Sermon 952. Negotiations For Peace

(No. 952)

DELIVERED ON LORD'S-DAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 18, 1870,

BY C. H. SPURGEON

AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.

"Preaching peace by Jesus Christ; (He is Lord of all)." Acts 10:36.

THESE words were addressed to an admirable congregation, all met with an earnest purpose, all conscious that they were inthe Presence of God, all like good soil that had been plowed and prepared for the good seed. Happy preacher to have such acongregation! God make this congregation to be of the same sort. The preacher, also, was a right faithful messenger from Heaven.No sooner did Peter know that he was commissioned to the Gentile centurion and his household, than he came to his house. Andwhen he found himself surrounded by the family and their friends, he girt up his loins for his work and gave his whole soulto his subject. Peter goes straight to his business. There is no beating about the bush, no prefatory apology-he begins topreach.

Jesus Christ, spoken of by Prophets, seen by Apostles, hanged on a tree, and risen again on the third day. It is well whenthe preacher feels that preaching is no mere display, and is not intended to be an opportunity for him to show how excellentan orator he can be. The true ambassador for Christ feels that he himself stands before God, and has to deal with souls inGod's place as God's servant. He therefore has no time for considering the graces of oratory and the tricks of rhetoric-butmust speak from his inmost soul the Word of the Lord.

Every preacher stands in a solemn place-a place in which unfaithfulness is inhumanity to man as well as treason to God. Tobe false to our charge will cast us into the deepest condemnation-to be hurled from a pulpit into Hell will be to perish,indeed! See to it, then, that both the congregation and the preacher are peculiarly in God's Presence in their solemn assembliesand feeling and acting accordingly. Pray for us and for yourselves that we both may so behave before the Lord that our assemblingtogether may not increase our sin, but may prove to be a rich and lasting blessing.

We have in the text before us the subject upon which Peter treated in his sermon to Cornelius and his friends. He seems tohave taken it for granted that men are at war with God, that even the attentive congregation before him, though consistingof the best of men, were by nature at enmity with their Maker. He speaks, therefore, as an ambassador desirous of establishinga better state of things and tells them that he has come to preach peace by Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.

I shall, this evening, try to follow his example, and though I cannot do so with equal steps, yet have I in my bosom the sameearnest desire for the souls of my hearers as the Apostle had. I pray that all of you may be brought to peace with God throughJesus Christ.

First, this evening, I shall give some reasons why those of you who are not reconciled to God should desire peace with Him.When we have weighed these I shall, secondly, endeavor to negotiate the terms of peace, and then, thirdly, we shall lay beforeyou a claim or proclamation which is publicly asserted, and to be universally maintained, namely, that Jesus Christ is Lordof all.

I. To begin, then, I shall endeavor to offer to the unconverted REASONS WHY THEY SHOULD DESIRE TO BE AT PEACE. May I not urgeas the first reason that it is not commendable to be at enmity with any of the wise and good? It is best to be at peace withall men, but it is incumbent upon us to be in friendship with holy men. I should deeply regret to have any one for my enemy,but if he were a godly person I should consider it a calamity. If the angels of Heaven were opposed to us it would have anill look, even those holy beings would not needlessly take offense.

But when it comes to opposition to the infinitely good, just, and holy God, who in his right mind can do other than bewailit, and desire to see it ended by a gracious peace? Strife against evil, injustice, and tyranny is honorable, but to contendwith uprightness, goodness, and holiness is deplorable. No possible benefit can arise from a conflict in which we

are on the wrong side. If God is for us, none can successfully fight against us. But to have God opposed to us is, in itself,the chief of evils. My hearer, "Acquaint yourself with God, and be at peace, for thereby good shall come unto you."

