JEREMIAH

God himself declares this great event to be a source of joy even to his own soul: “I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people:” nay, he says, that “he will rejoice over them with joy, he will rest in his love, he will joy over them with singing.” Surely then it becomes us to rejoice also, yea, and to shout for joy,

1. For the benefits that will be conferred on God’s ancient people—

[Long have they been the most degraded and despised of all people. At this very day are they classed with swine, in an impost laid upon them even by Christians. But the day is coming when they will be the first and head of all nations; “their righteousness going forth as brightness, and their salvation as a lamp that burneth;” and “all their enemies bowing down themselves at the soles of their feetl.” And what is God’s command to us in reference to that event? “Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower carts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein; for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.” So, in another place: “Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy, all ye that mourn for her; that ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with, the abundance of her glory.”]

2. For the benefits that will accrue to the whole world—

[The conversion of the Jews will be the signal for an outpouring of blessings upon the rest of mankind: yea, “it shall be as life from the dead to the whole world.” And can we contemplate this without the liveliest joy? Turn to the 98th Psalm; and there you will see what ought to be the feelings of universal nature, in the prospect of this great eventp — — —]

3. For the honour that will arise to God himself—

[Then will he be glorified as he never yet was, even from the foundation of the world. Then will all his eternal counsels be completed, yea, and all his perfections be glorified. Did God from eternity choose that people to himself? Did he plant them as a beauteous olive for himself? Did he, for their unfruitfulness, break off the branches, and graft us Gentiles in? And will he, in that day, graft in again his afflicted people, and cause the whole tree to flourish in unrivalled beauty to endless ages? Will he thus display before the whole universe the greatness of his power, and the immutability of his grace? I say, then, the prospect of this is a just ground of joy. The angels in heaven contemplate it with joy: and we also should begin that song which shall most assuredly be sung by all the Church on that blessed occasion: “Praise ye the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord, for he hath done marvellous things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, them inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.”]

ADDRESS—

1. Those who have never yet tasted of this joy—

[How many, alas! are there of this description! On account of personal and national benefits, you all have, at some time, rejoiced: but, in the prospects we have been contemplating, you have taken no interest. The conversion of one single soul fills all the angels in heaven with delight; but the conversion and salvation of millions is passed over by you, as unworthy of a thought. See, then, how unlike ye are to the character of real saints, and how little ye resemble God! Indeed, indeed, if ye continue so regardless of the happiness of God’s Church below, ye can have no hope of participating in the blessedness of his Church above.]

2. Those who have reason to hope that this new creation is already begun in them—

[“Every true Christian is, in fact, a new creation:” he is “God’s workmanship,” as truly as the material heavens areu. Then I appeal to you, whether you have not found occasion for joy in your own soul? Is it no ground for joy that you have obtained reconciliation with God through the blood of his dear Son; and a renovation of your souls through the operation of his Holy Spirit? Or rather, I must ask, Have you not, “by believing in Christ, been brought to rejoice in him with joy unspeakable and glorified?” Then I need not urge you to forward this same blessed work in the souls of others: you need only be shewn how you may be instrumental in diffusing through the world the knowledge of Christ, and you will of yourselves be ready to employ all that you have, and all that you are, in this blessed cause.]

MXXII

THE EFFICACY OF PRAYER

Isai. 65:24.

It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

THERE is scarcely any thing less justly appreciated than the efficacy of prayer. As a Christian community, we acknowledge the duty of prayer; but we regard it rather as a service to be performed by us, than as a privilege conferred by God. In public worship, we are satisfied with milking the responses that are put into our mouths, without ever endeavouring to obtain and exercise a frame of mind suited to them: decency, rather than fervour, is the object of our pursuit; and when we have gone through the course prescribed by the Church, we think we have performed a service acceptable to God, though in no single petition have we truly poured out our soul before him. In many instances, if God were to take us at our word, and to offer to grant us the petitions we have presented to him, we should pray them back again with tenfold greater earnestness than was felt in their first delivery. If any person would read carefully the various petitions in the Litany, and compare them with the habitual desires of his heart, he would gain an insight into the state of his soul before God, even such an insight as at present he has no conception of. But prayer is, in reality, an instrument of great power: it can, under any circumstances, bring Omnipotence to our aid: yea, so acceptable is it to Almighty God, that even the disposition to offer it shall not be overlooked: but “it shall come to pass,” provided we are truly sincere, “that before we call, he will answer; and whilst we are yet speaking, he will hear.”

To enter into the full import of this promise, we should consider,

I. To whom it is made—

To the Millennial period, in the first instance, it most undoubtedly refers—

[The whole preceding context clearly shews this. In the beginning of the chapter, God denounces the heaviest judgments against his “rebellious people.” But, having determined not utterly to destroy them, he says, “As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not, for a blessing is in it; so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all” — — — Then, having contrasted in very strong terms the felicity of the faithful with the misery of those who shall have provoked him to anger, he proceeds to declare, that the whole nation, yea, and the whole world also, shall be restored to his favour, and enjoy a degree of prosperity unknown to his people, even in the most distinguished periods of their history. So great shall be the change on earth, that it shall be as if “new heavens and a new earth were created:” and all former seasons, whether of prosperity or adversity, shall be forgotten, as being altogether lost in the contemplation of their present bliss. Holiness and happiness will then reign throughout all the Church, without intermission and without alloyd. His Jewish people shall no more be subjected to the judgments that have been inflicted on them, Instead of being cut off in the midst of their days, their lives shall be so prolonged, that a person of a hundred years of age shall be accounted but an infant; and if cut off at that age, he shall be regarded as having prematurely perished under the displeasure of an angry God. Both they and their offspring shall be so blessed of the Lord, as to bear in every respect the marks of his special favour; and, above all, their communion with him shall be most sweet and intimate, and their communications from him most rich and abundant.]

But it also belongs to the Church of God in all ages—

[The prophets speak of this privilege as belonging to the saints in their days. David, in his Psalms, is full of this subject: “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth: He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he will also hear their cry, and will save them,” The Prophet Isaiah says, “Thou shalt call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I amg.” To the same effect, the Prophet Jeremiah also speaks: “Ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

Of the instances of such gracious communications there would be no end, if I were to attempt to enumerate all that are recorded in the Scriptures. Let one suffice, even that of Daniel, when he set himself, by prayer and supplication, to obtain of God an insight into the prophecies of Jeremiah relative to the termination of the seventy years’ captivity in Babylon. He gives us the account of himself: “While I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin, and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God; yea, while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth: and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved; therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.” And again, in the following chapter, the angel says to him, “Fear not, Daniel; for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard; and I am come for thy words.”

And speaks not the New Testament the same language also? Were these privileges so richly enjoyed under the Jewish dispensation; and are they denied to us? No: we may “ask what we will;” and be sure of being heard. Both God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will esteem themselves “glorified” in granting our petitions, and doing for us whatsoever we askm. We have only to “believe that the petitions shall be granted,” and not one of them shall be offered in vain. Of this, I say, we may possess the fullest confidenceo: and if, “our joy be not full,” the fault is altogether our own; since God, by repeated asseverations, has assured us that we shall not ask in vainq. Even at the moment that we are praying, will he often manifest the acceptance of our prayers, and “do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we either ask or think.” What wilt thou that I should do for thee? is, in fact, our Lord’s address to us all; and he only waits to see the desire of his blessings formed in our hearts, as the signal for pouring out upon us all the riches of his grace.]

Seeing, then, that the promise is made to God’s people in every age, let us consider,

II. What it speaks to us—

It plainly declares,

1. How wonderful is the condescension of Almighty God—

[When God promised to dwell in the temple which Solomon had built, the pious monarch exclaimed, “Will God in very deed dwell with man on the earth?” And well may we utter a similar exclamation, in reference to the subject before us: “Will God indeed hear and answer the prayers of such insignificant and sinful worms as we?” To this I answer, that he surely will: nor shall the meanest or most unworthy suppliant in the universe be spurned from his footstool. “Though he is high above all creatures, yet will he have respect unto the lowly.” Yes, “though he is the High and Holy One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, yet will he dwell with him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite:” nor shall all the angels in heaven so occupy his attention, but that “he will look through all their shining ranks to the poor and contrite man, who trembles at his word.” Nor is it the prayer only of the contrite that he will listen to; he will not despise their desire; their very sighs shall enter into his ears, and their tears be treasured up in his vials. What amazing condescension is this! Were it but an earthly monarch that so humbled himself, the whole world would sound with his praises: but He, of whom these things are spoken, is King of kings, and Lord of lords. What praises, then, should we render unto him? Never will his grace be fully appreciated, till we shall see the infinite distance which there is between him and us, and the unworthiness of those to whom this mercy is vouchsafed.]

2. How inconceivable is the folly of prayerless men—

[Thousands, who imagine that they pray, do nothing but deceive their own souls. For what is their prayer, but a solemn mockery of their God? Let those who never pray, but according to some form which they either read out of a book or repent from memory, inquire what has been the frame of their minds in prayer; and they will find that they have, for the most part, “drawn nigh to God with their lips, whilst their hearts have been far from him.” I mean not to say that persons may not pray with, as truly and fervently as without, a form: for they who have ever entered into the spirit of the Liturgy, know the contrary. But no real saint ever lived without pouring out before God, from time to time, many “cries and breathings” which proceeded from the state of his own mind, and which no written form could have furnished. And if this be not our habit, we are as truly prayerless, as if we had never used even an outward form. Let me then ask of such persons, Have you no sins to confess to God? no mercies to implore? no blessings to be thankful for? or have you any other source from whence you can derive the blessings you stand in need of? Ah! think how soon the season for prayer will be for ever past; and how vain even the most importunate supplications will soon be, though you should pray only for a drop of water to cool your tongue. Be in earnest, I pray you, and no longer deceive your own souls. Our Lord tells you, that the mere formalist worships him in vain.” And if you will only candidly examine the state and habit of your souls when at a throne of grace, you shall attain a deep insight into your real character, and shall know, with great precision, the doom that awaits you in the eternal world. What will be your feelings in that world, when you reflect, that when all heaven was offered you, you would not so much as ask for it! How will the poor ignorant heathen condemn you, when their labours in the pursuit of happiness shall be recounted, and your reluctance even to offer a prayer shall be adduced against you! See the papist, with all his penances and mortifications; will not he also condemn you? See but a beggar, in the pursuit of relief for his body; how urgent! how importunate! how averse to take a denial. Shall not he also rise up in judgment against you? Verily, the bitterest reflection in hell itself will be, that, when the Lord Jesus Christ had purchased heaven for you by his blood, and offered it to you freely in answer to your prayers, you deemed the task too heavy, and the terms too hard. May God in his mercy save you from such bitter reflections as these! And may it never be said of you, in relation to the heavenly glory, “They had it not, because they asked it not.”]

3. How truly blessed are they who live nigh unto their God in prayer—

[They understand the subject, and can bear witness to the truth of God in relation to it. Often have they gone to a throne of grace oppressed with their sins, which, like an insupportable burthen, sink them to the earth: but God has sustained them, and given them “rest unto their souls.” They went contemplating nothing but continued and perhaps augmented sorrows; and, “ere they were aware, their souls are made like the chariots of Ammi-nadib:” “even before they called, he answered; and while they were yet speaking, he heard.” Know ye, then, your privilege: Carry to the Lord your every want, your every fear; and “cast all your care on him, who careth for you.” “Commit your way to him, and” not only shall your trials be alleviated, but “your very thoughts,” the most variable things under the whole heaven, “shall be established.” “This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord;” and they who possess it, enjoy a heaven upon earth. Go on, then, improving daily your liberty of access to God; and spread before him all your wants, and “make known with confidence your requests unto him:” so shall “the peace of God now rule your hearts,” and “God himself be your portion, and your eternal great reward.”]

MXXIII

THE POOR AND CONTRITE THE OBJECTS OF GOD’S FAVOUR

Isai. 66:2.

To this man will I look, even to him that it poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

IT often happens that accidental distinctions serve men as grounds of confidence towards God. Many found their hopes on no better basis than Micah did: the Jews in particular thought themselves assured of the Divine favour because of God’s residence in their templeb. But God shews them the folly of their notions, and declares the character of those who alone shall be considered by him with any favourable regard:

I. Who are the objects of the Divine favour—

Men choose for their companions the rich and gay; but those whom God regards are of a very different character—

1. They feel themselves destitute of all good—

[It is not temporal, but spiritual poverty, that distinguishes God’s people. They have discovered their total want of spiritual wisdom. They are constrained to acknowledge that they have no righteousness of their own, and that they an “without strength” for obedience. They unfeignedly adopt the language of St. Paulg— Nor do they hope for mercy but as the free gift of God.]

2. They bewail the many evils they have committed—

[They hare been made to see that sin is hateful to God; and they have felt the bitterness of it in their own consciences. They know experimentally the sensations of David. They lothe themselves for all their abominationsk. Nor are their convictions merely occasional or transient; they are habitually of a tender and “contrite spirit.”]

3. They pay a reverential regard to every word of God—

[They dare not say like the idolatrous Jews— They rather resemble the man after God’s own heartm. If the word be preached, they “receive it as the word, not of man, but of God.” They hear the threatenings like the meek Josiah. They attend to the promises with an eager desire to embrace them. To every precept they listen with an obedient ear.]

These, though generally considered by the world as weak and superstitious, are not overlooked by the Supreme Being.

II. The peculiar regard which God shews them—

The “eyes of God are in every place beholding the evil and the good;” but he “looks to” these, in a far different manner from others. This distinguishing favour implies,

1. Approbation of them—

[From the proud and self-sufficient God turns his face; but he “despises not the broken and contrite in heartq.” Though so exalted in himself, he will not disdain to notice them. His approbation of such characters stands recorded for ever. His reception of the prodigal is an eternal monument of the regard he will shew to entry repenting sinner.]

2. Care over them—

[Wherever they go, his eye is upon them for good. He watches them in order to deliver them from dangert. He watches them in order to comfort them in trouble. He watches them in order to relieve them in wantx. He watches them in order to exalt them to happiness and honour.]

3. Delight in them—

[There are none on earth so pleasing to God as broken-hearted sinners. Their sighs and groans are as music in his ears. Their tears he treasures up in his vial. He dwells with them as his dearest friendsb. He rejoices over them as a people in whom he greatly delights. He saves them here by the unceasing exercise of his power; and reserves for them hereafter an inheritance in heaven.]

Nor shall the fewness of such characters render them at all less the objects of God’s regard—

[It must be acknowledged that they are but few. But if there were only one in the whole world, God would find him out. Not all the splendour of heaven, nor all the acclamations of angels, should for a moment divert God’s attention from him. Though he were despised by all the human race, yet should he be amiable in the eyes of his Maker. Nor should he want any thing in time or eternity. Never shall that declaration in any instance be falsified—]

INFER—

1. How should we admire the condescension of God!—

[If we view only the material world we may well stand astonished that God should regard such an insignificant creature as man. But, if we contemplate the majesty of God, we cannot but exclaim with Solomoni— Let then the declaration in the text lead our thoughts up to God. Let us adore him for so clearly describing the objects of his favour. And let us express our admiration in the words of David—]

2. How should we desire to attain the character that is pleasing to God!—

[The pool and contrite are exclusively beloved of God. If he look on others, it is only as he did on the Egyptians. And how dreadful must it be to have such an enemy! But how delightful to have an almighty, omnipresent guardian! Above all, how awful must it be to have him turn his face from us in the day of judgment! Let us then endeavour to humble ourselves before God. And rest assured that the promised mercy shall in due time be fulfilled to usn.]

MXXIV

GOD DELIGHTS TO COMFORT HIS PEOPLE

Isai. 66:10–13.

Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: that ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

IT is the peculiar character of the Lord’s people, that they enter into the concerns of the Church, rejoicing in her prosperity, and lamenting whatever tends to her dishonour. For both these exercises of mind there is occasion in every place and in every age. If but one soul be added to the Church, it is a ground of joy even to the angels in heaven, and much more to those whose hands are strengthened by every such accession: on the other hand, the low state of the Church must of necessity fill every pious soul with grief and shame. But there is a time approaching, when the grounds of joy will greatly preponderate, when there will be a vast increase of glory to the Church, when innumerable multitudes both of Jews and Gentiles shall flock to her standard, and “her peace shall flow down like a river.” It is of this period that the prophet is speaking, both in this and the preceding chapter: and so sudden will be its arrival, that it will seem as if “a nation were born in a day.” To this period we should look forward with joy: and whatever occasions there may be for sorrow, on account of existing circumstances, the prospect of such a glorious event should fill us with heavenly consolation.

That we may enter more fully into the exhortation in our text, we shall set before you,

I. A general view of the consolations which God has prepared for his people—

God delights in the character of a comforter: he calls himself “The Comforter of all them that are cast down:” yea, each person of the ever-blessed Trinity is expressly designated by this title: “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort:” The Lord Jesus is “the Consolation of Israelb:” and the Holy Spirit is yet more particularly made known to us as “The Comforter, (that other Comforter,) whom the Father will send to us in Christ’s name.” And well is God set forth under this character, since he has prepared most abundant and “everlasting consolation” for us,

1. In the work and offices of his Son—

[What is there which fallen man can want, that is not treasured up for us in the Lord Jesus Christ? Are we ignorant, guilty, polluted, and enslaved? “Christ is of God made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” he is a Priest, on purpose to make atonement for us; a Prophet, on purpose to teach us by his word and Spirit; a King, on purpose that he may rule over us and in us. In a word, there is “all fulness treasured up in Him,” in order that we may “receive out of His fulness grace for gracef.” Hence the Apostle, assuming it as an obvious and acknowledged truth, urges it as a motive to universal love; “If there be any consolation in Christ, fulfil ye my joy,” being all in perfect unity with each other.]

2. In the fulness and stability of his covenant—

[The “everlasting covenant,” which from all eternity was made between the Father and the Son, was “ordered in all things and sure.” There is not any thing we desire, but there is the most abundant provision made for it by many and repeated promises, all of which he has confirmed to us by the most solemn oath. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! Jehovah covenants; Jehovah swears! And wherefore does he so condescend to the infirmities of men? Is it to guard against a versatility of mind on his part? No; but to comfort us under our fears of his displeasure: “being willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, he confirmed it with an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold of the hope set before us.”]

