Preaching the gospel unto them. Quality: Good, but incomplete after 46 mins.

[0:00] Well, again, depending upon the help of the Lord, I would look to the Acts that we looked at this morning and try again to speak regarding this Gospel. Assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the Gospel unto them, as we find it in the 16th chapter of the Acts and part of the 10th verse. Assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the Gospel unto them. There is a little emphasis, it seems, in my looking at it upon the last word, unto them. Assuredly gathering that the Lord had a purpose of mercy to them. Well, the them in the text was the people in Macedonia. I was quite interested to read and note that the next chapter begins with a statement that Paul, as his manner was, went unto them in the synagogue. He went to Thessalonica where was a synagogue of the Jews. But this thought came into my mind regarding Macedonia, it doesn't say there was a synagogue there. The Lord, it seemed, in his special love and mercy to lost sinners, said, in Macedonia I have a certain people. I want you to go there and preach to them and preach to them the gospel in Macedonia. Because we read that in the next chapter that if there was a synagogue there, it was his custom to go into the synagogue of the Jews and preach there. But it wasn't so here. Here we found, we didn't read it this morning, but there was here these women, certain women, Lydia, the seller of purple, and whose worshipped God, heard Paul, whose heart the Lord opened.

[2:41] that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. Now the Lord in his mercy takes in many characters. And Lydia, whether she was a nominal worshipper of God, or whether the Lord in any measure had begun the work, it's difficult perhaps to say, because it says in the 14th verse that she worshipped God.

[3:07] And when Paul went to that place where these women went and where prayer was wont to be made, not in the synagogue, by the riverside, a little place set apart down a little back lane, where few people come and nobody knows there's a place there, Paul found it, didn't he?

[3:35] Yes, Paul found it. Yes, Paul found it. He went into this place. And I suppose this thought was going through his mind, well the Lord has sent me here, but where are they? Where are they? The Lord has sent me to this Macedonia, but where are the people? Where are those that will listen?

[3:56] Where are they? The Lord has sent me to this place? Where are they? The Lord has sent me to this place? And the Lord has sent me to this place. And the Lord in his mercy directed him to the household of his master's brethren.

[4:19] And there the servant found the bride for Isaac. But the servant didn't know where he was going. The servant reached that well of water and he bowed his head and he, if you know the case, he spoke to the Lord and said, let the woman that comes out and the camel's also let the woman that offers me drink and the camel's also let it be her.

[4:47] And as he reached there, as this woman, the first woman I believe it was, you know, came out and offered him drink and then she said to him, and would you like me to water the camel's also let the woman that was going to drink and then she said to him, oh, think of the servant's weeping spirit, that wonderful submission, thankfulness to the Lord as he heard this woman say, and would you like me to feed the camels too, water the camels too. Oh, what an answer to prayer.

[5:21] He went forth, you know, in darkness. He went on a pilgrimage journey and he didn't know where it was, going to end. But the Lord led him to the household of his master's brethren.

[5:35] And so Paul comes to Macedonia and immediately we can see the Lord led him to the household of his master's brethren. And you may be tucked down a little back lane and you may think that nobody in the town of Stablehurst or the surrounding villages knows where the little place is. And you may think that's a pity we were out on the front street. On the other end you may not with all the traffic. But you may think to yourself, well, we're cut right away. But if there is one seeking the household of the master's brethren, they'll find you. You don't want to worry about that. They'll find you because Paul found these women.

[6:16] Whether Macedonia was a big place, I don't know. But nonetheless for that, they were gathered by the riverside to pray to the Lord.

[6:27] And perhaps their prayer was, oh Lord, send us a servant to preach to us the gospel of Jesus Christ. Or at least they spoke in their simple way, they wouldn't have known very much.

[6:40] Send us a servant, Lord. And why? Here comes Paul. And he begins to preach to them the gospel. And this woman heard. And the Lord opened her heart. We don't have a lot spoken to us about this woman.

[6:59] She was one that resorted. You resort. You come here. And outwardly you come to worship the Lord and to pray.

[7:11] To make your requests known unto God. And the Lord opened this woman's heart. And if there are any here whose hearts are not yet opened, or at least they haven't reached that state that they've longed for, the time will come. If you are waiting, watching, prayerful, earnest, the time will come. When you'll be like this woman.

