PART I, SKETCH XXV: THE DUMB SINGING

“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened…and the tongue of the dumb sing….” (Isaiah 35.5, 6.)

Introduction. What a difference grace makes when it enters the heart! The tongue of the dumb not only speaks, it sings. How vain to make a profession and yet live in sin. Where the grace of God is, it makes men to differ. In conversion and regeneration, God makes us as opposite from what we were before as light is from darkness, as even heaven itself is from hell. Where God really justifies he really sanctifies too; where there is remission of sin, there is also the forsaking of it.

(1) The Persons whom God has Chosen to Sing his Songs Forever. There is no difference, by nature, between the elect and others. The only reason for a difference between those in heaven and those in hell rests with divine grace alone. Those in heaven would have rejected Christ, as did those who were cast away, if grace had not prevented them. They are saints because God made them so. God chose, not the tongue of the stammerer, not the tongue that blasphemed, but ‘the tongue of the dumb,’ of those gone furthest from any thought of singing. Strange choice God has made! Strange for its graciousness! It strangely manifests the sovereignty of God! To build his palace of living stones, did he bring forth the richest marble from the quarries of perfection? Far from being white stones of purity, you were black with defilement, unfit for the spiritual temple. He has selected the worst of men to be monuments of grace. Ay, beloved, if God did not choose the base things of this world, he would never have chosen us. Cast away this Arminian thought that it was of your foreseen faith or foreseen works that the Lord chose you. Your son John is a sad reprobate; keep on praying for him; God can change his heart.

(2) A Lucid Description of these Dumb People. The first sort are those who cannot speak. The man still in trespasses and sins is dumb. He is dead; there is none so dumb as a dead man. The unregenerate are spiritually dead; it follows that they must be spiritually dumb. They cannot sing God’s praises. They cannot really confess, for they do not know the evil of sin. But God will have his darlings made what they should be. There is a sort of dumb people that will not speak. Isaiah called preachers in his day dumb dogs that would not bark. If we are dumb ministers, may God force us to speak lest we be cast away as unfaithful stewards of the gospel at the last day! A third sort of dumb people dare not speak. The Lord’s servant will often have to be dumb under trials and troubles. When Satan tempts him to murmur, he will put his finger to his lip and say, ‘Hush, murmuring heart, be still!’ Though we are dumb as to murmuring, we ought to sing God’s praises. An old Puritan said, ‘God’s people are like birds; they sing best in cages.’ God has thus made the tongue of the dumb to sing. A fourth sort are dumb, for they have nothing to say. Once we were asked if we had any reason to plead against being condemned, and we were dumb. Now we can sing, “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect?”

(3) Occasions when the Tongues of the Dumb Sing the Best. When they lose their burden at the foot of the cross. Not even the songs of angels seem as sweet as that first song of rapture from the forgiven child of God. And they sing sweetly in communion too, when in fellowship with Christ’s sufferings or glories. The best singing time is when we come to die. Many desponding children get a swan’s song before they die. Never fear death; it will be a singing time. 

Selection from Conclusion. “It is a poor noise we make now; when we join the song perhaps we are almost ashamed to sing; but up there our voices shall be clear and good.” 

PART I, SKETCH XXIV: THE FRUITLESS VINE

“And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, what is the vine-tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?” (Ezekiel 15.1, 2.)

Introduction. The Jewish nation supposed that because of the superior sanctity of their forefathers (not to mention their own), they could sin as they pleased and yet be delivered. God tells them that they are no better, in themselves, than any other nation. This fact does not alter God’s eternal purpose toward any chosen vessel of mercy. From his fruitful professors he will not take away his affection. 

(1) A Lesson of Humility for Saints. The vine-tree is a useless plant apart from its fruitfulness. God’s people are called his vine. By nature they are no better than others. By God’s goodness they become fruitful to his glory. He who knows the gospel confesses himself to be unworthy, ill-deserving, and hell-deserving, and ascribes what made him to differ to distinguishing grace. You are valiant for truth; you would have been valiant for the devil if not for grace. A seat in heaven shall one day be yours; a chain in hell would have been yours if grace had not changed you. You now sing of God’s love; a dirty song might be on your lips if grace had not washed you in Jesus’ blood. Should a poor dependent pensioner upon the bounty of the Saviour be proud? Hang your pride on Haman’s gallows. Most to be cursed is the pride of a Christian. 

