Him and deriding Him, what did He say? "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. " That is love. He did not call downfire from heaven to consume them; there was nothing but love in Hisheart. 

If you study the Bible you will find that the love of God is_unchangeable_. Many who loved you at one time have perhaps growncold in their affection, and turned away from you: it may be thattheir love is changed to hatred. It is not so with God. It isrecorded of Jesus Christ, just when He was about to be parted fromHis disciples and led away to Calvary, that: "having loved His ownwhich were in the world, He loved them unto the end" (John xiii. 1). He knew that one of His disciples would betray Him; yet He lovedJudas. He knew that another disciple would deny Him, and swear thathe never knew Him; and yet He loved Peter. It was the love whichChrist had for Peter that broke his heart, and brought him back inpenitence to the feet of his Lord. For three years Jesus had beenwith the disciples trying to teach them His love, not only by Hislife and words, but by His works. And, on the night of His betrayal, He takes a basin of water, girds Himself with a towel, and taking theplace of a servant, washes their feet; He wanted to convince them ofHis unchanging love. 

There is no portion of Scripture I read so often as John xiv; andthere is none that is more sweet to me. I never tire of reading it. Hear what our Lord says, as He pours out His heart to His Disciples:"At that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, and ye in Me, andI in you. He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it isthat loveth Me: and _he that loveth Me shall be loved by My Father_"(xiv. 20, 21). Think of the great God who created heaven and earthloving you and me! . . . "If a man love Me, he will keep My words;and My Father will love him; and We will come unto him, and make Ourabode with him" (v. 23). 

Would to God that our puny minds could grasp this great truth, thatthe Father and the Son so love us that They desire to come and abidewith us. Not to tarry for a night, but to come and _abide_ in ourhearts. 

We have another passage more wonderful still in John xvii. 23. "I inthem, and thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and thatthe world may know that Thou hast sent Me, _and hast loved them asThou hast loved Me_. " I think that is one of the most remarkablesayings that ever fell from the lips of Jesus Christ. There is noreason why the Father should not love him. He was obedient untodeath; He never transgressed the Father's law, or turned aside fromthe path of perfect obedience by one hair's breadth. It is verydifferent with us; and yet, notwithstanding all our rebellion andfoolishness, He says that if we are trusting in Christ, the Fatherloves us as He loves the Son. Marvellous love! Wonderful love! ThatGod can possibly love us as He loves His own Son seems too good to betrue. Yet that is the teaching of Jesus Christ. 

It is hard to make a sinner believe in this unchangeable love of God. When a man has wandered away from God he thinks that God hates him. We must make a distinction between sin and the sinner. God loves thesinner; but He hates the sin. He hates sin, because it mars humanlife. It is just because God loves the sinner that He hates sin. 

God's love is not only unchangeable, but _unfailing_. In Isaiah xlix. 15, 16 we read: "Can a woman forget her sucking child that she shouldnot have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget; yetwill I not forget thee. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms ofMy hands; thy walls are continually before Me. "

Now the strongest human love that we know of is a _mother's love_. Many things will separate a man from his wife. A father may turn hisback on his child; brothers and sisters may become inveterateenemies; husbands may desert their wives; wives, their husbands. Buta mother's love endures through all. In good repute, in bad repute, in the face of the world's condemnation, a mother loves on, and hopesthat her child may turn from his evil ways and repent. She remembersthe infant smiles, the merry laugh of childhood, the promise ofyouth; and she can never be brought to think him unworthy. Deathcannot quench a mother's love; it is stronger than death. 

You have seen a mother watching over her sick child. How willinglyshe would take the disease into her own body if she could thusrelieve her child! Week after week she will keep watch; she will letno one else take care of that sick child. 

A friend of mine, some time ago, was visiting in a beautiful homewhere he met a number of friends. After they had all gone away, having left something behind, he went back to get it. There he foundthe lady of the house, a wealthy lady, sitting behind a poor fellowwho looked like a tramp. _He was her own son_. Like the prodigal, hehad wandered far away: yet the mother said, "This is my boy; I lovehim still. " Take a mother with nine or ten children, if one goesastray, she seems to love that one more than any of the rest. 

A leading minister in the state of New York once told me of a fatherwho was a very bad character. The mother did all she could to preventthe contamination of the boy; but the influence of the father wasstronger, and he led his son into all kinds of sin until the ladbecame one of the worst of criminals. He committed murder, and wasput on his trial. All through the trial, the widowed mother (for thefather had died) sat in the court. When the witnesses testifiedagainst the boy it seemed to hurt the mother much more than the son. When he was found guilty and sentenced to die, every one else feelingthe justice of the verdict, seemed satisfied at the result. But themother's love never faltered. She begged for a reprieve; but that wasdenied. After the execution she craved for the body; and this alsowas refused. According to custom, it was buried in the prison yard. Alittle while afterwards the mother herself died; but, before she wastaken away, she expressed a desire to be buried by the side of herboy. She was not ashamed of being known as the mother of a murderer. 

The story is told of a young woman in Scotland, who left her home, and became an outcast in Glasgow. Her mother sought her far and wide, but in vain. At last, she caused her picture to be hung upon thewalls of the Midnight Mission rooms, where abandoned women resorted. Many gave the picture a passing glance. One lingered by the picture. It is the same dear face that looked down upon her in her childhood. She has not forgotten nor cast off her sinning child; or her picturewould never have been hung upon those walls. The lips seemed to open, and whisper, "Come home; I forgive you, and love you still. " The poorgirl sank down overwhelmed with her feelings. She was the prodigaldaughter. The sight of her mother's face had broken her heart. Shebecame truly penitent for her sins, and with a heart full of sorrowand shame, returned to her forsaken home; and mother and daughterwere once more united. 

But let me tell you that no mother's love is to be compared with thelove of God; it does not measure the height of the depth of God'slove. No mother in this world ever loved her child as God loves youand me. Think of the love that God must have had when He gave His Sonto die for the world. I used to think a good deal more of Christ thanI did of the Father. Somehow or other I had the idea that God was astern judge; that Christ came between me and God, and appeased theanger of God. But after I became a father, and for years had an onlyson, as I looked at my boy I thought of the Father giving His Son todie; and it seemed to me as if it required more love for the Fatherto give His Son than for the Son to die. Oh, the love that God musthave had for the world when He gave His Son to die for it! "God soloved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoeverbelieveth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (Johniii. 16). I have never been able to preach from that text. I haveoften thought I would; but it is so high that I can never climb toits height; I have just quoted it and passed on. Who can fathom thedepth of those words: "God so loved the world?" We can never scalethe heights of His love or fathom its depths. Paul prayed that hemight know the height, the depth, the length, and the breadth, of thelove of God; but it was past his finding out. It "passeth knowledge"(Eph. Iii. 19). 

Nothing speaks to us of the love of God, like the cross of Christ. Come with me to Calvary, and look upon the Son of God as He hangsthere. Can you hear that piercing cry from His dying lips: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do!" and say that He doesnot love you? "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man laydown his life for his friends" (John xv. 13). But Jesus Christ laiddown His life _for his enemies_. 

Another thought is this: He loved us long before we ever thought ofHim. The idea that he does not love us until we first love Him is notto be found in Scripture. In 1 John iv. 10, it is written: "Herein islove, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Sonto be the propitiation for our sins. " He loved us before we everthought of loving Him. You loved your children before they knewanything about your love. And so, long before we ever thought of God, we were in His thoughts. 

What brought the prodigal home? It was the thought that his fatherloved him. Suppose the news had reached him that he was cast off, andthat his father did not care for him any more, would he have goneback? Never! But the thought dawned upon him that his father lovedhim still: so he rose up, and went back to his home. Dear reader, thelove of the Father ought to bring us back to Him. It was Adam'scalamity and sin that revealed God's love. When Adam fell God camedown and dealt in mercy with him. If any one is lost it will not bebecause God does not love him: it will be because he has resisted thelove of God. 

What will make Heaven attractive? Is it the pearly gates or thegolden streets? No. Heaven will be attractive, because there we shallbehold Him who loved us so much as to give His only-begotten Son todie for us. What makes home attractive? Is it the beautiful furnitureand stately rooms? No; some homes with all these are like whitedsepulchres. In Brooklyn a mother was dying; and it was necessary totake her child from her, because the little child could notunderstand the nature of the sickness, and disturbed her mother. Every night the child sobbed herself to sleep in a neighbor's house, because she wanted to go back to her mother's; but the mother grewworse, and they could not take the child home. At last the motherdied; and after her death they thought it best not to let the childsee her dead mother in her coffin. After the burial the child raninto one room crying "Mamma! mamma!" and then into another crying"Mamma! mamma!" and so went over the whole house: and when the littlecreature failed to find that loved one she cried to be taken back tothe neighbors. So what makes heaven attractive is the thought that weshall see Christ who has loved us and given Himself for us. 

If you ask me why God should love us, I cannot tell. I suppose it isbecause He is a true Father. It is His nature to love; just as it isthe nature of the sun to shine. He wants you to share in that love. Do not let unbelief keep you away from Him. Do not think that, because you are a sinner, God does not love you, or care for you. Hedoes! He wants to save you and bless you. 

"When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for theungodly" (Rom. V. 6). Is that not enough to convince you that Heloves you? He would not have died for you if He had not loved you. Isyour heart so hard that you can brace yourself up against His love, and spurn and despise it? You _can_ do it; but it will be at yourperil. 

I can imagine some saying to themselves, "Yes, we believe that Godloves us, if we love Him; we believe that God loves the pure and theholy. " Let me say, my friend, not only does God love the pure and theholy: He also loves the ungodly. "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, _while we were yet sinners_, Christ died for us" (Rom. V. 8). God sent him to die for the sins of the whole world. If youbelong to the world, then you have part and lot in this love that hasbeen exhibited in the cross of Christ. 

There is a passage in Revelation (i. 5. ) which I think a great dealof--"Unto Him that loved us, and washed us. " It might be thought thatGod would first wash us, and then love us. But no, He first loved us. About eight years ago the whole country was intensely excited aboutCharlie Ross, a child of four years old, who was stolen. Two men in agig asked him and an elder brother if they wanted some candy. Theythen drove away with the younger boy, leaving the elder one. For manyyears a search has been made in every State and territory. Men havebeen over to Great Britain, France, and Germany, and have hunted invain for the child. The mother still lives in the hope that she willsee her long lost Charlie. I never remember the whole country to havebeen so much agitated about any event unless it was the assassinationof President Garfield. Well, suppose the mother of Charlie Ross werein some meeting; and that while the preacher was speaking, shehappened to look down amongst the audience and see her long lost son. Suppose that he was poor, dirty and ragged, shoeless and coatless, what would she do? Would she wait till he was washed and decentlyclothed before she would acknowledge him? No, she would get off theplatform at once, rush towards him and take him in her arms. Afterthat she would cleanse and clothe him. So it is with God. He lovedus, and washed us. I can imagine one saying, "If God loves me, whydoes He not make me good?" God wants sons and daughters in heaven; Hedoes not want machines or slaves. He could break our stubborn hearts, but He wants to draw us towards Himself by the cords of love. 

He wanted you to sit down with Him at the marriage supper of theLamb; to wash you, and make you whiter than snow. He wants you towalk with Him the crystal pavement of yonder blissful world. He wantsto adopt you into His family; and to make you a son or a daughter ofheaven. Will you trample His love under your feet? or will you, thishour, give yourself to Him?

When our terrible civil war was going on, a mother received the newsthat her boy had been wounded in the battle of the Wilderness. Shetook the first train, and started for her boy, although the order hadgone forth from the War Department that no more women should beadmitted within the lines. But a mother's love knows nothing aboutorders so she managed by tears and entreaties to get through thelines to the Wilderness. At last she found the hospital where her boywas. Then she went to the doctor and she said: "Will you let me go tothe ward and nurse my boy?"

The doctor said: "I have just got your boy to sleep; he is in a verycritical state; and I am afraid if you wake him up the excitementwill be so great that it will carry him off. You had better waitawhile, and remain without until I tell him that you have come, andbreak the news gradually to him. " The mother looked into the doctor'sface and said: "Doctor, supposing my boy does not wake up, and Ishould never see him alive! Let me go and sit down by his side; Iwon't speak to him. " "If you will not speak to him you may do so, "said the doctor. 

She crept to the cot and looked into the face of her boy. How she hadlonged to look at him! How her eyes seemed to be feasting as shegazed upon his countenance! When she got near enough she could notkeep her hands off; she laid that tender, loving hand upon his brow. The moment the hand touched the forehead of her boy, he, withoutopening his eyes, cried out: "Mother, you have come!" He knew thetouch of that loving hand. There was love and sympathy in it. 

Ah, sinner, if you feel the loving touch of Jesus you will recognizeit; it is so full of tenderness. The world may treat you unkindly;but Christ never will. You will never have a better Friend in thisworld. What you need is--to come today to Him. Let His loving arm beunderneath you; let His loving hand be about you; and He will holdyou with mighty power. He will keep you, and fill that heart of yourswith His tenderness and love. 

I can imagine some of you saying, "How shall I go to Him?" Why, justas you would go to your mother. Have you done your mother a greatinjury and a great wrong? If so, you go to her and you say, "Mother, I want you to forgive me. " Treat Christ in the same way. Go to Himto-day and tell Him that you have not loved Him, that you have nottreated Him right; confess you sins, and see how quickly He willbless you. 

I am reminded of another incident--that of a boy who had been triedby court-martial and ordered to be shot. The hearts of the father andmother were broken when they heard the news. In that home was alittle girl. She had read the life of Abraham Lincoln, and she said:"Now, if Abraham Lincoln knew how my father and mother loved theirboy, he would not let my brother be shot. " She wanted her father togo to Washington to plead for his boy. But the father said: "No;there is no use; the law must take its course. They have refused topardon one or two who have been sentenced by that court-martial, andan order has gone forth that the President is not going to interfereagain; if a man has been sentenced by court-martial he must sufferthe consequences. " That father and mother had not faith to believethat their boy might be pardoned. 

But the little girl was strong in hope; she got on the train away upin Vermont, and started off to Washington. When she reached the WhiteHouse the soldiers refused to let her in; but she told her pitifulstory, and they allowed her to pass. When she got to the Secretary'sroom, where the President's private secretary was, he refused toallow her to enter the private office of the President. But thelittle girl told her story, and it touched the heart of the privatesecretary; so he passed her in. As she went into Abraham Lincoln'sroom, there were United States senators, generals, governors andleading politicians, who were there about important business aboutthe war; but the President happened to see that child standing at hisdoor. He wanted to know what she wanted, and she went right to himand told her story in her own language. He was a father, and thegreat tears trickled down Abraham Lincoln's cheeks. He wrote adispatch ard sent it to the army to have that boy sent to Washingtonat once. When he arrived, the President pardoned him, gave him thirtydays furlough, and sent him home with the little girl to cheer thehearts of the father and mother. 

Do you want to know how to go to Christ? Go just as that little girlwent to Abraham Lincoln. It may be possible that you have a darkstory to tell. Tell it all out; keep nothing back. If Abraham Lincolnhad compassion on that little girl, heard her petition and answeredit, do you think the Lord Jesus will not hear your prayer? Do, youthink that Abraham Lincoln, or any man that ever lived on earth, hadas much compassion as Christ? No! He will be touched when no one elsewill; He will have mercy when no one else will; He will have pitywhen no one else will. If you will go right to Him, confessing yoursin and your need, He will save you. 

A few years ago a man left England and went to America. He was anEnglishman; but he was naturalized, and so became an Americancitizen. After a few years he felt restless and dissatisfied, andwent to Cuba; and after he had been in Cuba a little while civil warbroke out there; it was in 1867; and this man was arrested by theSpanish government as a spy. He was tried by court-martial, foundguilty and ordered to be shot. The whole trial was conducted in theSpanish language, and the poor man did not know what was going on. When they told him the verdict, that he was found guilty and had beencondemned to be shot, he sent to the American Consul and the EnglishConsul, and laid the whole case before them, proving his innocenceand claiming protection. They examined the case, and found that thisman whom the Spanish officers had condemned to be shot was perfectlyinnocent; they went to the Spanish General and said, "Look here, thisman whom you have condemned to death is an innocent man; he is notguilty. " But the Spanish General said, "He has been tried by our law;he has been found guilty; he must die. " There was no electric cable;and these men could not consult with their governments. 

The morning came on which the man was to be executed. He was broughtout sitting on his coffin in a cart, and drawn to the place where hewas to be executed. A grave was dug. They took the coffin out of thecart, placed the young man upon it, took the black cap, and were justpulling it down over his face. The Spanish soldiers awaited the orderto fire. But just then the American and English Consuls rode up. TheEnglish Consul sprang out of the carriage and took the union jack, the British flag, and wrapped it around the man, and the AmericanConsul wrapped around him the star-spangled banner, and then turningto the Spanish officers they said: "Fire upon those flags if youdare. " They did not dare to fire upon the flags. There were two greatgovernments behind those flags. That was the secret of it. 

"He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me waslove. . . . His left hand is under my head, and His right hand dothembrace me" (Song Sol. Ii. 4, 6). Thank God we can come under thebanner to-day if we will. Any, poor sinner can come under that bannerto-day. His banner of love is over us. Blessed Gospel; blessed, precious, news. Believe it to-day; receive it into your heart; andenter into a new life. Let the love of God be shed abroad in yourheart by the Holy Ghost to-day: it will drive away darkness; it willdrive away gloom; it will drive away sin; and peace and joy shall beyours. 

CHAPTER II. 

_THE GATEWAY INTO THE KINGDOM_. 

"Except a man be born again he cannot enter the kingdom of God. "

(John iii. 3. )

There is no portion of the Word of God, perhaps, with which we aremore familiar than this passage. I suppose if I were to ask those inany audience if they believed that Jesus Christ taught the doctrineof the New Birth, nine tenths of them would say: "Yes, I believe Hedid. "

Now if the words of this text are true they embody one of the mostsolemn questions that can come before us. We can afford to bedeceived about many things rather than about this one thing. Christmakes it very plain. He says, "Except a man be born again, he cannot_see_ the Kingdom of God"--much less inherit it. This doctrine of theNew Birth is therefore the foundation of all our hopes for the worldto come. It is really the A B C of the Christian religion. Myexperience has been this--that if a man is unsound on this doctrinehe will be unsound on almost every other fundamental doctrine in theBible. A true understanding of this subject will help a man to solvea thousand difficulties that he may meet with in the Word of God. Things that before seemed very dark and mysterious will become veryplain. 

The doctrine of the New Birth upsets all false religion--all falseviews about the Bible and about God. A friend of mine once told methat in one of his after-meetings, a man came to him with a long listof questions written out for him to answer. He said: "If you cananswer these questions satisfactorily, I have made up my mind to be aChristian. " "Do you not think, " said my friend, "that you had bettercome to Christ first? Then you can look into these questions. " Theman thought that perhaps he had better do so. After he had receivedChrist, he looked again at his list of questions; but then it seemedto him as if they had all been answered. Nicodemus came with histroubled mind, and Christ said to him, "Ye must be born again. " Hewas treated altogether differently from what he expected; but Iventure to say that was the most blessed night in all his life. To be"born again" is the greatest blessing that will ever come to us inthis world. 

Notice how the Scripture puts it. "Except a man be born again, " "bornfrom above, "[Note: John iii. 3. _Marginal reading_] "born of theSpirit. " From amongst a number of other passages where we find thisword "except, " I would just name three. "Except ye repent, ye shallall likewise perish. " (Luke xiii. 3, 5. ) "Except ye be converted, andbecome as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom ofheaven. " (Matt. Xviii. 3. ) "Except your righteousness shall exceedthe righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no caseenter into the kingdom of heaven. " (Matt. V. 20. ) They all reallymean the same thing. 

I am so thankful that our Lord spoke of the New Birth to this rulerof the Jews, this doctor of the law, rather than to the woman at thewell of Samaria, or to Matthew the publican, or to Zaccheus. If Hehad reserved his teaching on this great matter for these three, orsuch as these, people would have said: "Oh yes, these publicans andharlots need to be converted: but I am an upright man; I do not needto be converted. " I suppose Nicodemus was one of the best specimensof the people of Jerusalem: there was nothing on record against him. 

