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Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film6s A des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est filmd d partir de Tangle sup^rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ir;K2ra!-^»4^ anRBHH 'he ( 'he I GLEANINGS. / BY T S ^ u Ye MUST be born :ioaiii." — -yo/ni III., 7. ^he OWNER will please LOAN ) THIS ^he BORROWER will please RETURN j" BOOK. JAS, HOUGH, JR., PRINTEK AND UOOKBINDKR, Gl HI.PH. — L> "^ .' -■■* u - •" i* « > ' U O u ^ •" — ' ^ -,•■•■ c «-» . S i il — - S i± V. a*, -J ** = 2" c -J c •/.-/ = 2= , rt a-o-^« ■= ■= 3 T3' c , • c „- 5 a -. - ■'■ rs r. :i c c « f - «. >.C —a a *-t *-»_ X . "3 "J ;£ !^ c^ ■^ ft.:5 " i? C c — ^ a ." e< Ojs w a— C- - •^ e ^ - 7 C O.t! c-* <; •" Z C & = f IE . •o =< ® c c ^; c = a e ■"■• ^ =" c = S.^ INDHX. No Difference Too Easy . Not Works . The Scriptures Look and Live Faith . . . Trust . . Unbelief . . Belief . . PAGE. page. . 9 Holy Spirit . . . 79 13 Prayer . . . 93 . 17 Gospel . . . . 98 27 Atonement . . 108 31 Jesus Only . . . 113 . 37 Feeling . . . 135 58 Experiences . . . 148 . 62 Election . . 163 68 assurance . . 172 A List of the Parties from' whose Tuhlished Writings thi' 5-jo lixtnicts have been taken Rev. Alexander Marshall Rev. Abraham Booth Rev. Alexander McLaren Rev. A. J. (jordon, D.D. Rev. (\ H. Spurgeon Rev. C'harles G. Finney Rev. Cssar Malan Rev. David Brainard Mr. I>. L. Moody Rev. F. Whitfield Rev. Francis Wayland Miss Frances R. Havergel Rev. George Duffield Rev. U. P. Warren Rev. Horatios Bonnor Rev. H. W. Soltau Rev. T. De Witt Talmage Mr. John Bunyan Rev. J. I. Ingles Rev. John Gillmore Mr. John Calvin Mr. J. Sewall PS— The author has taken words in the extracts quoted. Rev. John Flavel Rev. John Cummings Rev. J. C. Ryle Rev. John Hadie Rev. James Gall Rev. Jonathan Edwards Rev. M. S. Baldwin Mr. M. G. Pearce Rev. Newman Hall Rev. p. G. Guinnes Rev. Robert Boyd Rev. K. M. McCheyne Rev. Richard Baxter Rev. Robert Peden Mr. T. S. S., The Author Rev. Thomas Scott Mr. Thomas Mills Mr. Thomas Brooks (1655) Rev. W. P. McKay Rev. W. R. Read Rev. W. S. McKenzie Rev. William Carey the liberty to italicize some of the PREFACE. THE author has been for many years an extensive reader of religious literature, and has been in the habit while reading of marking with a pencil any paragraph of special interest, to enable him [in after years to glance over such paragraphs without reading the entire volume. This was done without the most remote idea of ever using any such marked paragraphs other than for his own private use. The author is of the opinion that there is not such a super-abundance of such doctrine now preached or printed that there is not ample room for this small addition thereto —hence the appearance of this book. The author believes firmly that the various extracts given contain the very essence of that identical gospel that Christ commanded his disciples [to ''j^o into all the xvorld and preach r The author now spreads the whole contents before the Lord, as did Hezekial the letter of Sennacherib (2 Kings xix. 14), and he does so with much less hesi- tancy than he commits it to the criticism of his fellow- creatures. T. S. S. Brantford, Ont., 1893. 6 6 6 tio IS M i8 Nc^ nrFPMt:RKNCK. Conversion is not the j;ivin<( up of one form (/. .eli<;ioi; and adoptini? another. It is not renouncing on i creed or system of theolojrv and adoptinjj ;'.nolher. It ^ not even • . - - . f' ^,,,,. ,,4.e(ls con ve. ion. 111 crjiist I'l^nce of the distance lietAeen the author uiid Inter, only '/ne " proof" was corrected — hence many noyiiiR typogniphiail and other errors. a<;k. Line from Top. If. Ehkoks. Corrections. P. 0. (Juinnes P. G. (juinness 6 12 F. K. Havergel F. K. Havcrgal 6 15 Horatios Hoiinur Horatius Kunnar lo '5 simular similar >5 U uncunibered unincumbered «S 3a ingcntus ingenious i8 22 dispare despair i8 27 warrent warrant ID 2 how how hdW II 37 am .satisfied am I satisfied »4 30 he see he sees 25 4 meaning morning as 24 ment meant 29 26 alcinated alienated 32 '9 Is it It is 44 •3 implicate implicit 5^ 20 heavens ! hearers 64 >7 men then 77 24 memt meant 79 34 sinner one sinners am 81 2 >hisical!y physically 92 84 ICdward Edwards 96 16 Kunyon's Bunyan's I06 11 live life 109 21 need hear need to hear Il2 5 (Jod's our Son God's own Son I2I commandments commandment «39 16 K. P. DIARY E. P. (Diary) «47 7 she he >63 9 hazzarding hazarding 163 29 arguement argument »<55 »7 Armincan Arminian '65 29 temdest tempest i6s 3! Armincan Arminian 166 22 constrainith constraineth 167 *3 Satan too Satan to J 68 9 witheld with-held 169 29 fore Iciiow foreknow tioti of tondu -t in the )ther hand a man may mverted. Conversion ■lan^'e. It is the bein^' intriafted into Christ, 'c nature. .1. <'• d education never yet 11 a certain amount of ever made a Christian. :)nsciences have been jught about and begin .icate and reform their leant bv '■^born again^ w. I'. m'k. enaciously chng to is, are pleasing in (jod's In spiritual matters, as /irds. ###*''*''** towards the cemetery, je. "I want men" he ' I It f- SB No Difference. Conversion is not the givintr up of one form of religion and adopting another. Tt is not renouncing one creed or system of theology and adopting another. It is not even a igid reformation of character. Every one needs conversion, lit every one does not need reformation of conduct in the rdinary sense of the word. On the other hand a man may [reatly reform who may never he converted. Conversion i not a physical change nor a social change. Tt is the heing levered from the Old Adam stock and ingrafted into Christ. [t is hecoming a partaker of the Divine nature. l. reathc. m. n. There is a mighty difference between the moral and the immoral in many respects, though ncjue whatever so fur as salvation is concerned. The most wicket may come and ougJit to come just as he is. * * * * There is tire in the ihnt beff)re the steel strikes it. Not a sin another man has committed l)ut I might have committed under simular circumstances. I. o. The verdict of iyuilix havin!■ them to an he uiio '^ii^^l sins, ""U who M. M. ''/and the '■ so fur as come .'inri tire in the ■ man has simulnr .;. G. The standing of every believer before God in Christ Jesus, known only by faith here, is the same, and is indepen- dent of his rcalizin justify nan law, ^■t to the ould be the law »', dared f man is ecjuallv John riastinu s. s. " Well^ I cannot sec it^ ^'-B lit it is in Gocfs Word ^ zvliether you see it nr not f and it is sufficient that God has said it, for His Word is truth. 'For there is no difference ; for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of CJod.' This is what God has said." Of course there are differences in heinousness or degrada- tion of sins. 1 need not stop to speak of this ; we all know it. I wish to tell you what you and I do not by nature know ; namely, that there is no difference as to where we stand before God. The one ([uestion is, guilty or not guilty. There arc no degrees as to the fact of guilt. "lie that of- fends in «//<- point is guilty of all," and nothing less. He that offends in all points is guilty of all, and nothing more. Therefore, while there arc differences among offences, there is no difference as to guilt. Therefore, all men in the world (and you included), have been brought in guilty before God. w. p. m'k. 12 GLEANINGS. Oh, eternity! eternity! How should the thought thereof fill us! To be miserable in eteiiiity! How iniserablel To be happy in eternity! What happiness! r. s. And all the people in the world the as tliose two thieves did. None ever died, or ever will die, without sin ix them. The name of every man when he dies will be sinner. The name of eaeh man was thief to the very last breath; but one died a saved thief the other died an unsaved thief. The one set of men die saved sinners, the other imsaved sinner!^. w. \\ m'k. !' Poo Eas^ W " Well," .says one, "•but 1 cannot see bow simply trust- ing in Cbrist, and believing Gcjcl's witness of him, would save my soul." Mv dear man, are you never to believe anything but what you can see, and how are vou to see this tbinuf till you ha\e tried it ? * * Vou must believe the Gospel on the evidence of God, and not otherwise, or your faith is not faith in God at all. The faith which is commended in the (jospel is faith in the record which (iod has given concerning his Son, a faith which takes God at His Word. Helieve, then, on the Lord Jesus Christ, and \'ou have believe God to be true and vou are sa\ed. c. n. s. In one sense, there is nothing wore casj' than to trust Christ, and be saved now ; but in another sense, nothing is more difficult. * * To get a man to strive in the rig lit sense, is to stop him from striving in the wro/ig sense. There is no occasion for "striving" in the sense so manv understand it to their own destruction— as if God after all was unwilling to save, and could only be prevailed ujjon to be merciful, by a certain amount of sorrow for sin, earnestness in prayer, «fec., kc. Oh no ! 0\\ God's part. " All things are now ready " ; " The work is finished " for the sinner to " accept." .). <;. Perhaps you think that God might as well pardon you at once and have done with it ; that is your plan. Suppose he did so. Suppose that he at once blotted out your sins from 14 GLEANINGS. his book, atid there was uii end of it ; what peace would that give vou ? Wliat security for the future ? A God who could pardon without justice might one of these days con- demn without reason. He who could set aside his law so as not to execute his threateniiijjs, migrht some dav set aside his Gospel so as not to fulfil his promises. It is a j^^rand fjround of peace for us that (iod is never unjust in order to be j^raci- ous ; lie saves sinners, but }iot till he has laid their sins upon Christ, and is both just, and yet the justitier of him that be- lieveth. Yoiu' plan of pardon without an expiation would not work ; it would not i^ive confidence to you, and it would certainly dishonor the character of the ]Most Hily, was i:)ressing his inquirer into the very heart of the gospel plan of salvation. He was aiming, by a most ingenius way, to set before the embarrassed sinner, the object on which faith must fasten 16 GLEANINGS. itself, in order to secure the deliverance soujijht. It is not to believe that "God is truth, lij^ht and love," or that he is one "with whom there is no variableness," or "to whose nature ou Go on, then, to tell everyboiiy that the rightetin<; in Jesus for .salvation one would have th()U<^ht would have heen joyfully accepted hy all, hut, instead of that, no man receiveth the witness of God, tliouj^h it be infallible truth. r. II. s. Why 1 thought I had a great deal to (A>, hut I found it was only to /oo^-. I thought I had a garment to spin out for myself ; hut I foimd that if I looked Christ woidd give me a garment. Look, sinnei*, that is to be saved. * * * When Moses held up the bra/.en serpent, he said, "Look!" and they looked and were healed. j. (;. (?) God has but one price for salvation. Do you want to know what the price is ? It is without money and w ithout price. Rowland Hill said that auctioneers found they had hard work to get people /// to their prices, while ministers have harder work to get sinners dmvii to theirs. " The gift of (iod is Eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord." D. L. M. Salvation is not obtained by penances, painful and hu- miliating: nor by despondency and dispare; nor by any jfforts, mental or spiritual, involving a purchase by labor or pain ; but oitircly and aloue by faith ^ or trust in the Lord Jesus. Do you ask — is it so, that salvation is by believing, simply believing? Such is the statement of the word of God. We proclaim it upon the warrent of infallible Scripture. No ivorks. c. H. s. NOT WOUKS. 10 Sclf-sahiUion, cither by his personal worthiness, or by his repentance, or by liis resolves, is a hope enj^rained in luiiiian nature, and very hard to renio\ e, and who shall ^ct it out of hini r j. (;. n '•I zrurA-, ;iiiil()wn my /ii('i>r xiiiii, Aiul Unis fniiii xrorks I it'axf, I s/rnf, and sec \\\\ Jrni/liss /tiiii. rill (loil crciitf 111^- p«jac«.'."' "The e. Thev cannot he hrou^ht to accept it as literally true that they are to ha\e salvation gratis! and eternal life as the pure jijift of lieavcn's cliarity. * * They were unahle to helie\ e that so simple a matter could he the soul sa\ inij ;^ospel ; they looked for mystery, ditriculty and complex preparation. . c . ii. s. 1! ill! l;l "• Ask him what it is he finds makes helievinjy difHculi to him ? Is it unwillingness to he justiiied and saved r Is it unwilliti<4-ness to he so saved hy Jesus Christ to the praise of God's <>race in him, and to the voiding of all boasting in himself ? This he will surely denv. Is it a distrust of the truth of the gospel record .' This he dare not own. Is it a doubt of Christ's ability or good-will to save ? This is to contradict the testimony of God in the g( spel. Is it because he doubts of an interest in Christ and his redemption ? Vou tell him that believing on Christ makes up the interest in him. If he say that he cannot believe on Jesus Christ, be- cause of the difficulty of the acting this faith, and that a divine power is needful to draw it forth, whicli he finds not, you tell him that believing in Jesus Christ is no work, but a resting on Jesus Christ; and that this pretence is as unreason- able as that if a man wearied with a journey, and who is not able to go one step farther, should argue, 'I am so tired that I am not able to lie down,' when, indeed, he can neither stand or go. h. b. NOT WORKS. 21 In oiu" stMise there is nothiiifj^ more firsy tlinn to trust Clirist and l>e saved /foz'.' ; hut in another sense nothing; tworc (//f/ir////. Most are "in an ajj^oi.v'' in pa^sinjr from death to life - so the word "stri\e" imparts. To (rvt a man to "strive" in the r/'o/// sense, is to stop him from 'Stii\in<^" in the wrofii^- sense. * * As if (iod weie, after all, unwiUins^ to ^ave, and could only he piexailed Ujion to he merciful, hv manifestation of sorrow for sin, earnestness in prayer, tS:c. t\:c. Oh, nol On (jod's )):irt "all thinj^s are //'':(.