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BY THE REY. J. C. RYLE, B. A.
REVISED BY THOMAS 0. SUMMERS, D. j>
The Scripture cannot be broken.—John x. 55.
gTitsfc&ille, JTnttt.:
rUBLTSIIED BY A. H. BEDFORD, AGENT,
FOR THIS M. IS. OIIUUCII, SOUTH.
187 2.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, by
J. B. M'FERRIN,
in the office of the Clerk of the District Court for the Middle Dis¬
trict of Tennessee.
Conftids.
FAGl
PREFATORY NOTE ------ y
LIVING OR DEAD? - ----- 9
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? ----- 58
ONLY ONE WAY ------ 119
CHRIST AND THE TWO THIEVES - - - 156
ASSURANCE ------- 191
THE CROSS ------- 251
REMEMBER LOT - 293
(v)
IJnfatory ltd*.
The following pungent discourses are from the
pen of an estimable clergyman of Suffolk, in Eng¬
land. He belongs to the Evangelical class of min¬
isters in the Established Church. He is a zealous,
laborious, and faithful pastor. Not content with
the usual routine of ministerial services, he endea¬
vors to edify the people by the publication of little
books of a hitting, practical character, of which the
present volume is a specimen. The author's style is
lucid, plain, and vigorous; and a beautiful vein of
piety, enlightened, sincere, and earnest, pervades all
his writings.
As might be supposed, from the school in theology
to which he belongs, he occasionally presents a doc¬
trinal point not agreeing with our views of Holy
Scripture, or with the general tenor of the discourses
themselves. For the sake of adding to the useful¬
ness of the work, we have omitted the passages con-
(vii)
Tlii PREFATORY NOTE.
taining the points in question. We have also adapted
it for circulation in our own country, without mate¬
rially affecting its style or its size.
In placing this volume of Home Truths into our
catalogue of Sunday-school and Tract publications,
we cherish the hope that, by the Divine blessing, it
may be made instrumental in the quickening, con¬
version, and edification of thousands. Let no one,
into whose hands this little book shall be placed,
put it down before giving it a serious, a candid, a
careful perusal.
©f)t HSbitor.
Nashville, Tenn, April 5,1855.
home truths.
film# m gealt?
YOU HATH HE QUICKENED, WHO WERE DEAD.
Ephesiuni il. 1.
Reader,—Look at the words before your
eyes, and ponder them well. Search your
heart. I meet you this day with one simple
question,—Are you among the living, or
among the dead ?
Listen to me while I try to help you to an
answer, and show you what God has said
about it in the Scriptures. If I say hard
things, it is not because I do not love you.
I write as I do, because I desire your salva¬
tion. He is your best friend who tells you
the most truth.
I. First, then, let me tell you what we all
arc by nature,—we are DEAD !
" Dead" is a strong word, but it is not my
(9)
10
HOME TRUTHS.
own coining and invention. I did not choose
it. The Holy Ghost told Paul to write it
down about the Ephesians,—"You hath he
quickened, who were dead." Eph. ii. 1. The
Lord Jesus Christ made use of it in the par¬
able of the prodigal son,—" This my son was
dead, and is alive again." Luke xv. 24, 32.
You will read it also in the Epistle to the
Corinthians,—" If one died for all, then were
all dead." 2 Cor. v. 14. Must I not take
heed to speak that which I find in the Bible,
and neither less nor more ?
"Bead" is an awful idea, and one that
man is most unwilling to receive. He does
not like to allow the whole extent of his soul's
disease. He shuts his eyes to the real amount
of his danger. Many a one will allow me to
say that, naturally, most people "are not
quite what they ought to he: they are thought¬
less,—they are unsteady,—they are gay,—
they are wild,—they are not serious enough."
But dead ? Oh, no! I must not mention it.
It is going too far to say that. The idea is a
stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence.*
* " That is the reason we are no better, because oui
LIVING OR DEAD.
11
My dear reader, what we like in religion
is of very little consequence. The only
question is,—What is written ? What saith
the Lord? God's thoughts are not man's
thoughts, and God's words are not man's
words. God says of every living person, who
is not a decided Christian,—be he high or
low, rich or poor, old or young,—he is dead.
In this, as in every thing else, God's words
are right. Nothing could be said more correct,
nothing more accurate, nothing more faithful,
nothing more true. Stay a little, and let
me reason this out with you. Come and see.
"What would you have said if you had
seen Joseph weeping over his father Jacob?
"He fell upon his face, and wept upon him,
and kissed him." Gen. 1. 1. But there was
no reply to his affection. All about that
aged countenance was unmoved, silent, and
still. Doubtless you would have guessed the
reason,—Jacob was dead.
Wkat would you have said if you had
disease is not perfectly known: that is the reason we
are no better, because we know not how bad we are."—
Archbishop Usher''s Sermons, preached at Oxford, 1650.
12
HOME TRUTHS.
heard the Levite speaking to his wife, when
he found her lying before the door in Gibeah ?
"Up," he said, " and let us be going. But
none answered." Judg. xix. 28. His words
were thrown away. There she lay motion¬
less, stiff, and cold. You know the cause,—
she was dead.
"What would you have thought if you had
seen the Amalekite stripping Saul of his
royal ornaments in Mount Gilboa? He
"took from him the crown that was upon
his head, and the bracelet that was on his
arm." 2 Sam. i. 10. There was no resist¬
ance. Not a muscle moved in that proud
face. Not a finger was raised to prevent
him. And why ? Saul was dead.
What would you have thought if you had
met the widow's son in the gate of Nain,
lying on a bier, wrapped about with grave-
clothes, followed by his weeping mother,
carried slowly toward the tomb ? Luke vii. 12.
Doubtless it would have been all clear to you.
It would have needed no explanation. The
young man was dead.
Now, I say this is just the condition of
LIVING OE DEAD.
13
every man, by nature, in the matter of his
soul. I say this is just the state of the vast
majority of people around us, in spiritual
things. God calls to them continually,—by
mercies, by afflictions, by ministers, by his
word,—but they do not hear his voice. The
Lord Jesus Christ mourns over them, pleads
with them, sends them gracious invitations,
knocks at the door of their hearts; but they
do not regard it. The crown and glory of
their being, that precious jewel, their im¬
mortal soul, is being seized, plundered, and
taken away; and they are utterly uncon¬
cerned. The devil is carrying them away
day after day, along the broad road that
leads to destruction; and they allow him to
make them his captives without a struggle.
And this is going on everywhere—all around
you—among all classes—through the length
and breadth of the land. You know it in
your own conscience. You must be aware
of it. You cannot deny it. And what,
then, I ask you, can be said more perfectly
true than that which God says,—we are all
by nature spiritually dead?
14
HOME TRUTHS.
Yes! when a man's heart is cold and un¬
concerned, about religion,—when his hands
are never employed in doing God's work,—
wThen his feet are not familiar with God's
ways,—when his tongue is seldom or never
used in prayer and praise,—when his ears
are deaf to the voice of Christ in the gos¬
pel,—when his eyes are blind to the beauty
of the kingdom of heaven,—when his mind
is full of the world, and has no room for
spiritual things,—when these marks are to
be found in a man, the word of the Bible is
the right word to use about him, and that
word is " dead."
We may not like this, perhaps. We may
shut our eyes both to facts in the world and
texts in the word. But God's truth must be
spoken, and to keep it back does positive
harm. Truth must be spoken, however con¬
demning it may be. So long as a man does
not serve God with body, soul, and spirit, he
is not really alive. So long as he puts the
first things last, and the last first—buries
his talent, like an unprofitable servant, and
brings the Lord no revenue of honor—so
LIVING OR DEAD. 15
Ion" in God's sight he is dead. He is not
O °
filling the place in creation for which he was
intended. He is not using his powers and
faculties as God meant them to be used. The
poet's words are strictly true—
"He only lives who lives to God,
And all art dead beside."
This is the true explanation of sin not felt
—and sermonS not believed—and good ad¬
vice not followed — and the gospel not em¬
braced—and the world not forsaken—and
the cross not taken up — and self-will not
mortified—and evil habits not laid aside—
and the Bible seldom read—and the knee
never bent in prayer. Why is all this on
every side ? The answer is simple: Men
are dead.
This is the true account of that host of ex¬
cuses for neglect of religion which so many
make with one consent. Some have no
learning, and some have no time. Some are
oppressed with business, and some with pov¬
erty. Some have difficulties in their own
families, and some in their own health.
16
HOME TRUTHS.
Some have peculiar obstacles in their calling,
which others, we are told, cannot understand;
and others have peculiar drawbacks at home,
and they wait to have them removed. But
God has a shorter word in the Bible, which
describes all these people at once. He says,
They are dead.
This is the true explanation of many things
which wring a faithful minister's heart.
Many around him never attlhd a place of
worship at all. Many attend so irregularly
that it is clear they think it of no importance.
Many attend once on a Sunday, who might
just as easily attend twice. Many never
come to the Lord's table—never appear at a
week-day means of grace of any kind. And
why is all this ? Often, far too often, there
can only be one reply about these people:
They are dead.
See now, dear reader, how all professing
Christians should examine themselves, and
try their own state. It is not in churchyards
alone where the dead are to be found. There
are only too many inside our churches, #nd
close to our pulpits,—too many on the
LIVING OR DEAD. 17
benches and too many in the pews. The
land is like the valley in Ezekiel's vision—
full of bones, and those very dry. There
are dead souls in all our neighborhoods, and
dead souls in.all our streets. There is hardly
a family in which all live to God. There is
hardly a house in which there is not some
one dead. 0! search and look at home.
Prove your own self.
See, too, how sad is the condition of all
who have gone through no spiritual change,
whose hearts are worse than they were in the
day they were born. There is a mountain of
division between them and heaven. They
have yet to pass from death to life. 0 that
they did but see and know their danger!
Alas! it is one fearful mark of spiritual
death, that, like natural death, it is not felt.
"We lay our beloved ones tenderly and gently
in their narrow beds, but they feel nothing
of what we do. " The dead," says the wise
man, "know not any thing." Eccl. ix. 5.
And this is just the case with dead souls.
See, too, what reason ministers have to be
anxious about their congregations. We feel
18 HOME TRUTHS.
that time is short and life is uncertain. We
know that death spiritual is the high road
that leads to death eternal. We fear lest
any of those we preach to should die in their
sins, unprepared, unrenewed, impenitent, un¬
changed. 0 ! marvel not if we often speak
strongly, and plead with you warmly. We
dare not give you flattering titles, amuse you
with trifles, say smooth things, and cry peace,
peace, when life and death are at stake, and
nothing less. The plague is among you.
We feel that we stand between the living and
the dead. We must and will use great plain¬
ness of speech. "If the trumpet give an
uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself
for the battle ?" 1 Cor. xiv. 8.
II. Let me tell you, in the second place,
what every man needs who would he saved,
he must be quickened and.made alive.
Life is the mightiest of all possessions.
From death to life is the mightiest of all
changes. And no change short of this will
ever avail to fit man's soul for heaven.
Yes! it is not a little mending and alter¬
ation,—a little cleansing and purifying,—a
LIVING OR DEAD. 19
little painting and patching,—a little turning
over a new leaf, and putting on a new outside,
that is wanted. It is the bringing in of
something altogether new, — the planting
within us a new nature,—a new being,—a
new principle, — a new heart, — this alone,
and nothing less than this, will ever meet
the necessities of man's soul.*
To hew a block of marble from the quarry,
and carve it into a noble statue,—to break
up a waste wilderness, and turn it into a gar¬
den of flowers,—to melt a lump of iron-ore
and forge it into watch-springs — all these
are mighty changes. Yet they all come short
of the change which every child of Adam
requires, — for they are merely the same
thing in a new form,—the same substance in
a new shape. But man requires the grafting
in of that which he had not before. He
needs a change as great as a resurrection
* " It is not a little reforming will save the man; no,
nor all the morality in the world, nor all the common
graces of God's Spirit, nor the outward change of the
life: they will not do, unless we are quickened, and have
a new life wrought in us."—Usher's Sermons.
20
HOME TRUTHS.
from the dead. He must become a new crea¬
ture. Old things must pass away, and all
things must become new. He must be born
again, — born from above,—t-born of God.
The natural birth is not a whit more necessary
to the life of the body, than is the spiritual
birth to the life of the soul.
I know well this is a hard saying. I know
well the children of this world dislike to hear
they must be born again. It pricks their
consciences. It makes them feel they are
farther off heaven than they are willing to
allow. It seems like a narrow door which
they have not yet stooped to enter, and they
would fain make the door wider, or climb in
some other way. But I dare not give place
by subjection in this matter. I will not fos¬
ter a delusion, and tell people they only need
repent a little, and stir up a gift they have
within them, in order to become real Chris¬
tians. I dare not use any other language
than that of the Bible. And I say, in the
words which are written for our learning,—
we all need to be born again, — we are all
naturally dead, and must be made alive.
LIVING Oil DEAD. 21
Reader, if jou had seen Manasseh, king
of Judah, at one time filling Jerusalem with
idols, and murdering his children in honor of
false gods—at another, purifying the temple,
putting down idolatry, and living a godly
life:—if you had seen Zaccheus, the publi¬
can of Jericho, at one time cheating, plun¬
dering, and covetous—at another, following
Christ, and giving half his goods to the poor:
—if you had seen the servants of Nero's
household, at one time conforming to their
master's profligate ways—at another, of one
heart and mind with the apostle Paul:—if
you had seen the ancient father, Augustin,
at one time living in open neglect of the sev¬
enth commandment — at another, walking
closely with God:—if you had seen our own
reformer, Latimer, at one time preaching
earnestly against the truth as it is in Jesus—
at another, spending and being spent, even
to death, in its cause:—if you had seen the
New Zealanders, or Tinnevelly Hindoos, at
one time bloodthirsty, immoral, and sunk in
abominable superstitions—at another, holy,
pure, and believing Christians:—if you had
22
HOME TRUTHS.
seen these wonderful changes, or any of
them, I ask you what you would have said ?
Would you have been content to call them
nothing more than amendments and altera-
tions ? Would you have been satisfied with
saying that Augustin had reformed his ways,
and Latimer turned over a new leaf ? Yerily,
if you had said no more than this, the very
stones would have cried out. I tell you, in
all these cases there was nothing less than a
new birth,—a resurrection of human nature,
—a quickening of the dead. These are the
right words to use. All other language is
weak, poor, beggarly, unscriptural, and short
of the truth.
Now I will not shrink from saying plainly,
we all need the same kind of change, if we
are to he saved. The difference between us
and any of those I have just named is far
less than it appears. Take off the outward
crust, and you will find the same nature be¬
neath in us and them,—an evil nature re¬
quiring a complete change. The face of the
earth is very different in different climates;
hut the heart of the earth, I am told, is every-
LIVING OR DEAD.
23
where the same. Go where you will—from
one end to the other—you would always find
the granite rock beneath your feet, if you
only bored down deep enough. And it is
just the same with men's hearts. Their cus¬
toms and their colors, their ways and their
laws, may all be utterly unlike, but the inner
man is always the same: their hearts are all
alike at the bottom,—all stony, all hard, all
ungodly, all needing to be thoroughly renew¬
ed. The Englishman and the New Zealander
stand on the same level in this matter. Both
are naturally dead, and both need to be made
alive. Both are children of the same father,
Adam, who fell by sin; and both need to be
born again, and made children of God.
Reader, whatever part of the globe we live
in, our eyes need to be opened. Naturally,
we never see our sinfulness, guilt, and dan¬
ger. Whatever nation we belong to, our
understandings need to be enlightened.*
* "Man's understanding is so darkened that he can
see nothing of God in God, nothing of holiness in holi¬
ness, nothing of good in good, nothing of evil in evil,
nor any thing of sinfulness in sin. Nay, it is so dark-
24
HOME TRUTHS.
Naturally, we know little or nothing of the
plan of salvation. Like the Babel-builders,
we think to get to heaven our own way.
Whatever Church we may belong to, our
wills need to be bent in the1 right direction.
Naturally, we should never choose the things
which are for our peace,—we should never
come to Christ. Whatever he our rank in
life, our affections need to he turned to
things above. Naturally, we only set them
on things below, — earthly, sensual, short¬
lived, and vain. Pride must give place to
humility — self-righteousness to self-abase¬
ment—carelessness to seriousness—worldli-
ness to holiness—unbelief to faith. Satan's
dominion must he put down within us, and
the kingdom of God set up. Self must be
crucified, and Christ must reign. Till these
things come to pass, we are dead as stones.
When these things begin to take place, and
not till then, we are alive.
Reader, I dare say this sounds like foolish-
ened that he fancies himself to see good in evil and evil
in good, happiness in sin and misery in holiness."—
Bishop Beveridge on the Articles.
LIVING OR DEAD. 25
ness to some. I tell you that many a living
man could stand up this day and testify that
it is true. Many a one could tell you that he
knows it all by experience, and that he does
indeed feel himself a new man. He loves the
things that once he hated, and hates the things
that once he loved. He has new habits, new
companions, new ways, new tastes, new feel¬
ings, new opinions, new sorrows, new joys,
new anxieties, new pleasures, new hopes, and
new fears.* In short, the whole bias and
current of his being is changed. Ask his
nearest relations and friends, and they would
bear witness to it. Whether they liked it or
not, they would be obliged to confess he was
no longer the same.
Many a one could tell you that once he did
not think himself such a very great trans-
* "How wonderfully doth the new-born soul differ
from his former self! lie liveth a new life, he walketh
in a new way, he steereth his course by a new compass
and toward a new coast. His principle is new, his pat¬
tern is new, his practices are new, his projects are new
—all is new. He ravels out all he had wove before,
and employeth himself wholly about another work."—
George Swinnocke. 1600.
26 HOME TRUTII8.
gressor. At any rate, he fancied he was no
worse than others. Now he would say, with
the Apostle Paul, he feels himself the chief
of sinners.
Once he did not consider he had a bad
heart. He might have his faults, and he led
away by bad company and temptations, but
he had a good heart at the bottom. Now
he would tell you he knows no heart so bad
as his own. He finds it deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked.
Once he did not suppose it was a very hard
matter to get to heaven. He thought he had
only to repent, and say a few prayers, and
do what, he could, and Christ would make up
what was wanting. Now he believes the way
is narrow, and few find it. He is convinced
he could never have made his own peace with
God. He is persuaded that nothing but the
blood of Christ could wash away ,his sins.
His only hope is to be justified by faith,
without the deeds of the law.
Once he could see no beauty and excel¬
lence in the Lord Jesus Christ. He could
not understand some ministers speaking so
LIVING OR DEAD.
27
much about him. Now he would tell you he
is the pearl above all price, the chiefest
among ten thousand—his Redeemer, his Ad¬
vocate, his Priest, his King, his Physician,
his Shepherd, his All.
Once he thought lightly about sin. He
could not see the necessity of being so par¬
ticular about it. He could not think a man's
words and thoughts and actions were of such
importance, and required such watchfulness.
Now he would tell you sin is the abominable
thing which he hates, the sorrow and burden
of his life. He longs to be more holy. He
can enter thoroughly into Whitefield's desire,
" I want to go where I shall neither sin my¬
self, nor see others sin any more."
Once he found no pleasure in means of
grace. The Bible was neglected. His prayers,
if he had any, were a mere form. Sermons
were a weariness, and often sent him to
sleep. Now all is altered. These things
are the food, the comfort, the delight of his
soul.
Once he disliked earnest-minded Christians,
lie shunned them as melancholy, low-spirited,
28
HOME TRUTHS.
weak people. Now they are the excellent
of the earth, of whom he cannot see too
much. He is never so happy as when he is
in their company. He fpels if all men and
women were saints, it would he heaven upon
earth.
Once he cared only for this world—its
pleasures, its business, its occupations, its re¬
wards. Now he looks upon it as an empty,
unsatisfying place—an inn—a lodging—a
training-school for the life to come. Ilis
treasure is in heaven. His home is beyond
the grave.
Reader, I ask you once more, What is all
this hut a new life ? Such a change as I have
described is no vision and fancy. It is a
real, actual thing, which not a few in this
world have known or felt. It is not a pic¬
ture of my own imagining. It is a true
thing, which many a one could find at this
moment hard by his own doors. But wher¬
ever such a change does take place, there
you see the thing of which I am now speak¬
ing—you see the dead made alive, a new
man, a new creature, a soul born again.
LIVING 6JR. DEAD.
29
I would to God that changes such as these
were more common! I would to God there
were not such multitudes of whom we must
say, even weeping, they know nothing about
the matter at all. But common or not, one
thing I say plainly, this is the kind of change
we all need. I do not hold that all must have
exactly the same experience. I allow most
fully that the change is different, in degree,
extent, and intensity, in different persons.
Grace may be weak, and yet true: life may
be feeble, and yet real. But I do confident¬
ly affirm, we must all go through something
of this kind, if ever we wish to be saved.
Till this sort of change has taken place,
there is no life in us at all. We may be
living churchmen, but we are dead Christ¬
ians.*
* "If we be still our old selves, no changelings at
all, the same men that we came into the wcrld, without
defalcation of our corruptions, without addition of
grace and sanctification, surely we must seek us an¬
other Father—we are not yet the sons ct God." Bp.
Hall. 1652.
" If thou hast any thing less than regeneration, believe
me, thou canst never see heaven. There is no hope of
30
HOME TRUTHS.
Take it home, every man or woman that
reads this page—take it home to your own
conscience, and look at it well. Some time
7 1
or other, between the cradle and the grave,
all who would be saved must he made alive.
The words which good old Berridge had
graven on his tombstone are faithful and
true: "Reader, art thou horn again? Re¬
member ! no salvation without a new birth."
See, now, my dear reader, what an amaz¬
ing gulf there is between the Christian in
name and in form, and the Christian in deed
and truth. It is not the difference of one
being a little better and the other a little
worse than his neighbor: it is the difference
between a state of life and a state of death.
The meanest blade of grass that grows upon
a highland mountain is a more noble object
than the fairest wax flower that was ever
formed; for it has that which no science of
man can impart — it has life. The most
splendid marble statue in Greece or Italy is
nothing by the side of the poor sickly child
heaven till then—till thou art born again."—Archbishop
Usher's Seyrnont.
LIVING OR DEAD. 31
that crawls over the cottage floor; for, with
all its beauty, it is dead. And the weakest
member of the family of Christ is far higher
and more precious in God's eyes than the
most gifted man in the world. The one lives
unto God, and shall live for ever: the other,
with all his intellect, is still dead in sins.
0! you that have passed from death to
life, you have reason to be thankful. Re¬
member what you once were by nature—
dead. Think what you are now by grace—
alive. Look at the dry bones thrown up
from the graves. Such were ye. Go and
fall low before the footstool of your God, and
bless him for his grace.
III. Let me tell you, in the third place,
in what way alone this quickening can he
brought about—by what means a dead soul
can be made alive.
Surely if I did not tell you this, it would
be cruelty to write what I have written.
Surely it would be leading you into a dreary
wilderness, and then leaving you without
bread and water: it would be like marching
you down to the Red Sea, and then bidding
82
HOME TRUTHS.
you walk over: it would be commanding
you to make brick, like Pharaoh, and yet
refusing to provide you with straw: it would
be like tying your hands and feet, and then
desiring you to war a good warfare, and so
run as to obtain the prize. I will not do so.
I will not leave you till I have pointed out
the wicket-gate toward which you must run.*
By God's help I will set before you the full
provision there is made for dead souls. Lis¬
ten to me a little longer, and I will once
more show you what is written in the Scrip¬
ture of truth.
One thing is very clear—we cannot work
this mighty change ourselves. It is not in
us. We have no strength or power to do it.
We may change our sins, but we cannot
change our hearts. We may take up a new
way, but not a new nature. We may make
considerable reforms and alterations. We
may lay aside many outward bad habits, and
begin many outward duties. But we cannot
create a new principle within us. We cannot
bring something out of nothing. The Ethiop-
* In allusion to Pilgrim's Progress.—Editor.
LIVING OR DEAD. S3
ian cannot change his skin, nor the leopard
his spots: no more can we put life into our
own souls. Jer. xiii. 23.
Another thing is equally clear—no man
can do it for us. Ministers may preach to
you, and pray with you—receive you at the
font in baptism, admit you at the Lord's
table, and give you the bread and wine; but
they cannot bestow spiritual life. They may
bring in regularity in the place of disorder,
and outward decency in the place of open
sin. But they cannot go below the surface.
They cannot reach your hearts. Paul may
plant and Apollos water, but God alone can
give the increase. 1 Cor. iii. 6.
Who then can make a dead soul alive?
No one can do it but God. He only who
breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of
life can ever make a dead sinner a living
Christian. lie only who formed the world
out of nothing in the day of creation, can
make man a new creature. He only who
said, "Let there be light, and there was
light," can cause spiritual light to shine into
man's heart. He only who formed man out
2
34
HOME TRUTHS.
of the dust, and gave life to his body, can
ever give life to his soul. His is the special
office to do it by his Spirit, and his also is
the power.* 1
Reader, the glorious gospel contains pro¬
vision for your spiritual as well as your eter¬
nal life. The dead must come to Christ, and
he will give them life as well as peace. He
is able to do every thing which sinners need.
He cleanses them by his blood, he makes
them alive by his Spirit. The Lord Jesus is
a complete Saviour. That mighty living
Head has no dead members. His people are
not only justified and pardoned, hut quicken¬
ed together with him, and made partakers of
his resurrection. To him the Spirit joins the
sinner, and raises him by that union from
death to life. In him the sinner lives after
he has believed. The spring of all his vital-
* " To create or bring something out of nothing, is
beyond the power of the strongest creature. It is above
the strength of all men and angels to create the least
blade of grass: God challengeth this as his prerogative
royal. Isaiah xl. 26. Augustin said truly, To convert
the little world man, is more than to create the great
world."—George Swinnocke. 1660.
LIVING OR DEAD. 85
ity is the union between Christ and his soul,
whicli the Spirit begins and keeps up. Christ
is the appointed fountain of all spiritual life,
and the Holy Ghost the appointed agent
who conveys that life to our souls.*
Come to the Lord Jesus Christ, if you
would have life. lie will not cast you out.
He has gifts, even for the rebellious. The
moment the dead man touched the body of
Elisha, he revived and stood upon his feet.
2 Kings xiii. 21. The moment you touch
the Lord Jesus with the hand of faith, you
are alive unto God, as well as forgiven all
trespasses. Come, and your soul shall live.
I never despair of any one becoming a de¬
cided Christian, whatever he may have been
in days gone by. I know how great the
change is from death to life. I know the
mountains of division that seem to stand be¬
tween some of you and heaven. I know the
* 44 Then do we begin to live, when we begin to have
union with Christ, the Fountain of life, by his Spirit
communicated to us : from this time we are to reckon
our life."—Flavel.
"Christ is a universal principle of all life."—Sibbs.
1G.1-3.
36
HOME TRUTHS.
hardness, the prejudices, the desperate sinful¬
ness of the natural heart. But I remember
that God the Father made the glorious world
out of nothing. I remembelr the voice of the
Lord Jesus could reach Lazarus when four
days dead, and recall him even from the
grave. I remember the amazing victories
the Spirit of God has won in every nation
under heaven. I remember all this, and feel
that I never need despair. Yes! the very
man who now seems most utterly dead in sins,
may yet be raised to a new being, and walk
before God in newness of life.
Why should it not be so? The Holy
Spirit is a merciful and loving Spirit. He
turns away from no repentant man because
of his vileness. He passes by no one because
his sins are black and scarlet.
There was nothing in the Corinthians, that
he should come down and quicken them.
Paul reports of them that they were "for¬
nicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate,
thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extor¬
tioners." "Such," he says, "were some of
you." Yet even them the Spirit made alive.
LIVING OR DEAD. 37
"Ye are washed," he writes, "ye are sancti¬
fied, ye are justified, in the name of the Lord
Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Cor.
vi. 9-11.
There was nothing in the Colossians, that
he should visit their hearts. Paul tells us
that" they walked in fornication, uncleanness,
inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and
covetousness, which is idolatry." Yet them
also the Spirit quickened. He enabled them
to " put off the old man with his deeds, and
put on the new man, which is renewed in
knowledge after the image of him that cre¬
ated him." Col. iii. 5-10.
Never, never will the Spirit turn away from
a soul because of its corruption. He never
has done so—he never will. It is his glory
that he has purified the minds of the most
impure, and made them temples for his own
abode. lie may yet take the worst man who
reads this page, and make him a vessel of
grace.
Why indeed should it not be so? The
Spirit is an Almighty Spirit. He can change
the stony heart into a heart of flesh. He
S3
IIOME TRUTHS.
can break the strongest bad habits, like tow
before the fire. He can make the most diffi¬
cult things seem easy, and the mightiest ob¬
jections melt away like snow in spring. lie
can cut the bars of brass, and throw the
gates of prejudice wide open. lie can fill
up every valley, and make every rough place
smooth. He has done it often, and he can
do it again.*
The Spirit can take a Jew,—the bitterest
enemy of Christianity,—the fiercest perse¬
cutor of true believers,—the strongest stickler
for pharisaical notions,—the most prejudiced
opposer of gospel doctrine,—and turn that
man into an earnest preacher of the very
faith he once destroyed. He has done it al¬
ready. He did it with the Apostle Paul.
The Spirit can take a Roman Catholic
monk, brought up in the midst of Romish
superstition,—trained from his infancy to be¬
lieve false doctrine and obey the Pope,—
* " Such is the power of the Holy Ghost to regenerate
men, and as it were to bring them forth anew, so that
they shall be nothing like the men they were before."—
Homily for Whitsunday.
LIVING OR DEAD.
39
steeped to the eyes in error,—and make that
man one of the clearest upholders of justifi¬
cation by faith the world ever saw. lie has
done it already. lie did it with Martin
Luther.
The Spirit can take an English tinker,
without learning, patronage, or lhoney,—a
man at one time notorious for nothing so
much as blasphemy and swearing,—and make
that man write a religious book, which shall
stand unrivalled and unequalled in its way by
any since the time of the apostles. lie has
done so already. lie did it with John Pun-
yan, the author of "Pilgrim's Progress."
The Spirit can take a sailor, drenched in
worldliness and sin,—and make that man a
most successful minister of the gospel,—a
writer of letters which are it storehouse of
experimental religion,—and of hymns which
are known and sung wherever English is
O ©
spoken. lie has done it already. lie did
it with John Newton.
All this the Spirit has done, and much
more, of which I cannot speak particularly.
And the arm of the Spirit is not shortened.
40
HOME TRUTHS.
His power is not decayed. Such as the Lord
Jesus Christ is, such also is the Spirit—the
same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. He is
still doing wonders, and will do to the very
end.
Once more then, I say, I never despair of
any man's soul being made alive. I should,
if it depended on man himself. Some seem
so hardened, I should have no hope. I
should, if it depended on the work of minis¬
ters. Alas! the very best of us are poor,
weak creatures. But I cannot despair, when
I remember that God the Spirit is the agent
who conveys life to the soul, for I know and
am persuaded that with him nothing is im¬
possible.
I should not be surprised to hear, even in
this life, that th» hardest man I ever met had
become softened, and the proudest had taken
his place at the feet of Jesus as a weaned
child.
Does any one who reads this appeal desire
to help the Church of Christ? Then pray
for a great outpouring of the Spirit. He
alone can give edge to sermons, and point to
LIVING OR DEAD. 41
advice, and power to rebukes, and cast down
the high walls of sinful hearts. It is not
hotter preaching and finer writing that is
wanted in this day, but more of the presence
of the Holy Ghost.
Docs any one who reads this appeal feel
the slightest drawing towards God,—the
smallest concern about his immortal soul ?
Then flee to that open fountain of living
waters, the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall
receive the Holy Ghost. John vii. 39. Be¬
gin at once to pray for the Holy Spirit.
Think not you are shut up, and cut off" from
hope. The Iloly Ghost is promised to them
that ask him. His very name is the Spirit
of promise and the Spirit of life. Give him
no rest till he comes down and makes you a
new heart. Cry mightily unto the Lord,—
say unto him, "Bless me, even me also,—
quicken me, and make me alive."
And now let me wind up all I have said
with a few words of special application. I
have told you what I believe to be the truth
as it is in Jesus. Let me try, by God's bless¬
ing, to bring it home to your heart.
42
HOME TRUTHS.
1. First, let me put this question to every
soul who reads this appeal,—"Are you liv¬
ing, or are you dead?"
Suffer me to press the inquiry on every
conscience. There are only two ways to
walk in, the narrow and the broad—two
companies in the day of judgment, those on
the right hand and those on the left—two
classes of people in the professing Church
of Christ, and to one of them you must
belong. Where are you? What are you?
Are you among the living, or among the
dead ?
I speak to you yourselves, and to none
else,—not to your neighbor, but to you,—
not to Africans or New Zealanders, but to
you. I do not ask whether you are angels,
or whether you have the mind of David or
Paul; but I do ask whether you have a
well-founded persuasion that you are new
creatures in Christ Jesus: I do ask whether
you have reason to believe you have put off
the old man and put on the neAV,—whether
you are conscious of ever having gone through
LIVING OR DEAD. 43
a real spiritual change of heart,—whether,
in one word, you are dead or alive?*
Think not to put me off by saying " you
were admitted into the Church by baptism—
you received grace and the Spirit in that
sacrament — you are alive." It shall not
avail you. Paul himself says of the baptized
widow who lives in pleasure, " She is dead
while she liveth." 1 Tim. v. 6. The Lord
Jesus Christ himself tells the chief officer of
the Church in Sardis, " Thou hast a name
that thou livest, and art dead." Rev. iii. 1.
* "All hangs upon this liinge. If tliis bo not done,
ye are undone—undone eternally. All your profession,
civility, privileges, gifts, duties, are ciphers, and signify
nothing, unless regeneration bo the figure put before
them."—Sivinnockf. 1000.
" Believe me, whatsoever thou art, thou slialt never
be «aved for being a lord or a knight, a gentleman or a
rich man, a learned man or a well-spoken, eloquent man;
nor yet for being a Calviuist, or a Lutheran, an Armin-
iun, an Anabaptist, a Presbyterian, an Independent, or
a Prote taut, formally and merely as such—much less
f r being a Papist, or of any such grossly deluded sect—
but as a regenerate Christian it is that thou must bo
saved, or thou canst have no hope."—Richard Baxter.
105'J.
44
HOME TRUTHS.
The life you talk of is nothing, if it cannot
be seen. Show it to me, if I am to believe
its existence. Grace is light, and light will
always be discerned. Grace is salt, and salt
will always be tasted. An indwelling of the
Spirit that does not show itself by outward
fruits, and a grace that men's, eyes cannot
discover, are both to be viewed with the ut¬
most suspicion. Believe me, if you have no
other proof of spiritual life but your baptism,
you are yet a dead soul.
Think not to tell me, "It is a question
that cannot be decided, and you call it pre¬
sumptuous to give an opinion in such a matter."
This is a vain refuge and a false humility.
Spiritual life is no such dim and doubtful
thing as you seem to fancy. There are
marks and evidences by which its presence
may be discerned by those who know the
Bible. "We know," says John, "that we
have passed from death unto life." 1 John
iii. 14. The exact time and season of that
passage may often be hidden from a man.
The fact and reality of it will seldom be en¬
tirely an uncertain thing. It was a true and
LIVING OE DEAD. 45
beautiful spying of a Scotch girl to White-
field, when asked if her heart was changed:
" Something was changed, she knew: it might
be the world, it might be her own heart; but
there was a great change somewhere, she was
quite sure; for every thing seemed different
to what it once did." 0! cease to evade
inquiry. Anoint your eyes with eye-salve
that you may see. Are you dead or alive ?
Think not to reply, " You do not know:
you allow it is a matter of importance: you
hope to know some time before you die: you
mean to give your mind to it when you have
a convenient season, but at present you do
not know."
You do not know! Yet heaven or hell is
wrapped up in this question. An eternity
of happiness or misery hinges upon your
answer. You do not leave your worldly af¬
fairs so unsettled. You do not manage your
earthly business so loosely. You look far
forward. You provide against every possible
contingency. You insure life.and property.
0 ! why not deal in the same way with your
immortal soul ?
46
HOME TRUTHS
You do not know! Yet all around jou is
uncertainty. You are a poor, frail worm—
your body fearfully and wonderfully made—
your health liable to be put out of order in a
thousand ways. The next time the daisies
bloom, it may be over your grave. All before
you is dark. You know not what a day might
bring forth, much less a year. 0 ! why not
bring your soul's business to a point without
delay ?
Reader, begin the great business of self-
examination. Rest not till you know the
length and breadth of your own state in God's
sight. Backwardness in this matter is an
evil sign. It springs from an uneasy
conscience. It shows that a man thinks ill
of his own case. He feels, like a dishonest
tradesman, that his accounts will not bear in¬
quiry. He dreads the light.
