WAR:A word of warning  by Rev. Matthew Henry

   It is no time to dally and trifle, and speak softly, when precious
souls are at stake, and their eternal condition is so nearly concerned.

   We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. Knowing
the terrors of the Lord, we persuade men. The blood of your soul would
lie at our door, if we should not give you warning. But what shall I
say? Shall I tell you, that?

   1. The God with who we have to do is a holy, righteous, all-seeing
God. That which makes sinners secure is their mistake concerning this.
They think of the Almighty as if he were easily imposed upon,
altogether such a one as themselves. Thus they cheat themselves. But be
not deceived. Know that God's eye is always upon you. He is acquainted
with your secret sins. He hates every sin; and to all who are
impenitent, he "is a consuming fire." He is too wise to be deceived. He
is true to his threatenings.

   2. Your precious, immortal soul must shortly appear before God in
judgment, to be determined by a righteous doom to an unchangeable
condition. You have a jewel in your hands of inestimable value. It is
thy soul, thy precious soul. It is not a trifle, or a thing of naught,
but thy own soul; and once lost, it is irrecoverably lost. The gain of
all the world cannot compensate it. This soul, at the best, is in a
very hazardous state. It lies at stake. It is in great danger. Thou art
on a trial for thy life.

   3. If you live and die in a graceless, unsanctified state, as sure
as God is in heaven, you will be to eternity in hell. Though you make a
great profession; though you attain a high reputation among men; though
you prophesy in Christ's name; though you excel in gifts; though you
abound in usefulness; yet all this, without a living principle of grace
in your heart, will never bring you to heaven. And believe it, grace
and holiness are quite other things than what the world take them to
be. Religion consists in humility and self-denial, and the reigning
love of God and contempt of the world. He is the Christian who is one
inwardly.

   4. There are thousands in hell who, when alive in the world, thought
themselves safe. Multitudes have been deceived with dross for gold --
have thought they were rich when they were not so. There is a
generation of such. We have reason then to be jealous of a cheat in
that in which so many have been cheated before us. This should startle
us. Take heed lest while you sleep as others did, you perish as they
did. How secure was the rich man in the midst of his prosperity! But
God called him a fool.

   5. The unsanctified heart may have a false peace, while yet it is
the devil's palace; and while he, as a strong man armed, keepeth it. It
would startle you to think of belonging to the devil, of being under
his power, of being led captive by him, of being set on by him, of
having him to work in you. You would be startled if the devil were to
appear to you; but he is as really working in the children of
disobedience, as if he appeared to them. When you are going on in a
sinful way, and yet say you have peace, it is the devil that tells you
so: you are in the midst of enemies.

   6. While you are asleep in carnal security, your damnation
slumbereth not. The Judge standeth before the door. Death is at hand;
perhaps within a few days, a few hours of you. You would be startled,
though you put far off the evil day, if I could assure you that you
should live but one year; and will it not awaken you, that I cannot
assure you, nor can you assure yourself, that you shall live a day? The
veil of flesh is easily and quickly rent, and then appears the awful
scene of eternity -- eternity. Have you not seen many, who were as
likely to live as yourself, snatched away? How startling was the
declaration, This night thy soul shall be required of thee! A criminal
who is condemned to die tomorrow, cannot forget it; it fills him
eating, drinking, sleeping and can we forget the amazing doom, the
amazing sight, the amazing gulf that we are just upon the brink of
--just ready to step into?

   7. As the tree falls, so it lies, and so it will lie to eternity. As
death leaves us, judgment finds us. The doom is irreversible, the
sentence irrevocable, the condition on the other side death
unchangeable. A gulf will be fixed. It is too late to repent in the
grave. Up and bestir yourself, for you have only a little inch of time
in which to be doing.

   But let me DIRECT YOU. When a man asleep is roused a little, he is,
in some measure, capable of advice. Know then, generally, what you must
do. Sleep no longer, be secure no longer.

   1. Suspect yourself as to your spiritual state; self-suspicion is
the first step towards awakening. What if, after all, my faith should
be but fancy, my hope presumption? What reason have I to be so very
confident? May I not be deceived? Many who eat bread with Christ, yet
lift up the heel against him. The disciples, when our Lord intimated
that one of them should betray him, began to say unto him, one by one,
"Is it I?" Do not, in a matter of such great importance, always take
things upon trust.

   2. See and be convinced of the miserable state you are in while out
of Christ. You are not the more safe for feeling secure. Look about
you; consider, as men do who are newly awakened, where you are. See
yourself wretched and miserable, a child of wrath. Be sensible of the
guilt of sin that lies upon you, of the power of sin that rules in you.
You are under the power of Satan. You are exposed to the curse of God.
There is but one life between thee and hell. And is this a condition
for a man to sleep in?

   3. Stir up yourself to a due concern about your soul, and your
eternal welfare. "If ye will inquire, inquire ye." Inquire as they did
when awake, who are mentioned by the prophet Micah, "Wherewith shall I
come before the Lord?" Inquire as those new converts in the Acts of the
Apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Inquire as the jailer
did, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" There begins to be some hope
of people when they look about them as men concerned. Here I am now,
but where must I be to eternity? If I should die tonight, and go to
judgment, what would become of my precious soul? That is the holy fear
which is the beginning of wisdom. Seek unto Jesus Christ for life and
light, and Christ shall give thee light. We must go to him by an active
faith; consent to the gospel proposal of salvation by him. Say, Whither
shall I go but to Christ? Sense of danger should drive us to him with
all speed. We are never truly awake and up, till by faith we have "put
on the Lord Jesus Christ."

   4. Set yourself with all diligence to do the work for which you were
sent into the world. Awake to righteousness. Up, and be doing. Your
work is great; your journey long; your enemies many; opposition
powerful; strength small; time short and uncertain. Son, go work today
in the vineyard. Dost thou not see how it is grown over with thorns?

   5. Take heed of delays. They have ruined thousands. "Yet a little
sleep," said the ancient slumberers. Men are roused and disturbed a
little, but they only turn and go to sleep again, and so become
conviction-proof -- can sleep in the midst of a thousand calls. Take
heed of putting by conviction; it is bad freezing again, after a thaw.
Let not this call be lost after all the rest. What effect it will have
I know not, but I have delivered my soul.