1 00:00:00,350 --> 00:00:13,410 The Prince of Preachers Charles 2 00:00:13,410 --> 00:00:17,130 Haddon Spurgeon has been called England's greatest contribution 3 00:00:17,130 --> 00:00:18,830 to the spread of the Gospel in the 4 00:00:18,830 --> 00:00:19,770 19th century. 5 00:00:20,370 --> 00:00:22,570 One of his contemporaries said that the chief 6 00:00:22,570 --> 00:00:25,310 secret of Spurgeon's attractiveness was the fact that 7 00:00:25,310 --> 00:00:27,690 in every sermon, no matter what the text 8 00:00:27,690 --> 00:00:30,350 or the occasion, he explained the way of 9 00:00:30,350 --> 00:00:32,510 salvation in simple terms. 10 00:00:33,070 --> 00:00:35,690 Spurgeon's messages remain one of the great treasure 11 00:00:35,690 --> 00:00:38,930 houses of Christian literature, still bringing the light 12 00:00:38,930 --> 00:00:40,510 of the Gospel and the comfort of the 13 00:00:40,510 --> 00:00:43,630 Scriptures to hungry souls long after the preacher 14 00:00:43,630 --> 00:00:44,790 has passed into glory. 15 00:00:45,470 --> 00:00:47,750 This is Charles Kelch inviting you to listen 16 00:00:47,750 --> 00:00:50,990 to a message from the Prince of Preachers. 17 00:00:57,310 --> 00:00:57,990 C. 18 00:00:58,150 --> 00:00:58,330 H. 19 00:00:58,390 --> 00:01:02,170 Spurgeon preached this message on November 18th, 1855, 20 00:01:02,770 --> 00:01:04,209 at the New Park Street Chapel. 21 00:01:05,270 --> 00:01:08,570 It is entitled, The Holy Ghost, The Great 22 00:01:08,570 --> 00:01:08,990 Teacher. 23 00:01:09,810 --> 00:01:12,430 The text is in John chapter 16 and 24 00:01:12,430 --> 00:01:13,250 verse 13. 25 00:01:14,210 --> 00:01:17,010 Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is 26 00:01:17,010 --> 00:01:20,030 come, He will guide you into all truth, 27 00:01:20,530 --> 00:01:23,270 for He shall not speak of Himself, but 28 00:01:23,270 --> 00:01:26,090 whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak, 29 00:01:26,510 --> 00:01:28,670 and He will show you things to come. 30 00:01:30,210 --> 00:01:35,230 This generation hath gradually and almost imperceptibly become 31 00:01:35,230 --> 00:01:37,710 to a great extent a godless generation. 32 00:01:37,710 --> 00:01:41,030 One of the diseases of the present generation 33 00:01:41,030 --> 00:01:44,770 of mankind is their secret but deep-seated 34 00:01:44,770 --> 00:01:47,970 godlessness, by which they have so far departed 35 00:01:47,970 --> 00:01:49,350 from the knowledge of God. 36 00:01:50,850 --> 00:01:54,390 Science has discovered to us second causes, and 37 00:01:54,390 --> 00:01:57,010 hence many have too much forgotten the first 38 00:01:57,010 --> 00:01:59,130 great cause, the author of all. 39 00:01:59,130 --> 00:02:01,930 They have been able so far to pry 40 00:02:01,930 --> 00:02:04,550 into secrets that the great axiom of the 41 00:02:04,550 --> 00:02:06,990 existence of a god has been too much 42 00:02:06,990 --> 00:02:07,470 neglected. 43 00:02:08,350 --> 00:02:11,730 Even among professing Christians, while there is a 44 00:02:11,730 --> 00:02:14,770 great amount of religion, there is too little 45 00:02:14,770 --> 00:02:15,470 godliness. 46 00:02:16,170 --> 00:02:19,310 There is much external formalism, but too little 47 00:02:19,310 --> 00:02:22,750 inward acknowledgment of God, too little living on 48 00:02:22,750 --> 00:02:26,630 God, living with God, and relying upon God. 49 00:02:26,630 --> 00:02:30,410 Hence arises the sad fact that when you 50 00:02:30,410 --> 00:02:33,010 enter many of our places of worship, you 51 00:02:33,010 --> 00:02:35,310 will certainly hear the name of God mentioned, 52 00:02:35,910 --> 00:02:38,810 but except in the benediction, you would scarcely 53 00:02:38,810 --> 00:02:40,010 know there was a Trinity. 54 00:02:40,710 --> 00:02:44,230 In many places dedicated to Jehovah, the name 55 00:02:44,230 --> 00:02:46,750 of Jesus is too often kept in the 56 00:02:46,750 --> 00:02:47,250 background. 57 00:02:48,050 --> 00:02:51,930 The Holy Spirit is almost entirely neglected, and 58 00:02:51,930 --> 00:02:55,270 very little is said concerning His sacred influence. 59 00:02:55,270 --> 00:02:58,610 Even religious men have become to a large 60 00:02:58,610 --> 00:03:00,990 degree godless in this age. 61 00:03:01,790 --> 00:03:05,710 We sadly require more preaching regarding God, more 62 00:03:05,710 --> 00:03:08,110 preaching of those things which look not so 63 00:03:08,110 --> 00:03:10,870 much at the creature to be saved as 64 00:03:10,870 --> 00:03:14,110 at God the Great One to be extolled. 65 00:03:14,230 --> 00:03:17,570 My firm conviction is that in proportion as 66 00:03:17,570 --> 00:03:20,510 we have more regard for the sacred Godhead, 67 00:03:20,890 --> 00:03:24,010 the wondrous Trinity in unity, shall we see 68 00:03:24,010 --> 00:03:26,810 a greater display of God's power and a 69 00:03:26,810 --> 00:03:29,650 more glorious manifestation of His might in our 70 00:03:29,650 --> 00:03:30,070 churches. 71 00:03:31,050 --> 00:03:34,470 May God send us a Christ-exalting, Spirit 72 00:03:34,470 --> 00:03:37,990 -loving ministry, men who shall proclaim God the 73 00:03:37,990 --> 00:03:41,130 Holy Ghost in all His offices, and shall 74 00:03:41,130 --> 00:03:43,870 extol God the Saviour as the author and 75 00:03:43,870 --> 00:03:47,330 finisher of our faith, not neglecting that great 76 00:03:47,330 --> 00:03:50,090 God, the Father of His people, who before 77 00:03:50,090 --> 00:03:52,930 all worlds elected us in Christ His Son, 78 00:03:53,370 --> 00:03:56,750 justified us through His righteousness, and will inevitably 79 00:03:56,750 --> 00:03:59,790 preserve us and gather us together in one, 80 00:04:00,170 --> 00:04:02,810 in the consummation of all things, at the 81 00:04:02,810 --> 00:04:04,090 last great day. 82 00:04:05,350 --> 00:04:08,330 Our text has regard to God the Holy 83 00:04:08,330 --> 00:04:08,770 Spirit. 84 00:04:08,770 --> 00:04:11,850 Of Him we shall speak, and Him only, 85 00:04:12,310 --> 00:04:14,910 if His sweet influence shall rest upon us. 86 00:04:15,709 --> 00:04:19,350 The disciples had been instructed by Christ concerning 87 00:04:19,350 --> 00:04:23,290 certain elementary doctrines, but Jesus did not teach 88 00:04:23,290 --> 00:04:25,630 His disciples more than what we should call 89 00:04:25,630 --> 00:04:27,430 the ABCs of religion. 90 00:04:28,230 --> 00:04:29,930 He gives His reasons for this in the 91 00:04:29,930 --> 00:04:30,630 twelfth verse. 92 00:04:31,170 --> 00:04:33,150 I have yet many things to say unto 93 00:04:33,150 --> 00:04:35,470 you, but ye cannot bear them now. 94 00:04:36,270 --> 00:04:38,970 His disciples were not possessors of the Spirit. 95 00:04:39,530 --> 00:04:41,410 They had the Spirit so far as the 96 00:04:41,410 --> 00:04:44,410 work of conversion was concerned, but not as 97 00:04:44,410 --> 00:04:47,630 to the matters of bright illumination, profound instruction, 98 00:04:47,990 --> 00:04:49,430 prophecy, and inspiration. 99 00:04:50,290 --> 00:04:52,910 He said, I am now about to depart, 100 00:04:53,430 --> 00:04:55,510 and when I go from you, I will 101 00:04:55,510 --> 00:04:57,090 send the Comforter unto you. 102 00:04:57,850 --> 00:04:59,670 Ye cannot bear these things now. 103 00:04:59,670 --> 00:05:03,150 Howbeit, when He, the Spirit of truth, is 104 00:05:03,150 --> 00:05:06,270 come, He will guide you into all truth. 105 00:05:07,230 --> 00:05:09,230 The same promise that He made to His 106 00:05:09,230 --> 00:05:12,070 apostles stands good to all His children. 107 00:05:12,750 --> 00:05:15,050 And in reviewing it, we shall take it 108 00:05:15,050 --> 00:05:17,610 as our portion and heritage, and shall not 109 00:05:17,610 --> 00:05:20,370 consider ourselves intruders upon the manner of the 110 00:05:20,370 --> 00:05:23,750 apostles, or upon their exclusive rites and prerogatives. 111 00:05:23,750 --> 00:05:26,830 For we conceive that Jesus says even to 112 00:05:26,830 --> 00:05:29,830 us, When He, the Spirit of truth, is 113 00:05:29,830 --> 00:05:33,250 come, He will guide you into all truth. 114 00:05:34,410 --> 00:05:38,130 Dwelling exclusively upon our text, we have five 115 00:05:38,130 --> 00:05:38,690 things. 116 00:05:39,230 --> 00:05:42,770 First of all, here is an attainment mentioned, 117 00:05:43,210 --> 00:05:44,590 a knowledge of all truth. 118 00:05:45,130 --> 00:05:48,830 Secondly, here is a difficulty suggested, which is 119 00:05:48,830 --> 00:05:51,390 that we need guidance into all truth. 120 00:05:51,390 --> 00:05:54,710 Thirdly, here is a person provided. 121 00:05:55,330 --> 00:05:58,270 When He, the Spirit, shall come, He shall 122 00:05:58,270 --> 00:05:59,790 guide you into all truth. 123 00:06:00,510 --> 00:06:03,290 Fourthly, here is a manner hinted at. 124 00:06:03,630 --> 00:06:06,110 He shall guide you into all truth. 125 00:06:06,810 --> 00:06:09,630 Fifthly, here is a sign given as to 126 00:06:09,630 --> 00:06:10,810 the working of the Spirit. 127 00:06:11,490 --> 00:06:13,890 We may know whether He works by His 128 00:06:13,890 --> 00:06:17,610 guiding us into all truth, into all of 129 00:06:17,610 --> 00:06:21,170 one thing, not truths, but truth. 130 00:06:22,330 --> 00:06:25,510 First, here is an attainment mentioned, which is 131 00:06:25,510 --> 00:06:26,970 a knowledge of all truth. 132 00:06:27,530 --> 00:06:30,770 We know that some conceive doctrinal knowledge to 133 00:06:30,770 --> 00:06:32,930 be of very little importance, and of no 134 00:06:32,930 --> 00:06:33,890 practical use. 135 00:06:34,570 --> 00:06:35,850 We do not think so. 136 00:06:36,310 --> 00:06:39,270 We believe the science of Christ crucified, and 137 00:06:39,270 --> 00:06:41,590 a judgment of the teachings of Scripture to 138 00:06:41,590 --> 00:06:42,970 be exceedingly valuable. 