wrong； I shall be thankful to anyone who will show me a more excellent
way。 But till I am shown it； I must stand fast on the positions I have
already laid down。 I dare not forsake them； lest I be found guilty of
handling God's Word deceitfully。 I dare not be silent about them； lest
the blood of souls be required at my hands。 The man without knowledge；
without faith； and without the Holy Ghost； is a man 〃without Christ！〃
II。 Let me now turn to another point which I wish to consider。 What is
the actual condition of a man 〃without Christ〃？
This is a branch of our present subject that demands very special
attention。 Thankful indeed should I be if I could exhibit it in its
true colours。 I can easily imagine some reader saying to himself；
〃Well； suppose I am without Christ； where is the mighty harm？ I hope
God will be merciful。 I am no worse than many others。 I trust all will
be right at last。〃 Listen to me； and； by God's help； I will try to show
that you are sadly deceived。 〃Without Christ〃 all will not be right；
but all desperately wrong。
（a） For one thing； to be without Christ is to be without God。 The
Apostle St。 Paul told the Ephesians as much as this in plain words。 He
ends the famous sentence which begins； 〃Ye were without Christ；〃 by
saying； 〃Ye were without God in the world。〃 And who that thinks can
wonder？ That man can have very low ideas of God who does not conceive
Him a most pure； and holy； and glorious； and spiritual Being。 That man
must be very blind who does not see that human nature is corrupt； and
sinful； and defiled。 How then can such a worm as man draw near to God
with fort？ How can he look up to Him with confidence and not feel
afraid？ How can he speak to Him； have dealings with Him； look forward
to dwelling with Him； without dread and alarm？ There must be a Mediator
between God and man； and there is but One that can fill the office。
That One is Christ。
Who art thou that talkest of God's mercy and God's love separate from
and independent of Christ？ There is no such love and mercy recorded in
Scripture。 Know this day that God out of Christ is 〃a consuming fire。〃
（Heb。 xii。 29。） Merciful He is； beyond all question： rich in mercy；
plenteous in mercy。 But His mercy is inseparably connected with the
mediation of His beloved Son Jesus Christ。 It must flow through Him as
the appointed channel； or it cannot flow at all。 It is written； 〃He
that honoureth not the Son； honoureth not the Father which hath sent
Him。〃〃I am the way； the truth； and the life： No man eth unto the
Father but by Me。〃 （John v。 23； xiv。 6。） 〃Without Christ〃 we are
without God。
（b） For another thing； to be without Christ is to be without peace。
Every man has a conscience within him； which must be satisfied before
he can be truly happy。 So long as this conscience is asleep or half
dead； so long； no doubt； he gets along pretty well。 But as soon as a
man's conscience wakes up； and he begins to think of past sins； and
present failings； and future judgment； at once he finds out that he
needs something to give him inward rest。 But what can do it？ Repenting；
and praying； and Bible…reading； and church…going； and
sacrament…receiving； and self…mortification may be tried； and tried in
vain。 They never yet took off the burden from anyone's conscience。 And
yet peace must be had！
There is only one thing can give peace to the conscience； and that is
the blood of Jesus Christ sprinkled on it。 A clear understanding that
Christ's death was an actual payment of our debt to God； and that the
merit of that death is made over to man when he believes； is the grand
secret of inward peace。 It meets every craving of conscience。 It
answers every accusation。 It calms every fear。 It is written； 〃These
things I have spoken unto you； that in Me ye might have peace。〃 〃He is
our peace。〃 〃Being justified by faith； we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ。〃 （John xvi。 33； Ephes。 ii。 14； Rom。 v。 1。） We
have peace through the blood of His cross： peace like a deep
minepeace like an everflowing stream。 But 〃without Christ〃 we are
without peace。
（e） For another thing； to be without Christ is to be without hope。 Hope
of some sort or other almost everyone thinks he possesses。 Rarely
indeed will you find a man who will boldly tell you that he has no hope
at all about his soul。 But how few there are that can give 〃a reason of
