“Straightway”

"Straightway"

(No. 2618)

A SERMON INTENDED FOR READING ON LORD'S-DAY, APRIL 16, 1899.

DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEON,

AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE NEWINGTON, ON LORD'S-DAY EVENING,
JANUARY 15, 1882.

"They straightway left their nets, and followed Him." Matthew 4:20.

"THEY straightway left their nets." Immediately, without hesitation,
without question. At once, on the spot, then and there,
instantaneously–at the Master's call they "left their nets, and
followed Him." It was one mark of our Savior's authority and power
that. when He commanded, men obeyed. Your memories will help you to
recall many instances in which persons and even inanimate things
instantly obeyed when Christ gave them the word of command. Satan and
legions of demons, diseases of every kind and even winds and
waves–those things which usually seem to be lawless and wild always
gave heed to the Law which issued from His lips. When He spoke, it was
done, for His Word was with power.

This is a mark of the effectual calling by Divine Grace–whenever it
comes, men are led "straightway" to obey it. I may call you as long as
I please, yet you will not come to Christ for all my calling. But if
Christ shall call you by His Spirit, you will come. Yes, and come
"straightway." When the command of Christ is applied to the soul with
Divine energy, there is an immediate yielding of the heart to Him and
His Law is obeyed. Judge yourselves, therefore, dear Friends, whether
the Word of God has come with power to you or not, for if it has not
come with almighty power, but you merely hear it as I speak it, you
will say to me, as Felix said to Paul, "Go your way for a time; when I
have a convenient season, I will call for you." But if the Truth of God
proclaimed shall be accompanied with the energy of the Holy Spirit,
then, as soon as the Lord says, "Seek you My face," your heart will
respond to Him, "Your face, Lord, will I seek." Pray to the Lord, you
who have heard and answered the call of His Spirit, that the same call
may be given to others, and be effectually applied to them, to the
praise of the Glory of God's Grace.

I am going to use, in two ways, one word in my text–"straightway."
First, I suggest that this word, "straightway," should be a motto for
all Christians. All disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ should take that
word as their guiding star! Secondly, let all seekers take if as their
motto, too–"straightway." If you would find Christ, seek Him at once–
"straightway."

I. First, then, let this word, "straightway," be THE MOTTO OF EVERY
DISCIPLE OF THE LORD JESUS

CHRIST.

When I preached, many years ago, in the cathedral at Geneva, after the
service was ended, the Brothers presented me with a large bronze
commemorative medal of John Calvin, on which is this passage, "He
endured, as seeing Him who is invisible," which was a most suitable
motto text for him. Upon the covers of his works are these words, which
are also truly descriptive of the man, "Prompte et sincere in opere
Domini"–"Prompt and sincere in the work of the Lord." I was pleased
with both those mottos and my prayer, then, was, and still is, that
they may both be mine as well as Calvin's. I pray that I may endure, as
seeing Him who is invisible, and that I may also live to earn that
other commendation, "prompt and sincere in the work of the Lord."
Sincere, I trust we all are, who love the Savior, but we are not all as
prompt as we are sincere! You know, in business, people like a man of
prompt payments upon whom they can always depend. We also like persons
to be prompt in carrying out their promises, but, oh, to be prompt in
the work of the Lord, so as to not only do the right thing, but to do
it at the right time–and that right time almost always is the time
suggested by my text, "straightway." "Whatever your hand finds to do,
do it with all your might," and do it at once. Leave it not to lie by
among the lumber of good intentions, but if you are prompted to do it,
set to work and do it immediately!

