The plea of faith

“Do as thou hast said.” 2 Samuel 7:25

Suggested Further Reading: Psalm 19:7-11

Unless we know what God has said, it will be folly to say, “do as thou hast said.” Perhaps there is no book more neglected in these days than the Bible. I do truly believe there are more mouldy Bibles in this world than there are of any sort of neglected books. We have stillborn books in abundance; we have innumerable books which never see any circulation, but we have no book that is so much bought, and then so speedily laid aside, and so little used, as the Bible. If we buy a newspaper, it is generally handed from one person to another, or we take care to peruse it pretty well; indeed some go so far as to read advertisements and all. If a person purchases a novel, it is well known how he will sit and read it all the way through, till the midnight candle is burnt out; the book must be finished in one day, because it is so admirable and interesting; but the Bible, of course, in the estimation of many, is not an interesting book; and the subjects it treats of are not of any very great importance. So most men think; they think it is a very good book to carry out on a Sunday, but never meant to be used as a book of pleasure, or a book to which one could turn with delight. Such is the opinion of many; but no opinion can be more apart from the truth; for what other book deals with truths half so important as those that concern the soul? What book can so well deserve my attention as that which is written by the greatest of all authors, God himself?

For meditation: This book will become a hindrance to your soul if you allow it to become a substitute for your daily Bible reading. The correct use of these daily readings is found in Acts 17:11.

Sermon no. 88
23 June (Preached 22 June 1856)