of that Church？ Are you joined to the great Foundation？ Are you on the
rock？ Have you received the Holy Ghost？ Does the Spirit witness with
your spirit； that you are one with Christ； and Christ with you？I
beseech you； in the name of God； to lay to heart these questions； and
to ponder them well。 If you are not converted； you do not yet belong to
the 〃Church of the Rock。〃
Let every reader of this paper take heed to himself； if he cannot give
a satisfactory answer to my inquiry。 Take heed； take heed； that you do
not make shipwreck of your soul to all eternity。 Take heed； lest at
last the gates of hell prevail against you； the devil claim you as his
own； and you be cast away for ever。 Take heed； lest you go down to the
pit from the land of Bibles； and in the full light of Christ's Gospel。
Take heed； lest you are found at the left hand of Christ at lasta
lost Episcopalian or a lost Presbyterian； a lost Baptist or a lost
Methodistlost because； with all your zeal for your own party and your
own munion table； you never joined the one true Church。
（2） My second word of application shall be an invitation。 I address it
to every one who is not yet a true believer。 I say to you； e and
join the one true Church without delay。 e and join yourself to the
Lord Jesus Christ in an everlasting covenant not to be forgotten。
Consider well what I say。 I charge you solemnly not to mistake the
meaning of my invitation。 I do not bid you leave the visible Church to
which you belong。 I abhor all idolatry of forms and parties。 I detest a
proselytising spirit。 But I do bid you e to Christ and be saved。 The
day of decision must e some time。 Why not this very hour？ Why not
to…day； while it is called to…day？Why not this very night； ere the
sun rises to…morrow morning？e to Him who died for sinners on the
cross； and invites all sinners to e to Him by faith and be saved。
e to my Master； Jesus Christ。 e； I say； for all things are now
ready。 Mercy is ready for you。 Heaven is ready for you。 Angels are
ready to rejoice over you。 Christ is ready to receive you。 Christ will
receive you gladly； and wele you among His children。 e into the
ark。The flood of God's wrath will soon break upon the earth； e
into the ark and be safe。
e into the lifeboat of the one true Church。 This old world will soon
break into pieces！ Hear you not the tremblings of it？ The world is but
a wreck hard upon a sandbank。 The night is far spentthe waves are
beginning to risethe wind is getting upthe storm will soon shatter
the old wreck。 But the lifeboat is launched； and we； the ministers of
the Gospel； beseech you to e into the lifeboat and be saved。We
beseech you to arise at once and e to Christ。
Dost thou ask； 〃How can I e？ My sins are too many。 I am too wicked
yet。 I dare not e。〃Away with the thought！ It is a temptation of
Satan。 e to Christ as a sinner。 e just as you are。 Hear the words
of that beautiful hymn：
〃Just as I am； without one plea；
But that Thy blood was shed for me；
And that Thou bid'st me e to Thee；
O Lamb of God I e。〃
This is the way to e to Christ。 You should e waiting for nothing
and tarrying for nothing。 You should e as a hungry sinner to be
filledas a poor sinner to be enrichedas a bad； undeserving sinner
to be clothed with righteousness。 So ing； Christ would receive you。
〃Him that eth〃 to Christ； He 〃will in no wise cast out。〃 Oh I e；
e to Jesus Christ。 e into 〃the true Church〃 by faith and be
saved。
（3） Last of all； let me give a word of exhortation to all believers
into whose hands this paper may fall。
Strive to live a holy life。 Walk worthy of the Church to which you
belong。 Live like citizens of heaven。 Let your light shine before men；
so that the world may profit by your conduct。 Let them know whose you
are； and whom you serve。 Be epistles of Christ； known and read of all
menwritten in such clear letters that none can say of you； 〃I know
not whether this man be a member of Christ or not。〃 He that knows
nothing of real； practical holiness is no member of 〃the Church on the
Rock；〃
Strive to live a courageous life。 Confess Christ before men。 Whatever
station you occupy； in that station confess Christ。 Why should you be
ashamed of Him？ He was not ashamed of you on the cross。 He is ready to
confess you now before His Father in heaven。 Why should you be ashamed
of Him？ Be bold。 Be very bold。 The good soldier is not ashamed of his