I think it is scarcely necessary for me to prove that we need to beborn again before we are meet for heaven. I venture to say that thereis no candid man but would say he is not fit for the kingdom of God, until he is born of another Spirit. The Bible teaches us that man bynature is lost and guilty, and our experience confirms this. We knowalso that the best and holiest man, if he turn away from God, willvery soon fall into sin. 

Now, let me say what Regeneration is not. It is not going to church. Very often I see people, and ask them if they are Christians. "Yes, of course I am; at least, I think I am: I go to church every Sunday. "Ah, but this is not Regeneration. Others say, "I am trying to do whatis right--am I not a Christian? Is not that a new birth?" No. Whathas that to do with being born again? There is yet anotherclass--those who have "turned over a new leaf, " and think they areregenerated. No; forming a new resolution is not being born again. 

Nor will being baptized do you any good. Yet you hear people say, "Why, I have been baptized; and I was born again when I wasbaptized. " They believe that because they were baptized into thechurch, they were baptized into the Kingdom of God. I tell you thatit is utterly impossible. You may be baptized into the church, andyet not be baptized into the Son of God. Baptism is all right in itsplace. God forbid that I should say anything against it. But if youput that in the place of Regeneration--in the place of the New Birth--itis a terrible mistake. You cannot be baptized into the Kingdom ofGod. "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. "If any one reading this rests his hopes on anything else--on anyother foundation--I pray that God may sweep it away. 

Another class say, "I go to the Lord's Supper; I partake uniformly ofthe Sacrament. " Blessed ordinance! Jesus hath said that as often asye do it ye commemorate His death. Yet, that is not being "bornagain;" that is not passing from death unto life. Jesus says plainly--andso plainly that there need not be any mistake about it--"Excepta man be born of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom ofGod. " What has a sacrament to do with that? What has going to churchto do with being born again?

Another man comes up and says, "I say my prayers regularly. " Still Isay that is not being born of the Spirit. It is a very solemnquestion, then, that comes up before us; and oh! that every readerwould ask himself earnestly and faithfully: "Have I been born again?Have I been born of the Spirit? Have I passed from death unto life?"

There is a class of men who say that special religious meetings arevery good for a certain class of people. They would be very good ifyou could get the drunkard there, or get the gambler there, or getother vicious people there--that would do a great deal of good. But"we do not need to be converted. " To whom did Christ utter thesewords of wisdom? To Nicodemus. Who was Nicodemus? Was he a drunkard, a gambler, or a thief? No! No doubt he was one of the very best menin Jerusalem. He was an honorable Councillor; he belonged to theSanhedrim; he held a very high position; he was an orthodox man; hewas one of the very soundest men. And yet what did Christ say to him?"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. "

But I can imagine some one saying, "What am I to do? I cannot createlife. I certainly cannot save myself. " You certainly cannot; and wedo not claim that you can. We tell you it is utterly impossible tomake a man better without Christ; but that is what men are trying todo. They are trying to patch up this "old Adam" nature. There must bea new creation. Regeneration is a new creation; and if it is a newcreation it must be the work of God. In the first chapter of Genesisman does not appear. There is no one there but God. Man is not thereto take part. When God created the earth He was alone. When Christredeemed the world He was alone. 

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born ofthe Spirit is spirit. " (John iii. 6. ) The Ethiopian cannot change hisskin, and the leopard cannot change his spots. You might as well tryto make yourselves pure and holy without the help of God. It would bejust as easy for you to do that as for the black man to wash himselfwhite. A man might just as well try to leap over the moon as to serveGod in the flesh. Therefore, "that which is born of the flesh isflesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. "

Now God tells us in this chapter how we are to get into His kingdom. We are not to work our way in--not but that salvation is worthworking for. We admit all that. If there were rivers and mountains inthe way, it would be well worth while to swim those rivers, and climbthose mountains. There is no doubt that salvation is worth all thateffort; but we do not obtain it by our works. It is "to him thatworketh not, but believeth" (Rom. Iv. 5). We work because we aresaved; we do not work to be saved. We work from the cross; but nottowards it. It is written, "Work out your own salvation with fear andtrembling" (Phil. Ii. 12). Why, you must have your salvation beforeyou can work it out. Suppose I say to my little boy, "I want you tospend that hundred dollars carefully. " "Well, " he says, "let me havethe hundred dollars; and I will be careful how I spend it. " Iremember when I first left home and went to Boston; I had spent allmy money, and I went to the post-office three times a day. I knewthere was only one mail a day from home; but I thought by somepossibility there might be a letter for me. At last I received aletter from my little sister; and oh, how glad I was to get it. Shehad heard that there were a great many pick-pockets in Boston, and alarge part of that letter was to urge me to be very careful not tolet anybody pick my pocket. Now I required to have something in mypocket before I could have it picked. So you must have salvationbefore you can work it out. 

When Christ cried out on Calvary, "It is finished!" He meant what Hesaid. All that men have to do now is just to accept of the work ofJesus Christ. There is no hope for man or woman so long as they aretrying to work out salvation for themselves. I can imagine there aresome people who will say, as Nicodemus possibly did, "This is a verymysterious thing. " I see the scowl on that Pharisee's brow as hesays, "How can these things be?" It sounds very strange to his ear. "Born again; born of the Spirit! How can these things be?" A greatmany people say, "You must reason it out; but if you do not reason itout, do not ask us to believe it. " I can imagine a great many peoplesaying that. When you ask me to reason it out, I tell you frankly Icannot do it. "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearestthe sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither itgoeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. " (John 8. ) I donot understand everything about the wind. You ask me to reason itout. I cannot. It may blow due north here, and a hundred miles awaydue south. I may go up a few hundred feet, and find it blowing in anentirely opposite direction from what it is down here. You ask me toexplain these currents of wind; but suppose that, because I cannotexplain them, and do not understand them, I were to take my stand andassert, "Oh, there is no such thing as wind. " I can imagine somelittle girl saying, "I know more about it than that man does; oftenhave I heard the wind, and felt it blowing against my face;" and shemight say, "Did not the wind blow my umbrella out of my hands theother day? and did I not see it blow a man's hat off in the street?Have I not seen it blow the trees in the forest, and the growing cornin the country?"

You might just as well tell me that there is no such thing as wind, as tell me there is no such thing as a man being born of the Spirit. I have felt the spirit of God working in my heart, just as really andas truly as I have felt the wind blowing in my face. I cannot reasonit out. There are a great many things I cannot reason out, but whichI believe. I never could reason out the creation. I can see theworld, but I cannot tell how God made it out of nothing. But almostevery man will admit there was a creative power. 

There are a great many things that I cannot explain and cannot reasonout, and yet that I believe. I heard a commercial traveler say thathe had heard that the ministry and religion of Jesus Christ werematters of revelation and not of investigation. "When it pleased Godto reveal His Son in Me, " says Paul (Gal. I, 15, 16). There was aparty of young men together, going up the country; and on theirjourney they made up their minds not to believe anything they couldnot reason out. An old man heard them; and presently he said, "Iheard you say you would not believe anything you could not reasonout. " "Yes, " they said, "that is so. " "Well, " he said, "coming downon the train to-day, I noticed some geese, some sheep, some swine, and some cattle all eating grass. Can you tell me by what processthat same grass was turned into hair, feathers, bristles and wool? Doyou believe it is a fact?" "Oh yes, " they said, "we cannot helpbelieving that, though we fail to understand it. " "Well, " said theold man, "I cannot help believing in Jesus Christ. " And I cannot helpbelieving in the regeneration of man, when I see men who have beenreclaimed, when I see men who have been reformed. Have not some ofthe very worst men been regenerated--been picked up out of the pit, and had their feet set upon the Rock, and a new song put in theirmouths? Their tongues were cursing and blaspheming; and now areoccupied in praising God. Old things have passed away, and all thingshave become new. They are not reformed only, but regenerated--new menin Christ Jesus. 

Down there in the dark alleys of one of our great cities is a poordrunkard. I think if you want to get near hell, you should go to apoor drunkard's home. Go to the house of that poor miserabledrunkard. Is there anything more like hell on earth? See the want anddistress that reign there. But hark! A footstep is heard at the door, and the children run and hide themselves. The patient wife waits tomeet the man. He has been her torment. Many a time she has borneabout the marks of his blows for weeks. Many a time that strong righthand has been brought down on her defenseless head. And now she waitsexpecting to hear his oaths and suffer his brutal treatment. He comesin and says to her: "I have been to the meeting; and I heard therethat if I will I can be converted. I believe that God is able to saveme. " Go down to that house again in a few weeks: and what a change!As you approach you hear some one singing. It is not the song of areveller, but the strains of that good old hymn, "Rock of Ages. " Thechildren are no longer afraid of the man, but cluster around hisknee. His wife is near him, her face lit up with a happy glow. Is notthat a picture of Regeneration? I can take you to many such homes, made happy by the regenerating power of the religion of Christ. Whatmen want is the power to overcome temptation, the power to lead aright life. 

The only way to get into the kingdom of God is to be "born" into it. The law of this country requires that the President should be born inthe country. When foreigners come to our shores they have no right tocomplain against such a law, which forbids them from ever becomingPresidents. Now, has not God a right to make a law that all those whobecome heirs of eternal life must be "born" into His kingdom?

An unregenerated man would rather be in hell than in heaven. Take aman whose heart is full of corruption and wickedness, and place himin heaven among the pure, the holy and the redeemed; and he would notwant to stay there. Certainly, if we are to be happy in heaven wemust begin to make a heaven here on earth. Heaven is a prepared placefor a prepared people. If a gambler or a blasphemer were taken out ofthe streets of New York and placed on the crystal pavement of heavenand under the shadow of the tree of life, he would say, "I do notwant to stay here. " If men were taken to heaven just as they are bynature, without having their hearts regenerated, there would beanother rebellion in heaven. Heaven is filled with a company of thosewho have been twice born. 

In the 14th and 15th verses of this chapter we read "As Moses liftedup the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man belifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, buthave eternal life. " "WHOSOEVER. " Mark that! Let me tell you who areunsaved what God has done for you. He has done everything that Hecould do toward your salvation. You need not wait for God to doanything more. In one place he asks the question, what more could hehave done (Isaiah v. 4). He sent His prophets, and they killed them;then He sent His beloved Son, and they murdered Him. Now He has sentthe Holy Spirit to convince us of sin, and to show how we are to besaved. 

In this chapter we are told how men are to be saved, namely, by Himwho was lifted up on the cross. Just as Moses lifted up the brazenserpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, "thatwhosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. "Some men complain and say that it is very unreasonable that theyshould be held responsible for the sin of a man six thousand yearsago. It was not long ago that a man was talking to me about thisinjustice, as he called it. If a man thinks he is going to answer Godin that way, I tell you it will not do him any good. If you are lost, it will not be on account of Adam's sin. 

Let me illustrate this; and perhaps you will be better able tounderstand it. Suppose I am dying of consumption, which I inheritedfrom my father or mother. I did not get the disease by any fault ofmy own, by any neglect of my health; I inherited it, let us suppose. A friend happens to come along: he looks at me, and says: "Moody, youare in a consumption. " I reply, "I know it very well; I do not wantany one to tell me that. " "But, " he says, "there is a remedy. " "But, sir, I do not believe it. I have tried the leading physicians in thiscountry and in Europe; and they tell me there is no hope. " "But youknow me, Moody; you have known me for years. " "Yes, sir. " "Do youthink, then, I would tell you a falsehood?" "No. " "Well, ten yearsago I was as far gone. I was given up by the physicians to die; but Itook this medicine and it cured me. I am perfectly well: look at me. "I say that it is "a very strange case. " "Yes, it may be strange; butit is a fact. This medicine cured me: take this medicine, and it willcure you. Although it has cost me a great deal, it shall not cost youanything. Do not make light of it, I beg of you. " "Well, " I say, "Ishould like to believe you; but this is contrary to my reason. "

Hearing this, my friend goes away and returns with another friend, and that one testifies to the same thing. I am still disbelieving; sohe goes away, and brings in another friend, and another, and another, and another; and they all testify to the same thing. They say theywere as bad as myself; that they took the same medicine that has beenoffered to me; and that it has cured them. My friend then hands methe medicine. I dash it to the ground; I do not believe in its savingpower; I die. The reason is then that I spurned the remedy. So, ifyou perish, it will not be because Adam fell; but because you spurnedthe remedy offered to save you. You will choose darkness rather thanlight. "How then shall ye escape, if ye neglect so great salvation?"There is no hope for you if you neglect the remedy. It does no goodto look at the wound. If we had been in the Israelitish camp and hadbeen bitten by one of the fiery serpents, it would have done us nogood to look at the wound. Looking at the wound will never save anyone. What you must do is to look at the Remedy--look away to Him whohath power to save you from your sin. 

Behold the camp of the Israelites; look at the scene that is picturedto your eyes! Many are dying because they neglect the remedy that isoffered. In that arid desert is many a short and tiny grave; many achild has been bitten by the fiery serpents. Fathers and mothers arebearing away their children. Over yonder they are just burying amother; a loved mother is about to be laid in the earth. All thefamily, weeping, gather around the beloved form. You hear themournful cries; you see the bitter tears. The father is being borneaway to his last resting place. There is wailing going up all overthe camp. Tears are pouring down for thousands who have passed away;thousands more are dying; and the plague is raging from one end ofthe camp to the other. 

I see in one tent an Israelitish mother bending over the form of abeloved boy just coming into the bloom of life, just budding intomanhood. She is wiping away the sweat of death that is gathering uponhis brow. Yet a little while, and his eyes are fixed and glassy, forlife is ebbing fast away. The mother's heart-strings are torn andbleeding. All at once she hears a noise in the camp. A great shoutgoes up. What does it mean? She goes to the door of the tent. "Whatis the noise in the camp?" she asks those passing by. And some onesays: "Why, my good woman, have you not heard the good news that hascome into the camp?" "No, " says the woman, "Good news! What is it?""Why, have you not heard about it? God has provided a remedy. " "What!for the bitten Israelites? Oh, tell me what the remedy is!" "Why, Godhas instructed Moses to make a brazen serpent, and to put it on apole in the middle of the camp; and He has declared that whosoeverlooks upon it shall live. The shout that you hear is the shout of thepeople when they see the serpent lifted up. " The mother goes backinto the tent, and she says: "My boy, I have good news to tell you. You need not die! My boy, my boy, I have come with good tidings; youcan live!" He is already getting stupefied; he is so weak he cannotwalk to the door of the tent. She puts her strong arms under him andlifts him up. "Look yonder; look right there under the hill!" But theboy does not see anything; he says--"I do not see anything; what isit, mother?" And she says: "Keep looking, and you will see it. " Atlast he catches a glimpse of the glistening serpent; and lo, he iswell! And thus it is with many a young convert. Some men say, "Oh, wedo not believe in sudden conversions. " How long did it take to curethat boy? How long did it take to cure those serpent-bittenIsraelites? It was just a look; and they were well. 

That Hebrew boy is a young convert. I can fancy that I see him nowcalling on all those who were with him to praise God. He sees anotheryoung man bitten as he was; and he runs up to him and tells him, "You, need not die. " "Oh, " the young man replies, "I cannot live; itis not possible. There is not a physician in Israel who can cure me. "He does not know that he need not die. "Why, have you not heard thenews? God has provided a remedy. " "What remedy?" "Why, God has toldMoses to lift up a brazen serpent, and has said that none of thosewho look upon that serpent shall die. " I can just imagine the youngman. He may be what you call an intellectual young man. He says tothe young convert "You do not think I am going to believe anythinglike that? If the physicians in Israel cannot cure me, how do youthink that an old brass serpent on a pole is going to cure me?" "Why, sir, I was as bad as yourself!" "You do not say so!" "Yes, I do. ""That is the most astonishing thing I ever heard, " says the youngman: "I wish you would explain the philosophy of it. " "I cannot. Ionly know that I looked at that serpent, and I was cured: that didit. I just looked; that is all. My mother told me the reports thatwere being heard through the camp; and I just believed what my mothersaid, and I am perfectly well. " "Well, I do not believe you werebitten as badly as I have been. " The young man pulls up his sleeve. "Look there! That mark shows where I was bitten; and I tell you I wasworse than you are. " "Well, if I understood the philosophy of it Iwould look and get well. " "Let your philosophy go: _look and live_. ""But, sir, you ask me to do an unreasonable thing. If God had said, Take the brass and rub it into the wound, there might be something inthe brass that would cure the bite. Young man, explain the philosophyof it. " I have often seen people before me who have talked in thatway. But the young man calls in another, and takes him into the tent, and says: "Just tell him how the Lord saved you;" and he tells justthe same story; and he calls in others, and they all say the samething. 

The young man says it is a very strange thing. "If the Lord had toldMoses to go and get some herbs, or roots, and stew them, and take thedecoction as a medicine, there would be something in that. But it isso contrary to nature to do such a thing as look at the serpent, thatI cannot do it. " At length his mother, who has been out in the camp, comes in, and she says, "My boy, I have just the best news in theworld for you. I was in the camp, and I saw hundreds who were veryfar gone, and they are all perfectly well now. " The young man says:"I should like to get well; it is a very painful thought to die; Iwant to go into the promised land, and it is terrible to die here inthis wilderness; but the fact is--I do not understand the remedy. Itdoes not appeal to my reason. I cannot believe that I can get well ina moment. " And the young man dies in consequence of his own unbelief. 

God provided a remedy for this bitten Israelite--"Look and live!" Andthere is eternal life for every poor sinner, Look, and you can besaved, my reader, this very hour. God has provided a remedy; and itis offered to all. The trouble is, a great many people are looking atthe pole. Do not look at the pole; that is the church. You need notlook at the church; the church is all right, but the church cannotsave you. Look beyond the pole. Look at the Crucified One. Look toCalvary. Bear in mind, sinner, that Jesus died for all. You need notlook at ministers; they are just God's chosen instruments to hold upthe Remedy, to hold up Christ. And so, my friends, take your eyes offfrom men; take your eyes off from the church. Lift them up to Jesus;who took away the sin of the world, and there will be life for youfrom this hour. 

Thank God, we do not require an education to teach us how to look. That little girl, that little boy, only four years old, who cannotread, can look. When the father is coming home, the mother says toher little boy, "Look! look! look!" and the little child learns tolook long before he is a year old. And that is the way to be saved. It is to look at the Lamb of God "who taketh away the sin of theworld;" and there is life this moment for every one who is willing tolook. 

Some men say, "I wish I knew how to be saved. " Just take God at Hisword and trust His Son this very day--this very hour--this verymoment. He will save you, if you will trust Him. I imagine I hearsome one saying, "I do not feel the bite as much as I wish I did. Iknow I am a sinner, and all that; but I do not feel the bite enough. "How much does God want you to feel it?

When I was in Belfast I knew a doctor who had a friend, a leadingsurgeon there; and he told me that the surgeon's custom was, beforeperforming any operation, to say to the patient, "Take a good look atthe wound, and then fix your eyes on me; and do not take them offtill I get through. " I thought at the time that was a goodillustration. Sinner, take a good look at your wound; and then fixyour eyes on Christ, and do not take them off. It is better to lookat the Remedy than at the wound. See what a poor wretched sinner youare; and then look at the Lamb of God who "taketh away the sin of theworld. " He died for the ungodly and the sinner. Say "I will takeHim!" And may God help you to lift your eye to the Man on Calvary. And as the Israelites looked upon the serpent and were healed, so mayyou look and live. 

