1. TO YOU
The one who spoke and wrote this message will be very disappointed if it doesn’t lead many people to the Lord Jesus. It’s sent forth in childlike dependence upon the power of God the Holy Spirit, to use it in the conversion of millions, if it pleases Him to do so. No doubt many poor men and women will read this little book, and the Lord will visit them with grace. For that reason, the simplest language has been chosen, and many common expressions have been used. But if those of wealth and status should glance at this book, the Holy Spirit can impress them also; since the things that can be understood by those with less education is also attractive to the educated. I really hope that some might read it and become great soul winners!
Who knows how many will find their way to peace by what they’ve read here? A more important question to you, dear reader, is this: Will you be one of them?
A certain man set up a water fountain by the roadside, and he hung a cup up near it using a little chain. After awhile, someone told him that a great art-critic found many problems with the fountain’s design. “But,” the fountain owner asked, “Do many thirsty people drink from the fountain?” They told him that thousands of poor people, men, women, and children, had quenched their thirst at this fountain. He smiled and said that he wasn’t bothered by the critic’s observation. He only hoped that on some hot summer’s day the critic himself might fill the cup, and once he’s been refreshed, would praise the name of the Lord.
Here is my fountain, and here is my cup: find fault if you wish; but do take a drink of the water of life. This is my one concern. I would rather bless the soul of the poorest street sweeper, or rag-gatherer, than please a prince of royal blood, and fail to convert him to God.
Reader, do you mean business in reading these pages? If so, we are agreed from the beginning; but nothing short of your finding Christ and Heaven is the aim of our business here. I really hope that we may seek this together! I do so by dedicating this little book with prayer. Will you join me by looking up to God, and asking Him to bless you while you read? Providence has put these pages in front of you. You don’t have much time in which to read them, and you feel willing to give your attention to them. These are good signs. Who knows whether or not the set time of blessing has come for you? At any rate, “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, ‘Today if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts’” (Hebrews 3:7).
2. WHAT ARE WE DOING?
I remember hearing a story. I think it came from the North Country. A minister called upon a poor woman, intending to help her because he knew that she was very poor. With his money in his hand, he knocked on the door; but she didn’t answer. He figured that she wasn’t home, and went away. A little later he met her at the church and told her that he had remembered her need: “I went to your house and knocked several times; and I supposed that you weren’t home because there wasn’t an answer.”
“When did you come, sir?”
“It was about noon.”
“Oh, dear,” she said, “I heard you, sir, and I’m so sorry I didn’t answer; but I thought it was the landlord looking for the rent.”
Many poor women know what this means. Now, it’s my desire to be heard, and therefore I want to say that I’m not coming for the rent. Certainly, it isn’t the purpose of this book to ask for anything from you, but to tell you that salvation is all of grace, which means, free, gratis, for nothing.
Often, when we’re anxious to have attention paid to us, our hearer thinks, “Ah! now I’m going to be told my duty. It’s the man coming to collect what is owed to God, and I’m sure I have nothing to pay with. I just won’t answer the door.” No, this book doesn’t come to make a demand upon you, but to bring you something. We’re not going to talk about law, and duty, and punishment, but about love, and goodness, and forgiveness, and mercy, and eternal life. Therefore, don’t act as if you were not home: don’t turn a deaf ear, or a careless heart. I’m asking nothing of you in the name of God or man. It’s not my intent to make any requirement of you; but I come in God’s name, to bring you a free gift, which shall be for your joy now, and also your joy for eternity, if you receive it. Open the door, and let my pleadings enter.
“Come now, and let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18). The Lord Himself invites you to a conference concerning your immediate and endless happiness, and He would not have done this if He did not mean to do you well. Do not refuse the Lord Jesus who knocks at your door; for He knocks with a hand that was nailed to the Cross for someone just like you. Since His sole purpose is for your good, open your ear and come to Him. Listen carefully, and let the good Word sink into your soul. It may be that the time has come in which you shall enter that new life which is the beginning of heaven. Faith comes by hearing, and reading is a sort of hearing: faith may come to you while you are reading this book. Why not? O blessed Spirit of all grace, make it so!