Reader, make sure work. Take nothing
for granted.' Do not measure your condition
by that of others. Bring every thing to the
measure of God's word. A mistake about
your soul is a mistake for eternity. " Surely,"
says Leighton, " they that are not born again
living or dead. 47
shall one day wish they had never been
born."
Sit down this day and think. Commune
with your own heart and be still. Go to your
own room and consider. Enter into your
own closet, or at any rate contrive to be alone
with God. Look the question fairly, fully, hon¬
estly in the face. How does it touch you ? Are
you among the living, or among the dead ?*
2. In the second place, let me speak in all
affection to those who are dead.
What shall I say to you? What can I
say ? What words of mine are likely to have
any effect on your hearts ?
This I will say, I mourn over your souls.
I do most unfeignedly mourn. You may be
thoughtless and unconcerned. You may care
little, for what I am saying. You may scarce¬
ly run your eye over this appeal, and, after
reading it, despise it, and return to the world;
* "If your state bo good, searching into it will give
you the comfort of it. If your state be bad, searching
into it cannot make it worse; nay, it is the only way to
make it better, for conversion begins with conviction."—
JShhop Hopkins. 1080.
48
HOME TRUTHS.
but you cannot prevent my feeling for you,
however little you may feel for yourselves.
Do I mourn when I see a young man sap¬
ping the foundation of his bodily health by
indulging his lusts and passions—sowing bit¬
terness for himself in his old age? Much
more, then, will I mourn over your souls.
Do I mourn when I see men squandering
away their inheritance, and wasting their
property on trifles and follies ? Much more,
then, will I mourn over your souls.
Do I mourn when I hear of one drinking
slow poisons, because they are pleasant, as
the Chinese take opium—putting the clock
of life on, as if it did not go fast enough—
inch by inch digging his own grave ? Much
more, then, will I mourn over your souls.
I mourn to think of golden opportunities
thrown away—of Christ rejected—of the
blood of atonement trampled under foot—
of the Spirit resisted—the Bible neglected—
heaven despised, and the world put in the
place of God.
I mourn to think of the present happiness
you are missing—the peace and consolation
LIVING OR DEAD. 49
you are thrusting from you — the misery
you are laying up in store for yourselves—
and the bitter waking up which is yet to
come.
Yes! I must mourn. I cannot help it.
Others may think it enough to mourn over
dead bodies. For my part, I think there is
far more cause to mourn over dead souls.
The children of this world find fault with us
for being so grave. Truly, when I look at
the world, I marvel we can ever smile at all.
Reader, dear reader, why will you die?
Are the wages of sin so sweet and good that
you cannot give them up ? Is the world so
satisfying that you cannot forsake it ? Is the
service of Satan so pleasant that you and he
are never to be parted ? Is heaven so poor a
thing that it is not worth seeking ? Is your
soul of so little consequence that it is not
worth a struggle to have it saved ? 0!
turn, turn, before it be too late. God is not
willing that you should perish. " As I live,"
he says, " I have no pleasure in the death of
him that dieth." Jesus loves you, and grieves
to see your folly. lie wept over wicked
50
HOME TRUTHS.
Jerusalem, saying, "I would have gathered
thee, hut thou wouldest not he gathered."
Surely, if lost, your blood will be upon your
own head. "Awake, and arise from the
dead, and Christ shall give you light."
Believe me, believe me, true repentance is
that one step that no man ever repented.
Thousands have said at their latter end,
" they had served God too littleno child
of Adam ever said, as he left this world,
that he had cared for his soul too much. The
way of life is a narrow path, hut the foot¬
steps in it are all in one direction—not one
has ever come hack and said it was a delu¬
sion. The way of the world is a broad way,
hut millions on millions have forsaken it, and
borne their testimony that it was a way of
sorrow.
0 that this year might he a year of life
to your soul! 0 that the Spirit might come
down upon your heart, and make you a new
man. I ask it of the Lord, as the prophet
did of old, " Come from the four winds, 0
breath, and breathe upon these slain, that
they may live." Ezek. xxxvii. 9.
LIVING OR DEAD. 51
3. Let mo, in the third place, speak to
those who are living.
Are you indeed alive unto God ? Can you
say with truth, " I was dead, and am alive
again: I was blind, but now I see ?" Then
suffer the word of exhortation, and incline
your heart unto wisdom.
Are you alive ? Then see that you prove
it bg your actions. Be a consistent witness.
Let your words, and works, and tempers, all
tell the same story. Let not your life be a
poor torpid life, like that of a tortoise or
sloth: let it rather be an energetic stirring
life, like that of a deer or bird. Let your
grace shine forth from all the windows of
your conversation, that those who live near
you may see that the Spirit is abiding in
your hearts. Let your light not be a dim,
flickering, uncertain flame: let it burn stead¬
ily, like the eternal fire on the altar, and
never become low. Let the savor of your
religion, like Mary's precious ointment, fill
all the house where you dwell. Be an epistle
of Christ, so clearly written, penned in such
large, bold characters, that he who runs may
52
HOME TRUTHS.
read it. Let your Christianity be so unmis-
takable—your eye so single—your heart so
whole—your walk so straight-forward, that
all who see you may have no doubt whose
you are, and whom you serve. 0 dear reader,
if we are quickened by the Spirit, no one
ought to be able to doubt it. Our conver¬
sation should declare plainly that we seek a
country. It ought not to be necessary to tell
people, as in the case of a badly painted
picture, " This is a Christian." We ought
not to be so sluggish and still that men shall be
obliged to come close, and look hard, and say,
" Is he dead or alive ?"
Are you alive ? Then see that you prove
it by your growth. Let the great change
within become every year more evident.
Let your light be an increasing light,—not
like Joshua's sun in the valley of Aijalon,
standing still,—nor like Hezekiah's sun,
going back,—but ever shining more and more
to the very end of your days. Let the image
of your Lord, wherein you are renewed, grow
clearer and sharper every month. Let it not
be like the image and superscription on a
LIVING OR DEAD. 53
coin, more indistinct and defaced the longer
it is used. Let it rather become more plain
the older it is, and the likeness of your King
stand out more fully. I have no confidence
in a standing-still religion. I do not think a
Christian was meant to be like an animal, to
grow to a certain age, and then stop growing.
I believe rather he was meant to be like a
tree, and to increase more and more in
strength and vigor all his days. Remember
the words of the Apostle Peter, "Add to
your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge,
and to knowledge temperance, and to tempe¬
rance brotherly kindness, and to brotherly
kindness charity." 2 Peter i. 5-7. This is
the way to be a useful Christian. Men will
believe you are in earnest when they see
constant improvement, and perhaps be drawn
to go with you.* This is one way to obtain
comfortable assurance. "So an entrance
shall be administered unto you abundantly."
2 Peter i. 11. 0! as ever you would be
useful and happy in your religion, let your
* "Men who are prejudiced observe actions a great
deal more than words."—Leighton.
54
HOME TRUTIIS.
motto be, "Forward, forward," to your very
last day.
Reader, I speak to myself as well as to
you. I say the spiritual life there is in
Christians ought to he more evident. Our
lamps want trimming,—they ought not to
burn so dim. Our separation from the world
should he more distinct,—our walk with God
more decided. Too many of us are like Lot,
lingerers,—or like Reuben, Gad, and Manas-
seh, borderers,—or like the Jews in Ezra's
time, so mixed up with strangers, that our
spiritual pedigree cannot be made but. It
ought not so to be. Let us be up and doing.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in
the Spirit. If we really have life, let us
make it known.
The state of the world demands it. The
latter days have fallen upon us. The king¬
doms of the earth are shaking, falling, crash¬
ing, and crumbling away. Isaiah xxiv. 1, etc.
The glorious kingdom that will never be
removed is drawing nigh. The King himself
is close at hand. The children of this world
are looking round to see what the saints are
LIVING OR DEAD. 55
doing. God, in his wonderful providences,
is calling to us, ""Who is on my side?"
Who? Surely we ought to be, like Abra¬
ham, very ready with our answer: "Ilere
am I."
"Ah!" you may say, "these are ancient
things, these are brave words. We know it
all; hut we are weak : we have no power to
think a good thought: we can do nothing:
we must sit still." But hear me a little.
What is the cause of your weakness? Is it
not because the fountain of life is little used ?
is it not because you are resting on old expe¬
riences, and not daily gathering new manna,
daily drawing new strength from Christ?
He has left you the promise of the Com¬
forter. lie giveth more grace,—grace upon
grace to all who ask it. He came that you
might have life, and have it more abund¬
antly. " ()pen thy mouth wide," he says this
day, "and I will fill it.' Psalm lxxxi. 10.
Header, if you want your spiritual life to
be more healthy and vigorous, you must just
come more boldly to the throne of grace. You
must give up this hanging-back spirit,—this
56
HOME TRUTHS.
hesitation about taking the Lord at his own
word. Doubtless you are a poor sinner, and
nothing at all. The Lord knows it, and has
provided a store of strength for you; but you
do not draw upon the store he has provided:
you have not, because you ask not. The
secret of your weakness is your little faith
and little prayer. The fountain is unsealed,
but you only sip a few drops: the bread of
life is before you, yet you only eat a few
crumbs: the treasury of heaven is open, but
you only take a few pence. 0 man of little
faith, wherefore do you doubt ?
Awake to know your privileges—awake,
and sleep no longer. Tell me not of spiritual
hunger, and thirst, and poverty, so long as
the throne of grace is before you. Say rather,
that you are proud, and will not come to it
as a poor sinner. Say rather, you are sloth¬
ful, and will not take pains to get more.
Cast aside the grave-clothes of pride that
still hang around you: throw off that Egyp¬
tian garment of indolence, which ought not
to have been brought through the Red Sea:
away with that unbelief which ties and para-
LIVING OR DEAD. 57
lyzes jour tongue. You are not straitened
in God, but in yourself. Come boldly to the
throne of grace, where the Father is ever
waiting to give, and Jesus ever stands by him
to intercede. Come boldly; for you may, all
sinful as you are, if you come in the name of
the Great High Priest. Come boldly, and
ask largely, and you shall have abundant
answers,—mercy like a river, and grace and
strength like a mighty stream. Come boldly,
and you shall have supplies exceeding all you
can ask or think. Hitherto you have asked
nothing. Ask and receive, that your joy may
be full.
Reader, I commend you to God, and to
the Lord Jesus Christ. "While you live, may
you live unto the Lord. When you die, may
you die the death of the righteous. And
when the Lord Jesus comes, may you be
found ready, and " not be ashamed before
him at his coming."
O
58
home truths.
|0« Jnrgiiun?
YOUR SINS ABE FORGIVEN YOU.
1 John U. 12.
Reader, do you see the question which
stands at the head of this page ? It is just
possible you may not understand its mean¬
ing. Perhaps you may think : " Whom have
I injured ? whom have I defrauded ? whom
have I wronged? whose confidence have I
forfeited ? what need have I of forgiveness ?"
I answer: It is not an earthly forgiveness
I am asking about, but a heavenly one. I
do not inquire whether you are forgiven in
the sight of men, hut whether you are for¬
given in the sight of God. The question I
desire to press on your conscience is simply
this : "Are you a pardoned soul?"
Come, now, and give me your attention,
while I speak to you about the forgiveness
of sins. The subject is one that can never
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 50
lie considered too soon. We have seen our
friends and neighbors die. In many cases,
the strongest were carried off in a few hours.
The cleverest physicians found their skill en¬
tirely unavailing. We live yet, and we may
veil be thankful. We liyo yet, and surely
ve should he thoughtful. Our turn may
come next. Our graves may soon he ready
for us. Come, then, I say once more, and
let me speak to you about the forgiveness of
sins.
I. Let me show you, first of all, your need
of forgiveness.
.Ill men need forgiveness, because all men
are sinners. lie that does not know this,
knows nothing in religion. It is the very
ABC of Christianity, that a man should
know his right place, and understand his
deserts.
We are all great sinners. Sinners we
were born, and sinners we have been all our
lives. We take to sin naturally from the
very first. Ho child ever needs schooling
and education to teach it to do wrong. Ho
©
60
HOME TRUTHS.
devil or bad companion ever leads us into
such wickedness as our own hearts; and yet
the wages of sin is death. We must either
be forgiven, or lost eternally."*
We are all guilty sinners in the sight of
God: we have broken his holy law: we have
transgressed his precepts : we have not done
his will. There is not a commandment in all
the ten which does not condemn us. If we
have not broken it in deed, we have in wTord.
If we have not broken it in word, we have in
thought and imagination. Tried by the
standard of the fifth chapter of St. Matthew,
there is not one of us that would be acquitted.
And yet it is appointed unto men once to
die, and after this comes the judgment. We
must either be forgiven, or perish everlast¬
ingly-
"When I walk through the crowded streets
of the city, I see hundreds and thousands,
* "No man that seeth himself to be a sinner really,
can count himself a small or little sinner. Nor can it
ever be, till there be a little law to break, a little God
to offend, a little guilt to contract, and a little wrath
to incur: all which are impossible to be, blasphemy to
wish, and madness to expect."—Traill. 1690.
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 61
of whom I know nothing beyond their out¬
ward appearance. I see some bent on plea¬
sure, and some on business,—some who look
rich, and some who look poor,—some rolling
in their carriages, some hurrying along on
foot. Each has his own object in view, each
has his own aims and ends, all alike hidden
from me. But one thing I know for a cer¬
tainty, as I look upon them: they are all sin¬
ners. There is not a soul among them all
but is guilty before God. There breathes
not the man or woman in that crowd but must
die forgiven, or else rise again to be con¬
demned for ever at the last day.
"When I look through the length and
breadth of this country, I must make the
same report. When I turn to the map of
the world, I must say the same thing. It
matters not what quarter I examine, I find
men's hearts are everywhere the same, and
everywhere wicked. Sin is the family dis¬
ease of all the children of Adam. Never has
there been a corner of the earth discovered
where sin and the devil do not reign. Wide
as the differences are between the nations of
G2 HOME TRUTHS,
tlie earth, they have been found to have one
great mark in common. Europe and Asia,
Africa and America, Iceland and India,
Paris and Pekin, all alike have the mark of
sin. The eye of the Lord looks down on
this globe of ours, as it rolls round the sun,
and sees it covered with corruption and wick¬
edness. What he sees in the moon and stars,
in Jupiter and Saturn, I cannot tell; but on
the earth I know he sees sin. Psalm xiv. 2, 3.
Header, you may not perhaps like what I
am saying. I have no doubt such language
as this sounds extravagant to some. You
think I am going much too far; hut mark
well what I am about to say next, and then
consider whether I have not used the words
of soberness and truth.
What, then, I ask, is the life of the Chris¬
tians among us ? What is it hut one great
arrear,—one long catalogue of shortcomings ?
What is it hut a daily acting out of the
words, " leaving undone things that we ought
to do, and doing things that we ought not to
do ?" Our faith, how feeble! Our love,
how cold! Our works, how few! Our zeal,
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 03
how sriiall! Our patience, how short-breathed!
Our humility, how threadbare! Our self-
denial, how dwarfish! Our knowledge, how
dim ! Our spirituality, how shallow! Our
prayers, how formal! Our desires for more
grace, how faint!
And then, what is the Lord Grod, whose
eyes are on all our ways, and before whom
we have one day to give account ? " Holy,
holy, holy," is the remarkable expression
applied to him by those who are nearest to
him. Isa. vi. 3; Rev. iv. 8. It sounds as if
no one word could express the intensity of
his holiness. One of his prophets says, " lie
is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and
cannot look on iniquity." Ilabak. i. 13.
Surely we ought all to cease from proud
thoughts about ourselves. "We ought to lay
our hands upon our mouths, and say with
Abraham, "I am dust and ashes," and with
Job, "I am vile," and with Isaiah, "We are
all as an unclean thing." Where is the man
or woman in the whole catalogue of the
book of life that will ever be able to say
more than this, " I obtained mercy ?" What
is the glorious company of the apostles, the
64
HOME TRUTHS.
goodly fellowship of the prophets, the noble
army of martyrs, — what are they all hut
pardoned sinners ? Surely there is but one
conclusion to be arrived at,—we are all great
sinners, and we all need a great forgiveness.*
See now what just cause I have to tell you
that to know your need of forgiveness is the
first thing in true religion. Sin is a burden,
and must be taken off. Sin is a defilement,
and must be cleansed away. Sin is a mighty
debt, and must be paid. Sin is a mountain
standing between us and heaven, and must
be removed. Happy is he among us that
feels all this! The first step toward heaven
is to see clearly that we deserve hell. There
is but one alternative before us,—we must be
forgiven, or be miserable for ever.f
* " Who is in this world, or ever hath been, which
hath not need to say this prayer—to desire God to take
from him his sins, to forgive him his trespasses? Truly
no saint in heaven, be they as holy as ever they will, but
they have had need of this prayer: they have had need
to say, Lord, forgive us our trespasses."—Bishop Lati¬
mer's Sermons. 1552.
f " No man shall be in heaven but he that sees him¬
self fully qualified for hell, as a fagot that is bound up
for eternal burnings, unless mercy plucks the br ind out
of the fire."—Traill 1690
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 65
See too how little many persons know of
the design of Christianity, though they live
in a Christian land. They fancy they are
to go to church to learn their duty, and hear
morality enforced, and for no other purpose.
They forget that the heathen philosophers
would have told them as much as this.
They have yet to learn that the leading
mark of Christianity is the remedy it pro¬
vides for sin. This is the glory and excel¬
lence of the gospel. It meets man as he
really is. It goes down to the level to which
sin has brought him, and offers to raise him
up. It tells him of a remedy equal to his
disease, a great remedy for a great disease,—
a great forgiveness for great sinners.
Header, I ask you to consider these things
well, if you have not considered them before.
It is no light matter whether you know your
soul's necessities or not. It is a matter of
life and death. Try, I beseech you, to
become acquainted with your own heart. Sit
down and think quietly what you are in the
sight of God. Bring together the thoughts
and words and actions of any day in your
3
66
HOME TRUTHS.
life, and measure them by the measure of
God's word. Judge yourself honestly, that
you may not he condemned at the last day.
0 that you may find out what you really are !
O that you may learn to pray Job's prayer,
"Make me to know my transgression and
my sin!" Job xiii. 23. 0 that you may see
this great truth, that until you are forgiven
your Christianity has done nothing savingly
for you at all.
II. Let me point out to you, in the second
place, the way of forgiveness.
I ask your particular attention to this
point, for none can he more important.
Granting for a moment that you want par¬
don and forgiveness, what ought you to do ?
Whither will you go ? WTiich way will you
turn ? Every thing hinges on the answer you
give to this question.
Will you turn to ministers, and put your
trust in them ? They cannot give you pardon:
they can only tell you where it is to be found.
They can set before you the bread of life;
but you yourself must eat it. They can show
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 67
you the path of peace; hut you yourself
must walk into it. The Jewish priest had
no power to cleanse the leper, but only to
declare him cleansed. The Christian minis¬
ter has no power to forgive sins—he can only
pronounce who they are that are forgiven.
Will you turn to sacraments and ordi¬
nances, and trust in them? They cannot
supply you with forgiveness, however dili¬
gently you may use them. By sacraments
faith is confirmed and grace increased, in all
who rightly use them. But they, cannot
justify the sinner. They cannot put away
transgression. You may go to the Lord's
table every Sunday in your life; hut unless
you look far beyond the sign to the thing
signified, you will after all die in your sins.*
* "He that supposeth to make Christ his, and all
Christ's merits, by the receiving of the outward sign
and sacrament, and bringcth not Christ in his heart to
the sacrament, he may make himself assured rather of
the devil and eternal death, as Judas and Cain did. For
the sacrament maketh not the union, peace, and concord
between God and us, but it ratifieth, establisheth, and
confirmeth the love and peace that is between God and
us before for his promise' sake."—Bishop Hoope*. 1545.
68
HOME TRUTHS.
You may attend a daily service regularly,
but if you think to establish a righteousness
of your own by it in the slightest degree,
you are only getting farther away from God
every day.
Will you trust in your own works and
endeavors, your virtues and your good deeds,
your prayers and your alms ? They will
never buy for you an entrance into heaven.
They will never pay your debt to God. They
are all imperfect in themselves, and only
increase your guilt. There is no merit or
worthiness in them at the very best. " When
ye have done all those things which are com¬
manded you," says the Lord Jesus, " say, We
are unprofitable servants."* Luke xvii. 10.
Will you trust in your own repentance and
* " What if I should fast my body into a skeleton, and
pray my tongue and wear my ears to their very stumps ?
What though I should water my couch continually with
my tears, fasten my knees always to the earth by prayer,
and fix my eyes constantly into heaven by meditation ?
What though I should give every thing I have to my poor,
distressed neighbors, and spend each moment of my time
in the immediate worshipping of my glorious Maker ?
Would any of this be more than I am bound to do ?
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 69
amendment f You are very sorry for the
past. You hope to do better for time to
come. You hope God will be merciful.
Alas! if you lean on this, you have nothing
beneath you but a broken reed. The judge
docs not pardon the thief because he is sorry
for what he did. To-day's sorrow will not
wipe off the score of yesterday's sins. It is
not an ocean of tears that will ever cleanse
an uneasy conscience, and give it peace.
"Where, then, must a man go for pardon?
Where is forgiveness to be found? Listen,
reader, and by God's help I will tell you.
There is a way both sure and plain, and into
that way I desire to guide every inquirer's
feet.
That way is, simply to trust in the Lord
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as your Sa¬
viour. It is to cast your soul, with all its
sins, unreservedly on Christ,—to cease com-
Sliould I not still be an unprofitable servant ? And if I
can do no more than is my duty unto God, how can I
merit any thing by what I do for him ? How can he be
indebted to me for paying what I owe to him f"—Bishop
Beveridye. 1700.
70
HOME TRUTHS.
pletely from any dependence on your own
works and doings, either in whole or in part,
and to rest on no other work hut Christ's
work, no other merit hut Christ's merit, as
your ground of hope. Take this course, and
you are a pardoned soul. " To Christ," says
Peter, "give all the prophets witness, that
through his name whosoever believeth in him
shall receive remission of sins." Acts x. 43.
" Through this man," said Paul at Antioch,
" is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins,
and by him all that believe are justified from
all things." Acts xiii. 38, 39. "In him,"
writes Paul to the Colossians, "we have
redemption through his blood, even the for¬
giveness of sins." Col. i. 14.
The Lord Jesus Christ, in great love and
compassion, has made a full and complete
satisfaction for sin, by his own death upon
the cross. There he offered himself as a
sacrifice for us, and allowed the wrath of God,
which we deserved, to fall on his own head.
For our sins he gave himself, suffered, and
died,—the just for the unjust, the innocent
for the guilty,—that he might deliver us from
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 71
the curse of a broken law, and provide a
complete pardon for all who are willing to
receive it. And by so doing, as Isaiah says,
he has borne our sins,—as John the Baptist
says, he has taken away sin,—as Paul says,
he has purged our sins, and put away sin.
Isaiah liii. 11; John i. 29; Heb. i. 3, ix.
26.
And now the Lord Jesus is sealed and
appointed, by God the Father, to be a Prince
and a Saviour, to give remission of sins to
all who will have it. The key of the gate
of heaven is laid on his shoulder. He him¬
self is the door, and by him ^11 that enter in
shall be saved. Acts v. 31; John x. 9.
Christ, in one word, has purchased a full
forgiveness, if you and I are willing to re¬
ceive it. He has done all, paid all, suffered
all that was needful to reconcile us to God.
He has opened a fountain of living waters
to cleanse us. He has removed every barrier
between us and God the Father, taken every
obstacle out of the way, and made a road by
which the vilest may return. All things are
now ready, and the sinner has only to believe
72
HOME TRUTHS.
and be saved, to eat and be satisfied, to ask
and receive, to wash and be clean.
And faith, simple faith, is the only thing
required, in order that you and I may be for¬
given. That we will come to Jesus as sin¬
ners with our sins,—trust in him,—lean on
him,—confide in him,-^and, forsaking all
other hope, cleave only to him,—this is all
and every thing that God asks for. Let a
man only do this, and he shall be saved.
His iniquities shall be found completely par¬
doned, and his transgressions entirely taken
away. Every man that so trusts is wholly
forgiven, and reckoned righteous. His sins
are gone, and his soul is justified in God's
sight, however bad and guilty he may have
been.*
* " Such as say that only faith justifieth not, because
other virtues be present, they cannot tell what they say.
Every man that will have his conscience appeased must
mark these two things: how remission of sins is obtain¬
ed, and wherefore it is obtained. Faith is the mean
whereby it is obtained, and the cause wherefore it is
received is the merits of Christ."—Bishop Ilooper. 1547
" Tho spiritual hand whereby we receive the sweet
offer of our Saviour is faith; which, in short, is no other
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 73
Faith is the only thing required—not
knowledge. A man may be a poor, unlearn¬
ed sinner, and know little of books; but if
he sees enough to find the foot of the
cross, and trust in Jesus for pardon, I will
engage he shall not miss heaven. To know
Christ is the corner-stone of all religious
knowledge.
Faith, I say, and not conversion. A man
may have been walking in the broad way up
to the very hour he first hears the gospel.
But if in that hearing he is awakened to feel
than an affiance in the Mediator. Receive peace, and be
happy; believe, and thou hast received."—Bishop Hall.
1640.
" Justifying faith consists in these two things—in hav¬
ing a mind to know Christ, and a will to rest upon him.
Whosoever sees so much excellency in Christ, that
thereby he is drawn to embrace him as the only Rock of
salvation, that man truly believes to justification."—
Archbishop Usher. 1670.
" This is the call of the gospel: He that dares trust
Christ with his soul, upon the warrant of the gospel,
shall be saved for ever. The Lord tries people this way.
Wo have no more to do but take pen in hand, and say,
Amen, 0 Lord: it is a good bargain and a true word, and
I will trust my soul on it. This is believing."—Traill.
1690.
74
HOME TRUTHS.
his danger, and wants to be saved, let himj
come to Christ at once, and wait for nothing.
That very coming is the beginning of con¬
version.
Faith, I repeat, and not holiness. A man
may feel all full of sin, and unworthy to be
saved'. But let him not tarry outside the ark
till he- is better. Let him come to .Christ
without delay, just as he is. Afterward he
shall be holy.
Reader, I call upon you to let nothing move
you from this strong ground, that faith in
Christ is the only thing needed for your justi¬
fication. Stand firm here, if you value your
soul's peace. I see many walking in darkness,
and having no light, from confused notions as
to what faith is. They hear that saving faith
will work by love, and produce holiness;
and not finding all this at once in themselves,
they think they have no faith at all. They
forget that these things are the fruits of faith,
and not faith itself, and that to doubt whether
we have faith because we do not see them at
once, is like doubting whether a tree be alive,
because it does not bear fruit the very day
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 75
•we plant it in the ground. I charge you to
settle it firmly in your mind that in the
matter of your forgiveness and justification
there is but one thing required, and that is
simple faith in Christ.*
I know well that the natural heart dislikes
this doctrine. It runs counter to man's
notion of religion. It leaves him no room
to boast. Man's idea is to come to Christ
with a price in his hand,—his regularity, his
morality, his repentance, his goodness,—and
so, as it were, to buy his pardon and justifi-
* " St. Paul declarctli nothing on the behalf of man
concerning his justification, but only a true and lively
faith; which, nevertheless, is the gift of God, and not
man's only work without God. And yet that faith doth
not shut out repentance, hope, love, dread, and the fear
of God, to be joined with faith in every man that is
justified; but it shutteth them out from the office of
justifying."—Homily of Salvation, by Archbishop Cran-
mer. 1547.
" How is the great benefit of justification applied to
me, and apprehended by us ? This is done, on our part,
by faith alone, and that not considered as a virtue inhe¬
rent in us, working by love; but only as an instrument
or hand of the soul stretched forth to lay hold on the
Herd our righteousness."—Archbishop Usher, 1670.
76
HOME TRUTHS.
cation. The Spirit's teaching is quite differ
ent: it is, first of all, to believe. " Whosoever
betyeveth shall not perish." John iii. 16.
Some say such doctrine cannot be right,
because it makes the way to heaven too easy.
I fear that many such persons, if the truth
were spoken, find it too hard.
I believe in reality it is easier to give a
fortune in building a cathedral like York
Minster, or to go to the stake and be burned,
than thoroughly to receive justification by
faith without the deeds of the law, and to
enter heaven as a sinner saved by grace.*
Some say this doctrine is foolishness and
enthusiasm. I answer, this is just what was
said of it eighteen hundred years ago, and is
a vain cavil now, as it was then. So far from
the charge being true, a thousand facts can
prove this doctrine to be from God. No
doctrine certainly has produced such mighty
effects in the world, as the simple proclama¬
tion of free forgiveness through faith in
Christ.
* " It is as truly as commonly said, that such as think
oelieving easy, know not what believing is."—Trail.
ABE YOTJ FORGIVEN? 77
This is the glorious doctrine that was the
strength of the apostles when they went
forth to the Gentiles to preach a new reli¬
gion. They began a few poor fishermen in
a despised corner of the earth. They turned
the world upside down. They changed the
face of the Roman empire. They emptied the
heathen temples of their worshippers, and
made the whole system of idolatry crumble
away. And what was the weapon by which
they did it all? It was free forgiveness
through faith in Jesus Christ.
This is the doctrine which brought light
into Europe three hundred years ago, at the
time of the blessed Reformation, and enabled
one solitary monk, Martin Luther, to shake
the whole Church of Rome. Through his
preaching and writing the scales fell from
men's eyes, and the chains of their souls
were loosed. And what was the lever that
gave him his power ? It was free forgiveness
through faith in Jesus Christ.
This is the doctrine that revived the
Church in the middle of the last century,
when Whitefield, and the Wesleys, and Ro-
78
HOME TRUTHS.
maine, and Berridge, and Venn, broke the
wretched spirit of slumber that had come over
the land, and roused men to think. They
began a mighty work, with little seeming
likelihood of success. They began few in
number, with small encouragement from the
rich and great. But they prospered. And
why ? Because they preached free forgive¬
ness through, faith in Christ.
This is the doctrine which is the true
strength of any Church on earth at this day.
It is not orders, or endowments, or liturgies,
or learning, that will keep a Church alive.
Let free forgiveness through Christ be faith¬
fully proclaimed in her pulpits, and the gates
of hell shall not prevail against her. Let it
be buried or kept back, and her candlestick
shall soon be taken away. When the Saracens
invaded the lands where Jerome and Atha-
nasius, Cyprian and Augustin, once wrote
and preached, they found bishops and litur¬
gies, I make no question; but I fear they
found no preaching of free forgiveness of
sins, and so they swept the churches of those
lands clean away. They were a body with-
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 79
out a vital principle, and therefore they fell.
Let us never forget the brightest days of a
Church are those when Christ crucified is
most exalted. The dens'and caves of the
earth, where the early Christians met to hear
of the love of Jesus, were more full of glory
and beauty in God's sight then ever was St.
Peter's at Rome. The meanest barn at this
day, where'the true way of pardon is offered
to sinners,'*is a far more honorable place than
the cathedral of Cologne or Milan. A Church
is only useful so far as she exalts free forgive¬
ness through Christ.
This is the doctrine which of all others is
the mightiest engine for pulling down the
kingdom of Satan. The Greenlanders were
unmoved, so long as the Moravians told them
only of the creation and the fall of man; but
when they heard of redeeming love, their
frozen hearts melted like snow in spring.
Preach salvation by the sacraments, exalt the
Church above Christ, and keep back the doc¬
trine of the atonement, and the devil cares little
—his goods are at peace. But preach a full
Christ and a free pardon, and then Satan
80
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will have great wrath, for he knows he has
hut a short time. John Berridge said he
went on preaching morality and nothing else,
till he found there was not a moral man in
his parish. But when he changed his plan,
and began to preach the love of Christ to
sinners, then there was a stirring of the dry
bones, and a mighty turning to God.
This is the only doctrine which will ever
bring peace to an uneasy conscience, and
rest to a troubled soul. A man may get on
pretty well without it so long as he is asleep
about his spiritual condition. But once let
him awake from his slumber, and nothing
will ever calm him but the blood of atone¬
ment and the peace of Christ.* How any
* " Man's conscience can never rest nor be at peace,
until it be settled in the full persuasion of remission of
sins in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ;
whereby God receiveth us into his favor, and is at one
with us through him."—Archbishop Sandys. 1585.
See also a most interesting account of the effect pro¬
duced on Luther, when in great distress of soul, by the
words, " I believe in the forgiveness of sins," repeated to
him by an aged monk.—D'Aubigntfs History of the Re¬
formation. One vol. edition, p. 68.
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 81
one can undertake to be a minister of reli¬
gion without a firm grasp of this doctrine, I
never can understand. For myself, I can
only say, I should think my office a most
painful one, if I had not the message of free
forgiveness to convey. It would be misera¬
ble work indeed to visit the sick and dying,
if I could not say, "Behold the Lamb of
God! Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
thou shalt be saved." The right hand of a
Christian minister is the doctrine of free
forgiveness through faith in Christ. Give us
this doctrine, and we have power: we will
never despair of doing good to men's souls.
Take away this doctrine, and we are weak as
water. We may read the prayers, and go
through a round of forms, but we are like
Samson with his hair shorn—our strength is
gone. Souls will not be benefited by us, and
good will not be done.
Reader, I commend the things I have been
saying to your notice. I am not ashamed of
free pardon through faith in Christ, whatever
some may say against the doctrine. I am
not ashamed of it, for its fruits speak for
82 HOME TRUTHS.
themselves. It has done things that no other
doctrine can do. It has effected moral
changes which laws and punishments have
failed to work—which magistrates and police¬
men have labored after in vain—which me¬
chanics' institutes, and secular knowledge,
have proved utterly powerless to produce.
Just as the fiercest lunatics in Bethlehem
Hospital became suddenly gentle when kindly
treated, even so the worst and most hardened
sinners have often become as little children,
when told of Jesus loving them, and willing
to forgive. I can well understand Paul
ending his epistle to the erring Galatians
with that solemn burst of feeling, " God
forbid that I should glory, save in the cross
of our Lord Jesus Christ." Gal. vi. 14. The
crown has indeed fallen from a Christian's
head, when he leaves the doctrine of justifi¬
cation by faith.
See now how you should ask yourself whe¬
ther you have really received the truth which
I have been dwelling on, and know it by ex¬
perience. Jesus, and faith in him, is the
only way to the Father. He that thinks to
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 83
climb into paradise by some other road, will
find himself fearfully mistaken. Other foun¬
dation can no man lay for an immortal soul
than that of which I have been feebly speak¬
ing. He that ventures himself here is safe.
He that is off this rock has got no standing-
ground at all.
See, too, how you should seriously consider
what kind of a ministry you are in the habit
of attending, supposing you have a choice.
You have reason indeed to be careful. It is
not all the same where you go, whatever
people may say. There are many places of
worship, I fear, where you might look long
for Christ crucified, and never find him. He
is buried under outward ceremonies—thrust
behind the baptismal font — lost sight of
under the shadow of the Church. " They
have taken away my Lord, and I know not
where they have laid him." Take heed
where you settle yourself. Try all by this
single test—"Is Jesus and free forgiveness
proclaimed here ?" There may be comfortable
pews—there may be good singing—there
may be learned sermons. But if Christ's
84
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gospel is not the sum and centre of the whole
place, do not continue there. Say rather,
with Isaac—" Here is the wood and the fire,
but where is the Lamb ?" Be very sure this
is not the place for your soul.
Reader, remember these things, and you
will be wise. I have set before you the way
of life. I have told you where pardon is to
be found. 0 beware lest an offer being made
you of free forgiveness, any of you should
come short of it.
III. Let me, in the third place, encourage
all who wish to be forgiven.
Probably these pages will be read by some
one who feels he is not yet a forgiven soul.
My heart's desire and prayer is, that such a
one may seek his pardon at once. And I
would fain help him forward by showing him
the kind of forgiveness offered to him, and
the glorious privileges within his reach.
Listen to me, then, while I try to exhibit
to you the treasures of gospel forgiveness.
I cannot describe its fullness as I ought. Its
riches are indeed unsearchable. Eph. iii. 8.
ARE TOTJ FORGIVEN? 85
JJut if you will turn away from it, you shall
not be able to say in the day of judgment,
you did not at all know what it was.
Consider then, for one thing, that the for¬
giveness set before you is a great and broad
forgiveness. Hear what the Prince of Peace
himself declares: "All sins shall be forgiven
unto the sons of men, and blasphemies
wherewithsoever they shall blaspheme."
