Little-faith
Charles Spurgeon · Gleanings among the Sheaves
One inconvenience of "little-faith" is, that _while it is always sure
of heaven, it very seldom thinks so_. Little-faith is quite as secure
for heaven as Great-faith. When Jesus Christ counts up His jewels at the
last day, He will take to Himself the little pearls as well as the great
ones. If a diamond be never so small, yet it is precious because it is a
diamond. So faith, be it never so little, if it be true faith, is "like
precious" with that which apostles obtained. Christ will never lose even
the smallest jewel of His crown. Little-faith is always secure of
heaven, because the name of Little-faith is in the book of eternal life.
Little-faith was chosen of God before the foundation of the world.
Little-faith was bought with the blood of Christ; ay, and he cost as
much as Great-faith. "For every man a shekel," was the price of
redemption. Every man, whether great or small, prince or peasant, had to
redeem himself with a shekel. Christ has bought all, both little and
great, with the same most precious blood. Little-faith is always secure
of heaven, for God has begun the work in him, and He will carry it on.
God loves him, and He will love him unto the end. God has provided a
crown for him, and He will not allow the crown to hang there useless; He
has erected for him a mansion in heaven, and He will not allow the
mansion to stand untenanted forever. Little-faith is always safe, but he
very seldom knows it. If you meet him he is sometimes afraid of hell;
very often afraid that the wrath of God abideth on him. He will tell you
that the country on the other side the flood can never belong to one so
base as he. Sometimes it is because he feels himself so unworthy;
another time it is because the things of God are too good to be true, he
says; or he cannot think they can be true to such a one as he. Sometimes
he is afraid he is not elect; another time he fears that he has not been
called aright, or that he has not come to Christ aright; anon, his fears
are that he will not hold on to the end, that he shall not be able to
persevere; and if you kill a thousand of his fears, he is sure to have
another host by to-morrow; for unbelief is one of those things which you
cannot destroy; you may kill it over and over again, but still it lives.
It is one of those ill weeds which sleep in the soil even after it has
been burned, and it only needs a little encouragement, or a little
negligence, and it will sprout up again. Now, Great-faith is sure of
heaven, and he knows it. He climbs Pisgah's top, and views the landscape
o'er; he tastes of the sweetness of paradise even before he enters
within the pearly gates; he sees the streets which are paved with gold;
he beholds the walls of the city, the foundations whereof are of
precious stones; he hears the mystic music of the glorified, and begins
to smell on earth the perfumes of heaven. But poor Little-faith can
scarcely look at the sun; he very seldom sees the light; he gropes in
the valley, and while all is safe, he always thinks himself unsafe.
"_To be with Christ._"
"_To be with Christ_." Who can comprehend this but the Christian? It
is a heaven which worldlings care not for. They know not what a mass of
glory is crowded into that one sentence: "To be with Christ." But to the
believer the words are a concentration of bliss. Take only one of the
many precious thoughts the words suggest--_the sight of Christ_. "Thine
eye shall see the King in His beauty." We have heard of Him, and can
say, "Whom having not seen we love." But then we "_shall see Him_." Yes,
we shall actually gaze upon the exalted Redeemer. Realize the thought.
Is there not a heaven within it? Thou shalt see the hands which were
nailed to the cross for thee; thou shalt see the thorn-crowned head, and
with all the blood-washed throng, shalt thou bow with lowly reverence
before Him, who bowed in lowly abasement for thee. Faith is precious,
but what must sight be? To view Jesus as the Lamb of God through the
glass of faith, makes the soul rejoice with joy unspeakable; but oh! to
see Him face to face, to look into those eyes, to hear that
voice--rapture begins at the very mention of it! If even to _think_ of
it is so sweet, what must the _vision_ be when we shall talk with Him,
"even as a man talketh with his friend"--for the vision of Christ
implies _communion_. All that which the spouse desired in Solomon's
Song, we shall have, and ten thousand times more. Then will the prayer
be fulfilled, "Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth: for Thy
love is better than wine." Then we shall be able to say, "His left hand
is under my head, and His right hand doth embrace me." Then shall we
experience the promise, "They shall walk with me in white, for they are
worthy." And then we will pour out the song of gratitude, a song such as
we have never sung on earth, tuneful, dulcet, pure, full of serenity and
joy, no discord to mar its melody; a song rapt and seraphic. Happy day,
when vision and communion shall be ours in fulness--when we shall know
even as we are known!
INDEX.
