paper； is to do good to souls。
1。 Let me ask you； for one thing； to look the question in the face
which Christ asked of Peter； and try to answer it for yourself。 Look at
it seriously。 Examine it carefully。 Weigh it well。 After reading all
that I have said about it； can you honestly say that you love Christ？
It is no answer to tell me that you believe the truth of Christianity；
and hold the articles of the Christian faith。 Such religion as this
will never save your soul。 The devils believe in a certain way； and
tremble。 （James ii。 19。） True； saving Christianity is not the mere
believing a certain set of opinions； and holding a certain set of
notions。 Its essence is knowing； trusting； and loving a certain living
Person who died for useven Christ the Lord。 The early Christians；
like Phoebe； and Persis； and Tryphena； and Tryphosa； and Gaius； and
Philemon； knew little； probably； of dogmatic theology。 But they all had
this grand leading feature in their religion； they loved Christ。
It is no answer to tell me that you disapprove of a religion of
feelings。 If you mean by that that you dislike a religion consisting of
nothing but feelings； I agree with you entirely。 But if you mean to
shut out feelings altogether； you can know little of Christianity。 The
Bible teaches us plainly that a man may have good feelings without any
true religion。 But it teaches us no less plainly that there can be no
true religion without some feeling towards Christ。
It is vain to conceal that if you do not love Christ； your soul is in
great danger。 You can have no saving faith now while you live。 You are
unfit for heaven if you die。 He that lives without love to Christ can
be sensible of no obligation to Him。 He that dies without love to
Christ could never be happy in that heaven where Christ is all； and in
all。 Awake to know the peril of your position。 Open your eyes。 Consider
your ways； and be wise。 I can only warn you as a friend。 But I do it
with all my heart and soul。 May God grant that this warning may not be
in vain！
2。 In the next place； if you do not love Christ； let me tell you
plainly what is the reason。 You have no sense of debt to Him。 You have
no feeling of obligation to Him。 You have no abiding recollection of
having got anything from Him。 This being the case it is not likely； it
is not probable； it is not reasonable that you should love Him。
There is but one remedy for this state of things。 That remedy is
self…knowledge； and the teaching of the Holy Ghost。 The eyes of your
understanding must be opened。 You must find out what you are by nature。
You must discover that grand secret； your guilt and emptiness in God's
sight。
Perhaps you never read your Bible at all； or only read an occasional
chapter as a mere matter of form； without interest； understanding； or
self…application。 Take my advice this day； and change your plan。 Begin
to read the Bible like a man in earnest； and never rest till you bee
familiar with it。 Read what the law of God requires； as expounded by
the Lord Jesus in the fifth of St。 Matthew。 Read how St。 Paul describes
human nature in the first two chapters of his Epistle to the Romans。
Study such passages as these with prayer for the Spirit's teaching； and
then say whether you are not a debtor to God and a debtor in mighty
need of a Friend like Christ。
Perhaps you are one who has never known anything of real； hearty；
business…like prayer。 You have been used to regard religion as an
affair of churches； chapels； forms； services； and Sundays； but not as a
thing requiring the serious； heartfelt attention of the inward man。
Take my advice this day and change your plan。 Begin the habit of real；
earnest pleading with God about your soul。 Ask Him for light； teaching；
and self…knowledge。 Beseech Him to show you anything you need to know
for the saving of your soul。 Do this with all your heart and mind； and
I have no doubt that before long you will feel your need of Christ。
The advice I offer may seem simple and old…fashioned。 Do not despise it
on that account。 It is the good old way in which millions have walked
already and found peace to their souls。 Not to love Christ is to be in
imminent danger of eternal ruin。 To see your need of Christ and your
amazing debt to Christ is the first step towards loving Him。 To know
yourself and find out your real condition before God is the only way to
see your need。 To search God's Book and ask God for light in prayer is
the right course by which to attain saving knowledge。 Do not be above
taking the advice I offer。 Take it and be saved。
（3） In the last place； if you really know anything of love towards
Christ； accept two parting words of fort and counsel。 The Lord grant
they may do you good。
For one thing； if you love Christ in deed and truth； rejoice in the
thought that you have good evidence about the state of your soul。 Love；
I tell you this day； is an evidence of grace。
What though you are sometimes perplexed with doubts and fears？ What
though you find it hard to say whether your faith is genuine and your
grace real？ What though your eyes are often so dimmed with tears that
you cannot clearly see your calling and election of God？ Still there is
ground for hope and strong consolation if your heart can testify that
you love Christ。 Where there is true love； there is faith and grace。
You would not love Him if He had not done something for you。 Your very
love is a token for good。
For another thing； if you love Christ； never be ashamed to let others
see it and know it。 Speak for Him。 Witness for Him。 Live for Him。 Work
for Him。 If He has loved you and washed you from your sins in His own
blood； you never need shrink from letting others know that you feel it；
and love Him in return。
〃Man；〃 said a thoughtless； ungodly English traveller to a North
American Indian convert； 〃Man； what is the reason that you make so much
of Christ； and talk so much about Him？ What has this Christ done for
you； that you should make so much ado about Him？〃
The converted Indian did not answer him in words。 He gathered together
some dry leaves and moss and made a ring with them on the ground。 He
picked up a live worm and put it in the middle of the ring。 He struck a
light and set the moss and leaves on fire。 The flame soon rose and the
heat scorched the worm。 It writhed in agony； and after trying in vain
to escape on every side； curled itself up in the middle； as if about to
die in despair。 At that moment the Indian reached forth his hand； took
up the worm gently and placed it on his bosom。 〃Stranger；〃 he said to
the Englishman； 〃Do you see that worm？ I was that perishing creature。 I
was dying in my sins； hopeless； helpless； and on the brink of eternal
fire。 It was Jesus Christ who put forth the arm of His power。 It was
Jesus Christ who delivered me with the hand of His grace； and plucked
me from everlasting burnings。 It was Jesus Christ who placed me； a poor
sinful worm； near the heart of His love。 Stranger； that is the reason
why I talk of Jesus Christ and make much of Him。 I am not ashamed of
it； because I love Him。〃
If we know anything of love to Christ； may we have the mind of this
North American Indian！ May we never think that we can love Christ too
well； live to Him too thoroughly； confess Him too boldly； lay ourselves
out for Him too heartily！ Of all the things that will surprise us in
the resurrection morning； this； I believe； will surprise us most： that
we did not love Christ more before we died。
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XVI。
WITHOUT CHRIST
〃Ye were without Christ。〃Ephes。 ii。 12。
THE text which heads this paper describes the state of the Ephesians
before they became Christians。 But that is not all。 It describes the
state of every man and woman in England who is not converted to God。 A
more miserable state cannot be conceived！ It is bad enough to be
without money； or without health； or without home； or without friends。
But it is far worse to be 〃without Christ。〃
Let us examine the text this day； and see what it contains。 Who can
tell but it may prove a message from God to some reader of this paper？
1。 Let us consider； in the first place； when it can be said of a man
that he is 〃without Christ。〃
The expression 〃without Christ；〃 be it remembered； is not one of my own
invention。 The words were not first coined by me； but were written
under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost。 They were used by St。 Paul
when he was reminding the Ephesian Christians what their former
condition was； before they heard the Gospel and believed。 Ignorant and
dark no doubt they had been； buried in idolatry and heathenism；
worshippers of the false goddess Diana。 But all this he passes over
pletely。 He seems to think that this would only partially de