ll Bibles; take it, if you want it." "Well, I want it;
but I'd like to give you something for it. Let me give you a penny for
it; though, to be sure, it's worth twenty or thirty shillings." Well,
suppose I took the penny; the man takes up the Bible, and marches away
home with it. His wife says, "Where did you get that Bible?" "Oh, I
bought it." Mark the point; when he gives the penny it ceases to be a
gift. So with salvation. If you were to pay ever so little, it would
not be a gift.

THE USELESSNESS OF TRYING.

Man is always trying to do something. This miserable word "try" is
keeping thousands out of heaven. When I hear men speak of "trying," I
generally tell them it is the way down to death and hell. I believe
more souls are lost through "trying" than any other way. You have
often tried, and as often failed; and as long as you keep trying you
will fail. Drop that word, then, and take as your sure foothold for
eternity, "trust." "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" I that is
the right kind of trust. Would to God that you would all say, "I will
trust Him now, to-night." Did you ever hear of any one going down to
hell trusting in Jesus? I never did. This very night, if you commit
yourself to Him, the battle will be over.

You are complaining you don't _feel_ better. Well, remember, the child
must be born before it can be taught. So we cannot learn of God until
we receive Him. We must be born--born again--_i.e._ the new birth, ere
we can feel. Christ must be in us the hope of glory. How can He be in
us if we don't receive Him and trust Him?

PRESENT SALVATION.

Another verse that has been used a great deal during the past two
years, and I feel that I rest my own salvation on it, is John v. 24. I
trust God will write it on your hearts, and burn it down into your
souls. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My Word, and
believeth on Him that sent Me, _hath_ everlasting life." Thank God for
that "hath."

I had a few men in the inquiry-room the other night who could not find
peace. I said, "Do you believe the Bible?" "Yes, sir." "I think I will
prove you don't. Turn up John v. 24." They turned it up. "Read the
verse." "'He that heareth My Word--'" "You believe that?" "Yes, sir."
"'And believeth on Him that sent me--'" "You believe God sent Jesus?"
"Yes." "Well, read on." "'Hath everlasting life.'" "You believe you
_have_ everlasting life?" "No, we don't." "Oh, I thought you didn't
believe in the Bible