139 00:06:42,970 --> 00:06:45,630 We think it is right that the Christian 140 00:06:45,630 --> 00:06:49,130 ministry should not only be arousing, but instructing, 141 00:06:49,770 --> 00:06:53,510 not merely awakening, but enlightening, that it should 142 00:06:53,510 --> 00:06:56,090 appeal not only to the passions, but to 143 00:06:56,090 --> 00:06:57,030 the understanding. 144 00:06:57,990 --> 00:07:01,070 We are far from thinking doctrinal knowledge to 145 00:07:01,070 --> 00:07:02,150 be of secondary importance. 146 00:07:02,970 --> 00:07:04,590 We believe it to be one of the 147 00:07:04,590 --> 00:07:07,030 first things in the Christian life, to know 148 00:07:07,030 --> 00:07:09,330 the truth and then to practice it. 149 00:07:09,330 --> 00:07:12,590 We scarcely need this morning to tell you 150 00:07:12,590 --> 00:07:14,770 how desirable it is for us to be 151 00:07:14,770 --> 00:07:16,890 well taught in the things of the kingdom. 152 00:07:17,790 --> 00:07:21,070 First of all, nature itself, when it hath 153 00:07:21,070 --> 00:07:24,110 been sanctified by grace, gives us a strong 154 00:07:24,110 --> 00:07:25,910 desire to know all truth. 155 00:07:26,650 --> 00:07:30,010 The natural man separateth himself and intermedleth with 156 00:07:30,010 --> 00:07:30,850 all knowledge. 157 00:07:31,410 --> 00:07:33,410 God has put an instinct in him by 158 00:07:33,410 --> 00:07:36,030 which he is rendered unsatisfied if he cannot 159 00:07:36,030 --> 00:07:37,830 probe mystery to its bottom. 160 00:07:37,830 --> 00:07:41,170 He can never be content until he can 161 00:07:41,170 --> 00:07:42,410 unriddle secrets. 162 00:07:43,170 --> 00:07:46,270 What we call curiosity is something given us 163 00:07:46,270 --> 00:07:49,030 of God, impelling us to search into the 164 00:07:49,030 --> 00:07:50,570 knowledge of natural things. 165 00:07:51,410 --> 00:07:55,350 That curiosity, sanctified by the Spirit, is also 166 00:07:55,350 --> 00:07:57,930 brought to bear in matters of heavenly science 167 00:07:57,930 --> 00:07:59,430 and celestial wisdom. 168 00:08:00,310 --> 00:08:03,150 Bless the Lord, said David, O my soul, 169 00:08:03,490 --> 00:08:05,830 and all that is within me bless his 170 00:08:05,830 --> 00:08:06,550 holy name. 171 00:08:06,550 --> 00:08:10,050 If there is a curiosity within us, it 172 00:08:10,050 --> 00:08:12,350 ought to be employed and developed in a 173 00:08:12,350 --> 00:08:13,590 search after truth. 174 00:08:14,490 --> 00:08:17,170 All that is within me, sanctified by the 175 00:08:17,170 --> 00:08:18,670 Spirit, should be developed. 176 00:08:19,650 --> 00:08:22,890 And verily, the Christian man feels an intense 177 00:08:22,890 --> 00:08:26,370 longing to bury his ignorance and receive wisdom. 178 00:08:27,350 --> 00:08:29,810 If he, when in his natural state, panted 179 00:08:29,810 --> 00:08:33,230 for terrestrial knowledge, how much more ardent is 180 00:08:33,230 --> 00:08:35,990 the wish to unravel, if possible, the sacred 181 00:08:35,990 --> 00:08:37,630 mysteries of God's word? 182 00:08:38,169 --> 00:08:41,350 A true Christian is always intently reading and 183 00:08:41,350 --> 00:08:43,610 searching the Scripture that he may be able 184 00:08:43,610 --> 00:08:45,990 to certify himself as to its main and 185 00:08:45,990 --> 00:08:46,930 cardinal truths. 186 00:08:47,570 --> 00:08:49,610 I do not think much of that man 187 00:08:49,610 --> 00:08:51,770 who does not wish to understand doctrines. 188 00:08:52,170 --> 00:08:53,850 I cannot conceive him to be in a 189 00:08:53,850 --> 00:08:56,050 right position when he thinks it is no 190 00:08:56,050 --> 00:08:58,610 matter whether he believes a lie or truth, 191 00:08:58,950 --> 00:09:01,690 whether he is heretic or orthodox, whether he 192 00:09:01,690 --> 00:09:03,550 received the word of God as it is 193 00:09:03,550 --> 00:09:06,950 written or as it is diluted and misconstrued 194 00:09:06,950 --> 00:09:07,590 by man. 195 00:09:08,750 --> 00:09:11,190 God's word will ever be to a Christian 196 00:09:11,190 --> 00:09:13,190 a source of great anxiety. 197 00:09:13,790 --> 00:09:16,390 A sacred instinct within will lead him to 198 00:09:16,390 --> 00:09:17,150 pry into it. 199 00:09:17,510 --> 00:09:19,430 He will seek to understand it. 200 00:09:20,010 --> 00:09:22,670 Oh, there are some who forget this, men 201 00:09:22,670 --> 00:09:25,570 who purposely abstain from mentioning what are called 202 00:09:25,570 --> 00:09:28,530 high doctrines because they think that if they 203 00:09:28,530 --> 00:09:31,250 should mention high doctrines, they would be dangerous, 204 00:09:31,630 --> 00:09:32,810 so they keep them back. 205 00:09:33,850 --> 00:09:34,730 Foolish men! 206 00:09:35,310 --> 00:09:37,510 They do not know anything of human nature, 207 00:09:37,950 --> 00:09:40,330 for if they did understand a grain's worth 208 00:09:40,330 --> 00:09:42,930 of humanity, they would know that the hiding 209 00:09:42,930 --> 00:09:45,610 of these things impels men to search them 210 00:09:45,610 --> 00:09:45,890 out. 211 00:09:46,590 --> 00:09:48,510 From the fact that they do not mention 212 00:09:48,510 --> 00:09:51,510 them, they drive men to places where these 213 00:09:51,510 --> 00:09:53,150 and these only are preached. 214 00:09:53,830 --> 00:09:57,530 They say, If I preach election and predestination 215 00:09:57,530 --> 00:10:00,490 and these dark things, people will all go 216 00:10:00,490 --> 00:10:02,650 straight away and become antinomians. 217 00:10:03,130 --> 00:10:04,990 I am not so sure if they were 218 00:10:04,990 --> 00:10:07,330 to be called antinomians, it would hurt them 219 00:10:07,330 --> 00:10:07,910 very much. 220 00:10:08,370 --> 00:10:11,230 But hear me, O ye ministers that conceal 221 00:10:11,230 --> 00:10:13,830 these truths, that is the way to make 222 00:10:13,830 --> 00:10:16,890 them antinomians, by silencing these doctrines. 223 00:10:17,610 --> 00:10:19,270 Curiosity is strong. 224 00:10:19,770 --> 00:10:21,530 If you tell them they must not pluck 225 00:10:21,530 --> 00:10:24,130 the truth, they will be sure to do 226 00:10:24,130 --> 00:10:24,330 it. 227 00:10:25,150 --> 00:10:26,350 But if you give it to them as 228 00:10:26,350 --> 00:10:28,710 you find it in God's word, they will 229 00:10:28,710 --> 00:10:30,070 not seek to wrest it. 230 00:10:30,850 --> 00:10:33,970 Enlightened men will have the truth, and if 231 00:10:33,970 --> 00:10:36,730 they see election in Scripture, they will say, 232 00:10:36,930 --> 00:10:39,210 It is there, and I will find it 233 00:10:39,210 --> 00:10:39,450 out. 234 00:10:40,010 --> 00:10:41,730 If I cannot get it in one place, 235 00:10:42,010 --> 00:10:43,370 I will get it in another. 236 00:10:44,030 --> 00:10:46,790 The true Christian has an inward longing and 237 00:10:46,790 --> 00:10:47,930 anxiety after it. 238 00:10:48,250 --> 00:10:50,630 He is hungry and thirsty after the word 239 00:10:50,630 --> 00:10:53,570 of righteousness, and he must and will feed 240 00:10:53,570 --> 00:10:55,770 on this bread of heaven, where at all 241 00:10:55,770 --> 00:10:58,730 hazards he will leave the husks which unsound 242 00:10:58,730 --> 00:11:00,150 divines would offer him. 243 00:11:01,470 --> 00:11:04,130 Not only is this attainment to be desired, 244 00:11:04,290 --> 00:11:07,050 because nature teaches us so, but a knowledge 245 00:11:07,050 --> 00:11:09,550 of all truth is very essential for our 246 00:11:09,550 --> 00:11:09,950 comfort. 247 00:11:10,810 --> 00:11:12,950 I do believe that many persons have been 248 00:11:12,950 --> 00:11:15,830 distressed half their lives from the fact that 249 00:11:15,830 --> 00:11:18,070 they have not had clear views of truth. 250 00:11:18,070 --> 00:11:22,210 Many poor souls, for instance, under conviction, abide 251 00:11:22,210 --> 00:11:24,610 two or three or four times as long 252 00:11:24,610 --> 00:11:26,930 in sorrow of mind as they would require 253 00:11:26,930 --> 00:11:29,470 to do if they had someone to instruct 254 00:11:29,470 --> 00:11:31,490 them in the great matter of justification. 255 00:11:32,490 --> 00:11:34,870 So there are believers who are often troubling 256 00:11:34,870 --> 00:11:36,670 themselves about falling away. 257 00:11:37,230 --> 00:11:39,250 But if they knew in their soul the 258 00:11:39,250 --> 00:11:42,110 great consolation that we are kept by the 259 00:11:42,110 --> 00:11:45,570 grace of God through faith unto salvation, they 260 00:11:45,570 --> 00:11:47,190 would be no more troubled about it. 261 00:11:47,190 --> 00:11:50,490 So I have found some distressed about the 262 00:11:50,490 --> 00:11:51,690 unpardonable sin. 263 00:11:52,510 --> 00:11:55,050 But if God instructs us in that doctrine 264 00:11:55,050 --> 00:11:57,770 and shows us that no conscience that is 265 00:11:57,770 --> 00:12:00,770 really awakened ever can commit that sin, but 266 00:12:00,770 --> 00:12:02,810 that when it is committed God gives us 267 00:12:02,810 --> 00:12:04,970 up to a seared conscience so that we 268 00:12:04,970 --> 00:12:08,390 never fear or tremble afterwards, all that distress 269 00:12:08,390 --> 00:12:09,690 would be alleviated. 270 00:12:10,410 --> 00:12:11,470 Depend on this. 271 00:12:11,850 --> 00:12:14,530 The more you know of God's truth, all 272 00:12:14,530 --> 00:12:17,710 things else being equal, the more comfortable you 273 00:12:17,710 --> 00:12:19,050 will be as a Christian. 