Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 646
“Now in whom do you trust?” Isaiah 36:5.
THAT question may not be without importance in matters of ordinary life. We have all to trust our fellows, more or less, and I suppose we have all had to smart in some degree, as the result of it. We may trust the mass of men in trifles without any serious consequences. But when it comes to large sums—when the whole of a man’s fortune, for instance— is staked upon the character and reputation of someone else, then it is not altogether an unimportant question, “On whom do you trust?” Oh, many have rested on some choice friend and found him play the Judas! How often have our dearest counselors turned away from us as Ahithophel did from David? How frequently have we confidently rested upon the integrity, friendship and fidelity of some person whom we thought we knew and could trust, only to find that, “Cursed is he that trusts in man and makes flesh his arm.”
Be cautious, my Brothers and Sisters—perhaps you need not that I should say this to you—but use discretion in all your transactions in life, as to how far you will trust the sons of men. Or else this may be whispered in your ear and may send you to your bed with a heavy heart, “Now in whom do you trust?” But, surely, if this is important in temporal matters, it is overwhelmingly so in regard to spiritual things. If I become bankrupt in trade, I may yet set up in business and retrieve my fortune. But in soul-matters if I once make bankruptcy in the commerce of life, there is no hope of my receiving a fresh certificate and attempting to retrieve my losses.
Here, if a general is defeated in some great battle, he may yet possibly retreat in such good order and again get together his troops so as to win another battle and turn the current of the campaign. But once beaten in the great life-struggle—once feel that sin has utterly got the mastery over you—and there is no hope here and you will die so. And there is no more possible contest—you are vanquished. The battle is fought and the victory is lost forever. Let us, then, be very much concerned, dear Friends, to enquire and to give an honest answer to the question, “In whom do you trust?”
First, let us go round the congregation and collect a little bundle of answers. Then, secondly, let us hear the Christian’s answer. And when we have listened to it, let us give the Christian some few words of advice with regard to what his line of action ought to be, seeing he has such an One to trust.
I. First, then, let us put this question and collect, I say, A LITTLE BUNDLE OF ANSWERS, “In whom do you trust?” I think I hear some answer, “I do not know that I have thought about the matter at all. You ask me, ‘In whom do you trust?’ I shall have to say I have left the matter of dying and of eternity and of judgment out of my consideration. I hope it is a long time before I shall die and there is no need to trouble myself before it is necessary. Therefore I put the matter off. I feel it is an unpleasant task to make too much enquiry and, therefore, I have just left well enough alone. I cannot give you an answer, for I have not considered the matter.”
My dear Friend, don’t you think that you are very foolish? Do you forget that you may die this very moment—that there are more gates to death than you dream of—that there is a gate to death, yes, and to Hell, too, from the place where you are now sitting? Have you never heard of persons falling dead in the street, of bowing down as Sisera did, of whom it is said, “Where he bowed himself there he fell down dead”? Have you a lease of your life? Are you certain that death is so far off? Have not you walked with dying men? I have. I have talked with them one day and I have heard the next that they were in eternity.
We shall hear the same of you. And is it wise to be trifling with these things as though you knew that you had fifty or sixty more years to live? And suppose you were sure of a long life, would you wish to delay being happy? Do you desire to postpone being made supremely comfortable? Remember that to have your soul affairs set right in a proper manner is to obtain present joy and happiness. I do not think that young people ever say, “We are too young to enjoy ourselves. Let us wait till we grow older and then let us he happy.” And yet to be saved is to enjoy yourselves in the most emphatic sense of that term and to find Christ precious is to be happy beyond all expression!
Why postpone that which is more pleasant than pleasure itself and more sweet than honey dropping from the honeycomb? I pray, dear Friends, think of this matter now, because you may have to think of it when it will only bring you bitterness and grief! That is a dreadful verse, where Christ says of the rich man in Hell, “He lift up his eyes.” Poor Soul, why did you not lift up your eyes before? It is too late, for ah, you can see as you look up, Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom and yourself with a great gulf fixed, dividing you from him. It is too late for you to look about you then, for there is nothing to see but the consuming flames and the tormentors who are to be your perpetual companions—with that dark despair, which, like a great gravestone—is to be forever on your heart!