SERMONS FROM THE PENNY PULPIT - PART 1

SERMONS PREACHED DURING THE GREAT REVIVALS IN LONDON

BY CHARLES FINNEY

CONTENTS
1. Regeneration 2. Pleasing God 3. Heart Searching 4. The Kingdom of God Upon Earth 5. The Spiritual Claims of London 6. Christ Magnifying the Law 7. The Promises of God 8. Why London is Not Converted 9. Great Cities - What Hinders Their Conversion! 10. Christ the Mediator 11. Proving God 12. Total Abstinence a Christian Duty 13. Making God a Liar 14. Mocking God 15. The Conditions of Prevailing Prayer 16. How to Prevail With God 17. The Use and Prevalence of Christs Name 18. The Great Business of Life 19. Holiness Essential to Salvation 20. The Sabbath School - Co-Operation With God 21. The Sabbath School - Conditions of Success 3 13 23 33 41 52 60 69 80 90 98 107 124 131 139 149 157 166 173 180 191

1. REGENERATION
Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. - John 3:7 I propose to make some remarks to-night upon the words which I have just read. The passage in connection with which these words are found is, probably, familiar to you all; however I will read it - There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles, that thou dost, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mothers womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he can not enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. The wind bloweth were it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Are you a Jewish doctor, and do not understand the doctrine of the new birth? Have you never experienced it? A teacher in Israel, and yet ignorant of this great truth? In speaking from the words of the text, I propose to show I. What the new birth is not. II. What it is. III. What is implied in it. IV. That its necessity is a fact too plain to be called in question, with the least reason. I. WHAT THE NEW BIRTH IS NOT I begin by stating what the new birth is not, because I am well aware that many persons, who have not well considered the matter, are apt to form very false ideas concerning it. 1. I observe then, in the first place, that the new birth here spoken of, does not consist in the creation of any new faculty either of mind or of body. Both Christians and sinners have the same powers and faculties both of mind and body, and therefore sinners do not need any new faculties if they would use those which they already possess, in the manner which God requires them to be used. They want no other powers of mind, and no other powers of body, than those which they have; and God requires them to have no other powers than those with which they are created: consequently, the new birth can not consist in, or imply, the creation of any new powers of either body or mind.

2. Neither, secondly, does it consist in any change of the capacity or structure of any of the powers of the body or the mind. There is no change in the structure of the human faculties in regeneration, neither does God require any such change: no such thing is necessary. What change, pray, is needed in any power either of mind or body? None! Then, we say that no such change occurs in regeneration, or the new birth. 3. I remark again, that it does not imply any such change in the feelings of the mind as to produce through them a change in the actions of the mind; that is, a change is not introduced into the sensibilities or feelings, so that persons have new feelings spring up, constituting regeneration. To be sure, there are new feelings arise in the mind; but as I shall yet have occasion to show, these new feelings do not constitute regeneration, nor do they produce regeneration. 4. But again: regeneration does not consist in any change in which man is purely passive. I shall have occasion to enlarge upon this presently, but I merely suggest it here, that regeneration or the new birth does not consist in any change in which man is purely passive, in which he has no voluntary agency himself. But, this leads me to notice II. In WHAT THE NEW BIRTH DOES CONSIST 1. The Scriptures everywhere represent the new birth, or regeneration, to be a change of character - a change from sinfulness to holiness. Now, if it be so, there must be some voluntary action on the part of the sinner, or how should there be a change of the moral character, if he is passive and not active in it! What do we mean by moral character, and how is a mans character changed? The character depends upon the will, and when a mans will is changed his character is changed. Regeneration, then, is not involuntary, but a change of will, and a change of character - a departing from a state of sinfulness to a state of holiness. How much virtue would there be in involuntary holiness, a state into which man should be brought independently of his own consent, in which he has no agency? Certainly none at all. Regeneration, then, must consist in something in which mans will is something more than passive. It is true, as I shall have occasion to remark, that in regeneration man is a recipient, and a passive recipient, if you will, in a certain sense, of the divine influence; but this divine influence, instead of superseding mans own agency, is only employed in bringing about that change by his own agency, which constitutes regeneration. 2. I remark again - the Bible represents regeneration as consisting in a change of character, as the beginning of a new and holy life. It is often spoken of as a new creation, but which does not mean the creation, literally, of a new nature; but, as I have said, a change of character. It is not a change in the substance of the soul, or of the body; but only a change in the use of them. Pray how did Adam and Eve pass from a state of holiness to a state of sinfulness? It is admitted, I believe, on all hands, that Adam and Eve were holy before they sinned - that when they sinned, they passed from a state of holiness to a state of sinfulness. Now, this was certainly a change of heart in them. It is impossible that they should have acted thus without their hearts being changed. It is admitted, that there was a total change of moral character. Now, how was it that this change was produced? what power was it that brought them from a state of holiness to a state of sinfulness? Did their conduct imply in them a change of substance, a change of nature, or an involuntary change? The Bible gives us a very
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clear and plain account of it. When they were holy, they regarded God as supreme, and yielded themselves up to him in voluntary obedience. God had, for certain good reasons, prohibited their eating of a certain fruit. He had given them an appetite for fruit, and there was nothing sinful in their gratifying that appetite with fruit proper for them to eat - fruit not forbidden. They had indulged this appetite many times before with fruits which they were allowed to eat, and had not sinned in so doing. They had a constitutional desire for knowledge; and under certain circumstances, and upon certain conditions, it was lawful to them to gratify this desire and to seek knowledge. Now Satan suggested to Eve that God was selfish in having prohibited them from eating of that fruit which he had forbidden: For, said he, God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods knowing good and evil. And when Eve saw that the fruit was pleasant to the eyes, and withal calculated to make one wise, she took of it and did eat, and gave also unto her husband and he did eat. Now, by this act did they change their constitutions or their natures, or simply withdraw their allegiance from God, and, in despite of his requirements, give themselves up to their own appetites in a prohibited manner? Thus, laying more practical stress upon the gratification of their appetites than in obeying God, and esteeming that the highest gratification. Now, observe, their appetites were well enough in themselves; and if they had been regulated by the will of God, all would have been well. But they changed their own hearts: for, what was this but a change in relation to the disposition of their minds? Instead of preferring Gods authority to their own gratification, they come to prefer their own gratification to Gods authority and the interests of his kingdom. Now, let me ask, What would have been regeneration in Adam and Eve? Suppose God had come to them immediately after they had sinned, and made this requirement of them, that they must be born again. Suppose he had said, You must be born again, or you can not see the kingdom of God, and they had inquired, What is it to be born again? What would have been the natural answer for God to make them? That they must have some new faculty, some newly implanted appetites, and undergo a change of nature? What was the matter with their nature, pray? Just but a moment since they were living in holiness and in obedience to God and now they had simply withdrawn their obedience to him, and yielded themselves to the obedience of their own gratification and appetites. Now, what does God require of them? Why, that they will come back again to the state in which they had been previously - to consecrate themselves again to God. That instead of committing themselves, as they had done by this act, to their own gratification, and that in despite of the authority of God - they should reverse this state of things, and devote themselves again once and for ever to the authority and service of God. I remark, then, that regeneration must consist, doubtless, in a change of the disposition of the mind - a voluntary consecration to God. Observe, that when they withdrew allegiance from God, and committed themselves in the face of Gods authority to the gratification of their appetites, this constituted a fundamental change in their characters. Observe, they could not do the thing which they did, without deliberately preferring their own gratification to obedience to God. This committing themselves to sin, then, must have constituted in them an entire change of character. 3. I remark, again, in other words, that regeneration consists in a change in the ultimate intention, or end of life. The mind, in regeneration, withdraws itself from seeking, as the ultimate disposition and end, the gratification of self, and choose a higher end than itself. Its disposition is changed from supreme selfishness to an entire devotion of the

whole being to the great end for which God lives, and for which he made man to live. Regeneration, then, consists in ceasing to live to sin and for selfishness, and to live to and for God. I shall remark no further on this part of the subject at present, but proceed, thirdly, to notice III. SOME THINGS THAT ARE IMPLIED In THIS CHANGE 1. And first, I may say in general, that in regeneration the mind receives new and more impressive views of truth. Men when they are regenerated obtain, through the agency of the Holy Spirit, a clear and vastly more impressive view of their relations to God, of the real nature of sin and of holiness, of their duty to God and the great truths that are indispensably associated with regeneration; and by the influence of the Holy Spirit, as I just remarked, they have new and more impressive perception of these truths. This, I suppose, is implied in it as a condition of it. 2. But again: new views of truth, and of religion are implied as resulting from it. For example, when individuals have withdrawn from devotion to themselves and selfish objects, and have devoted themselves to God, they naturally become different people. Before, they viewed everything in a selfish light, and so they acquired a liking for nothing but that which, according to their own views, furthered their selfish ends. They cared not for God even, only so far as they thought he might be useful to them. All their views were selfish. If they feared God at all, it was only because they feared being made miserable by him. Or, if they obeyed him, such obedience was the result of some selfish principle - they hoped to gain some selfish gratification by it. All their views were purely selfish views. Every unregenerate man looks at all things in a selfish light, and all that he imagines will promote his interests, he seeks and loves. But, when a man is born again, he has withdrawn himself from seeking his own interests as the supreme good: he has consecrated himself to God; and, as a necessary result of this, he will sympathise with everything which is calculated to promote the interests of Jehovahs kingdom. The change which has taken place in his mind causes him to have new views and feelings concerning his relation to God, and he now strives to promote Gods glory, and extend his kingdom, by making known his will. Before, selfish interests ruled his conduct - self-gratification was his law - and nothing but self interested him. But now, he has come into an entirely different state of mind - he has devoted himself to another end - and he looks upon all things from a different point of view, and their value becomes differently estimated. Now, what constitutes the particular difference between an unregenerated and a regenerated man? There is no change in his physical structure either of body or mind. So far as substance is concerned, there is no change: but the attitude of his mind is entirely and radically changed. Now this change of mind will manifest itself in his life; for the will controls the action of the body. If I will to move my arms they must move, unless there is some opposing force stronger than my will. A change in the will necessarily produces a change in the life. 3. And this leads me to say that a new life results, as a matter of course, from regeneration. A new outward life is not regeneration, but it results from it, as effect from cause. You see a man devoted to God, and now he is engaged in different pursuits to what he was before; or if engaged in the same pursuits he acts from a different spirit. Is he a merchant? When he was a sinner his ruling motive in trade was selfishness - the spirit of self-gratification was supreme in all that he did. But now, his

merchandise is Gods. The things that he possesses are not his own, he is Gods clerk, or steward, and he will not cheat any body, for he knows that God does not want his servants to cheat. He is transacting business for God; and, as he knows in his heart that God hates cheating, he will be honest now of course. It will be natural for him to be honest. If it is not possible for him to be honest, he is not a regenerate man. If his heart be honest his life will be honest. So in everything else. Let it be understood, then, that when regeneration occurs, a mans whole life will be a law of honesty. 4. But let me say again - another thing implied in regeneration, is a new sort of sympathies and feelings. Before, the feelings and sympathies were all enlisted in one direction, the direction of self. You see a man in this state, and you try to excite him to the performance of some generous action, but you can not do it unless you can employ selfish motives as a means to accomplish your object. His self-interests are easily excited. Show him how much he can get by acting in the way desired by you, and you may succeed, but not else. All appeals to higher motives will fail. It is remarkable to what an extent this feeling of selfishness will develop itself. Make an appeal to an unregenerate mans benevolence, and your appeal has no effect, because his interests, he thinks, are not concerned in it; but make an appeal to his selfishness, and you can excite the deepest foundation of his being. Talk to him about God, and Christ, and religion, and his relations to God, and his sensibilities are not at all excited - his sympathies do not lie in that direction at all. How unfeeling he is if you tell him of his sins, he does not feel them, and can listen to the enumeration of them without emotion. But at length his mind is changed, and he now lives for other interests; now instead of being devoted to self, he is devoted to God, and every thing relating to God and his kingdom reaches his sensibilities and stir up the fountains of feeling in him. Talk to him now about Gods glory and the interests of mens souls - spread out the world before him, and shew him the condition of mankind, and rely upon it you will move him! Before, if you expected to get any money from him you must show him the benefit that would in some sort accrue to himself; but now he has made Gods interests his own interests, and he sympathises with God, and with Christ, and he has set his heart upon promoting those interests which shall glorify God and benefit men. Now only but show him the great field of Christian enterprise, and you fire his soul with love to men, and fill him with a desire to promote the kingdom and glory of God in the world. He has consecrated himself and all that he has to these objects. I have been struck a great many times with the beautiful process that goes on in the soul, as the Christian grows in grace. Sometimes I have looked upon an old saint, who for many years has been thinking of, and bathing his mind in, the great truths of the gospel, who has had so much communion and sympathy with God, that he has become beautifully and sweetly mellow; so delicate, so kind, and so Christ-like were the feelings he would manifest, that I have many times been charmed and cheered with the character of a fully developed Christian. 5. But I remark again: that in regeneration a great change takes place in the joys and sorrows, and hopes and fears of the soul that has experienced the change. The joys of such a man are of a new sort. Before, he would rejoice greatly in the prospect of earthly good. Now he rejoices chiefly in seeing and hearing that the work of God is progressing in the land. He will rejoice to be told that God is pouring out his Spirit, and that souls are brought to Christ. This to him is an entirely new sort of joy. Before, he could take up a newspaper, and if it contained any account of a revival of religion,

he did not read it; but now when he finds such an article in a newspaper, instead of passing it by, he will eagerly run his eye over the page, and it will produce in him inexpressible joy and delight - his whole being will be moved. So with sorrow, new objects call it forth. He was accustomed to sorrow chiefly when some worldly loss had been sustained, because it stood closely connected with his own interests; but now let him know that some professor has become a backslider from Christ, and he is more grieved at that than all the earthly losses that he ever met with. He is now deeply sorry when he sees professors live in sin, more so than at the worldly troubles and losses that he has ever endured. 6. Again: Of course regeneration implies repentance for past sin, and implies implicit confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ. It implies also peace of mind, which can not be obtained without repentance and faith in Christ; because the elements of discord are always stirring within the minds of the unregenerate. But when they have withdrawn from the course which their consciences disprove, and have devoted themselves to the end for which they were made, all the workings of their minds harmoniously blend together, and produce peace. There is no remonstrance of conscience against their present course; all the powers and faculties within are in harmony; and in addition, there is fellowship with God, and communion with the Holy Ghost. (You see, my dear hearers, that I can dwell but a few moments on each of these topics.) 7. Again, let me say, that regeneration implies a state of self-denial. Now I do not mean by self-denial, the breaking off from some outward customs and habits in which you have been accustomed to indulge - that you leave off some showy articles of dress and wear plainer attire; or that you be a little more temperate, or a good deal more temperate; for self-denial does not belong to the outward life, but to the mind. Selfdenial is the renunciation of selfishness, and all selfish appetites. Self-denial is not a total denial of our appetites and passions, but our appetites and passions are not to be our law. It is right to eat and drink, but we are to do both to the glory of God, that we may have strength to serve him. So with respect to all our appetites and propensities, they are to be properly employed and made to serve the purposes for which they were bestowed, but we are not to make their gratification the business and end of life. 8. Lastly, regeneration implies that the mind is come to have new motives of action - I use the term motive in the sense of design or intention. This term is used in different senses. We sometimes ask what are a mans motives for doing such and such things, when we mean his reasons for doing them; and sometimes we mean by the question, to ask what his design or aim is? In this last sense I use the term motive. I say then that the regenerate man now acts from opposite motives to what he did before. This is the great radical change that has taken place, and he is now pursuing a radically different course and end. Before, his own personal gratification and interests, and the gratification and interests of those who were considered to be parts of himself, were the ends for which he lived, moved, and had his being. Whatever he did, it was with a view to this end; everything was radically wrong. Whether he went to meeting, read his Bible, or prayed, the end in view was the promotion of his own interests. No matter what he did, it was sin and only sin continually. But now he has become regenerated; the design of his mind is to promote other interests, and to pursue a radically different end: he gives himself to God, and lives, and moves, and breathes, and has his being for God and godliness. Now, I appeal to every person in this house, who knows what it is

to be regenerated, whether I have not given, in substance, what regeneration is? Suppose, we should take an opposite view, and affirm that regeneration consists in a change of nature! Now, I know that the Bible sometimes speaks of regeneration as a change of nature, but we suppose that such language is figurative. We sometimes say of men, how natural it is for them to do such and such things, when we mean that the man is devoted to this end, whatever it may be. Now, when a man is pursuing another end, we say he is a new man - that is, his way of life is changed - his end of being is changed. But, suppose, that we should say that regeneration is a change of nature, of substance - that something new is infused into the man that becomes united with the substance either of his mind or body, what must be the consequence? Is this change in the moral character? If it is, something which God has created within man and with which man has nothing to do, it can not imply a change of character. Furthermore, does it imply the power of backsliding from God? Can a man, in such a condition, be a backslider? Can he fall from grace? I am astonished to hear men contend that individuals undergo a change of nature in regeneration, and yet say that they can alter their course, and fall from grace. How is it possible that they can fall from grace? Who has changed their nature back again? Did God or Satan change it? Now it is true, no doubt, of all sinners, that when they have once given themselves up to pursue certain ends their sympathies, feelings, and dispositions, become so corrupted, that they are naturally led to live sinful and selfish lives; and so when a man is regenerated, it becomes a kind of second nature for him to do right: but still, literally, man has not received a change of nature. I proceed to remark, in the next place, IV. THE NECESSITY OF THIS CHANGE Its necessity is very strongly insisted on in the text. When Christ taught Nicodemus the necessity of the new birth, he was greatly surprised, and Christ said, Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. It is no new doctrine that I teach, and you ought, as a doctor in Israel, to know that it is not; no man should marvel at such a plain doctrine, and you least of all. 1. In considering the necessity of this change, I remark, in the first place, that the unregenerate part of mankind are all selfish. No man could practically deny this, without incurring the charge of insanity; and, if he should proceed to do business upon that assumption, a commission of lunacy would no doubt be appointed to examine him, and who certainly would have no hesitation in bringing in their verdict, that he was not fit to manage his own affairs. The fact is, that all the arrangements of society proceed upon the assumption, which is a fact, that men are devoted to their own interests, and quite regardless of the interests of others. There is no plainer fact in the world than this. Now, do you ask, how it came to pass that men are selfish? Why, the principle grows up with us almost from our birth. As soon as the appetites and passions of children are sufficiently developed to come into exercise, they employ their wills to seek the gratification of their appetites and passions. The will becomes devoted to the gratification of self. Now that God is not selfish, I suppose, will be admitted on all hands; that a selfish mind is not at rest within itself, that men were not made to be selfish, and that no man can be satisfied and happy while he is selfish - that no man can be at peace with himself while he is pursuing solely his own interest. Man is so constituted that the mind of a selfish being can not be happy. Now, suppose that the inhabitants of heaven were selfish, all their interests would be conflicting, and laws

would be needed to restrain them from encroaching upon each others rights, because their sympathies did not blend. The same difficulties would exist there as here, only in a much higher degree. There would be striving, and crushing, and overreaching; every man would be at war with his brother. Now, such a community as that can never possess heaven. In order to be saved, then - in order to be happy in heaven, men must really experience a radical change in the end for which they live: they must renounce self-interest, and they must recognise Gods authority and interests as supreme, and they must love their brother as they do themselves. They must set up a common interest, and have a common object of love. Who does not believe that heaven is a place where all is unity and harmony, and where there is no selfishness, and where Gods will is the universal law, and where the interest of one is the interest of all. Now it is easy to see that this would just meet the demands of mans being when he is regenerated. Now, just look at a world of selfish beings with all the restraints of law; with ten thousand pulpits preaching against selfishness, with the press groaning with articles against selfishness, with large numbers of colporteurs running hither and thither with Bibles protesting against selfishness, and yet see the immense amount of selfishness that exists in the world, after all. And now, when men are told that they must be born again, they do but smile at it. They dont understand it, they have the gross conception of it that Nicodemus had; they do not consider, that unless there be a radical change of character, they can not possess and enjoy heaven. Put a selfish man into heaven, and what will he do there? Why, he will ask, if there is any way of making money, any way of making a speculation to his advantage? Heaven, then, is no place for selfish beings. But how are men to get to heaven? You tell them of this change of heart, and they do not deny but they may need some little change, but they do not see the necessity for a radical change of disposition and character. But it is nevertheless a great truth, that unless men cease to be selfish and become benevolent in their dispositions there is no place for them in heaven; and, if the selfish man could get there, the holiness and benevolence of heaven would be intolerable to him, his selfish nature would cry out against it, for God is not selfish, angels are not selfish, the saints in glory are not selfish. Now, do let me ask you, dear hearers, are you selfish? Have you always lived to please yourselves? and if so, is it not the most self-evident thing in the universe, that unless a change takes place in the end for which you live, that you never can sympathise with the inhabitants of heaven? Suppose that it were possible for you, with a selfish heart, to join in the worship of heaven, to live among those that were not selfish, but perfectly benevolent, what sympathy would you have there? Would it be the delight of your heart to mingle your song with theirs? Could you mingle in their joys and find pleasure in their pursuits? Never! Your sensibilities do not lie in that direction, your minds are not there! Your hearts are not there! Methinks that you would need to be confined there, or you would spring over the battlements of heaven, and go down to hell, in order to get out of such holy and benevolent company. REMARKS 1. First, you can see what an infinite mistake those person have made who make religion hard and grievous. It is not grievous for a man to pursue that upon which his heart is set. Yet a great many religious professors find it very hard to attend to the duties of religion. I have no heart, they say, to go to church, but I must not stay away, I must not omit this duty, and they do it, but find no relish, no satisfaction in it. Why, friends, you have made a mistake! You have attempted to serve God without giving

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him your heart! You have attempted to serve the Lord without consecrating yourselves to the great end for which you ought to live! Just let your heart go first, and your life will follow without all this great trouble. If your heart is right, you will not need to put a strong rein upon yourselves to keep you from cheating your neighbour. Your aim will then be to do him good; you will love him as you love yourself. 2. I remark again, that what individuals need to do it this - turn their minds to God, and to begin a new life; to retrace their steps, to reverse their minds completely, in respect to the great end for which they ought to live. 3. I remark again; those person who call in question the necessity of the change, which the Bible says is essential, are entirely unreasonable, for I aver that regeneration is as truly a doctrine of natural, as of revealed, religion. Men, by rejecting the Bible, need not suppose that they can reject the doctrine of regeneration. They must either deny the natural state of man, or they must deny that the inhabitants of heaven are holy, before they can reject the doctrine of regeneration. Natural religion itself teaches that some great and radical change is needed; and hence the everlasting restlessness of man. Do we not know that all the pains that men take to engross themselves with worldly objects indicates that they are ill at ease in regard to their moral character and conduct. The fact is, that they do admit the necessity of a radical change in their characters. They never can rest where they are; and hence the Bible represents them as like the troubled sea, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 4. I remark again; that many persons have got such ideas of regeneration, that when God calls upon them to become new creatures, they wait for God to change their hearts. They expect to have something done to them that shall act like an electric shock, and so they wait, instead of at once breaking away from their selfishness, and coming to Christ. 5. Again, how divine influence is communicated to men is, the context tells us, very mysterious, but the influence is felt, though not seen. Every Christian knows that he has been born again. He knows that he was thinking of certain truths and gave himself up to their influence, when the Spirit began to operate upon his mind, and reveal the truth to him; and he was so influenced, that his desires and disposition were changed, and he gave himself up wholly to God. 6. Again; where the truth is apprehended, men have no cause to wait for anything. God requires them to act: turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die. Now, when they are waiting for something else, they overlook the fact, that God is just doing the very thing that they need. 7. In the next place, the mind is highly intelligent in regeneration. The mind must be intelligent in regeneration, or it is not a virtuous act. After regeneration, the mind acts more intelligently than ever it did before; and it may well be so, for that act was the only truly rational of all its acts. The soul now comes to act in view of Gods truth, and in harmony with Gods will, his interests, and his authority. Is this regeneration, then, to be called fanaticism, mysticism; and to be branded as something unintelligible? I trust, that my hearers will say, No! I will not detain you longer than to ask - If there are those in this house to-night, who have never been born again, but who see the necessity of it, I ask such, do you see that what you are to do is to cease to live for the

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end that you are living for, and that you are to live in future to Gods glory, and to recognise solely his authority, and set your heart upon him? You must not cleave for salvation to any works of your own, but when God draws you, as he is doing now, you are to say, Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. You are to answer the invitations of God, as Paul answered, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Implying that you recognise Christs authority, and that whatever Christ tells you to do, you will do. Now, why not make up your mind and come to God at once? There never could be a better time! Why not renounce self now, and make a new heart and a new spirit? Do you ask, can I do that? To be sure you can. Suppose Adam and Eve had asked - Can we make ourselves new hearts? Why, God might have said, Did you not just do it? But, a little while ago, you had holy hearts that were consecrated to me, and you have withdrawn your allegiance from me; and have you not, by that act, just created wicked hearts? This was your own act, and I only require you to undo what you have just done. And now, my dear hearers, I may safely warrant you, that if you will consecrate yourselves to God, God will not condemn you for want of regeneration. But that if you can make up your minds to renounce all your self-interests as the end of life, and freely devote your powers to God, you are safe, you are in a state of regeneration, or call it by what name you will. Remember I am not denying that God has something to do with your regeneration and salvation. It is God that draws you, and your duty is, when he draws, to say, Yes Lord, I consent to take thy dear, easy yoke, and do thy will. I will do it, Lord, and do it now; I do it once for all, and for ever - thy will shall be my everlasting and universal law. Amen.

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2. PLEASING GOD
Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. - Hebrews 11:5 In speaking from these words I shall inquire I. Who gave this testimony to Enoch? II. Notice the nature of the testimony! III. Consider how this testimony was given! IV. The conditions upon which he must have received it, and upon which we may obtain such testimony? V. The importance of having this testimony! VI. Consider some of the reasons why so few seem to have the testimony that they please god? This is the outline of thought to which I would call your attention, and I suppose that these several points will include subjects on which every thoughtful mind will naturally desire to be informed. I. WHOSE TESTIMONY WAS IT THAT ENOCH HAD PLEASED GOD? Surely it must have been Gods testimony, for who could give this testimony, but God? If God was pleased with Enoch, and he knew it, how otherwise could he have become possessed of this knowledge but by a revelation from God? And this was doubtless the apostles meaning, and it was the fact, that Enoch had Gods testimony that he pleased him. II. THE NATURE OF THIS TESTIMONY 1. And I remark first, that it was not simply a negative testimony, a mere absence of sin and guilt, and that God was not displeased with him. It was not a mere absence of anything. A hardened sinner will sometimes have this negative kind of testimony: he may not feel the frown of God, nor have any sense at all of Gods displeasure. 2. The testimony then, that Enoch had, was a positive testimony. God in some way, doubtless, convinced Enoch, and let him understand that he was pleased with him. He indicated the fact that he was pleased with him. Enoch himself had Gods testimony that he pleased him.

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III. HOW ARE WE TO SUPPOSE THAT THIS TESTIMONY WAS GIVEN TO HIM 1. I observe first that it was not given merely in a providential manner - God did not manifest to Enoch by the course of his providence that he was pleased with him; this has never been the course of God with man. Every one knows that oftentimes it is quite impossible to know the moral character of a man by the way in which God deals with him in this world. And this fact completely shows that this world is not the state of retribution, of rewards and punishments. I fear that there are many mistakes made on this subject. The friends of Job, manifestly reasoned wrong on this subject, they supposed, and argued, that Gods dealings with Job proved him to be a wicked man; but Job resisted this mode of reasoning, and insisted that they had a false view of the subject. Almost the entire scope of the book of Job goes to establish this point - that God does not by his providence in this world indicate his view of the moral character of man. The Bible in many places affirms this. He makes his sun to shine upon the evil and upon the good, and his rain to descend upon the just and upon the unjust. The wicked are often exalted whilst the righteous are trodden down and afflicted. Neither in their life nor in their death does God often manifest his views of their character. The Psalmist observed this, and he says, the wicked flourish like a green bay-tree, they are not in trouble like other men, neither are they plagued like other men, verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocence. But he said this before he was well instructed. When he thought to know this it was too painful for him, he stumbled at it, until he went into the house of God, and there he understood the matter. There he saw how God dealt with men according to their characters, that God set the wicked in slippery places, and cast them down at last into destruction. These remarks are designed to illustrate what I have just said - that we are not to suppose that God providentially gave this testimony to Enoch. And it is according to the universal observation and testimony of mankind, that God does not show his special pleasure in men by this means. 2. I remark again: that God must, doubtless, have in some way indicated the fact to the mind of Enoch through his word, by his Spirit. How else could he have made the communication? It must have been either by providence that God revealed to Enoch that he was pleased with him, or it must have been indicated to his mind directly by the Spirit, as I suppose, through his word. It should be borne in mind that at that time the scriptures were not filled up as they are now, and, therefore, the Spirit of God could not, without a direct revelation from heaven, have made any application to his mind of much that is written in the Bible. Yet, doubtless, God did manifest himself to Enoch through his word by his Spirit. And here, let me say, that in all cases where men have this testimony, it must be of this character. It must be that God gives this testimony through his word by his Spirit. 3. But let me say again: it is done by speaking peace to the soul, giving the soul to understand that God is at peace with it, shedding peace and diffusing it over his soul, giving him the Spirit of adoption, leading him to understand by Gods smile on his soul, drawing him into union with himself, and shedding abroad his love in his heart, and thus creating such a state of mind that the individual can clearly understand that he is accepted of God, and that God has pleasure in him. If I had time to dwell upon this part of the subject, I think it would be very easy to show that it is in exact accordance

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with the experience of every Christian that has ever known anything of experimental religion. Any one that has ever had real communion with God, that has ever known what it is to be drawn into union with God in such a manner as to sympathise so deeply with him as to partake of his holiness, and drink of the river of his pleasures, and so to understand what the mind of God is, as to partake in part of its nature, and understand the nature of the peace which God enjoys. And let me say that there is such a thing as God giving to the mind a sense of justification, in other words, a sense of his approval, so that the mind can have no doubt of it at the time. It perfectly understands its acceptance with God. God so smiles upon the soul, and so sheds himself into the soul, that it seems to breathe an atmosphere of peace, so deep and so calm that it is in no doubt of its acceptance with God, no doubt of being in that state which God is pleased. IV. THE CONDITIONS UPON WHICH ENOCH RECEIVED THIS TESTIMONY AND UPON WHICH EVERY ONE ELSE MAY RECEIVE IT 1. The first condition that I notice is, that the individual who will have this testimony must actually please God, for God will bear no false testimony. It is not enough that Christ has pleased God, that in some mysterious manner Christs righteousness is imputed to the man. It is only a mere truism to say that God is pleased with Christ. In the text it is said that God was pleased with Enoch. Now I suppose that we are to understand something more than this - that God accepted him for Christs sake. I suppose that we are to understand that God, for Christs sake, gave him so much of the Holy Spirit as to secure in him a state of mind actually pleasing to God, and that through the Spirit he actually did that which pleased God. We say then that any one who would enjoy this testimony that he pleases God, must be in such a condition of mind as is acceptable to God, and live a life that is pleasing to God. 2. I remark again: that there must be, as a condition, implicit confidence in God. There is no duty that is so pleasing to God. When Enoch lived, the atonement had not yet been made, but then it was understood that an atonement was to be made. And if this was so, it is certain that he would have had implicit confidence in God as a condition for pleasing him. The Bible affirms that without faith it is impossible to please him; Enoch must therefore have had implicit confidence in God. But what is implicit confidence? I mean by implicit confidence, that he must have abjured all selfconfidence, and have cast himself upon Gods grace. And in order to this, he must have had some knowledge of the manner in which God expects man to have implicit confidence in his truthfulness, and faithfulness, and mercy. 3. But let me mention another condition - he must have lived to God. It is said of him in the Old Testament that he walked with God three hundred years, and then was translated, and was not, for God took him. This walking with God implies agreement for the Bible says, how can two walk together except they be agreed - which in Bible language, means, that two can not walk together except they are agreed. Therefore when it is said that Enoch walked with God, we are to understand that his will and his heart were at one with God; and if this was true he might well have the testimony that he pleased God. And be it remembered that every one who would please God, and would have this testimony, must do as Enoch did; he must agree to have Gods government and no other, he must live for every end for which God lives.

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4. Again: he must set his heart upon pleasing God. No individual will have the testimony that he pleases God unless he really means to please him. A man, I say, who would have the testimony that he pleases God, must have an heart set upon pleasing him, he must regard it as of the greatest importance that he please God, he must give himself to the work of pleasing God as a condition of pleasing him. 5. Again: Another condition is, that he must not be contented at all to live without the testimony that he pleases God. He must not only aim to please him, but must not be content to live without the testimony that he does please him. If he truly aims to please God, and his heart is set upon this, he will not be satisfied without he succeeds in that which he aims to do, that he really does please God. If an individual does aim to obtain this testimony, but if he considers it only of little importance whether he succeeds, of course he will not have it. 6. I remark again: another condition is, he must believe it possible for him to please God. If he does not believe it possible for him to please God; if he has such an idea of Gods requirements that they are so exceedingly strict, and that he requires so much of man, that it is almost hopeless of man to expect to please him, if he has this idea, I say, he need not expect to please him. I have heard many persons talk as if it was the height of presumption to try to please God in this world, as if it would be most dangerous to the soul to indulge in the belief that it could please him. These persons represent God as so infinitely exacting, that the highest angel in heaven might hardly hope to please him - then how could man hope to do it? Now when an individual has this idea - that God requires his creatures to make brick without straw, that he requires of men that which they can not do, because he does not give them the ability to do it, then he rejects every expectation of pleasing God. When an individual has this idea he is in a state of mind that can not please God. It is true that God is holy, that his requirements are perfect. It is true that he requires men to love him with all their heart, and soul, and strength, and their neighbours as themselves, but it is also true that his grace is equal to his requirements; and in his requirements he pledges his grace to enable us to perform. It were infinitely strange, not to say unjust, if it were otherwise. 7. But again: another condition of having this testimony is this - a belief that we may have the testimony - not only that we may please God, but that we may secure his testimony to the fact that we do please him. If we forget the idea that God is slow to manifest his pleasure, it will no doubt effectually prevent our having the testimony. It is the tendency of sin to prevent the soul enjoying this delightful assurance of its acceptance with God, and the arch enemy of souls is ever ready to prevent us rising to this belief and conviction. Now, let me pause here, and apply what I have I said to all classes of persons: not only to professed saints, but to those also who are not professed saints. Now, do you really desire the testimony that you please God? Of course, you can not expect to have it while you remain impenitent. But, may you not enjoy this testimony, if you set your heart upon pleasing God? Yes! you may. To be sure you have not this testimony now, and some of you may say, it will be a great while before I can have it. Why? Will it take you a great while to repent, and set your heart upon obeying God? Oh, no! Well, it is as important for you to have this testimony as any body else - then why not say at once, As I can have this testimony by the grace of God, I will not live another day

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without it. But I would observe, here, that the spirit of self-sacrifice is a condition of having this testimony. Christ lived not to please himself, but to please his Father: and, in order to do this, he was willing to sacrifice everything and his own life also. Now, if any of his followers would have the testimony that they please God, they must have the self-sacrificing spirit of their master. They must be willing to be used up, for the good of his kingdom. They must be willing, as Christ was, to sacrifice even their lives. But, I must hasten to consider V. THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THIS TESTIMONY 1. And, I remark, first: if persons have it not, who are professors of religion, or seriously disposed, the best that can be said of them is, that they live in a state of continual doubt. If they have not the testimony that they do not please God, yet they fully admit that they feel such a sense of condemnation as to be as far as possible off from having the testimony that they do please him. Now, perhaps, it is so with some of you - that everything condemns you, every sermon that you hear condemns you, your own consciences condemn you, you can not go into your closet and pray as you feel that you ought: God seems to frown upon you. You have the clearest evidence that you do not please God. Others of you, perhaps, may not be in exactly this state of depression, but your life, to say the best of it, is full of doubts; you have no such evidence that God is pleased with you, as will allow you to rest satisfied. You are the subjects of many doubts, fears, and anxieties. Perhaps, you seldom, if ever, rise higher than to be greatly anxious about yourselves: or, perhaps, you are too careless even to care about it at all. When you have heard some searching preaching, instead of going with clear testimony that you please God, you seldom go further than to get many doubts and perplexities about it. No wonder that you doubt whether you love and please God. If you have not the testimony that you do, you have good reason to doubt: and I beg of you, that unless you have this testimony, not to persuade yourselves that you ought to do other than doubt! The only rational way for you to act is to decide that you do not please God. If you do please him, why this state of anxiety? Why this everlasting halting? Is it because God is unwilling to manifest himself to you, although you do please him? Let your own hearts answer the question. 2. In the next place, as professors of religion, if you have not this testimony, when you are called upon to proclaim the gospel to sinners and pull them out of the fire, you will find that you have so much to think about yourselves as to be able to do nothing for any body else. This is a great and sore evil! In how many thousands of cases have I found sinners becoming inquirers, and going for advice and comfort to the church, but the church was unable to do anything for them, because they were in doubt, whether they were Christians themselves. You ask them to pray for sinners, and they can only say, Lord have mercy on me. Now, is not this a great evil? Indeed, it is an evil of the greatest magnitude. Professors of religion, unless they have this testimony, can do but very little for God. I have heard ministers during the time of a Revival, say that they could neither preach nor pray? they had so little evidence of their own acceptance with God that their mouths were shut. What a great evil is this! What can they do for others, when they are in this lamentable condition themselves? They can not go out and work as men of God ought to work. With what confidence can they preach that which they really do not know that they believe themselves, or hold forth the salvation of which they touch not, taste not, handle not! All such persons are a dead weight upon

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the cause of God, and hang like millstones round the necks of those who would otherwise pull sinners out of the fire. What minister has not found it true, that when his people were living without knowing that they pleased God, that an immense number of difficulties were thrown in the way of good being done! When the church can only hang upon the minister, they are in a very bad condition. Perhaps it is the case with some of you - that you are hanging like dead weights on the energies and prayers of those who are labouring for the salvation of souls? And it always will be so, if you are without the testimony that you please God. Professors of religion - where are you? what are you doing? If you have not the testimony that you please God, you are stumbling blocks, you misrepresent religion! What do you mean? You profess to be Christians, children of God; then you ought to have the witness of the Spirit, and hold forth the blessedness of such a salvation to others. But, what are really the facts? Alas! alas! in general professors are always complaining of their leanness and their trials. It would seem, to hear them talk, as if God was the hardest master that any body ever had to serve; that he dealt out his pleasures with so sparing a hand as quite to discourage them! How many times have I heard persons say, if such and such a persons religion is the religion of Christ, it may do very well for a death-bed, but not to live in the world with. Must I go mourning all my days and never have any cheerfulness, if so, I am afraid of such a religion! And well they may be. 3. But, let me say again: that without this testimony you can not use the promises. How many times have I heard persons say, if I knew that I was accepted of God, how gladly would I apply to myself such and such promises, but they are meant for the children of God, and I do not know whether I am a child of God or no. O that I did but know that I was a child of God, and I would claim all the promises as mine own. Perhaps this is the language of some of you. Now, the promises may lie in the Bible, and the Bible may rot upon your shelves, and you make no use of them, because you lack the testimony that they belong to you - because you do not know whether you are children of God. 4. Again: this testimony is indispensable to a rational hope of salvation. What reason has a man to believe that he is personally interested in the salvation of Christ, if he has not this evidence. I know that some persons have a hope that they shall be saved, while they are really living in a state of condemnation. But is this a rational hope? I say, NO; it is not a rational hope. I know that such persons as have it cleave to it, but they have no right to cleave to it, most assuredly. 5. Again: this testimony is indispensable to peace of mind. No man is at peace till God speaks to him, but when God speaks peace to his soul, he is at peace. But God will not speak peace to his soul till he comes into a state of mind with which God is at peace. 6. Again: it is indispensable to Christian liberty. Many professors of religion have no conception of Christian liberty. Christian liberty seems to be with them a kind of license that they suppose themselves to have, as resulting from the imputed righteousness of Christ: and as Christs righteousness is imputed to them, they imagine that they can be personally sinful, and yet acceptable with God. I know that salvation does not depend upon personal holiness; but, without it the man is not a Christian. No man, therefore, possesses Christian liberty, unless he has the testimony that he pleases God.

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7. But I remark again: this testimony is indispensable to Christian cheerfulness. No individual has true cheerfulness without it; the mind will be so oppressed with a sense of guilt that the man can hardly speak a word; from day to day he will go bowed down with a sense of guilt. Real Christian cheerfulness that arises from love, and communion with God and deep sympathy with him, is a kind of cheerfulness which they do not understand who have not this testimony. And, let me say, that it is of the greatest importance that Christians be cheerful, for it recommends their religion to others, and often very materially influences their conduct. Four or five years ago, one of the principal lawyers in the State of Ohio, Judge Andrews, an unconverted man, came to hear me preach; and when I had done, he came and asked me if I would go with him to see an individual that evening. I agreed; and it was to me a great treat indeed. It was a truly Christian woman that we went to see; and, as soon as we were seated, she began to talk with great cheerfulness, and fullness, of what the Lord had done for her soul. Judge Andrews sat and listened with the greatest attention, and by and by a tear trembled in his eye, and the old lady went on conversing with such cheerfulness, that it riveted him, and he sat for three quarters of an hour to hear that woman talk. When we left, he said to me, if this is the religion of Jesus Christ, I am determined that I will not rest till I possess it and know what it is: and there is good reason to believe that he did not rest till he did know what it was by experience. Now, many cases of this kind occur where persons, unconsciously perhaps, influence those around them. How often have I heard men say, when they have seen religion thus cheerfully exhibited, that is the religion for me, that is the religion which meets the demand of our being. Without cheerfulness, a man can scarcely be said to be useful. Let a minister preach to his people without it, and the utmost he will do will be to preach them into condemnation. Said a minister to me, Brother Finney, tell me what you think is the defect in my ministry; I find that sinners are brought under conviction, but they get no further. I made but a brief answer at the time, but I prepared a sermon in a few days, on the seventh chapter of Romans, contrasting it with the eighth chapter. I showed that the seventh chapter was descriptive of a state of bondage, of law; but, that the eighth was descriptive of the state of Christian liberty. I preached the sermon in the hearing of my brother, and when I had done, he came to me and said, Brother Finney, if what you have been preaching is true, I do not know anything about religion, for my experience does not go any further than the seventh chapter. Now, said I, you have answered the question that you asked me the other day. You do not know what it is to have liberty, and how can you preach a gospel that you do not understand. The man did not live long in that state. Let me remark here, that it is a mournful fact that the great mass of religious teachers go no further than the seventh chapter of Romans; they can go so far and cry out, O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death! but they can not go on to the eighth and say, There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. Now, a minister can not lead his people further than he goes himself; and, if the people were to get into the liberty of the gospel otherwise than by his means, he would pour cold water upon them, and tell them that they were getting into a strange fanatical state of mind; but how different will it be when the

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minister has come into this liberty which the gospel is calculated to give. I now come to consider VI. SOME OF THE REASONS WHY SO FEW PERSONS SEEM TO HAVE THIS TESTIMONY? When I say few, I do not mean to say that the whole number is small, for I am happy to know that it is not. Wherever I go I find persons that understand it, and when they hear the sound, they recognise it as the gospel. But taking the great mass, comparatively few know what it is to enjoy this testimony. 1. The reason why they have it not, is not because it is so hard to please God. His commandments are not grievous, he says. He is not exacting and hard to please. He expects a willing mind in his service, but he does not expect from man that which he hath not, but only that which he hath. If the heart and will is right, God accepts it; and the man who gives his heart and will to God shall have the testimony that he please God. So that when a man has not the testimony that he please God, it is not because God is unwilling to manifest his pleasure when he is pleased. Some people seem to think that it is dangerous to praise even virtue itself. Flattery is always dangerous, but condemnation is only just where it is deserved. Take a family, for example, where the children are endeavouring to please their parents, and when they know that they have done their best, if they are not commended, they think that injustice has been done them, and they relax in their efforts, because they conclude that it is impossible to please so as to gain commendation, let them do what they will. Just so with a wife who is always endeavouring to please her husband, and if he is never pleased, the effect is, that she gives up trying, because she sees it is of no use. God in his government supplies this demand of our nature. Let sin be put away from any moral agent, and God loves the agent and manifests his pleasure; it is in his very nature for him to do so. It is but an exception to this rule, that God in a very remarkable and marvellous way hid his face from Christ. Christ was the representative embodiment of sin, and it was necessary that God should make a public demonstration of his hatred of sin, and although Christ was personally holy, since he had become the representative of a sinful race, it was necessary that he should have to utter that agonising cry, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? But ordinarily when any body please God, he has just as much willingness to manifest it as the most indulgent of parents have to commend their children when they do right. Some persons, I know, are unwilling to commend their children, and I know that by such conduct they greatly injure their children. When the wife is not commended for kindness to her husband, or the husband to his wife, or children for dutifulness to their parents, great injustice is done, and an immense amount of injury. 2. In the next place, the reason why so few have this testimony is, because so few really please God, so few really aim to please him. If they were conscious of being sincerely aiming to please God, they would undoubtedly expect to please him; but being conscious that they do not live for that end, they can not rationally expect to please him, and of course they can not expect any manifestation of his pleasure. 3. But again, another reason that so few have this testimony is, that they consent to live without it. If men consent to live without knowing whether they please or displease God, they will assuredly not have the testimony that they please him.
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4. I remark again, that many do not have it, because they have more regard for the approbation of men than the approbation of God. They care so little about pleasing God, that they have ceased to inquire what will please him, and they will not hesitate to do what they know will displease God rather than displease man. These persons, of course, can not have the testimony of which we are speaking. 5. I remark again; that great multitudes of person seems satisfied with mere negative testimony; if they can manage not to have a conscious sense of condemnation they can get along very well. Dearly beloved, as I have gone over these points, have I been stating the history of any of you? You are all strangers to me, and I always feel embarrassed in preaching to persons of whose spiritual state and condition I am ignorant. God only knows, therefore, whether the things spoken to-night meet the case of any of you, or not. REMARKS 1. When a soul has once had the testimony that it pleased God and has lost this testimony, it can not rest without it. Let an individual who once enjoyed the testimony that he pleased God, fall into sin, and such a person will be among the most unhappy and wretched of mankind. 2. This accounts for the fact, that backsliders in heart are ever the most unhappy of mankind - the man that backslides in heart from God is wretched. I deeply pity the man who is a backslider. I pity the husband who has a backsliding wife - I pity the wife who has a backsliding husband - I pity the children who have backsliding parents - I pity the parents who have backsliding children - I pity the minister who has a backsliding church, and I pity the church who has a backsliding minister; the effect is, that the backslider in heart is filled with his own ways - he is wretched wherever he is, and the language of his heart will often be O where can rest be found? Rest, for the weary soul. Perhaps some of you remember, and often say Those peaceful hours I once enjoyed, How sweet their memory still. When you walked with God and had the testimony that you pleased him. You once enjoyed his testimony, and now you are fallen. Well, let me ask if you are not very uncomfortable in that fallen state? Do not your very dreams torment you? Are you not almost afraid to be alone? Dare you commune with your own heart, and be honest with yourselves? If you are in the condition which I have supposed, you are most unhappy and wretched, wherever you are. You may try to be happy and comfortable, but you never can be till you return to God; but when you have done this, and when Gods frown is taken away, and he smiles upon you, then you may have peace. Now will you return? Great as your sins are, will you return? Do you say that your sins are so very great, so that you can not even lift up your eyes to heaven! Neither could the publican, but he smote upon his breast, and cried, God be merciful to me a sinner. You can do that! If you can not hold up your head before God, you can get down into the dust,

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where the Psalmist was when he cried out in the agony of his soul to God and confessed his sin before him. Youcan do that, and the question is will you do it? 3. I remark again, what I have said to-night to Christians may with equal propriety be applied to anxious sinners. And to such, I say, you can have the testimony that you please God, if you give yourself up to please him. If you renounce your sins and have no fellowship with iniquity, so great is his grace, that through his Son Jesus Christ you may breath the spirit of liberty and of love, and possess the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. If you will but believe; if you will but make up your minds to walk with God, you may know what it is to have the testimony that you please him. Some of you may be ready to say, O, if I could have this testimony, there is nothing that I would not do; there is no part of the world to which I would not go, if I could obtain acceptance with God. Yes, you want to buy it; but, until you will be content to do the will of God, and cast yourselves wholly upon the grace of Christ for it, you will never possess it. You may say, I have thought, desired, and prayed, and avowed my willingness to do anything if I might but obtain acceptance with God. Did it never occur to you that there was much self-righteousness in your desire to do something to obtain this, otherwise than by the means which God has appointed - it was a selfrighteous effort. It is not very difficult to come to Christ; why do not you come to him? What say you, may I come to Christ? Can I come to Christ just as I am? Will he accept me? Yes, you may come to him, and he will accept you. Hear what he says, Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. If you come to Christ, you may have the testimony that you please God; that you believe on him, and cast yourselves upon him, is all God requires of you. And now, you who are professors of religion, and you who are not, is it not best for you one and all to say by the grace of God we will have this testimony. What minister, what professor, what sinner, in this house, but will say, If by the grace of God, it is offered to me, I will have it and enjoy it, or I will die for it. O God, I will accept thy offered mercy. Lord Jesus, I believe thy gospel, and I accept it. You that have the testimony that you please God, I know that in the depth of your emotions you often groan within you, on account of the miserable death in which some persons are that pretend to live: your souls, pray for them, let them pray on, Gods spirit is in the midst of you, and now is the time for a resurrection from the dead. What say you sinner? Will you arise from the dead and come forth? Christ calls you, and presents you with his life-giving blood. He puts it even to your lips. Do you dash it away? Do your soul not want the testimony that God is reconciled to you? Do you not desire the testimony that you please God? If you do, then believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall have the very thing that you require. Now we are going to God in prayer, and what say you, shall we go on your behalf in the name of Christ? Who of you are prepared to go with us to a throne of grace, and cast your souls upon God? What individual now in bondage is willing to be released? Come and sore away from all your unbelief, and cast yourself upon Christ. Empty your vessel - cast it bottom upwards and make it quite empty, and then bring it to Christ, and it shall be filled. Will you come? Will you come? WILL YOU COME? Let your heart answer! Let your heart respond! Let it speak out, LORD JESUS MY SOUL HEARS, AND I COME, I COME. Amen.

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3. HEART SEARCHING
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. - Psalm 139:23-24 In speaking from this text I shall of course be obliged to assume many things as true without attempting to prove them. This indeed is almost always the case in preaching. It is taken for granted that certain things are agreed upon both by the speaker and the hearer, and unless this was assumed, we could scarcely preach at all. I shall therefore take it for granted that my audience believe in the existence, and attributes of God, and that they also admit that he exercises a providential government over all the affairs of the universe; and that directly, or indirectly, he is concerned in everything that takes place; either positively in bringing it about, or that when it is about to occur he knows it, and permits it, in order that he may make some use of it. I shall take it for granted that you believe that no event occurs without God either positively causing it, or else permitting it to occur, with a design to make some use of it, and in some way to overrule it for his own glory and the good of man. I can not of course enter into a discussion upon the Divine perfections, but must assume that my hearers admit that Gods providence is in some sense universal, and that it extends to every individual. In speaking from these words I design to show I. What is implied in the sincere and acceptable offering of such a petition as that contained in the text? II. Notice some of the ways in which god answers requests of this kind. Search me O God, says the Psalmist, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. I. WHAT IS IMPLIED In THE SINCERE AND ACCEPTABLE OFFERING OF SUCH A REQUEST, AS THIS, TO GOD? 1. First it must imply the realisation of the omniscience of God. When David penned this Psalm he was in a state of mind that deeply realised the omnipresence of God, and the searchings of his eye. He begins the Psalm by saying, O Lord, thou hast searched me, and know me. Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising; and thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path, and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I can not attain unto it. Whether shall I go from thy Spirit? or whether shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. I have read these verses to show that the Psalmist, at the time of offering this petition, was under a deep impression of the omnipresence, and

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omniscience of God, and the searching blaze of his eye throughout his whole being. And I suppose that this is always the state of mind of every individual when he asks God to search him. The very request implies the belief, that God understands his real heart, and is able to search him. 2. Again: an acceptable offering of such a request as this, implies a sense of the moral purity, or holiness of God. Observe, he prays to be searched - that his whole being may be exposed, to see if there was any iniquity within him, and that he might be led in the way everlasting. It is plainly implied that he had such a sense of the purity of God, as to be convinced that God was infinitely opposed to all iniquity. 3. It implies in the next place the necessity of being perfectly pure himself. An individual that offers such a petition as this, does not, and can not, offer it without this conviction. 4. Again: an acceptable offering of this petition must imply, a thorough wakefulness of mind to ones moral or spiritual state. It must be that he is in a very honest, searching, state of mind himself - thoroughly in earnest to know all about himself: he is wide awake to his own spiritual condition and heartily desires that all his errors may be rectified. 5. Again: it implies an intense anxiety to be perfect as God would have him to be conformed to the holy will of God. Observe, he prays that his heart may be searched to see if there was anything wicked within, and to be led in the way everlasting, which plainly implies that he was willing to be led to abandon all iniquity. An individual who makes such a request as this must have an intense longing of mind to be entirely delivered from the dominion of iniquity. 6. Again: this request, to be acceptable, must also imply, I suppose, that the individual offering it, is not at the time conscious of living in sin - conscious of indulging in any known sin. Now the Psalmist would not have made such a request as this, if he had been at the time indulging in sin: he would surely not have asked God to search him to see if there was any wickedness in him, if he was at the same time conscious of indulging in known sin. Had this been the case he could not have made such a request as this without downright hypocrisy. 7. But again: the acceptable offering of such a petition as this implies the assumption, on the part of the petitioner, that he needs to be deeply tried - penetrated with the light of truth to the deepest recesses of his soul. When an individual offers such a petition, he assumes that there may be such things about him as he has himself overlooked, and he asks for the scrutiny of Gods eye to search it out, and to apply such tests as that he may see it. 8. Again: the acceptable offering of such a petition, implies a willingness to be subjected to any process of searching that God may see to be needful. He does not point out any particular way in which he desires to be searched, and tried, but he leaves that to the Divine discretion - he only asks that it may be done, without attempting to dictate how it shall be done. When we ask to be searched, without any real design to be searched, there is an inclination to dictate the way in which it shall be done, but this is not an acceptable way of offering such a petition. The time and manner of the

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searching must be left entirely to the Divine discretion. Let the thing be done! Let God do as seemeth him good! This is the state of mind in which the prayer must be offered. 9. Again: an acceptable offering of such a petition, implies of course, that the petitioner is really willing to have the petition answered, and will not resist any process through which God causes him to pass as the means by which he is answered. I pass now to consider secondly II. SOME OF THE WAYS In WHICH GOD ANSWERS REQUESTS OF THIS KIND And I observe, first: by his Spirit and by the application of his truth. By these means light often shines into the mind, so as to give individuals such a view of themselves as without this searching they never would have had. But, while it is true that God often searches in this way, and has done so in all ages, yet it is by no means the only way in which he searches the human mind: nay, it is certain that he much more frequently searches individuals in other ways. Observe: Gods object in searching is not to inform himself respecting us, but to discover us to ourselves, for he knows well all about the state of our minds, our spiritual latitude and longitude: what we are in our present state, and what sort of characters we should develop under any, and all circumstances. Consequently, God, in bringing us out to our own view must apply such tests to us, as shall assist in this development so as to let us see ourselves as he himself sees us. In order to do this - make us understand ourselves, and those around understand us - God answers such petitions as these, by means of his Providence without, and by his Spirit within; and, observe, these never contradict one another. God is working without by his Providence, bringing us into various states and circumstances for the development of character, and then comes by his Spirit, and presents it to our minds when it is developed. But I said that I should notice some of the ways in which God answers these petitions, and I will do so. 1. For example, he often suffers things to occur that really will show to us, and to those around us, what sort of tempers we have. For instance, people speak against us, and the way in which we bear their accusations show what our tempers are. Now when we pray to be searched, God often applies such tests as this: he allows us to be defamed, and spoken against, in order to try the state of our minds and show whether we posses the virtue of meekness, or whether we will say that we do well to be angry. Now, perhaps, some of you have had such a test as this applied to you this very day. Some one has said or written something of you of a disagreeable and injurious tendency; well, let me ask, what state of mind did it develop? Did it develop the meekness and gentleness of Christ, or did it make you angry? Perhaps you had been praying that you might be searched, and God caused your character to be developed that you, and that those around you, might see it; and what sort of character was it, hearer? 2. Again: God often arranges matters so that we are treated with neglect - perhaps, sinfully so - by those about us. Now God does not prevent this, but suffers it to be done. He could have interposed to prevent it, but did not: well, how does this effect us? it developed the state of mind that we were in. And what was the real state of mind that it brought out? Did it make us angry and manifest an unholy temper, or otherwise? Perhaps God allows us to be treated with manifest injustice, and when thus tried do we
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manifest the Spirit of Christ? Do we find working in us the temper that was manifested by Christ on such occasions? Remember, that it is written, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his. Now we should be exceedingly ignorant of ourselves if none of these tests were applied. When persons have nothing to try them, they are in great danger of deceiving themselves; but when persons are tried, then their real disposition, and the temper of their minds are developed. Let me ask, has somebody cheated you? has some one taken advantage of you - has injustice been done you - has some one refused you honest wages, or repudiated a just debt? Well, under these painful circumstances, what spirit did you manifest? Did you find the Spirit of Christ within you? Mark! these are Providences occurring to search you that you might understand yourselves, and that those around you might understand you. Perhaps you have been misunderstood, and misrepresented; well, how have you borne it? Perhaps you have been treated disrespectfully by those who are under particular obligations to you; well, how did you bear it? Did your indignation rise - did you manifest an unChrist-like spirit? or did you find the Spirit of Christ was in you? You prayed to be searched, and in answer to your prayer, your children or domestics, or those related to you, and who are under particular obligations to you, treated you in a very improper manner - directly the reverse to what you had a right to expect from them - perhaps your domestic servants or those otherwise in your employ, have done that which is exceedingly wrong. Now admit that all this was very wrong and exceedingly provoking, what has been the effect upon yourself? What has it taught you? and what has it taught those who witnessed the development? Has it brought out your state of mind? Doubtless, it has; and if it was not outwardly manifest, what were the feelings within? Some one, perhaps, has contradicted you! Can you bear contradiction? Do you bear it well? Were you patient under it? Did you act as Christ would have acted under the circumstances - or did you behave un-Christ-like? Perhaps, in your business this day, some of those whom you employ have not attended to their duty, or have destroyed your property - and all this might have been exceedingly wrong, and highly provoking. But, let me ask, what spirit did you manifest to them who had done the wrong? Such a spirit as Christ would have manifested? What has been the result of such an occurrence? Observe, these things never occur by accident: God designs that every one of them should develop our characters - that they should try us and prove what there is in us, and bring it out on to the field of our own consciences, and reveal to us the springs of action within us. Now when these tests of your character and disposition have been applied, what has been the result? Did you find that you were nothing but the same old sinner yet? That instead of finding Christ within you, and his temper developing itself, you found the old man with his deceitful lusts? 3. I remark again, on this part of our subject: How often when individuals pray to be searched, and tried, God gives them opportunities in their business to prove if they love their neighbours as themselves - or whether they will speculate with a view to make all they can out of their neighbours, and adopt any means to this end that will not subject them to any criminal charge, or ruin them in a business point of view. God tries them to see if they will really consult their brothers interest as well as their own - to see if they will share the profits where there is any money to be made; or whether they will be disposed to dip their hands as deeply in their neighbours pockets as they can without losing their character for honesty. Now God often tries men in this way. He will often give them opportunities to take some advantage in the way of trade. A man who is in want of a loan of money comes to an individual that professes to be a

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Christian, and who is quite able to lend it, but he pretends, that to accede to the request and oblige his friends, he shall have to make great sacrifices; when, at the same time, he really means that his friends shall have the money if he will but give an exorbitant interest for it, and good security. This is a searching for him. He finds a neighbour in trouble; how does he act? Does he come right out like a Christian man and help his neighbour, as Christ and the apostles would have done, had they been placed in similar circumstances? Now, whenever cases of this kind occur, they are golden opportunities for us to know ourselves, and are designed to search us to the bottom of our hearts. 4. But again: oftentimes, God so arranges it, that individuals can take advantage of others, without danger to their own reputations. They are very cautious not to take advantage when their is danger, they have no design to ruin themselves. But, sometimes, there is little or no danger to their business characters by being dishonest, and now is the time of trial when an individual has no selfish reasons for being honest. A man may be naturally dishonest, but he will not take advantage when it is likely to hurt himself: but when this is not the case - when he can be honest or dishonest, without injury to his business character, then is the time for a man to try himself, and see whether it is the love of God or the fear of man that actuates him. Suppose that an individual has, in change at your store, paid too much, and it is never likely to be found out, or suppose you have found something in the street, and you can keep it, or restore it as you please: now these are searchings from God; and how completely such circumstances show to men what their true character for honesty is. The honest man would no more take, and appropriate, the mistaken change, than he would cut his own throat; nor keep the articles found in the street any more than he would leap into the fire. Now suppose, that instead of finding the Spirit of Christ manifesting itself, he developed the opposite spirit, and has to resort to some selfish reasonings to quiet his conscience, and make himself appear an honest man. Well, it is written upon him, Mene, Mene, Tekel - weighed in the balances and found wanting. 5. Again: God often allows men to accumulate property that they may have an opportunity to extend the cause of truth and righteousness in the earth; he tries them to see if they will do it or not. Professors of Christianity acknowledge themselves to be but stewards for God - that everything they possess is his; and, consequently, is at his disposal. Now is it a fact, that these men act in harmony with their professions? Well, God often tries them to see if they are acting the hypocrite or no. 6. Again: God in his providence often causes us to suffer losses by bad debts, or by fire, or by some such means, just to see whether we will think and speak of these losses as being our losses - whether we regard these losses as Gods or our own. As professors of religion, we profess that everything is Gods, and that we are only stewards. Well, look at a professor who once had large property to manage, by some means he lost it all, and he goes about saying, that he has sustained such and such great losses, and proves by such conduct that he acted hypocritically in professing that he believed it to be Gods property, and that he was only the steward of it. Suppose a clerk, whose master had sustained heavy losses, should go about and complain that he had sustained the losses, how absurd and untrue it would be. When we are in possession of property, we may profess that it belongs to God, and even deceive

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ourselves into the belief that we are sincere in our professions, but when a loss occurs, it often shows to us that we did not regard it as Gods, but our own. 7. Again: he will develop our temper to us, and enable us to see whether we are impatient, or otherwise; and he will show us whether we are ambitious - whether we desire to climb and scramble up some height, from which we can look down with scorn or contempt upon our fellows. 8. Again: God oftentimes gives us opportunities of self-display, to see whether we will display self; and, on the other hand, he often denies us such opportunities, to see if we will murmur and be envious of those who have. Many persons will be found often speaking against display, when they have not the means to indulge in it; they will be very loud in their censures upon other professors who ride in their coaches, and furnish their houses in a superior style - but give these declaimers the means of doing the same, and see what they will do - see if they will not imitate, and perhaps act more extravagantly, than those whom they before condemned. A little while ago, they were very piously complaining of display, but now they have the means of doing the same thing, and they do it; so that it was not principle, that caused them to speak as they did, but simply because they could not indulge in those things themselves, they pretended to be greatly grieved with others for doing so. 9. But again: Sometimes God will deny individuals many things, to see if they will be satisfied with the providence of God. Do they bear poverty well, or are they envious at the rich? Are they in their poverty what Christ would have been in their circumstances? Thus riches and poverty, sickness and health, and a thousand other things, are sent to try men, and prove to themselves, and to those around them, what their real state is. 10. God oftentimes try us to see if we are self-willed - to see if our wills are ready to submit to his will; or whether we shall make ourselves unhappy and wretched because God so wills respecting us. How often is it the case that individuals do not know whether they are self-willed; so long as the providence of God seem to pet them they are very pious, and can talk about submission with the greatest apparent sincerity; but let God just drive across their path: lay his hand upon them: blow their schemes to the winds of heaven: and see whether they will talk of submission then; see whether they are self-willed, or whether as little children they will instantly submit. Can they say with the Psalmist, O Lord, thou knowest that I am not haughty; surely, I have behaved myself as a child weaned of its mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. Blessed man! when he was tried, he says, Surely I have behaved as a child that is weaned of its mother. Probably, most of you have had opportunities of knowing by actual observation what this means - perhaps you have seen a self-willed child ready to wrestle with everybody, but what a great change comes over it, when its will is subdued. God often in his providence tries individuals, but who, instead of being a weaned child have been as an unweaned child; instead of being able to say as the Psalmist did, are obliged to confess, I have been as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke restive, self-willed, domineering, and ready to make war upon God. Most of the persons, to whom I address myself to-night have doubtless, passed through such scenes as these. Now, let me ask, how have they affected you? What was the state of mind that you discovered in yourselves? God was searching you, applying the tests that should infallibly show what was the working in your minds.

