Sermon #2757 Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit 1Volume 47 www.spurgeongem - PDF document

��Sermon #2Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit��VolumeVICTORIOUS FAITHNO. 2757A SERMONINTENDED FOR READING ON LORD’SDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1901DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEONAT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTONON LORD’SDAY EVENING, AUGUST 24, 1879For whatsoeveris born of God overcomethe world I. First, then, concerning THE CONQUEST ITSELF. What is it to overcomethe world?Certainly it is not to go about the world blustering and bullying everodyuntil they all lie prostrate at our feetBecause if we could accomplish such ��2 Victorious FaithSermon #2��2 Volume 4kindand whatis that but to be really little? He is truly great who is the most unselfishhe is the least of all whlives for himself alone.Neither is it overcoming the world if you try to get out of it and to live byyouself so as never to be tempted to sin. I have seen a man on his kneesby the hourtogether, reading some pious Latin book, living in a monateryere he never spokehe had evidently conquered his tonguebecause hegave no answer to anbody who ever spoke to him. He was reckoned, byhis brothermonks, to have overcome the worldbut had he really done so?Ask any soldier whether a man who slinks ay in the dayof battle andhides among the baggageand does not fight at allis a conquerorThatwould be a very easy way of winning a victoryjust to escape from thefightto be of no service in the battle between good and evil, but just tohide away your own little snuggery over there, in the monastery, or theconvent, or the hemitaget might be an easy way of believing that youhad conquered because you had ceased to fightbut that delusion wouldnot make the vitory yours. No, ethrenyouhave to roll up ourshirtsleeves and go into the world and work like other peoplee haveto mingle with our fellowmenandas the Lord God aid to Adamin thesweat of our face have we to eat our bread. It may be our occupation tohave to add uthoselong columns of fiures, or to measure up those balesof goods, or to talk to our fellowmen on various matterswhateverour emploment may bewe have to be in the world and we have toconquer ito be the world, yet not as much sepatedfrom therest of mankind as if we belonged to an alien raceconquerors of itwherever we go, not by getting out of it, but by mingling with the men andwomen in itdoing all that is lawful and rightand all thatis expectedthat a man should do to s fellowmenyet, all the while bing conquerorsover the evil spirit of the worldNow, having shown you what this conquest of the world is not, let us turnto the positive side of the question and see what it is. The first thing that isnecessary wimanywho are seeking to ovecome the world is to cutthemselves loose from the world’s customs. They were born into theworldone man has his own little world and another man has aother littleworldbut every man, sooner or later, finds himself in a wod of sin. Thereare ungodly companions with whom he is linkedevil associations towhich he is bound. There are some men who, in their uncoverted state,give themselves up entirely to the pleasures of the world, the amusementsand frivolities of what isalled“Society.” Now, if such men ever expect toovercome the world, the very first thing they must do is to cut their oldconnections altgether, to sever all the bonds which unite them to thosewho lead them into sin.Such a thing has often happened fora manwho has been the best ofcompany and the choicest of good fellows among worllings, to sit downin quietness for half an hour, and God the Holy Spirithas roughtmightily upon his heart that he has said to himself, “Whathave I beendoingut playing the l to make other fools laugh? How am I speningmy time? I must honestly say that I am doing no real good with it. Whatam I making of my manhood? Here it iswellnearsix feet of it and itwill soon lie in six feet of earthwhat am I dog thatis really worththeing? Am I not really wasting my time? This style of living will not the blessed Spirit has begun working in the man and he has weptbefore his God as he has thought over his wasted life. Further, he has, byfaith, oked to Jesus on the crosand he has said, , blessed Savior,deemed meso, henceforth, I will be Yours. As I live by You, I willlive for Youand for my fellowmen.” After arriving, by God’s grac, atthat decision, he has become a diffent man from what he used to Hisold compaions could not get him back to his former haunts, howevermuch they might try to do so. Even if he should go there, they would notlong want him with them, for he would notany longertheir way ofthinkg or their way of acting, for he would be a changed man atogether.There are many of you who would like to come to that decision, but younever appear willing to actually decide to serve the Lordou are awaysgoing to do it, yet you never do it. Yohesitating eople are the mostunhappy folk in the whole world, for you neither get comfort out of yourpresent condtion, nor out of that better condition after