2. That he has bartered for such trifles an immor- tal soul —
[The loss of the soul is scarcely thought of, when the fascinations of sin are strongly felt : but after a man is awakened to see, that " the end of these things is death," what folly and madness does a life of sin appear ! Even if the whole world could have been gained, it would be regarded as of no value in comparison of the soul : how empty then and vain do such trifles as he has obtained appear, when for the enjoyment of them his eternal interests have been sacrificed, and the everlasting wrath of God incurred ! The folly of Esau in selling his birthright for a mess of pottage may be considered as wisdom in comparison of his, in selling heaven and his immortal soul for the transient pleasures of sin : and, if an irrevocable sentence of exclusion from the heavenly inheritance be passed upon him, he is ready to acknowledge the justice of it, or, like the man without the wedding gar- ment, to confess by silence the equity of God's judgments.]
Address —
1. Those who are yet seeking their happiness in the creature —
[We need not here discriminate between different degrees of guilt. It is sufficient for our condemnation that we have lived to ourselves rather than to God. Whatever we may have had recourse to for consolation, it has proved only like the husks with which the Prodigal sought to satisfy the cravings of nature : nothing but the bread that is in our Father's house can ever satisfy an immortal soul. O let us think, What must be the consequence of living at a distance from Godf ? Speak not peace to yourselves in such a state ! Well does St. Peter say, " What must the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God ?" Only let the end of our course be kept in view, and we shall see the folly and madness of every pursuit that has not an immediate tendency to secure the blessedness of heaven.]
2. Those who are seeking their happiness in God —
[You have no reason to be ashamed of the fruit which you have gathered. At the time that you have been serving God, you have found " the work of righteousnees to be peace," and, that " in keeping God's commandments there is great reward." In the retrospect of a life devoted to God there is the purest joy. " Our rejoicing," says St. Paul, " is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity we
t See Jer. vi. 15, 16.
1850.1 man's desert, and god's mercy. 1 <J I
have had our conversation in the world. And O ! what com- fort is there in the prospect of our great account ! We know that "if we have our fruit unto holiness, our end will be everlasting life :" and if in our last hours we can say with Paul, " I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith," we may add with him, " Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me." Go on then, brethren, " strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." We congratulate you that you have learned to blush and to be ashamed of all your former ways : and we would, as we are specially instructed by God himself, urge you to a most careful observance of all the commandments of your Godg. This is the way to preserve a good conscience before him ; and so acting, " you will not be ashamed before him at his coming1*."]
s See Ezek. xliii. 10th verse to the first clause of the 12th. h 1 John ii. 28.