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11. But, let me say again: it is oftentimes of the greatest importance for God to introduce measures to show if we are disappointed at any course that he adopts towards us. When the man is devoted to God, he is willing that everything which he possesses, and his own life also, should be devoted in any way that God should choose. If he is in a right state of mind, he will not be disappointed at any providence, believing that everything occurs by the will of God; and, this being the case, all must be right and conduce to their real good. Now when circumstances occur to disappoint us, if we will not allow ourselves to be disappointed, we may understand and conclude, that our will is such as it ought to be. 12. Again: God often tries us to see if we idolise our friends; he visits them with affliction, or the loss of property, to try whether our affections and love are set as much upon God as upon our friends. You recollect the case of Eli, when he was informed of what had occurred to his family: he said, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good. Now it is a great thing for individuals to have opportunities occur in the providence of God to try them. There is, no doubt, a meaning in all things that God is perpetually bestowing upon us: and the very things that we are apt to regard as evil things, when we are in a bad state of mind, are working for our good. But let a man be in a right state of mind, and he will not object to be thoroughly tried, for he knows that the grace of God will be given to assist him to bear the trial. He can say with Paul, I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me. And how much good the trial does him. It is good for him to be searched and tried and stripped; if need be, of property, health, friends, and all else, no matter what, for these individuals have the satisfaction of feeling the grace of God spring up in their hearts, and it shines forth on all around them. My design is, as you perceive, to pass very rapidly over an outline, which I beg you to fill up by looking back from time to time at what is occurring around you. What has occurred to-day to try you? Say, how did it if affect you? Keep an eye upon this to-morrow, and remember that God is searching you to try your temper and state of mind. Perhaps, you are a Christian mother and your child is unruly and unreasonable, how does this effect you? Do you know that God is suffering this to see whether you will be patient or not? 13. But again: How often will God try us to see whether we are really willing to lose the good opinion of the world - to lose the respect and confidence of our friends, and to lose cast in society for the truths sake. Some man, perhaps, has been cast down from the heights of society, and has become poor, and loses friends and reputation; how now is he effected? Does this trial cause him to shine forth a holy man, caring but little how men regard him, if so be that the event is for his spiritual good, and the honour of God? Indeed everything that passes in society - new fashions - new style of dress - new colours - are constantly developing the state of our minds. Are our minds intent upon these things? Or to what extent do they affect us? It is often interesting to see how such things will effect Christian professors, and others also. The design of God in this dispensation is to make all classes of men understand themselves - whether they be professors of religion or not. Thus he says of the church in ancient days, Forty years have I led thee in the wilderness to humble thee and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldst keep his commandments or no. 14. But again, let me say, that oftentimes he will introduce dispensations that may severely test Christian professors, and prove whether they love God supremely. Now I

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have observed that there are many professors of religion who profess to love God supremely, who will stand by in silence while Gods name is blasphemed by men who seek to bring dishonour upon his name and to subvert his kingdom; but these same professors, if any word is spoken against themselves, are in the greatest excitement. They can see contempt, and abuse, heaped upon God without exhibiting, or even feeling, much grief - or being able to sympathise with the Psalmist, when he said, I beheld the transgressors and was grieved. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes because they keep not thy law. Now do they think that the Psalmist expressed himself in a manner that was not true? No, surely! Wickedness took place before his eyes, and how did it affect him? Why he tells us, and tells God himself how it affected him, I beheld the transgressors and was grieved. Now nothing is more common, than for God to suffer wickedness to occur before the eyes of professors, to see what state of mind it will develop. To see whether they are more devoted to their own characters than the honour of God. Now whenever these things occur the fact is revealed whether we love God or ourselves supremely. REMARKS 1. The first remark that I make is this - men do not always realise what is implied in the prayers which they offer to God. They offer requests to God without seeming to realise what is implied in the requests which they offer. For example, they pray to be searched, but they do not understand what is implied in such a request? Do they know for what they are asking? People, in making requests, ought to understand for what they ask! And what may be necessary as a condition of receiving an answer. 2. Again: men often receive answers to their prayers without recognising the answers. They are praying, but looking in another direction - they have their own thoughts about the manner in which they expect God to answer. For example, how many persons have offered the prayer which is contained in our text; and they have an idea in their minds that the searching would take place when they were in their closets - not thinking that it was really impossible for God to do this. Now when persons pray with this idea, they do not recognise the answer to their prayers, because they come in a different direction to that in which they are looking. Perhaps some of you have received such answers to your prayers as have wholly confounded you. You have prayed to be searched, and instead of having the inward light that you expected, you find yourselves in such a state as if the spirit of Satan was developing itself within you. 3. But let me say again, that person oftentimes resist the answers to their prayers. It is no doubt true that God frequently answers petitions, in a certain sense, even when they are not offered in a right spirit, and perhaps the answers are intended expressly to show that they were not offered aright. For example, an individual prays to be searched, and God searches him to show that he is not able to be searched. Professors pray that they may be searched, and the minister comes forward with their portraits drawn full length and hold them out to their view. Now just look at them! they can not bear it? What is the matter with them? They prayed but a few days before, that they might be searched, and now see the effect of the searching! I am just reminded of a fact that once occurred under my own notice. A Presbyterian church, in the centre of New York, had existed for many years without a revival of religion, till it was in danger of becoming extinct. I went there for the purpose of merely spending a night. The members of the church

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were holding a prayer meeting. I declined to take the lead of the meeting, being a stranger, so one of the elders led the meeting: he began by reading a long Psalm, or hymn, and they sung it; and he then read a passage of scripture and did what he called pray - he doled out a long talk to God, in which he said a great many things about their state and condition, how long they had been so, and that they had met there every week for many years to pray, etc. Another hymn was sung, and another leader did the same as the first. They had about three such prayers, when one of the elders desired that I would make some remarks before the meeting closed. I complied with the request, and took their prayers as my text. I asked them plainly if it was understood that the meeting was called to mock God? They had met together once a week for many years, and had confessed their sins, but they had never forsaken them, and what was that but mockery? I took up each mans prayers separately, and pointed to him, while I remarked - if what that man said is true, he is a hypocrite! I then took another ones prayer, and said to him, now you are certainly a hypocrite too, if what you said in your prayer is true - that is self-evident. Well, they looked so angry, that I did not know but they would get up and leave the house, yet I did not spare them. I just threw their prayers back in their faces, and charged them with holding a prayer meeting to mock God. They turned and twisted about in their seats for some time, and were most uneasy, till at length one of the elders fell forward in tears, saying, its all true, its all true. This was the commencement of a revival, which in a few weeks spread throughout the neighbourhood. These men had not understood that they did but mock God while they pretended to hold a prayer meeting - they asked to be searched, and God searched them in a way that they did not expect. As I said, persons will often pray to be searched without understanding what is included in the answer. Just take up their own confessions sometimes, and ask them if they mean what they say? and tell them if you are guilty of what you say you are, what wicked men you are, and you will certainly be lost unless you repent immediately. Just adopt this course, and you will soon see whether they are willing to be searched, whether they are in earnest. 4. I remark again, that all the trials of saints are in answer to their prayers - are sent to try them. Sometimes this fact is not recognised, and sometimes when persons do recognise this, they are really afraid to be searched. I have known persons afraid to have spiritual blessings bestowed upon them, lest the trial attending the bestowal should be too severe. A woman said to me once, I am afraid to ask the Lord to sanctify me, for if he does I am fully persuaded that he will take my husband from me. Well now, although it is not often the case that persons understand so distinctly the state of their minds in this respect, yet there is no doubt that persons oftentimes really fear that God should introduce some sanctifying dispensation, lest he should deeply wound them in some tender part - perhaps deprive them of friends, of children, or perhaps even of their own characters. 5. But I remark again, that these things which try the unregenerated part of mankind are often in answer to the prayers of the saints. The saints pray that God will convert the sinners, and God adopts the means that are needed to this end, and the means that are adopted perhaps were little anticipated, and are not always recognised as answers to prayer. It comes to pass oftentimes that individuals need to lose their character, their friends, or their property - they are so hedged in, that God must adopt some stringent measures in order to bring them into a right state of mind and cause his truth to operate upon them.

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6. Again: saints who ask to be searched must be willing to suffer anything which God sees fit to lay upon them - they must make up their minds to submit to any dispensations of his providence. 7. Again: saints should be prepared to receive answers to prayer in their own persons. Perhaps God lays them on a bed of sickness just when they had some very great object in view. Well it is intended for their good, therefore they ought not to repine nor murmur, but receive with thankfulness the good that is intended for them. 8. Again I remark, that it is necessary that these trials should be awarded us, for it will not do that God should always feed his children on sweetmeats. We need severe discipline: it makes us good soldiers. A mere silken religion that passes through no trials has little efficiency in it. These providential trials take away the dross and tin, and make us strong in the Lord. How lovely is the character of the Christian who has patiently endured the trials through which he has had to pass. He becomes like a weaned child, and quiets himself under all the dispensations of providence: he receives every thing as bestowed upon him from his father. I might add a great many other things, but I must close by saying - the more holy Christians become the more sincere, and earnest are they to have their whole character, and being, completely searched, developed, and cleansed: and the more needful they find it to lay their whole heart before him, and ask him that his providence may search it, and purify it on every side, until he is satisfied with his own work. Christians, are you in the habit of asking the Lord to satisfy himself; to do that which shall bring you into a condition that will please him? Do you not long for the pruning knife to be applied, and to be purged of all your selfishness and everything that is offensive to God, so that you may stand before him as a young child in meekness and love, while he looks upon you and says, this is my handiwork, and it is very good. Ask God to search you then, and do not be afraid to have it done. Look upon all the trials of life as coming from your heavenly Father, in order that if you are really self-deceived you may know it, and if you are not, that you may grow up into the likeness of the Son of God. Amen.

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4. THE KINGDOM OF GOD UPON EARTH

Thy kingdom come. - Matthew 6:10 You will instantly recognise this petition as being one of those contained in what is generally denominated the Lords Prayer. In considering these words I propose briefly to explain I. What is meant by the kingdom of God. II. What is implied in an acceptable offering of this petition to God. III. That the state of mind that can acceptably offer this petition to God, is universally binding upon all men. IV. That it is also a condition of salvation. I. WHAT IS MEANT BY THE KINGDOM OF GOD In some respects there are two ideas concerning the kingdom of God. One class of divines suppose that the kingdom of God is purely spiritual; others suppose that the Lord Jesus Christ will reign personally upon the earth, that when he comes a second time, it will be to set up his kingdom in this world, and reign here in his visible presence. These two classes, however, agree in this - that his kingdom must be spiritual, whether outward and visible or not; in either case he can reign over man no further then he reigns in their hearts. A spiritual kingdom must be set up in the soul the Divine law must be written in the heart. If the Lord Jesus Christ should come and dwell visibly in London, walk in its streets, and mix with its people, and be here as truly as the Lord Mayor is, what would it advantage the people unless they were converted and truth prevailed in their hearts? Unless the laws of his kingdom were written in their hearts by the Holy Ghost, the people of London would be none the better for the Lord Jesus Christs living amongst them. Therefore, whether the Lord Jesus Christ come and reign personally or not, his kingdom will be established and his dominion extended by the same means that it is now. When persons pray, therefore, thy kingdom come, if they pray sincerely, they pray that there may be universal holiness in the earth - that this kingdom of grace may be set up in all hearts, and that Christ should exercise universal influence over the minds of men. I am to notice II. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN AN ACCEPTABLE OFFERING OF THIS PETITION TO GOD And here let me say that it was not part of the design of our Lord Jesus to give his disciples merely a form of prayer, the words of which they might repeat without knowing or caring what they meant or said; he did not give this prayer to be repeated over as a ceremony merely, without significance or interest. There is no greater profanity in the universe than to gabber it over in such a manner as it is frequently used. The Lord Jesus gave this prayer to be understood, and that the petition should be offered with sincerity and with faith, and in a certain state of mind. Who can doubt this? Did he intend to teach his disciples and his people in after-ages to be hypocrites? No, indeed! Did he intend them to offer insincere worship? No, indeed! Then he must

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have designed that they should offer these petitions with sincerity. Now, the question is, what is implied in sincerity? When is a man sincere in offering this petition to God? What are the characteristics and elements of sincerity? What is implied in being sincere? 1. I observe, first, that a sincere and acceptable offering of this petition implies repentance of past sins - for sin rejects God, and tramples down his laws. No man who lives in sin can offer this prayer without gross hypocrisy - thats very clear; the man who rejects Christ and tramples on his laws, lives in sin, and can not offer such a prayer as this acceptably. It implies, then, repentance and renunciation of all sin. 2. It implies confidence in God: observe, it is a petition to God, that his kingdom may come. Now, if an individual have not implicit confidence in the character and wisdom of God, in the perfection of his government, and in all the provisions of his kingdom, why should he pray it may come? Now, it is not enough that a man believes as a mere speculation that God is good, that his law is good, that his kingdom is what it should be; the devil knows this as well as anybody else. It is not enough that a man should admit intellectually that these things are so, but he must confide in God with his whole heart: to offer this petition acceptably he must really have heart-confidence in Gods existence, in his wisdom, in his universal right to legislate for the world, in the perfection and wisdom of his government; he must have full confidence in God, I say, ere he can offer this petition acceptably - this is very certain. 3. Another thing implied in the acceptable offering of this petition is, that the heart obeys the law of God. An individual, for example, who does not in his heart submit to Gods law, can not pray that his kingdom may come, for what would he mean by that? That others may obey it, that others may submit to Christs authority, that Gods law may be set up in others hearts, but not in his own. He can not pray acceptably thus. The petitioner must have the law of God set up in his own heart, and his own life must be governed by it. But this leads me to say, 4. That, inasmuch as mans outward life is always of necessity, by a law of his nature, as his heart is, it implies an obedient life as well as an obedient heart. The term heart is used in various senses in the Scriptures - but whenever it is used in the sense that implies virtue, it means the Will. We say of those whose will is devoted to God, that their hearts are right - they are devoted to God, consecrated to him. Now, if we consider the heart as the will - and that is the sense in which I now use the term - the will governs the outward life; and if this will, or heart, devotes itself to the will of God, and yields itself up to obedience to the law of God, the outward life must be in conformity with the law of God, so far as it is understood. Let no man say, then, that his heart is better than his life. Let no man say that his heart has received the kingdom of God, while his outward life disobeys it. 5. Sincerity in offering this petition implies universal sympathy with God. By this I mean, first, that the petitioner really does sympathise with the great end which God is endeavouring to secure through the instrumentality of his law, and by the government of his kingdom. Now, government, remember, is not an end, but a means; neither is Gods government an end, but a means. He proposes to ensure certain great ends by means of his government and his kingdom. Now, when a man prays that Gods kingdom may come, to be sincere in his petition, he must fully sympathise with the end
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which is sought to be accomplished, and on which God has set his heart, which is his own glory, and the interests of his kingdom. A man, to offer this petition acceptably thy kingdom come, must understand this to be the great end, and set his heart upon it; to this he must consecrate his being, as the end on which God has set his heart. But it also implies, secondly, sympathy with God in reference to the means by which he is endeavouring to secure this great and glorious end. Again, sympathy with God implies a real and hearty aversion to all that stands in the way of the progress of his kingdom all sin, in every form and in every shape. The individual that is not deeply and thoroughly opposed to sin, does not want Gods kingdom to come; for Gods kingdom would destroy all the works of the devil, would destroy sin in every form and degree. Those who offer this petition in sincerity, virtually pray that all sin may cease. Now, how can a man who does not cease from sin himself present such a petition as this? How can he pray for Gods kingdom to come, while he is violating the known laws of that kingdom? If a man be not opposed to all sin, he can not offer this petition acceptably. 6. It is plain that sincerity in offering this petition must imply supreme attachment to the King, his law and government. Observe, the petition does not express a partial attachment to the kingdom of God, but is an expression of entire agreement with God in reference to his kingdom - a universal submission, a universal attachment to the King and his entire administration. Every one, I think, will say that no man is or can be sincere in offering this petition, if he is not heartily and devotedly attached to the King and his government - to every principle and precept of his holy law and Gospel, and to his entire administration. 7. A sincere offering of this petition implies a sympathy with all the means that are used to establish this kingdom in the earth - to establish it in the hearts and souls of men. Now, if an individual prays that this kingdom may come, he prays that men may be made holy, as the condition of their being made happy, and of their being saved. Now, the man who does not truly love the souls of men, and desire their salvation, never offers this petition in sincerity; in order to do this, he must care for the souls of men. 8. It implies a supreme desire that Gods kingdom may come. It is one thing for an individual to say thy kingdom come, and another thing for him supremely to desire that it may come. It is common for a man to ask in words for what he does not deeply and sincerely desire; but I said that a man, to offer this prayer acceptably, must deeply, and sincerely, and supremely desire that Gods kingdom may come. But, if a man is in bondage to his own lusts, and desires their gratification supremely, no one in this house, I presume, would affirm that such a man could offer this petition acceptably. Now, I suppose that, to offer this petition acceptably, there must be a supreme desire for the object prayed for; that no desire shall be allowed to prevail over this; that no merely selfish enjoyment or selfish indulgence shall have a chief place in the heart. Let me ask any one of you this question - Suppose you should see a man on his knees offering this petition, and if you knew, at the same time, that he was a self-indulgent man, not willing to make any sacrifices, or hardly any, to promote the interests of this kingdom, spending ten times more on his own lusts than he gave to the cause of Christ, how could any of you believe that such a man was sincere in offering such a prayer? Such a man, if he uses this petition, virtually says - Lord, let thy kingdom come without my exercising any self-denial; let Providence enrich me, but let me keep all I

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get: let thy kingdom come, but let me seek my own gratifications. Now, if a man should pray in words in this way, you would say it is little less than blasphemy! But he might not say this in words for very shame; yet, suppose he said, let thy kingdom come, and acted quite the opposite to any such desire, would his prayer be any the better? 9. But not only does an acceptable offering of this petition imply supreme desire - that is, without more influence than other desires - but it implies also, that the mind is supremely devoted to the end for which it prays; the voluntary power of the will devotes itself, and devotes the whole being, to the promotion of this end. Now, suppose we should hear a man pray in this way - Lord, let thy kingdom come, if it can come without my being devoted to its interests; let thy kingdom come, if it can come without my ever giving my heart, time, energies, property, possessions, sympathies, and prayers, to promote it; I will say let thy kingdom come, but I will go on in my own way, and do nothing to promote it or hasten its approach: you would say that this is not an acceptable offering of this petition. I suppose that none of you are disposed to deny that an acceptable offering of this petition does really imply that the heart is truly and sincerely devoted to the kingdom of God. 10. An acceptable offering of this petition must imply self-denial. Now, please to understand what I mean by self-denial; remember, it is not the forsaking of one gratification for another: it sometimes happens that men forsake the gratification of one appetite in order that they may gratify another. Persons may deny themselves in a great many respects, and yet be guilty of much selfishness. Suppose a man be avaricious, and love money, his heart is supremely set upon acquiring it, and hoarding it up. That man may be very frugal in his expenditure - he may be very much disgusted with many who spend money for their own gratification; this avaricious man may deny himself many things; he may go so far as to deny himself the comforts of life, as misers do, and berate everybody who do otherwise; but the man is selfish nevertheless: the love of money prevails over the love of everything else - his heart is set upon that. What people call self-denial, is often no self-denial at all; self-love is very frequently at the bottom, after all. But real self-denial consists in this - an individuals refusing to live to please himself; to promote his own profit and interests, as distinguished from Gods kingdom; who refuses to do anything simply and entirely for self. It implies that an individual ceases from self and consecrates himself to God; lives to please God and not himself, and sympathises with nothing whose ultimate end is not to serve and glorify God. Now, when a man who does not deny himself offers this petition to God, what does he mean? He is a rebel against God, opposed to his law. Why does he want Gods kingdom to come? Let no selfish man, then - no man who lives in any form of selfpleasing, suppose that he can offer this prayer acceptably. 11. It implies, on the part of those who offer this prayer, a real and whole-hearted embarking of their all with God in this great enterprise. If we offer it sincerely, it implies that we have come into such sympathy with him as to embark ourselves, body and soul, for time and eternity, our characters and affections, our all, in making common cause with God in the advancement of the interests of his kingdom. Now, I think it can not be doubted that all this is included in a sincere offering of the prayer, thy kingdom come. Take the case of an earthly prince desiring to establish a kingdom - true patriotism consists in sincerely seeking the promotion of the aim of the

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prince. The fact is plain, that the acceptable offering of this petition must imply that those who offer it have given themselves up to the promotion of this object; that they have embarked their all in this great enterprise; that for this end thy live, move, and have their being. 12. Let me say again, that it implies a fear towards whatever would be calculated to retard the progress of this kingdom. Persons in a right state of mind hate everything that would hinder the advancement of this kingdom, because they have set their hearts on its establishment. Sin and every form of evil is loathsome to them, because it retards the establishment of the kingdom of God on the earth. It is a law of mans being which makes him quiveringly, tremblingly alive to any interests on which he has set his heart, and causes him to be keen-sighted, and ever on the watch to remove anything that stands in the way of the progress of that upon which his hopes are so deeply set. Now, be it remembered this law of mind invariably shows itself in religious, as well as in worldly matters; it does do so, and must. 13. I observe, in the next place, that those who offer this petition sincerely, manifest grief and indignation at whatever is contrary to Gods will. If they see an error, but which does not involve sin, they are grieved; but if it involves sin, they feel indignation. I do not mean malicious indignation, but a benevolent, a holy, a compassionate indignation. 14. Lastly, under this head, I observe that a right offering of this petition implies the joyful exercise of an economy in our lives, whether of time, talents, influence, or whatever else we possess; there is a joyful economising of everything for the promotion of this end. Now, who does not know that when men set their hearts upon any great object, that just in proportion to their attachment to that object will be their devotedness to it - just in that proportion are they cheerful, eager, and ready in using every economy for the promotion of this object - they husband everything for the promotion of that end. As an illustration of this, let me notice an affecting circumstance that occurred within my own knowledge. A woman, who was a slave in one of the southern states of America, had escaped from her bondage, but she had left her husband and children in slavery: the master of these individuals offered to sell them their time, and let them go free. This poor woman gave herself up to earn the money to redeem them; and it was very affecting to see how she toiled, and denied herself even the necessaries of life, in order to secure their liberty. Nothing daunted her; no hardship discouraged her; in the cold, when the snow was on the ground, you might see her working, with but little clothing, and her feet bare; if you gave her a pair of shoes or a garment, she would soon sell them, to get money to increase the fund which was to secure the liberation of her husband and children. Now, this poor creature practised economy for the promotion of the great end she had in view; I do not say that was wise economy in her case, for she nearly sacrificed her own life to it. Now, you mothers can understand and appreciate this womans conduct; if you had husbands, sons, or daughters in slavery, would you not do as she did? This woman had no love for money, or for anything, only as it sustained a relation to the one great end on which her heart was set. This circumstance illustrates, I say, most powerfully this great principle, that whenever our hearts are supremely set upon any object, we count everything dear as it sustains a relation to, and secures that object; and he, therefore,

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who prays sincerely, thy kingdom come, must have his heart so set upon the object as to exercise a joyful and perpetual economy, with an especial reference to that end. III. THE STATE OF MIND THAT CAN ACCEPTABLY OFFER THIS PETITION The state of mind that can acceptably offer this petition is universally binding upon men - all the moral agents of our race The heathen themselves, by virtue of their own nature, know that there is a God, and that this God is good. They know that they ought to love their neighbours as themselves, and to love God supremely. The Bible teaches us that the light of nature, which they possess, leaves them wholly without excuse, if they do not love and obey their Creator. To believe and embrace the Gospel, then, is an universal duty. This you will all admit, and, therefore, I need not enlarge upon it. IV. THIS STATE OF MIND IS A CONDITION OF SALVATION Understand me, my hearers, I do not mean that it is a ground of acceptance with God that is not what I mean: I do not mean that men are saved by their own righteousness that on this ground they will be accepted of God. I know, and you know, that men are to be saved by the righteousness of Christ, and not by their own righteousness; therefore, when I say that this state of mind is a condition of salvation, I mean what I say - it is a condition as distinct from a ground; a condition in the sense that a man can not be saved without being in this state of mind, but that this state of mind is not the ground of salvation. All have sinned, and therefore come short of the glory of God. First, to be in this state of mind is a natural condition of salvation. Could anybody that can not offer this petition be happy in heaven? What would such a man do in heaven? God has perfect dominion there. Now, unless an individual is in a state of mind that he can sincerely, acceptably, and prevailing offer this petition to God, unless it be the natural expression of his heart, what possible enjoyment could he have in heaven? None whatever. Secondly, it is governmentally a condition of salvation. Every attribute of God in his moral government of the universe forbids any man to enter heaven who can not present this petition acceptably to God. But we can not further enlarge. REMARKS 1. This state of mind is not only a condition of salvation in the sense in which I have mentioned, but it is also a state of mind that must always be a condition of prevailing with God in prayer. Now, let me ask, Can any man expect to prevail with God if he is in a state of opposition to him, or not in the state of mind I have already described? While in a state of rebellion, while resisting Gods authority, not having the heart in sympathy with God, not desiring the kingdom of God to come, how can an individual expect to have his prayer answered? No, neither this nor any other petition - that is very plain. It is true that God hears the young ravens when they cry - a mere cry of distress. And even when Satan himself prayed to the Lord Jesus Christ that he might not be sent out of the country, but that he might go into the herd of swine, his petition was granted; but the devil was not in a state of mind for prevailing, in the sense of offering prevailing prayer to God. I speak now of a state of mind that can secure the

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things promised, and this must be the state of mind in which a petitioner can acceptably offer the Lords prayer - he must be within the meaning of the injunction of Christs promise, as a condition upon which he has promised to hear and answer. 2. We can see from this subject why it is that prayer is often repeated by the petitioner, and is so seldom answered. God is the hearer of prayer, not of hypocritical utterances in which the heart does not unite. Such prayers are not heard, because, in truth, they are not prayers at all. Individuals may repeat the Lords Prayer every day, ten times a-day, and the more frequently they repeat it, the more they grieve the Spirit of God, and expose themselves to Gods righteous indignation. 3. Those who offer this prayer acceptably are universal and very liberal contributors to the great cause of missions, and zealous supporters of all those various societies whose aim is to extend Christs kingdom in the earth. By this I do not mean to say that these persons are always in a condition to give large amounts; but they will be cheerful and large contributors according to their means. And why? For the same reason that the slave mother was a cheerful and large contributor to that upon which she had set her heart, because their hearts are set upon the coming of Christs kingdom in all its fullness, and power, and blessedness. I know that some may not be able to contribute more than their two mites, but I know, also, that they can give even this little with a full heart and a liberal hand. In a congregation to which I preached several years, in the city of New York, there was a woman named Dina, who had been brought up a slave, and continued a slave until she was forty years old and incapable of work; but although so poor, she always gave a quarter of a dollar - about a shilling - every Sabbath, to assist in meeting the current expenses of the congregation, and other things to which the money was applied. This was a free church; all the seats were free to every one. When Dina was asked how she could afford to give so much, she replied that the first quarter of a dollar which was given her in the week she laid by till the next Sabbath, for the purposes of the sanctuary. I live upon God every day, she said, and I know he will give me what I want. At the monthly missionary meeting, also, a box was carried round, and individuals put in their money, wrapped up in a piece of paper, with their names written upon it. Constantly, among the rest, was Dinas name written on a paper, enclosing a dollar. One of the collectors asked her if she really meant to put in so much as a dollar, and with some surprise, she replied, Why, its only a dollar - its only a dollar; cant I give a dollar a-month. This poor woman seemed to have no interest in anything, only as it bore upon the advancement and interests of the Redeemers kingdom. Now, it must be that individuals who can really offer the Lords Prayer, and mean it, will prayerfully do everything they can towards promoting his kingdom. 4. This leads me to say again - The end for which a man lives will always reveal itself in his life; his sympathies will lie in the direction in which his efforts tend, and the reverse. If a man sincerely offers this petition, he will do everything in his power to spread a knowledge of the Gospel among men, and so extend the Saviours reign upon earth. 5. The true Christian finds it more blessed to give than to receive; for example, the slave mother never felt so happy as when she was paying the price of her husbands and childrens release. When she gave that money to the master, she felt it much more blessed to give than to receive; a great deal more blessed than to have spent it to please
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herself, to gratify her own appetites. Impenitent men are greatly deceived when they profess that Christians feel it a great sacrifice, a great trial, to be asked to contribute of their substance for the promotion of religion. I have known impenitent men keep away from Gods house because they felt it to be such a hardship to be called upon to give to a collection; and I have even heard professors of religion talk in that way, and have abstained from going to meeting when there was a collection, because they did not like to be dunned. Now, what sort of a conception have such men of religion? Why, they know nothing about it. Suppose that a number of men were to meet together for the originating and carrying out of some object of business or benevolence, which they professed to have deeply at heart, and that when they came together, they found that money must be subscribed by each of them, and they were to say that it was a great and intense abomination to be called upon to give money - what would you think of their sincerity? But would they act thus? Why, no, they would be anxious to give of their substance, in order that the object which they had at heart might be realised. The real Christian never gives grudgingly, but thankfully and joyfully. When you have dropped your contribution into the box, Christian, dont your heart go away echoing, God bless it! God bless it! And if you have nothing to give yourself, you will pray for a blessing on the contributions of others. A collection will now be taken up for the London Missionary Society, before we close this mornings service, and another, for the same purpose, will be made in the evening; but I trust no person will stay away on that account. Amen.

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5. THE SPIRITUAL CLAIMS OF LONDON

Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo! I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. - Matthew 28:19-20 In speaking from these words, I propose to show I. To whom these words were addressed; II. What they mean; III. What is implied in them; IV. The conditions of obeying this injunction; V. Why the work is not done. I. TO WHOM THESE WORDS WERE ADDRESSED Undoubtedly these words were first addressed to Christs immediate disciples; but I suppose no one will imagine that the spirit of these words was confined to them. It can not be supposed that Christ expected the Apostles themselves to do all this work alone. No doubt this commission was given to the Church of Christ as such. The spirit of these words, then, from the very nature of the case, was addressed to the Church of Christ of every age; and not only to the Church as a body, but to particular individuals of the Church. II. WHAT THESE WORDS MEAN If you will read the margin of your Bibles, you will see that the translation is, Make disciples, or Christians, of all nations. This is no doubt the true meaning. Not merely teach all nations, but disciple them; make them disciples, or Christians. The injunction is this, Go and convert all the nations of the earth; make Christians of them; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo! I am with alway, even unto the end of the world. I pass over these thoughts very rapidly, because I suppose all my hearers will at once admit that the spirit of this injunction is addressed to the Church of Christ as such; and if to the Church collectively, of course to each minister and member of the Church in particular: and that the Spirit of this injunction is binding upon every Christian in the world to whom this language may come. III. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN THIS INJUNCTION 1. The injunction itself implies the ability of the Church to do what Christ requires. Every command of God implies this - that those to whom the command is given have ability to obey it. This every individual must, I think, admit - that when God enjoins anything, the very injunction itself implies the ability to perform in those to whom the command is given. Understand me; I do not mean by this that we have ability to fulfil this command of God without Christ; but observe the promise, Lo! I am with you ALWAYS; not sometimes and in some places, but always and everywhere. Of course,
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this is implied, that if Christ is with us always, he is with us everywhere. It is implied, then, that with Christs strength, and with his presence, the Church is able to all that he requires her to do. 2. Another thing implied is this, that it is the mission of the Church to effect the conversion of the world. Now, let me say, if the Church is required to convert the world, you are required to convert London - that part of the world where you reside. In other words, you are to take your part in the work; God requires nothing more than that you should do just what you are able to do, through the presence and agency of Christ. But let me repeat what I have just said. We are to understand that Christ, by this injunction, has made it the business of the Church to convert the world; consequently, it is the great mission of Christians in every locality to secure the conversion of those in their immediate neighbourhoods, and as many others as they can, but by no means to forget their own families, connections, and localities; their business is to convert and lead these to Christ. 3. This injunction implies that this is their first, great, and only business in the world. I do not mean that preaching the Gospel is the only business of the Church, for books and tracts must be prepared and printed, and many other things done which are included in this requirement and essential to its fulfilment; but remember, all things are to be done to this end. Christians are to eat and drink, labour and rest, for the glory of God. They are to do all with the view of fulfilling this command of God - make it their whole business to secure this great object. It implies, then, that the Church are to be a band of missionaries; that every individual of the Church is a missionary; that the spirit of Christ is essentially a missionary spirit; that every individual in every locality is to regard himself as a missionary of Christ, placed there for the purpose of securing the salvation of those around him. It is said in the Bible that you are the light of the world, - set there that you may exhibit the light of truth, and be an example to those around you. You are the salt of the earth, - scattered broad-cast among the people, to preserve them from putrefaction. IV. NOTICE SOME OF THE CONDITIONS BY WHICH THE TRUE SPIRIT OF THIS INJUNCTION MAY BE COMPLIED WITH 1. Confidence in the presence, and in the ready and effectual co-operation of Christ. What do you suppose Christ intended by saying, Lo! I am with you always, even to the end of the world? For what purpose did Christ make this promise if he did not mean, Lo! I am with you for the effectual helping of you to do what I have commanded you? Now, I suppose when Christ said these words, Lo! I am with you always even to the end of the world, he would have us to understand this, which is the spirit of the promise: do this work, and mind, you shall not be straitened in me; you shall receive all the help you need from me. I will be with you in this thing; my heart is with you, my power is with you, my presence is with you, and my sympathies are all with you, always and everywhere. Is not this the meaning? What else can be meant by these words? Now, I suppose no Christian will deny that this is the meaning of the words, and the very meaning that Christ intended to convey to us. Now, if so, we must believe it. Everything that Christ has said is to be received in faith; in order that it may be effectual, it must be received in faith; therefore, I observe as the first condition upon which the Church can ever secure the conversion of the world, or individuals can

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convert those around them, we must believe that Christ is with us. Now, it is generally admitted, that Christ is in some sense with his Church; but he is only with his Church so far as he is there personally with the individuals who compose that Church, in their efforts to secure, and do what he requires of them. We are to believe this, have confidence in the fact that he is present to help us by his spirit, always present with us, and ready to sympathise, and co-operate with us for the securing of the great end which we are commanded to accomplish. 2. Once more: I regard this as a fundamental condition of success; a realising reliance on, and appropriation of this truth by the Church of Christ. Where this is not realised and appropriated, I believe there is little power to convert men from their sins. 3. Again: Another condition of success is that we thoroughly believe that in Christs strength we are able to go up and take possession of the land. There must be the conviction and the realisation of the fact, by the Church, that she is able to do what Christ has commanded her to do: that Christians are able to accomplish the end at which he has told them to aim. This truth stands out blazing on the pages of inspiration that the Church is able to convert the world, and that he shall ultimately possess the land. 4. Another condition of success in this great enterprise, is the devotion of the whole Church to this work. This enterprise can not be accomplished by a few of the members of the Church, while the rest of them stand right in the way. Every indolent member is a hindrance in the way of good being done. That individual who is not engaged in the work stands right in the way, and will often undo as much as the others can effect; therefore the body of the Church, the whole membership of the Church, must come up to this work. If, now, the entire body of the Church of this City of London were to come up to this work, and engage in it with ardour, take hold of it in faith, believing that in Christs strength they are able to possess the land, what a vast revival of religion would you witness in this city. 5. Once more, a thorough realisation of individual responsibility in this work is indispensable to success. A vast multitude of professors of religion feel but little personal responsibility. But if the masses of the people are ever to be converted, the entire membership of the Church must become alive to this fact, that they are individually accountable for the conversion of their fellow-creatures. Every one will see, if he reflects upon it, that this must be a condition of success on a large scale. Now, if you ask me what I suppose to be the greatest difficulty in the way of success, in the extension of religion, in any locality, I would reply, the unbelief and want of right spirit and agency on the part of professors in that locality. They are not in a state in which they can realise their own responsibility; and they have not confidence in the Gospel. Now, while this is the case with them, they are hindering, instead of advancing, the Gospel, in their midst. 6. Another indispensable condition of success is this, there must be sympathy with Christ in love to souls. Those who would undertake this work must enter into Christs sympathies, feel as he felt and feels for sinners, pity them as he pities them, blame them as he blames them; take Gods part against them as he does, and yet stand in such a relation as to sympathise both with God and man; addressing themselves to the work as Christ and the Apostles addressed themselves to the work. It is a very remarkable
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fact that those Christians in every age of the Church who have entered into sympathy both with God and man, have been those whose efforts have told most upon the world. The Lord Jesus Christ is a beautiful, perfect, specimen of this; he sympathised most intensely with the holiness of God, and yet he felt most tenderly for the distressed and guilty condition of fallen man. He was full of zeal for the purity of the Divine government; he was always ready to sacrifice his life, as he did sacrifice it, to honour the law; still he was full of compassion, kindness, and love, to all classes and conditions of men, whatever might be their forlorn and suffering condition. He stood between God and man, and sympathised, not with the sins of men, but with the infirmities and sufferings of their nature - all that in an any way affected their well-being. He stood in such a relation as to be an example to us; he sympathised both with God and man. The primitive Church caught the same spirit, for although his personal intercourse with them had ceased, he continued to be with them through the agency of his Spirit; and thus they possessed the same idea, and practised the same course of conduct. They came into habits of deep sympathy with God in their love for souls. They counted not their lives dear unto them, if by any means they might save souls; and the spoiling of their goods in this enterprise, they took joyfully, counting themselves honoured in having to suffer for his name and cause. They laid themselves without reserve on the altar, and this was the secret of their success. Now, beloved brethren, the conditions of success are the same now as then. If there is to be many converted, there must be a spirit of fervent prayer, and a large development of this sympathy of which I have been speaking, in the souls of Christs ministers, the same as in the days of the Apostles. If you ask me, What is the reason of the want of success now? I say, the great reason is, because the spirit with which Christ and the Apostles began this work is not developed in the Church, and in individual members of the Church, to such an extent as to move the world - this is the reason of the difficulty. It is not that the Gospel is different. The Gospel is just the same now as it was in the days when the Apostles preached it; it will have just the same power in our hands that it had in the hands of the Apostles. Some persons speak as if they supposed that in the mouths of uninspired men the Gospel could not be expected to produce such great effects as when the Apostles preached it. But why, pray? What has inspiration to do with it? Inspiration revealed the Gospel; taught men to write what they have recorded; which record we have, and the same spirit which indited it, to explain it. Wherein, then, are we deficient? Depend upon it, friends, if we have the same spirit of love and confidence, with the same sympathy which they had both with God and man, the Gospel will be as powerful in our hands as it was in the hands of the Apostles. Since I have been a Christian myself, I have seen many hundreds of instances in which wonderful success in winning souls to Christ has attended those who have had the qualifications of which I have been speaking sympathy with God and man. But I can not now enter into these details or even mention these instances, in one lecture. I should like to deliver a course of lectures to this Society, instead of one, that I might direct your attention to these things. 7. Again: another condition of the success of the Churches in any given locality, is this - they must enter into sympathy with Christ, in respect to his spirit of self-sacrifice for the promotion of this work. The spirit of the Gospel is essentially a spirit of self-denial; and rely upon it, when this spirit is developed in the Church she will succeed in making great progress in this work. In order to great success there must be the same willingness to lay everything upon the altar, that was manifested by Christ, his Apostles, and the Primitive Church. Jesus laid everything upon the altar, in order to

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save men; and we must count nothing dear to us that can be given up for the promotion of this great object. 8. Another indispensable condition to success is the entire consecration of the ministry to this work. The ministers of Christ bear a very important relation to this work, but they are not required to accomplish it all themselves. They are like the officers in an army; instead of attempting to do all the fighting themselves, they direct the energies of others. Ministers are the officers in Christs great army, who are fighting against sin, and seeking to win dominion for their Master: they take an important and leading part in the work, but by no means are they to be expected to do all the fighting themselves, any more than officers are in any army in the world. 9. I said there must be entire consecration to this work; and let me add further, that unless they manifest a true spirit of consecration, they will be stumbling-blocks to the rest of the Church. It is indispensable that they should show themselves to be men given up to this work, absolutely - men possessing the true spirit of self-sacrifice, sympathising with God and man; and that they are on the altar in this matter. Without this, the masses in any locality will never be moved, and the minister will be a hindrance in the way of good being done. I do not know what may be the condition of the ministry here in London, and therefore I speak not personally, but I speak a general truth when I say, that if Christians do not see that their ministers are heart and soul in this work, that they are ready to sacrifice anything to promote it, they are, and must be, stumbling-blocks in the way of good being done. In order to be greatly useful, these men, whom God has placed in such a position, must let everybody see that they are heart and soul in this work, that they have laid their all upon the altar, that they count not their comfort, their reputation, their salary, nor even their lives dear unto themselves in comparison to moving the masses of mankind and bringing them to God. 10. Another indispensable condition of success is this: Lay men and women must cease to lay down one rule for their minister and another for themselves. They must conduct themselves by the same rule, and be upon the altar, too, in their respective spheres of labour. Instead of criticising their ministers, and finding fault with them, they must work under his direction and assistance. If the membership of the Church just suppose that they can put their responsibility upon the ministers, they are entirely mistaken. Suppose that the ministers come into the pulpits Sunday after Sunday, and labour, and toil, and weep, and pray, and the sinners sit and listen to the solemn and awful truths which come from the preachers lips, and feel that they are solemn and awful realities; but suppose in the same place there is a multitude of careless professors of religion who show by their conduct that they dont believe what has been preached, what stumbling-blocks are they in the way of the conversion of these sinners, who would otherwise, in all probability, be converted! By their conduct they seem to say, We dont believe in the truth of what our minister says in the pulpit - it is all very well for Sunday, and he is paid to believe and teach these things, but we dont concern ourselves about them. How many times, when ministers have poured out all their heart before a congregation, have sinners been roused, and felt their hearts start up in fear, and their hair to stand on end, in consequence of what they have heard; they are deeply impressed. The congregation begins to move out, the professors of religion laugh and shake hands with each other, and going home they converse upon indifferent subjects, just as if they had not been hearing of those great and eternal realities; and

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seem to say by all their words, actions, and looks, Dont you be alarmed, you see we are not at all alarmed, and we have heard more about these things than ever you did; these things may be very well for the Sabbath, and fit for the pulpit, but there is no truth in them. No wonder that sinners are unconverted! The membership of the Churches must be made to feel their individual responsibility, they must come into sympathy with Christ, and with the minister so far as he sympathises with Christ, and labour with him for the conversion of souls. Let them understand that they must cease to apply one rule to the minister, another to themselves; let them feel their individual responsibility, and come right out and consecrate themselves for the work, and lay their all upon God; and then we shall see a great revival of true religion in our midst. 11. Another indispensable condition of success is, that our religion must begin at home, with our children and those immediately under our influence; and then we must seek the conversion of those whom, next to these, we can most readily reach and influence. When individuals are themselves converted, let them next secure the conversion of their children and those around them; and if they did this, they would create around them a little green and refreshing spot like that around the Siloam well, and its delightful soul-cheering and holy influence would soon be felt on every side. Let it be understood that persons must begin at home, and with those immediately around them, and then the influence must necessarily extend further. This must not only be felt to be true of ministers, but of everybody professing godliness. Let them each lay hold on their next friend, and bring him to Christ. 12. Another condition of success is this. The Church, and every individual member of the Church, must realise the guilt and danger of sinners. Let them look at it, and dwell upon it as they ought, and not turn their minds away from it. I have often thought that the reason why there is so little distress in the Church with respect to the state of sinners is, that Christians do not like to consider their real guilt and danger. They do not stir up their minds to a consideration of the real state of their children and their neighbours around them. Now, let me say, if persons are ever to be stirred up to take hold upon this subject, they must think upon it; and if they are ever to come into sympathy with God and man, they must attend to this subject; the mind must dwell upon it. 13. Once more: another condition of success is this - the members of the Church must cease to operate so much by proxy as they now do. The fact is, there is a very great and fatal tendency in Christians to do this, the great business of their lives, by proxy. They hire a minister, and pay a pound or two towards the support of a missionary, or a colporteur, and fancy that they have done the whole of their duty. Now, it is true that much good is to be done by ministers, missionaries, colporteurs, district visitors, and others in their several departments, but the Church membership must be wholly engaged if there is to be a large measure of success. The personal exertion of every Christian is needful and imperative; personal influence, personal conversation, prayer, and intelligent warning must be a condition of success in this great enterprise. I have never known this species of effort to be employed in any locality without an immediate and glorious result. I do not believe, in the history of the world, that the membership of any Church, in any part of the world, have engaged in this work in a right spirit, and from proper motives, without the success being such as to astonish themselves, it has been so far above all that they had expected. I say that every individual should be

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personally engaged in making known the Gospel, but I do not mean that they can give up their entire time to this work, but I do mean to say that very much more time might be employed by professors in this work than is at present, and immense good might result from it. 14. Another condition of success is: the Church must cease to neglect her duty, and then charge the failure upon the sovereignty of God. Some people talk as if want of success was to be ascribed to some mysterious sovereignty of God. It will do for us to talk of the sovereignty of God when we have done our duty, but not before. Why, what would you think of a man who should neglect to sow his field, and then, because at the time of harvest he had no crop, should ascribe it to the sovereignty of God? Or what would you think of a man who so shamefully neglected his business as to become a bankrupt, and then charge it to the sovereignty of God? Why, you would see the absurdity and wickedness of it at once. If the farmer tills and sows his land properly and wisely, and then God should send a blight upon it, so be it; but until he has done his duty in the spirit of dependence upon God, let him cease to talk, as if the want of a crop was the result of some mysterious sovereignty of God. So with Christians, they must cease to neglect their duty before they talk of the sovereignty of God hindering the conversion of sinners. 15. Again: professors of religion must cease to suppose that they do their duty, when they do not live in the true spirit of the Gospel. For example, suppose a minister should go into the pulpit from ambitious motives, that his chief desire should be to secure a great name for himself; and suppose this minister should say when he got home, Well, I have preached so many times to-day, and I have done my duty. He preaches with a cold and unbelieving heart, and with little or no sympathy with Christ, little of no faith in the efficacy of the Gospel; and then can go home and say, Well, whatever the result, I have done my duty; and thus the want of success which is sure to follow such preaching, is thrown carelessly and wickedly upon God. I have done my duty. No! You have not done your duty, even if you have preached the Gospel in all its truth, unless you have done it from a right motive, and in the spirit of the Gospel. If there are ministers present, let me say, that I am not affirming that you do any of these things, and preach the Gospel from wrong and impure motives, for I know you not; but I would call your attention to this, my brethren, for neither you nor I preach the Gospel in the spirit in which we ought to preach it, although we may preach the truth, and nothing but the truth, if we do not preach it in the spirit, and with the faith that Christ requires. Suppose our hearers should come to meeting and hear the Gospel, but not obey it, not believe it, and should then go home and say, Well, we have been to meeting, and so we have done our duty. Nay! they have tempted God, instead of doing their duty. Let us, then, cease to talk about religion or duty, unless we come to our duty with right motives, and perform it in a right spirit. When we have done this, we may cast the results upon God, assured that Christ will complete the work which we have thus begun - for he says, Lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. 16. Another condition of success is this: the Church must come out from the world and show herself, and let it be known that God has a people in the world. Let there be a visible and plain distinction, that people may see that they are actuated by a different spirit, and living for a different end: they must appear to be what God says they are, a

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holy nation, a royal priesthood, a peculiar people, zealous of good works. This is to be plainly seen as an indispensable condition of eminent success. 17. The stumbling-blocks, which have been produced by a worldly spirit, must be taken out of the way. If we have manifested an unkind, or unjust, or unchristian spirit, in our families, in our neighbourhoods, or in our business relations; anything that caused men to stumble; led them to doubt our Christianity, or gave them reason to doubt whether there was any truth in religion at all - I say we must take these stumbling-blocks up, we must take them out of the way; we must confess our sins and forsake them, and show, by our constant anxiety for the souls of our children and our neighbours, that we have faith in our religion, and desire them to participate in its blessings. As an illustration, let me mention a fact which occurred in America. An elder of a Presbyterian Church, one of the most respectable men of the town where he lived, and was thought by his neighbours to be a very religious man, as he attended to the forms of religion very regularly; but still there was a deal of formality about him, and but little of the powerful life-giving energy of religion. This man had a large family of sons and daughters at the time of which I am speaking, men and women grown, and yet none of them were converted. One day he was walking alone, a little way from his house, when he became very seriously impressed with the thought that his family were not converted, and questioned himself as to the reason; and he was forcibly struck with the conviction that he had never entered into the subject with them in such a manner as that they should be able to realise their guilt and danger; and as he continued to reflect upon this, such was his agony that he trembled fearfully, and the perspiration rolled down his face. He started off for his house, and before he could get there he fairly ran. When he reached the house he inquired in a very excited voice for one and another of his children; hearing the tones and manner in which their father was speaking, the family were soon assembled to learn what could be the matter. When they were all come together, the father fell upon his knees, and made confession to them and to God, and prayed for their souls. It so affected the whole family that in a very short time they were all converted. Now, I could tell you of multitudes of cases similar to this, where individuals have come to see that they have not done their duty, but have resolved to do it, and obtained a blessed result. 18. Again: if the Church will succeed in this matter, she must be willing to be searched and reproved; and the language of every member must be, Search me, O search me, and try my heart, and see what evil there is in me; and lead me in the way that is everlasting. They must be intensely desirous to know what is essential to this great work, and to be made fit for its accomplishment. There must be deep self-examination, and a determination to do whatever is necessary to be done. 19. The Church must cease to grieve the Holy Spirit by her selfishness and selfindulgence. The fact is, persons are often complaining that they want the Spirit, while they are grieving the Spirit by their self-indulgent practices. While in this state it is naturally impossible for them to have the Spirit dwelling in their hearts. Many individuals grieve the Holy Spirit, and yet they are not conscious of it. They live in a great many forms of self-indulgence, and complain of the absence of the Spirit, and yet do not know wherein they are in fault. Are not ministers often very guilty in this respect? My design is not to reprove ministers where reproof is not needed; but I must be faithful. Oh, brethren, take care not to grieve the Holy Spirit! Watch your thoughts,

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and be careful of all your actions, and separate yourselves from worldly men and worldly influences as much as you can, in order that you may the more effectually help forward the work of God. 20. The spirit of caste must be got rid of. By the spirit of caste I mean the spirit that seems to overlook the fact that men are brethren. From the very nature of things, I know there will be different stations in society, and which probably will always exist to a greater or less extent; and those which are proper I do not condemn; but there is an improper feeling and spirit too much prevalent among many in the higher walks of life, which prevents their doing good to those below them in station. I have been astonished sometimes to see the aversion of many professors of religion to descend to the lower class of society to do them good. Now, you know that this was not the case with Jesus Christ, whose constant aim it was to benefit and bless the poor; and he even went to this class for the men whom he chose for his apostles, to carry the Gospel to the world. I can not enlarge upon this now; but you all know that in every locality there is a spirit of caste that misrepresents the Christian religion, and does an immense injury to the great mass of the lower classes in consequence. Christians, while they should faithfully rebuke their vices and reprove them for their sins, should also deeply sympathise with them in their poverty, and pity their distresses; and this is the way to win their hearts and lead them to the Saviour. The most flimsy infidelity takes possession of their minds, just in proportion to the seeming sympathy of the infidel teachers with their wants and necessities. They know how to appreciate such kindness; and the fact is, there is a great want of deep and intense sympathy on the part of the Christian Church with the masses of the poorer classes. Let this state of things be altered; let them get the impression, let it be once understood, that Christians are living to do them good in every way, and they will prefer Christianity to infidelity. It is not meant that Christians, in showing their sympathy should take such a part as to connive at their intemperance or sin in any form; but let the Christian seek to win them from vice, and persuade them to give up their intemperance in every form and degree; seek their welfare, temporal and spiritual, and a blessed result will follow. I have been astonished many times to see what a want of this spirit is to be found in different localities; and, in consequence, the mass of mankind are carried away with the most flimsy and absurd infidelity, because Christians fail to take any deep sympathy and interest in them. Now, if you are parents, let your families see that you earnestly desire their conversion to God. If you are a master, and have many persons under your influence, let them see that you have an earnest desire for their good, that you are vastly more desirous of securing their souls salvation than their services in your business. The power of such conduct will be very great; it will move them - there is no mistake about it. But I must pass rapidly over these thoughts. 21. The Churches must be willing to be searched, and must help to search each other. Several years since, the students of one of my theological classes came to me for advice, as to the best plan they could adopt to assist each other in the best possible way to prepare for the ministry. I advised them to have a weekly meeting to search each other, to open their hearts to each other; and, furthermore, to privately tell each other their faults, and in the most fraternal manner try to reform everything that was wrong in their hearts, spirit, habits, and manners; in all and everything to make the most holy self-denial; and to unite in prayer for each other. They did this in several classes, and just in proportion as they have been faithful to each other, have I had the satisfaction of

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seeing them become prosperous and godly men, scattered about over our great country, with hearts full of love and faith, prosecuting the great work to which Christ has called them. Those classes that did most for each other in the way which I have named, have succeeded best, since they entered the ministry, in winning souls to Christ. Thus, I say, the Churches of Christ must be willing to be searched, they must search each other by all possible fidelity, kindness, and brotherly love. 22. Once more, all parties must realise their true responsibility. Every individual must remember that he is to be a missionary. We speak of missionaries as if they were men only who were sent to preach the Gospel to the heathen, or were connected with some Society for spreading the Gospel at home, forgetting often that every Christian is a missionary, or ought to be. 23. A high standard of piety is an indispensable condition to success in this work: there will never be any very great success in this city, or in any other locality, if the standard of piety be not greatly elevated in the Churches. In those localities that I have known, where great revivals of religion have taken place, the standard of piety has been raised higher and higher from time to time. Some person speak of revivals as if they were mere temporary excitements; that after revivals there has been declension, which has left the standard of religion lower than it was before the revival took place. Now, so far as my experience goes, I never knew such a state of things as that; if it was really a revival of religion, and Christians have got the standard of piety elevated in their own hearts, they will get a new development of spiritual life, from the brightness of which they may afterwards decline; but they will never go back so far as they were before. I have known persons pass through another and another revival; but at every succeeding revival they have had a higher development of spiritual life within them. Now, I stand not here to charge you with being hypocrites or backsliders, but I say, if you are to move the masses, and be the means of numerous conversions, you must have a higher standard of piety, a higher development of spiritual life. This must be! I will take your present standard at any given point, and say, from that point, whatever it may be, your piety must be greatly elevated; and just in that proportion will you be able to reach and influence those around you. If there are any ministers who sustain such a position before their people as not move their hearts, let me tell them that they never will move them, until they themselves have a higher development of spiritual life. Visitors, tract distributors, and all other labourers in this work, let me tell you - and you will, of course, not be offended with me when I tell you - that there must be a more thorough development of Christ in you; it must manifest itself in your looks, manners, and voice, that every man with whom you meet may be satisfied that you are sincere. A man by only looking at you can tell whether you are in earnest. The tone of your voice will often reveal the state of your heart. A man might go through the streets of the city calling, Fire! fire! in such tones that nobody would believe him. Now, you must speak about religion in such tones that people will believe you, or you will fail to make any impression. If you speak about religion in such a way as to lead men to suppose that you dont yourself believe what you are saying, it is impossible for you to get persons to believe what you say. You must be so much in earnest that your earnestness can not be concealed. Whitfield used to stand in this pulpit, and let me ask what was the secret of his power? His earnestness. Everybody knew that he was in earnest. All men felt, they could not but feel, that he was in solemn earnest, and so they listened and were

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saved. Let the Church awake up from sleep, and show herself to be in earnest, and when she has done this, if she fails, then talk of the sovereignty of God, and not before. Leaving the answer to the question, Why the work is not done? till next Wednesday evening. I close with asking 1. Are you, my dear brethren, prepared to comply with these conditions? What do you say, brethren? What do I say? Are you willing to lay your life on the altar? Am I willing? I think I can say, as honestly as I can say anything, Yes, I am. 2. Now, beloved, let us come to this work asking, Why am I not more useful, why can not I do more for God? There is a great mistake somewhere? Where is it?

