GOD often produces great effects from little causes, but it has seldom been more strikingly displayed than in the circumstances about to be narrated.
Many years ago, when addressing a strange congregation, I took for my text the words of the Apostle, “Good hope through grace.” In opening the subject I introduced the following narrative: —
A student for the Christian ministry was brought, in the course of providence, into the company of a young lady who was just recovering from a dangerous illness. She was still very weak, but liked, as most persons do when recovering, to tell how much she had suffered, and how wonderful was the preservation of her life.
Among other things, she said, “At one time I sent for my aged parents, and my beloved brothers and sisters; and took, as I thought, my last farewell of them. Both the physicians had given me up, and my friends expected to see me no more.”
As she finished this sentence, the student said to her, “We seldom meet with a peon who has been so near to death as you have been. Pray tell me what were your feelings when you were on the verge of eternity.”
“Quite happy,” she replied.
“And what, may I ask, were your prospects?”
“I hoped to go to heaven, of course.” “Had you no doubts, no fears, no suspicions?”
“None.”
“Perhaps almost all hope to go to heaven. But I fear,” said the young man, “there are very few who have a good foundation for their hope. Pray on what was your hope founded?”
“Founded!” she replied. “Why I never injured any person; and I had endeavored to do all the good in my power. Was not this sufficient?”
“It is a delightful reflection,” said the student, “that you have never injured any person; and still more delightful to think that you have done all the good in your power. But even this is a poor foundation for a sinner to rest upon. Was this the foundation of your hope?”
She seemed quite astonished at this question, and eagerly inquired, “Was not this sufficient?”
The student did not give her a direct, answer, but observed, “I am very thankful that you did not then die.”
“What! do you think I should not have gone to heaven?”
“I am sure you could not in the way you mentioned. Do you not perceive that according to your plan you were going to heaven without Christ? This is what no sinner will be able to do while the world stands. Be very thankful that you did not go out of life resting on this delusive foundation. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh to the Father but by Me.” John 14:66Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6).
God blessed this word to her soul. Her eyes were opened; she saw herself as a lost sinner, and Christ the only and all-sufficient Saviour. The “filthy rags” of her own righteousness she now saw would not do in which to appear before God, and casting aside every false hope, she came as a sinner to the Lord Jesus, and found what every coming sinner always finds — pardon, peace, and salvation. She lived to adorn the doctrine of God her Saviour, and to evidence that she had indeed passed from death unto life.
Before I had concluded this short narrative, I observed a mild, sedate-looking person in the congregation, evidently deeply affected. He was then unknown to me, but has since proved one of my most valued friends.
A short time afterward I received a visit from him — it was to tell me what the Lord had done for his soul, that whereas he was blind, now he saw; though once a stranger to happiness and peace, now, through believing, he could “rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”
“Have you long enjoyed this happy state of mind?” I inquired.
“Not long,” he replied. “Alas! more than forty years passed away before I knew anything about it. Frequently had I had serious thoughts on eternity; frequently meditated on God’s holiness and man’s depravity; and I saw such infinite perfection in the Creator, and felt so many evils in myself, that I at length concluded it was impossible for man — polluted, guilty man, to be admitted into heaven. In this state of mind I sought for peace in the doctrine of annihilation, but I found it not. The thought would often occur, suppose, after all, you should be mistaken; suppose you should be judged for the deeds done in the body, what then? What will become of you? These thoughts broke up the whole system in a moment, and made me uneasy: and during all this time, strange to say, the doctrine of Christ’s atonement was hid from my eyes, though I had heard and read of it times innumerable. When I was young I regularly attended the ministry of the word; and all the grand outlines of the Bible have been familiar to me from my childhood, and yet I was as ignorant of the way of salvation as if I had never seen a Bible! I had no conception how God could be just, and yet be the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus, Romans 3:2626To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:26). Yes, it was on this point I was utterly in the dark, and so I remained until the morning when you related the anecdote about the young lady.”
“And what effect did the relation of that anecdote produce?”
“Indeed, sir, it was wonderful. While you were pointing out the fallacy of her hope, and showing from the word of God that Christ is the sure and only foundation of a sinner’s hope; that none can come unto the Father but by Him; a flood of light burst upon my mind. I saw the whole plan of salvation with as much distinctness as if I had studied the subject for years. All that I had read and heard of the subject seemed to rush on my memory at once. I was overwhelmed with joy. I saw the fullness, the freeness, the all sufficiency of Christ, in such a clear and glorious manner, that if I had possessed ten thousand souls, I could have committed them all into His hands.”
And now, reader, let me ask you, if called to the bar of God, at this instant, what title have you to an admission into His heavenly kingdom and glory? The Lord Jesus Christ said to those who rejected Him: “If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins.” John 8:2424I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. (John 8:24). This is true of every one who does not rest in Christ alone for pardon, peace, and eternal life.