"Straightway," then, is to be the motto of the Christian, first, in
obeying Christ's Laws. The moment, my dear Friend, that you find
yourself in the Kingdom of Heaven by faith in Christ, endeavor to be a
loyal, Law-keeping subject. Mary said to the servants at the marriage
feast of Cana, concerning her Son, "Whatever He says unto you, do it."
And I say the same. "Whatever He says unto you"–He whom you have now
taken to be your Lord and King–do not merely talk about it, or think
of it, but do it and do it at once! "I counsel you," said Solomon, "to
keep the King's commandment." Take Solomon's advice and let me add as a
rider to it, "Keep the King's commandments straightway." As soon as
ever a man becomes a Believer in Christ, the next step for him to take
is to be baptized. The two things are constantly joined together in the
New Testament. Our Lord said, "He that believes and is baptized shall
be saved." When the eunuch came to a certain water, he asked Philip,
"What does hinder me to be baptized?" Philip answered, "If you believe
with all your heart, you may." I add to that, "If you believe with all
your heart, you not only may, but you are bound to do it according to
the Law of the Kingdom of Christ!" Do you tell me that you cannot see
it to be your duty? I would advise you candidly to search the
Scriptures and find out the teaching and practice of our Lord and His
Apostles concerning Believers' Baptism. If, after that, you still say
the same, I must leave you to your Master–I am not your judge.

I hope there will be no question with any of you who love the Lord
about the next point. It is the duty of every Believer in Christ to
come to His Table. He said, "This do in remembrance of Me." He bids us
gather in His name and commemorate His death in the breaking of bread
and the pouring out of wine. So how can you say that you are His
obedient disciple if you have lived, to now, in total negligence of
that great commemorative ordinance? "Straightway," Friend–
"straightway" obey boththe ordinances of the Kingdom–and delay no
longer!

"Straightway," also, unite yourself with the people of God. Christ's
servants–Christ's blood-bought ones–are called "sheep." Sheep are
gregarious creatures–they always go in flocks. Join yourself to your
Brothers and Sisters somewhere. If they are evilly spoken of, go and be
evilly spoken of with them. Do not attempt to fare better than the rest
of your Master's servants, but take up Christ's Cross and follow Him.
Give yourselves first to Christ and afterwards to us, or to some other
Christian Church, according to the will of God. And do this
"straightway!" And whatever else appears to be the Law of the
House–and the Law of Christ's House is very plainly written in the
Gospels and the Epistles–obey the Law of the House–and obey it
"straightway."

Next, dear Friends, make this word, "straightway," your motto in
entrance upon Christian service. Do you ask, "When should a Believer
begin to work for Christ?" I answer, "Straightway." There are no
laborers for the Master who are so useful as those who begin to be
useful while they are young. Sometimes God converts men in mid life, or
even in old age, and uses them in His service, but, still, I venture to
assert that Church History will show that the most useful servants of
Christ were those who were caught early and who, from their youth up,
bore testimony to the Gospel of Christ. At any rate, as soon as you are
converted, I pray you to begin to do something for Jesus so as to get
your hand in for future labor. In the case of some old people who have
been professors of religion for years, but who have done next to
nothing for Christ, I find it very difficult to ever stir them up at
all. When I do get a saddle on them, they are very restless creatures,
like a horse that has never been broken in–but if I break them in
while they are colts, they get used to their work, it becomes a delight
to them and they would not be happy unless they had something to do for
the Lord Jesus! If Christ has redeemed, you, Beloved, and you know it,
get to His service "straightway." Let there be no delay whatever, but
at once commence to labor for your Lord!

I remember having a considerable share of sneers and rebukes from some
who thought themselves very wise men because I began preaching at the
age of sixteen. I was recommended to tarry at Jericho till my beard had
grown, and a great many other pieces of advice were given to me, but I
confess that I have never regretted that I was a "boy-preacher" of the
Word of God–and if I could have my time over, again, I would like to
do just the same as I did then. O you young men who are just converted,
try to serve God at once, for, if you idle away your years until the
boy has ripened into a full-grown man and his beard adorns his chin, I
question whether he will not be "a lazy-beard" all the rest of his
life. No, no–get to work at once–"straightway!" Find out your niche
and stand in it. Ask the Master to allot you your portion of the great
harvest field and go to work in it with all your might. And keep on at
it, God helping you, till your dying day. "Straightway," then, is to be
your motto concerning the service of the Master.

