1. "I do not know that I have thought about the matter; I have left
the matter of dying, and of eternity, and of judgment out of my
consideration." How foolish! There are more gates to death than you
dream of. Have not you walked with dying men? Suppose you were sure
of a long life, why delay being happy? Christ says of the rich man in
hell, "He lift up his eyes." He might and should have done so before,
but he said, "Tell my brethren." 2. "I thank God I am about as good
as most people." Company in being ruined will not decrease, but
rather increase the catastrophe. You are trusting in yourself. But is
conscience quiet? Only the absolutely perfect man can be saved by his
own works. 3. "I trust in my priest." Has any priest grace to spare
for you? You are, or may be, as much a priest as any man can be;
Christians are "a royal priesthood." 4. "Well, God is merciful." You
are trusting in the mercy of God; but, as you state it, you are
trusting in what you will never find. If you go to God out of Christ,
you will find Him to be a consuming fire; instead of mercy you shall
receive justice (H. E. I. 2315-2317, 2349-2350). 5. "Well, I do not
say that I can trust to my works, but I am a good-hearted man." There
is much truth in the saying, "If it is bad at the top, it is worse at
the bottom; and if it is not good on the surface, it will never pay
for getting at it" (Jer. xvii. 9; H. E. I. 2669-2680).