" mthout God in tlie world," and no one will lay it to heart, or shew the least concern about the dishonour which is done to God.
The eternal interests of men too, it is surprising how little they are thought of. Men are dying all around us, and no one inquires whether they are prepared to die : and, when they are launched into eternity, no one feels any anxiety about their state, or entertains any doubt about their happiness before God. It is taken for granted that all who die are happy. Whether they sought after God or not, all is sup- posed to be well with them : and to express a doubt respecting it would be deemed the essence of uncharitableness and pre- sumption.
But widely different from this should be the state of our minds. We are not indeed called to sit in judgment upon men: but to feel compassion towards them, and to pray for them, is our bounden duty. David tells us that " horror seized hold upon him," and " rivers of waters ran down his cheeks, because men kept not God's Law." The Prophet Jeremiah exclaimed, " O that mine head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people ! " Thus was it also with Samuel, in relation to Saul ; and thus should it be with us, in reference to all around us. To see them dishonouring God and ruining their own souls, ought to create in us the same emotions as were felt by the Apostle Paul, when he de- clared that he had " great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart for his brethren's sake." Even though we have no hope of doing them good, yet should we, like our blessed Saviour, weep over them, saying, " O that thou hadst kno\vn, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace ! " Nor should we ever cease to pray for them, in hope that God may be gracious unto them, and make them distin- guished monuments of his grace.]
2. In reference to our own sins —
[Here is reason for the very same complaint. Men can violate every command of God, and feel no fear, no compunc- tion. As for such a sin as Saul's, it would not even be deemed a sin. ' True, they have not strictly adhered to the divine command ; but the command itself was too strict ; and they complied with the solicitations of their friends ; and they meant no harm.' Hence, in their prayers, if they pray at all, there is no fervour, no importunity, no continuance. A transient petition or two is quite as much as their necessities require.
But did Samuel feel such grief for another, and should not we for ourselves ? Did he cry to God all night for another,