And now, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear what manner of persons these were, whom JESUS CHRIST dismissed with this answer. Remember, I entreat you, remember they are not sent away for being fornicators, swearers, sabbath-breakers, or prodigals. No, in all probability, as I observed before, they were, touching the outward observances of the moral law, blameless; they were constant as to the form of religion; and if they did no good, yet no one could say, they did any one any harm. The only thing for which they were condemned, and eternally banished from the presence of the LORD, (for so much is implied in “I know you not”) was this, they had no oil in their lamps, no principle of a true living faith and holiness in their hearts. And if persons may go to church, receive the sacrament, lead honest moral lives, and yet be sent to hell at the last day, as they certainly will be if they advance no farther, Where wilt thou, O drunkard? Where wilt thou, O swearer? Where wilt thou, O sabbath-breaker? Where wilt thou that deniest divine revelation, and even the form of godliness? Where will you, and such-like sinners appear? I know very well. You must appear before the dreadful tribunal of JESUS CHRIST: however you may, like _Felix_, put off the prosecution of your convictions, yet you, as well as others, must arise after death, and appear in judgment; you will then find, to your eternal sorrow, what I just hinted at in the beginning of this discourse, that your damnation slumbereth not: sin has blinded your hearts, and hardened your foreheads now, but yet a little while, and our LORD will ease him of his adversaries. Methinks, by faith, I see the heavens opened, and the holy JESUS coming, with his face brighter than ten thousand suns, darting fury upon you from his eyes! Methinks I see you rising from your graves, trembling and astonished, and crying out, who can abide this day of his coming!
And now what inference shall I draw from what has been delivered? Our LORD, in the words of the text, has drawn one for me; “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”