3. In the richness and variety of his ordinances—

[God does not merely permit us to approach him, but has commanded us to come to his footstool, and to make known to him our requests in every possible situation and circumstance of life. He has appointed ordinances, public, private, social, assuring us, that, if we “draw nigh to him, he will draw nigh to us,” and “do exceeding abundantly for us above all that we can ask or think.” These ordinances are beautifully represented in our text as “breasts of consolation, which we may suck and be satisfied with, yea, from which we may milk out and be delighted with an abundance of glory.” And here let me ask the people of the Lord, Whether God has not “spread for them, as for his people of old, a table in the wilderness;” and abundantly blessed to them the provisions of his house? whether “their weary souls have not been satiated, and their sorrowful souls replenished?” whether in these seasons “light has not often arisen to them in obscurity, and their darkness been made as the noon day?” and especially, whether at the table of the Lord, when they have been feeding on the body and blood of their crucified Saviour, they have not often found “his body to be bread indeed, and his blood to be drink indeed?” Yes; in reading his word, and in communion with him, the soul enjoys a feast of fat things, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined;” and those who have most frequented “his banqueting house,” have most found “his banner over them to be lovel.”]

4. In the gifts and trials of his Ministers—

[Various are the gifts with which the Lord endows his servants, that he may thereby adapt his word to the necessities of alln: and the particular commission which he gives to every one of them is, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people; speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem: “Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees, and say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not; your God will come and save youp.” He chooses to apeak to us by men, rather than by angels; because they, by their own experience of the bitterness of sin and of the consolations of the Gospel, are able to testily of “the things which they have heard, and seen, and handled;” and can speak with tenderness and compassion to others, from a sense of their own great and manifold infirmitiesr. It usually happens, too, that those ministers who are made most useful to the Church of God have themselves been brought into deep waters, and been subjected to many trials; God “giving them thereby the tongue of the learned,” and qualifying them to “speak a word in season” to persons in all the varied circumstances of life. To this St. Paul ascribes both the trials and consolations which had so greatly abounded in his experience: “God,” says he, “comforteth us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble with the same comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation; or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.”]

But, if we would justly appreciate the consolations prepared for us, let us take,

II. A more particular view of them, as represented in the image before us—

The images in the Holy Scriptures have this distinguished excellence, that they bring home to the comprehension and the feelings of every man truths which are at once the most exalted and most interesting that can be presented to our view. It is quite erroneous to suppose, that, because an image is common, it is therefore unfit to be a vehicle of Divine truth; we should rather say, it is therefore the most proper for illustrating such things as are analogous to it. The idea of a little infant sucking at his mother’s breast, and borne in her arms, on her side, or dandled on her knees, may seem unworthy to express the love of Jehovah towards his people; yet will we assert, that the whole creation does not present an image that will more adequately convey this sentiment to our minds. It suggests to us,

1. His attention to our wants—

[How great and manifold are the wants of a little child; no one of which he himself is able to supply! but his mother provides for every one of them, and anticipates them even before he is brought into the world. In like manner, the number of our wants is only equalled by the extent of our helplenness: we are not of ourselves able to do any thing good, nor “to speak a good word,” no, nor even “to think a good thought.” But our God has promised “to supply all our wants, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” “He knoweth what things we have need of before we ask him;” and he has engaged, that, “though the lions may lack and suffer hunger, they who fear him shall want no manner of thing that is good:” he will give them “grace to help them in every time of need,” and “his grace shall be sufficient for them.”]

2. His sympathy with us in our troubles—

[Through diseases of various kinds, and accidents almost innumerable, the days of infancy afford much scope fur the exercise of parental tenderness and affection. And where is the mother whose bowels have not frequently yearned over her afflicted offspring? How has the sudden cry of her infant pierced her soul, even as with a sword! Yet is this but a very faint image of the tenderness and compassion of our God. In reference to his people of old, it is said, “His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel;” and “in all their afflictions he was afflictedy.” So now, if any presume to injure them, God says, “He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye.” Our Divine Master identifies himself with his people, and regards every thing that is done to them, whether good or evil, as done unto himself: if they be persecuted, it is HE that is smitten; or if they have kindness ministered unto them, it is HE that is relieved. One member of the body does not more participate the feelings of the rest, than he does the trials and troubles of his redeemed people: indeed, he submitted to be “made in all things like unto them, on purpose that he might, as our faithful and compassionate High Priest,” be stimulated, as it were, from his own experience, to pity and relieve his tempted people.]

3. His forbearance towards us in our perverseness—

[Few things perhaps are more trying to the temper than the untowardness of a perverse child: it requires all the love of a parent to support it, when it is great and of long continuance. But what parent ever had to endure a thousandth part of the perverseness which our God has seen in us; seen too in the midst of all his kindness? No one can read the history of Israel in the wilderness without being amazed at the multitude of their provocations, and at the patience with which “God suffered their manners forty years:” yet this is a just representation of human nature, in every place, and every age. Of the very best amongst us it may he said, that “he falleth seven times a day:” yea, “in many things we offend all.” But God “does not deal with us after our sins, nor reward us according to our iniquities:” on the contrary, “he spareth, when we deserve punishment;” “he keepeth mercy for thousands,” who, alas! would soon cast it away; “he forgiveth iniquity, transgression, and sin;” and, if constrained to chasten us with the rod, he “does not suffer his whole displeasure to arise,” but chastises in mercy only, and “does not utterly take away his loving-kindness from us.”]

4. His affectionate endearments—

[It is well known with what delight a mother will “bear her” infant in her arms, and “dandle him on her knees:” and it should seem as if this were an extravagant representation of the Saviour’s love to us: but he “bare his people, and carried them all the days of old:” even “as an eagle beareth on her wings” her unfledged offspring, so does he now “carry the lambs in his bosom, and gently lead them that are with young.” It is, if we may so speak, a delight to him to “manifest himself to them” in the most endearing manner; to “lift up the light of his countenance upon them;” to “kiss them with the kisses of his lips,” and to “shed abroad his love in their hearts by the Holy Ghost.” He accounts them “his jewels,” and “his peculiar treasure;” and “rejoices over them, to do them good” in every possible way. Not all the endearments of the tenderest mother can exceed the exercises of his mind towards us, as described by an inspired prophet: “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty: he will save: he will rejoice over thee with joy: he will rest in his love: he will joy over thee with singing.”]

ADDRESS—

1. Those who are strangers to our Jerusalem—

[It is generally thought amongst you, that there is no happiness in religion. But, I would ask, Where else is it to be found? You may go and watch for it through the whole creation in vain: “The depth saith, It is not in me; and the sea saith, It is not in me. It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof:” it is in Christ only that the nations of the earth either are, or can be, blessed. If it be said, that religion has its peculiar trials; we acknowledge readily, that it has: but if it bring trials, it affords comforts also to counterbalance them: indeed the very word “comfort” necessarily implies in it somewhat of previous pain or trouble. Sorrow for sin, the mortification of our in-dwelling corruptions, the enduring of contempt and reproach for Christ’s sake, may all be considered as painful in themselves; but none ever took “this yoke” upon them, without finding it, after a season, both “light and easy;” and being enabled at last to take pleasure, and to glory, in those very trials, which appear so formidable to unenlightened men. But if you wish to be happy and yet hold fast your sins, that is impossible: as the tenderest mother in the universe cannot make her child happy, whilst he is under the influence of perverse and wicked dispositions, so neither can God himself make you happy, whilst you are living in disobedience to any one of his commands. There must of necessity be a difference between a duteous and a disobedient child: to the one a wise mother will impart many testimonies of her regard, which she is constrained to withhold from the other. So it is with God: he manifests himself to his faithful people as he does not unto the world: and if we would but walk before him as obedient children, he would give us a foretaste of heaven itself, in the light of his countenance, and in the tokens of his love. Were this duly considered, we should no longer be content to live as “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,” but should seek to become “fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.”]

2. Those who love and mourn for her—

[Your concern for the welfare of the Church is a hopeful evidence that you have received the word of God in truth; for it is the characteristic mark of all true saints, that “they prefer Jerusalem above their chief joy.” But, whilst you are concerned about the Church at large, you must not forget, that you yourselves constitute a part of that Church, and that the other members of this great family will rejoice or mourn, according as you walk worthy, or unworthy, of your high calling. The comfort of God’s children depends, not only on the manifestations of his favour, but on the state of the Church around them. What tears did David shed on account of those who kept not God’s law! and how did Paul feel, as it were, all the pangs of travail renewed in his soul, when the misconduct of some in the Galatian Church caused him to stand in doubt of them! On the other hand, no words could express the joy which John, the beloved disciple, felt, “when he saw his children walk in truth.” Be watchful then over your whole spirit and conduct; and see that they be such as become the Gospel of Christ. On this the honour of your heavenly Parent depends: on this also depend the manifestations of his love to your souls. Only seek that God may be glorified in you; and then shall thanksgivings abound towards him on your account: your own “peace also shall flow down like a river,” und the prosperity of Zion be greatly increased.]

MXXV

THE JEWS TO CONVERT THE GENTILES

Isai. 66:18–30.

It shall come, that I will gather all nations and longues; and they shall come, and see my glory. And I will set a sign among them; and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. And then shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord, out of all nations, upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord, at the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean ressel into the House of the Lord.

WHEN we look upon the world around us, and consider how utterly God is neglected and despised by the great mass of his intelligent creatures, and that successive generations of immortal beings are swept away without any knowledge of a Saviour, or any hope of beholding the face of God in peace, we are ready to say with the prophet, “Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep night and day,” for the dishonour done to my God, and for the miseries which, like a relentless deluge, are overwhelming the whole earth! It is however a consolation to know, that this state of things is drawing to a close, and that a new era is about to appear, when the darkness which now covers the earth shall be dispelled, and righteousness reign, where sin hath hitherto maintained an undisputed sway. The prospect of this period, which is now fast approaching, and speedily to commence, was the great support of the Church under the distresses to which she was reduced in the Babylonish captivity; and it still forms the richest source of consolation to all who have any zeal for God, or any concern for the welfare of mankind. So impressed was the prophet Isaiah with his views of this mighty change, that he could scarcely speak of any thing else: or, if he did speak of the restoration of the Jews from Babylon, or of the blessings treasured up for them by the introduction of the Messiah’s kingdom, he constantly interwove in his statements such grand and glorious expressions, as could not fail of carrying forward the minds of his readers to this blessed time, when “new heavens and a new earth were to be created,” and the universal empire of righteousness to be established throughout the earth. Of this period he speaks in the words before us; which will lead me to set before you,

I. God’s purpose respecting the Gentile world—

“It shall come to pass, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.” This is the fixed purpose of Jehovah; a purpose,

1. Proclaimed by all the prophets—

[Respecting “the gathering of the nation” to Christ, there is but one voice, from the time of Abraham to the close of the sacred canon. Christ is that “Seed in whom all the nations of the earth are to be blessed;” that “Shiloh, to whom the gathering of all people shall bed.” “The utmost ends of the earth are promised to Him for his possession:” “all kings shall fall down before him, all nations shall do him servicef:” “from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof shall his name be great among the Gentiles;” and all the kingdoms of the world shall become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christh.”

But there is a peculiarity in this prophecy which must not be overlooked. God has in the great work of redemption revealed his glory to mankind. In that he he shewn how “mercy and truth could meet together, and righteousness and peace could kiss each other.” There he has proclaimed his name as “merciful and gracious, and yet as not by any means clearing the guiltyk.” It is this harmony of his perfections that chiefly constitutes his glory. Previous to the revelation of his Gospel, the highest archangel could not have conceived how God could be “a just God, and yet a Saviour.” But in Christ Jesus the whole difficulty is solved. By sending him into the world, and laying our iniquities on him, the fullest demands of justice are satisfied, and a way is opened for the richest exercise of mercy towards a guilty world: the truth of God which was pledged for the execution of all his threatening, is preserved; and yet may the sinner, who was obnoxious to them, be absolved, and be restored to the enjoyment of his forfeited inheritance. This is the mystery in which all the glory of the Godhead shines; and which all the nations of the earth shall in due time have revealed to them in its meridian splendour. This is fully declared by the prophet in a preceding chapter: “Arise, shine! for thy light is come; and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” And the prophet Habakkuk also marks it with peculiar precision: “The earth,” says he, “shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”]

2. Assuredly to be fulfilled in its season—

[Were we to judge by present appearances, we should say, that such an event could never be accomplished. But so we should have thought respecting the deliverance of the Jews from Egypt, and from Babylon; and of the establishment of Christianity by the ministry of a few poor fishermen. But it is not in this way that we are to form our judgment or our expectations. We have only to ask ourselves; “Has God promised these things? and, Is he able to perform them?” These points being ascertained, we are as sure of the event, as if we already saw it before our eyes: for “God is not a man that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should repent.” In fact, the prophet did, as it were, behold it actually accomplishing in his day: he saw the Gentile world “flying to Christ, as doves to their windows;” and he called upon the Church to rejoice in it: “Break forth into joy; sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people; he hath redeemed Jerusalem: the Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations: and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”]

If the purpose itself fill us with wonder, we shall be no less amazed when we are informed of,

II. The instruments by whom he will effect it—

It was by the ministry of Jews that God was pleased to bring in the first fruits of the Gentiles; and by the ministry of the Jews will he gather in the whole harvest. In this passage the prophet distinctly states who are,

1. The persons ordained to this work—

[They are here designated as “those who have escaped unto the nations:” and who these are there can be no doubt. They are the remnant of the Jewish nation dispersed throughout the world. What the particular places are amongst which they are scattered, it is not necessary to determine: it is sufficient to know, that they are countries widely distant from each other, and countries “which have not heard of the Redeemer’s fame, or seen his glory.” Amongst these nations shall “an ensign be raised” by the Jews, whom “God has sent to them” for this express purpose: and it is by their ministry that God will diffuse the knowledge of salvation amongst them. The language here used is clear and decisive: “I will send those that escape of them,” that is, the Jews; “I will send them unto the nations; and THEY SHALL DECLARE MY GLORY AMONG THE GENTILES.” How little has the Christian world adverted to this prophecy! How little have any of us, when perhaps we have been pouring contempt upon the Jews, recollected for what glorious purposes they are reserved, and what a blessing they are ordained to be to the whole world! Be it known unto you, Brethren, that THE JEWS are the persons ordained of God to “declare his glory among the Gentiles.” They themselves are at present as unconscious of the end for which they are so dispersed, as the Gentiles are amongst whom they are scattered: but they shall nevertheless infallibly execute the office for which they are designed. The prophet Micah says of them, “The remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.” Now the clouds know not the end for which God sends them over the face of the earth; nor is the dew aware of the purpose which God has designed it to effect: but both the one and the other infallibly and effectually execute the purposes of heaven, and cause the parched ground to send forth its fruits. So shall the Jews do, when once the light has burst in upon their minds; and “the receiving of them into the Christian Church shall be as life from the dead” to the whole world.]

2. The success that shall attend their labours—

[As the effects of rain are rapid on the whole vegetable creation, so shall the fruits of their ministry among the Gentiles be rapid and abundant; “They shall bring all their Gentile brethren for an offering unto the Lord, out of all nations, saith the Lord; as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.” The meat-offering consisted of fine flour unleavened, and mingled with oil: oil also was poured upon it, and frankincense put thereon. Of how many myriads of particles an handful of flour consisted, we know not: but it very fitly represents the congregated masses of believers that shall then be presented to the Lord, all of them pure and unleavened, and all of them sanctified by the Holy Ghost. This is the very construction which St. Paul himself puts upon the text, which he represents as in part fulfilled in himself, who was, in a more peculiar manner than any other of the Apostles, “the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the Gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.” Nor let it be thought that this is a fanciful interpretation: for the prophet himself, in a foregoing chapter, represents the converts as “a cloudt,” which, whether it be understood of dust, or of rain, conveys precisely the same idea as we have just suggested from the meat-offering: and the Psalmist also places the matter in exactly the same view, when he says, that “the handful of corn cast by them upon the tops of the mountains shall grow up as the woods of Lebanon, and as the piles of grass upon the earth.” Indeed the prophet himself uses in another place a still stronger figure: for he represents the Gentile world at that period as “flowing (contrary to nature), like a mighty river, up to the Lord’s House, when established upon the top of the highest mountains;” so powerful, so harmonious, so universal shall be the concourse of the Gentiles to Mount Zion, in consequence of God’s blessing on the labours of their Jewish instructors.]

SEE then,

1. Of what importance the conversion of the Jews is to the whole world!

[Many individuals may be, and are, converted from among the Gentiles by the labours of Gentile teachers; and we do well to exert ourselves in every possible way for the diffusion of Christian knowledge amongst them. But though we may reap the first-fruits, the gathering in of the harvest is reserved for labourers of the Jewish community. There is a passage which is supposed to establish a directly opposite opinion: but the passage itself is quite misunderstood. It is said, that “blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in:” and from thence it is supposed, that the whole of the Gentiles must be converted, before that blindness is removed from the Jewish people. But in another part of the same chapter it is said, that, as the diminishing of the Jews was the means of enriching the Gentile world, much more shall their fulness be so; the receiving of the Jews into the Church being the signal for, and the means of, a spiritual resurrection to the whole Gentile world. The “fulness” in both places imports, not the complete ingathering of all, but the commencement of that mighty work. It will begin among the Gentiles (as it has indeed already begun); and then it will proceed among the Jews, who shall carry it on, and perfect it, among the Gentiles. As soon as the Jews determinately rejected the Gospel, it was preached unto the Gentiles: and as soon as the Gentiles begin in any considerable numbers to embrace the faith of Christ, we hope and believe, that God will make known himself unto the Jews, and make them the instruments of converting the whole world. If then we have any concern for the Gentile world, we should labour with all our might (in prayer, and in the use of all suitable means) to impart the Gospel to the Jews; that so they may be ready to execute the work to which they are ordained, and for which they are fitted beyond any other people upon the face of the earth. As having their own Scriptures (upon which ours are founded) with them, and as understanding the languages of the different countries wherein they dwell, they are ready at any moment to preach the Gospel to those around them, as soon as ever “the veil shall be taken from their own hearts.” Being acquainted with their own Scriptures, they will unlock the mysteries contained in ours, the very instant that “the key of knowledge” is put into their hands. And their conversion will itself be such a confirmation of prophecy, that all will be ready to receive their word, and to obey the Gospel delivered by them. Let us therefore arise to our long-neglected duty; and “neither rest ourselves, nor give rest unto our God,” till he call in his banished children, and make Jerusalem once more a praise in the earth.]