■ ready," "the work is //V//.V //<■(/." Christ is "the wav.'' .1. <;. 11 Whenever we 're hroujrht to perfect so/t/ poverty and ahsolute baiikntptr, of spirit, so that we tinn om* piu'ses in- side out, and cannot tind one rusty cent left, then Christ and ;ill the treasures of his j^race arc ours. Oh to he hrouj^ht down to the lowest depth of self-despair, for that is the d«)or of hope. While vour cup is half-full, Christ will not pour his wine into it. Sou hrinji^ your cups and say, " Lord, there is a little i^ood at the hottom, does not that recommend me ?" Xo, un^ iio^ He will ne\er pour in the new wine of the kinjjj- /ft of (tO(1 is eternal life t/iro/ii^h ycsns Christ the LorJP It is a nccessarv doiiio- for the starving begger to ask for, masticate, and swallow the food oiz'e// him, but in no way is it doii/o- as a coinpoisatson to the giver of the food. r. s. s. They arc instrucied to believe that, if what thev arc counselled to do, is done, thev will be saved. Not, indeed bv or for doing that, or in conse([uence of that w hich tlie\' aie urged to do. Put in doing that thev pass into the straight gate of salvation. At that moment, and in that effort, thev became Christians, the chiklren of God. We reject such counsels as unscriptural, deluding, ane//ev/f/^\ Aav/z/o'. But iSatan forjj^es the three iron fetters — doiiio-^ feelino-^ prayim^-. This is the work of (jod, that ye helieve ow him whom he hath sent. ruE witness. and I wa migV hope runs cann lyin^ soul and havi can i tion shoe led t The Hible says we are harii lost. * '"This is a hard say- ino^ who can bear it r" but still there is nothinoj more clearly tau,iozvs^ I trust the Bible is God's inspired word showing how hell may be avoided and heaven gained. I am so glad that our Father in Heaven Tells of His love in the Book He has given ; Wonderful things in the Bible I see ; This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me ! "It is my opinion," says another, "that we must just do the best we can, and trust in the mercv^ of God." Of course this is your opinion — but the action of God's Word is like water to wash out our opinions. The first thing it tells me about myself and about all of us is that we are lost, depraved, guilty, condemned. w. p. m'k. How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word ! What more can He say, than to you He hath said — To you, who for refuge to Jesus have fled : Look and Live. Look and live. Complete healing came to the Israelites from looking- to the serpent, infinite salvation will come to you from looking to Christ. By this I mean that look of faith which is the authority of Holy Writ, sees in Christ on the Cross infinite satisfaction for all your sin — instantaneous life for your soul. And now to make this glorious truth clearer to you, I will state two things of great importance: Why you should look, and how you should look. First^ because in the death of Christ an infinite satis- faction was made for your sins. * * * "The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." * * * He will, ac- cording to His own word, accept this death as the full re- mission of all your guilt, provided, only this day you thus accept Him by faith. Secondly^ hoxv you are to accept Him: by simple faith, "For by grace are you saved through faith^'' nothing more. Can you not therefore say : "O Lord, I do from my heart believe Thou by this Thine awful death does save me from death, and that Thy perfect righteousness is accepted by the Father for me." m. s. b. The Lord sent firey serpents among them, but it was not the serpents being a?nong them that involved the lifting up of a brazen serpent, it was the serpents having aetually poisoned them which led to the provision of a remedy. "It shall come to pass that every one that ts iitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live." The only people who did look and derive benefit from the wonderful cure, uplifted in the midst of the camp, were those who had been stnng by the vipers. The common notion is that salvation is for good Mill ! i i 32 GLEANINGS. people, for those who fi^^ht against temptation, for the spirit- ually healthy: but how different is Goers word. God's medicine is for the sick, and his healin<^ is for the diseased. I am sent to pre;ich Christ to those who are full of sin, and worthy of eternal wrath. c. ii. s. "Oh, if you could but see Him ! Come here ; turn not away ; come here and look on Jesus. Would to (iod I had power to unveil Him to you. You should sep: those eyes that were once dim with tears ! you should see that brow which was once red with blood ! you should see those hands that were once clasped in prayer; once nailed to the cross. 1'. c. G. He says, "It is well enough sir, to say, Look to Jesus ; but suppose you cannot look? if your eyes are blind? What then? O, my brother, turn your restless eyeballs to the cross, and that light which gives light to them that see, shall give eyesight to them that are blind. * * * If to-day thou feelest thyself a lost, guilty sinner, all he asks is that thou wouldst believe on Him; that is to say, trust Him, confide in Him. Is it but little He asks ? "Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth," saith Christ, "for I am God, and beside me there is none else." c. ii. s. on| II You ask "will he heal me?" Look to Him! Look to Him! The morning that I found Christ I did not think to find Him. I went to hear the word as I have heard it be- fore; but I did not hope to find Jesus there and then. Yet I did find him, when I heard that there was nothing to be done but simply to look to Jesus, and when the exhortation came so sharp, shrill, and clear, "look! look! !". There is life in a look at the Crucified one; There is life at this inoinent for thee. C. H. S. LOOK AND LIVE 33 Peace is not to be (lcri\'c(l from looking within; it is only to be found i)y looking unto Jesus, by thinking of what lie has (lone and suffered for us, and not by anything that we have done or suffered for Ilini. "I.ook to Jcsiis, wc.irv one, look and live; Look at what the I,oril hath tlotie. I.ook and li\e! 'I'hou^h iinworlhy, vile, imt'lean, look and live; I.ooK AWAY IKO.M sEl.K AND SIN, look and live." So long as you do not believe on Jesus you cannot have that love to Ilim you ought. You must /rV-.v/ believe in His love and death for you; and the moment you realize that the mighty work has been finished, that justice has been satis- fied, peace will fill your heart, and love will flow out and over to Ilim who loved you, and gave Himself for you. A. M. "Oh, well! says one, "I will go home, and cry to God for mercy." That is your thought. Listen to Gocfs thoughts. "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near." Bieath a prayer to him now. Look to Jesus with the eye of faith at once! The Lord helps you to do so. c. ii. s. "■' if I have read of a painter who called his artist friends around him to pronounce judgment upon a w'ork he had just completed, and of which the Saviour was the principal figure in the group "Tell me truly," said he, "what is the best point in my picture?" "Oh, brother, it is all V)eautiful; but that chancel — that is a gem!" With a sad heart the artist dashed his brush over the toil of many a weary day and turning to his friends, replied: "Oh, brothers, if there is any thing in my painting more beautiful than the Master's face, let it be gone!" So if, after the infinite toil of God with your heart, there be anything left there more beautiful to you than Christ, more sweet to you than Christ, more divine and more dear to you than Christ, all heaven entreats you to blot it out. J. s. M. - M GLEANINGS. If he had been bitten by the serpent and had refused to look to the serpent of brass, and had ji^one to bed, no physi- cian could help him. A pious mother mij^ht kneel down and pray for him, but it would have been of no use. * * * There is only one hope for his life — //f mus^ look at the ser- pent of brass. It is just so with you, nothing avails unless you yourselves believe in Jesus Christ. There is not be- neath the copes of heaven, nor In heaven, anv hope for any one of you unless you will believe in Jesus Christ. * * * Now when a man was healed by looking at the serpent he could not say that he healed himself, for he only looked, and there is no virtue in a simple look. Where is the great credit of simply believing the truth and humbly trusting Christ to save youi C. II. s. If you had to go through hell to reach this glory, it would be worth the cost! But you have not to do any such thing; you have only to believe in Jesus, and even faith is the Lord's own gracious gift. '•'•J^ook unto me and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth." This is the gospel: Look! look! ! look! ! ! T'is but a look. Look, blear-eyed soul, thou who canst scarce see for ignorance. Look, thou whose eyes are swimming in tears! Look, thou who seeth hell be- fore thee. Look, thou who art siidiing into the jaws of per- dition. T'is ]esus on the cross ye are bidden to look at. C. H. S. It is of no use people saying that "No one can be saved at once," for Scripture clearly show s that those mentioned in the New Testement whenevp:r they believed were saved. Some have supposed that conversion is a gradual process, requiring much time and earnest prayer. How long does it take you to "believe" what your father says.'' A mo- ment. Another figure is employed — " looking." " Look unto Me, and be ye saved." (Isaiah, XLV, 22). How long did it take a bitten Israelite to be cured? The one moment he was dying, the next, by simply looking at the brazen ser- pent, he was completely healed. LOOK AND LIVE. 35 The very mo/ncftt you " believe " in, or " look " to, Jesus as the One who bled and suffered for you — you are saved. "Tlicrc is life in ;i look at tlic crucified One, Thcru is life at tliis moment for llifc." A. M. ,f . '!• 11' An anxious soul once said to a servcnt of Christ, "Oh, sir, I can^f believe.^'"' To which the preacher wisely and (luietly replied, "Indeed, who is it that you can't believe?" This broke the spell. He had been lookinj^ at faith as an indescribable somethin«jj he must feel within himself in order to be sure he was all riitten, I make he is |i ser- Jl like |11 not :hing and I'. iim. P^AIXH. If any of you feel your unwoithiness, and mourn over it and are kept back from Christ by the thought that you are not Jit to be saved, will this humili*^y, this supposed humility, save you? My hearers, no; except thou have faith in Christ, and he wash you, thou hast no part in him. No repentance, no remorse, no chastenin' zvhich he is not from the first most iviiruig to do. It is thus that he shuts them up to faith, by "concluding them in unbelief." It is thus that he brings them to feel both the greatness and the guilt of their inability; and so constrains them to give up every hope of doing any thing to save themselves ; — driving them out of every refuge of lies, and shewing th( these prolonged efforts of theirs are hindrances, and are just so many rejections of his own immedi: so many distrustful attempts to persuade him to d( is already most willing to do in their behalf. n t at )S, .ip,- hat h Ji. B. '■'' Give your heart to Christ^'' is rather lavj than gospel. It is most proper that it should be done, for God Himself UNBELIEF. 63 (Icinands it ; but merely urging the doing of it is far short of the gospel. The true gospel is, Accept the free gift of salvation from wrath and sin by receiving the Lord Jesus Himself, and all the benefits He purchased with His own iti.ooi), and your heart will be His in a moment, being given to Him, not as a matter of la-u.\ but of love; for if you have the love of I/is heart poured into yours by His blessed Spirit, you will feel vourself under the constraining influence of a spontaneous spiritual impulse to give Him in return your heart. w. r. Those who have as much breath in them as to reason about the matter are not wholly dead. The rich man thinks that, if he were poor, he might have time to think of religion. The poor man, if he could get ends to meet, and had a little more money, would have more leisure to think of God. But the difficulty is not so much in what is around us, as in what is ivithin us. w. p. m'k. Will you feed your unbelief on the joy of the Lord ? What strange perversity! "Why" you say, "must I not be happy before I can believe in Christ?" What? what? Must you needs have the joy before you exercise the faith? How unreasonable! Because we tell you that such and such a root produces a sweet fruit; will you say that you must have the fruit before you will accept the root? Surely that is bad rea- soning. W^e who have experienced this joy came to Christ in order to obtain it, and did not wait until we found it, or else we would have waited until now. We came to Jesus just as we were. c. h. s. Ij Though conducted through protracted and painful expe- rience, some inquirers fail to find the rest they are seeking. They Know, and they believe^ too, that the promises of God in the Gospel of his Son, are true and sure; that those prom- ises are adapted to all others, as well as to those who rely upon them, and derive therefrom great delight. But those : I 64 GLEANINGS, i 1 i 1 (' 1 •: promises, though understood and believed, bring no rest to }/i(u'r weary souls. Why is this? Does any one make answer, it is because of unbelief? We reply, fAcv do believe the promi- ses. But belief in the promises of God, is not the first and principal demand that should be urged upon an inquirer. When the inquirer has passed from darkness into light; from the bondage of doubt and fear, into trust and assurance, — then, his belief in the promises of God will yield comfort, peace, and joy. A solution of this difficulty may often be found in the fact, that the inquirer is troubled, not so much with unbelief, as he is with misbelief. w. s. m'k. "I heard ♦he glad g'ospcl of jrood will to men; I read wlwsoi-ver !ig;ain and ajcaiii; I said to my soul, 'can that promise he miner' And men hegan liopiiit;' that Jesus was mine. On his word I am resting — assurance divine. I'm 'hoping' no longer — I kiiov He is mine." * I am forced to the painful conclusion that, as a rule, where assurance is wanting and consequently, "love, joy, peace" &c., it is because simply confidence in Christ is wanting. It is decidedly safest therefore to assume that all who do not know they are saved, are not. j. o. When poor souls are coming to Christ they are generally themselves their own worst enemies. They have a singular ingenuity in finding out reasons why they should not be saved, they ransack heaven and earth and hell to find out discour- agements. They become inventors of difficulties where difiiculties do not exist. c. ir. s. ■ I ,' ■ 1 1 R 1 Yes; but though the gate be a straight one, it is open., and not shut, and the striving is )iot ivith the keeper of the gate, but with your (' rev/ evil hearts of /nibelieJ\\.