CHAPTER VII.

RODS FOR CRITICS AND HYPERCRITICS.

To understand and appreciate this chapter, the reader must understand that Mr. Caughey is accustomed tɔ publicly defend himself against the numerous objections which his critics are wont to make to his manner of preaching. What they write to him privately he answers openly. The practice, though it works well in his hand, is not recommended to ministers generally. As a rule it is best to leave fault-finders alone. But Mr. Caughey has a method peculiarly his own, and knows how to turn a criticism into a powerful weapon of assault. The style of the following extracts is very abrupt. But the reader will be able to connect it by keeping in mind that each objection presented and answered is supposed to have been sent him by some one then present in the congregation. The replies were given usually before preaching, as a sort of preface to his There are many useful truths very pointedly put

sermons.

in this chapter.

You shall hear my text in a few minutes. Let those whom it may concern listen; and those whom it may not may judge the matter, and be profited also.

1st. My first reply is to "A MORAL but restless hearer." What can I say to you more appropriate and emphatic than that decision of your Lord and mine? John 3 : 3.—

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man BE BORN AGAIN he cannot see the kingdom of God." What a fearful exception is this against a moral man"! Exceptions in law, you are "a aware, have tremendous results often. It is to deny what an opposite party has alleged as valid, in point of legal pleading or law. "A bill of exceptions" in law will set aside evidence for the present, perhaps finally; it has even caused a reverse of judgment, with great loss. Do you understand me? He who expects heaven by virtue of his morality, and not from any gracious change wrought in his nature, is met in the Gospel court by our Lord himself, who there files this bill of exception,-"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, EXCEPT a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom." This stands good in the highest court of the universe. Now, woe be to him who, in face of such an exception, persists in carrying his case to the court of eternity! He shall be cast, most surely; ay, not simply lose his case, but himself, his soul; not only be cast in his suit, but "cast into prison," Matt. 5: 25, 26; "cast into hell," Luke 12: 5; "cast into the fire," Matt. 3: 18; "cast into outer darkness," Matt. 22: 13,-"there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." These phrases, everybody knows, were used by our Lord himself, showing the result of being cast in that high court.

Are any more Scriptures needed? Will you, or will you not, depend upon his word? Can you persist with your plea? Nay, nay! you must not! there is a more excellent way, repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; pardon, a change of heart, a new birth unto righteousness, a new creature in Christ, a pure and perfect morality as the fruit of the same, the happy soul

sitting at the feet of Jesus, and singing her sweet little

song:

"Jesus, thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
'Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head.

"Bold shall I stand in thy great day,
For who aught to my charge shall lay?
Fully absolved through these I am

From sin and fear, from guilt and shame.

"The holy, meek, unspotted Lamb,
Who from the Father's bosom came,
Who died for me, even me, to atone,
Now for my Lord and God I own.

"Lord, I believe thy precious blood,
Which at the mercy-seat of God
Forever doth for sinners plead,

For me, even for my soul, was shed."

Hear me, thou restless one! If thou art not in love with error, if thou wouldst rather be right than wrong, rather be in safety than in peril, rest not until the above stanzas are representatives of your happy experience!

2d. To "A Serious Inquirer" a few words. You have heard my reply to the moralist. You have marked the decision of our Lord,-John 3: 3. You have there the true notion of what it is to become a Christian; the one only royal birth, which gives you the only valid title to the inheritance above. It is the second birth; a new birth unto righteousness; a change within, of the heart, of all the affections; the making the tree good, that the fruit may be good; a passing from death unto life, from death thin to life within the soul,-righteousness, and

peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Eternal death is your peril, till this change occurs in your nature.

I wonder not that you, also, are "restless and uneasy;" an exposure to this peril is the great cause of all the disquietude that afflicts our world. You are diseased besides, and you have been applying a wrong remedy. It has made you worse, instead of better. Self-righteousness is no herb. It is a weed that grows in nature's garden. It has no business there. There is no healing virtue in a weed. This weed is not only useless and troublesome, but poisonous. He who seeks medicine in it might as well look for a cure in common arsenic. How many are poisoned by mistake,— a weed for an herb, a poisonous root for a nutritious one, such as we heard of the other day, killing one or two in a family, and sickening others cruelly! St. Paul mourns over those who are going about in search of such a weed. Rom. 10: 3. Ignorant of the true root,—“God's righteousness," God's method of saving sinners through faith in Christ,—they go about to plant the false root of "their own righteousness" in the garden of their souls, as a plea for salvation, as a method to cure their corrupt nature. But "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”. Rom. 10: 4. O, then, If you go

be not one of those over whom Paul mourns!

about any business, you wish to do it in a right manner; pray carry this out in soul matters. Haste yourself. Trifle not with life. Death may be near your door. Let soul affairs be settled!

A young man once asked one of the fathers when was the best time to repent. "O, as to that, the day before your death will do!" But, rejoined the inquirer, "Sure I may die to-morrow." "In that case," replied the father "the safest way is to repent to-day!" I would

urge the same on you; repent, believe, and be saved to-day, this hour, why not now?

Gregory, an ancient writer, compares LIFE to a mariner in a ship in full sail. A simple but great truth that. It is equally true, also, we are sailing either for the port of heaven or the port of hell. Nor is there anything below of greater importance than to be certified of the port for which we are bound. You have not ascertained that yet, you say; then that is the cause of your uneasiness. If a captain is traversing the sea without a reckoning, it is ten to one he is sailing in a wrong direction. How stands your reckoning? Had you ever à correct one, think you? Have you ever known by experience the meaning of Rom. 8: 16?"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God,"- or the love of God, shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost given unto us." Are you not risking your soul where you would not risk property? I mean on an uncertain or defective TITLE-DEED? Do you serve the Lord with gladness? How can you, if you know not which way you are steering? How could a sea-captain be glad under such circumstances? Would his crew serve with gladness? Suppose he has lost his reckoning, or suspects he never had a correct one. You are now out on the high seas of life,— his case exactly illustrates yours.

Let me tell you, never have you seen a better time than this to ascertain your spiritual latitude. Besides, we are now in the "trade-winds" for heaven. Hear me, all of you! A finer breeze for the harbor of glory none of you may ever enjoy again. This is the day of salvation. Huddersfield is now receiving a call from heaven, a Divine visitation. Never had a people a fairer gale for heaven. What they know not now they shall know hereafter. The