which yousometimes aspire, but which you have not the courage to resolutely seekafter untiyou find it ��Sermon #2Victorious Faith��Volume 4Some men have just enough conscience to makethem miserable, but they have not enough force in it to make themtermine that things shall be altered. Their religion is very much like theperience of certain boys who, professedly, go outo bathe in theearlymorning. They put their toes into the water and shiver all over with thecoldut the brave swimmer takes a header, plunges right in, is soon in afine glow and comes out praising the dlightful bath he has hadI wouldurge everyan who is just now upon the point of decidingand I prayGod the Holy Spirit, with is almighty energy, to back up my urgingthathe may now sayTis donethe great transation’s done,I am my Lord’s and He is mineI pray that he may henceforth be changed man, that he may forsake hisformer evil ways and live wholly unto God. That is the first part ofovercoming the worldbreaking loose from its bondsso that one cansay, “I am not tied down by it any longery God’s grac, I am a free manin Chst Jesus.”But that emancipation is merely a beginning. Ovecoming the world consists furtherin aintainingthat freedom. Oh, what a work is thisIt is nochild’s play for a man to say, “No, I will never again be the slave that Iused to be. By God’sternal grac, I have broken off this fetter and that,and never again shall those chains be fastened upon me. Great God, byYouralmighty love, You haveloosed my bondsI am Your free manI amfreeindeedand I will fight for my freedomand under no psiblecircumstances will I go back to my old slavery.” Yes, but that fight isthe diffcultyand I shall have to show you that nobody can be victorious inthat fight unless he is one of a peculiar racethose who are born of God,born from aboveThis istern battlewhen the world surrounds useverywherewhen pleasure tempts uswhen gain tries to corrupt uswhen poverty asails uswhen evil company seeks to sway usit is hardfor us to come right straight out of all our former associations and then toremaining conquerors over the world throughout the whole ofthe rest of our lifeand being conquerors even in death, having quishedthe world even on our dying bed.Part of the overcoming of the world consists in our being raised abovecircstances. Remember ow the aposPaul had conquered the worldHe sat in prison shiveing with coldbut he said, “I know how to beabased.” He went, byandby, into the houses of some of his friendswherethey gave him all that he could desire and he sd, “I know how toound.” It is not an easy thing to be such a master of the world that theutmost poverty cannot make you miseableyet God can give you gracsay, “I can be poor, but I will be uright. I can lose every stick that I have,but I wilstand fast by Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviornd while I haveim, I cannot be cast down.”I say that the fight against poerty is a very stern onebut the battleagainst the seductions of wealth is a far sterner one. Perhaps some of youthink thatou would like to fight that battleI daresay you would, but youdo not know what you are wishing. I see many men who are very graciousunder all sorts of wantand I see many other men who, in prportion asthey grow rich in worldly things, grow poor as spiritual thingseryoften, just in proportion as men get high in earthly postion, in thatproportion they cease to do anything that is of ay particular service toanybody. I do not know what would become of any of us if we were madepeers of the m. It is, I have no doubt, a great trial to anbody to be soaltedbut there is scarcely a person here who could wear a coronetandyet faithfully serve the Lord nd probably there is not a man or a womanamong us who could endure the trial of beg made a king or a queen. Itneeds more than a world of gracto overcome the world when the worldmakes much of youWhen God does give us piety in high places, as,blessed be is holy name, e sometimes does, we ought to be most gratefulfor it, for its a plant that does not grow well in such a situation as that.The old couplet is still true“Gold and the Gospel seldom agree,Reliion always sides with poverty.” ��4 Victorious FaithSermon #2��4 Volume 4It has been so from the first and I suppose it will be so to the last. But thetruquestof the world is to be indifferent about all such thingsto begrateful for abounding mercies and to be grateful even for straitenedcircumstances. They used to say, “Philosopherscan be merry withoutmusicandcertainly, Chritians can be happwithout having their cupperpetually full. “I have learned,” said the aposPaul, “in whatever state I am, therewith to be cotent.” Happy are all they who have learnedthe same lesson, forhis is overcoming the worldOnce more, dear frie, to ercome the world is to be above its threatsand above it bribes. You workingmen who are Christians often have ahard time of itbut when your workmates mock and jeer at you, and callyou evilnames, never mind them. Overcome the world by patiently endingall the persecution that fals to your lot. Do not get angry and do notbecome dowhearted. Jests break no bones and