The second reason ought to have weight with every honest man. It is this: that the war in which you are engaged is an unjustone. It never ought to have been begun. There was never any justifiable cause for its outbreak. God was unjustly and wickedlyassailed by His ungrateful creature. What ought never to have been begun had better be dropped as soon as possible. Sin iswar against right, against love, against happiness. Transgression of God's Law is a transgression of commands most equitableand beneficent.

To love evil is dishonorable, wrong, unfair, unjust, and the conscience of man tells him it is so. To be at war with God isto fight against Truth and justice, and to contend for falsehood, unholiness, injustice, unrighteousness. When men love thatwhich is right, and good, and true, and yield themselves up to God's will, then the war is over. But inasmuch as the war againstGod consists in our doing the wrong, and loving the wrong, and thinking the wrong, and clinging to the wrong-such a war, inthe very nature of things-ought to come to a close.

May the Holy Spirit set this in its true colors and convince every one of you that not to love God is the most shameful ofevils, the most detestable of enormities. How can it ever be justifiable for the creature to contend against the Creator?Shall the clay rise against the potter? Will it ever become a right thing for children to rebel against their parents? Theox fed at the stall will serve its owner-shall it be right that we, being fed by God, should yet refuse Him our service? Thenatural order of the relationship between us and our Creator involves in all justice that we should be conformed to His will.

O Men, will you choose the ways and wages of unrighteousness and cover yourselves with confusion? Would God there were inyou an honest judgment to judge uprightly. Besides, what evil has our Creator done us that we should go to war against Him?What quality is there in God that we ought to hate? What is there that we can justly challenge in the Character of God whichmight righteously provoke our antagonism? Is He not Kindness itself? Does He not overflow with loving kindness? Sends He notHis rain upon the just and upon the unjust? Does He not command His sun to rise upon the evil as well as the good?

Has He not sent us fruitful seasons and kept His Covenant, that day and night, seedtime and harvest, summer and winter, shouldnot cease? For which of these things should we rebel against Him? Some of you are possessed of riches- should you, for thatcause, forget the God that gave them to you? Others of you are in sound, robust health-should you violate the commands ofHim who gives you this choicest of blessings?

We appeal to you, Brothers and Sisters, why are you at war with your God? If He were a cruel tyrant, if He were unjust, ifHe trod you beneath His feet, if His government were malicious and degrading I could understand your warfare! But it is anevil, an unjust, a villainous war-because the Lord is full of mercy and His name is Love. O that men would end their rebellionat this hour while we summon them to do so in the name of God! Eternal Spirit convict them of sin, of righteousness, and ofjudgment to come, and lead them to the peace-speaking blood!

A third argument for ending the war may be drawn from the fact that he who began it has been terribly defeated, and is atthis moment a prisoner. He who began the war is Satan, the arch enemy. Our first parents did not first rebel- man was thedupe of an older rebel. Apollyon, once an angel, conceived ambitious thoughts, and would gladly have become equal with hisMaker, but he was banished from Heaven by just decree.

And then resorting to this lower region, sought out our mother Eve, and seduced our race, hoping to maintain the war againstthe Lord of Hosts by inciting us to cast off our allegiance. Little has he gained by this stratagem! Overwhelming has beenhis defeat! Hurled from the battlements of Heaven at first, he has worn his chain wearily these many years, seeking rest andfinding none, dreading that day of wrath when he shall be dragged at the chariot wheels of our Divine Redeemer, and then consignedto the Hell of old prepared for him.

Jesus who once was slain, has led captivity captive. He whose heel was bitten by the old dragon has broken the serpent's head.Revolt, O Man, against the prince of the power of the air-follow him no longer! Take up arms against the demon monarch-refusefrom now on to follow his beck and call. What right has the devil to reign over you? He neither made you, preserved you, orblessed you! He is only evil, and that continually will he do unto you. Strike for your freedom, strike at once, and shakeoff his galling yoke.