After the battle of Pittsburgh Landing I was in a hospital atMurfreesbro. In the middle of the night I was aroused and told that aman in one of the wards wanted to see me. I went to him and he calledme "chaplain"--I was not the chaplain--and said he wanted me to helphim die. And I said, "I would take you right up in my arms and carryyou into the kingdom of God if I could; but I cannot do it: I cannothelp you die!" And he said, "Who can?" I said, "The Lord Jesus Christcan--He came for that purpose. " He shook his head, and said, "Hecannot save me; I have sinned all my life. " And I said, "But He cameto save sinners. " I thought of his mother in the north, and I wassure that she was anxious that he should die in peace; so I resolvedI would stay with him. I prayed two or three times, and repeated allthe promises I could; for it was evident that in a few hours he wouldbe gone. I said I wanted to read him a conversation that Christ hadwith a man who was anxious about his soul. I turned to the thirdchapter of John. His eyes were riveted on me; and when I came to the14th and 15th verses--the passage before us--he caught up the words, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must theSon of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should notperish, but have eternal life. " He stopped me and said, "Is thatthere?" I said "Yes. " He asked me to read it again; and I did so. Heleant his elbows on the cot and clasping his hands together, said, "That's good; won't you read it again?" I read it the third time; andthen went on with the rest of the chapter. When I had finished, hiseyes were closed, his hands were folded, and there was a smile on hisface. Oh, how it was lit up! What change had come over it! I saw hislips quivering, and leaning over him I heard in a faint whisper, "AsMoses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Sonof Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should notperish, but have eternal life. " He opened his eyes and said, "That'senough; don't read any more. " He lingered a few hours, pillowing hishead on those two verses; and then went up in one of Christ'schariots, to take his seat in the kingdom of God. 

Christ said to Nicodemus: "Except a man be born again, he cannot seethe kingdom of God. " You may see many countries; but there is onecountry--the land of Beulah, which John Bunyan saw in vision--youshall never behold, unless you are born again--regenerated by Christ. You can look abroad and see many beautiful trees; but the tree oflife, you shall never behold, unless your eyes are made clear byfaith in the Saviour. You may see the beautiful rivers of the earth--youmay ride upon their bosoms; but bear in mind that your eye willnever rest upon the river which bursts out from the Throne of God andflows through the upper Kingdom, unless you are born again. God hassaid it; and not man. You will never see the kingdom of God exceptyou are born again. You may see the kings and lords of the earth; butthe King of kings and Lord of lords you will never see except you areborn again. When you are in London you may go to the Tower and seethe crown of England, which is worth thousands of dollars, and isguarded there by soldiers; but bear in mind that your eye will neverrest upon the crown of life except you are born again. 

You may hear the songs of Zion which are sung here; but one song--thatof Moses and the Lamb--the uncircumcised ear shall never hear;its melody will only gladden the ear of those who have been bornagain. You may look upon the beautiful mansions of earth, but bear inmind the mansions which Christ has gone to prepare you shall neversee unless you are born again. It is God who says it. You may see tenthousand beautiful things in this world; but the city that Abrahamcaught a glimpse of--and from that time became a pilgrim andsojourner--you shall never see unless you are born again (Heb. Xi. 8, 10-16). You may often be invited to marriage feasts here; but youwill never attend the marriage supper of the Lamb except you are bornagain. It is God who says it, dear friend. You may be looking on theface of your sainted mother to-night, and feel that she is prayingfor you; but the time will come when you shall never see her moreunless you are born again. 

The reader may be a young man or a young lady who has recently stoodby the bedside of a dying mother; and she may have said, "Be sure andmeet me in heaven, " and you made the promise. Ah! you shall never seeher more, except you are born again. I believe Jesus of Nazareth, sooner than those infidels who say you do not need to be born again. Parents, if you hope to see your children who have gone before, youmust be born of the Spirit. Possibly you are a father or a mother whohas recently borne a loved one to the grave; and how dark your homeseems! Never more will you see your child, unless you are born again. If you wish to be re-united to your loved one, you must be bornagain. I may be addressing a father or a mother who has a loved oneup yonder. If you could hear that loved one's voice, it would say, "Come this way. " Have you a sainted friend up yonder? Young man oryoung lady, have you not a mother in the world of light? If you couldhear her speak, would not she say, "Come this way, my son, "--"Comethis way, my daughter?" If you would ever see her more you must beborn again. 

We all have an Elder Brother there. Nearly nineteen hundred years agoHe crossed over, and from the heavenly shores He is calling you toheaven. Let us turn our backs upon the world. Let us give a deaf earto the world. Let us look to Jesus on the Cross and be saved. Then weshall one day see the King in His beauty, and we shall go no moreout. 

CHAPTER III. 

_THE TWO CLASSES_. 

"Two men went up into the temple to pray. "--Luke xvii. 10. 

I now want to speak of two classes: First, those who do not feeltheir need of a Saviour who have not been convinced of sin by theSpirit; and Second, those who are convinced of sin and cry, "Whatmust I do to be saved?"

All inquirers can be ranged under two heads: they have either thespirit of the Pharisee, or the spirit of the publican. If a manhaving the spirit of the Pharisee comes into an after-meeting, I knowof no better portion of Scripture to meet his case than Romans iii. 10: "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there isnone that understandeth; there is none that seeketh after God. " Paulis here speaking of the natural man. "They are all gone out of theway, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doethgood, no, not one. " And in the 17th verse and those which follow, wehave "And the way of peace have they not known; there is no fear ofGod before their eyes. Now we know what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may bestopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. "

Then observe the last clause of verse 22: "For there is nodifference; for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. "Not part of the human family--but _all_--"have sinned, and come shortof the glory of God. " Another verse which has been very much used toconvict men of their sin is 1 John i. 8: "If we say that we have nosin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. "

I remember that on one occasion we were holding meetings in aneastern city of forty thousand inhabitants; and a lady came and askedus to pray for her husband, whom she purposed bringing into the aftermeeting. I have traveled a good deal and met many pharisaical men;but this man was so clad in self-righteousness that you could not getthe point of the needle of conviction in anywhere. I said to hiswife: "I am glad to see your faith; but we cannot get near him; he isthe most self-righteous man I ever saw. " She said: "You must! Myheart will break if these meetings end without his conversion. " Shepersisted in bringing him; and I got almost tired of the sight ofhim. 

But towards the close of our meetings of thirty days, he came up tome and put his trembling hand on my shoulder. The place in which themeetings were held was rather cold, and there was an adjoining roomin which only the gas had been lighted; and he said to me, "Can't youcome in here for a few minutes?" I thought that he was shaking fromcold, and I did not particularly wish to go where it was colder. Buthe said: "I am the worst man in the State of Vermont. I want you topray for me. " I thought he had committed a murder, or some otherawful crime; and I asked: "Is there any one sin that particularlytroubles you?" And he said: "My whole life has been a sin. I havebeen a conceited, self-righteous Pharisee. I want you to pray forme. " He was under deep conviction. Man could not have produced thisresult; but the Spirit had. About two o'clock in the morning lightbroke in upon his soul: and he went up and down the business streetof the city and told what God had done for him; and has been a mostactive Christian ever since. 

There are four other passages in dealing with inquirers, which wereused by Christ Himself. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except aman be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. " (John iii. 3. )

In Luke xiii. 3, we read: "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewiseperish. "

In Matthew xviii. , when the disciples came to Jesus to know who wasto be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, we are told that He tooka little child and set him in the midst and said, "Verily I say untoyou, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shallnot enter the kingdom of heaven" (xviii. 1-3). 

There is another important "Except" in Matthew v. 20: "Except yourrighteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes andPharisees, ye shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven. "

A man must be made meet before he will want to go into the kingdom ofGod. I would rather go into the kingdom with the younger brother thanstay outside with the elder. Heaven would be hell to such an one. Anelder brother who could not rejoice at his younger brother's returnwould not be "fit" for the kingdom of God. It is a solemn thing tocontemplate; but the curtain drops and leaves him outside, and theyounger brother within. To him the language of the Saviour underother circumstances seems appropriate: "Verily I say unto you, Thatthe publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you"(Matt. Xxi. 31). 

A lady once came to me and wanted a favor for her daughter. She said:"You must remember I do not sympathize with you in your doctrine. " Iasked: "What is your trouble?" She said: "I think your abuse of theelder brother is horrible. I think he is a noble character. " I saidthat I was willing to hear her defend him; but that it was a solemnthing to take up such a position; and that the elder brother neededto be converted as much as the younger. When people talk of beingmoral it is well to get them to take a good look at the old manpleading with his boy who would not go in. 

But we will pass on now to the other class with which we have todeal. It is composed of those who are convinced of sin and from whomthe cry comes as from the Philippian jailer, "What must I do to besaved?" To those who utter this penitential cry there is no necessityto administer the law. It is well to bring them straight to theScripture: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt besaved. " (Acts xvi. 31). Many will meet you with a scowl and say, "Idon't know what it is to believe;" and though it is the law of heaventhat they must believe, in order to be saved--yet they ask forsomething besides that. We are to tell them what, and where, and how, to believe. 

In John iii. 35 and 36 we read: "The Father loveth the Son, and hathgiven all things into His hand. He that believeth on the Son hatheverlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not seelife; but the wrath of God abideth on him. "

Now this looks reasonable. Man lost life by unbelief--by notbelieving God's word; and we got life back again by believing--bytaking God at His word. In other words we get up where Adam felldown. He stumbled and fell over the stone of unbelief; and we arelifted up and stand upright by believing. When people say they cannotbelieve, show them chapter and verse, and hold them right to this onething: "Has God ever broken His promise for these six thousandyears?" The devil and men have been trying all the time and have notsucceeded in showing that He has broken a single promise; and therewould be a jubilee in hell to-day if one word that He has spokencould be broken. If a man says that he cannot believe it is well topress him on that one thing. 

I can believe God better to-day than I can my own heart. "The heartis deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can knowit?" (Jer. Xxii. 9). I can believe God better than I can myself. Ifyou want to know the way of Life, believe that Jesus Christ is apersonal Saviour; cut away from all doctrines and creeds, and comeright to the heart of the Son of God. If you have been feeding on drydoctrine there is not much growth on that kind of food. Doctrines areto the soul what the streets which lead to the house of a friend whohas invited me to dinner are to the body. They will lead me there ifI take the right one; but if I remain in the streets my hunger willnever be satisfied. Feeding on doctrines is like trying to live ondry husks; and lean indeed must the soul remain which partakes not ofthe Bread sent down from heaven. 

Some ask: "How am I to get my heart warmed?" It is by believing. Youdo not get power to love and serve God until you believe. 

The apostle John says "If we receive the witness of men, the witnessof God is greater: for this is the witness of God which He hathtestified of His Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath thewitness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar;because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son. Andthis is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and thislife is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hathnot the Son of God hath not life" (1 John v. 9). 

Human affairs would come to a standstill if we did not take thetestimony of men. How should we get on in the ordinary intercourse oflife, and how would commerce get on, if we disregarded men'stestimony? Things social and commercial would come to a dead-lockwithin forty-eight hours! This is the drift of the apostle's argumenthere. "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God isgreater. " God has borne witness to Jesus Christ. And if man canbelieve his fellow men who are frequently telling untruths and whomwe are constantly finding unfaithful, why should we not take God atHis word and believe His testimony?

Faith is a belief in testimony. It is not a leap in the dark, as sometell us. That would be no faith at all. God does not ask any man tobelieve without giving him something to believe. You might as wellask a man to see without eyes; to hear without ears; and to walkwithout feet--as to bid him believe without giving him something tobelieve. 

When I started for California I procured a guide-book. This told me, that after leaving the State of Illinois, I should cross theMississippi, and then the Missouri; get into Nebraska; then over theRocky Mountains to the Mormon settlement at Salt Lake City, and bythe way of the Sierra Nevada into San Francisco. I found the guidebook all right as I went along; and I should have been a miserablesceptic if, having proved it to be correct three-fourths of the way, I had said that I would not believe it for the remainder of thejourney. 

Suppose a man, in directing me to the Post Office, gives me tenlandmarks; and that, in my progress there, I find nine of them to beas he told me; I should have good reason to believe that I was comingto the Post Office. 

And if, by believing, I get a new life, and a hope, a peace, a joy, and a rest to my soul, that I never had before; if I get self-control, and find that I have a power to resist evil and to do good, I have pretty good proof that I am in the right road to the "citywhich hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. " And ifthings have taken place, and are now taking place, as recorded inGod's Word, I have good reason to conclude that what yet remains willbe fulfilled. And yet people talk of doubting. There can be no truefaith where there is fear. Faith is to take God at His word, unconditionally. There cannot be true peace where there is fear. "Perfect love casteth out fear. " How wretched a wife would be if shedoubted her husband! and how miserable a mother would feel if afterher boy had gone away from home she had reason, from his neglect, toquestion that son's devotion! True love never has a doubt. 

There are three things indispensable to faith--knowledge, assent, andappropriation. 

We must know God. "And this is life eternal, that they might _know_Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent" (Johnxvii. 3). Then we must not only give our assent to what we know; butwe must lay hold of the truth. If a man simply give his assent to theplan of salvation, it will not save him: he must accept Christ as hisSaviour. He must receive and appropriate Him. 

Some say they cannot tell how a man's life can be affected by hisbelief. But let some one cry out that some building in which wehappen to be sitting, is on fire; and see how soon we should act onour belief and get out. We are all the time influenced by what webelieve. We cannot help it. And let a man believe the record that Godhas given of Christ, and it will very quickly affect his whole life. 

Take John v. 24. There is enough truth in that one verse for everysoul to rest upon for salvation. It does not admit the shadow of adoubt. "Verily, verily"--which means truly, truly--"I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath--_hath_--everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation;but is passed from death unto life. "

Now if a person really hears the word of Jesus and believes with theheart on God who sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world, andlays hold of and appropriates this great salvation, there is no fearof judgment. He will not be looking forward with dread to the GreatWhite Throne; for we read in 1 John iv. 17: "Herein is our love madeperfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because asHe is, so are we in this world. "

If we believe, there is for us no condemnation, no judgment. That isbehind us, and passed; and we shall have boldness in the day ofjudgment. 

I remember reading of a man who was on trial for his life. He hadfriends with influence; and they procured a pardon for him from theking on condition that he was to go through the trial, and becondemned. He went into court with the pardon in his pocket. Thefeeling ran very high against him, and the judge said that the courtwas shocked that he was so much unconcerned. But, when the sentencewas pronounced, he pulled out the pardon, presented it, and walkedout a free man. He has been pardoned; and so have we. Then let deathcome, we have nought to fear. All the grave-diggers in the worldcannot dig a grave large enough and deep enough to hold eternal life;all the coffin makers in the world cannot make a coffin large enoughand tight enough to hold eternal life. Death has had his hand onChrist once, but never again. 

Jesus said: "I am the Resurrection, and the Life: he that believethin Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever livethand believeth in Me shall never die" (John xi. 25, 26). And in theApocalypse we read that the risen Saviour said to John, "I am He thatliveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore" (Rev i. 18). Death cannot touch Him again. 

We get life by believing. In fact we get more than Adam lost; for theredeemed child of God is heir to a richer and more gloriousinheritance than Adam in Paradise could ever have conceived; yea, andthat inheritance endures forever--it is inalienable. 

I would much rather have my life hid with Christ in God than havelived in Paradise; for Adam might have sinned and fallen after beingthere ten thousand years. But the believer is safer, if these thingsbecome real to him. Let us make them a fact, and not a fiction. Godhas said it; and that is enough. Let us trust Him even where wecannot trace Him. Let the same confidence animate us that was inlittle Maggie as related in the following simple but touchingincident which I read in the _Bible Treasury_:--

"I had been absent from home for some days, and was wondering, as Iagain draw near the homestead, if my little Maggie, just able to sitalone, would remember me. To test her memory, I stationed myselfwhere I could see her, but could not be seen by her, and called hername in the familiar tone, 'Maggie!' She dropped her playthings, glanced around the room, and then looked down upon her toys. Again Irepeated her name, 'Maggie!' when she once more surveyed the room;but, not seeing her _father's_ face, she looked very sad, and slowlyresumed her employment. Once more I called, 'Maggie!' when, droppingher playthings, and bursting into tears, she stretched out her armsin the direction whence the sound proceeded, knowing that, though shecould not see him, her father _must be there_, for she knew hisvoice. "

Now, we have power to see and to hear, and we have power to believe. It is all folly for the inquirers to take the ground that they cannotbelieve. They can, if they will. But the trouble with most people isthat they have connected feeling with believing. Now Feeling hasnothing whatever to do with Believing. The Bible does not say--Hethat feeleth, or he that feeleth and believeth, hath everlastinglife. Nothing of the kind. I cannot control my feelings. If I could, I should never feel ill, or have a headache or toothache. I should bewell all the while. But I can believe God; and if we get our feet onthat rock, let doubts and fears come and the waves surge around us, the anchor will hold. 

Some people are all the time looking at their faith. Faith is thehand that takes the blessing. I heard this illustration of a beggar. Suppose you were to meet a man in the street whom you had known foryears as being accustomed to beg; and you offered him some money, andhe were to say to you: "I thank you; I don't want your money: I amnot a beggar. " "How is that?" "Last night a man put a thousanddollars into my hands. " "He did! How did you know it was good money?""I took it to the bank and deposited it and have got a bank book. ""How did you get this gift?" "I asked for alms; and after thegentleman talked with me he took out a thousand dollars in money andput it in my hand. " "How do you know that he put it in the righthand?" "What do I care about which hand; so that I have got themoney. " Many people are always thinking whether the faith by whichthey lay hold of Christ is the right kind--but what is far moreessential is to see that we have the right kind of Christ. 

Faith is the eye of the soul; and who would ever think of taking outan eye to see if it were the right kind so long as the sight wasperfect? It is not my taste, but it is what I taste, that satisfiesmy appetite. So, dear friends, it is taking God at His Word that isthe means of our salvation. The truth cannot be made too simple. 

There is a man living in the city of New York who has a home on theHudson River. His daughter and her family went to spend the winterwith him: and in the course of the season the scarlet fever brokeout. One little girl was put in quarantine, to be kept separate fromthe rest. Every morning the old grandfather used to go and bid hisgrandchild, "Goodbye, " before going to his business. On one of theseoccasions the little thing took the old man by the hand, and, leadinghim to a corner of the room, without saying a word she pointed to thefloor where she had arranged some small crackers so they would spellout, "Grandpa, I want a box of paints. " He said nothing. On hisreturn home he hung up his overcoat and went to the room as usual:when his little grandchild, without looking to see if her wish hadbeen complied with, took him into the same corner, where he sawspelled out in the same way, "Grandpa, I thank you for the box ofpaints. " The old man would not have missed gratifying the child foranything. That was faith. 

Faith is taking God at His Word; and those people who want some tokenare always getting into trouble. We want to come to this: God saysit--let us believe it. 

But some say, Faith is the gift of God. So is the air; but you haveto breathe it. So is bread; but you have to eat it. So is water; butyou have to drink it. Some are wanting a miraculous kind of feeling. That is not faith. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Wordof God" (Rom. X. 17). That is whence faith comes. It is not for me tosit down and wait for faith to come stealing over me with a strangesensation; but it is for me to take God at His Word. And you cannotbelieve, unless you have something to believe. So take the Word as itis written, and appropriate it, and lay hold of it. 

In John vi. 47, 48 we read: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He thatbelieveth on Me hath everlasting life. I am that Bread of life. "There is the bread right at hand. Partake of it. I might havethousands of loaves within my home, and as many hungry men inwaiting. They might assent to the fact that the bread was there; butunless they each took a loaf and commenced eating, their hunger wouldnot be satisfied. So Christ is the Bread of heaven; and as the bodyfeeds on natural food, so the soul must feed on Christ. 

If a drowning man sees a rope thrown out to rescue him he must layhold of it; and in order to do so he must let go everything else. Ifa man is sick he must take the medicine--for simply looking at itwill not cure him. A knowledge of Christ will not help the inquirer, unless he believes in Him, and takes hold of Him, as his only hope. The bitten Israelites might have believed that the serpent was liftedup; but unless they had looked they would not have lived (Num. Xxi. 6-9). 

I believe that a certain line of steamers will convey me across theocean, because I have tried it: but this will not help another manwho may want to go, unless he acts upon my knowledge. So a knowledgeof Christ does not help us unless we act upon it. That is what it isto believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is to act on what we believe. As a man steps on board a steamer to cross the Atlantic, so we musttake Christ and make a commitment of our souls to Him; and He haspromised to keep all who put their trust in Him. To believe on theLord Jesus Christ, is simply to take Him at His word. 

CHAPTER IV. 

_WORDS OF COUNSEL_. 

"A bruised reed shall He not break. "--Isaiah xlii. 3; Matt. Xii. 20. 

It is dangerous for those who are seeking salvation to lean upon theexperience of other people. Many are waiting for a repetition of theexperience of their grandfather or grandmother. I had a friend whowas converted in a field; and he thinks the whole town ought to godown into that meadow and be converted. Another was converted under abridge; and he thinks that if any enquirer were to go there he wouldfind the Lord. The best thing for the anxious is to go right to theWord of God. If there are any persons in the world to whom the Wordought to be very precious it is those who are asking how to be saved. 

