Priceless Life
Once when Rowland Hill* was preaching, Lady Ann Erskine** happened to be riding by. She asked the coachman what all the people were there for.
He replied, “They are going to hear Rowland Hill.”
Well, she had heard a great deal about this strange man, considered to be the very wildest of preachers, and so she drew near. No sooner did Rowland Hill see her, than he said to the crowd,
“Come. I am going to have an auction. I am going to sell Lady Ann Erskine.”
She, of course, stopped, and she wondered how she was going to be disposed of. Rowland Hill played the part of both the auctioneer and the bidder:
“Who will buy her? Here comes the World to bid. What will you give for her?”
“I will give her all the splendor and vanities of this present life; she will be a happy woman here. She will be very rich, she will have many admirers, and she will go through this world with many joys.”
“You cannot have her. Her soul is an everlasting thing. It is a poor price you are offering. You are only giving a little. As it says in Mark 8:36, what will it profit her if she gains the whole world and loses her own soul?”
“Here comes another purchaser - here is the devil. What will you give for her?”
“Well,” he says, “I will let her enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. She will indulge in everything her heart will set itself unto. She will have everything to delight the eye and the ear. She will indulge in every sin and vice that can possibly give a temporary pleasure.”
“Ah, Satan! What will you do for her forever? You cannot have her, for I know what you are. You would give a meager price for her and then destroy her soul to all eternity.”
“But here comes another. I know him - it is the Lord Jesus. What will You give for her?”
“He says, ‘It is not what I will give: it is What I have given. I have given My life. I have given My blood for her. I have bought her with a price, and I will give her heaven forever and ever. I will give her grace in her heart now and glory throughout eternity.’”
“O Lord Jesus Christ, You will have her. Lady Ann Erskine, do you object to the bargain?” She was completely caught off guard. There was no answer that could be given.
“It is done,” he said. “It is done. You are the Savior’s. I have betrothed you unto Him; never break that contract.”
And she never did. From that time forth, from being a lighthearted and inconsistent woman she became one of the most serious persons and one of the greatest supporters of the truth of the gospel in those times. She died in a glorious and certain hope of entering the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever is willing to have Christ, Christ is willing to have him.
He replied, “They are going to hear Rowland Hill.”
Well, she had heard a great deal about this strange man, considered to be the very wildest of preachers, and so she drew near. No sooner did Rowland Hill see her, than he said to the crowd,
“Come. I am going to have an auction. I am going to sell Lady Ann Erskine.”
She, of course, stopped, and she wondered how she was going to be disposed of. Rowland Hill played the part of both the auctioneer and the bidder:
“Who will buy her? Here comes the World to bid. What will you give for her?”
“I will give her all the splendor and vanities of this present life; she will be a happy woman here. She will be very rich, she will have many admirers, and she will go through this world with many joys.”
“You cannot have her. Her soul is an everlasting thing. It is a poor price you are offering. You are only giving a little. As it says in Mark 8:36, what will it profit her if she gains the whole world and loses her own soul?”
“Here comes another purchaser - here is the devil. What will you give for her?”
“Well,” he says, “I will let her enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. She will indulge in everything her heart will set itself unto. She will have everything to delight the eye and the ear. She will indulge in every sin and vice that can possibly give a temporary pleasure.”
“Ah, Satan! What will you do for her forever? You cannot have her, for I know what you are. You would give a meager price for her and then destroy her soul to all eternity.”
“But here comes another. I know him - it is the Lord Jesus. What will You give for her?”
“He says, ‘It is not what I will give: it is What I have given. I have given My life. I have given My blood for her. I have bought her with a price, and I will give her heaven forever and ever. I will give her grace in her heart now and glory throughout eternity.’”
“O Lord Jesus Christ, You will have her. Lady Ann Erskine, do you object to the bargain?” She was completely caught off guard. There was no answer that could be given.
“It is done,” he said. “It is done. You are the Savior’s. I have betrothed you unto Him; never break that contract.”
And she never did. From that time forth, from being a lighthearted and inconsistent woman she became one of the most serious persons and one of the greatest supporters of the truth of the gospel in those times. She died in a glorious and certain hope of entering the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever is willing to have Christ, Christ is willing to have him.