PAGE
The Preciousness of the Promises. 5
Sorrow's Discipline. 7
The Christian Warfare. 8
The Privileges of Trial. 10
The Joy of Victory. 11
Light in the Cloud. 13
Good Works. 16
The Knowledge of Christ's Love. 18
Clear Shining after Rain. 21
A Quiet Heart. 23
A Rich Life. 24
"He hath Said." 27
Safety in Conflict. 30
To-morrow. 32
A Full Heart. 34
Persevering Prayer. 37
Humility. 39
Look Upwards. 41
The Use of Trial. 41
Faith Necessary. 42
Christ "Altogether Lovely." 44
The Remedy for Doubts. 47
All Things Working for Good. 48
The Triumph of Grace. 49
Religion a Personal Matter. 51
Strength through Weakness. 53
Begin Well. 54
The Robe of Righteousness. 56
Cross-Bearers. 57
The Happiness of Religion. 58
Unchangeable. 59
Increase of Faith. 60
Communion with Christ. 61
The Soul satisfied in Christ. 62
The Lord's Jewels. 63
Memorials of Jesus. 64
"Freely give." 66
Religion--a Present Enjoyment. 67
"Our Lord Jesus." 70
Providence. 71
The Intercession of Christ. 72
Holiness. 73
The New Heart. 74
The Christian's Daily Cross. 75
Joy over the Repenting. 76
God's Tender Care. 77
The Christian's Crown. 78
Obedience to God's Will. 79
The Gospel. 80
Believing Prayer. 81
Warfare for Sin. 82
How to read the Bible. 83
A View of Christ. 84
The Author and Finisher of Faith. 85
The Glad Command. 86
Untiring Delight. 87
Divine Teaching. 89
Seeking Christ. 91
"Christ in You." 92
Consolation. 93
Self-Examination. 94
Heaven an Inheritance. 95
The Sleep of Death. 97
Foretastes of Heaven. 99
The Work of the Spirit. 101
Peace. 103
Earth's Seasons. 104
Love Undeserved. 106
The Infallible Commentary. 106
A Place of Trust. 107
"Consider Him." 108
The Joy Of Pardon. 109
Inexhaustible Promises. 110
The Fulness of Christ. 111
True Blessing. 111
Faith and Feeling. 112
Near Home. 113
Beauty in Christ. 114
The Savior's Legacy. 115
Needless Poverty. 116
The Sin of Unbelief. 117
The One Family. 118
The Spirit of Praise. 120
Love to Christ. 122
The First Lesson. 123
Danger of Prosperity. 123
Idleness. 124
Grace. 124
Obtaining Promises. 125
Sympathy. 127
"Endure Hardness." 128
Usefulness. 129
The Church and the World. 130
The Fight of Faith. 132
Life's Great Object. 134
Love's Circumference. 136
The Way to Heaven. 137
Religion Exemplified. 139
The Right Estimate. 139
"Vessels of Mercy." 140
Christian Diligence. 141
"Comfort ye my People." 142
Self. 145
Strength through Joy. 145
The Refiner's Fire. 146
Heart-Learning. 146
The Hope of Heaven. 147
Rejoice Always. 149
Religion a Present Concern. 150
Trouble Lightened. 152
The Gospel Requirement. 153
"Ye are not your own." 155
"Continue in Prayer." 156
The Holy Savior. 157
Christ our Example. 158
God's Government. 160
The Secret of Strength. 162
Nature and Grace. 165
Look to Christ. 166
Love in Chastening. 167
Enduring the Cross. 169
Christian Gravity. 172
Short-Sightedness. 173
Steadfastness. 174
"Be not high-minded, but fear." 176
Evidence of the New Life. 177
"A few Names even in Sardis." 178
Increase of Strength. 181
The Triumphant Deliverance. 182
A Complete Savior. 184
Home-Mercies. 185
"Grace doth much more abound." 187
Unsubmissive Prayers. 190
"More than Conquerors." 192
Christian Gladness. 194
The Condescension of Christ. 196
All of Grace. 197
"This man receiveth sinners." 199
"Wherein ye greatly rejoice." 202
Changefulness. 207
Thoughts of Christ. 209
A Lesson of Humility. 212
Promises and Precepts. 214
Sweetness in Sorrow. 216
Little-Faith. 218
"To be with Christ." 221
*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GLEANINGS AMONG THE SHEAVES ***
Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will
be renamed.
Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright
law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works,
so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United
States without permission and without paying copyright
royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part
of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project
Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™
concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark,
and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following
the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use
of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for
copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very
easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation
of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project
Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given away—you may
do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks not protected
by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the trademark
license, especially commercial redistribution.