For him the everlasting fire has been prepared-why must you share it? The wages of sin will be death-why continue in so unprofitablea service? May God grant that you may escape the wrath to come that knows no end, by turning against your old master and enlistingbeneath the banner of your Savior. Down with the black, sin-stained, sulphurous colors, and run up the red Cross! Exchangethe black Diabolus for the fair Immanuel, and peace shall come unto you.

These are three good reasons, but there are many others, and among them is this one-the force which is brought against youis utterly impossible for you effectually to resist. It is well when we contemplate warfare to sit down and see whether weare equal to the combat. What man is he that with one thousand can meet him that comes against him with twenty thousand? Now,consider this, you that forget God. If you oppose God, with whom is it that you set yourselves in battle array?

Can your puny arm hope to rival the right hand of Jehovah? Can you thunder with a voice like His? Were He a creature likeyourselves, you might hope for victory. Were He limited in any degree, you might summon all your strength and hold out inthe day of conflict. But who can contend against Omnipotence? Who shall stand against the Almighty God? As well might thefly hope to quench the sun when he has already burned up his wings in a candle! As well might you seek to dry up the Atlantic,or bid Niagara leap up the rock instead of down! As well might you hope to stay the moon in its course, or to pluck the starsfrom their places, as think to stand against God!

No, if you had all Heaven, and earth, and Hell beneath your feet, yet could God overcome you, for He has made all these thingsand can overthrow both them and you with His mere will. Let not the wax contend with the fire, nor the stubble with the flame.Let not man, who is but nothingness, think that he can contend with his Maker. You know already how foolish it is to striveagainst the natural laws of God-and you will find it equally so to contend against His moral government.

A man stands in the way of a steam engine rushing on at express speed-he knows that according to the laws of nature its weightand velocity effectually prevent his stopping its course. Do you call it courage on his part that he stands on the track anddefies the iron horse? It is not courage-it is foolhardiness, it is madness, it is suicide! Yet this is nothing in comparisonto what you are doing in placing yourself in opposition to the Lord. God will not alter His laws for you. Why should He? Theyare just and right-why should He change them? Fire will burn, and if a drunken madcap persists in thrusting his arm betweenthe bars of a furnace, shall fire cease from its nature to secure him immunity from his folly?

If a man exposes himself to the rush of an avalanche, can he expect the rolling mass to suspend itself in mid air for him?If a mariner will go to sea in a vessel worm-eaten and not seaworthy, will the waves pity the boat and cease from their roughplay and rougher warfare? No, they roll around the leaking craft as they would have done around a better vessel. They tossit-they sink it-the careless mariner perishes. If a man will act contrary to natural laws, he must suffer for it. If you dashyour head against a granite rock it will not, for your sake, soften into down.

And it is just so with the moral laws of God's government-certain results follow from sinful courses of action- inevitablyand as a matter of course. Yield, then, to the Divine wisdom which has rightly ordained the consequences of sin. Do not necessitateyour own destruction. Submit freely where rebellion is absurd. Against Omnipotence it is folly to strive. Be wise, then, andsubmit to the power of the Omnipotent God.

Further, remember that any resistance which you may be able to offer to the Lord your God will be carried on at a very fearfulprice. You will have to bear the expenses of the war which you foolishly prolong. All the time that you resist the Almightyyou are doing it at your own risk and hazard. And what is that risk and hazard? Why this-that even if you should yield toHim ultimately, so as to be saved-you will regret these sins and these rebellions as long as you live. Even when they areforgiven, your iniquities will be a source of perpetual regret to you. They will be a source of danger and weakness to youas long as you live-for though God heals the wounds of our sin-we shall carry the scars even to our graves.

Moreover, if you should never receive the saving mercy of God, remember these rebellions of yours are noted against you, andwhen the Great Judge comes to deal with you and lays His justice to the line, and righteousness to the plum-met-for all thisyou will have to give an account, for all this God will levy His Law upon you-and you shall be made to feel the weight ofHis terrible hand of vengeance.