[7:36] When a Paul will come, and he'll speak to your heart. Or at least the Lord will speak with power to your heart. And your heart will be opened. Your heart is waiting.

[7:48] The heart of the woman here was the living soul. Don't confuse it with the heart that beats in the natural breath. That wasn't the heart.

[7:59] The heart of the woman here was the living soul. And within this woman, there was something that wanted to break forth. How often I have to pray.

[8:10] Bring my soul out of prison. That's the 119th Psalm. I often look at that. Either 119th or one of those 140th.

[8:22] Bring my soul out of prison that I might praise thee. That's often how I have to come.

[8:33] Come. Come. Come. Come. I can't find it immediately.

[8:44] But anyway, that seems to be the language that I have to take up so often. Bring my soul out of prison that I might praise thee. In captivity.

[8:56] In darkness. You can't come forth. And you won't come forth. You won't by coming here bring yourself forth. And what's more, you don't want to. You wouldn't bring, you can't, if you could, in any way, give yourself comfort.

[9:13] That wouldn't be God's comfort. And that wouldn't be the comfort that he's designed for you and decreed that you shall have. You want the blessing that opens the heart.

[9:26] But this, the woman here, Lydia, she attended unto the things that Paul spake. It doesn't mean that she just came in and she attended Providence Chapel Staplehurst.

[9:42] Oh no. That wasn't just that. Oh, I attend so and so. I attend that. Yes, I go there. Oh, I'm a strict Baptist. Oh no. No. That's not enough.

[9:52] Further than this she must yet go. While this woman attended, she listened. She said, is there anything here for my soul? She attended to what Paul spoke and it came with power.

[10:09] Power. Because the Lord opened her heart. Not Paul. The Lord opened her heart. A wonderful day of deliverance.

[10:22] When she was able to rejoice in a measure perhaps in God her Saviour. And following this she was baptised. And her household.

[10:37] One that resorted where prayer was wont to be made. One that gathered with the people.

[10:49] But you know we've got some other cases in this chapter that are very gracious. There was this woman that followed after Paul and Silas. Who was possessed with the devil.

[11:01] And who had a spirit of divination. I expect she said she was able to, within certain limits, predict that things would take place.

[11:15] And she came after Paul and Silas. You know the devils believe and tremble. Where men who are proud, they don't tremble over anything.

[11:32] But the devils believe and tremble. And we have this woman who could see that in Paul was the spirit of the Lord. And she followed after them, cried after them, These men are the servants of the Most High God.

[11:48] Which show unto us the way of salvation. Show unto us. And she was a woman possessed with the devil. Show unto us the way of salvation.

[12:04] Special. Not show unto them. Others. But us. How many to die are possessed with the devil.

[12:17] And they don't realize it. Possessed with a devil of darkness. A devil of opposition. This girl here.

[12:32] A damsel. Possessed with this spirit of divination. Well the Lord's time drew on apace. With her.

[12:43] Not to propose. But call by grace. Now I doubt. If Paul knew. The case. And the servants of God don't know the cases that set in front of them.

[12:55] I don't know any of your cases. I don't know whether any of you are possessed for the devil or not. I don't know. And Paul here.

[13:07] When he looked upon this damsel. Didn't know. He knew that she was possessed with the devil. But. Whether she was to be a. A. Child of God or not.

[13:21] He rebuked. The evil spirit. And commanded it. To come out of her. In the name of Jesus Christ.

[13:31] Christ. And he came out the same hour. Doesn't speak much more of this woman. That I felt.

[13:41] And feel. That she was a. Living soul. She spoke first of all. Of us. Show unto us. You see. If the soul was living.

[13:52] It doesn't matter what cumbers it. We are all cumbered by much serving. Some more than others. Well. Some are cumbered about with the household pots and pans.

[14:06] Serving those. And rightly so. But some. Are cumbered about with serving the devil. And doing his bidding. Cumbered about with much serving.

[14:19] Following after and working at his bidding. This woman here. Cumbered about with it all. Serving the devil. And Paul commands this evil spirit to come out of her.

