Third Point.
" Man goeth to his long home," says the Prophet. " Goeth" signifying that each one " goeth" to that home which he chooses; he will not be carried there, but he will go there of his own accord. It is certain that God wills all, but He will not force him to be saved. " Before man is life and death." He has placed before each of us life and death; and " that which he shall choose shall be given him." (Ecclus. xv. 18.) Similarly, Jeremiah says, that the Lord has given to us two ways in which to walk; the one of heaven, the other of hell. " I set before you the way of life, and the way of death." (Jer. xxi. 8.) It remains with us to choose. But how can he who chooses to walk in the way of hell, ever hope to find himself in heaven? It is a great truth that all sinners desire to be saved, and meanwhile they condemn themselves to hell, by saying, " I hope to save myself." But who ever, says S. Augustine, is so mad as to take poison with the hope of being cured? And yet so many Christians, so many who are mad, condemn themselves to death by sinning, with the saying, "Afterwards, I will think of the remedy." O deceit, which has ordered so many to hell!
Let us not be so mad as these; let us remember that it concerns eternity. How great pains do men take, to build themselves a house, convenient, airy, and healthy, considering that they will have to dwell in it all their lives! And why then are they so careless about that home in which they will have to dwell for eternity? " Eternity is the object for which we contend." says S. Eucher; not to treat of a home more or less convenient, more or less airy, but of a resting, either in a place full of all delights amongst the friends of God; or in a pit, full of every torment amongst an infamous crew of so many wicked heretics and idolaters. And for how long a time? Not for twenty, nor for forty years, but for all eternity. It is an all important point; it is not an affair of small moment, but one of vast moment. When Sir Thomas Moore was condemned to death by Henry VIII., his wife, Louisa, tried to persuade him to submit himself to the will of Henry; but he said to her, " Tell me, Louisa -
