his life one single hour? We have been in the hands of God, hanging, as it were, over the bottomless pit, and suspended only by a single thread, which, if let loose or cut, would have transmitted us at once to everlasting misery. And many times has God been tempted, so to speak, to let go his hold: but our blessed Saviour has interceded for us, and prevailed to obtain for us a respite from our destined misery, if by any means we might be led to avert it by penitence and faith in him. All has been ready for our ruin long ago. " Tophet has been prepared: it has been made deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood ; and the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, hath kindled it1:" yes, the un- quenchable fire has long since been kindled, and those cruel spirits, who have been our tempters, have long been waiting to become our tormentors. Nothing has prevented our ruin but the forbearance of our God, who, in the midst of all our pro- vocations, has yet waited to be gracious unto us. It is to his sovereign grace alone we owe it, that we are not at this instant in the condition of millions, who never lived so long as we, or sinned so much against God as we, and were altogether as likely to live as we. But " others have been taken, and we are left," if peradventure we may yet repent us of our sins, and flee for refuge to the hope that is set before us.]
I cannot conclude this awful subject without ad- dressing a few words, 1. To those who are yet indulging in security —
[What have you been doing all your days, but " treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath"1?" You do not design to go to hell, I know: neither did they who are already there. They designed, each in his own way, to do something that might bring them to heaven. One intended to repent, another to amend, another perhaps to embrace the Gospel. But death seized them, ere they had found leisure to carry their designs into effect. And you also design to get into the way that leads to heaven. But tell me, When did you form this design? You know not the time when it did not in a careless way float upon your mind : and here have you been, years and years, without ever carrying it into effect. Tell me, then, I pray you, when do you intend to carry it into effect ? As to any serious purpose and endeavour, it is still as far off as at any period of your lives : and therefore there is reason to fear that your good designs will terminate, as those of millions do, in utter abor- tion: and that in you will be verified what the Psalmist has said, " Upon the wicked, God will rain snares, fire and brim- stone, and an horrible tempest; this shall be the portion of
1 Isai. xxx. 33. m Rom. ii. 5.
236.] OUR EXTREMITY IS GOD's OPPORTUNITY. 509
their cupn." You may be assured, that God will not always bear with you: that, on the contrary, " your judgment lingereth not, and your damnation slumbereth not0." " The axe at this very moment lieth at the root of the tree," ready to cut you downp: and God alone knows whether another offer of mercy shall be ever made you. " O that you may know, every one of you, in this your day, the things that belong unto your peace i! " " To-day, Brethren, while it is called to-day, harden not your hearts : " but " seek ye the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near*." " This day, for every one of you, may be the day of salvation8:" what to-morrow may be none can tell. I pray God, it may not prove to you, as no doubt it will to many, " the day of wrath," the day of everlasting damnation.]