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I have heard of an advertisement of a burial service that began, “Seeing that many persons find it extremely difficult to bury themselves …” That is not my experience; I would have to say, “Seeing that many church members find it exceedingly easy to bury themselves.” We receive them into our number with…

The emblem of the American Baptist Foreign Missionary Society is an ox standing between a plough and an altar, with the motto, “Ready for either”—ready to spend and be spent in labor, or to be a sacrifice; whichever the Lord pleases. Spurgeon, C. (2014). Spurgeon Commentary: Philippians. (E. Ritzema,…

There may be such a thing as a dumb joy, but I hardly think that it can keep dumb long. Joy! Joy! Why, it speaks for itself! It is like a candle lighted in a dark chamber; you need not sound a trumpet and say, “Now light has come.” The candle proclaims itself by its own brilliance. When joy comes into…

You have, perhaps, sometimes seen a little fire kindled among the dead autumn leaves, which are dank and damp. You have noticed that, despite all the smoke, the fire has continued to live and burn. So it is with the eternal truth of God. Notwithstanding all the error with which it is often damped, and…

A good old minister was once asked whether he believed in the final perseverance of the saints. “Well,” said he, “I do not know much about that matter, but I firmly believe in the final perseverance of God, that where He has begun a good work He will carry it on until it is complete.” To my mind, that…

You have sometimes seen a widely spreading oak tree cut down, and you have missed its grateful shadow. Yet afterwards you have discovered that many little trees, which would have been dwarfed beneath its shade, have grown more rapidly in its absence. In like manner, the removal of some eminent servant…

There was once a square piece of paper put up into George Whitefield’s pulpit, by way of a notice, to this effect: “A young man who has lately inherited a large fortune requests the prayers of the congregation.” Right well was the prayer asked, for when we go up the hill we need prayer that we may be…

You have a friend who is ill, and the doctor says he cannot last long; he must die. You have called a great many times expecting to hear of his departure, but he is still alive. Now the frequent errors of the physicians do not prove that your friend will not die one of these days. And so, though the…

One life spent in distinct opposition to the gospel of Jesus is a terrible thing. A Scotchman took some thistle seed to Australia, that he might see a thistle grow on his farm. He only wanted one or two rare old Scotch thistles to make him think that he was at home. Now, thousands of acres are covered…

A man who is in the sea, deep down under the water, taking a plunge, does not feel the weight of the water. But bring him out on the shore, put a great tub of water on his head, and see what a weight that is to him. So, while a man is in sin as his element, it is no burden to him. But when he is out…

Perfection in the scriptural use of it is not at all what those make of it who boast of perfection in the flesh. A child is perfect when it is newly born: there is every toe on the tiny foot, and its eyes, and ears, and nose, and other organs are all there. But if you tell me that a child is a perfect…

The very fact that there are hypocrites proves that all are not so. Do you think there would be any bad bank notes in the world if there were no good ones? Do you think anyone would try and circulate bad sovereigns if there were no really good ones? No, I think not. It is the good bank note that makes…

Christians, never be satisfied with being merely saved. Up with you! Away! Off! Go onward to the high mountains, to the clearer light, to the brighter joy! If saved, and brought, like the shipwrecked mariner, to shore, is that enough? Yes, for the moment it is enough to warrant the purest satisfaction…

I have often used the illustration of taking a telescope, breathing on it with the hot breath of our anxiety, putting it to our eye, and then saying that we cannot see anything but clouds. Of course we cannot, and we never shall while we breathe upon it. If we were but calm, quiet, self-possessed, and…

If any of you should be well assured that, in a certain line of business, you would make a vast sum of money, would that confidence lead you to refuse that business? Would it lead you to lie in bed all day, or to desert your post altogether? No, the assurance that you would be diligent and would prosper…

Do you see that train steaming along the iron way? See, it plunges into a cavern in yonder hill! You have now lost sight of it. Has it perished? As on an angel’s wing, you fly to the top of the hill, and you look down on the other side. There it comes steaming forth again from the tunnel, bearing its…

John Bunyan beautifully portrays Christiana and Mercy coming up out of the bath of the interpreter’s house. They have had jewels put upon them, and when they are both washed, Mercy says to Christiana, “How comely and beautiful you look!” “No,” Christiana said, “My sister, I see no beauty in myself, but…

There are churches wherein the minister is nominally the leading officer, but he cannot lead, for the church does not follow. A young officer, sword in hand, leaps the rampart. He looks back, but his troop is yards behind him. He cries, “Come on! Come on!” But there is no answer; he might as well call…

I have known persons try to humble themselves by will-worship. I have stood in the cell of a monk, when he has been out of it, and I have seen the whip with which he flagellated himself every night before he went to bed. I thought that it was quite possible that the man deserved all he suffered, and…

Christians are soldiers. If our soldiers were to take it into their heads that they ought never to be seen, a pretty pass things would come to. What are soldiers worth when they shun parade and dread battle? We do not want men who must always be skulking behind a bush, and dare not show themselves to…

A famous preacher was to preach on a certain occasion, but he missed his way and was too late. The devil, knowing of it, put on the appearance of the minister, took his place, and preached a sermon to the people, who supposed they were listening to the famous preacher whom they had expected. The devil…

I might illustrate the willfulness of many a supplication by that of a little boy who was very diligent in saying his prayers, but was at the same time disobedient, ill-tempered, and the pest of the house. His mother told him that she thought it was mere hypocrisy for him to pretend to pray. He replied,…

Gregory Nazianzen, a foremost father of the Christian Church, rejoiced that he was well versed in the Athenian philosophy. Why do you think he rejoiced in that? Because he had to give it all up when he became a Christian, and, said he, “I thank God that I had a philosophy to throw away.” He counted it…

Along the coast, in certain places, there are no harbors. But in other spots, there are bays into which vessels run at once in the time of storm. Some men present an open natural harborage for people in distress. You love them instinctively, and trust them unreservedly. They, on their part, welcome your…

I have heard it said that the good sculptor, whenever he sees a suitable block of marble, firmly believes that there is a statue concealed within it. His business is but to take away the superfluous material, and so unveil the “thing of beauty” which shall be “a joy forever.” Believer, you are that block…