For instance a man may say, "I have no strength. " Let him turn toRomans v. 6. "For when we were yet without strength, in due timeChrist died for the ungodly. " It is because we have no strength thatwe need Christ. He has come to give strength to the weak. 

Another may say, "I cannot see. " Christ says, "I am the Light of theworld" (John viii. 12). He came, not only to give light, but "to openthe blind eyes" (Isa. Xlii. 7). 

Another may say, "I do not think a man can be saved all at once. " Aperson holding that view was in the Enquiry-room one night; and Idrew his attention to Romans vi. 23. "The wages of sin is death; butthe _gift_ of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. " Howlong does it take to accept a gift? There must be a moment when youhave it not, and another when you have it--a moment when it isanother's, and the next when it is yours. It does not take six monthsto get eternal life. It may however in some cases be like the mustardseed, very small at the commencement. Some people are converted sogradually that, like the morning light, it is impossible to tell whenthe dawn began; while, with others, it is like the flashing of ameteor, and the truth bursts upon them suddenly. 

I would not go across the street to prove when I was converted; butwhat is important is for me to know that I really have been. 

It may be that a child has been so carefully trained that it isimpossible to tell when the new birth began; but there must have beena moment when the change took place, and when he became a partaker ofthe Divine nature. 

Some people do not believe in sudden conversion. But I will challengeany one to show a conversion in the New Testament that was notinstantaneous. "As Jesus passed by He saw Levi, the son of Alpheus, sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, 'Follow Me': andhe arose and followed Him" (Matt. Ix. 9). Nothing could be moresudden than that. 

Zaccheus, the publican, sought to see Jesus; and because he waslittle of stature he climbed up a tree. When Jesus came to the placeHe looked up and saw him, and said, "Zaccheus, make haste, and comedown" (Luke xix. 5). His conversion must have taken place somewherebetween the branch and the ground. We are told that he received Jesusjoyfully, and said, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to thepoor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold" (Luke xix. 8). Very few in these days couldsay that in proof of their conversion. 

The whole house of Cornelius was converted suddenly; for so Peterpreached Christ to him and his company the Holy Ghost fell on them, and they were baptized. (Acts x. )

On the day of Pentecost three thousand gladly received the Word. Theywere not only converted, but they were baptized the same day. (Actsii. )

And when Philip talked to the eunuch, as they went on their way, theeunuch said to Philip, "See, here is water: what doth hinder me to bebaptized?" Nothing hindered. And Philip said, "If thou believest withall thine heart, thou mayest. " And they both went down into thewater; and the man of great authority under Candace, the queen of theEthiopians, was baptized, and went on his way rejoicing. (Acts viii. 26-38. ) You will find all through Scripture that conversions weresudden and instantaneous. 

A man has been in the habit of stealing money from his employer. Suppose he has taken $1, 000 in twelve months; should we tell him totake $500 the next year, and less the next year, and the next, untilin five years the sum taken would be only $50? That would be upon thesame principle as gradual conversion. 

If such a person were brought before the court and pardoned, becausehe could not change his mode of life all at once, it would beconsidered a very strange proceeding. 

But the Bible says, "Let him that stole steal no more" (Eph. Iv. 28). It is "right about face!" Suppose a person is in the habit of cursingone hundred times a day: should we advise him not to utter more thanninety oaths the following day, and eighty the next day; so that inthe course of time he would get rid of the habit? The Saviour says, "Swear not at all. " (Matt. V. 34. )

Suppose another man is in the habit of getting drunk and beating hiswife twice a month; if he only did so once a month, and then onlyonce in six months, that would be, upon the same ground, asreasonable as gradual conversion. Suppose Ananias had been sent toPaul, when he was on his way to Damascus breathing out threateningsand slaughter against the disciples, and casting them into prison, totell him not to kill so many as he intended; and to let enmity dieout of his heart gradually, but not all at once. Suppose he had beentold that it would not do to stop breathing out threatenings andslaughter, and to commence preaching Christ all at once, because thephilosophers would say that the change was so sudden it would nothold out; this would be the same kind of reasoning as is used bythose who do not believe in instantaneous conversion. 

Then another class say that they are afraid that they will not holdout. This is a numerous and very hopeful class. I like to see a mandistrust himself. It is a good thing to get such to look to God, andto remember that it is not he who holds God, but that it is God whoholds him. Some want to get hold of Christ; but the thing is to getChrist to take hold of you in answer to prayer. Let such read Psalmcxxi. ; "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence comethmy help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee willnot slumber. Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber norsleep. The Lord is thy keeper; the Lord is thy shade upon thy righthand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. TheLord shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in, from thistime forth, and even for evermore. "

Some one calls that the traveler's psalm. It is a beautiful psalm forthose of us who are pilgrims through this world; and one with whichwe should be well acquainted. 

God can do what He has done before. He kept Joseph in Egypt; Mosesbefore Pharaoh; Daniel in Babylon; and enabled Elijah to stand beforeAhab in that dark day. And I am so thankful that these I havementioned were men of like passions with ourselves. It was God whomade them so great. What man wants is to look to God. Real true faithis man's weakness leaning on God's strength. When man has nostrength, if he leans on God he becomes powerful. The trouble is thatwe have too much strength and confidence in ourselves. 

Again in Hebrews vi. 17, 18: "Wherein God, willing more abundantly toshow unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things, in which it wasimpossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, whohave fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: whichhope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, andwhich entereth into that within the vail; whither the Forerunner isfor us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after theorder of Melchisedec. "

Now these are precious verses to those who are afraid of falling, whofear that they will not hold out. It is God's work to hold. It is theShepherd's business to keep the sheep. Who ever heard of the sheepgoing to bring back the shepherd? People have an idea that they haveto keep themselves and Christ too. It is a false idea. It is the workof the Shepherd to look after them, and to take care of those whotrust Him. And He has promised to do it. I once heard that when a seacaptain was dying he said, "Glory to God; the anchor holds. " Hetrusted in Christ. His anchor had taken hold of the solid rock. AnIrishman said, on one occasion, that "he trembled; but the Rock neverdid. " We want to get sure footing. 

In 2 Timothy i. 12 Paul says: "I know whom I have believed, and ampersuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed untoHim against that day. " That was Paul's persuasion. 

During the late war of the rebellion, one of the chaplains, goingthrough the hospitals, came to a man who was dying. Finding that hewas a Christian, he asked to what persuasion he belonged, and wastold "Paul's persuasion. " "Is he a Methodist?" he asked; for theMethodists all claim Paul. "No. " "Is he a Presbyterian?" for thePresbyterians lay special claim to Paul. "No, " was the answer. "Doeshe belong to the Episcopal Church?" for all the Episcopalian brethrencontend that they have a claim to the Chief Apostle. "No, " he was notan Episcopalian. "Then, to what persuasion does he belong?" "I ampersuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed untoHim against that day. " It is a grand persuasion; and it gave thedying soldier rest in a dying hour. 

Let those who fear that they will not hold out turn to the 24th verseof the Epistle of Jude: "Now unto Him that is able to keep you fromfalling, and to present you faultless before the presence of Hisglory with exceeding joy. "

Then look at Isaiah xli. 10: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: benot dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I willhelp thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of Myrighteousness. "

Then see verse 13: "For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. "

Now if God has got hold of my right hand in His, cannot He hold meand keep me? Has not God the power to keep? The great God who madeheaven and earth can keep a poor sinner like you and like me if wetrust Him. To refrain from feeling confidence in God for fear offalling--would be like a man who refused a pardon, for fear that heshould get into prison again; or a drowning man who refused to berescued, for fear of falling into the water again. 

Many men look forth at the Christian life, and fear that they willnot have sufficient strength to hold out to the end. They forget thepromise that "as thy days, thy strength" (Deut. Xxxiii. 25). Itreminds me of the pendulum to the clock which grew disheartened atthe thought of having to travel so many thousands of miles; but whenit reflected that the distance was to be accomplished by "tick, tick, tick, " it took fresh courage to go its daily journey. So it is thespecial privilege of the Christian to commit himself to the keepingof his heavenly Father and to trust Him day by day. It is acomforting thing to know that the Lord will not begin the good workwithout also finishing it. 

There are two kinds of sceptics--one class with honest difficulties;and another class who delight only in discussion. I used to thinkthat this latter class would always be a thorn in my flesh; but theydo not prick me now. I expect to find them right along the journey. Men of this stamp used to hang around Christ to entangle Him in Histalk. They come into our meetings to hold a discussion. To all such Iwould commend Paul's advice to Timothy: "But foolish and unlearnedquestions avoid; knowing that they do gender strifes. " (2 Tim. Ii. 23. ) Unlearned questions: Many young converts make a woful mistake. They think they are to defend the whole Bible. I knew very little ofthe Bible when I was first converted; and I thought that I had todefend it from beginning to end against all comers; but a Bostoninfidel got hold of me, floored all my arguments at once, anddiscouraged me. But I have got over that now. There are many thingsin the Word of God that I do not profess to understand. 

When I am asked what I do with them. I say, "I don't do anything. "

"How do you explain them?" "I don't explain them. "

"What do you do with them?" "Why, I believe them. "

And when I am told, "I would not believe anything that I do notunderstand, " I simply reply that I do. 

There are many things which were dark and mysterious five years ago, on which I have since had a flood of light; and I expect to befinding out something fresh about God throughout eternity. I make apoint of not discussing disputed passages of Scripture. An old divinehas said that some people, if they want to eat fish, commence bypicking the bones. I leave such things till I have light on them. Iam not bound to explain what I do not comprehend. "The secret thingsbelong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealedbelong unto us, and to our children, for ever" (Deut. Xxii. 29); andthese I take, and eat, and feed upon, in order to get spiritualstrength. 

Than there is a little sound advice in Titus iii. 9. "But avoidfoolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivingsabout the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. "

But now here comes an honest sceptic. With him I would deal astenderly as a mother with her sick child. I have no sympathy withthose people who, because a man is sceptical, cast him off and willhave nothing to do with him. 

I was in an Inquiry-meeting, some time ago, and I handed over to aChristian lady, whom I had known some time, one who was sceptical. Onlooking round soon after I noticed the enquirer marching out of thehall. I asked, "Why have you let her go?" "Oh, she is a sceptic!" wasthe reply. I ran to the door and got her to stop, and introduced herto another Christian worker who spent over an hour in conversationand prayer with her. He visited her and her husband; and, in thecourse of a week, that intelligent lady cast off her scepticism andcame out an active Christian. It took time, tact, and prayer; but ifa person of this class is honest we ought to deal with such an one asthe Master would have us. 

Here are a few passages for doubting enquirers:

"If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whetherit be of God, or whether I speak of myself" (John vii. 17). If a manis not willing to do the will of God he will not know the doctrine. There is no class of sceptics who are ignorant of the fact that Goddesires them to give up sin; and if a man is willing to turn from sinand take the light and thank Him for what He does give, and notexpect to have light on the whole Bible all at once, he will get morelight day by day; make progress step by step; and be led right out ofdarkness into the clear light of heaven. 

In Daniel xii. 10 we are told: "Many shall be purified, and madewhite, and tried: but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of thewicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. "

Now God will never reveal His secrets to His enemies. Never! And if aman persists in living in sin he will not know the doctrines of God. 

"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will showthem His covenant" (Ps. Xxv. 14). 

And in John xv. 15 we read: "Henceforth I call you not servants; forthe servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called youfriends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have madeknown unto you. " When you become friends of Christ you will know Hissecrets. The Lord said, "Shall I hide from Abraham the things which Ido?" (Gen. Xviii. 17). 

Now those who resemble God are the most likely to understand God. Ifa man is not willing to turn from sin he will not know God's will, nor will God reveal His secrets to him. But if a man is willing toturn from sin he will be surprised to see how the light will come in!

I remember one night when the Bible was the driest and darkest bookin the universe to me. The next day it became entirely different. Ithought I had the key to it. I had been born of the Spirit. Butbefore I knew anything of the mind of God I had to give up my sin. Ibelieve God meets every soul on the spot of self-surrender; and whenthey are willing to let Him guide and lead. The trouble with manysceptics is their self-conceit. They know more than the Almighty! andthey do not come in a teachable spirit. But the moment a man comes ina receptive spirit he is blessed; for "If any of you lack wisdom, lethim ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not;and it shall be given him" (James i. 5). 

CHAPTER V. 

_A DIVINE SAVIOUR_. 

"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. "

(Matthew xvi. 1; John vi. 69. )

We meet with a certain class of Enquirers who do not believe in theDivinity of Christ. There are many passages that will give light onthis subject. 

In 1 Corinthians xv. 47, we are told: "The first man is of the earthearthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. "

In 1 John v. 20: "We know that the Son of God is come, and hath givenus an understanding, that we may know Him that is true; and we are inHim that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. "

Again in John xvii. 3: "And this is life eternal, that they mightknow Thee, the only true God; and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent. "

And then, in Mark xiv. 60: "The high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest Thou nothing? What is it whichthese witness against thee? But He held His peace, and answerednothing. Again the high priest asked Him, and said unto Him, Art Thouthe Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and yeshall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, andcoming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent hisclothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? Ye have heardthe blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned Him to be guiltyof death. "

Now what brought me to believe in the Divinity of Christ was this: Idid not know where to place Christ, or what to do with Him, if Hewere not divine. When I was a boy I thought that He was a good manlike Moses, Joseph, or Abraham. I even thought that He was the bestman who had ever lived on the earth. But I found that Christ had ahigher claim. He claimed to be God-Man, to be divine; to have comefrom heaven. He said: "Before Abraham was I am" (John viii. 58). Icould not understand this; and I was driven to the conclusion--and Ichallenge any candid man to deny the inference, or meet theargument--that Jesus Christ is either an impostor or deceiver, or Heis the God-Man--God manifest in the flesh. And for these reasons. Thefirst commandment is, "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me" (Exod. Xx. 2). Look at the millions throughout Christendom who worship JesusChrist as God. If Christ be not God this is idolatry. We are allguilty of breaking the first commandment if Jesus Christ were mereman--if He were a created being, and not what He claims to be. 

Some people, who do not admit His divinity, say that He was the bestman who ever lived; but if He were not Divine, for that very reasonHe ought not to be reckoned a good man, for He laid claim to an honorand dignity to which these very people declare He had no right ortitle. That would rank Him as a deceiver. 

Others say that He thought He was divine, but that He was deceived. As if Jesus Christ were carried away by a delusion and deception, andthought that He was more than He was! I could not conceive of a loweridea of Jesus Christ than that. This would not only make Him out animpostor; but that He was out of His mind, and that He did not knowwho He was, or where He came from. Now if Jesus Christ was not whatHe claimed to be, the Saviour of the world; and if He did not comefrom heaven, He was a gross deceiver. 

But how can any one read the life of Jesus Christ and make Him out adeceiver? A man has generally some motive for being an impostor. Whatwas Christ's motive? He knew that the course He was pursuing wouldconduct Him to the cross; that His name would be cast out as vile;and that many of His followers would be called upon to lay down theirlives for His sake. Nearly every one of the apostles were martyrs;and they were considered as off-scouring and refuse in the midst ofthe people. If a man is an impostor, he has a motive at the back ofhis hypocrisy. But what was Christ's object? The record is that "Hewent about doing good. " This is not the work of an impostor. Do notlet the enemy of your soul deceive you. 

In John v. 21 we read: "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, andquickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will. For theFather judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. Hethat honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which hath sentHim. "

Now notice: by the Jewish law if a man were a blasphemer he was to beput to death; and supposing Christ to be merely human if this be notblasphemy I do not know where you will find it. "He that honourethnot the Son, honoureth not the Father. " That is downright blasphemyif Christ be not divine. If Moses, or Elijah, or Elisha, or any othermortal had said, "You must honour me as you honor God;" and had puthimself on a level with God, it would have been downright blasphemy. 

The Jews put Christ to death because they said that He was not whatHe claimed to be. It was on that testimony He was put under oath. Thehigh priest said: "I adjure Thee by the living God, that Thou tell uswhether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God" (Matt. Xxvi. 63). Andwhen the Jews came round Him and said, "How long dost Thou make us todoubt? If Thou be the Christ tell us plainly. " Jesus said, "I and MyFather are one. " Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. (John x. 24-33. ) They said they did not want to hear more, for thatwas blasphemy. It was for declaring Himself to be the Son of God thatHe was condemned and put to death. (Matt. Xxvi. 63-66). 

Now if Jesus Christ were mere man the Jews did right, according totheir law, in putting Him to death. In Leviticus xxiv. 16, we read:"And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be putto death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as wellthe stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth thename of the Lord, shall be put to death. "

This law obliged them to put to death every one who blasphemed. Itwas making the statement that He was divine that cost Him His life;and by the Mosaic law He ought to have suffered the death penalty. InJohn xvi. 15, Christ says, "All things that the Father hath are Mine:therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall show it untoyou. " How could He be merely a good man and use language as that?

No doubt has ever entered my mind on the point since I was converted. 

A notorious sinner was once asked how he could prove the divinity ofChrist. His answer was, "Why, He has saved me; and that is a prettygood proof, is it not?"

An infidel on one occasion said to me, "I have been studying the lifeof John the Baptist, Mr. Moody. Why don't you preach him? He was agreater character than Christ. You would do a greater work. " I saidto him, "My friend, you preach John the Baptist; and I will followyou and preach Christ: and we will see who will do the most good. ""You will do the most good, " he said, "because the people are sosuperstitious. " Ah! John was beheaded; and his disciples begged hisbody and buried it: but Christ has risen from the dead; He has"ascended on high; He has led captivity captive; and received giftsfor men. " (Ps. Lxviii. 18. )

Our Christ lives. Many people have not found out that Christ hasrisen from the grave. They worship a dead Saviour, like Mary, whosaid, "They have taken away my Lord; and I know not where they havelaid Him. " (John xx. 13. ) That is the trouble with those who doubtthe divinity of our Lord. 

Then look at Matthew xviii. 20. "Where two or three are gatheredtogether in My name, there am I in the midst of them. " "There am I. "Well now, if He is a mere man, how can He be there? All these arestrong passages. 

Again in Matthew xxviii. 18. "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. " Could Hebe a mere man and talk in that way? "All power is given unto Me inheaven and in earth!"

Then again in Matthew xxviii. 20. "Teaching them to observe allthings whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. " If He were mere man, how could He bewith us? Yet He says, "I am with you away, even unto the end of theworld!"

Then again in Mark ii. 7. "Why doth this Man thus speak blasphemies?who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesusperceived in His Spirit that they reasoned within themselves, He saidunto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is iteasier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee, orto say, Arise and take up thy bed and walk?"

Some men will meet you and say, "Did not Elisha also raise the dead?"Notice that in the rare instances in which men have raised the dead, they did it by the power of God. They called on God to do it. Butwhen Christ was on earth He did not call upon the Father to bring thedead to life, When He went to the house of Jairus He said, "Damsel, Isay unto thee, Arise. " (Mark v. 41. )

He had power to impart life. When they were carrying the young manout of Nain He had compassion on the widowed mother and came andtouched the bier and said, "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. " (Lukevii. 14. )

He spake; and the dead arose. 

And when He raised Lazarus He called with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" (John xi. 43. ) And Lazarus heard, and came forth. 

Some one has said, It was a good thing that Lazarus was mentioned byname, or all the dead within the sound of Christ's voice wouldimmediately have risen. 

In John v. 25, Jesus says: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The houris coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Sonof God; and they that hear shall live. " What blasphemy would thishave been, had He not been divine! The proof is overwhelming, if youwill but examine the Word of God. 

And then another thing--no good man except Jesus Christ has everallowed anybody to worship him. When this was done He never rebukedthe worshiper. In John ix. 38, we read that when the blind man wasfound by Christ he said, "Lord, I believe. And he worshiped Him. " TheLord did not rebuke him. 

