for ever ! Ah ! fearful thought ! The Lord grant that it may sink* down into all our hearts, and stir us up to " flee from the wrath to come !"
Do any inquire, What shall we do to be saved ? My answer is, There is an High- Priest, who dieth not ; or rather, I should say, who, though once he died on Mount Calvary, now " liveth, and behold he is alive for evermore." It is to him that Moses directed you when he stripped off Aaron's robes ; and to him Aaron himself directed you, when he surrendered up his soul. The typical priests being inefficient, " were not suffered to continue by reason of death : but the Lord Jesus hath an un- changeable priesthood ; and is therefore able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth q." Believe in him, and the sting of death shall be re- moved : thou shalt have peace with God through his atoning blood ; and, when taken hence, shalt be transported on the wings of angels to Abraham's bosom.]
2. Thou who professest religion, yet art living at a distance from thy God —
[Let us suppose for a moment, thou art not so far from God, but that thou shalt find mercy at his hands in the last day : still it would be very painful to die under a cloud, and to leave thy surviving friends doubtful of thy state. Yet this is the best that thou canst expect, whilst thou art relaxing thy diligence, and " the things which remain in thee are ready to die." But there is reason to fear that thou art " drawing back unto perdition," and that " thy last end will be worse than thy beginning." Think not that this is an uncommon case : there are many who " seem to be religious, and yet deceive their own souls." How terrible then will be your disappointment, if, after walking, perhaps twenty, or, like Aaron, forty years, in expectation of reaching the promised land, you come short of it at last ! Yet this will be the case with all who dissemble with Godr. When your minister, who had hoped that you W'ould have been " his joy and crown of rejoicing" for ever, shall inquire, " Where is he? " and your dearest friends also shall ask, " Where is he ? " how painful will it be, and perhaps surprising too, to be informed, that you were counted un- worthy of that heavenly kingdom8 ! The Lord grant that this picture may never be realised with respect to any of you! But I must caution you in the words of the Apostle; " Let us fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into God's rest, any of you should seem to come short of it*."]
3. Thou sincere and upright Christian —
[What a glorious change will it be to thee, when God shall bid thee to go up unto thy bed and die ! Whatever
i Heb. vii. 23—25. r Job xx. 4—7. s Job xx. 7. * Heb. iv. 1 .