That drunkard, for instance. They say of him, "He has a spark in his
inside." What the poor wretch suffers when he cannot get strong drink!
How he begs and prays for a penny to get a gill of beer. Now don't blame
God for that! It is his own doing. Suppose now, God lets that man have
his own way, and die a drunkard, and he wakes up in hell with that
thirst, and no drink, not a drop, and never will be! And is the drunkard
the worst of men? Is he worse than the man who grows rich on the other
man's poverty? I would as soon have the drunkard's hell, as the eternity
of those who took his money, and sold him that which is burning away his
life and chances of salvation. Do you see that wicked seducer, and those
who dishonour their parents; and those who keep back that which they have
in plenty, when they might feed the hungry and clothe the naked? "These
shall go away into everlasting punishment." Now what are you going to
do? It is not the axe which is touching you now. It is the hand of
Jesus, the hand which has been scorched with the fire of God's anger to
save us. Christ suffered (the just for the unjust) to bring us to God.
Do not tire Him out, for if he calls for the axe, there is no hope.
Justice may call, and when the woodman answers and takes up his axe,
prayer may cause the axe to fall from his hand; but when Mercy says, "Cut
it down," all the men in the world may cry, but nothing can save him from
the fire.