to everyone who feels in his conscience that he has no grace in his
like one whose treasure is in Heaven, with his heart packed up and ready to be gone! This is readiness. This is preparation. And is this too much to ask? I say unhesitatingly that it is not.
Now, reader, are, you ready in this way? If not, I would like to know what good your religion does you. What is it all, but a burdensome form? What is it, but a mere temporary cloak that will not wear beyond this world? Truly a religion that does not make a man ready for everything — for death, for judgment, for the second advent, for the resurrection — such a religion may well be looked on with suspicion. Reader, if your religion does not make you ready for anything — the sooner it is changed, the better!
2. My second word of application shall be an invitation. I address it to everyone who feels in his conscience that he has no grace in his heart — to everyone who feels that the character of the foolish virgins is his own. To every such person, I give an invitation this day, in my Master's name. I invite you "to awake and flee to Christ."
Reader, if you are a man of this sort, you know that all within you is wrong in the sight of God. Nothing can be said more true about you, than that you are asleep — asleep not merely about the doctrine of Christ's second advent — but about everything that concerns your soul. You are wide awake perhaps about temporal things. You read the newspapers, it may be, and are mighty in "the Times." You have your head stored with earthly wisdom and useful knowledge. But you have. . . no heartfelt sense of sin, no peace or friendship with God, no experimental acquaintance with Christ, no delight in the Bible and prayer.
And yet you are a sinner, a dying sinner, an immortal sinner, a sinner going to meet Christ, a sinner going to be judged. What, I would put it to your conscience as an honest man — what is all this, but being asleep?
How long is this to go on? When do you mean to arise and live as if you had a soul? When will you cease to hear as one who hears not? When will you give up running after shadows — and begin to seek something substantial? When will you throw off the mockery of a religion which . . . cannot satisfy, cannot comfort, cannot sanctify, cannot save, and will not bear a calm examination?
When will you give up . . . having a faith which does not influence your practice; having a book which you say is God's Word — but treat as if it was not; having the name of Christian — but knowing nothing of Christ?
Oh! reader, when, when shall it be?
Why not this very year? Why not this very day? Why not at once awake and call upon your God, and resolve that you will sleep no longer? I set before you an open door. I set before you Jesus Christ the Savior, who died to make atonement for sinners — Jesus who is able to save to the uttermost — Jesus willing to receive. The hand that was nailed to the cross — is held out to you in mercy! The eye that wept over Jerusalem — is looking on you with pity. The voice that has said to many wanderers, "Your sins are forgiven," is saying to you, "Come to Me!"
Go to Jesus first and foremost, if you would know what step to take. Think not to wait for repentance, and faith, and a new heart — but go to Him just as you are. Go to Him in prayer, and cry, "Lord save me — or I perish. I am weary of sleeping — I would sleep no longer." Oh! awake, you that sleep, and Christ shall give you light.