,DISCOURSE I. 53 "Vho knows how keen and bitter will be the agonies of an Rwakened conscience, and the vengeance of a pl'ovoked God in that wodd of misery? How will you cry Ollt, " 0 what a wretcb have 1 been, torellounceall thcadvices of a compassionaleFather, when he would have persuaded me io improve the time of youth and health! Alas, I tllrllcd a dcaf e<!r to his advicc, .and now tilllc ' is lost, and my hopes of mCl'cy for eve,' pCI'ished. How have I treated wilh ridicule among my vain companions, the compassionate anri piolls cOllllcils of Illy aged pal'ents, who laboured lor my salvation? How have I scorlled the tendel' admonitions of a mothe,', and wasted that lime in sinning and sensuality, which shollid have been spent ill Iwayer and devotion; 'And God tUI'llS a deaf car to my cries now, and is reg-anlless of all my groanings," This SOI't of anK"ish of Sl'il'it, with Joua and cuttiug- complaints would destroy life itself; and these inward tenors would sting their souls to death, iftherc could be any such thillg as dying thel'e, Such sig-hs, and sobs, and bitter agonies would break their hearts and dissolve their being, if the heart could break, or the being could be dissolved: BlIt immol'tality is thch- Jreadful pOI'lion; immortality of SOI'l'OlYS, to punish their wicked and wilful abllse of time, and that waste of tbe means of g,'ace they we,'e guilty of in their mortal state, [" Hel'e this discourse may be divided,"] I proceed in the last place tn consider what reflections may :be made on this discourse, or what are some of tbe profitable lessons to be learned from it. Reflection I, Vre may leaI'll with great evidellce, the inestimable worth and value of time, and particularly to those who are not prepared for eternity, Every hour you live, is an hOIll' longer given yon to prepare for dying', and to save a soul. If you were but apprized of the worth of your own SallIs, you would bettel' know the wOl,th or days and hours, aod of every passinO' moment, for they are given to secure your immortal interest, and save a soul f,'om everlasting misery. And you would b.e zealous and importunate in the prayer of Moses the man of God, upon a meditation of the shortness of life; Ps, xc. 12, So teach us to number OUr days, as to apply our hearts to wisdom: that is, so teach us to cOliside,', how few and uncertain Our days al'e, that we may be truly wise ill preparing fo,' the end of them, It is a matter of vast importance, to be ever ready for the cntl of time, ready to hear this awful sentence, cantil'med with the oath of the glorions allgel, that time sh.all be no lOl/gel', The ten'?rs, 01' (he comforts of a dying bed depends upon it: The ~olemn and decisi ve voice of jud~ment depends upon it: The JCYs and ~he sorrows of a long eternity depend lIpon it: Go now, c~reless smner, and, in the view of such things as these, go and tflflc away time, as you have done before t. time, that inval.uable D 3
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=