say, or what to do. But tell Him that you have heard something about His blood cleansing a man from all sin, and entreat Him to think on you, and cleanse your soul. Oh! reader, take this advice,—and who can tell but you may say one day, "the blood of Christ does indeed cleanse a man from all sin." Reader, for the last time I offer my invitation. I stand in a life-boat alongside the wreck to which you are clinging, and I entreat you to come in. The day is far spent. The night is coming on. The clouds are gathering. The waves are rising. Yet a little time and the old wreck of this world will go to pieces. Come into the life-boat. Come in and be safe. Come to the blood of Christ, wash, and be clean. Come with all your sins to Christ, and cast them on Him. bear them away. He will cleanse them. pardon them.-Only believe and be saved. He will He will I address 3. My last word shall be an exhortation. it to all who have been taught by the Spirit to feel their sins, and have fled to the hope set before them in the Gospel. I address it to all who have discovered the grand truth that they are guilty sinners, and have washed in the blood of Christ in order to have their sins cleansed away. That exhortation shall be short and simple. I bid them "cling to Christ." Cling to Christ, I say, and never forget your debt to Him. Sinners you were, when you were first called by the Holy Ghost, and fled to Jesus. Sinners you have been, even at your best, from the day of your conversion. Sinners you will find yourselves to your dying hour, D having nothing to boast of in yourselves. Then cling to Christ. Cling to Christ, I say, and make use of His atoning blood every day. Go to Him every morning as your morning sacrifice, and confess your need of His salvation. Go to Him every night, after the bustle of the day, and plead for fresh absolution. Wash in the great fountainevery evening after all the defilement of contact with the world. "He that is washed, needeth not save to wash his feet." But his feet he needs to wash. (John xiii. 10.) Cling to Christ, I say, and show the world how you love Him. Show it by obedience to His commandments. Show it by conformity to His image. Show it by following His example. Make your Master's cause lovely and beautiful before men, by your own holiness of temper and conversation. Let all the world see, that he who is much forgiven is the man who loves much, and that he who loves most is the man who does most for Christ. (Luke vii. 47.) Think Cling to Christ, I say, and have high thoughts of the atonement made by His blood upon the cross. highly of His incarnation and His example,-think highly of His miracles and His words,-think highly of His resurrection, and intercession, and coming again. But think highest of all of Christ's sacrifice and the propitiation made by His death. Contend earnestly for the old faith concerning His atonement. See in the old doctrine that He died as a Substitue for sinners,-the only solution of a thousand passages in the Old Testament, and a hundred passages in the New. Never, never be ashamed to let men know that you derive all your comfort from the atoning blood of Christ, and from His substitution for you on the cross. Cling to Christ, I say lastly, and make much of the old foundation truths concerning salvation by His blood. These are the old friends to which our souls will turn at last in the hour of our departure. These are the ancient doctrines on which we shall lean back our aching heads, when life is ebbing away and death is in sight. We shall not ask ourselves then whether we have been Episcopalians or Presbyterians, Churchmen or Dissenters. We shall not find comfort then in newfangled notions and human inventions,-in baptism and churchmembership, in sects and parties,-in ceremonies and forms. Nothing will do us good then but the blood of Christ. Nothing will support us then but the witness of the Spirit, that in the blood of Jesus we have washed, and by that blood have been made clean. Reader, I commend these things to your notice. If you never knew these things before, may you soon become acquainted with them! If you have known them in time past, may you know them better for time to come! We can never know too well the right answer to the mighty question,-" Where are your sins?" HYMN. I thought upon my sins, and I was sad, My soul was troubled sore and fill'd with pain; I thought upon the law, the fiery law, That law fulfilled, its curse endured for me. I thought I saw an angry, frowning God, Sitting as Judge upon the great white throne; My soul was overwhelm'd-then Jesus shew'd His gracious face, and all my dread was gone. I saw my sad estate, condemn'd to die; Then terror seiz'd my heart, and dark despair; But when to Calvary I turned my eye, I saw the cross, and read forgiveness there. I saw that I was lost, far gone astray, No hope of safe return there seem'd to be; Walking along in fellowship with God. H. BONAR. Repent, or Perish!" "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."-LUKE xiii. 3. READER, Do you see the words which head this page? Read them carefully, and ponder them well. They are taken from that Book which is the only rule of faith and practice,-the Bible. Reader, this little sentence contains matter of deepest importance to your soul. Give it the attention which it deserves. Turn not away from it. Sit down, and look it honestly in the face. I can well believe that at first sight these words look stern and severe,-"Repent or perish!" "Except ye repent, ye shall all perish."—I can fancy some one saying, "Is this the Gospel? Are these the glad tidings? Are these the good news of which ministers speak? This is a hard saying, who can hear it?" But from whose lips did these words come? They *The substance of this tract was originally delivered as a ser mon, at Exeter Hall, in August, 1858. |