if you had any bonebroken for Christ’s sake, it would be the most honored one in your wholebodyStill, you need not wish to havehe friendship of this world and youmust not expect to have it, for the world does not love God’s people. Lookhow it served them in ages gone byhanging was thought to be too goodfor them, so it roasted them aliveThe world would have exterminated theaints ifcould have doneandtoday, what does the world say ofChritians? “Ohthey are either fools or fanatics, or else they are a set ofcanting hypocrites.” If a man preaches the Gospel, and many are drawn hear him, cavilerscry, “Ohhe iimposterIf any Christian man isvery precise and particlar, they say, “Ughhe is one of the snivelingPuritansThey never know anything bad enough to say of genuineChritians. They do not like ust were a pity they should, for they didt like ourMaster, and they do not like our Father. If we will consent tohide our doctrines, or to daub them over with the philosophical luminouspaint of the presentriod, they will put up with usut if we bring outpure pel truth, straightway ty will bedown upon uset there aresome of God’s people that the world does lovewhen they do the world agood turn. If their love to man leads them to a high philanthropyand if theworld can get anything out of them, it does not mind loving themIt has aboard love even to saintsand if there is any profit to be made out ofthem, the world will love them, though not their saintshipThey like Mr.andSo as a politicianbut when it comes to his religion, they say,“That is his weak pointThey do not care to interfere with that. Theyadmire another man bcause of his care for the poorthe widow and thefatherlessbut they hae the doctrine of the cross which he dlights topreach and which is to him the very joy of his heart.On the otandwhen the world cannot frighten us by frowns, it oftentries to woo us by smiles. “Oh” it cries to us, “you really arerighteousovermuch, you are too good. You need not be so precisecome just a littleway with usyield only an inch, that is alle ask.” No, ethren, yield noinches for all the smiles on this Jezebel’s painted faceut stand out just asboldly against her blandishments as against her thunderbolts. Care nothingfor her opinion or her action either wayfor, if you do, you will havevercome the world. God help us, by is gracious Spirit, to be coquerorsin that sense To overcome the world, further, means to be above the influence of theworld’s example. As I said fore, we have, each one of us, our own littleworld and wall are, to a certain degree, subject to the influences of thosewho surround us. The young manin businesswho begins as a Christian istoo often influenced by the pernicious maims and customs of the tradewith which he is connected. Men mingle in soety and each oneto someextentaffects the others. How often is a pious child grievously affected an ugodly parentHow frequently a gracious servant is illaffected by anungodly master or mistressBut if you really ovecome the world, you willive above its influence. You will be like one who is obliged to go wherethe air is foul and disease is rife, but who has such a healthy constittionthat he does not catch the disease and is not polluted by the impurity.There is no seedplot within hifor the ease to grow upon. Blessed isthat man who is himself an example to his fellowwho does not somuch come uder the influence of others as cast his own influence overothers. God make all of you, eloved, such true leaders of mankind in thet direction because you haveyourselvesovercome the worldIf you want to see the portrait of a man who ovecame the world, look atAbraham. He was at home with his father in Haran and God said to him,“Come forth”and away he went, with Sarah, and Lo ��Sermon #2Victorious Faith��Volume 4and their flocks anderdsThe wellwatered plain of Jordan lay before him and he might havesettled in it, as Lot didbut it did not tempt himhe dwelt alone with hisflocks and his herds, where God had biddenhim go. The king of Sodomand Abrham’nephew, Lot, were carried away captiveandfor the sakeof Lot, Abraham went with a band of men, smote the allied kingsanddeliered the prisoners. The king of Sodom said to him, “Give me thepersonsand take the goods to thyself.” Now, accoring to e rules ofr, the spoil wall Abraham’soh, how grandly did he behavewas not going to be coquered by the world, so he said to the king ofSodom, “I will not take from a thread even to a shoatchet,I will not takeanything that is thinest shouldestay, I have madeAbram rich”which was as much as saying, “I have a right to it if I liketo take it, but Iwaive my rightsI act from higher motives than the ordinary rules of mencan supplythe Lord JEHOVAHis my Helper and Provider d I live uponwhat e gives me. Hecan make me rich without the help of the king ofSodom, so take your goods and go.” See also how nobly he overcame theworld on that memorable day when God said, “I will now see whetherAbraham does really love e besof all. He has one boythe child of hisold ageand I will tell him to offer him up in sacrifice.” And grandly didthe atriarch, in that fiery trial, overcome the