[b]Losers!
(Thomas Watson, "Body of Practical Divinity")
"The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but
the expectations of the wicked are all in vain."
Proverbs 10:28
See the great difference between the death of
the godly--and the wicked. The godly are great
gainers at death--but the wicked are great
losers at death. They lose four things:
(1.) They lose the world--and that is a great
loss to the wicked. They laid up their treasure
upon earth, and to be turned out of it all at
once, is a great loss.
(2.) They lose their souls. Matthew 16:26-27.
The soul is more precious than the whole world!
But the sinner's soul is lost; not that the souls
of the wicked are annihilated at death--but
tormented!
(3.) They lose heaven. Heaven is the region
of happiness and bliss.
(4.) They lose all hope. Though they lived wickedly,
they hoped God would be merciful; and they hoped
they would go to heaven. Their hope was not an
anchor--but a spider's web! At death they lose their
hopes, and see they did but flatter themselves into
hell! "Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so
perishes the hope of the godless. What he trusts in
is fragile; what he relies on is a spider's web."
Job 8:13-14. It is dreadful to have life and hope
cut off together!
"When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes."
Proverbs 11:7
"The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
but the hope of the wicked only in wrath."
Proverbs 11:23