grace ye are saved,) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." What for? "That in the ages to come,"mark this-he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus." One more passage, and I will not weary your attention. O that this last passage might comfort some of you, it is Paul who speaks (1 Timothy i. 13), "I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying," see how he puts it from his own experience, "and worthy of all acceptation;" and therefore worthy of yours, poor sinner; "that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." "Ah" says one "but he would not save any more." Let me go on--"Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting." So that if you trust as Paul did, you shall be saved as Paul was, for his conversion and salvation are a pattern to all those who should believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, unto life everlasting. So sinner, timid as you are, here Jesus meets you.

O, I wish I could say a word that would lead you poor tearful ones to look to Jesus. O, do not let the devil tempt you to believe that you are too sinful. "He is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him."

"Let not conscience make you linger, nor of fitness fondly dream."

Fitness is not needed-do but come to him. You are black, and you do not feel your blackness as you ought-that makes you all the blacker. Come, then, and be clean. You are sinful, and this is your greatest sin, that you do not repent as you ought; but come to him, and ask him to forgive your impenitence. Come as you are: if he rejecteth one of you, I will bear the blame for ever; if he casteth one of you away that shall trust him, call me a false prophet in the day of the resurrection. But I pawn my life upon it-I stake my own soul's interest on this-that whosoever cometh unto him, he will in no wise cast out.

V. I hear one more complaint. "I am WITHOUT STRENGTH," saith one; "will Jesus come just where I am?" Yes, sinner, just where you are. You say you cannot believe, that is your difficulty. God meets you, then, in your inability. First, he meets you with his promises. Soul, thou canst not believe; but when God, that cannot lie, promises, will you not believe, can you not believe then? I do think God's promise-so sure, so stedfast-must overcome this inability of yours.

"Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." Cannot you believe now? Why, that promise must be true! But next, as if he knew that this would not be enough, he has taken an oath with it—and a more awful oath was never sworn-" As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, but had rather that he should turn unto me and live. Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die, O house of Israel." Can you not believe now? What, will you doubt God when he swears it, not only make God a liar but-let me shudder when I say it will you think that God can perjure his own self? God forbid you should so blaspheme. Remember, he that believeth not hath made God a liar, because he believeth not on the Son of God. Do not do this. Surely you can believe when the promise and the oath compel you to faith. But yet more, as if he knew that even this were not enough, he has given you of his Spirit. "If ye being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him." Surely with this you can believe. "But," saith one, "I will try." No, no, do not try, that is not what God commands you to do; no trying is wanted; believe Christ now, sinner. "But," saith one, "I will think of it." Do not think of it, do it now, do it at once for this is God's gospel. There are some of you standing in these aisles and sitting in these pews, who I feel in my soul will never have another invitation, and if this be rejected to-day, I feel a solemn motion in my soulI think it is of the Holy Ghost-that you will never hear another faithful sermon, but you shall go down to hell impenitent, unsaved, except ye trust in Jesus now. I speak not as a man, but I speak as God's ambassador to your souls, and I command you, in God's name, trust Jesus, trust now. At your peril reject the voice that speaks from heaven, for "he that believeth not shall be damned." How shall ye escape if ye neglect so great salvation. When it comes right home to you, when it thrusts itself in your way, oh, if ye will neglect it how can ye escape? With tears I would invite you, and, if I could, would compel you to come in. Why will ye not? O souls, if ye will be damned, if ye make up your mind that no mercy shall ever woo you, and no warnings shall ever move you, then, sirs, what chains of vengeance must you feel that slight these bonds of love. You have deserved the deepest hell, for you slight the joys above. God save you.. He will save you, if you trust in Jesus. God help you to trust him even now, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

FAITH OMNIPOTENT.

A Sermon

DELIVERED ON SUNDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 12TH, 1862, BY
REV. C. H. SPURGEON,

AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.

"Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."-Mark ix. 23.

I MUST take your minds back to the scene in the midst of which Christ uttered these memorable words. Christ had been upon the mountaintop, transfigured in the presence of his three disciples. During his absence, the disciples remaining had been put to a nonplus. They found themselves, for want of faith, unable to work a miracle. And the Pharisees triumphed. Christ came down just at the very moment and turned the scale. We find a parallel case in the story of Moses, when with his servant Joshua he went up to the mountain and beheld the glory of the Lord. While he and Joshua were absent evil lifted up its head, and those who would walk by sight prevailed over the poor weak faith of Aaron, so that he made for them a golden calf; and lo, as Moses returned, he saw the people given up to the worship of this image which they could see with their eyes and handle with their hands. Faith had left the field routed, because the champion was not there, and sinful sight was for the moment triumphant. Moses dashes boldly into the midst of the people, and instantly they are put to confusion; some tremble, and the most brazen of them are made to hang their heads. He lays hold upon their molten calf, grinds it to powder, and makes them drink thereof. Now, our Lord with his Joshuas-Peter, and James, and John, the three elect out of the electhad been on the mountain of transfiguration. The rest, like Aaron, found themselves attacked by those who would have signs and wonders; and being unable to furnish these signs and wonders for lack of faith, the Pharisees pushed their advantage, and the hosts of God seemed to fly before them. But suddenly, like a great King, Christ stands in their midst; the Pharisees are abashed; a miracle is performed; faith triumphs, and the doubters are shamed. Like some mighty general who, having been absent from the field of battle, finds that his lieutenants have rashly engaged in action and have been defeated; the left wing is broken, the right has fled, and the centre begins to fail; he lifts his standard in the midst of his troops, and bids them rally around him; they gather; they

dash upon the all-but triumphant foemen, and soon they turn the balance of victory, and make the late victors turn their ignominious backs to flight. Brethren, here is a lesson at the very outset. What we want for conquest is the shout of a king in the midst of us. The presence of Christ is victory to his Church: the absence of the Lord Jesus entails disgraceful defeat. O armies of the living God, count not your numbers; rely not upon your strength; reckon not upon the ability of your ministers; vaunt not in human might; nor on the other hand be ye dismayed because ye are few, nor tremble because ye are feeble; if He be with you, more are they that are for you than all they that are against you. If Christ be in your midst, there are horses of fire and chariots of fire round about you.