uniform。 The true believer ought never to be ashamed of Christ。
Strive to live a joyful life。 Live like men who look for that blessed
hopethe second ing of Jesus Christ。 This is the prospect to which
we should all look forward。 It is not so much the thought of going to
heaven as of heaven ing to us； that should fill our minds。 〃There is
a good time ing〃 for all the people of Goda good time for all the
Church of Christa good time for all believersa bad time for the
impenitent and unbelieving； but a good time for true Christians。 For
that good time； let us wait； and watch； and pray。
The scaffolding will soon be taken down。The last stone will soon be
brought out。The top…stone will be placed upon the edifice。 Yet a
little time； and the full beauty of the Church which Christ is building
shall be clearly seen。
The great Master Builder will soon e Himself。 A building shall be
shown to assembled worlds in which there shall be no imperfection。 The
Saviour and the saved shall rejoice together。 The whole universe shall
acknowledge that in the building of Christ's Church all was well done。
〃Blessed〃it shall be said in that day； if it was never said
before〃BLESSED ARE ALL THEY WHO BELONG TO THE CHURCH ON THE ROCK！〃
__________________________________________________________________
XIV。
VISIBLE CHURCHES WARNED
〃He that hath an ear； let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
Churches。〃Rev。 iii。 22。
I SUPPOSE I may take it for granted that every reader of this paper
belongs to some visible Church of Christ。 I do not ask now whether you
are an Episcopalian； or a Presbyterian； or an Independent。 I only
suppose that you would not like to be called an Atheist or an Infidel。
You attend the public worship of some visible； particular； or national
body of professing Christians。
Now； whatever the name of your Church may be； I invite your special
attention to the verse of Scripture before your eyes。 I charge you to
remember that the words of that verse concern yourself。 They are
written for your learning； and for all who call themselves Christians。
〃He that hath an ear； let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
Churches。〃
This verse is repeated seven times over in the second and third
chapters of the book of Revelation。 Seven different letters does the
Lord Jesus there send by the hand of His servant John to the seven
Churches of Asia。 Seven times over He winds up His letter by the same
solemn words； 〃He that hath an ear； let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the Churches。〃
Now the Lord God is perfect in all His works。 He does nothing by
chance。 He caused no part of the Scriptures to be written by chance。 In
all His dealings you may trace design； purpose and plan。 There was
design in the size and orbit of each planet。 There was design in the
shape and structure of the least fly's wing。 There was design in every
verse of the Bible。 There was design in every repetition of a verse；
wherever it took place。 There was design in the sevenfold repetition of
the verse before our eyes。 It had a meaning； and we were intended to
observe it。
This verse appears to me to call the special attention of all true
Christians to the seven 〃Epistles to the Churches。〃 I believe it was
meant to make believers take particular notice of the things which
these seven Epistles contain。
Let me try to point out certain leading truths which these seven
Epistles seem to me to teach。 They are truths for the times we live
intruths for the latter daystruths which we cannot know too
welltruths which it would be good for us all to know and feel far
better than we do。
I。 I ask my readers to observe in the first place； that the Lord Jesus；
in all the seven Epistles； speaks of nothing but matters of doctrine；
practice； warning； and promise。
I ask you to look over these seven Epistles to the Churches； quietly
and at your leisure； and you will soon see what I mean；
You will observe that the Lord Jesus sometimes finds fault with false
doctrines； and ungodly； inconsistent practices； and rebukes them
sharply。
You will observe that He sometimes praises faith； patience； work；
labour； perseverance； and bestows on these graces high mendation。
You will sometimes find Him enjoining repentance； amendment； return to
the first love； renewed application to Himselfand the like。
But I want you to observe that you will no