25 JANUARY (PREACHED NEW YEAR’S EVENING 1770)
Do not forsake him
‘… If thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.’ 1 Chronicles 28:9
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Hebrews 3:7–4:6
The close of my text is awful. If you will not hear, my eye shall weep for you in secret. Attend to the caution—If you forsake him … This is not contrary to what we preach of his unchangeable love to his own people. If you seek him, you shall so find him that nothing shall separate you from him. But if you neglect his call, if you reject him in your hearts, he will cast you off for ever—in life, at death, at the great day. In life you shall be a poor, miserable creature without God in this world, given up to unruly lusts and follies, strangers to peace, without hope or relief. At death—when your soul is plunging into eternity, torn from your idols. At the great day—do you not tremble at the thought? My heart trembles for you. But I would hope better things and things which accompany salvation. I would hope this is a season of grace, that prayer is heard, that the Lord is now about to exert the power of grace and that he will show himself mighty to save. I hope none will think that because I am especially to speak to young persons tonight, that therefore they only are concerned in the subject. If you have lived many years a stranger to God, surely it is high time that you should seek him, for if you do not know him, you must assuredly perish. What though you have lived forty, fifty, sixty, seventy years and are a slave to sin this hour—why, you are, for ought you know, upon the very brink of ruin. Yet it is not too late. Seek him now while he may be found. If your hearts are not utterly hardened against his voice, there is yet hope. But O beware of delays. It is the eleventh hour with some of you. May the God of all grace snatch you as brands out of the burning.
FOR MEDITATION: Some of you he has called out of darkness into his marvellous light. Be thankful unto him and bless his name. Follow hard after him. Be of good courage. Fightings and fears you must expect, but he is faithful who has called, who also will do it.
SERMON: 1 CHRONICLES 28:9 [5/5] [FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE]
Milo 