\vK\i struggles UNBELIEF. 65 hard to prevent you from going in. The door is straight, but \t\s~ vide enough to let the sinner through, if he will not attempt to carry any of his idols in with him. He would fain make a cfjmpromisc by giving up first one sin and then another; but, until he is willing to part with a/l his sins, he cannot enter. Perhaps the very last thing that he is willing to part with before entering is his own righteousness; he would fain enter with some solitary rag of his own to cover him, but it is impossible: no wonder, then, that it is called a ^^ straight gatc^'' for it is too straight for that. james g. There are a great many who say, " Oh, I do not believe it, I shall not bother my head aliout it." VV^ell, you are warned! remember that. There is a way of salvation by Jesus Christ, the incarnate God, and we implore you to ac- cept it; if you do not, this rock of unljelief will be your eter- nal shipwreck. c. ii. s. You speak of this inability to believe, as if it were some unprovided for difficulty; and as if the discovery of it had sorely cast you down. You would not have so desponded had you found that you could believe of youiself, without the Spirit; and it would greatly relieve you to be told that you could dispense with the Spirit's help in this matter. If thii would relieve you, it is plain \.\\:\tyou have )io conjidcuce ill the Spirit ; and you wish to have the power in your own hands, because you believe your own willingness to be much greater than His. ii. h. " Ah, " aaith another, but I want to read my title clear, I want to kiioiv that I have an interest in Christ." You will best read your interest in Christ, by looking at him. If 1 want to knozv whether a certain estate is mine, do I look into my own heart to see if I have a right to it ? but I look into the archives of the estate, 1 search testa- ments and covenants. Now, Christ Jesus is God's covenant with the people, a leader and commander of the people. To-day, I personally can read my title clear to 66 GLEANINGS. heaven, and shall I tell you how I read it ? Not because I feel all I wish to feel, nor because I am what I hope I yet shall be, but I read in the word that " yesus Christ came into the ivorld to save sinners^ " I am a sinner, even the devil cannot tell me I am not. O, precious .Saviour, then thou hast come to save such as I am. c. ii. s. But the central, and grand object of faith, — of a faith that leads ioji/stijicatiojt^ — the point that first must be gained is not contemplated, sought and embraced. They do not believe on the Lord jfcs/ts Christ. Here is their mistake, and the root of their difticulty. Christ is not before the mental vision. lie does not come within the gaze and grasp of faith. We have denominated their mistake, misbelief. w. s. m'k. If you object that you cannot believe^ then this indicates that you are proceeding quite in a wrong direction. You are still labouring under the idea tlTat this believing is a ivork to be done by you, and not the acknowledgment of a work done by another. You would fain do something in order to get peace, and you think that if you could only do this great thing, " believing " — if you could but perform this great act called faith — God would at once reward you by giving you peace. Thus faith is reckoned by you to be the price in the sinner's hand by which he buys peace, and not the mere hold- ing out of the hand to get a jDcace which has already been made by another- So long as you are attaching any meritor- ious importance to faith, however unconsciously, you are moving in a wrong direction — a direction from which ro peace can come. Surely faith is not a ivork. On the con- trary, it is a ceasing from work. w. u. *» ; It is of the utmost importance to understand thoroughly the native of our lost state, in order to see what it is to be saved, and hoiv to be saved. Unbelief of this truth is at the root of all the "doing" system. j. g. UNBELIEF. 67 If your heart would speak out, it would say, "Well, after all, I camiot^ and God xuill not. I am doing all I can to be- lieve, but the Spirit will not help me." And what is this but saying-, "I have a hard-hearted God to deal with, who will not help or pity me ?" Whatever your rebellious heart may say, Christ's words are true, "Ye will not." What he spoke, when weeping over impenitent Jerusalem, he speaks to you, "7 ivonld hwt yc ivould iiof'' (Matt, xxiii. 37). "They are fearful words," writes Dr. Owen, " '•yc xvould }iot ." Whatever is pretended, it is iv'ill and stnbbonnicss that lie at the bottom of this refusal." He who says, I "cannot" love God, is proclaiming himself one of the worst of sinners ; but he who says, I "cannot" even believe, is taking to himself a guilt which we may truly call the darkest and most damn- able of all. If. H. In going to (lod at first, are you to take for granted his ivilling)icss or his ii)i-viUi)igticss to bless ? Most seem to do the latter. Nay, they defend themselves by saying that if they knew they were converted they would take his ici/h'i/gncss for granted, but not being sure of this they dare not do so ! As if the gospel were not the revelation of his willinsfuess to receive si?mi'rs as siic/i. 11. 15. itEl T ■ I n Belief. You may believe that Christ when on earth performed many astonishing miracles, and set us a faultless example ; but your soul is not thereby saved. You may believe that Christ was crucified, rose from the dead, and ascended up in- to heaven, and is now seated at the right hand of God. All these arc glorious Bible-truths, and it is well indeed to be- lieve them; but the soul is not saved by the mere believing of them. 7Vic (not a) work Christ came to earth to accomplish, and on the cross pronounced '•'•Jinished^'' was the atonement made for our souls by the shedding of His most ■precious blood. This is not merely a doctrine of the bible, but most emphatically the doctrine of the bible, binding all other doctrines together. Over this doctrine think and pray, imderstand it thoroughly, believe in it implicitly, and rest on it wholly, and then, on the authority of God's own word, '•'• shall be saved.'''' This is '•'• bel levin p" on Christ as the scripture hath saidP You surely do not fail to see that if your hope is built on anything other than the finished work of Christ as your substitute and Redeemer, you actually ignore and treat the sufferings., death and resurrection of the Lord yesus Christ as a ivork of supererogation !'''' T. s. s. Begone, unbelief, my Saviour is near, And for my relief will surely appear; By praj'r let nic wrestle and He will perform, With Christ in the vessel I smite at the storm. Whosoever believes in Tesus, whether it be sixteen min- utes to eight, or whether it be eight o'clock, shall find that BELIEF. 69 Christ is ready to receive sinners. * * Ready, and ready now, not sometimes^ but at all times — not now and then, oc- casionally, on Sunday and high revival days, but " y^oday-, if ye will hear His voice." * * It is a lie, nine times out of ten, when men say they are waitinj;^ for Christ, because they have not that awful anxiety, that dolorous uneasiness of mind, which goes with true waitinor. It is only a make-believe waiting, a mere excuse; but whatever sort of waiting it is, it is clean opposite to the gospel which never says a word about waiting, but which connuands men to believe and live. c. II. s. Says one, " I ]:)elieved all my days, in a kind of a way that Jesus died for me; but it was then only a doctrine of the Jiibh\ now it is a great, x^wXfart in my heart.'''' * * " Now I see that the death and resurrection of Christ are real and for mv sins." j. g. : " i Mi ii % The moment in which a sinner, from his heart, repents, and commits his soul to Christ, trusting in His merits for pardon, is the moment of his acceptance by his heavenly Father. His sins are pardoned. He is received, through the merits of the Messiah, into the family of the redeemed. He is one with Christ, and one with the whole company in heaven and earth, who have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. f. w. What is it to believe, 'ay you ? It is with thy whole heart to rely simply on the Lord Jesus Cluist, He is the only mediator — to look to His sufferings and His death for the forgiveness of thy sins. c. ii. s. You cannot mean to say that you ought to go to God, believing that He is not willing to bless you, in order that by ■T^ t 70 GLEANINGS. il, : ^ I j; 1' ,t var- ious, conflictins^, and dangerous answers are given to it. In sermon and exhortation, by the minister in the pulpit, and by laymen in pri\ate interviews, incjuirers are addressed with counsels, which, if followed, would conduct to ruin, instead of to that one sure refuge provided by divine grace for the guilty and helpless. Those counsels, in most cases, commit men to their own impotent efforts to become Cbristians; for they are ex- horted to change the governing purpose of the soul; to re- solve to be on the Lord's side; to give the heart to God; to make up the mind to serve the Lord; to love the dear Saviour; to consecrate the life to holy service; to surrender the will; to forsake an ungodly world; to make a public committal. Some of these counsels may be right at the right time, and in the right place. w. s. m'k. Yet how often do wc hear i)eople say, "I am afraid I have not eome^ or believed^ or asked^ as I ought." This is quite true; all is faulty. Hut it is not your eoniing rightly, or believing rightly, or aski)ig rightly, that saves you. It is ■I lifts III! 72 GLEANINGS Jesus — Jesus only. You are making a saviour of these in- stead of Christ. The Lord says, "he that belicveth on Mc hath everhistinsr hfe." i". w. If you do not come, because you think you are too great a sinner, you say, in effect, tliat He is )iot able to save you, though He tells us "He is able to save to the uttermost all who come!" You make Him a liar! Believe that He reallv will do what He promises. Go to Him at once. Say to Him, "Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief! Thou art able to save to the uttermost, — save mc,^'' n. h. "Oh," 3^ou say, "I hear that if I come to Christ I shall be saved; but how can I come to Him? What do you mean by coming to Christ?" Well the reply is plain and clear, — it is to trust Christ, to depend upon Him, to believe Him, to rely upon Him. Then they enquire, "But how can I come to Christ? In what way would you recommend me to come?" The answer is, the very best way to come to Christ is to come xvith all your ?ieeds about you. If you could get rid of half your needs apart from Christ, you would not come to Jesus half so well as you can with the whole of them pressing upon you, for your needs furnishes you with motives for coming, and gives you pleas to urge. c. h. s. "Just as I am, without one plea. But that thy blood was shed for mc, And that Thou bidst mc come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come! "Just as I am, and waiting not To rid r.iy soul of one dark blot, To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, O Lamb of God, I come! That the believing sinner'^s sins are forgiven is one of the most glorious truth in God's word, but the manner in BELIEF. 73 which it is "put" is often most mislcaclinj^^. A owes B $500 for the non-payment of which A is sent to jirison. C, :i friend of A's come forward and pays B the $500 (hie by A, and A is rcleaseil from prison. The sinner (A) has broken God's (B's) hiw and consecpiently subject to the penalty at- tached thereto. Christ (C) suffers the behevin^ sinner's (A) penahy and God (B) pardons. The believinjj^ sinner is forgiven because Christ (C) became, ])efore God (B) his substitute. Sin is really not forgiven but suffered by Christ instead of by the sinner. T. s. s. As for me, if ever I am lost, it shrdl be at the foot of the cross. To this pass have I come, that if I never see the face of (iod with acceptance, yet I well believe that he will be faithful to his His son, and true to the covenant sealed with oaths and blood. He that believetli in Jesus, hath (not will have) everlasting^ life: there I clinjr, like the limpet to the rock. There is but one <^ate of heaven ; and even if T may not enter it, I will clinserva//oj/s\ yo//r pious feelings when under relig^ious in- fluences, vour moral traini)ig froDi (■/A///r;c(/. ar,d the like. You may have the strongest faitJi in any or all of these, and perish everlastin<4ly, Don't deceive yourself by any "fair show in the flesh." The feeblest faith in Christ eternally saves, while the strongest faith in anght beside is but the offspring of -a deceived heart; but the leafy twij^s of your enemy's arrangin^i^ over the pitfall of eternal perdition. Religious Tract. "I suppose it is almost impossible to explain what it is to come to Christ, it is so sin/pie. It is just believing what God says about His vSon. If the Lord persuade you of the glory and power of Emmanuel, you cannc)t but choose Him. It is like opening the shutters of a dark room; that moment the sun shines in. So the eye that is opened to the testimony of God receives Christ that moment. r. m. m'c. To be saved is to have bowed down to two truths : — "I was lost;'''' secondly ," Christ //«.? saved me." Before you can say that, 3'ou must have believed it. The same book that alarms you by telling you that you are lost in Adam that there is a judgment seat, a hell, etc., also comforts you by telling you that Christ has taken away your sins. j. g. on BELIEF. 