2. What are those points to which we must particularly attend in our own conversion—

[The Jews are to “declare God’s glory among the Gentiles,” and to “offer them up as an holy offering unto the Lord.” These are the two essential points of conversion; and if either be wanting in us, we can never behold the face of God in peace. We must have light in our understandings, and holiness in our hearts. The first thing in the old creation was light; and that also is the first in the new: “God, who created light out of darkness, must shine into our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” This is not a mere speculative knowledge; but such a view of God’s glory, as leads immediately to a willing surrender of our souls to him, “as a living sacrificed.” The two must go together, as the root and the fruit. They are absolutely inseparable. We never can devote ourselves unreservedly to God, till we feel our obligations to him for all the wonders of redeeming love: but if once we have right views of Christ, “we shall immediately purify ourselves, even as he is pure.” Let us then never be satisfied, till “Christ is fully revealed in our heartsf,” and till we so “behold his glory as to be changed by it into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”]

JEREMIAH

MXXVI

THE INGRATITUDE OF MEN

Jer. 2:4–6.

Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? Neither said they, Where is the Lord, that brought us up out of the land of Egypt?

HOW marvellous is the condescension of Almighty God! There is not in the universe a man that would bear with his fellow-man as God beareth with his people. Amidst all the indignities that they offer him, he follows them with entreaties, reasonings, expostulations, if by any means he may prevail upon them to turn to him, and thus to avert from themselves his merited displeasure. In my text, all Israel are challenged by him to assign a reason for their contemptuous treatment of him. As by the Prophet Micah he says, “O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me:” so here he challenges them all to say, “What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me?”

Here we are called to consider,

I. The complaint he makes—

Grievous, indeed, had been the departure of God’s people from him, and their insuperable attachment to idols. Jeremiah says of them: “It is the land of graven images: “they are mad upon their idols.” And this was the more wonderful, because they believed that Jehovah had brought them out of Egypt, and led them through the wilderness, and established them in Canaan; and yet they did not, as one might have supposed, desire to know and serve Him, but turned their backs upon him, and sought in preference “the vanities of the Heathen,” even their idols of wood and stone.

But if God utters this complaint against his ancient people, how much more justly may he urge it against us. For there is in us, alas!

1. The same folly—

[What has been the uniform tenour of our lives, but one constant state of departure from God, and a preferring of every vanity before him? True, we have not bowed down to idols of wood and stone: but we have cared for nothing, yea, and thought of nothing, but the pleasures, or riches, or honours of this vain world. Look at persons in early youth; see them growing up to manhood; see them in full maturity of mind and body; yea, look at them when grey hairs are come upon them, aye, and when bowed down with the infirmities of age; what is it they are seeking after? and what is it to which they look for satisfaction? It is the world, in some shape or other. Though they have found all that they ever enjoyed to be, in fact, nothing but “vanity and vexation of spirit,” yet they go on in the same infatuated course from year to year, withholding their hearts from God, who alone can make them happy, and setting their affections upon things which never did, nor ever can, administer to their comfort. In a word, “they forsake God, the fountain of living waters, and hew out to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water” — — —]

2. The same ingratitude—

[If their ingratitude was base, who inquired not after Him who had redeemed them from Egypt, what must ours be, who have been redeemed from death and hell; and redeemed, too, not as Israel, by a mere act of power, but by the blood and righteousness of our incarnate God! Consider, in reference to the points specified in the passage before us, from what bondage we have been delivered; what provision God has made for us in the way; and what a rest he has prepared for us at the end! What were the afflictions of Egypt, in comparison of the miseries of hell? And what were the cloudy pillar for their direction, and the manna and water for their support, in comparison of the in-dwelling of the Spirit of God in our souls, as our Guide, our Sanctifier, and our Comforter? And what was a short possession of Canaan, in comparison of an eternal inheritance in heaven? What the Jews enjoyed was a mere shadow only, of which we possess the substance: and all this bought for us by the precious blood of Christ, who laid down his life for us?

Now, it might well be supposed that we should be continually inquiring after this Saviour; and that we should not have so much as a wish but to know him, love him, serve him, glorify him, and enjoy him. But has this been the case with us? Have we not, on the contrary, passed days, weeks, months, and years, without any anxious desire after him, or any diligent pursuit of him? Look back, I pray you, and see what has been the state of your souls, from your youth up even to the present moment. Compare your feelings about the things of this world, its cares, pleasures, vanities; and say whether they have not engrossed your minds far more than the Lord Jesus, and all the wonders of redeeming love. Tell me, then, What can exceed your ingratitude? and how justly may God be filled with indignation against you! — — —]

From this complaint, we pass on to notice,

II. His challenge in relation to it—

“What iniquity have your fathers found in me,” to justify such conduct towards me? — — — This was altogether unanswerable by them: but how much more so by us!

I now, in God’s name, challenge every one of you to say, What have you ever found in the Lord Jesus Christ that merits such treatment at your hands?

1. Have you ever found him a hard Master?

[The Jews might have said, that God imposed “a yoke upon them, which neither they nor their fathers were ever able to bear:” but can you speak thus of Christ’s yoke? Has he not declared, and do not your consciences attest, that “his yoke is easy, and his burthen light? Verily, there is not one of his commandments that is grievous;” not one “in the keeping of which you will not receive” a present, as well as an eternal, “great reward.”]

2. Have you found him, in any one respect, less gracious or merciful than he professed to be?

[Where is there a truly penitent soul that he ever spurned from his footstool? — — — Where is there one who ever cried to him for help, and did not find his grace sufficient for him? — — — Who ever delighted himself in him, and did not experience a reciprocation of his love? — — — And whom did he ever leave or forsake, provided he, on his part, “cleaved with full purpose of heart unto him?” — — — May he not address every one of you in the words nearly following my text; “O generation! Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? Wherefore then say ye, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?” Yes, Brethren, I challenge you, and God himself invites the whole world to sit in judgment, and decide the controversy between us: “O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard: What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?”]

TELL me then,

1. What will ye say in justification of yourselves?

[Are ye not guilty? and have ye so much as a shadow of an excuse for your base conduct? When the Lord Jesus, at the Last Day, shall call you to account, and say, Why did you prefer every vanity before me? — — — Why did not all the wonders which I had wrought for you, in bearing your sins and expiating your guilt, find a place in your minds, and constrain you to surrender up yourselves to me? — — — Tell me, will not your mouth be shut? Will you not then be amazed at the iniquity that was in YOU? — — — I pray you, then, put aside all your self-vindicating delusions, and cast yourselves at the feet of Jesus, crying, “Save, Lord, or I perish!” — — —]

2. What line of conduct will ye henceforth pursue?

[Will ye go on in your neglect of God and his Christ, and in a determined pursuit of earthly vanities? I trust ye will not. I do hope that you will see how unreasonable such conduct is, and will from this time turn unto God with your whole hearts. And see, for your encouragement, how rich are the offers of his grace! He says concerning you, “Thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense; but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, and wearied me with thine iniquities, I, even I, am he that (What? will pour out my judgments upon thee? No: but that) blotteth out thy transgressions for my own sake, and will not remember thy sins, Put me in remembrance (of this promise): let us plead together: “declare thou (thine affiance in it), that thou mayest be justified.” Verily, it seems incredible that God, that God whom we have so offended, should address us in such terms as these. But these are the very words of God, addressed even to the most rebellious of the human race. Apply them, then, to your own souls, my Brethren, and seek now the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Then shall you, notwithstanding all your past wickedness, find favour with God, and “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son shall cleanse you from all sin.”]

MXXVII

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS

Jer. 2:12, 13.

Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord. For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

RELIGION may be considered as of two kinds, theoretical and practical. In the term theoretical, I include every thing that is necessary to prove the truth of Christianity: and under the term practical, whatever is required of those who embrace it. To understand the theoretical part, is desirable; to perform the practical is necessary. The two kinds, however are not necessarily united: the theoretical may exist where the practical is disregarded; and the practical may exist, where the theoretical is unknown. Thousands of pious persons have neither leisure nor talent for collating manuscripts, or for weighing the evidences that may be adduced in favour of particular hypotheses: and to say that these cannot be religious, because they are wanting in critical acumen, would be as absurd as to say that a man cannot be honest, because he has not sufficient knowledge of the laws to be a judge. The unlettered Christian assumes the truth of Christianity; and he finds it true by its effects. And such persons may well refer to the effects, in proof of the truth of that religion which they profess. But it is one thing to refer to practical effects, and another to ground their faith on any transient feelings: This no man of reflection can do: the other, no man of piety can forbear. Feelings may be excited by erroneous notions, as well as by those which are just: but holiness, radical and universal holiness, can be produced by Christianity alone. We will appeal to all the religions that ever appeared upon the face of the earth, and ask, Whether any of them ever produced in their votaries such effects as were visible in Christ and his Apostles? The reason is plain: It is the Spirit of God who sanctifies: and he is promised to those only who believe in Christ: and consequently, his sanctifying energy, in its full extent at least, can be found in them alone. I grant that it would be wrong to rest the truth of our religion on that ground only; but surely it may properly be referred to, as an additional and corroborating proof of our religion. If this be not a proper test of our religion, whereby shall the superior excellency of Christianity be known? If the Bible produce no better effects than the Koran, I do not hesitate to say that it is no better than the Koran: but if its effects be such as no other religion can produce, then will those effects be, though not the only, yet a solid and important proof of our religion: and those who cannot enter into learned disquisitions about the credibility of the Scriptures, have reason to thank God that they have within themselves an evidence of the truth of Christianity, which the objections of infidels can never set aside. The error lies in confounding the two kinds of religion. They are distinct; and they should be kept so.

To enter deeply into the theory of religion, much strength of intellect, much general knowledge, and much patient investigation are requisite. To have just, and even enlarged, views of the practical part, little is wanting but a humble teachable mind, enlightened by the truths, and sanctified by the influence, of the Gospel of Christ. The former, when possessed in the highest degree, will consist with all manner of evil tempers, and evil habits: the latter necessarily involves in it a change both of heart and life. The former is of importance principally to those, whose office calls them to defend the outworks of Christianity against the assaults of infidels: the latter is essential to the happiness of every individual. To the former your mind is now directed from time to time, by a zealous and learned professor, who is giving us the result of his own laborious researches, and commendably exerting his talents to promote amongst us the too much neglected study of sacred literature: to the latter, which we consider as more appropriate to the ordinary services of the Church, we would on the on the present occasion solicit your attention.

The subject which we would submit to your consideration, is a solemn charge, brought by God himself against his people of old. They were guilty of gross idolatry; and for that, in part, they are here reproved: the very heavens are summoned to bear witness against them, and to express with utter astonishment their abhorrence of such impiety. But another complaint against them was, that, in their straits and difficulties, they were ever looking to Egypt and Assyria for help, instead of relying on the Lord their God. Now if, in respect of gross idolatry, the passage be thought more immediately applicable to them, it will nevertheless, as a charge of spiritual idolatry, be found to contain ample matter of accusation against ourselves.

Let us then consider,

I. The evils which God lays to our charge;

II. The light in which they should be viewed.

I. The evils which God lays to our charge arc, that we have forsaken him, and sought our happiness in the creature rather than in the Creator. He justly calls himself “the fountain of living waters:” for he is, and must be acknowledged to be, the only source of all good. What is there in the visible creation, that is not the product of his power, and the gift of his grace? or what is there that can afford satisfaction to the souls of men, or to the bright intelligences of heaven, which does not emanate from his presence and love? If it be replied, that many sources of consolation are opened for us in the contemplations of reason, or the gratifications of sense; we answer, That the very capacity to communicate or receive pleasure is the fruit of his bounty; and that the creature can be no more to us than what he is pleased to make it.

What then does he require of us? He calls us to regard him as the one source of happiness to ourselves; to acknowledge him in all that we have; and to trust in him for all that we stand in need of. He calls us to resemble our first parents in their primitive state; yea, to resemble the very angels around his throne; and to delight ourselves in him, as our Friend, our Portion, “our eternal great Reward.” By sin, indeed, we are become incapable of fulfilling these duties, or of experiencing these enjoyments, to the extent we ought: but still God desires to restore us to the felicity which we have lost, and to communicate to us all those blessings which we have forfeited by our transgressions.

Happy would it be for us, if we were duly impressed with this unmerited kindness and unbounded mercy. But, instead of seeking blessedness in him, we forsake him utterly: we cast off his yoke, we trample on his laws, we cast him even out of our thoughts.

Now let us see what is that rival which we prefer: it is the creature, justly called “a broken cistern.” Some look for happiness in the gratifications of sense; others in the attainment of wealth or honour; others, in the pursuits of science or philosophy. We beg to be clearly understood when speaking on this subject: we do not mean to condemn pleasure, honour, wealth, or science, as evil in themselves: they all have their legitimate and appropriate use, and all may be pursued and enjoyed in perfect consistency with a good conscience. It is quite a mistake to think that religion is opposed to any of these things: on the contrary, it leads to the richest enjoyment of created good, and enjoins, instead of prohibiting, a diligent performance of every known duty. If subordinated to religion, and pursued for God, (we repeat it,) the pleasures of sense may be possessed, and the duties of every station discharged: nay more, we declare, that no man can be religious without endeavouring to fulfil the duties of his calling, whether they be commercial or military, philosophical or religious. But the evil incident to these things consists in making them the great end of our life; in suffering them to draw away our hearts from God, or to occupy that place in our affections which is due to God alone. It is in this view that we are to be understood as denominating the pursuit of these things “evil;” and we doubt not but that the consciences of all attest the truth of our statement, and accede fully to that apostolic, that incontrovertible position, that to “love and serve the creature more than the Creator” is idolatry.

We have digressed a little, for the purpose of being more clearly understood. Let us now return to our observation, that the creature, which is suffered to rival God in our affections, whatever it may be, is only “a broken cistern.” Who will venture to say that he has ever found solid and permanent satisfaction in the creature? Who has lived any considerable time in the world without learning, by his own experience, the truth of Solomon’s observation, that “all below the sun is vanity?” Yet, whatever our experience has been, we still follow our own delusions, and run after a phantom, which, while we think to apprehend it, eludes our grasp. We think that the pleasures of the world will make us happy: we follow them, and for a moment dream that we are happy; but we awake, and find that it was but a dream. We next try wealth or honour: we run the race; we attain the prize; and find at last that we have been following a shadow. We imagine, perhaps, that science and philosophy, being so much more elevated in their nature than the common concerns of life, will form a kind of Paradise for us: we labour, we press forward, we become distinguished for high attainments, but are as far off from solid happiness as ever; and are constrained to join our testimony to that of the wisest of men, after he had “sought out all things that are done under the heaven,” that even wisdom, with all its high attainments, is only “vanity and vexation of spirit.”

Such is the charge which God has exhibited against us; and we appeal to every man’s conscience for the truth of it. Is there so much as one amongst us whose conscience does not tell him, “Thou art the man?” We are God’s people, as much as the Jews of old were: “He hath nourished and brought us up, and yet we have rebelled against him: The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.” Notwithstanding a secret conviction that God was the only source of real happiness, we could not prevail upon ourselves to seek after him: and notwithstanding our daily experience of the insufficiency of the creature to make us happy, we could not relinquish the vain pursuit. We have hewn out one cistern, and found it incapable of retaining any water: we have then renewed our labour, and hewed out another; which we have found as unproductive of solid benefit as the former. We have even worn ourselves out with the pursuit of various and successive vanities, yet have persisted in our error, untaught by experience, and unwearied by disappointments. Even to the close of life “we hold fast deceit;” “we refuse to return;” “a deceived heart hath turned us aside, so that we cannot deliver our souls, or say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

Will any contend, that these pursuits are not evil? Surely they are evil in the sight of God. So far from passing over the whole as of small account, he disjoins and separates the different parts of his charge, and declares, that on account of each we are involved in guilt. Our neglect of him has been exceeding sinful, as our attachment to vanity has also been: “My people have committed two evils.”

But on this part of our subject we shall enter more fully, whilst we consider,

II. In what light we should view these evils—

We are apt to palliate our conduct, and to say, What great harm is there in these things? But if we look to our text, we shall see that they are both heinous in themselves, and terrible in their consequences. In respect of heinousness, I scarcely know whether is greater, their guilt or their folly. Only let us consider what advantages we have enjoyed for the knowledge and service of God. Is it nothing that we have been endowed with such noble capacities, and have neglected to improve them; insomuch that the progressive enlargement of them has tended rather to increase our alienation from God, than to bring us nearer to him? Is it nothing that we have had the inspired volume in our hands, and yet have scarcely differed at all, except in speculative notions, from the heathen? Is it nothing that we have provoked God to jealousy with things which cannot profit, and preferred even the basest lust before him? Is it nothing that we have despised redeeming love, trodden under foot the Son of God, counted the blood of the covenant an unholy thing, and done despite to the Spirit of grace? Should we account it a light matter, if we ourselves were treated thus by our servants and children; if they cast off all regard for us, and poured contempt upon us, and set at nought our authority, neglecting every thing that we commanded, doing every thing that we forbade, and persisting in such conduct for years together, in spite of every thing we could say or do to reclaim them? And if we should resent such conduct, shall not God much more? But, whatever we may think of these things, God calls them “evils,” and such too as may well excite “astonishment” amongst all the hosts of heaven: “Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this!”