274 00:12:19,650 --> 00:12:21,930 Nothing can give a greater light on your 275 00:12:21,930 --> 00:12:25,210 path than a clear understanding of divine things. 276 00:12:25,930 --> 00:12:28,450 It is a mingle-mangled gospel too commonly 277 00:12:28,450 --> 00:12:31,770 preached which causes the downcast faces of Christians. 278 00:12:32,430 --> 00:12:35,110 Give me the congregation whose faces are bright 279 00:12:35,110 --> 00:12:35,750 with joy. 280 00:12:36,190 --> 00:12:38,290 Let their eyes glisten at the sound of 281 00:12:38,290 --> 00:12:38,770 the gospel. 282 00:12:39,470 --> 00:12:41,710 Then will I believe that it is God's 283 00:12:41,710 --> 00:12:43,390 own words they are receiving. 284 00:12:44,290 --> 00:12:48,650 Instead thereof you will often see melancholy congregations 285 00:12:48,650 --> 00:12:51,250 whose visages are not much different from the 286 00:12:51,250 --> 00:12:55,150 bitter countenance of poor creatures swallowing medicine because 287 00:12:55,150 --> 00:12:58,190 the word spoken terrifies them by its legality 288 00:12:58,190 --> 00:13:01,270 instead of comforting them by its grace. 289 00:13:02,010 --> 00:13:05,270 We love a cheerful gospel, and we think 290 00:13:05,270 --> 00:13:07,970 all the truth will tend to comfort the 291 00:13:07,970 --> 00:13:08,370 Christian. 292 00:13:09,290 --> 00:13:11,050 Comfort again, says another. 293 00:13:11,430 --> 00:13:12,510 Always comfort. 294 00:13:13,510 --> 00:13:15,350 Ah, but there is another reason why we 295 00:13:15,350 --> 00:13:16,310 prize the truth. 296 00:13:16,750 --> 00:13:19,230 Because we believe that a true knowledge of 297 00:13:19,230 --> 00:13:21,890 all the truth will keep us very much 298 00:13:21,890 --> 00:13:22,950 out of danger. 299 00:13:23,810 --> 00:13:26,490 No doctrine is so calculated to preserve a 300 00:13:26,490 --> 00:13:29,110 man from sin as the doctrine of the 301 00:13:29,110 --> 00:13:30,210 grace of God. 302 00:13:30,950 --> 00:13:33,250 Those who have called it a licentious doctrine 303 00:13:33,250 --> 00:13:35,070 did not know anything at all about it. 304 00:13:35,070 --> 00:13:37,050 Poor ignorant things! 305 00:13:37,330 --> 00:13:39,970 They little knew that their own vile stuff 306 00:13:39,970 --> 00:13:42,290 was the most licentious doctrine under heaven. 307 00:13:42,770 --> 00:13:44,790 If they knew the grace of God in 308 00:13:44,790 --> 00:13:47,310 truth they would soon see that there was 309 00:13:47,310 --> 00:13:50,430 no preservative from lying like a knowledge that 310 00:13:50,430 --> 00:13:52,550 we are elect of God from the foundation 311 00:13:52,550 --> 00:13:53,390 of the world. 312 00:13:53,850 --> 00:13:55,950 There is nothing like a belief in my 313 00:13:55,950 --> 00:13:59,270 eternal perseverance and the immutability of my Father's 314 00:13:59,270 --> 00:14:01,730 affection which can keep me near to Him 315 00:14:01,730 --> 00:14:03,870 from a motive of simple gratitude. 316 00:14:04,870 --> 00:14:08,030 Nothing makes a man so virtuous as belief 317 00:14:08,030 --> 00:14:08,650 of truth. 318 00:14:09,370 --> 00:14:12,390 A lying doctrine will soon beget a lying 319 00:14:12,390 --> 00:14:12,950 practice. 320 00:14:13,690 --> 00:14:16,570 A man cannot have an erroneous belief without 321 00:14:16,570 --> 00:14:19,550 by and by having an erroneous life. 322 00:14:20,250 --> 00:14:22,850 I believe the one thing naturally begets the 323 00:14:22,850 --> 00:14:23,110 other. 324 00:14:24,070 --> 00:14:25,770 Keep near God's truth. 325 00:14:26,070 --> 00:14:27,190 Keep near His word. 326 00:14:27,650 --> 00:14:30,630 Keep the head right, and especially keep your 327 00:14:30,630 --> 00:14:33,670 heart right with regard to truth and your 328 00:14:33,670 --> 00:14:36,010 feet will not go far astray. 329 00:14:37,210 --> 00:14:40,670 Again, I also hold that this attainment to 330 00:14:40,670 --> 00:14:43,210 the knowledge of all truth is very desirable 331 00:14:43,210 --> 00:14:45,830 for the usefulness which it will give us 332 00:14:45,830 --> 00:14:47,250 in the world at large. 333 00:14:47,830 --> 00:14:49,450 We should not be selfish. 334 00:14:50,150 --> 00:14:52,530 We should always consider whether a thing will 335 00:14:52,530 --> 00:14:54,030 be beneficial to others. 336 00:14:54,750 --> 00:14:56,830 A knowledge of all truth will make us 337 00:14:56,830 --> 00:14:58,650 very serviceable in this world. 338 00:14:59,130 --> 00:15:01,750 We shall be skillful physicians who know how 339 00:15:01,750 --> 00:15:04,610 to take the poor distressed soul aside to 340 00:15:04,610 --> 00:15:06,590 put the finger on his eye and to 341 00:15:06,590 --> 00:15:09,650 take the scale off from him that heaven's 342 00:15:09,650 --> 00:15:11,130 light may comfort him. 343 00:15:11,950 --> 00:15:15,110 There will be no character, however perplexing may 344 00:15:15,110 --> 00:15:17,410 be its peculiar phase, but we shall be 345 00:15:17,410 --> 00:15:19,610 able to speak to it and comfort it. 346 00:15:20,370 --> 00:15:23,070 He who holds the truth is usually the 347 00:15:23,070 --> 00:15:24,430 most useful man. 348 00:15:25,030 --> 00:15:27,450 As a good Presbyterian brother said to me 349 00:15:27,450 --> 00:15:30,330 the other day, I know God has blessed 350 00:15:30,330 --> 00:15:33,690 you exceedingly in gathering in souls, but it 351 00:15:33,690 --> 00:15:36,230 is an extraordinary fact that nearly all the 352 00:15:36,230 --> 00:15:39,210 men I know, with scarcely an exception, who 353 00:15:39,210 --> 00:15:41,570 have been made useful in gathering in souls, 354 00:15:42,130 --> 00:15:44,430 have held the great doctrines of the grace 355 00:15:44,430 --> 00:15:45,010 of God. 356 00:15:46,890 --> 00:15:49,490 Almost every man whom God has blessed to 357 00:15:49,490 --> 00:15:51,630 the building up of the church in prosperity 358 00:15:51,630 --> 00:15:54,450 and around whom the people have rallied has 359 00:15:54,450 --> 00:15:56,510 been a man who has held firmly free 360 00:15:56,510 --> 00:15:59,410 grace from first to last through the finished 361 00:15:59,410 --> 00:16:00,770 salvation of Christ. 362 00:16:01,790 --> 00:16:03,890 Do not think you need have errors in 363 00:16:03,890 --> 00:16:05,470 your doctrine to make you useful. 364 00:16:06,270 --> 00:16:08,690 We have some who preach Calvinism all the 365 00:16:08,690 --> 00:16:10,850 first part of the sermon and finish up 366 00:16:10,850 --> 00:16:13,710 with Arminianism because they think that will make 367 00:16:13,710 --> 00:16:14,270 them useful. 368 00:16:15,270 --> 00:16:16,370 Useful nonsense! 369 00:16:16,810 --> 00:16:17,690 That is all it is. 370 00:16:18,290 --> 00:16:20,050 A man, if he cannot be useful with 371 00:16:20,050 --> 00:16:22,630 truth, cannot be useful with an error. 372 00:16:23,430 --> 00:16:25,530 There is enough in the pure doctrine of 373 00:16:25,530 --> 00:16:28,650 God without introducing heresies to preach to sinners. 374 00:16:29,390 --> 00:16:31,550 As far as I know, I never felt 375 00:16:31,550 --> 00:16:34,190 hampered or cramped in addressing the ungodly in 376 00:16:34,190 --> 00:16:34,690 my life. 377 00:16:35,190 --> 00:16:37,990 I can speak with as much fervency, and 378 00:16:37,990 --> 00:16:40,170 yet not in the same style as those 379 00:16:40,170 --> 00:16:42,770 who hold the contrary views of God's truth. 380 00:16:43,210 --> 00:16:46,150 Those who hold God's word never need add 381 00:16:46,150 --> 00:16:48,550 something untrue in speaking to men. 382 00:16:49,050 --> 00:16:51,790 The sturdy truth of God touches every cord 383 00:16:51,790 --> 00:16:53,170 in every man's heart. 384 00:16:53,170 --> 00:16:56,490 If we can, by God's grace, put our 385 00:16:56,490 --> 00:17:00,130 hand inside man's heart, we want nothing but 386 00:17:00,130 --> 00:17:03,109 that whole truth to move him thoroughly and 387 00:17:03,109 --> 00:17:03,970 to stir him up. 388 00:17:04,530 --> 00:17:07,270 There is nothing like the real truth and 389 00:17:07,270 --> 00:17:10,290 the whole truth to make a man useful. 390 00:17:12,650 --> 00:17:16,230 Now again, here is a difficulty suggested, and 391 00:17:16,230 --> 00:17:19,329 that is that we require a guide to 392 00:17:19,329 --> 00:17:21,069 conduct us into all truth. 393 00:17:21,890 --> 00:17:24,230 The difficulty is that truth is not so 394 00:17:24,230 --> 00:17:25,210 easy to discover. 395 00:17:25,910 --> 00:17:27,810 There is no man born in this world 396 00:17:27,810 --> 00:17:29,950 by nature who has the truth in his 397 00:17:29,950 --> 00:17:30,290 heart. 398 00:17:30,790 --> 00:17:32,830 There is no creature that was ever fashioned 399 00:17:32,830 --> 00:17:35,270 since the fall who has a knowledge of 400 00:17:35,270 --> 00:17:36,830 truth innate and natural. 401 00:17:37,710 --> 00:17:40,470 It has been disputed by many philosophers whether 402 00:17:40,470 --> 00:17:43,050 there are such things as innate ideas at 403 00:17:43,050 --> 00:17:43,370 all. 404 00:17:44,210 --> 00:17:45,990 But it is of no use disputing as 405 00:17:45,990 --> 00:17:48,310 to whether there are any innate ideas of 406 00:17:48,310 --> 00:17:48,670 truth. 407 00:17:49,210 --> 00:17:50,790 There are none such. 408 00:17:51,750 --> 00:17:54,710 There are ideas of everything that is wrong 409 00:17:54,710 --> 00:17:57,790 and evil, but in us, that is, in 410 00:17:57,790 --> 00:18:01,330 our flesh, there dwelleth no good thing. 411 00:18:01,910 --> 00:18:04,610 We are born in sin and shapened in 412 00:18:04,610 --> 00:18:05,070 iniquity. 