Then again, Revelation xxii. 6, runs thus: "And he said unto me, These things are faithful and true; and the Lord God of the holyprophets sent His angel to show unto His servants the things whichmust shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he thatkeepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. And I John sawthese things and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I felldown to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me thesethings. Then saith He unto me, See thou do it not; for I am thyfellow-servant and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them whichkeep the sayings of this book, _worship God_. "

We see here that even that angel would not allow John to worship him. Even an angel from heaven! And if Gabriel came down here from thepresence of God it would be a sin to worship him, or any seraph, orany cherub, or Michael, or any archangel. 

"Worship God!" And if Jesus Christ were not God manifest in the fleshwe are guilty of idolatry in worshiping Him. In Matthew xiv. 33, weread: "Then they that were in the ship came and _worshiped_ Him, saying, Of a truth Thou art the Son of God. " He did not rebuke them. 

And in Matthew viii. 2, we also read: "And, behold, there came aleper and _worshiped_ Him, saying, Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canstmake me clean. "

In Matthew xv. 25: "Then came she, and _worshiped_ Him, saying, Lord, help me!"

There are many other passages; but I give these as sufficient in myopinion to prove beyond any doubt the Divinity of our Lord. 

In the 14th chapter of Acts we are told the heathen at Lystra camewith garlands and would have done sacrifice to Paul and Barnabasbecause they had cured an impotent man; but the evangelists renttheir clothes and told these Lystrans that they were but men, and notto be worshipped; as if it were a great sin. And if Jesus Christ is amere man, we are all guilty of a great sin in worshipping Him. 

But if He is, as we believe, the only-begotten and well-beloved Sonof God, let us yield to His claims upon us; let us rest on Hisall-atoning work, and go forth to serve Him all the days of our life. 

CHAPTER VI. 

_REPENTANCE AND RESTITUTION_. 

"God commandeth all men everywhere to repent. "--Acts xvii. 30. 

Repentance is one of the fundamental doctrines of the Bible. Yet Ibelieve it is one of those truths that many people little understandat the present day. There are more people to-day in the mist anddarkness about Repentance, Regeneration, the Atonement, and such-likefundamental truths, than perhaps on any other doctrines. Yet from ourearliest years we have heard about them. If I were to ask for adefinition of Repentance, a great many would give a very strange andfalse idea of it. 

A man is not prepared to believe or to receive the Gospel, unless heis ready to repent of his sins and turn from them. Until John theBaptist met Christ, he had but one text, "Repent ye; for the kingdomof heaven is at hand" (Matt. Iii. 2). But if he had continued to saythis, and had stopped there without pointing the people to Christ theLamb of God, he would not have accomplished much. 

When Christ came, He took up the same wilderness cry, "Repent; forthe kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. Iv. 17). And when our Lordsent out His disciples, it was with the same message, "that menshould repent" (Mark vi. 12). After He had been glorified, and whenthe Holy Ghost came down, we find Peter on the day of Pentecostraising the same cry, "Repent!" It was this preaching--Repent, andbelieve the Gospel--that wrought such marvellous results then. (Actsii. 38-47). And we find that, when Paul went to Athens, he utteredthe same cry, "_Now_ God commandeth _all men, everywhere_, to repent"(Acts xvii. 30). 

Before I speak of what Repentance _is_, let me briefly say what it_is not_. Repentance is not _fear_. Many people have confounded thetwo. They think they have to be alarmed and terrified; and they arewaiting for some kind of fear to come down upon them. But multitudesbecome alarmed who do not really repent. You have heard of men at seaduring a terrible storm. Perhaps they have been very profane men; butwhen the danger came they suddenly grew quiet, and began to cry toGod for mercy. Yet you would not say they repented. When the stormhad passed away, they went on swearing the same as before. You mightthink that the king of Egypt repented when God sent the terribleplagues upon him and his land. But it was not repentance at all. Themoment God's hand was removed Pharaoh's heart was harder than ever. He did not turn from a single sin; he was the same man. So that therewas no true repentance there. 

Often, when death comes into a family, it looks as if the event wouldbe sanctified to the conversion of all who are in the house. Yet insix months' time all may be forgotten. Some who read this haveperhaps passed through that experience. When God's hand was heavyupon them it looked as if they were going to repent; but the trialhas been removed--and lo and behold, the impression has all gone. 

Then again, Repentance is not _feeling_. I find a great many peopleare waiting for a certain kind of feeling to come. They would like toturn to God; but think they cannot do it until this feeling comes. When I was in Baltimore I used to preach every Sunday in thePenitentiary to nine hundred convicts. There was hardly a man therewho did not feel miserable enough: they had plenty of feeling. Forthe first week or ten days of their imprisonment many of them criedhalf the time. Yet, when they were released, most of them would goright back to their old ways. The truth was, that they felt very badbecause they had got caught; that was all. So you have seen a man inthe time of trial show a good deal of feeling: but very often it isonly because he has got into trouble; not because he has committedsin, or because his conscience tells him he has done evil in thesight of God. It seems as if the trial were going to result in truerepentance; but the feeling too often passes away. 

Once again, Repentance is not _fasting and afflicting the body_. Aman may fast for weeks and months and years, and yet not repent ofone sin. Neither is it _remorse_. Judas had terrible remorse--enoughto make him go and hang himself; but that was not repentance. Ibelieve if he had gone to his Lord, fallen on his face, and confessedhis sin, he would have been forgiven. Instead of this he went to thepriests, and then put an end to his life. A man may do all sorts ofpenance--but there is no true repentance in that. Put that down inyour mind. You cannot meet the claims of God by offering the fruit ofyour body for the sin of your soul. Away with such a delusion!

Repentance is not _conviction of sin_. That may sound strange tosome. I have seen men under such deep conviction of sin that theycould not sleep at night; they could not enjoy a single meal. Theywent on for months in this state; and yet they were not converted;they did not truly repent. Do not confound conviction of sin withRepentance. 

Neither is _praying_--Repentance. That too may sound strange. Manypeople, when they become anxious about their soul's salvation, say, "I will pray, and read the Bible;" and they think that will bringabout the desired effect. But it will not do it. You may read theBible and cry to God a great deal, and yet never repent. Many peoplecry loudly to God, and yet do not repent. 

Another thing: it is not _breaking off some one sin_. A great manypeople make that mistake. A man who has been a drunkard signs thepledge, and stops drinking. Breaking off one sin is not Repentance. Forsaking one vice is like breaking off one limb of a tree, when thewhole tree has to come down. A profane man stops swearing; very good:but if he does not break off _from every sin_ it is not Repentance--itis not the work of God in the soul. When God works He hews downthe whole tree. He wants to have a man turn from every sin. SupposingI am in a vessel out at sea, and I find the ship leaks in three orfour places. I may go and stop up one hole; yet down goes the vessel. Or suppose I am wounded in three or four places, and I get a remedyfor one wound: if the other two or three wounds are neglected, mylife will soon be gone. True Repentance is not merely breaking offthis or that particular sin. 

Well then, you will ask, what is Repentance? I will give you a gooddefinition: it is "right about face!" In the Irish language the word"Repentance" means even more than "right about face!" It implies thata man who has been walking in one direction has not only faced about, but is actually walking in an exactly contrary direction. "Turn ye, turn ye; for why will ye die?" A man may have little feeling or muchfeeling; but if he does not turn away from sin, God will not havemercy on him. Repentance has also been described as "a change ofmind. " For instance, there is the parable told by Christ: "A certainman had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go workto-day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not" (Matt. Xxi. 28, 29). After he had said "I will not" he thought over it, andchanged his mind. Perhaps he may have said to himself, "I did notspeak very respectfully to my father. He asked me to go and work, andI told him I would not go. I think I was wrong. " But suppose he hadonly said this, and still had not gone, he would not have repented. He was not only convinced that he was wrong; but he went off into thefields, hoeing, or mowing or whatever it was. That is Christ'sdefinition of repentance. If a man says, "By the grace of God I willforsake my sin, and do His will, " that is Repentance--a turning rightabout. 

Some one has said, man is born with his face turned away from God. When he truly repents he is turned right around towards God; heleaves his old life. 

Can a man at once repent? Certainly he can. It does not take a longwhile to turn around. It does not take a man six months to change hismind. There was a vessel that went down some time ago on theNewfoundland coast. As she was bearing towards the shore, there was amoment when the captain could have given orders to reverse theengines and turn back. If the engines had been reversed then, theship would have been saved. But there was a moment when it was toolate. So there is a moment, I believe, in every man's life when hecan halt and say, "By the grace of God I will go no further towardsdeath and ruin. I repent of my sins and turn from them. " You may sayyou have not got feeling enough; but if you are convinced that youare on the wrong road, turn right about, and say, "I will no longergo on in the way of rebellion and sin as I have done. "

Just then, when you are willing to turn towards God, salvation may beyours. 

I find that every case of conversion recorded in the Bible wasinstantaneous. Repentance and faith came very suddenly. The moment aman made up his mind, God gave him the power. God does not ask anyman to do what he has not the power to do. He would not command "allmen everywhere to repent" (Acts xvii. 30) if they were not able to doso. Man has no one to blame but himself if he does not repent andbelieve the Gospel. One of the leading ministers of the Gospel inOhio wrote me a letter some time ago describing his conversion; itvery forcibly illustrates this point of instantaneous decision. Hesaid:

"I was nineteen years old, and was reading law with a Christianlawyer in Vermont. One afternoon when he was away from home, his goodwife said to me as I came into the house, 'I want you to go toclass-meeting with me to-night and become a Christian, so that you canconduct family worship while my husband is away. ' 'Well, I'll do it, 'I said, without any thought. When I came into the house again sheasked me if I was honest in what I had said. I replied, 'Yes, so faras going to meeting with you is concerned; that is only courteous. '

"I went with her to the class-meeting, as I had often done before. About a dozen persons were present in a little school-house. Theleader had spoken to all in the room but myself and two others. Hewas speaking to the person next me, when the thought occurred to me:he will ask me if I have anything to say. I said to myself: I havedecided to be a Christian sometime; why not begin now? In less timethan a minute after these thoughts had passed through my mind hesaid, speaking to me familiarly--for he knew me very well--'BrotherCharles, have you anything to say?' I replied, with perfect coolness, 'Yes, sir. I have just decided, within the last thirty seconds, thatI will begin a Christian life, and would like to have you pray forme. '

"My coolness staggered him; I think he almost doubted my sincerity. He said very little, but passed on and spoke to the other two. Aftera few general remarks, he turned to me and said, 'Brother Charles, will you close the meeting with prayer?' He knew I had never prayedin public. Up to this moment I had no feeling. It was purely abusiness transaction. My first thought was: I cannot pray, and I willask him to excuse me. My second was: I have said I will begin aChristian life; and this is a part of it. So I said, 'Let us pray. 'And somewhere between the time I started to kneel and the time myknees struck the floor the Lord converted my soul. 

"The first words I said were, 'Glory to God!' What I said after thatI do not know, and it does not matter, for my soul was too full tosay much but Glory! From that hour the devil has never dared tochallenge my conversion. To Christ be all the praise. "

Many people are waiting, they cannot exactly tell for what, but forsome sort of miraculous feeling to come stealing over them--somemysterious kind of faith. I was speaking to a man some years ago, andhe always had one answer to give me. For five years I tried to winhim to Christ, and every year he said, "It has not 'struck me' yet. ""Man, what do you mean? What has not struck you?" "Well, " he said, "Iam not going to become a Christian until it strikes me; and it hasnot struck me yet. I do not see it in the way you see it. " "But don'tyou know you are a sinner?" "Yes, I know I am a sinner. " "Well, don'tyou know that God wants to have mercy on you--that there isforgiveness with God? He wants you to repent and come to Him. " "Yes, I know that; but--it has not struck me yet. " He always fell back onthat. Poor man! he went down to his grave in a state of indecision. Sixty long years God gave him to repent; and all he had to say at theend of those years was that it "had not struck him yet. "

Is any reader waiting for some strange feeling--you do not know what?Nowhere in the Bible is a man told to wait; God is commanding you nowto repent. 

Do you think God can forgive a man when he does not want to beforgiven? Would he be happy if God forgave him in this state of mind?Why, if a man went into the kingdom of God without repentance, heavenwould be hell to him. Heaven is a prepared place for a preparedpeople. If your boy has done wrong, and will not repent, you cannotforgive him. You would be doing him an injustice. Suppose he goes toyour desk, and steals $10, and squanders it. When you come home yourservant tells you what your boy has done. You ask if it is true, andhe denies it. But at last you have certain proof. Even when he findshe cannot deny it any longer, he will not confess the sin, but sayshe will do it again the first chance he gets. Would you say to him, "Well, I forgive you, " and leave the matter there? No! Yet peoplesay that God is going to save all men, whether they repent ornot--drunkards, thieves, harlots, whoremongers, it makes no difference. "God is so merciful, " they say. Dear friend, do not be deceived bythe god of this world. Where there is true repentance and a turningfrom sin unto God, He will meet and bless you; but He never blessesuntil there is sincere repentance. 

David made a woful mistake in this respect with his rebellious son, Absalom. He could not have done his son a greater injustice than toforgive him when his heart was unchanged. There could be no truereconciliation between them when there was no repentance. But Goddoes not make these mistakes. David got into trouble on account ofhis error of judgment. His son soon drove his father from the throne. 

Speaking on repentance, Dr. Brooks, of St. Louis, well remarks:"Repentance, strictly speaking, means a 'change of mind or purpose;'consequently it is the judgment which the sinner pronounces uponhimself, in view of the love of God displayed in the death of Christ, connected with the abandonment of all confidence in himself and withtrust in the only Saviour of sinners. Saving repentance and savingfaith always go together; and you need not be worried aboutrepentance if you will believe. "

"Some people are no sure that they have 'repented enough. ' If youmean by this that you must repent in order to incline God to bemerciful to you, the sooner you give over such repentance the better. God is already merciful, as He has fully shown at the Cross ofCalvary; and it is a grievous dishonor to His heart of love if youthink that your tears and anguish will move Him, not knowing that'the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. ' It is not yourbadness, therefore, but His goodness that leads to repentance; hencethe true way to repent is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 'whowas delivered for our offences, and was raised again for ourjustification. '"

Another thing. If there is true repentance it will bring forth fruit. If we have done wrong to any one we should never ask God to forgiveus, until we are willing to make restitution. If I have done any mana great injustice and can make it good, I need not ask God to forgiveme until I am willing to make it good. Suppose I have taken somethingthat does not belong to me. I have no right to expect forgivenessuntil I make restitution. 

I remember preaching in one of our large cities, when a fine-lookingman came up to me at the close. He was in great distress of mind. "The fact is, " he said, "I am a defaulter. I have taken money thatbelonged to my employers. How can I become a Christian withoutrestoring it?" "Have you got the money?" He told me he had not got itall. He had taken about $1, 500, and he still had about $900. He said"Could I not take that money and go into business, and make enough topay them back?" I told him that was a delusion of Satan; that hecould not expect to prosper on stolen money; that he should restoreall he had, and go and ask his employers to have mercy upon him andforgive him. "But they will put me in prison, " he said: "cannot yougive me any help?" "No, you must restore the money before you canexpect to get any help from God. " "It is pretty hard, " he said. "Yes. It is hard; but the great mistake was in doing the wrong at first. "

His burden became so heavy that it got to be insupportable. He handedme the money--950 dollars and some cents--and asked me to take itback to his employers. The next evening the two employers and myselfmet in a side room of the church. I laid the money down, and informedthem it was from one of their _employes_. I told them the story, andsaid he wanted mercy from them, not justice. The tears trickled downthe cheeks of these two men, and they said, "Forgive him! Yes, wewill be glad to forgive him. " I went down stairs and brought him up. After he had confessed his guilt and been forgiven, we all got downon our knees and had a blessed prayer-meeting. God met us and blessedus there. 

There was a friend of mine who some time ago had come to Christ andwished to consecrate himself and his wealth to God. He had formerlyhad transactions with the government, and had taken advantage ofthem. This thing came up when he was converted, and his consciencetroubled him. He said, "I want to consecrate my wealth, but it seemsas if God will not take it. " He had a terrible struggle; hisconscience kept rising up and smiting him. At last he drew a checkfor $1, 500 and sent it to the United States Treasury. He told me hereceived such a blessing when he had done it. That was bringing forth"fruits meet for repentance. " I believe a great many men are cryingto God for light; and they are not getting it because they are nothonest. 

I was once preaching, and a man came to me who was only thirty-twoyears old, but whose hair was very grey. He said, "I want you tonotice that my hair is grey, and I am only thirty-two years old. Fortwelve years I have carried a great burden. " "Well, " I said, "what isit?" He looked around as if afraid some one would hear him. "Well, "he answered, "my father died and left my mother with the countynewspaper, and left her only that: that was all she had. After hedied the paper begun to waste away; and I saw my mother was fastsinking into a state of need. The building and the paper were insuredfor a thousand dollars, and when I was twenty years old I set fire tothe building, and obtained the thousand dollars, and gave it to mymother. For twelve years that sin has been haunting me. I have triedto drown it by indulgence in pleasure and sin; I have cursed God; Ihave gone into infidelity; I have tried to make out that the Bible isnot true; I have done everything I could: but all these years I havebeen tormented. " I said, "There is a way out of that. " He inquired"How?" I said, "Make restitution. Let us sit down and calculate theinterest, and then you pay the Company the money. " It would have doneyou good to see that man's face light up when he found there wasmercy for him. He said he would be glad to pay back the money andinterest if he could only be forgiven. 

There are men to-day who are in darkness and bondage because they arenot willing to turn from their sins and confess them; and I do notknow how a man can hope to be forgiven if he is not willing toconfess his sins. 

Bear in mind that _now_ is the only day of mercy you will ever have. You can repent now, and have the awful record blotted out. God waitsto forgive you; He is seeking to bring you to Himself. But I thinkthe Bible teaches clearly that there is _no repentance after thislife_. There are some who tell you of the possibility of repentancein the grave; but I do not find that in Scripture. I have looked myBible over very carefully, and I cannot find that a man will haveanother opportunity of being saved. 

_Why should he ask for any more time?_ You have time enough to repentnow. You can turn from your sins this moment if you will. God says:"I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth; wherefore turn, and live ye" (Ezek. Xviii. 32). 

Christ said, He "came not to call the righteous, but sinners torepentance. " Are you a sinner? Then the call to repent is addressedto you. Take your place in the dust at the Saviour's feet, andacknowledge your guilt. Say, like the publican of old, "God bemerciful to me a sinner!" and see how quickly He will pardon andbless you. He will even justify you and reckon you as righteous, byvirtue of the righteousness of Him who bore your sins in His own bodyon the Cross. 

There are some perhaps who think themselves righteous; and that, therefore, there is no need for them to repent and believe theGospel. They are like the Pharisee in the parable, who thanked Godthat he was not as other men--"extortioners, unjust, adulterers, oreven as this publican;" and who went on to say, "I fast twice a week;I give tithes of all I possess. " What is the judgment about suchself-righteous persons? "I tell you this man [the poor, contrite, repenting publican] went down to his house justified rather than theother" (Luke xviii. 11-14). "There is none righteous; no, not one. ""All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. Iii. 10, 23). Let no one say _he_ does not need to repent. Let each one takehis true place--that of a sinner; then God will lift him up to theplace of forgiveness and justification. "Whosoever exalteth himselfshall be abased: and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" (Lukexiv. 11). 

Wherever God sees true repentance in the heart He meets that soul. 

I was in Colorado, preaching the gospel some time ago, and I heardsomething that touched my heart very much. The governor of the Statewas passing through the prison, and in one cell he found a boy whohad his window full of flowers, that seemed to have been watched withvery tender care. The governor looked at the prisoner, and then atthe flowers, and asked whose they were, "These are my flowers, " saidthe poor convict. "Are you fond of flowers?" "Yes, sir. " "How longhave you been here?" He told him so many years: he was in for a longsentence. The governor was surprised to find him so fond of theflowers, and he said, "Can you tell me why you like these flowers somuch?" With much emotion he replied, "While my mother was alive shethought a good deal of flowers; and when I came here I thought if Ihad these they would remind me of mother. " The governor was sopleased that he said, "Well, young man, if you think so much of yourmother I think you will appreciate your liberty, " and he pardoned himthen and there. 

When God finds that beautiful flower of true repentance springing upin a man's heart, then salvation comes to that man. 

CHAPTER VII. 

_ASSURANCE OF SALVATION_. 