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6. CHRIST MAGNIFYING THE LAW

The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake; he will magnify the law and make it honourable. - Isaiah 42:21 In speaking from these words, I propose to consider I. Of whom the prophet is speaking. II. Why he should magnify the law and make it honourable. III. How he shall do this. And then conclude with some inferences and remarks. I. OF WHOM THE PROPHET IS SPEAKING I believe it is agreed that these words are spoken of our Lord Jesus Christ: I know not that this is called in question. It is said, The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake, the person spoken of here, then, is our Lord Jesus Christ. The next inquiry is II. WHY HE SHOULD MAGNIFY THE LAW AND MAKE IT HONOURABLE; AND WHAT LAW IS THIS? 1. Here let me remark, that very much of the infidelity and scepticism in the world has originated in this fact, that so many men have never attained to clear conceptions of what the law of God really is, and its relation to themselves; they generally look no farther than the letter of the law, entirely overlooking its spirit; and regarding it as emanating simply from the arbitrary will of God, and that he can dispense with the execution of it at pleasure. To make myself understood, I must give you my idea of the true nature of the moral law which is here spoken of. We have the letter of this law in the table of what are called the ten commandments; and indeed all the preceptive parts of the Bible may be regarded as simply explanatory of this law, as the principle contained in it applies to the outward conduct of human life. A just conception of the spirit of the moral law will show us that it originated in the eternal and immutable nature of God. From all eternity, God necessarily possessed an existence, and with that existence certain attributes - natural attributes. He possessed omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, and so forth. Now, there must have been some way in which it became him, from his very nature, to use these attributes; these attributes he possessed necessarily, and eternally, and there must be some way in which his intelligence must affirm that these attributes ought to be used. Now, observe, when we understand truly the spirit of the moral law, our reason affirms that all creatures are under obligation to exercise universal obedience to it. The moral law, then, is this - the eternal affirmation of Gods own mind in respect to what course of conduct is proper in himself and in all moral agents; it is the eternal and necessary affirmation of the Divine reason and conscience as to how the attributes of any moral agent ought to be used. It is a necessary idea in Gods mind, and in the mind of all moral agents: for example, no man can doubt that Gods eternal reason must have affirmed that he ought to be benevolent. Who can doubt that selfishness or malevolence in God would have been sin in him? If God had been selfish and malevolent instead of being benevolent, that would have been sin in him; and why? Because God is a moral agent. Men are moral agents, and they have a nature which necessarily leads them to affirm this. The

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benevolence of God is really his virtue: and why? Because the exercise of benevolence is in compliance with that rule of conduct which was becoming in God to pursue; his reason affirmed his own obligation to it. Now, I have thought sometimes, that persons entirely overlook the fact that God is himself a moral agent, and the subject of moral obligation as really as they are. Some people startle at this, lest it should be thought derogatory to Gods character; but if this were not so, God could not be virtuous: as he is a moral agent, he must be under moral obligation. The moral law was not given to God by any other being, for he is a law unto himself - his own eternal reason and conscience affirming that the carrying out of the principles of benevolence would be right in him, and of course the opposite wrong. When, therefore, God acts according to the moral law, he acts in compliance with an eternal law of his own nature, by which he was led to determine his own conduct, as the condition of his own happiness, and as the condition of the happiness of all moral agents. Let it be understood, then, that the moral law did not originate in Gods arbitrary will; it lay further back - in a necessary law of his own eternal consciousness; as a rule of action it was prescribed to him by his own consciousness. This law is also prescribed to us by our own consciousness as well as enforced by the authority of God; and if we possessed none to legislate for us, and while possessing the same nature that we now do, our consciousness would have prescribed this rule of action to us - affirming that we ought to be benevolent. If the arbitrary will of God had originated this law, he could dispense with it at his pleasure; he could change the nature of virtue and vice, he could make that which is now virtue vice, and that which is now vice virtue, simply by altering his law; but does any one think that God could do this? Now, God never can change the nature of virtue and vice, and he claims no such power. This law having originated thus, and not by Gods arbitrary will, it is binding upon us, as moral agents, by the very laws of our being. God created us moral agents like himself, and thus made this law obligatory upon us, enjoined it upon us by his own authority, and made it obligatory, also, by a law of our own nature. Now, the spirit of this law requires universal and perfect benevolence to God and man. By benevolence I mean love, with reference to the law of God and to the universe; this is what Gods law requires of all moral agents. Now, observe, this law is as unalterable as Gods own nature is - he did not create it, neither can he alter it in the least degree; he did not create it any more than he created himself - it never began to be any more than God did himself. Originating in his own self-existing nature, his own reason must have eternally recognised it as the course of action to be pursued by him; and thus it is plain that this law can never be repealed by him, and made less obligatory in reference to himself, or us - it can never undergo any change in its requirements, and can never be dispensed with in any case whatever. 2. Again: this law is infinitely valuable in the ends which it aims to secure. It is naturally impossible for moral agents to be happy unless they are virtuous, and virtue consists in obeying this eternal law. All virtue consists in perfect love - this is virtue in all moral agents. Now, in no further than this law is conformed to can there be happiness amongst men. Virtue is the basis of happiness, properly so called, in God or in anybody else. This law, then, aims to secure and promote all that creates happiness, as the condition of the happiness of God and of his creatures. I suppose that the things which I am affirming this morning will be admitted by all who hear me as self-evident truth; the mind of every moral agent must affirm them to be true, by a law of our own nature we affirm it, that they are true, that they must be true; for example, benevolence was proper and becoming in God, therefore obligatory upon him; and the opposite

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course would have been wrong - mind, I am not supposing that such a thing ever was or ever will be; but I am only supposing that if such a thing were possible, that God was not a good but a wicked being. Hence every moral agent will affirm that the moral law is a law which God imposed upon himself, and that it did not originate in his own arbitrary will - that its obligations can never be dispensed with in any case, neither repealed nor altered in any particular. Again: every moral agent, also, must affirm that this law must be of infinite value, because it aims to secure an infinitely valuable end. 3. The true spirit of this law can never be violated. There may be exceptions to the letter of the law, but not to the Spirit - nobody possesses any power to make the slightest exceptions to the spirit of the moral law; but as I just now said, to the letter of the law there may be exceptions. The law prohibits any work being done on the Sabbath, and yet the priests were allowed to do the work of the sanctuary on that day without violating the spirit of the command. All labour was prohibited, but works of necessity and mercy were nevertheless allowed, and even required. These were exceptions to the letter of the moral law, but not to its spirit; to which there can be no exception. Again: the transgression of the moral law by any human being, is a public denial of its obligation. It is a denial of the propriety, necessity, or justice of its being law at all, and that it is unworthy of being so. 4. Again: let us look at the necessity that Christ should magnify the law and make it honourable. Mankind had denied the obligation of this law, publicly and most blasphemously denied it. Now, observe, if any other than a public act, for forgiving sin, and setting aside the penalty of this law, had been adopted, if no regard had been paid to its vindication, God would have sanctioned and completed the dishonour. The law had been denied, man had denied its justice, and now suppose God should come forth and set aside the execution of the law, and make a universal offer of pardon without taking any notice of this dishonour to the law by any public act whatever, would not this have been to dishonour the law. Now, man in a most direct and emphatic manner had come right out in the face of the whole universe and denied that it was obligatory, that it was just, proper, necessary, and reasonable; and let me say that by their actual transgression they had denied the power of the law in a higher sense than they could by mere words. Now, if God very good-naturedly had said, Well, no matter, I will forgive you, only be sorry, and had taken no notice of the dishonour that had been done to the law, would this have been to magnify the law and make it honourable? would it not have been rather, on the part of God, by a most public and emphatic act, just to sanction the horrible dishonour that had been done to his law? To have thus acted, every one will see, would have been unjust to himself, unjust to the law, and unjust to the universe, and ruinous to all parties - and therefore it never could be. 5. Again: two things, then, must be done if men were to be saved at all. First, something must be done to honour this law, and to honour it as thoroughly as it had been dishonoured: second, something must be done to restore men to obedience as a condition of their being pardoned; something that must restore them to that state of virtue, love, and confidence which the law required. These two things must be done, to save the law from dishonour and the universe from ruin. Observe, the law had been disgraced in some way, therefore the degraded law must be made honourable. Man had been rebellious, he must be made obedient as a condition of the first proposition.

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6. This leads me to say that both precept and penalty must be vindicated: both had been denied, both had been dishonoured. Now, it is easy to see that this could be done by no subject of the government; a mere creature could not magnify either the precept or the penalty of this law. It is easy to see that the lawgiver must provide for both, as the condition of its being proper in him to set aside the execution of the penalty in the case of sinners. Now, this law may be honoured either by its penalty being executed on the offender, or it may by honoured by some substitute taking the sinners place, if one could be found. 7. Again, I inquire, how can God honour the law? Here again, we have an important light shed upon the two natures of our Lord Jesus Christ, and upon the necessity of his possessing two natures in order to perform the work that was assigned him. The obedience of any mere creature could not be a sufficient vindication of this law. Great multitudes of the whole race had denied its propriety and justice. Now, if any mere creature had come forth and obeyed it, this would not have been to sufficiently honour the law which had been dishonoured by myriads. Now, it is very easy to see that if Christ possessed two natures, human and Divine, that he would be precisely in a position to magnify the law and make it honourable. Officially, and before the universe, he obeyed the law in both his natures; recognising its obligation as respects God and all moral agents. It is thus shown to be the rule of Gods conduct, as well as the rule of our conduct; it is a rule which God imposed upon himself, and as really obligatory upon himself as upon us. Now, no mere creature, by obeying this law, could show its obligation upon Jehovah himself. But when man denied its obligation, Jehovah himself came forth, in the presence of the universe, and acknowledged its obligation, by recognising it in his two natures - one the nature of man, who had denied its obligation; and in this nature he obeyed every jot and tittle of it - Heaven and earth, he said, shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Heaven and earth were not so steadfast as this law. Thus we see that in these two natures Christ fully obeyed the law, and though it had been trampled upon and degraded, lifted it up high as the throne of Jehovah. 8. Again: we say that the suffering of one who sustained no other relation to God than that of a mere creature, could not vindicate the justice of the law, or the penalty that it denounced against sin; but the Lord Jesus Christ, by taking two natures, and by the public sacrifice of the human nature on the altar of public justice, in vindication of this law, and as a substitution for the execution of its penalty, for the legitimate subject of it, did what none but himself could do. Christ, we say, suffered the penalty of this law, but in some sense he suffered it not as sinners would - as they must have done; he could not feel the bitterness and remorse which is a part of the lawful penalty awarded to those who commit sin; but he magnified this law, and made it honourable, for he sustained at once a relation to the lawgiver, and to those who had denied the obligation of the law. How beautifully, then, in these two natures united, could he vindicate the law, and thoroughly honour it in every particular. There is great difficulty in any government exercising mercy towards rebels, and this is especially felt in such a government as that of God; and a little reflection on this will lead to the conclusion that an atonement was absolutely necessary.

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9. Our Lord Jesus Christ by his life completely illustrated the true spirit of the law. He must magnify the law and make it honourable; and he asserted its universal obligation in his life, which was a perpetual illustration of what the law required of human beings. He ever manifested the true spirit of this law. He thus lived among mankind, taught them what they ought to be, and what they would be if they thoroughly obeyed the law of God; what sort of a thing society would be if all men obeyed the law of God; what men would be; what children and youth would be - how obliging, and kind, and holy. Now, by his life he calls upon us, and says, Suppose all men were as you see me; suppose all men possessed the same simple-heartedness, the same truthfulness, the same regard for Gods honour, and regard for the happiness of others - would society be what it is? The whole race have denied the propriety of this law; but I give you a proof of its excellency by showing in my life what the state of society would be if it were obeyed. I obey it in every respect. You deny the propriety and goodness of this law; but if it were illustrated in each individual life as it is in mine, what would there be lacking in any society in heaven or upon earth? Thus, then, God, by this his living teacher, condemns sin, shows the importance of the law, and its absolute perfection. 10. Again: Christ thus, by his life, declared and illustrated the great and unspeakable necessity of this law. He not only expounded its meaning, and gave himself up to teach the Jews and the world its real meaning, but in every way he contended for its reasonableness, beauty, necessity, and immutability in all things. Thus Christ illustrated, both in his life and preaching, this Divine and immutable law of God. Who can doubt that he was all the law required him to be? 11. Again: we may say that he taught, that mercy without satisfaction being made to its insulted majesty was not possible; and he undertook the work of satisfaction - to magnify the law and make it honourable. I can not enlarge further on this part of the subject. REMARKS AND INFERENCES 1. The intention of the Gospel is by no means to repeal the law. Do we, then, make void the law through faith? said the apostle; God forbid; yea, we establish the law. By his life and death, Christ honoured the law; and thus himself furnished the means of rebuking the rebellious lives of sinners. The spirit of the law pervades the Gospel, and they infinitely mistake the subject who suppose that the moral law is not part of the Gospel. This is the way to make Christ the minister of sin. This is to array Christ against the moral law; for how could he by abrogating the law make it honourable? This would be to weaken the law. Do not mistake me: I do not mean that men are to be saved by their own righteousness - that they are to be restored to happiness by the law, as the ground of their acceptance with God. I mean no such thing as this; but what I do mean is, that this is a condition of their forgiveness - they must break off their rebellion, and become submissive and obedient to its authority. A man who has once violated a law can never be justified by it; this is both naturally and governmentally impossible. But there must be obedience to the law as a condition of forgiveness for past sins and offences. 2. Again: this is implied in the exercise of saving faith. No faith is saving but that which works by love. No faith is justifying faith that is not sanctifying faith. No hope is a good hope but that which leads its possessor to purify himself even as Christ is pure.
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There are persons who suppose that the Gospel abrogates the moral law, and that they are going to be saved by faith without love; they are Antinomians, and they know nothing of the true way of salvation. They ought to understand at once that the law is an essential part of the Gospel. Let me be understood: I do not mean that universal and perfect obedience to the law is a condition of being saved by the Gospel; but I do mean that under the Gospel we have the same rule of life that they have in heaven. The law there is, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength, and this is as truly our rule of duty here as it is in heaven. The Gospel enjoins this love, and makes it obligatory upon us. That faith which is saving faith is the result of this love; and this love, when rightly understood, is indispensable to virtue. 3. Again: Christ still honours the law by continuing to require its fulfilment as a condition of saving those for whom he died. He requires them first to confess and renounce their sins, and thus acknowledge the propriety of the law. The law is not evil; and those who continue in sin dishonour the law. They must repent; they must justify the law, and condemn themselves; they must, by a public act, renounce their sins - the act of renunciation must be as public as the act of rebellion. They must reverence the law; they must subscribe to it; they must obey it; they must exercise the love that it requires; - this is his condition of saving those for whom he hath already died. Even in the days of the Apostles people began to have a wrong idea on this subject. The false idea that the law and the Gospel were opposed to each other, doubtless, took possession of their minds, because the Apostles so largely insisted upon the necessity of justification by faith. But the Apostles had no such meaning. The Jews had supposed that sinners were to be saved by obedience to the moral and ceremonial law; their religion was a religion of mere outward morality. That was the condition of the Jews as a nation. I do not mean that all the Jews had this view; for, doubtless, there were many who understood the true nature of the law - understood that the moral law required love and confidence in God; they also knew that the ceremonial law was figurative of the atonement, which was to be at some future day made clear to men; pious and devout men understood this, but the Jews, as a nation, almost without exception, had no idea of the spiritual character of the law, and their teachers taught a different doctrine altogether - they taught that men would be saved by mere outward morality, by abstaining from those things that were in the ceremonial law forbidden as wrong, and by keeping the letter of the commandments written in the two tables of stone. Now, observe, the Apostles sought to show them that they entirely misunderstood the conditions of salvation. Christ had taught this, and after Christs ascension, the Apostles enlarged upon what he had taught - illustrating their position by his death and resurrection, the ceremonial law, the tabernacle, and so on, insisting upon it that men were to be saved by faith in Christ. Upon this there were some who misunderstood what he Apostles intended, which was this, that they were to be justified by faith in Christ, which works by love, as opposed to all legal works. The Apostle Paul, who wrote chiefly on this subject, did not mean to say that they would be saved without love to the law, for he insisted upon it that the faith which was essential to salvation was that faith which works by love. In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. He did not mean to say that a man could be saved without obedience to the law, without love. Men were, he said, to be justified by that faith in Christ which works by love, in opposition to any works of their own. He did not mean to teach that men were justified on the ground of love and

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obedience to the law, but he meant this, that they were justified entirely by Christ, by what Christ had done; that they were to expect forgiveness on the ground of what Christ had done; but upon the condition that they should believe in him and love him. Now, the mistake against which I am endeavouring to guard you, has prevailed, more or less, from the days of the Apostles till the present time. This mistake early began to develop itself, and James, by his Epistle, designed to correct this mistake. It has been thought that the Epistle of James contradicts the Epistle of Paul, but nothing is further from the truth. James insisted upon men having faith which works by love - practical faith, that makes them holy. The Apostle Paul says, men are not justified by works, but both agree that personal holiness is a condition of salvation - not a ground, but a condition. 4. Again: multitudes of persons, in every age of the Church, have been found, who have seemed to array the Gospel against the law, as if the moral law had been abrogated. Let me illustrate what I mean. In one of the cities of the United States, where a revival took place some few years since, a lady who belonged to an episcopal church in that city, came to me and said, I am distressed with the state of things in our Church; the ladies of that Church are so conformed to the world in their habits of dress, and in their frivolous and light conduct, that I went to our minister about it, and told him how much I was grieved; and what do you think he said to me? I consider that these ladies are among the most pious members of my church; the reason why they act as they do is, they do not rely upon their own works, they expect to be saved alone by the merits of Christ. Now, what sort of an idea had these people, and this minister, of the Gospel, of the way of salvation? Just think of this; these people were living worldly, selfish, self-indulgent lives, and yet they expected to be saved by the merits of Christ. They supposed that the righteousness of Christ was imputed to them in such a sense; that they could personally conform to the world, and yet be saved. Personally, like all other sinners, and yet by an imputed righteousness that did not imply any personal holiness, they could be saved. What is this but Antinomianism? And what is this but the religion of great multitudes of persons? You urge them to holiness of life, and this is not preaching the Gospel to them; you urge them to obedience, to self-denial, and to live lives worthy of their high vocation, and this imply no Gospel this is urging men to a holiness of their own! Now, my beloved hearers, wherever you see such a spirit as that, you may be sure there is something wrong. To be sure, men are to be accepted and justified on the ground of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done; but mark, only upon the condition of their personally accepting him, giving him their hearts, yielding themselves up to obedience. 5. Again: sinners, by faith, must honour the law which they have dishonoured. Suppose Christ should honour the law, but should not require us to pay any regard to his atonement, by repentance and faith, as a condition of our salvation, could we honour the law thus? If God would not pardon sin unless Christ died, neither will he forgive any human being who does not repent of sin and accept Christ personally. Have mankind trampled on the law, and has Christ made an atonement, and does God intend to save men without any reference to this atonement? Never! God will never forgive sin without faith and repentance. Nothing can be more certain. It is as certain that God

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will never consent to dishonour the law, as it is that Christ has made an atonement for sin, and thus honoured the law. He will never stop short and save sinners, because they are sceptical, proud, and self-righteous enough to reject the atonement. I tell you there is no hope of this. Let all persons who reject the atonement, and expect to be saved without Christ, know that so certain as God will never consent to dishonour his law, so certain will he never forgive them unless they recognise Christ! Why should he do so? But as I have to preach again this evening, I will not remark further this morning.

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7. THE PROMISES OF GOD

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. - 2 Peter 1:4 In speaking from these words I propose briefly to consider I. The nature. II. The condition, and III. The use of the promises of God. I. THE NATURE OF THE PROMISES 1. By a law of our nature we affirm the truthfulness of God. How remarkable is the fact, that the question is always by those who dispute a divine revelation, whether God has spoken at all, and never whether what He has spoken is true. The inquiry I say is whether God has spoken and what He has spoken; and when it is once settled that God has spoken and made promises to man, we affirm by a law of our nature, that what He has promised must be true. The promises, however, are not to be regarded as the foundation of our confidence in God, for this foundation lies further back in the revelation which He has made in the laws of our own mind. Our confidence in the promise of any being can not be the result of the promise itself - we have confidence in the promise of any being in proportion as we have confidence in his character; therefore our natures affirm that God can not lie, that he must be a God of truth - no man ever honestly doubted it, no man can honestly doubt it. One of the elements of the idea of God is that of His perfection - His entire truthfulness. The promises, therefore, I observe, are to be regarded as the revelation of Gods will in respect to granting us certain things. God might be good and yet not give us many things which he has promised to give us; for example, God might be good and yet not pardon our sin justice is as much an attribute of goodness as mercy is. We could not have known unless He had revealed the fact, whether perfect goodness would allow Him to forgive us our sins, or to give us many things which He has promised us; and, therefore, His promises are designed to reveal to us that will, and to make known to us the fact, that His goodness will allow Him to grant us certain favours, and that it is in accordance with goodness to give us those things that He has promised. Hence His promises are given on the condition of our faith and that we pray for forgiveness. These promises are then not a ground of faith, but are given on condition of our faith. 2. Many of the promises are of a general character, which when you desire and believingly pray for, you shall receive. Persons may appropriate these promises under certain circumstances to themselves. General promises are ordinarily rendered available to us, as needed by us - when we pray for them understanding what we mean - by the Holy Spirit of God leading us to lay hold and appropriate them to ourselves as promises meant for us. 3. Promises are made to classes of persons also - it is remarkable to what an extent this is true. There are special promises made to magistrates, ministers, fathers, mothers,

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widows, orphans - to all classes of persons. There are also promises made to persons in various states of mind, such as Come unto me all ye that weary and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. With respect to these, I observe, that when we have ascertained to what class we belong, we may understand that God has promised these things to us by name - for instance, Come unto me all ye that weary, if we can say that we belong to that class we may understand the promise, I will give thee rest, as given to us as truly as if it had been first revealed to us, or made for us alone, just the same as if God had called us by name and told us to come to him. The same with respect to widows and orphans who may appropriate the promises belonging to them without any hesitation, just as if they had for the time been revealed to them by name it is of great importance for all persons to understand this. I shall have occasion in another part of my discourse briefly to allude to this thought again. 4. The promises are made in and through and for Christ - they are all made for a governmental valuable consideration paid by Christ. Let me explain myself. God has in an important sense given the world to Christ, and he is represented as having all fullness in him. As Christ became the Redeemer of mankind, God has given him all power in heaven and in earth, to govern it by the use of those means and appliances that are essential to secure the great end he has in view: Christ having, as I said, paid for it a governmental valuable consideration. Let me not be misunderstood: He has done that by which he has made a perfect satisfaction to the government of God. Gods law had been violated, its justice, its equity, and its propriety had been publicly denied and trampled upon by mankind - the majesty of this law must be vindicated, the government of God demanded this - it was unsafe and also unjust for man to be forgiven unless the majesty of the law was asserted. Those who had broken the law could not be forgiven consistently with the rest of the universe, for the law that had been broken was public property - every moral agent in the universe was interested in the vindication of this law; the strength and efficiency, the power and the glory, should by no means be impaired - for the safety of the universe depended upon its being preserved. Now Christ came forth and publicly vindicated the honour of this law, by paying over to the government of God an equivalent for the offences and sins which man had committed; he suffered the penalty in order that the guilty might be pardoned. Christ, I say, offered to the government of God an equivalent for the execution of the law upon the offender; and, in consequence of what he has done, God has promised to bless those who deserved cursing. Now observe, that all the promises of God are represented as being to Christ, and as being in Him; yea, and in him, amen, to the glory of God the Father. Christ magnified the law and made it honourable, so that it consisted with the honour of this law and the justice of God that sinners - rebels against his government - should through Christ be pardoned their offences. Let it always be understood, friends, that these promises are, in the spirit of them, really made to Christ and to Christs people, to those whom he regards as part of himself, those for whom he came into the world, and those for whom he died. 5. The promises are, therefore, to be considered something in the light of certificates of deposit: as if Christ had made the deposit for us, and allowed us to present our drafts these promises - and to take away that which God has promised to give, and for which he has received from Christ, a valuable consideration. We may regard, then, these

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promises as drafts or checks which we take and present, and in return receive of the great blessings which God has promised by him, and through him, and on his account. 6. Again: with respect to the promises, many of them were made in the time of Old Testament Saints, not for their immediate use, the drafts were not due, but to be believed and pleaded at a future period. Anyone who will take the trouble to examine the Bible in this respect will find this to be the fact, that many of the promises were not in the present tense, but referred to the advent of the Messiah, and were to become due after his appearing. Turn, if you please, to the 31st chapter of the Book of Jeremiah, and read the 31st to the 34th verse. Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand, to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they break, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. This promise was made to the church, and of course to each individual member of the church: which was not to be pleaded at the time it was given, but which became due at a future period. The apostle who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews, quotes this promise from Jeremiah, and says that the day had come for its fulfilment. It was made to be believed in its relation to a future time, and the age of the gospel was the time at which it was to be believed. All these promises are to be regarded as due in this sense - their fulfilment may be expected in our own days. I can not take the time which would be required to quote a great many passages in illustration of my meaning, but must rely upon your general knowledge of that particular class of promises, to which I have just referred. 7. Again: with respect to the promises, they have their letter and their spirit. Many of the promises under the Old Testament dispensation seem to refer chiefly to temporal blessings, but only in the letter; for these promises, as applied in the New Testament, have a deep spiritual meaning. The promises of the Old Testament very commonly speak of worldly prosperity as the reward of the righteous, when, as it appears from the way in which they are applied in the New Testament, a great deal more than mere worldly prosperity and advancement was really meant - spiritual blessings, great and abundant, were really in the spirit of these promises, crouched under language that seemed to promise temporal prosperity only. 8. Let me say again, that many of the promises of the Old Testament were made to the Jews - the children of Israel - as if Israelites alone had been meant: whereas the New Testament abundantly shows us, that these promises had a very much larger sense that they also applied to the Gentiles - and to the church under the Protestant - the Christian - dispensation. For example, the promise I have just quoted from Jeremiah, I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Now this promise was more extensive in its application than was at first supposed - it referred to

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both Jews and Gentiles - to all the spiritual Israel of God, in all ages future from the age in which it was first spoken. 9. Again: I remark, that where promises are made to the church, persons should not overlook the fact that they are also applicable to particular individual members of the church. Sometime since, conversing with a brother minister in respect to the promises, he said, that he did not know of any particular promises made to parents on behalf of their children. I quoted some of them, such as, My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever. Again: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring, and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. But, said the minister, these were made to the church and not to individuals. Well, but brother, I replied, of what worth are they to the church if they are not meant for individual members of the church? If they are meant for the church in general, they must be meant for every member in particular. Did God intend to trifle with men? He gave promises to his church to be sure, but not that any individual member of that church should avail himself of the same. This is a mistake, brethren. Gods promises are made to all His children, and to every one of them in particular, we must not lose ourselves in the mass. The feeling is too much abroad among Christians, that Gods promises are made to everybody in general, but to nobody in particular. Very much of this I have found as I have for many years been passing from place to place. Because the promises are made to masses and classes, they are thought not to be available to particular individuals. How would this be in any other case? Suppose, for example, a great famine was in this city, that the people had no provisions; and, suppose that the government should issue a proclamation to all persons who were hungry and needy, telling them that they might, by applying at a certain place, secure provisions to supply their wants; now suppose the proclamation was general in its character, do you think that any individual who was starving would hesitate to go to the store, because the invitation was to everybody, and not addressed to particular individuals? No, indeed. Every individual who was in want, would say, I may go, because I belong to the class intended. Now if people fail to understand these promises, they may lay and rot in the Bible, and never be of any use to them. How many parents have unconverted children and unruly children, because they neglect to avail themselves of the promises of God. 10. The promises made to the Patriarchs, Abraham, for instance, have a letter and a spirit; they were intended principally to apply to the children of Israel, but now they apply to all, whether Jews or Gentiles. I might make a great many other similar remarks, but must proceed to notice II. THE CONDITIONS OF THE PROMISES 1. From the very nature of the promises, there must be certain conditions annexed to them all. 2. When a condition is once expressed it is always implied: for example, take this case, when God has promised particular blessings to his church, He concludes by saying, in one instance, Nevertheless, I will be inquired of by the house of Israel to do these things for them, and thus in all cases we have conditions annexed to His promises, and
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unless these conditions are complied with, we can not obtain the promises, although many of them seem to be given unconditionally; but wherever a condition is not expressed it is implied. Take another case, when God sent the children of Israel captive into Babylon, He promised them that in seventy years they should find deliverance. Now Daniel understood this! The promise, when taken by itself, would seem to indicate that nothing was to be done by the people in the way of prayer and supplication to effect their deliverance, or as a condition of this prayer being fulfilled. But Daniel was led to examine the prophets and to read the promises, and he found that the seventy years were expired but the people were still in bondage, and he found that the reason of this was that the promise had not been fully comprehended - he learnt that the promise was made on condition of prayer and supplication being offered to God; consequently, he set himself to confess his own sins and the sins of the people, and to pray, fast, and humble himself before God. This will illustrate what I mean. Now when it has once been said that God will be inquired of to do these things for us - to fulfil His promises - it must be understood as an unalterable condition of His fulfilling the promises - that we will ask Him to do so. 3. Again: We are informed that faith in His promises is a condition of their fulfilment, that no man need expect to receive anything of the Lord, unless he asks in faith - this is one of the principles of the government of God: we must ask for those things which we need, and we must ask for them in faith; for it is of little use that we pray without this. God has said that unless we pray in faith we shall not have the blessing. In all the promises of God this is implied as a condition on which we are to receive them - again and again we are told, without faith, it is in vain for us to expect the fulfilment of His promises. 4. Again: There are many conditions which are naturally necessary; for example, suppose that God should promise that you should not starve with hunger, of course it implies that you should be willing to eat the food provided for you; and you would tempt God if you should neglect to eat, and yet think that His promise, that you should not die with hunger, would be fulfilled. So when he has promised spiritual blessings, the employment of means, towards the accomplishment of the end, is always implied as a condition of our receiving them. We must appropriate the means, and so put ourselves in a position to receive the promises, or we tempt God by expecting their fulfilment. 5. Again: There are certain conditions that are not only naturally, but governmentally necessary: for example, we are required to offer our petitions in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is, I say, a governmental necessity for God requiring us to recognise Christ as the medium through which we receive these things. It is very easy to see that the same reason which required an atonement to be made for sin, required that we should recognise that atonement: the same law that made it necessary that Christ should die for us, required that His death should be recognised by us, as the condition of our receiving the blessings promised through this medium. It was governmentally necessary that Christ should die for the safety of the government; that Christ should die to establish Gods law as the condition of our receiving the blessing of pardon; now it is just as governmentally necessary that in our petitions to God we should recognise our governmental relation to him; that we should remember the sacredness of the divine character, and that we should approach him solely through

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Christ, making mention of his name. But I must not enlarge on this part of the subject. We now pass to consider and specify some things in regard to III. THE USE OF THE PROMISES 1. I observe, that in using the promises regard is always to be had to the attributes of the promiser. His ability is infinite, and his willingness is also infinite - these things are always to be taken into account. Now if human beings promise us any thing, in ever such strong language, we are at liberty to doubt whether we shall ever possess the things promised, having in view the capacity of the promiser. Thus you see we must interpret promises made to us in the light of the attributes of him who promises. It is very common for men in very strong language to promise that which we do not expect them to perform, and which indeed they can not. Suppose a physician says that he will restore his patient to perfect health: it would be unfair to understand him to mean literally what he says. If the physician recover the patient from the disease under which he is labouring, and restore him to comfortable health, it is all that can be expected of him. But whatever promise God makes he is perfectly able to perform it. We are always, therefore, to have respect to the attributes of him who makes the promise. 2. Again: We are to have respect to his relations to us, and our relations to him. The promises of a father to a child may be construed much more liberally than if they were made to a stranger in whom he had no particular interest, and to whom he sustained no relation. 3. Again: We are to have respect to his interest in us: and God has revealed in many ways, His great interest in us. For example, look at the things he has done for His children, the fact that He has given Christ to die for them, is alone more than sufficient to prove his infinite interest in them; but in addition to this, on every hand, this same fact is revealed - and the great things which He has done for us clearly proves that He is able to fulfil all His promises. We are surrounded by innumerable evidences of the highest order of his great interest in us, His great love for us, His great readiness to do for us above all that we can ask or think. Consider what He has already done, when we were enemies to him He withheld not from us His only and well - beloved Son! Then surely He will not withhold anything else from us. If He freely gave from His bosom His own Son - the greatest treasure that He had - shall he not with him also freely give us all things? If God give so great a blessing shall he withhold the less? No, surely no! In indulging such a thought we do him wrong and we do ourselves wrong; we must not overlook these facts as the highest possible evidence that all the promises are made in good faith; and Gods infinite readiness to give the things that He has promised. It might have appeared incredible if God had told us beforehand that He would give Christ to die for us. It would have appeared wonderful! We should have exclaimed, can it be possible? Infidels not think it impossible. What! God give His co-equal Son to die for us? We can not believe it! Now Christians understand it and believe it; and certainly since he has done this, we should look at this fact - never leave it out of view, when we come to the promises. All unbelief should vanish when we remember that when we were enemies Christ died for us, and shall we not recognise in this fact, that He is willing, freely, largely, bountifully, to give us all other things that we want. By this gift of his

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Son, God has confirmed to us the promises stronger than he could have done by an unsupported oath. 4. Again: God not only confirmed His promise by an oath, that we might have strong consolation, but by all His conduct He has shown us His entire sincerity in making these promises, and His readiness to fulfil them. 5. We should not forget the design of the promises - that they are intended to meet every demand of our being. 6. We must not forget to construe the language of the promises as meaning as much as the language used in commands. For example, when it is said (Deuteronomy 30:6), And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live, we are to understand this promise as covering as much ground as a command. We are to construe the language in the promises just the same as the language used in the commands. We are not to suppose that language found in commands is to be stretched to the utmost; but when found in the promises to be regarded as not meaning so much. Now it is common in the church, both in writing and in printing, and in conversation, to construe language when used in command, in its widest sense. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, is made to mean all it can possibly imply - mind I do not find fault with this, for I suppose it is to be so construed - but when the same language is to be found in the promises it is construed to mean much less than the language really implies. Take another instance. When the apostle says, I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that called you who also will do it, we are to interpret this language as liberally as if it had been used in the language of command. We must not trifle with these promises, and so restrict their meaning as to imply that they pledge but little, and that little in a most vague and general manner. If we would receive the blessings of the promises, we must understand what it is they promise us. 7. Again: we should in using the promises, always remember to fulfil the conditions on which they are promised to be granted. If we plead the promises of God, and do not fulfil their conditions, we tempt God: for example, suppose you were to plead the promise that God would forgive sin on the condition of repentance, and you were impenitent and did not repent, why you tempt God. Suppose a cold-hearted professor of religion should plead that promise in respect to backsliders, when they return from their backsliding, and should expect to be forgiven while he continues to go on in worldly-mindedness, why he would be tempting God. Fulfil the conditions first and then plead the promises. 8. Again: although conditions may not be expressed in connection with every promise, yet conditions are implied. 9. Again: The promises were made to be used - they were made to be used by Gods children, by all who will believe them and appropriate them. They were not made to lay concealed in a gilt-edged Bible, but to be read, understood, and used. The fact is, the Bible is like a book of checks put into the hands of the needy, and we are to use them

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when we want anything: thus God has given promises to every class and description of persons; and these promises were given not to be hoarded up, but to be used - we are to draw liberally and freely upon the divine bounty for all the blessings that we need. I became acquainted with one of the most remarkable men that ever I knew in the city of New York: he was forty-five years old, a farmer, and an unlettered man. After his conversion, he had remarkable faith and confidence in God. He sold his farm and took his wife - he had no children - and travelled through various parts of the country, preaching the gospel and labouring to promote revivals of religion. He was a man of very humble talents, yet wherever he went there was always a revival of religion in consequence of his labours. This man laboured in New Jersey in a most remarkably successful manner. After many years he called upon me in the City of New York: after spending a little while in conversation, he proposed to pray: we knelt down together, and he prayed like a little child, Our Father, thou hast given us great and precious promises, but what are they good for, unless they are to be believed; and so he went on just like a little child, and really it was so perfectly apparent that he believed all the promises, that I never forget the impression which his great faith made upon my mind. I could at once comprehend the secret of all his great usefulness: he had such confidence in Gods promises, he realised to such an extent that God had made all His promises in good faith, and on purpose to be used by His children, and he availed himself of them with all freedom and with all boldness. He came to God, as a child would come to its father, fully believing that God would fulfil all His promises - this was the secret of his usefulness. If Christians will but understand and get the impression deeply embedded in their own minds, that these promises are regarded by God as their inheritance, given them to be used by them under all the circumstances in which they find themselves placed, they would often much better understand the meaning of the apostle, when he says, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises. 9. In the next place, in using the promises we should never forget that they are given to us in Christ, because he paid for them a governmental valuable consideration, and we therefore have a gracious title to them. Dont let me be misunderstood. We had no demand upon God anything, because we had forfeited His favour by our sins: but it has pleased God to make certain gracious promises to us in regard to what Christ has done, and in him given us a gracious title to them; therefore, we can claim them, not in our own name but in the name of Christ. I love to take this view of the promises of God, that if I am his child, they are all pledged to me in Christ Jesus. 10. Again: the promises are available to us, if we will only comply with the simple condition of believing, and if we will plead them in the name and for the sake of Christ. 11. Every command of God, when properly understood, is to be regarded as implying a promise. If God has required us to do anything whatever, we may always understand the very requirement as implying the promise of sufficient grace to assist us in the performance of the thing required. All needful strength and grace is pledged to us in Christ Jesus. 12. Again: promises were designed to secure our sanctification: and the will of God is, that we should make full, free, and thorough use of them to secure this end. On this I can not dwell.
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REMARKS 1. It is very important to notice the manner in which Christ and his apostles quoted the promises of the Old Testament. Take your reference Bibles when you read the New Testament, and see how the promises of the Old Testament were quoted by inspired writers, they will enable you to judge much more properly of the real intention and meaning of the promises of God; you will thus be able to see the promises in their fullness, and spiritual application. 2. The promises of God are valued by persons in proportion as they know themselves; they ask proportion to the sense of their wants. 3. Again: searching preaching lead men to apply to the promises - when the wound is probed, then the plaster is applied. 4. Again: very much preaching is thrown away upon persons who are never sensible of their sins. Suppose an individual should proclaim through the streets that he had found a remedy for the cholera; if the cholera was not here persons would not be very eager in applying for the remedy. They would say, they were very glad there was a remedy, because other people might want it, but they did not. The medicine might rot in the shops before the people would avail themselves of it, if they believed there was no danger. Exhibit the gospel, and tell the people of the promises - they will not let the gospel take hold of them, not apply the promises, because they do not feel their need. You will hear people say, yes it is a gracious gospel, I will avail myself of it some day. But sin has taken possession of them, and they never lay hold of this remedy - this great salvation. 5. If Christians would at once believe, and apply the promises, meet God on the ground that He has promised to meet them, they would find in their own experience how much value there is in prayer, and how powerfully they can prevail with God. They would find that there was a cheerfulness and willingness on Gods part to meet them at every point. Many individuals plead the promises without fulfilling their conditions, and then they lose their faith in the promises, because they are not fulfilled in their experiences. The reason of this is because they have not fulfilled the required conditions. I have no doubt but it is a common thing for men to pray themselves out of all confidence in prayer, because they fail to fulfil the conditions on which God has promised them. How general is it that we find professors of religion have but very little confidence in prayer; and why is this? Because they have come to regard prayer as a duty, rather than as something that can prevail with God. Brethren, if you would enjoy communion with God, and prevail with Him, you must look upon prayer as something more than a duty. You must take hold of prayer, as a sure instrument by which you can move Gods hand, His arm, and His heart, and then you will do it. Amen.

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8. WHY LONDON IS NOT CONVERTED

Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. - Matthew 18:19-20 I commenced last week the discussion of the subject which is not to engage our attention. As you know, then intimated, in the first place, that this command, in its spirit, was given to the Church of Christ in all ages, and to each individual member of that Church; secondly, that its true meaning is, that Christians are to go forth and make disciples, or Christians, of all nations; thirdly, I endeavoured to show what was implied by this command; and fourthly, dwelt upon some of the conditions of obeying this injunction; and reserved till this evening because I had not then time to enter upon it, the fifth proposition, WHY THE WORK IS NOT DONE. What are some of the things which stand in the way, that have hindered, and are hindering, the accomplishment of this work. 1. I must pass very rapidly over the thoughts that I have to present to you; and begin first by saying that the Churches for a long time have practically forgotten that the conversion of the world is the great business assigned them - the great and only business they have in the world; they have practically forgotten that, and have come to suppose that they have very much the same business in the world as other men. They have ceased to regard the conversion of men as their peculiar, great, and only business in the world; for they are, evidently, living for other ends, and for the promotion of other objects. I do not mean by this that every Christian is to sustain professionally the office of a minister; but I say that the whole Church are required to become missionaries - each man and each woman is to become a missionary. Now, at our foreign missionary stations, and in our home missions, there are various kinds of work to be done; but we expect those whom we send out to foreign lands, or those engaged at home, that they shall give themselves up to the work and labour for that end to which they are appointed. We dont expect our missionaries to go abroad to enrich themselves by engaging in trade and commerce, or to concern themselves about these matters at all, only so far as it is necessary for the promotion of their great object - the salvation of men and the glory of God. Now, do you suppose that the impression made upon the world by the Church is, that they are a company of missionaries whose great and only business is to convert the world to Christ? Is this the impression that the world has with reference to the Church? Do you suppose that the world has got this impression - that the entire Church are missionaries, living for nothing else but to convert the world? Or does the world no longer understand that all the Church are missionaries? Do you believe that the people of London are under the impression that the Christians in London are a band of missionaries whose great and only object is to convert men? Or is the impression on the opposite side, that they are not living for this end, but are seeking to enrich themselves and their families by every means that they can adopt, just as other people are? Which impression is the Church making upon London?

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Now, it is easy to see, if the Church have forgotten their mission, if they have ceased to make the world understand that they are living for them and God - if they live so much like other people that the world can see, and can not mistake, that they are living for selfish ends, there is no cause for wonder at the Churchs want of success. If the Church is to be successful, the world must understand that every Christian is a missionary - every man and woman professing Christianity is a missionary, and that their business is to convert men to God, that this is the great and only end for which they live. When the world understand this, the work of conversion will go forward and not before. How was it in the primitive Church? Did the primitive Church make this impression upon the world? Yes, they did! And if the Church will now do the same, she shall succeed even as that Church did. The primitive Church understood that they were a band of missionaries, that their business in the world was to convert the world. But how long is it since the impression has ceased to be made that this is the real great, and only business of the Church? It is now come to be regarded as a professional employment to teach religion and convert men: ministers themselves think so, and speak as if it were so; and hardly anybody now thinks differently. The Church does not dream that it is their work to convert men; and the ministers do not think that it belongs to anybody but themselves; they regard themselves as set apart for this end - to teach religion professionally. But let me say, that while this state of things exists, and the Church continues to forget its mission, the Church is the great stumbling-block in the way of the conversion of the world. This is the great difficulty this is the great hindrance to the conversion of men. I shall have occasion to advert to this again. 2. Another reason why the work has not been done long ago, and is not now going rapidly forward, is, the Church is seeking to be COMFORTABLE rather than USEFUL. The great mass of professors are making their own comfort, temporal and spiritual, the great end for which they live. And ministers, very generally, do not lay themselves out to be useful, but are seeking chiefly to be comfortable. The prevailing disposition of the minds of both the Church and the ministry is to be comfortable rather than useful. Now, does this conduct harmonise with the conduct of Jesus Christ? His whole life, from beginning to end, testifies to the contrary; he lived not to please himself, but laboured, and toiled, and suffered for the glory of God and the good of man. Everybody could see what his great object was. 3. But, let me say, that the Church not having secured this end, it has come to pass, as might have been supposed, that Christians have failed to be either useful or comfortable. The highest comfort of a Christian lies in doing his duty; and if Christians have neglected this, there is no wonder that they have failed to be either comfortable or useful. The Church should understand that their great and only concern is to do the work which God has required of them; and that the doing of this is indispensable to their real comfort. But the Church has forgotten this, and has been selfishly seeking her own comfort rather than her usefulness, and no wonder that she has failed to be either happy or useful. In her hands, the Gospel has failed to be consoling to herself or powerful in the conversion of men. A great mistake has been committed; Christians have been drawn aside from their proper work, and are living so much to themselves

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that they have libelled Christianity, and have not exhibited it in its living power, either as a peace-giving religion or a religion that has power with God and man. 4. This leads me to say again: in thus doing, the Church has failed to develop a full and true idea of what religion is. Professors generally are not possessed of a true idea of religion. In hundreds, and I may say thousands, of instances I have been told by professing Christians, who have been many years in Christian society, I never before got a true idea of religion; I see now that I have made a mistake in supposing that religion consists in merely doing my duty lest I should be damned. I used to do my duty, or what I conceived to be my duty, in order that I might be saved; but I never got the idea that religion consisted in living for the salvation of souls and the glory of God. Now, if Christians live without a true idea of what real religion is, what impression can the world get of the religion of Jesus Christ? The impression made upon the world will be, that the religion of Jesus is, in itself, essentially the same as it is manifested by his professed followers. What other idea can the world get? Now, do you suppose that, if Jesus had lived to promote his own personal comfort and to please himself, anybody would have got the impression that he was living for the salvation of men - that his great aim was to bring them to God? Would this have been the impression made upon his immediate disciples, and would the effect of this have been developed in their minds and manifested in their actions. But, the fact is, the great idea that stood boldly and prominently out in the minds of his disciples and apostles was, that he did not live to himself, but solely and entirely for the promotion of the object which he came on earth to accomplish. He laid himself upon the altar most unreservedly, and his immediate disciples did the same, and the spirit of self-sacrifice was communicated to all around them; and the work of conversion went forward gloriously; wave after wave of salvation flowed over every land; and, in consequence, in a comparatively few years, they had accomplished wonderful things; and if they had possessed our facilities - our Printing Press, our Electric Wires, our Steam Power, and a thousand things that we possess - with their faith, with their energy, and with their devotion, they would in a few years have converted the world to God. But the Church has failed to do this; the Church has not even made the people understand what the religion of Christ is. If the apostles had had our facilities, do you suppose that they would have failed to make the people understand in what the religion of their Lord and Master consisted? Do you suppose that they would not have possessed the land long ago? But somehow or the other, the Church has really failed to secure this object. What is the cause of this? Why has the Church failed to accomplish her great and only mission upon earth? Has the promise run out which says, Lo! I am with you alway even unto the end of the world? Has the Church lost her hold upon Christ, or has the promise of Christ expired? Brethren, which is it? 5. Let me say again: the Church have relinquished their own personal, individual efforts. They have sadly neglected to come into personal contact with sinners in order that they might bring them to the Saviour. Men are dying, and being eternally lost, on every side; but they put forth no personal efforts to save them. The mass of professors, as you know, make no direct personal efforts at all. Perhaps many of you who have attended these services in this chapel have not spent a single hour in seeking to get people to come and hear me; you have never spoken a word about these meetings, or

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by your personal effort induced any one to come. Perhaps ninety-nine out of every hundred of professing Christians have relinquished all personal efforts - do nothing for anybody by personal effort - never try to convert a soul by this means; they do not go to their friends and neighbours and say, Wont you come with me to the meeting and inquire about their souls, and how they get on. And these persons not only do nothing, but they stand right in the way of others; and they do a great deal of harm by giving those around them a false impression concerning religion. Suppose a Christian lives in an impenitent family, and says nothing about his religion; what is the impression upon the minds of the family? They will, of course, suppose that he thinks his religion of no particular consequence - not very valuable, or he would certainly speak of it and recommend it to them. In the city of Philadelphia, some years since, a young man served his time as a clerk to an elder of a Presbyterian church. In the course of time, this young man married and set up in business, and was very prosperous in all his undertakings. His wife attended some religious services which were held in the city, and became deeply anxious about her soul. Her husband observed that there was something the matter with her, and he very kindly inquired what it was that troubled her mind. Said she, My dear husband, I am in my sins, and so are you; and both of us are on the way to hell. Why, my dear, said he, what have you done to talk in this manner - on the way to hell! What have you done, pray? I dont think there is any cause for you to be alarmed, or to talk in this manner. Well, said she, my dear I did not think you were an infidel; I thought you did believe in religion. So I do, in some sense, he replied; but you remember I lived with Mr. So-and-So, and elder of the Presbyterian church, and he was always very kind to me, and gave me very good advice about my business; and I can not believe that, if he thought I had been on the way to hell, he would not have told me so; but I assure you he never told me any such thing. If he believed I was going to such an awful place as hell, I am sure he would have warned and counselled me; but he never did think of the kind, and therefore it is impossible that it can be true. Now, how reasonable was such an inference? This professedly Christian man never said anything to the young man, and he might well doubt that he was in such imminent danger. Such professors say by their conduct, which is more powerful than words, that they do not believe the Bible to be true. Before I proceed further, I would ask the professors in this congregation, What sort of an impression do you make on those around you who are in their sins? Is it such as to make them believe that they are in danger of losing their souls? What is the impression that your servants get? What is the impression your clerks get? What is the impression your workmen get? What is the impression those around you get? Is it such an impression as will lead them to believe in the truth and excellency of the religion you profess? Let me ask you, Do you believe that the conduct of the Christian people of London is such as to leave the conviction on the minds of those by whom they are surrounded that their souls are in danger? I dont know. I ask. What do you think? Do you individually manifest concern for the souls of the impenitent among you? If you do not, then you give a virtual and strong testimony against religion. You virtually say, We have tried it, and dont believe it; we dont believe that your souls are in danger, for we feel no concern about you.

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Just take the following cases as an illustration, which occurred in one of the cities of America. Some individuals were in the habit of attending what are called Conference Meetings, where Christians met together to pray and exhort each other. An unconverted man, but who was anxious about his soul, frequently attended these religious meetings. One evening he was outside, and heard them talking of the danger in which souls were placed, and saying that unless there was more prayer and more devotion on the part of Christians, these sinners would die in their sins and would go to Hell; and when he could bear it no longer, he burst into the room where these Christians were sitting, and, with tears streaming from his eyes, said, Christians, what do you mean? You tell us that our souls are in danger of being lost for ever, that you have power to prevail with God, and that unless you wake up and do your duty, you have no reason to believe that there will ever be a revival of religion, or that these souls, now in a perishing condition, will be saved. Now, what can you mean? You have met here time after time, and yet things remain as before. Now, either you dont believe what you say, or you dont care if we go to Hell. And with tears he implored them, if they believed what they said, to wake up and do their duty, and save the souls of the perishing. 6. But let me say again: There is a strong disposition on the part of both ministers and laymen to consider the work of the conversion of souls to be the peculiar office of the ministry. It seems to be thought that ministers have been chosen and delegated by the Church to perform the work which Christ has assigned to the Church. Ministers are to have a place in this work, and a prominent place, but they are not to take the work out of the hands of the Church. They are the officers of Christs great army; they are to lead on the sacramental hosts of Gods elect to the great battle against sin. But what is the case now? Why, the army have turned aside, and sent the officers to do all the fighting. The soldiers have grounded their arms, and paid the officers to go up single handed against the enemy, and do all the fighting alone. But, let me tell you that in this way the work will never be accomplished. Now, so far as my own experience has gone, especially in my own country, in many parts of which I have laboured very extensively, the ministers take this work upon themselves, and manifest a jealousy of lay effort. I can remember the time when ministers objected to a layman being asked to pray in the presence of a minister. They took all the work of converting souls, and did not like anybody else to do it; they manifested a jealousy of all lay effort. Now, instead of this, their duty is to train up the entire laity to work for God and souls - the whole Church should be engaged in efforts to promote religion. Ministers much teach their people to work as well as feed them. If the people do not work, the food will do them no good, but it will greatly injure them. They may eat well; but if they do not work it well not digest. Feed them with highly seasoned food, and give them nothing to do, and it will cause surfeit and dyspepsia. If they have nothing to do, they will become stumbling-blocks. If they eat and have no exercise, they will become monsters. The people, then, must have something to do in this work; if it is ever to be done. The entire Church must be marshalled into one great army: every man and every woman must each have a part. The women have been too much overlooked, as if they could do nothing; but this is a mistake; and forming, as they do, so large a part of the

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Church members - in most places they form the majority - their services should be fully employed. They can do much, at least, for their own sex. 7. The unbelief of professors stands greatly in the way of the conversion of London. Now, this unbelief comes out in various forms. First, it manifests itself in the little concern evinced for the salvation of sinners. Now, how wonderful and shocking it is, that so little apparent concern is felt by professors of religion for the impenitent around them. They manifest much more concern about their temporal interests; they are quiveringly, tremblingly alive to cases of sickness or temporal distress; but for the souls of men they manifest no such anxiety. They say that sinners are dying in great numbers and going to hell; but they can eat, and sleep, and enjoy themselves, without apparently one pulsation of agony respecting them. Now how is this? Why, it is the result of their shocking unbelief. I have said to myself thousands of times, What little hold has the Gospel upon the great mass of the members of the Christian Church; they talk about the awful condition of men, and that they are constantly losing their souls, but their conduct belies their words. Secondly, This unbelief manifests itself in the slight interest that is felt in the conversion of sinners. How shocked have I been many times, when sinners have been converted, to see the great indifference that has been manifested by professors of religion; they seemed to have no interest in it; they seemed to regard it as of little moment, not of much importance. Now, just think how shocking this is, and of the effect which such conduct must have upon the impenitent. Now, just suppose that the son of some very humble person should be adopted into the royal family, and thus become the heir-apparent to the throne and crown of the kingdom; why, how excited the family would be! What a wonderful thing! How much they would talk about it! The fact that a poor child had been adopted by the king, and that in due course he was to have the crown, would get talked about everywhere, and what an excitement the people would be in about it! Is it possible? they would exclaim; and they would try and get a sight of the young man who was to be king; and those who knew him would point him out, and say, That is the young man who is adopted into the royal family, and is to be king. Now, a sinner who has been converted from the error of his ways, is adopted into Gods family; and it is said of him that he shall be a king and a priest forever. Now, who cares for that? Who cares to ascertain whether it is true? Who cares to hear about it? Who cares to tell of it? Suppose the child of professing parents is converted, do they care to tell their neighbours of it, and give glory to God on account of it? Now, how shocking is this! And, let me ask, would this be so if professors of religion looked upon the conversion of a sinner as a wonderful thing? And is it not so? A sinner, born of God! plucked as a brand from burning! made an heir of God, and a joint heir with Jesus Christ! Is there nothing wonderful and glorious in all this? Now, if this was believed by the Church, they would should for joy when a sinner was converted; and only conceive what effect such conduct would have upon the wicked and impenitent around them! Thirdly, Another manifestation of unbelief is that there is but little confidence in the power of prayer. As there is so little faith in the efficacy of prayer, there is but little practice of prayer; no wonder, then, that the Church does not succeed.

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Fourthly, There is but little confidence in the promise of this text, Lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. As a matter of fact, the Church does not expect the world to be converted. Ministers preach without expecting their sermons to take effect; and when sinners are converted, they can hardly believe it. Many professors of religion, and ministers, too, have got into such a state of unbelief, that if God should strike a sinner right down before their eyes, they would not believe it. I have sometimes been afraid to preach in the presence of a number of unbelieving, coldhearted professors, lest they should commit the unpardonable sin. I remember well, at one place where I was preaching, an elder of a Presbyterian Church stood close by the pulpit; and as I was preaching, the Word took hold with great power on many persons in the congregation, and the Spirit of God struck one sinner right down at the feet of this elder. And what did he do? Why he said to the penitent sinner, Get thee behind me, Satan! He thought the work of the Spirit had been the work of the devil. Now, Mark; I have kept my eye upon that man for years; and ever since that solemn occasion, he has been just like a withered stock; and this was his condition when I last saw him. It seems as if the fires of Heaven had singed and burnt him; and there he stands, a withered stock as black as charcoal. As thus it must ever be: if professors have no confidence in prayer, a blight will come upon them, and they will not believe when they see a sinner converted by the mighty power of God. These persons have very little confidence in the power of the Gospel. When persons are converted they will not believe that it is conversion at all: they will ascribe the effect to anything but the power of God. I have often seen fearful illustrations of unbelief in professors of religion. When sinners are converted they will doubt whether they are really converted, and try to account for the effect produced, and ascribe it to any cause rather than to the great power of God. Now, when the Church have any faith in the power of the Gospel, and have any confidence in prayer, they will always be expecting conversions, and be prepared for them at any moment. They will not doubt the power of God, nor, when it is manifested in the cutting down of sinners, begin to cavil and seek to ascribe the effect to some other cause. I have known unbelief, both in ministers and Churches, to be so great that they had no confidence in sudden conversions. In theory they would believe, or rather profess to believe, that a sinner might be converted at any moment; but when it actually took place, they would not believe it. They could have no confidence in the conversion of an individual who gave full evidence of it, if his conversion had been sudden and recent. I have known such apply for Church membership, and they have been turned away; they have gone to the minister, with tears of joy and gratitude on account of their conversion - the gladness of their hearts would be beaming in their faces, as they told of the great things which God had done for their souls. Why how long have you been under this impression? says the minister. Perhaps the reply would be a week, or only a few days. Oh, says the minister, I have no confidence in it, then! Why no confidence, pray? I ask again, WHY NO CONFIDENCE? I recollect once being present with a minister when an individual called to see him about her soul. How long have you been in this state? When were you first impressed? Last Sunday, under the sermon you preached. Oh, said he, I have no confidence in it! Now, mark, this man professed to believe in sudden conversion, that it was an instantaneous work, and he preached that doctrine, and yet he had no confidence in it? Brethren, there is a

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wonderful sight of infidelity in the Church with respect to the truth of God taking immediate effect; and if it comes, they are not prepared for it. They do not expect that God will do what he says He will, neither will they acknowledge His hand when He does do it - they insult God, and grieve the Holy Spirit. Now, this fearful state of things must cease to be, before the world will be converted. 8. Again: Another difficulty in the way of sinners being converted, is the low standard of piety which is insisted upon in professing Christians. I do not mean to say that ministers do not occasionally come out and urge a holy life, and even a perfect life; but do they preach it so uniformly and so earnestly, as to leave the impression upon the Church that they are really expected to abandon the world, to separate themselves from worldly society and worldly amusements, and devote themselves wholly to God? Is this the impression the ministers of London make upon their congregations? I do not know; but I am afraid they do not. But if they do, there is still something wanting. I suppose every minister believes that he makes some impression, but I believe that in order to do this he must preach a high standard of piety, and by his own living manifestation of what he preaches, it must be felt that this standard is insisted upon that all must come right up to it. Some ministers preach the whole Gospel, but in such unequal proportions that they fail to produce a proper effect upon their people. The fact is, they are afraid of appearing to be uncharitable, and so individuals are allowed to maintain a hope and standing in the Church, who in their lives do not differ from any decently moral man. Now, while such persons are allowed to have a hope of eternal life, and to maintain a creditable standing in the Church; while ministers allow them to believe that they are Christians, they will always remain stumbling blocks; their own standard of piety will never be elevated, and they will prevent others being converted. The fact is, it is no charity to let men believe themselves to be Christians, when after all you can not tell whether they are Christians or not. You do business with them, you have familiar intercourse with them, you live with them; but you can not see their Christianity , or in what they differ from other men; yet how many of this class of persons become members of Churches, and thus deceive themselves and scandalise the religion they profess. The effect of this is to make both the Church and the world confound things which differ, and to prevent either knowing what true religion really is. A higher standard of piety must be pressed home upon the Church, from the pulpit, the press, and by everyone who is engaged in any department of Christian labour. Professors must not be allowed to count themselves Christians unless they separate themselves from all iniquity, and come out and show themselves; and live in such a way as to be easily and unmistakable distinguished from the world. 9. Again: Another difficulty in the way of success is to be attributed to the wrong views which many professors have, in relation to the DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY. It is too much the custom for ministers to insist upon one particular truth, or to look at a truth in some of its aspects only, and thus, upon the whole, the true idea of the Gospel is lost sight of, and a false impression is made. Now, I find nothing more frequent than wrong views of election and Divine sovereignty. Many persons have this idea, that election and Divine sovereignty have a peculiar relation to religion; and in respect to religion they take an entirely different

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attitude. God is a sovereign, and if we are elected we shall be saved, says one; Why not say so when your child is sick, and not go for the doctor? Is it not as true that God is a sovereign in the one case as well as in the other? Dont you believe that the day of your childs death is appointed? and dont you believe that it can not die before the time appointed, and that it will not live a moment beyond it? Why make yourself uneasy or unhappy about it, then? I ask again, why not apply the sovereignty of God to everything else as well as to religion and the soul? Suppose I am passing through the country, and I notice a farm where there is no spring crops; the hedges are broken down, and the ground is in just the same state as it was left last fall: and presently I see the farmer, and I say to him, Why, friend how is this: no spring crop? How do you expect a harvest? And suppose he should reply, Why dont you believe in the sovereignty of God? Dont you believe in Gods Divine purposes? Dont you believe that it is already settled in the Divine mind whether I shall have a crop? Do you suppose that I could alter any of these things? Do you imagine that I could make one hair black or white? Now, this surely would be to apply the doctrine, which is true, in a perfectly false manner. And is it not applied equally falsely very frequently in reference to religion? Now, who does not believe that everything in relation to mankind and the world is just as much decreed, as the salvation or damnation of men? Why, then, apply the sovereignty of God to the one and not to the other! Let me tell you that our responsibilities are just as great, and we are just as free to do our duty, as if the sovereignty of God had nothing whatever to do with our salvation. This is my view, and I make no compromise in stating it - I never do - I dare not; for I dare not throw the blame upon God that sinners are not converted. Antinomianism has been substituted for the Gospel in many instances. The fact is, many persons have lost sight of the fact that the Gospel was designed to save men from sin and not in it. This is the Gospel of salvation; but I shall not now enlarge upon it, as I have to speak upon this subject on Friday evening. 10. This leads me to say, in the next place, that the selfish efforts of sects and congregations has done much, and is doing much, to hinder this work. I mean this the spirit which leads men to seek the interests of a particular sect or congregation in preference to the salvation of men. Men of this spirit seek the interests of a certain sect, aim chiefly to fill a certain house, and support a certain minister: they have very little interest in hearing of a revival in a neighbouring congregation, or of any kind of success at any place but their own. With such a spirit as this, how can there be any large success? It is not love to God and souls which calls forth their efforts, but love of self. I will relate a fact in illustration. In the city of Philadelphia, a lady was invited to attend a prayer-meeting for a revival of religion in the city, but she refused to go, saying, I shall not go to pray for the city; but if you will pray for our congregation, I will. Now, there are many persons who have this feeling in their hearts, but who do not dare speak out, and say what they mean. 11. Again: Another great hindrance in the way of success is this - the unbelief of the Church has been such that professors have become discouraged by their own experience. They have prayed in such a spirit of distrust in God, or from wrong motives, that their prayers, as a natural and necessary consequence, have not been answered, and they have come at least to doubt the reality of religion, because their

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own experience has been such a series of disappointments. If these individuals should speak right out, they would say, O Lord, thou hast promised to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask thee; and that thou art more ready to do it, than we are to give good gifts to our children; but I dont believe it! I have asked for the Holy Spirit a thousand times, but I never received it, and therefore I can not believe to be true that thou art willing to give it to those who ask. I am always ready to give good gifts to my children if they ask for them; and I am sure that I should not allow them to continue asking anything of me so long as I have asked for the Holy Spirit, without satisfying their requests: therefore I dont believe thy promise. Now, if they should dare to speak right out, this would be their language, for it is their inward feeling. They have pleaded the promises, perhaps for a long time, until they come to doubt their truth. The language of their hearts is, God has given these promises, but I dont believe them, for I never had them realised in my own experience. Now, I ask the reason of this. Why, they have failed to fulfil the conditions of the promises, and this is the reason they have not been fulfilled in their experience. If you have a spirit of unbelief in your hearts, it would be much better to tell the Lord so at once. Tell him you dont believe the promises, or that prayer is of any avail. I knew a man once who did this. He said - O Lord Jesus, thou hast promised such and such things to them that ask thee; but I can not believe it; it is contrary to my experience. I am a father; and when my children ask of me that which they need, I am always ready to supply their wants: but, O Lord, thou knowest that I have asked scores of times for the Holy Spirit, but have never got it. Now, how can I believe it is in thy heart to give it? Now, when this man spoke out thus honestly what was in his heart God gave him to see in five minutes the reason his prayers had so failed. He had neither believed that his prayers would be answered nor had right motives in asking for the Holy Spirit. He was fundamentally faulty. He had asked much, but it was in order that he might consume it upon his lusts. He had prayed without faith and from sinful motives. But when he came before the Lord in sincerity, and opened fully the state of his heart, the Lord immediately poured out such a spirit upon him that he rose from his knees a new man. If, when you preach the Gospel, you do not expect it to take effect, or, when you pray, that your prayers will be answered, you become a stumbling-block to yourself and others. Now, unless this great evil is put away from you, the world will go on as it has been, and is going on; and it will get worse rather than better. The spirituality of the Church is too low to make any impression upon the world sufficient for it to realise the true value of religion. God says of the Church, Ye are my witnesses; this is what they ought to be, but they are become false witnesses. Like the spies who brought an evil report of the land, they make a false impression upon the world; and see the result! God had brought Israel through the wilderness up to the borders of the promised land, and he said, Go up and possess it. And Moses sent men to spy out the Land, who brought back an evil report of the land, saying that the people were giants, and that the cities were walled cities, reaching even unto heaven; therefore it was in vain to think of possessing the land: and the people rebelled against God, because they believed the testimony of the false witnesses; and the Lord aware that they should not enter the land, because of their unbelief; but Caleb and Joshua, because they were of another spirit, were permitted to enjoy that good land which the Lord had promised them.