Nor is the folly of such conduct less than the malignity. Suppose only that one half the labour which we have used in the pursuit of vanities had been employed in the service of our God; or suppose that only the Sabbaths (a seventh part of our time) had been improved with that assiduity and constancy which we have exerted on other days in the pursuit of this world; I will venture to say, that had even that measure of piety been exercised by us, we should have been far happier here, and should have had infinitely better prospects in the eternal world. What amazing folly, then, have we been guilty of! Truly, if the fact were not proved beyond a possibility of doubt, it would not be credited, that persons possessed of reason could act so irrational a part. But, to view it in a proper light, we should attend to the representation given of it in the text. It is true, the picture is so strong, and yet withal so exact, that we shall scarcely endure to look at it. But let us contemplate it a moment: let us imagine to ourselves a person dwelling close to a perennial spring of water, and yet with great labour and fatigue hewing out first one cistern, and then another, and, after multiplied disappointments, dying at last of thirst. By what name should we designate this? Should we be content with calling it folly? Should we not soon find for it a more appropriate and humiliating term? Let us take this then as a glass wherein to view our own likeness: it is no exaggerated representation, but the precise view in which God sees our conduct. We are aware, that the idea suggested implies such a degree of infatuation as almost to provoke a smile: but the more humiliating the picture, the more need there is that we should contemplate it: and my labour will not have been lost, if a few only of the present assembly be led to bear it in remembrance, and to meditate upon it in their secret retirement.

We have further to remark, that these evils are represented in the text as terrible also in their consequences. Men do not like, in general, to hear of this: they wish rather to have it kept out of sight. But it is melancholy that they should so labour to deceive their own souls. If, by concealing the consequences of sin, we could ward them off and prevent them, we should be the last to bring them forward to your view: but if it be the surest way to draw them down upon you, surely we should deserve ill at your hands if we forbore to warn you of them. It is not thus that the Prophets and Apostles acted: nor is it thus that God would have us act. He bids us to “warn the wicked of their evil ways:” and declares, that if we neglect to do so, he “will require their blood at our hands.” In order then that the danger of such sins as are here laid to our charge may appear, consider what are the representations given of it in the Holy Scriptures, If there be one image more terrible than another, it is that of lying down in a lake of fire and brimstone, ever to be consuming and unconsumed: yet that is the image repeatedly employed by Christ himself, in order to represent the misery that awaits the impenitent and unbelieving world. This will account for the extreme anxiety and sorrow which holy men of old expressed when contemplating the danger to which their fellow-creatures were exposed: “Rivers of waters run down mine eyes,” says David, “because men keep not thy law:” And again, “I am horribly afraid for the ungodly that forsake thy law.” Indeed, how is it possible to entertain light thoughts of this, if we only consider what have uniformly been the feelings of men, the very moment that they have come to a just sense of their state? See the jailor’s agitation; or hear the cries of the three thousand on the day of Pentecost. Nay, we need only consider what our own apprehensions sometimes have been, when sickness has come upon us, or death appeared to be nigh at hand. But, if yet we be disposed to doubt, let us ask, Wherefore is it that God calls on the heavens to “be horribly afraid, and to be very desolate?” Is there no cause for such language? Is it intended only to alarm us, and to excite unfounded apprehensions? No, surely: it is founded in truth: it is the effusion of unbounded love; the compassionate warning of a tender Father. Permit me, then, once more to say, that the forsaking of the Fountain of Living Waters is an evil, a great evil; and that the hewing out of broken cisterns for ourselves is also a great evil. God views these evils in all their malignity: the angels also that are around the throne, view them with deep solicitude, anxiously desiring to see us escape from them, and waiting in readiness to rejoice over our return to God. O that we might no longer indulge a fatal security! “no longer say, Peace, peace! lest sudden destruction come upon us without any way to escape!” If God were a hard master, and his service irksome, there would be some shadow of excuse for such conduct. But, who ever sought after God in vain, provided he sought in sincerity and truth? and, whoever found him without finding in him all that could comfort and enrich the soul? God himself puts the question; “What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?” “Have I been a wilderness to Israel? a land of darkness? Wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?”

Shall we plead, as an excuse, that religion is a source of melancholy? Surely they who harbour such an opinion have never known what religion is. That a neglect of religion will make us melancholy, is clear enough, as well from the dissatisfaction which, notwithstanding our diversified enjoyments, generally prevails, as from the disquietude which men feel in the prospect of death and judgment. But religion, true religion, brings peace into the soul: it leads us to the Fountain of Living Water, where we can at all times quench our thirst, and taste beforehand the felicity of heaven. Our blessed Lord invites us to him in this view: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink;” and “the water that I will give him shall be in him a well of water, springing up unto everlasting life.” Listen, then, to that expostulation of the prophet; “Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.” Return to the Fountain; and make the experiment, at least: see whether there be not more happiness in turning from vanity, than in embracing it; in seeking after God, than in forsaking him; in the holy exercises of prayer and praise, than in a brutish neglect of these duties; in applying to your souls the promises of Christ, than in a profane contempt of them: and, lastly, in obtaining sweet foretastes of heavenly bliss, than in reluctant approaches towards an unknown eternity. O that I might not commend this Fountain to you in vain! All ranks and orders amongst you are beginning to shew a laudable attention to the theory of religion: O that you might begin to shew it to the practice also! You are not backward to manifest your approbation of that zeal which directs you to the evidences of religion: be ye not therefore offended with that, which solicits your attention to its effects.

MXXVIII

THE EVIL OF BACKSLIDING

Jer. 2:19.

Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see, that it is an evil thing, and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God.

SIN and misery are very nearly connected; and the nearer we are to God by relation or profession, the more immediately will our transgressions be followed by tokens of his displeasure. The Israelites were God’s chosen people; yet, while the Amorites, and other idolatrous nations, were left to fill up the measure of their iniquities, before they were visited according to their deserts, the Jews, especially while journeying through the wilderness, were speedily chastened for their iniquities, and made to feel the evil and bitterness of sin. Thus, only in a more secret and silent manner, does God now punish the backslidings of his people; nor does he notice only the grosser violations of his law, but the more hidden abominations of the heart, and secret declensions from the spiritual life. Indeed, he makes sin its own punishment, according to what is written in the text: to elucidate which, we shall shew,

I. In what respects our own backslidings correct us—

It is not unfrequently that, even in our temporal concerns, we suffer loss by relaxing our diligence in spiritual duties: but it is invariably found, that backslidings from God are attended with very painful consequences:

1. They wound our conscience—

[Conscience, if duly attended to, is a faithful monitor, and will upbraid us for declensions, however secret, and transgressions, however small: and when it testifies of willful deliberate sin, when it summons us into the divine presence, and accuses us before God, it will make a Felix tremble, and a Judas abhor his very existence. This is a correction, which, as no enlightened person would willingly endure, so neither, till he return to God, or have his “conscience seared as with au hot iron,” can he hope to escape.]

2. They intercept our views of God—

[God is exceeding gracious to those who walk circumspectly before him: but he has warned us that, “if we forsake him, he will forsake us.” This his people of old experienced to their cost, as the prophet told them; “Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” And is this a slight correction? Let the cries and terrors of persons under derelictionc, be to us as a beacon for our effectual admonition.]

3. They indispose us for spiritual exercises and enjoyments—

[While we maintain close fellowship with God, our duties are a source of the sublimest happiness: but when we decline from his ways, the whole work of religion becomes a burthen. Have we neglected prayer for a season, or been inattentive in it to the frame of our minds? how painful a task is it to approach our God! the most glorious of all privileges is turned into an irksome rite, to which we are goaded by a guilty conscience. The same indisposition instantly extends itself to every other office of religion; so that the visiting of the sick, the conversing on spiritual subjects, the reading of the Holy Scriptures, and indeed the whole life of religion is bereft of vital energy, and degenerates into an empty and unproductive form. What an awful punishment is this!]

4. They lay us open to the incursions of sin and Satan—

[Righteousness is, as it were, a breast-plate that guards our vitals, and proves an armour on the right hand and on the left but unwatchfulness deprives the soul of its defence, and exposes us to the envenomed darts of our great adversary. If we have secretly declined from God, the temptations, which once were easily overcome, have a deep and lasting effect: our spirits are soon ruffled; our evil passions are soon awakened; and, if God interpose not for our recovery we shall soon “return with the dog to his vomit, and with the sow that is washed to her wallowing in the mire.” Sin, of any kind, makes a breach in the soul, which, if not stopped at first, will widen, till our desolation is inevitable, and our ruin final, Who can but tremble at the warning which God himself has given us; “His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his own sins?”

Additional light will be reflected on this subject, while we consider,

II. The evil and bitterness of a backsliding state—

The sinfulness of an ignorant and carnal state, heinous as it is, is by no means comparable to the guilt of backsliding from God. To view backslidings in their real malignity we must remember that they involve in them,

1. A violation of the most solemn engagements—

[The man, who professes to be a follower of Christ, pledges himself by that very profession to devote himself entirely to the service of his God: he declares, as it were, his approbation of his baptismal covenant, and his determination through grace to adhere to it in all things. But, in proportion as he yields to open sin or secret declensions, he revokes all his promises, and renounces all his expectations of the Divine favour. How vile, and how desperate, must such a conduct be in the eyes of God!]

2. A contempt of the richest mercies—

[While we serve God aright, we never find him backward to recompense our worthless endeavours: the more diligently we have sought him, the more abundantly has he enriched us with grace and peace. When therefore we forsake him, we say, in fact, that we neither love “nor fear him,” (see ver. 19.) yea, that we despise his mercies, and prefer the pleasures of sin before any of the pleasures which he can afford us. What base ingratitude, what daring insolence is this!]

3. A vindication of God’s open and avowed enemies—

[Practical piety condemns the world; but impiety, as far as it extends, proclaims to all, that God is not worthy to be loved and served. The backslider goes further still; and says to all around him, I have tried God, and found him to be “a wilderness to his people:” I once was weak enough to think that the more religious I was, the more happy I should be: but I was disappointed in my hopes; and now revert to my former ways, that all may know the superior happiness, which, in my opinion at least, is to be enjoyed in freedom from restraints, and in the gratifications of time and sense. Alas! on what a precipice does the backslider stand! and, what an account will he have to give at last, if he do not instantly return to God in penitence and faith!]

Nor is the bitterness of such a state easy to be appreciated—

[If we would “know and see” what a “bitter thing” it is to forsake the Lord, let us consult the declarations of God, “the Lord God of hosts,” and the experience of his ancient people. What “broken bones” did the fall of David occasion And where was the blessedness which the Galatian Church had once enjoyed, when, through the influence of their false teachers, they had declined from the simplicity of the Gospelh? Indeed, let any man consult the records of his own conscience, and he will soon perceive, that, as there is no happiness to be compared with a state of nearness to God, so there is no misery like that which a sense of his departure from us will occasion. As for the bitterness of it to apostates in the day of judgment, that cannot be described; and we pray God we may never be left to feel and endure it, But let us study to “know and see” it in its true light, that we may be stirred up by the consideration of it to “cleave unto our God with full purpose of heart.”]

MXXIX

SELF-VINDICATING SINNERS REPROVED

Jer. 2:23, 24.

How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? See thy way in the valley; know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways; a wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure: in her occasion who can turn her away? All they that seek her will not weary themselves: in her month they shall find her.

IN estimating our state before God, we ought to mark the circumstances under which our sins are committed, and the aggravations of our guilt in that particular view. It is in this light that our iniquities are viewed by God. The mercies we have received from him; the resolutions which, under a sense of those mercies, we have formed; the degree in which we have degenerated; all these things are marked by God, and form an accumulation of wickedness far exceeding that of any individual acts. But there is one evil which enhances our guilt beyond every other that can be named; and that is, a self-justifying spirit, and a denial of the accusations which God, in his word, and by his ministers, brings against us. That I may guard you against this, which is so pre-eminently offensive to the Divine Majesty, I will set before you,

I. The self-vindicating ways of sinners—

Ministers are commanded to “shew the house of Israel their transgressions and their sins.” And it might be supposed, that, when men’s iniquities are so visible and undeniable, they would fall under the accusation, and humble themselves before God. But they, for the most part, justify themselves against the charge that is brought against them: some,

1. In a way of direct denial—

[A remarkable instance of this we have in Cain. After he had murdered his brother Abel, the Lord came to him, and said, “Where is Abel, thy brother? and he said, I know not: am I my brother’s keeper?” What astonishing effrontery was here? Yet is it precisely such as we see generally exhibited by those around us. We ask them, in God’s holy name, Why “they live as without God in the world,” and without any just concern about their eternal interests? But they deny the charge; “They do not neglect God: they do not disregard their own souls: they do not “cast God’s word behind them,” and “pour contempt on all the wonders of redeeming love.” Though their wickedness is as manifest as was that of the worshippers of Baal, they will still say, “I am not polluted; I have not gone after Baalim” — — —]

2. In a way of vain excuse—

[Of this we see a striking example in Saul. He had been commanded to destroy the Amalekites, and every thing that appertained unto them; and when Samuel came to him, he said, “Blessed be thou of the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord. And Samuel said, What meaneth, then, this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” Then Saul, unable to deny the fact that he had spared the best of the prey, excused himself: “They, the people, have brought them from the Amalekites, having spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God: and the rest we have utterly destroyed.” Thus, when men cannot deny their wickedness, they will excuse it: ‘They have done nothing but what was sanctioned by custom;’ or, ‘They have only followed those impulses of nature which they were not able to withstand.’ It is probable that the idolaters in my text did not mean to deny that they shewed some respect to their molten images; but only to say, that it was not to the images themselves, or to Baal, that they paid their homage; but to Jehovah, as represented by them. Such are the refuges of papists at this day, in all their idolatrous worship: and such the vain excuses of all the votaries of this world.]

3. In a way of hypocritical palliation—

[Here we must go back to our first parents, when interrogated respecting their eating of the forbidden fruit. The man cast the blame upon his wife; or rather upon God himself, who had given her to him: “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” The woman, in like manner, shifted the blame from herself, and cast it on the serpent: “The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” So sinners of every description find something to palliate their guilt; ‘The faults they have committed have not been of an enormous kind: the commissions have been but rare: they have not injured any one: they have had no evil intention: their hearts have been good, though their actions have not been altogether so correct.’ But God seeth not as man seeth: man looketh on the outward appearance: but God seeth the heart.]

But men cannot deceive God; as will be seen by,

II. The charge which God brings against them—

However we may justify ourselves, “God will reprove us, and set before us the things that we have done.” In the passage before us, he substantiates his charge against his offending people,

1. By an appeal to fact—

[“See thy way in the valley: know what thou hast done.” In the valleys, as well as in the hills, thine idolatries obtrude themselves upon the notice of the whole world: “they are not discovered by secret search:” they do not even affect concealment. And may we not say to you also, “See your ways in the valleys?” Look at your whole lives: what are they but one continued scene of rebellion against God? Trace your conduct, from your youth up: what have you done, but “love and serve the creature more than the Creator?” and yet you will say, “We have not gone after Baalim.” What is idolatry if this be not? and how can you “provoke God to jealousy” more than by the very conduct which you have pursued from your earliest youth? Look at your very religion: what has it been, but a mere form, without any vital power; a shadow, without any substance? It is not by occasional slips that you have fallen, but by one entire uninterrupted course of conduct, Who amongst you will deny this? What excuses can you find for this? What palliations can such criminal proceedings admit of?]

2. By a most apt comparison—

[The dromedary and the wild ass, when seeking their mate, are so bent upon the attainment of their desires, that all efforts to catch them are in vain: and no one will weary himself with so fruitless a labour. But, when their time of pregnancy has advanced, they fall comparatively an easy prey to the pursuer. And it is but to little purpose that we follow you with invitations, entreaties, expostulations, warnings: you “will not hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely.” It is perfectly surprising to see how little effect is produced on the minds of the generality by all the labours of the most faithful ministers. There is occasion for the same complaint in every age, and every place: “Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?” Let your own consciences testify whether the representation here given be not just and true.]

There is a time, however, when we may hope to prevail: and in the hope that it may have arrived, we will, in a word of APPLICATION, now address ourselves unto you—

[Happy, happy would it be, if you began at last to be “weary and heavy-laden with your sins!” This is the time that God looketh for: and it is the time that we look for also, in the hope that we may prevail upon you to return unto your God. Verily, we may ask with confidence, “What fruit have ye had of the things whereof ye are now ashamed?” What, but disappointment and misery and death? O, then, “return unto Him from whom ye have deeply revolted” — — — And what does God require of you, in order to your acceptance with him? He says, “Only acknowledge thine iniquity.” So, then, say I also; and know, that if you come to the Lord Jesus Christ burthened with your sins, he will speedily and most assuredly “give you rest.” “Whilst you cover your sins, you cannot prosper: but if you confess and forsake them, you will have mercy” Hear the beloved Apostle: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Receive this testimony, and act upon it; “so your iniquities, how great or numerous soever they have been, shall not be your ruink” — — —]

MXXX

THE FOLLY OF NEGLECTING GOD

Jer. 2:27, 28.

They have turned their back unto me, and not their face; but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us! But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? Let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble.

AMONGST the various powers which distinguish man from all the rest of the creation, is the faculty of looking forward to future events, and of receiving, by anticipation, impressions suited to them. This faculty is given to him principally for the furtherance of his eternal welfare: and, if he used it aright, he could not fail of attaining eternal blessedness. But as he abuses his other powers, so does he grievously misimprove this: he employs it for the purpose of temporal advancement; but forgets its use in reference to eternity. Hence, till affliction bring him to a juster view of his condition, he casts off all fear of God, and lives, as it were, “without God in the world.” Of this God complained respecting his people of old; and at the same time he warned them of the bitter consequences that would ensue from it; for, if they persisted in looking to their false gods in the time of prosperity, they should have none other to assist them in the season of adversity.

From the words thus explained, we may take occasion to shew,

I. The conduct of sinners towards their God—

Man in every age, especially if he have any knowledge of a Supreme Being, pursues nearly the same course, till he has been converted by Divine grace.