"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of theSon of God; that ye may knew that ye have eternal life, and that yemay believe on the name of the Son of God. "

(1 John v. 13. )

There are two classes who ought not to have Assurance. First: thosewho are in the Church, but who are not converted, having never beenborn of the Spirit. Second: those not willing to do God's will; whoare not ready to take the place that God has mapped out for them, butwant to fill some other place. 

Some one will ask "Have all God's people Assurance?" No; I think agood many of God's dear people have no Assurance; but it is theprivilege of every child of God to have beyond doubt a knowledge ofhis own salvation. No man is fit for God's service who is filled withdoubts. If a man is not sure of his own salvation, how can he helpany one else into the kingdom of God? If I seem in danger of drowningand do not know whether I shall ever reach the shore, I cannot assistanother. I must first get on the solid rock myself; and then I canlend my brother a helping hand. If being myself blind I were to tellanother blind man how to get sight, he might reply, "First get healedyourself; and then you can tell me. " I recently met with a young manwho was a Christian: but he had not attained to victory over sin. Hewas in terrible darkness. Such an one is not fit to work for God, because he has besetting sins; and he has not the victory over hisdoubts, because he has not the victory over his sins. 

None will have time or heart to work for God, who are not assured asto their own salvation. They have as much as they can attend to; andbeing themselves burdened with doubts, they cannot help others tocarry their burdens. There is no rest, joy, or peace--no liberty, norpower--where doubts and uncertainty exist. 

Now it seems as if there are three wiles of Satan against which weought to be on our guard. In the first place he moves all his kingdomto keep us away from Christ; then he devotes himself to get us into"Doubting Castle:" but if we have, in spite of him, a clear ringingwitness for the Son of God, he will do all he can to blacken ourcharacters and belie our testimony. 

Some seem to think that it is presumption not to have doubts; butdoubt is very dishonoring to God. If any one were to say that theyhad known a person for thirty years and yet doubted him, it would notbe very creditable; and when we have known God for ten, twenty orthirty years does it not reflect on His veracity to doubt Him. 

Could Paul and the early Christians and martyrs have gone throughwhat they did if they had been filled with doubts, and had not knownwhether they were going to heaven or to perdition after they had beenburned at the stake? They must have had Assurance. 

Mr. Spurgeon says: "I never heard of a stork that when it met with afir tree demurred as to its right to build its nest there; and Inever heard of a coney yet that questioned whether it had a permit torun into the rock. Why, these creatures would soon perish if theywere always doubting and fearing as to whether they had a right touse providential provisions. 

"The stork says to himself, 'Ah, here is a fir tree:' he consultswith his mate, 'Will this do for the nest in which we may rear ouryoung?' 'Aye, ' says she; and they gather the materials, and arrangethem. There is never any deliberation, 'May we build here?' but theybring their sticks and make their nest. 

"The wild goat on the crag does not say, 'Have I a right here?' No, he must be somewhere: and there is a crag which exactly suits him;and he springs upon it. 

"Yet, though these dumb creatures know the provision of their God, the sinner does not recognize the provision of his Saviour. Hequibbles and questions, 'May I?' and am 'I am afraid it is not forme;' and 'I think it cannot be meant for me;' and 'I am afraid it istoo good to be true. '

"And yet nobody ever said to the stork, 'Whosoever buildeth on thisfir tree shall never have his nest pulled down. ' No inspired word hasever said to the coney, 'Whosoever runs into this rock cleft shallnever be driven out of it. ' If it had been so it would make assurancedoubly sure. "

"And yet here is Christ provided for sinners, just the sort of aSaviour sinners need; and the encouragement is added, 'Him thatcometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out;' 'Whosoever will, let himtake the water of life freely. '"

Now let us come to the Word. John tells us in his Gospel what Christdid for us on earth. In his Epistle He tells us what He is doing forus in heaven as our Advocate. In his Gospel there are only twochapters in which the word "believe" does not occur. With these twoexceptions, every chapter in John is "Believe! _Believe!!_Believe!!!" He tells us in xx. 31, "But these are written, that yemight believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that, believing, ye might have life through His name. " That is the purposefor which he wrote the Gospel--"that we might believe that Jesus isthe Christ, the Son of God: and that, believing, we might have lifethrough His name" (John xx. 31). 

Turn to 1 John v. 13, he there tells us why he wrote this Epistle:"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of theSon of God. " Notice to whom he writes it "You that believe on thename of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. " There areonly five short chapters in this first Epistle, and the word "know"occurs over forty times. It is "_Know!_ Know!! KNOW!!!" The Key to itis Know! and all through the Epistle there rings out therefrain--"that we might know that we have eternal life. "

I went twelve hundred miles down the Mississippi in the spring someyears ago; and every evening, just as the sun went down, you mighthave seen men, and sometimes women, riding up to the banks of theriver on either side on mules or horses, and sometimes coming onfoot, for the purpose of lighting up the Government lights; and alldown that mighty river there were landmarks which guided the pilotsin their dangerous navigation. Now God has given us lights orlandmarks to tell us whether we are His children or not; and what weneed to do is to examine the tokens He has given us. 

In the third chapter of John's first Epistle there are five thingsworth knowing. 

In the fifth verse we read the first: "And ye _know_ that He wasmanifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin. " Not what Ihave done, but what HE has done. Has He failed in His mission? Is Henot able to do what He came for? Did ever any heaven-sent man failyet? and could God's own Son fail? He was manifested to take away oursins. 

Again, in the nineteenth verse, the second thing worth knowing: "Andhereby _we know_ that we are of the truth, and shall _assure_ ourhearts before Him. " We know that we are of the truth. And if thetruth make us free, we shall be free indeed. "If the Son thereforeshall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. " (John viii. 36. )

The third thing worth knowing is in the fourteenth verse, "_We know_that we have passed from death unto life, because we love thebrethren. " The natural man does not like godly people, nor does hecare to be in their company. "He that loveth not his brother abidethin death. " He has no spiritual life. 

The fourth thing worth knowing we find in verse twenty-four: "And hethat keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him. Andhereby _we know_ that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hathgiven us. " We can tell what kind of Spirit we have if we possess theSpirit of Christ--a Christ-like spirit--not the same in degree, butthe same in kind. If I am meek, gentle, and forgiving; if I have aspirit filled with peace and joy; if I am long-suffering and gentle, like the Son of God--that is a test: and in that way we are to tellwhether we have eternal life or not. 

The fifth thing worth knowing, and the best of all, is "Beloved, _now_. " Notice the word "Now. " It does not say when you come to die. "Beloved, _now_ are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appearwhat we shall be: but _we know_ that, when He shall appear; we shallbe like Him; for we shall see Him as He is" (v. 2). 

But some will say, "Well, I believe all that; but then I have sinnedsince I became a Christian. " Is there a man or a woman on the face ofthe earth who has not sinned since becoming a Christian? Not one!There never has been, and never will be, a soul on this earth who hasnot sinned, or who will not sin, at some time of their Christianexperience. But God has made provision for believers' sins. _We_ arenot to make provision for them; but God has. Bear that in mind. 

Turn to 1 John ii. 1: "My little children, these things write I untoyou, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate withthe Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. " He is here writing to therighteous. "If any man sin, _we_"--John put himself in--"we have anAdvocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. " What anAdvocate! He attends to our interests at the very best place--thethrone of God. He said, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it isexpedient for you that I go away" (John xvi. 7). He went away tobecome our High Priest, and also our Advocate. He has had some hardcases to plead; but he has never lost one: and if you entrust yourimmortal interests to Him, He will "present you faultless before thepresence of His glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24). 

The past sins of Christians are all forgiven as soon as they areconfessed; and they are never to be mentioned. That is a questionwhich is not to be opened up again. If our sins have been put away, that is the end of them. They are not to be remembered; and God willnot mention them any more. This is very plain. Suppose I have a sonwho, while I am from home, does wrong. When I go home he throws hisarms around my neck and says, "Papa, I did what you told me not todo. I am very sorry. Do forgive me. " I say: "Yes, my son, " and kisshim. He wipes away his tears, and goes off rejoicing. 

But the next day he says: "Papa, I wish you would forgive me for thewrong I did yesterday. " I should say: "Why, my son, that thing issettled; and I don't want it mentioned again. " "But I wish you wouldforgive me: it would help me to hear you say, 'I forgive you. '" Wouldthat be honoring me? Would it not grieve me to have my boy doubt me?But to gratify him I say again, "I forgive you, my son. "

And if, the next day, he were again to bring up that old sin, and askforgiveness, would not that grieve me to the heart? And so, my dearreader, if God has forgiven us, never let us mention the past. Let usforget those things which are behind, and reach forth unto thosewhich are before, and press toward the mark for the prize of the highcalling of God in Christ Jesus. Let the sins of the past go; for "Ifwe confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John i. 9). 

And let me say that this principle is recognized in courts ofjustice. A case came up in the courts of a country--I won't saywhere--in which a man had had trouble with his wife; but he forgaveher, and then afterwards brought her into court. And, when it wasknown that he had forgiven her, the judge said that the thing wassettled. The judge recognized the soundness of the principle, that ifa sin were once forgiven there was an end of it. And do you think theJudge of all the earth will forgive you and me, and open the questionagain? Our sins are gone for time and eternity, if God forgives: andwhat we have to do is to confess and forsake our sins. 

Again in 2 Corinthians xiii. 5: "Examine yourselves whether ye be inthe faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, howthat Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" Now examineyourselves. Try your religion. Put it to the test. Can you forgive anenemy? That is a good way to know if you are a child of God. Can youforgive an injury, or take an affront, as Christ did? Can you becensured for doing well, and not murmur? Can you be misjudged andmisrepresented, and yet keep a Christ-like spirit?

Another good test is to read Galatians v. , and notice the fruits ofthe Spirit; and see if you have them. "The fruit of the Spirit islove, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. " If I have thefruits of the Spirit I must have the Spirit. I could not have thefruits without the Spirit any more than there could be an orangewithout the tree. And Christ says "Ye shall know them by theirfruits;" "for the tree is known by his fruits. " Make the tree good, and the fruit will be good. The only way to get the fruit is to havethe Spirit. That is the way to examine ourselves whether we are thechildren of God. 

Then there is another very striking passage. In Romans viii. 9, Paulsays: "Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none ofHis. " That ought to settle the question, even though one may havegone through all the external forms that are considered necessary bysome to constitute a member of a Church. Read Paul's life, and putyours alongside of it. If your life resembles his, it is a proof thatyou are born again--that you are a new creature in Christ Jesus. 

But although you may be born again, it will require time to become afull-grown Christian. Justification is instantaneous; butsanctification is a life-work. We are to grow in wisdom. Peter says"Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour JesusChrist" (2 Pet. Iii. 18); and in the first chapter of his SecondEpistle, "Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and toknowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patiencegodliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherlykindness charity. For if these things be in you and abound they makeyou that ye shall neither be barron nor unfruitful in the knowledgeof our Lord Jesus Christ. " So that we are to add grace to grace. Atree may be perfect in its first year of growth; but it does notattain its maturity. So with the Christian: he may be a true child ofGod, but not a matured Christian. The eighth of Romans is veryimportant, and we should be very familiar with it. In the fourteenthverse the apostle says: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of Godthey are the sons of God. " Just as the soldier is led by his captain, the pupil by his teacher, or the traveller by his guide; so the HolySpirit will be the guide of every true child of God. 

Then let me call your attention to another fact. All Paul's teachingin nearly every Epistle rings out the doctrine of assurance. He saysin 2 Corinthians v. 1: "For we _know_ that if our earthly house ofthis tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a housenot made with hands, eternal in the heavens. " He had a title to themansions above, and he says--_I know it_. He was not living inuncertainty. He said: "I have a desire to depart and be with Christ"(Phil. I. 23); and if he had been uncertain he would not have saidthat. Then in Colossians iii. 4, he says: "When Christ, who is ourlife, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. " Iam told that Dr. Watts' tombstone bears this same passage ofScripture. There is no doubt there. 

Then turn to Colossians i. 12: "Giving thanks unto the Father, whichhath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints inlight; who _hath_ delivered us from the power of darkness, and _hath_translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son. "

Three _haths_: "hath made us meet;" "hath delivered us;" and "hathtranslated us. " It does not say that He is going to make us meet;that He is going to deliver; that He is going to translate. 

Then again in verse 14th: "In whom we have redemption through Hisblood, even the forgiveness of sins. " We are either forgiven or weare not, we should not give ourselves any rest until we get into thekingdom of God; nor until we can each look up and say, "I know thatif my earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, I have abuilding of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens"(2 Cor. V. 1). 

Look at Romans viii. 32: "He that spared not His own Son, butdelivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freelygive us all things?" If He gave us His Son, will He not give us thecertainty that He is ours. I have heard this illustration. There wasa man who owed $10, 000, and would have been made a bankrupt, but afriend came forward and paid the sum. It was found afterwards that heowed a few dollars more; but he did not for a moment entertain adoubt that, as his friend had paid the larger amount, he would alsopay the smaller. And we have high warrant for saying that if God hasgiven us His Son He will with Him also freely give us all things; andif we want to realize our salvation beyond controversy He will notleave us in darkness. 

Again in the 33d verse: "Who shall lay anything to the charge ofGod's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? Itis Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even atthe right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shallseparate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it iswritten, For Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we areaccounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we aremore than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuadedthat neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, norpowers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nordepth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from thelove of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. "

That has the right ring in it. There is Assurance for you. "I Know. "Do you think that the God who has justified me will condemn me? Thatis quite an absurdity. God is going to save us so that neither men, angels, nor devils, can bring any charge against us or Him. He willhave the work complete. 

Job lived in a darker day than we do; but we read in Job xix. 25: "I_know_ that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand in the latterday upon the earth. "

The same confidence breathes through Paul's last words to Timothy:"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I amnot ashamed; for I _know_ whom I have believed, and am persuaded thatHe is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against thatday. " It is not a matter of doubt, but of knowledge. "I know. " "I ampersuaded. " The word "Hope, " is not used in the Scripture to expressdoubt. It is used in regard to the second coming of Christ, or to theresurrection of the body. We do not say that we "hope" we areChristians. I do not say that I "hope" I am an American, or that I"hope" I am a married man. These are settled things. I may say that I"hope" to go back to my home, or I hope to attend such a meeting. Ido not say that I "hope" to come to this country, for I am here. Andso, if we are born of God we know it; and He will not leave us indarkness if we search the Scriptures. 

Christ taught this doctrine to His seventy disciples when theyreturned elated with their success, saying, "Lord, even the devilsare subject unto us through Thy name. " The Lord seemed to check them, and said that He would give them something to rejoice in. "Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subjectunto you; but rather rejoice because your names are written inheaven. " (Luke x. 20. )

It is the privilege of every one of us to know, beyond a doubt, thatour salvation is sure. Then we can work for others. But if we aredoubtful of our own salvation, we are not fit for the service of God. 

Another passage is John v. 24: "Verily, verily I say unto you: Hethat heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hatheverlasting life, and shall not come into '_judgment_, '" (the newtranslation has it so), "but is passed from death unto life. "

Some people say that you never can tell till you are before the greatwhite throne of Judgment whether you are saved or not. Why, my dearfriend, if your life is hid with Christ in God, you are not cominginto judgment for your sins. We may come into judgment for reward. This is clearly taught where the lord reckoned with the servant towhom five talents had been given, and who brought other five talentssaying, "Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents; behold, I havegained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Welldone, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over afew things; I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou intothe joy of thy lord. " (Matt. Xxv. 20, 21. ) We shall be judged for ourstewardship. That is one thing; but salvation--eternal life--isanother. 

Will God demand payment twice of the debt which Christ has paid forus? If Christ bear my sins in His own body on the tree, am I toanswer for them as well?

Isaiah tells us that, "He was wounded for our transgressions; He wasbruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was uponHim: and with His stripes we are healed. " In Romans iv. 25, we read:He "was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for ourjustification. " Let us believe, and get the benefit of His finishedwork. 

Then again in John x. 9: "I am the door: by Me if any man enter in heshall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. " That isthe promise. Then the 27th verse, "My sheep hear my voice; and I knowthem, and they follow Me. And I give unto them eternal life; and theyshall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father which gave them is greater than all; and no man is able topluck them out of my Father's hand. " Think of that! The Father, theSon, and the Holy Ghost, are pledged to keep us. You see that it isnot only the Father, not only the Son, but the three persons of theTriune God. 

Now, a great many people want some token outside of God's word. Thathabit always brings doubt. If I made a promise to meet a man at acertain hour and place to-morrow, and he were to ask me for my watchas a token of my sincerity, it would be a slur on my truthfulness. Wemust not question what God has said: He has made statement afterstatement, and multiplied figure upon figure. Christ says: "I am thedoor; by Me if any man enter in he shall be saved. " "I am the GoodShepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. " "I am the lightof the world; he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, butshall have the light of life. " "I am the truth;" receive Me, and youwill have the truth; for I am the embodiment of truth. Do you want toknow the way? "I am the way:" follow Me, and I will lead you into thekingdom. Are you hungering after righteousness? "I am the Bread oflife:" if you eat of Me you shall never hunger. "I am the Water oflife:" if you drink of this water it shall be within you "a well ofwater springing up unto everlasting life. " "I am the resurrection andthe life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall helive; and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. "(John xi. 25, 26. )

Let me remind you where our doubts come from. A good many of God'sdear people never get beyond knowing themselves servants. He calls us"friends. " If you go into a house you will soon see the differencebetween the servant and the son. The son walks at perfect liberty allover the house; he is at home. But the servant takes a subordinateplace. What we want is to get beyond servants. We ought to realizeour standing with God as sons and daughters. He will not "un-child"His children. God has not only adopted us, but we are His by birth:we have been born into His kingdom. My little boy was as much minewhen he was a day old as now that he is fourteen. He was _my son_;although it did not appear what he would be when he attained manhood. He is mine; although he may have to undergo probation under tutorsand governors. The children of God are not perfect; but we areperfectly His children. 

Another origin of doubts is looking at ourselves. If you want to bewretched and miserable, filled with doubts from morning till night, look at yourselves. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mindis stayed on Thee. " (Isa. Xxvi. 3. ) Many of God's dear children arerobbed of joy because they keep looking at themselves. 

Some one has said: "There are three ways to look. If you want to bewretched, look within; if you wish to be distracted, look around; butif you would have peace, look up. " Peter looked away from Christ, andhe immediately began to sink. The Master said to him: "O thou oflittle faith! Wherefore didst thou doubt?" (Matt. Xiv. 31. ) He hadGod's eternal word, which was sure footing, and better than eithermarble, granite or iron; but the moment he took his eyes off Christdown he went. Those who look around cannot see how unstable anddishonoring is their walk. We want to look straight at the "Authorand Finisher of our faith. "

When I was a boy I could only make a straight track in the snow, bykeeping my eyes fixed upon a tree or some object before me. Themoment I took my eye off the mark set in front of me, I walkedcrooked. It is only when we look fixedly on Christ that we findperfect peace. After He rose from the dead He showed His disciplesHis hands and His feet. (Luke xxiv. 40. ) That was the ground of theirpeace. If you want to scatter your doubts, look at the blood; and ifyou want to increase your doubts, look at yourself. You will getdoubts enough for years by being occupied with yourself for a fewdays. 

Then again: look at what He is, and at what He has done; not at whatyou are, and what you have done. That is the way to get peace andrest. 

Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation declaring the emancipation ofthree millions of slaves. On a certain day their chains were to falloff, and they were to be free. The proclamation was put up on thetrees and fences wherever the Northern Army marched. A good manyslaves could not read: but others read the proclamation, and most ofthem believed it; and on a certain day a glad shout went up, "We arefree!" Some did not believe it, and stayed with their old masters;but it did not alter the fact that they were free. Christ, theCaptain of our salvation, has proclaimed freedom to all who havefaith in Him. Let us take Him at His word. Their feelings would nothave made the slaves free. The power must come from the outside. Looking at ourselves will not make us free, but it is looking toChrist with the eye of faith. 

Bishop Ryle has strikingly said: "Faith is the root, and Assurancethe flower. " Doubtless you can never have the flower without theroot; but it is no less certain you may have the root, and not theflower. 

