It is a part of the divine economy, in the salvation of man, that he should of his own free will, by the grace of God preventing and assisting, “refuse the evil and choose the good:” and therefore man is not to expect from the Almighty any such interference in his favour, as might absolutely overrule his will, and compel him to hearken and obey. God’s infinite mercy is sufficiently manifested in His offer and promise to save those rebellious sinners, who listen to the teaching of His Spirit, who are willing to be saved in His own appointed way. To save those who quench the light afforded them, who discover no such willingness, who unthankfully turn away and refuse the inestimable gift presented to them, would be in direct opposition to the whole tenour of the word of God. And experience concurs with Scripture to inform us, that no such extraordinary interposition is generally vouchsafed. The Jews, in our Saviour’s time, had read of the miracles of Moses and the prophets, professed to credit their inspiration, and their mission from on High; they had seen the astonishing miracles of Christ Himself; and might, if they would, have perceived the fulfilment of their prophecies in Him; many of them were eyewitnesses to the signs and wonders attendant upon His crucifixion; to the earthquake, and the supernatural darkness, and the rending of the veil of their temple; nor could they deny His resurrection from the dead. Against all this body of evidence, against all the means of conviction, they persevered in their rejection of Him. And the time came, when no further testimonial was to be granted; they were left “to fill up the measure of their fathers;” they died in their sins.
In addition to all these opportunities and advantages afforded to the Jew, we enjoy, at this day, the fulness of the manifestation of the gospel; the real nature of the Messiah’s kingdom is clearly and completely revealed unto us; the blessings of the gospel are set before us, in the most conspicuous and glorious light; we have all the certainty, which mortals can have, of a world to come; all the knowledge which our imperfect faculties could receive, of the nature of that world; and all the means of grace and hopes of glory. And if by all these mercies we are not convinced and persuaded, we can have no right or reason to look for any preternatural or overpowering interposition, even from the goodness and long-suffering of God. Rather may we fear that judicial infatuation, so frequently alluded to in Scripture, of the closed eye, the dull ear, and the gross obdurate heart. O let the sinner, instead of flattering himself with the delusion, that some extraordinary thing will one day be happening to him, which shall disengage him from earth, and fix his thoughts on heaven and eternity, O let him rather apprehend that the time is approaching, when the measure of his iniquity shall be filled up, and God will be no longer found.
