Wednesday, August 10, 2011

We dare not go away





















How many sermons are published now-a-days, as well as preached, which are full of what is called thought. By the cant word “thought” is generally meant contradicting the plain meaning of scripture, and starting new notions. A man who preaches plainly what God reveals is said to be an echo of the Puritans, a dealer in platitudes, a repeater at second-hand of exploded dogmas; but to find out some new lie every week to tell your people, to shake their faith in inspiration every time you open your mouth, and make them believe that there is nothing certain, but that everything is a mere matter of opinion — that is “thought and culture” in these days; and there are in certain dissenting pulpits the most miserable specimens of this school, and in the pews a number of their silly admirers.

Brethren, some of us are too old-fashioned ever to be led astray in that way, and what is more, we have such an awful appetite, we are possessed of such a dreadful hunger, and such insatiable thirst, that we dare not go away from the apple tree, because we want to be always eating; we dare not go away from Jesus Christ, because we are always wanting pardon, always wanting peace, always wanting fresh life, and provided we can retain our hold on Jesus we are not particular about the way in which some of these wonderful trees twist their boughs. We do not feel concerned about the marvels of modern thought, or the resurrections of ancient errors.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "The Apple Tree In The Wood," delivered July 6, 1873. Image by paul bica on Flickr under Creative Commons License.

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