“No, no; impossible, my child!” replied her grandmother. “God’s holiness, and righteousness, and justice, and truth, could not admit of mercy _then_. Jesus is now seated on a throne of _Grace_, and entreats sinners to come to Him and be saved. But when once seated on His throne of _Judgment_, the time of grace is at an end. Those who there seek Him for the first time will never find Him. God has said, ‘Then shall they call on me, but I will not answer.’”
“I should like you,” said Emma, “to tell me what you mean by ‘seeking Jesus.’ I fear I may never yet have sought Him in earnest.”
“I shall be happy, my dear child, to explain this and many other things to you; but as it would take me too long to‐night, I shall wait till next Sabbath, when, if God spare me, I will speak to you about some more of these solemn truths. I am old, and must soon stand before that great throne; but I have long sought and found Jesus the _Saviour_, and I am not afraid to meet Jesus the _Judge_!”
The little child knelt down on her grandmother’s lap, to offer up her evening prayer. The aged Christian entreated earnestly that Jesus would early give her an interest in His “covenant of grace,” that she might be found at last on His right hand, at the great day, an heir of glory!
Sabbath evening again returned; and when the shutters were closed, and fresh wood had been piled on the fire, little Emma climbed on her grandmamma’s knee, and asked her to explain some more “Scripture doctrines.”
“I shall do so with pleasure, my child,” said Mrs Allan; “and I must ask you to give me to‐night your close attention, as I am going to speak to you about some very important and precious truths.”
Emma thanked her for her great kindness, in being at so much pains to instruct her; and her grandmamma thus began:—
[Sidenote: Of Justification.] “You will remember, my dear, that the Bible tells us we are all condemned by nature—in a lost and ruined state. In order to make us understand what this state is, it represents,—
[Sidenote: The Judge.] “God as a great Judge, ‘of purer eyes than to behold iniquity,’ and who cannot look upon sin.
[Sidenote: The Prisoner.] “It represents the sinner as standing at His bar, called to answer for his many thousand transgressions.