Mark iii. 28. "Though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they shall
be as wool." Isa. i. 18. Yes! though your
trespasses be more in number than the hairs
of your head, the stars in heaven, the leaves
of the forest, the blades of grass, the grains
of sand on the sea-shore, still they can all be
pardoned. As the waters of Noah's flood
covered over and hid the tops of the highest
hills, so can the blood of Jesus cover over
and hide your mightiest sins. " His blood
cleanseth from all sin." 1 John i. 7. Though
to you they seem "written with the point of a
diamond, they can all be effaced from the
book of God's remembrance by that precious
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blood. Paul names a Ions list of abomina
tions which the Corinthians had committed,
and then says, " Such were some of you; but
ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye
are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus,
and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Cor. vi. 11.
Furthermore, it is a full and complete for¬
giveness. It is not like David's pardon to
Absalom,—a permission to return home, but
not a full restoration to favor. 2 Sam. xiv.
24. It is not a mere letting off, and letting
alone. It is a pardon so complete, that he
who has it is reckoned as righteous as if he
had never sinned at all.* His iniquities are
blotted out. They are removed from him as
far as the east is from the west. Psalm ciii. 12.
There remains no condemnation for him.
* " It is not therefore, 0 soul, a mere negative mercy
that God intends thee in the pardon of thy sins: it is
not merely the removing of the curse and wrath which
thy sins have deserved, though that alone can never be
sufficiently admired. But the same hand that plucks
thee out of hell by pardoning grace and mercy, lifts
thee up to heaven by what it gives thee together with
thy pardon, even a right and title to the glorious inher¬
itance of saints above."—Bishop Hopkins. 1680.
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 87
The Father sees him joined to Christ, and is
■well pleased. I verily believe if the best of
us all had only one blot left for himself to
■wipe out, he would miss eternal life. If
Noah, Daniel, and Job had had but one day's
sins to wash away, they would never have
been saved. Praised be God, that in the
matter of our pardon there is nothing left
for man to do. Jesus does all, and man has
only to hold out an empty hand, and to
receive.
Furthermore, it is a free forgiveness. It
is not burdened with an " if," like Solomon's
pardon to Adonijah, " If he will show himself
a worthy man." 1 Kings i. 52. Nor yet are
you obliged to carry a price in your hand, or
bring a character with you to prove yourself
deserving of mercy. Jesus requires but one
character, and that is, that you should feel
yourself a sinful, bad man. He invites you
to "buy wine and milk without money and
without price;" and declares, "Whosoever
will, let him take the water of life freely."
Isaiah lv. 1, Rev. xxii. 17. Like David is,
the cave of Adullam, he receives '' evciy out
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that feels in distress and a debtor," and
rejects none. 1 Sam. xxii. 2. Are you a
sinner? Do you want a Saviour? Then
come to Jesus, just as you are, and your soul
shall live.
Again, it is an offered forgiveness. I have
read of earthly kings who knew not how to
show mercy,—of Henry the Eighth of Eng.
land, who spared neither man nor woman—
of James the Fifth of Scotland, who would
never show favor to a Douglas. The King
of kings is not like them. He calls on man
to come to him and be pardoned. "Unto
you, 0 men, I call; and my voice is to the
sons of men." Prov. viii. 4. "Ho, every
one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters."
Isaiah lv. i. "If any man thirst, let him
come unto me and drink." John vii. 37.
" Come unto me, all ye that labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt,
xi. 28. 0 reader, it ought to he a great
comfort to you and me to hear of any pardon
at all; hut to hear Jesus himself inviting us,
to see Jesus himself holding out his hand to
us,—the Saviour seeking the sinner before
ARE YOU FORGIVEN ? 89
the sinner seeks the Saviour,—this is strong
consolation indeed.
Again, it is a willing forgiveness. I have
heard of pardons granted in reply to long
entreaty, and wrung out by much importunity.
King Edward the Third of England would
not spare the citizens of Calais till they came
to him with halters "round their necks, and
his own queen interceded for them on her
knees. But Jesus is "good and ready to
forgive." Psalm lxxxvi. 5. " He delighteth
in mercy." Micah vii. 18. * Judgment is his
strange work. " He is not willing that any
should perish." 2 Peter iii. 9. He would
fain have all men saved, and come to the
knowledge of the truth. 1 Tim. ii. 4. He
wept over unbelieving Jerusalem. "As I
live," he says, "I have no pleasure in the
death of the wicked. Turn ye, turn ye from
your evil ways: why will ye die?" Ezek.
xxxiii. 11. Ah! reader, you and I may well
come boldly to the throne of grace. He who
sits there is far more willing and ready to
give mercy than you and I are to receive it.
Besides this, it is a tried forgiveness.
90"
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Thousands and tens of thousands have
sought for pardon at the mercy-seat of
Christ, and not one has ever returned to say
that he sought in vain. Sinners of every
name and nation,—sinners of every sort and
description, have knocked at the door of the
fold, and none have ever been refused admig.
sion. Zaccheus the extortioner, Saul the
persecutor, Peter the denier of his Lord, the
Jews who crucified the Prince of life, the
idolatrous Athenians, the adulterous Corinth¬
ians, the ignorant Africans, the bloodthirsty
New-Zealanders,— all have ventured their
souls on Christ's promises of pardon, and
none have ever found them fail. Ah! reader,
if the way I set before you were a new and
untravelled way, you might well feel faint¬
hearted. But it is not so. It is an old path.
It is a path worn by the feet of many pilgrims,
and a path in which the footsteps are all one
way. The treasury of Christ's mercies has
never been found empty. The well of living
waters has never proved dry.
Besides this, it is a present forgiveness.
All that believe in Jesus are at once justified
ARE YOU FORGIVEN ? 91
from all things. Acts xiii. 39. The very day
the younger son returned to his father's house,
he was clothed with the best robe, had the
ring put on his hand, and the shoes on his
feet. Luke xv. The very day Zaccheus
received Jesus, he heard those comfortable
words, " This day is salvation come to this
house." Luke xix. 9. The very day that
David said, "I have sinned against the
Lord," he was told by Nathan, " The Lord
also hath put away thy sin." 2 Sam. xii. 13.
The very day you first flee to Christ, your
sins are all removed. Your pardon is not a
thing far away, to he obtained only by hard
work, and after many years. It is nigh at
hand. It is close to you, within your reach,
all ready to be bestowed. Believe, and that
very moment it is your own. "He that
believeth is not condemned." John iii. 18.
It is not said, "He shall not be," or "will
not be," but "is not." From the time of
his believing, condemnation is gone. " He
that believeth hath everlasting life." John iii.
36. It is not said, " He shall have," or " will
have:" it is " hath" It is his own as surely
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as if he were in heaven, though not so evi,
dently so to his own eyes. Ah ! reader, you
must not think forgiveness will be nearer to
a believer in the day of judgment than it was
in the hour he first believed. His complete
salvation is every year nearer and nearer to
him; hut as to his forgiveness and justifica¬
tion, it is a finished work from the *very
minute he first commits himself to Christ.
Reader, I have set before you the nature
of the forgiveness offered to you. I have
told you but little of it, for my words are
weaker than my will. The half of it remains
untold. The greatness of it is far more than
any report of mine.* But I think I have
said enough to show you it is worth the seek¬
ing, and I can wish you nothing better than
that you may strive to make it your own.
Do you call it nothing to look forward to
* "Who is a God like unto thee ? None can pardon
as thou dost. None can pardon so freely—none so
fully—none so continually—none so eternally—none so
indifferently—whether in respect of sinners or sin, as
thou dost. It is all one to thee what the sins are, and
all one to thee whose the sins are, so they come to ask
thy pardon."—Joseph Caryl. 1670.
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 93
death without fear, and to judgment without
doubtings, and to eternity without a sinking
of heart ? Do you call it nothing to feel the
world slipping from your grasp, and to see
the grave getting ready for you, and the
valley of the shadow of death opening before
your eyes, and yet not be afraid ? Do you
call it nothing to be able to think of the
great day of account, the throne, the books,
the Judge, the assembled worlds, the reveal¬
ing of secrets, the final sentence, and yet to
feel, "I am safe?" This is the portion, and
this the privilege, of a forgiven soul.
Such a one is on a rock. When the rain
of God's wrath descends, and the floods come,
and the winds blow, his feet shall not slide,
—his habitation shall be sure.
Such a one is in an ark. When the last
fiery deluge is sweeping over all things on
the surface of the earth, it shall not come
nigh him. He shall be caught up and borne
securely above it all.
Such a one is in a hiding-place. When
God arises to judge terribly the earth, and
men are calling to rocks and mountains to
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fall upon them and cover them, the everlast
ing arms shall he thrown around him, and
the storm shall pass over his head. He shall
abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Such a one is in a city of refuge. The
accuser of the brethren can lay no charge
against him. The law cannot condemn him.
There is a wall between him and the avenger
of blood. The enemies of his soul cannot
hurt him. He is in a secure sanctuary.
Such a one is rich. He has treasure in
heaven which cannot he affected by worldly
changes, compared to which Peru and Cali¬
fornia are nothing at all. He needs not envy
the richest merchants and bankers. He has
a portion that will endure when hank-notes
and dollars are worthless things. He can
say, like the Spanish embassador, when shown
the treasury at Venice, "My master's treas¬
ury has no bottom."* He has Christ.
Such a one is insured. He is ready for
any thing that may happen. Nothing can
* This was said boastfully, at the time when the gold
mines of Mexico and South America formed part of the
possessions of the Spanish crown.
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 95
harm him. Banks may break, and govern¬
ments may be overturned. Famine and
pestilence may rage around him. Sickness
and sorrow may visit his own fireside. But
still he is ready for all: ready for health,
ready for disease—ready for tears, ready for
joy—ready for poverty, ready for plenty—
ready for life, ready for death. He has
Christ. He is a pardoned soul. "Blessed"
indeed " is he whose transgression is forgiven,
and whose sin is covered." Psalm xxxii. 1.*
* " If we havo Christ, then have we with him and by
him all good things whatsoever we can in our hearts
wish or desire—as victory over death, sin, and hell: we
have the favor of God, peace with him, holiness, wisdom,
justice, power, life, and redemption: we have by him
perpetual health, wealth, joy, and bliss everlasting."—
Church of England Homily of the Fear of Death. 1547.
" He that hath got a view of Christ, and reads his
own pardon in Christ's sufferings, can rejoice in this in
the midst of all other sufferings, and look on death
without apprehension, yea, with gladness—for the sting
is out. Christ hath made all pleasant to him by this
one thing, that he suffered once for sins. Christ hath
perfumed the cross and the grave, and made all sweet.
The pardoned man finds himself light—skips and leaps,
and through Christ strengthening him can encounter
any troubles; yea, he can Bubmit patiently to the Lord
96^ HOME TRUTHS.
Reader, how will you escape if you neglect
so great salvation? Why should you not
lay hold on it at once, and say, Pardon me,
even me also, 0 my Saviour! What would
you have, if the way I have set before you
does not satisfy you ? Come while the door
is open. Ask, and you shall receive.
IY. Let me give you, in the last place,
some marks of having found forgiveness.
I dare not leave out this point. Too many
persons presume they are forgiven, who have
no evidences to show. Not a few cannot
think it possible they are forgiven, who are
plainly in the way to heaven, though they
may not see it themselves. I would fain
raise hope in some, and self-inquiry in others;
and to do this, let me tell you the leading
marks of a forgiven soul.
in any correction. Thou hast forgiven my sin, there¬
fore deal with me as thou wilt: all is well."—Archbishop
Leighton. 1670.
"A believer is a rich man and an honorable, even if
he be a beggar on the dunghill. Christ cannot be poor,
and he is a fellow-heir with Christ."—Rutherford's
Christ Dying. 1647.
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 97
Forgiven souls hate sin. They can enter
most fully into the words of the communion-
service, " The remembrance of sin is grievous
unto them, and the burden of it is intolera¬
ble." It is the serpent which hit them: how
should they not shrink from it with horror ?
It is the poison which brought them to the
brink of eternal death: how should they not
loathe it with a godly disgust? It is the
Egyptian enemy which kept them in hard
bondage: how should not the very memory
of it be hitter to their hearts ? It is the dis¬
ease of which they carry the marks and scars
about them, and from which they scarcely
recovered: well may they dread it, flee from
it, and long to be delivered altogether from
its power. Remember how the woman in
Simon's house wept over the feet of Jesus.
Luke vii. 88. Remember how the Ephesians
publicly burned their wicked books. Acts
xix. 19. Remember how Paul mourned over
his youthful transgressions—" I am not meet
to be called an apostle, because I persecuted
the Church of God." 1 Cor. xv. 9. Ah,
reader, if you and sin are friends, you and,
4
98
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God are not yet reconciled. You are not
meet for heaven—for one main part of hea¬
ven's excellence is the absence of all sin.*
Forgiven souls love Christ. This is that
one thing they can say, if they dare say
nothing else,—they do love Christ. His
person, his office, his work, his name, his
cross, his blood, his words, his example, his
day, his ordinances,—all, all are precious to
forgiven souls. The ministry which exalts
him most, is that which they enjoy most.
The books which are most full of him, are
* " If thou have no mind to leave sin, and sin grieveth
thee not, and thou art content to go forward in the same,
and thou delightest-in it, and hatest it not, neither feel-
est what sin is: when thou art in such a case, then thou
hast no faith, and therefore art like to perish everlast¬
ingly."—Bishop Latimer. 1547.
" The real Christian is an avowed enemy of sin, Shall
I ever be friends with that, says he, which killed my
Lord ? No; but I will even kill it, and do it by apply¬
ing his death. The true penitent is sworn to be the
death of sin. He may be surprised by it, but there is
no possibility of reconcilement between them. Thou
that livest kindly and familiarly with sin, and either
openly declarest thyself for it, or hast a secret love to
it, where canst thou reap any comfort? Not from
Christ's sufferings."—Archbishop Leighton. 1670.
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 99
most pleasant to their minds. The people
on earth they feel most drawn to, are those
in whom they see something of Christ. His
name is as ointment poured forth, and comes
with a peculiar sweetness to their ears. They
would tell you they cannot help feeling as
they do. He is their Redeemer, their Shep¬
herd, their Physician, their King, their strong
Deliverer, their gracious Guide, their hope,
their joy, their all. Were it not for him,
they would be of all men most miserable.
They would as soon consent that you should
take the sun out of the sky, as Christ out of
their religion. Those people who talk of
"the Lord," and "the Almighty," and "the
Deity," and so forth, but have not a word to
say about Christ, are in any thing hut a right
state of mind. What saith the Scripture?
" He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not
the Father which "hath sent him." John v. 23.*
" If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let
* "He that lifts not up Christ above all hath no
interest in Christ at all. He that sets not Christ above
all is not a disciple of Christ."—Thomas Brooks. 1660.
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him be anathema maranatha." 1 Cor. xvi.
22.
Forgiven souls are humble. They cannot
forget that they owe all, they have and hope
for to free grace, and this keeps them lowly.
They are brands plucked from the fire,—.
debtors who could not pay for themselves,—.
captives who must have remained in prison
for ever, but for undeserved mercy,—wander¬
ing sheep who were ready to perish when the
Shepherd found them,—and what right have
they then to be proud ? Forgiveness produces
the spirit of Jacob :—" I am not worthy of
the least of all the mercies, and of all the
truth which thou hast showed unto thy ser¬
vant;" (Gen. xxxii. 10;) and of Hezekiah,
"I shall go softly all my years;" (Isa.
xxxviii. 15;) and of the apostle Paul, " I am
less than the least of all saints,—chief of
sinners." Eph. iii. 8; 1 Tifn. i. 15. Reader,
when you and I have nothing we can call our
own but sin and weakness, there is surely no
garment that becomes us so well as humility.
Forgiven souls are holy. Their chief
desire is to please Him who has saved them,
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 101
to do his will, to glorify him in body and in
spirit, which are his. " What shall I render
unto the Lord for all his benefits ?" is a lead¬
ing principle in a pardoned heart.# It was
the remembrance of Jesus showing mercy
that made Paul in labors so abundant, and in
doing good so unwearied. It was a sense of
pardon that made Zaccheus say, " The half
of my goods I give to the poor; and if I
have taken any thing from any man by false
accusation, I restore him fourfold." Luke xix.
8. Reader, if you point out to me professing
Christians who are in a carnal, slothful state
of soul, I reply in the words of Peter, " They
have forgotten they were purged from their
old sins." 2 Peter i. 9. If you show me a
man deliberately living an unholy and licen¬
tious life, and yet boasting that his sins are
forgiven, I answer, He is under a ruinous
delusion, and is not forgiven at all. I would
not believe he is forgiven, if an angel from
heaven affirmed it, and I charge you not to
believe it. Pardon of sin and love of sin,
are like oil and water,—they will never go
together. All that are washed in the blood
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of Christ, are also sanctified by the Spirit of
Christ.*
Forgiven souls are forgiving. They do as
they have been done by. They look over
the offences of their brethren. They en*
deavor to walk in love, as Christ loved them,
and gave himself for them. They remember
how God for Christ's sake forgave them, and
endeavor to do the same toward their fellow,
creatures. He has forgiven them pounds,
and shall they not forgive a few pence?
Doubtless in this, as in many things else,
they come short; but this is their desire and
their aim. A spiteful, quarrelsome Christian
is a scandal to his profession. It is very
hard to believe that such a one has ever sat
at the foot of the cross, has ever considered
how he is praying against himself every time
he uses the Lord's prayer, and saying, as it
* "Are you in a willing league with any known sin?
Yea, would you willingly, if you might he saved in that
way, give up yourself to voluptuousness and ungodliness,
and not at all desire to follow Jesus Christ in the way
of holiness ? Then, truly, I have not any thing to say
for your comfort."—Archbishop Leighton. 1670.
ABE YOU FORGIVEN? 103
were, "Father, do not forgive me my tres¬
passes at all." But it is still harder to
understand what such a one would do in
heaven, if he got there. All ideas of heaven
in which forgiveness has not a place, are
castles in the air, and vain fancies. For¬
giveness is the way by which every saved
soul enters heaven. Forgiveness is the only
title by which he remains in heaven. For¬
giveness is the' eternal subject of song with
all the redeemed who inhabit heaven. Surely
an unforgiving soul in heaven would find his
heart completely out of tune. Surely we
know nothing of Christ's love to us but the
name of it, if we do not love our brethren.
Reader, I lay these things before you. I
know well there are great diversities in the
degree of men's attainments in grace, and
that saving faith in Christ is consistent with
many imperfections. But still I do believe
the marks I have just been naming will
generally be found more or less in all for¬
given souls.
I cannot conceal from you that these marks
should raise in many minds great searchings
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of heart. I must be plain. I fear there are
thousands of persons called Christians who
know nothing of these marks. They are
baptized. They keep their church. They
would not on any account be reckoned infi¬
dels. But as to true repentance, and saving
faith, union with Christ, and sanctification of
the Spirit, they are names and words of
which they know nothing at all.
Now if this work is read by such persons,
it will probably either alarm them, or make
them very angry. If it makes them angry,
I shall be sorry. If it alarms them, I shall
be glad. I want to alarm them. I want to
awaken them from their present state. I
want them to take in the great fact, that
they are not yet forgiven, they have not
peace with God, and are on the high road to
destruction.
I must say this, for I see no alternative.
It seems neither Christian faithfulness, nor
Christian charity, to keep it back. I see
certain marks of pardoned souls laid down
in Scripture. I see an utter want of these
marks in many men and women around me.
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 105
How then can I avoid the conclusion that
they are not yet forgiven ? And how shall
I do the work of a faithful watchman, if I
do not write it down plainly in so many
words ? "Where is the use of crying Peace,
peace, when there is no peace? Where is
the honesty of acting the part of a lying
physician, and telling people there is no
danger, when in reality they are fast drawing
near ^o eternal death ? Surely the blood of
souls would be required at my hands, if I
wrote to you any thing less than the truth.
"If the trumpet give an uncertain sound,
who shall prepare himself for the battle ?"
Examine yourselves, then, before this sub¬
ject is forgotten. Consider of what sort
your religion is. Try it by the marks I have
just set before you. I have endeavored to
make them as broad and general as I can,
for fear of causing any heart to he sad that
God has not made sad. If you know any
thing of them, though it be but a little, I am
thankful, and entreat you to go forward.
But if you know nothing of them in your
own experience, let me say in all affection, I
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stand in doubt of you. I tremble for your
soul.
1. And now, before I conclude, let me put
a home question to every one who reads this
work. It shall be short and plain, but it is
all-inrportant,—"Are you forgiven ?"
I have told you all I can about forgiveness.
Your need of forgiveness,—the way of for¬
giveness,—the encouragements to seek for-
giveness,—the marks of having found it,—
all have been placed before you. Bring the
whole subject to bear upon your own heart,
and ask yourself, "Am' I forgiven ? Either
I am, or I am not. Which of the two is it ?"
You believe, perhaps, there is forgiveness
of sins. You believe that Christ died for
sinners, and that he offers a pardon to the
most ungodly. But are you forgiven your¬
self? Have you yourself laid hold on Christ
by faith, and found peace through his blood?
What profit is there to you in forgiveness,
unless you get the benefit of it ? What does
it profit the shipwrecked sailor that the life¬
boat is alongside, if he sticks by the wreck,
and does not jump in and escape? What
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 107
does it avail the sick man that the doctor
offers him a medicine, if he only looks at it,
and does not swallow it? Unless you lay
hold for your own soul, you will be as surely
lost as if there was no forgiveness at all.*
Reader, if ever your sins are to be for¬
given, it must be now,—now, in this life, if
* " This sweet truth, that Christ died for sinners, and
rose again for their justification, will not help thee,
unless thou hope for thyself; yea, thou wilt remain in
thy old skin, while using this blessed saying as a cover
for thy sins. Do not take this consolation; for although
he died for all and rose again, yet to thee he is not
risen, for thou hast not yet apprehended, by faith, his
resurrection: the words thou hast heard, but their
power thou hast not experienced."—Martin Luther.
" This is it which bringeth comfort unto the wounded
soul and afflicted conscience; not that Christ is a Saviour
—for what am I the better for that ?—but a Saviour
unto me. What is it to my belly that bread is prepared
for others, unless I be assured that my part is therein ?
What is it to my soul that Christ died for others, unless
I know that my sins are washed away in his blood ? It
may be good for Moses, or Paul, or Peter, or James, or
Stephen, but what is it unto me ? It is ' mine' and
' thine,' as Luther did well teach: it is • my' God and
«thy' Saviour, which doth satisfy thirsty consciences."
—George Abbott, Archbishop of Canterbury. 1612.
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ever in the life to come,—now in this world,
if they are to be found blotted out when
Jesus comes again. There must be actual
business between you and Christ. Your sins
must be laid on him by faith. His blood
must be applied to your conscience, or else
your sins will meet you in the day of judg¬
ment, and sink you into hell. 0 !. reader,
how can you trifle when such things are at
stake ? How can you be content to leave it
uncertain whether you are forgiven ? Surely
that a man can make his will, insure hia life,
give directions about his funeral, and yet
leave his soul's affairs in uncertainty, is a
wonderful thing indeed.
2. Let me next give a solemn warning to
every one who reads this work, and knows in
his conscience he is not forgiven.
Your soul is in awful danger. You may
die this year. And if you die as you are,
you are lost for ever. If you die without
pardon, without pardon you will rise again
at the last day. There is a sword over your
head that hangs by a single hair. There is
but a step between you and death. 0! I
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 109
wonder that you can sleep quietly in your
hed.
You are not yet forgiven. Then what
have you got by your religion ? You go to
church. You have a Bible, you have a
prayer-book, and perhaps a hymn-book. You
hear sermons. You join in services. It may
be you go to the Lord's table. But what
have you really got, after all ? Any hope ?
Any peace? Any joy? Any comfort?
Nothing, literally nothing! You have got
nothing but mere temporal things, if you are
not a pardoned soul.
You are not yet forgiven. But you trust
God will be merciful. And why should he
be merciful, if you will not seek him in his
own appointed way ? Merciful he doubtless
is,—wonderfully merciful to all who come to
him in the name of Jesus. But if you choose
to despise his directions, and make a road to
heaven of your own, you will find to your
cost there is no mercy for you.
You are not yet forgiven. But you hope
you shall be some day. I cannot away with
that expression. It is like thrusting off the
110
HOME TRUTHS.
hand of conscience, and seizing it by the
throat to stop its voice. "Why are you more
likely to seek forgiveness at a future time ?
Why should you not seek it now ? Now is
the time for gathering the bread of life.
The day of the Lord is fast drawing near,
and then no man can work. Exod. xvi. 26.
The seventh trumpet will soon sound. Woe
to the house which is found without the
scarlet line, and without the mark of blood
upon the door! Josh. ii. 18. Exod. xii. 13.
Well, you may not feel your need of for¬
giveness now; hut a time may come when
you will want it. The Lord in mercy grant
that it may not then be too late !*
3. Let me next give an earnest invitation to
all who read this work, and desire forgiveness.
I know not who you are, or what you have
been in time past, but I say boldly, Come to
* " Those poor who are without a covering for their
bodies are to be pitied; but with what tears should we
lament those—how rich soever they are in this world—
who are without a covering for their souls, and so stand
naked in the storm, and under the dreadful droppings
©f the wrath of God!"—Joseph Caryl. 1650.
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? Ill
Christ by faith, and you shall have a pardon.
Iligh or low, rich or poor, young men and
maidens, old men and children,—you cannot
be worse than Manasseh and Paul before
conversion,—than David and Peter after
conversion,—come all of you to Christ, and
you shall be freely forgiven.
Think not for a moment that you have
some great thing to do before you come to
Christ. Such a notion is of the earth, earthy.
The gospel bids you come just as you are.
Man's idea is to amend and turn over a new
leaf, and so work his way up to reconciliation
and friendship with God. The gospel way is
first to be friends with God, through Christ,
and then to work. Man's idea is to toil up
the hill, and find life at the top. The gospel
way is first to live by faith in Christ, and
then to do his will.
And judge ye, every one, judge ye which
is true Christianity. Which is the good
news? Which is the glad tidings? Pirst
sanctification, and then pardon; or first par¬
don, and then sanctification ? First service,
and then life; or first life, and then service ?
112
HOME TRUTHS.
Reader, your own heart can well supply the
answer.
Come, then, willing to receive, and not
thinking how much you can bring. Come,
willing to take what Christ offers, and not
fancying you can give any thing in return.
Come with your sins, and no other qualifica¬
tion hut a hearty desire for pardon, and, so
sure as the Bible is true, you shall be saved.
You may tell me you are not worthy, you
are not good enough, you are not elect. I
answer, You are a sinner, and you want to
be saved; and what more do you want!
You are one of those whom Jesus came to
save. Come to him, and you shall have life.*
Take with you words, and he will hear you
graciously. Tell him all your soul's necessi¬
ties, and I know he will give heed. Tell him
you have heard he receiveth sinners, and that
you are such. Tell him you have heard he
has the keys of life in his hand, and entreat
him to let you in. Tell him you come in
* " The longer thou dost live without Christ, the more
grains dost thou collect to make the mountain of thy
sins higher."—Martin Luther.
ABE YOU FORGIVEN? 113
dependence on his own promises, and ask him
to fulfil his word, and do as he has said.
Do this in simplicity and sincerity, and my
soul for yours, you shall not ask in vain.
Do this, and you shall find him faithful and
just to forgive your sins, and to cleanse you
from all unrighteousness.
4. Last of all, let me give a word of ex¬
hortation to all forgiven souls.
You are forgiven. Then know the full
extent of your privileges, and learn to rejoice
in the Lord. You and I are great sinners,
but then we have a great Saviour. You and
I have sinned sins that are past man's know¬
ledge, hut then we have the love of Christ,
which passeth knowledge, to rest upon. You
and I have mighty enemies to contend with,
but then the Captain of our salvation is
mightier still, and is ever with us. "Why
should our hearts be troubled ? Why should
we be disquieted and cast down ? 0 men of
little faith that we are! Wherefore do we
doubt?*
* "A great many believers walk upon the promises
at God's call in the way to heaven, even as a child upon
114 HOME TRUTHS.
Let us strive every year to grow in grace,
and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ. It is sad to be content with a little
religion. It is honorable to covet the best
gifts. We ought not to be satisfied with the
same kind of hearing, and reading, and
praying which satisfied us in years gone by.
We ought to labor every year to throw more
heart and reality into every thing we do in
our religion. To love Christ more intensely
—to abhor evil more thoroughly—to cleave
to what is good more closely—to watch even
our least ways more narrowly—to declare
very plainly that we seek a country—to put
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and be clothed
with him in every place and company—to
see more—to feel more—to know more—to
do more—to pray more;—these ought to be
our aims and desires every year we begin.
Truly there is room for improvement in us
all.*
weak ice, which they are afraid will crack under them,
and leave them in the depth."—Traill. 1690.
* "A soul clothed with Christ stooping to any sinful
delight, or an ardent pursuit of any thing earthly,
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 115
Let us try to do good to the souls of others,
more than we have done hitherto. Alas! it
is poor work indeed to be swallowed up in
our own spiritual concerns, and taken up
with our own spiritual ailments, and never to
think of others. We forget that there is
such a thing as religious selfishness. Let us
count it a sorrowful thing to go to heaven
alone, and let us seek to draw companions
with us. We ought never to forget that
every man, woman, and child around us will
soon be either in heaven or hell. Let us say
to others as Moses did to Hobab, " Come
with us, and we will do thee good." Num'. x.
29. 0 it is indeed a true saying, " He that
watereth shall be watered himself." Prov. xi.
25. The selfish Christian has little idea what
he is missing.
But above all let us learn to live the life
of faith in Jesus more than we have hitherto.
Ever to be found by the fountain side,—ever
though lawful, doth wonderfully degrade itself. Me-
thinks it is as a king's son in his princely apparel,
playing the scullion, sitting down to turn the spit.'
Archbishop Leighton. 1670.
116
HOME TRUTHS.
to be eating Christ's body by faith, and
drinking Christ's blood by faith,—ever to
have before our minds Christ dying for our
sins, Christ rising again for our justification,
Christ interceding for us at God's right hand,
Christ soon coming again to gather us to
himself,—this is the mark which we should
have continually before our eyes. We may
fall short, but let us aim high. Let us walk
in the full light of the Sun of righteousness,
and then our graces will grow. Let us not
be like trees on a north wall, weak and un¬
fruitful, and cold. Let us rather strive to be
like the sun-flower, and to follow the great
fountain of light wherever he goes, and to
see him with open face. 0 for an eye more
quick to discern his leadings! 0 for an ear
more ready to hear his voice !*
* " Look not for any blessing out of Christ; and in
and by and from him look for all blessings. Let him be
thy life; and wish not to live longer than thou art quick¬
ened by him. Find him thy wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, redemption—thy riches, thy strength,
thy glory."—Bishop Hall.
"All our work now is to be well acquainted with
Christ in the way. Christ is both the way and the
ARE YOU FORGIVEN? 117
Let us say to every thing in the world
that interferes between ourselves and Jesus,
"Stand aside;" and let us dread allowing
ourselves in the least evil habits, lest insen¬
sibly they rise up as a mist and hide him
from our eyes. In his light alone shall we
see light and feel warmth, and separate from
him we shall find the world a dark and cold
wilderness. We should call to mind the
request of the Athenian philosopher when
the mightiest monarch on earth asked him
what he desired most: "I have," said he,
"but one request to make, and that is that
you would stand from between me and the
sun" Let this be the spirit in which you
and I are found continually. Let us think
lightly of the world's gifts. Let us sit calm¬
ly under its cares. Let us care for nothing,
if we may only ever see the King's face, if
we may only ever abide in Christ.
home. We must be -walking in him and travelling
toward him; and he is our guide and leader in the way.
The soul and life of grace, is in living on him by faith,
and the happiness of heaven is in living with him for
ever."—Traill.
118 HOME TRUTHS.
And now, reader, with every kind and
Christian wish for your soul's happiness, I
commend you to the only wise God, our
Saviour. He is able to keep you from fall¬
ing, and to present you faultless before the
presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
Jude 24.
only one way.
119
(Dnlg One Mag.
NEITHER IS THERE SALVATION IN ANY OTHER; FOR THERE IS
NONE OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN, GIVEN AMONG MEN, WHERE¬
BY WE MUST BE SAVED.
Aota h. 12.
These words are striking in themselves.
But they are much more striking, if you
consider when, and by whom they were
spoken.
They were spoken by a poor and friendless
Christian, in the midst of a persecuting
Jewish Council. It was a grand confession
of Christ.
They were spoken by the lips of the
Apostle Peter. This is the man who a few
weeks before forsook Jesus and fled. This is
the very man who three times over denied
his Lord. There is another spirit in him
now. He stands up boldly before priests and
Sadducees, and tells them the truth to their
120
HOME TRUTHS.
face: " This is the stone that was set at
naught of you builders, which is become the
head of the corner. Neither is there salva¬
tion in any other; for there is none other
name under heaven, given among men,
whereby we must be saved."
In considering this subject, there are three
things I wish to do.
I. First, to show you the doctrine here
laid down by the apostle.
II. Secondly, to show you some reasons
why this doctrine must be true.
III. Thirdly, to show you some consequen¬
ces which naturally flow from the doctrine.
I. First, let me show you the doctrine of
the text.
Let us make sure that we rightly under¬
stand what the Apostle Peter means. He
says of Christ, "Neither is there salvation
in any other; for there is none other name
under heaven, given among men, whereby
we must be saved." Now what is this ? On
our clearly seeing this very much depends.
He means that no one cam be saved from
ONLY ONE WAY. 121
sin,—its guilt, power, and consequences,—
excepting by Jesus Christ.
He means that no one can have peace
with ^iod the Father,—obtain pardon in this
world,-r-and escape wrath to come in the
next, excepting through the atonement and
mediation of Jesus Christ.
In Christ alone God's rich provision of
salvation for sinners is treasured up. By
Christ alone God's abundant mercies come
down from heaven to earth. Christ's blood
alone can cleanse us. Christ's merit alone
can give us a title to heaven. Jews and
Gentiles, learned and unlearned, kings and
poor men, all' alike must either be saved by
Jesus, or lost for ever.
And the apostle adds emphatically, " there
is none other name under heaven, given
among men, whereby we must be saved."
There is no other person commissioned,
sealed, and appointed by God the Father, to
be the Saviour of sinners, excepting Christ.
The keys of life and death are committed to
his. hand, and all who would be saved must
go to him.
122
HOME TRUTHS.
There was but one place of safety in the
day when the flood came upon the earth,
ard that was Noah's ark. So also there
is hut one hiding-place for the sinner who
would escape the storm of God's anger,—he
must venture his soul on Christ.
There was but one man to whom the
Egyptians could go, in the time of famine,
when they wanted food. They must go to
Joseph. It was a waste of time to go to any
one else. So also there is but one to whom
hungering souls must go, if they would not
perish for ever,—they must go to Christ.
There is but one word that could save the
lives of the Ephraimites in the day when the
Gileadites contended with them, and took the
fords of Jordan. Judges xii. 5, 6. They
must say, " Shibboleth," or die. Just so
there is but one name that will avail us when
we stand at the gate of heaven. We must
name the name of Jesus, as our only hope,
or be cast away everlastingly.
Such is the doctrine of the text,—"No
salvation but by'Jesus Christ—in him plenty
of salvation,—salvation to the uttermost,—
ONLY ONE WAY. 123
salvation for the very chief of sinners— out
of him no salvation at all." It is in perfect
harmony with our Lord's own word in St.
John: "I am the way, the truth and the
life: no man cometh unto the Father but by
me." John xiv. 6. It is the same thing
that Paul tells the Corinthians: " Other
foundation can no man lay than that is laid,
which is Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. iii. 11. And
the same that John tells us in his first epistle:
" God hath given to us eternal life; and this
life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath
life; and he that hath not the Son hath not
life." 1 John v. 11, 12. All these texts
prove that there is no salvation out of Christ.
Reader, make sure that you understand
this before you pass on. Perhaps you think
this is all old news. Perhaps you feel " These
are ancient things:—who knoweth not such
truths as these ? Of course we believe there
is no salvation hut by Christ." But mark
well what I say: make sure that you under
stand this doctrine, or else by and by you
will stumble, and be offended at what I have
yet to say.
124 HOME TRUTHS.
Remember that you are to venture the
whole salvation of your soul on Christ, and
on Christ only. You are to cast loose com¬
pletely and entirely from all hopes and trusts.
You are not to rest partly on Christ,—partly
on doing all you can,—partly on keeping
your church,—partly on receiving the sacra¬
ment. In the matter of your justification
Christ is to be all. This is the doctrine of
the text.
