[Now God laments over them ; but they regard him not : then they will lament over their own state ; and he will not regard them. Then they will adopt the very language of the text: " O that I had hearkened to God's commandments! then would my peace at this moment have been constant as a river, and boundless as the sea." I should not have been in this place of torment : I should not have been weeping and wailing and gnashing my teeth in hopeless agony, as I now do : no ; I should have been like those in Abraham's bosom ; I should have been holy as God is holy, and happy to the utmost extent of my capacities or desires. O fool that I was ! O that I had hearkened to God's commandments ! I was warned, but would not believe : I was exhorted, but would not comply : O that it were possible to obtain one more offer
of mercy ! But, alas ! that is a fruitless wish
Beloved Brethren, Why will ye not consider these things before it be too late ?]
2. How blessed may the ungodly yet become, if they will only seek after God !
[The words of the text were spoken in reference to the very people who were afterwards carried captive to Babylon ; and therefore they may be considered as addressed to every individual amongst us. God is not willing that any of us should perishk : he desires rather that we should come to re- pentance and live1. He is as willing to be their Redeemer, and their God, as to be the God of any person in the universe. He would teach and guide them as cheerfully, and -as effec- tually as he taught the Prophets and Apostles of old. " O that they were wise, and would consider these things ! they should surely then understand the loving-kindness of the Lord™ :" they should be filled with " a peace that passeth all under- standing," and have, both in their purity and joy, a sweet fore- taste of their heavenly inheritance.]
k Ezek. xxxiii. 11. ! 2 Pet. hi. 9. m Ps. cvii. 43.