but to " comfort his people ^" In obedience to him we will address,
1. The righteous —
[That I may not " break any bruised reed," or " make sad the heart" of any one that is truly upright, let me say, that in the first stages of the Christian course we must judge rather by our desires than by our actual attainments : not because our attainments should be less the objects of scrutiny than our desires, but because in reference to our desires we have a com- plete consciousness ; whilst the defectiveness of our attainments makes us doubtful of our real integrity.
Taking this into consideration, I am aware that some, on account of the smallness of their attainments, may be saying, " I fear it will go ill with me at last." But God says, " It shall be well with you :" and, in despite of all your fears (if only you press forward in the ways of righteousness) it shall be well with you, in life, in death, and to all eternity. We cannot promise you affluence, or exemption from pain and trouble; but we can promise, in the name of God, that your trials, whatever they be, shall work for good^; that your latter end shall be peace ^; and that you shall have a crown of righteous- ness and glory at the instant of your departure from the body'^.
These are the things which you labour to attain : and you shall surely " eat the fruit of your doings." Dismiss then your unbelieving fears : for this is the word of your faithful God, whom neither the subtlety of Satan can deceive, nor his power be able to withstand.]
2. The wicked —
[Glad should we be, if we could say. It shall be well with you. But if we should dare to deliver such a message, the
falsehood of it must immediately appear' Against you,
God sends us to denounce woe: "Woe to the wicked! it shall be ill with him." You, under the influence of presumption, may be saying, " I hope, notwithstanding what is spoken in the Bible, that it will fare well with me at last." But, if there be any truth in God, it must be ill with you. Even in the midst of all your boasted enjoyments we defy you to say, that you have
any solid peace'' : and in your dying hour, if you are
not insensible as beasts, you will be full of regret and terror'
and, after death, you will lie down in everlasting
b
urnino's
Nor is this unjust, since you reap only ivhat you sowed You chose the world as your portion ; and you hav^
e Isai. xl. 1. f Rom. viii. 28. s Ps. xxxvii. 7. ^ 2 Tim. iv. 8.
* Put it into language, and how horrible will it sound.
k Isai. Ivii. 20, 21. > Eccl. v. 17. "> Rev. xxi. 8.
852.1 FINAl. STATE OF MAN. 485
nothing beyond it : you " v)ould have none of God" ;" and you have none of him : you said to him, " Depart" ;" and he says to you, "Depart P." In your banishment from God and heaven, *' the reward of your own hands is given to you."
Painful it is to dehver such a message ; but we must deliver it at the peril of our souls'' : and whether it be credited by you, or not, it shall be confirmed and ratified in heaven ^]
We cannot conclude without recommending to your