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Now, brethren, is it not the case, that at the present moment ministers are testifying on one side, and the Church on the other - 500 to 1. Are not the Churches saying that they do not believe religion is what they expected it was. They have tried it, they say, and it will not answer. This, I say, is the testimony of their lives; they virtually tell the people that they have tried religion, and find that it is hardly worth having. You see a minister preaching with energy, faithfulness, and earnest longing for the souls of men; but the members of his Church are so cold and worldly-minded, that they effectually neutralise his efforts; and he has frequently to groan within himself at their indifference. By their conduct, they are saying to sinners, in reference to the solemn truths which have been uttered, and which perhaps have impressed their consciences - Dont you be concerned; dont you be afraid; you have no cause to believe what the minister has been saying. It is his profession to say these things, and they are all very well in the pulpit, but they are of no particular consequence. And thus they hinder the work of conversion! Who can wonder that London and the world is not converted? Unless the whole Church is awake and in earnest, very little good will be done; but if Christians will become alive to their responsibilities, and go among the masses of the people, and use every possible means to bring them to public worship, a great spiritual awakening must be the result. Manifest great concern for their souls, and take no excuse as a justification for their neglect of religion. If they say they have not a seat, tell them that they shall have yours, and you will stand up; just be thoroughly in earnest; and see how you can tell upon the minds of the people. If all who are now here would adopt this plan, this house might be crowded every time that I preach; and why should it not be so? The Church of which I was for some time pastor in New York, used to move out in a mass, and invite the people to come, and hear the preaching, and by this means they filled the house right up, every night; and when the preaching was over, they distributed themselves about, and those who had been affected by the sermon were kindly taken by the button and conversed with, and it was no uncommon thing for me, when I went from the pulpit, to find the vestry full of anxious inquirers. At one period I preached twenty evenings in succession in New York, and 500 persons were converted, which amounted to twenty-five every night; and I never had to discipline a single one of them, although our terms of membership were so stringent and severe, that they would have excluded one-half of the members of other Churches. Let the Churches in London, as a body, pray in faith, and labour devotedly, and this city will be moved. It is impossible that it should be otherwise. And let me tell you, that the mass of mankind will never be moved, and there will never be a revival in any Church, till religion is a living power in the hearts of those who profess to be Christs disciples. The Church needs a fresh anointing. Only let the ministry be anointed afresh let the Church be anointed afresh - let them pray in the Spirit, labour in the Spirit, preach in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, live in the Spirit, and every day they will shed a mighty, holy, and hallowed influence on the world around, and its power will be such as to compel men to believe that there is a reality in religion, and the world will soon be converted to God. Amen.

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9. GREAT CITIES - WHAT HINDERS THEIR CONVERSION!

I dont know that it is necessary to take a new text; I have been requested, on this occasion, to dwell upon the obstacles presented by great cities to the spread of the Gospel. In so doing, I shall consider I. The great obstacle, which is common to all places and all times. II. I shall call attention to some obstacles which are peculiar to great cities. III. I shall state the conditions of overcoming these obstacles. I. THE GREAT OBSTACLE, WHICH IS COMMON TO ALL PLACES AND ALL TIMES. If we were going about any particular business, the first thing is, of course, to understand what it is we are going about. What, therefore, is the evil we aim at correcting? What is moral depravity? This is necessary to be understood, for it is everywhere to be found; it is common to all humanity, to all times, and to all places. Human nature is substantially the same in every age and nation, in this respect. Although existing, in its outward development, in a great variety of forms, nevertheless, in all cases, it resolves itself into a simple unit. Unless people understand this, they will go about matters in such a way as to fail. I should like to enlarge on this single thought, but we must now proceed to inquire, What is the difficulty to be overcome? Let me say, then, that all sin may be said to resolve itself into this - a spirit of devotion to self. It is generally believed, I suppose, that our first parents, when they sinned, fell into a state of total alienation from God. What was the particular thing they did? They withdrew their devotion from God, in order to gratify themselves, in spite of His authority. He told them they might eat of every tree in the garden, save one. He designed to throw a restraint upon them, for the sake of subduing their wills developing and strengthening their virtue; but then they withdrew their allegiance from God, and set up to be gods themselves! The tempter said, Ah! though God said, Of every tree of the garden mayest thou eat, except of the tree of knowledge of good and evil; thou mayest eat even of that, and in the day in which thou dost eat thereof thou shalt NOT surely die, but ye shall be as gods, knowing good from evil! Of this, when Eve saw it, she partook. What constituted the great evil of this? It was not only disobedience to Gods expressed commands, but it was sinning simply for the sake of their own personal gratification. Instead of seeking the honour, and obeying the commands of the Almighty, they withdrew themselves from God, and devoted themselves to the promotion of their own interests, in despite of God. Now, this is the sin of all mankind, for they withhold their allegiance from God, and devote themselves to themselves. Selfishness is a word which may express the will of sin, if properly understood. It matters not at all which of the propensities overrules the rest, and leads the mind into bondage. Sin consists in mans giving himself up to himself - to his own gratification, and seeking his own pleasure and profit. This develops itself in a great variety of ways. In one man, one propensity entices the will to seek its particular gratification; in another, another. This gratification of the various propensities - this
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devotion of the will and of the being to pleasing self in some way or other-is the great evil of the world. Now, whatever makes strong and powerful appeals to these propensities, are obstacles to be overcome. The thing to be done, is to withdraw man from himself, and to bring him to God. Our first parents set up to be gods for themselves. Now, if they had come back, and consecrated themselves to God, yielding up their whole being to obey Him, and seeking His interest and His glory - to have done this, would have been to have returned to God. There must be begun in us that devotion to God which constitutes piety. We must forsake ourselves; for virtue, or holiness, resolves itself into a unit as much as sin does, and the mind devoted to self, is a mind totally depraved; while the mind devoted to God - seeking his glory, and yielding itself up to be influenced by Him - this is a pious mind. Now, to induce men to cease altogether to live to and for themselves, and to live to God, is to restore them to a position in which they can be happy. A great many persons seem to talk, as if in this, and in all great cities, the people were very peculiar. Now, the peculiarity is not with the people, but it is with the circumstances which make the selfishness, which takes one development in one place, and another in another. The fact is, great cities are the very hot - beds of those influences which make such strong appeals to these propensities, yielding the mind up to which, constitute sin. The appetite for food or drink, when inordinate, is not a constitutional appetite, but the will seeking gratification; whereas the Almighty forbids us to give ourselves up to obey and seek the gratification of these propensities, instead of subordinating every one of them to the will and glory of God. II. OBSTACLES WHICH ARE PECULIAR TO GREAT CITIES I pass on, then, in the next place, to inquire into some of the difficulties in the way of securing the end I have just named, namely, the subjugation of selfishness. Scarcely any of these difficulties are peculiar to great cities, in the sense that they do not exist at all in other places - for almost all of them exist in most places; - but the peculiarity is, that they exist in a multiplied form in great cities. Things in the way in great cities, may be expressed thus - Great cities expose men to most aggravated forms of temptation. Dont let me be supposed to assert, that these things dont exist in other places: but that they do really exist in a most intense degree in great cities. This subject might be divided, for the sake of being condensed into a single sermon for a month would scarcely suffice to go right into the detail, and to make it take hold of the mind of the people - I shall, therefore, just name the things, and show what the difficulties are, and who are guilty of these things. I said, for the sake of classification and condensation, I may regard these aggravated forms of temptation under different heads. 1. The temptations which are peculiar to the Church. 2. Those which are peculiar to the world, as distinct from the Church. 3. Those which are common to both. I dont mean to say, that this classification is so distinct as not to run these divisions into one another; but I have taken them simply for the sake of condensation.

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1. The obstacles which are peculiar to the Church of Christ. Here, after all, is to be found the great evil, and I must begin where I am pained to have to begin, but where I must begin, or I should fail to touch the very core of the difficulty. What I have to say on this subject may fall far short of hitting the right nail on the head, because I am so much of a stranger in London and England; I shall speak, therefore, of things as I have observed them in the great cities of America. Now, I have resided in all the great cities of America, and I presume that these things are to be found in all the great cities of Christendom, to a greater or less degree. First, then, I have said I shall notice the temptations peculiar to the Church of Christ; and first of all, to the ministers of the Church. For, after all, if the difficulties did not act on the pulpits, on the ministers who occupy them - that is, if the ministers were left unshackled, unbiased - they would, after all, lead the sacramental hosts of Gods elect to overcome these difficulties, and that in every great town throughout all Christendom. I dont mean the temptations of ministers are the only things in the way, but as all the root of the matter lies in them for Satan knows right well, that if he can pervert and corrupt that source - if he can do anything to beget an unfaithful ministry, he can do the rest well enough; therefore it is his policy, in some way or other, to render the pulpit powerless; and just so far as he succeeds in doing this, he gains his end. Here are temptations too numerous to mention, except just to be glanced at. And, first, ministers in great cities are more intensely tempted than in other places, to seek popularity with worldly men. Such men exist more in great cities than anywhere else. This is one of the great temptations which often takes effect - seeking popularity with worldly men. Everyone can see, when a man yields to these, he has bound a fetter upon his own spirit - he has tied his own heart, if he allows himself to do this; the fact is, that the pulpit is muzzled, and the minister, as far as his influence is concerned, is about ruined. In order to obtain popularity with the worldly great, the ministers of great cities are tempted to aim at excellence in scholarship and oratory, and to let these, and a multitude of other things, get dominion over the mind. They are tempted to aim at getting connected with their Churches and congregations, the worldly great. Now, what is the influence of this upon him? Why, of course, he is come into such relations to these men, that he will, without being aware of the extent to which he does it, he will temporise - he will denounce sin in the abstract from the pulpit, but no ones sin in particular. In great cities, ministers are tempted to be vehement in denouncing sin, but no particular sin. They do not say what sin of character they are reproving. It is nobody, and no sin in particular. They take care, however, to imply that they dont mean their own congregation - they dont mean that. I know that oftentimes there are influences of this kind so powerfully exerted upon them, that it should lead Christians to pray for their ministers a thousand times more than they do. If they knew the policy of the devil, who wishes to bribe to silence the minister, and make him afraid to do his duty - afraid to rebuke the wickedness in high places - the Church would lie on her face, if she has any piety. Ministers in great cities are tempted to avoid giving offence to worldly men, even to worldly professors of religion. In fact, some ministers lose caste with their brethren, because they do not keep good congregations. Worldly professors of religion are generally found to be rich, luxurious, great, intelligent; they not only endanger his loss of character, but of usefulness. Such temptations are very great. Again, ministers in

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great cities are tempted to aim at pleasing, rather than disturbing their worldly hearers. The thing they ought to do, is to aim at disturbing all classes of their hearers who are living in sin, and at rendering them as unhappy as possible in their sin, and thus hunting it out of them. Instead of aiming to please them, they should endeavour to make them anything but pleased with themselves. They shape things to please, when they ought to aim at creating agony in their minds, too great to be endured without submission to God. Another great evil is, the want of union among ministers in these respects. One feels he must not stir in this matter, because others do not. He says, If I offend so and so, he will go to yon other Church, where he will be received immediately. Now, if all would unite to hunt such men, it would be different. Many say, If I could only have the co-operation of my brethren - if all would agree to spare no pains to arouse to a sense of their danger every class of mankind, especially the worldly great and luxurious, then I could stand; but I can not do it alone. Another temptation of ministers in great cities is, that even professors of religion are often extremely fastidious. They want peculiar ministers. They have itching ears - even professors of religion want such teachers as will not probe them too deeply, or hunt them out of their sins. They want ministers to please them, and the ungodly who belong to their rank in society. I have often known professors regretting that their ministers said anything to offend such and such a wealthy individual. They might possibly expostulate with him for this, but more probably they will go and speak against him behind his back, and thus cripple his influence; thus his own Church will not say, God speed to him - will not say, We will stand by you. No! They throw out hints about being so personal, and all this, which cripples his hands, and completely discourages his heart. There are multitudes of such things as these in great cities. But let me say again, ministers in great cities are tempted to neglect the wants of the masses of the people, both in and out of the pulpit. I have observed in our country, that there is a great deficiency in this respect. The sermons are framed, not so much to meet the wants of the masses, as those of certain individuals in the higher walks of society, and of advanced education. They aim at pleasing such persons, instead of coming down to the masses of the people, and suiting their pulpit instructions to them. It is, no doubt, true, that sermons directed to the masses, are, for efficiency, even more acceptable to the educated and higher classes of society then any other. The fact is, that the senators, and other great men, would be more affected by sermons addressed to the commonest people in the congregation, or even to children, than by some efforts to amuse and please themselves. Yet in great cities ministers are tempted, and to a great extent yield to the temptation, to neglect, both in and out of the pulpit, to sympathise with, adapt themselves to, and aim at the salvation of the masses. They rather aim at a few individuals, and aim, moreover, in such a manner as rarely to hit even them. Flattery causes them very often to temporise; they are often flattered by their hearers, and then they dont like to deal faithfully with them. Ministers are often drawn in by dining with such persons, and in various other ways come into such relations with persons in high places - they suffer themselves to be drawn into such relations with them - that they neither can, nor dare, after that, be faithful with them. It is easy to see that these things have a direct influence on the minister, and are a serious evil - a worm at the root - at the very vitals - which must be overcome.

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One word more on this head. A great difficulty, every one knows, who has thoroughly investigated the subject, is, that ministers are tempted to indefiniteness in their statements. They temporise in this way - they dont fail to denounce sin, but they do fail to denounce the particular sin of their particular hearers. There is a great temptation to neglect to make people feel that they mean them. The temptation is to temporise so as to denounce sin in the aggregate; but while they do this, they may preach about other peoples sins, and the congregation may go with them. They may thunder from the pulpit against such and such peoples sins, and the congregation may join with them. The wickedest man on earth will denounce lying, and every kind of injustice and wickedness, and everybodys practice and sin, except his own. But if a minister denounces sin in the abstract, and does not make you feel that I mean you, he fails. What is done, after all? Why, you might fill this city and the world with such ministers, and do but little, almost no good. I must not enlarge upon this. There are materials enough, painful as they are, to fill a volume, instead of occupying the few moments I am able to devote to them in this sermon. 2. The difficulties presented by the membership of the Churches. These, too, are far too numerous to be detailed in one sermon. First, they are strongly tempted to secure to their churches the attendance of ungodly, but wealthy men. I have often noticed, that if our people were preparing to build a church - or chapel, as you call it here - they were tempted to have an undue regard for wealthy and influential men. They build the chapel in a locality which will be agreeable to them. They employ a minister of such a character as will suit them. They must have a popular man, but, unfortunately, he is popular in the bad sense of the term. There are many men popular, but in very different ways. Some are popular for usefulness to the poor; others for getting the support of the rich, to which they are tempted at every step. Now, all this grieves the Spirit of God, and renders their efforts ineffectual. Such men never attain their end; they sacrifice all for the sake of getting in worldly men, and getting fitted up an appropriate place of worship - getting some mighty scholar, some mighty orator, or some mighty anything else, except a mighty good man. They arrange everything in such a way as not to displease or offend, but to please and consult rich men, whether good or bad. I have often known the question to come up, whether a revival effort should be made in the great cities of our country, when neither minister nor Church dare consent, because, were they to do so, many of their rich men would take offence. Neither minister nor Church dare introduce any searching measures to secure the salvation of the world around them. Things must be done with caution, lest they disturb such men in their congregations, who, by exercising their worldly influence, are the greatest curses the Church can have. But let me say again, another great difficulty, and one of the greatest difficulties, in the way of promoting religion in great cities, is the effect of competitions in business - the Church undertaking to compete with worldly men in business. Worldly men have worldly motives, worldly rules, worldly business maxims. They transact business in a certain way. Now, professors of religion think they can not compete with them, without similar dealings, and therefore fall, one after another, into a state of mind in which they are not useful - a state of perfect bondage to the world, by endeavouring to compete with worldly men in the business of their city. How many have I known rendered weak and inefficient, and stumbling-blocks, by falling under this temptation! These individuals are shorn of their strength and influence, as Christians. But I can not

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go into details as to the operations of this, which would carry me too far out of my way. But who does not know that the business operations of our cities are hot-beds of temptations in this respect? I have heard Christians say, in great cities, We must give up our attempts at competing with these men in business, or we must ruin our souls. One of the first merchants in New York said to me, I must abandon my business, or ruin my soul. Now, every one can see that this is the case. They are sure to lose their efficient piety. It may be easily shown that this is a mistake, even in a commercial point of view, if they carried out Gospel principles in their business transactions, they would command the confidence of all classes; so much so, that the people would say, Go to that man, for then we shant be cheated. He always has one price for his articles, a fair and honourable price, and nothing more. He never covers matters up, but deals straight out. This is a place of policy, after all, even in a commercial and business point of view. But the difficulty is, to make Christians believe this. Now, let any one try this, till his neighbours know, and it becomes to be known throughout the city, that he will not take advantage of anyone - that he may be trusted - that he tells the exact truth - let this be known throughout the city, and let me ask how many clerks will that man want, in less than five years, to do his business? Who would go to a man who was likely to cheat him, when there was one he could go to, who would be certain not to cheat? Persons are tempted to suppose, that if this is done, they can not compete with worldly men. It is a mistake - a mistake fatal to piety, and constitutes one of the principal difficulties in the way of promoting religion in great cities. In business transactions, members of Christian Churches become ensnared; and these, by their example, often place a fearful stumbling-block in the way of the world. They suffer themselves to be carried along contrary to their convictions of duty, and contrary to the spontaneous declarations of their consciences, contrary to the express injunctions of the Bible; and hence, they frequent places, and allow themselves to do things, merely because public sentiment, and the customs of society, seem to demand it. Now, whatever causes a cloud to get between the Christians heart and God whatever shuts out from his soul the direct light of Gods countenance - is fatal to the interests of the Church and of religion; and these influences, which thus becloud the soul, and get between God and it, are so manifested in great cities, that the Church is crippled, the salt loses its savour, the light of the world becomes darkness - and how gross that darkness is! I would enlarge upon this point - the things that grieve the Spirit of God - were it not that, on Friday evening, I shall preach on quenching and grieving the Spirit. But let me say again, another difficulty in the way is, that Christians are tempted to unbelief in the possibility of the conversion of great cities. I have scarcely entered a great city since I have been in the ministry, where it was not thought, by both ministers and Christians, that great cities, and especially their great city, could not be converted. I have been told, that I did not understand the peculiar difficulties of great cities. I do not say, that there is no such thing. They are great; but they can be overcome. They should not discourage the Church, but lead it to perceive what great efforts must be made, and how much they are dependent upon God. Is anything too hard for God? Why, yes; they say so; they say, If God should make the windows of heaven to open, it could not be. This is the language of their hearts. This has been said in London again and again, by one and another. But one of the great difficulties is, your unbelief, which limits God, that he can not do His many mighty works, because of your unbelief. All other matters

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are but difficulties, in so far as they produce this result - in so far as they crush faith in God - they dont believe Gods arm will be made bare, or that Christ is able to take captive the masses around them, and subject them to His dominion. The extent of this unbelief is frightful. The ministry say it can not be done. They dont say it right out in preaching, but multitudes talk just as if such things were impossibilities. Now, is this always to be so? Is the Church always to believe that great cities, on account of the aggravated and intense forms in which temptations exist there, will not be converted? Can not we remove this unbelief of the Church, and beget a confidence in the Church that it can be done? If we can do this, then the great difficulty is overcome. But there are a multitude of other things, almost numberless, which serve constantly to grieve the Spirit, and, consequently, to suppress and to kill the faith of the people of God. Let me say again, when this spirit has once taken possession of, and comes to be indulged, it aggravates itself by a natural law. For example, suppose ministers and Churches have an impression that great cities can not be expected to be moved, they will not work in such a manner as can be expected to make them move. On the contrary, year after year will tend to establish and strengthen them in their unbelief; for, beginning to say, It can not be done, their energies are crippled - it is not done; and its not being done, makes them say still further, It can not be done; and thus the evil, instead of correcting, but aggravates and perpetuates itself. This is true to such an alarming extent in many of our great cities, that I can see clearly that great masses of professing Christians despair of the conversion of these great cities, and, therefore, they must naturally despair of the conversion of the world. The worldly influences which have been brought to bear upon them have produced these disastrous results. The next thing I have to say, is, what are the stumbling-blocks in the way of conversion of the ungodly? 1. The business habits of the Church - ( it is a curious retributive law of Gods kingdom) - the business habits of the ungodly draw the Church astray to a great extent. They fall into these ungodly habits. Their selfishness has taken effect to some extent, and what is the result? The Church is now a snare to them. They snared the Church, and now the worldly business habits of the Church snare them. So far as experience has gone, there is no such great stumbling-block so powerful as this. Many persons are engaged in kinds of business which the ungodly know are purely selfish. If professors act in this way, what will their clerks say? Who does not know that the ungodly in the employment of such men are stumbled by their conduct? Again, the self-indulgent habits of the Church, into which they are drawn by the worldly influences to which they are subjected, have a reactionary tendency on the people generally. Again, the manifested unbelief and cowardice of the Church, are great evils in the great cities. Professors of religion are shorn of their strength in great cities, they are afraid to be faithful, they cower down before the ungodly, and their influence. This is the great stumbling block; it is thus, then, as I said before, that, by a natural retributive law of the government of God, that if the world lays a snare for the Church, just so far as they succeed in ensnaring the Church, will they ensnare themselves. They bring down their violent dealings on their own head; it is easy to see that this is the natural action of things. But I must notice only a few things which are common to all classes. First, for example, the temptations to intemperance and licentiousness. The appeals which are made, on every hand, to the weaknesses of human nature, all the ingenuity of

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science - earth and hell would seem to have been ransacked in order to develop to the utmost these propensities, to draw them out, and to compel the will to yield itself up thereto. As you walk the streets everywhere these things meet the eye, and strike the ear. The whole thing seems to have been moulded, as it were, by some infernal agency. Temptations are presented alike to old and young, both sexes, and all classes of society. As you go round the city you perceive there are bands with trumpets before the tippling houses, getting the people to stop and hear the music - getting them to do this, and then, of course, they want something to drink. All sorts of things are contrived to entice people to these tippling houses - to get people to this place, and that place, to this lecture and that lecture, to this banquet of music and that banquet of wine. In short, who does not know that in our great cities it seems as if these things were set together as close as type. They thrust something into every nook. To arrest attention, the streets are placarded with all sorts of huge notices. But this is not enough; they send men to carry on their shoulders notices of the same baneful description. And, again, men drive about the city with these notices posted on great vans. Now, only think! the whole place is swarmed with them. Wherever you go you see them, and feel their influences. These are all so many stimuli tending to develop the love of sin - selfishness, to tempt the will to indulge the appetite. These things are seen on every hand, and as the Christian walks the streets, he must either hold constant communication with God, or yield himself up to temptation. III. CONDITIONS OF OVERCOMING THESE GREAT EVILS 1. The great want is, then, a heart supremely and single set on overcoming these obstacles. It is a very trite and commonplace saying, but is very true, that, Where theres a will, theres a way. Wherever theres a will theres a way, to the actual accomplishment of all that God requires. If He requires that the Church should convert the world, and He does - if theres a will theres a way. The thing is, then, for the Church to make up her mind to do it. 2. The next thing to be done is to lay aside this ungodly unbelief, and have confidence that Gods Almighty arm can do it. What is this great mountain before Zerubbabel? What are such difficulties as these to the Almighty? Oh! do God the honour to believe He is able, for if anything can be done to overcome the unbelief of the Church, the world may be saved. What can be done, my dear brethren, to get out of your mind the difficulties which you think of so much, till your hearts are discouraged? You can not do, or expect to do, anything, while you suffer your heads to hang down, and are ready to faint with discouragement. 3. Union is an indispensable condition. The devil will tell you the thing can not be done, but you must not believe it. Ministers must lay aside all party differences, and unite against the common enemy. Christians must lay aside their sectional views and prejudices, and assail the common enemy of God and man. Let us forget that we belong to this or that Church, let us lost sight of this, and go up in an unbroken mass to the work. 4. We must study the movements of the enemy. We must act as wisely as they act; the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light. Yet, they did not choose a better end, but better means - more appropriate means; God will require the use of means in proportion to the existence of means. We are not to expect
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a miracle to be performed, where we have sufficient evidence to establish the Gospel without it. For example, if there was no trace of evidence to establish the truth of the Gospel, we might expect the performance of miracles - we might expect that God would accommodate himself to such a state of things; but, where there are means, God expects them to be used, and we must, therefore, adapt them wisely to the end. We must not expect that God will overrule and act aside his own laws; we must study those laws, study how to counteract the efforts which the devil is making, to bring men into bondage within the Church, and to ruin those who are without the Church. But let me say again, the efforts of the Church must be set over against the efforts of the world. You see how men advertise the worldly amusements; they move the whole city with their advertisements, they make everybody understand clearly who and what they are, and what they are going to do. Now, were the Church but as zealous in getting people to hear the Gospel as the world is in getting them to its amusements, why, every Church in the city would be filled with worshippers and hearers. Christians should oppose their efforts to those of their enemies, and Gods means would surely prevail over the means of the devil. Truth is mightier than error, God is stronger then Satan, but Satan is allowed to take the field almost alone. He wields the press, and makes it groan in exciting and drawing men in the wrong direction. Now, if Gods children were really awake, they would come forth and devote their money, their talents, and all their influence, to searching out ways and means of putting them on the right track, and opposing the ways and means of wicked men; they would lift up their hearts in prayer, and soon would they see the mighty truths of Jehovah prevailing over the masses round about them. But, let me say again, there must be a great deal more done to interest the masses. The masses must be sympathised with, there must be references to them in sermons and everything that is done. The world is carrying the masses away, we must reclaim them. While the world is running away with the masses, the Church is satisfying herself with securing the support and attendance of the great, while the masses fail to be converted, or even interested. There must be much more prayer and self-denial. Now, who does not know, from the nature of the case, and from the history of the Church, and from the world, that intemperance is going on to ruin our great cities; till Christians deny themselves, touch not, taste not, handle not, there can be no hope of saving the masses from going down to destruction. As you walk along the streets and see the men and women, and even the little children, sitting before the tippling houses, you should say, and resolve that, as God lives, and you live, anything you can do in this respect - any self-denial you can make, you are willing to submit to, in order that you may lead the way. I have been pained to see the slowness of British Christians in this respect. I have heard them say, that teetotallers make it their religion. Now, I think there is some danger of making drinking a little a religion, too. I know some who, when they have drunk just a little, can pray, or sing, or do anything else well. When I was a young man I taught a school and boarded in a family, where the man came home three times a-week half intoxicated. Now, I noticed that on these occasions he used to pray very earnestly, and at no other time did he pray at all. I have thought of this many times, when I have seen ministers take just a little to assist them. The Lord deliver me from such a snare as this!

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But I can not enlarge. Do you not believe that if the entire membership of the Churches were to lift up their voices against the drinking customs of this country, and if the ministers were to head them, that they would not exert a mighty influence in counteracting them? You must believe it! shall it be that any branch of reform which is indispensable, shall not be embraced by Christians? It is indispensable that you must be reformers throughout, you must reform yourselves; and if you can not reform men without total abstinence, you must be ready to imitate the apostolic example - neither to eat meat, or do anything whereby thy brother is stumbled, offended, or made weak. Now, this man well nigh shook the world. Well might he say, that he would do it; the secret of his success was, that he would deny himself anything under heaven which he considered would stand in the way of his saving souls of men; he went so far as to say, that he could wish himself accursed for his kinsmen after the flesh. By this, he meant to say, that he would almost be separated from his own salvation. He did not mean to say he would be damned, but that he could submit to anything to save his dear brethren. I can only say, that every reform must be carried out in this way. You persuade men to desist from drinking, but do not do it yourselves. How inconsistent! Why do you not say, I abstain for your sake, I give up these things which I can lawfully use; but as you abuse them, I take off my hand. Christ did many things for the sake of his disciples which would not otherwise have been incumbent upon him. One great thing he did - he died for their sakes. Are you ready to act in this spirit? Are you ready to take the lead in every branch of reform, and to go up having washed your hands of every unclean thing? Set your business transactions right! If you are engaged in a wicked business, put it away! If you have cheated any man, make restitution and come forth; wash your hands, and strengthen your hearts in God; go up to the work, and IT SHALL BE DONE!

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10. CHRIST THE MEDIATOR

For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. - 1 Timothy 2:5 In speaking from these words I propose to show I. What a mediator is. II. What is implied in the office of a mediator. III. What are some of the indispensable qualifications for a mediator. IV. The conditions of success in the execution of the office of mediator. V. Apply these things to Christ as the mediator between God and man. I. WHAT IS A MEDIATOR? A Mediator is one who undertakes to effect a reconciliation between parties who have some matter of difference. II. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN THE OFFICE OF A MEDIATOR? 1. The existence of the office of a Mediator, always implies that there are two or more parties, and that some controversy exists between them. 2. It implies that there is some obstacle in the way of their coming together and reconciling their own matters in difference. If there be no obstacle in the way of doing this, there is no necessity for the interposition of a Mediator. The existence of the office, therefore, implies that there are parties between whom there is some matter in controversy, and that some difficulty is in the way of their adjusting their own differences. 3. The relation of the parties to each other may be the cause of the difficulty. God is a Sovereign, and if his subjects should take up arms against him, there would be immense impropriety in treating with them, while they continued in this rebellious and hostile position. There is a necessity for some third person to interpose if any reconciliation is ever to be effected. The Sovereign can not treat with his subjects while they have weapons in their hands; - they must first return to their duty and lay down their arms, or he can not have any intercourse with them. 4. The state of mind in which one or both parties may be, may prevent their coming together. There may be prejudice, misapprehension, or enmity in the minds of one or both parties. And when this is the case they can not come together and adjust their matters of difference. This may lay the foundation for the necessity of an interposition of a Mediator. 5. Again: There may be some condition upon which the offended party must insist, from his relations and the circumstances of the case; which condition it may be impossible for the offender to fulfil. On this account it may be necessary for a third

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person to interpose, and fulfil for the offender what he can not fulfil for himself, as a condition of the reconciliation to be brought about, between the parties. Either of the reasons, or all of them, may exist and require the interposition of a Mediator. III. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE INDISPENSABLE QUALIFICATIONS FOR A MEDIATOR? 1. He must be the common friend of the parties between whom the controversy exists. By this we mean, that he should sustain such a relation to both parties, that they can wholly confide in him. 2. He must be able to fulfil, or secure the fulfilling, of any such conditions as are necessary to be fulfilled, in order to bring about the reconciliation, or he will not meet with success. He must have both willingness and ability to make any personal sacrifice, to which the nature of the undertaking calls him. If the nature of the undertaking be such that he can not bring about an adjustment of the difficulty without making some personal sacrifice, he must be able and willing to make the necessary sacrifice, whatever it may be. We now come to consider IV. SOME OF THE CONDITIONS OF SUCCESS IN THE EXECUTION OF THE OFFICE OF MEDIATOR I observe, that of course the above qualifications are necessary; and, further, I observe, that success must depend upon the consent of the parties. 1. First, the Mediator himself must consent to sustain the relation, and to take upon himself the office. 2. And then, the parties must consent, for the Mediator can do nothing to bind the parties without their own consent and sanction to it; for there may be two or more parties between whom there is some controversy, and this controversy can not be adjusted, unless the parties between whom there is some controversy, and this controversy can not be adjusted, unless the parties between whom there exists the difference consent to any arrangement that may be proposed. The Mediator himself may propose some terms to effect an agreement; but only so far as the parties consent to the Mediators terms, can he succeed in his object. Just in so far, and no further, as they give the matter up into his hands, can he bring about the reconciliation. This matter in difference can not be set right by any authority, by any man, or by any means whatever, that shall seek to supersede the necessity of the consent of the parties themselves. I am now prepared to proceed, and V. APPLY THESE THINGS TO CHRIST AS THE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MAN It is said in the Bible that Jesus Christ is a Mediator between God and man; this is plainly expressed, and we understand what it must mean. God addresses men in human language, he always uses that language which we can understand. I once heard a remark of this kind gravely made by a man who had been hearing a sermon on the atonement, in which the governmental view of it had been exhibited and enforced Ah, said he, you can not explain spiritual things by natural things; you can not

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explain the government of God by any human government or human transactions. Now, when I heard this remark, I could not forbear saying, What a pity that God did not know that when he wrote the Bible. Can not explain spiritual things by natural things! What a pity God did not take that into account when he wrote the Bible, where such illustrations are so abundantly introduced. But surely if God has seen fit to use such means to illustrate and explain his meaning to us, it is also permitted to us to do the same. In the remarks that I have made this evening, I have shown you what a Mediator is, what is implied in the office of a Mediator, what are some of the indispensable qualifications for a Mediator, and what are the conditions of his success; and now we are farther to apply these remarks to the case before us. 1. I said that a Mediator is one who undertakes to reconcile parties to each other between whom there is some matter in controversy. In the text, these parties are shown to be God and men - God on one side, and all the race of mankind on the other. That there is a matter in controversy between God and man, is one of the most palpable facts which lies on the surface of history: everybody knows it to be true; it is a fact as plain as that man exists upon the earth; every man feels it in his own consciousness; and if he is in a right state of mind, he would as soon think of questioning it as he would his own existence. Everybody must be aware of the fact that they do not live in a way that pleases God. What idea should we have of God if we supposed that he was satisfied and pleased with the conduct of the great mass of mankind? If God be a good being, he must be displeased with their conduct? Who can doubt this? 2. Again: God manifests this displeasure which he feels, in thousands of ways. To be sure, he tempers his anger with great kindness, and suffers long with the perversities, follies, and sins of mankind, yet how often has this worlds history shown that God is angry with its inhabitants. How often has he swept over the world with his besom of destruction! At one time, all the inhabitants of the earth were swept away by a flood of waters, with the exception of only one family; and, on the other hand, we see that men are everywhere doing what they can to repudiate Gods authority and claims to love and obedience, and are making war on his throne and government. In all this we can plainly see that there is a controversy between God and man; man opposes God, and God is continually, by many ways, showing his displeasure with them. 3. But I said also that the existence of the office implied that there was some obstacle in the way of their coming together and reconciling their differences, and that this might arise, first, from the relation which the parties sustained to each other. Now, anyone who has ever considered what government is, or has had anything to do with administering the law, can understand the sacredness of government, and the difficulty there is in the way of exercising mercy to the rebellious. Can rebels approach offended majesty in their own name? What have rebels to say in their own name? They can not come nigh to treat with him in their own name, for he says, I am of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. It is of no use for them to attempt to approach to him in their own name, for he will not look at them. Secondly, the difficulty may arise out of the state of mind of the parties. To be sure, God is disposed to do men good, notwithstanding their rebellion, and there is no state of mind which that would not allow him to exercise compassion and mercy where sinners will repent, but his government relations are such

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as to prevent his having any intercourse with those who continue in a state of hostility; the state of mind in which they are renders it indispensable for some third person to interpose, in order to reconcile them to God. Hence it is that Christ is represented as reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. But I said further, that the existence of the office implied that there might be some conditions, the fulfilment of which it might be necessary for the offended party to insist upon, but which it was impossible for the offending party to fulfil, or cause to be fulfilled. Now, here, I suppose, was the great difficulty which stood in the way of Gods showing mercy to sinners, even if his own disposition disposed him to be merciful. The law had been violated and dishonoured, and God must insist upon its being honoured, and public justice being satisfied. Here I must notice a distinction between public and retributive justice. Retributive justice respects the intrinsic deserts of an individual; for example, a moral agent may deserve punishment, who is not governmentally liable to it; or the government may be placed in such circumstances as to think it inexpedient to award that punishment which he deserves, and which the law sanctioned. Now, public justice respects public interests; the laws of a country are public property, and when they are violated, all the subjects of the government are interested in having the law executed, that its authority might not in any way be weakened; for when the laws are violated with impunity, they are of no weight, and the government which can not enforce them is despised. Let me observe, also, that in establishing a government of law, the lawgiver, either expressly or impliedly, pledges himself to punish the guilty, and protect and reward the innocent; and the public interests of the whole community demand this; the criminal must be made a public example, or the authority and intention of law can not be maintained. No lawgiver, in heaven or on earth, has any right to compromise the claims of public justice. Now, observe, God has expressly, or impliedly, pledged himself to sustain his government, and maintain the authority of his law; man has dishonoured and violated it, and public rights will be compromised unless something be done to assert and sustain the authority of the law. Here is the difficulty; what shall be done? Shall the execution of the law be dispensed with, and thus be rendered void? Now, what public justice required was, that this law should be vindicated by its penalties being executed upon the offending parties, or something be done to secure reverence for the law and the lawgiver. Now, observe, God himself says that Christ is sent to be a propitiation for our sins, that he may be just, and yet the justifier of them who believe in Jesus. God can not set aside the execution of the penalty. Here, I say, is the great difficulty. Gods relations and character are such, and such the relations and character of man, that something must be done that men could not do as the condition of their being forgiven - the requirement is, that they make satisfaction to public justice. Why, to be sure, public justice required every offender to be punished. What, then, shall be done to meet the demands of public justice, and yet the offender be spared the infliction of the penalty! Gods government is perfect; no compromise must be made which shall set aside the true spirit of the law. This leads me to say again, God could not dispense with the spirit of the law. All that the spirit of the law required, was simply this - not that the letter of the law should in every instance be fulfilled, that every individual who violated the law should be punished without any reserve; but that means should be adopted which would effectually secure obedience to the law. The offender must receive the punishment unless something else should be done that would as truly and effectually honour the insulted law, and make a deep public impression of Gods regard for it, and his determination to sustain it, and as

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thoroughly serve to promote holiness and rebuke sin. This would be the fulfilling of the spirit of the law: here would be no compromise of its claims, neither a literal execution of its penalty; but it would be a full satisfaction made to the spirit of its claims. What would be the object of God in executing the law upon sinners, but to make a public impression of his abhorrence of sin, and his determination to maintain the law inviolate, and to honour it at all hazards. The execution of it would teach the universe certain great lessons in respect to Gods character and government. Now, suppose that the lawgiver himself should teach these lessons in some other way that shall be as effectual, as impressive, and as influential as would be the execution of the penalty of the law upon sinners, why, then, the spirit of the law would be as effectually honoured and sustained. But suppose, to show his great regard for it, he should yield implicit obedience to it himself, and become the representative of man, as it is said he did - He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Now, in order to do this, in order to make an offer of pardon to the poor guilty sinner, there must be a public demonstration made to the whole universe - the law must be honoured as widely as it had been broken. How was this demonstration to be made? How was the law to be honoured? Who was to do it? See, Gods own Son, closely associated with him, one with him in the formation and government of the universe, takes upon himself human nature, and represents the race; he undertakes to be the impersonation and representative of sin. God is about to show how he regards sin, by inflicting the penalty due to man, upon one who has come forth to be a Mediator between the sinner and the insulted majesty of the law. God is about to make a terrible demonstration, and show to the whole universe his deep and eternal abhorrence of iniquity. Now, this will fulfil the law even more thoroughly than if the consequences of sin had been visited upon the heads of the guilty themselves. He laid upon him the iniquity of us all! What a wonderful demonstration was this! Again: It is plain that this condition was indispensably necessary. God, as the governor of the universe, must insist upon something being done to meet the claims of public justice; the dishonoured law must be restored, public justice must be appeased; the spirit of the law must be maintained in all its integrity. Now, there was only one being in the universe qualified to sustain the office. The Lord Jesus Christ was both God and man; he sustained such a relation to both the parties as to be in a position to magnify the law, and make it even more honourable than it would have been made by its execution upon mankind. Christ satisfied the claims of public justice, and hence it is said, he gave himself a ransom for all. Christ, by his atonement, testified to the manner in which God regarded the sins of man. Again: Our Lord Jesus Christ knew well what it would cost him. I said just now, that one of the conditions of a Mediators success must be this: that if the office should call for any sacrifice on his part, he must be fully willing to make it - he must be willing to make any sacrifice, or undergo any degree of self-denial, which may be requisite in the nature of the case. Now, the Lord Jesus Christ knew well what it would cost him. It was no part of his business to compromise the claims of public justice; no part of his business to justify iniquity, or let down the authority of the law. He new better what he had to do, than to act thus; and he was willing to do what the office required of him. Again: the circumstances of Christs death were such as could never be accounted for except upon the supposition, that he suffered not as a mere mortal, but as the representative of a race of sinners. The circumstances of his death were of a very peculiar nature. He died not as martyrs generally die; when they have been tied to the stake the words of

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gladness and triumph have burst from their lips, and they have passed from earth shouting and singing glory to God. Christ did not die so. How was this? Is it true that Christ was more afraid to die than martyrs are? What was it extorted from him that cry - My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? How was that? Is God wont to forsake even the meanest of his saints in their hour of trial? Let me ask those who have been in the habit of visiting the deathbeds of the saints, how many, when the last enemy was approaching, and when the clammy sweat was upon their brow, have you heard speak in the language and with the accents of despair? Did they cry out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? No, indeed! Their language is that of peace, serenity, triumph, and when their voice has been gone, they would give you a quivering grasp of the hand, to indicate that the light of Gods countenance was upon them. The fact, then, is plain; he died not as a martyr but as the representative of a sinful race. Although God loved him infinitely, still, as the representatives of a sinful race, in his displeasure he poured down upon him the vials of his indignation. The death of Christ was intended to make an impression upon the universe, and all the circumstances attending it show what a wonderful effect it had. When he was nailed to the cross the sun refused to look on, and the heavens were clothed with sackcloth; the whole universe seemed to be shaking to its foundations. Heathen philosophers observed it, and said, Either nature is being dissolved, or the god of nature is dying. The dead could not sleep in their graves, the earth trembled, and the tombs opened, and those who had been dead issued forth, and walked into the city. The veil of the temple was rent in twain. God made a mighty impression upon the entire universe, when, in order that sinners might be pardoned, he thus made a fearful demonstration of his hatred against sin. REMARKS 1. You recollect that the success of the Mediator must depend upon the consent of the parties. Now, it is for us, on our part, as one of the parties, to consent to receive him as a Mediator in the relation in which he is proposed to us. The Divine government has given to Christ the adjustment of this difficulty, so that as parties in this controversy we must give ourselves up to the will of the Mediator. The sacrifice which he has made has satisfied the claims of justice; but this will affect us, and prevail in our favour, no further than we ourselves approach him as the Mediator between God and man. 2. Again: Man can be reconciled to God only in one way, and that is by faith in Christ; when men believe in him the matter is at once adjusted between them and the Divine government. They are reconciled to God through Christ. Now, we have only to leave this matter in the hands of Christ, and he will set us free from the penalty due to sin. 3. Again: With respect to those who decline to accept of this Mediator, the matter is not only not adjusted, but greatly aggravated. If they will not have this man to reign over them, they will never be reconciled to God, and their guilt and consequent punishment is greatly magnified, aggravated; and remember that all those resist this arrangement who do not most cordially embrace it by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. 4. This leads me to say again, that you are not to understand by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ merely an intellectual assent to the truths which he taught - and to the fact that he sustains the office of Mediator. The devil knows this, and believes it, but he has not
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saving faith. You may have no more doubt of the historical fact that Christ died for the sins of mankind, than you have of any other historical facts, but this is not faith in him as a Saviour. You must embrace the method of salvation with all your heart. This is the way in which God purposes to save you, and when you have done this you can enter the door of mercy which Christ has opened for your reception. Let it be understood then, what it is to be a Christian. It is not mere intellectual assent to the truth of the Gospel, or that you outwardly appear to be religious; but it is with the heart that you must believe unto righteousness. You must yield up your whole being to Christ, and rely not upon your own goodness as a ground of acceptance, but upon Jesus Christ, the Mediator between God and man, who has magnified the law, and made it honourable. God requires us to approach him in Christs name, or he can not treat with us or make us any offer of pardon. Suppose that the inhabitants of London, or any other city, should rise up in rebellion against the Government. It might be quite impossible to make a general offer of pardon without endangering the safety of that Government. It would be very impolitic and unwise to do so. It would be the way to encourage other cities to rebel - taking refuge under the precedent which the Government had established. The way to make a Government strong is by asserting a principle and adhering to it, giving the people to understand the inviolability of the law, and that it is not to be broken with impunity, and that rebellion could not be connived at. Now, it may be safe sometimes for a Government to exercise pardon, but not unless the exercise of mercy will tend more than the infliction of the penalty to claim reverence for the law and Government. Rebels against the law and government of God could never have been forgiven without an atonement had been made; because Gods law is inviolable, and therefore can not be transgressed without the penalty being inflicted somewhere; and God, by accepting the sacrifice of Christ as an atonement for sin, at once showed his love for man and testified to the goodness of his law. Christ magnified the broken law, and rendered to it a governmental equivalent. But before a rebel can treat with God for mercy, he must lay down his weapons of rebellion; he can not make terms with God with arms in his hands; he must repent before he can hope for mercy. Every human Government demands this, and so does the government of God; no Government can stand on any other principle. Those entirely misunderstand this subject who think and say that it is an easy thing for God to show mercy. It cost him more than the creation of the world. But the work is done - Christ has thrown the doors of mercy wide open: Behold, he says, I have set before you an open door. It was love to mankind which caused him to make such sacrifices for their salvation. The atonement was not demanded in a malignant spirit, but as a necessary condition of salvation. It was God himself who proposed the plan. He saw no eye to pity and no arm to save; and his own eye pitied, and his own arm brought salvation. His heart yearned over them. Over them, did I say? Over you and over me. He loved me, says the apostle, and gave himself for me. Can you, my dear hearers, apply this language to yourselves? Have you committed yourselves to him? Is Christ your Mediator in this great controversy? Now, I come to-night as the servant of Christ, to ask you whether you will receive this Mediator-whether you will repent and renounce your sin, and commit yourself to the hands of Christ as the great Mediator between God and man? Do you reply that you do not want a Mediator? The minds of many men are so dark that they are foolish and absurd enough to think that they can approach God and get salvation from him without

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a Mediator. The following fact was communicated to me some time ago: the sister of a ministers wife who had imbibed Unitarian principles always used to resist the idea of a necessity of a Mediator. She would say, If God is disposed to be merciful, he can exercise mercy without reference to the death of his Son. I want no Mediator; I am not conscious of wanting one. Is not God my Father - my heavenly Father; can not I pray to him except through a Mediator? What do I want of a Mediator between me and my Father? I love my Father, and I love to pray to my Father; I love communion with my Father. I know no necessity for a Mediator. In this way she used to talk, with that kind of sentimentalism that is common to Unitarians. A great revival took place in the congregation, and one evening this lady returned home and went direct to her chamber. The family, who were below, presently heard her shriek out in great agony, and at the top of her voice: they rushed to her room and saw her standing there in a great fright, with her arms extended, and her eyes startling from their sockets: with much alarm they cried out, What is the matter? what is the matter? Oh! said she, God is looking right at me, and there is no Mediator - there, cant you see, right opposite there? and she shrieked out again in fearful agony, God is looking right at me, and there is no Mediator. In this state of mind she continued for some time, but eventually Christ was revealed to her, and she was led to embrace the truth. She never realised before what it was to stand before the Judge of all the earth without a Mediator; but when she felt the eye of God blazing upon her, and searching into her heart, she felt then the necessity of a Mediator between God and man. O sinner, let me tell you, that without a Mediator you are undone; but there is one provided, and he is now offered for you to embrace; it will not take you long, if you are disposed to do it; you can do it now-even now. If you accept him not into your hearts, his blood for you has been shed in vain. There is no middle course; you must be either the friends of Christ, or his enemies. God offers mercy now, but he has not promised that he will ever offer it again! Remember that! There is no angel in heaven, or minister upon earth, who is authorised to say that salvation will ever be offered to you again. Suppose that Christ himself should now come and take his stand in this pulpit with the book of life in his hand, and should say to you all, Whose name shall I write in this book? Whoso will accept of me as a Mediator? Who will give me his heart? Should we have voices responding on all sides, I will! I will! I will! O Lord Jesus, take my unworthy name, take my heart; I renounce my sin, and gladly give all my being to thee. Would you reply thus to the personal invitation of the Saviour? Why not do it now? God invites you! Jesus invites you! the Bible invites you! the Spirit invites you! The Preacher invites you! Will to come to Jesus, and come now? Why not? Are you not prepared? What preparation do you want? Can not you get your own consent? This is the difficulty - the great and the only difficulty! If you can get your own consent, there is no being in the universe that can stand in the way of your salvation. But may you not obtain your own consent if you so will it? What say you? Will you consent? Will you allow Christ to have your name? Will you give him your heart? This is a momentous question, will you decide to-night? We are going to pray. Now, let those who are willing to accept Christ as their Mediator, bend their hearts at a throne of grace; and, Christians, let us seek to get the arms of our prayer round every impenitent sinner in this house, and bring them to Jesus. Let us pray.

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11. PROVING GOD

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. - Malachi 3:10 In speaking from these words, I propose, first, to notice the fact that it is our duty to prove God; secondly, how we may do this; thirdly, what is implied in the injunction, Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house; fourthly what is implied in obeying the spirit of this injunction; fifth, the meaning of the language, see if I will not open the windows of heaven. I. IT IS OUR DUTY TO PROVE GOD God establishes and manifests his own truth, to make man know and see that he is the God of truth, by coming out and demonstrating it by his conduct. He has limited his operations; they are controlled by certain laws both of nature and of grace. He has wisely limited himself to a certain order and way of doing things. Now, let me say, in the next place, that he likes to rebuke infidelity. His heart is greatly set upon the results which he has promised - those things which must result from his coming forth and demonstrating his truth. He holds us responsible for placing ourselves in such a position as to come within the conditions, the fulfilment of which are indispensable to his coming forth, in the established and revealed order of things, to establish his truth before the world. II. HOW ARE WE TO PROVE GOD? That is, how are we to put Gods truthfulness to the test, so as to show to ourselves, and to demonstrate to everybody else, that his promises are true? 1. If we would prove his truthfulness, we must fulfil certain conditions upon which these promises are to be fulfilled. These conditions are expressly revealed, or implied, in his universal rules in the Bible. It would not manifest his truthfulness to fulfil these promises when the stipulated conditions are not complied with. It would then rather prove him untrue. For example, if he has proposed certain conditions, and informed us that unless these conditions have been complied with, he will not fulfil the promises, why, if he should, under such circumstances, dispensing with the conditions, fulfil the promise without them, instead of proving his truthfulness, he would prove that he was a liar. For example, he has said that he will be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them. He will be inquired of in faith, and nothing shall be received without faith. There are multitudes of such declarations in the Bible, which affirm that he will do certain things under certain conditions, and that he will not do without these conditions. If, therefore, he would prove himself to be true, he must not fulfil these things until we have fulfilled the conditions, otherwise he would prove his own Word to be false. 2. This leads me to say again, that in the world, to prove himself true, he is obliged to deny us unless we ask in faith. Again: he has told us, that certain conditions, such as the use of certain means, are conditions upon which he will do certain things. For

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example, suppose he has commanded us to repent, and promises to forgive us if we do repent, suppose he should for once forgive us without repentance? He who prays for forgiveness without repentance is tempting God - asking him to do that which he has expressly declared he will not do. When, therefore, people ask God to break through any revealed condition upon which he has promised to do or not to do certain things observe, in order to prove his truthfulness, he must refuse to do these things, because the conditions are not fulfilled. Before I was converted, I had this thought in mind, I wondered God did not answer prayer (for I was in the habit of going to prayer meetings as often as I could, even before I was converted - I have no doubt God led me to do so). I heard so much prayer, that I wondered why it remained unanswered - I wondered whether Gods promises were untrue, or whether the people were not Christians. It did not occur to me for some time, that by the very truth of these promises, God was pledged not to answer them, unless they were offered upon certain conditions, and that the very fact of their not being answered, proved that they were not offered upon the prescribed conditions; and that God was not therefore untrue, because the Bible taught that it would be so under such circumstances. How remarkable it is that the very things which stumble impenitent men, and often, in fact, professors themselves - when seen from a right point of view, these things carry a demonstration on the very face of them. For instance, under certain circumstances God has promised to withdraw his blessing: under certain other circumstances, he promises to give it. Now, suppose we see him withhold it, when we have not complied with the prescribed conditions. Suppose, again, that we fulfil the conditions and then see that he fulfil the promise. For I do not mean that it is our duty to prove God by disobeying him, so that we may see him fulfil his promise by withholding, for that reason; but the contrary, by fulfilling the conditions upon which he will surely give us the blessing. But when, as a matter of fact, we fail in our obedience - in the fulfilment of what he requires - when we fail to do this, he withholds the blessings; comply with the conditions, and then see whether he will not fulfil his promise. But let me say again, we are to prove him in this sense; we are to use the appointed and revealed means. We should do this even in obtaining our daily bread. Who believes that if he depends on God, in the use of the appointed means, for procuring his daily bread, that he will not get it? If we use the appointed means, in an appropriate manner, then we prove God, and see whether he will really fulfil his promises. Trust in the Lord, and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Now, suppose a person neither trusted in the Lord, nor did good, in the sense here meant, who can wonder that he does not dwell in the land? Especially does this apply to spiritual things - the greatest and most important blessings. But let me say again, by the appointed means I mean things to be done which God requires. Men must preach the truth, but they must preach it in a proper manner, in season and out of season, and adapt it to the understanding of the hearers. They must live it, as well as preach it - not contradict it with their lives, while with their lips they declare it. This applies not only to preachers, but to all classes of persons. Means are to be used, in faith, and perseveringly, they must do the thing that God told them to do; but mark the way - see that you do things according so the spirit and meaning of his Word. Now, certainly, unless people do this - unless they really comply with the spirit as well as the letter of his injunction - how can they except to obtain the blessing?