And while I give this motto for the commencement of our whole lifework,
I beg to propose it to all Christian friends as a suitable motto for
each work as it arises. If there is anything good to be done, when
shall I do it? "Straightway." There is no time like the present for the
fulfillment of a good design. How many excellent projects have been
postponed for a time and, therefore, never carried out for the benefit
of men! Now, dear Friends, especially you who have your children around
you, if you ask me, "When shall I commence to train them for God?" I
answer, "Straightway." "But they are so young." Well, never mind how
young they are, you will find bad tempers and many other evils
springing up from the hearts of even the smallest children! And the
time to repress them is as soon as they appear. You will find that
Satan will take the earliest hour that he can find for doing his deadly
work. He is always up early in the morning and he will try, if he can,
to sow the tares in that little plot of ground. Take as early an hour
as Satan takes and ask God, by His Grace, that you may teach your child
the things of eternal life "straightway." I would say to you, dear
Mother, if you have never talked with your daughter about her soul, do
it this very night. "But," you reply, "when I get home, she will be in
bed." If so, then wake her up, but do talk and pray with her tonight!
And then let her fall asleep again. Begin this holy service at once if
you have neglected it until now.

And you, dear Father, if you have never yet personally spoken to your
children about the Savior, you cannot tell the power you might have
over them if you would do so. I shall never forget when my father spoke
to me, as a boy, about my soul, and asked me to pray. I remember with
what shamefacedness I declined the attempt–and how wounded I felt, in
my heart, to think that I was not able to pray. I had my groans and
crying unto God in secret, but they were deepened and intensified by
the question that he had put to me. O dear parents, do begin at once,
that they may become God's children while yet they are your children! A
little boy once said, "Father, please take me to Chapel with you
tonight." "My Dear," the father replied, "you are too young. I will
take you when you grow older." "Father," answered the child, "if I
don't go now, very likely when I get older, I shall not want to go at
all." And, alas, that is often the case! Take them, therefore, while
they are yet little, where they may get a benefit to their souls and
"bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

Then, with regard to any individuals with whom you may meet, take care
to speak to them about the Savior. If you ask me when you shall speak
to them, I answer, "Straightway"–tomorrow morning, across the counter,
or in the workshop, or whenever there is a quiet minute or two that you
can use. Perhaps the friend to whom you think of speaking may be dead
if you delay until the end of the week, so go to him "straightway."
There is a minister now preaching the Gospel, and God is greatly
blessing him, who says he owes his earnestness to a remark I made in a
certain College that I visited. I was asked, as we say, "on the spur of
the moment," to speak a word to the students, and I said, "Well,
Brothers, I have nothing to say to you except this–whenever you see
the devil, have a shot at him." The young man told me that he
remembered that sentence and it had often been of service to him. So I
say it again to every Christian here–Whenever you see the devil, have
a shot at him! If you see sin, rebuke it! If you see doubt, try to
remove it! If you see darkness, bring the Light of God to bear upon
it–and do it "straightway," for opportunities are flying and will soon
be gone unless we seize them as they come near us!

There is a lamentable story told of a man in a boat being carried down
a waterfall and drowned and, an hour after, one who had been standing
with others on the shore said, "I could have saved him if I had thought
of it before." They asked him, "How would you have done it?" And he
laid before them a perfectly feasible commonsense plan that might have
been easily carried out and, I think, he went home very miserable, for
all the spectators of the disaster seemed to say, "Why did you not
think of it before? You are wise too late." So, when certain men have
died, I think some of you must have known what it was to say, "Oh, I
wish I had spoken to him! That Gospel which saved me might have been a
blessing to him, but now he is gone and I have thought of the remedy
too late!" Do not let it be possible to have such regrets, but,
whenever you find an opportunity of speaking about salvation to others,
do it "straightway."