"Faith is that poor trembling woman who came behind Jesus in thepress, and touched the hem of His garment. (Mark v. 27. ) Assurance isStephen standing calmly in the midst of his murderers, and saying, 'Isee the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right handof God'" (Acts vii. 56). 

"Faith is the penitent thief, crying, 'Lord, remember me' (Luke xxiii. 42). Assurance is Job sitting in the dust, covered with sores, andsaying, 'I know that my Redeemer liveth;' 'Though He slay me, yetwill I trust in Him'" (Job xix. 25; xiii. 15). 

"Faith is Peter's drowning cry, as he began to sink, 'Lord, save me!'(Matt. Xxiv. 30). Assurance is that same Peter declaring before theCouncil, in after-times, 'This is the stone which was set at noughtof you builders, which is become the head of the corner: neither isthere salvation in any other; for there is none other name underheaven given among men whereby we must be saved'" (Acts iv. 11, 12). 

"Faith is the anxious, trembling voice, 'Lord, I believe; help Thoumine unbelief!' (Mark ix. 24). Assurance is the confident challenge, 'Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Who is he thatcondemneth?'" (Rom. Viii. 33, 34). 

Faith is Saul praying in the house of Judas at Damascus, sorrowful, blind, and alone. (Acts ix. 11. ) Assurance is Paul, the agedprisoner, looking calmly into the grave, and saying, 'I know whom Ihave believed. ' 'There is a crown laid up for me' (2 Tim. I. 12; iv. 8). 

"Faith is Life. How great the blessing! Who can tell the gulf betweenlife and death? And yet life may be weak, sickly, unhealthy, painful, trying, anxious, worn, burdensome, joyless, smileless, to the veryend. 

"Assurance is _more than life_. It is health, strength, power, vigor, activity, energy, manliness, beauty. "

A minister once pronounced the benediction in this way: "The heart ofGod to make us welcome; the blood of Christ to make us clean, and theHoly Spirit to make us certain. " The security of the believer is theresult of the operation of the Spirit of God. 

Another writer says: "I have seen shrubs and trees grow out of therocks, and overhang fearful precipices, roaring cataracts, and deeprunning waters; but they maintained their position, and threw outtheir foliage and branches as much as if they had been in the midstof a dense forest. " It was their hold on the rock that made themsecure; and the influences of nature that sustained their life. Sobelievers are oftentimes exposed to the most horrible dangers intheir journey to heaven; but, so long as they are "rooted andgrounded" in the Rock of Ages, they are perfectly secure. Their holdof Him is their guarantee; and the blessings of His grace give themlife and sustain them in life. And as the tree must die, or the rockfall, before a dissolution can be effected between _them_, so eitherthe believer must lose his spiritual life, or the Rock must crumble, ere their union can be dissolved. 

Speaking of the Lord Jesus, Isaiah says: "I will fasten Him as a nailin a sure place; and He shall be for a glorious throne to HisFather's house: and they shall hang upon Him all the glory of Hisfather's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of smallquantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels offlagons" (xxii. 23, 24). 

There is one nail, fastened in a sure place; and on it hang all theflagons and all the cups. "Oh, " says one little cup, "I am so smalland so black, suppose I were to drop!" "Oh, " says a flagon, "there isno fear of you; but I am so heavy, so very weighty, suppose I were todrop!" And a little cup says, "Oh, if I were only like the gold cupthere, I should never fear falling. " But the gold cup answers, "It isnot because I am a gold cup that I keep up; but because I hang uponthe nail. " If the nail gives way we all come down, gold cups, chinacups, pewter cups, and all; but as long as the nail keeps up, allthat hang on Him hang safely. 

I once read these words on a tombstone: "Born, died, kept. " Let uspray God to keep us in perfect peace, and assured of salvation. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

_CHRIST ALL AND IN ALL_. 

(Colossians iii. 11. )

Christ is _all_ to us that we make Him to be. I want to emphasizethat word "all. " Some men make Him to be "a root out of a dryground, " "without form or comeliness. " He is nothing to them; they donot want Him. Some Christians have a very small Saviour, for they arenot willing to receive Him fully, and let Him do great and mightythings for them. Others have a mighty Saviour, because they make Himto be great and mighty. 

If we would know what Christ wants to be to us, we must first of allknow Him as our Saviour from sin. When the angel came down fromheaven to proclaim that He was to be born into the world, youremember he gave His name, "He shall be called Jesus, for He shallsave His people from their sins. " Have we been delivered from sin? Hedid not come to save us _in_ our sins, but _from_ our sins. Now, there are three ways of knowing a man. Some men you know only byhearsay; others you merely know by having been once introduced tothem, you know them very slightly; other again you know by havingbeen acquainted with them for years, you know them intimately. So Ibelieve there are three classes of people to-day in the ChristianChurch and out of it: those who know Christ only by reading or byhearsay, those who have a historical Christ; those who have a slightpersonal acquaintance with Him; and, those who thirst, as Paul did, to "know Him and the power of His resurrection. " The more we know ofChrist the more we shall love Him, and the better we shall serve Him. 

Let us look at Him as He hangs upon the Cross, and see how He has putaway sin. He was manifested that He might take away our sins; and ifwe really know Him we must first of all see Him as our Saviour fromsin. You remember how the angels said to the shepherds on the plainsof Bethlehem, "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, whichshall be to all people: for unto you is born this day, in the city ofDavid, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. " (Luke ii. 10, 11. ) Thenif you go clear back to Isaiah, seven hundred years before Christ'sbirth, you will find these words: "I, even I, am the Lord; and besideme there is no Saviour" (xliii. 11). 

Again, in the First Epistle of John (iv. 14) we read: "We have seen, and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of theworld. " All the heathen religions, we read, teach men to work theirway up to God; but the religion of Jesus Christ is God coming down tomen to save them, to lift them up out of the pit of sin. In Luke xix. 10, we read that Christ Himself told the people what He had come for:"The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. " Sowe start from the Cross, not from the cradle. Christ has opened up anew and living way to the Father; He has taken all the stumbling-blocksout of the way, so that every man who accepts of Christ as hisSaviour can have salvation. 

But Christ is not only a Saviour. I might save a man from drowningand rescue him from an untimely grave; but I might probably not beable to do any more for him. Christ is something more than a Saviour. When the children of Israel were placed behind the blood, that bloodwas their salvation; but they would still have heard the crack of theslave-driver's whip if they had not been delivered from the Egyptianyoke of bondage: then it was that God delivered them from the hand ofthe king of Egypt. I have little sympathy with the idea that Godcomes down to save us, and then leaves us in prison, the slaves ofour besetting sins. No; He has come to deliver us, and to give usvictory over our evil tempers, our passions, and our lusts. Are you aprofessed Christian but one who is a slave to some besetting sin? Ifyou want to get victory over that temper or that lust, go on to knowChrist more intimately. He brings deliverance for the past, thepresent, and the future. "Who delivered; who doth deliver; who willyet deliver. " (2 Cor. I. 10. )

How often, like the children of Israel when they came to the Red Sea, have we become discouraged because everything looked dark before us, behind us, and around us, and we knew not which way to turn. LikePeter we have said, "To whom shall we go?" But God has appeared forour deliverance. He has brought us through the Red Sea right out intothe wilderness, and opened up the way into the Promised Land. ButChrist is not only our Deliverer; He is our Redeemer. That issomething more than being our Saviour. He has brought us back. "Yehave sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed withoutmoney. " (Isaiah lii. 3. ) "We were not redeemed with corruptiblethings, as silver and gold. " (1 Peter i. 18. ) If gold could haveredeemed us, could He not have created ten thousand worlds full ofgold?

When God had redeemed the children of Israel from the bondage ofEgypt, and brought them through the Red Sea, they struck out for thewilderness; and then God became to them their Way. I am so thankfulthe Lord has not left us in darkness as to the right way. There is noliving man who has been groping in the darkness but may know the way. "I am the Way, " says Christ. If we follow Christ we shall be in theright way, and have the right doctrine. Who could lead the childrenof Israel through the wilderness like the Almighty God Himself? Heknew the pitfalls and dangers of the way, and guided the peoplethrough all their wilderness journey right into the promised land. Itis true that if it had not been for their accursed unbelief theymight have crossed into the land at Kadesh Barnea, and takenpossession of it, but they desired something besides God's word; sothey were turned back, and had to wander in the desert for fortyyears. I believe there are thousands of God's children wandering inthe wilderness still. The Lord has delivered them from the hand ofthe Egyptian, and would at once take them through the wildernessright into the Promised Land, if they were only willing to followChrist. Christ has been down here, and has made the rough placessmooth, and the dark places light, and the crooked places straight. If we will only be led by Him, and will follow Him, all will bepeace, and joy, and rest. 

In the frontier, when a man goes out hunting he takes a hatchet withhim, and cuts off pieces from the bark of the trees as he goes alongthrough the forest: this is called "blazing the way. " He does it thathe may know the way back, as there is no pathway through these thickforests. Christ has come down to this earth; He has "blazed the Way:"and now that He has gone up on high, if we will but follow him, weshall be kept in the right path. I will tell you how you may know ifyou are following Christ or not. If some one has slandered you, ormisjudged you, do you treat them as your master would have done? Ifyou do not bear these things in a loving and forgiving spirit, allthe churches and ministers in the world cannot make you right. "Ifany man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. " (Romansviii. 9. ) "If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creature: oldthings are passed away; behold, all things are become new. " (2 Cor. V. 17. )

Christ is not only our way; He is the Light upon the way. He says, "Iam the Light of the world. " (John viii. 12; ix. 5; xii. 46. ) He goeson to say, "He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, butshall have the light of life. " It is impossible for any man or womanwho is following Christ to walk in darkness. If your soul is in thedarkness, groping around in the fog and mist of earth, let me tellyou it is because you have got away from the true light. There isnothing but light that will dispel darkness. So let those who arewalking in spiritual darkness admit Christ into their hearts: He isthe Light. I call to mind a picture of which I used at one time tothink a good deal; but now I have come to look more closely, I wouldnot put it up in my house except I turned the face to the wall. Itrepresents Christ as standing at a door, knocking, and having a biglantern in His hand. Why, you might as well hang up a lantern to thesun as put one into Christ's hand. He is the Sun of Righteousness;and it is our privilege to walk in the light of an unclouded sun. 

Many people are hunting after light, and peace, and joy. We arenowhere told to seek after these things. If we admit Christ into ourhearts these will all come of themselves. I remember, when a boy, Iused to try in vain to catch my shadow. One day I was walking with myface to the sun; and as I happened to look around I saw that myshadow was following me. The faster I went the faster my shadowfollowed; I could not get away from it. So when our faces aredirected to the Sun of Righteousness, the peace and joy are sure tocome. A man said to me some time ago, "Moody, how do you feel?" Itwas so long since I had thought about my feelings I had to stop andconsider awhile, in order to find out. Some Christians are all thetime thinking about their feelings; and because they do not feel justright they think their joy is all gone. If we keep our faces towardsChrist, and are occupied with Him, we shall be lifted out of thedarkness and the trouble that may have gathered round our path. 

I remember being in a meeting after the war of the great rebellionbroke out. The war had been going on for about six months. The armyof the North had been defeated at Bull Run, in fact, we had nothingbut defeat, and it looked as though the republic was going to pieces. So we were much cast down and discouraged. At this meeting everyspeaker for awhile seemed as if he had hung his harp upon the willow;and it was one of the gloomiest meetings I ever attended. Finally anold man with beautiful white hair got up to speak, and his faceliterally shone. "Young men, " he said "you do not talk like sons ofthe King. Though it is dark just here, remember it is light somewhereelse. " Then he went on to say that if it were dark all over theworld, it was light up around the Throne. 

He told us he had come from the east, where a friend had described tohim how he had been up a mountain to spend the night and see the sunrise. As the party were climbing up the mountain, and before they hadreached the summit, a storm came on. This friend said to the guide, "I will give this up; take me back. " The guide smiled, and replied, "I think we shall get above the storm soon. " On they went; and it wasnot long before they got up to where it was as calm as any summerevening. Down in the valley a terrible storm raged; they could hearthe thunder rolling, and see the lightning's flash; but all wasserene on the mountain top. "And so, my young friends, " continued theold man, "though all is dark around you, come a little higher and thedarkness will flee away. " Often when I have been inclined to getdiscouraged, I have thought of what he said. Now if you are down inthe valley amidst the thick fog and the darkness, get a littlehigher; get nearer to Christ, and know more of Him. 

You remember the Bible says, that when Christ expired on the cross, the light of the world was put out. God sent His Son to be the lightof the world; but men did not love the light because it reproved themof their sins. When they were about to put out this light, what didChrist say to His disciples? "Ye shall be witnesses unto Me. " (Actsi. 8. ) He has gone up yonder to intercede for us; but He wants us toshine for Him down here. "Ye are the light of the world. " (Matt. V. 14. ) So our work is to shine; not to blow our own trumpet so thatpeople may look at us. What we want to do is to show forth Christ. Ifwe have any light at all it is borrowed light. Some one said to ayoung Christian: "Converted! it is all moonshine!" Said he: "I thankyou for the illustration; the moon borrows its light from the sun;and we borrow ours from the Sun of Righteousness. " If we areChrist's, we are here to shine for Him: by and by he will call ushome to our reward. 

I remember hearing of a blind man who sat by the wayside with alantern near him. When he was asked what he had a lantern for, as hecould not see the light, he said it was that people should notstumble ever him. I believe more people stumble over theinconsistencies of professed Christians than from any other cause. What is doing more harm to the cause of Christ than all thescepticism in the world is this cold, dead formalism, this conformityto the world, this professing what we do not possess. The eyes of theworld are upon us. I think it was George Fox who said every Quakerought to light up the country for ten miles around him. If we wereall brightly shining for the Master, those about us would soon bereached, and there would be a shout of praise going to heaven. 

People say: "I want to know what is the truth. " Listen: "I am thetruth, " says Christ. (John xiv. 5. ) If you want to know what thetruth is, get acquainted with Christ. People also complain that theyhave not life. Many are trying to give themselves spiritual life. Youmay galvanize yourselves and put electricity into yourselves, so tospeak; but the effect will not last very long. Christ alone is theauthor of life. If you would have real spiritual life, get to knowChrist. Many try to stir up spiritual life by going to meetings. Thatmay be well enough; but it will be of no use, unless they get intocontact with the living Christ. Then their spiritual life will not bea spasmodic thing, but will be perpetual; flowing on and on, andbringing forth fruit to God. 

Then Christ is our Keeper. A great many young disciples are afraidthey will not hold out. "He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumbernor sleep. " (Psalm cxxi. 4. ) It is the work of Christ to keep us; andif He keeps us there will be no danger of our falling. I suppose ifQueen Victoria had to take care of the Crown of England, some thiefmight attempt to get access to it; but it is put away in the Tower ofLondon, and guarded night and day by soldiers. The whole English armywould, if necessary, be called out to protect it. And we have nostrength in ourselves. We are no match for Satan; he has had sixthousand years' experience. But then we remember that the One whoneither slumbers nor sleeps is our keeper. In Isaiah xli. 10, weread, "Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I amthy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I willuphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness. " In Jude also, verse 24, we are told that He is "able to keep us from falling. " "Wehave an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. " (1John ii. 1. )

But Christ is something more. He is our Shepherd. It is the work ofthe shepherd to care for the sheep, to feed them and protect them. "Iam the Good Shepherd;" "My sheep hear My voice. " "I lay down My lifefor the sheep. " In that wonderful tenth chapter of John, Christ usesthe personal pronoun no less than twenty-eight times, in declaringwhat He is and what He will do. In verse 28 He says, "They shallnever perish; neither shall any [_man_] pluck them out of My hand. "But notice the word "man" is in italics. See how the verse reallyreads: "Neither shall any pluck them out of My hand"--no devil or manshall be able to do it. In another place the Scripture declares, "Your life is hid with Christ in God. " (Col. Iii. 3. ) How safe andhow secure!

Christ says, "My sheep hear My voice . . . And they follow Me. " (Johnx. 27. ) A gentleman in the East heard of a shepherd who could callall his sheep to him by name. He went and asked if this was true. Theshepherd took him to the pasture where they were, and called one ofthem by some name. One sheep looked up and answered the call, whilethe others went on feeding and paid no attention. In the same way hecalled about a dozen of the sheep around him. The stranger said, "Howdo you know one from the other? They all look perfectly alike. ""Well, " said he, "you see that sheep toes in a little; that other onehas a squint; one has a little piece of wool off; another has a blackspot; and another has a piece out of its ear. " The man knew all hissheep by their failings, for he had not a perfect one in the wholeflock. I suppose our Shepherd knows us in the same way. 

An Eastern shepherd was once telling a gentleman that his sheep knewhis voice, and that no stranger could deceive them. The gentlemanthought he would like to put the statement to the test. So he put onthe shepherd's frock and turban, and took his staff and went to theflock. He disguised his voice, and tried to speak as much like theshepherd as he could; but he could not get a single sheep in theflock to follow him. He asked the shepherd if his sheep neverfollowed a stranger. He was obliged to admit that if a sheep gotsickly it would follow any one. So it is with a good many professedChristians; when they get sickly and weak in the faith, they willfollow any teacher that comes along; but when the soul is in health, a man will not be carried away by errors and heresies. He will knowwhether the "voice" speaks the truth or not. He can soon tell that, if he is really in communion with God. When God sends a truemessenger his words will find a ready response in the Christianheart. 

Christ is a tender Shepherd. You may some time think He has not beena very tender Shepherd to you; you are passing under the rod. It iswritten, "Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every sonwhom He receiveth. " (Heb. Xii. 6. ) That you are passing under the rodis no proof that Christ does not love you. A friend of mine lost allhis children. No man could ever have loved his family more; but thescarlet fever took one by one away; and so the whole four or five, one after another, died. The poor stricken parents went over to greatBritain, and wandered from one place to another, there and on thecontinent. At length they found their way to Syria. One day they sawan Eastern shepherd come down to a stream, and call his flock tocross. The sheep came down to the brink, and looked at the water; butthey seemed to shrink from it, and he could not get them to respondto his call. He then took a little lamb, put it under one arm; hetook another lamb and put it under the other arm, and thus passedinto the stream. The old sheep no longer stood looking at the water:they plunged in after the shepherd; and in a few minutes the wholeflock was on the other side; and he led them away to newer andfresher pastures. The bereaved father and mother, as they looked onthe scene, felt that it taught them a lesson. They no longer murmuredbecause the Great Shepherd had taken their lambs one by one intoyonder world; and they began to look up and look forward to the timewhen they would follow the loved ones they had lost. If you haveloved ones gone before, remember that your Shepherd is calling you to"set your affection on things above. " (Col. Iii. 2. ) Let us befaithful to Him, and follow Him, while we remain in this world. Andif you have not taken Him for your Shepherd, do so this very day. 

Christ is not only all these things that I have mentioned: He is alsoour Mediator, our Sanctifier, our Justifier; in fact, it would takevolumes to tell what He desires to be to every individual soul. Whilelooking through some papers I once read this wonderful description ofChrist. I do not know where it originally came from; but it was sofresh to my soul that I should like to give it to you:--

"Christ is our Way; we walk in Him. He is our Truth; we embrace Him. He is our Life; we live in Him. He is our Lord; we choose Him to ruleover us. He is our Master; we serve Him. He is our Teacher, instructing us in the way of salvation. He is our Prophet, pointingout the future. He is our Priest, having atoned for us. He is ourAdvocate, ever living to make intercession for us. He is our Saviour, saving to the uttermost. He is our Root; we grow from Him. He is ourBread; we feed upon Him. He is our Shepherd, leading us into greenpastures. He is our true Vine; we abide in Him. He is the Water ofLife; we slake our thirst from Him. He is the fairest among tenthousand: we admire Him above all others. He is 'the brightness ofthe Father's glory, and the express image of His person;' we striveto reflect His likeness. He is the upholder of all things; we restupon Him. He is our wisdom; we are guided by Him. He is ourRighteousness; we cast all our imperfections upon Him. He is ourSanctification; we draw all our power for holy life from Him. He isour Redemption, redeeming us from all iniquity. He is our Healer, curing all our diseases. He is our Friend, relieving us in all ournecessities. He is our Brother, cheering us in our difficulties. "

Here is another beautiful extract: it is from Gotthold:

"For my part, my soul is like a hungry and thirsty child; and I needHis love and consolation for my refreshment. I am a wandering andlost sheep; and I need Him as a good and faithful shepherd. My soulis like a frightened dove pursued by the hawk; and I need His woundsfor a refuge. I am a feeble vine; and I need His cross to lay holdof, and to wind myself about. I am a sinner; and I need Hisrighteousness. I am naked and bare; and I need His holiness andinnocence for a covering. I am ignorant; and I need His teaching:simple and foolish; and I need the guidance of His Holy Spirit. In nosituation, and at no time, can I do without Him. Do I pray? He mustprompt, and intercede for me. Am I arraigned by Satan at the Divinetribunal? He must be my Advocate. Am I in affliction? He must be myHelper. Am I persecuted by the world? He must defend me. When I amforsaken, He must be my Support; when I am dying, my life: whenmouldering in the grave, my Resurrection. Well, then, I will ratherpart with all the world, and all that it contains, than with Thee, mySaviour. And, God be thanked! I know that Thou, too, art neither ablenor willing to do without me. Thou art rich; and I am poor. Thou hastabundance; and I am needy. Thou hast righteousness; and I sins. Thouhast wine and oil; and I wounds. Thou hast cordials and refreshments;and I hunger and thirst. 