413 00:18:05,530 --> 00:18:07,490 In sin did our mother conceive us. 414 00:18:07,810 --> 00:18:10,570 There is nothing in us good and no 415 00:18:10,570 --> 00:18:12,010 tendency to righteousness. 416 00:18:12,910 --> 00:18:15,090 Then, since we are not born with the 417 00:18:15,090 --> 00:18:18,070 truth, we have the task of searching for 418 00:18:18,070 --> 00:18:18,250 it. 419 00:18:19,060 --> 00:18:21,270 If we are to be blessed by being 420 00:18:21,270 --> 00:18:24,450 eminently useful as Christian men, we must be 421 00:18:24,450 --> 00:18:26,590 well instructed in matters of revelation. 422 00:18:27,450 --> 00:18:30,130 But here is the difficulty, that we cannot 423 00:18:30,130 --> 00:18:33,150 follow without a guide the winding paths of 424 00:18:33,150 --> 00:18:33,510 truth. 425 00:18:34,290 --> 00:18:34,910 Why this? 426 00:18:35,790 --> 00:18:38,530 First, because of the very intricacy of truth 427 00:18:38,530 --> 00:18:39,050 itself. 428 00:18:39,750 --> 00:18:42,490 Truth itself is no easy thing to discover. 429 00:18:43,450 --> 00:18:46,630 Those who fancy they know everything and constantly 430 00:18:46,630 --> 00:18:49,770 dogmatize with the spirit of We are the 431 00:18:49,770 --> 00:18:52,590 men, and wisdom will die with us, of 432 00:18:52,590 --> 00:18:55,190 course see no difficulties whatever in the system 433 00:18:55,190 --> 00:18:55,770 they hold. 434 00:18:56,790 --> 00:18:59,810 But I believe the most earnest student of 435 00:18:59,810 --> 00:19:02,430 Scripture will find things in the Bible which 436 00:19:02,430 --> 00:19:03,250 puzzle him. 437 00:19:03,730 --> 00:19:06,590 However earnestly he reads it, he will see 438 00:19:06,590 --> 00:19:09,510 some mysteries too deep for him to understand. 439 00:19:09,970 --> 00:19:12,970 He will cry out, Truth, I cannot find 440 00:19:12,970 --> 00:19:13,230 thee. 441 00:19:13,230 --> 00:19:15,150 I know not where thou art. 442 00:19:15,410 --> 00:19:16,430 Thou art beyond me. 443 00:19:16,730 --> 00:19:18,450 I cannot fully view thee. 444 00:19:19,330 --> 00:19:22,490 Truth is a path so narrow that two 445 00:19:22,490 --> 00:19:24,310 can scarce walk together in it. 446 00:19:24,970 --> 00:19:27,410 We usually tread the narrow way in single 447 00:19:27,410 --> 00:19:27,830 file. 448 00:19:28,830 --> 00:19:31,110 Two men can seldom walk arm in arm 449 00:19:31,110 --> 00:19:31,750 in the truth. 450 00:19:32,510 --> 00:19:34,610 We believe the same truth in the main, 451 00:19:35,110 --> 00:19:37,110 but we cannot walk together in the path. 452 00:19:37,490 --> 00:19:38,290 It is too narrow. 453 00:19:39,090 --> 00:19:41,210 The way of truth is very difficult. 454 00:19:41,210 --> 00:19:43,630 If you step an inch aside on the 455 00:19:43,630 --> 00:19:45,350 right, you are in dangerous error. 456 00:19:45,930 --> 00:19:47,550 If you swerve a little to the left, 457 00:19:47,910 --> 00:19:49,330 you are equally in the mire. 458 00:19:49,910 --> 00:19:51,650 On the one hand there is a huge 459 00:19:51,650 --> 00:19:54,790 precipice, and on the other a deep morass. 460 00:19:55,430 --> 00:19:57,510 And unless you keep to the true line, 461 00:19:57,930 --> 00:19:59,630 to the breadth of a hair you will 462 00:19:59,630 --> 00:20:00,330 go astray. 463 00:20:01,470 --> 00:20:03,730 Truth is a narrow path indeed. 464 00:20:04,410 --> 00:20:06,430 It is a path the eagle's eye hath 465 00:20:06,430 --> 00:20:08,690 not seen, and a depth the diver hath 466 00:20:08,690 --> 00:20:09,290 not visited. 467 00:20:09,290 --> 00:20:11,770 It is like the veins of metal in 468 00:20:11,770 --> 00:20:12,230 a mine. 469 00:20:12,690 --> 00:20:15,510 It is often of excessive thinness, and moreover 470 00:20:15,510 --> 00:20:17,770 it runneth not in one continued layer. 471 00:20:18,650 --> 00:20:21,110 Lose it once, and you may dig for 472 00:20:21,110 --> 00:20:22,770 miles and not discover it again. 473 00:20:23,570 --> 00:20:26,250 The eye must watch perpetually the direction of 474 00:20:26,250 --> 00:20:26,630 the load. 475 00:20:27,550 --> 00:20:29,690 Grains of truth are like the grains of 476 00:20:29,690 --> 00:20:31,270 gold in the rivers of Australia. 477 00:20:31,830 --> 00:20:33,790 They must be shaken by the hand of 478 00:20:33,790 --> 00:20:37,170 patience, washed in the stream of honesty, or 479 00:20:37,170 --> 00:20:39,890 the fine gold will be mingled with sand. 480 00:20:40,690 --> 00:20:43,370 Truth is often mingled with error, and it 481 00:20:43,370 --> 00:20:44,730 is hard to distinguish it. 482 00:20:45,250 --> 00:20:47,790 But we bless God, it is said, when 483 00:20:47,790 --> 00:20:50,710 the Spirit of truth is come, He will 484 00:20:50,710 --> 00:20:52,670 guide you into all truth. 485 00:20:53,730 --> 00:20:56,050 Another reason why we need a guide is 486 00:20:56,050 --> 00:20:57,870 the invidiousness of error. 487 00:20:58,550 --> 00:21:01,430 It easily steals upon us, and, if I 488 00:21:01,430 --> 00:21:04,210 may so describe our position, we are often 489 00:21:04,210 --> 00:21:06,130 like we were on Thursday night in that 490 00:21:06,130 --> 00:21:07,070 tremendous fog. 491 00:21:07,650 --> 00:21:10,050 Most of us were feeling for ourselves and 492 00:21:10,050 --> 00:21:11,710 wondering where on earth we were. 493 00:21:12,270 --> 00:21:14,430 We could scarcely see an inch before us. 494 00:21:14,970 --> 00:21:16,390 We came to a place where there were 495 00:21:16,390 --> 00:21:17,210 three turnings. 496 00:21:17,490 --> 00:21:19,350 We thought we knew the old spot. 497 00:21:19,850 --> 00:21:21,990 There was the lamppost, and now we must 498 00:21:21,990 --> 00:21:23,390 take a sharp turn to the left. 499 00:21:24,130 --> 00:21:24,850 But not so. 500 00:21:25,410 --> 00:21:26,790 We ought to have gone a little to 501 00:21:26,790 --> 00:21:27,190 the right. 502 00:21:27,810 --> 00:21:29,770 We have been so often to the same 503 00:21:29,770 --> 00:21:32,930 place that we think we know every flagstone, 504 00:21:32,930 --> 00:21:35,190 and there is our friend's shop over the 505 00:21:35,190 --> 00:21:35,530 way. 506 00:21:36,010 --> 00:21:38,030 It is dark, but we think we must 507 00:21:38,030 --> 00:21:38,810 be quite right. 508 00:21:39,630 --> 00:21:41,990 And all the while we are quite wrong 509 00:21:41,990 --> 00:21:44,590 and find ourselves half a mile out of 510 00:21:44,590 --> 00:21:44,990 the way. 511 00:21:45,950 --> 00:21:48,310 So it is with matters of truth. 512 00:21:48,870 --> 00:21:51,490 We think surely this is the right path, 513 00:21:51,790 --> 00:21:54,070 and the voice of the evil one whispers, 514 00:21:54,410 --> 00:21:55,250 that is the way. 515 00:21:55,590 --> 00:21:56,390 Walk ye in it. 516 00:21:56,930 --> 00:21:59,570 You do so, and you find your great 517 00:21:59,570 --> 00:22:02,090 dismay that instead of the path of truth, 518 00:22:02,090 --> 00:22:04,810 you have been walking in the paths of 519 00:22:04,810 --> 00:22:07,130 unrighteousness and erroneous doctrines. 520 00:22:07,790 --> 00:22:09,810 The way of life is a labyrinth. 521 00:22:10,270 --> 00:22:13,290 The grassiest paths and the most bewitching are 522 00:22:13,290 --> 00:22:14,970 the farthest away from right. 523 00:22:15,610 --> 00:22:18,670 The most enticing are those which are garnished 524 00:22:18,670 --> 00:22:19,930 with rested truths. 525 00:22:20,690 --> 00:22:22,930 I believe there is not a counterfeit coin 526 00:22:22,930 --> 00:22:24,610 in the world so much like a genuine 527 00:22:24,610 --> 00:22:28,110 one, as some errors are like the truth. 528 00:22:28,650 --> 00:22:30,350 One is base metal. 529 00:22:30,350 --> 00:22:32,730 The other is true gold. 530 00:22:33,650 --> 00:22:36,590 Still, in externals, they differ very little. 531 00:22:37,490 --> 00:22:40,250 We also need a guide, because we are 532 00:22:40,250 --> 00:22:42,070 so prone to go astray. 533 00:22:42,610 --> 00:22:44,450 Why, if the paths of heaven were as 534 00:22:44,450 --> 00:22:46,990 straight as Bunyan pictures it, with no turning 535 00:22:46,990 --> 00:22:48,630 to the right hand or to the left, 536 00:22:48,810 --> 00:22:51,150 and no doubt it is, we are so 537 00:22:51,150 --> 00:22:53,630 prone to go astray that we should go 538 00:22:53,630 --> 00:22:55,410 to the right hand to the mountains of 539 00:22:55,410 --> 00:22:58,070 destruction or to the left in the dark 540 00:22:58,070 --> 00:22:59,250 wood of desolation. 541 00:23:00,010 --> 00:23:03,370 David said, I have gone astray like a 542 00:23:03,370 --> 00:23:04,190 lost sheep. 543 00:23:05,430 --> 00:23:07,210 That means very often. 544 00:23:07,970 --> 00:23:09,670 For if a sheep is put into a 545 00:23:09,670 --> 00:23:11,890 field twenty times, if it does not get 546 00:23:11,890 --> 00:23:14,450 out twenty-one times, it will be because 547 00:23:14,450 --> 00:23:17,590 it cannot, because the place is so hurdled 548 00:23:17,590 --> 00:23:19,690 up, and it cannot find a hole in 549 00:23:19,690 --> 00:23:20,110 the hedge. 550 00:23:21,070 --> 00:23:23,630 If grace did not guide a man, he 551 00:23:23,630 --> 00:23:26,710 would go astray, though there were handposts all 552 00:23:26,710 --> 00:23:27,410 the way to heaven. 553 00:23:27,410 --> 00:23:30,530 Let it be written, This is the way 554 00:23:30,530 --> 00:23:31,750 to the city of refuge. 555 00:23:32,170 --> 00:23:34,250 He would turn aside, and the avenger of 556 00:23:34,250 --> 00:23:35,350 blood would overtake him. 557 00:23:35,650 --> 00:23:37,710 If some guide did not, like the angels 558 00:23:37,710 --> 00:23:39,770 in Sodom, put his hand on his shoulders 559 00:23:39,770 --> 00:23:40,930 and cry, Escape! 