16
A Solemn Appeal
to his service, no trust in him, no living to his glory, no pleasure in his
ordinances, and no delight in him. The first commandment requires
every living being to love and serve God with all the might, mind,
and strength. Especially should professed Christians understand the
[72]
principles of acceptable obedience.
Can any expect that God will accept a profession, a form, merely,
while the heart is withheld, and they refuse to obey his command-
ments? They sacrifice physical strength and reason upon the altar of
lust, and can they think that God will accept their distracted, imbe-
cile service, while they continue their wrong course? Such are just
as surely self-murderers as though they pointed a pistol to their own
breast, and destroyed their life instantly. In the first case they linger
longer, are more debilitated, and destroy gradually the vital force of
their constitution, and the mental faculties; yet the work of decay is
sure. While they live, they curse the earth with their imbecile influence,
are a stumbling-block to sinners, and cause their friends living sorrow,
and an immeasurable weight of anxiety and care as they mark the signs
of their decay, and have daily evidence of their impaired intellect.
To take one’s life instantly is no greater sin in the sight of Heaven
than to destroy it gradually, but surely. Persons who bring upon
themselves sure decay by wrong-doing, will suffer the penalty here,
and, without a thorough repentance, will not be admitted into Heaven
hereafter, any sooner than the one who destroys life instantly. The
will of God establishes the connection between cause and its effects.
[73]
Fearful consequences are attached to the least violation of God’s law.
All will seek to avoid the result, but will not labor to avoid the cause
which produced the result. The cause is wrong, the effect right, the
knowledge of which is to restrain the transgressor.
The inhabitants of Heaven are perfect, because the will of God is
their joy and supreme delight. Many here destroy their own comfort,
injure their health, and violate a good conscience, because they will
not cease to do wrong. The injunction to mortify the deeds of the body,
with its affections and lusts, has no effect upon them. They profess
Christ, but are not his followers, and never can be until they cease their
wrong-doing, and work the work of righteousness.
Females possess less vital force than the other sex, and are deprived
very much of the bracing, invigorating air, by their in-door life. The
result of self-abuse in them is seen in various diseases, such as catarrh,