(2) A Lesson of Searching for Professors. Fruitless professors may be found in every church, including this one. Some are rich unholy tithers; others are poor degraded idlers. Fruitless professors may be found in the pulpit. They preach eloquently, and bring forth the fruit of popularity and philanthropy. But their fruit is not unto holiness; the moral benefit of their labors does not extend to everlasting life. Fruitless professors may be great religious doubters or overconfident boasters. The one who will never pray at the prayer-meeting is as fruitless as the one who prays with words and leaves instead of realities and fruits. The man who cheats in business and comes out with a fair face, he is a fruitless professor. He who lives morally and expects to be saved by his works is another. Fruitless vines are despicable. Why are they fruitless? Because they have no roots. They do not adhere to the soil, get no nourishment, and therefore bring forth no fruit. What some think is conversion is a stir in the conscience that will not last. But the worst of it is that they remain professors, fully convinced that they are true. I beseech you, “search your hearts and try your reins.” Take heed that you do not get a sham religion. What must be God’s estimation of fruitless professors? Ministers think well of them; the church does too. They look so respectable in the pews! Really, I think they would do for deacons! But will they comfort you in your distress? Well, Jane, what do you think of your master who professes religion? ‘If this be Christianity, sir, I will take five pounds a year less to live with a worldly man.’ What will become of the fruitless vine? It will be raked up with the weeds, and burned up. The damnation of a professor will be the most horrible sight that hell has ever seen! There is a terrific sublimity in the damnation of a blasphemer because he has been consistent with his profession. Honest blasphemers will hiss professors to scorn as loathsome things. I confess, I should dread above all things the unutterable hell of hells of hypocritical apostates. If you would not stir your hell to a more furious heat, quit your professions this nite if you are not worthy of them. Or bend your knee before God and ask him to make you upright and sincere. 

Selection from Conclusion. “Take heed you do not deceive yourselves; it must be the new heart and the right spirit with God, or else, profession or no profession, we must perish.” 

PART I, SKETCH XXIII: THE SNARE OF THE FOWLER

“Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler” (Psalm 91.3.)

Introduction. This verse speaks of the arch-enemy of souls, the great deceiver, Satan. Five hundred years ago, he put men to death for serving Christ. Now he is well-spoken; he attempts to persuade and beguile. He would link worldliness with religion, and thus make religion void. Whatever his tactics are, his object is to catch men in the net. If Satan does not attack as a roaring lion, he attacks by creeping up to bite our heel. He would weaken our grace and ruin our godliness with his poison.   

(1) The Snare of the Fowler Explained. The fowler uses secrecy; he covers his trap, or beguiles the bird into an uncovered one. The wicked man dashes into the net even when destruction stares him in the face. The Christian is taken by secrecy. If the devil comes with his horns visible, I will never let him in; but if he comes with his hat on as a respectable gentleman, he is admitted at once. The first drop of sin admits a torrent. Then there is a fearful end. Some unconverted men can indulge in gayeties without being led into sin; but the Christian cannot go there without ruining his piety. The fowler adapts his snare to the kind of bird he is after. Drink will work for one, lust for another. We might not be tempted to pride of riches, but we might be apt to boast of our kindness, which is the trap of pride in a different shape. The fowler adapts his snare to your pleasures. Your fairest pleasures will harbor your grossest sins. Cleopatra’s asp was introduced in a basket of flowers. Job was more careful of his sons when they were feasting. Let us be the same. Satan uses decoys. He chooses someone you respect. By the force of that example, you are led and snared. Choose the best friends you can; then follow them no further than they follow Christ. The fowler will go hawking. If he can’t get you to sin, he will send a hawk to bring you down. Keep above this hawk. If any slander you, do not come down to them. If you prosecute slander, it will be more believed than if you left it alone. The more dirt thrown on your character, the more it will glisten in the end. All the fowler’s arts may be at us at once. Let us gird ourselves in God’s omnipotence, and the Holy Spirit will keep us. 

(2) Deliverance from the Snare. Deliverance is often through trouble. We have often painted a fine picture, and have been walking backwards to destruction admiring it. Then sad providence takes our child away or buries our wife. If not for trouble, we had been destroyed. Many of you have been delivered from the snare by sorrows, woes, losses, and crosses. Courage is another means of deliverance. O! that was a noble escape made by Joseph when the mistress laid hold of his garment. Timing may be another means. By the Spirit’s influence, what you might have been snared with last week is not worth a moment’s thought today. God delivers his people even after they are caught. We know something about being caught in the cage. O backslider, be cast down, but do not despair; God says, “Return, O backsliding children; I will have mercy on you.” Then he promises, “Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler.” 

