LET us consider well what is our present state with respect to God and eternity. This, Moses wished for the Israelites, Deut. xxxii. 29. It is the greatest folly in the world to leave the issues of these things to an uncertain hazard. The man who cannot prevail with himself to examine strictly his state and condition with respect to eternity never does any good.
Consider what it is to live and to die without an interest in Christ, without a participation of Him. Unless we are thoroughly convinced that without Him we are in a state of apostasy from God, under the curse, obnoxious to eternal wrath, as some of the worst of God’s enemies—we shall never flee unto Him for refuge in a due manner. The whole have no need of a Physician, but the sick have. Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. While we are uninterested in Christ—not ingrafted into Him by faith—we run in vain, all our labour in religion is lost, our duties are all rejected, we are under the displeasure and curse of God, and our end is eternal destruction. Yet how many of us let these things pass by without consideration?
Unless there be a full conviction of the woeful, deplorable condition of every soul, of whatever quality, profession, religion, or outward state—who is not yet made partaker of Christ—all will be of no signification. Remember, then, that the consideration of your state is your chief concern in this world, and be not afraid to take in a full and deep sense of it. The work of this conviction is the first effect of true religion.
Consider the infinite condescension and love of Christ—in His invitations to come unto Him for life, deliverance, mercy, grace, peace, and eternal salvation. Multitudes of these invitations and calls are recorded in the Scripture. They are all filled up with those blessed encouragements, which divine wisdom knows to be suited to lost, convinced sinners in their present state and condition. It were a blessed contemplation to dwell on the consideration of the infinite condescension, grace, and love of Christ, in His invitations to sinners to come unto Him, that they may be saved. O, what a degree of wisdom and persuasive grace there is in the invitations! What force and efficacy there is in the pleading and argument with which they are accompanied! In the declaration and preaching of these—Jesus Christ yet stands before sinners, calling, inviting, encouraging them to come unto Him.
This is the Word which He now speaks to you—“Why will ye die?” “Why will ye perish?” “Why will you not have compassion on your own souls?” “Can your hearts endure, or can your hearts be strong in the day of wrath that is approaching?” “It is but a little while before all your hopes, your reliefs and presumptions will forsake you, and leave you eternally miserable. Look unto Me, and be saved—come unto Me, and I will ease you of all sins, sorrows, fears, burdens, and give rest unto your souls. Come, I entreat you, lay aside all procrastinations, all delays, put Me off no more, eternity lies at the door. Cast off all self-deceiving reserves, do not so hate Me—as that ye will rather perish than accept of deliverance by Me.”
These and the like things doth the Lord Christ continually declare, proclaim, plead, and urge on the souls of sinners (Prov. i. 20-23). As if He were present with you, stood among you, and spoke personally to every one of you. Consider, therefore, His infinite condescension, grace, and love therein. Why all this towards you? Doth He stand in need of you? Have you deserved it at His hands? Did you love Him first? Cannot He be happy and blessed without you? Hath He any design upon you, that He is so earnest in calling you to Him? Alas! it is nothing but the overflowing of mercy, compassion, and grace that moves and actuates Him herein.
Here lies the entrance of innumerable souls into a death and condemnation far more severe than those contained in the curse of the law (2 Cor. ii. 15-16). In this contempt of the infinite condescension of Christ, in His holy invitation to sinners to Himself, lies the sting and poison of unbelief, which unavoidably gives over the souls of men to eternal ruin.
Generally it is taken for granted that Christ is able to save us if He will, and many expect that He will do so, even though we live in sin and unbelief, because they believe that He can, if He will. But, indeed, Christ has no such power. He cannot save unbelieving, impenitent sinners, for this could not be done without denying Himself, acting contrary to His Word, and destroying His own glory. Let none please themselves with such vain imaginations. Christ is able to save all those, and only those, who come to God by Him. While you live in sin and unbelief, Christ Himself cannot save you.
