their sins? Beholding with heart-felt anguish their fatal error, will it not be too late to correct it? Then, will they not feel the full force of the declaration of our Lord in the text? Then, wiH they not be convinced, that the deceitful hopes they indulged of heaven, will terminate in their eternal ruin ?-that great, inconceivably great, will be their destruction ?—that they shall have no other opportunity to build for eternity? "Great," then, indeed, will be the fall of their false hopes of salvation! Happy for them would it be, could their existence then vanish with these hopes! But, no! In vain will they say to the mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb!" Rev. vi. 16. 66 Hauled they will be, before the judgment seat of Christ, to “give an account of their deeds done in the body;" and as they have dissembled with him; rejected his grace; "filled up the measure of their iniquities," and deceived their own souls, will they not be banished the presence of Christ, and condemned to "everlasting fire, with the devil and his angels ?" Such is the folly, and such is the unhappiness of “hearing the sayings of Christ, and not doing them!" Such are the dread effects of vice and irreligion-of living "without God and Christ in the world!"-of having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof!" 2 Tim. iii. 5. I shall now conclude this subject, with some reflections. 1. How great is the privilege we enjoy of "hearing the sayings of Christ!" Before his incarnation, were there not "many prophets and righteous men,' who, in vain, "desired to see the things which we see, Tt VOL. I. and to hear those things which we hear ?" Matt. xiii. 17. And, at present, are not these things unseen, and unheard, by much the greater part of the human race?* 2. How grateful should we be to Christ, that, of his great goodness, he has become the rock of our salvation; indeed, that he gave himself for us;" that he died himself, that we might not perish forever! 3. If salvation shall not be ours, shall not we alone be culpable? For, through the grace of God, may we not all do the sayings" of Christ?-rest our hopes of salvation upon him? "How then shall we escape," if we shall dissemble with Christ; deceive ourselves, and "neglect his great," rich and free "salvation?” 4. But, wherefore should we neglect this salvation? or, wherefore suffer ourselves to entertain delusive hopes respecting it? Who is there of us, that would, of choice, erect a house upon a sandy foundation, and especially, when, in consequence of such conduct, he might be buried in its ruins? A house, however, thus destroyed, might be rebuilt, and on a permanent basis. But, if the fabric of our hopes of heaven that we shall erect, skall be demolished, can it be rebuilt? Must we not inevitably perish in its ruins? Will not "the fall of it be great," indeed? How careful then, should we be, that in this particular we do not deceive ourselves? Should not each one of us adopt the language of David, and say?" Search me, O God, and know my heart! try me, and know my thoughts! and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" Psal. cxxxix. 23. Ánd should we not duly regard the following admonition of *It is supposed by some there are about 400 millions of the human race in a state of heathenism. St. Paul? "Be not deceived! God is not mocked! for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap! For he that soweth to the flesh, shall, of the flesh, reap corruption! But he that soweth to the Spirit, shall, of the Spirit, reap life everlasting!" Gal. vi. 7, 8. 5. Will it not, then, be wise, my brethren, faithfully, and without delay, to enquire into the state of our souls —into our conduct, temper and dispositions ?-Whether "we are bowing to the flesh or the Spirit ?"-Whether we are doing the sayings of Christ ?"-Whether the gospel has on us its intended effects?-Whether, by it, we are reconciled to God, through faith in Christ?— Whether we are regenerated, sanctified, by the divine spirit?-Whether we are obedient to the divine commands? Whether, in all things, our will is submissive to the divine will?-Whether "our affections are placed on things above ?"-Whether our conversation is in heaven?" And, whether we are qualified for celestial enjoyments? Happy are those of us who can answer these interrogatories in the affirmative! Such will rejoice and "give glory to God" for their blessed state! Firmly they will still adhere to, and rest on Jesus Christ, the Rock of their salvation! No tempest, either of temptation or affliction, shall cause their feet to slide! They will be "stedfast, unmoveable, and always abound in the work of the Lord," and especially, as they perceive, that "their labor will not be in vain in the Lord!" 1 Cor. xv. 56. And, resting on the Rock, Christ Jesus, with what security, firmness, and even holy joy, will they meet all the storms, trials and tribulations of life; knowing that they will remain secure, and that these storms, trials and tribulations, will redound to their honor and benefit; will unite them more closely to Christ, and shew them, more sensibly, their dependence upon him? For, is it not declared, that "blessed will be the man who shall endure temptations, and that when he shall be tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him!" But, are there any present of a different character; who are building not on "the only sure foundation, Jesus Christ;" but " on wood, hay and stubble," which shall not endure, but shall be burned?" Let such rejoice, that yet they may be wise builders !-that the superstructure of folly and delusion which they have erected hath not been demolished, and to their utter destruction! But let such no longer be thus exposed to ruin! Without delay, let them begin to build for eternity! Let them remember, that "other foundation can no man lay, than that which is lain, which is Jesus Christ!" 1 Cor. iii. 11. Let them remember, that when overtaken by death, they may not have time nor ability to build on this sure foundation! And let them remember, also, that, in time only, can they raise this spiritual edifice; as it is declared," that the night cometh, wherein no man can work!" and that “now is the accepted time! that now, only, is the day of salvation!" May God bless what hath been said, agreeably to his word, for Christ's sake!-AMEN! |