A Pastor's Address to His Flock

By: J. C. Ryle

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

BELOVED FRIENDS AND BRETHREN, I cannot reach your hearts, I know well. It is not in me,—it needs the finger of God. But I can set before you my earnest wishes for every class among you, and I will do it, the Lord being my helper. Bear with me if I say things that sound sharp and hard. Set it down to my anxiety for your salvation;—I mean it all for your good. I write none other things but what I have gathered from the Bible, and as such I commend them to your consciences. Consider what I say, and the Lord give you understanding in all things. I grant you may be quick and clever about the affairs of this life: you are, many of you, good men of business, good at your daily work, good masters, good servants, good neighbours, good sub-jects of the Queen: all this I fully allow. But it is the eternal part of you that I speak of; it is your never-dying soul. And about that, if a man may judge by the little you do for it, you are careless, thoughtless, reckless, and unconcerned. I do not say that God and salvation are subjects that never come across your minds, but this I say, they have not the uppermost place there. Neither do I say that you are all alike in your lives;—some of you doubtless go fur¬ther in sin than others,—but this I say, you have all turned every one to his own way, and that way is not God’s. Brethren, when I look at the Bible I can come to only one conclusion about you,—you are asleep about your souls.