God, who is infinitely wise and glorious, hath designed to exert all the holy properties of His nature—His mercy, love, grace, goodness, righteousness, wisdom, and power, which is in Himself—for the salvation of those who believe. Whoever, therefore, comes to Christ by faith on this representation of the glory of God in Christ ascribes and gives to God all that glory and honour which God aims at from His creatures, and there is nothing equal to this in pleasing Him. Every poor soul who comes by faith to Christ gives to God all that glory in which it is God’s design to be manifested and exalted, and what can we do more? There is more glory given to God in coming to Christ by faith than there is in keeping the whole law. Therefore, every man who refuses to come to Christ does secretly—through the power of darkness, blindness, and unbelief—but hate God, dislikes all His ways, would not have His glory exalted, nor manifested, choosing rather to die in enmity against Him than to give glory to Him. Do not deceive yourselves; it is no indifferent thing whether or not you come to Christ upon His invitation, a thing you may put off from one season to another. Your present refusal of it is as high an act of enmity against God as your nature is capable of.
By coming to Christ you shall have an interest in all that glory which we have proposed to you. Christ shall become yours more intimately than husbands, wives and children are, and so all His glory is yours also. And is this a small thing in your eyes—that Christ shall be yours, and all His glory shall be yours, and you shall have the advantage of it unto your eternal blessedness? Is it nothing to you to continue strangers from, and uninterested in, all His glory—to be left to take your portion in this world, in lusts, and sins, and pleasures, and a few perishing trifles, with eternal ruin in the close—whilst such durable substance, such riches of glory are tendered unto you?
Consider the horrible ingratitude there is in a neglect or refusal to come to Christ upon His invitation, with the doleful eternal ruin that will ensue thereon. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? Impenitent unbelievers are the vilest and most ungrateful of all God’s creation. The devils themselves—as wicked as they are—are not guilty of this sin, for Christ was never tendered unto them, they never had an offer of salvation on faith and repentance. Unbelief is our peculiar sin, and will be the peculiar aggravation of our misery unto eternity. Hear, ye despisers! wonder, and perish! The sin of the devil is in malice and opposition to knowledge, above what the nature of man is capable of in this world. Men, therefore, must sin in some instance above the devil, or God would not give them their eternal portion with the devil and his angels—this is unbelief.
What, then, shall we do? What shall we apply ourselves unto? What is it that is required of us?
Take the advice of the Apostle (Heb. iii. 7, 8, 13). This day, even this is unto you in the tender of grace the acceptable time, this is the day of salvation. Others have had this day as well as you, and have missed their opportunity—take heed lest it should be so with you also. Now, if any one would write down or commit to memory—“This day there was an offer of Christ and salvation made unto my soul. From this time I shall resolve to give myself up to Him”—And when you form this resolution, charge your conscience with it, and make yourself to know that the breaking of this vow will be a token of your going to ruin.
Some will say that they can make nothing of this work they have tried to believe, but still fail in what they design, and make no progress. Therefore, they think it better to let things go, in general, without further trouble. This is the language of the heart, but not of the mouth. Remember how the disciples, when fishing, had toiled all night, but caught nothing. When Christ came, He told them to cast out their nets once more. Peter made some excuse, that they had toiled all night in vain; however, he would venture once more at the command of Christ, and was rewarded with an astonishing draught of fishes. Have you been wearied with disappointments in your attempts and resolutions? Cast in your net this once more, upon the command of Christ, venture once again to come unto Him upon His call and invitation, you know not what success He may give you.
It is not the failing in your attempt at coming to Christ, but the giving up of your endeavours that will be your ruin. The woman of Canna, in her outcry to Christ for mercy, had many repulses. At first He answered her not a word. His disciples desired Him to send her away. Then He gave her a reason why He should pass her by and not regard her—she was not an Israelite to whom He was sent. Yet she does not give over, but presses into His presence crying for mercy. Then He draws out her faith to the utmost, which was His design from the beginning. He reckoned her among the dogs, unworthy of the children’s bread. Had she given over at last, upon this severe rebuke, she would not have obtained mercy; but persisting in her request, she prevailed at last. Perhaps you have prayed and cried, and resolved and vowed, all without success, as you suppose. However, if you do not give up, you also shall prevail at last. You do not know when God will come with His grace, and Christ will manifest His love, to you, as He did to the poor woman, who suffered so many rebukes. It may be He will do it this day, and if not, He may do it another day; do not despond. Take that word of Christ Himself for your encouragement, Prov. viii. 34, “Blessed is the man that heareth Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the posts of My doors.” If you hear Him, and wait, though you have not yet admission, but are kept at the gates and posts of the doors, yet in the issue you shall be blessed.