Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-11-29
&eading fur the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY .
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
(Original.1
ssCOME UNTO ME-"
Matthew IL:


day, got there through faith in Jesus Christ.
Adam himself was saved by faith. So was
Abraham, and so we're all the Old Testament
Saints. By faith, all the apostles and mar.
tyrs, in the early years of the New Testament
Church, were saved and all who, of the
present time, are on the narrow road that leads
to life, are walking by faith. So it will con-
tinue to be till all the "ransomed Church of
God is saved to sin no more" There is, per-
haps, more said in the Bible about faith, than
any other subject. We might say that the
whole Bible is treatise on faith. Not be-
cause faith is the only subject of which the
Bible treats, but because faith in Jesus Christ
is the subject of the Bible. Z
When Jesus Christ says, "come unto me,
he means the same thing as if he had said,
believe in me- What are we, then, to under
stand the Saviour to command US and to in
vite US to do, when he says, "come unto me. "
Evidently, it is both command and an in
vitation to do some thing. To obey the Sa-
viour in this particular, is both duty and q
privilege. Since the language is not to be in
terpreted as applicable to any particular race
of men, or to all men at particular period
of the worlds history, the Saviour does not
command and invite US to perform some phys.
ical act or deed. We apprehend the only in
teligent meaning that can be attached to the
words, "come unto ME" is for sinner to re-
ceive Jesus Christ as his Saviour, and to rest
upon Jesus Christ alone for salvation, as he is
offered to sinners in the Scriptures.
That the sinner may be prepared to receive
Jesus Christ, it is necessary that the sinner be
convinced of his lost and ruined condition.
That this may be effected, God has provided
ample means. Everything in and around the
sinner declares that something is wrong. The
world is full of misery. Man that is born of
woman is of few days, and those few days
are full of trouble. Man is born unto trouble
as the sparks fly upward. Job 5:7. The
observation of mankind universally, and their
individual experience, corroborate the declar-
ations of the Scriptures on this point. #
The providence of God convicts men of sin.
Of this there can be no doubt. At the door
of every mans heart the providence of God
knocks, and in tones not to be misunderstood,
convicts US all. Something more, however,
than conviction is necessary, that the sinner
may not be disobedient to the heavenly call.
The Bible teaches US that whosoever cometh
to God, must believe that God exists and
that he is the rewarder of all them that dill.
gently seek him. Before the sinner can come
to God, he must have scriptural idea of the
existence of God. Hence, with great pro.
priety, the inspired Psalmist says, the Word
of God is light to the sinners feet and a
lamp unto his path. g., }ta|. 3D..
The existence and attributes Of God can be
learned satisfactorily only from the Bible.
It is from the Bible that the sinner learns
that God can pardon sin. 1t is from the Bi.
bic alone that the sinner can learn anything
about the redeemiug love of God. He may
behold the matchless wisdom, power and
goodness of God in everything aronnd him;
but redeeming love is discovered only in the
Bible.
It important that we emphasize the fact
that it is sinners, and not saints, that Jesus
commands and invites to come unto him.
Dying men are invited to come unto him and
live. Sinners on the broad road that leads to
hopeless ruin, are invited TO come unto him
that they may reach the haven of eternal rest.
Multitudes make ruinous mistake when
they conclude that they must, in some way or
other, prepare themselves before they come to
Jesus to be saved. Those who thus think,
have no just notions of their desperate condi-
ton. Sick men never ask physicians to wait
until they recover, before medicines are ad-
mnistered drowning men never bid those
Offering them assistance to wait until they get
out of the deep waters, before they render aid.
No, the man who feels that he is going down
to rise no more, cries for help now. So the
sinner who knows bis spiritual state, cries
out, "Help, Lord-make no delay? He has
no desire to put the thing off for year or
two, or for day or two; no, not even for a
moment. He feels that his is an urgent case.
Genuine convictions lead man to the Dor.
ders of despair, Lord save, or / perish is the
feelings of his SOUL That man who is saying
that he will, some time when he has done this
or that thing, 60 to Jesus, is living in the
bond of iniquity without God, and without
hope in the world. With out-stretched arms
and loving heart, Jesus stands waiting to re.
oeive every sinner who will come to him for
deliverance from the guilt and pollution Of
sin. What consumate madness for dying
sinner to say to a waiting Saviour, Il will
come tomorrow" II will accept of your pro.
fered salvation when life's energies are ex-
hausied, its joys all become stale, and 1 can
find no pleasure in SIM"
Again, others excuse themselves for not
coming to Jesus, because Of the shortcomings
and failures in duty of those who have pro-
fessedly gone to the Saviour. 1t is sad that
the lives of Gods professed people are so in
consistent with their professions None feel
this more than they themselves The miner
may be disappointed that he finds so little
gold and so much foreign matter. Still, it is
so, and he continues to toll and dig go long as
he can find gold. 1t is the scarcity of gold
that gives it its value, True piety- genuine
godiness-though it be very scarce, is never
thele,s, pearl of great price. Gold is gold,
no matter how much counterfeit coin there may
be in circulation. The simple fact that gold
is counterfeited, shows that it is highly priced.
| In the sama WAY that men pretend to ha