worldfor Isaac was,practically, all the world to him on that day when he unsheathed thenifeand proved that his love to God was sperior to everything elsend this isthe kind of conquest to which you, loved, are also called. May God grantthat you may be well equipped for it and be truly victorious in itII. Now, secondly, I think u will be prepared,after my giving thisexplanation of what it is to come the world, to hear about THECONQUERING NATUREWhateveris born of God overcometheworld”Do you all know what it is to be born of God? I do not think I can tell you,n so many words, exactly what it is, though I know for myself. It is notsimply to be improved and reformed. It is a grand thing when a man whohas been degraded, lives in a better fashionut a cobbler might take an oldshoe and mend it, yet that wouldot make it a new one. Being born ofod is also more than being made anew. It includes that, but that is not allthat it includes. For God, ho makes all things, can newmake them whene pleasesyet that does not make them to be born of im. We all kwhat it is for one person to be born of anotheryou were all born of yourfather and of your motherand so you bcame partakers of your parents’nature. In like manner, only in a far higher sense, rgeneration is more thancreation, for there is in it kinship with God. So, ing bornagainmakesus something more than God’s creatureswe are God’s children. Youknow that blessed truth of adoption, by which God takes men and adoptsthem into is familybut regenertion is a great deal more than adoptman may have an adopted child, butyet it is really no child of hishere isnothing of himself in it and he cannot put his nature into it. But we are notonly God’s adopted childrenif we aredeedborn from above, we areGod’s newborn childrenhe divinenature is actually put into us when weare born of Godis not that a wonderful thing?And that miracle of mercymust be roughtin all of us who are ever to ovecome the world. For notice this, no nature but the divineure will ever try tovercomethe world. By nature, we are ofthe worldand that which is of the worldwill not fight against the world, it will not even thinkof doing so. “Thatwhich is born of the flesh is fleshnd flesh will not fight against flesh.Our Lord Jesus saito the Jews, “are ofyour fatherhe devilandthedevil will not fight against the world, or try to overcome it, for his course isthe course of this world, he is the prince of itBut where the divinenaturecome, it comes to fight against the wThe holy nature of God neverenters into a man but what that man cries, “Now will I be wholly free fromsinow will I shake off every fetter of it.” “Now,” says, under thepower of this divineinner life, “I do scorn the thought that I, who am bof God, should be a slave to sinthat I, who bear within me something ofthe DeityI, who am a twiceborn man, begoten again by God theeverlasting Fther, of whom I havebecome a childI loathe the very ideaof yielding to sin.” That is the kind of mto overcome the world becauseof the divinenature within himFor, see, the regenerated man is sure to overcome the worldwhen he goesto fight against itbecause, first, he has the Spirit of the Father in him.NowGod the Father is the world’s Crtorso the ��6 Victorious FaithSermon #2��6 Volume 4world can never be amatch for its CretorHe made it and e can destroy it whenever pleases to do so. It is not possible that sin should overcome God, for, asthe aposJames tells us, “Godcannot be tempted with evil, neithertemptethe any man.” He is by nature pefectly holy and when this divine nature is put into a man, it is still holyand it cannot sinbecause it is bornof GodThis new nature is also akin to the ure of Christnd you know howthe econd Person of the bleed Trinitythe Christ of Godelt hereamong men and the world could never ovecome im. Men could kill and they didbut they could not make im sin. They could drive im fromplace to placebut they could not make im angryhey could not provoim to speak any word that ight afterwardsregret. They could neverget anthing from Him which was worthy of reproach or of rebuke. Theycalled allthe witnesses they could to testify against Him,but even the falsewitnesses could not agree, for was “holyharmless, undfilednd separate from sinners.” And even on the cross of Calvary, when theyhung im up to die, is dying pangs could extort from im nothing but aprayer, “Father, fogive them, for they know not what they do.” And thusnquered the world, for the uman ure in im, blended with thedivine, could not be conquered by the worldit was not possibleFurther, we become akin to the divine Spirit by being born of Godandthe Holy Spirit canot be conquered by the world. Ite that does convincethe world of sinIt is e thatshall yet win this world for ChristHe is mnipotentwhen the Spirit of God dwelwithin us, as doeswhen we receive the divinenature, it is not possible that e should bequered, or tt we should be conquered by the worldNow, men and brethrenhearkento these words. Do you not see that youmust overcome the world or else you will perish? But you cannotovercome the world as you are. You must, therefore, be bornagainYouronly