Use me then, my Saviour, for whatever purpose, and in whatever way, Thou mayest require. Here is my poor heart, an empty vessel; fill itwith Thy grace. Here is my sinful and troubled soul; quicken andrefresh it with Thy love. Take my heart for Thine abode; my mouth tospread the glory of Thy name; my love and all my powers, for theadvancement of Thy believing people; and never suffer thesteadfastness and confidence of my faith to abate--that so at alltimes I may be enabled from the heart to say. 'Jesus needs me, and IHim; and so we suit each other. '"

CHAPTER IX. 

_BACKSLIDING_. 

"I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely: for Mineanger is turned away. "--Hosea xiv. 4. 

There are two kinds of backsliders. Some have never been converted:they have gone through the form of joining a Christian community andclaim to be backsliders; but they never have, if I may use theexpression, "slid forward. " They may talk of backsliding; but theyhave never really been born again. They need to be treateddifferently from real back-sliders--those who have been born of theincorruptible seed, but who have turned aside. We want to bring thelatter back the same road by which they left their first love. 

Turn to Psalm lxxxv. 5. There you read: "Wilt Thou be angry with usfor ever? wilt Thou draw out Thine anger to all generations? wiltThou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee? Showus Thy mercy, O Lord; and grant us Thy salvation. " Now look again:"_I will hear what God the Lord will speak:_ for He will speak peaceunto His people, and to His saints; but let them not turn again tofolly" (_verse_ 8). 

There is nothing that will do back-sliders so much good as to come incontact with the Word of God; and for them the Old Testament is asfull of help as the New. The book of Jeremiah has some wonderfulpassages for wanderers. What we want to do is to get back-sliders tohear what God the Lord will say. 

Look for a moment at Jeremiah vi. 10. "To whom shall I speak, andgive warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the Lord is unto them areproach; they have no delight in it. " That is the condition ofback-sliders. They have no delight whatever in the word of God. But wewant to bring them back, and let God get their ear. Read from the14th verse: "They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of Mypeople slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Werethey ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were notat all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fallamong them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall becast down, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walktherein; and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, Wewill not walk therein. Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearkento the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. "

That was the condition of the Jews when they had backslidden. Theyhad turned away from the old paths. And that is the condition ofbacksliders. They have got away from the good old book. Adam and Evefell by not hearkening to the word of God. They did not believe God'sword; but they believed the tempter. That is the way backslidersfall--by turning away from the word of God. 

In Jeremiah ii. We find God pleading with them as a father wouldplead with a son. "Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have yourfathers found in Me, that they are gone from Me, and have walkedafter vanity, and are become vain? . . . Wherefore I will yet pleadwith you, saith the Lord; and with your children's children will Iplead . . . For my people have committed two evils: they haveforsaken Me, the Fountain of living waters, and hewed them outcisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. "

Now there is one thing to which we wish to call the attention ofbacksliders; and that is, that the Lord never forsook them; but thatthey forsook Him! The Lord never left them; but they left Him! Andthis, too, without any cause! He says, "What iniquity have yourfathers found in Me, that they are gone far from Me?" Is not God thesame to-day as when you came to Him first? Has God changed? Men areapt to think that God has changed; but the fault is with them. Backslider, I would ask you, "What iniquity is there in God, that youhave left Him and gone far from Him?" You have, He says, hewed out toyourselves broken cisterns that hold no water. The world cannotsatisfy the new nature. No earthly well can satisfy the soul that hasbecome a partaker of the heavenly nature. Honor, wealth and thepleasures of this world will not satisfy those who, having tasted thewater of life, have gone astray, seeking refreshment at the world'sfountains. Earthly wells will get dry. They cannot quench spiritualthirst. 

Again in the 32d verse: "Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a brideher attire? yet My people have forgotten Me, days without number. "That is the charge which God brings against the backslider. They"have forgotten Me, days without number. "

I have often startled young ladies when I have said to them, "Myfriend, you think more of your ear-rings than of the Lord. " The replyhas been, "No, I do not. " But when I have asked, "Would you not betroubled if you lost one; and would you not set about seeking forit?" the answer has been, "Well, yes, I think I should. " But thoughthey had turned from the Lord, it did not give them any trouble; nordid they seek after Him that they might find Him. 

How many once in fellowship and in daily communion with the Lord nowthink more of their dresses and ornaments than of their precioussouls! Love does not like to be forgotten. Mothers would have brokenhearts if their children left them and never wrote a word or sent anymemento of their affection; and God pleads over backsliders as aparent over loved ones who have gone astray. He tries to woo themback. He asks: "What have I done that you should have forsaken Me?"

The most tender and loving words to be found in the whole of theBible are from Jehovah to those who have left Him without a cause. Jer. Ii. 19. 

Hear how He argues with such: (Jer. Xi. 19. ) "Thine own wickednessshall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee; know, therefore, and see, that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thouhast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that My fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts. "

I do not exaggerate when I say that I have seen hundreds ofbacksliders come back; and I have asked them if they have not foundit an evil and a bitter thing to leave the Lord. You cannot find areal backslider, who has known the Lord, but will admit that it is anevil and a bitter thing to turn away from Him; and I do not know ofany one verse more used to bring back wanderers than that very one. May it bring you back if you have wandered into the far country. 

Look at Lot. Did not he find it an evil and a bitter thing? He wastwenty years in Sodom, and never made a convert. He got on well inthe sight of the world. Men would have told you that he was one ofthe most influential and worthy men in all Sodom. But alas! alas! heruined his family. And it is a pitiful sight to see that oldbackslider going through the streets of Sodom at midnight, after hehas warned his children, and they have turned a deaf ear. 

I have never known a man and his wife backslide, without its provingutter ruin to their children. They will make a mockery of religionand will deride their parents: "Thine own wickedness shall correctthee; and thy backsliding shall reprove thee!" Did not David find itso? Mark him, crying, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom!would God I had died for thee; O Absalom, my son, my son!" I think itwas the ruin, rather than the death of his son that caused thisanguish. 

I remember being engaged in conversation some years ago, till pastmidnight, with an old man. He had been for years wandering on thebarren mountains of sin. That night he wanted to get back. We prayed, and prayed, and prayed, till light broke in upon him; and he wentaway rejoicing. The next night he sat in front of me when I waspreaching, and I think that I never saw any one look so sad andwretched in all my life. He followed me into the enquiry-room. "Whatis the trouble?" I asked. "Is your eye off the Saviour? Have yourdoubts come back?" "No; it is not that, " he said. "I did not go tobusiness, but spent all this day in visiting my children. They areall married and in this city. I went from house to house, but therewas not one but mocked me. It is the darkest day of my life. I haveawoke up to what I have done. I have taken my children into theworld; and now I cannot get them out. " The Lord had restored unto himthe joy of His salvation; yet there was the bitter consequence of histransgression. You can run through your experience; and you can findjust such instances repeated again and again. Many who came to yourcity years ago serving God, in their prosperity have forgotten Him:and where are their sons and daughters? Show me the father and motherwho have deserted the Lord and gone back to the beggarly elements ofthe world; and I am mistaken if their children are not on the highroad to ruin. 

As we desire to be faithful we warn these backsliders. It is a signof love to warn of danger. We may be looked upon as enemies for awhile; but the truest friends are those who lift up the voice ofwarning. Israel had no truer friend than Moses. In Jeremiah God gaveHis people a weeping prophet to bring them back to Him; but they castoff God. They forgot the God who brought them out of Egypt, and wholed them through the desert into the promised land. In theirprosperity they forget Him and turned away. The Lord had told themwhat would happen. (Deut. Xxviii. ) And see what did happen. Theking who make light of the word of God was taken captive byNebuchadnezzar, and his children brought up in front of him and everyone slain: his eyes were put out of his head; and he was bound infetters of brass and cast into a dungeon in Babylon. (2 Kings xxv. 7. ) That is the way he reaped what he had sown. Surely it is an eviland a bitter thing to backslide, but the Lord would win you back withthe message of His Work. 

In Jeremiah viii. 5, we read: "Why then is this people of Jerusalemslidden by a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast deceit; _Theyrefuse to return_. " That is what the Lord brings against them. "Theyrefuse to return. " "I hearkened and heard; but they spake not aright:no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done?Every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and theturtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of theircoming; but My people know not the judgment of the Lord. "

Now look: "I hearkened and heard; but they spake not aright. " Nofamily altar! No reading the Bible! No closet devotion! God stoops tohear; but His people have turned away! If there be a penitentbackslider, one who is anxious for pardon and restoration, you willfind no words more tender than are to be found in Jeremiah iii. 12:"Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thoubacksliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause Mine angerto fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will notkeep anger forever. " Now notice: "Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hastscattered thy ways to the stranger under every green tree, and yehave not obeyed My voice, saith the Lord. Turn, O backslidingchildren, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you"--think of Godcoming and saying, "_I am married unto you!_--and I will take you oneof a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion. "

"Only acknowledge thine iniquity. " How many times have I held thatpassage up to a backslider! "Acknowledge" it; and God says I willforgive you. I remember a man asking, "Who said that? Is that there?"And I held up to him the passage, "Only acknowledge thine iniquity;"and the man went down on his knees, and cried, "My God, I havesinned"; and the Lord restored him there and then. If you havewandered, He wants you to come back. 

He says in another place, "O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? OJudah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morningcloud, and as the early dew it goeth away" (Hosea vi. 4). Hiscompassion and His love is wonderful!

In Jeremiah iii. 22; "Return, ye backsliding children, and I willheal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto Thee; Thou art the Lordour God. " He just puts words into the mouth of the backslider. Onlycome; and, if you will come, He will receive you graciously and loveyou freely. 

In Hosea xiv. 1, 2, 4: "O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; forthou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn tothe Lord (He puts words into your mouth): say unto Him, Take away alliniquity, and receive us graciously; so will we render the calves ofour lips . . . I will heal their backsliding, I will love themfreely, for Mine auger is turned away from him. " Just observe that, Turn! _Turn!!_ Turn!!! rings all through these passages. 

Now, if you have wandered, remember that you left Him, and not Heyou. You have to get out of the backslider's pit just in the same wayyou got in. And if you take the same road as when you left the Masteryou will find Him now, just where you are. 

If we were to treat Christ as any earthly friend we should neverleave Him; and there would never be a backslider. If I were in a townfor a single week I should not think of going away without shakinghands with the friends I had made, and saying "Good bye" to them. Ishould be justly blamed if I took the train and left without saying aword to any one. The cry would be, "What's the matter?" But did youever hear of a backslider bidding the Lord Jesus Christ "Good bye";going into his closet and saying "Lord Jesus, I have known Thee ten, twenty, or thirty years: but I am tired of Thy service; Thy yoke isnot easy, nor Thy burden light; so I am going back to the world, tothe flesh-pots of Egypt. Good bye, Lord Jesus! Farewell"? Did youever hear that? No; you never did, and you never will. I tell you, ifyou get into the closet and shut out the world and hold communionwith the Master you cannot leave Him. The language of your heart willbe, "To whom shall we go, " but unto Thee? "Thou hast the words ofeternal life" (John vi. 68). You could not go back to the world ifyou treated Him in that way. But you left Him and ran away. You haveforgotten Him days without number. Come back to-day; just as you are!Make up your mind that you will not rest until God has restored untoyou the joy of His salvation. 

A gentleman in Cornwall once met a Christian in the street whom heknew to be a backslider. He went up to him, and said: "Tell me, isthere not some estrangement between you and the Lord Jesus?" The manhung his head, and said, "Yes. " "Well, " said the gentleman, "what hasHe done to you?" The answer to which was a flood of tears. 

In Revelation ii. 4, 5, we read: "Nevertheless I have somewhatagainst thee, because thou hast left the first love. Remembertherefore from whence thou art fallen; and repent, and do the firstworks: or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thycandlestick out of his place, except thou repent. " I want to guardyou against a mistake which some people make with regard to "doingthe first works. " Many think that they are to have the sameexperience over again, That has kept thousands for months withoutpeace; because they have been waiting for a renewal of their firstexperience. You will never have the same experience as when you firstcame to the Lord. God never repeats himself. No two people of allearth's millions look alike or think alike. You may say that youcannot tell two people apart; but when you get well acquainted withthem you can very quickly distinguish differences. So, no one personwill have the same experience a second time. If God will restore Hisjoy to your soul let Him do it in His way. Do not mark out a way forGod to bless you. Do not expect the same experience that you had twoor twenty years ago. You will have a fresh experience, and God willdeal with you in His own way. If you confess your sins and tell Himthat you have wandered from the path of His commandments He willrestore unto you the joy of His salvation. 

I want to call your attention to the manner in which Peter fell; andI think that nearly all fall pretty much in the same way. I want tolift up a warning note to those who have not fallen. "Let him thatthinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. X. 12). Twenty-fiveyears ago--and for the first five years after I was converted--Iused to think that if I were able to stand for twenty years I needfear no fall. But the nearer you get to the Cross the fiercer thebattle. Satan aims high. He went amongst the twelve; and singled outthe Treasurer--Judas Iscariot, and the Chief Apostle--Peter. Most menwho have fallen have done so on the strongest side of theircharacter. I am told that the only side upon which Edinburgh Castlewas successfully assailed was where the rocks were steepest, andwhere the garrison thought themselves secure. If any man thinks thathe is strong enough to resist the devil at any one point he needsspecial watch there, for the tempter comes that way. 

Abraham stands, as it were, at the head of the family of faith; andthe children of faith may be said to trace their descent to Abraham:and yet down in Egypt he denied his wife. (Gen. Xii. ) Moses was notedfor his meekness; and yet he was kept out of the promised landbecause of one hasty act and speech, when he was told by the Lord tospeak to the rock so that the congregation and their beasts shouldhave water to drink. "Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you waterout of this rock?" (Num. Xx. 10). 

Elijah was remarkable for his boldness: and yet he went off a day'sjourney into the wilderness like a coward and hid himself under ajuniper tree, requesting for himself that he might die, because of amessage he received from a woman. (1 Kings xix. ) Let us be careful. No matter who the man is--he may be in the pulpit--but if he getsself-conceited he will be sure to fall. We who are followers ofChrist need constantly to pray to be made humble, and kept humble. God made Moses' face so to shine that other men could see it; butMoses himself wist not that his face shone, and the more holy inheart a man is the more manifest to the outer world will be his dailylife and conversation. Some people talk of how humble they are; butif they have true humility there will be no necessity for them topublish it. It is not needful. A lighthouse does not have a drumbeaten or a trumpet-blown in order to proclaim the proximity of alighthouse: it is its own witness. And so if we have the true lightin us it will show itself. It is not those who make the most noisewho have the most piety. There is a brook, or a little "burn" as theScotch call it, not far from where I live; and after a heavy rain youcan hear the rush of its waters a long way off: but let there come afew days of pleasant weather, and the brook becomes almost silent. But there is a river near my house, the flow of which I never heardin my life, as it pours on in its deep and majestic course the yearround. We should have so much of the love of God within us that itspresence shall be evident without our loud proclamation of the fact. 

The first step in Peter's downfall was his self-confidence. The Lordwarned him. The Lord said: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desiredto have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed forthee, that thy faith fail not" (Luke xxii. 31, 32). But Peter said:"I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison and to death. " "Thoughall shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended. "(Matt. Xxvi. 23. ) "James and John, and the others, may leave You; butYou can count on me!" But the Lord warned him: "I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice denythat thou knowest Me. " (Luke xxii. 24. )

Though the Lord rebuked him, Peter said he was ready to follow Him todeath. That boasting is too often a forerunner of downfall. Let uswalk humbly and softly. We have a great tempter; and, in an unguardedhour, we may stumble and fall and bring a scandal on Christ. 

The next step in Peter's downfall was that he went to sleep. If Satancan rock the Church to sleep he does his work through God's ownpeople. Instead of Peter watching one short hour in Gethsemane, hefell asleep, and the Lord asked him, "What, could ye not watch withMe one hour?" (Matt. Xxvi. 40. ) The next thing was that he fought inthe energy of the flesh. The Lord rebuked him again and said, "Theythat take the sword shall perish with the sword. " (Matt. Xxvi. 52. )Jesus had to undo what Peter had done. The next thing, he "followedafar off. " Step by step he gets away. It is a sad thing when a childof God follows afar off. When you see him associating with worldlyfriends, and throwing his influence on the wrong side, he isfollowing afar off; and it will not be long before disgrace will bebrought upon the old family name, and Jesus Christ will be wounded inthe house of his friends. The man, by his example, will cause othersto stumble and fall. 

The next thing--Peter is familiar and friendly with the enemies ofChrist. A damsel says to this bold Peter: "Thou also wast with thisJesus of Galilee. " But he denied before them all, saying, "I know notwhat thou sayest. " And when he was gone out into the porch anothermaid saw him and said unto them that were there, "This fellow wasalso with Jesus of Nazareth. " And again he denied with an oath. "I donot know the Man. " Another hour passed; and yet he did not realizehis position; when another confidently affirmed that he was aGalilean, for his speech betrayed him. And he was angry and began tocurse and to swear, and again denied his Master: and the cock crew. (Matt. Xxvi. 69-74. )

He commences away up on the pinacle of self-conceit, and goes downstep by step until he breaks out into cursing, and swears that henever knew his Lord. 

The Master might have turned and said to him, "Is it true, Peter, that you have forgotten Me so soon? Do you not remember when yourwife's mother lay sick of a fever that I rebuked the disease and itleft her? Do you not call to mind your astonishment at the draught offishes so that you exclaimed, 'Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord?' Do you remember when in answer to your cry, 'Lord, save me, or I perish, ' I stretched out My hand and kept you from drowning inthe water? Have you forgotten when, on the Mount of Transfiguration, with James and John, you said to Me, 'Lord, it is good to be here:let us make three tabernacles?' Have you forgotten being with Me atthe supper-table, and in Gethsemane? Is it true that you haveforgotten Me so soon?" The Lord might have upbraided him withquestions such as these: but He did nothing of the kind. He cast onelook on Peter: and there was so much love in it that it broke thatbold disciple's heart: and he went out and wept bitterly. 

And after Christ rose from the dead see how tenderly He dealt withthe erring disciple. The angel at the sepulchre says, "Tell Hisdisciples, _and Peter_. " (Mark xvi. 7. ) The Lord did not forgetPeter, though Peter had denied Him thrice; so He caused this kindlyspecial message to be conveyed to the repentant disciple. What atender and loving Saviour we have!

Friend, if you are one of the wanderers, let the loving look of theMaster win you back; and let Him restore you to the joy of Hissalvation. 

Before closing, let me say that I trust God will restore somebackslider reading these pages, who may in the future become a usefulmember of society and a bright ornament of the Church. We shouldnever have had the thirty-second Psalm if David had not beenrestored: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sinis covered"; or that beautiful fifty-first Psalm which was written bythe restored backslider. Nor should we have had that wonderful sermonon the day of Pentecost when three thousand were converted--preachedby another restored backslider. 

May God restore other backsliders and make them a thousand times moreused for His glory than they ever were before.