JEMMY was not a bad man as people would say. On the contrary, he was looked upon as a respectable man, a good neighbor, and a pleasant companion. He worked in— Mill, as he had been accustomed for the greater part of his life, attending his work regularly every day, and on Sundays enjoying his day's rest either in his own, or a neighbor's house, where he was ever a welcome guest. But the days grew into weeks, the weeks to months, and the months to years, until Jemmy came to be an old man. And all his life he had never been known to enter any “place of worship." At last he came home one night with very severe pains in his legs, which continued for some time; and his children, alarmed at his sudden illness, tried to induce him as they said, “to prepare for another world." But Jemmy was not ready or anxious to leave this, and told them there was yet plenty of time.
Soon, however, he recovered, and resumed his work as usual. And for a time all went on as before, until one Sunday evening a few weeks after—sitting in his friend's house he produced his pipe for his customary smoke, and finding himself unable to fill it, his friend assisted him, but seeing him look ill, asked what was wrong, to which Jemmy had only time to reply that he felt strange before he fell off his chair to the floor.
Quickly his children and a doctor were summoned to the spot, but all their efforts to restore him were useless. They removed him tenderly and gently to his own house, and did everything in their power to restore him, but he never spoke again, and that very night was summoned into the presence of God!
I have said that he was not considered a bad man. Probably he had never committed any great crime, never stolen or murdered, &c., but he was a neglecter of God's great salvation, he was a rejecter of Christ! Oh, think for a moment of such an one being obliged to stand before God as a judge! No hope then of being able to hide the smallest thing—no, “All things are naked and open to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do." He knows not only everything you ever said or did, but every thought that ever passed through your mind. And they will all meet you there, where you will not have a word to say, but where you will be obliged to own God's justice in sending you from His presence forever.
Oh! my reader, be assured of this—you must have to do with God one day, either you must be judged before death or after it. If after death, you have no hope, you must be condemned; if before death, you have equally no hope or help in yourself, but God has laid help upon One that is mighty: that mighty One “tasted death for every man." All the waves and billows of God's righteous judgment against sin rolled over Him, and He has come through it all, glorified God in bearing the judgment due to sinners. And now God has glorified Him, and given Him power over death.
Take God's judgment about yourself now, tell Him that you are a sinner, and can't stand in His presence for a moment—judge yourself in His presence now, and you will find that in virtue of that accomplished work on Calvary, He will justify you. Take God at His word, trust Him fully, and you have naught to fear, either for time or for eternity.