In the text we behold how he conducts himself,

1. In a state of ease—

[It is surprising to see how entirely men banish from their minds all thoughts of God. Though called and invited to draw nigh to him, they cannot be prevailed upon to bow their knees before him, and to seek his face in prayer. If at any time they draw nigh to him in public, it is not really to know his will, or to enjoy his presence, but merely to perform a duty, in which their hearts are not at all engaged.

But the expression in our text imports, not merely a neglect of God, but a contempt of him also. And a most awful mark of contempt it is, to turn our back upon him when he calls us, instead of turning to him our face. Yet thus it is that we treat him, exactly as his people did even in his very temple: we all have idols in our hearts; and those we serve to the utter neglect of God; and, when reminded of our duty to him, we cry, “Who is the Lord? I know him not;” “I will have nothing to do with him” “I desire not the knowledge of his ways.”]

2. In a state of trouble—

[Few are so hardened in iniquity, but they will begin to reflect on their ways when they come into trouble: “they will pour out a prayer, when God’s chastening is upon theme.” Even hypocritesf, yea and heathens too, when reduced to great extremities, will cry for help: “In their affliction,” says God, “they will seek me earlyh”. Nay more, they will express, not only importunity, but, as our text intimates, a considerable measure of impatience also: as if God were bound immediately to interpose for them, though they have rejected and “forgotten him days without number.” The whole of their conduct is beautifully set forth in the preceding context, under the image of “a wild ass.” She, when seeking her mate, is so wild, that no one will attempt to catch her: but, when the time is come for her to be delivered of her young, she may easily be caught. So it is with sinners, when bent upon the gratification of their earthly and sensual desires, they prosecute their own ways without restraint, and laugh at all our efforts to apprehend them: but, when burthened and bowed down with trouble, they will suffer us to approach them, and will bear to hear the voice of counsel and reproof. Their affliction represses for a season their spirit of rebellion, and brings them to a better mind.]

Still however their conduct is most perilous, as will appear, whilst we shew,

II. The folly and danger of it—

To manifest this, we need only consider,

1. The disappointment it will occasion—

[Even now, in the midst of all their pursuits, we would ask the ungodly. Whether they have ever found any solid satisfaction in the vanities of time and sense? and has not the creature invariably proved to them “a broken cistern, that could hold no water?” Yes assuredly, they have “spent their money for that which is not bread, and laboured for that which satisfieth notm” or rather, as it is well expressed, “Have sought to fill their belly with the east wind.” And this is what God has repeatedly forewarned them of in his blessed word: “Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity; for vanity shall be his recompence.” And if even now, “in the time of their sufficiency, they be in straits,” how much move, when they come into trouble, may it be asked, “What fruit have ye of these things whereof ye are now ashamed?” Will their pleasures, their riches, or their honours, which they once sought with such avidity, then comfort them? Alas! how little can such things do to assuage even the pains of a diseased body, and much more to pacify a guilty conscience, and to compose the mind, in the prospect of death and judgment! Truly, “miserable comforters are they all.” Yet to them will God leave us in the day of our calamity, if we will persist in making them our idols during the season of our health. This he tells us in our text; “Let the gods that thou hast made to thee, arise and save thee.” It was thus that he mocked his people of old, when they had withstood all the corrections of his providence: and thus he has declared that he will mock us also, if we continue obstinately to withstand all the overtures of his love and mercyr.

But, even supposing that the vanities of this world were not so ineffectual for our present support as they are found to be, of what use or benefit will they be found when we are standing at the judgment-seat of Christ? Will they interpose between us and an angry God? or will they descend with us into those gloomy mansions to which their votaries will be doomed, and there alleviate the anguish of our minds? Will the friends, by whom we were induced to turn our back on God, confirm to us all the promises they made to us, and obtain for us that blessedness which they so confidently assured us was in no danger of being lost? Ah, the disappointment which we shall feel in that day, when no possibility remains of rectifying our error! How shall we curse our folly for giving way to such delusions, and feel that truth which we are now so backward to believe, that “they who observe lying vanities, forsake their own mercies!”]

2. The reflections to which it will give rise—

[Here we will not give ourselves time for consideration; but when we come into the eternal world, we shall have nothing else to do: and then how inexpressibly painful will it be to reflect, ‘I once had a God of infinite love and mercy calling me to accept of reconciliation with him; I had a Saviour too who offered to cleanse me in his blood from all my sins, and to clothe me in the robe of his own unspotted righteousness: by his Holy Spirit also my Saviour strove with me, to bring me to repentance, and to guide my feet into the way of peace. Once had I ordinances, wherein I might have enjoyed my God; and ministers by whom I might have been led to the great Shepherd and Bishop of my soul. But now all those blessings are withdrawn, and are for ever hid from my eyes. I valued them not when they were within my reach: I had no taste but for the vanities of this world; and, like Esau, I sold heaven itself for a poor worthless momentary enjoyment: now too, like him, I am rejected, and could find no place of repentance in my Father’s mind, though I should seek it ever so carefully with tears.’ ‘Now I find that God’s word was true; and that the harvest which we must reap accords with the seed we sowed: “I reap now nothing but corruption, because I sowed only to the flesh;” whereas, if I could have been prevailed upon to “sow unto the Spirit, I should at this moment have been reaping everlasting life.” I now call to my God, and beg him to send me only a drop of water to cool my tongue; but he bids me go for relief to the gods which I preferred before him, and reminds me, that, having received the consolations which I desired, I have no other to expect at his hands.’

Such is the portion of those who neglect God: “they sow the wind, and they reap the whirlwind.”]

ADDRESS—

1. Those that are at ease in their sins—

[You think it time enough to seek the Lord when you are no longer able to enjoy the world. But are you sure that time will be afforded you, if you neglect the present hour; or that God will hear you, when your prayers are extorted only by pain and terrors? Such delays receive but little countenance from God in the passage we are considering, or indeed in any other part of Holy Writ. “Seek then the Lord whilst he may be found; call ye upon him whilst he is hear.”

2. Those who are brought into any kind of trouble—

[Now then at least is the time for you to call upon your God; for when will you do it, if not in the time of trouble? Will you stay till you are summoned before his judgment-seat? Will you not begin to look for the Bridegroom, till he has already entered into his house, and the door is shut? O look upon your affliction as the voice of God: receive it as a messenger sent from him to prepare you for his presence: and remember, if he has warned you of your danger, he has also given you encouragement to turn unto him. He has shewn you, in his reception of the Prodigal, how ready he is to receive returning penitents; and, in his mercy to Manassch, how great iniquities he can pardond. Only “return then unto him; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.”]

3. Those who have already begun to seek the Lord—

[Say, Whether it has been in vain to seek the Lord? Has he been “a wilderness to you, or a land of darkness?” Has he not done more for you than the world over did, and rendered you happier than you ever were in the days of your vanity? Be thankful to him then that he ever enabled you to “choose the good part, which shall never be taken away from you.” If trouble come to you, you have no need to fear; for it is sent by him in love to purge you from your remaining dross, and fit you for his presence, where is fulness of joy for evermore.]

MXXXI

GOD’S COMPLAINT AGAINST THE REBELLIOUS

Jer. 2:31, 32.

O generation, see ye the word of the Lord; Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? Wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee? Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number.

I AM perfectly astonished. I can scarcely believe my own eyes. Who is it that thus addresses us; and vindicates his own character against the accusations which, by our lives at least, we bring against him? It is none other than Jehovah himself, calling upon us to prove, if we can, that he merits at our hands the treatment he has received from us. Often does he call on heaven and earth to judge betwixt him and his people — — — But in the chapter before us, he supposes himself to be charged with having acted unkindly, not to say injuriously, towards them: “Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel: thus saith the Lord; What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and have become vain?” And again in the text, “Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness?” Behold, Brethren, I am now to you in God’s stead: and I call upon you, in God’s name, to answer to the challenge given you, and to the charge that is brought against you. Hear at my mouth,

I. His appeal, in answer to your charges against him—

Was he to the Jews a wilderness or a land of darkness?”

[The Jews, from their own history, could not but know what a terrible wilderness, and what a land of darkness, their ancestors had been brought into, when they came out of the land of Egypt: it was “a land of deserts and of pits, a land of drought and of the shadow of death, a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt.” In a word, it was a land where they could find no sustenance, and where, but for the Divine interposition, they must all have perished. And had God been to them in any respect like that? Had he left them to perish? Had he not, on the contrary, administered to their every want, going before them in a pillar of fire, and supplying them with food, and miraculously preserving their very clothes from wearing out for the space of forty years; and, at last, putting them into a full and peaceful possession of the promised land? — — —]

Has he, in his conduct to us, deserved any such humiliating imputation?

[We, also, have been passing through a dreary wilderness, in our way to the promised land: and has he been inattentive to our wants? Has he not given us his only dear Son to be our Saviour? — — — Has he not also given his Holy Spirit, to guide, preserve, and sanctify us, and to make us meet for our destined inheritance? — — — Tell me so much as one thing which you have ever lacked, provided you sought it humbly at his hands? — — — I hesitate not to affirm, that if there be any one thing that you have ever lacked, it has been, not from want of care in him, but from your own negligence in asking it: for “he never said at any time to any human being, Seek ye my face in vain.” I say, then, that your charges against him, as defective in kindness or care or liberality, are altogether false; and that there is no one thing that you could reasonably hope to be done for you, which he has not freely and effectually done.]

But not satisfied with vindicating God, I call you to hear,

II. His charge against you—

He complains, and justly too, of two things;

1. The flagrancy of your rebellion—

[His people of old said, “We are lords: we will come no more unto thee.” And such has been the language both of your hearts and lives. You have affected independence. Satan’s temptation to our first parents was, “Ye shall be as gods:” and ye have affected to be as gods, even from that very hour; and have felt no disposition to come to Jehovah for any thing. In truth, independence is the very essence of the Fall: it is that which characterizes every living man. Every man trusts in his own wisdom and righteousness and strength; and follows his own will, and “walks after the imaginations of his own heart.” Let any one ask himself, Whether, during his whole life, this have not been his state? Can any of us say with truth, that we have been from the beginning so deeply sensible of our own utter destitution of all good, that we have cried day and night to God for every thing which our souls needed, and have cleaved to Christ alone as our wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption? Have we, even this very day, come to God for these blessings, as persons who felt their need of them, and their entire dependence on him for a supply of them? Have we not rather imagined that we were “rich, and increased in goods, and in need of nothing; instead of feeling ourselves wretched and miserable, and poor and blind and naked?” Then you must confess that God’s charge against you is true; and that, in refusing to come to him as the only source of all good, you have shewn yourselves proud, daring, impious, self-sufficient rebels, and have deserved to be visited with his heaviest judgments.]

2. The contemptuousness of your neglect—

[One would have supposed that, after all the mercies which God had vouchsafed to his ancient people, they could not but have borne him in constant and most affectionate remembrance. Yet had they in reality “forgotten him.” Of this he complains, with just indignation: “Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire?” No, worthless and contemptible as such vanities are, the minds of young people, and of females especially, are so set upon them, as scarcely, for any length of time, to have them absent from their minds. But, though God had given himself as “a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to his people,” and his relation to them elevated them above all the people of the world, “yet did they forget him, days without number.” And has he given to us less occasion to remember him, than to them? Yet have we forgotten him, even as they did. We have forgotten our obligations to him; so that he receives few, if any, acknowledgments at our hands. We have forgotten our dependence on him; so that he hears but few and faint petitions for the blessings we stand in need of. We have forgotten the great account which we have to give to him; so that, to obtain an interest in Christ, is not the great labour of our lives; nor is it our daily serious endeavour to approve ourselves to God us his devoted servants. Let any one only look back for a single week, and see how much greater interest a young female takes in the adorning of her person, than we have done in providing the ornaments of divine grace for our souls, to “prepare us for our union with our heavenly Bridegroom.” Say, then, whether God is not justly incensed against us, and whether we have not need to humble ourselves before him, for “provoking him thus to jealousy?” Behold then, whilst on God’s part I repel with indignation the charges which you bring against him, I call your very consciences to witness against you, that the charges, which I have in his name exhibited against you, are not only true, but heinous in the extreme.]

APPLICATION—

1. Are there now any of you disposed to vindicate yourselves?

[Yes: the Jews denied their criminality, whilst yet “their iniquities testified against them to their face.” And thus it is with you. “You have even wearied God by your transgression; and yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him?” But in this you only aggravate your guilt, and augment your eternal condemnation. For thus saith the Lord: “Thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn away from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest I have not sinned.” Know ye this, every one of you, ere it be too late, that, “he who covereth his sins, shall not prosper; and that he only who confesseth and forsaketh them, shall find mercyl” — — —]

2. Are any of you humbled under a sense of your guilt?

[To you then I say, that He who “chose Israel, not for any goodness that was in them, but purely because he would choose them,” is ready to exercise his sovereign love and mercy towards you. See how, after taking them from the most helpless and degraded state, he beautified and adorned that people for himself! — — — Thus will he also cleanse you from your iniquities, and transform you into his own most blessed image, and render you meet for an everlasting union with himself. This I am commissioned by him to declare: “Go, and proclaim these words unto them; and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God.” Yes, in the sacred name of Him whom you have offended, I declare, that “though your iniquities have been red like crimson, they shall be as wool; and though they have been as scarlet, they shall be white as snow.”]

MXXXII

COMPARATIVE CRIMINALITY

Jer. 3:11.

And the Lord said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.

THE subject of comparative criminality is one on which we should enter with the greatest care, because it is rarely thought of but in a way of self-preference and self-complacency; and where these feelings are generated in the soul, the most incalculable injury has been sustained. We are told by St. Paul, that “they who measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves among themselves, are not wise.” Yet, for the purpose of augmenting our humiliation before God, we may, not unprofitably, consider our own superior guilt, as Israel of old were taught to do, when God spake to the prophet the words which we have just read. Both Israel and Judah had sinned grievously against him: Israel more openly; and Judah in somewhat of a more covert way: but God declared, that, notwithstanding all that might be thought to the contrary, the criminality of Judah exceeded that of Israel.

That we may learn how to judge ourselves, I shall first state, and then confirm, this decision of our God. Let me then,

I. State this decision of the Lord—

[Consider what was the state of the parties concerned. Israel, or the ten tribes, had cast off God, from the first moment that they became a nation: and they persisted in their idolatries, till they provoked God to give them up into the hands of their Assyrian enemies. As their injured husband, he gave them a bill of divorce, and would no longer acknowledge them under the relation of a spouse. Judah, on the contrary, had retained the worship of the True God; though they retained their idols, and paid divine honours unto Malcham. Because of their apparent superiority to Israel, they would scarcely so much as own their relation to her. But if their sins were somewhat less ostensible, they were committed with tenfold greater aggravations before God. Their advantages had been incomparably greater, because of the numbers of prophets that were sent to them, and the stated ordinances which they enjoyed, and the presence of God that was in the midst of them: and, inasmuch as these advantages were altogether despised amongst them, their guilt was the greater: so that it might well be said of Judah, “Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.” This judgment indeed was not exactly what Judah would have formed, nor what would approve itself, at first sight, to any amongst ourselves. We should have been ready to think that any religion was better than none; and that even the appearance of regard for God was better than an avowed contempt of him. This, however, was not God’s judgment respecting it: he decided rather against the form, which was destitute of the power of godliness; and declared that “backsliding Israel had justified herself more than treacherous Judah.”]

Now, this decision being of general importance, I will proceed to,

II. Confirm it—

It is generally thought that a profession of religion, even though it be insincere, is more pleasing to God than an open contempt of all religion. But God has determined otherwise; and has declared, that specious insincerity is worse than open profaneness, because,

1. It argues a deeper depravity of heart—

[Ungodly men persist in their impieties, without much reflection upon the guilt they contract, or the judgments they incur — — — They rush, for the most part, into sin, “like a horse into the battle.” But a man professing godliness shews that he has some sense of his duty, and some desire to secure his eternal interests. Hence, in him, sin finds a conflict which it finds not in others. In him “the spirit lusts against the flesh, as well as the flesh against the spirit.” He has somewhat of a conscience, which remonstrates against his evil ways: and he is constrained to stupify and sear his conscience, in order to obtain any release from the terrors with which he is assaulted in his prospects of a future judgment. He wishes indeed to save appearances, and to satisfy his own conscience: but this only proves the more fully the inveteracy of his lusts, which are able to prevail over such weighty considerations. He knows what sin deserves; and yet commits it: he knows what sin has brought on others; and yet ventures to indulge in it. His sin, therefore, notwithstanding his plausibility, is so much the more heinous, in proportion as it is committed against light and knowledge, against mercies and judgments, and against the motions of God’s Holy Spirit within him. In the passage before us, this is marked with very extraordinary force. Within the space of five verses, Israel is characterized four times as “backsliding;” and Judah no less than five times as “treacherous.” Now, in the estimation of all, a traitor is accounted worse than a rebel; and an adulterous wife more guilty than a licentious prostitute. The relation in which they stand to their Lord, the obligations which they owe him, and the professions which they make of their regard for his honour, greatly aggravate the wickedness which they contract: and exactly thus do the transgressions of a religious professor exceed in enormity those committed by a mere worldly character.]

2. It casts more dishonour upon God—

[A man who follows his own will, without restraint, does indeed cast off the yoke of God, and shews that he is determined to brave all the consequences of his transgression. But a religious professor says, in effect, to all around him, ‘I am God’s servant; and I render to him all the service he requires, and all that he deserves. I know my duty towards him; and I perform it.’ But what a shameful reflection does this cast on God! What! Does he require no more than this? Then he can never be considered as “glorious in holiness.” And does he deserve no more than this? Then surely he has but little excellency in himself, and has done but little for us. But what horrible impiety is there in such insinuations as these! I had almost said, that the greatest enormities, in one who is professedly ungodly, are light in comparison of those which such a professor commits: and without hesitation will I declare, that Sodom and Gomorrha, with all their abominations, shall fare better, in the day of judgment, than he.]