[14:35] And he gives her a die of deliverance. Wonderful day. Show unto us the way of salvation. I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ.

[14:49] There is no other name. No other name. Had he said I command thee in the name of Silas to come out. There would have been no movement. But.

[15:02] God. Had said to Paul. Command. The devil to come out in the name of Jesus. And that was enough. Power.

[15:15] Our Jesus. Has power. Almighty power. To save. Mighty to save. He watched all my power. While Satan's blind slave.

[15:27] I sported with death. Perhaps some of you have sported with it too. Perhaps some of you have wandered in paths of wickedness.

[15:41] Ruined. And you never would have brought yourself back. You never could have brought yourself back. But. This Jesus is mighty to save.

[15:56] He is foolishness to the scribes. The Greeks. The Jews. His foolishness to them. They cannot accept that this man.

[16:08] Is able to save. Is able to save. To the uttermost. But he has. Able to save. To the uttermost. Well.

[16:18] If we could pass on to another case. In this same chapter. We have. The jailer. Who was. As it were. An uttermost case. The keeper of the prison.

[16:32] One. Who took Paul and Silas. And beat them with many stripes. And thrust them into the inner prison. A real. Hard bitten. Character. Oh.

[16:43] There is no religion in him. Oh. No. There is nothing in him. He will never be saved. They walk up and down the streets. To die. These characters. They will never be saved.

[16:54] There is no good speaking to them. I say that. Just the same. I say that within myself. No good speaking to them. Hard bitten characters. But.

[17:04] The midnight cry. Has not been made yet. And when the midnight cry is made. Immediately. Everything begins. Paul and Silas.

[17:16] In prison. Shut up. At midnight. They prayed. And sang praises unto God. Why did they pray? And why did they sing praises?

[17:29] Well I feel they prayed. Because they sought deliverance. At the hand of their God. And they then sang praises. Because they knew it was coming. Because they followed the circle around.

[17:42] And they said. If he helped me to pray. Why did he help me to pray? Except he'll give me deliverance. Have you prayed? In like manner? Because if you have.

[17:53] Deliverance is near at the door. Shortly to come. Well. Paul and Silas at midnight.

[18:04] Prayed. And sang praises unto God. And the prisoners heard them. Prisoners of hope. To Jesus draw near.

[18:16] He's a stronghold. Ordained for you. Prisoners of hope. Paul and Silas at midnight. Pride. The hour of complete darkness.

[18:29] Desolation. Hope almost expired in night. No hope of deliverance now. Yet this man. Shall thy deliverance be.

[18:41] And thy pride. To their God. To their saviour. To their deliverance. To their only hope. And source of salvation.

[18:53] Paul and Silas tried. And then they sang praises. Unto God. Unto him that hath loved us. And bought us.

[19:06] And washed us. And the prisoners heard them. And suddenly. There was. An earthquake. See the Lord times it.

[19:18] Just to the very moment. At midnight. There was. An earthquake. So that the foundations. Of the prison. Were shaken. And immediately.

[19:29] Ah. I like that. A few months ago. Last year. Immediately. That. Spoke to me. One or two things. Immediately.

[19:40] Every door was opened. Immediately. Now. I'll take you back. To the same words. That I mentioned. This morning. When the Lord.

[19:51] Turned our captivity. When the tide turns. That's an immediately. And that'll be a die. When immediately. Every door will open.

[20:03] Or at least. It will. I ought to perhaps. Say it like this. It will be the beginning. It will be the beginning of days. The beginning of years. That time. When the Lord. Will be pleased.

[20:14] To. Replenish. Zion. Immediately. Every door. Was opened. And everyone's bands.

[20:24] Were loosed. Loosed. And let him go. It's both. It's both. Spiritual. Relating. Relating. Individually.

[20:35] And it relates. To the church. Loose him. And let him go. This is the Lord. Speaking. And he's speaking here.

[20:46] Concerning Paul and Silas. And all the prisoners. That were bound. And Paul and Silas. Here. They had the shackles. On the feet.

[20:56] And on their hands. They probably even had one. About the neck. Chained to the wall. Perhaps. And their feet. In the stocks. Couldn't get them any faster. Never get out of there.

