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142 THB EABNEST CHBISTIAN.Now you are astonished at your negUgence,and disregard of the word of Godproclaiming the guUt and doom of theimpenitent, and the happiness of the believer.Now the sin of neglecting sogreat salvation; and all the means bywhieh it is obtained, appears to be oneof the greatest magnitude. Time waswhen you could have obtained it; butnow that time is gone, and you feel thatyou are left a hardened sinner in thehands of God : impenitent, unpardoned,without hope, at the gate of death—theSaviour sUghted, the Spirit quenchedand gone, and the trfemendous Judgmentbefore you. Dreadful state f—How amazing! How alarming to thenegligent sinner indulging the flatteringhope tbat salvation may be easily obtainedat some convenient season ! O,what delusion! One case of conversionat the eleventh hour is left on record,that none may despair; and but one,that none may presume. Now, whilethe door of heaven is open, -while theSabbath smiles with peace and hope,and the sanctuary sounds with praisesof redeeming love.—while God, with •avoice of mercy, caUs, "Turn ye, turnye from your evil ways, for why wUl yedie?"—while the Sa-viour, in compassion,says, "Come, take the water oflife freely," and the "Spirit and theBride sayj Come," do not postpone salvationany longer, "lest thou mourn atthe last, when thy flesh and thy bodyare consumed; and say. How have Ihated instruction and my heart despisedreproof, and have not obeyed the voiceof my teachers, nor incl'med mine earto them that instructed me;" or lestyou utter that bitter lamentation, "Theharvest is past, the summer is- ended,and we are not saved."^—Jeremiah vui.20.Not saved I not saved 1 Oh ! whatwords are these to dwell on forever,when sharpened recollection will recall,with the most tender emotions, the dayof grace which will dawn no more,—the Sabbaths which once smiled withpeace and joy,—the importunate prayersthat were made for sinners, and theinfinite blessings of salvation that werefreely offered by a compassionate Saviour,and rejected.But after all these blasted hopes, thedelusion follows some to the portal ofthe grave,—down to the very gate ofhell. Then, do you hope to escape bythe doctrine of universal salvation,—by means of outward morality, or externalobservance of the law,—by deedsof charity and benevolence,—-by ancestry,profession, wealth, honor, and office,—^byhiding from the presence ofthe Lord, or by buUding a tower whosetop may reach to heaven ? Remember,these fond hopes are false and fleeting;for they are human devices, which subvertthe plan of salvation by JesusChrist.The Bible divides aU men into twoclasses—describes their characters, anddeclares their future states, rewards andpunishments. It teaches that meremoraUty, or keeping the commandmentsin the letter, and not in the spirit, isfound in persons who are entire strangersto the spirituality of the law andthe Jove of God in the heart, and tbatthis kind of religion has ruined thousands.If God should mark iniquity,who can stand? "By the deeds ofthelaw there shall no flesh be justified mhis sight?" Charity and benevolencecannot atone for sin. Parentage, profession,wealth, honor and office wiU notjustify negUgence and save men. TheJews cried, in tbe pride of ancestry," We have Abraham to our fatter."—They sat in Moses'^ seat, made longprayers, paid tithes, and professed tobe the most faithful and zealoas advocatesof the law,—buUt the tombs ofthe prophets, and garnished the sepulchresof the righteous; but neglectedthe weightier matters of the law, judgment,mercy and faith; were like whitedsepulchres, beautiful outward, butwithin fiill of hypocrisy and iniquity, ageneration of vipers that could not "escapethe damnation of heU."—Matt-xxni. 33. Then " Except your right-jeousness shall exceed the righteousnessof the scribes and Pharisees, ye shallin no case enter the kingdom of heaven."—^Matt.V. 20.