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determined to live by the Bibleif you are resolved to be a New
Testament Christian； then； I repeat； you will soon find you must carry
a cross。You must endure hard things； you must suffer on behalf of
your soul； as Moses did； or you cannot be saved。
The world in the nineteenth century is what it always was。 The hearts
of men are still the same。 The offence of the cross is not ceased。
God's true people are still a despised little flock。 True Evangelical
religion still brings with it reproach and scorn。 A real servant of God
will still be thought by many a weak enthusiast and a fool。
But the matter es to this。 Do you wish your soul to be saved？ Then
remember； you must choose whom you will serve。 You cannot serve God and
mammon。 You cannot be on two sides at once。 You cannot be a friend of
Christ and a friend of the world at the same time。 You must e out
from the children of this world； and be separate； you must put up with
much ridicule； trouble； and opposition； or you will be lost for ever。
You must be willing to think and do things which the world considers
foolish； and to hold opinions which are only held by a few。 It will
cost you something。 The stream is strong； and you have to stem it。 The
way is narrow and steep； and it is no use saying it is not。 But depend
on it； there can be no saving religion without sacrifices and
self…denial。
Now are you making any sacrifices？ Does your religion cost you
anything？ I put it to your conscience in all affection and
tenderness。Are you； like Moses； preferring God to the world； or not？
I beseech you not to take shelter under that dangerous word 〃we〃： 〃we
ought；〃 and 〃we hope；〃 and 〃we mean；〃 and the like。 I ask you plainly；
What are you doing yourself？ Are you willing to give up anything which
keeps you back from God？ or are you clinging to the Egypt of the world；
and saying to yourself； 〃I must have it； I must have it： I cannot tear
myself away〃？ Is there any cross in your Christianity？ Are there any
sharp corners in your religion； anything that ever jars and es in
collision with the earthly…mindedness around you？ or is all smooth and
rounded…off； and fortably fitted into custom and fashion？ Do you
know anything of the afflictions of the Gospel？ Is your faith and
practice ever a subject of scorn and reproach？ Are you thought a fool
by anyone because of your soul？ Have you left Pharaoh's daughter； and
heartily joined the people of God？ Are you venturing all on Christ？
Search and see。
These are hard inquiries and rough questions。 I cannot help it。 I
believe they are founded on Scripture truths。 I remember it is written；
〃There went great multitudes with Jesus； and He turned； and said unto
them； If any man e to Me and hate not his father； and mother； and
wife； and children； and brethren； and sisters； yea and his own life；
also； he cannot be my disciple。 And whosoever doth not bear his cross；
and e after Me； cannot be my disciple。〃 （Luke xiv。 25…27。） Many； I
fear； would like glory； who have no wish for grace。 They would fain
have the wages； but not the work； the harvest； but not the labour； the
reaping； but not the sowing； the reward； but not the battle。 But it may
not be。 As Bunyan says； 〃the bitter must go before the sweet。〃 If there
is no cross； there will be no crown。
（2） The second thing I say is thisnothing mil ever enable you to
choose God before the world； except faith。
Nothing else will do it。 Knowledge will not； feeling will not； a
regular use of outward forms will not； good panions will not。 All
these may do something； but the fruit they produce has no power of
continuance： it will not last。 A religion springing from such sources
will only endure so long as there is no 〃tribulation of persecution
because of the Word〃； but as soon as there is any； it will dry up。 It
is a clock without mainspring or weights； its face may be beautiful；
you may turn its fingers round； but it will not go。 A religion that is
to stand must have a living foundation； and there is none other but
faith。
There must be a real heartfelt belief that God's promises are sure and
to be depended on； a real belief that what God says in the Bible is all
true； and that every doctrine contrary to this is false； whatever
anyone may say。 There must be a real belief that all God's words are to
be received； however hard and disagreeable to flesh and blood； and that
His way is right and all others wrong。 This there must be； or you will
never e out from the world； take up the cross； follow Christ； and be
saved。
You must learn to believe promises better than possessions； things
unseen better than things seen； things in heaven out of sight better
than things on earth before your eyes； the praise of the invisible God
better than the praise of visible man。 Then； and then only； you will
make a choice like Moses； and prefer God to the world。
Now I ask every reader of this paper； have you got this faith？ If you
have； you will find it possible to refuse seeming good； and choose
seeming evil。You will think nothing of to…day's losses； in the hope
of to…morrow's gains。You will follow Christ in the dark； and stand by
Him to the very last。 If you have not； I warn you； you will never war a
good warfare； and 〃so run as to obtain。〃You will soon be offended and
turn back to the world。
Above all this there must be a real abiding faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ。 The life that you live in the flesh you must live by faith of
the Son of God。 There must be a settled habit of continually leaning on
Jesus； looking unto Jesus； drawing out of Jesus； and using Him as the
manna of your soul。 You must strive to be able to say； 〃To me to live
is Christ。〃 〃I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me。〃
（Philip。 i。 21； iv。 13。）
This was the faith by which the old saints obtained a good report。 This