And, once again, let this word, "straightway," be your motto with
regard to your own soul. Whenever you find your spiritual life
declining, your faith growing weak and your love getting cold, go back
to Jesus and ask for quicken-ing–and do it "straightway." Always nip
these things in the bud! Most diseases must have the remedies applied
at once if they are to be cured. If they are allowed to remain
unchecked for a time, they gather strength to the great injury of the
patient. The moment you feel that you have not the power in prayer that
you once had, go "straightway" to Jesus! The instant you realize that
you have not the love for souls that you once had, fly away to Jesus
and tell Him all about your sad condition. Oh, if we always took heed
to our backsliding as soon as it began, how much of sorrow and how much
of sin might be spared! So, dear Friends, if I am describing your case,
I implore you to renew your communion with your Lord–get back to
Christ, ask for pardon at His hands–and do all this "straightway."

Dear Christian Brothers and Sisters, this is the motto for you,
"STRAIGHTWAY!" Let it flame like a lightning flash through the place!
Whatever ought to be done, let it be done at once, without even a
second thought. O Beloved, will you still delay in such a matter of
urgency as this? Then let me further plead with you for a minute or two
before I turn to the other part of my subject. Imagine the day of
battle and a colonel issuing the order to his regiment to march into
the midst of the fray. Do the men hesitate? Do they stand still? Then
there is mutiny in the ranks! "Forward!" he said, but the troops stay
where they are. They are disloyal. How can the battle be won by men who
act like that? But see how the faithful soldiers in the army behave.
The command is given, "Charge!" It matters not how many are their
foes– away they go like a whirlwind–who can stop them? Let it be so
with you, dear Friends. Good soldiers of Jesus Christ must not
hesitate, but must obey the Captain of their salvation "straightway."

Have you a vivid imagination? Can you, in your mind's eye, picture an
angel up yonder before the burning Throne of God? The voice of Jehovah
has said to him, "Descend to earth." Can you imagine Gabriel staying
there, with his finger on his lips, deliberating whether he shall fly
or not? Do you not often ask that you may do God's will on earth as
angels do it in Heaven? Then, how can you hesitate, even for an
instant, to do what you are clearly commanded by Christ to do? Let me
ask you another question–Did Christ delay His great mission of mercy?
No, for it was with Him as good Dr. Watts sings–

"Plunged in a gulf of dark despair

We wretched sinners lay

Without one cheerful beam of hope,

Or spark of glimmering day.

With pitying eyes, the Prince of Grace

Beheld our helpless grief

He saw, and oh, amazing love,

He ran to our relief!

Down from the shining seats above

With joyful haste He fled,

Entered the grave in mortal flesh,

And dwelt among the dead." There was no hesitating in Christ! Then,
shall there be any in you who are called by His name?

Further, did God lose any time before He saved you when you cried to
Him? Does He delay to bless you now? If there is a seeming delay, it is
Infinite Wisdom that makes you wait, only that the blessing may be all
the more valued by you when it comes! But He is always ready to bless
you. He stands prepared to give you all that you need. I charge you,
therefore, by all these reasons, take this word, "straightway," as your
motto. You are, yourself, a dying man, and if you do not accomplish
your life-work "straightway," when will you perform it? Others are
dying all around you! If you are not made a blessing to them
"straightway," when may you hope to do them good? If anything is right,
do it at once–there cannot be a good reason for any delay! Why should
you ask for second thoughts about a plain duty? In such a case, first
thoughts are best, and those first thoughts should be followed by
immediate and energetic action. "Straightway!" Write it on your
banners! Let it wave in the breeze, for victory will be given to the
Church of Christ when she advances to the fight with all her hosts
"straightway!"

