| Back | Contents | Next |
{Since the Heavenly Trade Is the Best Trade…
Exhortation to Good Traders in Christianity
Last, Always Be Ready for the Coming of the Lord}
Last, always be ready, waiting for the coming of the Lord. “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks” (Luke 12:35–36 ESV). “Looking for and hastening1694 the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!” (2 Peter 3:12 NASB). Do not only be waiting for your change, but longing for it, as people who are ready for a desired journey think the time too long before they get to go. “Out of the window she peered, the mother of Sisera wailed through the lattice: ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?’” (Judges 5:28 ESV). “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost” (Revelation 22:17 NASB). “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom” (Matthew 25:1 NASB). Rutherford said, “If you knew the welcome that abides for you when you come home, you would hasten your pace.” The more ready you are for the coming of Christ, the more you will long for His appearance and the more welcome His approach will be. The time when the Lord Jesus will appear is uncertain and the event will be sudden and surprising. This makes procrastinating to prepare unreasonable. Christians must thus be continually ready, or else when Christ’s return comes at an unknown time, they will be unfit to enter in and the door will be shut (Matthew 25:10).1695
Oh, how dreadful will be a miscarriage at last! All the hopes, labors, and comfort of your life depend on your final safety and the happy conclusion of your judgment on the last day. It is a great thing to live as a sanctified soul and die a saved soul. Oh, how few imagine the difficulty of being a genuine Christian and the infinite seriousness of the matter of making an immortal soul secure and having a sure title to the unsearchable riches of the other world! Oh, the folly and madness of rational creatures who make sure of everything but salvation and spend their time and strength on many things of a perishing life and lose the better part! Whoever you are who sets your eyes on this discourse, know that one day you will find Christianity to be your chiefest concern. Then you will say farewell to a vain and deceitful world. You will see all your lovers for whom you have slighted your precious soul, your sovereign Lord and dying Redeemer. These lovers will prove miserable comforters unable to give you one drop of balm, heal you, or give you any cordial to cheer your fainting heart and terrified conscience. You will see pale death deliver you a summons to appear before the holy God and give an account of your stewardship. You will see the books opened and receive a terrible charge against your guilty conscience that you cannot deny or answer. Then you will realize that godliness in its power is the greatest gain. You would give ten thousand worlds for such evidence as Hezekiah and Paul had when within view of death and eternity. And is not Christianity as much your concern, and ought it not be welcomed by you as well? This book has laid before you many great and important duties of piety. Should you not now consider these to be advisable while time and opportunity are available? In the hour of your death, it may be too late for such desires and purposes. Oh, let not your treacherous heart be contented to merely quickly glance on these lines to approve or commend them, and then after all, wash your hands of the vast and necessary truths in these lines and live and die a stranger to this great and heavenly work! But resolve to set about it immediately and pursue it thoroughly so that, when your trading days are done, your rich eternity may begin and you receive that vast inheritance that does not fade away, eternal in the heavens.
1694Obviously, we can do nothing to change the timing of our Lord’s coming. John Calvin, in his commentary on this verse, explains that this means to not wait passively or without care, but with attentiveness and eagerness. Although most people die prior to the great day, this is universally applicable since it is on the great day that all believers will be united with their permanent and glorified bodies. It is then, not at death, that all promises will be finally and completely fulfilled by God.
1695“And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut” (Matthew 25:10 NASB).
| Back | Contents | Next |