II. That the very existence of a doubt respecting it ought to fill us with deep concern — Let it only be considered, what such a doubt im- plies : it involves a doubt,
1. Respecting our interest in God's favour — [There is no medium between a state of acceptance with
God, and of obnoxiousness to his wrath and indignation. We must either be his friends or his enemies : we must either be his children, or " the children of the wicked one." Now our blessed Lord has said, " If God were your father, ye would love me1:" and consequently, if there be room for questioning our love to him, there is room also for questioning our relation to God. And is it not an awful thing to doubt, whether we be children of God, or children of the devil ? Is it a light matter, to whom we belong ? Should any man feel composed or satisfied, till he has ascertained this point on sure and scriptural grounds ?]
2. Respecting our prospects in the eternal world — [There are two states, in one or other of which all will be
placed as soon as they go hence : to some will be assigned a state of happiness in heaven ; to others a state of misery in hell : and whichever be our lot, it will be eternal.
Now that heaven cannot be the receptacle of those who love not the Lord Jesus, is evident : for what should they do there : or how could they be happy, if they were there ? We are not happy even here amongst those whom we do not love ; notwithstanding we may manage to conceal our aversion, and to put on a cheerful countenance before them : but in heaven there can be no concealment : our real dispositions will all be manifest ; and if we cannot cordially unite in the exercises of those around us, we shall find nothing to amuse or divert our minds : in other words, if our whole delight be not in singing " praises to God and to the Lamb," we shall find no con- geniality of sentiment with those around us, nor any occupation suited to our taste : and the very consciousness of our unfitness for the place, will render the place dreary, the company odious, the employment irksome.
And must it not be inexpressibly painful to be left in sus- pense ; to see time running away, and eternity fast approach- ing, and not to know whether we shall spend that eternity in heaven or in hell ? If we were not ourselves melancholy examples of the same obduracy, we should wonder how any one could give sleep to his eyes, or slumber to his eye-lids, till he had attained some solution of this doubt. Were he only in suspense about the issue of a trial for life and death, it
1 John viii. 42.