I have finished expounding my subject. There is only one question I
want to ask of you before you pass out of those doors. Do you
seriously and solemnly believe that you belong to the “beloved” here
mentioned? I may be impertinent in asking such a question; I have
been accused of that before now, but I have never denied it. I rather
take the credit of it than not. But seriously and solemnly I ask you–Do
you know yourselves to be amongst the beloved? And if it happens
that you want a test, allow me to give you three tests, very briefly, and
I have done. It has been said that there are three kinds of preachers–
doctrinal preachers, experimental preachers, and practical preachers.
Now I think there are three things that make up a Christian–true
doctrine, real exzperience, and good practice.
Now, then, as to your doctrine. You may tell whether you are the
Lord’s beloved partly by that. Some think it matters not what a man
believes. Excuse me: truth is alway precious, and the least atom of
truth is worth searching out. Now- a-days the sects do not clash so
much as they did. Perhaps that is good; but there is one evil about it.
People do not read the Bibles so much as they did. They think we are
all right. Now, I believe we may be all right in the main, but we cannot
be all right where we contradict one another; and it becomes every
man to search the Bible to see which is right. I am not afraid to submit
my Calvinism, or my doctrine of believer’s baptism, to the searching
of the Bible. A learned lord, an infidel, once said to Whitfield, “Sir I
am an infidel, I do not believe the Bible, but if the Bible be true, you
are right, and your Arminian opponents are wrong. If the Bible be the
Word of God, the doctrines of grace are true;” adding that if any man
would grant him the Bible to be the truth, he would challenge him to
disprove Calvinism. The doctrines of original sin, election, effectual
calling, final perseverance, and all those great truths which are called
Calvinism–though Calvin was not the author of them, but simply an
able writer and preacher upon the subject–are, I believe, the essential
doctrines of the Gospel that is in Jesus Christ. Now, I do not ask you
whether you believe all this–it is possible you may not; but I believe
you will before you enter heaven. I am persuaded, that as God may
have washed your hearts, he will wash your brains before you enter
heaven. He will make you right in your doctrines. But I must enquire
whether you read your Bibles. I am not finding fault with you this
morning for differing from me, I may be wrong; but I want to know
whether you search the Scriptures to find what is truth. And, if you are
not a reader of the Bible, if you take doctrines second-hand, if you go
to chapel, and say, “I do not like that:’ what matters your not liking it,
provided it is in the Bible? Is it Biblical truth, or is it not? If it is
God’s truth, let us have it exalted. It may not suit you; but let me remind
you, that the truth that is in Jesus never was palatable to carnal men, and
I believe never will be. The reason you love it not, is because it cuts too
much at your pride; it lets you down too low. Search yourselves, then,
in doctrine.
Then take care that you remember the experimental test. I am afraid
there is very little experimental religion amongst us; but where there is
true doctrine, there ought always to be a vital experience. Sirs, try
yourselves by the experimental test. Have you ever had an experience
of your wretchedness, of your depravity, your inability, your death in
sin? Have you ever felt life in Christ, an experience of the light of
God’s countenance, of wrestling with corruption? Have you had a
grace-given Holy Ghost-implanted experience of a communion with
Christ? If so, then you are right on the experimental test.
And, to conclude, take care of the practical test. “Faith without works
is dead, being alone.” He that walketh in sin is a child of the devil; and
he that walketh in righteousness is a child of light. Do not think,
because you believe the right doctrines, therefore you are right. There
are many that believe right, act wrong, and they perish. “Be not
deceived; God is not mocked; whatsoever a man soweth that shall he
also reap.”
I have done. Now let me beseech thee, you, by the frailty of your own
lives–by the shortness of time–by the dreadful realities of eternity–by
the sins you have committed–by the pardon that you need–by the
blood and wounds of Jesus–by his second coming to judge the world
in righteousness–by the glories of heaven–by the awful horrors of
hell–by time–by eternity–by all that is good–by all that is sacred–let
me beg of you, as you love your own souls, to search and see whether
ye are amongst the beloved, to whom he giveth sleep. God bless you.
“This article originally appeared here at Bible Bulletin Board.”