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But let me says again, we must depend upon God. For example; the Bible plainly presents the subject in this way - everything is to be done with the same heartiness, and perseverance, and with the same spirit that we would do it if we were expecting to accomplish it ourselves, without God having anything to do with it. The same language is used in precept and requirement throughout the Bible, as is used in this text. God comes out just as human lawgivers, commanding men to do certain things, in a certain manner, and with a certain spirit. Now, observe; he everywhere insists upon their doing them; they must, therefore, go about the work as if they were expecting to accomplish it, by the efforts they were making, by their own strength; yet, unless we do it in faith throwing ourselves upon God - we shall not succeed. These two truths stand out together all through the Bible. Just as the farmer goes and sows the seed, as if God had nothing to do with it, and understands that, without the blessing of God, he can not raise anything. We must be in this state of mind - willing to throw it upon his own blessing - knowing assuredly that unless he succeeds our efforts, no good will result. In this respect the Bible abundantly places things temporal and things spiritual precisely upon the same footing. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman but in vain. Now, the watchman goes about the city, as if God had nothing to do with it. The watchman would tempt God, if he laid down to sleep, and left it literally to God; he, therefore, is to keep the city as thoroughly, honestly, and earnestly, as if God paid no attention to it; and yet to know that unless God watched too, all that he does is in vain. Everything in respect to life, health, and property - everything worldly and spiritual - is placed by God on the same footing, declaring that without his blessing we can do nothing; yet telling us to do the thing precisely as if we could do it ourselves. Now, persons generally do not understand this; they tempt God in these things, for they apply this interposition only to temporal things, and instead of complying with the conditions upon which God offers to bless them, they are laying a stumbling block before their own feet. But let me say again (I wish I had time here to take up the parallel, to show what the Bible really does teach - to show that the obstacle with regard to Gods sovereignty is a stumbling block which men create for themselves; and that they might just as well lay the same stumbling block, and pursue the same course, with reference to things of the world,) in order to prove God, we must abstain from whatever tends to hinder and prevent success. Everybody knows this is true in respect to temporal things - they know that if they take poison they may expect sickness; with regard to temporal matters, they understand very well, that if they throw obstacles in their own way they may blame themselves for want of success: yet, in spiritual things, it is strange, multitudes throw obstacles in their own way; and yet how do they account for the want of success? They are bound to account for it just as the slothful man in business - they ought to blame themselves just as the man who makes careless calculations in temporal matters; the fact is, that when persons do not abstain from those things which tend to hinder their success, the blame is their own; and if they do not want to tempt God they must ascribe it to themselves just as much as if they had failed in any earthly scheme by using means to prevent their own efforts. Suppose parents seek for the conversion of their children, and yet place them in such situations in life as almost invariably to ruin them. I knew a gentleman in the city of New York, who had a son going down to destruction. He had prayed much for him himself, and entreated me to pray for him; for he was getting into such bad company and such dissolute habits that he was afraid he would be ruined. I inquired where the young man was engaged, and was told he was in

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___s store. In ___s store! Now, I knew the character of that store well; the young man was employed in selling liquor in small quantities! I accordingly gave the father distinctly to understand, that unless he removed his son from such temptations, I could not think of praying for him under such circumstances. Get him out of temptations way, as much as you can, said I, and then I will pray for him, but while he is in such a hotbed of temptation I will not tempt God by praying for him. Now, how many of you are doing this? How many of you are thus sleeping over the conversion of your children, and will probably go on to do so until they are plunged into the depths of hell? How many of you are complaining that your children are not converted, while you yourselves are placing stumbling blocks in their way? What does this mean? I have often questioned persons - wives, for instance, who have wanted their husbands converted. They say their husbands ridicule their religion, and so forth. Well, sister, I said to one of these, how do you live before your husband - do you manifest a temper calculated to make him see the true character of religion? What are you doing? Do you, in your life, give evidences of the truth and value of religion as you hold it before his eyes? Or, do you contradict it every day? Are you a living epistle - a living illustration of religion before his eyes? Or, are you a living and perpetual denial and contradiction of it? Now, in multitudes of cases I have found the obstacle to be in the wife; she has been more in the way of the conversion of her husband, perhaps, than the devil himself; for, were she out of the way, or living as she ought, the devil would not find it so easy to persuade the husband that there was no truth in religion. You can not seeing that these very persons are often themselves the means of preventing the object they seek after. I have often had occasion to tell fathers and mothers that they themselves were the obstacles - the spirit they manifest, their manner of life, their selfish and worldly motives of action - while they continue as they are, they need never expect the conversion of their children. They are living denials of the Gospel before them. No! they take the strongest means to prevent their salvation! I have often thought what wonders we see in society; look where we will, how many persons seem determined to prove that Christ lied when he told them the solemn truth, Ye can not serve God and Mammon! They profess to serve God; yet, on the face of their lives they serve Mammon. Again: Christ has informed us that it is next to impossible that a rich man should enter the kingdom of God; but many seem to read it thus - How surely shall a rich man enter the kingdom of God, as if salvation depended on their being rich. Christ represents the salvation of rich persons as next to impossible; and were it not for the wonderful power of God, it would be impossible. He compares it to a camel passing through the eye of a needle, which is certainly marvellously difficult. Persons who are thus labouring and toiling for riches for their heirs, seem as if they were labouring to send their children to hell, or to prove the Bible untrue - to prove that there was no difficulty in the way of their being rich and saved too. These are but illustrations; had I time I could go into ample details of individual instances, in which things are done which stand right in the way; but what I have said will abundantly suffice to show that the difficulty is not with God - that he is doing just as he promised, under such circumstances, to do; and the result will be just what he says it will - they will lie down in sorrow. I once knew a father who wished to influence his four sons to give up the use of tobacco. He told me that he had always warned them, spoken to them seriously, again and again on the subject, but it did not seem to do them any good; his expostulations

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were all in vain. When speaking to them on one occasion, one of them said, Father, you have always used it yourself! Example is said to be more forcible than precept. Now, what do you suppose the father said? Why, nothing, of course; he stood terribly rebuked. The same thing, in principle, I have seen a multitude of cases, where the persons were actually inculcating by their example what they blamed in others, and thus placing a formidable obstacle in the way of conversion of their friends and families, and who were nevertheless, still expecting that they would be converted. But I remark again, We must not stickle at little things. For example, If thy right hand offend thee, cut it off. It is not promised that we shall be saved with it on. We can not say, God must save us with our right hand. The idea is this, that the most useful thing - things which are important to you - if, after all, they become to you such a stumbling block that you can not stand, put them away. The right hand is certainly most useful; but even if it were the right eye, we are told to pluck it out. What, then, is the principle involved here? We are never to expect God to grant us blessings promised on condition of any sacrifice or self-denial, if we neglect the conditions imposed upon us. If thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off and cast them from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life halt and maimed, rather than, having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire. Now, what does this teach? Why, if even your right hand offend you, cut it off, or I shall let you go to hell; for you need not think that if you refuse to make the self-denial I shall save you notwithstanding. While you hesitate, and will not walk up to the mark, and undertake this self denial, which God makes the sole condition of blessing you - while you will not do this, you labour in vain; he will not bless you, he will not prosper you. Now, this may be applied to a thousand things; the fact is, that if a Christian, or any person, would have Gods blessing, he must absolutely stickle at no act of self-denial required as a condition - he must strenuously avoid anything prohibited, or aught that would stand in the way of his obtaining the thing promised; and if we do not regard these conditions, the fault is our own if we do not obtain the blessing. But I remark again, Another condition indispensable to proving God, is, that we really enter into Gods motives, and do what we do for the motives from which God acts. We must be benevolent, not selfish. If, for example, we pray for sinners, we must regard sinners as he does; and desire their conversions for the same reason that he desires it. If we seek blessings for ourselves, we must ask them for the same reason for which he would be able to grant them. Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that is, your motive is not right - you do not sympathise with Gods motives - you do not ask the blessing, for a reason for which it would be honourable for God to grant it. But this leads me to pass from this part of the subject and to proceed to inquire. III. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN THE INJUNCTION OF THE TEXT Bring ye, etc. The prophet asks in the ninth verse, Will men rob God? What is the spirit of all this? The Jews had neglected their duty - they had been selfish - they had refused to bring unto God the offerings as he required them to do - they had gone astray, turning away from sympathising with him - they had gone in their own ways, and had not brought the offerings to Gods house, and paid their tithes - in short they had turned away from his commandments; this is what they had done. Now, what did he require of them? That they should return to him, and he would return to them. Now,

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a spiritually minded Jew would have understood these requirements to mean not merely the outward bringing of certain tithes and offerings; but, a returning of their hearts to God in the true spirit of obedience, and then they would prove him, and see if he would not be as good as his word, and give them the blessings they sought. The true spirit of obedience begins here - make first an offering of yourself to God. Whatever else you offer, keeping back yourself, is an abomination. Yourself is the first great offering; offer yourself a living sacrifice; by a perpetual offering, offer yourself up to God. What is true devotion? I have often thought that many persons entirely mistake the Gospel idea of devotion, seeking to be, and believing themselves to be, devout, without being or pretending to be, pious. They work themselves up into an excited frame of mind, till they have produced certain feelings, and this they deem devotion. To be devoted to a thing - what is it? What is it for a man to be devoted to his business? To be diligent, to have his heart in the undertaking, and to give all his energies to the work - this is devotion to business. What is a mans devotion to his wife, a wifes to her husband, a mothers to her children? Now, what would you think of a mother who sat down and neglected her children - who sat down and worked herself up into a state of devotion to her offspring, and allowed them meanwhile, to go without their dinner? What would you think of a business man who let his business go to ruin while he was engaged in these devotional feelings? What would you think of the farmer who indulges in these devotional frames of mind, and neither sympathising his ground, sowed his seed, nor took care of his hedges? Now, I have known persons so infinitely mistaken on this whole question, that they have tried to be devotional without possessing a particle of piety. To be devoted, is to give the mind up by a voluntary act, and to expend all your energies on any particular thing. To be devoted to God, is to give ourselves up to him, to be devoted to his glory, to give up body and mind and all our energies to the great work to which he calls us. Remember, the first offering is to be yourself; for this is an offering which many have withheld. They have given tithes and all other offerings, but have withheld the offering themselves. How many individuals have I known whose characters, for instance, were not on the altar of God! They would not do anything which would damage them in the eyes of the world. They are unwilling to place themselves in the gap, let men say what they will. They do not come nobly forth, and say, Lord, here is my character; it is no use to me if it can be of no service to thee. If thou tellest me to do anything for which men will despise me, thou knowest, O my God, I will do it, and leave my character to take care of itself, or leave it to thee. This is the spirit! If God should tell them to do anything which would bring the reproach of mankind upon them, they would do it; if this be not so, it shows the character is not given up to God. Suppose a minister would not preach anything which he knew was so unpopular that it would bring reproach upon him. I have seen sins - I have known individuals who would, if they were about to rebuke any sin which they knew was rife in the community, and to which they knew a great many influential men were addicted - they would either bear silent testimony against them, or give notice that they were going to preach about it, and then, such persons as felt condemned, of course would stay away. Now, who does not see, that where individuals, for fear they should lose their character with men refuse to come out and rebuke sin, they can never expect to get rid of it. Suppose a minister for example, is afraid to rebuke the sin of intemperance; suppose in America we should not expose the sin of slavery - should we ever get rid of it? Never. God commands us to

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come out and rebuke sin. Suppose a minister has seen things which call for remark, but upon which the public mind is sensitive, and which he is consequently afraid to rebuke, how could a man, who thus withholds his testimony, ever expect to get rid of that iniquity? Such evils are always likely to exist until their opponents lay their character, on the altar, and do what God tells them to do, irrespective of the opinions of men - until they hunt it out, expose, and rebuke it. Do they expect God will get rid of it, without their using the revealed and appointed means? He has commanded them everywhere to expose sin, both public and private. Now, suppose there is any sin of so delicate a nature, that the ministers and the Church bear no public and pointed testimony against it, can they expect ever to get of it? Never. They must march up, and lay their character on the altar, and Say to God, If thou requirest me, O Lord, to do that for which all men will curse me, I will do it. If thou requirest me, O Lord, to do that for which men will crucify me, I will do it. If thou sayest, Speak; reprove iniquity, I will do so, if I die for it. Now, unless the Church do this - the individual membership, as well as the pulpit - how can they expect to reform the world? The church is the society which God has appointed to reform the world - to take the lead in every reform, and by precept and example to show unto men what they should be. Now, if the Church is afraid to oppose iniquity, can it be wondered that evils great and manifold, roll their desolation over generation after generation? Is it not true that the want of this testimony, both by precept and example, on the part of the church, accounts for the fact that the world is not converted? The Church tempts God by pretending to find a reason for all this in the sovereignty of God. Why, they might as well neglect every temporal affair, and become paupers, and then trace that to the sovereignty of God. God allows evil to exist, and will do so until generation after generation shall have gone to hell, because the appointed means are neglected. There can not be too much stress laid upon these truths. It is time the Church should understand that unless they devote themselves to the reformation of the world - first reform - and giving themselves up to every good word and work - things will go on as they have done; but upon whose skirts will the blood be? Jehovah has shaken his skirts, and has said, Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me - prove me herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. This leads me to say, in the next place - but I can not enlarge here, because my time is so nearly exhausted, and I must, therefore, pass rapidly to glance to the last head of the discourse - viz., V. TO INQUIRE THE MEANING OF THE PASSAGE See If I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. This language was designed to convey a revealed principle to us which is worthy of all acceptation. In many of the promises, God has revealed the great and fundamental principles of his government. What is true of God under one state of circumstances, is always, under similar circumstances, true of him. What he will do under one state of circumstances, may always be expected of him under similar circumstances. The principle here revealed, is often revealed, expressly or impliedly. It is this - that where his requirements, and the conditions of which he is pledged, are fulfilled, he invariably comes out and fulfil his promises.

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Prove me, etc. Now, this is equivalent to saying, If you prove me, I will surely pour out, etc. A few remarks must close what I have to say. I have already intimated that the common talk in reference to Gods sovereignty, as applied to the existing evils in the world, and the want of reformation therein - the manner in which this is talked of, if tempting God as manifestly as if the same course were applied to temporal things. Gods purposes do not extend more absolutely to spiritual than temporal things; Divine purposes, foreknowledge, agency, and so forth, extend equally to both. Even the grass will not grow without his blessing. On the subject of religion people are for ever applying this talk about Divine sovereignty, election, and such things, as if God had foreordained certain things in respect to religion in such a manner as to interfere with the freedom of man, and set aside his voluntary action in a manner totally different from his conduct in temporal matters. Now, this is quite a mistake; the Bible denies it. God does not ordain anything, in any such sense; there is not one word in the entire Bible which really favours the idea that any election of Gods at all interferes with the liberty and free agency of the creature. I have as strong and as high views of Gods sovereignty as any man. I know this, as far as the Divine mind is concerned, there is nothing new or old to him; the judgment day is as present to God as it ever will be. If a man should ask me, Do you believe in the sovereignty and foreknowledge of God? I would reply, Yes. Do you believe God knows the very hour I shall die? Yes. Can I alter Gods purpose so as to change his foreknowledge? Certainly not. Then I might just as well not take any food, or swallow two ounces of arsenic, as I can not die before my time. They never will die before their time comes; nor will they go one moment over it. What, then, has this to do with their own agency? Who does not know that, notwithstanding God has appointed bounds to their habitation, yet all the circumstances must concur to keep them alive, or they would die before their time They will not die before their time, because they will not reason in this way; but they will use the means, and do just as common sense would have them to do - just as God foresaw that they would do. They will not leap off a precipice, or cast themselves from London Bridge; or anything else of the kind, and then say, I shall not die before my time! Oh! that men would use their sense in religion, as well as in other matters! Men know the human mind is left free, responsible, active; and that, therefore, men are to go on, taking care of their property, their health, and their lives, labouring for the results they wish to bring about. But on religious subjects men talk as if they were insane. If God knows how it will be, whats the use of my doing anything? Do! Why, act just as you are acting in everything else, or you will go to hell, thats what you will do: just as a man will die who does not take care of his health; and no sovereignty of God in the universe will prevent a man from going to hell who does not repent. Now, let me ask, What are you doing to secure the salvation of your souls? Are you using any of the prescribed means? How are you living before your families? Are you doing those things which ought to be done, and must be done, to promote religion around you? Do you live, act, and talk - using the means, and in the manner you ought? If not, how do you expect the conversion of the people? Are you endeavouring to remove the evils you see around you? Do you mean to do this? Or are you satisfying yourselves with a merely negative testimony? I have known some ministers who would not preach upon slavery except with previous notice, so that those who held erroneous views might remain away; and others who only preach on it once a year, or only once

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in their life. Now, suppose all the ministers in the United States should simply once come out and preach against slavery, and think that then they had virtually discharged their duty so far, but to say that as to laying themselves on the altar to put it away, why, they are not going to do any such thing. Iniquity must be rebuked through the press, in the pulpit, in the railway carriages, and wherever it may be supported; and unless men will do this, the evils will not be removed. I ask you, before God, have the Christian people of London taken hold for the removal of the iniquity of this city? Have they borne steady, energetic, yet benevolent testimony against all these evils in every way? Or have they kept silent, and cowered down before the world? Rely upon it, beloved, that if you seek the conversion of this great city, every minister must lay his character upon the altar - every Christian must put his shoulder to the work, and bid this great iniquity depart in the name of the Lord. What are you really doing, as individuals? Are there ministers here? Brethren what are you doing? Are you satisfying yourselves with an occasional testimony against such an such an evil without continually pursuing it? If you mean to put them away, you must pursue these evils, or they will pursue you. You must hunt them out, or they will hunt the piety out of you. The natural tendency of things is to get worse, instead of better. And what are you private members doing in this great work? Are you on the altar? Are you personally talking, labouring, and setting a good example - laying your all upon the altar? If you are doing this, we shall soon hear of it; for Jehovah has pledged himself before the universe, that if you do your duty - lay your character, time, talents, property, your all, upon the altar - he will pour out his blessings in such manner that there shall not be room enough, even in this great city, to contain them. Yes! the righteousness of London shall be like the waves of the sea. Do you believe this? He tells you to prove him; will you do it?

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12. TOTAL ABSTINENCE A CHRISTIAN DUTY

It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. - Romans 14:21 This is equivalent to saying it is expedient. To say that a certain course, in this sense, is good, is the same as saying it is best - it is for the general good - it is expedient, and therefore right, that we should neither eat flesh, nor drink wine, nor anything whereby our brethren stumble, are offended, or are made weak. In the early ages of Christianity, there were several topics much agitated in the Church, some of which had been referred to Paul for decision. One of the questions from the Church of Rome was, whether it was lawful to eat flesh, inasmuch as it was customary, after animals presented for sacrifice to the idols had been before them for a certain time, to expose them for sale in the public shambles. Many, therefore, supposed that in purchasing meat they might thus, indirectly, favour idolatry, by purchasing some of that which had been offered to the idols. Many, for this reason, abstained from the use of meat altogether, lest, as I have said, they should seem to patronise idolatry. In the eighth chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians, you will find further reference to this subject; the Apostle concludes by saying, Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. He told them, in reply to their inquiries, that it was lawful to eat meat under ordinary circumstances; yet, if so doing was an occasion of stumbling to any weak brother, and did more mischief than would counter-balance the good to be derived from it, he would deny himself for that reason. He said, if his eating flesh caused his weak brother to offend, he would eat no flesh while the world standeth. It was not, in itself, unlawful to eat flesh; yet, he taught, it was necessary to take care lest the eating of it should stumble the brethren. Having been requested to preach on the subject of Temperance, I will begin I. By defining my position; I shall then, II. Endeavour to establish that position; III. Answer objections to it; and IV. Examine the position of those who make the objections. The question may be viewed in a great many aspects; it may be argued in a vast variety of ways. It may be discussed, for example, as a scientific question; and, in America, it has been extensively regarded in this light. I do not intend to take up this point tonight; I shall examine simply the religious bearings of the question. I am well aware that the scientific view is extremely important; it is easy enough, however, to proceed to the discussion of it as a religious question, without entering very fully into the scientific department of it. My position, then, is not that the use of intoxicating drinks in any quantity, and under all circumstances, is necessarily sinful; nor do I take the ground that any use of it is wrong, independently of the circumstances under which it is used, and the reasons which have prompted such use. I do not take the ground that any use of it is wrong, irrespective of the circumstances under which, and the reasons for
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which it is used; for I can conceive of circumstances under which it may be supposed to be the duty of an individual to drink - even in quantities sufficiently copious to produce intoxication - in order to meet some constitutional emergency. Physicians maintain this ground, and patients may think it necessary; under such circumstances, therefore, it is taken innocently; the thing is right or wrong according to the reasons and circumstances which demand its use. Strictly speaking, nothing is right in itself, but that love which the law of God commands; nothing is wrong, in itself, but the opposite state of mind. But it is not my purpose to discuss this question, but only to say that when we would inquire into the lawfulness of any particular act, such as the use of alcohol, we must understand the circumstances under which, and the reasons for which it is used, in order to understand whether it is right or wrong in an individual case. Again, the question is not whether it may or may not be used as a medicine when recommended by a competent physician. I do not deny that it may be used as a medicine under certain circumstances; nor do I say that it is wrong to use wine at the table of the Lord. The Temperance Question has suffered much from the controversy on this point; for if Christ has ordered the use of wine on that occasion, and as matters are left so that it can not be positively ascertained whether his wine was alcoholic or not, the question need not be discussed; inasmuch as the quantity used at such times is so very small. Again, Paul enjoined Timothy to Drink no longer water but take a little wine for his stomachs sake, and his often infirmities. It was lawful, therefore, for him to take a little. The Apostle did not require him to take much; nor is it necessary or usual to take much at the Communion Table, so that this part of the question does not strictly belong to the Temperance Reformation. Again, the question is not whether or not it is necessary in any case, or whether it is or is not an indispensable article of diet in any case; I would take the negative view, but, at present, I can not make this issue, as it would carry me too far from my main design; nor do I mean just now to affirm, even, that it is in no case useful to persons in robust health, as is commonly supposed. Neither, since I can not now enter into the scientific bearings of the question, do I mean to determine whether its use is or is not necessary or beneficial to persons in feeble health. I must make the question one of self-denial for the sake of others. I should like to discuss the question of their real necessity or utility under any circumstances; but I must content myself on this occasion with the assumption that, under some circumstances the moderate use of these drinks is useful. I will take up the matter, then, in this way, Is it your duty to forego the use of these drinks as an act of self-denial for the sake of others? I love to discuss the question in this light; because, if these drinks are useful, it affords the Church an opportunity of manifesting her love for the Saviour by the sacrifice. I. DEFINING MY POSITION I shall state my proposition, which is simply this - the manufacture, sale, and use of intoxicating drinks, as a beverage, or as an article of luxury or of diet - or to provide them, as such, for others - is neither benevolent, nor expedient, and is, therefore, WRONG. In other words, that Total abstinence from the manufacture, sale, and use of intoxicating drinks as a beverage, or as an article of luxury or of diet, and from offering or providing them for others, as such, under the present circumstances of the Church, is expedient, and therefore a duty.

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Such being my position, I shall now proceed II. TO DEFEND THIS PROPOSITION In doing this, I shall 1. begin by admitting, that the abuse of a good thing is not always a sufficient reason for totally abstaining from its use. Food, clothing, the doctrine of justification by faith, many of the best things are abused; it is, therefore, not a universal rule, that the abuse of a good thing is a sufficient reason for totally abstaining from its use. But I shall have occasion to advert to this admission again; because while I admit that it is not a universal rule, yet I maintain it is a good rule, and binding on men, under certain circumstances - that it is obligatory upon men, under certain circumstances, to abstain from a thing that may be useful, or that is, in fact, useful - on the ground of its great abuse. Although I admit the rule is not universal, I shall endeavour to show, that the abuse of this article is a good reason that it should be abandoned as an article of luxury or diet. But this leads me to remark 2. Benevolence is a universal duty. All men, under all circumstances, should love God supremely, and their neighbour as themselves; this is a rule of universal obligation. There is no possible exception. But what is benevolence? Benevolence is good-will. It implies a willing of every good, according to its known relative value. There must be no particular stress laid on a certain good, because it is your own, irrespective of its relative value. When your neighbours good is of greater value than your own, it must have the preference. If, by denying yourself a small good, you can procure for him a greater good, it is your duty to do it. Christ acted upon this principle; in the atonement, the great principle upon which everything turns is this - that when, by sacrificing to self a less good, or taking upon self a less evil than would befall others, or sacrificing a less good than we can obtain for others, the law which requires us to love our neighbour as ourselves plainly points out the path of duty; it is very easy to see that this principle must be the one upon which Christ acted, and upon which the whole plan of salvation turned. He designed, by taking upon himself certain evils, to secure to the universe a good which was greater than the evils which he suffered. It was, therefore, in strict accordance with true benevolence that he acted, in coming forward to make atonement; for the sacrifice then made was an evil of less magnitude, than would have been the consequences of an opposite course. Because of his nature and relations he could magnify the law, and make it honourable, saving multitudes beyond number from eternal sufferings, although they were inconceivably great to a creature. His benevolence led him to make personal sacrifice for the sake of a great good. The apostles also proceeded upon this principle in carrying out the course their Lord and Master had thus begun. The following facts are admitted by all: 1. That intemperance prevails in this land to an alarming extent, far more than people are generally aware of. I have been surprised, since I have been here, to learn how ignorant the masses of the people are with reference to the statistics of the extent to

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which intemperance prevails in this country; every person, however, knows and admits that it prevails to an alarming extent. 2. The second fact is, that intemperance is one of the greatest evils which infests society, whether it be regarded physically, morally, or socially. Regarding it in its relations to the health of man, it can not be denied that it is one of the greatest physical evils, producing more sickness and death than any other evil. Considered morally, it does more to demoralise society, by drawing thousands into all forms of vice, corrupting the Church, and causing it to pour forth some forty or fifty thousand yearly from its bosom. Considered socially, it poisons all the fountains of social intercourse. I could enlarge here as well as upon its political aspects; if I had time I might swell this statement, and adduce such a mass of statistics and facts, which have been gathered and published, both in this country and America, that no man could shrink from admitting that, as an evil in society, viewed in all its bearings, it has no parallel in the history of this nation, or in that of any other nation anywhere. Another fact, 3. which can not be denied, is, that the good which results to the Church and the world from its use (admitting, for the sake of argument, as I said before, that good does result), yet it can not be denied that any such good is indefinitely less than the evil which results. Who doubts this? Admitting that some good does result, who does not know that the evil resulting from its use, is indefinitely greater than the good. 4. The Christian Church is admitted to be a society whose business it is to reform the world. Its sole business in the world is to enlighten and save it - all that it does in the world is to be done in subserviency to this. Its grand object - the end for which it lives (or ought to live), and moves, and has its being, is to glorify God, by saving the world from every form of sin. Christ said, Ye are the light of the world, ye are the salt of the earth. But again, another fact 5. is this - the church is bound to reform the world. Christ has required them to convert the world - not of course in their own strength, but in his - and he has promised to be with them in it; consequently, it is their duty to put away every form of iniquity from the world, and to make disciples of Christ of all the nations of the earth. Christ requires it; he has promised his aid; it is therefore their duty to reform the world. The reform, to which I, this evening, address myself, is indispensable to the success of the Church, in its great mission. It is so great an evil, that the Church can by no means be excused form bringing about its removal. Another fact 6. is, that the Church is able to effect this reform, if united, and if it uses aright its money, time, talents - if it does this, it is able to enlighten the world, and settle this question for ever, by putting away this mighty evil. Now, if this reform is indispensable to the success of the Church - to secure the end for which she lives - it would follow, of course, if we may judge from the success which has attended efforts made where the Church has been united, that, wherever they will steadily, and in a right spirit, use the right means, persevere in enlightening the public mind, bringing the whole force of their precept and example to bear upon it, they may thoroughly rout this enemy of mankind, and banish it from the world. A multitude of cases which have occurred in America, will show, that even a few individuals, in a Christian community, may exert such an influence as to put certain evils away. But who doubts that if the British Churches were united in this matter, an influence could be brought to bear, which
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would rout this enemy, and bring about this reformation. Suppose every minister and member of the Christian Church in these realms should frown upon it, and men of all ranks in society, who are professed Christians, should undertake at once, and with all the force of their influence, both by example and precept, to oppose it, how long, think you, would intemperance fill this land with crime, woe, and mourning? No one can doubt, that, in the course of a few months, these vendors shops would be locked up, and the Church purified. Who that took an opposite course, would then dare show his face in the streets, when rebuked from every pulpit, from every Christian man in every place? Why, the four winds would blow a rebuke in his face! It is easy to put it away, if the Church, whose duty it is to unite for this purpose, would do so. Now, if it can be done by the Church, and it is necessary to be done, and the evil of its remaining is vastly greater than the evil which would result from putting it away, then it is a simple demonstration, that it is the duty of every Christian to do what he can, by precept and example, and every other lawful means, to put this evil away. But let me say again, it will not be doubted, I presume, by any who have ever examined the question, that, the cessation of the manufacture, sale, and use of intoxicating drink as a beverage or an article of luxury or diet, is a condition of success in this enterprise. While a minister uses it himself he can not have much influence in staying this tide of desolation. This is generally known and acknowledged in this country; in America it has been shown up to a perfect demonstration. We have tried every ground a Christian could take on the question, and the conclusion we have come to is this, that we must have total abstinence or total failure; this was our final issue. Let any minister continue the use of it and try to reform his congregation. He will find it is a failure. Let any set of men try the moderate use, everybody will hold their views. No drunkard will claim the right to use it in any other degree than moderately - no man will assert that it is right to drink to intoxication - all take the ground of moderation. Moderation! What is it? Intoxication! What is it? Where is the line? Examine this question; and you will find that if the Church is to do anything, it must wholly wash her hands. The Church must take this ground - that as a beverage, an article of luxury or diet, it will not indulge in it. The questions will not now be argued, whether it may or may not be used as a medicine; but, in accordance with the terms of my proposition, I shall endeavour to prove that the law which requires universal benevolence, requires us to aim at promoting our neighbours good; and if our neighbour is stumbled or injured by what we are doing, even though it may be by his own consent, yet if, after all, the injury to him is vastly greater than the good to us, benevolence demands that we should, for his sake, deny ourselves. Especially is this true, where the difference is very great - where the evil to him is enormous - indefinitely greater than the good to us; and total abstinence on our part, is the only condition of saving him from the evil. But again, the spirit of the Gospel plainly requires this. I have already said, it is easy to show that the whole plan of salvation turns upon this great principles of Christian benevolence, of one man denying himself of a good for the sake of obtaining a greater good to others - one individual taking to himself certain sufferings, and enduring certain evils, in order to avoid the infliction of greater, though deserved, evils on others. Now, the apostle acted upon the principle of the gospel when he said, that if eating flesh should cause his brother to stumble, he would eat no more flesh while the world stood. He could do without eating flesh - although useful, he could eat other things - although a good, it was not a necessary of life. It was not necessary in such a

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sense that he could not do without it; consequently, the great abuse of it was a good reason for his abstaining from using it altogether. The same, he said, was true with regard to wine, It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, is offended, or is made weak. Now, by anything, he did not mean to say he must necessarily forego those things which are indispensable to life or salvation; but those things which could be spared - which were not indispensable - we should abstain from the use of all such things rather than stumble our brethren. By refusing to do this, we walk uncharitably - contrary to the spirit of the Gospel. I remark, again, the intelligence and conscience of the Christian world demands that the Church should proceed to take up this question. It seems now to be called up by the providence of God, and most pressingly urged upon the Church. The public conscience is beginning to awake on this subject in this country, and, to a still greater extent, in America, because more has been said there than has been said here; but I have never been anywhere, since this subject has been so thoroughly discussed, where the consciences of all classes of men - infidels as well as Christians - did not demand at once that the Church should take action. The law of benevolence requires that, not only Christians, but all men, should take up this reform, and deny themselves, for the sake of the good which may result. The Church of God is manifestly under rebuke on this point. I might mention many instances in which the Spirit has been manifestly grieved by this holding back - cases in which ministers of the Gospel have not been successful where they did not preach with that unction and power which give the Gospel effect - where the Christians have dwindled away in number, while those who remained had decreased in spirituality. I could bring a great many evidences of this, in different denominations of Christians, wherever this subject is neglected, since it has come up in the providence of God. It is remarkable to see the extent to which this has been manifested in America, where the displeasure of the Almighty has been visible towards those who have withstood this reformation. It does strike me, therefore, that as a matter of self-denial, and as a Christian duty, on the ground of expediency and charity, the question is perfectly plain; still, however, there are many objections, some of which I shall now proceed to answer. Admitting then, for the sake of the argument, that intoxicating drink is a good; it must also be admitted that it is not indispensable, while it were easy to show that the evils resulting from its abuse are vastly greater than the good derivable from its use; and, therefore, the law of benevolence plainly demands abstinence, because, upon the whole, the use is an evil rather than a good. III. ANSWERS TO OBJECTIONS 1. Some object, that Christ used alcoholic, or fermented wines; and that, if benevolence required abstinence, he would have abstained. This needs to be proved before it is assumed as a certain truth. I do not know that he did; and I will not affirm that he did not. The sweet wines were called wine, as well as the fermented. To establish the fact that Christ used alcoholic wines, it is said that he was accused of being a gluttonous man and a wine-bibber (Luke 10:9), a friend of publicans and sinners, and that he, neither expressly or implicitly, denied that he did use wine; but from his non-denial that he did use wine, it no more follows that he did, than the fact that he did not deny that he was a glutton implied that he admitted it. But even if he
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had used wine, the circumstances under which he used it not only justified, but might have demanded, its use, in his case. I have already said, that the use of wine is not wrong in itself; it is presumable, that, in the case of Timothy, some urgent reason existed for his abstaining from the use of water, and taking a little wine; but observe, in this case, it was enjoined as a medicine, and not as an article of luxury or diet; from which it may fairly be inferred, that Timothy was not in the habit of taking wine in any quantities; for it was but little which he was enjoined to take; while, if he had taken it in any quantity before, this injunction would have been unnecessary. It has been supposed, that, by the apostles, and their coadjutors, nothing was said upon the subject of temperance, and against the use of alcoholic drinks. It is manifest that Timothy did not use it, and that he actually needed the injunction of the apostle to induce him to do so, even as a medicine. Observe what the apostle says - It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, or anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Is it likely, then, that after such language as this, the apostle himself used it, or recommended it to be used, as an article of luxury or diet, especially where the circumstances were such that its abuse was a great stumbling-block to the Church? No! It is not likely that he would thus contradict himself! 2. Others object that if temperance, in the sense here meant, is a specific branch of the great reformation to be carried out and perfected by the Christian Church, Why did not the Apostolic Church do it? They had very good reasons for not doing it. There were several other important questions as well as the use of wine, such as war and slavery, for instance, which were not raised as distinct subjects; and I know that this fact has been used by some persons, and even by ministers, in such a manner as to lead many persons into infidelity. They say the apostles could not have been inspired men, neither could Christ have been what he professed to be, or he and they would have used all their influence to suppress war and put an end to slavery and intemperance. Let us inquire, for a moment, whether it would have been expedient for them to have done otherwise than they did in this matter. The fact is, that they had a previous question to settle. It was by no means generally admitted that he was the Messiah; consequently, if he had attempted to have exercised authority on this point, had made such reforms a prominent object, he would thereby have diverted public attention from the first great question of his Messiah-ship. So it was with the apostles. The advent, Divine authority, and resurrection of Christ was the first question to be settled. It is easy to see that it was totally inexpedient to raise any excitement on other points till this was settled. It was necessary, first, to show that their revelation was Divine, that Christ was the Messiah, and that they were his inspired and duly commissioned servants. Suppose, either by precept or example, they had raised the questions before mentioned, they would have left their main position unsustained, and would have left undone the work they had been particularly commissioned to do. Their first great business was to establish the fact that what they set forth was a revelation from God, and not to take any particular branch of reform and raise a question upon that, thereby diverting public attention from their main question. If the question could once be settled that their message was a revelation from God, it would then be in place for the Church to take it up in its details, and apply its great principles to the annihilation of every form and degree of evil. It took Christ and his apostles their lifetime to settle the great question of the true Messiah-ship of Christ, the Divine authority of the apostles, and to establish beyond controversy the fact that what they delivered to the world was truly the mind and will of God. Now, they no doubt avoided (and wisely) making issue with many

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points and branches of reform, before the one great question was settled that they were commissioned by God to give to mankind a revelation of his will. They no doubt studiously avoided making such issues either by precept or example; hence it is not strange if they did use wine moderately, as it was the common drink of the country. I suppose they could not well have avoided this without having raised an excitement on the question. I judge this from the fact that the very practice has often provoked vehement discussion as I have sat at table. You can not abstain without having more or less of this excitement. At some tables where I have refused to take wine, I have been obliged, in self-defence, to enter into a discussion of the question. No doubt this would have been the case with Christ and his apostles; and it might have been - I do not say it was - for this reason, they were unwilling to start a public fermentation on the subject at that time, and under those circumstances. Who does not see, as I have said, that the issue to be first made and settled, was whether or not their revelation was from God. If you look through the Bible, you will find principles which condemn war, slavery, and intemperance, and every other form of iniquity, is condemned by the Gospel of Christ. Let no one, therefore, reject the Bible on the pretence that it sanctions or connives at such evils as these. God has proceeded step by step in his various reforms, as mankind were able to bear them. There is no occasion of fault-finding either with the Bible, or with Gods dealings on these questions. I should think that what I have now said on this subject will be quite enough to satisfy men who were willing to be satisfied with regard to the examples of Christ and the apostles. Admitting they did use it moderately, the reasons for so doing, that I have name, are, I think, too manifest to leave any stumbling-block, on this score, in the way of any honest mind. But let me say again 3. many take this ground that they manufacture, vend, use, and offer it as indispensable to health. Now, more than 1,000 medical men, and among them, many of the principal physicians, of Great Britain, have testified that it is wholly unnecessary, and may be done without, in perfect safety. In America, I may state, the fact is established in hundreds of thousands of cases. The deacon of the Church to which I first belonged, was an elderly man, and accustomed himself to take alcoholic drinks, in small quantities, before his meals, as his appetite was poor, and as his physician had recommended him to do so. Now, soon after my conversion the temperance question came up in the United States generally, and particularly in that neighbourhood. As the Church began to examine the matter, they found the influence of this deacon greatly in their way. Many of the members were ready to go through with it, for the sake of the public good; but Deacon Clearly, being an elderly man, did not take up reforms so readily. Finally, some of the brethren ventured to expostulate with him. But he said he was sure he could not do without it. He was sure he should die, if he wholly abstained; but he would use it moderately, as a medicine. At length, however, he said his life was of no great importance; it was of less importance that he should live, than that he should stand in the way of the reform. He thought the devil was trying to take his life, and he would rather, therefore, give it up, than be a stumbling-block. You may have my name, said he, and whatever influence I possess. Now, mark; in a couple of years, his strength was renewed, and he became quite a different man; and, on being asked what he thought of giving up alcohol, Oh! he said, I am renewing my youth; it was the devil who made me think I could not do without it! This has been the experience, in cases all but innumerable in our country; and, there, I have not

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heard this argument for years. It is not contended for, as a necessary article of diet, or, at least it has not been, to my knowledge, for years. I formerly used it moderately and occasionally myself, but I have now abstained for twenty-five years; and surely I have performed as much labour, I think, as any minister, either in America or in Europe; and I can say that I am better in health now than I was on the day I abandoned its use. I can do more now than I could when I was accustomed sometimes in moderation to use it; and my experience is corroborated in instances beyond number. Another objection is 4. That the rights of hospitality demand it. Now, what is intended by this? The rights of hospitality! Has any man a right to expect me to do that which is inconsistent with benevolence as a mere matter of hospitality? No! You think, perhaps, you will be accused of selfishness instead of benevolence, by refusing to provide it. The fact is, that if your reputation must suffer for doing your duty, let it suffer; for the man who is not prepared to do this, is not prepared to go the length of taking Christ and his apostles as his examples. Men, when they bring up such excuses, and accuse others of selfishness, are not even themselves satisfied with their own reasonings; so that while they accuse others of selfishness, and of disregarding the rights of hospitality is not offering it - I can not believe that they are satisfied with such reasoning as theirs. But, again 5. Some object that they can not employ labourers without providing it, or giving them the means; they will have it in some way, and if they dont give it them they will not work for them. Now, farmers, in our country, furnish their labourers with board almost universally; and people have urged that the men will not work unless they give them alcohol in some form, but if they were to advise their hands not to drink it, setting the example themselves; and if they were to give them in wages the amount of what it would cost to furnish them with the article - if they were to do this it would be fair enough; and where it has been done, as far as I know, it has given universal satisfaction. Increase their wages by giving them the worth of the alcohol in money, and how soon will the labourers be not only satisfied, but glad that such an experiment was ever tried! There is no difficulty in getting over this; if Christian men will but persevere in taking strong and right grounds, their hands will soon be influenced by them not to take it. Finding they do not really need it, they will be glad to receive the money instead. There are some who object 6. That teetotalism is made a religion of; and that, therefore, there is danger in inculcating it. Now, I never knew any instance of this kind in my life. We have observed, on the contrary, that when we can get men to abstain, they almost invariably come to a more just apprehension of God, and of religious truth. When we induce them to abstain from these drinks, they see more clearly by far the necessity of a change of heart, and a religious life. It is strange, indeed, to suppose, that after clearing a mans whole system of this abomination, we should make him all the more apt to deceive himself! This danger, therefore, is very small. But there is a good deal of

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danger on the other hand. Those how make this objection do not seem to understand that there is a danger of being deceived by the spirit of alcohol - a danger of confounding the influences of alcohol, with those of the Spirit of God. Now, every physiologist is aware that there are certain persons, on whose minds stimuli, in certain forms, produce certain impressions, and, in many cases, these impressions incline them to think and talk about religion. For instance, when I was quite a lad, I was teaching a school one winter in a certain neighbourhood, and boarding in a certain house. The head of the family was an intemperate man, and often came home from the publichouse in a state of intoxication, so much so, indeed, as to walk in such a manner that they all could see he was intoxicated. Now, when he came home in this state, he invariably prayed with his family; while on other occasions he never said a word on the subject of religion. Such was the tendency of his mind. This is an extreme case, I admit; but I have known multitudes of cases involving the same principle. I have seen men exceedingly fluent in prayer, and flippant in religious conversation, after taking a little alcohol. I knew a minister who never preached fluently unless he was well steeped in alcohol, and when I rebuked him for it, he told me that he would rather give five dollars for a gill of brandy, when he had to preach, than preach without it. He could speak, preach, or pray, after taking alcohol; rob him of that, and he seemed to have no more of the spirit of preaching than a stock or a stone. For years he went on in this way; and when the Temperance Reformation compelled him to abandon alcohol, he resorted to opium as a substitute. There is a tendency in many minds to this. But, in justice, I ought to say, that I am not aware that it has been customary in general for ministers of the gospel in America to take alcohol, in any form, just before going into the pulpit; and never in my life, to my recollection, did I so much as hear of its being kept in the vestry, in any form, for the use of ministers or church officers. But I can not express my astonishment and grief at this custom as I find it exists, in some cases, in this country. I have sometimes found a man praying with very much apparent fervency; but when I have come near him, I have found his breath smelt of alcohol! Take the alcohol away, and see how he would pray then! If you mean to give him fervency, you must give him alcohol. If you would see that there is nothing in him but spiritual death, deprive him of it. In America, before the Temperance Reformation, multitudes of such cases occurred. Many years since I was labouring in a town in the State of New York during a revival of religion, and boarded with a deacon who always had a glass full of old cider on his table. His eyes glistened after partaking of it, which he did in large quantities. I spoke to his pastor as to his general character. He said he was always in the Spirit - always ready. I told him I was afraid he either was, or would be, a drunkard. The minister was quite shocked. Said I, his speech and general appearance are those of a man who keeps himself highly excited with alcohol. The minister never thought of this. It was the custom of the temperance men to send lecturers round where there had been revivals; that they might make their appeal, while the public conscience was awake, and mens minds were yielding to truth, and easily won over to the reform. They visited the place referred to, but this reputed good man resisted the Temperance Reformation; and, to the astonishment of every one, it was found that he was a secret drunkard, that he had often been seen drunk by his family, at different times, extending over some years. He was, of course, excommunicated from the church, as a drunkard. Before this time, it may be, he is in a drunkards grave! I have seen such results to those who opposed the Temperance Reformation so many times over, that I have

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come greatly to fear, that ministers, or professors, who continue to oppose it, will become drunkards. But this leads me to remark again. Another objection 7. is, So many persons have become abstainers, it is said, and have turned back again. I have very frequently read this, and have been shocked, I can not tell how much, to hear it sometimes even from professors of religion. Admitting its truth, what does it amount to? Even should they nearly all go back - what then? Is it wonderful they do, while the Church stands aloof, and opposes the reformation? Suppose they should attempt any other branch of reform, and the Church, with its weightiest influence, should oppose them - who would wonder if they became faint-hearted? If the ministers, and nearly all the Church should frown, or, at least, should fail to smile, is it wonderful that the masses should go back, thinking they are wrong? Who does not see that it were almost miraculous that such masses should continue to stand by the reform, under such circumstances? Suppose great revivals of religion should spread throughout the land, and great efforts should be made; but, suppose again, that the ministers and Churches should rise up and denounce it as the work of the devil, and give the whole of their influence against it, discouraging the efforts, and setting their faces firmly against it - should the converts, under these circumstances, backslide, and then the Church say, There, you see your revival is good for nothing - half of you backslide! - would it be thought wonderful that they had backslidden? It is easy to see, then, who is the occasion of this going back; and yet these are the very persons to make this a stumbling-block, and objection to the reformation. Again, it is objected 8. That we had better seek the conversion of men to God, and aim at making them Christians, and that temperance will take care of itself. But lets say there are thousands and thousands of persons who never can be made Christians till they abandon alcohol. How can such men be made Christians, when half their time they are under the influence of alcohol? Again, suppose they were converted. Could they be expected not to fall away - ever and anon to backslide, unless they abstained? If such men are to be saved, the proper means must be used, and the stumbling-blocks removed out of their way. I believe the saints will persevere; but I also believe it will be because the stumbling-blocks will be overcome, and removed out of the way. It was supposed, when first our missionaries went abroad, that the question of caste would take care of itself. It was said the natives were sensitive on the point, therefore do not attack it. Make them Christians, and caste will take care of itself. But one of our missionaries (whose name I was glad to see in the British Banner yesterday attached to an address on the subject), once told me this - We have done wrong. We have allowed men to believe that they could be Christians, and yet retain their ideas of caste, supposing that Christianity would remove this feeling. But we find we have thus allowed an element to exist in the Church, which, if it remain, will ruin it. He said that when he went back to India, he should have to excommunicate a multitude whose spirit of caste had overcome their Christianity, instead of the opposite course, as they had hoped. But I must pass rapidly over this ground. It is objected -

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9. That good men have used it. So they have; but good men have also engaged in the slave-trade. John Newton, for instance, did so for some time after his conversion; and Whitefield was a slave-holder; but they were not fully informed on the point. When such things are done in ignorance, the men may be Christians, notwithstanding. But it does not therefore follow that in these days of light men may either hold slaves, or vend, use, or offer alcohol, when the truth has been presented to them, and an entirely different aspect of the question comes up. Again, some object 10. I can do nothing alone, and my individual example can do but little, therefore although I care nothing about alcoholic drinks, it is of no use for me, as an individual, to make an effort. Now, the misery is, that there are so many that say this, when, if every man would lay aside this plea, and act, there would be a great army in this enterprise, and no one would think or talk of being alone. Come up each one of you for himself! give the influence of your name and your example. When will this work ever be done while each one stands away and says, If I come, I must come alone! But if you are obliged to come alone, come alone, and rid your skirts at any rate of this abomination. The last 11. objection I shall notice, is, that almost as often as I have brought this subject up in conversation, and other ways, since I have been in this country, I have heard the objection thrown out that the cause of teetotalism has been rendered odious by the imprudence, mismanagement, and false position of its advocates. I have heard the same objection made repeatedly in America, to both the anti-slavery and temperance reforms. It has been common there, for those who withhold their influence from these reformations, to say, We are in favour of temperance, or, We are opposed to slavery; but we can not identify ourselves with the abolitionists, or We can not identify ourselves with the teetotallers, because we can not approve of many of their measures and arguments. I have been in the habit of making this reply. Brethren, show us a more excellent way; come forward and take the lead; we will give you the lead, and shall be glad to follow, if you will come forward and give us the benefit of your wisdom and prudence in precept and in example. Why do you stand back? Why do you leave it for others to go forward, and then complain of their want of wisdom? They would have been glad to have availed themselves of your wisdom and experience, if you would have suffered them to have done so. If you will but be leaders in this enterprise, we should be glad to have you; and if you will not, why do you not? Why do you stand back and refuse to put your hand to the work, because there is not so much wisdom exercised in pushing these reforms as you think you might exercise yourselves? The fact is, it is too bad, for men of the highest influence in society to remain silent till those perhaps of less influence, and less wisdom, are compelled to do something, and go forward according to the best of their judgment, and then for these wise men to excuse the withholding their influence altogether, because, they say, the cause is not advocated in the wisest manner! I shall now move onto,

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IV. EXAMINING THE GROUND OF THOSE WHO OBJECT I might assail their position from many points, and examine it in a great many ways; but I prefer, on the present occasion, to present it in the form of what logicians call the argumentum ad hominem. Sometimes we have an argument pressed upon an individual in this way; he admits certain truths, and, admitting these truths, we can present an argument, upon his own grounds, that will have a bearing directly upon him in view of his own premises. This is what logicians call argumentum ad hominem, and this shall be the form in which I will present this part of the argument to-night. In England, you have settled the unlawfulness of slave-holding. Between yourselves and me, there is no difference of opinion on this subject. You believe, that making, vending, and holding men as slaves, is sinful, and a great abomination in the sight of God, and that it ought to be immediately abandoned. Now, in view of this admission, of yours, I remark, 1. That the liquor-trade is as injurious to society as the slavetrade. I can only go rapidly over this part of the subject. For example, who would not rather that his son or daughter, husband or wife, should be torn away, and sent into slavery - for there he or she might have the use of reason, and, at least be moral and religious - than become the victim of drunkenness? I need not say, that I do not, in any degree, sympathise with slavery. My tongue has not been silent against it, nor has my pen been useless. I have used both tongue and pen to rebuke this great iniquity. One of the features of slavery which has perhaps, been most complained of, is its sundering of family ties, tearing children from their parents, and sending its various members to different parts of the country - thus severing them for ever. Now, look at alcohol. Does not that do worse than separating them one from another? Yes, indeed! I had rather have my wife torn away and made a slave, and my family broken up, than that we should become a family of drunkards! Who does not know that there are more ways than one to lacerate the heart, tearing the family to pieces, and effecting domestic ruin? Slavery is bad, but the sale of alcoholic drinks, which ruins thousands of families, is worse than selling them into slavery. The one is bad enough, but the other is still worse. Would you not rather that your own family were sold into slavery, than that they should become a family of drunkards? Slaves are made so by force, drunkards, by their own consent. A man, in being made a slave, commits no sin - a man becoming a drunkard, ruins both soul and body. Both of them appear wrong under the light which the Gospel pours upon them, when they are presented and developed in their proper aspect. But I remark again, inasmuch as the slavery question is settled in this country, and connection therewith accounted a great wickedness, I address the question to you in this shape, because you English people admit that slavery is not to be tolerated, and that, however convenient or necessary some may assert it to be, they may not have slaves to be their servants, even if it were impossible to get servants without slaves, as the slaveholders maintain - you will hear no such arguments. I honour you for the ground you take on this question; but I should like to see you take equally consistent ground on the liquor question. In both cases, the demand sustains the trade. If nobody bought slaves, nobody would raise them: and if nobody used alcohol, it would not be manufactured and sold. More

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than this; if nobody abused alcohol, though it were a useful article of diet, yet there would not enough be demanded to render it a profitable article of manufacture or sale; it is the enormous abuse of it which makes it so profitable. The sale and manufacture is undertaken upon the assumption of its abuse. I doubt whether there is a single manufacturer or vendor, in Great Britain, who will deny that it is this abuse which renders it so profitable an article of traffic, or that it is made and sold on this assumption. But, let me say again. In both cases, also, the enormous quantity advertised for sale increases the demand. When once the thing began, its exhibition everywhere increased the amount of temptation, and the demand increased. Again, it is remarkable to what an extent both these evils are sustained, and defended by the same arguments. They appeal to the Bible, in the same way. Some say the Bible sanctions and sustains it; others are content that the Bible recognises its existence, and does not condemn it. The same course is taken on the liquor question. They say, the evil existed when the inspired men lived, and that men were allowed to use it. The Bible is quoted as conniving at it. But I have not time fully to trace the parallel, or you would be struck with the extent to which these questions are sustained by the same arguments. Intoxicating drink, then, is a greater social, political, domestic, individual, and moral evil, than slavery. It introduces more immorality. It does more injury to the cause of religion, it does more to ruin the bodies and souls of men, than slavery. No well-informed person can consistently deny this. They are both persevered for the same reason. Their usefulness and necessity, are pleaded for in the same manner. The spirit of selfishness acts the same part in both cases. In America, we find the same difficulty, in both cases, in the way of getting rid of these evils. Both are so firmly fixed in the habits of the people - so many interests are at stake, so much property is invested, both in ardent spirits and in slaves - there are so many difficulties in the way of getting rid of both - it is astonishing to see to what an extent these difficulties are the same. We find the same reluctance to examine the question on the part of those who are connected with either of these trades. Many pulpits were formerly shut to both these questions. Preachers have refused to give notice from the pulpits of meetings on these subjects. There is the same sensibility of rebuke both from the pulpit, and through the press. Some said, they were not proper questions for the pulpit, especially on the Sabbath. With reference to intoxicating drink in this country, it is the same as slavery is in ours. In the North of our country, ministers preach, in season and out of season, against both those evils, on the Sabbath as well as on other days; but at first they were sneered at. A great amount of sensitiveness existed, in all classes, against bringing up discussions on these subjects. It was said, it would produce divisions in the Churches. So it did. Nevertheless, it must be done. The same sympathy for those, who are committed to both, has been manifested, under the name of charity. We have been often called upon to be charitable, with regard to those engaged in the manufacture, sale, and use of these drinks, as well as towards the slave-dealer and the slaveholder. The same arguments, in this respect, too, are used in both cases. There has been the same sacrifice of ministerial character - they have, at length, some of them, been banished from their pulpits, for want of sympathising with these reforms. In America, this has

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been the case, to a lamentable extent. Ministers now begin to take high grounds on both questions. I wish I had the entire ministry of Great Britain here before me this evening! I would ask them, if they continue to stand aloof, in what light the public will come to regard them? For I have understood that one body of them have actually refused to receive a memorial on the subject, which was presented to them for consideration! Now, who does not know that such persons must suffer in the estimation of those who inquire? When it comes to be considered that 60,000 of your fellow-countrymen annually go down to a drunkards grave, every year some 40,000 or 50,000 are excommunicated from your Churches for this sin - when the people become fully alive to these and multitudes of similar facts, which might be stated, they will consider it a shame for the ministers to withhold their influence on this question. Yes! The ministers are deceived if they think the people are satisfied with their present position on this question. I am glad to find that so many of them have already given the weight of their example to this reform, and among them the excellent minister of this place (Rev. James Sherman). I congratulate you, brethren, on this point. Since I have been in this country I have been thrown into the company of ministers, and have been shocked! For years, till I came here, I have not seen a minister drink a drop except at the communion table. I have seen enough in America to demonstrate that there no minister can be sustained by public confidence who withholds the influence of his precept and example from the Temperance Reformation. And if you will continue to use it, and refuse to rebuke it both by precept and example, you must expect to lose the public confidence; and, as certain as God rules the world, you ought to lose it! I speak this all in charity. I know very well that the time has been, in my own country, when the question was not thoroughly understood. It was used, because it was considered necessary; many, however, though still supposing it to be useful, denied themselves on account of its abuse, and the great evils which arose therefrom. But let me say again. There is the same tendency to infidelity, resulting from the conduct of the Church, in reference to both these questions. In the United States, it has been common for persons to say there can be no truth in religion, because the Church, and especially the ministry, do not come out and take decided ground on these questions. The same is going on in this country, in respect to the Temperance Reformation; multitudes are losing their confidence in ministers and Churches, in the Bible, and even in religion itself. I have thus pursued a rapid parallel between the slave traffic and the traffic alcoholic drinks. I have only suggested points for your consideration. Perhaps I should do well to say that a tract has been written and published in the United States, by one of our best men, pursuing this parallel. I have never myself read this tract, but it made a deep impression, as it well might; for who can not see that, in every part of society, intemperance is an evil as injurious as slavery? And that, when light is cast upon it, the crime of both is great, if not quite equally so? It costs the Church more than she can afford, to use alcoholic drinks. The providence of God plainly calls upon the Church now to act. There is a minister in this country whom I have heard openly oppose the total abstinence question, and declare that he

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has no sympathy with it. Now, I have been informed that this very mans wife is a drunkard; his eldest son, too, is such a beast of a drunkard that he requires someone constantly to take care of him. The rest of his family will probably go in the same direction. Yet he has no sympathy with the Temperance Reformation! I myself have seen him drink glass after glass, and that more than once. What infatuation is this! Yet what else could he expect? Let me state that thousands of cases, involving the same principle, might be adduced where persons have opposed teetotalism, until the result has been the ruin of their families, or, at least, of some members of their families. I once urged a man in become a teetotaller, because I feared he would be a drunkard. He consented if his wife would go with him. I reasoned for an hour with her; but all in vain. I said, You will rue this, mark me. She replied, Ill risk it. Now, in less than five years her husband became a drunkard! He is now, perhaps, in a drunkards grave. But let me say again, I was astonished the other day, while conversing with a brother minister, to hear him say, he was struck with the use I made of. Lev. x.9, which expressly states that priests were not, on pain of death, to take wine or strong drink when going to the services of the sanctuary. Is there such a passage as this? Yes, there is, I said. He could not believe it, so I got up from the table, took the Bible, and pointed out to him. The passage as thus - Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die; it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations. But again, some say, I take a little, but dont care about it. You take just enough to prevent your rebuking it in those who take much; for they will turn round and ask if you entirely abstain, and your influence in the matter comes to nothing, or rather it confirms them in their evil habit. If you care so little as you say, what a pity it is you range yourself on the opposite side for such a trifle! I have been informed by one who was a city missionary, and have been repeatedly assured by those who profess to know, that the managers of the City Mission discourage the advocacy of the total abstinence principle by their missionaries. Now, I can not vouch for the truth of this; but if it is true, such conduct is worthy of unmeasured rebuke, and may well account for their comparatively small success. What! city missionaries, one of whose principal duties it ought to be, to secure total abstinence among the poor, discouraged from such efforts! If this is so, it is both shocking and abominable. It may be untrue; I would fain hope it is. Again, do the Churches in England expect a general revival of religion, whilst they resist this reform, and refuse to come up and lay themselves upon the altar? If they do, I am sure they are mistaken. It is perfectly plain that the ministers of this kingdom have not given themselves in earnest to rebuke this sin, and carry forward the temperance reform. I have occasion to know that some ministers and others, who are themselves abstainers, nevertheless provide it for their guests - who do not hesitate to put upon their tables for the use of others. Some of them seldom preach against it, and when they do, they are in the habit of giving notice that they are going to do so, that those who do not like to be rebuked may about themselves. Thus they try to satisfy their consciences, either with bearing the silent testimony of their example against it, or, at most, by preaching perhaps once a-year a sermon on the subject. Now, is it not plain,
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that this is rather an apology for a temperature effort, than anything like laying themselves upon the altar, with a determination to push this reformation? What does it mean? Why do they not, on all occasions, rebuke this as one of the reigning sins and evils of the day, of the land? Why do they not speak against it, pray against it, write against it, rebuke it everywhere and on all occasions, like men who have resolutely undertaken to put away one of the greatest abominations of the world? The fact is, the great mass of ministers, by their use of wine and other intoxicating drinks, directly countenance this evil as it exists in society. Comparatively few are abstainers, and those, either because they fear they shall offend their brethren in the ministry, or their churches or congregations, or all these together, do very little, I fear, to promote this great reform, and put away this wide-spread and overwhelming evil. And is this the way for ministers of God to treat one of the greatest, most wide-spread, and most desolating of evils, that ever cursed any country? Why, really it is lamentable to see to what an extent the leaders of the sacramental hosts of Gods elect compromise with this evil! If they hold their peace much longer the stones will cry out against them, and society will universally rebuke them. For if this is not so, than those laws of mind that have so strongly developed themselves in every other country, will fail to do so in this. But there is no mistake. The public conscience is beginning to arouse itself, and there is a murmuring, deep and increasing, that will, by and by, speak forth in accents that must be understood. The time is come for the Church of God and her ministers to speak out, and rebuke this evil everywhere and on all occasions. Will not the brethren come up to the work? When I was first settled in the city of New York, in 1832, I found that one of the elders of the church was a spirit-dealer. The Temperance Reformation was but, as it were, beginning to excite public attention. I reasoned with him in private, but without effect; I then exposed his business in my public preaching, and when he objected to my doing so, I told him that as often as I went into that pulpit, he might expect that I should rebuke both him and his business, till he either forsook the congregation or abandoned the abominable traffic. I did so, and did not let him rest till he left his seat, and went to another congregation; and his place was filled by a better man. But I see I have trespassed too long on your time. The subject is so extensive, as to need a course of lectures. I have condensed as much as possible, and endeavoured to present the subject as fully as I could in one lecture; however, I must now leave the subject with a word of appeal to the ladies of England. The female sex are deeply interested in this question. You are wives, mothers, sisters; do you not see the multitudes of husbands, fathers, brothers, going to destruction, through the use of these drinks? and will you not give the benefit of the whole weight of your precept and example against this crying evil? Shall women withhold their influence from a cause that appeals so strongly to the sympathies and the hearts of all classes of men? If the female sex were to unite their efforts, and wholly discountenance the use of alcoholic drinks, and refuse to associate with those who do use them, in one year they might effect a change which would be the admiration of the world. Will they not come up to the work.