II. Now I ask the prayers of all Believers while, during the rest of my
discourse, I try to speak to those who are "out of the way." In this
large congregation there must be many who are not saved. It is idle to
suppose that we are, all of us, the children of God and the servants of
Christ, for we are not. There are some here who are not saved–but
among them there are, I hope, some who wish to be saved. Well, if you
really desire to be Christians. If the Holy Spirit has made you start
seeking the Savior, I ask you to put this word into your bosom and bear
it home with you, "straightway," for IT IS

A MOST SUITABLE MOTTO FOR ALL SEEKERS.

Are you seeking the Lord? Again, I pray you, hear the Gospel
"straightway." The Gospel is not preached everywhere. Some go to
certain places of worship because the music is admirable. Others
because the preacher is clever. Some because it is considered
"respectable" to go to such a place. I charge you, if you have not
found Christ, care for nothing but finding Him! And where will you find
Him except where He is fully and faithfully preached? If He is the head
and front of the minister's discourses, then go there–not where they
preach the "modern gospel," which would not save a mouse–but where
Christ on the Cross is lifted high as the one hope for the salvation of
sinners! Go there, go at once, and make a habit of going where Christ
Crucified is constantly proclaimed! Remember how the Lord gave the
invitation to the heavenly feast even by the mouth of the Prophet
Isaiah. "Ho, everyone that thirsts, come you to the waters, and he that
has no money; come you, buy, and eat; yes, come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price. Why do you spend money for that which
is not bread? And you labor for that which satisfies not? Hearken
diligently unto Me, and eat you that which is good, and let your soul
delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear and come unto Me: hear, and
your soul shall live; and I will make an Everlasting Covenant with you,
even the sure mercies of David."

But when you are hearing the Gospel, be not content with merely
hearing, but repent "straightway." You cannot have Christ and keep your
sins, therefore, give up all evil at once! May God's blessed Spirit now
separate you from your sins! Have you been inclined to drunkenness?
Turn the intoxicating cup bottom upwards once and for all, and have
done with it! What has been your particular besetting sin? Though it
were dear as your right eye, pluck it out! Though it were precious as
your right arm, cut it off and cast it from you! And do it
"straightway." "Oh," you say, "I will see about it tomorrow!" Then, I
know that God's Spirit is not effectually calling you, or you would be
ready at once to turn from every false way, to Him, and then the time
of your deliverance would have come. Therefore, I repeat–Repent
"straightway." But then you must also pray "straightway." Plead with
the Lord just where you are now in your seat, or, if you desire quiet
and retirement, pray as soon as you reach your house–yes, pray in the
street, on the road home! Lift up your heart to God and cry, "God be
merciful to me a sinner!" But do it at once, or, as the text says,
"straightway."

Above all, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ ' 'straightway." That word,
"straightway," is implied in every Gospel exhortation! We are not sent
to preach to our Hearers, "'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ tomorrow!"
No minister of Christ is authorized to say, "Put off faith in Christ
for a week." No, but our message is, "Behold, nowis the accepted time!
Behold, nowis the day of salvation!" Believe in Jesus and believe in
Him now! And if the Spirit of God is really working in your spirit, you
will be moved to believe now. If it is only my talk and my persuasion,
you will still say, "Tomorrow." But if it is God's Word, it will go
with power to your heart and you will say, "Now, Lord, even now, bring
my soul out of prison, that I may trust Your Son and praise Your holy
name." For a man to delay, who has nothing to depend upon but the
breath in his nostrils, is the height of folly! For a man to delay, who
stands on the brink of the grave, when that grave will conduct him to
Hell, is indeed terrible!