Remember that heaven is before you, and
Christ the only door into it; hell beneath
you, and Christ alone able to deliver you
from it; the devil behind you, and Christ
the only refuge from his wrath and accusa¬
tions ; the law against you, and Christ alone
able to redeem you; sin weighing you down,
and Christ alone able to put it away. This
is the doctrine of the text.
Now do you see it ? I hope you do. But
I fear many think so, who may find before
they have finished reading the following
pages that they do not.
II. Let me show you, in the second place,
ONLY ONE WAY.
125
some reasons why the doctrine of the text
must he true.
I might cut short this part of the subject
by one simple argument, " God says so."
" One plain text," said an old divine, " is as
good as a thousand reasons."
But I will not do this. I wish to meet
the objections that are ready to rise in many
hearts against this doctrine, by pointing out
the strong foundations on which it stands.
1. Let me then say, for one thing, that the
doctrine of the text must be true, because
man is what man is.
Now, what is man? There is one broad
SAveeping answer, which takes in the whole
human race,—man is a sinful being. All
children of Adam born into the world, what¬
ever be their name or nation, are corrupt,
wicked, and defiled in the sight of God.
Their thoughts, words, ways, and actions, are
all more or less defective and imperfect.
Is there no country oi\ the face of the
globe where sin does not reign ? Is there no
happy valley, no secluded island, where
innocence is to be found ? Is there no tribe
126
HOME TRUTHS.
on earth, where, far away from civilization,
and commerce, and money, and gunpowder,
and luxury, and books, morality and purity
flourish ? No! reader, there is none. Look
over all the voyages and travels you can lay
your hand on, from Columbus down to Cook,
and you will see the truth of what I am
asserting. The most solitary islands of the
Pacific Ocean,—islands cut off from all the
rest of the world,—islands where people
were alike ignorant of Rome and Paris,
London and Jerusalem,—these islands have
been found full of impurity, cruelty, and
idolatry. The footprints of the devil have
been traced on every shore. The veracity
of the third of Genesis has everywhere been
established. Whatever else savages have
been found ignorant of, they have never
been found ignorant of sin.
But are there no men and women in the
world, who are free from this corruption of
nature? Have there not been high and
exalted souls, who have lived faultless lives ?
Have there not been some, if it be only a
few, who have done all that God required,
ONLY ONE WAY.
127
and thus proved that sinlessness is a possi¬
bility ? No! reader, there have been none.
Look over all the biographies and lives of
the holiest Christians. Mark how the bright¬
est and best of Christ's people have always
had the deepest sense of their own defect¬
iveness and corruption, apart from grace.
They groan, they mourn, they sigh, they weep
over their own shortcomings. It is one of
the common grounds on which they meet.
Patriarchs and Apostles, — Fathers and
Reformers,—Episcopalians and Presbyteri¬
ans,—Luther and Calvin,—Knox and Brad¬
ford,—Rutherford and Bishop Hall,—Wes¬
ley and Whitefield,—Martin and M'Cheyne—
all are alike agreed in feeling their own
sinfulness. The more light they have, the
more humble and self-abased they seem to
be. The more holy they are, the more they
seem to feel their own unworthiness, and to
glory,—not in themselves,—but in Christ.
Now what does all this tend to prove?
To my eyes it seems to prove, that human
nature is so tainted and corrupt that, left to
himself, no man could be saved. Man's case
128 HOME TRUTHS.
appears to me a hopeless one without a
Saviour,—and that a mighty Saviour too.
There must he a Mediator, an Atonement,
an Advocate, to make such poor sinful beings
acceptable with God—and I find this no¬
where excepting in Jesus Christ. Heaven
for man without a mighty Redeemer,—peace
with God for man without a mighty Inter¬
cessor,—eternal life for man without an
eternal Saviour, — in one word, salvation
without Christ, all alike appear to me utter
impossibilities.
I lay these things before you, and ask you
to consider them. I know it is one of the
hardest things in the world to realize the
sinfulness of sin. To say we are all sinners
is one thing,—to have an idea what sin
must be in the sight of God is quite another.
Sin is too much part of ourselves to allow us
to see it as it is. "We do not feel our own
moral deformity. We are like those animals
in creation which are vile and loathsome to
our senses, but are not so to themselves, nor
yet to one another. Their loathsomeness is
their nature, and they do not perceive it.
ONLY ONE WAY.
129
Our corruption is part and parcel of our¬
selves, and at our best we have but a feeble
comprehension of its intensity.
But this you may be sure of: if you could
see your own lives with the eyes of the
angels who never fell, you would never
doubt this point for a moment. Depend on
it, no one can really know what man is, and
not see that the doctrine of our text must be
true. There can be no salvation except by
Christ.
2. Let me say another thing. The doctrine
of our text must be true, because God is ivliat
God is.
Now, what is God ? That is a deep ques¬
tion indeed. We know something of his
attributes. He has not left himself without
witness in creation. He has mercifully re¬
vealed to us many things about himself in
his word. We know that God is a Spirit,—
eternal,—invisible,—almighty,—the Maker
of all things,—the Preserver of all things,—
holy,—just,—all-seeing,— all-knowing,—all-
remembering,—infinite in mercy, in wisdom,
in purity.
But alas! after all, how low and grovelling
130
HOME TRUTHS.
are our highest ideas, -when we come to put
down on paper what we believe God to he!
How many words and expressions we use
whose full meaning we cannot fathom! How
many things our tongues say of him, which
our minds are utterly unable to conceive!
How small a part of him do we see! How
little of him can we possibly know! How
mean and paltry are any words of ours to
convey any idea of him who made this
mighty world out of nothing, and with whom
one day is as a thousand years, and a thou¬
sand years as one day! How weak and
inadequate are our poor feeble intellects to
conceive of him who is perfect in all his
works,—perfect in the greatest as well as
perfect in the smallest,—perfect in appointing
the days and hours in which Jupiter, with all
his satellites, shall travel round the sun,—
perfect in forming the smallest insect that
creeps over a few feet of our little globe!
How little can our busy helplessness compre¬
hend a being who is ever superintending all
things in heaven and earth by universal
providence.
The blind man is no judge of the paintings
ONLY ONE WAY.
131
of Rubens or Titian. The deaf man is in¬
sensible to the beauty of Handel's music.
The Greenlander can have but a faint notion
of the climate of the tropics. The Austra¬
lian savage can form but a remote conception
of a locomotive engine, however well you
may describe it. There is no place in their
minds to take in these things. They have no
*set of thoughts which can comprehend them.
They have no mental fingers to grasp them.
And just in the same way, the best and
brightest ideas that man can form of God,
compared to the reality which we shall see
one day, are weak and faint indeed.
But, reader, one thing, I think, is very
clear, and that is this. The more any man
considers calmly what God really is, the
more he must feel the immeasurable distance
between God and himself. The more he
meditates, the more he must see that there
is a great gulf between him and God. His
conscience, I think, will tell him, if he will
let it speak, that God is perfect, and he im¬
perfect,—that God is very high, and he very
low,—that God is glorious majesty, and he a
!32
HOME TRUTHS.
poor worm,—and that if ever he is to stand
before him in judgment with comfort, he
must have some mighty helper, or he will not
be saved.
And what is all this but the very doctrine
of our text? What is all this but coming
round to the conclusion I am urging upon
you? With such a one as God to give ac¬
count to, we must have a mighty Saviour.
To give us peace with such a glorious being
as God, we must have an almighty Friend
and Advocate on our side,—an Advocate who
can answer every charge that can be laid
against us, and plead our cause with God on
equal terms. We want this, and nothing less
than this. Yague notions of mercy will
never give true peace. And such a Saviour,
such a Friend, such an Advocate, is nowhere
to be found, excepting in the person of Jesus'
Christ.
I lay this reason also before you. I know
well that people may have false notions of
God, as well as every thing else, and shut
their eyes against truth. But I say boldly
and confidently, no man can have really
ONLY ONE WAY. 133
high and honorable views of what God is,
and escape the conclusion that the doctrine
of our texj must be true. There can be no
possible salvation but by Jesus Christ.
3. Let me say, in the third place, that this
doctrine must be true, because the Bible is
what the Bible is.
All through the Bible, from Genesis down
to Revelation, there is only one simple ac¬
count of the way in which men must be
saved. It is always the same,—only for the
sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, through faith,
—not for our own works and deservings.
You see it dimly revealed at first. It
looms through the mist of a few promises—
but there it is.
You have it more plainly afterward. It
is taught by the pictures and emblems of the
law of Moses, the schoolmaster dispensation.
Gal. iii. 24.
You have it still more clearly by and by.
The prophets saw in vision many particulars
about the Redeemer yet to come.
You have it fully at last, in the sunshine
of New Testament history,—Christ incarnate,
134 HOME TRUTHS.
—Christ crucified,—Christ rising again,—
Christ preached to the world.
But one golden chain runs through the
whole volume,—no salvation excepting by
Jesus Christ. The bruising of the serpent's
head, foretold in the day of the fall,—the
sacrifices of Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob,—the passover, and all the partic¬
ulars of the Jewish law,—the high priest,—
the altar,—the daily offering of the lamb,—
the holy of holies entered only by blood,—
the scape-goat,—all are so many witnesses
to the truth set forth in the text,—all preach
with one voice, salvation only by Jesus
Christ.
In fact, this truth appears to me the grand
subject of the Bible, and all the different
parts and portions of the book are meant to
throw light upon it. I can gather from it
no ideas of pardon and peace with God, ex¬
cepting in connection with this truth. If I
could read of one soul in it who was saved
without faith in a Saviour, I might, perhaps,
not speak so confidently. But I see that
faith in Christ,—whether a coming Christ or
ONLY ONE WAY
135
a crucified Christ,—was the prominent fea¬
ture in the religion of all who went to
heaven. I see Abel owning Christ in his
better sacrifice, at one end of the Bible, and
the saints in glory, in John's vision, rejoicing
in Christ at the other end of the Bible. I
see a man like Cornelius, who was devout
and feared God, and gave alms, and prayed,
not told that he had done all, and would of
course be saved, but ordered to send for
Peter, and hear of Christ. And when I see
all these facts, I feel bound to believe that
the doctrine of the text is the doctrine of the
whole Bible^-no salvation, no way to heaven,
excepting by Jesus Christ.
Reader, I do not know what use you make
of your Bible: whether you read it, or
whether you do not,—whether you read it
all, or whether you only read such parts as
you like. But this I tell you plainly: if you
read and believe the whole Bible, you will
find it hard to escape what I have been en¬
deavoring to prove. Christ is the way, and
the only way,—Christ the truth, and the
only truth,—Christ the life, and the only life.
136
Home truths
Such are the reasons which seem to me to
confirm the truth laid down in our text.
What man is,—what God is,—what the Bible
is,—all appear to me to lead us to the same
great conclusion,—no possible salvation with¬
out Christ.
III. And now, in the third and last place,
let me show you some consequences which
floio naturally out of our text.
There are few parts of this subject which
seem to me more important than this. The
truth I have been trying to set before you
bears so strongly on the condition of a great
portion of mankind, that I consider it would
be mere affectation on my part not to say
something about it. If Christ is the only
way of salvation, what are we to feel about
many people in the world? This is the
point I am now going to take up.
I believe that many persons would go
with me, so far as I have gone, and would
go no farther. They will allow my premises.
They will have nothing to say to my conclu¬
sions. They think it uncharitable to say
ONLY ONE WAY. 137
any thing which appears to condemn others.
For my part, I cannot understand such
charity. It seems to me the kind of charity
which would see a neighbor drinking slow
poison, hut never interfere to stop him,—
which would allow emigrants to embark in a
leaky, ill-found vessel, and not interfere to
prevent them,—which would see a blind man
walking near a precipice, and think it wrong
to cry out and tell him there was danger.
I believe the greatest charity is to tell the
greatest quantity of truth. I believe it is no
charity to hide the legitimate consequences
of such a text as we are now considering, or
to shut our eyes against them. And I sol¬
emnly call on every one who really believes
there is no salvation in any hut Christ, and
none other name given under heaven where¬
by we must be saved,—I solemnly call on
that person to listen to me, while I set before
you some of the tremendous consequences
which the text involves.
I am not going to speak of the heathen,
who have never heard the gospel. Their
final state is a great depth, which the might-
138 HOME TRUTHB.
iest minds have been unable to fathom. I
am not ashamed of leaving it alone. One
thing only I will say: if any of the heathen,
who die heathen, are saved, I believe they
will owe their salvation, however little they
may know it on this side of the grave, to the
atonement of Christ. Just as infants and
idiots among ourselves will find, in the last
day, they owed all to Christ—though they
never knew him—so I believe it will be with
those of the heathen who are saved—whether
many or few. For this I am sure of, there
is no such thing as creature merit. But I
leave the case of the heathen to others, and
will speak of matters nearer home.
One mighty consequence, then, which
seems to be learned from this text, is the
final and utter uselessness of any religion
without Christ.
There are many to be found in Christen¬
dom, at this day, who have a religion of this
kind. They would not like to be called
Deists, but Deists they are. That there is a
God,—that there is what they are pleased to
call Providence,—that God is merciful,—that
ONLY ONE WAY liilJ
there will be a state after death,—this is
about the sum and substance of their creed.
And as to the distinguishing tenets of Chris¬
tianity, they do not seem to recognize them
at all. Now I denounce such a system as
a baseless fabric,—its seeming foundation,
man's fancy,—its hopes, an utter delusion.
The god of such people is an idol of their
own invention, and not the glorious God of
the Scriptures,—a miserably imperfect being,
even on their own showing,—without holi¬
ness,—without justice,—without any attri¬
bute but that of vague, indiscriminate mercy.
Such a religion may possibly do as a toy to
live with,—it is far too unreal to die with.
It utterly fails to meet the wants of man's
conscience. It offers no remedy. It affords
no rest for the soles of our feet. It cannot
comfort, for it cannot save. Reader, beware
of it, if you love life. Beware of a religion
without Christ.
Another consequence to be learned from
the text is, the folly of any religion in which
Christ has not the first place.
I need not remind you how many hold a
140
HOME TRUTHS.
system of this kind. The Socinian tells us
that Christ was a mere man; that his blood
had no more efficacy than that of another;
that his death on the cross was not a real
atonement and propitiation for man's sins;
and that, after all, doing is the way to heaven,
and not believing. I solemnly declare that
I believe such a system is ruinous to men's
souls. It seems to me to strike at the root
of the whole plan of salvation which God has
revealed in the Bible, and practically to
nullify the greater part of the Scriptures.
It overthrows the priesthood of the Lord
Jesus, and strips him of his office. It con¬
verts the whole system of the law of Moses
touching sacrifices and ordinances, into a
meaningless form. It seems to say that the
sacrifice of Cain was just as good as the
sacrifice of Abel. It turns man adrift on a
sea of uncertainty, by plucking from under
him the atonement of a divine Mediator.
Beware of it, reader—no less than of Deism—
if you love life. Beware of the least attempt
to depreciate and undervalue Christ's person,
offices or work. The name whereby alone
ONLY ONE WAY.
141
you and I can be saved is a name above
every name — and the slightest contempt
poured upon it is an insult to the King of
kings. The salvation of your soul has beei
laid by God the Father on Christ, and nc
other; and if he were not very God of verj
God, he never could accomplish it,—then
could be no salvation at all.
Another consequence to be learned from
our text is, the great error committed by those
who add any thing to Christ, as necessary to
salvation.
It is an easy thing to profess belief in the
Trinity, and reverence for our Lord Jesus
Christ, and yet to make some addition to
Christ, as the ground of hope, and so to over¬
throw the doctrine of the text as really and
completely as by denying it altogether.
The Church of Rome does this systematic¬
ally. She adds things over and above the
requirements of the gospel, of her own in¬
vention. She speaks as if Christ's atone¬
ment was not a sufficient foundation for a
sinner's soul; and as if it was not enough to
say, " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
142
HOME TRUTHS.
thou shalt be saved." She sends men to
penances and absolution, to masses and ex
treme unction, to fasting and bodily mortifi¬
cation, to the Virgin and the saints, as if
these things could add to the safety there ia
in Christ Jesus. And in doing this she sins
against our text with a high hand. Let us
beware of any Romish hankering after addi¬
tions to the simple way of the gospel, from
whatever quarter it may come.
But I fear the Church of Rome does not
stand alone in this matter. I fear there are
thousands of professing Protestants, who are
often erring in the same direction, although
of course in a very different degree. They
get into a way of adding, perhaps insensibly,
other names to the name of Christ, or attach¬
ing an importance to them which they never
ought to receive. The ultra prelatist who
thinks God's covenanted mercies are tied to
episcopacy; the ultra Presbyterian, who
cannot reconcile prelacy with an intelligent
knowledge of the gospel; the ultra Baptist,
who shuts out from the Lord's table every
one who has not received his views of adult
ONLY ONE WAY.
143
baptism; the ultra sectarian, of whatever
name, who believes all knowledge to reside
with his own body, and condemns every one
outside as a poor weak babe: all these, I say
however unwittingly, appear to me to have
a most uncomfortable tendency to add to the
doctrine of our text. All seem to me to be
practically declaring that salvation is not to
be found simply and solely in Christ. All
seem to me to he practically adding another
name 4o the name of Jesus, whereby men
must be saved—even the name of their own
party and sect. All seem to me to be prac¬
tically replying to the question, " What shall
I do to be saved ?"—not merely, " Believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ," but also, " Come and
join us."
Now I call upon every true Christian to
beware of such ultraism, in whatsoever form
he may be inclined to it. In saying this, I
would not be misunderstood. I like every
one to be decided in his views .of ecclesias¬
tical matters, and to be fully persuaded of
their correctness. All I ask is, that you will
not put these things in the place of Christ,
144
HOME TRUTHS.
or place them anywhere near him, or speak
of them as if you thought them needful to
salvation. However dear to us our own
peculiar views may he, let us beware of
thrusting them in between the sinner and the
Saviour. Let us beAvare, in short, of adding
to the doctrine of the text. In the things
of God's word, be it remembered, addition
as well as subtraction is a great sin.
The last consequence which seems to me to
he learned from our text is, the utter absurd¬
ity of supposing that we ought to be satisfied
with a man's state of soul, if he is only sin¬
cere.
This is a very common heresy indeed, and
one against which we all need to be on our
guard. There are thousands who say, in the
present day, We have nothing to do with the
opinions of others. They may perhaps be
mistaken—though it is possible they are
right, and we are wrong—but if they are
sincere, we hope they will he saved, even as
we. And all this sounds liberal and chari¬
table ; and people like to fancy their own
views are so.
ONLY ONE WAY. 145
Now, I believe such notions are entirely
contradictory to the Bible, whatever else
they may be. I cannot find in Scripture
that any one ever got to heaven merely by
sincerity, or was accepted with God, if he
was only earnest, in maintaining his own
views. The priests of Baal were sincere
when they cut themselves with knives and
lancets, till the blood gushed out; but still
that did not prevent Elijah from command¬
ing them to be treated as wicked idolaters.
Manasseh, king of Judah, was doubtless sin¬
cere when he burned his children in the fire
to Moloch; but who does not know that he
brought on himself great guilt by so doing ?
The Apostle Paul, when a Pharisee, was sin¬
cere while he made havoc of the Church;
but when his eyes were opened, he mourned
over this as a special wickedness. Let us
beware of allowing for a moment that sincer¬
ity is every thing, and that we have no right
to think ill of a man's spiritual state because
of the opinions he holds, if he is only earnest
in holding them. On such principles the
Druidical sacrifices, the car of Juggernaut,
146 HOME TRUTHS.
the Indian Suttees, the systematic murders
of the Thugs, the fires of Smithfield, might
each and all be defended. It will not stand.
It will not bear the test of Scripture. Once
allow such notions to be true, and you may
as well throw your Bible aside altogether.
Sincerity is not Christ, and therefore sincer¬
ity cannot put away sin.
I dare be sure these consequences sound
very unpleasant to the minds of some who
may read them. But I tell you of them
advisedly and deliberately. I say calmly,
that a religion without Christ, a religion that
takes away from Christ, a religion that adds
any thing to Christ, a religion that puts
sincerity in the place of Christ, all are dan¬
gerous, all are to be avoided, and all are
alike contrary to the doctrine of our text.
You may not like this. I am sorry for it.
You think me uncharitable, illiberal, narrow-
minded, bigoted, and so forth. Be it so.
But you will not tell me my doctrine is not
that of the word of God. That doctrine is,
salvation in Christ to the very uttermost—
but out of Christ no salvation at all.
ONLY ONE WAY. 147
I feel it a duty to bear my solemn testi¬
mony against the spirit of the day you live
in—to warn you against its infection. It is
not Atheism I fear so much in the present
times as Pantheism. It is not the system
which says nothing is true, so much as the
system which says every thing is true. It is
not the system which says there is no Saviour,
so much as the system which says there are
many Saviours, and many ways to peace. It
is the system which is so liberal,- that it dares
not say any thing is false. It is the system
which is so charitable, that it will allow
every thing to be true. It is the system
which seems ready to allow honor to others,
as well as our Lord Jesus Christ—and to
hope well of all men, however contradictory
their religious opinions may be. Confucius
and Zoroaster, Socrates and Mohammed, the
Indian Brahmins and the African devil-wor¬
shippers, Arius and Pelagius, Ignatius Loyola
and Socinus, all are to be treated respectfully,
none are to be condemned. It is the system
which bids us smile complacently on all creeds
and systems of religion—the Bible and the
148 HOME TRUTHS
Koran, the Hindoo Vedas and the Persian
Zendavesta, the old wives' fables of Rabbin¬
ical writers and the rubbish of Patristic
traditions, the Racovian Catechism and the
Thirty-nine Articles, the Revelations of
Emanuel Swedenborg and the Book of Mor¬
mon of Joseph Smith; all are to be listened
to—none are to be denounced as lies. It is
the system which is so scrupulous about the
feelings of others, that we are never to say
they are wrong. It is the system which is
so liberal, that it calls a man a bigot if he
dares to say, " I know my views are right."
This is the system—this is the tone of feel¬
ing which I fear in this day. This is the
system which I desire emphatically to testify
against and denounce.
What is it but a bowing down before a
great idol, speciously called liberality ? What
is it all but a sacrificing of truth upon the
altar of a caricature of charity ? Beware of
it, reader,—beware that the rushing stream
of public opinion does not carry you away.
Beware of it, if you believe the Bible. Be¬
ware of it, if you are a consistent member
ONLY ONE WAY
149
of the Church. Has the Lord God spoken
to us in the Bible, or has he not ? Has he
shown us the way of salvation plainly in the
Bible, or has he not? Has he declared to
us the dangerous state of all out of that way.
or has he not ? Gird up the loins of your
mind, and look these questions fairly in the
face, and give them an honest answer. Tell
us that there is some other inspired hook
beside the Bible, and then we shall know
what you mean. Tell us that the whole
Bible is not inspired, and then we shall know
where to meet you. But grant for a moment
that the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing
but the Bible, is God's truth, and then I
know not in what way you can escape the
doctrine of the text. From the liberality
which says everybody is right,—from the
charity which forbids you to say anybody is
wrong,—from the peace which is bought at
the expense of truth, may the good Lord
deliver you!
I speak for myself. I find no resting
place between downright evangelical Chris¬
tianity and downright infidelity,—whatever
150
HOME TRUTHS
others may find. I see no half-way house
between them,—or houses that are roofless,
and cannot shelter my weary soul. I can see
consistency in an infidel, however much I
may pity him. I can see consistency in the
full maintenance of evangelical truth. But
as to a middle course between the two, I
cannot see it, and I say so plainly. Let it
be called illiberal and uncharitable. I can
hear God's voice nowhere except in the Bible,
and I can see no salvation for sinners except¬
ing through Jesus'Christ. In him I see
abundance. Out of him I see none. And
as for those who hold religions in which Christ
is not all,—whoever they may be,—I have a
most uncomfortable feeling about their safety.
I do not for a moment say that none of them
are saved,—but I say that those who are
saved, are saved by their disagreement with
their own principles, and in spite of their
own system. The man who wrote the famous
line,
" He can't be wrong whose life is in the right,"
was a great poet, undoubtedly, but he was a
wretched divine.
ONLY ONE WAY.
151
Let me conclude with a few words, by way
of application.
First of all, if there is no salvation, except
in Christ, make sure that you have an inter¬
est in that salvation yourself. Do not be
content with hearing and approving, and
assenting to the truth, and going no farther.
Seek to have a personal interest in this salva¬
tion. Lay hold by faith for your own soul.
Rest not till you know and feel that you have
got actual possession of that peace with God
which Jesus offers, and that Christ is yours,
and you are Christ's. If there were two or
three or more ways of getting to heaven,
there would be no necessity for pressing this
matter upon you. But if there is only one
way you will hardly wonder that I say,
"Make sure that you are in it."
Secondly, if there is no salvation, except¬
ing in Christ, try to do good to the souls of
all who do not know him as a Saviour.
There are millions in* this miserable condi¬
tion—millions in foreign lands, millions in
your own country, millions who are not trust¬
ing in Christ. You ought to feel for them,
152 HOME TRUTHS.
if you are a true Christian—you ought to
pray for them—you ought to work for them,
while there is yet time. Do you reafly believe
that Christ is the only way to heaven ?—then
live as if you believed it.
Look round the circle of your own relatives
and friends. Count them up one by one,
and think how many of them are not yet in
Christ. Try to do good to them in some
way or other. Act as a man should act who
believes his friends to be in danger. Do not
be content with their being kind and ami¬
able, gentle and good-tempered, moral and
courteous—be miserable about them till they
come to Christ, and trust in him,—for miser¬
able you ought to be. Let nobody alone who
is out of Christ, if only you have opportu¬
nities of reaching him. I know all this may
sound like enthusiasm and fanaticism. I
wish there was more of it in the world. Any
thing, I am sure, is better than a quiet indif¬
ference about the souls of others, as if every¬
body was in the way to heaven. Nothing, to
my mind, so proves our little faith, as our
little feeling about the spiritual condition of.
those around us.
ONLY ONE WAY.
153
Thirdly, if there is no salvation, excepting
in Christ, let us love all who love the Lord
Jesus in sincerity, and exalt him as their
Saviour, whoever they may be. Let us not
draw hack and look shy on others, because
they do not see eye to eye with ourselves in
every thing. We are all fast travelling to¬
ward a place where names and forms and
Church-government will be nothing, and
Christ will be all. Let us get ready for that
place betimes, by loving all who are in the
way that leads to it.
This is the true charity,—to believe all
things and hope all things, so long as "we see
Bible doctrines maintained, and Christ exalt¬
ed. Christ must be the single standard by
which all opinions must be measured. Let
us honor all who honor him. But let us
never forget that the same Apostle Paul who
wrote about charity, says also, " If any man
love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be
anathema maranatha." 1 Cor. xvi. 22. If
our charity and liberality are wider than that
of the Bible, they are worth nothing at all.
Indiscriminate love is no love at all,—and
indiscriminate approbation of all religious
154
HOME TRUTHS.
opinions is only a new name for infidelity.
Let us hold out the right hand to all who
love the Lord Jesus, hut let us beware how
we go beyond this.
Lastly, if there is no salvation, excepting
by Christ, you must not be surprised if min¬
isters of the gospel preach much about him.
We cannot tell you too much about the name
that is above every name. You cannot hear
of him too often. You may hear too much
about controversy in our sermons—you may
hear too much of men and books, of works
and duties, of forms and ceremonies, of
sacraments and ordinances. But there is
one subject which you never hear too much
of—you can never hear too much of Christ.
When we are wearied of preaching him,
we are false ministers. "When you are
wearied of hearing of him, your souls are m
an unhealthy state. When we have preached
him all our lives, the half of his excellence
will remain untold. When you see him face
to face in the day of his appearing, you will
find there was more in him than your heart
ever conceived.
ONLY ONE WAY.
155
Let me leave you with the words of an old
writer, to which I desire humbly to sub¬
scribe :—" I know no true religion but Chris¬
tianity ; no true Christianity but the doctrine
of Christ—the doctrine of his divine person,
of his divine office, of his divine righteous¬
ness, and of his divine Spirit, which all that
are his receive. I know no true ministers of
Christ but such as make it their business,' in
their calling, to commend Jesus Christ, in his
saving fulness of grace and glory, to the
faith and love of men—no true Christian but
one united to Christ by faith and love, unto
the glorifying of the name of Jesus Christ
in the beauty of gospel holiness. Ministers
and Christians of this spirit have been for
many years my brethren and -companions,
and I hope shall ever be, whithersoever the
hand of God shall lead me."
156
home truths.
%ist anfc % to fjjte.
AND ONE OP THE MALEFACTORS WHICH WERE HANGED RAILED
ON HIM, SAYING, IP THOD BE CHRIST, SAVE THYSELF AND US.
BUT THE OTHER ANSWERING REBUKED HIM, SAYING, DOST NOT
THOU FEAR GOD, SEEING THOU ART IN THE SAME CONDEMNA
TIONT AND WE INDEED JUSTLY; FOR WE RECEIVE THE DUE
REWARD OP OUR DEEDS; BUT THIS MAN HATH DONE NOTHING
• AMISS. AND HE 8AID UNTO JESUS, LORD, REMEMBER ME WHEN
THOU COMEST INTO THY KINGDOM.
AND JESUS SAID UNTO HIM, VERILY I SAY UNTO THEE, TO-DAY
SHALT THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADISE.
Lake xxlll. S9-4S.
Reader, you know these verses, I suppose.
It would be strange indeed if you did not.
Few passages in the New Testament are more
familiar to men's ears.
And it is right and good that these verse3
should he well known. They have comforted
many troubled minds. They have brought
peace to many uneasy consciences. They
have been a healing balm to many wounded
hearts. They have been a medicine to many
gin-sick souls. They have smoothed down
CHRIST AND THE THIEVES. 157
not a few dying pillows. "Wherever the
gospel of Christ is preached, they will al¬
ways he honored, loved, and had in remem¬
brance.
Reader, I wish to speak to you about these
verses. Listen to me while I try to unfold
the leading lessons which they are meant to
teach. I cannot see the state of your heart
before God, but I can see truths in this pas¬
sage which no man can ever know, too well.
I. First of all, you are meant to learn from
these verses Christ's power and willingness
to save sinners.
This is the main doctrine to be gathered
from the history of the penitent thief. It
teaches you that which ought to be music in
the ears of all who hear it—it teaches you
that Jesus Christ is mighty to save.
I ask you if any man's case could look
more hopeless and desperate, than that of
this penitent thief once did ?
He was a wicked man, a malefactor, a
thief, if not a murderer. He was suffering
a just punishment for breaking the laws
158
HOME TRUTHS.
And as he had lived wicked, so he seemed
determined to die wicked, for when he first
was crucified he railed on our Lord.
And he was a dying man. He hung there,
nailed to a cross, from which he was never
to come down alive. He had no longer
power to stir hand or foot. His hours were
numbered. The grave was ready for him.
There was but a step between him and death.
If ever there was a soul hovering on the
brink of hell, it was the soul of this thief.
If ever there was a case that seemed lost,
gone, and past recovery, it was his. If ever
there was a child of Adam whom the devil
made sure of as his own, it was this man.
But see now what happened. He ceased
to rail and blaspheme, as he had done at first.
He began to speak in another manner alto¬
gether. lie turned to our blessed Lord in
prayer. He prayed Jesus to " remember
him when he came into his kingdom." He
asked that his soul might be cared for, his
sins pardoned, and himself thought of in
another world. Truly this was a wonderful
change.
CHRIST AND THE THIEVES. 159
And then mark what kind of answer he
received. Some would have said he was too
wicked a man to be saved. But it was not
so. Some would have fancied it was too
late—the door was shut, and there was no
room for mercy. But it proved not too late
at all. The Lord Jesus returned him an
immediate answer, spoke kindly to him, as¬
sured him he should be with him that day in
paradise, pardoned him completely, cleansed
him thoroughly from his sins, received him
graciously, justified him freely, raised him
from the gates of hell, gave him a title to
glory. Of all the multitude of saved souls,
none ever received so glorious an assurance
of his own salvation as did this penitent
thief. Go over the whole list from Genesis
to Revelation, and you will find none who
had such words spoken to them as these:
" To-day shalt thou he with me in paradise."
Reader, the Lord Jesus never at any other
time gave so complete a proof of his power
and will to save, as he did upon this occasion.
In the day when he seemed most weak, he
showed that he was a strong deliverer. In
160
HOME TRUTHS.
the hour when his body was racked with
pain, he showed that he could feel tenderly
for others. At the time when he himself
was dying, he conferred on a sinner eternal
life.
Now have I not a right to say, " Jesus is
able to save to the uttermost all them that
come unto God by him ?" Behold the proof
of it. If ever sinner was too far gone to be
saved, it was this thief. Yet he was plucked
as a brand from the fire.
Have I not a right to say, " Christ will
receive any poor sinner who comes to him
with the prayer of faith, and cast out none ?"
Behold the proof of it. If ever there was
one that seemed too bad to be received, this
was the man. Yet the door of mercy was
wide open even for him.
Have I not a right to say, " By grace ye
may be saved, through faith, not of works:
fear not, only believe?" Behold the proof
of it. This thief was never baptized. He
belonged to no visible Church. He never
received the Lord's supper. He never did
any work for Christ. He never gave money
CHRIST AND THE THIEVES. 161
to Christ's cause. But he had faith, and so
he was saved.
Have I not a right to say, " The youngest
faith will save a man's soul, if it only be
true ?" Behold the proof of it. This man's
faith was only one day old; but it led him to
Christ, and preserved him from hell.
Why then should any man or woman de¬
spair, with such a passage as this in the
Bible ? Jesus is a Physician who can cure
hopeless cases. He can quicken dead souls,
and call the things which be not as though
they were.
Never should any man or woman despair.
Jesus is still the same now that he was eight¬
een hundred years ago. The keys of death
and hell are in his hand. When he opens
none can shut.*
What though your sins be more in number
* " 0 Saviour! what a precedent is this of thy free
and powerful grace! Where thou wilt give, what un-
worthiness can bar us from thy mercy ? When thou
wilt give, what time can prejudice our vocation? Who
can despair of thy goodness, when he, that in the morn¬
ing was posting to hell, is in the evening with thee in
paradise ? '—Bishop Ilall.
6
162 HOME TRUTHS
than the hairs of your head ? What though
your evil habits hare grown with your growth,
and strengthened with your strength ? What
though you have hitherto hated good, and
loved evil, all the days of your life ? These
things are sad indeed; but there is hope even
for you. Christ can heal you. Chris.t can
cleanse you. Christ can raise you from your
low estate. Heaven is not shut against you.
Christ is able to admit you, if you will hum¬
bly commit your soul into his hands.
Reader, are your sins forgiven ? If not,
I set before you this day a full and free sal¬
vation. I invite you to follow the steps of
the penitent thief—come to Christ, and live.
I tell you that Jesus is very pitiful, and of
tender mercy. I tell you he can do every
thing that your soul requires. Though your
sins be as scarlet, he will make them white
as snow; though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool. Why should you not
be saved as well as another? Come unto
Christ by faith, and live.
Reader, are you a true believer ? If you
are, you ought to glory in Christ. Glory not
CHRIST AND THE THIEVES. 163
m your own faith, your own feelings, your
own knowledge, your own prayers, your own
amendment, your own diligence. Glory in
nothing hut Christ. Alas! the best of us
knows but little of that merciful and mighty
Saviour. We do not exalt him and glory in
him enough. Let us pray that we may see
more of the fulness there is in him.
Reader, do you ever try to do good to
others f If you do, remember to tell them
about Christ. Tell the young, tell the poor,
tell the aged, tell the ignorant, tell the sick,
tell the dying,—tell them all about Christ.
Tell them of his power, and tell them of his
love. Tell them of his doings, and tell them
of his feelings. Tell them what he has done
for the chief of sinners. Tell them what he
is willing to do to the last day of time. Tell
it them over and over again. Never be tired
of speaking of Christ. Say to them broadly
and fully, freely and unconditionally, unre¬
servedly and undoubtingly, " Come unto
Christ, as the penitent thief did—come unto
Christ, and you shall be Saved."
164 HOME TRUTHS.
II. The second lesson we wish you to learn
from this passage is this, If some are saved
in the very hour of death, others are not.
This is a truth that never ought to be
passed over, and I dare not leave it unnoticed.
It is a truth that stands out plainly in the
sad end of the other malefactor, and is only
too often forgotten.
What became of the other thief that was
crucified? Why did he not turn from his
sin, and call upon the Lord ? Why did he
remain hardened and impenitent ? Why was
he not saved ? Let us he content .to take the
fact as we find it, and see what it is meant
to teach us.
We have no right whatever to say this
thief was a worse man than his companion.
