December 30

“Knowest thou not that it will he bitterness in the latter end?” 2 Samuel ii. 26.

^^llfTP, 0 my reader! thon art merely a professor, and not jk a possessor of the faith that is in Christ Jesus, the following lines are a true sketch of thine end.

You are a respectable attendant at a place of worship; jou go because others go, not because your heart right with God. This is your beginning. I will suppose that for the next twenty or thirty years you will be spared to go on as you do now, professing religion by an outward attendance upon the means of grace, but having no heart in the matter. Tread softly, for I must show you the death-bed of such a one au yourself. Let us gaze upon him gently. A clammy sweat is on his brow, and he wakes up crying, “0 God, it is ha-d to die. Did you send for my minister?” “Yes, he id coming.” The minister comes. “Sir, I fear that I am dying!” “Have you any hope?” “I cannot say that I have. I fear to stand before my God; oh! pray for me.” The prayer is offered for him with sincere earnestness, and the way of salvation is for the tenthousandth time put before him; but before he has grasped the rope, I see him sink. I may put my finger upon those cold eyelids, for they will never see anything here again. But where is the man, and where are the man’s true eyes? It is written, “In hell be lifted up his eyes, being in torment.” Ah! why did he not lift up his eyes before? Because he was so accustomed to hear the gospel that his soul slept under it. Alas! if you should lift up your eyes there, how bitter would be your wailings! Let the Saviour’s own words reveal the woe: “Father Abraham, send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue, for I am tormented :a this flame.” There is a frightful meaning in thoe words. you never have to spell it out by the red light of Jeho« vah’s wrath!