560 00:23:41,170 --> 00:23:42,330 Escape for thy life! 561 00:23:42,690 --> 00:23:43,910 Look not behind thee! 562 00:23:44,270 --> 00:23:45,810 Stay not in all the plain! 563 00:23:47,450 --> 00:23:50,070 These, then, are the reasons why we need 564 00:23:50,070 --> 00:23:50,790 a guide. 565 00:23:52,310 --> 00:23:55,190 In the third place, here is a person 566 00:23:55,190 --> 00:23:55,790 provided. 567 00:23:55,790 --> 00:23:59,290 This is none other than God, and this 568 00:23:59,290 --> 00:24:01,450 God is none other than a person. 569 00:24:02,090 --> 00:24:05,130 This person is He the Spirit, the Spirit 570 00:24:05,130 --> 00:24:08,370 of truth, not an influence or an emanation, 571 00:24:08,810 --> 00:24:10,370 but actually a person. 572 00:24:11,070 --> 00:24:13,510 When the Spirit of truth is come, He 573 00:24:13,510 --> 00:24:15,550 shall guide you into all truth. 574 00:24:16,470 --> 00:24:17,730 Now we wish you to look at this 575 00:24:17,730 --> 00:24:20,610 guide, to consider how adapted He is to 576 00:24:20,610 --> 00:24:20,950 us. 577 00:24:21,530 --> 00:24:24,370 In the first place, He is infallible. 578 00:24:24,370 --> 00:24:27,670 He knows everything and cannot lead us astray. 579 00:24:28,570 --> 00:24:30,750 If I pin my sleeve to another man's 580 00:24:30,750 --> 00:24:32,530 coat, he may lead me part of the 581 00:24:32,530 --> 00:24:33,090 way rightly. 582 00:24:33,810 --> 00:24:35,870 By and by he will go wrong himself, 583 00:24:36,090 --> 00:24:37,750 and I shall be led astray with him. 584 00:24:38,370 --> 00:24:40,390 But if I give myself to the Holy 585 00:24:40,390 --> 00:24:43,410 Ghost and seek His guidance, there is no 586 00:24:43,410 --> 00:24:44,610 fear of my wandering. 587 00:24:45,510 --> 00:24:48,590 Again, we rejoice in this Spirit because He 588 00:24:48,590 --> 00:24:49,570 is ever present. 589 00:24:50,150 --> 00:24:52,310 We fall into a difficulty sometimes. 590 00:24:52,310 --> 00:24:54,530 We say, Oh, if I could take this 591 00:24:54,530 --> 00:24:56,810 to my minister, he would explain it, but 592 00:24:56,810 --> 00:24:58,370 I live so far off and am not 593 00:24:58,370 --> 00:24:59,190 able to see him. 594 00:25:00,030 --> 00:25:02,610 That perplexes us, and we turn the text 595 00:25:02,610 --> 00:25:05,050 round and round and cannot make anything out 596 00:25:05,050 --> 00:25:05,270 of it. 597 00:25:05,630 --> 00:25:07,050 We look at the commentators. 598 00:25:07,290 --> 00:25:10,530 We take down pious Thomas Scott, and as 599 00:25:10,530 --> 00:25:12,590 usual, he says nothing about it. 600 00:25:12,630 --> 00:25:13,890 It would be a dark passage. 601 00:25:14,330 --> 00:25:17,430 Then we go to holy Matthew Henry, and 602 00:25:17,430 --> 00:25:19,710 if it is an easy scripture, he is 603 00:25:19,710 --> 00:25:20,830 sure to explain it. 604 00:25:20,830 --> 00:25:22,890 But if it is a text hard to 605 00:25:22,890 --> 00:25:25,690 be understood, it is likely enough, of course, 606 00:25:25,730 --> 00:25:27,250 left in his own gloom. 607 00:25:27,790 --> 00:25:31,050 And even Dr. Gill himself, the most consistent 608 00:25:31,050 --> 00:25:33,770 of commentators, when he comes to a hard 609 00:25:33,770 --> 00:25:36,970 passage, manifestly avoids it in some degree. 610 00:25:37,690 --> 00:25:40,410 But when we have no commentator or minister, 611 00:25:41,050 --> 00:25:43,450 we have still the Holy Spirit. 612 00:25:44,010 --> 00:25:45,790 And let me tell you a little secret. 613 00:25:46,410 --> 00:25:49,550 Whenever you cannot understand a text, open your 614 00:25:49,550 --> 00:25:53,110 Bible, bend your knee, and pray over that 615 00:25:53,110 --> 00:25:53,530 text. 616 00:25:54,130 --> 00:25:55,910 And if it does not split into atoms 617 00:25:55,910 --> 00:25:58,250 and open itself, try again. 618 00:25:58,890 --> 00:26:01,410 If prayer does not explain it, it is 619 00:26:01,410 --> 00:26:03,430 one of the things God did not intend 620 00:26:03,430 --> 00:26:05,610 you to know, and you may be content 621 00:26:05,610 --> 00:26:06,790 to be ignorant of it. 622 00:26:07,430 --> 00:26:09,990 Prayer is the key that openeth the cabinets 623 00:26:09,990 --> 00:26:10,710 of mystery. 624 00:26:11,430 --> 00:26:14,250 Prayer and faith are sacred picklocks that can 625 00:26:14,250 --> 00:26:16,990 open secrets and obtain great treasures. 626 00:26:16,990 --> 00:26:21,110 There is no college for holy education like 627 00:26:21,110 --> 00:26:23,730 that of the Blessed Spirit, for He is 628 00:26:23,730 --> 00:26:26,350 an ever-present tutor to whom we have 629 00:26:26,350 --> 00:26:28,590 only to bend the knee, and He is 630 00:26:28,590 --> 00:26:32,050 at our side, the great expositor of truth. 631 00:26:33,170 --> 00:26:35,430 But there is one thing about the suitability 632 00:26:35,430 --> 00:26:37,250 of this guide which is remarkable. 633 00:26:37,950 --> 00:26:39,510 I do not know whether it struck you. 634 00:26:40,170 --> 00:26:43,050 The Holy Spirit can guide us into a 635 00:26:43,050 --> 00:26:43,410 truth. 636 00:26:43,410 --> 00:26:47,030 Now, man can guide us to a truth, 637 00:26:47,310 --> 00:26:49,430 but it is only the Holy Spirit who 638 00:26:49,430 --> 00:26:51,610 can guide us into a truth. 639 00:26:52,150 --> 00:26:54,670 When He, the Spirit of truth, shall come, 640 00:26:55,070 --> 00:26:57,850 He shall guide you into, mark that word, 641 00:26:58,330 --> 00:26:59,070 all truth. 642 00:26:59,730 --> 00:27:02,070 Now, for instance, it is a long while 643 00:27:02,070 --> 00:27:03,990 before you can lead some people to election, 644 00:27:04,610 --> 00:27:06,250 but when you have made them see its 645 00:27:06,250 --> 00:27:09,010 correctness, you have not led them into it. 646 00:27:09,410 --> 00:27:11,230 You may show them that it is plainly 647 00:27:11,230 --> 00:27:13,730 stated in Scripture, but they will turn away 648 00:27:13,730 --> 00:27:14,310 and hate it. 649 00:27:14,930 --> 00:27:16,750 You may take them to another great truth, 650 00:27:17,030 --> 00:27:18,370 but they have been brought up in a 651 00:27:18,370 --> 00:27:21,210 different fashion, and though they cannot answer your 652 00:27:21,210 --> 00:27:23,990 arguments, they say, The man is right, perhaps, 653 00:27:24,290 --> 00:27:27,010 and they whisper, but so low that conscience 654 00:27:27,010 --> 00:27:28,210 itself cannot hear. 655 00:27:28,770 --> 00:27:31,110 But it is so contrary to my prejudices 656 00:27:31,670 --> 00:27:33,590 that I cannot receive it. 657 00:27:34,490 --> 00:27:36,650 After you have led them to the truth, 658 00:27:36,750 --> 00:27:39,550 and they see it is true, how hard 659 00:27:39,550 --> 00:27:41,670 it is to lead them into it. 660 00:27:41,670 --> 00:27:44,150 There are many of my hearers who are 661 00:27:44,150 --> 00:27:47,290 brought to the truth of their depravity, but 662 00:27:47,290 --> 00:27:49,210 they are not brought into it and made 663 00:27:49,210 --> 00:27:50,010 to feel it. 664 00:27:50,550 --> 00:27:52,290 Some of you are brought to know the 665 00:27:52,290 --> 00:27:54,230 truth that God keeps us from day to 666 00:27:54,230 --> 00:27:57,190 day, but you rarely get into it, so 667 00:27:57,190 --> 00:27:59,730 as to live in continual dependence upon God 668 00:27:59,730 --> 00:28:02,510 the Holy Spirit and draw fresh supplies from 669 00:28:02,510 --> 00:28:02,690 Him. 670 00:28:03,370 --> 00:28:05,870 The thing is to get inside it. 671 00:28:06,270 --> 00:28:08,450 A Christian should do with truth as a 672 00:28:08,450 --> 00:28:11,490 snail does with his shell, live inside it, 673 00:28:11,690 --> 00:28:13,330 as well as carry it on his back 674 00:28:13,330 --> 00:28:15,370 and bear it perpetually about with him. 675 00:28:15,910 --> 00:28:18,330 The Holy Ghost, it is said, shall lead 676 00:28:18,330 --> 00:28:19,390 us into all truth. 677 00:28:20,070 --> 00:28:21,730 You may be brought to a chamber where 678 00:28:21,730 --> 00:28:23,690 there is an abundance of gold and silver, 679 00:28:24,270 --> 00:28:26,470 but you will be no richer unless you 680 00:28:26,470 --> 00:28:27,630 effect an entrance. 681 00:28:28,290 --> 00:28:30,790 It is the Spirit's work to unbar the 682 00:28:30,790 --> 00:28:33,330 two-leaved gates and bring us into a 683 00:28:33,330 --> 00:28:35,990 truth so that we may get inside it. 684 00:28:36,370 --> 00:28:38,970 And as dear old Roland Hill said, not 685 00:28:38,970 --> 00:28:42,370 only hold the truth, but have the truth 686 00:28:42,370 --> 00:28:43,550 hold us. 687 00:28:44,770 --> 00:28:47,970 Fourthly, here is a method suggested. 688 00:28:48,950 --> 00:28:51,290 He shall guide you into all truth. 689 00:28:51,850 --> 00:28:53,290 Now I must have an illustration. 690 00:28:54,090 --> 00:28:56,550 I must compare truth to some cave or 691 00:28:56,550 --> 00:28:58,850 grotto that you have heard of, with wondrous 692 00:28:58,850 --> 00:29:01,930 stalactites hanging from the roof and others starting 693 00:29:01,930 --> 00:29:05,010 from the floor, a cavern glittering with spar 694 00:29:05,010 --> 00:29:06,470 and abounding in marvels. 695 00:29:06,470 --> 00:29:09,710 Before entering the cavern, you inquire for a 696 00:29:09,710 --> 00:29:11,910 guide who comes with his lighted torch. 697 00:29:12,570 --> 00:29:14,850 He conducts you down to a considerable depth, 698 00:29:15,250 --> 00:29:17,210 and you find yourself in the midst of 699 00:29:17,210 --> 00:29:17,710 the cave. 700 00:29:18,190 --> 00:29:20,030 He leads you through different chambers. 701 00:29:20,850 --> 00:29:23,110 Here he points to a little stream rushing 702 00:29:23,110 --> 00:29:25,870 from amid the rocks and indicates its rise 703 00:29:25,870 --> 00:29:26,590 and progress. 