III. On account of the aggravated guilt under which
they perish —
Devils and heathens will have more to urge on
their own behalf, than they who perish under the
light of the Gospel —
[The devils may say, Had the Son of God taken our na- ture, and died for our redemption, we would gladly have availed ourselves of such a provision for our safety ; we never would have despised one that had been sent from heaven to redeem us. The heathens may say, Though there was a Saviour given, yet we were never privileged to hear his gospel : had his mercy been ever offered to us, we should " long ago have repented in dust and ashes1." But what will ungodly Christians say before God ? Will they say, They had not a Saviour ? or, That his Gospel was not proclaimed to them ? No : you know there is a Saviour, who bought you with his blood, and who has offered you, times without number, a full and free salvation. Your mouths therefore must be for ever shutu.]
What additional reason does this give for weeping- over the ungodly !
[Every offer of salvation greatly aggravates the guilt of those who reject it : and every increase of guilt will be followed by a proportionable increase of misery. How lamentable then is it, when that very gospel, which should have been a savour of life unto life, is made, through the obstinacy of man, a savour of death unto death x! How truly lamentable when Christ himself becomes an occasion of greater damnation to the very people whom he died to save ! Alas ! that men should ever so despise their own mercies! O that " rivers of tears might run down our eyes!"]
Infer —
1. How little true love is there in the world!
[However strong and numerous the instances of men's car- nal attachment be, there are few indeed who manifest any regard for the souls of their fellow-creatures. Instead of weeping for others, the generality would laugh at those who wept for them- selves. But, if we have not this mark in our forehead, we are destined to feel the stroke of God's avenging rody.]
2. How earnest ought ministers to be in dealing with the souls of men !
[If all ought to weep for the ungodly, much more should ministers, who are sent to call them to repentance, " warn them
1 Matt. xi. 21. u Matt. xxii. 12.
x 2 Cor. ii. 15, 16. > Ezek. ix. 4—6.
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night and day with tears2." Forgive then the earnestness, we should rather say, the want of earnestness, of him who labours among you ; and pray, that he may so " declare the whole counsel of God," as to be pure from the blood of all men."]
3. How earnest ought men to be in seeking the salvation of their own souls !
[If it be the duty of others to weep for us, how much more should we weep for ourselves ! Let us then lay to heart the state of our souls, and sow in tears that we may reap in joya."]
2 Acts xx. 31. a Ps. cxxvi. 5.