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be gratified? Such religion is not worth a straw. Those who possess it
will be weighed in the balance and found wanting.
The true Christian will love to wait and watch for the teachings of
God and the leadings of His Spirit. But with many, religion is merely
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a form. Vital godliness is lacking. Many dare to say, I will do this, or
that, or I will not do this; and the fear of offending God is scarcely
thought of. Those thus described, I saw, could not enter heaven as they
are. They may flatter themselves that they will be saved, but God has
no pleasure in them. Their lives do not please Him. Their prayers are
an offense to Him.
Christ now calls them: “Be zealous and repent.” He kindly and
faithfully admonishes them to buy gold, white raiment, and eyesalve.
They can choose either to be zealous, and partake largely of salvation,
or be spewed out of the mouth of the Lord as disgusting, and be thrust
from Him. God will not bear always. He is of tender pity, yet His
Spirit will be grieved away for the last time. Mercy’s sweet voice will
be no more heard. Its last precious notes will have died away, and
those described will be left to their own ways, to be filled with their
own doings.
I saw that those who profess to be looking for the coming of the
Lord should not have a close, penurious spirit. Some of those who have
been called to talk the truth, and to watch for souls as they that must
give an account, have wasted much precious time for the sake of saving
a little, when their time was worth a great deal more than that which
they gained. This displeases God. It is right that economy should be
used, but it has by some been stretched into meanness with no other
object than to add to their treasures, which will shortly eat their flesh
like fire, unless they as faithful stewards make a right disposal of their
Lord’s goods.
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