START: FULL LICENSE
THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG™ LICENSE
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK
To protect the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting the free
distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project
Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full
Project Gutenberg License available with this file or online at
www.gutenberg.org/license.
Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg
electronic works
1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or
destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg electronic works in your
possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a
Project Gutenberg electronic work and you do not agree to be bound
by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person
or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.
1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be
used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few
things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg electronic works
even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See
paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project
Gutenberg electronic works if you follow the terms of this
agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg
electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below.
1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the
Foundation” or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection
of Project Gutenberg electronic works. Nearly all the individual
works in the collection are in the public domain in the United
States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the
United States and you are located in the United States, we do not
claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing,
displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as
all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope
that you will support the Project Gutenberg mission of promoting
free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg
works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the
Project Gutenberg name associated with the work. You can easily
comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the
same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg License when
you share it without charge with others.
1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are
in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States,
check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this
agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing,
distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any
other Project Gutenberg work. The Foundation makes no
representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any
country other than the United States.
1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:
1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other
immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg License must appear
prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg work (any work
on which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears, or with which the
phrase “Project Gutenberg” is associated) is accessed, displayed,
performed, viewed, copied or distributed:
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most
other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
of the Project Gutenberg™ License included with this eBook or online
at www.gutenberg.org. If you
are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws
of the country where you are located before using this eBook.
1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg electronic work is
derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not
contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the
copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in
the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are
redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase “Project
Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply
either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or
obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg
trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg electronic work is posted
with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any
additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms
will be linked to the Project Gutenberg License for all works
posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the
beginning of this work.
1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg
License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg.
1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg License.
1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including
any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access
to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg work in a format
other than “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in the official
version posted on the official Project Gutenberg website
(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense
to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means
of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original “Plain
Vanilla ASCII” or other form. Any alternate format must include the
full Project Gutenberg License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.
1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg works
unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
access to or distributing Project Gutenberg electronic works
provided that:
• You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
the use of Project Gutenberg works calculated using the method
you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed
to the owner of the Project Gutenberg trademark, but he has
agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid
within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are
legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty
payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in
Section 4, “Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation.”
• You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg™
License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all
copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue
all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg™
works.
• You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of
any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of
receipt of the work.
• You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
distribution of Project Gutenberg™ works.
1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project
Gutenberg™ electronic work or group of works on different terms than
are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing
from the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of
the Project Gutenberg™ trademark. Contact the Foundation as set
forth in Section 3 below.
1.F.
1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project
Gutenberg™ collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg™
electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may
contain “Defects,” such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate
or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other
intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or
other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or
cannot be read by your equipment.
1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the “Right
of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
Gutenberg™ trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
Gutenberg™ electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGE.
1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you
received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium
with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you
with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in
lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person
or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second
opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If
the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing
without further opportunities to fix the problem.
1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you ‘AS-IS’, WITH NO
OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of
damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement
violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the
agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or
limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or
unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the
remaining provisions.
1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
providing copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in
accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the
production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg™
electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses,
including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of
the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this
or any Project Gutenberg work, (b) alteration, modification, or
additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg work, and (c) any
Defect you cause.
Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg
Project Gutenberg is synonymous with the free distribution of
electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of
computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It
exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations
from people in all walks of life.
Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg’s
goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg collection will
remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
and permanent future for Project Gutenberg and future
generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see
Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org.
Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non-profit
501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
Revenue Service. The Foundation’s EIN or federal tax identification
number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by
U.S. federal laws and your state’s laws.
The Foundation’s business office is located at 41 Watchung Plaza #516,
Montclair NJ 07042, USA, +1 (862) 621-9288. Email contact links and up
to date contact information can be found at the Foundation’s website
and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact
Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation
Project Gutenberg™ depends upon and cannot survive without widespread
public support and donations to carry out its mission of
increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
freely distributed in machine-readable form accessible by the widest
array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations
($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
status with the IRS.
The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations
where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND
DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular state
visit www.gutenberg.org/donate.
While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
approach us with offers to donate.
International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.
Please check the Project Gutenberg web pages for current donation
methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other
ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To
donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate.
Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg electronic works
Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project
Gutenberg concept of a library of electronic works that could be
freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and
distributed Project Gutenberg eBooks with only a loose network of
volunteer support.
Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed
editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in
the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not
necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper
edition.
Most people start at our website which has the main PG search
facility: www.gutenberg.org.
This website includes information about Project Gutenberg,
including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.