[21:07] Paul. Oh Silas. We've come to the end now. Oh. She'll never get out here. Look at the man. Everything that was. Hateful in him. Went out against us.

[21:19] He despised. Our religion. He hated the name of Jesus. That was the jailer. Hated the name of Jesus. We shall never get out of here.

[21:30] For they pray. And the God of heaven hears. And the day of deliverance comes. And immediately. The prison door flies open.

[21:41] The shackles fly off. They are set at liberty. But. Don't let's die there. The heart of the jailer. Also. Was opened.

[21:55] That was probably even greater. Than all the other doors. But the heart of the jailer. The heart of that one. That was so implacably.

[22:06] Set and opposed. Against them. His heart was open. Just the same as Lydia's. Exactly the same as Lydia's. It had the same result.

[22:17] The same God wrote it. The same deliverance. Was effected. And in the same case as the damsel. The spirit. The evil spirit.

[22:27] Was cast out of him. We find that. The jailer. Came. Springing in. With his sword in his hand.

[22:39] Think of that. Got the sword in his hand. Got it to his throat. Or his heart. And there he was. He was going to do himself in. Suicide. Murder. And he took the sword.

[22:49] And he was ready to plunge it. In his own heart. And Paul cried out. Do thyself no harm. He was a living soul.

[23:00] At this time. And the old devil. He said. Go on. Take your life. Go on. Do it in. Finish it. But you see. He got the point. Right to the very flesh. As it were. Satan drives you very close.

[23:12] And he'll drive some. He's never driven me to suicide. But he. He may. You know. It's a very solemn matter. But don't underestimate. The power of Satan. To try and commit some.

[23:23] Or to get some. To commit suicide. And he takes the sword. And he holds it there. And he would have taken his own life. But Paul says. Do thyself no harm. We are all here.

[23:36] We're all here. And the prison. And the keeper. Sprang in with the light. And called for a light. Called for a light.

[23:48] It was a real midnight cry. In his heart. You know. Oh. It was turmoil. Distress. Anguish. Oh.

[24:00] Nature. Kill him. Kill him. This is what they were saying. Destroy him. Put him down. They were. The old devil. Were saying like they did. When Jesus was to be put upon the cross.

[24:12] They said. Crucify him. Crucify him. And this is what the jailer had. Speaking in his own heart. Crucify him. Crucify him. Don't let him live. The new birth.

[24:23] The new soul. Christ in you. The hope of glory. Takes the sword. But it's too late. Satan. Too late. Jesus Christ is risen.

[24:36] The day of deliverance has come. There is hope. And he calls for a light. Oh. I should think there was some trouble going on there.

[24:48] Earthquake. The buildings falling down. But more than this. His heart was opened. Heart opened. We don't know. We hear of these earthquakes.

[24:59] In the Philippines. In China. In Italy. We don't know. How many hearts have been opened by it. Some may have been. I find many of the Roman Catholic churches were demolished.

[25:11] Pretty quick. The Lord is able to do things in an instant. Overthrow the strongholds of sin and Satan in a moment. Rip them apart.

[25:27] Only we are to watch and pry. And we don't do it. We're slack. We're unprofitable servants. We're unfaithful.

[25:38] It is a wonder that the Lord deals with us. The fickle nature of our hearts. It's a wonder the Lord hasn't kicked us out of the places long ago. Like he did the Jews. He kicked them out.

[25:49] Lock, stock and barrel. And he said. No. It shall be for the Gentiles. Gentile dogs. You and I. We're the Gentile dogs. We're not Jews you know. We're the Gentile dogs.

[26:05] There was another Gentile dog came to the Lord Jesus. And she had got a daughter at home that was likewise possessed with the devil. And she came and besought him earnestly that he would cure this child of hers.

[26:21] Oh Lord. Help me. Help me. Too much for me Lord. Too great a matter. I can't touch it. She won't listen to me.

[26:32] She will do what she wants. But he said regarding the son bring him hither to me. It is enough to place the child at the Saviour's feet and leave him there.

[26:45] But you see we want a cure and perform the cure ourselves. We do. We want to work salvation in our own children. Ourselves.