the hope that is in them！〃 （1 Pet。 iii。 15。） How few can explain it；
describe it； and show its foundations！ How many a hope is nothing
better than a vague； empty feeling； which the day of sickness and the
hour of death will prove to be utterly uselessimpotent alike to
fort or to save。
There is but one hope that has roots； life； strength and solidity； and
that is the hope which is built on the great rock of Christ's work and
office as man's Redeemer。 〃Other foundation can no man lay than that is
laid； which is Jesus Christ。〃 （1 Cor。 iii。 11。） He that buildeth on
this cornerstone 〃shall not be confounded。〃 About this hope there is
reality。 It will bear looking at and handling。 It will meet every
enquiry。 Search it through and through； and you will find no flaw
whatever in it。 All other hopes besides this are worthless。 Like
summer…dried fountains； they fail man just when his need is the sorest。
They are like unsound ships； which look well so long as they lie quiet
in harbour； but when the winds and the waves of the ocean begin to try
them； their rotten condition is discovered； and they sink beneath the
waters。 There is no such thing as a good hope without Christ； and
〃without Christ〃 is to have 〃no hope。〃 （Eph。 ii。 12。）
（d） For another thing； to be without Christ is to be without heaven。 In
saying this I do not merely mean that there is no entrance into heaven；
but that 〃without Christ〃 there could be no happiness in being there。 A
man without a Saviour and Redeemer could never feel at home in heaven。
He would feel that he had no lawful right or title to be there：
boldness and confidence and ease of heart would be impossible。 Amidst
pure and holy angels； under the eyes of a pure and holy God； he could
not hold up his head： he would feel confounded and ashamed。 It is the
very essence of all true views of heaven that Christ is there。
Who art thou that dreamest of a heaven in which Christ has no place？
Awake to know thy folly。 Know that in every description of heaven which
the Bible contains； the presence of Christ is one essential feature。
〃In the midst of the throne；〃 says St； John； 〃stood a Lamb as it had
been slain。〃 The very throne of heaven is called the 〃throne of God and
of the Lamb。〃〃The Lamb is the light of heaven； and the temple of
it。〃The saints who dwell in heaven are to be 〃fed by the Lamb；〃 and
〃led to living fountains of waters。〃 The meeting of the saints in
heaven is called； 〃the marriage supper of the Lamb。〃 （Rev。 v。 6； xxii。
3； xxi。 22； 23； vii。 17； xix。 9。） A heaven without Christ would not be
the heaven of the Bible。 To be 〃without Christ〃 is to be without
heaven。
I might easily add to these things。 I might tell you that to be without
Christ is to be without fife； without strength； without safety； without
foundation； without a friend in heaven； without righteousness。 None so
badly off as those that are without Christ！
What the ark was to Noah； what the passover lamb was to Israel in
Egypt； what the manna； the smitten rock； the brazen serpent； the pillar
of cloud and fire； the scapegoat； were to the tribes in the wilderness；
all this the Lord Jesus is meant to be to man's soul。 None so destitute
as those that are without Christ！
What the root is to the branches； what the air is to our lungs； what
food and water are to our bodies； what the sun is to creation； all this
and much more Christ is intended to be to us。 None so helpless； none so
pitiable as those that are without Christ！
I grant that； if there were no such things as sickness and deathif
men and women never grew old； and lived on this earth for everthe
subject of this paper would be of no importance。 But you must know that
sickness； death； and the grave are sad realities。
If this life were allif there were no judgment； no heaven； no hell；
no eternityit would be mere waste of time to trouble yourself with
such inquiries as this tract suggests。 But you have got a conscience。
You know well that there is a reckoning…day beyond the grave。 There is
a judgment yet to e。
Surely the subject of this paper is no light matter。 It is not a small
thing； and one that does not signify。 It demands the attention of every
sensible person。 It lies at the very root of that all…important
question； the salvation of our souls。 To be 〃without Christ〃 is to be
most miserable。
（1） And now I ask every one who has read this paper through to examine
himself and fi