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taken root and flourished in some other climate。Fire； sword； prisons；
fines； penalties； have never been able to destroy its vitality。 Its
persecutors have died and gone to their own place； but the Word of God
has lived； and grown； and multiplied。 Weak as this true Church may
appear to the eye of man； it is an anvil which has broken many a hammer
in times past； and perhaps will break many more before the end。 〃He
that lays hands on it； is touching the apple of his eye。〃 （Zech。 ii。
8。）
The promise of our text is true of the whole body of the true Church。
Christ will never be without witness in the world。 He has had a people
in the worst of times。 He had seven thousand in Israel even in the days
of Ahab。 There are some now； I believe； in dark places of the Roman and
Greek Churches； who； in spite of much weakness； are serving Christ。 The
devil may rage horribly。 The Church in some countries may be brought
exceedingly low。 But the gates of hell shall never entirely 〃prevail。〃
The promise of our text is true of every individual member of the
Church。 Some of God's people have been so much cast down and
disquieted； that they have despaired of their safety。 Some have fallen
sadly； as David and Peter did。 Some have departed from the faith for a
time； like Cranmer and Jewell。 Many have been tried by cruel doubts and
fears。 But all have got safe home at last； the youngest as well as the
oldest； the weakest as well as the strongest。And so it will be to the
end。 Can you prevent tomorrow's sun from rising？ Can you prevent the
tide in the Bristol Channel from ebbing and flowing？ Can you prevent
the planets moving in their respective orbits？ Then； and then alone；
can you prevent the salvation of any believer； however feeblethe
final safety of any living stone in that Church which is built upon the
rock； however small or insignificant that stone may appear。
The true Church is Christ's body。 Not one bone in that mystical body
shall ever be broken。The true Church is Christ's bride。 Those whom
God has joined in everlasting covenant； shall never be put
asunder。The true Church is Christ's flock。 When the lion came and
took a lamb out of David's flock； David arose and delivered the lamb
from his mouth。 Christ will do the same。 He is David's greater son。 Not
a single sick lamb in Christ's flock shall perish。 He will say to His
Father in the last day； 〃Of them which Thou gavest Me I have lost
none。〃 （John xviii。 9。）The true Church is the wheat of the earth。 It
may be sifted； winnowed； buffeted； tossed to and fro。 But not one grain
shall！ be lost。 The tares and chaff shall be burned。 The wheat shall be
gathered into the barn。The true Church is Christ's army。 The Captain
of our salvation loses none of His soldiers。 His plans are never
defeated。 His supplies never fail。 His muster…roll is the same at the
end as it was at the beginning。 Of the men that marched gallantly out
of England many years ago in the Crimean war； how many ever came back！
Regiments that went forth； strong and cheerful； with bands playing and
banners flying； laid their bones in a foreign land and never returned
to their native country。 But it is not so with Christ's army。 Not one
of His soldiers shall be missing at last。 He Himself declares； 〃They
shall never perish。〃 （John x。 28。）
The devil may cast some of the members of the true Church into prison。
He may kill； and burn； and torture； and hang。 But after he has killed
the body； there is nothing more that he can do。 He cannot hurt the
soul。 When the French troops took Rome years ago； they found on the
walls of a prison cell； under the Inquisition； the words of a prisoner。
Who he was； we know not。 But his words are worthy of remembrance。
〃Though dead； he yet speaketh。〃 He had written on the walls； very
likely after an unjust trial and a still more unjust exmunication；
the following striking words：〃Blessed Jesus； they cannot cast me out
of Thy true Church。〃 That record is true！ Not all the power of Satan
can cast out of Christ's true Church one single believer。
I trust that no reader of this paper will ever allow fear to prevent
his beginning to serve Christ。 He to whom you mit your soul has all
power in heaven and earth； and He will keep you。 He will never let you
be cast away。 Relatives may oppose。 Neighbours may mock。 The world may
slander； and ridicule； and jest； and sneer。 Fear not！ Fear not！ The
powers of hell shall never prevail against your soul。 Greater is He
that is for you； than all they that are against you。
Fear not for the Church of Christ when ministers die； and saints are
taken away。 Christ can ever maintain His own cause。 He will raise up
better servants and brighter stars。 The stars are all in His right
hand。 Leave off all anxious thought about the future。 Cease to be cast
down by the measures of statesmen； or the plots of wolves in sheep's
clothing。 Christ will ever provide for His own Church。 Christ will take
care that 〃The gates of hell shall not prevail against it。〃 All is
going on well； though our eyes may not see it。 The kingdoms of this
world shall yet bee the kingdoms of our God； and of His Christ。
I will now conclude this paper with a few words of practical
application。
（1） My first word of application shall be a question。 What shall that
question be？ What shall I ask？ I will return to the point with which I
began。 I will go back to the first sentence with which I opened my
paper。 I ask you； whether you are a member of the one true Church of
Christ？ Are you in the highest； the best sense； a 〃churchman〃 in the
sight of God？ You know now what I mean。 I look far beyond the Church of
England。 I am not speaking of church or chapel。 I speak of 〃the Church
built upon the rock。〃 I ask you； with all solemnityAre you a member
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 Chur