multitude which no man can number。〃
Is any reader of this paper disposed to be cast down and discouraged；
because he loves Christ； and tries to serve Him； but finds himself
almost entirely alone？ Does your heart sometimes fail you； and your
hands hang down； and your knees wax faint； because you so seldom meet
any one whom you can pray with； and praise with； and read with； and
talk with about Christ； and open your heart to without fear？ Do you
ever mourn in secret for want of pany？ Well； you are only drinking
the cup which many have drunk before you。 Abraham； and Isaac； and
Jacob； and Joseph； and Moses； and Samuel； and David； and the prophets；
and Paul； and John； and the Apostles were all people who stood very
much alone。 Do you expect to fare better than them？ Take fort； and
have faith。 There is more grace in the world than you can see； and more
Christians travelling towards heaven than you are aware of。 Elijah
thought he stood alone； when there were 〃seven thousand in Israel who
had not bowed the knee to Baal。〃 Take fort； and look forward。 Your
good time is ing。 You will have plenty of pany by and by。 You
will find many and not few in the kingdom of heaven； many to wele
you； many to rejoice and praise with many with whom you will spend a
blessed eternity。 How pleasant it is to meet a single saint now for a
few short hours！ How it cheers and refreshes us； like snow in summer or
sunshine after clouds！ What； then； will it be when we shall see an
enormous pany of saints； without a single unconverted sinner to
spoil the harmony； all men and women of faith； and none unbelievers；
all wheat and no chaff； 〃a multitude which no man can number〃！ Surely
the 〃many〃 we shall see in heaven will make ample amends for the 〃few〃
that we now see upon earth。
II。 We have； secondly； in our Lord Jesus Christ's words； the dwellings
and position of those who shall be finally saved。 It is written 〃that
they shall e from the east and the west。〃
There can be little doubt that this expression is a proverbial one。 It
must not be taken literally； as if the saved were not to e from the
north and south； but only from the rising and setting of the sun。 We
find the same expression in Psalm 103：12； where it is said； 〃As far as
the east is from the west； so far hath He removed our transgressions
from us。〃 The meaning is simply this： The saved shall e from
different places； from distant places； and from places where you would
have thought it most unlikely they would be found。
（a） They will not all have belonged to one Church。 There will be
Episcopalians； and Presbyterians； and Independents； and Baptists； and
Methodists； and Plymouth Brethren； and many other kinds of Christians
whom I have neither space nor time to name。 However much they may
disagree and dispute now； they will have to agree at last。 They will
find to their amazement that the points upon which they were of one
mind were a vast quantity； and the points on which they differed were
very few。 They will all be able to say with one heart； 〃Hallelujah！
praise to Him who loved us； and washed us from our sins in His own
blood！〃 And they will all be able to reply with one voice； 〃Amen；
amen！〃 The anthem in heaven； said good George Whitefield； will be to
all eternity； 〃 What hath God wrought！〃 The points of earthly
disagreement will have dropped off； and melted like snow in spring。 The
mon teaching of the Holy Ghost will stand out clear and plain before
every eye in heaven。 At length there will be one real 〃Holy Catholic
Church；〃 without spot or blemish or any such thing； without
quarrelling； controversy； or dissension； all wheat and no tares； all
sound members and none unsound。
（b） They will e from various countries in every part of the globe；
from Greenland's icy mountains； and the scorching regions of the
tropics； from India and Australia； from America and from China； from
New Zealand and the Islands of the Pacific Ocean； from Africa and from
Mexico。 Some will have laid their bones in solitary graves like Henry
Martyn in Persia； with none to do them honour in their death。 Some will
have been buried at sea with a sailor's funeral。 Some will have died
the death of martyrs； and been burnt to ashes like our own Reformers。
Some will have fallen victims to malignant climates； or heathen
violence at missionary stations。 And some will have died； like Moses；
in places where no human eye saw them。 But they shall all e
together； and meet again in the kingdom of heaven。 It matters little
where we are buried； and how we are buried； and in what kind of a
grave。 China is just as near to heaven as England is； and the sea shall
give up her dead at the same moment as the land。 Our coffin； and our
funeral； and the burial service； and the long procession of mourners；
are all matters of very secondary importance。 The one point we should
aim to make sure； from whatever place we may e； is to be amongst