"When he makes bare his arm,

Who can his cause withstand?
When he his people's cause defends,
Who? who shall stay his hand?"

Lift up your eyes, then, to the hills, from whence Jesus cometh who is your help, and entreat him never to forsake his people, but to dwell with them, and walk among them for evermore.

The matter about which the dispute had arisen was this: a certain man had a demoniac son, who was afflicted with a dumb spirit, which threw him into convulsions and ravings of the most hideous kind. The father, having seen the futility of the endeavours of the disciples, had little or no faith in Christ, and therefore when he was bidden to bring his son to him, he said to Jesus, "If thou canst do anything have compassion on us, and help us." Now there was an "if" in the question, but the poor trembling father had put the "if" in the wrong place. Jesus Christ, therefore, without telling him to retract the "if," just puts it in its legitimate position. "Nay, verily," he seemed to say, "there should be no 'if' about my power, nor about my willingness, the 'if' lies somewhere else." "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." The man received faith, offering at the same time a humble prayer for an increase of faith, and instantly Christ spoke the word, and the devil was cast out with an injunction never to return. Brethren, you and I see that there is an "if" somewhere, but we are perpetually blundering by putting it in the wrong place. If Christ can convert heathens? No, no, if the Church can believe he can. If Christ can make the ministry successful? Nay, if you can believe he can. If Christ can give me the pardon of sin, if he can give me high enjoyments, if he can lift me above doubts and fears? Not so, brethrennot so; you have misplaced your "if." It is if you can believe; for if you can, even as all things are possible to Christ, so shall all things be possible to you. Faith standeth in God's power, and in God's majesty; it weareth the royal apparel, and rideth on the king's horse, for it is the grace which the king delighteth to honour. Girding itself with the glorious might of the all-working Spirit, it becomes, in the omnipotence of God, mighty to do, to dare, and to suffer. "All things," without limit, "are possible to him that believeth."

I shall, this morning, dwell upon some of the achievements of faith,

and then notice where faith's great power lieth. God help us to speak on both of these points with divine power.

I. First, SOME OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF FAITH.

Time would fail me if I should attempt to rehearse the record of those who have earned a good report through faith. It is not necessary that my humble tongue should recapitulate what Paul, with inspired lips, has uttered in the ears of the Church. Turn to the 11th chapter of the Hebrews, and see there a mighty triumphal arch which God the Holy Ghost has raised in commemoration of the splendid triumphs which faith has achieved. Behold this tower of David, builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men. With joy the Church recounts her worthies, for the Lord uttereth his voice before his army, for his camp is very great. But it needs not that I remind you of these ancient things, I will rather speak of some of the things which faith can perform to-day, even to-day.

1. First, we will consider faith in its relationship to guilt. Here we may say, in your hearing, if ye can believe guilt can be removed; perfect pardon and complete justification are possible to the vilest sinner, if he can believe in Christ. Behold, my brethren, faith going forth to conflict with sin. Mark for a moment its determined struggles, but see it coming back, like David, with Goliah's head in his hand-a mighty conqueror through the strength of its Gol. Faith in dealing with sin does not forget the greatness of it. Our sin is tremendous: it is not possible for us to over estimate its guilt. The sinner, under the most awful convictions, never exaggerated the evil of sin, it is a dreadful and a bitter thing; but faith dealeth thus with it. "What if my sin be great? I have a great Saviour; surely he is able to take my sin, even if it were a hundred times as great as it is, and to cast it all into the depths of the sea. I know that I have greatly revolted, and have sinned with many aggravations against my God; but I believe in his great mercy, and I know that he is able to blot out my sins like a cloud, and my transgressions like a thick cloud." Faith does not lessen sin in the estimate of a sinner; but it exalts Christ, so that the sinner firmly and fully believeth that if its sin could be multiplied by all the number of the elect, yet He who is mighty to save could roll all the burden away, and make him free. The greatness of sin is no barrier to its removing, if thou canst believe.

Many, also, are troubled with a consciousness of the ill desert of sin. They are made to look into hell; they seem to hear the wailings as they ascend from the place of torment. Such awful passages as these are in their troubled mind: "Tophet is prepared of old; the pile thereof is wood and much smoke." "These shall go away into everlasting punishment, where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched. But faith says, "Yes; but despite all this, the agonies of Christ were so great that they are a fit and full expiation by which all these torments can be, by God's mercy, fully removed from those who trust in Jesus, and they can even mount to the upper skies." To know the desert of sin, and yet believe that Christ can pardon-this is faith's work. Not to make out sin to be a peccadillo, a small and trivial offence, but to confess that the full weight of God's eternal arm can be none too heavy to fall upon the man who has dared to insult his Maker's