75 What is bclieviii": on him ? It is tr/tstii/p- in Ifim. The huifi^uajife is not "Believe him" — such a belief is a />a/7 of faith, but not the zr//a/c. We believe everythin<^ the Lord (esus has tau<^ht, but we must ^o a step further, and trust him. * * The faith that saves is not believing certain truths., nor even believiuf^ that Jesus is a Saviour; but is resting (.11 Him., depending on Ilim, lying with all your weight on Christ as the foundation of your hope, iiclieve that he can save vou; beliexe that he v'i/l save you; at any rate lea\ e the whole matter of your salvation with Him in uncpiestioning confidence. Depend upon him without fear as to your present and eternal salvation. This is the faith that saves. * * The length of years during which we ha\ e believed does not enter into the essence of the matter; believers are saved whether their faith has lasted through half a centurv or half an hour. c. ii. s. "I belie\ ed all mv da\s in a kinil of a wav," says one, ''that Jesus died for me; but it was then a doctrine in the l>ibh\ but now it is a real great fact in my heart."^ Says another to me; "Oh, what relief it gives me, I see it nozv ! The death and resurrection of Christ are rcai^ and for my sins! I am now so happy, feeling assured that I am saved through Christ's death." j. (i. H "■ j * H 1 m'c. All the difference lies in the thing to be believed., and all the difhculty is in the unwillingness of the human heart to take it. Artless total reliance on what Jesus has done for your soul, which leads to Himself, sa\es you — nothing more, nothing less. It must be so. j. (i. The way of life is a short one. There are but two steps to it. First the sinner ^^conies to himself'' and sees what he really is, a sinner. Second., He came to Christ and sees what lie is, viz., a Saviour, You come to Christ by believing •\ li :i!l I 1 76 ( i L HANI N G S . llis word and ihat voii aic just such a sinner as is therein represented —that is rv pcntaiici'. IJeheN einij ( with the he;nt ) that Christ is a .Saviour — that is faith. Where faith and re|)entance unite in the same person there is a cliai/o-c of heart. (;. d. "This is the work of (rod, that ve l>ehe\e on ////// whom he hatii sent." To sas' one is sa\ed h\- his faith, is likely to bewilder, if not to de(:ei\c'. W'e aiv saved by Clirisi and not by our faith. Our faith is an act of obedience; foi" "This is his commandment, — that we should believe on His Son, (esus Christ, )Ut it is hardl\- necessar\- to sa\-, that this act of obedience does not justify or save the believer. \\\ faith, he receix'es Christ., — a reception that brink's the soul into a vital union with him, "in whom we have redemp- tion through his blood ; the forLcivencss of sins, accordinin' to the riches of his tj^race,"'' W'e must insist that any council to believe, which does not hold u[) Christ as the true object of faith, fails at the most essential to say we are sa\cd by faith. pon it. It is onlv a half truth, w M K. "Thev \vd\v not submitted themsches to the rii^hteous- ness of God." ".Vud is that all that I have to do -to sul)mit myself r Is that all?" you saw There is a feather in the cap of your pride. Take it out. \ ow have a weapon of rebel- lion by your side. Throw it down. Just submit yourself there, with folded hands, with the rope around vour neck. Say, "Ijord, if m\- soul be sent to hell, I deserve it. I sub- m it, and 1 plead for mercv. I plead the precious blood. I not only subniit to take that pica, but I delight to take it. c. II. s. An anxii^us in([uirer went to his minister, when the follovvini^" diolo'^ue took place: Tnquirer,-"\Vhat shall I do tv) be saved." Minister,-" />V//<:'Z'<7 o« ///r Lord ycsus Christ.'''' In(|.,-"I have heard that hundreds of times before, but it does not appear to meet my case." ^I'xn. .,-'■'■ Believe on the Lord BELIEF. 77 yrs/fs C/irist.'''' Tnq., "Have I not first fjot to repent r" "\I in.,-"/w7/V :•<<;// ///<■ Lord ycsiis i'/irist."" Iiuj., ''Should I not pray first ?" Min.,-"y>*<7/<':'<' o// the Lord ycsiis Christ.'''' hui., "It seems to nie imiiossilile to thus savinji^ly hulic'\e without Divine aid. How am I to obtain such aid:'' Min.,-"/>V//Vi'(' oil the f.ord Ycsiis (Lirist.^^ In(|.,-"If vou persist in ii^norin^- all my (juestions, 1 will hid vou i^ood-bye.'' Min., "Ciood-bve, <^ood-bve. '-'■Ju/icxcoi/ the Li>rif '^fcsiis Christ.'''' Hea\en is now full of souls, once sinful, who were sa\ed in this way. K i;r,i(;K)Us Tiiac r. What is it to believe on Christ .' it means not onl\' to accept what he says as true, and to belie\e that he is the Messiah and the Son of God, but tiustfuUy to rest in him. To l)elie\e on him is to take him as the i^ound of our htjpes, as our .Saviour, upon whom w(^ depend for salvation. * * We make use of Him by tiustin;^- on Him to do for us what (jod has appointed him to do. This trustiufj on Jesus is savinjr faith. To belie\e Him may be a \ery different thinj;- from belie\in<^ on Him. Such l)elief ma}- fall shoit of sav- in;^- faith. We rest ourselves whollv on Him. That is savinj^ faith. c. ii. s. !1 Such phrases as, -'decide for Christ," "give your heart to Cod," are objectionable, althouLjh a rijjcht enouout your doiuos. '' \'our ]Kirt '' is to atlniit that you are a help- less, hell-deservinij sinner, unable to do anvthinir to save voursclf. " ^'our part "" is to cease thinking of being saxed by anything that you can do or feel. " ^'( r.v part"" is to be- lieve that Jesus did e\ervthing that was nccessar\- — that He finished the work of atonement, and paid the ransom price with His precious blood. Whenever you cease trying to be saved by your doii/i^s^ and believe on the Lord Jesus who did it all, and paid it all, you become a son of God, an heir of glorv, and a joint heir with Jesus Christ. A. M. Everybody tries to runaway to the thought that he does lielieve in Christ's power for ot/wrs^ but he trembles for Jiimscif; but 1 must hold each man to the point which con- cerns himself, I must buttonhole you and bring } ou to the BELIEF. 79 real test. Jesus asks each of you — " Dost thou believe thai I am able to do this ? " c. ii. s. The preacher (leli<^hts to tell you in God's name that who- soever belie\es in Jesus shall recei\e immediate pardon. What do these men say? " (), if it be so easy to be forgiven let us <^o on in sin. If faith is so very siinple a matter, let us put it off till some future time." (), li:i-e and cruel argue- nientl To incur *i^reater s'xn from infinite love I What shall I call it but de\ilish reasoninj^. c. ir. s. I cannot speak to you like an anjj^el from heaven, but I speak like a sinner saved from hell; and 1 implore }()U to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and vou shall be saved. c. H. s. 1 am to believe Christ because God cUcvc i)i tJic Lord Jestis Christy atid th ]' sanctification (so- called) tiie pernicious doctrine of a later era. w. [{, m E\en tlie physiolocrist, when "he is hungry, tlocs not think much of tunc he eats. The two great points are, that he is hungr\', and that he lias a good dinner. Some are hungry and ha\e not the good food, others have the food and are not hungr\-. Hut the qualification for enjo\ ing food is not a knowledge of how to eat, but the being hungry. ^\"e do not need to know fio-.i' we are born again in order to be saved. We do not need to know all or anything about the Spirit's work within us in order lo get peace (there were people, in Acts xix. 2, who were belie\ ers, and Avho yet said "VVe have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost"), but we must know about Christ's work j'or us be- fore we can be sa\ed. w. v. m'k Tlie object of the Holy Spirit's work, in convincing of sin, is to alter the sinner's opinion of himself, and so to re- duce his estimate of his own character that he shall think of himself as Gc^d does, and so cease to suppose it possible that H01.Y SPIRIT, 83 he can be justified by any excellency of his own, Ilavinjif altered the sinnei's gooil opinion of himself, the Spirit then alters his e\ il opinion of God, so as to make him see that the (jod, with whom he had to do, is realh- the God of all grace. H. H. IIavin the Holy Sj^irit shews you the entire sufiici- encv of the great propitiation iox the sinner, just as he is, vou cease your attempts to art or xcor^-^ and take, instead of all such exercises of yours, that which Christ has done. The S])irit's work is not to enable a man to c/o something which will save him or help to save him, but so detach him from all his own exertions and performances, whether good, bad, or indifferent, that he shall be content with tlie salvation which the Saxiour of the lost has finished. ii. b. 2nd. Confoiuidimj; tlic xvork of the Spirit in us ~vith Christ\s zcorl: for us. While the Spirit of God is the sole- agent, the truth of God is the sole instrument which He em- ploys. We cannot see the Spirit ; we can see the Word. We cannot see His operations; we can I'cad His record about Christ. No doubt it will be mereh letters without nuaninti:. Jii 84 GLEANINGS, until lie opens the eves ; but lie works only in His appoint- ed ehannel. He ne\'er tells us to look iir.vard e\en to His own operations, for peace, but o/itzcard to Christ. That is the most vSj>irit-honourin_<^ preaching of the gospel in which vou hear most of Christ. w . i'. m'k. Many a sinner is kept in intolerable suspense, offering his heart to God, and receiving no comfort, antl obtaining no evidence of his adoption, from a mistake in this respect. He thinks that he has submitted every ihing to (iod ; but in some hidden corner of his heart there lies something \eiled which he has ne\er surrendered. He may thus wearv out the patience of God, until the Spirit lea\ es liim. v. \\ . IN m Vou cannot be saved without the .Spirit, but nou may be saved without hno-cinrr much or a 'vthin<'- about Him. We read of some \vho were sa\ ed, but who had uevei" so much as heard whether there was a Hoh' (ihost. j. (;. ^ M * * The IIol\- Spirit is most willing to reveal to vou the glory which the\- contain. It is his oilice, it is his delight, to be the sinner's teacher. He will not be behind you in wil- lingness. It is of the utmost moment that you should re- member this ; lest you shoidd grie\e and repel Him b\' \()ur distrust. II. i;. Alan is by nature blind within. The cross of Christ, so laden with glories, and glittering wiih attractions, never at- tracts him, because he is blind and cannot see its beauties. Talk to him of the wonders of the creation, show to him the many-colored arch that spans the sky, let him behold the glories of a landscape, he is well able to see all these things ; HOLY S P I H I T 8S hut talk to him of the \von(lers of the eovenant of itj^race, speak lo him of the securit\' of the hcHe\er in Christ, tell him (if the heauties of the person of the Redeemer, he is quite (leaf to all \-our (lescrij)tion ; vou are as one that playeth a ^•oo(ll\- turie, it is true ; Imt he rejj^ards not, he is deaf, he has no comprehension. Permit me to show vou wherein this inri])ilit\- of man reallv does lie. It lies deep /// /lis nature. Throu^'h the fall, and throui^ii our own sin, the nature of man has l^ecome so dehased, and depra\ed, and corrupt, that it is impossible for him to come to L'hrist without the assist- ance of God the Holy Spirit. (. . ll. s. Now, m\" dear friends, lias the Spirit e\ er made tiie Lord Jesus j^lorious in \dui' e\es"' Hi-ethren and sisters, this is the one point above all others. If the llolv (ihost has ne\er made Christ precious to \<)U, you know nothiu<:^ about Ilim. If lie has noi lifted Jesus up, and sunk \-our own conlidence, if He has not made \()u feel that Christ is all vou want, and that more than all in Him yf)U find, tlien he has i/cvcr wroi/i;/it a divine c/iaiiLic i// your heart. Repentance and faith must stand ^aziiiL'^ upf)n the bleedinj^- vSa\iour, or else hope \\ ill ne\er join tliem and brin<^ peace as his com- l^anion. c. ii. s. I»ut thouii^h it needs the power of the di\ ine vSpirit to make us bclie\inn- men; tliis is not because faith is a mys- terious thiiii^, a <^reat exercise or effort of soul, which must be \ery accurately tal)le; but because of our dislike to the truth believed, and our enmity to the Hein^;- in ^^•hom we are asked to con- iide. Belie\in<^is the simplest of all men-al processes; vet not the less is the power of (>od needed. ii. n. The vS[)irit of (Jod is fj^i\en to " Leail us unto all truth," and reveiXMith- souiven to all who lack wis- doin, to teach thein the thinj^s of Christ, by taking those Iff 86 GLEANINGS. precious thiiii^s mid revealiii'j;' them unto their hearts. * * I (h'ead, hevoiid all thinr ycsNs Christ. w. i{. There are two errors a^j^ainst which v\ e must ^uard: — First, not recoj;nisin<( or acknowledclicnc that in our c'()nut I would not have you for a momet suppose that this Spirit is reluctant to do his work in you; nor would I encourajj^c vou in the awful thoui^ht that yoii are willinef, while lie is un\villin<:(; or that the soNcreij^'utv ot (iod is a hindrance to the sinner, and a restraint of the vS]:)irit. The whole Bible takes for "granted that all this is absolutely impossilde. Never can the sijreat truths of divine so\'erei<4"ntv and the Spirit's work land us. as some seem to think thev mav do, in such a conflict between a zc'//////''" sinner and an //nzci/lina' God. u. w. It is of the utmost importance to distinjj^nish between the vSpirit's work in us and Chiist's work for us. Where they are confounded, one rarelv finds settled peace as to the ([uestion of sin. The type of the passo\er illustrates the dis- tinction \ery simply. The Israelite's peace was not founded upon the unlea\ened bread or the bitter herbs, i)nt npon tJic blood. Nor was it, by any means, a c[uestion of what he thou^'ht about the blood, but what G(k1 thoiii^ht aliout it. This j^ives immense relief and comfort to the heart, (jod has found a ransom, and he reveals that ransom to us sinners in order that wo. miii^ht rest therein, on the authority of his word, and by the grace of his Spirit. w. \\. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 7. 7a 1.0 I.I 1.25 lillM 32 M 2.2 11 2.0 1= U lllll 1.6 % V .'