And, as the prophet called on the people of old, to awake and arise and turn to the coming light, so St. Paul invited and animated his converts and their brethren, to awake and behold the glory of the Lord, after it had been fully revealed to the dark and sinful world; and so do the ministers of Christ, in every age, call upon their hearers to arouse from their benighted and lost condition, and let this light shine upon their understandings and hearts, and direct them in the way of life and salvation. For grieved are we to say, that notwithstanding these bright beams of grace and truth have been so long pouring forth their splendour upon the earth, yet are there many dark corners; and many eyes awfully closed against the light: and still more grieved are we to say, that even in the land where these beams have shone brightest, even in this land, vast numbers yet remain total strangers to their enlightening influence and converting power: numbers who have had the benefit of being educated under the gospel, who have witnessed its happy effects; who have seen what it has done for their relations, or friends, or neighbours, have yet ungratefully and disdainfully turned away from the heavenly light, and “walked on still in darkness;” have sided with the world and Satan and sin, and resisted the salvation of their souls.
O, that they could be brought, O for the grace of God’s Holy Spirit to bring them, to listen to the warning words of that merciful Saviour, to whom, if they now continue to despise Him, they will one day lift up their hands in vain: these are His words, “if the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness.” { 12} If, after all the gracious offers of pardon and life, which thy Redeemer has made thee, by His own mouth, and the mouth of His messengers, thou still choosest unforgiveness and death, going on in the heedlessness of thy impenitent heart, and wantoning in sin, how dreadful is thy condition! how infinitely more dreadful, than if the voice of mercy had never sounded in thine ears. Be convinced: let the love of thy Saviour work upon thee; let the love of thine own immortal soul move thee to fly unto Him, the great, the only, the everlasting Redeemer. Leave thy way of misery and ruin, and turn to Him for comfort and deliverance. Turn, while thou hast the power; the night is fast coming. Thou knowest not how many more sabbaths, how many more invitations and warnings, will be vouchsafed: many thou hast had already; enough of them thou hast already slighted. Come, ye that are strong, for the strong are often laid low; come, ye that are young, for the young are not always spared; come, ye aged, for your hour of trial _must_ be nearly run out. Come all, while ye may, to the Lamb of God, for acceptance and for blessing: there is no safety, and no hope in any other: and no hope in Him, when the door is once shut; “we pray you, in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” { 13}