Found Dead!

There are many dead people in the world, who are not yet buried. There are thousands who have been dead for many years, and are not yet put into their graves. Perhaps you are one of them. Perhaps, while you read the tract now in your hands, you are yourself a dead man.

Reader, when a man's heart is cold and unconcerned about religion,—when his hands are never employed in doing God's work,—when his feet are not familiar with God's ways,—when his tongue is seldom or never used in prayer and praise,—when his ears are deaf to the voice of Christ in the gospel, —when his eyes are blind to the beauty of the kingdom of heaven,—when his mind is full of the world, and has no room for spiritual things,— when these marks are to be found in a man, the word of the Bible is the right word to use about him,—and that word is "dead."

This is the true explanation of sin not felt, and sermons not believed, and good advice not followed, and the gospel not embraced, and the world not forsaken, and the cross not taken up, and self-will not mortified, and evil hahits not laid aside, and the Bible seldom read, and the knee never bent in prayer. Why is all this on every side? The answer is simple. Men are dead.

This is the true explanation of many things which wring a faithful minister's heart. Many around him never attend a place of worship at all. Many attend so irregularly, that it is clear they think it of no importance. Many attend once on a Sabbath who might just as easily attend twice. Many never come to the Lord's table, never appear at a week-day means of grace of any kind. And why is all this? Often, far too often, there can only be one reply about these people. They are dead.

Reader, are you found dead? Seek Christ that you may have life. Repent of your sins and be converted this very day. Pray to the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be made alive.