(3) Deliverance is Certain. Scripture is precious because it is sure. What God has said he will do will be done. Christ has sworn that his sheep will be saved. The Holy Spirit vouches for it. If even one of them were to perish, the covenant would be void, and the Bible would be false. 

Selection from Conclusion. “If you are self-righteous, self-sufficient, ungodly, careless, worldly, there is no such promise for you; you are in the snare…and you shall perish, unless you repent.”

PART I, SKETCH XXII: THE LEAFLESS TREE

“But yet in it a tenth, and it shall return, and it shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof” (Isaiah 6.13.) 

Introduction. In spite of Isaiah’s holy, earnest reproofs, Israel would persevere in their sins. God would therefore waste and destroy the cities and their inhabitants. And though a tenth would be preserved, even this remnant would be nearly consumed. But as a tree that loses its leaves retains its substance, the remnant subjected to perils would survive, as well the land stripped of foliage.  

(1) Application to the Jews. The Jewish lineage is more noble than that of any knight. His pedigree can be traced back to Abraham, then back to Noah and then Adam. Our history is hidden in gloom. Theirs may be read from the start. Nebuchadnezzar nearly swept them away. Jerusalem was razed by Rome. But is the Jew conquered? He claims a dignity higher than ours; his history will be greater. When Messiah shall come again, he shall reign over his people most gloriously; the Jew will be afforded royal distinction. There is some mysterious preservative in a tree. The ‘remnant according to the election of grace’ keeps the Jew alive. There can always be found a Jew who loves Jesus. This holy seed is the substance of the nation. God has sworn kindness toward the Jews for their father’s sake. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; they shall prosper that love her.” The Jews will do more in this world for the kingdom than any of us have dreamed. 

(2) Application to the Church of Christ. The church may look dead. But she is preserved. There is a ‘chosen seed’ who are ‘the substance thereof.’ The church was in a leafless state last century. Then a revival broke out when six men were expelled from Oxford for praying, Bible-reading, and witnessing. Now the church is to a great degree barren again. True doctrine is scarce, zeal is rare, pulpit and pew have little energy. But the substance is in her. Some branches do not draw sap from the heart of the tree, and must be cut and burned. But the inward principle of the tree remains. And the life of a tree is not determined by the shape of the branches. The shape of a church is not its life, whether Presbyterian or Independent, whether more doctrine or less. The best men may be found in the worst churches! The oak without leaves retains a hidden life. It is the same with the church. Ministers are its arms and lips. But a man may be dumb and armless and yet live. Men and women who breathe out prayer, these are the substance. Has God made you holy by his Spirit, by the justifying righteousness of Christ, and by the application of his blood? If so, you are the substance of the church. You may tithe and still not be of the substance. Good men preserve the church by deriving life from Christ.

(3) Application to Individual Believers. The Arminian says that a Christian who loses his leaves is dead. When the wintry state came, faith slumbered; you doubted its existence, but it was there. Some Christians lose their leaves, not by doubts, but by sin. This is a tender topic. But it cannot be denied that some have been allowed, like David, to go into the blackest sins. O! horrid was the crime! Yet his substance was in him. How do I know? When Nathan rebuked him, David could have cut him in pieces like Manasseh did to Isaiah. But instead he bowed his head and wept before God. Poor backslider! I would not comfort you in your sins. But do you grieve over them? That is the bud that shows there is life within. Return! The Father longs to heal you.

Selection from Conclusion. “Why, man, the sin that does not damn a Christian, because Christ washes him in his blood, will damn you…O! that thou hadst life!…O! that thou wouldst now repent!” 

PART I, SKETCH XXI: A FAITHFUL FRIEND

“There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18.24.)

Introduction. He who would be happy must have friends. He who would be happy hereafter must find a friend in the world to come, in the person of God the Father. It is sweet to repose in some one; but O! how bitter to have that support snapped. Fidelity is absolutely necessary in a true friend. The world’s friendship is brittle. Solomon found no friend in the haunts of his unbridled pleasures, but in the pavilion of the Most High. We have read stories of valiant deeds done for love of brother. Yet, says Solomon, “there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” 

(1) Christ is a Friend that Sticks Closer than a Brother. You who have had him for a friend will agree. He loved you before all worlds, before the wing of angel flapped the unnavigated ether. He has been a certain friend in uncertain circumstances. You fell in Adam. Did he cease to love you? He became the second Adam to redeem you. You sinned in practice, and brought condemnation upon your head. Did he forsake you? He arrested you by grace, brought you to his feet, and forgave you. Others have been faithless. Has he? In your blackest hour, could you say so? Ask the bright ones before the throne. What do they say? Through the agonies of our expiring moments, he has been with us, ‘a friend that sticks closer than a brother.’  