There is nothing to prove it. Both plainly
were wicked men. Both were receiving the
due reward of their deeds. Both hung by
the side of our Lord Jesus Christ. Both
heard him pray for his murderers. Both
saw him suffer patiently. But while one re¬
pented, the other remained hardened. While
one began to pray, the other went on railing.
CHRIST AND THE THIEVES. 165
While one was converted in his last hours,
the other died a bad man, as he had lived.
While one was taken to paradise, the other
went to his own place, the place of the devil
and his angels.
Now these things are written for our
warning. There is warning as well as com¬
fort in these verses, and that very solemn
warning too.
They tell me loudly, that though some
may repent and be converted on their death
beds, it does not at all follow that all will.
A death bed is not always a saving time.
They tell me loudly that two men may
have the same opportunities of getting good
for their souls, may be placed in the same
position, see the same things, and hear the
same things, and yet only one shall take
advantage of them, repent, believe, and be
saved.
And it is good and profitable to bear this
in mind. There is an immense amount of
delusion in the world on this very subject.
I see many allowing life to slip away, all
unprepared to die. I see many allowing
166
HOME TRUTHS.
that they ought to repent, but always putting
oft* their own repentance. And I believe
one grand reason is that most men suppose
they can turn to God just when they like.
They wrest the parable of the laborer in the
vineyard, which speaks of the eleventh hour,
and use it as it never was meant to be used.
They dwell on the pleasant part of the verses
I am now considering, and forget the rest.
They talk of the thief that went to paradise,
and was saved, and forget the one who died
as he had lived, and was lost.*
* " He that puts off his repentance and seeking for
pardon to the very last, in reliance upon this example,
does but tempt God, and turn that to his own poison
which God intended for better ends."
" The mercies of God are never recorded in Scripture
for man's presumption, and the failings of men never
for imitation."—Lightfoot. Sermon. 1684.
" Most ungrateful and foolish is the conduct of those
who take encouragement from the penitent thief to put
off repentance to a dying moment,—most ungrateful in
perverting the grace of their Redeemer into an occasion
of renewing their provocations against him; and most
foolish to imagine that what our Lord did, in so singular
circumstances, is to be drawn into an ordinary prece¬
dent."—Doddridge.
CHRIST AND THE THIEVES 167
Reader, take heed that you do not fall
into this mistake. Look at the history of
men in the Bible, and see how often these
notions I have been speaking of are contra¬
dicted. Mark well how many proofs there
are that two men may have the same light
offered them* and only one use it; and that
no one has a right to take liberties with God's
mercy, and presume he will be able to repent
just when he likes.
Look at Saul and David. They lived
about the same time. They rose from the
same rank in life. They were called to the
same position in the world. They enjoyed
the ministry of the same prophet, Samuel.
They reigned the same number of years.—
Yet one was saved, and the other lost.
Look at Sergius Paulus and Gallio. They
were both Roman governors. They were
both wise and prudent men, in their genera¬
tion. They both heard the Apostle Paul
preach. But one believed and was baptized
—the other " cared for none of these things."
Acts xviii. 17.
Look at the world around you. See what
168 HOME TRUTHS.
is going on continually under your eyes.
Two sisters will often attend the same minis¬
try, listen to the same truths, hear the same
sermons; and yet only one shall be converted
to God, while the other remains totally un¬
moved. Two friends often read the same
religious book. One is so moved by it that
he gives up all for Christ—the other sees
nothing at all in it, and continues the same
as before. Hundreds have read Doddridge's
Rise and Progress without profit: with Wil-
berforce it was one of the beginnings of
spiritual life. Thousands have read Wilber-
force's Practical View of Christianity, and
laid it down again unaltered: from the time
Legh Richmond read it he became another
man.
You must not misunderstand me. I do
not want to discourage you. I say these
things in all affection, to give you warning
of danger. I do not say them to drive you
back from heaven: I say them rather to
draw you on, and bring you to Christ while
he can be found.
I want you to beware of presumption.
CHRIST AND THE THIEVES. 169
Bo not abuse God's mercy and compassion.
"Bo not continue in sin, I beseech you, and
think you can repent, and believe, and be
saved, just when you like, when you please,
when you will, and when you choose. I
would always set before you an open door.
I would always say, while there is life there
is hope. But if you would be wise, put
nothing off that concerns your soul.
I want you to beware of letting slip good
thoughts and godly convictions, if you have
them. Cherish them and nourish them, lest
you lose them for ever. Make the most of
them, lest they take to themselves wings and
flee away. Have you an inclination to begin
praying ? Put it into practice at once. Have
you an idea of beginning really to serve
Christ? Set about it at once. Are you
enjoying any spiritual light ? See that you
live up to your light. Trifle not with oppor¬
tunities, lest the day come when you will
want to use them, and not be able. Linger
not, lest you become wise too late.
You may say, perhaps, "It is never too
late to reDent." I answer, That is right
170 HOME TRUTHS.
enough, but late repentance is seldom true.
And I say farther, You cannot be certain,
if you put off repenting, you will repent
at all.
You may say, " Why should I he afraid ?
—the penitent thief was saved." I answer,
That is true, but look again at the passage,
which tells you that the other thief was lost.
III. The third lesson, you should learn
from these verses is this : the Spirit always
leads saved souls in one way.
This is a point that deserves particular
attention, and is often overlooked. Men look
at the broad fact that the penitent thief was
saved when he was dying, and they look no
farther.
They do not consider the evidences this
thief left behind him. They do not observe
the abundant proofs he gave of the work of
the Spirit in his heart. And these proofs I
wish to trace out. I wish to show you that
the Spirit always works in one way; and that
whether he converts a man in an hour,. as
he did the penitent thief, or whether by slow
CHRIST AND THE THIEVES. 171
degrees, as he does others, the steps by which
he leads souls to heaven are always the same.
Listen to me, reader, and I will try to
make this clear to you. I want you to shake
off the common notion that there is some
easy royal road to heaven from a dying-bed.
I want you thoroughly to understand that
every saved soul goes through the same expe¬
rience, and that the leading principles of the
penitent thiefs religion were just the same
as those of the oldest saint that ever lived.
See, then, for one thing, how strong was
the faith of this man.
He called Jesus "Lord." He declared
his belief that he would have a kingdom.
He believed that he was able to give him
eternal life and glory, and in this belief pray¬
ed to him. He maintained his innocence of
all the charges brought against him. " This
man," said he, "hath done nothing amiss."
Others, perhaps, may have thought the Lord
innocent,—none said so openly hut this poor
dying man.
And when did all this happen ? It hap¬
pened when the whole nation had denied
172
HOME TRUTHS.
Christ, — shouting, " Crucify him, crucify
him"—we have no king but Caesar,—when
the chief priests and Pharisees had condemn¬
ed and found him guilty of death,—when
even his own disciples had forsaken him and
fled,—when he was hanging, faint, bleeding,
and dying, on the cross, numbered with
transgressors, and counted accursed. This
was the hour when the thief believed in
Christ, and prayed to him. Surely such
faith was never seen since the world began.*
* " I know not that since the creation of the world
there ever was a more remarkable and striking example
of faith."—Calvin's Commentary on the Gospels.
"A great faith that can see the sun under so thick a
cloud; that can discover Christ, a Saviour, under such
a poor, scorned, despised, crucified Jesus, and call him
Lord.
"A great faith that could see Christ's kingdom through
his cross, and grave, and death, and when there was so
little sign of a kingdom, and pray to be remembered in
that kingdom."—IAghtfoot. Sermon. 1684.
" The penitent thief was the first confessor of Christ's
heavenly kingdom,—the first martyr who bore testimony
to the holiness of his sufferings,—and the first apologist
for his oppressed innocence."—Quesnel on the Gospels.
♦'Probably there are few saints in glory who ever
CHRIST AND THE THIEVES. 173
The disciples had seen mighty signs and
miracles. They had seen the dead raised
with a word, and lepers healed with a touch,
—the blind receiving sight,—the dumb made
to speak,—the lame made to walk. They
had seen thousands fed with a few loaves
and fishes. They had seen their Master
walking on the water as on dry land. They
had all of them heard him speak as no man
ever spake, and hold out promises of good
things yet to come. They had some of them
had a foretaste of his glory in the mount of
transfiguration.
honored Christ more illustriously than this dying sin¬
ner."—Doddridge.
" Is this the voice of a thief or a disciple ? Give me
leave, 0 Saviour, to borrow thine own words, 'Verily I
have not found.so great faith, no, not in Israel.' He
saw thee hanging miserably by him, and yet styles thee
Lord. He saw thee dying, and yet talks of thy king¬
dom. He felt himself dying, yet talks of a future
remembrance. 0 faith, stronger than death, which
can look beyond the cross at a crown,—beyond disso¬
lution at a remembrance of life and glory! Which of
thine eleven were heard to speak so gracious a word to
thee in these thy last pangs ?"—Bishop Hcdl.
174 HOME TRUTHS.
The dying thief saw none of the things I
have mentioned. He only saw our Lord in
agony and in weakness, in suffering and in
pain. He saw him undergoing a dishonor¬
able punishment, deserted, mocked, despised,
blasphemed. He saw him rejected by all
the great, and wise, and noble of his own
people,—his strength dried up like a pot¬
sherd,—his life drawing to the grave. Psalm
xxii. 15; lxxxviii. 3. He saw no sceptre,
no royal crown, no outward dominion, no
glory, no majesty, no power, no signs of
might. And yet the dying thief believed
and looked forward to Christ's kingdom.
Reader, would you know if you have the
Spirit? Then mark the question I put to
you this day: — "Where is your faith in
Christ ?
See, for another thing, what a right sense
of sin the thief had. He says to his com¬
panion, "We receive the due reward of our
deeds." He acknowledges his own ungodli¬
ness, and the justice of his punishment. He
makes no attempt to justify himself, or ex¬
cuse his wickedness. He speaks like a man
CHRIST AND THE THIEVES. 175
humbled and self-abased by the remem¬
brance of past iniquities. This is what all
God's children feel. They are ready to allow
they are poor, hell-deserving sinners. They
can say with their hearts, as well as with
their lips, u We have left undone the things
that we ought to have done, and we have
done those things that we ought not to have
done, and there is no health in us."
Reader, would you know if you have the
Spirit ? Then mark my question:—Bo you
feel your sin ?
See', for another thing, what love the thief
showed to his companion. He tried to stop
his railing and blaspheming, and bring him
to a better mind. " Dost thou not fear
God," he says, " seeing thou art in the same
condemnation ?" There is no surer mark of
grace than this. Grace shakes a man out
of his selfishness, and makes him feel for the
souls of others. When Saul was converted,
immediately he went to the synagogue at
Damascus, and testified to his brethren of
Israel that Jesus was the Christ. Acts ix. 20.
Reader, would you know if you have the
176 HOME TRUTHS.
Spirit? Then where is jour charity and
love to souls ?
In one word, you see in the penitent thief
a finished work of the Holy Ghost. Every
part of the believer's character may be traced
in him. Short as his life was after conver¬
sion, he found time to leave abundant evi¬
dence that he was a child of God. His faith
—his prayer—his humility—his brotherly
love—are unmistakable witnesses of the re¬
ality of his repentance. He was not a peni¬
tent in name only, but in deed and in truth.
Let no man, therefore, think, because the
penitent thief was saved, that men can be
saved without leaving any evidence of the
Spirit's work. Let such a one consider well
what evidences this man left behind, and
take care.
It is mournful to hear what people some¬
times say about what they call death-bed evi¬
dences. It is perfectly fearful to observe
how little satisfies some persons, and how
easily they can persuade themselves that
their friends are gone to heaven. They will
tell you, when their relation is dead and
CHRIST AND THE THIEVES. 177
gone, that " he made such a beautiful prayer
one day,—or that he talked so well,—or that
he was so sorry for his old ways, and intend¬
ed to live so differently if he got better,—or
that he craved nothing in this world,—or
that he liked people to read to him, and
pray with him." And because they have
this to go upon, they seem to have a com¬
fortable hope that he is saved. Christ may
never have been named,—^the way of salva¬
tion may never have been in the least men¬
tioned. But it matters not: there was a
little talk of religion, and so they are con¬
tent.
Now I have no desire to hurt the feelings
of any one who reads these pages, but I must
and will speak plainly upon this subject.
Once for all, let me say that, as a general
rule, nothing is so unsatisfactory as death-bed
evidences. The things that men say, and
the feelings they express when sick and
frightened, are little to be depended on.
Often, too often, they are the result of fear,
and do not spring from the ground of the
heart. Often, too often, they are things said
178 HOME TRUTHS.
by rote,—caught from the lips of ministers
and anxious friends,—but evidently not felt.
And nothing can prove all this more clearly
than the well-known fact that the great ma¬
jority of persons who make promises of
amendment on a sick bed, if they recover,
go back to sin and the world.
When a man has lived a life of thought¬
lessness and folly, I want something more
than a few fair words, and good wishes, to
satisfy me about his soul, when he comes to
his death-bed. It is not enough for me that
he will let me read the Bible to him, and
pray by his bedside; that he says, " He has
not thought so much as he ought of religion,
and he thinks he should be a different man
if he got better." All this does not content
me: it does not make me feel happy about
his state. It is very well, as far as it goes,
but it is not conversion. It is very well, in
its way, but it is not faith in Christ. Until
I see conversion, and faith in Christ, I can¬
not and dare not feel satisfied. Others may
feel satisfied, if they please, and, after their
friend's death, say they hope he has gone to
christ and the thieves. 179
heaven. For my part, I would rather say
nothing at all. I would he content with the
least measure of repentance and faith in a
dying man, even though it were no bigger
than a grain of mustard seed; but to be
content with any thing less than repentance
and faith, seems to me next door to infi¬
delity.
Reader, what kind of evidence do you
mean to leave behind as to the state of your
soul ? Take example by the penitent thief,
and you will do well.
When we have carried you to your narrow
bed, let us not have to hunt up stray words,
and scraps of religion, in order to make out
that you were a true believer. Let us not
have to say, in a hesitating way, one to an¬
other, "I trust he is happy: he talked so
nicely one day, and he seemed sq pleased
with a chapter in the Bible, on another oc¬
casion ; and he liked such a person, who is
a good man." Let us be able to speak de-
"cidedly as to your condition. Let us have
some standing proof of your penitence, your
faith, and your holiness, that none shall be
1K0 HOME TRUTHS.
able, for a moment, to question your state.
Depend on it, without this, those you leave
behind can feel no solid comfort about your
soul. "We may use the form of religion at
your burial, and express charitable hopes.
We may meet you at the church-yard gate,
and say, " Blessed are the dead that die in
the Lord." But this will not alter your con¬
dition. If you die without conversion to
God, without repentance, and without faith,
your funeral will only be the funeral of a
lost soul.
IY. You should, in the next place, learn
from these verses that believers in Christ,
when they die, are with the Lord.
This you may gather from our Lord's
words to the penitent thief, " This day shalt
thou be. with me in paradise." And you
have an expression very like it in the Epistle
to the Philippians, where Paul says he has
a desire to " depart and be with Christ."
Phil. i. 23.
I shall say but little on this subject. I
would simply lay it before you for your OAtn
CHRIST AND THE THIEVES. 181
private meditations. To my own mind it is
very full of comfort and peace.
Believers, after death, are " with Christ."
That answers many a difficult question, which
otherwise might puzzle man's busy, restless
mind. The abode of dead saints, their joys,
their feelings, their happiness, all seem met
by this simple expression—They are with
Christ.
I cannot enter into full explanations about
the state of departed believers. It is a high
and deep subject, such as man's mind can
neither grasp nor fathom. Yet I know they
enjoy a blessed rest—a rest from labor, a rest
from sorrow, a rest from pain, and a rest from
sin. But it does not follow because I cannot
explain these things, that I am not persuaded
they are far happier than they ever were on
earth. I see their happiness in this very
passage—" They are with Christand when
I see that, I see enough.
If the sheep are with the Shepherd—if the
members are with the Head—if the children
of Christ's family are with him who loved
them, and carried them all the days of their
182
HOME TRUTHS.
pilgrimage on earth, all must be well—all
must be right.
I cannot describe what kind of place para¬
dise is, but I ask no brighter view of it than
this, that Christ is there.* All other things
in the picture which imagination draws of
paradise are nothing in comparison of this.
How he is there, and in what way he is there,
I know not. Let me only see Christ in
paradise when my eyes close in death, and
that suffices me. Well does the psalmist say,
" In thy presence is fulness of joy." It was
a true saying of a dying girl, when her
mother tried to comfort her by describing
what paradise would be—" There," she said
to the child, " there you will have no pains,
and no sickness; there you will see your
brothers and sisters who have gone before
* "We ought not to enter into curious and subtle
arguments about the place of paradise. Let us rest
satisfied with knowing that those who are ingrafted by
faith into the body of Christ are partakers of life, and
there enjoy after death a blessed and joyful rest, until
the perfect glory of the heavenly life is fully manifested
by the coming of Christ."—Calvin'a Commentary on the
Gospck.
CHRIST AND THE THIEVES. 183
you, and will be always happy/' "Ah!
mother," was the reply, "but there is one
thing better than all, and that is, Christ will
be there"
Reader, it may be you do not think much
about your soul. It may be you know little
of Christ as your Saviour, and have never
tasted by experience that he is precious.
And yet perhaps you hope to go to paradise
when you die. Surely this passage is one
that should make you think. Paradise is a
place where Christ is. Then can it be a
place that you would enjoy ?
Reader, it may be you are a believer, and
yet tremble at the thought of the grave. It
seems cold and dreary. You feel as if all
before you was dark, and gloomy, and com¬
fortless. Fear not; but be encouraged by
this text. You are going to paradise, and
Christ will be there.
Y. The last thing you should learn from
these verses is this: the eternal portion of
every man's soul is close to him.
"To-day," says our Lord to the penitent
184
HOME TRUTHS.
thief, " to-day shalt thou be with me in par¬
adise." He names no distant period—he
does not talk of his entering into a state of
happiness as a thing "far away." He
speaks of to-day—this very day in which
thou art hanging on the cross.
Reader, how near that seems ! How aw¬
fully near that word brings our everlasting
dwelling-place ! Happiness or misery, sor¬
row or joy, the presence of Christ or the
company of devils—all are close to us,
"There is but a step," says David, "be¬
tween me and death." 1 Sam. xx. 3. There
is but a step, we may say, between ourselves
and either paradise or hell.
We none of us realize this as we ought to
do. It is high time to shake off the dreamy
state of mind in which we live on this mat¬
ter. We are apt to talk and think, even
about believers, as if death was a long jour¬
ney—as if the dying saint had embarked on
a long voyage. It is all wrong, very wrong.
Their harbor and their home is close by, and
they have entered it.
Some of us know by bitter experience,
CHRIST AND THE THIEVES. 185
•what a long and weary time it is between
the death of those we love, and the hour
when we bury them out of sight. Such
days are the slowest, saddest, heaviest
days in all our lives. But, blessed be
God, the souls of departed saints are free
from the very moment their last breath is
drawn. "While we are weeping, and the
coffin preparing, and the mourning being
provided, and the last painful arrangement
being made, the spirits of our beloved ones
are enjoying the presence of Christ. They
are freed for ever from the burden of the
flesh. They are where the wicked cease
from troubling, and the weary are at rest.
Reader, the day that believers die they
are in paradise. Their battle is fcught—
their strife is over. They have passed
through that gloomy valley we must one
day tread; they have gone over that dark
river we must one day cross. They have
drunk that last bitter cup which sin has
mingled for man. They have reached that
place where sorrow and sighing are no more.
Surely we should not wish them back again.
186
HOME TRUTHS.
We should not weep for them, but for our.
selves.
We are warring still, but they are at peace.
We are laboring, but they are at rest. We
are watching, but they are sleeping. We
are wearing our spiritual armor, but they
have for ever put it off. We are still at sea,
but they are safe in harbor. We have tears,
but they have joy. We are strangers and
pilgrims, but as for them they are at home.
Surely, better are the dead in Christ than
the living. Surely, the very hour the poor
saint dies, he is at once higher and happier
than the highest upon earth.*
I fear there is a vast amount of delusion
on this point. I fear that many, who are
* "We give thee hearty thanks, for that it hath
pleased thee to deliver this our brother out of the mis¬
eries of this sinful -world."—Church of England Burial
Service.
" I have some of the best news to impart. One be¬
loved by you has accomplished her warfare—has received
an answer to her prayers, and everlasting joy rests upon
her head. My dear wife, the source of my best earthly
comfort for twenty years, departed on Tuesday."—
Venn's Letter to Stillingfteet, announcing the death of hit
wife
CHRIST AND THE THIEVES. 187
not Roman Catholics, and profess not to be¬
lieve purgatory, have, notwithstanding, some
strange ideas in their minds about the im¬
mediate consequences of death. I fear that
many have a sort of vague notion that there
is some interval or space of time between
death and their eternal state. They fancy
they shall go through a kind of purifying
change, and that though they die unfit for
heaven, they shall yet be found meet for it
after all.
But it will not stand. There is no change
after death. There is no conversion in the
grave. There is no new heart given after
the last breath is drawn. The very day we
go we launch for ever. The day we go from
this world, we begin an eternal condition.
From that day there is no spiritual altera¬
tion, no spiritual change. As we die, so we
shall remain after death. As the tree falls
so it must lie.
Reader, if you are an unconverted man,
this ought to make you think. Do you
know you are close to hell ? This very day
you might die; and if you died out of
188
HOME TRUTHS.
Christ, you would open your eyes in hell,
and in torment.
Reader, if you are a true Christian, you
are far nearer heaven than you think. This
very day, if the Lord should take you, you
would find yourself in paradise. The good
land of promise is near to you. The eyes
that you closed in weakness and pain, would
open at once on a glorious rest, such as my
tongue cannot describe.
And now let me say a few words in con¬
clusion, and I have done.
This book may fall into the hands of
some humble-hearted and contrite sinner.
Are you that man ? Then here is encour¬
agement for you. See what the penitent
thief did, and do likewise. See how he
prayed: see how he called on the Lord Jesus
Christ: see what an answer of peace he ob¬
tained. Brother or sister, why should not
you also be saved ?
This book may fall -into the hands of some
proud arid presumptuous man of the world.
Are you that man? Then take warning.
See how the impenitent thief died as he had
CHRIST AND THE THIEVES. 189
lived, and beware lest you come to a like
end. 0 ! erring brother or sister, be not too
confident, lest you die in your sins. Seek
the Lord while he may be found. Turn you,
turn, why will you die ?
This book may fall into the hands of some
professing believer in Christ. Are you such
a one ? Then take the penitent thief's re¬
ligion as a measure by which to prove your
own. See that you know something of true
repentance and saving faith, of real humility
and fervent charity. Brother or sister, do
not be satisfied with the world's standard of
Christianity. Be of one mind with the peni¬
tent thief, and you will be wise.
This book may fall into the hands of some
one who is mourning over departed believ¬
ers. Are you such a one ? Then take com¬
fort from this scripture. See how your be¬
loved ones are in the best of hands. They
cannot be better off. They never were so
well in their lives as they are now. They
are with Jesus, whom their souls loved on
earth. 0 ! cease from your selfish mourning.
Rejoice rather that they are freed from trou¬
ble, and have entered into rest.
190 HOME TRUTHS.
And this book may fall into the hands of
some aged servant of Christ. Are you such
a one? Then see from these verses how
near you are to home. A few more days of
labor and sorrow, and the King of kings
shall send for you; and in a moment your
warfare shall be at end, and all shall be
peace.
assurance.
191
1 AM NOW READY TO BE OFFERED, AND THE TIME OF MY DEPART¬
URE 18 AT HAND. I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT, I HAVE
FINISHED MY COURSE, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH: HENCEFORTH
THERE IS LAID UP FOR ME A CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH
THE LORD, THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE, SHALL GIVE ME AT THAT
DAY; AND NOT TO ME ONLY, BUT UNTO ALL THEM ALSO THAT
LOVE HIS APPEARING.
i Tim. It. 6-8.
In these words you see the Apostle Paul
looking three ways,—downward, backward,
forward;—downward to the grave,—back¬
ward to his own ministry,—forward to that
great day, the day of judgment.
Let us stand by his side a few minutes,
and mark the words he uses. Happy is that
soul who can look where Paul looked, and
then speak as Paul spoke.
He looks downward to the grave, and
* For a clear statement of this subject, see Watson's
Institutes and Wesley's Sermons on the Witness of the
Spirit.—("Editor.
192 HOME TRUTHS
he does it without fear. Hear what he
says:—
" I am ready to be offered." I am like an
animal brought to the place of sacrifice, and
bound with cords to the very horns of the
altar. The wine and oil have been poured
on my head, according to the custom. The
last ceremonies have been gone through.
Every preparation has been made. It only
remains to receive the death-blow, and then
all is over.
" The time of my departure is at hand."
I am like a ship about to unmoor, and put
to sea. All on board is ready. I only wait
to have the moorings cast off that fasten me
to the shore, and I shall then set sail, and
begin my voyage.
Header, these are glorious words to come
from the lips of a child of Adam like our¬
selves. Death is a solemn thing, and never
so much so as when we see it close at hand.
The grave is a chilling, heart-sickening place,
and it is vain to pretend it has no terrors.
Yet here is a mortal man who can look
calmly into the narrow house appointed for
ASSURANCE.
193
all living, and say, while he stands upon the
brink, " I see it all, and am not afraid."
Let us listen to him again. He looks
backward to his ministerial life, and he does
it without shame. Hear what he says:—
"I have fought a good fight." There he
speaks as a soldier. I have fought that good
battle with the world, the flesh, and the
devil, from which so many shrink and draw
back.
"I have finished my course." There he
speaks as one who has run for a prize. I
have run the race marked out for me. I
have gone over the ground appointed for me,
however rough and steep. I have not turned
aside because of difficulties, nor been dis¬
couraged by the length of the way. I am at
last in sight of the goal.
" I have kept the faith." There he speaks
as a steward. I have held fast that glorious
gospel which was committed to my trust. I
have not mingled it with man's traditions,
nor spoiled its simplicity by adding my own
inventions, nor allowed others to adulterate it
without withstanding them to the face. "As
7
194 HOME TRUTHS.
a soldier, a runner, a steward," he seems to
saj, "I am not ashamed."
Header, that Christian is happy, who, as
he quits this world, can leave such testimony
behind him. A good conscience will save
no man,—wash away no sin,—nor lift us
one hair's breadth toward heaven. Yet, a
good conscience will be found a pleasant
visitor at our bedside in a dying-hour. Do
you remember that place in Pilgrim's Pro¬
gress, which describes Old Honest's passage
across the river of death ? " The river,"
says Bunyan, "at that time overflowed its
banks in some places; but Mr. Honest in his
lifetime had spoken to one Good Conscience
to meet him there; the which also he did,
and lent him his hand, and so helped him
over." Believe me, there is a mine of truth
in that passage.
Let us hear the apostle once more. He
looks forward to the great day of reckoning,
and he does it without doubt. Mark his
words:—
"Henceforth there is laid up for me a
crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
ASSURANCE.
195
righteous Judge, shall give me at that day:
and not to me only, hut unto all them also
that love his appearing." A glorious reward,
he seems to say, is ready and laid up in store
for me, even that crown which is only given
to the righteous. In the great day of judg¬
ment the Lord shall give this crown to me,
and to all besides me who have loved him
as an unseen Saviour, and longed to see him
face to face. My work on earth is over.
This one thing now remains for me to look
forward to, and nothing more.
You see he speaks without any hesitation
or distrust. lie regards the .crown as a sure
thing, as his own already. He declares with
unfaltering confidence his firm persuasion,
that the righteous Judge will give it to him.
Paul was no stranger to all the circumstances
and accompaniments of that solemn day to
which he referred. The great white throne,
—the assembled world,—the open books,—
the revealing of all secrets,—the listening
angels,—the awful sentence,—the eternal
separation of the lost and saved,—all these
were things with which he was well acquaint
196 HOME TRUTHS.
ed. But none of these things moved him.
His strong faith overleaped them all, and
only saw Jesus, his all-prevailing Advocate,
and the blood of sprinkling and sin washed
away. "A crown," he says, " is laid up for
me." " The Lord himself shall give it to
me." He speaks as if he saw it all with his
own eyes.
Such are the main things which these
verses contain. Of most of them I cannot
pretend to speak, for time would not allow
me. I shall only try to set before you one
point in the passage, and that is " the
assured hope" with which the apostle looks
forward to his own prospects in the day of
judgment.
I shall do this the more readily, because
of the great importance which I feel attaches
to the subject, and the great neglect with
which, I humbly conceive, it is often treated
in this day.
But I shall do it at the same time with
fear and trembling. I feel that I am tread¬
ing on very difficult ground, and that it is
very easy to speak rashly and unscripturally
ASSURANCE. 197
in this matter. The road between truth and
error is here especially a narrow pass; and
if I shall he enabled to do good to some
without doing harm to others, I shall he very
thankful.
Now there are four things I wish to bring
before you in speaking of this subject, and it
may clear our way perhaps if I name them
to you at once.
I. First, then, I will try to show you, that
an assurance such as Paul here expresses, is
a true and scriptural thing.
II. Secondly, I will make this broad con¬
cession, that a man may never arrive at this
assurance and yet be saved.
III. Thirdly, I will give you some reasons,
why it is exceedingly to be desired.
IY. Lastly, I will try to point out some
causes, why it is so seldom attained.
I. First, then, I said that assurance is a
true and scriptural thing.
Assurance, such as Paul expresses in these
verses, is not a mere fancy or feeling. It is
not the result of high animal spirits, or a
193 HOME TRUTHS.
sanguine temperament of body. It is a pos¬
itive gift of the Holy Ghost, bestowed without
reference to men's bodily frames or constitu¬
tions, and a gift which every believer in
Christ should aim at and seek after.
The word of God appears to me to teach,
that a believer may arrive at an assured con¬
fidence with regard to his own salvation.
I would lay it down fully and broadly,
that a true Christian, a converted man, may
reach that comfortable degree of faith in
Christ, that in general he shall feel entirely
confident as to the pardon of his soul,—shall
seldom be troubled with doubts, seldom be
distracted with hesitation,—seldom be dis¬
tressed with anxious questionings, and, in
short, though vexed by many an inward con¬
flict with sin, shall look forward to death
without trembling, and to judgment without
dismay.
Such is my account of assurance. I will
ask you to mark it well. I say neither less
nor more than I have here laid down.
Now such a statement as this is often dis¬
puted and denied. Many cannot see it at all.
ASSURANCE.
199
The Church of Rome denounces assurance
in the most unmeasured terms. The Council
of Trent declares roundly, that " a believ-.
er's assurance of the pardon of his sins is a
vain and ungodly confidenceand Cardinal
Bellarmine, the well-known champion of
Romanism, calls it "a prime error of her¬
etics."
The vast majority of the worldly among
ourselves oppose the doctrine of assurance.
It offends and annoys them to hear of it.
They do not like others to feel comfortable
and sure, because they never feel so them¬
selves. That they cannot receive it is cer¬
tainly no marvel.
But there are also some true believers who
reject assurance, or shrink from it as a
notion fraught with danger. They consider
it borders on presumption. They seem to
think it a proper humility never to be confi¬
dent, and to live in a certain degree of doubt.
This is to be regretted, and does much harm.
I frankly allow there are some presump¬
tuous persons who profess to feel a confidence
for which they have no scriptural warrant.
200
HOME TRUTHS.
There always are some people who think
well of themselves when God thinks ill, just
•as there are some who think ill of themselves
when God thinks well. There always will
be such. There never yet was a scriptural
truth without abuses, impositions, and coun¬
terfeits. There will be fanatics and enthu¬
siasts as long as the world stands. But, for
all this, assurance is a real, sober, and true
thing; and God's children must not let them¬
selves be driven from the use of a truth,
merely because it is abused.*
* "We do not vindicate every vain pretender to ' the
witness of the Spirit:' we are aware that there are
those in whose professions of religion we can see
nothing but their forwardness and confidence to recom¬
mend them. But let us not reject any doctrine of
revelation, through an over-anxious fear of conse¬
quences."—Robinson's Christian System.
"True assurance is built upon a Scripture basis:
presumption hath no Scripture to show for its warrant;
it is like a will without seal and witnesses, which is null
and void in law : presumption wants both the witness
of the word, and the seal of the Spirit. Assurance
always keeps the heart in a lowly posture; but presump¬
tion is bred of pride. Feathers fly up, but gold de¬
scends : he who hath this golden asssurance, his heart
ASSURANCE.
201
My answer to all who deny the existence
of real, well-grounded assurance, is simply
this,—What saith the Scripture ? If assu¬
rance be not there, I have not another word
to say.
But does not Job say, " I know that my
Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at
the latter day upon the earth; and though
after my skin worms destroy this body, yet
in my flesh shall I see God ?" Job xix. 25,
26.
Does not David say, " Though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for thou art with me :
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me?"
Psalm xxiii. 4.
descends in humility."—Watson's Body of Divinity.
1650.
" Presumption is joined with looseness of life; per¬
suasion with a tender conscience: that dares sin because
it is sure ; this dare not for fear of losing assurance.
Persuasion will not sin, because it cost her Saviour so
dear: presumption will sin, because grace doth abound.
Humility is the way to heaven. They that are proudly
secure of their going to heaven, do not so often come
thither, as they that are afraid of going to hell."—
Adams on 2 Peter. 1633.
202 HOME TRUTHS.
Does not Isaiah say, " Thou wilt keep him
in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee,
because he trusteth in thee ?" Isaiah xxvi. 3.
And again, " The work of righteousness
shall be peace, and the effect of righteous¬
ness quietness and assurance for ever." Isaiah
xxxii. 17.
Does not Paul say to the Corinthians,
" We know that if our earthly house of this
tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building
of God, a house not made with hands, eter¬
nal in the heavens ?" 2 Cor. v. 1.
And again, " We are always confident,
knowing that while we are at home in the
body we are absent from the Lerd." 2 Cor.
v. 6.
Does he not say to Timothy, " I know
whom I have believed, and am persuaded,
that he is able to keep that which I have
committed to him ?'* 2 Tim. i. 12.
And does he not speak to the Colossians
of " the full assurance of understanding
(Coloss. ii. 2,) and to the Hebrews of the
"full assurance of faith," and the "full
assurance of hope?" Heb. vi. 11, and x. 22.
ASSURANCE.
203
Does not John say, " We know that we
have passed from death unto life?" 1 John
iii. 14.
And again, " These things have I written
unto you that believe on the name of the
Son of God, that ye may know that ye have
eternal life." 1 John v. 13.
And again, "We know that we are of
God." 1 John v. 19.
Reader, what shall we say to these things ?
I desire to speak with all humility on any
controverted point. I feel that I am only a
poor fallible child of Adam myself. But I
must say, that in the passages I have just
quoted, I see something far higher than, the
mere "hopes" and "trusts" with which so
many believers appear content in this day.
I see the language of persuasion, confidence,
knowledge,—nay, I may almost say, of cer¬
tainty. And I feel, for my own part, if I
may take these scriptures in their plain, ob¬
vious meaning, assurance is true.
But my answer, furthermore, to all who
dislike the doctrine of assurance, as border¬
ing on presumption, is this:—It can hardly
204 HOME TRUTHS.
be presumption to tread in the steps of Peter
and Paul, of Job and of John. They were
all eminently humble and lowly-minded men,
if ever any were; and yet they all speak of
their own state with an assured hope. Surely
this should teach us that deep humility and
strong assurance are perfectly compatible,
and that there is not any necessary connec¬
tion between spiritual confidence and pride.*
My answer furthermore is, that many
have attained to such an assured hope as our
text expresses, even in modern times. I
would not concede for a moment that it was
a peculiar privilege confined to the apostolic
day. There have been in our own land
many believers who have appeared to walk
in almost uninterrupted fellowship with- the
Father and Son,—who have seemed to enjoy
an almost unceasing sense of the light of
God's reconciled countenance shining down
upon them, and have left their experience
on record. I could mention well-known
* " They are quite mistaken that think faith and hu¬
mility are inconsistent: they not only agree well to¬
gether, but they cannot be parted."—Traill
ASSURANCE
205
names, if time permitted. The thing has
been, and is, and that is enough.
My answer, lastly, is, it cannot be wrong
to believe decidedly when God promises de¬
cidedly,—to have a sure persuasion of par¬
don and peace, when we rest on the word
and oath of him that never changes. It is
an utter mistake to suppose that the believer
who feels assurance is resting on himself.
He simply leans on the Mediator of the new
covenant and the Scripture of truth. He
believes the Lord Jesus means what he says,
and takes him at his word. Assurance,
after all, is no more than a full-grown faith,
—a masculine faith that grasps Christ's
promise with both hands,—a faith that
argues like the good centurion, If the Lord
" speak the word only," I am healed.
