for what our Lord said respecting the unbelieving Jews, the Christian may say respecting all his spiritual enemies : ' Yet a little while I am ivith you ; and ye may make your assaults upon me : but soon / shall go to my Father, and be out of your reach : then ye shall seek me, and shall not find me ; and where I am, thither ye cannot come. No, Satan, thou canst no more molest me there : temptation shall harass me no more ; sin shall no more defile me ; sorrow shall no more cloud my mind or oppress my spirits : there shall enter nothing that defileth : I may be exposed to you all a little while longer ; but soon 1 shall embrace uninterrupted joy and gladness ; and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.'1 Blessed reflection ! Who must not long for death, that he may enjoy such happiness as this ? Who must not add his Amen to that petition of our Lord, " Father, I will that they whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me ?" Yes ; let all our hearts say, " Even so, Come, Lord Jesus ; come quickly ! "]
3. It is a terrific saying —
[Whilst we see so many living at their ease disregarding all the invitations of the Gospel, and dreaming of happiness without an interest in Christ, how distressing is it to think, that in a little time their day of grace will be passed, and that God may either give them up to judicial blindness, or say, "Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee!" When we tell them of these things, they are ready to reply, " What manner of saying is this that he hath said ? It is a wild enthusiastic dream that shall never be realized." Ah ! would to God it might not be realized ! but it will, in spite of all that you can say, or do, to the contrary. If you continue saying to Christ, " Depart from us; we desire not the know- ledge of thy ways ;" he will soon take you at your word, and say, " Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Trifle then no more with the opportunities afforded you; but "redeem the time;" and, "whilst the light is yet with you, walk in the light, lest dark- ness come upon you1," and "an impassable gulf be fixed" between you and our ever-adorable Emmanuel.]
1 John xii. 35, 36.