40. That all the time which God allows him, is but enough for the work which he allots him
Another principle that a believer should walk by, is this: That all the time which God allows him, is but enough for the work which he allots him.
Man that is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble. Nature's womb sometimes proves nature's tomb.
With many it is ebb water, before the tide be at the full. The lamps of their lives are wasted almost as soon as they are lighted. The sand of their hour-glass is run out, when they think it is but newly turned.
When men feel sickness arresting, then they fear death is approaching. But we begin to die, as soon as ever we begin to live. Every man's passing-bell hangs in his own steeple. Take him in his four elements, of earth, air, fire, and water.
In the earth, he is as fleeting dust; in the air, he is as a disappearing vapour; in the water, he is as a breaking bubble; and in the fire, he is as consuming smoke.—Many think not of living any holier, till they can live no longer: but one to-day is worth two to-morrows.
Reader, you know not how soon the sails of your life may be rolled up, or how nigh you are to your eternal haven; and if you have not Jesus as your pilot within you, you will suffer an eternal shipwreck.
Poor soul, what will you do, if you begin to die naturally, before you begin to live spiritually!
How will you look, if the tabernacle of nature be taken down, before the temple of grace be raised up! What must you feel, if your paradise be laid waste, before the tree of life be set in it! How can you bear to give up the ghost, before you have received the Holy Ghost? Eternal will be your darkness, if the sun of your life set within you before the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you.
Woe be to you, if your body be turned into the earth, before your soul be fit to be taken into heaven. If the second birth have no place in you, the second death will assuredly have power over you.
One excellently compares our life to a day. Infancy is the day dawn; youth is the sun rising;
full growth is the sun's meridian; and old age is the setting sun. By the light of the day, the Lord helps us to do the work of the day. O that thou hadst known in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace; but now they are hid from thine eyes! O how just is it, that they should miss of heaven at last, who never seek for heaven till the last! How reasonable is it, that God should deny them his grace to repent, who abuse his grace to sin!
It is a maxim, that every thing hath a principle to return to its own source. The rivers which have their efflux from the sea, have their reflux to the sea. Out of the dust man was formed, and therefore into the dust man will be turned. Aged reader, how much of your life is gone, and yet how little of God is known! How can you appear before God, if you are not found in God? Your being ancient in days, will be no plea for you before the Ancient of Days. If you have not Christ the hope of glory in you, you must have Christ the God of glory against you. If you partake not of what Christ has done, you will be eternally undone. O you fresh picture of youth, how lovely will you appear, if hung up in heaven's palace! And will you spend your youthful life in following youthful lusts? Do you not know that the blossom is as subject to be nipped, as the flower to be withered; and the spark to be extinguished, as the flame to be consumed? Veins full of blood may be emptied by an accident, as soon as those that are leakish with old age. As there are none too old for eternity, so there are none too young for mortality. In Golgotha there are skulls of all sizes. Tell me, how will you live when you die, if you are dead while you live? Every step that s your body takes, is towards the earth: O that every step your soul takes may be towards heaven!
The vine that bringeth forth no grapes, shall be cut down as well as that which bringeth forth wild grapes. O how sad is it, to be taken out of the world before we are taken off from the world! To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. We have but a day wherein we are called to repent; and therefore, should repent while it is called to-day. He is the deafest adder, who stops his ears to the voice of the sweetest charmer. The Lord hath made a promise to late repentance, but he hath not made a promise of late repentance. If the heart of man be not now thawed, it may be for ever frozen. A pardon is sometimes given to a thief at the gallows; but he who trusts to that, sometimes hath a rope for his wages. Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Man is such a purblind creature, that he cannot unerringly see a day before him. O see the end of one day, before you glory in the beginning of another!
Many man's days deceive him; they pass away like a shadow by moonshine, which appears longest when the moon is lowest. You may not have half a day to live, when you think that you have not lived out half your days.
The night cometh, wherein no man can work. The grave is a bed to rest in, but not a shop to trade in. There is no setting up under ground, for those who have neglected their souls above ground.
When the soul takes her flight from her loving mate the body, they shall meet no more till the great day of retribution. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation! Opportunities are for eternity, but not to eternity. Mercy's clock does not strike at the sinner's back. Where the means of grace are greatest, there they are often the shortest. You may be unhappy all your days, for despising the happiness of these days. That was a sad cry of one: 'My life is done, but my work is undone.' Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Though the summer of life be but just opening, yet the winter of death is approaching: and how can you live in that winter, if there be no honey in your hive in this summer?
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. O young person, the sufferings of eternal death are but the consequence of your wilful contempt of eternal life. Methinks the worth of such a heavenly pearl as Christ should sparkle in your eyes. O that you may walk in the light of that sun, by the beams of which you may see your way to heaven! No disease is more fatal, than that which stimulates you to reject the restoring medicine. What a sad thing is it, that such mines of grace should be opened, and not a penny of this treasure fall to your share! Come, I trust you are not gone so far in sin as to be beyond all hope of returning. A returning prodigal may yet meet with a welcome reception. The eternal Father is yet a tender father. He delights to see a repenting prodigal; to hear a mourning Ephraim; and help a sinking Peter.
How much time has God bestowed upon man, before ever he has returned any of it to him again! It is good to have an ark prepared, before that deluge come in which you may be overwhelmed. Remember that God can as easily turn you into dust, as he could take you out of the dust. Delays are no more numerous, than they are dangerous. Before you can do good, you must be made good. For who will look for water from a drained river; or that sweet grapes should grow upon a withered vine? For a man to make his soul's concern his last concern; what is this, but as if a husbandman should be putting in his plough, when he should be thrusting in his sickle? Know, O man, that there is but one heaven; miss of that, and where will you take up your lodging, but in hell! A vicious man's life expires like a tallow candle, leaving an ungrateful savour behind it; but a gracious man's life expires like a wax candle, that leaves a sweet perfume behind it. 12.