[26:56] We'd whip them in line. But you'll never do it. Never do it. Salvation is of the Lord. That was Jonah. And he was sunk at the bottom of the ocean. And he said salvation is of the Lord.

[27:07] Nowhere else. Can't look anywhere else. But that Gentile dog that came to Jesus. Who wrestled with him. Oh he she did you know.

[27:19] She wrestled with him. With the Saviour. Wrestled with him. Truth Lord. Lord. I know I'm a dog. I know I am.

[27:30] I'm not fit for the crumbs. Or at least I'm not fit for the children's bread. Nevertheless Lord. Surely the dogs can eat of the crumbs that fall from their master's table.

[27:45] Oh woman. Woman. Be it unto thee. Even as though desirest. I thought regarding Esther. I nearly took it as a text. What is thy petition?

[27:56] And what is thy request? What is it? If you've got a petition. And a request. The Lord will grant it. He will you know. He'll never have you ask.

[28:07] And then never give. That woman. She took home with herself. The answer to her wrestling prayers. And the Lord.

[28:18] Wonderfully performed. In the case of the daughter. I'm sure when she got home. She found a change. That here we've got this man. He was another Gentile dog.

[28:30] Wasn't called so. But he was. He wasn't a Jew. A Gentile dog. Called for light. What came in.

[28:41] What came in. What came in. What came in. What came in. What came in. What came in. What came in. What came in. Came trembling. And fell down before Paul and Silas. Brought them out and said. Sirs. What must I do to be saved?

[28:53] What must I do to be saved? They said. Believe. On the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the gospel.

[29:06] The gospel. The gospel. Is. The preaching. Of this. Wretched character. His.

[29:17] Lost condition. And the. Means. Of deliverance. Salvation. The gospel.

[29:28] Assuredly. Gathering. That the Lord. Had called us. To preach the gospel. Oh. I should think. Paul said. Ah. I've seen a woman delivered. I've seen the damsel delivered.

[29:40] And now we've got a man. Here comes. The most hard case. That ever I've. Come across. So far. As it were. And the Lord. Unbeknown to me.

[29:51] Had a. Chosen him. Chosen this. Man. Chosen. That eternity. Past. And at the appointed time.

[30:02] He said to Paul. Over to Macedonia. Next. I've got a. Woman there. I've got a damsel there. I've got a man there. But more than this. And they spake.

[30:17] Unto him. The word of the Lord. And to all. That were in his house. Believe on the Lord. Jesus Christ. And thou shalt be saved.

[30:27] And thy house. And he took them. The same hour of the night. And washed their stripes. And was baptized. He and all his. Straight away.

[30:39] You see. He preached the gospel. To all in the house. I know some may take this. As being a cause. For infant baptism. But really. They are stretching it.

[30:49] To make it fit. I don't know what else. They would take. But they are stretching it. To make it fit. Because we've no evidence. There were any children there. I reckon he was a hard bitten man.

[31:01] I reckon he'd been in the way. A long time. A long time. And. The rest of his house.

[31:12] Heard the word of the Lord. The word of the Lord. You see. Paul didn't come with his own words. And neither can any servant of the Lord. Come. With their own words.

[31:23] But. I have to come with the word of the Lord. But. Paul had the answer here. Of his travels. And his journeys.

[31:38] Wonderful deliverance. Wonderful cases. He took them the same hour of the night. And washed their stripes. What a change.

[31:49] Probably about a few hours before. He was lying. He himself perhaps. Put the stripes on their back. Maybe he counted them out. How Paul spoke about the stripes. Was it thirty nine?

[32:01] How many times? Three times was it? I'm not sure. But he had the stripes. Many times. One short of forty. Thirty nine I think it was. Perhaps the old jailer he laid it on.

[32:12] Ah. There's one. Two. And he counted it up. And as he got to the end. He'd have laid them on as hard as he could. His strength would be flagging. But he would have done his best. He would have done his best.

[32:24] Now comes the ointment. And now he brings forth fruit. Meat for repentance. There is this love between the brethren.

[32:39] Brethren? Brethren? Yes they are brethren. They may have kicked you in the shins yesterday. But.

[32:51] If the Lord is pleased to speak graciously in their hearts. You are to forgive. You are to pardon their sins.

