5. If, therefore, the great uncertainty of life, under all the advantages which youth and health can give it:—if the importance of time, which surpasseth, in value, the gold of Ophir; and in swiftness, the flight of the eagle or the arrow:—if the great danger of postponing matters of infinite moment, to some future period, which may never arrive:—if the awful absurdity of dedicating youth to pleasure, from a supposition, that only the close of life is to be appropriated to religion:—and, if the probability of being suddenly cut off by the stroke of death, amidst all these vain imaginations; and of being summoned into the presence of God, before a single resolution has been adopted, respecting the securing of future bliss, or the avoiding of future misery:—if solemn considerations, like these, can have any weight with you; let me beseech you, to admit their force, and to obey their powerful suggestions. If you do not; the time will come, when each of them will penetrate your heart, keen as so many daggers; and when it will be out of your power, for ever, to recall the opportunities, talents, and privileges, which you are now so grossly abusing.
6. Young as you may be, you are old enough, it seems, to rebel against God: and why not old enough to begin seriously to seek an interest in Jesus? Would you wish to postpone your happiness? True felicity consists in a solemn dedication of the heart to God. The sooner this is done, the sooner you will be happy: the longer it is delayed, the longer you will be estranged from true bliss. Why then should not your happiness commence as early as possible? I know, the blessed attainment will cost you the loss of your lusts, or your self-righteousness. But, who ever esteemed it a loss, to exchange fleeting and unsubstantial trifles for glorious and eternal realities?—to give up the world and gain Christ?—to part with sin, and secure heaven? Your loss, here, will be your everlasting gain; and so you will esteem it, when life is made to appear in its genuine colors of vanity and nothingness; when “the chief among ten thousand” is manifested to your heart, in all his matchless beauties; and when death draws the curtain, that hides the invisible world from your view.
7. But what is it, which the world has to bestow, that will admit of any comparison with the unsearchable riches of Christ? “The things that are in the world,” says St. John, “are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” These are the great all of which the world can boast: these the sum total of its admired gratifications. And, when you weigh the entire aggregate of all its accumulated good in the balance of truth, it amounts to no more than “vanity of vanities. All is vanity!” But, supposing, that the gratifications of sense and all the pride of life could furnish a degree of felicity: yet how extremely short is their duration! “The world passeth away and the fashion thereof.” Ere long, every fleeting object shall be torn from your embraces. “The lusts of the flesh” will expire in corruption: the “eye” be closed in darkness: and all “the pride of life” evaporate in smoke, and vanish like a dream of the night. But, the existence of sublunary bliss is not more fleeting, than the inordinate enjoyment of it is pernicious. The positive declaration of God’s word is, “If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die,” eternally. Will you, then, erect your happiness on so precarious a basis; when misery and ruin must be the certain consequences? Will you, dare you, run the awful risk of losing an eternity of bliss, for the enjoyment of a little transient pleasure in time? Had you rather endure the gnawings of “the worm that never dies,” than deny the cravings of some headstrong lust? Is it a matter of greater moment to flutter away in all the emptiness and parade of dress and dissipation, than to “redeem the time” and prepare for eternity?
8. If you wish to be in earnest about the salvation of your souls, let me entreat you; 1. to avoid the company of those, who, as a color for their profligacy and licentiousness, laugh at all religion, as priest-craft. Shun the conversation of such, as you would the plague. Their principles are supported by infidelity; their practice founded upon wickedness itself; and their steps lead to hell. 2. Be not intimidated by those titles of reproach and epithets of calumny, by which, such as dare to be singular, are now distinguished. It is a fact as lamentable, as it is notorious, that the power of religion is by multitudes decried and discountenanced, under the application of hackneyed stigmas, that have no more sense in them, than seriousness. But this has been always the case. When people want arguments, they call names; and because they have no religion themselves, therefore they abuse those who have. Sitting in “the seat of the scornful,” they contemptuously arraign the conduct of the humble followers of the Son of God, because it is such a contrast to their own, and reproves their ignorance, carelessness, and vanity. But “whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto such men rather than unto God; judge ye.” Acts, iv. 19. 3. Beware of despising in your heart or lightly esteeming that gospel, which “is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth.” Rom. i. 16. Rather, “give the more earnest heed to the things which you have heard;” Heb. ii. 1; because, a reflection in an awful hereafter, that the salvation of the gospel has been offered, but rejected, will constitute the most torturing aggravation in the miseries of a sinner finally lost. Read Heb. x. 28, 29. 4. Be not satisfied with a little external decency of behaviour, without a real inward change of heart. If you would enter into heaven, you must be converted: and conversion is a work of the spirit of God, which corrects irregular propensities, in their very rise: it lays the axe to the root of sin; so that where this inward eradication takes place, outward branches fall with it. You may be civilized and orderly, as the Pharisees of old were, and yet, like them, be equally unchanged and unpurified in heart. But, if it please God, to “renew you in the spirit of your mind;” you will then be furnished with an antidote against the force of temptation: you will he prepared for death and judgment: and “whether you live or die, you will be the Lord’s.”
FINIS.
BOOKS
PUBLISHED
BY MATHEWS AND LEIGH.
1. A COMPLETE EDITION of Dr. GILL’S EXPOSITION of the OLD and NEW TESTAMENT is now publishing; in which the sense of the Sacred Text is given; Doctrinal and Practical Truths are set in a plain and easy light; difficult Passages explained; seeming Contradictions reconciled; and whatever is material in the various Readings, and the several Oriental Versions, is observed. The whole illustrated with Notes from the most ancient Jewish Writings. With a full and interesting Account of his Life and Writings.
2. On the 1st of March, 1809, was published, Part I. price 16s. (continued Monthly) of Dr. GILL’S EXPOSITION of the NEW TESTAMENT, &c. The New Testament may now be had complete, in Six Parts, price 16s. each; or in Three Volumes, price 4l. 16s. boards.
3. The Sixth Part of the OLD TESTAMENT was published on the 1st of March, 1810; and a Part will appear every succeeding Month, till the Work be complete. The Old Testament will consist of Twelve Parts, price 16s. each; or Six Volumes, price 9l. 12s. boards. The Life of Dr. Gill will be found in the Second Part of the Old Testament.
A few Copies are printed on fine Royal Paper, price 1l. 4s. each Part, in extra boards.