TO THE UNCONVERTED READER
FRIEND,—We have been answering questions concerning a joy with which you cannot interfere with—for you are, to your own loss and shame, a stranger from the commonwealth of Israel. But you too have a question or two which it would be good to ask yourself. Whence that misery which you are at times the victim? Why do you tremble under an arousing sermon? Why does the tolling of the funeral bell grate on
your ear? What makes your knees knock together at the sound of thunder? Why do you quiver at nightfall, though a single leaf, was the only thing which stirred within many of your yards? Why do you feel such alarm when pestilence is at large? Why so anxious after a hundred remedies? Why so fearful if you are but sick for only one hour? Why so unwilling to visit the grave of your companion? Answer this, O soul, without reserve! Is it not that you are afraid to die? It is!—you know it is!
But, O my friend, fear death as much as you will, you cannot escape it. On his pale horse he is pursuing you at no slow pace, but at a rate which you may guess of by the wind or the flashing lightning. Noiseless is the wing of time, dumb is the lip of death; but time is none the less rapid for its silence, and death not one bit the more uncertain because he does not trumpet his coming. Remember, while you are fearing, the messenger is hastening to arrest you. Every moment now gliding away is another moment lost, and lost to one who little can afford it. Oh! before the wax has cooled which is sealing your death warrant, listen to a warning from God, for once the book of your doom is sealed, it shall never be opened for erasure or inscription. Hear Moses and the prophets, and then hear the great Jesus speak:—‘The soul that sins shall die.’ ‘He will by no means spare the guilty.’ ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.’ ‘“Behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” says the Lord of hosts, “that will leave them neither root nor branch”’ (Mal. 4:1). Regard then the voice of Jesus, full of mercy:—‘The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
‘Sinner, is thy heart at rest?
Is thy bosom void of fear?
Art thou not by guilt oppressed?
Speaks not conscience in thine ear?
“Can this world afford thee bliss?
Can it chase away thy gloom?
Flattering, false, and vain it is;
Tremble at the worldling’s doom.
“Long the Gospel thou hast spurned,
Long delayed to love thy God,
Stifled conscience, nor hast turned,
Wooed though by a Saviour’s blood.
“Think, O sinner! on thy end;
See the judgment?day appear;
Thither must your spirit wend,
There your righteous sentence hear.
“Wretched, ruined, helpless soul,
To a Saviour’s blood apply;
He alone can make you whole—
Fly to Jesus, sinner, fly.”’ [Waterbury]
“This article originally appeared here at Bible Bulletin Board.”
