I
Have Something to Say to You
by J. C. Ryle
Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." Luke 7:40
Reader, I do not know who you are. I know not whether you
are old or young, rich or poor, learned or unlearned. I only know that you
are a child of Adam, and have a soul to be lost or saved. And therefore I
say, "hear me! I have somewhat to say unto you!" Reader, I have four things
to say, and they shall soon be said. The Lord make them words in season to
your soul.
I. Firstly, I have a word of WISHES AND DESIRES
for every one into whose hands these pages may
fall. I tell you it is my heart's desire and prayer to God for you, that you
may be saved. I want you to be convinced of your sinfulness in the sight of
God, to feel your need of a Savior, to know Christ by faith, and to have
eternal life in Him. I wish you to be one who knows his own lost condition
by nature, his own corruption, guilt, and danger of eternal ruin, his need
of a righteousness far better than his own, wherein to appear before God at
the day of judgment. I wish you to be one who actually applies to Christ for
peace, and casts the burden of his soul upon Him, who believes on Him for
forgiveness, who trusts Him for deliverance from all transgression, and
forsaking all other hopes and confidence, draws from Him all his comfort and
strength. I wish you to be one who lives by faith, stands by faith, walks by
faith, who receives with the heart that grand truth, "He who believes on
Jesus is not condemned," and rests securely upon it. This faith is the only
principle that produces inward peace and real holiness. This is the faith
that sanctifies a man, "that purifies the heart, that overcomes the world,
that works by love, that brings forth fruit. He who has this faith is born
of God and an heir of glory. He who has it not, is not of God, knows little
of true vital Christianity now, and will be lost forever hereafter.
Reader, my best desire is that you may be a new creature
in Christ Jesus—led by the spirit of God—conformed to your Master's
likeness, and not unto the world—loving, much, because much forgiven—having
communion with the Father and the Son—one with Christ and Christ in you.
Then I should feel that you were safe—safe, though the Lord should come in
glory, and heaven and earth be dissolved, and the elements molt with fervent
heat—safe, because ready for every condition. Judge for yourself, can I feel
that for all who profess and call themselves Christians? Then I should feel
that you were truly happy; happy, because the springs of your happiness
would be in heaven and never dry—happy, because your peace would be that
blessed peace which the world can neither give nor take away. Judge for
yourself, can I feel that for all who profess and call themselves
Christians? Reader, I make no secret of my wishes, whatever you may think of
them. God is my witness, these are my wishes, these are my desires for
everybody.
II. Secondly, I have a word of SORROWFUL WARNING
for some into whose hands these pages will fall. Some of you know in your
own hearts and consciences—though I could say it weeping—you know well, that
you are not walking with God. You, to whom I now speak, know well that God's
ways are not your ways—that although you profess and call yourselves
Christians, your hearts are not right in His sight. You have no heart-felt
hatred for sin. You have no heart-felt love for God's commandments. You have
no delight in God's word. You have no pleasure in the company of His people.
His day is a weariness to you. His service is a burden. His ordinances are
not precious to your soul. Your first and best thoughts are given to the
life that now is—you spend but the wreck and remnant of them on the life to
come. Your treasure is on earth and not in heaven. Your affections are set
on things below, and not on things above. Your friendship is with the world,
and not with God. Oh! reader, what has the Lord God done to you that you
should treat Him in this fashion? What can the world do for you, that you
should love it better than Christ? Would the world die for you? No! but
Jesus did. Can the world put away your sins? No! Jesus alone can. Does the
world give true peace in this life? No! but Jesus does. Will the world give
comfort in death? No! but Jesus will. Can the world help you in the day of
judgment? No! No! none can help you then but Christ!
Reader, what will you do when God rises up, except you
alter? when He visits, what will you answer Him, except you change? Do you
not know that whatever a man sows he shall also reap? He that sows to the
flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; He only that sows to the Spirit,
shall of the Spirit reap life eternal. The world you think so much of now
passes away. He only that does the will of God abides forever. But God, our
Savior, still loves you. God is not willing that any one should perish. He
sends you by my mouth a message of peace this day. Turn from the broad way
and come unto Christ while there is yet time. Turn before the fountain is
sealed, now open for sin and uncleanness—before the Father's house is closed
forever, and not one more allowed to enter—before the Spirit and the Bride
cease to invite. Be wise, repent, return, and come.
Reader, you cannot prevent my grieving over you, although
you maybe at ease yourself. God; is my witness, this day I have given you a
warning!
III. Thirdly, I have a word of
QUICKENING for all true believers, into whose hands this tract
may fall. Believing reader, I trust I may say of you, you love the Lord
Jesus Christ in sincerity. Know then that I want you to be a bright and
shining light to those around you. I want you to be such a plain epistle of
Christ, that all may read something of God on the face of your conversation.
I want you so to live that all may see that you are one of the people of
Jesus, and thus to glorify your Father which is in heaven. Alas! I say it
with shame, we many of us bring little glory to the Lord who bought us; we
are far from walking worthy of our vocation. How weak is our faith! How
fleeting our sorrow for sin! How faint our self-denial! How soon spent our
patience! How thin and thread-bare our humility! How formal our prayers! How
cold our love!