[33:03] What about the prayer the Lord taught his disciples. Forgive those that trespass against you. As I forgive your sins.

[33:14] Not to be harboring up grievances. One against another. I know we do. We are sometimes very peevish in spirit.

[33:25] But. The spirit is not right. That's a devil that's in us. We want to get our own back sometimes. And we want to kick his shins if we can one day.

[33:37] But Paul here. He. I don't think he had anything but love in his heart. The gospel had been preached. And the Lord had faithfully.

[33:49] Honorably. Answered. The. Preaching of the gospel. His own first command.

[34:00] Come over into Macedonia. And help us. Assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us. To preach the gospel unto them.

[34:11] Now these them are. I mentioned it first. Are the. Particular characters. Special characters. There were other jailers that never heard the word.

[34:24] There were other damsels possessed with the devil. And they never heard the word. There are. Were other. Sellers of purple.

[34:36] That never had their hearts opened. Jesus speaks of it in that. Fourth of Luke that we. Read. Where he spoke about.

[34:49] The widow. A widow woman of Sarepta. Who looked after. Elijah. And there was.

[35:00] Other widows. Besides her. Oh yes they are. But the Lord has a chosen people. A particular people.

[35:12] His own people. That are scattered. Throughout the whole earth. It is. A despised doctrine. The doctrines of election. But it is God's word.

[35:23] The fourth of Luke. Plainly show that Jesus himself. Preached it. And the Jews. Hated it. Because they said. We shall not have any Gentiles in here.

[35:34] It's a Jewish closed shop. And that's that. And they took him up. And they thrust him out. To the brow of the city. And they were prepared to throw him. Over the edge.

[35:44] But. He preached to them the truth. He said. There were other lepers. Besides Naaman. The Syrian. But. Mercy never came to them.

[35:58] But mercy found Naaman. Mercy found this damsel. Mercy found this jailer.

[36:09] Mercy finds his own people still. The Holy Spirit goes forth still.

[36:19] To command. His people to come in. And they shall come. In the day of his power.

[36:29] At that appointed time. When the day will be. We know not. It may be those near and dear to us.

[36:40] It may not. It may not. There may be those who will. Look upon sons and daughters. And say. Ah well.

[36:52] I brought them up. They'll be alright. It doesn't rest with you and I. It doesn't rest with you and I. Salvation is of the Lord.

[37:03] He has a people. He has a people. I feel if at the end of the day. We find ourselves safe landed.

[37:14] And we should see our loved ones cast out. We shall say. He has done all things well. Why me? Why me? Why such a wretch as I?

[37:26] Who must forever lie in hell. Were not salvation free. You'll never pick up the stone.

[37:36] And cast it in another. Never. They that live in glass houses. Should never cast stones. So an old proverb says. And if the Lord begins a work with you.

[37:49] It's all of grace. Free grace. Free grace. And no other reason. Free mercy. How many times did Paul go to the Jews.

[38:02] To the synagogues. As was his wont and custom. But they would not hear his word. They were in days past. The chosen people. They couldn't do a thing wrong.

[38:14] When they followed the Lord. He made it. Everything to work for their good. And their profit. And their benefit. When they followed him. But when they departed.

[38:25] Everything went wrong. But we shall never point the finger at another. It ought to humble us. To creep in. I'd creep beside him like a worm.

[38:38] And see him bleed for me. Would you? Creep beside him. You can't come with anything else. You can't come with any boasting self.

[38:50] You can't put on the trappings of religion. And satisfy the Lord with that. You've just got to take free grace. Free grace. That's the offering. That the Lord is pleased to accept.

[39:03] And will accept. Take the name of Jesus. How sweet the name of Jesus sounds. In a believer's ear. How sweet the name of Jesus sounds.

[39:16] In the ear of God in heaven. Plead his name. Plead his merits. Plead his righteousness.

[39:27] Plead his blood. What theme my soul shall best employ. Thy hearts before the throne. And make all heaven to ring with joy.

[39:40] Tis Jesus precious blood. There'll be no other name there. There'll be no other name to sing in heaven. Will you sing it in heaven?