he lies in your bing born of Godthis, if it is to takeplace, must be God’s work. It is God alone who can do itso you are likeships on their beamendsyou cannot “right” yourselves. Cry, therefore,with your whole heart to God and ask ork this miracle in youSalvation is of the Lord.” He can save you. He can take away the heart ofstone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. He can breathe uponthe dry boneand make them live. e, the mysterious Fther of spirits,an create in us a new spirit that shall bgotten of imself and belike unto imselfand this we must haveor we can never overcome theworld.III. Now, thirdly, and lastly, I have to speak of THE CONQUERINGWEAPON WHICH IS USED BY THIS NEW NATUREhis is the victory that overcometh the world, even ourfaith It never entered into my head that the most of professing Christians wouldever ovecome the world. I do not think they ever will, for the world has,to a large extent, overcome them. You mhear some of them asking,“How far may we go in worldly amusements?” You really want to go, doyou not? Then for it does not matter much where such people as youare go. “Oh, but we should like to go as far into the world as wemight” Would yoThen my Lord’s sage to you is, “must bbornagain” It is quite evident that you have not the nature of God in you,for the divinenature in the soul makes it start back, and say, “How far canI get away from anything that looks like wrong? I hatthe very appearanceof evil.” The Christiandoes not deny himselfthis or that, merelybecause he feels under an obligtion to do so, or because he dreads the lashof God’s whip. No, if he could indulge his new nature to the full, he wouldcontinally im in the sea of perfectionIf he could be what he wishes to, he would never think a wrong thought, much less speak an evil word.Now, the divine nature that is in him fights against sinit cannot help doingand it clings to that which is good acraves after that which is right.Just as the ox longs to drink water and stands in a pool of it on a hot dayand drinks and drinks again, so does the Christian seek to drink in the lifeand purity of Godnot because he is told to do so, or because somoutside force operates upon himbut because the new nature is withhimand he longs, therefore, to idulge it to the fullnd that new nature, beingthe nature of God, longafter that which is pure, and lovelyand of goodreport.The instrument h which this new nature fights against the world isfaithnd faith conquers, first, by regaring the unseen reward whichawaits us. The world comes and offers pleasure as the rward of ��Sermon #2Victorious Faith��Volume 4sinaith says, “There are greater pleasures to be had by absining from sin.”The world says, “Take this gaintodayut aith says, “No, I will putwhat I have out at interestthere is something infinitely better to be hadhereafter.” In its beginning, aith geneally works in that wayit despises allthe treares of Egypt and values far more the eternal rewards that Christhas laid up for it in heav. But do you not see that there is a measure ofselfishness there in both cases? The siner sins in order to be happy, as hethinksand the newborn man abstains om sin in order to be happyWell,that is a good thing to do, though the motive not the mostcommendable, andthere is a measure of faith about it, for faith is lookingfor the fture rewards, and believes in the heavwhich God has prepared for thethat love But as faith grows, it attains tosomething better thanthatfor it reognizesthe unseen resence which is with us. The world says, “Come with us andgo our way. We will pat you on the back and say that you are a goodlowand you wihave a fine time if you come with us.” But aith says,“I do not trouble about how I appear your eye, for there is another eyewhich I can see, but which you annot see, for God is looking at me and Iam most of all concerned to be right in is sighFaith reaizes that thenewborn nature is in thedivinepresence and thus makes God’s presenceto be just as real and just as vivid as the presence of mennd thatpresence of God altogether outweighs the presence of menand thelieving soul says the world, “To please you, I dare not do that whichis wrong in the sightof Godfor who are you, compared with the MostHigh God? I will not do wrong in order to escape your frownfor, by sodoing, I should receive the frown of Godnd I must maintamy integritybefore im.”That, you see, is a higher psition than the one I first mentionedfor faithnot only regards the unseen reward which awaits the elieverbut faithrecognizes the unseen presence of God and is moved by an allstrainingire to please That was a very striking incident in the life of our dear brother Oncken, ofGermany, when the burgomaster of Hamburg said to him, “I hearsir, thatyou have been baptizing at night.” “I have, sir,” he replied, “because thelaw willot permit me to do it by day.”“How dare you immerse these persons?” asked the burgomaster. “I dare todo it,” aswered Mr. Oncken, “because it is the lawof God” “And youhave done it in defiance of the law of the landNow, sir, do you see this inger of mine?” “Yes,” rplied Mr. Oncken, “I see it.”