. . . so now being brought
into life, in that life he swims; and the river is God, without measure,
limits, or bounds, but perfect liberty, and an eternal and everlasting
increase of light, power, and virtue, because time is passed away; time is no longer
in Zion, but eternity. The state of Adam at First is Time; but the state of
Adam at Last, is Eternity. (John Ward, My
Last Day: (No Man Hurt:) Man-Deity: Or Creation By Jesus [John Bradberry:
Birmingham, 1848], 42)
. . . “Although it be perfectly
true, that to all the wicked there remains, in the course of the present life,
a space of time in which they may, by a sufficient help from God of their
crimes; still, it is not less certain that the sinner, after he has become
obdurate and abandoned by God by reason of his sins, will no longer be capable
of being converted. Wherefore the great difficulty that occurs in the
conversion of a blind sinner, as also the certain foreknowledge of God that he
will not be converted, these things I say, are sufficient to allow of its being
said most truly, that to wicked men of this kind the time is at an end, in
which God might effectually procure their salvation. To signify this most
unhappy state, therefore, it is truly and significantly said when God abandons,
hardens, and blinds a sinner, that to a sinner of this kind the time is no
longer.” (Augustus Clissold, The
Spiritual Exposition of the Apocalypse, 4 vols. [London: Longman,
Brown, Green, & Longmans, 1851]: 2:397; here, the author is quoting Alcasar’s
commentary on Rev 10:6)
“TIME
IS NO LONGER.”
Connect with it what St. John the
Divine tells us is in store for the Christian when “time is no longer,” and
thou must surely rejoice to think that the rolling years are but as chariot
wheels that are bearing you onwards to Canaan’s blissful land. Time is no
longer—eternity no end. (G. C., “’Time
No Longer’ Rev. x.6,” The Gospel Magazine, no. 96 [December 1864]:
553)
V. “Now is the accepted time” in
which to prepare to meet God.
The time of life is the only time
to prepare for death; you must die; are you prepared for death? Do not
procrastinate any longer. Death is the king of terrors to every unprepared
soul. The blood of Christ and the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit, are
necessary to a preparation for death. When time is no longer, the soul is before
the tribunal of God.
VI> When time is no longer all
earthly comforts and amusements are for ever ended.
Set not your hearts upon those
things you can enjoy but for a little while. What comforts will be yours when
time shall be no longer? Have you secured eternal possessions? (T. W. M., “Reflections
suggested by the Sad Explosion on board H.M.S. ‘Thunderer’,” The British
Flag and Christian Sentinel, no. 80 [October 2, 1876]: 115)