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13. MAKING GOD A LIAR

He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believed not the record which God gave of his Son. - 1 John 5:10 I shall remark at this time upon the second clause of this verse - He that believeth not God hath made him a liar. I will endeavour to show I. What unbelief is not. II. What it is. III. In what sense unbelief makes God a liar. IV. Notice some of the manifestations of unbelief. V. Briefly advert to the results of unbelief. I. WHAT UNBELIEF IS NOT Multitudes of persons speak against unbelief without exactly understanding what it is. It becomes necessary to spend a few moments in showing what unbelief is not, and then what it is. Unbelief is not the mere absence of faith. It is not a mere negative state of mind at all. Neither is unbelief a mere intellectual attitude, or state, caused by a want of sufficient evidence. Neither is unbelief a state of blank ignorance of God and, of his truth. Neither does unbelief consist in a state of entire ignorance of the existence and attributes of God. Unbelief is not mere disbelief or belief in the opposite of what the Bible says is true. Unbelief is not an intellectual state at all. The Bible represents unbelief as a sin; therefore it is not a necessary state of mind. II. WHAT UNBELIEF IS Of course, if it is sin, it must be a voluntary state of mind; the Bible complains of it as a spirit which we have no right to indulge, represents it as a great crime in us for which we are accountable. Now, if this be the fact, it must be a voluntary state of mind; because if we could not help it, the Bible could not denounce it as one of the greatest of sins, and call upon us to cease from it. Again, it is really the opposite of faith. What is faith? Faith is not a mere intellectual conviction. We know it can not be, for the devil has that faith, and so have many wicked man; their intellects assent to the truth, and that is what often troubles them so much. Faith consists, then, in giving God our confidence, in voluntarily yielding ourselves up to him, confiding in him, trusting in him, casting ourselves upon him, voluntarily receiving his truth, and committing ourselves to him. It is thus that the term faith is used in the Bible; the very term that is rendered commit, is also rendered faith. Let them commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator. And again, But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men; in these, and divers other instances, the word here rendered faith, is rendered commit. Now, unbelief is the direct opposite of this; it is the withholding of confidence where there is sufficient evidence, and where there is sufficient light in the intellect; and this withholding of confidence is represented

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as unbelief of the heart - not merely of the intellect, but of the heart. Unbelief implies that the intellect perceives the truth. That which constitutes saving faith is the heart trusting in God, committing itself to the truth, yielding itself up to receive the truth; while unbelief is the opposite of all this - that the heart does not commit itself to God, and does not yield itself up to receive the truth. Now, we often see this state of mind manifested in relation to this world. You see persons withholding their confidence where there is the strongest evidence of the truth of that which they are called upon to believe. Look at that jury box; the prisoner has been tried, and the judge has summed up the evidence, and put the plain truth before the jury, but some of them will not yield to it, will not give their confidence. Now, this state of mind in religion is unbelief. Now, we multitudes of men on every side whose minds are made up concerning the truth of the Bible; they believe it is true; assent to it intellectually, and they call this faith: they say they believe - their opinions are settled. They can argue in defence of their principles, and they say they have faith in them. You call upon them to believe, and they say they do believe; while the fact is, when men will not commit themselves to the truth, they do not believe to the saving of their souls. Intellectual belief is nothing without confidence. The Bible says, This is the victory that overcometh the world, even your faith. Having explained the nature of unbelief, I pass, in the next place, to consider III. IN WHAT SENSE UNBELIEF MAKES GOD A LIAR It is said in the text, he that believeth not God, hath made him a liar. Withholding of confidence, is a practical denial that God is worthy of confidence. Now, there is nothing more unreasonable in the universe, than unbelief. God has so constituted men, that, by a necessary law of their minds, they affirm that he will not lie. Nobody ever believed that God would lie; everybody knows better, every intelligent being in earth, hell, or heaven, knows that God will not lie; and yet, wherever an individual withholds confidence in God, it in a practical denial of his trustworthiness, a practical denial of what reason and conscience affirm must be true. This is one of the most provoking forms of sin of which Moral agents can be guilty. There is nothing more provoking, even to the greatest liars themselves, than to have their veracity called in question. What an infinitely awful sin it must be to make God a liar!! But it is also injurious to yourselves, and ruinous to society. Why, who does not know that if a wife should withhold confidence from her husband, she would ruin herself and her husband too? And so, if a husband withholds confidence in his wife, he ruins his own happiness and that of his wife too. Suppose that confidence is withheld, without good reason, by a husband from his wife, how it ruins her happiness, what a trial it is for her to endure! Suppose that the husband reproaches the wife with having committed some wrong, and withholds his confidence; and, suppose the children lose confidence in her, how can she manage to govern them? What wrong is done to the family! Probably the family would be ruined. Destroy confidence in a government, and, unless it be very strong, and thus enabled to keep the people in awe, that government will very soon be ruined. So with business transactions. The world has to live by confidence. In each other, There is no community whatever that is not ruined, if unbelief, want of confidence, comes to be the law of action. Withholding confidence when there is no reason, is the greatest crime a man can commit against society, or the family. Everybody must admit this. You often find persons tremblingly, quiveringly, alive to their own reputation for veracity, who withhold confidence from God. Some people,

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who call themselves Christians, too, fail to realise the truth of God so as to confide fully in him. God has said all things shall work together for good to them that love God, but a great many persons have no belief in this! They dont rest in Gods words, and they are always in trouble, distress, and tribulation, because of their unbelief. Now, if you should see a man standing on a mountain of granite in the greatest trouble and anguish, lest the rock should not be strong enough to hold him. Why you would say the man is deranged, his conduct would be, in a high degree, ridiculous. Now, the people of God are infinitely more ridiculous, when they withhold confidence in God, than the man on a mountain of granite, fearing it might fall. Gods promises are infinitely more able to support them than mountains of granite! The strongest rocks in creation are but mere air when compared with the stupendous strength and stability of the promises of Jehovah! Heaven and earth shall pass away, but the word of the Lord shall stand fast for ever. Again: it is the most blasphemous of all forms of sin. Let any man publicly accuse God of lying, and the law of the land would lay hands on him. He would be indicted for blasphemy. Suppose a man should go through the streets of London, proclaiming aloud that God was a liar, you would very soon find him in Newgate, and he would deserve to be there. If any man should go through the streets, proclaiming that God was a liar, everybody would say it was the most revolting species of blasphemy; they would stop their ears and run, in order to get away from him. Nobody would dare to walk in the same street with him, lest a thunderbolt should descend and destroy him, or the earth open, and swallow him up. Now, many a man, if his conduct were put into words, and he should speak them, would be indicted for blasphemy. Again: let me say unbelief accuses God of perjury. God has sworn the greatest oath that he could think of, in confirmation of his truth. Because he could sware by no greater, he aware by himself. He confirmed his promise by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie. Now, mark! Unbelief accuses God of lying under an oath! - of lying under the greatest oath that God could take! Suppose a man should, in words, accuse God of perjury - that he had not only lied, but sworn to a lie! We have now to advert, in the next place, to IV. SOME OF ITS MANIFESTATIONS AND RESULTS First, a want of rest to the soul. Now, when the soul does not rest on the promises of God - does not believe that all things shall work together for good to them that love God - the soul has no rest in Christ, does not embrace Christ, does not rest in his faithfulness and in his promises. Now, my hearers, let me put one question to you - Are you guilty of unbelief? If so, you are the very persons that are charged with making God a liar! Again: another manifestation of unbelief is want of peace. There is always peace and joy in believing. Now, the want of peace is an evidence of unbelief. The fact is, that where there is real faith, although there may be much to disturb and distress the mind, there is deep peace and joy in God, in the midst of it all; but where persons have not peace, real joy, and great satisfaction in God, in his truth, and in his promises, you may know that there is unbelief there. From the very nature of the case, there must be. The mind can not be reposing in the promises of God, if it has not peace and joy. Again: when persons have not power in prayer - when they have no faith in prayer, to prevail with God. In the Bible, we are told that those who have faith, have power with God, and can prevail with God, and receive the spirit of their petitions. Now, let me ask you, my hearers, if you have this confidence, this faith which makes you mighty in prayer; or, do you want this power in prayer? If the latter, then you are guilty of

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unbelief. Now, one of two things must be true, if these things are wanting in your soul - if you have no confidence in the promises, no peace of mind, and no power in prayer - either the Bible is not true, or you do not believe the Bible; because the Bible affirms that these things are true of them that believe. But I remark again; those who live in bondage to any form of sin are in a state of unbelief. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. Now, when men live under any form of worldliness, they are under the condemnation of the law. This is the victory that overcometh the world, even your faith. Now, if you are living in bondage to sin because of unbelief, you are living in a state of condemnation; your own conscience condemns you because of your unbelief. Again: another evidence of unbelief is, the manifestation of a servile spirit in reference to religion - the spirit of a servant, as distinguished from the spirit of a son. By servant, I mean slave; one who serves his master from fear, not love. Now, a great many persons profess to serve God, but they do not serve him with the spirit of sons, although they profess to be the children of God; they look upon religion as something which must not be neglected; they perform their religious duties, not from any love to religion, but as the least of two evils; and thus they drag out a painful existence. Christianity, to them, is not a peace-giving religion; it is not their life in which they have supreme delight, loving it for its own sake. It is to them something which they must attend to, something which they must not neglect, but which they would be very glad to neglect if they dared. They go to meeting, and read their Bibles, and pray, not because their heart & are filled with love to God, love to the Bible, love to their closets - not because they love to have communion with God. No! Their religious duties are regarded as a task, which they must not omit to perform. Now; remember, that in every instance where persons take this view of religion and religious dudes, there is unbelief in the heart. Such persons go through a form of prayer, not from love to God, but because they think it is their duty to pray. Who does not see that to approach God from such motives is not prayer, but only an indication of a mare servile spirit, an evident manifestation of unbelief. They dont come to God to get anything. They dont expect to receive anything from God. The Bible has promised them great things in answer to prayer, but they dont expect them. They pray, because it is their duty. They never run to God to make a request, as a child runs to its father for something which it wants, holding up its little hands with a smile on its face, expecting to get the favour for which it asks. They do nothing of this sort. They say their prayers, or perhaps read them; go through a form, and do what they call praying, and what for? Many persons pray, not because God has given them promises, not because they have something in their hearts that they want God to give, and because they expect to get it, but because it is their duty to make a prayer. Now, who does not see that this is a manifestation of unbelief; the evidence of a spirit directly opposite to the spirit of prayer, and everything that belongs to true religion. Now, if any of you, my hearers, have been religious because it was your duty - have served God from a servile spirit, and not from spontaneous love; let me urge you, for once, to approach his throne to-night, and pray, expecting to receive that for which you seek. I say that now you are an unbeliever; you may call yourself what you please, but as certain as God is true - as certain as God is true, you have no faith! I remark again: a spirit of worldly-mindedness is an evidence of unbelief. I mean that state in which the mind is given up to worldly pursuits and amusements, that minding

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earthly things of which the apostle speaks - living the mind up to them, giving the chief attention to them, and being chiefly influenced by worldly considerations. Now, mark! This is the very opposite of a state of faith, which, from its very nature, precludes this state of mind. If you find that your mind is worldly, that you are engrossed with worldly things, you may be sure that you have no faith. Can you pray with the world in your mind? Can you go to the sanctuary with business engrossing your thoughts? Can you receive Gods truth into your mind, if it is given up to other influences? It is naturally impossible for you to serve God and the world! If you are worldly-minded, I say, it is an evidence of unbelief! And unbelief, remember, virtually charges God with being a liar; and the man who is an unbeliever has the hardihood to say, in conduct, though not in words, that God is a perjured being, that he lies under an oath! But let me say again: the spirit of cowardice is an evidence of unbelief. Those people who believe God are not afraid of anybody. Spiritual cowardice is always the result of unbelief. Confidence in God makes the righteous strong as lions. Now, if you are spiritual cowards; if you are afraid to talk to sinners about their souls; if you are afraid to hold up the light, it is because you do not believe. Again: neglect of the Bible is also a manifestation of unbelief. Nobody neglects the Bible who believes it. Again: neglect to use the promises of the Bible - not pleading them in order to receive their fulfilment - is a sure indication of unbelief. Again: a spirit of indifference in regard to the state of religion, blindness in regard to the state of sinners, no compassion for them, a want of interest in their conversion, are certain indications of unbelief; and I might point out hundreds of others. But let me ask, who of us are guilty of unbelief? If I am guilty of unbelief, I am the very wretch that stands before you, and makes God a liar! If you are guilty of unbelief, you are the wretches who stand before God, and accuse him of being a liar! Horrible! Horrible! But is it not true? Does not everybody know, that if a man withholds confidence from God, it is because he regards God as unworthy of confidence; and if unworthy of confidence, it must be that he is not a true being, but a liar! I will now make a very few remarks, in the next place, only. V. THE RESULTS OF UNBELIEF First, unbelief always produces a heartless religion. Therefore, whenever you find a man whose religion is not soul-satisfying - not a living principle in his soul; whenever you find, in your own experience, that religion is not peace and joy in the Holy Ghost; whenever you find, that your religion is not a spontaneous principle of love to God, you may conclude that the reason is because the heart is filled with unbelief. Again: if you lose your faith, your religion will be legal. When persons lose their faith, they do a great many things without regard to God at all. They cease to have an eye to Gods will, pleasure, and glory; you can not distinguish between them and the professedly unGodly. Oftentimes, what they call their religious duties, they perform not out of love to God, supreme regard to him, but to promote their own selfishness. Again: another consequence of unbelief is that it renders salvation naturally impossible. Now, it should always be remembered that the conditions of salvation are not arbitrary; they are natural and necessary conditions. If anybody would go to heaven, be must be prepared for heaven. If an individual has not love to God in his heart, it is naturally impossible that he should be happy in heaven. What would there be in heaven to interest him? What would he do in heaven? To enjoy heaven, and be happy there, he must be a holy man, and this he can only be as he is made so by faith. Again: of course, disobedience of heart to God is always a result of unbelief; there is no heart-obedience to any

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government, any further than individuals have confidence in that government; the heart of man must confide in any system of government, in order to a hearty and true obedience to it. In respect to the governmental consequences: all unbelief entirely rejects the Mediator between God and man - it rejects the office, the authority, and atonement of Christ altogether. The penalty of the law is dead against those that are unbelievers - those who believe not are condemned already, because they have not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God. A few remarks must close what I have to say this morning. I remark, first, that the first sin in our world, when we resolve it into its true elements as a particular form of sin, was unbelief. Let us look at it. God had told man that he must not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, or by so doing he should die. The tempter told our first parents that they should not die, if they did eat of it; and tried to make them believe that God was selfish in the prohibition - that God gave them that injunction from a fear that by their eating of the fruit they should become like himself. Now, what did they do? Why, they dared to withdraw confidence in God. So completely did the insinuation of the tempter take hold of them, that it is said - When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat, and also gave unto her husband with her, and be did eat. Now, what was the particular form of sin? Why, it was first withdrawing, and, then withholding, faith from God; they refused to confide in what God had said - they did not believe that he studied their good in the prohibition. They listened to the words of the tempter, and believed what he told them, that God was jealous of them; that he forbade them to eat of the tree lest they should become Gods: and then they withdrew confidence in God, and suffered the consequences. Again: this is the root of sin in man - his withholding confidence in God. All the forms of iniquity in this world took their rise here, and we might, did time permit, trace them, by a philosophical method, to this source. Withholding confidence in God is one of the worst of evils - having no confidence in Gods wisdom, benevolence, goodness, leaves the mind a blank. Why persons are drawn aside into vice is, because they have lost confidence in God and goodness. If a man yielded his heart to God, could he be carried away with every breath of temptation? No, indeed, he could not; but when he withdraws confidence, the mind is darkened, and error exercises its fall power in his soul. How remarkable was the effect of unbelief in Adam and Eve! As soon as they withdrew confidence in God, they thought they could hide themselves from him; so grossly, did they fall into darkness by withholding confidence, that they thought they could hide themselves among the trees when the Lord God walked in the garden. Again: perfect faith would secure entire holiness. Suppose any man has perfect confidence in all that God says, could he sin? What! Have perfect confidence in Gods love, Gods goodness, Gods universal presence, and consent to sin? No more than they do in heaven; for what is the reason they do not sin in heaven, but because they have such universal confidence in God? If a man had perfect confidence in God, could he sin? Never, never. Where there is any overt act of sin, there is unbelief. Again: there are a vast number of professors of religion, who are grossly guilty of unbelief. They have no peace and joy in God, no power in prayer, are worldly-minded, are careful and troubled about many things, giving as full evidence of being in a state of unbelief as the world around them; their lives, words, and actions are just the same as those who make no profession at all. You can hardly distinguish them, unless you see them at the Communion Table. You ask if they are believers, and

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they say, yes; and persuade themselves that they are Christians. But as certain as God is true they are unbelievers, and will be lost with all their profession! Again, the unbelief manifested by professors of religion, is one of the greatest stumbling-blocks in the way of the conversion of the world, and tends to drive their children into infidelity and sin. But I will not enlarge upon this, as I have done so in a previous discourse. Lastly, let me urge upon you to reflect upon the awful wickedness of unbelief. Suppose you have withdrawn confidence from God, what is the state of your hearts? Why, you are playing the hypocrite and concealing the real state of your hearts, and are thus kept from being indicted for blasphemy. Unbelievers, in the sense in which I have explained, whether in the Church or out of the Church, if you were to speak out the real state of your hearts, you would be disgraced before the community and chased from society, if you should venture to persist in this unbelief. Now, in a few days you and I shall stand before God. What will be our state then? We shall stand before him whom we have accused of lying, withdrew confidence from, and would not believe! I But I must not continue this strain of remark. May God have mercy on us; and let us ponder these things, and turn unto the Lord with full purpose of heart, and thus avert his wrath from us!

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14. MOCKING GOD

Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong; for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth. - Isaiah 28:22 In speaking from these words, I propose to consider I. What we are to understand by mocking, or being mockers. II. Some of the ways in which persons mock God. III. Call attention to some of the consequences of mocking God. I. WHAT WE ARE TO UNDERSTAND BY MOCKING The term to mock, in its scriptural sense, means to act hypocritically; to make false pretences or professions. We sometimes speak of having our hopes mocked, that is, they are disappointed. To be a mocker is to be hypocritical, to make false presences, representations that are not true. To mock God is to pretend to love and serve him when we do not; to act in a false manner, to be insincere and hypocritical in our professions, pretending to obey him, love, serve, and worship him, when we do not. Anything that amounts to insincerity is mockery, anything that is only pretence, and does not represent the state of the heart. The term to mock, in ordinary language, means to dishonour. In this sense it is that God is mocked by not being honoured. He is not dishonoured really, but only so far as man is concerned. When it is said in the Bible, God is not mocked, it means God is not dishonoured really, although individuals do that which would dishonour him, if he could be dishonoured. I am now to call your attention to II. SOME OF THE WAYS IN WHICH PERSONS MOCK GOD And here let me say, in the outset, that if there be anything of vital importance to us, it is that we really understand what is our true position in respect to God; whether we are or are not accepted of him in the service which we profess to render unto him. I must pass rapidly over these thoughts; and, therefore, I can not do more than make suggestions, which I beg you will think over and enlarge upon for yourselves. 1. I remark, in the first place, that we mock God when we present ourselves in the house of God as his professed servants, without the true spirit of obedience, love, worship, and faith. Unless we are really in an obedient state of mind, in the true spirit of devotion to his service, we mock him by the very fact of coming to his house as worshippers. For example, what do we profess in coming before him as worshippers? It is very important that we should understand what is really implied in coming to Gods house, and taking our places before him, as worshippers of God. Why, in coming to Gods house you profess to be devoted to his interests, service, and glory, that in your hearts you are really the servants of God, and that you come to his house to express what is in your hearts. You profess by this act to have an obedient spirit, love unfeigned, full confidence in him, submission to him, and the spirit of true worship. Now, every one who goes to the house of God without these sentiments of

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humility, love, and obedience, is a mocker, in the Bible sense of the term; and you are sternly asked, Who hath required this at your hands, that you should tread my courts without the spirit of true worshippers - the spirit of truth, real obedience, love, faith, repentance, devotion, consecration to me? Why have you come before me as mere mockers, drawing near to me with your lips, while your heart is far from me? Now, everyone that comes to the house of God as a worshipper professes, by the very act, that he possesses the spirit of devotion to God, the spirit of consecration to his service and glory. 2. Again, it must imply in us two things, either that we already profess to be devoted to him, or that we come to inquire how we may consecrate ourselves to him and obey him. The language of the real Christian is, let us go up to the house of God and inquire what the will of the Lord is, that we may understand his will, and that we may do it. By the very act of coming to inquire his will, they pledge themselves to obey it when it is made known to them. If this is not the case, what can it mean? For what purpose do you visit Gods house? Let me ask you that are professors of religion, for what end do you come to Gods house, if it is not to learn his will that you might obey him, and do more to glorify him? If this is not the disposition of your minds, if this is not what you mean, then you are mockers, and you appear before God in the character of hypocrites, virtually saying, O God, we dont come to obey thee, we dont come to inquire thy will concerning us, with the intention of doing it: we only come pretending this, for in our hearts we have no desire to obey thy will, and do what thou requirest of us. Suppose that there are some of this class of person in this house now. No one can deny that we are met professedly to worship God, and the very fact of coming to such a meeting is surely a declaration that you wish to be instructed in the will of the Lord, that you may obey him and glorify his name. Now, is not this true? Why, yes it is! This is a meeting for Gods worship, for God to reveal his will to his people in order that they may do it. Now, the very fact that you are come together, must imply that you have pledged yourselves, that when the will of the Lord is made known, you will do it. The very fact that we come to Gods house must imply that we come to worship God, that we appear before him as obedient people, with a determination in our hearts to do whatever he may tell us to do. Now, let me ask, is not anything short of complying with the spirit of this pledge, mocking God? Would you not regard yourselves as mocked if you were served in the same way by your fellow-creatures? - if an individual should profess great attachment to you, and after all have no such feeling in his heart? Let it be understood, then, that all assemblies meeting for the worship of God, who are really not in a state of heart to do whatever he commands them, are mockers. Just so far as they are not in a right state of heart they mock God, and all who come to such places and do not honestly intend to apply the truth, and obey it themselves when they return into the world, why they mock God. The very fact of their appearing before him implies that they mean to obey him. If they do not, they are mockers. Hear what the Lord said by the mouth of the prophet, They speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come I pray you and hear what is the word that cometh from the Lord, and they come unto thee as my people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their conversation. And lo! thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on a instrument: for they hear thy words but they do them not. They wanted to make him believe that they designed to obey him, and came out and sat before the prophet as the

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people of God, and heard his words with attention, and professed to love and admire them, but would not do them. Now, let me ask, how is it with us here to-night? Do we realise what is implied in our coming here? Are we mocking God, or do we intend to redeem the pledge which we make to God by our appearance in this house? 3. Again: Confessing sin without repentance is also mocking God. When persons confess sin they profess to be sorry that they ever committed sin. I suppose that every person in the act of confession professes to be sorry for sin. Surely, then, if there is such a thing as mocking God, it is this - confessing sin without repentance. 4. Again: When persons confess sin without forsaking their sins, they mock God. Who can doubt this? 5. Again: We mock God by confessing sin and professing repentance for sin, without making restitution when we have done wrong. If we confess, without repentance, without forsaking, and without making restitution to those we have injured, of course we are mocking God in all this. I know it is true that persons oftentimes abound in confession, but go right on in the same way notwithstanding. Some persons are in the daily habit of confessing their sins, and then suppose that this is all that is required of them. If you tell them that they are sinners and must seek repentance, they tell you, Remember, we confess our sins! They confess that they are in a bad state of mind, that they do not do their duty, that they have done those things which they ought not to have done, and have undone those things which they ought to have done; they confess those things, day after day, and week after week, but never mean to forsake the sins which they confess themselves to be guilty of. Now, when persons confess sin and do not forsake it, and make restitution as far lies in their power, where they have done wrong, all their confessions only amount to this - mocking God. For what does confession imply? Repentance! What is repentance? Why, repentance is heart rejection of sin; and if the heart turns away from sin the life must also of necessity, for the heart governs the external life. By a necessary law of mans being this must be so. Now, where persons profess repentance for sin, without forsaking sin and turning away from it, by all their confessions they mock God. Now, from all this you can judge whether you are guilty of mocking God, whether you are hypocritical. As a matter of course, you mock God if you confess sin and do not forsake and resist it, as we have seen. What are your views of sin in general? Do you confess sin in your closets? Confess the sins of the day when you are about to retire for the night? If so, why do you do it? Do you intend to repent of your sins, or do you expect to continue to live just as you have lived? Do you confess your sins because you think it is safe as a matter of form? Now, all such confessions of sin as do not come from the heart, from a penitent heart resolved upon forsaking sin, are not only senseless, they are worse than senseless, much worse - they are downright mocking of God. 6. But again: All mere formality in prayer, asking for things from mere custom. Some persons in their closets, if they are in the habit of closet prayer, will pray for things without thinking what they say. They pray according to custom, they go round about in a circle, always asking for much the same things without really considering what

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they say, or hardly knowing what they do say. They get into the habit of going a certain round, saying certain things from week to week and year to year. They have family worship, or an imitation of it. They keep up the custom, because they have a duty to perform, as they think: it wont do to neglect their prayers, as they call them. They never fail to have these so-called family devotions, but they pray without faith, without deep feeling, and without anything that should characterise prayer. It is all a mere matter of form. Instead of coming from the depths of the heart, why it is mere talk and form. Now, of course, such conduct as this amounts only to mockery persons who act thus, instead of praying to God, shamefully mock him. There is such formality in family worship, that every member of the household can tell almost exactly what is going to be prayed for. Sometimes this same thing is seen in the public assembly also. Now, all such things as these are merely mocking of God. 7. Again, let me say, all matters of form, and stereotyped ways of doing things in public worship, that are done as things of course, because they are accustomed to be done: the want of sincerity, and the general state of mind implied in all this, is mocking God. For example, congregations are in the habit of doing certain things in a certain order. Sing! read! pray! sing! preach! sing! dismiss! Now, this is all very well if these things are done in the spirit of them; but suppose a congregation get into such a state that they do not enter into the spirit of the service, they mock God by the performance! For example, the minister reads the hymn and the people begin to sing; they are affected by the sound of the music, and in consequence think themselves very religious. It is a very common thing for individuals to suppose that they are very devotional, because they have some sort of emotional feelings when some plaintive hymn is being sung. For many years before I was converted, I led the music in a public assembly. I could shed tears in singing oftentimes; and so deep were my emotions frequently, that I used to take a self-righteous satisfaction in such feelings; but I was an impenitent sinner and a mocker of God. This is no uncommon thing. Some people who have been living in sin all day, and, having no purpose of amendment, can sit down and sing Gods praises. Without being in a state of devotion, and never having given their hearts to God at all, they will sing such lines as these Had I a thousand hearts to give, Lord they should all be thine. Indeed! when you have not given him the one that you have got! They will also sing When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince the Glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride. Who does not know that it is common for persons to sing these hymns whose lives tell you that they are not devoted to God! And who will deny that this is dreadful mockery! What can be more solemn and horrible mockery than for a man with a wicked heart to sing such expressions as these. Now, let me say, there is a vast amount of this in religious assemblies. And there is a vast amount of self-deception. I have observed in many places where I have been since I have been in the ministry, that just in proportion as a congregation loses the spirit of true religion, the true spirit of prayer, the true spirit of zeal and devotedness, they will spend their time in singing. You
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appoint a prayer-meeting to pray for sinners; but, instead of praying they will spend their time in singing. As many long hymns as you please they will sing, but make very short and lifeless prayers. They will amuse themselves by singing hymns, because they can do that and yet go on in their worldly and sinful indulgences; but they have not the heart to pray. Again and again have I known instances in which meetings have been called to pray for sinners, when those who have met to pray have spent nearly the whole time in singing. Instead of considering the guilt and danger of these sinners, and beseeching the throne of God in their behalf - instead of calling mightily upon God to lay hold of them and save them, they have spent their time in singing long hymns. Indeed, it is universally true, that professors will sing in proportion to their want of spiritual life. Ask them to pray, and they would rather sing, and by so doing frequently deceive themselves. I have seen so much of this mocking God in singing, that when I have taken up my hymn-book, I have been afraid to read a hymn for the congregation to sing, lest they should mock God. When I have known the state which they were in, and have had reason to believe the great mass of them were in a state of spiritual death, I have asked, Can you sing this? Can you - dare you sing it? Shall we quench the Holy Ghost in our hearts, and drive him from the assembly? Now, congregations very frequently, and professors of religion too, in singing oftentimes grieve and quench the Holy Spirit of God. If the heart does not mean what the lips express, you mock God. 8. Again: Persons often mock God at the Communion Table. What do they profess when they come to the Communion Table? Do they not profess to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ? Do they not profess by this act to pledge themselves afresh to him? And is this always the temper of mind in which they come? Is it not true, that many come to the table of the Lord as a mere matter of form, because they dare not stay away, and thus become mockers of God. Suppose any come with enmity and malignity in their hearts towards any of their brethren, or with a consciousness of having oppressed and injured those whom they may have in their employ, without having made restitution, do they not mock God, and grieve the Holy Spirit? To be sure they do! Although this is one of the most exalted means of grace, yet how often is it abused by persons coming to it in an improper state of mind and heart! Thus they mock God, and bring leanness into their own souls. 9. Again: Persons often mock God in professing to give thanks for his mercies. How often is giving of thanks but a mere matter of form? I recollect on one occasion having a note put into my hands by the deacon of a church where I was preaching, requesting me to return thanks for some person who had been ill. I found this was a common custom, for the request was partly in print. What was I to do? I did not know that this person was sincere; I did not know that he was a Christian. Must I tell God that this individual came to thank him for his mercies when it might not be true? What could I do? Was I to do as I was desired because it was a custom? Was I to play the hypocrite in the presence of God and the congregation? And yet how often do ministers conform to this custom when there is reason to believe that the person for whom the thanks are requested has no gratitude in the heart at all. Now, it is true a congregation may themselves thank God, although the individual for whom the thanks are returned does not mean it; nevertheless, I have quivered sometimes when such things have been thrown upon me. I have been afraid to return thanks for individuals. I have asked myself, How shall I dare to appear before God as a mere matter of form or custom? Now, I am not finding fault with persons for returning thanks, for I think it is wise and

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proper to recognise the hand of God in everything. It is everybodys duty to do so, but let us beware lest we be found lying to the Holy Ghost, who requires truth in the inward parts, and abhors that which does not come from the heart. 10. Again, persons often mock God in the public consecration of their children to him in baptism, and especially in certain forms of consecration. Sponsors - godfathers and godmothers, as they are sometimes called - pledge themselves before high heaven on behalf of the children, that they will ensure their being Christians, and perhaps never see them again. What awful and intolerable pretence is this to make before a heartsearching God! If those who do not adhere to these forms profess to bring their children to God and dedicate them to him in baptism, and yet do not realise what is implied in the act, they are in danger of bringing upon themselves and their children that punishment which God will inflict upon those who mock him. 11. Again: All mere compliance with custom in private or public worship; to say and do things because they are customarily said and done, is mocking God. 12. Again: Saying the Lords prayer is often a mere mockery, as all of you must be fully aware, from beginning to end! We now come to notice, very briefly III. SOME OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF MOCKING GOD The Bible says, in the words of our text - Be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong. What is meant by this? 1. The fact is, mocking God grieves the Holy Spirit, and sears the conscience; and thus the bands of sin become stronger and stronger. The heart becomes gradually hardened by such a process. Why should it not? Why should not the heart become fearfully hardened by such trifling with divine things? When individuals accustom themselves to say things without meaning, the effect must be that they come to disbelieve in them altogether, and their hearts become hard and callous to the invitations of the Gospel. 2. And not only do the bands of sin become strong, but delusion becomes strong. Their minds become so darkened that they lose all sense of what is true, spiritual, and good, in relation to religion, the Bible, and everything else. If I had time I might notice some facts on this subject, that have come under my own observation, but there is little need of this; I doubt not that most of you have witnessed the dreadful results of formality in religion, in hardening the heart, and perverting the mind from a perception of all that is true. Things that would affect the ungodly do not affect them at all. For example, if you can get an infidel to go away by himself and pray, he will find it a very solemn and awful business to speak to God; and will be impressed ten times more than the man who has for years been mocking God by his formality, and pretending to pray all his life. Men become gospel - hardened by mocking God. They mock God until the truth of God ceases to affect them. Their hearts have become so dead and their consciences so stupefied, that when Gods voice calls upon men to repent, it passes right by them without affecting them in the least. 3. Again: They will get into such a state, and their darkness becomes so great, that they think and profess they are doing their duty, when they are only mocking God by their heartless formality. And, of course, the more such persons abound in their duty, the

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more are they hardened in sin. Who does not know this? Formalists are the most hardened class, because they mock God the most. It is always so, that just in proportion as persons about in mere form, they become hardened in sin before God. A few remarks must close what I have to say. Stereotyped forms tend to divert the mind from a true idea of religion. I have found that all forms of worship must, from the very nature of the case, tend to make men formalists, and blind their minds to a true idea of the spirituality of religion. For example, what true idea of prayer has the man who reads his prayer from a book? What is prayer? Why, it is the language of the heart, coming to God for the supply of its wants; like a little child coming to its parents for something that it wishes for. The child comes to its parent and asks, because it feels that it wants, and knows where it can get what it wants. Now, suppose a child, when it wanted a piece of bread, should read a prayer to its parent, without the word bread being mentioned in it; or if it was mentioned at the end, he must go right through the whole of the prayer before he got to it, and thus get his petition before his parent. Prayer is the language of the heart addressed to God. The language of those who feel that they are in need of something which God can bestow. Now, suppose prayer should be regarded in any other light; the man begin to use a form of words which he calls prayer, because he thinks it is his duty, why he loses the true idea of prayer altogether. This is how persons often lose all true idea of religion and spiritual worship. Thus it was with the Jewish nation - they lost the true idea of religion in the multitude of their forms and ceremonies. Again, I remark, that without great care we are all liable to fall into the sin of insincerity. Be perfectly upright with God in your closet. I have been long satisfied that much of the backsliding we are called to witness, is caused by insincerity in private devotion. If any man is not honest with God in private, neither will he be honest in public, and thus his mind and soul will become ruined and alienated from God. It is but right and proper that every time we meet together for public worship, the minister should offer public prayer to God, but it never need be insincere prayer, for if the minister lives near to God, as he ought, he will always find enough to say. Yes, more than he could utter if he were to talk from morning till night. And if he does not walk with God, it were much better to say nothing at all, and not insult and grieve the Spirit of God by using language that is not dictated by the heart. Once more, from what has been said, you see how it is that some leaders in religious services become so excessively hardened. I have known some of this class in the midst of a revival so cold and callous that the truth never served to touch them at all. Now, there is nothing that will so soon blast and destroy the spirituality and prosperity of a Church, as men of this sort being leaders and chief men in the Church. The Lord deliver us from such. Again, persons should beware of anything like formality in their family worship. I know that some people think forms are better than nothing in a family, but I dont believe it. I am confident that nothing tends so much to ruin a family. It will make the children despise religion, and become hardened to its influence. My beloved brethren, how is it with you, you that profess to be Christians? Are you honest with God; does he know that you are? Do you confess that sometimes you are not, and do you ask what you shall do when you do not feel in the spirit of prayer? Why, begin right there, and tell God that you have not the spirit of prayer. There is something true; some place where you can begin. Is it that you dont feel right? Then tell God that. Are you not in the spirit of prayer? Tell him that! If you want the Holy Spirit, tell him that! If you have sinned, confess that! Be honest, and make no pretence

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whatever. Let sincerity be the habit of your life, and you will always have something to say to God; your love, faith, and devotion will be strengthened, and your soul blessed. If you are honest with God, you will always find him honest with you! Some years ago I was acquainted with a young man who had been studying for the ministry; this young man, soon after he had completed his college course, became the subject of a very strong conviction that much of his religious profession had been nothing but a mockery. One night he retired to rest, and after having put out the light and laid down in the bed, he was very much surprised to see the room re-lighted; he sat up in the bed and looked to see whence the light came; he perceived a person in the room looking very earnestly at him, standing at the foot of the bed; in a few moments the whole light of the room concentrated itself into a single eye, and that eye was fixed intensely upon him. He trembled violently, and was in a state of dreadful agony: the eye continued to glare upon him, looking him through and through, searching his very thoughts. He never forgot this searching; it so completely subdued him, that he came to be one of the most holy men and devoted ministers I ever knew. One of the deacons wrote to me a short time ago, and said, Mr. Hopkins is gone to heaven; we want some one to supply his place, but we can not expect another Mr. Hopkins. Now, he became what he was, because the Spirit searched him and revealed his heart to himself. Oh, for the Spirit to search every one of us! Let him begin with me! Brethren, pray that my heart may be searched; that the hearts of all your ministers may be searched; that your own hearts may be searched. Pray that God may search us all, that we may be mercifully kept from mocking God, lest our bands be made strong.

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15. THE CONDITIONS OF PREVAILING PRAYER

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. - Matthew 7:7-8 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. - James 4:3 These two passages of Scripture may seem to contradict each other, yet they do not. Matthew affirms that all prayer is heard and answered - Every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. James says that some ask, and do not receive; and inquires the reason why. Yet, I repeat, these Scriptures do not contradict each other by any means. When it is said, that every one that asketh receiveth, we are to understand, of course, that there is a right asking, and a wrong asking; for what James says will compel us to do this, were we not otherwise disposed to do it. James says, Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss; which informs us that there are certain conditions for a right asking, and that there is such a thing as asking amiss. There are few persons who have not, some time or other, felt stumbled on reading these passages. So much is said in the Scriptures about Gods answering, while so much is prayed for that is not answered, that it is a sore trial to many minds. It was to myself a stumbling-block; for some time, I could not understand at first how it could be that such unqualified assertions, as those which are made by Matthew, were consistent with the fact that so much prayer remained unanswered. My mistake was twofold 1. I expected all prayer to be answered literally; overlooking the fact, that God often answers prayer according to the spirit, when he does not answer it precisely according to the letter. We have an illustration of this in the case of Paul, when he prayed to be delivered from the thorn in the flesh. This thorn in the flesh was a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him, lest he should be exalted above measure, because of the abundance of the revelations which had been committed unto him. Christ had a particular object in giving him this thorn in the flesh, whatever it might have been. It appeared that Paul was distressed about it; and he besought Christ to remove it. His object was not selfish. It would interfere with his usefulness, he thought. Now, Christ did not grant the letter of this petition, yet he granted the spirit of it. He said, My grace is sufficient for thee; informing him that he had this thorn in the flesh for a good purpose; that it should not prove an injury, or stand in the way of his influence, but that his grace should be sufficient for him, Paul now says, he gloried in his infirmities; in short, instead often persisting in desiring to have the thorn removed, he rather gloried in it, that the power of Christ might rest upon him, assured that the thing he feared should not come upon him. This was all he wanted. He did not want the thorn removed, if it would not injure his usefulness. Let this illustrate what I mean. I said I stumbled, and many others have done so, because they did not understand that prayer is frequently answered, not according to the letter, but the true spirit - the substance and essence is granted, though not in the way which was expected. 2. Another mistake I fell in to, and which I suppose is common among intelligent men, was, that I overlooked the fact that there are certain conditions expressed in the Bible,

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upon which prayer may be expected to be answered, and that there is a distinction between that which is commonly regarded as prayer, and that which God regards as such. As soon as my attention was directed to that question, I was satisfied that the difficulty lay, not in the Bible not being true the difficulty was not that God was a hearer, and not an answerer of prayer but that he himself had pointed out certain conditions upon which he would answer it, expressly in some instances, always impliedly, and that we need not expect an answer, except upon those conditions. No doubt, God often listens to the cry of distress, without regard to the character of the petitioner, or whether he has any character at all. In other words, I suppose he often hears the moanings of animals in distress, and comes to their assistance; he hears the young-ravens when they cry; he even hears human beings that is, he can do it, and he is disposed to do it, when he can do so consistently with his relations to the universe. This, however, is not prayer; it is merely the cry of anguish. God comes to the relief of such whenever he can properly do it. I would not throw a stumbling-block in the way of those who have this in their minds; no doubt, there is a cry of distress, but I have to speak to that prayer which is heard and answered. In hearing the cry of distress, without regard to the character, motives, or designs of the petitioners, it is a mere breaking forth of Gods benevolence, without having given any pledge that he would bear and answer such petitions. But there is a kind of prayer to which God stands Pledged to give an answer, and it is of that kind of prayer that I propose to treat this evening; and especially, I desire to enter to-night upon some of the conditions that God has himself revealed to us. Let me read a passage to illustrate what I mean, Beloved, if our heart condemn us not then we have confidence toward God; and whatsoever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight (1 John 3:21-22). Now, what have we here? By the term heart, we understand conscience; for it is our conscience that condemns us. If our conscience condemns us not, God is greater than our conscience, and must condemn us all the more. If God much more condemn us, his dominion is greater and much more searching even than that of our conscience. But if the heart condemn us not, this plainly implies, if we do not keep a conscience void of offense towards God and man, we can not expect answers to our prayers. If we have violations of conscience, sins of omission, and sins of commission anything conscience condemns, conscience admonishes us God is not pleased with us, and, therefore, we can not expect an answer to our supplications. This is not directly affirmed, but it is plainly implied, in our text. If the heart condemns us, God much more condemns us. This means, that if our hearts condemn us not, then we may expect an answer to prayer; but if our hearts do condemn us, we can not, and we ought not, to expect an answer to our petitions. It is clear, therefore, 1. A clear conscience a conscience void of offense is a revealed condition of prevailing prayer. Where persons allow themselves in anything, their consciences do not approve, or where they live in any neglect or commission in any state of mind for which their conscience condemns them, and God all the more condemns them, how can they expect to prevail with God? Why, they are living in such a manner that their own consciences affirm that they are not devoted to God!

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The Psalmist says, If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me (Psalm 66:18). Here we have the fact clearly stated. 2. The rejection not only of sins of the outward life but the rejection of heart sins, is an indispensable condition of prevailing prayer. In the first passage I have read, it is merely implied, that if we do not keep a conscience void of offense if we do not reject the sins both of our heart and life we can not expect him to hear us. In the second passage, this is expressly affirmed if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. What is this? Why, if you have iniquity in your hearts. What are heart sins? Every form of selfishness belongs to the heart, as does all sin, or, properly speaking, every species of self-seeking. God expressly says, he will not hear you. Will not this account for the fact, that many do that which they call praying, without prevailing with God? 3. But, again: A spirit of universal obedience is another revealed condition of prevailing prayer. it is said, He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination (Proverbs 9). The term law, is here used to include the whole of the revealed will of God, and is inclusive of whatever God reveals as his will to men. Turning away, here implies unwillingness to obey a spirit of disobedience. Now, here we are informed, that whomever is in that state of mind unwilling to obey God his prayer shall be abomination. But we also do well in such cases to inquire, what is it to turn away the ear, as the term is here used? All neglect to attend to what God says, is turning away the ear; all refusal or neglect to obey what God requires, is turning away the ear; everything of this kind is implied in turning away the ear. Wherever persons pretend in some things to obey God, while in other things they disobey him, this is turning away the ear. Universal obedience - a state of mind desirous of doing whatever Gods known law requires - is, therefore, a necessary condition of prevailing prayer. 4. Being and abiding in Christ, is another revealed condition of prevailing prayer. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you (John 15:7). It is also said, That if a man abide not in me that is, in Christ he is cast forth as a branch, and is with; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned (John 15:6). Surely a man that abides not in Christ, can not be expected to be in a state of mind to prevail with God. It can not be doubted, therefore, that except you abide in Christ, you can not prevail in prayer with God. What is it, then, to abide in Christ? it is, to live and walk in the spirit, to have Christ dwelling in us and we so dwelling in him, that his spirit shall influence us- in other words, it is a yielding of ourselves completely up to him in confidence, embracing him in faith, and so completely abiding in and committing yourselves up to him, as to be brought under his influence. Now, except we be thus united to Christ by faith, so that God regards us as being in Christ, and as receiving things for Christs sake, and through Christ, we can not expect to prevail with him. This is abundantly taught in the Bible. We must be so united to him by faith, as really to walk in the spirit of Christ. He says, if we are in this state, whatsoever we ask, he will give us. How is this? He must mean a good deal by being in him, if, when we are

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in him, and his word abides in us, we shall have whatsoever we ask; for this is certainly a very extensive promise. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Now, again: Ye shall ask what ye will. This plainly implies, that persons who are in Christ, in the sense here meant, are in such a state of mind as never to ask anything of Christ, the true spirit of which it is not proper for him to grant. He would not dare to make such a promise, unless he knew that if a person really abode in him, in this sense, he would only ask what could be consistently granted. It is of great importance that we should understand what is really implied in this. What striking passages are these He says, If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Does he mean, that the person being and abiding in him, should ask anything whatever, and it should be granted? Or does he mean, that you would always ask according to his will that you would, in that state of mind, never ask anything contrary to the revealed will of God that the true spirit of your petitions would always be in precise accordance with his will. If he did not mean this, he could not make such a promise. He leaves the promise without any limitation Ask what ye will; this must imply, they will not have the will to ask anything contrary to the revealed will of Christ, and that those who are really in Christ, abiding in Christ, are taught by the Spirit of God to pray in a much higher sense than people generally suppose. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings that can not be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts, knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, became he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-27). Here, then we have it revealed that the saints are led to pray. Those that abide in Christ, walk and live in his spirit, we are informed are led to pray for things according to the will of God in other words, they are led to pray for those things which God would grant. Now, if we really are in Christ, and abide in him, and his words abide in us, in the sense he must mean here, the spirit of our prayers will always be in accordance with his will. He may, therefore, with the utmost safety, promise to grant all that such persons would ask. Christ did not mean to say, that every such petition would be granted to the letter, but that their hearts would be in such a state living in the spirit of prayer they would be so led, that the spirit of their petitions would always be granted. But this implies plainly, that then are some persons who are not in such a state that they can expect an answer to their petitions. If a man does not abide in Christ, and Christs words do not abide in him, his prayer is not in the spirit that Christ himself would pray in, and it, therefore, can not be expected to prevail. The first Sabbath I preached here, I preached upon two petitions of the Lords prayer, and then I clearly I set forth the state of mind in which we could sincerely offer the Lords prayer. Now, this state of mind is undoubtedly a condition of prevailing prayer; but as I explained then at large, I now will only say, to be in a state of mind in which you can sincerely offer the Lords prayer, is a condition of prevailing prayer.

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5. Ardent desire is a condition of prevailing prayer. It is one thing to say prayer, and quite another thing to be exercised with a strong desire. Prayer, when prevalent, is a strong desire of the heart to have a certain blessing. What would be thought of an individual who should petition the government of this country for a certain thing, and immediately become careless about it; and even almost forget what he had been seeking? Yet does not this resemble the prayer of some persons? Those who pray in the spirit of prayer, pray with a strong desire. The capital spirit itself is said to make intercession for the saints, in groanings that can not be uttered. 6. A willingness to have our prayers answered, is an indispensable condition of prevailing prayer. Persons often pray, when they would be very unwilling to have their prayers answered. They often ask things of God, which they would not have answered except upon certain conditions of their own. They would have God take their way of answering them, and are not willing that he should take his own way. Now, unless they are willing that God should answer them in his own way that he should use the essential means, and fulfil the essential conditions of answering them, why, of course, their prayers can not be expected to prevail. Men often ask things, which can not be done without strong measures, which would greatly agonise, distress, and as far as this worlds goods are concerned, ruin the fortunes of those who pray for them. If we seek things of God, we must be willing to submit the manner to him, and that they may be given us in any way that shall seem good to him. If we ask for more faith, or to be perfected in love, we must, of course, be willing that God should take his own method that he should remove whatever stands in the way of it that he should take away whatever idol we have that he should do what is necessary to be done, in order to answer our requests. Sometimes persons pray, when really in their hearts they interpose conditions. They would have God humble them, if he could do it without disgracing them, or destroying their property. They would have God sanctify them, if it can be done without breaking off their selfindulgences. Things, however, can not be granted without the removal of obstacles; and to pray acceptably, we must be willing to part with a right hand or to put out a right eye, if these things stand in the way of Gods granting our request. Suppose a person pray to be made holy, for example, he must be willing to be made holy; and if there shall be any stumbling-block in the way any besetting sin any unmortified appetite, any passion, any propensity, he must be willing to give it up. If he is unwilling, and insists that the blessing must be granted in his own way, why then he can not be said to pray acceptably. Again, the man who would pray God acceptably to be made holy, must love his enemies. The man who would pray to be holy, and yet continue in the practice of certain forms of sin, is tempting him, because he is to unwilling to yield up his idols, to be crucified to the world. Persons must be willing to be, to do, to suffer, whatever is implied in having their prayers answered, or indispensable to having them answered, or they do not pray acceptably. Were they to examine the matter, they would often find the difficulty in themselves; they are praying for things which they know themselves to need, but are really making such conditions and reservations that their prayer can not be accepted. I could relate, if I had time, and it were worth while, a great many particular cases which have, come under my own observation, of persons who have begun to question
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whether God was really willing to hear prayer, and whether prayer had any such prevalence as it is represented to have in the Bible; but by and by they come to understand that the difficulty was not in God, but that they were really unwilling that God should give them what they sought, on those terms on which alone he could do so. Many persons pray that they maybe Christians, but all the time are unwilling to be Christians, and when they come to conceive rightly of what it is to be a Christian, they perceive that they are entirely unwilling to have their prayers answered. I recollect the case of a young lady, who professed to have an intense willingness to become a Christian. She had prayed a great deal, and had done all that she supposed that she possibly could; and finally, after making these pretences, after a long time, during which her mind was strongly exercised about her soul, one day she retired to her chamber to pray. She knelt down, but before she opened her mouth it was shown her what was implied in becoming a Christian living a holy life. Certain things came on strongly before her, as to what it was necessary to be, to do, and to suffer, in order to be a Christian, that she said it seemed to be put to her, as if God himself had put it to her before her face, Are you willing that every obstacle shall be removed? Furthermore, it seemed clear, that if she would ask sincerely, her prayer would be granted. But as soon as she saw what was really implied, she rose up and went away, and would not ask. She saw she had not heart to attempt it. So it often is, where persons continue praying, until they doubt whether God be willing to answer prayer, and are ready to accuse him of being unfaithful. At length they see that, within themselves, they are not really willing to receive the true spirit of the thing which they seek. 7. But I may remark again: disinterestedness is a condition of prevailing prayer. James says, Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. I do not mean by this absence of interest, that nothing should be sought, but directly opposite. We should desire, but it should be for a right reason. Suppose an individual prays for his own sanctification, why desires he it? Is it merely for the pleasure or the honour of being sanctified? What does he want to be sanctified for? Is it not to affect a removal of the trouble and disgrace attending on sin? Is it not that he may enter the perpetual sunshine, and happiness, and joy of Gods peace? Is this the reason? Does he seek it for his own particular benefit for some selfish reason? No wonder, then, if he asks in this way, that he is not answered. He asks selfishly. Suppose you are wounded to the heart at a world around you living in sin; if your object is to glorify God, your eye is single to this; you want to hold up the true light of the gospel, that men may understand what it is, that their souls may be enlightened, saved; if such be your object, and such alone, than you are sympathising with God, and you are asking the blessing for the same reason that God would give it you. Again, do you sympathise with Gods motives, plans, and designs! If persons ask for blessings, they must sympathise with God in this respect. They must ask for a reason for which God can consistently give. It must not be such a reason as God would blush to acknowledge to have influenced his conduct; but such as to justify him in the sight of every moral agent in the universe. A selfish petition, therefore, will have no influence with God. It would disgrace him if it should. Petitions must be free from selfishness. We must rise above mere selfish considerations, and take into view the great reason for which God answers prayer. If

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persons would pray, for example, for their own holiness and sanctification, it should be because they sympathise with Gods view of sin. They must be willing to be holy, whatever fiery trials the attainment and maintenance of holiness may lead them through. Men take a wrong view of this matter, supposing sanctification has no trials, whereas it often tests and tries men, in order that they and every one else may see what God has done for them. When God gives great blessing, he does not intend that they should be hid under a bushel. When he gives persons great grace, he always places them in a position to try them. If they do not pass through seasons to try them, how should anybody know that God had given them great grace? Now, are you willing to be sanctified, cost what it may? willing to give up all iniquity in every form, let the consequence be what it may, so that God may be glorified? 8. You must have right motives, too, for praying for others, as well as when praying for yourselves; as, for instance, when interceding for your children, your husbands, your wives. I recollect the case of a woman who had a husband who was impenitent. I questioned her as to the manner in which she prayed, and she told me that she had prayed for a long time, that she had not given up, and did not mean to give up, but that she did not know why it was she was never answered. I then asked her, why she prayed for it at all? She said, Oh! I should enjoy myself so much better it would be altogether much more comfortable for me. Everything she said clearly showed that it was for her own comfort she wanted her husband converted. I could get nothing else out of her but this. I told her, therefore, that it was no wonder her Prayers were not answered, whilst she was so perfectly selfish, and did not enter into Gods reasons at all. Now, parents pray for their children in the same spirit. It is merely a selfish thing they have in view. They pray, not because they at all sympathise with God in respect to them. A circumstance was related to me at a place where there was a revival of religion The minister was going out in the morning to visit some inquirers, and he called upon one of the principal persons in the place, who said to him, What should you think of a man praying for the Holy Spirit day after day, and his prayer remaining unanswered? Why, said the minister, I should fear he was praying from wrong motives. What motives should he have? What motives have you? Do you want to enjoy your money more, and be happier? The devil might have such a reason as this. The minister then quoted the words of the Psalmist, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee. He turned away from the minister, and he said afterwards, that the first thought that arose in his mind was a hope that he might never see him again, so angry was he. He saw at once that his prayer had always been selfish. He was struck with this, yet so great was his pride, that when he discovered that he had always been selfish, that he had never had a true idea of religion or prayer in his mind, that he was perfectly selfish, and nothing less than a hollow-hearted professor, that he prayed to God to take his life. He felt that he would rather die, even should he go to hell, than, after sustaining such a position in the Church as he had, the people should know that he had been deceiving and deceived. Soon afterwards he was converted, and then he saw clearly where he had been. The fact that we ask and receive not, is accounted for by the fact that we ask amiss, that we may consume it

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upon our lusts. This is a great truth, which many persons would do well to ponder instead of accusing God, as they do, of not giving them what they ask? Faith, also, is an indispensable condition of prevailing prayer. As you all very well know, this is affirmed expressly in the Bible Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and have been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandmen waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receiveth the early and latter rain. In other words, it is often affirmed and everywhere it is always implied. 9. Again, we are to pray in the name of Christ. This is so often implied in the Bible, that I need not quote any passages. Let us inquire what is meant by praying it, the name of Christ. How are we to use Christs name? Perhaps I had better not enlarge under this head here. It is too extensive for the few remarks I shall now be able to give it. At a future time I will enlarge more upon this than I can at present. There is a great mistake among professors of religion in this respect. Many do not understand what is meant. They do not, therefore, make such use of Christs name as to prevail. Christs name, properly used, is as prevalent in the mouth of his people, as in his own. If used, as he intended it should be used, it is just as prevalent in their hands as in his own. Suppose Baron Rothschild were to lend a man, in this city, his name; and suppose that such an individual were to go to the Bank, and stumble at his own poverty! if he had Baron Rothschilds signature, which is well known at the Bank, how does he go? Does he go as if poor? Too poor to have such a name prevail for him? Not he indeed; he can get any amount of money he pleases. His own poverty is no stumbling-block at all in his way. But I will not enlarge. This is a condition of prevailing prayer. 10. Perseverance is another condition of prevailing prayer, and to be in the spirit of prayer we must have it. We have some striking instances of this in the Bible. For instance, take the cases of Jacob, Moses, Elijah, Daniel, and the Syrophoenician woman. I can not enlarge here. I must defer this also to another time. Your spirit, though distressed, should not be at all disheartened; when individuals really have the spirit of prayer, and set themselves to prevail with God, they are not disheartened because they do not at once prevail, but follow up petition with request, turning them over and over. Take the case of Jacob, for example. How very affecting were the circumstances under which he is represented as prevailing with God! He wrestled all night. It must have appeared to him, as if it was determined not to answer him. He seemed rather to resist him. The circumstances were these: Jacob, on account of his conduct towards his brother, had fled from his country, and remained absent for a long time, until God promised him that he would go with him and bless him. On his way, he was informed that Esau was coming with large hosts and he had every reason to believe that he would take vengeance upon him for his past misconduct. This, of course, greatly distressed him. He made every arrangement which a prudent man would naturally make, in order, if possible, to propitiate Esau. He sent on persons before him, and then he retired alone to pray. Doubtless, Jacob had a great weight on his mind. He remembered, most likely, how he had injured Esau how he became possessed of his birth-right, and, therefore, he feared that Esau would take vengeance.
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He had Gods promise, and he went aside to plead with God. For a time, the Almighty seemed to resist him. He struggled, but he could not overcome. He continued to struggle and to pray throughout the night. God seemed to take every way to try him. He had many confessions to make, and a great deal of breaking down to undergo, just as in those struggles which some of you can instance in your own experience, when you have set your heart upon obtaining a blessing, and believe some point is not exactly clear between you and God. In such times you have felt yourselves in such agony, that the perspiration has poured down you, and even if you have not obtained, yet you have not given up the struggle, until you have finally humbled yourselves. Then you have prevailed. This was the case with Jacob. He needed to be humbled and broken down. Probably, till then, he never saw his conduct towards Esau exactly in the proper light. He struggled; God resisted. Yet he continued to struggle. God touched his thigh, and made him a cripple to the end of his life. Nevertheless, when he could wrestle no longer, still he held on, exclaiming, I will not let thee go, though God told him to do so. I will not let thee go, he says, except thou bless me. Had he a right to say this? Yes, he had. He had Gods express promise; therefore he would do it. God seemed as if he was not going to fulfil his promise. Doubtless, this delay, however, was of great importance. Jacobs mind was preparing to receive the blessing in such a manner as would do good. Jacob was determined not to be denied as if he had said, Thou hast promised, and I will not be denied! This is not impudence. He did not mean that Jacob should be disheartened, although severely tried, as was necessary. He had not only much to confess but much to promise. There was a great and a wonderful struggle within. Now mark, suppose he had not held on what then? The fact is, he did hold on till the very last. What a remarkable answer, when he said, I will not let thee go except thou bless me. God said, What is thy name? I suppose Jacob blushed when he answered that his name was Jacob, which means a supplanter. He confessed his name was a supplanter, and he was a supplanter, because he had supplanted his brother Esau. I am a supplanter! Thats my name. What a significant circumstance was this. Jacob was so bold and so vehement, that he said, I will not let thee go except thou bless me. What is thy name, said the Almighty, that thou shouldest presume thus? My name, said he, is Jacob. God said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed (Genesis 32:28). No more shalt thou be called Jacob the matter was settled. He was a supplanter all along. You will recollect from the circumstance of his birth, how he came to be named Jacob how he cried out, and illustrated his name by taking the birthright of his brother. Jacob all along had proved himself to be rightly named, but after this mighty exercise of faith, this taking hold and keeping hold of Gods promises, under all those discouraging circumstances for these things, God did well to alter his name, that it might remind him no more of his having been a supplanter, and to give him one which should remind him of his having had power with God and prevailed. Again- take the case of Moses. He stepped foreword, as it were, and took hold of the uplifted hand of the Almighty. God promised Moses that a certain thing should be done for the people; but the people had sinned, and gone into idolatry. Then he said, Let me alone, that I may consume them in a moment (Numbers 16:21). What a peculiar

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position did he place himself in! It might have been a temptation to a man of less grace to have given up. God had promised to make of him a great nation. Some men might have said, Well, if God will make of me a great nation let them be consumed; they are rebels, and have destroyed themselves. But Moses said, What will the Egyptians say? See his regard for Gods honour, and his persevering spirit. God seemed to have anticipated his prayer and forbade it. He did not mean this (it might have been, however, so to a man without Moses confidence and grace). He said, Let me alone that I may consume them, for they are a rebellious people. But no, Moses must step right forward to reason with God. What will the Egyptians say? What wilt thou do with thy great name? Will not they say that thou hast taken them up into the wilderness on purpose to slay them? Having asked, What will the Egyptians say? he says, Forgive them, or blot out my name from the book that thou hast written. How beautiful was Moses simple heartedness and confidence his determination to stand in the gap between God and the people! I shall not detain you any longer now, but I shall pursue the subject tomorrow evening. Amen.