“Well, sir, aslong as that little finger lives, I will keep you down, for I am determined toput an end to this movement.” “ButMr. Burgomater,” said Mr. Oncken,“not only can I see your little finr, but I can also see a great arm whichyou do not see. That is the arm of the eternal Godandas long as that armcan move, you will not be able to put me down, for I am only doing thewill of JEHOVAH.” Years after that stormy scene, I went to preaHamburg in connection with the opening of my brother Oncken’s hapeland among the notable gentlemen who helped to honor that occasion bytheir presence was that very burgomater. He still had his little finger, buthe was not there to put Mr. Oncken He came to contribute to Mr.Oncken’s work and to show that the great armof God had beaten the littlefinger of the burgomaster That kind of eperience has been many timesrepeated in the world. The men of the world resolve to put us down, but itannot be doneIf we were simply of men, we might be put dobut weare of Godand the divinenature in us must conquer in the long runWhen aith rises still further, it feels that the soul so loves God and sowishes to delight in im, and comes solosely united to Godthat takes easure in all that in which God takes pleasure. It is true faith thatbelieves that God takes pleasure in the humble actions of poor creaturessuch as we arebut our faith has that confidence. It blieves God to be kind and tender Father, delighting in what is children therefore,aithsays, “I cannot grieve so, begone from me, sinful worldAwaywith your gold, and your silver, and your smiles, and your frownsI darenot be inflenced by any of thesthings and so grieve my God.” Anddaily, as faith grows stronger and stronger,it tramples the world more andmore under its feet and altogether abhors it.To the genine Christian, Christ is life’s one aim. He sets that mark beforehim and shoots at ionce saw a colonel shooting at a target. There weretwo targets near each other and he made a center at ��8 Victorious FaithSermon #2��8 Volume 4one of them. Thetendant called out, “Which target was that gentleman shooting at?” “Theone on the left,” was the answer. “I thought so,” said tman, “for he hitthe one on the right.” There are some people who are always shooting atthe world and it seems to be their great aim to hit but the Christian is alwaysaiming at Christand if he has not made the center yet, he will shootagain again until he doesfor his great desire is that he may live forChristalone,and be foundin im, not haing his own righteousness“which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, therighteousness which is of God by faith,”So, hope you see that if faith the conquering weapon and we intendto be conquerors, we must become elieersin the invisible Godnd inorder to exercise faith in the ivisible God in Christ Jesus, we must be bornagain,for, until that new nature comeinto us, we neverbelieve inChristWe may believe a great deal in ourselvese may blieve in worldlysociety, in its threats, or in its bribes,but we do not believe in Christ. Buthow blessed is that mawho, at the last, will be able to say, “havefaitfully served my God. I have turned neither to the right hand nor to theft. I have not considered myselfI have courted no man’s praise, I havenot sought pelf or gain. What I had to spare, I gave to God’s cause and tothe poor. What I couldather, I distributed according to the necessties ofmy fellowmen. I have lived forGod, and for Christand for the truthave not lived for myself.” The man who can truthfully say that is a savedmanWhether you know it or not, my frie, that isalvationto besaved from sin and from selfand there is no geting salvation from theoveling meanness of selfishness except by being bornagainor selfclings to every man until he is bornagainand it is not aways gone eventhen. Satan spoke the uth when he said to the Lord, “Skin for skin, all that a man ill he give for his life.” e will not be ready to partwith life itself until he gets a higher lifeand a beter oneimparted to himby the Spirit of GodAgain I say that this throws us on our beamends. If we are to besaved, we must look to Gode must seek salvation at is handse mustask im for faith and what a mercy it is that e waits to give itYou ing and God will be everything to you. Get to the end yourself andthat will be a proof that God has already begun with youCease to believein your own meritsor your own virtuesut away all trust in yourselfandcome and trust in God as e is rvealed in is Son Jesus Christand youhave received thsalvation which will keep on progressing until all sinshall bedriven out of youand you shall dwell foreverwhere Jesus isunselfish as Jesus isas pure, as blessed, as glrious as God grantthis to us all, for Christ’s sakeAmen. Taken from The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit C. H. Spurgeon Collection. Only necessary changes have been made, such as correcting spelling errors, some punctuation usage, capitalization of deity pronouns, and minimal updating of a few archaiwords. The contentis unabridged. Additional Biblebased resources are available at ww.spurgeongems.org .