Delay is dangerous, but I confess that I do not understand men and
their criminal carelessness. I daresay you read in the papers, a short
time ago, about the destruction of the Swiss village of Elm. What an
extraordinary affair it was, that the people should have had it
reported to them, for months, that the forest which overhung the
village was often seen to tremble when the rocks were blasted at the
quarry. They knew that, sooner or later, the mountain above them would
inevitably come down and crush them! Yet they went to church on the
Sunday morning, and were gathered together as comfortably and quietly
as if nothing alarming could ever happen to them. Many of you, no
doubt, remember the story and, therefore, I need not tell you how, all
of a sudden, the great forest above the village seemed to come down
upon them–and when stalwart men from the upper end of the village
hurried to help their fellow countrymen, they had scarcely arrived
before the mountain, itself, descended in one tremendous mass and
buried the whole village in a moment! The people knew that such a
calamity as that would certainly happen–they had been warned of it
again and again–yet they persisted in living there.

I do not know how men could get so accustomed to impending danger as
they did, and I must blame the foolhardi-ness of those who willfully
ran such a risk of destruction. But it is nothing compared with the
madness of man and women who see the great mountain of Divine Wrath
trembling and about to fall upon them, to crush them to all eternity
and yet they go on with their games and occupy themselves with their
sports, just as if there were no God to judge them, no Heaven to be
sought, no Hell to be shunned! They sin as if iniquity were mere
child's play and there were no punishment for it in the world to come!
Delay is dangerous at all times, but I feel moved to say that it is
especially dangerous for some of you just now, for, as the Lord lives,
unless you find salvation within another week, you will be in the world
where it shall be impossible for you either to seek or to find it! If
not saved soon, you will be lost forever. Delay is dangerous–
therefore escape for your lives and escape at once!

Besides, delay will be a great loss to you. If I were unsaved at this
moment and in my right senses, I would wish to be saved here and now. I
do not know what has been done with the two men who have been lying in
prison for the last two years under what is believed to be a false
accusation. We heard that the Home Secretary had fetched them up from
Chatham to Pentonville to Millbank and that they were brought up in
their own clothes, with a view to setting them free tomorrow, but I
guarantee you, if I had been in their position and had been asked,
"Would you prefer to be set at liberty on Saturday, or wait till
Monday?" I would have said, "Oh, set me free at once, straightway!" Any
delay would be to my loss. Who wants to stay in prison on a Sunday when
he can walk at large? Who wishes to be there five minutes longer than
he is compelled to be? And, in like manner, who would be unconverted
five minutes longer than he needs to be? It is a loss to a man to be
unsaved–even if he is ultimately saved, all the time that went before
his conversion is just so long spent in prison–it is dead time, lost
time! Therefore, let there be no delay in trusting Christ, for all
delay is a loss.

And, besides, delay makes it more difficult to get into the way of
life. A person, on a certain line of railway, wants to go North, but he
gets into the wrong train and, therefore, travels South. After he has
gone a little way, he puts his head out and says, "This is not the
station that I ought to pass!" And, as the porters cry out a name
altogether different from what he expected to hear, he exclaims, "Why,
I am on the wrong train!" What does he do then? Go on and say, "Well, I
will get out by-and-by"? Not he! If he is a man of business and needs
to keep an appointment, he jumps out at the first station after he
discovers his mistake, and he says, "Tell me, please, when is there a
train back? I have evidently come South instead of going North, and I
need to return as quickly as possible." My dear Friends, some of you
are traveling on the wrong line and you have come to a station,
tonight! It is not a station where you ought to be. Do not, I entreat
you, go on to another in the same direction, but I pray God, by His
Grace, that you may get out of the train in which you have been
traveling on the down line, and say, "Which is the train for Heaven? I
must get into it somewhere–first class, second class, third class, or
in the goods wagon–I do not care where I am, as long as I do but get
in, for I have made a mistake, and I would not continue to make it–for
the longer I remain as I am, the more difficult will it be for me to
get right."