704 00:29:27,170 --> 00:29:29,590 There he points to some peculiar rock and 705 00:29:29,590 --> 00:29:32,170 tells you its name, then takes you into 706 00:29:32,170 --> 00:29:34,990 a large natural hall, tells you how many 707 00:29:34,990 --> 00:29:37,050 persons once feasted in it, and so on. 708 00:29:37,830 --> 00:29:40,610 Truth is a grand series of caverns. 709 00:29:41,110 --> 00:29:42,970 It is our glory to have so great 710 00:29:42,970 --> 00:29:44,110 and wise a conductor. 711 00:29:44,890 --> 00:29:46,950 Imagine that we are coming to the darkness 712 00:29:46,950 --> 00:29:47,370 of it. 713 00:29:47,950 --> 00:29:49,830 He is a light shining in the midst 714 00:29:49,830 --> 00:29:50,910 of us to guide us. 715 00:29:51,470 --> 00:29:54,410 By the light he shows us wondrous things. 716 00:29:55,070 --> 00:29:57,490 In three ways the Holy Ghost teaches us, 717 00:29:57,890 --> 00:30:01,530 by suggestion, direction, and illumination. 718 00:30:02,610 --> 00:30:04,970 First he guides us into all truth by 719 00:30:04,970 --> 00:30:05,850 suggesting it. 720 00:30:06,350 --> 00:30:08,510 There are thoughts that dwell in our minds 721 00:30:08,510 --> 00:30:10,890 that were not born there, but which were 722 00:30:10,890 --> 00:30:13,510 exotics brought from heaven and put there by 723 00:30:13,510 --> 00:30:14,030 the Spirit. 724 00:30:14,670 --> 00:30:16,910 It is not a fancy that angels whisper 725 00:30:16,910 --> 00:30:19,090 into our ears and that devils do the 726 00:30:19,090 --> 00:30:19,430 same. 727 00:30:20,030 --> 00:30:22,670 Both good and evil spirits hold converse with 728 00:30:22,670 --> 00:30:25,250 men, and some of us have known it. 729 00:30:25,850 --> 00:30:27,990 We have had strange thoughts which were not 730 00:30:27,990 --> 00:30:30,410 the offspring of our souls, but which came 731 00:30:30,410 --> 00:30:31,670 from angelic visitants. 732 00:30:32,470 --> 00:30:35,590 And direct temptations and evil insinuations have we 733 00:30:35,590 --> 00:30:37,970 had which were not brewed in our own 734 00:30:37,970 --> 00:30:41,370 souls, but which came from the pestilential cauldron 735 00:30:41,370 --> 00:30:41,810 of hell. 736 00:30:42,770 --> 00:30:45,390 So the Spirit doth speak in men's ears, 737 00:30:45,790 --> 00:30:47,750 sometimes in the darkness of the night. 738 00:30:48,510 --> 00:30:50,730 In ages gone by He spoke in dreams 739 00:30:50,730 --> 00:30:53,830 and visions, but now He speaketh by His 740 00:30:53,830 --> 00:30:54,210 word. 741 00:30:55,030 --> 00:30:57,530 Have you not at times had unaccountably in 742 00:30:57,530 --> 00:30:59,890 the middle of your business a thought concerning 743 00:30:59,890 --> 00:31:02,450 God and heavenly things and could not tell 744 00:31:02,450 --> 00:31:03,210 whence it came? 745 00:31:04,070 --> 00:31:06,090 Have you not been reading or studying the 746 00:31:06,090 --> 00:31:08,670 Scripture, but a text came across your mind 747 00:31:08,670 --> 00:31:10,070 and you could not help it? 748 00:31:10,690 --> 00:31:12,890 Though you even put it down, it was 749 00:31:12,890 --> 00:31:14,730 like a cork in water and would swim 750 00:31:14,730 --> 00:31:16,390 up again to the top of your mind. 751 00:31:17,110 --> 00:31:19,450 Well, that good thought was put there by 752 00:31:19,450 --> 00:31:20,050 the Spirit. 753 00:31:20,590 --> 00:31:23,090 He often guides His people into all truth 754 00:31:23,090 --> 00:31:25,770 by suggesting, just as the guide in the 755 00:31:25,770 --> 00:31:27,170 grotto does with his torch. 756 00:31:28,170 --> 00:31:30,850 He does not say a word, perhaps, but 757 00:31:30,850 --> 00:31:33,390 He walks into the passage Himself and you 758 00:31:33,390 --> 00:31:34,010 follow Him. 759 00:31:34,610 --> 00:31:37,650 So the Spirit suggests a thought, and your 760 00:31:37,650 --> 00:31:38,690 heart follows it up. 761 00:31:39,510 --> 00:31:41,430 Well, can I remember the manner in which 762 00:31:41,430 --> 00:31:43,530 I learned the doctrines of grace in a 763 00:31:43,530 --> 00:31:44,310 single instant? 764 00:31:45,270 --> 00:31:47,350 Born, as all of us are by nature, 765 00:31:47,610 --> 00:31:50,450 an Arminian, I still believe the old things 766 00:31:50,450 --> 00:31:53,010 I heard continually from the pulpit and did 767 00:31:53,010 --> 00:31:54,510 not see the grace of God. 768 00:31:55,290 --> 00:31:57,330 I remember sitting one day in the house 769 00:31:57,330 --> 00:31:59,670 of God and hearing a sermon as dry 770 00:31:59,670 --> 00:32:02,070 as possible and as worthless as all such 771 00:32:02,070 --> 00:32:04,910 sermons are, when a thought struck my mind. 772 00:32:05,290 --> 00:32:07,010 How came I to be converted? 773 00:32:07,970 --> 00:32:09,150 I prayed, thought I. 774 00:32:09,950 --> 00:32:12,310 Then I thought, how came I to pray? 775 00:32:12,910 --> 00:32:15,190 I was induced to pray by reading the 776 00:32:15,190 --> 00:32:15,490 Scriptures. 777 00:32:16,310 --> 00:32:18,410 How came I to read the Scriptures? 778 00:32:19,310 --> 00:32:21,250 Why, I did read them. 779 00:32:21,830 --> 00:32:23,170 And what led me to that? 780 00:32:24,170 --> 00:32:26,670 And then, in a moment, I saw that 781 00:32:26,670 --> 00:32:29,230 God was at the bottom of all, and 782 00:32:29,230 --> 00:32:31,170 that He was the author of faith. 783 00:32:31,630 --> 00:32:34,170 And then the whole doctrine opened up to 784 00:32:34,170 --> 00:32:36,690 me, from which I have not departed. 785 00:32:38,090 --> 00:32:40,970 But sometimes He leads us by direction. 786 00:32:41,710 --> 00:32:45,090 The guide points and says, There, gentlemen, go 787 00:32:45,090 --> 00:32:46,790 along that particular path. 788 00:32:46,970 --> 00:32:47,950 That is the way. 789 00:32:48,750 --> 00:32:51,270 So the Spirit gives a direction and tendency 790 00:32:51,270 --> 00:32:54,110 to our thoughts, not suggesting a new one, 791 00:32:54,510 --> 00:32:56,810 but letting a particular thought, when it starts, 792 00:32:57,010 --> 00:32:59,530 take such and such a direction, not so 793 00:32:59,530 --> 00:33:02,150 much putting a boat on the stream as 794 00:33:02,150 --> 00:33:03,510 steering it when it is there. 795 00:33:04,270 --> 00:33:07,550 When our thoughts are considering sacred things, He 796 00:33:07,550 --> 00:33:09,930 leads us into a more excellent channel from 797 00:33:09,930 --> 00:33:10,990 that in which we started. 798 00:33:11,830 --> 00:33:14,790 Time after time have you commenced a meditation 799 00:33:14,790 --> 00:33:18,190 on a certain doctrine, and unaccountably you were 800 00:33:18,190 --> 00:33:21,250 gradually led away into another, and you saw 801 00:33:21,250 --> 00:33:24,110 how one doctrine leaned on another, as is 802 00:33:24,110 --> 00:33:25,850 the case with the stones in the arch 803 00:33:25,850 --> 00:33:28,630 of a bridge, all hanging on the keystone 804 00:33:28,630 --> 00:33:30,830 of Jesus Christ crucified. 805 00:33:31,530 --> 00:33:33,850 You were brought to see these things not 806 00:33:33,850 --> 00:33:37,110 by a new idea suggested, but by direction 807 00:33:37,110 --> 00:33:38,250 given to your thoughts. 808 00:33:39,390 --> 00:33:42,030 But perhaps the best way in which the 809 00:33:42,030 --> 00:33:44,590 Holy Ghost leads us into all truth is 810 00:33:44,590 --> 00:33:45,830 by illumination. 811 00:33:47,050 --> 00:33:48,610 He illuminates the Bible. 812 00:33:49,470 --> 00:33:52,030 Now have any of you an illuminated Bible 813 00:33:52,030 --> 00:33:52,490 at home? 814 00:33:53,150 --> 00:33:54,010 No, says one. 815 00:33:54,190 --> 00:33:55,450 I have a Morocco Bible. 816 00:33:55,830 --> 00:33:57,210 I have a polyglot Bible. 817 00:33:57,510 --> 00:33:59,350 I have a marginal reference Bible. 818 00:33:59,770 --> 00:34:01,130 Ha ha, that is all very well. 819 00:34:01,630 --> 00:34:03,470 But have you an illuminated Bible? 820 00:34:04,070 --> 00:34:06,410 Yes, I have a large family Bible with 821 00:34:06,410 --> 00:34:07,010 pictures in it. 822 00:34:07,389 --> 00:34:09,090 There is a picture of John the Baptist 823 00:34:09,090 --> 00:34:11,790 baptizing Christ by pouring water on his head 824 00:34:11,790 --> 00:34:13,810 and many other such things, but that is 825 00:34:13,810 --> 00:34:14,630 not what I mean. 826 00:34:15,290 --> 00:34:17,270 Have you an illuminated Bible? 827 00:34:17,610 --> 00:34:20,489 Yes, I have a Bible with splendid engravings 828 00:34:20,489 --> 00:34:20,710 in it. 829 00:34:20,830 --> 00:34:22,469 Yes, I know you may have. 830 00:34:22,830 --> 00:34:24,710 But have you an illuminated Bible? 831 00:34:25,409 --> 00:34:27,469 I don't understand what you mean by an 832 00:34:27,469 --> 00:34:28,350 illuminated Bible. 833 00:34:29,170 --> 00:34:31,670 Well, it is the Christian man who has 834 00:34:31,670 --> 00:34:32,889 an illuminated Bible. 835 00:34:33,510 --> 00:34:36,989 He does not buy it illuminated originally, but 836 00:34:36,989 --> 00:34:39,830 when he reads it, a glory gilds the 837 00:34:39,830 --> 00:34:43,949 sacred page, majestic like the sun, which gives 838 00:34:43,949 --> 00:34:45,650 a light to every age. 839 00:34:46,170 --> 00:34:48,810 It gives, but borrows none. 840 00:34:49,989 --> 00:34:52,870 There is nothing like reading an illuminated Bible, 841 00:34:53,010 --> 00:34:53,270 beloved. 842 00:34:53,810 --> 00:34:56,150 You may read to all eternity and never 843 00:34:56,150 --> 00:34:59,130 learn anything by it, unless it is illuminated 844 00:34:59,130 --> 00:35:02,350 by the Spirit, and then the words shine 845 00:35:02,350 --> 00:35:03,490 forth like stars. 