Wherefore then should I doubt ?* Matt,
viii. 8.
* " To be assured of our salvation," Augustm saith,
"is no arrogant stoutness: it is our faith. It is no
pride: it is devotion. It is no presumption: it is God's
promise."—Bishop Jewell's Defence of the Apology. 1570.
"If the ground of our assurance rested in and on
206
HOME TRUTHS.
Reader, depend upon it, Paul was the last
man in the world to build his assurance on
any thing of his own. Paul knew, if ever
man did, that he was a poor frail hark,
floating on a stormy ocean. He saw, if any
did, the rolling waves and roaring tempest hy
which he was surrounded. But then he
looked away from self to Jesus, and was not
afraid. He remembered that anchor within
the veil, which is both sure and steadfast.
He remembered the word and work, and
constant intercession of him that loved him,
£nd gave himself for him. And this it was,
and nothing else, that enabled him to say so
boldly, " A crown is laid up for me, and the
Lord shall give it to me."
I may not dwell longer on this part of the
subject. I think you will allow I have
shown ground for the assertion I made, that
assurance is a true thing.
ourselves, it might justly be called presumption; but
the Lord and the power of his might being the ground
thereof, they either know not what is the might of his
power, or else too lightly esteem it, who count assured
confidence thereon presumption."—Gouges Whole Ar¬
mor of God. 1647.
ASSURANCE.
207
II. I pass on to the second thing I spoke
of: I said, a believer may never arrive at this
assurance, and yet be saved.
I grant this most freely. I do not dispute
it for a moment. I would not desire to make
one contrite heart sad that God has not made
sad, or to discourage one fainting child of
God, or to leave the impression that you
have no part or lot in Christ except you feel
assurance.
To believe and have a glimmering hope
of acceptance is one thing": to have joy and
peace in our believing, and abound in hope,
is quite another. All God's children have
faith: not all have assurance. I think this
ought never to he forgotten.
I know some great and good men have
held a different opinion. I believe that ex¬
cellent minister, Hervey, the author of The-
ron and Aspasio, was one that did not allow
the distinction I have stated. But I desire
to call no man master. I dread as much as
any one the idea of healing the wounds of
conscience slightly; but I should think any
other view than that I have given, a most
208
HOME TRUTHS.
uncomfortable 'gospel to preach, and one
very likely to keep souls back a long time
from the gate of life.*
I do not shrink from saying, that by grace
a man may have sufficient faith to flee to
Christ, really to lay hold on him,—really to
trust in him,—really to be a child of God,—
* " There are those who doubt, because they doubt,
and multiply distrust upon itself, concluding that they
have no faith, because they find so much and so frequent
doubting within them. But this is a great mistake.
Some doubtings there may be, where there is even much
faith; and a little faith there may be, where there is
much doubting. Our Saviour requires, and delights in
a strong, firm believing on him, though the least and
weakest he rejects not."—Archbishop LeightorCs Lectures
on the first nine chapters of St. Matthew's Gospel. 1G70.
" The mercy of God is greater than all the sins in
the world. But we sometimes are in such a case, that
we think we have no faith at all; or if we have any, it
is very feeble and weak. And therefore these are two
things; to have faith, and to have the feeling of faith.
For some men would fain have the feeling of faith, but
they cannot attain unto it; and yet they must not de¬
spair, but go forward in calling upon God, and it will
come at the length: God will open their hearts, and let
them feel his goodness."—Bishop Latimer's Sermons.
1552.
ASSURANCE.
209
really to be saved; and yet to his last day
be never free from much anxiety, doubt, and
fear.
A child may be born heir to a great for¬
tune, and yet never be aware of his riches—
live childish, die childish, and never know
the greatness of his possessions.
"I know, thou sayest, that Jesus Christ came into
the world to save sinners; and that 'whosoever believ-
eth in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.' John
iii. 15. Neither can I know but that, in a sense of my
own sinful condition, I do cast myself in some measure
upon my Saviour, and lay some hold upon his all-suffi¬
cient redemption; but, alas ! my apprehensions of him
are so feeble, as that they can afford no sound comfort
to my soul. Courage, my son. Were it that thou look-
est to be justified and saved by the power of the very
act of thy faith, thou hadst reason to be disheartened
with the conscience of the weakness thereof; but now
that the virtue and efficacy of this happy work is in
the object apprehended by thee, which is the infinite
merits and mercy of thy God and Saviour, which can¬
not be abated by thine infirmities, thou hast cause to
take heart to thyself, and cheerfully to expect his salva¬
tion. If work were stood upon, a strength of hand
were necessary; but now that only taking and receiving
a precious gift is required, why may not a weak hand
do that as well as a strong—as well, though not as
forcibly ?"—Bishop IlalVs. Balm of Gilead. 1650.
210
HOME TRUTHS.
And so also a man may be a babe in
Christ's family—think as a babe, speak as a
babe; and, though saved, never enjoy a
lively hope, or know the real privileges of
his inheritance.
Do not therefore mistake my meaning,
while you hear me dwell strongly on assur¬
ance. Do not do me the injustice to say, I
told you none were saved except such as
could say with Paul, " I know and am per¬
suaded, there is a crown laid up for me." I
do not say so. I tell you nothing of the
kind.
" Many formerly, and those of the highest remark
and eminency, have placed true faith in no lower degree
tlian asssurance, or the secure persuasion of the pardon
of their sins, the acceptation of their persons, and their
future salvation. But this, as it is very sad and uncom¬
fortable for thousands of doubting and deserted souls,
concluding all those to fall short of grace who fall
short of certainty, so hath it given the papists too
great advantage. Faith is not assurance. But this
does sometimes crown and reward a strong, vigorous
and heroic faith; the Spirit of God breaking in upon
the soul with an evidencing light, and scattering all
that darkness, and those fears and doubts which before
beclouded it."—Bishop Hopkins on the Covenants. 1G80.
ASSURANCE.
211
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ a man
must have, beyond all question, if he is to be
saved. I know no other way of access to the
Father. I see no intimation of mercy, ex¬
cepting through Christ. A man must feel
his sins and lost estate—must come to Jesus
for pardon and salvation—must rest his
hope on him, and on him alone. But if he
only have faith to do this, however weak
and feeble that faith may be, I will engage,
from Scripture warrants, he shall not miss
heaven.
Never, never let us curtail the freeness of
the glorious gospel, or clip its fair propor¬
tions. Never let us make the gate more
strait, and the way more narrow, than pride
and love of sin have made it already. The
Lord" Jesus is very pitiful, and of tender
mercy. He does not regard so much the
quantity of faith as the quality: he does
not measure its degree, but its truth. He
will not break any bruised reed, nor quench
any smoking flax. He will never let it be
said that any perished at the foot of the
cross. " Him that cometh unto me," he
212
HOME TRUTHS.
says, " I will in nowise cast out." John
vi. 37.*
Yes, reader, though a man's faith be no
bigger than a grain of mustard-seed, if it
only bring him to Christ, and enable him to
touch the hem of his garment, he shall be
saved. There are degrees in our sanctifica-
tion. In our justification there are none.
What is written is written, and shall never
fail: "Whosoever believeth oil him"—not
whosoever has a strong and mighty faith—
" Whosoever believeth on him shall not be'
ashamed." Rom. x. 11.
But all this time I would have you take
notice, the poor believing soul may have no
full assurance of his pardon and acceptance
with God. He may be troubled with fear
upon fear, and doubt upon doubt. He may
have many a question, and many an anxiety,
* " He that believeth on Jesus shall never be con¬
founded. Never was any; neither shall you, if you be¬
lieve. It was a great word of faith spoken by a dying
man, who had been converted in a singular way, between
his condemnation and execution: his last words were
these, spoken with a mighty shout—' Never man perished
with his face toward Christ Jesus.' "—Traill,
ASSURANCE 213
many a struggle and many a misgiving—
clouds and darkness, storm and tempest to
the very end.
I will engage, I repeat, that bare simple
faith in Christ shall save a man, though he
may never attain to assurance; but I will
not engage it shall bring him to heaven with
strong and abounding consolations. I will
engage it shall land him safe in harbor ; but
I will not engage he shall enter that har¬
bor under full sail, confident and rejoicing.
I shall not be surprised if he reaches his
desired haven weather-beaten and tempest-
tossed, scarcely realizing his own safety till
he opens his eyes in glory.
Reader, I think it is of great importance
to keep in view this distinction between faith
and assurance. It explains things which an
inquirer in religion sometimes finds it hard
to understand.
Faith, let us remember, is the root, and
assurance is the flower. Doubtless you can
never have the flower without the root; but
it is no less certain you may have the root
and not the flower.
214 HOME TRUTHS
Faith is that poor trembling woman who
came behind Jesus in the press, and touched
the hem of his garment. Mark v. 27. As¬
surance is Stephen standing calmly in the
midst of his murderers, and saying, "I see
the heavens opened, and the Son of man
standing on the right hand of God." Acts
vii. 56.
Faith is the penitent thief, crying, "Lord,
remember me." Luke xxiii. 42. Assurance
is Job sitting in the dust, covered with sores,
and saying, " I know that my Redeemer liv-
eth." Job xix. 25. " Though he slay me,
yet will I trust in him." Job xiii. 15.
Faith is the anxious, trembling voice,
"Lord, I believe : help thou mine unbelief."
Mark ix. 24. Assurance is the confident
challenge—" Who shall lay any thing to the
charge of God's elect ? Who is he that
condemneth ?" Rom. viii. 33, 34.
Faith is life. How great is the blessing !
Who can tell the gulf between life and death ?
And yet life may be weak, sickly, unhealthy,
painful, trying, anxious, worn, burdensome,
joyless, smileless, to the very end.
ASSURANCE.
215
Assurance is more than life. It is health,
strength, power, vigor, activity, energy,
manliness, heauty.
Reader, it is not a question of saved or
not saved that lies before us, hut of privilege
or no privilege: it is not a question of peace
or no peace, but of great peace or little
peace: it is not a question between the
wanderers of this world and the school of
Christ, it is one that belongs only to the
school—it is between one class of scholars
and another.
He that hath faith does well. Happy
should I he, if I thought all who read these
pages had it. Blessed, thrice blessed, are
they that believe. They are safe. They
are washed. They are justified.
But he that has assurance does far better
.—sees more, feels more, knows more, enjoys
more, has more days like those spoken of in
Deuteronomy, even " the days of heaven
upon earth." Deut. xi. 21.
III. I pass on to the third thing of
which I spoke : I will give you reasons
218
HOME TRUTHS.
why an assurance is exceedingly to he de¬
sired.
I ask your attention to this point espe¬
cially. I heartily wish that assurance was
more sought after than it is. Too many
among those who believe begin doubting,
and go on doubting, and go to heaven in a
kind of mist.
It would ill become me to speak in a
slighting way of "hopes" and "trusts;"
hut I fear many of us sit down content with
them, and go no further. I should like to
see fewer " peradventurers " in the Lord's
family, and more who could say, "I know
and am persuaded."
0 that all believers would covet the best
gifts, and not be content with less. They
miss the full tide of blessedness the gospel
was meant to convey. They keep them¬
selves in a low and starved condition of
soul, while their Lord is saying, " Eat and
drink abundantly, 0 beloved ! Ask and re¬
ceive, that your joy may he full." Cant. v.
1; John xvi. 24.
1. Know then, for one thing, assurance is
ASSURANCE.
217
to be desired, because of the present comfort
and peace it affords.
Doubts and fears have great power to
spoil the happiness of a believer in Christ.
Uncertainty and suspense are bad enough in
any condition—in the matter of our health,
our property, our families, our affections,
our earthly callings—but never so bad as in
the affairs of our souls. And so long as a
believer cannot get beyond " I hope and I
trust," he manifestly feels a degree of un¬
certainty about his spiritual state. The
very words imply as much. He says, " I
hope," because he dares not say, "I know"
Now assurance goes far to set a child of
God free from this painful kind of bondage,
and so ministers mightily to his comfort. It
enables him to feel that the great business
of life is a settled business, the great debt a
paid debt, the great disease a healed disease,
and the great work a finished work; and all
other business, diseases, debts, and works,
are then by comparison small. In this way
assurance makes him patient in tribulation,
calm under bereavements, unmoved in sor-
218
HOME TRUTHS.
row, not afraid of evil tidings, in every con¬
dition content; for it gives him a fixedness
of heart. It sweetens his hitter cups, it
lessens the burden of his crosses, it smooths
the rough places over which he travels, it
lightens the valley of the shadow of death.*
Assurance will help a man to bear poverty
* "It was a saying of Bishop Latimer to Ridley,
' When I live in a settled and steadfast assurance about
the state of my soul, methinks then I am as hold as a
lion. I can laugh at all trouble; no affliction daunts
me. But when I am eclipsed in my comforts, I am of
bo fearful a spirit that I could run into a very mouse-
hole.' "—Quoted by Christopher Love. 1653.
" Assurance will assist in all duties : it will arm us
Against all temptations: it will answer all objections :
it will sustain us in all conditions into which the sad¬
dest of times can bring us. ' If God be for us, who can
be against us ?'"—Bishop Reynolds on Hosea xiv. 1642.
" We cannot come amiss to him that hath assurance:
God is his. Hath he lost a friend ? His Father lives.
Hath he lost an only child ? God hath given him his
only Son. Hath he scarcity of bread ? God hath given
him the finest of the wheat, the bread of life. Are his
comforts gone ? He hath the Comforter. Doth he
meet with storms $ He knows where to put in for har¬
bor. God is his portion, and heaven is his haven "
<—Thomas Watson. 1662
ASSURANCE.
219
and loss. It will teach him to say, " I know
that I have in heaven a better and more en¬
during substance. Silver and gold have I
none, but, grace and glory are mine, and
these can never make themselves wings and
flee away. Though the fig-tree shall not
blossom, yet will I rejoice in the Lord."
Habak. iii. 17, 18.
Assurance will support a child of God un¬
der the heaviest bereavements, and assist
him to feel "it is well." An assured man
will say, " Though beloved ones are taken
from me, yet Jesus is the same, and is alive
for evermore."
Assurance will enable a man to praise
God and be thankful, even in a prison, like
Paul and Silas at Philippi. It can give a
believer songs, even in the darkest night,
and joy when all things seem going against
bim.* Job xxxv. 10; Psalm xlii. 8.
* This was Rutherford's experience, when banished
to Aberdeen: " How blind are my adversaries, who
sent me to a hanqueting-house, and not to a prison or
a place of exile." " My prison is a palace to me, and
Christ's banqueting-house."—Letters.
220 HOME TRUTHS.
Assurance will enable a man to sleep with
the full prospect of execution on the mor¬
row, like Peter in Herod's dungeon. It will
teach him to say, " I will both lay me down
in peace and sleep; for thou, Lord, only
makest me dwell in safety." Psalm iv. 8.
Assurance can make a man rejoice to suf¬
fer shame for Christ's sake, as the apostles
did. It will remind him that he may " re¬
joice and be exceeding glad;" (Matt. v. 12;)
and that there is in heaven an exceeding
weight of glory that shall make amends for
all. 2 Cor. iv. 17.
Assurance will enable a believer to meet
a violent and painful death without fear, as
Stephen did in the beginning of Christ's
Church, and as Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer,
and Taylor did at the Reformation. It will
bring to his heart the texts, " Be not afraid
of them that kill the body, and after that
have no more that they can do." Luke xii.
4. "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."* Acts
vii. 59.
* These were the last words of Hugh Mackail on the
scaffold, at Edinburgh, 1666 : " Now I begin my inter-
ASSURANCE.
221
Assurance will support a man in pain and
sickness, make all liis bed, smooth down his
dying pillow. It will enable him to say,
" If my earthly house fail, I have a building
of God." 2 Cor. v. 1. " I desire to depart
and he with Christ." Phil. i. 23. " My flesh
and my heart may fail: hut God is the
strength of my heart, and my portion for¬
ever."* Psalm lxxiii. 26.
course with God, which shall never be broken off.
Farewell, father and mother, friends and relations;
farewell, the world and all its delights; farewell,
meats and drinks; farewell, sun, moon, and stars.
Welcome, God and Father; welcome, sweet Lord Jesus,
the Mediator of the new covenant; welcome, blessed
Spirit of grace and God of all consolation; welcome,
glory; welcome, eternal life ; welcome, death. 0 Lord,
into thy hands I commit my spirit, for thou hast re¬
deemed my soul, 0 Lord God of truth."
* These were Rutherford's words on his death-bed:
" 0 that all my brethren did know what a Master I
have served, and what peace I have this day ! I shall
sleep in Christ, and when I awake I shall be satisfied
with his likeness." 1661.
These were Baxter's words on his death-bed: "I
bless God I have a well-grtmnded assurance of my eter¬
nal happiness, and great peace and comfort within."
Toward the close he was asked how he did? Tha
Miswer was, " Almost well." 1691.
222 HOME TRUTHS.
All! reader, tlie comfort assurance can
give in the hour of death is a great point,
depend upon it; and never will you think it
so great as when your turn comes to die.
In that awful hour there are few believers
who do not find out the value and privilege
of an assured hope, whatever they may have
thought about it during their lives. General
"hopes" and " trusts" may do while the sun
shines, and the body is strong; but when you
come to die, you will want to he able to say,
"I know and I feel."
Believe me, Jordan is a cold stream, and
we have to cross it alone. No earthly friend
can help us. The enemy, even death, is a
strong foe. When our souls are in depart¬
ing, there is no cordial like the strong wine
of assurance.
There is a beautiful expression in the Eng¬
lish prayer-hook service for the visitation of
the sick, "The Almighty Lord, who is a
most strong tower to all them that put their
trust in him, be now and evermore thy de¬
fence, and make thee know and feel that
there is none other name under heaven,
ASSURANCE.
223
through -whom thou mayst receive health
an I salvation, hut only the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ."
The compilers of that service showed great
wisdom there. They saw that when the
eyes grow dim, and the heart grows faint,
and the spirit is on the eve of departing,
there must then he knowing and feeling
what Christ has done for us, or else there
cannot he perfect peace.*
2. Let me name another thing. Assurance
is to he desired because it tends to make a
Christian an active working Christian.
A believer who lacks an assured hope will
spend much of his time in inward searchings
of heart about his own state. Like a ner¬
vous, hypochondriacal person, he will be
full of his own ailments,—his own doubtings
and questionings,—his own conflicts and cor¬
ruptions. In short, you will often find he is
so taken up with this internal warfare that
* " The least degree of faith takes away the sting
of death, because it takes away guilt, but the full
assurance of faith breaks the very teeth and jaws of
death, by taking away the fear and dread of it."—Fair-
dough's Sermon in the Morning Exercises
224
HOME TRUTHS.
he has little leisure for other things—little
time to work for God.
Now, a believer who has, like Paul, an
assured hope, is free from these harassing
distractions. He does not vex his soul with
doubts about his own pardon and acceptance.
He looks at the everlasting covenant sealed
with blood, at the atonement, and never-
broken word of his Lord and Saviour, and
therefore counts his acceptance a settled
thing. And thus he is able to give an undi¬
vided attention .to the work of the Lord, and
so, in the long run, to do more.*
* "Assurance would make us active and lively in
God's service; it would excite prayer, quicken obedi¬
ence. Assurance would be as wings to the bird, as
weights to the clock, to set all the wheels of obedience
arunning.—Thomas Watson.
" Assurance will make a man fervent, constant, and
abundant in the work of the Lord. When the assured
Christian hath done one work, he is calling out for an¬
other. What is next, Lord, says the assured soul—
what is next ? An assured Christian will put his hand
to any work; he will put his neck in any yoke for
Christ; he never thinks he hath done enough; he
always thinks he hath done too little; and when he
hath done all he can, he sits down, saying, I am an un¬
profitable servant."—Thomas Brooks
ASSURANCE.
225
Take for an illustration of this, two emi¬
grants, and suppose them set down side by
side in New Zealand or Australia. Give
each of them a piece of land to clear and
cultivate. Let the portions allotted to them
he the same both in quantity and quality.
Secure that land to them by every needful
legal instrument,—let it be conveyed as free¬
hold to them and theirs for ever,—let the
conveyance be publicly registered, and the
property made sure to them by every deed
and security that man's ingenuity can devise.
Suppose, then, that one of them shall set
to work to bring his land into cultivation,
and labor at it day after day without inter¬
mission or cessation.
Suppose, in the meanwhile, that the other
shall he continually leaving his work, and
going repeatedly to the public registry to
ask whether the land is really his own,—
whether there is not some mistake,—whether
after all there is not some flaw in the legal
instruments which conveyed it to him.
The one shall never doubt his title, hut
just work diligently on.
8
226 HOME TRUTHS
The other shall hardly ever feel sure of his
title, and spend half his time in going to
Sydney or Auckland, with needless inquiries
about it.
Which now of these two men will have
made most progress in a year's time ? Who
will have done the most for his land, got the
greatest breadth of soil under tillage, have
the best crops to show, be altogether the
most prosperous ?
You all know as well as I do. I need not
supply an answer. There can be only one
reply. Undivided attention will always at¬
tain the greatest success.
Reader, so will it be in the matter of our
title to " mansions in the skies." None will
do so much for the Lord who bought him as
the Christian who sees his title clear, and is
not distracted by unbelieving hesitations.
The joy of the Lord will be that man's
strength. " Restore unto me," says David,
" the joy of thy salvation; then will I teach
transgressors thy ways." Psalm li. 12, 13.
Never were there such working Christians
as the apostles. They seemed to live to
ASSURANCE.
227
labor: Christ's work was truly their meat
and drink. They counted not their lives
dear to themselves. They spent and were
spent. They laid down ease, health, worldly
comfort, at the foot of the cross. And one
grand cause of this, I believe, was their as¬
sured hope. They were men who could say,
"We know that we are of God, and the whole
world lieth in wickedness." 1 John v. 19.
3. Let me name another thing. Assurance
is to be desired, because it tends to make a
Christian a decided Christian.
Indecision and doubt about our own state
in God's sight are grievous evils. They often
produce a wavering and unstable walk in
following the Lord. Assurance helps to cut
many a knot, and to make the path of Chris¬
tian duty clear and plain.
Many, of whom we feel hopes that they are
God's children, and have true grace, however
weak, are continually perplexed with doubts
on points of practice. " Should we do such
and such a thing ? Shall we give up this
family custom ? Ought we to go into that
company? How shall we draw the line
228 HOME TRUTHS.
about visiting ? What is the measure of our
dressing and our entertainments? Are we
never, under any circumstances, to dance,
never to touch a card, never to attend parties
of pleasure?" These are a kind of questions
which seem to give them constant trouble.
And often, very often, the simple root of
their perplexity is, that they do not feel
assured they are themselves children of God.
They have not yet settled the point, which
side of the gate they are on. They do not
know whether they are inside the ark or not.
That a child of God ought to act in a cer¬
tain decided way, they quite feel; hut the
grand question is, "Are they children of God
themselves ?" If they only felt they were
so, they would go straightforward, and take
a decided line ; but not feeling sure about it,
their conscience is for ever hesitating and
coming to a dead lock. The devil whispers,
" Perhaps after all you are not converted—
what right have you to take a decided course ?
"Wait till you are really a Christian." And
this whisper too often turns the scale, and
leads on to some miserable compromise, or
wretched conformity to the world.
ASSURANCE. 229
Reader, I verily believe you have here
one chief reason why so many in this day
are inconsistent, trimming, unsatisfactory,
and half-hearted in their conduct about the
world. Their faith fails. They feel no
assurance that they are Christ's, and so feel
a hesitancy about breaking with the world.
They shrink from laying aside all the ways
of the old man, because they are not quite
confident they have put on the new. Depend
on it, one secret cause of halting between
two opinions is want of assurance. "When
people can say decidedly, " The Lord he is
the God," their course becomes very clear.
1 Kings xviii. 39.
4. Let me name one thing more. Assur¬
ance is to be desired, because it tends to
make the holiest Christians.
This too sounds wonderful and strange,
and yet it is true. It is one of the paradoxes
of the gospel, contrary, at first sight, to
reason and common sense, and yet it is a
fact. Cardinal Bellarmine was seldom more
wide of the truth than when he said, "Assur¬
ance tends to carelessness and sloth." He
230
HOME TRUTHS.
that is freely forgiven by Christ will always
do much for Christ's glory, and he that enjoys
the fullest assurance of this forgiveness will
ordinarily keep up the closest walk with God.
It is a faithful saying in 1 John v. 3, " Every
man that hath this hope in him purifieth him¬
self, even as he is pure." A hope that does
not purify is a mockery, a delusion, and a
snare.*
* " The true assurance of salvation which the Spirit
of God hath wrought in any heart, hath that force to
restrain a man from looseness of life, and to knit his
heart in love and obedience to God, as nothing else hath
in all the world. It is certainly either the want of
faith and assurance of God's love, or a false and carnal
assurance of it, that is the true cause of all the licen¬
tiousness that reigns in the w'orld."—Hildersam on the
51 st Psalm.
" None walk so evenly with God as they who are as¬
sured of the love of God. Faith is the mother of obe¬
dience, and sureness of trust makes way for strictness
of life. When men are loose from Christ, they are
loose in point of duty, and their floating belief is soon
discovered in their inconstancy and uneveuness of walk¬
ing. We do not with alacrity engage in that of the
success of which we are doubtful; and therefore when
we know not whether God will accept us or not, when
we are off and on in point of trust, we are just so in
ASSURANCE.
231
None are so likely to maintain a watchful
guard over their hearts and lives as those
who know the comfort of living in near com-
the course of our lives, and serve God by fits and starts.
It is the slander of the world to think assurance an idle
doctrine."—Manton's Exposition of James. 1660.
" Who is more obliged, or who feels the obligation to
observance more cogently—the son who knows his near
relation, and knows his father loves him; or the servant
that hath great reason to doubt it ? Fear is a weak and
impotent principle in comparison of love. Terrors lnay
awaken: love enlivens. Terrors may' almost persuade:'
love over-persuades. Sure am I that a believer's kncrw-
ledge that his Beloved is his, and he is his Beloved's,
is found by experience to lay the most strong and
cogent obligations upon him to loyalty and faithfulness
to the Lord Jesus. For as to him that believes Christ
is precious, (1 Peter ii. 7,) so to him that knows he be¬
lieves, Christ is so much the more precious, even the
« chiefest among ten thousand.' Cant. v. 10."—Fair-
dough's Sermon in Morning Exercises. 1660.
" Is it necessary that men should be kept in continual
dread of damnation, in order to render them circumspect
and insure their attention to duty ? Will not the well-
grounded expectation of heaven prove far more effica¬
cious ? Love is the noblest and strongest principle of
obedience; nor can it be but that a sense of God's love
to us will increase our desire to please him."—Robin¬
son's Christian System.
632 HOME TRUTHS.
munion with God. They feel their privilege,
and will fear losing it. They will dread
falling from their high estate, and marring
their own comforts, by bringing clouds be¬
tween themselves and Christ. He that goes
on a journey with little money about him
takes little thought of danger, and cares
little how late he travels. He, on the con¬
trary, that carries gold and jewels will be a
cautious traveller: he will look well to his
roads, his house, and his company, and run
no risks. The fixed stars are those that
tremble most. The man that most fully
enjoys the light of God's reconciled counte¬
nance will be a man tremblingly afraid of
losing its blessed consolations, and jealously
fearful of grieving the Holy Ghost.
Reader, I commend these four points to
your serious consideration. Would you like
to feel the everlasting arms around you, and
to hear the voice of Jesus daily drawing nigh
to your soul, and saying, " I am thy salva¬
tion?"—Would you like to be a useful labor¬
er in the vineyard in your day and generation ?
—Would you be known of all men as a bold,
ASSURANCE. 233
firm, decided, single-eyed, uncompromising
follower of Christ ?—"Would you be eminent¬
ly spiritually-minded and holy ? "Ah!" some
people will say, " these are the very things
our hearts desire. We long for them. We
pant after them, but they seem far from
us."
Now, has it never struck you that your
neglect of assurance may possibly he the
main secret of all your failures,—that the
low measure of faith which satisfies you may
he the cause of your low degree of peace ?
Can you think it a strange thing that your
graces are faint and languishing, when faith,
the root and mother of them all, is allowed
to remain feeble and weak ?
Take my advice this day. Seek an in¬
crease of faith. Seek to obtain a simple,
child-like confidence in God's promises.
Seek to be able to say with Paul, " I know
whom I have believed: I am persuaded that
he is mine, and I am his."
You have, probably, tried other ways and
methods, and completely failed. Change
your plan. Go upon another tack. Lay
234 HOME TRUTHS.
aside your doubts. Lean more entirely on
the Lord's arm. Begin with implicit trust¬
ing. Cast aside your faithless backwardness
to take the Lord at his word. Come and
throw yourself, your soul, and your sins upon
your gracious Saviour. Begin with simple
believing, and all other things shall soon be
added to you.
IY. I come now to the last thing of which
I spoke. I promised to point out to you
some probable causes why an assured hope is
so seldom attained. I will do it very shortly.
This is a very serious question, and ought
to raise in us all great searchings of heart.
Few, certainly, of Christ's people seem to
reach up to this blessed spirit of assurance.
Many comparatively believe, but few are
persuaded. Many comparatively have sav¬
ing faith, but few that glorious confidence
which shines forth in our text. That such is
the case, I think we must all allow.
Now, why is this so? Why is a thing
which two apostles have strongly enjoined
us to seek after, a thing of which few believ-
ASSURANCE. 235
ers have any experimental knowledge ? Why
is an assurance so rare ?
I desire to offer a few suggestions on this
point with all humility. I know that many
have never attained assurance, at whose feet
I would gladly sit, both in earth and heaven.
Still, after every allowance, I fear there are
many believers without an assured hope,
whose case may too often be explained by
causes such as these.
1. One most common cause, I suspect, is
a defective view of the doctrine of justifica¬
tion.
I am inclined to think that justification
and sanctification are insensibly confused
together in the minds of many believers.
They receive the gospel truth, that there
must he something done IN us, as well as
something done for us, if we are true mem¬
bers of Christ; and so far they are right.
But then, without being aware of it, perhaps,
they seem to imbibe the idea that their justi¬
fication is, in some degree, affected by some¬
thing within themselves. They do not clearly
see that Christ's merit, not their own work—
236 HOME TRUTHS.
either in whole or in part, either directly or
indirectly—is the alone ground of our ac¬
ceptance with God; that justification is a
thing entirely without us, for which nothing
whatever is needful on our part hut simple
faith; and that the weakest believer is as fully
and completely justified as the strongest.
My dear reader, think of this. If any be¬
lieving soul desires assurance, and has not
got it, let him ask himself first of all, if he
is quite sure he is sound in the faith—if his
loins are thoroughly girt about with truth,
and his eyes thoroughly clear in the matter
of justification. He must know what it is
simply to believe before he can expect to
feel assured.
Believe me, the old Galatian heresy is the
most fertile source of error, both in doctrine
and in practice. Seek clearer views of Christ,
and what Christ has done for you. Happy
is the man who really understands justifica
tion by faith without the deeds of the law.
2. Another common cause of the absence
of assurance is, slothfulness about growth in
grace.
ASSURANCE. 23?
I suspect many true believers bold dan¬
gerous and unscriptural views on this point;
I do not, of course, mean intentionally, but
they do hold them. Many appear to me to
think that, once converted, they have little
more to attend to, and that a state of salva¬
tion is a kind of easy-chair, in which they
may just sit still, lie back, and be happy.
They seem to fancy that grace is given them
that they may enjoy it, and they forget that
it is given, like a talent, to be used, employed,
and improved. Such persons lose sight of
the many direct injunctions " to increase, to
grow, to abound more and more, to add to
our faith," and the like, and in this little-
doing condition, this sitting-still state of mind,
I never marvel that they miss assurance.
I believe it ought to be our continual aim
and desire to go forward, and our watch¬
word at the beginning of every year should
be " More and more," (1 Thess. iv. 1:) more
knowledge, more faith, more obedience, more
love. If we have brought forth thirty-fold,
we should seek to bring forth sixty; and if
we have brought forth sixty, we should strive
238
HOME TRUTHS.
to bring forth a hundred. The "will of the
Lord is our sanctification, and it ought to be
our will too. Matt. xiii. 23; 1 Thess. iv. 3.
One thing, at all events, you may depend
upon: there is an inseparable connection be¬
tween diligence and assurance. " We de¬
sire," says Paul, "that every one of you do
show the same diligence to the full assurance
of hope unto the end." Heb. vi. 11. " The
soul of the diligent," says Solomon, "shall
be made fat." Prov. xiii. 4.
Mark my words, any one of you that de¬
sires assurance, and has not got it: you will
never get it without diligence, however much
you may desire it. There are no gains with¬
out pains in spiritual things, any more than
in temporal. " The soul of the sluggard de-
sireth, and hath nothing." Prov. xiii. 4.*
* "Are you in depths and doubts, staggering and un¬
certain, not knowing what is your condition, nor whether
you have any interest in the forgiveness that is of God ?
Are you tossed up and down between hopes and fears,
and want peace, consolation, and establishment ? Why
lie you upon your faces ? Get up ; watch, pray, fast,
meditate, offer violence to your lusts and corruptions;
fear not, startle not at their crying to be spared; press
ASSURANCE.
239
3. Another common cause of a want of
assurance is, an inconsistent walk in life.
With grief and sorrow I feel constrained
to say, I fear nothing in this day more fre¬
quently prevents men attaining an assured
hope than this. The stream of professing
Christianity is far wider than it formerly
was; and I am afraid we must admit at the
same time it is much less deep.
Inconsistency of life is utterly destructive
of peace of conscience. The two things are
incompatible. They cannot and they will
not go together.
If you will have your besetting sins, and
cannot make up your minds to give them
up; if you will shrink from cutting off the
right hand, and plucking out the right eye,
when occasion requires it, I will engage you
will have no assurance.
A vacillating walk, a backwardness to take
unto the throne of grace by prayer, supplications, im¬
portunities, restless requests—this is the way to take the
kingdom of God. These things are not peace, are not
assurance; but they are part of the means God hath
appointed for the attainment of them."—Owen on the
iZOih Psalm.
240
HOME TRUTHS.
a bold and decided line, a readiness to con¬
form to the world, a hesitating witness for
Christ, a lingering tone of religion, all these
make up a sure receipt for bringing a blight
upon the garden of your soul.
It is vain to suppose you will feel assured
and persuaded of your own pardon and ac¬
ceptance with God, unless you count all
God's commandments concerning all things
to be right, and hate every sin, whether great
or small. Psalm cxix. 128. One Achan al¬
lowed in the camp of your heart will weaken
your hands, and lay your consolations low in
the dust. You must be daily sowing to the
Spirit, if you are to reap the witness of the
Spirit. You will not find and feel that all
the Lord's ways are ways of pleasantness,
unless you labor in ail your ways to please
the Lord.*
* " Wouldst thou have thy hope strong ? Then keep
thy conscience pure. Thou canst not defile one without
weakening the other. The godly person that is loose
and careless in his holy walking, will soon find his hope
languishing. All sin disposeth the soul that tampers
with it to trembling fears and shakings of heart."—
Gurnall.
ASSURANCE.
241
By grace we are saved, not by works of
righteousness. But I never would have any
believer for a moment forget that our sense
of salvation depends much on the manner of
our living. Inconsistency will dim your
eyes, and bring clouds between you and the
sun. It is in the path of well-doing that the
day-spring of assurance will visit you, and
shine down upon your heart.
" The secret of the Lord," says David, "is
with them that fear him; and he will show
them his covenant." Psalm xxv. 14.
" To him that ordereth his conversation
aright will I show the salvation of God."
Psalm 1. 23.
" One great and too common cause of distress is the
secret maintaining some known sin. It puts out the eye
of the soul; o* dimmeth it and stupefies it, that it can
neither feel nor ser its own condition. But especially it
provoketh God to withdraw himself, his comforts, and
the assistance of his Spirit."—Baxter's Saint's Rest.
"The stars which have least circuit are nearest the
polo; and men whose hearts are least entangled with
the world are always nearest to .God, and to the assu¬
rance of his favor. Worldly Christians, remember this.
You and the world must part, or else assurance and your
souls will never meet."—Thomas Brooks.
242
HOME TRUTHS.
"Great peace have they which love thy
law; and nothing shall offend them." Psalm
cxix. 165.
"If we walk in the light, as he is in the
light, we have fellowship one with another."
1 John i. 7.
" Let us not love in word, neither in tongue;
hut in deed and in truth! And hereby we
know that we are of the truth, and shall
assure our hearts before Him." 1 John iii.
18, 19.
" Hereby we do know that we know Him,
if we keep his commandments." 1 John ii. 3.
