It is a lovely morning, the sea bright and beautiful as the summer sunshine can make it; a full-rigged man-of-war ship is sailing along, there is no sign of a storm, and nothing seems to threaten danger of any kind; who could believe that that noble ship is soon to be the scene of death? that those on board are this very day to witness the committal to the deep of one of their number? and that one now full of life and energy. But so it is.
Now everything is in ship-shape trim, every hand on board under order and discipline. The officer of the watch is just giving some orders, when he hears a sound. What are they all moving to do? Why do they look so scared? All is apparently right. But above, one of the sailors has slipped, and even now is falling. But, stop! there is a rope; will he fall near enough to lay hold of it? Yes, he has got one, but, oh, horrible sight, he has got the ‘wrong one ― one that is not fastened to anything secure, it gives, it pulls, it comes with the poor man, and grasping it he falls to the deck, from whence he is lifted in fearful agonies, only to die in a few minutes.
O, my beloved reader, bear with me if I ask you one plain question. Have you made sure of your rope? or if you should fall at this moment, would you be trusting to anything short of that rope which is as secure as the foundation of God’s eternal throne? God is offering it to you, He has dropped it at your very feet, you have not to seek for it; oh, let me implore you, as you value your immortal soul, do riot wait to lay hold of it until you feel yourself falling. Satan will say ― does say, “Time enough, no need to think of such things now.” But there is need.
As that young sailor ran up the rigging that morning, full of health and strength, would he not have laughed had he been told of what was before him? But if he had believed he would fall do you not think he would have made sure that he had a good stout rope ready? And I am quite sure that he would have seen it well secured, but, you see, like everyone who has not laid hold of Christ, he was totally unprepared to meet death, grasped at one of the many loose ropes hanging near, and what was the consequence? You may go on well enough as you are, until death knocks at your door, then the devil will have plenty of loose ropes ready for you to catch, but he will take good care not to throw you the only one that is secure. God is showing it to you now, He is offering it to you now, and oh, my reader, are you refusing it? Stay! You may never have another chance, you had better accept at once.
The Lord Jesus came to seek and to save the lost; do you know you are lost? Then He came to seek and to save you.
O, think of it, the eternal Son of the blessed God coming to save such as we are, and man indifferent! God waits to receive, to pardon, to justify, and all on the ground of this blessed work of Christ, and yet how few lay hold of what He offers. Man is so loath to own himself ruined, lost, and only fit for hell, but directly he does so he justifies God, and what is the consequence? God justifies him! There is nothing to be done, simply nothing, for everything has been done and settled more than eighteen hundred years ago. God is satisfied, and now He can receive us through Christ.
Once more let me ask you not to look at any of the loose ropes; do not say, “If I should fall, I can catch by so and so.” Do not believe Satan’s lie; he would tell you, “You go to Church regularly, you are very charitable, you read your Bible, you say your prayers, you never use bad language, or read bad books, or drink, or in fact do anything very wrong.” These are all loose ropes, and there are thousands more, for he has got them of all kinds to suit different people; but turn your back on them, take God at His word, grasp the one only secure rope, CHRIST, and you can never, never fall. I.