(2) Why Christ Sticks Closer than a Brother. His goodness guarantees his fidelity. He does not flatter. He hazards a dislike by being honest. Has he not told you your faults right truly? Hasty friendships may soon run out of breath. Slow friendships last. His friendship has matured from the ages before you were born. O! his friendship is so old that it must last. Young lady, you acquired a dear friend last nite at the ballroom, did you? Will he be your friend when you are driven to beg bread? Give me a friend who was born in the wintertime, not in the hothouse of pleasure. Has Jesus not been with you in the house of mourning? Did you not find him in your hour of trouble? A friend who gave his heart’s blood for you will never forsake you. He sticks closer than a brother. Again, a friend acquired in folly is confederacy in vice. Such friendship is worthless. Jesus has chosen us, not blindly and rashly, but with judgment and prudence. A friendship of ignorance may suddenly die upon better acquaintance. Our Lord Jesus can discover nothing worse in us than he knew beforehand. He knew we would oftentimes rebel. He loved for his own sake. Surely he will stick closer than a brother. Yet again, friendship lies in deeds, not words. The world is a great house of sham. You write, ‘Yours very truly.’ It is a sham. You don’t mean it. Courtesies may be untruths. Christ does not say, ‘Dearly beloved’ simply. He hangs on the cross, and there we read ‘Dearly beloved’ in red letters. He gives himself for us, and then he gives himself to us. Such a friend sticks closer than a brother. Once more, friendship bought with pearls is not worth pebbles. Christ’s love was unpurchased love. You did not even promise to love him. Nothing can cause Christ to love us less. 

(3) A Lesson Drawn from the Doctrine. Lavater says that the degree of your friendships will be proportionate to that of your enemies, whether hot or cold. Because Christ sticks close to a Christian, the dog of hell will be at him with howlings. Satan’s roar is a proof of Christ’s love. 

Selection from Conclusion. “Remember, dear hearer, the love of men and women is very sweet; but all must pass away; and what will you do, if you have no wealth but the wealth that fadeth, and no love but the love which dies, when death shall come? O! to have the love of Christ!”

PART I, SKETCH XX: SECRET SINS

“Cleanse thou me from secret faults” (Psalm 19.12.)

Introduction. Self-righteousness arises partly from pride, but mainly from ignorance of the severity of God’s law. Let the law be revealed to a man, and his self-righteousness will become as a filthy rag in his sight. The Church of Rome once passed a decree that every true believer must confess all his sins once a year to a priest. How absurd! There are a vast mass of sins that only God can detect. “Cleanse thou me from secret faults.” But it is not the men who have sins unknown to themselves that I am after this morning. I am after the men who have sins they keep secret from their fellows.

(1) The Folly of Secret Sins. Pretender, you are nice to look at; your conduct is good and Christian-like. But do you judge the drunkard while you drink in secret? Whatever your sin, you are a fool to think you can hide it. The eye of God has seen your secret. Dig as deep as hell, and you’ll not find earth enough to cover your sin from God. What will you think on that day when God shall read out the story of your secret life to men and angels? Even the holiest man in this congregation would not like his secret thoughts known. Renounce this foolish hope of secrecy.

(2) The Misery of Secret Sins. A drunkard who admits his habit will be unspeakably miserable for worlds to come. Yet he has at least some peace until then for his honesty. But a man who pretends to be religious while he lives in sin is in continual agony of being caught. Better to be a sinner in the open than a hypocrite! A mere profession of religion is like dressing all up just to go to hell. Hypocrisy is a hard game to play at, for it is one deceiver against many observers. “Be sure your sins will find you out.” Men will even tell their secret tales in their dreams. Secret sinner! if you want a foretaste of damnation, continue your secret sinning. A stag followed by hungry hounds with open mouths is far more happy than a man who is chased by his sins!

(3) The Solemn Guilt of Secret Sin. A sin is a sin, whether discovered by others or not. Robbing the till is a sin, even if no one finds out. I hold that secret sin is the worst kind because the man who commits it has Atheism in his heart. He is a practical Atheist. To conceal our sin from creatures and then sin in secret before God is to think more of man’s eye than God’s eye. This is to deny that God is God. Look your secret in the face, confess it, and may God give you grace.

