So the man is tormented with fear; fear of
death, fear of judgment, fear of meeting God.
Then he takes to superstition; he runs from preacher to preacher;
and what not?--There is no folly men have not committed, and do not
commit still, to rid themselves of that tormenting fear. But they
do not rid themselves of it. Sermons, church-goings, almsgivings;
leaving the Church and turning Dissenters or Roman Catholics;
joining this sect and that sect; nothing will rid a man of his
superstitious fear: nothing but believing the blessed message of
the text.
And what does the text say? It says this,--'God is love.' God does
not hate thee, He loves thee. He willeth not thy death, O sinner,
but rather that thou shouldest turn from thy wickedness and live.
Thy sins have not made Him hate thee: but only pity thee; pity thy
folly, which will lead on the road to death, when He wishes to put
thee on the road to life, that thou mayest have boldness in the day
of judgment, instead of shrinking from God like a guilty coward.
And what is the way of life? Surely the way of Christ, who _is_ the
life. Live like Him, and thou wilt not need to fear to die. So
says the text. We are to have boldness in the day of judgment,
because as Christ is, so are we in this world. And how was, and is,
and ever will be, Christ in this world? Full of love; of brotherly-
kindness, charity, forgiveness, peace, and good will to men.
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