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16. HOW TO PREVAIL WITH GOD

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. - Matthew 7:7-8 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. - James 4:3 The subject to which I spoke last evening I shall continue this evening - The Conditions of Prevailing Prayer. I noticed last evening several of these conditions, and announced that this evening I should pursue the subject. I was speaking of Perseverance being made a condition of prevailing with God. Sometimes. however, the circumstances are of such a character that there is no time for perseverance, in any such sense as to protract; if the prayers must necessarily be repeated, the object can not be attained at all. But often there are very good reasons why the supplicant should be left to wrestle and persevere. God is anxious, by this means, to develops a certain state of mind, sometimes for the petitioners benefit, sometimes for the benefit of others, or both of these together. Some came of this kind are recorded in Scripture, where God declined to answer at once, in order that he might develop a certain state of mind in the petitioner for the benefit of others. I shall instance some came of this kind. I noticed last evening that of Jacob as an example of perseverance in struggling - persisting in supplication, until he prevailed. I noticed, also the case of Moses, and was about to mention that of Elijah. Elijah had the express promise of God that he would send rain upon the earth. When he had built an altar, slain the prophets of Baal, if you recollect, he gave himself to prayer, and sent his servant to see if there were any clouds arising. Elijah commenced praying. The servant went, but saw nothing. Elijah said, Go again. I suppose he meant to say, Keep on going until you see the approach of rain, for I must not leave this place till the blessing come. He had a strong desire for rain for the benefit of the people, but there were other reasons. God expressly promised it should come; he was determined its delay in coming should be no stumbling-block. He continued to press his suit, until at length a little cloud about the size of a mans hand was discovered. He did not go and ask God, and then get up and go away, as is customary with many, who think that if God has promised anything, to be once reminded of his promise is sufficient. No, it was not so. The prophet had an urgent spirit - a spirit which would not let him leave the throne of grace. The servant went and came seven times, and the last time he said, There is a little cloud rising, about the size of a mans hand. Observe the perseverance. Elijah refused to leave his position until rain came. Again, take the case of Daniel. We have in Daniel (10th chapter) a very affecting instance of perseverance. I will read - In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled (Daniel 10:2-3). Then came the answer - I will not read the intervening verses, but pass on to the 12th - Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. Here it appears that a messenger had been sent to answer Daniel,

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but that he had been withstood by some agency; indeed, an infernal spirit, here called the Prince of Persia - for I think, if we read the connection, it is manifest that it was an infernal agent withstood the messenger sent to answer Daniel, until Michael, one of the chief princes, who was, some have supposed, the Messiah himself, came to help him. Daniel pressed his suit for the space of twenty-one days. There was no staying him till he had the answer. The case of the Syrophoenician woman is another striking and affecting instance. This is recorded in the 15th chapter of Matthew. You will recollect the circumstances. The woman was not a Jewess, but her daughter was tormented by an infernal spirit, and she came to Christ to have it cast out. She fell down and worshipped him, and said, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. Now, the disciples were with the Saviour, who was crowded; she followed and made supplication, and wept along the road after them. They seeing that he took no notice, concluded that he was not going to answer her, and said, Send her away, for she crieth after us. He replied, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Now, as I have said, she was not a Jewess, but a Syrophoenician; however she was not discouraged, but continued crying. He at length addressed her - It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to dogs. Truth, Lord, says she; I ask no such thing. I am willing to be compared to a dog. I do not resent this, nor do I ask the childrens bread; but may not dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters table? What a spirit was this! Christ turned and said, 0 woman, great is thy faith; be it unto, thee even as thou wilt! He had developed her faith. The disciples saw the spirit of perseverance and faith, and what confidence she had. With less confidence she might have been at first confounded or discouraged, when he said he was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But she was not to be discouraged by that. Notwithstanding this apparent discouragement, she would believe that she could get the blessing, therefore she pressed it still, only increasing in importunity, and would not be discouraged. Then he said, as if to try the temper of the woman - as every one can see what he said was calculated to do, he said, It is not meet to take the childrens bread, and to cast it to dogs, almost treating her contemptuously; but she never resented it. If you are going to treat me in this way, she might have said, I wont speak to you any more. I did not come to seek the childrens bread, but might I not have the crumbs which fall from the masters table? Now, this is a beautiful instance, not only of perseverance, but of the power and prevalence of this perseverance. In the 11th chapter of Luke, we have the case of the unjust judge, who neither feared God nor regarded man. There are two parables in Luke which are specially designed by the Saviour to teach the necessity and the power of perseverance, and the prayer is very striking in both these parables. Take the case of the unjust judge. There was in a certain city a judge, who feared not God, neither regarded man; and there was a widow in that city, and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while, but afterwards said within himself, though I fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her of her adversary. Now Christ did not intend here to compare God to the unjust judge, but he had to take a strong case, and therefore to give a strong illustration of the truth enforced. He says, perseverance in supplication overcame even the unjust judge. She so persevered that, to avoid her importunity to avoid being continually troubled by the woman, he would avenge her of her adversary. Christ tells us here what the unjust judge says, who

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neither feared God nor regarded man; and shall not God, who is not unjust - for this is the idea - shall not God avenge his own elect, who cry day and night unto him? Here was a judge who took no interest in the case, who cared not for the woman or her adversary - who neither feared God nor regarded man, but who, to avoid her importunity, avenged her of her adversary. Now, if importunity could do this with such an individual, what shall it do with God? whose elect are dear to his heart, who cares for them and their cause, and when they importunately cry day and night unto him, shall he not avenge them? When the unjust judge was overcome by importunity, and with neither interest in the person or the cause, was moved by importunity, shall not God avenge his own elect? Yes, he shall avenge them, and that speedily. A curious circumstance occurred since I came to England; a party, whose name I have forgotten, but the circumstance was related to me while I was at Birmingham. A Christian man called to see me to relate a fact about himself. He had heard, from time to time, different things about prevailing prayer. He felt, he said, that it was his duty to state the fact to me, to show me how great was the faithfulness of God. It was of so extraordinary a character, involving such a principle, that I have thought of it almost ever since. Some time back, said the gentleman, a neighbour of mine lost his wife. When she was ill and nigh unto death, my wife went to nurse her, and staid with her till she breathed her last. After she returned home, I was satisfied that all was not right. Things kept showing themselves continually. Circumstances occurred to show me that all was not right between that man and my wife. I told her what I feared. She confessed her guilt, and not only so, but avowed her determination to quit me, and to live with him, whatever might come of it. What do you say? exclaimed I? I could not say anything more to her; but I went to God, and cried day and night unto him - O God, wilt thou not avenge me of this mine adversary? For two weeks, I scarcely slept at all, but prayed and wept, sometimes in one position and sometimes in another. But for two weeks I gave God no rest, but prayed continually, O God, wilt thou not avenge me of this mine adversary? At the same time, I let my wife understand, that my arms and heart were open to receive her if she would return, and I would forgive her all the past. I kept myself in that position. I wept before God. I prayed, and I cried unto him to avenge me. At the end of the two weeks, she came back heart-broken, confessing her sin, humbling herself, and doing all that I could wish her to do; and she has since been all that I could wish her to be. What a striking case is this! Instead of at once turning her away, he went to God, and said, O Lord, thou seest that this man hath torn away my very wife from my bosom! O God, avenge me of this mine adversary. If in any one case more than another, a man would feel a disinclination to make a matter the subject of prayer, it would be in such a case as this; yet he did, and prevailed in the extraordinary manner I have described. Let me now present an instance of importunity for others, which is recorded in the 11th chapter of Luke. The Syrophoenician prayed for a blessing for herself. Christ given a parable illustrative of the power of importunity in praying for others. It was a case where an individual went to the house of a friend in the night, and said, Friend, lend me three loaves; but he would not do it. He and his children were in bed, and could not rise to give him what he wanted. The man, however, continued knocking and knocking, resolved to keep knocking all night; so he might as well get up first as last, or make up his mind to be awake all night. So much was he set on providing for the necessities of his friend who called upon him, that he would stand knocking like this;

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and though the individual would not get up because of his friend, yet because of the constant knocking, in that way, with such importunity, he got up and gave him as many as he pleased. Here, then, is an illustration of the great value of importunity when seeking blessings for our friends - those upon whose salvation we set our hearts. Here was an individual who wanted a blessing for his friend, and who would not suffer his other friend, from whom he could not get this blessing, to rest till be obtained it. The fact is, that cases oftentimes occur in which it appears as if God kept silence, and suffered individuals to importune with the greatest perseverance and solicitude, until a state of mind was developed, which is so striking as to be very edifying to all who see it, and particularly so to the petitioner himself. Oftentimes, also, a condition of prevailing seems to be a great degree of solicitude, amounting almost to unutterable agony of mind. Blessings very great, which are sought, do not come, until we are so strongly excited in mind, as to be thrown into great agony - to travail in soul before God. Many professors of religion do not understand what this travail of soul is. It is spoken of repeatedly in the Bible as a state of mind to which great blessings are promised. The Apostle speaks of travailing in birth for those to whom he preached at Galatia. He says, My little children have backslidden. To reclaim them gave him such agony of mind. When the Prophet speaks of seeing a man in a vision, he says, Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child, wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned in to paleness? Have you examined your Bible with marginal references, or a concordance, to see what that book really says on the subject? What is promised to that state of mind which amounts to agony and travail of soul? This is a delicate subject, yet it is so often dwelt upon in the Bible that persons should search not only what the Scriptures say, but be willing just to sympathise with God so deeply, that their souls travail in birth until other souls are born to God, I do not say now, or suppose that in all instances, this spirit is indispensable to prevail. But it often is. On the first establishment of Christianity, it was so common, that the Apostle speaks of it as a thing well known to Christians. He says, Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself also maketh intercession for us with groanings which can not be uttered (Romans 8:26). My hearers, do you know what this is? In the great revivals that prevailed in America some years since, some striking instances of the prevalence of prayer occurred, as also in the days of President Edwards, as well as in Scotland. In various parts of Great Britain, too, where revivals prevailed, there was a remarkable spirit of prayer. I have witnessed much of this myself. An aged minister, well known by name to many of you, mentioned this fact to me. He had not at that time been in those revivals much, but two of his daughters had grown up in impenitence. He told me the great exercise of mind he had had previous to their conversion, and when I told him that it was a thing perfectly common to revivals, be felt surprised that he should have so long overlooked what the Bible says on this subject. The man was so exercised that he could not sleep. So great was the weight upon him that he struggled until he said he told the Lord that he must die or his daughters must be converted. He felt that his soul was loaded with such an unutterable agony, that he really must die unless that petition was granted. He was literally in travail of soul for them. Often when I have seen Christians in this state in expressing the state of their minds to me, they have used the very language of

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Scripture. They have said again and again, My soul travaileth day and night, I can not live unless I see the salvation of God. Such persons, when in such a state of mind, are generally not disposed to see company, or to go anywhere, more than they can help. They want to be with God as much as possible. They have deep seasons of sighing unawares - seeking to be alone with God; and could you but hear and see how they wrestle with God, you might, perhaps, feel astonished at the holy boldness and confidence such a soul would manifest in its intercourse with God. You would hear such expressions, and see such a mighty wrestling as you would probably never forget. I have known such things, that where I am a stranger I have been afraid to tell them, lest, the people should think them untrue. I have often witnessed things in revivals of religion, of a character so extraordinary - I have often seen answers to prayer bordering so closely upon the miraculous, that I feel afraid to tell them where I am unknown. The fact is, that the answers to prayer which have come under my notice, have been most wonderful, both in America and in this country, to the great astonishment of those who have not understood them. But, let me say again: that all the hindrances of prevailing prayer, may be summed up in one, which is one of the greatest, if not the greatest of the difficulties - I refer to a want of sympathy with God. How can people hope to prevail with God, unless they sympathise with him? When men really sympathise with him in such a manner as not to stickle at self-denial - when they are imbued with the spirit that led Christ to make the atonement - that led Christ to deny himself, and to do all that he did - to have such a state of mind is a great difficulty. Christ needs his Church to sympathise with him, and while they do not sympathise with him, and are not in a state of mind to deny themselves of even trifling gratifications, for the sake of doing good to the worldlyminded, how can they expect to prevail with God? This leads me to say again, a state of mind which will not grieve the Spirit of God, but will watch against everything which does grieve the Spirit of God, is indispensable to the true spirit of prayer. No man can prevail with God who does not bridle his tongue. In these days, people talk a great deal too much to pray well. They grieve the Holy Ghost by their much talking, and their bad talking. People speak harshly of their brethren. Now, such a state of mind is not congenial to prayer, and if you wish to, prevail with God, you must take care and keep yourselves in the love of God, by praying in the Holy Ghost. In order to prevail with God, Christians must have the spirit of love, and walk therein; they must have a spirit tender for the reputation of Christ, and live in such a state towards sinners, as to be willing to make any sacrifices for them. My dear friends, I should last night have done what I now intend to do - ask, as I go along, do you fulfil these conditions? Are you living in such a sympathy with God and Christ that you are willing to deny yourselves, and to walk before God in such a manner as to give yourselves up to the great work of saving souls? I dont mean by this, that you should forsake your necessary employments, and go about to do nothing else but talk and pray; but are you in such a state of mind, as not to stickle at selfdenial? Are you willing to live, and be used up, body, property, and everything, for the promotion of the glory of God, and the salvation of the world? Or would you stickle at some trifling gratification? Can a man offer prevailing prayer, who is unwilling to make sacrifices for the sake of doing more good? Who that had looked at this subject as it is, has not been agonised often, to see the want of sympathy with God? What was the secret of Pauls usefulness? He says, I speak the truth in Christ, I lie not, my

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conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost. That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow of heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ - for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh. He meant to say, he could forego anything personally - he could make any personal sacrifice, if by so doing he could save his kindred according to the flesh. I know that there has been much speculation upon this passage. I have wondered at this. Pauls language is strong, but I have mentioned the purport of his intentions. He would make any sacrifice so far as his own happiness was concerned, he could give up anything they could name. No doubt he did not intend to say that he was willing to go to hell, but that there was no personal sacrifice he would not make. He was willing to hang on the cross, or to suffer anything, so that the world might be saved. Now, I myself know a man who said this, and finally went so far in his sympathy with Christ, as to say, O Lord Jesus, not only am I willing to hang upon the cross, but till the end of time, if necessary. Now, this is saying much, but it is only expressing the vehement, the agonising feeling of a man ready to suffer any conceivable thing, if, by so doing, Christ could be honoured, and souls could be saved. Such is the spirit to prevail with God - a spirit willing to enter into his sympathies, a spirit which will not hesitate to make any necessary and personal sacrifice, in order to save the souls of men. But, let me say again: Prevailing prayer is, after all, rather a state of mind than a particular exercise. By this I mean, that a man to prevail, must live in a prescribed state of mind. Prayer is not the mere going aside and praying, but a perpetual yearning of the mind, a habitual preventing of the mind in a spirit of importunity. This is the true idea of prevailing prayer. You see sometimes in this worlds matters, that men have a great burden on their minds about their business. Men get into such a state of mind as this - they are intensely anxious - they fear bankruptcy The changes which they expect to come over them, cause such anxiety, that it becomes the burden of their life. They are quite borne down by the continuance of this struggle in their minds. Sometimes men get into such a state of mind as this about religion. They see the Churches are not prospering - that the hand of the Lord is not revealed - that the Church does not understand its whereabouts - that the professors are worldly minded, and not aware of it - that professors of religion are getting into a spirit rather of justifying themselves, than of confessing their sins. They see the difficulty, and betake themselves to God, literally besieging his throne, as Daniel did; even in their dreams they pray; all their waking hours they pray, until they are really borne down. Such is the state of mind in which Christians begin to mourn over the condition of Sion, to take pleasure in her stones, and to favour the dust thereof. You bear them confessing their sins and those of the people, with much weeping then may you understand that the spirit of grace and supplication is poured out - that this spirit of grace and supplication will prevail, and is always indispensable to prevailing prayer. Again, clean hands is another necessary condition. The Psalmist. says, I will wash my hands in innocence; so will I compass thine altar, O Lord! Now, if this is not the case, you can not prevail with God; and if a man has wronged his neighbour, whether in character, property, or person, if he has spoken against him in a manner injurious to his character, if he has wronged him in any way, he can expect no good to arise till this be set right. If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come offer thy gift (Matthew 5:23-24). Dont

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offer it, and then say, Lord, remember I have spoken against such a one. Pray give me a heart to repent of it. No - repent first; before you can prevail, your hands must be clean. You must be reconciled to your brother. Have you in any way unnecessarily, in any unjustifiable manner injured the feelings, or injured in any respect any of your brothers or neighbours? Go and be reconciled to the brother. Make peace with him, and then come and offer the gifts. When this in not the case, you can never expect to prevail. But this leads me to say again: the spirit of forgiveness is another condition of prevailing prayer - the spirit of forgiveness, where you have been wronged. Christ says in Matthew vi. Except ye forgive not men their trespass, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. My dear friends, are you sure your hands are so clean, that when you come to God, you can say, Lord, thou knowest that I have taken no mans money, goods, or property, without an equivalent. Lord, thou knowest that I have wronged no man - that I have injured no man in character, in property, or in anything whatever. Or if you have done so, can you say, Thou knowest, O Lord, that I have made restitution - I have not suffered this iniquity to cleave to my hands, and that, O Lord, thou knowest. How is this? Many of you, perhaps, have offered many prayers, but you are not conscious of having prevailed. Perhaps you have prayed a multitude of times without ever really calling up the question whether you are answered or not! I was conversing in one of the great cities of America, some years since, with a brother, in the presence of a lady richly dressed, with many artificial and other ornaments common to ladies of her class. I sat talking with the brother on the subject of prayer. I talked for some considerable time. At length, the lady began to pay attention to my conversation. I said I believed the Christians of that day did not really expect to be answered when they prayed. I observed she was running it over and over. At length she became so uneasy, that she finally broke out, She did not believe persons were so bad. I do, then, said I. I tried to reply to her as mildly as I could. I asked her, Do you obtain the things you ask for? Yes, she did; if she did not, she would not pray. I went on - Are you a married woman? Yes. Is your husband a Christian? No, sir. Are you the mother of children? I am. Are they converted? No, sir. Is there a revival in the church where you belong? No, sir. Have you had any since your connection with it? We have not. Then what can you have been praying for? You say you have received what you prayed for. Now, as you have a husband unconverted, children unconverted, no revival in your church, and have not had any since your connection with it, what can you have been praying for that you have received? Have you prayed for these golden chains and other ornaments? These are among the things that you really have, and perhaps they are what you have been praying for; and so on. Before we left the room, she burst into deep grief, confessing that she didnt think in reality she ever had prayed! She said she had often gone over certain forms of prayer, but now she felt confident that she had never been heard. In fact, she had prayed without ever asking if she had been heard. She had prayed rather as a task, or a duty. No man ever does his duty by praying in such a manner. It should be done in faith, with a full expectation of receiving what is prayed for, and not as a mere duty. Are you, and am I - have we, in this sense, clean hands, that we can compass Gods altar, and that he can receive us honourably to himself? Have we actually forgiven our enemies? Why, I have known individuals to keep up the forms of religion in the same church, while in such a state of mind, that they would not

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speak to each other. Abomination! Abomination! Why, such persons deserve to be excommunicated, I had almost said, for ever praying, under such circumstances! They pray that God would forgive their trespasses, as they forgive those that trespass against them, and in so doing they tempt God. Persons in such a state of mind, that they can really rise above the injuries they have received, and pray to God, heartily, to forgive them, and exercise a forgiving spirit, are in a proper state of mind to pray; if they are not in such a state of mind; how can they expect to prevail? With feelings of ill-will, and a spirit that can not speak peacefully of certain individuals - if you feel so towards any one, even wicked men, you are not in a proper state of mind to offer prayer. Angels - the great Archangel Michael - would not bring a railing accusation even against the devil - and angels have no right to exercise any other than benevolent feelings, even towards the wickedest of beings. It is impossible to restore individuals to our confidence while they remain wicked. We are not expected to do this, but we are expected to be in such a state of mind, as to have no disposition to retaliate. We are expected to be in such a state of mind as not to wish them evil, but to wish them all good, and pray for them honestly and earnestly - to pray God that he would bless them. We are to do this with all our hearts, as opposed to the spirit that would pray God to curse them. Unless we have this spirit, we have no sympathy with Christ, who, when we were his enemies, so great was his compassion that he hesitated not to die for us. Some of you are harbouring an improper state of mind towards your brethren. Can you go home to-night, and pray God literally to forgive you your trespasses as you have forgiven those that trespassed against you? You have no right to expect God to hear you or to answer you, unless you can honestly say this - O Lord, forgive me, as I have forgiven them. No matter how much they have injured you. That is not the question. Persons have not done much who have only treated well those who have treated them well; but no man can prevail with God in such a spirit as that. He must be willing to pour out his heart in honest, earnest supplications for his very enemies. Without this, he does not sympathise with Christ. Love your enemies, says Christ. Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven, for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth his rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? To prevail with God, you must love your enemies, bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you. Unless you are in this state of mind, you need not expect to prevail with God. Oh! that we could see this spirit prevail - that Christians would really do this - bless them that curse them, and pray for them that persecute them, and humble themselves before God! The prayer of the man who prays for his enemy, has a mighty power with God. Jobs friends greatly abused him, misunderstood, and reviled him - accused him of being a hypocrite. Job prayed for them. God turned his captivity and blessed him with a double portion. While Job prayed that they might be forgiven, God was pleased, and smiled upon them and upon him too.

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17. THE USE AND PREVALENCE OF CHRISTS NAME

Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. - John 16:24 In passing over the Conditions of Prevailing Prayer, I noticed one - that prayer should be made in the name of Christ. In speaking further on this subject from these words I. I shall endeavour to show what is implied in an acceptable offering of prayer in the name of Christ. II. The state of mind that can acceptably use Christs name in prayer is indispensable to prevailing with God. III. The reasons for which we are required to pray in Christs name. I. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN AN ACCEPTABLE OFFERING OF PRAYER IN THE NAME OF CHRIST There is some good reason, doubtless, for our being required to pray in Christs name. In this case, our Lord was addressing his disciples. While he lived, it was natural that they should not clearly understand their exact position with regard to God, in such a sense as to fully comprehend the reason for using Christs name in prayer. We must endeavour to ascertain our real relations to the government of God. We are outlaws, criminals, under condemnation. True Christians are not outlaws and criminals in such a sense as to be under condemnation; still, they never come into such a relation with God as to be accepted in their own name. In order to their acceptance with God, they must remember always their relation to God, and their position to his government. When persons are under sentence for any capital offence, they are regarded as outlaws; the government, as such, does not even recognise their existence while they occupy such a position in relation to it. Being outlawed, they are, civilly, dead - that is, the government, as such, regards them as dead; and, so far as it is concerned, to all intents and purposes, they are not legally in existence. The government has no intercourse with them, knows nothing of them; they are, to it, just as if they were not. This is the true governmental position, and precisely, under Gods government, the position in which the sinner stands, when viewed as a sinner and separate from Christ. They are criminals, and he, as head of the universe, knows nothing of them, only as being cast out, condemned to die, outlawed. But, even when men come to be Christians, they do not come into such a relation to God, as to have no more need of coming to him through Christ. An unconverted man stands condemned; he is under sentence of eternal death. Suppose such an one is convinced of sin - convicted by his own conscience as well as by the law of God - the sentence is gone out against him; how is such an individual to appear in Gods presence? Why, he can not have even access to God! How can an individual, who has been remanded to prison under sentence for a capital crime, have any connection with the government of his country? He is governmentally dead; and it behoves the government to treat him as such; while in such a position, he can have no relation to government but as a dead man. Yet the head of the government may have no ill-will or

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wrong feeling towards him; he might even be disposed, if he could be in a position, to treat with him; as in individual, the head of the government might regard him as a living man, and as one for whom he had great affection. This he might do in his individual capacity; but, as the head of a government, he has necessarily a public as well as a private character to sustain, and this he must not overlook. He must not act as a mere private individual, public reasons forbid him to do so; and whatever his private relations and feelings may be, he must remember his public relations and character for the sake of the public good. Now, let us look at such in individual as he stands before God, and is subject to his laws and government. Such is the sacredness of the governmental character and relations of the sovereign, that when the law has pronounced sentence against him, there are laws which place the ruler and the ruled in certain relations to each other. The ruler can not justly overlook these relations. Now, when the law has once pronounced sentence against an individual, it has committed the public character of the lawgiver against him; and for the government by any public act to go against this, is to depart from its principles, and to take up arms against the law. This is so in human governments; and if so in human governments, are not the reasons infinitely stronger in Gods government for maintaining his public character, and being careful that he gives no opportunity for any individual to draw a false inference as to his position? Once convicted, the sinner comes before God. What can he do? He is governmentally dead; and the whole human race stands in that position to God condemned criminals, outlawed, under the sentence of death. Gods public character and relations are such that he can not so much as have the least intercourse, nor suffer them so much as to take his name on their lips without offence - he can regard them only as criminals. If he acts contrary to this, he forfeits the confidence of the universe. It is his public character and relation that render it necessary, that if sinners are to approach him, there must be a Mediator; they must come not in their own names; for if they do he will not know, hear, or look at them; but if they can be so united to Christ that Christ may be virtually the petitioner - that, in a governmental point of view, it is Christ, not the sinner, that approaches God - the way is perfectly open. There is not there can not be - any approach to God, but by Christ. Unless you come to him through Christ; and, virtually, as Christ, in Christs very spirit - unless you can do this, God will not so much as look at you, or suffer you to approach his presence. The sinner, therefore, when he comes to God, must approach him in this way. He must put on Christ appropriating to himself all that Christ has done - taking to himself, as it were, the very work of Christ, and come in the person and name of Christ, with Christs spirit; then the request he makes will virtually be Christs own spirit making intercession. The sinner is in him; and, governmentally, united with him. The greatest sinner in the world, as well as the least, may come in this way; only let them do this, and they are accepted as really as Christ is accepted, because Christ is accepted. He lives in Christ, and is governmentally regarded as being found in Christ. If he comes repenting, believing, putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, he is as really, freely, and fully accepted as Christ himself; for now he is come into a state of mind in which he really comes in Christs name. He now comes to be found in Christ, and, governmentally, he is known only as a part of Christ, one of Christs family, a member of Christs own body, a part of Christ himself. In this capacity he is known in the government of God.

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May Christ now be laid aside? By no means. Unless you abide in the same state of mind, in the possession of the same proportion of Christ, you are cast out. The Bible everywhere teaches us this; nor will it ever be otherwise, to all eternity, since he will be found in Christ, and accepted only on his account. This governmental relation will always exist; and the relation of his saints to Christ will be the sole and only reason they are received into heaven. What Christ has done will not save any one out of him. There is no dropping Christs name, his interposition, and our relation to him, when we approach God. This leads me, in the next place, to remark that the use of Christs name implies that we recognise our relationship to God as sinners, truly abhorring ourselves and repenting. We must truly and fully concede to God the entire justice and propriety of his treating us as rebels, and refusing so much as to look at us, unless we come to him through Christ. The use of his name acceptably, also implies a state of mind which can and does receive these truths into the inmost hearts; for unless we really renounce and abhor our own righteousness, and wholly give up all expectations of approaching God and prevailing in our own name, and come to God in Christs name alone, we can never prevail with him. Some say, Why come in Christs name, more than in the name of Paul, or of Moses? What idea can a Unitarian have of Christs name, when he denies his divinity and sacrifice? The Unitarian can not understand this; he professes great love to God, and to worship his heavenly Father, and so forth. I have heard much of this - what shall I call such slang, but slang? I have heard them say they are fond of God, and God is fond of them; but they have nothing beyond a species of sentimentalism, very far from this recognition of their relationship to the Creator. This governmental relation must be ever kept in view - it must be an ever-present consideration, and in such a degree as always to influence us in our approach to God. There are thoughts which take possession of the mind, and are always there, and have their influence, though we may not at all times be conscious of it. For example, persons who have children: this fact always acts upon them; hours may glide away and their children remain unthought of; yet the fact that they have children is an influence always acting upon them. When persons approach God they must have not only an idea that they sustain certain relations to Christ; but, in order to approach him acceptably, there should be a vivid recollection of this. When the name of Christ is used, they should know well why they use it. The idea of their governmental relations and character without Christ, must have its due weight with them. Do not, for a moment, once think of coming without Christ. But again: To use this name acceptably implies a realising sense of our character and relations, and of his character and relations; Gods character and governmental position - our character and governmental position. Now, unless the mind has a realising sense, so as really to mean it ought to mean in using Christs name, it does not do so acceptably. We are to use it understanding why we use it. It implies, also, the most implicit confidence in Christs influence at his Fathers court; an entire confidence that coming to God in his name we shall really obtain what we ask in his name. When persons really and truly use the name of Christ, there is a very important sense in which they pray for Christ. I do not mean by praying for him, that Christ needs to be
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prayed for as a sinner - as one who needs forgiveness, or any favour of God for himself; but that the Church is Christs, God having given the world to him, in such a sense that every favour bestowed on them is regarded, governmentally, as bestowed on him. The saints are Christs servants. This is Christs world in such a sense, that when the government of God grants anything to the inhabitants thereof, it yields it to Christ. Prayer has been made for him, it is said, continually. II. THE STATE OF MIND THAT CAN ACCEPTABLY USE CHRISTS NAME IN PRAYER IS INDISPENSABLE TO PREVAILING WITH GOD To pray in his name, we must ask the thing not for ourselves, because we are not our own; we do not own ourselves, and of course, therefore, we can own nothing else. The fact is, we are Christs, and when we seek anything in Christs name, we seek it for him. We are Christs servants; and as children we belong to Christ. If we want anything for ourselves, separate from Christ; to glorify ourselves, we can not have it; but if we want it for his sake, because we belong to him, and ask it as something to be given to us only because we belong to him; then we can have it. Suppose, for example, we pray for anything whatever, and ask it merely for ourselves alone, we ask it selfishly, that we may consume it upon our lusts. We have no right to come and plead Christs name to obtain things for ourselves, as not belonging to him. We are not authorised to use his name in any such sense as that. We are not authorised to make use of his name to get things merely to please ourselves, as distinct from pleasing him. Many regard the Gospel and Christs name in such a light, as if they might use Christs name as a mere speculation for their own selfish purposes. But Christ has never given permission for any such use of it; the fact is, that unless we ask for these things, recognising the fact that we are his, and that whatever we ask for - even our daily bread - is to be used for him; the very air we breath is to be inhaled for him; the clothing we wear is to be worn for him; and unless we recognise this practically - unless we really come to regard ourselves as asking for things for Christs sake, we can not expect an answer to prayer. What is meant by the phrase for Christs sake? Do you mean for your sake, in Christs name? Do you not know that, as I have said, you belong to Christ, and have no right to approach God, only as you approach him in Christs name? If, however, you overlook this fact, or think it only a speculation, no wonder you dont prevail. You have no right, as I have said, to pray at all, unless you pray as for Christ, recognising the fact that all you are and have are his. If you want the Spirit of God that you may use the grace received for him, you may have it; but you must have a single eye to his glory. If you do not so regard it - if you ask it for yourselves, as distinct from him, you can not have it. We must remember, too, that for God to give anything to the inhabitants of this world, as such, without Christ, would be inconsistent with his position. God promises things to Christ, who distributes them to his children; all the promises are in Christ to the glory of God, and we must recognise this if we would use Christs name aright, and expect the fulfilment of the promises made through him. These promises are all yea and amen in Christ Jesus. God is infinitely sincere in giving them to Christ, who receives them and gives them to men. They are given in the utmost good faith, so that coming in his name it is, Yes, yes; as often as you please, if you really come in Christs name, you may approach me with the utmost confidence and boldness - not impudence, but

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boldness. We are infinitely welcome. There need be no hesitation. You are thoroughly welcome to as much as you want, only be sure you come meaning what you ought to mean in the use of Christs name. We should recognise the fact, also, in the use of Christs name, that there is so good a reason for this use of it, that, for God to promise us anything in any other way, or encourage us to approach him in any other way, were to forfeit his governmental position. The true idea of faith in Christ is a heart-recognition of the fact that God is, out of Christ, to us necessarily a consuming fire; but that in Christ we are as safe and as welcome as Christ himself. We may come to his house, to the mercy-seat - yea, to his very feet, with every possible freedom. It is impossible that the angels themselves should be more welcome. We may rise, as it were, above the angels, and approach even nearer, perhaps, than they are allowed to do. If we only clothe ourselves with Christ as with a garment, renouncing and abhorring self, there is no language that can express the fullness and the freedom with which we can approach him, and receive as largely as we can ask or think - nay, exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think. To use Christs name acceptably, implies, also, that you do it in faith. By faith you must rely implicitly on Christ, trusting in him as your wisdom, sanctification, and redemption, expecting that he will accept you as freely and as fully as he has promised. The truth is, that really to accept Christ, implies a great deal more than is often supposed. I have been struck with the extent to which Christ is lost sight of, in many of his relations, and has come to be viewed simply as a Saviour, for whose sake our sins are forgiven - losing sight of sanctification and justification. What, says a doctor of divinity to me, a few years since - what! Christ, the second person in the Trinity, our sanctification! Never heard of such a thing! Well, now, I can not tell you how shocked I felt. Never heard the Apostle say, Who, of God, is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption? It was as much one as the other. No man understands what it is to put on Christ thoroughly, properly, until he has learned something more than that he sustains to him merely one relation. Lastly, It implies really and universally depending upon him. Men are dependent upon him; but there is a difference between being really dependent, and depending. Every sinner in the world is really dependent upon him; but every sinner does not really depend upon him, in the sense of depending upon his name. We must come to depend, not upon our prayers, states of mind, feelings - not upon anything we have done, or ever expect to do at all - but we must depend on him really understanding that such are our relations to God, that we can never expect to be accepted only as we are found in him - that we must put on Christ even to approach God. III. THE REASONS FOR WHICH WE ARE REQUIRED TO PRAY IN CHRISTS NAME Our relations to Gods government, when viewed out of Christ, are really those of sinners under sentence for a capital crime - condemned already, governmentally regarded as dead. There are two senses in which sinners are represented in the Bible: dead in trespasses and sins - that is unconverted persons; secondly, they are civilly dead - viewed governmentally, they are outlaws under sentence of death. These are facts which no one can dispute. If a man is a sinner the law of God has condemned
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him, and the sentence is already out against him; and a man can no more deny this than he can deny his own existence. There is not a moral agent in the world that does not know that, as far as Gods law is concerned, he is regarded as an outlaw and a rebel; he can no more doubt or deny it than he can doubt or deny his own existence. These facts are not only revealed in the Bible, but are most clearly manifest to our own consciousness; our very conscience testifies to their truthfulness. Now, if we dont believe what God says on this subject, we make him a liar; and if we dont believe our own nature, we make him a liar again; for we must not overlook the fact, that God is as really the author of our own nature, as of the Bible itself. Does your conscience accuse you of sin? It is as truly a revelation from God as anything can be. It is Gods own testimony, in this sense - God has given us a power by which we irresistibly condemn ourselves; he has implanted within us a law which, when we sin, irresistibly compels us to do so. This is Gods own voice and revelation; and he who disbelieves, is guilty of making God a liar. If, then, we approach him in our own name, we virtually deny the truth of these things, and pour contempt upon his governmental relations and the sacredness of his character. The truth is, that his character and governmental relations are such that no one can be accepted of God who violates or overlooks these relations. Again - It is a downright insult to the majesty of God, as Governor of the universe, to overlook these solemn facts, so plainly revealed to us, both in his word and in our hearts. And he who would approach God in this manner is a deluded wretch, rushing rudely into the face of his Maker. Again - It is pouring contempt upon Gods authority, and virtually denying the wisdom and necessity of his method of accepting us. Bear in mind, that a merciful disposition, on the part of God, is no reason why he should accept persons holding certain relations. Suppose the Queen felt compassion for a certain rebel - so much so, indeed, that in her own private apartments she really wept; and suppose he, hearing of this, should attempt to force himself upon her, regardless of the sacredness of the place: because she has compassion on him, may he force himself into her presence? No, indeed. The fact is the same with God; these relations must not be lost sight of. The good of society, as well as individual interest, demand they should not be overlooked, but well pondered; and every act of both parties should have reference to these relations. Just so it is under Gods government; and if, as I have said, if it is necessary in human governments to recognise these relations, is it not infinitely more so under Gods government? These truths everywhere appear within, without, upon the page of inspiration, and in our minds. It is clear that out of Christ, God can have no intercourse with sinners, who are under sentence, condemned outlaws, rebels whom God is pledged to destroy unless they can find a Mediator. To come without Christ is a virtual denial of the necessity this. To come without Christ is to appear at the feast in our own filthy garments instead of throwing over us his righteousness. Under the Old Testament dispensation, many truths were taught in an impressive manner. There were the holy vestments in which the high priests were obliged to appear before God, and without which they were not allowed to approach God; so must we, as it were, throw Christ over us as a robe. This is the lesson the ceremony was designed to teach.

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But let me say, again: Not to use Christs name thus is to contemn the advocacy of Christ. In other words, God has made him our advocate, and to act thus is to thrust him aside and become our own advocates - it is to have low and blasphemous conceptions of Gods relation to us as Creator. The real saints under the Old Testament dispensation understood this method of approach to God. Daniel prayed for the Lords sake. He and all the real saints doubtless understood the way of approach as shadowed forth in the typical dispensation. We can well enough account for the fact, that there is now so little prevailing in prayer, because comparatively so few use Christs name aright. They have no definite idea of the reasons for using it. In their hearts they are really in a state in which they do not so put on Christ as to make a proper use of his name. I have often feared that multitudes of persons pray for themselves, and in such a sense as really to be selfish. In their supplications they do not recognise themselves as belonging to Christ, and as deserving answers to their prayers for Christs sake. When men do this, they make use of Christs, just as a man would make use of his masters name to get money to speculate with himself. A clerk or agent takes a check, goes to the Bank and draws money, but it is for his employer. He is certainly going to use it himself; but, mark, he does it in the name and for the sake of his employer - not to further his own private interests, but the interests of his master. Now, if we would come to Christ in a proper manner, we must regard ourselves as his servants in this sense - wanting what we want, and obtaining what we obtain for the purpose of serving him and glorifying his name. While we separate ourselves from him and seek things for ourselves, no wonder that our religion profits us so little - no wonder that Christs name, on our lips, is of no avail! To refuse to come in Christs name, is as effectual a hindrance to our prayers being answered, as if there were no Christ at all. Who does not believe, that if a man neglects or refuses to use Christs name, in the sense in which he requires us to use it, it is just as effectual a bar to his acceptance as if there had been no Christ? The same reason requiring Christs interposition for us, requires that we should recognise these reasons, and always, on our approach to God, have respect to them. I have often feared, that many use this name without hardly knowing why they do so; it is done by them as a mere matter of form. Perhaps they have never so much as inquired what state of mind was requisite to the proper use of Christs name. I fear some persons simply suppose, that uniformly to append the phrase, for Christs sake, is enough. But this is a grievous error. If we come in Christs name, we may claim as our due whatever God has promised to Christ. Now, Christ has rendered great service to the government of God, and of this, we, as his children, are to have the full benefit. We are not to suppose, that what Christ has done has merely rendered it possible that God may forgive us. He has rendered the most important service to the government of God that can be conceived. He has placed Gods character, government, and relations, and the entire question of revelation in such an aspect, as to give the whole universe a great deal of new light on the subject. He has arrested the progress of rebellion, and established the authority of God over all being. Angels sinned, and God exercised the law upon them. Man sinned, and who knows where it might have ended, had it not been for Christs intervention. He has done that which amply entitles him to receive gifts for men - to bestow them upon those for whom he died. The government of God can well afford to let him do so, seeing how wonderfully he rebuked sin, and revealed

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the Divine character. So great a thing has he done in his death, that the government of God can well afford to dispense favours to all who belong to him; and they are bestowed as freely as they can flow forth from a heart of infinite love. In himself, God is disposed to do all he can in behalf of his creatures; and our greatest governmental obstacle Christ has completely removed. He has, moreover, so wonderfully magnified the law and made it honourable, that, instead of there being an obstacle in the way, there is a direct invitation from God to come to him, that he may come out and show the infinite largeness of his heart by giving Christs people all the riches of his glorious kingdom. So that, as I have said, the head of the very government which stood in the way, now invites us to come to him, that the deep tides of his love and salvation may burst forth - that his grace may infinitely abound, like a sea with neither shore nor bottom, whose waves flow on with boundless universality. The door is open wide to every sinner. We are never straitened in God, but in our own hearts, on account of our stinted faith and limited confidence. Christ, as our representative, became poor that we might become rich. The Divine government can now well afford to come forth, because, as I have said, of Christs unspeakable services, and the glorious head of that government can let his compassions flow to sinners. He may use language toward us which it would ill become him to use, but for what Christ has done. Christ now offers you his righteousness and mediation, that - guilty and condemned as you are - deserving as you are to be thrust out - notwithstanding all this, he has set the door wide open, that now, instead of standing in the Court of the Gentiles, in the Court of the Hebrews, or even in the Court of the Priests, the veil is rent, and access is free to the mercy-seat itself, where the cherubim stand with the Shechinah amid a flood of glory. Put on Christ, then, and come, confessing your sins, renouncing your own righteousness, recognising Gods governmental relations. Oh, come! Come quite up to the mercy-seat! God invites you to come, if you will do so in the way I have described. No one is a Christian until he believes - until, in fact, he does the very thing I am now exhorting you to do. Believe in Christ, that is being a Christian. Do you say, Has Christ died for me? Yes, he died for you as really as if there were no other sinner in the universe. Do you say, May I have access to him in my own behalf, clad in the filthy rags with which I have been trying to cover myself? Yes! Do as blind Bartimeus did. The poor blind man sat by the wayside; great multitudes were thronging along, some before, some behind, crowding around the person of the Saviour. Bartimeus naturally inquired the cause of this unusual gathering, and was told it was Jesus passing. He had heard of him, and exclaimed aloud, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy upon me! They told him to be still; as if there were something improper in his act. But he would not be silenced. He believed Jesus would restore his sight; and he lifted up his voice above all the noise - Jesus, he cried out, thou Son of David, have mercy on me! Christ stopped - What is that? Why, a blind man. Bring him here. What wilt thou have me to do? Lord, that I might receive my sight. He would not be kept away. He threw himself upon Christ in faith, and instantly received the object of his wishes. Now, sinner! why dont you follow the example here set? I wish I had more time to the subject. Oh, that Christians would but understand what they may have by prayer, if they really use Christs name aright! You are either infidels, or you believe that you

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will receive what you pray for in Christs name. Now, do you get what you ask? Ask yourselves the question - Do you get what you ask? Do you prevail with God? Do you use Christs name effectually? Do your families know that God hears and answers your prayers? Can you honestly say, I believe God hears me? If you can, I am glad of it. But if you cant, remember you are not using Christs name aright. He will not hear you till you do so.

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18. THE GREAT BUSINESS OF LIFE

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. - Matthew 6.33 I. What we are to understand by the kingdom of God and his righteousness. II. What is meant by the injunction to seek this first. III. Point out some of the reasons why this should be done. IV. Notice the meaning of the annexed promise - all these things shall be added unto you. I. WHAT WE ARE TO UNDERSTAND BY THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS I remark first, this kingdom is not an outward and visible kingdom. The true kingdom of God cometh not with observation, as Christ said, but it is a spiritual kingdom set up in the hearts of his people; it consists in the establishment of his own dominion in their hearts. The kingdom of God is within you, but this kingdom is expressed on earth by an outward and visible Church; yet the kingdom here intended is not a visible Church, but an internal and spiritual kingdom. By the righteousness of God we are doubtless to understand these two things-first, the method by which he pardons and justifies men, and second, the way in which he makes them personally holy. Faith in Jesus Christ is Gods method of justifying men and bringing them into a state of acceptance with himself and faith which works by love; for this faith, from its very nature, purifies the heart. Not to enlarge upon this, we pass to inquire. II. WHAT IS MEANT BY THE INJUNCTION TO SEEK THIS FIRST? Let me say here, we are doubtless to understand the injunction as meaning, first, that we are to make this the first business on hand in point of time, and we are to suffer nothing else to take precedence. Second, as pre-eminently first in importance. Nothing is to be regarded by us as of greater importance, or of importance equal with it. Third, I understand it to imply also that religion is to be the great business of our future lives; that it is always to be considered as of the first importance to be attended to, and to be the first concern of life. But this leads me to consider, and point out III. SOME OF THE REASONS WHY IT IS TO BE SO First, let me say this, that nothing else can be acceptable to God until we do this. So long as we neglect this great salvation, so long as we have not secured our justification by faith in Christ; so long, indeed, as we are not interested in this kingdom of God by actually embracing it, and receiving its laws into our hearts, nothing can be acceptable to God that we do. We can fulfil no requirement of God till we have done this, and he can accept nothing of us till we have done this-for whatever is not of faith is sin. Whatever does not imply faith in us is sin, and therefore, so long as we neglect this as

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of primary importance, nothing that we do can be acceptable to God. Persons may have all the outward forms of morality and goodness, but if they have neglected this, whatever else they do, God will not accept them. He will not and can not accept us if we are putting that last which he has put first, and that first which he has put last. God requires us to put this first, and if we do not put things in the order which he has commanded, if we do not make this the great business, the first business of our lives, why, nothing is acceptable to God that we do. Again, let me say, not only is nothing acceptable to God, but it is the most important business to us, and should, therefore, claim our first attention. I say it is the most important business to us! What can compare with its importance to us as individuals? Why, if we secure an interest in this kingdom of God, if we do but become subjects to this government, whatever else we fail to secure is of little importance. Whatever else we fail to secure we shall hardly regret in future; but if we do not secure this, whatever else we do secure will only increase our responsibility and our guilt. Again, persons ought to understand this, that nothing is of any real importance to us except as it is connected with this as an end, and shall enable us more effectually to obey this command. Now, if we do regard anything as important to us which has no relation to this end and object, we entirely pervert things. But, let me say again, that it is most important, not only to ourselves, but is also most important to our families, most important to all who stand in any relation to us, and have any claims upon us. Who does not understand and believe this? Now, suppose a man neglects God and religion for the sake of his family, does he thereby really benefit his family? No, indeed! The real and best interests of his family require that he should pay his first attention, and his chief attention to this great requirement of God. Who can doubt this? No man really and truly benefited his family by neglecting to obey God. Such a thing never was, and never can be; and by neglecting to make religion the first duty, who can tell how much the family may have to suffer? Again; it is more important to a mans creditors. If a man disobeys God, his curse is upon him, and upon all that he does and has; but if he obeys God, he may expect a blessing upon his business; and if a man endeavours to please God, he is sure to be an honest man. If a man owes me money, and that man endeavours to obey and please God, I have reason to believe that he will be enabled to pay me sooner than if he did not regard the commands of God at all. Therefore, even as a selfish man, I should say to my debtor, Whatever else you do, dont neglect to obey God - dont neglect your duty to him. It is of the most importance to our neighbours, our friends, and connections, all with whom we are surrounded, and the world at large, and to the Church of God, that we should not neglect to regard religion as the first, great, and principal business of our life. Who can doubt this? No person can doubt it, who believes in the reality of religion! No person can doubt it, who believes that God governs the world! But let me say again: another reason is, that it is most dangerous to neglect this business, and to attend to this concern. It is more dangerous to neglect this than anything else. Why, suppose we did neglect everything else, what then? Why, it would be an evil in some sense, but, in comparison, it would be no evil at all. Who does not believe, that it is infinitely dangerous for a man to neglect his eternal salvation? And if he does not
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assign this the first place, he may never attend to it at all, and is in danger every moment of dying, or being given up by the Spirit of God! Why, there is nothing so dangerous in the universe, as for a man to put religion off, or not to put it first. Suppose he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul, of what value would the whole world be to him? All other dangers are as nothing in comparison with this! Again: it is not only most dangerous to ourselves, but so far as we sustain relations to anybody else, it is most dangerous to them; for the fact is, if we neglect this great business, if we neglect to make religion our great principal business, just so far do we jeopardise their souls, as well as our own, and often bring down upon them the curse of God as the result of our neglect. Who does not know that this is true? Again: another reason is, that if we will neglect this, we must inevitably lose our souls. How shall we escape, says the apostle, if we neglect so great salvation? Men need not take great pains to ruin themselves; their ruin is inevitable, if they neglect to lay hold on the salvation which God has provided for them. Let them be good wives, good husbands, good parents, good children, good citizens, say prayers, go to meeting, and give money to send the Gospel to the heathen; let them do anything else in the world, if they neglect this in such a sense as not to make it the great business of life, they are sure to lose their souls. There is a great mistake on this subject, or else the Bible is not true. There is a great mistake on this subject, or else our own natures belie us. Our own natures affirm, that sin is an evil from which we ought to escape, that we should make it the most earnest and solemn business of our lives; and the Bible tells us to run for our lives, to so run that you may obtain, so fight that ye may obtain, gird up your loins, address yourselves to it as if you were about to make it the great present, and perpetual business of life. Now, do not believe me censorious if I tell you that the great mass of professors are not making this the great business of their lives! It seems as if they attended to it just enough to entertain a hope that they shall be saved, but they never attend to it in such a sense as to manifest much solemn earnestness about it. The fact is, such people know nothing at all of religion, and the natural result will be that they will lose their souls! They never get rid of their sins, they never become sanctified, and therefore, not fit for heaven. Really a great many persons seem to suppose that they can live in sin till death, and then all at once they will become sanctified and prepared for heaven. Now, we never read in the Bible that death will sanctify men, or that they will go to heaven if they are not sanctified in this world, by the renewing of the Holy Ghost in virtue of their belief in the Gospel. With many professors, the kingdom of God and his righteousness is but little understood. They regard the righteousness of God as imputed, not imparted, righteousness. They imagine, that somehow or other, the righteousness of Christ can be imputed to them without their being personally holy. They come not into sympathy with God; they neglect to have this kingdom of God set up within them; Gods government has no dominion over them. How, then, do they expect to get to heaven? What can they understand by the kingdom of God and his righteousness, which they are required to make it the business of their lives to seek? Again: it is better to leave everything else undone than to leave this undone. How memorable and decisive are Christs teachings in this respect. He will not allow us to give ourselves any anxiety on other subjects. Nothing is to take precedence of this.

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When one said to him, Let me first go and bury my father, he said to him, Let the dead bury their dead. Your own father, and the duties you owe to him in that relation, must not stand in the way of your seeking eternal life. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, nothing is to be allowed to have precedence of this! I remark once more: the present is the only sure time that we have, therefore we ought now to make this our immediate and first concern. The Bible always says NOW. Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. You may die, or if you do not die you may be given up of the Holy Spirit! Again: every moments delay makes the matter worse! Every moments delay increases your sins, increases the hardness of your heart, and the probability that you will be lost. If you continue to reject the great salvation that is offered, you may soon come into such a state that the truth will cease to affect your minds and hearts at all; your conscience will become seared as with a hot iron, and your words will constantly be, whenever the truth is spoken, When I have a more convenient season I will call for thee; and it is almost certain that that season will never come, because the longer you delay, the more hardened you must of necessity become. If you are not ready now to make this the business of your life, the probabilities are that you will lose your soul! Again: let me say, procrastination is another great evil; perhaps more souls have been lost by this form of iniquity than by any other. The devil is constantly suggesting reasons for delay-reasons why you should not obey God, and give up your whole mind to him. The ordinary policy of Satan is not to try to make infidels of you, but he suggests that the present is not the time to attend to your souls; remember that if you listen to his suggestions, procrastinate, put off concern for your soul, you may be lost, and are almost sure to be. Again: impenitent persons, and even religious persons, are constantly in danger, from the fact that there are so few persons in solemn earnest on this subject: they are in great danger of not feeling the unspeakable necessity of present and solemn earnestness on this great subject. With respect to professors of religion, unless you make it the great business of your lives, you are the great cause of stumbling to those around you; you are misleading them in the most effectual manner; you are saying by your works there is no need to make this the great and solemn business of your life, there is no necessity to be particularly anxious about your soul. Then let me say again, another reason why persons should attend to this first, in the sense I have here explained, is, that they will never effectually attend to it at all, till they come to that distinct position. When you consent to postpone anything till tomorrow, it will never be attended to effectually, and will be continually misleading those around you. I suppose that all of you do intend at some time to make this the most serious business of your lives; let it, then, be your first business from this time, or you may lose your souls. I have known many cases where persons have come to see clearly that this was the fact, that they were likely to lose their souls because they did not come to a point, and obey God by seeking his kingdom first. In revivals of religion, I have seen many instances, where person have come to feel, that if they procrastinated any further, they must lose their souls, and have resolved that nothing should hinder them, that nothing should engross their attention or stand in the way of giving their whole mind up to attend to it.

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I could tell multitudes of facts where persons came to be conscious of this, when the providence of God aroused them from their sleepy state, and arrested their attention. In such cases they have made up their minds that nothing should, by any means, stand in their way nothing should by any means be allowed to hinder them making religion the great business of life. I shall mention one fact. A lawyer, a man of large business in his profession-this man had been awakened in a revival; he went to his office with a resolution to attend to his soul at the risk of neglecting everything else. As soon as he had reached his office, some individuals called upon important business, to whom he had promised his assistance. Gentlemen, said he, I can not attend to your business now, I must first attend to my soul; I have neglected this business so long already, that if I allow myself to neglect it any longer, I shall lose my soul to all eternity. Will you excuse me for the present, or get some one else to attend to your business? They left the office, and took the papers with them. He stayed alone in the office, resolving that he would not leave till he had given his heart to God; and the fact is, that he did give his heart to God, and found peace. My dear hearers, what an awful game you have been playing with yourselves, if your have been neglecting the business which God sent you into this world to attend to. He made it your great, solemn, and only business, and yet you have neglected it. I say that the care of your soul is your only business, to which all other things are only helps and are you attending to this great business, or are you neglecting it, and thus going on the road to ruin? God is speaking to you by his word, by his Spirit, and by his ministers, saying, Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. This is the errand upon which God has sent you into the world, and have you suffered yourselves to neglect it! Have you been wandering about and forgetting the errand on which you were sent? Did your Father commit a soul to you, and tell you to take care of it; and are you running about thinking of everything but taking care of it, and by so doing disobeying your Father, and ruining yourselves? Now, is it not true that you have been acting thus foolishly and wickedly? Oh, think of your guilt in neglecting your soul and disobeying God, and resolve now to procrastinate no longer! Again: for a man to act thus on any other subject, he would be pronounced insane. And it is moral insanity which makes people neglect the business of their eternal salvation; it is madness in the heart. Suppose a man should neglect the most important part of his worldly business, the neglect of which would ruin all his worldly prospects, why everybody would say he was insane. Who can doubt this? Now, what higher evidence can a man give of insanity, who admits his guilt and danger in words, and yet systematically neglects to save himself from ruin. If a man should deny the whole matter, and say there was no truth in the statement, that he is in danger by his neglect, why, what higher evidence could he give of being insane? Let any one tell if he can! We will now proceed to notice, in a few words, IV. THE MEANING OF THE ANNEXED PROMISE AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU You observe in the connection of our text, Christ is speaking of worldly things; and he tells us not give any anxiety about these things at all, but to let our anxieties be respecting the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and, in that case, all these worldly things, of which he is speaking; shall be added unto us. The word added,

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here means thrown in, something super-added. Now, what Christ means to say is this, that it is perfectly unnecessary that we should be anxious about worldly things, because, if we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, he will see that we are fully supplied with what we need in relation to our bodies. Let the great business of our lives be spiritual concerns, and he will take care that we shall not want in relation to temporal matters. The promise is, that if we give our supreme attention to spiritual matters, our temporal wants will be supplied. A few remarks must conclude what I have to say. First, from what has been said, it is plain that we can all very well afford to obey God in this respect, for he will take care of our temporal wants, if we will only pay supreme attention to our souls. We can very well afford, therefore, thoroughly to obey God. You see, he has not placed us in such a position that we must starve to death if we seek the salvation of our souls, that our families must starve, or our fellow-creatures must suffer, or that the ruin of our temporal concerns must necessarily be the result of our determination to attend to religion. Again: how infinitely kind in God to give us the assurance that he will take this stumbling-block out of our way, if we will but attend first to the salvation of our souls, and make religion and the glory of God the objects of our supreme regard. He very kindly says, If you will take care of your souls, I will take care of your bodies. You have an immortal soul to be saved, let my kingdom be set up in your hearts, seek your own salvation, work it out with fear and trembling, and dont be anxious about your body, for I will take care of that. Again: I have become acquainted with many interesting facts illustrating the care of God for the temporal interests of his devoted servants-those who came right up to the obeying of this requirement. I have known, too, a great many instances in which persons have said that they could not attend to religion without ruining their worldly prospects. A barber, who had been in the habit of shaving on the Sabbath-day, became awakened, and began to reflect upon his sins, and felt the importance of attending to religion. He was in a difficultly. A great many of his customers were ungodly men, who always came to be shaved on a Sunday; he did not see, therefore, how he could shut up his shop on that day. Yet, how could he be a Christian, and not shut up on the Sabbath? He spoke to his customers, and the great mass of them said, If you shut up your shop on the Sabbath, we must employ somebody else. He made up his mind, however, rather to starve to death than disobey God. He resolved to tell his customers that his shop would in future be closed on Sunday. When he had fully resolved upon this, some of them asked if he would shave them on Saturday night? Oh, yes, till midnight, he replied; and this he did; he shaved till midnight on Saturday, but resolutely closed on the Sabbath. I saw him some years after, and I asked him, How do you get along? Why, sir, he replied, my business has been better than ever; a great deal better. This is only one of many similar instances that I could mention, where individuals have supposed that they were about to sacrifice everything by becoming religious, but, on the contrary, have received much benefit, receiving a hundred fold more in this present life, and the promise of the life everlasting. Again: let me say, proper attention to business is really attention to religion.

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If you make your business Gods business, transact it on right principles, and get your heart into a right state, so that you do everything from religious motives, why, your business is then as much a part of religion, as praying and going to church is. Again: the promise which God has here given, is designed to leave men entirely without excuse for neglecting to attend to their eternal salvation. I remark again: many men reverse Gods order in point of time, and instead of putting religion first, put it last; the first place is given to the world, the attention is wholly given up to the pursuit of wealth. Those persons want to place themselves in a position to be independent of God; they must get a fortune first, and then attend to religion. And then there are a great many persons who not only reverse Gods order in point of time, but there are multitudes who reverse Gods order in point of the importance of it. How remarkable that many persons should think themselves religious people, while they really place more practical stress upon the most trifling things around them, than upon the great questions of salvation, and disobeying God. Instead of making religion the greatest and most important practical business, they make it the least important. The persons I am speaking of do not utterly neglect it, but they so attend to it that everybody knows that they care very little about it, and do not rest upon it. Again: those who do not make religion their great business, tempt God. Multitudes of souls are lost by tempting God in this way; they are living worldly, selfish, and ungodly lives, and yet they try to make themselves believe, and the world believe, that they are going to heaven in despite of what God has said to the contrary. They live in disobedience to God, but professedly Christians, and it is proclaimed that they died in the faith, and people charitably hope that they are gone to heaven. It was Dr. Doddridge, I think, who so extensively investigated the results of death-bed impressions. Out of two thousand persons, who, when they supposed themselves dying, expressed their faith in Christ, only two afterwards gave evidence of true conversion. Death-bed repentances are not to be relied on. Seek first the kingdom of God, if you do not this, you may never be saved at all. Once more: a great many persons seem to say, I dont care how much sin I commit, if I can but get to heaven. They go as far as they think they can go in the service of the devil, and dishonouring God; but let me tell you, if you put Gods arrangements out of order, the probability is that your souls will be lost. God says, Put religion first. You say, Not so, Lord, let it be put last; I must attend to everything else first. God says, Seek this first; and do let me ask, Is it not your interest to seek it first? If for that reason then, alone, why do you not seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness first? In conclusion, let me ask you one question, Will all of you who are in this house tonight, make up your minds now to seek this kingdom first, that it may be set up in your hearts? Will you pray for this? will you make it your business to pray? will you begin to-night? Now that the Lord says, Seek ye my face, does your heart reply, Thy face, Lord, will I seek? If you delay, your soul may be ruined!-lost for ever!

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19. HOLINESS ESSENTIAL TO SALVATION

And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins. - Matthew 1:21 In speaking from these words, I design to show. I. That salvation from sin is the great necessity of man. II. That Jesus has undertaken this work. III. Inquire why it is that so many persons fail of this salvation. I. THAT SALVATION FROM SIN IS THE GREAT NECESSITY OF MAN This is a fact of universal observation. It is also a fact of universal consciousness. Every man is conscious of the fact that he is a sinner, and while he is a sinner he can not be satisfied with himself, he can not truly respect himself, he can not have peace of mind, he can not have the favour of God; and he ought not to have all or any of these things. In short, it is a fact of universal experience that men are sinners, and that they must be saved from sin as a condition of their being made happy, either in this world or in the future world. Men are so constituted that they can not doubt that ultimate happiness is impossible unless they can be delivered from that which they know to be a great curse in this world, and which they also know will be their ultimate ruin, if persisted in. While men are violating their own consciences, they know that happiness is impossible. These facts are always assumed in the Bible, and their truth is declared by the universal sentiment of mankind. But I must not dwell on this thought; the text announces the fact that Jesus Christ has come into the world, and that his great business is to save men from sin. This leads me to the second thoughtII. JESUS HAS UNDERTAKEN THIS WORK He shall save his people from their sins, therefore is his name called Jesus - the name Jesus signifying a Saviour. Now, salvation from sin is of the highest importance to mankind. The term strictly, as here used, means merely deliverance, or safety from some tremendous evil; it is often found in the Bible, and includes in it very generally, in addition to mere deliverance, the result of it-eternal happiness and enjoyment in heaven with the people of God. Thus, properly and scripturally speaking, the term salvation means deliverance, both from guilt and its consequences. In this text, the reason assigned for the name that was to be given to the child of Mary was, that he should save his people from their sins-that he should bear the particular relation of a Saviour-that he should save both from the guilt and the punishment of sin. The Bible represents him as having given himself to be the Saviour of the world, as having consecrated himself to this end, as having died and opened a way by which sinners could be saved; and that previous to this, as being in a waiting attitude to accomplish this work; as endeavouring to gain the

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consent of God and man to comply with the natural and necessary conditions of sinners being saved; and that now he possesses in himself all the fullness of power of necessary to the accomplishment of the work-he is able to save unto the uttermost all that will come to God by him. The Bible represents Jesus as coming on this great mission, and as occupying himself exclusively with this work, and as having fully secured this end. Now, whenever persons come into sympathy with him, and seek what it is his business to give, knock at the door which it is his business to open, the Bible represents him as ready and willing to do these things for them. We now come to the inquiry. III. WHY IT IS THAT SO MANY PERSONS FAIL OF THIS SALVATION That many do fail of it, is a simple matter of fact. Now, the question is, Why do they fail? We remark, first, that many persons fail of this salvation because they have not abandoned reliance upon themselves. It is the most obvious thing in the whole world, that many persons are living not to God, but to themselves. Now, wherever this principle is manifested, it is certain that persons are not saved from sin, for what is sin but living to self and not to God; self-seeking is the very essence of sin. Now, multitudes of persons manifest that this spirit is not set aside in them, but that, on the contrary, the whole end and aim of their life is self-seeking, instead of the first and great end being the glory and honour of God. Now, a man can not be saved unless he is justified, and he can not be justified unless his sins are pardoned - this must be a condition of a sinners salvation. Salvation consists in being saved from sin; and the reason why a great many persons are not saved is, that they are unwilling to accept of salvation on such a condition, they are unwilling to give up their sins; but if they will not be persuaded to be saved from the their sins, and become sanctified - if they will not relinquish and renounce their sin, they never can be saved. Many persons will even pray to God that he will save them, but they really do not desire that for which they ask-they do not mean what they say; to get men to consent to relinquish their sins, is the great difficulty. Now observe, if a man is saved at all he must consent to it; his will must acquiesce in the arrangement; and the will is not moved by physical force. A man must voluntarily consent to be saved, or Jesus himself can not possibly save him. Man is a moral agent, and he is addressed by God as such, and therefore, in order to his salvation, he must voluntarily consent to relinquish sin, and have his mind brought into obedience with the law of God. Again: Multitudes are not saved because they seek forgiveness while they do not forsake their sins. Some individuals will spend much time in praying for pardon, while they indulge themselves in sin. Again: multitudes are seeking for salvation while they neglect the natural condition of their being pardoned. While they continue in sin, indulge in a self-seeking spirit, it is naturally impossible, that they can be saved. If a man should act in this way in relation to his body, every one would plainly perceive the folly of his conduct; if he should partake of things which rendered good health impossible, and yet should wonder that he did not possess the robustness of health which he desired, people would not pity, but blame him. Now, the fact is, that many

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persons are seeking for that which must result alone from holiness, while they are not themselves sanctified. They are seeking comfort while they refuse to be holy; thus they neglect to fulfil the natural conditions on which either comfort or salvation can be obtained. Again, many persons fail of this salvation because they are waiting for God to fulfil conditions which it is naturally impossible for him to fulfil, and which they themselves must fulfil, and which God is endeavouring to persuade and influence them to fulfil. For example: God can not repent for them; he can not believe for them; no, but these are the natural conditions of their salvation, and these very things Christ is persuading them to do. Now, they are waiting for God to do that which he will never do, that in fact, which he can not do, but which he is requiring us to do for ourselves. Let me be understood. God never requires of us to perform an impossibility, nor does he accomplish that for us which we can do ourselves. Dont be shocked at this, for it is truth. Now, observe, God requires us to repent; this is an act of our own minds, and therefore he can not do it for us. It is true that these things are spoken of sometimes as being done by God; it is said that he gives repentance, faith, and love, but he only does this in the sense of persuading and inciting our minds to the performance of these duties. Now, if anybody is seeking for God to do that which they must do themselves, they will fail of eternal life. How many are making mistakes in this matter! they are waiting for God to put repentance and faith into them, and entirely overlooking the fact of its being an exercise of their own minds. Again: Another difficulty, and another reason, why persons are not saved is this-they profess to be waiting for the Holy Spirit, while in fact they are resisting the Holy Spirit. They pretend that they are waiting for the Holy Spirit to save them and convert them: now, mark, every moment they wait they are grieving and resisting the Holy Spirit. Now, what do they mean by waiting, when they ought to be acting? From the beginning and end He is the teacher. No man can come unto me, except the Father which sent me draw him. They shall all be taught of the Lord. He shall take of the things of mine and show them unto you. Now, the Bible represents the Holy Spirit in this way as a teacher, and those who do not yield when the truth is presented to them, are resisting and grieving the Spirit. You remember the words of our Saviour to the Jews, Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did, so do ye. Now, multitudes in the present day are resisting the Holy Spirit under the pretence of waiting for it. The divine influence is always waiting to save you, if you will comply with the necessary conditions; but if under any pretence you neglect your duty, you never will be saved. But I pass next to consider another great difficulty in the way of a sinners conversion. Many are really seeking to be justified in sin. They ask God to pardon them, but they refuse to be sanctified; they seek Christ as their justification only. They cleave to their sins, they are living in their sins, and they seek to be justified rather than sanctified-indeed, they refuse to be sanctified at all. Now, this is a very common case. Again, let me say that this class of persons really regard the gospel as a mighty system of indulgence, on a large scale. They really suppose that men are subjects of this salvation while they are living in selfish indulgence. In the very early ages of

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Christianity, the Antinomian spirit had crept into the Church: the doctrine of justification by faith, as opposed to justification by works, was sadly abused by many. While some of the Apostles were still living, many persons came to regard the gospel as a system of indulgence, that men were to be justified in sin rather than be saved from sin; thus they took an entirely false view of the gospel of Christ. You will remember that the Apostle James wrote his epistle to denounce this wrong view, and to guard the Christians against abusing the doctrine of justification by faith. Some persons imagine that the Apostle rejected this doctrine altogether, yet this is not true; but his epistle being written for the purpose we have mentioned, he does not give this doctrine the prominence that Paul did. Now, no man who lives in sin can be justified, because no man can be pardoned who lives in any form of iniquity. The Apostle tells you plainly that those who commit sin are the children of the devil, and while they are living in sin they can not enjoy the privileges of the gospel. He does not mean that an individual can not be a Christian who falls under the power of temptation and into occasional sin. The Apostle John also says, Whosoever is born of God sinneth not - whosoever is born of God does not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him: and he can not sin because he is born of God - he that committeth sin is of the devil. This is strong language, and if I should affirm so strongly the necessity of holiness, you would think I spoke harshly; but it ought to be insisted upon more than it is, that men can not be Christians unless they are holy. The moral law is as much binding upon Christians as it was upon those to whom it was first given. Faith without love will never save man; but let me say, that true faith is always true love. Every man who breaks the law systematically and designedly, living in violation of its precepts, is a child of the devil, and not of God. Let this be thundered in the ears of the Church and the world. Now, it is very common for men to overlook this great truth, and fall into the worldly mindedness and sinful practices of the those around them. Again: multitudes are not saved because they regard the gospel as an abrogation of the moral law-a virtual repeal of it. Now, the gospel does not repeal the moral law. What saith the Apostle? Do we make void the law through faith? God forbid! Yea, we establish the law. Now, it is true that the gospel was designed to set aside the penalty of the law, upon all who should be persuaded to come back to its precepts, and yield that love and confidence which the law requires. Now, it is frequently the case, if ministers begin to say anything about obedience to the law, the people call out against it as legal preaching! If they are roused up and urged to do that which the law of God requires of them, they tell you they want the gospel. Now, such people know nothing at all of the gospel! They make Christ the minister of sin! They seem to think that Christ came to justify them in their sin, instead of saving them from it. Let me say, once more, that another reason why men are not saved from sin is, that they have really come to regard justification in sin, as a means to save them from it! In support of this monstrous idea, they will even appeal to the Scriptures. They found justification on the atonement; now, this work of Christ can never be imputed to any man in such a sense as to justify him while he remains in sin! Justification in sin is a thing impossible! Now, how can a man be pardoned and justified, before he repents

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and believes! It is impossible! He must be in a state of obedience to the law of God before he can be justified! The fact is, there is a very great mistake among many people on this subject. They think that they must persuade themselves that they are justified, but they are not, and never can be, till they forsake sin, and do their duty. In the next place, multitudes make this mistake-they seek hope, rather than holiness; instead of working out their own salvation, they seek to cherish a hope that they shall be saved. Again, they seek to persuade themselves that they are safe, while they are in a state of condemnation. Those who seek salvation oftentimes fail because they seek it selfishly; not so much because they abhor sin, and want holiness, as because they desire personal happiness, or personal honour, by being held up as very pure and good men, and because they seek sanctification for some selfish reason they do not get rid of their sins. Again, some individuals content themselves in sin so long as they can indulge a hope, or get others to indulge a hope for them. If they have certain feelings, which lead them to hope that all will be well with them at last, they are perfectly satisfied, and have no desire to be saved from sin. But I can not continue this train of observation, and will therefore conclude with some remarks. First, no person has any right to hope for eternal life, unless he is conscious of possessing the spirit of Christ within him-unless he is free from those sinful tempers which are indulged in by wicked men - unless he is free from a self-seeking spirit of doing business which characterises the men of the world. How can a man in such a condition expect or hope for eternal life? How can any man suppose that he is justified before he is sanctified? I do not mean to say, that a man is not in any sense justified before he is sanctified; but, as a matter of fact, a man is not safe for eternity unless he is saved from sin. He has no right to expect to get to heaven unless the work of sanctification is going on in his soul. Again, it is easy to see from what has been said, that many persons regard the doctrine of justification by faith, as the whole gospel. It is the gospel, in their conception of it! Now, why is this the gospel to them? Why is it good news? Why is it not good news that Christ will save them from sin? How is it that the good news of the gospel as it strikes them is the good news that will justify rather than sanctify?-that Christ is precious to them, not so much because he came to save from sin, as because he came to forgive, to die for their sins, and to justify them! Is there not something wrong in all this? Does it not show, when persons lay more stress upon justification than upon sanctification, that they are more afraid of punishment than of sin?-more afraid of the consequences of sin than of the sin itself? If they can but get rid of the penalty, the governmental consequence of sin, they are satisfied. Again, it is certain, that where this principle takes possession of the mind, that the individual seeks much more to be pardoned than to be made holy. It is better news to him that Christ will justify him, than that Christ will save him from his sins. Talk to him about his sins; preach to him about his sins; require him to become holy; present Christ as his sanctification, and that is not the gospel! Let me say, that there are multitudes of persons who have contracted their views into that one point - that Christ has died to save men from punishment. All idea about Christ being the believers sanctification, or that sanctification is a condition of salvation, is wholly lost sight of. There is no stress laid upon the doctrine of sanctification.