Paul was a man who exercised himself to
have always a conscience void of offence
toward God and toward man. Acts xxiv. 16.
He could say with boldness, " I have fought
the good fight, I have kept the faith." I do
not wonder that the Lord enabled him to
add with confidence, " Henceforth there is a
crown laid up for me, and the Lord shall
give it me at that day."
Header, if any believer in the Lord Jesus
desires assurance, and has not got it, let him
think over this point also. Let him look at
ASSURANCE. 243
his own heart, look at his own conscience,
look at his own life, look at his own ways,
look at his own home. And perhaps when
he has done that, he will be able to say,
"There is a cause why I have no assured
hope."
Now I leave the three matters I have just
mentioned to your own private considera¬
tion. I am sure they are worth examining.
May you examine them honestly. And
may the Lord give you understanding in all
things.
And now, in closing this important in¬
quiry, let me speak first to those who have
not given themselves to the Lord—who have
not yet come out from the world, chosen the
good part, and followed Christ.
Learn, then, my dear friends, from this
subject, the privileges and comforts of a true
Christian.
I would not have you judge of the Lord
Jesus Christ by his people. The best of ser¬
vants can give you but a faint idea of that
glorious Master. Neither would I have you
judge of the privileges of his kingdom by
244 HOME TRUTHS.
the measure of comfort to which many of
his people attain. Alas ! we are most of us
poor creatures. "We come short, very short,
of the blessedness we might enjoy. But,
depend upon it, there are glorious things in
the city of our God, which they who have
an assured hope taste, even in their life-time.
There are lengths and breadths of peace and
consolation there, which it has not entered
into your heart to conceive. There is bread
enough and to spare in our Father's house,
though many of us certainly eat but little
of it, and continue weak. But the fault
must not be laid to our Master's charge : it is
all our own.
And, after all, the weakest child of God
has a mine of comforts within him of which
you know nothing. You see the conflicts
and tossings of the surface of his heart, but
you see not the pearls of great price which
are hidden in the depths below. The feeblest
member of Christ would not change conditions
with you. The believer who possesses the
least assurance is far better off than you are.
He has a hope, however faint; but you have
ASSURANCE.
245
none at all. lie has a portion that -will never
be taken from him, a Saviour that will never
forsake him, a treasure that fadeth not away,
however little he may realize it all at present.
But, as for you, if you die as you are, your
expectations will all perish. 0 that you
were wise! O that you understood these
things! 0 that you would consider your
latter end!
Take advice of a minister of Christ this
very day. Seek durable riches—a treasure
that cannot be taken from you, a city which
hath lasting foundations. Do as the Apostle
Paul did—give yourself to the Lord Jesus
Christ, and seek that incorruptible crown he
is ready to bestow. Take his yoke upon you,
and learn of him. Come away from a world
which will never really satisfy you, and from
sin which will bite like a serpent, if you
cleave to it, at last. Come to the Lord Jesus
as lowly sinners, and he will receive you,
pardon you, give you his renewing Spirit, fill
you with peace. This shall give you more
real comfort than the world has ever done.
There is a gulf in your heart which nothing
246
HOME TRUTHS.
but the peace of Christ can fill. Enter in,
and share our privileges. Come with us, and
sit down by our side.
Lastly, let me turn to all believers who
read these pages, and speak to them a few
words of brotherly counsel.
The main thing that I urge upon you is
this—if you have not got assurance of your
own acceptance in Christ, resolve this day to
seek it. Labor for it. Strive after it. Pray
for it. Give the Lord no rest till you know
whom you have believed.
I feel indeed that the small amount of as¬
surance in this day, among those who are
reckoned God's children, is a shame and a
reproach. "It is a thing to be heavily be¬
wailed," says old Traill, "that many Chris¬
tians have lived twenty or forty years since
Christ called them by his grace, yet doubt¬
ing in their life." Let us call to mind
the earnest " desire" Paul expresses, that
"every one" of the Hebrews should seek
after full assurance ; and let us endeavor, by
God's blessing, to roll this reproach away.
Heb. vi. 11.
ASSURANCE.
Brethren, do you really mean to say that
you have no desire to exchange hope for
confidence, trust for persuasion, uncertainty
for knowledge? Because weak faith will
save you, will you therefore rest content with
it ? Alas! this is not a healthy state of soul
to be in ; this is not the mind of the apostolic
day. Arise at once, and go forward. Stick
not at the foundations of religion; go on to
perfection. Be not content with a day of
small things. Never despise it in others,
but never be content with it yourselves.
Believe me, believe me, assurance is worth
the seeking. You forsake your own mercies
when you rest content without it. The things
I speak are for your peace. If it is good to
be sure in earthly things, how much better
is it to be sure in heavenly things. There is
nothing unscriptural in this. Paul never
saw the book of life, and yet Paul says, " I
know and am persuaded."
Make it then your daily prayer that you
may have an increase of faith. According
to your faith will be your peace. Cultivate
that blessed root more, and sooner or later,
248 HOME TRUTHS.
by God's blessing, you may hope to have the
flower. You may not perhaps attain to
full assurance all at once. But though it
tarry, wait for it. Seek on, and expect to
find.
Another thing I will name is this: you
must not be surprised if you have occasional
doubts after you have got assurance. You
must not forget you are on earth, and not
yet in heaven. And there is a devil too, and
a strong devil—a devil who tempted the Lord
Jesus, and gave Peter a fall; and he will
take care you know it. But be not dis¬
couraged : you shall be more than conquerors
through Him that loved you.
Finally, do not forget that assurance is a
thing that may be lost for a season, even by
the brightest Christians, unless they take
care.
Assurance is a most delicate plant. It
needs daily, hourly, watching, watering, tend¬
ing, cherishing. So watch and pray the more
wnen you have got it. As Rutherford says,
"Make much of assurance." Be always
upon your guard. When Christian slept, in
ASSURANCE
249
Pilgrim's Progress, lie lost his certificate.
Keep that in mind.
David lost assurance for many months by
falling into transgression. Peter lost it when
he denied his Lord. Each found it again
undoubtedly, hut not till after hitter tears.
Spiritual darkness comes on horseback, and
goes away on foot. It is upon us before we
know that it is coming. It leaves us slowly,
gradually, and not till after many days. It
is easy to run down hill: it is hard work to
climb up. So remember my caution: when
you have the joy of the Lord, watch and
pray.
Above all, grieve not the Spirit. Quench
not the Spirit. Yex not the Spirit. Drive
him not to a distance, by tampering with
small bad habits and little sins. Little jar-
rings between husbands and wives make
unhappy homes; and petty inconsistencies,
known and allowed, will bring in a strange¬
ness between you and the Spirit.
Hear the conclusion of the whole matter.
The man who walks with God in Christ
most closely, will generally be kept in the
250
HOME TRUTHS.
greatest peace. The believer who follows
the Lord most fully, will ordinarily enjoy
the most assured hope, and have the clearest
persuasion of his own salvation.
the cross.
251
%\t toss,
OOD FOBBED THAT I SHOULD GLOBT, SAVE IN THE CBOSS OF OUB
LOBD JESUS CHRIST.
Gal. Yi. 14.
Reader, what do you think and feel about
the cross of Christ ? You live in a Christian
land. You probably attend the worship of
a Christian Church. You have perhaps
been baptized in the name of Christ. You
profess and call yourself a Christian. All
this is well. It is more than can be said of
millions in the world. But all this is no
answer to my question, " What do you think
and feel about the cross of Christ?"
I want to tell you what the greatest Chris¬
tian that ever lived thought of the cross of
Christ. He has written down his opinion.
He has given his judgment in words that
cannot be mistaken. The man I mean is
the Apostle Paul. The place where you
252 HOME TRUTHS.
■will find his opinion is in the letter which
the Holy Ghost inspired him to write to the
Galatians. And the words in which his judg¬
ment are set down, are these : " God forbid
that I should glory, save in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ."
Now, what did Paul mean by saying this ?
He meant to declare strongly that he trusted
in nothing but Jesus Christ crucified for the
pardon of his sins and the salvation of his
soul. Let others, if they would, look else¬
where for salvation. Let others, if they
were so disposed, trust in other things for
pardon and peace. Por his part, the apostle
determined to rest on nothing, lean on no¬
thing, build his hope on nothing, place con¬
fidence in nothing, glory in nothing, except
the " cross of Jesus Christ."
Reader, let me talk to you about this sub¬
ject. Believe me, it is one of the deepest
importance. This is no mere question of
controversy. This is not one of those points
on which men may agree to differ, and feel
that differences will not shut them out of
heaven. A man must be right on this sub-
THE CROSS. 253
ject, or he is lost for ever. Heaven or hell,
happiness or misery, life or death, blessing
or cursing in the last day,—all hinges on
the answer to this question, " What do you
think about the cross of Christ?"
I. Let me show you what the Apostle Paul
did not glory in.
II. Let me explain to you what he did
glory in.
III. Let me show you why all Christians
should think and feel about the cross like
Paul.
I. What did the Apostle Paul not glory in ?
There are many things that Paul might
have gloried in, if he had thought as some
do in this day. If ever there was one on
earth who had something to boast of in him¬
self, that man was the great apostle of the
Gentiles. Now if he did not dare to glory,
who shall ?
He never gloried in his national privi¬
leges. He was a Jew by birth, and as he
tells us himself, —"A Hebrew of the He¬
brews." He might have said, like many of
254
HOME TRUTHS.
his brethren, " I have Abraham for my fore¬
father. I am not a dark, unenlightened
heathen. I am one of the favored people of
God. I have been admitted into covenant
with God by circumcision. I am a far better
man than the ignorant Gentiles." But he
never said so. He never gloried in any thing
of this kind. Never for one moment.
He never gloried in his own works. None
ever worked so hard for God as he did. He
was more abundant in labors than any of
the apostles. No living man ever preached
so much, travelled so much, and endured so
many hardships for Christ's cause. None
ever converted so many souls, did so much
good to the world, and made himself so use¬
ful to mankind. No Father of the early
Church, no Reformer, no Puritan, no mis¬
sionary, no minister, no layman,—no one
man could ever be named who did so many
good works as the Apostle Paul. But did
he ever glory in them, as if they were in the
least meritorious, and could save his soul?
Never! never for one moment!
He never gloried in his knowledge. He
THE CROSS.
255
was a man of great gifts naturally, and after
he was converted the Holy Spirit gave him
greater gifts still. He was a mighty preacher,
and a mighty speaker, and a mighty writer.
He was as great with his pen as he was with
his tongue. He could reason equally well
with Jews and Gentiles. He could argue
with infidels at Corinth, or Pharisees at
Jerusalem, or self-righteous people in Galatia.
He knew many deep things. He had been
in the third heaven, and heard unspeakable
words. He had received the spirit of pro¬
phecy, and could foretell things yet to come.
But did he ever glory in his knowledge as
if it could justify him before God ? Never !
never! never for one moment!
He never gloried in his graces. If ever
there was one who abounded in graces, that
man was Paul. He was full of love. How
tenderly and affectionately he used to write !
He could feel for souls like a mother or a
nurse feeling for her child. He was a bold
man. He cared not whom he opposed wThen
truth was at stake. He cared not what risks
he ran when souls were to be won. He was
256 HOME TRUTHS
a self-denying man,—in hunger and thirst
often, in cold and nakedness, in patchings
and fastings. He was an humble man. He
thought himself less than the least of all
saints, and the chief of sinners. He was a
prayerful man. See how it comes put at
the beginning of all his epistles. He was a
thankful man. His thanksgivings and his
prayers walked side by side. Bait he never
gloried in all this, never valued himself on
it. 0 no ! never for a moment!
He never gloried in his Churchmanship.
If ever there was a good Churchman, that
man was Paul. He was a chosen apostle.
He was a founder of churches, and an or-
dainer of ministers. Timothy and Titus, and
many elders, received their first commission
from his hands. He was the beginner of
services and sacraments in many a dark
place. Many a one did he prepare for bap¬
tism. Many a one did he receive at the
Lord's table. Many a meeting for prayer,
and praise, and preaching, did he begin and
carry on. He was the setter up of discipline
in many a young Church. "Whatever ordi
THE CROSS. 257
nances and rules and ceremonies were ob¬
served in tbem, were first recommended by
bim. But did he ever glory in his office and
Church standing ? Does he ever speak as if
his Churchmanship would save him, justify
him, put away his sins, and make him accept¬
able before God ? O no ! never ! never !
never for a moment!
And now, reader, mark what I say. If
the Apostle Paul never gloried in any of these
things, who in all the world, from one end
to the other, who has any right to glory in
them in our day ? If Paul said, God forbid
that I should glory in any thing whatever
except the cross, who shall dare to say, " I
have something to glory of,—I am a better
man than Paul?"
Who is there among the readers of this
book that trusts in any goodness of his own i
Who is there that is resting on his own
amendments, his own morality, his own per¬
formances of any kind whatever ? Who is
there that is leaning the weight of his soul
on any thing whatever of his own in the
smallest possible degree ? Learn, I say, that
9
258
HOME TRUTHS.
you are very unlike the Apostle Paul. Learn
that your religion* is not apostolical religion.
Who is there among the readers of this
book that trusts in his Churchmanship for
salvation ? Who is there that is valuing
himself on his baptism, or his attendance at
the Lord's table,—his church-going on Sun¬
days, or his daily services during the week,—.
and saying to himself, What lack I yet?
Learn, I say, this day, that you are very
unlike Paul. Your Christianity is not the
Christianity of the New Testament. Paul
would not glory in any thing but the cross.
Neither ought you.
0 reader, beware of self-righteousness. Go
and study humility with the great apostle
of the Gentiles. Go and sit with Paul at
the foot of the cross. Give up your secret
pride. Cast away your vain ideas of your
own goodness. Be thankful if you have
grace, but never glory in yourself for a
moment. Work for God and Christ with
heart, and soul, and mind, and strength, but
never dream for a second of placing confi¬
dence in any work of your own.
THE CROSS.
259
Think, you who take comfort in some
fancied ideas of your own goodness,—think,
you who wrap up ■ yourselves in the notion,
"All must be right, if I keep to my Church,"
—think for a moment what a sandy founda¬
tion you are building upon ! Think for a
moment how miserably defective your hopes
and pleas will look in the hour of death, and
in the day of judgment! Whatever men
may say of their own goodness while they
are strong and healthy, they will find but
little to say of it when they are sick and
dying. Whatever merit they may see in
their own works here in this world, they
will discover none in them when they stand
before the bar of Christ. The light of that
great day of assize will make a wonderful
difference in the appearance of all their
doings. It will strip off the tinsel, shrivel
up the complexion, expose the rottenness
of many a deed that is now called good.
Their wheat will prove nothing but chaff.
Their gold will be found nothing but dross.
Millions of so-called Christian actions will
turn out to have been utterly defective and
260
HOME TRUTHS.
graceless. They passed current, and were
valued among men. They will prove light
and worthless in the balance of God. They
will be found to have been like the whitened
sepulchres of old—fair and beautiful without,
but full of corruption within. Alas ! for the
man who can look forward to the day of
judgment, and lean his soul in the smallest
degree on any thing of his own !*
Reader, once more I say, beware of self-
* " Howsoever men, when they sit at ease, do vainly
tickle their own hearts with the wanton conceit of I
know not what proportionable correspondence between
their merits and their rewards, which, in the trance of
their high speculations, they dream that God hath
measured and laid up, as it were, in bundles for them,
we see, notwithstanding, by daily experience, in a num¬
ber even of them, that when the hour of death ap-
proacheth, when they secretly hear themselves summoned
to appear and stand at the bar of that Judge, whose
brightness causeth the eyes of angels themselves to dazzle,
all those idle imaginations do then begin to hide their
faces. To name merits, then, is to lay their souls upon
the rack. The memory of their own deeds is loathsome
unto them. They forsake all things wherein they have
put any trust and confidence. No staff to lean upon, no
rest, no ease, no comfort then, but only in Christ Jesus."
•—Richard Hooker. 1585.
THE CROSS.
261
righteousness in every possible shape and
form. Some people get as much harm from
their fancied virtues, as others do from their
sins. Take heed, lest you he one. Rest
not, rest not till your heart beats in tune
with St. Paul's. Rest not till you can say
with him, " God forbid that I should glory
in any thing but the cross."
II. Let me explain, in the second place,
what you are to understand by the cross of
Christ.
The cross is an expression that is used in
more than one meaning in the Bible. What
did St. Paul mean when he said, " I glory
in the cross of Christ," in the Epistle to the
Galatians ? This is the point I now wish to
make clear.
The cross sometimes means that wooden
cross, on which the Lord Jesus was nailed
and put to death on Mount Calvary. This
is what St. Paul had in his mind's eye, when
he told the Philippians that Christ "became
obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross." Phil. ii. 8. This is not the cross in
262
HOME TRUTHS.
•which St. Paul gloried. He would have
shrunk with horror from the idea of glorying
m a mere piece of wood. I have no doubt
he would have denounced the Roman Catho¬
lic adoration of the crucifix, as profane, blas¬
phemous, and idolatrous.
The cross sometimes means the afflictions
and trials which believers in Christ have to
go through if they follow Christ faithfully,
for their religion's sake. This is the sense
in which our Lord uses the word, when he
says, " He that taketh not his cross, and fol¬
io weth after me, cannot be my disciple."
Matt. x. 38. This also is not the sense in
which Paul uses the word when he writes to
the Galatians. He knew that cross well.
He carried it patiently. But he is not speak¬
ing of it here.
But the cross also means, in some places,
the doctrine that Christ died for sinners upon
the cross, the atonement that he n^ade for
sinners, by his suffering for them on the
cross,—the complete and perfect sacrifice
for sin which he offered up, when he gave
his own body to be crucified. In short, this
THE CROSS. 263
one word, "the cross," stands for Christ
crucified, the only Saviour. This is the
meaning in which Paul uses the expression,
when he tells the Corinthians, " the preach¬
ing of the cross is to them that perish foolish¬
ness." 1 Cor. i. 18. This is the meaning in
which he wrote to the Galatians, " God forbid
that I should glory, save in the cross." He
simply meant, " I glory in nothing but Christ
crucified, as the salvation of my soul."*
Reader, Jesus Christ crucified was the joy
and delight, the comfort and the peace, the
hope and the confidence, the foundation and
the resting-place, the ark and the refuge, the
food and the medicine of Paul's soul. lie
did not think of what he had done himself,
and suffered himself. He did not meditate
on his own goodness, and his own righteous¬
ness. He loved to think of what Christ had
* "By the cross of Christ the apostle understandeth
the all-sufficient, expiatory, and satisfactory sacrifice of
Christ upon the cross, with the whole work of our re¬
demption : in the saving knowledge whereof he profess-
eth he will glory and boast."—Cudworth on Galatians.
1613.
2C4
HOME TRUTHS.
done, and Christ had suffered,—of the death
of Christ, the atonement of Christ, the blood
of Christ. In this he did glory. This was
the sun of his soul.
This is the subject he loved to preach
about. He was a man who went to and fro
on the earth, proclaiming to sinners that the
Son of God had shed his own heart's blood
to save their souls. He walked up and down
the world, telling people that Jesus Christ
had loved them, and died for their sins upon
the cross. Mark how he says to the Corinth¬
ians, " I delivered unto you first of all that
which I also received, how that Christ died
for our sins." 1 Cor. xv. 3. "I determined
not to know any thing among you save Jesus
Christ and him crucified." 1 Cor. ii. 2. He,
a blaspheming, persecuting Pharisee, had
been washed in Christ's blood. He could
not hold his peace about it. He was never
weary of telling the story of the cross.
This is the subject he loved to dwell upon
when he wrote to believers. It is wonderful
to observe how full his epistles generally are
of the sufferings and death of Christ,—
THE CROSS.
2G5
now they run over with " thoughts that
breathe, and words that burn," about Christ's
dying love and power. His heart seems
full of the subject. He enlarges on it con¬
stantly. He returns to it continually. It is
the golden thread that runs through all his
doctrinal teaching and practical exhorta¬
tions. He seems to think that the most
advanced Christian can never hear too much
about the cross.*
This is what he lived upon all his life,
from the time of his conversion. He tells?
the Galatians, " The life that I now live in
the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of
God, who loved me, and gave himself for
me." Gal. ii. 20. What made him so strong
to labor? What made him so willing to
work? What made him so unwearied in
endeavors to save some? What made him
* " Christ crucified is the sum of the gospel, and con¬
tains all the riches of it. Paul was so much taken with
Christ, that nothing sweeter than Jesus could drop from
his pen and lips. It is observed that he hath the word
'Jesus' five hundred times in his epistles."—Charnock.
1684.
266 HOME TRUTHS.
so persevering and patient ? I will tell jou
the secret of it all. He was always feeding
by faith on Christ's body and Christ's blood.
Jesus crucified was the meat and drink of
his soul.
And, reader, you may rest assured that
Paul was right. Depend upon it, the cross
of Christ,—the death of Christ on the cross
to make atonement for sinners,—is the centre
truth in the whole Bible. This is the truth
we begin with when we open Genesis. The
Seed of the woman bruising the serpent's
head is nothing else but a prophecy of
Christ crucified. This is the truth that
shines out, though veiled, all through the
law of Moses and the history of the Jews.
The daily sacrifice, the passover lamb, the
continual shedding of blood in the tabernacle
and temple,—all these were emblems of
Christ crucified. This is the truth that we
see honored in the vision of heaven before
we close the hook of Revelation. " In the
midst of the throne and of the four beasts,"
we are told, " and in the midst of the elders,
stood a Lamb as it had been slain." Rev. v. 6.
THE CROSS. 267
Even in the midst of heavenly glory we get
a view of Christ crucified. Take away the
cross of Christ, and the Bible is a dark book.
It is like the Egyptian hieroglyphics, with¬
out the key that interprets their meaning,—
curious and wonderful, but of no real
use.
Reader, mark what I say. You may know
a good deal about the Bible. You may
know the outlines of the histories it contains,
and the dates of the events described, just
as a man knows the history of England.
You may know the names of the men and
women mentioned in it, just as a man knows
Csesar, Alexander the Great, or Napoleon.
You may know the several precepts of the
Bible, and admire them, just as a man ad¬
mires Plato, Aristotle, or Seneca. But if
you have not yet found out that Christ
crucified is the foundation of the whole
volume, you have read your Bible hitherto
to very little profit. Your religion is a
heaven without a sun, an arch without a
key-stone, a compass without a needle, a
clock without spring or weights, a lamp with-
2C8 HOME TRUTHS.
out oil. It ■will not comfort you. It will
not deliver your soul from hell.
Header, mark what I say again. You
may know a good deal about Christ by a
kind of head knowledge. You may know
who he was, and where he was horn, and
what he did. You may know his miracles, his
sayings, his prophecies, and his ordinances.
You may know how he lived, and how he
suffered, and how he died. But unless you
know the power of Christ's cross by expe¬
rience,—unless you know and feel within
that the blood shed on that cross has washed
away your own particular sins, — unless
you are willing to confess that your salva¬
tion depends entirely on the work that
Christ did upon the cross,—unless this be
the case, Christ will profit you nothing.
The mere knowing Christ's name will never
save you. You must know his cross, and
his blood, or else you will die in your
sins.*
* " If our faith stop in Christ's life, and do not fasten
upon his blood, it will not be a justifying faith. His
miracles, which prepared the world for his doctrines; his
THE CROSS. 269
Read..i\ as long as you live, beware tf a
religion in which there is not much of the
cross. You live in times when the warning
is sadly needful. Beware, I say again, of
a religion without the cross.
There are hundreds of places of worship,
in this day, in which there is every thing
almost except the cross. There is carved
oak, and sculptured stone. There is stained
glass, and brilliant painting. There are
solemn services, and a constant round of
ordinances. But the real cross of Christ is
not there. Jesus crucified is not proclaimed
in the pulpit. The Lamb of God is not lifted
up, and salvation by faith in him is not
freely proclaimed. And hence all is wrong.
Reader, beware of such places of worship.
They are not apostolical. They would not
have satisfied St. Paul.*
holiness, •which fitted himself for his sufferings, had been
insufficient for us without the addition of the cross."—
Charnock. 1084.
* " Paul determined to know nothing else but Jesus
Christ and him crucified. But many manage the ministry
as if they had taken up a contrary determination, evcu
270 HOME TBUTHS.
There are thousands of religious books
published in our times, in which there is
every thing except the cross. They are full
of directions about the sacraments, and
praises of the Church. They abound in
exhortations about holy living, and rules for
the attainment of perfection. They have
plenty of fonts and crosses both inside and
outside. But the real cross of Christ is left
out. The Saviour and his dying love are
either not mentioned, or are mentioned in an
unscriptural way. And hence they are
worse than useless. Reader, beware of such
books. They are not apostolical. They
would never have satisfied St. Paul.
Reader, St. Paul gloried in nothing but
the cross. Strive to be like him. Set Jesus
crucified fully before the eyes of your souL
Listen not to any teaching which would inter¬
pose any thing between you and him. Do not
fall into the old Galatian error. Think not
that any one in this day is a better guide
than the apostles. Do not be ashamed of
to know any thing save Jesua Christ and him crucified."
—Traill 1690
THE CROSS. 271
the old paths in which men walked who
were inspired by the Holy Ghost. Let not
the vague talk of men who speak great
swelling words about catholicity, and the
Church, and the ministry, disturb your peace,
and make you loose your hands from the
cross. Churches, ministers, and sacraments,
are all useful in their way, but they are not
Christ crucified. Do not give Christ's honor
to another. " He that glorieth, let him glory
in the Lord."
III. Let me show you why all Christians
ought to glory in the cross of Christ.
I feel that I must say something on this
point, because of the ignorance that pre¬
vails about it. I suspect that many see no
peculiar glory and beauty in the subject
of Christ's cross. On the contrary, they
think it painful, humbling, and degrading.
They do not see much profit in the story of
his death and sufferings. They rather turn
from it as an unpleasant thing.
Now I believe that such persons are quite
272
HOME TRUTHS.
■wrong. I cannot hold with them. I believe
it is an excellent thing for us all to be con¬
tinually dwelling on the cross of Christ. It
is a good thing to be often reminded how
Jesus was betrayed into the hands of wicked
men,—how they condemned him with most
unjust judgment,—how they spit on him,
scourged him, heat him, and crowned him
with thorns,—how they led him forth as a
lamb to the slaughter, without his murmur¬
ing or resisting,—how they drove the nails
through his hands and feet, and set him up
on Calvary between two thieves,—how they
pierced his side with a spear, mocked him
in his sufferings, and let him hang there
naked and bleeding till he died. Of all
these things, I say, it is good to he reminded.
It is not for nothing that the crucifixion is
described four times over in the New Testa¬
ment. There are very few things that all
the four writers of the gospel describe.
Generally speaking, if Matthew, Mark, and
Luke tell a thing in our Lord's history,
John does not tell it. But there is one
THE CROSS. 273
thing that all the four give us most fully,
and that one thing is the story of the cross.
This is a striking fact, and not to he over¬
looked.
People seem to me to forget that Christ's
sufferings on the cross were necessary to
man's salvation. lie had to hear our sins,
if ever they were to he borne at all. "With
his stripes alone could we he healed. This
was the one payment of our debt that God
would accept. This was the great sacrifice
on which our eternal life depended. If Christ
had not gone to the cross and suffered in our
stead, the just for the unjust, there would
not have been a spark of hope for us. There
would have been a mighty gulf between our¬
selves and God, which no man ever could
have passed.*
* "In Christ's humiliation stands our exaltation: in
his weakness stands our strength : in his ignominy, our
glory: in his death, our life."—Cudworth. 1613.
"The eye of faith regards Christ sitting on the sum¬
mit of the cross, as in a triumphal chariot—the devil
hound to the lowest part of the same cross, and trodden
under the feet of Christ."—Bishop Davenant on Coloa-
sians. 1627.
274 HOME TRUTHS.
People seem to me to forget that all
Christ's sufferings were endured voluntarily
and of his own free will. He was under no
compulsion. Of his own choice he laid
down his life. Of his own choice he went
to the cross to finish the work he came
to do. He might easily have summoned
legions of angels with a word, and scattered
Pilate and Ilerod and all their armies, like
chaff before the wind. But he was a willing
sufferer. His heart was set on the salvation
of sinners. He was resolved to open a foun¬
tain for all sin and uncleanness, by shedding
his own blood.
Header, when I think of all this, I see
nothing painful or disagreeable in the sub¬
ject of Christ's cross. On the contrary, I
see in it wisdom and power, peace and hope,
joy and gladness, comfort and consolation.
The more I keep the cross in my mind's eye,
the more fulness I seem to discern in it.
The longer I dwell on the cross in my
thoughts, the more I am satisfied that there
is more to be learned at the foot of the cross
than anywhere else in the world.
THE CROSS. 275
Would I know the length and breadth of
God the Father's love toward a sinful world ?
Where shall I see it most ^displayed? Shall
I look at his glorious sun shining down daily
on the unthankful and evil ? Shall I look
at seed-time and harvest returning in regu¬
lar yearly succession ? 0 no ! I .can find a
stronger proof of love than any thing of this
sort. I look at the cross of Christ. I see in
it not the cause of the Father's love, but the
effect. There I see that God so loved this
wicked world, that he gave his only-begotten
Son,—gave him to suffer and die,—that
whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have eternal life. I know that
the Father loves us, because he did not with¬
hold from us his Son, his only Son. Ah!
reader, I might sometimes fancy that God
the Father is too high and holy to care for
such miserable corrupt creatures as we are.
But I cannot, must not, dare not think it,
when I look at the cross of Christ.*
* " The world we live in had fallen upon our heads,
had it not been upheld by the pillar of the cross—had
not Christ stepped in and promised a satisfaction for the
276 HOME TRUTHS.
Would I know how exceedingly sinful and
abominable sin is in the sight of God ?
Where shall I see that most fully brought
out? Shall I turn to the history of the
flood, and read how sin drowned the world ?
Shall I go to the shore of the Dead Sea, and
mark what sin brought on Sodom and Go¬
morrah? Shall I turn to the wandering
Jews, and observe how sin has scattered
them over the face of the earth ? No ! I can
find a clearer proof still. I look at the cross
of Christ. There I see that sin is so black
and damnable, that nothing but the blood
of God's own Son can wash it away. There
I see that sin has so separated me from my
holy Maker, that all the angels in heaven
could never have made peace between us.
Nothing could reconcile us short of the
death of Christ. . Ah! if I listened to the
wretched talk of proud men, I might some-
sin of man. By this all things consist: not a blessing
we enjoy but may put us in mind of it—they were all
forfeited by sin, but merited by his blood. If we study
it well, we shall be sensible how God hated sin and loved
a world."—Charnock. 1G84.
THE CROSS. 277
times fancy sin was not so very sinful. But
I cannot think little of sin when I look at
the cross of Christ.*
Would I know the fulness and complete¬
ness of the salvation God has provided for sin¬
ners ? Where shall I see it most distinctly ?
Shall 1 go to the general declarations in the
Bible about God's mercy? Shall I rest in
the general truth that God is a God of love ?
0 no ! I will look at the cross of Christ. I
find no evidence like that. I find no balm
for a sore conscience, and a troubled heart,
like the sight of Jesus dying for me on the
accursed tree. There I see that a full pay¬
ment has been made for all my enormous
debts. The curse of that law which I have
broken has come down on one who there suf¬
fered in my stead. Ah ! I might sometimes
imagine I was too bad to be forgiven. My
own heart sometimes whispers that I am too
* " If God hated sin so much that he would allow
neither man nor angel for the redemption thereof, but
only the death of hir only and well-beloved Son, who will
not stand in fear thereof?"—Church of England Homily
for Good Friday. 1560.
278 HOME TRUTHS.
wicked to be saved. But I know in my
better moments tbis is all my foolish unbe¬
lief. I read an answer to my doubts in the
blood shed on Calvary. I feel sure that
there is a way to heaven for the very vilest
of men, when I look at the cross.
Would I find strong reasons for being a
holy man f Whither shall I turn for them ?
Shall I listen to the ten commandments
merely ? Shall I study the examples given
me in the Bible of what grace can do ? Shall
I meditate on the rewards of heaven, and the
punishments of hell? Is there no stronger
motive still ? Yes! I will look at the cross
of Christ. There I see the love of Christ
constraining me to live not unto myself, but
unto him. There I see that I am not my
own now—I am bought with a price. I am
bound by the most solemn obligations to
glorify Jesus with body and spirit, which
are his. There I see that Jesus gave himself
for me, not only to redeem me from all in¬
iquity, but also to purify me and make me
one of a peculiar people, zealous of good
works. He bore my sins in his own body
THE CROSS. 279
on the tree, that I being dead unto sin should
live unto righteousness. Ah ! reader, there
is nothing so sanctifying as a clear view of
the cross of Christ. It crucifies the world
unto us, and us unto the world. How can
we love sin when we remember that because
of our sins Jesus died ? Surely none ought
to be so holy as the disciples of a crucified
Lord.
Would I learn how to he contented and
cheerful under all the cares and anxieties of
life ? What school shall I go to ? How
shall I attain this state of mind most easily ?
Shall I look at the sovereignty of God, the
wisdom of God, the providence of God, the
love of God ? It is well to do so. But I
have a better argument still. I will look at
the cross of Christ. I feel that he who
spared not his only-begotten Son, but de¬
livered him up to die for me, will surely
with him give me all things that I really need.
He that endured that pain for my soul will
surely not withhold from me any thing that
is really good. He that has done the greater
things for me, will doubtless do the lesser
280 HOME TRUTHS.
things also. He that gave his own blood to
procure me a home in heaven, will unques¬
tionably supply me with all that is really
profitable for me during my journey through
the world. Ah! reader, there is no school
for learning contentment that can he com¬
pared with the foot of the cross.
"Would I gather arguments for hoping
that I shall never he cast away ? Where
shall I go to find them ? Shall I look at my
own graces and gifts? Shall I take com¬
fort in my own faith, and love, and penitence,
and zeal, and prayer ? Shall I turn to my
own heart, and say, "This same heart will
never be false and cold?" 0 no! God for¬
bid ! I will look at the cross of Christ. This
is my grand argument. This is my main
stay. I cannot think that He who went
through such sufferings to redeem my soul,
will let that soul perish after all, when it
casts itself on him. He died for me when I
was yet a dark sinner. He will never for¬
sake me if I believe.
And now, reader, will you marvel that I
said all Christians ought to glory in the
THE CROSS. 281
cross ? Will you not rather wonder that
any can hear of the cross and remain un¬
moved ? I declare I know no greater proof
of man's depravity, than the fact that thou¬
sands of so-called Christians see nothing glo¬
rious in the cross. Well may our hearts he
called stony,—well may the eyes of our mind
be called blind,—well may our whole mind be
called diseased,—well may we all he called
dead, when the cross of Christ is heard of,
and yet neglected. Surely we may take up
the words of the prophet, and say, " Hear,
0 heavens, and he astonished, 0 earth: a
wonderful and a horrible thing is done,"—
Christ was crucified for sinners, and yet
many Christians live as if he was never cru¬
cified at all!
Reader, the cross is the grand peculiarity
of the■ Christian religion. Other religions
have laws and moral precepts—forms and
ceremonies—rewards and punishments. But
other religions cannot tell us of a dying Sa¬
viour. They cannot show us the cross. This
is the crown and glory of the gospel. This
is that snecial comfort that belongs to it alone.
282 HOME TRUTHS.
Miserable, indeed, is that religious teaching
"which calls itself Christian, and yet contains
nothing of the cross. A man who teaches in
this way, might as well profess to explain the
solar system, and yet tell his hearers nothing
about the sun.
The cross is the strength of a minister.
I for one would not be without it for the
world. I should feel like a soldier without arms,
—like an artist without his pencil,—like a
pilot without his compass, — like a laborer
without his tools. Let others, if they will,
preach only the law and morality. Let others
hold forth only the terrors of hell, and the joys
of heaven. Let others drench their congre¬
gations with teachings about the sacraments
and the Church. Give me the cross of Christ.
This is the only lever which has ever turned
the world upside down hitherto, and made
men forsake their sins. And if this will not,
nothing will. A man may begin preaching
with a perfect knowledge of Latin, Greek,
and Hebrew. But he'will do little or no
good among his hearers unless he knows
something of the cross. Never was there a
THE CROSS.
283
minister who did much for the conversion
of souls who did not dwell much on Christ
crucified.