>• <$>! A. j»jf Hiotographic Sciences Corporation « V <> ^\ <^ <;> ^y. ;\ ;CU'- ^^ <■> 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 <> 90 GI. EANINCS. Could you picture Jesus goliin^ al)out Palestine sellini,' his cures, sayinjij to the hiiiul hegj^ar, '"How much have you left of the alms of the charitahle to jjive to me for your eye- si<^ht?" Or say ill ti^ to Martha ami Mary, "hring me hither all you have, and I will raise youi- brother La/arus." Oh, 1 loathe to sjK'ak of it, it makes me sick to ima<:jine such a thine;-. How very weary must the Lord he with your self- righteousness, with vovn* attempt to trailic and to har<;ain with him I SaKation must he ^''/evv/ without price, since it is God that i,'/:v.v. c. ii. s. The object of the Spirit's work is to make us accpiaint- ed with the true Jeho\ah ; that in Ilim we may rest ; not to jirodiice in us certain feelinji^s, the consciousness of which will make usthiid< better of ourseKes, and ^\\c us confidence toward (jod. Tiiat which he sliews us of ourselves is onh evil; that which he shews us of (iod is only {ijood. He does not enable us to feel or to believe, in order that we may be comforted by >ur feelinij^ or nui" faith. Even when workinij^ in us most powerfully, he turns our eve away frt)ni his own wf)rk in us, to fix it on God, and his lo\x; in Jesus Christ our Lord. / n. n. < Men are often ijjnorant of the wav of salvation. I am not speakinij now as thon;^h I blamed them. * * Yet, when I be^jan to seek the, Lord, I did not know the way of sah ation. I knew the letter of it, but not the real meaninL!^. How can a man know it till the .Spirit of God re- veals it tf) him? The sun itself may shine, but a man will never see it till his c) es are opened. c. ir. s. God the Father loved sinners so much, as to send Jesus to die for them. Jesus loved sinners so much, as to lav down Tlis life for their redemption. The Holy Spirit loves sinners so much, thit he has written a record of God's manifestei and sins, purilies and sanctifies thejn, and thus prepares them to jj;lorify (iod and enjov iiim foi'cver. .1. k. We do not insist th;it it is (iod's will th;it all sliall ha\e the same overpowerinj^ baptism of the Spiiit which Finne\ and Hrainard Taylor had ; or be visited with such seraphic deliji^hts as h^dward and Flavel enjoved, or be fa\ored \\ ith such times of refreshin;^; as were \ouchsafed to Hraiiuu'd and Christmas E\ans. Hut the anointini^ of the .Spirit to iit us for the hijjjhest ser\ ice and success this seems to be some- thing: for which all may rif believed y * * Trust in ll'uii - \\(A \w what he -vi// do^ for that is another suggestion of the enemy, l)ut in what he has Joi/e a/reai/v. After vou ha\e trusted what he /las do>n\ and are saved, t/ien look forward to what he xvi// do. j. G. Do not satisfy yourself %\ith i)rayinui"s. r. ii. s. The current notion is, "1 must pray so much; I must weep so much; and I must feel so much." Oh ! this is the common ijj;norance, whereas men should know that, ''There is life in a look at the Crucified One.*' ''Win-, everybody preaches this," says some one. I know tliev do, but jieople who do not understand it, althouj^h you keep on pieachin<; it; for until (iod the Holy (ihost makes men to kno.v thi' ineanin<^ of what vou sav, the/ will but nod their heads, and pass on. Thoui^h I heard the <^ospel from my childhood, and was brouut words, as vou ihul most easy. but let your inmost heart be PRAYER. 95 reullv full of desire. mjr. Be resolved ;ilioiit ol-taiiiini,'- the blcss- L. II. S. JIilV l"' VJXll nil r^.llX.llUMI , 111 l-i ,11 Mll> IlitllllCllL prayiiiii- \ou to take it. If \ ou expect to l»e sa\til liy pi:i\c-r vou will l)e ciecei\e(l, as it cannot ))()ssil)l\- lake xou a step nearer to heaven. a. m. '1 ! I I 4 ' % I 1^ Nf nibelief would in that It Jesus I. (i. () I^ortl I take my heart, for 1 cannot :,'"/:■(' it; and when I'hou liast it, oh ! keep it for I cannot keep it for Thee: ai.d save nie in spite of nnself, for Jesus Chri>l's >ake. r'KN'.ON, Man, thou*;h fallen, is a moral and intellectual hcini;, and is addressed as such 1)\ his maker, lie is hound to use his faculties in the matter of his saKation. .Since ''faith cometh by heai'in^,'" he is of course h()mul to hear, \\ hen <^ospel truth once bei^ins to take effect, it makes a sad ha\ oc of all self-ri_Ljhteousness, and causes j^reat ct)mmotion in the mind. Give a man somethinij to do - tell him to "use means"' — set him "to jiray", etc., autl all is plain, lie ma\ set about it at once, or he may promise to do so; or he mav ahead v lie busy at it. It chimes in with his own thoujj^ht. * * (iod's way of salvation is so opposed to man's notions, and so morti- fyin<^ to his pride, that a violent stiu<^<^le with self in vield- inod is fycsccr//- i//o- hint. It implies unbelief. True, he ijciieves that (iod is the hearer of prayer, but he does not believe that G(k1 ha^ already given him eternal life, if he would only bnt accept oi it. So long as he is anxious he will pray — a minute, a month, a year, till he either trust Christ and is savetl, or, as is too often the case, till his anxiety leaves him. This i^ Hunyon's Slough of Dispond, out of which so many come out at the wrong side. l. <;. '•How reasonable,'"' writes one, "that we should just do that one small act which (iod recjuires of us, .^-v^ ami tell linn the truth. I used to go and say, Lord, I am a sinner, do have mercv on me; but as I did not feel all this, I began to see that 1 was taking a lie in my hand, trying to persuade the Almighty that I felt things which I did not feel. These prayers and confessions brought me no comfort, no answer: so at last I changed my tone, and began to tell the truth — Lord, I do not feel myself a sinner; I do not feel that 1 need mercy. Now, all was right; the sweetest leception, the most loving encouragements, the most refreshing answers, this confession of the truth brought down from heaven. 1 did not get anything by declaring myself a sinner, for I fell it not; but I obtained everything l)y confessing that 1 did not see niNself one." ii. \\. If we cannot go to God ivith a broken heart, let us go to \\\\wfor one. The spirit brakes and binds. n<^ hiin, es from I prayer wailitii; (ckcr of resound , II. s. not ^o Ih'sci'('/i- hat (i(«l Liod ha-' icccpt of inulc, a l1, or, as This i- i\ conic .1. (i. just ilo '«■// ///w iicr, jection to feeHn<'- a> the effects of faith, but faitii as the effect ot feehni; is most (hmji^erous. Trust in ////;/ ---not in sviial he \<.-ill do for \()n. J. (;. Lord, if what I ask does not jilei-se thee neither would it please me. M\' desires are put into th\- hands to he cor- rected; strike the pen through cverv petition that I offer which is not rime, come awav from vour sins, come, come awa^• from vour own rij^hteousness, come to Jesus, come to Jesus, simier, come." c. II. s. a Swi'i't tlie niotnents, ru'li in bli'ssiiiu, Which liuforc thf tross I spend ; I.ifc, :uul healtli, ami peace possessing;, I'Voni the sinner's dying friend. I. A 1. 1 IN. The lovers of the <^ospel, it is said, are ^^cneially \ ery poor, and unfashionable; and to unite with them is to lose caste. Now, that is true, and it has always been so; from the first day until now the jjjospcl has flourished most where there has been least care for fasiiion and honor amontr nien ; but, I wot, if ye be men, this will be a small concern with vou. Only those who are not men, but niiinics of men, care for such small matters. c. ii. s. The j^ospel, strictly taken, contains neither "claims," commands, nor threateninjj^s, but is j^lad ti(lin«=js of salvation to sinful men through Christ, 'evealed in doctrines and promises; and these revealed to men as simiers, stout-hearted and far from righteousness. In the (>ood iivzvs from heaven of help in God through Jesus Christ, for lost, self-destroyeil creatures of Adam's race, there are no precepts. The gospel is the good news of salvation for lost sinners through the sacrifice of Christ. w. k. You must not soothe the alarms of conscience by this earnestness of yours. It is unbelieving earnestness; aiul that will not do. W^hat God demands is simple faith in the re- cord which he has given you of his Son. You say, I can't offer Him faith, but I can bring Him earnestness, and by 1(H) Gl, HANINGS. l^ivinjj Him tMnii-stiU'ss, 1 liopi- to pcrsiKuk' Iliin ;.i ^i\x' iiu- faith. 'rhi> is sflf-ritrhlcoiisncs''. li. I!, lit I! The j^ospel is not in ihc naluii- of ;i commuiiphuc iii\ i- tation or human exhortation, which may he aitepted or re- fused at will withont iiuoKin^ jrniU; hut it is a divine pio- ilamation, issued from the throne of the Internal, which none can reject without hecominjLj theivhv rehels aLjainst the Inlinite Maje-'t attention, and take heed what we hear. I . II. s. I licMril llu' ^jlatl y^ospel of " ir"'><.l will tu mt'ti:"' I rcilil ■■ \vii(is()K\ !• i< " ;iir:iiii iiiul an.iiii: I said to my soul, "Can tluil promise lu' lliiiu'" .Ami tlii-n licij:iii iiofiiii; that Icsus was iiiiiu'. Oil. mc-rcy surprisinj;! He sa\i-> cs-iL;lit to-i'i- ;i m;iii on his Uiu'c^- in rij^'iit I'.iriK'st, luit it is ;i ln-tliT ^\'j^\)l siiH. to -i-r him iniii^in'^ (iod for the uiisj)L';ik;iMi' 'L;"ifl whiih Ik- lias //,i:.- /•,■(■,/;•((/. I wi^li to ."iiTcst \-our .ittcntinii to thi' f;irt th;it pr;t\iiiL;' in ,m.'iuT;il, fo|- \vh;it (iod is hi'scH'i.'hin;_j \(>ii to /iikt\ is iiu oiii^rinoiis jnul (Itci-ptiN f. A httlc- ihoiijjfht ;iih1 stiidv of iIk- Word of (Jod, will soiiii hriii'j \ou to s(.-i' ih;it. no doiiht. i. d. The i"c;idi'r will not, I tnisf, think th;it , I in:ni\- ]irc'cioiis promises contMim-d in (iod's word ;irc |)';i. ed tlieir mc'i"el\- to 111! up till.' p;iL;es, or that thcv arc Inteinled fo'- others than himself. What woidd 'e the rea(...r\ fccliiv^^ if told h\- a \(ii(<' I)i\ine that none of them reallv di;! !ii'lonons of men. has '4i\en I lis Son [esus to stand in thi' room, placi', and stead of asman\' asheliexc in him, Jesus hecame a sul)- stitute of his j)eoj)le, and suffeied in their stead, and for them. The debt of pimishment (\\\\: to (iod was paid hx Jesus Christ upon the cross of C'aharv. All who lielie\e in liim are thereby cleared before the bar of (Hvine justice. Now, the Lord having nri\en iiis Son, has ie\ealed this ;ives vo\i: 'lis the Spirit's risinjc l'e;im. There must lie some (lejjfvcc of knowledge before there can be faith. I5y searching the scriptures comet h know- leds^e, and by kiiowledfje cometh faith, and throujj^h faith Cometh sahation. I should not only read the vScriptures, and undertsand them, but that 1 should receive them in my soul as beiiiir the very truth of (iod, and should devoutly with my whole heart, receive the whole of Scripture, as 'leinjj^ in- spired of the Alost High, and the whole of the doctrine which requires me to believe to my salvation. * * True faith gives its full assent to the Scriptures; it takes a page, and says:— "No matter what is in the page, I believe it.'' c. H. s. Thus faith is the bond between us and the Son of God; and it is so, not because of anything in itself, but because it is only through the medium of truth, as known ;'nd believed, that the soul can get hold of things or persons. Faith is nothing, save as it hiys hold of Christ; and it does so by lay- ing hold of the truth or testimony concerning him. -^'^aith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the rcnrd of iiod^'' says the apostle. "Ye shall know the truth^'' says the Lord, "and the truth shall make you free." ii. n. I have read it a hundred times, that Jesus came 'to seek and to save that which was lost,' and the same truth runs throughout the whole Word of God, and yet I never saw it H • 'it e 104 GLEANINGS. until now. Oh, how blind I have been to the glory of Jesus I Plow sad to tliinU, that I have read so much about Ilim with the veil upon my heart, and have never seen His gloiy as a Saviour till this blessed hoin- ! I wished that every one could see the I^ord as I now saw Ilim. I wondered that they (lit! not; and I thoufjht, I could point Ilim out to them so clearly and distinctly, as made of God unto us 'wisdom, and rif having" or n(edinhte()us- ness of God throu<^h Christ. Gospel salvation seemed to me to be an offei- of something to be accepted ; and that it ^\ a^^ full and complete; and that all that was necessarv on nu part, was to get my own consent to give up my sins and accept Christ. vSalvation, it seemed to me, instead of being a thing to be wrought out, by my own works, was a thing to be found entirely in the Lord Jesus Christ, who prescntid himself before me as my (jod and my vSaviour. I had intellect uallv believed the Bible before; but ne\ er had the truth been in mv mind that faith was a voluntar\ trust instead of an intellectual state. I was as conscious as 1 was of my existence, of tiusting that moment in GchTs veracity. * * I cried to him, "Lord T take thee at th\ word. Now thou knowest that I do search for thee with all my heart, and that I have come here to pray to thee; and thou hast promised to hear me." That seemed to settle the question that I could then, that da}', perform my vow. The Spirit seemed to lay stress upon that idea in my text, "When vou search for me with all your heart." * * I told the Lord that I should take him at his word. * * Other promises I took as infallible truth. * * I seized hold of them, appropriated them, and fastened upon GOSPEL 107 them with the ^yrasp of a (hvnvnino: man. * * I found that my mind had hccunic wonderfully quiet and peaceful. S orrow for sin be cause o f it s consequen G. I ices, must he distino^uished from sorrow for sin because of its sinfulness. * It is not the "goodness of the sinner that leads God to repent- ance, but it is the in — it is there we see it in its true liuht. Does the soldier widow kiss the Indlet that sin be hated. killed her husl)and So shoidd I. <;. If we want to know the Gospel and be saved, -cc must ki}io~i.' ycsies as our Sii/-bcarcr ; for ''Christ crucified is the sum of the j^^ospel and the richness of it. Paul was so taken with Jesus that nothinj^ sweeter than Jesus could droj) from his pen and lips. It is observeil that he hath the word Jesus five hundred times in his e])istles.''" * * "Jkscs" was his C(;nstant subject of meilltation, and out of the j^jood treasine of the heart his mouth spoke and his pen wrote. w. R. H. Remember that the re;i(iv to save hiin to the uttermost, [ust hceaiisc man is hv nature lost, therefore (io 1 h is i^iven His Son, "that whosoever helieveth in Him should not perish, hut have everlastin.t^ life." H sin has ahounded, ^race has nuifh more ahounded, so that the imputation of /Vdam's jjuill ; with its eon->e({Uent jud;4ment of death, the inherent depra- vitv of the natural heart, oi- the oft-recniriui^ sins of daily life, are more than met hy the transcendent salvation of the Son of ( 1(1(1. The imputation of .Adam's ^uih, is ovc-r- halaneed hv the imputation of C/irist^s r:'n/iici)its/u\ss. M. s. JJ. X«tened to that tale of io\ e and sorrow, he has not heen whollv unmoveil. No, no, no, it cannot he ! We ha\e aiiiouLCst us a class of peojjle, who are always cryin;^ out — "No excitement, we (lo not want excitement in reli<;ion." Verv well, let them less us, is to come to Him, though we do not see his face nor hear his voice. Poor sin- ner! your very desire for pardon, your prayer, "Jesus, save me!" — this is coining to Him. n. h. The gospel does not come to you and say, "Whosoever waits for impressions shall be saved;" but it says, "Believe JESUS ONLY. lis oil the Lord, ]csus Christ." Kxcrciscthe personal, vohnitaiv, iulciitioiial act of faiih and \(»ii shall he saved. However little youi- kiiowleiliLje, l)elie\e in Jesus as far as you know i lim. t . M. s. No, it never was too late for l\ini that would look. If miy man locjked at the serpent, /ic /ixcii. Whoever \()U are, whatever von are, there is the Lord's ^vor(l to yoii. '' U7/o- soevi'r helie\eth in Ilini shall not perish/' \'ou can find nothin*^ to shut you out. Jesus Christ is now willinou did, they would make a far more equal pair, than Christ and self. Loath, abhor, detest everything like confidence in yourself, or in your fellow men, or sacraments, or in creeds. "Oil Christ the soliil rock I stand ; All other ground is sinking sand." C. H. S. I< !' 