Furthermore, let me remind you of one thing else, namely, that your total defeat is absolutely certain sooner or later. Noman ever did set himself against God and prosper for long. His patience suffers long and is kind, but there is an

end to it. Look at Pharaoh. If ever a man defied God thoroughly, it was that king of Egypt. "Who is the Lord," said he, "thatI should obey Him?" He bore up against warnings and actual plagues-each time when he was broken down he defied the Lord againas soon as the pressure of trouble was removed.

But when he fancied that the infinite God had emptied out His quiver, he found to his cost that there was yet another arrowleft, and that a deadly shaft which would lodge in his heart and lay him prostrate. He said in his heart, "I have outlivedthe plague of the locusts, I have outlived the lightning, and the darkness, and the murrain that fell upon men and beasts.Who is Jehovah that I should care for any further plagues? I will defy Him to do His worst, and fight on to the bitter end."

As he dashes along in his war chariots, with his mighty hosts at his side, hastening to pursue the captives who are fleeingfrom him, he fancies himself to be omnipotent. But when he finds his wheels dragging heavily in the depths of the sea, heturns to flee from the face of the Lord. All too late was his flight, for God gave the word and the liquid walls which hadstood like solid masonry, leaped down upon him-and then the haughty king knew that Jehovah could vanquish the proud, and putdown the stout-hearted.

For this cause was he raised up-that he might be a standing testimony to all generations that whosoever rebels against theLord shall meet with a final and irretrievable overthrow. O Sinner, your fate may not be to be drowned in the Red Sea, butworse than that, you will be shut in forever where hope is shut out, and where misery abounds. The punishment of lost soulswill prove to them, beyond all controversy, that it is a futile, a bitter, a horrible thing to be at war with the Lord ofHosts.

None can endure the terror of Jehovah's wrath-why is it that they so lightly dare to provoke it? Yield, Man! It is folly tostand out against God-you cannot hope to win. Sue for peace tonight, and may God send it to you. Without such peace your futureis darkened with thick clouds, and the presages of an horrible tempest. The Lord most surely comes, and at His coming woewill be the portion of His enemies-

"At His Presence nature shakes,

Earth affrighted hastens to flee,

Solid mountains melt like wax,

What will then become of you?

Who His advent may abide

You that glory in your shame,

Will you find a place to hide

When the world is wrapt in flame?" Let me tell you, (and this is the most glad note that is in my heart tonight), let me tellyou it will be altogether to your advantage to be at peace with God! It will be for your present happiness. It will be foryour eternal welfare. A soul at war with God is also opposed to its own best interests-but a heart that has yielded to Divinelove, that has cast down its weapons, that has closed in with Divine mercy-is a soul at peace, at rest, a soul that is readyfor joy on earth, and for bliss unspeakable above! Were there no hereafter, it is profitable even for this present life tohave God for our Friend. But when we think of the eternal future, even the most superficial consideration suffices to convinceus of the urgent necessity of being reconciled to God.

Be wise and consider, then, take my advice and do that which will be most gainful to you-namely, seek peace, and yield toChrist who is Lord of All. Meanwhile, my heart's desire and prayer for you is that you may be saved, and to that end may theHoly Spirit visit you, soften your heart, guide your judgment and direct your will, so that Jesus may from now on be yours,and be your peace.

II. Now I shall turn, in the second place, to DECLARE THE TERMS ON WHICH PEACE MAY BE NEGOTIATED. I come with a white flagtonight. I ask for a parley, an armistice, a truce. God, meanwhile, holds back His thunderbolts, and bids the sinner livewhile mercy is proclaimed to him. Would you have peace, then? Are you in earnest for friendship with your God? Then learnthat first of all, the great sine qua non is that peace be made through an ambassador nominated of God, namely, His only begottenSon, Jesus Christ.