3. It does more extensive injury to man—

[Who thinks of pouring contempt on God on account of the impieties of a profane character? But let a man, who makes a profession of religion, transgress, and immediately religion itself is condemned, and “the way of truth is evil spoken of” on his account; yea, and the very name of God himself also is blasphemed. If the faults of such an one be of a more venial kind, then the world plead his example, and think themselves at liberty to do, every day of their lives, what he has done occasionally under the influence of temptation: or, if his sins be more heinous, then all religious people are regarded as hypocrites for his sake; and the ungodly harden themselves in their wickedness, and account themselves quite as good as those who make a profession of religion. Truly, to cast such a stumbling-block before men is a fearful evil; and the certainty of such effects renders the sins of religious persons far more criminal than those who live altogether as without God in the world.]

ADDRESS—

1. Those who are careless about religion—

[You are ready to justify yourselves on this ground, that you make no profession of religion, and therefore are not hypocrites. But if we acknowledge that you are not so criminal as some others, yet look at the judgments executed on Israel, and see what you yourselves must expect. Truly, a bill of divorce is that which must be put into your bosom; and an eternal separation from your God will ensue — — — But see the invitation given you from the Lord — — — and turn unto him whilst yet his arms are open to receive you — — —]

2. Those who make a profession of religion—

Take particular notice what Judah’s sin was: it was, that “she turned not to the Lord with her whole heart, but feignedly.” Now it is with your whole heart, that you must turn to God, if ever you would be approved by him. God said respecting Laodicea, “I would thou wert cold or hot: and because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Be not satisfied, then, with a lukewarm state: but give yourselves wholly to the Lord, and serve and glorify him with your whole hearts — — —]

MXXXIII

GOD’S INVITATION TO HIS PEOPLE

Jer. 3:12–15.

Go, and proclaim these words toward the north; and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: and I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

IF we would see the Divine character exhibited in the brightest possible colours, we need go no further than to the passage before us, with the preceding and following context. Let any one read the second and third chapters, with the two first verses of the fourth chapter, and he will be perfectly amazed at the condescension and kindness of God; who, having expostulated with the Jews on account of their multiplied transgressions, urges them, by every argument that can be devised, to give up themselves unto him: and when no consideration that he can offer appears to affect them, he determines to take to him his great power, and, by an act of sovereign and Almighty grace, to constrain them to return unto him: “Thou shalt call me, My Father; and shalt not turn away from me.” In this way he prevails over them:

Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God.” No sooner does God behold this purpose formed in the minds of his rebellious people, than he says, “If thou wilt return, O Israel, return unto me.” But I shall confine myself to the passage which I have read; which is, in fact, an epitome of the whole: and I shall consider it,

I. As addressed to God’s ancient people—

They are here addressed as a “backsliding” people—

[This is a metaphor taken from oxen, which refuse to draw in the yoke that is put upon them. God had taken them to him as his people, and nourished them for his own; but they rebelled against him, and would never execute his commandsd.]

Yet he sends to them messages of mercy, and not of judgment—

[“Go,” says he to his chosen servants, “go, and proclaim to them these words; Return thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord.” Well might he have cast them off utterly. But he delighteth in mercy, and “willeth not the death of any sinner, but rather that he turn from his wickedness and live.” By many prophets did he thus invite them to return, whilst they even “wearied him” with their obstinacyf.]

One thing only he requires; namely, that they shall humble themselves before him—

[“Only acknowledge thine iniquity.” This was indispensable. God could not, consistently with his own honour, receive them, whilst they continued to harden themselves in their wickedness. They must call to mind their offences, which had been of such enormous magnitude: they must spread them before the Lord with penitential sorrow, and implore mercy at his hands. This was all that God expected of them. To compensate for their wickedness was impossible; but to confess it, and to humble themselves on account of it, was necessary, before they could hope for pardon from their God.]

To prevail upon them, he urges the most affecting considerations:

1. The merciful disposition which, notwithstanding their iniquities, he felt towards them—

[God is indeed slow to anger, and “rich in mercy to all who call upon him.” When he proclaimed his name to Moses, this was the attribute by which he was to be chiefly known; “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin.” Indeed this is the argument by which men are influenced, far more than by the terrors of God’s avenging wrath. These, though proper to be urged in their place, operate for the most part, like the storm which makes the traveller wrap his cloak the more closely round him; whereas mercy, like the sun, penetrates with a kindly and genial influence, and induces him willingly, and of his own accord, to cast it from him. By this, therefore, does God chiefly endeavour to reclaim his obstinately offending people.]

2. The relation under which, notwithstanding their departure from him, he still regarded them—

[He often calls himself “the Husband” of his ancient people. And here he urges that relation as an inducement to them to comply with his merciful and gracious invitations. Amongst men, such transgressions as God’s people had committed must have issued in an irreversible divorce: but with God no such impediment existed: he could, consistently with his own honour, re-admit them to his embrace; and he declares himself willing and desirous to restore them to all the privileges and blessings of a most beloved spouse.]

3. The benefits which he was still ready to confer upon them—

[They, like sheep, had gone astray from him; and he sought them out with all diligence: and if the whole flock would return unto him, most gladly would he receive them all. But if only a small remnant of them would return; if only “one of a city, and two of a tribe,” would come; he would not, on that account, reject them. On the contrary, he would appoint over them “pastors, according to his heart, who should teed them with knowledge and understanding.”

Now this, I conceive, marks particularly the aspect which this passage has on the future restoration of the Jews: for not only is Israel here united with Judah (which shews that the passage was not fully accomplished at their return from Babylon), but there were not, previous to our Lord’s advent, nor have there been at any time since, to the Jewish nation at large, any such stated pastors appointed as exist in the Christian Church: but, so far as they have returned to God through Christ, so far has this benefit been accorded to them: and so far as they shall yet be brought to Christ, they shall live in the enjoyment of it, and possess all the blessings that result from a stated and faithful ministry.]

Thus does God, by all these kind and affecting arguments, urge his ancient people to return unto him—

But the passage may also be considered,

II. As addressed to ourselves at this day—

Blameable as it is to overlook God’s ancient people in their own prophecies, or to pass them over as not deserving our attention, it would be still more blameable so to limit the prophecies to former ages, as to overlook their aspect on the Christian Church, and the still fuller accomplishment which they shall receive in the latter-day. The passage before us may doubtless be properly applied to us as well as to the Jews: for to us pertain,

1. The same duties—

[We have been “a backsliding people.” Who amongst us is not conscious that he has not put forth his strength in the service of his God? Our Lord has told us, that “his yoke is easy, and his burthen is light:” yet who amongst us has delighted to fulfil his will, and execute his commands? Say, Brethren, whether, instead of devoting yourselves wholly to the Lord, and living altogether for him, ye have not in many things transgressed against him, and manifested an insuperable reluctance to that holy and heavenly course which he has prescribed? — — —

To you, then, as God’s servant, I come; and, as commissioned by him, I “proclaim, in his sacred name, Return,” and yield up yourselves unfeignedly to him. Indeed ye must “return,” if ever ye would obtain mercy at his hands. Yes, ye must return in a way of penitential sorrow, confessing your sins, and humbling yourselves before him. Nor is it in a way of general humiliation only, but of particular confession. Many are the sins which all of us have committed; many which, though unknown to man, are known to God, and recorded against us in the book of his remembrance. He has seen us, when lying upon our bed: the darkness has been no darkness with him: he has seen the inmost recesses of our hearts, and has beheld our every thought and every desire. But, whether we have committed more flagrant transgressions or not, this is clear and undeniable, that “we have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.” If we try ourselves by the requirements of his Law and of his Gospel, we shall see that, in instances without number, “we have sinned, and come short of the glory of God:” and, under a sense of our defects, we must abase ourselves before him, even as holy Job did, in dust and ashes — — —]

2. The Same encouragements—

To us does God send the same gracious invitations—

[To us, as well as to his ancient people, is he rich in mercy, and ready to forgive. Not one of us would he reject, if only we would come to him in his Son’s name. No, Brethren, “his anger should not fall upon you,” even though your transgressions may have been ever so great, or ever so long continued in: on the contrary, he would act towards you the part of the father in the parable; and would, upon the very first approach of your hearts towards him, “run to meet you, and fall on your neck and kiss you, and clothe you in the best robe and kill the fatted calf, and make merry with you” — — —

And does he not stand in the relation of a husband to you? Yes, he does; and will still recognise you as his spouse, notwithstanding all your past unfaithfulness. You remember that our blessed Lord is frequently called “the Bridegroom” of his Church. St. Paul, when apparently setting forth the duties of husband and wife, declares that, in reality, “he spake of Christ and his Churchn.” Now, under this relation, does he desire to receive you, notwithstanding all that you have done amiss. I wish that every one of you could realize this figure. Conceive of a woman who had departed from her husband, and greatly dishonoured him by the most licentious habits. Suppose a friend of her husband commissioned to seek for her, and to inform her, with all imaginable tenderness, that her husband was willing to receive her again; that he would freely pardon all her misconduct, and never upbraid her with it even to his dying hour. What would be the feelings of a woman under those circumstances, especially if she was not wholly abandoned to her evil ways? Now such I would wish to be the feelings of every one amongst you, and such the interest in the message now delivered to you. I pray you, Brethren, consider this as the very case with you; and let the advice which you yourselves would give to a woman so circumstanced, be that which you will carry into effect on the present occasion — — —

With all needful benefits, too, shall you be loaded. What can a straying sheep need more, than to be brought in safety to the fold, and to be put under the care of a faithful shepherd that will supply its every want? Such are the benefits that shall be accorded to you. What, though there should be only “one or two” of you so disposed? Shall you, therefore, be disregarded by your God? No: your heavenly Shepherd will take you up in his arms, and “carry you home on his shoulders, rejoicing:” and he will appoint over you “pastors, according to his heart, to feed you with knowledge and understanding,” The benefit of a faithful ministry is by no means justly appreciated by the world at large. But to those who have been “brought home to Zion,” it is a mercy of inestimable value. Greatly does a stated ministry, where the pastor is really after God’s heart, tend to the edification and comfort of God’s faithful people; and you, Beloved, if you will truly return to God, shall find that the word preached to you from time to time shall “accomplish in you all the good pleasure of his goodness;” and prove “the power of God to the salvation of your souls” — — —]

Coming now back to the subject as first proposed, I would SAY unto you,

1. Be like-minded with God, in reference to his ancient people—

[See what tender regard God shewed towards them in the days of old: and the same anxiety does he still express for their welfare: for, as I have before observed, the message sent to them has respect to a period yet future, when they shall assuredly obey the call delivered to them. And if God, who has been so greatly offended by them, and whose only dear Son “they slew, and hanged on a tree;” if He, I say, yet regards them with such tender compassion, what ought ye to do, whom they have never offended, and who are in the same condemnation with them? In truth, the command of God is given to you, and to all who have access to them in their present dispersion; “Go, and proclaim to them” the mercy of their God: go, and invite them, by every tender consideration that is proposed to them in the inspired volume: and if ye say, ‘I cannot hope to prevail upon them;’ let it suffice if you can prevail on “one of a city, and two of a whole tribe.” You are not taught at first to expect the conversion of the whole nation; you are told only to look for them as “the gleanings of an olive-tree, two or three upon the top of the uppermost bough, four or five on the outmost fruitful branches thereof.” And if that satisfy God, shall it not satisfy you? Will ye not endeavour to get in the first-fruits, because ye are not yet privileged to reap the whole harvest? I say then, have compassion on them in their low estate: or, if ye have no pity for them, at least perform the office which is here assigned to you, of bringing back to Jehovah the wife that has forsaken him, and whom lie desires to restore to all her former honour and felicity — — — If ye say, ‘We cannot get access to them, to deliver these gracious tidings;’ let not that be any excuse for your indifference: for there are many who are at this moment employed in this very office; and if you exercise liberality to send them forth, there will be many others who will gladly go to them, and proclaim to them according to the message which is here put in their mouth. Too long have the Christian world neglected this duty: I pray you, arise to the discharge of it: and know, for your comfort, that the efforts already made, have prevailed to the full extent of the encouragement here afforded us — — —]

2. Be examples to them of all that you require at their hands—

[Do you bid them “return?” Let them see that you have returned, in deed and in truth, to the very bosom of your God. Do you bid them “acknowledge their iniquity?” Let them see you walking humbly with God; and “sowing daily in tears,” that you may be privileged at last to “reap in joy.” Above all, be ye as a wife that has returned to her husband. There is not an image in the world that so fitly marks the Christian’s state as this. It may be thought that the conduct of a loving and obedient wife, who lives only for her husband, is a proper pattern for a Christian towards his God and Saviour: but, lovely as that is, it comes far short of the Christian’s spirit: for, superadded to all the love and fidelity of a duteous wife, there must be in that a continual sense of all our past unfaithfulness. A wife so restored, would never for a moment forget what she had been, and what she had done, whilst separated from her husband: and every act of love on his part would only fill her with deeper self-lothing and self-abhorrence, for having ever so dishonoured one who deserved such different conduct at her hands. Now, get into this spirit; never exalting yourselves above the poor fallen Jew, or above the vilest of the human race. This is the walk that is most pleasing to God. This is the walk that will be ever accompanied with the most earnest efforts to honour God, and will lead to the highest possible attainments in every grace. So make your light to shine, before them, and they will see and know that “God is with you of a truth.”]

MXXXIV

THE TRUE SOURCE OF SALVATION

Jer. 3:19.

I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? And said, Thou shalt call me, My Father; and shalt not turn away from me.

IN many parts of the inspired volume, God is pleased to speak of himself after the manner of men; as though he were on some occasions reduced, as it were, to extremities, and at a loss how to act. Thus, by the prophet Hosea, he expresses himself as almost necessitated to cast off his people for their wickedness, but yet as not knowing how to bring his mind to execute on them so severe a judgment: “How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee up, Israel? How shall I make thee as Ephraim? How shall I set thee as Zeboim,” even as those ill-fated cities that were destroyed together with Sodom and Gomorrha? So, on the other hand, by Jeremiah, he speaks as equally at a loss how to exercise towards them the mercy which he was inclined to bestow: “How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations?”

This, however applicable to the people amongst whom the prophet ministered, had, beyond all doubt, a reference to a period yet future, even to events that should take place in the latter day. Then will “the ark of the covenant,” that bright symbol of the Divine presence, be altogether forgotten by the Jews, and all the worship connected with it be utterly renounced; the people being desirous only to “worship God in spirit and in truth.” At that period they will have ceased to “walk after the imagination of their own evil heart;” and the ten tribes of Israel will partake with Judah in all the blessings accorded to them. Hitherto these events have never occurred. But the time is fast approaching, when, in every particular they shall be fulfilled. True, it appears almost impossible that they should be realized: but God here declares, that they shall be accomplished in their season. In confirmation of this promise, I will shew,

I. How the obstructions to the restoration of the Jews shall be surmounted—

God himself appeals to them upon this very subject: “How shall I put thee among the children?”

[From the very beginning the Jews were a stiff-necked people. It was only for his own name sake that God did not again and again destroy them in the wilderness; and on many occasions also, after their establishment in the promised land. At last, God could no longer forbear: and therefore he gave up the ten tribes into the hands of the Assyrians, and the other two tribes into the hands of the Chaldeans. And after their restoration from Babylon, they still remained the same rebellious people, in every thing like their forefathers, except idolatry: and at last they filled up the measure of their iniquity in the murder of their Messiah. For all this wickedness they have now been scattered, these eighteen hundred years, over the face of the earth; and they are still as obdurate as ever. How, then, shall they be restored to the favour of their God? — — — The extent of their wickedness forbids it; and the honour of God, as the Moral Governor of the Universe, forbids it. Suppose an earthly prince were to select, for his attendants and most favoured servants, multitudes who had been long in rebellion against him, and had murdered his only dear Son, whom he had sent, not in a way of vindictive wrath, but in a way of love and mercy, to bring them back to their allegiance: suppose such an act of grace as this: What would be thought concerning it? Would not other potentates be ready to say, that it was an encouragement to all subjects to rebel against their governors, and to commit the greatest possible excesses? Would it not appear an excess of generosity, subversive of all moral government? If then amongst men, whose rights are so limited, this would be judged so replete with danger, how should it be that the great and glorious God should so relinquish all his own rights, and so requite those who have been the most forward to trample on them?]

But these obstacles, however formidable, shall be surmounted—

[God had before expressed his earnest desire for their restoration to him; “Wilt thou not at this time cry unto me, My Father, thou art the guide of my youth?” And now he determines to effect it by his own Almighty power: “Thou shalt call me My Father; and shalt not turn away from me.” This will overcome every obstacle: for, “if God will work, who shall let it?” Vain was the resistance of Pharaoh: vain the obstructions of the sea, the wilderness, and the united nations of Canaan. As God spake the universe itself into existence;, so will he, in his own appointed time, form that “new creation” to which my text refers, when “all the nations” (of Jews certainly, and possibly, in part, of Gentiles also) “shall be gathered to Jerusalem;” and, together with all the tribes both of Israel and Judahe, become one fold under one Shepherd.”]

From hence we may see,

II. How alone the difficulties in the way of our salvation also can ever be overcome—

There are immense difficulties in the way of our salvation—

[The extent of our wickedness equals, and perhaps exceeds, that of the Jews. What evil was committed by them which does not also, to a fearful extent, obtain amongst us? — — — And if they crucified the Lord of Glory, have not we also “crucified him afresh”, by our neglect of his Gospel, and our contempt of his salvation? — — — The Jews of our Lord’s day were more criminal than Tyre and Sidon; yea, and even than Sodom and Gomorrha; because they sinned against greater light than those idolatrous cities: and, when we reflect on the advantages which we enjoy, we have reason to fear that a still heavier condemnation will come on us, for our abuse of them — — — Indeed, it should seem almost impossible that a God of justice and holiness and truth should ever receive to his bosom those who have so “trodden under foot his dear Son, and done such despite to the Spirit of his grace — — —]

But these shall be overcome, even as those which obstruct the restoration of the Jews—

[If we looked to ourselves only, our salvation would be altogether hopeless, But God directs us to look to Him, with whom nothing is impossible. He promises to interpose for us in a way of sovereign grace, and by the exercise of his Almighty power. His grace is his own: and he may dispense it to whomsoever he sees fit, according to the counsel of his own will. And he says, “Thou shalt call me, My Father;” and shalt participate all the blessings of my most favoured children — — — And he will, by the exercise of his Almighty power, effect this; for he has said, “Thou shalt not turn away from me;” that is, I will both restore thee to my favour, and keep thee, by my own power, unto everlasting salvation — — — Here, then, is our security; here is our hope. Nothing less than his merciful interposition can effect this work; and nothing shall ever be permitted to defeat his gracious purpose: “His counsel shall stand, and He will do all his will.”]