0: As for me, I belie\e my Lord to be just such a Savioiu" that I can trust my soid, or if I had a million souls, I woidd freely trust the Lord Christ with the whole of them, and I would say, "I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him a^^ainst that dav." Do not suppose that I speak thus because I am conscious of any goodness of my own. Far from it; my trust is in no degree I E S I J S O N L Y. 119 ill myself, or anvthin^j;' 1 can do or be. If I were _52;ood T could iu)t trust in ycs/zs. \\'h\- '-hould I ? 1 should trust in myself. I3ut because I have not hi no- of \w\ own, I am obliged \.o li\'e by trust, and I am rejoiced that 1 do so. My Lord crives me unlimited credit at the Baid< of Faith. H. s. One man says, "My heart is so hard."" Well, that is just the :vvi' reason \\\\\ you ou,n"ht to come. If \ ou had not a hard heart you would not need a Sayiour. Can \'ou soften your own heart .' Can you break your own heart .' Did not Ciod in\ ite the hard-hearted .' Did not Christ come on purpose to seek and saye that which war. lost ? It is just because men's hearts are haixl that they need a vSaviour. (lod inyites all such. He invites '•^i.vhosoever^'' and aou can come alon'j witli your iiard heart. d, r.. m. Sinners, in Old Testament limes, were sa\ed by looking forzcard io the cross and He who died theieon. Xow-adav sinners are sayed by looking" bael:ieard thereto. Hut after they arc sayed, of course they look to this crucified Christ, seated at the ]'^atlier''s rii^ht hand. ]. g. Why you poor \yretched sinner, you say, "I cannot be sa\e{i, I am not a saint.*'' Who said } ou were a saint? It is Christ's work to make \()U a saint. "Oh, but I do not repent as I should." It is Christ's work to make you rejieiit as \ou should, to him you must come for repentance, "(jh, but my heart won't break." It is Christ who is to break your heart, not you who are to break it, and then C(jme to him wi'.n it ready broken. Christ is a Sayiour that bef^ins the alphabet of mercy at A. He does not ask you to oret as far as IJ, C, D, and promises then to meet you: but he beeen turned k for God, not run in as a nail ealize that ity, and a vation for authoritv We do o what we account of p. m'k. do not un- method by ht by dis- sus Christ. personsof :m. I set A lady when dying overheard some of her friends sav in a whisper, "She is fast sinking," when she opened her eyes and said, '■'• IIoxc can I sink through a rockV She was resting on the Rock of Ages, What a profound and glorious scheme the gospel inifolds when seen aright! God's Gospel is not the superficial, shallow affair, some seem to think it. The moment the sinner believes, he dies with Christ, and raises with Him — "a new creature. J. Ci. The arbitrator, puts it thus: — "I am most anxious that these two shall be brought together, I love them both: I cannot on the one hand rccommcd that my Father should stain his honor; I cannot on the other hand, endure that this sinner should be cast eternallv into hell: I will decide the case, and it shall be thus: /will pay my Father's justice all it craves; I pledge myself that in the fullness of time / xvill suffer in my own proper person all that the %ueeping\, trembling" sinner ought to have suffered. My Father, wilt thou stand to this ?" The eternal God accepts the awful sacrifice! What say you, sinner, what say you? Why, me 124 GLEANINGS thinks you cannot have two opinions. If you arc sane — and may God make you sane— -you will melt with wonder. * * / have sinned, and he declares that he ivill suffer for me. c. II. s. Do not seek Vi\ a course of duties, hv readingr the IJihlc, by prayer and attendance on reli<^ious observances, and breakinj^ off from your more open transf^ressions, to make yourself so good that God will receive you on account of vour moral improvement. There is no such way of salvation revealed in the Scriptures. Vour best services, when wei<^h- ed in the balance of infinite holiness, would only sink you deeper in perdition. Help must come, and can come, only from One mi<^hty to save. If ever you are saved, it will be by free, sovereij^n grace, abounding to the chief of sinners. F. W. All are "condemned already," but only those who be- lieve it reap the advantage of tTiis. Advantage! What ad- vantage can there be in knowing I am condemned already? Much, because onlv thev who believes themselves condemn- ed can claim a vSaviour. ■ God has proved us all equally by nature and practice '■'•under sii/ ;''"' lie now has placed all of us who believe '■'•under grace." w. p. m. him mm m There is a fountain filled with blood. Drawn from Kinmaniier.s veins, And sinners pUuifjed beneath that flood Lose all their guilty stains. "Then he stood awhile, and looked, and wondered, for it seemed surprising that the sight of a Cross should so affect him. He looked, therefore, and looked again, until the springs in his head sent the waters down his cheeks." vSuch is the simple, but beautiful language of Bunyan — language that finds an echo in many a heart here; and I have only to wave my hand thus, for hundreds in this house to stand up tl JESUS ONLY. 125 and tell, with starting tears, of this mystery, this unsearchable wonder of the Cross. Not only vou. Thousands in other la'ids, thousands of the heathen, who were yesterday envelop- ed in guilt and wretchedness, are to-day telling of this power of the Cross, antl looking, and wondering, and looking again, until their swelling hearts run over, and the floods roll down th.eir cheeks. c. m. If you seeking sinner, would but think more of Christ all would be well. You who cannot believe, if you would relincpiish your perpetual thoughts about your faith, and even about your sins, and begin to think of him — the Son of God, exalted to be a priest and a Saviour, the Christ whose finished work is all for sinners. * * When vour whole heart sets itself upon him and no more upon yourself, you will enter into peace, and enjoy rest for your souls. c. ir. s. Say, "Do you want to be saved?" "Yes." Then come and welcome: believe in the Lord Jesus and he is yours. Vou want Jesus Christ, do you ? "Yes." Come along: he waits to be gracious; he is here present; and all you have to do is to trust in him. I put this in a very simple way, but there is very much in it. j. (i. There is a Christ for every one, and therefore a Christ for i'6»//. There is pardon iov yoit. The Holy Spirit ior you. Eternal life iov yo/t inasmuch as Jesus Christ "tasted death for every niaiiP , n. \\. He who never seeks for mercy has certainly never found it. Conscience acknowledges it to be a righteous thing with God that he should not give to those who will not ask. It is the smallest thing that can be expected of us that we should humbly ask for the favors we need ; and if we refuse to do so, it is but right the door of grace should be closed so long as we refuse to knock. c. h. s. ?K J* 126 GLEANINGS, If I did not know, in my very sjiil, that the hlood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanscth ns from all sin, how could I dare to face you with the gospel messa<;e ? I have not im- pudence enoufifh to tell you of what mi<^ht be, or mij^ht not be, about which 1 am uncertain myself. God j>^rant me grace to break stones, or sweep chimneys, sooner tlian come and tell you a cunningly devised fake, or a tale about which 1 had no assured certainty, derived from personal knowledge I t . H. s. When a man is really restless and concerned about his soul, he has life of a kind, compared with the man who is quite indifferent, but he has not spiritual -awC^ ctcrz/a/ Wic vet. I John v. 12. The word of God abounds with illustrations of this. An axvakoicd soul is not a saved soul. It is admitt- ed however, that a man may possess real spiritual and eternal lifc^ with little lioht in the following respects: He may not know all that being saved implies, not even that he has eternal life, thinking that he is only saved for the time being. * * It is one thing to be saved, and to have light to know that much; another thing to know those glorious profound truths, which establish the soul, and furnish further motive power for holiness and active service, namely, that we are one with Christ forever. .1. g. In manv there exists a doubt about the willingness of God to save. They say, "I believe that the blood of [esus Christ does blot out sin, but is he xvilling to pardon me y'' Now, listen to what Jehovah says, for he says it with an oath^ and to me it is a very starling thing that God should swear, he swears by himself, because he can swear by no greater. Mark that ! "As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, but rather that he turn unto me and live." Over and over again, in all sorts of shapes, he gives us assurance that he delighteth in mercy. Now then sinner, if you say God is unwilling, and Christ is unwilling, and yet the Lord swears that he is willing, and Christ dies to prove it — what then, is your unbelief ? You charge God with perjury. c. h. s. JESUS ONLY. 127 "Much is said on cominjj to Jesus, but how can I come? lie is in heaven and how can I j^o there to speak to Iliin? I am told lie is also everywhere, hut I cannot see Ilim, and how, then, can I f^d to Ilim? If lie were but on earth, as He once was, there is no trouble I would not take. 1 woidd sell all I possess to pay for my journey; I would travel hun- dreds of miles. No difliculties should daunt me. I would set off at once. I would i 11 that liad been said about Christ's finished work came out v/ith : ^'''JVie Lord will surely never put me among the profane .''" Shew- fffl 132 GLEANINGS. inj( that any miserable little peace she had, was derived from the fact, that she was different from the profane.^ and not from the fact, that Christ died for her sins^ and taken them away for ever. j. (i. I labor especially to convince them that all the difficulties which oppose their sahation lie in their oxvu hearts- -that Christ is ivilli)ig to save them — but they are unwilling to be saved in his xvay^ and therefore are without excuse, e. p. Sinner, remember this, none ever yet obtained an inter- est in Christ hnt utnvorthy creatures. If you are ready to be forgiven, lie is "ready to forgive." If you are ivilling to be saved, lie is ivilling to sa^ e you. t. \\. The Cross ! what an exhibition does it give of the value of the soul ! The Cross ! what an admonition there of the miseries of the damned ! Devouring flames, chains of dark- ness, bowlings of despair, I need you not — the Cross where Jesus bleeds to save us, gives me a more terrific idea of hell than you can. The Cross ! what an awful lustre does it pour upon the justice, the holiness, and the severity of God ! Above all, the love of God — how dazzlingly, with what surpassing brightness, does not that shine there — sending a heavenly effulgence all over this dark world, down even to the gates of hell ! I ask again, can this Cross be viewed with indifference ? Is it strange that the Cross has power to rouse and stir the heart ? c. m. There is no other name, no other nature, no other blood, no other merits, no other person to be justified and saved by, but Jesus Christ. All the tears in the world cannot wash out one sin, nor can all the grace and holiness that is in angels and men combined, purchase the pardon of the least tr^wi- JESUS ONLY. 133 jjression. All remission is only by the blood of Christ. There is no way under heaven to be interested in Christ, but by believing. He that believeth shall be saved., let his sins be ever so great, and he that believeth not shall be damned, let his sins be ever so small. .Smooth Stonks. ^i i .1% ;i; Remember that heaven is before you, and Christ the only door to it; hell beneath you, and Christ alone is able to deliver you from it; ihe devil behind you, and Christ the only refu<2^e from his wrath and accusations; the law aj^ainst \ cHi, and Christ alone able to redeem vou. i, c. K. You should be in ear/iest about seekinji^ (lod. Me was in earliest when He gave His Son to die for sinners. Christ was /;/ real earnest when He hung upon the cross and died for you. o. i.. m. The only thing is that we do hold on to Jesus Christ, through thick and thi:., through foul and fair, up hill and down d-ile, in the night and in the day, in life and in death, in time and in eternity; that we do steadfastly believe that