Do you not also know, dear Friends, that every moment in which a man
delays he is committing more sin? When I am not doing that which is
right, I sin by omission. When a man neglects a duty for a week, how
many times does he sin? "Once," you answer. Ah, no! It is his duty to
do it now, but he has not done it, so that is sin. It will be equally
his duty in five minutes' time, and every moment he puts it off, he
keeps on committing sin upon sin! The longer he delays, he continues to
sin. Have you ever heard the legend of one who had often delayed his
repentance till he was taken into a forest where he saw an old man
chopping sticks for his fire. He cut away till he had enough to make a
large pile of firewood and then he tied the firewood up and stooped to
put it on his shoulders, but it was too heavy for him to lift. The old
man sighed, took his axe and cut down some more branches and added them
to his bundle. But when he tried to take it up, of course it was still
heavier than before! So the foolish old man, with many a sigh, went on
cutting more wood and put that on the heap, and then tried to lift it,
but of course it was heavier still! And the longer he delayed, the
heavier the burden became. That is just your case, dear Friend, if you
are delaying to repent–

"Longer wisdom you despise, Harder is she to be won."

There is all the more sin to be repented of, there is the more hardness
of heart to be overcome, so you are adding to the difficulty every
moment that you delay! "Grandfather," said a little child, "the
preacher talked about loving Jesus. Do you love Him?" "No, child," said
the old man. "I have never thought of those things, but I hope that you
will while your heart is tender." "But, Grandfather, you will die soon.
Please, won't you love Jesus?" "No, child," replied the old man, "my
heart is too hard, now. It is no use for me to think about it." Many a
man has said that! It is a great mistake, for the Lord can soften the
hardest heart and bring the oldest man or woman to Himself. Still,
there is great force in the grandfather's words and it is a blessed
thing when we begin to serve the Lord early, for there is a hardening
process that goes on every hour of delay, which I pray God, of His
Infinite Mercy, to prevent by bringing every one of you to Jesus Christ
"straightway."

Shall I tell you one thing more before I finish? It is this–whenever a
man will not have Christ "straightway." Whenever he will not give up
his sin "straightway." Whenever he will not believe in Jesus
"straightway," that is a roundabout method of saying, "No," to Christ!
The father in the parable said to the son, "Go, work today in my
vineyard," and he replied, "I go, Sir." That is to say, "I am going,
Sir. I mean to go. Give me just a little time to think it over. It is
all right, Sir, I will go." But how does the parable put it? "He said,
I go, Sir, and went not." It was an indirect way of saying that, after
all, he did not mean to go. Alas, that is what I fear some of you will
do tonight. You will say, "Yes, what the preacher says is quite
correct. We should seek Christ and plead for mercy–and we will do
so–by-and-by. Soon–not immediately. Of course we cannot be in a hurry
about these things, but we will attend to them some day." I tell you,
Sirs, plainly, that you will not! You are the sort of people who will
not come to Christ! You have not the moral courage to say, "No," but
you mean, "No," all the while! And if you said, "No," I would have more
hope of you, for the rest of the parable runs thus–"He said to the
other son, Go, work today in my vineyard. And he said, I will not."
That was pretty plain. "But afterwards he repented, and went." Now, I
would rather have you say, "I will not," and then afterwards go home
and repent and come to Christ, than I would have you beat about the
bush and say, "Oh, yes, yes, yes," thinking that you are complimenting
Christ with your lying–I dare not use a milder term! That "yes, yes,
yes," means that you will not!

Have you never noticed, when you have been collecting subscriptions, if
you go to a person who does not say, "No," straight out, but says,
"Well, let me look at your list–yes, what is the objective of it?"
that he usually adds, "I have many calls. I will think about it"? I
have known such people, "think about it," a very long while, but
nothing ever came of all their thinking! You smile at what people do
with regard to a subscription list–and it is, in some respects, a
thing to smile over. But beware lest you do the same with your soul! Do
not, I pray you, act like that towards the Lord Jesus Christ! Do not
merely think about it, but doit! Go straight to Him and think of it
afterwards–and you will then have to think, with joy–and delight,
that the best day's work His Grace ever enabled you to do was this
getting away to Christ and casting yourself on Him!

God bless you, dear Friends! May we all meet in Heaven, through Jesus
Christ our Lord! Amen.