[39:50] Are you singing another name here? Are you looking for some other remedy here? Are we looking for hopes on earth? Are we looking for the delusions that men look for on earth?

[40:04] Peace on earth they say. Happiness. The day that shall come. The Jehovah's Witnesses and all the rest of the tribe. Talk about a day of peace upon earth.

[40:15] It will never come. Oh never come. They look for it here. I had some Jehovah's Witnesses and all the people. Now Mormons come to the door some time ago. And they wanted to know if I thought there was need for another prophet to come.

[40:31] So I said to them there is no other name. No other name under heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved.

[40:41] What be my soul shall best employ thy heart before thy God and make all heaven to ring with joy.

[41:03] It is Jesus' precious blood. The father looks upon the precious blood. He sees the sinner clothed in that perfect robe of Christ's righteousness.

[41:19] The elect of God. All the saints. And he looks upon them washed in his blood. And that robe of his righteousness cast about them.

[41:32] Perfect robe. Spotless robe. Robe without seam. It's a lovely theme really if you consider it.

[41:43] Jesus when he was upon the cross they took from him his garments. And there was one garment that was woven from the top throughout. And it hadn't got a seam.

[41:56] Oh it's a lovely little verse in the hymn. Without a seam this garment's woe. Bequeathed in everlasting love. Ere time began designed to be a royal robe.

[42:10] To cover me. You see that's what we ended up with this morning didn't we. We ended up with that man who was an imposter. One who crept in. He will not creep into heaven but he was used there.

[42:24] And he came without the wedding garment on. He said I think I can manage on me own if you don't mind. I don't really see that I have need of all this religion that you talk about.

[42:36] And he was like that vain glory man who came up to the river in Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. And when he got to the river he had been proud all his life.

[42:47] You can see them in religion. They don't have a thing that they need. And when he got to the river there was one called vain glory or something like that. And he ferried him across in a little ferry boat.

[42:59] Not so Christian. Christian got in the middle and he wondered if he was going to reach the end. He said shall I manage? He wondered if he'd last.

[43:10] Not so vain glory. He comes up and he pumps his way over. You know how he'd done it with his oars. And he got to the other side and he's full of pomp and pride and glory. And he climbed up the hill and Mount Zion.

[43:21] It was all shining beautiful before him there. And he tapped on the door. I've come. Depart from me.

[43:35] I never knew you. How camest thou in hither without the wedding garment on? Take him away. Cast him out.

[43:46] He's not fit nor worthy. He hasn't got on the worthy garment. But dear old Christian comes along and he has such a struggle. Oh it was a struggle to get over the stream.

[43:59] But he has on the wedding garment. This garment that's woven from the top throughout. Without a seam. It was a garment that was begun in heaven.

[44:11] A garment that eternal wisdom designed to give to the Lord's people. And it was woven. Right the way from eternity past.

[44:25] Stitch by stitch. Carried on by the Lord Jesus upon earth. Perfect. Without spot. A wonderful garment.

[44:36] And it went from the top throughout. And it went right to the floor. It covers everything. The feet. Oh the feet that have walked.

[44:47] The feet that have departed. The feet that have turned aside. Well this garment. Covers everything. Without a spot.

[44:59] Woven from the top throughout. In eternity past. And completed upon earth. And this garment is placed about every redeemed soul.

[45:11] And when they reach heaven. The father looks and smiles. And he loves them. Why does he love them?

[45:21] Because he sees only spotless. The spotless work of the Lord Jesus.

[45:33] He doesn't see the sinner. Tis he instead of me. He sees. He sees. When I approach to God. Can you take any other name? Do you want to ferry over with your own filthy garments on?

[45:47] Or do you want to stand like one we read of in the Old Testament. Who Joshua. Who Joshua. I think it was. And it was said of him.

[45:58] Take away his polluted filthy garments. Clothe him in change of raiment. Put upon him the new robe. The spotless robe of the Lord Jesus. He's polluted.

[46:10] He's filthy. Wash him in the blood of Jesus. Clothe him in this. Robe of his righteousness. And then they are acceptable in the beloved.

[46:24] Not acceptable for any other reason. If only the Lord would so come and melt our hearts. We should say. Why me? Why me?

[46:36] We should. But we are often times as hard as the net.