(4) The Danger of Secret Sin. Private sin leads to public sin. You keep your little pet sin at home; but mark this, when the door is ajar the dog will be out in the street. And sin the first time, there are drops of sweat on the brow; next time there’s no sweat, only agitation; then just a sneaky look; and then you are a bold blasphemer. And you Christians, a little sin, like a little pebble in the shoe, will make your travel to heaven a weary one. Let us destroy all our little secret sins. 

(5) A Plea to Secret Sinners. The pleasures of this life are so intoxicating; but the joys of it so ensnaring. Will you have your sin and go to hell, or leave your sin and go to heaven? You may have temporary happiness, then overwhelming woe; or solid peace, and then everlasting joy. 

Selection from Conclusion. “’But,’ says one, ‘sir, I intend to be religious, but I do not hold with your strictness.’ I do not ask you to do so; I hope, however, you will hold with God’s strictness, and God’s strictness is ten thousand times greater than mine. You may say that I am puritanical in my preaching; God will be puritanical in judging…to be out of Christ is a dreadful thing.”

PART I, SKETCH XIX: THE SINNER'S REFUGE

“Then ye shall appoint you cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares (Numbers 35.11.)

Introduction. The principle of blood revenge is a deep-seated one in the eastern mind. The custom goes like this. When a man was murdered or killed by chance, his nearest relative must kill his killer. There are two things mentioned in Scripture that God never approved, but did not forbid. One is polygamy. The other is this matter of blood vengeance. But to prevent a man from being slain for killing someone by accident, God provided cities of refuge for him to flee into for security.   

(1) An Explanation. The city of refuge was not provided for the murderer. A murderer who fled there would be dragged out, tried, and given over to his avenger. Now here is a type. Sinner, the law of God is the blood avenger against you, for you have broken, or killed, God’s commandments. Now there were six cities of refuge. This is a type of Christ. He is everywhere, always at a convenient distance. Though the city of refuge was only for the innocent, and we are guilty, we may flee to Christ for safety. There we are provided for, and kept secure by divine appointment. The penalty for breaking the law cannot touch us there. In the old Jewish dispensation, if the man reached even to the outskirts of the city of refuge, that was enough. And it is enough for our salvation if we can barely touch the hem of Christ’s garment. “Faith as a grain of mustard seed” is enough. The way to the cities of refuge was kept clear by the elders. This is a picture of the road to Jesus and to heaven. Preachers keep the way open by pointing to Christ and declaring, “Believe and live!”—“Refuge, refuge, refuge!”

(2) An Exhortation. Picture a scene. A man is at work in a field. He accidentally strikes his companion dead with a tool. See the horror in his face! See the corpse lying at his feet! What next! He flies from the field, runs with all his might! He does not stop to kiss his kids or say bye to his wife. Soon the victim’s brother is after him! And then a posse! He is like an animal chased by hounds. See him speeding on for miles with veins bulging! And what! He finally sees the outskirts of the city, his pursuers right on his heels with knives and stones! He leaps over the border, exhausted almost to death, but rejoicing! The pursuers dare not touch him now! He has managed to leap into the kingdom of life! Sinner, this is a picture of you, except you are not innocent, but guilty. O! that God would give you grace to sense the danger you are in! The avenger of blood is after you! If you could see the sword of God’s law, you might quiver to death right where you are. If this avenger gets you, it will not be death merely, but eternal death. Do you know anything about damnation? Wrath? The undying worm? The bottomless pit? You cannot know how dreadful these things are. No, the drunkard still drinks; the swearer still swears, etc. Do not act so foolishly! How foolish to carelessly loiter when the city of refuge is ahead and the avenger of blood is behind! Do not say, “There is no city of refuge for me.” That is a sham despair. And make sure it is Christ you flee to, not the city of baptism or confirmation. Jesus’ blood, his wounds, his agonies, his sufferings, his death, these are the gates and walls of the city of salvation. By the terrors of the law, by the day of judgment, by the wrath to come, by the uncertainty of life, and by the nearness of death, this night flee to Christ!

Selection from Conclusion. “Not only doth the night come on; but, lo! the blood avenger is behind. Already he has slain his thousands. Let the shrieks of souls, already damned, come up in your ears….let the torments of hell amaze you. What! will you stop with such a sword behind you?”