IT was a strange and unusual sight that attracted my attention the other day. It was market day in the country town of B —, and in spite of the intense heat the market square was full of cattle of all kinds, all requiring a new owner. The narrow streets were lined on either side with stalls, on which the “cheap-jacks” were displaying their wares, which they each offered for sale in stentorian tones.
One man, however, failing to attract much attention on account of the noise, bethought himself of another more novel plan. He was a vendor of quack medicines, and next beside his own was a butcher’s stall. He quickly purchased the entire contents of this, and having paid for them, he mounted his own stall, from which he flung the different joints to be scrambled for by the crowd. Away they went — here a piece of mutton, there a piece of beef, given away gratuitously, having been paid for by the giver, and costing nothing to those that received it. They had nothing to pay, all they had to do was to accept what was offered.
I could not help being reminded by this little incident of the Gospel, and of the way that God blesses poor sinners. We deserved nothing from Him but His wrath, and yet He has come out to us offering us every blessing that His heart could devise. Pardon, peace, forgiveness of sins, eternal life, these, and many other blessings, He is today offering to perishing sinners.
What have they to pay? What indeed? What have they that they could offer to God? No! God offers salvation today freely, “without money and without price,” to those who have no claim whatever on His goodness. Those whose hearts have been touched by His grace to accept His “unspeakable gift,” gladly own themselves as “Debtors to mercy alone.”
Who paid the price of this great redemption? It was Jesus, and the cost — His precious blood. Nothing less could atone for our sins’ awful stain; but now peace has been made by the blood of His cross, so that God can today righteously offer salvation to any who will have it. But remember, while the Gospel is worldwide “unto all,” it is only “upon all them that believe” (Rom. 3:2222Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: (Romans 3:22)). That is, you must accept it for yourself, to get the blessing.
Personally I reaped no advantage from the man’s generosity. I watched the scene with interest, heard the man’s invitation, and saw how others were getting the benefit with no expense to themselves, and then passed on.
And how many treat the offer of God’s mercy with the same indifference? They have been taught the facts from childhood, and have heard again and again of others getting blessing to their souls, and still go their way heedlessly. Oh, beware of trifling with anything so solemn! Careless delay as regards our soul’s eternal welfare is an awful risk. Scripture says so solemnly, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” (Heb. 2:33How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; (Hebrews 2:3).) E. R. M.