846 00:35:03,930 --> 00:35:05,570 The book seems to be made of gold 847 00:35:05,570 --> 00:35:06,010 leaf. 848 00:35:06,350 --> 00:35:08,650 Every single letter glitters like a diamond. 849 00:35:09,070 --> 00:35:10,990 Oh, it is a blessed thing to read 850 00:35:10,990 --> 00:35:13,890 an illuminated Bible, lit up by the radiance 851 00:35:13,890 --> 00:35:14,830 of the Holy Ghost. 852 00:35:15,410 --> 00:35:17,390 Hast thou read the Bible and studied it, 853 00:35:17,430 --> 00:35:19,490 my brother, and yet have thine eyes been 854 00:35:19,490 --> 00:35:20,310 unenlightened? 855 00:35:21,070 --> 00:35:24,130 Go and say, O Lord, build the Bible 856 00:35:24,130 --> 00:35:24,730 for me. 857 00:35:24,970 --> 00:35:26,830 I want an expounded Bible. 858 00:35:27,350 --> 00:35:30,330 Illuminate it, shine upon it, for I cannot 859 00:35:30,330 --> 00:35:33,870 read it to profit unless thou enlightenest me. 860 00:35:34,910 --> 00:35:37,070 Blind men may read the Bible with their 861 00:35:37,070 --> 00:35:40,010 fingers, but blind souls cannot. 862 00:35:40,830 --> 00:35:42,830 We want a light to read the Bible 863 00:35:42,830 --> 00:35:43,210 by. 864 00:35:43,670 --> 00:35:45,470 There is no reading it in the dark. 865 00:35:46,270 --> 00:35:48,830 Thus the Holy Spirit leads us into all 866 00:35:48,830 --> 00:35:53,210 truth by suggesting ideas, by directing our thoughts, 867 00:35:53,750 --> 00:35:56,630 and by illuminating the Scriptures as we read 868 00:35:56,630 --> 00:35:56,850 them. 869 00:35:58,150 --> 00:36:00,370 The last thing is an evidence. 870 00:36:00,990 --> 00:36:04,310 The question arises, how may I know whether 871 00:36:04,310 --> 00:36:06,930 I am enlightened by the Spirit's influence and 872 00:36:06,930 --> 00:36:07,910 led into all truth? 873 00:36:08,630 --> 00:36:11,590 First, you may know the Spirit's influence by 874 00:36:11,590 --> 00:36:12,310 its unity. 875 00:36:12,850 --> 00:36:15,110 He guides us into all truth. 876 00:36:15,870 --> 00:36:18,410 Secondly, by its universality. 877 00:36:19,210 --> 00:36:21,750 He guides us into all truth. 878 00:36:22,490 --> 00:36:24,730 First, if you are judging a minister, whether 879 00:36:24,730 --> 00:36:26,290 he has the Holy Ghost in him or 880 00:36:26,290 --> 00:36:28,330 not, you may know him in the first 881 00:36:28,330 --> 00:36:30,990 place by the constant unity of his testimony. 882 00:36:30,990 --> 00:36:33,850 A man cannot be enlightened by the Holy 883 00:36:33,850 --> 00:36:35,850 Spirit who preaches yea and nay. 884 00:36:36,410 --> 00:36:38,570 The Spirit never says one thing at one 885 00:36:38,570 --> 00:36:40,410 time and another thing at another time. 886 00:36:40,930 --> 00:36:43,110 There are indeed many good men who say 887 00:36:43,110 --> 00:36:46,510 both yea and nay, but still their contrary 888 00:36:46,510 --> 00:36:49,470 testimonies are not both from God the Spirit, 889 00:36:49,850 --> 00:36:52,430 for God the Spirit cannot witness to black 890 00:36:52,430 --> 00:36:54,750 and white, to a falsehood and truth. 891 00:36:55,230 --> 00:36:57,310 It has always been held as a first 892 00:36:57,310 --> 00:36:59,850 principle that truth is one thing. 893 00:37:00,490 --> 00:37:03,490 But some persons say, I find one thing 894 00:37:03,490 --> 00:37:05,390 in one part of the Bible and another 895 00:37:05,390 --> 00:37:08,230 thing in another, and though it contradicts itself, 896 00:37:08,410 --> 00:37:09,470 I must believe it. 897 00:37:10,250 --> 00:37:12,810 All quite right, brother, if it did contradict 898 00:37:12,810 --> 00:37:13,410 itself. 899 00:37:13,750 --> 00:37:15,670 But the fault is not in the wood, 900 00:37:16,210 --> 00:37:17,110 but in the carpenter. 901 00:37:17,970 --> 00:37:20,330 Many carpenters do not understand dovetailing. 902 00:37:21,130 --> 00:37:22,810 So there are many preachers who do not 903 00:37:22,810 --> 00:37:24,270 understand dovetailing. 904 00:37:24,790 --> 00:37:26,750 It is a very nice work, and it 905 00:37:26,750 --> 00:37:27,950 is not easily learnt. 906 00:37:28,390 --> 00:37:31,290 It takes some apprenticeship to make all doctrines 907 00:37:31,290 --> 00:37:32,270 square together. 908 00:37:33,530 --> 00:37:36,270 Some preachers preach very good Calvinism for half 909 00:37:36,270 --> 00:37:38,450 an hour, and for the next quarter of 910 00:37:38,450 --> 00:37:39,510 an hour Arminianism. 911 00:37:40,410 --> 00:37:42,590 If they are Calvinists, let them stick to 912 00:37:42,590 --> 00:37:42,770 it. 913 00:37:43,150 --> 00:37:45,230 If they are Arminians, let them stick to 914 00:37:45,230 --> 00:37:45,370 it. 915 00:37:45,750 --> 00:37:48,130 Let their preaching be all of one piece. 916 00:37:48,850 --> 00:37:50,810 Don't let them pile up things only to 917 00:37:50,810 --> 00:37:52,010 kick them all down again. 918 00:37:52,470 --> 00:37:54,630 Let us have one thing woven from the 919 00:37:54,630 --> 00:37:57,050 top throughout, and let us not rend it. 920 00:37:57,730 --> 00:38:00,050 How did Solomon know the true mother of 921 00:38:00,050 --> 00:38:00,570 the child? 922 00:38:01,210 --> 00:38:02,650 Cut it in half, said he. 923 00:38:03,370 --> 00:38:05,030 The woman who was not the mother did 924 00:38:05,030 --> 00:38:06,850 not care, so long as the other did 925 00:38:06,850 --> 00:38:08,690 not get the whole, and she consented. 926 00:38:09,490 --> 00:38:11,790 Ah, said the true mother, give her the 927 00:38:11,790 --> 00:38:12,450 living child. 928 00:38:12,770 --> 00:38:14,390 Let her have it, rather than cut it 929 00:38:14,390 --> 00:38:14,890 in half. 930 00:38:15,810 --> 00:38:18,070 So the true child of God would say, 931 00:38:18,590 --> 00:38:19,590 I give it up. 932 00:38:19,770 --> 00:38:21,090 Let my opponent conquer. 933 00:38:21,650 --> 00:38:23,110 I do not want to have the truth 934 00:38:23,110 --> 00:38:23,910 cut in halves. 935 00:38:24,330 --> 00:38:26,330 I would rather be all wrong than have 936 00:38:26,330 --> 00:38:28,070 the word altered to my taste. 937 00:38:28,950 --> 00:38:31,290 We do not want to have a divided 938 00:38:31,290 --> 00:38:31,790 Bible. 939 00:38:32,450 --> 00:38:34,970 No, we claim the whole living child, or 940 00:38:34,970 --> 00:38:35,750 none at all. 941 00:38:36,590 --> 00:38:39,010 We may rest assured of this, that until 942 00:38:39,010 --> 00:38:41,130 we get rid of our lindsey-woolsey doctrine 943 00:38:41,130 --> 00:38:43,810 and cease to sow mingle seed, we shall 944 00:38:43,810 --> 00:38:44,810 not have a blessing. 945 00:38:45,410 --> 00:38:48,130 An enlightened mind cannot believe a gospel which 946 00:38:48,130 --> 00:38:49,070 denies itself. 947 00:38:49,410 --> 00:38:51,610 It must be one thing or the other. 948 00:38:52,150 --> 00:38:55,070 One thing cannot contradict another, and yet it 949 00:38:55,070 --> 00:38:57,030 and its opposite be equally true. 950 00:38:58,150 --> 00:39:00,990 You may know the Spirit's influence, then, by 951 00:39:00,990 --> 00:39:02,470 the unity of its testimony. 952 00:39:04,010 --> 00:39:06,650 And you may know it by its universality. 953 00:39:07,350 --> 00:39:09,550 The true child of God will not be 954 00:39:09,550 --> 00:39:12,350 led into some truth, but into all truth. 955 00:39:12,970 --> 00:39:15,210 When first he starts, he will not know 956 00:39:15,210 --> 00:39:16,110 half the truth. 957 00:39:16,490 --> 00:39:19,130 He will believe it, but not understand it. 958 00:39:19,690 --> 00:39:21,370 He will have the germ of it, but 959 00:39:21,370 --> 00:39:23,570 not the sum total in all its breadth 960 00:39:23,570 --> 00:39:24,170 and length. 961 00:39:24,870 --> 00:39:27,750 There is nothing like learning by experience. 962 00:39:28,370 --> 00:39:30,410 A man cannot set up for a theologian 963 00:39:30,410 --> 00:39:30,870 in a week. 964 00:39:31,510 --> 00:39:33,930 Certain doctrines take years to develop themselves. 965 00:39:34,630 --> 00:39:36,690 Like the aloe that taketh a hundred years 966 00:39:36,690 --> 00:39:39,390 to be dressed, there be some truths that 967 00:39:39,390 --> 00:39:41,570 must lie long in the heart before they 968 00:39:41,570 --> 00:39:44,490 really come out and make themselves appear so 969 00:39:44,490 --> 00:39:46,330 that we can speak of them as that 970 00:39:46,330 --> 00:39:48,990 we do know, and testify of that which 971 00:39:48,990 --> 00:39:49,650 we have seen. 972 00:39:50,330 --> 00:39:53,010 The Spirit will gradually lead us into all 973 00:39:53,010 --> 00:39:53,390 truth. 974 00:39:54,230 --> 00:39:56,570 For instance, if it be true that Jesus 975 00:39:56,570 --> 00:39:58,810 Christ is to reign upon the earth personally 976 00:39:58,810 --> 00:40:01,450 for a thousand years, as I am inclined 977 00:40:01,450 --> 00:40:03,670 to believe it is, if I be under 978 00:40:03,670 --> 00:40:06,230 the Spirit, that will be more and more 979 00:40:06,230 --> 00:40:08,790 open to me, until I with confidence declare 980 00:40:08,790 --> 00:40:09,070 it. 981 00:40:09,730 --> 00:40:11,830 Some men begin very timidly. 982 00:40:12,530 --> 00:40:15,050 A man says at first, I know we 983 00:40:15,050 --> 00:40:17,730 are justified by faith, and have peace with 984 00:40:17,730 --> 00:40:20,490 God, but so many have cried out against 985 00:40:20,490 --> 00:40:23,110 eternal justification that I am afraid of it. 986 00:40:23,770 --> 00:40:26,570 But he is gradually enlightened, and led to 987 00:40:26,570 --> 00:40:28,610 see that in the same hour when all 988 00:40:28,610 --> 00:40:31,570 his debts were paid, a full discharge was 989 00:40:31,570 --> 00:40:31,830 given. 