ADDRESS—

1. To those who question the possibility of their own salvation—

[I do not wonder that any should feel doubts on this head, when God himself seems almost at a loss to find how he shall effect it. But view God as a God of uncontrollable sovereignty and irresistible power, and you may at once dismiss all your fears, if only you cry mightily to him, and put your trust in him — — —]

2. To those who have entertained no such fears—

[How awfully must Satan have blinded your eyes, and hardened your hearts! You think salvation easy to be attained, and almost a matter of course. But you will be of a very different mind, if ever you come to see the greatness of your guilt, and the inveteracy of your corruptions. I tell you, Brethren, that nothing but the blood of God’s only dear Son could ever have atoned for your guilt; nor can any thing but the operation of the divine Spirit ever renew your depraved hearts: nor till you are made sensible of the difficulties of your salvation, will you have any well-grounded hope of being “numbered amongst the children of your God” — — —]

3. To those who profess to have been brought into the family of their God—

[You doubtless wish to be informed how you may “walk worthy of your high calling.” To you then I say, Obey your God in the two particulars which he here requires. “Go to him, as your Father in Christ Jesus;” and “walk before him as dear children;” committing to him your every care, and expecting from him a supply of all your wants — — — And let nothing prevail upon you to “turn away from him.” Be ready to sacrifice every earthly consideration, and to lay down even life itself, for him. Under all circumstances, my advice to you is, “Be stedfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord: and you may then be assured, that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.”]

MXXXV

INVITATION TO BACKSLIDERS

Jer. 3:22.

Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God.

THOUGH the conversion of men is the result of God’s purpose, and solely the effect of his grace, yet it is wrought by rational means. He calls upon them as free agents, and enforces his exhortations with the most cogent motives. By these means he convinces their judgment, and makes them willing to comply with his solicitations. In the preceding context he had determined to effect his purpose by the constraining influence of his grace; nevertheless he does not omit the use of means, but repeats his former invitations with still stronger arguments than before. In this way he produces the change upon the reluctant soul, and makes it thankfully to embrace his proffered mercy.

In discoursing on the words before us, we shall consider,

I. The Lord’s address to the backsliders—

The persons addressed are either mere nominal Christians, or real Christians in a declining state—

[The term “backsliding” refers to an unruly heifer that either will not at all draw in its master’s yoke, or that performs its work unsteadily. In the former view, it comprehends all those who in name and profession are his, but in reality are altogether regardless of his will. Alas! How many are there of this description in every place! Who amongst us may not consider the text as addressed to himself in particular? Who has not cast off the yoke of God, and said, like Pharaoh, “I know not the Lord, neither will I obey his voice?” In the latter view, it may describe those who, having begun to serve the Lord, turn back again in some measure to the world and to sin. And where is there a child of God who must not acknowledge himself to have been, at some time, of this number, however diligently he be serving God at this moment? Who can say that he has invariably, from the very first, pursued the path of duty in one uniform tenour of conduct? Who has not often been conscious of secret declensions, and “backslidings of heart?”]

To both these descriptions of people does God address an earnest and impressive exhortation—

[God well knows the danger to which all are exposed when they have turned aside from him. Nor does he “will, in any instance, the death of a sinner, but rather that he should return and live.” Hence, instead of saying, as we might well expect, Depart from me, he invites us to return. He would have us not only to take his yoke upon us, but to draw in it with pleasure and delight. To enforce his exhortation, he adds a most encouraging promise. Well might he threaten us with the dreadful consequences of our transgression, and address himself only to our fears. But he is a God of infinite compassion, and would rather win us by love. Our backslidings have made a deadly wound in our souls, a wound which if not speedily closed, will destroy us for ever. Behold, what astonishing mercy! He promises to heal us: to heal the guilt of our sin by the blood of Jesus, and the power of it by his good Spirit! Such is his gracious declaration to us at this instant; and such is the encouragement which he affords to all who have departed from him.]

Having seen the condescension of God, we can be at no loss to determine,

II. The effect it should produce upon us—

If we have the smallest spark of ingenuousness within us, his goodness must of necessity produce,

1. A ready compliance with his will—

Such was the effect upon those addressed in the text. And, whenever the word is applied with power to our souls, the same effect will be visible on us. We shall no longer keep at a distance from God, but return to him with our whole hearts. Filled with astonishment at his forbearance towards us, and solicitous to experience the renewed expressions of his favour, we shall say, “Behold we come unto thee.” No pleasures of sin will be suffered to detain us from him. Having “tasted the gall and wormwood of a backslidden state, our souls will have them still in remembrance.” We shall determine with the Church of old, “I will return unto my first husband, for then it was better with me than now.”

I call then on this whole assembly now to unite as with the voice of one man, saying, “Thou Lord art our God; and we come to thee” according to thy commandment; yea, “behold,” and bear witness to us this day, “We come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God.”]

2. An unreserved surrender of ourselves to his service—

[The love of Christ has a constraining power, which, if not irresistibly, yet invincibly, impels us to live unto him. Let it once be “shed abroad in our hearts,” and we shall instantly exclaim with rapture, “My Lord, and my God.” “What have I to do any more with idols,” will be the natural effusion of our souls. We shall feel a holy indignation at the thought of having so long “provoked the Lord to jealousy;” and shall address him in the language of his repenting people, “Other lords besides thee have had dominion over us, but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.”]

APPLICATION—

1. To those who are deliberately resisting the will of God—

[While casting off the restraints of God’s law, and following the dictates of your own will, you conceive yourselves to be enjoying perfect liberty. But such liberty is the sorest bondage. A subjection to sin is a vassalage most abject in its nature, and most fatal in its consequencesf. Would to God that the slaves of sin would reflect a moment what master they are serving, and what wages they are likely to receive! Soon would they then cast off the yoke which their own lusts have imposed, and seek for freedom in the service of their God. Awake, ye deluded sinners, and return to him, whose “yoke is easy, and whose burthen is light.”]

2. To those who, having begun to serve God, are drawing back from him—

[“Who hath bewitched,” who hath infatuated, your depraved hearts? “Hath God been a wilderness to you,” that you are tired of his service? “Is there indeed no profit in serving him?” We will venture to put the matter to this issue. Are you as happy now in your departure from God, as you were when you were endeavouring to walk with him? Has your return to secret neglects and sinful indulgences been attended with a proportionate increase of peace and comfort? Sure we are, that none can truly affirm this to have been their experience. If your consciences be not altogether seared, your wounds are festering at this instant. Beware then lest God leave you to be “filled with your own ways.” That would be the greatest curse that can be inflicted on you. O return immediately to God i and he will heal your backslidings and love you freely.]

3. To those who are maintaining a steadfast walk with God—

[Thrice happy souls! ye are highly favoured of the Lord. Say, Have ye not already the recompence in your own bosoms? Is not his service perfect freedom? Be thankful then to God who enables you so to live, Be fearful of any thing which may “grieve that Holy Spirit, by whom ye are sealed.” Watch against secret backslidings in their very first beginnings. Be more and more diligent in every good word and work. “Be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; and be assured that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.”]

MXXXVI

REPENTANCE THE MEANS OF PREVENTING RUIN

Jer. 4:3, 4.

Thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

THE language of the prophets is highly figurative, and therefore sometimes difficult to be understood; but, when judiciously explained, it will always be found highly instructive. Of course, it will not be right to press a metaphorical expression too far; nor should an idea that may seem indelicate, be so touched as to offend the nicest ear: but, when the general import of the metaphor is seen, the subject contained in it may be prosecuted to great advantage. It is obvious that some very important instruction is conveyed in the passage before us: and it will be found no less applicable to ourselves than to the Jews of old, if we consider,

I. The duties here enjoined—

These are set forth under two different images; the one taken from breaking up fallow ground, and the other from the Jewish rite of circumcision. To ascertain the import of those images, we need only refer to a parallel passage in the Prophet Ezekiel, where the same duties are inculcated in plain and simple terms; “Repent and turn from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.” Two duties then are here enjoined;

1. Repentance—

[The heart of man by nature may justly be compared with uncultivated ground that is covered with thorns and briers; for it is obdurate, and altogether unfit for the reception of any good scud, till it has been “broken up,” and cleared of its noxious products. Let any one examine his own heart, and he will find this representation true. As to the outward acts of men, there certainly is a great difference, yea, and in their inward dispositions too; but in respect of love to God and delight in his service, all are on the same level; “the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” It is full of “earthly, sensual, devilish” affections, which must be rooted up, before the graces of God’s Spirit can grow within it. But this cannot be done by a slight and superficial work: the plough must enter into the very soul, as it did on the day of Pentecost: we must be made to feel our desert and danger, and be brought to the condition of the poor repenting publican. Let every child of man bear this in mind; for it is “the broken and contrite heart alone, which God will not despise;” and “except ye thus repent, ye must all inevitably perish.”]

2. Amendment—

[Circumcision was not only “a seal” on God’s part, marking Israel for his own peculiar people, but it was a sign also on the part of Israel, denoting their obligation to “put off the body of the sins of the flesh” and to love and serve God with all their heartsf. In this sense, though the rite itself is superseded by Baptism, the term may justly be applied to us. We must have “our hearts circumcised unto the Lord:” we must “mortify our earthly members,” and “put off the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lustsh.” Whatever pain it may occasion us to part with “our besetting sins,” (for circumcision was a painful rite,) it must be submitted to, even as a man gladly parts with a diseased member for the preservation of his whole body. Our blessed Lord assures us, that if we wilfully retain one bosom lust, we must perish in that “fire that never shall be quenched.”]

This awful truth being so strongly marked in our text, we shall proceed to shew,

II. The connexion between these duties and the Divine favour—

In its primary sense, the threatening in our text maybe considered as denouncing temporal judgments on the Jewish nation: but it must also be understood in reference to those eternal judgments which we all have merited by our iniquities. For the averting of those judgments, repentance and amendment are indispensably necessary:

1. Not, however, in a way of meritorious efficiency—

[It is not possible for man to merit any thing at God’s hands. As transgressors of his law, we are justly exposed to his everlasting displeasure: and, if we could perfectly obey his law in future, our obedience would no more cancel our obligation to punishment for past disobedience, than our future abstinence from incurring debts would discharge the debts already incurred. But the truth is, that every thing we do is imperfect, and needs forgiveness on account of its imperfection: and therefore to dream of meriting pardon by deeds which themselves stand in need of pardon, must be folly in the extreme. There is but one way of obtaining deliverance from the punishment of sin, and that is through the blood and righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is his meritorious sacrifice which alone expiates the guilt of sin: and, if we look to any thing else, either in whole or in part, for pardon and acceptance, we effectually cut ourselves off from all hope of his salvation. However we may “plough up the fallow ground, and sow in righteousness, we must reap in mercy,” and in mercy alone. Salvation is altogether of grace, through faithm: and in point of dependence, we must renounce our best actions as much as our vilest sins.]

2. But in a way of suitable preparation—

[Repentance and amendment are necessary both to an honourable exercise of mercy on God’s part, and to a becoming reception of mercy on our part.

If God were not to require humiliation in us, and a mortification of our sins, what evidence would there be that He is holy; and in what light would he appear as the Moral Governor of the Universe? Surely he would be thought indifferent about the honour of his law, and regardless of the moral character of his creatures. But he will not so dishonour his own perfections: and therefore, even when most anxious to display his mercy, he requires an acknowledgment of sin on our part, and declares, that, if we will not humble ourselves before him, he will proceed against us with deserved rigouro.

But if we could conceive that God should pardon an un-repenting sinner, the sinner himself would not value a pardon so offered: he would rather think it an insult than a favour: for, whilst he is unconscious that he deserves the wrath of God, he would account it an injustice even to be supposed to merit it. Again, suppose the pardon actually conferred, what gratitude would he feel for the gift bestowed? or what endeavours would he make to glorify God in future? Would he not account sin a light matter? Would he not readily return to it, even “as a dog to his vomit, or the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire?” We may ask once more; supposing him forgiven, how could he join in the songs of the redeemed above? They are prostrating themselves with profoundest adoration before the throne of God, and singing praises incessantly “to Him that loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood:” but he has no heart for such exercises: instead of magnifying his God and Saviour for the greatness of his mercy towards him, he would be congratulating himself that he had never merited any other portion.

Here then the connexion between these duties and our forgiveness is manifest: it is founded, not in any vain ideas of merit, but in the immutable decrees of God: God cannot dishonour himself; nor can man be saved in any other way, than by “confessing and forsaking his iniquities.”]

ADDRESS—

1. Those who have never yet been awakened to a sense of their sins—

[Alas! how many amongst us are yet “uncircumcised in heart and ears?” How many have never yet wept and mourned in secret for their sins, and never adopted the resolution of the Prodigal, “I will arise and go to my father.” But God forbid that they should continue any longer in such fatal security. Hear, every one of you, the command of God: “Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heaviness: humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” this, this is the great business of life: in comparison of this, every pursuit is light and vain. “To flee from the wrath to come, and to lay hold on eternal life!” O who can paint in sufficiently glowing colours the importance and excellency of such an employment?

Some may perhaps reply, that they cannot do these things. True, we cannot of ourselves; but will not God enable us to do them, if we seek the aid of his Holy Spirit? Has he not expressly told us, that his “grace shall be sufficient for us?” I say then, “Plough up your fallow ground;” “make you a new heart, and a new spirit:” and when you find your own insufficiency, then plead with God the promises he has made, and cry, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” That prayer, if offered in faith, shall surely be answered; and you shall find to your joy, that you “can do all things through Christ who strengthened you.”]

2. Those who make a profession of religion—

[Do not imagine that it is sufficient to break up the fallow ground once: the husbandman ploughs his ground often, especially if it be a soil that is full of noxious plants. Thus then must you do: there is no soil so bad as the heart of a carnal man: weeds are growing up continually: and it must be the labour of your life to pluck them up. How many professors of religion have the good seed choked and rendered unfruitful, through their negligence in pulling up the thorns and briers that grow up with it! It is an awful truth, that no people are farther from the kingdom of God than they; because they are of all persons the most difficult to be brought to a sense of their danger. But St. Paul marks in very striking terms the difference between such persons and the true Christian: against those he cautions us, “Beware of dogs, beware of the concision: WE are the circumcision, who worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” A profession of religion, however clear your knowledge of the Gospel may be, will not suffice: for “he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”]

MXXXVII

IMPORTANCE OF SUPPRESSING VAIN THOUGHTS

Jer. 4:14.

O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved: how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?

THE displeasure of God is never raised to such a height, but that he is willing to pardon his offending creatures, and longs for their repentance on purpose that he may exercise his mercy towards them. The denunciations of his wrath do indeed frequently appear as if they could not be reversed: but they always, even when most positive, imply a condition, and leave room for hope. The approaching destruction of Nineveh was foretold by the prophet in terms which seemed to preclude a possibility of their escape: but their penitence averted the impending storm. Thus, in the chapter before us, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans is spoken of as hastening with the velocity of an eagle, insomuch that the prophet complains of it as already accomplished: “Woe unto us! for we are spoiled:” yet in the very next words he introduces, as in a parenthesis, a brief and pathetic exhortation to repentance, as the sure and only means of staying the Divine judgments.

It should seem that, in the midst of all their wickedness, the Jews buoyed up themselves with expectations that the threatened calamities would never come. In reference to these vain hopes the prophet addresses them in the words which we have just read. In these words we see that God notices the “vain thoughts,” as well as the sinful actions, of men; and that he requires “the heart” to be purified from those, as well as the life from these.

We shall take occasion therefore from the text to shew,

I. What are those vain thoughts which are apt to lodge within us—

Of course it will not be possible to notice all the vain thoughts that rush into the minds of men; (we might as well attempt to number the sands upon the sea shore:) we must content ourselves with mentioning a few, which deserve more particular attention.

St. Paul speaks of a “filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit:” agreeably to which distinction we may arrange our thoughts under two heads;

1. Spiritual—

[There are many “vain thoughts,” which, on account of their having their seat and empire in the mind only, may be called spiritual; but which are peculiarly hateful to God.

What proud thoughts are apt to infest the mind! It is no small complacency which people feel in the beauty of their persons, the elegance of their dress, the dignity of their titles, or the extent and variety of their intellectual acquirements. Even in reference to religion itself, how common is it to behold men puffed up with vain conceit, imagining themselves wise, when they are “born like a wild ass’s colt;” and good, when they are “enemies to God by wicked works!”

Unbelieving thoughts also are ever ready to arise. Indeed, these almost universally prevail. Whence is it that men are so secure, so easy in their sins? Whence is it that all the promises and threatenings of the Gospel have so little weight? Is it not from the secret thought that God’s word shall never be fulfilled, and that, however they may live, they shall have peace at the last? And are not such thoughts peculiarly displeasing to God?

Amongst the most sinful thoughts that can occupy the mind, are those which are vindictive: yet how apt are they to rankle in the breast! What a tumult will they excite within us, agitating our frame, and instigating us to the most bitter invectives, hasty purposes, and violent proceedings! It is well for mankind that all are not equally susceptible of these impressions; but there are few, if any, who have not found them, on some occasions, disturbing their own peace, and operating to the destruction of Christian charity. Nothing can more strongly mark the impiety of such thoughts than God’s express declaration, that he himself will never forgive any person that entertains them in his heart.]

2. Carnal—

[Amongst carnal thoughts we number those which relate either to the world or to the flesh.