The one who spoke and wrote this message will be very disappointed if it doesn’t lead many people to the Lord Jesus. It’s sent forth in childlike dependence upon the power of God the Holy Spirit, to use it in the conversion of millions, if it pleases Him to do so. No doubt many poor men and women will read this little book, and the Lord will visit them with grace. For that reason, the simplest language has been chosen, and many common expressions have been used. But if those of wealth and status should glance at this book, the Holy Spirit can impress them also; since the things that can be understood by those with less education is also attractive to the educated. I really hope that some might read it and become great soul winners!
Who knows how many will find their way to peace by what they’ve read here? A more important question to you, dear reader, is this: Will you be one of them?
A certain man set up a water fountain by the roadside, and he hung a cup up near it using a little chain. After awhile, someone told him that a great art-critic found many problems with the fountain’s design. “But,” the fountain owner asked, “Do many thirsty people drink from the fountain?” They told him that thousands of poor people, men, women, and children, had quenched their thirst at this fountain. He smiled and said that he wasn’t bothered by the critic’s observation. He only hoped that on some hot summer’s day the critic himself might fill the cup, and once he’s been refreshed, would praise the name of the Lord.
Here is my fountain, and here is my cup: find fault if you wish; but do take a drink of the water of life. This is my one concern. I would rather bless the soul of the poorest street sweeper, or rag-gatherer, than please a prince of royal blood, and fail to convert him to God.
Reader, do you mean business in reading these pages? If so, we are agreed from the beginning; but nothing short of your finding Christ and Heaven is the aim of our business here. I really hope that we may seek this together! I do so by dedicating this little book with prayer. Will you join me by looking up to God, and asking Him to bless you while you read? Providence has put these pages in front of you. You don’t have much time in which to read them, and you feel willing to give your attention to them. These are good signs. Who knows whether or not the set time of blessing has come for you? At any rate, “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, ‘Today if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts’” (Hebrews 3:7).
2. WHAT ARE WE DOING?
I remember hearing a story. I think it came from the North Country. A minister called upon a poor woman, intending to help her because he knew that she was very poor. With his money in his hand, he knocked on the door; but she didn’t answer. He figured that she wasn’t home, and went away. A little later he met her at the church and told her that he had remembered her need: “I went to your house and knocked several times; and I supposed that you weren’t home because there wasn’t an answer.”
“When did you come, sir?”
“It was about noon.”
“Oh, dear,” she said, “I heard you, sir, and I’m so sorry I didn’t answer; but I thought it was the landlord looking for the rent.”
Many poor women know what this means. Now, it’s my desire to be heard, and therefore I want to say that I’m not coming for the rent. Certainly, it isn’t the purpose of this book to ask for anything from you, but to tell you that salvation is all of grace, which means, free, gratis, for nothing.
Often, when we’re anxious to have attention paid to us, our hearer thinks, “Ah! now I’m going to be told my duty. It’s the man coming to collect what is owed to God, and I’m sure I have nothing to pay with. I just won’t answer the door.” No, this book doesn’t come to make a demand upon you, but to bring you something. We’re not going to talk about law, and duty, and punishment, but about love, and goodness, and forgiveness, and mercy, and eternal life. Therefore, don’t act as if you were not home: don’t turn a deaf ear, or a careless heart. I’m asking nothing of you in the name of God or man. It’s not my intent to make any requirement of you; but I come in God’s name, to bring you a free gift, which shall be for your joy now, and also your joy for eternity, if you receive it. Open the door, and let my pleadings enter.
“Come now, and let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18). The Lord Himself invites you to a conference concerning your immediate and endless happiness, and He would not have done this if He did not mean to do you well. Do not refuse the Lord Jesus who knocks at your door; for He knocks with a hand that was nailed to the Cross for someone just like you. Since His sole purpose is for your good, open your ear and come to Him. Listen carefully, and let the good Word sink into your soul. It may be that the time has come in which you shall enter that new life which is the beginning of heaven. Faith comes by hearing, and reading is a sort of hearing: faith may come to you while you are reading this book. Why not? O blessed Spirit of all grace, make it so!
[Charles Haddon Spurgeon's classic, All of Grace, has been edited in Modern English by Jon Cardwell. A chapter or two will be posted each Friday.]
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Brother Cardwell,
ReplyDeleteThank you for this most excellent work.