[1] One would pardon them if they forgot many minor things, and
neglected many inferior persons; but to be inconsiderate to
their Creator, to their Preserver, to Him in whose hand
their everlasting destiny is placed, this is a strange
folly as well as a great sin. Whoever a courtier may
neglect, he is sure to consider his king. Men when they
start their sons in business will bid them mind the main
chance, and attend to the principal point, and especially
take care to stand well with such a man who has the power
to help or to ruin them. Men, as a general rule, are far
too ready to seek the assistance of those who are in power,
and this makes it all the more strange that the
all-powerful God, who lifteth up and casteth down, should
be altogether forgotten, or, when remembered, should still
be dishonoured by mankind. If it were only because He is
great, and we are so dependent upon Him, one would have
thought that a rational man would have acquainted himself
with God, and been at peace; but when we reflect that God
is supremely good, kind, tender, and gracious, as well as
great, the marvel of man's thoughtlessness is much
increased. Every good man desires to be on good terms with
the good; unusual goodness wins admiration, and an
invitation to associate with the eminently excellent is
usually accepted with pleasure; yet in the case of the
thrice holy God, whose name is Love, it is not so. All
attractions are in the character of God, and yet man shuns
his Maker. If God were a demon, man could hardly be more
cold towards Him.--_Spurgeon._
[2] When we ask men to attend to matters which do not concern
them, we are not astonished if they plead that they have no
time, and little thought to spare. If I were to address you
upon a matter which affected the interests of the dwellers
in the Dog-star, or had some relation to the inhabitants of
the moon, I should not marvel if you were to say, "Go to
those whom it may concern, and talk to them; but as for us,
the matter is so remote, that we take no interest in it."
But how shall we account for it that man will not know
about himself, and wilt not consider about his own soul?
Any trifle will attract him, but he will not consider his
own immortality, or meditate upon the joy or the misery
that must be his portion. It is in very truth a miracle of
human depravity--what if I say insanity--that man should be
unmindful of his best self.--_Spurgeon._
[3] I have known men who have said, "Let the heavens fall, but
let justice be done:" and they have scorned in their
dealings with their fellow-men to take any unrighteous
advantage, even though it were as little as the turning of
a hair. I have known some also who, if they were called
ungrateful, would indignantly spurn the charge. They would
count themselves utterly loathsome if they did not return
good to those who have done them good; and yet it may be
these very same persons have been throughout life unjust
towards God, and ungrateful towards Him to whom they owe
their being, and all that makes it endurable. The service,
the thankfulness, the love which are due to Him, they have
withheld.--_Spurgeon._
[4] We should not marvel at men if they would not think upon
topics which made them unhappy; but albeit there are some
who have suffered frightful depression of spirits in
connection with true religion, yet its general and ultimate
fruit has ever been peace and joy through believing in
Christ Jesus, and even the exceptions could be easily
accounted for. In some melancholy spirits their godliness
is too shallow to make them happy; they breathe so little
of the heavenly air that they are distressed for want of
more. In others the sorrow occasioned by gracious
reflection is but a preliminary and passing stage of grace;
there must be a ploughing before there can be a harvest;
there must be medicine for the disease before health
returns, and the newly-awakened are just in the stage and
the condition of drinking bitter medicine. This will soon
be over, and the results will be most admirable. A great
cloud of witnesses, among whom we joyfully take our place,
bear witness to the fact that the ways of the Lord are ways
of pleasantness. Our deepest joy lies now in knowing God,
and considering Him.--_Spurgeon._
[5] I only wish that those who profess to be practical were
more nearly so, for a practical man will always take more
care of his body than of his coat, certainly; then should
he not take more care of his soul than of the body, which
is but the garment of it? If he were a truly practical man,
he would do that. A practical man will always consider
matters in due proportion; he will not give all his mind to
a cricket-match and neglect his business. And yet how often
your practical man still more greatly errs; he devotes all
his time to money-making, and not a minute to the salvation
of his soul, and its preparation for eternity! Is this
practical? Why, sir, Bedlam itself is guilty of no worse
madness than that! There is not in all your wards a single
maniac who commits a more manifest act of insanity than a
man who spends all his force upon this fleeting life, and
lets the eternal future go by the board.--_Spurgeon._
[6] They are like the bankrupt before the court the other day
who did not keep books. Not he. He did not know how his
affairs stood, and, moreover, he did not want to know; he
did not like his books, and his books did not like him. He
was going to the bad, and he therefore tried to forget it.
They say of the silly ostrich that when she hides her head
in the sand, and does not see her pursuers, she thinks she
is safe; that is the policy of many men. They spread their
sails, and get up the steam, and go with double speed
straight ahead. What, not look at the chart! No, they do
not want to know whether there are rocks and breakers
ahead. Arrest that captain, put him in irons, and find a
sane man to take charge of the vessel. Oh for grace to
arrest that folly which is the captain of your bark, and
put sound sense in command, or else a spiritual shipwreck
is certain.--_Spurgeon._