The world tempts us principally to anxious, covetous, or ambitious thoughts. To these all are more or less exposed: the statesman, the warrior, the merchant, the mechanic, yea, all orders and degrees of men, are impelled or distracted by them. Doubtless, it is the duty of every man to attend to the proper business of his calling: but when his mind is so occupied with earthly things as that he can find no delight in those which are heavenly, he is sinning against God, who would have him without carefulness, and commands him to “set his affections on things above, and not on things belowd.”

It is scarcely needful to mention, that amongst the vainest thoughts which find a lodgment within us, are those which are impure. It is surprising with what violence these will sometimes assault the soul; how they will haunt it by night and by day; how they will intrude even into the holiest places, and interrupt our holiest services. Nor can we doubt in what light they are to be regarded, when God himself has declared an unchaste look to be the same in his sight as actual adultery.]

Not to enumerate any more vain thoughts, we shall rather proceed to shew,

II. The necessity of cleansing ourselves from them—

We cannot cleanse ourselves from the guilt which we have already contracted, unless we wash in “the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness.” Nor can we purify ourselves from the pollution of sin, unless the Holy Ghost work effectually in us. Yet this does not supersede the use of means; for when the text exhorts us to “wash our hearts from wickedness,” it implies that,

1. It may be done—

[Though the power is certainly of God, yet there is much to be done by us: we should maintain a sense of God’s presence with us. If the eye of a fellow-creature, even of a child, were upon us, we should be deterred by it from the commission of many sins: how then should we be restrained from evil thoughts, if we felt a consciousness that God was privy to every imagination of our hearts!

We should guard against the occasions of sin. All our senses and faculties are inlets to sin, or instruments whereby we commit it. All our intercourse with each other gives occasion to evil, if we be not much on our guard against it. We may, by flattering, or worldly, or light conversation, or even by imparting to each other the workings of our hearts, stir up unhallowed passions, and suggest thoughts that may be exceedingly injurious to the soul. We should “set a watch before the door of our mouths,” and even “make a covenant with our eyes,” in order to shut out evil from our own hearts, and keep from exciting it in the hearts of others.

We should frequently meditate upon the Holy Scriptures. David found this a good antidote to evil thoughts. The Scriptures have in themselves an efficacy to purity the heart, when they are applied to us by the powerful energy of the Holy Ghost: besides which, the more we are filled with holy thoughts, the less room will be left for the intrusion of evil. Being intent on the promises of God, we shall more easily cleanse ourselves from all filthiness, both of flesh and spiritk.

Lastly, we should “diligently keep our hearts.” The heart is the womb in which all evils are generatedm; and we must watch all its motions, if we would keep it pure. The very instant any evil arises there, we must expel it: if we cannot prevent its entrance, we must take care it do not “lodge within us.”]

2. It must be done—

[God notices our thoughts as much as he does our actions; and he considers them as characterizing our state before him. “As we think in our hearts, so are we;” we are either hypocritical and vile, or pure and holy, according as we indulge, or abhor, the hidden abominations of our hearts.

Thoughts as really lead to death as actions themselves do: and they may be so evil in the sight of God as to render it doubtful whether they shall ever be forgivenq. They must therefore be repented of as much as actions: and, if they be not repented of, they will inevitably exclude us from the kingdom of heaven. This is strongly intimated in the text, since the mortifying of them is declared to be necessary to saltation: and the same awful truth is taught by our Lord himself, who represents the pure in heart “as the only persons who shall see God.”

The very manner in which God addresses us in the text, is a very striking proof of the necessity which lies upon us to subdue the evil workings of our hearts. Wherefore is all this tenderness in the exhortation, but because God, who willeth not the death of a sinner, sees the fatal tendency of our evil thoughts? And wherefore this kind impatience in the reproof, but because he sees that the evil, if indulged, will grow upon us; and that, if not speedily suppressed, it will terminate in our ruin?

Tenderly then would we exhort you all to mark the secret motions of your hearts. In respect of actions, many of you, no doubt, are virtuous, and, to a certain degree, blameless, But if you will call to mind the “vain thoughts” that have lodged within you, you will find abundant reason to blush, and be confounded before God in dust and ashes. You will see that you need the blood of Christ to cleanse you from guilt, and the Spirit of Christ to create in you a new heart, as much as the most abandoned wretch on earth: and that, unless you set yourselves in earnest to “cleanse your hands, and purify your heartsu,” there can be no salvation for you.

Say, Beloved, when will you begin this necessary work? With a holy impatience we would urge you to begin it instantly; lest, while you are purposing amendment, you be summoned unprepared to meet your God in judgment.]

MXXXVIII

THE MISERIES OF WAR

Jer. 4:19.

My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me: I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.

THE propriety of setting apart days for national humiliation is questioned by none, except those who despise all religion, or those whose extravagant principles of liberty lead them to set at nought all human authorities. The most pious of the Jewish kings endeavoured to unite their subjects in prayer and supplication, as the best means of averting the judgments which they either felt or feared: and even heathen monarchs have resorted to it, as that which their own consciences taught them was the most likely way to obtain favour with the Most High. We have reason to be thankful that this nation is now called in the most solemn manner to humble itself before God, and to implore help from him under its present difficulties: and happy would it be for us, if the people at large laid to heart, as they ought, the calamities which we suffer, or the sins which have brought them upon us!

In the words before us, we may see what ought to be our feelings on this occasion, and what our conduct.

I. What should be our feelings—

That we may estimate aright the feelings which a state of warfare requires, let us view it,

1. As a calamity endured—

[Those who are at a distance from the scene of war, and hear of it only by battles gained or lost, are apt to overlook the miseries of their fellow-creatures, and to think of nothing but the general effects which the events may have on their national aggrandisement. But if we would form a correct judgment of this matter, let us endeavour to realize the horrors of war. Let us think of a hostile army now in our neighbourhood, and marching to attack the very place wherein we live. How would fear seize hold upon us, and “all faces gather blackness!” Read the menacing descriptions given of an advancing army by the Prophets Ezekiel and Joelc: think, from the first tidings of their approach, till you behold them just ready to spread desolation and slaughter all around them; think, I say, what your feelings would be: does the prophet exaggerate, when he compares them to the pangs of a woman travailing with her first-born child? See your dearest relatives weltering in their blood; your houses spoiled; the objects of your tenderest affection treated with the most shocking indignities; and you yourselves driven, without food, without raiment, to wander in the open fields, till your exhausted nature sinks under its accumulated woes. Well may we tremble at the bare possibility of such events. Reflect, then, on a whole kingdom thus desolated; the hostile armies carrying fire and sword through all the towns and villages of a populous country; “A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness: yea, and nothing doth escape them:” “What a day of darkness and of gloominess” must that be to the people visited with such awful calamities! Say, then, Brethren, what your feelings should be at this time! What if these scenes have not been acted before our eyes; are they the less to be deplored? And who can tell how soon they may be brought home to our own doors! We entreat you, then, to lay these things to heart, and no longer to indulge a stupid insensibility to the calamities of war.]

2. As a judgment inflicted—

[War is one of God’s “four sore judgments,” wherewith he visiteth a guilty land. It is he who giveth the sword a charge against this or that country, and says, “Sword, pass through the landg” And as he stirred up enemies against Solomon, on purpose to “avenge the quarrel of his covenanti, so it is on account of sin that he is now laying upon us his chastising rod — — — Nor can we doubt but that his anger has waxed hot against us, when the judgments inflicted for our sins are so various and of so long continuance. See in what terms he describes his anger against the people of oldl! and consider whether, when its effects are so visible on us, it be not high time for us to tremble. Yes, surely, the prophet’s direction is exactly such as we are now called to follow: and, if we refuse to follow it, we may well expect that our judgments will be multiplied, till they have wrought either our humiliation or destructionn. We must be stupid indeed if we do not see reason to “cry, when he is so binding us;” and to “humble ourselves under his mighty hand,” when he is so correcting us.]

But it. will be to little purpose to ascertain what our feelings should be, if we do not also consider,

II. What should be our conduct—

Let us make this inquiry, in reference,

1. To Ministers—

[The prophet tells us what was his conduct, to which indeed he was irresistibly impelled; “I cannot hold my peace,” Ministers are watchmen, appointed by God himself to warn the people against his impending judgments. And while it is their duty to “weep between the porch and the altar,” and to intercede with God to spare his heritage, and to “give him no rest” till he vouchsafe mercy to the land,p it is also their duty to “lift up their voice as a trumpet, and to shew the house of Israel their sins.” They must “cry aloud, and not spar.”

Let us not be thought harsh, if we execute our commission with fidelity and earnestness. You yourselves would be the first to condemn a sentinel who did not give you timely notice of an advancing enemy: and you will condemn us also in the eternal world, if by “prophesying smooth things” we contribute to your ruin. We must, then, speak, “whether you will hear or whether you will forbear;” and must warn you, that nothing but present and eternal misery can be expected, whilst you continue impenitent in your sins — — —]

2. To the people—

[Though the text does not particularly specify your duty, the context does, and warns you that an attention to it is the only means of quenching that wrath which is now flaming against you. The advice given you by the prophet may be comprised in three particulars: Seek to have your obstinate hearts softened — — — Put away the evils which have provoked God’s displeasure against you — — — and, Get your hearts thoroughly renewed and sanctified by divine grace — — —

We accuse not all as manifesting the same obduracy, or as loaded with the same degrees of guilt; but if all would search into their own hearts, they might find much impenitence and unbelief to mourn over, and much worldliness and carnality to put away: even those who make a profession of religion, if they would examine themselves closely as in the presence of God, might rind many evil tempers and dispositions, which obstruct the efficacy of their prayers, and fearfully augment our national guilt. But if we turn not from our wickedness, it is iii vain to hope that God will turn from his fiery indignation — — —]

ADDRESS—

1. The careless—

[This comprehends the great bulk of mankind. Whatever calamites are endured by others, they feel nothing, any farther than it immediately affects themselves. “When God’s hand is lifted up, they will not see;” “nor when his judgments are in the earth, will they learn righteousness.” But such indifference is most offensive to God: and they who indulge it are likely to become signal monuments of the Divine displeasure — — —]

2. The self-confident—

[They who see not the hand of God against them are ever leaning on an arm of flesh: if they have failed in ever so many efforts, they still look no higher than to their own exertions for success. What their views are, and what the declarations of God respecting them, may be seen in the prophecies of Isaiah. O that we may not thus provoke God to jealousy, and bring accumulated curses on our own heads, when we should be labouring by prayer and supplication to avert them! — — —]

3. The mourners—

[We hope there are some who possess a measure of Jeremiah’s patriotism and piety, and who understand by experience his exclamations in the text, “My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart!” Would to God that we could see such a spirit universally prevailing! There would be no doubt then of a happy termination of our troubles. Such persons indeed are too generally considered as gloomy enthusiasts: but they are the best friends of their country: they are the people who “stand in the gap;” they are the few righteous, for whose sake our Sodom has not long since been destroyed. Go on, beloved, like Nehemiah, Daniel, and other holy men, bewailing your own sins, and the sins of this whole nation: and then, if you should not be so happy as to see your efforts successful in relation to the kingdom at large, you may be assured that your labour will not be lost as it respects your own souls: your payer shall return into your own bosom; and your tears be had in remembrance before God,.]

MXXXIX

GOD’S BOUNTIES, AND OUR INGRATITUDE

Jer. 5:23, 24.

This people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart. They are revolted and gone: neither say they in. their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.

AS Ministers of the Gospel, our chief employment is to open to you the hidden mystery of Redemption, and to present for your acceptance “the unsearchable riches of Christ.” Yet there are times and seasons when we must assume somewhat of the sterner aspect of the prophets; and, in the name of our Divine Master, address you in the language of reproof. The Jews, no doubt, were a stiff-necked people, and needed to be reproved in terms of the greatest severity Would to God that we, under our more liberal dispensation, were not obnoxious also to the same charge! But really, the commission given to the prophet is far from being unsuitable to us at this time, or improper to be executed towards you: “Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying, Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; who have eyes, and see not; who have ears, and hear not: Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it? But this people have a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone: neither say they in their heart, Let us fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.”

In these words the prophet reproves the Jews,

I. For their contempt of God’s authority—

They were indeed “a rebellious and gainsaying people”—

[God had chosen them for his own peculiar people; and had given them his law, written with his own hand on tables of stone. But from the very beginning they were a rebellious people, casting off their allegiance to God, and revolting from him, to the service of “gods that could not profit nor deliver them.” And though God called them to him by a succession of prophets, “they refused to return to him;” yea, “so bent were the whole nation to backslide from God, that none at all would exalt him.”]

And “what are we better than they?”

[God has given to us also his Law. And who amongst us obeys it? Who desires to obey it? Who really, and in truth, endeavours to obey it? What, if we do not bow down to stocks and stones; do we not, in fact, “love and serve the creature more than the Creator,” even as they did? Who amongst us either abstains from any act, purely because it would displease God; or performs any act, purely from a desire to please him? I grant, we may abstain from many evils, and perform many duties; but by what motive are we impelled? We shall find that our own gratification, or the approbation of man, has a far stronger influence on our minds than any consideration of God’s favour; and that in “the spirit of our mind” we are as much revolted from God as over the Jews themselves were — — —

But God has given to us his Gospel also, saying, Whatever contempt they have shewn to Moses and the prophets, “they will reverence my Son.” But have we obeyed his voice, and “taken upon us his light and easy yoke?” No, indeed: we have been as regardless of Christ as if he had never come into the world. “We have indeed called him Lord; but we have not done the things which he has said.” Say, my Brethren, whether we have “fled to him for refuge,” as the only Saviour of our souls? Say, whether we have surrendered up ourselves to him as his devoted followers, and made it the one labour of our lives to “glorify him with our body and our spirit, which are his?” Look at all around you, and see whether this be their state: and then look within, and let conscience tell you whether it be your own state: and, if it be not, then is the reproof in my text merited by you, far more than by the Jews themselves; inasmuch as you sin against greater light, and far richer mercies than they.]

God was ever endeavouring to reclaim his people: yet did his mercies only serve to mark their ingratitude, and bring reproof upon them,

II. For their insensibility to his love—

Not all the mercies vouchsafed unto them could bring them to a better mind—

[God had promised them a supply of all temporal blessings, if they would serve him with diligence and fidelity. And notwithstanding they violated their obligations continually, he still imparted to them the blessings they had so justly forfeited, sending thorn rain and fruitful seasons, as if they had not offended him at all. And what did he expect in return for these mercies? He doubtless expected, that, from a sense of gratitude for such unmerited kindness, they would reform their lives, and devote themselves to his service. But, behold, they still continued their disobedience; and “none of them said in their hearts, Let us fear the Lord our God, who has done such great things for us,” This was a great aggravation of their guilt, and could not fail to bring down upon them God’s heavy displeasure — — —]

And what effect, let me ask, have God’s mercies produced on us?

[Behold, in his mercy he has now “sent us RAIN,” which we so greatly needed, and has given us a prospect of a “HARVEST;” when, if the drought had continued much longer, we should have been reduced to a state of extreme scarcity or famine, And what does God expect at our hands, but that we say one to another, Let us now fear the Lord our God, who has vouchsafed to us this seasonable relief? Surely this is not more than the occasion calls for. But is this the way in which we are now requiting God for his mercies? Is this the feeling of men in general? Has it been the feeling of our own hearts? Have we humbled ourselves before him? and has “the goodness of our God led us to repentance?” — — —

But what shall I say, if I put the question in reference to spiritual blessings? God has given to us, not merely “the bread that perisheth, but that also which eudureth unto everlasting life”. And not only has he sent us rain to refresh and fructify the parched ground, but he has sent us also his Holy Spirit, to revive and fertilize our barren souls. Whatever may be said of less-favoured places, I trust we have reason to acknowledge the bounties of heaven in these respects. What, then, should be the state of our minds? Should not we be penetrated with a sense of gratitude to God? Should not we determine for ourselves, and stimulate one another to fear and serve him? Yea, might we not expect that the very stones should cry out against us, if we neglected to express our gratitude in this way? But how is it with us? Where are the persons who are so impressed? Where are the persons who are so exercised? Where are the persons who thus “fear the Lord and his goodness?” Alas! alas! We may condemn the Jews for their obstinacy; but sure I am we have far greater reason to condemn ourselves as the most ungrateful of men, when not even the mercy of redemption itself has been able to bring us effectually to our God — — —]

And now, what shall I say unto you? TWO REQUESTS I would make:

1. Mark the dealings of God with you—

[Mark those which relate to you as members of the community at large; for in those you are deeply interested: let not the gift of rain, or genial seasons, and of abundant harvests, be overlooked, because they are common; but let them all lead you in devout thankfulness to your God. And mark still more especially his dealings with you as individuals, his mercies, and his judgments, of whatever kind they be; for they all have a voice to you, and may be improved to your spiritual and eternal good. Have you mercies? Let them incline you to a willing and unreserved surrender of yourselves to God, Have you judgments? “Hear the rod, and him that hath appointed it.” Only improve the providences that occur: and you shall never want a providence to improve.]

2. Cultivate the mind which God requires—

[He requires all to “fear and tremble at his presence.” And, I beseech you, account not that a legal and undesirable frame of mind. Indeed, indeed, it is the safest state for all of us. I would not undervalue exalted joys: but I confess I love most the religion of a sinner: I love humility and self-abasement: I love the fleeing to Christ, and the washing daily and hourly in the fountain of his blood. I love religion, under the character of holy fear; and I would have you to “be in the fear of the Lord all the day long.” Not that it is a slavish fear that I would recommend, or a fear that is constrained by an apprehension of God’s displeasure. No; it is a fear that proceeds from love; a fear that is inspired by a sense of gratitude, and that is dictated, as it were, by your own hearts; saying, “Come, let us fear the Lord our God,” who has done such great things for us. It is this, this cordial willingness, this impatient desire, that puts all the value into the disposition which I am now recommending to you. And be not contented to experience this fear in your own hearts, but endeavour to impress it on all around you. Let it grieve you to see the hardness and obduracy of all your neighbours: and take occasion from every mercy, whether temporal or spiritual, to stimulate all, even to the remotest ends of the earth, to love, and serve, and glorify their God.]

MXL

THE GOOD OLD WAY

Jer. 6:16.

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