Jesi;- of Nazareth, who died upon the cross, is the Messiah of r'^od, ven the Son of God. c. h. s. Let us get back to the simple gospel — Christ died for our sins. VVe must know Christ at Calvary, as our substi- tute, as our Redeemer and the moment we accept of Him as our Saviour and our Redeemer, then it is that we become pr>' "^akers of the gospel. The moment I believe on the Lord J'-- .t5 Christ as my substitute, as ni}- saviour, that moment I get ; ; bt and peace. I know some people say, "Oh, it is not Ch/i Is death, it is Christ's life. Do not be preaching so much about the death of Christ, preach about his life." Ah! my friends, that »gver will save any one. Paul says, "I de- ^ li TTT 134 GLEANINGS. I clare unto you the gospel. Christ died'^'' — not Christ Hved — "Christ died for our sins; who his own self hore our sins in his own hody, on the tree." Now, when I accept of Christ as my Savior, as my suhstitute, then I am justified from all things which 1 coukl not be by the law of Moses. Words of Life. Christ alone gives the invitation to " Comey Prophets, apostles and minisiers di: ect men to go to the saviour; the Father sj^eaking fr ^ '^"wen, and the spirit speaking in the heart, concur in the .s:, nstruction. All who come to Him are released from condc: lation. t. s. How sweet the name of lesus sounds In a believers car! It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, And drives away his fear. It rn^ikes the wounded spirit whole, And calms the troubled breast; 'Tis manna to thr hungry-soul. And to the weary rest. So powerful was she moved that she exclaimed '■'- What, Jesus, is that all ? Is that all? Simply to believe — to believe and leave all to Thee ! Thy blood blots out all ! Oh, Lamb of God ! Lamb of God !" She fell on her knees before the Lord and wept. Jesus became the sole object of her faith, her love and admiration. Christ became her Saviour, her strength, her life and her all. Memoir of Madam Feller. Kep:lino. While 1 was coniiii^i^ to Christ 1 did not know that 1 was coming ; and when I looked to Chiist, I scarcely knew whether it was the right sort of a look or no, but then I felt at last that Jesus had healed me, then 1 kuczv what I had done. c. ii. s. You see the cross as bringing salvation very near ; but not so absolutely close as to be in actual contact with you as you are ; not so entirely close but that there is a little space, just a handbreadth or a hairbreadth, to be made up by your own prayers, or efforts, or feelings r "Everything," you say, "is complete ; but, then, that want of feeling in myself!"" Ah, there it is ! There is t/ic httlc m/fif/is/icd bit of Christ's work which you are trying to linish, or to persuade him by your pra}ers, to finish for you ! That want of feeling is. the little inch of distance which you have to get removed before the completeness of Christ's work is available for you ! The consciousness of insensibility, like the sense of guilt, ought to be one of your reasons for trusting him the more, whereas you make it a reason for not trusting him at all. Would a child treat a father or a mother thus ? Would it make its bodily weakness a reason for distrusting parental lov{ H. n. It is not he that feels and believes, but he that helieveth on the Son of God hath everlasting life. Act on the pre- sumptjpn that C^Jirist's words are true. d. l. m. i! 136 GLEANINGS. Shall T tell you what I frequently meet with ? I have talked with a person, and said, "Can you trust in your works ?" He answers, "Oh, no, sir, 1 can never do that." "Well," I ask, "Can you come to Christ, and take the right- eousness of God ?" "Well, sir, no ; I do not feel enough mv own emptiness." Look ! This man is going to bring his own emptiness to help him. He actually thinks that, if he has not any riir/itconsncss^ his own ei)iptiness is good for some- thing ; and, if he can get to feel that, he will come and bring his feelings of emptiness to commend him to Christ. c. H. s. "No," says one. "I am not prepared." Prepared I Sir r Then you do not understand me. There is no preparation needed ; it is, jt t u.syoii are. "Oh, I do not feci my need enough." I know you do not. But what has that to do with it ? You are commended to cast yoursjelf on Christ. Be you never so black, or never so bad, trust to Ilim. He that believeth in Christ shall be saved, be his sins never so many ; he that believeth not shall be damned, be his sins never so few. c. h. s. il I ! Putting the cart before the horse, is a very absurd thing, but many do it. Hear how people will say: "If I could feel joy in the Lord I would believe." Yes, that is the cart before the horse, for joy is the result of faith, not the reason for it. " But I want to feel a great change of heart, and then I will believe." Just so; you wish to make th^frzu't the roof. "Be- lieve in the Lord Jesus Christ," that is the root of the matter; chang eof life and joy in the Lord, will spring up as a gracious fruit of faith, and not otherwise. When will you discrimi- nate ? c. H. s. (jod is waiting to give it to you all for )iothiiig^ without a feeling in payment, without a prayer as the condition of it, just as the widow's friend dealt with her debt. That it might be of grace, it was made to be hy faith., not by attaln- tneut either in intellect or feeling. This is the impression 11 FEELING. 13- ii; I have in your lo that." he right- ough my r his own E he has "or some- ome and Christ, c. H. s. red ! Sir r reparation / my need hat to do on Christ. Ilim. He never so 'f- his sins C. H. S. urd thing, could feci art before ison for it. len I will 'oof. "Bc- le matter; \ gracious discrimi- c. H. s. that has been sometimes left upon my mind, after having heard the gospel stated — that faith is the condition which God has demanded from the sinner, in order that he may be saved — that the great Physician will heal the most wretched, sin-burdened soul, but he must receive faith as his J'cc. Now this, as you have no doubt found, would be the most difficult of all fees to procure. Feeling is hard to get up, but faith is harder. Paith is the mere apprehension of grace — than/c- ftilly accepting ivhat God has already frec/y given. Faith puts God in the chief room as the giver, it being more bless- ed to give than to receive, and lets Him do everything, man being the silent and passive receiver of blessing. Faith has to do, not with what I feel toward God, but what God feels toward me, what He has done for me, and what He has told me. w. p M. Martin Luther, in one of his conHicts with the devil, was asked by the arch-enemy if he felt his sins forgiven. •'No," said the great reformer, "/ do lit fee/ that they are forgiven^ but I know they are, because God says so in His Word." Paul did not sav, "Believe on the Lord Tesus Christ, and thou shaltyi> be- cause He savs so in His Word, and I am confideni 'le al- ways speaks the truth. Salvation is not through our feelings, but through faith in what Jesus did for us (Rom. i. 16). Jesus felt the weight of sin when He exclaimed, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken Me?" (Matt, xxvii. 46). Now, as you read these lines, believe on Him who bore sin's penalty, and with the young man you will be able to say, "God says I am saved, and it must be Tkue." A. M. f '■ 142 (} LEANINGS. Truly blessed is the station, Low lieforc Ills Cross to rrsl; And to know, in (iod's salvation, How my soul is fully hlcs-cd. We do net fi'f/ our sins iiru k<""-'i But knoT.' it from Thy word iilone: We know that Thou our sins didst lay On Iliui who has put sin away. ''But it is one thing to say that true faith in Jesus exists in the heart, and another thin^^ to say that God must not he heUeved until after a person shall have felt the effect of what he affirms. God must he helieved at once, and upon His word. The feelin<( of what lie declares must therefore follo-w and not precede belief in His word. The believer will then say, I feel because f have believed ; and not '•I be- lieve because I have felt. c. mki t ?* I Most anxious inquirers seem to think that we have to fight against ourselves in order to be saved, whereas we fight against ourselves because we are saved. We have a race to run, but \^ is not to the cross, it is from the cross. Man's way is to believe because we feel : God's way is to feel because tve believe^ and believe because God has said it. Dr. Chalmers says, "Yet come the enlargement when it will, it must, I admit, come after all through the channel of a simple credence giving to the sayiftg's of God., accounted true and faithful sayings. And never does light and peace so fill my heart as when like a little child, I take up the lesson, that God hath laid on His own Son the iniquities of us all. w. P. M. We do not feel our sins are gone, But know it from Thy word alone ; We know that Thou our sins didst lay On hini who has put sin away : We take the guilty sinner\s name. The guilty sinner's Saviour claim. FEELING. 143 I remember visititi}^ a woman; years a'jjo, whom T never could comfort till she came to die, aiul then she di- cl triumph- antlv. I said to her, "What do you come to the chapel for ? What is the '"occured only twice in the New Testament, &c. Immediately on finishino- his addres she stepped off the platform and asked an inquirer, sittings on the front seat: — "How do yow feci ?" "I hope you feci better." Did not the Israelites yijr'/ themselves cured the moment they looked at the serpent of brass ? Some however of the most spiritual minded Christians, cannot name even the year, in which thev crossed that mysterious line "out of darkness into his marvellous light." Truly : — '(if)d moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform." T. S. S. " If I could only feel it," as a young officer said to me, when I pressed on him that enough had been done on the cross to save his soul. " But," I said, " you have not got \o feci it, but believe it. You may be saved without feeling. I believed in Christ for about a fortnight before I knew that I was saved. I might have known it at r^;/ft?, onlv I was wailing Vofecl saved. At last I said, 'Well, if I don't /Iy'/ saved until I find myself in heaven, still I'll rest solely on the zcord of God. God hath said in that Word, He that believeth on the Son haih everlasting life. I know that now I do believe in Christ; I used to trust in my prayers^ or sometJiing that I could do myself; but I don't tiust in anyt/iiiig iio~v except Christ, and His work on the cross, for my salvation; t/icrcfore I have everlasting life. Gixl says I have.' Then vSatan whispered *Do you feci you have everlasting life?' I could not say I felt it. ' Then you cannot have it^ whispered that arch-liar! I remembered, it is whittpin, 'He that believeth on the Son MATH everlasting life.' I kncvc that I really believed in Christ; therefoke I had everlasting life, whether \ felt it or not. God said I had, and I surely must be right in be- lieving Him, despite every feeling. t. w. t. lir^ I ^ s 1 ■ Experiences. She assured me she was not afraid to die — it was a debt we all must pay — she had lived long enough in the world and was not unwilling to leave it. * * But after some hesitation she proceeded to tell me what she seemed to think I ought to have known before, that she was a member of the church, had been baptised and confirmed and attended the sacraments, etc., etc. * * She told me that when she sent for me the day before she had not the least doubt but what she was a good Christian and she had never in her life felt any misgiving 07i tiiat point. * * I en- deavored to shew her the perfect nature of Christ's finished work as a foundation for her hope; and, as a consequence of it, the freeness with which the Father receives and justifies the believer. She appeared for a while to be mentally strug- gling to comprehend the new, the great idea, and then she said, '"'• Do yon mean^ sir^ that I may believe in Christ atid be saved P That I, sinful and guilty as I am, would be freely accepted of Him ? And this is all that is necessary after a long life of sin?" * * She was filled with wonder and amazement. * * j saw her again the next evening, and discovered at once that, being justified by faith, she had peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. w. H. L. I feel that my race is nearly run. I have, indeed, tried to do my duty. Yet all this avails nothing. I place no de- pendence on anything but the righteousness and death of Jesus Christ. I have never enjoyed the raptures of faith vouchsafed to many Christians. I do not undervalue these EXPERIENCES. 149 feelings, but it has not pleased God to bestow them upon me. I have, however, a confident hope that I am accepted in the Beloved. i-. w. as a debt Olid and ter some to think er of the ided the lat when ist doubt ^r in her I en- finished uence of ustifies y Strug- then she rist and oe freely after a wonder le next )y faith, irist. H. L. ed, tried e no de- death of of faith Lie these I could not find out xvhat faith was; or ivhat it was to believe and come to Christ. I read the calls of Christ to the 'iveary and heavy laden\ but could find no way in which He directed them to come. I thought 1 woidd gladly come if I only knew how; though the path of duty were never so difficult. I read Stoddard's Guide to Christ, and my heart rose against the author, for though he told me my very heart all along under convictions, and seemed to be very beneficial to mein hisdirections; yet here he seemed tome tofail — hedidwo/ tell me anything I could do that would bring me to Christ, but left me as it were with a great gulf between me and Christ, without any directions to get through. For I was not yet experimentally and effectually taught that there could be no way prescribed whereby a natural man could, of his own strength, obtain that which is supernatural, and which the highest angel cannot bestow. d. b. I wanted, forsooth, to be encouraged to hope for an an- swer of peace by some merit of my own, and so felt unwil- ling to approach the throne of grace when I had been guilty of anything which lessened my stock of goodness. * * If I attempt to perform any duty, I am afraid it is only an attempt to build up a fabric of my own; and if I neglect it the case is still worse. e. p. Save me O God! for the waters are come into m}- soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing. * * I am weary with my groanings. All the night make I my bed to swim. I water my couch with my tears. My tears have been my meat day and nigh, while they continually say unto me: Where is thy God? * * Will the Lord cast me off for ever ? and will he be favorable no more? Is his mercy M itmmm I,'!: I !