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Christ is chiefly precious because he saves from wrath, much more than because he saves from sin; more because he justifies, than because he sanctifies. Now, rely upon it, that, whenever this is the case, there is a sad defect of character. What is the true spirit of the children of God? Why, it is this - they feel as if they must get rid of sin, at any rate. They dont want to be saved in their sins; they feel that to live in their sins is hell enough. They abhor themselves on account of their sins. They must get away from their sins. They would not wish to be saved at all, if they could not be saved from sin. They are ready to say, If the gospel can not save me from sin, it is a failure, for this is my necessity. Now, who does not know that the true Christian is more afraid of sin than of punishment? Yes, a great deal more! They abhor sin; and when they ever fall into sin, they are ready to curse themselves; and all the more because Christ is so willing to forgive them. The man in this condition of mind will never look upon the gospel as mere justification. Again: whenever the doctrine of justification comes to be more prominent in the church than sanctification, there is something wrong, there is a radical error crept into the church; there is a danger of that church losing all true idea of what the gospel is. I dont know how it is in this country, but I greatly fear that the doctrine of sanctification is kept very much in the background. Now, why is this? While there is so much said about justification, there is very little said about personal holiness. So much is said about a Saviour, as if the gospel was meant simply to save men from punishment. Now, while I know that the gospel presents salvation from punishment, and the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ, I know that its chief relation to men, is to save them from their sins-to become their sanctification. Again: the true state of men is always known by the great absorbing idea which is in their minds. A mans character is as is the end for which he lives. Now, a man who lives in any sin, any form of selfpleasing, and self-seeking, can not be a Christian; for the true idea of the gospel is, that, for a man to be a Christian he must be devoted to God, and thoroughly withdrawn from all forms of sin and iniquity. He must be devoted to God, living for God, living for the same end that God lives; sympathising with Christ, and with everything that is good. This is the character of every true Christian. This is the true conception of Christianity, and just in proportion as individuals approach to this standard have they a good hope of salvation, and just in proportion as they recede from this standard they fail of salvation. Again: there are a great many persons whose aim is to get peace of mind, and who are constantly crying peace to others, when there is no peace. Now, let me say that there can be no real, true peace, unless all the conditions of the gospel have been complied with. You can not have that peace of God which passeth all understanding, while you are in an unsanctified state; and, if you think so, you are deceiving yourself. Now, let me ask of you, Are you not conscious that this peace of God does not rule in your hearts? If I am not greatly mistaken, there are many persons in this house who have been trying for years to make themselves happy, but who, after all, are in such a state of mind as not to know that they are pardoned, have no real confidence in their own piety; now, how is it possible that they should have peace of mind? Peace of mind results from sanctification, and this they have never obtained. Let an individual who has been making justification the great idea, be at the

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point of death, and does he feel happy and resigned, having a full confidence that he shall go to heaven? How often do we hear such persons exclaim under such circumstances, I am undone, I am not prepared. Why are you not prepared? A short time ago you were indulging a comfortable hope that you were a Christian, and now you cry out in fear, lest you should lose your soul. How is this? There is a great delusion in the minds of men on this subject. They suppose that they have a very comfortable hope, but it is in the absence of piety; and when death stares them in the face they discover that they have no confidence in religion, or any ground of hope. Again: persons who do not like to have their hopes tried, and themselves searched, do great wrong to their souls. The more hope is tried, if it be good hope, the more consoling and satisfactory will it become. The man who is seeking to be sanctified, desires to be searched that he may not be resting in any degree upon an uncertain and unsafe foundation, because he is more afraid of sin than of anything else; he is more ready to forsake sin, than anything else in the world; he would rather forego any earthly good than have anything to do with sin. Now, dont say that this is extreme, because it is a universal truth, if religion implies supreme love to God: if we supremely love any being, we shall supremely delight to please him: this is a universal characteristic of the children of God. Now, if this be so, what shall we say of the great mass of professors, who give the highest possible evidence that self-indulgence is the chief end of their lives? They wait to be saved, not from sin, but in it. But while they live in sin they never can be saved! Before hope can be cherished, the conditions of salvation must be fulfilled: you will never be saved at all unless you are saved from sin - mind that! You must become holy in order to become happy. Fulfil the conditions; become holy, and then your peace shall flow like a river. Give up your sins, give your heart to God, and rely upon it that the peace which passeth all understanding shall rule in your hearts. Believer in Christ, the Lord hath set you apart for himself, separated you from the rest of the world; but you are only set apart as holiness to the Lord: this must be written plainly upon you; and if the Lord has written his name upon you, you are safe, not else. And let me say to every one in this house, Dont you expect to be forgiven, dont you expect to be pardoned, unless you will consent to be separated from your sins, and have the name of the Lord Jesus Christ written upon your hearts; unless your prayer is, O Lord, write thy law upon my heart and make me holy. Receive his name in your forehead and his law in your heart, give yourself up to him, body and soul, and rely upon it, as the Lord liveth, as Jesus liveth, you shall understand what is the salvation of God. Will you do it tonight?

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20. THE SABBATH SCHOOL CO-OPERATION WITH GOD

We are labourers together with God. - 1 Corinthians 3:9 Man is sometimes a mere instrument in bringing about certain events; and in bringing about certain other events, he acts as a responsible agent. When he does anything without rendering an intelligent cooperation, he is more properly an instrument; but when he is a sympathising, intelligent, designing, co-operating agent he is a co-labourer with God in producing results by such combined agency. There are multitudes of cases in which men may be said to combine with God. For instance, in raising the productions necessary for his subsistence, man is a co-worker with God; for he makes use not only of man instrumentally, but as a designing, active agency - aiming to secure a result as, really as God is - sympathising with him in the great end at which he aims without the loss of his own responsibility, liberty, cooperating with him designedly and understandingly. It is enough to say, that when men have the same end in view - when they sympathise with him, and take the same means to secure the end in view, they may be said to be labourers together with God. In speaking to the subject before us, I shall notice I. The particular work here referred to II. Who are peculiarly co-labourers with God in accomplishing this II. Why God makes use of this combination IV. The elements of success V. Various hindrances which retard the work I. THE PARTICULAR WORK HERE REFERRED TO The particular work to which the apostle here alludes, is the conversion and sanctification of sinners. In bringing about their salvation, God has, of course, done much without mans co-operation - Christ has made atonement without him; still, however, there was the applying of this atonement, and this was the particular work in which the apostle was engaged. II. WHO ARE CO-WORKERS WITH GOD? The apostle in this case is speaking of himself and his fellow-labourers in the gospel; his eye was particularly upon them; but from the very nature of the case, and what is said in other places, we understand that all persons engaged in religious teaching every one designing to accomplish the great end, and engaged in giving instruction for the purpose of accomplishing it - sympathising with God in the grand end in view endeavouring to accomplish it by the means he has appointed - all such persons are labourers together with God. Now, not only all teachers, but all those who are employed in any department of labour necessary to the accomplishment of this result, may be said to be labourers together with God. Such, for example, are editors and

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others, labouring, directly or indirectly, to attain the desired object; but I shall notice more particularly this evening, one class - Sabbath-school Teachers, who are coworkers with God in the highest sense. The next inquiry is, III. WHY HAS GOD EMPLOYED THIS COMBINED AGENCY? We should never forget that God always acts wisely. Whatever he does, we are bound to assume that no other course than the one he pursues, would be so wise and good, if wise and good at all. Now, God can not depart from the path of wisdom. First, then, God has chosen to associate man with him in this matter; we are, therefore, bound to infer that he has acted wisely in so doing; and that another course would not have been wise. To doubt this, is to call in question his goodness; and we are to infer, therefore, from the fact that he has chosen this method of doing this work, that he could not wisely attempt to do it alone. I will not speak of the possibility or impossibility of it; but the fact that such is the way God takes, shows that, in his judgment, this is the wisest way. It follows, therefore, that as this is Gods way, he will not do it any other way; and that if there is not this cooperation on the part of man, we have no right to look for the promised result. But let me say again: Another reason why this is so, is, because we need this labour. It is just the very exercise we want in order to prepare us for heaven. We need to cultivate our benevolent feeling and affections; this is just the kind of culture that is necessary for our spiritual well-being, these are just the channels in which our thoughts should be directed. Again, it is honourable to God and man. If he requests any such feeble instrumentality as mans, why the excellency will be seen to be entirely of God, and not be ascribed, even in part, to the instrument, as might be the case even were angels employed in mans place. Furthermore, man can sympathise with man. God will get glory by bringing about so great a work by such means. Man will be benefited; and surely he is greatly honoured by such an association with God, in so great a work. But I must not enlarge here; I shall now proceed to point out, The Conditions of Success, and then the Hindrances which stand in the way. IV. THE CONDITIONS OF SUCCESS The conditions of success are, first, sympathy on the part of those who labour to this end with God. You must enter into his designs and views, having confidence in his wisdom and judgment, deeply sympathising with the self-sacrificing spirit of Christ. There must be deep sympathy with him in regard to his passion for souls universally. Deep sympathy on the part of those who are co-workers with him, is indispensable to success. Who doubts but that one of the greatest secrets of the success of the early Christian ministry was this deep sympathy with Christ in his work. Their self-denying labours - their self-sacrificing spirit, showed that they entered deeply into sympathy with their Divine Master in this work. Now, until men really enter into sympathy with Christ in this matter, as the apostle and primitive Christians did, do not let them pretend that there is some Divine Sovereignty, or anything else, preventing similar success.

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Again: Man must understand what is to be done. If he conceives that to save a soul is entirely an act of Divine creation, what has he to do with it? What cooperation has he? But it is not so, and man must, therefore, understand what is the nature of the work which has to be done. Again: He must understand the laws under which it takes place, and how it ought, therefore, to be done. If he has to take any part in it, he needs to understand clearly what part he has to take, and how it is to be performed, whether men are converted by persuasion accompanied by a presentation of the truth, or by a physical act of creation. If he makes a mistake here, he is not of much service in carrying forward the work; he must not go blindly forward without caring to ascertain the part devolving upon him. But, again: He must possess the requisite skill. He must himself be divinely taught. He must know Gods truth himself. He must understand what it is to be converted himself, or how can he labour for the conversion of others? What infinite folly for such a one to attempt to undertake the conversion of others! As well might a man with a beam in his own eye, attempt to pluck out the mote from his brothers eye; let him first cast out the beam from his own eye, and then he will see clearly to pluck the mote out of his brothers eye. He should have some knowledge by experience of what it is to be converted. If he is going to teach the sinner to obtain a new heart, let him understand what it is himself; for if he undertakes the work without knowing anything about it in his heart, he will prevent the work. So does a minister who pretends to point out the way of salvation, without himself having walked therein. But let me remark again: He must understand the means necessary to this end. Having the end in view, knowing the means appointed by God to secure it, let him apply the means to the end, in an intelligent manner. Would you expect a man to be converted by talking to him about the Bey of Algiers? Yet this is as nearly connected with the subject in hand, as are the methods some take to effect the conversion of sinners. If you are to be co-workers with God, you must know what God is aiming to do - what particular mistakes you have fallen into - as wisely adapting the means to the end as a physician, who inquires into the habits of his patient, what caused the disease, what prolongs it, and the difficulties in the way of its removal. Now, suppose a physician, pretending to be a co-worker with God, should give up the use of means, sending one and the same prescription to all his patients, getting up a common panacea for all their ailments - what would you think of such quackery? But is not spiritual quackery even worse than this? Has not God ordained that man shall be converted by the truth? What then, is most calculated to impress the sinner with a consciousness of his necessity and with faith in his remedy? - what to teach him to get present hold of it? Therefore, if men would be co-labourers with God, let them be sure to adapt their means to their end. They have no more right to expect to secure their end without the use of suitable means, than has the physician who does not adapt his means to his end, or any other man, attempting any other thing. God is perfectly wise in the selection of the instrumentality by which he does things. He has told us that he converts men by the truth; he has made us understand this. From the Bible and the universal conscience of all who ever were convinced by the truth, everybody can see that there is a Divine philosophy in every step - proper means to every end - all things conspire so that there is a divine, a philosophic beauty throughout the whole. The man who does not comply with the prescribed conditions is just as absurd as one who should undertake, in his

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business, to neglect the means from which certain results are always expected, and by which they are naturally accomplished, and yet expect to succeed. Again: I do not mean to say that this result comes to pass by natural causes without the direct interposition of the Almighty; but that it is effected by laws with which he never interferes. His natural laws are everywhere present, and he will no more violate them in the spiritual, than in the material world. Do not let me be misunderstood; I do not think the means accomplish the end without Divine interposition, but the means are adapted to the end. Who would expect God would convert a man by the preaching of some truth which has no manner of connection with him? Nobody. Suppose I go to an impenitent sinner, and attempt to convince him of sin by discoursing on some purely abstract truth, without any particular bearing on his conduct and responsibility. How could I expect him to be converted by such means? Would any of you expect it? No indeed! But why not just as well convert him when talking about some irrelevant, as well as some relevant matter? Or, suppose you talk of things partly relevant and partly irrelevant. But you must necessarily come to the conclusion that the more you adapt the means to the end, the more certain you are of securing it. You would not expect Divine interference unless you acted wisely. Suppose a minister should preach from week to week about Cicero, or Demosthenes, and other such matters? You would never expect him to be instrumental in conversion. You say God will not make use of such means as these in the conversion of men. Now, carry this out in all your teaching, Sabbath-school instruction, and preaching; and never forget that when you do not apply the proper means to the accomplishment of your object, you not only do not act wisely, but you are not likely to secure your end. Again: Another condition is diligence. God himself is diligent, and he loves to see you so. If I take my own individual case, I may say that, since I have been in the ministry, I have been pressed, I can not say how many times, to spare myself and take more rest, and take more care of myself. But Jesus Christ laid down his life, and I can afford, if necessary, to lay down mine. It is not the point how long any one lives, but what he does. If a man is endeavouring to spare his own health, and to make that a primary object, setting it before his duty - he is not doing very much. It is necessary for persons under some circumstances, to lay themselves fully out, or to do nothing at all. Suppose, for instance, you see a man out upon the Niagara in a little boat, some two or three miles above the Falls, drifting gradually onwards to that mighty cataract. He has oars, but the day is warm, and he does not like to exert himself too much, as it would injure his health. The longer he delays, the greater his speed, and therefore, the greater his danger; at length, it increases visibly at every step, till he comes to the Falls, when the whole river seems to roll back in mighty volume, and to struggle lest it precipitate him into the profound abyss beneath. Now suppose, under such circumstances, that he should only take moderate strokes with his oars, lest he injure himself by over-exertion! Why, he might just as well not move at all. He is placed in circumstances where he must work arduously and continuously, or it is of little use his working at all. He must lay himself fully out. To preserve ones life is a duty, when it can be done consistently with other and more important duties. But it is often our duty to sacrifice life, or at least, to risk it; and the man who can not do this

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will never accomplish very great things. The work must be done, come life or come death. Another condition is, faith in the Divine presence and co-operation. Christ has told his Church to accomplish this work, and he has promised to be with them - not sometimes, but always, even unto the end. They were to go forth, and to make disciples of all nations; and lo, he says, very emphatically, lo I am with you always, and everywhere to the end of the world. Now, it is of great moment that those who attempt this work should understand that God is always with them, and that they may rely on his co-operation with as much certainty as that he will not lie, if they will only lay themselves out upon the alter as they ought to do, I do not believe that a solitary instance could be adduced in which the proper means have been perseveringly used in a true spirit, where success has not crowned the efforts. The promise here given may be depended upon, just as much as a natural or physical law. It is the Divine promise of an omnipresent Jehovah to be always with those who engage in his work - always, to the end of the world. It is just as if he had said - Whatever there may be for me to do, I shall not be wanting; I shall be always with you. We are to assume then, I say, that God will interpose, as confidently as an engineer in the construction of his mechanism expect it to obey natural laws, which will cause it to act when it is constructed in accordance with those natural laws. Mark me! I do not confound this Divine interposition with natural laws. But look at the facts in all history. When there has been a deep sympathy with God - means wisely adjusted to the end - in short, when Gods commandments and requirements have been complied with in the proper spirit - when has it been found that God did not fulfil his promise? But let me say again: It is very easy for men to put it upon Divine sovereignty when they have gone to work absurdly, and then say, I have done my duty, and I must leave the rest in the hands of the Almighty! But even if you have complied with Gods requirements, who does not see that you must follow it up! It never will do to faint with a single effort! Another condition of success in this work is - we must leave nothing to miracles - we must not assume that God is going to convert men by miracles - we must not leave men to be convinced by miracles. Miracles never did convert men; they were only used to confirm their faith in the message that was sent from God. This having been once accomplished, they had the same gospel that we have. We do not need direct revelation as they did. I have said we must not leave anything to miracles; this is done wherever God is left to work without instrumentality. How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent? Now, the apostle reasoned that no such thing was to be expected unless means were used. If, therefore, we expect God to work miracles, and leave things to be done by him miraculously, we as really tempt God as farmers would if they waited for him to raise their crops by miracles. Again: We are to expect nothing without Divine interposition. We are to remember that sinners so obstinate and stubborn will not turn to God except as he interposes to persuade them. Our persuasion will not suffice without his enlightenment. Again: We are also to understand that we are not to expect God to do this alone; he has chosen to do it by means of cooperation with us; we are to be co-labourers with him in it; and

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while we are not to expect that we can do it without his aid, we are not to expect him to do it without ours. But this leads me, in the next place, to remark, that we must not stop short in seeking our end. We must not confine ourselves to sowing the seed, and neglect the watering of it. We must press our suit till we obtain our object, and not leave it for God to go on with it alone. Another important condition is, we must take care not to hinder the work, by throwing obstacles in the way; but as this subject will come up for notice under the head of hindrances, I will not further enlarge here. In the next place, if we would secure this end, we must pray to be instructed, study the laws by which it is accomplished, and the means best adapted to secure it. We must adjust the means to the end as nicely as a chemist would do the various substances on which he is to experiment, and as confidently expect the results. We must study the state of mind in a man or child. What is the child taught at home? What does it know? What does it fail to know? We must thus endeavour to remove every obstacle, as a chemist in his laboratory would prepare all the component parts in a mixture, to secure the result of his experiments. Unless he adjusts these things in their exact proportions, his experiments will not succeed. To be sure it is a natural law, but if he does not comply with it, he will not secure his end. Now, who does not see in the gospel this nice adjustment of the truth to the end which it is designed to accomplish? Now, suppose you are going to endeavour to do your part towards the conversion of a certain child to God. What are you going to do? Are you going to tell him some story with no manner of connection with the subject? How can you wake him up to a sense of sin - set his mind fermenting on the subject? How can you best explain to him the atonement? Who does not see that there must be the nicest adjustment of the means to the end? If this is done in a proper spirit, you may expect the result, and you will not be disappointed either. V. HINDRANCES The first great hindrance to this work which I shall notice, is the many false assumptions which are made; and consequently, the amount of false instruction which is given - a course which is extremely mischievous. For example: How often is it presumed that God does his work alone? Now, I do not say he can not possibly do it alone, but I do say he can not wisely do it alone; but to say that the Almighty can not wisely do a thing is, virtually to say he can not do it at all, for he can not act unwisely. This hindrance is extremely powerful; for of course, where men think God does it alone, they do not care to co-operate. Another assumption is, that his sovereignty is of such a character as to render it extremely doubtful whether he will co-operate with us. Where this is the case, men have but little expectation of success - they care but little to adapt the means in the end - and the result is naturally a failure. Show me a man who, though doing the best he can, as he thinks, does not feel certain of success, and you will show me an unsuccessful man; for he, instead of being duly impressed with a sense of the presence and cooperation of God - of the fact that God is most minutely watching his efforts, and ever ready to apply his seal to the result - instead, in short, of addressing himself

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right to the work with the expectation of seeing it accomplished - he will do no such thing. This is one of the greatest errors in the Christian Church. Why did not the apostles assume Gods sovereignty in this sense? Everybody can see that the primitive Christians went right to the work, as if they expected Gods agency might be depended upon, taking it for granted that the Divine cooperation would by no means be wanting. Is there anything in the prophecies, in the gospels, in the epistles - is there anything in the entire Word of God to warrant our saying that the time for such things is gone past? No indeed; judging from the Bible, we have a right to expect more and more of the Divine cooperation and power. Such a supposition as the mistake I have noted, dampens the energies of the saints; and prevents their securing the end. Another mistake is: It is assumed that the want of success is to be ascribed to Gods sovereignty. Now, this is tempting God. There are men not half awake to the subject, ascribing the want of success to Gods sovereignty! - men who have actually not employed the proper means! Indeed, the entire affair is nothing more or less than overlooking the fact, that Gods government is a moral government. They confound physical with moral government, and physical with Divine influence, confusing and bewildering their minds; no wonder, then that their efforts are not crowned with success. Another hindrance may be found in the assumption that if the work is Gods work, there is no such thing as HINDERING it! No such thing as hindering it! Indeed! In what part of the Bible have you made that discovery? Was there no such thing as hindering conversion in the days of the apostles? The fact is, that if the means are not suitable to the object which is sought to be attained, it never will be attained; and to say that the means will be sure to be adjusted to the end, is just as reasonable as would be the parent who forsook his child, on the plea that if God designed him to get well, he would be sure to get well; he need not, therefore send for a physician - it was no use his doing anything! To be sure I know, he says, that God has settled in his own mind whether he shall or shall not get well, and the means will not be neglected if the end is to be secured. But it is just as easy to devote ones self to the conversion of the soul, as to the healing of the sick. Why then do men apply rules to the salvation of the soul, which would not entitle them to be considered sane if they applied them to anything else? Again: Children are told to pray for the Spirit, when all the time they are resisting it. Instead of throwing all the blame on the sinner, and making him see that he is always resisting the Holy Ghost, they make it appear to him as if he were in reality more willing to receive the Holy Ghost than God was to bestow it! Whereas, if he would but yield to the convictions of the Holy Ghost, he is a converted child, or man, that moment. Yielding to the truth presented to the spirit, is conversion. Again: He is set to pray for a new heart, instead of being told at once to give his heart to God - thus completely confusing the whole question, by assuming that he has nothing to do except to wait for God to make him a new heart, which they expect to come, like an electric shock, or something of that kind. Now, what is this assuming? Why, that he is really willing to be a Christian, and waiting for it! Now, does the Bible teach this? If so, where? It is in fact, telling the child that he is willing enough to be converted, and that he must pray to God and get him to be equally willing! Now, this is

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as gross an error as it is possible to propagate. Conversion is an act of the will in turning from sin unto God. The truth is, the sinner is not willing; the moment he is willing - that is conversion. The very act of being willing is the act which constitutes conversion. Now, to set a sinner to do what pre-supposes willingness on his part, is to throw the responsibility upon God. Now, my dear hearts, what can be a more deadly error than that? Said a lawyer to me in one of the great cities of Pennsylvania, Mr. Finney, is there any hope for me? When at college, I and two or three of my fellow students waited on the president, and asked him what we should do to be converted. He told us to keep out of bad company, to read the Scriptures, pray for a good heart, and in Gods good time, we should either be converted or go back again into the world. As he said, they did go back into the world. Bursting into tears, he continued, My two companions are now in a drunkards grave, and I have but just escaped! Now, is there any hope for me? I told him, your president was probably a good man, but he taught you just what the devil wished you to be taught. Instead of at once accepting Christ, believing the truth, breaking down before him, he set you to read the Bible and to pray, thus throwing all the responsibility upon God. You were waiting for God to convert you without your cooperation. That was just what the devil wanted! Oh! I see it, said he, I see it! Now, how many souls have been ruined in this way? Is that the way to trifle with immortal souls? - to assume that they are willing, when Christ says they will not come unto him. I know not, brethren, to what extent you are guilty of this; but this I know, that these are errors which are now doing incalculable mischief among children and others. Again: oftentimes the instruction given to children places them in a false position with regard to the Spirit of God, the use of means, and their own duty. It places them in a position of being willing to do their duty; although impenitent and unbelieving, it gives them to understand that they are willing, and that it is God who is causing the delay - it gives them to understand that they are using means, and doing all they can to procure their own conversion; but it is false! - unutterably false, and pernicious! It is as false as to teach universal salvation. Why, I would just as soon teach infidelity right out, or any other error that can be taught, as to delude people with the idea that they are willing to come to Christ - that if the Spirit of God will only help them, all would be right now, when every single breath they breathe, they are resisting the Holy Ghost, and nothing else. What man was ever converted that did not learn that he had been all along wrong in thinking he was using means with God, instead of Gods using means with him? Now, if a man has not learned this, I do not believe he is converted at all. When persons are truly converted, they see that the difficulty is not in God, but in their own blind resistance - perseveringly holding on to their sins, trying to make themselves better - trying to do something else than coming at once to Christ. Another great hindrance is this - the immediate conversion of children is not so much as expected. Why, how strange it is! So far from its being expected, such expectations have been discouraged. I doubt now whether there are many Sabbath-school teachers in this house that would dare to tell of it if his children were converted. No; if he should have the highest confidence possible without direct revelation from God, he would be himself astonished, and would not expect his fellow teachers to believe it. His fellow teachers would say, Dont say that. Dont get up any animal excitement here!

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We dont believe in it. Why, now, who does not see that it is not wonderful they do not succeed; their failure is just what might reasonably be expected under such circumstances. But let me say again: The idea whether young children can or can not be converted, is still a matter of doubt to many. How infinitely strange this is! In the first place, children are exceedingly susceptible of conviction of sin, their little consciences are exceedingly tender. Their sins, if pressed upon them, will sometimes throw them into utter agony. I have seen the times when my own dear little ones could not commit sin without its causing them to perspire and tremble! I have seen this also in others. You can recollect, doubtless, many of you, some sin which your parents almost overlooked, but which, it may be, stung your little heart to a high degree. Again: Children are more inclined to believe than persons who have put it off and gone on hardening themselves. They can see they are sinners, that they need a Saviour, and that Christ is that Saviour. I do not mean to say that children when they become moral agents are not unholy; I believe they are, but they have not become so inveterately hardened as many older persons; consequently, everything would teach us to expect the conversion of little children. They are the most hopeful objects; they are the most likely to be converted; the work of conversion, as far as mans agency is concerned, is most easy in them, because it takes less instruction to work their conversion than those who are settled down. Again: some of them think that when they get older, they will be better - that their conversion will then be easier. Some ministers have actually refused children solely on the ground of their age. There was a case of this in New York. One of the principal physicians in the place was himself an infidel, but his wife was a Christian. They had a little girl between seven and ten years of age. There was a great revival in the church to which the lady belonged; and this little Hannah, one of the most beautiful little children I ever beheld - became seriously anxious about her soul. The father found this out and was bitterly opposed to the mother for cherishing it, and reprimanded her for it. He said he could not understand it, and he did not believe the child could. He would not, therefore, have the mother encourage such a delusion. However, one day, some time after this, as he was on his way to a patients house, he began to think seriously on the subject, and saw at a single glance his relation to the Saviour; he altered his mind, went home and confessed to his wife that he saw his error - that his pride of intellect had led him to overlook what the child in her simplicity at once had seen. Now, who does not see that this is the true teaching of the Bible? There are truths in religion, which the more lofty mens minds are, the more will they be impressed by them; but the simple truth of the way of salvation is so simple, that they are less likely, as we have seen, to understand and receive them. Another hindrance is, that teachers have sometimes been flattered, puffed up, made proud when they needed reproof. What would you think of a minister who should always be flattered? Why, he must be a man of great grace, or he would speedily be a ruined man. Would you not expect such a man to be ruined, to lose his unction and power? Sabbath-school teachers are often spoken to in such a manner as to puff them up, when they were doing more harm than good. I shall produce some terrible facts before I am done, which will show that they are often doing almost unmingled mischief, whereas they flatter themselves they are doing an incalculable amount of

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good! The children are becoming hardened, while all the time, the teachers think they are doing great good. I always love to comfort those who need, deserve, and can legitimately be comforted; but far be it from me to plaster where probing is needed. If you would be flattered, you must go somewhere else; for I can not flatter those who are not bringing about the great end to which Christ has told them to direct their efforts! Another hindrance is, the best talents are not engaged in the work. Let matrons that know how to deal with children - men of mind and talent - parents acquainted with the management of the young - let such come forward, and take hold of the work. They ought to be leaders in it. Again: oftentimes Sabbath-school teachers have not the sympathy, cooperation, and prayers of the Church, but are left to themselves, all but uncared for by the body of Christians with which they are more immediately connected. Again: they have not by precept and by example warned the young of the sin and danger of their course. I said I must present some facts. Now, I have some documents before me, containing statistics compiled by one who has long been engaged in Sabbath-school operations, which go to show that a vast proportion of the inmates of our prisons, have at one time or other, for various lengths of time, been under instruction in our Sabbath-schools! Nay, some of them have actually been teachers in them! In one prison it was found that thirteen out of sixteen had been in a Sunday-school. The total number of inmates of the goals from which these returns have been collected is 9,960; of these, 6,261 have been under Sabbath-school instruction! This is almost two-thirds! From the matrons of a number of penitentiaries, similar facts have been elicited - number of inmates, 431; of these, 311 had been under Sabbath-school instruction; and thirteen had been teachers! Thus, more than two-thirds of these degraded males had been in Sabbath-schools; and more than three-fourths of the females! In the Wakefield House of Correction, for instance, 310 of the inmates had been in Sabbath-schools, 93 of whom had attended them over five years! 68 between 3 and 5, 59 between 2 and 3, 47 between 1 and 2, and 43 under 1 year. Now, what have we here? Just the very opposite of what we might naturally expect from Sabbath-school instruction. If it secured what it is expected to secure, the figures would just be reversed. Making all allowance then for the diversity of agencies and other matters, when the inquiry came to be made, it was found that a large proportion of these fell through strong drink. One of the chaplains says: Put away strong drink, and these institutions may speedily be shut up. All of them bear similar testimony. I have here a copious arrangement of judicial testimony to the same effect. Pains were taken to inquire of these poor children, Did your teacher teach you temperance? Did he by precept and example endeavour to guard you against a custom so dangerous? No! Thus, their greatest danger they were never warned against. This mighty maelstrom swallowing up all - never so much as warned! Is this the way? Now let me say, brethren, in America, precisely an opposite state of things has been the result of Sabbath-school instruction. At least such has been my experience; and I consulted my friend, Brother Beecher, the son of the Rev. Dr. Beecher, and his testimony coincides with mine; and the uniform testimony of our country is that, seldom is a Sabbath-scholar found to be a criminal. The facts of the cases in our

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country, are actually quoted to defend and support Sabbath-schools. In every instance that I am aware of, total abstinence is pressed upon Sunday school children, and indeed also upon a very large proportion of the pupils of our common schools. Mr. Beecher agrees with me that, as far as our united experience goes, we are not aware of a single Sabbath-school where this is not so. In seeking to promote revivals of religion among children, we must take care to make use of the great law of sympathy, and the laws of mind to work our end. It has been absurdly assumed that, what is effected through the law of sympathy, is not from God. But this is untrue; for the law of sympathy has a great deal to do with actuating the mind of man. One mans conversion is frequently instrumental in effecting the conversion of another. This is just what might be expected; and to bring a whole mass of children to act together and on one another is the true philosophy of converting children; and in the conversion of the world, it is Gods method to bring men to act upon one another. Scores of thousands of American children have been converted in revivals of religion. If children are instructed without securing this result, they are hardened, and wax worse and worse. See how awfully this is the case in this country! Now, I do not know how you have tried to secure revivals among the children of this country, or whether you have done so at all; and since I read the facts I have stated, I can not tell you how my mind has been burdened that such should be the results of the Sabbath-schools in this land. I never heard anything of the kind before. Now, what is the matter? Can these facts be denied? I have right before me the name of the man who informed me - what shall I say? - why, that the Sunday-school Union does not favour the Temperance movement! That some of its most influential members are engaged in the traffic, and set their faces against inculcating such principles. Now, I speak with kindness; but if this is so, it is too bad. It is awful; and although the voice is here coming from the prison and from the tomb although the earth is loaded with wailing and lamentation and consequence of this traffic - yet they will not give it up. Oh! tell it not in Gath! Can such people expect the blessing of God? No indeed! It would be tempting God to expect it! - it would be tempting God to expect it! - IT WOULD BE TEMPTING GOD TO EXPECT IT! Now, beloved, will you suffer such facts to go forth, and yet make no efforts to guard the children against this danger? Will the teachers now in this house let this state of things go on and on! Will you not say it shall be put a stop to forever. In many parts of the United States, it is as much expected that young children should be converted, as their parents and the elder children. Sabbath-school teachers labour for it, expect to secure it, and do secure it. Everything favours the idea of the conversion of little children. We find them reputable members of our churches. They are the most hopeful subjects in the world; and the Church should expressly lay themselves out to secure their conversion to God. But I have already trespassed too long on your time. I will conclude the subject next Wednesday evening.

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21. THE SABBATH SCHOOL CONDITIONS OF SUCCESS

Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; to continue in them; for in doing this thou shall save both thyself and them that hear thee. - 1 Timothy 4:16 Such were the instructions given to Timothy. But what was true of Timothy in these respects is true of all ministers and persons who give themselves to Sabbath-school teaching and religious instruction generally. If the conditions above set forth be complied with, in a proper spirit and from proper motives, success is certainly to be relied on. In speaking to the words before me, I shall notice what is implied I. In a religious teachers taking heed to himself; II. By taking heed to the doctrine and continuing in them; III. By the subjoined declaration and promise. I. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN THE INJUNCTION, TAKE HEED TO THYSELF? I am addressing myself more particularly this evening to teachers of religion, who sustain a most important relation to all classes of the community. What, then, is implied in a religious teachers, taking heed to himself? First, let him see to it that his motive is right in undertaking the great work - that the state of his heart is such that he is really in sympathy with Christ. If he embarks in this business without, taking heed to himself in these respects, he involves himself in deep condemnation, and must inevitably fail in saving either himself or those that hear him. But let me say again: Not only must religious teachers take care that their motive of action, but that their spirit and temper, is of a proper character, lest by either of these being bad, they counteract their own efforts, and the efforts of their fellow-workers. They must take heed lest, by their frivolous and worldly lives, they counteract their own teaching. This is the case, in comparative proportions, both with the teachers of the churches, and the teachers of the Sunday-schools - with the latter, of course, the injury is smaller, his influence being confined to a more limited circle. If the teacher, however, manifests a worldly spirit before the children of his class, he is equally culpable with the pastor whose example is so deleterious to his flock, and for the same reason. But again: You must take heed to your qualifications. See that you are really qualified - spiritually and intellectually suited to the work, at least in such a measure as to warrant a rational hope of your giving correct instruction to the children. Again: Take heed that you yourself believe what you attempt to teach. If you dont believe it yourself, it is of no use to attempt to persuade them. They will find you out. You will betray your unbelief in your very manner, and the discovery of it will be their

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principal stumbling-block. Show them that you personally realise the importance of what you are teaching - that you believe it with all your soul. If you do not attend to this, you do not take heed to yourself in any such sense as will warrant expectation of success in your mission. Take heed, also, that you personally know Christ, so as not to be obliged to teach by hearsay, like the sons of Sceva, who attempted to cast out devils through Christ whom Paul taught, not through anything with which they themselves were connected. Satan, of course, has little difficulty in overcoming those who are preaching a hearsay gospel. They are but poorly prepared to urge it upon others, and they are themselves without any firm expectation of its being accepted. Without any personal communion with Christ on their part, how can they expect to persuade others? Be careful, then, that you know yourself the true way of salvation - how to come at the gospel - how to avail yourself of it - and how to teach others the manner in which they may avail themselves of it. There is a vast mistake among teachers on this subject; instead of teaching others how to avail themselves of the way of life, they teach them the exact opposite of what they ought to teach them. Take heed that you are taught of God. You must have the spirit of the gospel to explain it to you. You need to be ministers of the spirit as well as ministers of the letter - instructed by the Holy Spirit himself. Take heed to this, for you certainly may be thus instructed, seeing that God never sets men to make bricks without straw, and if, therefore, he has really called you to instruct others, he will instruct you, if you will allow him to do so. But he will only instruct you on certain conditions - (1) that you believe, and (2) that you renounce your selfishness and have a single eye to his glory in seeking your instruction, and not any selfish motive. In the prayer, you will recollect I mentioned two passages in Scripture. If a man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth liberally and upbraideth not; and again, that except a man forsake all that he hath, and follow me, he can not be my disciple. To be a disciple is to be a pupil. You can not have him for a teacher unless you forsake all that you have. This means that you must renounce selfishness, not seeking to be taught from any selfish motive, but for the same reason that he would impart instruction. Do this and you may be sure you will be taught of God. Only seek to be instructed for Gods glory; pray in faith, and you will certainly receive instruction according to your need. Take heed not to be sceptical with regard to your work. Do not allow yourself to get into a sceptical state of mind in teaching religious truth. This very scepticism will defeat the end in view, and actually tend to confirm itself. For example, suppose you go and teach children without expecting their conversion, and they are not converted why, they are only confirming you in your scepticism. Then, you say, I did not expect it; I had no reason to expect it. Indeed, you had no reason, as we shall presently see. Take heed that you are not indolent careless - in your preparation for the labours of the class - take care you are not wanting in diligence, because this, too, will defeat the work. God loves to see you diligent, and unless you really are so, you need not expect to succeed.

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Take heed, also, that you are not discouraged, and by that means defeat the work. Nothing is more important than that you should confidently expect to secure the object which he has set you to secure. Take heed that your life and manner do not contradict your teaching, so as to make a bad impression rather than a good one. But I must pass very rapidly over this department of the subject, and come to the second consideration. II. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN TAKING HEED TO THE DOCTRINE AND CONTINUING IN THEM? There are a vast number of points about which persons will dispute and disagrees; setting all these aside, however, there are many so plainly revealed as to be wholly beyond the dispute of any reasonable man. Yet, without being at all aware of it, multitudes of persons teach things entirely inconsistent with them, while, if you should put the proposition plainly and ask them if they believed it, they could not deny it. They would assent to the doctrine in the form of a proposition, while - unconsciously perhaps - they are continually making an impression diametrically opposed to it. I will give a few examples of doctrines which are thus treated, and to which it is important, therefore, that teachers should take heed. First; that the blame of sin belongs to the sinner. Now, you Sunday-school teachers, and other religious instructors, must not only understand this, and believe it yourselves, but you must be sure to lodge it in the mind of the sinner. Impress on the little minds of the Sabbath-school children that they have no excuse for their antagonistic position towards God and that they must, therefore, take at once the full blame of their sins that they stand before God as rebels against his government, without the least excuse to plead in mitigation of their offence. If you do not believe this, you deny one of the first and fundamental principles of the gospel; you are wholly unfit to be teachers, but need yourselves to be taught the first principles of the oracles of God. Take heed then, that, although not actually denying it with your lips, the impression made is not opposed to it. Take heed, again, that you dont convey the impression that the awful position of the sinner is not a crime, but a misfortune. It is a situation calling for pity it is true, but it is not pity, for his misfortune, but because he has been so infinitely to blame. There is no way in which he can make excuse for himself and his sinful courses. These things are unqualifiedly and universally true, of every sinner, under heaven, and you must not fail to lodge them in the minds of those whom you instruct. Be sure that nothing drops from your lips which a child could construe into any sort of apology for his antagonism to the Almighty. I have known scholars to say such things, even to their teachers themselves, as would make you all feel the great importance of this point, had I but time to relate them. Some have declared that the influence of the tuition in those places had well nigh made them infidels. A child when once allowed to think he is not to blame, will draw an inference at once natural and irresistible - a logical little mind will never fail to do this, and entrench itself in the results of such a conclusion. Again: Be sure to know and feel that the carnal mind is at enmity against God; that, therefore, children as well as adults, as soon as they are moral agents, are enemies of

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God; and that this is, moreover, a voluntary state of mind. It is a minding of the flesh and fleshly appetites. They should understand this, and not be left under a mistake. Their carnal minds are at enmity against God - a voluntary state of enmity - the committal of themselves to a search after their own particular gratifications instead of serving God. Take heed also to teach them that the will of every impenitent sinner is entirely opposed to Gods will, and that in this lies his moral depravity. None of you will deny this. You should tell the sinner that the voluntary opposition of his will to Gods is his sin. You will not deny, also, that no impenitent sinner is willing to obey God. In short, the very words are a contradiction - the proposition that an impenitent sinner is willing to obey God involves a direct contradiction in terms. What is impenitence but resistance? How, then, can an impenitent mind be willing, in any sense, to obey God? Every man, woman, and child who is impenitent, is unwilling to obey God, and this is their only difficulty. Let there be no mistake about this. Let it be so amplified, enlarged, and dwelt upon, in every direction, that every sinner shall understand that he is stubborn, and will not obey God. Now, I suppose as I have said, that these are truths you will all admit; but are you sure that you teach nothing inconsistent with them? Again: Be sure to teach that sin can never be forgiven without repentance. You will admit that no sinner has a right to be forgiven while he remains impenitent. I suppose you will admit, that while impenitent, God has no right to forgive them, and that he has informed them that he will not do so. I suppose you also admit that they have no right to expect any such thing under such circumstances. But do not people sometimes teach things inconsistent with this admission? Again: Take heed to the doctrine in this respect - that repentance consists in the hearts forsaking sin, and turning to God. It is not a mere involuntary state of turning, while the heart cleaves to sin in opposition to God, but consists in the heart and will rejecting sin and turning to God. Now, in the next place, take heed to this - without faith it is impossible to please God; and that whatever is not of faith is sin. No one, I should think, would pretend to dispute this. It is a plain proposition - without faith it is impossible to please God, and what is not faith is sin. But take heed that you do not teach something inconsistent with this; after all, for if individuals pray in unbelief and impenitence, they not only mock God, but commit sin, and that as really as they have done at any other period of their lives - they only pray hypocritically - it is but sin. This can not be denied, unless the Bible and all common sense be denied. Take heed and teach that all men should pray - that they are bound to pray, and to pray invariably - to pray in penitence and in faith. Even children are bound to pray; and they must be taught to pray - taught always, that unless they do pray, and pray with a penitent heart, that they mock God; and that they never are sincere when they pray, unless they do so in faith - without this, they can not possibly be sincere. Every will that is opposed to God, does not want to be converted, does not want the things it asks for, if it knew what they really were. Take heed to press their present obligation to repent and believe, and the disastrous consequences of refusing or neglecting to

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attend to these matters. Be sure to make them clearly comprehend that there is no escape from this responsibility. God requires all men, everywhere to repent, and regards every moments delay wickedness - its neglect is wickedness so great as to be considered by him as deserving a complete damnation. These things you teachers must believe yourselves - if you dont, you are wholly unfit to teach, for in so doing, you tell lies in the name of the Lord. Press upon them, then, as I have said, their present obligation. Now is the accepted time it is Gods accepted time; now is the day of salvation, God himself being judge - therefore none need wait either for God to be ready or for anything else to be done. God calls upon all men everywhere to repent, and to repent now. He tells them that now is the accepted time, in the sense that it is the day of salvation. Again: Teach sinners that they are impenitent - that they do invariably and universally resist the Holy Ghost whenever he approaches them, or has anything to do with them. As long as they reject the truth, and do not unqualifiedly receive it as the truth of God, they resist the Holy Ghost. Again: It is remarkable to what an extent teachers fail to make themselves understood. When you explain anything to a person so that he fully comprehends you, how often does he exclaim, Why, how strange! Shouldnt have thought it. Never heard such a thing before. Never heard such a thing before, do you say? Why, there is little doubt but that you have heard the very same thing announced, in other words hundreds and even thousands of times. Pains have not been taken to amplify the subject for the public, and, consequently, they are in great ignorance. Persons brought up in the gospel, are used to hearing the phrases of Scripture repeated, but not expounded as they ought to be, and turned over and over, analysed, and displayed in their various aspects, so that even children may understand them. This should be the great object of religious teaching. The religious teacher falls far short of his duty by merely talking to the sinner in orthodox phrase without clearly expounding its meaning. A man may be perfectly orthodox in his teaching as far as words are concerned, but the people may, nevertheless, be as ignorant of his real meaning as if he had spoken in Greek, or in Hebrew, or any other language; for they fail to understand the one he uses. Some of the most common words for instance which are used by religious men, have no sort of meaning attached to them by worldly men. Some time ago, the question of sanctification came up for discussion in the United States, and not one out of forty of the ministers could give any clear definition of what it really was. Some of the strangest and most absurd things were said about it by the press. We had consequently, as many definitions of it almost as there were men to write upon it. The same may be said of numerous other words, such as regeneration, repentance, faith, and many of the words most commonly used. Many persons have failed to form a definite idea of the state of mind expressed by these words; few, comparatively speaking, have an accurate idea of what that state of mind really is. A child has a mind and consciousness, and is just as really able to understand these words as any person in the world. If you were going to tell a child anything requiring great logic and penetration, you might find some difficulty to show him what you mean; but matters involving consciousness - such as the terms, love and faith - these you can explain to a child just as well as you can to an adult. You can teach a child what it is to believe. If his father,

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yielding to his worrying, should promise to purchase him a knife - such promise would satisfy the child - he would rest on it, believing that his father really would get him one. Well, what is this but faith? Now, if you ask a child, do you know what faith is, he would most probably say no, I can not say. Well then, just tell him - suppose you wanted a knife that you were much distressed for one that your little playfellow had one that you tease your father to get you one till he promises he will, you leap for joy. What ails you - you have not got it? No, but your father has promised you, and you believe him. I mention this simply as an illustration of what may be done in this way. Be sure to take pains that you yourself really analyse these questions, and sift them to the bottom, making yourself so familiar with them, that you can illustrate them in such a manner as invariably to secure the attention of the children, and enable them to comprehend your meaning. Again: Beware of leaving a false impression. For instance, do not let them think that they are not expected to believe just yet. By no means let them think they need not do it now. Do not let them think this - do not leave this impression, either directly or indirectly, by anything in your teaching, either in matter or manner. If you do so, as we shall see presently, you have done them the greatest evil it was in your power to inflict upon them. Beware of this, as you would beware of ruining their souls. Be sure; lodge the impression in their minds, and keep it before them, that they are expected to do it now. By all means encourage the idea, should they manifest a disposition to obey now. Again: Be careful not to let them run away with the idea that they are unable to obey the truth; for, if you do, by a law natural and irresistible, they will come to the very natural conclusion that they are under no obligation to do it. If they are impressed with their inability, it is impossible they can feel any sense of moral obligation. There never was, nor can there ever be such a thing as a human mind believing or affirming its moral obligation to perform an impossibility. If, therefore, you leave an impression on a childs mind that he is unable to do what he is required to do, you have done him the greatest possible injury. Why? Because, by an irresistible law in his heart, he will throw off the responsibility, and you can not help it. He will not only do that, but he will charge God with being a tyrant. He will do this in his heart, if he dare not with his lips. If you tell him God will send him to hell because he did not perform that which he is naturally unable to perform why - a child can not believe this! They have minds, and their minds have laws; they will make such inferences, and you can not prevent it. Again: Do not leave the impression on their minds that they are willing to be Christians. In conversing with parents with regard to young persons, I have often found them saying, Oh, he wants to be a Christian, he is friendly towards religion, he is trying to be a Christian - not one word of which is true! I have had to tell such persons, in hundreds of instances, what! Do you teach your children that? Do they want to be Christians? Does God say so? No indeed. You say they are friendly to God - he says they are at enmity against him; you teach their willingness - he their unwillingness. Now, what can parents do worse than this? - what can they do worse than this? Nothing! They teach the direct opposite of the truth, and what every orthodox Christian knows and allows to be truth. It is not uncommon for Sabbathschool teachers to teach this, and to leave such impressions.

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Again: Do not teach them that they can do their duty in any case, or under any circumstances, before they have given their hearts unqualifiedly to God; therefore, instead of setting them to do something to get a new heart, teach them at once to give their hearts to God. A new heart - what is it? A mind devoted to God by a voluntary act, repenting, believing - in short, submitting its whole being to God. I would just as soon tell a man to go right straight along a road when I knew that, in fifteen minutes, he would precipitate himself from the top of a cliff into the abyss beneath. What! Does God require the sinner to do something by way of persuading God to make in him a new heart? No indeed; he is all the time entreating the sinner to yield himself up to him. Now, this is just what he is unwilling to do. Why do you not yield, when God is entreating you, My son, give me thy heart? Why will you die? This is what God says; and do you throw it upon God? Instead of teaching him to do his duty, accepting Christ and giving himself up to God, you send him away with the idea that he already does his duty. Now, he will never be converted till he finds such teaching is false. It must be, not because of the teaching, but in spite of it. Until he loses sight of the idea that he is going, in some way, to persuade God to do something for him in the way he thinks, he will never be converted. Take the history of such a soul: He has been praying and praying, struggling and struggling, pretending to wait for God, and all this; by and by, he suddenly sees that he ought at once to believe; he does believe - that he ought at once to submit; he does submit - and now the thing is done. Thus, in multitudes of cases, I have known individuals struggling for a long time under false teaching, and finally, in a moment, the Spirit has turned their thoughts away from their false teaching, and they beheld what they ought to do. Now, you can easily see that if you teach anything inconsistent with these certain and universally admitted truths, you are going right against the Spirit of God - you are putting weapons into the little sinners hand to fight against his God, to stand and cavil with him! But again: Be sure to make children understand the nature of their dependence on God. Now, if you talk to them much, as you naturally will, and as the Bible does, about the Spirit of God converting them, and about his agency, and do not explain to them the nature and necessity of this agency, you will commit two mistakes which, if not fatal, no thanks to you. The Bible does not overlook this question; it is stated clearly and repeatedly as much so as anything else that is in the Bible. If you teach them that the Spirit of God has something to do with them, and that there is a necessity for his agency, and do not teach them what it is, they think it is some electric shock, or something of that kind, which they have to wait for. But teach them that while they thus wait for this electric shock, they are resisting the Spirit of God - it is very obstinate wickedness - this is the very reason why they do not at once turn to God. Ask them Dont you know you ought to turn to God? Yes. That it is wicked for you to live in sin? Yes. Now, then, why do you grieve the Spirit of God by refusing? Why, just for the same reason as if you had made up your mind to resist your father. He tells you not to go down to the river; never to play near the water. You are determined to go off with the boys and do so. It happened that you have made up your mind so strongly, that, unless some person comes in and presses the matter home till he prevails with you, you will certainly go. Now, in what sense do you need such a persons agency? You will

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certainly go, and he knows it, unless he can influence you. You can easily show this to the child - that his dependence on this agency is his crime. It is only owing to his obstinate wickedness; and in proportion to the certainty of his not being without this influence is the greatness of his wickedness. The thing needed is to make him willing. It is, therefore, quite clear that he can not justify himself because of his dependence, which, on the contrary, is an evidence of his guilt. The influence of the Spirit must be acknowledged as a matter of course; if any of you should think of denying it - mark the consequences; if you deny the necessity of the Spirits agency, because of the sinners obstinacy, and that his dependence upon the Spirit suits his wickedness, you deny that the Spirits agency is a gracious one. If you think the sinner is, unfortunately, rather unable than unwilling, then the Spirits agency is not grace but justice. Furthermore: Another error, is, failing to let the sinner understand the nature of this agency. If you fail to do this, he will resist the Spirit, and all the while think he is doing no such thing. He says, How can I who am a man, resist Omnipotence? He does not know that resisting truth, when clearly presented to the mind, is resisting the Spirit. He will not admit that he is resisting it. If you do not teach him the nature of the agency, he will not see that, while he is praying for this agency, all the while he is resisting it. Seeing these points are so momentous, warn the little sinners against delay, and against throwing the blame on God, because they have not the Spirit - do this in a proper spirit and suitable manner, and you will make their little consciences quiver. You will feel sorry for them. So does Christ, and that is the reason he wants you to press them to come up. Take the little fellow up, appeal to his little conscience, draw him kindly to you, cut him off from his refuges of lies, shut him up to Jesus alone - that is the way to do with him to save him. Be sure to make him feel the justice of his condemnation; for in proportion as you fail in this, you throw a veil over the gospel - it must be understood by the sinner that his condemnation is just. Just in proportion as this is understood, the necessity and glory of the gospel is understood fail in this, and you may talk to the sinner to the day of his death. How can he understand Gods love without understanding his own guilt? How can he understand the necessity for Jesus dying unless he knows that he deserved to die himself - and that Jesus died for him. Pinch the little sinners conscience on this point, for upon it hangs the whole question. It will not be denied that the child deserves to be condemned, for if it were not so, what need was there for a Saviour or an atonement? If he did not deserve to die himself, Jesus would not have died for him. This should be always taught and insisted upon; in fact, it should never be kept out of sight. Once more: Be sure to expect to secure the early conversion of children. Aim at it and be wise in the selection of means. And again, let me say, take head to yourself and the doctrine, and persevere in presenting it. III. WHAT IS MEANT BY THE PROMISE? What is meant by the promise? Simply this - that if you do what is commanded in the right spirit, the promised results shall follow, from which it may be plainly inferred that the connection between conversion and the use of means, on the part of the church, and of those who instruct the people, is invariable. What else can it mean? Now, whatever people may say about Gods sovereignty, one thing is certain - that if religious teachers take heed to themselves and to the doctrine, and continue in them in
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so doing, they shall both save themselves and those who hear them. This is the law of Gods government; it is Gods absolute truth, and is as true as God is true. A few remarks must conclude what I have to say. What a tremendous responsibility devolves upon the religious teacher! But there is something better than this - there is a glorious encouragement held out to him. When I preach to parents about their responsibility in relation to the conversion of their children, I endeavour to impress them with the fact, that God has made them responsible for the conversion of their children. On one occasion, after a sermon on this subject, in which I had been showing the responsibility of parents, a man came to me in the vestry, and told me he did not like my view of the matter. But he was soon reminded of the fact, that God had laid this responsibility upon them, and that it was a most glorious encouragement, for God had connected their salvation with the persevering use of means within their reach. If this subject were regarded in its proper aspect, instead of mourning, parents would leap for joy and say, Well, in the name of the Lord, my children shall not be lost! By the grace of God, the teacher might say, my class shall not be lost! Here is your privilege - will you shrink from your responsibility? No indeed! Suppose a mother with a sick child shall be told, Your child is sick unto death, unless you comply with certain conditions. Would she say, Oh, thats such a responsibility! Oh! no; you know what she would say. You tell her the conditions, how she would catch at them, exclaiming, if there is anything I can do, how gladly will I do it! All the mother is awake in her to secure the end. I remark again: Unbelief in teachers of religion is the greatest of all their stumblingblocks. Sinners would be very much better off without any teachers at all than an unbelieving one. I would rather trust them with the Bible alone, a thousand times. Suppose, for example, a minister should always leave the impression that he did not expect the conversion of his hearers-that it would be unreasonable to expect it. Suppose he were to preach and pray as if he did not expect it - that he had no rational reason to do so. Why, such a man is the greatest curse a congregation can have! Just as it is with the Sunday-school teacher, who does not believe that his children will be converted. I would never send my children to such a school as that. No! I would as soon send them to no place whatever to be taught. I remark again: It is common for people to teach children that they ought to be converted now, while it is very evident from their way of proceeding, that they do not expect them to be converted now. They expect it by and by. Is this right? If the child is old enough to be taught, why is it not old enough to be converted? If he is old enough to sin, why is he not old enough to repent? It is more natural to expect persons to be converted early, when they first get the doctrines of the gospel into their minds, because then they are naturally more impressed with the subject. They afterwards lose their hold of it. If I believed my child could not be converted young, I would not teach him religion while young. If they must be men or women first, I wont teach them a word of religion till then. Why? Why, I should state these truths merely to harden their hearts and increase their guilt! - Why should I do this before I expect them to obey the truth? How absurd! What a great evil it is that little children should die if they are old enough to sin, and not old enough to repent - if they can be taught now, and yet not be converted till by
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and by! Bring up a child from its very infancy to the use of alcohol. Be sure that the mother, while nursing it, takes enough to keep the child drunk. Give it a little after awhile - let it sip a little out of its cup and thus bring it up to the use of it. Do not teach it temperance till it becomes older, when fairly hardened in its course, bewildered, and stupefied by drink. Then try to reform it! Is this the way? Yet, this is just as true of other forms of sin, as of this. When first a sense of sin afflicts their little consciences, teach them to come to Christ at once for forgiveness. then, if ever, is the time you may expect it. Every moments delay only makes sin a habit, hardening the heart, and stupefying the conscience. Oh! what a mistake it is to let children grow up in sin, expecting them to be converted when they become more hardened. I had intended to have enlarged here on the method of promoting revivals of religion among children - how it may be done, how it has been done, and what the results have been. I wish I had time to state my views of the importance of getting masses of them to think and act together - to move in one direction. There is nothing on which the great law of sympathy has so powerful, direct, and glorious a bearing as in bringing masses of men to inquire with regard to religious truth - in bringing them to rise up and act together. Especially is this true with regard to children; it is the most elevating, fascinating, and glorious thing conceivable to see masses of children turning to God. Another great difficulty in the way, is the unbelief of the Church with regard to the willingness of God and the certainty there is that he will immediately put his hand in the work. One day, in conversing with a brother minister, he said, I bless God for the idea of the truth of which I have now no doubt, that when I do just what he has told me to do, I can depend upon his immediately seconding my efforts and cooperating with me. While thinking thus, it occurred to me that to doubt this, or to leave the question open to debate were to doubt Gods own word, and to throw a stumblingblock before my own feet. Now, the truth is, that Christ has said he will be with us in all places, at all times - and for what? Why, to secure the very end he has sent us to accomplish - the salvation of men. Now, dearly beloved, we ought to expect this cooperation as really as we believe in the natural laws which govern the universe. It is as certain as the operation of the law of gravitation - as certain, and may be depended upon just as much as any natural law may be depended upon, when all the conditions of its fulfilment are strictly and fully complied with. Whenever this is tried and tested - whenever we can truly say we have in all respects done our duty - God has never failed. If he has, let cases be brought forward! It can not be done. How long, then, shall this unbelief stand in the way of the work? I had much more to say on this and kindred branches of my subject, but time will not permit; but let me remark that if you take heed unto yourself, and to the doctrine, and continue in them, your classes must be saved.! Does not God distinctly tell you so? I ask for no more than this one thing - in regard to my ministry, I want no higher assurance than this. To be sure I know very well that I am dependent upon Divine grace, but I know that I am dependent upon it in such a sense as that I shall be sure to have it. God has not sent me to preach the gospel as the Israelites in Egypt had to make bricks without straw. God said to Paul - and it is true of every preacher - My

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grace is sufficient for thee; he has said again, As thy day is, so shall thy strength be. Beloved, then, hold on - hold on - oh! hold on to this! Amen.

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