Here, in the text, it says, "Preaching peace by Jesus Christ." There will be no peace between God and any man who despisesthe Person, name and work of Jesus Christ. Reject that name and there is no other whereby you can be saved. This is the foundationfor peace which was laid of old, and other foundation can no man lay. Hear, then, and let all diffi-

culty vanish from your mind while we speak of that excellent, that all-glorious Person whom the Lord has set forth as Heaven'sPlenipotentiary, the Ambassador of the Eternal.

This Jesus Christ is God Himself-God over all blessed forever-knowing the mind of God, and able to negotiate with Divine authority.But He is also Man-man such as you are-Man of the substance of His mother, most truly and really Man, and, therefore, He isfitted to deal graciously with man. Oh, then, because He is your Brother, accept Him as Ambassador. He is fit to be a Daysman,and an Arbitrator, and a Mediator since He has sympathy with you, and yet has equality with God.

If you, yourself, had the choice of an umpire you could not select one so every way fitted for the office. His love to you,His goodwill to our poor fallen race, His assumption of our Nature, His death in mortal form-all should lead you to commityour case into His faithful hands. God lead you to do so at once, for the matter is urgent. Now further, concerning the negotiation,I would say to you, O Enemy of God, that the great difficulty is put away which might have prevented peace between you andGod!

The Justice of God which you have provoked has been satisfied by Jesus Christ! The sacrifice of Jesus has made recompensefor the injury done by human sin. There is no difficulty now on God's part-no difficulty in forgiving any sinner that believesin Jesus Christ. Your sin was a great stone which lay at the door, but it is rolled away because Jesus died. Let that comfortyou. If you are anxious to have peace, God's terms are these, (I call them terms for want of a better word, but I mean nolegality thereby).

He asks no price of you. He demands no millions of money. No, He demands no pounds at your hands. If you had the wealth ofthe Indies, the Lord would despise such a bribe. If He were hungry, He would not tell you. If He were thirsty He would notcome to you for drink, for Lebanon would not be sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof for a burnt sacrifice. He asksno gold from you, He asks no suffering from you-no passing through dreary penance-or horrible despairing. It would be no satisfactionto Him to see you suffer.

He delights in happiness. He is pleased to see us happy when it is safe for others that we should be so. Neither does He askyou to achieve merits to bring to Him. You could not if He should demand it. You have sinned before and will sin again. Allhope for you to make up the faultiness of the past by the perfection of the future is gone. You have broken the Law. You cannotkeep it. If you shall labor after life under the Covenant of Works, you must perish. God, therefore, does not ask you to saveyourself by your own works, but He graciously tells you that He is full of mercy, full of compassion, delighting to forgive,ready to pass by your sins, and that at once.

Here is all that the Lord asks of you, and this He will enable you to do-trust sincerely in His only begotten Son. On theCross Jesus suffered-turn your eyes to that Cross. He rose again, He ascended to Heaven-trust Him to save your soul, becauseHe ever lives to make intercession for you-

"All the doing is completed,

Now it is 'look, believe, and live.'

None can purchase His salvation,

Life's a gift that God must give.

Grace, through righteousness, is reigning,

Not of works, lest man should boast.

Man must take the mercy freely,

Or eternally be lost."

Down with your weapons of rebellion-surrender them, confess that you have erred-confess it in your Father's own bosom. Consciousof His love, be conscious of your sins. Confess that you have done wrong. Cease to do evil, learn to do well. Let the wickedforsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord. Nurture not within your bosom theviper that will be your destruction. Pluck it out and hurl it from you in the strength of Him that died to save you.

Now, is this hard? Are these severe demands? Is it a hardship to confess the wrong which you have done? Is that too much?Is it not reasonable that you should do it? You cannot be healed and continue to wound yourself. How can you hope that thepoison will be extracted from your veins while you continue to drink it? No, Man, look to the Cross, and hate your sin, forsin nailed the Well-Beloved to the tree. Look up to the Cross, and you will kill sin, for the strength of Jesus' love willmake you strong to put down your tendencies to sin.

