AS sure as the sun rises in the east and hastens to go down in the west, so surely is man traveling on to eternity. Eternity, with open arms, stands ready to receive each, and all. No one can stay his onward march to eternity. As well might he try, with his puny efforts, to stop the daily motion of the earth, as to arrest his onward march to eternity. On, on, man goes.
Eternity is the grand or awful goal that each and all must inevitably reach. Nc giant power, good or bad, can arrest the march of the great human family toward: eternity. Millions have entered eternity millions are entering, and millions more will yet enter. Like a gigantic river sweeping on to the mighty ocean, so is the human family as it presses on to eternity; only with this difference―as the members of the human family enter eternity, they are respectively divided, the righteous entering into eternal bliss, the unsaved passing into eternal woe.
The 16th of Luke furnishes us with a scripture to this point. The rich man lived, died, was buried, but, alas, in hell he lifter up his eyes, being in torment― “tormenter with this flame.” The poor man lived and died (no mention is made of his burial), and the angels carried him to Abraham’s bosom―the ancient figure of rest and peace. How different had been their lives, one without, and the other with God; how different their death, the one in his sins, the other with sins forgiven; how awfully different their eternity, the one “tormented with this flame,” on the judgment side of that fixed and impassable gulf, the other in the enjoyment of eternal rest on the heaven side. How awful the contrast and it last! for all eternity.
In the light of Holy Scripture, “and the Scripture cannot be broken,” man is traveling on to the one side or the other, to the woe side or the glory side. We cannot resist the conclusion; it is irresistible. God’s, word declares the solemn fact; we have but to bow at His feet, and say, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Most assuredly; whether in allotting to the believer in Jesus a place with Christ in glory, or in consigning the unrepentant, self-willed sinner to outer darkness for eternity, God will act in perfect justice, and the wide universe will vindicate Him in all His ways.
Now, beloved reader, let us individualize the matter, and bring the consideration home to ourselves; let us each ask himself, How does it fare with me? Have I for myself taken in the situation? To eternity we are hastening; we know not what a day may bring forth; we cannot boast of having another day. Where, beloved friend, are you going? Towards eternity we are speeding, but on which side of that great gulf will you spend eternity?
Unsaved sinner, flee, without delay, to the Lord Jesus Christ, and be saved. He is able and willing to save you. He says, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37).) By all that is dear, precious, and true, I beseech you to hasten to Christ at once. There is not a moment to spare; already the mandate may have gone forth from the lips of the Eternal, “This night thy soul shall be required of thee.” How would you meet Him? To which side of the gulf would He consign you?
Think, as you are impelled on with lightning speed, think, beloved friend, think—Where will you spend eternity? Where, soul immortal, will you spend the undying, never-ending ages of eternity? Will it be on the heaven side, or on the judgment side, of that fixed, immovable, impassable, unfathomable gulf?
“Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God for He will abundantly pardon.” (Isa. 55:6, 76Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:6‑7).) Where God’s mercy and pardon are known, eternity is welcomed with joy and unspeakable delight. To follow the pernicious, soul-destroying way of unbelief, is to say like Baalam, “I shall see Him, but not now: I shall behold Him, but not nigh.” (Num. 24:1717I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. (Numbers 24:17).) To reject Christ NOW, is to ensure THEN, a place of eternal distance, on the judgment side of that gulf, which nothing can move. A.