THOMAS L―was a carter at a factory in, the country. Early one February morning several years ago, when Thomas was driving his cart over a bridge nearly covered with water from a highly flooded river, the bridge suddenly gave way, which submerged man, horse, and cart. The horse never came up, but when Thomas rose he clung for nearly an hour to a corner of the bridge, with only his head above water, powerless to help himself on account of the strong current rushing down the meadows, and his inability to swim. Shouting loudly for help, amid the falling snow, and blocks of ice floating past him, he attracted the attention of two men, who, at great risk to their lives, rode in on horseback, and with a rope rescued him from a watery grave. Thomas remained at an adjoining farmhouse for some days in a very exhausted condition, and when recovered was spoken to kindly, yet solemnly, about the state of his soul, but he appeared not to have heeded God’s solemn warning to “be ready” for the eternity he had so recently reached the very verge of.
Five years later the writer met Thomas, crossing the same bridge, then rebuilt, and driving the identical cart once submerged. Asking Thomas what would have become of his soul had he been drowned―as his horse was―he plainly showed not a little indifference, though he admitted having crossed the new bridge over six thousand times since the old one was washed away, and that he had thought of his narrow escape on every occasion.
After all, it is to be feared that he remained rescued only from the water, but not from the fire, and, strange to say, apparently without one single spark of anxiety about his soul!
Neither entreaty nor warning seemed to move him, and he was therefore fervently requested to think about the eternal lake of fire ever afterward when crossing that bridge, until his soul was saved through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. But well saith the scripture: “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked,” and “The God of this world hath blinded the minds of those that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Cor. 4:44In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:4)).
Our unsaved reader may not have had the kind of warning to turn to God, which carter Thomas had, but has he not had some warnings by such as sickness, at preaching’s, in conversations with God’s people, in reading God’s Word, tracts, periodicals, and the like.
Yes, it may be by thousands! Permit us to beseech you not any longer to run the awful risk of unheeding the warning voice of a loving and holy God once too often, lest you find yourself in eternity and on the wrong side of your last opportunity to be saved, and do remember (as was said to carter Thomas): “He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy” (Prov. 29). Noah, of old, was warned of God of the coming flood, and it came. Lot was also warned of the coming fire, and it came. By taking heed they both found refuge, as directed of God, and were saved. God “spared not the old world, but saved Noah,... bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ENSAMPLE unto those that after should live ungodly;... whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished; but the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”
Friend, when that fire bursts out how will it be with your immortal soul? Will it find you rescued from many things, but not from the fire?
By the holiness of God do be warned to flee from the wrath to come. By the love, grace, and mercy of God do be encouraged to take up your true responsibility now as a lost sinner, and trust the precious blood of Christ which can alone cleanse away your sins, clear you of all judgment, and bring you to eternal glory. Yes, by faith receive that blessed Saviour today, and ere long you will be with Him and like Him forever, where flood and fire can never come.
J. N.