■!" I'll' V ' ■if •ft m ill fipi i' (-■ t ■ 150 GLEANINGS clean j^^one for ever? Doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forjj^otten to l)c jj^racious? lias he shut up his tender mercies? * * I had fainted, unless I had helieved to see the j^oodness of the Lord in the land of the livinj?. * Wait on the Lord: be of jj^ood couraj^e and he shall strenj^then thine heart: wait I say on the Lord. * * The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. * * The Lord is niii^h unto all them that call upon him, to all that call on him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he will also hear their cry and will save them. iJear me speedih', () Lord ! my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that isters, school-mates, and neighbors. * * The\- all laughed at me, called me mad, and scorned me. But oh, I was so happv ; and the wilder the storm around me raged, the deeper and deeper was my happiness within. * * My father was an infidel, when he knew death was approaching I would in keen anguish of heart throw myself at his feet embrace his knees, and plead with him that he would have mercy on his own soul and accept Jesus as his Saviour. He would push me away and sneer at me. His awful death was a fearful proof that the blood of Christ did not avail for him, for his I have al- constantly ^- of spirit /s of God, ch consti- t all; or if IS so short, isider it as ncchanical should go Icstitute of w.c. known sin' ?ss, so little ,' as though DIAKY.) lor : — The •ecious sal- :ar, in the over the or but the and fear- \t precious to every lers, sisters, led at me, o happy ; eeper and er was an would in ibracc his cy on his ould push a fearful m, for his EXPERIENCES. l^'i agonies were truly horrid to witness, the worm that never dies appears to have taken possession of his soul even before it had left its earthly tabernacle. He scorned the Saviour. The very absence of doubt has caused me to doubt ; for if I am really a child of God, how should I be free from those doubts which trouble His true children ? * * If God by His Spirit did not prevent me, and still in a manner force me to keep striving against my will, I should give up indespair. * * I know how I oii^lit to feel, and I know how wrong it is to feel as I do ; but that does not help me to feel otherwise. E. p. (diary.) "I cannot say I have any very rapturous feeling ; but I am confident in the promises of the Lord. I wish to leave my eternal interests in His hands! — to place my hands in His as a child would his father's, to be led how and where He pleases." w. c. * * Let none of my readers imagine that the process of con\ersion here described is designed as a standard for their experience, or that I limit the Holy One of Israel. * Some He enlightens in a more gradual way, and draws them to Christ by gentler means, as it were with the cords of love. Nor have we any^ business to enquire into the reasons of this difference. a. n. (Jod moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in tlie sea, And rides upon the storm. Blind unbelief is sure to err, And scan His work in vain; Ciod IS His own interpreter, And He will make it plain. J-<--. 1^6 GLEANINGS. p. m I was aina/cd that I had not (hopjjcd my own coiitriv allocs, and coinpHcd with this loNcly, hlcsscd and excellent way before. If I could ha\ e been saved bv my own duties, or any other way that I formerly contrived ; my whole soul would now have refused. I woiulered all the world did not see and at once comi)lv with this wav of Salvation — entirelv by the n'o/tico/tsi/css of (^hrist. i». it. A ImiK^ time I wiiiuli'icil in (larkncss and sin. Ami wondurcd if ever tlie li;^ht would sliine in; I luard Cliristiun friends speak in raptures divine, And 1 wished— liinv I wislieil that tliL'ir Saviour was mine. Oil, mercy surprisin;^! He saves even me ! ■'Thy portion for ever," He says, "will I he," On His word I am rcstin;jf — assurance divine - I'm //('////;'■ no Ioniser I kiiovj he is mine. [fit' i IS' Ri hi li: If at any time, I am favored with clearer discoveries of my natural and actjuired dclM'avity and hatefulness in the sij^ht of (jod, and am enabled to mourn over it, in comes spiritual pride, with — "Ah, this is somcthinu^ like ! this is holy mourninti; for sin ; this is true humility." If I happen to detect and spurn at these thouj^jhts, imuiediately he char»rcs his battery, and be_Ljins — "Another person would have in- dulged those feelings and imagined he was really humble, but vou know better ; you can detect and banish pride at once as you ought to do." K. i*. (diauy.) I had marked out for myself a plan of oo- ersion m accordance with the prevailing theologica .i>. First 1 must have agoni/ing convictions ; then a di >\erwhelmi repentance ; then a view of Christ iny iviou whicii should fill me with trans[^ort ; and from all thii n\ add pro- ceed a new and holy life. Until this was done, T could per- form no work pleasing to God, and all that I could do was abomination in His sight. For these emotions, therefore, I prayed, but received nothing in answer which corresponded to my theory of conversion. f. w. r.H' EXPFF?IFNCES l=i7 That deep distress, arisiiijr from the fear of hell, is not iec(iiiie(l of any, in order to have peace with (iod ; for such distress does not hclonj^ to the precepts of the law, hut to its curse. TerrlfyiujJ^ apprehensions of eternal punishment are no part of that which is required of sinners, htit is what is indicted on themselves. * * An awakened sinner, there- fore, wishing for distresses of this kind, is a jierson seekin",^ the misery of unhelief, that he may ohtain a ))ermission to helicN'e. .). (;. as iiuiK". David Jirainerd, while seekin<^ the Lord under <;reat distress of mind, read Stoddard's "(jUidi-: to Ciiiusr Thi author of thai treatise was mai le, with God's hlessine anxious after grace is in itself an evidence of grace. If there is any ques- tion about whether you have been a believer or not for the last twenty years, do not waste time in fighting out that question ; but begin at once now to believe. Turn your eye to the cross, to the cross! c. h. s. I found from time to time an inward sweetness that would carry me away in my contemplations. This I know not how to express otherwise than as a calm, sweet, abstrac- tion of the soul from all the concerns of the world; and sometimes a kind of vision or fixed ideas and imaginations of being alone in the mountains, or some solitary wilderness, far from all mankind, sweetly conversing with Christ, and wrapped and swallowed up in God. President Edwards. The love of God occupied my heart so constantly and strongly that it was very difficult for me to think of any- thing else. So much was my soul absorbed in God, that my eyes and ears seemed to close of themselves to outward objects, and to leave the soul to the exclusive influence of the inward attractions. This immersion in God so absorbed all things, that it seemed to place all things in a new position relating to God. I could behold naught out of God; I be- hold all things in Him. ■Madam Guvon, (Roman Catholic.) Elecxion. (( *It occasioned the author no small mental debate whether or not it would tend "to the jjj^lorv of God" to make any allusion to this most perplexin^^ doctrine, hut inasmuch as it has perplexed, and will perplex, every intellii^ent thinking Christian, he did not think it the part of wisdom to make it conspicuous by its absence," especially as in such a book as this, something on the suliject would naturally be expected. While tremblingly ha/zarding a few words and extracts thereon he feels somewhat as did Moses at the burning bush, that he is treading on "holy ground" to do so. Some parties appear to be drawn to this doctrine to their own hurt, as flies are drawn to a burning lamp. The writer has written, read and talked much on this subject in vears past, and the experi- ence thus gained is, that it is a subject so solemn that if talked about at all it should be with "bated breath." From a human standpoint it is as an inclinetl plane, on which but few are found standing together- some far above, and a vast multitude at different distances below the apostle Paul. Some of the best Christians of the author's acquaintance (among them a deceased brother) apparently could (not xcoitld) not grasp this doctrine, wdiile "thcrs could <\< so readily. The widow of the late Col. Ringold, of the U. S. army, in a pri- vate letter to the author says:— "At my conversion the doc- trines of grace appeared to me as transparent as glass." One of the most illiterate members of the church of which the author is a member very frequently adtlresscd our meetings, and all his addresses — quite unconsciously to himself — were tinctured with Calvinism, so called. In all probabilitv he had never heard or read in his life an arguement on God's fore-ordination. t. s. s. ,- I 164 GLEANINGS. Tell Him that you have read in the Bible, " Him that Cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." Tell Him that He has said, " This is a faithful saying and worthy of all accepLation, that Christ Jesus came unto the world to save sinners." Look to Jesus and believe on Him, and you shall make proof of your election directly, for so surely as thou bdievest^ thou art elect. If you will all the words of this law/' W'c must leave the secie- thiii'^s, and attend tothe revealed. Our duty is to do accord - iiiLC ^*^ (Jod's law. And this law i^ most clear. ^'ou are no where told you are not elect; ]>ut you (7r<' told that Jesus diet! for you, and you aie insitetl to come to llim. \'ex your mind, then, no lonjj^er al)out such dillicult suhiects as election, hut promjitly ohey what (iod commands. N. ii. Was much exercised to-da\', on the suhject of election, and other truths connected with it. Have heen much in douht respectin^r offerinir myself for examination next month. K. P. ( DIAKV. ) Of the millions who ha\c xentured to make this leap so io speak, nolwithstandinti^ these revelations of God's sovereitj^nty, all have ff)und themselyes " Safe /// the arms of ycsHs''' without one exception. Calvinistic .S|:)ur ftcvcr /^(?- that you are saved. You may know it : if it be true you ought to know it. I >'o .lot think that you have any right to sit quietly on tha*^ sci^t for ten mnuites without knowing that you are sa\cd : :"oi it is an a\vful thing to be in doubt as to whether you arc under the bondage of sin, in doubt as to your being at peace with God. This is not a subject upon which uncertainty can be endured. You say, "'Tis a point I long to know." It is well that you long to know it. c. n. s. Sometimes I would go up into my chamber, and by way of self-examination, I ui^ed to ask myself this cpiestion— yJw I afraid to die {' If I should drop down dead in my cham- ber, can I say that I should joyfully close my eyes ? Well, it often happened that I could not honestly say so. Oh, then I said, "I have never belie\cd in Christ, for if 1 had put my trust in the Lord Jesus, I should not be afraid to die, but 1$ i' til l!j 11 174 GLEANINGS. I should be quite confident." * * There arc many of God's blessed ones, who throuj^h fcai- of death, haxc been much of their lives subject to bondage. c. H. s. Then was Christian glad and lightsome, ai;d said with a merry lieart^ He hath gi\en me rest for mv sorrow, and life for my death. Then he stood awhile to look and won- tler, for it Nvas most surprising to him that the sight of tlie cross should thus ease him of his burden. lie looked there- fore aPvl looked again till the springs that were in his head sent the water down his cheeks. * * Tiien Christian gave three leaps for joy, and went on his way singing. J. 1'.. "The sonl that on Jesus hath leaned for repose, I will not — I will not desert to his foes ; That soul — though all hell should endeavour to shake, I'll never — no never — no, never forsake !" But sujopose for a moment, and the wish is father of the thought, that they may be saved, though they do not know it, can they be bold, happy, strong and useful without it ? When all is uncertaint^• and sustx'nse rey-ardinu' their own case, how can they possibly work for Christ ? j. g. Not a care is hovering o'er me, Not a shade is on my brow, For my soul is stayed in Jesus, And my trust is in Him n(n\'. Yes, sweet vSa\iour, Thou art \\'\\\\ me. And I revel in Thy lo\e, For I know, complete in Thee Lord, 1 shall dwell with TJiee above. Mrs. DiiNNiNG. Shall \vc meet, with inanv a loved one That was torn from our emhrace? Shall we listen to their voices, And behold them face to face ? vShall we meet with Christ our Saviour, W'hen He comes to claim His o\\-n ? Shall wc know his blessed favour, And sit df)wn upon His throne? \Vlien the son of man shall come in his L;lor\', and all the holy anj^els with him, then shall he sit upotk the throne of his glory : 176 GLEANINGS. And before him shall be gathered all nations: and lie shall separate thetn one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the <^oats : And he shall set the sheep on his ri<^ht hand, bnt the goats on the left. Then shall the Ivini^ sav unto them on his ritjfht hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kinj^dom pi"e- pared for yon from the foundation of the world : Then shall he sav also unto them on the left hand,] Djpart from me, ve eursed into everlasting" fire, prepared for the devil and his an^-els. God's Word. "Almost persuaded," now to believe; "Almost persuaded," Ciirist to receive: Seems now some soul to say ? — "(to, JSpirit, "^o Thy way, Some more convenient day, on Thee I'll call." "Almost persuaded" — harvest is past ! "Almost persuaded" — doom comes at last ! "Almost" cannot avail; "almost" is but to fail : wSad, sad, that bitter wail — "almost," — bitt lost ! THE END. ;: and lie shepherd but the [ht hand, lorn ])re- ;ft hand,] oared for Word. 'liy way,