990 00:40:32,610 --> 00:40:34,690 That in the moment when its sin was 991 00:40:34,690 --> 00:40:39,230 cancelled, every elect soul was justified in God's 992 00:40:39,230 --> 00:40:41,650 mind, though they were not justified in their 993 00:40:41,650 --> 00:40:43,090 own minds till afterwards. 994 00:40:43,670 --> 00:40:46,450 The Spirit shall lead you into all truth. 995 00:40:47,450 --> 00:40:50,770 Now, what are the practical inferences from this 996 00:40:50,770 --> 00:40:51,610 great doctrine? 997 00:40:52,210 --> 00:40:54,610 The first is with reference to the Christian 998 00:40:54,610 --> 00:40:56,330 who is afraid of his own ignorance. 999 00:40:56,730 --> 00:40:58,910 How many are there who are just enlightened, 1000 00:40:59,170 --> 00:41:01,610 and have tasted of heavenly things, who are 1001 00:41:01,610 --> 00:41:03,950 afraid they are too ignorant to be saved? 1002 00:41:04,570 --> 00:41:07,850 Beloved, God the Holy Spirit can teach anyone, 1003 00:41:08,110 --> 00:41:10,610 however illiterate, however uninstructed. 1004 00:41:11,210 --> 00:41:13,210 I have known some men who were almost 1005 00:41:13,210 --> 00:41:17,450 idiots before conversion, but afterwards had their faculties 1006 00:41:17,450 --> 00:41:18,390 wonderfully developed. 1007 00:41:19,090 --> 00:41:20,890 Some time ago there was a man who 1008 00:41:20,890 --> 00:41:22,910 was so ignorant that he could not read, 1009 00:41:23,350 --> 00:41:25,290 and he never spoke anything like grammar in 1010 00:41:25,290 --> 00:41:26,690 his life unless by mistake. 1011 00:41:27,370 --> 00:41:29,350 Moreover, he was considered to be what the 1012 00:41:29,350 --> 00:41:31,550 people in his neighborhood called daft. 1013 00:41:32,150 --> 00:41:34,890 But when he was converted, the first thing 1014 00:41:34,890 --> 00:41:36,290 he did was to pray. 1015 00:41:36,970 --> 00:41:39,330 He stammered out a few words, and in 1016 00:41:39,330 --> 00:41:41,550 a little time his powers of speaking began 1017 00:41:41,550 --> 00:41:42,570 to develop themselves. 1018 00:41:43,090 --> 00:41:44,690 Then he thought he would like to read 1019 00:41:44,690 --> 00:41:47,870 the Scriptures, and after long, long months of 1020 00:41:47,870 --> 00:41:49,990 labor, he learned to read. 1021 00:41:50,570 --> 00:41:51,830 And what was the next thing? 1022 00:41:52,290 --> 00:41:54,790 He thought he could preach, and he did 1023 00:41:54,790 --> 00:41:56,850 preach a little in his own homely way 1024 00:41:56,850 --> 00:41:57,450 in his house. 1025 00:41:58,070 --> 00:42:00,150 Then he thought, I must read a few 1026 00:42:00,150 --> 00:42:03,750 more books, and so his mind expanded until 1027 00:42:03,750 --> 00:42:05,770 I believe he is at the present day 1028 00:42:05,770 --> 00:42:09,130 a useful minister settled in a country village 1029 00:42:09,130 --> 00:42:10,590 laboring for God. 1030 00:42:11,690 --> 00:42:14,270 It needs but little intellect to be taught 1031 00:42:14,270 --> 00:42:14,850 of God. 1032 00:42:15,730 --> 00:42:17,910 If you feel your ignorance, do not despair. 1033 00:42:18,690 --> 00:42:21,470 Go to the Spirit, the great Teacher, and 1034 00:42:21,470 --> 00:42:24,570 ask His sacred influence, and it shall come 1035 00:42:24,570 --> 00:42:27,450 to pass that He shall guide you into 1036 00:42:27,450 --> 00:42:28,390 all truth. 1037 00:42:29,170 --> 00:42:30,910 Another inference is this. 1038 00:42:31,650 --> 00:42:34,030 Whenever any of our brethren do not understand 1039 00:42:34,030 --> 00:42:36,770 the truth, let us take a hint as 1040 00:42:36,770 --> 00:42:38,510 to the best way of dealing with them. 1041 00:42:39,190 --> 00:42:40,910 Do not let us controvert with them. 1042 00:42:41,490 --> 00:42:44,410 I have heard many controversies, but never heard 1043 00:42:44,410 --> 00:42:46,030 of any good from one of them. 1044 00:42:46,610 --> 00:42:49,130 We have had controversies with certain men called 1045 00:42:49,130 --> 00:42:52,130 secularists, and very strong arguments have been brought 1046 00:42:52,130 --> 00:42:52,710 against them. 1047 00:42:53,150 --> 00:42:55,230 But I believe that the day of judgment 1048 00:42:55,230 --> 00:42:57,950 shall declare that a very small amount of 1049 00:42:57,950 --> 00:43:00,830 good was ever done by contending with these 1050 00:43:00,830 --> 00:43:01,110 men. 1051 00:43:01,790 --> 00:43:03,170 Better let them alone. 1052 00:43:03,890 --> 00:43:06,250 Where no fuel is, the fire goeth out. 1053 00:43:06,950 --> 00:43:09,450 And he that debateth with them puts wood 1054 00:43:09,450 --> 00:43:10,230 upon the fire. 1055 00:43:11,270 --> 00:43:14,530 Few men are taught by controversy, for a 1056 00:43:14,530 --> 00:43:17,430 man convinced against his will is of the 1057 00:43:17,430 --> 00:43:18,730 same opinion still. 1058 00:43:19,770 --> 00:43:21,670 Pray for them that the Spirit of truth 1059 00:43:21,670 --> 00:43:23,510 may lead them into all truth. 1060 00:43:23,970 --> 00:43:26,110 Do not be angry with your brother, but 1061 00:43:26,110 --> 00:43:26,850 pray for him. 1062 00:43:27,110 --> 00:43:29,790 Cry, Lord, open Thou His eyes, that He 1063 00:43:29,790 --> 00:43:32,690 may behold wondrous things out of Thy law. 1064 00:43:34,840 --> 00:43:37,320 Lastly, we speak to some of you who 1065 00:43:37,320 --> 00:43:40,020 know nothing about the Spirit of truth, nor 1066 00:43:40,020 --> 00:43:41,240 about the truth itself. 1067 00:43:41,740 --> 00:43:43,280 It may be that some of you are 1068 00:43:43,280 --> 00:43:45,860 saying, We care not much which of you 1069 00:43:45,860 --> 00:43:46,260 are right. 1070 00:43:46,480 --> 00:43:48,380 We are happily indifferent to it. 1071 00:43:49,300 --> 00:43:52,440 Ah, but poor sinner, if Thou knewest the 1072 00:43:52,440 --> 00:43:54,760 gift of God, and who it was that 1073 00:43:54,760 --> 00:43:57,600 spake the truth, Thou wouldst not say, I 1074 00:43:57,600 --> 00:43:58,400 care not for it. 1075 00:43:58,400 --> 00:44:01,520 If Thou didst know how essential the truth 1076 00:44:01,520 --> 00:44:04,400 is to Thy salvation, Thou wouldst not talk 1077 00:44:04,400 --> 00:44:04,740 so. 1078 00:44:05,400 --> 00:44:07,140 If Thou didst know that the truth of 1079 00:44:07,140 --> 00:44:09,860 God is, that Thou art a worthless sinner, 1080 00:44:10,220 --> 00:44:12,720 but if Thou believest, then God from all 1081 00:44:12,720 --> 00:44:15,660 eternity, apart from all Thy merits, loved Thee, 1082 00:44:16,040 --> 00:44:18,420 and bought Thee with the Redeemer's blood, and 1083 00:44:18,420 --> 00:44:20,980 justified Thee in the form of heaven, and 1084 00:44:20,980 --> 00:44:23,080 will by and by justify Thee in the 1085 00:44:23,080 --> 00:44:25,320 form of Thy conscience through the Holy Ghost 1086 00:44:25,320 --> 00:44:26,080 by faith. 1087 00:44:26,080 --> 00:44:28,380 If Thou didst know that there is a 1088 00:44:28,380 --> 00:44:30,440 heaven for Thee, beyond the chance of a 1089 00:44:30,440 --> 00:44:33,020 failure, a crown for Thee, the luster of 1090 00:44:33,020 --> 00:44:36,120 which can never be dimmed, then Thou wouldst 1091 00:44:36,120 --> 00:44:39,620 say, Indeed, the truth is precious to my 1092 00:44:39,620 --> 00:44:40,120 soul. 1093 00:44:41,180 --> 00:44:44,460 Why, my ungodly hearers, these men of error 1094 00:44:44,460 --> 00:44:46,820 want to take away the truth which alone 1095 00:44:46,820 --> 00:44:49,160 can save you, the only gospel that can 1096 00:44:49,160 --> 00:44:50,280 deliver you from hell. 1097 00:44:50,920 --> 00:44:53,380 They deny the great truths of free grace, 1098 00:44:53,680 --> 00:44:56,420 those fundamental doctrines which alone can snatch a 1099 00:44:56,420 --> 00:44:57,040 sinner from hell. 1100 00:44:57,720 --> 00:44:59,600 And even though you do not feel interest 1101 00:44:59,600 --> 00:45:02,540 in them now, I still would say you 1102 00:45:02,540 --> 00:45:04,600 ought to desire to see them promoted. 1103 00:45:05,680 --> 00:45:07,860 May God give you to know the truth 1104 00:45:07,860 --> 00:45:08,600 in your hearts. 1105 00:45:09,160 --> 00:45:11,880 May the Spirit guide you into all truth. 1106 00:45:12,740 --> 00:45:14,260 For if you do not know the truth 1107 00:45:14,260 --> 00:45:17,860 here, recollect there will be a sorrowful learning 1108 00:45:17,860 --> 00:45:19,880 of it in the dark chambers of the 1109 00:45:19,880 --> 00:45:22,740 pit, where the only light shall be the 1110 00:45:22,740 --> 00:45:23,800 flames of hell. 1111 00:45:25,040 --> 00:45:27,620 May you here know the truth, and the 1112 00:45:27,620 --> 00:45:29,040 truth shall make you free. 1113 00:45:29,500 --> 00:45:31,520 And if the Son shall make you free, 1114 00:45:32,140 --> 00:45:33,820 ye shall be free indeed. 1115 00:45:34,320 --> 00:45:37,260 For He says, I am the way, the 1116 00:45:37,260 --> 00:45:38,960 truth, the life. 1117 00:45:39,780 --> 00:45:42,400 Believe on Jesus, Thou chief of sinners. 1118 00:45:42,960 --> 00:45:45,300 Trust His love and mercy, and Thou art 1119 00:45:45,300 --> 00:45:45,840 saved. 1120 00:45:46,480 --> 00:45:50,340 For God the Spirit giveth faith and eternal 1121 00:45:50,340 --> 00:45:50,920 life. 1122 00:45:54,290 --> 00:45:57,010 This message, The Holy Ghost, The Great Teacher, 1123 00:45:57,790 --> 00:46:00,430 was preached by Charles Haddon Spurgeon on November 1124 00:46:00,430 --> 00:46:02,650 18th, 1855. 1125 00:46:03,870 --> 00:46:05,850 This is Charles Kelsch inviting you to join 1126 00:46:05,850 --> 00:46:08,890 me again for another message from The Prince 1127 00:46:08,890 --> 00:46:09,850 of Preachers.