those who 〃shall sit down in the kingdom of heaven。〃
（c） They shall e from utterly different ranks； classes； and
professions。 Heaven will be a place for servants as well as masters；
for maids as well as mistresses； for poor as well as rich； for the
unlearned as well as the learned； for tenants as well as landlords； for
subjects as well as rulers； for the pauper as well as the Queen。 There
is no royal road to heaven； and there will be no class distinctions
when we get there。 At length there will be perfect equality； perfect
fraternity； and perfect freedom。 It will matter nothing whether we had
much money on earth； or none at all。 The only question will be； whether
we have really repented of our sins； really believed on the Lord Jesus；
and were really converted and sanctified people。 There will be no
preference given to those who have e from monasteries； nunneries； or
hermits' caves。 It is very likely that those who have done their duty
in that state of life to which God called them； and have carried
Christ's cross in the army or the navy； in Parliament or at the bar； in
the bank or the merchant's office； behind the counter or at the bottom
of a coal…pit； will be found in the first rank in the kingdom of
heaven。 It is not necessary to wear a peculiar dress； or to put on an
austere countenance； and to retire from the world； in order to sit down
in the kingdom of heaven。
（d） They shall e from most unlikely places； and from positions in
which you would have thought the seed of eternal life could never have
grown up in a soul。 Saul； the young Pharisee； came from the feet of
Gamaliel； and from persecuting Christians； and rose to be the great
Apostle of the Gentiles； who turned the world upside down。 Daniel lived
in Babylon； and served God faithfully in the midst of idolatry and
heathenism。 Peter was once a fisherman on the sea of Galilee。 Matthew
was a public tax…gatherer； who spent his days in receiving custom。
Luther and Latimer began life as devoted Papists； and ended life as
devoted Protestants。 John Bunyan； the author of the Pilgrim's Progress；
was once a careless； thoughtless； swearing； bell…ringing young man； in
a country village。 George Whitefield served in a public…house at
Gloucester； and spent his early days in cleaning pots and carrying out
beer。 John Newton； the author of well…known hymns and letters； was once
the captain of a slave…ship on the coasts of Africa； and saw no harm in
buying and selling human flesh and blood。 All these truly 〃came from
east and west；〃 and seemed at one time in their lives the most unlikely
people in the world to e to Christ； and 〃sit down in the kingdom of
heaven。〃 But they did e unmistakably； and they are an everlasting
proof that our Lord Jesus Christ's words are strictly true。 Men and
women may 〃e from the east and west；〃 and yet be found at last in
the kingdom of eternal happiness and glory。
Let us learn never to despair of the salvation of any one as long as he
lives。 Fathers ought never to despair of prodigal sons。 Mothers ought
never to despair of self…willed； headstrong daughters。 Husbands should
never despair of wives； nor wives of husbands。 There is nothing
impossible with God。 The arm of grace is very long； and can reach those
who seem very far off。 The Holy Ghost can change any heart。 The blood
of Christ can cleanse away any sin。 Let us pray on； and hope on for
others； however unlikely their salvation may appear to be at present。
We shall see many in heaven whom we never expected to see there。 The
last may yet prove first； and the first last。 The famous Grimshaw； the
Apostle of Yorkshire； when he died； left his only son unconverted；
careless； thoughtless； and indifferent to religion。 The day came when
the young man's heart was changed； and he walked in the steps of his
father。 And when he lay upon his death…bed； one of his last words was；
〃What will my old father say when he sees me in heaven！〃
Let us learn not to sorrow 〃as those who have no hope；〃 when we part
from friends who are true Christians； and part； perhaps； for ever。 The
separations and goodbyes of this world are probably some of its most
painful things。 When the family circle is broken up； when the old nest
begins to lose its inmates； when the young man sets sail for Australia；
New Zealand； or the Fiji Islands； with no hope of returning for ten or
twelve years；when these things take place； it is a sore trial to
flesh and blood。 I have witnessed scenes on the landing…stage at
Liverpool； when the great steamships are about to start for America；
which might bring tears to the eyes of the most cold…hearted stranger。
The partings of this world are terrible things； but true faith in
Christ； and the resurrection to eternal life through Him； takes the
sting out of the worst of partings。 It enables a believer to look
beyond the things seen to the things un