"Well, but," you say, "Is there nothing for me to bring, nothing for me to do?" Answer, "There is nothing for you to bring,there is nothing for you to do, but there is much for you to take-for you have to receive Jesus as your All in All." It isyour duty to throw down your weapons of rebellion, and to say tonight, "Great God I yield. My wanderings now are at an end.I yield my soul to You, Jesus, come and save me. And when You have saved me, help me to obey You. Behold, I give myself upto You. Infinite Mercy of God, receive me! Precious Blood of Jesus, cleanse me! Holy Spirit, sanctify me! God, my Creator,create me new! Jesus, Lover of my soul, teach my soul to love You." In this way peace is found, even peace through Jesus Christ.

III. And now, thirdly, and to conclude. I have to make public A CLAIM which Peter made on this occasion, when he spoke toCornelius and his kinsfolk. I have a claim which ought to be urged wherever the Gospel is preached. "He is Lord of all." Thismeans, first, that Jesus Christ, who died on Calvary, is in the mediatorial kingdom, which His Father has given Him, Lordof all mankind. He is Lord not of the Jew only, but also of the Gentile. Not of one race and nation, but of ALL the tribesof Adam ever born. He is Lord of all.

Remember that text, "As You have given Him power over all flesh, that He may give eternal life to as many as You have givenHim." The great object of Christ's mediatorial kingdom is the salvation of the elect-and in order to compass that grand result,power is given to Christ over all flesh-that is, over all mankind. And this last Truth of God is the reason why we are enabledhonestly to preach the Gospel to every creature under Heaven. Because Christ has power over all flesh, we preach the Gospelto all flesh. Because He is Lord of all we are permitted to preach the Gospel to all, and yes, to all who come within itshearing, "Whosoever will, let him come and take the water of life freely."

Sons of men, the Son of God is King over you! You are not ruled today so much by the iron scepter of an absolute God as bythe silver scepter of the Mediator, Jesus Christ. You are under His government today. You may hate Him, you may rail againstHim, but, "I will declare the decree," says the Psalmist, "Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion." The heathensrage, the princes take counsel together, but the Lord has made Jesus Christ the King of kings, and Lord of lords, and underHis reign we dwell. This is a most gladsome Truth, for thus we live under the reign of Sovereign Mercy, under the reign ofthe Incarnate. God Immanuel, God with us.

Look, O Sinner! You needed a Mediator between you and God, and Jesus stands in that place! You need no Mediator between youand Christ-approach Him as you now are, and His gracious heart will gladly receive you. You cannot come to God except througha Mediator! You have to deal with Christ, and may deal with Him now! Come to Him. You need no one to introduce you. Come justas you are. O may His blessed Spirit sweetly incline you to come, and "kiss the Son lest He be angry, and you perish fromthe way, when His wrath is kindled but a little."

The text, by declaring the reigning power of the Lord Jesus, shows us most encouragingly the most solid of reasons for yieldingto Him our trust and obedience. If He is Lord of All. If all things are put under Him, then I may with safety rely upon Him.This is the Man, the exalted Man, whom we, unseen, adore! Of Whom it is written, "You made Him to have dominion over all theworks of Your hands. You have put all things under His feet. All sheep and oxen, yes, and the fowl of the air, and the fishof the sea, and whatever passes through the paths of the sea."

Now, the Apostle rightly enough says, "But now we see not yet all things put under Him. But we see Jesus, who was made a littlelower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor." He is reigning in Heaven, and it is ordainedthat at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God theFather. Oh, then, trust Him, for all power is His! He is exalted on High to give repentance and remission of sins. All Hispower is linked with mercy. Grace perfumes all His attributes.

