3. We are required to love our neighbor as ourselves. We profess to have seen the lost condition of perishing sinners.  We think God has taken our feet from the “horrible pit and miry clay.”  We profess to believe that all who have not embraced Christ are every moment exposed to the horrors of the second death.  Can we love them as ourselves, and make no effort to open their eyes to their awful danger, and persuade them to flee from it?  Said a young man, “I do not believe there is any truth in what they tell us about eternal punishment; nor do I believe Christians believe it themselves. If they did, they could not manifest so little concern about it.”

4. The business of reclaiming a lost world is committed to the Church in conjunction with the Holy Spirit. It is the business of the Church to apply “the truth” to the consciences of lost sinners.  It is the office of the Spirit to make it effectual to their salvation.  “The Spirit and the bride [the Church] say, come.”  And even the hearer of the word is allowed to say, “come.”  The Scriptures recognize the conversion of the sinner as the work of the Christian. “He which converteth a sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”  “Others save with fear; pulling them out of the fire.”  “Then will I teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”  It is true, we cannot, of our own power, convert souls.  But, if we are faithful in the use of the means of God’s appointment, he may make use of us as instruments for accomplishing this great work.  Every one who has truly come to Christ knows the way, and can direct others to him.  And in no way, perhaps, can the truth be rendered more effectual, than by personal application to the conscience.  David did not understand Nathan’s parable, till the prophet said, “Thou art the man!”

As this is a plain, positive duty, it cannot be neglected with impunity.  God will not bless his children while they refuse to obey him.  “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”  You may spend all your time on your knees, while living in the neglect of a plain duty, and get no blessing.  We cannot expect to enjoy the presence of God, while we refuse to point sinners to Christ.  It is probable that the neglect of this duty is one of the principal causes of spiritual barrenness in the church.  If, then, Christians wish their own hearts revived, they must try to persuade others to come to Christ.  “He that watereth shall be watered also himself.”  If we wish to maintain constant communion with God, we must live in the habitual exercise of the spirit of Christ.