These words are a golden sentence, which ought to be engraven in our memories, and treasured up in our minds. It is want of will to come to Christ for salvation that will be found, at last, to have shut the many out of heaven, — It is not men's sins. All manner of sin may be forgiven. — It is not any decree of God. We are not told in the Bible of any whom God has only created to be de- stroyed,— It is not any limit in Christ's work of redemp- tion. He has paid a price suflScient for all mankind. — It is something far more than this. It is man's own innate un- willingness to come to Christ, repent, and believe. Either from pride, or laziness, or love of sin, or love of the world, the many have no mind, or wish, or heart, or desire to seek life in Christ. " God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." (1 John v. 11 >) But men stand still, and will not stir hand or foot to get life. And this is the whole reason why many of the lost are not saved.
This is a painful and solemn truth, but one that we can never know too well. It contains a first principle in Chris- tian theology. Thousands, in every age, are constantly labouring to shift the blame of their condition from off themselves. They talk of their inability to change. They tell you complacently, that they cannot help being what they are ! They know, forsooth, that they are wrong, but they cannot be different ! — It will not do. Such talk will not stand the test of the Word of Christ before us. The unconverted are what they are because they have no will to be better. *' Light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light." (John iii. 19.) The words of the Lord Jesus wUl silence many : " I would have gathered you, and ye would not be gathered." (Matt, xxiii. 37.)
Let us mark, secondly, in this passage, one pinncipal cause of unbelief. The Lord Jesus says to the Jews, — *'How can ve believe which receive honour one of