The cross is the secret of all missionary
success. Nothing but this has ever moved
the hearts of the heathen. Just according
as this has been lifted up, missions have
prospered. This is the weapon that has won
victories over hearts of every kind, in every
quarter of the globe. Greenlanders, Afri¬
cans, South-Sea Islanders, Hindoos, Chinese,
all have alike felt its power. Just as that
huge iron tube which crosses the Menai
Straits is more affected and bent by half an
hour's sunshine than by all the dead weight
that can he placed on it, so in like manner
the hearts of savages have melted before the
cross when every other argument seemed to
move them no more than stones. "Brethren,"
said a North American Indian, after his con¬
version, "I have been a heathen. I know
how heathens think. Once a preacher came
and began to "explain to us that there is a
God ; hut we told him to return to the place
from whence he came. Another preacher
281
HOME TRU1 HS.
came and told us not to lie, nor steal, nor
drink; but we did not heed him. At last
another came into my hut one day and said,
* I am come to you in the name of the Lord
of heaven and earth. He sends to let you
know that he will make you happy and de¬
liver you from misery. For this end he be¬
came a man, gave his life a ransom, and
shed his blood for sinners.' I could not
forget his words. I told them to the other
Indians, and an awakening began among us.
I say, therefore, preach the sufferings and
death of Christ, our Saviour, if you wish
your words to gain entrance among the
heathen." Never, indeed, did the devil
triumph so thoroughly as when he persuaded
the Jesuit missionaries in China to keep back
the story of the cross.
The cross is the foundation of a Church's
prosperity. No Church will ever be honored
in which Christ crucified is not lifted up.
Nothing whatever can make up for the want
of the cross. Without it all *things may be
done decently and in order. Without it there
may be splendid ceremonies, beautiful music,
THE CROSS. 28h
gorgeous luiarches, learned ministers, crowded
commun i t tables, huge collections for the
poor. It t without the cross no good will
he done. Daark hearts will not he enlightened.
Proud h^ts s will not he humbled. Mourning
hearts wJnox)t he comforted. Fainting hearts
will not>e cheered. Sermons about the
catholic liiuiirch, and an apostolic ministry,—
sermons ibormt baptism and the Lord's sup¬
per,—se.aor>ns about unity and schism,—
sermons iboDut fasts and communion,—ser¬
mons abut fathers and saints,—such ser¬
mons wijnenver make up for the absence of
sermons iboout the cross of Christ. They
may amre ssome. They will feed none. A
gorgeous bai.nqueting-room and splendid gold
plate on ihe i table will never make up to a
hungry tana for the want of food. Christ
crucified is OGod's grand ordinance for doing
good to menu. Whenever a Church keeps
hack Ckistit crucified, or puts any thing
whatever in that foremost place which Christ
crucified shnould always have, from that
moment ft Ohurch ceases to he useful. With¬
out Chrht ccrucified in its pulpits, a Church
286 HOME TRUTHS.
is little better than a cumberer of tbe ground,
a dead carcass, a well without water, a
barren fig tjee, a sleeping watchman* a silent
trumpet, a dumb witness, an ambassador
without terms of peace, a messenger without
tidings, a lighthouse without fire, a stumbling-
block to weak believers, a comfort to in¬
fidels, a hot-bed for formalism, a joy to the
devil, and an offence to God.
The cross is the grand centre of union
among true Christians. Our outward dif¬
ferences are many, without douht. One man
is an Episcopalian, another is a Presbyterian,
—one is an Independent, another a Baptist,—
one is a Calvinist, another an Arminian,—
one is a Lutheran, another a Moravian,—
one is a friend to liturgies, another to ex¬
tempore prayer. But after all, what shall
we hear about most of these differences in
heaven ? Nothing, most probably: nothing
at all. Does a man really and sincerely
glory in the cross of Christ ? That is the
grand question. If he does, he is my brother
—we are travelling in the same road. "We
are journeying toward a home where Christ
THE CROSS.
287
is all, and every thing outward in religion
will be forgotten. But if he does not glory
in the cross of Christ, I cannot feel comfort
about him. Union on outward points only,
is union only for a time. Union about the
cross, is union for eternity. Error on out¬
ward points, is only a skin-deep disease.
Error about the cross, is disease at the heart.
Union about outward points, is a mere man-
made union. Union about the cross of Christ,
can only he produced by the Holy Ghost.
Header, I know not what you think of all
this. I feel as if I had said nothing com¬
pared to what might be said. I feel as if
the half of what I desire to tell you about
the cross were left untold. But I do hope
that I have given you something to think
about. I do trust that I have shown you
that I have reason for the question with
which I began this article, "What do you
think and feel about the cross of Christ ?"
Listen to me now for a few moments, while
I say something to apply the whole subject
to your conscience.
Are you living in any hind of sin ? Are
288
HOME TRUTHS.
you following the course of this world, and
neglecting your soul ? Hear, I beseech you,
what I say to you this day: "Behold the
cross of Christ." See there, how Jesus loved
you! See there, what Jesus suffered to pre¬
pare for you a way of salvation ! Yes! care¬
less men and women, for you that blood was
shed! For you those hands and feet were
pierced with nails ! For you that body hung
in agony on the cross! You are they whom
Jesus loved, and for whom he died! Surely
that love ought to melt you. Surely the
thought of the cross should draw you to re¬
pentance. 0 that it might be so this very
day! 0 that you would come at once to
that Saviour who died for you and is willing
to save! Come and cry to him with the
prayer of faith, and I know that he will
listen. Come and lay hold upon the cross,
and I know that he will not cast you out.
Come and believe on him who died on the
cross, and this very day you shall have eter¬
nal life. How will you ever escape if you neg¬
lect so great salvation? None surely will be
so deep in hell as those who despise the cross!
THE CROSS.
289
Are you inquiring the way toward heaven ?
Are you seeking salvation, but doubtful
whether you shall find it? Are you desiring
to have an interest in Christ, but doubting
whether Christ will receive you? To you
also I say this day, "Behold the cross of
Christ." Here is encouragement, if you
really want it. Draw near to the Lord Jesus
with boldness, for nothing need keep you
back. His arms are open to receive you.
His heart is full of love toward you. He
has made a way by which you may approach
him with confidence. Think of the cross.
Draw near, and fear not.
Are you an unlearned man f Are you
desirous to get to heaven, and yet perplexed
and brought to a stand-still by difficulties in
the Bible which you cannot explain ? To
you also I say this day, " Behold the cross
of Christ." Read there the Father's love
and the Son's compassion. Surely they are
written in great plain letters, which none
can well mistake. Look, I say, at the cross.
Does not that cross tell you that Jesus is a
mighty, loving, ready Saviour ? Does it not
10
290 HOMB TRUTHS.
make one thing plain, and that is, that if not
saved it is all your own fault ? 0 ! get hold
of that truth, and hold it fast.
Are you a distressed believer ? Is your
heart pressed down with sickness, tired with
disappointments, overburdened with cares ?
To you also I say this day, "Behold the
cross of Christ." Think whose hand it is
that chastens you. Think whose hand is
measuring to you the cup of bitterness which
you are now drinking. It is the hand of
him that was crucified. It is-the same hand
that in love to your soul was nailed to the
accursed tree. Surely that thought should
comfort and hearten you. Surely you should
say to yourself, "A crucified Saviour will
never lay upon me any thing that is not for my
good. There is a needs-be. It must be well."
Are you a believer that longs to be more
holy ? Are you one that finds his heart too
ready to love earthly things ? To you also
I say, "Behold the cross of Christ." Look
at the cross; think of the cross; meditate
on the cross, and then go and set your affec¬
tions on the world if you can. I believe that
THE CROSS.
291
holiness is nowhere learned so well as on
Calvary. I believe you cannot look much at
the cross without feeling your will sanctified,
and your tastes made more spiritual. As
the sun gazed upon makes every thing else
look dark and dim, so does the cross darken
the false splendor of this world. As honey
tasted makes all other things seem to ha ve
no taste at all, so does the cross seen by faith
take all the sweetness out of the pleasures
of the world. Keep on every day steadily
looking at the cross of Christ, and you will
soon say of the world as the poet does,—
"Its pleasures now no longer please,
No more content afford:
Far from my heart be joys like these,
Now I have seen the Lord.
"As by the light of opening day
The stars are all concealed,
So earthly pleasures fade away
When Jesus is revealed."
Are you a dying believer? Have you
cone to that bed from which something
within tells you you will never come down
alive ? Are you drawing near to that solemn
292
HOME TRUTHS
hour when your soul and body must part for
a season, and you must launch into a world
unknown ? 0! look steadily at the cross
of Christ, and you shall be kept in peace.
Fix the eyes of your mind firmly on Jesus
crucified, and he shall deliver you from all
your fears. Though you walk through dark
places, he will he with you. He will never
leave you, never forsake you. Sit under the
shadow of the cross to the very last, and its
fruit shall he sweet to your taste. "Ah!"
said a dying missionary, " there is hut one
thing needful on a death-hed, and that is, to
feel one's arm round the cross."
Reader, I lay these thoughts before your
mind. What you think now about the cross
of Christ I cannot tell; hut I can wish you
nothing better than this, that you may he
able to say with the Apostle Paul, " God
forbid that I should glory save in the cross
of our Lord Jesus Christ."
REMEMBER LOT
293
Semmtor ftft.
HE LINGERED.
Genesis xiz. 16.
"Who is this man that lingered ?—Lot, the
nephew of faithful Abraham. And when
did he linger?—The very morning Sodom
was to be destroyed. And where did he
linger?—Within the walls of Sodom itself.
And before whom did he linger ?—Under the
eyes of the two angels, who were sent to bring
.him out of the city.
Reader, the words are solemn, and full of
food for thought. I trust they will make
you think. Who knows hut they are the
very words your soul requires ? The voice of
the Lord Jesus commands you to " remem¬
ber Lot's wife." Luke xvii. 32. The voice
of one of his ministers invites you this day
to remember Lot.
294
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Let me try to show you,—
I. "What Lot was himself.
II. What the text, already quoted, tells
you of him.
III. What reasons may account for his
lingering.
IY. What kind of fruit his lingering
brought forth.
I. What was Lot ?
This is a most important point. If I leave
it unnoticed, I shall perhaps miss that class
of professing Christians I want especially to
benefit. You would perhaps say, after read¬
ing this paper, " Ah ! Lot was a poor, dark
creature,—an unconverted man,—a child of
this world:—no wonder he lingered."
But mark now what I say. Lot was
nothing of the kind. Lot was a true be¬
liever,—a real child of Gqd,—a justified
soul,—a righteous man.
Has any one of you grace in his heart ?—
So also had Lot.
Has any one of you a hope of salvation ?—
So also had Lot.
REMEMBER LOT. 295
Is any one of you a new creature ?—So
also was Lot.
Is any one of you a traveller in the narrow
way which leads unto life ?—rSo also was
Lot.
Do not think this is only my private
opinion,—a mere arbitrary fancy of my own,
—a notion unsupported by Scripture. Do
not suppose I want you to believe it, merely
because I say it.' The Holy Ghost has placed
the matter beyond controversy, by calling
him "just," and "righteous," (2 Peter'ii. 7, 8,)
and has given us evidence of the grace that
was in him.
One evidence is, that he lived in a wicked
place, "seeing and hearing" evil all around
him, (2 Peter ii. 8,) and yet was not wicked
himself. Now, to be a Daniel in Babylon,
an Obadiah in Ahab's house, an Abijah in
Jeroboam's family, a saint in Nero's court,
and a righteous man in Sodom, a man must
have the grace of God.
Another evidence is, that he "vexed his
soul with the unlawful deeds" he beheld
around him. 2 Peter ii. 8. He was wounded,
296 HOME TRUTHS
grieved, pained, and hurt at the sight of sin.
This was feeling like holy David, who says,
" I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved,
because they kept not thy word." "Rivers
of waters run down mine eyes, because they
keep not thy law." Psalm cxix. 136, 158.
Nothing will account for this but the grace
of God.
Another evidence is, that he "vexed his
soul from day to day" with the unlawful
deeds,he saw. 2 Peter ii. 8. He did not
at length become cool and lukewarm about
sin, as many do. Familiarity and habit did
not take off the fine edge of his feelings, as
too often is the case. Many a man is shocked
and startled at the first sight of wickedness,
and yet becomes at last so accustomed to see
it, that he views it with comparative uncon¬
cern. This is especially the case with those
who live in great cities. "But it was not so
with Lot. And this is a great mark of the
reality of his grace.
Such a one was Lot,—a just and righteous
man, a man sealed and stamped as an heir
of heaven by the Holy Ghost himself.
REMEMBER LOT.
297
Reader, before you pass on, remember
that a true Christian may have many a
blemish, many a defect, many an infirmity,
and yet be a true Christian nevertheless. You
do not despise gold because it is mixed with
much dross. You must not undervalue
grace because it is accompanied by cor¬
ruption. Read on, and you will find that
Lot paid dearly for his lingering. But do
not forget, as you read, that Lot was a child
of God.
II. Let us pass on to the second thing I
spoke of. What does the text, already quoted,
tell us about Lot's behavior ?
The words are wonderful and astounding,—
" He lingeredand the more you consider
the time and circumstances, the more won¬
derful you will think them.
Lot knew the awful condition of the city
in which he stood: " the cry" of its abomina¬
tion "had waxen great before the Lord."
Gen. xix. 13. And yet he lingered.
Lot knew the fearful judgment coming
down on all within its walls: the angels had
298
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said plainly, " The Lord hath sent us to de¬
stroy it." Gen. xix. 13. And yet he lingered.
Lot knew that God is a God who always
keeps his word, and if he says a thing, will
surely do it. He could hardly be Abraham's
.nephew, and live long with him, and not be
aware of this. Yet he lingered.
Lot believed there was danger, for he
went to his sons-in-law, and warned them to
flee: "Up," he said, "get you out of this
place; for the Lord will destroy this city."
Gen. xix. 14. And yet he lingered.
Lot saw the angels of God standing by,
waiting for him and his family to go forth.
And yet he lingered.
Lot heard the voice of those ministers of
wrath ringing in his ears to hasten him,
"Arise, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity
of the city." Gen. xix. 15. And yet he
lingered.
He was slow when he should have been
quick,—backward when he should have
been forward,—trifling when he should have
been hastening,—loitering when he should
have been hurrying,—cold when he should
REMEMBER LOT. 299
have been hot. It is passing strange! It
seems almost incredible! It appears too
■wonderful to be true ! But the Spirit writes
it down for our learning. And so it was.
And yet, reader, there are many of the
Lord Jesus Christ's people very like Lot.
Mark well what I say. I repeat it, that
there may be no mistake about my meaning.
I have shown you that Lot lingered,—I say
that there are many Christian men and
women in this day very like Lot.
There are many real children of God who
appear to know far more than they live up
to, and see far more than they practice, and
yet continue in this state for many years.
"Wonderful that they go as far as they do,
and yet go no farther!
They hold the Head, even Christ, and love
the truth. They like sound preaching, and
assent to every article of gospel doctrine,
when they hear it. But still there is an inde¬
scribable something which is not satisfactory
about them. They are constantly doing
things which disappoint the expectations of
their ministers, and of more advanced Chris-
300 HOME TRUTHS.
tian friends. Marvellous that they should
think as they do, and yet stand still!
They believe in heaven, and yet seem
faintly to long for it; and in hell, and yet
seem little to fear it. They love the Lord
Jesus, hut the work they do for him is small.
They hate the devil, but they often appear
to tempt him to come to them. They know
the time is short, hut they live as if it were
long. They know they have a battle to fight,
yet a man might think they were at peace.
They know they have a race to run, yet they
often look like people sitting still. They
know the Judge is at the door, and there is
wrath to come, and yet they appear half
asleep. Astonishing they should he what
they are, and yet be nothing more !
And what shall we say of these people ?
They often puzzle godly friends and rela¬
tions. They often cause great anxiety.
They often give rise to great doubts and
searchings of heart. But they may he
classed under one sweeping description: they
are all brethren and sisters of Lot. They
linger.
REMEMBER LOT. 301
These are they who get the notion into
their minds, that it is impossible for all
believers to he very holy and very spiritual.
They allow that eminent holiness is a beauti¬
ful thing. They like to read about it in
books, and even to see it occasionally in
others. But they do not think that all are
meant to aim at so high a standard. At any
rate, they seem to make up their minds it is
beyond their reach.
These are they who get into their heads
false ideas of charity, as they call it. They
would fain please everybody, and suit every
body, and be agreeable to everybody. But
they forget they ought first to be sure that
they please God.
These afe they who dread sacrifices, and
shrink from self-denial. They never appear
able to apply our Lord's command, " to cut
off the right hand, and pluck out the right
eye." Matt. v. 29, 30. They spend their
lives in trying to make the gate more wide, and
the cross more light; but they never succeed.
These are they who are always trying to
keep in with the world. They are ingenious
302 HOME TRUTHS
in discovering reasons for not separating
decidedly,—and in framing plausible excuses
for attending questionable amusements,—
and keeping up questionable friendships.
One day you are told of their attending a
Bible-reading: the next day, perhaps, you
hear of their going to a ball. They are con¬
stantly laboring to persuade themselves that
to mix a little with worldly people on their
own grounds does good. Yet in their case
it is very clear they do no good, and only
get harm.
These are they who cannot find it in their
heart to quarrel with their besetting sin,
whether it be sloth, indolence, ill-temper,
pride, selfishness, impatience, or what it may.
They allow it to remain a tolerably quiet
and undisturbed tenant of their hearts. They
say it is their health, and their constitutions,
and their temperaments, and their trials,
and their way. Their father, or mother, or
grandmother, was so before themselves, and
they are sure they cannot help it. And
when you meet after the absence of a year
or so, you hear the same thing.
REMEMBER EOT. 303
But all, all, all may be summed up in one
single sentence: they are the brethren and
sisters of Lot. They linger.
Ah! reader, if you are a lingering soul,
you are not happy. You know you are not.
It would be strange indeed if you were so.
Lingering is the sure destruction of a happy
Christian. A lingerer's conscience forbids
him to enjoy inward peace.
Perhaps at one time you did run well.
But you have left your first love,—you have
never felt the same comfort since, and you
never will till you return to your first works.
Like Peter, when the Lord Jesus was taken
prisoner, you are following the Lord afar off,
and, like him, you will find the way not plea¬
sant but hard.
Come and look at Lot. Come and mark
Lot's history. Come and consider Lot's
lingering,—and be wise.
III. Let us next consider the reasons that
may account for Lot's lingering.
This is a question of great importance, and
I ask your serious attention to it. To know
804 HOME TRUTHS.
the root of a disease is one step toward a
remedy. He that is forewarned is fore¬
armed.
Who is there among the readers of these
pages that feels secure, and has no fear of
lingering? Come and listen, while I tell
you a few passages in Lot's history. Do as
he did, and it will he a miracle indeed if
you do not get into the same state of soul at
last.
One thing, then, I observe in the case of
Lot is this,—he made a wrong choice in early
life.
There was a time when Abraham and Lot
lived together. They both became rich,
and could live together no longer. Abra¬
ham, the elder of the two, in the true spirit
of humility and courtesy, gave Lot the choice
of the country, when they resolved to part
company: "If thou," he said, "wilt take
the left hand, then I will go to the right;
or, if thou depart to the right hand, then I
will go to the left." Gen. xiii. 9.
And what did Lot do ? We are told, he
saw the plains of Jordan, near Sodom, were
REMEMBER LOT. 305
rich, fertile, and well watered. It was a
good land for cattle, and full of pastures,
lie had large flocks and herds, and it just
suited his requirements. And this was the
land he chose for a residence, simply because
it was a rich, well-watered land.
It was near the town of Sodom! lie
cared not for that.
The men of Sodom, who would be his
neighbors, were wicked. It mattered not.
They were sinners before God exceeding¬
ly.! It made no difference to him.
The pasture was rich. The land was good.
He wanted such a country for his flocks and
herds. And before that argument all scruples
and doubts, if indeed he had any, at once
went down.
He chose by sight, and not by faith. He
asked no counsel of God to preserve him
from mistakes. He looked to the things of
time, and not of eternity. He thought of
his worldly profit, and not of his soul. He
considered only what would help him in this
life—lie forgot the solemn business of the
life to come. This was a bad beginning.
S06 HOME TRUTHS.
But I observe also that Lot mixed with
sinners when there was no occasion for his
doing so.
We are first told that he " pitched his
tent toward Sodom." Gen. xiii. 12. This,
as I have already shown, was a great mis¬
take.
But the next time he is mentioned, we
find him actually living in Sodom itself.
The Spirit says expressly, " He dwelt in
Sodom." Gen. xiv. 12. His tents were left.
The country was forsaken. He occupied a
house in the very streets of that wicked
town.
We are not told the reasons of this change.
We are not aware that any occasion could
have arisen for it. We are sure there could
have been no command of God. Perhaps his
wife liked the town better than the country,
for the sake of society. Perhaps she per¬
suaded Lot it was needful for the education
of his daughters. Perhaps the daughters
urged living in the town for the sake of gay
oompany. Perhaps Lot liked it himself,
in order to make more of his flocks and
REMEMBER LOT
807
herds. Men never want reasons to confirm
their wills. But one thing is very clear,—
Lot dwelt in the midst of Sodom without
good cause.
Reader, when a" child of God does these
two things which I have named, you never
need he surprised if you hear, by and by,
unf/vorable accounts about his soul. You
never need wonder if he becomes deaf to the
warning voice of affliction, as Lot was, (Gen.
xiv. 12,) and turns out a lingerer in the day
of trial and danger, as Lot did.
Make a wrong choice,—an unscriptural
choice,—in life, and settle yourself down un¬
necessarily in the midst of worldly people,
and I know no surer way to damage your
own spirituality, and to go backward about
your eternal concerns.
This is the way to make the pulse of your
soul beat feebly and languidly. This is the
way to make the edge of your feeling about
sin become blunt and dull. This is the way
to dim the eyes of your spiritual discernment,
till you can scarcely distinguish good from
evil, and stumble as you walk. This is the
308
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way to bring a moral palsy on your feet and
limbs, and make you go tottering and. trem¬
bling along the road to Zion, as if the grass¬
hopper was a burden.
This is the way to sell the pass to your
worst enemy,—to give the devil the vantage-
ground in the battle,—to tie your arms in
fighting,—to fetter your legs in running,—
to dry up the sources of your strength,—to
cripple your own energies,—to cut off your
own hair, like Samson, and give yourself
into the hands of the Philistines, put out
your own eyes, grind at the mill, and become
a slave.
Reader, wake up, and mark well what I
am saying. Settle these things down in
your mind. Do not forget them. Recollect
them in the morning. Recall them to memory
at night. Let them sink down deeply into
your heart. If ever you would be safe from
lingering, beware of needless mingling Avith
Avorldly people. Beware of Lot's choice.
If you Avould not settle down into a dry, dull,
sleepy, idle, barren, heavy, carnal, stupid,
torpid state of soul, beware of Lot's choice.
REMEMBER LOT. 309
Remember this in choosing a dwelling-
t»lace or residence. It is not enough that
the house is comfortable—the situation good
—the air fine—the neighborhood pleasant—
the expenses small—the living cheap. There
are other things yet to be considered. You
must think of your immortal soul. Will the
house you think of help you toward heaven
or hell ? Is the.gospel preached within easy
distance ? Is Christ crucified within the
reach of your door ? Is there a real man of
God near, who will watch over your -soul ?
I charge you, if you love life, not to overlook
this. Beware of Lot's choice.
Remember this in choosing a calling, a
place, or profession in life. It is not enough
that the salary is high,—the wages good,—
the labor light,—the advantages numerous,
—the prospects of getting on most favorable.
Think of your soul, your immortal soul.
Will it be fed or starved ? Will it be pros¬
pered or drawn back ? I beseech you, by
the mercies of God, to take heed what you
do. Make no rash decision. Look at the
place in every light—the light of God as well
310 HOME TRUTHS.
as the light of'the world. Gold may he
bought too dear. Beware of Lot's choice.
Remember this in choosing a husband or
wife, if you are unmarried. It is not enough
that your eye is pleased,—that your tastes
are met,—that your mind finds congeniality,
—that there is amiability and affection,—
that there is a comfortable home for life.
There needs something more than this.
There is a life yet to come. Think of your
soul, your immortal soul. Will it be held
upward or dragged downward by the union
you are planning? Will it he made more
heavenly, or more earthly,—drawn nearer
to Christ, or to the world ? Will its religion
grow in vigor, or will it decay ? I pray you,
by all your hopes of glory, allow this to
enter into your calculations. Think, as old
Baxter said, and think, and think, and think
again, before you commit yourself. " Be not
unequally yoked." 2 Cor. vi. 14. Matri¬
mony is nowhere named among the means of
conversion. Remember Lot's choice.
Remember this, if you are ever offered a
situation on a railway. It is not enough to
REMEMBEB LOT. 311
have good pay, and regular employment,
the confidence of the directors, and the best
chance of rising to a higher post. These
things are very -well in their way, hut they
are not every thing. How will your soul
fare, if you serve a railway company that
runs Sunday trains ? What day in the week
will you have for God and eternity ? What
opportunities will you have for hearing the
gospel preached ? I solemnly warn you to
consider this. It will profit you nothing to
fill your purse, if you bring leanness and
poverty on your soul. Beware of selling your
Sabbaths for the sake of a good place. Be¬
ware of Lot's choice.
The brightest gold will soon become dim,
when exposed to a damp atmosphere. The
hottest iron will soon become cold. It re¬
quires pains and toil to bring it to a red
heat. It requires nothing but letting alone, or
a little cold water, to become black and hard.
You may be an earnest, zealous Christian
now. You may feel like David in his pros¬
perity, "I shall never be moved." Psalm
xxx. 6. But be not deceived. You have
312
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only got to walk in Lot's steps, and make
Lot's choice, and you will soon come to Lot's
state of soul. Allow yourself to do as he
did—presume to act as he acted, and be very
sure you will soon discover you have become
a wretched lingerer, like him.
You will find, like Samson, the presence
of the Lord is no longer with you. You will
prove, to your own shame, an undecided, hesi¬
tating man, in the day of trial. There will
come a canker on your religion, and eat out
its vitality without your knowing it. There
will come a consumption on your spiritual
strength, and waste it away insensibly. And
at length you will wake up to find your hands
hardly able to do the Lord's work, and your
feet hardly able to carry you along the Lord's
way, and your faith no bigger than a grain
of mustard-seed;—and this perhaps at some
turning-point in your life, at a time when
the enemy is coming in like a flood, and your
need is the sorest.
Ah! reader, if you would not become a
lingerer in religion, consider these things.
Beware of doing what Lot did.
REMEMBER LOT 313
IV. Let us inquire now what hind of
fruit Lot's lingering spirit bore at length.
I would not pass over this point for many
reasons, and especially in the present day.
There are not a few who will feel disposed
to say, "After all, Lot was saved,—he got to
heaven. I want no more. If I do but get
to heaven, I shall be content."
Leader, if this be the thought of your
heart, just stay a moment, and listen to me
a little longer. I will show you one or two
things in Lot's history, which deserve atten¬
tion, and may perhaps induce you to alter
your mind.
I think it of first importance to dwell upon
this subject. I always will contend that
eminent holiness and eminent usefulness are
most closely connected,—that happiness and
following the Lord fully go side by side,—
and that if believers will linger, they must
not expect to be useful in their day and gen¬
eration, or to enjoy great comfort and peace
in believing.
Mark then, for one thing, Lot did no good
among the inhabitants of Sodom.
314 HOME TRUTHS.
Lot lived in Sodom many years. No
doubt he bad many precious opportunities
for speaking of the things of God, and try¬
ing to turn away souls from sin. But Lot
seems to have effected just nothing at all.
He appears to have had no weight or in¬
fluence with the people who lived around
him. He possessed none of that respect and
reverence which even the men of the world
will frequently concede to a bright servant
of God.
Not one righteous person could be found
in all Sodom, outside the walls of Lot's home.
Not one of his neighbors believed his testi¬
mony. Not one of his acquaintances honored
the Lord when he worshipped. Not one
of his servants served his master's God. Not
one " of all the people from every quarter''
cared a jot for his opinion when he tried to
restrain their wickedness. " This one fellow
came in to sojourn," said they, " and he will
needs be a judge." Gen. xix. 9. His life
carried no weight. His words were not
listened to. His religion drew none.
And truly I do not wonder. As a general
REMEMBER LOT. 315
rule, lingering souls do no good in the world,
and bring no credit to God's cause. Their
salt has too little savor to season the corrup¬
tion around them. They are not epistles of
Christ, that can be known and read of all.
2 Cor. iii. 2. There is nothing magnetic,
and attractive, and Christ-reflecting about
their ways. Remember this.
Mark another thing: Lot helped no rela
tion toward heaven.
"We are not told how large his family was.
But this we know,—he had a wife and two
daughters at least, in the day he was called
out of Sodom, if he had not more children
besides.
But whether Lot's family was large or
small, one thing, I think, is perfectly clear,—
there was not one among them all that feared
God.
When he "went out and spoke to his sons-
in-law, which married his daughters," and
warned them to flee from the coming judg¬
ments, we are told, "he seemed to them as
one that mocked." Gen. xix. 14. What fear¬
ful words those are! It was as good as say-
316 HOME TRUTHS
mg, "Who cares for any thing you say?"
So long as the world stands, those words will
be a painful proof of the contempt with
which a lingerer in religion is regarded.
And what was Lot's wife ? She left the
city in his company, hut she did not go far.
She had not faith to see the need of such a
speedy flight. She left her heart in Sodom
when she began to flee. She looked hack
from behind her husband, in spite of the
plainest commands not to do so, (Gen. xix.
17,) and was at once turned into a pillar
of salt.
And what were Lot's two daughters ?
They escaped, indeed,—but only to do the
devil's work. They became their father's
tempters to wickedness, and led him to com¬
mit the foulest of sins.
In short, Lot stood alone in his family.
He was not made the means of keeping one
soul back from the gates of hell.
And I do not wonder. Lingering souls
are seen through by their own families, and
when seen through, despised. Their nearest
relations understand inconsistency, if they
REMEMBER LOT. 317
understand nothing else in religion. They
draw the sad hut not unnatural conclusion,
" Surely, if he believed all he professes to
believe, he would not go on as he does."
Lingering parents seldom have godly child¬
ren. The eye of the child drinks in far
more than the ear. A child will always ob¬
serve what you do much more than what you
say. Remember this.
Mark a third thing. Lot left no evidences
behind him when he died.
We know hut little about Lot after his
flight from Sodom, and all that we do know
is unsatisfactory. His pleading for Zoar,
because it was a " little" city,—his departure
from Zoar afterward, and his conduct in the
cave,—all, all tell the same story. All show
the weakness of the grace that was in him,
and the low state of soul into which he had
fallen.
We know how long he lived after his
escape. "VYt,- An^w not where he died, or
when he died,—whether he saw Abraham
again,—what was the manner of his death,—
what he said, or what he thought. All these
318 HOME TRUTHS.
are hidden things. We are told of the last
moments of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph,
—but not one word about Lot. 0 what a
gloomy death-bed the death-bed of Lot must
have been!
The Scripture appears to draw a veil
around him on purpose. There is a painful
silence about his latter end. He seems to
go out like an expiring lamp, and leave an
evil savor behind him.
Reader, consider these three things I have
just mentioned. Do not misunderstand my
meaning. It is amazing to observe how
readily people catch at the least excuse for
misunderstanding the things that concern,
their souls!
I do not tell you that believers who do
not linger will, as a matter of course, be
great instruments of usefulness to the world.
Noah preached one hundred and twenty
years, and none believed him. The Lord
Jesus was not esteemed by his own people,
the Jews.
Nor yet do I tell you that believers who
do not linger will, as a matter of course, be
REMEMBER LOT 319
the means of converting their families and
relations. The Lord Jesus was not believed
even by his own brethren. John vii. 5.
But I do say it is almost impossible not to
see a connection between Lot's evil choice
and Lot's lingering,—and between Lot's
lingering and his unprofitableness to his
family and the world. I believe the Spirit
meant us- to see it. I believe the Spirit
meant to make it a beacon to all professing
Christians. And I am sure the lessons I
have tried to draw from the whole history
deserve serious reflection.
Let me speak a few words to all who read
these pages, and especially to all who call
themselves believers in Christ.
I have no wish to make your hearts sad.
I do not want to give you a gloomy view of
the Christian course. My only object is to
give you friendly warnings. I desire your
peace and comfort. I would fain see you
happy, as well as safe,—and joyful, as well
as justified. I speak as I have done for
your good.
You live in the days when a lingering,
320 HOME TRUTHS
Lot-like religion abounds. The stream of
profession is far broader than it once was,
but far less deep in many places. A certain
kind of Christianity is almost fashionable now.
To belong to some party in the Church, and
show a zeal for its interests,—to talk about
the leading controversies of the day,—to buy
popular religious books as fast as they come
out, and lay them on your table,—to attend
meetings,—subscribe to societies,—and dis¬
cuss the merits of preachers,—all these are
now comparatively easy and common attain¬
ments. They no longer make. a person
singular. They require little or no sacrifice.
They entail no cross.
But to walk closely with God,—to be
really spiritually-minded,—to behave like
strangers and pilgrims,—to be distinct from
the world in employment of time, in conver¬
sation, in amusements, in dress,—to bear a
faithful witness for Christ in all places,—to
leave a savor of our Master in every society,
—to be prayerful, humble, unselfish, meek,—
to be jealously afraid of sin, and tremblingly
alive to our danger from the world,—these,
REMEMBER LOT. 321
these are still rare things. They are not
common among those who are called true
Christians, and, worst of all, the absence of
them is not felt and bewailed as it should be.
Reader, I give you good counsel this day.
Do not turn from it. Do not be angry with
me for plain speaking. I bid you give dili¬
gence to make your calling and election
sure. I bid you not be slothful,—not to be
careless, not to be content with a small
measure of grace,—not to be satisfied with
being a little better than the world. I
solemnly warn you not to attempt doing
what never can be done,—I mean, to serve
Christ, and yet keep in with the world. I
call upon you and beseech' you, I charge
you and exhort you, by all your hopes of
heaven, and desires of glory,—do not le a
lingering soul.
Would you know what the times demand,
—the shaking of nations,—the uprooting of
ancient things,—the overturning of king¬
doms,—the stir and Restlessness of men's
minds? They all say,—Christian, do not
linger I
322 HOME TRUTHS.
Would you enjoy much sensible comfort
in your religion,—feel the witness of the
Spirit within you,—know in whom you have
believed,—and not be a gloomy and melan-*
choly Christian ? Then do not linger !
Would you enjoy strong assurance of your
own salvation in the day of sickness, and on
the bed of death? Would you see with the
eye of faith heaven opening, and Jesus rising
to receive you ? Then do not linger !
Would you leave great broad evidences
behind you when you are gone? Would
you like us to lay you in the grave with
comfortable hope, and talk of your state after
death without a doubt ? Then do not linger !
Would you be useful to the world in your
day and generation? Would you draw men
from sin to Christ, and make your Master's
cause beautiful in their eyes ? Then do not
linger !
Would you help your children and rela¬
tions toward heaven, and make them say,
" We will go with you!" and not make them
infidels and despisers of all religion ? Then
do not linger I
REMEMBER LOT. 323
Would you have a great crown in the day
of Christ's appearing, and not be the least
and smallest star in glory, and not find your¬
self the last and lowest in the kingdom of
God ? Then do not linger !
0 let none of us linger! Time does not,-—
death does not,—judgment does not,—the
devil does not,—the world does not. Neither
let the children of God linger.
Reader, are you a lingerer? Has your
heart felt heavy, and your conscience sore,
while you have been reading these pages ?
Does something within you whisper, "I am
the man?" Reader, listen to what I am
saying,—How is it with your soul ?
If you are a lingerer, you must just go to
Christ at once and be cured,—you must use
the old remedy. You must bathe in the old
fountain. You must turn again to Christ,
and be healed. The way to do a thing is to
do it. Do this at once.
Think not for a moment your case is past
recovery. Think not, because you have been
long living in a dry and heavy state of soul,
that there is no hope of revival. Is not the
324
HOME TRUTHS.
Lord Jesus Christ an appointed physician for
the soul ? Did he not cure every form of
disease ? Did he not cast out every kind of
devil? Did he not raise poor backsliding
Peter, and put a new song in his mouth?
0.! doubt not, but earnestly believe that he
will yet revive his work within you. Only
turn from lingering, and confess your folly,
and come—come at once to Christ. Blessed
are the words of the prophet, " Only acknow¬
ledge thine iniquity,"—"Return, ye back¬
sliding ehildren, and I will heal your back-
slidings." Jeremiah iii. 13, 22.
Let us all exhort one another as we have
opportunity. Let us provoke unto love and
good works. Let us not be afraid to say to
each other, " Brother, or sister, have you
forgotten Lot ? Awake! and remember Lot 1
Awake! and linger no more."
THE END.