EXPOSITION BY C. H. SPURGEON: MATTHEW25:1-13.

Verses 1, 2. Then shall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened unto ten
virgins which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. What a division this
makes in the visible Church of God! Let us hope that we are not to
gather from this that as many as half the professors of Christianity at
any time are like these foolish virgins! Yet our Lord would not have
mentioned so high a proportion if there were not a very large mixture
of foolish with the wise–"Five of them were wise, and five were
foolish."

3. They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them.
They thought that if they had the external, it would be quite enough.
The secret store of oil they judged to be unnecessary because it would
be unseen. They would employ one hand in carrying the lamp, but to
occupy the other hand by holding the oil-flask seemed to them to be
doing too much–giving themselves up too thoroughly to the work–so
they "took their lamps, and took no oil with them." They might just as
well have had no lamps at all!

4. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Oil in
their lamps and oil with their lamps. Lamps are of no use without oil,
yet the oil needs the lamp, or else it cannot be rightly used. The
light of profession cannot be truly sustained without the oil of Grace.
Grace, wherever it exists, ought to show itself, as the oil is made to
burn by means of the lamp, but it is no use to attempt to make a show
unless there is that secret store somewhere by which the external part
of religion may be maintained.

5. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept Both the
wise and the foolish fell into a state which seemed alike in them both.
In the case of good men, Christ's delaying His coming often causes
disappointment, weariness and then lethargy. And even the true Church
falls into a deep slumber. In the foolish–the mere professors–this
condition goes much further. There being in them no true life, the very
name to live becomes abandoned and, before long they give up even the
profession of religion when there is no secret oil of Grace to sustain
it.

6. And at midnight when things had come to the worst "At midnight"–the
coldest and darkest hour, when everybody was asleep.

6. There was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to
meet him. That was a cry which startled everybody! None of the virgins
could sleep when once it was announced that the bridegroom was coming.
I wish, dear Friends, that we thought more of the great Truth of the
Second Advent. The more often it is preached in due proportion with
other Truths of God, the better. We still need to hear that midnight
cry, "Go you out to meet Him."

7. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. They could
not sleep any longer. They were fairly startled and awakened.

8. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us some of your oil Ah, me!
Now they began to value what they had, before, despised! They were
foolish enough to think that oil was unnecessary, but now they saw that
it was the one essential thing, so they cried to the wise virgins,
"Give us some of your oil." And hear the dreadful reason–

8. For our lamps are gone out I do not know any more terrible words
than those, "Our lamps are gone out." It is worse to have a lamp that
has gone out than never to have had a lamp at all. "'Our lamps are gone
out.' We once rejoiced in them. We promised ourselves a bright future.
We said, 'All is well for the marriage supper.' But 'our lamps are gone
out,' and we have no oil with which to replenish them." O Sirs, may
none of us ever have to lift up that mournful cry! On a dying bed, in
the extremity of pain, in the depth of human weakness it is an awful
thing to find one's profession burning low, one's hope of Heaven going
out like the snuff of a candle!

9. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for
us and you: but go you rather to them that sell, and buy for
yourselves. It is no easy matter to go and wake up the seller of oil
when the midnight hour has struck. O you who are putting off repentance
to a dying bed, you are foolish virgins, indeed! Your folly has reached
the utmost height! You will have more than enough to do when you lie
there with the death-sweat cold upon your brow, without then having to
seek the Grace which you are neglecting to obtain today, but which you
will value then!

10. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came. While they were
not there.

10, 11. And they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and
the door was shut Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord,
Lord, open to us. Too late! So that they could not enter.

12. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not' 'I
never knew you," says Christ in another place, and this knowledge of
His is always bound up with affection. He loves no heart that He knows
not in this sense. Those whom He knows, He loves. Will He ever say to
me or to you, dear Friend, "I know you not"? God grant that He never
may have cause to do so!

13. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein
the Son ofMan comes