98 THE NECESSITY OF SEEKING [Chap. 7. him not!! as if we had learned to use the things of heaven, as the apostle teacheth us to " use the things of the world !'s What a frozen stupidity has benumbed us ! We are dying, and we know it, and yet we stir not ; we are at the door of eternal happiness or misery, and yet we perceive it not ; death knocks, and we hear it not ; God and Christ call and cry to us, "To-day, if ye will hear my voice, bar den not your hearts; work while it is day, for the night cometh, when none canwork." Nowply your business, la- bor for your lives, lay out all your strength and time; now or never ! and yet we stir nomore than ifwewere halfasleep. What haste do death and judgment make ! how fast do they come on ! they are almost at us, and yet what little haste we make ! Lord, what a senseless, earthly, hellish thing is à hard heart ! Where is the man that is in earnest a Christian ? Methinks men everywhere make but a trifle of their eternal state. They look after it but a little by the by; they do not make it the business oftheir lies. If I were not sick myself of the same disease, with what tears should I mix this ink! with what groans should I express these complaints ! and with what heart-grief should I mourn over this universal deadness! Do magistrates among us seriously perform their work ? Are they zealous for God ? Do they build up his house ? Are they tender of his honor ? Do they second the word ; and fly in the face of sin and sinners, as the disturbers of our peace, and the only cause of all our miseries ? Do they improve all their power, wealth, and honor, and all their influence, for the greatest advantage to the kingdom of Christ, as men that must shortly give an account of their stewardship ? IIow few are those ministers that are serious in their work ! Nay, how mightily do the very best fail in this ! Do we cry out of men's disobedience to theGospel " in the demonstration of the Spirit," and deal with sin as the de- stroying fire in our towns, and by force pull men out of it ? Dowe persuade our people as those should that " know the terrors of the Lord ?" Do we press Christ, and regenera- tion, and faith, and holiness, believing that, without these, men can never have life ? Do our bowels yearn over the ignorant, careless, and obstinate multitude ? When we look them in the face, do our hearts melt over them, lest
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