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surely go to heaven without being such very great saints。 To all this I
can only reply； What saith the Scripture？ What saith the Lord？ It is
written； 〃Except a man be born again； he cannot see the kingdom of
God。〃〃Except ye be converted； and bee as little children； ye shall
not enter into the kingdom of heaven。〃〃He that saith he abideth in
Christ； ought himself also so to walk； even as He walked。〃〃If any man
have not the Spirit of Christ； he is none of His。〃 （John iii。 3； Matt。
xviii。 3； 1 John ii。 6； Rom。 viii。 9。） The Scripture cannot be broken。
If Bible words mean anything； to be without the Spirit is to be
〃without Christ。〃
I mend the three propositions I have just laid down to your serious
and prayerful consideration。 Mark well what they e to。 Examine them
carefully on every side。 In order to have a saving interest in Christ；
knowledge； faith； and the grace of the Holy Ghost are absolutely
needful。 He that is without them is 〃without Christ。〃
How painfully ignorant are many！ They know literally nothing about
religion。 Christ； and the Holy Ghost； and faith； and grace； and
conversion； and sanctification are mere 〃words and names〃 to them。 They
could not explain what they mean； if it were to save their lives。 And
can such ignorance as this take anyone to heaven？ Impossible！ Without
knowledge； 〃without Christ！〃
How painfully self…righteous are many！ They can talk placently about
having 〃done their duty；〃 and being 〃kind to everybody；〃 and having
always 〃kept to their Church；〃 and having 〃never been so very bad〃 as
someand therefore they seem to think they must go to heaven！ And as
to deep sense of sin and simple faith in Christ's blood and sacrifice；
these seem to have no place in their religion。 Their talk is all of
doing and never of believing。 And will such self…righteousness as this
land anyone in heaven？ Never！ Without faith； 〃without Christ！〃
How painfully ungodly are many！ They live in the habitual neglect of
God's Sabbath； God's Bible； God's ordinances； and God's sacraments。
They think nothing of doing things which God has flatly forbidden。 They
are constantly living in ways which are directly contrary to God's
mandments。 And can such ungodliness end in salvation？ Impossible！
Without the Holy Ghost； 〃without Christ！〃
I know well that at first sight these statements seem hard； and sharp；
and rough； and severe。 But after all； are they not God's truth as
revealed to us in Scripture？ If truth； ought they not to be made known？
If necessary to be known； ought they not to be plainly laid down？ If I
know anything of my own heart； I desire above all things to magnify the
riches of God's love to sinners。 I long to tell all mankind what a
wealth of mercy and loving…kindness there is laid up in God's heart for
all who will seek it。 But I cannot find anywhere that ignorant； and
unbelieving； and unconverted people have any part in Christ！ If I am
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。