Often just before men are converted, they are worse than ever; there is an unusual display of their desperate wickedness, for then the devil hath great wrath, now that his time is short. The struggles of this child are appalling. Have I any such desperate case among my hearers this morning, one who has been as a son of Belial among the children of men? Is the devil tormenting you to-day? Do you feel tempted to commit suicide?
I am full of unbelief. O, I wish I had never brought my child here at all, to make a public spectacle of him, that he might be a witness to your failures. That is the poor father. Perhaps that poor father is here this morning and he is saying, “Ah, I do believe, but still I am full of unbelief.” More especially is it a time of Christ's passing by when the Gospel is preached with power. Oh, it is high time that some here present were saved!
Time flies and I must not tarry. Let me have a solemn word upon another point. When Jesus passed by, it was, as we have said, to the blind man an hour of hope and it was an hour for bestirring himself. Now we notice, thirdly, it was AN HOUR OF CRISIS. I fear the Lord has given you over for a time, at least, I hope not forever! Do you ask me what you should do? I reply that according to our text it is high time for you to seek the Lord!
What a long and dreary time it was when the sound of cannon might almost be heard across the straits and watch fires were ready on every cliff and height! Yet good came of the affliction and since that gloomy time the country has made rapid progress in many respects! Bad harvests and decaying trade are not new things to Englishmen! Then is the time for a thorough search, a sweeping of the house and a cleansing out of all things that offend.
Come, just as thou art, and with a full surrender, say:, “Just as I am, without one plea, But that thy blood was shed for me, And that thou bidst me come to thee, Oh! Lamb of God, I come.” Christ hath gotten back for us the full light of God’s favour. As for the world that lieth in the wicked one, the prince of this world shall have his power over it, until his time shall be accomplished. But as for the Lord’s people whom he hath redeemed, on whom his heart is set, he will not have a single hair of their heads to be alienated from himself.
Full forgiveness! Free forgiveness! Eternal forgiveness! See, it sparkles like dew of Heaven! To know that God has blotted out my sin is knowledge rich with unutterable bliss! Then go out with your hands full of the honey of Divine Love and hold it out to others! You must assuredly do good by this, you cannot possibly do harm.
I doubt not that the greatest saint among us has some cause to reproach himself for having wasted time and disobeyed that solemn Apostolic injunction, “See, then, that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil.” It is not a bondage, a slavery, it is the highest privilege of the Believer's soul to be engaged in prayer to our Heavenly Father, yet we often prefer the disastrous ease of wasting our time instead of drawing near to God in prayer! As we think of our Savior thus agonizing in prayer for His people, can we not find more time for prayer than the most of us usually do?
Look back and think of the prayers of all the ages as being in the golden bowl at this one time. God will fill it full of coals and pour it out upon the earth. His Divine power shall then be seen. Faith is the milk and full assurance is the cream upon it, and when faith has stood long enough, you may see the rich cream of holy confidence upon the top of it! I say again, if full assurance is possible, it is eminently desirable. And I go a little further, it is our duty to obtain full assurance. We would not have been commanded to give diligence to make our calling and election sure if it were not right for us to be sure!