An updated edition of CH Spurgeon’s ‘Around the Wicket Gate’. Ideal for personal witness and evangelism.
From the original publisher’s review: ‘The greatest of all tragedies must be that of the person who dies just outside the gate of life. They are standing just outside the wicket gate to the church grounds – seeing the beauty of the building, knowing the people going in – but not stepping over the threshold themselves. Almost saved – but altogether lost.
This is a book of immeasurable value to those who know the Gospel but are resisting God’s call, and it is written in Spurgeon’s unique style – sharp, penetrating, and easily readable. One of the most quoted preachers in history, his sermons have been a blessing to millions. For someone who has yet to accept Christ as their Saviour, reading this book could be the most important step they ever take.’
Extract
Great numbers of people have no concern about eternal things. They care more about their cats and dogs than about their souls. It is a great mercy to be made to think about ourselves, and how we stand towards God and the eternal world. This is often a sign that salvation is coming to us.
By nature we do not like the anxiety which spiritual concern causes us, and we try, like lazy men, to sleep again. This is great foolishness; for it is at our peril that we dawdle when death is so near, and judgment is so sure. If the Lord has chosen us to eternal life, he will not let us return to our slumber. If we are sensible, we shall pray that our anxiety about our souls may never come to an end till we are really and truly saved. Let us say from our hearts:—
He that suffered in my stead,
Shall my Physician be;
I will not be comforted,
Till Jesus comfort me.
It would be an awful thing to go dreaming down to hell, and there to lift up our eyes with a great chasm fixed between us and heaven. It will be equally terrible to be aroused to escape from the wrath to come, and then to shake off the warning influence, and go back to our sleep. I notice that those who overcome their convictions and continue in their sins are not so easily moved the next time: every awakening which is thrown away leaves the soul more drowsy than before, and less likely to be again stirred to holy feeling. Therefore our heart should be greatly troubled at the thought of getting rid of its trouble in any other than the right way.
A man who had gout was cured of it by a dangerous fake medicine, which drove the disease within, and the patient died. To be cured of distress of mind by a false hope, would be a terrible business: the remedy would be worse than the disease. Better far that our sensitivity of conscience should cause us long years of anguish, than that we should lose it, and die in the hardness of our hearts.
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