Because Jesus is Lord, I pray you, my fellow Men, to yield Him reverence and serve Him. Obey Him, for He is your Lord andSovereign. It ought to be the easier to obey Him because He is numbered with the human race. The old history which we learnedwhen we were children told us that the Welsh could not bear the yoke of an English king. They wanted to have a prince bornin their own country. Therefore, their English conqueror brought before them his own son, born in their own principality,and they accepted him as Prince of Wales.

God reigns over us, but that we may love His reign He has anointed His own Son our own Elder Brother, Jesus Christ, King ofkings and Lord of lords. Jesus the Infinite deigned to be an Infant, He who sustains all things was laid upon a woman's breast.There is no Man more a man than Jesus, and yet in no respect is He other than equal with God.

Let us, then accept the rule of Jesus. This is the ladder that Jacob saw-the bottom of which rests on the earth, near to you-yourfeeble feet may reach it.

But the top reaches to Heaven, and now between earth and Heaven, between man and God, there is a ladder that never can bebroken-by which sinners may ascend to the Glory of God! O love Him, then! With all your hearts cherish the name and honorof the Incarnate God, Immanuel. Because He is so unspeakably glorious and gracious, serve Him with joy and gladness!

Be it also known that Jesus the Savior must be received as Lord in the souls of those whom He redeems. You must obey Him ifyou trust Him, or else your trust will be mere hypocrisy. If we trust a physician we follow his prescriptions. If we trusta guide we follow his directions, and if we fully rely on Jesus, we obey His gracious commands. The faith which saves is afaith which produces a change of life, and subdues the soul to obedience to the Lord. Be not deceived-where Jesus comes, Hecomes to reign. Without submission to His will and Word, you are without the safety of His Atonement.

The ship is saved from the rock because it obeys the pilot's hand as he moves the helm. If it were untrue to the steerageit would perish with the best of helmsmen on board. It is most just that He who bought us, sought us, found us, saved us,and preserves us should have our loving allegiance. And so assuredly it must be, or no peace can be established between usand God. Let us welcome His sway and pray Him to exert His power. Be this our daily prayer-

"Almighty King of saints,

These tyrant lusts subdue-

Drive the old serpent from his seat,

And all my powers renew.

This done, my cheerful voice

Shall loud hosannas raise;

My soul shall glow with gratitude,

My lips proclaim Your praise." And lastly, let me say I do not put this to you as a matter of choice as to whether you willor will not submit to the will of God and seek reconciliation with Him. Neither do I speak with bated breath when as a heraldI hereby proclaim Jesus to be both Lord and God. But in the name of Him that lives and was dead and is alive forevermore,and has the keys of Hell and of death-I say, in His name-I DEMAND of you that you obey Him, and receive Him as the Christof God. Yield yourselves to Him who is Lord of All. Do you refuse the summons that I give you now as His officer tonight?

Then take heed what you do, for as the Lord lives you shall answer for this in the Great Day of His appearing. Behold He comeswith clouds, and every eye shall see Him, and they also which crucified Him-and you who despise Him must be judged by Him.If you reject Him, you shall nevertheless see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God, and coming in the clouds ofHeaven to judge the quick and dead.

I say, again, then-I come to you not to flatter and deceive you. I come not to plead with you as though my Lord and Masterwere on equal terms with you. He summons you to surrender! He bids you throw down your arms and accept His mercy. He is notafraid of your opposition. Neither does He need your friendship. It is His Grace which leads Him to invite you to peace. Hecondescends to treat you thus, whom He might have sent into Hell with one word of His lips years ago. If you refuse Him youshall answer for it. On your heads shall be your own blood, and in that day when Heaven and earth shall pass away like a scroll,you, without a shelter-you, without an Advocate-you, without an excuse, shall be banished from His Presence to endure thewrath of God.

The Lord grant His mercy that not one of you may stand out against Him, but this night, before another sun rises, may therebe peace established on a sure footing between you and God, for Christ is our peace. May you take Him and trust Him, and bereconciled to God. And to God shall be the glory forever and forever. Amen and Amen.