The triumphs of grace

III. The triumphs of grace in individuals. Let us talk together. Do you remember, some of you who are converted — the time when the gospel first had power over your souls? I remember how I fought against it. A mother's tears could not move me, nor a father's earnest rebukes. I heard the gospel many times and I was little affected by it, though I knew it all. But I shall never forget when it came with power to my soul. I had no shield that could shake off its darts; the arrows of God found a ready way into my conscience, and they seemed to drink my very blood. My wounds rankled and were corrupt; my soul refused to be comforted.

Then I used to go up to my little chamber and bow my knees in prayer, and come out more wretched than when I entered it. I searched the Word of God to find comfort — but could not find it. Then it was that one who knew me, might have said "The right hand of the Lord is exalted in that young man, for he was proud and lofty and self-righteous, and now he lies in the very dust, and wonders that God lets him live — he marvels that there should be a gospel for him, and can only half believe it is true that such a wretch as he can ever be saved,"

Oh I wish the Lord would come with power to some self-righteous ones who are here this afternoon. You say that you are as good as your neighbors! Ah — but suppose you are damned with your neighbors — will that help you? To be damned in company is small benefit. Oh — but you say that you have never done anybody any harm! No, except your God, and you have robbed him of all the praise that was due to him, and lived in this world just as you might have lived if there had been no God. O proud sinner, I cannot bring you down — but God can. Oh, for a blow from that mighty arm to level you and roll you at his feet, biting the dust in shame and self-abasement.

Some of us know what that means. May you know it too, and then you will say, though your heart is breaking as you say it, "The right hand of the Lord is exalted! He is good — but I am evil; He is great — but I am nothing; He is infinitely holy — but I am shamefully impure. God be merciful to me — to me, a sinner! God save me for his name's sake." When his sharp arrows pierce men's hearts, the right hand of the Lord is exalted.

But let me talk with you further. You who know the Lord and love him. Do you remember when you sought to escape from the multitude of your sins? Do you recollect when they compassed you about — when they compassed you about like bees? You could not count your sins — you had forgotten them; they seemed dead and buried — but they all came to life again, and they swarmed about you. They buzzed around you at your table; they stung you in your sleep; in your dreams they harassed you; at your work you had no peace because of them.

And do you recall the place, the spot of ground, where you met with Jesus? Some of us recollect it precisely. We looked to him upon the cross, and the battle was over at once. One look to Jesus crucified, and the sins that compassed us about were destroyed in the name of the Lord; and the foes that threatened to devour us like fire devours thorns, were quenched through the precious blood of Jesus. Do you remember it? Oh let your soul go back to your spiritual birthday; ring the bells of your heart again; hang out the streamers of your soul for that happy day when Jesus washed your sins away! Oh beloved, on that day beyond all others, the right hand of the Lord was exalted, the right hand of the Lord did valiantly for you.

It is a grand picture — I would like to see some artist attempt to sketch it — but he certainly must fail. I would like to hear some poet sing it — but he could hardly reach the dignity of the argument as when Miriam and the daughters of Israel took their timbrels and went forth with dances to sing because Egypt had been destroyed and Israel was free!

Do you know the note in that song which pleases me best of all? It is this: when they said, "The depths have covered them! There is not one of them left!" They looked upon the Red Sea and could not see a trace of their foe; and I think I hear them singing, "The depths have covered them; there is not one — not one — not one," and they answered each other "not one — not one — not one of them left!"

And so when you and I looked to Christ and saw the atoning sacrifice like a mighty sea rolling over all our sins, in that day our spirit sang, "The depths have covered them! There is not one — not one — not one of them left." Every sin is gone, every transgression is swallowed up in super-abounding grace. "The right hand of the Lord does valiantly!"

But I must still talk with you of things which you know. Do you recollect brethren, that troublous time since your sins were forgiven? How hard you found the struggle with some sinful habit. Some of us, it may be, had fierce tempers to fight with. Some converts have formerly indulged in many foul habits, and it cost them many struggles to get rid of these evil propensities; but the grace of God always enables a Christian to overcome every sin.

I know there are some who think that they cannot overcome some sins. "O," they say, "that is constitutional — it is my temperament." Brother, never excuse sin in that way. Do you think Jesus Christ did not intend to cleanse you from constitutional sin? Do you think constitutional sins have no evil in them? I have no doubt it was constitutional sin that made Cain kill his brother — but he was sent to Hell for it. And so all men will be if they allow constitutional sin to reign in them.