We are called God's witnesses, but truly our witness is
often little better than silence—it is but an uncertain sound. We are called
the light of the world, but we are—many of us—poor, glimmering sparks, that
can only just be seen. We are called the salt of the earth, but we scarcely
do anything to make our savor felt and known. We are called pilgrims and
strangers, but those who observe us might sometimes think this world was our
only home. Often, too often, we prove to be one thing in name, and another
in reality—high in our professions, but low in our practice—giants in our
resolutions, but infants in our actions—angels and spiritual in our talking,
heathen, or little better, in our doing—goodly, like Naphtali, in our
words—unstable, like Reuben, in our works. Oh! believing reader, these
things ought not so to be.
We must not be content with a low measure of holiness. We
must not rest satisfied with a little sanctification. We must not think it
is enough, because we have attained a small degree of grace, and are just
one step better than the world. No! indeed, we must go forward from strength
to strength. We must shine more and more unto the perfect day. We must
strive to bear much fruit. Christ did not give Himself to us that we should
be a sleeping generation—trees that grow not—always standing still. He would
have us be 'a peculiar people, zealous of good works—valiant for the
truth—fervent in spirit—living not unto ourselves, but unto Him. Freely
saved, we should freely and willingly labor. Freely forgiven, we should
freely and cheerfully work. Freely redeemed from more than Egyptian bondage,
we should count it a pleasure and a privilege to serve the Lord. Our lives
should be books of evidences. Our acts should tell out whose we are. "You
are my friends," said Jesus, "if you do whatever I command you."
Brother or sister, what are you doing in the world? Where
is the proof of your growth in grace? Are you awake, or are you asleep? Are
there no tempers you might keep under more strictly? Is there no sort of
besetting sin you are shamefully sparing? Is there no time you might employ
more usefully? Is there no kind of selfishness you are secretly indulging?
Is there no good you have the means of doing, and leave undone? Are there no
daily habits you might alter for the better? Are there no spots upon your
spiritual garments which you never seek to have washed out? Are there no
friends and relations you are letting alone in their sins? Oh! that you may
deal more honestly with yourself than you have done hitherto! The Lord is at
hand.
Brother or sister, look within. Take heed lest a
deceitful heart, and an ensnaring world, and a busy devil, turn you out of
the way. Study a tender conscience. Beware of indolence under the cloak of
false humility. Make not the old Adam, and the devil, an excuse for little
sins. Let the least things of your daily life be done well—like the shekel
of the sanctuary, let them be good measure—let them be even more than full
weight. Remember the Apostle's advice, "Watch, stand fast in the faith, be
courageous like men, be strong." (1 Cor. xvi. 13.) Those who follow the Lord
fully are those that follow Him most comfortably. Be zealous though the
world may sleep. Brother or sister, I give you this word of quickening in
love. I would not have you be the least in the kingdom of heaven. I would
not like you to be the palest and dimmest among the stars in glory. I want
you not only to be scarcely saved, and so as by fire, but to receive a full
reward. Then lay these things well to heart.
IV. Fourthly, I have words of
ADVICE for every one that desires to be a real Christian. One
part of my advice is this—"Search the Scriptures." They only are able to
make you wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. They
are the truth of God. They must be fulfilled. They cannot be broken. And yet
they are the book which many have, and very few read. Reader, beware lest an
unread Bible be an awful witness against you at tho last day. If you would
have your soul saved, read the Bible. If you would not be always wavering
and carried about by every wind of doctrine, read the Bible. Read it
regularly. Read it all. Be a Bible-reading Christian, whatever the world may
say. Make time for this, whatever others may do. Remember my advice. If you
would not lose your own soul, read the Bible.
Another piece of advice is this—"Pray without ceasing."
Prayer is the only way by which man can approach God. Prayer is the only
messenger we can send to tell God what we want; and if we would have good
things for our souls, we must ask for them. Prayer opens the treasuries
of God's mercies like a key; if we ask, we shall receive. Prayer is the
means that every one can use if he will—and yet for all this many people
never pray.
Reader, beware lest your neglect of prayer should prove
your condemnation. If Jesus is to save you, you must pray. If your sins are
to be forgiven, you must pray. If the spirit is to dwell in your heart, you
must pray. If you are to have strength against sin, you must pray. If you
are to dwell with God in heaven, your heart must talk with God upon earth by
prayer. Oh! do not be a prayerless Christian, whatever others may think
right. Begin to pray this day if you never prayed before. Remember if you
and I are to meet each other with joy at Christ's appearing, you must pray.
Another piece of advice is this—"Attend regularly on the
means of grace." Go to some place of worship where the Gospel is preached.
Faith comes by hearing. Those who never hear are never likely to believe the
Gospel. Reader, beware lest you are ruined forever by neglecting the means
which God has appointed for your salvation. Alas! it does not need to be a
murderer, or an adulterer, or a thief, or a liar, in order to be in the way
to hell. You have only to sit still, to do nothing, to profane the Sabbath,
to refuse to listen to instruction, and in hell you will find yourself at
last. Oh! do not let this be your end. Draw near to God and He will draw
near to you. Walk in the road where Jesus loves to walk, and who can tell
but He will one day make you one of His believing people.
Reader, I commend these things to your special notice. I
know they are worth thinking over. The Lord grant if you never thought of
them before, that you may go on thinking, thinking, thinking about them
until your soul is saved. The Lord grant, if you have thought of them, that
you may think of them more and more every year you live. The more you think
of them the happier you will be.
I remain, your affectionate friend,
J. C. Ryle
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