By:
Edited By Heyman Wreford
“REJOICE, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and wall: in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.” (Eccl. 11:99Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. (Ecclesiastes 11:9).)
Nothing can be more solemn than the above passage, wherein God asserts His right, and purpose, to demand an account of His creatures. And, surely it is not without a purpose that the “young man” is specially appealed to. The possession, of health, and strength, and the energy of youth, afford no guarantee of continuance of life.
The spirit of this present age is undoubtedly infidel: grace has been rejected, and mercy despised. Men have taken advantage of the long-suffering forbearance of God to echo the scoffing taunt, heard in the days of Malachi, “where is the God of judgment?” It is not only open glaring sins, which expose one to the judgment of a holy God; but, as our scripture shows, self-will, self-indulgence, self-seeking, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. “For all these things God will bring thee into judgment.”
The writer well remembers the solemn effect produced upon his own mind, by an incident which occurred some ten years since in Liverpool. He was preaching the Gospel in a room in that town, the Lord’s day evening; when one of his hearers, a man there, for the first time, was taken in a fit, and after continuing speechless for six hours passed into eternity. God alone knows whether he had accepted the message heard by him for the last time.
During the past year, one (who had been successful in business, and had retired with a fortune, still in the prime of life) was congratulating himself, and receiving the congratulations of his friends (for “men will praise thee when thou doest well to thyself”) in one of our large London warehouses. He remarked to some of his business acquaintances “I reckon upon at least 20 years’ enjoyment of life.” He left, apparently in splendid health, and spirits. Before he reached the end of the street, he dropped down, a corpse. God had written folly upon his plans, and calculations. And how is it with you, my reader?
Should the year 1884 find you at its close in eternity, would it be heaven or hell? Could you meet the claims of a Holy God? Impossible: the blood of Christ is the only sufficient answer, and shelter from a judgment that you cannot meet. Make sure of salvation NOW while it is called TODAY.
G. S. B.