Sovereign Grace Part 9

Mr. M.--What is it to "receive the Kingdom of G.o.d like a little child?"

Mr. R.--Well, I do not believe in a little child being an innocent thing. I think it means that we are to receive it in all our need and helplessness. A little child is the most dependent thing on earth. All its resources are in its parents' love: all it can do is to cry; and its necessities explain the meaning to the mother's heart. If we interpret its language, it means: "Mother, wash me; I cannot wash myself. Mother, clothe me; I am naked, and cannot clothe myself. Mother, feed me; I cannot feed myself. Mother, carry me; I cannot walk." It is written, "A mother may forget her sucking child; yet will not I forget thee." This it is to receive the Kingdom of G.o.d as a little child--to come to Jesus in our helplessness and say: "Lord Jesus, wash me!" "Clothe me!" "Feed me!" "Carry me!" "Save me, Lord, or I perish."

Mr. M.--A good many say they are going to _try_. What would you say to such?

Mr. R.--G.o.d wants no man to "try." Jesus has already tried. He has not only tried, but He has succeeded. "It is finished." Believe in Him who has "made an end of sins, making reconciliation for iniquity, finis.h.i.+ng transgression, and bringing in everlasting righteousness."

Mr. M.--If people say they are "going to try," what would you say to them?

Mr. R.--I should say, Put _trusting_ in the place of trying; _believing_ in the place of doubting; and I should urge them to come to Christ as they are, instead of waiting to be better. There is nothing now between G.o.d the Father and the poor sinner, but the Lord Jesus Christ; and Christ has put away sin that I may be joined to the Lord. "And he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit;" "And where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

Mr. M.--About the last thing an anxious inquirer has to contend with is his feelings. There are hundreds here very anxious to know they are safe in the Kingdom; but they think they have not the right kind of feeling. What kind of feeling should they have?

Mr. R.--I think there are several of those present who can say that they found a blessing in the after-meetings through one verse of Scripture. I will quote it as an answer to Mr. Moody's question.

"Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of His servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his G.o.d." Some of you may be walking in darkness; that is how you feel. What is G.o.d's command? "Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his G.o.d." If I am to trust G.o.d in the darkness, I am to trust Him anywhere.

Mr. M.--You would advise them, then, to trust in the Lord, whether they have the right kind of feeling or not?

Mr. R.--If I were to think of my feelings for a moment, I should be one of the most miserable men in this hall to-night. My feelings are those of a sinful corrupt nature. I am just to believe what G.o.d tells me in spite of my feelings. Faith is "the evidence of things not seen:" I might add, "the evidence of things not felt."

Mr. M.--Some may say that faith is the gift of G.o.d: and that they must wait till G.o.d imparts it to them.

Mr. R.--"Faith cometh by hearing." The word of G.o.d is the medium through which faith comes to us. G.o.d has given us Christ; and He has given us His Spirit, and His Word: what need is there to wait? G.o.d will give faith to the man who reads His Word and seeks for His Spirit.

Mr. M.--What, then, should they wait for?

Mr. R.--I do not know of anything they have to wait for. G.o.d says: "Come now; Believe now." No, no; there is nothing to wait for. He has given us all He has to give: and the sooner we take it the better.

Mr. M.--Perhaps some of them think they have too many sins to allow their coming.

Mr. R.--The Lord Jesus has put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us." Why do we not believe him? He says He has "made an end of sins." Why do we not believe Him? Is He a liar?

Mr. M.--Is unbelief a sin?

Mr. R.--It is the root of all sin.

Mr. M.--Has a man the power to believe these things, if he will?

Mr. R.--When G.o.d gives a command, it means that we are able by His grace to do it.

Mr. M.--What do you mean by "coming" to Christ?

Mr. R.--Believing in Him. If I were to prepare a great feast in this hall to-morrow night, and say that any man that comes to it would have a grand feast and a five-pound note besides, there would not be any question as to what "coming" meant. G.o.d has prepared a great feast. He has sent His messengers to invite all to come; and there is nothing to pay.

Mr. M.--What is the first step.

Mr. R.--To believe.

Mr. M.--Believe what?

