thing else: but to hope for happiness without God is a desperate delusion ; and consequently, to make light of the invitations of the Gospel is nothing less than madness itself.]
3. That which they are sure to value, when it will be gone beyond recovery —
\Here men are of very different sentiments; some account- ing godliness the one thing needful, and others despising it as enthusiasm and needless singularity. But in the eternal world there is no such diversity of opinion : the saints in glory are fully confirmed in the judgment they had formed on earth ; and the wicked in hell are fully convinced of their error ; the one know by their enjoyments how good it was to obey the heavenly call; and the other know by their sufferings, what " a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God." What then is it but madness to make light of that, which we are so sure to value when there remains to us no longer any possibility of attaining it'?
Let due weight be given to these considerations, and we shall need nothing more to convince us either of the folly or sinfulness of slighting the invitations of the Gospel.]
Application —
[It is to be feared that, after all, many will persist in their infatuated conduct : but we would at least make one more effort to reclaim them; and beg of God to render his word effectual to their conversion.
Know then that the marriage supper is now prepared ; and we, as God's servants, come in his name to invite you to it. We invite you all : the rich, the poor ; the old, the young ; the moral, the immoral. We announce to you, that all things are ready. Are ye then not ready? If ye say, " We have not a suitable garment ;" we declare to you, that the Master of the feast has pi'ovided garments for all his guests; and that ye need only be clothed with the unspotted robe of Christ's righteousness, and ye shall instantly be acceptable in the sight of God. Put away then your excuses : receive thankfully the invitation sent you : and begin to feast upon those spiritual provisions that shall nourish your souls unto life eternal.]
i Wisd. V. 4.