No, by the grace of God we can overcome every sin, and we must. I would be very glad to see a man who had reached perfection — but I will tell you what I expect to see; and that is men and women who will never rest satisfied short of it, who feel that as long as they live, they mean to wage war against every sin; no truce — no parley — no signing a peace-treaty with the Gibeonites and saying,

"You are to remain in my soul to be a hewer of wood and a drawer of water." Jos 9.23. Let them all perish! Let every sin be put to death! And as God helps us to drive out sin, and to be made like his dear son in our outward life — we shall ascribe every victory we win to him alone, who is our sanctification, as well as our justification; and we must say that his right hand is exalted, for he does valiantly.

The same has been true, beloved friends, in many cases in which you and I have had to overcome our troubles. What sore afflictions we have passed through! Some to whom I speak, it may be, have had mountains of tribulations. Yes, beloved; but when God has been with you, you have stepped from mountain top to mountain top without going down into the valley at all — you have been enabled by God's grace to have the hind's foot which stands upon the rocky places without slipping. You have gone through deep waters of tribulation — but they have never drowned you, for God has been with you, and your strength has always been equal to your day.

Some of us can look back on a long fight of affliction because our hair is grey with age; and others of us who are still in the midst of the battle, can join with the saints who have passed through similar tribulation, and can say in our delivering mercies — the right hand of the Lord has been exalted.

But, beloved friends, to close all this, where there was much room for greater enlargement, let me say that when you and I come to die (as soon, thank God, we shall, for it is a subject to be regarded with thankfulness), we will find in our dying moments that the right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly. I might almost say that I came here from the grave, for in truth, it is but a day or so ago since I went to bury one of the holiest men I ever knew, and I may add, the happiest man I ever saw in all my life.

He fell asleep at a good old age; but as I stood by his bedside in his last illness, I often envied him. Covered though he was with sores, his body lacerated, all his bones aching, and as it were out of joint — yet he said to me, "What a happy thing it is to be here," and I said, "Is it a happy thing to be on a dying bed?" "Yes" he said, "for I am with God and God is with me, and Christ is mine and I am his, and it is the happiest day I ever lived."

He had often said that in his lifetime, for I never knew him other than rejoicing in his God. I was glad to see him, when his eyes were almost closed in death, and hear him say, "It is the happiest day I ever lived!" Just before he died, instead of expressing any regret at the pain he was feeling, or regret at his departure — he turned round and said to the dear ones around the bed, "You seem all changed to me from what you were. I love you — but I have reached a higher stage than the things that are seen.

I have seen the King in his beauty, in the land that is very far off, and I have heard words that it is not lawful for a man to utter." And they said to him. "Can you not tell us something of what you have seen?" He said, "You must pardon me; I am forbidden to tell you — but from now on, I am done with all things here below, and I am taken up with the joy and glory of my Lord. My bliss is so great that it kills me. I cannot live much longer through the excess of joy I feel." In a few minutes he had closed his eyes and was with God!

Oh, when I have seen the saints expire, as the negro said of his minister, "He is dying full of life" — so I have seen them dying full of life — the best of life; and I have then thought, "Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously! The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!" Fear not, the last conflict will be the chief of your victories this side of the river.

And, now beloved friends, I congratulate you, the members of this Church, upon entering into this new house of prayer. I have already tried to express in prayer what I feel in my heart towards you who shall worship here. Do make this your daily prayer — that God may be exalted in this Tabernacle. May God save some of the biggest sinners in Stepney in this place.

They used to call Tottenham Court Road "Whitefield's soul trap!" I hope that this may be a soul trap. Oh, that many might be caught in it — not of those who belong to other Churches. We are glad to see you here today — but we don't want to see you here again. Nobody here desires to be a sheep-stealer — get back to your own fold. As you are here, however, be so good as to leave some of your fleece behind you this afternoon.

We do desire to see in this place many strangers, many of those who have been accustomed to go to no place of worship whatever. I trust we will have plenty of people from the Ratcliff Highway — plenty of people from the docks and shipping — plenty of people who will gather here to hear the gospel, who have not cared to listen to it before. Dear hearers, fill this place.

You say, "Mr. Brown, our minister, must do it." But you know one man can't fill a chapel like this. Let each one bring a friend, and no doubt if each one does that, we will always have a multitude assembled here. Let us begin with a full house, and I believe those who hear my dear friend, Mr. Brown, once, will continue to hear him, and will keep on coming, and you will continue to have a full house for many a year to come, and hundreds will be converted. May the Lord bless you, and make you a blessing.