Mr. R.--G.o.d's invitation; G.o.d's promise; G.o.d's provision. Let us believe the faithfulness of Him who calls us. Does G.o.d intend to mock us, and make game of us? If He did so to one man, it would hush all the harps in heaven.

Mr. M.--Suppose the people do "come," and that they fall into sin tomorrow?

Mr. R.--Let them come back again. G.o.d says we are to forgive till seventy times seven. Do you think the great G.o.d will do less than He commands us to do?

Mr. M.--If they truly come, will they have the desire to do the things they used to do before?

Mr. R.--When a man really receives Christ into his heart, he experiences "the expulsive power of a new affection." The devil may tempt him to sin; but sin has lost its attraction. A man finds out that it does not pay to grieve G.o.d's Holy Spirit.

Mr. M.--What would you advise your converts to do?

Mr. R.--When you were little babes, if you had had no milk, no clothing, and no rest, you would not have lived very long. You are now the result of your fathers' and mothers' care. When a man is born in the family of G.o.d he has life; but he needs food. "Man doth not live by bread alone." If you do not feed upon G.o.d's promises you will be of no use in G.o.d's service: it will be well for you if your life does not die out altogether before long. Then you need exercise. If you only take food, and do no work, you will soon suffer from what I may call spiritual apoplexy. When you get hold of a promise, go and tell it to others. The best way for me to get help for myself is by trying to help others. There is one great promise that young disciples should never forget: "He that watereth shall be watered also himself."

Mr. M.--How are they to begin?

Mr. R.--I believe there are some rich ladies and rich gentlemen on the platform. When such persons are brought to the Lord, they are apt to be ashamed to speak about salvation to their old companions.

If our Christian ladies would go amongst other ladies; Christian gentlemen amongst gentlemen of their own cla.s.s; and so on we should see a grand work for Christ. Each of you have some friends or relations whom you can influence better than anybody else can. Begin with them; and G.o.d will give you such a taste for work that you will not be content to stay at home: you will go and work outside as well.

Mr. M.--A good place to start in would be the kitchen, would it not?

Begin with some little kitchen meetings. Let some of you get fifteen or twenty mothers together; and ask them to bring their young children with them. Sing some of these sweet hymns; read a few verses of Scripture; get your lips opened; and you will find that streams of salvation will be breaking out all around. I always think that every convert ought to be good for a dozen others right away.

Mr. R.--Let me tell a little incident in my own experience. I was once asked to go and see a great man and tell him about Christ. He did not expect me; and if I had known that, perhaps I should not have had the faith to go at all. When I went he was very angry and very nearly turned me out of the house. He was an old man, and had one little daughter. A few weeks afterwards he went to the Continent, and his daughter went with him. One day when he was very ill he saw his daughter looking at him, while the tears rolled down her cheeks. "My child," he said, "what are you crying about?" "Oh, papa, you do not love the Lord Jesus Christ; I am afraid you are going to h.e.l.l!" "Why do you say that?" "Do you not remember when Mr.

Rainsford called to see you, you were very rude to him? I never saw you so angry. And he only wished to speak to you about Jesus."

"Well, my child, you shall read to me about Jesus." If that man has gone to heaven--I do not say whether he has or not--the only light he had he got from his little daughter. You set to work; and you cannot tell what may be the result, by the blessing of G.o.d.

"Sons of G.o.d, beloved in Jesus Oh, the wondrous word of grace!

In His Son the Father sees us, And as sons He gives us place.

Blessed power now brightly beaming-- On our G.o.d we soon shall gaze; And in light celestial gleaming We shall see our Saviour's face.

By the power of grace transforming We shall then His image bear; Christ His promised word performing, We shall then His glory share."

_El Nathan_

II.--MR. MOODY AND REV. MARCUS RAINSFORD.

HOW TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN.

MR. MOODY.--Mr. Rainsford, how can one make room in their heart for Christ?

Rev. M. Rainsford.--First, do we really want Christ to be in our hearts? If we do, the best thing will be to ask Him to come and make room for Himself. He will surely come and do so. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." "Without Me ye can do nothing."