was the weapon by which they overcame the world。 This made them what
they were。
This was the faith that made Noah go on building Ms ark； while the
world looked on and mockedand Abraham give the choice of the land to
Lot； and dwell on quietly in tentsand Ruth cleave to Naomi； and turn
away from her country and her godsand Daniel continue in prayer；
though he knew the lions' den was preparedand the three children
refuse to worship idols； though the fiery furnace was before their
eyesand Moses forsake Egypt； not fearing the wrath of Pharaoh。 All
these acted as they did because they believed。 They saw the
difficulties and troubles of this course。 But they saw Jesus by faith
above them all； and they pressed on。 Well may the Apostle Peter speak
of faith as 〃precious faith。〃 （2 Peter i。 1。）
（3） The third thing I say is thisthe true reason why so many are
worldly and ungodly persons is that they have no faith。
We must be aware that multitudes of professing Christians would never
think for a moment of doing as Moses did。 It is useless to speak smooth
things； and shut your eyes to the fact。 That man must be blind who does
not see thousands around him who are daily preferring the world to
Godplacing the things of time before the things of eternity； and the
things of the body before the things of the soul。 We may not like to
admit this； and we try hard to blink the fact。 But so it is。
And why do they do so？ No doubt they will all give us reasons and
excuses。 Some will talk of the snares of the worldsome of the want of
timesome of the peculiar difficulties of their positionsome of the
cares and anxieties of life； some of the strength of temptationsome
of the power of passionssome of the effects of bad panions。 But
what does it e to after all？ There is a far shorter way to account
for the state of their soulsthey do not believe。 One simple sentence；
like Aaron's rod； will swallow up all their excusesthey have no
faith。
They do not really think what God says is true。 They secretly flatter
themselves with the notion； 〃It will surely not be fulfilledthere
must surely be some other way to heaven beside that which ministers
speak ofthere cannot surely be so much danger of being lost。〃 In
short； they do not put implicit confidence in the words that God has
written and spoken； and so do not act upon them。 They do not thoroughly
believe hell； and so do not flee from itnor heaven； and so do not
seek itnor the guilt of sin； and so do not turn from itnor the
holiness of God； and so do not fear Himnor their need of Christ； and
so do not trust in Him； nor love Him。 They do not feel confidence in
God； and so venture nothing for Him。 Like the boy Passion； in Pilgrim's
Progress； they must have their good things now。 They do not trust God；
and so they cannot wait。
Now how is it with ourselves？ Do we believe all the Bible？ Let us ask
ourselves that question。 Depend on it； it is a much greater thing to
believe all the Bible than many suppose。 Happy is the man who can lay
his hand on his heart and say； 〃I am a believer。〃
We talk of infidels sometimes as if they were the rarest people in the
world。 And I grant that open avowed infidelity is happily not very
mon now。 But there is a vast amount of practical infidelity around
us； for all that； which is as dangerous in the end as the principles of
Voltaire and Paine。 There are many who Sunday after Sunday repeat the
creed； and make a point of declaring their belief in all that the
Apostolic and Nicene forms contain。 And yet these very persons will
live all the week as if Christ had never died； and as if there were no
judgment； and no resurrection of the dead； and no life everlasting at
all。 There are many who will say； 〃Oh； we know it all；〃 when spoken to
about eternal things and the value of their souls。 And yet their lives
show plainly they know not anything as they ought to know； and the
saddest part of their state is that they think they do！
It is an awful truth； and worthy of all consideration； that knowledge
not acted upon； in God's sight； is not merely useless and unprofitable。
It is much worse than that。 It will add to our condemnation and
increase our guilt in the judgment day。 A faith that does not influence
a man's practice is not worthy of the name。 There are only two classes
in the Church of Christthose who believe and those who do not。 The
difference between the true Christian and the mere outward professor
just lies in one wordthe true Christian is like Moses； 〃He has
faith〃； the mere outward professor has none。 The true Christian
believes； and therefore lives as he does； the mere professor does not
believe； and therefore is what he is。 Oh； where is our faith？ Let us
not be faithless； but believing。
（4） The last thing I say is thisthe true secret of doing great things
for God is to have great faith。
I believe that we are all apt to err on this point。 We think too much；
and talk too much； about graces； and gifts； and attainments； and do not
sufficiently remember that faith is the root and mother of them all。 In
walking with God； a man will go just as far as he believes； and no
further。 His life will always be proportioned to his faith。 His peace；
his patience； his courage； his seal； his worksall will be according
to his faith。
You read the lives of eminent Christians； of such men as Wesley； or
Whitefield； or Venn； or Martyn； of Bickersteth； or Simeon； or M'Cheyne。
And you are disposed to say； 〃What wonderful gifts and graces these men
had！〃 I answer； you should rather give honour to the mother…grace which
God puts forward in the eleventh chapter of the Epistle to the
Hebrewsyou should give honour to their faith。 Depend on it； faith was
the mainspring in the character of each and all。
I can fancy someone saying； 〃They were so prayerfulthat made them
what they were。〃 I answer； why did they pray much？