Who would give his voice to have the world remain forever, as it now is?—with one generation after another growing up as the present is growing?—with vice swaggering boldly in public places, and righteousness hidden in obscurity?—with three-fourths of mankind spending their time in toil, that a part of the other fourth may spend it in dissipation, or kill themselves by idleness and excess?—with millions perishing amidst the pollutions of heathenism, which obscure nature's dim light, and other millions heaping up a more terrible weight of woe, by abusing clearer light!—with more than nine-tenths of the world's adult population, to whom a faithful prophet must say, "Wo to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him?"131Or let us put the question in another form. You who have lived thirty, fifty, or seventy years, and have had one hope after another turned to disappointment, until you have felt what Solomon meant when he exclaimed, "All is vanity;" would you like to spend eternity in living through a perpetual series of similar scenes? How few would accept the offer of living their lives over without change!
But remember that the same spirit which says, "Let the establishment of Christ's glorious kingdom be delayed a little longer," would delay it for ever. But this will not be done. There must be a generation called suddenly from the vanities of time to the realities of eternity. If you are not prepared to say "Come Lord Jesus, come quickly," you have reason to fear that, bad as this world is, your heart is in it, and you will perish with it.